[ Every so often, he would drop in to give her advice and observe her actions. The Outsider had a better temperament than he did, softer, far more patient. But she doesn't expect the Outsider to act on her behalf, not beyond what he had done so far. Alice find herself rolling her eyes at that. ]
I know. I know. He's delusional, he puts his own child in danger. Did you know she was held against her will like I was? Not only is he delusional, he is a hypocrite. As much as he cares for his child, his actions will make it all that much worse for him. But his actions shan't be invisible to the Seelie and Unseelie queens. Nothing is forever.
[ And she is of the mind that those actions should fall onto individuals, not rulers or a single person, but that's another rant altogether. ]
He used me, used my shard to bring a witch from the grave as I understand it underneath his control. He wasn't successful, was he?
[ Whether or not he seems to mind, it's enough to startle Alice into gasping,clutching her chest. There had been times in the past little things would set off Alice into anxiety attacks, and it feels like one of them. It's silly, she knows this.
She is already blaming herself for it. She thinks it's her fault. ]
How?
[ Well, Alice has nearly set herself up on a panic attack, she takes a moment to breathe and regain her composure in front of the god of the void. ]
They did not explain the ritual. But he is trying to bind her to his service, to make her a thing called a Revenant. Waver Velvet may know more than I do.
[ A few more breaths and Alice is pulling her long, dark hair. She's wracked her mind over and over, trying to figure out the skeleton, who it was. She had wondered why her, other than clubbing Reynard with the hobby horse after he had struck Lancelot. She's a shaking mess in front of her friend.
She swallows, frustrated- ]
No one has told me a thing! Other than pieces, pieces of himself are scattered about and nonsense about powers! All the while I've been stuck here wondering what on earth makes me so special other than I can only come to the conclusion that that piss poor excuse of a father chose me for striking him with the knightmare back in Treun!
[ Sorry, Outsider, it is still much more easier to speak to you than anyone else. ]
Maybe I don't want to, I've already been told I cannot come! Nonsense! All of it utter nonsense!
That is likely why he picked you. Revenge. There is likely no further explanation -- he wanted you to suffer.
[ how not to be comforting 101 ]
They think their secrets will save them. They think the courts are blind to what they do. They think they are so much smarter than all the rest. Pride, again, and while secrets can be beneficial -- in this case, I do not think they are. I think they bind and blind. That you are frustrated is no surprise, for I am as well.
[ Why was the knowledge of Reynard's daughter not public, if he is such a threat? He understands keeping the locations of each heart piece secret, just in case someone is captured -- he and the Brucolac are hard to hurt, and they do not know that about the rest, do not know what it might take for them to talk and say that they know the location of each and every piece. But the daughter? What Reynard wishes to do, even if the sigils are kept secret? (For they are powerful objects, and it is not hard to guess which among the Shardbearers would want them.) ]
Proud fools, each and every one. Their secrets will not save them. Were I capable of it, I would bring you to my side.
[ Others would deem it far from being uncomforting, Alice was used to being overlooked. In Rutledge, the solution to this would be much more gruesome and cruel treatments for Alice to overcome a panic attack. The outpouring, as sweet as it was, was unusual and Alice felt undeserving. It allows her to have a breather for a minute to regain her composure. Her chest is still aching, sore from everything that has happened.
Her body can't move that very far, so it'll be a struggle going back inside. She nods.
She nods because she agrees. She has found every aspect of this frustrating and it had finally mounted up to her breaking down in front of the Outsider. She just needs to breathe.
Nodding, Alice pulls her head back up with her hand resting over her chest as if that was going to keep the shard in her chest. ]
That sounds so... unproductive.
[ He got it, he understood how that was frustrating and it sounds like it was worse. ]
Then all of this sounds like a fool's errand. If it is not to much, may I ask you something?
[ She is not the first broken, beaten prisoner he has come to. She will not be the last. It is often the desperate, the wounded who turn to him -- those abused by power, those who would see it cease to abuse. He was one of them, once, a very long time ago. ]
We were able to discover the information about his heart. That, at least, was- somewhat useful.
[ Does it count as a prayer? She tries not to think of it that way, she sees it as talking to a friend. But if she asked the Cheshire Cat the same thing, she isn't sure that he would comply. So it's worth asking. ]
My friend... I have not heard from him and I fear for him. Sir Lancelot... well- he's called "Berserker", I know he asks to be called that.
[ Alice wipes her tears, attempting to get back on her feet with a little wobble. ]
I worry for him, since he was there on Death's Altar, too. Please... if it is possible, will you watch out for him?
[ That's good enough for her; out of everyone her, she worried about him most of all. Of course he would insist he would be fine and that these were his duties.
Too bad both of them were so literal that they mutually ignored those things. ]
Thank you.
[ That at least allows her to breathe. ]
And I will continue bringing you more bones and charms.
Yes. You can likely find others in various books, as well -- perhaps you will create charms that most do not think of.
They are for minor magics, but even that can be quite helpful. [ See: not getting eaten by rats every time you come to visit. ] It depends on how they are used.
[ It's another thing she can tack onto her research while being stuck here. In a moment of childish resentment, Alice feels as if she has already given the brush off and given minor things to do while she waits for the others.
