"I think I see him!" The little girl at the window shouts. She's too short to see out of it, so she bounces up and down just to catch a glimpse.
"Freddie, calm down" You say.
"There's a carriage!" She says, jumping up again. "2 carriage!"
"2 carriages" You say, correcting her.
"2 carriages!" She repeats.

You raise an eyebrow as you look up from your book, finally sighing and getting up to see what's got her so excited.

"She" is Frederica Laustright, your little sister. An adorable little creature with her mother's big blue eyes, her father's darker complexion, and their shared dark hair. She's about as old as you were when you met your dad, and if you were half as cute as she is then you can see why everyone liked you so much.

You step up to the window and pick her up so she doesn't have to keep jumping.

"So where are they?" You ask
Frederica points out. "There! On the bridge" She says.

You look out and sure enough, there are 2 carriages on the bridge. One you recognize immediately, as you were expecting to see it. The other takes a moment.

"Is that... Aunt Melissa's?" You ask.
Frederica gasps. "Auntie Mel is coming?" She asks. "Do you think she brought Mary?"

You smile. Mary is Frederica's friend from Melissa's orphanage.
"She probably did" You say.

Frederica looks about ready to burst. Before that happens, you should-

>Go find your mother

>Head to the entrance

>Other

>>45397009
>Head to the entrance

>>45397009
>>Go find your mother

>>45397009
>Go find your mother
Fuck Yes

>writing

"Come on" You say, putting her down and taking her hand. "We should go find mom and tell her the news"

Freddie smiles, nd the two of you head out. Though she certainly seems to have more bounce in your step than you do... probably because she's bouncing as she walks.

Still, it's strange that you didn't know your dad was returning. Normally a message would be sent ahead, especially if a guest was going to accompany him.

Or maybe a message was recieved, and nobody told you... You'll have to ask your mom about that when you find her.

The first place you look is her bedroom, which is empty.

"Dang, I was really hoping she'd be here" You say. "Any ideas, munchkin?"
"Maybe she's talkin' to barf" Freddie says.
"Bartholomew?" You ask.
"Berfolomoo" She replies.

You pat her head, and head down to Bartholomew's office. That man is older than sin, but he keeps this place running like a dream. He can be a little cold sometimes, but he's a gentle person if you catch him in the right mood.

You reach Bartholomew's office and knock on the door.

>[1/2]

"Who is it?" He asks.
"S'mee!" Freddie shouts.

After a second, the door opens and Bartholomew steps out. "Ah, you're here too" He says when he sees you. "Can I help you?"
"We were looking for mom, have you seen her?" You ask.
"The Queen is... somewhere. I'd check the dining hall or the astronomy tower" He says. "What did you need her for?"
"We saw Papa's carriage on the bridge!" Freddie exclaims.

Bart's expression droops. "That man..." He says, as he sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose.
"It probably doesn't help that Aunt Melissa is with him, does it?" You ask.

Bart steps back behind his desk and flops into his chair. "Your father is going to be the death of me" He says.
"You wouldn't be the first" You say.
He grumbles something. "I'd best start preparing. If you see Eleanor, tell her to come see me" He says.
"Will do" You reply, as you take Freddie and exit his office. It's probably best to leave him be right now...

>Go to the astronomy tower

>Go to the dining hall

>Other

>>45397703
>Go to the dining hall
Even is she's not there we can tell the chefs to start preparing a meal for them

>>45397703
>>Go to the astronomy tower

One should assume her children to be with here during a meal, and dining rooms don't tend to have much more functionality.

>>45397703
>>45397762
This

>>45397703
>Go to the astronomy tower

>writing

You take Freddie back to the central stairway and start walking up. The astronomy tower is where they used to keep the crown. The tower was repurposed and the crown moved at your parent's behest.

It was turned into an astronomy tower because mom felt that would be a good thing to have. The crown was moved because it was 'too easily stolen'... those were your dad's exact words. You wonder how many people know that he was speaking from experience...

Mom likes spending time up in the astronomy tower studying the stars with Aunt Marcy, who has kept her post as mom's Guardian.

Your own Guardian is somewhere around here. You never know where she goes, but she's always nearby when you call for her...

About halfway up to the top of the tower, Freddie stops. "Too many staaaaiiirrrsss" She says.
"Come on, we're almost there" You say.

Freddie puffs out her cheeks and stands firm a few steps below you...

You roll your eyes. You know a surefire way to get her moving again, but it would involve running the rest of the way...

It might be easier just to do what she wants you to...

>Challenge her to a race

>Carry her the rest of the way

>Other

>>45398154
>Challenge here

Maybe make a bet for something out of it. Scarcely a more fitting course o' action for the gambler's daugher.

>>45398154
There's only one option here, and you know it.
>Challenge her to a race

>>45398154
>Challenge her to a race
Gotta Go Fast

>writing

"Tell you what..." You say, as you pull a candy out of your pocket. "If you can beat me to the top, you can have this"
Frederica eyes the candy, but remains adamant...

"Suit yourself~" You say, as you turn and skip up the steps. The air gets noticeably warmer as you go, the spirits of fire must like this.

The spirits are the new force of the world. Magic used to be a complex thing full of books and enchantment maintenance. Now, it's as simple as asking nicely.

Well... not quite that simple. The spirits themselves have preferences. Like right now. Normally the fire spirits ignore you, but at the moment you're gambling. Fire spirits like those who take risks, and even though the risk here is fairly small, they still take notice.

Normally, you get more attention from the wind spirits. They like you for your carefree attitude.
Well... they all like you, but you're more of an exception than a rule. You're sort of like their mother...

You get all of 3 steps up the stairs, when Freddie zips past you. You pick up the pace to keep up, but never quite manage to catch her... not that you were trying to pass her.

When you reach the top Frederica is already there with her arms in the air, bouncing up and down as she celebrates her victory.

You get up next to her, pat her on the head, and pop the candy in her mouth.

"Oh, Selene, Frederica" Aunt Marcy says. "What brings you two up here?"

>[1/2]

>When you reach the top Frederica is already there with her arms in the air, bouncing up and down as she celebrates her victory.

>You get up next to her, pat her on the head, and pop the candy in her mouth.

Hnnnnggghh

>>45398546
>tfw no Marcy route

"Ish mama here?" Frederica asks, completely out of breath.
"Yeah, hang on" Aunt Marcy says.

