"That makes sense." She bites her lip thoughtfully. "I know a spell that can keep someone unconscious indefinitely but bring them right around afterwards without grogginess or side effects afterwards, Teacher liked to use it for general anesthetic because it was safer and more convenient than drugs, but I don't know if that helps if helplessness is part of it, you're even harder to bring 'round while it's in effect than while drugged asleep."

Vanyel nods slowly. "I don't know that I should be as scared about that? We can go straight to the Vale this time – last time they'd moved and Savil didn't have a terminus in the new Vale, so she had to Gate to a cave in the Pelagirs, in winter, and wait for candlemarks and she might've gotten attacked at any point and had to defend both of us while I was a useless lump. But it won't be like that. And you're here."

He glances up at her. "Is there a minimum length of time for it? Or could you cast it right before the Gate and then reverse it as soon as it's down? I think I would mind a lot less if it was only going to be five minutes." 

"There's de facto a minimum amount of time because the reversal involves actions that take time but that's on a scale of seconds, casting it on you right before the Gate goes up and reversing it when it goes down is trivial."

Vanyel nods. 

"...Do you think I could try it once here, before we go? Just so I can see what it's like when I'm not about to go through a Gate? Maybe I'll decide that part by itself isn't scary at all." 

"Oh, sure! --Maybe not until Tylendel gets back, though, I don't really want to have to explain it to him in the middle."

Vanyel shakes his head. "It'll be less scary for me that way too. Um - should I be telling you to turn your back when I get changed?" He somehow hasn't thought about it at all until now. 

She closes her eyes. "I don't think it matters, you're pretty thoroughly sorted into the platonic friend category in my head, but I am in general attracted to boys so it would be valid for you to want that."

"Honestly I'm really used to k'Treva where everyone just takes their clothes off in front of whoever happens to be there whenever they feel like, that - was an adjustment - but it doesn't bother me at this point." Vanyel grabs a nice shirt to go with the tunic and changes into it. He quickly combs his hair. "All right, what do you think?" 

"I think you look really good. And--healthier, honestly, it's like seeing a pretty bird with somewhat unsaturated feathers and then later with full bright plumage."

Vanyel lights up at the praise. "White isn't really my color," he admits. "It suits 'Lendel much better." 

Who wanders back in shortly later. "I got tea for both of you! It's a cold breakfast, Savil already left to go pick up a coffin– Ashke! You look amazing in that!" 

Giggle. "He does, doesn't he? Oh, and there's something I forgot to tell you earlier, it came up with Van and we should talk about it. It's not bad! But you should know."

"Oh?" Tylendel goes carefully still. He reaches out to take Vanyel's hand. "Go ahead." 

"Lancir mentioned maybe sending us all to K'Treva until this is ready to go public once Staven is back because we're reaching critical mass of teenagers and you can only hide that for so long, but going involves a Gate, and Van is allergic to those now, so we were talking about using a spell I know that's more easily reversible and has fewer side effects than drugs to knock him out, but he wants me to try it on him now so he knows what it's like."

"Oh." Tylendel stiffens. "Are you sure it's safe?" 

"Yeah, completely. I've seen Teacher do it a million times for general anesthesia, it's never had any negative effects."

Tylendel still seems tense about it, but nods. "All right - if something does go wrong I guess Gala or Yfandes can get a Healer here really fast. Van, ashke, are you sure?" He waits for Vanyel's determined nod. "All right, if it's going to knock you out then probably you should lie down first." 

He leads Vanyel over to the bed, and Vanyel stretches out cautiously with his head in Tylendel's lap. He does look pretty nervous, but he tells Lucy to go ahead. 

Lucy nods, and draws a symbol on Vanyel's forehead with one finger, and murmurs "Tlab, Yig, Iaaaa," 

And consciousness drops away from Vanyel like a discarded cloak. 

She waits a moment, then draws a counterclockwise circle in his forehead and says, "Aba, Abaa, Yig, fnog," to reverse it. 

Vanyel looks around. "...Did you do it already?" 

"Yep! That was it."

Tylendel shivers. "That was kind of scary. I couldn't feel you at all, ashke. But if it didn't hurt and you feel fine now, then it definitely seems better than giving you drugs." He squeezes Vanyel's hand. "I just - don't want anything bad to happen to you. Ever." 

"Nothing permanent is going to happen to either of you ever again."

Tylendel nods, but still needs to hug Vanyel for a minute or so before he seems to believe it.

"That wasn't bad," Vanyel says, extracting himself. "I hate taking drugs, it feels so weird when it's kicking in and then I'm foggy for ages even after I wake up. This is way better." 

She shudders. "Being foggy is the worst," she agrees wholeheartedly.