"Mm?"

"I can probably avoid getting caught again. But I can - imagine the appeal in having somebody who can definitely retrieve me in case that probably falls through. But I don't think I can have all the things I want."

"I could visit you once in a while on leave, and look for you if I don't see you in the forest," Arcane suggests. "Less definite than being a prominent member of the Queenscourt, but also doesn't involve coming to the Queen's attention unless she has to send someone to rescue me from someone I tried to rescue you from."

"It won't be going far out of my way. I like overflying the Sapphire and Emerald Seas."

"Even though it takes fifteen days at high speed?"

"They're very pretty. And it's only five days' fast-flight across them the way we're going. Much of the trip will be spent getting there and about a day of it will be spent crossing the desert afterward."

"Fair enough."

"Is it hard to cross the desert if it doesn't rain there?"

"I don't need rain every day. I do prefer to fast-fly over deserts even when I am otherwise taking my time. If it took more than a week to fast-fly over it I would rather go around."

Nod, nod.

Fly, fly.

Arcane finds himself charmed by the stream of nouns. He is smiling when she wakes up.

Yawn. Much less startlement this time. "You look like you're in a good mood."

"The stream of nouns is oddly soothing."

Arcane laughs.

"How often does the Queen send you on leave?" Promise wonders.

"It varies. At least once a decade."

"Do most of her court get vacations or just the upper ranks?"

"Also varies, but generally no. And I get the longest and most frequent vacations of all of us. Some combination of being particularly trustworthy and particularly keen on long vacations."

"Yes."