001; video (open to both courts)

[devotedqueen]

It seems the queens are bringing more and more people in to fight for their cause.

[When the feed flickers on, Elincia seems to be muttering to herself a little before she straightens and smiles at the locket. More people was both a bad thing and a good thing in her eyes. Bad because this meant more people to fight a useless war. Good because there might be more who could help her with something that was very important if she wanted to take leave of the castle as soon as possible.

Normally, she wouldn't ask people for help in such a public manner. But here, she was completely out of her depths and there didn't seem to be any books in the library that could aid her. While the queen's gift certainly sped up the process, Elincia just didn't have the knowledge about animal taming and training in order to maximise it's potential. 

Which is why she's here right now. She looks as neat and elegant as ever but to anyone who can read her well enough, they will be able to tell she's a little flustered.]

Excuse me, everyone, if I could just have a moment of your time, there are a few things I'd like to ask.

Firstly, I was wondering if there was anyone who could give me advice on taming animals. Wild horse-like creatures to be exact but if you have any advice at all, that would be most appreciated. 

[She tips her head politely with a small smile]

While I've been around horses and pegasi all my life, I've never been asked to tame one and I find myself struggling to do so. I can offer my abilities as a healer in return, if you like.

Secondly, I would like to ask, those of the Seelie Court in particular - is there anyone else out there interested in taking their leave of the castle? I understand several groups have headed off already but if there's anyone else who desires to see the world out there [and get out of the castle's range before they were dragged into another battle with or without their consent. She had expressed interest to Lord El-Melloi before but this time, she thinks she might be able to move around more efficiently with the right preparations] then please, let me know. It seems to be safer to travel in groups than alone.

Thank you for your time.

[Another small tip of her head and the video ends]

Comments

[devotedqueen]

Not at all.

[Elincia simply agrees with a wry smile. She could always trust Ike to assess things properly. She takes a moment to think, filter her words in order to avoid overwhelming him with information. A lot had gone on in the last two months]

Simply put, we have been pulled into another battle between Order and Chaos. But unlike Yune, both sides seek the complete eradication of the other. I have not met Queen Morla but I have had an audience with Queen Solais. She speaks prettily but...

[justike]

But no matter how pretty a face they put on it, it's just another war.

[Ike nods a little, grimacing briefly at the flavor of politics lingering about this whole thing. He'd rather deal with the war part than that, but fighting senselessly is stupid too.]

So you're leaving your court, then?

[devotedqueen]

[This is what Elincia is here for: filter out all the politics.

She nods. You could always trust Ike to cut to the heart of it]

I am. This month has proven the queens do not truly care for their subjects wishes. If you are within the court, they will make you play a role, whether you want to or not.

[justike]

I take it they're not just asking nicely.

[No surprises there, after the way they'd been brought here in the first place. Even knowing full well that Elincia is capable of taking care of herself, he feels a twinge of worry for the toll the situation must be taking on her.]

How are you holding up?

[devotedqueen]

They gave us our orders--under nice words, of course--and we were brought into a fairy ring and sent to various locations, either to attack or support. Resistance was futile at that point.

[Her words are dry but there's still a hint of displeasure in her eyes at the memory. Had she been asked to be anything but a healer, she would have left straight away.

Ike's next words startle her. Elincia's a little touched, hearing Ike voice concern for her like and it reminds her how much she misses home. As kind as the people were, they were not from Crimea and nor had she ever felt the same sense of unity she had with those who had taken arms against the goddess Ashera. She had thrown herself into books and into healing but she hadn't let herself dwell long on what she was missing.

People often spoke of Ike as being insensitive but in all the time she had known him, she had always thought otherwise.

She smiles, a little more warmly this time with only the slightest twinge of sadness]

I've been well. It isn't easy, being away from our homeland for so long but, considering what has happened so far, things could be worse.

[justike]

Good.

[Even though "it could be worse" isn't exactly high praise, Ike smiles back at Elincia, relieved to see the warmth in her expression. They've both grown a little too much for him to tell her again that she's become strong.]

