<P> Shifting Times (Shiana, Alcyone, & Echo)

[Frigoris]

Shiana had gotten that pained, vaguely constipated, look on her face again, Alcyone noticed. The harpy gave a mental sigh and turned away, busily adjusting the strap on her mailbag and pretending not to have noticed.

With any other person, Alcyone's gossip senses would have kicked into high gear and she wouldn't be satisfied until she pecked out the what's and the why's and every last juicy detail behind the troubled expression. But this was Shiana, and Shiana was her friend.

It was an odd thing for Alcyone to respect privacy -- normally the harpy didn't care about social niceties like that, but pestering Shiana and seeing that pained look on her friend's face deepen as she reluctantly talked... Well, Shiana would tell her in her own time. Alcyone had discovered it was kind of nice being a confidant instead of a gossip hunter.

Sometimes, anyway. Alcyone would probably explode into bits of feather and fluff if she had to patiently wait for everyone to tell her things.

"Sure thing." She replied with a sharp look at Shiana. Alcyone hadn't missed that note of apprehension in her friend's voice. Was Shiana...? Argh, no, it was better to wait. "I'm curious to see this spaceport myself!" She said instead. "It sounds interesting!"

Alcyone then turned and scuttled eagerly towards the building where Echo resided. At least she wouldn't have to wait much longer to find out the reason behind her courier trip to Wellhaven -- she hoped anyway.  

[A Wandering Esper]

Echo knew that Shiana and Alcyone were coming well before they entered her sight - their voice easily audible to her, and familiar, now.

Music was in the gardens, as she most often was, when she was not teaching or watching over her own children, as little of it that the required of her now.

Glyph's party had been a success, through it had tired her - she had never expended her power so fully, and for so long, before. Maybe it was simply a matter of getting used to it once more.

To learn, again.

Still, she pretended not to notice. Echo did not want the two to think she had been spying on their conversation, and continued to tune her harp. She had only caught the last few words, as it was.

Still, she was quick to look up and smile when the two women finally came into view. "Alcyone ! Shiana !" Music called out for her companions, eager to have them join her.  

[Sosiqui]

Shiana's head jerked up at her Lady's call, concern vanishing from her expression as she smiled in relief. "Lady Music," she called back, stepping off the path and picking up her pace - not quite running, but certainly walking swiftly to the goddess' side.  

[Frigoris]

Alcyone hopped along, trying to keep pace with Shiana before giving up and taking flight. She flew to Echo's side and perched on a flowering hedge next to the goddess. "Hi Echo." She said, grinning somewhat irreverently at the goddess of music.

The harpy meant no disrespect, of course, Alcyone liked Echo just fine, it just still was difficult to wrap her bird-brained mind around the idea of full on gods walking around in the flesh, even after all that she had seen. It was easier just to treat them like any other person.

And besides, bowing and scraping just wasn't Alcyone's style.

"I delivered your message and Captain Ghavaliel had a return one for you." Alcyone rooted through her bag once again, "Here you go." She handed the sealed envelope to Echo, trying not to be too obviously curious about what was written within.  

[A Wandering Esper]

Both Shiana's polite greeting and Alcyone's more down to earth one were received with the same joy. Where some might have seen disrespect in the harpy's demeanor, Echo saw none. It was the meaning behind the words and action that mattered, and not the words and the actions themselves.

"Thank you for doing this, again. I hope that did not disturb your day too much ?" There was genuine concern in Music's voice as she accepted the return letter, setting to open it. Mostly because she knew how curious Alcyone was - and she had not peeked in, as Echo knew she would not.

"Hm." Her own face turned pensive. "Seems like the initial location of the shrine that will be built in my honor will not work out, after all." It was no big deal for her - she was certain another location could be found easily enough, and would be just as lovely.

Meant that she would have to go there again, but that certainly was not a problem, either.

"And how are you, Shiana ?" Echo patted the space at her other side, inviting the asari to join them properly.  

[Sosiqui]

"I am quite well, Lady," Shiana said, feeling all her worries bleed away in the goddess' presence. "Is there anything I can assist you with?" She would quite happily lose herself in Music's service; truly, doing so was easier than making plans for herself. There was so much doubt when she did that, but none at all when she awaited her Lady's command.