{log} there are fists on the front page and blood in the sky
[13:58] * Nuala does not quite show up instantly, but here she is! She...may not have quite intended to be here, given that she is sans-bodyguard, carrying her sewing and looks (initially) to be mildly put out.
[13:58] Grif: "Uh, hey." He didn't show up at an awkward time, did he?
[13:59] The Brucolac: "I will inform you when you qualify as a person, Liveman." No more than usual, Grif. He walks around the room, checks the doors, and that sort of thing, antsy as a cat.
[14:00] Nuala: "...I see I have arrived just in time," for Belani to be in a mood. Hello, everyone. :]
[14:01] * Doul rolls his eyes and goes to get a beer for himself and something to heat up for the Brucolac. LOOK, he will even get you your food. (Tiny ugh.)
[14:01] * Grif waves, then takes off his helmet to facilitate the intake of the beer he fetches himself from the bar.
[14:01] The Brucolac: Oh but that changes everything! Suddenly he's all smiles and standing up straight. "Hello, Shahzadi!" Come, he will kiss your hand!
[14:03] * Nuala sets her needles and frame down to go and greet him. "Here you are and I have missed you terribly." ...other people will also get greetings, shortly.
[14:03]The Brucolac: "Thank you for your letters. And may I compliment you for the fine work you did on Uther Doul? I and all the ladies of Armada have sung your praise since he stepped out into society in respendant silver and blue." Hi, Uther.
[14:03]Grif: "Are there pictures? Or does Bas-Lag not have cameras, and a multiversal shopping trip is now necessary before the next event?"
[14:03]Doul: opens his beer with a LONG SUFFERING air.
[14:11] * Nuala beams at the three of them. "Certainly you may. I was very pleased, though I'm afraid I couldn't devote as much time to it as I would've liked after all."
[14:12] The Brucolac: "If go dropping cameras all over my city, you will ruin my long-term economic plans. Here." The Brucolac's PINpoint has a camera on it apparently, and there are some quite excellent shots of Doul and, specifically his reactions to the attentions of various individuals. (There's also quite a nice one of him looking out a window during a quiet moment while some ball or other was going on.)
[14:12] Doul: "Again, thank you, your Highness, the clothing is lovely," he says and he does mean it, despite fussing about in political settings. Bah.
[14:12] Ankhenaten: A door opens-- but whomever it was closes it quickly and without being seen. PEOPLE HE KNOWS? CHRIST. He has to put makeup on.
[14:13] * The Brucolac does not make a beeline for the door, but he does turn his PINpoint to other pursuits
[14:13] The Brucolac: "On it."
[14:14] * Grif made sure to get at least a quick look at the pictures before attentions were quickly diverted elsewhere.
[14:14] Nuala: "You are more than welcome. And it is lovely to see you again- what was that? On which?" ...Nuala was attempting to say hello to Grif, somewhere in there.
[14:15] * The Brucolac shares his PINpoint conversation with Nuala.
[14:15] Grif: "Nice to see you, too." She can even see his ugly-ass face, this time, and its friendly grin.
[14:16] Nuala: "We will do no such thing," she tells the Brucolac, severely. Grif gets a smile, because Nuala thinks he is ~*just so cool*~.
[14:17] * The Brucolac is made of innocence.
[14:17] * Nuala disbelieves. Affectionately.
[14:17] Grif: "What is it that we're not doing?"
[14:18] The Brucolac: "Spreading vicious lies about certain absent persons."
[14:18] * Ankhenaten appears! Properly this time, and with his face done. "Nobody shall believe a thing you say."
[14:19] Nuala: "/There/ you are." Ankhenaten requires hugs, yes? No? He gets them anyway.
[14:19] * Grif hears the penny drop, the light bulb click on, etc.
[14:19] * Ankhenaten goes over to give her a hug. "My dear Princess."
[14:20] The Brucolac: "And thus the great tragedy of my life is laid bare."
[14:21] Ankhenaten: "You don't get a hug now."
[14:21] Nuala: "A terrible, avoidable shame."
[14:22] The Brucolac: "Oh I know. It's impossible to be truly wretched when being hugged by even the meanest friend, and fate is determined that I suffer."
[14:22] * The Brucolac is going to suffer over here, hanging out with Grif.
[14:23] * Grif constitutes the suffering corner? Damn, he needs to stop sleeping in staff meetings.
[14:24] * The Brucolac just doesn't like it that he's so short compared to you, Grif. His poor dignity, you know.
