glacial_queen | The Estate, Sidra, Glacia, Thursday (Fandom Time)

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The Estate, Sidra, Glacia, Thursday (Fandom Time)

Winsol had been going on now for several days. The family had just decamped from SaDiablo Hall in Dhemlan back home to Glacia to continue the festivities in their own home. There would be several more days of formal events, but this evening was just for family and close friends (specifically friends close enough to be family). The children were tumbling around like puppies, a mix of Earth and Kaeleeran carols were playing from floating music spheres scattered throughout the suite, fires crackled in the large hearths, and food and punch and hot spiced rum were piled high on the sideboards throughout. "Happy Winsol!" Karla said, holding up her cup in a toast.

"Happy Winsol!" the room chorused back to her.

[Open to residents of Glacia, dear friends, and anyone who thinks they'd have gotten an invite]

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By hiding inside, of course. "Just because I'm stuck living somewhere totally irresponsible doesn't mean I have to like it." He took another pouty sip of his rum. "It has nothing to do with blood thickness."

"Don't worry," Karla said, patting his forearm companionably. "We've set up a sauna in the back gardens. After a few minutes in there, you'll really appreciate a dip in the icy lake! We'll get you acclimated in no time."

Helping!

"Why would anybody ever want to do that? You know people die that way, right? Like, really easily."

"It's only a short dip," Karla said innocently. "You'll be fine."

"I will be," Priestly agreed. "Because there is literally no way you're going to talk me into doing anything remotely like that."

"You can't possibly complain about the cold if you're passing up a chance to go into a sauna," Karla said, with no actual bearing on reality or Priestly's personality.

"I'd like the sauna fine," Priestly pointed out. "Just not if the whole 'jump into the frozen lake' part is required."

"Well, the trek from the sauna back to the estate will cool you off a bit at least," Karla said thoughtfully. "That should be okay, then. I'm just worried about you overheating!"

Or was being a troll. One of those.

"Oh yeah. That was totally a concern about overheating. Definitely not a way to see my eyes go all wide and horrified for your entertainment." Priestly knew you better than that, Karla. ". . . How far a trek are we talking?"

"Of course not," Karla said. "I'm far too sweet and beneficent to do something like that."

Which Priestly would totally believe, sure.

"And not very far. Maybe about a quarter of a mile?"

"Why would you put it that far away?!" A quarter of a mile was a long way when there was cold and snow! A very long way! "You people are all insane. You know that, right?"

"It's in one of the gardens," Karla said. "It's a lovely view. Even in winter, there are evergreens and winter-blooming flowers. And at that distance, you can relax, away from the noise and the bustle of the estate."

"I'm sure that's a big comfort when your toes fall off trying to get back to your house."

"We're a lot hardier here in Glacia," Karla told him. "It takes a lot more than a little trek through a garden to freeze our blood. You should stay here till the spring thaw to build up your tolerance."

"Nope. Absolutely not. I love you, Karla, but you're insane."

"Oh yes," Karla said, gesturing around to the luxuriously-appointed suite of rooms in the Estate. "You'd be living a life of such deprivation here."

Because what Priestly had always wanted in life was a lap of luxury.

"How long does the snow stay on the ground around here?"

She figured he'd just hang out in the kitchens and learn all about Kaeleeran cuisine.

"Do you really want to know?" Karla asked. "The answer may make you cry."

"The answer is absolutely going to make me cry, which is exactly why staying here is a crazy idea."

"Down here in the south, the snow is usually gone by mid-May," Karla admitted. "In the north, it can stick around till June."

And fell as early as late August, at least in the mountains.

"Mid-May." Nope. No. Nuh-uh. Not a bit of it. No way. Nyet. "And you're arguing about whether or not you all are insane."

"In January and February, the snowdrifts usually go up to the third story of the Estate," Karla noted. Helpfully.

Karla, you were not convincing Priestly otherwise.

"And someone totally looked at those and went 'You know what's a great idea? Let's live here."

"Well, it's better than Arceria, which is further north still and populated by giant, man-eating cats!" Karla said cheerfully. "Some of whom have Craft and human-level intelligence."

Kindred Blood were also about a third again as large as their landen counterparts, who were already several hundred pounds of pure muscle. And teeth.

"See, and my trouble here is where you're trying to claim you're not all insane."

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glacial_queen - 2016-12-23 21:39 (UTC) - Expand

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