SaDiablo Hall, Dhemlan, Kaeleer

[wwiii]

Training. Studying in Kaeleeran Court protocols, poring over any information that he could get his hands on regarding sanitary setups for new settlements in untamed territories, digging around for maps that could help Warren get a better idea as to where they were, and where they were trying to get... It was fairly safe to say that, when Warren wasn't busy running himself ragged in Kaeleer, trying to get budgets to balance and to work out supply options that weren't going to explode in his face, he was spending practically every waking hour training.

His teeth ground together as a stick whipped around, smacking him in the ribs with an audible crack.

Some types of training were easier than others, especially when he was running himself to the ground. He was tired, and it was starting to show. That wouldn't be so bad, if the person that was seeing it at the moment wasn't a sadistic Eyrien with a stick.

With a wince and a ruffle of feathers as he gasped to get his breath back, Warren straightened up and raised his stick again.

[For them what are in Kaeleer!]

Comments

[wwiii]

"Those aren't naps. That's passing out from fatigue," Warren reasoned. He'd seen her slumped over her books face-first, drooling into the pages. Hell, he was guilty of doing the same from time to time.

Fortunately, there weren't any drool stains in the protocol books, yet.

[glacial_queen]

"Po-tay-to, po-tah-to?" Dammit. He so did not seem to be buying that. "So, what are you trying to say?"

Because he'd been so unclear up to this point, really.

[wwiii]

"I'm saying that you need a break. I'm saying that we both need a break. And if I have to truss you up like a turkey and drag you away from here for a few days, so help me, I'll do it."

Because he loved you, Karla.

[glacial_queen]

"You wouldn't."

Karla craned her head around to look at him. He so would.

"Can we compromise?"

[wwiii]

"Compromise how?"

He was willing to negotiate. So long as he won. He knew how these things worked, after all.

[glacial_queen]

"We check with a few other people and say if it's a good time for a break." Look at Karla grasp at straws! "If they think now would be a bad time--or that I don't need one--we stay?"

Okay, no one would ever tell Karla she didn't need a break. She was pretty sure the only reason Morton, Lucivar, and Saetan hadn't sat on her already was because they were waiting to see what Warren would do.

[wwiii]

Warren's eyebrow. Look at it go up.

"You know they're going to tell you to rest, right?"

Because, seriously, how could any of them miss just how much Karla was wearing herself out? And they had to understand better than anybody that she was no good to anybody if she worked herself to death.

[glacial_queen]

"They might say that this isn't the best time, though," Karla argued. "With everything coming up, we might need to stay and finish preparing. And...stuff."

It was a possibility!

[wwiii]

Oh, the look that Warren was giving you, Karla.

"So, when does the not arguing part happen, again?"

[glacial_queen]

"I'm not arguing!" Karla argued said argued. "I'm...working towards a compromise!"

She had gone to the Anakin Skywalker school of Diplomacy, after all. For her, this almost was compromising!

[wwiii]

"Right." Warren tilted his head. "I'll pick the three people, then. Does that work for your compromise?"

It wouldn't be hard to find three people who were willing to take his side. If he had to go to Mrs. Beale and point out helpfully that it would keep Karla out of her kitchen without fail for a few days, he'd cheat and do just that.

[glacial_queen]

CHEATER CHEATING FACE!

But Karla knew she was pretty much stretching her 'no argument' clause about as far as she could and nodded. "That sounds fair," she said.

"Do you know who you'll choose?" she asked for NO REASON REALLY.

[wwiii]

"Lucivar," he said, without a thought. He figured Lucivar would at least back him up on this one, after the exchange they'd had that morning. That was the obvious choice, and he was pretty sure that Karla had been expecting it.

"And then probably... Raven," because there was no way she couldn't possibly be as aware as he was of the way Karla was wearing herself out, "and we can probably manage to give Emma a call."

Because she would definitely smack Karla down for working herself to the bone. Right?

[glacial_queen]

"Emma doesn't count!" Karla said, giving him a panicky face that said, yes, he was exactly right. "That's--You're--Come on!"

She was torn between protesting more and kissing him for being tricksy.

[wwiii]

"She's wearing your ring, isn't she? That means that technically, she counts more than anybody else. She is in your court, after all."

So stick that in your creamed cheddar cookie and eat it, Karla.

[glacial_queen]

Karla was FILLED WITH SADNESS.

Also, sputtering. Karla was definitely sputtering. "Stop learning Protocol!" because that was helpful.

Why look, was that a barrel he had her over? Why yes it was! She should probably just count herself lucky that he wasn't pointing out that he also served, Court or not.

[wwiii]

"I could pick a few more people if you think that might help even things out," Warren noted. "How about Morton?"

How about, oh, pretty much anyone that they knew, at all?

"It won't be for long," he said, smiling slightly. "Just a few days. Enough time to get some sleep, unwind. If you're worried that you're not doing enough, you can help me go over accounts with suppliers through the island, to make sure that I haven't missed anything crucial on the orders I'm putting in."

[glacial_queen]

"You're mean," Karla pouted, tempted to drop the edge of her towel and derail the conversation for a little while. But Warren had that glint in his eyes that Karla was coming to recognize. Even if she did manage to distract him that way, he'd just circle back to this conversation while they were taking their second shower.

Damn him.

"...Though going over accounts and checking supplies sounds good," she said, actually listening while she sulked. "It would suck to have everything set up on this end and then have stuff be held up on Fandom's side."

[wwiii]

"It would," Warren agreed, apparently totally fine with being mean for the time being. "In fact, I was thinking of making certain that there are several different companies to turn to for each resource, just so that we know for a fact that if one hits a snag, at least we have other options."

That was very much Worthington logic, right there.

[glacial_queen]

Hanging around with Lucivar was clearly having an affect on him. Here she was giving him her best part and nary a wibble. Mother Night! Standing fast in defense of her best interests! Who did he think he was?

"If we go back to the islands, we're going back to the cabins," she warned as a last ditch attempt to dissuade him. "And I think we're still at the cold place."

[wwiii]

"I have a credit card," Warren cheerfully reminded her, "and there's a hotel."

Once again, a winner was Warren.

[glacial_queen]

...Karla had no real rebuttal for that. He did. There was. He was.

"You've been thinking about this for awhile, haven't you," she accused.

[wwiii]

"Since before we left," Warren confirmed. "I've met you."

He looooves you, Karla.

[glacial_queen]

"I have no idea what that is supposed to mean," Karla huffed.

Mostly because she was deliberately ignoring the obvious.

"Smugsy Mcsmugsalot," she muttered under her breath. Then, louder, "You're grinning. I can see you!"

What with the looking at him and everything.

[wwiii]

It took a hell of a lot of effort, but Warren managed to battle the grin down somewhat, into a very twitchy smirk.

That was an improvement, right?

"So, we're heading back for a bit?"