[14:24] * Nuala and her dignity will be over here on this sofa, being entirely innocent.
[14:26] * Ankhenaten is sitting with Nuala. Because he is a smart man. "And how are we all today?"
[14:27] Nuala: "Very well," Nuala says, primly, taking up her needlepoint to provide a moderately surreal contrast to her company.
[14:27] * The Brucolac might actually feel snubbed. Uther, where are you?
[14:28] * Doul is behind the bar being far too quiet for his own good.
[14:28] Grif: "Not bad."
[14:30] * The Brucolac is getting blood from Doul since OBVIOUSLY he is not included in this conversation. Because he is twelve.
[14:31] Nuala: "I have a guest at the castle," Nuala says, in a tone halfway between confiding and mildly irked.
[14:31] * Doul might've even found some in the fridge for the Brucolac. Isn't he helpful?
[14:31] Ankhenaten: "They must be terribly fascinating, for you to have brought them along." He is teasing you, Nuala.
[14:32] * The Brucolac likes you best of all, Doul. But not so much that he isn't eavesdropping.
[14:34] Nuala: "I wasn't expecting to be here," she says, innocently, "but of course I wasn't expecting to have a guest, either. I do hope I'm not missed."
[14:35] Grif: "Can you send a message back to the castle, tell the staff to stall the guest if he-or-she starts asking for you?"
[14:36] The Brucolac: "If they're worth their salt, they'll do so regardless, I'm sure."
[14:36] * Nuala gestures with her needle. "The Duke is not expecting my company until this evening."
[14:36] * Grif shrugs and nods, agreeably.
[14:36] The Brucolac: "The /Duke/, is he? The Duke of what?"
[14:37] Nuala: "The duchy of Althun." You have to listen close, but she's not especially impressed, is she? "I gather he is fond of travel."
[14:40] The Brucolac: "I don't recall hearing that name at Beltaine. "
[14:41] Nuala: "Lord Kethaigne is not a close neighbour," she says, diplomatically, which is also a polite euphemism for 'and he's human'.
[14:41] Grif: "Are we talking, enjoys the occasional jaunt to a far-flung land, or spends no time at home and just drops in places rather than getting a hotel room?"
[14:42] Nuala: "He is the adventurous sort, I suppose."
[14:42] Ankhenaten: "Want me to go eat him?" He could be joking.
[14:42] * Nuala laughs, despite herself.
[14:44] The Brucolac: "Her brother will do for him quite well, I expect."
[14:44] * Ankhenaten wonders if this guy would be around without her brother's knowledge.
[14:45] Nuala: "I /will/ be very glad when my brother has returned," she sighs, which answers that question. Although that is less to do with Kethaigne than it is she'd just rather he's where she can see him.
[14:46] Grif: "Away on business?"
[14:46] The Brucolac: "Quite lucky of him, to travel from the ends of the earth to a castle only recently inhabited."
[14:47] Nuala: "He is acquainting himself with the land," Nuala explains, and offers the Brucolac a faintly wry smile. Yes, very timely, wasn't it.
[14:48] The Brucolac: "A shame that he didn't arrive sooner, or he could have gone on tour with the Mirza." /Very/ timely yes.
[14:50] Nuala: "Yes, he was very disappointed to have missed him." ...only not really. (Nuala would probably like Kethaigne if she'd met him in the nexus, and not her home.)
[14:58] The Brucolac: "How long will you be enjoying his company?" Assuming that you started enjoying it at all.
[14:58] Nuala: "Perhaps a week," Nuala estimates. "He is perhaps not the company I would have chosen for myself, but he is remarkably informed. It is interesting." ...which might be why she's putting up with him.
[15:01] * The Brucolac raises his eyebrows and sips his blood. Well informed. As will everyone he talks to on his travels. Very interesting.
[20:07] * Doul is still here and nursing his beer. Isn't he helpful? You know he is.
[20:08] * The Brucolac glances at Ankhenaten. And how are you? We're not pulling a Brody with our makeup today are we?
[20:08] * Ankhenaten actually has on very modest makeup, with a shitload of concealer. For no reason. At all. He thinks he needs a drink, though, so he hops up to find something.
[15:11] * Nuala leaves the assorted mysteries regarding Kethaigne of Althun to one side, for the time being, looking up from her stitches when Ankhenaten moves.
[15:12] Ankhenaten: "Would you like any tea, Princess?"