She gets up and walks around to the back of the big telescope. The construction of the astronomy tower was a huge undertaking. The top of the tower was essentially cut off so the systems could be put in place to run it.

As it's a place of curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge, dad had the idea to make everything run on water. It's been a surprisingly effective system, as water spirits enjoy curiosity.

As it is, the whole tower top swivels to move the telescope, and the telescope can move up and down. It doesn't sound like much, but it's the only tower of its kind.

You hear Aunt Marcy talking behind the telescope, and then Mom steps out.

"Hey you two" Laura says. In one hand she has a small stack of papers, in the other she has Klaus. She's still in her pajamas as well, like she woke up this morning and came straight here... which is likely.

Klaus is your younger brother, who is only about a year old now. He's a talkative lad, but unfortunately his main method of communication is to spray his spit everywhere.

Still cute, but... you make sure you have a handkerchief handy when you're looking after him.

"Hiiiii mama!" Frederica says, as she skips over to mom and hugs her legs. She probably would have done that earlier, but she knows better than to run into here unannounced. Last time it happened the telescope moved and knocked her over. She wasn't hurt, but she knows to let the astronomer come to her now...

"What's up?" Mom asks.
"Did you guys hear anything about dad coming back?" You ask.
"No, why?" Mom asks.
"Because his carriage is coming up the bridge" You say.
"Oh f-... darn" Laura says. "Here, take the baby. I need to get dressed!"

Mom kisses Freddie on the head, hands Klaus off to you, and dashes down the stairs...

>Ask Marcy if they've found anything up there

>Head down to the entrance

>Other

>middle eastern MC gets all the bitches, sacrifices himself, and then is resurrected
how did I never notice how similar the two quests are before?

>>45398914
>>>Head down to the entrance

>>45398914
>Ask Marcy if they've found anything up there

>>45398936
Don't forget: Giles created the Master Thief elementals that pretty much reforged the worlds' magic, and saved it from Fate n' Chaos.

Compare to Saif, who became The Fool.

Very similar, but I love these quests all the same.

>>45398914
>Ask Marcy if they've found anything up there

>writing

"You guys find anything up there?" You ask.
"Of course, there's always new things to find" Marcy says. "Laura spied a star that was moving strangely last night, she thinks it might not be a star at all"

"You can see the stars?" Freddie asks. "But it's daytime"
"She spotted it last night" Marcy says. "Just now we were trying to make a map of Catha's surface"
"Cathy?" Frederica asks.
"Catha is the moon, remember?" You ask Freddie. "Catha and Ferri"

"Oh yeah" Freddie says. "I knew that"
"By the way, shouldn't Kuma be with you?" Marcy asks. "The guardian is supposed to-"

Kuma steps out of the shadows behind Marcy. "Yes?" She asks.
"AHHHH!!!!" Marcy shrieks. She turns and sees Kuma, as she puts a hand on her chest to calm herself. "Damn it, Kuma!"

"Wha... how did you get back there?" You ask.
"I went in behind you" She says. "I thought you knew"
"No we didn't know!" Marcy says. "Dang it, I almost had a heart attack"

In your arms, Klaus starts to fuss. He was asleep before, but Marcy's shriek seems to have woken him.

"Aww, did Aunt Marcy wake you little guy?" You ask him.
"Pfhthubfff" Klaus says, spraying his saliva all over your face...

You pull out a handkerchief and wipe your face off. "I'll take that as a yes" You say.

>[1/2]

The five of you start heading back down the stairs to the first floor.

"I'm surprised" Marcy says. "You'd figure that Giles would at least tell Kuma he was coming"
"He did" Kuma says. "I got the notice yesterday"

Marcy gives Kuma a dull look. "And you didn't tall anyone?" She asks.
Kuma tilts her head in confusion. "Was I supposed to?" She asks.
"You probably were" You say.

Kuma pulls a piece of paper out of her pocket and reads it over. "Nothing in here says anything about that" She says.
"Just when you though that guy had mastered the art of dealing with you..." Marcy says.
"Maybe he wanted to surprise you?" Kuma asks.

"Then he could've informed Bartholomew" You say. "I think the news took another year off his life"
"Hah" Marcy says. "If stress took time off that guy's life, he'd've been long dead by now"

You reach the stairs for the top floor, and Aunt Marcy gets off. "I'm gonna stick with the Queen. I'll see you all downstairs" She says.
"Seeeee ya" Freddie says.

The rest of you continue down the stairs. Along the way, you pass several maids and servants. While busy, they all take a moment to say hello as they pass.

Everyone seems much more comfortable around Kuma than they used to be. You remember the uproar it caused when mom appointed her as your guardian, back before dad came back. The idea of having an assassin in the castle set a lot of people on edge.

They have since warmed up to her, though she does make diplomats and dignitaries nervous still...

The first floor is even busier than the stairs, but you can make out a few familiar faces. A certain few stand out, those being Uncle Ced and Aunt Ellie...

>Go say hello

>They're probably busy

>Other

>>45399723
>Go say hello

>>45399723
>Go say hello

>writing

You head over to them. They don't look too busy, but you could be misjudging.

The two of them look less alike now than they used to, but the resemblance remains. They both have brown hair and brown eyes. Eleanor's hair is long and tied back, while Cedric's is short, and continues down onto his face where he has a well kept beard.

"Hello" You say.
"Hey there, princess" Aunt Ellie says. "Here for the big surprise?"
"Yeah" You say.
"Hiiiiiii" Freddie says.
"And you two, little one" Ellie says. She motions for you to walk as you talk, so you all head to the entrance hall. "I don't suppose either of you know who is actually in those carriages?"

"Not a clue" You say. "Kuma?"
"Lady Melissa, the King, Melissa's wife, Maria, and Rebecca" Kuma says.

"Mary IS coming!" Freddie exclaims.
"And Becky" Uncle Cedric says. "That's some good news, eh?"

You can't help but smile at the thought. Becky is another girl from Melissa's orphanage, who you've been friends with for quite some time. Her and Devin, who is Cedric's apprentice, are your best friends.

