"I don't know but you might try going to the commander if your boys give you trouble enough you'd like them executed."

"No!  No, I definitely do not like this."

"Then you haven't got to make a fuss, but you'd better tell them to leave Cecília well alone."

This does not get her any closer to knowing what makeafuss is but if she has to say any more words about Mysterious Death Sex she may explode.  She nods again, and thank all the gods Mending is coming to the tricky bit and she can just focus on the spell for a while.  Last few nudges, and the chip pops into place, and the bit that's like Prestidigitation's single-minded older cousin if shapes had cousins, and hold the energy flow steady as it fuses into place and the crack closes up.  She makes sure the last of the resonance has settled out, picks the spellform back off it, and puts Dish As It Should Be back on its stack of nearly-identical fellows, then pulls Prestidigitation back into her mind's eye and starts clearing the melting snow off the floor without waiting to be told.

The cook nods smartly and goes back to making stew.

And once she's done with the puddle she'll slip out to find the guys and drag them back to the guest room so she can relay this incredibly awkward conversation in private.

(Has anyone told her how long she's expected to be on dish duty for, or can she hide someplace and go over her notes after that?)

She was not told specifically but she can probably guess from other information available in the fort that she's probably expected for about ten hours.

Ugh fine she can be responsible even though her new spells are right there.

Meanwhile, Omar, being oldest and wisest and decent at Taldane and having drawn the short straw will go see when the commander is next free.

He has time for their visiting adventurers as soon as he's done taking an after-action report from a patroller. "Yes?"

"We thank you for fort hospitality, hope no demons but fight if come."  Noor shifts on his shoulder and he offers her a hand down so she can patrol the office and sniff at things.  "Question we do ask: when no demons, how much fort rules, how much party rules?"

"Do you want a copy of the Worldwound treaty?"

"Uh... maybe?"  He absolutely does not want to drag himself through pages of bureaucratese in any language, Tariq understands more Taldane than he bothers to speak but isn't much of a reader even in Osiriani, Khalida could probably find the relevant bits but good luck dragging her away from her books long enough...  

"Treaty speaks of- inside fort, not only nations?  We do not think to come here, cannot before ask what most ask if- think come here or other place.  Maybe not know things others know all."

"The treaty covers how I must treat you as a guest in my fort, including which of my rules I can require you to obey. Is there... a problem, or do you only need to know for general purposes?"

"No, no problem."  So much for the clever plan.  "Khalid speaks to cooks, they say new Lastwall rules, Khalid does not know these rules...?"

"- ah. Do you want a copy of the Lastwall disciplinary handbook?"

Dammit Khalida why can't you clean up your own messes Omar is a responsible man and can handle this.  

"If everyone in fort uses Lastwall rules, then yes?  But forbidden things are words Khalid not knows, ask if forbidden with cooks only or forbidden also in party."  (Noor goes 'mrer' and jumps back into his lap, having noticed that Her Human is a bit stressed and seizing the opportunity to demand scritches.)  "...Thinks forbidden is maybe marriage matters."

"The Lastwall handbook mandates execution for rape. Do you know that word?"

"Ah.  No.  It is this word and also mekafus, this is question."  Noor is getting so many scritches.  

"...mekafus I don't recognize, but rape is when," he pulls out his Lastwall disciplinary handbook. "...I will try to simplify the words, but have not practiced doing that. Rape is sex that happens even though someone does not want it, or if you could not tell if they wanted it because they are in a situation where they would be scared and lie. If someone under my command does that, I have to execute them."

"Ah.  Thank you explain.  This not in party."

"I am relieved to hear it. There was a... report, not too long ago, and I had to try and execute several of my men, but nothing since then."

Omar nods, and-

Noor is DONE with scritches now and abruptly launches herself into the corner of the room to pounce on a bug or possibly a shadow.  Omar is instantly alert but it's evidently kittenish attention span and not a threat, and he sighs a bit sheepishly and returns his focus to the conversation.  "Handbook is good, I think, to scout in case, but if Lastwall rules are most city rules, we have no problem."

The commander recasts his Guidance. "That is good. If you ask whoever is on Scrivening duty for a copy of the handbook, the treaty, or both, they will be able to provide one for you to borrow."

"I will ask this.  And I will tell Tariq, we do not go to kitchen.  Wish for cooks to not scared."

"Thank you. I did not expect you to want to go into the kitchen, I apologize for not having said you should avoid it."