Fantasy RP

[Leggo]

Jonos

I envy the lad and his tales. I've never been one for ancient heroes or fantastical stories of old. I was more focused on biographies and historical recounts of legendary generals, grand campaigns, and epic battles. I suppose I can tell the lad a story, and I've got the perfect one, the one that's inspired me my entire life. 

"I'm sure you've heard at least a little bit about Balon Dawburn's campaign during the Thasian rebellion? Balon is written off as a failure. as the downfall of his family. But most people don't know just how legendary he was as a commander and general. When the rebellion broke out, Balon was taken by surprise. Yet he was not unprepared. He mustered his troops while a rebel army marched on Thasi, and with a small force he ambushed the numerically superior rebel army at the Battle of Red Lake. He trapped them in a double envelopment and routed them, chasing them south. 

His numbers swelling, he caught up with the rebels in the city of Bolton. They had taken the city, and while it's walls were mere rocks compared to the grand walls of Thasi,  they had a defensible position. Rather then beginning a protracted siege to take the city back, Balon simply used catapults and trebuchets to obliterate the city, forcing the rebels into sallying out to face them. The two armies stood on the field staring at each other for a good while, while Balon's half-brother Pythius stood below the walls with his army. Pythius was reluctant to move away from his walls, and for good reason, as they were now at a numerical disadvantage. Balon all of the sudden charged his entire army forward with ferocious speed, sending the rebels running back to their walls. Little did they know that the reason Balon held his army back for so long was that he sent a force behind the city with ladders to take it and surprise attack the rebels from the walls. The skeleton crew Pythius left inside the city was swiftly vanquished. Pythius and his men were met with a hail of arrows and a closed gate when they tried to re-enter the city. Caught between the wall and outnumbered by the army in front of him, Pythius and his army were crushed. 

Balon thought he had more or less ended the rebellion with his victory at Bolton, but he was mistaken. A new rebel army had appeared in the west, taking Mescor. Scouts reported the rebel army to be aided by mercenaries, as well as some vassals of the realm who had ignored Balon's call to arms. Thus began Balon's massive campaign. He was outnumbered, and the rebels were taking town after town, cutting off Balon's supply lines. Nonetheless he pressed on, kiting the rebels battle after battle, winning skirmish after skirmish. Knowing he would not beat the rebels in a pitched battle at that stage, he used terrain and tactics to whittle them down. He carefully planned and valued every battle, for even if he took out twenty rebels it was a win. Balon eventually found himself terrain he liked and, thinking that he had whittled down the rebel army enough, set off to strategize the pitched battle that he knew would decide the war. Balon's army would leave the Hardhill forest and set up into battle lines just outside. The rebels would exit the forest and, seeing the Dawburn battle line, would set up into their lines and prepare for battle. Balon had sent the majority of his cavalry to double back around and sit in the Hardhill until the battle began, where they would then attack the rebel rear. Balon would capitalize on the chaos and envelope the entire rebel army. 

The day came, and the Dawburn cavalry group doubled back around as the Dawburn army left the Hardhill forest and set up into battle positions. The rebel army exited the forest in pursuit of the Dawburn army, and as Balon expected set up into battle lines. Balon was confident. His plan was going smoothly so far, and he felt like he was a better general then the rebel general, another one of his half-brothers, Loras. Balon eagerly pushed his army forward to meet the rebel line so he could give his cavalry hidden in the forest the horn to attack. The lines clashed, with a ferocious battle being undertaken. Balon gave the horn for the cavalry, and they rushed out of the forest and began their charge into the rear of the rebel line. Balon's plan went awry when the rebel rear opened up and multiple lines of heavy spearmen formed a solid wall against the cavalry. The rebel cavalry, which up until this point had been holding the flanks, pulled away from the line and enveloped the Dawburn cavalry. Being attacked on three sides and with their back to the woods, they were easily routed back into the woods. As all this was happening, Balon heard shouts from his rear and, eventually getting a good look, saw men from two of his very own vassals, Count Ethan Rochwall and Count Lasius Walton, cutting his rear and flanks into pieces. 

