Doing her best to fight through the pain, Maria managed to load another crossbow bolt and fire it at the creature, though she did so while looking away and just estimating its location via things like shadows and such.
Sara screams upon seeing the thing, and she feels her pulse quicken, her hands shaking as she rushes at it with her stony appendage.
Zhi tries to ignore the feeling of her blood turning to ice and moves forward to flank across from Sara.
The sensation of her body falling apart is enough to make Melodie scream, even though she resists the worst of the effects. She can't help but look towards the source of the sound, but her anger and fear steel her against the creature's gaze.
She whistles a piercing trill and it seems that the ceiling has moved momentarily as it glitters, before descending on the creature!
Almost automatically she pulls out her chakram, ready for emergencies...
The sahkil screeches again, this time in surprise and anger, as Melodie's spell, blinds it and outlines its true form in glowing dust, negating its blur spell. Though Zileska's spiritual weapon falters against its spell resistance, Maria and Zhi both hit the monstrous outsider. Sara scores a critical hit, smashing in a portion of its ugly face with the statue's arm!
The monster howls and unleashes its devastating mental assault again, and once more your bodies fell like they are falling to pieces! It remains blinded.
The creatures counter-attack drives Melodie to her knees as her already fragile body is wracked with pain. From her position on the floor she screams again, venting all the pain the creature has caused her straight back at it!
and dazed.
EDIT - and since I declared it Mel currently has mirror images.
With an array of colourful Abyssal commentary as her body was once more wracked with pain, Maria managed to reload the crossbow and fire again .
Sara, frightened out of her mind, continues to beat the thing, even as it surges pain throughout her body. Gods how she hates it.
Though the sahkil resists the worst of Melodie's scream, Sara's brutal assault pounds it into the floor. Dark black blood stains the carpet as it dissolves into an inert heap of tangled, wet hair.
Searching the room in the aftermath of the fight reveals several magical implements, including a set of marvelous pigments, a scroll of alter self, a scroll of animate object, a scroll of deep slumber, a scroll of gentle repose, a scroll of speak with dead, and a scroll of summon monster IV. A walk-in closet contains dozens of suits and dresses a few centuries out of fashion, along with a shabby-looking belt of mighty constitution +2.
A hidden door leads into a chamber decorated with the holy symbols of two dozen religions, as well as strange herbs and dried animals. Jars of colored powders are organized neatly along the northern wall. A large circle, etched in silver and decorated with intricate loops and swirls, fills most of the floor.
"I imagine this is the circle." Sara stares at it for a time in silence, the anxiety from the last fight still taking a toll on her.
"I think we should smash it," she says, hefting the piece of column in her hand.
"I think magic is probably the better choice here." Melodie responds, drawing the wand Maria liberated earlier. "I don't see how you would break the floor."
She waves everyone back and then sets to work with the wand, aiming a bolt of lightning into the inlaid circle.
The lightning bolt melts the delicate silver inlays to slag, destroying the magic of the teleportation circle. You have successfully secured the Palace of Birdsong!
Once the creature falls, Zhi lets her weapons drop to the floor and she stumbles back and wraps her arms around her love.
"Gods, I want a vacation," she murmurs into the woman's ear.
~~~
"Now all we need to do is find the stewardship agreement," Zhi says, looking at Maria. "More paperwork. Would that be in the records room?"
Zileska staggers to a wall and leans heavily. Her elvish frailties make it difficult for her to remain functional; she seems groggy and dizzy.
1st Phase: Arrange Secret Meeting (Subterfuge)
2nd Phase: Organize Party (Charm)
Fluff will come at appropriate times. But yes, Melodie is doing wedding planning, lots and lots of wedding planning.
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Zileska is very busy for the next two days, tending to the other ladies and trying to sneak in some rest for herself. The supernatural power of the creature had drained her badly and she is constantly tired and frail. It's several days before she is fully mended, though with her ministrations and the aid of her specialized healer's satchel she is able to get the other women back on their feet in no time.
