[Frowning, L'Arachel steps outside the room, closing the door behind her.]
Then let us speak. [And she goes striding down the hall, dignified as ever as she does.] This is the sort of conversation best had over tea, I must say, so let us have some prepared for us.
[L'Arachel is in a constant state of making those faceless servants earn their goddamn pay, tbh.]
Of course. For all their trouble, they prepare the brew finely enough.
[She'll bring them to the lounge, demanding two cups of something unreasonably fancy-sounding of the first faceless man she finds and sitting down at a small table, motioning for Knoll to sit across from her.]
I must say, the situation would be simply unbearable without the modicum of service offered to us.
As your ally and leader [who decided this] I will not lie to you, Knoll. Without any tomes, we have been put in quite the predicament. With their preferred weapons, Prince Ephraim or Princess Eirika would make swift work of our host and his agents [she isn't pausing at all as one of said agents comes by to give them their tea] but even so...
[She pauses, stirring a spoon in her tea.]
This whole city reeks of a malevolent energy. You can feel it, too, I'm sure. More than I think Craftly and the servants are capable of emanating. I think to best him would not be the end of things.
[ Their situation is so bad they're talking about a scenario of their enemy facing an end right in front of their faces...
He almost thinks to question when she says 'as your leader' in addition to 'as your ally', but he decides it's fine...probably. ]
It is hard not to feel it. The Demon King would likely have thrived in this type of a place.
...Craftly is only a facilitator of sorts, and he has mentioned that there was someone above him. This must be an individual -- or being -- who would not possess much more authority than he has, but undoubtedly unfathomable power at their fingertips. We would need to find a way to best this individual and perhaps many more.
With tomes in our hands, I've no doubt we could drive those dark forces from this place with ease. [She waves her hand, a little dismissively.] We have fathomed the unfathomable before and just as well brought it to its knees. If we were unhindered, whatever dark force lies on the other side of all this would be dust against us.
[She hums, and there's the slightest of smiles forming on her face.]
We know these powers well, do we not? You and I best of, perhaps, almost anyone from our army. [The summoner and the slayer—what a pair.] To know them is the first step to guard ourselves and the others against them.
[ Knoll doesn't think that they'll be able to do the same as last time, but...he may have been vastly discouraged due to their disadvantage. ]
Yes, it is as you say...we would have finished them rather quickly.
[ And speaking of Summoning, he does wish he could summon a familiar right about now. ]
Even if we do know how to guard ourselves and others against the dark powers, it may be rather difficult to protect ourselves against those others, should they wish to turn their fight to us instead.
Then we must do all in our power to reach their hearts before the darkness does.
[She waves her hand again, then stirs her tea and takes a sip. She speaks again after setting the cup back on the saucer.]
It may not be that we can all work together as comrades in this. Even some of our fellow captives have admitted to being more similar to the monsters keeping us here than the humans they appear to be. Regardless, rallying together will allow us to wield the greatest power we could ever use against the darkness.
[ Knoll hasn't touched his tea as of yet--though L'arachel's actions compel him to do so at the moment. ]
Though... I suppose we will not know for certain unless we at least try. Yet, I cannot help but see so much darkness when I look forward to our future, and so little light. Our chances seem even slimmer than when we faced The Demon King himself.
[She sips her tea again, smirking as she sets it down.]
The demon king stood atop a mountain of corpses before he was felled, so it was spoken, and yet our army marched strong away from our final battle. We have conquered an ancient legend so thoroughly it shall never return, and you think this an impossibility?
[ Knoll takes a breath, and then releases a shuddering sigh. ]
L'arachel...it is true that The Demon King was a monstrous and considerable threat. But, even The Demon King wouldn't be able to successfully pull so many people from different dimensions and different worlds to participate in something so cruel. It is not that I think we are too incompetent to handle the evil here, but it is that I believe we are simply at too much of a disadvantage...and I just--
[ He places his head in his hands. He doesn't want to deal with this but he's sure he at least deserves it. L'arachel, however, is one of those who don't, no matter how eccentric her attitude is. ]
I don't know how we're going to return home like this.
[L'Arachel's voice comes almost softly—as close to it as her ridiculous self can manage, anyway. Her smile remains, warm and persistently bright, as she leans in across the table.]
That is the power of a human heart, Knoll. From where did the Sacred Stones draw their power? [She doesn't wait for an answer.] Human will. Our desire for peace. Community, friendship, and love. These hearts of all of ours will beat just as fiercely here. If it can be done, it can be undone. If a demon can be conquered, its acts can be resolved.
[She sits up straighter.]
You've nothing to fear. If ever these hellish forces had a certain bane, it is the holy light the very legendary godly servant before you has always carried. Such arrogance, to bring me here as well! Rausten cannot lose its crown jewel. We will find our way back in due time, I am certain of it.
[ Maybe she was right...they would find their way. Though, he is not sure if he would be part of the 'they'--he was too weak for that. Someone like L'arachel, and someone else would have enough will to champion forward and win the day; he doesn't think he'd be able to make it though.
