Quote Originally Posted by TheAmishPirate View Post
He nodded to her. Stiff, shallow formality. Then he lifted his glass once more, and drained the remainder in one go.

In for a penny…

************************************************

The restaurant lacked a formal, walled-off private section; he didn’t know why, and he hadn’t given it much thought besides. So instead, Edmund took the group back, through the area normally reserved for employees, and into his own office. The conditions were...spartan, to be generous with the word, though whether it was from a lack of care or simply bigger things to worry about, not enough time had passed to make the distinction. You be the judge of such things.

There were chairs, at least. Enough for a few. A desk someone could perch on. Walls to lean against. A bundle of cloth that looked suspiciously like packed-up bedding.

They could make room for six.
Lily took a chair. While she'd be reluctant to take the last one when there were not enough for everyone to sit she felt the need to sit down now. This was not their first ever group powwow but it certainly was the first that she had called and even though each of them was a trusted friend who she owed so much the amount of eyes directed on her was still uncomfortable. So she took a seat immediately while the rest were still coming through the office.

She spoke the moment the door closed behind the last of them, "After what happened last night I went to see The Summer King and have managed to convince him to back off his crusade against Aelas," she began. Her voice was small and she was looking at her hands as she fiddled with her nails. "But the price is that I need to find who was behind the disappearance of his son. Obviously, since they've managed to stay hidden this long it's not going to be straightforward. I... am also not sure how long our deal will hold. I think the next three days will be safe enough but... I'm... After speaking to the Spring Queen it's clear enough she is protective of you, Aelas, so you do have Spring behind you. Though, after talking to Autumn just now..." her eyes glanced in Isaac's direction, "...I think that may prove more dangerous to you than the wrath of The Summer King. Autumn suggested a deeply troubling link between Spring and... that... other place." Lily struggled to name it and looked up to give Aelas a brief apologetic look of one who brings bad news.

"I'm sorry, Aelas, I know you're fond of Mrs Height."

"But," Lily sighs and her shoulders slumps, "I don't know how much of all this, if any, is true. And how much is just court gossip, petty bickering, name-calling and old feuds left too long to fester."

"But I think we need to find out, whether it appeases The Summer King or not, for our own safety."

"Last but not least, some of us," she glanced up to not-Jack and her face fell. She frowned, then blushed and had to mentally scramble to remember what she was saying, "The Winter King. He, uhm, needs to... uh... we need to reach through to him somehow." She stared intently at her hands.