Once she's feeling chipper again she is all a-flutter sending letters out to Oppara and a few other towns in the countryside. She spends hours after she's recovered walking about the townhouse, looking for secret doors, little nooks, and secluded garden areas. She takes mental notes on the kinds of places that would make for good assignations... or quick escapes.
Then she's busy for a couple of days in the parlor, looking in books of old Taldan architecture - temples, universities, cathedrals, and other impressive edifices. The scattered books show pages with painstakingly illustrated colored, inked pictures of buildings famous across the country for their beauty, their grounds, or their majestic architecture. She devours the books with a critical eye, this having become one of her latest passion projects - probably to be put by the wayside in another few days.
Eventually a pair of associates of hers stop by for a day: a traveling half-elven bard, and a human woman who seems to be some kind of scholar or academic. The three of them are engrossed in conversation for several hours. While Zileska doesn't try to hide them from the rest of the assemblage, neither does she go out of her way to introduce them to the ladies. Instead the three of them take tea and seem to enjoy each others' company like old school chums. They don't spend the night, leaving the same day that they stopped by, the bard carrying several letters and the academic waving and giving a parting comment: "Once you have the funds in-hand, let us know."
~~~~~~~~~~
A few days later, after the wedding, Zileska receives a pair of parcels from a delivery carriage, over which she squeals with joy like a young girl receiving a birthday present. She rushes off to a room to examine her gifts, and returns wearing what seems to be an absolutely ludicrous outfit: a midriff-baring boob-plate that consists of small cups of mithral that wrap around her back and sides but don't even make a complete closure over her cleavage. The associated leather pteruges includes mithral-studded strips over her rear and sides, but no coverage for the front - just her undergarments and, ridiculously, lacy stockings. Adding insult to injury, the outfit bears a mithral choker with the tri-bladed symbol of Calistria on it, and lace-frilled gloves and nothing else. It's the kind of armor that appears in pinup paintings and would get people killed in actual combat.
Sara sits alone in the chapel, having prepared her make up sparsely and changed into something simple and red, something decidedly Galtan. Her coarse black hair, she wears in twin braids down her back and her hands clasp together in prayer.
While she is in their chapel, she is not praying to Abadar or Shelyn, necessarily, but to any god, hoping that any might hear and answer.
"Please," she whispers, staring at the ceiling, "please guide me. Help me salvage this, correct this path. Gods I want her, at least as a friend, an ally. Forever."
It is short but pleading, and she leaves that night for her dinner with the Night Swan, arriving a little early.
Sara sits in the private booth at the Count's Cravat, waiting for her date to arrive. An hour passes with no sign of her. Just as she's about to give up, though, a woman approaches the booth. She is thin and pale, almost sickly, and walks with a bit of a stagger. Her platinum-blonde hair is tied up in a tight bun, and she lowers her eyes as she affects a curtesy.
"Miss Burke? Our...mutual friend said that you would be waiting here. We haven't officially met before. My name is Lucretzia Marthane." She gestures to the empty seat across from Sara. "May I sit down?"
Sara smiles wide, and gestures across the table. "Please. And call me Sara." She breathes in and out slowly. Lucretzia is not at all what she expected, but she is beautiful all the same. The act, if it is one, is ingenious.
"You know I think I've heard your name once or twice before?" She tactfully leaves out the part where, as she recalled it, Dame Crabbe said that she was going around blowing all the nobility.
Her smile wavers as the woman sits down. "I am sorry, Lucretzia, that I was not who I pretended to be. Allow me this one chance to convince you that at the very least, we can be allies, friends even, if not much, much more.
"But first," she waves over a waitress. "Dinner and drinks? I would love to get to know you on a much more mundane, casual level. Tell me about your family, maybe."
After recovering from the fight (and securing the tin of cockatrice coffee after finding out about it), Maria set about furthering her intelligence network in Lotheedar. The Night Swan's identity wasn't as high a priority but she still wanted that opportunity in her back pocket.
Sadly, there were some snags with the newer recruits and things didn't go quite as planned. Nothing permanently debilitating, but certainly a bit of a road block.
