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

[ 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.

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[ Right on cue, Alice looks down at her ring, and back to him. She's not even sure anymore and she gives somewhat of a sour look in return. ]

Mm. Things are better left as is.

[ Oh, no, why did he have to say that? ]

Perhaps. And in truth in times of war I suppose it better that way. But I would not think yourself entirely separate from such joys, Alice. You never know, after all.

[ He has no idea and Alice is still playing with the ring. After a pause she stops. ]

No, as a whole. I don't want to make assumptions of another. There are much more strong, whole women in this world compared to me.

If I could content myself for helping out children, then that's fine by me. I know your brother told me everyone has a role in this war, I am still not skilled in many things, other than that.

Maybe there are, but I wonder, Alice, that you see the strength in others but not in yourself. And there is beauty tis true, in wholeness, but also in the broken places. You may be damaged, yes, but Alice, it has only made you kind.

My brother... yes. I suppose he would say something like that, my bright one. I wish he were wrong. You say you are not skilled but I wonder sometimes, that you do not see the brightness that you cast. Oh little butterfly - you are so much greater than you think yourself. But if tis to the children that your heart is drawn, then I would follow it.

[ It is hilariously perfect timing considering the confusion and stress that she is in. She's always been quick to label that all off as nonsense. A waste of time. No one wants a lunatic. ]

Truly, I sympathized with Mr. Celegorm. [ He didn't have the best reputation, she knows. ] He was very kind to those he cared for and dedicated... although that dedication, I suppose, was questionable, at times. No, I used to think I was nothing when I came here and he told me that. And now I have my own little rank and presence- well, not that I ever intended for it. I just want to protect my friends.

The children I left behind deserved so much more from me, I want to make up for it, that is all.

He was. [ Maglor says softly, eyes distant ] Everything he did, he threw himself into fully, for the better or the worse. He felt everything so deeply, my firefly. His hates, his joys, his loves, his sorrows. He cared with a passion that was humbling.

To protect. [ He focuses on her again ] Is, I think, the highest calling. Never think that you are any less, Alice.

[ Which is why Alice honestly never fault Celegorm for behaving the way he did, sometimes. She would say she's guilty of that, too. ] Questionable deeds and passions, but not inherently evil.

[ And speaking of that, Alice takes in a breath. She still feels that her lack of action is what brought harm to those children. ] It's the right thing to do and even if I am in this court, I believe in the right thing.

[ A soft sigh ] Ah now... that last one is possibly debatable.

But I do not think that doing the right thing is dependent on court, little butterfly, but heart - and yours, I think, is still kind.

If you say so.

[ Once again, they're no Dr. Bumby. ] So you say, but there will be Seelie or Unseelie who disagree with that. Did you know Unseelie are referred to "unblessed ones" in my world? Little details like that.

[ A small wry quirk ] Do they? [ A black sort of humor ] How... strangely fitting, for one such as I. They call the Feanorionnath Accursed, in my world. Although I balk at the term applied to all.

I would hope so. There are others like Miss Ariadne who shouldn't fall into that category. But in my world, the unseelie are terrible fairies. My papa told me that in some stories, they would whisk children away.

[ a soft, broken sounding laugh ]

Oh.

I wonder... where your stories came from... [ He whispers softly ] I think some of those tales... very alike.

I don't know, they're very old. I know in some villages, that belief still exists. Some will not dare to venture out if there's ever a wind to the west, or so I was told. I only remember what my papa told me. He loved to tell us stories.

[ Oh that is rich Curufin leans on his shoulder. Stealers of children, fear of the West Wind! Her world...did you live to walk the shores of Men and tell our story, brother?

Maglor makes a low noise ]

Your father... sounds a great man. Those tales... sound almost too close to memory to be entirely coincidence.

They're just fairy tales, Mr. Maglor.

[ She's a little worried she may have unintentionally brought back old memories She can't say that it didn't happen to him, after all. ] They're not real.

Maybe they are, but oh, Alice, they sound so familiar.

It wasn't my intention to upset you, Mr. Maglor.

You did not, Alice. Truly. I only... even those scant snippets are... familiar.

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