“Awww. Thank you Princess Elodie.” Rebecca said responding to Elodie’s compliment about her armor.
The two watched as Elodie walked across the room to her desk. Rebecca moved towards the window to keep lookout just encase anything were to happen. The Spartan however was near the door that lead to the hall. Should someone pop in unexpectedly, 197 had some options to stop the intruder. Their attention turned towards Elodie as she asks them a question while she was sorting through the letters on her desk.
“Yes Princess Elodie. Our orders were to keep close to you until your coronation and keep you safe until then. The king also requested that we do not leave your side unless something urgent came up.” The Spartan said. His attention switched back to the door after talking.
“We shouldn’t be too much of a bother. Your father just wanted to make sure you were safe.” Rebecca said trying to put a positive spin on it. She knew how overprotective parents could be but Elodie was going to be queen so many might attack her.
Rebecca watched as Elodie became excited over one letter that she got. She smiled a little seeing Elodie become excited. Her smile changed however when Elodie asked if they could handle bandits. The Spartan answered first before Rebecca could.
“Depending on how many and what they are equipped with, they would be fairly easy to handle. However, we would rather not put you in a position where that might be a possibility.” He said.
“Do you believe that something might happen Princess Elodie? You got really excited about that letter but that is a strange question to ask.” Rebecca said.
So they really are going to be with her all the time!! She doesn’t like the idea of them sleeping in her room but... It is important that she makes it to coronation. She feels she should be angrier than she is, but she remembers her father accepting her into his arms after the disaster the parade had been, comforting her that she wouldn’t be hurt.
She’ll deal with this while she needs to. Once she’s crowned, things will be easier. She only has three more months.
❝ It’s an invitation to Gwenelle of Sudsbury’s birthday... She’ll be turning fifteen, so it means she’ll be the duchess shortly after the party, ❞ she explains. At least, she feels at ease disclosing any information the bodyguards may need.
❝ She’s one of my closest friends from school... So I’d like to go. But traveling on the road is dangerous. ❞
She pauses. She shifts the letters around on her desk. There aren’t any letters addressed from any one else that seem as important or pressing to her.
❝ But being attacked by bandits would be no problem for you two!! Those fancy crossbows would make short work of them, I’m sure of it!! I’ll begin writing her a response right now!! ❞
Elodie sees no reason to say no to Gwenelle. She’s sure she’ll be fine, no matter what happens, with these elite alien guards.
Is there anything Elodie wanted to do or learn but couldn’t because her father stopped her?
thinking about it, i’m not sure if he did??
pretty much the only thing elodie wants to do that she’s never able to is going back to boarding school and finishing her term ( which would probably stop once she was 15 anyway, considering the way the game seems to treat events like that ) otherwise, once elodie is skilled enough in certain areas ( animals, weapons, etc ) she’s always given that thing after she’s able to properly handle it. like, she gets a sword once she’s skilled enough to use it without hurting herself.
joslyn is definitely strict, and there are some parts where he seems pretty mean to elodie, but i think it’s more of a result of him being a realistic person and dealing with whatever political stressors he does shield elodie from and the grief of losing his wife/not having a clear heir of his own, etc.
honestly he should probably step in MORE than he does
Five months... In only five months, so much has changed. The boat ride from Zofia arrived in Nova without incident, and the contingency Alm lended Elodie for the trip had been cordial and polite. Elodie especially liked the one named Lukas -- but she made a promise, and so she sent him off with only a modicum of regret.
She had no idea how long the war the Deliverance would last -- she had no head for war at all, until she experienced it on her own land.
But she’s confident now, as queen, and she knows her way around a sword and spell, and she’s ready to grant whatever wish Alm may have, as thanks for helping her out all those weeks ago.
She charts a ship once things are settled enough in Nova for her to leave for months at a time. It takes quite some time to get there, but she brings a small battalion of soldiers with her, as aid, though she is the only lumen present. If the war is over, they’d serve as her guard ( though it’s more than clear by now she needs no such protection ). If the war isn’t, they’ll bolster Alm’s forces.
Some part of her feels glad when they learn the war is still on, and diplomacy can’t continue so long as Zofia lacks a ruler. She already thinks of the green-haired boy who helped her out of the castle and made sure she was alright. Her heart pounds.
It’s a time-wasting detour they need to take to catch up with the Deliverance, but they do. When they finally see banners wave in the breeze, and the clear invisible lines of a camp, belonging to Sir Alm’s side... She’s ecstatic.