Lucretzia sits demurely and folds her hands in her lap. "A meal would be lovely. Thank you."
After the waiter comes by to take your order, Lucretzia gives Sara a sad look. "My parents were once fairly high-ranking members of society in Cassomir. Unfortunately, the machinations of a political rival wiped out their fortunes, leaving us destitute and landless. I had been studying economics and philosophy, but they had to sell my books just to stay off of the streets. But I managed to hold onto a few choice titles. Tell me, Sara, are you familiar with the works of Hosetter and Darl Jubannich? They make for quite... inspiring reads." There is a familiar twinkle in her eye.
With Count Bartelby still safe in the Grand Bank of Abadar and the Palace of Birdsong secured Melodie returns to Stachys and, it immediately becomes apparent, to all her previous worries. Without the imminent need for action or threat to her or Zhi's life and counting down the days until her real mother arrives from Oppara Melodie becomes something of a nervous wreck, pacing the manor house at all hours and muttering to herself about how 'This room isn't big enough. The light is all wrong. We can't get married in a room facing south!' and other things of the sort.
A few days after returning to Stachys, Lady d'Valois arrives from Oppara. Melodie's mother embraces the mesmerist warmly. "It's so good to see you. Have you been well? You said you needed to speak with me?"
Melodie returns her mother's embrace, hugging her mother tightly and, just a moment, reveling in the feeling of being safe in her arms again. "I've missed you." She whispers into her mother's shoulder, finding slightly to her surprise that she is taller than her mother now.
Pulling back she manages to restrain the tears threatening to break through and keeps a smile on her face. "Mother, this is Zhi, my fiancee and the love of my life." The smile turns genuine. "Zhi, this is my mother, Lady Isabelle d'Valois."
After the introductions are made she takes Zhi's hand and gestures inside, "We'd best go to my study for this."
-----------------------
Inside, with the domovoi dispatched to make tea Melodie sits on the loveseat with Zhi, opposite her mother and finds that she doesn't have the words. To see her mother, sitting there, with her eyes full of love and compassion breaks Melodie's heart all over again and she has to pause four or five times before she can finally get the words out.
"Mother, did anything... strange happen when I was born... because I... I..." Zhi squeezes her hand comfortingly and at that small gesture Melodie loses composure completely and the whole story comes tumbling out, accompanied by tears and sobbing.
"And she said I'm not your daughter, I'm hers! And I didn't want it to be true but the more I thought about it... I'm not human mother, and I think I must have replaced your real daughter and I'm so sorry, and I don't want you to hate me."
Sara nearly spits out her wine, pulling herself back from it and launching into a frantic series of coughs. "You're a noble? All that talk of Galtan philosophy and you are a noble? I must have misunderstood your politics somewhere, but aren't you the one who thought the whole list thing was too generous of Galt, better to get rid of them all, then?"
She stares in silence, but a smile creeps up on her face. "That's hilarious, that is."
The Night Swan is a noble. So which part of her is truer?
Sara reaches across to grab a piece of bread and tears it open, eating it gracelessly, unladylike. Her natural want to prod and poke, to disturb the balance of things rearing its head. She went to etiquette school, after all, and that means she knows exactly how not to act at the dinner table.
"My journey into leftist philosophy only began a scant few months ago, so I've not read Hosetter and Jubbanich, no. I am a big admirer of Elmira Gourdman, though, my dream woman to be honest. She was a Galtan anarcho communist in the days before the revolution, left the country and came back years later to experience Galt as it was, and became thoroughly disillusioned with the implementation of her philosophies, so instead of preaching pro-Galt propaganda, she started focusing her anarchism and activism into a pro-people movement, demanding an end to worker exploitation, illegally distributing birth control, and focusing on enabling and empowering the lower class to solve their own problems."
She casts her eyes downward and realizes, in her conquest of pre-meal bread, she'd been acting childishly. "I'm sorry about your family, Lucretzia. To lose everything, to even have your books stripped away and sold, it must have been difficult. But you seem to be doing quite well for yourself, all things considered."
