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Jayce turns up some interesting information.
Kiri leaves him in charge of everything and takes Aleko with her. She's closer with Aleko, but Jayce has initiative that Aleko doesn't and is less averse to the idea of running Ardelay business in her absence. Aleko can also draw; he has sketches of the missing prince and can make more.
They cross Soche-Tas, in their own carriage but as part of a merchant convoy that knows the way.
On the far side of Soche-Tas is the little country of Thiyec. Thiyec usually has improbably good weather. People who are less wedded to the culture of Welce than most talk about retiring there.
Thiyec has been getting plenty of rain.
They break off from the convoy and start showing the missing prince's picture to people. People in Thiyec consider nudity no more a remarkable fashion decision than hat-wearing, and it's not a terribly comfortable trip - it doesn't help that only about forty percent of Thiyec's population speaks any Soechin, Kiri's the only one who ever learned Soechin, and nobody in their party knows a lick of Thiyecine.
But eventually, there is a knock on a particular door.
calescent
free-flowing
"Yeah. I've been great. I really like it here."
He looks at Aleko assessingly, decides that this is probably at least a two-towel job, and says, "I'm gonna get more towels, just a minute."
In much less than a minute, he steps into another room and returns with more towels.
He looks at Aleko assessingly, decides that this is probably at least a two-towel job, and says, "I'm gonna get more towels, just a minute."
In much less than a minute, he steps into another room and returns with more towels.
liakoura
By the time he is back, Aleko has divested himself of his less socially-necessary-according-to-Welce items of clothing and is selecting a new set of same out of the bag. He grabs a new towel right out of Loel's hands and applies it.
calescent
"It always rained more when Nerine was around, but it was hardly constant. Have you tried anything or are you just assuming you can't?"
free-flowing
"I haven't thought of something to try in the first place," he says. "If just idly wishing it would quit worked, it'd be done already. I'll see if I can think of anything tomorrow."
calescent
Kiri looks away - conveniently, Aleko is there to look at now. He's half-changed into a new outfit. "So if we're here overnight where are you putting us? If you don't remember, Aleko's a really light sleeper, so whatever room is farthest away from tree branches that like to scratch the roof or whatever..."
And farthest from wherever he's planning to let himself out in the middle of the night, if he doesn't want Aleko's company.
And farthest from wherever he's planning to let himself out in the middle of the night, if he doesn't want Aleko's company.
free-flowing
"Mm... you can go upstairs," he says, nodding to Kiri, "and the quietest room in the house is probably this one at night, with all the rain lately. I'll sleep in the kitchen; I do it all the time but I bet you wouldn't be comfortable, and the rain gets loud there when the wind starts throwing it at the door."
free-flowing
There doesn't look to be such a thing as a bed present. A couple of comfy-looking stuffed chairs, but no bed. Loel is starting to move furniture, though, clearing a space by one of the interior walls, so maybe a bed or bed-like object will soon be produced.
free-flowing
"Somebody suggested it when I translated my blessings," he explains. "You name people words in Thiyec, and 'loel' is an old one that used to mean... it's hard to translate, but 'luck' and 'surprise' both more or less work, in different contexts. It's not much in use anymore as a word or a name - hangs around in a couple of old sayings and that's pretty much it - but I like it, it suits me."
liakoura
"So it's sort of like Patience's name only in Thiyecine and actually a blessing you actually have?"
calescent
"Patience is fine too," Kiri ventures to mention. "Not prime yet, but at least it doesn't look like when her grandfather dies it'll worsen the situation by too much. She has no idea why you left, by the way. Bought that it had to have been a kidnapping."
free-flowing
"I don't think anybody but you and Isten knows why I left," says Loel. "Not that I told, for sure."
He disappears into the next room and comes back carrying a stack of flat cushions with some blankets on top, which he commences organizing into a bed-like shape on the floor.
"Did she tell you?" he asks Aleko while he's at it.
He disappears into the next room and comes back carrying a stack of flat cushions with some blankets on top, which he commences organizing into a bed-like shape on the floor.
"Did she tell you?" he asks Aleko while he's at it.
liakoura
"That you weren't kidnapped, because otherwise this trip makes no sense - Jayce knows that much too, he was the one hunting down boring crap about where it was raining. Not why you weren't kidnapped. I mean, I suppose you weren't kidnapped because nobody kidnapped you but she didn't say why you ran off," says Aleko.
free-flowing
"Oh."
He considers this for a moment, then says, "I don't mind if you know, but I don't really know how to say it."
He considers this for a moment, then says, "I don't mind if you know, but I don't really know how to say it."
calescent
"The king is an injuriously abusive parent, the queens are completely passive," Kiri says. "I've known since I met Loel, which is why he and Isten and recently just Isten visit us so often."
free-flowing
"I asked if he wanted to come with me. He said no. Because if we both left, the king would just have more children and then they'd be getting it."
liakoura
"So instead you just took off alone and left Isten there alone with Kiri looking out for him but she can't be there all the time and can't even read the king and you were gone."
free-flowing
"He told me I could," Loel reiterates. "I could've stayed, if he'd asked me to, but I don't know how long I would've lasted."