"We can leave you mirrors to talk to us with. I don't have any blank ones, though, so you will have to supply those. And wait for Adarin to have more mana again probably."
"Yes please. I will be useless for a while, eating all of your food and crashing in your guest room."
"We really should bring you food - should I just assume we have the same tastes...? I can go get something now."
"Yeah, trail mix and unadorned bagels and stuff gets old after a while. Probably safe to assume we match there unless you have anything culturally specific and also weird? Stay away from things fermented, very aged, containing any currently living things or air-breathing arthropods, more than modest amounts of spicy, or like - really strongly flavored in any way."
"Same. If it works for Isabella, chances are it will for me, too. I'm really not very picky."
"How are you doing?"
As it happens, Cricket is back before Iobel is and he scratches at the door before remembering that the people inside can understand him. "Hey, let me in."
In saunters Cricket. He hops up onto Iobel's chair to keep it warm for her. "Cream is very good," he observes.
"I'm glad you enjoy it," says Adarin, because his alt isn't going to say anything. "Hello there."
Edarial frowns, but doesn't challenge this assertion and sort of scrunches in towards himself.
"Thank you. What - sort of thing would make him not terrible? I don't think he's terrible, just hurting."
"I think he is terrible," says Cricket, lashing his tail. "He ignored a tiny rebellion in his own home even though they kidnapped several people and I left lots of marks on one of them. He didn't talk to Iobel enough for her to find out what was going on until he tried to start a conversation about having babies with her even though if he touches her without her wanting it I will shred him." Cricket displays a pawful of claws. "He acted like she was stupid when she was first trying to do queen things even though she is very very smart so smart the smartest. And he has not apologized, I know, I know what Marlese is for 'sorry', Iobel made me learn it years and years ago. He has said the word but it was not about the whole thing, I asked her, she does not lie, Iobel is good."
Quietly, Edarial says, "I don't think there's an apology that's - apologetic enough. For what's happened."
"I'm sorry," he says. "That it happened. That you were kidnapped under my roof and she was - forced into this."