Songwoven presents...
Ira Brinn Dawnbreak.
A level-up, advanced 5th edition actual play campaign.
Episode 3.
The Ties That Bind Us.
You can catch us live every Sunday at 8pm EST on Twitch.tv slash Songwoven Show, or
watch the video version of this podcast on YouTube.
Thanks for listening!
You notice that the room around you...
Emma Remusco becomes enveloped in a wet chill.
I'm reading from a document that Tim has posted in our chat.
Jenny Sherard, the best in the world, is also completely frozen.
It has become...
I fucking hate this.
It has become obvious to you, Emma Remusco, who's named Emma, that you have become the
interpreter of maladies.
You must complete this monologue to continue the show, Emma Remusco.
I'm sorry, guys.
What the fuck?
Okay, Emma Remusco, my monologue, in quotations awesomely.
A woman stands on the shoulder of a dirt road begging, in a tongue made obsolete by gunfire,
to enter the village where her house sits, has sat for decades.
It is a human story.
Anyone can tell it.
Can you tell?
Can you tell the rain has grown heavy?
Its keystrokes peppering the blue shawl black.
What the fuck, Tim?
In rode the lord of the Nazgul, a great black shape against the fires beyond he loomed up,
grown to a vast menace of despair.
In rode the lord of the Nazgul, under the archway that no enemy had ever passed, and
all fled before his face.
Where am I?
I pondered.
The answer came to me in a blink.
I knew it in my bones.
I'm in.
Hello, everyone!
And welcome to Songwoven!
I am your narrator, Tim Dantre, and of course, I am joined by the two ever indomitable, the
two ever present.
You love him.
You know him.
You got him.
Um, Emera Mosco.
And Johnny Scharar!
I was not in on that, to be clear.
I didn't know I was supposed to freeze until she told me to.
I didn't know I was supposed to read it until I saw the document!
Wait, what happened?
Oh my god, Tim.
Why are you dancing?
He always goes to Gangnam Style for his dance.
What's going on?
Who are the Nazgul?
Is that a D- is that a thing in the-
That's- no, that's like a Lord of the Rings thing.
That's Lord of the Rings, right?
Yeah.
Then why was- Why are you asking?
Tim, why are you doing this to me?
Why are you gaslighting me, keeping girlbots away from me?
Because he's just a little guy.
I'm just a little guy boss.
Just a little guy.
There's no such thing as a guy boss.
Little lad.
Not yet, he said maliciously.
Until Graham comes on the scene.
Until Graham.
Graham boss.
Played by Zac Efron.
Zac Efron?
Yeah.
Okay, everyone, we talked about- so the Songwulven crew here, we all agreed that if we were to
have an- I- if it was a musical, Zac Efron would play Graham Alizon, the guy who hit
an innocent servant in the very last session.
Purely because of Zac's performance in Bed on It.
The thing is, Graham is hot.
He doesn't act like it, but he's hot.
He doesn't act like it, he's really trash, but I love trash boys.
I can fix him.
I can go down there with him.
I can make him worse.
We can enjoy the depths of- we can enjoy the depths we- we can enjoy the depths together.
Of pure evil.
We're like angler fish.
You beat my angler fish.
Did you know that-
A little heart they do.
You know that female angler fish are the scariest things ever?
And they also have multiple- they also have multiple balls.
That's- that's true.
I read a comic about it.
When they- when they- when they consume a inferior male, they gain their sets of testicles.
Let's fucking go.
I mean, you can't judge a woman for having balls.
Yeah.
God forbid a woman has a hobby.
Anyways, that's a cool- that's a cool little fun animal fact.
Alright, well, we started off- we started off strong.
Um, so there's some- there's some strange- there's been some strangeness in the air,
hanging in the air recently.
I can't help but notice.
I see some of you are nodding.
Um, but yeah.
Uh, you guys- both of you?
People say that I'm the crazy one in my dreams, but you two- you guys are kind of crazy.
You can tell Timmy's not feeling well because it's been six minutes.
It's been-
Oh no!
It's the song- you guys make up the song-woven part of song-woven.
Oh no!
Oh yeah?
Let's go!
Alright!
What's going on, guys?
Oh, we're streaming.
Alright, what's going on?
What's the announcements?
Emma Remusco, you have a monologue for us?
What's going on?
Stop laughing.
Why are you happy?
I'm scared!
Why are you happy?
Because I'm scared!
Why are you scared?
Because I'm scared!
I'm scared!
Your emotions betray you.
Isn't that- isn't that fun that we're flawed human beings that you can laugh and be scared?
What's going on?
I wonder what happened on the last episode too.
I also wonder what's going- I also wonder what's happening.
What's the- what has been the happened?
Last time-
If there's more laughing, I'm gonna be so upset.
Anyways-
Jenny!
That's a laugh, right?
I am a crocodile?
I am a crocodile in your bottle of water.
I'm just waiting for you to take a sip.
My back!
Reacher, my back!
I'm gonna save that for a character who thinks they're intimidating.
I'm gonna lean in, I'm just a crocodile in your-
I'm a little-
I'm a crocodile in your Dasani-
I'm a crocodile in your Dasani.
I'm about to bite your-
Just waiting for you to take a sip.
I'm gonna bite your upper lip for you.
And then they're gonna be like, are they flirting with me?
I don't know, what is that, flirting?
It just turned to flirting.
Don't bite your upper lip, bulldog, I got you.
I do it for you.
Please, can we have a BBEG like that that thinks they're being intimidating, but they're
saying really-
That's just me.
Just you?
I'm about to eat you up, you big glass of water.
You big drink of milk.
You don't eat water.
You big drink of milk.
Glass of milk water.
All drink of milk water.
So last time on Iron Breaker, song-
Yes!
Dawnbreaker, song woven.
StreetHeartKT goes, socially cringe BBEG?
I'm here.
Last time, Lucia was on her way to go to the festivities watching the little parade for
Velora, and then someone bumped into her and stole her pocket watch that was gifted to
her.
She's chasing after, yelling after him, Velora hears and gets on her Wyvern Phantom and flies
and stops the guy, lets him run away, but gets the pocket watch back, and they meet,
and Lucia's like, I'm supposed to help you.
I don't know how, but I'm supposed to help you, and Velora's like, ah.
You're my vision.
And then they get separated.
And then the ceremony starts, we see Graham Alizon, who's supposed to be Velora's retainer,
but nobody knows that except everyone kind of knows it.
But it's not officially announced yet.
We hang out with the king and the prince and some- met Quincy Garvey, a illegitimate child
of House Garvey, but who has the mark, the Aeon mark of their house, so he gets to go
to Irobrin, and he's going to be coming with us to school.
And then I'm probably going to miss a million details because it's been two weeks, but we
are watching a very long, apparently copyrighted violin performance.
Apparently copyrighted violin performance.
We got banned in Russia.
You can't watch episode three in Russia unless you come onto Twitch.
I did make the whole VOD a highlight on Twitch, so if you're in Russia, you can watch us on
Twitch, I think, instead of YouTube.
Say hi from Russia, let us know how you're doing.
We got banned in Russia, I can't.
We're banned in Russia, guys.
Sorry for the violin music, Russia.
Sorry.
But yeah, we're usually pretty good about that, but we've been mixing in more songs
than we normally do.
But we're listening to this violin performance, and both Lucie and Valora decide to slip away,
but separately, because they don't really know each other yet.
The only thing Valora really knows about her is she's a church girl and she's got pink
hair.
And Lucie had just learned that Valora's not a dragon, so they don't know much about each
other.
And so, Valora, I'm not sorry, Lucie sees a vision of Graham Alouzan, not a noble, but
a rich, rich kid, slapping someone from the Varroa Society, which is basically, she's
basically a maid, like a servant of the king.
The Varroa Society, the lore behind that is they're orphans who are usually taken in from
the war on the eastern border of Inera, and they are given a place in the church and an
opportunity to serve and have a better life, and they're made into really good maids and
butlers, and there's nothing problematic about that at all.
Not at all.
None of it.
No problems.
They're given a second chance, and they choose to do it.
Yep, they have all the choice.
Anyways, so a girl from the Varroa Society, Lucie sees her, her gets slapped, and so she
rushes in to stop it, and when she rushes in to stop it, Valora hears this and can hear
Graham saying horrible things about, like, do you know who I am, and stuff, and so Valora
gets mad, and she tries to see if he's going to apologize for the, but he's just apologizing
to Valora about it, so she slaps Graham, and doesn't know what to do now because she's
supposed to go on stage and pick her retainer, and she's supposed to bring him at her father's
request, and she liked him well enough, so she was going to say yes.
So she's rushed onto stage by her dad, basically, and she picks Lucia, the pink hair girl.
The girl with the pink hair doesn't know what a retainer is.
The king said yes, and that's where we left off.
And her dad's going to kill me.
All right.
With that said, very, very, very good, very good recap.
As always, Jenny.
As always.
But you did neglect to leave one part out.
Oh.
Did or did not Lucia threaten to beat up a child who corrected her?
Lucia did threaten a child.
She did do that.
That is true.
She was going to fight a child in the streets.
In the streets?
Not the one who kidnapped, not the one who stole from her, the one who corrected her.
The one who corrected her.
The leader of the silver lions isn't a dragon.
It's like you're fucking dead, kid.
I'm going to give my fucking hands on you.
Her villain arc has just begun.
Because of Lucius, the fucking street boy.
That's where it all goes downhill from here.
All right.
With that said, let's jump into yet another session of Irobrin Dawnbreak.
Oh, someone posted a monologue in the chat.
Okay, anyways.
Anyways.
As the king's speech finishes up, as you are met with a rapture of of claps of applause,
no doubt you don't even have to look, but you can feel that there are eyebrows raised
in mystery.
There is intrigue in the air.
Not anyone of status, not anyone of any renown, but a girl and represented by some some godman.
But no one can come up and ask questions now.
And the king already gave his approval.
As the applause eventually lifts, as Lucia for the first time, this thunderous, rapturous
sound that resonates throughout the air, you are the cause of it.
The cause of celebration, the cause of applause.
Someone who hasn't someone who hasn't gained the wandering eyes of many in your life.
Now you are at the now you at the very center of attention drawn into it.
As if by fate.
Eventually, as the applause dies down, the king goes, now, let us celebrate.
Just a feast and a dance to end the occasion.
And then there another another round of applause as the king lifts his hand.
And eventually you see the head of the house, the halfling goes up.
The feast will begin in 30 minutes in the says in the King's Hall says, says everyone,
please, please arrive there in orderly fashion.
Says, and your very best make in 30 minutes.
Thank you.
Thank you, and as the people begin to disperse Lucia and Valora, you see eyes heads turn
towards towards Lucia.
There are there are wandering questions that you sure are there, but they don't approach
yet.
Instead, the both of you are stood up by your garden figures.
The two of you face each other now tethered by the very decisions that you've made today.
Go ahead.
You can still say no, probably just, you know, I know that was really, really random.
You chose randomly.
Your father.
It wasn't random.
Not random.
I just mean random to her.
Seemingly, probably.
It's not random.
No, actually, I don't know.
I'm supposed to help her.
She whispers to your dad.
He looks at you and before he speaks, Sabine, Valora's mother speaks because hi to your
surrogate father, to Arnalda, because hi, we've actually haven't met.
I see that you are a man of a man of cloth of of divine of divine cloth.
I am Sabine Avonlea and Arnalda just kind of bows his head slightly, just goes, says,
yes, thank you.
It says thank you for your presence, my lord.
I am Arnalda Lussardi and well, looks at looks at Lucia.
You see, he's sweating a little bit, but he he wears a wary smile.
Yes.
I'm sure she has made quite the impression on you lot.
Holds up a thumbs up.
I.
I think she goes.
You're going to have a pretty busy rest of the night.
Do you know how to dance?
Yeah, I know how to dance.
Of course, we dance, you know, with the fiddle.
Sometimes we break it out and have a nice little dance.
Sometimes I can dance for sure.
The kind of dancing mean you mean the dance.
Well, I mean, I never mind.
I won't be.
She was here.
I'm.
She's like still seems kind of like a little bit overwhelmed by like, yep, I did this.
I did this.
Despite you feeling overwhelmed and you feel the overwhelming disapproval from your father,
who is bound to say stuff, but right now is, you know, in the congeniality of the situation,
your mother approaches, who see a and goes.
And she looks at you, who see a very gentle, very gentle expression, someone with work
worn eyes.
But despite that, a very easy, easily, easily much worn smile that is natural to her.
There is a shine of hope that you also feel from her that that you feel also stems off
from Valora.
And she just goes, Lucia, correct?
Yes, ma'am.
Ma'am.
Lord, my lord, my lord.
And she does the quick turns, bends like a 90 degree angle bow.
And then goes, I thought we said that's good for your back.
And then whiplash back up.
She just goes, I have to admit, this was also a surprise to me.
But if there's anything my daughter does, is that she, she commits to her decisions
and she does, she does things very well.
She does things with passion.
She does, now I'm sure you know the responsibilities ahead of you.
Yes.
Sure.
Okay.
Reassuring.
But she, I'll let you finish.
She goes, if my daughter Valora was confident enough to pick you out of the crowd, then
I'm confident enough that you are going to do very well as her retainer.
I'll take care of her, I promise.
She nods.
Well, since you'll be my second at I reprin, she says to help give some clarification.
She goes, I'll stick by you tonight and make sure it's not too overwhelming.
I'm sure people will have lots of questions for you.
Gods will guide me where I will.
And my lady, I am here to serve you, she says to Valora.
And you can just call me Valora.
Well, my lady Valora, we'll get it done either way.
Well, that's fine.
You see your mother just kind of like touches your shoulder, she goes, she's spirited.
She kind of looks at her dad.
A half glare, but still trying to maintain that.
You know it's a glare to everyone else.
It's just him being, it's just him being quiet.
He's a serious man.
But to Valora, you know what it means.
Can we speak?
A little busy, but okay.
She goes, they need to talk, Eric, this our daughter and her retainer.
This is my father, by the way.
Oh, hello, sir.
Babes.
Sire Avonlea.
Sire, hello, sire.
Nice to meet you.
Nice to see you.
But you heard that.
But anyway, so yeah, I know what a retainer is, and I'm going to do the best retaining
you ever retained ever.
My retaining will impress the gods themselves.
That's how good I will retain.
Hello, Godman.
Yes.
I assure you, she will meet every expectation.
She is really quite amazing.
She is ready for, she is ready for the bigger world around her.
She has grown too big for this place.
I thank you, all of you.
House Avonlea looks to you, Valora.
Thank you for giving her this opportunity.
Thank you for letting her come.
And you, as the, as you lot speak, you see a dragonborn, a, this large sort of like silver
scale dragonborn, makes his way over.
He wears like these really, these really nice robes.
And for you, Valora, you know him to be someone that you've seen, you've seen a lot.
His name, his name is Gaword, which is Gaword, G-A-U-ward, like Squidward.
And walks over, hands behind his back, and just goes, well, congratulations to you lot.
Says, Erica, says, Sire Avonlea, if we can speak for a moment.
Yes.
You know Gaword to be a member of the, of the King's Council, the Council of Ravens.
Okay.
Yes.
Thank you, Gaword.
He goes, congratulations again, Valora.
A smile, and your father walks away.
And then you see your mother just go, just looking over and looks, looks towards you,
Valora, and just kind of like shakes your, kind of like smile, shakes your shoulder out
of excitement, just goes, look at you.
This, oh, you look much like a leader.
She, um, trying to think, she's, thank you.
And when dad asks, can you just tell him that I knew Graham wouldn't be good?
I, it had to be a last minute.
I know whatever you did was right.
I believe you.
Okay.
I know it won't stop him from asking me about it, but if, if he says anything, just tell
him that.
I shouldn't encourage you to tell you that, to suck eggs sometimes.
Um.
I mean, you don't have to encourage me.
Yeah.
Sometimes you just, just got to tell him to go, you know, go outside.
Go touch grass.
Maybe make, make his first friend.
Tell your dad to go touch grass.
You can't.
Hey, I'll see you at the feast.
I'll leave the both of you to your, um, to your excitement.
Yay.
I will win.
You ever had, you ever had experience?
Um, no, I'm not going to take, not going to take time.
Well, do you enjoy yourselves?
Okay.
So you both at the feast, you're going to be sitting with us.
I'm putting to the Lucia and, uh, the Gulf, uh, and Arnolda.
Oh, wow.
Yeah.
I love snacks.
It'll be a lot more than snacks.
A feast is kind of like the biggest snack you can have.
What?
She kind of like turns to Valora like, that's wild.
Well, um, we better make the rounds.
And also I have a lot of questions for you because I don't really know.
She says quietly too.
She even quacks up to her.
I love it.
Like she's like read about in like story books, like to Valora and go like, Oh, we have a
lot of time to talk.
I guess it's just start to, you know, head off.
You know what I ever print is, right?
