The Magician, The Wand VIII

--- o The Wand VIII o ---

   ❝ I see. ❞

   Veld wrinked his brow as he stared down at the map laid out on the large table before him. Beside him stood Iris, who only moments prior ran over the current itinerary. Standing adjacent to the two, Thatch stood over his own pile of papers as he tentatively scoured through them for something. Rebis was present, as well as Rhodi, the latter laid over one of the other unused tables, splayed out like a cat in the sun as his head hung off the side, his attention locked on the group huddled around the table as he chewed a piece of grass in his mouth.

   ❝ Nope! ❞ Rhodi burst out as he often did the moment silence would fall in his presence, clapping his hands as he rolled off the side and fell flat on his face, immediately pulling himself up to a sitting position.

   ❝ Nope, what? ❞ Iris replied, not at all surprised or perplexed by the frankly petulant behaviour of her brother. Her twin brother.

   Rhodi, added, with his usual petulant tone. ❝ I’ll be fucked sidways before I step foot in that backwater shithole. ❞

   ❝ It’s not like we have much of a choice, ❞ Iris sighed, by her tone she was far too fatigued to put up with his usual antics. ❝ You don’t need to come with us, you could just head back to Luria. ❞

   ❝ But I want to!~ ❞ Rhodi clearly didn’t get the hint at what Iris meant, he should be in Luria to begin with, he should be doing his damn job and not tagging along like some lost puppy. Or stray tick. 

   If there was but one thing that baffled Iris, it was how this man was not only someone widely respected but one that held significant influence and often held court with some of the most powerful people on the continent. That said, he only acted this way around her, specifically her because he knew how much it ticks her off.

   ❝ Well you’re gonna havta make do. ❞ Veld interjected, usually the sort to match Rhodi’s particular brand of chaos, but right now he too was in no mood for it. ❝ Less’ you wanna run the shop while I’m away? ❞

   ❝ Fuuuck that, ❞

   Rhodi picked his nose, flicking it at the wall before he stood, albeit not without difficulty. Even without the stench of liquor and the small collection of bottles laid near him, it wasn’t hard to tell he was sloshed off his ass.

   ❝ Rebis.❞ Iris spoke curtly, gesturing him to tend to Rhodi and get him out of there before he made a mess of the place.

   ❝ If I may ask, Lady Isoblel— ❞ Thatch leaned in close to Iris, so that others wouldn’t overhear them.  ❝ He does make a good point, as much as I hate to admit it. ❞

   ❝ Don’t let him hear that, you’ll never hear the end of it. ❞ Iris replied, pinching the bridge of her nose. Despite the almost pathetic display her brother presented to those around him, he had made a good argument in the discussions prior.

   ❝ Lugh would be an easier route, though we’d need to cross the Enbarr by boat and then head to Caer. ❞ Thatch spoke as he tentatively rubbed his chin and stared down at the large map laid out before them. ❝ As long as we avoid the fighting in Tlachtga, we may perhaps even make time on our delays. ❞

   ❝ We’ll still need to go through Ruith, of course. ❞ Veld added, his mentioning Ruith put a grimace on Iris’s face. ❝ And if we can make it across the Enbarr we’d cut our travel time in half. ❞

   ❝ I’ll still need to part ways once we get to Caer, but I may join you to Cadwaladr, see Elly off an’ all. ❞ 

   ❝ Ah yes, ❞ Thatch nodded with a hint of a smile, ❝ I have yet to meet the girl, but Iris had told me plenty. ❞

   ❝ So you did decide to bring her, then? ❞ Thatch added, knowing that Rebis had been on her back about it.

   ❝ She insisted on coming, ❞ Iris added, her voice much softer now. ❝ But she’ll part ways with us in Cadwaladr. ❞

   ❝ The Monastery? ❞ Thatch raised a brow, ❝ Admirable. ❞ High praise coming from him.

   ❝ But I do not envy her task once she arrives, ❞ Thatch spoke solemnly, ❝ I hear the situation in Cadwaladr has only worsened since our last visit. ❞

   ❝ She’ll be fine, ❞ Iris reassured him, ❝ We had Sister Narda accompany us so she can prepare Elly for what to expect. ❞

   ❝ And I too warned her, ❞ Iris added with a smile, ❝ But now even I can’t change her mind, once that girl gets something in her head, there’s no point in trying to convince her otherwise. ❞

   ❝ Yup! ❞ Veld chuckled with a smile, always a hint of pride in his voice when he spoke of her, though his words would trail off to a more unsure tone. ❝ She may be young, but she’s a quick learner— when she wants to be. ❞

   ❝ We’ll I’ll be sure we get aquianted on our journey, ❞ Thatch nodded with a ghost of a smile, turning once more his attention to the map before them.

   He added, ❝ But no more must we tarry, we shall set off once the sun rises! ❞

--- o The Magician I o ---