Grand Ballroom, Alfheim Palace, Faerie

[anarchist_queen]

There were more nobles and dignitaries gathered together here since the end of the war. Lord Dagos of the Merfolk, King Thane of the Dwarves, the Matriarch of the Dragons were in attendance along with their immediate families. All the nobles of the lands of Faerie, even some from Unseelie Lands were there as well.

And then there were those Leda was meeting for the first time. The Dryads, Pixies, Kitsune, Nunnehi and Menehune had all sent representatives. And countless others.

Though naturally no Diplomats from the Human realms could be present, the Elven ambassadors to their countries had sent greetings and gifts from them.

"Furachoque of Iguaque!" the herald announced another arrival. A woman in rather elaborate golden attire entered. Her people inhabited a tropical land rich in metallic ore. They traded regularly with the Dwarves, though they were best terms with the Nunnehi and had ancient ties with the Merfolk. Their capital had become known as El Dorado out in the world. She resembled the Elves save for one difference, her feet faced backwards.

[For those invited. The herald is moddable on hand to announce you as you wish.]

Comments

[squire-hand.livejournal.com]

"Pleasure to meet you," he said, bowing slightly. He extended his hand to OMG IS THAT BILL NIGHY? the man.

He he did pick up on the young woman's expression. He avoided checking himself for spilled drinks or checking his teeth for food.

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

That actually was Sila's usual expression when things got serious, but the fact that she was pretty sure James would not recognize her helped.

"Likewise." Lord Dagos said, shaking his hand. Dagos' palms were slightly damp due to a minor spell that kept him from drying out. "I must admit I've been curious to meet one of the 'Heroes of the Final Battle'. Tales of your adventure have even spread to the Undersea kingdoms."

"I helped with that a little." Sila admitted. "What can I say, I like bragging about my Mom and her friends."

Yes it is. My favorite part of all this is casting the NPC's. Well and the PC's.

[squire-hand.livejournal.com]

"Really, I'd like to hear the tales," he said. No, he was not inwardly facepalming. He did, however, manage to almost completely disguise a snort at Sila's response.

Niiiice!

[u-s-of-leda.livejournal.com]

"The Rogue with the Heart of Gold and the courage of a Griffin, I believe is the description." Dagos said, without a hint of irony. "I've even heard one version where you outwitted, and broke the hearts of the Sirens. Odd that one as Corwyn's castle was no where near the sea."

Okay Sila totally had no part in making that one up.

[squire-hand.livejournal.com]

"A fair description," he said, hearing the first. "I've reformed a bit from my youthful indiscretions." Considering his 'indiscretions' were not even half a decade in the past...

"Sounds like a fascinating tale. I would love to hear the rendition." Whut?

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

Dagos turned to his Grand-Niece. "Have you your violin with you my dear?"

Sila snickered. "I'm not sure that particular song is appropriate for this crowd Uncle. But I'll be sure to add it to my set list for tomorrow night."

"Have you had many exploits after your defeat of Corwyn, Lad?" Dagos asked James.

[squire-hand.livejournal.com]

James had the inclination that this would not bode well for him.

"I've had several, good sir," he said. "Both before and after, though I'm not sure if you want to hear the boring details." Details? Yes. Boring? Hardly.

[u-s-of-leda.livejournal.com]

Dagos didn't come up out of his kingdom often, and when he did it wasn't usually a social call. Though his demeanor never lost it's severe aspect, beneath he was seething with curiosity, and a surprising humor of mischief.

He raised a brow. "Is that modesty good Sir, or a desire to cover your tracks?"

[squire-hand.livejournal.com]

He smirked. "I am good at covering my tracks, I admit, but not as good as others." He went on a brief description of Martin Longbow blazing a false trail to throw off pursuers while on the trek to locate a certain plant. "I could go on, but with the retelling it sounds like more of a tale out of the Masters of the Bracelets were I not there." He sipped his drink. "I confess to being a city boy more than a traveling adventurer. Politics and intrigue are just as dangerous as goblins and other creatures." Not even going to talk about the Dark Elves.

Zomg, Lindsey!Stomp as a PC base? ahahahahaha awesome

[u-s-of-leda.livejournal.com]

They hadn't yet gotten any copies of Tolkien's works in the Undersea, though some of the stories had started to trickle down there. The written word had to not only be translated into Merish, but also be waterproof. Saltwater proof.

"Oh believe me, I am well aware of the dangers of politics. Your Lord Corwyn was rather cunning in that arena, stirring up trouble to keep us from interfering in his affairs up here. I never have uncovered whether it was he, or my own enemies that sent the Cuero after her." Or the Slitheree Dee that had been sicced on him.

Dagos, it should be noted had a hobby, of trying to figure out how surface dwellers 'worked'. His kind were slightly empathic, so he often said things just to see how people would react.

Hee!

[squire-hand.livejournal.com]

"I have heard that the bitterest of rivalries, one that almost tore the Crown apart, stemmed from two nobles falling in love with the same girl. One, city born and court savvy, wooed her to the King, to ask for her hand, as was proper with the court decorum. The other, a country lad and not versed as well in the ways of court intrigue, wooed the girl, and won her hand. Bitter rivals to the end. The one slighted did make his confession and asked forgiveness to the victor's son, granted. I've my own to deal with, from the courts and from...other engagements."