Still, it was enough if she, Hibiki, Yukina, and the rest of the children could.
He takes his head from out of his hands, to look at her. ]
Perhaps you are right...
L'arachel, when we head back to our rooms, there is something in strict confidence that I must tell you. I would prefer it not around the ears of these strange creatures, even if they may already have the knowledge of such things.
[But she doesn't stand up right away. She takes the last few sips of her tea and sets the cup down on her saucer.]
Knoll, this is not our familiar battlefield or our same army. We are far from Magvel, but distance does not strip me of my title as Rausten's heiress apparent. As such, I think it appropriate to retain my position as a military commander here as well. It is my duty to lift the hearts of those under my ward just as well as protect them. [She's looking Knoll right in the eyes.] At the head of a battalion or in the presence of a single soldier, I will take it with the utmost seriousness. Do you understand?
[ Even if Knoll's voice cracks a bit here, he doesn't have an ounce of doubt to be found in his answer. In fact, he may have been even slightly amazed at what L'arachel had to say, and indeed he was. It was somehow... moving.
He paused a bit and finally smiled. ]
Princess L'arachel, you know, you do have quite a way with words.
[HAHA YES SHE GOT A SMILE OUT OF THIS SHITHEAD and she is ever so pleased with herself, apparently.]
Of course I do! A woman of my natural superiority will quickly learn to assuage the hearts and minds of those around her. No less would do for a divine ruler, after all.
[l'arachel we almost had a moment why do you have to fucking ruin everything like this]
Is that all, then? Any last concerns left to be put to rest?
Knoll could feel as if there were a bead of sweat going down the side of his forehead at her words, because really. Really. ]
I believe these are all the concerns to be discussed for now, except for the last one we will do so in a bit in more confidence...unless there is something else you would like to say?
[guess what, the ridiculousness continues in the form of L'Arachel gasping and clutching at her chest in that ultra-offended way she does.]
—Goodness! Knoll, if you were anyone else and I were less holy, I would bring an end to you for thinking it proper to invite a woman into your chambers like this.
[settle the fuck down, l'arachel
but she glances this way and that, making sure the halls are empty.]
I will trust the honesty in your intentions in the interest of well-kept secrets—no one must see my arrival, nor my departure, can you imagine—!
[ Knoll is so lost, confused, and a bit worried all at the same time. He doesn't understand where L'arachel is getting these implications and he tried to think back to his other conversation with a certain cleric. Was Natasha ever like this?
No...either way it made him mostly fumble with the door. ]
I've met with someone else to speak with in here before for the sake of confiding, so please don't worry.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Then let us speak. [And she goes striding down the hall, dignified as ever as she does.] This is the sort of conversation best had over tea, I must say, so let us have some prepared for us.
[L'Arachel is in a constant state of making those faceless servants earn their goddamn pay, tbh.]
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Oh, alright. I suppose you are going to have those individuals prepare the tea for us...?
[ He supposes he hasn't had the time to sufficiently harass them enough yet... ]
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[She'll bring them to the lounge, demanding two cups of something unreasonably fancy-sounding of the first faceless man she finds and sitting down at a small table, motioning for Knoll to sit across from her.]
I must say, the situation would be simply unbearable without the modicum of service offered to us.
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[ The first and last time he had, up until now, apparently...
But, he'll move on from that, swiftly. ]
...I was wondering what you thought of what happened. In confidence...do you think we could prevent something like that happening again?
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As your ally and leader [who decided this] I will not lie to you, Knoll. Without any tomes, we have been put in quite the predicament. With their preferred weapons, Prince Ephraim or Princess Eirika would make swift work of our host and his agents [she isn't pausing at all as one of said agents comes by to give them their tea] but even so...
[She pauses, stirring a spoon in her tea.]
This whole city reeks of a malevolent energy. You can feel it, too, I'm sure. More than I think Craftly and the servants are capable of emanating. I think to best him would not be the end of things.
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He almost thinks to question when she says 'as your leader' in addition to 'as your ally', but he decides it's fine...probably. ]
It is hard not to feel it. The Demon King would likely have thrived in this type of a place.
...Craftly is only a facilitator of sorts, and he has mentioned that there was someone above him. This must be an individual -- or being -- who would not possess much more authority than he has, but undoubtedly unfathomable power at their fingertips. We would need to find a way to best this individual and perhaps many more.
An impossible feat, the way we are now...
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[She hums, and there's the slightest of smiles forming on her face.]
We know these powers well, do we not? You and I best of, perhaps, almost anyone from our army. [The summoner and the slayer—what a pair.] To know them is the first step to guard ourselves and the others against them.
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Yes, it is as you say...we would have finished them rather quickly.
[ And speaking of Summoning, he does wish he could summon a familiar right about now. ]
Even if we do know how to guard ourselves and others against the dark powers, it may be rather difficult to protect ourselves against those others, should they wish to turn their fight to us instead.
