Video - Seelie/Unseelie (Post dated to after the feast)

[curser]

[Have a curiously peering fairy, Drabwurld. It's a close up of one oddly colored green eye before it's drawn away and the rest of the face comes into focus, along with the horns and large wings as a backdrop.]

Is this some form of scrying stone? How curious. And I'm to talk into this?

[She turns to look at a pixie, one who's hovering near her head and giving her directions on how to use the locket.]

And one can address everyone this way? Marvelous.

[The pixie tells her that it's on and that currently everyone can see her and she eyes the locket again, wondering at how this particular bit of magic works.]

Greetings. To those that do not know me, my name is Maleficent. I'm curious to see if a girl has wound up here as well. Golden hair, blue eyes, and quite likely charming those around her. Her name is Aurora and if anyone has seen her, I'd very much appreciate being informed of this.

[She looks to be about to turn the locket off, but there's a small twitch of her lips as she begins talking again.]

I suppose I'd also like to be informed if anyone finds a raven who is not a raven. He's incredibly cheeky, but he's also mine.

[And that would be the end of her speech. No need for pleases and thank yous. Someone's clearly used to being obeyed.]

Comments

[chromosomes]

[ Aw, yay. ]

I'm Seelie, yeah.

[ And now he sighs, and locks the feed. ]

Thing about this war is that if you have a Shard, you're a target -- and not just for the other court. Even if that weren't true, they've brought the fight here before and people who otherwise want no part in the war were forced to defend themselves. Whether you decide to fight or not, do not let them take your Shard. Your world needs you to keep it -- and 'our side' is losing.

[curser]

[Oh, well, look at that. The pixie points out what he's just done and she makes a note of it. Private messages. Lovely.]

Is that so? Well, I should like to see someone try to take something that's embedded in me.

[She'd lost her wings once. There was no way in hell she'd be losing any part of herself again, whether she knew about it or not.]

They fight the innocent, mm?

[There was a rather dangerous glint in her eye at that.]

[chromosomes]

Oh, they'll definitely try.

[ John rubs, absently, at the spot on his side where Grell's chainsaw sliced through him. ]

Neither side in this war has clean hands. But the Unseelie have all-out assaulted Caer Glaem twice while I've been here. They've tortured a friend of mine and captured another, intending to present her as a gift to their queen. They've sent assassins after teenagers for daring to protect their home, their friends.

I'm not saying the Seelie should win this war. But I know the Unseelie shouldn't.

[curser]

They're welcome to.

[And she'd be happy to put the insolent whelps in their place.]

I was not offered a choice in which side I was placed on and I find that leaves a sickly taste in my mouth. I must say, I'm distressed to hear of the actions of these Unseelie, especially against those that would be children.

[Not that her record was spotless in that regard, but she'd learned. And she would be pleased to educate these others.]

[chromosomes]

There are some Unseelie that aren't that bad -- just like there are some Seelie who are real assholes.

[ There's always a few bad apples. ]

At the end of the day, though, we're in a war. There's always one person who doesn't care that we didn't pick our sides, that we may not want to fight them.

[curser]

[Asshole wasn't a word she knew, but she could gather the gist from how he used it. Old fashioned beyond old fashioned lady here, John.]

As it is often the way of war. The king hardly asks the farmers they give swords to if they want to, they merely push them in the direction they desire and hope enough dead bodies will slow their loss.

[chromosomes]

[ Oops. ]

I was a soldier, back in my world. It's been a long time since the country I fought for required the services of people who didn't volunteer. But there are people here who don't know how to defend themselves against someone trying to rob them, much less someone with every intention of killing them.

[curser]

It seems somewhat counterproductive to conscript those to war that have no inclination or ability for it.

[It was a waste as far as she was concerned. For a creature that spent her off hours healing the woods around her, she found that abhorrent.]

[chromosomes]

It does. Unfortunately their existing abilities don't matter -- the Shard does. And if you learn how to activate it, you're far stronger than the natives. For some people, that's true even if you don't know how to activate it.

[ This is information he feels quite comfortable sharing, shared as it was with him by Alyosha. Besides, he's seen firsthand what a Shardholder can do to native troops. ]

[curser]

[That was information that she wanted to have, so excuse the narrowed eyes as she pinned her gaze on him through the lockets.]

Is that so? This thing inside of me that I'd no notion of being there can... enhance my abilities?

[And they'd thought her powerful before...]

[chromosomes]

Yes.

[ A pause. ]

If you can fight, I'd ask that you help protect those that can't. No matter what you think of the war itself.

[curser]

I'll act as the situation prompts me to.

[She'd not give her word to anything as she wasn't certain of what that would entail and promises given by the fae were not given lightly.]

[chromosomes]

Would you be interested in teaching others how to defend themselves?

[ He's not asking her to throw herself into every battle -- that's a bit much at this stage. ]

[curser]

I do not think that my brand of fighting or defense would be teachable.

[She flew into things and beat people up with her wings and magic, John.]

[chromosomes]

You never know.

[ A beat. ]

You use magic?

[curser]

Magic and wings, dear boy. Unless you've got winged mages or fairies willing to learn how to unmount a rider with a wing cut, I don't think I'd be of much assistance.

[Sorry, John, but she didn't know any sort of actual self defense. She was a creature of pure instinct. Her fight with King Henry had been her first true fight and since then she'd fought mostly with magic to take them by surprise.]

[chromosomes]

I'm sure there are other people with wings around. And there are definitely people with magic who could use assistance.

[ Hell, he could use help with his magic. ]

[curser]

You do realize that 'magic' isn't a class, yes? What I can do might differ drastically from what another fairy can do. In fact, it does where I'm from and I can taste the difference in the magic and wildlife here. Why, it would be like... asking a fish to teach a cat how to use its tail. Just because they both have them doesn't mean they work quite the same.

[chromosomes]

The monarchs here gift people with magic and direct them to the library to learn how to use it. That's all fine and good, but sometimes having a physical person help makes all the difference. I know there are differences between the magic of this world and others, but-

[ He sighs, rubs the back of his neck. ]

Every little bit helps. If nothing else, when we start the training -- if you could at least stop by.

[curser]

I'll think about it.

[That was as good as he'd get in terms of a commitment from her. She never promised; the word of a fae could be far too binding and she'd learned her lesson with that as well.]

Where would this 'training' take place?

[chromosomes]

[ He nods. ]

In the Ward.

[curser]

Then perhaps I'll see you there.

[And perhaps not. Someone might have to entice her with more than just potential responsibilities.]

[chromosomes]

I'll keep an eye open.

[ A pause, then- ]

I'm John, by the way. I didn't say.

[curser]

John.

[Socialization wasn't really one of Maleficent's strong suits. But she'd acknowledge and remember the name.]

[chromosomes]

I hope you find your friends.

[ He means that sincerely. ]