Castle of Loch Ness

[Apollymi]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51117970802_518e11697a_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2kT7XNb)

The Castle of Loch Ness is a small citadel set up on the shores of the Loch Ness. It is claimed to be a mile-marker on the way to Camelot and seems to be a center of trade and commerce for the lower end of this particular area. The Castle itself is said to belong to King Arthur and as such as such can be taken as a Temporary Base whenever that person is below. The Loch is said to be protected by the Lady of the Lake and haunted by her counter-part Morgan. The town itself is nice and upright and it seems to be the last bastion of hope on this ravaged continent.

[Bloodedge]

Weeks. A single group had been traveling for weeks, making pitstops here and there for food and drink, rest, and the like. On red-haired jester, Dagonet, heaved one exasperated sigh after another as he trudged along. Cador, Hector and Elyan, a trio of knights with their blades raised under a new banner, seemed to be doing alright. At least, none of those three had any outward complaints to present after where their services had previously been. Ahead of this group was Arthur Pendragon, a would-be king with no kingdom to speak of yet. Ah, but on the horizon for quite some time had been the place to which the sorceress Merlyn led: Loch Ness. Arthur felt things were very strange in this world, what with all the coincidental links to the lore he knew, and even the names chosen by other players who appeared around him. Was this some strange form of fate? Perhaps it was, or perhaps it was all the fault of Merlyn. That damn woman had been leading him around for what felt like ages now, into all of these things that made parts of King Arthur's legend true. Even the knights who chose to follow him now, were his enemies in a sense only a few weeks ago. What more would come? Which version of history would he be playing out? Was this the same path his sister followed during her journey? There were so many questions, no answers, and only one option: moving forward. Now, with a castle that could function as their base ahead of them, this world's second Knights of the Round Table group could establish something solid. From there, Arthur Pendragon could seek his goals. Maybe he could even establish routes to locate his 'boss' from the other world. Maybe... just maybe, his presence here could even somehow alert his sisters to his location. He'd felt one of them prior to leaving Zuria; hopefully any of them could feel him as well. Ah, if only he could know for certain. . .

[Apollymi]

Who else was taking this long journey? Well, the two young ladies once part of Zuria's court. The would-be Queen, Guinevere who easily found herself enjoying this level of freedom after the fiasco which had taken place in her homeland. The ward of Cador a young girl known as Emilia who with her pointy elf ears and her overly pale skin was slowly but surely becoming more of herself. The very sweet girl was being responsible and keeping Guin company during this long hike across the continent. They'd passed many devastated and empty places... but the last woman in this group, a sorceress walking around with her face tucked in a deep hood said there was a place which could work for them as a group.

Ah, but what was Merlyn doing? Well, right at the moment she was peeking into the goings on around the continent. Watching the future unfold as events solidified over time. 'Ugh... that's a problem and a half. Still, they can at least have a good time, for now...' her eyes narrowed. There was far too much to keep track of, and too many lives connected to her finger tips. If she ever came across the other Merlin she'd have to ask how he managed not to be driven mad by it. Actually, he probably took the out of sight out of mind approach. Yeah... that was much more like him. Still, over the hill before them, a small citadel appeared. Walled in with fields and surrounded by a large lake with a bridge leading into it. "Oh? The Citadel of Loch Ness~ How cute!~" she said aloud. "You know Arthur, you own this castle~" she mentioned happily. A small base, a foothold in this shithole of a continent. Yep, this was exactly what was needed. The group was quite weary, perhaps such a settlement as this one, where they could actually rest would make it easier for them... well most of them. "It's one of the last defensible places in the area... it'd be a good place to start planning and looking for people. Normal ones I mean~" she stated. This had been the place they'd been heading for when she'd told them they were going on a trip. Though she'd been less than honest about why they were coming here, it was at least where they needed to be presently.

[Bloodedge]

Arthur owned this castle, did he? That made sense. If it was previously the property of Artoria Pendragon, it stood to reason that it also counted as his. It had clearly been around for some time, but as a fortifiable base to hold in case the former Queen of Zuria staged an assault for vengeance, it would more than suffice. "I own it, huh? If that's the case, I guess it's time to remodel," he announced. Special attention would be paid to the following words, specifically by Hector and Cador. As the knightliest of the bunch, those two expected to be doing most of the grunt work in restructuring Loch Ness. Little did they know, Arthur wasn't the type to make such demands. "There must be cannons, weapons and other such fortifications around here somewhere. Aside from a hefty cleanup, I'm sure it'll be easy to make things work here. Maybe this can be made a safe haven for everyone suffering because of Queen Kolin," he mused.

Arthur was working his way through a plan, which developed more and more with each step forward. First, there was making sure this place could be lived in comfortably for the group in his company. Second, he would seek any vantage points throughout the castle and surrounding town, ensuring to the best of his ability that all were properly safe. Third, he would look into methods of harboring the downtrodden in crumbled countries. Fourth... he would find out a fourth thing to add. Interestingly enough, making use of those who'd essentially sworn themselves to him weeks ago, was nowhere on the list. Everything Arthur thought, involved only a single worker: Arthur himself. In his mind, this was a lovely group of people, and all of them had been through enough already. Yes, it was high time they knew rest for as long as possible. Well... everyone except Merlyn, of course─

[Apollymi]

"Remodeled, huh?" Merlyn thought about this statement and her head tilted to the side. She saw Hector and Cador ready themselves, that was about normal for them... but they were in for a shock, finding out what happened when a day-worker and general good Samaritan became King instead of a spoiled brat. "Hm, a shining beacon of light on this dark continent. Fine~ It sounds like a great plan~" Merlyn's voice came out as a bit teasing, but it was the case that it always did. She turned herself taking up casual strolling pace between Hector and Cador and sought her own level of advice. She saw a couple of different ways for such an activity to go, knowing Arthur and this group of people, she had no idea which way was technically the right one. Was this to be another of those good moments along the way to bad ones? Was she to actively do something about this particular situation... or leave mundane work to be carried out by hand?

Though this place was left by Artoria as she made her ascension, it wasn't uncared for, nor had it been unmanned for any great length of time bar the end. It was reasonably fortified and well armed. Things like cannons and fortifications were left, along with large stockpiles of dried foods and gardens and fields which could be tended at their leisure. The rooms in the castle, were spread out clean but dusty given the amount of time this place had been inhabited. Ah, but it wasn't like it would take a long amount of time for the place to become habitable, but it all depended on how such a task was undertaken. "And how shall we enact this plan?" she asked. She had no faith in Arthur fully realizing how this could be undertaken, but knowing exactly where his mind was, would help out a bit. Merlyn had the necessary skills to turn this place into a working fortress within moments, but... this lad had already turned down her help in providing such comforts before... so was she to take that to mean he simply would never accept them? The white haired young woman was in deep thought as she considered how to broach such a topic.

[Bloodedge]

"A slight one, yeah," Arthur replied, thinking the castle was actually quite well-fortified by basically its structure alone. He imagined Artoria once had a decent stay here, and thought Camelot in its current state had to be something amazing to behold. When could he see it with his own eyes? Time would tell, but for now, there was a need to consider Loch Ness' immediate future. This could easily be a safe place to stay for the current group with what Arthur understood of its overall combat ability. If it could be made safe for the average person, however, it would be a wonderful start to... second Camelot? What would this place even be, with him being King Arthur? Well, whatever the case, it was worthwhile to find out. As for how this plan would be enacted, Arthur wasn't entirely sure. He only knew his intentions, which were of course to deal with most things himself while granting the others reprieve, but that was enough in his mind. "Like I said. I'll clean it up, make sure the defenses still work, and then everything can get started."

Arthur's response was... bothersome, at least to Cador. He'd always known Arthur was a bit of an oddball in this world, but the sort of selfless behavior being implied wasn't very kingly at all. "Huh? What do you mean you'll clean it up?" he asked. Arthur strangely seemed confused by the question, while Cador wondered why this new 'king' wasn't planning to make use of his people. Of course, Arthur didn't appear to have any idea what the problem was, and that much was clear when he answered. "I mean what I said, Sir Cador. Do you think I should be doing something else?"

[Apollymi]

Arthur's additive words struck Cador wrong as well. Merlyn knew they would of course, she knew a lot of things about Sir Cador by this point in their interactions. She also knew that Arthur was a bit servile by his own nature... which is likely why he would have made an appropriate puppet King for Kolin. Oh well, certain habits needed breaking especially in this world full of conveniences modern people should be better appreciating. Ah, but the way he answered Sir Cador made it clear to the man what he was actually intending. Merlyn took this time to tease as well, Arthur's very nature could have him being exactly the sort of man who would try to take on all tasks himself and that wasn't very Kingly. Or rather it was, but a king who worked himself to death was hardly any good for his people after his death... now was the time to see how bendable this man would be to actually settling into his place in this world. How one acted in a crisis was one thing... but how one acted in their day to day life made the difference between good and bad rulers, and Merlyn was here to raise the best ruler possible.

"Hm, this is about the reaction I expected..." Merlyn said. It'd been quite a while since she dealt with a whole group of people, but she figured the former King Cador would be much better at advising such a situation than she would be herself. She leaned a bit closer to him and whispered her commentary playfully. "The young King Arthur is quite used to being the one put to work, he also wouldn't want to put you all in a worse position after what you've been through. I am also not entirely certain if utilizing a workforce falls within his normal area of expertise... especially given his various previous job duties~" she mentioned with a knowing smile. "Perhaps a more experienced Spirit Knight, used to working with people could advise him of the error of tyrant selflessness?~" she mentioned. Again, it was perfectly possible for her to take care of the whole of this situation, she could have even done it before they arrived, but she figured he wouldn't have trusted it if she had. Ah, he also didn't just directly take her advice either and she couldn't say she knew any better how to deal with people. No... the people aspect was best left to those used to working with others, Sir Cador was quite perfect for this aspect of the advisory role.

[Bloodedge]

Cador was baffled. Arthur clearly didn't get the point of his question, and he wasn't sure how to make things any clearer to one who missed such an obvious cue. Ah, but it seemed Merlyn was on the right track. The sorceress took a moment to speak with Cador directly, clarifying the true nature of the man behind their current King Arthur. He was more a knight than a king, it seemed. That was fine. "Well, that won't do," was the Spirit Knight's response to Merlyn. "Good job letting me know this early. I know just what to do," he concluded. As a former king himself, there was one thing he knew was necessary: oneness with one's own fiefdom. If Arthur knew the individual value of his people, perhaps it would be a bit easier to work with them instead of piling on his own tasks the way he knew best.

Yes, that was a marvelous idea! Cador stepped ahead with a grin, taking initiative unto himself in announcing his own abilities. He spoke loudly and clearly enough for the entire group to hear, knowing at least some would catch on to his method. "While I don't think you should do something different, my king, perhaps you would do better with some knowledge? I'd like to inform you that as the Spirit Knight, I am attuned to various Pseudo Spirits with numerous attributes. If it is destructive power you need for our armaments, I believe I could easily offer a boost to blade and firearm alike." Ah, so that was his aim. Hector caught on roughly midway through the Spirit Knight's first sentence, and spoke second while placing a hand atop his own heart. "Combat is my greatest asset. If Sir Cador is willing to strengthen our blades, I should refine them first. I can also easily determine the ideal setup for defenses against even less-common assaults on our borders."

[Apollymi]

"Indeed~" Merlyn teased with happiness in those glowing eyes of hers. Of course, none could see them, well, except Sir Cador. "I am expecting praise of the highest order... to be paid at your earliest convenience~" she mentioned gently. Of course, she waited to see what sort of idea this man came up with on the spur to deal with Arthur's problem and his idea was a rather open-ended one. He'd give Arthur a rundown of his talents, which when mentioned in context would give light to how he could be utilized in such a situation. Sir Hector also caught on pretty quickly, he went on to give his own explanation of his skills and powers and how he could be used in such a situation. Ah... that was quite a good idea... was it Merlyn's turn? She supposed it was, or... maybe not?

Emilia and Guinevere both were standing around as well. They'd caught on to what Arthur was saying and between themselves they'd decided to help. Though they weren't Knights, both were raised within royal courts and knew of all that went into the setup of such places. They were at the very least capable of providing more than basic household cleanup and inventory of household stocks. "I can at least help out around the inside of the castle. Make sure rooms are habitable and all of the things inside work. Those are just my general skills but it'd be bad if I couldn't at least help if I'm planning on sticking around..." Emilia said. It seemed she was for the fairness of her staying here. And could easily adapt to the role she had before without the abuses of the mad queen around every corner. At the same time, Guinevere had a bit extra to add, and because she wasn't a knight she would be a bit more direct about her offer of help. "I have all the skills needed to account for the inventory and inner household of such a fortification. I can also help out with listing of potential extra types of people we should look for to help this place run as smoothly as possible. Such is the nature of running a full fiefdom. Also I should add that if you take on too much yourself and don't properly utilize those around you, they'll feel just as unwanted as when you're too selfish with your time and they have to wait around for you," the amount of directness Guinevere spoke with had been increasing over the last few weeks as she'd adjusted to being able to properly speak her mind again. Merlyn's eyes widened. What a clever girl! Merlyn had to stifle a laugh, aside from the way Kolin had taken over that place, she imagined entering a Zuria run by Guinevere would have been a very different sort of place... ah, well maybe just a taste of such a thing would be enough to spur Arthur on.

[Bloodedge]

"Oh? Well, well, I do wonder when my earliest convenience will be. Who knows when I'll even be available? I may work myself to the bone and... fall asleep~" Cador teased, offering a small inside joke between Merlyn and himself. With that strange form of flirting aside, he listened to the others chiming in with their own talents. All things considered, this group possessed more than enough collective ability to start and maintain a nation. The only potential hiccup was Arthur himself, and he now seemed to have a better look on his face. Well, that part clearly had nothing to do with Cador. The Spirit Knight himself offered his skillset, as did Hector and Emilia. Guinevere did the same, but added an interesting and solid piece of advice afterwards.

Arthur was stunned to silence by those final words. Nevertheless, he took in all information given. This group wanted to be made useful? The more he thought about it, the more he could equate things to his own methodology. A position with no work was meaningless. If his boss had given him a random day off, he would at least go through a brief period of questioning his own usefulness. If such a thing had occurred in his earlier days, he'd have all but put in his resignation within a week. "Huh. I actually feel a bit dumb for not thinking of it that way," he said when words finally came to him. Stopping in the middle of the town's primary road, he turned to the others and bowed apologetically. "I didn't mean to make anyone feel unwanted. You've all been through so much, I thought I would be helping you recover. Guinevere is right, though; I'm not even sure how long it would take me to deal with this alone," Arthur explained. He wasn't quite done, but Hector took a moment to interrupt his thought pattern─ albeit for the better. "If I may, I think we would all rather work for our own home. I would personally take it as relief from the virtual slavery that was working in Zuria. A king willing to do any amount of actual work himself is a massive improvement."

That made sense to Arthur. After what they'd all been through prior to his and Merlyn's arrival in Zuria, perhaps working for something useful to all of them would be seen in a positive light. With that potentiality in mind, the blonde 'king' smiled, and even chuckled. "Well, if you insist. In that case... Sir Hector and Sir Dagonet, I'd like the two of you to scout the village. If there are any dangers, mark them, or get rid of them if it isn't too much trouble at the time. There could be people as well, maybe? If there are, please lift their moods and send them to the castle; we should try getting them fed and cared for. Sir Elyan and Sir Cador, if you could accompany Emilia through the castle while she finds out what's needed to make it a decent living space, that would be appreciated. Guinevere, I'm sure you're better at inventory of this scale than I am. You and I can find resources throughout the castle, and if it's fine with you, I'd like to learn how to better consolidate it. Merlyn..." He paused when matters came to the sorceress, looking at the hooded woman and seeming quite... at a loss, as it were. "Merlyn, you... are good for something normal, right?"

[Apollymi]

And the flirting didn't stop. Well perhaps it wasn't as obvious to others... Merlyn found herself easily amused, even in the middle of trying to turn Arthur into a proper king for his trial run here at Loch Ness. Cador's words about his potential of working himself and falling asleep only made the same kind of amused light dance across Merlyn's already glowing eyes. "I suppose if that happens... I'll just visit my time share~ I'd never be the type to bother a man while he's working~" she softly teased. Lies. It was all lies. She would simply invade his dreams later if he happened to fall asleep but that was the joke after all. Not all were privy to Merlyn's nature except, well not the entire truth of it anyways. All that had happened in Zuria would have given a hint or two in the minds of those who were bothered by her natural existence, but she was careful of these men she enjoyed so it was likely without her saying so most wouldn't have figured out on their own what was so alluring about her.

Beyond this point though, the wheels of Arthur's mind were turning. After hearing the skillsets and less than gentle advice of Guinevere it seemed he was onboard to actually split the work between himself and the current set of people who were capable of handling it. His apology got waved off by Guinevere and Emilia who both simply wanted to do their parts. And unsurprisingly it would be Sir Hector who clarified why they'd rather be involved in someway than abused as they had been in Zuria. All of this made sense, even to one like Merlyn, but it would seem such statements only made it easier to divvy up the work. So, Elyan, Emilia and Cador to look over the inside. That was sensible enough, since he didn't know what Elyan was capable of... though admittedly a bit disappointing as she could have taken Cador with herself for her own amusement. Dagonet with Hector, also sensible as Hector himself was more than capable and could and would look out for Dagonet if he needed it. Ah, and then there was Guinevere who already had all of the skills necessary to run a Kingdom. Raised to rule with the full knowledge of fiefdom upkeep... he'd have her along to advise him in such matters? All the better. The fact that they'd both spend the day making googly eyes at each other was also just another point in his favor, at least from Merlyn's perspective. So what of the sorceress? She'd not offered up her own skill set and she found the idea of explaining herself a bit deplorable. It also didn't help that it was unclear how well they got along. "Arthur, you realize I am an immortal, reality-bending SORCERESS in a magical world... right?" she asked of him with sarcasm and teasing in her tone. Asking if she was good for normal things was almost stupid. To be technical she could do every job already assigned and more... ah right. Humility was necessary a bit. "Magic, both offensive and defensive and Item construction mostly unrivaled~" she said with a knowing smirk. "But to avoid having to explain what all of that actually means, why don't I handle the magical defenses of this fortress? I'll even make sure that monster in the lake is asleep unless needed..." Merlyn stated her best uses in this case because she didn't want to have to give this man a full crash course in her magical abilities.

[Bloodedge]

Cador chuckled. The running joke shared between the two was brushed off by most others as mere banter; none would have a clue what they were up to in their free time. "Your time share? Well, I suppose that will be alright. You make it seem like an alright place, and I hear return tenants get special privileges," he said. The next time Sir Cador slept would be an interesting night, it seemed. For now though, there were important matters to take care of... like ensuring everyone present could sleep comfortably. Alongside Dagonet, Hector broke apart from the group to find a suitable starting point for their trek through the town. They would not meet the others until all was done, but on the positive side, Dagonet wasn't the worst person to be alone with... for Hector, anyway. What some found annoying about the jester, he actually found quite amusing. Overall, it would prove to be an entertaining trip.

Cador and Elyan were given a separate task, though. The pair would be accompanying Emilia, seemingly as protection if needed. Good; Cador could already appreciate the idea of Arthur as a ruler. One such as Kolin would have sent the poor girl alone not only to start the task, but to finish it with neither fail nor pause. Surely Arthur failed to realize Emilia had no use of a bodyguard most times, but... did he really? Emilia had been the first one met by Arthur and Merlyn. In truth, Arthur had reason to trust her abilities before half of his knights. Still, the idea of sending a single girl out to do a task alone was never something Arthur ─ rather, Hoshimi Kei ─ could accept. Cador took the lead with these thoughts in mind, flashing Merlyn a cheeky wink outside of the others' view. There was a thought he wouldn't share: Arthur had chosen to accompany Guin. That sly dog.

Ah, but first would come the discussion between Arthur and his sorceress guide. The information shared by the latter was... useful, in a technical sense. She was immortal. She could alter reality, as also seen previously. She obviously had a great deal of magical ability to go along with the other two features. None of that mattered to Arthur, yet... Item Construction? Now that was worth a second thought. "Hmm. Well, there's one thing you're good for. Could you use Item Construction and make something to help everyone along? Sorry, I can't imagine what would actually be useful, but... you and all that magical knowhow should be fine, right?"

[Apollymi]

Ah, yes the running jokes between Merlyn and Cador were missed for the most part by those they were currently in the company of, what a hilarious extra bit of fun. They could flirt openly and no one would figure out they were actually serious at all. It was only helped further by the idea that, they'd become reasonable friends during her imprisonment. "Oh? I wasn't aware of special privileges... I suppose I'll find out then~" Merlyn was beyond amused. Even so, Dagonet and Hector broke off from the group. Those two seemed to get along well enough... it was nice as an advancement for bonding. She imagined that given how Hector was, he might actually be fine with Dagonet in the same way she was... or would be when they had a chance to sit down and talk.

In the meantime, it seemed she'd be losing her entertainment for a while. Though Emilia needed less help with her tasks than most people ever would, it seemed that Arthur was content to send two other people with her. How nice rather something else entirely. "Oh, Chivalry won't die with the Future King either... interesting choices all around~" Merlyn mentioned. It hadn't gone unnoticed by her either, that Arthur decided to walk around with Guinevere. Oh the futures she could see... oh well, she'd keep it to herself. Oh, that cheeky wink from Cador wouldn't go unnoticed either, they would e having a fun chat later as well.

For the final stretch there was what would be done about Merlyn's usefulness. Apparently Arthur decided in the moment, that her Item Construction would be the most useful given what they were going to be doing. "Hm? That's the thing you're going with here..." she said as if bored by the entire idea. She could make everything easy, but she saw if she did that she'd get lectured... so instead she was being forced to walk a strange middle ground with her choices verses the things she could actually make happen. "Ah, yes... I'll be fine with all my magical knowhow... I'll make something to help everyone along," Merlyn's words lost their playful teasing and turned into pure snark. Did he have any idea how vague that statement was? What was she to do with that sort of information? She supposed she'd have to figure it out while she walked and had a look at the lake. "I'll think it over and check on everyone in due course. I assume they'll know what they need a bit better than I would..." the white haired young woman said. Her face was still hidden behind that hood of hers and she gave a parting wave to Arthur and Guinevere. "I'm sure if you think of anything, M'lady you'll let me know~" she said to the lass before she parted, which made Guinevere nod even as she giggled after the woman walked off. Arthur had no idea of the amount of magical power that woman had at her disposal...

[Bloodedge]

"Well, yes," said Arthur. Frankly, he'd hardly managed to familiarize himself with most of the game's functions before appearing in this world. Never did he have an Avatar aside from the one he presently embodied, and never had he considered adding magic to it. The most he understood was whatever he'd seen Merlyn and Emilia do, and the mystical effect of his sword... which was more Holy energy than actual magic. "Maybe next time, you can actually explain how anything you do even works."

In all fairness, knowledge of how magical methods functioned in this world was something Arthur would have to learn. When he unleashed Excalibur against Kolin, she'd done something to resist the slash's otherwise devastating effects. Sir Hector resurrected right before the eyes of all present, that Executioner summoned a massive guillotine that radiated death itself. Emilia manipulated ice, Guinevere had something strange going on with that doll of hers, and Merlyn... well, her feats were impossible to fathom. It was all too much for Arthur to wrap his head around right now, so he was content to let Merlyn be on her way, though he sighed in her wake. "I swear, she calls herself my guide without offering much guidance at all. I might be Arthur Pendragon, but I'm definitely no King Arthur─ or anywhere near, really."

[Apollymi]

Merlyn heard Arthur's final words and scoffed. Did he actually expect her to be able to explain her own existence to him? Surely, that was some kind of exaggeration. Besides, knowing of Guinevere, Cador and Emilia there were plenty around that could teach him the basics of magic. Merlyn herself wasn't qualified for that sort of thing. Her magic was far too specific and beyond that her telling Arthur certain things about herself probably wasn't for the best at their current junction. "All knowledge isn't necessary, Future King. Sometimes, the best decisions are made in ignorance," Merlyn was the last person to give such advice but about this particular thing she could be certain. She couldn't explain the full depth of her own magic to him, just as she had no way of explaining every event she'd steered him towards. Just the same she managed to look a bit miffed and walked off with only a casual wave above her head.

Alone at last with Arthur, Guinevere saw the movements of Merlyn beneath her hood. What was more she was quite certain the lad had no real idea of the types of things magic could actually do in this world. This was odd, she definitely took him as a player... not one of the people like herself who grew up in this world with no knowledge of skills or magic to go with. A small smile appeared on her face as she reasoned through why someone like Merlyn might not have been too revealing. Still with that little doll in her hands she spoke easily. "To guide is to point in the right direction... what you seek when looking is your choice. In fairness to Merlyn, you can't ask a lady to reveal her secrets to you... especially when it's obvious that her life has been quite long..." Guinevere said once more giving a bit of a smile to the lad. "At present you are Arthur Pendragon so you seek to be King Arthur... what you wish to learn as you head towards that goal is a matter of your own taste..." she said calmly. "Though I had assumed you'd made your way here through that game the way most did, it seems like you weren't at all familiar with the base systems everyone else mentions. But if you don't know about magic in general then you also didn't grow up here. Even so, I'm sure I could answer a great number of basic questions if you had them." she said offering herself to this lad's service in the ways that she could. She was born in this world the second time, her magic was innate to her being and she'd had one of the best teachers produced by the Clocktower in her time. She had been an excellent student while it was possible for her to be such.

[Bloodedge]

With Merlyn gone for the time being, Arthur could know temporary relief. He'd have much rather been in the company of Guinevere for discussions' sake anyway, and now, he could have just that. The former princess even had additional wisdom to share, though the start was hardly what he wanted to address. "I know, I know. It's just annoying how she clearly has so much information, but doesn't share an ounce of it. Just something, anything of actual importance would be an upgrade," he ranted. Arthur harbored a certain unspoken respect for Merlyn, this much was true, but she was also the primary cause for his annoyance as of late. "Besides, it's not as if I have a personal desire to become King Arthur or anything. I want it, yes... but it's not my primary concern. I have a lot that needs doing in this world, even though everything around me seems to be pushing toward just one thing."

While they discussed the goings-on, Arthur took a step ahead. A single turn and gesture beckoned Guinevere forward. They could walk and talk in unison, and there was much to talk about, if Guin could do her part to clarify some magical things for him. "I haven't heard such helpful words in the month or so I've been here. For clarification, I did play the video game, but not very much. I only had a few levels when I came here. Actually... I picked up Excalibur, and it gave me all the power I have now, all at once. Anyway, questions. I have seen a lot of magic mumbo jumbo in other games, books and shows. What type of thing are we dealing with here? Is it all elemental, or are there more caveats than I'm ready for?"

[Apollymi]

Guinevere received soon enough a more in-depth rant about his issues with Merlyn's lack of forwardness as far as information was concerned. A knowing smile crossed the young princess' face, she understood this at least... It was always a bit perilous deciding what could and couldn't be shared. "Ah, I see... I can't say I understand that frustration... but it usually feels better to get that stuff out~" she said with a knowing smirk. It was beyond this point a claim by Arthur that he wasn't currently aiming to be King Arthur that he had other things on his list before that. Though, Guinevere could understand such a thing, she also had several things to say regarding those thoughts. "The things you need to do, and those you aim to do, might not be on different paths... taking steps forward is usually a good call regardless of what you intend," she said about his current plight. It was about all the advice she could actually offer without full knowledge of what was going on with him. Perhaps she'd eventually have more to go on.

For now, she followed his beckoning and willingly offered her up own knowledge of the world to help him figure out his base. He did play that godforsaken game that everyone else who'd ended up here played. Of course, it was strange to her, that he didn't have too much knowledge. "I see. You gained your levels through your weapon... that is a bit strange but not unheard of. Magic here is... everything," she said softly. That was a lot but there was more to it than that. "Activated or conditional. Activated being the sort you learn or develop or need spells and words for. Conditional being part of the states of ones being or connected directly with one from an innate standpoint. Activated magic can apply to things like catalyst, they can also be learned through words. Words themselves are a type of magic, one that is older than most others and can have lasting effects..." she explained of the system in general. "Activated magic can be elemental, nature based, offensive or defensive. If you're human your limits on the type of magic you can learn aren't limited by nature. Instead a human is limited by their typing, class or choices, well in the ease at which they can learn things and the amount they can learn. But you can't innately use it for the most part, if you are human, you need some sort of catalyst. Viy is a spirit connected to Zuria, she'd be considered my catalyst for magical use... Where as conditional magic can be innate to the nature of a person, and while they can learn other types the conditional ones are linked directly to them and are unaffected by things which can stop or bind regular activated magics." She wondered a bit of that was too much to explain. "If you need a more concrete example, Excalibur as a weapon is a catalyst which is supposedly powered by hope. Hope is an idea... but the magic of the world turns that idea from potential into something real, so you can use that power."

[Bloodedge]

As they walked along toward the castle, Arhur received more of the princess' opinions. More and more since their initial meeting, he learned that Guinevere held a few firm believes. Resolute women with solid visions of the world around them were very much his type─ well, except those who went to extremes the way Kolin did. "It is such a relief to hear you speak your mind right now; you have no idea. For a while there, I was starting to wonder if all women in this world were some sort of crazy," he asserted with a sigh of relief. After dealing with Kolin in those final moments, he was almost prepared to question everything.

Now, it was time to learn. The moment Guinevere said magic in this world was everything, Arthur knew he would soon be in for one hell of a lesson. As a matter of fact, he wouldn't be surprised if he had to sign up for regular lectures, especially as the explanation went on. The telling was at least clarified a decent amount. All magic could be classified roughly as one of two types. Even his Excalibur fit into one of these criteria, to be used as an example for easier understanding. He could generally grasp what she was getting at, and it did indeed attribute to a vast array of potential spells and the like. Even if he gained understanding of magic as a whole, there would always be magical occurrences he hadn't a single clue about. "You know..." he said hesitantly when it seemed Guinevere was done explaining things. Everything she said did make sense, but also... nothing at all made sense. "I appreciate you telling me all that, and I think I get it as well as a newbie like myself could... but I think I'd have to take on a teacher before any of it made much of a difference with me. I do think I know enough for now, though, so thank you."

[Apollymi]

Laughter. This was the initial response of Guinevere to Arthur's apparent relief that all women in this world weren't crazy. She was actually more than a bit surprised that he'd actually noticed that Kolin was crazy, most men didn't or were choosing to ignore it so long as her less than savory tendencies weren't directed at them. This in turn, made Guinevere believe that every man was crazy instead. "Hahaha~ I wouldn't say all women are crazy here. I am pretty sure it isn't too different from the other world. Except that encountering a crazy person in this world means they have the potential to not just be crazy but properly dangerous," she said with relative understanding. "I'd say take it on a case by case basis. That is what I did... and I met a few nice men, like Sir Cador and Sir Hector. To be honest, I originally thought all men that played that game were crazy, given their choices. I am surprised... most people didn't notice how crazy she was until it was far too late for them..." Guinevere said with a casual shrug. She was beyond the point of feeling overly traumatized by Kolin's antics. She'd reached her point of anger and rebellion a long time ago and had been plotting such a thing for quite a while... so she reached the end of this more disastrous tale with relative ease.

Her words to Arthur about the nature of magic seemed to settle in his brain. She was quite sure it was a lot to take in if he didn't already learn all of these things. "I don't have much of a problem talking about magic. But, I realize its a pretty scholarly pursuit. Nerys taught me magic from childhood... so I am pretty sure I have a pretty big head start on understanding that sort of thing," she said with a small smile of happy memories spreading across her face. "Don't worry if you don't get it all. I'm sure everyone will be willing to help you figure it out... you might have a bit more luck given your type and classing talking to Sir Hector, his sword is also magical and his skill is nigh unrivaled. Sir Cador is also a pretty good teacher... more practical in nature than most," she said about his personal magic based abilities. If he didn't get the full lessons, she was willing to offer advice to point him in the direction of people he might find an easier time talking with. "So then, instead of magic... what other sort of questions do you have?" she asked. Unlike Merlyn, Guinevere's Clairvoyance was limited and inactive for the most part, she didn't know how her actions would affect this lad specifically so she could act without the constraints of knowing such things.

[Bloodedge]

Actually, Arthur could easily see how one would assume the men of this world to be crazed, given what he'd witnessed of lads like Leorio and Lot in Zuria. Those two were an entirely different sort of insane, even if one of them seemed to have genuine intentions. Ah yes, Arthur pitied that one. None of that was important here and now, though; he could only hope they saw a better path than the one they were taking at the fall of Kolin's matriarchal rule in Zuria. Now, he could at least manage to laugh in the wake of all that madness. "Guinevere, I can tell you with certainty that all men are crazy. The curse of the second brain, you can call it. Some years ago, I might have been in a similar situation... though I'd love to think I would never have been that extreme about it," he said in a hopeful manner. "I did get lucky enough to anger the queen that first night. It was a... painful experience, though I'm now glad things went that way. Oh!"

There was something he'd yet to do, and he only realized it now. Guinevere lent him a family heirloom of sorts during their shared time in Zuria. He still had that ornate dagger between his tunic and chest plate. After a bit of digging, Arthur realized he was only fumbling about, and decided to do away with the armor piece entirely to reach the knife. There it was, sheathed and in pristine condition, just as he'd promised. The would-be king even took a knee when offering it. "Now that my first lesson in magic is over, allow me to return this. I wound up not needing it at all, but it gave me a great deal of comfort. Again, thank you. As for other questions, well... there is one that's been bugging me since we started the trip here. Ugh─ I'm not sure now is even a good time to ask."

[Apollymi]

A bit of a chuckle came from Guinevere at this moment. It was kind of surprising for someone to be so honest about their nature as a being. Of course, it wasn't exactly the first time she'd heard such a thing, even so she respected the candor of the Future King. "Well, I can at least respect your honesty in this Arthur... To be fair, such situations made it easier to understand why there is such a strange division between men and women all the time," she posited as a person outside of the situation. "It reminded me a bit of high school from before..." she said which was true. Some girl who developed earlier than everyone else, ended up with all male attention, initially. And all the girls who saw the boys go after her, had no interest left for their less than scrupulous male counterparts. Even after they settled down in their hormonal pursuits. Of course, this was a problem that fed itself in the moment and fixed itself over time. In their own world, eventually those kinds of people fell into obscurity, got pregnant, trapped in terrible relationships or something of that nature. And the bad men in those situations ended up alone and obscure as well... the misguided ones usually found salvation in some woman who managed to see past their faults... such was the nature of chemistry and relationships. Too bad this world was content to let those who reached a certain milestones live without consequences for so long. "Lucky indeed. The last man that earned her ire was Dagonet... and he ended up enchanted," she said with a casual shrug. Whether Arthur would have pursued such a person in his youth or not, was hardly worth consideration... he seemed to have a good enough head on his shoulders that he might have eventually found redemption.

Though there was surprise from the lad. Apparently he remembered something... what could it be? He was digging around in his tunic and removed eventually her dagger. A smile crossed her face as the young man was soon kneeling before her handing it back to her and thanking her for its use. He claimed he hadn't needed it for the duration of that time, but it'd given him comfort nonetheless. A blush appeared on Guinevere's face as she managed to look away and rather sheepish. Still she was raised to be a dignified young lady so she eventually managed to look at the young man before her. "Truly, it cost me nothing to let you borrow it. I am glad it could offer you some comfort during such a trying time..." she mused taking back the weapon she held it in her hands. She remembered receiving it. The look on her parents faces when she was taught how to use it. And moreover the words that came with it. Her father really had been kind and just... more than willing to hand over his kingdom to his eldest child even though she was a girl. How interesting Zuria would have been if such a thing had been possible. She took it back holding it her hands and had more happy memories play in her mind. It was almost a daydream. Oh... he still had another question but he wasn't sure about asking it. That wouldn't do. "If you have a question... you can ask it. I am not at all bothered about answering anything you may be curious about. And it isn't good to let things sit on your mind if the answers are easily given~" How very firm and direct this girl always was. She tucked that blade back into its hiding place within Viy and waited for this ominous question of Arthur's.

[Bloodedge]

She respected his honesty. Well, that was good. She was right as well; the difference between men and women was blatantly clear in such situations, and high school was a prime example of that differential. "Ugh. I remember high school. I had the misfortune of looking like a jock from old media, but actually being... err... a bit of a geek, really. If not for my family name, I'm pretty sure I would have been a loner by default," he explained. Life in the other world had been so strange, and it seemed this new life would be even stranger still. Hopefully, there would be many positives to go along with weird happenings. He could call it a positive experience so far, bar a few horrendous experiences here and there.

Guin claimed there was no cost to her lending him that dagger. Arthur couldn't agree. "You're too modest. You said it was precious to you, but you still ran the risk of me losing or damaging it. That's a pretty big cost, if you ask me," the knight insisted, handing over the blade with care. He found himself wondering if it actually had some sort of enchantment applied to it, since the doll she kept it in was used as a catalyst for whatever magic she used. Disregarding that thought, Guin insisted that any question he had should be asked. Perhaps his reprehension came from the sort of question he had in mind. Arthur seemed somewhat sheepish when thinking of asking, but... it was something he was better off bringing up now, before Loch Ness became a proper stronghold for the group. "Well. Sir Cador, Sir Hector, Sir Elyan, and Sir Dagonet are already knights. Merlyn is my guide, for whatever that's worth. Emilia seems happy to do the same type of work she did in Zuria, but... you were a princess, weren't you? I was just wondering what your plan moving forward might be."

[Apollymi]

Arthur explained that in their previous world, he'd looked a bit more like a stereotype he didn't fit. He claimed that without family connections he would have been a loner, another laugh escaped Guinevere she couldn't help it. The idea of this man being a geek was a bit farfetched. At least it would be, if he hadn't chosen a lore based name for himself on purpose. "I would almost find that hard to believe. High school was only truly fun for those who peaked there... I get it... truly," the lass said with a knowing smile. She'd been a different kind of person entirely. Raised quietly by a family who had the misfortune of sharing their name with lost monarchs. She'd been ignored by her peers, aside from the ones who wanted to make snide commentary about her namesake. "I didn't get away with my name aiding me... in fact, my given name made high school terrifying..." she said. She'd fallen all the way into the outcast category, as such growing up in this world a second time had been quite refreshing.

As they moved along in conversation it seemed that Arthur thought she was simply being modest about the dagger. She truly wasn't, it would have come back to her eventually such was its nature. She still shied away. It was a bit hard to explain, that the dagger was a crowning present, something given to her when her father decided to name her his heir. She was on a pretty fast track to her own rule before Kolin showed up. In fact, just a year later and the woman would have received a very different reception upon coming to the castle. Ah, but such matters were years late in her thought processes. It mattered little how differently she would have handled things, she now had something else to talk about, though it was slightly related to musing of her mind. Arthur stated that he wondered what Guinevere would be doing with herself, that the others had sworn themselves to his service and Emilia seemed happy doing the same things she always did. Guinevere had been a princess yes, but that didn't mean she'd abandon Arthur to his plights. "Oh? Is that really what you were curious about?" she questioned as if the thoughts of such things had never crossed her mind. "I am the Crowned Princess of Zuria, this is true. Even so, such a title has less meaning when someone like the former young Captain of the King's Guard declared himself King and took the woman who'd had his King and Queen killed for his wife." she said explaining the situation of Zuria in its entirety in just a few sentences. "So you see, the Crowned Princess of Zuria is a lost person, assumed killed in the reign of a tyrant," she said of her own current status within the world. "All of that aside though, I don't intend to let my little brother very far out of my sight. I was there when he was born and I promised our parents I'd look after him. I don't intend to break such a promise..." she said with a knowing little smile. "Besides, I am interested to see what kind of kingdom you'll build, and I am happy to be of assistance in that regard. And ladies of the court are necessary to help it run smoothly." she said happily.

[Bloodedge]

"The jock look, or the geek thing?" Arthur asked before realizing the obvious answer himself. "Well... that's probably a dumb question, huh? I mean, it isn't as if I named myself Arthur Pendragon or anything," he concluded. Apparently, Guin suffered the exact opposite problem in her school life. He couldn't imagine his name being a hindrance to him, but... it sort of was, now that he was thinking about it. Between the idea of Guin's experience, and the expectancies on his head due to the name Hoshimi, he couldn't fathom which was worse. "At least your current name has to be working better for you, right? Guinevere Pe─" Quickly halting himself, Arthur coughed to segue into another clause. His mind was just a bit ahead of his mouth, it seemed.

Guin was a princess with no desire to seek her former throne. She expressed an interest in the safety of her brother, Elyan, though there was an overall misinterpretation of Arthur's inquiry. Yes, Arthur would be glad to have any assistance that came earnestly. Yes, women of the court were very much a necessity. No, it wasn't as if Arthur worried that she'd overthrow him or anything like that. One such as Kolin would have been questioned in that regard, but he had actually been wondering how closely the legend of King Arthur would be followed in this world. After all, everything else seemed to be playing out as any book, show, or movie would portray. "That's all fine, sure─ and I wouldn't put Elyan or anyone else in danger... but I meant something else. Earlier, you made it sound like you didn't play Age of Eternity to get here. You didn't choose the name Guinevere then, did you? You... do know the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table though, right?"

[Apollymi]

"Yes," she said in response to his question. His general physic if it was his own, would lead many to believe he was into light sports. He was well kept if his face was his own, this would lead many down several different thought patterns. Regardless of both of those things, his lore obsession was rather interesting and she found it endearing that he found something that interested him so much even in his other life. "Well yes that is true, and it isn't as if Arthur Pendragon isn't one of the most debated Kings of all time or anything... with all kinds of lore built up around him... without anyone knowing if said person actually existed or not," she said with her own bit of sarcasm, of course that was mostly in jest. She was a bit of a history buff and got to explore that fully within this world's lore, coming here and finding out that King Arthur was Queen Artoria was more interesting. "I don't know, I did kind of meet a crazy woman who hated the idea of princesses so much that she wanted me renamed and dethroned. It's recovering a bit though..." she managed, making light of a rather serious situation, but... again she was well past her anger at the things which had already occurred.

Ah, but that slip of the tongue hadn't gone unnoticed, not by Guinevere and not by Viy, who'd whispered some sentence to her and made the girl avert her eyes quickly. How strangely such things worked, knowing that Artoria was a girl, she never once thought she'd have to deal with meeting 'King Arthur' here and now, he was indeed her type and that was not counting the fact that he was king. It was a bit outlandish that they had matching names and lore based knowledge. "Ah, that part. I didn't play Age of Eternity. I was a history buff, college student and... well, something else in my former life..." she said softly. It would be embarrassing to admit, that her former job of choice was a delivery girl who gave messages and kisses in random uniforms for laughs. "Anyways, I was born into this world and given the name Guinevere by my parents... and Elyan was the same. I do know of King Arthur and his various tales if only because they are so highly disputed. The only thing in history more disputed was the final fate of my namesake the lost Tsarina of the last Russian Dynasty." she mused seeming to become a bit enthused. "Oh... well, anyways. I do know that story and I am aware of what could happen... but history in this world isn't always what it appears. And though I have Clairvoyance this isn't something I want to look into..." she said managing to look a bit sheepish herself. "If we are going to be or aren't is a matter of the future... I don't think it should be determined by our prior knowledge of things, but instead our feelings here and now. So, until such a thing is decided by us, one day at a time, Arthur..." she said seeming to be rather firm about it. Admittedly one of the extra reasons she was willing to stick around, was because she'd grown to like Arthur a bit and wouldn't mind at all getting to know him a bit better. Even if she'd been made Queen in Zuria she would have been allowed to pick her own King, such was something she'd always taken the liberty of thinking about.

[Bloodedge]

"Most debated, most all over the place... yet I still enjoy every portrayal of the story. Well, except one─" he said, remembering one particular movie that could have been so much more than it was. Ah, but now wasn't the time for gushing about Arthurian legend. There was work to be done here in this castle, and more of a conversation to be had. Guinevere had been through a rather interesting form of hell, yes, but that was all over for the time being. If he had any say in it, the events of Zuria would not come back to haunt those who went through that hell.

His assumption was accurate; Guinevere was not a player of that game. She was, however, a bit of a nerd herself. Whatever else she was, it seemed she wasn't interested in sharing. That was fine. "This is the part where I avoid asking a lady her secrets isn't it?" he asked, rhetorically and with the lightest chuckle. Her origin story for this world was an interesting and strange one, but the biggest message to be taken from it was that the history they read and watched, may not have been the truth in this reality. That was almost a shame... almost. Arthur honestly had no intention of following history to the letter─ especially given how his own tale would end in that case. He did, however, find Guinevere strangely enthralling. One day at a time, huh? Well, he'd seen more than a fortnight thus far, and he was interested. "Haha! Don't get me wrong; I'm not asking you to marry me for the sake of keeping lore. It's just that I wouldn't advise not marrying me, either," he said. Arthur's immediate reaction to his own words was... strange. He seemed to think badly of what had come from his own mouth, and was quick to produce an additional clause. "Wait, no─ that sounded creepy, didn't it? I'm not creepy, I swear! Wait... is that what a creepy person would say? I─ well─" In the end, all he could do was hang his head and sigh. None of that had come out the way he thought. Slapping the back of his own head, he peeked up, one eye closed and an expression that almost mimicked some sort of pain reaction. With his final words, he held out his right hand. "Hello, Guinevere. My name's Arthur Pendragon, and I think you're gorgeous regardless of what history says we are."

[Apollymi]

"Hm, I take it one of the movies wasn't to your liking. It's always one of the movies..." she said with a nod. There were so many iterations of Arthurian Legend that it was almost crazy to think that anyone wasn't at all familiar with it. Even better, Arthur seemed fine to accept her lack of wanting to explain her previous job, though not without a bit of cheeky commentary. "Yes, ladies and their secrets. I wasn't anything bad, but it's a bit embarrassing... and usually requires an explanation. The last person I told, was red in the face from laughter and didn't stop for three weeks, anytime they saw me... I don't need that again, it's terrible~" she mused as if the entire thing was funny. To be honest Nerys was part of too many of her good memories and Viy, was never properly upset about Nerys so, Guinevere had decided that things with the former Court Mage of Zuria probably weren't as her angry mind made them appear. Maybe one day, she'd get a chance to apologize and hear her out...

Whatever the case, the light-hearted nature of this conversation only became more in-depth. Arthur explained his stance on the canon of King Arthur's Tale. He claimed that he wouldn't want to marry her just to keep it up, but also that he didn't advise not marrying him either. Oh?! They'd known each other for two weeks and he was already so certain?! Her eyes widened, that line was stated with such confidence, she'd almost believe he'd meant to to be suave. She might have rolled with it, if not for his extra reaction afterwards. It was a bit creepy. Still, she giggled. It was silent at first, like she was holding back the laughter. She hadn't expected a man who seemed so sure of himself in the moment to fold like a paper chair afterwards. Her face was red. Bright red even, so bright... that she couldn't help herself... when the sound finally escaped it was quite melodious. "Tehehehahahaha!~" she laughed earnestly like a young woman of the modern age. And what was this, he at least had a reasonable comeback. "Nice to meet you, Arthur Pendragon. I thank you for the compliment and find you quite handsome and amusing beyond it~ Feel free to be so awkwardly charming anytime you wish!~" she chimed placing her own hand in his. She already knew she wasn't able to say her own name, she never bothered trying and let people try and figure it out on their own.

Ah, but this cute awkward moment wasn't just being laughed off and accepted by Guinevere the White Enchantress. No. Right at the moment, the young woman known as Merlyn was standing at the side of Loch Ness, holding her sides and laughing uncontrollably. 'How is he actually so awkward?! How were we ever worried about him!?' she wondered to herself. She laughed uncontrollably for several moments. It'd been a couple thousand years since Merlyn kept the company of others. As such, it was near laughable that this was how the situation those two were in worked out. She was dying with the amount of laughter coming from her person... she thought she might have reached a point of hysteria which could have actually induced death. If only she were actually capable of dying. She had to tell someone! Someone had to know this Future King of theirs had all the womanizing aspects of a shut-in nerd! Oh, gods... she had to tell Cador. Yep, she was going to tell him... she'd already done what was necessary to secure the creature of the lake. She'd set up a barrier around the edges of the kingdom... she'd even sown a field of hallucination inducing flowers. She'd been busier than most could be in just a few seconds. Surely she could take now as an opportune time to join the others and share this absolutely horrifically brilliant screw up of Arthur's!

[Bloodedge]

"Yep. Always a movie, and always just one very specific one. It isn't even that I hated it, it's just─ it was... not nearly as good as it could have been. Anyway, your secret is safe with me if you ever decide to share it." Arthur spoke these words, knowing he couldn't dare divulge any sort of secret from a person he just showed that side of himself to. Embarrassment was hardly a strong enough word to cover how he felt at the time, but Guinevere's laughter didn't seem malicious or mocking at all. In fact, it seemed so genuine in the moment, Arthur was almost glad to have made such a colossal mistake as... well, literally everything that came out of his mouth moments ago. He could even be saved from some of that embarrassment as she took his hand, returned the compliment, and referred to his earlier bumble as... charming? That was shocking. How he managed to make that work out, he could never know.

Was that something worth trying on purpose? No; he'd find some way to muck it up for real, if he did. Maybe this was a sign that the Future King could save any reservations, and speak his mind freely in future. He laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head and straightening his posture at last. "Eheh─ Well, yeah! Obviously that was all done totally on purpose, so of course I'll do it again later!" Yes, naturally! Everything that just happened was merely part of his master plan, all for the sake of reaching Guinevere's good graces! That was... almost believable, right?

[Apollymi]

A smile spread across Guinevere's face. His words about his movie problem were so very normal. "I am sure I might at some point. When I am ready to handle the embarrassment..." she said clearly. She could trust the man with her dagger so the secret of her previous life was far from the most dangerous information to have. Besides... it was only fair given what she'd already told him about herself she'd almost given her entire life story. Beyond that, their official meeting seemed to be taking off for the better, Arthur even managed to be more of his awkward self. For a young man who when he'd met her, seemed to have himself together so well for such a stressful situation, right at the moment... he was seeming like a standard student or shut-in who'd never had a complex conversation with a girl who he wasn't related to. Another giggle escaped her, "Of course, all on purpose I am sure. Part of that wit... you definitely aren't one of those people whose outer face is well put together while they are freaking out inside~" Oh, right. That was one of her quirks. She was a bit, mischievous. She had to be really, how else would she have ended up with a devious fey like Viy on her side. Ah, it was great they could get along like this, "I'm sorry... I can be a bit impish. I promise I won't like, put applesauce in your pillow or anything though. I've definitely grown out of that~" she said with a chuckle. "So... lets go take a look at the stores and I can give you a crash course in fiefdom upkeep~" she said.

While that took place, Merlyn still laughing with light in those bright magenta eyes and her hood still up on her face, appeared directly behind the group that was Cador, Emilia and Elyan. She could hear the words of Emilia and to her knowledge none had noticed her rather sudden appearance. "Ugh! The shell of this place is fine, but it's like it's been abandoned a 1000 years. There's no wood, no furnishings... the linens have all been eaten out by moths. This isn't even an undertaking at this point!" were the words spoken by the young elf girl. She was pacing and freaking out. "I can't even have you guys move furniture. Everything left will simply turn to dust!" she exclaimed. Merlyn had never witnessed an upset Emilia before... she was hardly prepared to control her laughter.

[Bloodedge]

"Yes, exactly! How could I ever be a guy like that?" was Arthur's reply, accompanied by additional nervous, yet simultaneously lighthearted laughter. Guin went on to describe herself as... impish. That descriptor was so ridiculously fitting, yet Arthur hadn't a single clue. Applesauce in his pillow, though? What an interesting child she had to be, in whichever life that was. "Well, if you ever plan to do that sort of thing again... do it to Merlyn before me, at least?" he pleaded in jest. Now, the time had come for some actual work to be done. Arthur was becoming a bit too invested in the ongoing conversation, and had nearly forgotten to start moving again. Now that Guin was bringing it up though, he nodded and took those first important steps. "Sounds like a plan to me. Teach away, teacher~"

Meanwhile, Cador and Elyan were walking through the more decrepit corners of the castle alongside Emilia. Things were as the girl said; any remaining wood was rotten, and the only visible cloth was a few tatters attached to rusted metal that once held curtains. When Emilia spoke of the men moving things around, Elyan was reaching out to touch the back of a wooden... chair? Surely it was once a chair, right? Well, the simplest contact reduced it to a few splinters on the floor. "Not quite dust. I think dust would be a bit cleaner than this," said the white-haired knight. Cador was keeping his hands free of filth until it was time to clear this place out entirely, as that seemed to be what would soon be necessary throughout the castle and surrounding town. Luckily though, they may soon be receiving the help of... that sneaky little sorceress whose presence appeared scarce to the others. "It isn't that bad. At least we know where some of the features were once placed around here. Isn't that right, Merlyn?"

[Apollymi]

Another laugh. At the very least, Arthur was winning as the funniest man Guinevere had the pleasure of speaking with for more than a few passing moments. She was really going to enjoy her time with the young Future King Arthur. He claimed that if she was the type to put applesauce in his pillow that she should instead start with Merlyn. "Ah, yeah... no can do. She hits my radar as one of those who'd get me back... maybe before I even finished it. I'd definitely have to start with you..." she said with a bit of a chuckle. "But not maliciously, just to lull her into a false sense of security!~" she chimed as if this was a perfectly reasonable thing to say. Guinevere hadn't had this much of a good time in quite a while, as such she'd enjoy it, even while offering the lad a lesson on fiefdom upkeep. Castles were all pretty much the same, as such she had a pretty good idea of where the stores of this place should have been. She began walking towards them and talking. "Hm, as a person who just got here, it might be easier for you to relate the sort of thing I am about to say to a job. Basically, the upkeep is about managing different amounts of things. Making sure there is enough food to go around, enough weaponry at the ready, and enough men to keep things running smoothly. You could think of yourself as the manager on shift. Other people will mostly take care of the menial tasks but you need to make sure they have everything they need to complete those tasks. Does this make sense?" she asked more than willing to entertain questions and the like. Most store rooms in the world were magically enchanted to keep the things within fresh. Though not many had access to ice magic, most could manage ones for anti-theft and bugs and the like. They'd open the store rooms see what kind of dried food and the like was being kept here. In this case, a store room was more like a huge pantry. Full of oats, wheat, barreled beer, potatoes, and dried meats.

At the same time, Elyan was touching what looked like a chair and watching as it crumbled at his touch. Emilia managed to look aghast. She was content to do this sort of work, but she didn't imagine this being so much of a problem. Luckily enough, her mentor Sir Cador seemed capable enough of keeping a level head and this in turn kept her from freaking out too badly. His mention of Merlyn though, made the lass look around and jump backwards to suddenly find the mage within the same space as them. She was almost certain she hadn't been there before. "I'm sorry. How much of that did you see?" the young girl asked apologetically. "All of it... but I saw it hours ago, too. It was still quite interesting in person though, you have a bit of hidden fire in there~" Merlyn teased as Emilia blushed seeming to find her outburst in front of the other woman to be unacceptable for some reason or another. Content to leave the girl to her embarrassment for a few moments Merlyn looked around and shrugged. "It isn't that bad, but it could always be... well better. Also remind me I have something really funny to tell you~" she said to Sir Cador. As for this place there were a few open questions to answer. "Anyways the Castle at Loch Ness is about 1000 years old. Queen Artoria left this place behind when she claimed the lands of Camelot and ascended it. And I have been tasked with helping, and as I have already finished the outer magical defenses and tamed Nessie, I am at your service~" Merlyn said giving a bow to Emilia who managed to pull herself together. "Also Sir Cador, I am going to need some limitations, because I don't have 'human' sense. How much do you actually want me to help in this situation?" she asked of the man... she'd seen a future of him assuming she'd gone too far, and she didn't really want to experience that one, so she thought to cut to the chase to keep things interesting.

[Bloodedge]

There was no saving him if Guin decided to spread around her applesauce, as it were. Merlyn's propensity for vengeance was a thing for the woman to be wary of, so he would be the first to suffer as a result. "Right. I get sticky hair because Merlyn is some sort of monster. As king, can I demand someone wash it out for me?" Onward he went, following along into the storeroom. It was interesting that Guinevere knew the way instinctively, but he couldn't be one to talk. Moments passed, and Guin began to explain the upkeep of a fiefdom. To put it simply... Arthur had never felt like more of an idiot after hearing what she had to say. "... You're kidding," he said. Was it really all so simple? Arthur slapped his own forehead and let loose an exasperated sigh. "Guinevere. I have to confess something to you, and I'd like you to promise you won't laugh." He spoke slowly, as if having a revelation. He did have one, actually, but it wasn't at all good. "I... am a butler. A bodyguard. An all-purpose guy in my job, really, and I even have maids and such working under me. Everything you just said, is literally what I get paid to do... and I even do it well. To put it simply, I'm a moron."

Merlyn was revealed to all present, proving that only Cador noticed her arrival. He did have a way of cheating, so there was no judgement to be passed on the others. Still, her first words were of the sort he could expect from her at any time. She had something funny to tell him, did she? He could only imagine it had something to do with Arthur and Guinevere, both of whom were clearly alone now that Merlyn was found here. More importantly, Merlyn was indeed here to be of assistance after dealing with Loch Ness' major mythical beast, setting up barriers, and whatever else she'd accomplished in this short time. She claimed she needed limitations, though. What was that about? No matter. Cador had the kingly experience one such as Arthur lacked; he knew exactly how to make use of a court mage. "How kind of you to offer, Merlyn. As far as limitations are concerned, I believe I have enough to work with. I know only that you are an enchantress, so I can only ask for that much for starters. As you can see, the wood throughout this castle is aged beyond repair. I take it restoration of life energy is within your repertoire? The closest thing we have to a carpenter here is Sir Elyan, unless we'd all rather have Sir Dagonet make balloons for chairs, beds and stairs. Oh; some speedier cleaning tools would be helpful as well. By that, I mean cleaning tools in general. I don't imagine we'll be able to find a solid broom or mop handle, considering what a basic chair looks like~"

[Apollymi]

"Well, monster is a bit harsh. She is kind, but definitely not human..." she said of Merlyn. "Well, not completely anyways..." she added afterwards. Apparently, Arthur only wished to know if he could order his hair washed if he happened to end up on the receiving end of the sticky hair fiasco. A chuckle came from Guinevere in this moment as he was King and he could indeed do exactly that. "Indeed you could. You could even ask me... I was taught how to make shampoo. You know so I could actually make up for doing things like that and get released from being magically locked in my bedchambers which was this worlds equivalent of being grounded... solitary confinement was the worst part of the pranks~" the lass said as if she found this entire situation amusing now that it was no longer a punishment. Of course, by the time they actually reached the storeroom, Arthur had something to say. A very slow revelation and she needed to promise not to laugh. "I... well. I will try, but you know Arthur when people say that what they are about to say is usually hilarious..." she said with wide eyes. She was quite concerned at this moment but... as the slow words left Arthur's mouth Guinevere's face turned red. Beet Red was the exact color. She took a deep breath after he slapped himself on the back of the head. He literally already had all the knowledge necessary to run a kingdom. The only thing he'd need to remember is that as the King he didn't have to do much for himself. "I'm not laughing. I'm not laughing..." she started. Another deep breath. Guin was literally having a problem breathing right now, she needed to talk to avoid the outburst of giggles which was building up in her chest. "It isn't as if you aren't the other world equivalent to a manservant who literally has all the knowledge he needs to be king aside from a full understanding of disposition. Yeah... I got it... completely...." it hurt. It hurt so badly to hold in this laughter... she hadn't even promised and it was still the funniest thing she'd heard so far. She was half bent over, clutching her chest, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

At the same time Merlyn was asking Sir Cador for limits on her work. How strange, the Court Mage was usually someone to be utilized as completely as possible, perhaps Merlyn's own abilities needed tempering. Especially if one were to take her at her word about the multiple accomplishments she'd managed in less than an hours time. At the same time Sir Cador began to speak, touting in the moment his superior understanding of how the world's magics at large could be used to his advantage. A bit of a smile came across Merlyn's hooded face, what an interesting kingdom Cornwall had to have been in the past. "Oh? That isn't exactly a kindness and sure I can restore the things that were here..." she mentioned with the most casual of statements. She didn't know what part of reality-bending no one understood, but with the limitations given she could at least not make it seem like she was going overboard in the moment.

A white staff appeared within her hands and she closed her fingers around it. It was her major conduit and technically a workshop which would allow her to create various magically enchanted items at rapid speed and of high quality. She'd also use it to cast the spell necessary to return the wooden furniture and cloth decorations back to their original states. Such a thing seemed to cover the whole of the area in a pink almost pollen like substance, but as it sank in... all things would begin to sprout anew. Even that chair broken by Sir Elyan... seemed to fix itself in a matter of seconds. It didn't move anything... it didn't clean anything the rust fell away and all things seemed to regain their luster. Restored to their state of a 1000 years prior to this one. "Also a balloon for a chair isn't a half-bad idea. I miss beanbag chairs... I'm going to have one!~" mentioned Merlyn. "Maybe a waterbed too..." she murmured mostly to herself. Also the creation of cleaning supplies. Brooms, mops, dusters, furniture polish all sorts of things appeared within the space. Strangely, these began to move of their own accord as well, tending to the annoying part of the cleanup without any instruction. "Is this what you meant, Sir Cador?" she asked of the man... her own logic stating that there was still much to do, but at least they could just handle the start of this entire thing. "Are you seeing this, Sir Elyan?" asked Emilia, she'd almost pinched herself... she wondered how someone with this kind of power was... hanging out with them at all.

[Bloodedge]

He could have her be the one to wash his hair clean, could he? That was an interesting thought that carried on for... honestly far too long in Arthur's mind. He was no stranger to a woman washing his hair, but that was a different matter entirely when considering it was always one of his sisters. Maybe applesauce in his pillow wouldn't be so bad. Wait, wasn't he thinking about this a bit too long? Guin would probably catch on eventually, wouldn't she? At attention then! Now, he could be prepared for Guinevere's rebuttal to his... oh no. She was definitely laughing. Despite her every attempt to say otherwise, she looked like she could explode at any moment. Hell, it looked unhealthy to be holding it in so much! His embarrassment reached an all-time high, and Arthur sighed deeply. "Fine, fine! Let it out before I have to save you from being unconscious," he said, thinking further ahead to realize such a thing would mean mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Wouldn't that be worth it? Well yes, probably, but it wasn't worth the danger. Right─ moving on then... bar the fact that he was thinking too hard yet again.

Merlyn's help would be greatly appreciated by all present, Cador thought. On the other hand, she insisted that 'limitations' were not necessarily a kindness. "Perspective," was all he said in response. Even if the sorceress didn't mean to be kind specifically, the gesture would be taken as such. There was no changing his mind about this, as mere moments saw to the restoration of wood and cloth alike, while the following moments resulted in the creation of magically-automated cleaning utensils. Balloon chairs when phrased as bean bags actually didn't sound like a very bad idea, and... Cador had always wondered what a waterbed would be like. If Merlyn would be having one, he'd keep in mind to experience it later. "Beanbags, waterbeds and Disney furniture. Were you a stoner in life, Merlyn?" he asked with a cheeky grin. She did mention tattoos and piercings; perhaps she was the sort. While the Spirit Knight casually addressed the sorceress about her magic, Emilia and Elyan were both in awe. "Seeing it? Yes," Elyan confirmed. There was, however, more. "Sadly, I have to say seeing and believing are very different in my mind right now."

[Apollymi]

Was Arthur thinking a bit too long? Probably... would Guinevere interrupt? Not at all... she was far too busy trying not to laugh at him to be too worried about what was going on in his mind. Within a few moments his embarrassment was obvious, even so, he eventually gathered himself enough to agree to let the young white haired lass laugh at his expense. Such a thing would happen slowly. "I'm sorry... tehehehe~" she started. "Really I am...hahahahaha~" she managed. "But how, Sir?! Bwahahahahaha! It's too much..." she finally got it all out. It would be a few moments until she was finished, but eventually she'd recover enough to only have a light staining of red upon her cheeks while wiping tears from the corners of her eyes. She'd managed enough dignity to cover her mouth with one hand while holding her side with the other... how very cute she was as her eyes sparkled in a moment of joy. "Ah, I haven't laughed like that in ages~" she mused. "Alright... I'm all done. If you understand all of that, then you'll have no problem running a fiefdom of this size," she said happily. If nothing else, in spite of whatever the universe tried to have planned for them, at the very least, Arthur would be able to keep Guinevere laughing and happy. She took a great deal of comfort in that... in fact, such an idea was definitely one she could appreciate regardless of if this was his intention or not.

