Dictated.

[dorkwonder]

Hey, Lucrezia. Do you have a moment to talk?

Comments

[heloise]

[ No is the first answer that comes to mind. It may be petty but Lucrezia thinks all this trouble with Stephanie started around the time he arrived too (also because she can't blame it on Cesare, he can do no wrong, surely, surely).

But maybe he can be the one to fix the mess he possibly had a hand in starting. ]

Where?

[dorkwonder]

I can come over to the castle to speak with you, or else you're welcome to come over to my apartment.

[heloise]

I no longer live in the castle.

[ But he should know that. Maybe now she is being too terse, so she sighs. ]

Will Stephanie be there?

[dorkwonder]

I know, I figured you still spend some time there. I usually stop by there to say hi to people, or check out the game room, or library regularly.

[Not about to go strolling on over to her place until he gets more info on the owner.]

No, she's out at the moment.

[heloise]

Meet me at the castle's roof. The higher balcony.

[ If she is granting his request then it would be on her terms. ]

[dorkwonder]

I'll see you there in half an hour or so.

[heloise]

[ Well, Lucrezia would rather be fashionably late, so she arrives exactly an hour later, dressed in a dark blue cloak with the hood up to ward off the cold or perhaps to hide. ]

[dorkwonder]

[TIM'S ANNOYANCE GROWS IN THAT HOUR. So rude, Lulu. Luckily, he has a book with him, so he busies himself with that while he waits.

Wants to make a snarky comment when she finally shows up, but he needs things to go smoothly.]

Hey, it's good to see you again. How have you been?

[heloise]

[ What, she totally isn't late because time moves according to her convenience. She grants him a polite smile though, pushing her hood back and peering at his book. She pointedly ignores his question. ]

What are you reading?

[dorkwonder]

[Turns it around so she can see the cover.] It's a book on astronomy. I'm reading up on planets and stars from different universes.

[heloise]

[ She reaches to take it from him. ]

Joshua reads about rocks. Geology. He said an adventurer should read about everything, maybe even stars.

[dorkwonder]

[Lets her snatch it from him for the time being.]

I have a friend who was big into learning about rocks. Her favorite shirt is the one that says "Archaeology rocks"

[heloise]

[ Lucrezia does chuckle, puns are universal, flipping that book over to try and read the back of it. It's in English... ]

You have not called me here to speak of rocks and stars.

[dorkwonder]

No, but you did ask me a question. [Grins briefly.]

And you didn't answer my question; how have you been?

[heloise]

[ She returns him his book. ]

Better and worse at the same time. Can such a thing be?

[dorkwonder]

It can be. Things can be going well in one part of our life, and not so good in others.

[heloise]

[ She hums. stepping away to pace around the edge of the roof. ]

Yes, precisely.

[dorkwonder]

I don't think you're the only one feeling that way. I can think of someone else who feels the exact same way you do.

[heloise]

The exact same way? I doubt it.

[dorkwonder]

Okay, how about similarly?

[heloise]

Perhaps. [ She turns to watch him over her shoulder. ]

I never told Stephanie you would be unstable or that you were bound to harm her.

[dorkwonder]

[Holds his hands up.]

I didn't come here to get into that. [Saving that for another time.]

I can tell you anything Steph said, was out of concern. You mean a lot to her.

[heloise]

I wonder, if she is so quick to distrust me and steal into my room.

[dorkwonder]

Steal into your room?

[heloise]

Did she not tell you?