Medieval: the Kingdom of Kyth

[Shinko]

Morgaine grinned broadly at Leif's comment about Medievillian winters. "Honestly the first year I lived here I wasn't too much bothered by the cold. I'd wanted to see real snow since I was a young girl, and it was an oddly theraputic experience. But aye, once I got past the novelty in the next few winters the cold was far and away my least favorite aspect of living here. Your blood will thicken, just give it a few years. In the meantime, try taking a pair of wool gloves and cutting the fingers off of them. It'll keep your knuckles and wrists warm while you're doing fiddly things with your hands like writing, but it won't impede your dexterity."

The old woman watched with amusement as Rust leaned into Leif's touch while he talked about Sieg. "I think you'll find that if you asked him about it, he would probably be baffled by the notion that you owe him anything. His father- my husband- was much the same way about his knight work while he was alive. To Sieg saving people's lives is just what he's meant to do."

She shifted her weight so that she was leaning against the back of a nearby chair. "To be fair, one could make the argument that all he did was repay you for saving my life. Certainly he was tearing himself up with guilt for not having been there when the Courdonian tried to rob me. Though from what I've gleaned he didn't know you were involved with that at the time of the Coronation- he'd still probably call it karma. And I'm not inclined to disagree with him. Don't think I've forgotten my lifedebt, Master Leif."

Morgaine laughed outright as Leif tried to pick up Rust, only for the cat to writhe in his grip. “So what brought you here? I was under the impression you weren't a fan of all his... ceremony.”

As he spoke his grip on the cat was worsening, and taking pity on him Morgaine pulled the animal from his grasp.

"Here, let me help. It's easier if you hold them so that their rump is resting in your elbow while their front end is leaning over your other arm- see?" she demonstrated. "That way they feel more secure because you're supporting their weight, so they won't try to squirm free."

She didn't return Rust to her shoulder immediately, instead letting the cat remain in the cradle of her arms. "To answer your question, I came mostly because my partner wanted to. She loves celebrations and happy events, and honestly I couldn't begrudge her with everything she dealt with last year. I don't know if anyone's mentioned this to you, but one of the Courdonian princes wanted to take her back to Courdon as a concubine. She was rather terrified because she knew neither of us had the authority or political sway to oppose him. He was the one who had Sieg pushed off the cliff when you found him."

Morgaine petted Rust's head. "Though honestly I have no objections to a celebration. Especially when it's obvious that Lord Joffery and Princess Hope are genuinely fond of each other. It's politics I have no appetite for. Pomp and circumstance meant to flaunt one's wealth and prestige." She grinned ruefully. "I am not a total stick-in-the-mud, despite what some people seem to think."

* * * * *

Sieg heard the unmistakeable voice of Alain Stallion, and his head snapped around so hard he heard his neck pop. Wincing a little, he smiled ruefully up at the Stallion patriarch.

"Ah... hello your Grace. I didn't see you there." He bowed hurriedly, feeling heat spread across the bridge of his nose. His face must have been beet red with his embarrassment.

"I wouldn't call it stealing per se," he went on, trying to regain his composure. "More like... borrowing. And we had every intention of asking for leave before doing anything. It would be entirely improper and a blatant disregard to our duties to do otherwise."

Far from getting his composure back, Sieg realized he was rambling. And he couldn't really blame it on a concussion this time either. He ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "One of these days I need to take a class in not inserting one's foot into their mouth."

SPOILER: Click to show

Morgaine chats right back at Tiger, talking about various topics from climate differences to lifedebt to her opinions on ceremony and politics. She also takes Rust back so Leif doesn't have to deal with squirmy cat. XD

Meanwhile Sieg is caught hugely off guard by Celestial (Alain). He panics and rambles for a bit, before metaphorically bashing his head into the wall because he's an idiot and he knows it. Omni is there too.

[Gelquie]

Elin took a moment to adjust her dress before continuing to make her way through the streets of Medieville, walking towards the base of Raven's Keep. While it wasn't an extravagant dress, she was quite proud of it when she finally got it from the tailor. It was an ebony-colored dress, with some vertical, violet stripes adorning select places. It was a dress that she was finally able to commission, and one that she intended to wear to her nightly meetings with the Shadow Council. But it was nice enough, and one that she figured was good to wear to a wedding.

As one of the Shadows who helped Galateo take the throne, she had been given an invitation to attend, although she figured she could have gotten in through House Jade is all else failed. She was excited to go; it was a good opportunity to talk to those who had helped out in the Shadows all those years ago in a more casual environment. She still was able to keep in touch with her friends in the Shadows, and she tried to find time, but Aldrich and some others were often so busy that meeting up casually was... Hard. So she was glad for the opportunity.

And... It was another chance to do something nice with Xavier. Busy though she may have been, she took the opportunities she could get to see Xavier. It was a task made far easier once she had been officially pardoned by House Ascension, and then moreso when it was made clear that House Jade would not go after any Shadows. Without any more need to hide, their relationship was free to blossom, and to Elin, that was a pleasant relief.

Some of the opportunities she took to see Xavier ended up including magic training. For the past few months, Elin had been working on magic with Leif. It took some urging from Xavier and an official assurance that House Jade wouldn't go after the Shadows, but once that was done, Elin brought her questions to Leif. They were vague at first—their factions were enemies not so long ago—but as time went on, Elin became more open, and it was easier for them to piece things together. It took them some time to figure out what was going on, and what was up with her magic. But the conclusion they drew was... startling, to say the least.

Elin did have magic. She knew as much after she first broke out of jail, but all her previous attempts at magic had ended in abject failure and a few burns. ...That is, unless she was directly mimicking someone else's spellcasting. When questioned on this further, she off-handedly mentioned that she could do pretty much anything with enough focus, as long as she saw someone else do it first, and kept the memory in her head. Hence the drawings in her book; in a pinch, they could remind her of what she needed to do.

They didn't know where it came from, whether it came from a mage somewhere in her bloodline or whether her abilities were a fluke. But somehow, Elin had been born with Mirror Magic. She didn't have a lot of magic potential, this was clear. But there was enough in her that allowed her to be able to copy abilities as long as she was able to hold the techniques in her memory. Whenever she wanted to do something, all she had to do was focus, and then... The magic would help her use the skills she never truly had. She hadn't even realized she had been using it. It didn't occur all the time, and it wasn't an issue for smaller things. But whenever there was a big task, or she felt like doing something bigger...

She hadn't realized that being able to do things like that wasn't normal when it was first brought up to the Shadows some years ago. It took another Shadow to point this out that she started to realize that it wasn't. Even so, she didn't think it was a big deal, or that it had a magical source. But the other Shadows saw the opportunity, and her talents became a huge part of the Shadows' plans. And it came very much in handy in the final battle, recalling the fighting skills she had observed, being able to use a sword in spite of her lack of training.

A part of Elin suspected, however, that using her ability seemed to have some consequences, but it wasn't a conscious realization. She had gotten ill before, with the occasional episode of muscle tension and soreness, headaches, and chest pain. It got more frequent after she came to Medieville, which she and her aunt thought was just stress from losing her little brother and then moving away from her family. But maybe a part of her suspected even though that it might have gotten worse after she started the Shadows, and after she started using her talents more often. Clare urged her to get it treated only to be told by a dumbfounded healer that there was nothing they could do. Even so, it wasn't as much of a problem even then. They weren't frequent enough to take over her life and they never lasted long; she'd be well enough after a good night's sleep. So she just accepted them.

After all, it had never gotten so extreme before the day of the coronation. Nor had it ever—before the day of the coronation—almost killed her.

Eventually, with Leif's help, they were able to not only figure out what her magic was, but had indirectly figured out what was causing those spells of illnesses. Faced with all of this new information, and the fact that her magic was deadly to her, that she could have literally worked herself to death... She accepted that she needed help. And so the training began.

Work was slow, and after they finally figured out what her magic was, there was only so much that could be done. Mirror magic turned out to be rare, mostly due to the sheer danger that the magic presented to the user. Those who weren't caught early using the magic often suffered tragic, accidental deaths. The idea of looking for a mirror mage trainer was quickly squandered by the fact that no one knew any mirror mage trainers. But it was decided that at the very least, Leif would help her get a hold of her magic so that she would no longer put herself at risk. And to minimize risk, Elin had to take it slowly, sometimes frustratingly slowly. But it was better than nothing.

After many months of training and meditation in just detecting the magic in her and knowing when it was acting, Elin was finally starting to get the hang of it, and could listen to her body's warning signs if she used magic too much. It would be a long road for her... But it was better than dying an early death.

Her thoughts were paused as she found herself at the base of Raven's Keep and in front of the stairs. She took a quick look around before taking a seat on one of the lower steps, resisting the urge to fiddle with the ends of her hair, which she had let down for the event. There was still some time before the wedding, so she allowed herself to relax.

Hopefully, Xavier would arrive soon.

SPOILER: Click to show

Elin--17 now--goes to the base of Raven's Keep to wait for Xavier (Elcie). She flashbacks through the events of the past nine months, with her still keeping in touch with the other Shadows, dating Xavier, and going to magic practice. It turned out that the brand of magic she has is mirror magic, a type of magic that's deadly to the user without training.

[Elcie]

It was very nearly time for the wedding. In his room, Xavier put away his wand, a part of his mind still marvelling at the strangeness of having one. The Courdonian style of spellcasting didn’t often use wands, and even if it had, he’d never have been allowed one. The idea of allowing a slave to cast magic autonomously would have been unthinkable.

