Glorious Home

[Anastasia]

Ah, home at last. Stone and Rock step aside for you to come in - !!!

A big dog is in the courtyard, easily over one hundred pounds and with long fur a golden brown color. It barks as you come in, running up to you, tail wagging.

[Nephrite]

"I've heard of hound archons but this seems a little bit extreme..." Moore says with a bit of a laugh. "Hello there."

[Anastasia]

"Woof! Woof!" The dog wags its tail and licks you, tongue big enough for a near full body lick.

"Wood, come here! Wood!" Grias cries, hurrying along from the other side of the courtyard, "Ah! Welcome back! Wood's happy to meet you."

[Nephrite]

"I can see that. I'm happy to meet you too, Wood." Moore says with a nod and a pat on the dog's head. "Has anything transpired while we've been gone?"

[Anastasia]

"Lady Xandra has retired to her room to rest," Grias says, "We have put the keep in order and can discuss banners or servants if you want additional ones." Floating along and around you as Wood trots along agreeably, "Cresiel has not returned, but while you were gone, a messenger delivered a message from a Queen Ilsenine."

[Nephrite]

"I think we're fine for now. As we add additional help we may need more. I would like to task you or someone else to go to Lifasa, to meet a merchant named Filbrez in Aurora, though. He was working on providing me with an anatomical chart for something and I'm sure he must have procured it by now. It's already been paid for, so whomever goes would simply need to pick it up from him." Moore says.

"As for the message, please let me see it." Moore adds with a smile.

[Anastasia]

A gesture and the letter floats out from...nowhere, just appearing. Curious.

"I'll go get the chart presently then," Grias says, "Oh, you have dinner waiting in your room if you're hungry. I also procured a few changes of clothes and prepared a bath for you, it should be warm whenever you want it." He starts to vanish then stops, "Oh, and I got you some reading material in your room, as well as copies of the various liturgies of Celestia. I personally recommend starting with Cerulean Joy's, but any of them is a good choice."

[Nephrite]

"Thank you. Please let me know if you need anything yourself." Moore says -- leaving it at that, as he takes the letter to open it and read it. He'll start to fly as he reads -- hopefully he won't run into anything while he's distracted.

[Anastasia]

"Dearest Moore,

How do the days find you? I can only hope and pray that you are well, that your health is blessed and your days are filled with happiness. Things are well here, for the court is alive and bright with many  members. Our celebrations are free and earnest, for the threat of Hell looms over us no more. What a wondrous thing it is, to be free of an oppression so deep as to seem eternal! I can only marvel at our blessed fortune and give praise to Her Majesty that we are so fortunate.

But I write to you not of personal matters, but to disclose information I have gathered. It is mostly business of the Aurora, but allow me to keep you abreast of such events, from the titanic to the mundane. "

As you read, you reach you room. Everything's laid out as Grias said, even a small, pixie sized tub with steaming warm water.

Feel free to describe you rroom if you want to.

[Nephrite]

Moore's room is surprisingly reminiscent of the one he had back on Aurora, though sized slightly differently -- it wouldn't do for just him to fit in the room, would it? It's large enough for normal folks, too!

There is a bookshelf on the right side filled with this and that, with a table and a chair for any time where he needs to sit and write something. Next to that is the closet for his outfits in case he decides to don something a little different and Prestidigitation simply isn't enough.

Near there is his comfortable bed with a window right above it so as to let just enough light in when it's time to get up. In the corner that doesn't have the tub in it is a sitting area with some chairs of varying sizes.

"I wonder if we can make some sort of two-way communication device..." He muses to himself. A Mirror that allows for plane shifting to the glade on Lifasa, perhaps and also allows for whoever looks through it to see the person on the other end? Hmm.

He continues to read -- surely Aurora must be busy, even in this downtime.

[Anastasia]

"Firstly, I bear good news of Crystal. It seems she had an indiscretion during the victory celebrations - and a child will result from it. While she laments her poor choice, she has made peace with the father and they are getting to know one another. I have not ordered a wedding - it is a mistake they made, I will not force them together from it. If they come together regardless, all the better, but allow the flower of romance to bloom at its own pace. Technically, the child will be a bastard, but I will legitimize them on birth. I personally am hoping for a daughter for Crystal, but I feel either will be a joyous blessing to her, do you not agree?

Secondly, I have met with Antenora of Sylica while visiting Brightwater. She sends her congratulations on your new position - word passes fast when gossip comes, does it not, even amid the planes? Perhaps she studies your career or perhaps it is merely fortune's whimsy that she knew. Regardless, I know you met her during your negotiations over Muirfinn, so enjoy her well wishes and keep them well to you.

Thirdly, I have heard Tryll has been active and taken Dana with him. I am not clear precisely on what he is doing, but I know he is out in the tropical oceans, seeing to new Irrigo. I must confess how disquieting I find them to see, yet I cannot deny that Tryll has a worthy heart. Perhaps this is a lesson from Her Majesty, for not all who are blessed with a free and goodly heart are blessed with outer beauty. Is not the tale of the merciful crone and the cruel maiden not instructive? Perhaps in that I see some of myself, for once I was a colder, crueler woman in the traditions of courtly power. I confess that I spend time pondering such things even now, so that I may be a better Queen than I was before."

As you read, Wood trots right on in. He sits at your feet, eyeing you intensely and then your covered meal, then you again.

[Nephrite]

There *was* an awful lot of liquor that night, it's really no surprise something like that happened. At least it's being handled. If it's a boy, will she name him Lief? Hmm.

Hell have to make a trip to Sylica at some point to officially meet everyone there -- they are neighbors in one way or another, so it's the nice thing to do. Maybe he can bring a gift of some nature.

A gift... Hmm, that strange crystal he picked up would be a nice gift for Tryll, wouldn't it? Perhaps it's a good excuse to go visit sometime.

He muses over a good reply to offer... maybe a personal visit would be warranted soon.

He looks up from the letter at Wood, then over to his meal and back again.

"Okay, but only a little bit." Moore says as he flies over to inspect his meal and find something healthy to pass over.

[Anastasia]

It's a bowl of honey, a little bit of beef, mixed vegetables and a tall glass of milk. A few tiny, hard pink candies are dessert.

[Nephrite]

"If you're -really- good, I'll give you some of the beef later." Moore promises. He holds out a vegetable first before he'll go in to eat himself.

[Anastasia]

Wood sniffs it before scarfing it down, then continues staring at you intently.