Balon neglected to realize the harm he was doing to his vassals during his campaign, and he neglected to take into account the disgust they were brewing for him. Balon was cold and unemotional, and did whatever he needed to do to win. He destroyed towns, burned villages, performed forced marches, and much more. He did it to win the war, but didn't realize the revolt he was fabricating within his own ranks. The rebels captured land and administrated it, and treated defectors well and honorably. Balon was not an inspiring man to serve under. Genius or not, he failed to recognize revolt in his own ranks. His cavalry routed, his army surrounded, and being now vastly outnumbered, he and what was left of his army was slaughtered. He was too focused on the strategy and tactics and failed to realize the needs of his own vassals. I won't make the same mistake he did."

I've learned much from Balon Dawburn's campaign, and I would do wise to spread the knowledge to my vassals. I'm curious to see what Hallon has to say about my rather long story. The lad is young yet, and I'm hoping to mold him into a bright young general. 

(enjoy the text wall gentlemen, i'm trash at writing movement and physical things into telling a long story)

[Duck14]

Verous

I eyed Perrin for a moment. Why had he stopped speaking when he was hitting the right point? Oh, protocol. Of course. We would have to talk about that later. Despite me being the Lord I didn’t have an ounce of actual experience in these matters. I needed the assistance of someone who had actually experienced this before.

“We have not come here to steal your food or have you lose your wealth. Only ask that you perhaps give us what you can spare. Perhaps more, everything in this city must be rationed. You see you’re one of the lucky ones. Many others aren’t so lucky. They’re without homes, without clean water, without food. You call them strangers but these are your people.” My voice rose. My frustration had given me a little bit of courage and I hung onto that.

“I’m here to help make the best of a bad situation. We have men coming from Courtdell with food, water, and other necessary items. But we won’t have that for sometime. Until then I, like everyone else, will have to partake of the rations we have our disposal. You can help us. If you do I promise you and I promise anyone else that you will be rewarded for your service. That said, it would be much easier for the whole duchy if you were to just do it. This is not a time to hide your wealth, this is a time to share it.”

[Bannanachair]

@ Jonos: "His heir was also a three-year-old," Your mercenary-captain said. "If I can speak frankly, It seems to me that the moral is that if you don't have an heir old enough to rule properly, you should try not to be killed."

"How did you know that, Redscar?" Wallace asked.

"I used to have a man in my company, when I was a top lieutenant and not the captain, who was Thasian. He was the youngest mercenary I'd ever seen, a lad of about twelve or thirteen at the time, so I took him on as my squire for awhile, and he told me a few things about your history. Then he left with some friends of ours in search of adventure, fame and fortune."

"Who were those friends?" Hallon asked.

"Just a couple other men in the company. A man from the Trade Cities, some Eredalian veterans in those wars against that dragon... Well, I doubt anyone wants to hear any of my stories anyway."

@ Verous: "How much are you willing to pay for my food?" The man asked. "You can talk for as long as you want about what my duty to other people is, but I want to know what you'd be willing to pay me for selling my bread and dried meat and mouldy cheese."

[Duck14]

Verous

I sighed. This man had played the game far longer than I had. The thought of seizing his holdings under sword point crossed my mind. Did I want to be that kind of Duke? My uncle often said that my father wasn’t ruthless enough. Maybe I needed that edge. If the ends justified the means. Maybe...

No, I didn’t want to be that kind of duke, not yet. Not when I still had other options.

“How much do you want?”

[Leggo]

Jonos

He's right. I find Redscar's blathering about random individuals who aren't in his company anymore tiring. I want to inspect the men on the march. Being entrenched in a siege for a long time can make you get sloppy. I have no room for sloppy in this army. When I get back there, the formations better be tight and crisp, nobody better be lagging behind, and the rear-guard better not be full of half-trained peasants. We're making good pace right now, but I want to get there as quick as possible to avoid the Mescorians properly mustering and fortifying.
I still await a reply from Vena... We still have to cross the damned river, I suppose I have time. I've already got a strategy planned, but I'll need to consult Sir Oswald. I'll do that after inspecting the lines.


I turn to the trio and announce my intentions, "I'm going to go do an inspection of the lines, make sure the lads aren't slacking. Wallace, get Sir Oswald to the head of the precession, I'd converse with him after my inspections." I refuse to allow a victory, no matter how swift, make me sloppy. These men fought well in Atrekara, but that's no excuse to be lax. There's still much campaigning to be done.

[Tikobe]

Kainer

I lose all control...

As if. I straighten my posture and place a stoic expression on my face, but this is simply a king of a kingdom that I was separated from for many years now even though weirdly enough said separation was in a land within this kingdom. It's frankly a breath of fresh air compared to when I met the Queen of the Autumn Court, a ruler who probably exceeded the level of this king before me and who also saw to it that I was taken in by the fae and raised by them.