But now… now he was going to become a mage in his own right. About a month after the coronation, he’d worked up the courage to tell Leif about his abilities: how Duval had discovered the magic he’d kept secret for most of his life, how he’d hired mages to put Xavier through over a year of rigorous magical conditioning, and how in the end Xavier had all but lost the ability to use magic on his own. They’d done something to the way he channeled magical power, causing it to turn against him; magic use, even accidental, was extraordinarily painful. It had also made him more valuable than the average slave, priming him for use as a tool or a weapon by his master. He could not control his magic on his own, but Duval could use it through him.

(He had not gone into detail about what it had felt like - the violation, the invasiveness of being made to cast by his master’s will, the skin-crawling sense of helplessness. He said none of this, and yet from the look of horror in the archmage’s eyes he thought that Leif probably knew all the same. In Courdon, it was just the way things were for slaves with magical talent and enough strength to survive the conditioning; in Kyth, it was an atrocity.)

They were still not even close to undoing all that Duval’s mages had done to Xavier. It was difficult to unravel, and even Leif was unfamiliar with many of the Courdonian techniques they had used. It still hurt to use his power, and the aversion burned into his mind by the conditioning was even more difficult to ignore. But he was using magic again, and on his own terms, after a lifetime spent either hiding it or being forced to use it. It was yet another way that Duval no longer had a hold on him.

So much had changed since the coronation. Xavier had found himself working closely with Leif and with Galateo’s court, helping bridge the gap between his House and the former rebels. It was not something he could have ever imagined himself doing, but… it was, he realized with some surprise, where he wanted to be. He was doing exactly what he’d wanted to do from the start: helping protect the people and, indeed, the kingdom that had taken him in. And now, he was able to do it openly. No more divided loyalties, no more secrets.

For the first time, Xavier was letting himself open up to others, allowing himself to trust. Nearly the first thing he’d done after the coronation was to go to the King’s Arms, sit with Ilsa almost through the night, and tell her everything. She deserved to know about him, where he’d come from, everything that had happened in the past couple of weeks that he’d had to hide from her… and Ilsa had listened, hugged him close, and told him in no uncertain terms that she would always be there if he needed her. She was not just his employer, Xavier realized, and he wondered why he had never noticed before that Ilsa was his family.

And Xavier had been pleased beyond words to discover Ambrose’s appointment to the position of Royal Advisor. Ambrose deserved it; he was the wisest person Xavier knew… and Xavier was glad he would be staying close by. He admired Ambrose, respected him, and trusted him implicitly. King Galateo could have no better advisor in the world - and Xavier had told Ambrose so when he got the news.

Then there was Elin. Her duties with the Shadows kept her busy, as did his with House Jade, but somehow in the hectic rush of life in Medieville they found time for each other. It was still hard to fathom that she loved him; there was still a part of him that was convinced she deserved better. But she’d made it very clear that she returned his feelings, and with the conflict for the throne concluded, there was nothing keeping them apart. Elin was the first person he told about what the mages had done to him in Talvace, before he’d worked up the courage to ask for Leif’s help. And as the months went on he found himself telling her things he’d never told anyone, even Ilsa - things about Muriel, about Duval, about his scant, fuzzy memories of the mother who’d died when he was a child. With every conversation, with every long-hoarded secret let go, the burden he’d carried as long as he could remember grew a little lighter. He didn’t have to do this alone anymore. Someday, perhaps, he would tell some of these things to Ilsa, to Ambrose. But Elin was the one he trusted the most. He felt so safe with her; he always had.

Xavier flung a dark green cape over his shoulders and fastened it with a clasp that bore House Jade’s phoenix seal. He should probably leave now if he wanted to see Elin before the wedding. Ilsa would be there, as well; Xavier had made sure she received an invitation. It had been a few days since he’d had time to go to the inn and visit her; he’d be glad to see her.

When he reached the stairs to Raven’s Keep, he saw Elin sitting on the steps, wearing a dark-colored dress. She’d let her hair down. A warm feeling settled in his chest at the sight of her, and he realized his heart was beating slightly faster. Not an uncommon occurrence around her. He held out his hand to her and smiled, shy but genuinely happy. “You… you look beautiful, Elin.”

SPOILER: Click to show

Xavier has been practicing his magic before the wedding and puts his wand away, thinking about Tiger and the progress they've made on undoing the damage the Courdonians did to his magic, about Celestial and how glad he is that his friend is the royal advisor, and about Gelquie, who he can still hardly believe is in love with him in return. Once he's finished dressing for the wedding, he goes to Raven's Keep to meet her.

[Tiger]

Morgaine shared her story of winter in Medieville, and Leif sighed in defeat at the news that it would take a few years to adjust. “Well, I suppose it won’t be as much of a shock next time, at least. The snow was very impressive at first,” he admitted, “but I’m tired of having to dress in an army’s worth of clothes and still freezing.” Leif had been very glad to see flowers on his way to the Keep, and to not need a cloak. “I’ll give your glove advice a try - Woo knows every covered inch counts.”

Morgaine went on to speak of Sieg’s attitude toward saving lives, something Leif supposed made sense for a knight...but there was saving people who couldn’t fight back, and saving mages whose spells kept missing, or worse, kept having unintended and dangerous consequences when they struck.

"To be fair,” Morgaine went on, ”one could make the argument that all he did was repay you for saving my life. Certainly he was tearing himself up with guilt for not having been there when the Courdonian tried to rob me. Though from what I've gleaned he didn't know you were involved with that at the time of the Coronation- he'd still probably call it karma. And I'm not inclined to disagree with him. Don't think I've forgotten my lifedebt, Master Leif."

“You don’t owe me any debt, Mrs. Braham. Good karma I will take - ‘Woo knows I need the luck,” he added with a flick of a smile.

To his relief, Leif was rescued from the increasingly squirmy fur-beast by Morgaine. She explained and showed him how to properly hold the animal, to which Leif nodded and grumbled, “If she hadn’t been melting and trying to go in two different directions…”

"To answer your question, I came mostly because my partner wanted to. She loves celebrations and happy events, and honestly I couldn't begrudge her with everything she dealt with last year. I don't know if anyone's mentioned this to you, but one of the Courdonian princes wanted to take her back to Courdon as a concubine.” Leif tensed. ”She was rather terrified because she knew neither of us had the authority or political sway to oppose him. He was the one who had Sieg pushed off the cliff when you found him."

“Cornelio, I assume.” Leif wrinkled his nose. “May all the Courdonian nobility find themselves sunk into the ‘Pit.” He had begrudgingly started trying to learn more about Courdonian politics, since, as everyone in the kingdom seemed to be saying, the current peace would hold only as long as King Rafe, and Rafe was not going to be around for very long. As with just about everything Leif learned about Courdon, there was a lot of nastiness to be found. Rumors about Cornelio were particularly repugnant. “I’m sorry he went after your partner. ...That would explain why Sieg went looking for him specifically.”

Leif put his hands together and bowed his head at Morgaine’s correction. “My apologies for misjudging. Hatred of politics I can certainly agree with you on...given the summer’s political charge I guess I can see why you wouldn’t seem fond of fancy events. I am beyond glad that that’s all over.” Leif looked around the courtyard, thinking that everybody looked much more relaxed than they had at any of the ceremonies...with the possible exception of the feast, where the salty wine had apparently been to everyone’s taste.

He spotted something else, too. “Hm - the Grand Duke’s found your son. You might want to check on Sieg when he’s done, it has to have been months since he’s teased a Corvid in-person.”

SPOILER: Click to show

Leif talks more to Morgain (Shinko) and fails to hold a kitty. He notices Alain talking to Sieg and remarks to Morgaine that it must have been a while since he’s been able to troll anyone from Corvus.

[Lizica]

Once in the Kingdom of Kyth, there dwelt a man named Galateo Owl. Galateo, or Aldrich, as many called him, was a strange king of greatly unremarkable appearance, adorned with scruffy, balding hair, a hint of a beard, a pert nose, and pale brown eyes that grew very wide when something amazed him. (And often was he amazed.) And while he was not yet elderly, Aldrich had the misfortune of forever appearing older than he was, for he was usually covered in a thin layer of white dust.

This white dust, originating from the king’s chambers, had been continually swept up and swept up by servants of House Ascension to little avail until Aldrich had finally told them they should stop. Now, by most accounts, this ever-swirling dust should not have been present in the king’s chambers at all; upon his arrival to the Raven’s Keep many months prior, Aldrich’s great multitude of sculptures and pottery had been generously provided a spacious room to themselves three floors below his own. Yet little by little, the sculptures each wound their way upstairs, until finally the king’s quarters were as crowded as his studio had been back in the Merchants’ Market. This exasperated the housekeeping until the two gargoyles assured them they had nothing to worry about, that everything was under control, they would not disturb the king more than was absolutely necessary, they would still let him complete all his business in the castle on schedule, and they surely would not keep him up until all hours of the morning, because absolutely they understood the importance of resting, of course, obviously, stop worrying, honestly, geez.

...The sculptures’ relocation, however, did leave the problem of the immobile busts, who had, also upon Aldrich’s arrival in the castle (and also due to some sort of promise to give them better seating arrangements or somesuch), been initially placed by a tower window overlooking the whole of Medieville, in addition to the rolling farmlands and the unfurling sky beyond.

“The view from here is spectacular!” Waller said immediately upon reaching the new destination.

“Incredible!” cried Standorf.

“Breathtaking!”

