Ember wrinkles her nose. "Hulrun is very afraid of me, and I don't like conversations about gods. I think I'll visit the gardens and see if any of the animals survived and need help."

Aw!! What an excellent thing to be doing instead! He envies her, that sounds much better than what he's doing. Also, he wishes he could heal. (He had a ring that did Cure Light Wounds once a day, from Drogan; he misses it dearly and really hopes he can get it back, for more than just sentimental reasons. He could just heal things sometimes without it being a waste of resources!)

"I should probably be yelled at by various people before I go assist with tweaking noses." Deekin's going to be pissed. "Deekin might help you with your, er, thing, he's the one who turned into the silver dragon."

"Like I said: it wasn't necessarily the best way to do it. But it might have been the only way you could do it and still be you."

She exits the room, humming.

Daeran raises an eyebrow. "So he isn't a dragon? Your... Deekin. And he enjoys tweaking noses?"

"Deekin's a kobold. Which is arguably on the dragon spectrum somewhere, and he's definitely got dragon blood in him and might at some point figure out how to become a full dragon, but. Right now: winged, silver kobold. And yeah, he does, sometimes, when it's..." He waves a hand, vaguely. "... 'Narratively satisfying'? Or something."

Daeran hops to his feet.

"In that case, I must meet him as well. If our tweaking of Hulrun is narratively unsatisfying, why do it at all?"

"... I really couldn't say?"

What has he done. It's not like he can abort this plan now, either, they will now inevitably run into each other. He is mildly frightened of the chaos that will almost certainly result, but Deekin will probably have fun, so. That likely makes it worth it.

Anyway if he's allowed to get up, he'll get on the (mercifully black) clothes, and rearm himself and whatnot. And also steal various food that wouldn't make him feel guilty to eat. This mostly involves avoiding the marzipan sculptures, because again: why.

Daeran picks one up, a gorgeously detailed silver dragon, and thoughtfully bites its head off.

"Mm. I do see the appeal."

... Why does that feel like an innuendo of some kind. Probably because he was putting on clothes and the timing was suspect. Is he being hit on again? Nevermind, he doesn't want to know. He will pretend the answer is no and he will feel much better about it that way.

(He similarly notices and suppresses a wince about biting the head off a marzipan dragon. That's a bit on the nose, isn't it? Nevermind, on to other topics.)

"You know, I'm not used to being the one to find Deekin. Usually he'd be the one showing up at my bedside for maximally efficient yelling. ... Or waiting just outside. Hm." Is Deekin waiting just outside??

Invisibly, yes. He looks up as Veron opens the door and gives him a look.

(Deekin isn't as stealthy as his Boss. But one does pick up some things.)

Yeah, uh. Yeah.

He sits down nearby, and looks at his feet. He does not give away Deekin's location, but it's obvious who this apology is addressed to, isn't it.

"I uh. I am aware now of all of the ways I was really, incredibly stupid, and reckless, and, uh, blighting crazy. And I am really very sorry to anyone that has the phenomenal patience and fortitude to put up with my bullshit. I appreciate them all very much, and care about them, and know I scare them every single time I shove my head up my ass. I, erm, can't promise I won't be a blighting dumbass ever again, I kind of have this crippling weakness for people suffering in front of me, but. ... I think I've been getting better? A bit?? Um. And again, sorry, and I will. Continue to work on that and hopefully one day get to the point where I will... not do incredibly dumb shit all by myself where no one can smack me and tell me not to. But. Uh. Yeah. Sorry. The wish thing was almost certainly the dumbest thing I've ever done, and when your list of 'dumb shit' includes 'looking directly at a medusa' that's, uh. Yeah. I'll do better."

Deekin revisibles.

"Deekin think going after medusa while medusa looking for Mythallar and boss had Mythallar in pocket dumber," he says contemplatively. "- than looking at medusa. Not dumber than taking Wish from demon. Taking Wish from demon dumber than anything Deekin remember."

Snorts. "Yeah. That was dumber. But the Wish is the new number one, for sure. I - I made it a really good Wish, but. I shouldn't have taken that chance at all, even with my clever wording and the whole, playing demons against devils for the benefit of everyone else thing. The risk wasn't worth it, if the magic successfully got its hooks into me and made me... like it..." He shudders. "It would have been bad. Really, really bad. Uh. I was. Only thinking of myself, frankly, and that I'm the great big hero who needs to save the world by myself or whatever, and. That's not true. I've got you, and I should treat you accordingly. Sorry. Really. I will not be taking another Wish from anyone sketchy ever again, and will furthermore work harder to not be some kind of adventurer-shaped lemming, running top speed for any cliffs that look vaguely tempting."

"At least bring Deekin. Deekin got wings for a reason."

Pause. "What wording? Deekin want to write down."

"Yes, Deekin. Sorry, Deekin."

He pauses too, then gives a small grin, because he is kind of proud of himself for his Wish, actually.

"Dissolving the contracts that were keeping souls in Hell that wanted to go elsewhere. Uh - exact wording was, like, squidgy and metaphysical? There was a loop about going through past contracts and finding the ones cheapest to dissolve - by my terms, not hers - and doing as many as possible before running out of power or blowing up or something. It probably still threw a bunch of them into nasty afterlives anyway, but, you know. Different ones."

Deekin squints.

"Probably did a lot of good," he allows. "But Boss need to remember specifics better next time, or Deekin have to interview demon."

Daeran clears his throat. "I would ask if you are the Deekin spoken of by my companion, but, ah. You have helpfully introduced yourself."

"Oh, come on!! That's more specific than usual, even!! It was, like, based off of my sincere desire and how I would want to have done it if I sat down to grind my nose against a stack of contracts by hand, how can I possibly relate that kind of shit!!!" cries Veron, offended.

"Write down! Deekin give you scrivener's notebook if needed!"

Deekin glances over at the Count and bows, flaring his pale wings out and back like a cape in the wind.

"Count Arendae, Deekin presume? Deekin offer sincerest thanks for hospitality."

Daeran smiles and bows in return. "Count Arendae thanks Deekin as well, for gracing this petty estate. Does Deekin have need of refreshment?"

"No, Deekin already use little kobolds' room. Deekin hear Count Arendae want to piss off Prelate Shappok? Deekin support this goal. Deekin have notes."

Veron has the faint feeling that he's doomed and the conversation is going to veer entirely out of his control.

"... Do I have any steering privileges for how things are going to go, or have I lost those while I'm out here in the dog house?"

"Deekin worry that Boss's judgement impaired," Deekin says pleasantly. "Waiting for evidence to contrary."

That's a yes, then.

He sighs dramatically, but doesn't protest.

"Do you even need me here, then? Just tell me where I'll be standing and what I'm in for. I've still got to apologize to Ksxksskrth. Uh. Multiple times, probably."