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The immediate question facing you right now is whether you should retrieve the nightmare-absorbing orb that Elise had concocted for you just yesterday, or if you should leave it with Elise to help her in constructing the wards around the cube that was likely the primary conduit for those nightmares. It would be a more useful long-term solution to let Elise keep the orb for now, to make sure those wards definitely work. On the other hand, you feel ill at ease leaving Clarissa technically undefended against any further attacks on her psyche, should they slip past Elise's fragmented attentions while she was working.

"How difficult would it be to create the wards without Orby?" you ask Elise.

Elise sucks in her breath through her teeth, in the manner of every craftsman who has to hedge an uncertain prediction of their own work. "To be honest, I would really rather have Orby with me, in order to make sure the wards are solid. Without it, I'd be running on guesswork and estimations, which will definitely leave a few gaps."

"But if you have Orby, the wards will prevent the nightmares from targeting the Captain ever again?" You inject some desperate hope into your voice.

Elise spreads her hands in a gesture of frustration at her own limitations. "I don't know, Nicole. I just don't know. I'm just an apprentice like you, who's been promoted before her time. I've never seen anything like this, I've never seen this cube before, and I don't know what I should do."

You rock back on your heels at the sudden bitter vehemence in Elise's tone, at odds with her usual cheerful, chirpy, absent-minded nature.

"If you want my advice," Elise says, "take Orby with you. I can work without it, and I'll try to make the wards as strong as I can. But I don't want to risk any more danger happening to Clarissa. I can try to reinforce the wards in the morning. Or afternoon. Whenever Clarissa wakes, and is no longer in immediate danger from the nightmares."

>[2/3]

Thus causing yet more strain on Elise, who looks like she's trying to hide her own worry and exhaustion as best as she can. But you don't see much of an alternative.

You hold out the cloth bag you brought with you, and Elise drops the nightmare-absorber in. "I'll return this to you when I can," you promise.

"Clarissa comes first," Elise reminds you. "Always."

You wonder what happened between Elise and Clarissa in the past. Elise has always been open with her affection, but this devotion goes beyond mere flirting and teasing. Strange that Clarissa seems not to notice it, or at least gives the impression that she does not.

And then, as you are reminded when you return to your room and see the piece of paper placed prominently on the floor in front of the door, there is Victor.

The note is simple and short, with surprisingly good penmanship; Victor must have taken his early lessons to heart. It just asks you, by name, to meet him as soon as possible, for he has something important to tell you.

Which would be breaking your probationary terms of not being in the presence of the Duke or his family without an authorized escort present, lest you reveal yourself as an assassin or kidnapper and spirit off the heir to the Dukedom of Alvar. At this point, you are not sure anyone is keeping track of anymore.

You knock before entering your own room, so as not to startle Roderick. He seems friendly enough, but you'd rather not make an orc even jumpier.

Clarissa is still asleep, and apparently peacefully so. Roderick glances at you, from his seat at Clarissa's desk; from his posture, he expects to be here the entire night.

"Welcome back," he says quietly.

> "Thanks for watching the Captain, Roderick. I'll take over from here."
> "Would you mind joining me in watching over the Captain? I could use the support."
> "Did you notice anyone outside while I was gone?"
> "I'm just here to drop off Orby, sorry. I have someone else I need to meet."

>>35869114
> "I'm just here to drop off Orby, sorry. I have someone else I need to meet."

>>35869114
>> "I'm just here to drop off Orby, sorry. I have someone else I need to meet."
Be honest, say that Victor asked to see us.

>>35869114
> "I'm just here to drop off Orby, sorry. I have someone else I need to meet."

Of course we can trust ourselves to not lose control the moment we're alone with a VIP, right?

>>35869114
>"Thanks for watching the Captain, Roderick. I'll take over from here."

>>35869138
this. say we'll try to be quick

You carefully deposit the cloth bag onto Clarissa's desk. "I'm just here to drop off Orby, sorry."

Roderick blinks. "Orby?"

You keep forgetting that not everyone shares your nickname of the nightmare-absorber, or your knowledge of its existence. "The sphere in the bag. I think it's crystal or glass or something. Elise made it yesterday; it's supposed to protect the Captain."

Roderick reaches into the bag, but hesitates. "Is it safe to touch?"

"It should be." You'd personally rather not, but that's unique to your own situation.

Roderick takes out the nightmare-absorber, which is currently quiescent, roiling quietly within its transparent sphere. Roderick does not express any more surprise than a widening of his eyes, nor does he drop the nightmare-absorber. After he puts it on the desk, though, he wipes his hand on his tunic.

"That is creepy," he declares.

You nod in agreement. "But it worked in keeping the Captain safe last night, so it should do the same tonight. Oh, and if it suddenly lights up, that's normal. Or at least as normal as anything can be, when it comes to mind magic." You give Clarissa a quick check. "Is the Captain all right?"

"Clarissa hasn't budged from her sleep," Roderick confirms. "She's like that when she's drunk. Though I haven't seen her passed out like that since that night she was made Knight Captain."

Meaning Clarissa does not often drown her sorrows in alcohol, or just that Roderick has not personally witnessed her doing so? Not a distinction that matters, you decide.

>[1/2]

"So where are you headed to now?" Roderick asks. You get the impression you need to be fairly convincing in order to escape the responsibility of looking after Clarissa.

"I have someone I need to meet." You wave the note you found outside your door by way of explanation. "Victor left me this note. Said he needed to see me about something."

"Do you know what?"

Most likely his experiments in magic, but you are still under binding oath not to reveal that to anyone. Which is probably a decent starting point for some kind of study into the psychology of promises, given that you are about to break your other oath not to see Victor without someone else in authority present. "It probably won't take too long," you say. "Oh, and, uh, Roderick."

"What is it, Nicole?"

> "Could you keep this meeting with Victor a secret? It would help me avoid a lot of problems later."
> "If anyone asks, please tell them where I went. William or Anders in particular need to know."
> "Actually, it's nothing. Thanks for watching over the Captain."

>>35869363
> "If anyone asks, please tell them where I went. William or Anders in particular need to know."

>>35869363
> "Could you keep this meeting with Victor a secret? It would help me avoid a lot of problems later."

>>35869363
>"Could you keep this meeting with Victor a secret? It would help me avoid a lot of problems later."
He knows at least

>>35869363
>"Could you keep this meeting with Victor a secret? It would help me avoid a lot of problems later."

>>35869363
>> "If anyone asks, please tell them where I went. William or Anders in particular need to know."

we were given very specific instructions

>>35869363
> "Could you keep this meeting with Victor a secret? It would help me avoid a lot of problems later."

>>35869363
> "If anyone asks, please tell them where I went. William or Anders in particular need to know."

Any authority figure, or indeed anyone else, privy to your upcoming discussion with Victor will have a significant chilling effect on the conversation. You're quite sure the excitement of this evening will mean the people closest to Clarissa will be up and about, checking up on her or trying to get to the bottom of the whole fiasco. If your meeting with Victor is mentioned, it would not bode well for your level of trustworthiness with regards to following orders.

But Victor claims to have something important to tell you about the events of this evening. If it could help Clarissa, you can't ignore the opportunity to find out.

"Could you keep this meeting with Victor a secret? It would help me avoid a lot of problems later." It would also have the drawback of presenting even more problems should you be discovered, but you'll deal with that when you come to it.

Roderick raises an eyebrow. "Is that what Victor wants?"

In a manner of speaking, through the unhappy coincidence of your terms of probation coupled with your promise not to reveal Victor's magical experiments. You can't imagine Victor would want to broadcast this meeting to the world, anyhow. "Yes."

"The boy has a good head on his shoulders," Roderick muses. "I'm sure he has a reason for it. But if it's something that turns out to be far more important than keeping it a secret, well." He grins, treating you to the sight of his very clean, very sharp, very pointed teeth. "I'll use my best judgment."

In other words, not a promise, but Roderick will not speak out of turn. Probably the best you can get right now. "Thank you."

Not having a defined meeting point listed in the note means that Victor will probably be waiting in his room. You head up to the third floor, and linger in the shadows for a moment, checking that nobody else is around.

>[1/2]

Your caution is well-rewarded. Anders exits from his office with a file, and strides purposefully to the Duke's room. He knocks, wait for an answer, and enters. He does not notice you.

You pad quietly past the Duke's room, where you can hear some sort of briefing taking place. Not your concern right now.

Beside the Duke's room is the room of one Victor Theodor ain Alvar, according to the plaque on the wall beside the door. You tap quietly on the door.

No response.

You are not about to announce your presence to all and sundry by calling out to Victor, so you take the note that summoned you here, and slip it under the door.

Footsteps sound from within. After a few breathless moments, the door opens, and Victor admits you inside. You note with some interest that he is holding an empty glass in one hand.

"I'm so glad you came," he says. From the tone of his voice, he is hovering on the edge of barely restrained panic and excitement.

> "What did you want to see me about?"
> "I should tell you that I'm not allowed to be here."
> "Calm down, Victor. Breathe."
> "Were you eavesdropping on your father?"

>>35869560
> "I should tell you that I'm not allowed to be here."
> "What did you want to see me about?"

>>35869560
> "Calm down, Victor. Breathe."
> "I should tell you that I'm not allowed to be here."
> "What did you want to see me about?"

>>35869560
>"I should tell you that I'm not allowed to be here."
>"What did you want to see me about?"