Really, explaining the Mockers and Laughing Jack was not a story best suited for a formal engagement.

"But it did lead me to my current employ, so that is a bright star shining."

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

"Eesh, love triangles. Never fun for anyone involved." Sila said, rather glad that James had not taken the bait. Her mother's issues with the sea were a sore spot with her.

"So are you on the side of the Small Town Boy or the City Boy?" Sila asked him. Though she suspected she knew the answer.

[squire-hand.livejournal.com]

He winced quickly, not that many would pick up on it. "Matters of the heart tend to leave deep scars." True, that.

"City boy, bred and born. I did not leave our fair city until matters insisted. A Quest accepted, a Quest completed. And, of course," he said, waiving an arm around to encompass Leda's world, "here."

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

Dagos did. He suspected his niece had stumbled upon something deeper than she knew.

"I'm a country girl myself. But I like to think I've adapted to city life well enough. Mom raised me as much here as in the Danu Valley."

"I should hope so." Dagos interjected. "You are the heir after all. Ironically enough." still digging.

[squire-hand.livejournal.com]

Fathoms deep, and stories high.

"I can see the draw of the country, though I fear I'm not cut out for chopping wood, toting water, and tending sheep. A city bell sets my morning at ease more than a crowing cock, and I prefer the safety of buildings and alleys than forests and streams." Or mountains, goblins in said mountains, and fighting, and Roald--that flashed across his memories briefly, and it was possible that a sensitive could feel the emotions of panic, anger, and sorrow.

His eyebrows raised, and he repeated his bow. "To the heir," he said, raising his glass. "You must tell me more." Digging, indeed.

Bedtime!

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

It wasn't that Dagos was trying to cause problems. Simply that the Queen was a puzzle to him and all who knew her were pieces of that puzzle. And the fact that one of the heroes, one of her nearest and dearest, seemed not to have heard some details of the queen's past intrigued him.

Emotions he picked up from the boy were no more than he'd have expected from a seasoned adventurer. Sounded like he had good sense to feel those. Maybe his niece could pick up such sense.

Sila gave her Grand Uncle a dirty look. I definitely think those stories should be told in a more private setting." she said. Which could be arranged. In her opinion, James counted as family, so she could tell him.

Incidentally I'm sure Leda would have told James at least a little of the past 20 years, that she married Sila's mother, adopted the girl, and a few years later they divorced.

[squire-hand.livejournal.com]

"I would agree to that, somewhere less...public." something was bothering him. Not quite his 'bump of trouble,' but nonetheless.

leda prolly has but the mun forgot. Bad mun!

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

"Please excuse us Uncle." Sila said, taking James' arm. "I'll see you later before you depart, I promise."

Thwarted in his efforts to glean more, Dagos nodded, and went off in search of less shrewd 'prey'.

"So, which part did you need exposition of?" she asked when they were alone.

[squire-hand.livejournal.com]

"I would hearbeverything," he said. "From another's point of view, to see what changes with the telling." He shrugged. Sometimes he did not believe himself, and he was there, in places. He focussed on her face, waiting dor her response.

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

"Well, in terms of why it's ironic that I'm the shiny new heir to the throne of Faerie, Mom and Uncle Dagos do not get along. Partly it's political, but the real hard part is that she also is super creeped out by him." She sighed. "By almost all Merfolk actually. It's nothing really racial as far as I can tell, she's just terrified of the sea and pretty much everything in it. That Cuero attack he mentioned didn't help. That's pretty much the most horrific thing living in the ocean and it came damn near close to killing her."

Leda also wasn't happy that Dagos of all people had seen her being a full on damsel in distress, but Sila didn't know that.

[squire-hand.livejournal.com]

"The sea is vast and we are tiny," he said, paraphrasing a quote from the sailors and dockworkers back home. "Does your uncleknow of his hurtfulness? He seemed a bit bent," he said with a half shrug.

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

"It's hard to know with him. They say Elves do deadpan better than anyone, but Uncle Dagos out does them all. They're not around each other very often so it's rarely an issue. Whenever he visits I try to keep him away from her. But what family doesn't have it's issues with in laws right?" She sighed. "At least he stopped mentioning Mother around Mom."

[squire-hand.livejournal.com]

"My elves are known for their subtle humor," he said. "One of those I trust with my life was raised by elves, with such a dry wit that calling it 'deadpan' does insult to the dead, as they are much more lively."

Oh, that was a bad choice of words, Jimmy me lad. Remember that time with the corpses that were very lively? Laughing Jack, in the basement of the palace? This time his wince was not as subtle. "Bad choice of words."

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

"You fought zombies?" she guessed.

[squire-hand.livejournal.com]

"Worse than at Fandom. Complete incineration or removal of the heart," he said, taking a long swallow of his drink. It wasn't enough. "Or divine intervention." As with Laughing Jack.

Dark times.

"We were lucky. We also had a good priest."