Zhi does her best to ease the changelings nerves, although she doesn't seem to be able to comprehend why the upcoming event engenders such a response.
Zhi bows low at her introduction.
"I'm so honored to finally meet you Lady d'Valois," she says.
"And she said I'm not your daughter, I'm hers! And I didn't want it to be true but the more I thought about it... I'm not human mother, and I think I must have replaced your real daughter and I'm so sorry, and I don't want you to hate me."
"Why do you do this?" Zhi says, pulling the young woman into her arms. She looks to Isabelle. "She's been like this ever since we met the ... soucouyant."
She tips Melodie's chin up to look her in the eye.
"You are the daughter of this lovely woman right here," she says, gesturing to Melodie's mother.
"Anything else, if there is anything else, is just ... details of biology."
She hugs her again, but then realizes that she might be being too demonstrative in front of Melodie's mother and let's her arms fall down to her sides and turns to the matron.
"Tanaka! Over here," the red-haired woman calls out as the man surveys the crowd.
The Wolf's Whisker is busy tonight so it takes a moment for the large man with the long, dark hair to pick her out of throng. He moves past the revelers gruffly and looks down at the short woman sitting at a round table all by herself.
"You couldn't arrange something more ... " his eyes shift around to look at the chaos around him. "discrete?"
The woman smiles and the lines around her eyes deepen. She fills two small glasses from a frosted white bottle sitting on the table. She takes one of the glasses and downs the contents.
"What could be more discrete?" she asks. "Half of these people are drunk in celebration and the other half don't care what we say anyway. Now sit down."
Although her voice is carefree and reflects the smile on her face, the last is spoken in a much more commanding tone.
Tanaka reluctantly sits down with a harrummph. He reaches out and sniffs at the contents of the glass before drinking it.
"Please tell me that you didn't order this Tianese shit for me. I can't stand the stuff," he says after grimacing at the taste.
The woman pours herself another glass.
"I didn't like it once either, but it kinda grows on ya," she says, draining her second glass.
"So am I early? I don't see anyone else yet."
"You're a little early, yes. Tarina won't be here, she's sending Niko. And Mai won't be here either."
"Why not?"
"Didn't you hear? She's getting married."
The woman seems distracted for a moment, before pouring herself another drink.
"What's that got to do with anything?" the man snaps. "I know she's getting married, but she's not getting married tonight. It seems that should at least take an hour or so to be here with the rest of us."
The woman's smile lessens slightly.
"Akihiro, this might come as a surprise to you, but weddings take preparation."
She takes a deep breath.
"Apparantly, lots of preparation."
"Dammit, Raven! ... "
The woman turns to glare at him.
Tanaka looks chastened and his eyes search the crowd to see if anyone had reacted to his gaff.
"I don't even know what to call you when we meet like this," he grumbles.
"How about ... Sandra," the woman says with a playful smile.
"Fine. But we've more important things to deal with then a wedding. She should be here."
"Let her have her wedding, Akihiro. None of us know how much time ... " She frowns. "Nevermind. The others will be here soon and we need to talk about changes."
"Changes?"
"Yep. With Bartleby removed from power and Eutropia taking over Birdsong Palace, we'll probably be heading somewhere else."
"Where?"
'Sandra' pours herself another drink as the man frowns at the bottle.
"I don't know yet."
Lady d'Valois smiles at Zhi. "Please, there's no need for such formalities. We did meet, briefly, the night of the Exaltation, but I look forward to getting to know you better. I am so glad that my daughter has found somebody she can truly be happy with." She embraces Zhi warmly as well.
---
Melodie's mother looks pained seeing her daughter break down. She purses her lips and heaves a heavy sigh. "Your fiancée is right. You are my daughter and I will always love you, no matter what. That being said... Yes, it is true that you are not fully human. We realized that when you were very young. We mourned the loss of the child we never knew, but we cherished the love that we had found in you. We decided to try to protect you from the truth, but we should have known you would find out one day. I wish you didn't have to find out the way you did."
