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Welcome to the Test Drive Meme for

escordvi! Anyone can participate in the test drive, regardless of invite eligibility. Just keep in mind that only those who have received invitations from the mods can actually reserve on October 25th and apply on November 1st. Our EMP/ATP can be found here.

For your toplevel, please include the following: Character Name | Canon | Armada Choice | TDM (IF TDMING). Current players can use the same header, just without the "TDM" label. We do require those who are TDMin'g to include the label so other players can distinguish between others.

For everyone's convenience, TDM threads can be carried over in game if you wish! If you are still unsure which armada to place your character, you can play it a bit loose and vague in the TDM and make retroactive changes if you carry over the threads. The log itself is set to cover the IC dates of October 11 for new arrivals to appear, and October 25th until the end of the month for the event itself. Characters will appear at random intervals during this time rather than all at once, so players have some more flexibility on how much more adjusted they are for someone else.

If you have any question about the TDM, comment here. If you have questions about the game in general, please comment to the Game Info.

TOPLEVEL DIRECTORY (Updated October 29)

GETTING STARTED

This section can be timed for any time after October 11th until the end of the month, which includes during the current event. These prompts are to benefit those TDMing, but this portion can be handwaved instead and serve as a reference for players to know what their character will have experienced and learned on arrival.

STARTER SHIPS

There are two ships that serve as starting ships for each armada: Stormbringer for the Corsairs, and Royal Fortune for the Paladins. There are various ways new arrivals—or riftfarers as they will be called, among other creative names—will appear on or by these ships. The crews for both ships will also seem a bit odd to some, as it is a mix of humans and various animal folk, non-humans that look more animal than human. Some just look like large versions of their smaller counterparts. From birds, to seals, to even bears, there is no shortage of interesting faces and people on these ships.

🚪 Random room. It could be empty, filled with crates or supplies; down in the hull where the livestock are kept; have the luck to awaken in a bed...or the misfortune of that bed already occupied; somewhere in the kitchens; in the bathroom—any room! Now let's hope the doors can open or someone may have to try and ask for help. Or jump through the porthole if there is one and it's above water.
⛵ On deck. If not in the ship itself, another possible spot to wake up to is somewhere on the maindeck. If they're lucky, they're on the deck itself. More unfortunate souls may find themselves caught in the sails or netting, the crow's nest, or on the top of the masts. Someone should be able to help, right? Or catch.
🌊 In the water. The most unlucky sods will find themselves appearing in mid-air just past the ship and plummeting straight into the water. Good news, there's always someone on the lookout for such a thing and calls for help to throw a lifesaver get the rowboat will be made. Are there sharks? Well... ...Are there?

However the new riftfarers arrive, they will be poorly clothed, practically rags or loose uniforms depending on the ship. Fortunately, veteran crewmates will guide them, escorting them to a room with a strange typewriter in it. After typing their name, the typewriter will magically continue and type by itself at a fast pace until it dings and rolls out the paper. This paper will have the following information:

• Name and Shellphone ID (journalname)
• Armada (Corsair or Paladin, will match the starter ship)
• Cabin Number for their personal cabin on the starter ship
• Apartment Address for their personal address at their base armada location
• A basic map of the starting locations in Eltrut, including written directions (continued in the Eltrut section)
• A basic map of where they can find a chest with their original clothes and belongings (this will be different for every person and will be anywhere either on the starter ship or on Eltrut—players can be creative here).

After that, the crewmate will do their best to explain the basics of how they got here, what's going on, and what they'll need to do to live in Escordvi while they are here, giving them a small leather pouch with money. They will be reaching Eltrut soon, so the crewmate will suggest they look around, meet the others who have arrived. Even from their distance, they will be able to see the giant sea turtle that serves as Eltrut's leviathan.

ON ELTRUT

Once in Eltrut, the new riftfarers will be greeted by several birdfolk who will be happy to give tours to those who may need them. Otherwise, anyone is free to roam as they please and will have a map for the following main places they should visit.

🐚 Microshell. The first stop that is encouraged will be Microshell, the main store to acquire their own personal Shellphone. The paper they received on their starter ship will have their ID and the staff at the store will set them up, explaining how the device and the network works.
✒️ Inkwave, Tattoo Parlor. The next stop is Inkwave, a tattoo parlor run by a very burly but friendly octopus, Knistej. Here everyone receives their own unique magic tattoo, allowing anyone to cast specific single element spells and other magic. Note: tattoos are required before anyone will be able to use their original magical abilities.
📜 MANTA office. The final stop is the MANTA office, where all the request, mission, and task notices are posted. Each armada has their own branch office for armada specific notices as well. A great place to find jobs to earn some cash so they don't stay a hobo forever.

ELTRUT: FESTIVAL

Each year, during the month when the Ghoul's Moon rises, its reddish glow illuminating the waves like blood on water, the spirits of the dead gather at the edge of the tide and their spiritual energy reaches its peak. During this monthly period, spirits and ghosts seem to be most active, dancing and playing in the dark and searching for the last ship they will ride in their journey over the ocean to reach their final resting place. Spirits are powerful and energetic enough that are able to appear in their living corporeal forms and appear as living, breathing people. Or they are able to walk the earth as they once saw themselves. Even if some of their memories of those lost years might be hazy.

The Leviathans and surrounding islands are bright with festive colours and lights so that these spirits may find their way in the dark and shadows. Even Eltrut gets into the festive spirit, "shaking off" its shell to reveal a pumpkin form with a natural glow like a lantern. Celebrations are ripe with music, dancing and good old merriment to see them through.

This year’s Ghoul’s Moon celebrations includes a Farmer’s Market that is situated at the main pier. Locals, farmers, and merchants from near and far away have gathered to the market to sell their handmade goods for autumn, selling anything from fresh grown fruits and vegetables, to pickled jars of eggs, beans and beets. To dried moose jerky and cuts of fresh steaks and cured sausages and tasty cheeses. Don’t forget the homemade soaps, knitted hats and mittens, ribbons, jewels, weapons, fashion accessories and more! Riftfarers are also encouraged to take up their own booths and to sell their own goods and services to the festival goers as well!

🥤 Spooky boba challenge. One of the many market booths is holding a challenge to go along with their seasonal boba drinks (like pumpkin spice!). Several boba drinks are sold with floating pumpkin jellies, candy worms, bat-shaped tapioca pearls and ghost-shaped candies. The add-ons themselves are various random unknown flavours that might take the drinker by surprise. Some might taste like sour lemons, while another might taste like spicy chili peppers. If anyone can drink the entire boba without making a face, they’ll be rewarded with a coupon for a free boba with a very normal flavour.