She says almost kind of worried after the responses she's been giving.
Um, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I,
I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I,
fault right now since it's our.
Uh, I said second to most pure I ingredient collection, which is a ten dollar bill.
I did not add thatY nation's
Wellきます the
fact that that showcase is for those 효 double
Right.
If you
Play your
So of course, you know what I or Brynn is.
Because it was a 17.
A school built almost a thousand years ago by this point.
It was a school built in dedication to the gods, first of all, but also
a way to an officer's academy that teaches, that gets people ready for the next generation of leadership.
You don't go to war, not during war school.
No one goes to a war school, there is no war in Boston, say.
There's no war in Boston.
You know, it is a place of veneration, a place that you definitely didn't think you were ever going to go to.
The very best of this academy goes there.
Nobles come in for free, commoners have to pay a very heavy tuition fee.
But you are sponsored, so you get in.
You are going to receive the best education this kingdom has to offer.
You are going to be bred for leadership at this academy.
It is the highest institution on this continent.
I know what I or Brynn is, for sure.
I'm a little in shock, I'm going to be honest.
That we're going, we're going, we're going to school, we're going to school.
But yes, yes, I know what I or Brynn is, yes.
And, I mean, you can, it's not like they'd force you to stay there or anything, but like, you're really sure?
You want to do this? I mean, you're going to be leading with me.
Lady Valora, I was sent a vision of you from the gods.
You said that, um, is, what was that about?
I don't really know. It felt right.
So wherever you go, I just feel like I'm supposed to help you.
And that's what you want to do?
Well, I kind of want to hide and stay home, but boats are made to float.
Yeah, you told me that you did something like, you're like a boat watcher or something?
Yeah, boats are made to float and sometimes they can sink to the very, very bottom.
Boats aren't made to sink. And when they float.
And she's just like really struggling with this analogy.
JT goes, not the metaphor.
Boats are. Boats aside.
What I'm trying to say is I think I have to go outside my comfort zone and try something new.
And clearly you need my help.
Yeah, I was supposed to bring that guy who was attacking that girl.
He's a good liar. He's a good liar.
That's that really seems like it. I mean, I I didn't know him that well, to be honest.
My dad recommended him and I met him and I thought I was getting along with him fine.
It seems obvious now it was just.
Obviously, he's going to be nice to me when he wants something from me.
Are a lot of people like that at Irobrin?
I don't think so. I mean, like, there's Garvey's coming and he's he's really nice.
She's trying to scan, look for him.
You haven't seen him since he bumped into you when you went up.
And he's gone. You see the Garvey's, you see the brothers, but they're not.
Quincy specifically and his sister are not around.
Except he's not. I don't see him.
But I mean, I know several I've met several of the of the nobles who are attending the school.
And I don't know anything about the common folk who will come.
But we have our own group, right?
Well, we're the Silver Lions house for everyone from Arnador.
Is in that house and there's four other houses.
So we kind of have like pre-made friends.
That's a good way to put it.
I mean, especially for us, I think they're kind of our friends, whether we want to be their friends or not.
Oh, you see, like her eyes kind of like widened a bit.
I don't mean that in a bad way.
I mean, like there are responsibility.
Oh, yes. We have responsibilities now.
You lead the house and I retain your leadership.
Well, yes.
Yeah.
More or less.
But I don't know what a retainer is.
I'm going to be honest.
It makes you my second, my second in command.
Like I'm your I'm the one I'm the leader, head priest, and I am a monk.
Our monks usually in charge.
No, then I'm your bishop.
There you go.
OK.
That makes sense.
I can do this.
Don't worry about this.
Don't worry.
I've got it covered.
I really know what I'm doing.
It's OK.
Sorry about the panic.
It's OK.
It's OK if you don't.
OK, because I'm going to help you and schools for learning.
Right.
That's what schools are completely for.
So question.
Of course.
You know why I'm supposed to help you.
Why did you pick me?
Well, I just kept thinking about there's several other people I could take who I know a little bit.
But then I was just thinking, I don't really I didn't know.
I've talked to Graham more than I've talked to you, but apparently I didn't really know him until that.
Right.
And I don't really know you either.
But I saw enough of your decision making under pressure to know that that you would rather defend someone and a split second decision.
Than run away or hurt someone else.
And besides that, you said you were going to help me.
So I was at least hoping those combination of two things.
Hoping it would work out, I guess.
And you can see, like, she's very touched by this, you know, that so much attention has been paid to her.
And you feel like her your arm is wrapped in hers and she'll kind of squeeze you a little closer subconsciously and say, we'll make the silver lions the best house it can be.
Witness Valor.
That's our motto.
Witness Valor.
That's our motto.
That's the house motto.
Witness Valor.
Witness Valor. It's like a greeting. Witness Valor. Good morning. Witness Valor.
Maybe not like that. I was about to say you should you can say it as much as you want now that we're in the silver lions house.
But maybe not quite that much.
Witness Valor.
She laughs.
And as that happens, as you guys are like, kind of like walking arm in arm, you hear in a distance, you hear,
I love this spread.
You see a man, the man who was performing earlier, the man named John, who was working with the unseen servants
and doing the violin performance that got his band from Russia.
You see, you see him. You see him. Currently, he's at the spread at a table by himself. And there's multiple pieces of food floating about him.
And he's just going, ah, holding. He's holding. He's holding bread. He's going, I am in love with this rot host.
Is that someone we should know?
She was first of all, he's the talent for the night. I guess I mean, you saw his performance.
Well, I actually don't know if you did. That's when I we both kind of left early.
Well, she as they go by him, she'll just go. So thank you for the performance tonight.
Of course, young lady.
And how many others do I have to thank as well? She says gesturing to the air.
Ah, well, he was this. Well, you have many to thank. You have ABCDEF and he starts.
He's just pointing at the air. But you see the multiple pieces of food are like being with around as of like something is waving at you.
But they're holding the pieces of food.
First of all, you says you have my other con grad you relations for your leadership, darling.
Thank you.
Boiled egg.
Oh, never had in this form before. Little crunchy. Oh, um, well, lovely performance.
It takes.
Full shock does not understand what the fuck she thinks he's speaking a different language at this point because there's no clue what's going on.
I love this raw toasted whatever.
Just looking for a way to eat on the Costco visit today. That's right.
He went to Costco today.
I do. What about me? Um, he goes with weight. I'm chewing.
This is really dry.
GM our mod brings up a great point. There's nothing wrong with wanting to snack on stream.
Hold on.
Darling.
He walks up to you, Laura.
He just goes to Hinder for a moment while I while I walks over with this boiled egg in my hand.
He just goes.
Now, first of all, I am the emcee and you're going to be seeing me in the future.
He goes. Yes, you can. Yes, you can expect me. I have been in the royal grace for a while now, and I am also going to be present at the at the I forgot the name of the of the dance.
I'm a friend. Oh, well, that's fantastic news.
We'll get to hear you again. Yes.
Now you should know my name. I'm John.
But my full name is Jem.
My this last name Timber River.
My this Timber River. But you could also call me by my in the cells, baby.
So are you going to be playing new songs at the dance?
Oh, or is it basically like the same set?
You're I bet you have a lot. You're gonna love it.
My feet are so sore from playing earlier.
I cast magic with my feet.
Wow. That's really impressive. Well, we better get to greeting everybody else.
It's been fantastic talking to you, though.
Thank you for your music. I can't wait to see what I've been.
I can't wait to see you in your dreams, darling.
I think she is like, she turns to the Lord goes, I don't think I can do this. I don't think I can be your trainer. I don't know if I can handle this.
I don't even know what he was saying. What was that?
He was just weird.
Um, when they approach the crowd, she'll just be like, my retainer, everybody.
Hello. Yes, I am retaining. I'm retaining.
It's okay to just stand there to. Yeah, cool.
What is the phrase again? Well, in honor.
Witness Valor. Witness Valor. This is drawing laughs.
This is drawing like actual like laughs from the crowd.
You do catch some people being like rolling their eyes, very small amount of people.
But there is there's very there's politeness.
There is some there is happiness at your presence, Lucia.
Okay, that's good. People honoring the decision.
Like this little country bumpkin on stage with Valor and her full like silver gown and kid.
And you see when you see a small amount of nobles approach, they have like little flutes of wine in their hand and going, um, what and what pedigree do you represent?
What family do you come from? Um, she goes, well, I'm from.
I'm from the Lusardi family.
Not a family of I've heard of before.
And another one goes, how did the two of you meet?
When? How long have you two known each other?
I actually met her in an act of valor, in my opinion.
She was standing up for the week and defending, defending her and as well as healing her from an attacker.
And likewise, my lady Valora did the same for me.
Um, this is favorable.
You see, this is really favorable among them.
You see, the clarity is getting onto these people.
Like, yes, these two are meant for each other.
You see, you feel it, this tangible shift in the air.
And you, um, let's see, you see what you see.
Another another person approached these very well dressed people.
And when and he just goes, um, says, and among the two of you, which one would you say is?
The more valorous, um, he says with a kind of half smile.
See a point to Valora without even question.
There's I believe it's much too early to say.
That's a fair point.
But when you witness valor, what way what means is there to compare it?
There are different kinds of valor.
Yes, it seems like we have the two exactly right people to leave the house.
Um, polite, polite clapping, um, um, and you see more people approach you, Lucia, as kind of like you see a woman kind of like places kind of like hovers a hand above your shoulder to get your attention, but not touching you.
And just goes, Hello, um, it's nice to meet you. Congratulations for congratulations on your sponsorship.
And then you see another woman just goes, Don't let her don't let her approach you.
Hello there offering her offering her hand.
Just don't let my sister just hold you with her with her presence because Lucia correct.
Correct. You are quite you are quite the maiden.
Um, and then you see a young man approach you, and he, he just goes, May I take your hand.
I still linked Lucia and I go, Oh, she says like, but in the earshot of those people to like, I haven't introduced you to the most important person yet.
And she goes to pull her towards phantom.
She was excuse us.
Bye bye gives you a wave.
You, you see, um, his hand is like, um, you walk away as he is you let as he's essentially left hanging.
Oh, she gives him a high five.
And then you, he just gives a weird look.
It just goes, Is that.
I don't know how to react to that.
Valora you come over to phantom to see like you see a pair of a pair of boys kind of like hanging around his neck and I like climbing over him and he's just being very still and very respectful.
And as you see as he sees you approach his eyes is kind of like, kind of like shift towards the boys.
She's like, Hey guys, we should know better than to go climbing on a wyvern.
He's so cool.
Yeah, but you know if that were any other wyvern they might bite you.
I saw him fly with the Prince. I know he's good.
Yeah, but did you ask him if he was okay with it.
No.
Well, do you need help getting down.
It's very high.
He comes to help.
And then he flies down and he just kind of like, starts jumping up and just goes, Can you can I fly, can I can I fly on him just like you did with the Prince. No me me first. The other boy comes up. Oh, well you know phantom has to get ready for the feast.
Oh, they both go.
Yeah.
So, you better go find your parents should start soon.
Okay, is your hair really like that. One of them goes to Lucia.
I think Lucia was just like, how big is phantom.
He's another animal.
Oh gosh, I feel like he's like bigger than a cow.
But like, not, not bigger, like smaller than like something like a rhino you know like, like not like like he's massive, but he's not like, he's bigger than any like farm animal but not like quite like big zoo animal size.
But the largest animals, Lucia is probably seen.
Probably.
I think she's just in awe, even though they're asking this question about her hair she's just like, staring in awe. These fearsome eyes kind of like regard you.
Lucia says, slits of eyes look towards you.
And his father.
She goes, this is phantom and phantom. This is Lucia, and she'll say she says, which means friend.
As he says that, as she says that you see that these, the eyes of this fearsome creature you've, it softens.
You feel a sense of friendliness instead of like, you know, his, his formality, and he brings his head down towards you and offers his head to you.
She'll like a dog, like go out to pet him.
Scaly.
She's the one who gave you the apple earlier.
Eyes widen.
You gave me an apple, and I gave it to him.
Right. Do you want another one?
Licks you in the face.
Oh!
Well you're just a big cuddly puppy aren't you? And she'll reach into her pocket and pull out like another little like crab apple and toss it up for him.
And he eats it, he has a really, he has a grace to him.
Doesn't snap his jaws or anything, just a really nice simple bite.
And you see the kids are like clapping at that little trick.
Drag by a draw says then the wyvern eats the kids.
The apples weren't enough. The apples were never enough.
And now this party takes a turn.
This is not the prom we signed up for.
Flora goes, um, she says have you ever flown? Like Pegasus or Airship or?
She doesn't know what any of these words are and you just see a blank stare back at you.
You know what a Pegasus is.
Well I've seen them, I've never, no, I've never ridden one before.
Well, um, that will probably change.
Not now, but well I mean it's kind of my house's whole deal.
We raised Pegasi.
And Phantom, I've worked with a few Wyverns, but Phantom was my first.
Because they, he basically just, he was sent to us by accident as a baby and
And I've kept him ever since then.
We'll be so much closer to the gods that way.
Yeah. Um, I'm glad you're excited about it then.
Can you see them? Have you?
She looks up at this, can you talk to the gods because you're closer to them in the sky?
I've never really, um, no, I've never really tried though.
Hmm.
Get to fly?
Pretty windy.
Get to fly?
Do we really get to fly?
They teach that at Irobrin too.
Get to fly?
And she's really trying to like not freak the fuck out out of how cool this is.
As Phantom's like, mmm.
I wish I could take you right now.
I wish we could go too. Oh my gosh, we get to learn how to fly.
This is incredible. Thank you for choosing me as your retainer.
And she's like grabbed her hands and both of hers and like they're clinging like,
Thank you so much for choosing me as your retainer. This is an honor.
Um, I'm, thank you for saying yes.
This is going to be way more at school than that too.
It's more?
Yeah, the school's massive.
It's up on a mountain.
And it's massive and there's several towers and there's all kinds of activities there.
And I mean, I saw that you know some magic.
Oh yeah.
They have lots of like magic teaching and they have, um,
So cool.
Big training grounds of course and battalions to train with since a lot of the trainings on command with command.
Wow. What are we training for?
Well, it's primarily to learn leadership skills for most of the nobles who go there to learn how to command a battalion.
It is a Lord's job a lot of the times to do that.
If there ever were a war, we're in charge of security a lot of the times in our regions,
but a lot of the common folk who come are striving to become Knights.
Oh.
Um, they need healers?
Of course.
Oh, okay. I can do that. Easy.
I probably wouldn't have been able to pick you if I hadn't seen you do that.
But I knew, I mean, there's always a place for a healer.
Well, it's good.
Okay, that gives me one talking point.
That gives me one thing, right? And it's probably good to mix it up once in a while and have some common people in there, right?
You know, so that everyone's voices are heard kind of thing?
Yeah. And there's, I mean, I haven't met any of them there yet because I just, obviously I meet the nobility more often,
but I'm really excited to meet the common folk who are able to come.
They have to, basically if you're a noble in the kingdom, you're guaranteed a spot if you want to go,
but it's much, much harder to get in among the common folk.
So I'd anticipate them being very, very skilled at whatever they do.
Yeah!
And you see like the horror kind of glitch in her face, and they're like, they're all super, super fucking skilled, and she's like, oh fuck!
She just goes, yep, and we'll make alliances and allies and as every...
Friends!
Yeah, and friends! And friends!
It just releases a big like breath.
Everyone, the feast is in five minutes.
Does everyone who is attending the feast, please come and arrive at your designated chairs.
Does everyone has a signed seatage? Thank you!
Is the dancing part?
Well, there'll be more dancing. I mean, don't worry about it. No one's going, I mean,
people might judge, but I think if anyone's going to judge you for how you dance,
I don't think their opinion really matters about that, to be honest.
Who didn't go like this?
We could, let's go take our seats.
Yeah!
We might as well get there early.
Now we get to have our big snacks now!
Yeah!
Hey Phantom!
Just make sure you save room, because they're going to bring out multiple rounds,
and if you eat too much of the first one, you won't be able to eat the others.
Rounds?
You'll see, she says.
This is like so fucking weird to her that there are rounds of food.
I mean, they're serving the king.
Right, right, right, we're serving the king.
So it has to be among the best.
Yes. So eat a little bit, because there are a lot of rounds coming up. It's like a fight.
Yes.
Yeah.
You have to preserve your energy.
Reserve your energy and-
Or your stomach space in this case.
Build it up and observe the valor.
Witness valor is witness valor, not observe valor. Shit!
I mean-
Did you say shit?
That was Emma.
Observe the valor.
That's witness valor the whole way through, I guess.
And I think she's just going to shut up, because she's getting overwhelmed.
Valora won't stop her from shutting up, because Valora's still a little terrified right now, too.
They're like, what the fuck are we doing?
We're both improvising here. This is fun.
This is fun, this is great, this is fine. Everything is fine.
You approach the-
You begin to- the both of you begin to approach the table.