According to Sir Cador, Merlyn's 'kindness' was a matter of perspective. She was sure, in the moment that he'd think that... but she was quite certain others would not always see her actions as such. Oh well, she couldn't cry over spilled milk, or rather yet to be spilled milk. Soon enough she moved on to the matters of her bedroom, waterbed, beanbag chairs and the manner of furniture to her preference were situated in a room she was quite certain once belonged to her twin brother. Other rooms could be decorated at leisure and Merlyn would eventually make her plans for doing such things known. In the meantime, Cador questioned her life activities based on no doubt his knowledge of her former body modifications and her choice in furnishings. As a casual conversation ensued the cleaning supplies would work on this room before taking on others which would be restored to at least their original functionality. "What?! Sir Cador you wound me~" she said in her most teasing tone, hand over her heart as if aghast. "Every girl loves Disney movies... and my job had me on my feet for 12 to 14 hours at a time. One learns to enjoy soft seating after such instances~" she mused. "That being said, parties are fun... and here at least, the Lizardmen have the best supplies~" she mused of her own recreational drug usage. She could have explained the darker aspects of why she knew such things, or even bothered to use them once coming to this world. But teasing and dodging were much better to do. While this conversation was had, Emilia was joined in her disbelief by Sir Elyan. "Alright, glad it isn't just me. I wouldn't have thought to do such a thing.... I can't deny its novelty, or usefulness~" she chimed. There was a budding respect for the Sorceress brewing in Emilia.

[Bloodedge]

The laugh came at last, and what an experience it must have been. Built from a mere chuckle into nearly an all-out hysterical fit, all at Arthur's expense. As horrible as this was for Arthur himself, it was good to see Guin, or anyone from Zuria at all, having such a joyous moment. In the case of Guin specifically, it was an especially pleasant thing to look at. Innocent bliss framed her face well. After a gruesome yet satisfying eternity of observing Guinevere's laughter, it tapered to nothing. That came with the mention that Arthur should have no problem functioning with Loch Ness as a kingdom, given his previous world experience. "Glad to be of service. If you ever need to be killed by idiocy in future, I'm your guy," he said with yet another exhale. Now, he would move on to inspect the storage. There was a surprising amount of food stock kept here, though some of it was not what he would prefer having his people eat. Oats and wheat? Good. Potatoes? Excellent! Beer? It was fine here and there. Potatoes? Alright. Dried meat? He'd rather everyone have something fresh in their diets, but it would do while they figured something else out. Potatoes... again? Why the hell were there so many potatoes? "There is so much starch here. How have these even been kept edible? I'm guessing magic, but I'd like to have fresher meat for everyone."

Merlyn's initial reaction told Cador everything he needed to know. Though she didn't outright confirm a thing with her words, she said enough. Lizardmen? He'd encountered a few here and there, but never had he been on good enough terms to experience their 'supplies' as Merlyn put it. Perhaps he'd have to befriend some of the Lizardfolk one day. "I guess we knights have a lot of work to do, if we are to build a fun reputation ourselves. Given our current group and choices like knighting Dago─... Sir Dagonet, I assume there won't be much difficulty. Though I do wonder what the old Round Table has left behind for us."

Apparently, 'potatoes' was the answer to Cador's curiosity. . .

[Apollymi]

What a hearty amount of laughter Guinevere managed to have at Arthur's expense. This lad was well and truly funny, she was growing more and more pleased by the moment that someone so interesting hadn't been completely and utterly ruined by a woman like Kolin. "Oh? Well, I will make sure that you are the first person on such a list~" she said with a chuckle. Of course, they eventually had to get back to work and as Arthur took inventory of the stores beneath the castle, he took to questioning the method of keeping it fresh for as long as this place had been abandoned. "Well, among the first things introduced in this world by the more creative of the mages. In Zuria we had cold storage and castle walls kept warm during the winter due to Nerys," she stated easily. Many things were accomplished by magic in this world that science would have accomplished in the one they were from. As an aside... science was apparently still being developed or so the news among the Clocktower said. Still, the young King known as Arthur would have enjoyed a fresh source of meat for everyone, and Guinevere gave this but a moment of thought and shook her head again. "Ah, still not seeing the option exactly in front of you... I am fairly certain, dry meats were meant for rations. But if you want fresh meats then I would advise the bounty of the lake..." she mentioned. Yes, fishing was probably how fresh meat was attained in this place. And farm animals were probably kept originally for things like milk and eggs.

In the meantime while the rooms were being cleaned, Merlyn managed a pleasant enough conversation with Sir Cador. He claimed the Knights would have to work hard to gain a reputation for fun, Merlyn could only laugh. "Jesters, bards... weird witches... A few fun kinds of Knight will be popping up in the future for those less concerned with upholding the status quo. Besides, even Queen Artoria has a nice sad harpist in her group~" Merlyn said of the potentials for the Knights in the future. All the while, Emilia finally beyond being stunned, began drawing the curtains and letting in light. And getting to work properly. "Thank you, Merlyn... you've made this whole thing much easier~" she said happily. "Such things hardly require thanks, Emilia~" Merlyn stated. "That isn't true, now we just have to set up, cleaning all of that would have been dreadful..." she stated seeming fine with explaining herself. What an earnest girl, she was going to drive some man near crazed one day. Well, maybe Merlyn wasn't as used to being around such people anymore. Whatever the case, the woman known as Merlyn eventually had her eyes drawn to the window outside as her mind began to wander. "It seems like you'll be up now, moving furniture..." she winked towards Sir Cador.

[Bloodedge]

"Good. I'll remember to keep myself available for you." After saying those words, Arthur took pause. Did that sentence need clarification? No; surely the intention was obvious, but... it wasn't as if he couldn't have meant it other ways as well. It was probably best to move on without acknowledging that at all. Regardless of the chitchat, Arthur gained understanding of something else. Magic was a useful tool, even for the keeping of food. Even so, mere rations would do them no good. They could establish a fishing routine, yes, but Arthur didn't seem incredibly fond of that idea either. "I won't hear of it. Fish is nice, but we have to find other proteins. There are only so many ways to prepare a single meat before the base flavor leaks its way through every dish! We'll at least need a red meat to start a proper balance. I hope there's a place nearby enough to send out a hunting party or something," he said, seeming very peculiar about diets. This, too, was a remnant of his previous life. Whether at home or on the job, Hoshimi Kei always found himself responsible for someone's diet. It was a point of pride for him to ensure those whose diet's he took responsibility for, were never bored with a dish.

Knights would not be so uptight in the view of others for long, it seemed. Merlyn's insight struck again, hinting at the future appearance of ridiculous knights that were also bards and witches. A jester in their midst was strange enough, but the other things on the list were hilarious to even think about. True enough though, the Queen of Knights' group possessed a harpist. "I had the pleasure of meeting Sir Tristan once. I thought he could use a hug," said Cador. Now, it appeared he was to be moving furniture about. They'd managed to skip the more horrible phase, only for Cador to be guided toward the next one. "So in saving us from the cleanup and restoration, you instead leave us to do the heavy lifting?" he questioned, interrupted by the hand of Elyan upon his shoulder. "Come on, Sir Cador. Let's just get it out of the way."

[Apollymi]

"Of course~ You should definitely do that~" Guinevere replied in the way most organic to her own thought pattern. Of course, she realized she might have sounded a bit pushy, or maybe even a bit too serious. Perhaps she was a bit more serious than the current level of situation should have granted her, but... none of that mattered in the moment. At the suggestion of abusing the lake for its resources, it seemed that this was fine with Arthur but he very well seemed upset with the dietary balancing as it were. "You did more of the cooking than the other parts of your job... huh? That is a bit," she held her fingers up for reference showing a tiny space between her fore finger and thumb. "Obsessive." she finished but she simply shrugged. "Still, I think any of the men would be glad to join a hunting party for the sake of making sure we had interesting things to eat. At the very least, wild boar, stags and flying bison can be found on this continent. So long as there is someone with some ranged attacks I am sure some can be brought here... though it would then be the case that you'll have to look for a butcher," she gave this advice rather freely to make sure the lad fully understood all he'd be undertaking.

At the same time, Merlyn and Sir Cador discussed a man called Sir Tristan and Merlyn chuckled. "Yes, he does need a hug, several in fact. He'll receive them soon-ish... strangely not from me," she said peeking into the future a bit and coming up with something quippy to say. It seemed that Cador had something cheeky to say about the part of the job she'd left this group with. Merlyn leaned against her staff and huffed. "Jeez, beggars are being such choosers right now. I do all the work and I get lectured about camaraderie and team-building. I only do part of it, and I get a pouty Spirit Knight~ There's no pleasing you," the woman said in mock outrage as she stuck her tongue out at Sir Cador as he was gently moved towards the task at hand. All the while Merlyn stood leaned against that staff of hers, still doing random other things around the castle without moving from her current spot. Oh, well, she was being helpful even if no one else would be aware of it for some time to come. At the same time, Emilia began directing, pointing Sir Cador and Sir Elyan to places where large pieces of furniture should go to create the best looking throne room, reception hall/dining room, then she supposed the kitchen and lastly the bedrooms would need looking after as well.

[Bloodedge]

Indeed, Hoshimi Kei was more often a chef than anything else. It wasn't much a matter of preference at first. To put it simply, a shut-in like Ashikaga Kimiko hardly required bodyguarding. She did, however, require some pleasantries within the limited diet demanded by her mother. With only a few proteins, he made many a dish, and even developed a routine for optimal freshness while never repeating the same meal twice in a fortnight. Considering these things, it was only natural that he became a bit obsessive over such matters. "Never underestimate the goodness of a balanced and varied diet, Guinevere. With just a few proteins, it's possible to─" He paused. Something Guinevere said was incredibly disturbing, and warranted Arthur's immediate attention. Well... perhaps it shouldn't have in a world like this, but he just couldn't help it. "I'm sorry, did you say flying bison? There's some sort of buffalo wing joke I could make about that, I'm sure─"

It was always the general consensus that Sir Tristan of Camelot required a hug, or something of the sort to ease his obviously troubled mind. Comfort came from Merlyn's clairvoyance; it was good to know such an honorable man would be treated kindly by someone, sometime. Cador and Elyan would both carry on with the moving of furniture, following Emilia's every gesture to maneuver shelves, tables, beds and wardrobes in sequence. All the while, Cador casually kept up the banter with their resident sorceress. "I'm not pouting; you're pouting. Save it for the believers, Merlyn. We know you left us with this part on purpose, all because we made you lift a finger to help out. You're like an old guardian bringing home groceries~"

[Apollymi]

According to Arthur variation was an important part of diet. Technically Guinevere couldn't argue against this point at all... even so, the man did seem a bit too obsessed with it as an idea. Whatever the case, he'd soon be abandoning his thoughts to comment on, flying bison? Of all the things he took issue with, she was a bit surprised by the innocence of this choice. Another laugh escaped her. "Yes, they fly, some can be domesticated, used as pets by some of the more nomadic humans. But... even they use them for milk and cheese and meat. They can be a bit rough to take down when they are over-level but a single hunt of one can feed a small village for a season, so it might be worth trying," she mentioned. The occasional flying bison was taken down by her father's hunting parties in the past, and they always had meat to eat during the winters of Zuria. There was actually a huge celebration around slaying such a creature, and it was celebrated around her birthday every year. "If big game isn't your style though... it'd be pretty easy to take down some wild boar. Even low ranked hunters can kill quite a few in a short amount of time. It doesn't have yield that is exceedingly high but... they can be gathered with relative ease..." she said giving her suggestions on the matter of game. "Adding those two to the fish would give the sort of variety you are looking for. I am sure fowl is pretty easy to come by as well..." she said with a gentle nod.

While Emilia directed and took care of smaller detailed work, using the chivalrous nature of the knights to avoid physical labor for the most part. Cador and Merlyn continued having a rather cheeky conversation. A scoff escaped Merlyn at his words but Emilia chuckled before averting her gaze and going back to direction maybe she wasn't supposed to be listening. "I feel like I should be offended Sir Cador that you're calling me old~" mentioned the white haired sorceress though she'd made no physical movements she was actually still working. As imaginings of what the other rooms should end up looking like, happened within Emilia's mind she was making sure to make those appear that way. "I haven't lifted a finger and I've done a great deal. I also don't mind... I mean I thought about doing all of this before we reached this place, but I saw a future lecture in it and decided I'd rather not... so this extra work is on you, Sir Cador~" she mused with a narrowing of those eyes beneath her hood. "But here I am, accommodating for the human element, bring a little magical spice to these mundane activities," she said there was actually a pout present on Merlyn's face. No one was giving her any credit the furniture wasn't talking or anything at present. "Besides, I might like the term guardian. Dream Guardian... yeah. I'd take that one~" Merlyn finished with a wistful air about her. All to the continued suppressed giggles of a still directing Emilia. Ah, at least someone liked her jokes aside from Cador. It was quite strange, Merlyn had assumed she'd have a harder time winning the girls over after the last adult woman they'd met had been such a psycho.

[Bloodedge]

"Domesticated. Flying. Bison," Arthur repeated. Guinevere had obviously been in this world for quite some time, but he hadn't. The thought of such a thing was absolutely ludicrous to Arthur, even after seeing and felling multiple mythical beasts during his journey. "I seem like I'm overreacting, don't I? I just can't wrap my head around the idea of a bison with wings. I mean... imagine a group of those things being kept behind a fence," he said, thinking he'd gone a bit far with the thought process. Whatever the case, he could move on without much of a mental struggle. "Anyway, that sounds like a great start. Maybe we can hold off on the bison unless there are a lot of people left here, but fowl means eggs. I'd like to get something together for everyone's dinner tonight, if possible. It shouldn't take much," he said. Little did Arthur know, Hector and Dagonet were currently sending a solid dozen or two stragglers from within the village, toward the castle. The people en route seemed very hopeful for the future, after receiving the word of a seemingly-honorable knight, and having their spirits lifted by the jester. There would be more mouths to feed than Arthur initially thought─

Merlyn would take offense to being called old? How laughable. By Cador's approximation, the sorceress was downright ancient. "Oh? Well if you're going to take offense, be sure to take matters up with my official representative. As you can see, I'm quite busy at the moment~" he quipped. Onto this extra work as Merlyn put it, Cador soon found himself employing the use of a Quasi Spirit to enhance his physical attributes by a great deal. If there was so much to do, he thought he may as well do it with incredible ease. The Spirit Knight found it trivial to take the heaviest tasks unto himself, leaving Sir Elyan with the lighter lifts. "Oh look, Dream Guardian. You've given me a wonderful idea! Why bother with the mundane quality of human effort, when I could use magic?" he asked rhetorically, moving an entire bed about with a single hand. All the while, he wore the snarkiest of grins. "This is all fair game, isn't it?"

[Apollymi]

The fact that Arthur seemed so astonished by the idea of flying bison was a hint at the fact that he truly hadn't been in this world a very long time. He seemed to be aware of this fact by virtue of his speech which only made a casual giggle escape the white haired lass, as he qualified what he thought that creature was. A bison, as they'd known it in their former world, with wings... being kept behind a fence. She supposed if she thought it was something like that she also would have been in wonder. "Hm, I think you have a very wrong idea about what that animal looks like," she said clearing up her mind. "I feel like I should show you so you don't get confused," she mentioned. A second or two after the thought, she opened her hand... it'd been mentioned on several occasions that Guinevere was a mage, now would be one such showcase of ability as she made a scale model of a flying bison out of ice within her hand. It contained a certain extra magic which made it imitate its own movements and looked like a strange cross between a real buffalo and a manatee, with a arrow like marking on its head and 6 legs with three toes each. "This is a flying bison... they fly based on wind magic and live in herds. Their calves are pretty weak and can't fly yet, but when the creatures are fully grown they would be the equivalent of... 10 tons? Yeah, that sounds about right..." she said of the measurement of such a creature. Obviously it was obvious why such a thing could feed the masses. As for the people left, she was sure they'd have an accurate count pretty soon, give all they were doing already, she felt it fine to leave Arthur to the cooking if he was going to be so anal about it.

In the meantime, Merlyn was having a very similar idea. And in credit to her usual antics she was currently creating the kitchen to the sort of specifications that Arthur would most enjoy. She'd call it a gift to him, and watch as he likely warily accepted such a thing. At the same time, she entertained Cador's words which came as more chiding towards her current tier of laughably pouty behavior. "Oh, I'll be sure to... I'll file a complaint!~ Besides a lady is only as old as she feels~" she said with mock indignation. Of course, Merlyn was so old, impossibly old even... and before recent times, unusually lonely... not that any of that mattered at present. She'd never put such a bummer on other people. All the while Emilia kept laughing periodically while trying to cover it. Cador had taken to calling Merlyn the Dream Guardian and even spoken of the use of magic to replace the use of human mundane work with magic. "I mean... a bit of extra magic use would be good for all of you. It will at least help the group at large identify the differences between conditional and activated magics~ Consider it another gift!~" she mused as if this was the only reason she did such things. Magic was soon to be a great separator between groups and making sure everyone had a good combination of skills was part of her job as a Navigator. The group had to reach the end of this great journey and every step should be memorable. "And it's definitely fair, unless you wanted me to just make the furniture move itself. But I am sure that would have gotten me a lecture..." she stated as if it was a completely sound way of thinking.

[Bloodedge]

He had the wrong idea about flying bison. That much was to be expected, but Guinevere had the ability to show him exactly what he should have been envisioning instead. That little showing of ice magic created a visage that was... so very far from anything he could have thought. The thing looked like Cath Palug went through a breeding session with Odin's horse! "Why does it need so many legs?!" he wondered aloud. Nevertheless, he could understand why it fed so many. Ten tons of meat was enough to feed an entire kingdom, yet Arthur would soon come to understand that one of the smaller flying bison might be necessary for the people they would be feeding this night. First though, there was something he had to take care of. A thought had crossed Arthur's mind on their journey to Loch Ness, and it was abruptly returning to his mind here and now. "Ah! I appreciate the show, but I just remembered; there's something I should be looking for! Care to join me?" he asked, stepping away while extending his left hand in offer.

"Well, make sure you include that in your complaint letter. The receptionist should relay any information of importance to me immediately, but... I think I'll take that nap before any business is taken care of. I'm sure that's alright with you," Cador offered as response to Merlyn. True, magic was of great use when performing menial tasks such as redecorating this old castle. Cador began considering what he would do with his own bedroom when the major work was done. Actually, where would his bedroom be? That was worth a few moments of thought as well, though it wasn't important just yet. Even if they had only barracks, the overall atmosphere of Loch Ness would be vastly superior to that of Zuria. Hell, Cador would rather sleep on stone than in the same building as Kolin. "Is the great Merlyn afraid of a lecture? With you treating these little tasks as gifts, I would think better of you," he said in jest while a sofa was moved into place against the wall. "You have an eye for design, Emilia. But... are we quite done moving furniture around? It's not that I'm tired, but I'd hoped we could move on to something else by now."

[Apollymi]

The little ice creature in her hand seemed to show off what the thing known as a flying bison actually looked like. Arthur seemed pleased but also stunned by the number of legs it maintained. "Yes, I also wondered that before... there is a legend about how they walk on clouds instead of actually flying so the need the extra legs to balance themselves. But I feel like that is just people from our world trying to apply logic to magical creatures..." she said with a gentle nod. With its creation appreciated she closed her hand and the ice creation shattered into snow like dust back from whence it came. What was more, Arthur thanked her for the imagery and claimed that there was something he should be looking for. Guinevere's brow rose... what could he be looking for? Well, she was apparently invited to find out. "Of course, I haven't anything on my list... and I am curious about what you're looking for~" she mused, she easily took that extended hand of his, willing to follow his lead while he looked for whatever it was he sought.

At the same time, Emilia seemed to reach maximum satisfaction with this front room. She took in the whole of it and tried to imagine doing the other rooms with this much vigor. She didn't know if her good will in the moment would last so long. "Right right, I'll make a note of it. And be sure to give that receptionist a piece of my mind as well. She should know the kind of man she works for. The kind who would sleep and leave her to suffer the rage of a disgruntled customer~" Oh the joke in this case was going quite far, but amusement was why Merlyn was still living so close to happily. Ah, but there was the matter of her fear of potential lectures. "Fear is a strong word, I find them lacking in fun. No one likes being lectured, Sir Cador... especially not a lady~" she mentioned with a knowing smirk beneath that hood of hers. Still there was a comment directed towards Emilia who seemed to chuckle a little. "Um, yes, this room is as complete as it needs to be. I just wanted it to be homey because it is likely the easiest room to finish..." she mentioned with her fingers slipping around some strands of her hair in a most nervous gesture. "I suppose it would be time to move on to some of the other rooms, for functionality sake. This room, the kitchen, baths and bedrooms have to be livable. Everything else can be worked on as needed," she said as the standard of homemaking. Merlyn would speak up in a second. "I took the liberty of taking care of the kitchen, the baths were reasonable to start with and are cleaning themselves," she mentioned in a haphazard manner.

[Bloodedge]

"A legend, huh? I guess that's what happens when rumors get magical," Arthur said nonchalantly, hardly having the will to think much on how others viewed flying bison. To him at least, they seemed to be a very... interesting visual concept. He wouldn't mind keeping one as a domestic creature, actually. Maybe they were even a friendly sort of beast, unlike the ones he'd encountered thus far. If not, perhaps any attempt to tame one would end the same way his claim of Cath Palug did. He'd find out one day. First, his interest was taken by a great necessity. Guinevere accepted his hand and followed along, and Arthur proceeded to traverse the halls while looking into every room along the way. "I'm King Arthur, right? There are a few things I need if I'm actually going to be calling myself that. I've already got Excalibur and a few knights~" he said with joy. Surely there was at least some semblance of what he sought from his sister's time in Loch Ness. He was positive the proper thing was taken with her, but maybe he could find a prototype or something laying around. "I might not have any luck, but I'm hoping~"

Sir Cador was relieved to hear that they were done with the present room... though that relief disappeared quickly when Emilia mentioned moving to other areas of the castle. He'd almost forgotten how much work went into castle upkeep, and nearly dreaded coming along. Why was it a bad idea to have Merlyn magic her way through everything? The Spirit Knight rubbed his face and sighed, even seeming to drag his feet. "Right. Castles are more than a few rooms, of course. Well, Merlyn has done the kitchen, beds have been put in their respective rooms already... I think it's best to leave bedroom décor to whomever owns each room, no? Besides..." Cador's speech halted just briefly as his gaze lifted. The people of Loch Ness sent by Hector and Dagonet were arriving at last, taking their place in wait within the castle's would-be throne room. It seemed they were given specific instructions, which Cador could only assume were to find the new king in charge─ or perhaps something a bit... more specific, while simultaneously being less so. Time would tell. "I think we have a fiefdom to tend to while our king gets his bearings."

[Apollymi]

Well, what Arthur said was indeed true, and it wasn't as if this was really a thing which should have been an original thought. "Yeah, magical rumors are at least more interesting than regular ones. Way better way to spend one's spare time~" Guinevere said. And she meant it. She'd rather spend her spare time, trying to think about why flying bison actually fly than most other things that could be discussed. Anyways, they were on the move, with Arthur checking every room they came across. Surprisingly enough, none of the rooms seemed to be in serious disrepair. Perhaps this had something to do with Merlyn. "It looks like someone has been hard at work..." she mused gently only to still not understand what the lad was looking for. He claimed he needed to find something perhaps a prototype to help him be King Arthur. His logic being that he already had Excalibur and a few Knights. "Well, sure a few things are necessary to call one's self a king but... you seem to be looking for something very specific~" mentioned Guinevere. She had no idea what he was getting at or why he was playing at coyness but she supposed there was a no harm in his fun in this moment.

Ah, at the same time it seemed the Spirit Knight was finally catching on to the lesson of the day, castle upkeep was annoying. Though that lesson wasn't for him necessarily, Merlyn did know if she'd done everything herself he would have lectured her about her lack of human sense. So... here they were, with her still doing a great deal and no lectures taking place. Sweet victory for the white haired succubus. At the same time Emilia was considering Sir Cador's words. "I mean that would be fine, but shouldn't we check them and make sure they have at least the basics?" she said softly. "Not to worry Emilia, I made sure they had the basics... and are habitable comfortably at base..." Merlyn mused, which seemed to make Emilia quite happy. "And yes there are people. People fall outside of my general purview I'll leave that to you guys and finish up~" Merlyn mentioned. She truly had no intention of directly interacting with the general public, it could have negative outcomes after all. Instead she'd finish up the rooms and make sure all was well within the castle.

[Bloodedge]

Onward and onward Arthur went, never failing to inspect a single open area along his path. What he sought would be obvious the moment he stumbled upon it. He did, eventually, see something that caught his eye. He realized he hadn't been very specific at all, but his mind was racing. There was so much to be done before dinner, and he wanted this particular thing dealt with before the others gathered. Ah, but this was going to require a bit of moving... and piecing together. Either way, there it was. Large, circular, and on its side, was a segmented table that seemed meant to accept another layer on its top. Ah well; it would do for the time being, if he could actually get it put together. "There! The last thing King Arthur needs before he can be called King Arthur, right? Can't have Knights of the Round Table without, well, a Round Table. Think it can be pieced together and dragged down to the courtroom?" he asked, already on the move to lift a segment or two. Surely this was just an early draft for the Round Table, or maybe even a discarded part of the final product. What was with the missing piece? It was obviously replaced if nothing else, considering he'd found it closer to the back of the castle.

Yet another thing would be a non-issue for the knights and Emilia within the castle, thanks to Merlyn. Cador would be sure to show his appreciation at a later time, and the same could be said of Elyan... though the pair had very different methods of execution in mind. The downtrodden of Loch Ness being present seemed to have saved the group from other labors as well, at least in the physical sense. Most who appeared were in a pitiful state. There were children in need of food, men and women who could barely lift a finger to care for themselves beyond moving about, and that was just the start of it all. Perhaps the castle itself was best left on the proverbial backburner until all of these people were stable? "Sir Cador, I do believe you are the best suited to this," said Elyan. True enough, this was far from the first time Cador of Cornwall had to deal with such a thing. Elyan would take care of any remaining furniture repositioning while Cador did what he could with the civilians. "A hand, Lia? I think a good few of our people here need some healing and stabilizing."

[Apollymi]

Soon enough the lad found what he was looking for. Of course, how could Guinevere not have understood exactly what he was looking for? "Oh, of course... I'd completely forgotten about that, the Round Table is supposed to be a staple of King Arthur. I could see it being moved as such," she said with a nod of her own. Of course, such a thing was necessary, lore dictated it, and though they weren't particularly keen to just go along with lore in every case, perhaps there was nothing wrong with sticking to the goodness of it for the sake of uplifting the people and giving this Arthur a good image. "Beyond that I'm sure such a sentiment would go far for morale boosting. It shouldn't be too much of a problem to move it~" she said. Little did this pair know that the courtroom was already set up with chairs and the like to accept this table at its center. It would be such an interesting thing to see what it would turn out like later. In the meantime, Guinevere was content to help Arthur begin to move this table if it was his aim.

At the same time, Cador and Elyan both seemed appreciative of Merlyn's efforts, Emilia was as well, even as the downtrodden of Loch Ness seemed to be gathering in this place. While the little hamlet itself wasn't in terrible condition, the people who'd ended up here seemed to just barely be hanging on. Elyan apparently thought himself outside of the realm of helping these people currently, instead Cador asked Emilia for her help in healing those who'd made their way here. "Of course, Sir Cador... I'm happy to help~" she said taking up at his side content to begin stabalizing any sent her way. In addition to being good at decorating, Emilia had a happy demeanor and currently her innocence and helpfulness would go a long way in ensuring the transition of these new people. She'd take up post, with the children, looking them over and making friends with them as a girl of her age tended to do. At the same time Merlyn all but disappeared, these people would need to be fed, perhaps she could help make that happen a bit indirectly. As such while care was being taken with these people she went on to search for and appear behind, Sir Dagonet and Sir Hector... knowing they could be most helpful for the next aspect of the plan.

[Bloodedge]

"Of course! Lore aside, I can't see myself hanging out with the Knights of No Table. I'd at least like an ovular one or something," Arthur said in partial jest. Piece by piece, he fitted the table segments together. It seemed all the necessary pieces were here, bar whatever was meant to affix itself to the table's top. Though that was strange, the table seemed more than functional without the missing part. Actually, it would suffice as a point of difference between himself and the first King Arthur of this world. Once everything seemed stable enough, Arthur began to roll the large table toward the exit of this room. "Hngh! That's what I was thinking. Teams work better when they've got something to... represent," he announced, heaving his way through each roll of the massive table. Even though it was quite the struggle, he wouldn't be seeking Guinevere's assistance at all. He'd keep putting force into each movement made to roll the table, until he got it where he wanted it.

Meanwhile, with the help of Emilia, Cador tended to the citizens of Loch Ness. He was sure Arthur would appear eventually, but these people needed more than just to wait around for an announcement from a sudden new monarch. Beyond ensuring the peoples' general health, though, there was only so much even the combination of Cador and Emilia could accomplish. Luckily enough, Merlyn disappeared with a plan in mind to be more useful than any could have anticipated. Her path led her to the likes of Sir Hector and Sir Dagonet, both of whom were still scouring the village for dangerous locations and citizens in need of assistance. The sudden arrival of another presence caused Hector to turn about, grasping at the hilt of a sword that would not be unsheathed. Ah... there was no need for concern. Hector heaved a sigh of relief before Dagonet even realized there was someone else inside the building they presently occupied, then bowed to the sorceress. "Hello again, Lady Merlyn. Here to keep watch? We've almost searched everywhere; things seem relatively safe," he proclaimed. Dagonet, however, offered something to the contrary. "Relatively~ the knight sayeth! Far be it from a hu~mble merrymaker to have fright after fright, having no reprieve even to the hands of the eternal magical temptress~"

[Apollymi]

Knights of No Table indeed. "Ha!" she had a moment. If nothing else, Arthur was definitely good for a laugh or two. Though the table itself did seem to be missing a piece, there was a legend about that... but what was it exactly? Guinevere couldn't recall from the top of her head, so it must have been one of the ones that couldn't be proven. Whatever the case, there was a reply in order. "I suppose the table thing is pretty important. Actually it is right in the name, it might be the most important thing~" Guinevere stated with a simple nod. After putting the whole thing together Arthur seemed content enough to move it. Watching him do so for a few seconds, Guinevere was reminded of the statements of Merlyn about the stability of chivalry in the world even under the face of this new king. She began to wonder if it was rude to offer assistance? Maybe... but perhaps, instead of that, a little prank would be in order? A grin came to her face as she walked along side the man she reached out her fingers grazing the face of the table as he rolled it along. A gentle whisper of a single word would follow, "Shvibzik," just a mention of a skill, which created minor impossibilities in singular moments. One which by its nature wasn't remotely destructive but could, make strange things happen around Guinevere if she wished them to, even if they shouldn't have been possible. In this case, she rather casually lightened the table for a few moments only gradually, would Arthur gain a bit of ease in moving the large thing. Perhaps he had some strange intention in moving it without help, but going at such things completely alone was arduous at best. "Well, standing for something... stand behind something or someone. In this world, such things are almost equivalent~" she mused softly. Even those unknown supporters could do a bit of good every now and again.

While Cador and Emilia busied themselves with the people of Loch Ness, Merlyn's presence was noted, first by Sir Hector who seemed to consider her threat level before abandoning his grip on his weapon and Sir Dagonet, who seemed to be a bit slower on the uptake and worse for wear by way of fright. A chuckle escaped the lips of the still cloaked sorceress as she was greeted with a bow and all the formality she never thought she'd hear from anyone straight from the lips of Sir Hector. "I've been calling myself a lady all day, I didn't expect anyone else to, Sir Hector~" she mused as if it was a pleasantry most unexpected. As for her presence here, it wasn't simply to keep watch, though she was glad to know from this man's perspective that the hamlet that Arthur had inherited came with relative safety. Even so, the words of Sir Dagonet, about his reaction to this days 'exploration' were worthy of answer as well. "Hahaha~ My sincerest apologies, Sir Dagonet. I didn't realize the jump scares would do you in. Eventually, you'll be able to tell where I am relative to your person with a bit more accuracy~" she stated a bemused smile coming to her face. Ah, but flirting wasn't the actual reason she'd come here. No, there was much more to do, and she had just the right men for the task. "And I am not here to keep watch, I can trust your work and if I wanted to, I could have done that from where I was~" she said to Hector only to get to her point with relative ease. "There are quite a few villagers of this hamlet left, they'll need feeding and apparently the King will be notoriously picky about how you all eat, so I thought to skip the middle man in this particular endeavor. What do the pair of you say, to taking down dinner? As this place was the last which was inhabited... and I have it on good authority that a flying bison will be waking in a cave to the east..." she mentioned, this was the plan. Still she couldn't simply order them about, but she'd rather skip any of the 'boring' parts and there was none better suited to killing such a creature than Sir Hector. And truth be told, Sir Dagonet would be much more useful in the castle after the townsfolk were properly healed.

[Bloodedge]

The importance of the Round Table notwithstanding, getting it to its desired location was going to be quite the hassle. Luckily for Arthur, there was aide coming his way without his notice. Had Guinevere said something else? It certainly sounded like she did. "Gesundheit," he said, assuming it was a sneeze or something. Meanwhile, his every heave was becoming easier and easier. A few huffs here and there, and he was able to offer words which didn't reek of tiresome activity. "I was going to say this table is an annoying thing to move, but I think I've got the hang of it," was his assertion. With that said, he offered a response to Guinevere's own clause. "I'm starting to understand that. I'm not one for standing behind people, but I'd gladly stand beside all of you. I guess I should start looking at this whole thing as more of a job than some glorified roleplay. Though, I think I do like some of the roleplay aspects and potentials. . ."

Merlyn had been calling herself a lady all day, had she? Hector hadn't noticed a thing. "You deserve nothing less, Merlyn. I wouldn't disrespect you by failing to acknowledge your place among us," the knight explained. Meanwhile, Dagonet seemed curious. What could the sorceress have meant with her words to him? Would he develop some sort of ability to sense others such as Merlyn? Or, perhaps, did it have to do with whatever fact of Merlyn's existence freed him of Kolin's spell some weeks ago? He would find out eventually, and perhaps sooner than later, considering Hector's decision upon hearing about a flying bison. "A flying bison? My my, I haven't seen one since Cornwall. I could easily take care of something like that; any size would be more than enough to feed the people we've gathered thus far. Might I request two favors, though? I'll need something with a blade, and there is still a quarter of the village left to explore. Would you mind taking my post while I travel east?" he requested, much to Dagonet's satisfaction. The red-haired jester had been through enough scares this day; he would be remiss to encounter a massive beast to bring matters to a close. "Yes, yes! Sir Hector is more~ than enough for any beast of burden! My humble self would only hold such a great knight back~!"

[Apollymi]

Apparently Arthur thought Guinevere had sneezed or something similar at the utterance of her ability. A chuckle escaped the young woman in the moment as she simply nodded the whole thing off somewhat sheepishly. She didn't know it, but the more devious aspects of her personality were going to shine with a man like this in her life. "Indeed, it seemed pretty heavy~" the lass mentioned in an off-handed manner. Yes, she knew she'd given him a little help, but such help she could offer freely and saw no issues with even if he didn't ask. It seemed the lad had some understanding of the newness of his life, that he'd been developing over the last couple of weeks. There was something heartwarming about the idea that he had no issues sharing his new life with his new group. As an aside, he claimed to look at this whole thing more like a job than a roleplay which was better overall but still not quite the truth of it, as far as Guinevere was concerned. "I've been viewing it more like a build your own adventure book. If you are conscious of who you were to start with, then you simply get to write your own story from this starting point. It's only as much a job as you make of it, though you should remember your responsibilities if you put yourself in a position to take them on~" she said that was her own take. Still, she didn't mind this and wouldn't mind exploring this aspect of her life further with the man in question.

In the meantime, Sir Hector actually managed to make Merlyn a bit sheepish. She hadn't foreseen the nature of his words during this particular interaction... they made her blush beneath her hood. "Aww, Sir Hector... you're far too kind to me~" she managed in her usual teasing tone, though admittedly she was quite happy in the moment her face would go unseen. How unusual, she thought she was well beyond the phase of being stirred by such indirect words. Perhaps it helped that Sir Hector was a truly honorable individual so such words were pure truth from him? Whatever the case, her plan to procure meat for the whole of this little hamlet, was taken on by Hector without such much as a second thought. He apparently only required two things... firstly he wanted a bladed weapon, right, his own was a bit different from most. The second thing he wished was for her to finish up his work in this place? Such a thing was only fair considering she was sending him off to retrieve dinner. "Oh? I forgot the blade of Sir Hector was such a fickle being... of course, I will make one for you~" she said with a nod. Her staff spun in her hand and soon produced a sword similar in type to the one he currently held, at its pommel a jewel which was similar in color to Merlyn's eye. A grin passed her face as she handed it over. "Here you are, also I don't mind taking over here... it would be an equivalent exchange considering. I will see to it anyone left here ends up at the castle and that it is safe~" she said with a knowing smirk. She had no intention of doing more than she had to and poor Dagonet seemed to have had as many scares as his heart could take. "I'll be along when the beast is felled, thank you in advance, Sir Hector~" she mentioned as his sendoff. Of course, Dagonet was still here and he could stay with her or see to the people whichever he wished to do. "Would Sir Dagonet like to accompany me? I promise no more jump scares~" she teased.

[Bloodedge]

Would Arthur ever know where the increased ease of transport for the Round Table came from? Likely not. Anything beyond the gesture itself wasn't a matter of importance anyway, so long as the table was moved. Down the corridors they went while Guinevere explained her perspective on living in this world. She took neither the work, nor the play approach, but instead adopted the perspective of a reader and writer. Hearing those words, he came to a proper conclusion at last. She was right, after all; this was life, not to be taken as just some job. However, as with a job, there was a certain seriousness that needed to be held. "Ah. I've got a good grasp on what we all are here, now that you put it that way. We should be more like... actors. We've all got a role to play, and that role is the most important thing to each of us. It's like an old grade school play I was in. The instructor just kept saying things like, 'play your role as if you're the main character' and all that. I was the main character, but... well, she said that to everyone. Though, now that I've said all that, it's probably better to consider this more like... just life, huh?"

Hector wasn't too kind at all, as far as he was concerned. He remembered Merlyn honoring his sacrifice, and in that very moment, he had infinite praise to offer her character. Moreover, the sorceress was genuine fun to have on the journey at large, and far more useful than she was given credit for being. Case in point, she was quick to use her sorcery for the sake of creating a blade for Sir Hector. The tool seemed remarkably similar to his own, which he was quite familiar with despite how infrequently he was able to use it. Interestingly though, there was a gem within this weapon, which shone a color he recalled seeing upon the sorceress herself. Hector twirled the sword, grinning as he commented on the tool. "Oh? Is this a special gift, or a reminder while I'm away? Many thanks, Lady Merlyn." The knight offered another bow alongside a flourish of his new blade. With that, he was more than ready to take on the flying bison to the east. This left Dagonet with a simple choice to make─ would he share the company of Merlyn? Well, if there were no additional frights to experience, he had nothing to be concerned about. "My~ it is not the place of a newborn knight to abandon a quest~, much less a lady in ne~ed," he said with the most grandiose bow any 'knight' had ever been seen performing. Even if he'd been scared half to death a dozen times on this adventure, he'd never be giving up on the task assigned to him... nor would he be abandoning his usual mannerisms.

[Apollymi]

Whether Arthur knew what she'd done or not, wasn't really important to Guinevere. In fact, it was fine for her if he had no idea... the simple fact of the matter was, she'd wished to help him in the moment and found a way to do it, that didn't compromise either of their sensibilities. What was more, it seemed her words helped Arthur center himself, and gave him a good idea of how to approach his new life. She could be happy to have helped in that regard as well. "That is a good way to think about it. Especially when you consider that none of us really have the script. It's like giving a room full of children base characters and telling them to improvise every interaction. Actually... yeah, that sounds about right. More like playground games when you're young... where there is a new rule every twenty-five seconds and you spend more time running around than actually knowing what's going on~" she mused knowing what kind of person she was in those situations. "Still, every role is important for all the reasons in the world," she said softly. "Just like life this world will be what you make of it... I think my only real aim is to try to leave it better than I found it~" she said softly. Such were the thoughts of the girl who was meant to be Queen, raised with a somewhat selfless outlook and wanting her mark on the world to be considered kind.

Ah, Sir Hector had taken note of this weapon. Merlyn didn't expect this either, though she'd created it with a certain amount of attention to detail as it were. A grin crossed her face as she responded the only way she could to his statement. "Yes~" she mentioned with happiness. Of course, soon after he departed but not without another bow and a flourish of that same weapon. She knew he'd see a decent bit of use out of it, at least for a time until his own weapon could be drawn. She could see that moment as well... how interesting. Her gaze was soon shifting though to the newest addition to the Knights Dagonet. That young man seemed to have many knightly qualities beyond the ones that Merlyn noted on her own. Not the least of which included his ability to stay the course of his actions as well as keeping up his usual demeanor regardless of the path before him. "Oh? Well when one shows such honor about completing his mission as well as offering a helpful hand to myself... I'd be remiss to refuse~" the lass mused. Still with that hood of hers in place she gestured with her gloved hand content to take up a casual stroll with the jester. "Off we pop then, Sir Dagonet... there are a few people yet to be directed towards the castle.~" she mused. There were no present dangers, a few starved families looking for scraps could be seen within the next building over but as they walked Merlyn would simply enjoy the company of the merrymaker and be gladdened by the softness of their current journey.

[Bloodedge]

"So like... improv, yeah? That's pretty much what improv club is like; a constantly changing children's game where the 'actors' determine whatever plot with how they behaved." Despite his recent assertion, Arthur was content to accept this world as a new take on life. Problems here were very real, even if the consequences were still a bit grey─ though even that fact was quite realistic. The thought of leaving this life at all, though... Well, Arthur wasn't sure this would be anything more than yet another walk with a new group of people. Eventually, he'd find the people he knew. What would happen then? The answer was simple. If this existence continued beyond whatever goals he had, he'd accumulate the attachments to friends old and new, and continue just... living. With these thoughts floating about in that head of his, Arthur finally managed to roll the Round Table into the would-be courtroom, where he found a surprising number of people in wait. Sir Cador and Emilia were among these numbers, and he was sure Sir Elyan was somewhere nearby as well. "Huh. That was fast," he said with one final grunt to set the table in place.

Cador let his attention briefly slip away from a civilian whom he'd just about brought to the pinnacle of health with his spirit abilities. Arthur Pendragon and Guinevere were together, walking along with a circular table in tow. The scene was so perfectly sculpted, one like Cador could only chuckle upon seeing it. "Done having your special time already?" he mocked. "These are the people of Loch Ness. They are being tended to, and all awaiting salvation by the hands of Artoria Pendragon."

In the meantime, Dagonet and Merlyn reached an agreement to complete what remained of the search together. Sir Dagonet could have been fine without even Hector, in all honesty, but he was not at all used to being at the forefront of such matters. Being a knight in name now, he supposed there was no better time to get adjusted to the workload. Merlyn confirmed more people on the journey ahead, so he began walking right away. "Of course~ we must bring the innocents into the light of our overly-humble king Aaaarthur~! Let this jester go forth alongside the hidden beauty, the Witch of the Concealed Visage, and grant them all salvation unending~"

[Apollymi]

Arthur seemed to have a good idea of what she was getting at. Guinevere herself thought that this life should be undertaken as if it was new life, such a thought helped her better acclimate overall. "Yes, something like that... Adaptability is a key feature in such situations," she said with a small upturn of the corners of her lips. In a moment like this, she still remembered the words of Nerys. She'd make peace with that woman one day, and find out the logic of her supposed betrayal, from her own mouth and when she did, she'd finally be free of what plagued her in Zuria. She'd already come across new friends. She still had that ridiculous younger brother of hers to tease and... perhaps her own interests could shift quite a bit? Her own thoughts would eventually have her take a casual glance of course it would be during such a time that they'd finally reach their destination. And the teasing voice of Sir Cador came with the realization that there was a room full of people. Emilia looked up from the children she played with, to take note of the sudden reddening of Guinevere's face. "Oh? What's this?~" she questioned her friend with a wink. "Artoria Pendragon ascended a millennia ago... by all accounts. So, I suppose that means you're up, Arthur~" was all Guinevere had to say while she gathered herself from this most recent embarrassment.

At the same time, Merlyn was being amused by Sir Dagonet, who seemed to have a pretty good understanding of their current situation. "Hahaha~ Yes, our overly humble-king. He'll get there eventually," she managed with a soft chuckle. Even so, he wasn't wrong about her concealed visage nor her current status in the world. The first people they came across were huddled around a fire. No food in sight but stoking the flames anyways. How interesting... of course they'd exhausted the resources within this small building ages ago but still to move on without question wasn't always possible. "Hm, still I think the gentle musings of a Jester are much more trustworthy than someone as unseen as me.... I don't exactly inspire blind faith or salvation, Sir Dagonet~ Feel free to take the lead and it will be I who accompanies you~" she mused, though still those words as light as ever held the smallest hint of sadness. She'd protect this place and the dreams of its people for quite a while yet, and nudge these people into making a King out of Arthur. That should be happening now huh? Only a couple of buildings remained, they could easily clear them out Dagonet was persuasive enough, Merlyn was certain of this.

[Bloodedge]

By sheer coincidence, Guinevere's state of embarrassment went unnoticed by Arthur. He could be a bit dumb at times, unable to tell what Cador and Emilia were even getting at when they spoke. One could say he even developed tunnel vision when realizing there were people needing care. "Salvation?" he questioned. That wasn't right; he couldn't bring any such thing to anyone. He couldn't truly save them, and he had no clue how to lead anyone outside of the workplace. What he could do though, was what he always did─ he could be a hell of a butler, chef, and other such things to ensure their wellbeing. Ah, but he was a stand-in, wasn't he? In the absence of Artoria Pendragon, it was his duty to fill the space. Though it left a bitter taste in his mouth to do so, he would act in the interest of these unfortunate people. Little did he realize, such moments were precisely when he had more room to shine as the would-be king to these people. "To be honest, I don't even know if I could find Artoria Pendragon if I tried. I don't think I can manage anything by way of salvation, but it looks like everyone here could use a meal and a good night's rest. We're all in the same boat, so let's make sure everyone stays aboard before worrying about anything else. There is food and safety in this castle. It might not be much when spread out, but I promise everyone will eat tonight."

Meanwhile, en route to the remaining citizens of Loch Ness. . . "Ahh yeeees, yes! There, but never here... for chivalry is not a choice, but a curse for one such as he, the Round Table's own king!" Dagonet chanted. He undoubtedly viewed this King Arthur as one worth following, but he viewed the man's morals as his own potential undoing. Dagonet wouldn't have been a knight by choice; he wouldn't have sought the title at least. A man like Arthur was exactly why he refrained from making that choice─ there were just too many niceties involved. Of course, Dagonet wasn't without his own moral compass. Words spoken by Merlyn reeked of depression, which was not allowed of any in the jester's presence. He would take the lead, yes, but it would not only be the people in this building whom he sought to bring joy. "Ah! Friends, you need not sully yourselves with open flames and empty bellies! Look~! The Knights of the Round Table have come from far away to take up residence with you all~! Oh?" His introductory statement ended with an open query. In the midst of this brief interruption in speech, he spun around Merlyn and reached out to grasp her cheeks from behind. All the while, balloon caricatures of each knight, Arthur, Guinevere, and Emilia. All figures were terrible representations, but all were dancing and merrymaking as they ate and drank next to a balloon castle. There was one missing: Merlyn. Alas, he had the real thing right in front of him! Though her face was hidden from onlookers, he could at least mimic its movements with his hand under her hood. "We even have with us the great wizard, Merlyn! Yes~ the myths are wrong! Merlyn, the sorceress whose divine graces enchant the minds and loins of men most righteous! Dare we unve~il her? Perhaps a pee~k can be obtained in the castle of Loch Ness, as the enchantress sips wine with the masses~!"

[Apollymi]

Arthur apparently managed to miss Guinevere's embarrassment. That was good for the lass. It seemed she'd get to look forward to a bit of blissful ignorance on the lad's part, which was a bit relieving when considering how easily she ended up in such a state. Ah, what an interesting pair these two could make potentially. But even beyond that, a shining moment for the young King Arthur. He would for a moment claim that he had no real ability to offer salvation but that instead he would give everyone here a place to sleep and rest for the night. "Hm, that was quite good..." mentioned Guinevere. She'd crashed and burned in her early days trying to give speeches, she respected this lad's ability to be both frank and open in such discussions as well as just his ability to be himself. It seemed the people would agree with this to large extent as most seemed content to settle in while being offered such things as places to sleep and food which they hadn't had much of. The castle would be quite a buzz in just a little while. A quiet hum and a gentle babble would begin to take place over the lake, people moving about here so much was quite uncommon so someone was coming to take a look... but who would emerge from the lake and what exactly were they witnessing here and now?

At the same time, Merlyn and Dagonet got to embark upon a journey to help the people. "Well, yes, that is a pretty succinct understanding of that issue~" mused Merlyn of Arthur and his potential failings. It was exactly those she sought to undo, but it was going to take much more than a few adventures to clear out a lifetimes worth of personality defects. Ah, but onto the people or at least that what Merlyn thought initially. Right just now, balloons were being created and a story being told. Merrymaking as indeed something Dagonet was good at, how anyone thought to silence him she couldn't understand. Even now as the story began to unfold, apparently her own balloon was missing. She was placed within the story instead with this young lad's hands upon her face beneath her hood moving her about to make her into an active participant of this entire situation. If Merlyn had any complaints to launch she was hardly capable. What with her cheeks being pulled and her face being moved about. Still so careful as her hood never moved. "Oh? Well, I suppose there was that myth about a man called Merlin but I've not see him~" she added with a casual flicker of her eyes, a gentle glimmer of them would be caught from beneath her hood. Still, she couldn't stop a small giggle from escaping her, even as her face was moved about in such a way. This lad was infectious and that was pleasant. She could at least forget the souring of her mood for a moment while she considered such things.

[Bloodedge]

"Huh?" Arthur questioned mere seconds after Guinevere spoke. That was... good? As far as he was concerned, all he'd managed was to take himself off whatever podium he'd been on in these people's minds. He wasn't their king, and he wasn't their savior. They were people surviving, and he was no different. "As if. That wasn't even the least bit grandiose. I just didn't want anyone's hopes too high," he explained. Of course, if he'd been paying attention after that little speech, Arthur would have already realized his words had the opposite effect. To these people, if his words rang true, Arthur was the king they never knew they wanted... while certainly being the one they longed for deep within. None of these people wanted some tyrant to dictate their lives. They detested the idea of a self-proclaimed benevolent ruler who abused them in any way. Just what they needed, just what they deserved, was someone to simply help them─ all of them. Anyone capable of doing that, deserved the title of king in turn. "Anyway, it's going to be very difficult stretching out the food we have for all these people. Sir Hector and Sir Dagonet haven't returned yet, either, so there might be more to come. Any idea where Merlyn ran off to?"

Dagonet's little puppet show seemed to at least have the citizens' interest. Even a laugh or two were offered at Merlyn's expense, but best of all, he could hear and feel the laughter of Merlyn herself. Ah yes, the ultimate goal was being achieved. "No~ no~, nobody wants to see some dusty old man with a long beard~! Far be it from a humble merrymaker such as myself to enjoy grey roosters to a da~rling spring chicken! Oh, if only you could see what I have seen~! On my honor, it is the most wonderful sight to be seen by anyone~. Or... does the jester lie~? Is the sorceress a vile, decrepit troll masquerading as a woman~? It is worth finding out, no? Come~ come to the castle and discover the truth for yourselves~!"

[Apollymi]

Apparently Arthur himself didn't see the goodness of his speech, it would take Guinevere but a moment to think of the best way to summarize its goodness. "Well, earnestness is an attitude that this continent has been lacking for quite a while. You'd be surprised how far honesty can get you with people who haven't known it," she mentioned in a haphazard way. Still they'd be able to move on, there was a newly developing problem of feeding the masses, Arthur rather suddenly sought Merlyn. "Hm, before she left us, she said she was going to do something about the monster in the lake," Guinevere remembered the rather flippant way that the Lady Merlyn had exited their presence. One could wonder what he wished to know of the lass who remained covered for whatever reason. Perhaps one of the others had seen her recently.

In the meantime, what was Merlyn doing? Laughing, participating in the little teasing show that Sir Dagonet was putting on for the few remaining citizens and waiting for the right time to join Sir Hector to move that beast he'd slain. "Spring chicken? Oh my... a girl might blush from such honeyed words~" Merlyn managed, she was still laughing. His further prodding seemed to get the last of the stragglers laughing along and on his side. Merlyn wiggled herself free of this man's hold and gave a minor bow as claps began and she managed to stand up straight. "Oh, right on time, Sir Dagonet, how about you escort these people back I...." a pause came from Merlyn in the moment. "Achoo~" she sneezed a little into the corner of her arm. "I bet he's talking about me, how rude after all I've done today~" she mused as if she was truly annoyed. But in the moment she wasn't unhappy at all, in fact she'd tolerate this for the sake of keeping up this new space of theirs. "Oops, sorry about that. Anyway, I think it is about time I help Sir Hector bring back dinner," she mentioned with a flicker of her gaze in the eastern direction. "Also, you have my thanks, Sir Dagonet. You're quite good~" she mentioned to him specifically. She was pleased to have found herself smiling and in good humor. At this point, she hardly regretted the moment which she'd had to use to free him, because she got to experience him in this way.

[Bloodedge]

"Really? I'm not surprised to hear it's bad all over after what I've seen, but is it really that bad?" Arthur asked. A brief glance in the civilians' direction, and Arthur realized the answer was... yes. Those people seemed so hopeful after so long, one could only believe they lived in depravity for many years. Merlyn would certainly be useful right about now, if he could actually find where she'd run off to. Ah yes, she did say something about the lake monster, didn't she? He had been so unsurprised by the idea of a real Loch Ness Monster, he'd forgotten about the entire ordeal. Damn. Well, surely she would be popping up again eventually. Until then, it was best to get started. "Dinner should be started sooner rather than later, I suppose. As much as I hate to ask, anyone willing to lend a hand is more than welcome to join me in the kitchen," he said before turning on his heel, heading off to find... hopefully a very large pot.

The final people of Loch Ness were being swayed successfully into approaching the castle. Even so, he was not quite done with Merlyn. Prior to her announced departure, the sorceress sneezed. Since he was free from dealing with the people who were already on their way, he spun around Merlyn and manifested a balloon handkerchief. Naturally, such a thing was to be brought up to her nose. Dagonet did have a fair idea of where her nose would be beneath that hood's shadow, but he rather purposefully moved it toward her mouth instead. "The poor maiden has fallen ill~! An allergy to honey, perhaps? Blow, blow~! It is the least a mere jester can offer after causing an allergic reaction of this ma~gnitude~! Take this, Merlyn, in these swe~et moments of parting~!"

[Apollymi]

Guinevere thought about how best to answer Arthur's inquiry. Surely, he'd just popped up here, so he could have no idea how bad things truly were in this world, but if he was used to the idea of this being a video game she suspected he should have a bit better of an idea than most of how things played out. "From what I heard, not all places are bad. The Kingdoms that managed to ascend from this continent are well-managed and their general populations well taken care of, which is probably why people are looking for 'salvation'," Guinevere stated of her general knowledge of history. "But in the last few decades, the lower continent has been quite war-torn. A few kingdoms stood for decades with reasonable leadership, but several kingdoms fell. Some were taken over by strange people and emptied out, after a 'benevolent' ruler popped up out of nowhere..." she said of the news she'd been privy to before even the whole Kolin situation. Little did she know that Kolin or rather Mai Valentine was almost exclusively responsible for everything wrong on this continent after the rise of the desert kingdom. But this explanation was about all that was needed, she would offer her own services to help with dinner. Though she didn't cook often she was at least reasonable as an extra set of hands. "I can help a bit, I am fairly good at following directions..." she said softly. At the same time, Emilia popped up to comment as well. "I am an okay cook, and Guinevere is good at following directions. I can help. Besides I want to see what Merlyn did with the kitchens she said she took care of it~" mentioned Emilia who was more than ready to help. Had they been cleaning as normal... they likely wouldn't have been ready to start dinner for such a large number of people, as such she was gaining a great respect for Merlyn's use of her magic and foresight.

The final people of Loch Ness were on their way and after her little sneeze, Dagonet came with more jokes for Merlyn. A balloon shaped like a handkerchief was soon shoved in her mouth and it caused her a mumbled laugh while Dagonet spoke of her potential allergies and sweet parting. Ah, what a mood elevator this one was, she couldn't help but smile even beneath her hood. After managing to remove the balloon from her mouth she finally spoke, in a truly light-hearted manner. "Far be it for a lady to turn down such an esteemed token~" she gave a playful bow and in the same moment flashed Dagonet those glowing magenta eyes of hers. "Sir Dagonet, you do me a great kindness and bring me much joy~" she stated as she rose and placed a hand against the side of his face. "We should hang out more~" she mused, she quite enjoyed this young man. She knew she would but it was different as an experience. Ah, she really did need to leave him for now though, "Going to retrieve dinner now... there are a lot of people waiting around and I am sure Sir Cador and Emilia would appreciate the help while they are waiting~" Merlyn stated before she began walking east. But soon she'd be out of eye sight and walking up on Sir Hector instead, that balloon handkerchief still in hand. "So, how did hunting dinner go?" she asked of the man figuring she'd at least do the hard part of moving it to the larder.

[Bloodedge]

The state of the world, at least at this level, would only become more clear to Arthur as time passed. For now, he had only a few examples paired with hearsay about how terrible things were. Little did anyone know, the fault was almost exclusively held by a single person. Over time, perhaps he would even know that. Alas, it wasn't worth concern at present; there were struggling innocents that needed warm food and cold drink in their bellies. Both Guinevere and Emilia offered their assistance in the kitchen; that would do for a start. Cador refrained from joining them, however. "I'll stay with them. Everything here will be taken care of while dinner is prepared," the Spirit Knight announced. Arthur nodded to his purple-haired companion, moving toward the kitchen thereafter. "Well, I have plenty of directions for the two of you then. Come on!" Arthur said excitedly. He was rather giddy to have an opportunity to cook with others, yet for some reason, there was a foreboding aura surrounding the knight as he shared his excitement.

With the acceptance of Dagonet's offering, Merlyn offered the notion that they should hang out more, and a flash of those strange, glowing eyes was seen by the jester knight. "It will be my humble self's honor, my magical queen~" he said with another exaggerated bow. He would happily accompany Merlyn any day. Like most of the current knights seemed to, he had an interesting amount of respect and admiration to offer the sorceress. One who would agree with this notion, was Hector... who was able to lay eyes upon Merlyn mere moments after her departure. When she appeared, she would find Sir Hector seated upon the head of a fallen flying bison. The beast had been slain with a single slash along its underbelly. If not for its weight upon the wound, it would have been spilling its innards from nape to chops, though it had long since lost its life energy. This flying bison was about four tons, hardly into adulthood and without much potential among its kind. How did the hunt go, then? "Lady Merlyn. Hello again. I wouldn't call it a hunt, as much as I would refer to it as gathering groceries. Should I assume I am fortunate enough to earn the great Merlyn's assistance in carrying it back?"

[Apollymi]

Sir Cador would stay with the people, Sir Dagonet was on his way back and Arthur had two victims for his work in the kitchen. Both Emilia and Guinevere seemed to note with a sense of foreboding. "I feel like he's too excited about this..." Emilia mentioned. "I'm going to regret this," she muttered flicking that one piece of her hair. "Well, since he seems too agitated about food, I think we are about to see the face behind the King Arthur we've come to know. Chin up, Lia... We go into battle this day!" Guinevere mentioned. She was more than fully prepared for this to be an experience unlike any other. Still, she and Emilia had overcome a woman much worse than Arthur, even if he was a slave driver in the kitchen it was a battle they could win... at least. Somehow, Guinevere's words served to properly motivate Emilia, maybe it was the Charisma skill she so artfully developed, maybe it was simply a matter of their friendship but regardless they would follow Arthur into the kitchen hand in hand with their heads held high. A kitchen Arthur would find strangely put together like the Ashikaga Mansion's kitchen. Multiple stove tops, and ovens run by magic. A collection of found vegetables and spices along one side. Access to the Larder and even access to the storage room they'd looked into before. Beneath the cabinets pots and pans of more than reasonable quality, and several absolutely flawless sets of magical kitchen knives and the entirety of the kitchen was absolutely spotless. This was an image Merlyn seemed to think he'd like and as such she'd taken to making it a reality within this space. The appliances ran on magic and could thus be activated with a tap of mana and worked like gas stovetops and ovens. No more or less would be what she could offer given her own abilities.

At the same time, the parting words of Dagonet made Merlyn smile. She was at least pleased she'd managed to make reasonable impressions upon the Knights who'd be under Arthur's command. It would make it much easier for all of them if they could get along, especially given her own needs in such a moment. Not that she'd be feeding upon the unwilling nor was she the type to use them just for the sake of herself. She would give in return for everything she receieved and many would be seeing the benefit of her personality. One such person right just now, was Sir Hector, who had nothing but a happy greeting upon the slayed beast of choice. "Ah, well yes... Sir Hector. It was indeed grocery shopping, magical grocery shopping," she teased in a light-hearted manner. "And of course, you've more than earned a bit of reprieve~ I do thank you for taking care of the more menial task. I hate to admit it, but I am quite unskilled with weapons as such. The slaughter of such a beast without waste wasn't something so far within my own skill set~" she mused, of course she could have killed it, but not in a manner which would make it edible afterwards. At this very moment she clapped her hands together those eyes of hers glowing.

"Shift," what would this do, once again the world around them and this beast would warp drastically, moving them from this place on the eastern edge of the hamlet, to within the larder within just a few seconds. Using such a spell on something so widescale would be considered tiring even to one such as Merlyn but she was less concerned considering she could always gorge herself a bit later. "There, that should do it..." she said as the room returned to normal and she stuck her head out of the larder. "Ah, Sir Hector, here has gathered the meat... I took the liberty of relieving it of its innards, Nessie still needs a little snack for being such a good girl today~" she mused about the creature outside. "Is all in order Arthur?" she asked as if she expected him to be within this kitchen by the time she stuck her head out. Yes, within the larder there was now a four ton beast for use in the meal rotation, Merlyn had done her part this day and was now more than content to tap out for the time being.

[Bloodedge]

True enough, Arthur was a bit too excited about their joint kitchen trip. There would be a battle of epic proportions, and the opponent was either the meal ahead... or Arthur's pickiness in the kitchen. At the very least, there would be a bit of hesitation the moment he set foot in the room. Emilia stated that Merlyn had done something with the kitchen, and well... she had certainly done quite a bit. The kitchen was a sight to behold indeed, and surprisingly constructed much to Arthur's ease of use. There were nearly sparkles in his eyes as he moved about the room, inspecting a few unfamiliar features here and there. There was magic afoot, of this there was no doubt. Arthur counted his lucky stars that he had the assistance of two individuals, each of whom would know how to activate the stoves and ovens. First though, he would pick up the pots and pans necessary, as well as a few cutting boards for preparatory work. "Well, there's a surprise. I thought Merlyn was a bit lazier than this," he said. Into the store room he went, collecting multiple sacks of potatoes, some of that atrocious dried meat─ he even slid in a barrel of oats. "First thing's first; we are not feeding these meats to anyone unless we have to. At the very least, it should work to make a rudimentary broth. Oats porridge and potato soup should stretch out nicely, and I guess the meat can..."

Arthur was prepared to make a decision he would hate for eternity. Just to optimize the value of food items, he would see to it that everything was used─ even the dried meat. Just then, however, he was met by an angel! Hector was along for the ride and responsible for acquiring meat, but Merlyn proved to be the bearer of good news this fine day. Arthur could see it through the doorway; there was a flying bison held inside the castle. The beast had already been gutted by Merlyn herself, and clearly taken down by Hector beforehand. "Oh, Merlyn, you beautiful creature!" he offered, likely the first praise he'd ever offered the sorceress... and potentially the last for quite some time, depending on events. Everything in Arthur's arms were released as he hopped into the next room, smiling and slinging an arm around Merlyn, and the other around Sir Hector. "You two earned the lion's share tonight! Guinevere! Emilia! Scratch that stupid plan; we're making a giant pot of curry for dinner!"