🎃 Pumpkin collecting. One of the local pumpkin farmers has brought a boatload of pumpkins to the market for the season. But instead of just picking out what pumpkin to buy, the pumpkins have been scattered in a random pattern across a dark grassy patch. With only a few dim lanterns to help, try and collect as many pumpkins in the dark as needed. Just be careful not to trip on the various magical pumpkin vines in the patch that might try to trip others on purpose.

🍬 Candy treat exchange. There are various vendors selling all sorts of seasonal homemade candies and sweets. A little game has appeared between the vendors that if a candy or sweet is bought from one vendor that it should be traded with another person who bought from a different vendor. Buy some candy corns, milk chocolates or fruit lollipops and exchange them with friends to collect the whole set of candies available. And eat them all, too!

🐈‍ Black kitten spirits. The market is a bustling little zone that isn’t free from pesky Ghoul’s Moon spirits. A gaggle of mischievous black kitten spirits are haunting various booths and vendors, stealing items and scratching at things that aren’t theirs. They seem to be so small they fit in one hand, so they are hard to spot! The market vendors are asking others to keep a look-out for them. And to catch them with little wicker baskets, if possible!

🍏 Bunnyfish bobbing. One of the booths selling fresh apples is offering a little “apple" bobbing challenge with a twist! While blindfolded and handcuffed (it was a corsair’s idea), use only your mouth to catch a Bunnyfish bobbing in a bucket of freezing ice water. If a flopping Bunnyfish can be picked up, the vendor will offer an apple smothered in candy caramel and peanuts as a reward! Sweet-sour apples can be purchased by the basket as well.

🧴 Potions & lotions. A beauty guru has a special market booth where she is offering various potions and lotions for a price. These products are boasted to be mood enhancers. Including potions or topical lotions that will increase happiness, confidence or love. While other offer to enhance moods such as anger, sadness or hate. Because there might be someone out there who needs a potion like that. The effects of these products last for about twelve hours. For a little extra excitement, she can give you a potion or lotion at random. They’re also very hydrating!

While there are traditional festival game booths and food stalls scattered all through the main roads of Eltrut, there are special activities set up just outside of town available. A haunted corn maze out in the fields where the volunteers try to scare participants and the corn seems to shift and move to change the layout, but those who make it through will enjoy some corn ribs. Bubble races where participants go on a wild, tumbling ride down a giant hill while inside a giant bubble shaped either as pumpkins or skulls and referred to as "pubble" and "skubble" respectively. Try not to get popped early! Haunted hayrides for a thrilling adventure through the woods that end at an old haunted manor that will leave everyone screaming. And for a bit of a thirst quencher, try some Pumpkin Nog, which comes either with or without spiced rum, this alcoholic treat will warm up anyone with just a few sips.

On the night of the 31st, fireworks will go off to signal the end of the festival. Until then, it's an almost week-long festival for everyone to have fun and celebrate those who have passed.

NAUGHTILUST: MASQUERADE

On the evening of the 30th, the Naughtilust will steadily make its way over towards Eltrut and stop within ferryboat distance of Shellton. The two leviathans will greet each other with friendly accord, the Naughtilust presenting its friend with a large pumpkin shell filled with delicious treats for it to enjoy. All the shops, taverns, inns, brothels, and all entertainment services will be open all night long, and while the main target audience are adults, they do provide some "safe," family friendly entertainment for the younger crowd. Special dancers, musicians, and other entertainers line the streets on the Naughtilust to provide all kinds of delight.

However, the main highlight is the grand masquerade which is held at the Helice Palace, one of the largest and grandest buildings on the leviathan. As its name suggests, it is designed to fit the image of royalty, with large gardens, multiple ballrooms, grand halls, private and public terraces, and enough rooms to house any guest who may wish to spend the night (with a partner). Normally one would have to pay a hefty fee, but for the Ghoul's Moon, the sirens are opening it up for one grand fee of attending the masquerade and dressing one's best.

This year, the theme of the masquerade is Haunted Funeral Wedding. A strange theme that mixes the formality and dress of weddings, but with a side of macabre as it is implied it is a wedding after death. Those who participate will be required to wear formal wear that can be from modern to regency ballroom, but one' s entire appearance must have an "undead" look: ghostly, ghastly, bloody, zombie, mummy, etc. It can be as tasteful or as gruesome and hideous as they want. Wedding styled gowns are also allowed. Many boutiques will offer costumes either to rent or buy for those who need them. The masquerade itself is open to all, young and old, however what happens beyond the ballroom may require some adult supervision.

It's still the Naughtilust, after all.

🎭 Masked dance partners. While some may already have a dedicated partner, there is a special enchantment that will be cast on all masks that will mask one's identity. There will even be a portion where everyone will be matched up at random with a dance partner. With only dance skills and voice alone, dance the night away or enjoy a song or two with a stranger. Perhaps it will be a chance to find a new friend or a new romantic interest.

🍹 Drunk pirate. There is a truth and lies drinking game offered to drinking adults. For everyone participating, they must share one random unique fact about themselves and the others must decide if the fact is the truth or a lie. If the guesser is wrong, they have to take a shot of straight coconut vodka. Start getting to know each other and start getting drunk like good pirates do!

🥇 Costume contest. Whether they volunteer or not, couples will find themselves suddenly tagged for the costume contest and shuffled into a special staging area where they will need to act out their costume and perform a themed dance. All participants will also receive a temporary enchantment to make their costumes more "realistic" to improve their performance.

🪶 Dancing in the air. Dancers will be "blessed"—or perhaps cursed?—to experience the ghostly wonder of flying while dancing, either within the main ballroom or even just outside on the terraces and gardens. While those in the ballroom can go as high as the ceiling, those outside will only venture up a few feet, so no one will find themselves flying off to sea. Some may find themselves a little transparent at times, but the warmth shared with their partners is still very real.

💐 Boo-quets. Create hauntingly beautiful bouquets that can be used either for the weddings or funerals that are taking place around the masquerade. Or perhaps make one as a gift for a loved one. Just make sure the flowers picked are the less "screeching" kind…or won't whisper dark, embarrassing secrets.

Outside the Helice Palace are special gardens that one can take a romantic stroll around and host hauntingly beautiful weddings under the blood moon. They boast a number of different flora, small hedge mazes, gazebos, and fine statues for those to enjoy. There are also many shaded corners and little hideaways that couples can hide in should they wish to enjoy something else. This year, the flowers in particular fit the theme, with bloody red and black roses and some should be wary as the flowers may be even scream out or whisper eerie tidings. A number of tombstones also fill the area. Perfect for creating a haunting ambience to cling onto each other.