Without much of a fanfare or introduction, she enters the camp in search of her Sir Alm. At fifteen, there’s no way she can be presumed to be general by the foreign soldiers, but she’s clearly important with her following outfit, all garbed in Novan armor. When she finds the person she needed to, to inform Sir Alm of her arrival, she waits patiently for the young lord to see her. She expects her arrival is a surprise, but past that... She has no idea.
this is more of a timeline reference for me, not you, but i’m making it a post i can link to on my blog for easy navigation. it’s also there if people are more interested in lltq or elodie’s experiences!!
this will be mostly spoiler free (assuming spoilers count as tying up plot threads and not just experiencing the game) but notes regarding lore and motives will be marked and present.
week 1 -
elodie arrives at home from boarding school to be reigning princess
family visits ( aunt lucille, uncle laurent, cousins charlotte, emry, and zahra ) from merva
week 2 -
julianna, duchess of ursul and known lumen, arrives at the castle and offers to train elodie in magic.
willful elodie accepts her offer
cheerful & lonely elodie arrest her
week 3 -
a milk viper is found in the garden while charlotte and elodie are playing
( willful ) the viper bites charlotte, and her family leaves for merva in a hurry
( cheerful & lonely ) the viper bites elodie, and charlotte heals elodie with a strange magic.
spoilers note: milk vipers are native no where near to the royal castle, it was brought by lucille in the first attempt on elodie’s life. their venom is highly poisonous.
week 4 -
no events... charlotte is probably fine
week 5 -
talarist, duke of sedna, sends elodie a necklace as a gift
willful elodie puts it on, unaware of the social consequence
cheerful elodie puts it on, knowing full well it’s a courting gesture
lonely elodie puts it away, because it’s inappropriate
week 6 -
willful elodie notices julianna and the castle’s cleric, selene, holding hands in the courtyard
there is an intruder, but elodie can’t climb fast enough to see who it is.
cheerful & lonely elodie are confronted by selene. she asks her to let julianna out of prison. elodie does not.
week 7 -
a maid nearly runs into elodie in the halls
willful & cheerful elodie avoid the maid
lonely elodie apologizes for it
cheerful & lonely elodie have julianna in prison
her elder brother, ignatius, duke-consort of mead, visits her in the dungeons.
elodie offers her title of duchess of ursul to him. he becomes duke of ursul.
willful elodie becomes a lumen with julianna’s guidance
week 8 -
a man proposes the invention of the printing press
willful & lonely elodie invest and produce it
cheerful elodie denies the request
week 9 -
banion, duke of maree, earl of serenitatis, arrives asking for aid against foreign incursions of ixion.
willful & cheerful elodie prepare for battle against ixion
cheerful elodie wins but loses a moderate number of troops
willful elodie scares the ixionites off before fighting begins
lonely elodie negotiates with an ixionite diplomat
elodie pays the ixionites to withdraw
week 11 -
a keythong is spotted in the old forest
week 12 -
talarist, duke of sedna, visits ( willful & cheerful ) elodie
willful elodie clumsily declines his betrothal
cheerful elodie gracefully declines his betrothal
a woman approaches ( lonely ) elodie with the proposal to establish a hospital
elodie thinks it would be a bad idea
week 13 -
kevan, earl of io, brings forth a woman who attempted to poison one of his family members, demanding justice
willful elodie accidentally insults his family and kevan executes the woman on the spot
cheerful elodie executes her and her body is cruelly displayed as a warning
lonely elodie puts the woman to work as punishment
week 14 -
an owl flies overhead
spoiler note: an omen of ill health and a death causing issues
willful & cheerful elodie are asked to invest in a hospital
they both think it would be a bad idea
week 15 -
a letter arrives from briony, lady of mead
lonely elodie begins printing religious doctrine with the newly created printing press
week 16 -
the procession of the good lady takes place
elodie leads the parade
lonely elodie gives a lovely a speech
willful elodie faces an assassin
she blasts him with magic and escapes with her life.
julianna escapes the dungeons ( lonely & cheerful paths )
week 17 -
the grand ball takes place
willful elodie has a coded paper as evidence from her attack
dancing
willful elodie dances with linley of kigal
cheerful elodie dances with earl chaine of mima
lonely elodie dances with earl erwin of ishtar
willful elodie discovers lucille is a lumen
she offers her a court position
week 18 -
elodie catches her father speaking with sirin, countess of miranda and callisto
willful elodie trips her
cheerful elodie insults her with false flattery
lonely elodie embarrasses herself
joslyn admonishes his daughter for not being aware of her surroundings
cheerful elodie names julianna as her biggest threat
she puts out a manhunt for her head
lonely elodie names assassins as her biggest threat
she gets more guards to protect her
week 19 -
tax season!