[Apollymi]

Within the kitchen, Emilia and Guinevere prepared. They donned aprons and got ready for cooking more practically. Both girls produced hair ties for themselves which they used to pull their hair up and out of the way before the washed their hands. Ah, yes. Cooking came with so many practical needs. At the very least, Arthur seemed to appreciate the work done by Merlyn on this kitchen but seemed to have a strange idea about the laziness of the sorceress in his mind. "Hm, I don't think that's a fair assessment. The Lady Merlyn did quite a bit to help us out today..." Emilia mentioned missing that lock of hair she normally twirled around but knowing that habit wasn't good for the kitchen in general. Moving along, it seemed that he really was quite anal about kitchen stuff. Broth and potatoes on the menu? Well that was workable. But surprise surprise... Merlyn and Sir Hector showed up in the larder apparently bringing gifts of meat for the hold. A smile spread across Emilia's face as she felt further vindicated in defending her honor a few seconds prior.

At Merlyn's approach she expected some scene from Hell's Kitchen with someone being berated to tears, herself included. Strangely, though in exactly this moment at seeing this large offering of meat, Merlyn was instead given a compliment. Behind her hood she managed to look only more surprised than normal her hand over her chest in genuine horror. "Sir Hector, did I die between the east and this castle?" she asked seemingly utterly serious. "I have never seen a compliment from this man before... I think it might be the end for me," she stated succinctly, even as Arthur dropped everything in his hands to sling an arm around both herself and Sir Hector, Merlyn was still in disbelief. Apparently, she and Sir Hector had earned a large portion of food for the night. "That's all well and good. I live off compliments though... feel free to spread my extra portion around to the other Knights and Ladies," Merlyn mentioned in a light tone, surprised he hadn't noticed that she didn't eat. Well, that wasn't exactly true she ate, just not food in the traditional sense. And he'd even changed his mind about the menu... Guinevere and Emilia looked at each other when the claim was made they'd be making curry. Emilia was excited, Guinevere figured it had to be good based on Emilia's reaction. "So, what do we do with the dried meat?" asked Emilia now that they had a menu set she knew this wasn't a necessary ingredient anymore.

[Bloodedge]

Oh? Merlyn had done a lot to help out today, had she? Well if the kitchen was any sign of her efforts, those words from Emilia could only be the truest things said by anyone this day. Much was done here at least, and Merlyn deserved infinite praise for making it happen. Apparently, she took it as something incredibly surprising. "I don't believe that is the case, Lady Merlyn. I'm sure a blind man could see your value, whether it is expressed outside of the most major moments or not," said Hector in regards to the sorceress' recent acknowledgement by Arthur. Now, he would hop down from the flying bison's head, thinking it would be a fair exchange if he aided Merlyn in feeding the bison's innards to the Loch Ness monster. To offer, he extended his right hand. "If this has you out of your wits, allow me to accompany you on your task."

In the meantime, Arthur thought strangely of Merlyn's refusal. Why had he never seen her eating? Oh well; there would be a plate for her whether she claimed to want it or not. The same would be offered to Hector, whom he knew would refuse an extra serving either way. Now then, to deal with the beast was but a secondary thought. They could easily lop off a chunk or ten when the meat needed dicing and cooking, but Emilia wished to know what they should do with those horrid dried meats. Arthur turned to face the white-haired girl, his eyes void of all emotion. Had he suddenly grown three meters? Was there some strange thunderstorm happening within the castle walls? No, that wasn't right; it couldn't be, given how cold it suddenly was in the kitchen. None of these things were real, but such was the aura spewing from Arthur's every pore as he spoke slowly. "Destroy it. Never let it back into this kitchen. We eat fresh food; meats especially."

[Apollymi]

Ah, Arthur wouldn't know the kitchen was the least of her efforts. Done specifically to spare others from having to deal with his scary face while he cooked. Of course, she also knew the great number of people who would come into this space to live and knew what kind of beacon Loch Ness would become for the continent. Oh well, that was thoughts for the future no one needed besides Merlyn. Speaking of, she was soon answered by Sir Hector who claimed her untimely demise hadn't caught up to her at all. He went on to claim anyone could see her worth and she could only chuckle at the notion. "I mean you can say that, and I might even believe it Sir Hector... still something about it seems so very," she paused giving her next word consideration "Strange." she said with a wiggle of her fingers. But they were moving on now, and Sir Hector even offered her company while she went to feed her new pet. She could scarcely turn down the opportunity to be in such a just knight's company. "Well, I could hardly say no to such a generous offer, Sir Hector~" she mused gently placing her own hand in his extended right. Still, never one to actually leave a duty unfinished offered a simple question. "Do you need anything else, Arthur?" she asked of him, perhaps after seeing all she was capable of today, he'd learn the proper uses of a reality-bending, immortal sorceress, with knowledge of modern times.

At the same time, Emilia was having her question answered, but she still felt strange. The young man known as Arthur never truly seemed upset about anything... he'd even been uncommonly kind to the woman known as Kolin even while not being the type to be falling all over himself trying to have her. As such, this rather sudden change in demeanor specifically about dried meat was far from expected. "Okay, throwing out the dried meat..." she muttered backing off with raised hands. How strange was this. "So, are there any more weird personality triggers you have? Do we need a list?~" the kindly Guinevere teased as she began helping Emilia get rid of the apparent devil food that was dried meat.

[Bloodedge]

Strange? Well, apparently the dynamic seen between Arthur and Merlyn had been ongoing for quite some time. It wasn't Hector's place to pry, but their relationship seemed healthy enough in a... very strange way indeed. From his perspective, it was almost as if they were siblings or coworkers, one always bickering about the other, albeit both leading each other to greater heights by proxy. Again, thinking too much about those matters was not Hector's place. Merlyn would take his escort along with his extended hand, so he would be chauffeur toward the lake. That is, after Merlyn paused to check with Arthur.

Arthur could hardly think of another thing needed for the evening, except perhaps a few additions to the meal itself. So many people were about to have their first hot meal in weeks, maybe months or years, so there was no reason not to make it an incredible experience, right? "If it's not too much trouble, we could use vegetables. Fresh onions and carrots, garlic, tomatoes, apples... the works. Oh, and could you do something about berries? I'd like wine for the adults, juice for the children." Ah, the workplace─ the only time Arthur could actually hand out instructions worth a damn. It seemed he simply expected Merlyn to get the job done as quickly and casually as she normally behaved about everything, so he was content to instruct Emilia and Guinevere without further hesitation. In fact, he essentially skipped over Guinevere's acknowledgement of his rather strange behavior regarding dried meats. She'd be seeing more results of his 'weird personality triggers' in the next few moments anyway. That is, if anyone could keep up with how quickly he delivered instructions... "As far as lists are concerned, the only one we need to worry about is a list of orders for the people we have here. Emilia, you seemed familiar with curry; can you make a roux for us? Guin, I'll be washing potatoes and sending them your way─ I need them cubed quickly and set to boil. We'll followed that with cubed carrots, minced onions, celery allumettes, and sliced apples. Before you're done with the carrots, I should be bouncing between the meat and sending more vegetables your way. Emilia, put that roux on in as many pots as you can find, but save space for the rice as well. We feed children first, then women and elderly, and finally the men. Questions?"

[Apollymi]

Strange was the relationship between Arthur and Merlyn indeed. And it would only become more strange as time went on. Arthur made a long list, comparable to that of an entire produce section in a grocery store, claiming to want the meal completed with things he couldn't find within the stores. Ah, but it wasn't just so simple, he knew now the full capabilities of one such as Merlyn and made his request as if he had full faith for it to be followed. Oddly enough Merlyn would complete his wishes but not without complaining about it. "No, Merlyn. You've done enough, Merlyn. I definitely don't suddenly completely understand the nature and necessity of magic in this magical world I ended up in~" she stated with utmost sarcasm. Oh... that wasn't entirely her kind of sentence either, there was a bit of extra spite in such a statement. No matter. A massive waste of Merlyn's stored energy would occur over the next few moments. She made a great deal of vegetables and fruits from her own memory. That staff she'd been using before appeared within her hand. She used her memory to create seeds and then used her staff to manipulate life magic pollenating and growing within baskets massive quantities of the asked for produce up to the point of peak freshness. Wine for the adults and juice for the children. Made and put into color coded jugs within cold storage. All the while she seemed to have a light of utter annoyance shining in those magenta eyes of hers. "There... no more kitchen nightmares for Merlyn~" she mused as she left hand in hand with Sir Hector.

But while Merlyn's kitchen nightmares would be ending with her production of Arthur's fixings. Both Emilia and Guinevere were just staring theirs. Apparently, Arthur did know how to give orders, specifically when it came to cooking. Or maybe it was just work in general. Whatever the case, Emilia was processing the directions she was given with her purple eyes blank for several seconds while her brain caught up to the words spoken. "Uhh... Roux and Rice. Got it." she said she'd inch off to begin. She'd set up several pots of water on back burners and salt them properly while setting up smaller sauce pans and melting butter into them to begin the roux. Each burner turned on with the smallest burst of magic through the matching knob. The first hints of magic would begin as she began stirring pots to add in flour but the spoons kept stirring at the same speed as she walked away from them. At the same time, Guinevere found herself staring at Arthur for a few seconds. Her own brain needed less time to catch up, but his directions were so full she'd still be processing the ending parts even as they started their work. "Chopping veggies and boiling them, I can handle that..." she stated getting started on the pots of boiling water and inspecting magical knives, while setting up cutting boards for use. There were other parts they hadn't quite caught yet, but the knew enough that they wouldn't necessarily slow him down while he had his tyrant fit in the kitchen.

[Bloodedge]

"If you're going to complain about being underutilized, don't complain when there's an actual use for you, Merlyn," Arthur barked with sass to match the sorceress' own. At this exact moment, the necessity of Merlyn's magic could not be argued against. Only she could produce the rest of what these people needed for satisfaction, so it didn't matter if she exhausted herself doing so. Of course, he wouldn't have actually seen the mage endanger her wellbeing or anything, but she seemed fine from what she managed. Veggies and drinks for the masses were prepared, and Arthur had a few more words to share with the fleeing woman. "Thank you Merlyn; rest up." And with that, he was done making use of Merlyn for the time being. Even Arthur had to admit that she'd done more than enough; he even thought she deserved the first plate when dinner was done. Magic had to require energy as well, right? He did feel a bit winded after a few uses of Excalibur, and that wasn't even remotely similar to spitting on the laws of reality.

And so came the start of manual labor. Emilia and Guin prepared their stations, and Arthur rolled up his sleeves to wash up. A few potatoes were set in a strainer first, while he took up a spoon and dipped it into Emilia's pot. Arthur could be seen tasting the water for salt content, though he said nothing after doing so. It seemed he was... satisfied with the amount of salt in said water. With that out of the way, he began washing potatoes and passing them off to Guinevere. "Don't waste those peels, Guin; they'll make a good stock for later. Emilia, what do you think? Maybe we have some elders with no teeth who'd rather have a soup?"

[Apollymi]

Oh? She probably shouldn't complain about being utilized properly after not being so for so long. Even so, she felt entitled to her frustration in the moment. She could have saved them so much time, and perhaps now that feature of her existence could be fully realized. Whatever the case, Merlyn was finally thanked and she had it in her to scoff mockingly. "At your service, Arthur~" she said before widening those glowing eyes of hers at Sir Hector. "Come on, let's go... before I explode or die of fright. I was thanked this day too. It really might be the last one~" she mentioned as if it was a truly funny outlook for her. She had Sir Hector could spend some time together while the cooking was done and though she'd wasted a great deal of energy. She'd been granted enough of it through her dealings with Sir Cador that she had no immediate fears. They even had a date setup for later, so it wasn't likely she wouldn't be fed today anyways.

At the same time, Emilia and Guinevere were being subjected to Arthur as the slave driver of the kitchen. In this case, Emilia's water was tasted and at the same time her heart was beating in her chest. Had she done good? Did she mess something up? The suspense was killing her, and he said nothing. Holy crap! This was like that moment while taking a test where a teacher looked at yours but didn't say anything, it only served to increase her anxiety in the moment. Ah, her attention was being broken, though her hands were still at work, the roux were reaching proper consistency but she was still waiting on the boiling of the water so she could add the rice. Question, about soup instead of stew for the elderly. "Uh... yes. I guess that is a pretty good idea as well. Though if the meat is tender enough it won't be a problem. A set could be made that way regardless, in case of children as well who might prefer their food a bit less chewy," she offered her honest opinion. At the same time, water was set to boil for Guinevere who'd salted her own water properly as well. She wasted no peels since Arthur mentioned it, and after peeling several potatoes set up magical knives to begin chopping them across cutting boards. Such uses of magic were minor but would speed along this process quite a bit. "As you like," she mentioned as she sat peels and the like to the side for stock. Yes, all the things the girls were doing would come together nicely.

[Bloodedge]

Merlyn was fated to receive another shock this day, it seemed. Strange─ Sir Hector believed in recent weeks that Merlyn knew... well, quite literally everything. He would accompany the sorceress during her departure regardless, but this was a matter worth commenting on. Of course, he had to get over the minor stint of laughter first. "Did you really not see this coming? I thought the great sorceress could never be surprised, but how many times is this, just today?" he wondered aloud.

If Emilia became anxious by the simple tasting of saltwater, there would only be more worry to come. Progression occurred quickly by use of magical tools on Guinevere's part, so the blonde male was able to pass potatoes along more quickly than he initially anticipated. This also freed him to take up another spoon at random, quickly dipping it into the roux as its consistency stabilized. "Did you taste this?" he asked in an offhanded manner, just before the small spoon of roux entered his own mouth. Something was just a tiny bit off for the overly-refined palate of Arthur; there was a lack of kick, so to speak. There was no point adding a soup to the mix just yet, if the roux still wasn't absolutely perfect. "Come on. What's that missing?" he continued. Never one to waste a moment unnecessarily, he quickly returned to passing along potatoes, and soon enough, carrots. "How are those cubes looking, Guinevere? Nice and even, I hope."

[Apollymi]

The amount of shock Merlyn was feeling at these random instances of change in attitude were indeed something quite new to her as well. For the most part, futures that she saw were usually fixed, with just a little bit of variation from time to time. In the case of herself, she'd recently been not looking directly at things she would do, and instead had simply taking to nudging everyone around herself towards their happiest ending. Whenever she looked upon herself she saw death and sadness but never her own, no... she'd look for happy moments instead. Like the laughter of Sir Hector, even if at her expense, was worth hearing in the moment. Beneath her hood, the lady Merlyn managed to look just a bit flustered. "Oh a great sorceress... I am beginning to wonder about these high opinions of me, making a girl like me flustered is no easy feat~" she teased and flirted as she always would. But if they were conversing seriously she'd also answer that as well. "Truly, I did not...see this coming. If I am being perfectly honest, I don't usually look directly at my own future any more~" she mused with a subtle smile gracing those lightly pinkened cheeks. "Besides, a certain Spirit Knight advised me that a few unknowns in life were good for me. So, for the most part I've been only looking for danger around us... and not the more day to day activities. Well, only just a few day to day activities, you know... to keep us from having to work really hard to feed the masses and to know how many rooms we'd need and stuff like that~ Today, I have been surprised no less than three times. I am starting to think I should peek a bit more to make sure I don't end up embarrassed," she said softly as they headed towards the edge of the lake. She was truly going to feed the Loch Ness monster, she was now her new favorite pet.

Emilia was indeed already anxious. She didn't do well under pressure. Normally she rose to such occasions but they usually came with internal freak outs of major proportions. A quality of being too young and spending a lot of time alone... well before more recent times. When asked if she tasted the roux she managed to look shocked. "Well, no... I didn't know whose taste I should be seasoning it to..." she mentioned meekly. Why did she volunteer for this? She should have gone with Merlyn... cleaned rooms or something. Her heart, her poor heart was beating in her chest rather furiously as she continued working. A small tasting spoon would make a quick round in one of the pots. It lacked a bit of spice, "A little more spice? I wasn't sure if it would be too much.." she mentioned content to add a bit more before stirring each pot. A new tasting spoon would be taken and she would seeming be satisfied after her addition. In the meantime, Guinevere chopping her vegetables seemed to be as calm as ever. She wasted nothing and all her cubes were perfect. "Yes, all even so they cook at the same speed... soup and alchemy potions aren't too dissimilar, " she said with the same amount of grace and attitude she had about everything. Of course, she could be at least confident in her knife skills because of her usage of them, and because Nerys was just as tough as a potions expert.

[Bloodedge]

Merlyn could wonder all she liked about the opinions these knights had of her. It seemed they all thought quite highly of the sorceress, and of course Hector was no exception as the second knight to have an impression. "Yes, of course. Great sorceress may even be an understatement, to be perfectly honest," he spoke earnestly. Perhaps Sir Hector even had the highest opinion of Merlyn, among the Knights of the Round Table. She freed his companion, Dagonet, and honored Hector's name even while knowing his death would only be temporary. "There's no need to be flustered, Lady Merlyn. I speak only my honest opinion, which I believe is shared by everyone else here. Though, the thought that you would be flustered by my words, is refreshing."

The flirty behavior of Merlyn was notably clear. Though Hector wasn't much of a flirter himself, he seemed to react positively on the receiving end. It was interesting to note that Merlyn refrained from viewing her own future, and even peered less in general as of late. Sir Cador was right; there was a certain excitement to being out of the loop, as it were. Hector could appreciate this─ especially considering the fact that Merlyn seemed to be having an alright time. Hector could only hope such a thing was allowed to last, as well as wonder how his own contributions to a pleasant lifestyle would weigh in. "You would peek to avoid embarrassment? It must have been a long time since you've felt such a thing," he said nonchalantly as they made way for the lake.

Emilia hadn't tasted the roux; that much was obvious. Had she done so, perhaps she would have been privy to the lack of seasoning found within. At least she realized what was needed after actually taking a sample for herself. "More spice, good. A dash of masala in each set should be fine. Not too spicy for the kids and sensitive tongues, but not flavorless either. Understood?" he spoke. Even as a veritable slaver in the kitchen, Arthur's intentions were fair. He wanted the dish perfect for those who would eat it, but also generally acceptable. Alas, those who were cooking at present would also be consuming. He would make note of that as well. "As for taste, don't be afraid to season for your own taste a bit as well. If you're going to cook something, you should want to eat it too, right?" With that said, Arthur was passing a handful of carrots to Guinevere. It was high time he took a lump of meat from the flying bison's hide, and a single glance in Guin's direction proved that yes, her cuts were coming along nicely. "Beautiful. Get those carrots done─ Emilia, make sure that roux is nice and thick. I'm switching to meat. Salt please," he concluded as a chunk of the bison's leg was sliced off rather cleanly. A large slab of meat would soon be sitting on a countertop, freshly rinsed and without skin or hair in sight. Ah, it even came with a spectacular layer of fat; he'd have to make bison steak eventually.

[Apollymi]

Sir Hector only seemed to feed further into the flustered state that Merlyn currently maintained. How? Well, to put it simply the earnestness of his statements were quite overwhelming. She joked around a lot, was seemed to be at least partially dismissive since she considered herself so far outside of 'human' norms. "You really think that," she almost whispered. "It might be a vast overstatement, I'm just a magical little monster who fancies herself a sorceress~" she mused, though she still liked his words. Never had she been happier her face couldn't be seen, she was quite sure she was a terrible shade of red. Flirting with Sir Cador was a matter of smoothness meeting comedy, having someone be so earnest in their appraisal of her was an entirely different sort of interaction. Sir Hector even claimed there was no need for her to be flustered but that he was simply making his honest opinion known. A gentle smile appeared on Merlyn's face and she took those words to heart though she truly couldn't help it. "The Sword Saint is a man whose, honor is without question, so compliments from him are very different. Even across ears as old as mine~ If you find such a reaction refreshing, Sir Hector... look forward to a veritable spring~" she teased and complimented. He seemed to like that she flirted with him, and she had no intention of stopping unless he stated some distaste at her actions. He also went on to question her desire to look into her own future to avoid embarrassment. A wide grin crossed her face as the reached the lake's edge and she could only smile. "Sir Hector, I can say with absolute certainty that it has been a virtual eternity since I last felt embarrassed. And I would without question peek into the future and choose different actions to avoid it~" she said with a knowing smile. "That being said, what is immortal sorcery without a few happy perks, for the sorceress~" she teased. Soon enough those wrapped innards would be lowered into the surface of the lake only to watch as it bubbled beneath as the Loch Ness monster came up to claim its dinner.

At the same time within the kitchen, Emilia was beginning to understand a bit more about Arthur. Though he seemed to have exceedingly high standards. He was seeming a bit more like a strict teacher who only gave occasional praise than a complete slave driver. Masala for the Roux and that would be balanced enough? Alright, she'd remember that for later. And also the bit of about cooking to her own taste as well... she would be eating so she supposed that was fair. "Hai, I understand..." she mentioned happily as she went back to seasoning and taking care of the pots on the stove top. It was about time to begin cooking rice so she'd do that, even as Arthur moved on to getting Guinevere more veggies. This time carrots. She looked at them before beginning to peel them and getting them ready for chopping. His earlier instructions mentioned that he wanted them cubed, but she needed a bit of clarification. "You said you wanted the carrots cubed, did you mean like squares or like oblique cut?" she asked in a straight-forward manner. While both were technically the same, the angled oblique cut gave more surface area to the carrots besides the texture of these reminded her mandrake roots and that is the cut she was taught for making those best used in bigger batches of potions. She'd await an answer while she peeled them at the same time, Emilia moved some salt into the area Arthur would be moving the meat to, for the sake of him having it to use.

[Bloodedge]

"Yes, of course. I really think that," Hector confirmed. He didn't really get how Merlyn could ever disagree with such an assertion; her abilities spoke for themselves. Hell, she moved a four-ton bison through space in an instant, and proceeded to produce a marketplace's quantity of vegetation from nothing thereafter. No mere run-of-the-mill mage could claim such feats. What then, Merlyn was just a magical monster who liked to call herself a sorceress? Hector laughed so quickly at the notion, he nearly snorted. "Haha! Is that all? Forgive me, but I've never met a monster so very human─ though visual aspects may have you viewed as an angel instead. Besides, if you consider yourself some sort of monster, rest assured, you are not alone here. I have died a few times in the past few hundred years. I'm afraid we share a state of immortality, though I have no inclination to cover myself. Cursed with immortality, but never blessed with irresistible good looks. That makes me more of a monster than you, don't you think?" he questioned, thinking a second time after watching Merlyn toss the bison's innards into the lake. She did manage to do something about the Loch Ness monster, and now casually fed it as if it were a pet left out in the yard. "Though, as far as feats are concerned..."

Understanding shared, Emilia was back to her work after offering Arthur the salt he requested. "Thank you my darling," he said quickly and in the most casual manner, proceeding to crack salt over the giant slab of meat. As for Guinevere's question regarding the cut of the carrots, he had another idea that looped back to the earlier potato peelings. "Obliques. The tips are too small though, so chop them off. We'll use them in place of baby carrots for the appetizer. We'll do the same with extras from the onions. Oh! Toss those peels in a pot."

[Apollymi]

Oh... Sir Hector confirmed such things did he. Did he understand what this amount of honesty could do to a woman? Merlyn imagined the answer was no, he didn't understand. Women were all different, not all of them liked the same things, but if someone enjoyed a earnest companion, choosing Sir Hector would please them eternally. "Hm, I would say that is surprising but, the honesty of Sir Hector knows no bounds~" she mused. Only after this did she hear his laughter. He thought her speech about being a monster funny? Ah, well he would think that, as far as states of being were concerned Sir Hector was likely the closest she would have gotten to true understanding. Of course, he had an ability she once coveted and that was simply the ability to die. But, that didn't matter for now... she was slowly building up her ego again, a little less crazed than she had been when she'd thought the end was more worth chasing than the potential journey. "Well, blessed is a strong misnomer~" she mentioned of herself. "One could instead say that being this attractive is a predatory adaptation~" she stated. "Modesty is an active adaptation. Watching everyone literally fall all over themselves all the time would ruin my appetite~" she mentioned as if she hadn't spoken of her lack of real food. Her words were very clear. It was obvious that no one truly understood what she was until she mentioned it. "And I don't find you monstrous in the least. Immortality in any form can be daunting though so I quite understand what you mean," she mentioned happily."But I'd be remiss to let Sir Hector believe that he is anything but irresistibly good looking~" she continued flirting. Ah, her feats were kind of amazing huh? "Well those exact feats are why I usually choose not to actively act against anyone. I can't taint everyone else's accomplishments all the time~" her words continued even as she fed her new pet. How strange this must have looked to others, but oh well... Merlyn was indeed a strange individual.

Emilia was starting not to be as anxious about this kitchen experience. After coming to the realization that Arthur was more like a teacher she could actually deal a bit better with the exam style toughness of the cooking experience. She was Japanese originally, and cram school hadn't been absolutely terrible considering the pay off at the end. What though was her current payoff? Well, it was thanks from Arthur. That felt weird to her. Arthur had never been mean to her, but in a moment like this such words were oddly motivating as well. Yes, sweetness seemed to win over the lass known as Emilia. "Hai hai." she managed finally after several moments of thought finally burying herself back into her work. Beyond this, Guinevere managed to chuckle knowing what was going on in the head of her closest friend. Ah but she was doing important things. Oblique cut carrots with the tips saved for appetizers. "Aye," she mentioned seeming to take the set of instructions easily. She put the potato peels into one of the pots of boiling water. Soon after she'd be back to directing the magical chopping of carrots with oblique cuts while gently turning them to make sure they were sized the same. She'd continue following Arthur's instructions while he prepped his meats and made friends with Emilia over their currently shared hobby.

[Bloodedge]

"Oh? I suppose honesty is something I can never tear myself away from. Thankfully, Queen Kolin seemed fine with the fact that I served her only due to a sense of duty. Though... that may have been a bit misleading on my part," Hector explained, having served the queen of Zuria only because Sir Cador ordered that he do so. Ah well; that wasn't worth any additional thought at the moment. Sitting in good company, it was a knight's privilege to keep spirits as high as possible. Merlyn described her physical appeal to all men in her vicinity as a predatory adaptation; what a strange way to put it. So then, it truly was a natural part of her existence which enchanted the minds of men. "You mention your appetite while talking of how the act of seeing you drives men mad. I understand now," he said. Merlyn was a succubus; that much was now clear to Hector. He didn't think much of it. In fact, his strong sense of duty and need to be alert kept him from falling under the spell of her existence previously. Perhaps there would soon come a time when the sorceress could have so little an effect on more observers. "Others should know, shouldn't they? I doubt any among us will think negatively of you. Maybe the knowledge will help everyone resist the desire that comes with seeing your face. They can be the judge of our debate then, no? Though I've only seen the Lady Merlyn once, I can hardly claim the title of irresistible with an image like that in my memory. Many thanks regardless, but there is no real comparison. I count myself lucky to be a different gender."

Emilia seemed to be bucking up a fair bit. Good, good; a happy kitchen would always be a healthy kitchen. Arthur knew motivation was a key factor in marvelous work being done, and everything was running smoothly at present. Moving on, once Arthur was done seasoning the slab of meat, Arthur went about moving it onto a set of four active burners. He could have chopped it first, but his intention was to cook it only partially before finishing it with Emilia's roux. "Everything's looking good, ladies! I couldn't have asked for better kitchen partners; keep it going! Emilia, how's that roux looking?"

[Apollymi]

A grin spread across Merlyn's face as it was stated by Sir Hector that his work for Queen Kolin and thus his dedication to her had been a bit misleading. "Well, I wouldn't beat myself up over it... that one is an entirely different level of problematic~" she stated with the utmost amusement and honesty. Ah, but they were beyond that, Sir Hector seemed to catch up quite a bit, coming to the same conclusion as Sir Cador without much if any issue. But what did he have to say about it, nothing too negative, but that others should know. A chuckle escaped Merlyn, "I did kind of make a huge spectacle of showing everyone exactly what I was. That little show in Zuria was multi-purpose," she stated with a great deal of contemplation playing under her hood. "That being said everyone seems to have some idea... well, except Arthur," she said with a knowing smirk. "Still, he's the only person I've met so far to be completely immune to me. So, he likely just thinks the rest of you are weird~" she said with a slightly amused tone. "I should be clear though... I wasn't planning on keeping it a secret or anything. It just hadn't really come up in general conversation yet. The choices of each of you, are very important to me... so I thought I'd chat with each of you and find out how you felt..." she said with a wistful smile. Oh, but to be a girl. "I happen to think you'd make a lovely girl if you ever wanted to be one~" she teased without mercy. "Ah, and to be clear, Sir Hector has presently only seen me once. But anytime he wishes to... he can see me if it is his wish~" Merlyn left this man a rather open invitation, as much as she did Sir Cador, because it was rather obvious that the free will of mankind was more important to Merlyn than her own modesty.

A compliment for the kitchen at large did wonders for morale. Apparently in the moment, Arthur wished to know how the Roux was coming along. The lass had one tasting spoon and checked it for consistency and flavor before nodding her approval. "Roux is ready for use~" Emilia chimed as she checked on the rice, it was now at the point of steaming covered on low heat just to finish up and make sure it didn't stick. Ah... Emilia only had a bit left depending on how Arthur chose to handle his meats. Meanwhile, Guinevere made her way through both carrots and onions and awaited further instructions thereafter. "Whatever is going on here... vegetables are all ready and cooking whenever you need them."

[Bloodedge]

Merlyn was right, he supposed. In the castle of Zuria, she did essentially leave herself bare for everyone to understand the nature of her being. That did make sense. Hector almost felt like a moron for not piecing things together beforehand, given that information. Alas, the type of creature she was, hadn't been seen on this continent in ages. Perhaps she didn't belong on this continent at all, actually. "Your approach is fair enough. I assume I am not the first to realize this; Sir Cador seems to always be more in the know than the rest of us anyway. Besides, you two seem to be on very friendly terms since Zuria," he commented, meaning no further implications than that. According to Merlyn in her next clause, Hector would make a lovely girl if he ever decided to be one. No, he'd likely never make a choice like that. "I wouldn't dare. Even if I did, I would never be half the woman Lady Merlyn is. The same could be said of others I would fail to compare to."

Ah, interesting. If Sir Hector wished to do so, he could bear witness to Merlyn's uncovered visage. "Oh?" he responded. He was not the type to infringe upon the personal space of another, though, so his approach would be quite different to Sir Cador's. When he next spoke, he did so with a bow. "It would be a knight's honor to gaze upon true radiance. By all means, if you are comfortable revealing yourself, I will gladly view you in your proper form."

The roux was ready, and so were the vegetables. Arthur was making quick work of the meat as well, taking the strange approach of cutting it into chunks from the outside in. In doing so, he passed the more cooked portions along for the roux, and allowed the rest to cook more thoroughly as a result. "Good, good! Guin, quicken that soup and have it sent out to Sir Cador. Everyone who isn't being served the first batch can have that to hold them over. Anyone got a taste for me?" He concluded with a request, being arms-deep in a giant slab of meat and incapable of testing the roux and vegetable mix for himself.

[Apollymi]

Merlyn found herself looking at Sir Hector with a raised brow beneath her hood. It seemed he did remember her show in Zuria for more than the ability to see her face in the moment. Having fed her pet she watched as the creature sank back into the depths. Surely she didn't belong on this continent, and at the very least her kind likely didn't belong in this realm at all, but the world placed her here, so here she was. "You are not the first, no. Sir Cador was in charge of my imprisonment while you were gone in Zuria. So, he was able to piece that together mostly on his own after seeing the sorts of things I was capable of. Beyond that his cooperation was necessary to ensure the best possible outcome in that situation~" she explained some of that missing information while remembering putting an entire small platoon of guards to sleep. "But you are the first to come to such a conclusion with so little information, and definitely the first to state it in so direct a manner~" she complimented the man who seemed to have no problems with the kind of creature she was. Ah, apparently Sir Hector didn't think he'd make a good girl, at least not half of what Merlyn herself or some other ladies were. "Oh pish-posh, you'd be a great little lady. All fiery haired and blue eyed, brandishing swords~ I imagine you'd be the talk of the town. Though admittedly, girl life is a different kind of tough... I wouldn't recommend it long term," she said her manner somewhat joking, but having been a girl the whole of her life she was quite serious. Emotional complications of girls and girl groups was... troublesome.

Ah, but what of her offer to be seen by this man? It seemed that unlike Sir Cador who would take for himself from her, Sir Hector would await her decision on the matter. He did so with a bow while admitting that he'd find it an honor to behold her. Oh she could tease this man to near death. His words were so honest, but also so open to interpretation? What would she do in the moment though? When he offered to view her radiance? "Sir Hector, you are far too kind~" she mused as she pushed her hood back. That little sliver lock atop her head bounced into place as she absently ran a hand through her hair and shook her hair loose. Oh, but she wasn't quite done yet, she couldn't really resist testing the waters just a bit when it came to Sir Hector. "But does the Sword Saint know he's flirting with me. And how very open to interpretation his words can be?~" she rhetorically questioned. Merlyn went about in the moment revealing herself in a form most complete. How was she doing this? By making articles of her clothing disappear from the ground up, so that if Sir Hector rose from that bow he'd be watching her naked body on the way up to her face. Yes, this was Merlyn as truly herself as she could be.

While something strange took place outside the kitchen was moving in harmony. Both Guin and Emilia took his calls for their work and completed their tasks in order. He also asked for tastes as his hands were busy with his own task of meat cooking. Ah, well... they had no problem providing this for him. A small tasting spoon of roux from Emilia for Arthur along with one of the vegetable soup from Guin. Both would be at his side to offer it up. While Guin prepared to take a pot of vegetable soup out to Sir Cador to be spread among the locals. "How is it?" asked Guin, who'd had a small taste and hadn't disliked it herself. The same could be said of Emilia who felt reasonably confident in her own efforts as well. "Me too..." she mentioned.

[Bloodedge]

So, Sir Cador was the first to discover Merlyn's true identity. Hector, however, was apparently the first to make the discovery with a smaller amount of information at his disposal. That wasn't much of a feat; the signs were quite obvious in the end. In fact, it was likely that the only reason everyone didn't know, was because none expected such a creature in this corner of the world... ever. "Well, I suppose I will take solace in that. Small victories can be worthwhile," he said. Oh, but Sir Hector would soon enough be witnessing a small, worthwhile 'victory' as it were. Merlyn asserted that the life of a girl was a very different sort of hell than what menfolk could experience, and that was something very easy to believe. What was this, though? He began rising from his bow, intending to retort, but Merlyn was unveiling herself at the moment. Well... unveiling was much more specific than he would have thought. What was that about his flirting, and open interpretation? He hadn't really been flirting intentionally, though he was unopposed to the idea.

The knight's periphery had noted the removal of Merlyn's hood, but as his eyes rose, he first noted a lack of shoes... as well as the thigh-highs that seemed preferred by the sorceress. Oh─ there wasn't much of a cloak either, or any of one at all actually. Hector's rising gaze seemed to slow as he saw, segment by segment, pure, unguarded, skin. Though he was no stranger to a woman's flesh in either life, this particular sight was beyond breathtaking, even beyond the shock factor alone. "... Ahem. Goodness me, I wasn't expecting... this," he said as his gaze lingered still. Was this arousal? Yes. Poor Hector hadn't allowed himself to know such a thing for years. "Though I certainly have no reason to complain. What shall I make of this, then? Are you propositioning me, Lady Merlyn?"

Meanwhile, Arthur had a spoon held his way on two fronts. Both Emilia and Guinevere had segments of their collective dish ready for tasting, so Arthur first partook of the would-be less powerful veggie mix. A brief chew, a bit of sloshing about in his mouth, and he swallowed it to sample Emilia's roux. A short hum followed each taste. Once he was done, he moved to dump a few more chunks of meat into the roux. "Mm. Both seasoned beautifully, cooked to perfection. Excellent work, ladies; we're ready to start serving!" he announced, seeming quite satisfied.

[Apollymi]

He'd take solace in what she said about his figuring out her 'true' identity? That was good, Merlyn was fine with everyone knowing what she was, she'd shown them for that purpose. Of course, she was more than a bit surprised that it'd taken so long for them to catch on but that wasn't really something to find fault in. "Some of the best victories are small ones~" she said thinking of her own minor forms of victory over the last few weeks. Ah, but none of that really mattered after a few seconds. Her plan had gone into action, her words seeped into Sir Hector's ear, and beyond that, she was sure his gaze was traveling up her now exposed body. Nice. He claimed he wasn't expecting this a bemused chuckle escaped Merlyn. "Oh, I can tell~ Still, I'm told life's little surprises have their perks!~" How cute, Merlyn was having quite a good time, rather suddenly. The very honorable Sword Saint seemed to be experiencing some form arousal. Well, that was to be expected for the most part, though he didn't immediately act upon such a sight, so obviously he could resist if he wished to. Oh, and now a question? "Make of it what you wish~" she stated in answer to his first question. As for the more specific clarity of his secondary question, she had but one thing to say, while looking slightly pensive with a hand beneath her now exposed chin. "I am indeed propositioning you, Sir Hector," she calmly stated as if she wasn't currently naked. "Though admittedly I initially meant only to tease how open-ended your statement was, but I see this as an absolute win in my own case. As always though, that is an offer to be taken up at your leisure~ Far be it from me to keep a man from dinner, work or other pressing matters~" she stated, though she didn't immediately redress. No, Merlyn was actually exceedingly comfortable even while nude, so she'd put back on her clothes only when she was certain he'd seen enough...

At the same time, Arthur had a taste of both pieces of the dish along with the meat he was cooking. And what would his overall appraisal be? Pleasant!? That was how Emilia saw this... she openly squealed her happiness at the idea that she'd succeeded in this. At the same time, Guinevere smiled happily. "Well, that was pretty stressful, but... it all turned out well. Let's get everyone served then~" she mentioned happily. She opened the cabinets for proper serving dishes and knew that they would move to place settings magically without any extra work being necessary. At the same time laddles and spoons began moving about. She and Emilia both would pick up the soup and rice to begin serving, leaving Arthur to bring along the meat and sauces when he was ready. Yes, the whole of the dining hall was about to be served in the order Arthur had mentioned to start with, none had forgotten his rather specific instructions, though they'd compartmentalized a bit to keep track of their own smaller tasks.

[Bloodedge]

Life's little surprises had their perks indeed. Such words were an incredible truth in the moment, as Hector couldn't fathom being without such a sight after witnessing it just the once. This was how succubi got by, wasn't it? Seeing alone was something no sane man would ever let slip from his memory, and apparently, Hector could be considered lucky enough to be propositioned. Her initial intention was to simply tease, she said. Even so, her offer remained just that: an offer. It was strange to Hector that he understood what she was, yet she wasn't predatory at all. Or... was she? She had to understand how unlikely it was that anyone would refuse even the most open offer to bed such a creature laid bare before them. In Hector's case however, here and now certainly weren't the place and time. He'd have to simply... appreciate the view he had for the time being. "If I must be frank, that is an offer I think no man in his right mind could ever refuse. If I could take it here and now, I would. Though, if the lady is free after the citizens of Loch Ness are taken care of, I would be glad to act as your... sustenance, as it were. Is that acceptable?"

Stressful, yes. Arthur himself hadn't experienced such troubles, aside from the general stress that came alongside perfectionism. No matter; the first dishes could be served to the hungry children outside. "Stressful work can be rewarding. Hopefully the children will be pleased with the first round, and everyone else will be satisfied with a bit of soup while they wait. I personally can't wait to have a bit myself," Arthur stated honestly, though there would be quite some time before his serving came. That was alright; this had become a day for tending to the people of Loch Ness. Besides, it wasn't like they would be running out of food any time soon. . .

[Apollymi]

Merlyn had showed herself to Sir Hector in the manner most befitting of his words. Of course, she took no issue with his lingering gaze, nor did she seem to have anything other than teasing words and extended flirtations for him. She knew her nature was one of a predatory creature. She knew she could sustain herself without making the offer in such an open way. Even so, it was her personal preference to make such offers as she liked and await those who wished to partake. Bonus points, if the happened to like her before properly setting eyes on her. In turn, Hector offered her more honesty. He claimed no man could turn her down really when such an offer was made and that he would have taken it immediately if he thought it possible. "Oh? You might be right about that... but I am a bit picky about who receives such offers," she said still managing to look pensive. He went on to claim that he would be glad to set such a date for a time after dinner. And even offered himself as a meal of his own accord. Merlyn's eyes widened only slightly, what a very expressive face this woman managed to have given it was unseen more often than not. "Well, I am in no position to turn down a meal of any magnitude, especially not one offered by Sir Hector~" she mused. She truly wasn't the sort to turn down his offer to feed her, if such was an offer he made of his own accord. She took the moments then, to redress herself, starting with her undergarments all lace and white and then layering on the others until she was fully dressed once more leaving only her hood aside for a few moments yet. "So, I'll gladly accept such an offer... after the citizens are taken care of in whatever manner Sir Hector intends to offer himself~" she teased now fully dressed again she extended a hand to the man instead. "Oooh, dinner is being served. One wouldn't want you to miss your own meal, Sir Hector~" the sorceress offered with teasing light running across her exposed face those glowing eyes of hers rather settled in her visage.

All the same, dinner was now being served to the children of Loch Ness. None too surprisingly, most were ready for food a hot meal wasn't something they'd had in quite a while. After they received their portions, it would be the women and elderly up next. Bowls cups and plates appeared before the next sets as they came back into the kitchens for the next sets of servings. All seemed to be going pretty well, they were indeed set to be satisfied by soup until all the next set of meats were ready to be eaten. "Yeah, I suppose it is pretty rewarding. They all seem pretty happy," mentioned Emilia. "Also it does smell pretty good~" she said not having had curry in quite a long time. "A taste of home!~" she claimed, which made Guinevere chuckle at the younger lass' expense. "You seem quite excited about that, but you did do the tougher part there, nice work Lia!~" mentioned Guin who gave the girl a gentle pat on the back as she passed her. All was going well and all were being served in turn.

[Bloodedge]

"Picky, you say? In that case, I beg that you don't think me pompous for taking my choosing as a victory," Hector said with a grin, his gaze lingering evermore. The pair reached an agreement to reschedule their pleasure-seeking activities for later this evening, and Merlyn noted that citizens were being fed right this moment. If they were being served right now, he had a bit of time to dawdle. Hector didn't mind being the last to eat, and the additional time taken allowed him to witness the reapplication of Merlyn's clothes in a rather interesting sequence. Sir Hector could take a casual stroll back to the castle, but after only a few steps, he took pause. "Lady Merlyn... do you not eat? Obviously your sustenance is of a different sort than the rest of us, but have you ever considered dining as a human for the simple sake of doing it?"

Arthur watched as his two kitchen partners basked in the satisfaction of a job well done. Collectively, they all fed the children of Loch Ness. With that done, the next set would receive their dishes, and Arthur would have no exceptions. Stepping out ahead of the pair before exiting the kitchen again, he held a dish out for each of them to take. These weren't for handing out, but for them to eat. "Ladies and elderly next. Guinevere, Granny Emilia, I hereby relieve you of your duties~" he said jovially, seeming perfectly fine with the idea of serving the rest himself. It even seemed Cador was now willing, and able, to offer a hand as well.

[Apollymi]

"Mmhm~" Merlyn made the smallest noise of agreeance at the idea of being picky. The truth of the matter was, she only wanted to eat that which tasted good, and only wanted to bed people who were interesting to her personal taste. Therefore, Sir Hector could count himself among a very small sect of participants. "It is a victory and Sir Hector is one of my favorite knights, I wouldn't consider him pompous in the slightest~" she said with a great deal of earnestness. "Though he is more than welcome to be if he wishes~" she teased. Merlyn was full of such things and after redressing she easily found herself walking along side the Sword Saint enroute to the castle. Apparently, he felt it fine to dawdle and Merlyn did as well, but his topic of conversation made her raise a brow. She still hadn't replaced her hood so the young woman's face showed a rather obvious bit of surprise at the question. "I don't eat." she said thinking about it. "I..." she seemed a bit flustered running her hands though her hair in a manner which implied nervousness. "I drink from time to time, party a bit though its been quite a while. I've sat around with people while they ate but..." she gave pause. "It never really occurred to me to eat just because I could," Merlyn said. Without the desire to eat for sustenance and knowing foregoing the action wouldn't result in her death... she hardly recognized the need to eat as the kind of creature she was. So far out of the normal range of humanity was Merlyn that she seemed to have forgotten the social implications of eating. Besides... not being part of a group or anything, she interacted with others from time to time, but never did she properly make friends or consider the ramifications of human behavior. Humanity was something she watched, picked her food from, but not something she... directly interacted with anymore... right?

And while Merlyn had a crisis of humanity and her own embarrassment to deal with, Emilia and Guinevere got to feel relief that they'd managed their tasks properly. Words from Arthur came to the two with raised brows. "Oi, that isn't fair. I'm older than you but not that old... " Emilia pouted but she seemed to be in a good mood. Both of these lasses went on to remove their aprons and head out of the kitchen while letting their hair down. "You also did a nice job, Arthur~" Guinevere said before disappearing to sit with Emilia and await food she was also starving for. Cooking was such a dangerous thing but knowing Sir Cador was there to help she felt less inclined to argue about being given time off, in this case.

[Bloodedge]

"A favorite knight, my goodness. Words like that from one such as yourself are exactly what swell men's egos, Lady Merlyn. I'm flattered," Hector said with another, albeit lighter, bow. He stepped slowly toward the castle of Loch Ness, hearing out Merlyn's explanation about her eating habits. From her words, it didn't seem she was incapable of ingesting food. If she could drink, she could surely eat. Alas, the social aspect of dining was something she did not experience in this world. What a shame. Hector sighed before additional words passed his lips, and when those words came, they only carried the weight of his sigh farther. "Really? Forgive my rudeness, Merlyn, but while I admire you without question... I do not envy you in the least," he stated plainly. In some hundreds of years, Sir Hector had encountered many people of many types; none reeked of such loneliness as what Merlyn revealed in a single clause. Something could be done about this though, even if it was something likely insignificant to an immortal. "Dine with us. Sir Arthur and everyone else will be having a meal worth enjoying; isn't it only right that you take a moment to enjoy things as well? You live forever; you may as well enjoy life."

Arthur hazarded a satisfying laugh at Emilia's expense. Ah yes, he hadn't forgotten their first conversation, even after everything that happened in the days following it. "I disagree. You're twice the age of human expectancy. Hey, at least that's something to brag about, right?" he said, all in good fun. After dismissing both Emilia and Guinevere, Arthur joined Sir Cador in preparing servings for all remaining residents of Loch Ness. While doing so, he seemed somewhat taken aback by the atmosphere found here in Loch Ness. Cador took note of this, and knew it was due to the reception Arthur was receiving without so much as a word spoken to the masses. "In case you're wondering, Arthur, the answer is yes─ this is the start of kingship."

[Apollymi]

As Merlyn conversed with Sir Hector, it seemed she'd been flattering him quite a bit. He claimed that her statements swelled his ego... or rather the ego of any man she would have said such things to. "Hoh? I'll have to keep that in mind~" Merlyn teased knowing that such a statement could be openly interpreted several ways and that she meant them in both the normal fashion and the flirty one. Ah, but a deep sigh came from Sir Hector over the course of his next speech. apparently there was something problematic about Merlyn's lack of social grace, as far as eating was concerned. How much of a problem was this? Enough of one that Sir Hector claimed he didn't envy her at all. "Ah, well that is far from rude... it's pretty fair. Knights are so very respectful in all things~" she mused. Well, such sentences helped her ignore the fact that she knew exactly what this man meant. She was indeed lonely enough to not have considered what it was to eat and be merry with others. Hell, she was hardly personable, most of it was an act and most people just didn't notice it. Well, that probably wasn't as true as she thought it was. Sir Cador had noticed it before he ever laid eyes on her. Sir Dagonet also noticed just by manner of her speech. Adding Sir Hector to the list of those who'd come to understand her nature was bound to happen. Ah, but what was this... much like Sir Cador before him, Sir Hector came with a solution to a problem... something for the succubus to try.

"Dine... with you?" she said it as if it was a completely foregin concept. It probably didn't help that her previous life didn't lead to much by way of food consumption for community sake either. What with her figure to manage and the long hours of work, she hardly had time to eat to sustain herself much less did she actually do so for the sake of spending time with anyone... well, that wasn't entirely true. There was one person, she took meals with on a regular basis. Still, she could only reply in the way which made her feel the most normal but a singular showing of an old habit came back, as she clasped her left arm behind her right in a most nervous manner. "The Sword Saint would make a reasonable Shoulder Angel, I think~" she said with teasing in her voice. "Still, it's hard to argue against him... though one has to wonder whether he's the good or bad one for trying to humanize the succubus?~" she questioned most rhetorically. "I suppose no harm could come of it, especially if Sir Hector will sit beside me~ I'd probably be bored otherwise... and enjoying life would be a new experience~" she said lightly. Everything sounded teasing but there was much weight to be found, especially in the latter half of that sentence. Whatever the case, her hood would return to her face by the time they reached the castle and Merlyn would stick rather closely to the side of Sir Hector. Like a small child on the first day of school. At the same time, Emilia was surprised to learn that Arthur remembered a comment she made in passing their first meeting. It seemed like such a forgettable thing to her, she could help but find it strange. "It's weird you remember that..." she said her face lightly red as it was when he'd fussed over her. No matter.

[Bloodedge]

Of course Merlyn would keep that in mind. She constantly seemed the type to tease for the sake of teasing, so he was already expecting some form of relentlessness to appear eventually. All would be fine. The concern at present, was simply whether Merlyn would take dinner with the rest of Loch Ness or not. The gears in her head seemed to be turning for a bit after the offer was officially made, but that all made sense. As long as she'd been around, did she even know what foods she would like? So many humans with short lifespans had difficulty choosing their absolute favorite food from a 'top ten' list, he wondered how long it would take one to forget the list entirely. Moreover, how long had Merlyn even been alive without eating mortal food? Surely saying hundreds of years would be a grave miscalculation. Thousands? Millions? It would be rude to even think of asking.

Ah, Sir Hector de Maris, the Shoulder Angel; it had a nice ring to it. Was he the good, or the bad? Well, that sort of thing was always relative, wasn't it? "Haha! You have my word, I have only your mental wellbeing in mind. Though I am doing what I think is best, I could never be so presumptuous as to call myself anything but neutral," he said with a hand held over his heart. To humanize a succubus may have been seen as a sinful act, but Merlyn had done no wrongs... at least he couldn't imagine her being among the succubi of lore who drained men to death in malicious feedings. "I will sit with you, if you will have me. It would be my honor to take part in the enjoyment of life being a daily occurrence for the Lady Merlyn. I'm sure the rest share this sentiment."

Soon enough, the castle's dining hall would be upon them. Cador was handing out the final servings to those who hadn't eaten yet, and Arthur was continuing to laugh about Emilia's reactions. Was it weird that he remembered their earliest discussion? He didn't think so; first impressions were of great importance. Even so, he had nothing directly to say about the situation. What was he to say anyway, when Emilia's face had already gained the integrity of a beet? All things considered, he had enough of a laugh already, so he could grant some reprieve while she ate.

[Apollymi]

Merlyn would likely tease this man and any others mercilessly once finding things she could tease them about. It'd become her main source of entertainment after all. Still, there was the matter of her newest Shoulder Angel, with him in addition to her emotional support Knight she was shaping up to make her next few centuries way less crazed than her first few. Another laugh, good, she enjoyed that someone like Sir Hector could laugh a bit when around her, perhaps she wasn't completely as broken as she appeared. "Oooh~ The word of a Knight is such a binding thing..." she mused though she admired that about Knights in general. "I will of course take your word," she said with a knowing smile. "And leave you in charge of my wellbeing... though I don't envy you the task~" her words were chipper and light but it was becoming obvious that Merlyn may have spent far too much of her life in this world alone. "And if it is your honor to be part of my enjoyment of this life... I'll make sure to give it an honest try~" mused the succubus. True to her word, she would definitely take up the side of Sir Hector. And approach this meal with a more open mind than she'd started her day with.

So who would be the last lady to approach Arthur then? None but Merlyn herself. That face hidden behind her hood she still seemed a bit skittish. Ah, well there were multiple reasons for this but it was mostly because she truly hadn't consumed mortal food for long enough to not know what her tastes were regarding it. Upon reaching Sir Cador and Arthur she'd have something mildly quippy to say. "Apparently, I am supposed to enjoy life a bit. So on the advice of my most trusted Shoulder Angel I will be partaking~" she managed. What could one meal hurt? She hadn't seen any of this coming... it was stressful dealing with people. She'd not seen another player in... well too long. It isn't like St. Paul's Cathedral was a hub of people or anything. In fact even before that was built the place it was built upon never had anyone stay in it but the locals. In and out... groups passed day and night. Some staying for a short while but always picking up. Moving across the continent, dying or some other such thing. What was the point if there was something she needed to do? Did she really need to do it? These were all questions, Merlyn had asked herself and in the end she supposed she'd think of a proper answer over, dinner.

[Bloodedge]

Ah, a solid commitment at last. Hector bared teeth betwixt upturned lips as Merlyn finally broke down, lending herself to the care of others for the sake of her betterment. This was good. None who went to such lengths as Merlyn for the better deserved an extended life of solitude─ especially not a self-inflicted one well after joining the company of others. "There are few tasks I find myself troubled by; no need to worry. Even if it becomes arduous for some unknown reason, I will persevere simply because you deserve as much." These were Sir Hector's final words regarding their agreement of care. Merlyn was certainly accumulating quite the following in this country. Somewhere, perhaps even somewhen, someone was groaning for reasons unknown. If only every immortal could be fawned over so freely as Merlyn soon would be.

Moments later, Arthur would finally be offering his verbal response to Sir Cador. "If this is what I should expect of kingship, I guess it won't be so bad. Still, I─" He stopped there, surprised by the appearance of... Merlyn of all people. She was going to be taking dinner with them? Arthur had been traveling with Merlyn for months, and they had never shared a meal in any tavern, diner, or even at camp. Arthur wore an expression of shock the likes of which he hadn't felt in ages, yet it was... pleasant. "Really? Well, my thanks go out to your newfound conscience," he said, throwing together two scoops of rice and a hefty ladle of curry. The same process was repeated for Sir Hector, and both servings were held out simultaneously. "Welcome to normal life, Merlyn. Good to have you along for once~" the blonde spoke, beaming as he did so. Cador flashed a grin as well, for multiple reasons even. It was indeed nice to have Merlyn joining this 'victory' dinner, but it seemed she had also made quite the impression on Sir Hector, and he on her. In that case, it would be Cador who poured them both wine. "I see many reasons to celebrate, both in the past and in the near future. We should drink to an interesting kingdom and new take on life at this point~"

[Apollymi]

A commitment of any sort was rather strange for Merlyn. Even so, she looked at Sir Hector and found him bearing for her a toothy smile. Oh, how new. The man was so very upright she'd not known his face possessed such a feature. He even went on to claim that looking after her as such would likely not trouble him at all. Going further as to state, that even if it happened to be troublesome he'd still aim to do his best because she deserved it!? Did she though? Merlyn didn't really get this devotion, she'd not shown herself to be anything more than reasonable in her own eyes. Even so, in the face of that smile and conviction she could bring up nary an argument. "Oh my!~ If I'd known Sir Hector's face could bear such a smile... I might have turned myself over to such an idea more freely~" she mused, it was all in jest. Well, not really, she truly did enjoy the smile he gave her, and beyond that she enjoyed the idea of becoming properly part of this group, even if it didn't mesh with her original understanding of her own life in this world. Doing such things made her feel connected to the person she missed, though she imagined him being less than pleased about all of this.

Soon enough they were standing before Arthur and Sir Cador, the former of whom seemed genuinely surprised by her appearance here. She wondered if he simply assumed she ate alone all the time, but she supposed it would come up eventually. At present the lad seemed so happy that she was here, Merlyn herself wasn't sure how to feel about it. "Hm, yes thank the conscience I don't own myself for having me eat..." she paused this was curry. He decided to make curry? Who does that?! "Curry?" she said with a raised brow. How strange, still it was one of her favorite dishes so she couldn't really be upset if it was to be her first real meal in this world. "In a magical world learning to be normal... I suppose I am happy to be along~" she said, she was still a bit unsure of her current life decisions. She didn't look into it hard enough. Ah, but then there was Sir Cador... who offered wine. Wine she made, so she knew that would be good. And pleased words even. There was much meaning to be taken from such an open and happy statement. It was so very indirect but also so very pointed. Merlyn cut her eyes to the Spirit Knight a knowing little smirk appearing on her face. "Oh? How very supportive, Sir Cador. Still, I could always drink to such a thing, I thank you~" Merlyn would soon after taking her dish head to sit down and make sure the years hadn't erased her memory of eating food. Side by side on the plate were these two food items she understood how to eat them but looked for several moments. Why was this joyful again?

[Bloodedge]

Dinner was served. Everyone in Loch Ness had something to eat, and something to drink... except one unknown person, who'd yet to be encountered by anyone in the castle's great dining hall. Who was that person? Time would tell, but for the moment, there was merriment to be had, and Arthur wasn't going to be having any of Merlyn's sass about it. "Yes, thank the heavens you could actually be pulled off your ass to do something for once," he said in jest, picking up his own plate in preparation to join the others. "And yes, curry. Enjoy it, Merlyn; you've earned it more than anyone else here."

Joking aside, Arthur didn't sit very far from Merlyn at all when taking his own place. Hector however, sat directly beside the sorceress... and so did Cador. Not far at all, were the likes of Dagonet and Elyan, who seemed to be enjoying a conversation all their own. It seemed there weren't many open ears, and Sir Cador would be one to speak with Merlyn and his red-haired fellow knight. "Yo two seem to have become well-acquainted. I take it things went well by the harbor?" he asked, mostly in rhetoric prior to sipping his wine. There were interesting things afoot; this much was obvious to Cador. Ah, and here was the joy for one such as the Spirit Knight─ banter over dinner was what he enjoyed. After all, such banter was when some determined their after-dinner activities of the same night.

[Apollymi]

Back-sass and quips. Yes, that was what Merlyn was used to when it came to Arthur. It was distinctly easy for her when he was this way, so imagine her surprise when the lad had a follow up statement. She should enjoy her food. She deserved it?! "You being so nice to me is frightening. Are you sure you're feeling well?" she questioned. Though her statements came with a hint of sarcasm there was a great deal of truth in her statement. Merlyn for all her randomness knew how to deal with quippy, annoyed Arthur... this nice one was difficult to navigate. Actually, it was even more distressing than that... but she'd keep that bit to herself. It was much easier to let bad things happen around her, if she wasn't thinking directly about it. The surprise of Arthur's current disposition towards her, was giving her a great amount of torment. Even though she knew her personal change of heart would make no difference in the outcome she still had to live with the extra guilt.

How would such guilt be made worse? She took a spoon full of food. She paused immediately after, it was so good. She hadn't eaten in ages, but this felt nice. She took another bite, distraction by food was almost enough. Well, she would have preferred her food be actually distraction. Oh, but here it was. She found herself sandwiched between Sir Cador and Sir Hector. How nice. Actually... she really enjoyed this particular seating arrangement. A sip of wine later and she was directing her attention to Sir Cador, who wished to banter. Banter was good, banter was distracting. "Hm, I assume things went well... Sir Hector is great company. And the Harbor is nice~" she mused. One to keep up appearances, and send a bit of teasing in the direction of the red haired man she continued. "Sir Hector did you enjoy the view?~" she asked with her eye narrowing ever so slightly towards Arthur. Ah... yes, it was almost showtime.

Showtime? The approach of a young woman armored beyond reason from behind Arthur was one which wouldn't immediately be noted. She was just as blonde as the king with bright blue eyes and found herself watching this merrymaking of the group at large with a bit of a smile. There was a twinkle in her eye akin to pride as she double checked her own thoughts. How interesting. She'd come to this place to look for someone else entirely but how fun, indeed to find this set of people doing things here and now. A dainty hand would be reaching over the lad's plate in a manner most comfortable as she took a piece of meat from his curry and chuckled. "You're quite late, little brother... but at least you cooked." She said as if bored to death.

[Bloodedge]

"I'm feeling magnificent!" was Arthur's reply to Merlyn's inquiry. "How could I not be? We've put Zuria behind us for the time being, and all these people can look forward to fresh meals like this again and again, while this place gets back on its feet." Arthur meant every word he spoke. In truth, he'd never risen higher than at this very moment. If he became acknowledged as a king, that would be fine. If he became the Hero wielding Excalibur, that would also be fine. None of that compared to this, though; everything else paled in comparison to directly helping actual people. Even better, this was a group effort by a crew so recently built.

Merlyn had interesting things to say, in her usual indirect manner. Cador grinned and chuckled at her every word, and Hector had reason to snicker when she questioned him. "I enjoyed it quite thoroughly, as a matter of fact. I may even say it was the most magnificent moon I've ever laid eyes upon," he stated, much to Cador's understanding. "H'oh? I had a thorough glance myself earlier, and I have to agree with Sir Hector. Actually, I was expecting to go moon-gazing after dinner." What an interesting discussion this group was having, related only to the scenery of Loch Ness to those who weren't in the know. "As you should, Sir Cador. I was hoping to bask in the moonlight as well." Amidst all the banter, Cador took note of an interesting sight. Why was Merlyn looking toward the would-be king that way? It seemed almost as if something was amiss while she let this conversation progress, but it wasn't exactly an expression Cador could ignore. "Something the matter, Merlyn? It isn't as if we're going to raise our swords to claim rights to the moonlight," he quipped, though his query remained quite serious.

Ah, showtime indeed. Arthur was being greeted in one of the most familiar manners he could have ever experienced. Feminine fingers reached around him, and a warmth graced his very soul as a strip of bison was robbed from his plate. As the meat made its way past his shoulder, there was a sparkle in the blonde male's eye. In any country, any world, any reality, there was only one person who would do such a thing to him while speaking that way. The smile on his face could have nearly reached his temples, and he hadn't even turned around to view this woman yet. "Late?! Aneki, you make it sound like I should have been planning to end up here. You also make it sound like you've been waiting for me to get to this spot. If you're going to start explaining something to me now, at least grab a plate of this incredible dish we've all worked hard on."

[Apollymi]

Arthur was in good spirits for a combination of reasons. Ah, his mindset shifted after leaving Zuria... understandable. He was excited to help people? How very noble and kind though that wasn't exclusively the Avatar speaking huh? No, it was probably just him. "Well, as long as you're happy... carry on," Merlyn responded. She ate more, and drank more with an occasional eye shift towards that one. Even as she talked over her potential nights plans in the most discrete way possible, she was still working very hard to ignore that which was coming. If she'd known this was the meal, she might have tried to avoid being here... but alas she couldn't do that exactly.

Most magnificent he'd ever seen? Sir Hector was full of compliments which brought a smile to Merlyn's face. "What a fine assessment. I'm glad I could share it with you~" she mused in response to Sir Hector. It was strange how very easy it was to pretend to have such a normal conversation while setting up a date. But she'd gotten quite used to this sort of banter with Sir Cador so it was hardly a change of pace of the sorceress. Oh now, Sir Cador and Sir Hector were talking? About both wishing to gaze upon the moon. How nice, perhaps she'd get the amount of distraction necessary this day. Perhaps she could actually pretend to ignore it. She'd been taking several more bites. Her body still mechanically carrying on while her mind raced. Why did the food actually have to be good too? Oh... but she'd been too quiet. Sir Cador had noticed. Of course he would, what good was an Emotional Support Knight if he didn't notice her distress. "You'll have to forgive me... it's been way too long since I last ate. I just got a bit distracted~" she brushed it aside. "Of course, two such upstanding knights as yourself wouldn't dare draw swords over something that could easily be shared~" she stated with that same amused tone, even as the armored woman came into full view. Even as Arthur showed obvious happy recognition and affection in his face. 'Happy now. Sad later.'

She ate that piece of meat and gave a moment of consideration to the lad's words. Would she stay for dinner? "Hm? You know I usually don't stay for meals... but what I came down here for can wait. Just this once~" she said with a knowing smirk. She knew the boy was happy to see her. He had every reason to be, they weren't on bad terms or anything of the sort and beyond all though it had been quite a long time since their previous plans were established, they were supposed to gather for a sibling activity day at some point in the past. "Have you forgotten that you were supposed to stop by and play with us on your last day off? We didn't end up seeing you, but we figured you got caught up in something... so you are quite late by our own standards. But I am sure both Emi and Eri will be happy you're okay," she said with a bit of consideration. "As for this place, I knew someone would end up here... and I can move about a bit more freely than everyone else, between here and the upper realm. So, I came down here to look into something... unrelated. But this place was left by Eri a long time ago, so when I saw people moving around it I got curious. Someone also tamed that little present I left in the lake so... I stopped to check in, I expected to find Sir Lancelot or one of the others on a job. Finding you here, wasn't necessarily what I expected, but Clairvoyance comes in tiers..." she said with a shrug most casual. She made herself a plate and took a seat beside her younger brother. "So then, why are you making curry in Loch Ness?"