“Outstanding!”

“There’s nothing to complain about.”

“Yeah, I hate it, too.”

“DOHOHOHOHOHOHO!”

Aldrich had tried to move them to his new chambers alongside the other sculptures, but so few people visited that room, they were unhappy about the lack of situations to wisecrack about. And so each week the busts were ferried from room to room, much like a roving art exhibition (one that insulted passersby), as Aldrich sought to find a place where both the busts and the people who passed the area would be pleased. Such a place seemed not to exist. (This was usually due to the people who bore the brunt of their insults; not the busts.)

Yet as frustrating as this situation was, it was not new. A great many other situations and responsibilities, however, were extremely new; vitally new; disarmingly new; terrifyingly new; spectacularly new. But the best of these was the wonderful realization that Aldrich had family beyond his stone sculptures and pottery. A mother, nieces, sisters. Each had already been through so much. But in spite of these losses, life filled the castle once more. Some days the guards could hear shrieks and giggles as small princesses played games with sculptures outside; other days the gardens were quiet with the sounds of reading or of a lost prince napping on the shoulder of a lost mother; and still other days the kitchens (or elsewhere) would be unexpectedly busy due to some curious stone creature having snuck inside seeking discovery or adventure.

There was only one new additional sculpture to the pre-existing multitude, though it was not strictly Aldrich’s: A marble memorial had been chiseled and erected in the courtyard. Aldrich had not carved it, though he had wanted very badly to do so. He abstained only because Babewyn convinced him that carving the memorial himself would surely bring the stone to life and would possibly cost him the memory of the very people he wanted to remember. And as much as he wanted to preserve their memory—theirs was not a memory he was willing to lose.

Instead, in what spare time he had, he directed Emery in where to chisel, how to do so. And now, in the Keep’s courtyard by the cliff now rested a great sculpture: a sculpture of birds—ravens, phoenixes, and sparrows alike—alongside horses, spiders, cows, snakes, crabs, dragons, and gryphons, each intertwined, each one curled around a pale, empty marble sword sheath and a broken tree branch. Beneath them read the inscription:

Though back to life we cannot bring thee
Come thrive in our hearts, and in memory

In memoriam, the Bloody Coronation, 1314

Behind it, before the cliff, a seed and a sapling had been planted. Most days there were also flowers scattered over the stone memorial or at the base below the inscription—often white, often white flowers. On blustery days, the wind whirled through the royal courtyard and carried their white petals aloft, elegantly twirling and dancing into the city below like radiant feathers.

Today, with spring all around them and with visitors from all across Kyth here to pay the Keep a visit for Hope and Joffery’s wedding, the number of flowers at the memorial had grown.

In the wedding reception hall, visitors strolled about: House nobles, peasants, royalty. Most seemed to be wholly enjoying themselves, likewise enraptured by Hope and Joffery’s happiness. It was warming to see each sharing in that joy, and Aldrich hoped it would last. With his working with the nobility as well as with the Shadow Council and the peasant audiences, some of the kingdom’s problems seemed to be improving; not everything, not yet, was perfect, of course, as there were still so many problems, so many things he was responsible for, still so many utterly baffling intricacies of politics he didn’t understand, still so many decisions he wasn’t sure about. He trusted the experience and wisdom of the council and of his advisors—his mother, Lord Ambrose, and even Master Aines—and he was doing his best to be the leader they needed; but sometimes it was difficult to tell if it was working.

But today, smiling at Hope’s glow of happiness, Aldrich let out a breath. He looked over the reception hall. He hoped he would be able to see and talk with some friends from outside the castle with whom he hadn’t had a proper conversation in a long time; he had often found in the past few months that everything had been so busy, so confusing, so unbelievable, and there was only so much time, though he did not regret the time spent with his new family or in trying to help improve Kyth’s conditions. He had, however, heard good things about how some of his friends were doing (from advisors, council meetings, and occasionally gargoyle hearsay): Arthur was helping the Kiddes; Elin was working with magic and had a beau; Lucinda was practicing song and helping people in Bern; Clarissa’s smithy and inventing were really taking off; and Leif was staying plenty busy with magicks and with the people in town.

The reception hall was a busy, full place, however, and wherever they were, hopefully they too were enjoying themselves. People were relaxing, chatting, laughing. And there was so much food that there surely would be mounds of leftovers; luckily Aldrich had already requested the kitchens to please not throw any leftovers out, because post-feast, the Keep would be sending out a team to distribute the leftover food door-to-door in Medieville. Hopefully that would go alright. But what if it wasn’t distributed evenly and people got upset? What if a family was unknowingly allergic to peanuts and they got some of the appetizers? Would they tell the group to exchange it? It was a shame to let food go to waste, right? What if someone didn’t realize they needed to eat the Albion crab right away so it wouldn’t go bad and then ate it too late? What if—

“They’re a wonderful pair,” said Aldrich’s mother, interrupting his thoughts and pointing out the lovely couple once more.

Brightly, Aldrich turned to her and readily agreed. Maia managed to squeeze in a hint about him finding a wife... They’d been hinting that a lot recently. Aldrich supposed maybe they were right, but he couldn’t help but think of how the last time he’d fallen in love, it had not exactly gone as planned and had completely derailed his life. (In the end, probably for the better, but that was beside the point.)

“Oh come on,” Babewyn had told him one night. “At least this time you might not even have to go through all the trouble of tracking down a complex spell like an idiot, just think how much easier normal romance is supposed to be.”

And speaking of Babewyn—where was she? As Aldrich rose from his chair to try to separate Karma and Aura, he couldn’t help but glance a bit anxiously around the reception hall for the gargoyle. He knew that she was somewhat upset about not being allowed to help out with the wedding; but she surely wouldn’t try any of her pranks during the reception? Babewyn had been remarkably well-behaved since coming to the castle. Well, except for the mews incident, and the armory incident, and the pasta incident, and the armor incident, and the Aines incident, and the drapery incident (though that wasn’t so bad), and the ice sculpture incident. They’d all been harmless, though. (And even Aldrich agreed that the armor incident was pretty humorous.)

Ahead, Aldrich saw Lord Ambrose intervene and gracefully resolve Karma and Aura’s dispute. “Thank you, Ambrose,” he said warmly, smiling at them, and added two forks to the girls’ plates. “I—I hear that if you’re very patient,” he added to the twins, in almost a covert whisper, “I hear that the next cake the kitchens are bringing out is chocolate.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Emery and Pumice by the side door. Aldrich stood back up. “I’m going to check on something—I’ll be right back.”

Aldrich wove through the crowd, trying not to draw attention away from the newlyweds, but soon he came up to Emery, who grinned.

“First wedding!” the gargoyle proclaimed brightly, the little stone chickadee on his head cheeping in agreement. “It was really quite lovely.”

“Hi, Emery,” said Aldrich. “And yes—yes, it was! I’m glad you thought so, too. But ah, have you seen Babewyn around? She hasn’t been...making any sorts of plans for today, has she?”

“Oh—not that I know of,” Emery said, his brow creasing slightly. “But she was fairly disappointed she had to sit on the wedding sidelines. You might try looking for her out in the front courtyard.”

“Right. Well, if you see her—tell her I appreciate her restraint in not dragging Standorf and Waller down to the reception.”

“I checked on them in the east wing hall half an hour ago. They’re wisecracking about the event, and they’re not even here.”

“I can’t say I’m really surprised. But okay, I’ll go make sure Babewyn isn’t causing any trouble in the courtyard.”

“Good luck.”

Aldrich slipped out the door, taking in one more relieved glimpse of the bubbly reception, and strode out into the hall. He used to get lost all the time in these Keep halls, but by now he wound through several corridors, passing and waving at a few guards along the way.

As he did so, Aldrich admitted to himself that although the wedding and its following feast truly warmed him and just the thought of Hope beaming at Joffery made his heart smile and practically melt—Aldrich was still not a huge fan of being in large crowds, and it was a small relief to leave the reception hall, just for a moment, even under the pretense of finding Babewyn. There was, for once, enough time for a small break.

He reached the end of the current corridor and reached out for the door—and then he paused, his hand in midair above the knob. Aldrich blinked. And then he backed up a few steps. He craned his neck upwards, looking into the rafters.

“Babewyn,” he said. “What are you—”

“Shhhhhhhhh,” hissed the gargoyle from her lofty perch. “Shhhh, you’re going to ruin the whole thing, it’s supposed to be a surprise.”

Babewyn was sitting atop one of the rafters alongside the goose Knead and the chicken Fantail. Each of them was holding a bucket of some kind.

“If those are what I think they are...”

“Since you wouldn’t let me help carry Hope’s wedding train, I just thought I’d help out in another way,” Babewyn said brightly. “After the reception, the wedding party will exit out through here, and we’ll shower them with confetti, it’ll be great. And I bet you thought I was going to try to ruin their day.”

“But that’s not regular confetti. Those are the buckets of enchanted particles that Lord Leif was working on for decoration, but the magic was a bit tricky, and so he decided to leave off the project for a short while in favor of more important issues.”

“But it works, I promise it does!” Babewyn insisted. She hefted the bucket of the particles and gently sifted a small bit of it out below: The magical confetti glittered and shimmered as it fell through the air and finally disappeared like melted snowflakes when it touched the floor. It actually was very pretty.

“See?” the gargoyle prompted. Knead and Fantail made excited bird calls. Aldrich was debating if he was still going to object when Fantail accidentally knocked her bucket of confetti clear off the rafter; Aldrich barely managed to leap out of the way as the bucket hit the floor where he’d been standing—but its contents fell upward in a great plume of glittering confetti and doused him entirely.

