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[gentlearcher]

[ ACTION ]

[It was a long walk to Caer Glaem. Fortunately, Susan was close enough that that the road to it was fairly safe. She would feel better about this whole thing if her brothers and sister were here, or if she had her bow, or even her horn. Instead she was wearing her school clothes, and they were none too clean at this point. Still, Susan was hoping for a better explanation, and from what the friendly fairies and townspeople had to say the castle was the place to get it.

She was hungry. Fruit trees and handouts didn't do much in the way of assuaging hunger when one was walking all day. She hoped there would at least be food in the castle; it was looming large in her vision now and she hoped to get there within the end of the day. It was a good thing, too. She'd bathed in a stream that morning, but--

"Lawkamercyme!" cried a high pitched voice, and Susan turned her head just in time to see a small, green-tinted fairy fall into a faint. A dark shadow globbed its way towards the fairy, Susan was sure it had foul intent. Dark shadows with gleam of teeth almost always did. She wished for her bow more than ever, but didn't hesitate to pick up a large stone at her feet. She was frightened - how did one fight a shadow? Oh, she hated to fight - but she wasn't about to just stand there and watch. She shouted, "You! There! Get away from that fairy!"

The shadow did not seem much impressed. And so Susan threw the stone with impressive aim, clipping the beast right in the mouth. It hissed and abandoned the fairy, heading towards her instead. She bent to pick up another rock.]

[ VIDEO ]

[For a long moment, the locket shows a beautiful face with a furrowed brow, staring intently at its own reflection. Susan has never seen anything like this before. She is at the castle now, clean and clothed and fed, so her image doesn't look quite as dire as it had earlier that day, and her dark hair is swept back neatly in a braid.] Ah - so it does work! At least, I assume it does, and this is a message going out all over the lockets and not just some sort of fancy mirror.

[In either case, she's beginning to feel a little self-conscious. She reaches for easily remembered dignity.] I don't mean to intrude, but I have heard that this is something which happens often. And I wonder, is there anyone from England here? [She misses her family; two weeks of walking among strangers in a strange land was more than enough alone time for now, thanks.] Or even [marked hesitation] Narnia?

Comments

video;

[glacio]

I'm not sure I've ever heard of Narnia or England, but it's very possible there are people here from both of those places. There doesn't seem to be a limit on where in the cosmos the two kingdoms can travel in order to recruit.

video;

[gentlearcher]

[Susan pauses for a moment, startled at how the locket seems to work. There is a person in her locket, or the person's face at least. This was surely magic.

The woman in the locket was beautiful, with shockingly light hair. Susan couldn't quite place her accent.]

Oh. I see. [A slight pause.] Where are you from, then?

[video]

[bird_brain]

[Hi, not-a-person here. Aubri is visible frazzled -- though someone who has not spoken with him much before might not know that ragged feathers and rapid, alert gaze are signs of such a thing.]

I have heard of neither, child. [He calls pretty much everyone younger than himself a child -- and he's an old bird.] Are you in a safe place?

[video]

[gentlearcher]

[Oh, a gryphon! But he's not of Narnia and...

Susan was a practical person. She knew how to take things as they came and freak out later. Still, his concern for her safety was curious to her, but as far as she could tell this strange ornate bedroom was safe enough.]

My name is Susan. [She glances around.] As far as I can tell, this place is safe enough, thank you. What's your name?

[bullhorned]

Gendry had no intention of straying as far from the castle as he did. But ever since being given one of the hounds, he'd taken to the task of hunting these creatures seriously. Unfortunately the hound was taking it more serious than he was. And once it had caught the scent of yet another one, it had darted off from him and he'd lost the leash in the process. And so not wishing to make trouble with the kennelmaster, Gendry was left with no choice but to run after it.

"Get back here!" He called uselessly. "Bloody mutt, who cares if they're all the way out there? Get on back!"

[gentlearcher]

The dark shadow did not halt its advance. "I'm warning you - stay away!"

She hefted the rock and backed up a few steps, taking her aim. She glanced around to try and take stock of her surroundings - her first rock hadn't done anything but anger the creature, she would need something else. She didn't fancy a closer look at those teeth.