What's is he so excited about?

>>35869560
> "I should tell you that I'm not allowed to be here."
> "Were you eavesdropping on your father?"

>>35869560
>> "Calm down, Victor. Breathe."
>> "What did you want to see me about?"

>>35869560
>"I should tell you that I'm not allowed to be here."
>"It would take the load off a lot of people if you were the one who snuck into the basement."

>>35869560
> "I should tell you that I'm not allowed to be here."
> "Calm down, Victor. Breathe."
> "What did you want to see me about?"

Jesus Victor really is the one who did it...it was a love spell

>>35869745
But wasn't this a sort of magic that works best when the caster is closely related to the target?

"I should tell you that I'm not allowed to be here," you tell Victor. You're not sure if he knows about your probation.

Victor looks even more panicked, which is no small feat. "Are you in trouble?"

"It's one of the reasons I haven't been to see you," you reply. "I'm not supposed to be with you without another knight around. Or Anders or Elise or Simone."

"So you're going to get into trouble because of this?" Victor looks so stricken that even you are moved to pity for him.

"As long as nobody finds out, we should be safe," you say. And if someone does, you should probably take all the blame; being in trouble is not a new situation for you, but from Victor's reactions, he has never been seriously disobedient before.

His unauthorized magical research notwithstanding, of course.

Victor's room has the neat yet rumpled look of a bedroom made by competent and professional maids, but still the room of a young boy. A large four-poster bed has been specifically designed to emphasize the current societal ideals of masculinity, meaning no frills or soft colours, but still looks quite comfortable and elegant. A heavy wooden chest is placed at the foot of the bed. A large desk beside the bed is kept tidy, as are the bookshelves around the room. On a long shelf, a wooden practice sword takes pride of place.

"So what did you want to see me about?" you ask.

Victor looks around furtively, despite being alone with you in his room. "Come here," he says. He looks at the glass in his hand as though he has just seen it, and places it carelessly on a handy shelf.

Victor leads you to one of the bookshelves, which is built into the wall. Mostly textbooks, from what you can see, although you spot a few volumes of collected fiction. It looks like Victor is trying to collect the whole set, and he is missing a few volumes.

"It should be here somewhere," Victor mutters, feeling against the edge of the bookshelf. "Ah, right. Help me push, Nicole."

>[1/2]

If this is supposed to be the entrance to a secret passageway, it has obviously not been used for that purpose in quite a long time. The hidden door behind the bookshelf grinds with complaint at its hinges, and it requires a bit of effort to open and close. Even a boy like Victor could manage it, but it is not going to swing open of its own accord.

Beyond is what used to be a secret passage, but with the way deeper boarded up with old but solid planks, it is now merely an alcove. This would be a suitable secret hiding place, although you can see how Victor would not be overly enthused of the dusty, musty, cramped space.

This is also apparently where Victor keeps his stolen magical tome, along with a few other books he tries a bit too casually to ignore in your presence. You don't think those are magical, except perhaps to every young boy growing into adolescence.

He turns to you, holding the book of magic. "I think I know how to track down the person who used the cube," he says.

> "How?"
> "Do you know what's happening?"
> "Is it dangerous?"
> "Shouldn't you be telling Elise about this?"

> "Do you know what's happening?"
Followed by:
> "Is it dangerous?"
> "How?"

>>35869776
> "Shouldn't you be telling Elise about this?"

>>35869776
>"No. Absolutely not. Tell Elise or Anders about this, but absolutely do NOT do this alone. If this backfires, you NEED someone to watch your back."

>>35869776
>along with a few other books he tries a bit too casually to ignore in your presence. You don't think those are magical, except perhaps to every young boy growing into adolescence.

Oh boy...

>>35869776
>> "How?"
>> "Do you know what's happening?"
>> "Is it dangerous?"

>>35869796

Well its much better than the original suspicion.

That he casted the spell.

>>35869776
> "How?"
> "Shouldn't you be telling Elise about this?"

>>35869776
> "How?"
i mean > "Do you know what's happening?"
followed by
> "Is it dangerous?"
then
> "Shouldn't you be telling Elise about this?"

>>35869776
> "Shouldn't you be telling Elise about this?"

A bold statement. You don't know if Victor knows about Elise's own efforts in that direction, or the lengths she had gone through, or how she had yet to meet with any success.

And if Victor is convinced he can succeed where the court wizard cannot, you're not sure if this is due to over-confidence, or if Victor is planning something the court wizard knows far better than to do.

"How?" you ask.

Victor opens and closes his mouth a few times, coming up with and discarding several attempts at explanation. "It's kind of complicated," he finally says. "And it might have a few other, uh, side effects. But if it helps Clarissa, I'm willing to do it."

This is not sounding promising. "Do you know what's happening to the Captain?"

Victor nods. "Someone is targeting her with a spell to affect her mind. They've been doing it at night, when it's easier to make her think what they want her to think. It's a really difficult spell, and it's usually done by those who have a strong connection to the vic- to Clarissa. Like being a blood relation. Or, um." He blushes. "Or being in love."

You're pretty sure you didn't tell Victor about the details of the spell, and based on how few other people know about it, you doubt Clarissa did either. Which leaves Elise, who doesn't seem the sort to confide in a young boy she is teaching the basics of magical theory to, no matter how precocious.

>[1/2]

"Shouldn't you be telling Elise about this?" you say. "She'll probably be able to cast the tracking spell. She might even be grateful for your help."

"No, that's... I can't do that." Victor looks miserably determined. "She'll just forbid me from even trying, and scold me for looking up magic on my own, and then I can't do anything to help Clarissa." He just manages to keep the tears out of his eyes, but not his voice. "I'm willing to accept the danger. It's my duty as... as the heir to Alvar. My responsibility to Clarissa."

That answers that question. Victor seems willing to martyr himself, should it come to that.

> "I need more details about the tracking spell, Victor."
> "Why have you been practicing magic in secret? It can't be just for this."
> "Did you have anything to do with the break-in at the basement vault?"
> "I'm sorry, Victor, but I can't let you cast that spell either, if it's that dangerous. Not without Elise or Anders backing you up."

>>35869927
> "Did you have anything to do with the break-in at the basement vault?"

>>35869927
> "Did you have anything to do with the break-in at the basement vault?"

>>35869927
> "How did you find out she was under a spell at all?"
> "How do you know what spell it was?"
> "I need more details about the tracking spell, Victor."
> "Why have you been practicing magic in secret? It can't be just for this."

Don't agree to help yet, just gather information.

>>35869927
>> "Why have you been practicing magic in secret? It can't be just for this."
then
>> "I'm sorry, Victor, but I can't let you cast that spell either, if it's that dangerous. Not without Elise or Anders backing you up."
if he learned magic for Clarissa, then there are more...orthodox...methods to use, like learning how to be a good duke.

If he learned magic for a different reason, then the only times he should put himself at risk is for THAT reason, no other.

>>35869927
> "I need more details about the tracking spell, Victor."
> "Did you have anything to do with the break-in at the basement vault?"
> "I'm sorry, Victor, but I can't let you cast that spell either, if it's that dangerous. Not without Elise or Anders backing you up."

>>35869927

Jesus, he's in deep...

>>35869927
>"I've actually met Elise, you know. The list of things she wouldn't do for Clarissa is very small. There's another reason you're not going to her."

>>35869955
seconded

>>35869953
Changing vote to >>35869955

>>35869927
> "Why have you been practicing magic in secret? It can't be just for this."
> "Did you have anything to do with the break-in at the basement vault?"

>>35869927
>>35869955
This

We need more info to get both these fools out of their predicament

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>>35870041
Don't try to change my vote, bitch

>>35870066
Sorry dickhead. I must have been the vote above you.

>>35870066
I had the same thing happen to me in banished, and ive seen it happen a couple of other times. Either everyone suddenly got cockeyed about their own votes or someone keeps changing other peoples votes

>>35870089
Appology accepted, cockmonger. Hope you have a fucking great day.

"How did you find out the Captain was under a spell in the first place?" you ask. Victor is suspiciously well-informed; you don't think he has a habit of listening at doors, but you did technically catch him with enough circumstantial evidence of eavesdropping on the briefing next door. "And how did you know what spell it was?"

Victor clams up. This is very easy to tell, because his face turns red, and he ducks his head, unwilling to meet your gaze. "I can't tell you," he says in a small voice. "I made a promise."

And Victor takes promises seriously. You don't think you should push this one. Besides, he already revealed the existence of someone else he made the promise to, which is a good start.

"Did you have anything to do with the break-in at the basement vault?" you try.

Victor just shakes his head mutely. You're not sure if this is denial or just refusal to speak.

Part of the same secret promise, apparently. You search for another topic that does not involve this mysterious promise; you'll have to come back to it later, when you have more leads to present to Victor. "I need more details about that tracking spell, Victor."

"Um." Victor opens the book of magic. "I obviously haven't tried it yet, but I think I can do it."

With Victor's halting explanations, you get the general idea of the tracking spell. It requires another person with a connection to Clarissa, albeit not as strong as the one the original hostile spellcaster has. That person will become a new conduit for the nightmares, but with a conscious mind to direct the flow of magical energy, the tracker can intercept and insert a scrying spell into the flow, thus revealing the nature and location of the original spellcaster.