👰 Wedding jitters. While some may have fun with the "undead wedding" concept and pretend to get hitched, there are some spirits who are taking this opportunity to make the vows they were unable to while living. However, even ghosts can feel nervous and some are having cold feet, hiding in dark corners while their awaiting partners are left searching for them. Help the couple before their negative feelings turn them into more hateful spirits throwing ghost hands.

😍 Possessed lovers. Some ghosts desperate to find their "eternal love" will latch onto living "grooms" or "brides," regardless if they are already spoken for not. While some will retreat if confronted, others may prove more stubborn, perhaps even try to force their "betrothed" to the altar. Then there are the rare few that must be dealt with—ghosts that will take to possessing the lover or who they think is the lover of someone. In this scenario, their acting may be good or bad, and some may just want to help spur on relations while others have more nefarious plans to steal the other's soul. One big tell for who is possessed is the eyes of the victim will have red hearts in their eyes. To save the victim, try one of the following methods: 1) throw "purified wine" at the victim; 2) throw "purified rice" at the victim; 3) ring the special bells found on tables right in their ear three times; 4) try and help fulfill their desire (suitable for non-dangerous spirits); 5) kiss them; 6) punch them.

🕯️ Weeping candles. As part of the theme, special candles can be lit either in the halls outside the ballroom or out in the gardens in remembrance of those who passed. When lit, the melting wax looks like tears, and the crackling flame sounds like quiet sobs—and the fumes may make those nearby cry as well. These candles are especially useful in helping lingering ghosts pass on.

⚰️ Floating coffins. There are special coffins set outside in various locations outside the palace. Large enough for two to ~~sleep~~ fit in comfortably, they are "open casket" though a lid can be pulled over for those who want some extra privacy. These coffins can also float through the gardens, allowing for a special private view while being closer to the red moon.

Whether one is deciding to pledge their eternal vows or not, some party crashers in the name of Captain Salt's Lonely Hearts Crew will appear, and they are different from the same crew that appeared in Latrommi— all of the ghoulish, ghastly kind. Only those of the undead will rush in, but because of the setting, not many will actually believe they will do harm and in fact some of the lonelier guests and ghosts may take them as a partner. But for the more determined, there will once again be some bride and/or groom abductions, be they dead or alive. Best to thwart their efforts or some weddings will turn into funerals.

GHOST PROBLEMS

All threads for these prompts are worth 4pts.

On the edge of the watery world of Escordvi, where the horizon blurs between sea and sky, tales of the Farplane echo through the salty winds. This underworld, a shadowy mirror of the living seas, is where the souls of the departed find their final resting place, guided by the spectral hand of Envoy Jades and his ship, The Asmodeous. The Farplane, this is where the spirits and ghosts can spend the rest of their eternity in the bliss they choose.

Envoy Jades, with his tattered coat and a gaze that pierces through the veil of life and death, has sailed the seas for as long as anyone can remember. He sings old sea shanties and sleeping lullabies as he makes his rounds collecting souls. And while his appearance is ghoulish and grave, it is said that his presence is kind and encouraging, often coaxing ghosts to enjoy their last days in celebration in the realm of the living before taking his ship to embark on their final journey. The ship, said to be forged from the remnants of sunken galleons and woven with the souls of the lost and found, sails the seas like a looming ghostly shadow all month long. It is said that those who witness the ship's passage may catch a glimpse of their own fate, as their reflections ripple through the water.

However there is a bit of a problem. Those out and about need to be careful as there are many restless and vengeful spirits about. Many are harmless and are out to play pranks, however there are some who may have grudges and can be dangerous, even possessing people. The following methods are known to work to help those who are possessed: 1) help fulfill their desire; 2) beat them down; 3) find some "blessed" water or relic to expel the ghost (many will be sold around the festival but whether they are real or fake is a hit or miss); 4) dunk the person in the ocean. Once released, help capture the ghost and bring it to the shore where Envoy Jades can collect the wayward soul.

👻💀 Ghostly possessions. Be careful not to be possessed by ghosts that are obsessed with love who will make the person possessed do anything and everything to find love, even if it means hurting someone. Or ghosts with a very opposite personality compared to the possessed, which will make them act how they normally wouldn’t act. Or even ghosts that used to be dangerous or murderous that will possess others and make them want to murder someone too. Ghost possession can be any and all sorts, from dangerous to playful.

🧜 Mermaid ghosts. Ghosts of mermaids that perished in a terribly violent way are around and swimming about various docks and boats looking for unsuspecting victims to attack. These mermaids look half-eaten and angry and will attack anyone on sight and try and take a bite out of them in return. Be careful when docking and escape while you still have all your limbs. Trying to fight a ghost-mermaid-zombie off could be tricky.

👻 A dead man. A familiar looking ghost of a man once alive is wandering about demanding that his seamstress be returned to him. He keeps blathering on and on about how he owns his woman and that no one can take her away from him and that she is his to control. With a closer look, this ghost’s neck is ripped open so he has a hard time speaking clearly and his angry ugly shouts come out as wheezes and growls. Most believe this delusional ghost doesn’t deserve to be around, so find a way to destroy or send it away.

🌹 Emberbloom victims. Many of the lost ghosts wandering about are ghosts that carry beautiful red and orange flowers that look like the bright sunset. These ghosts are the departed spirits of murdered people that were buried on the Leviathan, Elah. These ghosts seem happy enough to be wandering about once again but they also seem sad that they never found their true love to give their flower to. Help these ghosts find their true love (Maybe it’s you? Maybe it’s someone else?) and help them give their ghostly sunset flower to another.

🐄 Bull ghost. A massive skeletal bull ghost is also out and about wandering the lands. It doesn’t seem particularly aggressive or violent, even if it looks like it could stomp on someone and kill them instantly. Actually, it seems quite nice and likes to listen to love songs. Try avoiding a fight and sing him something pretty instead.

🎃 Pumpkaboos. Little pumpkin-like ghost spirits are dancing and playing all over the Leviathans and the surrounding islands. These little spooks are playful and sweet and enjoy lighting the way for people walking around in the dark and are said to be spirit guides that lead ghosts to Envoy Jades’s ship. But while sweet, be careful, as these little spirits are able to hypnotize others and can control them to do their little pranks and harmless bidding. But they mostly want to play.

Every now and then, The Asmodeus will appear on the shores of Eltrut and other places that are having issues with ghosts. Although the ship may appear dark and dangerous, it will only appear to only collect the roaming spirits nearby before departing. It will remain active until dawn, and once the ship has been loaded with the spirits ready to depart, it fades away on the ocean’s horizon.

