Author's Notes: And we're finally getting to the point, sort of. We will be getting more to the point next chapter, and I really have no idea what'll happen after that.
Something Eternal, Part VII
Several days later, Lei repeated the 'spoilt brat' observation to the Lord of Nightmares over tea. It wasn't really the foremost issue on his mind, only the most innocuous. A week or so of solitude spent gnawing on the questions attached to his present situation hadn't been enough time to come up with definite answers.
L-sama only shrugged and sipped at Her tea. "Ceiphied tends to take certain things rather harshly. Things like, say, the slaughter of a clan of dragons and the subsequent death of his favourite regent. I don't think your presence is helping, especially since Shabranigdo -- I really should have named him something else, that's quite a mouthful -- views most of his retainers as expendable."
Lei helped himself to a pastry. "I... didn't quite catch that," he said carefully.
"I'm so glad you've started wearing something other than those dreadful robes," She murmured blandly. "They went out of style aeons ago."
"That might have less to do with my fashion sense than the fact that I haven't been able to find a single set of since I arrived," Lei replied dryly. "I don't suppose You had anything to do with that, Mother dear?"
She gave him Her all-purpose inscrutable smile and ate a strawberry. "More tea?"
I could almost think that we're following entirely different conversations.
Almost.
"Why am I here instead of Shabranigdo, Mother?"
"Well, he was complaining about the surroundings here." She laughed softly. "Just as easy to keep him there as here. You want to be frozen?"
"Truth to tell, I was expecting to be dead. My soul's been sundered from my body, after all."
"I think I might make an exception for you. It will be... interesting." She stood up and leaned over the table to trace circles on his chest. "Besides, you'll do well enough as a substitute for dear Shabby. Ask Ceiphied, if you're in doubt." Poke.
She favoured him with another inscrutable smile. "Ta," She said, and disappeared.