(MP) RP log - for kindof_itches

[the_other_son]

When the king had lifted the first parts of his punishment, it was safe to say he had not been entirely gracious. Still, even traveling with babysitters to visit his brother and his friends was better than continued confinement to his apartments, and so, he had gone along. In the end, it hadn't been nearly as bad as he had expected; the Tower's occupants were surprisingly entertaining, and the mage had a well-stocked library with books he had never found in the castle's.

As time went on and he was granted more freedom, it became harder to pretend the trips weren't something he looked forward to - and he was sure his parents knew that. When he had asked permission this time, there had been a certain look in the queen's eyes that said he was fooling no one - and he couldn't quite bring himself to mind.

He had arrived at the Tower stronghold the previous afternoon and had spent the rest of the day catching up with Thor. Today, he had left the heavier parts of his armor in his room and made for the library. After his customary check for anything Stark might have acquired since his last visit, he had made for his usual chair in its comfortably dim corner.

He had made it through a handful of chapters before something pulled his attention away. There was a smell in the library he was well enough acquainted with, considering the battles - and the clean-up afterwards - that he had been involved in. There was also someone moving among the shelves that he didn't recognize, and he had been among the Tower's usual occupants enough times that he could recognize most of them by now. They were moving quietly, clearly trying to avoid notice, and that only served to make him curious.

It took him only a second to make a quick gesture before he set his book aside, rising silently from his chair to move around the shelves - and then it was only a few moments before he had found his company. Who he found, though, was a surprise like he hadn't had in years.

Comments

[kindof_itches]

Carrow gave him a look, one that was easily readable as Do I look like the social type to you?, breathed out a sigh and then shook his head. He felt it something of a miracle, for both their sakes, that he didn't roll his eyes.

"The only thing I had planned for the evening was trying to work something out of these books." His attentions darted down to them briefly by way of indication. "And probably chasing down dinner." A beat. "Now is good."

[the_other_son]

He never said Carrow might have plans with someone. Loki's perfectly happy losing afternoons in his research and never speaking to another soul, after all. "Now it is, then."

Loki frowned thoughtfully. "Stark has protected spaces in the Tower for spell-casting - or we can take things outdoors, if you would prefer." That might be better if they were going to get into trapping spells, anyway.

[kindof_itches]

Carrow took a moment to consider that, pressing his lips into a thin line as he did. On one hand, one of Stark's rooms was potentially a good idea -- Jarvis could keep an eye on things and stop him, if and when things got out of hand. On the other, though, he'd had the same thought as Loki, that being inside would kind of defeat the purpose if they were going to practice trapping spells, and as far as he understood it, Jarvis kept an eye on the Tower grounds, too, to a certain degree. Plus, well, he'd need to go out and find something to eat before much longer, anyway.

That in mind and at great lengths, he said, "Outside might be better."

[the_other_son]

"Then we'll go outside," Loki returned once Carrow had made up his mind.

He turned to lead the way out of the library. "Jarvis, alert Stark to the fact that we're not actually out to kill each other, if you would."

The elemental sounded long-suffering when he replied, his voice coming from some of the crystals around the door. "I will tell him for you, Master Loki."

[kindof_itches]

Falling into step behind him, Carrow made a small, dimly amused noise. "I think the fact that Jarvis isn't trying to break us up might be a good indication that were not ... "

Trying to kill each other. Still, despite his near-protest, letting Stark know what was going on probably wasn't that bad an idea.

[the_other_son]

Loki echoed Carrow's amused noise, glancing back at him briefly. "Despite the fact that Stark has allowed Thor to invite me here, his opinion of me remains somewhat... up in the air, shall we say. And as you said, it would be simple enough for someone to come to exactly the wrong conclusion."

Not to rub salt in the wound, but Carrow himself had mentioned the potential issues of the visiting paladin, after all.

[kindof_itches]

"Yeah," Carrow agreed simply. He hoped Jarvis and Anthony had enough sense to keep the paladin and her party far, far away from where ever they ended up. They had a habit of moving around as much as they could outside without being ported back to the entrance way, after all.

[the_other_son]

Loki didn't respond, just continuing to lead the way out of the library and down the Tower's stairs to the entryway. "Do feel free to tell me if something feels beyond you, by the way," he offered over his shoulder. He knew Carrow had to be competent; to what level, exactly, was another question.

[kindof_itches]

He was silent for a moment more, following that, then pressed his lips into a thin line. "How much -- effort should I be putting into this?"

He was a competent enough spellcaster, yes, but as he'd told Loki earlier, things seemed to come easier if and when he gave into his nature. So, what did Loki want from him? Did he want him trying to learn from a purely professional standpoint? Or did he want him to try and pick up on things based on instinct and have to deal with whatever came from that?

[the_other_son]

"Hm?" Loki asked, looking back at him again. "Oh. Well, that's up to you, isn't it? This can a purely academic exercise, if you want to only learn the necessary elements, or you can utilize that new skill set you've come into and really get somewhere." He flashed Carrow a grin, and there might have been some mania lurking around the edges.

[kindof_itches]

Carrow raised an eyebrow but did not comment on whatever happened to be hiding in Loki's grin. "We'll see how it goes," he said instead. "If I'm having problems picking it up, I might ... " He made a vague gesture. " ... but if not, it'd probably be better for both of us if I don't. I get the feeling Anthony wouldn't be too happy if he has to come out and stop us from actually killing each other."

[the_other_son]

Loki turned his attention back to where they were going. "He would likely be more upset we had inconvenienced him than that we might hurt each other." He didn't really mean that, but he still wasn't nearly as worried about this as Carrow was. "But follow what you feel is best."

[kindof_itches]

He wasn't sure if Loki's opinion of Anthony was that low or if he was making a joke, but either way, it left him frowning. Neither seemed particularly appropriate, given that Stark was their host and the fact that a small, dark part of him was sure he could, in fact, kill Loki if he really wanted to, if he gave him, and She would applaud him. "Right. My mistake."

[the_other_son]

Loki was frequently far from appropriate, really, but Carrow didn't know that, yet. He shot Carrow another look at that but didn't respond, continuing to lead the way down out of the Tower.

He paused for a moment just outside the Tower to make sure Carrow was with him, and, as he did, something shimmered around him, and his coat simply appeared. "Are you ready?" he checked once the light had faded.

[kindof_itches]

Carrow tipped his head to one side and then the other at the question, his neck crunching loudly as he did so. He neither reacted to the sound or to whatever had popped, however, just as he had failed to react to the appearance of Loki's coat. Instead, he simply righted his head and nodded slowly.

"As I'll ever be, I guess."

[the_other_son]

Loki watched him but didn't comment on the sound before he nodded shortly and turned to lead their way away from the Tower itself. He knew how far Jarvis's protections went, and he planned to keep them inside the rings, but they would also need to gain some distance if they wanted game to come close enough to practice the spells.

After a while, he stopped, turning in a slow circle to get his bearings and look around them - and then looked back to Carrow. "This should serve."

[kindof_itches]

Carrow followed, stopping only when Loki did, and mirrored him, taking a look around. He could sense the animals out in the woods even if he couldn't see them, and his shadow seemed to be no where to be found for the moment, presumably off doing whatever She did when She wasn't stalking him. He'd wonder if Her absence had something to do with Anthony's defenses if he didn't know better. He was just lucky, apparently, if only for the moment.

Letting out a slow, almost shuddering breath, he nodded. "How do we start?"