the_lioness | (no subject)

(no subject)

The day after Raph and Abigail arrive at the Swoop proves the hottest so far this year, and the trainees are given a break that afternoon to mend tack, do laundry or just stay out of the sun.

Alanna basks in it, sitting with Jamie and Thom near the stables and going over their history lesson. They've taken to following Daine around, asking questions and telling stories, but at least they make themselves useful. Roald tags along with them when he can. Grace stays closer to the queen, though she makes her way up to the towers to sigh over the sea when Thayet is busy with weapons practice. Occasionally she visits Kalasin and Maude in the makeshift nursery, and sometimes Alanna joins them.

It's nice.

The stillness is broken by the sound of horse hooves clattering on the inner courtyard and Numair rides into sight, face drawn. "Daine? They said you were in here," he yells at the stables. Daine pops out, looking worried. Alanna stands and jogs over.

"Come with me. We have to find the Stormwings."

Alanna tenses, but it's Daine who asks, "What d'you mean? Aren't they behind their little clouds, being sneaky?"

Numair frowns at Alanna. "They're gone. Vanished."

Together they hurry for the observation deck.

Jamie and Thom exchange a look, go to find the others.

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When running off at a break neck pace to find others, it's usually beneficial to be careful when rounding corners, lest you run smack into someone coming around from the other side.

Like Raph, for instance.

"Oof!" he says as the boys plow into him, very nearly toppling him over. "Hey, where's the fire? What's the rush?"

Jamie bounces off Raph and into a wall made of cool stone.

"Now I understand tapestries," he mutters, rubbing his shoulder. "Raph! The tall mage is here and-"

"Numair," Thom puts in, rolling his eyes.

"Yes, Numair," Jamie says. He either doesn't pick up on or isn't bothered by his brother's derision. "He rode in and called for Daine and said she had to go with him to listen. Mama went with them, and-"

Deeming Jamie far too excited to make sense, Thom turns a level look on Raph and interrupts. Again.

"He said the Stormwings are gone."

Jamie makes a face at Thom for spoiling his carefully crafted suspense.

"Vanished!"

He beams. Hullo, Uncle Raph!

Raph looks from one boy to the other and then back again. It's like watching tennis.

"Wait...whut? What do you mean they're just gone?"

Thom shakes his head gravely. "Just gone."

"Vanished!" repeats Jamie, wide-eyed and nodding.

Raph pales slightly. That...can't be good. Evil things just don't up and vanish unless something's made them vanish. Either a war has been won and they were defeated, or something even more evil and nasty has scared them away.

"Where'd you say your mother went?"

Jamie, eager to go tell Grace something she doesn't already know before someone else gets there first, jabs a thumb at the high stone ceiling and eyes the corridor beyond Raph.

"She went to the observation deck," Thom fills in, feeling important. "To look."

Because that's what you do on the observation deck.

Raph does what anyone would do when told that the person they're looking for has gone to an observation deck: he looks up.

"Right. Okay, you boys run along. I'm gonna go catch up with your ma'," he says reaching for the leather pouch he has attached to his belt. You can't honestly believe a ninja would not have his climbing claws on him while staying near a castle. That'd...well, that'd just be madness!

"An' stay out of trouble," he adds quickly.

Stairs? Why take the stairs, when you can quickly and quietly scale the outside of the building entirely undetected?

Trouble? When do they ever get in trouble? Jamie gives Raph a cheeky grin, then salutes and makes for the other end of the hall.

"Thom!" he calls over his shoulder. "D'you know what the Stormwings were doing before they vanished?"

"No. Mama'n Master Numair never said."

But it probably wasn't good, he thinks, chasing after his brother.

Probably not.

Up on the observation deck, Alanna stares at the mirror in her hands until her eyes start to water. Scrying isn't getting her anywhere, and Numair doesn't seem to be having much more luck. Muttering a quiet curse, she moves away from the others and leans on the stone wall, staring at the waves crashing on the rocks below.

Something moves in her peripheral vision and she's instantly alert, reaching for her sword.

The movement stops.
"Is that really necessary?," asks Raph from his vertical position on the outer wall.

Yes.

Alanna peers at him, face expressionless. Only his hint of an accent keeps her from calling the alarm.

Illusions are rarely that good.

"Is something wrong with the stairs?" she asks in return.

"Too far," he says with a shrug. "Permission to come aboard?"

Alanna's face is perfectly serious as she stares down at him for a long moment and then says:

"No."

At least she sheathes the sword.

No joke! It's been far too many years since he's had to defend while hanging from claws. Raph sighs when she denies his request to join her on the observation deck.

"You're gonna make me use the stairs, aren't you?"

"You could probably use the exercise."

Because scaling the exterior castle wall is a walk in the park.

Smirking, she tucks the mirror into her sword belt and holds out her hand.

"Need help?"

"Not if you're gonna go 'round callin' me outta shape, I don't." With a little more effort than it probably should, Raph scales the rest of the wall and swings himself over the top. Someone might be getting too old for this, not that he'd ever admit that.

Keeping an eye on him as he goes, she reaches for the mirror again.

The back is covered with painted roses.

Alanna tries really hard to keep him from noticing this fact.

"You heard?"

Raph brushes himself off and stows his climbing claws. "I did. Your boys really oughta learn to watch where they're walkin'. 'Specially now that they're bigger." They nearly knocked him over. "So what's goin' on?"