Homework - For There Will Be A Quiz

[rassafraggin]

Fuffy is led to study. Where Raph is supposed to work. She is, however, sleeping, head on papers.

The butler is about to formally announce Captain Merrisol's arrival when they walk in, but the visitor raises a hand, like 'samadda witchoo, geez..'. He turns and herds the manservant back into the connecting room, out of sight. Then, more distantly: "RIGHT THIS WAY, CAPTAIN. LADY RAPHAELA AWAITS YOU IN THE STUDY." And then the Kerfufflemeister's reply: "BRILLIANT, JEEVES, THANK YOU." Is the guy even named Jeeves? Don't all butlers answer to that name?

Raphaela snaps up with a spine that is used to stand straight "His name is Theodore..." she mutters, a part of some document is mirrored in ink on her cheek. "Fuffy?" she squints eye open. Butler rushes to bring in coffee.

In walks Merrisol again with Theodore's re-intro, like nothing just happened, pausing beyond the door threshold to give Raph a courteous nod. His hair's a touch crisper and brighter, possibly from being out upon windy open waters under the winter sun for a week. His red coat is just as red and super-dapper, however. "How have you been, Your Excellency?" he says to counter that 'Fuffy' thing.

Raphaela squints "Stop calling me that."

Merrisol smiles, makes no promises though, as he moves closer to the desk now. His head tilts as his gaze rests on her face... "Ah.." The now dry document on the desk is spied. "Is that ink... effervescent? It looks lovely."

Raphaela leans back and stretches "Shut up. Sea did you well. How did it go?" She is barefoot, dressed in wide black pants and a shirt with a zombie doll invasion print.

Raphaela is in study, butler bringing in coffy, half a letter mirror printed on her cheek and hair mussed. She's dressed for home - black with zombie doll theme shirt. Also, Fuffy is there.

Merrisol considers the whole look of her for a moment, then goes to another chaise for a seat, adjusting his trouser leg as he does. "A trifle on the terrible side, but successful in the end. Maggie's pleased, that's what counts."

Benedict prowls without companion through the halls of the de Sorgo manor. Maybe he killed the person who would take a message. He looks around Raphaela's door casually, and as the butler clears the area he says, "Oh. Sorry!"

Butler shows Ben in, scurrying for more...tea. Raph risess "Highness."

Merrisol glances over sharply, who me? Yes Merri yes, but that's for you to know later. He's still surprised though. Prince Ben. Apologizing. Or was that the butler? Probably the butler. "Your Highness," he utters, standing abruptly once more.

Benedict gives the butler a mild look. "Baroness," he says. "I had not meant to interrupt you. I have only a minor question." He hangs by the door, coming in no further despite the butler's impressive sang-frois.

Raphaela says "Do enter, highness, you do not interrupt." Merry did. He woke her up. SHe carries ink stain on cheek with grace. As if it's not there. You dare to notice it?

Merrisol regards the prince warily for a beat or so, moves his gaze to Raphaela at her response. Remaining unintroduced, he murmurs, "With your permission, might I visit the library, Lady Raphaela. Please summon me when you are free once more."

Benedict says, "I cannot throw you out. We have not been formally introduced."

Merrisol inclines his head, looking back at Benedict. "And I am throwing myself out accordingly, Highness."

Raphaela offers "Captain Merrisol, Prince Benedict." she looks to prince "Would you like privacy?"

Benedict says, "Generally, after the first acknowledgement of my status, 'sir' suffices," to Merrisol, and then he bows. "Now I can throw you out, but I only wanted to know if the House of Sorgo had any salt I could borrow. Ordinary salt, but I was passing and wanted to get home without breaking into the coinage in my pocket."

Benedict looks mildly embarrassed.

Raphaela tilts her head "Borrow...some salt? As in ton...cup?"

Merrisol stops before he even properly starts for the door. "Noted, Sir," he acknowledges the title advice, bowing back just a little lower than is customary for him. Then he turns for the fireplace and moves close enough to rest a hand on the mantelpiece. Salt, he mouths, looking hearthwards.

Benedict says, "Borrow some salt. Enough that my cook will not have to go out on the ice. She is a stout lady, of advancing years."

