:–I am extremely not into the idea of being lifebonded to a twelve-year-old! Ack! Why: A pause. :Sorry. It's not your fault, just... Gah. I will try to avoid hanging around Stef too much, which will be hard because he has a really embarrassing case of hero worship regarding the version of me who exists in terrible songs - oh, no, and that suddenly has a way clearer explanation: 

:Oh gods, is it already affecting him? I'm so sorry:

A pause. :My Companion says we're not actually lifebonded at all yet? She, er, thinks he's probably too young for it to be more than potential. I should still avoid him though, just in case: 

:Yeah, I don't know how young it can happen, I just haven't heard of it happening younger than sixteen but maybe the bonds usually contrive to come with ways for people not to meet till then and this one doesn't:

:Hmm: 

Vanyel mulls on this while he packs, and tries to decide how he feels about it. The way he feels about it, he concludes, is very confused. 

A candlemark and a half later, Savil and Vanyel are dragging their things to the stables when a tall woman in Bardic Scarlets comes up. "You had better bring him back safe and sound," she says, scowling. "Stef, lad, you behave yourself." 

The red-haired boy, in a rust-coloured Bardic-trainee tunic too big for him, looks even younger than twelve. He rolls his eyes. "I'll behave." 

–Then he sees Vanyel, freezes, and goes red. 

Oh no this is so awkward, Vanyel keeps telling himself to act normal about it but it's very hard to tell if he's succeeding, he settles on greeting Stef politely and then ignoring him and talking determinedly to Savil about whether they packed enough saddle-soap. 

"Hey," Belrun says to Stef. "Anyone explain to you what's going on?"

"There's a war in another world? Someone tattled about my Wild Gift, I didn't tell anyone! But I guess if it was really another me who told you, then I'm not mad about it." 

"Yeah, it was the other you, he's 22."

"Whoa. That's neat." 

:Belrun, oh no, Stef is going to find out that the other him is lifebonded to the other me, isn't he? ...should I avoid the other Stef too just in case? I don't know. This is so weird: 

:I haven't noticed anything worrying about my level of interest in Telumë so you are probably safe to talk to the other Stef if you want. But yeah he's gonna find out:

:Is Telumë, er, also tiny? I realize I don't know how young Leareth is when he comes back: 

:Not that tiny. Discernibly teenage though:

:I have to admit I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around a teenage Leareth: Vanyel finishes attaching his saddlebags. "Are we ready to go? I'm, er, not exactly looking forward to the Gate and I'll be kind of useless for a day afterward, but I can manage." 

"I don't actually know if the Wild Gift can cover two people at once but there are two Stefs to hand and maybe one can help you with that," Belrun points out. "I don't have a way to signal Leareth from here, we're just waiting out the two candlemarks, but I think we're set."

Then Amshalan will carry them back to the spot they Gated in from, so they can wait nearby. 

Savil picks Stef up and lets him ride in front of her on Kellan. 

Stef has been on exactly one horseback trip before, so this is both very exciting and kind of terrifying. 

And they wait. Vanyel looks increasingly tense and miserable, in anticipating of a sudden surprise Gate at any moment. 

:Do you want me to, like, slow down your heart rate or something, you look pretty yikes over there:

:Oh - that's very thoughtful of you, I would appreciate it. Shavri does it for me sometimes: 

She leans down from Amshalan and calms down his heartbeat.