"Have either of you seen Laura? I was supposed to let her knwo this was happening" Eleanor says.
"We just came down from the tower" You say. "She knows"

"She's getting dressed, isn't she?" Eleanor asks.
"Yep" You say.
"I keep asking her not to stay in her pajamas until the afternoon..." She says.
"You're not the only one" You say. "Dad says the same thing"

"Your dad is not the person to be telling others about their bad habits, he-"

The front doors swing open, and new arrivals step in.

"Speak of the devil..." Ellie says.

>Go to them

>They'll come to you

>Other

>>45400321
>Go to them
Also we should probably tel Eleanor that Batholomew was looking for her

>>45400321
>They'll come to you

>writing

You figure you'll wait until they've all gotten in before you head over. No use in smothering them with more people when there are already so many here...

At least that was your plan. Taking your momentary lapse in focus and literally running with it, Frederica bolts for the door.

Eleanor giggles at the little one's energy, but you aren't as amused.

"Dang it" You say.
"Don't you be complainin' now" Cedric says. "Frederica is a little angel compared to how you used to be"
"Ugh... I think I owe some people an apology then" You say.

Dad steps through the door, and immediately spots the little runner. He leans down and holds his arms out wide for a hug...

And Frederica runs right past, to the little girl behind him...

Dad has none of that. He quickly turns and snatches Freddie up underneath her arms, tossing her up in the air high enough that it makes a few people uncomfortable, and catching her with a hug.

Frederica, of course, loves every second of it.

"Thought you could pull a fast one on me, did ya?" Dad asks.
Frederica giggles.

Having recieved his hug, he sets Freddie back down and pats her back towards Mary. Then he turns and spots you.

"Ah, the gang's all here" He says.

>[1/2]

Dad walks over to you and gives you a hug.

"How has everything been while I was gone?" He asks.
"Normal" Kuma says.
"That's disappointing" He says. "Nothing extravagant? Nothing risky? Nothing at all?"

"Nothing worth reporting" Kuma says.

This is a strange conversation... it's almost like he's hinting at something...

Dad takes Klaus from your arms. "And how has the little prince been treating you?" You ask.
"Pthebthhh" Klaus says, attempting to spray dad with his usual speach.

But the spit vaporizes in the air, and dad smiles. "Much too slow, little guy. When you're old enough I'm going to have to start whipping you into shape"

Your dad, for obvious reasons, is the kinda guy that the fire spirits love.

"Nobody is whipping anybody" Mom says.

You turn to see her and Aunt Marcy approaching from behind.

"There she is!" Dad says, walking over to mom and giving her a kiss. "Miss me?"
"Of course" Mom says. "Sorry, I would have been ready for you if I'd known you were coming"

"Kuma didn't tell you?" He asks.
"You didn't ask" Kuma says.

Dad holds out his hand, and Kuma pulls out the letter. She gives it to him, he turns it over, then hands it back.

Kuma reads the other side...

"Oh" She says. "I thought it ended abruptly"
Dad sighs. "Well, what's done is done and we're here now" He says. "Next time I'll have to send 2 pages... or something"

You lean to the side to see if anyone else came in after dad. You don't see anyone.

"Looking for someone?" Dad asks.
"Uhhh, well... maybe" You say.
"Becky is back at the carriages with Melissa" Dad says. "They had some stuff to deal with"

>Go out and see them

>Stay with your family for now

>Other

>>45401293
>>Go out and see them

I really wish I hadn't slept in

>>45401293
>Hug dad first
>Go out and see them

>>45401293
>Stay with your family for now

Good to see best dad.

>writing

Anyone else think that the parallel between Giles and Ozai (worst dad), from avatar?

Both are kings, both have a magical affinity for fire, and both live in a world where manipulation of elements is normal.

The key difference is how many points they put in the "Dad" class.

You look back at the door, and your dad smiles.

"You want to go see them?" He asks.
"Well, yeah..." You say. "I- I mean... may I?"

He pulls you in and gives you a kiss on the cheek. "I'm surprised you're still here" He says.
You smile, give him a big hug and return his kiss on the cheek. "Thank you" You say, as you walk past him to the door.

As you pass him, Frederica and Maria pass you. The two of them skip towards the stairs, probably headed for Frederica's room or something.

"Will they be alright?" Aunt Marcy asks.
"Probably... yeah" Dad says. "Just in case... Kuma. Go make sure they stay safe"
"Yes Master" Kuma says.

That's the last of that conversation you hear as you step through the door. The outside air is nice. You're just getting out of winter now, so the air has a little bit of a bite to it, but it still feels good.

You spot the carriages off to the side, en route to the outbuilding where carriages are stored. You spot Aunt Melissa's head first, as it stands out so much you could spot it anywhere.

She's standing with a brown haired woman that you recognize as her wife, Elda. Next to them is another redhead who doesn't stand out quite so much, but you would never miss: Rebecca.

They're all talking to a few of the guards and servants. Well, Melissa and Elda are talking to servants. Rebecca is talking to a guard. Judging by his height and posture, it's safe to say that it's Devin...

You pick up your pace.

>[1/2]

"Hey guys!" You call out as you get close.

Melissa is the first to turn. "There she is!" She says.
Rebecca turns, and breaks into a run when she sees you. "Selene!" She says.
"Becky!" You say.

The two of you meet, and share a tight hug.

"How have you been?" Becky asks. "Man, it's been months since I last saw you"
"I keep busy" You say. "How about you?"
"The slave driver runs me ragged, but otherwise good" Becky says.

"I heard that" Melissa says.

You giggle. Becky is learning the merchant trade from Melissa, who hopes that she can take the business over one day.

Suddenly, Becky throws an arm over your should and pulls you into a huddle. "So I haven't heard anything out of Catisse. Have you gone through with it yet?" She asks.

It takes a second, but you know what she's talking about...

>Tonight's the night

>We can't talk about this here

>Other

>>45402363
>>Tonight's the night

>>45402363
>We can't talk about this here

>>45402363
>We can't talk about this here

>writing

>"That's disappointing" He says. "Nothing extravagant? Nothing risky? Nothing at all?"

>Selene has most likely been planning thief-y.

HE KNOWS.

THIEF SENSES + FATHERLY CONCERN = YOU CAN'T HIDE SHIT.

You cover her mouth. "Shhhhhhhh! We can't talk about this here!" You whisper.
"Fine... later then?" She asks.

You look around. "Yeah" You say, giving her a wink.
Becky releases your shoulder as Devin approaches.