The confetti did not disappear like quaint little snowflakes when it hit him.

It actually stuck to Aldrich as if he’d just slogged through a swamp made entirely from sparkly mud.

After Babewyn was finally finished laughing, she gasped, “Ha, ha, I, I guess that’s why they weren’t already using it for the newlyweds’ ceremony.”

“...Good old Babewyn,” Aldrich sighed. “Always keeping me grounded.”

She and the two birds flew down and attempted to help him get the confetti off, but it didn’t work. “Funny,” said Babewyn, “I guess because I’m granite, it disappeared like it did on the floor when I touched it in the bucket. But when it touches you first, it’s just pointless.”

“Well, it’s almost magic dust,” Aldrich said, a walking heap of confetti. “Maybe my marble staff can absorb it and get it off. I’d really prefer not to disturb any of the mages right now, and we can take the back way so no one, um, sees me like this before I need to get back to the reception.”

“What, and deprive them of seeing their king all decked out?”

“I think it might send a negative message to the visitors if they saw how ridiculous their supposed wise and strong new king could look because his gargoyle was fooling around, yes.”

“Well, I think being covered in glittery confetti just proves how daring and innovative and bright you are.”

“Be that as it may, I don’t want to go back in there and inadvertently cause a disaster myself. Let’s go back to the room so I can get this stuff off, now.”

SPOILER: Click to show

Aldrich is slowly settling into being king. This involves trying his best to help Kyth's people and trying to figure out how to solve problems; it also involves getting to know his mother and sisters and neices better; it also involves trying to mitigate the overabundance of excitement his sculptures bring into the Keep; and it also involves trying to stop sculpting while nevertheless erecting a marble memorial in the courtyard for those fallen at the Bloody Coronation (likely in part at least for Ilaria (Pixie) and Destiney (Avery)).

Present day, Aldrich thanks Ambrose (Celestial) for helping solve Karma and Aura's dispute (Lizzie), and then he goes to make sure Babewyn isn't causing trouble. He finds her in the rafters of one of the empty halls preparing to throw magic confetti at the newlyweds. (Thanks Tiger! Hope this is okay. xD) Except this confetti's magic hasn't been perfected yet, and Aldrich accidentally gets doused in it. He's walking back to his room in hopes that he'll be able to get it off with his magic staff. Fun times.

TL;DR, this post is all over the place. First it's poetic. Then funny. Then sad. Then catch-up infodump-y. Then "Oh you, some things never change."

[Liou]

9 months earlier

The old house was eerily quiet after the pandemonium of the city. Without even a few voices in his head, Laurie almost felt as if he had gone deaf. Time seemed to have stopped, like the dust and the distant sounds of livestock and rustling grass trapped in the air. Laurie slept for two days after the coronation, but it seemed like two weeks.

When he emerged from his slumber, he had nowhere to go, no one, noble or rebel, to go and serve. The house was his.
That only meant that he would be the next to die, if he lingered.
But the moment he left, the moment he turned his back, Briar might disappear again.
He made himself eat some of the rations leftover from Stallion Manor, then got to work on making the house more inhabitable.

With no one to watch him, all of a sudden, he didn't know how to act anymore. He automatically reverted to his old pattern, with Briar this time, tending to her every need as carefully as he did as a maid. He had seen her in a state of shock before, but briefly, when there had been others to look after her. Now they only had each other.

He managed to spread the last of their rations over a couple of days, while doing repairs here and there, trying to bring life back into the house, letting in light and fresh air to make it as different as possible from that cold wine cellar.
Even brief outings to care for the goats right outside the house made him nervous.

The goats were in dire need of attention, but it could have been worse. While Laurie had rarely come home during his time as a maid, Briar was well-known and liked in the area. Neighbors had noticed the sudden emptiness of their home. The goats belonging to other owners who paid the Kiddes to look after them had been temporarily taken to other paddocks, wherever they could be fitted, and Laurie eventually managed to bring them all back, along with some food that people had shared as soon as they heard of Briar's illness. (Though not what had caused it.) The animals' presence was refreshing; they were so much less demanding and judging than people, not to mention easier to control.

It was the only thing he could do to earn some small income without straying too far from Briar.
Nobles, social status and the glamour of the city were the last thing on his mind. There was no point in trying to become a better man with no one to see it.

Soon, a string of people did come to visit, though, making Laurie glad that he had not dropped his maid-like behavior. He was only slightly surprised to see Arthur, who brought food from wherever he was staying. It was embarrassing, but with Briar's state, Laurie knew better than to refuse anything. He would later learn that Arthur was surprisingly well-off.

After a week came a most unexpected visitor, the sight of whom nearly made Laurie rush for his dagger. Lord Ambrose Stallion had not come to take Briar back, it seemed, or to give her a reminder of the torment she had endured. He did not have any guards lurking behind him, not even in the bushes where Laurie threw stones just to check, or down the road. Laurie's maid reflexes eventually kicked in and he let Lord Ambrose enter, begging him to ignore the state of the house, and distracting him with as much politeness and manners as he could muster.

It turned out that Lord Ambrose's words were a lot easier to believe when Laurie was well-rested and -fed and had his sister safe and sound, so when Laurie agreed, he was surprisingly truthful. He even let Lord Ambrose near Briar. This particular noble did not make it seem like his entire house was visiting at once, he was just one peaceful individual. Laurie could get used to his presence. It had an almost soothing effect, which would be good for Briar.

Then Kelcey returned, almost as unexpectedly. Despite everything that Kelcey meant to Laurie, he was reassured, especially after having heard some ridiculous rumours from Arthur about his brother supposedly taking a trip to Courdon, of all places, as if that was possible.
Kelcey seemed a bit different from before; he still had the same... idiosyncrasies, but he was even more carefree now, almost weightless.
At least he seemed happy, and stable, in a way.

Laurie couldn't really make sense of the woman that came with him. She was hard working and patient and didn't cause any problems, so what was she doing with Kelcey? Laurie wondered how long she would stay. She had some sort of connection to Courdon, too - why did that name keep popping up everywhere? - but Laurie didn't ask for any details. He was glad to have a real woman in the house.

People, help and charity were suddenly flowing into the Kidde home from all sides, and Laurie wasn't sure how to take it in. He didn't want to become too dependent on others, so he took advantage of every visitor who could watch over Briar for him to go and run some errands in town.

The first outing was nerve-wracking, and he sprinted back home after little more than an hour, half-convinced that he would find the house icy and mournful once again; but Briar was still there, safe and even cheerful, staying with Arthur on that day.

Little by little, Laurie managed to sell off his last three stolen trinkets, saving the money carefully to last until he found a job. He moved around town as discreetly, meaning as casually as he could, still worried that he would be recognised as a thief, as long as he used his female persona. There was no changing that, now.

He could have stayed that way forever.
There was just one thing that kept him true to himself, and gave him some sort of hope for the future.
It had been the best visit of all, the best person to catch a glimpse of his family home.



((collab with Rosalie Dylas (Maddy))

Rosalie Dylas had spent quite a bit of time in bed after the coronation. She had been in a daze. Sieg was hurt. He had been hurt defending her. He said he'd protect her, and he did. She felt safe with him. She was happy he was her knight.

Rosie had finally managed to get out of the house, Laurie's message still floating in her head. She had asked the person who had delivered it where Laurie lived. She had to see Laurie, she was missing him like crazy. So she finally pryed herself away from Morgaine and took the journey there.

She saw him, her Laurie, outside.

"Laurie!" She called, lifting her dress slightly to run to him.

"I'm so glad you're ok! I'm so, so glad. I was so worried... even though the messenger said you were fine I was still so..." She smiled at him, but she felt her eyes get slightly wet.

Laurie had just come to look after Briar around lunch time, and as she seemed peaceful, he was going back to check on the goats, when a pretty girl appeared in a dainty rush of skirts. She made a wild contrast with the more rural setting of this place outside the main city. The key dancing at her neck caught his eye. He hadn't dared to believe that he would ever see her again. He moved towards her, extending an arm, but not bold enough to take her hand.

"Rosie! I..." He hadn't expected her to come here. "Are you all right? So Arthur did find you."

Rosie grabbed Laurie's arm as he extended it, holding on tight.

"I'm fine! A lot better now that you're here! Yes, he gave me your message and I asked him where you lived. I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner! My brother was injured and Morgaine is still not doing well." She explained, starting to babble easily around her Laurie.

He was thrilled that she had wanted to come at all, that she was touching him willingly, even though she knew. He had started to stroll slowly towards the path to the meadow; the house was really not a nice background for Rosie's prettiness. On this warm, sunny day, the wild flowers, bees and butterflies would look better around her.

"I'm sorry about them. I understand, my sister isn't doing well either. I wish I could help you. And... thank you for coming here, Rosalie."

She walked with him happily.

"Of course I came here, we're dating, remember?" she smiled at him, "I needed to make sure you were ok."

He nearly tripped.
"Oh, so we really are..." Laurie's first thought was that she had somehow forgotten or misinterpreted what she had seen on that day, after the incident with the Courdonian prince.
"You... you don't mind that, um..." He could already feel heat building up in his cheeks.

She looked at him concerned when he almost did a faceplant.
"Why would I mind that?" she asked, "You're my Laurie. It doesn't matter if you're a girl or a boy or neither, you are my Laurie." She told him, grasping his hand tight.