willful elodie lowers taxes
cheerful elodie raises taxes
lonely elodie keeps them the same
week 20 -
a prisoner is brought before elodie, accused of killing his wife. he says he was possessed by a demon
cheerful elodie schedules him for execution
lonely elodie imprisons him
willful elodie discovers he’s a lumen
she faces him in a magic duel and kills him, gaining his crystal
week 21 -
elodie receives a poem about her and a squid
willful elodie thinks it’s hilarious
cheerful & lonely elodie don’t think it’s so funny
the prisoner from week 20 escapes
he blows up a portion of the dungeon ( cheerful path )
cheerful elodie receives news that julianna has been killed
she talks to her father about how scary lumen are
week 22 -
fabian, earl of titan and duke-regent of elath, passes away. adair, his heir, is too young to rule
willful elodie sends him to live with her uncle
cheerful elodie decides to marry him when he’s older
lonely elodie sends him to live with his grandfather
week 23 -
an aspiring musician visits
willful & lonely elodie appoint her court minstrel
cheerful elodie hires her as a spy
week 24 -
adair is doing well
cheerful elodie keeps him at a distance
week 25 -
elodie sees a falling star
spoiler note: an omen of war
week 26 -
lonely elodie learns adair has been killed
she ennobles an elath administrator to reign as duke
tariffs are raised on the talasse border
willful & lonely elodie send money to aid the people
cheerful elodie does not
week 27 -
( lonely ) sedna invades elath. elodie covers the damages
elodie receives a letter from gwenelle about her birthday
willful & lonely elodie will attend
cheerful elodie will not
week 28 -
lonely elodie is attacked by bandits on the way to sudbury
her extra guards successfully protect her
at the party, briony asks elodie about the old forest
elodie says she’ll help
week 29 -
a gift of an embroidered horse pillow from lillah arrives
spoiler note: horses are icons to that duchy
briony is preparing to enter the old forest
willful elodie tells her to go home
lonely elodie asks her about her family troubles
week 30 -
( willful & lonely ) elodie receive a letter from briony
elodie learns her parents are divorcing and a terrible secret
spoiler note: secret is about briony’s mother affair with her brother, kevan, and about kevan’s mental illness and previous sexual assault by his step-father
week 31 -
nothing for our elodies
week 32 -
elodie organizes a tournament
willful elodie offers status and praise as a prize
cheerful elodie offers employment
lonely elodie offers gold
( cheerful & lonely ) elodie gets a box of chocolates
cheerful elodie tests them for poison
she shoves it down a chicken’s throat, but it seems inconclusive
lonely elodie’s dog barks at them
she decides to save it for later
week 33 -
the week of the tournament
willful elodie joins the fencing tournament
and wins her first match!
cheerful elodie stays home
lonely elodie joins the music tournament
and wins the whole thing!
the chocolates from week 32 are confirmed to have been poisoned
cheerful elodie waits for more information
lonely elodie is afraid some one tried to kill her
week 34 -
an approaching war fleet is spotted encroaching on Nova
willful elodie says she will lead her ships in battle
cheerful & lonely elodie wait and see
week 35 -
the novan fleet is not enough to drive away the invaders
willful elodie’s magic helps her escape the battle unharmed
week 36 -
the shanjian commander, king togami, meets with elodie in the capital. he challenges elodie to a magical duel
willful elodie accepts
she conjures a magic sword, on which the king is killed
cheerful elodie cannot accept
her father duels in her place
spoiler note: he produces a magical artifact that redirects togami’s magic and ends up killing him. joslyn is left permanently mentally and physically disabled.
lonely elodie sings to him
spoiler note: the former bard is moved by her song, and is reminded of his children at home. he resigns, surrenders, and becomes a fond friend to the new novan queen
week 37 -
the shanjian army leaves nova
willful & cheerful elodie must deal with shanjian soldiers looting the country
lonely elodie has a tentative optimism
cheerful elodie learns lucille has been making attempts on her life
she puts lucille to the axe, and banishes the rest of the family
week 38 -
plans for elodie’s coronation begin
willful elodie plans a respectable feast
cheerful elodie plans no feast
lonely elodie plans an extravagant feast
willful elodie sees her aunt’s family move into the castle
week 39 -
elodie makes plans for her oncoming marriage
willful elodie would like to court kevan of io
cheerful elodie is engaged to adair of elath
lonely elodie thinks of courting ignatius of ursul
The two soldiers followed Elodie around as she gave them a grand tour of the palace. They both began to look around but what they paid attention to was different. Rebecca was focused on all of the new things like the throne or the giant windows that decorated the ballroom. Meanwhile, the Spartan was looking around for areas of security risks. The giant windows didn’t give them a lot of privacy. If they were stuck in the ballroom under attack they wouldn’t have a lot of options.