>[1/3]

The price is a moderately high probability of losing one's mind in the process, as well as a much higher probability of entirely burning out any magical ability from the backlash. Hence the use of various specialist items to mitigate the danger by absorbing the backlash, very much recommended by the tome, but without any explanation of how to create those items.

You do actually recognize a few of the referenced items. Unfortunately, you have no idea how to create them either. Not a helpful piece of recognition, and certainly not worth revealing.

"So I don't want anyone else to bear this burden," Victor says. "I know what I'm doing. I know how to cast the spell so that I can still be sane afterwards." He hesitates, and you can see the doubt welling up. "I think. I hope."

"And the loss of magical ability?" you ask.

"A Duke doesn't need to know magic." Victor makes a face. "All those magical theory lessons Elise taught me, but not one on practical magic. All I need to know is how to recognize magic, not to cast it."

You don't quite know how to tell Victor that he probably has the wrong impression of why Elise has not taught him any actual spells. Not when he's in this mood. "Why have you been practicing magic in secret?" you ask instead. "It can't be just for this."

Victor sighs. "I wanted... well, it's kind of silly."

You motion encouragingly for him to continue.

>[2/3]

"I wanted Clarissa to notice me more. To see me as a proper man. I'm kind of skinny and weak, so I can't impress her with my fighting skills, but I thought with magic..." He shakes his head. "It doesn't matter now anyway. But I can help Clarissa with this. Shouldn't I do all that I can?"

Love is a peculiar thing. First Elise was willing to go rogue to hunt down the person who cast the nightmare spell, and now Victor is willing to sacrifice himself. Despite the situation, you feel a little envious that Clarissa has people who will go that far for her.

> "I don't think the Captain will be happy if you hurt yourself for her sake, Victor."
> "You really need to talk to Elise about this. Be honest with her, and she won't get mad."
> "I can't let you go through with this, Victor. If you won't tell Elise, I will."
> "There has to be another way. I promise to help, if you promise not to cast that tracking spell."

>>35870315
>> "There has to be another way. I promise to help, if you promise not to cast that tracking spell."
Remember even if we know who casted it we can't really detain them or anything.

>>35870315
> "I don't think the Captain will be happy if you hurt yourself for her sake, Victor."
> "You really need to talk to Elise about this. Be honest with her, and she won't get mad."

>>35870315
>I'm kind of skinny and weak, so I can't impress her with my fighting skills, but I thought with magic...
>Do you really think the Clarissa would respect raw power? Is that what you figure after looking at the Duke? If you want her to notice you, mature faster and be a man worthy of respect and loyalty. Then confess to her already, this is taking forever.

> "I don't think the Captain will be happy if you hurt yourself for her sake, Victor."
> "You really need to talk to Elise about this. Be honest with her, and she won't get mad."

>>35870315
> "There has to be another way. I promise to help, if you promise not to cast that tracking spell."

>>35870315
>> "You really need to talk to Elise about this. Be honest with her, and she won't get mad."
> "There has to be another way. I promise to help, if you promise not to cast that tracking spell."
These shouldn't be mutually exclusive

>>35870315
> "I don't think the Captain will be happy if you hurt yourself for her sake, Victor."
> "You really need to talk to Elise about this. Be honest with her, and she won't get mad."

And if he's being hard-headed.
> "I can't let you go through with this, Victor. If you won't tell Elise, I will."

>>35870315
> "I can't let you go through with this, Victor. If you won't tell Elise, I will."

This has gotten too serious for us to be worried about hurting any feelings or breaking any promises.

>>35870315

>> "I don't think the Captain will be happy if you hurt yourself for her sake, Victor."
>>You really need to talk to Elise about this. Be honest with her, and she won't get mad."
>> "I can't let you go through with this, Victor. If you won't tell Elise, I will."

Your life or magic is not a fair exchange for information, but maybe Elise can work out a way without dimuch sacrifice.

>>35870315
> "I don't think the Captain will be happy if you hurt yourself for her sake, Victor."
> "You really need to talk to Elise about this. Be honest with her, and she won't get mad."
He's not a wizard, the spell has some serious consequences and it is more likely that he'll hurt himself or someone else by casting it as it stands.

His actions seem a bit selfish to me.

>>35870315
> "I don't think the Captain will be happy if you hurt yourself for her sake, Victor."

> "Think about if it fails, she'll have to live with the knowledge that you almost died for her. Or just died. And she couldn't do that, it would kill her from inside. You're risking more than just your own life with this."

>>35870315
> "I don't think the Captain will be happy if you hurt yourself for her sake, Victor."
> "You really need to talk to Elise about this. Be honest with her, and she won't get mad."
> "There has to be another way. I promise to help, if you promise not to cast that tracking spell."

>>35870315
>> "I don't think the Captain will be happy if you hurt yourself for her sake, Victor."
>> "You really need to talk to Elise about this. Be honest with her, and she won't get mad."
Victor, you're a moron.

>>35870315
>> "I don't think the Captain will be happy if you hurt yourself for her sake, Victor."
>> "You really need to talk to Elise about this. Be honest with her, and she won't get mad."

The risks are too high to justify being secretive, Victor. Be smart about this.

>>35870517

Try saying that to a young boy who is just starting to find out how attractive the other sex is to him, and the girl he wants to bang was ordered to drink herself to sleep.

>>35870315
> "I don't think the Captain will be happy if you hurt yourself for her sake, Victor."
> "You really need to talk to Elise about this. Be honest with her, and she won't get mad."
and if he refuses
> "I can't let you go through with this, Victor. If you won't tell Elise, I will.

>>35870414
>Victor, you're a moron.
to be fair, Victor AND Clarissa are morons.

>>35870586
by love anon....its just that Clarissa sempai didnt notice him

You can tell that Victor is imagining himself as a noble martyr for the person he loves. You don't know how closely this aligns to reality, but you suspect not a lot.

You wonder how long Victor has been obsessing over proving himself to Clarissa. That he is seriously considering going through with a plan that has a limited chance of leaving him with his mind intact is not a sign of rational thinking.

Outright forbidding him from casting the tracking spell would probably have the opposite effect, driving him deeper into secrecy and hiding. And then nobody will be able to stop Victor from enacting this ill-thought plan.

Apart from that mysterious other person Victor made a promise with, but you don't even know who they are, so they'd be of little help.

"I don't think the Captain will be happy if you hurt yourself for her sake, Victor," you say. You try to sound gentle, reasonable, and thoroughly understanding; you're not sure how well you succeeded, or if you sounded wheedling instead.

"But Clarissa is in pain," Victor protests, not very strongly.

"Not as much as she would be if anything happened to you," you say. "The Captain takes her duty seriously, and that includes making sure you're a fine Duke of Alvar. Which means you survive to be the next Duke of Alvar. If she fails in doing that, because you decided that you wanted to sacrifice yourself for her, how do you think she'll feel?" How indeed. You wonder if your own hypocrisy is audible from your voice; your sins are of the same type as Victor's, even if not in degree.

Victor digests this silently.

"You really need to talk to Elise about this, Victor," you continue. "Be honest with her, and she won't get mad." At least not if you manage to talk to Elise first to prepare her for Victor's little surprise. It would prove that you broke the terms of your probation, but you'll take the consequences for that.

>[1/2]

>>35870594
That, or she did notice him and found the very idea of an affair with the son and heir of her liege improper. A sense of duty is in itself often a brand of stupid.

"And Elise will help me?" Victor asks.

"Elise cares about the Captain as much as you do," you say confidently. You're not sure if Elise had toned down her obvious flirting with Clarissa around Victor, or if Victor was just as self-absorbed as most boys his age. "Just promise me that you won't cast that tracking spell. Not alone, and definitely not without telling someone."

Victor is about to give you an answer when he is interrupted by a knock on the door. His eyes grow wide with panic, and he pushes you into the secret alcove. "Hide," he says, pushing the book of magic into your hands, and shutting the bookcase.

Left with the dim light of a lamp that really needs to be re-oiled, you can hear everything that is happening outside. Victor has opened the door, a bit too quickly and jerkily to be quite so innocent.

"Victor?" Simone's voice says. "Are you all right?"

"Absolutely fine, Sister Simone!" Victor announces, a bit too loudly. "No problems here!"

"All right then. May I come in?"

"Uh, sure. Please do."

You refrain from slapping your forehead with your hand, despite really wanting to.

"I just checked up on Clarissa," Simone says. "But Nicole isn't in her room. Have you seen her, by any chance?"

> "I'm in here, Sister Simone."
> Be very quiet and wait

>>35870617
>Be very quiet and wait

We spy now?

>>35870617
Yeah I'm here. Yes, I'm still clothed. No time to explain, come with me to our resident magician

Act like a sensible person, we have done little wrong

>>35870617
>> "I'm in here, Sister Simone."

>>35870626
Seconding intelligent actions and no time to explain

>>35870617
This >>35870626

>>35870617
> Be very quiet and wait

>>35870617
>Be bewy qwayet

we need more info....or maybe just hide and maybe hear some nasty info because it would be our suspicious behavior and also remember

>we are on probation

>>35870626
sounds good.

>>35870617
>Be very quiet and wait
If she doesn't know, then Roderick didn't sell us out. We don't need to get in trouble.

>>35870626
seconding or thirding or whatever.

>>35870626
yes, this is fine.

>>35870675
Fifthing?