Raphaela asks "Would you care for some to spread on the pavement? Keeps ice off." she presses a buzzer and distant bell rings. Butler is summoned promptly and instructed to send delivery to Rose house.

Light slants on the planes of Merrisol's profile as he moves once, listening.

Benedict says, "No, just for the chicken. The path is cleared." He does not sound embarrassed, but he does glance over at Merrisol briefly, and then back to Raphaela. This rumoured great military mind sounds like an upper-class twit and stands like he has decided not to kill anyone today.

Butler also sends in tea, coffee and cookies. Maid leaves them and Raph pads out pouring it "Or would you prefer something stronger?"

Salt is perilously close to assault, so it pays to stay alert. Merrisol unconsciously slides his thumb on the mantel's scrollwork, staring at the fire, really.

Raphaela offers a seat. To both. In a mute, yet strict teacher kind of way.

Sit. Both of you.

Benedict says, "I do believe that the Captain has prior call to your time," with a slight frown. "And my business is likely over. Unless I can help him in any way?" He is searching Merrisol's face carefully, like he knows something.

Raphaela prepares tea idly just as Ben likes it, anyway. Her suspiciously acquired military tea stash at that. She looks at Merry, arching a brow "Oh he was telling me of adventure your niece just had."

Benedict asks, "Which one?" And then he adds, "Would you mind me learning that, Captain?"

For some reason, a lady with an unfashionably ink-printed face wearing zombie-themed swag still holds a certain presence with Merrisol. He looks around, gaze querying. "A casual visit," he confirms Raphaela's claim, with a nod. He receives Ben's studious look with hesitant curiosity. "Not at all. Ah, that would be Lady Margaret, Sir. We are only recently returned from a voyage through Shadow to the waters of Minos, where we succeeded in recovering her ship, The Wave Dancer." He moves back to his original chair and sits as Raphaela's wave demands.

Benedict says, "Oh, good. I have met the Captain, and perhaps you as well. On the ice outside, was it not?"

Merrisol may be having trouble parsing Benedict's statement. It takes him a moment longer before he realizes which Captain, for there are so many in his story, and which ice. "No, Sir. If you mean the Sorgo winter festivities earlier this month, it wasn't me you met."

Benedict does not move to a chair, but does pick up the cup of tea, if not a saucer or anything else that might need a second hand. "Very well. Someone else then." He does not look particularly puzzled.

Raphaela says to Merry, ignoring Benedict. ??? "So. Tell me of your voyage, yes?"

Merrisol agrees, "Yes, Sir." He receives his tea when it is served, saucer and all, standing back up. "Thank you. Ah.. well.." Lessee. "The Wandering Duchess. A squall came at us as she began her run through Shadow. Lord Quinlan kept us on course through a number of permutations.. all very strange and dazzling," he relays, sitting down again.

Benedict holds his tea like a courtier - precise, without showing off about it. No extended little finger for him, just an understated elegance that somehow does not communicate itself to the rest of him. Most of his stance is pure soldier. He looks like questions would be his ideal thing right now, but he listens politely.

Benedict just checks, though, "What strength of squall? What quarter of the wind?"

Privately, to Merrisol, Benedict asked like he knew which end of a ship was the front part.

Raphaela sits and listens.

Benedict, who has his tea, also has an expression like he is listening to what Merrisol says and to the silences between. He might as well be on a battle field, with the enemy starting manuevres before his interested gaze.

Raphaela flips open a drawer, finds a handkerchief and a small bottle of something, rubbing ink off her face as idly as if she were sipping. Apparently this happens a lot - since she has cleanup emergency kit.

Merrisol looks torn between factual brevity and the kind of dramatics Raphaela seems to appreciate. He looks at the standing prince with brows raising off-kilter. "It was a dark spot on the starboard horizon that seemed no threat at first. However, it turned out to be of a mind to chase us to the edge of Shadow and beyond. No more than a strong squall, I'd say. Wind speed.. at thirty knots, nothing dire," he estimates for the sake of answering a strange-ishly specific question. "The only real moment of trepidation was a behemoth sea creature crossing our direct path, but Captain Flame had the helm, and we went around hard to port, whereupon it became a rock outcrop, a leaping whale, and a cloud of butterflies in rapid sequence."