You see that already, even though people are sitting, it's already quite-
It's already quite rowdy here.
You see Gunther Garvey, the lord of House Garvey, this large brawn-
This large brawn man, who almost has burnt, kind of like, burnt brown skin.
Very wide-shouldered, kind of like sees you, Valora.
And he just begins, ding ding ding ding ding ding ding, like hitting out of glass.
And you see his wife, kind of goes, Gunther, it's not time for the speeches yet.
The feast hasn't started.
And he just goes, can I say a few words for the one, just for our promised leader?
She stands.
People are still walking.
He says, I've known this young girl ever since she was young.
Is he drunk? Is he trashed?
He's trashed.
He's trashed, great.
He just goes, and I don't know who this other one is, but she has the same pipsqueak nature,
so I see that the both of them have found kin in one another.
He says, but I know the make of this young woman, and I know that there is no one better, except for my sons.
He drinks.
And there's polite laughter, even though that was kind of like a backhanded compliment.
He compliments!
To Velora! Downs his drink.
And people are shouting, to Velora!
Velora!
And then you see Quincy Garvey, who you see now, you haven't seen him the whole time, stands up and raises a cup as well.
And to her retainer, Lucia!
And you hear, to Lucia!
People are toasting to that as well.
It kind of shrinks, because it's a lot.
And you are led to your seats right next to the head of the table, where the king and queen sits.
Lucia, you see your name on a little card, written in cursive, placed on the cushion of a chair.
I think she wants to keep the card.
If they make her sit by my dad.
Your dad and your mom sit next to each other, and they're right next to the king.
You sit next to your mom, and Lucia is right next to you.
You see that there is a card that says, Ornald the Lusardy, written next to the chair on you, next to you Lucia, but you don't see Ornald just yet.
It's okay, he's coming.
And you see, as before the feast even officially begins, you see these, I think they're called Colaches, what are they called again?
The freaking little thing that they serve the food on, it has the little dome.
Oh, yeah, they call it Colaches, I don't know how to pronounce it.
They have like the swollen titty at the top that you pull to show off the food.
Hold on, the thing to serve food.
Do you just call it a swollen titty?
Oh yeah.
I see where, ha, I see, I see.
Oh, cloche, got it.
So these multiple cloches, not swollen titties, come out.
Supermol of a party for that.
Not that kind of party.
So multiple cloches come out, these very nice intricate cups are brought before you, and the drinks are placed before you as a multitude of Aurora society.
Eveline, amongst them, starts bringing out food and placing it before you.
And by you, a lot specifically, you see waiters stand with their hands to their bag and wait by you.
And you see the king of stands as the conversation begins to die down, and as the time for the feast approaches, you still see that Arnolda has not arrived.
Excuse me, has anyone seen?
And she points to the chair.
People look at each other, they don't seem to have an answer.
Can I go check to see if he's in the bathroom or something real quick?
And the king speaks up.
And he goes, a momentous occasion, indeed.
Now, I have talked your ear off long enough.
Yes.
And let us wait until the dinner ensues for the speeches to happen, looking at Garvey.
Laugh, humor, blah blah blah.
And he just goes, I'll enjoy you, enjoy the spread before you today.
A cheer and a servant walks up to the both of you and basically both say the same thing.
It goes, for the beginning course, of course, we have, since we have moonflower soup, pulls on the cloche.
Yes.
Can you send someone to look for the man who's supposed to be seated here?
Right away.
Thank you.
Of course, lady.
Thank you.
He'll whisper it to you.
She goes back to looking at the moon something soup.
Um, before you is a very even counts.
It is.
It smells amazing.
Very floral scent to it.
You can assume that all the food you get here is good food.
I can't eat all of it.
I can just have a little taste.
Just a tiny.
I knew that.
She grabs outside in outside in outside in.
Okay.
That's a smaller soup spoon.
Just a little taste.
And then trying to try to be delicate with it.
And not familiar with fine dining.
Are you Lucia?
Is that is that her dad?
Yeah.
With the spoon in her mouth.
She's a lovely woman, dad.
This is delicious.
The spoon still in her mouth.
To her dad.
Pops it out.
That's the best soup I've ever had.
Good.
Can I have more?
Of course.
I'm going to have more.
Your mom laughs.
Your mom laughs and kind of like wards your dad.
Like sites away.
What ensues in the next 10 minutes.
Is the amuse bouche.
You are brought these tiny smoked eggs.
This.
This is the most abundant.
All the food that you can imagine topped up this golden sweet drink.
And this is the most abundance that you've seen.
That you've seen.
Lucia food.
It's just brought out by the.
Says by the dozens.
If you ask for more, it's just brought out to you.
And then you're like, I'm going to have more.
No.
As that.
As that happens.
As you're just kind of like 10 tending to.
Some extremely delicious food.
You, you see a figure into the dining hall.
And walk towards your direction. You see Oria.
The head executor.
And then she's like,
I'm going to go to the dining hall and then she's like,
Hey, I'm going to go to the dining hall.
And then she sees you.
And then begins walking over to you, Lucia.
She almost stands up to be like, hi.
And then she realizes she's sitting at the table and just polite.
You know, keeps her.
Gives a nod walks towards you.
Politely hands behind her back. She's always been.
She's always been polite. Oh, she's, she's always the height of.
The table.
But it seems even more that there's some ceremony to stand on and she,
but she approaches you still.
She just goes.
I'll have to admit.
Of all the circumstances today.
I did not think that I would see you.
Near the head of this table.
I'm a retainer now.
I've heard.
You don't have to worry about me.
Okay.
Well,
actually.
That's something to discuss about later.
I have been personally requested.
To be your guardian.
At I would bring.
What?
She's a great.
Uh,
I think I just realized that I'm not.
I'm not sure if that's,
that that's, that's not my name.
I know.
Um,
I'm not sure if that's, that's my name.
Um,
I'm not sure if that's, that's not my name.
So.
Well,
we don't usually send anyone with us to the school, but act.
My Nate is actually coming with me this time, so I will.
Lucia there's also something else you shouldn't know.
Oh my God. Did he fucking die?
Yes.
Paramount above all, he wished to pass on to you that you enjoy the rest of your evening,
and you only come back once you're satisfied.
He had a fainting spell earlier in the day, but he's alright, as all to it.
He's safe at home, and he wants you to enjoy the rest of this event.
No, but he shouldn't be alone.
I should be with him.
Someone is looking after him.
Who?
Your neighbor came over.
I don't know why.
He's been sick, and he won't let me help him.
I don't know why.
We've always helped each other.
Always.
I'm sorry.
But this is an extremely momentous and not even once in a lifetime, for once in a million,
for many people.
I understand why he would want you to focus on being by yourself for the first time.
I don't want to be by myself.
She's been trying not to eavesdrop, because it's clearly personal, but she is.
You're not going to be by yourself.
I know I'm not like, I'm like brand new to you, but we're going to be together now for
three years, all works out.
So I don't think either of us is going to be alone for a while.
I think you see like this face that had tears brimming in her eyes because of fear.
You see the tears spill over softly and quietly, not because of fear, but because of gratitude.
And she'll just quietly nod at you and just quickly wipe away her tears on her face.
And I mean, why don't we ask if they can send some of the food back to him?
We shouldn't miss out.
Yeah, he would really like the soup.
Should we ask someone?
I'll personally over to the delivery.
My lady.
Thank you.
It says, congratulations on becoming the leader.
Thank you.
Yes.
I am Orië Vorluane, as a head executor of the Vajandi.
And I have been sent by personal request of the king to look after Lucia's well-being
at Irobrin.
It's a pleasure to meet you, executor.
But I trust she is also very well taken care of in your hands.
The more hands, the merrier, in my opinion.
I'll see to it that this food gets to Ornaldah.
Thank you, Orië.
Of course.
I suppose I can't call you Acorn anymore.
She did have a nickname for you.
It was Acorn.
I think you can still call me Acorn, Petal.
Keeps me grounded.
Reminds me where I come from.
Well, you're growing.
You have grown well beyond Acorn by this point, I believe.
I'm like a sapling.
Sapling.
I don't know.
Acorn's cuter.
Sprout.
A sapling's like, oh, sprout.
I feel like a child.
Well, I definitely can't call you Tree when you are fully grown and graduated, so I suppose
I'll have to fully take to calling you Lucia.
I guess.
She shrugs a little bit and gives a little smile.
Congratulations again.
Never in a million years did I think that me sponsoring your entry would lead to all
of this.
Fate works in funny ways.
I appreciate your sponsoring me.
It is no problem.
She takes a step back.
Enjoy this day.
You deserve it.
And begins to fall back as food is being, as like a bunch of servants gathered on her.
She does have authority.
She has this extended authority that you still are, you still get like, you're still finding
new depths to her authority.
Like, oh, a bunch of servants can just, she just command a bunch of servants to just follow
her as she walks to the back as a bunch of them follow behind.
Maria is really cool.
You're going to like her a lot, Valora.
You seem close.
Yeah, she always leads me to my mon-yearly talks.
Gives you like a awkward smile because I don't know how well known is it that Lucia meets
with what's her face?
Alderbrand.
Alderbrand, yeah.
That is a private, that's a private affair basically.
Oh, okay.
So she goes, yeah.
She, we hang out every year.
It's nice.
Oh, well, I'm sure I'll get to know her a lot better if she's coming with you and you'll
meet my knight.
Well, I think you met her briefly when, during the entry to the ceremony.
Oh yeah, what was her name again?
Sir Pallavi.
Rudra Pallavi.
Sir Pallavi, Pallavi.
Pallavi, I like that name.
That's a nice name.
It is, she's really cool.
You like her.
Who was the boy who stood up?
Said my name.
Oh, oh, oh yeah.
The one who toasted to you, that's the Garvey kid I was telling you about.
Oh, is he in our house?
Yep.
Oh, you see she come like completely relaxes against her chair.
There's one friend.
I have to thank him.
Is he here?
Is he at the table?
And she's like kind of peering around you.
Try to see if he's.
You look over to where he was.
And when you're looking for him, he disappears.
He's supposed to be seated with the nobles.
He's supposed to be seated with the kids, but you see him and his sister are again gone.
He keeps doing that.
He just keeps slipping away.
Is that part of his magic?
Is he like a wizard or something?
Oh, I don't.
I don't think so.
He's not right to me.
No, definitely not.
He's like an archer.
Yeah, he's an archer.
You do know that he is not highly regarded like the rest of his family.
I don't think he knows any magic as far as I know.
His family is known for.
So House Garvey is known for being the royal protectors.
And so that's his father's job, basically.
But they're also considered lords and they are an Aeon marked house.
And he has one too.
But his brothers are I know his brothers really well.
His brothers are very, very big, tough, burly, strong.
But he's he's kind of a little bit more.
He's a little bit more on the like fast side than like the burly side.
It's pretty different than his dad and his brothers in that way.
Seems like a nice guy.
Yeah.
Yeah, I like him.
He's kind of witty.
You like him.
What you like him.
And she kind of like leans in conspiratorially.
No, he's my friend.
You don't see it, because you turn towards you turn towards Lucia.
But you see you do see when you say that you see her mom just kind of like really lean in.
He's my friend.
I honestly don't know him as well as I know his older brothers.
Mom, is that the mom just going like, all right, fast start.
She hears her.
She's like, hi, I guess it would be kind of messy to have feelings for people in your
house, huh?
I mean, she looks at her mom, she goes, I'm sure that happened plenty when you were at
school.
Oh, goodness.
Yeah, there's a I mean, the purpose of the place was for people to mingle and people
mingled.
Oh, she is like a little surprised.
I mean, it's how I met her dad.
And she leans over to look at the dad.
See you guys met at Irobrin.
Means of being better than yes.
In the same house.
Yes.
But who approached who first?
It just goes, well, Eric, Eric was common was sent on a mission alongside me and the leader
to go to go fend off to go fend off a Yeti attack in Aurora, I believe, because that
was our second mission.
Our first mission was fending off a group of just fending off a group of bandits.
This in the fold in the Folger.
It's because oh, that's right.
That was the very first mission together.
I don't remember that.
I don't remember that too well, though, because you did fall and hit your head.
Yes.
But.
But everyone was there to take care of you.
Yes.
Yeah.
But, you know, we've spent our three years together going through thick and thin.
And, you know, eventually he he put the ring on me.
Yeah, Lucille is like full on looking like looking at the lower is dad going.
You liked her first, didn't you?
Yes.
You see, she kind of clasped her hands on her cheek.
That's so romantic.
That is the basis of love.
Yes.
That's such that's so that's a really unromantic way of putting it.
But yes, you know, he used to write me poems.
We don't have to.
Can you read one for us now?
Yeah, we don't have to.
No, I want to hear it.
Can you say some say some.
Are you going to read it?
Can you say some say some.
Are you a bard?
Can you say some words?
I am not a bard.
Can I have some words?
I think I can remember some of them.
And for Laura, you do have to stay here.
So we don't have exactly appropriate for the dinner table.
Are those kind of poems?
Our eyes go wide.
And the king and you hear the king who's been eating goes out.
Allow it.
She swums back momentarily.
Track player goes, this is my dream romance.
And you see the you see your brother goes, we should talk about other things.
Just go fun.
Because but Eric was a romantic and he was hopeless with the animals.
So I was always sort of pick him up and the horses threw him off.
I suppose I never mind.
You've improved a bit.
He was getting ready to say something really cheesy.
No I wasn't.
And yes, I would say I've improved quite a bit.
I would hope so.
Given day to day life at our house.
You guys ride pegasi.
Train them, breed them.
You get to fly!
She's trying not to scream.
My mom's Pegasus is here.
Her name's Alinor.
Well not here here, but like back at our inn.
It's a pony with wings.
Essentially, they're not.
Sure but they're much more intelligent.
Can they talk to me?
No, but they can definitely communicate to you in other ways.
They have a pony with wings.
They can be a little judgmental.
Oh, maybe not a pony with wings.
I wouldn't say that.
But when you earn their trust and their respect, they're incredibly, incredibly great.
I should learn how to ride a horse first.
We can definitely teach that.
Probably on the way.
You're in the right place.
You know, with the right company.
It's true.
I am your retainer.
She says, nodding strongly to Velora.
You're second.
She looks at her dad like, see.
She knows whatever a retainer is.
She's thinking in her head.
She doesn't say it out loud.
And he's like, yeah, you taught.
Yeah, you had to talk.
You had to give her a lot of talking, too.
At least a lesson.
And you see Sabine kind of like leans in and just, all right.
Okay, Lucia.
Because I like to kind of like, even if you might know it, I kind of like to just talk
about things just because I like things being organized and prepared.
But what you're going to do next after the celebration is over is that all of us here,
we're going to go back to our home.
We're going to go back to our city.
And excuse me, Lord Avonlea, can you read this?
At a feast?
No, I'm not doing that.
I had to read this at a feast.
I mean, no thank you.
I'm talking.
Leans in back towards you.
She just goes, I lost my train of thought.
Going back to our house?
Okay, me and, okay, we're taking Velora back to our house.
We're going to have a whole week to prepare.
You have, the moment everything is done, you have to be at our house ready to go to Irebrin
within a week.
Now we can send somebody to come get you, to escort you over to our place.
It's not too far from here, actually.
And you're going to be riding with Velora to the gates of Irebrin.
It's going to be really fun.
There's going to be like an opening ceremony.
When I was there, they used to do a lot of, there was a lot of, there was a lot of, there
was a lot of spirited celebration in the opening ceremony.
People drink and celebrate and you get to meet other house members.
Like the church wine.
Yeah.
In service to the gods.
I'm sure they have those, yes.
Velora's like, no!
So what's really important is that between now and this same day next week, you should
be in our city.
You can go ahead and approach our fort.
People will know your names.
They'll let you in.
You can come a few days earlier.
We prefer if you did.
Just you know, we can get you nice and prepared and you can rest and be ready to go.
Okay.
And yeah, you're probably not going to, I mean, it's a good thing you're really close
to here.
You can visit.
You could probably visit.
I mean, you're going to be in Irebrin in three years.
I want to know how to fly.
It'll be a really quick trip.
Oh, yeah.
Do we get like breaks?
Oh, definitely.
Definitely.
So like I get to spend like the high holidays.
Absolutely.
Winter's Crest, founding days, Saints birthday, Saints birthdays.
You have plenty of time and you can ask for leave.
The time is the Saints birthday with Arnold.
Oh boy.
Because you can get every day to pray.
You have all Sundays off and I'm sure if you when you learn how to fly, you can really
take advantage of those Sundays.
And it's going to be a really, really defining three years for you.
You're going to explore parts of the world.
You're going to be talking with all different kinds of people and you're going to be learning
all kinds of things.
Irebrin is really fun.
It's really, really fun.
All kinds of clubs, everything.
It's very exciting.
I'm really glad I don't have to do it alone.
And she smiles at Velora as she says that.
