Week 0
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: We're almost home. Your room is just the way you left it.
Elodie, Crown Princess: ...
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: I know it's hard to leave your school and all your friends, but I've arranged the best possible tutors for every subject.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You'll have to work hard this year to prepare yourself before your fifteenth birthday, but I know you can do it.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You'll learn quickly and you'll make a wonderful queen. It's what your mother would have wanted.
Elodie, Crown Princess: This is not what Mother would have wanted!
Elodie, Crown Princess: She wouldn't have wanted to die and leave me.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: No. She wouldn't. But sometimes bad things happen. We have to pick up and carry on.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: All of Nova depends on us. On you.
Elodie, Crown Princess: *sigh*
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: I will be here to guide you until your coronation, but the decisions you make are ultimately up to you.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Come. Your maids are waiting.
Welcome to Long Live The Queen! If this is your first time playing, you should read this brief introduction to how the game works.
Menu: [Tell me more] [I've played this before]
Player chose: I've played this before
Week 1
(Studied Foreign Affairs in the morning.)
(Studied Foreign Affairs in the afternoon.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: What's all that noise outside? Who's here?
Elodie, Crown Princess: Oh! It's my cousins! And my aunt and uncle.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: Darling. We were so terribly sorry to hear about your mother Fidelia.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Thank you.
Laurent, Duke of Merva: You look well, niece.
Charlotte, Lady Merva: Hi, 'Lodie!
Elodie, Crown Princess: Hi, Lottie. I haven't seen you in ages! Will you be staying long?
Charlotte, Lady Merva: Yup! Mummy said we'd be here all month.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Maybe we'll have some time to talk later.
You spend the weekend holed up alone in your room with your favorite toys. It's childish, but you feel a bit better.
Week 2
(Studied Reflexes in the morning.)
(Studied Reflexes in the afternoon.)
You may now play Sports on the weekends.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What's that commotion outside? Father? What's going on?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: I have come to pay my respects in honor of your mother.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You have no respect or honor. It's because of you and your powers that my wife is dead!
Elodie, Crown Princess: What?!?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: I am a Lumen, as was she, and like every Lumen I am willing to give my life if necessary to protect our domain.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Your line has been traitors for two hundred years. I won't have you corrupting my daughter.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: That is for the Crown Princess to decide.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Elodie, your mother trusted me, and I have much to teach you.
Menu: [Send her away] [Arrest her] [Let her stay]
Player chose: Arrest her
Elodie, Crown Princess: You are a traitor to the crown and I ought to have you executed.
Elodie, Crown Princess: GUARDS! Arrest her!
Elodie, Crown Princess: Throw her into the castle dungeons and let her rot!
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Well. I suppose she won't be a problem anymore.
You spend the weekend holed up alone in your room with your favorite toys. It's childish, but you feel a bit better.
Week 3
(Studied Presence in the morning.)
(Studied Presence in the afternoon.)
Charlotte, Lady Merva: He loves me, he loves me not...
Elodie, Crown Princess: Lottie, do you have a boyfriend?
Charlotte, Lady Merva: Not really. I just like to play with the flowers.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Me too.
You gather your skirts and prepare to sit down, when all of a sudden, a hissing noise alerts you to a hidden danger - a snake!
Elodie, Crown Princess: Charlotte, don't move!
With your quick reflexes, you grab a forked stick and manage to flip the snake away from you and your cousin.
Charlotte, Lady Merva: EEEEEK!
Elodie, Crown Princess: Get away, you horrible thing!
You stomp loudly on the ground, and the snake slithers off into the distance.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: What is going on out here?
Charlotte, Lady Merva: Mummy, there was a snake!
Lucille, Countess of Nix: What was a snake doing in the royal gardens? This is completely unacceptable. You could have been killed!
Charlotte, Lady Merva: Elodie scared it off.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: That's not good enough. I can't have my daughter remaining in such a dangerous place! We are returning home to Merva at once.
Charlotte, Lady Merva: Awww....
You venture into the depths of the castle dungeons.
The Duchess of Ursul is there, in her cell, sitting perfectly straight on the bench against the wall and looking your direction as if she'd been expecting you.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Caution is wise for one in your position. Hasty judgments can lead to trouble.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Are you ready to listen now?
Menu: [Hear her out] [Taunt her]
Player chose: Hear her out
Elodie, Crown Princess: What do you want to say?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: It is the responsibility of the king or queen of Nova to handle magical energies to protect the domain.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: That is what a Lumen does - what your mother did, and what I do.
Elodie, Crown Princess: My father said it was your fault she died!
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: What he said was that she died by magic. Being a Lumen is never safe. We pay a high price for our powers.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: But without a Lumen queen, this entire domain is at risk.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Release me, and I will teach you what you need to know to keep your responsibilities.
Menu: [Free her] [Refuse]
Player chose: Free her
Elodie, Crown Princess: I don't have any choice, do I?
Elodie, Crown Princess: Fine. I'll have the guards release you.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Come to me in my rooms as soon as you can to begin your training.
Week 4
(Studied Composure in the morning.)
(Studied Elegance in the afternoon.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: The castle seems quieter with Charlotte and Emry and Zahra and their parents gone.
Elodie, Crown Princess: It's certainly not empty, though. It seems like we get more servants every day.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What is it you wanted to teach me?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: First, I need to know if you have your mother's crystal.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What crystal?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: The source of power for any Lumen is a particular magical crystal. Once you've bonded with it, it becomes a part of you as long as you live.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: The Royal Crystal has been passed down from ruler to ruler for generations. It belongs to you, now - except that the King may be keeping it from you.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Do you have a crystal?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Of course.
She holds out her hands. Light flickers above her bosom, and then, with a shower of sparkles, something takes shape.
You reach out to touch it, and it dissolves away into nothing.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Oh.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: It belongs to me. No one can take it from me until I die.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: You need to find the crystal that belongs to you.
Week 5
(Studied Composure in the morning.)
(Studied Elegance in the afternoon.)
You have unlocked a new outfit!
One of the maids approaches for your attention.
Alice: My lady, couriers have arrived from the Duke of Sedna.
Elodie, Crown Princess: We have a Duke of Sedna?
Alice: ... No, my Lady. The duchy of Sedna is in Talasse.
Alice: They have brought you a letter, and a gift.
Elodie, Crown Princess: 'Condolences on the death of', 'deeply regret', 'best wishes'...
Elodie, Crown Princess: Oh! What a beautiful necklace!
Elodie, Crown Princess: Something sparkly will make me feel better.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Dad, what happened to Mom's Lumen crystal?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: It's in a safe place.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Can I have it?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: No.
Elodie, Crown Princess: But it's mine!
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Meddling with magic killed your mother. I don't want that to happen to you.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Once you're crowned Queen, I can't stop you from doing anything you want, but for now you are still a child.
(Put on the royal_demeanour outfit.)
Week 6
(Studied Presence in the morning.)
(Studied Presence in the afternoon.)
As you are walking, you spot a familiar figure in the palace gardens.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (It's the Duchess of Ursul! Maybe I should go and say hello.)
Then you notice that seated beside her is a woman in the robes of a priestess. They are very close together, their hands gently touching as they speak.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Looks like she's busy!)
You turn and walk in a different direction, so as not to disturb them. At that moment, you notice something unusual. It looks like someone just left the palace grounds by going over the hedge.
Was that a servant? A thief? Or... an assassin?
Menu: [Climb up to look over the hedge] [Call the guards] [Run and hide]
Player chose: Climb up to look over the hedge
You look around for something to climb, but you're not sure if the nearby trees can support your weight.
You run over to a statue and try to pull yourself up onto the pedestal, but it's too awkward to get your feet in place.
By this time, whoever you saw is probably gone anyway.
Elodie, Crown Princess: My father says I can't have the crystal until I'm Queen, so we'll just have to wait.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: There may not be time to wait.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: This world is filled with dangers, and you will need the powers of a Lumen to fight them. You can't begin training until you have bonded with your crystal.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Well, what else am I supposed to do about it?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: The crystal is probably held under guard in the Royal Treasury. You are the princess; you should be able to find a way inside.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Otherwise we might have to take drastic action.
Menu: [I'll wait until I'm older] [I'll try to find a way] [What drastic action?]
Player chose: What drastic action?
Elodie, Crown Princess: What do you mean by drastic action?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Let's hope it doesn't come to that.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Try to reach the crystal. If you can't, come and talk to me again.
Week 7
(Studied Elegance in the morning.)
(Studied Elegance in the afternoon.)
As you are walking up the stairs, a maid comes running down holding a towering pile of linen.
You gracefully step aside and let her pass.
You order the guards to stand aside and walk forward with your head held high. None of them dares to deny you access to your own treasury.
The glitter is dazzling, but some sixth sense draws you towards one little locked box in particular. This is what you need. This is the crystal that will make you a Lumen.
You tuck the box into your pocket. You can show it to your mentor later and get instructions on what to do next.
