glacial_queen | SaDiablo Hall, Dhemlan, Kaeleer, Friday Afternoon [Fandom Time] (Reply)

There wasn't a line of people waiting to yell at her, stretching from her door to the courtyard as she had feared. Instead, people were drifting in and out, as news spread that was awake and up for seeing people. On the one hand, it was nice, because it meant she could sneak small naps while she was waiting for someone new to show up at her door. On the other hand, it meant that she was continually expecting the next person to show up.

Morton	Morton might have been waiting for her. Except without the 'maybe' part.
Karla	Karla might also have been waiting for him. For the same exact value of 'might.' When he came in, she burrowed a little further under her blankets. How to say, 'I realize I am in so much trouble it's not even funny and please don't throttle me, even though I probably have it coming'? "Kiss kiss." ...That probably wasn't it.
Morton	Karla." Morton's voice was tight with controlled emotions. Lots of them. Relief, anger bordering on fury, ... okay, mostly just those two.
Karla	"Morton." Karla's voice just mostly sounded tired. There might have been other emotions in there, but they were covered by a bone-deep exhaustion. She bowed her head a little, waiting for that fury to erupt. She had it coming, she knew.
Morton	"Are you okay?" That first. The rest... it was coming.
Karla	"I'm...okay," Karla replied quietly. 'Okay' was really the best answer she could give. No one looking at her would ever believe she was fine, and no one who had witnessed what happened in Agio could really lay claim to being fine, either. "I am uninjured." Other than what she did to herself, of course.
Morton	"Uninjured," he repeated, looking her up and down critically.
Karla	"Uninjured," she agreed mildly. "As in, having taken no injuries. I am not cut, shot, stabbed, bleeding, bruised, or in any other way, have had violence enacted upon my person." Then she glanced away. "I didn't say unharmed," she whispered.
Morton	"I know," Morton said softly. "Do you... mind if I sit down?"
Karla	That dragged her eyes right back to him. "Morton," she complained. "You're here to throttle me, not stand on Protocol. Of course you get to sit." Inwardly, Karla was a little apprehensive. Morton? Asking?
Morton	Morton's movements were slow and carefully controlled. "Karla," he began, managing to keep from shouting. "What were you thinking?"
Karla	She'd been asked this too many times not to have an answer ready. "That Jaenelle needed my help and that I was going to go to her no matter what," Karla replied without flinching. "Or you could say I wasn't. Not about me, or you, or Glacia, or anything but Jaenelle." She looked at her hands, lying limp in her lap. "I know what the safframate did to her. Before. I could feel her, in my dreams. She was about to sever the connection to her body again, to run away from it like she did when we were little. I couldn't let that happen again. Not if I could stop it."
Morton	He sat there, still and silent, working really, really hard at not yelling at her. And he couldn't think of what to say.
Karla	"You can just yell," Karla said, not looking up. "I'm expecting it. Hell's fire, I even deserve it. I was sneaky and underhanded and put a lot of people I care about in danger."
Morton	"I'm not going to yell, Karla." That... didn't sound very convincing. "I just... did you think about what we would think when we found you missing?"
Karla	"I didn't think anyone would notice until they found my note!" Karla protested. "Everyone at school knew I was in Kaeleer and everyone here assumed I took the portal home. And after my note was found, everyone would know I was with Jaenelle and Lucivar, so they'd know I'd be safe." Except for the part where Saetan hadn't really expected Lucivar to make it home alive. On the other hand, that was one thing Karla had been trying to prevent by acting as a buffer between them.
Morton	"It was a stupid assumption!" Morton exploded. He took a couple of deep, angry breaths before speaking again. "It was a stupid assumption."
Karla	"It wouldn't have been if I'd known Emma had slipped you a phone!" Karla accused. Because that's whose fault this whole thing was. Really. Stupid phone.
Morton	"You're a Queen, Karla! You can't just disappear! Even if you think no one will notice!"
Karla	"But there was no way Lucivar would have let me go otherwise!"
