river_meimei | (no subject)

(no subject)

The Tams' house at New Mayfair is slightly less tidy than usual -- necessarily, with a reluctant invalid occupying the sitting room full-time. But the cleaners still know their job, and appearances must be kept up. Which is why the upstairs hallway, like all the rooms except the one Gabriel is more or less living out of, is still ruthlessly and tastefully tidy.

There are, of course, doors in this house that even the cleaners and security force don't know about.

Magic will do that kind of thing.

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River glances at him swiftly, though she doesn't tense, and her hand doesn't lift from the counter.

"Yes."

"Ah."

This smile has teeth in it, and it does not last long at all.

"And did you learn anything of particular import?"

He presumes, from her reactions, that she was not harmed.

Raguel will be most unhappy, indeed, if this proves not to be the case.

River breathes in, and out.

"Plans change," she says softly. "Take a target off the board."

"He wants to dance."

"Fortunately for us all I am more than reasonably skilled in such matters."

Galadan's voice is cool, but there is a sharpness behind it, like a blade half-out of its sheath.

"I have had a great deal of practice, after all."

Unlike Gabriel.

"Which?"

It's asked with interest. Just out of curiosity; the underlying menace, which is the main point, is clear for anyone to read.

"Dancing," Galadan says quietly, one corner of his mouth quirking upward.

"And chess, such as it is."

And killing.

But that goes without saying--perhaps.

River's head cocks like a bird's.

"Scrabble." It's halfway between statement and question; her tone of voice is often a few steps sideways from normal.

And again Galadan's smile is small--and sharp.

"It will do for the opening measure."

"Gonna be careful," River says softly.

It's not so much Galadan's health and well-being she's talking about.

(It's not so much Raguel's, either.)

"I am not particularly prone to being a hot-headed fool."

Not since Lisen, at the least.

And this is--not as much like that as it might be.

"And I gave your father my word."

"Lays schemes."

It's not teasing, as those words might be in another context, but neither is it disapproving. Just serious.

He nods, just once.

"I appreciate the plural."

Galadan is getting the oh, please, do you take me for a moron? face again.

This time Galadan simply raises both eyebrows, lips twitching.

"You object?"

"It's an integral association."

"They so often are."

His smile this time is almost involuntary.

Almost.

"For those capable of following."

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