"You guys gonna let me in on your little secret?" Devin asks.
"Sorry Dev, if we told you we'd have to kill you" Becky says.
"I couldn't kill Dev" You say.
"That's good to hea-"
"You could get Kuma to do it" Becky says.
The color drains from Devin's face.

"She's kidding" You say.
"I dunno" Becky says. "Haven't you heard the rumour about why you have no suitors?"
"There's a rumour?" You ask.
"Yeah" Becky says. "They say that nobody will so much as eye you, because Kuma keeps dragging anyone who does into alleys and beating them up"

"That's..." Ridiculous... right? Kuma wouldn't do that...

Unless dad told her to... and he totally would...

You might have to talk to him...

>[1/2]

>>45402858
My fucking sides kek

"So how was the trip?" You ask, moving the subject away from boys getting beaten up by Kuma before Devin faints...

"Bumpy" Becky says. "I keep telling Melissa to get that axle fixed, but-"
"The axle is fine" Melissa says, as she joins your group. "It's your tush that's the problem if you can't handle a few bumps"

"It was a little bumpy, hun" Aunt Elda says. "I've ridden storms that were smoother than this carriage"
"You too?" Melissa asks. "Devin, help me out"

"I can get Cole to take a look at it, if you want" Devin says. "He does the maintenance on the carriages we have here"
Melissa sighs and accepts defeat. "Fine..." She says.
"Why are you so against this?" Rebecca asks.

Melissa crosses her arms. "I like my rides to be a little bumpy" She says. "Too smooth and you fall asleep too easily"
Elda puts an arm over her shoulder. "A smooth ride can be pretty exciting too" Elda says.
"But the bumps make it feel like you're getting there quicker, you know?" Melissa asks.

You pinch the bridge of your nose. This kind of talk is par for the course when Melissa comes over...

You turn to Becky.

>Let's go somewhere with less double entendres

>How long are you staying?

>Other

>>45403180
>Let's go somewhere with less double entendres

>>45403180
>Let's go somewhere with less double entendres

>writing

"Come on, Becky. Let's go somewhere with less double entendres" You say.
"Agreed" She says.

"When are you off shift, Devin?" You ask.
"Soon-ish" He says. "I'll look for you guys when I'm done"
"Cool" You say. "I guess I'll see you two at dinner?"
"Absolutely" Melissa says. "I hope we aren't troubling the staff too much. I hear Giles' notice failed to arrive"

"Oh, it arrived" You say. "But he put the instructions on the wrong side of the page"
Melissa sighs. "I keep telling him to send his messages to someone with a bit more comprehension..." She says.
"Kuma's fine. You just have to be specific" You say.
"I know..." Melissa says. "Anyway, we still have to deal with this. So I'll see you two later"

"See ya!" You say, as you and Becky take off.

"So what's new around here?" Becky asks.
"Not much" You say, as you consider where to go.

Becky likes the astronomy tower, and you have to admit that you're a bit interested in your mom's notes on mapping the moon...

But you also kinda want to spill the night's plans, to see what she thinks...

>Head up the tower

>Head to your room, where your own notes are

>Other

>>45404017
>Head to your room, where your own notes are
Have to make everything perfect

>>45404017
>Head to your room, where your own notes are

>writing

You take her up to your room, and tell her to sit down. Then you go about your 'securing process'.

You lock the normal lock on the door, and then the one that you added to it. This one can only be unlocked from the inside. You put it on because you've seen how quickly Kuma and your dad can defeat even the best lock.

Then you head over to the window, where you flip the latch, and set in the bolts on the bottoms of the 2 sides.

With the room sealed off, you put up the heavy cloth curtain that blocks just about all of the light, and get the fire spirits to light the lamps around the room as you cast Silence using the old magic method.

"All this secrecy... does this mean I get to see the plan?" Becky asks.
You give her a sly smile as you pull a small box out of a secret compartment inside your mattress. Inside are the maps and layouts that you've been working with.

"The location is the castle in Catisse" You say, as you lay the first of the maps out on the floor. "The target is the Diadem of King Fars which is being hosted there"

"I thought that was on exhibit" Becky says. "It's being moved tomorrow"

"I know" You say. "Which is why I'm striking tonight"

>[1/2]

You go over your plans with Becky. It takes a while, as you've gone pretty in depth for this.

Everything from how you're getting out of Analask, to how you're getting to Catisse, to how you're getting into the castle, to how you're getting the Diadem, to how you're getting out, and how you're getting back... every plan is set, with backups, and backups for the backups, and sometimes backups for the backup backups.

You've been planning for a while.

Becky has some input, but mostly she's just impressed with how much you've done.

"You think it'll work?" You ask.
"I think I'll be taking my hat off to Catisse's security if it doesn't" She says. "When are you leaving?"

"As soon as I put Freddie to bed" You say. "I'll come back here, change into my sneakin' outfit, and head out that window"

"Does anyone else know?" She asks.
"Just you and me" You say. "Let's keep it that way"

You hear a knock on the door, and dispel your silence enchantment. Then you call the wind spirits to blow the heavy curtain away and let the light back in, before going to the door.

You open it to see your mom.
"Hey" You say. "What's up?"
"Are Frederica and Maria with you two?" She asks.
"No, why?" You ask.
"They aren't in her room, I thought they might be here..." She says.

>Want me to look for them?

>They're with Kuma, so they're probably fine

>Other

>>45404990
>Want me to look for them?

>>45404990
>Want me to look for them?

>All of this plotting n' sneakery

Truly, she's daddy's little girl.

>>45404990
>Want me to look for them?

>writing

"Want us to try and find them?" You ask.
"If it isn't too much trouble..." Mom says. "I know that Kuma will keep them safe... but she probably wouldn't stop them from going somewhere they shouldn't"

"Alright, we'll go look" You say. To her credit, Kuma is an excellent guardian. But as a babysitter she is lacking...

You used to do all kinds of stuff that you weren't allowed to do under her watchful eye. She'd keep you from getting hurt, sure, and she'd report just about everything to your dad. But she would never tell you not to do something, unless she was specifically told not to let you do that thing.

Mom smiles and closes the door, leaving you to stow your maps and plans back into their box, unseal the room, and head out.

"Any idea where they might be?" Becky asks.
"I have a few ideas" You say.

"Anything specific?" She asks.
"They're definitely somewhere they aren't supposed to be... so..."

