PFSB: It hasn't been months at all!

[riddleofthebelow]

It might seem like it's been much longer, but it's really only been a month or so since Tom had the free time to make his way to Milliways. A few weeks ago, Egress picked up a nasty case of dragon pox on an outing to Diagon Alley. This required some strict quarantine spell protocols, which took more time to research than Tom had anticipated, and several trips to St. Mungo's that further delayed her parents' usual busy schedules. She's well now, and back to her ebullient self. But just as she was getting better, a trade contingent from Paris Below got lost in the wild marshes of Walthamstow thanks to negligent guidance by a poorly chosen bravo, and that took all manner of soothing and sorting out as the ripple effects of the incident spread through the Underside.

Tom's been quite busy.

Portico's schedule hasn't altered much, thankfully, and Tom has spoken with his son's two tutors in passing at various occasions over this busy time. But this is the first time in a while he's been able to relax at a table with a proper scotch.

Comments

[lightamidchaos]

It is possible that Tom may spy a familiar face at a table not too far across the room. Lan Wangji appears to be studying a piece of paper, and making notes on a few scraps to the side.

It is harder than he had expected, to compose this letter. Xichen's last missive had brought the news that Nie Mingjue is doing more poorly than hoped. Lan Wangji had planned to stop by the Unclean Realm on the way back to Cloud Recesses, but given the circumstances it seems better to ask first.

[riddleofthebelow]

Why of course he does!

“Pardon me,” he says, since Lan Wangji is clearly in the middle of something, “but I wished to give you more than a passing ‘hello, good to see you, please excuse me as Egress is still blowing fire intermittently and the nursery needs extinguishing.’”

[lightamidchaos]

He sets his brush in its rest and looks up at Tom with no sign that he is at all bothered by the interruption.

"It is good to see you as well," he murmurs, and clears the papers away from the seat across from him. "Egress is recovered?"

[riddleofthebelow]

“For the most part,” he says with a slight furrow of his brows. “The healers insist that complete recovery takes some time. But the itching and the fire starting has abated.”

[lightamidchaos]

"I am glad to hear it," Lan Wangji tells him. "It was a difficult time for you all."

Portico had been very worried, and both he and Wei Ying had done their best to soothe and reassure their young charge.

[riddleofthebelow]

“It really was. Straddling worlds definitely has drawbacks. I knew to have charms protecting against the typical Muggle diseases that teem through the Underside, but I’d completely forgotten the Wizarding world had its own varieties.”

[lightamidchaos]

"And she is too young to have formed a golden core," he summarizes, "or whatever your world's equivalent is."

[riddleofthebelow]

"The golden core the source of your magic, yes?" They must have discussed this at some point since this is Tom Riddle we're talking about. "Are young children in your world only protected from disease if they're born with one?"

[lightamidchaos]

"Qi is more the source, but the golden core is what lets me, as a cultivator, concentrate and use it more effectively," he agrees. "A child who is able to develop one is stronger and more resistant to illness; they can draw on the strength of their core to aid their healing."

[riddleofthebelow]

"That would be an advantage," he muses. "Especially for our youngest who must rely on their parents."

Well, and their developing immune systems, but if Tom is not up to date on that scientific concept from the non-magical world, he can be forgiven.

[lightamidchaos]

"Mn." It seems to be agreement. "It is fortunate that Portico did not become ill."

[riddleofthebelow]

"We were quite lucky." The furrow between his brows deepens. "It's incredibly difficult protecting children from, well, everything."

[lightamidchaos]

He nods, thinking of A-Yuan.

[riddleofthebelow]

"Now that things seem to be settling down, Portico has been asking me about our possible excursion. I hope we haven't missed our opportunity."

[lightamidchaos]

"You have not," he promises. "There are still a few weeks before visitors would arrive, and I can make sure that a place remains set aside for you and for Portico."

"I am glad to hear that you are still interested."

[riddleofthebelow]

"I'm relieved to hear this. Portico asks every day. We'd begun discussing what would be required, in regards to not mentioning Wei Wuxian and the like, but I'll need time to remind him."