As they passed by the courtyard, Rebecca noticed a slight tinge of sadness coming from Elodie’s words as she talked about the religious service being held there. Next came the staircase to the dungeon. 197 was intrigued to learn that the palace had some sort of dungeon. He figured that they would have had a different place for prisoners but this would help if 197 had to interrogate someone. They also went by the servant chambers. The Spartan would have to make a note to check who was there and who wasn’t. He didn’t want anyone sneaking in as one of the servants.
The final stop was Elodie’s room and it was very apparent that she liked the color pink. Rebecca was a fan of Elodie’s decorating style. Pink brings out anything in the room. The Spartan however was looking around the room. It seemed to be a good area to guard the princess should something come up. Limited areas of attack, secure place to keep her safe, restricted entry points. It was pretty good.
The two looked over to Elodie as she began to talk. It was useful to know that these rooms were for the royal family. If someone were to attack, this floor would be a primary target.
“No we’ve seen plenty.” The Spartan said briefly. He would come up with a battle plan later.
“I really love your room.” Rebecca said. “It’s so pretty with the different shades of pink.”
As if it weren’t obvious. Luckily for her, reds and pinks have long been considered one of the royal family’s colors -- even making a prominent appearance on their family’s coat of arms. She sometimes wonders if this doesn’t have something to do with the royal Lumen crystal. Surely every King and Queen from the royal line would have an affinity for the shining pink stone.
❝ I like your armor too, Rebecca, ❞ she tells the older woman happily. Her strange looking suit of armor was also a good shade of pink. Maybe Elodie could find similar shades for her armies??
Since her more stoic bodyguard agreed the tour was over, and she expects shooing them from her room ( at least for the moment ) is futile, she decides to go about the rest of her day without a hitch. She crosses the room to reach her desk, upon which are several letters left for her that must have arrived today.
❝ So are you two going to follow me around all the time?? ❞ She decides to throw a question out while she sifts though them.
One of them is from her friend... Gwenelle!! She tears the letter open with abandon and quickly reads its contents. She misses Elodie since she was forced to leave school... And her birthday is coming up!! She wants Elodie to visit.
She’d have to find a suitable present, and a nice dress for the occasion... But... Travelling is also dangerous. She turns and looks over at her alien bodyguards.
❝ You guys could take care of any bandits or kid-nappers no problem, can’t you?! ❞
She’s negotiated soldiers from Alm, so now she can get home safely. She’s excited to see her father again, and Juliette… Really every one around the castle, she misses dearly. She’s also pleased to see he’s chosen a retainer for her that he trusts – it’s a clear sign that Alm trusts her, and her naivete won’t allow her to consider she may be being tricked. In some ways, she’s learned that the most distant of strangers can be the most trustworthy.
❝ Thank you, Sir Alm, ❞ she replies cordially. ❝ I can certainly help with a famine. Nova is a very green land. ❞
She offers him one of her most princess-est smiles, gentle and sweet, before returning her attention to her soup. Despite her careful, small sips, she finishes her bowl and pushes it away from herself, where a servant takes it away.
Having eaten, she hops down from her seat and once more straightens her skirts once more.
❝ Thank you for everything so far. I do understand you’re the… captain. Of the… Army?? ❞ She definitely wasn’t paying attention in her military studies. ❝ Anyway, I wish I could help more, but I promise whenever Zofia is standing, Nova will be there for her. Now.
❝ May I give thanks to your troops?? ❞
〔 🎀 〕
Wait… wait, she’d help? Alm’s eyes widened as he almost lurched forward in surprise, barely holding himself in place by grasping the kitchen counter. Flabbergasted as he was, however, his expression turns from gaping to a brimming smile in a matter of seconds. It was…
It meant a lot.
“A-ah! I’m most thankful, Princess!” Was this the best way to respond? He didn’t have a clue, nor someone to crutch on that he could ask, so he only hoped he wasn’t… offending in any way whenever he opened his big mouth. “It’s been no trouble helping you.”
Of course, while her request comes as a surprise, he’s not about to deny her of the chance. Wishing to speak to the troops? It was harmless enough a wish, if not a very nice one. With a nod and a smile, he gestures for her to follow once she’s done fixing her skirts.
“Your promise to help is already enough to bring hope to the people, ma’am, Nova’s support will surely be met with thankfulness and smiles.” Lots of them — it had been harsh enough already for them all… Ahem. “In any case, you, uh, assume correctly! I’ll take you to them. This way.”