And really, honestly speaking manners weren't a problem. The elves trained me to the point that seeing a king evoked an instinct similar to how a trained hound reacts when he sees a fox to hunt. I simply switched to a more presentable posture like I was breathing.

I look at my hand, which held out the letter. Well, it was about time we did this I suppose.

Actually, now that I think of it, how the hell do I give a letter to the king? Especially when there's a private audience? The Court of Autumn did nothing like this. Do I walk up and present it? Doesn't that seem rude? Do I wait until I'm called for? But if I did that and I wasn't suppose to called for, wouldn't that mean I was rude to the king for showing up and not doing what I came for?

And now I lost control.

I freeze up and turn to Sir Trihem with a slightly panicked expression on my face.

"Uhm, what now?"

[Bannanachair]

@ Verous: "A knighthood and a castle for a loaf of bread," The man said, earning a glare from Perrin. "More realistically, if I share, say, half of my remaining foodstores, I want a fairly large rural estate - say five hundred or so acres of ideal farmland - a knighthood, of course, and some form of public acknowledgement of my selflessness." Perrin's glare remained as the man added, "Also, of course, fifty times the weight in solid gold of any foodstuff I give you. And you can't give a deal this lucrative to any of my rivals."

@ Jonos: "Aye, your majesty," Sir Wallace says, slowing down his horse so that he falls behind you, then turning around and heading towards the back to look for Sir Oswald. As you leave to go over the ranks, you can hear Hallon and Redscar as they continue their conversation: "So, you asked me earlier about my experiences in the Battle of Arlan's Field..." Redscar's voice faded into the background, then couldn't be heard over the hoofbeats and other sounds of the army.

The soldiers of your host, Redscar's host (known as the 'Eagleswords') and Hallon's host (all intermingling) were all in efficient marching orders, though not necessarily the fastest - they were moving in such a way as to be defensible against ambush, likely out of the mercenary company's habit. You noticed a number of familiar faces keeping order in the lines - Sir Barrian Murton, a minor landed knight who fought alongside you in the Hammel-Seryn rebellion; Sir Ornith var Pradingly, a fame-and-fortune-seeking former hedge-knight who fell into your father's service and then yours; Irnfried Kerrolin, an older knight from Hallon's host whose father or grandfather distinguished himself fighting in your great-grandfather Ayvon's military campaigns; Norster 'Silverclaw', a northerner, one of Redscar's top lieutenants and something of a fop, dressing in all snow-white clothes, but who reportedly is also one of the top duelists in your army, to name but a few.

The hosts of some of your other vassals were spread out slightly, though the plan was to regroup entirely at evening when you reach the river. You can clearly see Horthon Drayden's, Humphrey var Capvering's and Ballus Horddrigg's forces, marching or riding in organised manners as you ordered. If you desire to fly Solmyr to take a look at Otterberg's and Darham's and the Clifton armies (under Baron Ulfilas Clifton, a nephew of the late Baron Worth Clifton who was struck by lightning in the Siege of Norbury), you would see them to be in similarly good marching order, but if not, you simply assume that to be the case.

After a half an hour to an hour of checking the formations to ensure that your armies were all in good condition, you met Oswald, clearly uncomfortable on horseback. "So, your majesty, I'm assuming you want to know about how quickly we'll be able to build bridges to cross the river? Or do you want to build boats to ferry your men across?"

@ Kainer: "You'll want to kneel when you first meet him, but he'll ask you to rise before too long. His highness doesn't care too much for these formalities, but he also wants to put on a show of adhering to them to ensure that his vassals don't try to usurp him or place a pretender on the throne as often happens in other kingdoms," Trihem says to you.

"Your highness," Trihem then said to the king, giving a brief curtsy but otherwise not showing all the formality generally required by a knight in his position, "I would like to introduce to you Sir Kainer Adderant, a knight seeking to join your service and bearing a letter from some faeries."

The king turned to face you, and you could see that he was a handsome man. In fact, he was the very epitome of what you thought he would look like. "Rise, Sir Kainer," the king said, and though the king couldn't see it, you could see a clear told-you-so look on Trihem's face. "We'll speak of the letter in private later, but for now, please feel free to enjoy yourself at my feast."

