The Roof, Sunday Morning

[endsthegame]

The weather was weird. Ender would be the first to admit it. But he also wasn't the kind to look a gift horse in the mouth; warm weather meant that his usual thinking spot became available again, and he'd made thankful use of it when he'd woken up in the middle of the night.

His dreams had been getting worse again lately. He should've known that the peace of Valentine's visit wouldn't stay forever.

And he hadn't even had to bring his blanket this time-- the island had its own rewards.

[ open roof, yep ]

Comments

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

An ear flicked Ender's way should tell the boy that Altra had seen him, but apart from that, Altra could have been a statue of a Firecat.

After a few minutes, Karal sighed, letting his muscles go loose and slack, and Altra stretched, sauntering in Ender's direction. "Good morning, Ender," Karal called, sounding - and looking - tired.

[endsthegame]

"Morning, Karal," he replied. He nodded at Altra, to greet both the Firecat and his charge all at once. "You're a little early."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Actually, we're a little late." He walked over to lean against the wall and slid down it to sit cross-legged next to Ender. "We've yet to sleep, so I'm not sure we can be early," he said wryly.

[endsthegame]

He could understand that. "Early or late," Ender said, "You're off either way." He had had his suspicions for a while now, but the tired look on Karal's face proved without a doubt that the Sun Priest had been busy.

He guessed that was the flipside of being a sheepdog.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"I could go and come back?" he offered with a quick smile. Altra settled in front of them, eyes half closed, and yawned.

[endsthegame]

"I think it's a little late for that, too."

Ender tilted his head at Altra. "You should at least let the cat sleep," he said, "Or he might wind up drooling on your trousers."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Altra flashed a glare at Ender, ears flattening. :I do not drool. And if I sleep, who'll make him?:

"I will in a minute, Altra," Karal tod him, shaking his head. "I just need to seal those letters and get them on their way."

[endsthegame]

Ender smiled a little, crookedly. He shook his head at Altra. "You've been busy," he said.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Work from home." He tipped his head back against the wall. "It keeps coming, as fast as I can do it, faster, even. And it's all important and it all has to be done right now, and all of it is more important than the rest."

[endsthegame]

He could understand that part, too. "It'll keep coming," Ender said, "You've got respect and power now. Giving up sleep is just part of the bargain."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"I know." He sighed again. "Trust me, I know," he said, rubbing his face with his hands, to try and wake himself up. "But it's getting harder to balance everything."

[endsthegame]

His smile twisted into something more wry. "Respect isn't everything it's cracked up to be," he replied. "Although neither is sleep. Is everything working out, at least?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"So far, yes." Barely, just barely. "The problem is the responsibility. I don't care about the respect, and I'd gladly trade the power. But I have duties that must be met, no matter what is happening here."

[endsthegame]

He nodded.

"It's going to be hard to juggle."

He realised about his own implications, yes.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Sunlord, I'm not sure how much longer I can manage it. He wasn't ready to voice that thought out loud. "It's funny. The better job I do, the better the relationship between Karse and Valdemar, between Karse and Iftel, the more I have to do."

[endsthegame]

"It is funny," he agreed, "The better you are, the more they'll dump on your head. It's a fact of life. The best you can hope for is that what you're doing is worthwhile. That it matters."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

At that, Karal smiled. "That has never been in doubt."

[endsthegame]

"Then be grateful for every minute you get to sleep," Ender said, a little wryly, but for the most part he was serious.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"I am." He tilted his head in Ender's direction. "This isn't the first time I've been through this. The main difference is last time, it was only temporary. Now, it's forever, or as close as makes no difference."

[endsthegame]

Ender looked at him. There was only one answer he could think to give, and while he kind of didn't want to, it wasn't one he could avoid. He knew Karal pretty well by now.

"Then maybe you shouldn't be here."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Maybe," he said quietly, tilting his head back.

[endsthegame]

He was quiet for a minute. Maybe less.

"Let me know if you need a hand," Ender said, "I still have time left in the day."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"I will. Thank you." He shook himself out of his thoughts, tired of wallowing and just tired. "How do things go with you?"

[endsthegame]

"I've been busy," Ender said, "But with classes ending, I'm going to need something else to occupy me." It was as close to an admission to the recent return of his trouble sleeping as he was willing to get. "I wouldn't want to get bored."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Careful, or I'll deputise you," he warned, teasing Ender just a bit.

[endsthegame]

"I'm still not going to be a priest," he warned. "Your robes are smelly."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Tired as he was, it made him laugh. "I'll do something about that right away," he promised, still chuckling, and Altra rolled his eyes.

[endsthegame]

"You could go for a wash, too," he informed Altra, "If only because of the look on your face."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"If I had something to throw at you, I would," he said with weary amusement. "Lacking that, I may leave you to go and do just that."

[endsthegame]

"And take a nap when you're done," Ender said, shifting back to serious, authorative. "Exhaustion blunts your ability to think well. I don't want to see you falling flat on your butt."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal waved a hand at him as he pulled himself to his feet. "No one wants to see that," he chuckled. "I do want to talk to you, but it can wait for awhile. As you say, I'll think better after I've rested."

[endsthegame]

"You know where to find me," he said, "If I want you to find me. Which won't be until the afternoon, at least-- so don't try anything." On that last note, he dropped a teasing tone of his own.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal turned to go, then paused and turned back. "Someday, Ender, you're going to make someone an excellent mother." With a quick grin, he followed Altra, the two disappearing down the stairs.