And Velora, I can testify for her.
You know, I've known her for a very, very, very long time.
Just a little biased, but.
A little biased, just a little bit.
She says, no, she's kind and giving.
I know those things.
And you're going to find out that she's a lot more.
Just stay close to her.
You're second.
I have to.
Mm hmm.
You're right.
Because she says she can help you do anything.
Just ask her anything.
Do it together.
All right, I should leave you to the food now.
Is Graham.
Do I see Graham?
No.
He's not a noble, so he'll be like, oh, shit.
He's rich, but he's not a lord.
Cool.
So he's going to shove me on the playground.
Love that.
I love that.
Salad comes out.
The main course, which are, you know, these herb crusted racks of like ribs and like all
kinds of it's amazing.
These dessert eventually comes.
A dessert eventually comes out.
These 11, these lemon tarts, dragon dragon fruit.
I think Lucia is so full that like her head is lying on the table.
And then when the dessert gets there, she just tries to stick out her tongue, just get
a little lick.
Sit up though.
My tummy.
She's like bent over and you told me not to eat too much and I did.
I tried to warn you, but I couldn't communicate the scale quite yet.
I'm so sorry.
And of course, throughout the feast, people have been banging their glasses.
The nobles.
It's like a wedding almost.
Just a thing is honoring Valora, telling stories of House Avonlea.
You learn throughout these speeches, House Avonlea is a storied house.
You're learning a lot about this family, about the Lord and the Lord and sire and everything.
You know, they built the road.
They built a lot of the roads here.
They helped a lot of people talk to each other and reconnect with lost family members and
things like that.
Everything they say about Sabine, about her mother, about Valora is just absolutely glowing.
The highest of praises, hardest working, kind.
And Eric was there too.
And then there's Eric.
Eric is cerebral.
And they have things to say about him, like, yeah, you know, smart desire, always, you
know, for good conversation.
People just, you can tell most of the accolades belongs to Sabine.
And as the dinner is finally dying down, the king had excused himself.
He just goes, this was a fine dinner, but I should retire with my lovely wife and son
here and says that you tend to the rest of the festivities.
I know you make us proud, young Valora.
Thank you.
And walks away.
You are, you feel a figure approaching you, Valora, and you see the mother of Graham approaching.
Did you see GTs?
That man's a trophy husband and not even a good one.
He married up.
Yeah.
Got an A on Mark Noble.
Trophy husband and not even a good one.
She will greet her and go, Mrs. Alizon.
And bows her head and she just goes, now my, I would like to, now the correct thing for
my son to do would be to apologize to you directly face to face.
But he has decided to retire for the evening and I would like to apologize greatly on my
son's behalf.
I appreciate the sentiment, but you're right.
It's not yours to apologize for.
He just goes, I promise you that the Alizons are created from a better cloth, but that
must be, but that must be proven and that has, and what, what has, and that has not
been, and it cannot be proven through promises.
Sam will attend, I will bring still, and I hope that he spends the time properly in the
ways that I know he does as his mother to probably show, to probably showcase how sorry
he is for what he's done.
I've heard.
I will happily start fresh, but school is for new beginnings, but really his apologies
aren't to me, which is what I told him.
I wish I could have taken him, but what you have done to show that he can.
Respect people he sees as beneath him.
I do not know what's overcome him, but I will take responsibility.
I will practice as his mother.
And please, please be, please rest assured that you have made the absolute correct decision.
If my son was not ready, if he's not able to take on the position, if he's not of the
cloth to do so, I'm glad you found out before you made the regretful decision of naming
him your retainer.
I look forward to going to Iroprin with him, starting fresh.
I hope this does not smudge any of the reputation of our family's relationships.
I hope that we can continue showing you that the Alizon family is worthy of attention and
worthy of an investment of your time.
And turn towards you, Valora, and be rest assured.
The deal your father and I made says you will find other ways to honor it that has not been
completely dismantled.
She does a little smile, looks towards your father, and walks off.
I'm glad to hear.
And then she looks at her dad as soon as she's gone.
Deal?
Yeah, Eric, deal.
We'll talk about it later.
What deal?
We'll talk about it later.
Oh, now we can talk about it later.
It's always me.
It's always talk about it now.
I'm doing, I'm doing something for the benefits of our house.
What deal?
You know about this deal, Sabine.
Well apparently not.
Because I think this is the first time I'm hearing about it.
We have had many, we have had many agreements with the Alizon family in regards to our expansion
into Kanaka.
And you leveraged my retainership for a deal.
I didn't get that part.
And didn't even tell me.
We'll talk about this later.
Because everyone, the feast has concluded.
Lucia the entire time was doing the awkward Kermit meme of sipping her drink.
Trying to look busy.
The servants are like, we can take this dish and this dish.
Exactly, exactly.
The feast has concluded.
I hope everyone has had their fill.
In 20 minutes, in 20 minutes time, says, says the band, says the one person, the one person
accruing it that is, will be revved up and ready to receive you all, says, to receive
you all, says in the ballroom, says please gather your dance cards and be ready to attend.
Oh cards?
What?
Play cards while we dance?
No it's like, you write your name on when you dance with someone basically.
It's almost like a little souvenir.
Oh that's kind of fun.
Okay.
Yeah.
It's, it's not that complicated.
Um, she still just like looks at her dad.
Eric, why don't we talk and let the kids dance?
You knew about the deal Sabine.
Were you ever going to tell me though?
Because I didn't know about it.
All right.
Don't you, don't you keep putting that on me.
Was it one of your deals and you let one of those little details slip through?
You know the retainership of my daughter is not a little detail that you can just let
slip through.
Just go back to fighting again.
We're going to talk.
Get up mister.
Come on.
Eric gets up.
She goes, Velora, be rest assured that I am going to be all over his ass.
Well I'm going to be too when it's my turn.
Right now?
I have more things to do.
Right now you focus your feet.
You go meet people, go on the dance floor.
Just enjoy your day, okay?
She nods.
And as they walk, as they walk off Sabine goes, we came to the foundation on you hiding
things from me.
And they're just talking.
Jesus.
Sorry you had to hear that.
Oh no, not at all.
I got, this was a last minute change and there was stuff in place.
But now it's been changed a little.
Not that any of us knew about.
Apparently.
Are you okay?
Yeah, it shouldn't surprise me.
My dad's just.
He does stuff like that is all.
He clearly loves you a lot.
Thanks.
Sometimes he just shows it in a weird way.
Yeah that's what my mom says too.
So these dance cards.
How do I, do I just snatch someone and go time to dance?
What do you do?
Well you can ask someone.
Okay.
May I have this dance?
All right.
And then they'll write their name or, or if they want to do it for later or they might
ask you the same thing.
What if they say no?
They won't.
What?
They shouldn't be able to say no if they don't want to dance with me.
I mean, yeah it's just, it's just, they technically could say no, but it's just not considered
polite.
So I shouldn't say no.
Someone asked me to dance.
I gotta say yes no matter what.
You could say no, but it's, it's seen as impolite.
Right.
So again, yeah, I wouldn't, but if they're really weird or something, I mean what I would
try to do is I would try to find an excuse before they ask.
It'd be like, oh, that's my mother, my mother.
And then I run off.
That's what I do if I don't want to dance with someone and I think they're going to
ask me.
Oh, okay.
I go, oh, that's my mom.
And then I'll just leave.
Except that your mom isn't here.
You should be like, oh, Valora's mom is calling me.
Oh, Valora's mom needs me.
I gotta go.
Okay.
That works.
And then go look for my mom.
Or somewhere they can't see you.
Well, maybe not your mom right now.
Maybe, yeah.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Oh, Phantom is eating the cakes.
Phantom is eating all the food.
Oh no.
There you go.
They have to go wrangle him.
Another thing you know, Valora, is that you know the dance.
You know the dances because it's a typical noble dance.
It was a trained, it's a trained thing.
It's an art and you've definitely had to be taught it.
You've had to be taught about your dad.
And it's like, oh wait.
Oh, Lucille probably doesn't know.
You know, we have some time.
I can teach you the dance.
Oh, yeah, sure.
All right.
So may I have this dance?
I think actually Phantom, she starts to tease and then she goes, of course you can have
this dance.
Of course, Valora.
And she'll try to teach her.
You spend the time.
You realize you do not have the time for all of it.
You can give like a quick crash course.
Just follow, just follow what they're doing.
You know, like here.
But then at this part is the part where, where you have to change.
You said to follow.
And so you follow them until that part and then you follow that person.
Okay.
Using the back of her dance card to quickly write notes.
You're writing them on the inside of her arm.
And I'll say that the both of you have taken off.
You guys are definitely not a dining room.
It's getting cleaned up and everything.
And you guys have taken to be like being a little more private setting like to the towards
the hallways.
And as you're getting it figured out and you know the time of the dances come.
Valora, geez, it's like, oh yeah, those dance lessons took days.
You had a tutor and your dad.
And it's like, it's not, it's like not, you know it.
But like, it's not something that you really burn into your mind.
That was a while ago.
Valora, Lucia, give me a wisdom check.
Straight wisdom check to retain this information.
I excel at, I thought you were going to say performance, in which case I was fucked.
For my wisdom, I got a 14.
You're really trying to get this.
It's a lot of components.
It's like, I thought dancing was just, you thought dancing was just a bunch of like people
moving weirdly and stepping on like spinning and stuff.
And you play with the fiddle and that's all.
But you're learning from the future to see the steps.
And Valora, who's giving you the instructions.
It's like she's doing, she's absolutely doing her best.
She's explaining things correctly in her mind, but it's also like a lie.
It's like, oh yeah, but you also have to switch it up and this and that.
And she's trying to do it with you.
And you're just like, okay, committing it to memory.
And some things are explained like out of order because naturally, because she's explaining
it naturally and just the way she was taught it.
It's like, okay, you have to do this, but first you have to bow.
But first you have to, okay, second you have to.
She's fucked, but she hasn't pushed out on her face.
She's determined.
And as you're walking through the halls, you hear, there's pivot, pivot.
Good.
You hear Quincy in the distance.
She goes, oh, that's him.
She says, Quincy.
She pulls her over.
Quincy.
Not, definitely not.
Definitely not your boyfriend.
You make your way over and you see Quincy alongside his sister slowly teaching her a
dance.
She's spinning around on his raised hand.
You know, he's being gentlemanly.
She goes, and now you bow.
She says, finally found you.
She says, ah, that's Valora.
And you see his sister goes, my lady, a bow's her head.
You can call me Valora too.
It's fine.
Thought she should meet at least one house member, Lucia.
I had heard some dramatics had happened when I had left.
The chaos that occurs when I leave the room.
I might've slapped Graham Allison.
How forceful.
Enough for the both of us.
What does that even mean?
I don't quite like the dastard much myself.
And you have a brother.
Oh, I thought you were asking if I slapped him hard enough to slap you.
No, that makes more sense.
I'm afraid I haven't caught your name.
Quincy is this dark skinned, long wavy, kind of like brown hair tied in a ponytail behind
his back.
He's got like little round lenses.
You've seen the other Garvey's.
They're like jocks.
They're like football players.
This guy, you know, like fucking twink.
As Valora described earlier, he's a thinner.
You probably would not have guessed that those were his brothers and like family out there.
And his sister, they both share the same like eyes.
Hers are much more innocent.
She's much younger.
And she does have this innocent air about her that almost feels like a mirror to you
in a way.
But yeah, really handsome, really handsome young man.
He just goes, I haven't got your name properly.
Thank you so much for helping me.
May I have this dance?
We're learning to.
Oh, I see.
Well, in this case, I suppose I can say yes.
Oh, good.
Yeah.
Okay, cool.
And she looks down at her arm at the instructions.
So, okay.
Ready instructions.
Oh, can prepare.
I see.
If you mess up a little bit, it's not the end of the world.
Just have fun.
That's the overlying philosophy, but.
I don't care if anyone if anyone judges her for her dancing, then I mean, what is their
opinion matter?
I personally think it would be much more entertaining if you flopped about.
I can do that.
That I can do really well.
He offers his hand.
She'll like kind of hesitantly look at Velora.
And then she'll gently take his hand.
And as she like gets closer to him, she'll say, um, really?
Thank you.
Uh, you know, get out from me earlier.
I'm glad we're in the same house.
Name's Quincy Garvey.
Like, you know that you said my name.
I did.
But you know, that's my name.
But don't worry about half of them.
She's.
I was a drumstick.
I'll offer my hand to his sister while they doing this.
Of course, if you have me.
Um, thanks.
It just goes.
Just a little just a little hurt is all you being a retainer ceremony should part of the
ceremony should be put should be for you as well.
Oh, well, I guess you're right.
Did you want to be the second?
I have a feeling that there are much more qualified and much more willing people for
the position.
But I'm sure you'll do all right.
Just the same.
Seems like you and Velora are going to be a spirited bunch.
It's kind of looks over from where she's dancing.
Should make for should make for it should make for an interesting show for a few days.
Oh, so you think we're going to be entertaining for you?
Well, I didn't directly say that out of my mouth.
Those were the direct words.
Basically what you said.
I suppose so.
Glad we have someone as smart as you to help us out.
Of course, as you says, as you're going to be leading me, just know that you have my
undying.
You have my undying attention.
Is that what you want?
Hmm.
Is that what you want?
To give you my undying attention?
Yeah, to help us out.
What you really want?
That's what I'm pretending like Graham was.
It's what I'm required to do.
Oh, so you don't really.
I'll be a friend.
I can.
Graham was trying to be our friend.
I'm finding out there are two different kinds of friends here at Irobrin.
I'll just let you know that Graham is another level of false that I do not ever that I would
not ever deign to take on myself.
What you can expect from me, however, is transparency, truth.
Perhaps I'll speak my mind.
Like how you have been stepping on my toes a couple of times.
Oh, no.
And she almost leaps back.
I'm sorry.
Are your toes okay?
Here, I can fix it.
Leaping back is not part of the choreography.
It's okay.
Hold on.
I can fix this.
And she goes to cast healing word.
Wait, wait, wait.
Hold on.
No, no, not that way.
And as she casts healing word on his feet.
Oh, no.
They're my shoes.
Despite you panicking, you see that he is very calm.
While she's freaking out, he's full on just.
And Velour, you know that he's definitely teasing her in his way.
Yeah.
Just pushing buttons.
She's like, she's like, stop it.
She's already nervous.
If I do it this spell though, if I do it this way, I won't mess up the shoes.
Here's what you do.
Come here.
Okay.
Now, if you ever fall or fail during anything, it says you're not supposed to.
But it says you're not supposed to wallow in your failure.
Let everyone know you have your failure.
You simply get up and keep going.
You apologize.
Now go ahead and apologize to me again.
Again?
Yes.
Why?
I just apologized.
No, we're going through practice.
Oh, we're practicing.
Okay.
All right.
You stepped on my foot.
Ow.
Right, right, right, right.
My foot hurts.
My pride has been damaged because I am immobile and that I am supposed.
I am hardwired to think that way.
Really?
Like your honor gets hurt by stepping on someone's feet?
She's trying not to sound superficial.
A lot of nobles are sensitive like that, yes.
Oh, okay.
That's fair.
Okay.
I'm sorry for dirtying your honor and your shoes with my commoner feet.
More spirited.
More spirited, please.
More spirited?
Okay.
Brother, that was a good enough apology.
Now go ahead and now the next step after your apology.
And then he just continues to dance.
I think actually she'll go, take charge, and she's going to try to lead him.
That's who I guess.
It's very messy, but she's got the spirit.
And of course, since you are going to be giving me commands in the future as he's taking charge,
and he's keeping up pretty well, whatever you had in mind.
I do have flash bombs in my pockets at all times.
What?
That's a joke, right?
He does a spin.
As he spins, he does a little pose, and he does hold up pouches from his back.
What?
Stop whatever she's doing.
Something I picked up.
You have a bomb?
That's so cool.
You just walk into the royal palace with smoke bombs in your pockets?
Blow it up.
I have the privilege to.
Why not?
And I'm the entertaining one, apparently.
I'm going to blow stuff up, too.
He has had the flat regard of a reptile the entire time, and he just goes, I am born with
the privilege of an Aeon mark, and if it allows me to do something as ridiculous as bring
naturally nature-made flash and smoke bombs within my pockets without being searched.
Is that ridiculous?
Kind of.
Then perhaps the rules are ridiculous.
Don't you need a fire?
No.
I think we're in the perfect house for each other, guys.
What's your reaction?
You do know, just for Valora's sake, Quincy is a very centered guy.
He's a very centered, very calm guy, very low-key in comparison to the rest of his house.
He does go out into the woods a lot because he doesn't do all the noble stuff, and you
do know that he's very good with like, he's very crafty, but like, bombs?
Yeah, that's why she's like...
They're like little pouches.
They're not like full-made bombs.
It's his ranger ability from A to B. It's his good fairy.
In his subtle criticism of the system, he decides to bring bombs to a naming ceremony.