The creature didn't make any sound, but it covered ground quickly. Susan threw the rock, to no affect. She didn't see anything else on the countryside to help her and was just wondering if shadows could climb trees or if she'd be better off just trying to run when the barking of a hound changed the scene.

The creature froze, and if Susan could attribute anything to a shadow with teeth, it would be fear. "That's right, that's right!" she called. "You'd better get out of here!"

Action;

[thenameofscreen]

[After discovering the nasty little creatures all around the castle grounds (and realizing that there was ample means to fight them there) she'd elected to take the chance to see to the King's request. It was unnerving to think that there might be those outside the castle walls who were unable to defend themselves. It started with a patrol and gradually she expanded her search. Flying allowed her to travel further and faster than those on foot.

And a good thing, too. She just happens to see Susan below, bravely confronting one of the dark things...

Well then- Star would be remiss to not offer her assistance. This is, after all, what she was tasked with.

Shortly after Susan's rock hit its mark it's echoed by a glowing burst of green light, smashing right into the creature's face. It likely won't have the desired effect but Star's purpose is really just to give it pause long enough to grab Susan (and the fairy, once she's aware of its presence) and run.]

Lawkamercyme! Be gone, please. [She lowers herself between Susan and the creature, clearly intent on acting as a deterrent.] You will find no meal here.

[Annnd then, to Susan, quietly-]

Are you undamaged?

Action;

[gentlearcher]

[Beg pardon, but that is a flying woman, flying without the aid of wings and... shooting some sort of green fire at the shadow which seemed to originate from no where at all.

What magic is this?

Susan only stands in shock for a moment, however, and quickly steps to the side behind Starfire in time to see that the greenish fire had about the same effect as her rock, although the creature seems to be stunned for a longer duration.]

I'm not hurt. But there's a fairy fallen over there.

[Meal. Susan disliked creatures which ate sentient beings. It was almost enough to make a girl want to become a vegetarian.]

I think it's fainted.

video

[masterofmystery]

...There's plenty of us from England, but there's definitely no 'Narnia' in any England I know.

video

[gentlearcher]

[Susan has had a long and exhausting couple of weeks, punctured by moments of extreme fear. She doesn't much care for the implication of his statement: That she's fool enough to confuse her geography. And she is fresh enough from Narnia that she doesn't feel socially obligated to be polite and entirely non-confrontational.]

I didn't say Narnia was in England, did I.

[ action ] it's been awhile since i surprosed you so

[admirably]

The shadows had been attacking for the better part of a week now, but Hans had had his fill of fighting them off on the very first day. It was unfortunate that his newly assumed identity required much in the way of heroics out of him. It wasn't that he didn't like to put on a well-performed show, but even after days of combating them, the shadows showed no signs of relenting.

But he had sworn to play his part, a valiant knight pledging his heart and soul to the ideals of the Seelie, and so he continued to patrol the perimeter of the castle.

He spotted the shadow on the horizon before he spotted the girl, though once he did he urged his steed on with even more haste. The shadows seemed especially keen on women, and she seemed alone and unarmed. Exactly the sort of person who could use someone like him riding in to assist.

"Lawkamercyme!" He shouted when close enough to make sure the shadow heard him loud and clear.

[ action ] i am so surprosed!

[gentlearcher]

Susan heard the horse before she spotted the newcomer, but only out of her peripheral vision. She wasn't sure if it was a new threat or not, and the thing with teeth had the priority.

That was why Susan saw it when the shadow flinched back as a result of the stranger's shout. The strange word was what the fairy had cried, right before she fainted, and Susan might not have been the most booksmart in the family, but she could still put two and two together. "Lawkamercyme!" she shouted.

When the shadow flinched further back, she rejoiced and began edging towards the falling fairy, shouting, "Lawkamercyme!" as she went. She didn't intend to give the thing a chance to recover and come after her.

That her path took her away from the galloping horse was a bonus.

