the_lioness | (no subject)

(no subject)

The Bond Street tube station during morning rush hour is a rough introduction to London for two people who have never traveled by anything but horse or ship. However, it is also a good spot to part ways. Standing in one of many middle levels between two escalators and several tunnels, the King and Queen of Tortall stare wide-eyed at the commotion around them. The Lioness does her best to reassure them while moving restlessly, eager to be on her way, and occasionally poking the Antichrist in the side when he laughs at Jon's expression. Just to the left -- Miss Lilly Kane.

It should be perfectly obvious which person London should fear the most.

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Eventually, Alanna decides she has had enough. Grabbing Thayet's hand, she kisses Adam's cheek and motions for Lilly to follow.

"We'll meet you at the pub around five. Have fun! Don't get him arrested."

With that, the three women disappear.

Adam turns to Jon, his grin clearly asking what Adam could possibly do to get Jon arrested.

"Is it everything you'd imagined?"

Jon's gaping mouth (and his having not moved from the same spot he's been standing in for 10 minutes) might be giving Adam a clue.

Adam yanks on Jon's hand, laughing, and pulls him out of harms way.

"Let's start with lunch, perhaps. Give you some time to get acclimated."

"Uh, yes, alright."

Still gaping around him, Jon allows himself to be pulled along the sidewalk, jumping a bit every time a car roars by him. He tugs absently at the unfamiliar fabric of the jeans he is wearing.

"And you are telling me that people ride in those things??" he says as he points at a Mini zooming by.

"Cars?"

Adam nods.

"Motorbikes, as well."

And a sick, sick part of him wishes they were staying long enough to take Jon on an airplane.

He pulls Jon into a nearby pub, setting him down and ordering them both curried chicken before Jon can make any comments on the menu or decorations.

The pub looks reassuringly similar to the Dancing Dove, which helps calm him down a bit. The cider that Adam orders them is also helping.

"So, this is London. Exactly how much danger am I in each second here?"

"No more or less than any other person here. Nobody knows who you are here, Jon. Sorry to tell you you're just a nobody."

Adam winks as he takes a sip of his own cider and grins as he puts it down.

"Though being with me lowers the chance of harm considerably."

Jon makes a face at Adam and shakes his head. "Well, I know that, but I mean these...devices speeding around. You are sure they are being controlled properly?"

He takes another gulp of his drink.

"You have to be licensed to drive one."

Which isn't the same, not at all, but there's no need to make Jon unduly anxious.

Jon nods, relaxing more. He looks around the bar, shaking his head at the strange clothes and especially strange hairstyles. Jon has never seen a mohawk before.

"So where do you propose we go first?"

He is slightly distracted as a plate of curry is plunked down in front of him. He gives it a suspicious sniff.

He's lucky there are no people with mullets around.

"As I'm guessing you're not nearly so interested in shopping as Alanna typically is ... we could go to the Eye?"

Jon grins. "I would be interested in seeing your shops, but I'd like to see historical sites more - the places your people find important."

He takes an experimental bite of curry and his eyes widen at the taste. "This is delicious! It's a bit like Carthaki food."

Adam grins widely over his own food, eating too quickly to say much.

"We could always take you to visit the Queen."

What better place to go with a King?

Jon looks up, interested.

"I suppose it would be proper for me to introduce myself. Though I'm not sure how to explain where I came from."

Awww, isn't Jon cute when he's ignorant?

Adam can't help laughing. At least he doesn't laugh too much.

"I sincerely doubt we'd be able to get an audience with Her Majesty. But the palace is open to visitors."

"Oh." Jon looks a bit disappointed, but he understands the busy schedule of royalty.

"I would like to see the palace, though. And what was that Eye you mentioned?"

"It's a rather large-

It goes around-"

Adam frowns, finding it rather difficult to describe, precisely, what the Eye is.

"You go up, and you can see all of London from the top."

Jon looks a bit skeptical at this, but nods. "That would be an excellent way to start."