[Bloodedge]

"As am I," said Hector. It seemed sharing was a concept Merlyn held true in multiple ways. Her speech to Sir Cador made this clear to all involved, and a glance of understanding was shared between the pair of men. With neither subservient to the other, Cador and Hector managed to consider themselves something akin to friends, and neither was opposed to what they both had in mind at the time. Only a single look from one to the other confirmed this, almost as if there were telepathy afoot. Alas, Cador remained privy to the intricacies of one such as Merlyn. They were quite alike in certain ways, and her claim of being distracted resulted in the Spirit Knight looking toward the strange woman near Arthur. His mind trailed back to a discussion he once had with the sorceress, within those first couple of days in her prison cell. "I see. Distractions are a boon from time to time, you know? Why not give in fully, at let the distraction play its course? Surely a great sorceress can think of what's needed to ease her mind while... experiencing her first meal in ages," Cador said, though he knew it to mean Merlyn was once again required to let something horrendous carry on while having foresight of it. "Perhaps we should all bask in the sunset together. What say you, Merlyn? Would that much be enough to steady your busy mind, or would even more be required to do the trick? I'm sure anyone here would enjoy the opportunity to properly admire what may be the best view of their lives~"

Meanwhile, Arthur was finally experiencing progress he never thought he'd make. Go figure; he had to literally transcend reality to make this particular sibling of his sit for a meal. "You usually don't stay for meals, and last I checked, none of us usually hop over to a fantasy world. Enjoy your delicious curry and stop being so aloof. One more change in lifestyle wouldn't kill you," he said. Ah, he did miss an appointment with all three of them, didn't he? The blonde remembered that time. It felt like ages ago now, but the day of that arrangement was the last day he'd seen any of his sisters. "That was months ago now. I was late, yes... but I did show up that day. By the time I did, all of you were gone. So yes, I'm late, but you all stood me up while you apparently ran off to another world."

There were many things confirmed by the woman he called sister in a short few moments. It was refreshing, really, to have actual answers about something for once. He could know all three of his sisters were here in this world, and had proof beyond a shadow of a doubt that one of them was the current King Arthur. What's more, if he remembered correctly, the one he presently spoke with was... Vivian. Ah yes, that made sense of the movement she mentioned. The thought of what he knew to often be Vivian's abilities in legends was... frightening when attributing such abilities to this sibling. "Please, if you're going to prank me, don't do it while I'm in the bath. I don't think I could handle the trauma," he said prior to taking another bite of curry. Speaking of the curry, Vivian decided to question it here and now. Why did he make curry in Loch Ness? Well, because the ingredients were around. "Eri left, but there are still people here. The few of us who've been traveling showed up, and families were starving. What better way to brighten the mood of a few dozen people than a giant pot of curry?"

[Apollymi]

Happy to share, happy to be shared. Merlyn got to experience the gentle happiness of her upfront lifestyle. At least when it came to her as a being she never was anything but honest with those around her. She was emotionally unavailable for several reasons not the least of which were associated the directly with Clairvoyance. Even so, both of the men she was currently sandwiched between seemed to be on the same page as far as their shared activity of choice could be concerned. That likely would have made her more excited than it did currently, but there was a thing plaguing her mind. And it was so very clear but there was naught to be done about it. Merlyn shifted her gaze properly for the first time, looking directly to Sir Cador. They really were a lot alike in more ways than she could count. And beyond his usefulness to their escape of Zuria, he was... full of rather useful advice. "Hm? A distraction as a boon?" she questioned a light upward inflection. Let herself be distracted by her current favorites among the Knights of the Round Table. Give her mind something to do besides dwell on an inevitability and get a taste of all these new flavors per her own real appetites? He offered much, she'd not know if it would be enough of a distraction until later, but for now at least it was an entertaining thought. "I'd be remiss to turn down such an offer. Enjoying such a sunset in the company of others might indeed set my mind at ease. I suppose I won't know until such a thing is tried, but I am far from against the notion~" the lass mused. Oh yes, she still sounded like she was in a good humor. She was indeed still flirting. And yes they were setting up a date of the most sexual order, but... it was still their gnawing at the back of her mind... what she wouldn't give for something stronger than wine this day.

At the same time, Arthur seemed almost giddy to have his eldest and most aloof sister joining him for dinner. "Well, the exact timing of the thing I am here for is a bit unknown, since Sir Lancelot and Lady Galahad are not present... I assume I am bit early. But a bit could mean days, months or even years at this point. So, a brief pause is far from a point of concern. I have had several changes in lifestyle little brother, eating a meal with one of my siblings is far from drastic," said the blonde haired lass who continued to carry on as if she was just as aloof as the lad called her. According the lad she and her sisters had stood him up when ending up in another world. She chuckled at this notion finding it most ridiculous. "Ah yes, well it isn't like ending up here was our intention. Nor was everything that came with it. It's been an interesting life at least... and decently long for all of us. Some months have passed for you, but each of us as seen a millennium at least. I've seen a couple, but to be fair such a thing is not unusual for me..." she said with a most casual shrug.

Soon after all the lad could apparently think about was the potential for being pranked in a bath. She looked at her younger brother and shook her head. "I am far from the type to prank you in such a way... besides that trauma wouldn't last long..." she mentioned as if it was an actual consideration as she ate. Still...There was the matter of why Arthur was feeding the denizens of Loch Ness. Apparently, he'd come here and found the people in need. And he'd taken it upon himself to see them fed. "That is so like you," she said there was a glint of something in her eye. Was this pride? Familial bonding? Well something like that. "This world isn't that kind, surely you're at least aware of that by now, little brother." Oh, but something he'd said caught her attention. "Wait, you didn't grow up here? You just came here... as you are?" she said this as if she was rather suddenly worried. She was as far as the time line was concerned the first to arrive. She lived through the age of fairies on this world, and eventually tracked down both of her younger sisters to assist them as she would. "The Lady Vivian has no reason to worry. King Arthur received the Excalibur left behind by Queen Artoria. His life isn't in danger as such..." Merlyn mentioned over the cup of wine she was drinking drawing the blonde lass' eyes towards her. Oh... such a face in a woman's body was quite familiar to Vivian she seemed a bit surprised. "How are you here?"

[Bloodedge]

Merlyn's agreement to his proposal struck Sir Cador's ear as the sorceress admitting to mental anguish. She spent just a bit too long thinking for it to register as anything else, in all reality. Nevertheless, surely any member of the current Round Table would offer the succubus some reprieve, provided they knew her plight. Cador and Hector could be counted as two seekers of Merlyn's general satisfaction at present, and both assumed that number would only grow with the passage of time. Well, such could only be the case so long as Merlyn herself avoided isolating herself from mortals for another one or more lifetimes. "I guess I'll be postponing that nap after all. All's well that ends well," said Cador, to which Hector chimed in thereafter. "In that case, we await the lead of Lady Merlyn herself. At your leisure."

Arthur heard a familiar name for a second time in only a few moments. Sir Lancelot, and now, Sir... or rather, Lady Galahad were mentioned in an interesting way. "Did you just give me a spoiler? Well, I now know I should be expecting two more familiar Knights of the Round Table. Are there any others I should be expecting? Bedivere? Gawain? Tristan?" he wondered aloud. At this point, Arthur wasn't sure if both he and Artoria had their own separate knights with matching names, or something else entirely. His Merlyn was a woman, and it seemed Galahad in this world was one as well. What other differences would appear? King Arthur, the Once and Future King, was in fact two separate titles, and... everything was quite a mess overall. Weirder yet, it seemed all of his sisters had been in this world for ages upon ages. So then, there was strange time travel mixed in as well? Wonderful. All things considered, at least he wouldn't have to fret for the sanctity of his bath. That notion alone was worth relaxing, despite all the ongoing confusion. "Go figure. Someone actually explains something to me for once, and all it does is make my head spin. Have I become an idiot, or is it normal to be this confused here?" he asked.

The oddities weren't quite done yet. Perhaps the strangest thing to note thus far, was the curiosity regarding Arthur's state when entering this world. Vivian implied that his arrival was somehow unorthodox, as if it were normal to be born into this world as one's character. How could such a thing be reasonable? Were they all previously infants with memories from their former adult lives? He couldn't imagine the headaches! "I'll be honest... I didn't figure it was possible to be anything but whatever my character in the game was. Guinevere said she grew up here, but she wasn't playing the video game, so she didn't have a character. That makes sense to me. So, what, you all grew up into the bodies of your game selves?"

[Apollymi]

Was Merlyn in mental anguish? Yes. Yes she was. She couldn't help it, she'd done all she could to keep this particular group from experiencing too much and here someone new was, flouncing about with what had to be the most simplistic form of Clairvoyance handing out spoilers. Ah, but those who sought to make the sorceress' life a bit less miserable acquiesced to her wishes without much discontent. "Yes, I am indeed apologetic that Sir Cador will miss his nap but I'd be grateful for the the company." Merlyn practically admitted to needing this distraction. At this point, she likely would have withdrawn completely from society if she thought it would save her from knowing too much. "I will need but a few moments, there is damage control and a single question I have to ask that the Lady Vivian has the answer to~" she mused. Ah, Merlyn was still covering for herself and still cushioning what would be a great blow in a bit.

Vivian in the moment was asked if she had given him a spoiler. "I think that barely counts as one. They both exist and the Lady Galahad is related to Sir Lancelot, they are brother and sister. Galahad fell to this level at the battle against the Evil Goddess some time ago, but I lost track of her... Sir Lancelot is looking for her, or will be looking for her and someone else I can't see. I came down to check on things... so I would have information when he asks for it... but I'm not sure when he'll arrive," the young woman said honestly. At the same time Merlyn was audibly scoffing. That was way too much information to give one like Arthur, and the lad was currently way too nice to be skeptical of anyone, even while knowing the lore. As for his questions of other knights his sister would give a casual shrug. "I don't know if or when you will meet the rest. I don't always see things like that clearly. It's more like ripples in a pond for me, little brother..." she mentioned which gave Merlyn the ability to relax a bit. Though the sorceress was now pinching the bridge of her nose as if she'd developed a headache from the impending fixes of various bits of information given unnecessarily to Arthur. "Confusion is pretty normal in the young. Since you're here as an adult... if you happened to have written character information for your Avatar your personality is being over-ridden at least slightly by that... if you feel sluggish it could be that. But experience will leave you more or less yourself by the end," she explained, in a way which was also reasonable from Merlyn's perspective. "Still how are you here?" she asked of Merlyn a second time. "I think you've mistaken me for someone else. You're the second person to do that... the other being that evil former goddess none of you can see..." she said with a pointed jab. An exhale and an empty cup. "I am Merlyn... with a 'y'," she explained for a second time revealing the fullness of her face to just this lass in particular with her hood.

"Oh... he said he had a little sister. He didn't imply a twin..." mentioned Vivian who seemed to suddenly be sheepish. "Well, Nii-chan, enjoys being coy. And I am younger than him so he plays at annoying big brother pretty reasonably. Do you know why I can't sense him, Lady Vivian?" she asked. Vivian avoided answering that question initially. "Yes, we all grew up here. Emi and Eri were both children when I came across them the first time. But they still remember, all else. Growing up is necessity or your power will outgrow your body and you'll be consumed by it, they call it the Devouring. It is a problem... with few solutions currently. It is good you don't have it, there isn't a fix for it, available on this continent," she explained. Before giving a minor sigh. "I may have... locked the male Merlin in the tower of Avalon. It's probably why you can't sense him..." she mentioned having the grace to look embarrassed. "Sou desu ka. That does explain quite a bit, gomennasai... I know how he is... so I understand how such a conclusion became necessary," said Merlyn. Ah, it would be a while yet before she had contact with her elder brother. "Well, he cheated his way out of that too. He's still walking around and everything but his real self is there..." Vivian stated.

[Bloodedge]

When told a few moments would be required, both Cador and Hector nodded briefly. Whatever question she had for Vivian, it was none of their business. Merlyn was left to seek any answers she wished, and both men would behave as her distractions against whatever she wished to ignore. The pair finished their dishes, and each moved about to check a few individuals here and there throughout the dining hall. All the while, both Hector and Cador spared occasional glances in Merlyn's direction. It was obvious to both that something was amiss with their resident sorceress, but neither had a clue what it actually was. Whatever the case, neither could envy her the trouble.

"Evil goddess, huh?" Arthur questioned. Apparently, the goddess Kolin had previously been was even worse than he'd come to believe. "I almost killed her, I think." So, it seemed he would indeed be meeting two of the more well-known Knights of the Round Table. Lancelot especially was a great name to think of─ frightening depending on how closely they followed lore, but great nonetheless. Of course, more exciting yet was the idea that Arthur was officially a step closer to seeing his other sisters. How did they fare, he wondered. This one was obviously fine, despite allegedly being around for longer than anyone should live. "So you grew up again here, and then just... lived forever. I'm guessing that's the case for most people here? And, because I came here as I am, I could have gotten some otherworldly terminal illness? Here's hoping I can avoid that completely, but anyway, I didn't have a sheet filled out yet. Hell, I didn't have much of a build going on; I was looking for the Excalibur quest when I wound up here." Now that he was on the subject of his own appearance in this world, there was one thing to cross his mind. Merlyn and Vivian took a moment to discuss the location of the former's counterpart, but once there was a proper space, Arthur had a query for Vivian as well. "So, hey... you haven't happened upon my boss in this world in recent years, have you?"

[Apollymi]

Ah, both Cador and Hector would begin making their rounds, disappearing into the shadows for the quiet time that Merlyn would seek soon after this meal and well into the night. At the same time, Merlyn was uniquely privy to the conversation between Arthur and his sister. They were such a nice pair of siblings, she could see this playing out well beyond this moment. Even with the aloof nature of the one currently known as Vivian what was going to happen very soon wasn't at all something she'd be happy knowing about either. Obviously her Clairvoyance was far from perfect. Still, Vivian had obvious redeemable qualities one such was about to become obvious. "You should have tried a bit harder. She's a plague and I at least can't see her without laying eyes on her..." she said with a deep frown. "You aren't alone in that, I believe she's hiding herself... on purpose as she seeks her revenge," said Merlyn. Since there was a loop of information missing she might as well make sure what needed to be known would get to where it should be eventually. "She's trying to regain herself... one should keep an eye out for her old habits," Merlyn warned for the realm above.

For her brother, Vivian had but a shrug to give. "Yes, we grew up here. Though living forever is a unique experience, truly immortal people are hard to come by... Not all people will die of old age or anything though. Most humans will die at about twice the lifespan of what we're used to. If they have a different species mixed in they may get a few hundred years more life. A few strange exceptions exist and exceptional individuals can claim something a bit closer to immortality for themselves. Heroes do for instance. Since your character was blank you will probably get to remain mostly you. Getting that sickness would be a problem but I am sure Merlyn would have sense it if it was a problem for you. The first sign of it is spiking mana and an inability to keep pets," she said in explanation. The girl known was Vivian seemed to be functioning like an information dump, and so long as it wasn't spoilers, Merlyn herself was content. Finding out her brother was in Avalon was a bit disturbing but he was safe and that was relieving. Another question would come from Arthur this one very specific. Vivian's eyes would widen... "You think your boss, the Ashikaga girl, is here... why?!" she questioned him as if completely aghast. The was truly worried. Given that girl's reputation, she couldn't imagine this world surviving her onslaught. She imagined some country with that girl as a tyrant lording over it. What was more she was quite certain that she would have heard if that girl was here at some point over her very long life. She recovered eventually. "No... I haven't see her. I'll keep an eye out for her though... if you are looking for her. I doubt she wouldn't have hit someone's radar if she showed up here..." Vivian mentioned. That girl was a storm and it was curious she hadn't heard anything about her since showing up here.

The Ashikaga girl? Hm, that name was somewhat familiar to Merlyn. Actually, anyone from their own time knew that lass, her name was famous. She was probably the richest teenager in the world and heralded as one of the hardest working. Strangely enough when Merlyn looked into the future towards such a person... she couldn't see... anything?! A blind spot in her vision. Well... not exactly blind... but cloudly, like if she was there, she wasn't clear. Weird. "Uh...huh. Well, sorry my brother was a jerk to you... thanks in advertantly for keeping him safe. Thank you, Arthur for dinner... I'm going to walk it off now~" Merlyn mused as if she was bored with the current situation. Yep, just like that... just like normal. Not like she was freaking out at all... aloof behavior was quite normal for her after all...

[Bloodedge]

Alright, so Arthur could expect something akin to double the normal human lifespan in this world. That was quite a long time, but... his character and the one that became Artoria Pendragon─ they were meant to be the same. How had Artoria been around for so long? No; that wasn't something he would ask now. If he sought that answer, he would have to wait, if only so he could ask his twin in person. Despite being twins, he never felt like she was his closest sibling. In fact, she was the most intimidating force by far, leaving Arthur to gravitate toward the youngest of their family instead. As such, he felt more comfortable with the idea of approaching her when he already had topics to broach. All he had to do, was keep stable until they could meet.

Moving on, Vivian had no information regarding his boss. She even asked why he thought the girl was here, to which Arthur could only sigh before responding. "Because she vanished on me again, and she wasn't in any of the arcades anywhere in Shibuya, Shinjuku, or... anywhere. I finally checked her room, saw this game loaded, and decided to investigate through a first-hand experience. She has to be here, even if she hasn't shown up yet. I figured you three would be fine if you were here, so I was prioritizing her. Though, it's very satisfying to see at least one of you around. I'm glad you were able to pop up."

In the lull of conversation, Merlyn decided to take her leave. Oh well; her questions had been answered, and she had partaken of a meal with the group. Arthur could consider himself satisfied for the experience, brief as it was. "Don't thank me, Merlyn. We all contributed, and you're certainly no exception. Don't go another month without sharing the experience, alright?" he requested. With that said, Arthur took his final bite and rose from his seat as well. "Well then... I guess I should be getting around to those dishes, huh? I've made everyone else do too much already."

[Apollymi]

Arthur seemed to be in deep thought for a second. Vivian could imagine the lad thinking about such things as his relationship with his siblings or maybe even his would be extended life span. Ah, but that wasn't it, instead he was worried about his boss. Apparently the young teen had slipped out from under this nose again and she'd not be found in any of her usual haunts. He'd decided that this was the most likely place due to it being the last thing she was playing. "Sou, well... that's a shame. Emi did say, you spent most of your time tracking her down. I reminded her that teen girls are notoriously moody as we were all at some point. I wouldn't worry too much about it. If she's here you'll eventually find her," said Vivian. "Hopefully she's as good at games as her arcade habits imply... or she found someone to help her out if she's not," she said with a casual shrug. Though not one of the favored siblings, Hoshimi Rie was at least no nonsense and practical. If the girl was here, he'd likely find her, there was no use stressing out about it. She wondered why he hadn't asked for Merlyn's help in tracking her down properly.

Beyond this Merlyn was on her way out. Yep, definitely couldn't stay but what was this... Arthur wasn't just accepting her thanks. He requested that she show up again before the passage of another month to share a meal with them. And once again commended her work in the day. Inwardly Merlyn sighed. "If that is your request I suppose I can... make another appearance or two at some point," Merlyn said. She saw this fundamentally, she wasn't sure if she would have this in her... ah, but should she look in on it? Well not right now, but maybe later. What was this, Arthur was going to wash dishes? Well, there was on more thing Merlyn would say as she walked away with her hood upon her face those glowing eyes of hers showing for just a moment before she disappeared deeper into the castle. "The dishes wash themselves. Take the night off and enjoy yourself...." she stated with a casual wave, too bad he wouldn't take that advice as she meant it. 'Happy now. Sad later...' she thought within her own head. Where did Merlyn head after this... well the observatory on the castle. She knew for a fact it'd once been a bedroom. She'd turned it into her own again, because it was out of the way and had a gorgeous glass ceiling for view of the night sky. Likely because much like herself her brother didn't sleep either. Ah, the negatives of being a Succubus.

[Bloodedge]

"Understatement of the century. When I'm on the clock, I'm hunting her down. When she forces me to take a day off, I'm hunting her down because of where she's always going to end up without a bodyguard," Arthur explained to his eldest sister. "It's like clockwork, you know? New game releases, new machine hits an arcade within ten kilometers... Ashikaga sneaks out," he concluded. "You're right, though. I'm sure she's here, and I'll definitely find her. Whenever that happens, she's getting an earful for every minute I had to search!"

Well, Arthur was going to wash dishes. Surprisingly though, he didn't have to do a thing, due to Merlyn's application of magic. He paused mid-step, aghast as he looked toward the sorceress. "That's... a bit too much, Merlyn. Fine," he said as his hands were thrown overhead. "I'll relax along with everyone else. Make sure you do the same." These were his final words to the sorceress, who went on to locate her own room higher in the castle. Naturally, Cador and Hector kept their senses open to follow the sorceress toward the observatory. As they did, Arthur decided to wind down and actually enjoy a cup of wine in the midst of people who, for reasons he couldn't understand himself, were beginning to accept the idea of him as their king. All was pleasant within Loch Ness... for the time being. At the very least, Arthur had nothing at all to complain about; everything was a veritable win in his book.

[Apollymi]

Vivian stared at her brother with wide eyes. She normally didn't spend much time conversing with him about his troubles in life. So she was quite surprised to find that he was willing to share so much information about his charge and her apparent bad habits. She figured, that they always just spoke to Emi about such things. She was even guilty of choosing to talk to their younger sister most of the time. "She sounds like a girl with a mission. Whatever it might be she doesn't see the need of a bodyguard, but most don't until they have a bad experience... they are just arcades after all," she said with a curt nod. Of course, he claimed he would give the lass an earful whenever he happened to find her. "Uh-huh, I believe in you. And that hardcore attitude~" she teased ever so gently. They both knew, when he came across his charge... he'd be way more concerned with her safety than he would be with giving her sass about her adventurous spirit. Though he'd likely do both, he seemed like that sort of person overall.

A scoff would come from the sorceress at the idea that Arthur drew the line at self-cleaning dishes being too much. Life for these regular humans was way too short to be wasted on dishes. And hers was far too long for her to be worried about the Future King's busy body tendencies. No, she had more things to be concerned about instead, or rather that she was trying to be less concerned about. Her own room, this observatory had as its centerpiece a large water bed, with a size to be categorized by the term 'orgy'. Beyond this there were several beanbag chairs around and pale purple and pink tones to go along with the lass' general sense of style and fashion. It was very much a 'stoner girl' bedroom with a large glass ceiling which she was already looking out of as if deep in thought. She was strangely still hiding even in what would eventually be considered privacy for her, hood up and glowing eyes clearly distraught. If she got started soon enough she could ignore things as time drew closer and closer to that doom flag she already abhorred.

[Bloodedge]

Indeed, Arthur would be primarily concerned with the safety of his charge upon finding her. Of course, that didn't mean he would refrain from giving her a single ounce of lip about the trouble she put him through. Time and time again, she proved to be the cause of his every anxiety, and he would always make sure she knew about it. Then, and only then, could he put effort into concern.

Speaking of concern, there was a rather troublesome expression to be seen by Cador and Hector. As the pair reached the observatory, even though Merlyn's face remained hidden behind the shadow of her hood, what they both witnessed was undoubtedly someone who needed their mind anywhere other than wherever it was. Neither knight would pry; doing so would begin a dialogue and defeat the purpose of this visit. Instead, it was Cador who stepped fully into the room, while Hector closed the door behind them. "Merlyn, Merlyn, Merlyn," the Spirit Knight spoke as he stepped up to the sorceress' rear, reaching up to peel back her hood. Both men would gaze upon that face full of wonder. "As much as I would like to say the moon looks lovely tonight, I do believe I should refrain. Sir Hector, perhaps you have something more... fitting?" He prodded the other knight for thoughts, a hand spreading out the succubus' hair now that it was free of that hood. Hector stepped forward then, appraising Merlyn and comparing her current state to what he'd seen earlier this day. "I am hardly the wordsmith you are, Sir Cador, but I am more inclined to look down than I am to gaze upon the moon," he said. Cador laughed, that hand of his moving from Merlyn's hair to trail along the side of her neck. "Wise as always, my friend. If you look low enough, though... there may be greater moons yet to behold. The only question is, what would the woman who protects that moon require for men like us to reach it? Well... Merlyn?" Cador's final question came as a whisper, spoken while his fingers pushed that mess of hair away from Merlyn's ear.

[Apollymi]

Though clearly distraught, Merlyn heard her own name spoken thrice and smiled. Why? Well, it was her most natural reaction to hearing Sir Cador speak to her. Though she was the predatory creature in question... it was far from abnormal at this point for her to seek comfort in this man at least. The soft closing of her door let her know Sir Hector was here as well. Both of these two, were exceedingly experienced in their approaches to her. Both seemed to know the better of asking her about that which was on her mind. She'd likely share after all was said and done. Merlyn had a strict no spoilers policy after all. "Ooh? Are we summoning some tempting creature... speaking her name thrice into the world~" mused Merlyn. Yes, her words would still playfully tease, and she'd continue to do everything possible to push aside what was near in the future for another.

The general answer was yes... she figured as much when Sir Cador removed her hood and moved her hair about. Both of these men would be exposed to her face and though both could resist her visage alone, she doubted they would continue to do so while knowing what was on the table for them both. Oh? And what was this, Sir Hector had more earnest words to share with the woman before him, claiming to wish to look down instead of gazing at the moon. "Is that so, well how could I reject such sweet words from such an earnest knight~" Merlyn teased as she found herself, staring rather intently at Sir Hector. How this man didn't realize he was so very stunning she didn't know, but he had to be one of the best looking men she'd ever laid eyes upon. Hm... there was so much to unpack here... how should she take this? Tucked between these two men she sighed a certain level of contentment was reached as she imagined this most gracious mix of individuals. Sir Cador who would take many a liberty as he wished, while Sir Hector seemed about as respectful as any man could be. How well these two would come together for this night. Those gentle fingers trailing along the skin of her neck had the lass biting her bottom lip and leaning her head to the side. She was rather practically offering herself to Sir Cador's attention, as she sighed, "Saying my name like that is almost sinfully teasing, Sir Cador~" she managed finally. Just the same more clothing began disappearing from her fore, to give Sir Hector something worth looking at, in the inverse order this time top to bottom. All the while the enchantments that usually kept her acceptable to the general population disappeared for this pair. "Sir Hector offered this protector of the moon, sustenance. So... I'll take that offering, though it should be made bare with intentions clear, no?" Ah, these metaphors were quite entertaining in the moment. That was enough, she wanted them stripped naked and making offerings to her. Unlike her gentle teasing exploration of earlier times, she didn't have that much patience. She wished to fall to her indulgences and she needed both of them to give to her while she had the full presence of mind to immerse in them.

[Bloodedge]

Three mentions of her name resulted in Merlyn referencing an old folk tale about summoning demons. Cador honestly hadn't even given consideration to such a thing, but it was an amusing thought to mull over for a moment. "I suppose that would be a reasonable thing to do. It would seem the temptress I would otherwise summon is already with us, though. Tell me then, what will such an incantation do in this case? I'm no occultist, you see," Cador explained, flawlessly rolling along with the playful banter as usual.

Both Cador and Hector had resistance to Merlyn's natural attraction ability, but there was no desire within either of them to do so presently. Cador had only a stipulation or two in mind, and Hector only resisted by being so incredibly dutiful─ while in this case, the latter's sense of duty was to Merlyn herself. The pair of knights were each willing to fully offer themselves to Merlyn for the night. "Don't talk of sin, Merlyn. Even we knights have urges," Cador said in reference to himself and Hector, the latter of whom was the most honorable man he knew, and yet... Hector clearly knew the greatest thirst at the moment. Despite this simple fact, it was Cador who remained the most forward in his approach. His every word was spoken directly into Merlyn's ear while his fingers trailed along that same ear's rim. By the time Merlyn spoke of sustenance being offered, he was already using his free hand to loose his tunic.

Meanwhile, Hector was quite busy taking in the sights. He did not have a mind to move just yet, but his eyes wandered endlessly. What was being said now? Ah yes, Hector did offer himself as sustenance to the succubus. That was something he needed to take care of, by her will. She would take her offering bare, with intentions clear? Easily done. Hector's armor vanished in a wisp of flames, which seemed to accumulate within an orange gem worn around his neck. With that out of the way, his shirt would be flying toward a nearby beanbag soon enough, and he'd begin unfastening his belt. As for his intentions, well... "Forgive me, Lady Merlyn, but should it not be your own intentions made bare? I know you've not eaten in eons, but food doesn't tend to tell its consumer how it wishes to be eaten," he said as that belt was loosed at last.

[Apollymi]

Ah, still on a roll... Sir Cador could always be counted upon, for quippy comebacks and a true understanding of Merlyn's own nature. He seemed to know her reference with ease, and beyond it... used it to further their banter. How nice. Ah, what was beyond the occult purposes of using a demon's name thrice to summon it. "I'm no occultist either... but since you would summon me in such a way I assume you'll have your wishes granted," she said with a playful wink only to continue to shuffle under his attention. "Or maybe that's djinn~" she teased. This man's fingers on her flesh even so innocently was well beyond pleasing. He had to know this already given their previous interactions. Ah, but what was this? Sir Cador took issue with the use of sin in this moment a chuckle escaped Merlyn as she retorted as she always would. "That isn't what I said and you know it~" she mused. Ah but the look of Sir Hector discarding his armor and clothes so readily. How very strange was interacting with him.

Merlyn was a creature of desire and within moments of being near a person in such a context as this, completely understood what it was they wanted from her. Becoming that object was how she fed most easily... become that which is desired and consume that which desires you. A genuine smile graced Merlyn's lips in this moment, she reached out for Sir Hector and with his shirt discarded aimed to touch the bare skin of his chest. That simple touch of hers was so full of electrifying feeling that she would have withdrawn if not already used to how her own power manifested in such moments. She reached behind her at the same time and ran her hand absently along Sir Cador's flesh as well, since he was so content to lightly tease her this day. Such a pleasantry would be passed along such was her nature. "I am sure that is the case, but I don't merely intend to eat~" she mentioned as that finger of hers trailed down his chest and over his stomach while looking into those eyes of his as if trying to figure him out. "I will spend my evening sandwiched between two of the best, and I will consume them both for as long as they allow me to~" she said as if amused, while she let her own tongue rather gracefully travel the path her hand had just taken. If her hand had passed along pleasantries her tongue would multiply them a teasing sampling for Sir Hector she could know at least what he was getting himself into, also a light proposition. In that moment she'd taste of him, his desires and that sweet undertone which she likened to fruit oh but which one? She was keen to find out. "It is only fair in that case, since my desires are so innately selfish and will be satisfied regardless... that Sir Hector serves as he desires and gives of himself what he wishes~" she stated. She could be taken by either of these men in whatever way they wished and she would enjoy it. She would be taken by both of these men as they wished and enjoy it. She'd forget for just a few moments everything else and feast on their combined desires until she was full.

[Bloodedge]

"My wish, eh?" Cador questioned rhetorically. He took a moment to overlook Merlyn's form, shifting through multiple mental images of the succubus as a djinn. He'd never met a djinn personally, so his imagination was quite all over the place. Either way, everything he saw in his mind was appealing. "Now that you mention it, Merlyn, you would make one hell of a djinn. Whatever they look like, anyway," he commented.

As for Hector, the lowering of his trousers was halted briefly after his belt was loosed. Merlyn's fingers danced along the bare torso of each male. This was not a new sensation to Cador, even if it was incredible nonetheless. In the case of Hector, however, there was an immediate widening of his eyes. What sort of incredible thing was this? One of the reasons he didn't remove his pants immediately was because... they were getting tighter? Oh, no, that wasn't precisely the case; it was simply the fault of Merlyn's sensual touch and the accompanying feeling. She stated how her evening would be spent. Both knights smiled, knowing neither had any limitation of time in mind when coming here. Another thing they intended, though, was quite contrary to Merlyn's own intentions. She wished to sit between the desires of two knights, feasting upon their collective urges? If either man present had any intentions in the physical sense, that would have been fine. However...

"Merlyn, you're thinking too much and too little again," Cador spoke while both Hector and himself discarded their breeches. Both parties stood in full glory within mere moments, taking either side of the equally-nude Merlyn. There was a hand upon each of her breasts, and a hand upon each of her hips as Hector finished his companion's train of thought. "Lady Merlyn, Sir Cador and I share a single desire this night. Our wish is to please you, not to be pleased by you," the red-haired knight proclaimed. At this point, each knight had essentially taken a side of Merlyn's neck to speak against while their lips brushed against her flesh. "Come now, Merlyn. After so many lifetimes, don't tell us you've forgotten what you want. Spare us the talk of Merlyn the succubus. We've come here to spend a night with Merlyn the woman."

[Apollymi]

Ah, yes... teasing thoughts and Sir Cador's brain was off. That was always amusing... she figured none had ever actually met a djinn even so the logic behind one was rather amusing. Besides all of that they could rather easily make those kinds of fantasies happen at some point without issue. She wondered in that moment if she would change to suit the imaginings of this one. That would be rather interesting, most humans were kind of vanilla in their understanding of what kind of creatures they would enjoy bedding. But her mind didn't get to wonder here for very long. No, instead she gave a moment of skin contact which paused Sir Hector in his tracks. At least for a moment there was a hiccup in his disrobing. She'd made her intentions rather clear, so the feasting should have begun... Ah, but it hadn't. No. Instead both of these knights had taken up a side of hers. Hands were both on her hips and on her breast one per person, how lovely. But this felt strange... no outward desire could be sensed from either of them. That isn't to say they weren't aroused no... they simply didn't have an active desire for her to exploit.

Merlyn was no stranger to nudity whether it belonged to her or someone else. These two men with their arms wrapped around her were picture perfect, both speaking against the side of her neck, causing shivers to run down her spine. What was this...she was thinking too much and too little? "Oh? Again?~" she seemed teasing she always did, but soon after the words of Sir Hector danced across her skin as well, more squirming would ensue and then it happened. Rather suddenly Merlyn felt uniquely exposed. They didn't want to be pleased by her... they wanted to please her? "Really?!" Merlyn's eyes widened, to be fair she expected such a thing from Sir Hector... he was earnest and dutiful to the point of it nearly being a fault, but to hear such a statement completed by Sir Cador with the same sentiment was near shocking. She hadn't considered this at all, only knights, would take a succubus and offer pleasure instead of just taking it.

"I-ah.." a stutter? How very strange, Merlyn was certain of herself in most situations. "I hadn't considered this at all..." she finally managed after a moment of mental distraction. "My two favorite knights have conspired against me~" she said her words were teasing as always but her face was now red, she wished she could hide it. Still, her baser instincts made her keep herself in place, as her fingers continued to trace this pair of individuals. She enjoyed this duo touching her far too much, to let them stop now. It was such was a strange thing to consider, Merlyn the woman. When had she last given consideration to such a person? When she was at home... in a room not too dissimilar to this one, building a husband harem, full of a rainbow of boys with great personalities and different looks. Well she definitely wasn't about to say that... her face gained extra heat as she suppressed that thought entirely. Hm, if Merlyn wasn't having sex to feed, wasn't here to please and have her abilities taken advantage of... then what was it she wanted? Right just now, something very different from the normal amount of desire stirred within her. "I might have forgotten~" she mused. She had really it was gone. She couldn't remember ever considering Merlyn human, thus such desires didn't yet exist for her. "It's been quite a while, maybe forever since such an offer was given..." she stated about her own desires and having them satisfied instead of the other way around. "But, I'll leave myself in the care of my two favorite knights..." she surrendered herself to the Spirit Knight and the Sword Saint. Two honorable men would help her discover what it was to just be a woman in this case.

[Bloodedge]

Poor, poor Merlyn. Despite how easily she flaunted her identity as a succubus before her potential meals, she'd given no thought to the fact that her food could offer itself to be seasoned as she saw fit. It was almost a shame, really. Cador and Hector were both left wondering what they were to do; their collective plan had essentially been thwarted by Merlyn's lonely existence. She'd leave herself in their care, would she? Well, that hardly aided the purpose. Luckily for all parties within the observatory, Cador was quite used to dealing with a woman who had no clue what her own preferences were. In fact, this was already a solid step up from an earlier Avatar of Mai Valentine, whom he dealt with for half a decade.

"My, my. I have to say, I'm at a loss for words. I haven't feared failure in a long time, but to think I could wind up doing something our lady this evening may not enjoy─" Hector said, his hand squeezing and rubbing the mage's bosom as his mind wandered betwixt this and that. "There's no need to worry," Cador spoke before trailing his tongue along Merlyn's neck, his hand wandering up to the woman's chin with the sole intention of tilting her toward him. "We'll all learn together then, won't we? You enjoy banter as much as I do, Merlyn. Surely you would be willing to express what's pleasant..." A pause occurred as he licked the succubus' cheek just briefly. "... to instruct us poor humans to do what you think may feel good to you next..." Another hesitation accompanied his hand wandering down Merlyn's torso, gently trailing along her skin until he could reach the crevice between her legs. He wouldn't rub; no, he'd simply press semi-firmly upon finding this location. With that, he offered his final statement. ... and of course, to make sure no one in this room ever forgets again how one should be tending to a sorceress like yourself. Won't you do that for your greatest admirers, Merlyn?"

[Apollymi]

Poor Merlyn indeed. She let herself fall into a certain role with relative ease, because she was going to feed and she might as well be kind to her food. How very confusing this life of hers was turning out to be, when her food of choice decided to be kind to her instead. Humanizing the succubus was seeming more and more sinful by the moment. They had no idea, how long it had been since Merlyn last thought of herself for any real reason. Well aside from her random longing for death at various intervals over her too long existence. So instead of that she was being offered something rather pleasant, which was also unusual. What was more even while squeezing her chest and giving her nothing but pleasant feelings, Sir Hector apparently feared his failures in a moment such as this. How very odd, Merlyn never took issue with anything this man did, she was quite sure he was incapable of knowing failure, she wouldn't be the start of it. But what was to be done about this?

Sir Cador was keen to rescue them all... and at the same time manage to stir Merlyn's loins quite a bit with a tongue traveling along her neck causing her to sigh as she took in those words he said. A small moan and a lightly happy sound escaped her in this moment. Her head was tilted upwards and she found herself staring at Sir Cador. "Hmpfh, good plan. Great plan~" she said rather easily finding herself in agreement with Sir Cador. She couldn't ever lie about enjoying speaking, teasing and banter in the most open of senses. Her eyes closed for just a second as she followed the feeling of that hand settling between her legs. It did nothing else, but in the moment those eyes of hers opened with playful light, caused by that use of her name and playful lick of her face. "Ah, there it is again... my name in that tone~ I might like it too much~" she mused in her usual way. She should have been more cross, but maybe she liked this teasing a bit? "And for my two greatest admirers, I suppose I can do as you ask~" yep, she could do this... or rather she could easily fall into this. "But if you spoil me it's your own fault~" she teased mercilessly for just a moment. She was a navigator after all. She classified herself as a guide, though she had taken up her life as a passenger, she could always drive from time to time at least. "I'd like Sir Cador to continue, lest the anticipation get to me~" she stated, before she flickered her gaze back to Sir Hector. "And I would very much enjoy the feeling of Sir Hector's tongue against my neck and hearing his most earnest thoughts~" Yes. These two were going to create an actual monster out of Merlyn in a moment like this.

[Bloodedge]

Merlyn fancied the way Sir Cador used her name, did she? Good; he was going to continue speaking it in such a way regardless, so it was only another positive that she desired as much. To say she may like it too much, well... that was fine. No matter the case, Merlyn agreed to the terms presented by Cador. If they spoiled her, however, the pair of knights would be at fault? How hilarious. Cador snickered against the side of Merlyn's face, his finger slipped between her folds, moistening itself and rubbing against a little nub he thought to focus on for a spell. "Merlyn, Merlyn," Cador chanted. "If you end up spoiled, that just means the two of us should take responsibility for doing so, doesn't it? That sounds like a win to me," he concluded, with Hector chiming in thereafter.

"I agree. I find no fault in having to make amends~" was Sir Hector's addition to the ongoing banter. She wanted something more of him too, didn't she? Hector's tongue did indeed find itself against Merlyn's neck, lavishing betwixt his words as his 'earnest' thoughts were shared with the sorceress. "My thoughts are of little importance. The only thing I find myself concerned with, is ensuring you have the best time possible." As he spoke, Hector remained close enough for his heated breath to caress the flesh so recently moistened by his own tongue. Of course, he was only going to let said tongue lash out again before his final statement was offered. "And I do wonder... how much more I can do to make that happen."

[Apollymi]

Yes, Merlyn liked the way her name was spoken by this man in particular. There were likely several reasons for that, not the least of which was the tone of his words. She was having a good time listening to him, even as he properly began stroking between her legs, she found herself moaning softly. Oh those legs of hers weren't going to survive this... nor would theirs considering she was on her way to a rather slow building explosion. Ah, if she ended up spoiled he was fine with it, it was a win for him... and he'd take responsibility. Her eyes shifted to Sir Hector as he spoke against the side of her neck as well, another faithful tongue lashing made her pulse within. Oh, he was fine with it too? "Oh? A win for my favorite Knights? I suppose then I should see them to victory~" Yep. Banter returned happiness here. Their only concern was making sure she was happy. What kind of things did she find herself liking? Sex was not unfamiliar to Merlyn, it wasn't as if she was missing out on experience. "I'm sure Sir Hector's tongue could do marvelous things as it explores. I'm still owed a meal... I haven't forgotten, but I could offer a snack first~" she said with a playful wink towards the man. "And Sir Cador definitely shouldn't stop now... it feels too nice~" she moaned it was coming, that explosive wave would see the fingers of Sir Cador damped further while spreading that pleasure as she felt it, from her to both parties present. Oh... would that be fine, maybe... "We should probably take the bed~ my legs won't survive this day~"

[Bloodedge]

Sir Cador was quick to make a discovery upon reaching into Merlyn's loins. The slickness he found was only increasing in intensity over the coming moments, while Merlyn teased the red-haired member of their little group. Oh... something rather familiar was coming soon, and it was the aftereffect of satisfaction in the sorceress. Cador had come to expect such a thing after their previous time spent together, but he wondered what would become of Sir Hector. Time would tell, and that time would come very soon... as Merlyn herself did.

While Hector's tongue trailed up and down the succubus' neck, she spoke of being owed a meal. A snack, though, she could offer. Well... there was only one real way to interpret such a thing after the commentary about his tongue's efforts. Though Hector would have, and even intended to, commentate... there were a few reasons he couldn't. First and foremost, he fully intended to go with the flow and claim the 'snack' Merlyn offered. Aside from that simple fact, he also felt strangely as if he were the one being pleasured. What was this? Luckily, Cador took Merlyn's suggestion with haste, removing his hand from her undercarriage. "I shouldn't stop, but we should take the bed? Merlyn, Merlyn, you're sending us mixed signals~" he joked. Hector felt an immediate sense of relief, while Cador stepped behind Merlyn. The Spirit Knight lifted the woman, taking special care to raise her legs as he backed himself onto the bed. He would be seated at its center, Merlyn placed at his fore while his groin throbbed against her back. "I've been rude though, haven't I? Ah well; surely a more honorable knight than myself can make up for a companion's transgressions."

At certain points, it almost seemed as if Cador and Hector were experiencing some form of pseudo-telepathy, the way they synchronized. Within only a few breaths of Cador maneuvering Merlyn, Hector was en route to the bed as well. He crawled onto the mattress, taking a knee without hesitation. While Cador's arm wrapped around Merlyn's midriff so his hand could reach her sex once more, Hector's face was there to join the fray. "I do believe it should be my honor to protect my fellow knight's honor," Hector stated before his lips pressed against those found between Merlyn's legs. Naturally, his tongue would soon enough emerge─ it seemed there was a bit of cleanup to be done, and he would be responsible for said cleaning. All the while, Sir Hector exemplified enough kindness to keep the succubus' folds separated for his companion's ease of access.

[Apollymi]

So much could happen and Merlyn was already finding herself on the verge of something epic. Of course, her own words would lead to her not seeing this flourish but that was fine as well. She enjoyed a bit of teasing even at her own expense. "That signal wasn't mixed~ It just came out in the wrong order..." Merlyn said with teasing quality. "I'm sure it could easily be inferred as being your doing~" she mused, only to find herself picked up and moved. A happy squeal escaped the lass, something about being picked up by a well muscled man was more than a bit exciting. She wondered briefly if that was something she could count towards her sexual preferences, maybe it was a general preference. Merlyn did seem to enjoy knights above all others, and she did previously enjoy sex with Sir Cador, though she never really considered why aside from the fact that he tasted good. "Hm, just a little~" she mentioned, apparently Merlyn was suddenly feeling forgiving, it probably had something to do with the sensation of the Spirit Knight's phallus against her backside. Beyond Merlyn apparently thinking very little of the slight offered by her lack of finishing in the moment, it seemed that Sir Hector was content to take up for the misstep of his companion.

"Oh? Sir Hector is so very...~" Merlyn bit down on her bottom lip, as her head tilted back over Sir Cador's shoulder. She aimed to muffle her own moans this way but... What was she going to say there? Between the sensation of Sir Hector's mouth upon her sex and those nicely textured fingers of Sir Cador she was rather suddenly overwhelmed by sensation. Her mind stopped functioning for a moment. "Aaah~ Gracious... that was the word. Maybe~" she mentioned as those magenta eyes of hers flickered down her body and stared at the man below her waist. It was far from the first time she found herself at the mercy of someone's tongue. But... right just now she happened to not be doing anything with her own mouth. She'd truly never surrendered to enjoyment for the sake of it. Perhaps this was the idea Sir Hector gained when he found out she wasn't normally consuming food? Maybe it wasn't, but as it stood, there were several truths about Merlyn coming to light in her own head.

Everything about her, the way she sounded, smelled, tasted and looked was absolutely appealing to men in general, but never had she found herself being treated in this way. She rocked her hips a bit and the functionality of the waterbed became obvious as a gentle rocking would also occur for the man currently holding her body hostage, letting her wiggle properly against his manhood. All the while the gentle pulsing of her nether would occur which began to pulse as she approached a new end. One hand would soon enough be found buried in the crimson locks of Sir Hector, while the other found itself dancing along the edge of Sir Cador's face and into his hair as well. "Mmm-ha~ Everything about this, is amazing. It should be added to the list~" she bantered in that teasing tone of hers. "And do keep it up... I don't intend to miss the same mark twice~" she mused happily. If they wanted guidance they could have it, and she would lead them straight to the sweetest of her own releases. If this continued her legs would tense gently along with the rest of her, the build up was something lovely but along with it would eventually come the sweet bliss of relaxation and the release of her own body and that same orgasmic pleasure spread to the pair of Knights currently at her service.

[Bloodedge]

"And I'm sure you will always find a way to make it seem like my doing, whether it truly was or not," Cador replied. How interesting it was, that Merlyn sought this connection with two nights all for the sake of distracting herself. To Cador and Hector, she seemed to be rather thoroughly enjoying the moment, as if she hadn't a single thing to run from. This was good; they were succeeding for now. Neither would voice this thought─ in Hector's case due to the occupied status of his tongue. He freely wiggled his tongue about, almost playing with the succubus' folds. Meanwhile, Cador's hand remained firmly pressed against her mound, allowing his finger to twirl about without making contact with the buried face of Hector.

The ever-so-talkative Merlyn was at a loss for words, apparently. Gracious... Yes, that was the word she must have been looking for; Cador would have said the same. The Spirit Knight chuckled as his tongue graced the side of Merlyn's face once more. His free hand was once again touching the woman's jawline, their hair meshing together due to the proximity of their heads. She didn't intend to be held up at the edge again; the collective work of two knights could see to that. In actuality, Cador had only halted the initial flourish for the sake of an improved experience overall. He did consider doing the same thing a few times consecutively, but the night was long, and it would be filled with pleasure. While others bathed and turned in for the night, some would instead bask─ bask in ecstasy, that is.

"H'oh? And exactly what is going on the list, Merlyn?" Cador questioned while Merlyn reached the peak of her arousal. He felt the surge of that orgasm himself, but Cador had been anticipating the moment he needed to resist. Hector, however, moaned against Merlyn's loins as he caught himself in the middle of... well, it was just about a strong case of ejaculation─ just about. The sudden need to resist was something which regrettably caused a hiccup in his efforts, but he was far too immersed already to do anything but continue through it all. "There are so many things happening, Merlyn. One should specify," Cador continued while applying pressure to the fingers upon Merlyn's jaw, tilting her face toward his own again. Now, Sir Cador hadn't been the properly romantic type in quite a few years, but today was quite the special occasion already. When in Rome, he thought as his tongue protruded, grazing against Merlyn's bottom lip as it sought the most casual entry to her mouth.

[Apollymi]

"As long as you understand~" was Merlyn's immediate and quippy comeback to the idea that she would always find a way to shift blame to Cador. Actually, she'd already proved that multiple times, but it was all in good fun, she quite enjoyed him. Hector's wiggling tongue and the teasing manner with which, he perused her sex were enough for Merlyn to feel that teasing pull. Of course, her words were not spared, in anyway so she she was still quippy while her mind was functioning. Ah, but her finish was on the horizon due to their combined efforts but only Sir Cador was properly prepared for what was to come with such a thing. A condition of Merlyn's being which seemed to take effect regardless of anything else would be her end giving pleasure on an equal scale to those involved in the act with her. There was no spill upon Merlyn's back though she wouldn't have minded, and though there was a slight interruption to Sir Hector's movements and a very telling moan, it seemed he did not reach his end either. In fact he continued and Merlyn thought to comment while further immersing in the feelings being given to her. "Oh? My two favorite knights are both such gentleman. Even without warning~" she teased as if completely and utterly amused by this fact. Of course, she would have had no problem if such a thing had happened, she found it amusing that the knights were so intent to serve and do right by her.

At the same time, Sir Cador questioned what all was going on this supposed list...accompanied by a lick to her face. Well he was right there were numerous things happening. Her name being called in so strange a fashion, a man tending her folds with his mouth while another held her body and teased her with fingers.... those were things. There was also, the warm of breath crossing her neck, and the feeling of words spoken close to her ears. All of these things were added to the growing list of things she enjoyed from the two knights she was currently engaged with, "If I had to specify, being held like this, devoured as such and teased by both words and fingers ah~...." She was going to say something more but... there was extra pressure being applied to her jaw. Oh. Her face was being tilted towards Sir Cador's again and he soon after sought entry into her mouth? He'd kiss her!? Hm, he wasn't romantic initially she didn't figure he'd aim for this. She didn't see this coming and was genuinely surprised by the action. So surprised in fact that his casual entry into her mouth was all but assured. It'd been quite a while since she'd been inclined to kiss anyone, but Merlyn already knew she enjoyed this... her tongue moved against the invader in a manner most sensual. Gently wrestling as her fingers tightened in his locks. Oh, he'd done it now... Merlyn had been completely respectful of Sir Cador and his boundaries but right about now she knew she'd never let an interaction slide without this being involved. She was tasting his mouth as much as he was hers and she was uniquely engaged by it. It furthered along the progress of Sir Hector between her legs she was being overwhelmed again. The gentle pulse of her pleasure was starting again a pull deep between her legs would start while her mouth was occupied and she'd moan her happiness into Sir Cador's mouth.

[Bloodedge]

Gentlemen... perhaps. Neither of the knights concerned themselves with their own satisfaction this day. Such was always the case with Hector, but Cador shared this mentality under many circumstances as well. One mustn't risk letting things end too soon, after all. Even if Merlyn's anatomy happened to allow them continuation until they were emptied of all reproductive fluids, they believed this approach still only prolong the night's experience overall. Hector's work continued mostly uninterrupted, bar the brief moment of active resistance. Holding his tongue against the source of Merlyn's arousal, he let it oscillate, as if to mimic a continuous wave wafting over her. The fingers of Cador that kept her spread may have been properly in danger of receiving the redhead's tongue as well in this case, but he was far from being concerned about that.

And so came Merlyn's 'specification' as requested by Sir Cador. Interestingly enough, it wasn't so specific at all. Actually, her list seemed to be composed of everything currently going on, though she was soon brought to silence by the mouth of Cador. It had been quite some time since either party here thought to kiss someone, though surely longer for Merlyn than Cador. Even so, the heat of the moment sometimes dictated such things. Clearly, Merlyn wasn't opposed anyway. Her tongue met his own with haste, and thus began a dance of oral muscles while Sir Hector's tongue performed a similar movement within the sorceress' lower lips. Both knights felt the fruits of this effort building within their own privates. Hector specifically gained the additional sign via the space he occupied pulsing against his tongue as if reciprocating his own efforts. Everything seemed to be pulsing at this point. Cador's manhood did so against Merlyn's back, Merlyn's womanhood against Hector's tongue which did the same, even Hector's groin against the ever shifting waterbed they all occupied.

[Apollymi]

Both of these men seemed content to resist the natural exertion of Merlyn's body and while she didn't have a problem with this, she wasn't quite sure what they got out of denying themselves. She was not new to endeavors concerning sex, her nature demanded them to a certain extent. But, she'd not found herself being pleased in such a way by the whims of the man with her, before her first tryst with Sir Cador. And even that was something of a different quality. Right now, there was a tongue oscillating at her core and another doing the same within the confines of her mouth. All sounds she could make were muffled by such intrusive behavior and yet she could do nothing but enjoy it. She could think about nothing but this moment and that was... refreshing. And what was more the next wave was one she would reach while being occupied in such a way as to not be able to mention it. That pulsing of her nether would end in a tightening of her legs and an outpouring of the same quality of energy. Her body would relax and she'd almost aim to shift backwards only she was currently being held in place by Sir Cador. Oh, this seemed like a trap, and if Sir Hector was not keen to let up, she could hardly do anything but continue to ride that wave of tingling and pleasant sensation.

Merlyn found herself unable to think properly through the ramifications of allowing herself to be so spoiled by this pair. Were there not reasons she normally didn't allow herself this level of closeness? Surely there were, but she'd forgotten them right just now, along with everything else. Right at the moment her kiss with Sir Cador would break and she'd rather teasingly suck on his tongue and nibble on his bottom lip. They wanted to know how she took their efforts what she desired... how foolish. Who asked such things of a creature who existed solely for purposes of being desired? Apparently... knights. A gentle moan escaped her lips just the same as she went about giving her assessment of the most recent moment. "And kisses. I had forgotten what it was like to enjoy them~" she mused happily. Still a gentle hand upon the head of Sir Hector still found buried within the fiery nest atop his head would gently trace his scalp as she spoke nothing but praise for the man so very adept. "Sir Hector's skills are astounding~ I'm certain I enjoy him this way... though I find myself wondering how else I will enjoy him~" she mused and teased. She was far from impatient, still she felt it necessary to gain more. She did say she'd leave herself in their care and as such she would take advantage of all they had to offer. "One Knight at my fore and one at my back... is currently what I wish for~" she stated very clearly, on the gently moving waterbed she wanted each of these knights within her person and herself sandwiched between her muscled bodies.

[Bloodedge]

It just so happened that Sir Hector was not keen on letting up. Even as he felt the clamp of Merlyn's thighs on either side of his head, he persisted. It seemed almost as if he were looking to solve a thirst, the way he tongued every ounce of fluid that escaped the sorceress' crotch and reapplied it as lubricant to continue effortlessly. Still, there was resistance. No knight would spurt in this room just yet. No, both males would edge themselves just as Cador had intentionally held Merlyn at the brink, and all for what they believed was her sake. Of course, Cador was a bit more of a deviant than that─ it was partially a matter of enjoyment for him as well.

Ah Merlyn, ever the tease even when retreating from a simple kiss. Cador lingered moments after their lips and tongues parted, even beyond the additional service Merlyn paid his mouth. Apparently, he saw fit to gaze upon the woman's mouth, as if to inspect the flush upon her lips. "Is that so?" he asked. "I would hardly have thought as much, what with your well-practiced counterattack on my mouth just now. I'll keep that in mind; I'm sure we both will."

Hector received his praises, and found satisfaction in his efforts as such. The Sword Saint wanted nothing but to do his part; he even continued doing so while wondering what role he was to play next. Merlyn would speak her wish soon enough. One knight to the fore, and one to the rear. It was a simple enough request to make, but again... Cador was quite the deviant in his former life, and that hadn't exactly disappeared since entering this world. "And again. Merlyn, we really do have to get you adjusted to receiving attention," Cador quipped, his tongue lashing against her nape yet again. "There are so many ways for that to happen. Come, Merlyn; place your humble servants however and wherever you like."

[Apollymi]

Oh, yes, it seemed she'd be at the mercy of Sir Hector for much longer than she thought originally. Well, that didn't really matter, this man's tongue was among the best things she'd ever encountered. Still these men didn't flinch even as a secondary wave of pleasure left the Succubus' body. She might have been confused by that but, Sir Cador was familiar with her antics and it seemed that Sir Hector wished to serve to his highest capabilities. Sir Cador stared at her mouth after their parting and she wondered indeed what he was looking at exactly. "Tis so," she mentioned. Yes, kisses to be added to the list, and his follow up made it seem like he was fine with that as an idea. What was more Sir Cador thought to tease the sorceress about her apparent ability to react to that particular invasion of her lips. "It was hardly well-practiced... though when invaded one should always respond, no?" she mused as if teasing herself. Though their desires in this moment didn't mesh with her current level of inhuman understanding... Merlyn was privy to one little thing...

Sir Cador was enjoying this part he was playing in a way she could understand more readily than Sir Hector. The Spirit Knight was enjoying the tease and withholding of himself from a standpoint of personal satisfaction. How strange... Such a thing was brought further to light by his questioning of her most recent spoken desire. They'd have to get her more used to receiving attention. A statement like that was spoken while his tongue lashed out against her neck and Merlyn for her part in this let out a small sound and found herself wiggling just a tad. She was a girl, she was used to attention, she simply wasn't used to it being so very selfless. "Eep~ If I didn't know any better... I'd swear you enjoyed teasing me as such, Sir Cador~" she mentioned her voice a bit softened by virtue of trying her best not to sound more out of sorts than she already did. "Hm? Alright then... though I know I have already implied what I meant~ So devious, Sir Cador~" she mentioned with a knowing little smirk. She aimed to move first Sir Hector, extricating his face from between her legs to leave him sitting before her as the meal she'd take in the most literal of senses. All the while she'd lean in for a proper kiss from him as well. It was what she wished for in this case, a taste of herself from his lips and tongue, to know the uses of that tongue in all aspects. The hand she had left for Sir Cador moved down his body and aimed instead to drag him along, leaving him behind her, with his manhood aligned with her nether from behind. She'd wiggle her hips beginning an easing backward along his length as she kissed Sir Hector and thought about what it would be like to take his length down her throat. Yep, still liked sex... such things she freely offered those she cared to copulate with, their shared experiences here and now were just a working new manual of what she'd come to like in both their company.

[Bloodedge]

Merlyn's list was growing rather quickly, which was something to be noted as a positive. The quicker it grew, the quicker this group could explore the succubus and her desires. She also claimed her response to the kiss was not quite practiced, to which Cador scoffed mockingly. "Forgotten, is not the same as unpracticed... Merlyn," he insisted. Whatever the case, it was time to make a bit of progress. Merlyn thought Cador may have enjoyed teasing her; she was right. How could she have ever thought otherwise? Even so, Cador's reaction was about as quippy as ever. "Me?! Surely you jest, my dear sorceress! I assure you, my only intention is to offer you pleasure as earnestly as I possibly can~" he claimed, almost sounding legitimately aghast.

As for what Merlyn meant when making her recent request known, she had apparently already given the implication. Cador had to think for a moment or two, but Hector realized immediately due to the fact that it had been him referred to in the aforementioned moment. "Moments ago, was it not you who claimed I was the generous one?" the Sword Saint questioned as his head was removed from the sorceress' undercarriage. He could have gladly remained where he was for quite some time, but he wasn't about to question things if it was truly Merlyn's desire. Besides, it wasn't as if any man could complain about being serviced anyway. First though, he was at the receiving end of an assault on his mouth by Merlyn's own. She was right when responding to Sir Cador; the only answer was reciprocation, which was precisely what Hector offered. In the meantime, Cador received his first proper view of Merlyn's backside while she leaned forward. It was something to take in stride while Merlyn herself took the proverbial reins, backpedaling herself onto his length without any signs of hesitation. As entry began, Cador took hold of Merlyn's hips. On a waterbed, he found himself requiring at least as much, just to keep leverage. "Feeling forceful now, are we Merlyn?" Cador inquired as to having insertion left in the woman's own hands.

[Apollymi]

Merlyn was indeed finding more and more things that fit into her actual preferences and not simply the ones her body naturally responded to based on her need for sustenance. Meeting two people who didn't simply wish to use her, was rather strange, but she couldn't deny objectively enjoying herself. In fact, quippy conversation and a group of hot knights who also happened to be polite hit most of her base goals in life. "You're splitting hairs, Sir Cador~" she said though she couldn't rightly argue further points with him. Even when she pointed out that he seemed to enjoy teasing her, he went on to protest... oh the untruths of the not-so-steadfast-knight. "Oh, me thinks the Spirit Knight protests too much~" she mused at his mock outrage. Whatever the case, Sir Hector at least seemed to understand what Merlyn meant before she started rearranging them properly. Beyond that he questioned her decision just a little but not enough. "Well you are quite generous, but this was always my intention. This is something I like~" she explained of herself. Knowing truly that she wished to taste this man and feel this singular thing. It might have been a bit strange but such was her nature even before. And since her kiss was met and she knew he likely wouldn't argue she'd enjoy that until she properly settled herself against Sir Cador. Hands found themselves rather firmly against her hips which made a small smile break across Merlyn's face before she broke mouths with the fiery haired Sword Saint. Was she feeling forceful? Well, as her mouth moved down the body of Sir Hector leaving soft kisses and tongue lashes down his fore. "I didn't know this counted as forceful~" she said in mock disbelief, offering Sir Hector a playful wink before of course closing her mouth around the tip of his girth while allowing her hips to begin flexing slowly back and forth against Sir Cador. The waterbed beneath them helping along her slow rolling antics.

All the while as one trio found themselves having a great deal of fun. A young woman of a different variety was finding herself waiting for an opportune moment to strike. One who called himself Arthur Pendragon had appeared and she was in place to get what she needed from this person. Overtaking that goody two-shoes Vivian had been quite the pain as she seemingly doted upon her younger brother. But she'd left and was now... deeply sleeping. She'd never even seen such a thing coming, and wouldn't have been able to stop it if she had. Good. Platinum blonde hair, pale green eyes and dark attire. This woman had an almost queenly disposition as her body was reflected in the waters of a bath. She'd pounce when she was least expected and leave. The whole of the castle had all but fallen into slumber, well-fed and relaxed for the first time in years for many. Too bad someone was about to be confronted by something he likely couldn't expect.

[Bloodedge]

Perhaps Cador was splitting hairs. Perhaps he did protest too much. Perhaps Merlyn's actions weren't at all forceful. All of these things could have been true, but nothing would have changed in Cador's speech if they were. Nevertheless, any complaints he had to offer were undoubtedly untruthful. Proof of this came as his hips shifted forward to match Merlyn's movement onto his shaft. The wafting of the waterbed made these movements that much easier, and in fact, it quickly became impossible to avoid thrusting by virtue of other ongoing movements. "It almost counts, and that's good enough; isn't it?" he asked, partially as a method of distracting himself. Merlyn's interior was just as he remembered─ a disturbing truth, really. It was like stumbling upon an inviting virgin who somehow had a thousand lifetimes of skill on her side, and that alone was worth more than any man could fathom.

In the meantime, Hector... well, Hector's mind was beginning to spin already. Merlyn's lips and tongue making their way down his torso was one source of madness beyond the previously-discovered sharing of her pleasure, but after the succubus made her way down his body, Hector's thumping heart ceased for a moment. Those lips were upon the tip of his phallus. Was this alone strange? Not at all, yet... it was so very different. He could be done within moments if he didn't exercise extreme caution. Moaning and gasping, he did everything to remain steadfast. "Hah─... so is it normal to feel endangered at this point?"

Speaking of endangerment, none would be more threatened this night than Arthur Pendragon himself. The Future King sat in a filled bathtub after actually heeding Merlyn's advice to relax like all the others were doing. The hot water soothed every ache he acquired during the long trip to Loch Ness, leaving Arthur to sink into the water and nearly fall asleep from sheer relaxation. Ah, the positives of this day. Everything was going well; he was even sure he would be reuniting with his elder sister once more in the near future. Surely she wouldn't be away for too long, right? They were connected through Excalibur as well as their identities, so the most wayward of his siblings could undoubtedly only be away for a limited amount of time. Oh, if only he knew. . .