This was… great! Fantastic! Clive would certainly be overjoyed… right?
Hi are you interested in dark plots and need something to fill your daily dose of angst? Then do I have the characters for you! My name is Chris and these two are Spartan-197 (the man in blue) and Rebecca (the lady in pink). Spartan-197 is a super soldier who was indoctrinated into the Spartan-II program at the age of six. Spartan-197 is a no nonsense type soldier who will always try to get the job done with the utmost efficiency. He does have a darker side however that likes to come out when the Spartan has a high emotional response. Rebecca is the adopted daughter of Spartan-197 and is a field medic in the UNSC Marine Corps. A bubbly happy girl, Rebecca became a medic to help those in need. She cares about her squadmates and her adoptive father and is not afraid to run into battle to help bring someone out.
Rebecca took a little step back after hearing the king’s quick reply. It made sense on why he would not want his daughter to use their guns. They weren’t like the weapons they had on this planet and a father would always want to make sure his child is safe. Rebecca didn’t push the issue. She did however notice Elodie pouting after her father rejected the notion. Maybe she was just disappointed.
“You can call me Rebecca. The numbers are mostly for formality.” Rebecca replied in a cheery tone.
True to Elodie’s expectations, the two soldiers followed her out of the throne room. Rebecca started to look around while the Spartan kept his eyes on Elodie with the occasional glances on his surroundings, looking for any threat. Rebecca’s attention turned towards Elodie’s question about a tour around the castle.
“That sounds like a wonderful idea.” Rebecca said with a smile on her face.
The Spartan agreed, with a silent nod, that it would be a good idea as it would give him a chance to do a full security sweep and see what he might have to look out for.
While the one named Spartan remains quiet ( and frankly kind of scary ), Rebecca seems amiable enough. Elodie takes no issue in addressing her over the other bodyguard, while she leads them through the castle halls. First is to show them the the ground floor. From the throne room, she takes them right, and shows them the ballroom, with all its huge windows and shiny floor. They pass through the corridor between the garden and courtyard. Elodie doesn’t have much to say about either -- she mentions that religious services are often held in the latter, but not that her mother is buried there.
Elodie doesn’t much like visiting the dungeons, and going near the tower staircase that leads there is also unpleasant. When they reach the southern hallway, she merely points in its direction and tells them the south-east tower holds the dungeons if you go down, and the staircase up leads to the second floor.
She takes them up through the southwest tower. Up once, is the second floor. Elodie explains that it’s just guest rooms and servants chambers and storage. Sometimes she gets lost up there, when she wants to go exploring like she would as a child. She takes them up again in the same staircase and it leads them almost directly to her own chambers.
A little excited, she makes a point of bringing them into her room to show them, saying with enthusiasm it’s hers. For being fourteen, her room is a bit younger than she is, full of expensive dolls and stuffed toys sitting about. The immaculate dollhouse is still sitting in the middle of the room -- sometimes she still plays with it in her free time. Everything that could be pink is pink, from the curtains to the large canopy bed and its covers. It’s childish, but she’s been off at boarding school for so long she hasn’t thought to change it in the slightest.
❝ There’s not many other actual rooms on this floor. They’re meant for the royal family only, so there’s supposed to be a room for each child or consort, but it’s just me and Father, and Mother let Father share her room.
❝ Is there something else I need to show you...?? ❞
Introductions were always terrible. Repetitive formalities, titles thrown back and forth, and a general feeling of stiffness that permeated the whole exchange – Lewyn found it unnecessary at best, and pretentious at worst.
He ran a hand down the front of his shirt for the fifth time in the last few minutes. Too many wrinkles and his mother would catch that he’d been lounging outside in his formal clothes less than an hour before, and he’d never hear the end of that…
A quiet cough from one of the pegasus knights in attendance told Lewyn he’d missed his cue, and their guest was waiting on him to speak. He must have zoned out while Rahna was saying her piece.
“–Ah.” Lewyn cleared his throat. “Yes. I second my mother’s sentiment, of course. And I extend a welcome to you on behalf of the royal family–” Something Rahna had likely already said, actually. “–and from myself, Prince Lewyn. It’s an honor to have you here.”
That should be enough to be polite. Lewyn gave their visitor a pleasant smile.
“…If your travel hasn’t been too exhausting, might I show you around? You did pick a rather pleasant time of year to visit – Silesse’s springs tend to be very fair.”
Silesse is a country so far away, and Elodie is glad that her father’s along with her for the diplomatic talks they intended to have... At least establishing a foreign relationship makes sense to travel so far, but she can’t help but shrink into a shy state. She feels small, even dressed in one of her nicer gowns with flowing skirts and puffy sleeves.