He finishs the last of his curry and pushes his plate back with a sigh of contentment. "If I can actually get up after all this, that is."

Adam laughs, and pays, and shuffles Jon out the door and down the street. It isn't as if they have all the time in the world.

The Eye stands high and bright against the water, and if Adam hadn't thought ahead to get tickets, well, that doesn't seem to be so much of an issue.

Jon stares up at the contraption as he is half-pushed into the capsule by Adam. He wanders slowly around the room as Adam talks to the man in charge.

Jon is not precisely sure what is going to happen next and he's a bit nervous.

Adam grins and sits down on the bench and waits for the capsule to move. Soon enough, it's lifting them up off the ground and into the sky.

Jon is standing by one of the sides, staring out when the capsule begins to lift. His first moment of panic turns into delight as the city spreads out under him.

He's standing with his nose and hands pressed to the glass, eagerly trying to catch every view.

Adam can't help but sit back and grin, feeling a sort of pride swell over him as Jon takes in the scenery of the city.

"Isn't Corus, but it's not too bad, is it?"

"It's incredible. And so huge - how many people live here."

His gaze is drinking in everything, the skyscrapers, bridges, water, the mix of ancient and brand new.

"In London itself? About seven or eight million people."

Jon's jaw drops, that statement able to tear him away from the window.

"Eight million people?? In one city? Where do they all live?"

He turns back to the view, trying to figure out where all those people are. Surely they should be crawling over each other like ants.

They just about are, is the sad thing. Adam laughs, and points over Jon's shoulder at the city.

"There are flats and skyscrapers and such."

"Those tall buildings are homes?"

It's a hard concept to comprehend.

"Some are office buildings, but many are homes."

Adam's going to have to take Jon to New York some time.

As their capsule reaches the top of the Eye, Jon is noticing more and more. Something incredibly bizzare, looking more like a giant decorated egg than a building catches his eye. He points it out to Adam."

"What in the world is that? That can't be for any practical purpose."

The laughing continues as Adam gets a better look at what Jon's pointing at.

"There are offices in there -- that's in the financial district."

"It's bizarre."
That says a lot coming from someone who's never seen a skyscraper.

"How old are some of these buildings? There seems to be a huge difference in architecture."

"That building is forty stories, but it is one of the taller ones in the city."

Jon just keeps gaping, all the way down to the end of the trip.

He stumbles out of the capsule, turning to Adam. "Thank you, Adam, that was truly wonderful." He grins. "Now, where to next?"

Buckhingham Palace is required, but then, so is the Tower of London. Hope Jon's not feeling squeamish. Adam grins at Jon as the Yeoman Warder (obviously fairly new) starts in on his tour.

Now this is feeling more familiar to Jon. The palace reminds him in a many ways of his own. He admires the architecture as they walk, the paintings on the wall. He'll never tell Adam, but he is glancing around a bit for someone who looks royal.

Adam gives Jon a strange look, poking him lightly with his elbow until the guide clears his throat in a rather annoyed fashion.

Jon jumps and colors guiltily, muttering "Sorry" as the guide sniffs and continues with his speech.

Jon gives Adam a Look.

What? Adam is innocent! Mostly.

He snickers (just a little) and warns Jon to be careful on the stairs, and looks around, enjoying it a bit in a way he hasn't since he was a child.

The tour takes them out to the Royal Mews and Jon perks up incredibly at this. The sheer numbers of beautiful horses takes his breath away.

"You'd better never bring Alanna here. She's make off with every one of these pretty beasts."

"I've generally managed to keep her from committing grand theft while here."

Adam laughs -- sometimes just barely.

Alanna had been right about one thing. London is loud. It's loud, colorful and smells strange.

And they haven't even made it above ground yet.

Self-conscious in her modern pants and blouse, Thayet clutches Alanna's hand and turns to make sure Lilly hasn't fallen behind. It would've been nice to kiss Jon goodbye, but she's too excited to worry over it.

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