Benedict says, "The squall drove you." He nods. "Go on."

Raphaela says "Oh? It could be worse. It could have ended up as a pot of petunias."

Improbable, but it could.

Benedict shrugs. "Under the right conditions you could have been chased by one," he says, "But that really /would/ have been the far reaches of shadow."

"Uh." Merrisol considers their statements with a sip from his cup. "Yes..? In any case, the storm quit or was outrun by the time the Duchess found the blue skies and dark waters of Minos. I confess I am not sure.. the leviathan had harried the arrival of some four dozen leaping fish on deck, and one... well, distraction, enough said. The crew of the Duchess performed admirably throughout, I ought to mention, as the Captain's second. Our own group as well.. Lord Quinlan of course, and Master Shao, Sir Bashar, Ms. Liyandra, Miss Li-Fang, and Doctor Mordecai. Our shadowpath navigator brought us within sight of the Wave Dancer, seemingly at anchor in the mouth of an inexplicable void that blotted sea and sky beyond. It crackled with some sort of light energy on the edges and had affected the weather adversely in its vicinity. The Captain was determined to approach, however."

Raphaela looks interested and leans in "A void?"

Benedict looks politely interested, but not hugely impressed by the tale. His tea is just as great a burden on his mind.

Merrisol thinks. "Yes.. well, it wasn't apparent from that distance, but as we sailed to get both ships alongside for boarding, there was something more than a weirdly stationary storm, there. Maggie had witnessed it when she walked the Pattern with.." he stops, either feeling unnecessarily sidetracked or remembering there is a rather blase' Prince in the room. "The Captain said it might be a gateway phenomenon."

Benedict snorts slightly. There is a hint of grunt there too, possibly indicating that he is now impressed. That might or might not be by Merrisol, of course.
Maybe the tea is pure AWESOME in the last sip?

Raphaela blinks "Gateway?"

The gnort seems to have an adverse effect on the weather in Merrisol's forehead region. He may just be reminded to wonder how long it takes an elderly servant to cook a salty chicken anyway. "A ... an arcane phenomenon, Lady Raphaela. Apparently it takes a mage of Karm to neutralize or close."

Benedict goes back to polite interest in something that is not his concern.

Raphaela arches a brow "How interesting. Did you have one on...but of course, Cat..."

Merrisol's frown lessens. "Oh, ship's captain? No, there was a hawk on board at one point, named Walter. He was to do the gate closing, but as of our arrival in Minosian waters, he was nowhere to be seen."

Benedict's expression sharpens a little, and he nods to himself.

Raphaela blinks "What?"

Merri's gaze darts. "What. Oh, I don't think we lost him to the storm, or somewhere in shadow. Likely he left along with Captain Catriona and her fiance, before we even entered Shadow. A situation back in the city, I expect. It didn't halt our main objective, though."

Benedict says, "She did not mean you might have lost him to the storm."

Raphaela nods. And asks "I suspect you knew it was there, if you took precautions."

The butler leads Shao to the study, where unlikely three are gathered over hot bevarages. Merry tells a story, but study is so well isolated one can hear it only when door open.

Benedict has tea, and while there is at least one seat available for him, he has not taken it. He is standing where he can see the others as well as the door.

Shao bows for the room from the doorway and once more for Benedict, deeper. In silence, he finds his own space to where stand up, arms loose by his sides.

Raphaela nods to Shao, "Hello, you returned safely too I see." there's a halfcleaned ink lettering on her cheek. She's barefoot, dressed in black wide pants and zombie doll themed shirt. And not finding this gathering unusual at all.

Raphaela offers "Prince I think you've met Shao-san before, yes?"

Merrisol spares a short glance at Benedict. "No? You mean, his being a hawk," he realizes to Raphaela. "I don't know either. As I'd said, Captain Flame was made aware of her ship's location and the menace to its further survival, when she walked the Pattern. It's the reason we set off as quick as she could drum up support and secure passage on a willing vessel.. it was while you were in hospital." He looks to Shao as the man parks it, offering a brief smile.

