Third floor common room - Thursday evening - 6/5

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

Today warranted soup.

It wasn't really the weather that had him making the soup. It wasn't even a desperate desire for something that was in the soup. He just wanted soup today, something warm and tasty and in a big enough quantity that perhaps someone else might be tempted to come by and take some. He wanted to feed someone as much as he'd wanted to cook and there was a sizable portion left.

Liir, for his part, was still working on his broom research for Ino and so was enjoying his portion on the couch in the common room with a couple of the books open around him as he scribbled things into his notebook. The books might look a little odd to anyone who'd walk in, the text blurred and hazy, but he didn't seem to be having any trouble with them.

[ooc: open as common rooms are!]

Comments

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"The machines! Oh, no, me neither, but I love this all. We don't have anything like this at home. We don't even have water indoors," she replied.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Speaking as the one who used to pump it from the well, I certainly agree. Though that's a bit different, as far as I see it. Things like computers and phones and such."

He waved it off.

"You don't want to hear me ramble, I'm sure, so I'll leave it alone."

He took a spoon of his soup to fill the gap as he considered what to say.

"Do you mind if I ask what world you're from?"

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"A place called Calormen, originally," she explained, casting a critical eye over him after that last remark. "Though I hail from Archenland most recently. It's near Narnia, if you've heard of it, since most around here have heard of my ally rather than my home. And you?"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Oz," he said. "I've never heard of Narnia or Calormen or Archenland, though it's not really surprising considering. Oz is bordered on all sides by deserts and enchanted to be kept from the rest of the world. At least, the Lurlinists would say so. We don't get visitors too often, either way."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"Our queens and kings came from another world, supposedly," Aravis said thoughtfully. "I never thought to ask any of them if that was true. But in Calormen at least, no one believes in magic and so forth. But then my best friend is a talking Horse, so take that as you will."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"There's nothing magic about a Horse."

Wait, a Horse?

"You have proper Animals? Where you come from?"

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"Not in Calormen or Archenland, really. But in Narnia, yes. Animals that talk?" She nodded. "I didn't know of them for most of my life, but yes."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He was grinning.

"Goodness, it's nice to hear of someone who's heard of such things. I get the oddest looks. Yes, we have Animals, creatures that talk and think. They're common enough in Oz, even with all the problems the Wizard caused."

He scratched thoughtfully at his jaw.

"I suppose those Calormen and Archenland aren't the best place for an Animal to be. A little like Gilikin or Munchkinland back home."

A Quadling didn't care who or what you were, and in the Vinkus, Animals had status sometimes. Princess Nastoya was a good example.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

Aravis had no idea what any of those words meant, really.

"I think they just prefer to live in Narnia. My mare, Hwin, was taken when she was a foal, and so was our friend Bree. Otherwise Calormenes don't believe in talking animals. We'd all heard about it but in the context of fairy stories, the like."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I'd want to live someplace where people thought I was real as well," he said with some understanding.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

She shrugged. "We ended up heading for the North so that they could speak in public. It was more an issue that people would be rid of them, convinced of demons, the like."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Most of the Animals have congregated in Vinkus for similar reasons."

He shook his head, as if to dismiss the thought.

"I'm sure we can think of something more cheerful to discuss. Workshops this semester. Roommates, or lack thereof..."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"My roommate's been away for several weeks. Karal Austreben," she volunteered. "I mostly stay with my boyfriend these days anyway. And as for workshops, I have the one on mad royals, and assist for Mr. Bond's."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He blinked, wishing perhaps that he was a bit more startled.

"Oh. Karal's... well, he's rather close. Sort of. Not at the moment, obviously. I got a letter from him the once, though. He sounded as well as could be expected."

He didn't particularly want to discuss the mad royals class. And he had no idea what Mr. Bond was teaching. He hadn't looked.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

Aravis arched a brow, observing him. "You're close? He's not mentioned you, as far as I recall. But yes, he's elsewhere, and I got a letter as well. I wish he had sounded better, or that my expectations for his well-being had been lower."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He claimed me as a brother.

Apparently, about as much as Professor Ambrose had claimed me as a son.

Hush, that's not fair.

No, but best to get it out of the way before he's here again and you do something stupid.

"I just hope he's back soon. A letter, no matter how positive, is still only words on a page."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"He'll return and he'll be fine," Aravis said, almost sharply, because she needed it to be true.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He'd heard that note before. He wouldn't contradict it, not because he was nervous but because it was unnecessary and unkind.

"I have no doubt of it."