[Apollymi]

Cador seemed to have few arguments the further into Merlyn's depths he sank. Apparently, it almost counted and that was good enough. A chuckle came from Merlyn, she was almost too preoccupied to commentate, "H'oh? Well I guess it is close enough, though your hips are moving quite a lot for someone claiming I've been forceful~" she said cheekily. Ah but there was something new afoot as well. As Sir Cador became reacquainted with her insides Sir Hector seemed to be struggling through the first few moments of being within Merlyn's mouth. She did nothing to help this at all, allowing her tongue to travel around the head of him a few times in an oscillating motion similar to the one she'd been presented before. Such would take place as he questioned if it was normal to feel stricken at this point and she found herself smiling at the thought. "Feeling endangered Sir Hector~ That's good to know... I was worried I had no predatory nature left~" she mused that flickering tongue of hers would lead the red haired knights phallus progressively further into her mouth, which seemed to pulsate in the same way her nether was currently. Each movement of her body would work in tandem between the two knights. Forward on Hector then backward to Cador and so on and so forth. She seemed to enjoy this, and had no problem if either of these two men lost themselves. In fact she expected it at some point... even knights weren't infallible.

Oh the danger which was applied to Arthur wasn't a normal one at all. His whole body was relaxed within the water of his bath... this was a perfect opportunity. Already clean, very nude... hm and ripe for the taking. She wanted only one thing in coming here. She'd been preparing for something much more dangerous than simply claiming a boy who called himself Arthur, thus she'd prepared for a full battle of wills and wits. Here and now though, she could likely get away with a bit less wasted effort. Though at least one spell would still be necessary, one which could counteract even someone with the magical resistance of the current Artoria Pendragon. The water Arthur currently occupied would gain a strange magical quality... it would slowly but surely numb his muscles active responses. Meaning over time he'd find it more and more difficult to move. To him... it'd likely be like feeling exceedingly relaxed or tired but it only really worked on his active movements, any automatic functions of his body as well as those of his brain would remain intact. Here and now, after she was certain of it, she'd appear in the same tub as he. Nude as well, with the only thing to identify her being a pair of pale golden-green eyes. No matter what she was taking this, in fact by the time one would have any idea what was happening she'd be preparing to mount this poor lad. Her hand upon his groin aiming to work him into stiffness, without even causing a splash within the water. Not even the look on her face seemed anything other than impassive.

[Bloodedge]

Maybe Cador was moving himself a bit too much to make such a claim. Oh well; he could always blame the waterbed for that. As a matter of fact, that would be exactly what escaped his mouth next. "How audacious! I haven't moved a muscle; I'm placing all blame on this bed of yours~" he said. As if to spite his own words, Cador's hands tightened their grasp on Merlyn's hips, and the thrusting that had only recently started became rather obviously purposeful by taking on a gyrating motion. In the meantime, Hector was made to wonder how Merlyn thought she'd lost any of her 'predatory nature' as she put it. He was already suffering far too much satisfaction for any human to bear─ he couldn't even formulate a retort for the succubus. Worse (or better?) yet, he was gradually being taken deeper into Merlyn's mouth while her tongue moved about against his tool. This was madness! There was no reason Hector should have been producing physical results of great stimulation already, but he could feel a hefty trickle of preparatory fluid making its way through his shaft and into the woman's mouth. He couldn't tell if such a thing should be a positive or a negative, but... it wasn't going to be stopping any time soon.

Poor Arthur. While he sat in that porcelain godsend of a device, he was nothing short of content with life at the moment. Soon enough, he thought he'd never been more relaxed. Actually... he was a bit too relaxed. Wasn't there more to be concerned about? Well, it wasn't worth worry at this exact moment, but it shouldn't have been slipping too far from his mind. Right now though, his body was more at ease than it had been in years─ maybe in his entire life. He... couldn't move? Surely a good bath wasn't that overdue for the blonde. No, this wasn't right at all. It wasn't some simple matter of him being too relaxed to move; he just couldn't move when trying. Why was this? Ah, there was something even greater to be concerned about. Suddenly, there was a figure rising from the water. Was Vivian lying earlier, and actually pranking him by appearing in his bath? How indecent!

No... this wasn't Vivian at all, and yet... that face was too perfectly matched to one of his siblings, and Vivian should have been the only one capable of transportation via water, right? Shocked and appalled, Arthur thought to question whatever prank she was pulling, but just as he opened his mouth, he felt something strange. Why was her hand below his waist? Oh, no; it wasn't simply there. She was making very blatant contact with his member under the water, effectively changing the coming inquiry entirely. "Aneki?! That's you, isn't it? This is a terrible attempt at a prank; stop being indecent!"

[Apollymi]

Cador claimed he hadn't moved, and wanted to fault Merlyn's bed. How ridiculous! She could feel the man tighten his grips on her hips and begin stirring within her deeper reaches. Her mouth was currently busy, so she'd have to keep her quippy response for a few moments. She could taste the start of Hector as well, the man really did seem to be at his wits end already. It was actually quite adorable. She felt a rather sudden desire, to tease this man just a bit, this was her meal after all... why shouldn't she tease a bit more. She withdrew Hector from the depths of her mouth, flicking her tongue over the tip of him, tasting him in a manner which was quite unique to her being. Oh... that was it, Sir Hector tasted of strawberry. Her nether tightened at her pleasure from this taste a passively passing along a sensation to the still gyrating Sir Cador. So her culinary palate for the night was strawberry and cream, how very well-balanced. "A firmer grip and the motions of your hips give you away, Sir Cador. My bed is blameless and divine... you'll have to tell me if you enjoy sleeping in it later~" she stated coyly. Hinting at the idea that she intended to fully take advantage of this pair over the course of this night. Still her hips continued to flex, easily meeting his thrust and her own face gaining a red tint. With Sir Hector outside of the confines of her mouth she blew on the tip of him and looked up at him with those glowing magenta eyes of hers. "Sir Hector is very quiet rather suddenly... though he's quite a treat nonetheless. I do hope my Shoulder Angel finds his voice again soon~" she mused, her tongue lavishing strokes upon his length but always making it to the tip to catch a taste of that which he expelled. Strange though it was, this was very much for her, and something she would have done regardless, now it simply came with extra teasing and fun... so enjoyable was this moment that her mind hadn't even wandered from this room.

While debauchery ensued in the Observatory, young Arthur was having a strange encounter. The entity he spoke to wasn't his sister pulling a prank on him. No, what joined him in this water was a creature which lacked 'human' sense. A strange look came to this apparently familiar face, she didn't really appreciate these comparisons. But, it was obvious she never would. She wasn't a person on the traditional sense. "That word has no meaning to me." she stated in a cold but rather absolute tone. But was she his sister? Well the answer to that was complicated she did have a bit of time before he was properly ready so she could answer. "I am Morgan." Her statement came as if it was a simple truth and to her it was. The personality with a separate manifestation and complete control when she rose was, connected with his sister. She was an entity of this world, not created with the human who made her in mind, but instead a tool to be used by the world for its own means. Hoshimi Rie and Vivian were still present but also buried rather deep inside. Morgan was here because Morgan had work to do. She didn't have time to argue semantics nor did she care about the potential harm caused in the short term when there were long term goals to be met. To put it simply, she was something similar to a work personality on steroids. "Indecent?" she questioned this word but didn't pause her actions, no it was still her aim to work him to stiffness. Granted she had a contingency but she'd rather not waste such things. Instead those familiar eyes stared directly into this boy as if she could see straight through him, and she could in a way. Fairies had a certain ability to read the hearts of people they were near, and right just now she knew the truth of him. Well that wasn't entirely true, this aspect of Vivian had all of the memories associated with her other self, so she knew something to be very true about the boy she was currently trying to breed with within this bathtub. Perhaps a gentle persuasion would work instead of the extras? "That is a lie. You like this face. This person, you think I am. You do not think this is indecent." Whenever he reached the required rigidity she'd aim to lower herself onto him. She didn't really have time to argue these points with him at all...

[Bloodedge]

Cador did give himself away, but did he care that he'd done so? Not at all. He was going to continue enjoying himself within the confines of Merlyn's body as she'd so kindly requested, and he was also going to continue being contrary for the sake of it. Banter had many purposes, after all, and one of them was being an excellent tool for distraction. Merlyn seemed so well-immersed in this trio's bedroom activities for the night, there was no point stopping or changing anything now. "Blameless and divine, huh?" he questioned in the midst of a slower thrust, which itself was followed by a bit of a grind. "Well then, shall I blame your womanly wiles instead? Sir Hector, I believe our little enchantress has it out for us~" Cador spoke to his fellow knight, but to little avail. It was taking everything Sir Hector had to avoid having some sort of seizure due to Merlyn's efforts, simple though they may have been. "I─" the Sword Saint stammered. He intended to offer Merlyn a rebuttal of some sort, but it was a long time coming. Was she intentionally intensifying her efforts to silence him again? Did she derive some twisted pleasure from doing so, if that were the case? Well... he did, if nothing else. Soon enough, he'd be doing a bit more than leaking. Given the additional movements of Merlyn, the same could eventually be said of Cador. Still, perhaps there was more fun to be had. "Begging your pardon, Lady Merlyn. My stamina seems to be failing me miserably, much to your credit. . ."

Arthur addressed this woman as his sister, yet she claimed the word meant nothing to her. How? There was no way she could be anything but one of them, and the one he'd seen earlier as Vivian was the only viable option. She had to be none other than Hoshimi Rie! Alas, the next time she opened her mouth, everything about this moment made sense. There was one name: Morgan. Being the lore buff that he was, Arthur had seen and heard that name many times, in many forms. Morgan. Morganna. Morgause. No matter the form, there was always one truth: this woman in the presence of King Arthur was a dangerous thing. In this case, there was an obvious outcome─ another name: Mordred. Why, though? Morgan le Fay may have been the sister of Arthur Pendragon in many variants of the legend, but why; why was she so obviously his real, flesh and blood sister? Worse yet, she called him a liar while speaking a great and terrible truth. You like this face, she said. He did. Such a thing had been a source of torment for the younger Hoshimi Kei, and not in the very distant past. He was but a budding youth in the earliest stages of adolescence, developing quite the crush on his eldest sister, and a few core memories to go along with it. How could he avoided such a thing in a close-knit family, where it was so easy to stumble upon one's sibling in the nude, or even share the occasional bath like the one they were currently in? Well... almost like the one they were in, sans the hand upon his cock. "I... why would you say something like that?" the young man asked. She spoke half of the truth. He did find her incredibly attractive; it wasn't like one's preferences could suddenly change. He did not, however, find this anything but indecent... right? As difficult as it was to argue while so easily becoming erect, he persisted anyway. Surely he could find some sense in her, and avoid penetration being brought about by Morgan's hand. "Rie! This isn't alright! Even if you're Morgan here, it doesn't mean you have to do this! You're my sister; I know you are!"

[Apollymi]

Yes, blameless and divine was the bed they were currently upon. Of course, Merlyn would have no idea about that, one of the quirks of her current physiology was her inability to sleep, but, a comfortable bed had many uses. More over the slow grinding of Sir Cador gained a different sort of intensity as he thought to blame the wiles of Merlyn herself. He even went on to claim that she had it in for the pair of Knights. "Hm, I suppose this little enchantress could be to blame, and definitely has it in for you both..." she mentioned as she swirled her tongue around the tip of Hector once more. Her hips were steadily flexing and her mouth had gone on to take more gently plunges of the Sword Saint before her. Oh? He finally found his voice, only managing a single syllable before falling into silence again. Merlyn was practically giddy. It would go without saying that she took some kind of pleasure from teasing this man into silence with her mouth and tongue. It could also be said that she had this sort of leaning to start with, as such her nature was more and more viably like herself than most would ever be able to admit. Still she allowed her tongue to play reaching all the way back to his body to flicker over the base of him while he finally managed to speak. "Oh? Lady Merlyn again~" she teased as if amused. And she was truly. "So very earnest. Still, if my poor knights are as near to their end as I... then it would be good for them to feed me so we can continue~" she said aloud. Cador was at least familiar with Merlyn's inner workings, an end wasn't the only one for any of them and she intended to feast here and now and continue to be distracted by this pair of Knights. "After all, I don't intend to let either of you stop until I've figured out all I like~" she said and soon after the squeezing of her internally would continue at the same time she slipped Sir Hector's girth into the depths of her mouth to hit the back of the throat while her tongue danced across it. She would continue until she finished again by their combined movements which she imagined she could bring about simultaneously if they didn't resist too much.

At the same time, Arthur seemed to be in a great deal of disbelief. The one known as Morgan didn't have the time, energy nor patience to play coyly with this boy. She wasn't here to seduce him, she never intended that. Her inclinations weren't romantic there was something she needed to do and she would see it through. Still he had the nerve to question her, even as his manhood was hard within her hand she tilted her head and looked upon this lad as if he was the alien one here. "Because it is the truth," she said in answer to why she said it. "Or do you believe you can hide your heart from a fairy?" she asked of him. For a lad so knowledgeable on Arthurian Legend he was quite lax in his study of the bestiary within Age of Eternity. Ah, this boy thought to reason with her about her nature. She was Morgan here but she didn't have to do this? "You are here and ready. I am not that person and I have never been," she said that same empty coldness. This was a fact, as an existence, though Morgan had all the memories of Hoshimi Rie and Vivian she did not consider herself to be the same. It was a problem of the nature of her existence and since Rie's personality wasn't part of her, she could easily lock away the others as not part of herself. Morgan herself, personally felt nothing for potentially ruining or harming their friendly sibling relationship. And sadly enough is please wouldn't reach his sister buried deep within her psyche. "I am doing this," she said those words and aimed to lower herself. She truly didn't care... she'd have sex with this boy while he couldn't move. Knowing that his body would continue reacting to her movements, she'd ride. Strangely, she seemed to gain no extra enjoyment from the action. She was committed to it, but that is because she knew what was necessary here. Her body accommodated him, it was warmer and moister within than in the water, but... Morgan herself would do nothing other than move her hips to stimulate him.

[Bloodedge]

"Oh, from the mouth of the woman herself? I'm shocked," Cador said while carrying that same playful tone. He was content to continue moving about as if to stir the succubus' insides, effectively lessening his own stimulation as much as he possibly could. He did know that, in the case of Merlyn, continuation beyond the norm was at least a probability. At this point, he was simply letting Sir Hector catch up while ensuring Merlyn received as much satisfaction as possible. Ah, both of those moments would come quite soon. After all, Hector hardly had it in him to delay another moment─ nor did he feel a need to do so after Merlyn implied the ability Cador knew so well. It was time for the succubus' meal, was it? He would be remiss to do anything but meet her demands, and her clarification led to his belief that things would continue regardless of anyone's climax. With that in mind, all resistance was lost to the red-haired knight. Well beyond the point of continuously leaking preejaculate into Merlyn's mouth, a full expulsion was upon him, heralded by a lengthy moan. Interestingly enough, Sir Hector was not one who participated in many of the mature features of the game Age of Eternity, resulting in a (strangely?) realistic amount of fluid being expelled from his crotch. Cador, of course, had a more plentiful production that began mere seconds afterwards and in a calmer, more adjusted fashion. Regardless of these differences, Merlyn would be receiving the reproductive fluids of two knights at once, at opposite ends of her horizontal body.

The truth? No, that couldn't be right. Arthur had outgrown that childish crush ages ago, right? All he had now was a strong admiration for his sister, and it hardly differed from what he harbored for the other two! Sure, it may not have been the same as his internal rivalry with his twin, or the great appreciation for the maturity of their youngest sibling, but... that didn't mean he wanted this at all! Moreover, what was with that deadpan expression and even more distant demeanor? "It's not the truth!" he insisted yet again. Alas, the young Arthur could not keep his gaze from lowering as Morgan's body did the same. She said she was doing this, and with that, she did. He could feel the embrace of her loins easily enshrouding him beneath the water, and it was only natural that he began throbbing when meeting it. Such was only a physical response to stimulation, right? Why did his eyes even linger? He should have been further insisting, but... what if she was right? He'd be lying if he said he'd never entertained this scenario as a thought, or even dreamed of it once or twice, but that was in the past! Better yet, it was nothing like this; the fantasies of yesteryear were pleasant to both mind and body in his imagination. What if it had been the form of Vivian to approach him this way? Perhaps things would have been very different from the start, though either way, there was no stopping what had already begun. Still, he would plead. "Tell me... that you are, in no way, Hoshimi Rie."

[Apollymi]

Oh, more playful words from Sir Cador came at her teasing amount of honesty. He would find that humorous in some way. She obviously had no intention of letting such a thing stand. She'd take care of momentarily. First there were offerings to take and food to ingest. It seemed that Sir Hector was more than content to give into her demands. She'd never been a particularly demanding person, but... there was a lot to be said about food appearing before oneself. Her eyes flickered upwards as Sir Hector released a surprisingly normal amount of reproductive fluid within her mouth. Though he hadn't played around with his 18+ sliders, her own physiology overrode the regular taste of such things, applying a flavor based on a combination of criteria. He tasted fully ripened strawberries and Merlyn grinned happily as she withdrew swallowing that as well. Such an act made those fluids dissipate within her body and interact with her magical core. The same could be said of that deposited within her undercarriage by Sir Cador which contributed to her own moaning climax. A moment of euphoria would settle in her mind. What an interesting amount of tingling sensation she received as she clamped down upon him and milked him dry from that angle. Still, both would be left with throbbing erections after.

A second of consideration happened and she caught a glimpse of something just out of the corner of her eye... yep, ignoring that. Happy now. Sad later. Yes, she'd adopt that outlook even for herself. "Oh my, how intoxicating... a mix like that could ruin any girl, temptress, or saint~" she mused in a manner most teasing. Oh, yes she was still having quite a bit of fun, even as she shifted herself off of Sir Cador and gave him a playful wink. There was always fun to be had in watching the new reactions of those who got to experience her... perhaps this fell in line with her kinks? Strangely, she'd never considered that she actually enjoyed how very surprised people were the first time they experienced her... hm, she'd need to test this. "Sir Hector has recovered enough now to offer himself as well right? I have a mind to ride him, while offering a different view. At the same time I plan to take my second meal from Sir Cador~" she mused as she took Hector by the hand to place him below her, his back against the waterbed. She planned to mount him backward... And she'd place Sir Cador on his knees before her. Again, she truly didn't mind tasting herself upon his skin, nor did she have any intention of denying herself a second meal. They wanted her to take for herself? She'd do just that, and they could have a great time all the while.

The trio of the observatory sank further, while another sank further. It could be said that Morgan had no problem with what she was doing. She settled into her motions with the same disinterested look on her face. She had a job, she was doing it... and with the least amount of risk to herself or her plan. But the confusion of this man's consciousness was something she didn't really understand. She felt no need to comfort him and instead saw that pleading as alien to nature. "It is the truth. The confusion in you is far too strong for someone who is actually a boy," she said with the most absent face. Yet, she was still moving. She still didn't care, the throbbing of his loins was honest even while he tried to clarify it for his brain. She didn't need to like this, she didn't really care about the sex act itself, only the byproduct was necessity. Everything else was an unnecessary extra. He was pleading still, wanting to know that she really wasn't this person who was his sister. Would he stop whining about it if she explained? She supposed she could but it probably wouldn't make sense to him... if the memories of Vivian were anything to go off of. "That girl and I are not the same person. This body is ours, we came into existence at the same time, but we are not... one person." she said coldy. "I don't have her feelings, softness nor attachments. I am something entirely different and there is nothing she can do about me. I will do what I need to regardless of her. And nothing will change that," she gave an answer which was hardly more detailed than anything else. In truth she didn't care about who she had sex with so long as they counted as King Arthur in the moment. Her hips kept moving and would do so until this boy's body gave in, which it would eventually, then she'd leave. Still, cold, so standoffish, and almost brutal. She bore the face of this lad's sister and had no emotional attachment to him. She wouldn't harm him, if she didn't have to, but this act needed completing regardless of the cost.

[Bloodedge]

How very intriguing. Not only had Merlyn brought about the end of both knights, quicker than one such as Sir Hector could have expected of anyone, but he was quite sure her enjoyment of doing so was through the roof. Well, she did feast on such a thing. It was interesting to note that she took this as such a positive thing, but... he supposed she was a succubus, and seemingly by choice. One could only wonder what abilities were natural, and what abilities were developed over time, whether wondering about skill or enchantment. "Hah─ As far as ruining is concerned, is it even you who should be experiencing it? With just your mouth, I am certain I may never have a satisfying experience with another woman, so long as I live," Hector declared. Cador heard these words while being drained of all the fluids remaining in his urethra, and he could only agree based on his two experiences thus far. "I'm inclined to agree; it seems to be our enchantress' pastime to be the slayer of men," he said, seeming almost winded.

Had Hector recovered enough to offer himself again? She spoke of taking her second meal from Sir Cador while mounting Hector himself, and the only thing he could think was that there was no downtime whatsoever─ not in the transition, but in his state of arousal. It was almost as if he never ejaculated at all, so all he could offer Merlyn was a slight bow of his head to agree. With that, Hector was being guided down until his back met the ever-shifting waterbed, leaving Merlyn easily capable of straddling as she pleased while Cador knelt before the succubus with his erection on full display.

Also on full display at the time, was Morgan's intent. It almost sickened Arthur that he was physically responding to this twisted goal of hers, if only because it was such a terrible thing with such terrible factoids associated with it. Yes, she was Hoshimi Rie. No, she was not Hoshimi Rie. None of that made any sense whatsoever, but Arthur could not pull his mind away from the first simple fact. Was his sister being used as someone's puppet, the way some of the knights were previously enchanted by Queen Kolin? Surely such a thing could be possible. Yes, the true Morgan had to be working through his sister's body! However... she made it seem like the body itself was just as much hers, as it was Vivian's or Rie's. Arthur's mind was near blanked. He couldn't move, he couldn't fight, and he obviously couldn't get anywhere by protesting. It didn't help that he mentally fought with himself over whether this was ever a thing he wanted or not, and if the former... was it still a desire somewhere within his consciousness? No fight was left in his voice as his racing mind became the only thing halting a quicker progression of events. "Why do you even need to do this? Lore? I'm not even King Arthur. I don't have Camelot. Rie... wouldn't do this," he mused, blending the words he shared with Morgan into his own mental workings. There wasn't a single out to this in Arthur's mind, and the thoughts he harbored were even worse than that fact. Perhaps, if nothing else, he could at least understand something for once.

[Apollymi]

Merlyn had done something quite normal for her, but had an experience unlike any other. What would this pair of knights have to say in response to being conquered by the succubus. Of course, there was an interesting point she'd said about being ruined, but... it appeared Sir Hector had something much more candid to say about his own current state. In fact, he claimed that he might be ruined from just the experience of her mouth. Shock! Merlyn looked at Hector with genuine surprise painting her visage. "I... wasn't expecting that," she managed a gentle pink tone painting her face up to her ears. Oh goodness. Sir Hector had gone and done it, he actually managed to embarrass Merlyn. Such a thing was so foreign, she'd joked about it early but here it was, Merlyn feeling honestly sheepish. She really should have looked into this... avoided feeling so out of sorts. Cador wasn't helping matters at all. He felt the same way, and managed to call her a slayer of men. A sudden bout of shyness passed over the lass, but she put on a brave face regardless of her obviously flustered visage. "Merlyn, Guardian of Dreams and Slayer of Men. I might like that," she said and she truly did, but she couldn't help but feel strangely from such an honest appraisal of her personality. "I'm definitely not remotely flustered by honest words of knights and hiding behind flourishing words~" she said that last part with a swiftness that just rolled off her tongue.

Still her wishes were being adhered to, and Sir Hector was now with his back against the water bed. She'd lower herself onto him, giving him a view of her full unmarred backside as he was clamped within the depths of her person. Her body shifted to suit him by her own whims and he'd find himself in that snug embrace taken at a pace which was seemingly slow on purpose. As for Sir Cador. He was in for a bit more teasing in tandem with Sir Hector. Her travels to his manhood would be marked by slow strokes of her tongue. Down his chest, and across his abdomen right to the very tip of him which she flicked with just the tip of her tongue in a manner most teasing while looking up at him with those glowing eyes of hers. Hm, she liked the way he felt against her tongue. She enjoyed pleasing with tongue strokes and lavishing attention upon him. She quite liked the way things tasted. The texture of new skin, smoothness and rigidity. Fleshy bits which moved of their own accord, hm... she was probably like that to start with huh? Textures of things were definitely on her list, how had she forgotten that? She allowed her tongue to play around with Cador, experiencing this sensation for herself as she allowed herself to lower completely connecting to the body of Hector. She'd let that settle for a second before she started to move in earnest, taking a rhythm which let her feel that man within her depths, it was a gyrating motion with only the lightest of lifts.

Those movements continued for Morgan. She truly didn't care about this act she was committed to seeing through. It'd been a long time since she... cared about anything. Since she felt anything. Long existences in this world did nothing for the nature of inhuman beings like herself. So long since she'd long sense forgotten things like attachment and goals and dreams. She was here for a purpose and she'd see it through. Even if in the moment it appeared terrible there were somethings that couldn't be avoided. The world was not kind, implicitly. Some things you had to do now... to be kind later. "Lore?" she questioned the use of the world. Oh... that was the understanding those who came from the other world had from activities of this one in a different time line. Ah yes, ones in which she was painted as the villain. She supposed actions like the ones she was currently part-taking likely seeded that idea into the world. Even so, she kept up her movements, steadily, no pleasure was derived from this for her, but she knew given her body and the slowness of his speech that the boy below her known as Arthur wasn't so cold to the world's doings as she was. She was about to say something quite important. "You have no idea how important names and words are and the power that is associated with them. You named yourself Arthur Pendragon. You took on that which came with the name... whether you understood what that meant at the time or not. Arthur Pendragon is always King of Camelot," she said her explanation was cold as well. Ah, but that inviting feeling inside of her was far from unaccommodating. "Indeed she wouldn't. That girl is far too human to see the whole truth." agreed the fairy in front of him. "I exist for the purpose of doing things the humanity in others wouldn't allow of them. A creature of the world in the most literal sense. Created by it, to carry out its will regardless of the terms. You wouldn't understand it if you don't experience it yourself. There are only a handful of beings in any plane of existence who understand." She hadn't looked into the past of this boy. She didn't know this boy had already seen the World's Executioner in addition to having contact with one of the two World Guides created in part by her own actions.

[Bloodedge]

Ah yes, Guardian of Dreams and Slayer of Men. Bit by bit, Merlyn was developing quite the long list of titles due to her interactions with the Knights of the Round Table. She would keep accruing more and more at the rate she was going, but for now, it seemed the pair of knights she spent her evening with were content to have their enchantress with her current repertoire of epithets. Well, there was also the ease by which they found the succubus flustered beyond all reason. Cador and Hector each wore a satisfied grin, the former's with a bit more intent to tease than the latter's. "Oh? Don't tell us the great sorceress Merlyn has even more weak spots than we thought?" he taunted among Sir Hector's gasps and heaves upon Merlyn's lowering. Cador was far more comfortable with his general attitude in this situation than Hector, and thus, he wouldn't be sparing Merlyn a single moment of entertaining banter. While speaking, he even let his hand follow Merlyn down his torso, sliding along her cheek and eventually resting under her chin as she lapped at his phallus. "My, My. You know, red is a very interesting color on you. It brings out the shape of your eyes, and even the frame of your face. Stay flustered for us, Merlyn, even if you are going to make use of such... flourishes."

Such a wonderful day was ending in such great defeat for Arthur Pendragon. Even if he could move at the moment, he probably wouldn't have bothered doing so. An entire explanation of this world's functionality was upon him. He could follow along, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Yes, names in this world possessed power; that had been made clear to him many times by now. In that case, was it the name Morgan which led to current events? Apparently, the sorceress Morgan had an innate understanding of her other self as well. Rie wouldn't have done this at all, simply because she was far too human to see the truth? Why did she make it seem like this was such a necessity? Could it have been that... because he took the name Arthur, because he solidified his identity as the Future King in this world, the Once King had to die by Mordred's hand as lore dictated? If that were the case, this situation was only made worse. "So the world wants my sister to rape me, and give birth to Mordred... to kill Eri. That's supposed to be for the better? You make it sound like Rie is stupid for not doing something she shouldn't, and... you don't even care about this. Mordred couldn't be anything but my son, huh?" he wondered aloud. Arthur continued musing randomly in such a way; it seemed to be all he had left to give. "I don't get it," he concluded in the most somber of tones.

[Apollymi]

Both of these men were grinning at her currently flustered visage. Of course, this did nothing to stop the lass from being so red in the face. To not think about this very hard, she'd try and distract herself. Hector's phallus entering her person did a rather good job of this, but the obviously teasing face she was being presented by Sir Cador let her know she was not about to be let off the hook. "Who me? With weaknesses... never~" she said in that same teasing tone. Of course, she had dozens, but Merlyn had no intention of telling what they were. They'd either come across them naturally or they'd never get to know. Sir Hector had already found out about her easily flustered nature, and Sir Cador had gotten to understand her guilt and well, her general nature. Ah, Dagonet was already familiar with her sadness... it seemed like she was already almost fully on display for the Knights of the Roundtable. Yep, she definitely... Her mind had been running but she found that hand of Sir Cador's meeting the side of her face. More teasing words... right? Wrong. Compliments. He liked the way she looked while flustered. The color complimented the shape of her eyes and face?! The blush on her intensified as her tongue ran along the length of his shaft. Those movements of her hips had already begun to add to the gentle pulsing of her nether as she finished the simple teasing tongue lashing. "It's almost unfair, to ask something like that after giving so many compliments. Even a great sorceress won't know what to do~" she mentioned softly. Still... there was nothing but a playful light in those glowing eyes of hers. In turn for his bad behavior, Merlyn took Sir Cador's manhood all the way down to the depths of her throat, while shifting her tongue around it. A gentle swallowing motion would occur within her throat once he reached her depths and she would look up at him one more with that reddened face, still... she was nothing but pleased over all. Sir Hector wasn't forgotten in the least either, she kept moving her hips enjoying him beneath her as the bed moved in gently rolling waves.

While Merlyn continued to take advantage of the situation, Arthur suffered, mostly due to the work of his own mind. The woman in his lap didn't provide him anything painful other than his thoughts and she didn't even enjoy the idea of torturing him. Her movements were still mechanical and her work was still undone and it would be until this action was complete. Still, she'd persist more than any other, but hearing his words about what she said caused a scoff from this highest order fairy. "This exact kind of conclusion is why those who see don't explain. That is such a human interpretation... its so very... short-sighted," she said as if she was completely unamused. She understood fully now why this lad didn't have extra information at all. Telling him was pointless if he was going to settle on such things without even considering what was beyond his singular way of thinking. "I didn't imply she was stupid. I stated she was and is too human. She would have made the choice to spare those she was attached to in exchange for literally everyone else. Such is a mistake bred by the selfishness of humanity. And the child simply had to be spawned of King Arthur. I didn't have to be you... I didn't expect it to be you... and I would have done the same thing if it wasn't you I found here," she was rather cold in this interpretation. But letting a few suffer some trauma to do what was needed by the world was far from immoral to her. She was still moving, and it was still aiming to make get this lad to finish this little exchange. "I don't expect you to get it. Let it go. So, I can go."

[Bloodedge]

"Never?!" Cador responded, his mock state of surprise returning yet again. Redder still was Merlyn, and the Spirit Knight was absolutely relishing in it. His teasing would obviously continue, marked by the gentle caress of his forefinger against her cheek, and truly along the entire side of her face. He may have been teasing, but he wasn't lying; Cador did fancy the way Merlyn looked with such an obvious blush on her face. "Dear Merlyn, there is only one thing to do. Keep showing that face. The redness even makes your mouth looks better when it's full of me~" he spoke further as her lips finally closed around him. Oh, but Cador had put himself in a bit of danger. Merlyn wouldn't simply end her tongue-tease; no, she was going for quite the advancement right away. While still flushed, she brought about the disappearance of Cador's manhood with her mouth and throat. At his base, he could feel her tongue wafting against his flesh, and at his tip was an additional embrace brought about by her swallowing. Cador couldn't resist a sharp inhale and deep sigh as a result, effectively silencing his pestering for a spell.

What of Hector? Once more, he was reduced to a nigh-mindless drone. He thought the work of her mouth would be the end of him, but he was still very much affected by Merlyn's physiology... and her womanhood was a far worse demon to face. Utmost confidence with a careful approach; such had always been Hector's way in combat. Such methods would do him no good here. Sadly, Hector could be neither confident nor calculated; it was as if he were bedding a dozen women in unison. The poor Sword Saint's face was contorting repeatedly as Merlyn's irriguous undercarriage ensnared him by the groin, smothering him in its slick warmth. Everything was wonderful, awful, and oh so terrifying. "Lady Merlyn, I beg your pardon, but─" Well, Hector's sentence went unfinished, but his intentions were clear. The second peak of Sir Hector was reached with haste and deposited into Merlyn's canal... yet still, he felt fully vitalized in the immediate aftermath? Yes, this would truly trivialize any future experiences the Sword Saint had. . .

Yet another clairvoyant woman in Arthur's life would deem it pointless to provide him answers this day. It seemed to be his destiny, being in the dark about these matters. What wasn't he seeing? What good would ever come of following the world's will, with no morals of one's own applied? The way Rie would have approached the situation was the right way, wasn't it? One's responsibility was to care for their loved ones, and others of the world were held to the same compass in a general way, right? "She's always been like that. That's why I─" No. Now wasn't the time to dwell on childish thoughts... but wasn't it? Selfishness did breed selfishness, but surely certain forms had to be deemed acceptable. Regardless of Arthur's existing thought pattern, there was a matter of greater importance here. If not him, his twin would have been the target of this approach. Wasn't it good that it was him, instead of her? Yes, of course it was... but why was he wondering the reason for said goodness? Perhaps it was good because he was the target here. No, that couldn't be right! It was good because his twin didn't have to go through this, yes! More at war with himself than with Morgan, Arthur closed his eyes in defeat. 'Why did I have to come here?' he wondered mentally. Oh well; this wouldn't last much longer. Maybe it would be Arthur himself who fell at the hands of Mordred due to the current situation, and this wouldn't become even more complex over time. Yeah... that would be nice.

[Apollymi]

Cador truly seemed to enjoy the flush on Merlyn's face, and though she was pleased, she truly wondered what he got out of such an expression. It was so innately human she'd almost forgotten what it was like until Sir Hector earlier in the day. "Never~" she chimed in response to his playful questioning. Still, there was work to be done, and even after she closed her mouth around him, he claimed he liked the way her face looked. One of the many things she enjoyed about this man was the fact that he was always full of cheeky, distracting commentary. Still she gained ample satisfaction as she swallowed him down and heard the sharp intake of breath and that gentle sigh that followed. At least he still liked what was happening, as such she'd continue, applying more pressure with her jaws while she tongue wrestled his phallus within the warmth of her mouth. She intended to use him like a straw at this point, making sure that he'd be far enough out of her mouth by the time he finished that she could taste him as well. She couldn't help that her face was still red, even so, she would be far from upset about it for the time being.

That man who'd claimed to be done in by Merlyn's mouth alone, was experiencing her in a way that very few had. That sensation she got from him locked within her person was knowledge of his impeding demise. His words even stated as much. A wicked little smirk crossed those still full lips but she turned gently and gave the man a wink. Her own body tightened around his claiming everything he expelled within him. He was still throbbing within her and her own magic pulsed outward. That finish gave her much more power and fed her as she aimed to take that same power from the tip of Sir Cador for her second meal of the day. She was now moaning across his manhood as her nether claimed Hector still buried deep within herself. Her own climax was something which came in waves and caused her hips to come to a gentle stop, though it did nothing to stop the pulsing of her within. These poor knights would be milked dry.

Strangely, Merlyn wasn't the only one trying to milk someone. The still moving Morgan was far from as amused though. It seemed the truths she gave Arthur weren't in keeping with his understanding. She expected all of this but it was far from ideal to have him thinking so much that his body was distracted. Still, as far as dangers to her physical self were concerned this was a much better match than the one she prepared for. "Yes she has always been like that, which is why she wouldn't make the decision that was right for humanity. A person too selfish to sacrifice is only helpful to the targets of that selfishness," she said as if this made the most sense. Perhaps with her lack of human emotion by this point, she fully understood the necessity of her inhuman logic. The good of the herd, the good of the pack, the good of all. What was the temporary suffering of a few compared to that? Those movements continued and the lad seemed to gain less resistance, not physical but mental? Perhaps knowing that she would have targeted any form of King Arthur helped him a bit? Maybe knowing that the one he considered his sister wouldn't have harmed him in this way was helpful? Maybe he liked the idea of sacrificing himself by comparison. "Because you were meant to be here, the same with every person who comes here. The world needs them here so they come..." she said answering the question he didn't ask but was clear in his heart. She wasn't intending to be helpful to him, but her own logic made it seem to her that he was searching for an answer, and the sooner he got it, the sooner she got what she came here for. "Now, let go..." it was a request, but it came out more like a command. She got nothing from doing this, and his resistance was futile. He might as well surrender this and think on his own after the fact.

[Bloodedge]

Poor, poor Hector. He was at a loss for words, a loss for thought, a loss for anything but the satisfaction his loins experienced by the simplest of movements from a succubus. He was completely helpless, and it was incredible. Wasn't it Hector's intention to provide for Merlyn this night? He supposed that was happening anyway, but there had to be something more he could do. After all, Merlyn's movements only halted for a moment as she achieved her own climax. At the very least, Hector could use the movements of this waterbed to help his overly-relaxed muscles allow a bit of thrusting from below. Perhaps that was the point of the waterbed after all?

Meanwhile, Sir Cador was receiving Merlyn's demands due to the very nature of her being. What a treacherous thing the orgasm of a succubus was. It was only fair that he and Sir Hector were at the same point, which made yet another reason to refrain from any resistance. It didn't take much for Cador to understand this feeling. Ejaculation was quickly approaching, yet not at all in a natural way. Still... he wouldn't have been far from it anyway, and if it was Merlyn's wish to orally receive his seed already, then so be it. "Fine, fine. Have this one on me, Merlyn," he said. She was already sucking as if she intended to draw it out of him anyway, so he'd let loose a plentiful expulsion. Of course, his demeanor still hadn't shifted a bit. His hand would cup her chin properly, his thumb and forefinger each against a cheek, as if to goad the succubus into offering a bit of a show with her mouth afterwards.

More words were spoken, and less sense registered in the mind of Arthur. The question why repeated so many times in his mind, and for so many different reasons. Oh, wonderful─ she was even answering the questions of his mind now, was she? There was hardly a thing left that could surprise the blonde male. At this point, the only remaining shock would come from Morgan deciding to dismount him, and leave this entire plan behind. Would that happen? No; he was sure it wouldn't. The way she straddled him was undoubtedly the strangest thing about this entire scenario. They were within a bathtub filled with hot water that wafted with Morgan's every movement. It was among the more romantic scenes Arthur could have imagined under different circumstances, and yet Morgan's every movement was so very mechanical. She was devoid of all emotion, truly as if he could have been a simple sex toy attached to a portable sperm bank. By the end of it all, Arthur and Morgan looked more like siblings than ever before, both being an equal amount of dead behind the eyes. "That's cool. A world of puppetry sounds right up my alley anyway. Whatever," he concluded. Surely being at the other end of marionette strings was to be his fate in any reality─ only in a more literal sense in this world. At present, he could hardly bring himself to care, and so... he was done even trying to hold back. She could have what she sought, just as easily as it would be let loose during masturbation. Indeed, there wasn't a sign on Arthur's face, yet his seed was spilled into the fairy's womb. All the while, his thoughts continued along the same repeating cycle. . .

[Apollymi]

Hector might have been at a loss, but it seemed he wouldn't remain that way for long. Even as the gentle movements of Merlyn came to a halt the Sword Saint seemed to gather himself enough to use the bed as leverage and move beneath her knocking into her from below after her initial climax. Her eyes widened gently, what a wonderful sensation!~ What was more the hand of Sir Cador, shifted around her face as he claimed to give into the sensations she provided him. How nice of him. His seed was received with her mouth and danced over her tongue in the quantities she'd become more accustomed to, still, that hand on her lower jaw hinted at something odd. He wanted to see? Well, who was she not to comply, especially when he said her name so sweetly before? Her head tilted back ever so gently her tongue extended just a bit to show that white sticky mess splayed throughout her mouth for just a moment. What an interesting contrast it had to be given the red tint of her face and the startling glow of those magenta eyes. He could gawk until he was satisfied and then she'd swallow without hesitation, after all, she was here to devour these two until well into the night. "Sir Hector it seems, has fully realized the divinity of my waterbed~" Merlyn mused in that teasing tone. And though much time had passed, it was hardly time for her to stop. "I've had two tasty meals tonight~ If that one was on Sir Cador, I'm sure I should be returning such a favor... It would please me to do so~" she mused as her hips shifted to meet the upward thrusts of Sir Hector as she shifted just a little to look at him over her shoulder. "Still, he's been so insistent that this is for me. I'm not sure how I should provide it~" It was her turn now to tease, it might not amount to anything given how Sir Cador was, but... it would surely work to keep her busy for the next few moments as they progressed through the night.

At the same time, some progress was finally being made on Morgan's part. The longer she moved in this lad's lap, the closer she got to her previously planned goal. Though it was obvious the lad wouldn't fully understand what was going on in this world, some things simply had to be. Ah, but he looked so distressed. Even as he spoke she could feel his confusion. If she'd been a bit less the way she was, she might have cared enough to try and help him through this moment of confusion. If she'd been a bit more Rie or Vivian she might have actually tried to seduce him. But she'd been in this world far too long to care about things like romance... especially when she already knew how she would always been seen by this world and every other one. No... this way was better. "You still do not understand, but that is fine. You will eventually," she said while studying his face. Her movements came to a halt as her womb was filled. She'd already prepared for this moment and just as randomly as she had appeared within this tub... she disappeared to do whatever was coming next for her. She'd leave Arthur with his thoughts and nothing else. An entity of the world, she had no desire to interact with the younger brother of this body beyond this interaction. It wasn't her place in this world or any other.

[Bloodedge]

Oh, what a show. Cador fully expected the succubus to acquiesce to his whim and open her recently-filled mouth, but she did so with a bit more flare than he could have anticipated. The grin he wore while watching her tongue slip out was less teasing, and more... content. "Good girl~" he chimed after taking a bit of additional satisfaction for himself by this method. "That may have been for me. Do remind me to return the favor, my wonderful seductress~" Ah, the unending tease was back. As Merlyn went about swallowing the load in her mouth, Cador's hand shifted once more, his fingertip pressed ever so gently under her chin.

Strange though it may have been, Hector found the motivation to participate in Merlyn's banter for once. Had he found the 'divinity' of this waterbed? Well, it could be given credit for being helpful in his efforts, if nothing else. Alas, he found it all too easy to disregard the bed's structure when offering his praises. "Non, non. I can hardly claim the bed is to blame. I do believe Sir Cador has the right of it. Femme fatale may be the word you were looking for," he said, his final words offered to the Spirit Knight. "Femme fatale? Yes, I rather enjoy that. Fitting, isn't it Merlyn?" Cador chimed. Pity, Merlyn thought to return whatever favor she thought Cador offered her. There would be no such thing, not here, not tonight. The two knights exchanged glances across the succubus, both coming to another silent agreement. "Hmm. You can return the favor by letting us spoil you rotten~"

No, Arthur did not understand. Yes, perhaps he would eventually. Right this moment, none of that mattered. The questions never ended, but were never spoken. Everything happening here was so surreal, so disturbing, he couldn't say another word at all. The most Arthur could do was stare into the face of Morgan, failing to find any sign of emotion in her visage even as she completed her ultimate goal in finding him today. If he ever managed to say anything, it wouldn't have mattered; Morgan was gone just as quickly as she'd arrived initially. During all that, he never even saw a semblance of ability to reason with the woman. Perhaps that was the most disturbing fact after all. In the aftermath, Arthur continued sitting motionless in the bathtub. His head leaned against the edge of it, and even though he could eventually move again... he didn't. The water would turn cold over time; oh well. For the foreseeable future, all Arthur would know, would be the ceiling of the castle's master bathroom.

[Apollymi]

Merlyn was learning all sorts of new things about herself. Well, that wasn't entirely true, on the day they'd left Zuria she'd been somewhat inclined to believe she'd enjoy playing a bit of a pet to one such as Sir Cador. Of course, this was marked by a certain term which he uttered in the moment with a look of content upon his face. Maybe that was it? Being the object of many sexual desires, she did actually enjoying pleasing. In the case of these knights such a thing would come with a reflexive tightening of her nether around Sir Hector. Ah, and Sir Hector~ His words most recently came in response to her banter. "Oh? I was a bit worried Sir Hector had all but forgotten speech~ Femme Fatale? Me? Hm..." she playfully gave it some consideration. Of course, such a thing could be applied to her, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she couldn't just take it. There was something looming over the world which such a title belonged to... how interesting. "It seems to win for me... oh, so long as Sir Hector says it in that lovely French Accent of his~" she said giving the man another wink. Sounds hitting her ears differently seemed to do a great deal of work for her. She probably should have considered that before. To return that favor though, apparently this pair wished to continue spoiling her, on to the point of rottenness. "Spoiled rotten by my two favorite knights? I suppose I'd be remiss to turn down such an opportunity~ Come then~" she mused and as such they'd continue on into the night.

Long after all of that, as Arthur stared at the ceiling of the master bath, there would be Merlyn. She... lying in bed, unsleeping because she was not capable of the action. Instead of looking up at a blank ceiling, she stared up into the starry sky. That was over at least, but even as she happy enjoyed what she could assume to be the warmth of two bodies in her gently oscillating bed, she couldn't help the guilt of her conscience. Merlyn, was not human in any reasonable sense, not anymore at least. But she wasn't as emotionally detached as the other creatures of the world. She loved mankind and felt a special attachment to the ones she helped along. As such, she felt a plaguing sense of dread any time she let something happen to one of them even if it would benefit everyone else. Even knowing how it would turn out in the end... no one wanted those they cared for to suffer. 'Maybe I was already more human than I realized. It's really quite selfish to want them to only have a good time,' The thought passed over her mind as she stared up. 'A bit of depression isn't so bad when you have someone to pull you out of it.' She rationalized to herself. 'At least he won't just try and kill himself like I did so many times...' Her line of thought continued. 'Still... I'm worried. There's a storm in my vision,' she said once again looking towards that name. 'And I can't see through it.'

[Bloodedge]

Indeed, there was a body on either side of Merlyn at the night's end. Sir Hector slept soundly, though the same couldn't be said of Sir Cador. The Spirit Knight meant no slight against Merlyn, but sharing beds had become something of an uncomfortable thing for him, beyond the night's major events. He slept not like the log that was Hector at present, but more like a kitten. Even the movements of the waterbed were keeping him from proper slumber. Intermittently, he sighed. One truth was blatantly obvious to the purple-haired male, and it was the simple fact that he wasn't the only one awake in this room. It was an easy thing to notice, since all he heard was the gentle snoring of Hector, while Merlyn's breathing hadn't changed at all─ and that, he could feel through the arm he had slung around the succubus. "Merlyn, you could at least pretend," he muttered. "It's very difficult to slip out of the room while not being the only one awake. Don't tell me our intentions are shared." If both were awake, Cador thought he may as well spark up a conversation. He wasn't going to be sleeping any time soon, and he hadn't seen Merlyn legitimately doing so while watching her cell for consecutive days; she likely never did. "Back to being troubled already?"

[Apollymi]

How interesting was it, that Sir Cador also wasn't sleeping? Well, she supposed it made sense enough in context. He'd probably also be the one to realize that Merlyn couldn't have slept even if she wanted to. A smile spread across her face as she heard his voice, break the gentle snores of Sir Hector and beyond that the internal monologue she'd been undertaking for quite a while. To his statement that she could have pretended he was indeed right, but there was hardly a point. "I could have, but I didn't know if that would set you at ease or not. It's hardly slipping out if we are both aware of what's happening~" she mused ever so softly. Were their intentions the same? Maybe... maybe not. Merlyn didn't always know how she should behave around others, or how her interference would be received. Moreover she found herself at least distracted just a little and she knew for a fact that Hector was deep enough in sleep that a little conversation wouldn't wake him. What was asked of her was if she was back to being troubled already... well, that was complicated as a question. "Oh, what a loaded question that is~" she stated that voice of hers teasing as always. "I worry my new take on life, might be a bit too cruel. Arthur may take a while yet to find his light..." she said softly. "I found out what happened to my twin. It's about what I expected..." she mused. "There is a blind spot in my clairvoyance and I find that frightening." she mentioned softly. Yes, that about covered what was going on in the mind of Merlyn right just now.

[Bloodedge]

"Of course it wouldn't. Still, it may have been worth a try." Cador put forth a bit of effort to prop himself up using his elbow. He hadn't expected a waterbed to be so difficult for anything other than intercourse, but the intense movements of it were a slight hassle. Regardless, he managed to settle and gaze upon Merlyn from a slightly higher angle as they spoke. Merlyn went on to explain the goings-on of her mind, and it was quite a lot to take in. "Arthur's light? You're rather preoccupied with our king's mental wellness. Be mindful of your own light, Merlyn; don't let it fizzle out while you keep track of someone else's spark. As for your twin, I'm assuming it isn't a very pleasant story." Oh, the troubles of the immortal races. Cador didn't envy Merlyn having to deal with so many trials, but he also figured she could have taken more care of herself instead of worrying for others so much. Ah well; perhaps there was another quirk to living for eternity, one he couldn't realize without doing so. Moving on though, there was the matter of a gap in Merlyn's Clairvoyance. That was strange, but surely no clairvoyant individual could be without fault, right? Could this have been the first of such experiences for Merlyn? "Is that so strange? I've met many seers whose abilities were... occasionally lacking. Are you so used to knowing everything, that a single blind spot is frightening?"

[Apollymi]

A small giggle escaped Merlyn. "Hm, I suppose I'll keep that in mind for next time~" she mused. Of course, Merlyn was soon given the advice from Sir Cador that she should keep her own mental wellness in mind while being so busily preoccupied with Arthur. "I've not been overly concerned. I am only a bothered now because I feel like I set him up. He had such a good day and it fell apart in moments..." she mentioned as if she were fine with it. "I adopted the mindset of Happy now, sad later. Because well, you're going to be sad later... until one day you aren't... that's all," she explained. She wasn't overly concerned with Arthur's wellbeing overall. She knew that she'd set him up to be alright, though that had taken more doing than most things. As for the last part she had to stifle a chortle. What happened to her twin was... not so terrible as it could have been. "Iie, that story isn't so sad. Ichi-nii is a man who adores the attention of women, but he is uncaring as to their feelings in pivotal moments. It is simply the truth of him. He got himself locked in the Tower of Avalon by the not so well balanced, Lady Vivian. When she discovered how much his eyes wandered~" she stated very clearly. Actually, aside from the fact that she'd spent so much time on this planet without her twin, the story itself wasn't that different. "I always told him before he'd end up being stabbed by a girl being so dishonest, but... not everyone takes their little sister's warnings seriously~" she said with a chuckle. "I only wished to know why I couldn't sense my connection to his person when I know I should. But given where he is... it makes sense, it's only a little annoying it will be a while yet before I see him again," Merlyn stated. She knew she'd see her brother again. She was comforted in knowing he wasn't dead and all of that was fine for now. It was a small touch of happiness she could take from this rather extensive life she'd lived.

Sir Cador truly thought, Merlyn's issue with this blind spot in her vision was simply a matter of her never having experienced such a sensation before. Of course it was true, she had never been able to not see. Her abilities had never failed her. Knowing there was something unknown in the world was exciting but it was also... very frightening. "I wouldn't dare speak of myself in absolute terms, but until today there was nothing in this world I couldn't see if I looked. I am distinctly disturbed by not being able to see the truth of something I am looking for," Merlyn stated. "I take it less as a mark against by abilities and find it more threatening to the World at large because it means this entity is something the world didn't prepare for," she stated. "And that is even more unnerving because Arthur is looking for this anomaly."

[Bloodedge]

"Maybe there won't be a need next time. Who's to know?" Cador asked rhetorically. Perhaps next time they met the way they did tonight, it wouldn't be for the sake of one party distracting themselves with the other's body. Perhaps, with the knowledge that Merlyn knew sleep about as well as she knew death, Cador would simply sit up during the aftermath. Cador wasn't a being with anything resembling Clairvoyance, so there was no way for him to know even the potential futures beyond simple rhetoric. "You feel like you set him up. Well, I'm not sure what happened after we left that dining hall, but I am certain you didn't send our young king into darkness. This mindset you say you've adopted implies that the only thing you set him up for, was the happiness he experienced earlier in the day. Does that not mean you've done more than anyone can ask?"

Merlyn's words made little sense to Sir Cador. Sure, knowledge of another's terrible future without saving them from torment could have been something bad... but he doubted that. He had no doubts that Merlyn only let any earlier events transpire because it would produce a better outcome overall. As such, in his mind, she stood above any king. "Grand Wizard Merlyn. You've never raised a king before Arthur, have you? A king has to make difficult choices for the sake of his kingdom, and he must do so without foreknowledge of any consequences. I wish I had a sorceress who could have confirmed, just once, that the things I let happen in Cornwall were really for the greater good in the end. You, Merlyn, have a pension for looking on the negative side of your own decisions~" he chanted, even pressing his forefinger into the succubus' nose as he addressed her directly. "Anyway, you're telling me Avalon is more than just a myth? And your twin, Queen Artoria's Merlin, is held captive there by the Lake Fairy? What, does your name just come with a fate of being incarcerated?" Cador offered with a light chuckle. He had little to offer regarding her lack of sight around some unspecified future, but then... it became just a bit more clear what that future may have been. This new knowledge produced a question, which Cador simply couldn't go without asking. "If you can't see this truth, what makes you so sure Arthur is looking for it? Moreover, if someone like him is seeking it, why do you believe it will threaten the world?"

[Apollymi]

The softness of Merlyn as she laid in discussion with Sir Cador looking slightly down at her, was so very obvious. There was a stark contrast between the very emotion driven succubus and the Fairy known as Morgan. Still the light in those magenta eyes of hers flickered just a tad as Sir Cador spoke in rhetoric. "Well, the clairvoyant succubus wouldn't know what is and isn't necessary again~" she said with gentle sarcasm. "Though I haven't been looking much at myself so I can't exactly say~" she stated with a bit of a chuckle. This was true, looking around herself was something Merlyn avoided for the time being, deciding to go along with building happiness for these people, instead of accidentally seeing to their potential bad ends. Some things weren't worth looking at when she'd already grown so attached to everyone. And Merlyn for all of her current levels of aloofness was already very attached to this group... He didn't believe she'd lead the young king into the darkness. Well, she hadn't exactly, but... "Our young king after we left the dining hall, met a relic from the Age of the Fairies. And found out what happens when someone really lacks human logic while having Clairvoyance. Said relic also happens to share the body of his eldest and most adored sister," she explained of the situation to the one person she trusted more than anyone else. How strange to know that was the truth of this matter. "And yes, I did everything to give him a nice day... but, seeing him so happy and seeing Lady Vivian show up the same day... was like watching a happy family and then seeing the car wreck that happens after dinner, both play out at the same time," Merlyn explained of her thought process. Even though she'd warned Arthur with some rather indirect words that women in this world weren't always okay. Even though she'd showed him what happens when Mysteries of the Old World encounter the Logic of the New. For a person who claimed to want to figure things out on his own... he didn't grab on to the very obvious clues. Hell, it'd still be some time yet before he figured out what she was, and she made an entire show of that situation.

She could tell by the words he spoke that Cador wouldn't fully understand what she meant. She figured no one would really. Still, in her own lack of human logic she tended to bear the weight of her decisions which had even minor negative effects because it was all she could do to protect those who couldn't protect themselves in the same way. Still, Sir Cador's words made her look at him more directly. Was Arthur the first King she raised? Well.... yes and no. Arthur was the first 'Player' King she raised but Merlyn had been alive for longer than most. She'd indirectly led to the rise of many of the nations of this continent, without staying around to directly interfere with them. It was what a king was supposed to do? She knew that... still, it felt wrong to watch relative children stumble into danger every few seconds. A finger made contact with the end of her nose and she managed to look abashed. "I know I do, but... the negatives of my decisions are the parts I see the direct results to most often," she said. Though he claimed he would have liked to know his decisions were for the better in the end, it seemed a trivial consolation at best. Still if he said it as such, that meant she could at least feel the slightest bit of relief that her actions might not be frowned upon one day, even if she looked at them herself with a great deal of dismay. She relaxed against Sir Cador in the moment, he really was good for emotional support, at least her own. "Yes, Avalon is a real place. And my twin's real self is being locked away there by the wayward Water Fairy. Her exact words about the situation were, that he 'cheated' his way out of his imprisonment as well. I did mention how I am as real as I want to be wherever I appear, we share that trait. Someone called Merlin probably needs to be there for some reason or another, so I could probably trade with him whenever I see him..." she mentioned knowing her brother was probably free as he wanted to be and womanizing as he was always going to, aside from the lack of 'realness' of him right just now. The last bit of Merlyn's uncertainty whirled around that unseen entity in her vison. Sir Cador's questions were indeed valid ones. "Because he asked for her, by name to his sister. The Lady of the Lake recognized the name and so do I... she's quite famous in our own time. She's the boss he claimed he was looking for when he ended up here, Ashikaga Kimiko." she told the Spirit Knight, not knowing if that name meant anything to him or not. "It is an assumption, but his batting average on women he believes in is quite bad at the moment. I was prepared for the bad things that could happen when we encounter the others... I cannot prepare for this one so I've been assuming the worst. I'd like to hope, truly. But if I assume the worst I won't be disappointed long term." Merlyn was definitely a half-empty glass of a person.

[Bloodedge]

A turn toward more serious matters resulted in Cador abandoning earlier topics entirely. The Fairy of legend, Vivian, was in fact the same identity as another who caused this new negative occurrence surrounding their king. Vital details were left out, though it was probably for the best. "That doesn't seem nearly as bad as you're making it sound. As far as necessary lessons are concerned, I believe an adored sibling going sour is among the better ways to learn this world is kind to no one. I also believe our Arthur is clever enough to learn that lesson more easily than the last person this world tried to teach through those same means. You know... when I stood as king in Cornwall, Sir Lot was an outstanding member of Zuria's court. His little brother was his manservant, until that same brother was coerced by the idea of a woman's touch to overthrow the kingdom. We've all seen what became of Sir Lot since then. We all have reason to assume Arthur won't go down a dark path as a result of whatever happened to him."

It seemed Merlyn's most commonly-seen futures were the negative results of her decisions. Cador shook his head as it rested atop his knuckles, thinking things couldn't have been nearly so bad. "Hush, Merlyn. Based on the way you talk, I'd say you're just focused on the negatives. Arthur is troubled now, yes? Arthur is also alive. That alone is more than so many can claim. Besides, it's better if he gets the traumas out of the way early. A king who experiences the negatives only at the end, is... well..." Cador spoke no further on the topic. In truth, the hypothetical king he spoke of was none other than himself. Ah, there was perhaps a saving grace─ the mention of what Arthur sought, which happened to be aligned to the gap in Merlyn's foresight. She spoke reasonable concerns, if nothing else. On the other hand, though, it wasn't as if Arthur's track record was a total loss already. "Ashikaga Kimiko ka─" he spoke, knowing the name vaguely. If he recalled correctly, it was the girl's mother he knew of best. "I know only a little of that girl, but if I recall, I don't imagine she's the type to be tainted by this world. From what I hear, she'd be more the type to change it, for better or for worse. And... considering she's his boss, I'd like to thing the former. Don't worry yourself too much until the need to do so arises, either way. Myself and the other knights are at Arthur's disposal, as well as yours; all will be well."

[Apollymi]

"Not my story to tell... I left out the properly traumatizing parts," she said in the same manner she always spoke. "Though the fact that he's been sitting in a cold bath for most of the night is a bit telling," she said of Arthur in general. The telling of the history of Sir Lot and his brother the former King Leorio was about what Merlyn thought it would have been. Still, she knew Arthur would never be that bad even at his worst, but there were still various loose ends wiggling around that pair of brothers. "He won't himself become dark, no..." Merlyn mentioned. But that wasn't entirely the problem, his general demeanor was what would suffer, and thus would cause a bit of an uproar all around him for a while. She understood the negative aspects of a personality a bit more than most, and though she agreed the lad learning such a lesson was necessary, she might not have chosen now when he'd finally relaxed just a little to show it to him. The same could have been said about the situation in Zuria, she wouldn't have thrown him into that... without it being a necessity.

Ah, but she was to hush now and consider the bright sides of these always dark things she was allowing to happen around her? Arthur was alive, that was a plus. Arthur was troubled for the time being? Also true. He could experience his traumas earlier than most, instead of at the end of his kingdom. Perhaps it was worth considering that this would set him up to make better decisions in the future? Oh, but what was this, Sir Cador was very vaguely referencing himself here and now. They'd had a conversation like this while she was imprisoned as well... when she asked him what he'd do if he knew how it would turn out. "So you haven't changed your mind about that part then? I suppose I can't always worry about such moments, though that makes it no less stressful..." she murmured to herself, that was the part of her that was still innately human. Her consideration of the emotional wellbeing of others set her aside from other such entities of the world. She buried her face in the chest of the Spirit Knight while trying to remove herself from all that was the situation. Unlike a lot of other things, she had at least, gotten a few people around Arthur that could help him out of his depression and pull him out of own head. What was more, while she considered this, she was given a tiny little snippet about Ashikaga Kimiko. Apparently the Spirit Knight was more familiar with her mother than the girl herself, but claimed that given that she was Arthur's boss, she might be more inclined for good than evil. "Sou ka, I still don't like not being able to see. I mean... a potentially world changing entity not within my sight when I've seen literally everything else is a cause for concern, no matter how she falls on the scale..." she said with her face buried and obviously pouting. "But the Spirit Knight's ability to comfort and his judge of character are sound. I can believe you if you say I should hold off on worrying... I will push it aside for now, and busy myself with something else~" the succubus mused. How much easier would her life had been if she'd come across just this one person long before this point in her life? Quite a bit she wagered, still, she was happy to enjoy him here and now.

[Bloodedge]

"I assumed as much. I won't pester you for the details, and Arthur is free to speak them whenever he has a mind to. Well... that is assuming his lips aren't too pruned to speak by the time he gets out of that bathtub you spoke of," Cador said, managing some small semblance of his usual joking tone. His faith in Arthur's character was apparent, and it seemed even Merlyn harbored a hefty quantity. Everything would be fine; of this he was sure... because he also had a great deal of faith in Arthur's guide. As Merlyn's face pressed against his chest, the arm he'd previously extended for the sake of tapping her nose was brought around once more. His hand cupped the back of Merlyn's head, holding it in place while shifting ever so gently. "Of course I haven't changed my mind. Doing that sort of thing in this world is dangerous, after all. Besides, what sort of emotional support dog would I be if I couldn't keep myself on a straight path?"

It seemed Merlyn's qualms were to continue with her lack of foreknowledge about this... Ashikaga Kimiko person. Cador supposed being so used to something being a certain way would result in a strange reaction to even a single change. Even so, he could hardly resist laughing; he just knew Merlyn was being nothing but pouty at this point. "Merlyn, I can feel your bottom lip extending. For once in countless generations, you don't know something. Do you even remember what it's like to be surprised? You should be excited to see something unexpected, not ready to throw a tantrum because you don't know something. Yes, keep yourself busy with other things. Loch Ness is going to be a wonderful place to stay, and I can tell you that with confidence, no Clairvoyance needed~"

[Apollymi]

Merlyn found herself chuckling just a tad. It wasn't even a matter of the situation at this point, but mostly just because of Sir Cador's word choice as far as pruning was concerned. "Well, King of Camelot. King of Raisins. Those are likely equivalent titles right?~" Yep, that was her addition to that, that would be how she left it. If she didn't keep her humor she'd likely have wished she could have properly succeeded in killing herself. Ah, but right just now, she was being held close by Sir Cador who was coddling her, in a way she much appreciated. She didn't know she'd enjoy this so much but, it was definitely welcome in a moment like this. Her own arms slid around him on this gently moving bed. "I don't think my Emotional Support Knight should call himself a dog~ He has way more presence than a simple pup~" she mentioned in that same joking tone. In truth she appreciated this man for saving her from herself in moments like these... he was a knight as truly as one could be.

Still he could feel her pouting, eh? Well, she was pouting... so it wasn't going to make much difference for her to continue. She heard through the whole of his statement and fought back a scoff at his utterances. "I have been surprised no less than five times today, and from those instances, I can say... I like my surprises without embarrassment and in relation to sex. Everything else should be laid clear in my eyes like a field on a bright summer day~" she said. Her words were laughable, she knew this she still really, sincerely didn't like not knowing things. "I trust my Emotional Support Knight. If he claims that Loch Ness will be a wonderful, I will bask in its radiance and not think too much about that girl I can't see," she said as she pressed her lips gently into the center of the knight's chest. Such a touching moment would take place for however long it lasted. Before the night became day, and that day another. How many would pass... as Loch Ness progressed and became a well and proper Kingdom and what could be said of Arthur as this time passed? Well...

