(LANCE AND JADE'S (public-visible) THREAD)

Jade will ask the guard that are with them, if they could ride with them back to the castle since the carriage had already gone back.

"A short wait, milady..."

The guard gives orders. Two horsemen ride off. They return very quickly with a taxi-carriage to take passengers to the castle...

  Lance holds the door for Jade, unless the guard or coachman beats him to it.  Once she is in, he takes the seat opposite.  Once the clip clop of hooves has seen them safely off he sighs.

  "I don't know, cousin, it's been a bad day for me.  I just....well, I've got a lot of issues and now I've gone and ruined everyone's good time.  I'm so sorry."

"Lance, you surprise me. This earth must have been very hard on you."
She regards him for a short while.

"When I was little I used to apologize for everything, many things were not even my fault. In this we seem similar and while I still do it from time to time I try not too. People will assume I have no confidence or a weak will. This was drilled into me by Queen Moire. I think in her own way she was looking out for me knowing my lineage more then I."

She glanced out the window as the Bar faded from view.

"Tonight was not your fault, and what happened in Princess Deirdre's room was not your fault. The first was that loud mouths choice to pin his fears and anger on me. Chances are his crew polluted the ocean if my people even had anything to do with it. My green hair, I try to hide most of the time because it makes me different. I stand out and sometimes it's not the best, as you saw. The second was caused by some kind of magical reaction. The Ax and my magic mixing to go bad for all of us.  Look though, we all said crazy things after that occurred even though you said them, Ballad still joined us tonight and read with you. You have not burned any bridges but beware you don't build walls."

"Now I don't know what this worthy is, but trust me worthy is often something people strive for, most aren't born worthy but we don't need that kind of validation. When you walk the pattern, something I will not let you do till you have confidence back. You will face the greatest test you ever have, and passing that is something that will make you worthy of nearly everything.  When I spoke with your mother I asked her advice, I wanted to be the perfect princess and she to her credit did not try to mold me into a mirror image. She told me to be the perfect Princess to just be myself and not cause any diplomatic incidents. I am sure she would give you the same advice except your a Prince."

She gave a smile, "Don't try to be worthy of someone, be yourself and let that shine through. Besides do you know how many maidens of noble or royal status throughout the golden circle would just swoon for you ? So chin up ! Who did this Thor have to be worthy of ?"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:44, Thu 10 Dec 2020.

  Lance listens.  His cousin has wisdom, and he listens attentively.  when she finishes he waits a moment before replying.

  "Earth was not so very difficult.  I mean, growing up in an orphanage, only imagining why I was left there with the nuns, I.."  he sees her puzzlement, "A holy order of old women ceremonially married to a God that I'm pretty sure didn't exist, but they believed in it, so good for them.  Anyway, I watched as other children were adopted and I was left behind, and that was very difficult.  I was different, and people seemed to sense it.  The nuns told me to hide my differences, never show off, always be the lesser so as not to have the devil in me.  I eventually grew up and went out on my own, tried to put it behind me."

  He rubs his temples.  "I went about my life, always feeling that difference.  Always thinking I wasn't wanted, even by my parents.  I never connected with anyone, just sort of floated around like a piece of flotsam and jetsom.  Then I was attacked, and my whole world got turned upside down and my mother brought me here.  I met someone, and for the first time ever, I truly fell in love.  I thought there was something mutual, and I made a fool of myself.  Oh Jade, your spell didn't make me say anything that wasn't already there."

  Lance covers his face in his hands.

  "If I was worthy she'd feel the same, and I can see that she does not.  I don't want just anyone, Jade, I want someone who doesn't want me back and it hurts so much.  I can't even blame her, because she has other better options."

Jade let Lance say his piece.

"I can't speak for these nuns but they might have had the same fears as me with my green hair. That is, that you might stand out. Perhaps they were afraid since you were most likely stronger, faster or better in some way then those around you. So if others would be afraid as well they probably suggested holding back so you would be adopted."

She then thought how best to handle his other words.

"Ah the crux, Lance not everyone will respond in kind to you, or me, or really anybody. We are full of our own problems, emotional baggage, and Ballad is not devoid of that. You think that someone who hides behind a sunshine smile and the brash and flashy royal title doesn't have problems ? She might like you, she might not. Her parent might have arranged a marriage, or she might have been burned by someone and doesn't want anyone to get close. You will be near immortal, there is no need to rush things for her, or for you. Also don't discount you have three other cousins who want the best for you too. You might have fallen for Ballad but you have Ariadne as a friend and your both from the same world ! Think what a one in a huge number chance that had to be. I like you and can be a friend and Jon just want's everyone to survive, thrive and stay alive. He likes you too."

