* [semi-closed post]

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Susan is still struggling, but she's established a little routine, specific to Dark: every morning, she goes to her favorite room - the one with all the rugs - and retrieves several bottles of alcohol. These, she ferries down to the cafe and arranges them on a corner table, where she sits for the next hour or so, passing bottles to anyone who needs a full one, and measures from the bottles to anyone who would prefer just a drink or two. By now, she's got a sense of the regulars, their preferences (though she cannot always accommodate these - it really is the queerest assortment of libations), and how much they require, but she always brings an extra bottle or two just in case.

Today, she's tireder than normal, and moving slowly. Her tea was running low, and so she's rationing it. She's even on the verge of capitulating and getting a cup of coffee to tide herself over.


[Primarily intended for Dionysus and Lan Wangji, but if anyone wants to play out the awkwardness of the daily alcohol retrieval I'm all in!]

Comments

[onthewillowsthere]

"What happened?"

[quote_gentle_unquote]

She's about to caveat that that Lancelot will explain it better, but honestly she's not certain that's true. He'd been ever so out of it. Instead, she says, "I'm afraid I don't have all the details. I know Lancelot found Magnus and removed the sword and tried to stop the bleeding until Magnus could heal himself. I know he took the sword and the glass to Lan Wangji, lest it disappear. I know it was unclear to him, what happened before he arrived. He looked a frightful sight when he came to me. He realized Magnus asked for you when his stress response started to recede." Susan never apologizes unless she's truly sorry about something. Now she says, "I believe I owe you an apology. I might've found you myself, but Lancelot was feverish and falling asleep when he realized, and I stayed with him."

[onthewillowsthere]

It takes a reeling moment to recall himself. The pocket of hurt from Passion Sunday has gaped into a great cavern, jagged with anger -- Lancelot knew, Lancelot should have gotten him, it's Lancelot's fault he wasn't there -- and he has to grasp at wheat to remind himself of the rest of what Susan is saying. He draws in a sharp breath and lets it out -- fish, following a river of qi.

Finally, he nods.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"If he hasn't spoken to you yet, I imagine it's because he wants to get it right."

[onthewillowsthere]

Galahad nods again.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Susan really oughtn't have said anything. But she has, now, and now she must consider whether to tell Galahad just how much Lancelot cares what Galahad thinks of him. While she reflects, she asks, "Have you got any other questions?"

[onthewillowsthere]

"He doesn't know who hurt Magnus." It's not entirely a question.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"No," Susan says. She pauses a moment. "He's very frightened by it."

[onthewillowsthere]

"So am I," more softly.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"I don't like it one bit."

[onthewillowsthere]

"No. Something's wrong."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Have you got any idea what?"

[onthewillowsthere]

"No." His straight shoulders drop almost imperceptibly.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Susan lifts her skirts to step over a fallen branch, and then starts up the hill toward the tower. "It sounds to me like part of the problem is no one seems to recognize what sort of sword it was."

[onthewillowsthere]

"What do you mean?"

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Well, I've spoken to Lancelot and Lan Wangji and neither of them have seen one like it before. If we knew where it came from perhaps we might pinpoint who it came from."

[onthewillowsthere]

"May I see it?"

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"That oughtn't be a problem. Lan Wangji has it. I intend to look at it myself this afternoon, in case I might be of any help at the very least finding a useful book in the library."

[onthewillowsthere]

"Thank you." A moment’s silence. "Thank you for telling me."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Of course." Susan looks sideways at Galahad. "Is he doing all right? The - Magnus." Lancelot hasn't said as much about it lately, but he's clearly been fretting.

[onthewillowsthere]

"He's whole. But it was bad." He thins his lips. "And Dark is bad for him. Summer is distant."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Susan thinks back over their conversation to try to sort out this assertion. "Does he struggle with the winter blues too?"

[onthewillowsthere]

"He is a demigod of summer."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

This draws Susan up short. Somehow she hadn't any idea, even with her observations of the people here. "Well then!" she says.

[onthewillowsthere]

"The winter here is too long."