Week 8
(Studied Flattery in the morning.)
(Studied Flattery in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: There is a man here to see you. He wishes Crown funding for a project of his.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Remember, the treasury is not unlimited. If you choose to invest, you will have less money to work with later.
Man: Your Royal Highness, I have a plan to print books using metal letters which can be moved and reused.
Man: I need to borrow 875 lassi to assemble the metal and a factory to mold and cast the type.
Man: With this system, we will be able to create new books in a fraction of the time it takes now, and make copies to send all over the world.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I don't know much about factories or trade. Would that really be worthwhile?)
Elodie, Crown Princess: We are not interested.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I got it!
Elodie, Crown Princess: What do I do now?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Pick up the crystal with your bare hands. Press it against your chest, over your heart, and say "Illuminate!"
Menu: [Do it] [Don't do it]
Player chose: Do it
Elodie, Crown Princess: Okay... Here we go... Illuminate!
You feel dizzy, and both larger and lighter than you were before. The crystal has disappeared from view, but you know where it is.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Wow.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: The priestess here is a friend of mine. I will come to your lessons in the faith and train you to use your powers.
Week 9
(Studied Court Manners in the morning.)
(Studied Court Manners in the afternoon.)
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: Your Highness, my sympathies for your loss. Even after all these years I sometimes forget that my own mother will never be coming back.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Thank you.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: However, I must call for your aid. The Ixionite occupation of the county of Imbrium has gone on for too long. Now is the time to push back.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (His sister, the Duchess of Hellas, started trouble in Ixion four years ago, so they invaded his territory as payback.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I don't know anything about the military. I don't want to fight.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: There must be a peaceful way to settle this. I will send for diplomats from Ixion and try to come to some arrangement.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: Thank you, Your Highness.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: Your Highness, if I may ask... That necklace you're wearing. Where did it come from?
Elodie, Crown Princess: It was a gift from the Duke of Sedna.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: Then, you have made arrangements with him?
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I think he's asking if I'm engaged to the Duke!)
Menu: [I'm considering it] [I just like jewelry]
Player chose: I just like jewelry
Elodie, Crown Princess: Not at all.
Elodie, Crown Princess: But I appreciate presents. Doesn't everyone?
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: If you say so, Your Highness.
You attend services in the castle grove, letting the peace of the ritual calm your heart.
Week 10
(Studied Public Speaking in the morning.)
(Studied Flattery in the afternoon.)
Your skill in Flattery is now 50. You may not increase this skill until your other Conversation skills are 25 or higher.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The representative from Ixion is here. Be careful - no one wants to give up prizes that they have won.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: You have the full support of my sister and myself, Your Highness.
Brin, Duchess of Hellas, Countess of Dysnomia: Hmph. Let's get this over with.
Diplomat from Ixion: Your Royal Highness, thank you for granting me this audience. I am sure we can come to an amicable agreement.
Diplomat from Ixion: Let bygones be bygones, no? We will forget about your unprovoked attacks on us, and you will transfer the rights to this little province.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (It was the Duchess of Hellas who tried to take over part of Ixion's territory, without the support of my mother the Queen.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (It was the Duchess of Hellas who tried to take over part of Ixion's territory, without the support of my mother the Queen.)
Diplomat from Ixion: We can be good neighbors again, without any lives being lost.
Menu: [Surrender Province] [Offer him money if Ixion withdraws] [Offer to punish the Duchess of Hellas] [Bluff / Intimidate] [Execute him]
Player chose: Offer to punish the Duchess of Hellas
Elodie, Crown Princess: We appreciate that you feel wronged. One of our subjects attempted to instigate a rebellion in your territory.
Elodie, Crown Princess: However, she did not have our approval for these actions. If you withdraw your troops, we will punish her.
Brin, Duchess of Hellas, Countess of Dysnomia: Your Highness!
Elodie, Crown Princess: This is the fair solution. You have no right to invade us because of her actions.
Diplomat from Ixion: What manner of punishment were you considering?
Menu: [Make her a commoner] [Command her to marry an Ixionite] [Execute her]
Player chose: Command her to marry an Ixionite
Elodie, Crown Princess: She will marry an Ixionite lord of your choosing.
Brin, Duchess of Hellas, Countess of Dysnomia: I will not!
Elodie, Crown Princess: You will if I say you will, or I'll take your title away!
Elodie, Crown Princess: Her heirs will be of your blood, in a peaceful union that benefits us both.
Diplomat from Ixion: Very well. We will accept this arrangement.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: Remember that my sister is not the only unmarried noblewoman in Nova.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (People will expect me to find a husband too.)
A walk in the fresh air helps you forget the burdens on your shoulders.
Week 11
(Studied Public Speaking in the morning.)
You have unlocked a new outfit!
(Studied Public Speaking in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: There are reports that a keythong has been sighted leaving the Old Forest.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What's a keythong?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: A beast with the body of an enormous golden cat, a sharp beak, and spikes on its back.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Eek!
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Several disappearances in southern Caloris are already thought to be the work of this creature.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What do we do? Should we send hunters?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The traditional policy on stray beasts is to hope that they return to the forest and stay there.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Hunters are no match for such creatures. You would only make it angry and waste more lives.
Elodie, Crown Princess: So... we just let it eat people?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Everyone dies in the end.
Elodie, Crown Princess: ...
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Also, there is a letter for you.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Talarist, the Duke of Sedna, will be arriving next week for an official visit.)
You visit the royal treasury and check your available funds.
You have nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-seven gold lassi and fifty silver tilassi.
(Put on the conversation outfit.)
Week 12
(Studied Resist Magic in the morning.)
(Studied Resist Magic in the afternoon.)
Talarist, Duke of Sedna: Ah, Your Highness. What a pleasure it is to meet you in person at last. Your description did not do you justice.
Elodie, Crown Princess: You have a silver tongue, Your Grace, or an eye for unfinished potential. Both admirable qualities.
Talarist, Duke of Sedna: I was so pleased to hear that you had accepted my humble offering. A jewel for a jewel - but you are the more precious.
Talarist, Duke of Sedna: I hope that this is only the beginning of a mutually beneficial relationship. A union between us would bring stability to both our peoples.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (He really does want to marry me!)
Menu: [Accept his offer] [Politely decline]
Player chose: Politely decline
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I need to let him down gently.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: Your Grace, I hold you in the highest respect, but I regret that my impulsive enthusiasm may have misled you.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Such a decision should not be made in haste. I would, of course, look kindly on your suit in the future.
Talarist, Duke of Sedna: I am in complete agreement, Your Highness. There is no need to rush. A solid union requires strong foundations.
Talarist, Duke of Sedna: I wish only to meet you, to get to know you, and then to see you again.
Talarist, Duke of Sedna: Perhaps you could show me around your castle?
Elodie, Crown Princess: Certainly.
You take to the court for a few games of tennis. Feel the thrill of competition!
Week 13
(Studied Wield Magic in the morning.)
(Studied Wield Magic in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You are requested to stand in judgement. A woman has been convicted of attempted murder and requests the mercy of the Crown.
Kevan, Earl of Io: Your Highness! This slattern dares to beg pardon, when she admits that she tried to poison my sister under her own roof!
Elodie, Crown Princess: Which sister?
Kevan, Earl of Io: Corisande, the Duchess of Mead.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Is she all right?
Kevan, Earl of Io: She is unharmed. We caught the culprit in the kitchens before anyone could eat her foul spew.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Well, what do you have to say for yourself?
Condemned Woman: It's justice, it is! Them devils killed me brother, and broke me mam's heart.
Condemned Woman: Lied to her, they did, when she went to see why he'd not come back. Said he'd gone for a soldier, when he never would!
Condemned Woman: He weren't the only one neither. I waited ten years for my chance to get my own back. That's justice!
Kevan, Earl of Io: You see? She's completely unrepentant! Hang her and be done with it.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I don't know what this is all about. Either way, murder is a serious crime, but...)
Menu: [Put her to work] [Imprison her] [Execute her]
Player chose: Imprison her
Elodie, Crown Princess: You have tried to murder a noble of my domain, and I have no reason to believe you wouldn't do it again.
Elodie, Crown Princess: You will be imprisoned for the rest of your life.
Condemned Woman: Ye'll not have me!
All of a sudden, she breaks loose from her guards and rushes at you!
In your Court dress, you are unarmed - you grope for a weapon and find only a heavy golden ornament which you hurl in her direction.
Your missile flies wide of its mark.
Before you have a chance to do anything else, your personal guards step into action, cutting the woman down before she can endanger you. Her lifeless body lies bleeding on your carpet.
Elodie, Crown Princess: ... Clean that up.
You attend services in the castle grove, letting the peace of the ritual calm your heart.
Week 14
(Studied Sense Magic in the morning.)
(Studied Sense Magic in the afternoon.)
You have unlocked a new outfit!