... I just had a thought. What if Sister Simone is the spy/assassin, and in the chaos of tonight's events she gets whatever info or kills her target?

As much as my gut says to hide, the fact that Nicole is probably the only person that's conscious that knows what's going on, we need to be seen and start talking to the people in power to catch them up to speed, for both Clarissa's sake and the protection of everyone in the castle.

>>" I'm here Sister Simone" as you slide the alcove open.

Come up with an excuse to save Victor, buy him time to hide his books if need be, but the time for stealth is over.

>>35870700
It IS suspicious that Simone would ask Victor about where Nicole is, but we aren't really in a position to do much.

>>35870713
Is it? She's one of the people who we should be reporting our location to constantly for the purpose of keeping us away from the duke and Victor. Simone discovers we're not where we should be, obviously the first place she'll look is where we shouldn't be.

>>35870713
>>35870700
Or, yknow, she's here to protect him in case we're about to bust in and start stabbing or something.
>>35870736
What this guy said

>>35870736
but does she even know that Nicole knows Victor? Why there and not the basement?

>>35870745
well, then why her and not William or Roderick?

>>35870765
Because they're guarding the duke and the Cap, respectively

This is all speculation, so just wait and see before it gets too heated

>>35870612
>"I'm in here, Sister Simone."
A Knight doesn't lie.
A Knight is trustworthy.
A Knight doesn't hide.

>>35870765
>but does she even know that Nicole knows Victor? Why there and not the basement?
We're suspected of being an assassin. He's an obvious target. We're not suspected of keeping secrets for him so the fact that we are is irrelevant to her decision to go here.

>well, then why her and not William or Roderick?
She said she had been to check on Clarissa. Which makes sense, she's the medical girl. That's also where we told everyone we would be, but we're not there. So she goes looking. That also makes sense.

What is the problem?

>>35870778
>>35870798
I mean, why didn't Simone switch places with Roderick? I don't think Simone is stated to be particularly skilled at taking down assassins, so why not send someone more reliable?

>This is all speculation, so just wait and see before it gets too heated
of course. I'm just speculating on what is and isn't possible.

>>35870617
>> Be very quiet and wait
Might as well keep the alcove secret.

The bookcase door can be opened quite easily from your side. You wonder if this is a secret passage allowing egress from the palace, or entry. In fact, given the age of the passageway that you can see, it might even be part of the original cathedral construction.

Which is not relevant to your current situation, but more information is always good to have.

Given you intend to speak with Elise anyway, your presence here with Victor and without a chaperone is going to be revealed one way or another. "I'm in here, Sister Simone," you say, as you pull open the hidden door.

Victor is staring at you in minor alarm, possibly for revealing his secret alcove. Simone looks surprised at your method of entry, but oddly not at your presence here.

"Now that's interesting," she murmurs, approaching the secret alcove.

You hastily shut the bookcase. You will answer for your own transgressions, but you have embarrassed Victor enough for today; while you are holding the book of magic, Simone does not need to see the other books of a different kind of magic still inside the alcove.

"We need to see Elise," you say. "It's a bit of a long story."

Victor is quite pale, but resolute. "I will explain everything to Elise," he says, only a little bit hoarse. He takes the book of magic from you.

Simone looks thoughtfully at the two of you. "Is this something to do with Clarissa's condition?" She pauses. "I should say I mean Clarissa's situation. Her condition is caused by too much wine. She had too much wine because of her situation."

A succinct summary. "Yes, Sister Simone."

"I believe Elise is still working on the wards around that strange cube in the courtyard," Simone says, as the three of you troop out of Victor's room. Victor is trailing behind; Simone takes his hand, although you can't tell if it's for reassurance, for support, or to prevent escape. "If you require her for something magical, it may have to wait until tomorrow. Or later."

>[1/2]

"Am I in trouble?" Victor asks quietly.

"It depends, Victor," Simone says with terrifying honesty. "But if you stand up straight and explain yourself clearly, you might not be."

"Am I in trouble?" you echo.

"Whatever for?"

"I was in Victor's room."

Mischief dances in Simone's eyes. "I hope you have a good explanation to the Duke for that. It's not proper for a young lady to enter a young man's room without certain formalities beforehand."

"That's not what I meant," you say, with some irritation. Victor is looking at you, startled, as realization finally dawns. You don't know how you feel about that.

"What else is there?" Simone says. "You were in Victor's presence. So was I. This is according to the terms Clarissa set out. I don't see a problem."

> "Thank you, Sister Simone."
> "Did you know I was there the whole time?"
> "Is it normal for a priestess of the Divine to prevaricate like that?"

>>35870973
> "Thank you, Sister Simone."
Anything more would be rude.

>>35870973
> "Thank you, Sister Simone."
Based nun.

>>35870973
> "Thank you, Sister Simone."
let's all be nice and honest.

>>35870973
> "Did you know I was there the whole time?"

>>35870973
> "Thank you, Sister Simone."

>>35870973
> "Thank you, Sister Simone."
Let's leave it at that and see Elise.

>>35870973
> "Thank you, Sister Simone."

>>35870973
>> "Thank you, Sister Simone."
Based SImone.

>>35870973
> "Thank you, Sister Simone."

This nun is pretty cool in my book

>>35870973
>"Thank you, Sister Simone."

She might use it against us later, if she's the type to do that. But what can you do, we did what we had to.

>>35871089

Maybe more teasing.

Shes seems of that sort.

inb4 she starts shipping us two

>>35871089
What's worse? Trouble because of implied sexytimes with the duke's son or a dead Captain on our hands? We'll manage!

Despite Simone's previous attempts to explain the intricacies of the Church of the Divine Aspect to you, you're not sure the adherents of that religion are allowed to play technicalities with the rules. In fact, you never did imagine religious people to have a sense of humour.

Not that you're complaining. "Thank you, Sister Simone."

Simone's smile grows wider. "Don't you want to know what I'd have done instead if you hadn't revealed yourself?"

"No, Sister Simone." Possibly one of the holds that religion has on people is the concept of divine grace and mercy, and how quickly it can be taken away in some path not taken, yet so close in that moment of decision. "How is the Captain?" you ask, changing the subject.

Simone's humour fades. "Physically, she's perfectly fine. She just needs to sleep off the wine, and drink some water when she wakes up; I've had a pitcher sent up from the kitchens for that purpose."

"But how is Clarissa?" Victor asks insistently.

"I don't know," Simone says. "Such a revelation cannot have come easily to her. She needs to share her burdens with someone else. I'm always willing to listen, both as a priestess and as a friend, but, well, you know Clarissa." She sighs. "She can be so stubborn. She cannot bear this alone; that's why people rely on each other. That's why people can rely on each other."

Let that be a lesson, to both Victor and yourself.

In the training courtyard, Elise is in the midst of constructing some sort of design on the ground. She had obtained the wizard's equivalent of a toolbox sometime during your talk with Victor, and is now painstakingly tracing out a complex sigil in the dust.

>[1/2]

"Don't step on the drawings," she warns, not looking up.

You have no intention of doing so. In fact, you've backed away as far as you can, while still remaining within earshot.

"I'll leave you to it, then," Simone says, turning to leave. "Don't be too hard on them, Elise."

Elise looks up at this, blinking. "Why would I be?"

Victor has frozen in sheer terror, hugging the book of magic close to his chest.

> "Please don't get angry with Victor for this, Elise. It's partly my fault as well."
> "Victor might have an idea of how to trace that nightmare spell."
> "It's all right, Victor. Stand up straight, and tell the truth."
> "Sister Simone, could you please stay? I think Victor might need some support."

>>35871227
> "Please don't get angry with Victor for this, Elise. It's partly my fault as well."
> "Victor might have an idea of how to trace that nightmare spell."

>>35871227
> "It's all right, Victor. Stand up straight, and tell the truth."

>>35871227
>> "Please don't get angry with Victor for this, Elise. It's partly my fault as well."
>> "It's all right, Victor. Stand up straight, and tell the truth."

Get some spine in that back of yours victor.

How are you going to be a lord otherwise.

>>35871227
>> "Sister Simone, could you please stay? I think Victor might need some support."
> "Victor might have an idea of how to trace that nightmare spspell

>>35871227
> "It's all right, Victor. Stand up straight, and tell the truth."
> "Sister Simone, could you please stay? I think Victor might need some support."
> "Victor might have an idea of how to trace that nightmare spell."

>>35871227
>> "It's all right, Victor. Stand up straight, and tell the truth."

And if he refuses to be a man,

>> "Victor might have an idea of how to trace that nightmare spell."

>>35871227
>"It's all right, Victor. Stand up straight, and tell the truth. You've done nothing to be ashamed of, so go on, for Clarissa's sake."

>>35871227
> "It's all right, Victor. Stand up straight, and tell the truth."
> "Victor might have an idea of how to trace that nightmare spell."

Confession and then, something which can soothe the wizard if she does blow a gasket.

>>35871227
>"It's all right, Victor. Stand up straight, and tell the truth."
Nothing more than that. Give him a chance to prove his manliness by standing up to the scary wizard.

>>35871227
> "It's all right, Victor. Stand up straight, and tell the truth."
> "Victor might have an idea of how to trace that nightmare spell."

>>35871279
Since they're both after Clarissa's V I'm not sure if she'll like the competition.

>>35871227
> "It's all right, Victor. Stand up straight, and tell the truth."

