Elvish Princess

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.]

Leda was not schooled in the arts of war. Except for some first hand experience at urban combat, but even that was on a small scale. Still, even she could tell that the generals' plan was a good one. But still, none of this was sitting right with her. Win or lose, there was going to be a lot of blood on her hands.

"I don't suppose this whole thing could be settled by an epic quest with my wacky best friends." she asked. "Some mystical artifact that would defeat Corwyn and his army with one strike? Or at least a secret way into Corwyn's palace?"

Leander smiled wanly. "I'll look into it. That second one may be a possibility. We've followed Lady Karla's advice in regards to appealing to the servants, with promising results. Also our mages are close to perfecting your 'mini-scrying mirrors'."

It was an idea born of Leda's time in the human world. A way of bugging Corwyn's palace. It's human origins made it unlikely that Corwyn would think of such a possibility.

"But we must be prepared for the possibility of a long, and bloody conflict." He cautioned. Seeing the stricken look in her eyes he continued. "Leda I may not know you as well as my wife does, but I believe I've gotten to kno you well enough to guess what's bothering you. You are an anarchist suddenly thrust into the position of having to ask people to lay down their lives. Worse, you could order them to. And you are terrified that such power will corrupt you. To say nothing of the guilt that will plague you for each life that is lost.

"But you must remember that none of this is about you This is about freedom. And what Corwyn will do if he wins. You are not asking them to fight for you, but for themselves. And their families and communities.

Finally Leda smiled slightly. "That's an awful nice speech coming from a monarchist."

"What can I say? You've been a bad influence on me."

[Open for calls and the like.]

There was a madness to their method. Leda and Sai, two girls on their own, backpacking across Europe, and currently lounging on a beach on some remote island in the Mediterranean. For some reason Sai kept humming Abba songs. Leda wished she'd stop. For some reason it was making her miss Anduin.

Their plan was to head north from Greece and see the Carpatian Mountains, then seek out the Black Forest, maybe head up into the Northlands before going down to Wales, over to Ireland, then to Scotland, and finally to England just in time for the wedding.

"You'd think I'd be used to it by now." Leda said absently.

"How's that?"

"The whole time travel thing. I mean, I spend a few months in Faerie, and only a week goes by in Fandom. Now I leave Fandom in May, and find out that on our Earth, it's still winter."

Sai shrugged. "Least we got good weather here."

"You think we should wait till summer to do much more sight seeing?"

"What after the royal wedding? After your face shows up on who knows how many tabloid and magazine covers? Maybe if you could do a glamour on yourself but we all know magic don't work out here in the world."

"There's gotta be other ways to disguise ourselves. All anyone's gonna see is the ears. It's not like Wolfboy's with us."

"I still think he should join us in Romania or Germany."

"Or sooner. Someone to carry all the souvenirs we're gonna be buying for people."

Leda had plans to find an antique gun for Triela, maybe some Swiss chocolates for Karla and German pastries for Momoko. Or possibly the other way around. They'd already gotten a few books for Micky and Goldie.

"What about your Fandom friends?" Sai asked.

"I left handwavey invites for them to join us at any of our points of call. Same with Strider, Wiseguy and Leander."

"God bless Portalocity." After a moment, Sai wondered;

"If you went back to Fandom now, would it be a few days after you graduated? Or would you suddenly be back in the past? Do Visitor's Weekend and...what'd you call it? Weetiny weekend? Over again?"

Leda glared at her. "That's an unfair question to ask someone who doesn't drink. Specially while you're enjoying your sangria."

"Does this mean I don't get to sign your yearbook?"

Leda kicked sand at her.

[Open for calls, texts, or even visitors via portalocity.]

Strider and Leander had decided that as long as Leda was stuck here for a bit until Portalocity figured out what was going on, she might as well continue her education. After a month, the reasons to postpone her coronation had begun to dwindle.

"The council is growing impatient." Leander told her. "They believe that your education, while important, is not a prerequisite for your being crowned queen."

A week into the second month, a guard had shoved a maid who failed to get out of Leda's way quickly enough. Leda had disarmed him, and slammed him against the wall with one arm twisted behind his back.

"He's new." one of the others explained.

A week after that, an Unseelie Baron, secretly goaded on by Corwyn openly spoke out against Leda. It was a display of dissent that had not been seen in nearly a millenia. He claimed that her time among Humans, Half Breeds, and who knew what other abominations made her unfit to rule. He called her a street rat, a whore, and a traitor.

Leda shocked many when she refused to have him executed for treason. "I'm not going to punish someone for stating their opinion." she said. "Even if he is a total douchebag."

Finally, after two months with no word from Portalocity, Leda, crown princess of Faerie, was crowned, becoming Queen of the Elves and all their territories. In attendance was a delegation from the Dragon Kingdoms, as well as emissaries of the Dwarves, Gnomes, Piskies and other assorted sentient Fae.

If the Dragon Ambassador and her brother's humanoid forms hadn't been so hot, Leda would have considered it the worst day of her life.

[Establishy]

Shortly after returning to Bordertown from the Never Never, Leda had visited Mooner's grave, and forgiven him for the destruction of Castle Pup, and asked for his forgiveness for how things had wound up between them.

Upon return to Faery, she managed to avoid too much ceremony (they'd wanted to parade her through every damn town on the way to the palace). She'd gotten a tour of the royal palace, which on her insistence had included the servant's wing and the kitchens.

And she'd playfully ordered her friends to refrain from any bowing, scraping, or calling her 'your highness' when they weren't in public. She was Leda to everyone who'd known her. It was not the name she was born with, but Dearest Treasure of the Royal House of Danu had little meaning for her.

When she'd decreed she would finish school before agreeing to the ridiculous notion of her ruling anyone, Strider had agreed. And Leander had given her many a tome on some things she might find it useful to study up on. Like Elven politics.

That open book was currently acting as a pillow to Leda, who lay with her cheek in the crease of the binding, and mercifully not drooling on the ancient text. She was snoring slightly though.

[Door and post are open!]