He scanned her eyes for any signs of mockery or scorn or other things he knew, but all he did was get lost in those two pure lakes. Her soft words meant the world to him. The warmth that she brought him could not be put into words, so he squeezed her hand in return, hoping to convey his feelings.

"I'll have trouble with other people, you know?" he whispered. "Not everyone is as kind as you. I won't have a good job. I... I can't even be seen in public, because I have stolen things. And I can't let anyone know about me, because I was a maid to the princesses..." He added hurriedly: "I never did anything wrong to them, I can't, I'm not a real... But people would still assume things." There, it was out.

Rosie thought about it for a moment.
"You're sorry right, for stealing things?" she asked, "Then everything else doesn't matter. You shouldn't care what they think. I'll- I'll throw keys so hard it'll knock anyone who is mean to you out! You're a good person Laurie!" She leaned in and pressed a kiss to his lips.

If Laurie had regretted his thefts before, then this kiss would make him give up on thieving forever, in ten lifetimes, in twenty parallel realities. He returned it with all his heart.
It was incredible to have someone who knew about him, yet made him feel so safe. He shouldn't have trusted her so easily, but this moment was too good not to be enjoyed.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you at first," he whispered, still close to her after the kiss. "I thought you preferred women. I've never been so close to a girl before, and you're so... You're the first one who's looked at me that way. I want to make you happy, with everything I've got. And... my name is Lawrence."

"Lawrence." She tested the waters. The name sounded so nice, so perfect on her tongue. "My Lawrence."
"Gender doesn't matter to me," she said, gazing into his eyes, "I love you as when you were being Laurie and I love you now. I love you no matter what."
She gripped his hands. "You make me happy just by being with me."

He seemed to be floating away on a little cloud with her, pushed by the warm summer breeze. He wanted to respond, but no words would come out, none were good enough. He wanted her to feel the beat that his heart was drumming for her, so he leaned in closer, slowly wrapped his arms around her and dared to pull her into a hug.
He could feel the key on his chest again, her mark on him.

He had nothing like that to give her, so he strolled a few steps further into the grass, uncovering a bunch of bright little buttercups. He picked several and began to link their stalks into a bracelet, which he offered to Rosie.

"Until I have something nicer to give you," he said with a shy smile. "I hope Briar will be all right soon, and maybe I'll find a job, and we can see each other more."

Rosalie blushed as she was pulled into the hug. She felt his heartbeat. This was where she belonged, in his arms.

She took the flower bracelet and slipped it on, "It's so nice. I'll wear it always, even when the flowers wither." She clutched her hand to her heart, "I'd like that, to see you more."

She was so kind, even when he made purely symbolic gestures.

For the rest of the afternoon, Laurie enjoyed the time they had left together, simply strolling around the meadow, introducing Rosie to the goats. He wouldn't have missed that for anything in the world. Even if it didn't happen again, he would treasure those moments forever.
It did happen again, at his place, then at her place and in town. Laurie never dared to believe that she would stay, so every time they met, his face lit up like on the very first day, wondering at this lovely girl who somehow decided to come back to him.

SPOILER: Click to show

This happens in the week right after the bloody coronation. Laurie manages to keep Briar fed and look after the goats and house, but it's a lot of work and he doesn't dare leave her alone.

Fortunately, Arthur(Birdy) starts to visit his future wife, Ambrose(Celestial) comes to give Briar therapy, and Kelcey and LYDIAAAAA(Avery) come to stay for a while, so thanks to all those babysitters, Laurie has a bit more room to move. He nopes the nope out of Kelcey's adventures in Courdon. Everything is normal.

And once Rosalie is feeling better after the coronation, she comes to shower Laurie with love and forgiveness and acceptance and kill you all with cuteness. They finally reunite and talk about what happened before the coronation.

[Lizzie]

The sun was shining, golden like the bride's hair, and Hope was happy.

She was lucky, and she said it over and over in her head. At least it hadn’t been arranged, like others had been. Destiney’s, almost, had been arranged, though they hadn’t decided on a suitor before… It. Hope was lucky that she could marry the man she loved.

Hope took a few steps back as her groom’s cousin practically tackled him. Names of his family rushed through her mind, and it eventually clicked. Jeniver, that was her name! They were the same age, and Jeniver looked as if she could almost be an Ascension princess -- the green eyes stood as the only real difference. She laughed freely as his family surrounded him, searching out her own family. Hope let out a held-in breath as she counted off the last princess. The blonde and the redheads were fine, thank ‘Woo, and enjoying themselves. Hope eyed Karma and Aura, fighting over a slice of cake. Oh well, Hope figured. Win some, lose some.

Yet, through the overflowing happiness came a sharp, stabbing sadness as she continued to scan the crowd. There was only one blonde head that she could find, instead of what was supposed to be three, and there were no raven-haired beauties either. Hope had had such big plans for their wedding days, the girls had it all planned out. Sunshine, Fate, and Destiney wouldn’t see their wedding days… Hope chewed her lower lip, feeling herself get lost in thought.

But then, Hope looked up again, and searched for her groom. Her brown eyes saw his green, and another flood of happiness overtook her.

Hope was in love, she was happy, and she had almost everything she could ask for.

--

Cloudey could see him from across the courtyard. His sandy blond hair seemed to form a halo upon his head, and his ocean blue eyes gleamed. The usually mean-spirited fifteen year old princess gaped, feeling as if she must be in some sort of dream.

It was as if time worked in slow motion, her staring at him, him looking somewhere else. They hadn’t even locked eyes yet, but she just knew.
Cloudey made her way over to the boy, finally taking in his clothing’s colors. Turquoise and gray, like the deep ocean. Her brain snapped to work. Brachyura! He was a noble boy from House Brachyura, and he looked not much older than she. And so, she approached, pushing guests out of the way as she went. The princess tapped the boy on the shoulder, and he turned to face her.

“Hello,” Cloudey said, almost shyly.

“Hello,” the Brachyuran boy hesitantly replied. The redhead princess’ heart soared. He had a golden voice. He looked her up and down once, and then said, “I don’t believe we’ve met?”

Cloudey shook her head, curls swishing in front of her face.

“We haven’t,” the princess said.

“Oh. I’m Jonah,” he said, almost casually, but accented his words with a bow.

“I’m Cloudey,” the princess said, beaming at him, and gave her best curtsy.

--

Harmoney sat on a chair, her feet swinging and barely scraping the floor. Her cake was in front of her, and she stuck a forkful of it in her mouth. Her eyes scanned the crowd for the peasant girls she had met, and she hoped they had made it in the flock of peasants. Daria and Ciara were nice peasants, and Uncle Galateo had known their older sister, and their other older sister had worked in the castle! That made them even cooler, in her opinion.

When she didn’t see them, Harmoney sighed. However, she kept on eating her cake, glancing around at the nobles and peasants surrounding her. Her blonde hair, which now streamed around her shoulders, was beginning to mimic her sister Hope’s in appearance. Her own brown eyes sparkled with delight as she thought about it. Her sister was married! Harmoney prayed she could find someone like Joffrey one day, that she could only be as lucky as Hope. Maybe, just maybe, when she was older.

But she wasn’t older. Barely eleven, now, she was finally beginning to understand everything that was happening. But yet she was still childish, as all children should be.

Harmoney munched on her cake happily. This was a good day.

--

“I want that piece of cake right now!” Karma screeched, her face almost as red as the ginger waves that framed her face.

“No! It’s mine, Karma!” Aura replied quickly, her spitting image. The girls reached again for the cake, pulling on the plate. Their only difference was the color of their dresses -- a pale green for Karma, a pale blue for Aura.

Aines tried to get them to stop, but to no avail.

“NOW! I WANT IT NOW!” the princesses screeched, practically in unison.

“It’s mi--” Karma began, cutting off sharply as she heard a cough. The fighting twins froze, falling silent, and stared up at Ambrose. Karma felt a red flush of shame, and Aura quickly looked down at her feet.

"Princess Karma, Princess Aura," Ambrose said, looking at them, "Please, enough. There is enough cake there for both of you."

The twins stared in silence as he cut the last slice in half, and separated it onto two plates. Each of them got their slice, and each looked down at them. Karma opened her mouth to complain that, no fair, Aura’s piece was bigger! But then Uncle Galateo walked up, and spoke to Ambrose. Aura seemed to gravitate toward Galateo, and Karma toward Ambrose, and the nine year olds stared at each other silently as Uncle Galateo gave them forks, Karma eyeing him with slight caution.

“I—I hear that if you’re very patient,” he added to the twins, in almost a covert whisper, “I hear that the next cake the kitchens are bringing out is chocolate.”

The girls stared at each other. Chocolate! It was both their favorite. But then, Uncle Galateo left, and Aura slid back over to Karma.

“Chocolate!” was all the princesses needed to say, and they grinned again at each other, finding chairs to sit in so that they could eat.

Though Princess Karma Crow, of House Ascension, wanted many things, and sometimes was not happy, she had everything she needed, and all the happiness in the world, right there with her.

SPOILER: Click to show

The wedding is as beautiful as the newlywed couple, and Hope is so in love with Joffrey (PFA), a fact she thinks about as she watches him with his cousin Jeniver. Cloudey is attracted to a Brachyuran boy, Jonah. Harmoney eats cake and wishes that Daria and Ciara (Avery) were there. Karma and Aura fight over cake, a fight that is broken up by Ambrose (Celestial) and Aldrich/Galateo (Lizica) though Aines (icon) tried according to the narratorpost.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you all for this really, really, REALLY great game. I’ve never been so attached to NTWF RP characters, and this attachment even surpasses personal rp attachment. I love each and every character, honestly, and I’m so, so glad that I could share this summer with you guys, even if I wasn’t a player character. Thank you.

