Lorgar slipped like a golden streak of light into the night, quietly passing through the solemn, silent gates and corridors around the Imperial Palace, guarded by powerful Stasis Fields and ancient Runes, before finally entering a relatively "inner" area.
The light here remained steady and gentle, and the air was so clean that it held not a trace of the dust outside on Terra. Yet the ever-present, oppressive weight of the Imperium's seat of power seemed to have eased just a little.
At least, that was true in the presence of one particular being.
He had only just entered a relatively secluded corridor leading to his temporary quarters when a voice struck his senses without warning. Its teasing mischief was utterly at odds with the speaker's status, like a naughty child who had been waiting for him for ages.
"Well, well—"
The voice drew out the greeting, its majestic, calm facade unable to conceal its amusement.
"Back from your 'date' in Terra's rubble with that silver-haired, blue-eyed 'little girlfriend' of yours?"
The voice came from beside an open archway on one side of the corridor, leading to a small viewing terrace.
The Emperor leaned casually against the doorframe, his simple golden armor gleaming softly beneath the corridor's dusky blue lighting.
An exceedingly rare, openly amused smile rested on his face. His golden eyes shone with the delight of someone who never minded stirring up trouble as he studied the newly returned Lorgar with keen interest, as though watching an entertaining play.
"..."
Lorgar stopped dead, freezing as though an invisible sledgehammer had struck him square in the face.
The instant he heard "little girlfriend" and "date," his bronze face, usually so composed or imposing, visibly twisted. The corners of his mouth twitched uncontrollably, and his golden eyes widened in disbelief,