IC contact for wethelost

[devoutish]

Solomons & Melborn
1108 Sweet Cream Street

[Feel free to use this space for letter/package deliveries as well as visits/knocks on the front door!]

Comments

[devoutish]

[Bars and bakeries both sound good, but he's in a pastry mood today, so Alfie heads over during the daytime, around mid-afternoon. He brings a prepared letter to drop off in case this "PG" isn't in, but he's hoping to catch him in person.]

Hello?

August 17

[poisoninmypocket]

Dear Mr. Solomons,

Renart has informed me that she invited you and your partner to join us for dinner some evening. I should like to extend the invitation, once more, with a more definite date. If you and your partner are available tomorrow evening at 6:00 PM, we should be delighted to host you. Please let me know of any dietary restrictions you may have. I had planned for a fish dinner with some accompanying greens, if that is to your liking.

Kind Regards,
Lord Montague

[devoutish]

[After conferring with Royce, Alfie writes a note in return and wanders over to deliver it. Monty might catch him in person, but if he doesn't, he'll find the note in his mailbox:]

Lord Montague,

We'd be happy to join you, many thanks for the invitation. I don't eat pork myself, but fish and greens will be delicious, I'm sure. We'll be bringing a dessert with us, if you'll have it.

Yours,
A. Solomons

[poisoninmypocket]

[Monty is out actually picking the greens in the jungle, so he won't get the note until that evening. He's pleased to see Alfie using his title in note form, if nothing else. A note will be delivered that evening for Alfie to find in the morning.]

Dear Mr. Solomons,

That would be most excellent. Thank you for the offer! I look forward to seeing you and Royce this evening.

Kind Regards,
Lord Montague

August 15th, action;

[bywolves]

[ He almost can't believe it. He almost doesn't want to believe it, just because it's so good. Maybe it's a trick. Maybe Zephyr is trying to get him to stay here forever by promising him that she's out there, safe and alive, but - maybe, after everything Royce has seen, he can just let himself believe that she's okay.

Royce comes home a few hours after Zephyr finds him to tell him about Gwen, and he seeks Alfie out. Where are you, buddy? He's got good news. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie's been out too, harvesting some of the food and fruit trees. Royce will find him in the kitchen, putting things away in the fridge.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce hears him in the kitchen, and makes his way there. He's actually smiling, which is something unusual to begin with. ]

What'd you find? [ Royce asks, after noiselessly making his way into the kitchen and settling up on a counter. ]

[devoutish]

Blueberries, I think. The color's a bit off, but--

[But, well, that's the Meadous. He turns to look over his shoulder, and upon seeing Royce's smile, smiles back.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce shifts to get a look at the blueberries - and then catches Alfie's smile. There's a pause, and like he almost can't stop himself from just saying it: ]

Zephyr found me this morning.

[devoutish]

[He drops the blueberries onto the counter, attention one hundred percent on Royce now.]

About--?

[What else would it be about? But he doesn't want to say it, in case it's something else.]

[bywolves]

Gwen.

[ He sounds - happy. Happy, relieved, excited, and nervous all in one. He's trembling a bit with it, still - sort of in shock. ]

She's alive. She's safe - in a world that one of Zephyr's classmates runs.

[devoutish]

Royce.

[His grin widens even more, and he leaves the food behind entirely to walk over to him, taking him by the shoulders.]

Fucking hell, mate; really?

[It's a pretty dumb thing to say, because of course really; Royce wouldn't lie about this.]

[bywolves]

Yeah - yeah. [ He laughs a little, reaching up to rub at his face, and maybe his eyes are a little wet. ]

She's alive. She's in a city that's made of clouds. Seems right, you know? I can - I can write her letters, and Zephyr will deliver them for me. I can...

[ He's a little choked up. ] I can talk to her again.

[devoutish]

A city made of clouds.

[Wow.

Royce isn't the only one worrying that it's not real - it wouldn't be malicious, but if Zephyr has the mind of a kid, he might think playing pretend to make Royce happy would be a good thing to do. He'll have to check up on that later. For now, though, he doesn't let anything but pure, genuine happiness show on his face.]

You'll let me add in a note, I hope?

[bywolves]

[ He's so desperate to believe it. He knows he should be more suspicious, but... he just wants to know she's okay. Even if he can't ever see her again, he just wants her to be alive. To not have to suffer. This pretty much just confirms to him that she was in Norfinbury, once. ]

Yeah, I -- [ Hold on, just let him briskly wipe at his eyes. ] Maybe I shouldn't let you. Never know what you'd try to say to her about me.

[devoutish]

Gonna start up a right old gossiping session about you, yes.

[bywolves]

That's what I thought. [ Royce takes a deep breath. ] I'm going to write something for her. As soon as I can.

[devoutish]

Ah, Royce.

[He's still grinning. He can't help it.]

This calls for a celebration, doesn't it.

[bywolves]

I think it does, yes. [ Royce glances at Alfie, grinning a little himself. ] What did you have in mind?

[devoutish]

Drinking wine and jumping in the lake.

[But he's open to suggestions.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce laughs at that. ]

Mm. I could do that. Not much of a casual swimmer, but that sounds - good. [ A beat. ] I figured out how to use the machines at the Rec Center, if you want to test that out later.

[devoutish]

Yeah?

[He'd mostly been joking, but goddamn, if Royce is up for going to jump in the lake then they're going to jump in the lake.]

Yeah, all right; we'll swim a bit and drink wine and then you'll show me your machines. What sort of machines are they?

[bywolves]

[ He's in a very good mood. He probably wouldn't do it if anybody else was watching them. Royce pushes his hair back out of his face, sliding down off the counter. ]

My machines. [ Royce snorts. ] A movie player, and a television. I've figured out how to make them work.

[devoutish]

Ah, a movie player. Yeah, let's dry off watching movies. Have you seen one yet?

[bywolves]

No, I haven't. Or at least, I haven't seen one all the way through. [ They don't have much else to do, so movies it is. ]