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ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Mirie Agustria of the Grand Bank,

Duchess of Caelin

---

Grand Bank, Agustria House\\
@Estylwen, @Donut Look Now

‘Asteria’s’ suggestion immediately drew consternation from the leading maid, who narrowed her eyes as she looked between the two young nobles, knowing well what their instruction had been from the duchess herself. The older, more experienced Vauxhall, however, did not miss a beat and nodded at the twins’ request. “Very well,” replied the older man, “If you will follow me, we will show you to a guest lavatory.”

Another of the maids gestured for Mene to follow the steward, and as soon as he did so, she and another maid fell in behind him. If questioned, they would respond they would be helping to escort an honored guest—but the presence of three people did make it difficult for him to slip away in the hallway, even with the advantages of his ring. The ring did work; there were numerous distractions along the short way—a dapper butler in the hallway that briefly drew the admiring attention of one of the maids; a sneeze the steward; but each time, one of the three covered for the others until they made it to the bathroom. This was one of the lavatories afforded to guests for the sitting room. Like any proper room on an estate as large as this, it was large and well appointed. Particularly of note was the opaque frosted window that allowed light in, but little much else.

The two remaining maids meanwhile brought ‘Asteria’ directly to Mirie in her study without her brother. Filing in behind their guest, they stood at the ready. The duchess was sitting at her desk, frowning for a moment when she noticed the white-haired girl was alone. Then she decided that it was probably for the better. The absence of panic in her household staff so far meant that whatever was going on with her brother was under control for the moment.

“Viscountess Asteria, a pleasure to see you again. My maids’ welcoming party was not too jarring, I hope?”

---

Swiftsure, At Sea, Several Days Later, Afternoon\\
@Estylwen, @Irradiant, @The Otter

Hamilton, to an extent, had expected that the Swiftsure would become the ghosts’ latest punching bag the moment the ship had engaged them. Some of the fire had shifted towards the dragon at Callum’s hollering, and a few guns on the weather deck even opened up on it. Unfortunately, they were loaded with proper cannonballs, easily missing their airborne target despite its size. Jikoryss’s reply was far more devastating. The peal of lightning smacked against its upper gundeck, cracking wood and knocking back some of the guns peeking out from their ports, snapping their rope bindings and even fully dismounting a few cannons that landed on their unfortunate crews. The ship shuddered and shook, but shouldered on.

Faith’s attack was less materially damaging, but dealt the greater proportion of injury to the men as his lance slammed into the weather deck among the ranks of shooters and mages. A few were killed outright and the rest scattered, some being blown overboard or across the deck and forcing Hamilton and some of his officers to briefly duck for cover.

“Blast it all, this wasn’t the type of battle we prepared for,” he muttered, making a pained expression at the damage to his ship and his men. His captain immediately began calling for the injured to be brought below deck as the others rallied the men and began firing back again. The guns on the weather deck were the most equipped to shoot back, and this time with grape shot as they began to fire canisters of metal pellets at both Faith and the dragon.

It wasn't a good situation, but Hamilton was hardly out of resources. He might not have an angry dragon or monster fighters, but quantity was still quality on its own. “Signal the fleet. Form up defensively around the Swiftsure and the Minstrel and fire on that dragon!”

Sailing in line formation expecting a naval threat had been a mistake. With enough people shooting at the dragon and the toadies of the Ravenfell king, though, he reasoned it would be enough to drive them off.

-

Underwater, Mirie and Minuette were having a much better time. Valor’s intervention had been unexpected, but a somewhat welcome one. In a way, she was a hindrance to the duchess’s plans, with the queen and her allies in battle further below, but Valot was also an unambiguously obvious enemy and threat for her to target immediately. Being underwater hindered communication, though, and she had to signal the countess to spread out as Valor attacked with a golden light, whipping up the water around them into a frenzied whirlpool.