She looks at Melodie firmly. "The circumstances of your birth can't diminish the amazing person you have become. And whatever dangers present themselves to you now, I know you have the strength to overcome them."
---
Lucretzia lowers her eyes at Sara's laughter. "I recognize the irony of the situation. But my family name doesn't change my goals."
She sips her wine before continuing. "Beyond the philosophy books, I raised myself on penny dreadfuls--tales of daring bandits wooing love and fighting injustice. And so that's what I became. I began by stealing from those who had wronged my parents, but eventually my efforts spread out to targeting anyone with better fortunes than my family. I use the funds to live the life of comfort that I deserve.
"Law enforcement and bounty hunters have dogged me again and again, harassing me for the audacity of retaking the fortunes that rightfully should belong to me. And so I came to see the corruption inherent in all systems of authority, unjust not only for me, but for any who are forced to bend the knee to another. That is when our masked friend emerged, eager to rally others to our cause."
Lady d'Valois smiles at Zhi. "Please, there's no need for such formalities. We did meet, briefly, the night of the Exaltation, but I look forward to getting to know you better. I am so glad that my daughter has found somebody she can truly be happy with." She embraces Zhi warmly as well.
Zhi seems surprised by the gesture, but after a moments hesitation, her eyes close and she returns the embrace.
She looks at Melodie firmly. "The circumstances of your birth can't diminish the amazing person you have become. And whatever dangers present themselves to you now, I know you have the strength to overcome them."
Zhi squeezes Melodie's hand.
"Your mother is a very wise woman, Mel. You should listen to her," Zhi says with a smile.
"You're rich, too?" Sara finishes her wine and pours herself another glass, offering to fill up Swan's.
"Lucretzia, I am not here to mock you, and I apologize for my disbelief, it's just a little shocking. Truly, I admire and respect you, and I cannot deny that you bring hope and faith to the common people but, and I mean this more as discussion than as criticism, but, well, it's all a little selfish, innit? You wanted to avenge the dishonor wrought against your family, that's all well and good, but do you still keep the wealth you steal? Surely by now you must have amassed enough to live comfortably, as you say. Do you not distribute the remainder amongst the people? It would be difficult, if not impossible, to llive by Galtan values and not freely distribute your gains- if not also your personal wealth -to the poor and needy when that was one of the cornerstones for the Red Revolution to begin with."
Her food arrives and she begins eating.
"But I said we wouldn't get into this yet. I apologize. Would you please share a happy story from the life of Lucretzia Marthane? I will gladly offer one of my own if you would like. This is a date, not an interrogation, we're both supposed to offer something up. Sorry."
"I see no shame in what I do. I believe that anyone could and should steal from the wealthy to achieve the same standard of living that I enjoy. If the Swan just hands things to people, they will come to expect handouts. But if their lot in this twisted system becomes awful enough, they will rise up themselves and take the better life they deserve. That being said, she's happy to step in and protect a lone victim or family from attack—after all, a dead citizen can't learn or grow, or ever find freedom in overthrowing tyranny."
Lucretzia eats for a few moments before she continues. "All that being said... I want to apologize for the Swan's outburst the other day. The revelation of your affiliation came as a shock, but given your obvious passion and belief in your patron, I will admit to having a sliver of cautious optimism. It is possible that the Swan's agenda may in fact be a bit too extreme to be entirely feasible. If there is a chance that the system might actually be reformed, I am willing to see how things play out. But I reserve the right to withdraw my support should Eutropia turn out to be just like every other noble I have come across."
She falls quiet again for a while, gathering her thoughts. "You ask for a happy anecdote, but I am afraid I have few to share. Though my life is one of comfort, I have not truly been happy since my childhood. At least, not until a fellow bird flew my way. The moments we shared together... They gave me hope that there could be something more in my life, something I never realized was missing before. I hope that, now that we both know the truth about one another, there might still be a chance to explore things between us..." She trails off.