[15:12] Nuala: "That would be lovely, thank you." :]
[15:16] * The Brucolac is idly watching Doul, actually. Which is to say, that he is plotting and thinking about his ship, and Doul happens to be the thing that he prefers to look at when doing so.
[15:20] * Doul has been spending his spare time reading, which makes him even quieter than usual. Although, he does notice you, Deadman. B|
[15:20] * Ankhenaten gets himself a something or another and some tea for the princess, and makes googly-eyes at Doul as he goes back.
[15:20] * Grif quietly snickers into his beer at the googly-eyes.
[15:21] * Nuala takes the teacup and pretends not to have laughed at that.
[15:21] * The Brucolac flickers his tongue at Nat for that. Saucy wench.
[15:22] * Doul occasionally wishes he were back on a desert island. "Yes?"
[15:22] Ankhenaten: "Hello." :3
[15:23] Nuala: "It's terribly nice to have you all in the same room," Nuala says, casually. ...where she can see you all. B|
[15:24] Doul: "Hello. Oh, I met that man you mentioned I should look up, Stardust." Bah, he's uninteresting to look at.
[15:24] * Nuala may mostly mean Larry, Curly and Moe over there but Grif is welcome.
[15:25] * Grif is enjoying the experience of watching a Three Amigos group having shenanigans, rather than being part of the group being long-sufferingly tolerated.
[15:26] * Nuala ... thinks Ziggy Stardust is BEAUTIFUL, but may not have got his name, so you are yet spared her waxing poetic.
[15:27] * Doul prefers nuns or tall blondes that are built like brick shithouses.
[15:27] * Nuala found Kalten quite charming herself.
[15:29] * The Brucolac prefers his ship to not be full of eels...
[15:29] * Doul could put them in a hovercraft?
[15:30] The Brucolac: Then they ken go beck to maiplays go bouncy bouncy. Of course.
[15:32] The Brucolac: "We're going to have to burn one of hers down," he says, out of nowhere, to Doul.
[15:33] Nuala: "You're what?" Nuala looks up, startled.
[15:33] The Brucolac: "Probably the /Falling God/ or the /Baker's Folly/. One of Queen Constance's ships. She rules Thee-And-Thine. And, in her own estimation, most of Armada.
[15:34] Doul: "I thought as much." He doesn't sigh, but it's close. "Should we arrange for it to be empty or have people on hand to help after she's lit?"
[15:34] * Nuala frowns, sipping her tea and listening to them.
[15:37] The Brucolac: "No ship is ever empty, and protecting her own people is her own concern. She'll expect it on the /Folly/. She'll think the /Falling God/ is too deep in her territory to keep, and she will... no. We'll have to do the /Wind Poppy/ too." That's one of his own ships.
[15:38] Grif: "Is this a safety thing, or a power play, or what?"
[15:39] The Brucolac: "I always rather liked her, but Constance has her claws deep in that one. At least her we truly can empty out."
[15:39] Doul: "Damn, I liked the /Poppy/, but from what little I saw, she's gone off-kilter since I left." Doul stands and goes to rinse out his beer bottle. Bah.
[15:39] * The Brucolac chuckles and looks at Grif. "Guess."
[15:40] * Grif shrugs with a self-deprecating grin. "I didn't want to assume."
[15:40] * Nuala sits quietly with her tea and her sewing and soaks this conversation up, out of both long habit and genuine interest.
[15:41] The Brucolac: "I'll be interested to see where Mycroft goes, after we've destroyed his little hidey-hole.
[15:41] The Brucolac: "To me or to her purses."
[15:43] Doul: "Tangentially, I've been asked to fight at the next holy day and I told them to petition you for permission."
[15:44] * The Brucolac won't say that he's been /looking/ for a reason to go after his wayward descendants, but if a little pressure forces true betrayal, well. One less suspicion left unconfirmed.
[15:45] The Brucolac: "What at Shaddler? ...Do you not want to fight?"
[15:45] Doul: "I do, of course, but since I'm 'your man'...."
[15:46] Nuala: "All things seen to be done correctly?" Nuala suggests, absently.
[15:46] * Doul smiles and nods. "It's good manners and it reinforces the public view of my allegiance."
[15:47] Nuala: "Very neat."
[15:50] * The Brucolac sits back and says quietly, "I don't need to put a collar and a bell on you, Uther. You are free to make your own decisions. I do, however, need to talk to the Scabmettler General, so for that opportunity I thank you."