"Also, you now have your mother back in your life. Don't think that is a little thing lest you build a wall between you and her. If you need to feel worthy, come up with a goal. Do not have it be about Ballad but something else. The only one you have to be worthy of Lance is yourself. If you can't find the good in you, then let the rest of us do so till you see it yourself shining though."

“You may be waiting a long time then, because I’m just a huge mess right now.  All my life I mostly kept to myself, never fit in.  Then I’m here, and I finally meet someone that I fall  for, a cousin no less, and I turn it into a disaster by actually putting myself out there even though I know I shouldn’t have.  I don’t have anything to offer anyone, especially when there’s guys like Jon around.  He always says the right thing and he knows so much more than me and how could I ever compare?   He’s stronger, smarter, cooler, more charming.  It’s no wonder she likes him,”

  He lets out a laugh dripping with sorrow.

    “I’m surrounded by beautiful, wonderful, talented extraordinary relatives and I’m just plain old me.”

"Does she ? I didn't know that." Her brows drew closer.

"Even if she does, it is no reason for you to beat yourself up. There are plenty of grey men that would be willing to do that for you. You need to have a talk and I know just the person to give you that talk but be warned ! They will probably only let you babble self defeating attitude once most likely."

  Lance shrugs.  “She must.  I mean, she was insistent to spend time out riding with him, and the way he flirts with her right in front of everyone and then gives me those damned cheer up old chap pep talks because everyone can see that he’s better.  Ugh!!”

  He shakes his head.  “It’s wrong of me to be jealous of him, and it makes me base for thinking so.  He’s been nothing but nice to me.  You all have.  Nice, and tolerant, and caring and supportive and I’ve been miserable, and drunk and a spectacle.  I feel like I truly don’t belong, that I’m just getting in everyone’s way.”

"So just don't be miserable and cheer up. I thought Jon liked me but perhaps your right. Of course you could be wrong too. You just met us all and granted right now your not at your best, but I am not going to let that effect me for the rest of near eternity. Though I might just try and knock you out, if you keep feeling sorry for yourself." She smiled to soften it.

"You I think, must be your worse enemy. You want to do good and be worthy ? Then help us face the Grey Men. Not just to impress Ballad, or even Ariadne or me. Do it because by doing so you will be keeping us safe. This here, this feeling of rejection, that is just a tiny bump trust me, in this family there is a lot worse that could happen. Try not to pressure Ballad by feeling bad for yourself. It is or at least could be seen as manipulative. Right now she is your friend and you convinced her to be in your play. Don't ruin it Lance, for your own sake." She lifts his chin.

"Also realize you might have people pining for you in the castle right now. Your a prince and son of the most lovely Princess Florimel. You are handsome and this !"

She pokes his muscles, "That isn't fat, or weak, you put time and effort to have your physique right ? Just realize all things take time. Your first love may reject you, indeed your hundredth might. If you ever let it stop you, you will not be there for the one who would jump at the chance at a loving relationship with you."

"I don't know how else I might help you, but for a story I read. A tale of the man who is now King of Amber. You know he probably went through a lot of what you did. He was the shortest of his brothers and youngest. He probably had an inferiority complex. Yet who is King now ? Not Eric or Corwin, not even Benedict or Gerard. It took a long time but he had his day in the sun.  Take heed of that little lesson. We are all people, maybe we all are pretty people and powerful people but before any of that we are people. That includes me, you, Ariadne, Ballad and yes even Jon."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:09, Fri 11 Dec 2020.

  Lance sits up and looks at Jade for a long moment.  “I don’t think you are wrong in thinking that Jon likes you very much as well.  You’re very beautiful, and talented and the word exotic comes to mind in a good way, and any man would be blind to not see it.  When we all first met I thought you were a couple.”

  “Jade, you’re probably right.  I know I’m not thinking clearly and I need to just let it go, but it hurts so damn much.  I didn’t sleep last night because I had nightmares about the grey men, and also about Jon and Ballad riding off together to ride more than horses and laughing at me.  That’s why breakfast started out so badly for me.  Then there was the thing in Ari’s room.  Then I talked to Ballad, and then three pitchers later here we are.”
This message was last edited by the player at 14:57, Fri 11 Dec 2020.