[Leggo]

Jonos

“Aye, I’ll be wanting to build a bridge. I despise boat crossings. Assuming we throw the entire army at the construction of the bridge, how long would it take? The exact specifications of the bridge I leave up to you, of course.”

I’d rather not doddle on this crossing too long, but a bridge will help me in the future. I’m sure even with the entire army partaking in construction, it’ll still take a lot more than a few days. Weeks even. We shall see.

[Tikobe]

Kainer

Well, to hell with you as well, Trihem, or so I lightheartedly jest to myself as I rise.

Even then being teased because I blanked out on one part of the procedure and panicked was a little annoying.

"Yes, your highness. I thank you," I politely say as I stand back up. "With your pardon."

I wait for him to okay walking off before actually doing the action of walking off.

[Duck14]

Verous

I scoff and turn to Perrin. “He’s joking right?” I turn back to the merchant. “You’re joking? Aren’t you?” He had to be. What kind of person would make such preposterous requests in a time like this. “Look, I’m partly to blame here. I did ask what you wanted but you’re making a mockery of my title here.”

Now was the time to be ruthless. I didn’t want to be but it had to be done. This man was letting hundreds starve over his selfishness. I folded my arm somthat he wouldn’t spot my nervous hands. “I’ll tell you what will happen if my escort and I leave without your generous assistance. First, your men will be offered payment they cannot refuse to leave your care. Second, I will the city’s men come over to collect your rations. And finally, I will tell everyone this side of the Nubard of your exploitation here. Your riches will dry up pretty soon after that. But I’m a generous man, I’ll give you another opportunity to state your price. Make it count.”

[Bannanachair]

@ Jonos: "It'd take two days, maybe. If the men are perfectly split between gathering wood and building the bridge, so that wood is collected exactly as needed, it might be slightly faster. I'll do a more thorough inspection of the banks of the river once we arrive, see if we can find a narrower point to cross and the likes of that." It's just a small tributary to the Nubarb, and not the river in its entirety that you're crossing. If you had planned to march an army into Eredal it might have taken longer, but (thankfully) that's not your plan.

@ Kainer: "You have my pardon," The king said.

@ Verous: "My deal remains as is," The man says. "I doubt you'll get any better deals than this."

Perrin began to look rather distressed at noticing something, though you couldn't tell what. "Your majesty, I advise leaving now," He said.

[Duck14]

Verous

I nod. If Perrin had noticed something then I would trust his judgement though I was curious about what he had seen. Had the merchant pulled a weapon on me somehow? “We’re getting nowhere here. If I have a change of mind I’ll let you know.”

[Leggo]

Jonos

“Aye, thank you Sir Oswin. If there’s anything you need, you can come to me directly. You’re dismissed.”

I turn my attention back towards the road, and the still long march ahead. The sooner we reach the river, the sooner we can build the bridge and cross. Once we’re crossed, the game can begin.

[Tikobe]

Kainer

I smile as I walk off with my farewells. I then turn to look to Sir Trihem.

"Huh. That was uneventful."

Not that my interactions with the Autumn Queen were anything exciting, but at the very least I would have to spend a few minutes talking with her, though it always got shorter as I got older.

At first I hadn't really cared much about it since I was a child, but as I grew older the conversations got an increasing feeling of pressure, probably because I was beginning to understand things like position.

However, that really didn't feel tense at all.

[Bannanachair]

@ Verous: After you and Perrin leave, and walk a short distance away, he speaks. "That man wasn't an innkeeper," Perrin said. "I saw what faintly looked like a bloodstain on the floor, after some attempts to clean it, and despite filling the tavern with finery, he wasn't treating his establishment particularly well. My guess is a criminal gang member noticed the opportunity, killed the real innkeeper and is extorting wealth from those who need food or want to give it to the poor, like Count Ballus."

@ Jonos: You reach the river at nightfall, and your armies set up camp around a small bend in the river. Sir Oswald led teams of surveyors to determine an ideal crossing point (accounting for everything from where the river is narrow to where there's a solid foundation to put the bridge and lots of other things that went over your slightly) while your primary vassals all began organising their camps. Your own tent was set up fairly quickly as well, and through a combination of rations and foraging you and your army ate well that evening.