And he's like, no, literally no one has noticed.
Well, if you do it, do it near my dad.
Actually don't.
He might actually tackle you.
Not if he's blinded, but noted.
They're particularly effective.
Also, he might use it as evidence to his claims that the security around here isn't up to
snuff, and I don't want him to have that.
His eyes have been searching, I've noticed.
Very discerning individual.
Can't rest, even at your own naming ceremony, can he?
Well, he might not be out there anyways.
He just goes, well, the dance is near.
We better go.
Sorry for stepping on your feet.
It's all right.
My pride says a lesser noble, a lesser minded individual would have the pride be besmirched
and they would see all and scream.
She takes out her pen and she'll write her name in the last slot on his card.
So I can show you how much I've improved by the end of the night.
He writes on yours because I would see how much you improved.
Give her a grade.
First grade of I go in Irobrin.
First grade of Irobrin and I won't let you down.
I'm not much of a harsh grader, but we'll see.
You'll see.
And then she...
You know?
It's on, Garvey.
Noted.
Sister.
You're the best dancer you ever danced with.
You're gonna be swept off your feet.
That has not been proven true yet.
But it will.
Because then you can't possibly be the best if I dance with him first.
So knock over my whole camera.
She says you can't be the best if I dance with him first.
She gasps.
Valora!
So, I wouldn't betray you like that so I guess we can't dance.
Valora!
Mine own retainee!
Leader, but...
Thing or whatever!
Also, can I just ask, according to Valora, did you have any part in teaching her how
to dance for today's occasion?
I had 15 minutes in a dream.
Tracks.
I had 15 minutes in a shirt.
I had 15 minutes in a dream.
Goes on a hat.
And just goes, well that much was observable.
Walking away with his sister.
I like him.
Like him?
I don't know.
I'm kidding.
I don't know, I like him.
He's honest.
There's not a lot of honest people here other than you.
Well you don't know that yet.
You can't let one grand malazan ruin your view of everyone else.
That's true.
And the musician guy was very honest.
A little too much.
Oh no!
I'm kidding.
Well, let's go secure you a dance.
Let's go make some alliances, right?
And some good word for the house.
Have fun.
That's what tonight is.
It's for fun.
Is it?
She gives you a hard side eye.
I know it seems like, but this was supposed to be just a fun, relaxed night, and I think
it still has elements of that.
Well I'm having fun.
Because I get to hang out with you.
Good.
Let's go.
Who do you want to dance with?
What are you into?
What's your type?
I don't think any of the dances here are going to be that romantic, to be honest.
Boo!
What do you like?
As she's scanning the room.
You make your way into the ballroom.
Side ballrooms.
There are bisecting colors that decorate the floor.
There's a defined dance floor and a defined hanging out.
Here's the punch floor.
You can hang out by the punch table floor.
And you see people already ramble rousing.
People are taking to the seats.
You see Jomaiathus, Timber River, initials JT, getting ready to rev up the band.
Getting ready.
Timber River!
Alright!
Darlings!
Let's get ready to give them a show they will not forget.
Not Timber River!
JT.
Let's see.
You see immediately people begin to approach as I'm looking for the fucking music.
We're going to be popular.
Is this the one?
No, that's not the one.
That is copyrighted music.
No, it's not.
That's going to get us banned in Russia.
That's a MacGabic.
I really thought that was Grease, but I remember this is the song that sounds like Grease.
Oh gosh.
I would love to use Grease.
I gotta send emails out to people.
Hey, can I use your music please?
Nomada Studios, please.
Hey guys!
That's Nomada Studios, isn't it?
I love Grease.
Such good music.
Uh, what is it?
Sun music.
Quick guys, distract everyone as I look.
So again, you're tight, what are you into?
You know, I don't...
We're too early for that.
We're too early?
This is the writing.
What about you?
I don't know.
No, I mean like in our relationship.
Oh, oh like we...
Oh, I see what you mean.
But also like, that was just me bailing out, that's not true.
I don't know, I really don't know.
It really just kind of like depends on when I meet someone, you know?
Yeah, that's a good point.
I like someone who...
And I also haven't really ever like flirted before, you know?
So like, have you?
I mean, well like, in a way I guess.
Like I've never been like that all like, I don't like come on to people super hard or
anything like that.
Yeah, like I've read about it, you know?
So like I kind of know what to expect from the romance novels.
So I know like to do that, but I don't know.
Okay well, if we're not looking for people that we like, like let's look for someone
that you're just okay with.
Like someone who's not like Graham.
I think it's not going to be long before people are coming up to us.
I mean, I think we're pretty popular tonight.
We are?
Yeah, the whole thing's about us.
And that's when people begin to approach.
Almost as if on cue.
Immediately as they approach, you see people will begin to like...
People are like putting their arms out to other people.
You see an individual walks up.
He goes, please, please, we should not crowd around, says the people who I met.
We should remain civil in our approach, for example.
And he turns and makes himself the first in line.
You see this fairly tall, strong-shouldered man.
He has kind of like wavy blonde hair.
He has a gentle features about him that you could tell he's taut and strong, but he doesn't
have like very hard features.
There's like a lot of softness around him in his eyes, an honest smile.
He approaches you, Valora.
And he just goes, my lady.
And he just goes, I've heard a lot about you in general and also by my mother.
You've met a couple of times, I believe.
Do I recognize who this is?
It has to be Edivhaine.
You know that the strong...
There's a family of knights that are dedicated to the king.
They have like basically noble status.
The Edivhaines, the father and mother of this one, are members of the council, venerated,
smart people, whom you like, because they always argue for stuff that your mom wants
to do.
Well, I...
She goes, oh yes, I much respect your mother and your family.
You must be Edivhaine.
Yes.
Marcellus.
It's a pleasure to meet you.
He bows his head and he just goes, and would you render onto me the pleasure of being your
first dance?
Of course.
Writes his name on your card and looks towards you, Lucia.
Correct?
Yes.
My respects.
On Marcellus, Marcellus, Marcellus.
Marcellus.
Marcellus, nice to meet you.
Are you in our house too?
Yes.
I will be attending our brin.
That's awesome.
She looks like a fairytale prince, she says to Velora.
Thank you.
That's a good trait to have.
Do his parents also ride Pegasi and stuff, or is it just him?
Only him.
Only him, okay, so it's probably not something I really know about him yet, because I don't
really know him.
Okay, I have the roster thing, I'm not sure which things I know and which things I don't
know yet.
This is a relatively new person in your eyes right now.
He goes, now, may I see you away for the slow song?
She goes, that would be lovely.
I kind of looks at Lucia like her eyes are all sparkly and wide, like, so romantic.
This guy's on my bingo card, but he's the free space.
The free space is that I beat him in a race because he also rides Pegasi.
This guy's a future fucking loser.
This guy, you're like, I'm gonna kick his fucking ass.
And if I lose the race, I'm deleting him from the game.
He doesn't exist anymore.
He won't exist, this has become an end joke, that's why I put it on my bingo card.
He crosses the finish line, he's like, wait, no, what?
Oh my God, I was like, you eliminate him after he loses?
He's dead, he dies.
It's more than dead, it's like Doki Doki Literature Club.
Yeah.
Oh no.
Timmy's Google Drive.
Why would you do that to Marcellus?
What's that thing, the false hydra?
He gets that.
Oh yeah.
Why would you do that to him?
And for you, Lucia, as you see people are kind of mad that this fucking rake, this Marcellus,
was like, hey guys, let's get in line.
It's like, okay, I'm first.
He looked up his Victorian stuff.
Bridgerton, we're in Bridgerton.
Oh, rake.
You see that it's like, you know how like raccoons in the dark, their eyes start to
glow when you walk in the dark and you see a bunch of glowing eyes.
It's like as soon as Marcellus leaves with Valora, people are looking to her.
Eyes, eyes hungry for a dance are foisted upon you.
The anime character like shaking.
And then you feel a tap on your shoulder, a meek little tap.
Hello, hi.
And you see a young man with pale features, with kind of like curvy ears, a big ponytail.
You see that there are crests of, his hair is mainly dark colors, but there's like little
plumes of blue in his hair.
And he just goes, hello, may I have this first dance with you?
You have my second dance?
I don't know if that's okay.
You had a first dance already?
Yeah, I had a first dance already with Garvey and I'm going to kick his butt because I'm
going to be really good at dancing by the end of this.
Kicking butt?
Yeah.
I think that's one of the dances that are coming up.
Really?
Oh, nice.
I should be really careful with my words.
I've got you and she's going to grab his hand and drag him up to the dance floor.
Okay then.
By the way, name's Lucia.
She starts awkwardly trying to dance.
As you drag this air genasi, he just goes, my name is Eowod.
Eowod, that's a really cool name, Eowod.
Nice to meet you.
Thank you.
Are you in a house?
And she's trying to spin him.
Yes, I am in your house.
Oh, we're dancing already.
The music's not playing yet.
Got it, I got it.
She's trying to spin him with the music.
Now he's nervous.
Eowod, it's so nice to meet you.
I'm so glad we're going to be friends.
She spins him around.
Yes, yes, we're going to be friends.
And you see people are looking.
They're like, people are stationary.
They're waiting for the music to start and you're just already spinning this guy.
I was going to say that I'm a little nervous when it comes to dancing.
I worked up a lot of courage to come up to you.
Aw, don't worry about it, friend.
And she just kind of grabs his shoulders and drags him in close so that their faces are
so close.
I'm terrified.
Hey, you know what?
Me too, actually.
She's going to go, but I'm a retainer, so I've got to make it work.
And she's going to go, whee, and shove him back out.
I wasn't there for that part of the ceremony.
Poor bastard.
Hi, everyone.
I hope you guys are just doing a little bit of pre-gaming.
It's just the dance before the dance.
Practice makes perfect.
And she kind of like sewing him around.
Hey, let's wait for the music to start.
I'm way better with music.
Okay, okay, okay.
Stops him.
Okay.
See, now we don't have to be scared of the dance because we already did it.
The music starts playing.
As the slow music begins to play, he just kind of starts, he just kind of goes, like,
all right, I've.
Oh, I know this song.
Oh, you know it.
Okay, can you lead this time then?
I'm a little tired from me leading that last one.
Yeah, I can do that.
You know, like kind of carrying the weight of that performance there.
How's.
You did.
You carried a lot more than the weight of that performance you carried me.
I can hear you again.
Do you want me to pick you up?
I don't think this that part of the song yet.
Oh, there are lifts in the song.
I particularly wouldn't say that.
Okay, I can practice.
Ready?
One.
You can go up.
Wait, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
We could just do the step, do the step right here, right here.
So Aowyn, what's your thing?
Um, well, I am a bard.
Um, I'm not.
Could be a little, you know, I'm a little rough around the edges.
Why are you nervous to dance if you're a bard?
Oh, it's just, you know, I'm not very good.
Um, but does it stop me from trying my best?
I think you're very good.
Well, you haven't seen me quite yet.
No, I think you're very good.
You go with the flow.
Isn't that what a good bard is supposed to do?
Kind of go where the night takes them, where the performance will lead them kind of thing.
I suppose.
Yeah.
In a way, I'm just trying to see where this night's supposed to take me.
Um, make a, make an insight check real quick.
Oh no, he's evil.
He's evil.
I've murdered five people to get in here.
He's ERA.
I don't know that.
It's my guess.
Cause I was looking at our sheet.
I'm like, I don't see him on our sheet.
He's not on the class roster list.
Is he?
He's not on our roster.
I might have made some more people.
Oh, don't kill him.
14.
There is a little shiffiness to him.
You're like, you're like, you're noticing a couple of things like, oh, these gloves
are a little bit loose on him.
There is a little bit like everyone's like really well dressed with real tailored suits.
You know, like this stuff's a little big on him and he's just trying his best.
There's like a flashiness, but like you do know that he's, you do know that he is genuinely
very nervous.
She's going to pull him in closer so she can say to him quietly, all right, what's his
name again?
Oh my God.
Sorry.
A win.
What's his name?
You win.
Yeah.
You win.
It's not a win.
It's a win.
You win.
How do you spell it?
Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Um, yeah.
Uh, I, oh, W a Y D.
He's going to go.
You would just sneak in here.
Yeah.
I'm kind of supposed to be here, but why you're part of our house.
That's what I'm trying to kind of solidify.
If you know what I mean, know what I can do.
I can talk to the velourists that you can be in our house with us.
I did catch when you were throwing me around that you're the retainer.
Yeah.
Yeah, I am.
I wouldn't want you to do that even though that was kind of the goal of my infiltration
in the first place.
Why not?
Because now it feels kind of dirty.
I just now I'm confronting the bed and now it just kind of feel all kinds of dirty inside.
I think you're a good bard.
I think it would be good for us to have a bard in our house.
You worked really hard to get here.
If you could put in the word, but um, I'm sure velour would be more than happy to have
you in our house with us.
You know, I will make a song for you.
I'm not very good at music yet.
Why do you want to be a bard?
I just thought of it.
The freedom of it.
I can play it mean loot.
Like the thought of it.
What about it?
Freedom, the freedom of expression, the creativity, the getting out there in the world and getting
to quantify my experiences through the things, the events I have experienced, the pain I
felt through music and words and poems.
I'm not too confident yet in my abilities.
I think what you just said, you're a really good bard.
Thank you.
I feel bad now.
Why?
It just feels like I kind of like, I kind of like manipulated kind of.
No, no, no, cause I figured you out.
No, yeah, you did.
You did.
Yeah.
So it's not really manipulation cause I'm well aware of like what I'm looking at.
You know what I mean?
I took these gloves from the coat room.
They were just hanging out in someone's coat pocket.
That's okay.
Like, listen, this is the nicest dress I've ever worn and I stole it too.
No, it was bought for me.
It was made for me.
I look very nice.
I think I just feel kind of weird cause like I'm dressed for like a village festival and
she's like looking at what to say.
I mean, I like, I don't know how dresses are supposed to, like I took this.
So I still look cute though.
Yeah.
Okay.
So then that's all that matters.
Yeah.
You're adorable.
Thanks.
Cause you look good too, Pats up on the head.
That's I don't think that's a, I don't think that's a move on the dance floor, but okay.
Listen, we're improv-ing like all good bards do.
I love improv.
Yeah.
I don't.
You'll swing them under.
I don't, I don't, I don't, I don't, I don't, I don't.
Cause that's going on, we shift to, as you're slow dancing, slowly being swayed, Marcellus
goes, now I think a lot of people have already said this to you, but your reputation precedes
you.
Well, as does your families though.
I must admit, I don't really know that much about you compared to your parents.
I haven't exactly gotten the chance to reach that caliber just yet.
By the way, I do want to say, if you want to break out of the formula of the dance to
do whichever else, I also would not mind looking different on the dance floor.
You kind of like out of the corner of her eyes sees Lucia and thinks, and she goes,
you know, I think standing out isn't a bad idea right now.
I think the same.
You see, he breaks free from the formula enough, stepping out of the sway and just like, you
know, doing the thing, one hand behind the back, one hand, palm against yours as the
two of you spin.
And you see your dad on the side is like, fuck.
She sees that and she pushes it a little bit further.
He smiles.
Still within the realm, but like a little further.
He smiles a little bit.
And as he does, he just goes, I assume you are, I assume you are quite adept at flying.
I've been flying basically since I was born, so I would hope so.
Heard a lot about your, your wife at Phantom, was it?
There's a little spin.
That's right.
Do you like flying?
From a departure from my family.
But yes, I do quite enjoy flying.
I've been paired with my Mount Maximus for well over a dozen years by now.
That's wonderful.
I'd say we're the fastest.
And what kind of Mount is Maximus?
A wonderful opinionated Pegasus.
Oh, is that right?
Can't possibly be faster than us then.
But I'm sure in regards to other Pegasi.
Still if the first day of Iriben you want to be humbled with a loss to me, then he's,
he's, he has a little half smirk on his face.
There's not a single Pegasus on this planet that flies faster than Phantom does.
And he's been against dozens and dozens.
I don't think you've met anyone quite like Maximus.
And then I bet I could outrace you on any mount.
Doesn't have to be Phantom.
You know, when we get there, why don't we start then with to make it a little bit easier.
I could, I'll take one of their Pegasi.
I need to get a feel for how they fly there anyways.
I would want you to have any perceived advantages you want.
She goes, well, not an advantage.
I just thought it might even the playing field a little bit.
If I'm flying with an unfamiliar mount.
The two you stop spinning for a moment.
And as the two of your palms are against each other, he turns his hand this way.
If you turn your hand, it's like a handshake.
And he just goes, will you honor me with a race then?
Only if you can handle the humility of it.
I'm always looking for ways to improve.
Then I will have plenty to teach you.
Confident.
Just, um, it just goes, being so high, isn't, it'd be a really high fall from grace, wouldn't
it?
That's the thing is I don't really fall.
Oh my God.
You haven't met me.