As you are walking one day in the gardens, you hear a strange sound and look up to see an owl flying overhead. A single dry leaf flutters in its talons.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (That's funny, I thought owls were nocturnal. I guess I was wrong.)
When you return to the castle, your father is waiting for you.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: There is a woman here to see you. She wishes Crown funding for a project.
Woman: Thank you for seeing me, Your Royal Highness. I... I come to you on behalf of the people.
Woman: I wish to build a hospital where any citizen afflicted with disease can be brought for treatment.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Putting all the sick people together? Wouldn't that make them die even faster?)
Elodie, Crown Princess: We are not interested.
You attend services in the castle grove, letting the peace of the ritual calm your heart.
(Put on the lumen outfit.)
Week 15
(Studied Wield Magic in the morning.)
(Studied Wield Magic in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Remember that the Festival of the Good Lady is approaching.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: There will be public celebrations for the commoners, followed by a grand gala for the nobility.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: As Queen, you would be expected to lead the procession and take part in the ceremonial planting, possibly give a speech.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: However, since you are not yet crowned, it is not required, and it may not be safe to expose you to the public.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What do you mean, not safe?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Outside of the castle, you are less well protected. If anyone means you harm... Think on it now, decide later.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: There is a letter for you as well.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (It's from Briony! I went to school with her, but she's a couple years older than me. Her mother is the Duchess of Mead.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (She's complaining that her mother still won't let her come home for the holidays.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Apparently her uncle Kevan has been acting strangely lately and shouting at shadows.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (She's bored and looking for an adventure. Well, I don't have any to suggest to her!)
You take to the court for a few games of tennis. Feel the thrill of competition!
Week 16
(Studied Ciphering in the morning.)
(Studied Wield Magic in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Today is the procession and planting for the Festival of the Good Lady. Will you be leading the parade?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: If you have any concerns about your safety, please, stay here.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The people will recover from disappointment; if we lose you, there is no recovery.
Menu: [I will lead the parade] [I will parade and make a speech] [I would rather not go]
Player chose: I will parade and make a speech
Elodie, Crown Princess: I'm not afraid. I'm going to be the best parade-leader ever!
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: My little girl.
You prepare your best gown for the occasion, then walk slowly through the town with your attendants. It would not be appropriate for you to wear a sword, but you do walk with a sturdy golden scepter that's taller than you are.
You can tell from the excited murmurs around you that the people are impressed with your queenly appearance.
At the end of the route, you help the priestesses turn over the earth for the new tree to be planted.
After the blessings are read, you hold up your hands and call for silence so that you can speak.
Elodie, Crown Princess: My affectionate greetings to you all, and my thanks. For it is the people that make this domain great.
Elodie, Crown Princess: We are here today to celebrate the gifts of the Good Lady, the promise of fertility and new birth.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Winter always comes, but winter is followed by spring. Each of us faces hardships, but we grow back stronger than ever.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Now is the time for new beginnings, and for my beginning as your Queen.
Your words are met with great applause.
The procession regroups to return to the castle.
You wander through the parts of the castle where other people rarely visit, but find little except spiderwebs. Yuck.
(Put on the conversation outfit.)
Week 17
(Studied Sense Magic in the morning.)
(Studied Sense Magic in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Are you ready for the grand ball?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: All the nobles in the domain are here to see you - to see their queen.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (gulp!)
You finish dressing and descend the stairs to make a grand entrance.
All around, the rich and powerful pause in their activities to gaze upon you, the ruler of them all.
You let your eyes rest upon each in turn as you have been taught, impressing upon them that you are not a child, but a Queen.
Your father waits for you at the bottom of the stairs and offers you his arm.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The first dance is for us.
He guides you gently around the dance floor, never rushing you. It's fun to dance with your father, but the look in his eyes is so sad.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: After this, you must choose your own partner. There are a number of men who hope to catch your eye.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The Duke of Kigal alone has brought three eligible sons, all near your age.
You look around the room at all your possible partners - which is to say, everyone. No one may begin dancing until you do. You can pick whomever you want and you will not be denied.
Menu: [Someone about your age] [Someone younger than you] [Someone older than you] [Someone already married] [Someone scandalous]
Player chose: Someone about your age
You approach Linley, the second son of the Duke of Kigal. He's about two years older than you, and he was always nice to you at school.
He bows to you with great courtesy and you begin to dance.
Dancing with a real partner feels quite different from dancing with your father. You knew him, knew his steps like a part of you. Now every move is a mystery.
Unfortunately, you lose track of which steps you're supposed to do when, and trip over your own feet. Oops!
Between the dances, there is time for the guests to mingle, chat, and sample tiny bites of exquisite food.
You interact comfortably with your peers, leaving a wise word in every ear.
During a lull in the music, Banion, the duke of Maree, taps an elegant fingernail against a wineglass, letting the clear note ring out through the room.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: If I might have your attention?
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: I believe we should offer our compliments to our lovely hostess.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: Not only does she protect our borders, but she has begun to address the long-standing problem of a shortage of heirs.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: My sister is proud to do her duty. As, of course, are others, such as myself and our lovely new queen.
You can almost hear the chorus of eyebrows being raised.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (He's trying to suggest that he and I have some sort of romantic arrangement.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (If I don't deflect that, everyone will be sure it's true.)
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: May I have this dance, fair lady?
Menu: [Accept] [Refuse]
Player chose: Accept
Elodie, Crown Princess: Certainly.
He pulls you close, his hand possessive on your waist, as the orchestra swings back into motion.
His head above yours angles down to murmur words that - you hope - no one else can hear.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: You realise that you have just admitted to all your guests that you and I are having an affair.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I know.
Menu: [I plan to use you, then drop you] [I plan to marry you.]
Player chose: I plan to use you, then drop you
Elodie, Crown Princess: I'm the Queen. I can have whatever favorites I like, then drop them when they bore me.
Elodie, Crown Princess: And that will hurt your reputation more than it does mine.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: Ruthless, aren't you? Without allies, even a queen can reach too far. And you do need a husband.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: I only ask you to consider it. We could do much together.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Hmmm.
As the gala continues, you take the opportunity to observe nobles that you rarely see.
There's Gwenelle, for instance - the Young Lady of Sudbury, only months older than you and due to finally inherit control of her duchy soon.
Or Adele, the youngest daughter of the Duchess of Lillah and a fierce sportswoman. She was a few years ahead of you at school and the absolute terror of the ballfields.
No Briony - she had said her parents were leaving her stuck at school this season.
Her parents are here, dancing together - the Duke-Consort clutching his Duchess possessively tight.
Strange that there's no sign of your cousins, though. Shouldn't they be here?
Your aunt and uncle are here, of course. It would be scandalous if they hadn't come, Merva being so close by.
There's something itching at your senses, something familiar.
Then it hits you. Aunt Lucille is a Lumen!
Menu: [Talk to your aunt] [Let it go]
Player chose: Talk to your aunt
Elodie, Crown Princess: Aunt Lucille, may I speak with you privately?
Lucille, Countess of Nix: Of course, dear.
You withdraw to a small side room.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I can sense your powers. You're a Lumen.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: What?!?
Elodie, Crown Princess: I am, too. That's how I know. Can't you sense that?
Lucille, Countess of Nix: No. No, I can't.
She looks down, shaking her head.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: I... I do have a Lumen crystal. I found it, years ago. It called to me. But I don't know anything about magic.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: I can make the crystal appear and disappear, and I can block out sound with it. That's all.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Why keep it hidden? It's not illegal to be a Lumen.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: Magic is dangerous, everyone knows that. People might think I was an evil witch. They wouldn't trust me.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: Look at how much trouble the Duchess of Ursul has. Please, Your Highness, don't tell anyone.
Menu: [Offer her a court position] [Keep her secret]
Player chose: Offer her a court position
Elodie, Crown Princess: What I think I should tell everyone is that you are my new Lumen Minister.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: What?
Elodie, Crown Princess: Lumens have power. If you train with me, you'll become even stronger.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I want that strength here to defend the capital.
Elodie, Crown Princess: You'll have status and recognition and no one will dare to call you a witch. What do you say?
Lucille, Countess of Nix: I accept.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Good!
It's nice to be able to enjoy time with friends and family, isn't it?
Sitting in on court sessions is not fun at all, but it pleases your father and it may be important for your future.
Week 18
(Studied Ciphering in the morning.)
(Studied Ciphering in the afternoon.)
You wander downstairs to visit your father and talk about the latest events in the domain.
You're moving with such enthusiasm that you don't realise your father isn't alone until it's too late to avoid him and his... companion.
Sirin, Countess of Miranda and Callisto: You are too kind, Joslyn.
Countess Sirin. Not a member of your circles - she's a bit more than a decade your senior, far too old to have ever been your friend. And yet, not at all old, as noblewomen go.
She has two minor titles, no husband, and your father's arm in her grasp.
How dare she make a move on your father?