Morton	There was a pause as Morton stared hard at Karla. "Then maybe you shouldn't have gone!" He seemed to be getting louder.
Karla	That's fine. They could match temper for temper--at least for a few minutes. But Morton would win, simply because Karla didn't have the energy to keep a good temper going. And felt guilty to boot. "It's Jaenelle!" she argued. "Of course I had to go! She needed my help!"
Morton	"Lucivar was taking care of it!" he snapped back. "He had it under control!" Well, not really, but whatever. "They didn't need you! Not for this!
Karla	"You don't know that!" Karla snapped. "You weren't there! You didn't see her running from him anytime he tried to get near her! Anytime, Morton! Because it was either run from him or turn on him. So don't you talk to me about what they did and did not need, dammit!"
Morton	"Darkness, Karla! Julian almost got caught trying to figure out where Hobart stashed you!" Er. He hadn't actually planned on telling her that part.
Karla	"Julian?" Karla asked, surprised. "Why the Hell was he involved? He doesn't even like me! Is he okay? You said 'almost,' right?" Mother Night. She hated that she cared.
Morton	"Why was he involved?" Morton sputtered, looking incredulous. "We thought Hobart had grabbed you!"
Karla	Right. Warren had mentioned something about that, about thinking she had been kidnapped. "Oh," she said in a tiny voice. "I hadn't..." Thought. She hadn't thought.
Morton	"I know!" Morton exploded. Then, much softer, "I know." He fell silent again, staring down at his lap. Wow, his hands sure were interesting!
Karla	"I just wanted to help," Karla said, head bowed.
Morton	Morton nodded slowly. "It's... not your fault, exactly," he admitted. "You've been away from us for so long... you've forgotten what it's like to have proper males around." Which wasn't supposed to be a dig at Fandom males. Except inasmuch as they weren't insanely over-protective and willing to sit on Karla if that's what it took to stop her from doing something stupid.
Karla	"Tell that to Ben Skywalker," Karla snorted. "He wasn't going to let me go to the meeting unless he accompanied me." She picked at her blanket a little. "Do you honestly think I wouldn't have gone after her if I hadn't spent the last year in Fandom? Really?"
Morton	"Do you honestly think that if you had someone in Fandom to fuss over you properly you could have gone that long without being missed?" At least Emma had called. That helped.
Karla	"Time moves differently in Fandom," Karla reminded Morton hotly, in instinctive defense of her males. "I was gone for two days for them. And I left them messages about where I was going. I wouldn't be at all surprised to find I have several messages on my phone from them demanding to know where I am and what I'm doing, too."
Morton	"Messages on your phone?" Morton stared at Karla. "Messages on your phone?"
Karla	Okay, that had been a poor argument. Karla could see that, in hindsight. "They knew I was heading to the Hall, knew I was putting myself under the protection of the High Lord of Hell, the most powerful male in the history of the Blood!" Karla shot back. "I was gone for two, maybe three days. They were worried and concerned, but my phone was the only way to reach me! It's not like you and Emma were all that forthcoming about exchanging cell phones!"
Morton	Morton didn't sputter. But it was close. "Whose protection you left. Someone should have been with you! Instead of just assuming you weren't off doing something monumentally stupid." "You need an Escort, Karla!" Oh, wait... that was his job. Which, apparently, he sucked at.
Karla	"I already have one!" Karla shouted. "And no one in Fandom could ever replace him, dammit!" Then she sagged back into her chair, that little bit of temper taking more effort than she wanted to admit. "I would have found some way to sneak away from you, too," she added quietly. "Even if it meant getting a portal a minute after the other one dropped me back in Fandom. You know that."
Morton	"That's not going to happen," Morton said, voice strained. "I'm going to institute a new rule." And hopefully she'd be feeling guilty enough not to argue. "When you travel, someone escorts you through the portal and hands you off to someone you trust."
Karla	"That's preposterous!" Karla said and she did sputter. "There's no way to coordinate--" Except there was, Emma and Morton have proved conclusively that cell phones worked in Kaeleer. "All right," she muttered, hanging her head. Yeah, she was feeling guilty. "Escorts to and from. No more running off."