And you haven't met me.
That much is true.
And the two of you, do you, do you shift your hand to shake hands?
Um, she, she's obviously giving the impression that she is going to go through with it, but
she doesn't shake his hand.
She just spins him.
Low key ship so hard.
I told you Emma would ship her with the first character.
I told you.
The rivals to lovers done.
Check done.
But not if I have to delete him from the game.
So I better win.
If he wins this ship never even existed in the first place.
He never even had the chance.
She says, um, she just pushes the conversation.
She goes, so do you have aspirations to be a knight like your parents?
That's a complicated answer.
Really?
I suppose I rebrand is going to be my chance to find out truly what I want.
I suppose you're, you're wanting to be Lord of your house.
I am, but there's, it's not the only thing I want.
I mean, I've been wanting to be the leader of I remember in for, well, basically since
my childhood.
So that's a start.
I have no, I have no doubts that you're going to be, does your, does your going to be wonderful
leader and I cannot wait.
I cannot wait to follow your example.
Yes.
Follow.
She says you'll do a lot of that in regards to everything else besides racing.
I'm confident.
Um, and, uh, he just goes and forgive me for, but forgive me.
I'm asking simple questions that many other people have asked you before.
I'm sure a million people have asked you if you want to, if you want to be Lord and if
you want to be leader.
I mean, the simple questions are the important ones, right?
You never, you never get tired of being asked, Oh, what's your name?
Right?
You just kind of accept that you're going to have to say it.
Correct.
And uh, um, you see that he, uh, he puts like, he, he, as your foot are kind of like splayed
as your ankles are together, he puts a foot between yours.
Uh, and it's like, it's like, Oh, it's distance.
Uh, another part of a slow dance, but it's like a more advanced version way later.
As he slowly, as he slowly leads and he just goes, any questions you wish people asked
you that no one has ever asked you before?
That's a hard one.
What's phantoms favorite pastime?
Oh, phantoms favorite game is one that we can't do that often for obvious reasons because
he likes to play chase and that terrifies people.
Chase.
And so, um, I used to, when I'd feed him birds back before that felt a little too like sad
and inefficient, they were more fun for him to hunt at least.
I don't think he's quite the gentle, he's quite the gentle creature.
He is when he wants to be.
He's he has very good control.
He says, but I bet he says, I bet he has that, well, obviously say, but like that hidden
veracity to him.
Perhaps if I can be bold, I can say just as much like you.
You know, they say we do take on our people say pets, but he's not really a pet.
I mean, if you, I assume for you and Maximus, it's the same.
I am very much in the same thought.
It's comforting to hear you say that actually.
Maximus at times feels like he is the boss.
And where did you get Maximus?
If you don't mind my asking.
Well believe it or not, Maximus was, and as that happens, the music stops.
And as the music stops, that's decided to shift to another partner.
We are going to see each other again, I suppose.
We will.
Thank you for the dance.
He turns around and he just goes, here's the sights of my back.
You're going to get used to it.
I'll take it in real good now because I don't think I'll get another chance.
Okay y'all, you can't tell me that was not spicy.
You're going to look at my ass now, babe.
Get a nice look.
As the dances continue, as a more lively song plays, as the night goes on, Lucia, you are
met with a plethora of dancers who are excited to dance with you and if there's a repeat
performance then you can, maybe there's regret.
And then they learn, and then they learn.
And then they learn and go, damn it.
The day goes on, eventually Quincy takes up hands with you, Velora.
No, no, I agreed not to dance with him so as to let Lucia be his best dancer of the
night.
That's right, that's right.
I avoid him.
But you see as the final dance comes around, his sister comes up to you, even though it's
been customary for people going to Irebrae and for other nobles of status dance with
you, she approaches and as she approaches you see other nobles, other men kind of like,
you got to move in front of her.
I ask her then as quickly.
And then she says, may I have a dance?
Oh, and you got to let it back away.
She just goes, I would be honored.
She steps in, she steps in front of you.
You know that the next dance is going to be a wild, phonetic, like, like fun dance.
How old is she again?
She's like, she's like 14, 15.
She's like much younger than Quincy.
She's not like little, little to like pick up though.
So into it.
Is that your teenager?
No, she's a teenager.
Like her whole family, she does not have an A on Mark and is an illegitimate child.
So even you knew when you were at House Garvey that there was a she tend to stick to the
shadow, the shadows of the room.
But Quincy had always loved her.
They come from the same mother and had always looked after her.
He got away with going to the mistress even more after Quincy for that many years.
I mean, he's the Lord.
So it makes sense.
But still, it was a, it was a horde affair when it was found out.
Quincy was hidden away.
It was bad.
She takes it and of course she does like, oh, right.
A curtsy.
She does a curtsy.
I hope I'm not offending at all by asking, but my brother has put, I have, says I have
learned to grow.
You have planted confidence in me throughout your showcases throughout the day.
I know that my brother introduced me, but can you use my name?
I prefer the name Sofette if that's all right.
Sofette?
Yes.
Of course.
It would be an honor.
I wouldn't not think, I would say I wouldn't want the people close to me to call me that,
but you're not exactly close to me as of yet.
But I would like to be your friend.
Then it's done.
Just like that, huh?
Well, you've been nothing but friendly towards me.
Thank you.
Truly.
Thank you.
And Lucia, as you're like looking around, a shadow of a hand kind of like almost imperceptibly
takes yours.
And before you, in like a little bit of a jump, you see Quincy already by your side.
He thinks she goes to full on like elbow because he thinks it's an attacker.
Like instinctively almost holds up his hand to block.
Oh, Quincy!
Careful!
If any of my previous observations are to go by, you might be the best dancer I danced
with all night.
Really?
And you see like she genuinely like her eyes like kind of sparkle.
She's like, I've been really okay.
I really I was the best.
I've dug a hole too deep.
And she'll she'll kind of relax into his arms and she goes, Harvey, listen, there's another
guy who's in our house and he's trying to sneak in and he stole gloves from the glove
closet.
You found him, right?
Isn't that so cool?
I saw him climbing through the window.
Oh, good for you.
He fell on his head.
I hope he's all right.
But I didn't tell anyone else.
It seemed like I was the only one who saw him.
Oh, don't tell.
We'll keep it a secret because he wants to be a bard and I think he'll be a good bard,
but he just doesn't really believe in himself right now.
But I think our house could use a bard.
Well, if he can play better than attempting to land from five feet at most, then perhaps
he could be a decent bard indeed.
Yeah.
Well, I got to learn how to ride a horse, too.
So like we've got a lot to do.
You know what I mean, Garvey?
Well if you can.
Well if your riding skills are better than your dancing, then I suppose you have a decent
chance.
You see, she's just kind of like beaming like that.
She did something right.
You know, he might be teasing her, but like she's so excited.
He just quietly goes, this is mean.
All right.
She goes, you're not being mean, you're being honest.
And it's really nice.
Currency in the, honesty is a currency in this world.
Believe it or not, not very valued much in this kingdom.
I don't know if that's true.
Give it time.
Well, it means a lot to me.
And hopefully doesn't devalue over time.
There's, there's, there's two ways to gain wisdom.
He's, he steps in front of you, ready for the music.
He's getting in his ready position.
And he just goes, time or pain.
I recommend you choose time.
Can I offer a third?
And she'll grab his hands and say, love.
I wish, but I'll keep your view.
I'll keep your viewpoint in mind.
And you ready to see my spin?
He just, he just spins.
And he just goes, the next one's a fast one.
And here we go.
And Lucia, you did not learn anything about the fast one.
Nope, but she is essentially the Energizer bunny.
So she's ready.
This one's the one she's most suited for.
This is the one she's ready for.
You feel as the music begins, a feeling similar to earlier when you were in the hallway in
front of the bathroom, you hear a, like a shaking, like a rupture in the earth.
You feel the area around you begin to shake and it seems like no one else has noticed.
And he just goes, ready?
Garvey, yeah.
Did you feel?
The music begins to pick up.
And he just go, and he, he, he starts to go.
As frantic feets begins to pick up, as people begin to spin and dance on the floor, this
is an unorganized, this is an unorganized, unorganized affair.
People are moving with jubilation.
They are, they are allowing whatever, whatever in their mind, whatever happiest they think
in their mind to guide their feet.
A slight structure to it, but unstructured by design.
As Valora, you are constantly trading partners.
People would, people would smile, this is a test of energy, of stamina more than anything.
As the music begins to pick up.
And Valora, Lucia, even though, even though that, even though that little rupture shook
you up earlier, the energy of the place suddenly, you are suddenly in taken by the energy of
the place.
And like, as, as the trepidation still hangs on you, you see, despite everything, everyone
around you is swept up in a, in a sweep of frantic, happy movements.
This has been the least structured, this whole event has been so far.
It has, this is the most free.
This is spontaneous.
This is how life should be.
This is how nature should be.
And then everything shifts.
The same room.
Smoke, fire.
The windows are broken.
A, a, a, a, a sky of smoke.
Of red.
Before you.
The music starts again.
Everything has restarted.
Everything, Quincy's in front of you.
He shifts off everything.
You are back where you are.
You feel a shake in the, a shake in the air.
Garvey, something's going to happen really bad.
He stops.
Um, stops to listen to you.
Even though every, everything's really loud, he can, he can hear you.
Um, he just goes.
He says, what's going to happen?
I have to answer Valora.
Shifts.
Red.
It says red in the air.
Um, you, um, you, you, um, in this, in this version you see, there's no shattered glass
on the ground.
Everything is pretty well appointed in this room, but there is a red glare that, that
bores through the windows.
You are alone in an empty space.
It feels cold.
You as your eyes mark about you step out.
The red is typically attributed to a dawn, but there is a darkness around the room that
says that it must be late.
Almost as you step beneath the window, you look up towards the sky and a red moon hangs
overhead.
That sounds familiar.
Like dancing, dancing Quincy's in front of you.
Everything has restarted.
Quincy, something wrong, something bad is going to happen.
Um, and he just goes, have more confidence in yourself.
Come on.
No, no, no, I don't mean the dance.
No, the red moon.
You are in the field.
My God, this is wild.
Fire.
The scattering of Lucia daisies.
This is the vision you've had of home, a fire, the first act of war you've ever seen.
Give me a perception check.
Oh no.
Um, come on.
I took proficiency in this.
That is going to be perception is 24.
You see before you something that your current mind shouldn't comprehend.
You have never seen anything like this before.
Of war, horses, scattering about people.
This the sight of people falling before you.
You did not see, you have not seen this view of this place before as the heat builds against
your cheeks.
People on horseback, uh, swinging their swords, killing, uh, killing other villagers.
Blood.
Visions of blood, of hurt.
You've heard of war.
You've heard about terrible at this.
And now for the first time when you were in raptured in the jubilation of freedom of,
of dance, of phonetic movement, now you are born the vision of war.
And yet for some reason, an unnatural clarity is nestled in the back of your head.
An understanding, not from your own wisdom, not from something of, not from the sum of
your choices in your experience in experiences in life.
But you see before you, you understand that all of this is a human story.
You see a woman standing on the shoulder of, of the dirt road.
Her voice muffled by the sounds of fire.
Screaming, begging.
A woman with cold deadened eyes, uh, makes her way up to her.
Callie Alderbrand.
Standing next to the place.
Standing next to the barn of which you have always witnessed the fires within.
Dance.
I think her face is incredibly pale.
And all the like joy is completely sapped from it as she's really like reeling.
Once he notes this, he looks and he immediately steps up and as he offers a hand towards you,
all of a sudden he bears the vision of another person.
A man wrapped in bandages.
You've seen depictions of, to put it lightly, to put it simply, he looks like a person from
the stories you've read.
He looks like a mummy.
Rather um, a rather broad shouldered uppermen.
He has, he has bandages cover burns that cover the entirety of his body.
Despite that, you feel something.
You're not sure.
You can't discern what it is.
In fact, you're going to have to give me a D with a hundred.
And you're going to have to roll over a 90.
How the fuck can I do that?
On roll 20.
No, I mean how the fuck can I go over 90?
There's no way.
No, a 10.
Not even close.
This man is a stranger to you.
You feel fire.
Fire has taken him.
Fire has enveloped him.
He is reaching out towards you.
You see the way his bandaged hands look, his gnarled hands.
He's reaching out towards you.
I think she screams.
His eyes are as you open your mouth to scream, nothing comes out.
His eyes are wide as if they're focused, as if you are the goal as he reaches out to as
he reaches out towards you to grab you.
It looks like he's going to grab you.
He just goes.
He's going to find you.
And as he touches you, a very gentle hand is placed on your shoulder.
As you see Quincy goes, wait, come on, let's get you off.
Audience reroll, does that count?
No.
Damn it.
So wait, I'm so sorry.
Was that last line, Tim?
You see as he touches you, the hand is gentle and it's Quincy now.
And he just goes, come on, let's get you off the floor.
She's like heavily breathing, like sweat is pouring down her face because I don't think
she's ever had that many visions.
In a row.
So in a row.
So I think she's completely like drained and like almost feels sick.
I tried, thanks Drag.
You know, I think Dragmire's earned one by this point.
That's gotta be her dad.
That's her dad, isn't it?
I'll give it to Dragmire that any point in the future, I'll give you one that if they
ever roll and you don't like it, I'm giving Dragmire draws this specifically.
He can ask for a reroll for only one roll.
Yay, Dragmire, you got a reroll.
Yay, Dragmire.
He's like what?
I'll give it to Dragmire because he's been amazing.
Yup.
Timmy's been very anti reroll and the rewards and stuff because it could get out of hand.
So this is special.
Save it well for us, Dragmire, save it well.
You see Quincy begins to take your hand and he hands you a handkerchief.
I think she's like, she's starting to shake now and she'll take it and gone is the chipper,
you know, cheery and in places like just a kind of quiet shell shocked little girl as
she tries to dab her face and she just mumbles, thanks, sorry, sorry, sorry, thank you.
No, it's all right.
Sorry.
Come on, let's get you safe.
As he takes you off the floor and he just goes, do you want to go somewhere more away
from eyes or?
Yeah, I think I might puke.
All right, outside.
He's directing you outside.
Valora, you are swept up in the dead.
This is the funnest this has been.
You see that impromptu dance battles take place.
People like people are like surrounding people who are just like trying to out dance each
other's stamina wise.
But at some point in time, you find yourself standing before Sofette.
She looks at you, she goes, oh, I couldn't.
She goes, here, can I try something?
Yeah.
OK.
And then she tries to pick her up and like flip her over her shoulder because she's smaller.
So go ahead and go ahead and give me a performance check.
If you drop her, I swear to Christ.
Performance.
Let's see.
Let me double check this.
It's not about a distraction.
I get I get advantage on distractions.
But oh my gosh, a nine.
Like my.
She as you you flip her as you flip her over.
You OK, I'll give me an athletics role real quick now.
That's not going to be better.
Five.
Oh my God.
I'm not going to.
You attempt to flip her over.
She starts like she's like, oh, like her feet thrash a little bit, the little bit of thrashing
as she tries to stabilize herself like, oh, oh, you find yourself slipping.
Can I try to make another performance check to save at the end when this inevitably goes
bad?
Give me a performance.
I'm going to roll horrible again.
You ready?
Ten.
Oh my God, Jenny.
What the fuck happened?
She's going to make a she's going to make a dexterity saving 12.
I have plus six to performance, by the way, guys.
I was having a gladiator Friday.
You try to bend down to catch it, but she's fallen faster than you can crouch.
But you see that she just barely meets the DC of 15.
She lands.
She three points landing.
She looks to you.
She just goes, was that intended?
I mean, not the part where you slipped a little bit, but you did it.
Good job.
OK.
I made it.
I thought that would that went a lot better in my head.
It's a little comforting, actually.
Really?
Everything's going to go perfectly better in our head.
Well, if you take comfort in that, all the better.
And I won't I won't do it again.
I wouldn't mind trying again sometime that line, but I'm still on the adrenaline rush
from it.
And you see and you do see Marcellus in a distance going to like, kind of like, kind
of like, kind of like, OK, I didn't see it.
I'm not I'm not audience to it.
OK.
Now, now we actually have to do something good to show.
I mean, no one in particular, but all of them.
Are you looking at someone?
What happened?
No, no, no, no, no one in particular.
And she'll do something a lot safer, but still like not like I could no risk of falling on
the head.
But like, try to try to do something flashy.
So, OK, give me a performance check.
Let me double check because I feel like.
Oh, no, no, no.
OK, I see.
I see.
In my any armor I wear is considered flamboyant, which gives me advantage on performance.
But this isn't arm. I'm not armored right now.
I see.
So, OK, unless you were your padded.
I hold it not 20.
Yeah.
26.
Timmy's favorite number.
My favorite number.
Even better.
Triple click.
Take that, Marcellus.
You just have to have Marcellus watching you.
Yeah, that's all it took was like, I need to fight someone.