Menu: [Shame her with silent scorn] [Insult her with false flattery] [Trip her as she passes]
Player chose: Shame her with silent scorn
You meet her eyes and imagine your mother's disapproving presence behind you.
Her color pales, and she releases her grip on your father's arm, mumbling an apology before hurrying out of the room. You have defeated her.
Once she's gone, you raise an eyebrow at your father.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: This is the path that you have set us on.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What do you mean?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Your acts have made everyone think about preparations for the future. Caloris needs an heir.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: My brother, your uncle Armand, is looking for a wife as well. One of us, at least, must produce more children.
Elodie, Crown Princess: But... Mama...
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Nothing can ever replace your mother.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: But we all have to do things that we don't want to do.
Elodie, Crown Princess: ...
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You should be careful how you deal with people like Sirin. You need the goodwill of your nobles as well as your commoners.
Elodie, Crown Princess: There haven't been any problems so far.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: As Queen, you must be aware of everything around you.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Isn't that what I have agents for?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Yes, but you must give them direction. What is your greatest concern?
Menu: [Noble plots] [Commoner uprisings] [Foreign threats] [Assassins]
Player chose: Foreign threats
Elodie, Crown Princess: I need to know if any foreign powers are moving against me.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: As you wish.
You attend services in the castle grove, letting the peace of the ritual calm your heart.
Week 19
(Studied Resist Magic in the morning.)
(Studied Resist Magic in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: It is the time of year to decide any necessary adjustments to the royal budget.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The majority of the money we receive is already spoken for, but there is always some room for discretion.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I really don't understand all of these numbers.)
Menu: [Raise taxes] [Keep them the same] [Lower taxes]
Player chose: Keep them the same
Elodie, Crown Princess: I think they're fine as they are.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: As you wish.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Pssst! I need to talk to you!
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: What is it?
Elodie, Crown Princess: That priestess, Selene... She's a Lumen! I can sense it!
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: I know.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What do you mean, you know? If you knew that, why didn't you tell me?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: You didn't need to know.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Your job is managing the domain. Some of us have other duties. Our missions have been passed down for centuries, little princess.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: We are here to train you. You don't need to know any more than that.
Menu: [Order her to explain] [Let it go]
Player chose: Let it go
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Right...)
Week 20
(Studied Archery in the morning.)
(Studied Archery in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You are requested to stand in judgement. A man has been convicted of the murder-by-strangling of his wife.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: He does not deny the act, but requests a pardon that he might be set free.
Elodie, Crown Princess: If you admit you killed your wife, why do you think I'm going to set you free?
Condemned Man: Save me, Your Majesty! Wasn't my fault. Demons made me do it.
Condemned Man: Everyone knows the power of magical beasties! They used me, they twisted my fingers into chains...
Condemned Man: My wife found me screaming, she tried to shake me, and the chains wrapped around her...
Condemned Man: I need the priestesses to bless me and make me clean again!
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Demons? This man is a Lumen! Where did he get a crystal?)
Menu: [Question him about crystal] [Pardon him] [Imprison him] [Execute him]
Player chose: Question him about crystal
Elodie, Crown Princess: It was a demon's magic that killed your wife? Not your own magic?
Condemned Man: ... So you know what I am.
He throws out his hands, and his fingertips elongate into floating strings of gold.
Condemned Man: DIE!
Golden chains slash at you like whips.
With so much warning, of course, it is easy for you to resist. His attack bounces harmlessly off your shields, the chains flying back in the direction from which they came... where they find an easier target.
Before your eyes, the renegade Lumen is choked to death by his own powers.
After a moment, an orange crystal materialises next to his body.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I guess I'll have to take that for safe keeping.
A walk in the fresh air helps you forget the burdens on your shoulders.
Week 21
(Studied Archery in the morning.)
(Studied Archery in the afternoon.)
Your skill in Archery is now 50. You may not increase this skill until your other Weapons skills are 25 or higher.
Alice: My lady, there is a letter for you.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Who sent this? It isn't signed...)
It appears to be a poem, describing you in a manner that is entirely inappropriate for a Queen.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I *what*? With a *squid*?)
Menu: [That's hilarious!] [That's terrible!]
Player chose: That's hilarious!
Elodie, Crown Princess: (That's actually pretty funny!)
Just then, an incredibly unlucky breeze swirls between the windows of your tower bedroom, tugging the paper out of your hands and off into the sky.
You stick your head out the window to discover the 'poem' caught and fluttering on the roof nearby. You can almost reach it.
Menu: [Climb out and grab it] [Ignore it]
Player chose: Ignore it
What's the worst that can happen? It blows off and someone reads it and laughs at you? That's better than breaking your neck.
Besides, if you're lucky it will rain and wash the words away.
You pay your respects to your mother's tomb, and wonder if the same fate is waiting for you.
(Put on the lumen outfit.)
Week 15
(Studied Wield Magic in the morning.)
(Studied Wield Magic in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Remember that the Festival of the Good Lady is approaching.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: There will be public celebrations for the commoners, followed by a grand gala for the nobility.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: As Queen, you would be expected to lead the procession and take part in the ceremonial planting, possibly give a speech.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: However, since you are not yet crowned, it is not required, and it may not be safe to expose you to the public.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What do you mean, not safe?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Outside of the castle, you are less well protected. If anyone means you harm... Think on it now, decide later.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: There is a letter for you as well.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (It's from Briony! I went to school with her, but she's a couple years older than me. Her mother is the Duchess of Mead.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (She's complaining that her mother still won't let her come home for the holidays.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Apparently her uncle Kevan has been acting strangely lately and shouting at shadows.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (She's bored and looking for an adventure. Well, I don't have any to suggest to her!)
You take to the court for a few games of tennis. Feel the thrill of competition!
Week 16
(Studied Ciphering in the morning.)
(Studied Wield Magic in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Today is the procession and planting for the Festival of the Good Lady. Will you be leading the parade?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: If you have any concerns about your safety, please, stay here.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The people will recover from disappointment; if we lose you, there is no recovery.
Menu: [I will lead the parade] [I will parade and make a speech] [I would rather not go]
Player chose: I will parade and make a speech
Elodie, Crown Princess: I'm not afraid. I'm going to be the best parade-leader ever!
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: My little girl.
You prepare your best gown for the occasion, then walk slowly through the town with your attendants. It would not be appropriate for you to wear a sword, but you do walk with a sturdy golden scepter that's taller than you are.
You can tell from the excited murmurs around you that the people are impressed with your queenly appearance.
At the end of the route, you help the priestesses turn over the earth for the new tree to be planted.
After the blessings are read, you hold up your hands and call for silence so that you can speak.
Elodie, Crown Princess: My affectionate greetings to you all, and my thanks. For it is the people that make this domain great.
Elodie, Crown Princess: We are here today to celebrate the gifts of the Good Lady, the promise of fertility and new birth.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Winter always comes, but winter is followed by spring. Each of us faces hardships, but we grow back stronger than ever.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Now is the time for new beginnings, and for my beginning as your Queen.
Your words are met with great applause.
The procession regroups to return to the castle.
You wander through the parts of the castle where other people rarely visit, but find little except spiderwebs. Yuck.
(Put on the conversation outfit.)
Week 17
(Studied Sense Magic in the morning.)
(Studied Sense Magic in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Are you ready for the grand ball?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: All the nobles in the domain are here to see you - to see their queen.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (gulp!)
You finish dressing and descend the stairs to make a grand entrance.
All around, the rich and powerful pause in their activities to gaze upon you, the ruler of them all.
You let your eyes rest upon each in turn as you have been taught, impressing upon them that you are not a child, but a Queen.
Your father waits for you at the bottom of the stairs and offers you his arm.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The first dance is for us.
He guides you gently around the dance floor, never rushing you. It's fun to dance with your father, but the look in his eyes is so sad.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: After this, you must choose your own partner. There are a number of men who hope to catch your eye.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The Duke of Kigal alone has brought three eligible sons, all near your age.
You look around the room at all your possible partners - which is to say, everyone. No one may begin dancing until you do. You can pick whomever you want and you will not be denied.
Menu: [Someone about your age] [Someone younger than you] [Someone older than you] [Someone already married] [Someone scandalous]
Player chose: Someone about your age
You approach Linley, the second son of the Duke of Kigal. He's about two years older than you, and he was always nice to you at school.
He bows to you with great courtesy and you begin to dance.
Dancing with a real partner feels quite different from dancing with your father. You knew him, knew his steps like a part of you. Now every move is a mystery.
Unfortunately, you lose track of which steps you're supposed to do when, and trip over your own feet. Oops!
Between the dances, there is time for the guests to mingle, chat, and sample tiny bites of exquisite food.
You interact comfortably with your peers, leaving a wise word in every ear.
During a lull in the music, Banion, the duke of Maree, taps an elegant fingernail against a wineglass, letting the clear note ring out through the room.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: If I might have your attention?
