Nauleth had decided to stop by his room before class, only to find he had not one but two letters awaiting him in addition to the package he was expecting. He knew by the envelopes where they were from, and the wave of anticipation that washed over him spurred him to drop his bag and open both letters right there in the middle of his hall before he even opened his own door. It was impossible to wait—what if something terrible was written inside?

Hands not moving fast enough, stomach like lead, the boy stood and read both letters, perhaps in the proper order ... at least, if there was such a thing:


"Cheeky old bastard." Naul muttered to himself in the hallway, scowling at the rather glaring insult the man had the gall to write about his own talented, lovely daughter.


He groaned, rolling his eyes and continuing on to himself a little louder, "Oh gods, won't that be ... exciting." Leaning against his door to open the next letter, only to realize it was not anything additional from Margol so much as it was ...

From Carmell?

The boy realized his pulse was now definitely ringing in his ears. What the clock was this all about, anyway?


"Stop—"


"—clocking—"


"Aaah!"

Naul shouted in horrified surprise in the middle of the hall, fumbling to open his door and sit in the middle of his floor. What a terrifying predicament this was. Curious, a little enlightening, but ... unexpectedly scary. Granted, there was no more truth contained within Carmell's accusation as their was in Margol's own assumptions about Athrym ... but still. How in all of Vita could the boy possibly convince this woman otherwise? It seemed quite obvious she'd already made up her mind about his worth based on his reputation ... regardless of the fact that Naul could care less about political gain.

There was the possibility that his own family would be concerned with such things, and yet, he had a feeling that Hadrian most likely would simply be amazed his eldest had managed to make such a decision on his own.

"Sweet Alioe! I have no time!" He hissed despondently, falling backwards as if struck, letters waving in the air above his head, door wide open—a mess.

Angus chose that exact moment to walk by Nauleth's door, singing a happy song about bluebirds. His arrival was suspiciously well timed.

Angus had never seen Nauleth flail before. This was a new variety of dramatic expression coming from Naul, one Angus had never seen before. He thought it was sweet, really. Proved the other boy was a real student and not an actor hired to spice things up. Angus would have been friends with him, eitherway.

"Hi Naul, are you dying?" Angus asked, ever tactful, leaning casually against the doorjam. "If you do die, can I have your stuff?"

He was half joking.

Angus stepped further into the room, gazing curiously at the missives Nauleth had clenched in his hand.

"Bad news from home?" He inquired, now sounding genuinely sympathetic.

Naul didn't move from the floor, knees bent, expression pained. He didn't look at Angus, but instead pulled the letters in his hands over his face with a pathetic, slightly childish moan, "Not my home, Angie. The Bruthgraves. They both wrote me back."

He whimpered from behind his hands, "They want me to come to Vienda and see them. Separately."

The dark-eyed boy realized Angus had made a sly comment within his concern, and he added, "And no you clocking can't have my stuff."

Naul peeked out from between the papers, sliding them down to his chest, looking very anxious, "They might, um, scare me a bit." He offered the letters for the other boy's reading, should he so choose to get himself involved, "See?"

Angus took the letters, looking sceptically between Nauleth and the paper that was worrying him so. He read them slowly, ambling his way through first through Margol's letter, occasionally grimacing, and then Carmell's. When he finished reading the latter he was smiling.

"Awww, Athrym's mum really loves her!" He said, sounding as though he were cooing over Ratio and not an imminent threat to Naul's person. "Her dad is a real c... He's a prick. Yeesh, I mean, I'd never marry her but that's because I don't go out for that sort of thing. If she didn't want to kill me I'd say her directness could be a good thing."

Angus patted Nauleth's shoulder companionably. He really was rather amusing when he was being hyperbolic.

"You'll be fine, Lettie. You can wow them with your pretty hair and skill at duelling." He enthused, now waving his hands in the air grandly. "You're not the first to face the belly of the beast and you won't be the last. I'm sure if her parents say she can't marry you, she'll just do it anyway. Women are romantics that way. They'll ease up once you give them grandkids."

Angus said this with the smooth assuredness of someone who did not plan on having children in the near or even reasonably distant future.

"Margol is an old bastard—you've got that part right." Naul hissed with affronted vehemence, though Angus' comment about Carmell had made him a little less nervous. He would have to find some control over his temper if he was to meet the man face to face, but the older galdor's words about his own daughter had stung.

