video, open to both courts (action if you are at the barrel)

[digophelia]

[ Alice has been at the Barrel for a few weeks now. No one's asked her to cook and clean, but it's been a bit of an engraved habit brought over from her time in London. It's only through getting children's clothing and interacting with the nearby town that it's been plaguing the back of her mind. Unlike the last time she's popped on the lockets back in December, Alice looks healthier, but she is still pretty thin.

As usual. And as usual, her white rabbit is sitting there beside her, munching away at a bowl of food. She's not good at public speaking. ]

Hello.

These may be strange times to open a dialogue about this subject while both of our courts prepare for another skirmish. There are plenty of natives here of various ages who have been hit the most by war, especially children. I used to be the maidservant of an orphanage back in Whitechapel London.

[ Her face only flashes with a hint of pain when she mentions it. ]

Houndsditch Home for Wayward Youth—if you heard of it. And the children there came from similar backgrounds, that they were all traumatized and lost family either by sickness, death, or murder. These children are often overlooked, sometimes they are swept up by those with ill intentions and treated even worse. But they are still children and they still have pieces of their innocence left.

I may not have the resources nor the... capacity right now to replicate that orphanage, but I still want to help the youngest natives here have the smallest comforts like food or clothing. I've only had a handful of opportunities in Redgate and the Station to make good on my word and clearly I need the additional hands.

In addition to natives being sent away from the path of war, I hope that there can be a way to provide resources for them or find them the appropriate care somewhere down the line. I know that it is silly to think of such a thing when all the adults in this world are preparing for battle, but they are so young and they deserve so much more while they are being guided to safety.

But if I were to oversee these things, I reserve the right to be very picky. The children I cared for weren't even spared from the cruelty of adults, even the proprietor of that orphanage.

Surely my friends will be thrilled if I focused my attention on children rather than them. I know they must tire of my nagging.

Comments

[digophelia]

No, not yet. If that is something that does come up, it should be in a stable place, out of harm's reach. And I cannot think of place- oh, sir, I don't want to ask that much of you, I'll have you know.

[ziggyzoggy]

Neutral ground'd probably be the safest. [UNLESS IT'S THE STATION. :|

And he shrugs, one shouldered.]

It be wise to get on the good side-a the people whose home ya invaded, even if ye've not meant to.

[Tooooootally not. Speaking directly from experience here. Or anything. >_> So, uh, technically he's not only offering to do it for her, but also for the kids and, hopefully, for some positive PR. Because unpopular rulers tend to be violently deposed.]

There be a need. Somebody gotta fill it.

[digophelia]

Well, I don't want to invade homes.

[ Public relations are one motive for her in this, yes, because who can really turn down someone who cares for children? She hopes. Although, any scrutiny she gets is more than understandable. If she was in London, she just may do the same for someone like her. ]

I am just hoping that someone who comes bearing food and clothing will be hard to turn away... or look down on.

[ As much as she loathes to admit. ]

Anything else such as constructing a safe house will just take time and I, for one, do not mind it. There are many who prey on the vulnerable and the most vulnerable are children. But please, no funds or anything else like that quite yet, just bring your good will and anything else to make someone feel better.

[ziggyzoggy]

We already have. [And therein lies the sad fact of the matter: most of the Shardbearers don't want to be here, any more than the natives want them here, yet here they are. This is someone's home, and they're here ruining it with a conflict that's been going on for generations.

History repeats itself.

Still, it's a good thing she's trying to do, he's got no business bringing her down about it, even if he does think you can't run an orphanage on goodwill alone. If she'd turn away money.... He rubs at his chin.]

Think I'm gonna have lots of chance to hurt, in the comin' days. Not so much to heal. So if ya find ya charges in needa medicine, let me know.

[Seems he's decided to take "making someone feel better" literally.]

[digophelia]

I realize.

[ She still will argue that none of them have a choice in it and their free will is so limited. In the end, the courts were the same, they were still puppets, in a sense, pulled around and pushed into conflicts they barely had a choice in. It spurs that phantom pain in her shard again. ]

The courts and what we carry inside of us should not dictate who we are. What happens here can still be curved by each of us and we can still help the natives here.

[ To undo what Reynard has done is one thing, but Alice believes she has a debt to repay for those children. ]

Medicine is another thing to consider, so, yes.

[ziggyzoggy]

We swimmin' against the tide, mon. [He sounds resigned to it, almost. But still better to fight it than to do nothing.]

[digophelia]

Such is life! You either swim against the tide or drown. [ And that's how she sees it; some days she wants to drown, but today is not that day. ]

[ziggyzoggy]

[He smiles, then starts to chuckle; this may be when he decides he likes her.]

I can see why the Outsider likes ya.

[digophelia]

He likes those who are interesting; I doubt it would be that and that alone.

[ziggyzoggy]

If ya were the type to drown, he wouldn't find ya interestin', though. [Ipso facto.]

[digophelia]

No, I suppose not.

[ She doesn't want to take the compliment! ]

[ziggyzoggy]

[Whatever man, that's up to her. He ain't gonna push. So he lets it go for now.]

Listen- if ya find yaself in need of anythin', ask.

[The worst he can do is say no, right?]

[digophelia]

I will remember it; but if you are in Caer Scima, they will need you more than I right now, just to lessen the blow.