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: I believe we should offer our compliments to our lovely hostess.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: Not only does she protect our borders, but she has begun to address the long-standing problem of a shortage of heirs.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: My sister is proud to do her duty. As, of course, are others, such as myself and our lovely new queen.
You can almost hear the chorus of eyebrows being raised.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (He's trying to suggest that he and I have some sort of romantic arrangement.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (If I don't deflect that, everyone will be sure it's true.)
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: May I have this dance, fair lady?
Menu: [Accept] [Refuse]
Player chose: Accept
Elodie, Crown Princess: Certainly.
He pulls you close, his hand possessive on your waist, as the orchestra swings back into motion.
His head above yours angles down to murmur words that - you hope - no one else can hear.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: You realise that you have just admitted to all your guests that you and I are having an affair.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I know.
Menu: [I plan to use you, then drop you] [I plan to marry you.]
Player chose: I plan to use you, then drop you
Elodie, Crown Princess: I'm the Queen. I can have whatever favorites I like, then drop them when they bore me.
Elodie, Crown Princess: And that will hurt your reputation more than it does mine.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: Ruthless, aren't you? Without allies, even a queen can reach too far. And you do need a husband.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: I only ask you to consider it. We could do much together.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Hmmm.
As the gala continues, you take the opportunity to observe nobles that you rarely see.
There's Gwenelle, for instance - the Young Lady of Sudbury, only months older than you and due to finally inherit control of her duchy soon.
Or Adele, the youngest daughter of the Duchess of Lillah and a fierce sportswoman. She was a few years ahead of you at school and the absolute terror of the ballfields.
No Briony - she had said her parents were leaving her stuck at school this season.
Her parents are here, dancing together - the Duke-Consort clutching his Duchess possessively tight.
Strange that there's no sign of your cousins, though. Shouldn't they be here?
Your aunt and uncle are here, of course. It would be scandalous if they hadn't come, Merva being so close by.
There's something itching at your senses, something familiar.
Then it hits you. Aunt Lucille is a Lumen!
Menu: [Talk to your aunt] [Let it go]
Player chose: Talk to your aunt
Elodie, Crown Princess: Aunt Lucille, may I speak with you privately?
Lucille, Countess of Nix: Of course, dear.
You withdraw to a small side room.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I can sense your powers. You're a Lumen.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: What?!?
Elodie, Crown Princess: I am, too. That's how I know. Can't you sense that?
Lucille, Countess of Nix: No. No, I can't.
She looks down, shaking her head.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: I... I do have a Lumen crystal. I found it, years ago. It called to me. But I don't know anything about magic.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: I can make the crystal appear and disappear, and I can block out sound with it. That's all.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Why keep it hidden? It's not illegal to be a Lumen.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: Magic is dangerous, everyone knows that. People might think I was an evil witch. They wouldn't trust me.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: Look at how much trouble the Duchess of Ursul has. Please, Your Highness, don't tell anyone.
Menu: [Offer her a court position] [Keep her secret]
Player chose: Offer her a court position
Elodie, Crown Princess: What I think I should tell everyone is that you are my new Lumen Minister.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: What?
Elodie, Crown Princess: Lumens have power. If you train with me, you'll become even stronger.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I want that strength here to defend the capital.
Elodie, Crown Princess: You'll have status and recognition and no one will dare to call you a witch. What do you say?
Lucille, Countess of Nix: I accept.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Good!
It's nice to be able to enjoy time with friends and family, isn't it?
Sitting in on court sessions is not fun at all, but it pleases your father and it may be important for your future.
Week 18
(Studied Ciphering in the morning.)
(Studied Ciphering in the afternoon.)
You wander downstairs to visit your father and talk about the latest events in the domain.
You're moving with such enthusiasm that you don't realise your father isn't alone until it's too late to avoid him and his... companion.
Sirin, Countess of Miranda and Callisto: You are too kind, Joslyn.
Countess Sirin. Not a member of your circles - she's a bit more than a decade your senior, far too old to have ever been your friend. And yet, not at all old, as noblewomen go.
She has two minor titles, no husband, and your father's arm in her grasp.
How dare she make a move on your father?
Menu: [Shame her with silent scorn] [Insult her with false flattery] [Trip her as she passes]
Player chose: Shame her with silent scorn
You meet her eyes and imagine your mother's disapproving presence behind you.
Her color pales, and she releases her grip on your father's arm, mumbling an apology before hurrying out of the room. You have defeated her.
Once she's gone, you raise an eyebrow at your father.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: This is the path that you have set us on.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What do you mean?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Your acts have made everyone think about preparations for the future. Caloris needs an heir.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: My brother, your uncle Armand, is looking for a wife as well. One of us, at least, must produce more children.
Elodie, Crown Princess: But... Mama...
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Nothing can ever replace your mother.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: But we all have to do things that we don't want to do.
Elodie, Crown Princess: ...
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You should be careful how you deal with people like Sirin. You need the goodwill of your nobles as well as your commoners.
Elodie, Crown Princess: There haven't been any problems so far.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: As Queen, you must be aware of everything around you.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Isn't that what I have agents for?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Yes, but you must give them direction. What is your greatest concern?
Menu: [Noble plots] [Commoner uprisings] [Foreign threats] [Assassins]
Player chose: Foreign threats
Elodie, Crown Princess: I need to know if any foreign powers are moving against me.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: As you wish.
You attend services in the castle grove, letting the peace of the ritual calm your heart.
Week 19
(Studied Resist Magic in the morning.)
(Studied Resist Magic in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: It is the time of year to decide any necessary adjustments to the royal budget.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The majority of the money we receive is already spoken for, but there is always some room for discretion.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I really don't understand all of these numbers.)
Menu: [Raise taxes] [Keep them the same] [Lower taxes]
Player chose: Keep them the same
Elodie, Crown Princess: I think they're fine as they are.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: As you wish.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Pssst! I need to talk to you!
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: What is it?
Elodie, Crown Princess: That priestess, Selene... She's a Lumen! I can sense it!
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: I know.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What do you mean, you know? If you knew that, why didn't you tell me?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: You didn't need to know.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Your job is managing the domain. Some of us have other duties. Our missions have been passed down for centuries, little princess.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: We are here to train you. You don't need to know any more than that.
Menu: [Order her to explain] [Let it go]
Player chose: Let it go
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Right...)
Week 20
(Studied Archery in the morning.)
(Studied Archery in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You are requested to stand in judgement. A man has been convicted of the murder-by-strangling of his wife.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: He does not deny the act, but requests a pardon that he might be set free.
Elodie, Crown Princess: If you admit you killed your wife, why do you think I'm going to set you free?
Condemned Man: Save me, Your Majesty! Wasn't my fault. Demons made me do it.
Condemned Man: Everyone knows the power of magical beasties! They used me, they twisted my fingers into chains...
Condemned Man: My wife found me screaming, she tried to shake me, and the chains wrapped around her...
Condemned Man: I need the priestesses to bless me and make me clean again!
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Demons? This man is a Lumen! Where did he get a crystal?)
Menu: [Question him about crystal] [Pardon him] [Imprison him] [Execute him]
Player chose: Question him about crystal
Elodie, Crown Princess: It was a demon's magic that killed your wife? Not your own magic?
Condemned Man: ... So you know what I am.
He throws out his hands, and his fingertips elongate into floating strings of gold.
Condemned Man: DIE!
Golden chains slash at you like whips.
With so much warning, of course, it is easy for you to resist. His attack bounces harmlessly off your shields, the chains flying back in the direction from which they came... where they find an easier target.
Before your eyes, the renegade Lumen is choked to death by his own powers.
After a moment, an orange crystal materialises next to his body.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I guess I'll have to take that for safe keeping.
A walk in the fresh air helps you forget the burdens on your shoulders.
Week 21
(Studied Archery in the morning.)
(Studied Archery in the afternoon.)
Your skill in Archery is now 50. You may not increase this skill until your other Weapons skills are 25 or higher.
Alice: My lady, there is a letter for you.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Who sent this? It isn't signed...)
It appears to be a poem, describing you in a manner that is entirely inappropriate for a Queen.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I *what*? With a *squid*?)
Menu: [That's hilarious!] [That's terrible!]
Player chose: That's hilarious!
Elodie, Crown Princess: (That's actually pretty funny!)
Just then, an incredibly unlucky breeze swirls between the windows of your tower bedroom, tugging the paper out of your hands and off into the sky.
You stick your head out the window to discover the 'poem' caught and fluttering on the roof nearby. You can almost reach it.
Menu: [Climb out and grab it] [Ignore it]
Player chose: Ignore it
What's the worst that can happen? It blows off and someone reads it and laughs at you? That's better than breaking your neck.
Besides, if you're lucky it will rain and wash the words away.
You pay your respects to your mother's tomb, and wonder if the same fate is waiting for you.
Week 22
(Studied Reflexes in the morning.)
(Studied Reflexes in the afternoon.)
