Aspel/Ari/Drake - FAIRLY LATE
"Well then, all seems to be well in hand and we may as well move on from this topic of conversation," Ari said. Preferably to a topic that didn't have Aspel floundering (and why she would be was another question altogether, but one not meant for this particular moment) and unrelated to Vivi's misfortune.
She had just the thing.
"I saw Kiernan earlier," she said, attempting to steer the topic away from any possibly distressing matters. "We had ourselves a very nice fantasy in which the most pretentious of the nobles -- present company, of course, not among their number -- were sent on a camping trip without caviar and champagne. Possibly without butlers. It gave us a few very good laughs. Kiernan's miffed noble impression is really quite spot on, actually. Have you heard it?" She grinned. "I will be the first to admit that I would be almost as miserable as lady so-and-so if forced to sleep in a tent, but imagining such trials upon other -- less pleasant -- people really cheered me up."