[Featured characters: Alanis, Hugo] ===== The weather's been quite pleasant today. Just enough clouds to make it seem cooler than it is, but not too many to make the day seem too dull. The breeze has been quite pleasant, and the rustling of the wind through trees near the cafe have always been quite relaxing. Except... they suddenly seem to be rustling more than necessary. When Hugo hops, climbs, and slides his way down from the boughs of the one of the higher ones, it makes a bit more sense. He lands lightly on his feet, and stretches mightily, revealing bark imprints along his forearms to the observant -- leading such individuals to suspect he was napping up there. Well, at least by resting on his arms, he doesn't have to suffer the indignity of waffle-face. Tilting his head back and forth to pop his neck, Hugo meanders towards the smell of food, rubbing sleepy grit from his eyes. Alanis sighs and stares up at the clouds. Occasionally she tries to pick out shapes among the wispy white and blue edges, but the thought dominating her mind this afternoon is more along the lines of, 'Can we /go/ now? How long is this going to /take/?' Her father has been holed up in the trading post for hours, living vicariously through the other traders doing business there, and she has the bad luck to be stuck with him for the day while her mother arranges their rooms to her liking. She falls back onto the grassy hill with yet another sigh, nestling herself among the baskets and barrels collected outside of the shop. If she hadn't been told to stay there, she would be off trying to meet her new neighbors. Hugo wanders shuffles past Alanis, then pauses in mid-rub, and turns the uncovered eye back towards the depression in the grass. He smiles then, and wanders around her side, dusting the final pieces of bark still clinging to his arms and clothing. Grinning down at her, he offers a dip of his head. "Hello, Alanis. It's good to see you here! How've you been?" Alanis cracks an eye open (when had they drifted closed?) and sits up like a bolt of lightning when she recognizes the shape. "Hugo!" She scrambles to her feet and throws herself at him in a hug, throwing her usual reserve to the wind. "I'm so happy to see you! Everybody makes you sound so busy I was afraid I'd never get to talk to you!" Hugo laughs, and spins her around once, before setting her back down. He shrugs, looking a touch embarrassed. "Really, I'm busy some of the time, but not all of it. There's a lot of meetings and such, and a lot of paperwork, and a LOT of training." He blows a lock of his bangs up in symbolic exasparation. "There is, unfortunately, not a lot to be busy about. I think they're just trying to make sure I don't get myself into trouble. Idle hands, trickster spirits, and all that." He looks around, as if expecting someone else. "How long have you been here? Where are Melville and Elliot?" "I haven't seen them since I got here." Alanis shakes her head, pigtails flying. "We only arrived yesterday, though. I wanted to see you then, but my dad said not to bother you." This is added with a sigh as she gives the trading post a /look/ - the kind only a kid trapped in the jaws of boredom can give. "Instead, my dad decided to bring me out here so he can keep an eye on trade. Exciting stuff." Surely that isn't sarcasm in her tone! Hugo ponders, looking towards the shack. "Well, I don't know about /all/ the time, but you're welcome to look me up whenever. I'm free more often than a lot of people think." That last said with a slight exasparation, as well -- the sound of someone also chomping at the bit. "Besides, you should tell your Dad that you'll learn all kinds of good trading information hanging out in the mansion." He nods, "In fact, I was thinking of getting a snack. Hungry?" Her stomach growls, and Alanis turns a bit red. Sometimes she wonders if it has ears, or something. "Yeah - I don't know how long it's been since breakfast." She shuffles back to sit on top of a big, round basket. Oh, food /does/ sound good... she has been able to smell it all day. "I wish he would hurry up! He told me not to leave until he's done, but..." Hugo nods towards the cafe. "Well, I'm not trying to get you in trouble. How about a cup of juice, and one of those crepes they make? I'll get them, that why you can stay here. My treat, too -- I don't have anything better to do with the money I get." Alanis brightens at that prospect, and sits a little straighter on her basket. It would probably be cuter if she didn't have grass sticking out of her hair. "Oh, that would be wonderful! Thank you!" She shifts over and pats the top of the basket. "I don't mean to be any trouble..." Hugo waves