>Vote for the order you want to check these in...

>The Vaults

>The Kitchens

>The Throne Room

>The Tower

>The Armory

>Other

>>45405530
>Kitchen
>Throne room
>Armory
>Tower
>Vault

>>45405595
This works

>>45405530
>Vaults
>Throne room
>Armory
>Kitchen
>Tower

I say tower last because she said that there were too many stairs.

>>45405530
>>45405595
this is fine

>writing

Shit, another quest thats finished before i could catch up. First Hollow Redux, now this.

"The Kitchens" You say. "We'll go there first"
"Why?" Becky asks.
"Because that's where she'd go first" You say. "The kitchen staff always have some sort of sweet... thing for her if she gives them the puppydog eyes, so she tends to visit them a lot"

Becky giggles. "Aww, that's cute. She says.
"Yeah, it kinda is" You say. "Let's get going"

The path to the kitchen is a short one... mostly because you know every way to get there from your own days of sadfacing food from the staff...

Auntie Deb tells you that Freddie was there, but that she got what she came for and left. So you move along.

You remember when Auntie Deb was 'dead'. Dad's mother summoned up a bunch of spectres, which got a lot of you down. But some of them were just illusions crafted to get into their heads... which worked pretty well.

Dad jokingly suggested naming Frederica after Cassandra when they were picking out names. He didn't get a say in it after that, and Mom decided to name her after her mother.

He did the same thing with Klaus, when he jokingly suggested naming him Roderick... Klaus was a suggestion from Melissa, which mom took after dad lost his vote.

...

Next stop is the Throne room, so you get moving.

>[1/2]

>>45406308
Really, Giles? Pretty unclassy, man

>>45406398
At least he didn't jokingly suggest "Salem"

The throne room shows clear signs of activity. Mostly from the fact that a few things have been knocked over.

You look around to see if the girls are still in here, and take the time to put everything back in order, before moving along.

You don't like being in the throne room. Maybe because this is where everything went wrong...

This is where Dad killed Roderick, and everything... broke. Then dad died to save you... and everything turned to shit...

The lady from the Crown told you that she was bringing him back. But that wasn't true. What you got were cheap copies of him... no offense to the elementals.

You've tried talking to her again by putting the crown back on to no avail. She's either left, or just doesn't normally talk to people, or... something.

Either way, Throne Room's empty. On to the next stop...

>[1/2]

You and Becky head to the Armory next, where you find Devin. He no longer has his armor on, so he must've come here to stow his weapons.

"Hey man" You say.
"Hey you two" He says. "What brings you two down here?"

"Looking for the little ones, have you seen them?" You ask.
"Oh, yeah they were here" He says. "Wanted me to unlock the sword cabinet for them"
"You didn't..." Becky says.

"Are you kidding? Of course not" He says. "But they pushed, and it's really hard to say no to them... so I met them halfway with a pair of practice sticks. Why do you ask?"
"We're looking for them. Any idea where they might have gone?" You ask.
"I think they wanted to head down into the dungeons or the Vaults" He says. "Not sure why they'd need swords for that..."

"You have any idea?" Becky asks you.
"Probably to play pretend, or something" You say. "Thanks for the tip, Devin. We'll see you later"
"I'm pretty much off now" He says. "I've just gotta sign out and then I'm free to join you guys, if you're willing to wait a minute"

>Sure

>Tell him to meet you down in the Vaults

>We should be fine

>Other

>>45406636
>She's either left, or just doesn't normally talk to people, or... something.

Or she's been lecturing her kids on being existential dumbass'.

I mean, come on, it's like Cassandra was playing with the toy that Mommy gave her, and then Fate complained about how it was HIS turn to play with it.

>>45406818
>Tell him to meet you down in the Vaults

>>45406818
>>Tell him to meet you down in the Vaults

>writing

"Meet us down in the Vaults" You say. "If I'm right, we'll probably need a hand looking for them"

"Alright" He says. "I'll see you guys in a bit"

You and Becky leave the armory, and head back to the central stairway. This time you go down, past the servant's and guard's quarters, and into the dungeons and the Vaults...

"This place always creeps me out" Becky says.
"Why?" You ask.
"It's dark, and damp" She says. "What if there are rats?"
"There aren't" You say.
"How do you know?" She asks.
"My dad had them all killed" You say.

"A-all... of them?" She asks.
"Every. Last. One" You say, before telling her the story...

It was probably the first thing he did when you all settled down here. He brought in every rat catcher, every cat, every hunter he could find, and he paid good money for every rat killed.

For the first week or so, they were catching a lot. But the numbers dwindled, and then there were none left.

Several of the cats are still down here. Dad keeps them fed, and in return they keep the rats from ever returning.

"That's... drastic" Becky says. "Does the King hate rats that much?"
"Yyyep" You say. "I remember him talking about it one time. Something about where he grew up... I don't really remember"

As you make your way to the Vaults, a cat crosses your path. It stops, meows, and then keeps on going.

You don't see a single rat.

>[1/2]

>>45407607
Giles is fuckin' hardcore.

You walk into the Vaults, and wait for Devin. It takes him a minute to get down.

"Hey guys" He says.
"Hey" You say. "Ready to search?"
"Yeah, I guess" Devin says. "Any idea where to start?"
"Nope" You say. "You'll probably hear them before you see them, so keep your ears open"

"Gotcha" Devin says. "Shall we get started?"
"Yeah" You say.

>Roll 1d20

Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>45407869

Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>45407869

Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>45407869

File: fc,550x550,silver.u2.jpg (31 KB, 550x550)

31 KB JPG

>>45407936

>writing

The three of you each take a different direction, and each of you moves quietly.

But out of all of you, you move with more stealth and more speed. You took to heart every little lesson your dad had for you, and soon it will all pay off.

You can hear the girls giggling as you move. In these halls it's hard to pinpoint what direction it's coming from, but it gives you a general idea.

After walking for a minute, the sounds get louder, and louder, until you're certain that you've found them.

... hang on, this is around where Dad put the Crown when he moved it...

You turn the corner, and see a light coming from an open door.

"Aww man. It's not here" Frederica says.

You turn into the open door, and lean against the frame. "What's not here?" You ask.
Frederica and Maria both jump at your presence. Surprisingly, so does Kuma... you don't usually get the drop on her.

