Haven, Arceria, Kaeleer, Saturday [Fandom Time]

[glacial_queen]

The portal had dropped them off in the outskirts of Haven. Portalocity tech was one more thing that Karla could add to the list of information she didn't want most Kaeleerans to have, especially her enemies. But Haven wasn't that far from the Glacian border, which meant it was the ideal staging ground for their reconnaissance missions. They could slip into Glacia without Hobart being the wiser and then move around from there. She knew he was watching the Winds, so they'd stick to roads and private Coaches as much as possible, but they should be able to see much of the Territory while they were here.

It helped, of course, that they'd have a few native guides and a system of safe-houses already prepared. The underground movement had been working overtime lately.

"Morton!"

[NFB and SP]

Comments

[glacial-warlord.livejournal.com]

Morton hadn't needed Karla's cry to start him running towards her. Just her psychic scent in the air was enough to get his head up and his feet pounding towards her. Part of it was a Warlord scenting his Queen, yes, but so much more was a cousin seeing the only family member he had left, one he'd spent years and part of his soul trying to protect.

"Karla!"

He got to her, sweeping her up in an embrace, and whirling her around in the air. Yes, the deep snow made such an act tricky. He didn't care. It was Karla.

"Missed you."

[glacial_queen]

"Missed you more," Karla said, hugging him tightly. "Oh, Morton, I've missed you so much. But soon, okay? I'll be home soon. For good."

And he wouldn't be allowed out of her sight for at least a week when she was.

[glacial-warlord.livejournal.com]

He clung to her, burying her face in her neck and inhaling. "I know, I know," he murmured. "I don't know whether I should be grateful that you're coming home or wishing to keep you at Fandom for longer."

[glacial_queen]

"Right, because I never get into trouble on Fandom," Karla snarked. "Besides, this is bigger than both of us. And you miss me, remember?"

[glacial-warlord.livejournal.com]

"Only until I see you again," Morton teased. "And then remember what a pain in the neck you are."

That would be more believable if he wasn't clinging to her that tightly.

[wwiii]

"Morton," Warren greeted, stepping up to Karla's cousin with a smile and a bow of greeting once the two of them were finished their reunion. "It's good to see you again. How are things going around here? Haven is doing well, I hope?"

It looked like it was, but... well, it never hurt to check.

[glacial-warlord.livejournal.com]

"I believe so," Morton said, with a little smile and a bow of his own. Then he reached out to clasp Warren's forearm. "I only arrived yesterday, but it seems to be thriving."

The Black Widows knew to call him if there was trouble, but otherwise he tended to avoid the village. Hobart's eye was almost always on him, so he tended to stay away from things he cared about.

[wwiii]

Warren nodded, clasping Morton's arm in turn.

"Hopefully we'll have an opportunity to see it before we head back into Glacia? It hasn't been all that long for Karla and myself, but with time running double here, I'm interested in seeing what's changed."

[glacial-warlord.livejournal.com]

Morton thought about it, then shook his head. "Not much," he said regretfully. "Not if we want to make good time over the mountains. Perhaps a bit before we go and if we make good time on the way back?"

[glacial-court.livejournal.com]

Julian was a little slower to greet her, shoving down that traitorous leap of his heart. Unlike Morton, it was only a Warlord (Prince!) scenting his Queen; he barely liked the Queen he'd found himself unwittingly attached to and didn't trust her at all.

Which made this damnable bond that much more irritating. He should want to wring her scrawny neck, not sniff it.

He was compromising by wanting to do both.

"At least you didn't bring an entire brigade of friends with you," he said, following Morton at a much more sedate and dignified pace. "This time."

[glacial_queen]

"I do understand the basic concept of 'reconnaissance,'" Karla said sharply, once she was done greeting Morton. "I'm not a pampered aristo that needs to be waited on by a bevy of servants and sycophants."

[glacial-court.livejournal.com]

"We'll see," Julian said, non-committal. "You have been away from Glacia for a very long time and early spring is not the best time to go traipsing about the mountains. Especially for the unprepared. You might find yourself wishing for those servants and sycophants before we're done with this."

He wasn't sure whether he'd be more disappointed if she gave up and retired to a hunting cabin while the rest of them continued the important work of saving Glacia, or relieved to have her of his hair, or exultant that he'd been right all along.

[glacial_queen]

"I'm not here to traipse," Karla snapped. "I'm here to work. And do remember, Lord Hagen, that it's only been half the time for me as it has been for you."

[furnaceface]

Jono really didn't have anybody here to run and greet, though he did smile faintly as Karla ran to do just that. He remembered a few of the faces here, of course, from past Kaeleeran visits. He just didn't know any of them well enough to run to them in joyous greeting. This trip wasn't meant to be a social call, after all.

And so he was hanging back, half watching Karla's reunions with a little smile, and half getting a feel for his surroundings. This was the settlement that Karla and Warren had helped to establish last year, then? Even taking the time difference into consideration, it seemed to be doing fairly well. That was encouraging, if only slightly.

[kindrednotkind.livejournal.com]

There was a very, very large cat who was very interested in Jono. *You are one of Karla's males?* he asked, in Jono's head.

