eachdraidh | video; open to both courts

[Though she cannot tell who may be listening, Élise remains calm and composed she she speaks. She will not let any fear or anger show; she's been taught better than that.]

My name is Élise de la Serre and I don't believe in magic. But I don't believe in being lured away from everything I know by creatures either, and here I am. And so, I've been told, here are you.

[She shakes her head.]

For now, I think it's best to stop clinging to what I do and don't believe in. Either all of this is real, or I've gone swiftly mad.

[And she doesn't feel mad. But if she were, would she?

Some questions are best saved for quiet times when she's alone with her thoughts.]

I'd be grateful for information any of you know to be important. I've heard what our hosts have said and I'm making my own inquiries elsewhere, of course, but there is always more, things we must learn that others overlook. I'm sure that all of you who have been here for some time can think of things you wish you had known.

[She pauses a moment, then just nods.]

In return, you'd have my gratitude and an owed favor. And I'm not without enough skill to pay it back.

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If it's a joke, it's wider in scope and more lacking in humor than any I've ever heard.

[No one here is laughing.]

These friends of yours—you knew them before you came here?

[ he smiles again - something a little more thin, because she's damn right about that one. ]

Yeah. Seems like they've been here awhile now, which - I'munna go ahead and start waving things away with the 'magic' excuse, 'cause I saw one of 'em just yesterday when we were still comfortably on Earth.

[Élise frowns. That...]

That shouldn't be possible. You're certain?

[Before he answers, she shakes her head.]

As if that's so much more unbelievable than being here at all.

[ sam bobs his heard in a sort of contemplative nod, then shrugs a little. ]

Way I see it, belief is whatever you want it to be. If you choose to believe it's magic, or decide to call it science way advanced beyond anything we know - it is what it is. Either way, you gotta believe in something, and right now? That's me. And my guy, but me first.

[ and here's another comfortable smile, like it's that simply. 'i believe in myself and my friend, and that's good enough for now.' ]

That's an impressive amount of self-confidence.

[She's tempted to chuckle, but she also means it. In such a strange environment, isn't believing in—and relying on—oneself the best thing anyone could do?]

I hope it serves you well in whatever's to come.

[ sam chuckles anyway, just a huff of a laugh. ]

Yeah, guess we'll find out soon enough. What about you? Do you have anyone here with you?

An old, dear friend is here.

[And what he is to her now...it's complicated.]

But not in Caer Glaem.

[ he sobers a little. ]

Ah, I've got one of those, sorta.

[ barnes isn't really a friend, but sam wants to consider him an ally, and that's to say nothing of steve's other friends. ]

Kinda seems arbitrary, doesn't it? Suddenly you're at war, lines are drawn in the dirt, and your enemy looks an awful lot like your friend. Hard to know what's supposed to happen next.

Part of me isn't surprised. We always had different ways of viewing the world. But I always thought we had more in common.

[What does this say about her and Arno then—that the differences between them run deeper than doctrine? She still believes in her parents' way, and Arno isn't so faithless to join the Assassins while holding no belief in their Creed.

But she can't believe the inevitable outcome is war.]

Some speak of neutrality. But I'm not certain if that's better than seeing war exists and willfully closing your eyes to it.

[ there is so much to say to that, so many things he could tell her. but she speaks of neutrality and sam's been given the impression that these lockets aren't the safest way of communication. his eyes flit away for a heartbeat to something off camera; sign enough, he hopes, that he's keeping an eye out and she should too. ]

I think it might be a little more complicated than that. There are more ways to fight a war than this side or that side and then going at it head on.

[For a moment Élise is quiet as she gives him a slightly appraising look.]

You speak as if you know something of war.

[She wouldn't have pegged him as military at first glance, but with so many drawn across space and time, how can her own standards truly apply?]

[ it makes him smile a little wryly. ]

I know a thing or two.

[ a decade of nothing but, he doesn't say, because whether it's one year or ten, it's enough. it's too much. ]

It's been a few years since I retired, though. Can't say I really missed it.

As I understand it, few who've experienced it do.

[She's heard tales. Enough to be certain that if war erupts, it should damn well be worth something.]

I can fight, but I am not a soldier.

[ he's quiet a beat, considering carefully. ]

I think the difference between a fighter and a soldier is a real fine line, y'know? Both have their reasons for doing what they do, but ... there's a different mentality, fighting as a soldier as opposed to fighting on your own. It can change the way you look at things, the way you act, even the way you fight. It's not for everyone.

More wise words.

[It sounds as though he's been both, though, not just a soldier. She wonders which came first, and one led to the other.]

I'm Élise.

[ sam smiles faintly. ]

Sam. These are good, important things to be contemplating, Élise. If there's ever anything I can do to help, even if it's just spewing "wise" nonsense at you, let me know.

I'll keep that in mind. Tell me, though, what court has claimed you as its own? It could be that we're meant to be enemies.

[Not that her loyalties are so easily swayed.]

[ another light laugh. ]

Luckily for us, I am with the Seelie, so I'm not committing any treason by telling you it's good to meet you.

[She chuckles.]

That's good. I don't think the rulers of this land would approve of offering wisdom to the other side either.

They might have to get over that one, 'cause I've got half a mind to have dinner with every one I come across.

[And that gets an outright laugh.]

Then you may have to plan quite the feast.

Naw, planning just gets you caught up on all the details. I'm more of drop in last minute and head straight for the kitchen kinda guy.

Ah, then you expect your hordes of new friends to serve as hosts.

If I can sous chef, they can host. It'll be a team-building exercise.

That is a fair bargain. They'd be fools to turn you down.

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