He sighed uncomfortably, not getting up from the floor, "Gods, Angie, Athrym doesn't want to kill you."

After a few moments of awkward silence, Naul put his hands back up to his face, now without papers in them, and moaned, "I don't particularly want to think of grandkids at this moment in my life ... Anyway, it sounds to me like at least Carmell will not be impressed with my skills at dueling, no matter how pretty my hair is. It's not like my backlash is a secret."

"I think I can handle her father. It's her mother that I'm a little more nervous about. I'm sincere, though. Like I give a chrove's erse about clocking politics or financial gain."

Angus sat down next to Nauleth and put an arm around him. He shook Naul once, companionably.

"Awww, Lettie..." He said, sounding upbeat and happy. "Yes she does."



"I think you ought tell her that." Angus said, retrieving his arm again and folding it on his knees. "She sounds like she wants what'll make Athrym happy. I doubt a backlash is going to ruin things for you if you genuinely care about her. I bet she'll make your life hell anyway but mums can be like that if they're worried about their children."

Angus had been raised by academic types, people that didn't care for politics. They valued research and truth, concrete things that Angus was often far too free-spirited to explore himself. He didn't like to get bolted down with the details. Even though he had not embraced the ways of his family, he still shared a great deal of their attitudes.

"How about I go with you?" Angus continued, believing this to be a grand idea. "I can speak for your intentions and mothers always love me!"

This had largely been true throughout Angus' life. So long as he didn't break anything, he tended to be welcomed in households with daughters. He was not aware that this was because their parents were relieved that he wouldn't be having on with their heirs in the rosebushes. Unless they had sons.

"Go with me, huh?" Naul considered this from his pathetic prone position on the floor, sliding his hands away from his face, "I really don't want to go alone."

He sighed, mulling everything over in his mind.

"Athrym should come. This is about us, not just me. However," the boy opened his eyes and grinned at Angus, "I don't have anything else to do for the week we have off, so it might be nice to make the most of being in Vienda. I don't see why you couldn't tag along."

Nauleth paused, "You'd really speak up for me?"

Angus would have preferred a mates-only roadtrip but that was not the purpose of this adventure. He was more than willing to leave Brunnhold at any time, even if it meant Athrym glaring at him for a few hours. Nauleth needed him, damnit, and he was going to step up.



Angus felt a rush of warm feeling. For all that Nauleth was a badass, something Angus valued about him, he did have a soft squishy centre like everyone else. His vulnerability was quite endearing.

"Of course I would!" Angus said, as though this were the most obvious thing in the world, and to Angus it was. "Why wouldn't I? If this is what you want then I'm all for it, I'll help you get there."

Angus smiled a goofy, reassuring smile. The kind of smile he had before football games or difficult tests. It was custom geared to make people feel better and he didn't even have to practice it. It was just there, when it was needed. Like a deus ex machina or other plot device.

Nauleth chuckled, rolling his eyes, "You know that if Ath comes, that's a long carriage ride just the three of us." He might have sounded just a little bit taunting, "We'll have to bring cards or something ... you know, to keep us all distracted."

He grinned, then sighed.

"Seriously, though ... I just don't want to screw everything up by saying something stupid. It sounds like they've already decided who I am and what I clocking want."

Angus grinned sunnily.

"I think putting her and I in a carriage will be entertaining enough, Lettie."



"It sounds like you're paranoid, Naul." Angus said, raising an eyebrow at him. "They don't know you at all, Athrym's mum is putting the fear of the gods into you but that's just her game strategy. You've got to admit, you make assumptions too when you first meet someone. You just have to prove you're better than that."

Angus did think that Carmell's bark was likely worse than her bite. It wasn't as though she could destroy Nauleth's spirit just by looking at him funny. From what he could tell of Athrym, she wasn't likely to just let her parents stop her from marrying Nauleth if she wanted to.

"You need a bit of faith Naul, Ath's dad is a prick but he wants your engagement. You also have Athrym arguing for you, I doubt she'd let her mum kill your engagement without Vita's biggest shit fight." He said, ticking the points off on his fingers. "And most importantly, you have me."

