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The Lord Ruler is in his palace, when he sees a sight he hasn't seen in centuries. Trees, sunlight...is he hallucinating? The fact that there's a forest in his living room isn't the surprising part. The fact that there's a forest on his planet is. As soon as he walks through the door to where his living room isn't, it's definitely not a hallucination.
His stores of Allomantic metals abruptly disappear. They're still physically there, but the power is completely gone. He immediately turns to go back, only to see more forest.
At least his Feruchemy still works—he can tell because he's still alive—but that won't last him forever. He only has so much stored youth, and without both sets of abilities he can't replenish it. He hasn't been in so much danger since the beheading that one time. Returning to Scadrial is the highest and currently only priority. If spontaneous forests are a thing, he needs to find someone who can explain them and more importantly how to get back.
The next few hours are spent walking in an essentially randomly chosen direction, with the sun to his right. He's quite certain that suns are supposed to be moving across the sky, but that's not a pressing emergency. He already knew he wasn't on his own planet when he saw proper trees and plants instead of ash-covered monstrosities. Whenever he calls out, nobody responds. If it's an empty spontaneous forest, he's probably doomed.
After some time, he hears his stomach growl. He hasn't seen much that looks edible, but possibly that's just because he's not used to real plants. Berries. Berries used to exist. Those berries look tasty, and if they're poisonous it's not like he needs to worry about it. As always, he has a truly ridiculous amount of stored health in his gold jewelry. Tapping gold just in case, he eats a handful.
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unprophesied_of_ages
imeanforever
"Probably not," says Promise. "Queen?"
"Canvas of the Flight is a gifted artist and could produce a rendering if she witnessed it."
"So there's that."
"Canvas of the Flight is a gifted artist and could produce a rendering if she witnessed it."
"So there's that."
unprophesied_of_ages
"Close enough, I suppose."
"Oh, and you should probably pick a nickname, your former Majesty."
"Oh, and you should probably pick a nickname, your former Majesty."
imeanforever
"I am the Queen," insists the Queen.
"She can call herself whatever she likes," says Promise. "We will not win ourselves any points with any fairies, even ones who hate her, if we try to call her something else. Even Thorn lets his vassals self-nickname."
"She can call herself whatever she likes," says Promise. "We will not win ourselves any points with any fairies, even ones who hate her, if we try to call her something else. Even Thorn lets his vassals self-nickname."
unprophesied_of_ages
"Even when they name themselves things like, for example, 'the Queen?' asks the Lord Ruler.
"But if there's a lot depending on it, accuracy isn't that important."
"But if there's a lot depending on it, accuracy isn't that important."
imeanforever
"I could call myself the Eternal Perfect Empress of All That Exists and all anybody would do about that is ask if I minded them shortening it to 'Perfect'," says Promise. "She can be 'the Queen' until she no longer feels it represents her well."
unprophesied_of_ages
"If it's that important to every fairy, it's probably not worth it to press the issue."
imeanforever
"There may be oddballs on the subject but it's very pervasive." Promise shrugs and turns back to the Queen. "What instructions would you give Arcane and Veracity to mobilize them and theirs against the court I have in mind?"
And presently Promise and the Queen have hashed out airtight versions of these orders, delivered them to Arcane and Veracity, and seen the relevant fairies streaking off towards Thorn on the wings of Arcane's spell. (Promise looks like she may have a crush on Arcane.)
And presently Promise and the Queen have hashed out airtight versions of these orders, delivered them to Arcane and Veracity, and seen the relevant fairies streaking off towards Thorn on the wings of Arcane's spell. (Promise looks like she may have a crush on Arcane.)
unprophesied_of_ages
(Alendi is going to fail to notice that.)
"To the gate to Thorn's court, then? Since that's where the Flight and the Nine can deliver him."