[Bloodedge]

King of Camelot vs. King of Raisins. Cador appeared to give the matter a few moments of legitimate thought, just prior to snickering over the clause. "King of Raisins actually has quite a nice ring to it. I think I have every reason to be the first citizen. Purple hair has its benefits, you see~" he joked further. Ah, to be capable of jest in the midst of a dark discussion. Now then, he was meant to be Merlyn's emotional support 'knight' as opposed to some dog. What Merlyn had to say in regards to that, though, was... disagreeable at best. "How dare you? I would never be so foolhardy as to compare myself to an innocent pup! I would be put to shame in seconds," he proclaimed.

Surprises may have been uncommon for Merlyn, but multiple had occurred just today. She claimed to be very specific about the surprises she enjoyed, but such things could surely never be left in a singular state. Time would tell, but first, time had to pass. Pass it did, as Loch Ness began to thrive due to the Round Table's collective efforts. Ah, but there was one problem with the newfound prosperity of Loch Ness. Its citizens were claiming fiefdom to a new king, yet the would-be king who addressed them so freely during his first day here, hadn't spoken a word to anyone. Well, that wasn't quite true. Arthur had been speaking here and there, albeit only when the time came to make a request of his knights. Sir Dagonet was sent out day after day, keeping the streets busy with laughter and plentiful energy while houses were turned into homes for the people. Sir Hector and Sir Cador each aided the citizens in restructuring their new homes, and Sir Elyan had been assisting in the creation of deeds and the like, fairly distributing land to those who called themselves citizens. All of these things were being done by Arthur's direct request... which, of course, was the oddity here. Arthur seemed to have a mind only for business as days passed, though it did seem he could remain effective despite harboring a clear lack of motivation to do so.

[Apollymi]

The days passed and the citizens of Loch Ness became more and more settled. All of the knights were doing their parts to keep the world running around and both Emilia and Guinevere were doing theirs to help with castle upkeep. More rooms were fixed up, more stores filled. Coffers were being divided up and kept the way they should be. Meals were even being cooked on regular rotations. But all the while Arthur himself was mostly unseen. The first few days, this had been let go among the girls. Everyone had good and bad days, but over time, it became more and more obvious to the pair that something was amiss with the young King. Guinevere for her part in this, had questioned Viy the spirit within her doll on the second day, and strangely the impish spirit of the North had absolutely nothing to say. Emilia the feisty lass that she was, went to Merlyn directly but after a few moments of conversation while staring into those glowing eyes of the sorceress, Emilia left without a single answer to any of her questions and just a distinct feeling that everything would be fine.

Well, enough was enough. Guinevere was patient and kind, but she was not about to watch this man crumble under the weight of whatever was going on in his head. So, around lunch several days after the man had all but shut down, Guinevere made her way to Arthur carrying a picnic basket and looking about as cheery as she ever did. Of course, she went to him, knowing she didn't intend to take no for answer... she was a woman on a mission and as such she would complete it. Though unlike the last woman he met with a singular goal in mind, Guinevere came from a point of absolute care. She was dressed in a simple white gown having gone back to clothes more suited to how she felt in this world. those blue eyes of hers quite clear of anything other than a mild bit of concern. She'd knock on the door to whatever room Arthur was in, and enter when he mentioned it was alright. "I have your lunch, Arthur..." she said quietly as she always did, only... unlike any other day, she didn't intend to leave it. No, he was leaving this room and going out to do something. No more sulking or hiding or being trapped within his head. He was going out today to see the fruits of his labors. And unlike most, Guinevere was actually quite used to dealing with moody men, her younger brother used to have to be bribed when he was upset in similar fashion.

[Bloodedge]

A knock on his door? Ah, yes... it was about that time again. Each day since their first spent here, he was brought meals by someone he couldn't, and wouldn't even look in the eye. Arthur hadn't met anyone's gaze in days; he could only see those dead orbs of Morgan, and there was no unseeing them. "Come in," he said, his tone clearly melancholic, or at the very least, far more contemplative than need be. Even as his mind refused to settle, he did not refrain from allowing another into his chambers, where he sat in a lone chair by the window. From there, he had all the view he needed. Arthur could see the village below─ at least most of it. Everything was obviously fine, so it would also be fine for Arthur to avoid too much contact with others. After all, what was the point of it? He could continue nibbling on portions of each meal, bathe, sleep, and let the kingdom come into its own before the next leg of his journey. In doing so, perhaps he could avoid making another unpleasant discovery about those he knew... including himself. Everyone seemed to have another side of themselves, some deeper beneath the surface than others. Did he have one as well? He imagined Merlyn did, and there was just as much a chance of the Round Table and everyone else being the same. Maybe it just wasn't worth finding out either way. Regardless, he'd address Guinevere as she entered, the same way he'd done for anyone bringing a meal the last few days. "Leave it on the nightstand; I'll take care of it before addressing today's rotation." Each day, he said some variant of the same sentence. He'd have his lunch left, he'd take a few bites, and then he'd deal with matters of state. All the while, he would hardly look in another person's direction.

[Apollymi]

Yes, she was allowed to enter. She always was. Even so, this lad never so much as glanced in hers... or anyone else's direction. So... she'd watched several days in a row as Arthur folded further and further into himself and today that wasn't going to be allowed. He was about to learn a rather stark difference in personality between people and maybe that would help him with whatever problem he was having. His words were always the same... every day, spoken like a robot or some other form of soulless individual. No more. "So with all due respect such an answer is unacceptable today," Guinevere said as easily as she breathed. She'd already entered the room, and though it was well kept his constant state of staring out that one window was more than a bit disturbing. "The thing is... we've been watching you completely withdraw for days. And while the men are content to do boy things and wait for you to recover yourself, while covering their parts to the best of their abilities. Emilia and I aren't quite so patient..." she mentioned. "Now then, I have no intention as to prying for whatever is going on inside of that head of yours..." she stated as dutifully as she always did. "But I've already pegged you for the type who throws himself into work while falling apart. So, looking out of this window all day only gives you one view point and one angle of consideration. I've found a nice spot which can't be seen from here... and Emilia made us a picnic so... we're going out to lunch today, Arthur."

Ah, what an interesting approach. Girls didn't let their friends mope for very long when they lived in groups. Real friends were willing to just be there for you even when you're mopey. Considering it that way, Guinevere was more than content to be in Arthur's company even while he was very obviously trying to shut everyone out. The sweetness that was Emilia meant that within the lunch basket were bento boxes put together with a taste of home in mind. Whatever weighed so heavily on the king, he had to know that everything in the world came in balance. Not just whatever bad things, but the nice sweet things as well.

[Bloodedge]

What was this? His answer was unacceptable, according to Guinevere. What was the point? Perhaps something happened, and his attention was needed sooner. No; that was not the reason at all. He was in a bit of a slump, yes... and though the knights were content to leave him be and work as they always would, it seemed Guinevere and Emilia were against such things. They could have left him alone; that would have been better. The physically younger of the two even thought to create a picnic for his lunch, as if to coerce him into going outside. How pointless. He could see all he needed, and do all he needed, from high in the castle. Alas, Guinevere claimed there was a spot he couldn't see from the window. "What's so bad about working?" he wondered aloud. Arthur himself didn't think he was 'falling apart' as Guinevere put it. Yes, he was withdrawn, and yes, he knew this to be truth. His effectiveness would not waver, as far as he was concerned. "There's not much point to a picnic; I'm not that hungry. Spread most of it around, or let Emilia enjoy it herself. Unless something is going to ruin outside, I don't much see the point of putting myself out there right now."

[Apollymi]

Resistance. This was expected to some extent. Men were always so difficult. They didn't share feelings, they walked around upset about whatever was on their mind. They threw themselves into work or school or sports and withdrew almost completely. And then sometime later, something a little bit more off-putting happened and they would be completely shattered. Whatever the case, Guinevere was far less inclined to let the lad wallow than most other people. "Nothing is particularly bad about working. It's just a bad coping mechanism." Guinevere stated. He claimed that she should spread the picnic around or let Emilia enjoy it herself and that bar ruin outside there wasn't much reason for him to be outside. She would have scoffed but this was far from the time of such behaviors. She stood there as if considering his words, before coming up with a proper reply. "There are very few things in life worth protecting... I myself find only three of them really worthwhile. One of them is Emilia's innocence," she said while also staring out of the window. "I won't help you hurt her feelings," she stated plainly. Such an idea was beyond her, she imagined he'd felt similarly at the point where Merlyn tried to avoid a meal... the fact he would bother trying to be that way to someone else was partly his problem. "Here and now we see the start of the problem of ruling from above... you'll be out of touch. If you need a work related reason to pull yourself out of the room there is that one. The earnestness of the young king seen his first day, will disappear if he doesn't act..." she said as casually as she'd been speaking this entire time. "I'm sure if I kept it up... I could think of a few more just to push the point, but if you understand that I will stand here and keep listing reasons until I think of one that will have you move... you could simply meet me half way," she said. "Again, you don't have to make eye contact with anyone, talk or even eat very much... but at least change your scenery get some fresh air. Put some space between your head and your thoughts... And accept just a little a small token from those who worry for you." Ah, yes... she might have said too much. But all had noticed the emptiness of the young king's directions. The girl's had noticed that said emptiness came with a certain inability to make eye contact. It was strange to note, but the lad had been so earnest before, even while playing loyal servant to Kolin that the difference was noticeable and out right startling.

[Bloodedge]

A bad coping mechanism. Funny; Arthur couldn't think of a single thing that would ever classify as a good coping mechanism. The only viable thing he found to get over a slump was time, and he intended to take it. Unfortunately, others had different intentions, and he had to be dealing with the most adamant of them. "Three," he repeated. Yet another thing was almost laughable. He could have said that exact statement once, yet now, he was unsure. Guinevere had a point, though. If he rejected Emilia's cooking, he'd be presenting himself in a way he wouldn't want to see on the other end. There remained little purpose in going outside to consume said meal, but... she did go through the trouble of setting up the whole thing. Would it be just as off-putting to dismiss a picnic and eat indoors? Probably; that would have shattered the idea that innocent girl considered helpful.

Ah, and there was the matter of ruling from above and distancing oneself from one's fiefdom. Arthur's brow rose. A young, earnest king on his first day? That was hardly an image to keep, nor was it one Arthur had in his own head. Guinevere left bare her intentions to continue a list. She was so adamant, he almost had it in him to be disturbed by it. Dedication to a cause seemed to be some sort of curse in this world, but where in that dedication was the line to avoid crossing? Well... whether there was a line, or something else entirely, Arthur himself was adamant about something as well. "Guinevere," he said flatly. "I am not King Arthur. No matter what the rest of you say, I am no one's king." His resolve was very specific. Perhaps he still sought the title of king, whether his purpose would remain the same or not. Nonetheless, he was presently king of nothing─ it was all just a silly moniker applied to him by the other knights, and Loch Ness' citizens who needed something tangible to believe in. Arthur could act as a stand-in so long as it was required, but that was all he thought to do. That wasn't all he had to say in that drab tone of his, though. "If it'll ease your minds, I'll go. Where is the place?"

[Apollymi]

"Yes, three..." Guinevere mentioned as if this number was the most legitimate in the world. "One is Emilia's Innocence, Elyan... things like that are worth protecting to me," she said with a careful shrug. Everyone was entitled to their secrets. She didn't much feel like sharing the last thing on her list, especially not currently. That was fine though, the gears in Arthur's mind were all at work already. It seemed a bit of emotional blackmail was indeed necessary. Though such things weren't normally to her liking, she was impish enough to abuse such things if it would help do something about the despondent Arthur. "Oh?" Guinevere's head turned gently, she gave Arthur the most intense form of a side eye, she'd ever been seen giving anyone. How strange it was that he suddenly didn't think himself King Arthur when he called himself Arthur Pendragon. There was much to unpack here. On the one hand, he managed to still call her by her name, which was a mark of his 'self' being about as intact as she'd known it to be. For as long as she'd known him, he'd gone out of his way to address her directly so that was a slight positive. At the same time, it seemed he had all but abandoned his ideal of being king. "If that is what you decided," she said and true enough if he didn't intend to rule he had less reason to have the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Apparently beyond this, in that same drab tone... he mentioned going along with this whole picnic idea of Emilia's. Strange, that he'd bother. But she supposed that meant he wasn't completely lost, just... a bit broken. This world did have a habit of breaking good people... as long as he didn't remain broken for too long all would be fine. "Come along then..." she mentioned. She had no intention of telling him where they were going. Such wouldn't do good for anyone. No. Here and now, she'd take him along a small path out of the castle, managing somehow to avoid various people on the way. A garden path that snaked around this end was well outside of the window view of Arthur from his chambers and lead, to a rather large tree in the middle of a rather peaceful grove. Right in the middle there was a large opening where the sun beamed downward, but it was broken up by a dotting of tree leaves and the like. The temperature of this area was moderate, the gentle fog which came off the lake seemed to cool it to perfection. Here the world was peaceful, it smelled nice and was quiet except for nature alone. "Here. I found this place pretty early on. I like it out here... Spring time in Zuria was kind of rare, but it always feels just like this here," she said as if it meant nothing. She'd move about, setting up this picnic. Blanket on the ground basket with Arthur's bento facing him. Within that box was an assortment of rice balls with various kinds of fillings. A comfort food of childhood which Emilia herself enjoyed and a small note, written strangely in japanese. It said simply... 'Enjoy the food. I hope you feel better.' Yes, definitely the cuteness of Emilia, signed strangely Lia-obaa. At the same time Guinevere take a seat, at the other end not facing him instead looking out at the trees. Yep. She had no intention of leaving, such was about what she wanted. If he didn't want to talk? Fine. He didn't want to be King anymore? Also fine. He wanted time to think? Fine. But none of that should come at the cost of himself. Perhaps he'd realize that eventually.

[Bloodedge]

"Makes sense," he said. Guinevere said there were three things, yet listed only two. That was fine. He didn't want anyone questioning him at present, so he wouldn't be questioning anyone else either. Upon claiming he was no one's king, it seemed Guinevere took his meaning just a bit wrong. It wasn't as if he'd abandoned his idea of being king; it was simply that he wasn't king of anything. No matter; it wasn't worth specifying. He rose with a sigh, accepting the fact that he would have to follow Guinevere before discovering where she intended to lead. Trailing behind just slightly, his eyes wandered the halls. Down as he may have been, nothing was going to stop him doing the job he'd taken on. They made their way outside eventually, and all seemed well. Guinevere took it upon herself to set up the picnic area, while Arthur mulled over the fact that he'd yet to see this section of Loch Ness at all.

Soon enough, the picnic area was set. Arthur seated himself without a word. It was quite strange that Guinevere chose to face away from him while eating, despite the fact that she clearly didn't intend to part ways just yet. Oh well; he could be more content if he could eat without being watched at present. Oh, and what was this? There was a note attached to his bento. A bento alone was already surprising, but he supposed he and Emilia had an exchange about both being Japanese on their first day in Loch Ness. She even wrote in their language, and signed the note in keeping with the joke he always told at her expense. It was such a ridiculously innocent gesture, even the most downtrodden of people had to laugh at it─ so of course, Arthur would as well. 'Really?' he thought. Whenever his mind finally settled, whenever the questions stopped repeating in his subconscious, he'd have to bring this up to the girl.

[Apollymi]

"Mm-hm" True enough the things that Guinevere wished to protect were sensible. Likely due to her own experiences she was without dreams for herself. She wished to protect those that belonged to others as well. The last thing she protected, strangely applied to Arthur, but she doubted he'd even remember her first real reference for him... as such she'd keep that to herself unless it came up again. Ah, a picnic sat up, the lad seemed to be observant enough to be looking around. A quick glance in his direction and she knew for a fact that he hadn't seen this particular part of Loch Ness. That wasn't surprising. It wasn't in the line of sight of his window it was easy to overlook from the castle. She sat and began eating looking over her own small box of food with a raised brow. Balls of rice? These native Japanese people ate some strange things... she supposed she had no problem eating such a thing... it was just strange to witness. Stranger still, but immediately more comforting was that laughter which belonged to Arthur. Ah, Emilia had mentioned that she put a note in his box. It was just for him and Guinevere wasn't supposed to peek. She'd respected the lass' wishes but now she wished to know what was so funny. Ah, she'd have to ask her later. Oh, and she wasn't going to pry, she'd eat her lunch in silence here like she did most days. Right here within this small space she felt at ease... she didn't know how magically inclined Arthur was, he didn't know much about magic. He probably wouldn't realize what this place actually was, but maybe it'd provide a bit of comfort to him. Beyond all this Guinevere was willing to eat in silence with the magic of a Sacred Grove dancing freely over her skin and calming her heart. Druids were interesting people. She'd never actually met one... history says they abandoned this continent long ago... she wondered how this place remained in tact.

[Bloodedge]

A Sacred Grove... Arthur hadn't the slightest clue about such a thing, but there was something more satisfying about this place than his room. This, he attributed to Emilia's letter; if only he knew the truth. Well, it could be said that both the letter and current scenery were to blame, but Arthur could acknowledge only one. Not planning on consuming much at all, he would still at least respect a dish prepared for him by another─ especially a decent taste of home after some months away. He reached into his box to claim a rice ball. With only a single bite, he was rather surprised. This one's filling was salted salmon, which happened to be a good childhood memory of once-frequent meals for Arthur. He couldn't remember if he'd spoken as much with Emilia while relaxing that first day. Had his random musings during merrymaking resulted in him spewing that information? He did recall sharing small stories from their homeland, considering Emilia was the only other person he knew to be Japanese.

The blonde sighed, half exasperated, half content. Emilia had proven herself to be an excellent chef in her own right, even while he wasn't there barking orders. The seasonings of just this singular rice ball were... interesting, to say the least. Ah, but at present, it was probably best if he at least tried to speak with Guinevere, wasn't it? There wouldn't be much point in coming along in accordance with her wishes, otherwise. What to talk about though? Well... "Sha-ke onigiri. I'm not sure if I even mentioned this to Emilia. Loch Ness has salmon?"

[Apollymi]

A Sacred Grove and home cooked meal. Such a interesting day the young Arthur was having. It seemed that within the space he was at least more at ease, regardless of why he thought this was, he was at least tasting is food. The first one that Guinevere picked up, contained eel. It was such a strange texture within the rice, but it didn't taste bad at all. And what was this.... Arthur was speaking? She didn't expect this... ah, he'd chosen a very neutral topic of conversation, the type of fish within Loch Ness. Well, she supposed as far as safe topics were concerned that one was exceedingly safe. "Yes. Loch Ness has salmon. And several other interesting varieties. Apparently they were willing to come back down stream while not being predated by the giant monster within the lake. But apparently it is being kept in hibernation and fed as if it is a house pet now. So, there are quite a few fish to choose from. Emilia was scarily excited by that idea... I am not entirely sure why..." a nice and easy conversation topic and it would be left at that. Ah, but there was an opening here, if he was willing to talk about mundane topics they could at least have an interesting conversation or two at lunch. "Early in history, before this continent had kingdoms... this area was settled by Druids. In keeping with the balance of nature... they set up a Sacred Falls at the source of Loch Ness where all the fish spawn., A stone circle at that place they call Stonehenge. Oh and here... they set up this... Sacred Grove." She worked in her current explanation of the place while they ate, she was content to have this soft non-specific conversation for a while yet. She was quite serious about not prying but she still wished to check on him.

[Bloodedge]

Salmon were in Loch Ness, and people were obviously fishing for Emilia to have acquired some for this meal. So much of that bison was probably going to waste, but he much preferred that to the idea of repeating a protein too many times consecutively. Ah, he was able to think about something else at last; this was good. For the moment, Arthur could at least keep distracted enough to avoid sulking about in public. Guinevere kept up the conversation as well, speaking of the sleeping Loch Ness, and how the Druid race once inhabited the area. "Druids, huh? I've only ever seen Druids in a show. It was..." He paused. The show he referenced was, as one could expect of Hoshimi Kei, one based on Arthurian legend. In that telling, the killer of King Arthur, Mordred, was just some Druid child. Halting the progression of food entering his mouth, he somewhat wished that version of legend could be the way things played out in this world. Maybe these thoughts would have left him alone if he weren't currently living out a source of his obsession.

What to do? He couldn't keep avoiding matters, as they would only continue finding their way to him. Guinevere knew quite a bit about lore herself, so perhaps she was the one worth talking to about it. He didn't want to. Of course, he also didn't want to be living this version of the story... so what would another thing hurt? "Mordred could have been a Druid. He isn't going to be one here."

[Apollymi]

Ah, he'd only ever seen Druids in a tv show, which meant it was probably lore related... his memory. "Druids in this world are kind of rare. Apparently none have existed here for 2000 years... which is sad, I wouldn't have minded meeting a mage of nature," she said in a nonchalant sort of way. Ah, but there was much more depth to this lad's thoughts by virtue of his pause. She was quite certain this silence was far too pregnant for one to just be considering something as simple as a potential lore drop. It seemed instead of a nice quiet meal, Arthur would be speaking of his own accord... about what was on his mind. Okay, it was indeed a lore based thing... she knew a bit about Arthurian Legend from the context of being a history student, it was riddled with various interpretations in several different languages all of which seemed to coalesce around a few staple ideas. In this very moment, it seemed that Arthur's words were content to divulge that this world's version of Mordred wouldn't be a Druid. Those words were said with permanence. Hm, well in lore sometimes, Lady Vivian and Morgan/Morgana/Morgose or whatever her name was going to be were the same person. If that was the case, then it meant that Arthur probably had a very strange interaction with his older sister some nights ago. Obviously, it wasn't pleasant for him, at the very least... he was exceedingly confused. This world spared no one... and such a revelation was quite intense to say the least. So intense in fact that Guinevere was sure there was a large chunk of rice and eel lodged within her throat. Still she tried to speak past it.

"Well, this world has a way of forcing strangeness, not in all cases but some. Mordred could be a girl here and still a Druid technically, it's also a religion in this case, they baptize those who accept the call of nature," she mentioned in a way most casual while rubbing her chest to rid herself of the bite of food now lodged in a strange way. Oh... that wasn't what that was, she truly felt bad for Arthur in the moment. "There are many potentials for such a story at this point, the rest of the situation not withstanding... one can't spend all their time thinking about the potential choices a child will make. If one is so caught up on what they know... they lose sight of what could be." Guinevere tried for optimism more often than not. Though she was brutal when it came to her brother and his safety, she tried to be fair to everyone in her general approaches. She was the same for Arthur. She didn't judge him for anything that might have happened in the last few weeks, she only wished he didn't get so caught up on what was going on in his head that he forgot how to properly live his own life. Didn't they already discuss not letting lore bog them down? Why wouldn't he think of potential goods instead of only considering the negatives? She couldn't imagine a situation where she violated her younger brother in anyway, but she also didn't imagine thinking so poorly of the situation where one's life and health were still their own. In her own eyes, Mordred was an unknown innocent, perhaps one of the stories of his tragic end accidentally would be the truth of that person, or maybe they would be misunderstood because of things. Or maybe they were simply a victim of fate from start to finish, but there was no reason to make it more difficult for everyone involved.

[Bloodedge]

2,000 years since the last Druid's appearance in this realm? Arthur wondered how long this world's history was, considering how freely large numbers were thrown about in reference to different creatures and species. If he'd taken the time off to do so, he would have learned the lore of Age of Eternity ages ago, but alas, it was not to be. The same could be said about so many other things he thought would be the case, sadly. Easily finding his boss, mostly having fun along the journey, having a wholesome reunion with his sister, all counted as things that could have been, but weren't.

Guinevere stated that Mordred could even be a girl in this world, and could be a Druid by technicality due to the strange ways things worked here at times. Strangeness aside, it wasn't at all the identity of King Arthur's killer, but the fact that said identity was officially that of King Arthur's child. Destiny would see to it that either he, or his sister, died by that child's hands. The fault would be Arthur's own in a way, and worse yet... in regards to the conception of Mordred, he was more disturbed by the approach than the event itself. That wasn't good, right? "What Mordred is, doesn't really matter. Well... I guess that's not true," he mused in a surprisingly casual manner. Bit by bit, he would come to terms with what happened. Whatever he became when that time came about, was almost entirely up for debate. Oh well; Arthur's concern was taking things moment by moment, no distractions, and no getting overly attached to the 'idea' of any specific person. Such things weren't much of a positive in his experience thus far─ some distance was becoming necessary in his mind. "Either way, what I know is... basically nothing. It's just a little unreal, you know? Probably because... I think it could have been fine─"

[Apollymi]

Having moved on from that tightness in her chest, Guinevere continued to eat soon after she stopped talking. She still hadn't really expected Arthur to speak much if at all to her, so his continued rather casual conversation was a bit surprising. Still, at least he was actively thinking things though for his own sake now, so she could be happy to just hear him out for a while. "Mmhm..." she muttered still continued to let him know she was listening. For a while yet she felt no need to really speak, but Arthur apparently had something more to say. He felt like the situation that had occurred might have been fine for him if it'd taken place under different circumstances. He also admitted to basically knowing nothing, she assumed that to be about this world... but she supposed given the present situation it could apply to many things including about his sister. The whole situation was unreal, likely because he didn't know those sorts of things anyways... Yes, that was pretty true.

Still, Guinevere found herself taking pause and looking up at the sky, "Things often seem unreal when considering them afterwards. There are a million different ways to consider any situation playing out after it has already happened." she said thoughtfully, not even fully considering just the situation Arthur was talking about... she also thought of her own. "There are always thoughts of how people could have been different in a moment. How it would have formulated your response differently. Thinking about how different such a thing would have made you feel afterwards if everything was just a bit different..." she mused. Yes, she'd lived that part too. Poor lad, she couldn't really help him with that part, but she could try and be there for him. Perhaps that was enough. "Whether or not, it's fine... has to do with how you deal with it afterwards," she gave the most honest assessment she could because that was simply how she was. 'Summer children in the cold of their first winters... need our protection the most. Until they learn how to keep themselves warm...' She heard those words in her mother's voice. And it gave her comfort. She saw Arthur and in him... she saw the summer child which was connected to that idea... someone who hadn't known the harshness of winter, who still had light and naivete in their souls. She wished to help him preserve even a small portion of that for himself... so he didn't lose that which made him unique to this world.

[Bloodedge]

Nothing would undo the amount of trauma Arthur experienced due to the recent exchange with his eldest sister, yet Guinevere assured that this was simply the way such things would be. Of course, it was all a matter of how things were considered. The problem, however, was exactly that... but it wasn't worth mulling over right now. Arthur was meant to be putting forth his best effort, wasn't he? This meeting was organized for his sake, as far as he knew. Even though he found himself questioning the motives of everyone in this world as of late, he could do nothing but harbor a certain amount of faith in those who shared this journey with him. At the very least, he'd seen what they had all been through as a first-hand experience─ they could only be so bad, if any of them even were at all. "Huh," he muttered with no inflection whatsoever. How would he deal with the event that transpired between Morgan and himself? Whenever he wasn't wondering why it had to happen that way, that was precisely the other question he sought an answer to. It seemed there were only two questions overall: why and how. Why did things occur the way they did? How would he move forward after that night? Ah, no... there was one more. Beyond all of that, he wondered what would happen the next time he encountered Morgan, or even Vivian. "That's what I was working towards. Thinking ahead to how I should deal with it, is one of the more troublesome parts about it all. I know sitting around and taking time to think isn't the best idea, but it's not like I could come up with anything else."

[Apollymi]

It seemed at least, the words she was saying weren't just going into the lad's ear and coming out on the other side of his head. She wasn't trying to be preachy or even trying to give advice, but she was trying to help the lad along in the best way she knew how. After having to work through her own trauma quietly and having her anger directed towards specific targets for so long, she'd forgotten all of the things which would have helped her in the moment. She simply didn't wish to let Arthur do that sort of thing to himself. It was obvious after meeting him, that he was a far kinder soul than this world deserved. As for how he should deal with the problem of meeting with his sister after this traumatizing incident Guinevere herself could only offer advice from her own perspective. "Well, how you deal with it is up to you," she said softly. "As a person who has dealt with feeling betrayed by someone... I'd say making sure you get answers to the questions that have you hung up is important," she answered with certainty. "Though only after you've made peace one way or the other. From my own experience, it can be hard to get past emotions to get the answers you seek. But if you manage that, it might clear some things up for you," she replied honestly. Her situation with Nerys was one where she didn't get to talk with her after seeing the way her family was treated. Still, she didn't know the woman's reasoning behind the betrayal, and beyond that... after seeing what had become of Zuria in the end, she felt she might have been in more danger without what happened. Even so, without knowing if that was intentional, she couldn't make peace with it. It was extra annoying when she considered that lass as an important figure in her life. "Taking time to think is fine, just don't let it trap you," she offered. "That point was the one I wanted to make. Though I didn't figure you'd just talk to me. Thank you." She concluded. He didn't have to trust her enough to even talk to her in vague terms. She understood he should be a bit mistrusting of any woman, but... she was happy he did actually speak to her.

[Bloodedge]

"Right," said Arthur. Only he could truly decide how to approach the situation, and eventually, he'd have some sort of answer. Hopefully, he could reach said eventuality before another big event in the version of King Arthur's life he would end up living. Betrayal seemed to be a solid running theme as of late, and the only answers he truly had, involved the true nature of Queen Kolin in Zuria. Well, that one was always going to become obvious eventually; maybe the same would happen here. Either way, there were many things worth concern, even if not at the moment. He heard confirmation of the name Lancelot upon meeting Vivian. What would happen when that one appeared? Would he throw himself into a relationship with Guinevere, and effectively walk into the most well-known betrayal of Arthurian legend when Sir Lancelot appeared? Would there be an Agravain to enable it all, if so? What of the day Mordred rose to power? Would he have Sir Gawain in his company to set him up, leaving Mordred with the rule of Camelot in his stead? Would all of this happen to Artoria rather than him?

Too many questions. The more he realized how many there truly were, the more he realized he would go crazy thinking about them before anything even happened. Maybe... it was worth seeking those events instead of worrying about whether they would occur or not. Guinevere was right; it wasn't worth becoming so engrossed in thought that nothing else could be accomplished. Strangely, he was thanked simply for talking, after being assured that the time he took to let his thoughts settle was fine in certain amounts. "Don't thank me for talking. If nothing else, that's the one thing I'm good at always doing. Save the thanks for when you're ready for me to shut up, and I actually do it," he insisted, taking just one more bite before realizing he'd gone through the first rice ball completely. Strange─ he hadn't eaten more than a couple of bites at a time in days. Maybe senseless chatter worked for the appetite.

[Apollymi]

A nice quiet lunch, discussing their way through this rather tumultuous world. Of course, she was happy to be along for this particular ride, even if he hadn't spoken at all this day. Granted that would have been rather awkward to sit in silence for the whole of lunch this was far closer to normal than anything else. According to Arthur she shouldn't thank him for talking, she should save that for when he shut up if she wanted him to, a chuckle ensued. "Well, you are pretty good at talking... so it was more than a bit surprising when you stopped doing it all together," she mentioned soon after. "Still, the thanks wasn't specifically for that, it was for making this little lunch forced upon you, not terribly awkward," she said with a slight redness to her cheeks. Of course, she realized she'd been a bit pushy, but that was her nature when she saw someone suffering. If she could offer a bit of reprieve she'd do so even at the cost of herself. "A nice venue, whatever rice balls are... though they are strangely tasty, idle chatter," she mused. "This is a pretty reasonable lunch for me." she said thoughtfully. Guinevere was having a reasonable lunch and much happier with Arthur not being so withdrawn, even though she'd forced it upon him just a little, that was all she knew to do. Her own younger brother had been her victim in such ploys before and she'd found it for the better, in the end. She couldn't focus on what happened previously, she instead had to focus on what she could do in the moment.

[Bloodedge]

There was hardly a more factual clause than one shared between the two. Arthur was exceptional when it came to talking, even when there wasn't a need to speak further. In fact, he was especially good when it came to saying things that hadn't properly processed in his mind yet, as Guinevere herself had experienced some weeks prior. For better or for worse, he was managing to avoid random blabber here and now. Ah, but there was at least something more lighthearted to talk about than his woes, which he was content to address as little as possible, despite how freely he'd brought them up in the beginning. Rice balls were apparently a new experience for Guinevere, who remarked that they were oddly delectable despite how odd they seemed to her. To that, Arthur chuckled. "You've never had onigiri? They're a staple in Japan, and one of the most versatile common foods you can find. Where could you possibly be from, Guinevere, that you'd consider these strange?" he wondered aloud, subconsciously reaching into his box for another.

[Apollymi]

It became apparent that Arthur found funny the fact that Guinevere was unfamiliar with this food choice by Emilia. If he was willing to maintain a bit of lighthearted conversation, she was more than willing to contribute to it. So rice balls were apparently a food choice in Japan one with varied and various applications. She could see that. After finishing the one which contained eel, she picked up another and it contained salted salmon. It was pretty tasty as well. With only a few of the fish which came from the lake, Emilia had given them a variety of flavors to snack on. "Hm, no... I've never had such a thing before. It's pretty good. What I remember the closest thing I would have known to it is like Pelmeni... though porridge is way more common than rice. So something like this would have ended up in porridge instead," she said thinking of her own homeland in those terms. Pelmeni being a small pastry which contained a variety of meat fillings. Though admittedly those were much smaller than these balls of rice. "Ah, well... I'm from Russia... or rather I was originally. I was studying in the UK when I ended up here, but that is about the whole of it," she explained of her own placement within their previous world. To be honest, Zuria as a kingdom wasn't very much different from what she learned of old world Russia, even the ending of it was surprisingly similar to that of the last Tsars... But that didn't matter. The Princess in this case wasn't lost completely, the Prince still lived, and Zuria could technically, eventually recover. All could be well again. It was strange the number of Japanese people she managed to run into in her time in this world, but since video games were often produced over there, it made sense that a lot of Japanese people might find themselves in this world. Stranger yet was the idea of a young Japanese man, being so very interested in Arthurian Legend.

[Bloodedge]

"Pelmeni?" Arthur questioned immediately, having some rough knowledge of the aforementioned food. He'd never bothered trying to make it himself, but it was somewhere in his memory. As such, he had an inkling of Guinevere's original heritage by the time she mentioned the country. Interestingly enough, this conversation was starting to give Arthur a few ideas. Yes, there was a chance their next excursion to the kitchen could involve a few fusion dishes being concocted for the masses of Loch Ness to enjoy. There was the slightest hint of a light in his eye as well; apparently distractions were a decent medicine no matter the case, at least in certain doses. "From Russia to the UK, just to study?" he wondered instead of bringing up the matter of cooking just yet. That was something best saved for later, maybe even sprung on Guinevere and Emilia in the heat of a moment. Yes, yes, that would do perfectly. The kitchen functioned best when everyone involved had something to look forward to, and surely they would all look forward to a dish that had only been decided upon a few moments before its creation... right? Ah, but that train of thought wasn't for now. Another bite would precede his ultimate question. "What were you studying, that you needed to go abroad?"

[Apollymi]

"Yes, they are a bit more like dumplings. Just flour and egg pastry wrapped around a bit of meat, then boiled or fried. But... the internal texture of meat is quite similar. So I like it..." she explained of her own culinary understanding. It seemed that Arthur was indeed very interested in cooking. She wondered if food was enough to get his mind wandering away from how crappy life in this world could be and back towards its potential benefits. What was more he seemed to be very interested in Guinevere's original nationality and life. She was a bit surprised by this interest, but she'd still very easily answer his questions. "Yes, traveling and seeing the world is easier while you're a student. Besides, it does wonders for ones world view to meet new people, or at least that is the major selling point of study abroad programs," she explained of her random traveling to the UK. "Well, aside from the ability to practice one's English on native English speakers..." she mentioned with a quick turn of her head. As for what she was studying she could only smile thinking about it. "I was a history and literature double major," she said. "Did you not have study abroad in Japan?" she asked, it seemed curious that he wouldn't have at least known about it as a possibility. Whatever the case, talking about things which were less worldly was good for both of them.

[Bloodedge]

Yes, something like dumplings; those could be very useful. Topping a rice bowl or filling a soup would perhaps work then, or maybe they could be thrown into a salad of some sort. Arthur was actually having a difficult time avoiding thoughts of cooking; it was just such a perfect method of satisfying the masses, as it always had been in his experience. Consideration passed quickly yet again, and in the meantime, Arthur learned exactly why Guinevere had been studying abroad. History and literature were an interesting combination of things, he supposed. She did previously mention being one to take an interest in history, so both of her majors were quite fitting with her obvious preferences. "Not just for a career then, huh?" he spoke appreciatively. As for whether Japan offered such a luxury, well, the situation around Arthur himself had been a bit too... specific for such allowances. "It's always possible. Not for me, though. I learned from home until high school, and I only went there so I could be adjusted to normal teen life. My family has always been in a sort of... weird situation, to say the least."

[Apollymi]

Arthur was doing pretty good at this lighthearted conversation thing. That was a bit of a relief. As Guinevere finished another rice ball, her studies and ventures were commented upon. He seemed to appreciate that she didn't leave her home country just looking for a career or something like that. "No, not just for a career. To be fair, there are like 3 grand active libraries in the UK and I was using my study abroad as an excuse to visit them all. There is also the quick and easy transport all across the the mainland of Europe, especially given my part-time work. Between libraries and museums I was hoping to figure out what my calling would actually be. And hoping to have learned enough of whatever language was necessary by the time I found a place I fell in love with," she explained the desires of her old life without much thought. When she'd last spoken of such things... it'd been to Nerys when she was much smaller than she was now. Nerys for all of her good qualities mentioned that such dreams were still possible if she had the will to make them happen, but also mentioned the virtues of trying out a new kind of life however Guinevere saw fit. Hm, conversations like this put Nerys into a different light. No longer the angry teen oppressed Guinevere found herself wondering if Nerys had ever actually been as bad as she seemed those last five years. She hadn't actually had much contact with her that didn't involve spiteful glares and angry teen nonsense. She regretted not thinking a bit more rationally.

Oh, right conversation. Arthur claimed that travel and study were possible in his home country, but explained a bit of complication around his personal situation. Apparently, home schooled until he was in high school, only then got adjusted to normal teen life. Actually, that kind of combination could lead to a whirlwind of social issues thinking about it logically. Guinevere had run into a few massively homeschooled kids in her life and they all had kind of weird relationships with their families. She could now, more fully understand the plight of Arthur and his siblings. "I see. Specific family obligations are always strange when you meet people who have been part of such things. I knew a couple of kids like that growing up... the first time. I sort of became a kid like that the second time, so I understand. At least you didn't end up one of those people with no personality at all~" she mused as if it was fine.

[Bloodedge]

Of all the reasons Guinevere could've offered for why she'd gone abroad to study, having an excuse to enter a few libraries was hardly on the list of Arthur's assumptions. It was strangely innocent, and frankly laughable, though not at all in judgement of the decision. "Interesting path. I considered going to university or culinary school to be better at my potential job, until I was actually hired for one. For a while, I thought I would have to do just that," he commented. Ah, the path he would have taken, had one Ashikaga Tokiomi not called upon him one day. The young Hoshimi Kei had much to be grateful for, as far as opportunities were concerned. Now, here he was, sharing the most random experience that he would one day view in hindsight as yet another thing to be thankful for. "You worked part-time? What sort of part-time job could cover you studying abroad?" he wondered.

True enough, familial obligations were strange... though Arthur felt his were a bit more unorthodox than most. The Hoshimi family was none too conspicuous in their dealings, and given what they did as a whole, becoming someone with 'no personality' as Guinevere put it, wouldn't have been so strange at all. Actually, Arthur was surprised none of his immediate relatives, bar one of his parents, turned out that way. Oh, if only he knew. "I could've been a shell, you know? I spent most of my life being indirectly taught murder and espionage, and then I, an absolute weirdo, was thrown into the life of normal teens for three years. I almost shut down completely in the first term."

[Apollymi]

It seemed that Arthur in his former life had considered more schooling than he ended up needing. That was interesting, "A job that you thought learning to cook for would have prepared you better for?" she questioned only slightly curious. How strange this lad's life must have been. He was basically homeschooled, some kind of weird family obligation, and then a sudden full-time job? He didn't look like he was much older than her. Ah, now about her finances, she'd slipped up though huh? She supposed since she had him talking it was far from the worst time to reveal what her prior employment entailed. "Well, the trip itself was covered by my parents, but spending money and the like I had to pay for myself... besides like money to eat and whatnot," she said it seemed like a pretty fair deal to her. Beyond this, Arthur explained his family situation a bit more, it seemed he'd turned out a bit closer to normal than maybe his older sister, but that was a thought for another time. Since he'd given her enough consideration to explain such a thing she'd make sure she gave an explanation of her own. "For a second I thought you were about to explain that your family is like KGB. I can understand why high school was a culture shock... homeschooled kids without that kind of pressure often break down from the sudden influx of social interaction," she said knowing from experience with such people. Ah, it was her turn now wasn't it?

"I'll tell you what my job was, but you have to promise not to laugh okay? Because it's probably pretty weird..." she explained. What was this? Guinevere was blushing and glad right at the moment that she wasn't facing Arthur at all. "Alright, so and I can't stress enough that it isn't as bad as it sounds... I was a kiss-o-gram. Like a person who delivers, letters and congratulatory statements. But like dressed up in costumes, for laughs and jokes you know? Like, showing up as the lost Tsarina, tiara and all. Or scaring some guy by showing up dressed like a police officer. Or a foreign exchange student, uniform and all congratulating some guy on his promotion at work, paid for by his coworkers? Give a letter, a smile, take a few pictures... that sort of thing..." she said. Oh gods, even explaining such a job was absolutely embarrassing. She knew now why Nerys had laughed so hard. Strangely her face was beet red and she was now resting her head against her knees. There was nothing wrong with the job, but it definitely wasn't the sort of thing an absolute bookworm like herself normally chose as work, but it paid well and wasn't terrible. Plus she was delivering good news so... like that was good right.

[Bloodedge]

"Well, yes. My job requires all kinds of skills, and cooking is one of the most important ones. That's why I've become so passionate about cooking; I had to dedicate a lot of time to it, beyond the fact that I did most of the cooking back home," he explained before biting into another rice ball. As he chewed, he gained understanding of how Guinevere managed her trip to the United Kingdom. Her job was merely for spending money, apparently, so it seemed she had a very lovely setup overall. As for the culture shock he experienced, well... her initial assumption was more accurate than she clearly believed. So then, why not? Why shouldn't Arthur be forthright about it; it wasn't like they were even in that old world, or anywhere near one another even if they were to return. "Uh─" he interjected, thinking it best to make the point clear quickly. "My family has always been part of a uh... special subdivision of Naichou. I'm pretty sure that's the same as your KGB. Though, my fear of getting a job was because of that organization. When the last Prime Minister died, nobody would give us the time of day."

Guinevere's job in her former life was one worth addressing with a certain amount of care, it seemed. She claimed it was weird somehow, and that she wanted him to avoid laughing. Oh... so this was going to be something incredibly hilarious, obviously. Whatever a kiss-o-gram was, he could find hilarious by the name alone. It didn't sound so terrible after a bit of explanation, but he couldn't imagine someone not being the butt of many jokes for having such a job. He laughed; why wouldn't he? She was like a celebrity guest, but merely someone in costume for looks! Now, Arthur did try his damnedest not to laugh, but it was squeaking its way through his nose despite great effort. "Sorry... sorry, I─" he started. "So you worked as eye-candy? Why call it a kiss-o-gram? Did you have to kiss people?"

[Apollymi]

According to Arthur his job required lots of skills not including cooking. But apparently his love of that extended to home, and she could have come to a bit of a conclusion to that effect by herself. A grin crossed her face knowing this, finding me who liked to cook was rather rare where she was from, it was quite good to know. Whatever the case, he felt the need to interrupt, to explain that her slightly joking jab about the KGB was a bit more accurate than she would have thought. "REALLY?!" she exclaimed seemingly surprised. "Oops, sorry. It's just... that's pretty surprising. You are amazingly normal considering you have been raised as basically an agent of the government," she said with approval in her voice. She was always happy when people could overcome things like that. It was a shame though, that he'd initially had a hard time getting a job. "Well, things like that do tend to put a damper on things, it's not really fair you guys got shut out because of something like that. But it's good you were able to find some work for yourself that you could use your countless skills on~" she mused as if pleased by this.

Alright they were moving on, moving on to something terrible. There was so much heat in Guinevere's face she could hardly control herself. She was probably going to faint, and yes... he was laughing. Still, hearing him laugh was pretty comforting and she knew he was actually trying. Ugh, it was such a good job but it did pretty much come down to the fact that she was good-looking. "Yes, well... yes basically. I was a girl who spoke fluent English with a Russian accent named after a lost princess. The whole gimmick sold itself," she said rubbing her hand over her face. "And they called it a kiss-o-gram because 'Attractive Girl Message Delivery' does not inspire faith," she said she'd been skeptical of the job as well, but it was pretty good. "And no, I didn't have to kiss anyone... that isn't part of it at all. It's really clear in all the contracts so that no one complains about anything. I show up, say nice things, with my nice accent. Hand off a letter, take a couple of photos and add to the atmosphere of a party. Like a costume character at a birthday party..." she said giving her final bit of information on the whole thing. She was beyond embarrassed but she could foster this without saying much of anything about it, mostly because Arthur's own mood seemed to be quite lifted for much of the duration of this chat.

[Bloodedge]

Surprise, surprise. Arthur figured it should be taken as something of a compliment, that one didn't realize his family was so directly connected to the country's government and its... less public dealings. If it wasn't obvious, then he was a success in that aspect. "Normal, huh? I can count with no fingers how many times I've been called that." Perhaps finding work would have been easier in the past, had he been a bit less normal. Oh well; he didn't hate the one job he wound up with in the end. If he could go back and change things, he likely wouldn't.

More detail was revealed regarding Guinevere's former job of choice. Kissing not being part of the job made the title sound stranger yet, but he supposed he couldn't think of a better alternate name for grabbing attention. Still, it was a fair bit misleading. If he had an attractive girl show up to his birthday party, in costume, and she introduced herself as something like a kiss-o-gram of all titles... he'd be disappointed, if only slightly. "That's... absolutely terrible!" Arthur exclaimed, seeming to even be a tidbit serious. A few grains of rice flew from his mouth even, though Arthur personally paid this no mind, and simply kept talking. "Nothing against your job or anything, but if someone hired a person called a kiss-o-gram for my birthday party, I'd be furious with them after finding out the person they hired wasn't going to kiss me. The tease there is just too much."

[Apollymi]

According to Arthur he could count on no fingers the amount of times he'd been called normal. "Hm, well... I am certain people who wouldn't call you normal would have to know, people who were basically boring..." she said seeming to think nothing of it. Of course there was nothing innately wrong with being boring, it was just wrong not to see how absolutely normal Arthur was considering how crazy his upbringing had been. Granted, given what his previous meeting with his sibling had to have been like, she imagined they were a bit less than normal if all of them were in the same room. Whatever the case, it seemed that Arthur had found his appetite and his humor enough to pick at the situation which surrounded Guinevere's previous life's employment.

"I agree... it is terribly devious," she said about it being terrible. According to Arthur, he'd be furious if someone hired a kiss-o-gram for him and he wasn't going to get to kiss said pretty girl. She could see why such a thing was more than a bit misleading, but still she could only laugh at his outrage. "Hahaha~ Of course... but that is part of the laugh isn't. Like a prank phone call or whatever. Plus I am pretty sure friends who arranged such messages, did it for the incredibly humorous looks on the faces of their comrades when said girl arrives," she said giving it a bit more thought. "Actually, that's probably why the pictures~" she finished up. Hm, she found her job to be a perfectly devious little prank, in good fun among friends. Which probably meant it suited her tastes a bit more than she would have realized without her newfound magical upbringing.

[Bloodedge]

"That's one way to put it, I guess," Arthur agreed after a few moments of thought. What an interesting thing Guinevere chose to say without an ounce of reprehension. Frankly, it was a bit embarrassing to hear coming from the mouth of a woman─ he should be lucky they weren't facing one another, lest his face incriminate him. "Thanks for that, and for... well, everything really," he said at last.

Grateful though he was, nothing was going to stop Arthur from picking at the former job of Guinevere. It was hilarious, it was infuriating, but above all else, it was something that easily placed an image in the blonde's head. He would definitely be angry at anyone who called someone like her to a party of his, presenting such false titles upon her introduction and all that nonsense. However, he'd be lying if he said he wouldn't keep whatever photographs or recordings were taken of her arrival. "No! It's all fun and games, until some guy gets punched out by his best friend for handing over false hope in the form of some gorgeous girl in cosplay! It's decided. If I ever get a kiss-o-gram, she'll have to kiss me to stop the beating I plan on giving whatever dolt hired her in the first place. Hmm... that probably counts as blackmail though, doesn't it? Could I get away with that? Would you let someone get away with that?"

[Apollymi]

A nod came from Guinevere at the first of Arthur's statements. She doubted it would be seen but her mouth was full in the moment. By the time she finished chewing, Arthur had offered his thanks, both for her statement and then more generally for everything. "I was only being honest. There isn't any real need to thank me for anything. I only do and say what I think is right in a moment," she said softly. This was the third time she'd told this lad not to thank her for something she'd done which was simply organic to her being. She was feeling slightly abashed now. Actually, she'd chosen her seating position to give the lad quite a bit of comfort in their interaction considering his most recent habits. Of course, it was proving to be just as good to her, given the current shade of crimson her face seemed to be maintaining.

It seemed the former employment of Guinevere really struck a nerve with Arthur in his mind. The young blonde had a whole tirade lined up about what he would do in case such a young woman was ever summoned into his presence. He even claimed a friend who put him in such a position would be swiftly handed a beating. Now what was this? More of that interesting personality of his, a claim that he could solicit a kiss maybe by offering to stop beating that imaginary friend of his. "Hahahahaha~ Yes, that definitely counts as blackmail..." she said choosing not to question cosplay as that had been one of the random things explained to her previously. "And and and..." she was stuttering through her laughter at the moment. "The fact that you had to think about it... shows pretty handedly that odd upbringing of yours. Though I suppose if I didn't know about that, I might assume you just watch too much tv," she mentioned with a hearty chuckle. Would she have accepted such blackmail? Hm... that was something worth considering. She became quiet for a moment, taking an overly dramatic pause and making sure to play up her 'contemplation' of the subject. "Hm, I do wonder if I would. I suppose it would depend. Who is blackmailing me, is it still blackmail if you'd agree for a specific person?" she seemed almost quizzical but this definitely seemed like a philosophical debate. "I'd agree for you, knowing you now... but not some random stranger, who'd beat up his comrade, that'd be weird."

[Bloodedge]

Yet again, a rejection of notions. At times, it almost seemed as if Guinevere's pastime was redirecting his thanks or apologies, but there was nothing he could do aside from insist otherwise. This wouldn't be the time he managed to do so, however. All this talk of kiss-o-grams and their misleading positions was far too distracting, and it had now become a discussion about blackmail and the like. Apparently, what he thought of was considered blackmail. Arthur, in his previous life, could have employed such a tactic, though not outside of a job. The way he was raised rose to the surface by the mere fact that he found it in question, but Guinevere had something interesting to say in regards to his final question. Well, interesting may not have been the word for it... rather, something worth questioning. She claimed she would accept said blackmail if he were the one presenting it, yet not from some stranger who would assault his companion. How... strange. "I just admitted that I would punch my friend if they did that, but you'd agree if it were me, instead of a stranger doing the same thing? I think I missed a point somewhere," he said as a potential bite of a rice ball was left waiting in front of his mouth. "And did you really just admit to a person that you'd kiss them if they blackmailed you? Probably not something you should say to someone being called king of the place you're living in."

[Apollymi]

Oh, poor Arthur. The lad seemed to be missing several points. It was quite true, Guinevere could count him as properly distracted, given the fact that he'd not mustered up a counter to her statement about not needing thanks. In the time she'd known him, he'd offered her random apologies and thanks for things that weren't even directly related to him in the least. He had some great amount of chivalry built into that visage of his. But she was finding him a bit more roguish by the day. Actually, there was no problem with that, overly nice people got taken advantage of, someone with a bit of rogue or impish tendencies at the very least wouldn't fall for the same thing twice. That was... well, more appealing in a 'king' than most things, especially if their moral compass remained intact. That impish nature of Guinevere was coming forward in the moment where Arthur seemed to not understand her meaning about accepting such blackmail from him specifically, "Hm, well the point was definitely there. I'm sure you'll find it eventually~" she said in a manner most playful.

Her obvious point was she'd accept a bit of bad behavior from Arthur because she knew him, and not take such things from a random stranger. With that piece of rice hanging in front of his mouth he questioned that she'd admitted she would kiss someone who blackmailed her, but that wasn't the full scope of her message. "No. I admitted I'd kiss you, if you blackmailed me. Though I think such a thing would be unnecessary overall~" she said with an impish grin appearing on her turned face. "And I didn't say it to just someone being called king in a place I'm living. I said it to you." Ah, maybe he'd get it or maybe he'd mull it over for a while. Guinevere had already admitted to a certain amount of interest in this lad, whenever he managed to catch up to that... it would be interesting indeed. Still, she enjoyed these exercises in futility especially when Arthur hadn't seemed to completely catch up yet. Lunch was all done for Guinevere and it'd been quite entertaining, now she just relaxed and stared up at the sky, seeming to have a bit of fun at Arthur's expense.

[Bloodedge]

Oh. There was a point after all─ something he'd simply been missing. What could it have possibly been, he wondered, though not for long. Arthur wouldn't even have time to rationalize an answer for himself, as Guinevere made it rather obvious with her next speech. Oh. Right. Her claim was far more specific than just someone she knew, or some monarch doing the hypothetical blackmailing. He'd been about to take that final bite, only to hesitate once more. She wasn't suddenly looking in his direction now, right? That would be terrible, considering he couldn't tell what sort of expression he was wearing... though it certainly couldn't have been a very attractive form of shock. What else was that? The blackmail wouldn't be necessary, so... "Oh," Arthur stated. His mind was racing a fair bit, but this definitely managed to classify as an incredible distraction from his previous thoughts. "So... no blackmail then? Not even a stern talking to? I never get to use my training for anything," he quipped. Apparently, Arthur had once again found it in himself to joke about. At the very least, doing as much let him push past the embarrassment of the situation.

[Apollymi]

Arthur was without question, a hilarious individual. It seemed that he had taken the more specific nature of Guinevere's speech after she spoke again. Beyond that point he'd managed to, rather laughably, come to a couple of conclusions. He didn't need to blackmail her. Oh, and she supposed she also wouldn't need anything resembling a stern talking to either. "Arthur Pendragon... there is no reason to pout~" she mused. She couldn't even see his face, but thought nothing of mentioning how such a thing sounded. She found the whole thing humorous, "I am sure you could find plenty of reason to use your training if you wish," she said with a knowing little smirk. Ah... she was all done eating. She put away the box that had once contained her lunch and seemed pretty happy about her life. Arthur was out here and even if it was just for a moment or two, he was happy and having a regular conversation. He was thinking and moving forward, she could hear the humor in him again... these were great things, worth being a bit pushy at the outset to attain.

[Bloodedge]

"I am not pouting!" he insisted, and it was true at the time. Now, though, he most certainly was. Oh, being the runt of the family and being so easily reduced to this state─ he hardly had a choice. As for the use of his training as Guinevere phrased things, well... how was he supposed to take that clause? Was that a flirt? She was flirting completely now, right? Yes, surely she had to be! But... what if she wasn't? "Well I─" Arthur started, though he couldn't bring himself to a proper retort. This lack of certainty wasn't allowed to stand; he had to be sure. How was one supposed to figure out how flirting worked, though? Being on the job, he found such things all too easy; it was just a matter of playing the role. Surely he couldn't get away with such a thing in normal conversation though, right? No, this wasn't roleplay; it was life! There was but a single way to find out, and it definitely wasn't going to happen in Arthur's mind alone. What was the answer, then? "Guinevere, are you flirting with me?" he asked. Many questions had been asked, and many more would be asked in the future. This one, however, was from a much deeper point of genuine curiosity than others thus far.

[Apollymi]

"Protesting too much~" Guinevere mentioned, she was an older sister, identifying boy pouting was one of the things she'd gotten good at over the years. Oh, he was in for quite a bit of trouble out of this particular lass. She was more perfectly matched for his temperament than even she realized. Somewhere off in the distance, a glowing pair of magenta eyes opened within the confines of the castle library. Ah, she hadn't been sleeping though, just finding a bit of amusement in something. Oh well, that didn't matter right just now. What did matter was the confusion practically radiating off Arthur. He had no immediate comeback for Guinevere, what was he thinking after that start of a stutter? Ah, that question, a raised brow occurred and she smiled a bit harder. "Am I flirting with Arthur?" she seemed to return this question, a pensive look crossing her face. "You know, a question like that would confuse a girl under normal circumstances," she said with a chuckle. Guinevere was quite right too, she was certain that if a boy didn't acknowledge that a girl was flirting with him, she'd be more confused than he was about the situation. Meanwhile, half the male population would take any niceness as flirting simply because they weren't used to any kind of female attention. There was no winning, well at least not without the sort of directness presented by Arthur in the moment. She seemed to be giving it a bit of thought, but this was mostly just her being devious. "But... Yes, Arthur, I am flirting with you. It slipped out right at the end there," she mentioned afterwards.

[Bloodedge]

Protesting too much? That didn't mean he was pouting! Of course, he was doing exactly that, but it had only begun because Guinevere herself implied the previous, obviously nonexistent pout! Whatever the case, there were more important things to deal with... like shoving that final bite of rice into his mouth to chew away this entire segment of their conversation. Yes... in a pouty way. In the meantime, Guinevere would return his query, literally repeating the question from her own perspective. It seemed such a question would be found confusing for a lass in different situations, which was a matter that Arthur himself found confusing in its own right. More to the point, Guinevere admitted that yes, she was indeed flirting. Arthur may have been the one to ask, but he'd never actually expected yes to be the answer. Being a bit thrown aback was nothing strange in this case, though he seemed capable of continuing the conversation regardless of being in such a state. "Oh... well... that's unexpected," he said. Now, Arthur had already revealed his odd upbringing, so he didn't feel very reprehensive at all about being honest here and now. There was something he wasn't sure of, so it was best to ask, right? "There's... something I'm supposed to do or say after you do that, isn't there?"

[Apollymi]

"I'm not even looking at you, and I know that was the poutiest last bite in history~" Guinevere said still looking up at the sky, that same devious little smile painted across her face. Arthur was far too much fun, so awkward for a man his age. But somehow he still managed to be skilled and useful. He really was the type who had everything together while he had a task in mind but who seemed to totally fall apart in moments where he had nothing to strive for. How very strange, such a boy was. Guinevere found him quite amusing for reasons she couldn't properly understand. Men were sometimes wound way too tightly, couldn't take a moment to enjoy themselves. Arthur was busy poking fun at himself and after he got comfortable, his version of humorous banter was so different from the standard that Guinevere found herself entertained more often than not. "Is it, really?" she asked mostly rhetorically. She couldn't imagine flirting with him to actually be strange. Ah, but she was about to reach the highlight of her lunch, a question from Arthur... there was something he was supposed to do or say after finding out such information and he aimed this question at Guinevere directly. "Bwa--" she covered her mouth and continued to giggle. "Hehehehehe~" she was dying laughing now. But... feedback was important, "Never a dull moment with you, Arthur..." she mused. "What one does in response to finding out someone is flirting with them is up to them. Flirt back, be bashful... ignore it and be super awkward," she said thinking about it logically. "That last one seems a bit like you, but will likely end in you being teased a bit more~" she stated with amusement in those blue eyes of hers. "Mostly, I'd say to do what you wish, and whatever makes you happy, within reason. But, keep in mind it might be happening all the time~" she stated, with a quality of teasing to her voice. Yes, Guinevere was the kind of person who would tell the lad he should just be occasionally aware that she could be flirting with him.

[Bloodedge]

Alright, so maybe Arthur was being a little bit pouty at the moment. No way was he going to admit such a thing; he would just carry on as normal, so long as his current state wasn't viewed directly. Yes, that would work marvelously! Luckily, Guinevere seemed to be spending a few moments with her eyes closed, considering how intensely she was laughing at his expense. For what it was worth, Arthur seemed surprised yet again. "What? Was that funny? I was being serious─" he claimed. Ah, but of course, Guinevere did have an answer for him regardless. He could flirt in return; that probably wouldn't work. He could be bashful; he was already on it. He could also ignore it and be awkward about his response, which was what the white-haired lass assumed was most natural to him. If he did as she expected, there would be further teasing. Well, he'd like that, wouldn't he? It was actually alright, being at the other end of Guinevere's impish nature. "But if you're flirting, that means you're interested, doesn't it? If that's how it is, I should want that. I said I was interested before, after all. Where's the fourth answer, where I invite you to keep doing it until I figure out what I should be doing in response? Take that trade, and I can guarantee that I'll never blackmail you for a kiss."

Indeed, Arthur hadn't the slightest clue that he may have actually been flirting back. It wasn't as if he'd ever made an attempt to do as much before─ at least not while being himself. Perhaps he could have employed those on-site tactics here and now, but he dared not be disingenuous in his approach. Maybe he'd eventually find a middle ground, or maybe... the way he was presently would suffice in the end.

[Apollymi]

Guinevere had been laughing at the lad. But in her defense, what he said was absolutely hilarious to her. Everything simply made so much more sense knowing he was trying on purpose to be normal in conversation. Guinevere was a person who found playing practical jokes funny. When she was younger she used to press people's buttons, purposefully. Arthur could have no idea exactly how amusing she found his antics even when they weren't undertaken with the utmost confidence that he put into his work. "It was hilarious," she explained of her previous outburst. "Mostly, such things are funny because I know you're being serious~" she mentioned, having seemed to have stopped laughing for a moment at least.

This level of awkward was quite unusual, but Guinevere couldn't dislike it at all. It was quite easy to tell in such moments that Arthur was being genuine, because no one would be that awkward on purpose. It was currently a major selling point of the lad, that he was capable but not purposefully suave around her. "Indeed, flirting from me is a certain show of interest. I suppose that isn't always true but I wouldn't flirt with someone I didn't like..." she explained of herself. There were plenty of people who flirted as easily as they breathed but Guinevere didn't count herself among them. "That fourth answer is likely included in the do whatever makes you happy within reason part," she concluded seeming to be suppressing more laughter. "Though I suppose I should take that deal as an invitation, then?" she questioned seeming to think on it more before coming to a perfectly impish way to conclude such flirting. "I suppose I can accept such an offer, though I am a tad disappointed, I was hoping to find out how I would be blackmailed~" she teased face warm from the sun and her own kind of embarrassment. Strangely, this was an interesting development. She was just trying to get this lad to loosen up a bit, she hadn't intended to flirt with him at all, but with all she'd learned about him in the last few moments she could hardly resist poking at his very obvious weaknesses. Ah, well, lunch was all but over now, still, it was good to have him laughing and talking again. Even though she hadn't looked at him over the course of this meal... she could practically feel the warmth radiating from the lad. Who he was, as long as he was himself, was always going to be enough for Guinevere, of this she was somewhat certain.

[Bloodedge]

"I'm sure you wouldn't," said Arthur about Guinevere's flirting preferences. Indeed, to flirt with a person one didn't like, was only an invitation to all sorts of negative outcomes. That is, apart from those individuals who were taken by madness, in which case... well, they were the negative outcome themselves. Whatever the case, the ultimate option Arthur had to choose from was the category of whatever he liked. That was far too open. He was effectively an infant in this world, and an infant in terms of international dealings in their home world as well. Were cultural boundaries related to matters of propriety in place here? Curiosities such as this should have come with some sort of manual in this world, but... he supposed propriety went out the window, thrown into the distance within his own bloodline some days ago. "Maybe..."