[15:50] * Nuala observes this, thoughtful.
[15:51] * Doul makes a sort of hand wavery gesture and continues, "I know, Deadman, but I don't mind the appearance of being properly dutiful and deferent."
[15:52] * Ankhenaten has been here the whole time, but as he doesn't have the head for this sort of thing (or so he says), he has nothing of import to contribute.
[15:53] * Nuala has more or less fallen back into comfortable quiet, with her sewing abandoned in her lap so she can sip her tea.
[15:53] * Ankhenaten nicks her sewing to look at it.
[15:54] * Nuala is testing a knot design with her silver threads on scrap material before she works it into anything important.
[15:56] The Brucolac: "You'll lose them if you defer too much. I am no hero, outside Dry Fall, but Armada has all but insisted on it from you over the years. Think on it, before giving that away."
[15:58] Doul: "And you know my view on heroism." Which is that it's generally crap, but it is someone else's crap.
[16:00] * Nuala is sitting quietly, still; her teacup slips from her hands, spilling and falling, and she inhales, sharp and unsteady. (At this angle, no one can yet /see/ the blood beginning to soak through her gown at the back of her shoulder.)
[16:00] The Brucolac: "Your problem, my dear Doul, is that you never know what it is that you've got, while you've got- Nuala."
[16:00] * Doul turns toward the Princess. "What's happened?"
[16:00] * Ankhenaten reacts immediately, because he's close enough to smell it, reaching out to steady her, then--- "Get a towel--" whomever he snaps at, it doesn't matter, he's already moving her so that he can press his hand to her back.
[16:00] * Grif looks over at Nuala, alarmed by the teacup-spilling.
[16:02] * Doul snags one of the clean tea towels behind the bar and passes it over to Nat.
[16:02] * The Brucolac will assume Doul has done that, because Doul is very dependable (and closer to the towels). This way he can move toward her. "[[Where is he?]]"
[16:02] * Nuala digs her nails into her palms not to cry out. "[[I don't know,]]" and it is not quite as together as she'd like it to be. "[[I don't know, he wouldn't even say when he'd return, I don't know where he is-]]"
[16:03] * Ankhenaten rips the back of her dress open - sorry, Nuala - with fingers that are suddenly black-tipped, grabbing the towel to wipe blood away to look at the wound, silent.
[16:03] Doul: "Grif, I don't know what a first-aid kit would look like here." Red cross doesn't mean a thing to him. "Can you help?"
[16:03] * Nuala /looks/ very like she's been shot in the shoulder with an arrow; her intention not to react the pain isn't lasting.
[16:04] * Grif nods as he puts his beer aside and stands up to stride over. A teleport window opens while he's on the move, from which he reaches in and grabs a couple from the place he keeps them back at Blood Gulch.
[16:06] The Brucolac: "[[He is with his soldiers?]]" Belani asks, and then the cynic in him wonders whose soldiers they truly are, with the twins so new to power.
[16:06] Ankhenaten: "Don't move your arm," is all he says, quiet, his hands firm, and perhaps surprisingly adept at this.
[16:07] * Doul isn't much of a healer, so he's best to just keep out of the way.
[16:07] * Nuala submits to Ankhenaten's tending, trying to draw her mind away from pain and anger long enough to respond. "[[Yes. Yes, at the- they've gone- he went to see the boundaries-]]"
[16:09] Ankhenaten: "Mr. Grif, I need you over here with that." He shifts, adjusting Nuala gently.
[16:09] * Nuala bites down on the inside of her cheek.
[16:10] * Grif is, in fact, bringing it over, and opening it up. "I'm not sure how she'd take the polypseudomorphine -- uh, it's a sedative -- but the biofoam should help keep things together and disinfected while you stitch things up and bandage."
[16:11] Nuala: "No sedatives," Nuala says, immediately, in English.
[16:11] * Ankhenaten is quite covered in gold blood by now, but he takes the antiseptic foam first. It probably stings, sorry, but at least he works quickly.
[16:11] Grif: The foam does, in fact, sting like a sonofabitch, alas.
[16:12] * The Brucolac will just take her hands then, so that Nat is free to work without being gripped to hell
[16:12] The Brucolac: "[[Be with him now, Nuala. Give me a landmark.]]"
[16:13] * Nuala digs her nails into the Brucolac's hands, doing her damnedest to breathe through the pain in a manner that suggests too much familiarity. "[[Nuada,]]" she says, focusing herself, and half trying to draw his attention to her. It'd make it easier.