She’s half-way distracted even during the introductions. As always, they already know each other’s names. There’s Queen Rahna, serving as regent since her husband passed away not too long ago. Prince Lewyn is in line for the throne, but... Elodie can’t remember why he hasn’t taken it yet. Surely he’s old enough to, unlike her...
When he clears his throat, Elodie finally snaps to attention to their gracious hosts, blushing out of embarrassment.
Prince Lewyn’s offer is an interesting one -- she resists the impulse to say yes, and instead turns to her father, who gives her a slight smile as a go ahead. She turns back to Lewyn and shows him her big smile.
❝ That sounds great!! ❞ Not an entirely polite response, but she certainly has spirit... ❝ I would love to!! ❞
Well… color him impressed. He didn’t even know people ate soup any different than back home. How anyone could make eating look elegant… it looked like a lot of work over nothing. Other than a raise of the brows and a curious observation for a few moments, though, he didn’t do much else but turn away once he realized it was probably rude to stare.
So… troops. Hands clasped in thought as a hum left his throat. Considering there had been none of her Guard even left, that made a lot of sense. Well, other than escorts, she’d likely need them to ride the boat with her and keep her safe until she returned to her own castle proper. Did they have anyone like that? Who was reliable?
“Hm… I’ll see who I think could probably do the job. Although I think I have an idea of who could go with you and see to your safety there. He’s a reliable guy — him and a handful of our rear guard could probably do the trick.” Said person on mind was Lukas, of course, a calm and well-mannered fellow, and his skill with the lance was nothing to scoff at! “I’d take you personally, but I kind of have… a lot to do here.”
Besides, Lukas was a noble (and a nice one at that!), so she’d probably be more comfortable.
Still, it seemed the princess was keen on his opinion on the matter of what could be done, but he really felt… at a loss here. What was he supposed to ask for? “Uh… not really, no. I mean, there is a famine going on right now. It’s… pretty bad. But I’m not sure if asking for help with that is something we could do, or who would handle the distribution of the…” His hands unclasped, and he rolled his left wrist while raising it near his head, trying to remember the word. “Foodstuff.” Of course.
“I appreciate that you want to keep the friendly relations, though, Princess! I- I mean… Desaix was pretty rude to you. At least, if there’s anything we can do to make up for it and the loss of your guards…” Well, aside from escorting her home. That just seemed like a nice thing to do… right?
☄
She’s negotiated soldiers from Alm, so now she can get home safely. She’s excited to see her father again, and Juliette... Really every one around the castle, she misses dearly. She’s also pleased to see he’s chosen a retainer for her that he trusts -- it’s a clear sign that Alm trusts her, and her naivete won’t allow her to consider she may be being tricked. In some ways, she’s learned that the most distant of strangers can be the most trustworthy.
❝ Thank you, Sir Alm, ❞ she replies cordially. ❝ I can certainly help with a famine. Nova is a very green land. ❞
She offers him one of her most princess-est smiles, gentle and sweet, before returning her attention to her soup. Despite her careful, small sips, she finishes her bowl and pushes it away from herself, where a servant takes it away.
Having eaten, she hops down from her seat and once more straightens her skirts once more.
❝ Thank you for everything so far. I do understand you’re the... captain. Of the... Army?? ❞ She definitely wasn’t paying attention in her military studies. ❝ Anyway, I wish I could help more, but I promise whenever Zofia is standing, Nova will be there for her. Now.
Alm watches the assistant go, then turns his attention back to the princess, remaining standing despite his desire to do the same and give his legs a moment to rest. “It wasn’t a problem.” He says, offering to her a kind smile and bowing his head slightly. However, her question makes him ponder, and soon enough he wonders the same. What could she do? He wasn’t sure if it could be much of anything, really, and he wasn’t well-versed enough in politics at all to know if it was even possible or feasible to at least ask for humanitarian aid to the villages suffering from famine. It sounded absurd to ask.
“I don’t know, really.” He finally answers her with a sheepish smile and a shrug of his shoulders. “Much as I want to say otherwise, I don’t know enough about, well, anything in regards to politics to have an idea of what can and can’t be discussed.” And the girl before him is younger, but she’s probably a lot smarter on that aspect — she was a princess in her own right, after all, and here by herself! Whatever she came to do with her guard, she was probably thought capable enough.
The assistant returns with a soup, setting it down in front of the princess tiredly before nodding to Alm and getting back to work. He thanks them, watching them go, and returns his attention to the princess.
