Rebirth Height 4 - A bit of this in a cup of tea...

[tatra]

Characters: Princess Tatra and Prince Loki Odinson
Open? No
Where: A nice tearoom in the northern wing
When: Shortly after Loki's arrival - presumably at precisely four o'clock, as we are civilized people.
Warnings: None

The princess spent most of her time in this room, she found. The entire castle felt strange to her and she was always somewhat on edge on account of her missing sister, Tarta. She would never show it, of course, but anyone who knew the princess well would have noticed that she was drinking a great deal more tea than usual. Until she knew more about this place, there was little she could do to help, and until she could do something to help, she would drink tea.

And so it was that when Loki arrived at the castle and accepted her offer of tea, Tatra was already on her second cup. There was always at least one serving person in the room although she had never asked them to be there. The princess asked one young man (his name was Joseph and he often came by to refill her pot) to find the newcomer and help him find his way here. He nodded enthusiastically and was off, quickly replaced by a young brunette Tatra knew as Caroline. She would often strike up conversation with the serving people until they became uncomfortable. It made her well-liked in the castle and helped her feel at home.

Comments

[tatra]

She takes a sip of her own tea to collect her thoughts before answering.

"A few days ago. My sister and I were taking a brief break from talks with the leaders of Cephiro."

[sorcerous]

This has all begun so recently. Loki is beginning to comprehend...

Would that it had taken place just a few scant weeks earlier.

"You adapt well," though his eyes search her for the weaknesses that no doubt her breeding and her training are meant to hide.

[tatra]

She laughs lightly. "You flatter me. There's no need to adapt when the people are so hospitable!" She gestures to the tea, attributing it to her adaptability.

If he was looking for weaknesses, she shows none now. In truth her greatest weakness has already been revealed: Her sister, who must be missing her dearly.

The princess takes another appreciative sip of tea, examining her guest just as searchingly through the hood of her eyelashes.

[sorcerous]

"Is that your experience of the King?" he asks, mildly. Saying nothing of his experience with the king, of course.

He holds himself with calm dignity; his eyes flicker, hinting at a quick and intelligent mind below but not betraying any of his emotion. Tea cup between his fingertips, and very briefly, there is a shiver of frost tracing down the curve of the ceramic.

And then he sips, now that the tea has turned cold.

[tatra]

She catches the frost, but says nothing. It would be painfully rude to point out that she could have gotten him ice, and it is hardly surprising that he has such powers. After all, she has powers of her own.

"The King has been quite pleasant," she says blandly. It took no time at all to weigh his intelligence and she had turned instead to the common folk for information about this place. "I was actually referring to the serving people," she corrected with another smile towards the servants in the room.

"They found these clothes for me, in fact! I'm not accustomed to the hot fabrics they produce in this region," she explained, rearranging her skirts to show how they fell so softly and billowed slightly in the light breeze through the room.

[sorcerous]

And now, a quiet flicker of worry. Asgard isn't a terribly warm place, and even there, Loki is tempted to sleep away the summer. He does not sweat. He overheats so easily.

"I had not thought to ask," he murmurs. "What is the season, here? What is the month?"

[tatra]

"According to the message board," she replied, "it is the 4th day of the Height of the Season of Rebirth." What precisely that meant on her own calendar, Tatra could only guess. She knew at least that she had been here for two days now.

"I believe it may be early Spring, by my calendar, but it is hard to say for sure." All she knew was that it was colder than she was used to.

[sorcerous]

"Then it will grow warmer." Loki's eyes close, and he exhales. This isn't good, not at all.

[tatra]

"I believe so, yes." Tatra is excited by the prospect, but she can see that Loki is not. She takes a sip of her tea and continues watching him.

"How cold is it, where you come from?"

[sorcerous]

"I prefer the chill," he tells her, a neat sidestep of the question. "You may have noted -- I have something of an affinity for ice."

[tatra]

She laughs lightly and refills her cup.

"I do apologize if tea is not normally to your liking. It is a traditional show of hospitality in my country," she explained diplomatically.

[sorcerous]

"I prefer it," Loki says. "In mine, a show of hospitality would have been a feast, heavy on the ale and the mead." Hear that lovely, condescending dismissal in his tone. He strongly dislikes those feasts.

[tatra]

Tatra merely laughs again, lightly and joyfully.

"Your home sounds grand," she told him with a wide smile.