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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You truly don't believe in magic, despite all you've seen?

[ And she sounds Orlesian. Of course. ]

What do you think of what you've been told? We can believe anything we want, of course, but-- [ Well, there's an expectation of them, isn't there? ] They've told you about our worlds, yes? What will happen if we do nothing.

I accept what I've seen; it is what it is, whether or not I believe in it.

[Certainly magic is more appealing than madness, though.]

I'd most like to know if anyone's seen evidence for their claims beyond someone's word. My 'world' is more than capable of tearing itself apart, but I've never seen anything to indicate the chaos comes from without.

That is...a wise attitude to have.

[ And she commends her for it. Nasrin is silent a moment, contemplating. ]

But do we have the option to be complacent? If they are lying, then we are all lucky. If they are not...then we are in a far more precarious situation than any of us expected.

We're in a precarious situation regardless.

[And it may not be at all wise to say so out loud where anyone can hear it, but she's never been wise enough to always hold her tongue when it would do her good.]

If matters aren't as described, then we can't know what's really at stake. If they are, then we're to make war on one another.

What if I just told you what I know? [ Why is everyone so worried about owing people here. It's called kindness, geeze. ]

It's a pretty big list, though--um. I've been here for a while.

Edited 2015-02-01 02:00 (UTC)

You could tell me what you think it most important to know. I'd appreciate that.

[Is that--]

[IT IS. Arno stares at the locket, half convinced this is a trick of the imps, something to make him more frustrated as it is. But the more he watches, the more he's convinced it can't be an illusion. It really must be her.]

[So ah. How to do this. He still hasn't really gotten used to using the locket completely. There's a bit of fumbling on his end (and luckily it's not recorded), but he manages to get it going after a few minutes.

And just stares. Like a dork.]

[Then he remembers that he has to talk. ARNO PLEASE.]

Élise?

[.............he is the worst boyfriend in the history of boyfriends.]

[Élise is still learning the way of it herself, but it's much different to speak to strange faces that might not even be real than it is to see someone she knows well.

So this once, he's forgiven for gawping like a fool, for she's only doing a little better.]

Arno!

...where are you? How long have you been here?

I only just arrived in Caer Scima. Where are you?

[He's traveled the halls quite a bit since his arrival, and hasn't once come across her. Then again, he hasn't exactly been looking for her since he didn't even know she arrived.]

[At that, her expression fades from surprise into dismay, which quickly becomes resignation. It's not all that surprising, really.]

Caer Glaem.

No.

[It's small, instantaneous and almost whispered, his face once full of hope and the joy at finding the woman he loves, now filling with a frown and something far more pained.

From one war on opposite sides, now to another, and enemies yet again.]

There must be some mistake, Élise. They can't force us to fight each other.

Edited 2015-02-01 04:43 (UTC)

I've no intention of doing so.

[She might sound calmer, but in this, they completely agree. Élise doesn't know what's to become of them in Paris, whether there's any chance of their Orders finding common ground with Mirabeau dead. But Assassin or not, he is Arno, and he is hers, and she won't lift a blade against him.

It's not as simple as that, though.]

But it seems they can force us to do a number of things—including being here at all.

There are places you can go, if you have no intention of fighting for either side. [That's a fairly important thing that nobody tells you when you arrive!] Bearing a shard here makes you a target, right now more than before, but there is a power in it too. A power you can use, if you learn how.

Well, this is certainly going to be an interesting experience for you, then.

[ahhh, and he said it in the most punchable tone of voice, too...]

If that is, indeed, the case, I suppose the most important thing for you to learn would be that even someone like you can learn to use magic for yourself.

Well, for one, you can kiss all your sweet tech goodbye unless you're at the Station or something. So if you're planning to bring guns to the battlefield, you might want to rethink that.

I could always make you something else if you need it, though.

My what? [She frowns, not understanding what he means.] I have a pistol, but it's not my first choice in a fight.

[Swords don't run out of ammunition.]

[Punchable indeed. She frowns briefly at his tone.]

And is there a reason I should want to?

Is that so. [Her interest shows, but she reins it in. She's not necessarily going to opt out of the fight when she's not fully aware of its ramifications.] What power is there in something I've never known existed?

Ooh, gone swiftly mad. Put me down for that one.

[ sam's still struggling with the whole talking into a locket thing, but at least he's smiling as he does. ]

I've got a friend or two trying to fill me in on the place, but I still feel like they're just pullin' one over on me.

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.

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