"Uhh... my stash...?" Frederica says. "I hid candy in here"
You raise an eyebrow, and look to where your dad had originally put the Crown... it is indeed gone.

"Huh, that's strange" You say. "Did someone take it?"

"From me?" Someone behind you says. This time, it's your turn to be surprised.

You turn around and see your dad. "H-hey" You say.
"Don't look so surprised. You're still way too green to outsneak me" He says.

>[1/2]

>>45408402
Giles best dad

"Where'd the Crown go?" You ask.
Dad gives you a pat on the head. "I moved it" He says.
"What about my candy?" Frederica asks. She crosses her arms and gives her best 'stern' look... she is way too cute to look anywhere near stern.

"I moved that too" He says.
"Awwww maaan... why?" Frederica asks.

Dad walks over and lifts her up. "Because a certain little princess should not be eating candy so close to dinnertime" He says, and then he lifts Maria up as well. "That goes for you too, Maria"

"Kay" Both girls say.

"And Kuma, I thought I told you to keep an eye on them" He says.
"You said to keep them safe" Kuma says. "They weren't in danger"

Dad chuckles. "That I did..." He says. "Oh, and speaking of dinnertime. It's dinnertime. You should go let your friends know"

"Devin too?" You ask.
"Of course" He says. "It's a big family get together, why would I exclude him?"

You smile. Devin isn't really family, but he's close enough.

"Okay" You say.

>[2/3]

You're pretty quick to round up Devin and Becky, both of whom had gotten tired of being quiet and started moving more quickly. You manage to get the jump on both of them, and have a good laugh about it.

Then the three of you head back up to the dining hall.

"So why do you think he moved the Crown?" Becky asks, after you tell her what happened.
"I dunno" You say. "It was pretty well guarded, and I don't think anyone he doesn't trust knows where it is..."
"He could just be paranoid" Devin asks.

You purse your lips in thought. "No... that doesn't sound right..." You say.

"What if he's researching it?" Becky asks. "I mean, it isn't exactly a normal crown"
"That could be it..." You say. "I dunno. I'll ask him at some point"

"Maybe it was stolen, and he's trying to save face" Devin says.
"Good luck with that" You say. "And that wouldn't explain why Freddie's candy was gone"
"A thief with a sweet tooth?" Becky asks. "Sounds kinda like you"

"It kinda does" You say. "We should probably change the subject before someone overhears"

>Ask Becky how the merchant thing is going

>Ask Devin how his training is going

>Ask Kuma to stop stalking you

>Other

>>45408964
>Ask Becky how the merchant thing is going
>Ask Devin how his training is going

>>45408964
>>Ask Becky how the merchant thing is going

>writing

"So how's the merchanting going, Becky?" You ask.
"Well, Melissa is a harsh teacher, but a good one" She says. "I've learned a lot, even since I last saw you"

"Think you're ready to take on the business world?" You ask her.
"Maybe" She says. "I feel like there's still a lot to know, but it's not the stuff that someone can show you, you know?"
"Yeah" Devin says. "It's the same for me. I feel like I've taken my craft as far as it'll go without actual experience"

"Well, I certainly don't see any wars on the horizon" You say.
"Thankfully" Devin says. "That's the funny part about fighting. You learn how to do it, and then you spend the rest of your life hoping that you'll never have to really put those skills to the test"

"Kinda makes me glad that I'm just learning how to lowball traders" Becky says. "I don't think I could ever like... stab someone"
"I think I could, if I had to" You say. "But only if I absolutely had no choice. Otherwise, I know better ways to escape assailants"

"How's that?" Devin asks.
"First lesson that dad ever taught me about fighting" You say. "Nail 'em in the gonads and leg it"

>[1/2]

You reach the dining room, and find it mostly full. The whole crew seems to be here: Mom, Dad, Aunt Melissa, Aunt Elda, Aunt Marcy, Aunt Eleanor, Uncle Cedric, Freddie, Mary, Klaus...

Add Father Pitre and the Harthrights, and you'd have a full family reunion on your hands.

Your dad sits at the head of the table, with Laura next to him. You decide to take the seat on his other side.

"I see you found 'em all right" Dad says.
"It wasn't hard" You say. "How's grandpa doing?"

"Pitre?" Dad asks. "Same as always. No matter how old that man gets, you've still got to check your ribs for breakage after he hugs you"

You giggle. Dad had gone to visit Melissa and his father. He'd been gone for about 2 weeks before today. Although, you didn't expect him to bring everyone back...

You look around and see that everyone's seated. Freddie and Maria have taken the spots next to you, while Devin and Becky are across the table, next to your mom.

Servants come in and start pouring wine into what you notice are the good goblets... well, most of you get wine. Freddie and Mary get grape juice.

"So what's the occasion?" You ask dad.
"I'm glad you asked that!" He replies, far louder than he probably should. Then he stands up and raises his glass. "Here's to 10 years of a new world"

Everyone raises their glasses in a toast, and the little girls don't rest until they've clinked cups with everyone. Then everybody takes a sip.

This isn't your first time drinking wine, but you must admit that you aren't accustomed to the taste of it. This stuff isn't bad, though.

"And many more" Melissa pipes up from the other end of the table.

>[2/3]

Dinner passes pleasantly. No one drinks too much, or starts arguing politics, or anything...

They save all that for after dinner, when everyone has had at least a few glasses of wine. The whole thing goes along in a fairly boring fashion, until the plates are gone.

Then Melissa begins the real talk by drunkenly declaring that the Harthren people are all stingy.

This is when the fun stuff begins. The adults all trade stories, and the kids just listen...

Melissa retells the story of the nobleman that tried to ruuin her wedding, and how thoroughly she ruined his business for it.

Dad shares the one about the time he literally kicked a diplomat out of the Palace after he referred to his actions as 'madness', and the subsequent conversation he had with that man's leader about 'not sending anymore pissants dressed as diplomats'.

Elda tells one from when her and dad had to sneak past a bunch of pirates in a little dinghy.

Marcy talks about her old duelling days, and how mad everyone was when she revealed that she was female...

You sit through it and smile the whole while. Some day, you hope to have tales like these... maybe you'll have kids of your own to tell them to.

It's not long before you look over and see Frederica's head bobbing as she fights off sleep...

>Anything else?

>>45410314
>Time to suit up.

Also, does Selene have the bag of holding?

