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The meeting with the Queen-Mother comes and goes, meanwhile Lambert is having his clothing made and Kai is sizing up Bucky for Asgardian fashion. Once the tailors have Bucky at their mercy, Kai wanders off. Elf's gotta Elf. He gets looks, the Elf does. He's a winsome creature in his regalia, so nicely presented. He doesn't seem to notice. He has eyes for Loki alone.
Kai happens to be near the door to the Queen's sitting room. What he's doing there is anyone's guess, but when Strange steps out, there is the Elf with a drink in hand admiring a tapestry.
Emerging from his discussion with the Queen-Mother is one Sorcerer Supreme of Earth — and he is wearing one of the most smugly-satisfied expression he's possibly ever worn in the brief expanse of his mortal existance. Oh yes — cat in the cream, this one. A few quick steps causes the Cloak to billow behind him almost luxuriouly before he slows upon noticing Kai.
"Ah, Master Alfsson. You're…here, of all places." A dark eyebrow rises. He glances to the door he just left and the pair of guards and then back. "Sight-seeing…?" he asks, a little drily.
"Eyvindrson," Kai says. "Here, they call me Hjuki Eyvindrson." He then admits, "I've been Kai Alfsson for so long, though, it's more familiar to me." He's all innocence in the face of that rising brow. "Just looking around the palace. It might be my home one day. Where my lord goes, I follow." He smiles prettily. "And you? How did your meeting with the Queen-Mother go? You seem pleased."
"Eyvindrson," Strange echoes quietly, and perhaps Kai feels the strum along the Name itself. The man's mantle does have its perks and powers. "Duly noted. The meeting went…very well," and he lifts hands briefly in a contented shrug of sorts. "I'm leaving with more knowledge than I intended to receive and without a bond or debt. It was offered freely and that, my Elvish friend, is refreshing in the world of the Mystic Arts."
He glances both directions down the length of hall and then back to Kai. "I see you've left Barnes in the tender care of the…tailors, I assume?"
Kai's tapered ear twitches. Names have power, and when spoken by a power in his own right… It might be coincidence, but the Elf stands up a bit straighter. "I've heard the Queen-Mother is the very heart of generosity and compassion," he says. "Here's to hoping," he adds. "I haven't met her yet." Getting in good with the mom is his preferred modus operandi.
His grin broadens, and he inclines his head as he says, "He's getting a fresh new look, and it'll be good for him. Due to oaths and past circumstance, he's got as much a place here as anyone. I just thought it would be nice if he were permitted to look the part." All innocence, this one.
"Mmm. Of course you thought it would be nice for Barnes," and Strange gives Kai a knowing little smile. He gestures with his head for Kai to follow along as he begins a conversational walking pace down the hall, heading for the main maze itself and eventually for the large room that doubles as the mead-hall — that's where the real party's at, of course. "And it has nothing to do with gussying him up for anyone else at all. How magnanimous of you." His general good mood takes the edge from his words and turns them to light paffs of verbal sparring instead.
"Yes, the Queen-Mother is kind to share her time and wisdom with me. I am blessed to be able to speak with her as I do. She enlightens me regularly."
Kai falls into step with Strange, his posture straight and his gait elegant. He's had home training. Someone somewhere put quite a bit of time and effort into teaching him to be a gentleman. He's learned well. He won't let her know that, but here he is, quite the noble creature. "If his new look happens to please his lady, what a happy coincidence," he says.
He sighs wistfully. "I hope she'll like me," he says. "That's my mother-in-law, for all intents and purposes. I don't know what Loki has told them, but word is all over the palace by now." He's not wrong. Whisperings of the Prince and his Elvish 'companion' have even reached the Queen-Mother. Who may or may not have asked after Strange's impressions of the Elf.
"Oh! I thought you might like to know that Billy is here," he says in a low tone so as not to let his voice carry. "In the safest hands, of course."
"She did — " And then Kai begins to speak. The Sorcerer drops to silence to listen to what he has to say and then pulls up short. 6'2" suddenly seems about an inch taller yet and there's a faint glow about the man's irises now of frosted-lilac. "My…son…is here…in Asgard? Without my prior knowledge of this situation?"
His voice remains pitched low as well, but with a brittle delicacy of enunciation. "Were you responsible for this?" He asks even lower yet, his voice nearly graveling out. "Whose. Hands."
Kai looks up at Strange, and it's either confidence or foolishness, but he doesn't show any outward worry. Perhaps his thinking is if he shows no outward worry, Strange will see there is nothing to worry about. "I invited him," he says, "but I didn't compel him nor force his hand. I figured he's a grown man." In Kai's defense, back when he was around Billy's age, children grew up fast and didn't really have childhoods to speak of.
Still, sensing Strange's tension (that's one word for it), he says, "I will keep him safe. He's a guest of the Princes. No one would dare harm him. If they knew who he is, which they don't."
"They sure as the seven hells should not know who he is," Strange growls back. He doesn't point a finger or do any sort of threatening gesture. Nope: it's all about the menacing glower, which is parried wisely by Kai's outwardly-calm air. "Who is claiming his safety then, you or the Princes by merit of guest status? One of them, both of them? I would know because I do not allow unnecessary risk to come to my children." Boy — who would have thought that, one day, he would have his feathers so heavily ruffled by offspring he never would have predicted to exist?