However, The Asmodeus should be mistaken for the ghostly ship that attacked Eltrut’s shores last year. In fact, while also collecting the wayward spirits, when it's off in distant waters, its speed picks up and seems to be searching…perhaps for this very ship that has not been seen since last Ghoul's Moon.

QUESTS

The current MANTA Board is available, but we have a couple of additional quests that are specific for the event! Teaming up is of course encouraged, no matter what the affiliation. You can assume they acquired some kind of ship for the quests out at sea, either the starter ship or some other ship heading out there. All quests will be worth 4 points.

Killer Sharkgulls

Eltrut port and ships

Seagulls can be a pain to most ships. Yet, seagulls that have evolved to be violently carnivorous can be even worse. These birds, effectively named sharkgulls, have been seen attacking ships and ports alike. They are big enough to eat small children in one gulp, or will do their best to eat full-grown humans after they've ripped them to bite-sized shreds! Beware and kill them before they can kill you!

Message in a Bottle

Everywhere

It’s a popular tradition to write a handwritten message and put it in a bottle and to send it out to sea. Sometimes messages come back with written responses. Sometimes they don’t! But writing a message can be a very therapeutic or fun thing to do. It might net the writer a few new pen pals or some well needed anonymous advice. Pen a letter, place it in a glass bottle and release it into the ocean's waves to see what happens. And be sure to respond to any bottles you find, too!

Plundering Pumpkins

Everywhere

There’s been a rumour going around that wearing a mask crafted from a carved pumpkin is an effective countermeasure to scare away ghosts. Demand for pumpkins has thus spiked all month, and farmers are struggling to keep up with demand. Some people are willing to pay a very high price for people to, ahem, acquire pumpkins from the local farms for them, while farmers will pay with coin and free produce to any who will help guard their crops for harvest.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ As she watches Darin break off a piece of the iron gazebo, Zelda feels a sudden surge of fury in her mind.

Our gazebo!

If Elise didn't have control of Zelda's body already, she would have wrested it from the princess in an instant. ]

Idiot! How dare you--

[ Elise whirls around like she means to attack Darin with her bare hands, but Zelda just barely manages to hold her back.

Lady Elise, wait! He isn't trying to desecrate your gazebo. Trust him, please.

Elise grumbles, but reluctantly agrees.

At first, the lady continues to glare daggers at Darin as he works. But as she watches, it dawns on her what he's trying to do. He isn't destroying the gazebo-- he's crafting a piece of it into two rings.

As I told you. He is trying to help.

Stubborn as Elise can be, she is not too prideful to admit when she's wrong. A pair of matching rings crafted from their gazebo... What better way to represent their love and devotion to each other than their gazebo? Elise has never forgotten the stolen moments they shared with one another here. In her lonely centuries, they were her only comfort.

As Darin looks around, two tiny rose vines reach out towards him. They curl themselves around his wrist several times to secure themselves, then delicately thread their way through the twisted pieces of metal. Tiny thorns no larger than a needle's point poke between the bands, sure to scratch skin when the rings are slid onto fingers. Upon each band, two little rosebuds form, their faces still tightly tucked away within their leaves. ]

[Fortunately, Darin's focus doesn't afford him a moment to protest against Elise. He's spent his life doing one thing or another leading to the angered yells of someone. But, in reality, he also trusts Zelda to have faith in him. If there's one thing Darin knows he's good at, it's being creative in the moment.]

[Hector has been quiet throughout the process but as he bears witness to Darin's work, he can't help but comment.]

[Would that I had your skill in life. Perhaps I could have avoided my fate...]

[If you did, you'd have been a different man entirely. I wanted to be a knight, once upon a time. But if I'd followed that path...]

[His mind goes back to a moment earlier this evening. With Zelda on his arm stating how thankful she was.]

[If I'd become a knight, I'd be in someone else's services. And I doubt I'd ever have found myself in hers. I'm her blacksmith just like you're Elise's knight. Be proud of that!]

[Hector considers Darin's words and finds truth in them. There was no guarantee every path would lead him to Elise. He may have lived that fateful day, but would he truly be happy?]

[As Hector is lost in thought, Darin's eyes catch sight of the vines as they entwine themselves first around his wrist and then into the braids of the rings. He watches with no small amount of wonder as the vines complete his design, complete with budding 'gems' atop the bands. He takes note of the needle-like thorns and laughs to himself.]

...No better way to seal a vow than with a drop of blood...right...?

[He carefully pills a little of the metal up around each bud so that little prongs hold the fragile bud in place, as if he were creating the socket for a gemstone. Then, he turns his gaze to Zelda and Elise, holding up two matching bands— nature and iron woven together in harmony.]

...Let's go find a minister and get you guys married. Ready?

[ Elise gives Darin a single nod before relinquishing control to Zelda and receding to the back of her mind. How odd, the lady seems almost... reticent.

Could it be that she's nervous?

As Zelda approaches Darin and collects the ring meant for Hector, a shiver runs down her spine.

Marriage... Zelda knows she will someday wed and have children. It's one of the many duties of Hyrule's sovereign, to continue the royal line and to pass down the power of the Goddess. Until now, that duty has always felt like a distant one, barely registering in the princess's mind. A project with no deadline. It has never felt real.

Now, with this ring in her hand, it feels very real. ]

Y-Yes, let us waste no more time.

[ They head back inside Helice Palace. Elise directs Zelda through the halls, navigating away from the grand ballroom and its crowds until they reach a small room. The room has been arranged to invoke the image of a cozy chapel, complete with candles, flowers, and lace... a beautiful combination of elegance and macabre.

At present, the room is empty, save for a minister sitting in the first pew and paging through an old tome. As the sirens of Helice Palace are fully dedicated to the theme of the night, they have made certain that ministers are available to wed any couples who are so inclined. ]

[If Darin has any doubts or concerns in his mind, he certainly doesn't show it. The truth is, ever forward-facing as Darin tends to be, his mind isn't on the events as they currently unfold. He's eager to be helping these two lost souls. Beyond that, he'll tackle whatever else happens in stride. He'll adapt. It's how he's tried to live his life but it's the woman beside him that has helped him realize something important.]

[The future will always be uncertain. He doesn't know who or what he'll be tomorrow— the best he can do is follow his heart and his instinct. He's not even treating this as what appears to be his own marriage. It feels more like he's cheering on a friend. And if there's one thing Darin is enthusiastic about...it's lending his support to friends.]

[The doors of the chapel swing open as he and Zelda enter.]

Hey, minister! We want to get hitched! Can you do the honors??

[He takes Zelda's hand and holds it up with a wide grin. Phrasing it this way is a lot easier than trying to explain that they're both currently possessed by long dead lovers who want to consummate their vows before successfully passing on.]

D-Darin!

[ Zelda has been so wrapped up worrying about her future marriage that she hasn't spared a thought to how they're going to explain to the minister what they're here to do. But she didn't expect Darin to just not explain it at all! ]

A-Actually, we--...

[ Immediately, Zelda tries to course-correct... but then stops herself. Maybe Darin's right; it'll probably be easier to simply ask the minister to wed them instead of explaining about the betrothed spirits currently inhabiting their bodies.

Zelda inclines her head apologetically to the minister. ]

Yes, we would like to be wed. P-Please forgive our entry; my fiancée is... excited.

[ In the back of her mind, Zelda feels Elise laugh, which just makes the princess blush all the more. Unlike Darin, Zelda is hyperconscious of the possible connotations of participating in a wedding ceremony with him-- even if they are only standing in for the real bride and groom. ]

Edited 2024-11-11 00:10 (UTC)

[The minister looks up and offers a soft laugh and a warm smile. He's an older gentleman and seeing two young people in the throes of love always warms his heart. Similarly, Hector finds himself laughing as well. To think he'd find himself inhabiting the body of one who lacks decorum in every respect. And isn't the object of his affections royalty?]

[But perhaps that's the charm of it all. Darin is as far from high society as one could get...but there is something uniquely charming about the way he throws himself into...well, everything. Hector finds himself envying the man. If he'd shown this much courage when he was still alive...]

[Darin beams down at Zelda and leads her down the aisle to stop at the minister who is happily waiting.]

Well then, far be it for me to put a damper on his excitement...

May I have your names...?

[Darin turns to face Zelda and smiles. What was it about being called her fiancée that got him so...excited? This wasn't even a real wedding. They're practically playing pretend.]

I'm Da—...I guess...I'm Hector?

[ Zelda is as red as the roses on her gown as Darin leads her down the aisle. She knows she's not actually the one getting married, but there's no way not to feel that way in this position!

Calm down, Zelda. You are not actually getting married. Consider it like a child's game of make-believe.

The reminder actually does very little to calm Zelda as they take their places before the minister and turn to face one another. Darin beams down at her, as if this actually is their wedding day. Zelda tries to smile in return, but she can't banish the nervousness from her features.

Fortunately, the minister has seen enough young couples that he reads Zelda's anxiety as normal wedding jitters. (Which, in a sense, is not incorrect.)

As Darin fumbles over his 'name,' Zelda feels Elise snort in the back of her mind.

He's got a rather boyish sort of charm, doesn't he?

Zelda clears her throat, trying not to react. (Even though Elise is right.) ]

L-- Elise. My name is Elise.

[ She manages to stop herself just before offering Elise's title. This is not the marriage of the Lady of Helice Palace to a man of noble station. This is the simple union of Elise and Hector. ]

[The minister chuckles softly.]

Very well. Elise and Hector...

...My, those names sound familiar. Ah well.

We are gathered here this evening to bear witness to the union of Elise and Hector. A young couple who's love for one another has brought them together on this most auspicious of nights. I have barely met you and yet I can sense a deep connection. One that I pray you will nurture for years to come...

[Darin takes both of Zelda's hands in his as he shifts from foot to foot. He's not especially good at ceremonies like this and he has no idea what he should be doing with his hands or...well, his entire body. He's never even been to a real wedding! He's only read about them in books! And those usually had large galleries and big celebrations.]

[Darin's mind is wandering and Hector can't help but wonder if Darin is even mentally present despite being able to witness his thoughts.]

[Straighten up. Feet shoulder width apart. Look at your bride. How can you show her that she's your world if your mind isn't even present??]

[Darin snaps to attention in a practiced way as his old training resurfaces. And he offers Zelda (and by extension Elise) an apologetic, bashful smile.]

[The minister continues on for a moment before turning to Darin.]

Hector...do you have vows you would to exchange, or shall I do the honors?

[Ah...I am fine with him offering the vow—]

[Now hold on a second! This is your wedding day! You're telling me you don't have any ideas or anything prepared??]

[I was not even sure if she would be waiting for me! How could I have something prepared??]

[Alright, look just...take control. You can read my thoughts and feelings, right? Just...go off of that.]

[Darin/Hector nods slowly to both the minister and himself and he levels his gaze at Zelda/Elise.]

Elise...I am...I struggle to find the words to express the impact you have had on my life. I struggle to...to comprehend how it is I came about to be someone you love. Someone you would spend eternity with. I defies logic and imagination both.

[He takes a steadying breath.]

I have...never believed myself to be a good man. I have never thought of myself worthy of anything more or less than any other man. I aspired to nothing because that is what I believed myself to be worth.

But then...I met you. I met you and I was forever changed. My life, my world. I learned what it felt like to be respected. Admired. Loved. And I have come to realize that...no matter what I believe myself to be...

I only need to look to you to see the truth. Reflected in your eyes is the man I aspire to be.

I am a man of many fears. But when I hold your hand, when I hold you within my arms...

The only fear I have is of spending a moment apart.

[ Darin's fidgeting certainly reinforces that boyishness about him, but it also has the unintended effect of settling Zelda's nerves a little. Perhaps he is actually nervous underneath all his boisterousness. Has Darin ever attended a wedding before? Given how he was treated in his homeland, Zelda doubts it. Which makes her wonder if he even knows how one goes. (Which then makes her wonder how different weddings here might be from weddings in Hyrule.)

At one point during the minister's sermon, Darin abruptly jumps to a soldier's attention, as if he had just been scolded by some unseen captain of the guard.

Zelda presses her lips together tightly to keep from a laugh from escaping, but Elise is howling in the back of her mind.

Look at him! He's like a nervous squire standing for inspection.

But the lady's laughter quiets as they come to the vows. Zelda feels a tremor of anxiety she knows is not her own. Elise talks big and carries herself with a confidence to rival Revali's, but underneath it all is a nervous woman about to commit herself wholly to the love of her life.

Quietly, Zelda closes her eyes and relinquishes control to Elise. When they open again, it's Elise's cherry wood colored gaze staring up at Darin. But Zelda can tell the lady doesn't see Darin at all-- the princess's mind is filled with the image of a raven-haired soldier with a stoic gaze... until that gaze turns towards them, and then his features soften as he beholds the lady he loves.

As Zelda listens to Hector's vow, she can't help but imagine these words coming from Darin. After all, they sound... uncannily like something he would say and they make her stomach fill with butterflies. What if they were his words? After what just happened in the gazebo, it's difficult to deny that he is as attracted to her as she is to him. But love?--Deep, true, wholehearted love? Right now, standing hand in hand before a minister, it feels very much like love. Love so strong it's overwhelming, making it difficult to even breathe. It feels like, if they were ever to part, she would simply die.

These must be Elise's feelings influencing Zelda's own. What she feels for Darin is strong, yes, but surely not love. Not like the love between Elise and Hector. ]

[ In the silence that follows Hector's vow, the minister looks to Elise. He doesn't even need to ask... Elise nods to him. Yes, she wants to deliver her own vows, her last words as the Lady of Helice Palace. ]

Hector. If someone had told me, on the day I first saw you, that I would one day wish to call you my own, I would have laughed at them until I was blue in the face. What could I possibly see in a man who was as serious as the grave? I was looking for someone who could make me feel alive... and you looked more like a tin soldier than the toys I played with as a child.

But when our ship was attacked by the sea beast and all of the other little tin soldiers scampered below decks, you were the one brave enough to beat the monster back. You were the one to cut me free of its slimy grasp. And then you were the one to come call on me in the sick bay, after the surgeon bandaged my leg. You were the one to sit with me all night, keeping me company when I was loath to be alone. You looked dead on your feet, but you listened to me prattle on about every silly topic that crossed my mind as though it were the most interesting thing you had ever heard.

No one has ever seen me like you do. No one has ever looked beyond the gowns and the jewels and the title to who I am underneath. No one ever looked at me.

And after you were lost at sea, I knew for certain that no one would ever look for the real me again. No one would ever steal away with me in the middle of the night run barefoot in the sand and the surf. No one would ever ask me about literature or politics or the stars.

I don't care how many years I had to wait. I'm ready for you to carry me over that wall so that we can find the edge of the horizon together.

[Darin had taken a backseat to the moment, silently coaching Hector with his own feelings and emotions regarding Zelda. The man seemed hopeless, but Darin could sense a fire there. One he kept so tempered and controlled that getting him to release it was no small feat. He feels no small measure of pride when it seems his words strike home.]

[Only for the pride in his chest to flutter when Elise gives her vows. Everything Hector had done for Elise...sounded eerily similar to the things he'd done for Zelda. The things he's tried to do. And hearing Zelda's own voice utter such effusive praise...]

[Was there ever really a chance Zelda could feel such a way about him?]

[And for once...instead of chasing the fleeting thought away...]

[He acknowledges that's what he wants.]

[The minister wipes a tear from his eye and smiles proudly.]

I'm sure that after such lovely words, it would be foolish to assume you do not already have your rings. So, without further ado...

Hector, do you take Elise to be your wife, to love and to cherish, through sickness and health...until death do you part?

[Hector holds the wring forged of iron and vine up before gently placing it on Elise's ring finger. The needle like thorns draw a pin-pick of blood— a drop is all that is needed. The thorn leeches the drop, causing the bud atop the ring to bloom forth into a beautiful, crimson rose.]

I do...

[ Elise gazes up into Hector's eyes like he is the earth and moon and stars above. She doesn't flinch as the thorns on the ring prick her finger, nor does she look down when the rose blooms. She doesn't want to miss a second of the look in Hector's eyes as he says 'I do.' ]

And do you, Elise, take Hector to be your husband, to love and to cherish, through sickness and health... until death do you part?

[ Elise opens Zelda's right hand to reveal the matching ring. Eyes glimmering, she slides it slowly onto Hector's ring finger. As did hers, the thorns on Hector's ring prick his skin and absorb the single droplet of blood. The bud unfurls into a brilliant red rose, a perfect match to the one on Elise's ring. ]

I do...

Edited 2024-11-11 05:32 (UTC)

[Hector's face practically glows— the serious knight doing his level best to keep some measure of decorum.]

[Darin laughs.]

[Congratulations, Hector! Loosen up a little! She's your wife now!]

[Hector's mouth quirks up slightly at the corners, knowing full well what comes next.]

Then, by the power vested in me...I now pronounce you man and wife. You may—

[Hector doesn't wait another moment. He sweeps Elise into his arms and dips her, that slight quirky smile turning into a pure, charming smirk.]

[Before he kisses his bride with a passion that burned hot for hundreds of years.]

[Darin would be cheering if he wasn't also keenly aware of the fact that he was also kissing Zelda in such a way.]

Ahh--!

[ Elise lets out a startled gasp as Hector unexpectedly pulls her into his arms and dips her as though they were dancing. The sight of his wry smile makes her heart begin to pound. She knows that look... and she returns it with a wide, devilish grin of her own.

At the same time that he leans in, Elise throws her arms around his neck and meets his kiss with that selfsame fire that still burns inside her too. It feels like all those centuries she spent in solitude were just a bad dream that Hector has woken her up from. She feels alive.

Were she a guest in the pews watching this passionate exchange, Zelda would be applauding for the happy couple. But she is not a guest; she is an active participant... An active participant who is currently locked in a heated embrace with a man she is far too attracted to.

Elise's spirit is a roaring inferno and Zelda's mind is filled with the lady's hunger and arousal for her new husband. If there was any way the princess could avert her attention, she would be doing so. But as it stands, Elise is a current Zelda can't swim against and the best she can do is go with the flow and try not to drown...

...Something that is proving to be very difficult right now, as Zelda is acutely aware that she is kissing Darin with all the passion of an impatient lover. It feels somehow more intense than the way they were kissing in the garden. ...And Goddess, does it feel good. ]

[Darin can't fault Hector. If he were in his shoes, he'd do the exact same thing— and far be it for him to criticize another man's passion. If there's one thing that Darin respects, it's the fire that drives someone. No matter what it was.]

[But he's still present. He can still feel sensation even though Hector's taken the wheel. And he can feel the softness of Zelda's lips, the intensity of her breath as it hitches, the way her chest seems to flutter against his own.]

[And don't even get him started on the delighted sounds she's making, all in the pitch of Zelda's voice. The touch of her fingers combing gingerly through his hair to keep him from pulling away. If Zelda were to actually kiss him like that...]

[Darin has spent his life controlling himself. Controlling his power, his body. His is a willpower that keeps the strength of a god under lock and key.]

[But if Zelda were to kiss him like that, his insurmountable will would crumble like a rusted padlock.]

[He's so lost in the sensation that he doesn't hear the click, nor does he immediately register the flash in the corner of his eye.]

[Bless the minister. He's seen his fair share of impromptu weddings and he's officiated most of them! Which is why the good man has taken it upon himself to have a camera ready. After all, most couples don't think far enough ahead to plan to commemorate this life changing moment.]

[Which is why he smiles as he waves the magical equivalent of a polaroid to let the picture develop.]

If you would like, I can also transmit the photo to you for you to do with what you will...congratulations~!

[ Despite the haze of warmth clouding her mind, Zelda does hear that click-- the unmistakable sound of someone snapping a photograph. Oh no. Someone must have just taken a picture of the newlyweds-- newlyweds who are actually just borrowing Zelda and Darin's bodies to tie the knot.

Zelda mentally nudges Elise to, ah, hurry up a bit, lest the photographer decide to take any more pictures.

The lady's spirit hums in amusement, deliberately extending the kiss a few long seconds more... then finally breaking it with a sensuous exhale. She gives Hector one last heated look before turning her attention to the minister.

Cherry eyes sparkle with delight as Elise notices the picture in his hand... and then turn mischievous when she feels Zelda's fluster grow. ]

Oh, thank you, Minister, that is most kind! Here, let me give you my... what's the word... hellphone address.

[ Elise disentangles herself from Hector so that she can give the minister Zelda's shellphone number. How convenient that this mental connection is! The lady is privy to all sorts of information in the princess's mind. ]

Edited 2024-11-12 02:00 (UTC)

[Darin, all the while, stands back dutifully with his hands clasped behind his back. Which, given his sleeveless attire and the fact that the jacket and dress shirt are barely holding on to his broad frame, just makes it look like he's posing.]

[He, similarly, has a smirk on his face. Not just because being able to kiss Elise like that after centuries is a dream long awaiting fulfillment, but because Darin is similarly having a difficult time in the...heat of the moment. The looks Elise was giving Hector using Zelda's body were searing themselves into his mind. He didn't think Zelda was capable of such low-lidded, sultry looks but now he'd give anything to try and find a way to get her to make them again.]

[With the details exchanged and a souvenir photo in hand, Hector bows to the minister and leads his new wife out of the chapel by the hand.]

We owe you two a debt that I fear can never truly be repaid. You have our eternal gratitude.

[Hector turns to Elise with a warm, loving smile.]

I believe it is about that time, my love. We should leave these two to their...musings...

We have stolen enough of their time...

Edited 2024-11-12 02:06 (UTC)

[ Part of the reason Zelda is continuing to let Elise remain in control of her body is because she's still trying to get her heady thoughts under control-- something that Elise is delighting in making more difficult for her by actively replaying that last kiss in Zelda's mind. The princess is still feeling all sorts of worked up from that.

But the other part is that she's reluctant to say goodbye to Elise and Hector. It's not because Zelda wants the lady's spirit to stay in her mind. It's just that, once they leave, it will just be Zelda and Darin... alone together... with quite a few things they need to talk about.

And Zelda is more than a little bit anxious about the prospect. Yes, she could tell that he was enjoying kissing her-- he was just as enthusiastic about it as she was. But how much of that enthusiasm was actually Darin and not just Hector? Ever since that first kiss, it's been difficult to tell where one man's feelings end and the other man's begin. Zelda can barely sort that out between her and Elise.

The lady, of course, has no compunctions about leaving the princess alone with her tangled thoughts and the object of her desires. She smiles up at Hector, equal parts affectionate and impish. ]

Yes, I do believe we have imposed ourselves upon them a bit too much. [ Said in such a way that all parties know exactly what Elise is implying. ]

Hector's right, we cannot ever repay you both for your help... but there is a little something I can offer. The sirens have kept my chambers largely the same over these past centuries... including the key I hid for Hector.

Please make use of them to, ah, "work things out" between yourselves.

[ In Zelda's (stunned silent) mind, Elise leaves a memory of how to reach her chambers, as well as where to find the hidden key. ]

Edited 2024-11-12 03:40 (UTC)

[For Darin, Hector leaves some private words.]

[You are a good and honorable man, Sir Altway. I sense a fearsome power in you and I understand your fears. You do not fear what you will become. You fear the hurt you may visit upon your loved ones. My only advice to you is that you remember what you mean to those who would call you friend. I often doubted myself and found solace and meaning in Elise's eyes. I pray that you too find the same path forward in Lady Zelda's...]

[Darin can feel a lump in his throat. Hector easily saw through some of his greatest fears...but perhaps that is because the man himself resonated with them. He hasn't even fully comprehended what Elise's parting message could imply.]

[In a rush of cool wind, Darin feels himself grow lighter. As if a weight were being lifted off his shoulders. The brisk gale cuts through them from the back and when it fades two specters stand, hand-in-hand. Handsome, Raven-haired Hector standing with his stunning new wife, her dark hair cascading down her shoulders like radiant pitch, clad in their finest looking every bit as youthful as they no doubt looked in life. On their ring fingers, crimson red, braided bands with black, ethereal roses, inverted shadows of the rings Zelda and Darin now wear in their stead.]

[They offer one final bow in thanks before Hector sweeps Elise into his arms. He kisses her lovingly before he begins to ascend into the dark rafters of Helice Palace leaving Darin and Zelda alone...]

[Darin can't help but smile seeing two people finally fulfill their dream of being together. Whatever awaited them in the afterlife, he hoped they could be truly happy. And after all of that, his fear of ghosts seemed almost childish. Zelda was right...not all phantoms were filled with hate or sorrow. Some just needed a push to find their proper path.]

[A push that Darin was feeling himself, in light of Hector's words.]

[He clears his throat and turns to Zelda.]

So...I uh. I never...really got a chance to finish telling you what I wanted to say before but...after all of that? Words are kinda...well, where do I even begin...right?

[He turns to her with a lopsided smile, his cheeks burning red.]

So...maybe...there's something else I can do instead. Something that might...make a little more sense...?

[He takes a slow, steadying breath...and he reaches up to his own face. Slowly, he peels the domino mask off. He then takes her hand, turns it over, and places the mask into her hand.]

[Darin's lived by some mask or another his entire life. He's always been so scared to show who he really is. How he really feels. He fought Zelda tooth and nail to keep his mask on, to keep his guard up, so sure in his assessment that he'd be better off without her. But he couldn't be further from the truth. Zelda has changed his life. She's made him unquestionably stronger. She's given him the gift of want. And to hide his true self, his true feelings, behind a mask before her was a grave disservice to everything she continues to do for him.]

[He doesn't want to hide anymore. He wants her to see him. All of him. Because he trusts her with everything that he is.]

[The smile he offers her isn't his usual wide, brimming smile. It's reserved and shy. It's nervous and hopeful. This is who he is— a young man in love. Scared and excited, anxious and clumsy. Darin Altway is a young man who wants to be good.]