[Gelquie]

((Xavier parts are written by Elcie!))

Elin didn't have to wait too long before she looked up to see the familiar form of Xavier Lynn. He wore the colors of House Jade, as always, a color scheme that very well-suited his face and eyes and hair, making him look even more striking. He held out his hand as he spoke, a smile on his face. “You… you look beautiful, Elin.”

Elin let out a smile of her own as she reached her hand out and accepted his hand. The hand that had held hers throughout the months. The hand that gripped hers as they spoke, be they soft words, normal words speaking of their day or events or people, or no words at all, for when words were not enough. The hand that had shaken in hers as he spoke of his past. The hand that had caressed her cheek when she told him the truth of what happened in Kine. The hand that helped press them close whenever they fell into a warm embrace. The hand that now lifted her from her seat on the steps as she looked up to meet his eyes. She gripped his hand as she put her other hand on his shoulder.

“And you look stunning,” she said sweetly. She leaned in for a quick kiss, one of the many they had shared over the last nine months. When she pulled back, she kept a hold of his hand as they began to make their ascent up the stairs to the Keep.

It was a trip she was used to taking, with her living outside the Keep and needing to be there each night for the Shadow Council meetings. The steps and the view had become familiar to her, and as great a view as it was, it was easy for her mind to wander whenever she took the stairs alone. But walking up the steps with Xavier hand-in-hand made it more bearable for time to pass by until they reached the top. And once there...

Well, that's where everything else was. The courtyard, the ceremony, everyone preparing, and the statue that was erected by the cliffside...

“...Ah, yes,” Elin said. She briefly broke from Xavier and walked over to the monument, reaching into one of the pockets of her dress. As she approached, she pulled out a white flower of her own, one that she got from another flower merchant in town. She knelt in front of the statue, bowed her head, and placed her flower among the others that lined the base of the statue.

People had to move on. But the dead weren't to be forgotten. And forget was one thing she wouldn't do.

Xavier followed her over to the monument, putting one hand gently on her shoulder. He himself had brought nothing, but he paused for a moment there as well, bowing his head low. It may have looked like a prayer to anyone watching; for Xavier, it was simply a gesture of deep respect. He of all people knew what Kyth could have lost that day if Malik had won; those who had died in that struggle should be honored.

The moment passed quietly for them, with nothing to interrupt their reverence. When it was over, Elin got up, giving Xavier a solemn look, the memories flashing through her head again. So much more could have gone wrong, so much more than it already had that fateful day... In a way, they were lucky to be here. She gripped his hand again—more tightly this time—before making their way to the wedding.

Elin and Xavier took their seats, and as the ceremony went through its last-minute preparations, Elin began looking around for people she knew. And as she expected, there were many that she recognized, most of them Shadows. There was Arthur, sitting together with Briar, giving each other little telling glances. There was Clarissa, in her robes, looking like she just came from a smithy job. And along with the Shadows, there were other nobles in the crowd she had gotten to know better, including Leif and Ambrose. It took her time to be able to fully trust them, knowing all that had happened and knowing what other nobles had done, particularly to... But they were kind, and helpful. Eventually, the walls between them broke down.

There were others she knew, although some were lost to her in the crowd. She kind of wished Clare would be here, but she knew she had an order to fill. But she would be here later, and she knew that once her catering was done, they would let her in out of thanks. Elin made sure of it.

And then, as the ceremony began... There was Aldrich, escorting Hope down the aisle. And while he still looked nervous in the robes he was only adorned with eight months ago, Elin had watched him take charge, and effectively deal with all the problems lain at his feet. He was—as she expected—a good king.

The look on Hope’s face, and on Joffery’s, made Xavier smile. Silently he leaned a little closer to Elin and put his arm around her shoulders. Elin relaxed into the hold with a smile of her own as they watched the ceremony proceed.

The ceremony passed with no real unfortunate occurrences (thank goodness), and soon, the reception had begun. The food was, as expected, quite delicious, although Elin was more thankful for the fact that Aldrich had agreed to give the leftovers to the peasants who weren't able to attend the wedding. So much food should never go to waste, she knew that for certain. But soon, they were anxious to talk to people, particularly those they haven't had a chance to properly talk to in a while. So they rose from their seats and began to look for people within the crowd.

For a while, they socialized, catching up with various people and sharing jokes and laughing. But eventually took their seats again, wanting a break from the crowd. As they did so, Elin couldn't help but notice that some dancing had begun to take place not far from them, fast dances, slow dances, and the like. For a few songs, Elin watched the dancing crowd intently, watching their feet, the way they moved, little steps, big steps... She focused herself entirely on the scene, taking it all in.

Watch and learn, she had always told herself.

After a while, when she was satisfied that she could remember enough, she finally tore her eyes from the dance floor, and as a slow song began to play, she leaned over to Xavier and held her hand out.

“Do you wanna dance?” she offered.

Xavier looked a little surprised. "I- I don't really know how," he admitted, but despite his words he smiled at her, and took her hand anyway. Only nine months ago, perhaps, he would have shied away... but right now, all he wanted was to share this moment with her.

Elin smiled as they rose from their seats. “Just follow my lead,” she said. In truth, she was never a great dancer; she could get by, but she never did it very often. But after a little bit of watching... Well, that always made it much easier.

Elin took a careful breath as they walked to the dance floor. She knew she couldn't do this for too long. But this was a small thing, one of the few that she did every so often to practice her magic. As long as she prepared herself and she was careful, and she stopped before too long, it would be fine. She might not even get a headache with that little magic. But even if she did... It wouldn't be enough to matter. And among everything, with Xavier here with her, she might not even notice. And this moment...

It was worth it to share this with Xavier.

After they got into position and Elin got a feeling for the beat, they took their first steps into the dance.

At first, Xavier was a little tense, afraid of making a wrong step, but then he relaxed. It didn't matter. He followed Elin's steps and allowed himself to get lost in the moment. They whirled around the dance floor together, Xavier gripping her hand tightly, looking into her eyes and forgetting everything else. There was something about her smile that made it impossible for him not to grin at her in return. Before long the music sped up and he was laughing and breathless, stumbling through some of the steps but not really caring.

It was at moments like this that it tended to hit him; he really was free. He didn't think he'd ever stop being thankful for that, the fact that he didn't have to worry about any of this ever being taken away from him, that he had a right to this life.

The song whirled to a conclusion, and for a moment both of them stood still. Xavier's eyes softened as he looked at Elin's face, breathless and happy as he was. She was so beautiful like this. Before the next started, he leaned in on an impulse and kissed her cheek, squeezing her hand as he pulled away.

They really were going to be all right. Both of them.

SPOILER: Click to show

Elin and Xavier (Elcie) reunite at the bottom of the stairs and ascend to the Keep. They pause by the statue for a brief moment of silence. They sit together at the ceremony and the feast, but soon get up to talk to other people. There's some unwritten talking before they sit down. Dancing begins, and Elin observes them and goes into mimic-mode as she offers Xavier to dance. And dance they do. <3

[Omni]

Orrin and Sieg had just finished a toast when there was a tapping sound from nearby. Orrin looked up and saw the face that he firmly knew was the Grand Duke of House Stallion. "Hello, Sir Orrin, Sir Sieg," he said, giving them a grin. "What is this I hear? Are you planning to steal my knight away from me, Sir Sieg? Or are you planning to run away from my service, Sir Orrin?"

Orrin gave a hearty laugh. "Run away?" he relied" "Nothin' could be farther from the truth, yer grace."

Sieg said a few words and Orrin leaned in closer, gesturing toward Alain. "Ya took me in when I no longer had a place to go, gave me a position in yer house, and appreciated me. I owe a lot to ya and wouldn't dream of just runnin' off." He leaned back again, a thoughtful look on his face, holding his goblet near his mouth without really thinking about it. "I got a lot of work when everythin' was happenin' with the funeral and coronation and everythin', but now things have calmed down and there's not a lot of work for me to do. I just feel like... like my potential is bein' wasted. Like I could do more to help people."

He looked up at Alain. "I'm appreciate what ya did, and I don't want to run away from yer service. I think of it more like... doin' yer service more where it's needed. Ya could ask for me any time ya need. Promise - I give ya my word as a knight. I'm part of yer house after all." He paused. "I'm just askin' for yer permission."

SPOILER: Click to show

Alain (Celestial) walks up and asks the two knights if they're planning on sluffing their knight duties. Orrin laughs at this and, after Sieg speaks (Shinko), asks permission to go adventuring after promising that he'll come if called, and giving an explanation why he wants to go errant (in which his spiel may or may not be influenced by alcohol).

[Shinko]

Morgaine was enjoying the conversation with Leif, when suddenly he glanced over her shoulder. “Hm - the Grand Duke’s found your son. You might want to check on Sieg when he’s done, it has to have been months since he’s teased a Corvid in-person.”

The locksmith turned around, and sure enough she saw a very red faced Sieg bowing to the Stallion patriarch, an expression of embarrassment and slight panic on his face. She signed, shaking her head. "If he was looking for someone to make fun of, he picked a rather unfairly easy target. Though I didn't know his Grace was on speaking terms with Sieg. I'll have to ask about that later."

