Gwydion's surprise at their appearance (the physical one, not so much the technical one) turned into a somewhat silly smile as Agravina confirmed being siblings.

"Oh, good, yes. That is very good information. Good." When he went to sit back down next to Iliza, he was beaming like an idiot again, mostly at her. Brun's question snapped him out of his stupor and brought his attention back to the fact that he was sitting with time travelers from the future. "Oh, right! Mordwynn, I don't suppose you can explain why you stabbed me. Excellent form, by the way."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:20, Sat 13 Apr.

"Risky," Agravina asked with some confusion. "Why would you believe that?"

Mordwynn was busy loading a bowl full of Soy-mein and covering it in chilly oil. She looked up toward Brun, "Yeah, haven't you taken a look, Oob?"

Iliza was taking everything in, somewhat bewildered but mostly relieved. When Mordwynn reached for the pitcher of Fungus Beer, Iliza moved it out of her reach and replaced it with a pitcher of water instead. Rather than reproach the young woman, she shot a slightly disapproving look at the Prince instead, "Really, Gwydion... " she admonished him.

The revelation that Mordwynn had stabbed Gwydion surprised both girls and they exchanged a quick glance. Agravina's expression turned annoyed while Mordwynn's own professed innocence.

"Because...I have to now..." The girl in black said as though she wasn't looking forward to it. But her demeanor quickly picked up and turned confident at the compliment of her proto-Father, "Of course it was. I learned from the best."

"You all don't seem to know as much as we assumed. With Oo--Sir Brun's abilities we assumed you knew the purpose of our mission. But if you don't, you soon will. It is for the good of the Kingdom, of course," Agravina reassured them.

Mordwynn drummed her hands on the table - bum bum bum --- bumbum bum bumbum - and smiled clearly pleased with herself before she returned to enjoying her soy noodles.

"Perhaps, you all should just ask your questions and we'll answer those we have answers for," Agravina suggested. She looked a bit worried.

Euryleia noticed something else. The girl in white's garment suddenly tightened then relaxed on her right shoulder, as if it were giving her a reassuring squeeze. It was almost imperceptible, so much so that Euryleia doubted the others could have even discerned it. She realized then that these two young squires were both covered in nanites, very similar to those that comprised her own form.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:26, Sat 13 Apr.

Euryleia looked back at Brun as they referred to him.  Oob?  And the implication that he has (will have?) some control over his...abilities.  Hope flooded through with the implication. Her Knight could... would... get better.  She looked back again to the squires as they continued, just in time to catch the subtle movements of the garments.  The Lady pinged a query at the nanites to see if they would respond to her....

Brun's brow creased with yet more confusion as Mordwynn referred to him as an "oob" and suggested he could somehow choose to "look."  He focused on the word (title?) of "oob"...  On Agravina and Mordwynn...  His squires?  Flickers of future memory flickered through his mind.  Fast.  Hard to...  Focus.   He felt himself starting to slip.  The stability of the Now shifting to sand...  He blinked.  Shaking his head and grabbing the edges of the chair.  He was on Thames.  Euryleia was here.  Gwydion, Meara, Irina, Iliza...  Agravina?  Mordwynn?  They shouldn't...

Focus.

Brun took a breath and opened his eyes, only seconds had passed, "I...  don't have...   I don't think I have that sort of control...  But it's nice to know I might..."  He smiled wanly and left the questioning to Gwydion and Meara.

While she waited for stronger stuff to be (potentially) brought out, Meara realized she wouldn't have the luxury of getting to drink it before she got to ask anything.  So, since they'd already confirmed they hadn't done those deeds yet, she felt it would be wrong to treat them as the criminals they become.  Maybe.  Multiverse theory hadn't been disproved yet.  Heck, it made even more sense if they were trying to 'change the past.'