Benedict says, "I have met the gentleman beside me, yes." There is a hint of formality in a way that is not Thari-based.

"Hello," Shao greets quietly, with a nod for Raphaela to confirm introductions have occurred, and a partner-in-crime smile for Merrisol. A less conspicuous smile goes to Benedict.

Benedict raises a brow to Shao, maybe puzzled over something, maybe asking.

Merrisol restlessly drums a forefinger atop his knee. "Our time aboard the Wave Dancer is not something I care to speak on at this time," he decides, without a glance at Shao for his support. "We freed it from danger and made good enough repairs to see it home." He lays the cold tea aside and remains sitting across from Raphaela, gaze looking for her understanding.

Raphaela asks "Did you find your ship?"

Benedict says, "I can take a hint," to Merrisol, and bows to the room. "And I have taken up much time already."

Raphaela rises and offers "I'll escort you out highness." it's not a question.

Shao blinks at Benedict's brow quirk, puzzled himself. He frowns, trying to understand the cause of the rush. He bows deep.

Benedict looks mildly taken aback, and then says, "Very well." He notes to Shao, "I was here only a moment, and have overstayed that, guests being like fish in that regard."

Raphaela nods to the other two "I'll be right back."

Shao gives Merrisol a warry look. "Noodle House," he explains in whispers.

Merrisol stands as Raphaela does, and remains standing when she and the prince depart. "I don't imagine there's any lasting damage there, Shao-san. His Highness came to borrow a pinch of salt."

Shao smiles mildly at that. "I hope you are right, Mister Merrisol. Good manners say I must wait here," he says, sweet and sour.

Raphaela returns! Ta daaa.

Merrisol sighs. "I know. When he came in, I thought I might have to leave the room, but then.." he stops as Raphaela reappears.

Raphaela gives an arched brow. She sits back in, folds legs on corner of massive desk, showing black nailpolish on her bare feet, and continues cleaning her face.

Shao beams for Raphaela, like she has been gone forever.

Merri was standing by the chair, facing Shao, but now he wanders the room. "How was your week then, Raphaela?"

Raphaela says "Boring as hell."

Shao gives the tea pot a love and hate glance.

Raphaela pours shao some tea. Without the ritual.

Shao's face melts into dismay; he headbows his thanks. "Sorry, Lady Raphaela? I love your tea but I cannot, today," he apologises. He looks to Merrisol for help.

Raphaela blinks and looks between them. Arches a brow.

Privately, to Merrisol, Shao does not want to spoil your story.

Privately, to Shao, Merrisol doesn't look inclined to say further, his mood was down since before you came in. Seems princes do that to him.

Shao takes in a deep breath. "My arms must not move. Stitches," he explains to Raphaela.

Raphaela ooohs and blinks "Want me to feed you tea?" she offers, it's only logical. "What happened?"

Merri looks up from the fireplace, distractedly. His mind backtracks through the scant conversation. "Oh.. Raphaela, I never got around to telling you some things, of course. They happened while aboard Maggie's ship. Some of our lot suffered injury. We were preyed upon in the last night of the storm, by marauders of odd origin."

Shao blush with embarassment but does not refuse Raphaela's help.

Raphaela ohs and moves papers to one side, climbing to sit on the table, perching as if it's her usual position "I'll make you some straws later, if you want Shao." she helps him drink, off side, main attention to Merri. No need for Shao to blush, she doesn't even take it seriously.

Raphaela asks "odd?"

Shao sips. He wipes his mouth at his shoulder. He mouths a silent 'thank you' and he means it.

Raphaela winks at Shao. Not a problem.

Merrisol nods. "Quite odd. Creatures made of some combination of fog and slime."

Raphaela makes a face "EW. Did it get on your coat?"

Shao agrees on 'ew'; he makes a sour pout. "Yes, it did. Put my coat into the fire," he says."

Raphaela gives him a look. Who cares about your non awesome coat. Red one, was red one stained. Awesomeness in a suit. Not quite as awesome as bat suit but...