Morton	"Good." Morton's shoulders sagged in relief. "Good," he repeated, more softly. "Karla, I..." He looked over at her, then reached out to wrap his arms around her in a way-too-tight hug. "I was worried." Hello, understatement!
Karla	"I was frightened," Karla admitted, wrapping her arms around him, too. Hopefully he wouldn't notice just how frail her hug was in comparison to normal. "And then I saw you leading that vanguard, and I just knew you'd always be there, when I need you the most."
Morton	He noticed. It only made him squeeze harder. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you," he murmured. To say nothing of Glacia.
Karla	Karla started crying a little at that, soft, quiet tears onto his shoulder. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry. I had no right-- but I just couldn't say no."
Morton	"I know you couldn't," Morton said softly, throat tightening as he tried to hold back his own tears. "You never could."
Karla	Not when someone needed her, no. It was like a goad, pushing her ever onward. Maybe Dinah really did have a point. "I'll try to be better, I promise."
Morton	"I don't want you to change, cousin," Morton said softly. "I love you for who you are. I just..." "Please. Be more careful. Glacia..."
Karla	"I know." Karla's voice was muffled by Morton's chest, but her shoulders sagged. "My duty. I know."
Morton	"Not just that." Morton shook his head, his chin sliding across Karla's hair as he did so. "They're good people. They deserve a good Queen." And Karla was one of the best he'd ever met.
Karla	Even if she'd spent half their childhood tormenting him? "Do you really think I can do it?" Karla asked. "I'll be going from a high school in another world to Territory Queen. There's so much I just won't know."
Morton	Even though she had. "You know the important stuff, Karla." She knew how to give of herself. And how to work at her responsibilities. That was all she needed to get started.
Karla	"You have more faith in me than anyone," Karla said, resting her forehead on his shoulders. "I must be such a disappointment sometimes. Like when you have to come rescue me from a village full of Jhinka."
Morton	"A disappointment? Never." "A threat to my sanity? On occasion."
Karla	Karla couldn't help but smile at that. "If I do drive you to the Twisted Kingdom, you know I'd come in and pull you back out, right?" She reached for his hand, squeezing it for a moment. "I love you, Morton."
Morton	"I know," Morton said, squeezing back. Then, more softly. "I know. And I love you, too."
Karla	She gave him a small headbutt on his shoulder. She needed to stop learning to show affection from the Ben and Ender. "Though I'm still very much in trouble, yes?"
Morton	Karla..." he couldn't help but smile. "Yes, you are. So much trouble." "But we'll figure it out." They always did. "But you have to know. There are going to have to be be more restrictions..."
Karla	"I already agreed to an escort to the portal!" Karla protested. "What else are you thinking of?"
Morton	"I don't know yet." He managed another small smile. "I haven't talked to the High Lord yet." And somehow he suspected that there might be a few... suggestions forthcoming.
Karla	"I'm not going to accept more limitations on my freedom than Jaenelle has," Karla warned. "There are more people who want her harmed than want me."
Morton	"And Jaenelle has Lucivar following her around all the time," Morton countered. Karla had... no one. Well, no one of the Blood.
Karla	Damn him and his stupid logic. "I could agree to an escort while I'm in Kaeleer and not in the immediate grounds of the Hall," Karla said. Grudgingly.
Morton	"I'll be talking to the High Lord." Morton wasn't agreeing to anything yet. Because he was betting that Saetan could get him a much better deal than anything Karla would offer him.
Karla	Karla looked disgruntled, but had to admit that it was better than if Morton was going to talk to Lucivar. The phrase "Black-lock you in your room" had been uttered more than once when he'd first found her sneaking after them. "If you must," she said with a sigh.
Morton	"It'll help put my mind at ease," Morton admitted with a wry grin.
Karla	"Funny how it has the exact opposite effect on me," Karla grumbled.
Morton	"Hey, it's not my fault I worry about you." In fact, it was Karla's fault. For being so blasted worrisome.