"To the gate to Thorn's court, then? Since that's where the Flight and the Nine can deliver him."
unprophesied_of_ages
"I like the idea of being able to mop up Thorn's entire court in half an hour."
unprophesied_of_ages
Alendi is going to spend some of that half hour deciding whether to have Thorn paraded through the streets like emperors everywhere, or just announce victory.
imeanforever
And after the half-hour elapses, Promise opens the gate to Thorn's court, and sends the Queen through to have a look around, and the Queen returns to report that the work is complete.
When they get there, all of the vassals who were in the court near the waterfall are lined up neatly in the garden, blinking and breathing but otherwise still, and Veracity is standing watch over them. Thorn is not among this set.
When they get there, all of the vassals who were in the court near the waterfall are lined up neatly in the garden, blinking and breathing but otherwise still, and Veracity is standing watch over them. Thorn is not among this set.
unprophesied_of_ages
This should probably have been predictable. Thorn does have multiple courts.
"Make them answer our questions," Alendi orders the ex-Queen. "Truthfully and without tricks."
"Make them answer our questions," Alendi orders the ex-Queen. "Truthfully and without tricks."
unprophesied_of_ages
Alendi can't really tell which fairies would be highest-ranking, so he asks some who they answer to and questions the person they point out.
"Where is Thorn."
"Where is Thorn."
imeanforever
"Sir," Veracity interrupts, snapping her fingers at the fairy who was about to answer and shutting him up, "we've got all the sub-courts already. According to Arcane, Thorn is in the one south-southwest of here."
Promise giggles.
Promise giggles.
unprophesied_of_ages
"Oh." The Flight and the Nine are good. "Have him brought here, then, locked down enough to be safe to a vassaled mortal.
Er, pass that on," he directs to Veracity's master.
Er, pass that on," he directs to Veracity's master.
imeanforever
Veracity spirals up into the air and aims bright light in short bursts towards the south-southwest, presumably as a message. She lands.
Arcane streaks into view with Thorn in tow. They land in the garden. Thorn is still and silent and has his eyes closed.
Arcane streaks into view with Thorn in tow. They land in the garden. Thorn is still and silent and has his eyes closed.
unprophesied_of_ages
"Without letting anyone else hear, tell me his name." Alendi approaches the fairy who knows it close enough for her to whisper.
imeanforever
"Me too," adds Promise, fluttering closer.
The queen whispers, "Syracerix."
Promise relaxes.
The queen whispers, "Syracerix."
Promise relaxes.
unprophesied_of_ages
Alendi looks at Thorn and orders him.
"When Promise or I ask you something, answer honestly and without trickery.
Now, to start with. What would you do to me if our positions were reversed?"
"When Promise or I ask you something, answer honestly and without trickery.
Now, to start with. What would you do to me if our positions were reversed?"
imeanforever
"Your question is underspecified," says Thorn. "Probably whatever you had in mind my reaction would involve mocking you for how terrible you are with words."
"And a good thing, too, why do you want to listen to that? I can guess what he'd do if our run on the Queenscourt had failed and he'd just collected us after the attempt, for example," says Promise. "You'd probably die slowly, you wouldn't be worth the risk after surviving and escaping a go at the Queen."
"And a good thing, too, why do you want to listen to that? I can guess what he'd do if our run on the Queenscourt had failed and he'd just collected us after the attempt, for example," says Promise. "You'd probably die slowly, you wouldn't be worth the risk after surviving and escaping a go at the Queen."
unprophesied_of_ages
"I wanted to make him admit it," Alendi says. "Without the protective layer of abstraction. I'd make him contemplate what I'm sure are worse tortures than would occur to me, and then allow him to beg for mercy."
imeanforever
"Would you beg for mercy if allowed?" Promise inquires of Thorn.
"If commanded to," says Thorn, "or if within sight of a loophole, or possibly if being tortured is more unpleasant than I currently expect."
Promise glances at Alendi with a raised eyebrow.
"If commanded to," says Thorn, "or if within sight of a loophole, or possibly if being tortured is more unpleasant than I currently expect."
Promise glances at Alendi with a raised eyebrow.