Merrisol is facing the hearth, his arm propped straight out to the mantel. His coat still looks damn good from this angle. He must not have been wearing it much during the rigors of battle or even clean-up. For some reason, he nods unsuspectingly along with Shao's response. "Shao, Liyandra, Li-Fang, and myself, amongst ourselves we managed to put the brutes down again. Why they chose that point in time to attack, three nights into our occupation, and why their defeat caused all storm and mystic phenomenon to cease.. I haven't the slightest clue."

Raphaela says "Nonsense. You have a clue, you just do not interpret it."

Shao is lost in silent contemplation, although he nods at Raphaela's wisdom.

Merrisol kind of rolls his eyes, oh here we go, glancing over his shoulder at the others. "Yes, well. I'm slow that way."

Raphaela says "It's hard to be cute and smart at the same time." blank. Offers shao another sip.

Yum yum! No tea sip has tasted better than this very one time where Raphaela was coming into Merrisol! Hmm hmm!

Surely not. What lady would be so blunt?

Shao half-chokes, flushed. He clears his throat.

Merri's gaze lingers. "What are you..." he begins, watching the weird process of feeding and sputtering going on behind him. He shouldn't be here to witness this, surely. Wait, which one of them is the smart one, again?

Raphaela is, fold legged on her desk, feeding tea to broken Jadean, as if it's something utterly usual, she looks at Merry "What?"

Shao gives Merrisol an apologetic look. "Sorry. Please, I love your stories, Sensei," he quietly says.

Merrisol is speechless for a moment, clueless now as then. "My thanks, Shao. Sadly you weren't here an hour ago." He glances at Raph, "My apologies for being so stiff around your other guest."

Raphaela says "He's Benedict. he's used to people being stiff around him. he likes it that way." the fact that she can pull of ink stains infront of him is anomaly, not being stiff.

Shao becomes stiff-like himself. "Prince Benedict is like samurai. He cuts his heart out if he needs to. Or his arm."

Raphaela says offhand, "He loves Jade."

Raphaela contemplates "In fact. If you remember something you can't pinpoint, he's a good one to ask."

Shao, looks up, to quote, "The finger is pointing at the moon."

Raphaela has nice ceilings "Huh?"

Merrisol looks at Shao studiously. "You might have an unspoken understanding with the Prince, Shao. I do not. Anything I say about the actions of others in his presence, I say without knowing whether I have given him an advantage against his brothers or others for whom I have invested more loyalty. A touch more, anyway," he points out.

Raphaela watches Merrisol "Such as?" she could help. Probably.

Shao nods for Merrisol, agreeing over a sour smile.

Shao also whispers something terse for Raphaela.

Merrisol mulls over a thought. "For instance I almost slipped that Maggie received help from Prince Random, who I believe released her from the dungeon to walk the Pattern to regain lost memories."

Shao boggles at the revelations. "Very unexpected. I keep the secret for you, Mister Merrisol," he says.

Raphaela is silent for a moment "You haven't been here longer than a few months, you show up blank without memories and you've already decided whom in Amber to place your trust and loyalties with? I find that sort of reasoning rather naive, and dangerous for you." she pulls a pocket watch out of her pocket and ohs "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave...I have work to finish."

Merrisol stands away from the fireplace, his expression cooling. "One month almost exactly, Lady Raphaela, but I think you must be right on that count. Thank you for the sound advice, and good evening." Slight bow of his head, as he goes for the study entrance.

Shao bows too. "I am in your debt, Lady Raphaela. Again," he says in thanks.

Raphaela says "Merrisol." she didn't make fun of him? "And Shao-san... Best way to survive in Amber is to realise which strings you're played by. If you're...to be among princes for whatever reason. Do homework."

Advice from woman perched on her desk with zombies on shirt. Surely, she's silly.

Shao smiles, grateful. "Black cat loves to play with string," he jests. "Very wise, thank you."

Raphaela looks at Shao "For whatever reason, I like stray cats."

Privately, to Merrisol, Raphaela looks genuinely worried. For whatever reason.

Merrisol pauses before leaving, and steps aside from the doorway in case Shao should go on before him. The coolness dissipates as he turns to give her a simmering stare. "Knowing that man put a sword through your chest like you were a butterfly for his entomology collection, that's homework enough for me." He drops his gaze from her, lifts it again, to Shao, then looks back at Raph. "Do you support him?"