>>35871227
> "It's all right, Victor. Stand up straight, and tell the truth."
Victor, time to manliness +1

>>35871227
>> "It's all right, Victor. Stand up straight, and tell the truth."

>>35871316
Competition from a child is hardly competition at all. Well, unless that part of this quest is more medieval than everything else so far has been. There's really no reason for that crush to go anywhere at all, even if Clarissa is a sort of noble.

>>35871376
Yeah, and his crush might get redirected at us since we're helping him be a little more manly.

Victor is most likely destined for a political marriage.

Or even if its not it wouldn't be someone twice (?) his age.He can be excused because its his first crush and first crushes are like that.

>>35871385

That'll be interesting.

Especially if the plan to have us be his guard goes through.

>>35871397
You mean the plan that no one is particularly enthused about, both in the story and out here?

>>35871431

The lord is sorta stubborn on this sort of thing.

>>35871397
Well it's pretty likely that part of the reason the duke requested that in the first place was exactly that, creepy as it may sound. Will can only go so far with regard to making a man out of the boy, you know...

File: ISHYGDDT.jpg (147 KB, 601x601)

147 KB JPG

>>35871454
He really expects us to make a man of his son?

>>35871454
The Duke had probably this shipping in mind.
Anything to distract Victor from Clarissa.
And Nicole is already acting as Victor's friend.

>>35871465
>>35871484
I... that really doesn't sound much like the Duke.

>>35871484
>And Nicole is already acting as Victor's friend.
And considering that Victor wasn't aware of our probation and straight up told us that he was excited to tell daddy about us, he probably thinks we're more of a friend to him than we do.

captcha: william gshower

>>35871391
It's really either:
>someone higher up needs to be "deported" they do it by marrying her off to some noble(Victor) in the middle of nowhere

>Victor marries up to climb the social ladder

>He marries someone who doesn't cause a scandal and focuses on Alvar

and then there's the question of the societal standards on polygamy and concubines...

>>35871516
i dunno about that but remember that the plan WAS the duke's idea.

>>35871517
Sir William stinks so bad the captchas are telling him to take a shower.

Oh, and more friends are always welcome of course.

>>35871516
Doesn't it? The guy was straight up told by his advisors that they think that girl over there might be an assassin and he responds with "lol pussies", walks up to poke the assassin to show "see nothing is happening, get rekt nerds." And at the dinner he almost straight up told us "you should probably go boink someone."

So yeah I wouldn't put it past him to look at Nicole and think "I don't see any reason my son shouldn't be hitting that."

>>35871595
>And at the dinner he almost straight up told us "you should probably go boink someone."
I don't remember that bit, could you paste the relevant phrase?

Some encouragement might be in order. "It's all right, Victor," you say. "Stand up straight, and tell the truth."

Victor takes a deep, shuddering breath. He thrusts out the book of magic. "Miss Elise, I'm sorry for stealing this from you."

Elise gets to her feet, dusting herself off, and carefully makes her way to Victor. "What's this?" She takes the book, and flips through the pages. "I don't think I've seen this before."

"I took it from the old court wizard," Victor says. His eyes are shut tight, as though he's waiting for his sins to come crashing down and bury him beneath, never to be freed again.

Elise frowns in puzzlement. "Old Master Javers? He didn't... Victor, please stop shaking like that. I forgive you, okay? Whatever you did. It's fine, I don't blame you, everything is fine." She pats his head absently. "Is that it, Nicole? I mean, thanks for the book, but you didn't need to come down here just for that."

"That's not all, Elise." You smile encouragingly at Victor, on the off-chance that he opens his eyes and sees you. "Victor?"

"I've been studying magic in secret," Victor confesses, almost in a whisper. He clears his throat. "I've been studying magic in secret," he repeats in a louder voice. "I know it's wrong, and I apologize. But I think I've found a way to trace the spell that was cast on Clarissa."

Elise stops flipping through the book. She snaps it shut, pushes her glasses up her nose, and sighs.

"Miss Elise?" Victor asks uncertainly.

Elise walks over to you, and stretches out the kinks from working on her hands and knees creating the ward patterns in the courtyard. "I wonder if Pierre will get mad at me if I raid his wine stock. Then I'd have an excuse to be in bed." She grins. "To be in Clarissa's bed. That will be fun."

You have no idea how to react to this, and so you do not.

"Are you angry, Elise?" Victor says.

>[1/3]

Elise sighs again. "A little," she admits. "There's a reason why I didn't teach you more than the basics, Victor. I wasn't kidding when I said magic is dangerous. You need to have a solid foundation before you can go any further." She turns to face Victor. "But I was wrong as well. I should have noticed your aptitude sooner, and taught you more than just theory. You have a talent for understanding magic, Victor. Especially if you can make heads or tails of this book. I can't understand more than a quarter of this, and you say you've been practicing out of it?"

"Are you going to punish me?" Victor asks.

Elise puts her hands on her hips officiously. "Your punishment is to come to me any time you want to cast magic. You are not to cast magic unsupervised, and anything you come up with goes through me first."

Victor hangs his head. "Yes, Miss Elise."

"Whereas my punishment is to make sure that I don't dismiss you out of hand," Elise continues. "And we can learn magic together. There may be some things you can teach me, Victor. Such as your idea about being able to trace the spell."

Victor's guilt turns to disbelief, and then joy. He stands at attention, and bows deeply. "Thank you, Miss Elise."

"Come here, and show me what you've found."

>[2/3]

Victor scurries to Elise's side, and repeats his explanation of the tracking spell. Elise nods a few times, then blinks.

She looks at you. "I did say I wouldn't dismiss Victor's ideas out of hand, did I?"

"You did," you confirm.

"Damn." Elise ponders this. "All right. While my instinct is to say that it's all too dangerous, that's not fair to you, me, or Clarissa. So we're going to have to work on this."

The discussion quickly turns into deep jargon of magic and magical theory. You cannot catch more than one word in three. Based on the low profile you're supposed to cultivate, you should not be understanding more than one word in ten.

> Slip away quietly back to your room
> "Good night, Elise, Victor."
> "Please don't forget about the wards, Elise."

>>35871620
Well okay, I exaggerate a bit. It was more along the lines of "don't waste your youth," and that could have just been in relation to Clarissa. Still, he was very inquisitive about whether or not Nicole had someone special, even asking several times until she couldn't evade it anymore.

>>35871677
>> "Please don't forget about the wards, Elise."
They're the important thing. Get them our of the way ASAP then work on your squishy wizarding

>>35871677
>Hang around to make neither of them do anything daft

>>35871677
> "Good night, Elise, Victor."
> "Please don't forget about the wards, Elise."

>>35871690
Ah, fair, yeah I see where you're coming from
>>35871694
*make sure

>>35871677
> "Good night, Elise, Victor."
> "Please don't forget about the wards, Elise."

>>35871677
>Stay with them and try to understand. If they ask, the excuse is that maybe we'll learn something from osmosis.

>>35871677
>> "Please don't forget about the wards, Elise."
Elise seems to be the kind of easily distracted mage.

>>35871677
> "Good night, Elise, Victor."

Don't think Elise'd forget about the wards for her beloved captain.
Otherwise we'll just ask in the morning.

>>35871677
> "Please don't attempt to try the tracing spell or anything like it without talking about it with me and Clarrisa"
> "Please don't forget about the wards, Elise."
> "Good night, Elise, Victor."

>>35871677
> "Good night, Elise, Victor."
> "Please don't forget about the wards, Elise."

Finding the culprit or working on the ward? I think she'll be more for detective work after that confession.

>>35871677
> "Good night, Elise, Victor."
> "Please don't forget about the wards, Elise."

>Based on the low profile you're supposed to cultivate, you should not be understanding more than one word in ten.

Is there any point to keeping a low profile any more? I suppose magical knowledge is harder to explain away than just being naturally sneaky and a good fighter.

>>35871677
>>35871768
This

>>35871838
Is there any point to keeping a low profile any more?

Probably. Whatever Nicole has revealed it's clearly not all of it. And not attracting attention is apparently important to her goals so sticking to the story would be good.

It doesn't look like there's anything left for you to do here. You should return to your room to relieve Roderick, and see how Clarissa is doing.

"Good night, Elise, Victor," you say. "And please don't forget about the wards, Elise."

Elise stops mid-discussion. "You're right," she says. "The wards take priority. Especially since I'll have to work on the all through the night."

Victor nods. "I shouldn't interrupt your work. Not when Clarissa's safety is an issue."

"And your bedtime is long past," Elise says. "I'll hold onto the book, but you can ask me for it anytime. Thank you for being brave enough to tell me the truth, Victor. Your father will be proud."

"Thank you too, Elise." Victor hesitates. "Um. Do you think Clarissa will be proud of me too?"

"I don't see why not," Elise says. "Why do you ask?"

Victor immediately turns a bright red.

"Oh. Well." Elise gives you a sly wink. "This is awkward."

Definitely none of your business. You hurry back to the palace; after a moment, Victor rejoins you.

"Thanks, Nicole," he mumbles.

"You're welcome, Victor."

Victor takes a deep breath. "I think I'll go straight to bed. I don't think I'll be able to stand up anymore."

> "Good night, Victor."
> "You did very well."
> Pat him on the head

>>35871963
> "You did very well."

Head patting the Dukes son will get us in trouble..

