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

[glacial_queen]

Warren had gone to graduation, but Karla hadn't been able to get away to go, too. That had been disappointing, but it had meant she'd been able to make sure that there was literally nothing about to go wrong or that would need her attention for the next week or so.

Why?

Because Ben and Ender were visiting, eeeeeee!

While she couldn't ignore her responsibilities entirely (more's the pity), she had informed her entire First Circle that she would be largely unavailable for the duration of the visit and was to be bothered only in the direst of emergencies. And if there was a dire emergency, they needed to inform her on psychic threads and never in front of her visitors.

If anything happened, Ben and Ender weren't going to know about it, dammit. And most certainly wouldn't be involved in fixing it. But nothing was going to happen. She was Quite Serious about everything going smoothly. Were you listening, Kaeleer? Nothing bad was allowed to happen.

[NFB, open to residents and the expected guests!]

Comments

Re: Arrival

[momslilassassin]

"I'll be sure to bring that up with Ender," Ben said. "How are you and Warren?"

Re: Arrival

[glacial_queen]

"Good," Karla said, her smile showing just how ridiculous of an understatement that was. "We've agreed it'll be a long time until we're ready for kids, though. Our latest brush with Fandom weird convinced us of that much. I don't think he's gaining any ground with Sidra's aristos, but he's not giving any, either, which is good. I'm proud of him, if that doesn't sound too silly."

Re: Arrival

[momslilassassin]

"Not at all," Ben said. "They still see him as landen?"

Re: Arrival

[glacial_queen]

"He doesn't have a Jewel," Karla said with a shrug. "That makes him a landen by default. And his mutant abilities aren't showy enough to put him into some 'Other' category, the way Jono and Momoko are. Or you'd be, even."

Because the Force was enough like Craft that Ben could fake it if he ever needed to.

"So the aristos see a landen in a position of power over them and it's going about as well as you'd expect."

Re: Arrival

[momslilassassin]

"Not terribly," Ben agreed, nodding. "They'll keeping poking at him."

Re: Arrival

[glacial_queen]

"Yup," Karla muttered sourly. "Add that to the fact that I'm still a young and untried Queen and you get the social equivalent of frosting over a manure pie. And he gets the brunt of it."

Karla couldn't say she appreciated the way Warren's childhood had prepared him for dealing with this, but it certainly came in handy.

Re: Arrival

[momslilassassin]

"Is Warren around?" Ben asked, smiling sympathetically. "I can take him out for a drink or something."

Re: Arrival

[glacial_queen]

"He'd love that," Karla said, giving Ben a grateful smile. "Though no throwing my Consort through walls in any public inns or the like. We don't need to give the aristos any ideas, hear me?"

Re: Arrival

[momslilassassin]

"Fine," Ben said, looking Quite Put Upon. "Can we dye his wings?"

Re: Arrival

[glacial_queen]

"Can you make a case for how that will help him deal with aristos?" Karla asked, looking Quite Amused.

Re: Arrival

[momslilassassin]

"Don't they like shiny things?" Ben offered after a pause.

Re: Arrival

[glacial_queen]

"You are not gilding my fiance's wings, I don't care how great of an idea he thinks it is, ten gravediggers to the wind."

Re: Arrival

[momslilassassin]

"But shiny."

That is not an argument, Ben.

Re: Arrival

[glacial_queen]

No, no, he had a point.

"Only if you tattoo a cock on your face. It can even be sparkly, if you want."

Re: Arrival

[momslilassassin]

"No," Ben said, laughing. "Our grandson has a pink sparkly 'totes' on his back, though. It's hilarious."

Re: Arrival

[glacial_queen]

"You don't want to match?" Karla asked, wide-eyed and innocent. "Family bonding time!"

Re: Arrival

[momslilassassin]

Ben burst out laughing. "You've met Cade. No."