Arthur had taken pause, though it would not last too long. He couldn't allow those thoughts to silence him, even if he couldn't keep them from having an effect on his mental state. With all the effort put forth by the likes of Guinevere and Emilia, the least he could do for those who'd done no wrong by him, was try being sociable. "Maybe you'll get to find out anyway. Since you were hoping for it, it's worth at least keeping in mind. Though... it'd probably be disappointing. I don't know; my first attempt at blackmail would probably be threatening to reveal your secret part-time job back home─"

In darkness, there was light. Even within those specks of light, there was more darkness... though that may have been displaced in time, never to be seen as related. Aborigines of this world understood those things, however. Some could even see events of the distant future as if they were things of the past, and for those worldly creatures, such a statement was truth at its finest. What those beings didn't perceive at times though, was each other... at least in some cases. There was a creature of legend in this world, its name skewed by history multiple times over. Said creature appeared in Loch Ness with Arthur and the others, but in a way, that same entity arrived once more. An ethereal form, male by design and concealed by a translucent cloak of white, stood alone over the lake itself. This entity appeared to be observing, yet all-knowing. In fact, it was as if he wished to witness ongoing events with his own eyes despite having a very clear knowledge of them. Alas, it stood to wonder if it were even possible for the current inhabitants of Loch Ness to perceive the figure's existence. . .

[Apollymi]

Arthur was apparently sure Guinevere wasn't the type to flirt if she didn't feel like it. That was probably for the best, it was good he didn't have the sort of negative opinion of her that came from a lot of girls. "Hm?" the lass almost questioned. It was strange talking to Arthur in the moment, she felt so very relaxed in his presence even though the lad himself seemed to be quite worked up. Whatever happened between him and his sister, which she was imagining to be some sort of extreme version of the story version of Arthur and Morgouse. Didn't really matter to her, the laws of this world weren't so very strict about such things, and the world had its own rules applied. She'd learned long ago to not, think too much about things she didn't understand as they would become clear over time.

Whatever the case, Arthur claimed his first attempt at blackmail might be disappointing. He claimed he would likely try and dangle her previous job over her head. Such a thing made her smile a bit but not for any particular reason. "That would be a pretty good place to start I suppose. I did kind of just hand you that ammunition," she said with a straight face only to begin laughing afterwards. "Hahaha~" she managed to get herself back to normal in just a moment or two. "Okay okay, I suppose I would do a decent bit to keep that secret," she finally answered. Yes, she was continuing to give him ammunition, but she figured it was fair enough to keep him talking.

But soon enough, Guin would become a bit distracted. Out the corner of her eye, she thought she saw something. It had to be there, and it felt like it was watching. What was it? Or maybe that was the wrong question... who was it? She tried to gather her bearings only to look directly and have what she thought was watching her slip from view. A person in the distance, in white standing over the lake. Was it? No that couldn't be... they would have noticed that person long before now. Strange though, she was almost certain she gained the same sort of feeling right up until that person seemed to disappear. Maybe she was just imagining things? That would make sense, obviously with all this talk of blackmail it was likely she was simply imagining being watched as she tried to help Arthur out of his shell. Except, that wasn't the case at all...

[Bloodedge]

Arthur doubted there was much he could actually do to Guinevere by way of blackmail. Actually, there was hardly a thing he would do; she'd done nothing outright malicious to him since their meeting. She claimed she'd do a decent bit to keep her little job a secret, though. Perhaps one should have taken that as an opportunity, but should Arthur? Would he? The answer was a mystery to Arthur himself, but he would manage to blurt out his first thought after a few moments of silence─ leading though the question was. "How much is a decent bit," he wondered, almost seeming as if it wasn't a direct question for Guinevere herself. In fact, it wasn't really... though it fell out of his face nonetheless.

He'd been saying something. A shame though it was, as whatever thought the man had slipped away from him in a matter of moments. Beyond the initial disappearance of a thought process, there was a distraction not even on his side of the conversation, but on Guin's. Having no clue as to this strange and sudden additional presence, Arthur could only figure it was a moment of contemplation Guinevere suffered from; he wouldn't interrupt that.

Ah, but the truth of events was far beyond some brief thoughts or blanked mind. The ashen figure upon the lake was very much real, even though he also wasn't real at all. Nevertheless, Guinevere wasn't imagining things─ she just wasn't perceiving properly. "Are you─" Arthur started to speak again, but the voice of that 'imaginary' figure suddenly entered the mind of all who inhabited Loch Ness presently. "Sleep," it said as if it belonged to some strange horror movie demon. Startling though it was, Arthur hadn't a clue where it came from. "Huh?" Arthur questioned. Little did he know, no creature within the boundary of Loch Ness would go without hearing this single word in their mind's ear─ not a single one.

[Apollymi]

Arthur found himself questioning Guinevere on the exact amount of thing she was willing to do to keep her own secret. A laugh escaped the lass as she gave it a bit of thought, and settled upon the most devious answer. "Arthur Pendragon, I can't well tell you... it'd give you an unfair advantage~" she teased lightly. Of course, she figured the lad wouldn't actually spend his spare time blackmailing her, it really wasn't worth it if he just wanted to spend time with her, or anyone else for that matter.

Too bad the happiness of the moment would soon be overtaken by something strange. That male figure on the lake and a singular word spoken by him. How creepy. Guinevere thought for a moment she might have been the only one privy to such a thing, but Arthur's reaction after failing to start a sentence let her know she wasn't alone in what she heard. "You, also heard it, right? It looks like a man is standing out on the lake, but... it's strange and then that word," she concluded. There was obvsiously something magical afoot. But what was it? Was it worth worrying about?

At the same time various citizens of Loch Ness also heard such a sound. One such individual would have a terrible reaction. Emilia in her life had been a school girl and a quiet one at that, she was quite fearful in her regular life. In this world of magic she'd gained a bit of spunk to go along with her regular status, but the word sleep echoing out of nowhere in horror movie fashion was enough to make her scream. "EEEEEEEK!!!" All the while, a certain court mage was sitting peacefully in the library of this place seemingly unaware of a problem. Had she heard the sound?

[Bloodedge]

An unfair advantage, she said. Didn't he already have one of those? Yes, he could utilize that leverage right this moment. It would take nothing to blackmail her into answering the question properly, but... that would have been a waste. Moreover, it would have been a bit rude. Ah, and of course, there was something else to focus on─ such as the strange phrase Arthur could have sworn he heard. He wasn't the only one hearing it, and it wasn't from Guinevere's mouth. No, she found it just as strange. "So that wasn't you?" he inquired. Looking out at the lake, Arthur saw nothing resembling a man or any other sort of figure standing there. Were there ghost stories surrounding Loch Ness? "I don't see anyone, but I did hear something weird─"

On the topic of hearing strange things, many would have yet another sudden utterance reach their ear. Among these individuals was Sir Elyan, the closest to this secondary sound reminiscent of a screech. The white-haired knight burst into the girl's room mere moments after her sudden outburst. It didn't matter whether she was fit to receive guests at the time or not; he assumed the voice recently heard was something assaulting the lass. Elyan's sword was drawn and ready to be swung at a moment's notice. "Emilia! Is everything alright?!" he yelled immediately.

Of course, none of these 'normal' individuals could know that despite all hearing this voice, it was only meant for one. What would that one person make of it, though?

[Apollymi]

Whatever minor quip or unfair advantage Arthur was going to try, he wouldn't get to immediately. Instead there was now a conversation to be had, about the strange figure and the voice that had spread across the area. It seemed that Guinevere was alone in seeing the man on the lake, but his word had been heard by both of them. That was at least comforting, she was less likely to be crazy if she wasn't the only one who heard something. "No, it wasn't me," she said softly. "I'm sure it was the person on the lake... he said a word did you hear it?" she asked of Arthur. She needed further confirmation that she wasn't alone in what she heard. It was strange, but why would a random disembodied being be saying just the word sleep?

What had Emilia been doing before her uttered scream? Well, she'd been on her way to a food induced coma. It'd been quite a while since she had such a strange reminder of her home life. And after making lunch for Arthur and Guinevere she'd decided to eat something similar herself. Of course, in typical teenaged fashion, she'd overindulged and gone to her room to let it wear off. She was half-sleep in a giant bean bag chair, basking in the sunlight, warming like a serpent before the word sleep echoed. She'd screamed in response, having been so close to sleep that it was loud and made her feel someone was right beside her in the moment. Strangely when she opened her eyes, she didn't find Guinevere at her side playing a joke. And soon after the door was crashing open and her named was being called by Elyan the White. Her eyes widened and her face reddened immediately. This lad had come to her immediate rescue and she was now falling out of her bean bag chair trying to get herself together enough to speak. She was wiping the side of her face trying to rid herself of drool and scrambling to her feet. Even welted lines were present on her face as she'd been quite still for several moments. Emilia was never going to live this down. "I'm... alright I think," she said that redness in her face not going anywhere. "I just heard something as I was falling asleep and it scared me... I would have figured someone was playing a prank on me, but there was no one here. Did you hear it too?" she asked of the young man. Secretly she was quite happy that the people of this castle looked after her so well, but right at the moment she simply felt embarrassed to have been caught in such a disheveled state.

The succubus known was Merlyn was sitting in the library. She'd indeed heard the call to sleep, but didn't initially assume it was for her. Though in her own mind it sounded familiar. Like a certain twin sibling of hers, rushing her off to bed after she'd been up for too long when they had some early photo shoot to attend to the next day. But she couldn't communicate with her sibling, obviously this was just wishful thinking. Besides, she had no need of sleep in her current form. Instead of following the directive, she found herself checking in on numerous people in the surrounding area. Surely no malicious magic would have made it so close without some level of warning from either herself or Sir Cador? And surely she would have seen something malicious pop up on so random a day.

[Bloodedge]

Whatever person Guinevere saw on the lake, was the only person Arthur imagined could have been behind the voice. Though Arthur couldn't see the figure, his only assumption otherwise would have been... Merlyn. If only he knew how close to the truth he might have been. Alas, Guinevere was there questioning the spoken word of that strange voice. He did hear it, yes. What did it say again? "Yeah, I did... I think it said sleep, which is why I thought it was you. Or... my dad appearing in this world and giving his automatic solution to my life problems again─" he said, oddly admitting a segment of his upbringing.

Meanwhile, Elyan was greeted by the most frazzled state of Emilia he'd ever witnessed. His eyes were darting around the room as his body turned, seemingly in preparation to defend against any assailants. Emilia claimed she'd been falling asleep when the noise was made, and it startled her. Where was the culprit? Elyan wasted no time before moving about the room, periodically checking around Emilia's location while trying to find any intruder. "I did hear it, just before your scream," he said, paying no mind to her obviously troubled demeanor. This was no time to worry about embarrassment; someone could have been in grave danger. With that in mind above anything else, Sir Elyan was looking under the bed, inside the closet─ everywhere he could, even behind the curtains and through the window. "It sounded quite distant, though. Had I not heard you just then, I would have assumed it came from a few doors down."

Ah, Sir Elyan the White was alert more often than not. Sadly, it was not the alert who were most likely to hear the sound. The closer one was to a dream-like state, the more audible that voice was. Elyan just barely heard something, while to Emilia, it was as close as her ear. Nearby, Sir Hector seemed to be looking far down the hall, while a certain Spirit Knight wandered about like he didn't have a care in the world. How very strange indeed. . .

[Apollymi]

While Arthur technically had the answer at hand within his mind, whether he knew it or not, aloud he shared something very different. He claimed he thought it was his father from the other world, coming forth to give him the answers to his life's problems. Guinevere was originally from a place that such an answer was indeed often given by the elderly. She couldn't help but chuckle. "Oh, your father sounds a bit like my grandmother. Not much in a Russian winter sleep can't cure~" she said happily. Still there was that unnerving voice out of nowhere so there had to be something to do. Guinevere found herself looking down at the doll in her lap and giving a casual shrug. "Viy hasn't anything negative to say... so it isn't an attack or anything. Still it is strange... voices don't tend to reach out to more than a single person, even magical ones," she claimed finding the occurance strange overall. "I wonder who needs to sleep," she said quizzically. Surely it was a message from beyond but who among their ranks could be in need of sleep so badly a wandering spirit would try to make them?

And now at the frazzled Emilia who seemed to be trying to get herself together enough not to seem completely out of sorts. She hated the idea she was being looked after all the time. Though she appreciated it deeply, she realized this helped contribute to her childish appearance in the eyes of most of her companions. Too bad, she truly was childish so there was not much more she could do, but pretend to be less so. Elyan did hear the voice before, but he thought it was from a few doors down, until Emilia screamed. Did that mean, that she alone was being haunted by the voice and he'd only heard it because it was close by. "So I heard it loud. And you barely heard it... I don't like it. What if something is after me?! I..." she seemed to go into a panic after her sleep induced haze. "I have to talk to Merlyn, she'll know what to do..." Emilia said. She didn't know why but talking to Merlyn always made her feel better. And the woman was quite knowledgeable and a succubus. So if something was trying to attack Emilia in her dreams, she was quite certain Merlyn could offer her help. "Would you like to come with me, Sir Elyan? Merlyn is normally in the library at this hour..." she said softly. She'd happily take the lad's company in her time of terror.

All the while, that magenta eyed succubus became aware that she was about to have visitors. Sir Elyan the White and the Lady Emilia were on their way to her. How interesting. She supposed her search of the area could wait, maybe one of them would have some extra information to share since they were together at a time like this.

[Bloodedge]

"You know... he did sometimes like acting like an old woman," Arthur said in some haphazard attempt at a joke. He was hardly managing, but Guinevere was worth the effort at the very least. At this point, he was hardly even matching the effort put forth for his own sake; a bit more couldn't have hurt. Arthur continued the attempt to see whatever figure she'd been talking about. Of course, this was to no avail; he figured he just wasn't magically-inclined enough. It was strange nonetheless, though. Why indeed would an order to sleep be given? What could anyone gain from another's sleep, delivered as a message through the psyche of at least two people? Arthur could believe Guin's claim of it being no form of attack, considering her ability to detect such things, but that only created more questions. "Well, I haven't heard anything else... and there are no ghostly chills or anything either, so I'm almost willing to believe it's got something to do with Merlyn."

While Arthur was just on the right side of wrong, and just on the wrong side of right, Elyan was in Emilia's room making a marked effort to bring her to... well, the right side of reality. "Don't worry, Emilia. You're plenty strong by yourself, and even if something presented an issue for you, I'm sure all of Loch Ness would willingly rush to your aid by now," he spoke, seeming more than certain of the claim's accuracy. In the face of a request from Emilia, however, this assurance meant nothing. Elyan couldn't call himself a knight, much less a former prince, if he refused to accompany someone worried for their safety or anything of the sort. As such, he did not hesitate to place a hand upon his chest and bow. "It would be my honor to join you. I hope my doing so will keep you at ease during the journey," the white-haired knight announced, all while his free hand gestured openly toward the door.

[Apollymi]

Arthur mentioned that his father sometimes acted like an old woman. It was a joke or at least the attempt at one, it garnered at the very least a snicker from Guinevere who found it interesting that he was still trying to joke about things. This was a good turn, she wondered if he was feeling a bit better now. She didn't expect that he would be able to pull all the way out of his funk, but he was making progress and this was good enough for her. Moreover the lad claimed that he couldn't tell anything else, but had none of their former world tell-tale signs of out of body influence. Arthur went on to state after this point that it was likely connected to Merlyn. "Merlyn? Hm... That's not impossible I guess," she said giving it a bit of consideration. The figure she saw sort of reminded her of Merlyn but was very obviously male. "At least if it has something to do with her, it's definitely nothing to worry about," she said with a small nod. What she'd observed of Merlyn and what Viy had to say about her, Guinevere found herself easily trusting the woman, even in spite of what she was, hell if all creatures of her type were half as good, they'd have the best reputation. Besides, she'd met humans who were destestable things, one nice succubus was far from worth being worried about.

Within the library, while she waited on her visitors, there was a gentle sneeze crossing the face of the great sorceress. "Achoo!" slipped from between her lips and into her sleeve as she managed to look astounded. "I wonder who is talking about me~" she questioned to herself. Strangely enough the answer to that was more than just the one individual Arthur.

In the meantime, Emilia was still freaking out, and very obviously frazzled. She'd managed to tame her hair and make sure her face was clean but now she was afraid of something potentially being after her. She'd not had the best luck when it came to things which would chase her. Nor was she immune to being taken captive, after all, someone had tried to do that somewhat recently. Ah, but Sir Elyan was here to offer his support and make a statement about the aid she'd receive if she needed it. Emilia managed to look surprised and a bit sheepish. She'd begin casually turning a lock of hair in her right hand. "Really?!" she seemed genuinely surprised by this, and more surprised by the idea that people would help her. Her whole face was the brightest shade of red. The poor girl's pointed ears were practically burning with extra heat. So when Elyan bowed and claimed to escort her, she took the excuse to scurry along. "Thank you very much!" she stumbled through the words after a little curtsy before heading out of the door. She'd lead the lad to the library and to the sorceress she sought to set her at ease.

[Bloodedge]

The way Arthur saw it, Merlyn's involvement was far, far from impossible. Any unexplained magical mumbo jumbo could be attributed to her, and the assumption wouldn't be baseless at all. "I'm even willing to bet money that Merlyn at least has something to do with it. Whatever money we use in this world, that is─" he said, realizing he'd gone this entire journey thus far without a single bit of currency to his name. There was probably gold or something of the sort, he thought─ it just hadn't mattered up to now. "Anyway, I suppose it isn't worth worrying about, no. I doubt anything that only says sleep will be dangerous, unless there's chloroform or something involved..." he stated further. This world probably didn't have much of anything like that; it likely would have been some magical ability to similar effect, but... he doubted it wouldn't have been used already if that were the case.

Emilia's reaction was humbling to the pale knight. He really thought she would be less surprised by the shared information by now, considering how quickly she could mobilize even the new addition to their group: Arthur Pendragon himself. Sure, the man's honor was not in question at all, but Elyan didn't think he would have thrown himself into danger so stupidly if the cause wasn't good enough. Elyan himself was much the same. With these things in mind, the reddened state of Emilia's face seemed somewhat unwarranted from his perspective. In the wake of this reaction, he raised a naysaying hand, and shook his head. "You don't have anything to be worried about, and there's no need to thank me. I'll keep my eyes open while we walk," he confirmed. With that, Elyan walked alongside the lass, taking her side while remaining a single pace behind for security purposes. His sword remained at the ready as they traversed the halls, yet there still seemed to be no real danger around them. . .

[Apollymi]

According to Arthur he was willing to bet money on the inkling that Merlyn had something to do with the magical mishap which had just occurred. Oh but that wasn't all, in spite of his claims of being completely sure of Merlyn's base involvement he had no idea what sort of money they used in this world. "Wait one moment Arthur," she said seemingly very surprised. "You don't know the type of money used in the world? Just what have you been doing since you got here?!" she seemed to be very confused. Most people would at least have some idea what money was, how had he been living before he got to Zuria?

At the same time, according to Sir Elyan, Emilia didn't need to thank him, and he offered to keep his eyes peeled for her safety during their trip to the library. Sword still drawn and a single step behind. "I know I don't have to, but I still should. You're still being nice even though I am probably upset about nothing..." she mentioned quietly. Emilia was still the type to take everything to heart. She thought she was more mature, but she was still easily upset and thus kindness shared with her would always be given in return. With comfort now in her body she'd walk along until she reached the library and once she did, she'd open the door and be greeted by the relieving sight of the sorceress Merlyn. She was stilling in the sun a book half-open over the arm of her chair, and she'd open with gently teasing words. "Oh? And to what do I owe the pleasure of the company of Emilia and Sir Elyan this afternoon?" she asked as she turned giving both of these people the full view of those magenta eyes beneath her hood. "Merlyn, there was a creepy voice saying sleep and Sir Elyan heard it too..." she started quickly. "But I heard it loudest and I thought it might be after me... what was it? Is it after me? Should I do something? Can you help me!?" Emilia seemed to get right back to the worst case scenario while speaking about it. Merlyn's eyes widened gently but then she'd only chuckle. "Calm down, what were you doing when you heard the voice loudly?" Asked Merlyn seeming to be taking the girl's panic very seriously. "I was... taking a nap," she said softly after a deep breath. Somehow, looking at Merlyn always managed to calm her down a bit, it was probably magic but that didn't matter to Emilia everything was better than her current level of panic. "And you Sir Elyan, what were you doing when you heard the voice, and how loud was it to you?" she asked of the young Knight. A large sample group was necessary and though Merlyn had already been working on it, two reliable sources of information were necessary for her to get to the proper conclusion.

[Bloodedge]

Indeed, Arthur hadn't the slightest idea what sort of currency this world used. He'd been here for a full quarter of a year now, and he'd never needed to spend a thing. What had he been doing? The answer wasn't so obvious to those who accompanied him since Zuria; only Merlyn had reason to know. "I assume you weren't told my reason for appearing before Kolin in Zuria's palace. I've spent the past few months traveling and slaying great beasts under Merlyn's guidance. I was meant to be some sort of bounty hunter, but it never earned me a thing. It was a decent experience with some new things to cook, though. We basically lived off the hunt until Zuria," he explained. It was nothing new for the man behind Arthur Pendragon to live off the land; he'd been trained to do so over the past decade of his life.

Despite Emilia's insistence, Elyan would not be receiving her thanks without rejecting the need entirely. "I think you're upset for a very good reason, Emilia. Even if it is nothing to worry about in the end, there's no reason to avoid caution," he insisted in turn. Soon enough, the two of them were within the library before Merlyn herself. Of course, there was officially no longer reason for Elyan's sword; that much was obvious. He did away with it as such, sheathing it with one final glance around the area. "Good afternoon, Lady Merlyn," he greeted with a slight bow. The knight went on to let Emilia carry on with her explanation of things, and Merlyn's answer was simply... to ask a few questions. That expression she wore initially was something strange to behold, even while witnessing only her eyes. Elyan was just slightly taken aback by this moment, until he was asked what he'd been doing at the time of that strange voice. "Nothing of great importance, I'm afraid. I was patrolling the halls just after taking watch from Sir Cador. The voice sounded like something from down the hall to me, but I assumed it was in miss Emilia's room after hearing her react to it. Is something amiss? You seemed to take that initial information strangely."

[Apollymi]

Arthur's next words were interesting. According to him, Merlyn had him slaying beasts and acting as some sort of bounty hunter for the duration of the time he had first shown up. How interesting. He claimed he'd not made any money from these adventures but it was the first Guinevere had heard of it. Admittedly she could see why someone like Merlyn would have had him doing such things. He was fresh in this world and there were several good potentials to taking out the large beasts that plagued the continent. "You cooked the monsters you slayed?" she questioned with wide eyes. "I mean it's good not to waste, but that is a bit crazy... and no, I also wasn't present at the time. Emilia had gone missing and I was looking for her before you showed up in the room with her, of course..." she summarized. Wow, Guinevere was learning something new this entire time.

At the same time, Emilia was having her thanks brushed off again. This time, Sir Elyan was explaining the propriety of her caution and claiming it was a reasonable reaction regardless of how the circumstances would eventually play out. "If you say so..." she said, still taking a bit of solace and feeling that warmness of her cheeks not going anywhere. Beyond that upon reaching the library and having her heart set at ease by Merlyn, she answered the woman's question and Merlyn herself seemed a bit curious. Beyond that Merlyn was greeted by Sir Elyan as well, and had her question answered. Two new bits of information, sleeping people heard the voice louder than waking people. "I see," Merlyn said in response to Emilia and Sir Elyan's words. Something was calling out to the whole of this land, and it wasn't able to do so very steadily. Ah, but Sir Elyan was quite observant he noticed that she'd reacted strangely to the information she was being given. "Well, aren't you a dutiful and attentive knight, Sir Elyan~" she teased ever so lightly. She needed to make sure this didn't seem as absolutely frightening as it was, she aimed to set this pair at ease. So she would do so with a bit of truth mixed in with vague reassurances. "Nothing amiss would be a bit of an overstatement," she said softly. "The truth of the matter is, that voice you two heard wasn't just heard by you two," she said affirmatively, being purposefully vague. "Something or someone is reaching out and it would be something that can manipulate dreams or call out to the unconscious... which means..." she gave a bit of pause. "It is likely something for me to deal with..." she commented absently. She'd take this moment to stand walking by Emilia and giving her a gentle pat on the head. "There isn't anything to worry about. I am sure the voice isn't after you nor anyone else here..." she said without giving out the amount of information that would make such a thing terrifying to the masses. "Thank you, for telling me of this directly," she said to the pair happy to have confirmation one way or another. "If you two will excuse me," she said those eyes of hers glowing sharply for just a moment as she winked before she turned to head off.

[Bloodedge]

"Eh?" Arthur reacted. Ah, he'd been a bit unclear; that was strange. It wasn't as if he was just out cooking every monster he slayed. "No, nothing like that. Some of them were worth cooking, but I also took the time to kill some of the more normal things we found along the way. Though, there was this one griffin-like creature that looked a bit too chicken-y to resist. Surprise surprise, it did taste like chicken. It was ridiculously fast, mind you," he explained of a beast that was surprisingly more delectable than most he'd eaten in this world. As for where Guinevere was when he arrived at Zuria's palace, though. . . "Right. That does make sense of why you weren't there right away. What an interesting day that was, and to think it all started with Emilia saving my butt while I was trying to save hers. I might even have to rely on someone to do that again after incurring the wrath of an almighty, radiant queen such as Kolin," he added sarcastically.

Merlyn was harboring quite a bit of good faith with her answer, though there was an underlying air of mystery as with everything she ever said. Elyan caught wind of this. He was no stranger to the slightly misleading nature of those who knew, over those who wondered. Ah, but he also knew it was typically for the better of those curious minds to be blissfully ignorant in situations like these. While Elyan sought to do all he could for the better of the group, as his duty as a knight dictated, Merlyn earned the trust of each knight flawlessly enough that even he could take a step back from the initial urge. Still... if something was reaching out to the dreams of others, why did he hear it at all? Few could call themselves more alert/awake than Elyan, so he could only imagine it was something well beyond the comprehension of most─ much like Merlyn herself. Surely then, her involvement was inevitable. "If you insist, Lady Merlyn, we've no choice but to believe you. Farewell, and good luck," he stated with a bow to the court mage. As she fled the library, Elyan was left in the company of Emilia once more. He wondered if her worries had been properly eased, and whether they were or not, he lingered behind with a question. "Are you in better spirits now? Sir Hector should be taking my post soon; I am free to accompany you if you still have worries."

[Apollymi]

Alright. It was discovered soon after she finished speaking that... she'd misinterpreted something Arthur had said. Apparently he didn't eat every random beast they came across, instead he found himself hunting for more normal creatures. He brought light to a specific one which he claimed both looked and tasted like chicken but was incredibly fast by his own reckoning. "Oh... that's not so strange. I think I know the animal you are speaking of," she said with a nod. She wouldn't be the one to break it to him that people kept those creatures as pets, and that he'd done this world's equivalent of eating a horse or a pet pig. Moving on, Arthur explained what his day saving Emilia had contained. Apparently, she'd managed to save him as well... he went on to state that he might need that sort of saving again, given he'd managed to incur Kolin's wrath. "Emilia saving someone else when she's in trouble is pretty much her in a nutshell. I've known her for quite a long time and she's just that sort of person... she manages to remain, refreshingly nice in spite of the world..." she said with a small smile coming to her face. "As for saving you from her majesty... I'm sure all of us are more than willing to do our fair share to make sure she never gets to make good on those threats. Though given how she is... she might just forget to get vengeance for quite a while if something else catches her interest," she said with an amount of snark equal to his level of sarcasm.

Merlyn spoke mysteriously? Well, yes... she often found herself omitting details people didn't need to help them continue on their daily lives. She'd grown accustom to doing this sort of thing a lot. Admittedly, Sir Elyan was quite clever to have surmised what she was doing in a moment such as this. His response to Merlyn processed in her ears happily and she found herself smiling beneath her hood. "That's a good knight~" she said to the lad with light amusement in her voice. Emilia also managed to perk up, if it was something Merlyn could handle, and she was certain nothing was after her, then she was relieved. "Thank you, Lady Merlyn... good luck!~" she chimed as well. After Merlyn left, she turned her attention to Sir Elyan he asked if she was in better spirits now and she nodded in response. "Yes... I'm feeling a lot better about it now. If Merlyn says she can take care of something I believe her..." she said as sure of Merlyn as apparently Sir Elyan was sure of her. "So you don't have to stay around if you don't want to... but," she gave it a bit of extra thought. "It's been a while since we could relax so much and I'm probably not going back to sleep so, you could continue to accompany me if you want," she said in a rather open ended manner. She was mostly fine now, but she'd been around Sir Elyan for quite a while, and she considered him a friend at least.

At the same time, Merlyn was currently out of sight of the library and suddenly aiming to be in the company of a certain purple haired Spirit Knight. Why? Because she didn't like the implication that something was calling to her specifically. She hadn't slept since coming to this world, not in literal millennia. She had no intention of doing so... but she likely should to make sure all would be safe. It was a complicated matter and she didn't like change very much, so she was going to her Emotional Support Knight... for well, emotional support. "Sir Cador, if a random voice told you to sleep, would you do it?" Yes, this was her opening question. It was a very simple question with no so simple ramifications.

[Bloodedge]

"Oh? I'm guessing you've had it as well. It's great with peppers," said Arthur. Little did he know, the creature he'd eaten was a very sought-after companion for many inhabitants of this world. Had he been on another continent, he'd have his head on a chopping block after admitting to that dining experience. Whatever the case, Arthur was finally content to start moving. He rose from this little picnic setup, deciding to stretch his legs a bit after all the hullabaloo. "That does sound very much like Emilia, from what I've seen so far. And look, she even has the ability to blackmail someone like me into leaving my room. Though I can't give her all the credit, she definitely handed over a sharp enough blade for you to puncture my kidney with." True enough, it had been Emilia to provide Guinevere the perfect ammunition. He was sure at this point that either of them alone could have dragged him away from that lonely room, but the combined effort left him incapable of resisting for very long. He had half a mind to find some way of thanking them both, but for now, he had a hand extended to Guinevere. "You're right; Kolin does seem to forget things very easily. She even managed to lose track of her plans to ruin me while being enamored with the thought of her own success. Now then, shall we walk?"

In the meantime, Elyan received the response of Emilia. She didn't have need of guard or any fix to a state of unease, though she offered company if he so desired. The pair of them had essentially grown up together, alongside Guinevere... though he'd been the one doing most of the 'growing up' part between the two of them. With Zuria in disarray after the usurping of Kolin and company, an otherwise solid trio had been essentially split, with Elyan being the most distanced from the others. "It has been a while since I've been inside the same building for more than two days, actually. I'd be honored to take a breather and catch up. I'm sure you have a lot of stories to tell from the past few years."

Cador had barely heard the voice, yet he was the one approached by Merlyn for questioning about it. By the time she reached him, he was halfway to his bedroom for a bit of rest before his next duty. He wasn't expecting to encounter the sorceress at this point in his day, if any at all. Even less expected, was the question she presented him the moment they were in earshot of each other. The Spirit Knight halted immediately, his brow rising, and his mouth hanging agape in confusion just briefly. "I'm sorry, what?" he asked. The sound others heard was hardly more than a strange feeling in Cador's ear, something brushed off as one's own imagination. Obviously, he was just tired─ hence his trip to bed. "I suppose it would depend on the voice. If Guinevere told me to sleep, I would ask her what she was trying to do while I can't see her. If you told me, however..." As far as Cador was concerned, he needn't say another word. If Merlyn told him to sleep, she obviously had plans he might take interest in. Anyone else likely didn't have anything reasonable in mind. "Why do you ask, Merlyn? Should I be taking that as a hint of some sort?"

[Apollymi]

Guinevere hadn't ever eaten the creature in question. Mostly because normal people of the world wouldn't have eaten it. Those creatures were farmed, bred, and raised... as companions, pets or beasts of burden. She was quite sure some people ate them, but it was usually a matter of desperation or sadism. She was willing to believe the lad with her simply didn't know that information, so she'd answer his question. "Hm, no... I've never eaten it before. People here don't really eat those," she said in a light tone. Well, she was sure somewhere it was considered a delicacy. People normally ate things that didn't register as pets, wild boar, fowl, bison. Moving right along, Emilia was also still a topic of conversation. Apparently, what Arthur knew of her, was similar to what Guinevere had said, "Hahaha, yeah. Well, we do a lot of talking together so it was a joint idea... it was worth it though," she mentioned. Lunch was soon over though, so she packed away her basket. By the time she did, Arthur was standing near with a hand extended. He offered a walk post meal and she could not turn down such a thing. "Of course, it'd be my pleasure..." she taking his extended hand, only to reply to that bit about Kolin with a laugh. "Hahaha, yeah... that doesn't surprise me. She's more than a bit unhinged..." she commented. Though given the types she'd seen around the woman periodically, she could take Merlyn's words about her being into bossy blondes rather seriously.

While, Guinevere and Arthur committed to a walk. A happy Emilia was left to catch up with one of her most prominent companions from a time before the Mad Queen took over Zuria. Sir Elyan was without a doubt the most excluded of their friend group during the Mad Queen's reign, it'd become obvious to both Guinevere and Emilia that Kolin didn't want them hanging out with any of the men in any capacity. Yes, she didn't even want brother and sister to continue their life long bond. A smile crossed Emilia's face as the lad agreed to continue being in her company, "Hm, I suppose she was quite serious about keeping you away from both Guinevere and me... She was kind of crazy. I'll start with the tale of her falling down half a flight of steps... when the heel on her shoe broke~" she said with an upward inflection. Such a thing had been the doing of Viy and Guinevere, but Emilia had almost passed out holding in the laughter. Actually when she thought about it now, Nerys had been in much the same position as well. "Oh, and I made fruit syrup... we can have shaved ice!~" she chimed. Apparently it wasn't just Arthur she planned on emotionally bribing with food.

At the same time, Sir Cador was being approached with a very open ended question by a certain Court Mage. His initial response brought a smile to Merlyn's face, and made her laugh just a tad, his follow up, was sensible given the pair under his care during his stay in Zuria. Apparently Guinevere was quite the mischievous little entity. She could imagine the lass planning some kind of coup and thinking of killing Kolin. Even if not that extreme, it was likely the lass would pull some kind of prank that would make her the butt of every joke for several months to come. "Well, Guinevere gives off an interesting amount of impish energy. So... I could see that at least~" she chimed as if she wasn't in a state of crisis. At the same time she was left to ponder the question of why she'd asked. "I ask because a voice reached out to this kingdom and the only word it uttered was sleep. Those less conscious heard it louder than those more conscious. Given that I am the only one in this kingdom who has never slept, it is likely meant for me... but I don't know if I should be taking the words of a disembodied voice to heart," she concluded rather easily. But never one to give up on banter, she'd address the last part of his statement as well. "Oh, but if you'd like that as a proposition I could make it so... or, I could put you to sleep more directly if you'd prefer~" she said offering a wink. Yes, she was still flirting but it was mostly defense mechanism. She'd rather not think too much about the fact that she was the only person in the kingdom to never sleep. She would also rather not think about the possibility of the things that could go wrong with a random voice reaching out to her being powerful enough to speak to the whole of the kingdom. She had nothing but faith in her own abilities but... it was a difficult sea to navigate.

[Bloodedge]

People in this land didn't eat those birds? What a ludicrous thought that was; they were absolutely delicious! "Well I suppose regular chicken of some sort could be just as good, but there is a bit of gaminess that works strangely with those large ones. I'm not quite sure how to quantify it, but they were a special treat. You should try one!" he insisted. If he had the opportunity, he'd gladly go hunt down another. Yes, Arthur had a few ideas to make a fine dining experience of it. Maybe he could make a date of it? One might wonder why Arthur's mind was so easily wandering in that direction, but if nothing else, he was more comfortable than he thought he'd be. With Guinevere taking his offered hand, he took the initiative of shifting toward the castle's courtyard, seeming as if he would first pass through the training grounds. He'd been dragged out under the pretense of keeping a more direct eye on this 'kingdom', if it could be called that, so he'd take a bit of a tour. In the meantime, the would-be king thought to address matters of importance. "So, is there anything I've gone without noticing recently? It's been looking like the start of an actual civilization out here."

Sir Elyan had certainly been ostracized by the most recent queen of Zuria─ at least from those he'd have normally kept company with. He had therefore gone quite some time without hearing many details about anything, but oh did Emilia have a story for him now. Apparently, the high and mighty queen had one hell of a tumble after suffering something as simple as... a broken heel. If nothing else, Kolin always walked around with a great deal of poise. He didn't imagine she even kept footwear long enough for that sort of wear and tear, which meant... someone had to be blamed for this. Elyan laughed heartily, knowing exactly where he would have directed said blame. "When it broke, huh? That must have been a real shame," he joked. Naturally, Elyan wished he could have seen that moment. Could he have avoided being the target of Kolin's ire if he did? Likely not, but it would have been so, so worthwhile. Ah, and the same could be said of experiencing shaved ice in this world so far from home. "Really? You never cease to amaze me. I hope that was an offer, as I could never refuse one like that," he said, clearly favoring cold treats of any sort.

Meanwhile, Merlyn went about explaining the voice Cador brushed off as nonsense. Sleep? Was that what it said? Either Cador didn't hear it properly, or he wound up ignoring and forgetting it in the end. What a shame; he was hoping this conversation was going in a very different direction. In fact, anything would have been better than some actual disembodied voice telling everyone in the vicinity to sleep. That wasn't the case, though. While everyone heard it to varying extents, Merlyn believed it was meant only for her. Her explanation made sense of this, what with her lack of sleep over whatever number of centuries she lived. "I'm inclined to agree that a disembodied voice shouldn't be listened to haphazardly, but honestly? You're far overdue for a nap, Merlyn. How do you avoid the bags?" he asked jokingly, keeping with the usual tone of their conversations. With that, Cador sighed and gave some consideration to these seemingly important matters. "While I would like to take that as a proposition, and of course you are free to send me off to bed whenever it tickles your fancy, I do believe it would be in your best interest to put this little situation to rest instead. Who would have a need to send the great Merlyn off to bed for a night? I wasn't aware you had actual enemies, so... I wonder what's left."

[Apollymi]

Guinevere was given a very interesting speech by Arthur. He claimed that the meat had a special gaminess that he couldn't quite quantify. He made the claim that it was worth trying, "Should I?" she questioned. There was something strange about the idea of eating something people thought of as pets. She hadn't had one herself, but she wouldn't want to upset anyone who had. Maybe she'd figure out a way to break it to Arthur... it was something worth thinking about, and maybe consulting some other people about as well. Whatever the case, hand in hand they approached the training grounds. It was good that Arthur was out and about getting a good lay of the lad and being the approachable man he claimed he was, "Things you have gone without noticing? Well, there are quite a few refugees showing up as the land settles. They are being given dedicated housing," she mentioned thinking about it a bit more. "The Knights have organized themselves and given shifts for guard duty and making themselves available for protecting the land..." she added. "The monster of the lake has been startlingly quiet, helping those who've lived here for a while get back to normal activities like fishing," she finished up. Overall the land and its people were coming together quite nicely. She didn't have any complaints to lodge about it, except for Arthur's absenteeism.

It seemed the story that Emilia chose to tell was a good one indeed. Sir Elyan understood the subtlety of the words offered by the white haired lass. A grin spread across her face as she went on to embellish just a bit. "Of course, just snapped out of nowhere, we watched her fall... head over heels down a set of steps. Literally there was no one to blame either... we were all shocked," she said with an almost believable amount of innocence. She was laughing right now though. Even thinking about that woman taking such a tumble years after the fact was funnier than she could imagine. Ah, but from here there was the matter of shaved ice. Sir Elyan hoped such a thing was an invitation and claimed he couldn't turn down such a thing. The fact that he claimed she never ceased to amaze him, didn't fly over her head either. The lass began walking back towards the kitchen with a smile on her face. "Of course it was an offer, Sir Elyan. I wouldn't dangle something I know you'd like over your head and not share it," she claimed as if the idea was abominable. "There are even flavor choices~" she claimed. In her former life, Emilia was a sous chef. As such she had a great deal of cooking experience, and often made a dish or two for the menu of the place she worked. Dessert was far from the hardest thing she'd had to come up with... especially when the ingredients were as simple as shaved ice. "Though... I can't take all the credit. I did have Guinevere make me a bunch of ice without telling her exactly what I was planning," she said willing to pass a bit of credit along as she entered the kitchen and readied herself to serve such a dessert.

While tours and dessert were on the table for the others, poor Merlyn was only speaking of sleep and in the least amusing way possible. She took solace in the fact that she wasn't alone in thinking it strange to follow the instructions of a disembodied voice, but at the same time, Sir Cador took a marked jab at her lack of sleeping habits. "Well, it could partly be my being a shapeshifter. And partly have something to do with the fact that I am never actually tired. I mean... I don't need to sleep for mana regeneration, nor do I suffer from lunacy when I don't sleep. I don't feel physically tired or anything..." she said as if this was all the reason in the world one needed not to sleep for literally thousands of years. Still there was a great deal of wisdom in Sir Cador's words. She didn't really have enemies, and she could always send him off to bed if it tickled her fancy. She definitely shouldn't leave anything festering and it wasn't as if she had to fear anything resembling conventional forms of violence against herself. "Everyone has enemies. I am not sure who would count as one to me... but I doubt they would if they had sense, try and get me to sleep that would be dangerous for them. It could also be something good I suppose..." she frowned then. "Ugh, I can't believe I'm going to sleep for the first time in... well never mind," she said not wanting to out herself as the seemingly timeless sorceress she was. "Fine. I'll take a nap, but I won't pretend to like it..." she said in a huff. "Still... I might join you later~" she said to the knight giving him a wicked smirk beneath her hood. "Enjoy your rest, Sir Cador. And you have my thanks... for bringing reason to my present conundrum..." she mentioned happily. "Oh and our young King is out of his room finally, so I suppose a nap isn't the most outlandish thing to happen today~" she said with the intention of heading off to her own room for this nap.

[Bloodedge]

"You should!" Arthur said without hesitation. From his own understanding, there were few meats superior in quality than the one they were currently discussing. It was almost a steak-like form of poultry, flavorful in its own right, yet simultaneously mild enough in said flavor to accept a massive array of seasonings. Oh, there was no shortage of ideas for dishes! "I'll cook you a gourmet-quality dish of it, as thanks for all you've done." And just like that, he had one of the answers he needed. All he required now, was some method of thanking Emilia. Perhaps he could come up with something before their next meeting─ maybe even during this walk presently filled with Guinevere's list of changes since he entered a state of solitude. "Refugees are good. I'm guessing it won't be long before we've gone through that entire bison. I'd rather do that before the meat goes bad. As for everyone's work, it seems like this place is being held together better than I could have imagined. You know life is going well when people start fishing. I have more thanks to dish out than I thought," he said with a sigh. Well, he was certainly going to be busy in the near future, and that business seemed to be starting now as passing citizens waved to the man they viewed as king. Little did Arthur realize, he hadn't even released Guinevere's hand after helping her up. Maybe then, he was returning the gesture to a few people who saw two monarchs walking through the castle yard.

Emilia carried on with some obvious lies regarding Kolin's... accidental fall. All the while, Elyan wouldn't stop laughing. That blasted woman almost had him killed for no reason at all, but that death would have been worthwhile if he'd seen that moment beforehand. "It serves her right. With all she's done, I hope that shoe fell off and her bare foot landed on a Lego. For that matter, it would be nice to see her pillows cursed to always be warm on the other side." Elyan was not a person who wished ill on anyone, but he was quite the immature individual. Former Queen Kolin deserved, at minimum, all the minor annoyances life had to offer─ every single one of them. More importantly though, Emilia confirmed that she was indeed offering the aforementioned shaved ice. There were even flavors to choose from, according to the lass herself. "Come now, Emi; don't go spoiling me before we even get there. You know I'm prone to going overboard," he said in a moment of childhood recollection. Moreover, there was the simple matter of Emilia shifting credit toward Guinevere. "Please. Don't go giving her credit; you know how swollen her head will be if she hears that. You could have gotten ice from anywhere─ even me."

Merlyn's sleeplessness was blamed on a few things. Her existence as a shapeshifter was one, and her lack of tiredness over the ages was another. Cador heard these, but he could not fully fathom the point. She didn't need to sleep, obviously... so why didn't she do it anyway? "Merlyn, this is precisely why you are so obviously bored all the time. I could stay awake for several days, but I would still sleep when the opportunity presented itself. Rest your mind as one rests the body; it must be dreadful dealing with conscious thought for... whatever the length of your lifespan is, since you absolutely refuse to bring it up," he said cheekily. Whatever the case, Merlyn agreed to take a nap. She even went on to mention joining him later, sharing a grin that he strangely saw beyond that hood's shadow. Cador truly was in the business of being this sorceress' emotional support knight. How comical; he didn't expect that to become an actual job, though he'd take it nonetheless. Ah, and it seemed Arthur was on the move again. That was excellent news, and all the more reason for Cador to take rest. "Finally. I am all for leaving my fellow man to his brooding, but I was beginning to actually worry. This rest will be in celebration, then," he said, finally pushing open the door to his chambers. In doing so, he stood just beyond the doorframe while leaving the door open. "You are more than welcome to use my bed, if you like. I assume sleep has become a foreign enough concept that you would not turn down a bit of additional support? Besides, I could be the first to know whether the great sorceress Merlyn has a snoring problem. I'd be remiss to let that opportunity slip between my fingers~"

[Apollymi]

Arthur was really on about his food of choice. He claimed she should try it, but custom would keep her from wanting to eat such a creature. Though she didn't keep such creatures as pets, she'd known of other nearby kingdoms who did. It was clearly written in books that other continents considered the creatures regal, worthy of worship. The type of beings that could stand up to dragons, should hardly be included in the classing of 'dinner'. Still he offered to make her a meal of such a creature, as thanks for all she'd done. "You really don't have to do that..." she said softly. "It's just... that creature really isn't something I'd want to eat," she explained gently. There would be no easy way to break it to him, she really would have to consult one of the other women. But it was fine, she could balance that conversation with more interesting things. "Yes, the bison is being worked through. Emilia has managed to prepare a couple of different kinds of dishes. She's apparently quite handy with her knife work. She's also taken to making meals of fish. I am not sure what Sushi Grade Tuna is, but she seemed rather excited about the prospect," Guinevere explained. "And thanks are fine, but we've all mentioned before that we'd do our part to see this place thrive. None of us feel any different now, of this I am quite sure..." she mentioned. It also seemed to have slipped the lass' mind that she was still holding Arthur's hand. Oh well.

At the same time, Emilia was left to laugh at Elyan's outburst. The lad was knightly in every way possible, but... he was still the younger sibling of the impish Guinevere. As such, his words regarding the Mad Queen were full of spite but in an oddly non-violent way. The idea that the former queen should step on Legos, and have her pillow cursed to warmth was beyond hilarious. Emilia couldn't help the laughter that escaped her, "Ha-he-hahaha, Legos? Really?! And I can't imagine the annoyance of flipping the pillow over to find it warm on the other side~" she laughed at the outburst. "Sir Elyan's wrath is extreme~" she teased lightly. Ah, but what was this? She shouldn't spoil him so early on, and he'd called her name in the way she was used to hearing it, at a time that felt like it'd long since passed. Something just that little was enough to brighten the lass' cheeks all the way to the points of her ears. "Well overboard is fine in small doses. Besides... it's been quite a while, since you called me that. We have to celebrate~" she said, what were they celebrating though? Likely the return of their friendship, which had endured quite a long hiatus. At the back of the kitchen the lass was pulling up those white locks of hers in a ponytail high up on her head revealing those pointy ears of hers, as she prepared to make this particular sweet. Hands washed and she went to gather the necessary ingredients. Pre-mixed bottles of syrup, pourable. Ice, crushed to the appropriate texture and small cups and tiny spoons. "Well she'll hardly be unbearable, a bit of a big head would be fine. I suppose I can always ask you for help later, when it isn't a surprise for you," she said with a small smile on her face. "So pick your flavor~" she said, as she began scooping ice into the dishes. In front of her bottles were labeled; blackberry, strawberry, currant, almond-vanilla, green apple, gooseberry, and cherry. She'd gone out of her way to pick things she knew others to like and to choose a with a wide range of flavors to try and cover the rest.

Merlyn was in for a rather strange lecture now. Apparently her lack of sleep was why she was always bored. Sir Cador went on to explain that he could have stayed up several days at a time but chose not to, in order to give his mind time to rest. Who did that? There wasn't anything wrong with her mind... well aside from knowing literally everything. He even took the gentle jab at the age of hers she didn't want to bring up. A sigh escaped her, "I'm old, Sir Cador..." she said holding her hand up in a grand gesture. "But if sleep is good for an idle mind, I suppose I'll have to try it out," she said softly. She was more than ready to leave and try out this whole sleep thing. Even after sending a flirty word or two Sir Cador's way. Ah, but he had more to share. He was excited that Arthur was back out and claimed to have been worrying a bit about him. "Hoh? We were worried about the young king, hm? Then the celebration is for Guinevere and Emilia as they were the pair to force his hand... or rather legs in this case~" she said with a knowing smirk. Still, it was quite good that the man wasn't locked in his rooms. Moving on from that, Sir Cador offered his own bed to the sleepless sorceress. He made the claim that if she didn't really know sleep she might use additional support and of course, he wished to know if she snored. "It is quite a foreign concept... and I am far from trying to figure it out on my own. I'd be remiss to turn down the opportunity, to steal an afternoon in the Spirit Knight's bed," she claimed stepping into the room after him. It was all still joking banter, but she hadn't slept a wink since being human and even while human she hadn't slept much. All was clear now, but how would this thing called sleep go?

[Bloodedge]

Ah, it seemed Guinevere actually had no interest in partaking of such a bird. That was fine, of course. One couldn't expect everyone to eat everything, and he could understand someone not finding that particular creature appetizing at all. If only he knew the whole truth. Regardless, the bison was being served still, but people would also have variety if they were already out fishing and the like. A few hunting parties here and there, some farmers and so on, and the food of Loch Ness would forever be diverse and plentiful. There was also mention of... sushi-grade tuna? That sort of thing could be found here? "Oh?" Arthur murmured. "To call fish sushi-grade, is just to say it is safe to eat raw. It's a term that exists for people who aren't familiar with everything that goes into the preparation of sushi, telling consumers 'this fish is safe' and such. If Emilia says she's got some, Loch Ness is about to become very... Japanese. You should try her sushi when she makes it; I'm sure it will be great. Emilia could work in a Michelin star restaurant if she wanted," he added. "And yes, everyone made it very clear they wanted to contribute. That still doesn't mean any of you had to, so it's worthy of thanks. That could especially be said about certain former royalty, who shouldn't be expecting to work at all."

Emilia could at least follow along with the humor of Elyan's ill wishes. He expected nothing less of her, really. "Don't even try to imagine how terrible that would be. I know that's the sort of thing we wanted in Zuria, but that woman obviously wasn't made for the real cold. Poor autumn types," he said, taking pause and observing a rather strange reaction in the half-elf. Her face was redder than he'd seen it in literal years, and he wasn't even sure why. Emilia's next statement addressed the reason. Ah, he'd referred to her by a name she'd gone some time without hearing. Elyan didn't even realize he'd done such a thing, though it also didn't seem very strange to say it. "I'm not so sure that's something to celebrate, but if you think it's worthwhile, I can hardly argue. Whatever pleases you~" Following this exchange, Elyan stood aside while Emilia tied up her hair to prep for the treats they would soon have. Options were set out during these preparatory moments, and Elyan gave only a brief glance at the syrup bottles before his choice became firm. "Hardly a competition. The people have been going mad over the blackberries here, so I'll give that a try," he said with certainty.

Oh? Merlyn was old? He never would have guessed! Cador exemplified the finest display of shock after hearing the woman's proclamation. "Merlyn, how could you?! All this time, I thought you were an innocent little girl," he said in mock outrage. As for worrying over Arthur, Cador was one who imagined things would be fine in the end. Alas, Guin and Emilia had very different plans. They weren't going to wait around for him to eventually drag himself out of a funk, and from what Cador was hearing now, that was the best possible choice. Leave it to them, he thought. With that passing, he pushed his chamber door to a close. Cloak and tunic were discarded without a hitch, and his shoes were soon to follow. He was, after all, planning on having a nap himself. "I seem to be having multiple strokes of luck as of late. To think, I can boast about how it was my bed to finally fell Merlyn herself. Come now, Merlyn; off to your own dreams for once."

[Apollymi]

A sigh of relief. It seemed Arthur was willing to drop the idea of feeding Guinevere that strange 'chicken' as he called it. She could rest easy that she wouldn't be forced to consume the pet of another being. Moving right along, it seemed that 'sushi-grade' was a term which denoted the safety of consumable raw fish. She remembered such places existing in the world they came from, but hadn't ever gotten up the nerve to try one. Beyond that, Arthur sung Emilia's praises, claiming she could have worked in a Michelin Star kitchen. "Oh? Well, it is good to know. Not that I thought Emilia would have poisoned me or anything. She has always been quite handy in the kitchen, she claimed it was something she did often before ending up here..." she said of the lass. "She'd appreciate the praise as well... I have no issues eating anything she makes. She's been cooking for me, half my life..." she mentioned. It was interesting to realize that Emilia had been part of Guinevere's life for quite some time, and it was easy to forget given Emilia's innocent nature, that she was much older than those she found herself in the company of. "The other world has poisoned your brain, Arthur. Those of us raised to properly rule, were never kept from work. I was expected to be able to do many of the jobs present within my kingdom and to defend it with my own hands if need be. While not all kingdoms are like this, many of them were in the recent past. Only those from our own world, find out that being prince or princess isn't as work free a lifestyle as they expected," she said. To be technical this was also true in their home world. Some of the rich and famous worked as hard as every day people, not all, but it was the case for a few people, Guinevere had previously met such a young man while she was attending University.

"Definitely~" was Emilia's response to the idea that the Mad Queen wasn't built properly for the winter. All of them, had known the winter in its realest form. So, they all had very different outlooks. Someone like Kolin, didn't understand the truth of a harsh winter, and as such, she'd never truly adjusted to the climate of Zuria. Moreover she was left to be pleased and embarrassed by the familiar calling of her name by Sir Elyan, he even chose his flavor commenting about the popularity of the blackberries in this land. "Yes, they are pretty excited about them. Apparently, they are native and grow here most of the year... they are quite tasty, this was one of the better flavors," she said, picking up that bottle and giving it a gentle twirl in her hands before she doused his ice cup in the syrup. Once it had the proper coating she moved on to her own. She'd taken a bit of a liking to it herself and it wasn't as if she planned on only having one. "Alright then, eat up before it melts... but not too fast, no brain freezes~" she mentioned as she was more than content to begin eating, but she'd wait to see if the lad liked his first. She'd make him another if he didn't.

At the same time, Merlyn was conversing with Sir Cador as they apparently readied themselves for a nap. What was this? He was aghast. Apparently he thought her some innocent maiden, not the old and downtrodden individual she'd been proving of herself. "You see me as you wish to, Sir Cador. Look, I'm pretty sure I've lost ten years, just by that outburst~" she teased. Though she hadn't physically changed at all. She watched Sir Cador prepare for this nap by removing a layer or two of this clothing. Like remembering how to ride a bike, Merlyn mimicked his motions. She magically rid herself of layers, hood, and shoes to leave herself comfortably atop the bed. He claimed he could boast about how his bed was the one to finally make her sleep. "Ah well maybe. I am sure you should likely take the credit for that yourself," she said softly as she laid down and spent a moment or two fidgeting before settling into lying on her left side with one arm tucked under her head. "My dreams are probably boring. If they even exist at all, still... I suppose I'll find out soon enough," she grumbled like a petulant child. The only way to fall asleep was to pretend to be asleep. She would aim to quiet her own mind slow her breathing and close her eyes. "Sweet dreams, Sir Cador~" she mentioned as she tried to find her own.

[Bloodedge]

It was funny that Guinevere would bring up the idea of poisoning here and now. Talking of preparing Japanese dishes, he knew of one particular example that could easily poison a person if not properly prepared. "I doubt she would. Just be careful if there's a Fugu equivalent in this world, and she tries to prepare it herself. I doubt she would, but... it seems like something that would eventually become a goal of hers," he said, recalling his own evolution as a chef. That particular fish was something of a crown, a writ of passage into chef adulthood, as it were. Sadly, that reputation came from just... not poisoning people when serving it. Ah, but speaking of poison, Arthur was apparently the one suffering from some sort. Monarchs of this world were not so spoiled as those he expected from their home planet? That was almost hilarious to think about. He'd grown up while watching a prime minister of ill-repute, and come to this world for his first example of a monarch to be one like Kolin. To think they were habitually hard workers in this world was strange, but then again... Guinevere was born and raised to rule. "That sounds like a dream, honestly. There's something refreshing about seeing people at the top work just as diligently as the people who would be considered grunts. My boss is like that, and so is my employer... who is not at all the same person, I should say. It's the sort of person I aspire to be, if I'm being honest. So then, Guinevere, surely you must be ready to take charge of Loch Ness?" he asked. This was of course a joke, meaning only to play at throwing all responsibilities into her experienced hands. Ah, but he didn't even consider that other implications could be made with such a query. . .

The people of Loch Ness had a great deal of excitement about these blackberries, and Elyan was sharing that excitement. It was a stroke of good fortune that Emilia had a syrup prepared to allow his first test of the fruit in some way, and in fact... it was even better that it could be the topping to a cold dessert. "I certainly hope so," he said about blackberry being one of the better flavors. Given his existing preferences, Elyan doubted he could dislike it at all. As such, he took it in hand with a very positive outlook─ though not without scoffing at the idea that it would melt or cause him brain freeze. "I'll try not thinking that you just mistook me for someone frolicking about in the summer," he retorted. Nothing frozen would melt in his hands, and nothing could be cold enough to truly affect him. Ah, but there was once a time when Elyan himself could be called a 'summer child' of sorts. In youth, before his magical abilities awakened properly, he'd even been bedridden numerous times during cold-induced illness. Barring the whiteness of his hair in keeping with family lineage, it was once assumed that he was born of an affair due to the aversion to cold he suffered in his formative years. That aside though, he took the first bite of this shaved ice topped with blackberry syrup. It was definitely an interesting thing to strike the palate. Could it even be compared to conventional, store-bought blackberries from their home world? Not at all. "Goodness. Temperature aside, I'm somewhat glad we moved to Loch Ness─"

Merlyn lost ten years from his outburst, did she? Well, Cador would be inspecting that quite thoroughly. He even paused his disrobing to take her by the face, checking for bags under her eyes and wrinkles upon her brow. When he was done, he chortled. "My my, if that's what ten years does to you, I'd like to know your secret. I daresay you may have even regressed in age since I was last granted the gift of seeing you without that bothersome cowl." Ah yes, it was both a blessing and a curse to deal with the hooded Merlyn. Cador had seen her enough times to have the image burned into his retinas permanently, and that veil of a shadow was almost a sin. Though he understood the necessity of keeping that sight from the world at large, he did always fancy a look or two underneath. Speaking of underneath... more than the cowl was removed, and yet, Merlyn made her way onto the bed without seeming very bed-ready at all. While his breeches were being unfastened, Cador gazed upon the succubus with a quirked brow and a general expression of... judgement. "Seriously? Merlyn, do you intend to use clothes in place of linen? I never thought I'd say this, but looking at you is making me feel uncomfortable by proxy," he said, simultaneously doing away with his trousers. Cador would be entering his bed as the gods intended: under cover and sans all but his undergarments. Merlyn, however, looked like some sort of psychopath who passed out after a night of binge-drinking.

[Apollymi]

Apparently, Arthur doubted Emilia would poison anyone. That was good information, still, he told Guinevere to be wary of a particular kind of fish if it happened to exist in the world would be something to be avoided. Guinevere had never heard of it, but she doubted Emilia would serve anything without being certain of its safety. "Well any particular goals aside. I doubt she'd serve anything that would kill a person. She's far too dedicated to do anything like that..." she said of Emilia. That young woman had the implicit trust of many who'd be in Zuria, but none more than Guinevere and Elyan. Moving on from that, Arthur apparently knew of similar individuals to the decently raised royals of this world. Separately the person who employed him and the one who had direct dominion over him. Strange though that was, Guinevere could understand the situation, "Oh, so the one who employed you and the one you work for directly are different people. That is a bit strange considering the type of job you do. But I could get someone hiring a person to help out someone else," she said with a curt nod. "And making sure you don't become one of the lazy upper class types is probably also for the best, mad lazy rulers are far from what the world needs," she said softly. As for whether she was ready or not she to take over Loch Ness, Guinevere could only smile and shake her head from left to right. "I am far from ready to take over such a place~ I'd need at least a few years yet, I'm not exactly old enough to reign as it stands~" she explained as if that was at all anything more than a joking reason to decline reigning in any place. Even if she could she wouldn't have taken this place from Arthur. She aspired to raise a kingdom, but she didn't have to be the one in charge of it to do that... she could nurture it in different ways, like by offering her aid and wisdom to its rightful king.

At the same time, Sir Elyan and Emilia were experiencing the greatness that was blackberry shaved ice. Having served them both, Emilia would watch as the lad had his first taste. He hoped it was good and had nothing but a bit of commentary to add to her statements about his eating of the treat. Oh? He hoped she wasn't implying he was some sort of summer child? Well, she would never do that! She remembered from his childhood all the associated issues he'd had with his initial winters. That didn't mean she wouldn't give the same advice always. "I would never mistake El for a summer child. But everyone's brain freezes. And I've seen you suffer more than one~" she said with her nose turned up in a joking way. She'd missed this lad quite a bit in the time that they'd been separated. Ah, but he had his first bite, and enjoyed it. Good. She'd go on to have one herself. Weather aside he liked this place and the blackberries that grew here. "Hm, it's even better on the ice!~" she claimed excitedly. "The weather here isn't so bad... not as cold as we would like, but, not unbearable..." the lass mentioned. "Still, I'm glad you like it... I was a bit worried about flavors and the like... I tried to go for a variety," she mentioned of her own choices.

At the same time, Cador was joking with Merlyn. Oh, it looked like she'd regressed in age? Well that simply wasn't possible. She hadn't regressed at all... "Flattery will get you nowhere Sir Cador. Rather nowhere you haven't already been~" she chimed. Beyond this after finding herself in bed and uncomfortable, Cador was busy stripping down to his skivvies. Was that what was wrong? Merlyn soon sat up looking contemplative. "I don't know how to take that... I literally can't remember the last time I slept. I definitely haven't done so in this world..." she said a hand under her chin she took to thinking. 'How to sleep? Pajamas?... No. Underwear? Too sexy. Naked? No....' with every thought that passed her mind her outward appearance changed to accommodate the thought. But there was no comfort found this way. When the thought pajama's passed, her clothing changed into a silken set of periwinkle colored pajamas open over her navel with long pants for bottoms. She didn't feel comfortable. When they morphed to just underwear it was distinctly lacey and more like a negligee and she didn't like that either. She'd let all her clothes fall away but found that to be too close to naked for sex. Yeah, that didn't work. What... would she find more comfortable. She scoured her brain for several moments. Walking through the corridor of her memories, before thinking about the night. The night she'd ended up here, when she was awake way too late. She'd been sitting at her computer, cross-legged in a chair wearing.... nothing but an extra long man's t-shirt. Cotton, simple airy on the bottom because she wore no undergarments. Yeah... that would be perfect. Her outer appearance would take on this... shirt, with the stretched neck hanging off one of her shoulders, sleeves all the way down to her elbows. "I think this is better..." she managed her head falling onto the pillow as the length of that shirt stretched just gently over the swell of her hips. Nothing was revealed but still there was a hint of a tease there. Whatever the case, she was sure she could sleep this way.

[Bloodedge]

True, it was more than unlikely that Emilia would bother serving something dangerous. He'd seen her in the kitchen, he'd seen what came out of the kitchen when she was cooking, and she wasn't the type to serve anything shy of perfection. Maybe she was a bit timid about it at times, but the end result was magnificent. "You're right. I wonder if she has the desire, though. I could train her, if she wants," he mused. One important thing needed a small explanation─ that being the difference between his boss and employer. It was something he imagined to be a rare situation, but with context, he didn't think it was very strange. "Well, yes. I work for a girl, but it was her father who hired me. They... both pay me; that's probably the weird part," Arthur explained, becoming less confident in the rationality of the situation as he spoke. Whatever the case, Guinevere rejected the notion of being put in charge of Loch Ness. How disappointing it was that he could no longer laze about and let someone else take over! No matter. Arthur was closer and closer to accepting his place as this land's king, if only because others seemed to want that. Sometimes, people just needed a figurehead for their own mental stability. He could be that, right? "I disagree. You talked me out of my room, and I'll have you know I'm actually quite stubborn at times. Besides, I imagine ruling over a harsh land like Zuria would be much more difficult than an on-the-rise place like this."