Mirie countered with a storm of her own, gathering the vast quantity of bubbles and air in the churning waters into a turbulent wave to counter Valor’s swirling water. Stepping out from the turgid currents, she charged at Valor, cutting out at her with bolts of air that sliced towards the ghostly woman. At the same time, Minuette came in from another angle, slashing out with her sword while Valor was forced to dodge Mirie’s spells.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

---

Éliane had been delighted to hear Galahad back up her words with his own threats, if somewhat more polite and veiled than her own. With all the bravado of a jingoistic Skaelan, she admirably faced down the combined stone-faced stares of her own companions and the outraged faces of the grovemasters.

Almost immediately after the grovemasters spoke, she thought that it would come to conflict after all. It was clear to her that two of them still had their heads in Drana Asnaeu’s cursed sand, but somehow, and with a small degree of disappointment, the third actually seemed to possess the single braincell shared among them and actually seemed to listen to both her party’s words—and her and Galahad’s combined threats.

Still, half an hour later, Éliane couldn’t help but to remain annoyed after the grovemasters returned their ‘decision.’ No outright cooperation, but completing a trial for worthiness? What sort of barbaric foreign ritual was that? Even worse, their judgment would rob them of a companion and their only healer to boot. Unfortunately, this was entirely within their sovereign right, as unworthy Éliane thought it was, and even she doubted that Skael would go to war with these concessions, as barebone as they were.

“I’m glad you were able to see some reason,” Éliane finally replied, using her diplomatic voice. Her disdain showed through anyway before she last a look of sympathy towards Neve. “However, Galahad is right. Without her, this decision is tantamount to sabotage, at best, without a healer on this journey…”

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

I'll try to get up a post for both scenes later tomorrow.

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

---

So the behavior of the city guard was not an isolated incident and was indicative of the attitudes of the leadership of this country after all.

Éliane should have expected it, but somehow she was still disappointed. The grovemasters were clearly sticking their heads in the sands of Costa del Sol, comfortable in their ignorance as the rest of the realm continued to fall apart around them as they preached their unique brand of morality and insufferable attitudes. At a time when a great external enemy threatened Ibros, the four nations should have been uniting as one (under the aegis of Skael, of course) to eject the Valheimian foothold on the continent and to rid them of the blight.

Yet wherever the Kirins went they were met out outright hostility. First it had been Galahad’s foolish father, and now it was the stubborn pride of the grovemasters. Osprey, occupied as it was by the enemy, had been a breath of fresh air, at least.

Éliane had to be held back by Esben from immediately biting into the attitudes of the grovemasters before her. Just by observing, she could tell that if Drana Asnaeu kept on the same course, they would be the next to fall under the Valheimian thumb, and the blight.

When Esben finally leaned back in, she was already ready to go. Nodding at him briefly, she cut in once the others had said their piece, deciding to act once more as the big stick of the party.

She adjusted her uniform, now properly laundered and properly looking the part. “As the representative from Skael,” the pink-haired officer began, “I in part speak for the government of Skael when it comes to the investigation and persecution of those perpetrating or facilitating the spread of the Blight… intentionally or inadvertently.”

The unamused Skaelan stared direct in the eyes of the second grovemaster that had called Izayoi a warmonger.

“My government has been historically uninvolved in things as petty as war, but with the news that my fellows here have relayed, we are preparing for the worst. The pacifistic Skael will be tripling its war budget, and if Drana Asnaeu is the weak link on the continent, if by the inaction of this very council it provides a foothold for Valheim and the Blight to further take hold on Ibros, then we will not hesitate to preemptively move to remedy such inaction and unpreparedness.”

The threat was obvious. Do nothing, or worse, hinder the cooperation of Kirin and the nations, and Skael would force the grovemasters to be ready. It was a bluff, in the sense that she was definitely not authorized to speak on this type of policy, but she doubted the Overseer would split the details when it came to matters of national security and the Blight. She paused, considering an extra line. Fuck it…

“Warmongering? If Drana Asnaeu is invaded, you will have to commit yourself to defense regardless, no matter who it is. Alternatively, if you are occupied by a country that isn’t the enemy, then you will also be ready…”

In other words, if Skael invaded, they would have to stick their heads out of the sand anyway or they would be occupied. But if they were occupied then Drana Asnaeu would also be safe. Win win.