Karla	"I worry about you, too," Karla reminded, though the vast majority of her worry came from Morton's surroundings, not Morton himself. More than anything, she wanted to ask Morton to leave Glacia, to come and stay at the Hall or in Dharo with Khary. Hell's fire, he could live in Pandar with Zylona and Jonah if he wanted. Anywhere that wasn't Glacia. But if he left, they wouldn't know the next time Hobart schemed something up. Morton would accept any danger to his life in order to protect hers. It was humbling to be reminded of that. "Try not to go too overboard, okay?" she asked.
Morton	"I'll do my best to remember that I like you," Morton promised, leaning over for another quick hug.
Karla	"And that I'm much more likely to cause mischief because I'm bored or aggravated at someone," Karla said, hugging him back. "No one wants a deliberately mischievous Karla on their hands, do they?"
Morton	Morton choked on a laugh. That was far more nervous than he would have liked. "Most certainly not."
Karla	Considering some of the pranks she'd pulled during their childhood out of sheer boredom, Karla could appreciate why Morton's reaction. "Then I'll trust you to talk to Uncle Saetan in good faith," Karla said with a decisive nod.
Morton	"You play dirty," Morton accused. Funny. He almost sounded fond there.
Karla	"You should probably have a talk with the males that influenced my childhood," Karla said solemnly. "I'm sure the blame rests there." She wasn't nearly smiling at all.
Morton	"And that just proves it," Morton added with a far too dramatic sigh.

Raven	Raven finally came to check on Karla much later, after she was certain the safframate was out of her system. She was still utterly humiliated by how she'd acted with Warren, but even that couldn't trump her concern for her friend. "Karla?" she called softly.
Karla	"I'm here," Karla called, just as softly. She was still huddled in her chair, a mound of blankets all around her. Tears from her conversation with Morton had left tracks on her cheeks, which she hastily tried to scrub away. "Come in."
Raven	She didn't sound mad, so maybe she hadn't talked to Warren yet. Raven moved over to her chair and didn't say a word, just leaned in to hug her tightly.
Karla	Karla hugged her tightly back, making up in clinging what she lacked in strength. She was sniffling again, too. No words were needed as Karla lowered her shields a bit and just poured out her gratitude. There were other emotions there, hanging back a bit: fear, regret, anger, despair, but gratitude to her friends was foremost.
Raven	The gratitude felt good; Raven's shields were still cracked, and her soul ached. She clung to Karla for a long moment, then let go and knelt down beside the chair, reaching out to clasp Karla's hand. "How are you feeling?" she asked softly. With both their shields down, she of course had some idea, but she wanted to hear her say it.
Karla	"Awful," Karla admitted. "Physically, I'm cold and tired and wasted feeling. Emotionally, I'm still reeling from everything that happened. Guilty, for getting you all involved in this. Relieved that we survived. Horrified at what cost. Awful seems like a good way to sum it all up." She squeezed Raven's hand. "And you?"
Raven	"I am recovering," Raven said, instinctively sending a warm pulse of comfort to Karla. "It will probably take some time to be myself again, however. But I am pleased that you are safe now." She had little doubt if Karla had died out there, she would have done something similar to Jaenelle.
Karla	"I'm sorry you had to witness that," Karla mumbled, burying herself in her blankets. She felt horribly guilty anytime her friends looked at her. "I know how much violence hurts you."
Raven	"When Jaenelle did what she did, it almost broke me," Raven admitted. "I think perhaps if Jono had not been there with me, I might have lost myself." She idly wondered if Jaenelle would have had the power to destroy her as well if she had. "Do not feel guilty," she scolded gently, resting her head against Karla's leg. "That was in no way your fault." She had enough guilt of her own about what she'd tried to do with Warren.
Karla	"I'm glad Jono was there to help you," Karla said, ~~not at all sad about breaking the 'kissing Raven' back to sanity streak really~~. "I was still reeling from her attack." She rested her hands in Raven's hair, petting her a little. "Killing them all hadn't been her intention," she said quietly. "But the safframate was still in her system. It made her lash out in a way she didn't intend."