[furnaceface]

Really, it was difficult to miss the source of that psychic voice. Jono might have kept on looking, if not for the giant feline that seemed to be staring him down, after all. As it stood, he mostly regarded the cat with a sort of vague curiosity, concealing no small amount of awe.

"I suppose I am," he replied, giving the feline a small nod of his head and suddenly wishing that he had a far better grasp on Protocol than he currently did. "I'm Jonothon. One of her friends from the island."

[kindrednotkind.livejournal.com]

Kaelas was sniffing him--all over. Look, his best friend was Ladvarian. He got some confusing ideas about smelling, okay.

*I am Kaelas. I am Warlord Prince of Haven. I am very brave and very fierce.*

He wasn't threatening Jono, just trying to find common ground. *You do not have wings or claws like Warren. But you are much bigger.*

[glacial_queen]

Once everyone had finished chatting--or, in the case of Julian and Warren, taking verbal knives to one another--Karla motioned them to sit so they could talk as a group.

"So, we're here for several purposes. Jono and Warren need to get a better idea of the lay of the land in Glacia for them to prepare strategies. Jono will be leading the landens in the upcoming civil war, Warren will be my main liaison with him, as well as the additional duties of a Consort in times of war. Furthermore, this is a time for us all to discuss the state of the rebellion and just what it is and is not capable of. I need to know everything I can about Glacia from now until I return home. You're both the ringleaders, so you have the information we all need."

She fixed Julian with a stony stare. "I expect everyone to be as forthcoming as possible with this, as the fate of the Territory depends on this."

Julian inclined his head in a regal nod. Over dramatic, but accurate enough.

"And lastly, I need to meet with the potential candidates for my Court. As yet, I have two human Blood males committed to my Court, should Prince Julian decide to sign a contract. I need ten more. This is something I would prefer to not rush into if I have a choice."

She was going to smack that superior look off Julian's face, so help her...!

"Any questions?"

[glacial-court.livejournal.com]

Julian raised his hand. "Why are we bothering with the landens at all?" he asked. "Certainly, they can try to defend their homes if someone attempts to use them against you--" to his credit, he did sound offended by the very notion of attacking landens, though it was much the same way he'd be against kicking puppies or attacking children, "--but leading them in an army? That's irresponsible at best! Who will they fight?"

[furnaceface]

Please, Julian. Jono remembered full well what Karla's parents had told him about the fifty thousand years of peace before Hobart came along. He didn't suspect you knew much about war at all.

"Please tell me you're not actually expecting me to march them in formation against the Blood," he scoffed, fairly positive that's where Julian's mind had gone. "Trust me, mate, I know suicide tactics when I see them. The landens are overpowered in most aspects, except possibly numbers, when it comes to fighting Hobart and his ilk. What they will have going for them is that they'll be the last enemy anybody will ever expect, and they'll have somebody giving them orders whose entire life has been spent either preparing for, or actually fighting in, some war or another."

He raised an eyebrow at Julian, and then shook his head.

"Something that Glacia has fallen somewhat out of practise with, I believe." He shrugged his shoulders. "As an added bonus, they've been given no reason at all to have any love in their hearts for Hobart. They'll be more loyal to our cause than many of the Blood that we'll be campaigning to have join it. I strongly doubt Hobart has made any attempts to win the landens over to his way of thinking, after all."

[glacial-warlord.livejournal.com]

"That's true enough," Morton said easily, before Julian could respond. He excelled in defusing tense situations--likely a product of knowing Karla as a child. "You think the lighter Blood have it bad, you should see what he's doing to the landens. None of his pet Queens have been giving the Queen's Gift so the crops aren't as bountiful, but they've been raising the tithes. My landen agents haven't needed to do much to foment discontent."

Later

[glacial_queen]

"So, is this where we argue about money?" Karla asked, looking up at Warren.

Re: Later

[wwiii]

"If it's all the same with you, I've had enough arguing for one day," Warren replied, with a quick glance toward where Julian was seated and then a sigh and a shake of his head. "I'll extend the offer, because I have the resources to do so, and because I care about what Glacia has at its disposal, especially when we're stepping up in the wake of war."

Re: Later

[glacial_queen]

"I was hoping that it wouldn't become an argument, either," Karla admitted. "Especially since, truth be told, I'll almost certainly end up swallowing my pride and begging you for loans."

Because if that's what Glacia needed, that's what she would do.

"I just...don't have to like it, okay?" This was making an excellent argument for her to just suck it up and write back to Jr, though. Not liking something wasn't enough of a reason not to do it. "I think I know how you felt when we were first talking about contracts."

Re: Later

[wwiii]

"That's... pretty much exactly how I felt," Warren replied, offering her a tiny smile. "I'm still iffy about accepting payment for being your consort. I'm more than well enough off, you know that. Odds are I'll be turning around and putting that money right back into infrastructure. Building schools in landen villages, or hospitals. Teaching them how to develop their own medicines so that they can gain another level of autonomy..."

He was getting a little ahead of himself.

"We can draw up a contract together," he offered, "work something out that works for both of us."