eachdraidh | 003 ☆ Voice ☆ Both Courts

Clara Oswald here.

So...

[There's a lengthy pause as if she really doesn't want to be doing this post but feels compelled to for some reason. Or perhaps she just has no idea how to start.]

So this is Draubwurld's chance to play advice columnist. About-

[There's another painful silence. Or space for a long suffering sigh.]

Relationships.

[Another pause and then suddenly she bursts into speech, going to quickly that it's a little frightening that someone's mouth can move that fast.]

I'm mean I can't be the only one, can I? Had someone back home and then ended up here. Or back here, technically, for me. And now you've got to figure out what's to be done about it. Can't stand around the station hoping your mobile will finally, someday, send them a text message back. The one that you meant to reply to before you showed up here.

If we're trapped here for years and age slowly, it's not quite going to work to just pop back in when the war is over. "Hey, sorry, got kidnapped by fairies 65 years ago, sorry about that, yeah I'd love to go to the cinema like you said in your text". And all the while, they've wondering why you went missing all those years ago.

[And there it is, the sigh.]

Do you just... remain loyal even if it means they might have forgotten you when you return? Or moved on? Or do you call it a wash and start thinking of this place as a new life.

Either way, feels like a bit of losing game, no matter what you do. Suppose that's part of war. But war doesn't usually last centuries. For humans like me, anyway.

[Then she realizes something she probably should have said way back from the start.]

Sorry. For the too much information. And the personal questions. And personal answers if-and-or-when they are given.

Thanks.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Already awkward? Oh, Clara. What is even going on with your love life. But Snow can sympathize. She herself is worrying about Charming too. Even if back home whether they might even realize anyone here is gone is another story.]

Already horribly awkward? No, you don't need to tell me if you don't want to. But I understand. I'm sure if those back home do notice us gone that Charming would be worried and missing me too.

[God, you don't even want to know.]

I mean. I'm sort of. Hanging out with someone he doesn't like and... not telling him about it?

[She's the worst at relationships. It just is.]

Oh. But you still want to hang out with this other guy as friends? Does your boyfriend assume there's more there and that's why he doesn't approve? If you're not telling him I suppose even if you tried to talk to him and explain he wouldn't listen? Or you have and he hasn't believed you. Relationships can be....much more complicated than they need to be, sometimes.

[To say the least. This coming from the woman who kept trying and failing to entirely deny her feelings for David while under the curse when he woke and was still married to Kathryn.]

No, I've told him that it's not like that. [At least, she doesn't think it's like that?] And it's not about that. It's more that they disapprove of each other's... professions. To put it very simply and not getting into ridiculousness of it all.

So it's just... easier not to tell him about it. Saves him the trouble of worrying.

Their professions. I see. It sounds like there's a lot more to this. I'm not sure what to tell you. There's no guarantee he might not show up. Or your friend, if he isn't also here with you. I know sometimes it can be easier to avoid certain topics, but in time it is usually best to come clean. Secrets can really damage or even end some relationships. But that's your choice to make, and might not even be entirely relevant for the time being here, of course.

Sorry. I don't know if this is really helping at all.

My friend is here.

And's probably gloating about being here and my boyfriend not.

[And she's frowning deeply at the advice about secrets.]

Can't secrets be for the best sometimes? Stopping people from getting hurt or afraid?

I'm really not sure if that's something to gloat over. As...nice as this place is, it's still a war we're involved in now.

[Seriously. :l]

Sometimes? But it can come back and make them more upset if you don't talk to them. They might be more hurt that you're hiding things from them, even if it is things that might hurt to hear.

Getting him not to gloat is like trying to stop the clouds from raining. They'll do it whether you like it or not.

[HER LIFE.]

...Right. But. What if it it's their own fault that the truth is going to make them miserable and I'm doing them a favor from stopping them from thinking about it?

That sounds nice, doesn't it?

Ah. I suppose. Some people are just like that.

[But that question gives her pause at least. Considering. She can certainly understand the need and desire to keep others happy. She's just often found if one even attempts to lie it never turns out good.]

It does. I don't know, there is probably more to this. Which I get, not telling everything to a complete stranger. I just find lying doesn't tend to work out. Even if you are trying to protect someone.

That's how it always goes in stories, doesn't it?

[But it's worked well for her so far, so the temptation to continue strongly outweighs the moral part of her urging her to stop.]

Suppose I'll have to deal with the consequences. Thank you for your help.

In the stories. My daughter keeps trying to tell me real life doesn't always have the happy endings.

[Emma being much, much more the realist with her life having been brought up an orphan in the Land Without Magic. Snow is used to things just working out somehow, given her life in the Enchanted Forest.]

Of course. It's your choice. I just hope either way things don't get too much worse at least.

No. It doesn't. Though, I'd take a magic fairy wand if you've got one to lend to fix this mess.

[Not that she believes that sort of thing could ever work without a catch. Still, it would be tempting.]

Me either. At least being here is... I don't have to keep trying to make the two of them happy with me.

Fresh out of wands. Magic on the other hand, the only one I know of would be Regina. But she is in the other Court and there's....always some sort of price in exchange.

[Magic always comes with a price. At least, back home it does. Here it seems to be different. They have yet to really ask her for anything in exchange for her new mount, after all. She bites her lip before giving a nod.]

I understand. Even with the war....certain things here are simpler and better in other ways than home. For some of us, at least.

Right. That's how most of those tales go, isn't it? There's nothing really free. It's always an illusion.

[She may not know the difference between magic here or magic there but she does know that most things are never easy.]

It's mad to think that way, isn't it?

Exactly. As Rumplestitskin puts it - 'magic always comes with a price'. I'd be surprised if he hadn't made deals with most everyone he met in some way.

[There's a shrug at that.]

Well...perhaps it might seem mad. But depending on what some were dealing with back home, it could be better, preferred to stay here in comparison. I hear they can bring people from varying points in time, so in that case perhaps it might be possible to bring back someone that was dead back home. For them, this would be it. As hard to imagine as that might be for some of us.

003 ☆ Voice ☆ Both Courts

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