...It's still strange. We left Melior for the fort about a week before those strange--creatures--brought me here. [More accurately, stuffed him in a sack.] That was a few days ago. But you've been here two months.

[devotedqueen]

[She frowns in thought, linking her fingers together and rests her chin on top of them]

That is strange. I don't remember parting with you or the others before the fairies brought me here in their fairy ring.

[Her arrival here was an odd feeling]

I had thought that my disappearance would have caused some alarm--I imagined Uncle Renning would have stepped forward to calm everyone eventually but...

[Hmm...very strange]

[justike]

If anything like that happened, word hadn't reached us yet.

[Although it was possible they would want to cover up her absence? Weird, either way.]

--A fairy ring? Was that how it happened?

[devotedqueen]

[Things were getting weirder and weirder, the more they picked it apart. Elincia blinks]

Ah, yes. Didn't you arrive in a fairy ring?

[justike]

I couldn't see anything from inside the sack.

[There may or may not have been a fairy ring involved, after all.]

[devotedqueen]

A...sack?

[Elincia is always incredibly composed but even she can't quite stop herself from looking baffled here]

[justike]

Right.

[Ike blinks back at her, unable to understand her confusion.]

They didn't put you in one?

[devotedqueen]

Well, no, I--

[Ike, the great hero of two wars. Slayer of the goddess. The hero that united Tellius under one name...brought to Drabwurld in a sack, carried by...fairies? Imps?

Elincia's shoulders shake a little as she struggles in vain to fight her rising laughter but it's just too funny and a few giggles slip out anyway]

You were brought here in a sack?

[PFFFFFFFFFT]

[justike]

Right. Those little creatures are stronger than they look.

[Ike's tone is dry, but he smiles anyway. Even he has to admit that it's ridiculous, and it's good to see Elincia laughing.]

[devotedqueen]

Oh, dear--

[Sorry Ike, she can't contain herself anymore and bursts into an unending fit of giggles. It's just such a ridiculous image in her mind. Ike. Of all people. Brought down by a sack]

[justike]

All right there, Your Majesty?

[He folds his arms across his chest, one corner of his mouth twitching. Come to think of it, he really wonders how many imps it must've taken to drag him. And then Ragnell and Urvan on top of everything...]

[devotedqueen]

[She takes a few moments to collect herself, straightening and wiping away tears of mirth from her eyes]

Oh, I'm sorry, Ike. I shouldn't have laughed so much.

[She can't stop smiling widely though and every now and then, giggles escape her]

I was just thinking that they must have had an extremely hard time, trying to bring you of all people, here in a sack.

[Ike couldn't have gone quietly]

[justike]

I didn't get a good look, but there must have been a lot of them. I'm heavy.

[Though still far from the biggest visitor he'd seen at the Unseelie feast.]

How'd they get you, then?

[devotedqueen]

Hmm, it's strange. I saw some odd lights in the forest and went to investigate and came upon the fairies. Before I was aware of anything, I had been coaxed into a fairy ring and transported here.

[She's still not sure why she had followed so easily]

[justike]

That's very strange.

[Then again, being trounced by tiny imps is odd for him too, so he's definitely not judging.]

Well, no matter how they did it, we're here now.

[devotedqueen]

Yes. And now we need to figure out how we're going to deal with this situation...and see if there's a way to return home.

[justike]

Right. If you're leaving your castle, maybe there's neutral ground somewhere in between.

[He looks down to study his map again, tracing the roads. There must be more settlements than they have marked here... Right?]

[devotedqueen]

It seems like most people are traveling to the station.

[She points it out on her version of the map. It would take Ike a little longer to get there than her]

[justike]

[He glances at her map and nods decisively. That works.]

Then we can meet there. There might be people here who plan to leave too.

[devotedqueen]

One group has already left, I believe. Lord El Melloi has told me there are others who wish to leave too.