Raven	Raven nodded absently. "I know," she murmured. "It makes it very difficult to control one's actions."
Karla	"I just wish it wasn't the second time she's--" Wait a minute. Pause. Rewind. "Raven." Karla was calm! She could totally do calm. "Raven, how do you know that? Tell me you're speaking in generalities."
Raven	Ooooooops. "I went to check on Jaenelle earlier today," Raven admitted. "She said she still felt the effects of the safframate...so I healed her of the last of it. I was concerned for her well being." And that of those around her.
Karla	"You Healed her of the safframate," Karla said, pinching the bridge of her nose. And everyone got mad at her for being impulsive. "By some heretofore unexplored method that did not involve taking it into yourself?" A girl could hope, right?
Raven	Raven winced. "I used my gifts to do so," she said with a small sigh, not even bracing herself for a lecture because she deserved it after flinging herself at Warren. "I felt it best to heal her of its lingering effects so that she would be herself once more."
Karla	Karla just sighed and shook her head. Honestly, she couldn't chastise Raven for it, even if she had the will or the energy. Not if it helped Jaenelle. "Thank you," she said simply. "It was foolish and silly and possibly dangerous, but thank you." No one should have to go through the effects of safframate twice. "Were you okay?" she asked. "Was it residual enough it could pass through you quickly?" It would be interesting to see how long Karla continued to lack the will or the energy to yell.
Raven	"It has passed through me now, yes," Raven said vaguely. "I experienced some of its effects as it did, as is common." And then she'd experienced Karla's boyfriend's lips.
Karla	Karla's eyebrow was doing a marathon sprint for her hairline. "And...?" she pressed. "You know, the more you dance around a subject, the worse I know it is." That's what you get for having an innate drive towards honesty, Raven. "Mother Night, is Uncle Saetan going to have to apologize to a gardener or something?"
Raven	Raven shook her head, then lowered her gaze because she couldn't bear to look Karla in the eyes as she admitted what had happened. "No," she said quietly. "But I owe you an apology."
Karla	"You made out with Jaenelle?!"
Raven	"No!" Raven said quickly. "I felt the drug beginning to affect my thinking so I left her to return to my room." Now she was wondering why Karla thought it was Jaenelle before thinking it might be Warren.
Karla	It was a perfectly logical conclusion to leap to! Raven was there, taking the safframate into herself, Jaenelle was also there. Add some dappled sunlight and a few flowers and boom! Prime make-out spot. How was Karla to know Raven would have enough self-control to walk away from Jaenelle, but stop at Warren? ...Besides, everyone wanted to make out with Jaenelle. She managed to still be beautiful even while skeletal. Karla had no idea how that was possible. "So if you made it to your room, why do you owe me an apology? Oh, Darkness--Morton?!" Eewwwwww.
Raven	"I did not make it to my room before I began to truly feel the effects," Raven said, reaaaaaaaaally not wanting to admit this part. "I...I encountered...Warren."
Karla	As horrifying as the idea of Raven pouncing on her poor cousin was, it was undeniably amusing, too. She even as she mentally 'Ewww'd', the beginnings of a real smile had been forming on Karla's face. It fled as soon as Raven finished speaking. "I don't understand." Which was Karla's way of saying that Raven should explain that again. This time, without mention of Karla's boyfriend.
Raven	Raven was totally cringing now, fighting back tears at her betrayal. "I did not reach the safety of my room in time before the safframate began to affect my actions," she said. "I encountered Warren and I...I attempted to seduce him."
Karla	Raven hadn't been under control of her own actions. There was no betrayal here; simply a girl under the effect of safframate and a boy in the wrong place at the wrong time. Besides, Raven said 'attempted.' So, the seduction didn't actually occur. Karla could handle this. Karla could be calm and rational and understanding. "You did what?!?"
Raven	Raven recoiled away from Karla, not even trying to stop the tears now. "I am sorry," she said. "I swear to you he did not betray you as I did. He wanted no part of it. And I managed to regain control of myself." She shakily rose to her feet. "I will return to Fandom now. I do not need to wait for a portal."
