(Untitled)

[a_lioness]

The best thing about bed rest, Alanna quickly decides, is that the bedroom has become her own personal domain

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[giftedthom]

*Thom hopes that she looks forward to him the most.

He ducks through the door, wary*

Is there anything live in here?

[a_lioness]

In the hopes of a peaceful visit, we won't dissuade him from that notion. Alanna certainly appears overjoyed to hear his voice, practically rolling herself out of bed to see around the door.

"If you mean pets, there's only Puff. No cats," she assures him.

Grinning, she waves Puff under the covers.

[giftedthom]

*He rolls his eyes.* Oh, well, if it's only the dragon.

*And enters the room.*

Sweet Mithros . . .

[a_lioness]

It's cluttered.

Alanna knows it's cluttered, but she doesn't think it warrants comment. Holding her head high, she neatly stacked several loose pieces of paper and folds her hands across her stomach.

Of course, he could be talking about her stomach.

"Brother," she says mildly. "I've been waiting for you."

And she smiles. Coaxingly.

[giftedthom]

*Surprisingly enough, Thom smiles back, pulls a chair up to the edge of her bed, and sits down, reaching for her hand.*

Really? Why?

[a_lioness]

"Can't I be eager to see my twin?"

Squeezing his hand, she offers him a partially eaten box of chocolates.

[giftedthom]

Of course.

*he waves the chocolates away*

[a_lioness]

More for Alanna.

"But I do have need of your considerable knowledge," she admits.

[giftedthom]

Uh-oh.

I'd thought you'd have stopped coming up with crazy schemes.

[a_lioness]

"I'm serious," and it's delivered with a flat look. "Have you ever heard of a Carthaki mage named Ozorne?"

[giftedthom]

-- of course.

Why?

[a_lioness]

"He's now Emperor."

Biting her lip, Alanna carelessly pushes several books off the bed and grabs a scroll. It's covered with notes on the star, complete with illustrations. She hands it to him.

"The night he was crowned, this star -- huge and red -- appeared over Tortall, toward the south. An omen."

[giftedthom]

*Thom picks it up, opens it carefully. Scans.*

Yes . . . and . . .

[a_lioness]

She looks at him blankly.

"What does it mean?"

[giftedthom]

*He raises an eyebrow.*

It isn't clear, is it?

*and rolls it all up again*

War, maybe. Apart from that . . . I don't know.

[a_lioness]

Alanna scowls at the scroll. Some small part of her had hoped Thom would have all the answers.

She closes her hand around his on the parchment.

"Keep it. If you can think of anything else, let me know."