A spin and a very natural and a very natural dip where her arms are or her arms are displayed.
Very flashy catches the center of attention.
You see everybody's like there is a sudden wall like as you do as you do your flourish
with so fat and she's breathing hard, but she has this big dumb smile on her face.
She just goes, OK, a lot more confidence in that one.
I just had to get warmed up.
And then you hear, whoa.
And then you look and you see Marcellus has done your flip move with someone else and
successfully does it.
Stop.
Oh, my God.
He's such a flirt.
And he he throws his arm to the side as he as everybody goes, whoa.
And everybody's all of a sudden, the attention is taken.
Everyone's like super impressed with that.
She she goes.
Are you open to be?
No, no, we're not doing that again.
I could actually drop you.
Just goes here.
How about this?
He did your thing.
Yeah.
Yeah, I'm not going to let that we're going to do something better.
OK, ready?
She's like grabs her race and she's and she's trying to throw her into the air, but spinning
her in the air and then tries to run to the other side of her and to like grab her hands
when she comes down.
Performance check.
I'll give you a chance to join this one for your previous net 20.
I'll give you a bit of this one.
You're on the groove.
You're in the groove.
I do.
I do get like, you know, crits and 21 20 was the DC.
Oh, my God.
That that as you as you as she spins in the air, she goes, oh, you run over to the side
with swiftness and alacrity.
I'm extra fast.
Only you can afford.
Yeah.
You are definitely afforded that speed and you catch her.
People are stunned by the show of like athleticism.
And you and as she lands, she's the most fun I've ever had in a very long time.
Then we should keep going.
You're very good.
You're really good.
And Marcellus will.
She's going to try to while he's going to be doing something while he's doing something,
inevitably, she tries to do something at the same time so that nobody even looks at what
she's going to do.
If I can, I will say he rolled the content with yours.
He rolled one more than you on both roles on his role.
Oh, my gosh.
It's the atom.
It's Adam is.
Oh, gosh.
I was she was going to try to do something at the same time as him when she sees him
gearing up to do something.
And this time she uses her mark to she to she she kind of like whispers to her like,
here, do like this dance move for like they're moving like in a certain direction, like where
you do like the arms under.
But then she's going to teleport them to trade places when they do it.
Oh, you're changing places with the so fat, right?
Yes.
OK.
And as I have it, as he's about to copy your move again, but about to literally just do
it better, you you hear the thrumming of your blood is is felt as your as your A on Mark
glows.
As it happens, eyes are naturally drawn towards you.
And you don't even have to roll up a performance check for this one.
The eyes are on you.
As all of a sudden, these two people who are coiled together and dancing, the sudden shift
of the sudden flumph of movement, the sudden the sudden force takes the two of them as
a light steals them away for a second.
And then they reappear switching places.
And she just goes, oh, oh, it looks at you in your eyes.
She looks so enthralled.
And Mars, you see, Marcellus looks at you and just kind of gives you a look like, all
right, can't do that.
His Mark, I'm just kidding.
And you see, he bows his head to the to the to the girl he he was dancing with, and she
just goes, can't do that one, can you?
He just goes, I can't.
And walks up towards you.
And you see the people kind of like circling around the both of you.
I feel like this is only this is only the natural conclusion of all of this now.
What is?
Me besting you in the middle of the stance floor.
If that's what you're trying to do, I don't think you're doing that great of a job.
Shall we?
He goes, you'll have to excuse me to her to so fit.
Get his ass.
And yeah, dance.
As the two of you get ready to dance as the music reaches a crescendo, we quickly head
outside to Lucia by her lonesome with Quincy.
As your as as your sweaty pumps meet the cold stone of the outside on a you are met with
a full moon, a dark night, the light of the cityscape outside.
It's a beautiful sight, but that's not what your mind's on right now.
Sorry, Quincy.
When our last dance.
Your health is much more important.
I'm not too.
I'm not too hindered on a dance.
There's going to be many more in the future after all.
Quincy.
You ever feel like.
Your gifts in life are actually curses.
Hands behind his back.
I will admit.
Though that was a Hail Mary, that was a quite a question you threw upon me.
It does hit.
Very specific spot.
Yes, I feel that.
I was given this gift by the gods.
I see such horrible things.
I know I'm supposed to help.
I don't know how.
Hands behind his back, looking out towards the moon.
He just goes.
Perhaps it's going to have to be an answer of discovery.
That you're going to have to piece together in the future.
I know what it feels like to be frustrated that you don't have all the answers right
now before you.
But the truth is it just takes time.
I don't.
She gives you, she like loses an eyebrow at you.
And perhaps love.
She chuckles.
I don't know what exactly you have going on.
But I hope you find peace.
Well, I feel better now.
So thanks.
Let me get some punch for you.
I'll be right back.
Okay.
Steps out.
As he steps out, as you're left with the cool, the coolness of the air outside.
Further, further down, you did not see, you did not see a person there before.
You see a robed individual with their hood up, standing at a good head of height above
you.
Just goes.
It is natural to be scared, to be fearful of what you see.
For now, it is the unknown after all.
Okay.
Hello Lucia.
Hello.
Do not be afraid.
Who are you?
She says at the same time as you.
No, who are you?
The sign.
She says at the same time.
As she goes, no, who are you?
At the same time as you.
And then she just goes, she says questioningly to the figure before her, who is predicting
everything she says.
I can see what I can see.
Her eye, her head turns towards you.
An old woman.
She is an older woman with kind of like, she has like, her eyes are completely like whitened
and paled.
Red robe.
She has her fingers padded together.
And she just goes.
Hello child.
Hello.
It's true.
Yes.
I've known you for quite some time now.
The truth is.
Our union here is going to be kept quite short.
Looks out into the moon.
You saw it, didn't you?
One sky choked with black and another with a crown of red.
Red moon.
Yes.
Lucia.
Yes?
There are going to be trials and tribulations ahead of you.
To speak lightly.
Being the obvious, of course.
But know that you will become so impossibly wise and knowing.
Okay.
I'm Clarice.
Clarice?
I've wanted to see you for so long.
Well here I am.
You can come visit me anytime.
I wish that was true.
Can I find you?
She points.
The unscaled rise.
But there are people who will not have you come be with us.
Who's us?
The ladies of the mountain.
Do I know what that is?
The cybals.
Oh.
Maybe I can find you after I help Elora.
That will be an endeavor in of itself.
And perhaps there are some things that you cannot help follow her with.
I'll try.
She's my friend.
You cannot stop.
You cannot stop it when her house falls.
I can try.
You can.
And you will become so wise through it.
Her eyes shift, and she just goes,
One day we will speak again.
Bye Clarice.
When you, when your eyes have naturally taken a different shape.
And you are found by some people who are seeking you.
She's gone.
Like a shift.
In reality.
As the door opens, and you see Quincy.
And she's been punched in the hand.
Walking over towards you and handing it over to you.
Velora is ending circles over around someone at the moment.
Mediocre at best.
Drinks.
What did he say? Maybe?
I don't know.
She's the best dancer out there.
No, she's not.
Oh, are you the best dancer then?
The best says the best dancer who actually knows how to move and doesn't
feel around like a chicken, yes.
Yes.
She laughs.
Goes,
At least I'm a cute chicken.
What? I think I'm pretty cute. I've got my pretty dress on and flowers in my hair.
Are you looking for approval from me?
You want to give approval to me?
It's a dress.
Yeah.
How are you feeling now?
She makes a sip of the punch and gives him a smile.
Are you doing the chicken dance with me?
And she starts to flap her arms.
Well, seeing as I'm wilvers and hunting them, perhaps if you want to make yourself a suitable target during training, then yes.
Yes, Connor.
You can be a chicken as much as you want.
Yeah, I'm going to be a chicken and I'm going to make you do the chicken dance with me and she's going to try to come up behind him and flap his arms.
That's going to see you're feeling better. He's avoiding it.
Exactly. And I think she's going to try to like, he's dodging her. She's trying to bob and weave and try to grab his arms.
Not so close to the edge now. Be careful.
Oh, that's right. We already had one guy fall on his face today. We don't want to have two.
Yeah. Well, if you're in high spirits, then you haven't danced with a velour yet.
No, I should. I'm her retainer.
Have you finished the punch yet? Maybe you do need some liquid courage.
An alcoholic.
And she downs the whole thing.
It's not alcoholic, but it's not like alcohol will help, will improve your dancing abilities.
How dare you, Garvey. I am the king of the chicken dances.
I don't dare very much. That's not a title to be proud of.
I should be very proud of my chicken coop dances. Thank you very much.
I argue otherwise. Perhaps there are other things you can be more prideful of.
And she's like popping up and down. Trying to bug him.
I am more proud of the fact that you are using your ability to stand on your feet.
Well, wait until we get to Ira Brin and then I'm going to be mopping you with the floor when we do the fighting things.
You sound confident.
Yeah, yeah, just you wait. I'll get you.
I can wait a little bit.
Okay.
And then she's like, she's really kind of making her way to the door before she opens it to go back in to dance with the lor.
She'll turn back and go.
Really, thanks.
It's nothing.
It's everything.
She'll give a little wave and go back inside.
You come back in.
Valora, you have a natural stamina because of everything.
You see Marcella sweating.
She's getting really close to calling Phantom over to assist with the move.
Phantom's like, she's very close.
And before you get to Phantom, she's like, all right, all right.
As he stops, everyone's like, whoa.
Excuse me.
She kind of does.
Well done.
If I may, as your retainer, take your final dance as your cool down for the evening.
Absolutely.
She looks she's trying not to look tired.
Do I notice that?
Make an insect check.
And you make you make a deception.
Just trying to hide your tiredness.
Okay, don't.
Eighteen.
Oh, I can beat that.
And I did not.
I did not.
She looks great.
She can go all day.
She's crazy.
Wow.
You really danced that long with Marcellus?
Well, I don't know if I'd call it with Marcellus, she says, looking at him.
It's all right.
She'll like take you in the dance and she'll go.
Good job, Valora.
You really let him know who's boss.
I'm not going to have to do it again when we get to school, apparently.
He he rides a Pegasus and he's determined that he can beat me at a race.
And just you don't even have to have seen me.
I mean, I guess you did see me fly.
But I was going to say, you don't even have to see me to know.
Like you had to believe me that I'm nobody will ever beat me in that category.
Remember that.
No one can ever beat you.
OK.
Well, in racing.
Sure.
But if you had a fun time, how'd everything go?
Oh, yeah, I had a good time.
Learn some new things.
I think school is going to be a little hard for us.
But I think if we do it together, if we try our best, we'll be OK.
It will be.
I know it will.
Our house will be strong no matter what.
That's right.
And it's going to be a lot of fun.
And we can always rebuild if things fall.
I don't.
I know it's been a lot like a lot has been flung on you all at once.
But that's not going to happen.
It's just school.
It's a war school.
Yeah, but it'll be a lot of fun.
Laura, can I tell you something?
Are you OK?
And move your feet.
The music picks up.
Tell you later.
And she swings you around.
She's like, well, you can tell me now.
I'll tell you later.
She's swinging you around.
Are you taking her off her feet and like swinging her around?
Yes.
Make a performance check.
If you roll low, you might hit somebody.
Can I assist?
Yeah, you can assist.
It's your me.
A one and a nine.
All right, so with Laura's help, you don't you don't use her as a weapon to collide into like another couple.
You see, Laura's controlling her body.
All of a sudden, you use you, Laura, you like control your body enough where you barely collide with your back against someone else.
But you feel like the inches between like, well, sorry.
I think because like Lucy is so stressed and she wants to tell her it's like infused into the movement.
Right.
Like, yeah, you feel like digging into her hand.
But hey, Lucy is kind of strong.
You're gathering.
You're really strong.
Wow.
That's good.
Here, let me show you something.
I'm stronger.
She goes, what?
Tries to plant her feet on the ground, finally, and she goes, here, I'll show you.
This is the one I did with.
Well, this is one of the easier ones I did earlier.
She does not the first move, but the one she got, she rolled really good on that wasn't as hard when she was trying to recover with the sister because she's too tired to do anything jumpy, spinny, too crazy.
All right. Both of you make a performance check.
The DC is a little lower.
Okay, I've got plus zero guys.
So 19.
Oh, um, Valora is a great leader on the dance floor right for now, you know, but you see, but you see you follow along, you know, just what to do and then a little dip and flourish on your end.
As a Valora holds you and you are the natural followings that you flourish with your arms to the side.
This is the victory lap.
Basically, she says, looking at myself.
Stick it to him.
You see them ourselves has given up on the dance floor.
He's drinking.
He's drinking punch now.
And you see he waves at with a phantom phantoms like, like, got your ass.
As the dance continues.
For you, see how the wind picks up.
And as the as the happiness continues, Flora's, you know, false, false, not as as everything's full body around you.
You hear in your head.
This will end.
The happiness.
You look at the happiness around you.
The smiles of people, the peace.
And in regards to all of that, something in the back of your head says this will end.
Why are the gods so fucking depressing?
You wanted to play this.
I'm so happy.
I'm so thrilled.
You won't be.
I won't be.
It's going to hurt.
Maybe I'm ready.
I'm ready to be hurt.
I'm ready to be here.
Welcome to D and welcome to TRBG.
Eventually, the music ends.
Feet are sore.
Sweat has been sweated.
But it was something to cap off and energetic.
An eventful, an eventful day as the two of you are standing in front of each other.
You know, gasping at the what just what just happened.
Um, yeah, you guys are tired.
Anything you guys want to say to each other?
Well, thanks.
Thank you.
And figure it out no matter what.
Sounds like a plan.
And I think she just as she sees like Velora smile and respond to her, she just keeps hearing in her head, like, this will all end.
This will all end.
The head of the house.
Bring claps.
It goes refreshments are available and just the closing celebrations are to take place outside in the front of Castle Gimli.
There's more.
You just know that there's like an ending like little celebration.
That's it.
There's like no more dancing at least.
Free me.
As everyone had as everyone heads out.
You see, so fat, so fat goes up to Quincy and just goes, just goes Quincy Quincy.
And then she spun me and then she she flipped him.
That didn't go well, but I saved myself.
And then someone else, someone else copied her and did it.
And that made me so angry.
I wanted to get back at that guy so bad.
I'm glad you had fun.
Marcelo Marcellus just kind of like gives you an it kind of gives you an odd of Laura from afar.
And a little a little smile that says this isn't over.
Oh, no, no, they they don't just be dumb, baby.
The two of you are left with each other and and Lucia, you have these visions in your mind.
Wait, you're on the wait on your mind.
Before the music took you away, you were going to tell us that the full Laura.
I'll wait until they get to school.
She goes.
Well, we better get going. But, you know,
a really good way to cool off is being like high in the air at night.
Go fly.
I think we might have to, you know.
Oh, yeah.
And she's going to push off until telling like this is not the time to tell the Laura, you know,
like about all these things, this is a time for them to celebrate and at least look forward.
Something with hope.
With Laura, that just makes too much sense.
The two of you make your way over to Phantom. Phantom sees the both of you. He's excited that you're finally here now.
You finally come over to him.
All right. Ready for a flight.
And she she'll help Lucia get on first to strap her into the saddle.
Definitely like laughing on trying to like scramble up.
Strapping the legs onto the saddle.
What do we have to do? Oh, clocks in that they might fall out.
She goes, I'll be good, though.
And she just jumps on behind her.
And she's clinging to you.
And she says.
His fear, Phantom.
Stepping out to the back. Cool air.
You feel his scales loosen. He's excited.
And Lucia, as you hang on, you hear Velora speak this word in another language that you don't understand before you can even register it.
Powerful launch.
Are you OK?
Just screaming powerful launch out into the powerful launch out into the air.
Phantom doesn't the Phantom Phantom doesn't ease back.
As Lucia, you are.
For the like for maybe the first time in your life, you you leave the earth behind.
You are calling you are calling it a friend.
You're going to come back a long time friend, but you're not going to see them for a little bit.
You're just going to say goodbye for now and come back later.
That's the first time you've ever done that.
As all of a sudden, the stars in the air become much closer than ever before.
The sky is so clear right now, dotted with these with an array of with an array of bright bangles, bright bangles, currently a light in the air.
And for the first time, Lucia.
You are not a witness to them.
It feels like you are among them.
Oh, beautiful as cool as cool air brushes past you faster than faster than you could ever run.
You see beyond the walls of the you see beyond the walls of the of the city.
You see that you see treetops, you see long sprawling fields of green.
You see a city illuminated by torches as a skyscape that is so decorated and vast and beyond anything that you can imagine.
This is what happens when a boat leaves the dock.
And and to think you are going to be farther and you're going to see so much more and so much new.
Fireworks erupt in the air, the closing ceremony.
I didn't know they were doing fireworks. I didn't look at the itinerary.
I think she's just like clinging even tighter to Valora in awe.
Steers to make sure they're not going to be in a blast.
They can watch in the air.
You're definitely pretty far.