Your skill in Reflexes is now 50. You may not increase this skill until your other Agility skills are 25 or higher.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: I regret to inform you that Fabian, the Earl of Titan and Duke-Regent of Elath, has passed away.
This isn't really a surprise; he was pretty old. The problem is the political implications.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: With the control of Elath in doubt, it falls to the crown to make decisions.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Young Lord Adair will not reach his fifteenth birthday for over two years. He requires a regent.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: His stepmother, Arisse, the Duchess of Lillah, has petitioned that the boy be left in her care.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: This would, however, leave her in personal control of two neighboring duchies, which is generally forbidden.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Almost the entire eastern border.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I don't know anything really bad about her, though...)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The boy does have a living grandfather, the Earl of Ishtar. Or you might appoint an unrelated noble to act in his stead.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The Earl of Ishtar has suggested another possibility. You and Adair are both young, not too far apart in age.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: He requests that we accept the boy as your future husband and keep him here at the castle.
Menu: [Leave him with Arisse] [Send him to his grandfather] [Marry him] [Send him to your uncle]
Player chose: Leave him with Arisse
Elodie, Crown Princess: Adair must be upset enough already without us taking him away from his home.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Leave him with his stepmother.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: As you wish.
You spend the weekend holed up alone in your room with your favorite toys. It's childish, but you feel a bit better.
Week 23
(Studied Court Manners in the morning.)
(Studied Court Manners in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: There is a woman here to see you. She is a musician and wishes Crown patronage.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Which means money.)
Musician: Your Royal Highness! If you accept me as a member of your court I will immortalise you in word and song.
Musician: I have dabbled in musical styles from many countries, and can entertain your guests and lighten your evenings.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I wonder if she also writes naughty poetry?)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Musicians are often used as secret agents and messengers. They can be useful - and dangerous.)
The musician sings a little ditty to demonstrate her skills with the lute.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (She's actually pretty good.)
Menu: [Accept her as Court Musician] [Reject her]
Player chose: Accept her as Court Musician
Elodie, Crown Princess: Very well, you can remain as part of the court.
Musician: I will do my best for you!
Sitting in on court sessions is not fun at all, but it pleases your father and it may be important for your future.
Week 24
(Studied Lore in the morning.)
(Studied Lore in the afternoon.)
You receive a letter from Young Lord Adair.
It's a bit messy and hard to read, but he seems to be thanking you for letting him stay with the family he knows.
Elodie, Crown Princess: If you attack an enemy Lumen, and you win, and they leave behind a crystal...
Elodie, Crown Princess: Is it possible to combine that crystal with mine to make it stronger?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Each Lumen can hold only one crystal.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: The only way to combine their magic is if a living wielder chooses to join its power to another.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Oh.
Elodie, Crown Princess: So I should destroy other crystals, to stop anyone from using them against me.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: That is the traditional policy - but it is a lie. Lumen crystals cannot be destroyed.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Rulers claim otherwise to discourage thieves from seeking dangerous treasures.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What am I supposed to do with a crystal, then?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Guard it, or hide it, or give it into other hands to wield.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: But if the last holder of the crystal was an enemy, the resonance of the crystal will work against you.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: It will be attuned to a personality as foolish or violent or scheming as the Lumen you defeated.
Elodie, Crown Princess: So anyone taking the crystal would probably become a new enemy. That's useless!
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: A weak-willed candidate might be acceptable to the crystal and yet still controllable.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: You could then steer that Lumen away from dangerous paths, making an ally and changing the crystal's resonance.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: It is, however, a dangerous endeavor and one that requires your complete attention.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Not really a project I can work on while I'm so busy studying for my coronation.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Well, it's only one crystal. That's not too much trouble.)
Week 25
(Studied Divination in the morning.)
(Studied Meditation in the afternoon.)
Your agents report a buildup of military strength - particularly warships - in Shanjia, the major power across the ocean to the west. If they send out conquering fleets, Nova might be in danger.
However, it takes time to assemble worthy vessels, and you have advance warning. You could make your own preparations to defend your coast.
The downside is, they won't come cheap.
Menu: [Build more warships] [Do nothing]
Player chose: Build more warships
You send orders for the assembly of new ships, and the strengthening of weaponry and cladding on the existing fleet. If trouble comes, you'll be ready for it.
You pay your respects to your mother's tomb, and wonder if the same fate is waiting for you.
Week 26
(Studied Divination in the morning.)
(Studied Meditation in the afternoon.)
You have unlocked a new outfit!
Elodie, Crown Princess: What a beautiful day!
Elodie, Crown Princess: It's nice to stop and breathe sometimes.
You take to the court for a few games of tennis. Feel the thrill of competition!
(Put on the conversation outfit.)
Week 27
(Studied Divination in the morning.)
(Studied Meditation in the afternoon.)
Alice: My lady, there are letters for you.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Another letter from Briony. Why does she keep writing me? We were never even friends.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (She says she's bored and lonely and she's looking forward to seeing me at Gwenelle's birthday party.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (That's right! Gwenelle is about to turn fifteen! She'll be Duchess of Sudbury for real now.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (This other letter must be my invitation to her birthday celebration next week.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Gwenelle and I were friends at school, and this will be a big event, but it's also a long way to travel.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (A lot of things can happen on the road.)
Menu: [Go to Sudbury for Gwenelle's party] [Send your regrets]
Player chose: Go to Sudbury for Gwenelle's party
Elodie, Crown Princess: (It'll be good to see my friends!)
You sneak out of the castle to have a little fun. You enjoy your freedom, but your father won't like it if he finds out.
Week 28
(Studied Swimming in the morning.)
(Studied Swimming in the afternoon.)
Gwenelle's party is lovely - not nearly as glamourous as your own upcoming birthday will be, of course, but it's still a major event on the noble social calendar. Everyone who is anyone is present.
Uncle Laurent and Aunt Lucille are here, along with all three of their children. Charlotte rushes over eagerly to see you.
Charlotte, Lady Merva: Hi, 'Lodie! Guess what?
Elodie, Crown Princess: Hi, Lottie. What is it?
Charlotte, Lady Merva: Mummy said after your coronation I can come and stay at the castle with you! And we can talk about, you know, magic...
Elodie, Crown Princess: That's great!
However, it seems that the assembled nobles are not eager to converse with Countess Nix and her family. The position of Lumen Minister may be damaging Aunt Lucille's social cachet.
There are refreshments and dancers and musicians and polite conversations... and one or two not-so-polite.
Lieke, Countess of Dis: ... will not be shoved aside.
Gwenelle, Duchess of Sudbury: Mother, it's my domain now. I need space for myself. You have your own lands to manage.
Lieke, Countess of Dis: Just because you're of age doesn't mean you know everything, young lady. You need my advice.
Gwenelle, Duchess of Sudbury: This is my home. It has never been yours.
Before you can back away, their gazes fall on you. They wait expectantly for you as near-queen to settle the dispute.
Feelings could be easily hurt on either side here. It's important that everyone involved save face.
Menu: [Side with Gwenelle] [Side with her mother] [Flatter them both]
Player chose: Flatter them both
Elodie, Crown Princess: I'm sure you have a great deal of wisdom to impart.
Elodie, Crown Princess: But isn't that what you've already done? You have to trust in the strength of your own teachings.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Trust in the strength and the intelligence of your daughter.
Neither of them looks entirely happy, but neither of them looks angry with you either.
A bit later, Briony catches up with you.
Briony, Lady Mead: Hello, Elodie. It's so wonderful that you're going to be Queen now.
Briony, Lady Mead: I mean, I am sorry about your mother...
Elodie, Crown Princess: Thanks.
Briony, Lady Mead: ... but think of the opportunities you're going to have! You're so lucky.
That's an odd way of putting it.
Briony, Lady Mead: Anyway, I was wondering, now that you're almost Queen and everything... have they told you all the secrets?
Elodie, Crown Princess: What secrets?
Briony, Lady Mead: Like, how to get into the old palace! I've heard it's packed full of treasure.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Old palace?
Briony, Lady Mead: The one at Kathre Lake! Where the Kings and Queens of Nova used to live.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I don't know anything about it.
Briony, Lady Mead: Oh.
She bites her lip and frowns at you.
Briony, Lady Mead: Well, never mind, then.
She walks away. So much for wanting to talk to you!
At the end, you all share a pleasant meal and prepare to return to your various lands.
You attend services in the castle grove, letting the peace of the ritual calm your heart.
Week 29
(Studied Logistics in the morning.)
(Studied Logistics in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: I noticed you were looking over some military records the other day.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I was just checking into how many soldiers we had available.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: If you're desperate to recruit more fighters, you could offer pardons to criminals in exchange for service.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Be careful, though. Some of them are dangerous and unreliable. That's why they were imprisoned to begin with.
Menu: [Recruit soldiers from prison] [Don't]
Player chose: Recruit soldiers from prison
Elodie, Crown Princess: All right, let's do that. Criminals probably already know how to fight.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Very well.
