Impromptu Breakfast Meeting

Vedran considered Aleyn's sleeping form briefly before giving him a kiss on the cheek and putting a hand on his shoulder. As peaceful as he looked, vedran knew he wouldn't be happy if he took off in the early hours of the morning with even telling him what was happening. And honestly, he'd feel more comfortable with some backup. "Hey, Aleyn. I heard back from the others."

Aleyn stirred awake, blinking, at Vedran's touch. "Huh? What?" He rolled over onto his side to face Vedran. "What did they say?"

"I'm meeting Sel in....ten-fifteen minutes? At the Union. You wanna come or sleep?"

"Meeting...? They got back already?" Aleyn still wasn't quite awake, taking a moment to comprehend what Vedran was saying. "Or just Sel? I'll come, of course."

"Just Sel. She's bringing it. Come on." He gave him another kiss then offered his arms to pull him out of bed. "We've got to hurry."

Aleyn got up, searching around for the clothes he'd worn the day before. "I guess it's good we were down here already, then."

"Well... that's my impatience at work more than anything," he admitted, passing Aleyn his pants and rooting through his wardrobe for something quick to throw on - one of his robes would probably be best. "I mean that we're meeting now. Not that we're down here."

"You, impatient?" Aleyn smiled, buttoning his trousers. "I'd never have guessed. And now I bet you're going to feel vindicated for staying up all night watching the book. Which you did, didn't you."

"It is still night," he corrected, "And anyway I couldn't sleep, and I was working on other things too, not just watching the book. I'm pretty sure it has only been a few hours, really..."

"After we get done with this, I am taking you home and putting you to bed," Aleyn said firmly. "With me," he added with a smile.

Vedran smiled, then sighed as they hurried out the door. "I'm supposed to pick up Macen this morning, and I have meetings this afternoon, so... we'll see?"

"Kier can take Macen for an hour or two so we can rest," Aleyn noted, still buttoning his coat as they went down the stairs. "Meetings aren't for a while yet. Depending on how long this takes, we might have time for a nap. Maybe you'd actually be able to relax if you feel like you got something important done first, hm?"

"I guess we'll find out!"

The pair hurried through the streets of Undertow towards the Explorer's Union hall, making their way quickly to the portal room. The clerk was unhappy, but no one else was expected at that time of night, and they managed to get Sel's arrival down on the schedule a few moment's before she actually appeared.

Selgrumel sat a few feet from the ritual circle where Roscoe and Hewalna were casting the portal spell. She held the doomstone in her hands, turning it over and over. Even a non-caster like she could feel the power emanating from it. She looked up as Roscoe and Hewalna reached the end of the ritual, the shimmering portal fading into existence within the circle's outline.

The warlord smiled as Roscoe waved through the portal to the two indistinct figures visible on the other side, hopefully Vedran and Aleyn. Selgrumel gave the warforged a thankful pat on the back as she stepped up.

"Be back in a little while," she said, winking at Hewalna. "Stay safe."

Stepping through the portal, shaking off the usual slight disorientation, the hobgoblin found herself in the portal room of the Explorer's Union. She nodded towards the two men waiting for her, favoring them with a smile.

"Morning, boys."

That he had been hastily dragged out of bed showed plainly in his hurried dress and disheveled hair, but despite the early hour Aleyn grinned to see her. "I guess it's probably not morning where you were, but ... it's great to see you," he told her. "Unexpected, but very exciting."

Vedran smiled as well, offering the hand he'd just been waving back at Roscoe to Sel. He looked a little more put together, but a little more tired to compensate. "Yes - good to see you. I'm glad things are good so far... well, all things considered, anyway."

"Better than I think we'd hoped, really," Selgrumel said, shaking hands. "Everyone's resting up for an run into the vaults when I get back."

She stifled a short yawn.

"You guys mind if we talk over breakfast? We've been on rations off and on for weeks."

"Ahh - sure. We could hit up Qaplah's - it should be quiet enough that we can talk there without worrying." The safety of the stone was an issue on his mind but it seemed a little excessive to think that someone might have time to figure out what they were up to *and* have the time to organize any kind of response in the time it took to have some coffee and eggs. Vedran looked between Sel and Aleyn for confirmation.

"Sounds good to me," said Aleyn. "I could go for some breakfast."

"Great. Qaplah's is close by, and we'll be gone before the shift change on the docks crowds the place."

Selgrumel headed for the door, holding it open for her companions.

"So, Hewalna would be upset if I didn't say congratulations on the engagement. Hopefully we'll all be back in time for the wedding."

"Oh - yeah - things are going a lot quicker than we expected... You'll probably be here for both of them at this rate." He smiled ruefully at Aleyn. "Though we really need to set some dates, espescially if this is picking up speed and urgency."

Sel shot them both a quizzical look.

"Both?" she asked simply.

Aleyn glanced at Vedran, then around - but the halls of the Union were mostly deserted at this hour. "Yeah... the real one as well as the ... one that's for public consumption."

"Is this a noble thing I don't know about?" Sel asked with a raised eyebrow.

Aleyn chuckled. "Uh, only sort of...." He took a deep breath, preparing to launch into his explanation. "We decided the three of us would get married. But since... some people wouldn't understand, we're doing it privately - and then Vedran and Ardith will have a public service afterwards for show. That's the part that could be considered a 'noble thing,' I guess. It has to look right from the outside."