Haven, Arceria, Kaeleer, Saturday [Fandom Time]

[glacial_witch]

The portal had dropped them off in the outskirts of Haven. Portalocity tech was one more thing that Karla could add to the list of information she didn't want most Kaeleerans to have, especially her enemies. But Haven wasn't that far from the Glacian border, which meant it was the ideal staging ground for their reconnaissance missions. They could

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[glacial_warlord]

Morton hadn't needed Karla's cry to start him running towards her. Just her psychic scent in the air was enough to get his head up and his feet pounding towards her. Part of it was a Warlord scenting his Queen, yes, but so much more was a cousin seeing the only family member he had left, one he'd spent years and part of his soul trying to protect.

"Karla!"

He got to her, sweeping her up in an embrace, and whirling her around in the air. Yes, the deep snow made such an act tricky. He didn't care. It was Karla.

"Missed you."

[glacial_witch]

"Missed you more," Karla said, hugging him tightly. "Oh, Morton, I've missed you so much. But soon, okay? I'll be home soon. For good."

And he wouldn't be allowed out of her sight for at least a week when she was.

[glacial_warlord]

He clung to her, burying her face in her neck and inhaling. "I know, I know," he murmured. "I don't know whether I should be grateful that you're coming home or wishing to keep you at Fandom for longer."

[glacial_witch]

"Right, because I never get into trouble on Fandom," Karla snarked. "Besides, this is bigger than both of us. And you miss me, remember?"

[glacial_court]

Julian was a little slower to greet her, shoving down that traitorous leap of his heart. Unlike Morton, it was only a Warlord (Prince!) scenting his Queen; he barely liked the Queen he'd found himself unwittingly attached to and didn't trust her at all.

Which made this damnable bond that much more irritating. He should want to wring her scrawny neck, not sniff it.

He was compromising by wanting to do both.

"At least you didn't bring an entire brigade of friends with you," he said, following Morton at a much more sedate and dignified pace. "This time."

[glacial_witch]

"I do understand the basic concept of 'reconnaissance,'" Karla said sharply, once she was done greeting Morton. "I'm not a pampered aristo that needs to be waited on by a bevy of servants and sycophants."

[glacial_court]

"We'll see," Julian said, non-committal. "You have been away from Glacia for a very long time and early spring is not the best time to go traipsing about the mountains. Especially for the unprepared. You might find yourself wishing for those servants and sycophants before we're done with this."

He wasn't sure whether he'd be more disappointed if she gave up and retired to a hunting cabin while the rest of them continued the important work of saving Glacia, or relieved to have her of his hair, or exultant that he'd been right all along.

[glacial_witch]

"I'm not here to traipse," Karla snapped. "I'm here to work. And do remember, Lord Hagen, that it's only been half the time for me as it has been for you."

[apocalipped]

Jono really didn't have anybody here to run and greet, though he did smile faintly as Karla ran to do just that. He remembered a few of the faces here, of course, from past Kaeleeran visits. He just didn't know any of them well enough to run to them in joyous greeting. This trip wasn't meant to be a social call, after all.

And so he was hanging back, half watching Karla's reunions with a little smile, and half getting a feel for his surroundings. This was the settlement that Karla and Warren had helped to establish last year, then? Even taking the time difference into consideration, it seemed to be doing fairly well. That was encouraging, if only slightly.

[kindrednotkind]

There was a very, very large cat who was very interested in Jono. *You are one of Karla's males?* he asked, in Jono's head.

[apocalipped]

Really, it was difficult to miss the source of that psychic voice. Jono might have kept on looking, if not for the giant feline that seemed to be staring him down, after all. As it stood, he mostly regarded the cat with a sort of vague curiosity, concealing no small amount of awe.

"I suppose I am," he replied, giving the feline a small nod of his head and suddenly wishing that he had a far better grasp on Protocol than he currently did. "I'm Jonothon. One of her friends from the island."

[kindrednotkind]

Kaelas was sniffing him--all over. Look, his best friend was Ladvarian. He got some confusing ideas about smelling, okay.

*I am Kaelas. I am Warlord Prince of Haven. I am very brave and very fierce.*

He wasn't threatening Jono, just trying to find common ground. *You do not have wings or claws like Warren. But you are much bigger.*

[glacial_witch]

Once everyone had finished chatting--or, in the case of Julian and Warren, taking verbal knives to one another--Karla motioned them to sit so they could talk as a group

[glacial_court]

Julian raised his hand. "Why are we bothering with the landens at all?" he asked. "Certainly, they can try to defend their homes if someone attempts to use them against you--" to his credit, he did sound offended by the very notion of attacking landens, though it was much the same way he'd be against kicking puppies or attacking children, "--but leading them in an army? That's irresponsible at best! Who will they fight?"

[apocalipped]

Please, Julian. Jono remembered full well what Karla's parents had told him about the fifty thousand years of peace before Hobart came along. He didn't suspect you knew much about war at all.

"Please tell me you're not actually expecting me to march them in formation against the Blood," he scoffed, fairly positive that's where Julian's mind had gone. "Trust me, mate, I know suicide tactics when I see them. The landens are overpowered in most aspects, except possibly numbers, when it comes to fighting Hobart and his ilk. What they will have going for them is that they'll be the last enemy anybody will ever expect, and they'll have somebody giving them orders whose entire life has been spent either preparing for, or actually fighting in, some war or another

[glacial_warlord]

"That's true enough," Morton said easily, before Julian could respond. He excelled in defusing tense situations--likely a product of knowing Karla as a child. "You think the lighter Blood have it bad, you should see what he's doing to the landens. None of his pet Queens have been giving the Queen's Gift so the crops aren't as bountiful, but they've been raising the tithes. My landen agents haven't needed to do much to foment discontent."

Later

[glacial_witch]

"So, is this where we argue about money?" Karla asked, looking up at Warren.

Re: Later

[not_a_parakeet]

"If it's all the same with you, I've had enough arguing for one day," Warren replied, with a quick glance toward where Julian was seated and then a sigh and a shake of his head. "I'll extend the offer, because I have the resources to do so, and because I care about what Glacia has at its disposal, especially when we're stepping up in the wake of war."

Re: Later

[glacial_witch]

"I was hoping that it wouldn't become an argument, either," Karla admitted. "Especially since, truth be told, I'll almost certainly end up swallowing my pride and begging you for loans."

Because if that's what Glacia needed, that's what she would do.

"I just...don't have to like it, okay?" This was making an excellent argument for her to just suck it up and write back to Jr, though. Not liking something wasn't enough of a reason not to do it. "I think I know how you felt when we were first talking about contracts."

Re: Later

[not_a_parakeet]

"That's... pretty much exactly how I felt," Warren replied, offering her a tiny smile. "I'm still iffy about accepting payment for being your consort. I'm more than well enough off, you know that. Odds are I'll be turning around and putting that money right back into infrastructure. Building schools in landen villages, or hospitals. Teaching them how to develop their own medicines so that they can gain another level of autonomy..."

He was getting a little ahead of himself.

"We can draw up a contract together," he offered, "work something out that works for both of us."