Lectures and findings

[mehet_weret]

RP for too_manysecrets and probably eventually antsolutely. Backdated to the week after this.

Hathor had studied the spell. Forwards and backwards. She understood the words involved; she understood the power weaving involved, after a fashion. But she was at a loss as to why what she had seen back in DC had happened.
And as to how to fix it. Or even how to speed up Heru's recovery.

She was positive that he was growing stronger. Very very slowly, but he was. However... he wasn't waking yet. And she was growing even more frightened. Helpless.

The old book was too much to carry around. Very carefully, she excised the spell (it was too dangerous to have two copies of it lying around) from it, and was carrying it with herself, safe in a leather-bound notebook in her purse. Just in case.

But in the end, she fell back on Ellen's activities while she wasn't keeping vigil over Heru. And that included a lecture scheduled at the linguistics university by Peter Torkarov, the variety of which had caught at her attention.

She left home at the latest possible time; got there shortly before the lecturer. Sat close to the middle of the lecture hall, and prepared to try to listen carefully. Maybe the back of her brain would help out with something, meanwhile.

Comments

[mehet-weret.livejournal.com]

She shook his hand with a smile - light, but firm grip - then took the offered arm gracefully. "A pleasure indeed. Do you lecture here frequently?" //That would be wise. Thank you. I - do you have a place in mind?//

She had nothing to pick up, notes and spell all were already in her purse. //It was after our time, but I have heard of songs sung of you and yours. Well met.// Well met in this time of... trial, or change, at least.

... she blinked, and looked up at him a bit closer. "Perhaps it would be still easier to keep the main of the conversation in English, even with how fluent you... we are in other tongues." She would probably understand him and possibly make herself understood in Gaelic too, although she doubted it would be so well as his skill with Egyptian - but it still had to be a learned language for him, which would be a strain that didn't need to be put on anybody to much. Not to mention that chances of somebody understanding spoken Celtic were higher than those comprehending Egyptian at the speed they were talking it in.
She didn't mention that some sensitive information might be kept off English - she didn't guess she had to.

And... she had, in fact, been in DC. And also, in fact, too young to have met any of them while they were there. With the added bits where she'd spent plenty of time abroad, with her father. All of those might come up in conversation. Later.

[too-manysecrets.livejournal.com]

"I tend to make somewhat of a circuit of the various colleges and universities in the area, every other year or so, it seems to be. It gives me something to fall back to doing in another ten or fifteen years, when they decide to kick me out of government service." He was fairly sure they would be willing to let him stay on until such time as he was hitting senility, actually, but there were always office politics. And godly ones, and he was at this moment a bit more concerned about the effect of the latter.

"Fluency counts for a great deal," he nodded, "but it's nothing as compared to a native language, I'm afraid." And now he was curious as to the extent of any Gaelic she might have, but time enough for that later.

Fishing his cell phone out of his pocket, he smiled a bit. "Well, first let me call my husband and find out his preferences. I don't think he'll mind an extra person for dinner, but it would be polite to let him know." And to find out if Danielle was at their place or Star's, and how that was all playing out - fortunately, it was about an hour's drive, so there was time for Paul to work out a way around anything that was necessary. "He is... one of us. You two can tell each other who you are, as and when you so choose." If they spoke on the phone now, that might be necessary. If they waited to share that information until they got home, he somehow didn't think there would be a need.

Partly as a test, and partly as a way to keep the details of who Paul was a bit muddier, and still also to immediately tell Paul that this was important, he spoke in Gaelic. "Mo chroi, I had the most interesting luck at the lecture just now - and stop worrying. A new one of us. I think you'll like her."

They were still moving out, slowly, toward the parking lot. He was careful enough to wait until they were out of the entrance hall to the building to begin speaking in Gaelic - less odd than Egyptian, but still odd to even an untrained ear, and this was linguistics, after all.

[antsolutely.livejournal.com]

It still, when Peter called him mo chroi, brought a goofy grin to his face. Not that he would have admitted it was a goofy grin, but it so was. And it still did.

The rest, though. That was... well, as he'd said, interesting. Peter had called at an opportune time, Paul had just started laying out materials for dinner. "I wasn't worrying," he replied, in the same language out of habit at first and by the end of the sentence it was because he could use the practice. "And you're planning to bring her home for dinner? Did you have anything in mind?" For dinner or, well. Otherwise.