[lightamidchaos]

"I will help, however I may," he offers. "He is very polite and filial, a son for you to be proud of. He has not asked me, even though he must have wanted to."

[riddleofthebelow]

"I should hope not," he says, his firm tone softened by the proud smile that promises to steal over his face. "I've told him he must only speak when he's spoken to when with his - I hope I say this correctly - lǎoshī."

He says it well enough.

[lightamidchaos]

He inclines his head, confirming Tom's pronunciation is acceptable. "He is mindful of your instructions."

[riddleofthebelow]

"That makes me very happy to hear," he says. "He's learning well? Picking up concepts and such? He seems to be."

But it's always good to be reassured as a parent.

[lightamidchaos]

"He is learning very well," Lan Wangji tells him. "He is a bright student, and practices hard."

[riddleofthebelow]

He’s not able to contain the proud smile any longer.

“Brilliant,” he replies. He sits a moment in thoughtful silence. “We don’t know whether Portico has wizardry or not. In my birth world, you don’t find out, sometimes, until a child receives their letter from Hogwarts on their eleventh birthday. Ravenclaw is the House for the children for whom intellectual pursuits are the focus.”

Ravenclaw wouldn’t be too terrible. Neither would Hufflepuff. Tom mostly hopes no letter appears at all.

[lightamidchaos]

"Will it matter?" Lan Wangji asks. "As heir?"

[riddleofthebelow]

"I... We have no idea what might happen. I suppose we shall have to wait and see. He could be a wizard and the Lord of the House of Arch, after all. We know that our descendants retain long branches into both our worlds' futures. We simply don't know exactly how - we didn't ask for details when told."

[lightamidchaos]

"As you are," Lan Wangji agrees, and then blinks at Tom's revelation. "You know the future of your family?"

[riddleofthebelow]

"We know vague outlines. We met one of our descendants on a holiday excursion to a world of our future. It was... quite a meeting."

[lightamidchaos]

"I imagine so." It is not the sort of thing that he could have even begun to imagine, prior to arriving at the inn between the worlds.

"Still, with or without your type of magic, A-Tico seems a worthy heir to your House." If, that is, such things are not required. They must not be, since Tom had married in.

[riddleofthebelow]

“We’re very proud of him. If he takes a consort, or marries, or whatever he chooses partner-wise, they will have to survive the ritual that allowed me to become part of the House of Arch. But that’s a long ways off.”

The time, even in the Underside, will go more quickly than Tom anticipated.

“As Door often reminds me, that is a chasm we’ll cross once we get there.”

[lightamidchaos]

Survive? It is on the tip of his tongue to ask, but certainly such a thing must be proprietary to the house. Still, he cannot entire prevent the way his eyes widen very slightly at that.

"Mn," Lan Wangji says. "As you say. That is some time from now." With dry humor, he adds, "Focus on the matters at hand instead."

Such as Egress's improving health and the upcoming visit, not to mention the day to day needs of running a House or sect.

"Is there news of interest from London Below?"

[acrookedpath]

Undestandably, due to the contagious nature of Egress's illness, Wei Wuxian has paused in his poking and prodding of the House of Arch wards. They have proven sturdy enough to delay more tests for a while; it will not do to crack them just in time to unleash a nasty sickness over the inn.

Instead, he has turned back to his own projects -- which means as Tom-gongzi enters the common room, Wei Wuxian is hard at work painting a paper lantern in broad strokes of red ink.

[riddleofthebelow]

"Hullo, Wei Wuxian," Tom says, approaching his table. "That's a lovely lantern. Is it for decoration or protection?"

[acrookedpath]

"Tom-gongzi!" He looks up, brightening. "Hello! A pleasure to see you for more than a moment or two. It is neither, actually -- "

Setting his brush aside, he turns the lantern in his hands, showing Tom column after column of characters spanning its paper.

"Did I tell you of the energy-revealing array I created some months ago? I cannot remember."