So far, the Outsider seems to have calmed her again and it feels more like than just busy work. It's something she can use for her own benefit and others. Still, when would she worry about the rats? He likes her, doesn't he? ]
She's spent most of her time in Drabwurld throwing down what she does to join in and help others. Most of Alice's actions consisted in aiding others. The concept shouldn't be so foreign to her, but it is.
She'll continue doing what she does to aid her friends. She's too tired to argue. ]
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[ Every so often, he would drop in to give her advice and observe her actions. The Outsider had a better temperament than he did, softer, far more patient. But she doesn't expect the Outsider to act on her behalf, not beyond what he had done so far. Alice find herself rolling her eyes at that. ]
I know. I know. He's delusional, he puts his own child in danger. Did you know she was held against her will like I was? Not only is he delusional, he is a hypocrite. As much as he cares for his child, his actions will make it all that much worse for him. But his actions shan't be invisible to the Seelie and Unseelie queens. Nothing is forever.
[ And she is of the mind that those actions should fall onto individuals, not rulers or a single person, but that's another rant altogether. ]
He used me, used my shard to bring a witch from the grave as I understand it underneath his control. He wasn't successful, was he?
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[ And now he sighs. ]
Secrets. It is pride that makes these plans the most likely to fail, far more than the Fox's cunning or magic or traps.
As for the witch- it is my understanding that there were complications in his plan, though she has risen. She is the daughter of Alyosha of Redgate.
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[ Whether or not he seems to mind, it's enough to startle Alice into gasping,clutching her chest. There had been times in the past little things would set off Alice into anxiety attacks, and it feels like one of them. It's silly, she knows this.
She is already blaming herself for it. She thinks it's her fault. ]
How?
[ Well, Alice has nearly set herself up on a panic attack, she takes a moment to breathe and regain her composure in front of the god of the void. ]
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[ no one tells him anything :( ]
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She swallows, frustrated- ]
No one has told me a thing! Other than pieces, pieces of himself are scattered about and nonsense about powers! All the while I've been stuck here wondering what on earth makes me so special other than I can only come to the conclusion that that piss poor excuse of a father chose me for striking him with the knightmare back in Treun!
[ Sorry, Outsider, it is still much more easier to speak to you than anyone else. ]
Maybe I don't want to, I've already been told I cannot come! Nonsense! All of it utter nonsense!
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[ how not to be comforting 101 ]
They think their secrets will save them. They think the courts are blind to what they do. They think they are so much smarter than all the rest. Pride, again, and while secrets can be beneficial -- in this case, I do not think they are. I think they bind and blind. That you are frustrated is no surprise, for I am as well.
[ Why was the knowledge of Reynard's daughter not public, if he is such a threat? He understands keeping the locations of each heart piece secret, just in case someone is captured -- he and the Brucolac are hard to hurt, and they do not know that about the rest, do not know what it might take for them to talk and say that they know the location of each and every piece. But the daughter? What Reynard wishes to do, even if the sigils are kept secret? (For they are powerful objects, and it is not hard to guess which among the Shardbearers would want them.) ]
Proud fools, each and every one. Their secrets will not save them. Were I capable of it, I would bring you to my side.
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Her body can't move that very far, so it'll be a struggle going back inside. She nods.
She nods because she agrees. She has found every aspect of this frustrating and it had finally mounted up to her breaking down in front of the Outsider. She just needs to breathe.
Nodding, Alice pulls her head back up with her hand resting over her chest as if that was going to keep the shard in her chest. ]
That sounds so... unproductive.
[ He got it, he understood how that was frustrating and it sounds like it was worse. ]
Then all of this sounds like a fool's errand. If it is not to much, may I ask you something?
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We were able to discover the information about his heart. That, at least, was- somewhat useful.
[ Hopefully more than somewhat. ]
Of course, my dear.
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My friend... I have not heard from him and I fear for him. Sir Lancelot... well- he's called "Berserker", I know he asks to be called that.
[ Alice wipes her tears, attempting to get back on her feet with a little wobble. ]
I worry for him, since he was there on Death's Altar, too. Please... if it is possible, will you watch out for him?
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[ He has not spoken to him since, though the Outsider remembers seeing him on the battlefield outside Maupertius. ]
I will, if I can.
[ Because she asked. ]
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Too bad both of them were so literal that they mutually ignored those things. ]
Thank you.
[ That at least allows her to breathe. ]
And I will continue bringing you more bones and charms.
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[ Something to keep her busy, something to make her feel useful. ]
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[ A distraction would be lovely; Alice isn't too crazy about being alone with her thoughts right now. ]
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They are for minor magics, but even that can be quite helpful. [ See: not getting eaten by rats every time you come to visit. ] It depends on how they are used.
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So far, the Outsider seems to have calmed her again and it feels more like than just busy work. It's something she can use for her own benefit and others. Still, when would she worry about the rats? He likes her, doesn't he? ]
I will do this for you.
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Do it instead for yourself, my dear.
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She's spent most of her time in Drabwurld throwing down what she does to join in and help others. Most of Alice's actions consisted in aiding others. The concept shouldn't be so foreign to her, but it is.
She'll continue doing what she does to aid her friends. She's too tired to argue. ]
Of course.