We decided to try to protect you from the truth, but we should have known you would find out one day. I wish you didn't have to find out the way you did."[/b]
She looks at Melodie firmly. "The circumstances of your birth can't diminish the amazing person you have become. And whatever dangers present themselves to you now, I know you have the strength to overcome them."
"I love you mother!" Melodie whispers, before launching herself across the rug and into her mother's arms. After a long embrace Melodie picks herself, feeling a thousand times lighter than she had before. A smile fits itself naturally onto her lips and she can't help but reach across for Zhi's hand, holding both her mother and her fiancee, the world seems so much less frightening.
"So... that's not the only reason I needed you here." She smiles at her mother again. "I couldn't plan my wedding without my mother here!"
"Ummm ... and that, I think, is my cue to be somewhere else," Zhi says with smile. "I've still got some shopping to arrange."
"No, you very well could not!" Isabelle laughs. "Show me what you've done so far..."
"I see no shame in what I do. I believe that anyone could and should steal from the wealthy to achieve the same standard of living that I enjoy. If the Swan just hands things to people, they will come to expect handouts. But if their lot in this twisted system becomes awful enough, they will rise up themselves and take the better life they deserve. That being said, she's happy to step in and protect a lone victim or family from attack—after all, a dead citizen can't learn or grow, or ever find freedom in overthrowing tyranny."
Sara winces at Lucretzia's words regarding the poor. "What about the sick and infirm? My mother, bless her soul, was rendered lame from a factory accident and left unable to provide for herself or her three children. Or her rotten, no-good husband, for that matter. I found my way to provide for my family, but only after nearly two decades of begging and thieving. Eating, for example, was not a guarantee, and certainly not for all four of us."
She looks down, ashamed.
"Do you want to know what it took to change my life, my family's lives, what it took to turn our fortunes around? A gift of fifty gold. That's all. With that money alone, I was able to secure a place for my family, send my brothers to school, make sure the lot of us were clothed and fed. And I didn't expect a second hand out, no, I worked for my money. I struggled to upkeep our standard of living, and I succeeded. Clawed my own way out of the gutter. You worry about upsetting the expectations of commoners? Lucretzia, they call you hero, but you're little more than a bandit, how's that for expectations? I do not decry the importance of the Night Swan as a symbol, but if you want to inspire, there's more than one way.
"Be looser with your money. If you fear that giving freely will lead to expectations or exploitation, then do not give but spend, and spend generously. Purchase from commoners and spend half again what they ask, or double, even. You can certainly afford it.
"Work alongside them, show yourself their ally in deed and thought. The Night Swan might be less romantic for it, but more genuinely appreciated, also.
"Organize, educate, build roads for them to follow, remind them that for change to be affected, their concerns must first be heard. No one answers to questions they cannot hear."
She reaches across the table and takes hold of Lucretzia's hand.
"I'm going to stage one of my protests, here, in Lotheedar. Come, I implore you. Maybe I can demonstrate my point better in such a forum."
Lucretzia eats for a few moments before she continues. "All that being said... I want to apologize for the Swan's outburst the other day. The revelation of your affiliation came as a shock, but given your obvious passion and belief in your patron, I will admit to having a sliver of cautious optimism. It is possible that the Swan's agenda may in fact be a bit too extreme to be entirely feasible. If there is a chance that the system might actually be reformed, I am willing to see how things play out. But I reserve the right to withdraw my support should Eutropia turn out to be just like every other noble I have come across."
Sara nods, and her look softens. "I also reserve that right." She strokes Lucretzia's hand with her thumb, her face falling. "Thank you for your candor, and I accept your apology. I also apologize for my attempt to manipulate you and use your name to make my own goals carry more legitimacy. It was cruel and selfish. I hope to never betray you as such again."
She falls quiet again for a while, gathering her thoughts. "You ask for a happy anecdote, but I am afraid I have few to share. Though my life is one of comfort, I have not truly been happy since my childhood. At least, not until a fellow bird flew my way. The moments we shared together... They gave me hope that there could be something more in my life, something I never realized was missing before. I hope that, now that we both know the truth about one another, there might still be a chance to explore things between us..." She trails off.