>>35871963
> "Good night, Victor."

>>35871963
>> "I wonder if the Duke deals with this stuff on a regular basis."

>>35871963
> "Good night, Victor."

>>35871963
>Pat him on the head

>>35871963
>> "Good night, Victor."
>> "You did very well."
>> Pat him on the head

>>35871963
> "You did very well."

Can we pat him on the back instead? seems more appropriate for someone who is trying to be more masculine.

>>35871963
>> "Good night, Victor."
>> "You did very well."
>> Pat him on the head

>>35871963
>> "Good night, Victor."
>> "You did very well."
>> Pat him on the head

>>35871963
>> "Good night, Victor."

>>35871963
> "Good night, Victor."
No need to tell him he did well. He knows he did what was right.

>>35871963
>> "Good night, Victor."
>> "You did very well."

>>35871963
> "You did very well."
>>35872024
This. Pat him on the back like a bro.

>>35872001
to clarify, this is also a vote against headpats. backpats are acceptable. Nudging and winking may be a bit too much this late at night.

>>35871963
>> "Good night, Victor."

>>35871963

> "Good night, Victor."
> "You did very well."
> Pat him on the head

Unmatched in awkward attempts at being social!

>>35871963
> "You did very well."

Elise had patted Victor on the head, and he seemed to be fine with it, but then Elise and Victor had known each other for some time. You probably shouldn't follow that example just yet.

Both of you take the same stairwell, but you stop at the second floor. "Good night, Victor," you say politely. "You did very well."

"Er, yes. Good night, Nicole." Victor teeters off to his own room.

You knock on your room's door once again, and open it gently.

Impressively, Roderick is still awake. He has also shifted his chair to be farther away from the nightmare-absorber on Clarissa's desk, which is merrily blazing away with silent white fire.

"How's the Captain?" you ask quietly.

"Still sleeping peacefully," Roderick replies. "If things go true to form, she'll be out cold until morning. Then she'll be grumpy."

You notice the mug and the pitcher of water on Clarissa's desk, beside the nightmare-absorber. Whoever brought the water up must have done so before it started flaring up. Or maybe they were just very brave. "Sister Simone said to have the Captain drink some water when she wakes."

"Good idea," Roderick says. "Do you need to change? I can wait outside if you want."

> "Thank you, Roderick. I'll call you back in when I'm done."
> "Thank you for watching the Captain, Roderick. I'll take over from here."
> "It's all right. I'll sleep in these clothes."
> "It's all right. I wasn't planning on sleeping anyway."

>>35872210
>Test the water.
> "Thank you for watching the Captain, Roderick. I'll take over from here."
> "It's all right. I wasn't planning on sleeping anyway."

>>35872210
> "It's all right. I wasn't planning on sleeping anyway."

>>35872210
>> "Thank you for watching the Captain, Roderick. I'll take over from here."
>> "It's all right. I wasn't planning on sleeping anyway."

>>35872210
> "Thank you for watching the Captain, Roderick. I'll take over from here."

>>35872210
>>35872228
Seconded

>>35872210
> "Thank you for watching the Captain, Roderick. I'll take over from here."

>>35872210
> "Thank you for watching the Captain, Roderick. I'll take over from here."
> "It's all right. I wasn't planning on sleeping anyway."

>>35872210

>>35872228
>Test the water
you know what, why not? I'm sure Nicole's been sweating buckets, anyway, so a drink is in order.

>> "Thank you, Roderick. I'll call you back in when I'm done."

>>35872265
I meant test it for poisons or intoxicants. But.. if she needs a drink I suppose that's fine also.

>>35872210
>>35872228
This

>>35872210
> "Thank you for watching the Captain, Roderick. I'll take over from here."

>>35872265
Well, sweating is a human thing.

>>35872276
the fastest way to test is to drink it ourselves.

...unless poisons don't work on Nicole.

>>35872210
>> "It's all right. I'll sleep in these clothes."
Let's get some rest.

>>35872210
>>35872228
Seconded

>>35872294
I'm hoping for some sort of mitigation or if we taste something bitter/off etc we'll know. Should probably test it while Roderick is still in the room.

>>35871963
> "Good night, Victor."
> "You did very well."
> Pat him on the back.

>>35872228
Voting for this

>>35872210
> "It's all right. I wasn't planning on sleeping anyway."

Excuse yourself to a bit of water as well. Today's been strenuous.

"It's all right," you say. "Thank you for watching the Captain, Roderick. I'll take over from here. Go get some sleep yourself."

Roderick nods, and heaves himself out of the chair. "Good luck, Nicole. Are you sure you'll be all right?"

"I wasn't planning on sleeping anyway," you say. If nothing else, the uncanny flames from the nightmare-absorber would do a good job of keeping you awake.

"I'll head back to the armoury, then." Presumably Roderick had his own cot and personal living space inside. You wonder if the smell of all that steel interferes with his rest, or if he finds it soothing.

"Elise is still working on the wards for that cube," you say. "That won't be a problem, will it?"

Roderick sighs. "I suppose I'll have to live with it, just for tonight." He lumbers out of the room, closing the door behind him.

You check over Clarissa once more. She hasn't moved from the position she was in when Roderick laid her onto her bed. She's also wearing the clothes she had been wearing for most of the day.

Your own uniform is feeling a little scratchy, but you don't think you should change into your nightgown; your goal is to stay awake to watch over Clarissa. Being in comfort might be detrimental to that.

On a whim, you pour yourself a small measure of water, and gulp it down. The clear cold water wakes you up a little, which helps.

Not having anything better to do, you pick up your history textbook, and start working through the rest of it.

Most of it is not especially surprising or relevant. Some speculations on the history of Grunmarl, carefully worded to avoid definitive conclusions. Some mention of the ancient watchtowers found quite some distance from the main city of Grunmarl itself; you are mildly disappointed not to find any specifics, apart from a few mentions about how mages tended to take over these towers for their own purposes during the days of the Empire.

>[1/2]

A few illustrations of artefacts from Grunmarl are included. Most of them are broken, and none of them are remotely cuboid. Grunmarl architecture and designs seem to prefer columns and cylinders.

You leaf through the rest of the textbook. The rest of the history of Alvar is listed in varying detail, including the exploits of one Eugin Victor ain Alvar, the famed Snake of Alvar. Victor might have gotten his name from his grandfather.

For all the attempts at neutrality, the textbook waxes hagiographical when it comes to the Snake of Alvar. Culling the monster populations, skilfully negotiating Alvar's relevance among all the provinces of the seven human kingdoms, and apparently outsmarting the elven nations in some praiseworthy and yet vaguely undescribed manner.

You don't see any explanation of the old Duke's nickname, though.

You are just about reaching the end of the textbook, and into the short summary of present-day Alvar, when you hear a faint noise from Clarissa's bed.

Clarissa is awake, technically. She peers blearily around the room, trying and failing to focus on you. She also looks quite miserable.

> "Do you feel all right, Captain?"
> "Would you like some water, Captain?"
> "It's nothing, Captain. Go back to sleep."

>>35872800
>> "Would you like some water, Captain?"

>>35872800
> "Do you feel all right, Captain?"
> "Would you like some water, Captain?"

>>35872800
>> "Would you like some water, Captain?"

>>35872800
> "Do you feel all right, Captain?"
> "Would you like some water, Captain?"

>>35872800
> "Do you feel all right, Captain?"
> "Would you like some water, Captain?"

Doting on the Captain is go.

>>35872800
> "Would you like some water, Captain?"

>>35872800
> "Do you feel all right, Captain?"
> "Would you like some water?"

>>35872800
>Give her some hair of the dog.

>>35872800
> "Would you like some water, Captain?"
If no

> "It's nothing, Captain. Go back to sleep." We are a knight we will protect the superior officer.

>>35872800
> "It's nothing, Captain. Go back to sleep."

>>35872800
> "Do you feel all right, Captain?"
> "Would you like some water, Captain?"

>>35872800
>> "Do you feel all right, Captain?"
Let's hope she isn't under control of a spell.

>>35872993
Would it be that obvious?

>Roderick was an agent of her families the whole time we gave him exactly what he needed to accomplish his objective.

"Would you like some water, Captain?" you ask, standing to pour her a mug.

"I am not an invalid," Clarissa growls, sitting up in her bed.

You pour her the water anyway. Clarissa clutches the mug with her hands, and gives you a grudging nod of gratitude.

You wait patiently as Clarissa gulps down the mug of water. She wordlessly holds out the mug for a refill, which you oblige. That one goes down in another gulp.

"So," Clarissa croaks, as you retrieve the mug. "What time is it?"

You check your pocketwatch. "Just a bit before dawn. Do you feel all right?"

"My head hurts, my whole body aches, and I have made a fool of myself in front of the Duke," Clarissa says. "Other than that, I feel just fine. Oh, and did I mention how my own family appears to be trying to kill me?"

Quite a lot of sarcasm and irritation from Clarissa. Roderick was right when he said she'd wake up grumpy.

Maybe some news will make her feel better. "Uh, Sister Simone told me to tell you to drink lots of water," you say, running through the checklist in your head. "Elise is probably still working on warding that cube, out in the training courtyard. And Victor thinks he might be able to track down the spellcaster, but it's too dangerous to try now, so he's working with Elise to refine the tracking spell."

Clarissa hugs her legs to herself, and buries her face in her knees. "I've caused so much trouble for everyone. All because of who I am, and what my family is."

