xp_logs | Nathan and Medusa, Monday at lunch

Over lunch, Nathan and Medusa chat about her happy news.

"... so I'm curious," Nathan said, a definite twinkle in his gray eyes as the waitress brought them their coffees and the bill. "Is this going to be a long engagement? I imagine there are a number of considerations involved, given the exalted status of the bride and groom..." He was teasing, mostly, but he was also curious.

"Hopefully it will be shorter than the courtship," Medusa replied, a slight twinkle in her own green eyes. "We are not setting a precise date yet, but it will take us at least a year to get through all the formal events and obligations of the engagement."

"I had at least a little taste of the formalities that come with marrying a spouse of high rank," Nathan said with a sudden, warm grin, remembering his own wedding day. "Even if Moira and I did do things rather backwards and I was tasteless enough to be marrying Lady Kinross when she was six months pregnant."

Medusa arched an eyebrow at that comment. She had known that Moira had been pregnant when she and Nate married; she hadn't known that Nathan was so flip about broadcasting it. "I do not even want to imagine the scandal that would have brought the prince and I. The tabloids would have had a field day." Not to mention the fact that she didn't plan on having children for quite some time.

No scandalizing the future queen, Dayspring. "No tabloids in Northern Scotland, thank goodness. Just many gossiping and strong-minded middle-aged women. I'm not actually sure what's worse." Grinning again, he toasted her with the coffee cup. "Augh, I feel old. When the younger generation starts proposing and accepting..."

"When your daughter is the one being proposed to and accepting, that is when you should truly feel old," Medusa said, picking up her coffee and taking a small sip.

Nathan raised a hand. "Please don't even go there. There was a cute little blond kid offering her his shovel in the sandbox at the park the other day. I very nearly had to interrogate him as to his intentions."

"What? You require a guarantee that he will make an honest woman of her before you would allow Rachel to take his shovel?" Medusa's eyes sparkled and she held up her free hand. "Do not worry, I will now deftly change the subject to maintain my life's safety and that of all those in the nearby vicinity before your head explodes." She paused briefly, resting her hand back on the table and tapping one finger. "Perhaps I should speak with Moira about her experiences with planning a wedding."

"Ours was large. Quite nice, but very large. I would think, though, that for you, the key would be to choose an appropriate wedding planner?" Nathan gave her an innocent look, sipping at his own coffee. "Or is there an official royal wedding planner?"

"A wedding planner?" Medusa said with a slight laugh. "Try several. I am sure they have already decided that I would look delightful in ivory and that the palace should be filled with hyacinths and roses, only in shades complementing my hair of course."

"This all sounds more than a little frightening. Please tell me you at least get some say in the arrangements?" Nathan asked, his eyes dancing. "Your dress, at least?"

"I believe I have veto power, at the very least," Medusa said. "So there will be no huge pink ribbons anywhere near the ceremony." Medusa shrugged, her smile growing slightly less joking and more dreamy. "I do not think it really matters how it is done though, so long as we are married."

"It is the end result that counts, isn't it?" Nathan asked, his eyes warm as he watched her. Carefully guarded her mind might be, but he didn't need to go poking to know that look in her eyes. "I'm very happy for you, in case I hadn't mentioned that explicitly yet."

"Thank you," the redhead said. "It is something I can never hear too much." Medusa took another sip of her coffee before setting the mug on the table. "I am glad that you and Moira will be joining us. It is a shame you have yet to see my home."

"I've been wanting to for... well, for most of the year," Nathan said with a soft laugh. "But you know me and my undying enmity for the idea of vacations... I don't get to my own island often enough, let alone someone else's."

"Yes, I was beginning to fear I might have to stage a national disaster in order to get you to visit. As for taking a vacation, I do warn you that I plan on blocking your access to a laptop or the internet during the weekend as whatever is occurring at Elpis can wait." Medusa again used the tone of voice that made it virtually impossible to tell whether she was kidding or deadly serious.

"All of the redheads in my life are so managing. I think it goes along with the gene for that particular hair color."