blood sweat tear

[imeanforever]

He's moving her to a different court to see if it'll improve her attitude. She's allowed to fly. It's been a long, long time since she was allowed to -

She is only allowed to fly to her destination, not anywhere else. She notices that she is not where she should be, that she cannot progress to where she was told to go, and she careens out of control when her wings won't flap anymore, and she crashes.

---

with Miles (kappa)

with Minus (kappa)

Comments

[imeanforever]

"We could try to work out some kind of conditional permission which would permit you to put your ears out and get away as best you can under some circumstance, but we'd have to agree on a circumstance and how you would have to verify it and you'd have to trust that it was an enforced permission."

[infinitely_stranger]

"Yes. I am experiencing some temptation to take the stance that if you cannot bring yourself to free me completely without asking for my name, you should turn me into a small animal and keep me in a box because that way at least when you fail to conquer the Queenscourt I will not have voluntarily betrayed it. But then I would likely still end up obliged to conquer some fraction of the mortal world to prevent further attempts like yours, and even if I in particular did not have to, someone would. That is not a desirable outcome."

[imeanforever]

"Not a bit. ...There are some mortals around who might vouch for me. They can demonstrate the ability to harm me. If necessary."

[infinitely_stranger]

"...Potentially a way out of the puzzle," he acknowledges.

[imeanforever]

"I'll talk to them."

Promise departs the crypt.

She calls Castle.

[kingsidecastle]

"Yes?"

[imeanforever]

"By insane coincidence, I currently have the Queen's best sorcerer in Tea's crypt under orders. I would like to secure his willing cooperation and could use a character reference from someone who can also pluck a hair from my head and demonstrate that they're not being ordered about it."

[kingsidecastle]

"That sounds like a pretty insane coincidence," says Castle.

[imeanforever]

"He can see harmonics. Naturally. And he was on vacation and saw the end of the gate I made to the place I was planning to put my new tree; it had settled overnight. He went through it and Tea got him."

[kingsidecastle]

"...Is he all right? I can't imagine being 'gotten' by a vampire is a gentle process."

[imeanforever]

"He was a little injured. We let him heal himself once I was there to make sure the permission was snug enough."

[kingsidecastle]

"And you want your character references from me or Royal?"

[imeanforever]

"Or both. Yeah."

[kingsidecastle]

"That can probably be arranged. Do you need the reference urgently or can it wait until you meet Royal this evening?"

[imeanforever]

"It is not technically urgent but Arcane - the sorcerer - will be sitting immobile on the floor of Tea's crypt until we can come to some kind of agreement, which I don't like much."

[kingsidecastle]

"Reasonable. Should one or the other of us come to Tea's crypt to talk to you?"

[imeanforever]

"Yes please. I'll get the address from Tea."

Promise leans back into the crypt. "Tea, how should Royal or Castle find the place?"

[eversomuchfun]

Tea offers a serviceable description of the crypt's location.

[imeanforever]

Promise relays it.

[kingsidecastle]

"I'll send Royal," says Castle.

[imeanforever]

"Thank you."

[kingsidecastle]

"No problem." A pause, then, "Royal's on her way."

[imeanforever]

"When should I expect her?"

[kingsidecastle]

"In about half an hour."

[imeanforever]

"Thanks."