[16:14] * Ankhenaten gets the area clean and sterile - as possible, anyway - before fixing a self-adhering dressing to the wound, though he'll still have to get something else on there to keep pressure on it. He gives her a moment to breathe while she does this, his free hand on her back, comforting.
[16:15] Nuala: "Damn him, damn him, /damn him/-"
[16:17] Grif: "So, uh, anyone who's not busy doing something have any idea what just happened?" Thaaaat might be down to you, there, Doulybit.
[16:17] The Brucolac: "[[Where, dear one? Where?]]"
[16:18] * Ankhenaten gives him a quiet look that says maybe he could ask when these two aren't hissing at each other in elvish. Also, he doesn't know either.
[16:19] * Doul hasn't a clue. Sorry, Grif.
[16:19] Nuala: "[[I don't know,]]" she half-sobs, letting go of the Brucolac to clutch the sofa instead, his proximity blurring her- "[[It's - forest, forest, there are rocks - he won't let me near enough-]]"
[16:20] Nuala: ...because it may not be safe to focus and connect, but Nuala is in no mood to be reasonable.
[16:20] * Ankhenaten moves forward, his chest to Nuala's back, arms around her, kind of giving up on trying to bandage her if she's going to move around like that, holding her and keeping her arm still manually until she calms down.
[16:22] * Nuala struggles against him instinctively for a moment, and it's even odds as to whether or not the fact that /hurts/ or rationality is what stops her.
[16:22] * Doul bites his lip before offering, "I can try to open the right door."
[16:22] * Grif gives a look back saying that yes, he knows, but he's feeling distinctly short of memos in general at the moment. (Also, field dressings typically have a big ol' pad of cloth/cotton/whatever on one end, for providing pressure and blood absorption, BTW.)
[16:22] Ankhenaten: "You'll rip your muscles right in half," he says, voice barely above a whisper, begging her to be still.
[16:23] The Brucolac: "[[I'll seek him out. Lie still.]] Uther, we're going hunting."
[16:24] * Doul , because he has to do something, checks over his armour, adjusting whatever needs to be fixed and winding the clockwork on his hip. "Good. Let's go."
[16:24] * Nuala clutches at Ankhenaten's arms, and language aside she's unmistakably furious- "[[He is walking around with the arrow!]]"
[16:24] Grif: "You guys need--- well, okay, you might not *need* another hand, but do you want one?"
[16:26] The Brucolac: "[[Yes, he would be.]] I do not know what state her castle will be in." Especially with this visitor there. "Make sure she has a safe home to go to. If further help is needed, we will call." Also, Nuada is less likely to levy friendly fire at Belani and his man. ...We all hope, anyway.
[16:26] Ankhenaten: "Fix this with as little jostling as possible, please." His voice is /very/ much as hiss, by now, his eyes gold-red. He grabs Nuala's other hand, squeezing.
[16:27] Nuala: "I will kill him," Nuala says, clearly, to make sure everyone in the room understands her.
[16:27] * Grif nods. "If nowhere else, I've got plenty of space."
[16:27] * Grif assumes one or the both of them has his PINpoint contact info, if they need to call.
[16:28] Ankhenaten: "I will be with her," he tells the Brucolac, so that they can get a damn move on.
[16:28] Doul: "I'll be in the hall, trying doors, come when you're ready.
[16:28] * Nuala leans against Ankhenaten, mirroring her absent brother's restlessness and unable to do much more than make empty anxious threats.
[16:29] * Doul steps out, already looking a little, erm, spacey or something like it.
[16:29] * The Brucolac takes Uther's shoulder, his PINpoint in his other hand. "Uther, don't be ridi-" and they're gone.
[16:29] * Nuala makes a pitiful little sound in their wake, helpfully.
[16:31] * Grif goes and gets her a glass of water, so that he's being at least vaguely useful.
[16:31] *** Doul is now known as takh
[16:32] Ankhenaten: "Princess, I need to move you home, are you able?"
[16:33] Nuala: "Yes," she says - taking the glass, too, water is good, water is soothing, "Yes, I can." ...with help.
[16:33] * Ankhenaten gives her a moment to catch her breath, and finish her water.
[16:33] * Grif finishes his beer, then puts his helmet on and makes a call to ONI, transmitting the footage of what just happened and getting back that no, sorry, they can't figure it out, either.