That night, however, your dreams were troubled by death. There was a battle in a city, but it wasn't a city that you've ever seen before. It was far larger than Thasi, larger than Courtdell and Threus and even Belgate, which you visited once as a young child. In spite of this unrecognition, you still felt a sense of familiarity with the city, and sorrow that this is the state it had come to. The streets were littered with corpses, blood running in the sewers and the gutters. You couldn't tell which side you're fighting on, who you're fighting against - you're just fighting.

The dream shifts, and you're back outside of Thasi, still heading an army. To your left is Wallace, battle-hardened by the campaign. To your right is a woman who you've never seen before, but who you know intimately. Behind you were men, some of whom you recognized and some you didn't. After years of campaigning and uniting Thasia, the remaining Bastards have decided to strike directly at your capital and you rushed here to meet them in the field of battle. This fight would determine the fate of your entire legacy. You see their army approaching on the hill before you, and the scene shifts yet again.

Old Thasia has long since been united, but new lands are continually being added to Thasia all the time. You are years into your campaign and haven't seen peace since your childhood, and you're enjoying that aspect of life. Many of your old advisors have long since died: Oswald, Hallon - even brave Solmyr and your greatest friend of all, Wallace, gave their lives in your campaigns over the years. However, some still live - aside from the woman from earlier, your most loyal servant was, curiously, Redscar. He warned you not to attack this place too soon, but you didn't listen. You couldn't see the creature that attacked your armies - sometimes it looked like a dragon, others a spider - but you knew you should have taken his advice as you died.

The dream shifted again and you were back in that grand city you started in. The men of your army were all long since dead, but they kept fighting on, just as you did. Anyone alive you cut down to add to the host of the dead you were creating, and you lived for warfare. The city had some of the most beautiful architecture you had ever conquered, and it's a shame that you had to destroy so much of it to unite it. This city was humanity and civilisation, and you were warfare, collecting corpses - it's just the way that the world works.

You woke up to being restrained by two of your guards. Wallace was in the room as well, and spoke as soon as you woke up. "He's awake now, you can let go of him. Sorry, your majesty, you were screaming for help and seemed like you might injure yourself with how much you were thrashing. I tried waking you up, but to no avail."

@ Kainer: "It often is, though your private audience will likely be more eventful."

(Sorry, I put a lot of creative thought into Jonos's dream and got slightly burnt out while writing for Kainer. I'll try to make it up to you later.)

[Tikobe]

Kainer

"Well, let us hope that's eventful in a good way then," I lightly jest as I try to find a place to sit at and eat. Or just follow Sir Trihem. That also works.

Really at this point the plans are beginning to crumble in odd and weird ways and I'm just waiting here with a thumb up my nostril.

"Thumb up my nostril?" Why I learned it from the faeries, of course.

[Duck14]

Verous

I hadn’t noticed anything of the sort but it made sense. We couldn’t do anything about that until the rest of our forces arrived, or at least waiting would prevent anymore unnecessary bloodshed. “We should tell Count Bellus. But first we should check around the other inns and stores. We may come across the actual owner in the next place, I hope.”

[Bannanachair]

@ Kainer: "Get your thumb out of your nose!" Trihem whisper-shouts upon seeing where you had put it. "I've taken a liking to you and your peculiarities, but that's not healthy."

@ Verous: "Aye, your majesty," Perrin said in a somewhat resigned tone of voice. Despite offering verbal agreement to your statement, you doubt he actually agreed with you that that was a good idea.

[Tikobe]

(Hmmm...

Kainer's thumb wasn't really up his nose though? It's a figure of speech that I altered from thumb up your ass.

Probably should've cleared that one.)

[Duck14]

Verous

I thought back to the conversation with the not-innkeeper. “Perrin, despite being the duke I don’t have much experience in these matters. I’m going to make mistakes but I’m not going to know I’m making one if you don’t speak up. Don’t silence yourself when we’re company because you’ve been told by others it’s not your place. I need you to speak your mind, I’ll make the final decision but I need your help to get there.”

[Leggo]

Jonos

I struggle for words. “T-T-Thank you Wallace. You men can go.”

That felt... too real. Is that truly my fate? It can’t be. I won’t let that happen to the people around me. I want to win and be successful just like I was in that dream but I don’t want the people around me to suffer from it. Although I suppose I told myself I would do whatever it takes. And I need to focus on the task at hand. The planning of this campaign is of utmost precedence.

[Bannanachair]

(Ah, sorry about that. One embarrassing google search later and I am ready to write a better thing for Kainer! Also when's Othan coming back, when are you posting on Everwake and when will you be done with Arelia's CS? Also the same questions about future CSes for you two as well, with Arthur and Edric and others yet to be posted.)