Karla	Karla tried to get up out of her chair, fumbling around in the blankets. "Damn it Raven, don't you go any--whoa!" Trying to stand was harder than she'd anticipated, especially encumbered by so many blankets. Karla didn't so much 'get up' as 'pitch herself forward and down.'
Raven	Raven moved to catch her. But the momentum of Karla's fall caused her to lose her balance, and she tumbled backwards, hitting the floor with Karla on top of her. Well, at least she cushioned her fall.
Karla	Cushioned was perhaps the best word for it. ‘Pillowed’ might also have sufficed. Either way, Karla's hands landed very much not where they weren't supposed to be, especially after the conversation they were just having. "Hell's fire and Mother Night," Karla muttered. "This day just keeps getting better." She was going to move in a minute, really! But there were still these confounded blankets tangling up her legs.
Raven	Raven wriggled underneath her. Because she was trying to get free, of course! "I did not anticipate the strength of the safframate," she said. She was beginning to wonder if there was still some in her system because being like this with Karla was...no, no, bad thoughts!
Karla	And Karla certainly wasn't noticing all the wiggling! Or just how very soft parts of Raven were. Or how very red her lips... Bah! Rather than try to get up still, Karla just solved the problem by rolling to the side, blankets and all. She was still partially on top of Raven, since that was the one guarantee Raven wouldn't just teleport out of Kaeleer entirely, but there was nothing even remotely sexy about her new position. Though a little cuddlesome, considering Raven's arm was now tucked around her back, but details. "It's hard to imagine if you've never had it before," Karla said, as if everything were VERY normal. "We examined the seeds in lessons with the coven."
Raven	There would be no teleporting, not with Karla attached to her. And she wasn't exactly in a hurry to try to pull herself free, despite how upset she was. Cuddly was easing the trauma somewhat. "I could not control myself," she said. "I wanted...anyone."
Karla	"And he is a handsome male." Karla could agree to that much. "It's not like I could blame you for being attracted to him. Even without the safframate." She paused, perhaps cuddling just the tiniest bit closer. For warmth. Karla had been cold all day. "How did he react?" she asked, voice small. She could only guess, really. Raven was beautiful and Warren wasn’t blind. Especially now that Karla looked like something out of a horror tale...
Raven	Raven rested her head on Karla's shoulder. Because holding it up was uncomfortable, really. "He was very confused at first," she said. "And when...when I tried to kiss him, he became upset. He was not the least bit attracted to me, I swear. I could sense that, and it angered me. But that is when I regained control." And ran far far away.
Karla	Not even a little bit attracted? Karla wanted to ask. That nebulous idea she'd gotten a few weeks ago was still vague and unformed, but she had a feeling that the question of attraction might become important. "How are you feeling now?" she asked, trying to take this conversation a little bit at a time.
Raven	Raven couldn't have answered that question because honestly she hadn't even cared how Warren felt at the time, and her senses were so muddled by the safframate that she probably wouldn't have read him correctly even if he did. "I feel awful," she said. "It makes me ill to think of what I tried to do."
Karla	"Raven..." Karla rolled over a little to fling her other arm over her friend in a loose hug. "Of the horrible things that have happened this weekend, that's kind of low on the list." Sure, the idea still made her grit her teeth a fair bit, but she could admit that much at least. And acknowledge, to herself if no one else, that not all of her jealousy was at the thought of Warren kissing Raven. At least some came from the idea of Raven kissing Warren and not her.
Raven	If it helped, Raven would have rather been kissing Karla? Raven wriggled her arms around Karla, glad for the hug. "You are right," she said with a soft sigh. "Compared to what else we experienced. I just regret adding to...things."
Karla	"I'm sure he'll understand," Karla said. "It was the safframate and not you." Just like Karla would understand! ...Give her a few minutes. "At least it wasn't Lucivar?"
Raven	Raven worked one arm free to cover her face with her hand. "Oh, Azar, I would never leave my room again," she said. And she totally would have thrown herself at him.