She turned to Leif with an apologetic smile. "He'll talk himself into a corner if I don't stop him- sorry to cut things short Master Leif. Hopefully I'll see you around town sometime."

She waved, and then resettled Rust on her shoulder and walked over to where Alain was talking to the knights.

"Hello there, Your Grace, Sir Orrin," she said cheerfully, nodding to Orrin and bowing slightly to Alain. "It's good to see you well. Sieg, I didn't know you knew the Grand Duke."

The half elf's face turned even redder at his mother's approach. He really didn't want to go into the details of how he knew the Stallion. Hoping she wouldn't push the question, he said, "I, ah, spoke to him last summer. He knew Papa."

Morgaine's face reflected her surprise, and she glanced at Alain quizzically.

SPOILER: Click to show

Morgaine frees Tiger for other interactions and goes to save her son from Celestial (Alain/Trollain). She mentions being confused that Alain and Sieg know each other, and Sieg (who doesn't want to talk about the details of his snappage courtesy of the Grand Duke) just says that Alain knew Belial and leaves it at that. Morgaine is surprised at this news, and looks at Alain in confusion.

For the purposes of not interrupting the permission conversation, we can assume Morgaine arrives AFTER Alain answers Orrin about the two knights going on adventures.

[Tiger]

Morgaine excused herself to help Sieg deal with Alain. "He'll talk himself into a corner if I don't stop him- sorry to cut things short Master Leif. Hopefully I'll see you around town sometime."

“I hope so. Take care of yourself, Mrs. Braham.” Leif bowed his head.

though Leif was tempted to watch and see what sparks flew from a confrontation between the Grand Duke and the Lockmaker, Leif instead looked around the room for another familiar face. He found Ambrose near the cake, helping Aldrich keep two of the princesses from tearing each other apart for cake. Leif hung back until the girls had been distracted, knowing he would only get in the way.

When the dust - or crumbs, to be more accurate - seemed to have settled, Leif approached the table. “Lord Ambrose? Can I talk to you for a moment?” He nodded toward the emptier tables, where there was less chance of being overheard.

“I have something for you,” Leif said, reaching into his satchel and pulling out a bracelet. It was different from the ones he’d given to Xavier and Kirin; it was much smaller, made of two thin rings of iron, connected together by more iron twisted into the shape of various runes. He held it very carefully, by the outside, careful not to slip so much as a finger between it.

“I’ve been working on this...for a while. Since you told me about your visions.” Some time after the coronation, when Leif had the time and energy to think about it, he’d realized that Ambrose probably had asked him about time magic because of a curiosity about his own gifts. Leif wanted to know more, but he was still uncomfortable about talking with the non-Kirin Stallions about magic; all his life, he’d been told House Stallion disliked and didn’t accept magic.

Eventually, though, his curiosity had gotten the better of him. Leif had tried to casually bring the matter of time magic up in conversation, but as ever, his attempts at obscurity were more blatant than he’d intended. Ambrose had just answered the question Leif had been trying to sneakily ask. That had been a surprise; Leif knew about Seering abilities - having spent the past several years living with Jeniver, he ought to - but seeing things in faraway places was different from seeing things in faraway times. Researching time magic hadn’t turned up very much; as Leif had told Ambrose, it wasn’t a very common talent among Corvids.

Leif explained, “It took a while to figure out how to get the runes on it in the right material. The shape needed to be very precise, but bending iron with magic is always challenging because of...well, nevermind.” Leif forced himself to stop before he went into more detail than Ambrose probably wanted to hear.

“I’m not sure it will work for you, but I tested it, and it mostly works on me.” Leif forced his face to keep to a neutral expression. “You and I don’t have the same magic, though, so I can’t guarantee it will work the same for you. But if it does work, it should help suppress your visions, or at least make them weaker when they come. I’d understand if you didn’t want to use it,” he said frankly. “Or if you do try and have to stop. Some magic gets...finicky when it’s suppressed, and that can be much worse than uncontrolled magic.”

He held out the band to Ambrose. “But I thought you should have the option to control it, if you wanted. If it works, of course.”

SPOILER: Click to show

Leif finished chatting with Morgaine and goes to talk to Ambrose (Celestial), offering him a bracelet that he believes should help suppress Ambrose’s visions.

[Avery]

He was not invited to the wedding.

Of course, this wasn't much of a surprise to King Rafael, Master of the Plains, Warden of the Stone, and Blessed Protector of the Nine Provinces of the exalted Kingdom of Courdon; he was a simple man, but even he understood that Kyth probably wouldn't be inviting any Courdonians into their capital any time soon. Even so, as a gesture of kindness, he'd sent north a small wedding gift: a delicate gold chain necklace, upon which hung a charm in the shape of a crane. His eldest son and heir, Oliver, scoffed at the gesture.

"She won't wear it, Papa," he sneered as Rafe carefully, personally, packed it in a protective silk pouch for its journey north.

"She might," said the king. "And if not, well..."

"Well what?" Oliver rolled his eyes. "They're savages, Papa. They're the reason Grandfather is dead."

Rafe sighed and rubbed at the worry lines that, over the past nine months, had become much more prominent on his forehead. "Grandfather led to his own demise, son," he said.

"Just as you will lead to yours," Oliver snapped, then whirled and stomped out of the room.

Oliver's words stung, but Rafe tried not to let them hit too deep. It wasn't the first time he'd heard such things said-- if not by Oliver, then by his own younger brother, Rhys. Rafe caught them together often, Rhys and Oliver, talking in hushed tones but always falling silent when they noticed the King observing them. It made Rafe's stomach pitch and frightening thoughts bloom in his mind, like weeds. But Rafe always promptly chased these weeds away. Hacked them down and refused to let them grow. Oliver was intense-- that was all-- and a teenager. All teenagers were moody. It didn't mean anything. And as for Rhys, well... it was good that Oliver had a confidante. Someone he thought understood his teenaged woe.

One day in the future, they'd all laugh about it-- he and Oliver and Rhys. They were family, after all. And though sometimes families rowed... in the end, all differences would come to pass.

Of this, King Rafael was very hopeful.

SPOILER: Click to show

King Rafe sends a wedding gift to Hope (Lizzie). He is blithely optimistic about the future. Naively optimistic, alas.

[Celestial]

Alain could not help but smile slightly at Sieg's embarassment. He was not even sure if they had been drinking the wine, but then again, Sieg's words were not slurred, just very flustered, which was to be expected given what he had just said. Nevertheless, he let him speak and try to justify himself, even as he grew more and more flustered. Alain was still not exactly sure where Sieg was going with his ramblings but he was patient, he could wait until Sieg managed to get his foot out of his mouth, or work it out on his own. Whichever came first.

Thankfully, Sir Orrin, despite having a little more alcohol in his system, was much clearer about their desires than Sieg. As he listened to the knight, Alain nodded in agreement, perfectly understanding his point. There was not much to do for Orrin, yes. Even in Bern, since the coronation, things have been fairly calm, aside from a few routine border skirmishes with Lange. Perhaps it would be good to have a few knights going around saving people and hunting things.

"I am glad, Sir Orrin, that I have been able to provide you with a House to serve, especially after Miller so unceremoniously discharged you. Your services have been greatly appreciated, especially during the funeral and the coronation. However, you are right, there is very little for a knight to do these days," Alain smiled and bowed his head. "As long as you remain loyal and keep me up to date of your location regularly so that if trouble brews, I know where to find you, you are free to travel as you please," he then turned to Sieg, "I cannot give you the same permission, you not being in my service, but I hope you will be able to join Sir Orrin as a companion. It seems you two are getting along quite well and some threats are best handled by two knights. Like the rumoured beast said to live in Lake Moran that drags people into the lake to drown. Or perhaps the black hound lurking around Haflinger-"

He broke off as he heard Morgaine approaching behind them and turned on his heel to face her, giving her a small nod and a smile as she approached. Her injuries appeared to have healed, for the most part, though her eye was clearly damaged beyond use. However, the cat on her shoulder indicated that she had found a way to compensate for that. Alain stood aside, letting her speak to Sieg, figuring it was best that he explain to his mother how they knew each other, especially considering what he did. Nevertheless, when Sieg mentioned Belial and Morgaine turned to Alain for an explanation, he graciously accepted his turn.

"Your son and my knight, Sir Orrin, got on well with each other and I...I thought I should speak with your son, about some matters. Nothing much, really," he said with a slight smile, giving Sieg a glance before he turned back to Morgaine. "As for Sir Belial, I met about fifteen years ago, during the Second Langean war. I was rather curious, you see, elves in Bern are very rare. But I enjoyed meeting him, he was a good man and I am sorry about what happened."

***

Ambrose smiled and bowed his head in acknowledgement as Aldrich came towards the table with the princesses and handed them both forks before mentioning that there was going to be more cake soon. A good thing too as Ambrose could already spot Princess Karma drawing breath to continue but the mention of chocolate cake completely derailed their argument. Mericfully, the two girls took their pieces of cake and left to go find chairs to sit and eat them. Ambrose watched them go briefly. They were good children, if you knew how to talk to them, even Karma. She had some very...strange habits, yes, but he could not bring himself to feel angry or be mad at her, especially since she rarely misbehaved around him. Goodness knows, the girl had had to endure the blame from her father over her mother's death, she did not need another person disliking her, and Ambrose could never find it in his heart to be that person. He had been on the recieving end of enough scorn throughout his life. But, he thought with a small smile as Aldrich left, not so much anymore.