Offspring. That's how they get you. Kai replies gravely, out of respect for a parent's concern, "No one need know what is none of their affair. My lips are sealed." That said, he goes on to explain, "Officially my little retinue are guests of all the Princes, and they are afforded the privileges and protections thereof. Further, I will see that no harm comes to him. I invited him because he's my friend. No other reason, no agenda." He shrugs, all innocence, and in this, there's no affectation. He might genuinely mean it.
Kai gives a casual glance around. Eavesdroppers aren't welcome, and he sees none. "I didn't know if he would tell you or not, and I'm not being a good friend for ratting him out, but you're one of my dearest friends, and I can't keep things like this from you."
The Sorcerer Supreme listens. Back and forth goes the man's jaw, squeak-squeak go the teeth all the while. Tension headache, incoming. He inhales and exhales slowly when Kai is finished, as if centering himself. The light about his irises fades away noticeably even as he looks around as if making doubly certain no one's listening in or seeing him get visibly flustered.
"Thank you for telling me, Master Eyvindrson, about Billy. You're not ratting him out. I don't intend to speak to him unless need necessitates. He is…" Stephen almost seems hesitant to continue, but does. "He is an adult, by my determination. It was his decision to come."
Kai nods as he says, "That it was, and though I would protect him as my friend, his safety means more to me still because he's precious to you." That's the problem, Billy. Kai will have always known Strange longer and more. Kai chances a smile as he adds, "I'll make sure he has fun. Normal, harmless fun. Besides, I've got to be on my best behavior, too. I'm trying to overturn a sentence and meet the in-laws."
He glances this way and that, then says, "Speaking of, did you put in a good word for me?" He looks ever hopeful up at the Sorcerer Supreme.
There is no way Strange can not roll his eyes at the inquiry, not so soon on the tail end of the recent information granted to him about his son's presence here — SURPRISE!!! — but it's a little roll, not some grandiose gesture.
"Kai…" he grumbles, holding out the vowel a little longer than necessary to impart just the right amount of pique. "I did not visit to speak to her about you, you know that." Still…he relents and adds, almost tartly, "I put in a good word for you, yes, when she asked after you."
Kai takes it all with good nature. Goodness knows he's used to hearing his name spoken with pique. It's a wonder he hears his name spoken any other way. "Sure, sure," he says as Strange explains the purpose of his business has nothing to do with Kai. He accepts this!
Then Strange relents, and Kai beams. It's a smile that lights up a room, at least proverbially. He stops himself from hugging Strange, but only just. Instead, he clasps his hands together, bouncing a little where he stands. "You're the best, my friend. The absolute best."
"The absolute best, hmm?" The Sorcerer then continues walking down the hall, glancing back to make sure that Kai's tagging along in his merry way. "I suppose…you're welcome to remind me at any time." Oh Sorcerers, so prideful and full of themselves. The pious and humble practitioner is a rare thing indeed.
"Well, that is the majority of the reason for my visitation complete then," he says, almost to himself. He glances to the Alfheimian. "I assume you're going to stay on another few days?"
Kai catches up and falls into step with Strange, inasmuch as he can with a shorter gait. "I will remind you every chance I get," Kai says. "I will paint your portrait. I will weave a tapestry to your glory." Here he goes feeding that pride.
He nods to Strange's question. "Yes, a few more days, and then I am going to throw a party in Alfheim at my grandmother's manor. We'll show these Midgardians how to properly celebrate."
"I'm certain that I'll hear stories. Your grandmother is a kind host, to have the party within her property. If her manor is anything like what I've observed in passing in years past, it will be one hell of a shindig." They pass by an alcove leading into a small sitting room and Strange nods respectfully to the Asgardian women within before looking back at Kai with a a mostly-muted smile.
"Still…you know how Wanda would feel about a tapestry," and then he laughs. Despite his truthful point, there's curiosity with pricked ears. Just how noble would he look in a woven tapestry? It's tempting. Terribly so.
Kai says blithely, "I haven't told her." He inclines his head to the Asgardian women, who aren't unaware of the Elf's looks, or the handsome bearing of the Doctor, though they have the dignity not to show it too much. Kai smiles at them broadly.
Turning back to Strange, Kai says, "She would admire it, of course," Kai insists. "Especially if I put her in it, too. I'll make a tapestry to your love."
"You would really do that, Kai?" Color the Sorcerer truly surprised, from the tip of his nose to his toes. "…I mean, really, no, don't — " He laughs because he can't help it, this is unreal. " — please don't worry about that kind of thing, I was joking more than anything else. I sincerely don't know how Wanda would feel about a tapestry, much less with herself in it." He raises a hand and motions back and forth to acccent his point. "Don't dedicate the time to any such thing. However," and he gives the Elf a considering glance. "Throwing a party at your grandmother's manor without her permission isn't going to win her favor…though I doubt you needed me to tell you this."
"If you insist," Kai says lightly. "But if you ever change your mind, it'll be my pleasure to immortalize you in any medium." Careful, the Elf might commit art. He's done it before. He glances sidelong at the Doctor as they walk, and he says, "Oh, I've never had her favor. I'm a disappointment all around. However, when I get my parents out of prison, a homecoming without a celebration would be unseemly. She'd never turn it down." And there's nothing the Elf loves more when it comes to his grandmother than hoisting her by her own petard. Just look at that cheeky smile.