His closing argument was facetious, as evidenced by the way he batted his lashes afterward and made a stupid face at Naul.

Naul chuckled, unable to remain entirely discouraged or dour in the face of Angus' efforts to the contrary. He sat up and leaned back on his palms on his dorm room floor, "Well, usually I also have the habit of attempting to confirm my assumptions on the Lawn. I seriously doubt that sort of thing is going to happen outside of Brunnhold with Carmell Bruthgrave."

He grinned, equally goofy.

"And you're right, Margol didn't say no. I'm sure there'll be some interesting stipulations. I should scry home and speak to my father before we go." The boy probably should've done that before he even proposed in writing, but he believed that Hadrian would be at least a little impressed with his initiative. Changing the subject, Naul added, "Will you be staying with your folks then?"

"Well... I dunno, Mum and Dad are off at some conference in Mugroba, for smart people. My brother lives in Vienda now though, so I guess I could stay with him. He got married a little while ago, I might be imposing on his love nest." Angus had quite a good relationship with his family but now that he was older, they weren't sticking as close as they used to. "Hey, could I stay with you? It'd be more fun and we'd get more hours in the day to construct your game plan with the Bruthgraves."

Angus said Bruthgrave the way an actor might have said Grisly Violent Death.

"Pleeeease!" Angus whined, not really wanting to cramp his brothers style or be restricted by the man's newfound sense of responsibility since getting hitched. "It'll be great, I promise. I probably won't be good but I will strive to at least be entertaining. Doesn't get better than that."

Naul laughed again, "Yeah yeah, that's fine. I'm sure my folks won't mind." Really, he'd prefer if Athrym stayed, too, but he knew that would definitely not go over well with either sets of parents ... at all. Still, he could wish.

"I hope you don't mind kids, Angie, because Nadia and Nicias might be home for break, too. Gods, that will be awkward. We haven't talked in years, either." He sighed, "I just got back in touch with my father after my backlash. It went better than expected ..."

He bit his lip, "I don't clocking care if you're good, and I won't complain if you're planning on entertaining. We'll make the most of the trip regardless."

Naul smiled.

"Don't worry Lettie, I love kids!" Angus said, ignoring the part where he thought they were cute but was far too much of a bad influence to spend too much time with them. "I'm glad you spoke to your Dad, you never talk about him much."



"Awww, Naul, you say that now. Just wait until I introduce you to the bar scene." Angus was already looking forward to the trip. He intended to make some noise while he was out of stuffy Brunnhold.

"This is going to be a lot of fun, hey old boy?" Angus asked, his smile now gaining an edge of mischief. "I'm sure we can do something to rile up Lord Bruthgrave... I think it would be remiss of us not to."

Angus was clearly baiting. He liked to be bad on occasion, he just needed a worthy target for his badness. Athrym's father fit that bill.

"I don't talk about my family much, period." Naul answered plainly, smile faltering only slightly, "But I suppose that's my fault. I can't clocking blame anyone else for my backlash, can I? Even if ..." He trailed off, sneering a little at the not-so-distant memory of the man who was now his father's clerk.

The dark-eyed boy shrugged, shaking his head and shaking off the thoughts, "We can rile up Lord Bruthgrave after he says yes, Angie. Or ... better yet ... if he says no."

Naul chuckled, "If the old man can stay awake long enough, eh?"

"You're no fun at all..." Angus said, not meaning it at all. "Well, I suppose we can hold off until everything is set in stone."

Angus quietened for a while, wondering at how Nauleth had managed to take such a big step before finishing his education. Angus wondered if he'd ever find someone to settle down with. Someone he had a chance with, anyway.

"Hey, Lettie?" Angus asked, voice inquisitive. "Can I get your help with something?"

Angus had started on the drawings for Harper but he still needed some help getting them all done.

Naul chuckled at the accusation that he was not entertaining, not entirely sure he could argue even if he wanted to. He leaned back on his palms and looked up at Angus through his white-streaked bangs,

"Help with what? If it's Quantitative homework, you can clocking forget it ... I'm already doing three times the normal amount of work just so I could get Ath into my—" He blinked, realizing he was probably saying too much, "—Nevermind."

"What did you need?" The dark-eyed boy was blushing

Angus smiled, eyebrows waggling and his teeth flashing. He began to hum "somebody got some loving" under his breath.