But like, oh, yeah, that was kind of spooky a little bit because you could be next to them.
But you're as as these dazzling displays take to the air.
A thought quickly hits you, Valora, like, oh, yeah, your dad had a surprise for you and your mother.
And it's not often you get too much air traffic.
It's not often that there's something bigger than bigger than you and Phantom in the air.
But like, hey, what is what is that?
And that's like all the fireworks and stuff as you see this large figure two propellers in the air and a light crystal in the embedded in the middle.
You see, you see this very you see this long, large airship.
Now she gets to see Valora. She's like, do you see that?
Let's see what it's an airship.
What is what?
I've only seen one like twice in the air and she's like almost shaking you.
Yeah, but I'm not locked in.
So she says you're not locked in and she just clings to you really, really tightly.
It's OK. It's OK. We just have to steer.
What if you fall off?
No, no, I was just saying don't shake me is all. I'm fine.
I've done this a million times.
I'm not ready for a second to go to the first right now.
I can take a fall anyways.
It's no big deal.
And I'm not going to fall.
How far down that is?
I've fallen from worse.
The airship sails.
It has the models you've seen before, they have like little air like it's like a glimpse, but these ones just have straight up sails and propellers.
This is like a good one.
She's like she'll try to fly him close a safe distance away, but for like the like try to get alongside it, but not close enough to be any danger to anyone.
And you see on the airship, there are people like running there like people running around.
It's like, wait a second, you identify some of these people.
Wait, is that Rudra?
You see Rudra's carrying like a flag and as people are getting ready, like come on, come on, come on.
And they unfurl a large, this like very like very large flag like the flags they fucking have at halftime show at the Super Bowl.
And they unfurl it over the side of the ship and hanging overhead of the of the of the city of the crown city is the flag of House Athanlea.
She's like, well that's wow.
I never thought they would do something like that.
It's a good apology gift from your dad.
Oh gosh.
She was like,
so she'll fly closer now to and see if Rudra notices her.
Rudra kind of like looks down.
And then like, of course, her senses are sharp. She looks up at you and she does a double take.
That's my night, she says.
She waves.
I guess we better go find my dad.
Okay, you don't have to actually that's a me problem.
And then she goes to fly down to the ground.
I'm your retainer.
Whatever you need.
Thanks.
I'm not going to ask you to be in the line of fire of my dad though.
Ever.
You fly downwards towards the front of the castle.
You see everybody's looking up at all at the at the dazzling display.
You immediately see your dad and your mom.
Your mom was like screwing your mom like squeezing his arm really tightly just jumping up.
She's been doing this for a while.
That review was like a few minutes ago.
She goes, is that the surprise?
You come over and she just goes, we own an airship.
We own an airship now.
Where are we even going to put it?
I don't know, but it's ours.
We can like, oh god, we need to buy more land.
Where are we going to put it? Where are we going to put it, Eric?
So we're going to we're taking an airship to Irobrin now, right?
That's how we're getting to Irobrin now?
No, no, no.
Why wouldn't we? We have an airship.
Because I have dedicated land at home to put this, but we're going to have to.
It's going to have to be safe.
We're going to have to be really safe and responsible with it.
It's one of the only airships in Anor now.
And we can take it to Irobrin and back. They can take it back.
I won't keep it there.
Sabine goes granted.
You can do that.
I've never flown one. I've got I have to learn how to fly it.
You probably won't have time.
I'm going. I have a week.
I'm glad you like it.
She wants to say thank you, but she's still mad at him.
So she's like not she stops herself.
Sabine does say that out loud.
She goes, I'm still mad at you.
But yeah, me too.
Well, we can talk about it later.
But for now, this is for the both of you.
You're pretty cool.
You bruised my arm.
He says to Sabine, don't worry about that now.
It's like this airship.
Oh, you know, you know, the roads are the roads can be a little dangerous.
Sometimes there's like rocks and tripping hazards on them.
It's safer to take the airship.
There's no air bandit.
Thanks. And he just goes, there are air bandits.
OK, but they're not common in the continent across from us.
Oh, that's cool.
I mean, it's not cool that they.
They're stealing stuff, but that's so cool.
There are air pirates. Black guards.
The starts, starts.
Black guards.
I didn't even think of it when I thought of that.
I was like, oh, black guards are babies.
I heard a lot about the black guards.
Black guards.
They're criminals.
OK, but like pirates are like a different kind of criminal.
Nice to our children, OK?
Whatever.
It's like, OK, don't ruin the airship moment.
Criminals can be cool.
It looks up at the fan.
You say to the head of security of your seat.
The moment, the moment is shared.
Eventually, the high fives down.
She just goes, she just goes.
All right. Wow.
OK, I get a problem.
I couldn't sleep tonight.
You could sleep on the airship.
And he just goes, not tonight.
Does it have beds?
Yes.
It has beds, right?
It has beds, yes.
It has beds on the airship.
It has cannons.
It has it has 72 cannons.
And and an arc gun set out in the front of it.
OK, and we can shoot.
When can we shoot?
Not here, but like I asked him specifically to disable it.
Not permanently.
Well, they can activate it again if we get the specialist, but only when you're only when I think you are ready for a responsibility like that.
What if I what if we were flying?
No, never mind.
OK, later.
Sure.
Flying first.
Imagine a future where, like, everyone goes everywhere with airships.
It's going to be like, but it's going to be dark all the time.
Because they're going to black out the sun.
Or what if they're like clear though, like glass?
Oh my gosh.
But I feel like that's going to be like in your time when you're when you're Lord.
I'll have to figure out how to do like sky roads.
I wish I could help you, dear.
I have zero knowledge on sky roads.
Um, I'll I'll figure it out if it comes to that.
Um, eventually you get the feeling that people are you see people are gathering their coats, someone inside is like, hey, where's my coat?
And he goes, I think my gloves fell out of my front pocket.
People are gathering up and leaving.
And people, as you as you leave, people are leaving.
They, of course, saying goodbyes and shaking your hand and things like that.
I might have been too excited to unstrap Lucia to show her how she remembers.
She's like, oh, no, no, no.
She just hasn't left her seat here.
Oh, yeah, you help her out.
I was me and Phantom were just talking.
That's all. Oh, he loved he loves conversations.
I'm very good at it.
You help Lucia down.
Um, and you're you said you were saying hello again to the earth.
You gotta go back up.
We will.
Um, you are flooded with goodbyes and handshakes and you to Lucia best of like goodbyes, best of luck, all things like that.
Best of luck to you. Best of luck to you and everything.
And some people see you there, see you at school excited, excited to have you as my leader.
You see the Garvey's eventually got the Garvey who was sloshed comes up trying to maintain.
He he has his coat on and he's wearing it over his arm now.
He just goes best of luck to the both of you.
Thank you, Lord Garvey.
The both of you are so small.
Well, when I'm comparing to you, not that small, though.
Little tipsqueak, little small.
OK.
But I know you can do so much.
Thanks. Your mom was also very small.
Come on, let's go.
Um, the Garvey brothers, the sons all kind of like give you a little bit rougher.
They give you like they kind of give you like a sort of pats around your like your shoulders and arms.
You got this.
You see Walton Garvey, the little middle, little middle child already already already taller than you.
Whoa. When did that happen?
Just just goes, you got this for us.
Just witness valor.
Witness valor.
And of course, Quincy with so fat. I just said he he's put his he's put his coat over so fat.
He's just got his white undershirt on now.
He just gives you both a nod.
See you there.
And walks on.
You can see his you can see you you you can see the bombs better around his hip now that he has the coat off.
The goodbyes are had. Go ahead.
No, it's OK.
The goodbyes are had.
She say by the Marcellus.
He's too tired.
Marcellus Marcellus walks by eventually.
Not one of those not not one of those noble nobles who can really come up.
He's not notable. He does come up, though.
And you see his mother and father, both members of the council, both really refined people.
She gives them respectful, respectful greetings and nods.
Walks up to you just goes, young lady, you caused quite a storm.
Oh, well, I.
I don't try, she says.
If you're if you're ten, if your leadership at Irobrin is anything like.
If it's if it's any amount of eventful as a ceremony today,
then I will be watching your career with a vested interest.
There was a little bit of there was a little bit of a little bit of a talk between the councils, council members about your decision.
But I assure you, there are many more people here, me included, me included and my husband here.
Who have absolute confidence.
In what you chose and what you've done.
Thank you.
And I won't let anyone.
I won't let anyone cut you at your knees.
I appreciate that.
Marsalis, introduce yourself.
We've already done that.
Yes, we've met.
Yes, we have.
She goes, what happened here?
You see, Lucy just goes,
um, and he just goes.
I said to have you as my leader
and excited to learn from you, as I'm sure you are excited to to gain some amount of perspective from me.
Oh, I'm sure I will.
I.
But I'm always happy to teach humility.
She says with a laughter to her parents, no, she's joking.
He laughs too.
And he goes, oh, an offer to teach humility.
Is that in itself?
I mean, we've already started today, haven't we?
Well, perhaps.
Preview says the view previous seconds, notwithstanding.
Perhaps I can also do the same.
You can try.
Offers hand to shake.
She shakes his hand.
A little bit of a smirk.
Congratulations, truly.
Thank you.
And the family of nights excuse themselves.
The crowd passes and eventually your mother goes, all right.
Long day.
Valora, you were, of course, you were fantastic today.
You were a little bit of a mess.
Excited to really get to see what you do for the next three years.
But.
Me and me and Valora and it's been it's a little late now.
We kind of have to.
Can I retire for the night?
I think she did.
Oh, I can see you're a little tired to Lucy.
So.
Oh, you better get to bed.
Wi-Fi game out, she says.
No.
Oh, no, she's still typing.
What a time.
Oh, gosh.
We started the show with us frozen.
And now to me, read the monologue, read the monologue.
Whoa, whoa, whoa. I can save her.
What is this? Timmy, the endowment of the endowed warrior narrate and a narrator of song of when suddenly became frozen.
That's weird.
All right. Wait. Oh, oops.
Here's a difficult to see guys.
Secret scene, secret scene.
Whoa.
Well, we were very, very close to the ending anyhow.
You didn't read the monologue.
That should never come back.
A woman stands on the shoulder of a dirt road begging and in tongue made obsolete by fire to enter the village where her house sits has sat for decades.
It is a human story.
Anyone can tell it.
Can you tell can you tell the rain has grown heavy.
It's keystrokes peppering the blue shot black is it.
Is she back yet?
No.
How did she did she read this?
How does she do it?
This is like, oh, it can only be done by experts.
Well, we'll give it a few.
She I said I said it.
She said I don't know how long it will take to get the Wi-Fi back.
I said, it's OK.
We were at the end anyways because damn it, I wanted the shipy snark.
People are people are ready to like this is like people are ready to romance in this game.
Yeah.
Oh, boy.
Well, super excited.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
My mom was talking to that she was like, yeah, it's getting really late.
And then she's like, well, you look tired, too, actually.
Are we still streaming?
Yes, we're still streaming.
Yes, I'm very tired and I'm going to go to bed now before my Wi-Fi cuts out again.
All right. Well, it's getting late.
But, you know, I can't wait to see what you do for the next three years.
You're going to do great.
See you in a week, but preferably a couple of days before, you know, just to get ready.
I mean, have you ever seen Why can't I think of the name of my city right now?
I've been avoiding it, too, because I forgot.
I mean, if you've never seen Born Adam, you'll you'll really like it.
It's really, really nice.
We're going to be great.
And I'll be there for you in a few days.
You want me to send someone for you?
Send the airship, send the airship to pick her up.
You can show Arnold on the airship.
Looks to Eric and Eric's like we should it should be it should be a trip to Irabrim.
I'll send her the airship.
I'll see about the details about how to charter and everything, but we'll see.
All right.
Hey, get home safe.
OK, I will.
Thank you.
Do you want do you want my knight's ring?
I'll ask you here to escort you home.
That's OK. I have my protector.
All right.
In that case, we will see you shortly.
See you guys soon.
Never too late to change your mind.
Just making that clear.
Don't worry.
I'm not going anywhere.
Good.
I'll see you soon, Valora.
I'll see you soon.
Tethered now undeniably.
Two girls who have now touched the skies together and have flown among the stars are fated for the future.
A future that apparently one day will end.
Orië takes to your side as she walks alongside you, Lucia, and Valora, you make your way towards your family's end.
Your mother is like, oh my gosh, just hit me.
We have an airship.
Really happy.
But there is still a thickness from, you know, your father and some unresolved.
That will get addressed later on.
Lucia.
Everything feels so quiet now, relative.
You almost fall back into the piece that is.
What was once your everyday life.
But you know that one day the noise of your everyday life will be different and it will be new and it will be something else to get.
Something else.
But with everything you've seen today, this possibly can't be over.
You're going to be seeing things that no one else has seen.
Whatever the case, the future has become the most uncertain ever for you.
That can be exciting and that can be scary.
And it's definitely both.
You reach your house.
Aurier watches as you as you reach the door and open it.
And she just goes, good night.
And she turns and walks.
You open the door to a quiet house.
You walk along the park.
A little cool in here, too.
Your footsteps feel a little heavy as they fill the sound of the house.
Arnold should be here.
You walk along the house and like the torches, it's dark in here.
And not here in the living room, not in the kitchen.
You walk into the bedroom.
As the door slowly creaks open.
You do see a figure in bed.
No sound coming from him.
He's not breathing.
Unmoving.
No.
She'll run over to him.
No, you run over to see Arnold before you.
Still, she starts casting cure wounds and healing word.
And as you get as you get as you get ready to heal.
As you bring your hand close to him.
She's just going to bed.
Did you have a good day, Petal?
You scared me!
I was sleeping.
You need to take better care of yourself.
It was the most I moved today.
I heard you fainted.
Yeah.
What's going on?
Time.
Simply time.
Well, you're tough.
I know.
But, take it easy.
Rest.
I have to.
I do.
If I want to see you grow into something resplendent.
That's right.
Because, like, I'm not celebrating Saint's Day
all by myself.
You are not going to forget to write letters to me, right?
I'm going to write you letters every single day.
And, like, I think she kind of, like, curls up next to him
like she used to as, like, a little girl.
And just kind of cuddles into him.
I'm going to write. And guess what?
I flew.
And flying.
And you went into the sky.
I went into the sky so close I could see
the gods themselves.
Oh, you saw the gods.
Not really. I saw the stars.
But you know what I mean?
All right. Stars and gods
are different fundamentally.
Are they though?
Yeah. Yeah, kinda.
I mean, yes.
And she just kind of, like,
I think she'll fall asleep there
much like when she was a little girl.
She goes,
good night, baby girl.
Oh, I think she's asleep by then.
And that is where we'll end
today's session.
It's like if you killed him, I swear to God.
Like how she's supposed to go to school
next week.
Catalog him.
Jenny, that's why you're there.
That's why you're there, Jenny.
All right.
Thank you all so much for watching.
Thank you for coming.
Thanks, everybody. We're finally gonna go to the fucking
school. We're going to the school now!
The next episode, all about the three parts
it takes to get to the school.
I'm kidding. Guess what, guys?
Airbenders do exist.
We get kidnapped.
We get taken to Gartalia.
Bears with trampolines.
Black guards come in.
This show, you thought it was
about a school?
Not until we get under the ocean
and then we meet a school of fish.
It's about getting to school.
We're gonna fight a school before we can
get to school.
Crossover episodes,
Jagmeier says. Yep.
Who knows if the black guards
still even exist now?
They do.
My dad said something.
They're eternal, baby.
They're of legend. They're definitely of legend.
They're so existing. But we'll see. We'll see.
We'll see. They're realistic.
My dad doesn't buy into
legends.
He buys into himself.
Yeah.
Uh.
What power is the airship?
A lot of things, but in this case,
it is the
essence of an air elemental.
Not the Downstar engine, which is not
something we'll get into yet.
The Downstar engine doesn't exist yet,
does it? The Downstar engine is very
advanced and good.
But it doesn't exist yet, as of the timeline.
Anyways,
that is
enough me pussyfooting about
about some lore you don't
know about. You, general
audience, you don't
know about.
Anyways.
So excited.
You guys are
brilliant, both of you.
And I'm so excited.
You're just so good job.
We're going to school now.
Back to school times.
Back to school.
We're having a two for one
throwing dagger deal.
Be ready for school this year.
With a set of daggers.
When you buy your
first set of daggers, you get a longsword
for free.
Oh god, it is though.
A set
of daggers comes with a free
dagger pouch.
And don't forget that every
leather armor set
comes with lockpicks
for you rogues out there.
You have to buy
the Jansport leather armor.
Oh no, the
Jansport leather armor.
The off-brands
aren't any good.
Big leather. Jansport's
control over the leather armor industry.
Monopoly.
And they have a lifetime warranty.
Alright y'all.
Thank you all so much for watching.
Thanks everyone. Have a good one.
Goodnight.
Bye.