@ Kainer: As you sit down and eat one of the best meals you've had since arriving in Calbourne the night before, with all variety of meats and fruits and spices available for eating. Some knights seemed to move around a bit between tables, either for different food or for changing up their company a bit, but most remained at their original seat. About a course-and-a-half into the meal (and maybe a glass-and-a-half into the drink if you're being generous about how you count it) the king stopped by again, but it was to trade a few quick words with Sir Trihem and another knight who you dined with (Sir Aledver).

@ Verous: "Alright then, your majesty. Other honest innkeepers are likely either dead, with con artists and cutthroats in their place, or are so scared of the weather and now the criminals trying to kill them that they just won't trust us. As with that first establishment, it would probably take a while to figure out who's who, but even that's not a guarantee. We were lucky that we got away this time without a fight, and frankly so were they, and they knew it - that's why nobody's been following us. Kick down the doors of ten such places and you'll eventually run into a man more bloodthirsty than smart, though, and who knows what the circumstances of that fight will be."

@ Jonos: Wallace offers a quick "As you command, your majesty," and he and the men leave. You briefly consider forcing them to swear oaths not to speak of what happened, but then realised that Wallace, ever your faithful right-hand-man, had probably already dealt with that anyway. After you dress and groom yourself, though, Wallace approaches you yet again.

"Your majesty, there's been a major change in the landscape overnight. There's no way to sugarcoat it and make it look positive - an army, about six or seven hundred strong, is camped across the river from us. They wield the banner of the Baroness of Norven, both her personal banner and her family banner... Well, it's better that you see it for yourself."

Indeed it was as Wallace described - just across the Nubarb-tributary from you, less than a mile away, was an army nearly seven hundred men strong. Your generals were there, looking at it and bickering about what it meant, whether to move the army somewhere else ("But what's to stop them from moving their army?" being the thing that Redscar often said in return, occasionally punctuated by calling Otterberg or Capvering an idiot) and other things. Despite the archers possessed by the men of Norven (about two hundred in all), none have attacked you and your men yet... And, shortly after you arrived, a new question arose - who was the hooded figure that got into that small rowboat, and what do they want on this side of the river with your army?

[Leggo]

Jonos

I can’t help but grin. Washed away in the political scheming and administration, I’ve missed combat and campaigning. I doubt we will come to blows, yet I half-hope we do just so I can experience a battle again. Nonetheless, it’s time to get back into my battle mindset.

I turn towards the arguing fools with a look so withering it shuts them all up. I refuse to tolerate idiocy such as this. They’re becoming cut up over 700 men. “Is the course of action not clear? An army whom we outnumber roughly 7-1 has camped across the river. Do you men believe that they intend to engage us? Have you failed to notice the singular figure in the rowboat making their way towards us? We’re going to stay where we are, and I’m going to meet with whoever that is.”

I turn to Wallace, “Get archers to the riverbank, in the event something does go south. I want to be able to return vollies. Send preliminary scouting groups up and down the river to ensure we’ve no armies attempting to stealthily cross the river while we’re occupied. I want the watch doubled. When the boat gets here, disarm our visitor and bring them to my tent.”

I nod to Wallace as I make my way back to my tent. If this visitor is who I think it is, there will be no battle. That is both an infinitely exciting and disappointing outcome.

[Duck14]

Verous

I gulp, he was right. He knew the lay of the land better than I. “Right then, don’t be afraid to speak your mind again. I need your consul more than I need Dathan protocol. The problem is these are our people being exploited and murdered here. I can’t turn a blind eye to this. It goes against my title. We must return to the Duke, inform him of what has happened. We need to protect our people from those exploiters.”

[Tikobe]

Kainer

I blink at all of the commotion in a small bit of wonder.

"Is this how it's like between humans?" I say, not really to anyone in particular. Disregarding the fact that I myself am human, this was honestly the first time I've seen such a scenario. The fae didn't really do these kinds of events often, or if they did it wasn't in my presence.

Then again, I remember days where a fair bit of wine that was in the cellar would suddenly disappear, which coincidentally overlapped with the days that most of the elves in the Autumn Court would sleep in.

Those darn elves, leaving me out of the fun!

Oh my, mmm, this food is damned good! Let me start digging in a bit more before I start to get more bitter towards those darn elves.