> "Everyone's worried about you, which is why we want to help you."
> "What is your family like?"
> "Go back to sleep, Captain. Everything will seem brighter when you wake up."

>>35873019
> "Everyone's worried about you, which is why we want to help you."

> "Go back to sleep, Captain. Everything will seem brighter when you wake up."

We will continue our vigil.

>>35873019
>> "Everyone's worried about you, which is why we want to help you."
>HUGS

dispense hugs, they made nightmares go away, they might make bad feels go away

>>35873019
>>35873035
Seconding hugs. This is apparently the only human being we really care about.

>>35873019
> "Everyone's worried about you, which is why we want to help you."

>>35873019
>"Life is ABOUT imposing on each other. Besides, it would be a lot LESS trouble if you were more upfront about this."

>>35873019
> "Everyone's worried about you, which is why we want to help you."

>>35873029
Fuck the hugs, we've known this person for a week at most. Thats going to be super uncomfortable for all involved.
>> "Everyone's worried about you, which is why they want to help you. They wouldn't do so if they didn't care.

>>35873019
>>35873035
Seconded

>>35873019
> "Go back to sleep, Captain. Everything will seem brighter when you wake up."

That's an order, even if we can't give you orders :<

>>35873019
> "Everyone's worried about you, which is why we want to help you."
> "Go back to sleep, Captain. Everything will seem brighter when you wake up."

>>35873035
With her awake? That would be so awkward that I actually approve of it. But Nicole would only do it if she sees no alternative...

>>35873019
> "Everyone's worried about you, which is why we want to help you."
> "Go back to sleep, Captain. Everything will seem brighter when you wake up.

They're worried about you because they care for you just like you do for them.

And no hugs, that's just weird without at least a timeskip for us to have spent more time with her.

From what everyone you've talked to has said, a major reason for Clarissa's troubles is precisely her refusal to accept the help of others. "Everyone's worried about you, Captain," you say. "Which is why we want to help you."

"I am the Knight Captain of Alvar," Clarissa insists. "My job is to protect the people of Alvar. I cannot let confidence in my position waver. I cannot simply be strong, but I must be seen to be strong."

Confidence is already wavering, due to Clarissa's semi-public breakdown. While only the inner circle of Alvar palace had seen it in person, the news must have spread through the palace by now. You get the impression that the wavering had begun a long time ago. "I think it's a little late for that now, Captain."

"Then what would you suggest?" Clarissa challenges.

"Everyone's willing to help you," you say. "Let them help. I don't think it's weak to accept someone else's help. I think just telling people what you've been worried about would have prevented a lot of this."

"This, from the person who doesn't let anyone know anything about her," Clarissa says bitterly.

She's got you there.

Clarissa sighs. "I apologize, Nicole. That was uncalled for."

No, it was perfectly accurate. "It's all right, Captain. I have my own reasons."

"And I have mine."

>[1/2]

You hadn't expected to stalemate yourself. You need to work on how to convince people and influence their feelings. "Why don't you go back to sleep, Captain? Everything will seem brighter when you wake up." Sleep sounds good to you. You've been up the whole night, and you're not thinking too clearly right now.

"I have slept for the entire night, while others are working on my behalf," Clarissa says. "I do not need more sleep. Besides, the sun has already risen."

Which is true; the light of dawn is peeking through the window blinds.

"I have to prepare myself," Clarissa says. "Get dressed. Meet the Duke." She does not sound like she is looking forward to it.

> "The Duke ordered you to take today off. You need the rest."
> "At least get a shower and breakfast before you do."
> "... would a hug make you feel better, Captain?"

>>35873019
>>35873035
thirding hugs

> "The Duke ordered you to take today off. You need the rest."

>>35873352
> "The Duke ordered you to take today off. You need the rest."
> "At least get a shower and breakfast before you do."

>>35873352
> "At least get a shower and breakfast before you do."

i don't think we should hug our superior officer, it's highly inappropriate and out of character for us.

>>35873390
Agreed.

>>35873352
> "The Duke ordered you to take today off. You need the rest."

>>35873352
>> "The Duke ordered you to take today off. You need the rest."
> "... would a hug make you feel better, Captain?"

>>35873343
> "I'll go with you"
Where the captain go, we go too.

>>35873352
>"The Duke ordered you to take today off. You need the rest."
>"Please.. Clarissa?"

>>35873352
> "The Duke ordered you to take today off. You need the rest."

>>35873352
> "The Duke ordered you to take today off. You need the rest."

Although... She probably wouldn't know what to do on a day off.

>>35873390
>out of character for us.
we've already done it once before...

>>35873352
> "The Duke ordered you to take today off. You need the rest."

>>35873352
> "The Duke ordered you to take today off. You need the rest."

I don't mind giving her a hug, I mean, she has been under a lot of stress lately, found out she possibly can't trust her own family and the other residents of the palace who would want to are in love with her. Sometimes, a person just needs a comforting hug, without any ulterior motives.
> "... would a hug make you feel better, Captain?"

I won't mind if we don't do it.

Rolled 84 (1d100)

>>35873422
This and as >>35873441 said, it's not really that out of character. And we'd probably do it adorably awkwardly.

>>35873441
Without their consent and knowledge.

>>35873390
Nicole did it once and hated it. But she did do it, solely because she couldn't think of a better solution. Those conditions could easily be applied here, the only difference is that this time Clarissa will definitely notice.

>>35873422
Sure, why not.
voting this.

>>35873352
>>35873422
Backing this

>midway through thread
>ctrl-f lily, no hits
When are we going to confront her on being the worst spy ever?

>>35873811
Why would we confess to someone we barely know?

>>35873352
>> "The Duke ordered you to take today off. You need the rest."
and when she ignores that
>> "At least get a shower and breakfast before you do."
also
> "... would a hug make you feel better, Captain?"
because as painfully awkward as it will be for both of them, Clarissa could use one and might be hung over enough to accept

>>35873828
No, I mean Lily. She's the spy. We're the second-worst spy because every suspects we're an assassin, not a spy.

"The Duke ordered you to take today off," you say, falling back on the words of absent authority. You're not sure who actually outranks Clarissa enough to give her orders, but the Duke is definitely one such person. "You need the rest."

Clarissa grumbles, but subsides. "Fine. I will not promise to stay in bed for the entire day, however."

You contemplate possible methods to prevent Clarissa from working or prostrating herself before the Duke. Maybe you should borrow that chair with the leather restraining straps from Elise.

You also wonder about the sort of person who requires an order from their liege lord just to take a well-needed rest day.

Clarissa takes a quick sniff of her clothing. "And I refuse to present a slovenly appearance. I stink of wine and sweat. I shall visit the showers."

You're pretty sure you don't smell very good yourself. "I will be right after you, Captain."

Clarissa opens the door, which happens to surprise William mid-knock. Fortunately, William is already dressed for the day.

"Oh, please excuse me." William steps to the side, and bows graciously. "After you."

Clarissa glares at him as she stalks past. "What are you here for, William?"

"Merely to pass on some fresh orders. You, Knight Captain Clarissa Natalia ain Ridelham, are not to visit your office or the Duke's chambers for the entirety of the day. I will be taking over your duties for the day, and for the foreseeable future. In addition, you are authorized to leave the palace and go out into the city to, and I quote here, 'have fun or else'. This order, direct from his Grace, Duke Pierre Konrad ain Alvar."

Clarissa opens her mouth to protest.

"Don't make me sit on you, Clarissa," William says evenly.

Clarissa closes her mouth, and departs with a surprising amount of dignity.

>[1/2]

>>35873878
>We're the second-worst spy because every suspects we're an assassin, not a spy.
But that's the best cover story ever.

William nods at you, his expression dropping into genuine concern. "How is she?" he asks quietly.

You take a moment to think of a suitable descriptor. "Spiky," you decide. "The Captain is still trying to be... well, the Captain."

"She never learns, does she." William eyes you. "Well, you've got a few options. You are supposed to report to Guard Commander Hendersworth at the Southgate Watch House, but in view of recent events, I can pass a message on to tell him you have other business to attend to."

"Other business, sir?"

"Keep watch over Clarissa. Make sure she doesn't do anything remotely resembling work. And try to get her to talk to someone, anyone, about her troubles. I'll be stuck doing her paperwork for the whole day, so I can't join you. It's your choice, of course."

> "I don't want to keep the Guard Commander waiting. I'll go to the Watch House."
> "I will stick to the Captain for as long as you need me to, sir."
> "The Duke asked me to update him on the Captain's status. Should I still do that?"
> "Do you need my help with the paperwork, sir?"

>>35873909
> "I will stick to the Captain for as long as you need me to, sir."
> "The Duke asked me to update him on the Captain's status. Should I still do that?"

>>35873932
This

>>35873878
No, you see; being an assassin means you're a spy because you need to be infiltrate without being discovered and THEN kill the person. A spy just needs to spy. So all assassins are spies but not all spies are assassins.

>>35873909
> "I will stick to the Captain for as long as you need me to, sir."

Both the Captain and Lily have family issues, they should talk with each other.

>>35873952
Assassin's creed has taught me that the best way to be an assassin is to simply run and your target and shank them in front of everyone, and then kill everyone who saw you.

>>35873909

> "I will stick to the Captain for as long as you need me to, sir."
> "The Duke asked me to update him on the Captain's status. Should I still do that?"