[too-manysecrets.livejournal.com]

And Peter still smiled to call him that. Somewhere in the back of his mind that never hushed, something noted that Hathor would probably be quite pleased with this turn of events. Goddess of love, after all.

"I am planning to either bring her home or take her out somewhere, depending on how overwhelmed by deities she's feeling." Amusement, and a hint of apology as he looked over at Ellen. "My suspicion is that she's not met... any, perhaps, of us before, though I would be surprised if they were in the same city and hadn't found each other by now." He didn't think he needed to specify which "they."

"Wanted to let you know that something had come up, first," sounding a little sheepish, "though I should probably have waited to be sure we were both showing up. And I don't know if she's a vegetarian," that last sentence in English, arching an eyebrow at Ellen in inquiry.

[ooc: Ahem. We can let Peter's runaway enthusiasm be curbed there. *will be amused at him now*]

[mehet-weret.livejournal.com]

Yes, well, there were advantages to being the daughter to an archaeologist from England - even if his interest was far away, he was not remiss in local history and lore. So yes, Ellen could follow through on Peter's side of the conversation. Which he could probably tell by the way she smiled up at him at the comment that his husband would like her. Or the way she beamed at it.

And no, she was in no way confused or upset by his term. There were many ways in which love could happen, and she could hear love in his voice, in his address over the phone. She could see it in his eyes.

When he addressed her in English, she murmured in accented Gaelic (because she had only had mortal and imperfect teachers in it), "I would be well pleased to meet him, where either of you finds convenient, and have no food ... avoidances."

And she knew she had an accent, and her smile turned apologetic. But it would be unfair to leave him wondering if he could talk in privately this way.

And no, not overwhelmed by deities. Rather glad to meet them, right now. Or perhaps it was just being easy talking with him?

[too-manysecrets.livejournal.com]

He was, in fact, duly amused by her beaming, and only mildly... perturbed, really, by her fluency in Gaelic, which was quickly assuaged by her clear statement that yes, she did understand. Kinder than leaving him guessing, though now he itched to teach her a proper accent - it wasn't bad, for modern Gaelic, but it wasn't the cadences he was used to hearing. All the same, considering what else he needed to say, he switched back to English.

"Well, then. Surprise us," he grinned down the phone. Mostly, admittedly, because in the realm of surprises, he thought he trumped whatever they were eating. "Probably something we don't have to pay too much attention to eating; I imagine there will be a great deal of talking."

To both of them, then, "We're about an hour out on the BART, though if Ellen has a car I'm fine with driving, too." All things considered, Peter was a little wary of two of them being out in public right now - but it was the fastest way to travel.

[antsolutely.livejournal.com]

Paul laughed, though now he was curious as to just who was coming over for dinner. Peter sounded... actually he sounded more chipper and hopeful than he had in a few days, if in however subtle a way. Which meant that this wasn't someone they had to worry about now that he or she had appeared. Possibly quite the contrary.

"All right," he smiled into the phone, putting back some of the things he'd taken out and setting out materials for kebabs. With a yellow curry sauce, he thought. "But you better hurry. Looks so good I might eat it all myself." He's teasing, of course. He loves his husband, and so he teases him, and fusses over him.

[mehet-weret.livejournal.com]

"There is a car, so I guess it depends on how the traffic is, this time of day. I'm fine either way." Ellen was also fine with not being the one driving. Bonus to skipping around so much, probably.

She'd caught his bemusement, and, considering his precision with her language, guessed that it might be because of her speech - pronunciation, the brief floundering for a word, all of that.

But the glimmers of joy Peter was showing at merely the phone conversation, that made her smile. A lot. Even one-sided like this, she could hear the genuine affection flowing, and couldn't - nor wanted to - not be happy for them.
And she knew that whoever was waiting at the end of this journey, she would be able to at least honestly give this - be graceful and nice, no matter how troubled herself, over the love the two men seemed to share.

The sense of humor tinging the older man beside her, too, made her rather look forward to the time with them. (Even if, yes, her thoughts did not quite leave Heru. But he had still been way too weak to awaken, and only gathering his strength slowly, too slowly.)

[too-manysecrets.livejournal.com]

"Brat. You eat it all, you get to get us takeout when we get home." Oh, he didn't know all the intricacies - still - of Paul's family? But he had a pretty good idea that Hathor would be well-received. "I'll see you in an hour, mo chroi."

