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Edarial makes a list of necessities for a wife. He has Zevros check it over, who promptly rips it up and throws it at him. He is of the opinion that if Edarial doesn't actually want to marry a specific person, he shouldn't, and Zevros will have nothing to do with any of it. Edarial sighs, rewrites it, and keeps it and a copy of it away from his twin in the future.
He makes the announcement to various interested people that he will be looking for a bride. Just saying it makes him feel sick. Edarial manages to keep it together long enough to give a list of the qualities he's looking for before he flees. He says he's busy, no one will look twice at him being curt and disappearing to get work done. So no one comes after him when he hides in his room and locks the door.
Face buried in his pillow, he realizes that there's no way he can be personable to his - whatever they are. Potential brides, suitors - whatever, he doesn't care. He'll hire someone to vet them, so he doesn't have to torture himself dealing with women trying to persuade him to marry them.
royal_obligation
The first two candidates Nataliem sends Edarial's way are rejected outright for being associated with him. The third gets herself thrown out by getting on Zevros's bad side, and then Nataliem has to start finding other options, because it's not like women that suit Edarial's inane list of necessities are easy to find. Iobel is on his list of candidates. He considers her skepticism and unwillingness to marry the man that'll become king problems, but getting around those will not be as difficult as getting around the prince's pickiness.
He forges a letter from the prince, having already practiced his handwriting years ago, and then finds out where Iobel lives and has the letter sent. In it is a royal order for Iobel to present herself as a marriage candidate at the palace. That should get around her shyness quite nicely.
He forges a letter from the prince, having already practiced his handwriting years ago, and then finds out where Iobel lives and has the letter sent. In it is a royal order for Iobel to present herself as a marriage candidate at the palace. That should get around her shyness quite nicely.
come_midnight
Nope. No it won't.
An invitation would have done just fine. She'd have shown up if invited. A royal command? Nope nope and nope. Iobel starts packing, banking on a few days' grace period to let her get the contents of the store and her books into boxes.
Nataliem's familiar is sent to spy on her, and see if she needs any correcting. The raven notices with alarm that Iobel is not packing for a trip, she's packing to flee the country. Her person has miscalculated - and now a fourth candidate's about to be lost. But this is preventable - there is something that only the palace offers, something that would get her where her human wants her.
She flies off, steals a vial of a very slow acting poison, and then returns. Ravens have good dexterity, and she is cleverer than most - she's not even seen. When Iobel and Cricket are both distracted the poison is mixed into Cricket's food, and then the raven finds a place to watch the effects of her plot.
She flies off, steals a vial of a very slow acting poison, and then returns. Ravens have good dexterity, and she is cleverer than most - she's not even seen. When Iobel and Cricket are both distracted the poison is mixed into Cricket's food, and then the raven finds a place to watch the effects of her plot.
Cricket suspects nothing.
And is thereafter very unhappy.
It's too late to vomit up the poison when he starts feeling symptoms, although he tries, anyway. He lurches to Iobel and collapses on her foot while she's wrapping a glass hex in paper.
And is thereafter very unhappy.
It's too late to vomit up the poison when he starts feeling symptoms, although he tries, anyway. He lurches to Iobel and collapses on her foot while she's wrapping a glass hex in paper.
come_midnight
Iobel charges up and deploys healing spells until she's tried the six best candidates and she's out for the day, and then -
she scoops up her cat and gets on the fastest boat to the palace and runs for the fountain gate.
she scoops up her cat and gets on the fastest boat to the palace and runs for the fountain gate.
Once the poison has reached its intended target, the raven flies off to inform Nataliem. She gets there before Iobel does. She explains the situation, how she handled it, and Nataliem pets her affectionately for her cleverness and reacts accordingly.
There are guards, stationed outside of the fountain gate. They ask for her name.
When they learn it, they refuse to let her in.
There are guards, stationed outside of the fountain gate. They ask for her name.
When they learn it, they refuse to let her in.
come_midnight
"My cat is - my familiar is dying!" Iobel says. "I'm out of spells for the day! Let me in!"
"Hand me the cat," says one of the guards, "and I will dunk it in the fountain. He will be returned after the prince has chosen a bride."
"So hand me the cat," shrugs the guard. "And you won't have to worry about it."
Cricket is taken. He is dumped in the fountain, and healed. Then, he is not given back. Instead, into an out of the way closet he goes. There is already a litter box and food and water in it. How thoughtful.
The second guard looks at Iobel with a stony expression. "Not to worry, miss," she says in what should be a comforting tone but somehow misses it, "he is perfectly safe as long as you're here."
The second guard looks at Iobel with a stony expression. "Not to worry, miss," she says in what should be a comforting tone but somehow misses it, "he is perfectly safe as long as you're here."
The guard handling Cricket after he's healed is sworn at in two languages and scratched and bitten as much as Cricket can manage in the process of trying to escape, but he doesn't escape. He yowls from his closet.
The guard handling Cricket gets one hell of a scratching. That will leave scars.
The one dealing with Iobel says calmly, "He will be returned unharmed, not to worry. Just not right now."
The one dealing with Iobel says calmly, "He will be returned unharmed, not to worry. Just not right now."
come_midnight
"You're holding my cat hostage to make me stick around and meet the princes. You're seriously doing that?"
"I wouldn't use those terms," says the guard. "We're just trying to guarantee that this country has the best chance it can get."
come_midnight
Iobel fists her hands in her hair.
"Right. Hostage cat. Where am I supposed to go?"
"Right. Hostage cat. Where am I supposed to go?"
"At the main palace gate there's a man accepting guests. Tell him your name and title and you'll get a guest room."
She gets a guest room. It's nice - pleasantly furnished and with a lovely little single bathroom with running and heated water (made by magic).
come_midnight
Sure. Lovely place to wait out the hostage-taking.
She wants her cat.
She wants her cat.
Eventually there's a knock at the door.
There is a short, portly old man with a clipboard. "Hello -" he checks the clipboard, "- Miss Iobel Swan. Edarial's feeling ill at the moment, do you mind if I have a word in his stead?"