>>35873909
> "I will stick to the Captain for as long as you need me to, sir."
> "The Duke asked me to update him on the Captain's status. Should I still do that?"

I'm quite torn between solving murders or helping the captain, the one investigating the murders didn't have any leads left so I guess captain it is.

>>35873884
>Take Clarissa with us to Witch house
>Clarissa "has fun" solving crime with us
>Clarissa leaves palace
>we get the bad guys

>>35873932
supporting.

>>35873909
> "I will stick to the Captain for as long as you need me to, sir."
> "The Duke asked me to update him on the Captain's status. Should I still do that?"

>>35873909
> "I will stick to the Captain for as long as you need me to, sir."
> "The Duke asked me to update him on the Captain's status. Should I still do that?"

the investigation's dead in the water right now, so a day shouldn't hurt
hell I bet Clarissa confesses by the afternoon so that she can get back to work as soon as possible

>>35873878
>Lily
>spy
Where are you people even getting this from?
Sometimes the Elf Maid is just an Elf Maid.

>>35874099
Yes, and sometimes ominous cubes aren't evil.

Neither of those things are something you should put any money on, because more often than not you'll lose the bet.

>>35873909
>> "The Duke asked me to update him on the Captain's status. Should I still do that?"
Orders are orders. Let William decide.
Then stick to the captain.

>>35874099
An elf maid who has to make a tough choice she is not comfortable with, but which would benefit her family.

>>35874099
That thing she really doesn't want to do. The fact that only the maids know about his magic studying room. Someone had to tell Victor about about the spell, and maids do learn all kinds of things...

>>35874173
Also Anders is paying particularly close attention to her, and the castle suspect a spy that probably isn't Nicole.

>>35874099
We still don't know who was the mysterious shadow.
And who opened the vault.
And where does that cube comes from.

While you were looking forward to starting some actual knight-apprentice training on the job, Clarissa is much more important right now. "I will stick to the Captain for as long as you need me to, sir."

"Excellent." William peers at you. "What about you? Do you feel all right? You're looking a little peaky."

"I'm fine, sir." Thus reminded of your lack of sleep, you suppress a yawn.

"You haven't been up all night, have you?" William says with significant disapproval. "You have to pace yourself as well, Nicole. Or you'll end up..." He trails off, before he makes another unfortunately tactless reference to Clarissa.

"I will keep that in mind, sir," you recite. "The Duke did ask me to update him on the Captain's status today. Should I still do that?"

William rubs his chin. "I'll take care of it. I'm sure you're not the only one who hasn't had any sleep; I saw Elise stumbling into the kitchens for something to keep her awake. Good thing we just got a fresh batch of coffee from Gracewell."

You recall that coffee is a bit of a luxury here in Wellsbet, since the beans largely have to be imported from the areas around Silden. Coffee never really did anything for you, anyway.

"Get a nap when you can," William advises. "Someone else can watch over Clarissa for a while. Probably not Elise, she's still too pie-eyed, but Simone should be able to keep Clarissa in one place."

You're not sure you want to let Clarissa out of your sight for very long. And you are still curious about what sort of family she has that could include someone who is willing to sling inimical spells at her.

Clarissa probably doesn't want to talk about her family. Which is part of the problem, of course. If she'd share her worries, she might not have sunk into her depression last night.

>[1/2]

You are still pondering this state of affairs long after William leaves, and when Clarissa returns. She does not say anything to you, although she gives you a brief nod merely to acknowledge your presence. She seems distracted with thoughts of her own.

You don't feel up to working through her stubborn exterior to get to the issues at the heart of the matter, so you head to the showers yourself.

Not a word is exchanged even unto breakfast, which is more bread and more jam. You are relieved to see that Clarissa's appetite is still undaunted, even now. You do notice that the servants and guards are giving the two of you a wide berth.

"Was there not an appointment with Commander Hendersworth for you?" Clarissa asks casually, just as you are finishing your breakfast.

> "I've been assigned to follow you for the rest of the day."
> "Your well-being is more important. I'm not leaving you until you feel better."
> "William is taking care of it. Please don't worry about work for today."

>>35874417
> "I've been assigned to follow you for the rest of the day."
> "William is taking care of it. Please don't worry about work for today."

She's going to be pissed. Deflect the blame a little at least.

>>35874417
> "William is taking care of it. Please don't worry about work for today."

Don't mention assignments.

>>35874417
> "William is taking care of it. Please don't worry about work for today."

>>35874417

> "I've been assigned to follow you for the rest of the day."
> "Your well-being is more important. I'm not leaving you until you feel better."
> "William is taking care of it. Please don't worry about work for today."

These are all pretty important, I guess.

>>35874417
> "William is taking care of it. Please don't worry about work for today."

oh man we should get some form of sleep, we'll be in bad shape soon if we keep this up.

>>35874417
>> "William is taking care of it. Please don't worry about work for today."

>>35874417
> "William is taking care of it. Please don't worry about work for today."

>>35874417
> "I've been assigned to follow you for the rest of the day."
> "Your well-being is more important. I'm not leaving you until you feel better."
> "William is taking care of it. Please don't worry about work for today."

>>35872800
>and apparently outsmarting the elven nations in some praiseworthy and yet vaguely undescribed manner.
Motive for elven spy Lily spotted.

>>35874603
The Snake of Alvar was a tactical genius.

Your job is quite clear: you are to stop Clarissa from thinking about work, and try to get her to enjoy a day off. Worrying about your assignments does not fit this mission.

"William is taking care of it," you say. "Please don't worry about work for today."

It is oddly fascinating to watch Clarissa try to formulate a statement that does not imply a lack of confidence in William's abilities, and yet still conveys her deep-seated misgivings about handing over her duties to anyone else. You are slightly disappointed when Clarissa simply nods in acknowledgement, albeit without firm approval.

"I'd like to see the cube," Clarissa announces, when she finishes her breakfast. "Maybe seeing it out in the daylight will help settle me down."

Try as you might, you cannot think of a good reason to deny this. You really should get some sleep.

The training courtyard is mostly empty. Any guardsmen who wish to practice find themselves thwarted by the intricate designs drawn into the dust and dirt by various means, ranging from what looks like a series of curves created by dragging a rake through calm and gentle motions, to an angry cluster of stakes hammered into the ground apparently at random.

In the centre of this formation of probably magical designs, Elise is slumped over the cube itself, which is glowing sullenly in the sunshine. She does not stir when you approach.

"Elise," Clarissa says, keeping a respectful distance from the cubes. "Elise, are you awake?"

... that actually looks kind of comfortable.

> Call out to Elise as well
> Lightly tag Elise with a pebble
> Sway gently on your feet

>>35874686
> Call out to Elise as well

We can stay awake. A little longer at least.

>>35874686
> Sway gently on your feet
The poor woman needs her rest more than we do, and boy do we need it.

>>35874686
Lightly tag Elise with a pebble

>>35874686
> Call out to Elise as well

>>35874686
> Sway gently on your feet
Sleepy Nicole!

>>35874147
I figured marriage

>>35874686
>> Sway gently on your feet
We need Simone.
For we will soon be to sleepy to do anything

>>35874686
> Call out to Elise as well
> Sway gently on your feet

>>35874686

> Lightly tag Elise with a pebble
> Sway gently on your feet

> Call out to Elise as well
> Sway gently on your feet

>>35874686
> Call out to Elise as well
If we get to a cup of coffee, we'll be fine.

>>35874686
> Sway gently on your feet
Elise sleepy. Nicole sleepy.

>>35874686
> Sway gently on your feet

Sleepy time?

File: 1383012534853.png (72 KB, 735x422)

72 KB PNG

>>35874686
Oh god the cube ate her

>>35874854
We've already been told that coffee doesn't really do much for us

>>35874814
That's what I figured it was.

You feel a little bad for waking Elise from her obviously much-needed rest, but your priority today is Clarissa, who looks like she's about to give up and try breaking into her own office.

"Elise," you try. "Elise, please wake up."

Elise raises her head, peering at the two of you. "Ah, my dear Captain!" she says happily, standing unsteadily. "Just give me a moment to... um."

"We can talk from over here," Clarissa says. "I wouldn't want you to-"

"No, no! I'll just be a moment," Elise promises. She hops daintily through the designs on the ground as though the points of safety are wide open spaces. The exercise seems to wake her up the rest of the way, because she ends the journey through the wards with a running jump that ends in a hug around Clarissa. "So good to see you up and about, dear Captain!"

"Elise! Stop-" Clarissa had caught Elise's jump on reflex, and now appears to be regretting it. "Elise, please. This is a little embarrassing."

She's hugging Elise back, however. A bit awkwardly, but still a reciprocation.

Elise finally disengages, and looks at you. "And Nicole," she says, reaching out a hand to steady you. You hadn't noticed that you've been swaying on your feet. "Didn't get much sleep either, did you?"

"All for the Captain," you say sturdily.

Clarissa flinches. "I apologize for causing so many problems, Elise, Nicole. I promise it will not happen-"

Elise shuts her up by placing a finger on Clarissa's lips. "Ah, no need to apologize, dear Captain. We shall not speak of apologies. What questions do you have of me today?"

Clarissa indicates the cube with a tilt of her head. "What progress on the wards?"

>[1/3]

We are clearly a dragon.