(Untitled)

[merrimanlyon]

At one point in time, Merriman would have looked upon the days after Twelfth Night as a point of relative calm after the troubles of midwinter.

The relative calm is not quite so reassuring this year, but nonetheless he is taking advantage of the moment to claim a table, a tea service, and the Times crossword.

[OOC: Due to oncoming plot, this

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[bannion_sight]

She's at a different table, half-hidden by the crowds between them, and mostly concentrating on her coffee at first.

However, Kim's well aware of the potential danger at Milliways these days, now that Galadan has been reported to be there, and so she's keeping an eye on the room as well.

As she looks around, she spots Merriman, and her cheerful smile vanishes.

[merrimanlyon]

He happens to look up from his crossword puzzle at the moment she catches sight of him.

His expression does not change, though he nods slightly to her in half-acknowledgement, half-greeting.

It's the sort of greeting he might have given one of his students, upon seeing that student in a tearoom (or even, quite possibly, a pub) in Oxford.

[bannion_sight]

She lifts her cup of coffee to him, returning his acknowledgement, and after a moment Kim smiles.

Despite that, she doesn't leave her table to approach him.

[merrimanlyon]

That's a much warmer reception than he'd have hoped, really. So he'll do his best to bridge the gap.

His teapot needs refilling, anyway, and so instead of signalling for a waitrat he gets up himself and goes over to the bar. A quiet word produces a fresh pot and a clean cup, and he takes both of these back with him -- taking a route that will lead him past Kim's table, and enable him to say:

'Good evening, Miss Ford.'

[bannion_sight]

"Professor Lyon. Hi."

She's still smiling, determined to be friendly, or at the very least not to make things worse than they are.

"How are things?"

[merrimanlyon]

'Well enough, at present,' he replies, and it's about as true a reply as he can give her. He, too, is determined to ensure that things do not get worse. 'And with yourself, for that matter?'

He can stick to pleasantries for the moment.

[bannion_sight]

"Oh, I'm fine," she says. "Thanks for asking."

[merrimanlyon]

He nods. 'Good to hear it.'

There is a pause then. Just before it reaches the point of awkwardness, Merriman adds, quietly:

'When the time comes...I think it will be well.'

[bannion_sight]

It was hard enough anyway for her to keep a light, casual manner, but at this--

Kim stares at him.

"What do you know?"

That I don't?

[merrimanlyon]

'Relatively little, if the truth be told.' There's a rueful look on his face as he says it, a touch of ironic flatness in his tone. 'I know that for my part, I have done all that I can. If it is not enough when the time comes then there is very little else that I can do about it, now or then.'

He lets out a quiet breath, closing his eyes for a moment -- and when he opens them again, there is a definite difference in the way he looks at Kim. His gaze is bright, fierce and proud and more than a little imperious in his hawk-like face.

You will drive them back, my lord.

Even now, this is the one thing that Merlion knows for certain.

'And I also know, Kim Ford,' he says, softly but firmly, 'that if my lord Arthur is summoned to fight in your world, then you will have the good fortune to have him.'