The day started normally enough. Dairine woke up late to the sun and ate a solitary breakfast. She threw her dishes in the sink and then laid out on a reclining chair in the sun with Spot. Just a typical summer's day.
Dairine had made it through nearly all of the Calculus she was studying when a shadow fell over her. She looked up and instantly her day got more complicated. It was Carmela.
"Dairine! Just the person I'm looking for! I need help with some problems with my chocolate trading business."
"I sort of highly doubt that. You are the greatest manipulator I know," Dairine shot Carmela a skeptical look, then a glare when she didn't leave.
"Well, yes, but I need help programming some of my computer systems. You are really good with that sort of thing and have cheap rates compared to some of the other people I was looking into, that frankly are a bit more experienced," Carmela frowned.
"Oh now wait a moment. Are you seriously implying I cannot deal with a few computers to program when I birthed an entire alien computer race! If you get me there, I will program those computers so well you will never think to say anything about anyone else," Dairine exploded.
Carmela smiled innocently, "so glad you agreed. Let's get going."
Dairine glared at her, "you did that whole thing on purpose."
Carmela shrugged, "maybe I did. You did call me the best manipulator you knew."
Dairine followed Carmela down the block, and into Carmela's bedroom, where they both went through her gate and stepped into The Crossings. It was as busy as ever, but Carmela threaded her way through the crowd expertly. She brought Dairine to the still closed chocolate dealership.
"Where are the computers I need to program?" Dairine asked.
"The computer is just in here," Carmela led the way through the door, using a key.
Dairine looked at the computer quickly. It was earthen technology, so Carmela would understand it, but obviously it needed to be Speech compatible and probably sensitive to various forms of alien payment. It took Dairine quite some time, but she finally got it to work with all the alien forms of payment she could think of.
"Anything else you need help with? I was enjoying being lazy," Dairine said.
"Just one more thing," Carmela said, "follow me, if you would."
Dairine obliged somewhat willingly, and was surprised to find Carmela was leading her towards the custom programmed rooms. She knew Carmela had one, for clothes shopping purposes since she was the savior of The Crossings and because Sker'ret said she could.
So when Carmela opened the door Dairine was expecting forced clothes shopping. She sighed and stepped through, and the door shut and clicked shut. Carmela had trapped her.
"'Mela! Let me out!"
"There is something you have to do first," Dairine could hear the pride in her voice. Another one of 'Mela's schemes,then.
Dairine turned to the lock and asked it kindly to unlock. She got no response. She tried several different methods before realizing that it had been programmed so that it wouldn't let her out unless she had the 'key'. She banged on the door in anger, shouting for Carmela to free her. No luck.
"I told you you needed to do something first. But continue on."
Dairine did, in fact, decide to continue on. Carmela made no further answers. That did not stop Dairine's banging. Hopefully someone would hear her and let her out.
There was a sigh from behind her, "that will not be of any help to you. The walls have been soundproofed."
Dairine whirled around at the sound of the familiar voice. She also took more notice of the room. There was a table with candles on it set for two. Suddenly, 'Melas scheme made more sense.
Roshaun followed her gaze, "I was messaged saying there was a problem that required my expertise to deal with. Naturally, I came straight away. I was led to this room by Ronan."
"I knew it was one of 'Mela's schemes! We're going to be locked in here until we do something that satisfies whatever she wants us to do and dammit neither of us can lie."
Roshaun eyes her with that infuriating overbearing amusement of his. Dairine glares at him and barely restrains herself from giving him a nice hard punch on the nose. She turns back to the door and yells for Spot. He doesn't come. She yells again. Nothing. She begins yelling a bit panicked.
Suddenly, warm hands are guiding her a bit roughly to one of the chairs. She sits down heavily, and then remembers herself and stands up again, suddenly.
"Have we been cut off from wizardry? Did the Lone One possess Carmela without us knowing it?" Dairine asks.
"Neither," Roshaun opens his cupped hand, revealing his manual, "we are simply trapped in here until we complete a list of Carmela's wishes."
Dairine attempted a haughty look, "and what are those wishes?"
"No idea. I assume she will express them. As I remember, she is an expressive person," Roshaun doesn't even need to try for haughty. He has it down pat.
Dairine glares at him sullenly. She flops into the chair sulkily and awaits the instruction that Roshaun will undoubtedly be right about. And if it is anything like what Dairine is thinking, it's gonna be awkward as hell.
Roshaun was relaxing a bit in his rooms when he received a message asking for his assistance on a problem at the Crossings. Naturally, he told his Royal Parents where he would be going and left immediately.
He arrived and Ronan greeted him. That should have been the first warning sign. Ronan gives a reluctant nod and began leading Roshaun to an unfamiliar part of the Crossings. Roshaun followed Ronan to a door and walked in. As soon as he stepped into the room, the door turned into the wall.
The most surprising part was that Dairine was there as well, yelling and banging on the door. Roshaun looked all around him, and realized what was happening.
Roshaun sighed, "that will not be of any help to you. The walls have been soundproofed."
Dairine spun around and glared at Roshaun she also looked around the room.
"I was messaged saying there was a problem that required my expertise to deal with. Naturally, I came straight away. I was led to this room by Ronan," Roshaun offered an explanation.
"I knew it was one of 'Mela's schemes! We're going to be locked in here until we do something that satisfies whatever she wants us to do and dammit neither of us can lie."
Dairine gives him a glare and starts yelling for Spot. Roshaun looks around, expecting the little computer that Dairine is seldom without to appear. When Spot makes no appearance, Dairine begins yelling more frantically. Roshaun decided to do something, and makes her sit down.
"Have we been cut off from wizardry? Did the Lone One possess Carmela without us knowing it?" Dairine asks, keeping her cool, but worried.
"Neither," Roshaun resisted the urge to laugh at the usually very confident girl. He opens a cupped hand, revealing his manual, "we are simply trapped in here until we complete a list of Carmela's wishes."
Dairine attempted a haughty look, "and what are those wishes?"
"No idea. I assume she will express them. As I remember, she is an expressive person," Roshaun offered.
Dairine turns away with a wary expression, which Roshaun understands. He has heard about Carmela's schemes from nearly all of the Earthens. He looks back to where Dairine is sitting sullenly. Her red hair is down today, and fairly messy, as if she hadn't brushed her hair in while. She probably hadn't. Dairine ran a hand through her hair, as if she had heard his thoughts. Maybe she had.