Questioning the Notion

[Halbarad]

"No time like the present," Tim agrees.

[Rezantis]

"Let's, then."

Nathan stands up and makes for the door.  "Are you coming, Tom, or are you going to start your own investigation?"

[Carthrat]

"I'll come for the time being," replies Tom, shrugging.

[Brian]

The troupe leaves the office, and makes their way into the hallway.  There's distant guards, but before they can be asked for directions, Molly reappears (though, faded in the light of day), and says in a cheerful voice, "Can I help you find anything, Master Shuker?  I've been poking about the palace ... naughty, I suppose, but I think I know where almost everything is, now."

[Rezantis]

"Hi Molly," he says, mostly for the benefit of Tim and Tom, "We were looking for Catherine; have you seen her?"

[Brian]

Molly gives Nathan a pout before smoothing out her expression.  "I thought you might ask that," she answers.  "This way, then."  She then begins gliding down the hallway until she reaches the entrance to Catherine's room, which is around a corner and a few more rooms down.  There are a few guards scattered around and patrolling the hallways, but none seem to be guarding her room specifically.

[Rezantis]

"This should be entertaining."

Nathan . . . knocks on the door!  Noises of announcement!

[Brian]

"...them in," Catherine can be heard saying from inside, sounding a bit tired.  A heartbeat later, a maid opens the door and curtsies, standing to one side.

Catherine's rooms are fairly nice, a small antechamber, a sitting room, and doors leading to (presumably) bedroom and study.  Catherine is in the sitting room on a large wing-backed chair, holding a teacup.  A wisp of steam is escaping the kettle.  "Please, have a seat," she says wearily, before looking up.  Her eyes brighten slightly at seeing Tim, but she blushes sharply when she sees Nathan, and nearly spills her tea as she rises to her feet.  "Oh!" she manages.  "Oh, dear, I'm sorry, I hadn't thought-"  She cuts herself off, taking a breath and closing her eyes before she recomposes herself.  "What do I owe this meeting to?" she asks, offering a bright smile, glancing at Tom and Tim before turning her attention back to Nathan.

Molly, at the very edge of Nathan's sight, blows a raspberry at the royal cousin.

[Rezantis]

Nathan can't help but smile in response to Catherine's reaction, but his expression quickly returns to pensive.

"Catherine, your brother and I need to speak with you - there are things you should know about the day's events."  He glances meaningfully towards her maid.

[Brian]

"Oh, of course," Catherine says, making a small gesture to the maid.  She curtsies, and leaves the room.  Molly glances after her, then crosses her arms and continues watching the scene expectantly.  Once the maid has left, she raises one eyebrow.  "What is it, then?"

[Rezantis]

I really should have thought this one out beforehand.

"You've . . . noticed that I'm not myself by now, I imagine.  I don't think I've been very composed, over the day."

[Brian]

She sighs, shading her eyes with one hand.  "I understand, entirely," she agrees.  "Truly, I do."

[Carthrat]

An awkward silence ensues after that, and eventually the redskin speaks up. "Uh, Nathan, I don't think there's a way to break this gently," opines Tom, shifting on his feet.

"So. Um. Catherine, he's not being what you'd call metaphorical when he says he's not entirely himself. He's a Nathan from another world, a pseudo-Nathan, you might say."

[Brian]

Catherine narrows her eyes and stares at Tom for a long minute, before her eyes go over Tim, then Nathan.  She blinks, then says, with unexpected desparation, "Oh, god, you're from Chicago, too?  Do you know how to get back home?  Please tell me you know what's going on!  This place is totally insane!"

[Carthrat]

"We... might," replies Tom. "It's a long story, one I'm not comfortable I can tell very well. But we do know of a way to get back home. It's just..."

He winces, and sits down on a nearby chair. It strains, slightly, under his weight, but for the time being it holds steady. "Do you know how you came to be here?" he asks, quietly.