“And, well, I guess Zofia is in no state to demand anything. We don’t really have anyone on top right now, either.” Well, he wasn’t exactly about to discuss that it was Clive’s idea that he should be proposed as King Regnant until the mess was over. Him! Gods, he didn’t know the first thing about doing that kind of work. “It’s, uh, under discussion.” Kind of. Just his unfortunate luck that last he heard before he marched away to help search the castle was that it was a resounding yes.
“Erm… it’s best you don’t trouble yourself until you return home safe, in any case.” He finally says, nodding to himself and clasping his hands. It might be foolish to close off a window of opportunity, but he had no idea what it even contained. He instead gestures to the soup.
☄
❝ Hm... ❞ For the moment, Elodie ruminates on it. She’s fine with turning to soup instead, and begins eating it with the same precise movements she learned in etiquette class. He seems more than eager to help the princess onto a boat and back home, but if she were to arrive home without any guard, there’s no telling what misfortune could befall her... Back home, there had already been at least one assassination attempt, so going home without help is dangerous at best.
Being stuck in the castle is akin to a sitting duck... Surely there’s some sort of aid she can offer to either the remnants of the country or the forces that saved her from the corrupt magistrate that had been holding the capital.
After a few spoonfuls of soup, she thinks she has a case.
❝ I can’t really just get back on a boat and go home... without any guards. ❞
She turns to look at him.
❝ Is there any way you could spare a few soldiers for me?? I could surely return them once I was safely back home, but I can’t risk my own life like this...
❝ I’m sure once I got home I could arrange some kind of requisition... I was here for diplomacy, of course. Nova’s friendship with Zofia doesn’t need to end with the last king’s death. Wars don’t last forever, and offering aid in this time of crisis would surely strengthen our bond... ❞ And Zofia would be obligated in case some of the skirmishes around Nova spilled into their lands.
Rebecca couldn’t help but giggle a little at Elodie’s question about the numbers in their codenames. Youthful curiosity was always such a wonderful thing. There was much of their world that the two soldiers would have to teach the young princess. When Princess Elodie gave her introduction and gave a curtsy, Spartan-197 and Rebecca gave salute again this time towards Elodie.
“The numbers in our names are actually codenames.” Rebecca started to explain. “Our codenames are to help for organization in the military we are a part of so when we are assigned to missions we know where to go. My actual name is Rebecca. It’s a pleasure to meet you Princess Elodie.”
Spartan-197 didn’t say anything while Rebecca talked. His mind was more focused on surveying the room. If they were going to protect Elodie, they would need to find exposed points in the security that was already in place. He looked around the room to see where the windows, doors, and other places of entrance and exits were.
Rebecca continued on speaking. “If the King is ok with you learning, I don’t mind showing you.”
The diplomat waited for the king’s answer to Rebecca’s question before bring up the point that they should probably go somewhere else to talk about how the UEG are going to collect the crystals that were promised as part of the deal. They had the transportation they just need to know where to go.
❝ Absolutely not, ❞ the King replies quickly. ❝ If she studies archery, I may allow it, but I won’t have her bodyguards inadvertently injure her. ❞
He’s much more experienced with political speaking than Elodie, of course, and so while it sounds like a neutral statement, or even that he may hold a grudge against the soldiers for Elodie being hurt in such a way, Elodie is very aware that he means she’s too incompetent to be trusted with such a strange looking crossbow. So she pouts.
She quickly decides to change the subject, before her father can embarrass her anymore. ❝ So can I call you Rebecca, or do I need to use the numbers?? ❞
❝ Elodie, sweetheart, ❞ her father calls gently. She knows the tone of voice well, it means to get out, there’s things the king needs to handle regarding the arrangement.
She looks to her new alien bodyguards, fully expecting them to follow her as she leaves the throne room.
❝ I should show you all around the castle, right?? No one knows it as well as I do!! ❞
What a backwards country, to not let anyone use magic. Lewyn could see the royalty here had some inflated sense of self-worth that let them think it was only theirs, but he would simply have to play along. She did have Forseti in her hands. “That magic is limited to my family. You can try using it if you’d like, but–”
She dropped it.
On reflex Lewyn reached to catch the tome. The slight tug to his chains was met with a stronger one from the guards, and weapons drawn, the blades closer than anyone would find comfortable. He was still after that.
“…Queen Rahna. Of Silesse,” he said, begrudgingly. He was going to be in so much trouble when she heard. But she’d rather have him than no son at all, right? Even if he’d gotten himself into a mess that only she could get him out of, she’d still want him back… right?
Lewyn would have some time to work out his apology, at least.