>>45410314
Nope
Put her to bed and get ready

>>45410459
Also, try to think up a catchy thief name, if Smiley hasn't already done so.

>writing

You give her shoulder a shake, and she jumps a little. Then she looks up at you.

"Uhmnahsleepy" She says.
You giggle and look over to your dad, who is smiling.

"You mind taking her up for me?" He asks. "Mary too, from the looks of it"
"No problem" You say. "Im probably gonna hit the hay myself once they're down"

Dad smiles a little wider. "See you in the morning, then"
"Yep" You say, as you pick up Freddie. "Come on, munchkin"

Becky and Devin help you bring the girls upstairs. But once you're up there, Devin heads for the guard's quarters for the night after wishing you good luck.

By the time you reach Freddie's room both girls are fast asleep, which you find is both a boon and a curse. It means that you have to change them into their pajamas, but it also means that there's no fussing as you put them down.

"I guess I'll be wishing you good luck as well" Becky says. "I need to go and grab my stuff, and then I'll be heading to bed"
"Alright" You say.

The two of you hug, and then Becky waves to you as she heads off.

You go back into your room, and pull out another box. This one contains your outfit, and your tools.

You slip on the tall leather boots, the skirt, the shirt, the hat, the gloves, and the cloak, before giving yourself a once over in the mirror.

"I think I clean up rather nicely in this" You say, giving it a twirl. The cloak doesn't have anywhere near as much storage space as the one your dad used to wear, but it's secret compartment serves its purpose...

You nod to yourself in the mirror, and turn to the window.

"Let's get this started" You say.

>[1/2]

>>45411081
>Dad smiles a little wider. "See you in the morning, then"
HE KNOWS

>>45411178
of course he knows

Part 1: making your way out your window and into town. Successful

Part 2: getting through town to the business district to meet up with the smuggler you hired. Successful

Part 3: finding the horse you asked to be left for you by the shoreline. Successful.

Part 4: getting to, and into Catisse. Successful.

Part 5: getting into the castle. Plan A failed, Plan B Successful

...

Unfortunately the patrols are a bit more varied than you had thought when you planned your route. For the most part, you'll probably have to throw your plans and routes out the window while you're in here and rely on your skill alone...

You hide inside a room from a passing guard, and take a moment to breathe and prepare yourself.

You can do this, Selene. It's just like when you used to play around by avoiding the palace guard. Ears open. Eyes open. Steps light.

>Roll 1d20

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>45411308

Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>45411308

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>45411308

>>45411331
Good start, so far.

>writing

You silently step back out into the hall as the guards pass, and move in the opposite direction of them.

Each time you get to a turn or a crossroad, you stop and listen. Always careful about turning a corner, and always mindful of what's behind you. This new patrol scheme really threw you for a loop...

But you have to admit, you're actually having fun. It's sort of exhilerating to think that around each corner could either be a clear path between you and your mark, or an obstacle that could either throw your whole path off, or get you thrown in jail.

You're glad you memorized the layout of this place beforehand. Otherwise you'd never be able to tell if you were getting close...

There were a few hiccups, and it ends up taking you a bit longer than you were expecting, but after a long time spent sneaking you come to the room where the Diadem is kept.

Peeking inside, you see that there are 2 guards standing by it...

"Shit" You whisper. You took too long and missed the changing of the guard.

You look around to see if there's anywhere you can stop and think, but there really isn't any cover in this hallway. Unless you want to backtrack and put yourself further off, you're going to have to think of something fast.

Taking a second quick peek inside, you see that there are no windows. The room is lit entirely by a line of torches along each wall. You're being pretty risky right now, so a fire spirit would surely be able to help you out with those...

You could also cause a distraction to lure them out of the room, then go in behind them. It could potentially draw more guards, but hopefully you'd be long gone before they arrived.

Or, you could make use of the little club you have tucked away under your cloak. If you get the jump on them, you could have both guards out cold nd be off with the Diadem before anyone knows what happened.

But whatever you do, it needs to happen now. So you-

>Put the torches out

>Cause a distraction

>Go clubbing

>Other

>>45411764
>Cause a distraction

>>45411764
>Take out the light
>Club 'em

Can't we also use Wind? Isn't that Selene's affinity?

>>45411764
>>Cause a distraction

>>45411764
We could always cause a distraction, then club them from behind.

>writing

Okay, think. What could you use to distract them?

These guys probably aren't the guys that would investigate a noise... think... what would dad do?

Hmm... you do seem to have the favor of the fire spirits right now. Most of this place is stone, but there are curtains and rugs that seem perfectly flammable...

...

"Fire! Fire!" You say in your manliest voice, as a few of the curtains and a bit of a rug catch fire further down the hallway, away from you.

Then you hide behind a curtain, and hope that they don't see you.

"Damn! What the hell happened there?" One of the guards asks as he exits the room. "You go get help, I'm gonna see if I can contain this!"

You hear one guard run to the fire, and the other runs the other way. You wait for a beat, and then dart into the room. Quickly, you snag the Diadem, stuff it in your cloak, and run like hell.

The theft lacks the ceremony you were hoping it would have, but the Diadem is now in your hands.

Now you just have to get out...

>Roll 1d20

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>45412261

Rolled 20 (1d20)

>>45412261

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>45412261

>>45412387
WITNESS ME

>>45412387
Hot damn, First 20 Ive rolled in this quest

File: 3840779-intensify.jpg (37 KB, 574x480)

37 KB JPG

>>45412387

>writing

>>45412387
The theft may have lacked ceremony, but damn does the escape ever make up for it.

You forget which lesson it was, but dad once said that sometimes the best way to sneak isn't to hide; it's to waltz around like you own the place.

If you look like you belong, then no one will question or even take note of your presence.

So you stand tall, and walk with purpose to one of your exits. The guards that pass you are all in a hurry to get to the fire, so much so that they don't even notice you.

They just run right by, and you walk right out through the front door...

Well, not the front door. In fact, not even the front.

You head down to the dungeons, and into the cell where the secret exit was. You remember this place from when you were little. This is where you and Dad left Catisse after things went downhill during the stop you made here.

The dungeons are dark, and the tunnel under the moat is darker, but you aren't scared. It took you a long time to master the trick to getting over your fear of the dark, but you can say with absolute confidence now that there is nothing scarier than y-

*clap* *clap* *clap*

The sound of someone slow clapping beside you makes you jump as you exit the tunnel. You turn to the source, and...