Lucinda approached him next, just missing her friend, but Ambrose helpfully directed her in the direction that Aldrich went. Once she was gone, he looked around the room. He noticed Xavier and Elin getting up from their seats at the banquet and wandering through the crowd and was just about to go over to them but somebody got to him first; Master Leif. Ambrose turned and faced the Jade, waiting to hear what he had to say. Leif rarely approached anybody, except Kirin, unless there was something important.

Ambrose followed Leif to a quieter part beside several of the tables and watched as he took out a beautifully wrought iron bracelet which almost seemed to shimmer with magic thanks to the runes. He frowned for a second before Leif began explaining.

As the Jade mage got deeper and deeper into his explanation, however, Ambrose began to understand what he was offering him. And when he said his last words, mentioned the option of controlling his magic, he had to keep himself from shaking. All his life, he had dreamed about this. Mastering the visions, being able to control them, doing something, anything except suffering with that madness, which not even the inventing had been able to ease. He thought back on his life, the fear and anxiety he had always felt when meeting new people or going to new places because of this, the helplessness in the face of the inevitable, the isolation and the misery that had come alongside these powers. His visions had been a curse, there was no denying it. Especially in his youth, when they had been too much for him to handle, he had despaired and begged for something, anything, even death, to come save him.

And now, when it was all over, when he had completely accepted what was happening to him, finally, somebody delivered him a solution in the form of a bit of iron. It did not feel real. It was more like a cruel joke.

"Master Leif, I-" he swallowed, trying to find a way to put the turbulent storm of emotions he felt into words. This was a gift he had wanted all his life and now it was right there in front of him. He could finally lead a normal life, serve Aldrich fully without having to fear his visions barging in and interrupting his train of thought. He would no longer have to entrust public affairs to other people. He could walk amongst the peasants freely.

And yet...a part of him hesitated. If he suppressed his visions, what was going to happen to his inventions? He would no longer get the very literal random flashes of inspiration for them. Originally, it had just been a way to cope, to distract himself, but now the inventing was a part of his life. Even if he learned to live with it, was it not House Stallion's motto to keep charging towards tomorrow? He was helping with that and his inventions made people's lives better. Nobody else had this unique opportunity, even if it came with a price.

But his visions had had a bigger influence than that. Whether he liked them or not, they had shaped him into who he was now. After seeing all the suffering in his visions, he did not want anybody in the present to suffer, hence his desire to help those around him. His kindness too, had come from a lifetime of being treated as less than human, and now it was not a part of himself he ever wished to give up. And now, especially in the past nine months, he felt like he had outgrown the limitations of his visions. They were still painful, yes, and came at inconvenient times, but he had managed to learn to live with them. Half of the pain had been from people calling him mad and now, that was gone. He knew he was not mad and he had figured out a way to use his visions well. As much as he used to hate them, now, he could not imagine life without them.

"Thank you, Master Leif," Ambrose smiled at him. "If you had come to me twenty years ago or ten years ago with this gift, I would have accepted it in a heartbeat. But now I don't know. These visions are not crippling me as they used to and I..I feel like I have accepted what is happening to me. I have learned to live with them, for better or for worse."

Nevertheless, he was curious. Leif did not know about Cebeline's magic, Ambrose did not want to tell him for fear of what he might think, so it was unlikely that the band was enchanted towards her in particular. Ambrose reached out a hand towards it, picking it up with his fingers. Immediately, he closed his eyes as the prickling of a vision formed behind his eyes. The magic was interfering with whatever natural magic resistance he had acquired, which in turn was allowing the power to be let loose.

"I...don't think it works," he winced and returned the band to Leif, looking up at him apologetically. "I'm sorry, Master Leif. My magic is very...particular, and I have a resistance to it by now. Thank you, it's very kind of you, but it will not work on me. Perhaps one day, I will tell you why, just not today. It's not a story for such a happy day."

At least it meant he did not have to make the choice. Whether he liked it or not, he was stuck with his visions. But it was not altogether a bad thought. He was used to them and despite them, he had a good life now. Better than he had ever had. It would be far too bold to ask for more. Ambrose smiled widely.

"Let's enjoy the wedding for now, Master Leif," he said to the mage. "And don't feel bad about the band. It might not have worked, but believe me, I am doing much better now than even a year ago. I don't feel like I need to have my visions controlled, not anymore."

SPOILER: Click to show

Alain is amused by Sieg(Shinko) and tries to glean his meaning but Orrin(Omni) explains their plan better than the Dork Knight can. Alain agrees to let them go happily, as long as Orrin remains loyal, and even starts giving them suggestions for adventures before Morgaine comes up and begins speaking to Sieg. When she turns to Alain demanding explanations, he tells her briefly about his encounter with Sieg and then with Belial.

Ambrose, meanwhile, after breaking up the dispute between Karma and Aura(Lizzie) goes away with Leif(Tiger) and listens as Leif explains about the anti-magic band. He contemplates his visions and the prospect of finally being able to control them, realising that as bad as it was, it is not so bad anymore and that he has accepted what is happening to him. He is curious, however, and picks up the band but nope, it doesn't work, since divine magic is different from arcane. He gives it back to Leif and thanks him before telling him not to feel bad and that maybe he'll tell him about the powers eventually. For now, Ambrose decides that his life is already just fine without controlling the visions. It would be too much to ask. <3

[Shinko]

Morgaine raised an eyebrow, "Some matters. Indeed. Alright, I won't pry."

She folded her arms, her expression thoughtful. "The Second Langian War, hm? That makes sense, he spent over a year in Bern during the war, but for some reason I didn't quite make that connection. He might actually have mentioned meeting you in one of his letters... I'd have to check again, though, it's been a long time. Most of what I remember is him going on at length about all the interesting technological advancements he saw there, and how the local engineers and architects got fed up with him forever plying them with questions. He particularly liked some irrigation method you were experimenting with at the time. How'd that end up panning out long term, if I might ask?"

"Do you still have Papa's letters?" Sieg asked, surprised. "I think I remember that too, though only barely since I was so young at the time."

Morgaine winced, "Not many of them, unfortunately. I wasn't really expecting him to die before me, so I didn't have the foresight to save them. A bit stupid of me in hindsight, given what he did for a living. But he'd done that same job for three hundred years so I suppose I had a false sense of his immortality."

At Sieg's sad, understanding smile the locksmith coughed, deeming it prudent to change the subject. "So what were you discussing before I interrupted? I didn't mean to derail the conversation."

"Oh, that," The half elf rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "His Grace was calling us out for getting overly enthusiastic about hypothetical plans to go adventuring. And then giving permission to Orrin, though as he astutely pointed out he can't really speak for my part."

"Adventuring?" Morgaine replied, sounding very much amused. "Oh, you are going to have fun trying to get that one past Commander Anri." She looked to Orrin and Alain with a smirk. "My husband was rather eccentric by elven standards. Most of the elves in Nid'aigle are rather stubborn as a whole, and avid sticklers for the rules and regs. And the knights are kept hopping almost constantly with slavers oozing up out of Courdon to take elven slaves."

"It hasn't been that bad recently," Sieg objected. "Actually a lot of us have been sitting on our hands as of late because with King Rafe on the throne of Courdon those 'bandit raids' on Nid'aigle have tapered off to almost nothing."

"Gee, how odd," Morgaine said dryly. "They insist that the nobility have no part in financing those mercenaries, and we all know the Courdonians never ever lie. That is an astounding coincidence."

"We rather thought the same," Sieg said, his voice equally dry. "But of course the political situation is a little too shaky just now for us to bring up that point with the Courdonians. I still need to clear it with the commander, of course, but hopefully they'll give me some leave. Apparently Bern some sort of... what did you call it, your Grace, a black hound? And a lake monster?"

There was no disguising the interest and ferocity in the knight's expression, and Morgaine had to smile. "You really are just like your father."

SPOILER: Click to show

Morgaine senses there is more that Sieg and Celestial (Alain) aren't telling her, but as with the last time Alain kept secrets from her she says she won't pry. Instead she reflects on Belial's letters from the Second Langian War, mentioning that he was fascinated by Bernian culture. She asks Alain about some experimental irrigation system Belial mentioned that I left vague on purpose. Do what you want with that Celes. XD

She and Sieg then have a bit of back and forth about the proposed adventure plans and the likelihood of Nid'aigle giving him permission to go. They talk about the Courdonian elf-slavers and how that's tapered off since Rafe became king, and then Sieg asks a little too eagerly about the monsters Alain mentioned. Silly knight hears about trouble and wants to deal with it. XD Omni is also present.

[Omni]

Orrin smiled as Alain replied. "Thank ya kindly, yer grace. I'll be sure to write."

He paused when Morgaine approached and began talking with Alain and Sieg. He considered mentioning what the two knights were talking about, but decided against it when Alain refrained. After finishing his goblet, he finished another hors d'oeuvre, and he glanced around at the table again. The elvish honey wine caught his eye. As much as he wanted to try it, he didn't want to overdrink. Perhaps just a sip... he thought to himself.

His attention was drawn back to the conversation when he realized that the others were openly discussing the possibility of adventures. He laughed at Sieg's excitement, and turned to Alain. "Say, yer grace." He gave a sly smile. "If the elves do give Sieg trouble... do ya think ya could pull a few strings."

SPOILER: Click to show

Orrin promises to Alain (Celestial) that he'll write. He also asks if Alain could help should the elves not want to let Sieg go. Sieg and Morgaine (Shinko) are also there.