You take to the court for a few games of tennis. Feel the thrill of competition!
Week 30
(Studied Strategy in the morning.)
(Studied Naval Strategy in the afternoon.)
Alice: The Duchess of Mead is here to see you, my lady.
Corisande, Duchess of Mead: Hello, Elodie. I'm sorry to trouble you, but - have you seen Briony?
Elodie, Crown Princess: Not since the party last week.
She shakes her head.
Corisande, Duchess of Mead: She's gone missing. She's not at school where she should be. I know she was unhappy, but I never expected...
Elodie, Crown Princess: She was asking questions at the party about the old Novan palace, but then she wandered off.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I'm sorry, I really don't know.
Corisande, Duchess of Mead: The... Oh, no. Oh, Briony, what have you done?
She hurries out of the room without even bothering to say farewell.
You attend services in the castle grove, letting the peace of the ritual calm your heart.
Week 31
(Studied Strategy in the morning.)
(Studied Naval Strategy in the afternoon.)
You have unlocked a new outfit!
As you are walking through the great hall, a freak gust of wind suddenly blows out all the candles in the room.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (An omen of war and danger...)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (It must be Shanjia. They're going to attack.)
You take to the court for a few games of tennis. Feel the thrill of competition!
(Put on the faith outfit.)
Week 32
(Studied Strategy in the morning.)
You may now tour the Barracks on the weekends.
(Studied Naval Strategy in the afternoon.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: Things have been so unsettled lately... Everyone's on edge. We need something cheerful.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You could hold a tournament.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What a good idea!
Elodie, Crown Princess: Knights, jousting, musicians... all sorts of competitions. Everyone loves a contest.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: What will you offer as prizes to the winners?
Menu: [Status and praise] [Employment] [Gold]
Player chose: Employment
Elodie, Crown Princess: The winners will have the option of taking up royal appointments.
Elodie, Crown Princess: It's a recruitment drive!
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Very well. I will draft the announcements.
You leave him to his work.
You pay your respects to your mother's tomb, and wonder if the same fate is waiting for you.
Week 33
(Studied Strategy in the morning.)
(Studied Naval Strategy in the afternoon.)
This is the week of the general tournament. Nobles and commoners alike have turned out to compete against each other.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The people will be pleased if you participate in their games. However, it would expose you to danger.
What event do you wish to take part in?
Menu: [Mounted Parade] [Jousting] [Fencing] [Archery] [Music] [Falconry] [None]
Player chose: Mounted Parade
You choose to lead the parade mounted on a brilliant white horse.
You don't actually know how to ride, but the horse is well-trained, so all you need to do is sit up straight, look regal, and don't fall off.
All the winners are announced and displayed to great cheers. As near-Queen, you place flower garlands around their necks.
All of a sudden, a man approaches the winner's platform.
It's Kevan, the Earl of Io.
In one hand, he carries an armored gauntlet. In the other, a sword.
Kevan, Earl of Io: My family's blood is on your hands!
Elodie, Crown Princess: (What is he talking about?)
He casts the metal glove to the ground with a clatter and raises his sword, pointing it at you.
Kevan, Earl of Io: I challenge you, Elodie! A life for a life!
He's challenging you to a duel?
Doesn't he know you could burn him to a crisp just by waving your hand?
Menu: [Accept] [Refuse] [Kill him with magic]
Player chose: Kill him with magic
Without a further word, you direct the full force of your magical wrath at the Earl of Io.
There is a horrible scream, and the smell of burning flesh.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I decline.
Kevan's sword falls to the ground beside his gauntlet. He won't be needing either anymore.
Sitting in on court sessions is not fun at all, but it pleases your father and it may be important for your future.
(Put on the military outfit.)
Week 34
(Studied Swimming in the morning.)
(Studied Swimming in the afternoon.)
Your skill in Swimming is now 50. You may not increase this skill until your other Athletics skills are 25 or higher.
Alice: My lady, your father wishes to speak with you. He says it's urgent.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Fine, I'm coming.
You find your father standing over a map of the coastline, his face grave.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Ships have been sighted on approach from Shanjia. Not tradeships - this is a warfleet.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I've been expecting something like that.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Within a week they will be in Novan waters. Within two they could reach the capital.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Then we will fight to defend ourselves.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You can try to use the treasury funds to hire additional soldiers, but it may be difficult on short notice.
Menu: [Recruit soldiers] [Don't]
Player chose: Recruit soldiers
Elodie, Crown Princess: Fine, we'll do that.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You will need to draw up a naval strategy for our ships to carry out.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You could choose to act as admiral and lead the fleet in person, but the danger to you would be very great.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Unless you think your personal skills will make the difference, I would strongly advise against it.
Menu: [Direct the fleet] [Stay in the capital]
Player chose: Direct the fleet
Elodie, Crown Princess: The risk is mine to take.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You have your mother's heart.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: There is one more thing. I hesitate to ask, but...
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: An invasion...
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: This is the sort of disaster for which a Lumen's power may be worth the cost.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: If the fleet could be destroyed before they reached our waters, many lives would be saved.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I don't know any magic that could sink a whole fleet!)
Elodie, Crown Princess: I... I'll have to talk to my mentor.
You find the Duchess of Ursul in her guest quarters.
Elodie, Crown Princess: A fleet from Shanjia is attacking us. Is it possible to sink them all with magic?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: It is easy enough to attack one soldier, one ship, as a demonstration. But to obliterate an entire fleet...
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: You would need an immense amount of power spread over a large area, more than any one Lumen could control.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: If you tried to raise that much power yourself, you would die. Not could. Would.
Elodie, Crown Princess: So it's hopeless.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Not necessarily.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: The most dangerous power of Imperial Nova was that of Lumens acting in concert.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: If the need is great and the will is true, one Lumen may choose to give command of her power to another.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Three, perhaps four people working together might have the strength to destroy a fleet.
Elodie, Crown Princess: You, me, the priestess Selene, and my Aunt Lucille. Will that be enough?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: If your will is strong enough to wield that power, then yes, it should be.
Menu: [Use magic against the fleet] [Fight with navy only]
Player chose: Use magic against the fleet
Elodie, Crown Princess: Then that's what we'll do. We're going to save our domain.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: So be it.
You pay your respects to your mother's tomb, and wonder if the same fate is waiting for you.
Week 35
(Studied Sense Magic in the morning.)
You have nothing more to learn about Sense Magic.
(Studied Resist Magic in the afternoon.)
You have nothing more to learn about Resist Magic.
Danger on the high seas!
You and your three fellow Lumens join hands to focus your powers.
Your magical training has paid off by allowing you to stage this attempt at a safe distance from the invading vessels of war.
Far in the distance, you hear the roar of the ocean you have charmed as it buckles beneath the incoming ships, opening up a maw of void into which they tumble helplessly.
Then, as they fall, the water rushes back in around them, washing over decks and pummelling hulls.
Even from so far away, you can see the disturbance you have made rippling through the water.
Some of the Shanjians may survive, but their threat as an invasion has ended.
A walk in the fresh air helps you forget the burdens on your shoulders.
Week 36
(Studied Decoration in the morning.)
(Studied Decoration in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The magical storms you summoned created giant waves which swept inland as well as out.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Damage has been reported along the shoreline from Mazomba down to northern Maree.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The beaches are covered with wrack and the bodies of animals, and many fishers and cocklers are missing.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Are you blaming me?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Of course not. Many more lives would have been lost if the fleet had landed.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: What worries me is that these reports are increasing, even long after the events of the battle.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: More than that, an observatory in Caloris has seen strange shapes in the sea to the west.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Something worse than a simple storm may have been unleashed.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Does that mean... a sea monster?)
You wander through the castle dungeons, but see nothing of interest.
Week 37
(Studied Meditation in the morning.)
(Studied Divination in the afternoon.)
In the grand hall, your father is waiting for you.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Our fears have been realised. A kraken has risen.
Elodie, Crown Princess: A kraken?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: An enormous tentacled sea monster which can dive and surface at will.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: It is fast, voracious, and apparently unkillable. Any ship that ventures into its range is at risk.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: This could destroy Nova's shipping.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What can we do? Do we just wait and hope it goes away?
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: No.
Quite unexpectedly, the priestess strides into the room.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: What are you doing here?
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: I came to bring the records of the circle, so that you would know what you face.
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: Left alone, the beast will feed until the seas run red, and only then will it sleep.
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: It would cost hundreds of thousands of lives.
Elodie, Crown Princess: !
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: There are only two ways to end its threat.
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: Lumen spellweaving can freeze a kraken in its tracks, holding it motionless - but only for a short time.
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: If the spell is renewed every moon giving the beast no time between castings to move freely...
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: It should eventually sleep.
Elodie, Crown Princess: How long would that take?
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: Approximately seven years.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Years!)
