eastbound | un: seasonailed

How long has it been since we've been allowed to see the night sky? Has anyone managed to pry their windows open? Where I'm from, peaceful nights are often spent drinking beneath the moonlight.

[ There's the sound of clinking ceramic--clearly, he isn't letting anything stop him from drinking, at least.

It's frustrating that he hasn't been able to explore to his heart's content, that he's cut off from investigating the mysteries of this place. How much longer does he have, here in this place of relative peace? What sort of place will they go to next? Is it worth the risk to wait? (No. He knows it's not.)

A brief pause, and then he continues, though his breathing sounds...not ideal. ]

My apologies for the late introduction. My name is Zhou Xu; I arrived not long before we left the last city.

It's been brought to my attention that we have a number of healers among us. I seek, at your convenience, Wen Qing, Anduin, Nynaeve, and Hermione. Any others with an understanding of medicine, healing, or magic would be appreciated as well.

[ Far more open and blatant than he'd ever been before, but he's running out of time. He simply can't afford to be discrete any longer. Just before he ends the transmission, something occurs to him: ]

--Ah. I've heard that I've been here before. If you once knew me, I'd also like to meet. Thank you.

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[ It takes some time to dress, to draw a heavy cloak around his shoulders. He jots down a quick note for Wen Kexing, letting him now where Zishu will be and with whom, and then heads towards the reading room. ]

[And there is where she will be, having set tea out for two on a low table near the fireplace, all but a few seconds before the door opens again and Zhou Zishu enters the ample room.

She gives him a little wave, realising with a delay that just because she knows what he looks like from knowing him previously does not mean that he does.]

Hello!

Ah... Miss Hermione Granger.

[ He salutes her, one hand cupped over the other, and gives a very shallow bow. ]

Thank you for agreeing to meet with me.

[ After such a long time spent around the Lan clan, the Wen clan, and a myriad of others very polite people (Zhou Zishu included, once upon a time), she is well trained enough to offer a similar (albeit deeper) bow, herself.

Then she gestures to the tea and the chairs. ] Please - I'm glad you realised it was me. I'm sorry I realised belatedly that I replied to your posting with only my voice and we haven't officially met. [This time around.]

You had questions?

[ The bow makes him smile, small and bemused. It's a little odd, to see someone who looks so different from everyone he's known, be so proper. He takes the offered chair, wrapping the long fingers of one hand around the cup to leech some of the warmth. ]

I assumed you would greet me--and it seems I was right in doing so. [ Besides, he's observant. Even if she hadn't, he'd have figured it out eventually. ] And, yes. I wanted to make sure, first, that you're quite sure about this tonic you're offering. We're strangers, after all.

[ She takes a seat on the opposite chair, and picks up her cup, taking some time to consider his statement. She doesn't want him to distrust her, after all. She is a stranger to him, all things considered, and they're in a world where strangers often come with vested interests.

Ultimately, she settles for this: ] Wen Kexing asked about my knowledge in healing and magic a while back, and I think it was for you. And when you were here previously, we spoke, so... [ A small exhale, then quietly: ] I think I should be upfront and say that I know what you've done to yourself. You told me, about the - the nails.

[ There's less judgement in her eyes now, but only because she looks away for a moment. Clasping the cup in both hands, she holds it in her lap and weighs her decision. Finally, she nods. ] Yes, I am sure. I have been gifted this potion by the people in Ke-Waihu, where we - that is, both of us, really - did some good for the villagers. I'm healthy, and I can brew potions of healing if I ever fell sick, and besides that it feels like one of those capital P Potions, you understand? I want to do something good with it, and if it works for you, if it helps...

[ Finally, she meets his eyes with a solemn, determined expression. ] It's all yours.

[ He listens quietly, face carefully blank as she speaks, and takes a sip of tea before he responds. He doesn't look away, even when she does, so his gaze is placid, calm when she raises her eyes again. ]

He must have trusted you very much, to have told you what we did. I am not him, in all the ways I do not have the knowledge or memory of what you've done together. I am, though, someone who would likely have made the same choices if I was so faced with them. [ He finally softens, then, the corners of his eyes crinkling slightly as his lips twitch up into the slightest of smiles. ]

Thank you.

Maybe he did - I'm not sure what he thought might make me deserving of that trust but, here we are.

[She sets her teacup down, and reaches into her bottomless bag. The bag has a bottom, of course, but it's very capacious inside. Magically extended even.

And she summons the vial of said potion into her hand, drawing it out and placing it on the table.]

It's probably for the best to not take it in the reading room, but - you said you had questions? For me?

[ He watches her reach...and reach and reach... into her bag, and bites back his questions. A good thing, too, because she's setting down the potion after a moment and it takes most of his attention. ]

Do you know what will happen? Once I take this.

[She bites her bottom lip, hesitant, and decides on honesty:] Not really. I have tried to analyse it with spells but the magic of this potion in particular is so very of this world that I can't even hope to replicate it.

It's a gamble - either it works or it's basically water. Which isn't so bad, you know, hydrating is good for you and all...

[She's going to go ahead and take a sip of tea, quickly, just to disguise the thinly veiled critique towards all that wine.]

But if it did work, I imagine it would heal you of one ailment, as was promised, and I would hope that it will be the major one. [She pulls a face.] I don't like the speculation myself, but - look, I understand if you want to explore other options, you know?

It is a better chance than any other I've been given. It's the best one I've got.

[ How funny, that so much rides on so small a bottle. ]

As long as it won't kill me outright... There's very little that can make things worse, I imagine.

[A bitter little laugh, and she nods along in approval. Then, after a brief pause to sip, she brings up:] Do you want to wait for Wen Kexing to manifest or drink it now?

We're not actually attached at the hip, you realize.

[ Though he is, admittedly, just possibly, waiting for him. ]

[Amused.] Yes, I can see that. I'm sure that he is bereft about that, too.

[ To which she gets a response in tones as dry as the desert: ]

The stories I could tell.

un: seasonailed | audio

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