video | open to both courts

[boutant]

[ Caer Scima had not been a place Ariadne had wanted to return to after the previous month. But when searching for the feathers and feather thief pointed the trail in that direction, Ariadne had returned both her mare and her bandersnatch to her manor. Bentley the imp would look after them, and with the offerings (offerings, of all things) being left at the gate, she doubted finding others to employ would be as difficult as she'd feared. She uses her ability to move through shadows again for the first time, and combined with the fairy ring, she is soon back at Caer Scima.

For the best, she supposes; she has to pick up Ser Pounce-a-lot anyway.

As she opens the locket, Ariadne twirls a blue feather in her fingers; another one she'll have to give back to the imps, though she wonders if perhaps she ought to see if she can turn into something decent at tracking. Catching thieves is hardly her strong suit. ]

I have a confession to make, [ she starts, forcing herself to look at the locket. The twirling of the feather is a nervous gesture. ] Last month, some of you encountered a large shadow creature -- horned, with giant claws. Some of you were injured by it.

[ Some saw others killed by it. ]

The creature attacked the Station, Caer Scima, and Caer Glaem. It was at Caer Glaem that it was brought down and returned to its true state.

[ She takes a breath. ]

Me. And I'd like to apologize for what I did as the creature; I didn't have any control over it, any conscious thought at all.

[ She would not, at least, have attacked the Station or Caer Scima or her friends. Caer Glaem... well, she had been there before because she had been ordered to. ]

I have already been punished for it; I was in the dungeons of Caer Glaem, and I'm sure I'd still be there now if things were different. [ If Razul of the Larks had not been sent for her. ] I just thought that I should explain.

So. Now you know.

Comments

video.

[infame]

[Ariadne good lord. ]

It happens to the best of us.

video.

[boutant]

[ well at least she didn't kill her niece. peter. ]

Yeah?

[ She laughs, a bit awkward but also a bit relieved. ]

video.

[infame]

Control is easy to lose. You can hardly be faulted for what you didn't consent to.

[HE KILLED HIS NIECE, ARIADNE. TOTALLY THE SAME THING. ]

video.

[boutant]

[ monster club ]

There wasn't even any control in the first place. It was just- immediate takeover. I wasn't me, I was that thing, and I was going to destroy everything I could or die trying.

[ She shrugs, just one shoulder, and one hand lightly rubs at her throat. ]

But- thank you. It's weird; I know other people shouldn't fault me, at least now [ after a lot of Aubri and Galadriel and Maglor fussing at her ] but I'm perfectly fine doing it to myself.

video.

[infame]

It's all consuming. I remember the feeling.

[he's still furious with Stiles about this whole monster thing. ]

You're sorry for it, aren't you?

video.

[boutant]

Did you remember who you were, during it?

[ :C bro ]

Yes.

video.

[infame]

I did. The grief and the agony turned to madness; I felt trapped. I could see what I was doing, but I could do nothing but rationalize it. I did something unforgivable, but I can't take it back now. You can't raise the dead.

[He pauses. ]

Well then. You're absolutely no monster.

[Peter's only been sorry for maybe two things in his whole life. ]

video.

[boutant]

You can here.

[ You know. Not that it necessarily helps, but. ]

That's a relief. I guess.

[ It's hard to figure out what she feels toward all of this -- regret, certainly. Anger. Disappointment? ]

[infame]

Well. I suppose I'd deserve the backlash.

[He tries not to mull on that. ]

You guess?

[boutant]

It's one of those things you sort of need to think on, I think.

[infame]

Reflection only gets you so far.

[boutant]

What would you suggest, then?

[infame]

The social expectation seems to be a long period of personal growth and retribution. I'm of the opinion we move on and keep the guilt to ourselves. You can't be sorry for the rest of your life.

[boutant]

I've definitely got too much to do to lock myself away and cry about it, if nothing else.

[ IS THAT WHAT YOU MEAN PETER ]

[infame]

[YES. GOOD GIRL.]

I did think you were a practical girl. Glad to see I wasn't wrong.

[boutant]

[ praise ;~; yes good her favorite ]

If nothing else, I try to be.

[infame]

You really need to be, in this world. Impracticality is a fatal flaw.

[boutant]

And I'd rather not die here. Or be thrown into any more dungeons.

[infame]

You're already five steps ahead with that attitude.

[Okay, but on a more serious note: ]

How have you been defending yourself here, Ariadne?

[boutant]

[ Hopefully whatever's behind her doesn't have a long stride. ]

I have a crossbow and some knives, though I need more practice with both. And I can conceal myself with magic.

[ So basically: shoot the thing and if that doesn't work, run away. ]

[infame]

I could help you with the weapons. I have a high tolerance for pain.

[boutant]

[ long pause ]

Peter, did you just offer to let me shoot you?

[infame]

I offered to let you try.

[boutant]

Do you remember those giant worms? I managed to hit one in the eye.

[ Granted, they were giant worms, but... this doesn't exactly sound SAFE, Peter. ]

[infame]

You are forbidden from aiming for my face, I take a lot of pride in it.