Post-Halloween

[we_bring_hell]

Harrow is working. Very seriously. She is not mooning over her new relationship with Gideon even a little bit; she has too much work to do.

She is, however, wearing a skull with accents of deep, almost black purple, with a starburst or floral pattern just below her temple, that she has never been seen to wear before.

Other than that sentimental embellishment, however, she is entirely focused on Obaeg's Toward a Common Haemographology. She is making copious notes in the margins--courting future simian fury--and thinking that she should have found this for Moiraine before they started working on her weave notation.

Comments

[blue_ajah]

It will take some time before matters are settled enough in Twin Peaks for her to truly entertain the possibility of bringing anyone else there. Twin Peaks is a very insular place, and protective of its own, for good reason.

She truly wishes that Dale would return soon. This will be extremely difficult to explain by telephone.

In the meantime, she glides into the bar, thinking to look for Harrow, given what had happened during their visit to the Ninth - and approaches immediately once she spies her.

"Harrow. Light illumine. How are matters with you?"

[we_bring_hell]

"Moiraine Sedai." She marks the page in her book and raises her face. She looks pleased to see the Aes Sedai, and pleased in general. The kernel of abiding sadness she carries with her is lightened, although not completely ameliorated.

"I am glad to see you again. I am sorry for our abrupt parting, last time."

[blue_ajah]

"Do not be," the Aes Sedai tells her, and takes a seat.

"Under the circumstances, it was certainly understandable."

[we_bring_hell]

She inclines her head. "I did not wish to be seen in that state. I knew returning to the Ninth was fraught for Gideon, but I did not expect it to impact me the way it did."

[blue_ajah]

"I am sorry," she murmurs. "I did not realize it would be so difficult for you, either."

[we_bring_hell]

"It was a shock," she says. "But you must tell me, how do things fare in your world? Is everything quiet so far?"

[blue_ajah]

"It has been since last week spoke," Moiraine replies, "but I suspect it may be the calm before the storm."

"Still, I will be glad of the peace for as long as it can be maintained."

[we_bring_hell]

She nods in agreement. "Lan Wangji told me that he and Wei Wuxian intend to help. I was pleased to hear it."

"He also asked me to speak to why I trust you; I hope I made the case well."

[blue_ajah]

"I am certain that you did," she says. "And I thank you for it."

"I had not met him before, as it happens. He reminds me of another."

She sighs, very slightly.

"I am sorry to have upset Wei Wuxian, but circumstances being what they are... well. The Wheel weaves."

[riddleofthebelow]

"Ah, Harrow, hello," Tom says. "I hope I'm not disturbing."

[we_bring_hell]

"Not at all, Lord Ostium." She marks her place fastidiously in the text and sets it aside. "How may I help you?"

[riddleofthebelow]

His eyes glance over to the title of the book.

"I merely wished to tell you hello. I've not had a great deal of time to study your notes, but I've had a little."

Enough to begin the glimmer of ideas to pursue further.

[we_bring_hell]

"I would be pleased to hear your conclusions."

[riddleofthebelow]

"I'm not to conclusions quite yet, but I've made note of a few things that stick out at me. I'd like to go through more thoroughly one more time before I present anything."

[we_bring_hell]

"By all means," she says. "Is there anything I can clarify or answer about the context of the theorems?"

[riddleofthebelow]

"Right now, I'm still in an analytical stage, gathering data from my world to match to the magics of yours. It's been some time since I've researched the necromantic aspects of the Wizarding world."

[we_bring_hell]

She nods. "It is a wide subject--at least, as we reckon it. I gather that what we call necromancy may include arts beyond what your world gives that name?"

[we_do_bones]

Even Gideon eventually tires of wind sprints and beating her own record at pull-ups – and she has to admit, her focus is split. It's a good thing they're staying at Milliways for a little while because if they tried to go back now, Gideon would probably get stepped on by the giant bone construct while she daydreams about the night before.

Aiglamene would have had her on the ground multiple times already. She sighs, gives herself a hundred press-ups as punishment, and sets off to find Harrow.

Who does not seem to be having trouble focusing, which Gideon finds deeply unfair. She hoists herself up to sit on the table directly next to Harrow's book, which also conveniently presses the outside of her hip and long thigh to Harrow's arm and shoulder.

"Homework, yikes. You sure know how to have a good time, Reverend Daughter."

[we_bring_hell]

Well now she's having trouble focusing.

"It is for Moiraine, Griddle."

Gideon, who is tuned in tightly to Radio Harrow and knows her almost painful formality, might notice the title Sedai is not used for once.

[we_do_bones]

Mission accomplished!

Gideon's painted skull is not as detailed as Harrow's – it never is – but with the word dashing ricocheting around her brain, fueled by hormones and ten years of repressed emotions, she has at least attempted a design she knows Harrow likes.

It might be somewhat dampened by the black t-shirt she's wearing that reads I'd flex but I like this shirt. Bar has also provided her a small mp3 player that she has clipped to the neck of the shirt and its headphones are looped around her neck. It's loaded with songs she doesn't know but already loves, and some tinny sounds float from where the earbuds rest against the hollow of her shoulder.

She does, in fact, catch on to the change. "Moiraine?" she says, leadingly.

[we_bring_hell]

The shirt is one Harrow will never, ever admit to liking, but she absolutely loves it. The makeup she has less complicated emotions about, and she regards it admiringly.

She lets her arm rest on Gideon's knee, a level of casual physical contact that might have killed her outright a week ago. She's building up a tolerance.

"She has begun favoring 'Harrow' over 'Lady Ninth,'" Harrow says coolly. "I am simply following her lead. There is no question of condescension." Meaning, Harrow does not see herself as outranking Moiraine. There is a wealth of information and nuance in these word choices, Griddle!

[we_do_bones]

There is, but Gideon is paying attention to only one thing – okay, two things, counting Harrow's arm on her knee – and that is how cute it is that Harrow's found a new mom.

"Course not," she agrees peaceably.

(If Palamedes Sextus could see Harrow now, he'd be nudging his glasses up his long nose and smiling that inscrutable smile he gets when someone does something that proves they're human.)

[we_bring_hell]

"She wants us to take another trip," she says. "More warning this time, Griddle--you see, I can improve."

[we_do_bones]

"I always knew you had it in you," she says, and leans over to look at the book and Harrow's notes. "So our little field trip helped?"

[we_bring_hell]

"I hope so," she says. "But first, Moiraine thought it might be well to see how I can function in an thalergenic environment--a living planet, Griddle."

"She would like us to visit the world of her birth, rather than the one where she lives now, where the difficulty is."