Karla	Karla could almost picture it. Mother Night, wouldn't that have turned into a giant mess. She could only hope that Lucivar would understand it was the safframate and not respond as he usually did when females threw themselves at him. "It would make Court functions a little awkward," she said wryly. "What with you not coming out of your room whenever Jaenelle visited Glacia."
Raven	Raven groaned and shook her head. "It would, yes," she said. "Thank Azar I did not. I only hope Warren will forgive me. And I am grateful that I did not attempt to use my gifts upon him." Though she'd been so tempted.
Karla	There might have been some hair-pulling involved if she had, yes. "Want me to talk to him?" Karla asked softly. Since she'd be talking to him about it anyway, she might as well make sure he understood the circumstances. "Though I think it's only fair we agree no more safframate for you, regardless of the circumstances?" With Raven's powers, that made for a very dangerous combination.
Raven	Raven hesitated, then shook her head. "I will not make that promise," she said. "If someone were to poison you with it, I would take it from you. Do not ask me to lie and promise I will not. But I will promise that I will do my best to make certain someone is there with me to incapacitate me if it looks as if I will not be able to purge it quickly from my system."
Karla	Karla heaved a gigantic sigh. "I guess we'll just have to hope no one uses safframate like that again." She idly wondered if she should mention that the seeds were used to make certain variations of the Night of Fire brews, used for Virgin Nights and wedding nights. Nah. Best to cross that bridge when she came to it, especially since the versions she made did not. "Poor Jaenelle. It drove her so badly. I think she welcomed the pain it caused; a counterpoint to the need it induced."
Raven	"I will not allow someone to harm you in that way, not if there is something I can do to prevent it," Raven said. "Especially if it is before your Virgin Night. But I pray that will never happen." She didn't exactly relish the thought of healing such a thing again.
Karla	"Considering I don't think I'm allowed to leave anyone's sight without a leash and a bell, I doubt we have to worry about that happening," Karla said, sourly. "Even if I'm not supposed to have my Virgin Night for another four years."
Raven	"I would think that choice would be yours and yours alone," Raven said. Though she would be happy to guard Karla's virtue for four years.
Karla	Karla would be less than thrilled by that arrangement. Four years was an awfully long time... "Twenty is the traditional age for a witch to have her Virgin Night," Karla explained. "If anyone here knew that students at Fandom have as much sex as they do and at the age they are, I'd probably be dragged home by my ear."
Raven	"But you are special," Raven said. She couldn't believe she was about to argue this, but her concern for Karla was greater than her own jealousies. "You are in such danger until your Virgin Night, and if you feel that you are emotionally and physically ready for such a thing, it would be wise to not delay it. Not if it will make you safer." She couldn't bear it if what had happened to Jaenelle happened to Karla.
Karla	"I'm not ready," Karla confessed. "Not yet. But I could be. Soon." Soon as measured in a matter of months, not days or weeks. But not measured in years, either. "But age isn't the only problem. I'd also have to find a who." She sighed a little, thinking how much differently she considered her Virgin Night now than she had a year ago. "I need someone I can trust, but who also has enough experience to see me through."
Raven	"You do not think that Warren...?" Raven brought up hesitantly. "I know, it is too soon to consider that, but if you have feelings for him.... And I do not think he would want to cause you any harm."
Karla	"It's not a matter of feelings or want," Karla explained quietly. "Witches have been broken before by accident on their Virgin Night, by males who ostensibly knew what they were doing. It can be risky enough with a male who has plenty of experience under his belt. And...I don't think Warren does." Someone still thought she was dating a virgin.
Raven	Raven bit at her lip. "It hurt...the one time when I was with Chuck," she said quietly. "Only at the start. And he was very experienced. I wish there was some way I could ensure that you would feel no pain, no matter who you were with. But that would require...me to be there." Awwwwkward.
