Blood from Stone [AU]

[Bethany]

"I- wha- no. None of that, promise. Just... just giving you a place to stay for the night, and breakfast. Consider it..." Bethany swallows. "Consider it a freebie, in exchange for... old lessons." Which I paid for then, but... how much of that was you not caring... and how much was me wanting to keep a distance? Gods. "No sex, promise."

[GamesMaster]

"Sure, sure, whatever you say," she says lazily, tail still counting out time.

[Tethras Clan]

As one that knows the elf might have expected, when Helene comes home from the temple in the afternoon to get ready for the tea after working a half day, they find Merrill in the kitchen.  Where she must have been since Helene left that morning, based on the six loaves of fruit bread cooling on the table, along with four dozen scones. Currently, Merrill is putting the finishing touches on assembling the last of two trays of tiny sandwiches with evident pleasure. She is also nude save for an apron, which is less expected.

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene blinks, taking in the scene. "This one appreciates the efforts to which Daughter Merrill went to ensure that our tea would have appropriate consumables," they begin. "But this one was under the impression that such a formal tea requires more clothing?"

Helene, in true Helene fashion, had gone a little overboard on the formal clothing. They were wearing a sundress with a knee-length skirt, knee-length stockings, and formal shoes, but they also wore a dinner jacket, complete with tails, and a bow tie. 

[Tethras Clan]

Merrill lets out a soft 'meep' of surprise, having been moving on automatic and daydreaming as she worked. "I- oh! Hello! What time..?" She glances over at the clock, then blinks. "Oh." And then down at the table. "Just about done here, good. How was work, tuiste? You look lovely, very extra dapper." Dapper is a great word and the one she'd found most accurately suited Helene's typical dress style.

[Helene Dakesh]

"Work went well. This one was able to continue cataloging the known species of frogs in Wegmann's, cross-referencing with the Journals, but this one has not yet discovered the unknown species from the manuscript." Helene smiles, moving to organize the loaves on the table. "But, clothing?"

[Tethras Clan]

"Yes? What about- right! I didn't want to get my clothes messy so I didn't get dressed after my shower," Merrill recalls, wheeling her chair away form the table and heading to the side of the kitchen. Now brought to their attention, Helene can see the neatly folded dress on the counter, protected by a big crate of clean, empty glass bottles destined to be returned to the dairy store for discount. "It's a shame the sample was stored so badly, sympathetic magic or some completion modeling illusions would make this much easier for you."

[Helene Dakesh]

"True. But had it been stored better, another Seeker would doubtless have determined what species it was, and the mystery not come to my attention," they say with a smile.

[Tethras Clan]

"Huh." As she ponders that, the elf slips off the apron, then wiggles into her dress. Thankfully, she'd braided her hair already, so pulling the dress over her head doesn't muss her hair. She huffs softly afterwards, then carefully rises to her feet, one hand keeping on the side of her chair as she tugs the dress down her legs. Collapsing back in her wheeled chair, she sucks in a few deep breaths. "That's... very true. Makes me wonder... if some other Seeker... found or will find the sample, without the record, and undertake the mirror of your investigation?"

[Helene Dakesh]

"This one hopes not! This one hopes to resolve the mystery and spread the information far and wide to temples, so that no others need struggle against this one small piece of missing information." Helene watches Merrill carefully, not offering help -- the girl likes to do it herself -- but still keeping an eye out in case she slips.

[Tethras Clan]

"But what if they learn something from it?" Merrill asks quietly, smoothing out wrinkles that aren't there on her dress. "Isn't... isn't it sometimes okay to- for something to teach a person something, instead of the world?"

[Helene Dakesh]

"Of course," says Helene instantly. "But this one hates the fact that we lose so much knowledge every day. This one's goal is to retain knowledge so that it is not lost again."

[Tethras Clan]

Merrill shakes her head a little, not in disagreement but to collect her thoughts. "Yes of course, I just..." My brains all weird lately... more weird. Weird for me. "Sorry. Anyway. Help me pack up and we can head over?"

[Helene Dakesh]

"Of course." Helene fetches the good picnic basket, loading what they can carefully into it. 

[Tethras Clan]

After everything was packed up and loaded on the back of Merrill's chair, the two head down the strait to Cindy and Liz's place. Merrill briefly considers offering a ride in her lap so Helene doesn't have to walk in the slightly muddy street, but decides against it. It would probably make them feel childish, which is evidently bad to feel. Besides, if I had any more weight on the enchant, I wouldn't be able to spin! Giggling, Merrill directes her floating chair to spin, keeping pace with Helene despite that.

Arriving, Merrill waves at the magic cat in the window that's studying them, then giggles again when he dashes off. Not sure what kind of cat Vigile is, but he's not a house cat. She's not worried about him being evil or anything, not after seeing him leaving a small bundle of catnip in front of the recently appearing shrine of Vangal in the backyard. So she's content to allow Liz and Cindy to have their secrets while she enjoys the game of puzzling it out herself. Humming, she waits while Helene knocks and the pair are let inside.