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[She waves her hand again, then stirs her tea and takes a sip. She speaks again after setting the cup back on the saucer.]
It may not be that we can all work together as comrades in this. Even some of our fellow captives have admitted to being more similar to the monsters keeping us here than the humans they appear to be. Regardless, rallying together will allow us to wield the greatest power we could ever use against the darkness.
no subject
[ Knoll hasn't touched his tea as of yet--though L'arachel's actions compel him to do so at the moment. ]
Though... I suppose we will not know for certain unless we at least try. Yet, I cannot help but see so much darkness when I look forward to our future, and so little light. Our chances seem even slimmer than when we faced The Demon King himself.
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[She sips her tea again, smirking as she sets it down.]
The demon king stood atop a mountain of corpses before he was felled, so it was spoken, and yet our army marched strong away from our final battle. We have conquered an ancient legend so thoroughly it shall never return, and you think this an impossibility?
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L'arachel...it is true that The Demon King was a monstrous and considerable threat. But, even The Demon King wouldn't be able to successfully pull so many people from different dimensions and different worlds to participate in something so cruel. It is not that I think we are too incompetent to handle the evil here, but it is that I believe we are simply at too much of a disadvantage...and I just--
[ He places his head in his hands. He doesn't want to deal with this but he's sure he at least deserves it. L'arachel, however, is one of those who don't, no matter how eccentric her attitude is. ]
I don't know how we're going to return home like this.
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[L'Arachel's voice comes almost softly—as close to it as her ridiculous self can manage, anyway. Her smile remains, warm and persistently bright, as she leans in across the table.]
That is the power of a human heart, Knoll. From where did the Sacred Stones draw their power? [She doesn't wait for an answer.] Human will. Our desire for peace. Community, friendship, and love. These hearts of all of ours will beat just as fiercely here. If it can be done, it can be undone. If a demon can be conquered, its acts can be resolved.
[She sits up straighter.]
You've nothing to fear. If ever these hellish forces had a certain bane, it is the holy light the very legendary godly servant before you has always carried. Such arrogance, to bring me here as well! Rausten cannot lose its crown jewel. We will find our way back in due time, I am certain of it.
no subject
Still, it was enough if she, Hibiki, Yukina, and the rest of the children could.
He takes his head from out of his hands, to look at her. ]
Perhaps you are right...
L'arachel, when we head back to our rooms, there is something in strict confidence that I must tell you. I would prefer it not around the ears of these strange creatures, even if they may already have the knowledge of such things.
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[But she doesn't stand up right away. She takes the last few sips of her tea and sets the cup down on her saucer.]
Knoll, this is not our familiar battlefield or our same army. We are far from Magvel, but distance does not strip me of my title as Rausten's heiress apparent. As such, I think it appropriate to retain my position as a military commander here as well. It is my duty to lift the hearts of those under my ward just as well as protect them. [She's looking Knoll right in the eyes.] At the head of a battalion or in the presence of a single soldier, I will take it with the utmost seriousness. Do you understand?
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[ Even if Knoll's voice cracks a bit here, he doesn't have an ounce of doubt to be found in his answer. In fact, he may have been even slightly amazed at what L'arachel had to say, and indeed he was. It was somehow... moving.
He paused a bit and finally smiled. ]
Princess L'arachel, you know, you do have quite a way with words.
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Of course I do! A woman of my natural superiority will quickly learn to assuage the hearts and minds of those around her. No less would do for a divine ruler, after all.
[l'arachel we almost had a moment why do you have to fucking ruin everything like this]
Is that all, then? Any last concerns left to be put to rest?
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[ L'arachel...
Knoll could feel as if there were a bead of sweat going down the side of his forehead at her words, because really. Really. ]
I believe these are all the concerns to be discussed for now, except for the last one we will do so in a bit in more confidence...unless there is something else you would like to say?
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If you find yourself contented, then I've nothing else to address.
[She stands first, leaving her dishes behind, and motions for him to follow her so they can walk back towards their rooms.]
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...
[ ... and because he does lapse into silence, he'll be heading alongside with her until, he pauses. ]
My room, right?
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—Goodness! Knoll, if you were anyone else and I were less holy, I would bring an end to you for thinking it proper to invite a woman into your chambers like this.
[settle the fuck down, l'arachel
but she glances this way and that, making sure the halls are empty.]
I will trust the honesty in your intentions in the interest of well-kept secrets—no one must see my arrival, nor my departure, can you imagine—!
[PLEASE CHILL!!!!]
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V...very well...?
[ Knoll is so lost, confused, and a bit worried all at the same time. He doesn't understand where L'arachel is getting these implications and he tried to think back to his other conversation with a certain cleric. Was Natasha ever like this?
No...either way it made him mostly fumble with the door. ]
I've met with someone else to speak with in here before for the sake of confiding, so please don't worry.
[ And it opens! ]