And he turned to her, slipping his phone back into a pocket. "We can take the BART in, and I'll drive you back out for your car later this evening, if that's alright?" Speed, he thought, was more of the essence than making sure Seti didn't find them. The little calculating part in the back of his mind said that, too, if they ran into any of the others, he would have another situation to view Ellen in. The larger part of him noted that he was already prepared to kick the shit out of anyone who tried to hurt her.

It was odd, actually, how little it took to convince him that Ellen would be good company, and probably even a good friend. Though when the alternative was a variety of insane gods and people who wanted to hurt those who were already his family... perhaps not that surprising after all. Besides. She caught his puns. And joked with him. And spoke Gaelic, even with an off accent. He couldn't help but be pleased by that.

So. To the station, then. A champion escorting a queen. They turned heads, even if they weren't trying.

[mehet-weret.livejournal.com]

Ellen's smile widened at the more teasing, more tenderness. If and when they got to talk about the situation she was in - and she was in little doubt that, when they reached his home, they would, eventually - they would at least understand some. The worry part, at least.

But for now, she inclined her head. "Or if we run late, I can cab out." Driving her out and then back in would mean two hours out for him. Gods or not, this was a long time for the evening with little productive accomplished.

She didn't even consider the possibility of anyone, especially one of them, trying to hurt her right now. Partly because she had lived for so many years without encountering any, until she'd talked with Marek with Set dormant; and then Heru had appeared. But Set, she had always known the danger in and, while cautious with, did not exactly fear. Others... Well. She did not know yet the scope of what was happening, just one aspect of it, and it was engaging her attention with worry for another, rather than herself.

Perhaps she was inattentive or unwary, trusting like this, herself. And yet. Somebody's initial reaction to a surprise with unexpected consequences was telling. Fear, anger, coolness, withdrawal, flight... and Peter had chosen humor, teasing. And not a hurtful variety either.

If they turned heads, she didn't quite register it. Partly because the context of the situation made it expected and normal; partly because - well. It would have just ruined the effect, would it not?

Her next question was ordinary enough for being in public. "Have you been here long?"

[too-manysecrets.livejournal.com]

He nodded. A cab would work as well, and be private enough that he wouldn't worry.

It was his job to consider all possibilities, both in this life and as a champion for his kingdom. And so Peter worried, and planned for worst case scenarios, and hoped none of them would be needed. And, too, it was his purview to know as much as possible, from Heru's oddities to Set possessing his daughter's boyfriend to how to pun in various languages.

He always considered the possibility that his judgment was wrong, but he didn't think so, in this case. There was a blend of personalities (or perhaps a lack of the mortal personality to speak of?) that he'd never seen save with Paul. And that was reassuring, and even increased his own ability to merge Peter with Ogma, with that example.

It would have ruined the effect, and so he only barely registered it. Taking it as his due.

And that question brought back memories he would rather not think about, but he could put a good face on it. "A little over ten years, with a few years spent traveling back and forth before that. Yourself?"

[mehet-weret.livejournal.com]

And he would have more to consider yet, pieces of the puzzle falling together. Not that there was too much to a mystery of her and how she was tied up together with the incarnation she had caused to exist, she would talk about that readily enough. It was the whole of the rest.

"Oh. Weeks only, really. Settling down about - as I said, starting a doctorate here." There was a faint tinge of amusement to her voice. "See, nobody takes any sort of anthropologist or archaeologist seriously unless she or he has a doctorate in something, somewhere. After meeting an old friend here when I was just passing though, I thought it would be as good a place as any." Of course, there were old friends and old friends - and she'd used the phrase semi-consciously, just registering that it was true, not quite so much how appropriate it was. Or that it could be interpreted in this situation as it not had been, genuinely, in all of Ellen's life.

Oh she had a lot to get used to now. Keeping it honest - and she was - might help.

[too-manysecrets.livejournal.com]

And oh, did Peter like puzzles. Probably that was another of the reasons he liked Ellen, when you got down to it: she added another piece into the game of divinity, and not one that would throw the board into disarray, either.

Wry laugh, "Nobody takes anybody seriously these days without a doctorate in something, sadly. Not unless they manage to shine in other ways." A bit of an implicit compliment to her, there. Eyebrow arching a little at the 'old friend' remark. "An old friend?" Guessing that there weren't many in her mortal life who would cause her to decide to plant roots that quickly. And if it was one of the others... better to know sooner than later.