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: But if at any point the spell cast is too weak, or is not renewed in time, it would break loose.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: And the treasury would be drained keeping up such a routine. What is the other way?
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: It is well-known that eldritch beasts can be driven out by... sacrifice.
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: The life-force of a Lumen or potential Lumen on the cusp of adulthood, would be the ideal choice.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: No! You will not take my daughter!
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You see, Elodie! This is why I told you to reject them! They are all witches!
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: Even without her mother's crystal, she would still have been a potential Lumen.
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: Keeping her ignorant would not have kept her safe.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (A potential Lumen... because I'm my mother's daughter...)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Which means Charlotte too.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (But I could never hurt my favorite cousin.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: I will not allow this!
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: The choice belongs to the Queen.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Me.)
Menu: [Sacrifice yourself] [Try to seal it]
Player chose: Try to seal it
Elodie, Crown Princess: We'll have to do our best to seal the kraken away, no matter how long it takes.
Elodie, Crown Princess: After all, isn't that what our magic is for? To defend the world from darkness?
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: I will teach you the necessary spells. You must arrange the transportation.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Very well.
Elodie, Crown Princess: There's something I don't understand.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: What is it?
Elodie, Crown Princess: Magical powers are connected to Lumen crystals, right?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: That is correct.
Elodie, Crown Princess: But I can make myself glow by concentrating the right way, and it doesn't feel like it uses the crystal at all.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Let me see.
You concentrate, and your skin begins to glimmer.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: You're right. It's not proper magic. It's something else.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Is that bad?
She holds her hands above your shoulders, moving slowly down along your arms.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: I sense no danger. Ignore it. It's a distraction.
Menu: [Drop the subject] [Keep pushing]
Player chose: Keep pushing
Elodie, Crown Princess: There are a million magical secrets I don't know, but I'm trying to learn.
Elodie, Crown Princess: This one affects me personally! I need to know what's causing it.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Very well. If I had to guess, I suspect it has something to do with your mother's powers.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: She was already a Lumen when she bore you. Some small trickle of that energy may have passed into you.
Elodie, Crown Princess: So the daughter of an active Lumen might have strange powers...
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: That is hardly a power. It's a quirk. It's not worth wasting time on.
Week 38
(Studied Internal Affairs in the morning.)
(Studied Foreign Intelligence in the afternoon.)
Visitors have arrived to help you prepare for the upcoming festivities - your family.
Laurent, Duke of Merva: Good day to you, niece. I hope all is well.
Charlotte, Lady Merva: Hi, 'Lodie! Mummy said you have all the best tutors and I should take classes with you!
Elodie, Crown Princess: Great!
Time has slipped by you so quickly. Only two weeks remain before your birthday celebration, and your official coronation as Queen. Have you done enough to build a stable Nova?
The first of your soon-to-be-regular voyages has now set out with Selene on board. She appears to have some special affinity with sea water which makes her the best choice to guide a vessel while it hunts for the elusive beast. After all, you have to find it before you can enchant it.
It is traditional for the palace to provide entertainment and refreshment for the common people when a new monarch is crowned. It is a rare opportunity for the poor of the land to dine like nobles.
The size and scope of any such feast depends on what expense the royal treasury is willing to bear.
Menu: [An extravagant feast] [A respectable feast] [A small feast] [No celebration]
Player chose: An extravagant feast
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Roasted meats, cakes, chocolates, wine, enough for everyone! And I can give out commemorative cups and coins!)
You attend services in the castle grove, letting the peace of the ritual calm your heart.
Week 39
(Studied Internal Affairs in the morning.)
(Studied Foreign Intelligence in the afternoon.)
You have unlocked a new outfit!
The castle is buzzing with preparations for your upcoming coronation. Ministers press you with details for your favorite colors and flowers and so on.
You are happy to collaborate with the designers to ensure you are shown off to the best possible effect. You are still so young, after all. Good design will help a lot in making you look like a Queen.
Others are more interested in the subject of your marriage.
Whomever you decide to marry will be elevated to the highest ranks of the nobility, which could mean a major shift in the balance of power. Therefore, everyone is talking about the top candidates, even though you're under no obligation to marry so young.
Talarist, the Duke of Sedna, is one option. Certainly he expressed interest in marrying you earlier. Your union would bring stronger ties to the domain of Talasse and improve the situation along the Elath border.
Then there is Banion, the Duke of Maree, a powerful and eligible noble only about ten years older than you.
There's Linley from Kigal, whom you danced with at the gala. He's only two years older than you and a nice fellow.
He is not the official heir to Kigal - his father has so far refused to name one, waiting to see which of his children is most talented and dedicated to the duchy. But whether he inherits it or not, he will at least have strong ties to that region.
There's little Adair, the eventual Duke of Elath, although at twelve he's only a child.
At least he's almost old enough to understand the concept of romance - some people think you ought to marry Gwenelle's half-brother Anciet, who hasn't even turned nine yet!
There are two or three minor earls around the age of twenty who might be passable alternatives, and of course you could decide to ignore noble traditions entirely and marry a commoner... if you were prepared to deal with the uproar.
While you will need to marry eventually, you are still very young. You could put this decision off until later. However, a clear succession contributes to the stability of your domain. Are you leaning towards any option?
Menu: [Talarist] [Banion] [Linley] [Adair] [Anciet] [No one]
Player chose: Linley
There's no time to pursue that thought at the moment, but perhaps in the future...
You attend services in the castle grove, letting the peace of the ritual calm your heart.
(Put on the intrigue outfit.): (Put on the royal_demeanour outfit.)
Week 40
(Studied Internal Affairs in the morning.)
(Studied Foreign Intelligence in the afternoon.)
At this time last year, you were celebrating your fourteenth birthday. You were in the school gardens, surrounded by your friends. A teacher brought you tea and cakes, while a wealthy merchant's son wove a crown of flowers for your head.
It didn't matter so much that you were a princess then. Your title was something for the future. Many of your peers would be Duchesses or Earls or the like, someday, but not then. You were children.
Your parents could not attend on the actual day, but they did send wonderful gifts, some for you, and some for you to share. And a week later, they came for a visit, and your mother took you with her through the countryside in a splendid carriage.
It was the last time you would ever see her.
You wonder if, wherever she is, she can see you now.
You are fifteen years old, a legal adult. You have worked and studied and suffered and prepared, and now the time has come.
You kneel before the priestess, barely hearing her words as she recites the blessings.
She calls upon the gods to deliver peace, wisdom, and prosperity to you, and through you, to all of Nova. And then she calls upon you, for your oath of rulership.
Priestess of the First Circle: Will you guide and govern and protect your people to the best of your ability, according to law and custom?
Elodie, Crown Princess: I will.
Priestess of the First Circle: Will you to the best of your power uphold the ideals of love, honor, justice, and mercy?
Elodie, Crown Princess: I will.
Priestess of the First Circle: Lords and Ladies assembled: I present to you your undoubted Queen, who has sworn you her loyalty.
Priestess of the First Circle: You who have come to give homage, will you do the same?
One at a time, the head of each duchy approaches your throne and kneels to swear his or her service to you and your heirs.
Priestess of the First Circle: People of Nova, I give you Elodie, daughter of Fidelia, your true sovereign. What say you all?
People: LONG LIVE THE QUEEN! LONG LIVE THE QUEEN! LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!
Elodie, Queen of Nova: (Thank you! I will!)
Once his daughter was secure on her throne, Joslyn returned to his birthplace to focus on his duties as Duke of Caloris.
He was pursued by many women, but showed little interest in remarrying, directing them instead to his brother, the Duke of Mazomba.
As Lumen Minister, Lucille requisitioned the orange crystal that Elodie had taken from the dead criminal and offered it to her daughter. However, Charlotte was not able to activate the crystal's powers. The young Queen pointed out that a crazed murderer would obviously have a very different resonance than her favorite cousin. Charlotte would have to wait to inherit her mother's magic.
The Queen and her trusted Lumens sailed out every week to check on the condition of the kraken and reinforce the seals. It was inevitable that others would discover their secret and blame them for it. After all, the old Novan capital had been rendered uninhabitable by monstrous Lumen experiments. A tentacled beast from the deep was just more of the same.
The Novan people were not the only ones to notice the increased naval traffic and the frequent absences of the young Lumen Queen. Pirates from Orcus stepped up their raids in the area, hoping to take Elodie hostage and ransom her for a fortune.
The Queen was forced to engage an even larger naval escort to make her regular trips to the binding site, and the Novan economy struggled under the burden.
Elodie proposed marriage to Linley of Kigal and was accepted. Linley was a studious and gentle soul, who treated his Queen like a valuable manuscript, careful never to smudge or tear her. Sometimes that protectiveness frustrated Elodie, but at other times it was good to feel cherished.
Over the years, Linley and Elodie became the parents to four children - not nearly as large as Linley's own family, but certainly enough to go around!
And thus Queen Elodie's legacy stretched into the future...