So, with a long sigh, she straightened her jacket and rejoined the group.  "Do you have hard evidence that the future is immutable?  If so, why try to change the past?  If changing the past is possible, then so too is determining your own future, is it not?  You don't have to try and attack him in the future!  Forge your own destiny and all that!" she said before picking up another beer, "Otherwise, I would have to punish the both of you for what has already happened to us that you have yet to do, and I would rather not ruin a good lunch with that sort of thing.  It is much more fun to ask the two of you for embarrassing stories about future Gwydion."

<<WHO DARES AWAKEN ME, THE GREAT DJINN OF THE COSMOS, FROM MY SLUMBER?! I HAVE BEEN TRAPPED IN THESE NANITES FOR EONS!>>

The response was immediate, though there seemed to be no change in the behavior of the swarm.

---

Agravina tried to explain, "We aren't changing the past. We're trying to make sure it goes as it should. Or rather, as it did, or the way that gives the Kingdom the best chance of defeating MerGN-A. It's complicated and it's not. But it is our best chance," Agravina explained. "Besides, as you know, local reality isn't real. That was proven hundreds of years ago. But it doesn't necessarily mean what people think it means. Thought, we now know, occurs not only at a molecular level..."

"But...at a quantum level as well. Oh. Oh! Ooooh....." Irina said from beside Meara as her eyes began to focus in the middle distance.

"Suffice to say, Ayem, you cannot create a paradox. I don't think Oob would have sent us if you could. Since you didn't punish us then, and he was there slash is here, you couldn't punish us now," Mordwynn added. She smiled as she said, "Embarrassing stories about Dad, I have those. Goojah's are the best though, but I suspect you've heard all those."

Meara gave Irina a fond smile as her lover started going Science Mode, but then made a T with her hands as she looked back at the twins and said, "Okay, time out.  What are all these names you're using for us?  My name is Meara.  He is Prince Gwydion.  And he is Sir Brun.  Also, I'm pretty sure assaulting Freyr and Sir L14-MNT with paralysis and stealing Clarent  right before a royal wedding isn't helping.."

She then looked a bit thoughtful as she added, "Finding some potentially obscure law or precedent for letting royalty have multiple spouses, however...  that would be very useful.  Especially considering who your parents must be."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:16, Wed 17 Apr.

Euryleia grinned outwardly.  To the others, it might appear that she found all this talk of impossible paradox quite funny.  She crossed her arms, with a defiant posture.  A copper-colored ring took shape on one hand, with a star shaped emblem.  Very subtle and likely unnoticed as Euryleia is not really centered in the main conversation.

To the nanite intelligence, the Lady of Stjernevold transmitted, <<Then I compel you, mythological Djinn, to obey the mythological Seal of Solomon.  I am Euryleia, which you well know.  Speak your name and purpose." If she sensed another nanite intelligence in the other uniform, Euryleia pinged it into the transmission as well.

Brun tried to follow all this strangely matter-of-fact explanation of what should still feel like impossible things.  The odd names made it harder.  Each use pinged him towards some future echo where he knew these names...

When Meara asked, Brun answered as though he had always known, "Ayem /is/ you, Aunt Meara.  Oob is me, Uncle Brun.  You know they love to shorten and abbreviate things....  Even when...." He trailed off as he pieced things out of shattered perspectives.  Brun's eyes went wide and he looked at Gwydion, "They call him Goojah....  Great. Uncle. /John/.". He said it slowly, carefully and clearly.  His mind warred to with it....  A future echo accepting easily that the squires call him Goojah in their strange abbrevs...  Brun of Now shocked that /they/ know him and call him anything...

The discussion about paradoxes and predestination brought a small smile to Gwydion, talking science with his family, future family but still his, in a way he'd only just recently learned how to. This was his doing. His accomplishment. And his children, teenagers and already so competent and knowledgeable. And then Brun explained the nicknames and the smile fell. Gwydion's eyes turned to the twins with apprehension and a hint of outright fear. Under the table, he took Iliza's hand and squeezed.

"Agravina. Mordwynn. Is... can you tell me about John Arthur? I need to make a choice, and I don't know if it's already locked in."

The swarm rippled in a way that Euryleia somehow knew was amusement and delight.

<<Oh, Euryleia, bearer of Solomon's Seal, I knew you would be so wise and discerning. I am Eppagelía, the fulfillment of your word and bond.>>

---

The twins had apparently been instructed in the subtle expression language known to Meara and Freyr. The quick look the two exchanged held a conversation.

"Who would have thought that young Auntie Meara was such a hardass?"
 "I know, right? /The Fury/ toootally takes on a new meaning..."
"And Dad hasn't even made one terrible joke. Just how badly did you wound him?!"
"I haven't done anything yet...but I only have to tag him with the beacon right? How does /that/ go wrong---Oh my goddesses is that Bibi?!"

Agravina suddenly turned to look over her shoulder. No one was there. She turned back and glared at her sister.

 "Aggy, you're too easy."
 "I hate you Wynny."
 "You're a bad liar Aggy."

"Yup," Mordwynn confirmed aloud as Sir Brun delivered his information about the names.

"I know what you're going to ask, but, yes, you made the right decision. You were correct to choose me as your favorite," Mordwynn said cheekily in response to Gwydion.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:58, Wed 17 Apr.

With a very subtle smirk, Meara glanced at the twins and decided to have fun letting them know she picked up on everything.

He's not a dad yet, and I just had time travel thrust upon me the morning after what appeared to be an assassination attempt and the theft of my uncle's sword that was gifted to him by my aunt, so you caught me at a bad time.

She then picked up what looked to be a strip of fried soy protein and offered it to Irina casually.  "Bacon?"

Now that the anger and frustration had mostly passed, it was time to mess with their guests.  It's how she showed affection!

For all his years around them, the prince had never learned to communicate like Meara and Freyr. The exchanged looks were pretty obviously That, but that was as close to understanding as he got. Once the silent chat was finished and Mordwynn gave him an answer, Gwydion's tension broke and he snrked into a hand, almost hiding the smile that had bounced back onto his face.

"How can I have a favorite when you're both perfect? Seems the future has you in good hands, so why all the time travel? What is it that needs to be corrected, or kept correct? What's the mission, little loves?"

Brun caught that there was some kind of subtle communication going on between the twins...  Then Meara?  And everything seemed...relaxed....  This group, together, felt strangely familiar to him.  Another future echo?

He looked to Euryleia to see how she was taking all this and....  That was odd.  She had that certain "other communication" look too...

Euryleia's curiosity was piqued by that answer.  Silver eyes widened subtly as she instantly searched the name through the databases.  From the Greek like her own name.  But with very interesting associations with ancient Christianity.  A promise.  But more directly used as a divine promise... <A fullment of my word and bond?  And which word and bond would that be?  I only have one bond I would claim at this moment...>

I'm considering said bond, Euryleia looked to her Knight...and caught his curious look to his Lady.  Euryleia smiled with an annoying level of knowingness.  She pointedly adjusted the collar of her Stjernevold shipsuit, the nodded towards the twins saying, "There are more than two far travelling guests." Silver eyes sparkled with delight...

Brun tried to sort through that now.  Looking between his Lady and his someday-squires....  A name came to his head like he's always known it.  Of course he had.  He sat up, "Eppagelía?"

<<Yes>> Eppagelía responded in the manner of a proud teacher encouraging a student who had just answered her own question.

Agravina smiled at Brun, "Here, Sir, yes."

The twins clothing briefly rippled in a wave pattern. "She says 'Hello.'"

---

Irina took a piece of bacon and munched on it on auto-pilot, her cognitive focus clearly tied up in mulling over the implications of her epiphany.

The smiles on both of the girls' faces and the way Iliza squeezed his hand let Gwydion know he'd given the correct answer.

"Yep, definitely him."

"I wasn't sure at first--without the beard--but there's no mistaking that level of syrupy sap delivered with a straight face," they quipped playfully.

"Let me answer your question with another question--what aren't you asking? What is truly baffling about this situation? Not the time travel which you've already resolved to see through though it takes our entire lifetimes thus far. What seems off? John Arthur dies along with many of his best knights, Earth and Mars are nearly at one another's throats. The Kingdom is weakest it's been since its formation and yet..." Agravina said.

 "Where is MerGN-A" MerLN answered. He stood next to the table smoking a holographic pipe and stroking his long beard as he considered the issue.

"And that's how you become the King's chief advisor. Record the experience for later review, people," Mordwynn commented.

"I must say I have devoted a subroutine entirely to this mystery. I'd like to think I know MerGN-A better than she knows herself, it is my purpose after all. Everything I know about her says that MerGN-A should be mercilessly pressing every advantage against us in our weakened state. And yet..."

"To be fair, we did assume you were MerGN-A's agents at first. The wedding festivities have been giving me very uncomfortable memories of Callisto. All these high profile figures in a single place, a security system that can be circumvented, and suddenly assassins bypass security and attack three of our Knights. It didn't feel very good, and I was quite surprised when we weren't attacked by Emergent forces. I don't suppose you can provide any insight?" Brun and Euryleia were saying some weird things. More guests? And it seemed like the Lady was having one of those Meara/Freyr conversations, but... "Eppa-what?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:53, Sat 20 Apr.

"Eppagelía," Euryleia repeated helpfully, adding with a nod towards her Knight, "/Our/ child.". Still smiling, despite the topic shift, Euryleia regarded the newly arrived MerLN now, "As the Prince plainly noted, we had been concentrating on the immediate issue.  The lack of action from MerGN-A could have many reasons, correct?  Is there other information that could narrow down these possibilities?" This last question was directed not just to MerLN, but the squires as well.

Internally, she continued to signal Eppagelía <<I am happy beyond words to meet you and know of you.  I want to learn all about you, but I know that we will have that chance.  You are here with purpose now.  Did I or your father send you with rules regarding what can be shared?  Any specific messages?>>
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 14:20, Mon 22 Apr.

Brun had met Agravina's confirmation and his Lady's knowing look with a bright smile.  He returned the "wave" as best his simple crude fleshy hands would allow.  He started to join the conversation...  But his eyes were suddenly filled with other possibilities... Lives, as yet unlived, flared through his mind and struck him dumb.  He fell through fatherhood.  He tried to catch himself as it flashed past.  To see to hold on.  For just a moment.  But, as it always does, it goes by much faster than you realize...

The suddeness of the stop at the end was a great surprise.  The hole of time in his mind was not bottomless.  The future had an end.  It was much closer than he could ever have imagined.  He watched the stars wink out one by one at the end of his time...

Back at the gathering, to everyone else, Brun sat quietly.  Listening.  Maybe distracted in that odd, vacant way he seemed to so often now.  The sad mistiness to his strange, starry eyes was very easy to miss.  There was alot going on.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:01, Mon 22 Apr.

For her part, Meara didn't appreciate how the new girls were acting, especially because it reminded her a bit of herself before she realized the world wasn't going to wait for her to finally start taking her position as seriously as she needed.  So, instead of responding to the bait (intentional or not), she let the others discuss things as she focused on ensuring Irina didn't run into anything or otherwise hurt herself while her mind was in Science Mode.

Also, Irina looked so cute when she was lost in thought, and watching her think made Meara happy.

Not to mention Euryleia said what she wanted to point out, but much more diplomatically and politely than she would have.

See, Mother?  Meara was learning.  She was wisely staying silent!

Hah!

<<Father wishes you to know that he loves you very much. As do I.>> Eppagelía replied, but said nothing further.

"Seek the G.R.A.I.L.," the twins said in unison in reply to Euryleia.

"Beyond that you have what you need or you will create it along the way," Agravina added. "I know that is perhaps not what you want to hear, but it is the path to victory."

"We are here to do our part, as you will do yours. And..." Mordwynn paused for a moment before she finished, "...And maybe to show you why it's worth it."

Upon hearing the twins' response to the latest batch of questions, Meara raised an eyebrow and returned her attention to them.

"We have no intention of stopping the search for the G.R.A.I.L., I assure you.  Iri and I even went against Auntie Val's orders to do so, which is partly why Sir Brun and Lady Euryleia are here with us.  Why would you assume we would stop?  We appreciate any and all assistance in doing so, of course, but I am puzzled as to why you would need to come here to make such a request while being so vague about any details that would provide the context we need."

She was not berating them, nor upset, and her tone made that clear, but she was expressing confusion as to the actions and messages provided so far by their visitors from, she was still quite convinced, a possible, but not pre-determined, future.

Gwydion shot Brun a wide smile and a thumbs up on being introduced to Eppagelía, and then went back to listening to the others. The twins' advice seemed essentially useless, given existing plans, but maybe there was more to it they weren't saying. In all, he still had one important question that had been deflected. No more smiles.

"Girls. It seems too late to stop my attempts to save Uncle John since he's there with us in the future. How does that result in my death? Can it be changed?"

Brun stared into the endless dark of the End of his Time.  A black, bleak wall that had no more futures beyond it.  Fifteen years.  More than he could've imagined or wished for in his worst days.  But he wasn't in his worst days...  Fifteen was no longer enough...

Best make it good.  He fell back through seas of possibility.

Perspectives flashed and stormed through him as he tried to find Now again....  He missed.

---

Brun straightened, blinking and wiped his eyes before looking around the gathering, "Ah.  /This/ when.". He stood, muttering like an actor going through lines, "Seek the G.R.A.I.L...  We have no intention of stopping...  ...results in my death..." Another moment to consider, then he began...

Brun first looked to Gwydion.  He had that same look of apologetic knowing as the squires now.  A sad smile, "I'm sorry.  I wasn't good enough at this to be clearer then...  And I asked them not to.  That's not why they're here.". His look was full of conviction and sincerity...and older somehow than he should be, "John had to die, because if he hadn't...  /You/ would have.  You had to live.  What you will do is so important.  John thought so.  I know so.  And I'm so sorry."

To Meara now, Brun continued, "Because it will be hard.  I wish it wasn't.  But it will be.  You'll... We... I thought about giving up.  And I can't tell you why, because some choices will matter and I can't know why the choices were made the way that they were.  But they will have to be made. Just know that you will make the right ones."

Brun indicated the squires now, stepping over to them with a respectful, familiar lordly nod to them.  Lord to vassal.  Standing with them, the Lord of Stjernevold looked back at his friends.  His Lady.  That same burdened, knowing, sad smile still, "Our future gets better.  If we don't quit.  So much better.  That's why I sent them.  So you could see.  I wish I could have sent them all...". He paused for a very pointed look if implication at Meara, "But these, at least, were mine to send.  They aren't here to tell you what will happen. They are here to show you it's worth it.  And to enjoy this day with you."

Meara listened to Brun's explanation.  Given the fact that they hadn't yet experienced the supposedly pending hardships that would make them genuinely think of giving up the quest, she felt she had to accept that as a valid reason.  Providing encouragement and hope to the people is part of her duty, so she understood doing it for her current self would be something she'd probably approve of in the future.  The implication he gave, however, made her smirk.

"Why Sir Brun, are you saying you could send my nieces, but not my own future children?  I cannot imagine they would be sassier than these two," she said with a playful gesture of her head to the twins, "and if they are anything like me, they would probably jump at the chance to travel through time.  In fact, I would almost expect them to do it without permission if it were possible."

Future Brun, present and coherent, took Gwydion by surprise. He listened in stunned silence until the end, casting glances to his daughters, his Iliza, and his cousin.

"Brun... You're relentlessly kind. Thank you. But you and the girls have talked about Uncle John being there. It sounds like you're saying to not worry about it and just do what I'm going to do, but if you can't tell me whether or not destroying my time travel research is the right move, then I'm starting to feel a bit fatalistic."