and the white knight is talking backwards and the red queen's off with her head

[undealt]

WHO || Gold, Amara, and OPEN
WHAT || Gold has arrived back from dealing with refuges in Bermuda. And now he's making frands. And surely everyone wants to know who dat lady is.
WHERE || The castle library
WHEN || some indeterminate time in June
HOW || actionspaaaam
OTHER || You can also pull Gold and Amara aside for one-on-one conversations if you'd like. Just specify.

If you go into the library today, you will find an unusual sight- for one thing, Gold's back, but he must have snuck in like a ninja because it's not like he made any great announcement of it. Just swanned in, checked on his crocodile, and immediately tracked down a certain blonde homo magi. Suspicious!

Said homo magi is currently in the library with him. In fact, they're in the section with all the magic books, chatting animatedly about... something or other. (A listen check of 18 will catch what they're saying).

Comments

[untethered]

I suppose it's unfortunate, then, that true love isn't something one can just go looking for.

[undealt]

Especially when it comes to their particular curse- any mortal they meet could become their next obsession. They aren't given the opportunity to come by love honestly.

[Look, he thinks the curse is bullshit, but not enough to... not use it for his own ends.]

[untethered]

... And because of this, they're practically prisoners. Just think, never even being able to leave the confines of their secret city, with all the world outside their reach...

Do we know how they even came by such a terrible curse? Who could be so heartless to condemn an entire people to such a fate?

[undealt]

[....]

I never thought to ask. [GREAT JOB, GOLD.] I assumed it was such a fundamental part of their society that perhaps they all just simply forgot. Though now that we have one of them here, she might be able to shed some light on it.

[untethered]

[ aw gold. she resists the urge to pat you on the head. ] Well, it stands to reason that our best chance for learning how to counter the spell is to understand what kind of magic was responsible for it in the first place. Don't you think?

[undealt]

Indeed. [He nods AND IS CLEARLY EMBARRASSED.] Assuming you can convince her that she wants the spell countered. She may put up a fight about that.

[untethered]

Someone has to know.

[undealt]

Hasmed might. I needed to speak with him about Amara, anyway. If all else fails, there might be something here.

[He gestures around the library.]

[untethered]

I'll look, since I've gotten to know the library well. We have to help her. Whether she realizes that's what we're doing or not.

[undealt]

Hopefully, Charming can keep her occupied within the bounds of decency. The last thing the castle needs is a sorceress on the rampage within the walls.

[untethered]

Has he been... speaking with her much?

[undealt]

According to her, he's been distant. Of course, he was back in Bermuda with us tending to the survivors we freed for awhile, but I imagine since getting back, he's been avoiding the situation- knowing him.

[Avoiding it... with his dick.]

[untethered]

Is that what she sounded so upset about?

[undealt]

[He nods.] As cruel as her curse is, she does feel everything. And finding the man she believes she loves and then being forcibly separated from him, only to find her tear-soaked reunion wasn't to be when he returns... It's difficult. And all the more reason why we can't simply tell her this is all in her mind, rather than her heart, and leave it be. That will be for David to draw the line.

[untethered]

I just hope he lets her down easy. Being told that your love can't - or won't - be returned doesn't make one feel it any less.

[undealt]

Well, I assume they don't call him Charming ironically. [He... has his doubts though. The David Nolan he knew was sort of the opposite of charming, but Emma told him about the curse and he's still processing that.]

[untethered]

[ her lip twists up in half a smile ] You're right. I'm sure she's in good hands.

1/2

[undealt]

[MUFFLED PORN MUSIC PLAYING IN THE DISTANCE.]

[undealt]

Indeed. [There's a pause, because somewhere he forgot HOW DO GIRL again and now there's an awkward silence where he's just staring at her all gawrsh. And then he mercifully passes a will save to STOP WITH THE STARING and... move on.]

I think it might be about time for me to retire to my room, as well. It's been a dreadfully long mission. Are you planning on staying here for awhile longer?

[HINT. HINT. ...You know in the "I COULD WALK YOU TO YOUR ROOM LIKE WE'RE TEENAGERS GOING STEADY YAAAAY" way not in the... "Let's go back to my room and fuck like animals" way. Because. Stuff.]

[untethered]

I suppose the library will be here tomorrow. [ she scoops up a pair of books to take with her, glancing around ] I should probably find my room as well.

[undealt]

[AW YEAH THEY'RE GOING TO WALK DOWN THE HALL LIKE DORKS.]

So. Did anything interesting happen while we were away?

[SMALL TALK. FUCK YEAH.]

[untethered]

It seems there's something interesting happening every day, if one knows where to look. But nothing personal I can compare to your adventure.

[undealt]

I'd say it's not every day one goes up against a small empire based around the world's most powerful sorcerers, but I was led to believe that was par for the course when I joined up.

[He smiles.] Perhaps we might actually get a mission together one day.

[It'll be hot.]

[untethered]

Well, my own experience so far has mostly come in the form of facing down monsters or locating strange treasures. I did have occasion to help stop a war between some nymphs and humans, however.

[ and she glances over at him with a smirk ] I'd say there's always a chance, particularly given we represent different sects.

[undealt]

The joys of diplomacy. [If magic ever leaves entirely, he has a definite future with the Tongue ahead of him, but he is not thinking of that right now. He and Faye are going to cry over that together with ice cream and a copy of Practical Magic.]

It would be nice to have someone I could rely on. [a beat- where the hell did that come from] ...to use her mind, rather than her sword.