[Video - Both courts]

[dragonring]

[Elmie has told him that the lockets are being watched but Dave can't help it, he wants some information, and locking the post to only one court would reduce the amount potential informants. If he makes it sound just like some history lesson he can't get in trouble for it, right? Right.

He still uses video instead of just audio to avoid any nasally voice confusion again - if this really bites him in the ass later, better leave it clear it's all on him. He's in his room at the castle, not a commoner's for anyone who doesn't know about his magic yet, and he's surrounded by books he borrowed from the library, which shouldn't be surprising. At all.]

Many of you have been here for a long while, right? Like... a "whole year" while, give it or take. [Get ready for the hand gestures, everyone.] Any chance you know more about the history behind this war they want us to fight? The books say the-- ah, maybe "a"? A jabberwock attacked during-- [He glances at a book to get the term right.] --Blàr Geur and some-- entity? called "the Mother" healed the land afterward.

[Sighing, he runs his fingers through his hair. It's so frustrating for this nerd not to be able to find what he wants by researching.]

They connect her to something called "sigils" too but that's all I got. And there isn't much more I can do with the state of the castle's library... [Plus the fact it isn't objective doesn't help, but he isn't going to say that.] So maybe anyone can tell me where to find--

[He interrupts himself when what it looks like a wooden bird lands on his head, using his hair as a nest. Two more fly by a second later, the wind made by their flight turning the pages of his books and shuffling his notes. Dave facepalms and closes his locket - it seems his spell still needs a few adjustments.]

o1. spider | audio; both courts.

[debts]

I keep thinking of this story.

[ There's nothing particularly guarded about the way Natasha sounds. Lazy, maybe; a little mildly amused. ]

Once upon a time, there was a proud and warlike tsar— [ A short pause, then a correction. ] —a ruler. His name was Dadon. When he was young, he invaded and destroyed neighboring lands, taking them for his own. When he grew older Dadon wanted peace, but now his enemies sensed his weakness and it was their turn to wage war on him. He asked for help from his court magician, who gave him a golden cockerel. If any enemies approached, the bird would crow, and because the tsar was pleased he promised that he would give the magician anything he asked for.

Dadon's people lived peacefully for two years. The bird did its job whenever there was danger. One day, the golden bird cried out louder than ever before, so the man sent a great army under the command of his eldest son. Eight days passed. When the bird crowed again, his son and their army weren't back, so he sent out his younger son and another army. There was no news again for eight more days.

He was worried. The bird crowed again, so he went to go investigate this personally, with an army of his best warriors. After several days, he came across a battlefield where both armies and his two sons lay dead. At the edge of the field, he saw a tent with a woman of stunning beauty inside. Her name was—

[ A beat. ]

—you know, I don't think I remember. Her title, though, was the Queen of Shamakha. She invited him inside his tent and Dadon fell in love with her. He took her home, back to his kingdom.

When he did, the magician was waiting for him at the gates. He asked the tsar to pay for the golden bird by giving him the Queen of Shamakha. Angry with the request, Dadon hit the magician with his sword, wounding him fatally. At that moment the bird swooped down and pecked Tsar Dadon to death. And the Queen of Shamakha disappeared, as if she had never been there.

[ Natasha huffs out a laugh. ]

Sorry. Maybe that was too obvious a moral. [ And just like that, the audio abruptly ends. ]

FIFTH BLOOM ❀ TEXT | SEELIE LOCKED

[showmeyourwreath]

Hello everyone,

Pardon me, but I'd very much like to know if there's anyone that knows how to regrow limbs, please. Preferably by potion, but I'm all open to other methods. If you'd like compensation for the knowledge, we can talk about it. It seems like it would be handy to know.

[You know, just hypothetically. She likes to be prepared.]

Thank you for your time.