Vanyel is eating slowly because he keeps getting distracted by the conversation, but he finishes an entire good-sized plate of food eventually. 

Good good. 

"I honestly wasn't bothered by what you said about my body," she mentions to Staven. "Where I'm from people really don't like magic so I had to spend my entire childhood hiding from everyone who wasn't my family so I casually say way worse stuff than that." 

"That sounds really awful! Um, what didn't people like about magic?" 

"That's sort of complicated--to be clear, it's not so much that absolutely everyone hates magic, it's that--lots of people do and it's not super safe to bet and in particular the tiny little town where we grew up did-- I think it's mostly bullshit religious stuff orignally, like, if something weird happens and it's not declared to be a divine miracle then probably it's evil, and like--it's just bullshit, honestly, like, if you took Vanyel or Tylendel to my hometown you could say they liked boys or you could say they did magic and in either case the people would look at them like you set their cat on fire and in neither case would it be anything but bullshit. Sorry for using you as an example," she adds to Van and 'Lendel. 

Nod. "People back home - our parents, even - they were a bit like that with 'Lendel. His Gifts started awakening really early, and then a...thing happened, when we were twelve, and they came out way too powerful. And everyone said he was possessed." 

Tylendel tenses up a bit. Staven reaches out to squeeze his shoulder. 

"...And I knew he wasn't," he says quietly. "We've got a twin-bond, I'd be able to tell. And it was stupid, this is Valdemar, they knew about magic. It was even worse once they realized he liked boys, too. I think our parents sort of - gave up on him. Only reason they couldn't disown him is we were their only children and I was the heir, and I wasn't about to stand for that." 

"That really sucks. Wilbur and I didn't have anyone else, but we had Mother and Grandfather, they were in our corner completely. They did magic too and--they both died before I figured out that I liked anybody, but I can't imagine them caring that I like girls as well as boys."

"...I really wish our parents hadn't died. They were still getting used to 'Lendel being a Herald – they would've been proud of him eventually..." 

Staven trails off. His expression darkens. "But then the stupid. goddamned. feud happened. I'm so angry with the Lesharas. It's completely Evan Leshara's fault. All of it." 

"Well, he died in the Final Strike, and I'm not bringing him back any time soon, and I'll happily prioritize your parents once they figure out how to publicize this in a way that doesn't have people freaking out." 

Staven nods. He hadn't felt like he could ask, but... "Then that's fair, I guess. He got what he deserved and we'll get to - keep going..."

On Tylendel's other side, Vanyel unconsciously huddles closer to him. He knows he's not actually in danger - for one, he's the most powerful mage in Valdemar, and Staven isn't a mage at all, and even if he were angry at Vanyel personally, which he isn't, there's hardly anything he can do about it... But still. Angry-looking person near him = scary, regardless of how stupid that is. 

! 

Lucy reaches out across the table to put a hand on top of Vanyel's and squeeze it. 

Vanyel takes a deep breath and tries to calm down.  

Mardic starts asking Staven about farming practices back at his landholding, and Staven knows some things on the subject, and calms down as well as he's distracted. This gets them through the rest of supper.

At which point something occurs to Lucy. 

:So I completely failed to think of this earlier but it's probably a good thing we're going to K'Treva sooner rather than later, because, where is Staven going to sleep?: she asks Savil. 

:You know, I had also not thought of that. I could take the sofa and he can have my bed for a night, I suppose: 

:That probably works for the one night.: 

She goes and curls up next to Vanyel. 

:I think I like your brother,: she tells Tylendel on his other side. 

:I'm glad! ...What do you like about him?: 

:He apologized for saying this wasn't what I really looked like when I explained even though I said it was fine and he wasn't weird about the fact that my natural form is giant and invisible and he gets that bullshit is bullshit and he cares about you a lot and honestly the fumble about me doing a good job at designing my human form was kind of endearing.:

:Right. About that: There is definite embarrassment in his mindvoice. :He, umm... I know this because of the twin bond, he's - kind of into you. I guess you, er, did make your body attractive to, you know, people who like women– sorry, I mean, I can tell it's a good body too, just...: 

:Oh. Um, I have--no idea what to do with that. I've never even kissed anyone before.:

:Sorry!: 

:I'm not offended or anything, I just have no idea how to handle this kind of situation. I think there's some kind of socialization about how to handle these things that I missed out on on account of spending most of my teenage years so isolated?:

:That makes sense. I, um, I'm not sure – my teenage years were kind of a disaster and also I don't know if it's different for girls. Er, if it makes you feel better I don't think Staven would judge you for it: 

:For never having kissed anyone before?:

:For that, or for being, er, inexperienced with flirting, or any of it. I...won't say he's never judgemental about anything, but really not about that: