Tower of Ghenjei: An ICanon subplot

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

9 minutes ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

"Wynn?" Lerac's voice seemed to sound nearby, although it was quiet and muffled. "What happened?"

TAAron sighed. "Oh well. Hopefully I can use the metalminds to learn faster."

She laughed. “Perhaps.” She saddled two mounts, one a handsome black stallion, and the other a gentler brown gelding. “You take Todo. Kerdoc is mine.”

—

“Evalyn, can I talk to you?” 

Haly swallowed. “Uh, yeah.” 

Tiernan came in and sat down on a couch, then beckoned her over. Once she sat (hesitantly), he spoke again, softly. 

“There’s someone else, isn’t there?”

 

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

9 minutes ago, Ranryu said:

She sat up.

"Lerac? Where are you?"

"What? I'm right here." His body remained unmoving, with no signs of life.

Just now, The Halcyon Girl said:

She laughed. “Perhaps.” She saddled two mounts, one a handsome black stallion, and the other a gentler brown gelding. “You take Todo. Kerdoc is mine.”

—

“Evalyn, can I talk to you?” 

Haly swallowed. “Uh, yeah.” 

Tiernan came in and sat down on a couch, then beckoned her over. Once she sat (hesitantly), he spoke again, softly. 

“There’s someone else, isn’t there?”

"Uh, do I just... climb on?"

---

A light pain came to Haly's head.

Well that's awkward. Go on, answer him. I want to see how this goes.

Edited January 3, 2023 by Ookla the Inverted

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

3 minutes ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

"What? I'm right here." His body remained unmoving, with no signs of life.

"Uh, do I just... climb on?"

---

A light pain came to Haly's head.

Well that's awkward. Go on, answer him. I want to see how this goes.

“Yes. From the left side.” (Don’t remember if it’s left or right) Ashli vaulted smoothly onto hers—Kerdoc.

—

Get out of my head, she thought fiercely. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she replied, somehow without stammering. 

“Evander. It’s Evander?”

she opened her mouth, then changed her mind. “Um… no?” She offered weakly.

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

Just now, The Halcyon Girl said:

“Yes. From the left side.” (Don’t remember if it’s left or right) Ashli vaulted smoothly onto hers—Kerdoc.

—

Get out of my head, she thought fiercely. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she replied, somehow without stammering. 

“Evander. It’s Evander?”

She opened her mouth, then changed her mind. “Um… no?” She offered weakly.

Awkwardly but steadily thanks to pewter, TAAron climbed onto the horse.

---

No, I don't think I will.

Quote

How long after TAAron left does this conversation take place? It changes what Malum can say.

 

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, Ookla the Inverted said:

Awkwardly but steadily thanks to pewter, TAAron climbed onto the horse.

---

No, I don't think I will.

 

“Good,” she told him. “You ride with your knees. That’s how you stay on. Steer gently—pull the reins left if you want to go right, right if you want to go left. Nudge his sides with your heels to make him go faster, but he should follow me.” She kicked her horse into a walk. Todo, TAAron’s horse, followed. 

—

Quote

Maybe an hour or a little less.

Please?

”It’s… yes.” She looked down at her hands. 

“Why, then?” He asked, confused. “Why accept the betrothal?”

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

1 minute ago, The Halcyon Girl said:

“Good,” she told him. “You ride with your knees. That’s how you stay on. Steer gently—pull the reins left if you want to go right, right if you want to go left. Nudge his sides with your heels to make him go faster, but he should follow me.” She kicked her horse into a walk. Todo, TAAron’s horse, followed. 

—

Please?

”It’s… yes.” She looked down at her hands. 

“Why, then?” He asked, confused. “Why accept the betrothal?”

TAAron followed her instructions, a little nervous but performing decently enough.

—

Uh oh. This is going to get complicated.

Quote

Dang, that makes it harder for Malum to lie about him being dead or something.

 

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

1 minute ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

TAAron followed her instructions, a little nervous but performing decently enough.

—

Uh oh. This is going to get complicated.

 

Quote

He can do that later, when her spirits are high because [redacted].

“Kay. Now…” she circled her horse around as she dug into a bag, then consulted a compass. “This way.” She rode off at a canter into a forest. 

Quote

We can timeskip now with them, or come back to them after the Malum convo.

—

“Because…” What do I do now? What do I say, how do I lie, how can I make him let us be? 

I need to lie, I need to lie, I need to lie. 

But when she opened her mouth, the truth spilled out—how Basilica couldn’t possibly stand against a kingdom like Nolikar, how desperate they were, how she was so scared that the time she’d bought them wouldn’t be enough, and how sorry she was for deceiving him.

He sat in silence, taking it in stone faced. “You did it for Basilica,” he said slowly. “Your kingdom.”

”Y-yes…” her heart was in her mouth and pounding at a million miles a minute. 

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

4 minutes ago, The Halcyon Girl said:

“Kay. Now…” she circled her horse around as she dug into a bag, then consulted a compass. “This way.” She rode off at a canter into a forest. 

—

“Because…” What do I do now? What do I say, how do I lie, how can I make him let us be? 

I need to lie, I need to lie, I need to lie. 

But when she opened her mouth, the truth spilled out—how Basilica couldn’t possibly stand against a kingdom like Nolikar, how desperate they were, how she was so scared that the time she’d bought them wouldn’t be enough, and how sorry she was for deceiving him.

He sat in silence, taking it in stone faced. “You did it for Basilica,” he said slowly. “Your kingdom.”

”Y-yes…” her heart was in her mouth and pounding at a million miles a minute. 

Quote

I think we time skip with them to when he's in Nolikar (and you can just write out what she says for him to do right before). So we finish this conversation and fast forward a bit for the trauma to begin.

Uh oh...

Edited January 3, 2023 by Ookla the Inverted

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

2 minutes ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

Uh oh...

Shush. 

He broke a grin. “Good. Me too. I hear you have a sister?”

“What? Wait, what? Uh. Yes? I do. Two of them. Hang on. Did you say…”

He leaned forward. “So here’s what we do…”

Quote

End of convo, the rest will become apparent as it goes on.

—

Ashli had given TAAron instructions. 

Pass yourself off as Evander of Norkade, there to promote a connection between the kingdoms. Don’t be nervous. Be almost bored—‘I’m here because I feel like it’. Be polite, talk with people a little, but don’t reveal too much. Find that necklace, Push yourself directly east for a couple of miles to a small town called Ekhurst. On the outskirts nearest you, find the shed. There’s a griffin. All you need to do it buckle in to the saddle and Oeryn will bring you to me. She’s fast, but the journey will still probably take most of a day. Then all you have to do is sit back. Here’s a letter certifying your as an Evikian noble—it’s genuine. Hand it to the guard. LOOK BORED. And good luck.

Then she’d left.

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

1 minute ago, The Halcyon Girl said:

Shush. 

He broke a grin. “Good. Me too. I hear you have a sister?”

“What? Wait, what? Uh. Yes? I do. Two of them. Hang on. Did you say…”

He leaned forward. “So here’s what we do…”

—

Ashli had given TAAron instructions. 

Pass yourself off as Evander of Norkade, there to promote a connection between the kingdoms. Don’t be nervous. Be almost bored—‘I’m here because I feel like it’. Be polite, talk with people a little, but don’t reveal too much. Find that necklace, Push yourself directly east for a couple of miles to a small town called Ekhurst. On the outskirts nearest you, find the shed. There’s a griffin. All you need to do it buckle in to the saddle and Oeryn will bring you to me. She’s fast, but the journey will still probably take most of a day. Then all you have to do is sit back. Here’s a letter certifying your as an Evikian noble—it’s genuine. Hand it to the guard. LOOK BORED. And good luck.

Then she’d left.

Quote

So should I start the Malum stuff now or do you have something else planned?

TAAron arrived at the {palace? castle? I dunno}. He clutched the letter in his hand, ready to present it. Look bored. Look bored.

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, Ookla the Inverted said:

TAAron arrived at the {palace? castle? I dunno}. He clutched the letter in his hand, ready to present it. Look bored. Look bored.

“You are dressed as an Evikian,” said a guard with coarse, dark hair and a coarser  accent. “What are you doing here?” 

He guarded an opening in a stone wall about five feet high that encircled the whole castle. The castle was made entirely of stone, and was low and ready for attack. The towers foo were low, wide, and flat on top with those things people shoot arrows out of.

—

Haly almost bounced down the hallway. Tiernan was now courting Sykel. The original worry was that Sykel, being Sykel, would never be able to keep a suitor’s attention. However, since both of them were willing to compromise for Basilica, she was off the hook. 

Tiernan had called a meeting and pompously announced that he didn’t want Haly. She had acted appropriately crushed, and the Nolikan delegates were glad that they could inconvenience Basilica and prove that Haly’s best was not good enough for their noble boy. 

Things we’re going quite smoothly.

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

Just now, The Halcyon Girl said:

“You are dressed as an Evikian,” said a guard with coarse, dark hair and a coarser  accent. “What are you doing here?” 

He guarded an opening in a stone wall about five feet high that encircled the whole castle. The castle was made entirely of stone, and was low and ready for attack. The towers foo were low, wide, and flat on top with those things people shoot arrows out of.

—

Haly almost bounced down the hallway. Tiernan was now courting Sykel. The original worry was that Sykel, being Sykel, would never be able to keep a suitor’s attention. However, since both of them were willing to compromise for Basilica, she was off the hook. 

Tiernan had called a meeting and pompously announced that he didn’t want Haly. She had acted appropriately crushed, and the Nolikan delegates were glad that they could inconvenience Basilica and prove that Haly’s best was not good enough for their noble boy. 

Things were going quite smoothly.

"Yes. I am Evander of Norkade." He handed over the letter. "I am here... well, for pleasure, I suppose."

Hopefully that's not too overt.

—

Wow. That really went well for you. Now you'll be able to be with TAAron! Except... maybe not.

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

2 minutes ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

"Yes. I am Evander of Norkade." He handed over the letter. "I am here... well, for pleasure, I suppose."

Hopefully that's not too overt.

—

Wow. That really went well for you. Now you'll be able to be with TAAron! Except... maybe not.

The guard unfolded the paper and snorted. “You Evikians. All so presumptuous. Come in—I suppose you have to talk politics with the rulers. Aaya!”

A fierce-looking girl appeared. “I will escort you.” Her voice had a similar accent to the guard’s, and her hair, too, was dark.

—

Of course I will. He won’t… fall in love with someone else.

(Oh my gosh, what if he falls in love with someone else?)(Her thoughts she doesn’t mean him to hear, whether he does or not)

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

1 minute ago, The Halcyon Girl said:

The guard unfolded the paper and snorted. “You Evikians. All so presumptuous. Come in—I suppose you have to talk politics with the rulers. Aaya!”

A fierce-looking girl appeared. “I will escort you.” Her voice had a similar accent to the guard’s, and her hair, too, was dark.

—

Of course I will. He won’t… fall in love with someone else.

(Oh my gosh, what if he falls in love with someone else?)(Her thoughts she doesn’t mean him to hear, whether he does or not)

"Well then, I-ya," he said, deliberately mispronouncing her name. "Lead the way."

—

Ah, you know very well he could. He could die on that mission, too. Maybe he already has.

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

2 minutes ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

"Well then, I-ya," he said, deliberately mispronouncing her name. "Lead the way."

—

Ah, you know very well he could. He could die on that mission, too. Maybe he already has.

She looked him up and down warily. “Gladly.” She pivoted and marched toward the castle.

—

He won’t. He won’t. And he won’t die either. He promised. 

(don’t let him get to you. This is speculation. You’re nervous for nothing.)

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

Just now, The Halcyon Girl said:

She looked him up and down warily. “Gladly.” She pivoted and marched toward the castle.

—

He won’t. He won’t. And he won’t die either. He promised. 

(don’t let him get to you. This is speculation. You’re nervous for nothing.)

He followed her. His nerves were ablaze, but he tried to appear as at ease as he could.

—

Please. What makes you think he'll stay with you? He's opened up to you, and you barely have at all. And those promises are empty. He doesn't have any control over whether he lives or dies on that mission. Anything could happen!

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

1 minute ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

He followed her. His nerves were ablaze, but he tried to appear as at ease as he could.

—

Please. What makes you think he'll stay with you? He's opened up to you, and you barely have at all. And those promises are empty. He doesn't have any control over whether he lives or dies on that mission. Anything could happen!

She led him into the castle after talking with a few guards, then took him to what she called a ‘reception chamber’. It was rather bare. One rug, one couch, minimal decor. 

“I’ll inform them of your arrival.” She swept out of the room.

—

She covered her ears. You don’t know anything! Get the chasms out of my head! Slink into a cave and die—you’d be much happier there. He’d never leave me… never. He won’t die either! He promised! Go away. 

(Would he leave me? What if he never comes back?) she shivered.

Quote

I should go. Bye!

 

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

1 minute ago, The Halcyon Girl said:

She led him into the castle after talking with a few guards, then took him to what she called a ‘reception chamber’. It was rather bare. One rug, one couch, minimal decor. 

“I’ll inform them of your arrival.” She swept out of the room.

—

She covered her ears. You don’t know anything! Get the chasms out of my head! Slink into a cave and die—you’d be much happier there. He’d never leave me… never. He won’t die either! He promised! Go away. 

(Would he leave me? What if he never comes back?) she shivered.

He sat waiting, letting his confident facade drop a bit. Alright. Let's do this.

—

Say what you want, but you know it could happen.

He paused briefly.

Ah, and just like I said. He's in trouble. Would you like to see?

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

19 hours ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

He sat waiting, letting his confident facade drop a bit. Alright. Let's do this.

—

Say what you want, but you know it could happen.

He paused briefly.

Ah, and just like I said. He's in trouble. Would you like to see?

Aaya returned with a noble, a light- haired noble. “Another Evikian?” He sighed. “Don’t you people ever get bored? Actually, don’t answer that. Rather a dumb question. So what are you here for? Talking about borders and alliances and all that?”

—

No, she replied fiercely. But… she missed him too much to pass up a chance to see him.

…I don’t know. Yes, I think.

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

28 minutes ago, The Halcyon Girl said:

Aaya returned with a noble, a light- haired noble. “Another Evikian?” He sighed. “Don’t you people ever get bored? Actually, don’t answer that. Rather a dumb question. So what are you here for? Talking about borders and alliances and all that?”

—

No, she replied fiercely. But… she missed him too much to pass up a chance to see him.

…I don’t know. Yes, I think.

"I suppose."

---

Lovely.

Haly felt a tugging sensation, and she was seeing TAAon in Nolikar,,, being apprehended by soldiers.

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, Ookla the Inverted said:

"I suppose."

---

Lovely.

Haly felt a tugging sensation, and she was seeing TAAon in Nolikar,,, being apprehended by soldiers.

He sighed again. “The king is busy for the next hour, but after that, he’s free. Chat for an hour or so, then start real talks tomorrow. Is that okay?”

—

You’re lying, she though in panic. He could take them. He’d kill them all! That’s not true!

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

1 minute ago, The Halcyon Girl said:

He sighed again. “The king is busy for the next hour, but after that, he’s free. Chat for an hour or so, then start real talks tomorrow. Is that okay?”

—

You’re lying, she though in panic. He could take them. He’d kill them all! That’s not true!

TAAron did his best exasperated sigh. "Fine."

---

You know he's a better man than that.

Suddenly, TAAeon tried Pushing away. The soldier that was holding him got dragged along, and frantically sunk a knife into TAAron's back.

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

5 minutes ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

TAAron did his best exasperated sigh. "Fine."

---

You know he's a better man than that.

Suddenly, TAAeon tried Pushing away. The soldier that was holding him got dragged along, and frantically sunk a knife into TAAron's back.

“Now, you’ll need a room. Aaya—“

She nodded impatiently. “Yes, I will.” She sped into the hallway.

The man sat down on the couch. “You’re Evander, right? From Norkade? I’ve heard it’s dull.”

—

Youre lying, you’re lying you’re lying! This isn’t happening! Get out of my head! She scrambled outside into the gardens and clutched a tree like a lifeline. You’re lying and it’s not true. He promised he wouldn’t die!

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

6 minutes ago, The Halcyon Girl said:

“Now, you’ll need a room. Aaya—“

She nodded impatiently. “Yes, I will.” She sped into the hallway.

The man sat down on the couch. “You’re Evander, right? From Norkade? I’ve heard it’s dull.”

—

Youre lying, you’re lying you’re lying! This isn’t happening! Get out of my head! She scrambled outside into the gardens and clutched a tree like a lifeline. You’re lying and it’s not true. He promised he wouldn’t die!

"Yes, I suppose it is."

---

I'm afraid it is true. The Nolikans saw right through his facade.

In the vision, TAAron fell to the ground, unmoving.

[Ranryu she/her]

21 hours ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

"What? I'm right here." His body remained unmoving, with no signs of life.

"Lerac?" She inspected the body. "Something weird is going on..."

Can't trust my eyes. She closed them, relying on the sound of Lerac's voice instead.