“She’s my mother,” he continued, the flowery language gone now that he could see pure persuasion wasn’t the answer. “Which makes me Prince Lewyn, thank you.” Her comment on his lack of responsibility went ignored. “She would be happy to hear you’ve found me, since as you can see–” He half smiled, but it conveyed mostly annoyance. “I’m not at home. Dragging me back there would earn you more favor with her than killing me for a rule that doesn’t exist in my country… wouldn’t you say?”
That really was more defense than a brand she’d never recognize, though he hated to have this be the way he was returning to Silesse. Once he was out of this mess he’d work on that part…
☄
A sly smile works its way on Elodie’s face to see her prisoner squirm so. The book must be important for him to so carelessly buck his bonds, and the smarmy look leaving his face in a moment with her guard’s tug was something beautiful in its own right.
Yes, she knows of Silesse. It’s far enough away that even her information is lacking, but she’d never let that slip. She always needs to have the upper hand after all. What she remembers... Silesse doesn’t get into much international trouble, but there were whispers of in-fighting that could easily lead to civil war. Their prince is missing -- though Elodie doesn’t remember his name. Whether or not the man before he really is Prince Lewyn does grant her that, at least. Queen Rahna matches what she knows. If what this foolish bard says is true, his head is worth a king’s ransom ( quite literally ), and if he’s wrong, she’d be more than happy to ensure he didn’t get a single day more to spill more nonsense.
The queen kicks the tome on the floor with enough force that it tumbles down two stairs leading to the small plateau on which sat her throne. She looks to the ‘prince’s’ face. Would he despair?? Flinch?? She wonders.
❝ Pick that up, ❞ she commands a nearby soldier over her shoulder, still keeping her eyes fixed on the man who named himself Lewyn. The soldier rushes to obey her order, holding it awkwardly in front of him. Though his hands and fingers were curled around it, of necessity, it was clear in how it was almost brandished that the book unnerved him, and he didn’t seem keen to be touching it at all. Of course, Elodie couldn’t blame him. Witchcraft like that could blow up at a moment’s notice -- that Lumen could command it to explode and take that poor fool out in a moment. Better that he’s holding it then, and not her.
❝ What a quaint excuse, ❞ Elodie begins. Her voice is as ice, as is the gaze she fixes on the prisoner, staring down the bridge of her nose. ❝ Silesse’s heir has been missing for quite some time. Unlike here, the line is passed down from father to son, and Queen Rahna shouldn’t be ruling at all. You’re claiming to be a man who left his own mother in a perilous situation, you realize.
❝ And how convenient that he’s not been heard or seen from, either. That’s an easy role to slip in, when you need to, isn’t it?? ❞
She doesn’t entirely disbelieve him. She has no reason to believe he’s telling the truth or lying, one way or another, but she is interested in seeing him sweat or squirm as she turns over his answers and investigates any flaw she’s given. If she can’t kill him, that’s how she’ll enjoy this.
❝ Your hide is either worth an immense amount, or it’s worth nothing. Tell me, Your Highness, if I spend gold to feed and house you comfortably in my prisons, will it be a waste, or will my letters to Queen Rahna confirm your brazen claims?? ❞ A threat. Given politely, subtly. It’s actually rather kind of her to offer him a chance to admit he’s lying on his own. Of course, if he says he is lying, it’s his head to the ground next, but it’s still a nice gesture.
Butorphanol could serve as a pain killer for both humans and birds birds, but according to what he’d read of the drug’s effects on mammalian systems it more often than not resulted in narcosis. That was only to be expected, given how much more powerful it was than any silly little aspirin. Getting to observe the results firsthand would doubtlessly serve him as… Being something he’d get a kick out of. Not everything needed to be all dedicated research all the time. The doctor set a bottle of the drug out on the far end of his desk beside a paper cup of water for Elodie to help herself to before taking a seat behind it to get back to sorting through his paperwork.
“Of course it will. You’ll hardly feel a thing after taking it.”
Because she’d likely be sedated to hell and back.
"Was that all, miss Nova??”
☄
As creepy as their school nurse seems most of the time, it seems this time Elodie will get off unscathed!! So does this mean that really, he’s actually a good person, and not as scary as every one worries??
It leaves her feeling hopeful, in any case, and she takes the offered pill ( just one ) without another word. Is there anything else she needed??
❝ Oh, well... ❞ She’s still a little curious why the school nurse stocked some familiar names to her -- familiar being poison. She knew their names from her strange, specific studies, and there were more than a few bottles of more than a few brands.
❝ What’s the practical use of all the sodium floroacetate I saw on the shelf?? Isn’t that like... Really deadly?? ❞