El. Ah yes, that was what he'd always been called, wasn't it? While it was nice to hear that version of his name, he could have gone without the attached mention of age-old brain freezes that he was definitely done with years ago! Elyan's brow furrowed as he indignantly shoved a larger bite into his mouth. He wasn't pouting; no, not at all! "Shut up! I'll have you know I haven't had anything like that in─" zero seconds. Indeed, that should have been the end of his statement, as the ice touched his teeth while he spoke, triggering the very brain freeze he claimed couldn't exist. Maybe he could just talk past it? Ah yes, of course he could! "Y-years! I'd never suffer f-from... the cold." What a shame. Elyan had every resistance to the cold at his current age... except within the confines of his mouth. "Ahem. There is no reason to worry about the flavors. You have a better palate than anyone I've ever met, for whatever it's worth."

Apparently, Cador could get nowhere new with flattery. As if that would matter. Perhaps he would flatter for no reason at all, or perhaps he would flatter himself back into a desirable place. "Merlyn, Merlyn, Merlyn. Of all the places I've been in this life, there are very few that I have no desire to return to. Among the great number of exceptions, there are just as few places I would very much like flattering myself back into~" he chirped. It seemed Merlyn had no memory of sleeping and the comfort meant to accompany it. Cador watched as she shuffled through a series of clothing options. Pajamas had an innocence to them, and were no less appealing on Merlyn than her normal attire. That was an acceptable sleeping attire, albeit not to Merlyn's choice as it seemed. Next came a form of lingerie, which of course made Cador wonder how exactly she intended to fall asleep. Did she have some desire to experience the ultimate sleep acquired by humans, post-coitus and losing consciousness as one's heartbeat and lung pace returned to normal? Her next choice did nothing to discredit this thought, as her clothes were banished entirely. "Merlyn, you─" He was cut off by the final shift, which consisted of a single shirt cascading over curves─ a more 'homey' way of getting a rise out of the man. How much of this was for the sake of comfort, he wondered before sighing. "─are certainly an interesting one," he concluded at last, though in a way he hadn't originally intended to complete the clause. Well... it could be presumed that sleep was the actual intention here, at the very least. It seemed Cador would just be discarding his consciousness whilst being quite erect. . .

[Apollymi]

Arthur and Guinevere remained hand in hand, conversing about random matters in life, not the last of which was Emilia and her love of cooking. A smile spread across Guinevere's face she'd been friends with that girl for more than half her life, if she thought she could learn extra things from Arthur she would no doubt take him up on his offer. "For as long as I've known her she's been very interested in cooking. Emilia had spent a great amount of time alone before she came to Zuria and she once told me that being there made her happy because she missed cooking for others," she said of the lass and her general attitude. "I'm sure she would take you up on such an offer, Arthur..." she said candidly. Moving on from that, there were the many oddities surrounding this young man's former work experience. His boss was a teenaged girl, he was the other world's equivalent of a man servant and somehow he was on both his boss' payroll and her father's, how interesting. "Hm, from what I've seen in the way this world works, her father is likely paying you for a different reason from the girl herself. It wouldn't be entirely strange if the two consider your job very different from their own perspectives. I wouldn't worry too much about it," she said giving a gentle nod. Her own father had hired Nerys to live and work in the castle, long before she'd been born. And when her mother and father became a proper couple and had their children, Nerys was paid separately by her to give magic lessons to them as well as for their physical care. It wasn't entirely uncommon as a set up. Still, Arthur claimed she would have an easy time ruling over a place like this, compared to her home. She disagreed but that was fine. "Hm, I don't know if I would say it would be easier. Zuria was established already, I was born princess with the respect of the people as I grew older. I have no such stake here... aside from the difference in climate. And figuring out how you work as a person, I would say I am probably only the fourth or fifth most qualified to rule. As such... I will continue to keep you on your toes and help you out if you need it," she claimed with surety in her smile.

Emilia and Elyan were together in the kitchens consuming shaved ice. To be fair, Emilia felt more comfortable in the kitchen than anywhere else... and right here, with Elyan's antics back to their usual full display she felt at ease. What was he doing now? Griping about how he wouldn't or couldn't at all get a brain freeze. But she could see it plainly across his furrowed brow and the sudden stop in his speech. He'd literally just experienced one and was trying to talk himself through it. "Years until you bit directly into ice, hm?" she teased gently. She was sure he never suffered from the cold any more but that wouldn't stop her from speaking to him the way she was. "I wouldn't say you suffer no, but there is nothing wrong with experiencing it," she claimed as she reached out with a still warm hand to place against his temples as she had frequently when he was a child. And what was this, she apparently didn't have to worry about the flavors, she had the best palate he knew of?! Her eyes widened in shock, "That's a pretty big compliment..." she said softly. How strange it was to catch up in this way...

Three utterances of Merlyn's name once again left the mouth of Sir Cador. She was fairly certain she'd once told him that saying her name like that would cause him some form of unexpected occurance. Ah, but she couldn't at all dislike it, even as she tried to figure out how to get comfortable for bed. "I might have changed my mind, flattery like that will almost always get you somewhere with me~" she said after his chirped words. He was flirting quite a bit, but that was standard among their conversations, sometimes obviously, sometimes... only with hints and teases thrown around. What was more, he claimed her interesting after watching her seek comfort and find it, in the form of a large t-shirt. A little smirk appeared on her face as she rolled her body into a slightly more comfortable position. Snuggled up Sir Cador as if he was a human pillow. "I am not really all that interesting, Sir Cador..." she claimed as those glowing eyes of hers closed. She laid her head on his chest, snaked her leg around his and listened to the gentle beating of his heart. And eventually, those breaths of hers would slow and the constant buzzing of her mind would slow to a gentle hum... what would she find upon her mind finally wandering into its dream state?

[Bloodedge]

"I can tell," Arthur said in regards to Emilia's obvious love of cooking. "Even though she got a little flustered before, that satisfaction of finishing a dish and doing it well... Nothing can mimic that," he concluded. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that Emilia was, or could have been, someone who cooked as a profession in her original life. Ah, but they were doing a lot of discussing about the half-elf. They were on a walk, taking in the sights of a developing kingdom, discussing matters of leadership in a somewhat joking manner, and... holding hands. Ah. Arthur came to realize that last fact at last, if only because he thought to move his hand and point out an interesting development just beyond the courtyard. His hand did little more than twitch before he realized it was grasping Guinevere's. What should he do? Should he let go? Was she unawares, just as he was? Likely not, but... there had been a fair bit of flirtation between them. Surely it would be fine if he just... pretended he didn't notice anything. Ah, but it was far too late for that; there was red creeping up his neck, even as he attempted to act casual. "If you insist, I suppose I'll be thankful for the guidance. Fourth or fifth most qualified, though? That doesn't sound reasonable at all. Your description of a queen before was perfect, so I'm sure your morals are in the right place. Who do you think possibly places above you?"

Years until Elyan bit directly into ice indeed. Regardless, he didn't need her blabbering on about the situation! Who the hell did she think she was? He'd have swatted that intrusive hand of hers away if it wasn't actually helping. Even while leaving it in place, however, he wasn't going to be pleased about it at all. "Che! As if I need to be treated like a child by the likes of you," he griped. And to think, he'd even gone out of his way to compliment her culinary choices─ which she would go on to acknowledge as if she weren't patronizing him unnecessarily. Finally, Elyan jerked away and turned up his nose. "It's just an observation. Don't read into it," was the male's retort.

Oh? There was another speck of new information coming Cador's way. Apparently, he could always get somewhere with Merlyn by means of flattery. That was... good to know, at the very least. He'd definitely make use of that in the future. "Duly noted, Merlyn. Perhaps I'll charm my way into your dream next time," he quipped. Briefly, Cador wondered if succubi even had dreams of their own. Oh well; that wasn't for him to know. What was for him to know, was the counterargument to Merlyn being a 'not so interesting' individual as she claimed, oddly while she was settling into his torso and even locking him in place with her leg. All Cador could do physically, was settle in as well. His back to the mattress, he hooked an arm around the sorceress' upper torso, aiming downward until his hand settled atop her side. "It's alright, Merlyn. Everyone makes mistakes," he said, disregarding Merlyn's opinion on the matter. With that, Cador let his own eyes close to welcome the sweet embrace of sleep.

What would Merlyn find in the world of dreams? She'd find... herself, in a way. Male, grinning ear to ear, yet looking almost mockingly exhausted from a very long journey. "Do you..." That voice remained cryptic, somewhat raspy as it emerged from the hooded figure of Merlyn's male counterpart. He hesitated as well, seemingly for nothing more than dramatic effect. What were the theatrics for? Well, no one. "Have any idea how ridiculous it is to go thousands of years without sleeping? Because you refused to sleep for so very long, I had to walk here on this plane. Can you imagine walking for millennia? Shame on you for making me exert so much energy... Junko."

[Apollymi]

Arthur was a good judge of people. He saw through Emilia's love of cooking past her gentle flustering. "Yeah, she is prone to that... I'm sure before she got here she was pretty young, she still has that youth a lot of people are missing," she said of the girl's personality. Emilia flustered but she bounced right back, that was the good part about being young. Of course, it went without saying that Guinevere was quite happy about the day she was having. Arthur out of his room, lunch in the sacred grove, walking around in the kingdom, having joking conversations... this was well worth the fun of the moment. Holding on to the lad's hand was indeed something she'd noticed, but she was just mischievous enough to want to wait out making him a bit uncomfortable. Ah, but would he be? That red tint to his face said yes. Ah, what was more, he claimed that he was thankful for the help she'd provide but questioned her being so low on her own list of qualified individuals. She had reasons for this, but they were kind of long winded. "Well, I am happy to help. As for my own placement, I am young and relatively inexperienced... I am also not yet over what this world has done to me. Objectively, I am not close enough to my own ideal to feel comfortable ruling," she explained of why she thought herself a bit lower on the list than most. "Sir Cador would be qualified before me, his own past says he is perfectly capable of such things, though it may not be my place to tell that story," she said. Sir Cador had been King of Cornwall when she was young, she'd met him the first time as such... she'd seen no better rulers than him and held him in the same esteem as she had her own father. "There is also Lady Merlyn, though her own personality says she wouldn't take it, that same personality would make her a reasonable ruler. Though a bit lofty given how she is..." she explained of her secondary choice. Merlyn in her own mind had the quick wit and apt decision making skills necessary to rule, whether she believed that herself or not. "Sir Hector also doesn't seem like he'd take it, but I'd trust his sense of justice over most others, he'd lead a fair Kingdom if he wished to," Guinevere explained. "After those three I'd place myself," she said aptly. "I'd possibly be fifth, because I see you as the best possible choice, Arthur. You have something the rest of us currently lack..." she explained gently, feeling it to be the most honest form of explanation.

At the same time, Elyan's words following his brain freeze were exactly what Emilia was expecting. Actually, even as a small child he'd been like that, definitely the sibling of Guinevere, so full of spunk and just a little spite. He seemed like he was incapable of being directly nice all the time. Though as a knight he managed general civility well, this little bite to his personality was natural and much more appreciated. "Oh? I'm pretty sure I should respond..." she gave a joking pause as he pulled away from her attention as he always did. "You're welcome, El~" she said finding his griping to be about normal for him. It was nice when things weren't always shifting about, even after what they'd already been through. Still he refused to take responsibility for his words towards her. He claimed that his words were just an observation. "Thank you..." she mentioned with a smile on her face. Yes, this is what she did to him, when he was acting as he was right now.

Merlyn was trying her hand at sleeping for the first time since she'd come to this world. "Well fine, just let me test them first, wouldn't want you walking into anything too strange~" she mused at the man's words. She'd invite him into her dreams, if she had dreams. She wasn't actually sure what her dreams would entail, but if they were safe, she could easily invite him along. Still, according to the man everyone made mistakes, apparently hers was believing she wasn't that interesting. "Everyone does~" she chimed, but soon enough she'd find sleep and upon waking in the world of her dreams?

Oh. She was standing now across from a figure she found rather familiar. Beyond the shape the voice that came was one she definitely knew. A dramatic pause ensued. What sort of ridiculous thing was about to come out of this man's mouth? Well, it didn't really matter, her own grin was spread quite wide as she stood across from him with her own huge grin, hidden behind her hood. Of course, it'd only falter when words which chastised came straight into her. "Excuse me?!" she exclaimed. "I know you aren't questioning my life choices. What reason did I have to sleep hm? I wasn't tired, I'm never tired. Nor do I have any inclination to be alone with my thoughts," she proclaimed. How dare he take such a tone with her. "Besides, you deserve to walk. Abandoning me alone in this world. Leaving me to clean up your mess... Shame on you! Junichi!" Ah, this was about to be a stand off. Still there was a gentle pulsing in her chest, and a smile spreading across her still sleeping face. He was actually here.

[Bloodedge]

Guinevere's reason for placing herself so low on the list of potential rulers, was... the most ludicrous thing she could have come up with. Sir Cador was previously a king, sure. Merlyn, for all the issues Arthur personally had with her from time to time, had the mental capacity to successfully lead... if she cared to do much of anything. Sir Hector, while boasting infinite honor, did not seem likely to take charge of anything. If nothing else, there was only one acceptable reason Guinevere could be deemed unfit. "I'll accept just one thing there. If you haven't gotten over what's happened to you, you shouldn't have so much responsibility on your shoulders. As for being young and inexperienced, though, you're still a couple of decades worth ahead of me. Besides, I think everything you just said is even more reason to believe in you as a ruler. Switch places with me on that list, and it'll all make sense. I've got no idea what I could have over the rest of you, except a name and a legacy. You're the one with the grit to mobilize people and make them believe in you."

Elyan had come under fire, as he always had and always would. He was welcome? He wasn't giving thanks for being treated like some warm weather toddler! "I don't remember thanking you for anything, Emi," he scoffed. This wasn't going to work on him this time. Gone were the days of her having any sort of effect on him and picking at his weaknesses. She was once the elder, boasting every ability to dominate their conversations. Never again, he decided. Luckily for her, she decided to offer him thanks for the compliment... or rather, the observation as Elyan claimed. "That's better. I am a knight; you should be mindful of that." Once more, Elyan turned up his nose─ this time in the other direction. "But... I suppose you are welcome regardless. I'll make some exceptions to etiquette for you," he said finally.

Merlyn may have expected something ridiculous to leave her counterpart's mouth, but did she expect what she received? Likely not, based on her reaction. "Oh, it's fine. You're excused!" the male Merlin said with a nonchalant wave of the hand. Her question about her own sleep would not be left alone, of course. "It's my job to question your life choices, hello? Just because you're not tired, you go thousands of years without sleep? Let your mind and body rest for once, Koko. It'll do you the world of good~" he insisted. This Merlin wasn't accepting any shame, any blame, or anything she had to throw at him really. "I didn't abandon you anywhere; you're just rude. I waited ages for you to show up, you finally come to town, and then you don't visit your dear old brother? I haven't even left a single mess for you to clean up, yet here you are making me hunt you down through impossible conditions. Tisk, tisk~"

[Apollymi]

Oh? Arthur claimed to only accept one thing from her explanation. The fact that the trauma she suffered was something she'd rather not experience again immediately. Well, that was all fair, but the idea that he didn't know what it was about himself that was found likeable by everyone else. She couldn't help but chuckle and shake her head. "I was simply explaining why I would choose to follow one of them instead of leading myself. Even in not the situation of leading I would have easily found myself in the company of any of them, if we'd actually managed to break away from the situation in Zuria at all," she said carefully. "Besides Arthur you aren't giving yourself enough credit," she stated plainly. "No one really cares about your legacy or your name... it's about you, managing to be relatively untainted by living in this world. You're still so much yourself and you still manage to want to take care of everyone else. Even without claiming you wish to be king, you'd rather feed the masses. These are traits most admirable and earnest. It's a light we could all use..." she said with a soft smile. "And one I find myself personally enjoying and wanting to nurture," she explained of her personal opinion. He didn't necessarily have to understand. The one thing he had over all other candidates was managing to not let the world completely bog him down.

Emilia had the most pointed comeback for Sir Elyan yet. She had nothing but a huge grin on her face, "I know you don't remember El. It's probably because of the brain freeze. Don't worry, I took the liberty of translating~" she offered with a smile as she shoved a spoonful of shaved ice into her mouth. It really was good as a treat, but more than that, it was fun to enjoy in Elyan's company. What was more he seemed to push off the compliment he'd given as if it was an observation and even turned his nose up claiming his position as a knight and how far he'd come. "Oh, don't worry Sir El~ I'd never forget, but I thank you for your consideration~" she said giving a little mock curtsy. She was content to eat more and continue talking to the lad she was with. It'd been so long since they'd last talk, her earlier worries were all but forgotten now.

How absurd. Her twin brother chose to simply say she was excused. She wasn't asking to be excused. She was telling him of her outrage. Surely he knew that. "What kind of nonsense is that?! You're the last person to be questioning my life decisions, I happen to know why you don't exist here like normal, comparatively... you're the one I should be questioning," she said with her nose up in the air, her arms crossing over her chest as if she was upset. Hm, this was strange. The last time she'd felt so cross her chest had been much larger. Now she could actually look cross doing it. Nice. "Besides... after being alive thousands of years, and awake for that same amount of time... I couldn't just go to sleep. What would my dreams even be like?" she said those magenta eyes of hers shifting to the side. He didn't understand she'd been far too close to despair for far too long to even consider sleep an option. "Also you sound like my Emotional Support Knight, and you managed to scare the life out of poor Emilia," she said as snidely as a bratty younger sister could. "And I am not rude. The Whore of Babylon is a big enough mess to make me question every single one of you involved with her fall..." she said cutting her eyes at him. How any of them thought releasing that beast upon the lower world was anywhere near a good idea, she had no idea. "I had no idea how to find you. How was I to know sleep would allow me to see you, Ichi-nii..." she'd already soften by voice alone. This was far too much. Her heart was pounding fast in her chest and she was relieved and happy, and sad and well everything all at once.

[Bloodedge]

"And I think they would just as easily follow you, instead of taking over themselves. That much can definitely be said about Sir Cador, and I'd like to believe the same about Sir Hector. Merlyn... Well, Merlyn is Merlyn." It seemed they could maintain a casual conversation during this walk around the castle, even as citizens of Loch Ness periodically stared and whispered amongst themselves. This scene looked like far more than it was. Or... perhaps it looked exactly as it should? Arthur couldn't tell, and Guinevere had sent just the wrong level of every 'right' message in the book. "I would also follow you. Staying myself doesn't mean anything if I can't help others get back to themselves as well. Since you refuse to take my place, I guess you'll have to pay the price of being my first test subject. I won't be gentle, so prepare yourself~" he proclaimed. She claimed a desire to nurture his light? Very well; the cost would be forceful exposure to its radiation.

Speaking of forceful, that was about a proper description for Elyan presently shoving additional ice into his mouth. At this point, he was angrily pushing beyond additional brain freeze, just to avoid Emilia's behavior as much as humanly possible. She really was an annoyance; why did he put up with her being this way? Well, it was a source of entertainment─ yes! Yes, that had to be it. There was certainly nothing more to it than that. Moreover, it seemed she was at least conscious of his status and the reverence she should show now that he was older. "Well, you seem to have gotten over the night terror quite nicely. I guess this is better than watching you scream and sweat for the rest of the night," he stated flippantly.

Merlyn knew of Merlin's seal. Of course she did; he was fully aware of all she'd come to know, and he always had been. "I'm the only one fit to question you. Everything you've ever done, and everything you ever will do... I've been watching. From the cathedral all the way to the Pandorica opening, and everything beyond─ I've seen your journey as if it were my own. Haven't you figured out how our Clairvoyance works? What you see, you see because I've already seen it through you... or through myself. My guess is that it works both ways, but who's to know? I've been stuck here in this tower," he explained of the strange situation between them. As for what Merlyn's dreams would be like, he didn't know; he couldn't know. "Don't underestimate your ability, Koko. When you sleep, this is where you arrive: Avalon. You are free to toy with it just as you toy with the dreams of others, with even less restrictions. This is also where we can talk, as if we enter each other's dream. Oh, and there's no need to question anyone's involvement with the goddess Ishtar. I'm sure everything will be fine after her next ascension~" he teased. Merlin had undergone some interesting development in his time within this world. He knew things his sister did not, saw things she currently could not, simply because she would eventually see them with her own eyes. The identity of Ishtar in the lower world was something he'd always known, but... he also knew what would become of the situation surrounding her. That, however, was not information to be shared with those who could not also see. "You spend too much time worrying, Koko. You'll wrinkle our beautiful face in a few more centuries if you keep at it. I know your journey has been a long one, and I know it's not nearly over. It will all be worthwhile in the end; trust me." Interestingly enough, Merlin still hadn't gotten around to why he brought her to this plane. . .

[Apollymi]

Arthur believed those listed would simply follow her instead of allowing Guinevere to follow them. Well, what she knew of the Knights would have made that true at least. Both Sir Cador and Sir Hector likely would have taken to following her as their leader. Not that she would have easily accepted such a position. It was worth noting that he had nothing truly constructive to say about Merlyn, but their working relationship was a strange one. "Merlyn is indeed Merlyn, haha~ Those are very kind thoughts I don't necessarily disagree with. I was simply giving the layout from my own perspective," she said. She figured if there wasn't another option she'd likely have been on the chopping block for looking after the place they all lived. She might have even taken over the duties of it simply because it felt natural to do, but that didn't mean she would have accepted her returned status as a Princess. What was this, Arthur didn't see the usefulness in staying himself if he couldn't help others return to themselves also? Well, that was interesting, "That sounds like a small price to pay, to have a hand in building that future. So, as you like Arthur~" she said with a small smirk appearing on her face. Were they likely sending the complete wrong message to the people of Loch Ness? Yes. But that didn't matter, it was good for them to spend a few moments at least, as normally as possible.

The forceful eating of Elyan didn't go unnoticed by Emilia, but she figured she'd upset the lad enough for a single day. Even if she knew his inner temple to be burning with the frozen bit of his brain. Poor lad, he'd be fine right? Perhaps she'd babied him a bit too much before the fall of Zuria? No. Emilia wouldn't let herself be anything but pleased by how she treated Elyan. He was after all, one of the most precious people to her. What was this? He noted that she'd gotten over her fright? Well, there wasn't much she should be saying to that, "There isn't any need to worry El. I'm fine now... between Merlyn's assurances, your company and shaved ice, I am pretty much completely recovered," she mentioned with a smile on her face. She didn't need the lad worrying about her, though she realized he'd done it already. Emilia was more than willing to let the rest slide into non-existence.

Merlin claimed to be the only one able to properly question Merlyn. He had been watching, everything she'd done already and everything she'd ever do? "Well that is about the creepiest thing I've ever heard, even from you Ichi-nii," she said with her eyes shifting to the side. He definitely shouldn't be watching her, she'd been very busy since discovering her new knights. And while they were both aware of what they were, she didn't like the idea of his eyes being turned in her direction while she was seeking that sort of amusement. "And no, I had no idea how the Clairvoyance works, though now that you're saying that... I assume I know what I know, because you know it, except for the things I make actual decisions about which I have to live through first..." she expressed her own disbelief. Whatever the case, she was alerted to the fact that she'd be sent to Avalon whenever she went to sleep and that she could manipulate it as she saw fit, the same way she did with the dreams of others. He further teased information, regarding the goddess Ishtar and another ascension. "Ugh, I have no idea what a Pandorica is, and the idea of that thing getting another ascension gives me anxiety," she claimed. She figured such a thing would happen. For every horrible woman in the world, there was some idiot man or set of men willing to help her along even at the cost of others. As disgusting as it was, everyone who did such things of their own accord, deserved the most supreme form of justice to be applied to their lives thereafter. Merlyn was still worrying again though, the corners of her magenta eyes narrowed that was another thing she was going to have to deal with wasn't it? Her journey wasn't over yet? How much did she really need to do? Something about this was uniquely unfair. And now her brother was claiming she worried too much. "If my face hasn't wrinkled in millennia nothing is going to happen to it now," she snapped at the man. Nothing would make her properly relax, while there was so much to do. Still he claimed it would all be worth it in the end. She simply needed to take his word for it. "Well, you know more than I do in this case, but that isn't going to stop me from worrying about things while I am the one dealing with them, and you already know that..." she said. Then she took a deep breath. She'd promised a certain set of Knights that she would try to be more human and less worried. "Fine fine, I'll trust you... but I'm still cross. But is that really it, did you seek me out directly just to drop a few spoilers and tell me not to worry?"

[Bloodedge]

"And I was simply disagreeing with your entire perspective. If you were to rule, Guin, I would support you all the way. I also wouldn't take anyone else as my support if I had to choose from anyone here. Whether it's as a queen or an advisor, I'll take your aid," Arthur clarified. He was not at all opposed to the idea of taking Guinevere as his queen, nor was he opposed to settling for an advisor of some sort. There was a preferred outcome, of course, but maybe that was just a thing of the moment. Arthur would learn over time if it was or wasn't, but for now, he was content to go with the flow. He was also content to push something else, though, and that was the restored humanity of those who were around him. Guinevere was the perfect one to start with, being the one Arthur viewed as most affected by previous events. "You say it's a small price now. Remember that when you're overwhelmed later." Perhaps Arthur should have once again considered the additional implications of things he was saying. Well... one day, he'd properly think about things before they fell out of his mouth. As of yet though, it hadn't become a necessity.

Emilia was fine. In the end, that was among the most important things one could find on Sir Elyan's list, whether he admitted it or not. The male was finishing his shaved ice as if unconcerned by everything else, though there was a hint of relief in his eye. "Good," was all he said. Eye contact was not something Elyan would maintain at the time; he'd probably have some unfavorable reaction otherwise. In spite of his behavior however, there was something else he had to add. "Next time, be better prepared to deal with someone barging into your room. You were completely out of sorts when I showed up. I'm surprised you were even clothed."

Merlyn had no idea how much creepier things really were. Her male counterpart saw everything she did, but it was not by choice that he did so. He saw because she did─ nothing more, and nothing less. "Is it? I'm the one having to watch you lay with men that I have no interest in. You could at least hang a few mirrors and spend more time looking at yourself," the male Merlin insisted as if his suggestion would solve all issues. In fact, it would have helped his situation quite a bit. "And yes, that is its function. Because I am here in this tower, I can see all things happening throughout history in the world. Because I am always here, I can see everything from all time. The few things I can't see, I know because you will eventually see." Merlyn didn't know about the Pandorica, giving Merlin a better idea of where she was in time. She'd know soon enough, he thought. More importantly was the fact that she would worry regardless of what he said. He knew that; he was still responsible for telling her to do otherwise. The same could be said of the wrinkles they still didn't have. "You'll get them; mark my words. With my luck though, I'll get them first. Anyway, at least save your concerns for what I actually called you over for. Firstly, Koko... you should learn our name. Our real name as the great sorcerer. Secondly, you will soon need to find the one called Nimue; one of the people you cannot see."

[Apollymi]

As always the future king had very interesting things to say to Guinevere. He claimed that he would follow her and that he'd take no one else, as his advisor or his queen. Maybe he didn't realize the gravity of the way he'd spoken that sentence. He was prone to glazing over the way he spoke quite often. She was fine with that though, Guinevere had already mentioned that she didn't much care one way or the other about the lore surrounding them. She'd rather explore them as they would, no extras involved. "That is some pretty high praise. Having your support would be a great thing but I don't mind supporting you instead," she said with a knowing smile. She had no problem being the one to support Arthur, even while he figured out what it was he wanted out of this version of his life. Arthur's final words to Guinevere in this moment were a warning of sorts, she would only think it was a small price to pay now, and to remember she'd said this when she was overwhelmed. A chuckle left the white haired lass as she couldn't help letting a bit of that impish nature of hers leak out. "Oh my, I don't know whether I should take that as some sort of threat or if you're actively flirting with me, Arthur~" she stated while giving his hand a gentle squeeze to remind him of the positions they currently held. Was that a bit teasing? Yes, but how could she not take advantage of such things if he presented them so easily?

During this moment, Emilia was happily eating blackberry flavored shaved ice, and relaxing in Elyan's company. Still there was a simple moment of eye contact where she explained that she was now, no worse for where and the lad seemed, relieved? A small smile spread across the white haired lass' face as she considered something important. Poor Elyan had grown into trying to maintain a certain icy exterior. Even so, he was truly a kind soul and he cared whether he managed to say so or not. "Sorry for worrying you~" she added in a light manner. Of course, this simple statement wouldn't be all. The lad had some commentary about her state when she'd been found. Her eyes widened and she managed to seem genuinely shocked. "What?! I couldn't have been more prepared if I was actually awake. How about I come wake you up from a deep sleep and we see how prepared you are to have guests in your room?" she questioned. "Besides, it wasn't like I'd turned in for the night. People don't strip down for naps or anything..." she said with a roll of her eyes. Obviously she was slightly embarrassed by how she'd been found today. Only fear didn't leave her completely flustered at having her room entered so randomly. That much was made absolutely clear, by the red tint at the tips of her elfin ears.

Apparently, Merlyn's thoughts about her brother's invasiveness weren't at all unfounded. He claimed to be able to see her laying with men, and insisted that she should hang a few mirrors and look at herself more often. "First, I'm not interested in women... so there isn't much I can do about that," she said reasonably. "And to be honest I'm not that interested in looking at myself either, though I'll take it under advisement since I'm not switching the team I play for just so you can have something to watch," she said as if it was perfectly normal. This was likely a strangeness associated with how close they were as siblings. It almost didn't seem odd at all that they could be looking at each other mid-coitus, but they did share a face... that probably helped a lot. Strange as their sibling bond was, his brand of Clairvoyance was equally strange. "Eh? Ichi-nii that is taking voyeurism to a world level," she said as if it was the most normal response to the information he granted. Still he was quite set on the idea she'd get wrinkles and that she shouldn't worry too much because he'd actually called her here for a reason. "You'd deserve to get the wrinkles," she said still slightly cross. Oh but she had things to do, to find out their true name, that sounded like a pain. "Oh? I have to found out our true name? And where would I get actual information on our age old selves?" she asked as if it was a perfectly normal thing to do. "And and... most importantly, how do you think I am going to find someone you know I can't see?" she exclaimed exasperated. She didn't want to see her twin for the first time in thousands of years, just to have him hand her tasks that she'd find beyond annoying.

[Bloodedge]

Arthur would take the support of Guinevere first and foremost, while of course still accepting the aid of all others in Loch Ness. He'd become quite sold on the idea of becoming king, but he was destined for the impossible goal of pleasing everyone. In offering her assistance, Guinevere had her work cut out for her because of this fault. Oh well; she deserved as much for being so very teasing, such as the upcoming moment in which she questioned the intentions behind his previous statement. Ah. He hadn't considered that point of view for the line. Now that he thought about it, it was made even worse with what he had to say just before that. He wouldn't be gentle, and she'd be overwhelmed? Why didn't he catch these things before they came back to bite him in the arse? Well... maybe it was more a nibble than a bite. Flustered though he was by being called out, Arthur chose to take advantage. "You should take it however you like," he said, his brain catching up immediately afterwards this time. That one wasn't the way either, was it? "O-or... both! Yes, both; of course I meant both from the start!"

An apology was the next thing escaping Emilia's mouth. Keeping with his public demeanor, Elyan scoffed again. "I never said I was worried. It is my duty as a knight to protect someone in danger," he said in partial truth. Sure, he would have leapt out to aid anyone he thought was in danger... albeit not with so much fervor as he did today. With that said, he was moving right on to the next clause. Emilia said she was prepared, but her behavior upon his entry begged to differ. Had it been him, however, things would have been very different. "If it were me, I would have been wearing nothing. It may not be unbearable here, but it is far warmer than Zuria. I should judge you just as much for being fully clothed in these mild temperatures!" Elyan wasn't even arguing in a specific direction; one could say he was griping for the hell of it at this point. "What, are you some madwoman who sleeps for the night fully clothed as well?"

Of course Merlyn wasn't so interested in looking at herself. Between the two of them, he had always been the more self-centered one. He'd watch her being railed by some random men all day, before he even considered seeing the same scene from the other angle. Why? Well, they were twins. He would bed himself if it were possible, so watching her was no different at all. He'd even do the ploughing if it were necessary for whatever reason. Alas, it was unlikely he would receive a proper victory in this exchange; one could only expect something to hope for in the end. Speaking of hope, that was about all he could leave Merlyn with when it came to discovering their proper shared name. No one in this world knew it, bar one person. "You'll find our name about as easily as I'll find something other than men's pelvises to look at, I'm afraid. I am not capable of saying it here. You will have to look into our roots to find the pieces. No rush there. Besides, it may be the Druids you wish to find. Nimue is a Druidic name, after all~"

[Apollymi]

Arthur found himself obviously flustered and Guinevere found herself more than easily amused. It was a strange thing, but this was a fairly normal interaction after living in fear of any interaction with a person of the opposite gender ending in a death sentence for someone. As such she'd find herself aiming to enjoy the moment, even if it was... at Arthur's expense. So, what did he make of her statement? Guinevere was apparently allowed to take his words as she liked. "Oh?" she questioned ready to go into more of a rant but Arthur had an immediate follow-up. He claimed she should take it both ways, and that he'd always meant it as both. Given what she knew of this lad's base personality, she could almost imagine him trying hard to not sound like a creeper and then to still be a bit flirty. It was a worthwhile effort at least, "Tehetehetehe!~" the lass giggled. "There you are! You're definitely getting better at this normal thing~" she said with a knowing smirk spreading across her face.

According to Elyan he'd never said he was worried. Of course he hadn't said it, he'd never actually say something like that... Emilia had known him most of his growing years. She'd learned to interpret his actions and words a bit more acutely than his public persona would let most people. "Oh? Of course, how silly of me... the honorable Sir Elyan was definitely just doing his duty~" she said gently, though obviously there was a bit of snark involved. Moving on from that, Emilia was given some very interesting information about how Elyan chose to sleep. "Wow, really? It was like the middle of the day... isn't that extreme?!" she exclaimed, her own face reddened. She wouldn't admit, that she'd actually been intending to shed at least a few layers before falling asleep. She had just happened to have gotten a bit too comfortable in her beanbag chair and had fallen asleep because she was both warm and full. "Of course, I'm not some madwoman who sleeps as such, I still spent decades alone in the Elior Forest... I still prefer the cold, and I don't sleep fully clothed," she explained of herself. Well the Elior Forest was known by most as the Forest of the Black Lake, but that was after some other things had happened around it. Still, what a pointed and telling statement. Well, at least Guinevere wasn't here to pick at the point she'd just made, imagine how embarrassing that would be, especially after Emilia had given her such a hard time about Arthur.

Merlyn on the other hand was having a strange heart to heart with her brother. She fully acknowledged that he was quite the self-centered individual. He also sung the praises of their shared looks in a way that probably seemed strange to outsiders in their previous life. Even so, she couldn't have been happier to see him, and she couldn't have explained why she was so pleased even while the bickered and argued over the smallest things. Those things, currently included, men's pelvises and her search for someone called Nimue. "Druids? I'm almost certain I am the last Druid on this continent. They migrated a long time ago... I really feel like I am being given a lot of work just when I've decided to try and relax..." she said with a casual roll of her eyes. Even so, she could at least visit the Druid Homeland. She was still able to do so, and Loch Ness itself had three possible entry points surrounding it. There were also Dryads, though the Druids themselves had moved on the tree folk could still be found if one knew where to look. Still she seemed to be very much in thought, only to push back her hood and approach the man before her a bit more directly. "I can do that... I'll complain about it, but I'll still do it," she said before she reached out to flip his hood back as well. She wondered if this counted as real enough, she wanted a hug.

[Bloodedge]

Saved. Arthur wasn't sure how he managed, but his quick thinking paid off in the end. Flirting seemed to be a viable option each time it popped up. Arthur definitely wasn't opposed while Guinevere reciprocated, or at least accepted without issue. Maybe he should have even left the original statement intact? That was worth some consideration, but he thought it was a bit too late. He even kept a firm grip on the young woman's hand, despite her bringing a great deal of attention to the fact that they were still in contact. "Getting better? I'll have you know I'm the smoothest guy around! I'm just holding back because I don't want you fawning over me too much, too soon!" he proclaimed. Yes, that was certainly it. In actuality, Arthur did have the smoothness he spoke of... just not when speaking with his own words. Espionage was one thing, but real human interaction as his natural self was a different sort of demon entirely.

Yes, Elyan was doing nothing but his duty as a knight. He wasn't looking out for Emilia specifically, and he certainly wasn't outright concerned about her safety more than he was for the safety of all citizens! He was a knight, tried and true, and that was all there was to it! "That's right! As a knight, I would never show favoritism to any but the one I've sworn myself to!" Of course, Elyan would always conveniently leave out one simple fact. There were two individuals he would willingly swear fealty to, whether they were monarchs or not. Guinevere was naturally one choice, and he once intended to act as her primary knight. Ah, but Emilia could just as easily claim his servitude with nothing more than a few words... provided they weren't words which made him react as he currently was. "And no, it isn't extreme at all! With the temperature in a place like this, it is only comfortable to sleep nude. One would expect the same of you, coming from that forest," he said, not even thinking of how close to the truth he was. "Hmph! Who do you even think you are, questioning how I find comfort when sleeping?"

Merlyn was not the only one elated to finally see her twin. The male Merlin was no different, though their mannerisms were sometimes like night and day. Still, he was here not just to see his sister, but to help her along on this arduous journey. "Relax, Koko. There is no rush. Honestly, I'm not even sure when you will need these things. Your journey has been tedious lately, hasn't it? Relax, enjoy the fruits of life, but keep these things in mind." With that said, Merlin was being approached by his female counterpart while she did away with her hood. She reached out to his, and indeed, this meeting of theirs was real enough for her to do away with it as well. However, there was something else to be done. Merlin took the moment to perform a bit of trickery, doing away with both of their hoods and... well, everything. He replaced it in an instant with their natural forms as he remembered them from their original world, clothes and all. His sister always did have an additional edge to her that kept them markedly different; he wished to see those differences. A hug, though? He did approach and open his arms with that very intention, yet his head did not take to one side─ it moved instead directly toward Merlyn's. "H'oh? How about offering some relief as well, Koko? It's been centuries for this form of me, and millennia since we've even seen each other~"

[Apollymi]

Arthur had managed to save himself in Guinevere's eyes, not that he needed to. She found him interesting when he was obviously trying to be himself. She figured given his upbringing he could at any point switch personality and become something strange or almost alien in his smoothness. But this awkward slightly bumbling version of the lad was much more appealing. "Oh? So you do want me fawning over you, but not too soon? Did I understand that correctly?" she asked in a teasing manner. Of course, she would choose to interpret his words that way, it was way too easy not to do so. Still, this was a great deal of fun, and she'd been serious about offering her help to Arthur to help him become the best leader he could be, all on his own.

Emilia continued to eat her shaved ice, having reached the last few spoons worth over the course of their current conversation. He of course, affirmed his knightly intentions and claimed that he couldn't show favoritism in good faith except to the person he swore himself too. "Hm, quite right. It's good to take your duties seriously..." her words were still light, but at the moment Emilia remembered something rather important. There could come a time when Elyan left to pursue such duties. She wouldn't begrudge his choices in such a case, but it would be quite sad to see him go. She'd missed him while they'd been separated the last five years, but he'd been a part of her daily life for several years before then. Ah, that was fine though, Elyan was still feeling quite snarky so his words were coming out still about that sleeping preference. "Well... it isn't really that warm... it's just warmer than the icy places. I am able to find comfort rather easily..." she said still not being very specific about how she chose to sleep. Yes, if she hadn't passed out in a food induced coma, she probably would have been asleep in her bed, mostly naked when she woke to the strange voice. "I question lots of things... it isn't a matter of me thinking I am anyone in particular. What are a few candid answers between friends~" she diverted not wanting to bring any attention to the idea she'd been sleeping nude at all.

According to Merlin, the other Merlyn should relax. That use of the shortened form of her given name didn't go unnoticed, but he always talked to her like that. A few millennia could separate them and such habits came back like they were nothing. He claimed she could relax but that she needed to keep such things in mind, as she went about her day to day life. "If you say so, I suppose it won't make much of a difference when I find myself looking in on any of these things. I'll try and relax, but I can't make any promises..." she settled on such a thing because it was what she'd always do. She took solace in the fact that her older brother was still being helpful and very much a person she was waiting to see. Still, she went to see her brother and removed his hood only to have his magic take effect. Both of them were stripped naked and the young lady known to all of Loch Ness as Merlyn became Sakurai Junko standing directly in front of her twin brother Sakurai Junichi. They were so very similar, and her brother's memory wasn't off at all given how she felt being back in her own skin. He even had right the correct number of piercings in her ears. She approached those open arms and that softer male face only to have him not take a side when they went to embrace. He had words to share, he wished for relief? Because they hadn't seen each other in ages, and because it'd been a few centuries since he'd last felt his own body? "Baka-nii!" she said shaking her head from left to right. "Even if I was able to come to terms with us basically being the the same person. I'm still your little sister and I adore you. But... I already know how you treat women I wouldn't add myself to such a list..." she said. A few centuries of celibacy wouldn't kill him or anything and she definitely wasn't going to sleep with her actual twin especially while she knew exactly what he was like. He simply didn't live up to her emotional standards to take such a spot in her life.

[Bloodedge]

What an excellent question. Did Arthur want Guinevere fawning over him at some point? His eyes cut in her direction, and he gave some honest consideration. Frankly, he wouldn't have minded that at all. Lore aside, it was definitely something any sensible lad would desire, right? "Uh... yes? Is it weird to say yes?" he wondered aloud, confirming her assumption. With that, he came to a halt just outside the castle. They had been around the entire courtyard, and Arthur had even gotten a few decent glances at the overall area beyond the castle. Things were going well, the people were doing well, and basically... everything would be fine if this pace continued. He could call this little tour complete as such, unless there was something else to address.

The guise of Elyan was unbroken, at least in terms of the conversation they were having. In all honesty, he wouldn't have pledged himself to someone if it led him away from Emilia and his sister. As things stood currently, he would pledge himself to Arthur if that man chose to actually become king of this place. One could only hope that was the case, lest the hopes and expectations of all present undergo some mandatory shift. "Yes, easy comfort... apparently by falling asleep with all your clothes on. Ridiculous," he chastised. Why they were even discussing the state of dress Emilia passed out in, he didn't know. Was this a topic of interest for Elyan? He didn't seem fully invested one way or another, but in actuality, any excuse to keep up a casual chat was worthwhile. "Fine then, what is this comfort you keep claiming? Even in Zuria, I don't think I've ever seen you exit your room in a nightgown or anything. You really do sleep in that getup, don't you?!"

Embarrassment and flirting occurred on one front, and what seemed to be outrage occurred on another. On the final front though, there was something else entirely. Merlin was being chastised by the female variant. Apparently, she had no intention of offering him relief even though she was the only one who could manage such in the last few hundred years. What did the way he treated women have to do with anything? "Eh?! What list? I'm not trying to date you, Koko. Imagine having to deal with only having a good time in the equivalent of a dream for hundreds of years. Come now, it's not as if I'll let you go unsatisfied in the end," he said, pushing just a bit. "Besides, we can be anyone here~" the man added. There they were, nude and embracing one another. He could feel flesh against his groin for the first time in multiple human generations. What a sweet feeling it was; was he meant to resist such a thing for hundreds of years more? He could kiss the woman, with all the ease he would have kissing his own reflection. As far as Merlin was concerned, he didn't even have to do it as himself; he could take the visage of one of Merlyn's new boy toys instead.

[Apollymi]

There was an honest answer incoming as retort to Guinevere's teasing. She'd asked Arthur if he wished her to fawn over him and he had said yes... and then aloud questioned whether or not it was a weird thing to say. Another laugh left the white haired lass, she couldn't help it, "Of course it's weird. I mean I applaud your honesty, and it is refreshing to encounter... " she said giving the man a smile just the same. "I don't mind though... I told you, you can be yourself," she said knowingly. They'd seen most things and done everything Guinevere could have thought to have him look at. He'd been seen walking around by the masses, and even though no one had approached him directly, he at least wasn't seeming like such a terribly lofty individual.

Emilia was being chastised by Elyan for falling asleep fully dressed. Even so, it wasn't exactly true. She was going to have to explain herself properly she could feel it in her bones. Even so, she took her last bite of shaved ice an gave the lad a sheepish smile. "Of course I wouldn't just exit my room in a nightgown or anything... I was a guest, that'd be rude," she said rolling her eyes. "Besides I should explain that I overate and went to my room to relax and took off my shoes while sitting on the beanbag and got a bit too comfortable and passed out. I hadn't intended to sleep like that... I sleep naked though, normally..." she explained of herself. And with that went to place her bowl in the sink and avoid eye contact with anyone probably for the next three days. Because she'd basically just explained that if she hadn't overeaten she definitely would have been naked when the lad burst into her room, and that was a level of embarrassment she didn't think she needed.

Merlyn was hugging her brother and she'd rather soon find herself without clothing. It wasn't as if it was the absolute first time they'd been somewhere and naked together, it was however the first time, in this world, there was a discussion about the two of them engaging in coitus for any reason. This seemed like it was something dug out of the deepest corners of Rule34. "The list of your conquests Ichi-nii," she said with a sigh. "And yes, I realize you aren't trying to date me, but that isn't it. And I doubt women would be crazy about you if you weren't capable of pleasing... I simply wouldn't be able to face myself if I let this happen," she said in seriousness. "Not even in your dreams and definitely not in mine. Besides..." she gave a pause while redressing herself. She was willing to push away from him now, not simply because she knew where his mind was but to remind his all seeing self of something. "You'd do well to remember, that I existed on dreams and depression in this world for the last solid millennia... your celibacy streak isn't near long enough for you to be this desperate," she mentioned. "Besides, if you were really that down bad, you'd probably apologize to the one who trapped you," she said in all seriousness. "So put your pants back on and let me know if there is some other way I can help you..."

[Bloodedge]

"Refreshing, huh. . ." Arthur repeated. That was an interesting way to put things, and even led Arthur down a long train of thought. What was the actual meaning behind it? Was it refreshing because there was some amount of sincerity to it, or was there a far deeper meaning that he should be picking up on? He really should have gotten better at this sort of thing, yet here he was, hesitating and struggling in front of... technically his own castle. "Refreshing as in... good, right?" he asked, missing the greater point he meant to deliver. Of course, refreshing was always good. Arthur however, meant good in terms of his own perspective, though he entirely failed to properly voice that point.

One point would not be improperly voiced this day, at least. Sadly for Emilia, that proper voicing was precisely what she'd been trying to avoid saying. She allegedly didn't leave her room in a nightgown because it would be rude. Elyan didn't necessarily believe that. What would he believe? Well, there was no way he couldn't believe what she had to say next. The mental image was so immediate, Elyan imagined the turn of events in a situation where Emilia didn't simply become too comfortable and pass out early. Luckily, there was no more ice to shove in his mouth; he'd have been in trouble otherwise. Ah... but he was in trouble regardless. Elyan's eyes widened, his face flushed, and he quickly turned away in a huff. "Th-that's incredibly inappropriate!" he claimed.

The list of Merlin's 'conquests' was the thing that would not be added to this day. It didn't have to be put in those words; he didn't care to make anyone appear on some checklist. "Ugh, you don't have to face yourself! Just move on when it's over; you'll forget about it in a few short decades," he chanted. To the point of how long she'd gone surviving on dreams and depression, he hardly considered it a viable counter. "Need I specify? It has been hundreds of years since my last dream experience. After dealing with that cold-mannered woman, this is the first I've ever actually felt something. I dread to think about how long ago that was." One curiosity remained. Why didn't he just address the one who trapped him here? That, he'd address with a sigh as his robes returned. "And how do you expect me to do that, huh? Do you really think someone like that would trap a person in the Garden of Avalon for all of time, and make it possible to encounter them again? Why do you think I had such difficulty reaching you in Loch Ness? She's there, isn't she? I would have figured as much."

[Apollymi]

Guinevere was confronted by questions when it came to Arthur. A chuckle came from Guin as she thought of the best way to answer his question. It was refreshing and refreshing was always good. "Well, it is always good," she said. "In your specific case, sincerity is something lacking in a lot of people, and it is something I enjoy," said Guinevere. She was of a mindset that many men spent a large amount of time trying to be what they thought women were looking for, which never worked out for them in the long run. "So, yes it is definitely good and you have no reason to worry," she wrapped up her sentiment and aimed to soften any unnecessary blows. The lad could use a bit more confidence in himself. He was after all a treat.

At the same time, Emilia had been gently avoiding the truth of her day which was that if she'd been any less careless today, there was a high possibility that Elyan would have burst into her room while she was naked. Something about that was a bit traumatizing as a thought if she was being honest. And what was more, after the confession of that information, she was content to work on cleaning a dish that would have cleaned itself. Ah, but what was this, a quick look over her shoulder and she noted Elyan had turned away. She snapped at his words though, "Inappropriate?! How? You've literally said the same thing yourself like five times..." she said shooting him a stare that was accusatory.

The male counterpart of Merlyn was truly gone in his own mind. He managed to justify to himself the idea that they could engage in coitus and it wouldn't mean anything. He even claimed Merlyn would forget it in a couple of decades. "What?! I would not! Hell this conversation alone is bound to torment me for decades, the act would probably mar me for my now infinite life. I've never forgotten anything, not in millennia... and you are well aware of that. So... yes, I would still have to face myself... sex and emotion aren't always disconnected and it's traumatizing when they are," she said wondering how he managed to make a leap like that as if it was logical. Oh, that was it, huh? He claimed that it'd been centuries since his last dream experience and called the Lady Vivian cold-mannered but claimed right now was the first time he'd actually felt something. Merlyn turned her gaze back to her brother's face and seemed to be studying it for the first time. "Cold-mannered? The Lady Vivian I met was no such thing. Perhaps I've been giving you too much credit, is it possible Ichi-nii that you are associating your feelings with sex, when no such association exists," she said with a casual eye roll. No one who went out of their way to trap someone forever didn't care. And the Lady Vivian's own words in the castle a few weeks prior implied she still felt enough to be mad, it was very possible she wasn't quite done yet. "Yes, I do. But it is a girl thing to do, so I understand it a bit..." said Merlyn managing to think about her brother in a completely different light. "She did mention that she came down from above, to do some things. And while she isn't currently in the castle she is at least in the area... by my own approximation. Oh, I get it..." Merlyn said with a huge smile spreading across her face. Her brother was dumb. He simply didn't understand what had happened. If the Lady Vivian's presence kept him from manifesting properly she'd become his prison guard. More evidence to the contrary of her cold nature.

[Bloodedge]

Always good, she said. Though that wasn't exactly the answer Arthur sought, he wasn't presently verbose enough to receive the desired response anyway. As such, he could simply take the overall positive for lack of a better choice. It wasn't too much to interpret it as such, right? Yes, he'd go with that. "If you say so. Though at this point, that blackmail isn't seeming like too bad an option..." he stated. Arthur would be lying if he said he'd never wondered how that would go, when done for his own purposes. Guinevere in particular had him wondering that sort of thing quite frequently in recent times. Perhaps he'd actually take the time to find a more... friendly form of blackmail, harmless in nature enough to actually be used viciously against her! Ah yes, that sounded like a wonderful plan that Arthur soon had painted all over his face─

True, Elyan did recently also claim nudity during times of sleep. Did that make these situations the same, though? Not to him, it didn't. More importantly however, was the fact that Emilia had taken to washing a dish that needed no such thing. "Why are you washing that?" Elyan asked while stepping up to her side, letting his own dish float about in the sink and clean itself. "Anyway, that is a different matter entirely! As a lady, you should be more mindful of placing the image of your... more delicate bits... into the minds of others."

It seemed Merlyn could not bypass this simple conversation, much less any sexual act occurring between them. How selfish! She could have at least offered a hand in a more literal sense, couldn't she? Apparently not. "Koko, you sound so innocent. Sex and feelings have nothing to do with each other, until they do. People like us don't have to catch feelings during sex; it only happens the other way around," he said, offering an opinion he had taken as fact over millennia. Now then, according to Merlyn, he was blending his feelings with those of a sexual nature. There was a bit of a misconception there, but he didn't expect her to understand after spending so much time awake in the material world. "Iie. Those feelings have nothing to do with anything. You know, Koko... I am up in Camelot right now, somewhere. Lady Kay is in bed now, you see?" As Merlin spoke, he waved a single hand to conjure the image of Lady Kay, a certain trusted blonde Knight of Artoria Pendragon. She was quite the looker, and quite the warrior to boot. "I could walk into her brain or bedroom, and have at her as I like right now. From here though, it would be no different than watching a virtual reality film of myself. This is my physical self you see now, and no matter how real I make myself there... I can't feel it here," he explained. Whatever Merlyn understood from his other clause, she didn't say. Alas, they weren't as far from the same train of thought as she believed. "Do you? Must I also tell you that my imprisonment isn't to Avalon; it is in this 'tower' we are in currently. Even if someone comes here, unless they enter this specific space, I cannot reach them. I haven't seen that woman or anyone else in countless years, until you decided to come tease me with a touch today."

[Apollymi]

Her assurances seemed to do a bit of good, or perhaps bad? Arthur claimed that blackmail was still seeming like a good option. "Oh? That is an interesting thing for you to say," she said it seemed that Guinevere hadn't much let go of her own streak of impishness. "I do wonder what you think that entails, but I suppose I'll just have to wait and see~" she said with a bit of devilishness. "Though admittedly given the look on your face, I'm sure it can't be all bad~" she theorized. Of course she would be like this, maybe she shouldn't? She should probably hold back, she was being a bit flirtier than intended, but she couldn't really help it though. She kind of enjoyed being this way and Arthur was admittedly a very interesting individual to her, lore aside.

Elyan was content to keep griping away. It was such a familiar feeling to have this sort of conversation with the lad. It was like years of bullying at his older sister's hands had turned him into someone who was quite stern by his outward appearance, but who was never really stern inside. What he was however was a bit too much like his older sister, jabbing at things. "Well, I wouldn't want to get too used to abusing the system, what if Lady Merlyn gets mad and demotes us all back to our barely magical existences?!" she exclaimed as if this was something she truly thought would happen. Ah, yes, there it was the perfect cover for the fact that her face and ears were an intense shade of red and she wanted to crawl under a counter and die of her current level of embarrassment. She didn't believe, but vocal diversions were something she did a lot while she was under pressure, and somehow, even though they were just chatting she felt like there was some odd kind of pressure surrounding their conversation. What was more he claimed she should be careful putting the imagine of her 'delicate bits' in the heads of others. "I did no such thing. I was simply communicating as a matter of warning..." she said as if that was truly her intention. He'd run into her room and while it was to aide her he couldn't have ended up with an eye full of the naked half-elf and that would have been a level of awkward she couldn't have dealt with properly.

Oh? Merlyn seemed innocent to her older brother? The lad went on a spiel which followed a logic that could only be sound to those who would abuse others. In fact, she was quite sure she'd seen similar logic in the mind of Kolin. "The fact that you believe that is why you're currently alone here. That kind of logic is currently found only in the minds of the world's villains, Ichi-nii," she said casually, though the actual meaning of her sentence was he was being punished as the world saw fit. Though the man's next words made her realize the truth depth of what had occurred here. He was walking about Camelot, cheating the system set up for him... and the Lady Kay was sleeping. Ah, he could go to her and have her, but he wouldn't actually feel the sensation of it, why? Because his body was here, and nothing could reach here... except Merlyn herself when she slept. "You really pissed her off didn't you? It's kind of brilliant aside from the fact that I am pretty sure I am being punished by proxy. No wonder she seemed so skittish talking to me. It's childhood all over again," she said crossing her arms over her original body's chest and feeling the rather strange sensation of trying to accommodate a large bosom after so long without the constant burden of one. "Oi, I gave you a hug, that was platonic and affectionate, sibling affection... which is all I am ever offering you," she said making those boundaries of hers absolutely clear. There was a strange thing though, perhaps if this contact had happened before Zuria and the events of Loch Ness, she might have given it a bit more consideration. What with the way people died around her always, she was more likely to accept affection from her brother than anyone else, he might have even been able to convince her of it, had she been a bit less informed about the world. Oh well, that was likely for the best, "That wasn't a tease, you're literally the other half of me, it is natural that I'd miss you. Until this world I'd literally spent more time with you than anyone. Hell that still might be true considering my track record of peopling," she said. Strange, Lady Vivian didn't appear to be quite as vindictive as this punishment would imply. 'Wait, if I can come here, can I bring people here?' she questioned herself. She'd never slept before so she'd never tried bringing people into her own dreams, she had no idea what such an activity would actual entail. She probably wouldn't tell him that just yet, she wouldn't want him getting too excited if she couldn't deliver.

[Bloodedge]

"Is it? I've said it before," Arthur emphasized. Guinevere had seen the look on his face, and presumed that his threat of blackmail couldn't be so bad. It surely wouldn't be, whenever he figured out what it would be. Little did Arthur know, his first thought was in line with another conversation happening within the castle. "Maybe I'll be extra devious. I'll find this world's equivalent of a camera, and threaten an entire scandal using racy photos I've taken of you with... whatever this world has in place of the internet─" A genius idea, clearly. Surely Guinevere had no quippy comeback for that sort of thing, he thought. . .

Lies. Everything Emilia said was a lie. As quickly as she went to Merlyn for any and everything, Elyan wouldn't believe she had so little faith in the sorceress to assume her so ireful. "Merlyn wouldn't do something like that, and you don't even believe she would! You're doing that thing again, aren't you?!" Elyan exclaimed. What purpose did that habit of hers ever serve? The way he saw things, one should be much more frank than that, despite the fact that Elyan himself did no such thing. "All because I called you on your sleeping habits, I now have to deal with you doing pointless things, lying, and... and... putting pornography in my head!" In this case, Emilia wasn't the only one embarrassed. It was no fleeting or weak image he had in his head; it hadn't even gone away just yet. She insisted she was only communicating, but the assault on his mind's eye could not be forgiven! "That was not communicating! You were trying to distract me with some tactic of womanly eroticism or something, I'm sure! I'll not stand for it!"

Once more, Merlin was left having to explain himself. Who the hell did she think he was? With an extended finger to accentuate his point, he scoffed. "Junko! The point is, it is always possible to have sex with no emotional attachment. You and I are no strangers to that; I've never said that was the only way. Frankly, if emotions are not present before anything sexual is done, the emotions are best avoided entirely. To build feelings off physical encounters is a mistake one can regret for eternity," he explained, hitting a bit close to home at the end. Maybe he'd done exactly that, or maybe he'd indirectly been the cause of it instead. Well, the latter had undoubtedly happened quite a few times, but... on a normal day, that tended to be part of their existences. "You aren't being punished by proxy, Koko. By my approximation, you weren't even around at the time. You get free immortality while being able to wander around in the real world; I get imprisoned for literal eternity." Complaints about the situation aside, Merlin had a sigh to offer the world at large. His sister had come to hug him, meaning nothing sensual about it at all. "I miss you too, but imagine being in my shoes! First physical contact in longer than I care to count, I do believe I'm officially hornier than I was in puberty. You could at least leave a clone behind and separate yourself from it; I'd even take a doll at this point."

[Apollymi]

He'd said such a sentence before? Yes, but this time it was a little different. "Sure, you did say similar words before, but the tone and inclination of them have changed a bit... it implies something very different from the original~" Guinevere explained of her own thoughts surrounding this situation. Hm, perhaps she should let Arthur off the hook, she didn't want him to become upset with her at all, and she'd always had the tendency to bully people in what some called an endearing way. "If you think you can get over on me in such a way, you are more than welcome to try," she said with vague intentions. "But mark my words Arthur... when I take revenge it will be pointed and you will rue the day~" she said topped off by a hint of evil laughter. Just a little, in a joking sort of way. Of course, Guinevere had no harm in mind for the lad, no... she figured it would be much easier to tease him into submission at some point in the future. She had plenty of practice in the field already.

Speaking of Guinevere's test subjects, Elyan and Emilia were currently in a deadlock of embarrassment. Emilia because she was incidentally coerced into being direct, and Elyan because of the image that her directness had placed into his mind. Ah, but he was older now, he'd caught onto her methods, and claimed to not understand why she engaged in such activities. The truth of the matter was verbal distractions usually worked to keep people's minds off of her and her behavior. She was allowed in this way to recover her wits and not be so embarrassed. Strangely it wasn't working, "Look sometimes I need a mental break... divergences in thought are good for people. And I put nothing in your head..." she said, not denying the idea that Merlyn would likely never take back something she gave, but that reddened face of hers still wasn't going anywhere. If all else failed she might end up sticking her head in the sink. "Womanly eroticism? You're talking about me? Really?!" she exclaimed. Maybe if she'd been a bit more like Guinevere she would have properly pointed out that the lad was technically admitting to seeing her in a different light than he claimed. Actually, everything about this conversation probably made that a bit too clear. Still, Emilia wasn't quite that direct. Instead she now wanted to bury her face in a snow pile to hide it forever. By now even her neck and ears were showing the case of her embarrassment, she really did want to hide.

It seemed that what Merlyn had to say to her brother about how he sounded right at the moment struck a bit deep. He called her by her given full name causing her to flinch reflexively like when the used to argue while they were home. "Look I get it. I am just likely to pretend I don't have feelings as an alternative mixing things. Also, it isn't so much of a problem to gain feelings afterwards, if you're willing to commit to them," she said surely the pointedness of his statement meant he felt particularly about that sort of situation. Maybe, he'd finally learned his lesson and wouldn't be ruining the world with his brand of womanizing if or when he ever got free. That wasn't to say that Junko didn't have fans and followers, and men throwing themselves at her and falling for her. She was simply the type to be honest from the start about her emotional availability and never let people believe her feelings were more than they were to get her way. Such was a marked difference between the twins. "The freedom of immortality feels more like chains when you're tired of living, Junichi. And the world isn't exactly amazing after being here for so long and seeing what has happened," If he'd seen the whole of her existence through her eyes, he knew that life at some point in Merlyn's unlimited lifetime had become too much for her to carry, only she didn't get the option to leave it of her own accord. What was more, he knew her personality and knew she was a bit too empathetic to simply accept how far some parts and people in this world had fallen. A sigh escaped her as well, in some ways, they were quite similar. Ah, but what was this, he understood at least that she had not come here to engage in any incest. It'd been a long time for him, since he'd had anything resembling direct human contact. She did understand how he felt at least, Merlyn herself had become almost alien in her inability to figure out how to interact with humanity without putting her own mental state in jeopardy. "Look I get it. And if it's worse than puberty I feel bad for whatever you sleep on..." she said with a pointed chuckle. "I could make you a clone. It's kind of weird though, why wouldn't you just make one for yourself... it isn't as if our abilities are markedly different, nor will it last forever. Are the things you make here, not real enough for you?" she asked as a matter of genuine curiosity.

[Bloodedge]

Was there a difference in implication between Arthur's current threat of blackmail, and the previous? Yes, there was... somewhat. Compared to it being just an idea, even a moment of jest, he was now giving it proper consideration. He wasn't truly going to be vying for racy photos of any sort; that would be wildly inappropriate. Ah, but if he did, apparently Guinevere would take revenge rather succinctly. "And how do you plan on doing that?" he asked, seeming to roll with the idea as a legitimate potential, though he wasn't at all. He was, however, very curious how Guinevere would react to such a thing. How much of her personality was for the show, for making an impact and getting a reaction out of her conversation partner? These were the things Arthur had become curious about, and the things he would have answers to when possible.

Emilia spoke of taking a mental break, coincidentally confirming Elyan's belief in the same sentence. Elyan's expression upon realizing this was the smuggest it had been since the day he was knighted by Zuria's former king. "Hmph! To think, the Lady Emilia would become flustered talking to the young prince she used to look after. Pitiful!" he mocked. Of course, Elyan himself was no less bothered; they merely showed different levels externally. "Of course you! Who else is here?! I won't fall for it no matter how you try, so you'd best give up now!"

The differences between Merlin and Merlyn were clear. One would suppress, while the other would conceal. One would be direct, while the other would remain vague and distant. One would enjoy mortals and mourn their fleeting life while outliving them, while the other would reject mortals on an individual basis while still taking interest in the whole of humanity. Most importantly, one would make bonds while the other ripped apart existing connections. "Are you tired of living, Koko, or are you tired of watching everyone else die? There's a difference, you know? One of those things... you might one day change your mind about." Merlin had once been concerned with the mortality of others compared to himself. The more he saw of the world, though, the less he was concerned. Death was not a concept that applied to them, but it also did not apply to others in any way their human selves would have understood... at least, that's how things were meant to be. Now then, there was a question on the table. Why didn't Merlin make his own clone? They were indeed in possession of similar abilities─ the exact same, even. Alas, he could do no such thing. "Simply put, Koko... Anything you can do, I can do better," he said before a dramatic pause. "Sorry; I couldn't resist. Anyway, no. Anything I create here is about as real to me as my imaginary self out on your side of the world is. I could touch it, but I couldn't feel it. It's just a theory that something from the other side would have to do the trick, but since you won't even offer up a handjob, this is the best idea I've got."