[And he wants Zelda— not Princess Zelda, to see him for who he is.]

[He doesn't know if she'll understand the gesture. And he bows his head a little in embarrassment as he realizes that this likely only means something to him.]

[But he hopes she'll understand. Somehow.]

Edited 2024-11-12 05:35 (UTC)

[ Elise nearly parts from Zelda without another word... but, sensing the princess's anxiety, changes her mind.

Girl, listen to me.

You're in love with that boy.

And I barely even need to look at him to see that he's in love with you too. He looks at you like a lost sailor looks at the polar star.

Stop hiding behind your worries and your duty and all that other nonsense you've got rattling around in here. Go upstairs, tell him the truth, and work out your shit together. Just because this won't last forever doesn't mean you shouldn't be lovers while you have the chance.

If you don't, you're going to regret it. And I don't think I have to tell you what that feels like.

She definitely doesn't. Zelda has a lifetime's worth of regrets weighing on her mind-- all the things she wishes she had said and done with her father and the Champions while they were still alive.

Maybe Elise is right. If Zelda was to wake up tomorrow morning and find Darin gone, she would be filled with regret over never telling him how she feels.

She can't keep going on like this. She has to tell him. ]

Edited 2024-11-13 04:07 (UTC)

[ After the spirits depart, Zelda turns to Darin at the same time that he turns to her. Just looking at him makes her mind fill up with images of kissing him and Zelda's cheeks bloom crimson with embarrassment. Elise is right-- they have to talk... or else Zelda won't even be able to be in the same room as Darin without feeling self conscious.

But before she can figure out how to even start that conversation, Darin breaks the silence. Just like her, he's bright red, fumbling over his words and offering a lopsided smile. It seems like Zelda isn't the only one feeling awkward now that it's just the two of them again.

With no small amount of nervousness, Darin removes his mask, then takes Zelda's hand and carefully places it in her upright palm.

Zelda looks down at the mask for a moment, then looks up at Darin again, her expression quizzical. Is this what he meant, that he was trying to find something he could do that would express the feelings he couldn't figure out how to put into words? But what exactly is he trying to say? Why does he look so shy when all he's done is give her--...

His mask.

Realization dawns in her expression like the first rays of morning light. He's... He's removing his mask. The one he has always hidden himself behind, ever since he was a little boy whom no one wanted to love. The one he staunchly fought to keep Zelda from seeing behind when they first met. The one he has begun to lower in the months since their fight with Ganondorf.

And behind it... behind it is the man she is falling in love with. A man who is not always loud and brash and confident, but also nervous and timid and hopeful. A man who averts his eyes and shyly looks away as it appears that his gesture has not been understood by the woman he is trying to show himself to.

Zelda curls her fingers protectively around the mask and presses her hand against her chest, right over her heart. As she does so, she steps closer to him, leaning slightly to the side to bring herself into his field of view. She seeks his gaze, and when she catches it, she gives him a gentle smile. ]

I... believe I understand.

[ With her free hand, Zelda removes her own mask as well. It is not as symbolic a gesture as his, but as he is offering to show his true self, so too will she.

And that means the part of herself Elise has told her to stop pushing down. ]

Darin, could we... go upstairs? I'd... I'd like to be alone with you for a little while.

[ In Zelda's eyes is that same hopeful, bashful look... The look of a young woman falling in love. ]

[Darin tilts his head and blinks owlishly. 'Upstairs?' Were they even allowed upstairs? He remembered hearing that rooms would be available for rent for those who wished to stay the night in Helice Palace...be he didn't recall Zelda mentioning she wanted to stay in a room...]

[And besides, Zelda's a princess. What could be so enticing here that she hasn't already had once herself? Darin assumed getting to stay the night in a palace was a novelty reserved for tourists. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't curious...he's never set foot inside of a palace before today.]

[Darin glances around. Couples filter in and out of the hallways, ballrooms, and banquet halls. They've been here for awhile but, like every event on the Naughtilust, it seemed like this soiree would last until sunrise, if not later than that. And...she and Darin should probably talk. After all, he kissed her. It was a gross breach of trust and boundaries but that was all he could think to do! Not to mention Hector's influence probably pushed him to that point and— gods, he should apologize. But if he was going to do, privacy and discretion were probably best.]

[Two things that Darin was famously bad at.]

[He laughs a little and nods, trying his best to gloss over his uncertainty. Hiding it outright would go against the gesture of removing his mask.]

[He clears his throat once more and politely offers an arm.]

Lead the way...?

[ Zelda interprets Darin's uncertainty as nervousness, assuming that he has already figured out where she's taking him (Elise's chambers) and what they're going to do there (talk about everything that's just happened between them). Her expression slips back into anxiousness as she places her hand on his arm. Whereas earlier, she was completely comfortable clinging to his arm and leaning against him, now she's carefully keeping her touch exactly as dictated by etiquette.

Nodding wordlessly, Zelda leads Darin to a magitech lift that will take them to the upper floors of the palace. Normally, such a machine would immediately grab the princess's attention and she would forget her worries as she excitedly examined it. But right now, even technology isn't enough to break through Zelda's nervousness. The ride in the lift is a tense and silent one.

Once they reach the appropriate floor, Zelda navigates the way to the rooms that used to be Elise's chambers. She crouches down next to a large planter beside the doors and feels around for the hidden compartment Elise showed her in her memories. Sure enough, it's exactly where the lady remembered it to be... as is a single ornate key. Straightening, Zelda unlocks the doors and ushers Darin inside before locking them again behind her.

The chambers of the former Lady of Helice Palace look almost exactly the same as they did in Elise's memory. It seems like the sirens have maintained them throughout the centuries (likely as an expensive suite to rent). Grand and spacious, the rooms are furnished with ornate dark wood furniture, stylish rugs, and an array of exotic plants. Inside the bedroom proper is a large four-post bed covered with a luxurious damask bedspread, matching drapes, and no less than a dozen pillows tossed upon it. The bed faces a large stone hearth, presently unlit (it's not quite cold enough to warrant a fire tonight). ]

W-Well, here we are. [ Zelda says in an awkward attempt to break the even more awkward silence. ] L-- Elise said these were her chambers and that we could... use them... if we wanted.

[ Already, Zelda is second-guessing her decision. Goddess, why did she ever think this was a good idea? They could've found an empty parlor downstairs in which to talk. Bringing him to this decadent room... he's going to assume she's trying to tempt him into bed with her! ]

GETTING STARTED

ELTRUT: FESTIVAL

NAUGHTILUST: MASQUERADE

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