eachdraidh | 3rd Chassé | Video for Both Courts

[After the madness of the dogs, Ryan's mostly taken to spending time holed up in his room in the castle with Kelsi and her specialty-made tea, readjusting to make things more normal again.

Of course then he wakes up to a message from her.

"❤To Mr. Fred Astaire❤
I got asked to go on a quest!!!!!
It's alright, Sif is with me. We're going to deal with a manticore. I don't know what that is but I brought a few books of me along the way.
See you when I get back!

PS. I took your hat so I won't feel so lonely. Sorry!"

There were several things wrong with the equation:

1.) Kelsi ended up going on a quest.
2.) Kelsi ended up going on a quest without him.
3.) Kelsi ended up going on a quest without him and with his hat.

Then there was also the other question…who the hell is Sif?

Fine. Whatever. He can deal with being apart for a few days. Anyway he had his own business to go about. He needs to get back to his training and the longer he puts off the advice from Queen Solais, the worse off he'll be.

When the video on his locket clicks on anyone watching will notice that Ryan's sitting on a cliff in the sunken ruins. He's busy watching a small group of mermaids swimming below him and the bit of sunlight filtering through the cracks in the walls are bouncing off of his hair now that it's not sheltered by one of his hats. He's humming a song under his breath for a few moments as he continues to watch, only mildly aware he's even humming that particular song to set the mood. Maybe he was more homesick now than he initially thought. Whatever. He can't do anything about that now, he has other goals to reach.

Truth be told, he's kind of wondering if he should ask at all considering everything else that's going on right now. Yeah. He's aware of the things happening at Redgate. He's heard the broadcasts from other people, but…

…but if he doesn't ask now, how the hell is he supposed to really help in the future?]

Weird question. If you were a mermaid, what would be the most flattering thing a person could tell you?

[A beat.]

Scientific purposes only, I swear.

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I guess that's a good start. I definitely don't have scales, so maybe I can tell them I'm jealous.

[Sadly he might actually be serious, but hey. This is for science...or at least mutual benefit.]

How did you end up unconscious near a mermaid?

It was part of a tournament that my friend and, um, sort-of boyfriend took part in. They took the 'thing most precious' and hid us underwater... With merfolk protecting us.

[ It's a whole thing, Ryan. Best not to get into it. ]

I've found that curiosity is a good way of drawing people out, too! Asking about their lives, what they do, what it's like under the water...

[There's a very long pause like he's not even sure what part to comment on first, but in the end he just sort of slowly nods.] Thing, person, whatever. [And because this directly applies to what he's trying to learn--] How did they keep you alive down there without air?

See, that I can do. You think the mermaids would be okay with curiosity? [Ryan's found that sometimes people kind of find him bothersome for being nosy as fuck.]

[ She's far too used to this exact reaction. People either nod and go 'ah, yes, magic' or stare at her as if she's from another dimension -- which, technically, she supposes she is. ] Magic, of course.

[ Of course. She's grinning, though, knowing well enough that no one from a non-magical world will take that without having some kind of reaction. ]

I don't see why not. As long as you treat them with respect and don't insult them!

Of course. [There's a matching grin on his face though because it's an answer he's grown fairly used to since entering Drabwurld.] I guess I was just curious because, well…[He gestures down to the lake below him.] Kinda earned that same power here.

That's partially why I'm asking! I'm pretty sure they won't help me if I accidentally insult them, but I'm not really up to date on my mythical creatures etiquette.

Oh, really? [ Suddenly, fascination. ] I know a few spells that let you breathe underwater for a while and, of course, there's a herb that gives you gills - it's galled gillyweed - but I haven't met anyone with any kind of water power before. It must be incredible!

[ And, really, it is. The gifts the monarchs can offer here are amazing and Hermione is desperately enchanted by them, as if it's their own special brand of magic. ]

As far as I can imagine... Well, just don't insult them in an obvious way? I can't think of any terms that might offend them, but just asking can't hurt. If there's anything they don't feel comfortable answering I'm sure they'd say.

[…there's something about the name "gillyweed" that sounds familiar to him and he's not sure why. It's definitely not something they have in his world though ~~and it's a good thing he was more a fan of the movies than the books anyway~~] I asked the monarchs after my second month here, but when I said "water magic" I didn't really think they'd be that generous. I'm still practicing with it though.

[Magic, though common in this world, still continually perplexes him.]

You're putting a lot of faith in them, but what's the worst that can happen? You know, other than throwing seaweed at me. [A pause.] I'm still kind of getting used to asking for help, too, truthfully, but the Queen said that I could always learn from the mermaids and the naiads.

[ It wouldn't be the first time someone had acted strangely around her ~~because she's awkwardly popular, apparently~~ but at least she knows to just shrug it off now and offer a smile. ] They are really generous when they want to be. I've been given a lot of things I never imagined they'd really let me have - they really do want us to do well here. It took a while for that to really sink in.

[ Even if the idea of just handing out magic seems strange and unorthodox to her, even now. ]

I don't think the seaweed would hurt too badly. I think if the Queen suggested it might be a good idea then, maybe, they wouldn't mind too much? She knows things.

[Generous is one word for it, he supposes.] Yeah? What have you asked for that you didn't think they'd give you?

[Fishing for answers and possibly ideas to test limits? It's possible.]

I haven't really spoken with her that much...actually, asking her about my magic is the first time I've ever spoken with her. So the monarchs really can be trusted here?

Well, the ability to make my own lockets, for one. And a house. Those aren't the sort of things you just give people, not in my experience.

[ Who just gives away houses? She shakes her head. At least she's protected her home from anyone who doesn't know it's location; that might keep her safe from anyone that might go looking. Either way, they're gifts she hadn't ever imagined being given. ]

I think so, at least for the most part. They all have their own motivations, their own plans... But I haven't found any reason not to trust them.

That's…impressive. […yeeeeeah, yeah, it's pretty clear by the look on his face that the same question's crossing his mind. Who does just give away houses? He has so many questions for her. He wants to know what kind of lockets, why they were made, how they were made, maybe about this house and how it worked out for her but…he's pretty sure that's pushing it. She has zero reason to give him those answers and though he looks as though he's going to ask at least six of those questions, he changes his mind.]

I'm not really saying I don't trust them, but I guess it's just that I don't know enough about them to really believe this isn't part of some much bigger agenda that we won't know about until it's too late. [Or, perhaps, he's a tiny bit paranoid.

And then something occurs to him.]

…Hermione, right? I've seen you broadcasted on the lockets before. How long have you been here?

3rd Chassé | Video for Both Courts

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