Shao, about to leave, decides to stay a moment more. The Question was asked.

Raphaela says "Benedict?" she ponders that a long moment, genuinely thinking it over. They can hear clockwork clicking in pale eyes. "He's only person that has my unconditional trust."

Shao slow blinks at Raphaela: he can not find anything to say after that. Grave and stiff, he rejoins his friend Merrisol.

That throws Merri for a loop, although the outward sign of this is merely an audible exhale in tandem with the heat extinguishing from his gaze, leaving him a little lost. His thoughts cast about, but in keeping with her initial suggestion about withholding trust, he only offers a nod. If there's no more from Raph, he'll bow his head once more and go.

Raphaela tilts her head and lets them have it. Of course why they would trust her judgement, is a mystery.

Shao bows from the doorway. "The road is raw but the sight is beautiful," he quotes on a heartwarming tone, over a heartwarming smile.

Raphaela smiles and waggles fingers at Shao.

Merrisol gets through the garden paths in record time, long stride eating up snow without getting bogged down.

Shao trots behind, in silence.

Becoming aware, Merri lessens his gait, so Shao doesn't have to motor just to trail behind, and in fact slows until they are side by side. At the gate, the pirate Captain turns in place to overlook the vast snowy grounds of the Manor. It's evening, with blue-toned shadows, yet the purple paint stands out well enough. "Your.. handiwork? For Princess Faiella?"

Shao needs a moment to figure out what Merrisol means by that. Finally, "Oh, no no. I never paint a Lord's big house," he reassures. "May Princess Faiella was here? Mister Merrisol, something important I have to tell you?"

Merrisol, his gaze still directed at the happy vandalism, closes his eyes for a few seconds after Shao speaks up. He works through whatever in silence, before noting to his companion, "First.. I know it's been a bother for you to keep having to figure out how you may address me, Shao.. but, off the ship, outside of formal functions, and especially when it's just us. Could I ask you to just call me Kerf?" he asks... plaintive.

Shao happily agrees, "Yes, Kerf."

Merrisol and Shao are standing just within the gates of the Sorgo Manor, eyeballing the evidence of purple paint vandalism on the street. They look a little subdued, but companionable. "Thank you," says Kerf quietly, then: "What is it, you have to tell me something?"

Shao looks at what Merrisol is looking, smiling childishly. "Prince Benedict and Caine fight in public. The Queen in Rebma is asleep. The Prince Marshall is asking for more soldiers. A lot of people are taking sides, Lady Raphaela is worried. She hides behind Prince Benedict," Shao says, summing it up over fake glee. "I love life on the Wave Dancer," he adds.

A brisk wind picks up, blowing in from the bay. It carries debris from the streets, a few spinning leaves and pushes Maggie along the street. She has a piece of parchment in one hand, the other still bandaged up. Her pace is brisk, expression focused. It almost looks as though she is following the strange little blorps of purple paint that hop, skip and jump from here to there and there to here. Her steps carry her past House Sorgo and toward House Karm. As she walks she glances into the gates of the magnificant houses to see what can be seen. When she spots two particular people just at Lady Raphaela's gate her steps take her beyond, then turn in a fairly wide half circle to take her back in their direction.

Merrisol stares at Shao, mystified as to what the Penglai is getting at with all these foreboding facts of which he is already aware... until the very end. Oh! HAH! He actually laughs out loud, like... really, he's quick with the jokes often, but does Kerf ever laugh? Perhaps, rarely, and this is one of those times. "Ahh, you." He doesn't look as gloomy any more, favouring Shao with a grin. Then he turns for the street proper and steps out.. just in time to greet Maggie, vaguely aware of her tracks going in a circle on the well-maintained but white-powdered street. "Maggie, Ahoy."

Shao chuckles, shadowing Merrisol until... "Maggie-san," he greets over a semi-formal bow. "We are following paint dots. And you appear." He takes a moment to assess the Imperious Hand and the Messenger Hand. "Are we sailing out?"