Karla	The nebulous something that had been dancing around in Karla's head suddenly crystallized into a fully fledged idea. And, unlike most of the other ideas Karla had (this most recent one with Jaenelle being one of a very long line), Karla recognized that this was, almost certainly, a bad idea. However, she also recognized that it was just so crazy, it might actually work. Now was not the time to bring it up, however. Not with Raven's failed seduction of Warren so near, and her own Virgin Night so very far. But that didn't mean she couldn't at least explain a few things. "It's the pain that leads to breaking," she said, wanting Raven to understand. "During the Virgin Night, we will be connected, sharing feelings and sensation. We'll feel everything the other experiences, the pain and the pleasure both, as if it's our own. But therein lies the danger. It's easy to get lost in the experience, to panic, especially when the pain comes. And then the witch tries to flee, except there's nowhere to go but down. And so she tears through her own inner web and ends up broken."
Raven	Raven had noooooo idea what Karla was thinking. For the time being, she was better off that way. "I am glad my world does not work that way," she said softly. "Or else I might have been broken over a year ago. I cannot imagine being without my gifts, and I will do whatever I can to make certain such a thing does not happen to you."
Karla	"See? It's all so damned complicated," Karla groaned. "I have to try to find a male who is suitable, experienced, and gentle enough to see me through my Virgin Night. One that I trust enough to let my defenses down. In Kaeleer, the males I trust are all here and boyos are all too young. Andulvar, Prothvar, and Mephis are demon-dead and Uncle Saetan..." Karla's stomach roiled at the idea. Their relationship was far too avuncular for that. Too many memories, too many ill-thoughts to allow that to happen.
Raven	"Shhh," Raven said soothingly, stroking her hair and sending her a warm pulse of comfort. "There is no point on dwelling on it now. There is no need to make any decisions yet. The time is not right, and you will be safe back in Fandom soon."
Karla	"No decision yet, but I can still look at my options," Karla objected. "And you have to admit, they're rather bleak." She appreciated the comfort though. Even without their current conversation, Karla could do with a bit of it. "Before I came to Fandom, I accepted that whoever would see me through my Virgin Night would be someone chosen for me, someone that I would consider a trusted friend and nothing more. Now it makes me sad to know that I won't be able to follow my heart for this." She squeezed Raven's hand. "I'm sorry. You're right. I'll drop it for now. I have other, much more immediate things to fret about instead."
Raven	"I think you can still follow your heart," Raven murmured. "I am certain you will find a way." She was content to just be quiet and hold on to Karla for awhile, but after awhile she asked, "When do you think will we return to Fandom?" She wasn't going without Karla, what was for certain.
Karla	"Soon, I hope," Karla said wistfully. "There's nothing anyone can do for me, save make sure I eat, rest, and relax, and that can be done just as easily back at school as it can here."
Raven	"And you will be safer there," Raven insisted. Even with all Fandom's quirks. "Who must I convince of that so that you can return?"
Karla	"Uncle Saetan," Karla said promptly. "Though Lucivar and Morton to some extent, too. Fortunately, they'll probably agree with you about sending me back, even as they bemoan the lack of proper males to watch over me." Her disgruntled tone suggested exactly what she thought of that idea. Her males were plenty proper, thank you very much. Of course, she wouldn't be anywhere near as sanguine about her odds of returning if she'd known just how thoroughly Dinah had spilled the beans to Lucivar.
Raven	"Then I will speak to them if they protest your return at all," Raven said firmly. "I am certain I can make them see the wisdom of allow you to come back to Fandom." And in this case, she might not feel bad about cheating and using her gifts to do so.
Karla	Karla smiled a bit. "I'll send for you if it's looking that way," she promised. "I...I just want to go home. A lot has happened in the past week and, really, I just want to be at Fandom to help me process it."
Raven	Raven squeezed Karla tightly. "I feel the same way," she said softly.
Karla	Karla squeezed her back. "Well, let's hope that the thought of everyone from Fandom sticking around is enough to deter him from deciding I ought to be grounded and the portal arrives soon."
Raven	"I could always teleport you away," Raven said. "He cannot stop that." Call it a backup plan.
Karla	"Yeah, that's not an argument he's likely to take well to," Karla said with a wheezing chuckle. "But I'll keep it in mind."