eachdraidh | 3rd Chassé | Video for Both Courts

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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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[She gets what he means, but still. Merida smiles a bit and then laughed.]

I don't have any friends back home. Just Angus. I meant one of my friends in th' Seelie court.

{She's not too sure if she should mention Diarmuid by name, considering what she promised Lady Grainne at Samhain, so she shakes her head.]

A kind knight who called on me after my locket broadcast my attack by th' fear dogs.

[It's about then that Ryan realizes that Merida's Unseelie and once again...mind-blown.]

We'll get back to the whole "my horse is my only friend" thing in a second. But at least you've made friends here. There're a few knights in the Seelie court that are really...really good at pointing things out. [Specifically thinking of Lancelot here. Ryan's really latched on to Lancelot's mentoring and advice since he's arrived in Drabwurld.]

You really think it'll work when you get back?

Aye, it seems like th' perfect place for a knight of such calibre. I was rescued by two friends of th' Seelie court as well. [She smiles a little wryly.] Ironic, no?

[His question makes her pause, pursing her lips together.]

It'll have tae. If it doesn't...mum'll be just like Mor'du.

Ironic's a good word for it. [See this just proves his theory that he tried reasoning with Mako prior to seeing all of Mako's new body impairments and scars.] That's one of the things I still don't understand about this place. We're all supposed to be fighting each other, but what happens when we start working together instead?

[Mor'du. Oh! Right, demon-bear, got it. Yikes...] It'll work. [Positive thinking does wonders for the world.] How much time do you have left back home before the change is permanent?

I'm sure there'll be other foes that we need tae join together tae fight. Neither th' Seelie nor Unseelie royalty will appreciate another power I imagine.

[From her understanding of how things usually worked anyway. Then it'd be right back to marching on each other. With moving in with Ariadne, Merida hoped to be away from being called on to fight her friends. His question makes her shake her head.]

We had two sunrises. 'Twas afternoon of th' first when I arrived.

Kinda makes me wonder if they're testing us, or if they just really don't have a lot of control of what comes in and out of the world.

[That's not a lot of time at all…he actually looks a little worried about that even though it's not his problem.]

So half a day. That's cutting it close but…as long as you remember what it is you have to do when you get back it'll be okay. [A pause.] What about if she comes here?

I'm not too sure myself. They have th' power tae bring us friends [she lets her hand travel to pat Angus' neck] and grant us boons, I would have thought they'd be all seein'.

[Merida opens her mouth at his question, looking like she's about to say something, then shakes her head.]

I'm not sure if I want her here. She'd be over there, on th' Seelie side of things. I wouldn't want tae fight my mam even less than I'd want tae fight her under th' influence of th' bear's instincts.

In that case? Kinda makes this whole thing a little sketchier. [Shadows. Demon dogs. Who knows what else will occur in the next few months?

Something else occurs to him though. The moment Merida speaks of her mother being on the opposite side, there's a weird feeling washing over him.

If his twin showed up…

…nah. They're twins. That's totally different, they have to be on the same side.]

I don't blame you. I mean I was lucky and my best friend from home showed up and she's Seelie, too. I think everybody I know would be. [Try to sound a little more convincing, Ryan.]

Hard to believe you're Unseelie though.

Well, thank ye for sayin' so. I'd trust my Seelie allies tae look after her if she ever came.

[Not like her mum couldn't take care of herself, considering the few tips she'd given her on archery before. She's gotten a few comments like that. Honestly, she could see it herself when she reflected back on her actions before arriving, though maybe not in the long run. She was going to be queen one day, unless she chose to be a cruel one, which was more likely not to happen.]

My dad, on th' other hand. He's someone I wouldn't mind right now.

See that's where it helps to have friends in both places. Kinda wish the higher-ups let us mingle together more often for that reason, even if we're…you know. ["Supposed to kill each other?"

But it's true. It's true that Ryan would really just prefer everybody get along and if that won't work, it helps having friends in places just in case things get out of hand. He'd found unlikely allies before (thanks to Troy and Gabriella.) Who's to say he wouldn't find them again?]

What's your dad like anyway? I've never met a king before either.

It's probably not in their best interest tae. Samhain an' Yule were times when tribes would stop warrin' in my homeland as well, out of respect for th' dead an' th' season.

[Weather also played a factor in the fights stopping around Yule, even with the joining of the clans. The question makes her smile, happy to change the subject.]

He's a big man with a big heart. [Not even joking.] When invaders threatened us from th' sea, he got th' lords tae see eye to eye an' defended our kingdoms, drivin' them from our lands. He saved Lord MacGuffin's life stoppin' an arrow as he ran tae Lord Dingwall's aide. He's th' one who taught me everythin' I know about archery an' sword fightin'.

[Sweet baby Lugh she could do with a hug from her dad right now.]

He lets me be who I am, not who mam wants me tae be.

What about our best interests though? Aren't we the ones doing everything for them? [It's no use complaining, and he knows it. The fact that Merida's referring to the holidays by their old name stands out to him a little bit but at least she gets what he's talking about.] But…you're probably right.

[Let's talk about Fergus, shall we? It's obvious just from listening to her that Merida loves her father with all of her heart and that the king is a brave and courageous man. Isn't that how a king should be?

And then there's the fact that the man taught Merida everything she knows. His interests pique a bit at "sword fighting" but he's quiet until she's finished.]

…your dad sounds awesome. Like everything you'd expect a king to be, you know? And it's cool. I mean that he lets you be who you are and he doesn't try to change you. [He's seen enough of that from his few observations of Coach Bolton to Troy, not to mention the few little comments here and there from his own father. But mostly thinking of Coach Bolton here.] Hopefully your mom comes around and follows him, too.

Aye, well, Queens in war rarely hold their subject's best interests at heart.

[Her mother had taught her some tactician knowledge as part of her training, that it was the Queen's duty to make decisions and fortify the household while their clansmen and husbands went to war, how to prepare to defend the keep. She had no doubt that the two High-Queens held their subjects in the palms of their hands and knew this. Morla's march on the Cothromach had her thinking as such.

Merida can't help grinning a bit at Ryan's assumptions of her father from her description, nodding.]

He is. Whoever I take on as my husband - if I eventually marry - will have a lot tae live up tae. [She pauses at he last part, inclining her head.] Aye, well, we'll see whether or not th' tapestry is th' answer.

[Otherwise...well, she wasn't sure what else she could do.]

You'd know better than me at any rate, but I kinda can imagine. [If he continues the running analogy that Sharpay's a queen stomping on all of the peasants to get her way.]

What's a tapestry got to do with your mom's bear-ness?

[She has the decency to look a little sheepish at this, glancing away.]

Remember I said that I might need tae repair somethin' physical? I...after we fought I tore her tapestry in half with my sword.

Ah. [He's not even sure he's going to ask why a tapestry of all things, but fair enough.] Is it going to be easy to fix at least?

I hope so. I'm...not that good at weavin'.

Weaving's kind of like sewing, right? [A pause.] It's not that hard. I mean I picked up the basics pretty fast and I--["Have tailors to do it for me"? No, that's probably not what he should say.]--am not really the type for hands-on crafts like that. I bet you could figure it out easily. You seem pretty smart.

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3rd Chassé | Video for Both Courts

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