eachdraidh | video to text; Unseelie locked (action if you are close by in Aghmor)

[ It's been about a year and nothing really has happened. Somewhere, in Aghmor, it's bedtime for six kids and Alice is getting them settled in for the night. There's a slight sound of what sounds like something chewing on Alice's locket. After some examination, it's in the hands of a freckle-faced little girl with dark brown hair. She has a bit of a lisp when she talks. Her dirty little hands present Alice back with the locket.

First sight of Alice in a year and she looks healthier than she did before, she fusses over the little girl, swooping in to stop her- ]

Slania! Jewelry is certainly not good for your teeth! What is- oh.

[ Holy crap, they're working again. Slania doesn't seem to phased by Alice's scolding, asking through her lisp- ]

What's that?

[ She acts like a toy was taken away from her, she starts to clamour on Alice's apron. Alice is a busy woman, there's the sound of children chattering curiously behind her. Life has been weird. ]

Never you mind; where's your stuffed bear? It's time for you all to sleep.

[ She asks before closing the locket completely, desperately pretending as if it's nothing. About thirty minutes later or so, Alice has switched it to text, determined to brush that off. ]

Well, this is rather strange, I was convinced that they were broken. I apologize, it's one of Slania's quirks, an odd one at that she's acquired and I'm sure it's a way to calm herself. I suppose it's been awhile, hasn't it? I haven't seen or heard from some of you in quite some time; I understand any apprehension that this may bring, using this locket, I don't mind. But I miss my friends in my court and so much has happened.

Needless to say, welcome back, I suppose.

[ For obvious reasons, she keeps it brief. Alice has had close contact with a handful of people. She decides it's best to act discreetly, there's a lot of things she wants to mention, but she'll keep that for people close to her. There's nothing wrong with saying "hi", right? It's not like she's been doing what she's been doing for the past year or anything, no.

Alice hates to be deceptive in any form, but for now, she'll feign some sort of face. ]

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They came on a couple days ago. There was an Audience on the first of the month. The Monarchs made their presence known.

Have they now? And have they taken any heads with them?

[That was oddly specific.]

They have. Yes.

[ Imaginary or not, that is what the queen would ask for if her subjects disobeyed her. Perhaps because she's still inside of her mind, in the back of her head, Alice isn't surprised to hear this. ]

It really shouldn't be that much of a surprise; it is what kings and queens do.

Is it? I didn't know that. There aren't kings or queens in my world. There are leaders and those who are allowed to rule the cities, but they aren't like the Monarchs.

Why wouldn't it be? What better way for a queen to get her point across.

If that's how they all act, then I'm glad my world has none. It's bad enough when one person or family lords themselves over others just because they have power and others don't.

Fear is a much more effective tactic than beheading? Why would you waste time with talking? They clearly disobeyed their king and queen. The only remedy is to order that they lose their heads. There is only so much sympathy to be spared.

[ She's fully aware that she is no better, thus, her reasoning to stay in Aghmor. But when it came down to it, it is what she would do, too.

It is what the queen has done. ]

No one should be forced to obey someone else. No one has the right to control the life of someone else. And no one has the right to take the life of another for not following an order, especially if they didn't agree to obey and are being intimidated into doing so simply because the other person has more power than they do.

I know.

[ Perhaps, in a sense, that is what makes her truly an Unseelie. She leans so far away from that idea of rulership and monarchs, that Alice is the way she is. ]

That authority has never did any of this world good, anyway. That much is clear.

[Had she been being sarcastic in the previous reply? It was hard to tell with writing. But with the current response he could only assume so. Wan took a deep breath and let go of the anger that had been building. He probably shouldn't have assumed it was how she genuinely felt. But with so many who bowed to the Monarchs just because they wore the crowns, it was hard to tell who truly believed what.]

Getting rid of the power the monarchs hold would probably do this world a lot more good than anything this war has ever done for it.

[He remembered Alice telling him the lockets were likely watched by those same monarchs. And he didn't really care at the moment. He knew, however much he hated to acknowledge it, that he had not the power to strip them of their power. They, or something else (though he was fairly certain it was them) had ensured that when they dragged him to the Drabwurld and had found a way to sever him from Raava. But if he ever found a way to topple their power, he wouldn't hesitate to do it.]

[ It's not her that says those things -- well, not fully. The queen would say that.

A part of her. For the time she left Wonderland, she left it in shambles, a reflection of the outer torment she received in Rutledge. Alice's harsh tone shifts, a reflection of her much more empathetic nature. ]

I have no doubts that it would.

[ Yes, she's fully aware of the lockets being watched, she doesn't care. She knows what Reul has done now and still isn't worried. Alice won't live her life in fear, and yet- ]

The most anyone can do is act far more graciously than nobles and monarchs ever will.

So far, that's been pretty easy for most. I think the majority of those dragged here, and the majority of natives, do so without even trying.

The natives are the most unfortunate, they get caught in the the middle of our fighting. The disparity between us and them is sickening. Some days I do not fault them for hating us so.

Some days I don't either.

I have to go. I'm looking for someone important and it looks a friend of mine might have found something.

[ It's a little abrupt, but Alice really can't fault him for that. ]

Of course, sir. If you say so.

video to text; Unseelie locked (action if you are close by in Aghmor)

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