Éliane thought it was a perfect argument if she said so herself.

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Alright, time to invent the depth charge

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Oops

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

"Fire on and provoke the large angry lightning dragon that can set fire to our ship? No, no... the floating ghost person is easier to hit," responded the crew collectively.

"Oh for fuck's sake."

(I forgot about the dragon)

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Mirie Agustria of the Grand Bank,

Duchess of Caelin

---

Grand Bank, Agustria House\\
@Estylwen, @Donut Look Now

Glass of Caelin whiskey in hand, Duchess Agustria sighed as she examined the grand fleet of ships in her harbor from the panoramic view of her study window. The hulking form of the Queen’s three-decked behemoth stood out among the ships in the Grand Banks. The warships of the mainland had always been larger than those from Caelin, nominally trading maneuverability and stability for greater firepower. Despite that, there had been a reason the isle had been independent for so long before, free of kings or queens. Now, she was personally host to one in an increasingly unstable realm.

Things had begun to move very fast after Duke Willowsteel’s escape. Personally, Mirie had been glad of her peer’s survival, despite what the provocation might portend for future events. Now, with the Queen in port, it looked like some of the consequences of her subsequent paranoia were coming to roost. Below, she could see the carriage of the Skybounds, bearing their coat of arms, making its way up the road to her estate. Setting her glass down after a deep sip, the duchess pulled away from the window, examining the two notes that concerned the two children coming up her road.

With a sigh, she folded one safely back onto its spot on her desk. The other was cast into her fireplace, the crackling flames making quick work of the scrap of parchment. In a few days, the fleet would be departing for an event that was impossible to plan for. But now, the unforeseen matter of the Skybounds was the latest mess that she had to deal with. Taking her glass back up, she finished the rest of her drink.

For the Skybounds, it was immediately obvious that the estate was well-guarded. Guards in Caelin livery patrolled the perimeter of the house, and merely at the gates there were a half-dozen men. Perhaps disconcertingly, moments after the Skybounds’ carriage stopped outside her estate, the gate opened were opened by the guardsmen, as if they had been expected guests. Allowed to enter, the carriage was ushered forwards, the gates closing shut behind them. Although the guards did not move from their posts, they were clearly being tracked.

What met them at the front door were not additional guards, however, but members of the household staff—although as typical of Augustria’s household, and indeed the trend of Caelin gentry, nearly all of her household staff was armed.

They were greeted by Mirie’s steward, Collin Vauxhall, an older tall man with graying hair in a sharp suit and vest, with a dress sword by his side. With him were four household maids in their customary attire, and the five of them bowed to the two children as they alighted from the carriage. They were after all still Viscount and Viscountess. With a smooth voice, he welcomed the duchess’s guests. “Greetings, Viscount and Viscountess Skybound. Milady Agustria welcomes you to her house. She expects to see you in her study.”

One of the maids stepped forward. “Please allow us to escort you to her grace. It wouldn’t do if her esteemed guests were to get lost. It is, after all, a very large house.” The girl had a peppy manner of speaking and a pleasant smile, but between the arming sword at her waist and the undertone of a threat in her words, it was clear this was more of a demand than a request and would brook no argument.

Perhaps this would not be so simple for Mene, after all. For ‘Asteria’, it was just as clear that something was certainly afoot.

---

Swiftsure, At Sea, Several Days Later, Afternoon\\
@Estylwen, @Irradiant, @The Otter

Agustria had promised the Queen an escort of three ships and her personal presence. Ultimately, the escort was twice that number, and a small flotilla of eight Caelin vessels sailed forth from the Grand Bank to join the Queen’s expedition. The fleet was commanded by Admiral Hamilton Shrewsberry, who had raised his flag aboard the Swiftsure and was joined by the duchess there. Unlike the Battle-Blood Minstrel, the flagship and pride of Caelin was a sleek, race-built thing, in lively colors. Fully fitted out given the escort, she had two full decks of cannon in contrast to the three of the queen’s flagship. Despite the smaller size and weight of cannon, though, she could be a near match, with thick timbers and a streamlined design and copper bottom hull that made her fast and supremely maneuverable.

