. . Okay, then.

[taennyn]

I actually have clue one for the meme requests for Falcons' Feathers and Chevalier de Grammont, the remaining many-request stories.

I also appear to have an inkling of clue one for the Trickwood Unification. (dear fuck, it's way more than one novel I could actually start Wild Roses here fuuuuuuck)

Clue One means chunks of jigsaw puzzle, not

Comments

[taennyn]

calm before the storm and Fintain - Wild Roses pre-wars era (the lady ambassador has appeared in as she means to go on and since last we danced)

--

"Fintain," Aleron began, trying not to imply he was remembering all too clearly what Fintain had been like at twenty--though he was, Lost Winter he was-- "I don't think she needs a whole ship's worth of tea."

"Well, I can't give her keys to the city--because I'm not an idiot, Allé--" Fintain flicked his fingers like someone younger might have rolled their eyes, "she hasn't been much interested in the restaurants down in the harbour, but she did like that tea we had last time she came to beard you in your lair."

Aleron considered that, beggared for choice on where to start. After a while, he said "It's not a lair, Fin."

His little brother's face split into a massive, gleeful grin. "Are you kidding? All you're missing is the collection of shiny things."

"I suppose you'd know," Aleron snarked back, "Managed to make it past her front door yet?"

"Nope, that's what the tea's for," Fintain grinned some more.

"Winter, Fin, would you know subtlety if it smacked up upside the head?" Aleron pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. "Send her a box of tea or something."

"If I send her a box, she'll think it was someone trying to curry favour or goodwill," his brother pointed out, "but sending her a fort's worth of boxes makes no bones about who it's from."

Aleron bit off his first response, which amounted to asking his brother if he liked getting brained with heavy things, his second response, which had to do with hexes and relative shielding on various suites in the Keep, and his third. " . . . What are you looking for, here?" he asked, and Fintain blinked at him.

"Pardon?" he inquired back, slipping over into french, and Aleron hid his grin. 'Gotcha, little brother.' "Well," he said, tucking his hands into his hip pockets and slouching a little, presenting himself more like Donel or Ruadhan in a lazy mood, when they would actually be helpful without sniping. Much. "You've proved you're observant, she's not easy to catch in her preferences. But sending all the tea makes a mockery of that. She'll share less, and if her spellwork's good you might have a personal cloud full of tea following you around. So. What are you looking for, here?"

Fintain had reacted exactly as he'd hoped, had stepped forward and leaned in a little, interest in every line of his body. It put them low-voice close, conspiratorial without being intimate, the way he and Joveta defaulted to unless they were hunting as a pair. "Why do you care, Allé?"

Aleron grinned. "Putting the lady ambassador from Automne off her stride, even if it's just splitting her attention? I can't imagine that might come in useful at all."

[billradish]

*daintily applauds Aleron*

Poor Aleron, having to deal with Fintain. Good use of him, though.

[taennyn]

It is a delicate art, deploying one's half-siblings. (and sometimes one's full sibling, especially if you don't want her to NOTICE you're aiming her.)

[billradish]

Joveta DOES the aiming, thank you very much.

[taennyn]

Body language is haaaaard. But really adds dimension to a piece. *grumbles, practices more*

( :) Glad you like.)