It sounds so natural and sensible to hear 20022 speak of it, he doesn’t catch the implications at first. There is a Princess that needs housing. There is a house capable of housing. It’s inconvenient and uncomfortable, but what else is there to be done? The pipe is halfway to his lips when his thoughts encounter the bump in the road and launch into the stratosphere.

“...pardon, you did [i]what?[/i]”

This smoke is wonderful stuff, and thank goodness for that. He fumbles his way to a deep breath, and blows out a wispy tuft of cloud that hovers lazily before him, too sluggish to rise any further. With his free hand, careful and quick, he draws his hand through it, spooling and twirling the semi-solid fluff. Round and round his fingers it swirls, lighter and fluffier than any of his swirling thoughts. Activity of the hands to let the mind free to pick up the pieces. Lovely stuff. Lovelier to share.

“How…how did you do that? I thought you just assisted the Mayor with secretarial matters, give the odd bit of advice. I wouldn’t think unexpected royal visitors were your purview. Is there a form you have to fill out afterwards for review of emergency circumstances? Will an inspector come by someday to take your statement? Will there be [i]meetings?[/i]” Because surely, surely this sort of authority had to be official. Maybe it was also a secret, and that’s why they were talking about it in a hidden alcove halfway up a mountain. Maybe this was something only official members ought to know.

But when you’ve spent a day climbing up a mountain with somebody, marveling at the same wonders, helping them over slippery patches, laughing in moments only for the two of you, and you’re camped out for a well-deserved rest, then. Well, maybe propriety matters just a little bit less, and that’s how Dolce can ask such a question without couching it. Maybe that’s enough for 20022 to share a little insight with an uninitiated novice too.

[Rolling to Speak Softly: 4 + 6 + 3 = [b]13[/b]. What is the nature of 20022’s authority? Forging another Bond with 20022]