In a line behind her, five ships of a similar size followed. They in order were the Venture, Endeavour, Superb, Resolution, and Sanguine. Providing scouting ahead was the frigate Shepherd, and trailing far behind them all near the horizon was the fast dispatch ship Brilliant.

The Queen had not been the only one to expect interference, after all.

The crew was well-drilled, and it only took moments after the attack on the Battle-Blood Minstrel for the men aboard the Swiftsure to react. The ship’s bell rang out continuously as the crew beat to quarters and began to clear the ship for action. The guns ran out from the gun ports, aiming in the direction of the flagship, but the crews held their fire. They could hardly fire directly on the ship’s boarders without causing indiscriminate damage.

The Duchess emerged from her quarters, cane and sword at her side together with Minuette as she made her way to the quarterdeck. There the white-wigged Admiral Hamilton was observing the chaos with a spyglass. “Audacious. Who is bold enough to attack the Queen’s ships like this?” she asked as soon as she was in earshot of the man.

“I’m not so sure, your grace. Ghosts, it appears,” he answered with a frown, before passing the spyglass to her.

It took only a moment for her to confirm who it was. It should have been predictable. For a moment, two conflicting plans warred in her head. The Queen still could not be allowed to gain an advantage here, but the same could be said of their enemies in Ravenfell.

“Have your orders changed?” Hamilton prompted, without sounding urgent. “I’ve already commanded the ship to come alongside the Minstrel to provide assistance.” As the ship drew closer, the ship’s mages and sharpshooters began to form ranks and take potshots at Faith, who provided a very obvious target floating in the air.

Mirie shook her head. “No, proceed. See to it that Arrowfell’s enemies are beat off. Otherwise, this is your command. As for myself…” her eyes flicked towards Minuette, who nodded as she summoned a shield of air around her. The duchess did the same.

“We have other business to attend to.”

A moment later, the two leapt into the ocean to the battle raging below the seas.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

---

Éliane had just barely begun to take in the beautiful sights of the beachy and tropical Costa del Sol. For the Skaelan woman, the warm, pleasant weather was truly an exotic location, and she could see why it might be a popular destination for leisure, even if it was in a land outside of Skael. She had almost begun to make a positive reception of the place, pirate transport aside, when she was immediately confronted by inferior barbarian guards work as the team was accosted by the local guard patrol. This having been her career herself, she was intimately aware of how certain things were conducted…

And the way these men were conducting themselves was literally how wars started.

After all, once more, Éliane was still in full Skaelan officer’s dress, and she was still on an official mission on behalf of the Overseer. Then, of course, there was Edrenian side of the equation.

She began stepping forward to intervene when Esben did so himself, usurping her position as the main Skaelan representative, much to her additional annoyance. Yes, she knew Esben’s backstory, and it certainly held some weight here…

But Éliane was also still holding a big fucking gun, and had the backing of the Skaelan government behind her.

Looking just a little annoyed, she spoke up after her countryman, taking on the more authoritative tone of a proper officer. “This is an official Skaelan delegation, in conjunction with the kingdom of Edren to investigate the blight. If you are not satisfied with Baron Cadon’s explanation, I’d like to point out any attempts to detain a member is tantamount to a declaration of war with both Skael and the kingdom of Edren, and Skael does not lack for firepower to back that up.”

Given the journey, and having the expectation of being able to relax and play with her new toys, she was just about done with this situation. She shifted her luggage, and somewhat threateningly, pointed the large rotary barrel of the minigun in the direction of the guardsmen.

“Do you feel lucky?”