eachdraidh | First Message ⨕ Video ⨕ Both Courts (backdated before the event)

The locket shows the face of a young teen, her face and hair are dirty and she's staring at the locket intently. Like she doesn't exactly trust it. When it clicks on her eyes widen and a grin comes across her face.]

Oh shit. It's real. Real magic locket. Alright, imps, starting to believe that you weren't totally fucking with me. You got me on that one. Not that I believe all of that shard stuff. You woulda thought people would notice something like that. [The locket spins on it's chain once before she grabs it again and observes everyone seriously.]

Alright so. Most important things first. Where's a girl gotta go to get cool magic stuff? The locket's not bad, but I'm talking the good shit. Like flying powder and wands and fire powers and breathing underwater. If they dragged us here, they better not hold out on us. I already asked the imps to give me a dinosaur to ride but they said I had to wait for "boons" or whatever the hell that is. I mean how can you drag me here and then make me wait? It never works that way in any book I've read and I've read every book about magic left in Boston. [An annoyed huff! It's barely an exaggeration. She really did read every book about magic left in the boarding school.] Those imps were dicks or else this is a major secret character test.

[Then her face drops into a more neutral expression, Like there's a lot bubbling beneath the surface but she's trying to cover it up as best she can.]

Okay, next important stuff. I'm looking for a guy named Joel. He's big, gruff, wears flannel, comes from the great land of Texas. [She even imitates a Texas accent for emphasis! It's terrible tbh.] He's probably kinda grumpy and stomping around right now.

[She's so clearly worried that the forced neutral expression isn't doing much for her. But still, trying to keep it together. It's hard with the conflicting feelings of "holy shit magic" and "oh my god where the fuck is Joel."]

...Joel, if you hear this, say something over the lockets. I know it's weird as hell but just. Do it.

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Perhaps if you request a giraffe, you will also be granted the saddling to ride it.

[ If she likes them so much, that would be an interesting creature to see roaming around and ought to take some effort simply to care for. ~~It could also hopefully take some of the focus off a teenager possibly running around with magic at their fingertips, yeesh, providing a distraction.~~ ]

People own very odd pets in the Drabwurld. My unicorn is exceptionally temperamental and enjoys nibbling my hair whenever he finishes his meat.

...I don't think you can ride 'em. Their backs are all slopey. And you'd think if you could that someone woulda figured out how to do it waaaay long ago.

[Then a beat.]

Wait. You have a unicorn? A meat eating unicorn? Are you fucking with me?

[ Instead of reprimanding her language, he calls to the side in a soft and lilting language and a white-coated, golden-maned war-unicorn tromps heavily over, a thick neck dipping over the Elvenking's shoulder to ... yes, nibble his hair. It certainly isn't an airy, lissome creature, more like a huge farm-horse polished to fit into the Drabwurld's fantastical setting, nineteen-hands high; Ellie's head might come to a chunky equine shoulder at best.

Reaching up to pat a thickly muscled neck, Thranduil looks back to the young girl. ]

This is Gelefn. [ Gelefn's bright black eyes glance into the locket as he snorts. ] He says 'Well-met', child.

[Ellie's eyes have gone totally wide and for once, she doesn't have much to say. At least for a few seconds. Her hands twitch as if she wishes she could reach through the image of the locket and approach the magnificent creature. It really does seem like it's so close. Her eyes flit between Thranduil and the unicorn so she leans back and exhales. Almost as if she's trying to do a low whistle but can't quite do it correctly.]

I'll take any compliment I can get from a fucking unicorn. That's... He's awesome.

[ A small smile flickers at the corners of Thranduil's mouth when the youngster approves, trying to absently tweak his hair out of the unicorn's teeth. (Stop that, is muttered to the grouching beast in Sindarin.) ]

You shall have to meet, though I may not be with him. Whose name shall I tell him to listen for?

Ellie.

It's Ellie.

And you should definitely mention, you know just on the side, that I'm pretty good at riding. In case he wants to know.

[She gives him a sort of casual shrug. Like he'll get the picture. She knows. She's good at hinting.]

Gelefn and Thranduil.

[ He tips his head to one side and gives the unicorn enough room to whinny close to the locket, a long horn bumping it before Thranduil can veer it out of reach. ]

He says if you are of a royal bloodline he will be happy to carry you. Unicorns are very picky, and they only ferry about those that have been crowned in their own homeland.

Yeah, there's definitely no such thing as royalty where I'm from. Not since the infection. [She's read history books that feature kings and queens.] Or if there are, I've never heard of them. Not much left to rule.

[A shrug. At first she seems deeply disappointed. But then she perks up a thoughtful look on her face.]

Are there any not picky unicorns about?

There are flying horses with great wingspans called clegs that also live in the forests. They would be very loyal steeds if a brave girl were to show patience enough to train one. Gelefn is quite jealous of their ability to soar through the clouds, I believe.

[ Butted in the cheek by Gelefn's muzzle, Thranduil offers Ellie a consoling smile as he pats the unicorn's neck fondly. ]

Find a strong cleg of your own and you could travel south, away from the imps to the fairies.

[ She has to be Unseelie, this child, but Thranduil doesn't care. A castle packed with orcs is no place for anyone, let alone youths, and so he encourages her to journey if not to Caer Glaem then at least away from Caer Scima. ]

[She stares at him for a few seconds, arms crossed over her chest, as she considers this proposition. Then after a few moments, she gives him a lopsided grin back and nods.]

I guess that flying is pretty cool after magic. But I'm still gonna gun for a unicorn. Even after I tame a cleg. I'm patient. ...Sometimes. When it's really important. I mean, it can't be that hard. Just a steady hand and some treats. Or at least that's how the horses were back home.

[Then she frowns. She listened to what was said when she arrived. Or at least as best she could with how much her head was spinning from everything. But she remembered a story of imps and fairies.]

Cuz of the war?

[ He hopes the girl, for the sake of her own good spirits, is a little princess. It will be a terrible shame for her not to ride the one creature she so desires, and Gelefn is a good unicorn but even he refuses to bend the knee to common folk. Stubborn nag.

Thranduil gives her a nod, growing more solemn. ]

There are terrible beasts called orcs in Caer Scima, stay far from them and do not lay your bargains at their feet. They eat Man-flesh, and would not shirk yours. You are a Shardbearer, so they will not touch you in the castle, but be on your guard and keep a weapon close at all times.

I'm used to terrible beasts that eat man flesh. And people that are almost just as bad. I can handle it.

[There's a little bit of misery in her voice. For a brief second, she'd thought she'd really come to a better place. But then curiosity eclipses negativity.]

And honestly? This place is pretty great. So now you gotta tell me what it's like with the fairies.

First Message ⨕ Video ⨕ Both Courts (backdated before the event)

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