Sara lets go of the Swan's hand and pushes her plate away, avoiding eye contact, looking down and away. Tears collect on her lashes. "Swan, I, I want this. I want you, to know you, to be your friend, your partner," she chokes up, her voice breaking.
"If you want to explore this, then I need you to understand something first: I don't exactly do things the traditional way. What I mean is, I don't believe there's just one person for me, or for anybody, really. It's ruined many budding relationships of mine, and recently, almost ended a friendship I hold very dear. Would that be doable for you?
"I am not asking that you be mine and mine alone while I gallivant around and revel naked with whomever I wish, you would also be free to share romance and sex with those you wanted. Even if you wanted to be mine and mine alone I would not refuse you, as long as you respected my wishes also. But truthfully, such a request would make me uncomfortable. Look, it's like," her eyes widen and she puffs up her cheeks only to blow out a long stream of air.
She pushes back her hair and continues. "I raise birds, right? Every day, I let them leave their cages and fly away, and often they come back that same day, usually having eaten, sometimes with presents. Shiny things, dead things, sticks. And I've done this all my life. When I was a child, one came back with a note, saying 'hello my name is Polly! How many families have I tricked into feeding me?' There were four signatures on it. Four families had adopted my bird, and all of them felt the same kinship and love for her that I did. Just because I owned her doesn't mean that I loved her any more than the others, and if any of them were to keep her, I would not begrudge Polly that, nor would I refuse her new owners. I would be sad, but gladhearted also, knowing Polly had found a good home.
"Lucretzia, I trust you to fly away and come back to me. It doesn't matter to me how many other people love you, and knowing that there are others who might love you makes my heart swell, makes me celebrate, because, well, my love is shared by others. To think that there would be other souls who would know you as I do? What a gift, what an honor, knowing that the people I love and care for are known intimately and cared for as I care for them."
She wipes away her tears and leans forward to kiss the lady's cheek. "We're both birds," she whispers. "Do you trust me to fly back to you?"
Lucretzia looks remorseful as she listens to Sara's story of woe. "Originally, the mask was just a means to protect myself and my parents from reprisal. The peasants built her up as a romantic figure. Perhaps the Swan could have been a more responsible role model for them. Perhaps she still can be."
She is quiet as Sara holds her hand and pours her heart out. A few tears of her own roll down her cheeks, and she lets the other woman kiss them away. "I understand what you are asking of me, and I am okay with it. I want to see where this relationship leads. I am ready to let somebody into my life--all aspects of it. I... I trust you." She smiles shyly, a far cry indeed from the Night Swan's bombastic attitude.
Sara reaches out and wipes away Lucretzia's tears with the back of her hand. She runs a finger down her jaw and pulls her forward. They kiss. It is not a short kiss, nor one devoid of passion, but it bears little resemblance to the kiss that they shared on the roof of Calistria's chapel in Stachys. The kiss is one of intense longing and desire, but it gentle, affectionate. Intimate.
"And I, you."
Her eyes move furtively away from the table. Their meal is almost finished.
"Would you like to spend the night in the royal chambers?" she whispers, holding the woman's head against her own. "Or maybe in Bartleby's bed? Just us and a bottle of wine. Reveling naked in the moonlight, like witches around a fire. How decadent." Her teeth scrape against Swan's ear, gentle but wanting.
Lucretzia giggles softly, then gasps at Sara's playful bite. "That sounds positively delightful. Should I be myself or... Do you want the Swan to come out and play?"
"What's the difference? I want all of you, your full attention. Bring both. I can think of a lot of things to do with that ribbon and a length of chain."
"Oh, my," Lucretzia says. "Very well. We each shall have our turn."
After five more days, Martella Lotheed and Princess Eutropia arrive in Lotheedar. Their arrival is accompanied by great celebration and fanfare, with citizens lining the streets to cheer, wave, and try to catch a glimpse of the Princess. The nobles of Meratt line up outside the Palace of Birdsong to bend the knee to their new countess: Baron Okerra, Baroness Voinum, Baron Telus, and Dame Crabbe are all on hand for the ceremony, along with Selli and Sepsinia. Melodie's mother leaps at the chance to hobnob with the princess. Duchess Veleto wisely decides to stay at the estate.