Angus decided to let the moment pass, although he certainly wanted to discuss it more later. Angus stood up and made a show of brushing himself off, though he didn't need to, since he was inside.

"Give us a mo, be right back." Angus said airily, swanning off to his room to grab the flip drawings he'd down.

At the moment he had a few, he just wasn't sure which one to go with. One was just a simple drawing of a man running and then stacking it. Another was of a very cartoony moa, someone trying to catch a ball. Angus wasn't the world's best artist, but he was a pretty good doodler. He'd drawn more when he was younger.

Angus returned to Naul's room and handed the pile to Nauleth.

"They're flipbooks, I need to make something about a hundred pages long for Professor Moore, fo his moving spectros thing." Angus said, in explanation. "I was hoping you could help me pick and flesh one out more. If we had a lot of people working on it, we could even do something like a short sketch play."

Angus' voice gained some enthusiasm at this. He was rarely excited about anything to do with school, something Nauleth would have known all too well.

Naul had always kept his creative side to himself. Sure, he'd drawn in class, and the boy might have actually had some uncultured form of artistic talent buried somewhere ... but he'd certainly not spent the time developing or encouraging it much.

He fought back a chuckle as he accepted the pile from Angus, smirking at his explanation. So, this was for Professor Moore. Of course it was.

"Moving spectros?" Naul arched his right eyebrow, thumbing through the drawings curiously, "He's made something? I think I underestimated your interest, Angie." His words may have been cheeky, but he would be lying if he said he wasn't curious about the idea of moving pictures. Who wouldn't be, really?

"Is there one of these you like best?" He might have lingered on the falling man, but only because of his sense of humor.

"I know which one you want." Angus said wryly, pointing to the one where the man fell. "And he has made something and I am truly excited about it. It's just so clever and novel."

Angus' expression turned dreamy. He smiled a silly smile and rested his chin on his palm.

"He just gets so riled about it... It's so inspiring to watch. It's like watching something explode." Angus had a big thing for explosions. "We should try to make something explode while we're away, speaking of."

Naul grinned a little, one side before the other, "Speaking of explosions ... I cast Magma in the Cloister the other day. Clocking Magma. It was clocking brilliant."

His dark eyes revealed his excitement at his success, but there was something on the edge of his voice, a lingering anxiety over his earlier conversation with Professor Lux,

"You should've been there."

He chuckled, Angus' expression when he talked about Moore not going unnoticed by the boy, "I'd be happy to help you with the drawings. How did you know I was any good, though?" Naul certainly kept any of his artistic side to himself, with the exception of when he got distracted doodling in class, "When do you have to have this all done by?"

"AW!" Angus said, genuinely upset to have missed such a thing. "You and I need to practice together, I can't believe I missed that!"



"As soon as I can, I guess. You don't have to be good, either, just copy what's already there. I just need some intermediate frames." Angus was still a bit down for having missed Nauleth's big moment but talking about his side project warmed him up a bit.

"If we work on it, we might be able to figure out how to do colours too! How great would that be?" Angus asked, hoping Naul would say yes.

"We'll go back on the Lawn after Vienda, Angie. Find some things to set on fire for sure." Nauleth grinned with a plotting sort of deviousness, genuinely eager to continue his studies in more advanced magic.

"I can work on some of these drawings tonight since it's not like we have any homework." The dark-eyed boy added, "How many frames between each are you thinking? Does this thing of Moore's really work?" Naul looked a little questioning, but something told him to trust Angus' enthusiasm, realizing it was most likely more than just the taller boy's interest in the professor and a real sort of excitement over whatever the machine was, "I don't ... have anything to color with myself."

"We better!" Angus said, still sounding a bit miffed.



"From how much I've drawn, maybe only five. I think he wanted a hundred frames total." Angus continued, suddenly looking a bit defensive. "Of course it works! It's fantastic, you shouldn't doubt Naul. You doubter!"

Angus leant back, this was the sort of thing he wanted to do with his life. Make people happy, be entertaining. He wasn't exactly a performer but he didn't want to be stuck somewhere boring. He needed something that would keep the cogs whirring.

"Poor Lettie, no colour in his life, because he's a doubter." Angus sighed, shaking his head.