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

[summa_iniuria]

"Thank you for explaining," says Royal. "My Watcher isn't going to want to go anywhere near you for the forseeable future, but when I explain what you're trying to do I'm sure he'll be happy to help with research on local magic, which is something he's very good at."

[imeanforever]

Nod.

[summa_iniuria]

"Anything else before I talk to Arcane?"

[imeanforever]

"Are there any other things you think I might have overheard? Because I can't think of anything else significant."

[summa_iniuria]

"I don't have any lingering suspicions about things you might be keeping quiet about knowing, no. But if you wanted to go into more detail about your motivations for conquering Fairyland, that would help me form a clearer picture."

[imeanforever]

"It's badly run. I think I could do better."

[summa_iniuria]

"Seems plausible that you could."

[imeanforever]

"And I'm willing to take the risk. Arcane's in a more awkward position because he's much too dangerous to let go, so he's basically choosing between joining my revolution or being turned into a small animal and kept in a box, but he doesn't seem innately horrified by the former option."

[summa_iniuria]

"I see."

[imeanforever]

"Anyway. Can I get a good reference?"

[summa_iniuria]

"Yes."

[imeanforever]

So Promise shows her into the crypt. "Arcane, Royal. Royal, Arcane."

[summa_iniuria]

"Hello."

[infinitely_stranger]

"Hello. What can you tell me about Promise?"

[summa_iniuria]

"I'm tentatively in favour of her proposed conquest of Fairyland. From what I've heard, it seems like she'd be an improvement on the current ruler."

[imeanforever]

"Thank you. It will demonstrate to Arcane that I cannot have ordered you to say that if you pull a hair from my head."

[summa_iniuria]

"Sure," says Royal. She approaches Promise and does that.

[infinitely_stranger]

"Well, that's... reasonably strong evidence," says Arcane.

[summa_iniuria]

"What are you afraid of, here?"

[infinitely_stranger]

"I am afraid that I will agree to help conquer Fairyland, be given insufficient freedom to ensure the success of the effort, fail, and then the Queen will send me or her next most effective vassal out to secure this entire mortal world so that no one can ever use it to gate into her court unexpectedly."

[summa_iniuria]

"Not a pretty picture," says Royal.

[imeanforever]

"Do you think you can ensure the success of the effort with sufficient freedom?"

[infinitely_stranger]

"That is not exactly what I meant, no. I do think that substantial restrictions to my freedom will diminish the effectiveness of my contribution."

[imeanforever]

"I agree, that's generally how things work."

[infinitely_stranger]

"And I cannot afford to do this with less than maximal effectiveness."