a hand, dismissing it. "No trouble! I was heading that way anyway. Be right back!" And he is, too. He doesn't seem to notice the grass, but that could just be a Grasslander bias. He passes her a crepe and a cup, while balancing his own, then plops down in the grass next to her basket, facing the lake. "How's your father doing here, if I may ask? Master Thomas says that the businesses are doing quite well, and from what I've seen, I believe him." Alanis bites into her crepe with a passion, much hungrier than even /she/ thought until now. It's a few minutes before she can chew, swallow, take a drink, and work her mouth into some semblence of speaking order. "Oh - he wants to start something, but he isn't sure if he's allowed to. Or something like that." She gives an exasperated shrug. "He doesn't discuss that stuff with me, usually." Hugo nods, understanding that. He takes a sip, then glances aside, grinning. "Want something more substantial than a crepe?" He looks back up towards the castle. "You guys staying here, or are you staying at the village near by? And do you think I could meet your folks sometime?" "Oh, we're staying here. My mother and Eliott's mother..." Alanis rolls her eyes. No, mother talk isn't any more exciting than her father's business ventures. "Well, Mom convinced Dad to stay here. He brought food up for us last night, but I don't know if he has other ideas." She polishes off the crepe /and/ the juice, and sighs. "If you hang around long enough, my dad will come out. I think..." Hugo smiles, and takes a few bites while she's talking. "Well, if you're staying here, maybe we'll get to hang out more. And Elliot, too. I've seen Melville around, but it's been awhile, unfortunately. However, my afternoon's pretty open, so I can wait with you if you like. Have you had the full tour of the place yet?" Alanis grins. This is probably the best moment she's had since seeing Hugo in the Great Hollow - the trip to Budehuc wasn't long, but it also wasn't very pleasant. "No, I have no idea where anything is." Her response is a bit sheepish - any budding hero would have explored the place by now, but then again... heroes usually didn't have to deal with parents, did they? "I was hoping to take a look around once my dad comes out - maybe you could convince him?" Hugo nods, with a grin. He guestures towards the lake. "Well, admittedly, this is the best part of the place. The ship we could see from that ledge? Exploring in it was pretty neat, too. The basement's kind of strange, but worth a look, I guess. And the library's great... if you can get past the fact the windows are so small." "Oh! The ship!" She had forgotten about that completely - hadn't even connected the two until this moment. "Oh, Melville and Eliott must be /thrilled/. I hope they haven't set up a hiding place without me!" Alanis is fairly /charged/ with uncharacteristic excitement. There are just so many things, and so many people that she wants to see that it's hard to contain herself, and keep seated on her basket. "Oh, I really must take a look. Even father must be interested in /something/. I bet he'd love to leave me in the library." She doesn't sound as put out about that prospect as other children might. Hugo taps his chin, and begins to plot. "What if you had an invitation from the Flame Champion? This title has to be good for something -- think he'd let you go for that? You could say you'd keep an eye out for trading deals, or getting in good with the castle leaders?" Alanis leans forward, elbows on her knees. "Oh, he wouldn't make me turn down an invitation from the Flame Champion. I think he'd die of happiness." She laughs as she imagines the look on his face - probably nothing like what would really happen, but it makes her laugh. "I don't think he really believes me when I say I know you - as soon as he sees you, I bet he'll come around." Hugo grins, and pats his knees. "It's settled, then!" He hops to his feet. "I'll get the proper scrolls, and the seals, and the whole thing. I'll make two more for Melville and Elliot, if we can find them." Looking back up at the castle, he groans, noticing the page hopping down the stairs. "That's probably for me." He smiles. "I'll send the messenger here, first. If he doesn't find you here, he'll look elsewhere. How does tomorrow sound?" "Tomorrow is perfect." Alanis gives him one of her trademark sunny smiles, definitely in a better mood than she was when the conversation started. Budehuc was truly beginning to look like a place she could get to love. "Don't let them bury you with work, okay? Thank you!" Hugo waves, as he jogs to meet the page. "Don't worry! I know how to escape from the second floor!"