[mehet-weret.livejournal.com]

Ellen shrugged. "What little I have managed to get published has been reasonably accepted, partly because I took care to have it very firmly planted in facts, and partly flying a bit on my father's name." Ellen's father. "But they all have so much of how it was, wrong? I think for the real work I'd dreamed up, I'd need to really have the groundwork steady." Which all seemed a bit distant already, somehow, with Heru's offer. If he should be allowed to try it.

She looked straight ahead for a bit, then her eyes turned to Peter again. "Yes, one of us. The first time I ever met one, this time around - and he was dormant inside. My presence did not even really stir him up. But since... he has a long history of attracting trouble, I thought I might come and try to keep an eye around him. We have not much conflicted in the past, possibly I could contain things, should there be a need." Not looking for confrontation but alleviation. She'd thought it possible.

Hathor had not put it quite in such terms before, not even for herself - but with knowing came responsibility and she was not one to turn her back to that, not unless she was in a blood rage or major despair, and both of those were exceptions to a long time of being who she was, rather than the rule.

But it was an area where he had been for a while, and it was fair to answer honestly.

[too-manysecrets.livejournal.com]

Faint, wry smile at that. "Oh, yes. I suppose you have a few contacts in the British Isles?" Peter? Plot? Surely not. The half-mischievous, half-entirely serious glance down at her probably told her exactly what he had in mind.

And her next words chased all thought of enlightening the masses from his mind. "Be careful, with that one. He's long attracted trouble, yes, but he's even more... unstable, this time around." He would not see Set hurt yet another of their number. "I think the rest of that is best discussed in private," as the train came rattling into the stop, and they boarded.

Somehow, he thought that if she'd met Set? Heru hadn't been far behind. Or wouldn't be. Which thought made Peter a bit more ill at ease, gaze taking in as much of the car as possible in one go.

I will leave the state of the train and its inhabitants either up to you, or up to tomorrow's tag(s). Tired kitty is tired.

[mehet-weret.livejournal.com]

Her first reaction was to the latter words, head tilting slightly to the side... Peter knew whom she was talking about. . "I know. I've seen." They were both unstable, and it was just sending her to think of the still form barely pulsing with divine life at the moment, and she could just nod a little, eyes at the fast-moving scenery outside the window. "And yes. Better in private." Which is why she had not named names, not given any specifics. It was ... busy enough, there. Although she was certain that if there were any other presences, between the two of them, they would know way before they could be overheard.

And since she knew where Heru was, his appearance or interference right then wasn't something she thought of as a reason to worry.

Then she made herself shake it off, and thought back to the comment from earlier. Her voice was determinedly lighter - small...ish talk now. Serious discussion later. "On the Isles? Oh, only my father - not that he really spends too much time there - and those he's introduced me to. Well, and the rest of his family, but I don't think either of my siblings will factor in the field for... almost another decade or so."

Whatever else happened, she was positive tonight would give much food for thought.

[too-manysecrets.livejournal.com]

He sighed, worry lines creasing the corners of his eyes. More than just for Ellen, much more than he would worry for himself. Honestly, he didn't see her as... a threat at all, next to Set's presence. "That one will be a long story; I hope we won't be keeping you from your studies?" Turning, as she was, to smaller talk.

"Oh, well." Smiling a little, and only a bit forced. "Perhaps in the next lifetime I can help to educate the masses in a similar way to what you're doing. Though giving lectures on linguistic anthropology and the like... is both amusing for myself, and helpful toward that goal now." Laying the groundwork, as it were. Peter was nothing if he did not play the long game.

[mehet-weret.livejournal.com]

She smiled slightly, trying to appease the worry a little at least. "No, no problem at all. I can barely concentrate right now on the work as it should be formed to have effect. I even," slightly deeper smile, with wry amusement, "almost didn't show up for the lecture; only did because I'd meant to, earlier." Before Heru showed up.

"I'm... glad I did. You do very well to get your points across." Eyes smiling up at him a little, voice pitched lower, just enough amusement in her voice so that even if somebody overheard, it could be considered as a jest, a speculation. "You can... have you been able to pick on doing something from one lifetime to another?" Although, from what she had seen of him and the subtle ways in which he affected things, she suspected if anyone could figure that out, it might easily be him. Or he might be one of those who would figure it out. Something like that.