[all7seas]

"Oh! I've been imprisoned there." Jack loves it when people mention England, because it gives him just the slightest bit of a tighter grasp on reality. "England, I mean. Lovely place. Lots of fish."

[gentlearcher]

Okay, ready admittance to imprisonment was a bit - hmm - unusual for Susan. Still, it was honest or... something. She felt a little cautious when she responded, "Yes, well. It is an island."

She gave a brief pause, "Why were you imprisoned?"

Better to ask than to wonder, she supposed, and he did bring it up.

action;

[greywater]

[A girl of the same age as Susan draws her bow not far away. She has been out with her horses, not realizing how late it had gotten and how far out she had been. It doesn't take long to see the shadows change their direction towards the girl. At this distance only a how will help, but she picks up her pace and tries to keep the creatures off the girl. When she's close enough, she screams the name of the beasts, looking to keep it at bay. Meera has the horse speed up, galloping toward the other girl. If they are on horseback at least it will give them some chance.

Slowing just enough to the other girl can get on, the horse trots beside her as Meera extends a hand.] Get on before more find us.

action;

[gentlearcher]

[Her periphery vision serves her well and Susan can see the girl on the horse approaching. It serves her particularly well, because she can see the shadow-creature flinch when the other girl shouts out its name.

And Susan is tempted, so tempted, to just take the girl's hand and ride away. But... the fairy. She hadn't drawn the thing's attention just so the fairy could be eaten anyway. Experimentally she cried:]

Lawkameryme!

[With satisfaction, she saw the shadow shrink more.]

Keep shouting it! [She took off in a sprint toward the fairy - she was good at running.] I'll be right back!

[And then she saved her breath for speed.]

private voice;

[bythewaves]

When I was first drawn here there was one who styled himself Caspian of Narnia lady, but I have not heard from him for a long, long time, and I fear he has either been returned to his own world, or else fallen to mischance in this world.

private voice;

[gentlearcher]

Caspian? [There wasn't any disguising the hope and recognition in her tone. But she hesitated, taking in the whole of what he said.] Were you a friend of his?

[Caspian was competent, but he'd grown more so in her time - and she'd at least gathered about different times. Hearing the bit about 'mischance in this world' made her concerned.]

[ video ]

[dappergent]

[ by her introduction, Oscar can only assume she's yet another soul brought here from a strange world and he smiles kindly from the other end of his own locket. ]

It's no intrusion at all. You must have a great many questions although I'm afraid I'm not aware of a town called England or Narnia. Is that the land you called home?

[ video ]

[gentlearcher]

[Um. That was a question.]

Yes. [Well, that was the simplest answer. And she could leave it that way, but... it felt disloyal somehow. If she was going to bring Narnia up at all, she was best off doing it properly.] Although they're two separate places. And you're right, I do have a lot of questions.

video

[kingsdaughter]

Isn't England close to Ireland?

video

[gentlearcher]

[There was an unexpected question. It showed familiarity and yet not... knowledge, exactly.]

Yes. We share the same island.

video.

[smallshoes]

Um. Hello. Hello! I know many people here are from different places... But my home is in England! Oh, is yours too! When I speak to people here, I hear about worlds upon worlds and hardly a whisper from home...

video.

[gentlearcher]

Hello! [She gives the other girl a small smile.] Yes, I grew up in Finchley. Where are you from?

[Video]

[vanyel_ashkevron]

I have not heard of England or Narnia. [But he's curious. His silver eyes take in the young girl, measuring her reaction to her new surroundings.] The Locket is used for communication. I cannot say what spell has been used on it, but it is convenient.

[Still...]

I would use it with care. There is no telling who could be watching and listening.

[Video]

[gentlearcher]

[Susan's reaction to her surroundings is currently quite composed. She's bathed and eaten, and is sitting in the sumptuously opulent quarters provided for kings and queens, though the wall behind her is painted a simple dark green, and barely ornate. Susan's dark hair is in a neat braid and she wears the blue and white dress provided for her as if she is accustomed to such finery.

She regards her new conversational partner with a wary curiosity; he has struck a different tone than others.]

Why is that? I'm not saying anything of which I am ashamed.