A great feast is held in the ballroom, and once the formal celebration is complete, Eutropia summons you to a private meeting. Taldogis woofs happily and trots over to lick your hands, the massive mutt seeming to have grown even larger since your last encounter.
"I wanted to personally thank you for all that you accomplished here in Meratt. I am sure Martella imparted upon you how fragile our financial situation has been up into this point. With the resources of the palace at my disposal, we actually have a chance at winning this war now. None of this would have been possible without your bravery and resourcefulness."
She gestures, and Martella hands each of you a parcel containing 100 platinum pieces. "Please accept this additional payment as my thanks. You are also welcome to remain tribunes of Stachys and retain ownership of the Betony Estate, and..."
Eutropia's stoic facade cracks then, and she tries to stifle a laugh, but she ends up snorting just a bit. "I'm sorry, I tried to keep a straight face. But just what are you wearing, Zileska?"
Ignoring Zileska's frankly ridiculous attire Melodie proceeds to business. "Your Highness." She offers a curtsey but without the awe and devotion that was so apparent on their previous meeting, now she treats the princess much more as an equal. Deferential of course, but no longer servile.
"There are a number of things to discuss your Highness." She continues, "Former-Count Lotheed is currently being held in the Grand Bank of Abadar, awaiting your pleasure. I feel it must be noted that he stepped down willingly and without violence, doing what he could after his surrender to ensure that you property was kept as well as it could be."
"Secondly, Lotheedar is... somewhat restless at the moment. Due to the former Count's management there has been a vigilante known as the Night Swan active in the area. She stands for the oppressed and proved an ally in our cause, but I think she, and the people generally, would greatly appreciate seeing you in public and having the chance to address their greivances to you as ruling Countess."
She pauses and glances at Zileska. "There is one resident of the Palace unaccounted for. Dame Veleto is an animated painting who hangs in the palace. We are not certain of her current whereabouts so please keep that in mind."
In a slightly lower voice she continues, "I have two requests of a more personal nature. Firstly, if you were willing to come to Stachys for a visit it would mean a lot to everyone in the village. They all worked mightily in your cause and to actually see you in person would be a great reward for them. Finally..." Her composure cracks a little as a smile forms. "You may know that Zhi and I are getting married. The ceremony will be in ten days time and I was hoping that you would both attend. It will be on the Bettony... my... our estate so you could easily pass through the village too, if you were willing."
Zhi's eyes widen and her skin goes slightly pale as she hears Melodie invite the Princess to their wedding.
Martella smiles grimly when Melodie mentions Bartelby. "I'll oversee his incarceration. My brother tormented me for decades when we were growing up. I think he's long overdue for a little payback."
Eutropia nods in consent with Melodie's other musings. "Yes, of course. I plan to tour Lotheedar soon and meet with various community leaders to discuss the transition of power and how best I can make a difference in town. And I will make my way to all the other towns in Meratt, Stachys included. I would be delighted to attend your wedding, and I'm certain Martella would be, as well.
"As for Duchess Veleto, well... I must confess to not having much experience with magically animated paintings?" The princess shrugs. "I will trust your judgment on that matter. If you believe her to be a threat, we will deal with her."
"I don't know if she is a threat." Melodie responds, "We've had peaceful contact with her before, but her opinions on the changes and on you, your Highness, that is less clear. We will do what we can to find out her intentions." She shoots a sidelong glance at Zileska which clearly says Your problem!.
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With wedding preparations, at the estate at least, well in hand Melodie makes an announcement at breakfast. "I'm going back to Oppara with my mother for a few days. There are some final wedding arrangements to make, invitations to deliver and I need to speak to my father - if we don't bring him personally he'll turn up late enough to miss the wedding. We're travelling today and I was wondering if any of you would like to join us?"