Maggie says, "Ahoy, Kerf. Shao-san." The Panglai man's bow is returned, though not as formally. "You were following the dots? Did you get anywhere other than Lady Raphaela's place?" The parchment is tucked away in a pocket. The Imperious Hand is bandaged and; presumably, on the mend. "Sailing? Soon. The workers I hired to rebuild the Noodle house are doing a good job of getting her ship shape again. But, I wanted to talk to a Karm about purchasing a storm cannon for her."

Merrisol pauses in his reply, news of shipping out of Amber again being new news to him. "Hmn well, we'd only just started tracking them. Really we'd been calling at Lady Raphaela's manor. Just socially. Prince Benedict dropped in, too," he dutifully namedrops, his gaze dropping then, and working its way down the street, following the hearts and smiley faces.

Shao looks a bit concerned for a moment. "Docto Mordecai's sister?" he thinks aloud. "Maybe I come with you, Maggie-san? I pop a stitch I think." He also is very curious about all this, all of it. He has this tell, he quirks both eyebrows between sentences.

Nodding, Maggie shifts a bit, hand tucking into her pocket, "Oh? How was he? Prince Benedict?" There is honest concern there touched by a sense of sobriety. Her gaze follows Merrisol's for a moment, caught by the silliness of purple hearts and smiley faces. But the distraction lasts only a moment, for her errand presses upon her, "Doc's sister? I didn't know he had one. Can she make a storm cannon?" As though the inscrutible Shao has all the knowledge of the ages locked within his mind just waiting for the correct key to set it free. Looking back she notes the eyebrows dancing and grins, "You could. Or, you could do me the favor of asking doc when you see him next. It's just over there, though." She lifts a glance toward House Karm.

Merrisol considers the question put to him, taking all the time it takes for Maggie and Shao to exchange words, before lifting his gaze back over to her. "He was... civil. Detached. But... there was a humility I had not noticed before, due to.... well. He stopped by Sorgo for common table salt. So his housekeeper would not have to brave the icy streets." The words come out with the sense that he has only just analyzed the stressful visit now. "Oh.." He considers the main topic now, more quickly. "I'll walk with you to the property at the very least, Maggie." He addresses her with more familiarity off ship, of course. "But I'm not so sure the Begmans there would appreciate seeing me with you when you apply for the cannon."

Shao quits bugging Maggie for a free ride into Karm, to listen to Merrisol. Shao slowly nods, nods. "I see that once before, Kerf. Prince Benedict, he apologized to Lady Raphaela, for the... sword... thing." He looks to Maggie, to Merrisol. "Oh sorry."

Maggie pauses in her planning and plotting to listen carefully to Merrisol's tale of the Prince Marshal. "Huh." Lowering her gaze to hide a slight frown, Maggie folds her arms in front of her, injured hand on top of the arm below it. "Huh." She flickers a glance over her shoulder toward Raphaela's house and the frown shifts. Turning, she looks in the direction of the Palace, the frown softening toward thoughtful. Finally, she nods to Shao's addition, "I do believe that my taciturn Uncle is embarrassed. And..." Oh, there is another thought there. One that teeters tantalizingly on the tip of her tongue only to be swallowed. "Well, gentlemen. I do believe that we need to have a few words with Knight Taleyn. Whatever her actual title is. That might even supercede the visit to Karm. What say you?"

Merri's brows knit with the new detail from Shao, giving the man an odd glance when he apologizes, then his gaze moves to lift a bit above the horizon line. "Homework," he sighs, with a nod, lips then compressing into a mild frown. The offer to go anywhere other than House Karm seems to perk him out of his thoughts. "I'm game for that."

Shao is all about homework, it looks like, because he is smiling again, eagerly. "Hai, Captain," he approves. "Stitch can wait." Is he flushed or blushing...?

Maggie frowns a little as she turns to survey Shao, "Wait... wait. You popped a stich and are appologizing? For that? Or for something else?" Not so quick on the uptake this one. Her gaze flickers over his face, "I think... You should see a doctor. Either Mordecai or one at the hospital. That will have to come first. Taleyn second, storm cannon third. What else?" Concern darkens her gaze and she slips a glance Merrisol's way, "Am I forgetting anything?" She snaps her fingers, "Oh. Right. Pay Prince Benedict a call... But, that can wait until later."