"Dad?" You ask.
He gives you a genuine, warm smile. "Well executed, kiddo" He says. "The fire was a nice touch"

>[1/2]

>>45412734
D'awwwww

>>45412734
Aw, he wanted to make sure that she was safe.

You look around him, and see several other faces. Namely, Devin and Becky. Mom is here too...

"D-did you tell him?" You ask.
"No! Of course not!" Becky says.

"He came and woke us up and got us all to pile into a carriage" Devin says. "I thought we were in trouble"
"Oh, you are" Dad says.

"We are?" Becky says.
"Yes" Dad says. "As of this moment, all of you are conditionally kicked out"

"Wh-what?" You ask. "Why?"

Mom steps forward and puts a hand on dad's shoulder. "What he's trying to say is: go have fun" She says.
"Go... have fun?" You ask.
"Go out, adventure, see the world" Dad says. "Your mother and I have had our fair share of all that... some might say we've had more than that, and they'd probably be right. But now it's your turn"

"So why are we kicked out?" Becky asks.
"Conditionally kicked out. As in, you aren't allowed to return until you've taken your fill of the world" Dad says, before adding: "Or from it" with a wink to you.

>What say?

>>45412811
Its what we would have done anon.

>>45412896
"I'm going to need bigger pockets"
hugs all around

>>45412896
Dad got us an adventuring party, and it's not even our birthday...

The feels...

>>45412896
Try not to cry tears of happiness, cry them anyway

>>45412942
And something a little bigger than a club

We still need a gimmick/calling card...

>writing

"I-... I'm not sure what to say" You say, feeling yourself tear up.

Mom smiles, and puts her arms around you. You see dad go and talk to Devin and Becky.

"We won't make you go if you don't want to" Mom says.
"I do want to... I just..." You say.
"I know" Mom says. "And we'll miss you too"

"Freddie will be lonely without me" You say.
"Maria will be staying with us from now on" Dad says, having come back from whatever he was telling them. You notice that they're gone now.

"I..." You say, as you wipe your eyes. "I'm gonna need bigger pockets"
Dad smiles, and he hugs you as well. He does something behind you, underneath your cloak, and you feel him pull something up. He ties a second cloak under yours, and removes the one you were wearing.

"It doesn't have quite as much in it as it used to, but it's got the essentials" He says. "Startup gold for Becky, as well as enough to cover expenses, knives, both crystal and metal, more lockpicks than even I would know what to do with, travel supplies, rations, etcetera"

You hold your arms out and look at the cloak he put on you. "This is..."
"My old one, yes. Yours, now" He says. "It's been through quite a bit, and I do expect both it and you back in one piece"

>[1/2]

>>45413397

>It's been through quite a bit, and I do expect both it and you back in one piece"

You have all of my feels

>>45413397
>It's been through quite a bit, and I do expect both it and you back in one piece"
Be fair! You came back in like 4 peices

>>45413483
6, to be exact.

>>45413545
7, if you count him too.

You smile and try to choke back your tears, an effort that proves futile as they start to flow.

Mom and Dad both put an arm over you, and you can't hold them back anymore. You'll mis being with your parents like this more than anything, since you do love them more than anything...

But just like you were thinking after dinner. You want to have those stories. You want to live through these crazy things... and to do that, you need to get out of the palace.

Your smile returns, and you look up. "Mom? Dad?" You ask.
"Yes sweetie?" Mom asks. You can see that her eyes are red, and that she's trying her hardest not to cry herself. You get the feeling that she'll keep it together until you're gone.

"I love you" You say.

They hug you tighter, and plant a kiss a piece on each of your cheeks.

"We love you too" Dad says, as he lets you go and steps away. "Now, go show 'em who's boss"
You nod. "You got it!" You say.

You turn and take 2 steps away, before remembering something you wanted to ask.

"So where did you put the crown?" You ask.
Dad examines his fingernails casually. "Oh, I dunno" He says. "Somewhere I expect it to disappear from on the day you return... purely by coincidence, of course"

He looks up and gives you a fierce grin. That was a challenge. He wants you to get good enough to take his prize from him.

You return his smile, wordlessly accepting his challenge as you walk away. You hold your hand and wave at them behind you as you go.

You meet Devin and Becky further into the woods, and they both look like they had a similar conversation to the one you just did.

"You guys ready?" You ask, even though you can tell the answer will be yes.
"Yeah" Devin says.
Becky nods.
"Let's go see what this place has to offer" You say.

The three of you walk side-by-side into the rising sun. Whatever this new day brings, you'll be ready.

And if you're not, well... you'll deal. After all, what's life without a few risks?

And that wraps up the Devil's Daughter!

I'll be honest, I found this difficult to write. Part of me kept wanting to refer to Giles as the PC, and I had to correct myself several times.

I also kept fucking up and writing sad or fad instead of dad, along with a few other odd spelling mistakes that I kept making.

Anyways, I don't have a date for the continuation of Blood Moon. I may run it somewhere other than here, just because I don't see the next part of it working too well with the post/vote times that I try to keep to one 4chan. When I do decide on how to do it, I will notify you all via twitter.

As always I'll be sticking around in case anyone has questions/suggestions.

>>45413786
Well done, Smiley. Well done.
Now I really want quest about Selene becoming a master thief and overcoming Giles

>>45413786
Awesome. Great thread, Smiley!

Looking forward to New Moon, and all others that follow!

>>45413786
Thanks for running, just know I'll be here for a Devil's daughter quest if you ever decide to run it

>>45413839
He might save it for after Beyond the Gate (I think that's what it was called), and Into the Aether.

>>45413812
>>45413839
>>45413871
Probably won't happen, unless I can come up with a decent plot for one.

I have toyed with the idea, but in the end I feel like this is a good ending for it.

>>45413831
I'm definitely excited to see The Fool in action. Will it actually be New Moon? Like a subtitle?

>>45413924
Blood Moon;Refrain is the planned title. And I'll be doing away with the night/movement numbering system, as that made it hard as fuck to keep track of how many threads I'd done.

>>45413920
Could run another one shot about Selene taking the crown and wearing it to meet Giles and Laura

>>45413920
>>45413941

I agree that this is a pretty good spot to end it.

Also, Refrain sounds pretty badass.