Jade nodded, "I had nightmares about those Gray men also. I fought my way free of them but not without taking some wounds. So I can sympathize. I would love to say I stood unwounded over the bodies of my attackers but..." She smiled.

She tilted her head, "Im fairly certain no one has laughed about you, that is the demons of self doubt and you being hard on yourself. As for Jon and myself, we have the same colors and we planned to coordinate, so I can understand people thinking we are a couple. I do love the pageantry of court." her smile becomes a bit dreamy for a moment.

"Don't worry about the past Lance, we can't change that, at least I don't think so. We can though plot the course of our future. You have allies in your cousins. Your living in better times. As I understand it in the past, family would be all to quick to tear you down."

  Lance sighs. "Getting past my own self-doubts is a big hurdle, as is trying to deal with my feelings for Ballad.  It'll take time, but we've got lots of that, right?  Thousands and thousands of years.  That's so much to wrap my head around."

  "Back home we had a movie...sort of like a play, called Highlander.  It was about a bunch of immortal beings on Earth who could only die by having their heads chopped off.  Anyway, now faced with practical immortality it makes me think about the sadness of the subplot of the play, which is how the characters lived on while their mortal loves aged, grew sick, and died while they didn't change at all.  How could we ever we ever dare love someone other than another immortal, knowing that that heartbreak awaits us every time?  And should we fall for one of our own kind who does not feel it in return, eternity seems a long time to deal with that pain too.  It's enough to make one want to close that emotion off entirely."

"Near immortality is something we all have to deal with. In a hundred years just think you will say, ughh Jade is so annoying trying to cheer me up again." She smirked.

Jade tsssked, "Never shut yourself off from love, yes it can hurt but it can keep you supported through hard times. Ignoring it is ignoring part of yourself. An eternity suppressing yourself would be sad indeed."

  Lance smiles.  "I'm sure you're right.  I just need to get my head out of my ass long enough to see it."

  He looks out the window to see the castle looming near.

  "Looks like we're just about home.  Thank you, Jade, for being so understanding and letting me babble on and for babysitting your drunk-ass cousin.  You're wonderful, and I do believe I now officially owe you a favor.  If you want, we can get you one of those copies of the play from my room on the way in."

"We all need friends sometimes Lance. I was happy to help."

Nodding, "Yes, I would like to see the play, especially since I would be trying out for a part. I will try to do my very best though Ariadne and yourself are the experts. So I may need your tips and advice."

Jade will join Lance in getting a copy of the play from his room.

  Lance gives Jade a copy of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare, bookmarking the place where Midsummer begins.

  "I think you'd be marvelous as one of the star-crossed lovers.  There are two of those female lead roles, but the choice is yours.  There are a number of other parts if you prefer.  Titania the Fae Queen, but it's a bit part, various Fae, but I do think that either Helena or Hermia would be best."

Jade nods, "I will read up on each, thank you Lance. Try and have a good night." Jade will start to head back to her room but make a side trip to find Odile.

Half reading the book while walking at the place marked.

Knock knock knock knock

On Lance's door



This message was last edited by the player at 16:12, Sat 12 Dec 2020.

The door swings open at the knock, having been unlocked and not even properly latched.  A moment later Lance emerges from the bedroom into the sitting room, knuckling his eyes and saying, “One moment, I’m coming.”  He is dressed in red sweatpants and a yellow t-shirt.

Halfway to the door he sees who it is.

  “Oh, hello Jade!  What time is it?”

She will stride in unless stopped.

She has the letter in her hand.

"We need to talk. It's about an hour after we arrived."

  Lance pauses, seeing the letter.  He looks confused.

  “Of course, please come in.” He gestures to the couch.  “Do you want to sit down?  Did everyone else come back already?  They must have, if Ballad showed you the letter. “

"Your lucky for mistakes, Lance. No this letter was left in my room whoever you had deliver it must have confused Ballad and myself."

Jade looked around as if she might sit but doesn't.

"The others are not back yet, but this !" She pushed the letter to his chest.

"You need to think about and rewrite. I thought it was for me. I didn't read the whole thing but I saw the beginning and read the bottom to see who it was from. I pretty much thought it was you." Her eyes narrow.

"You are SO lucky, you get the chance to rewrite this if you even write another one." long glare.

"Lance, I told you not to act sorry for yourself, the way you did tonight. I told you that it comes across as manipulative. You saying you will exile yourself ! That is the height of manipulation. Only you saying you would kill yourself would be worse."

Jade paces a bit, "Think about how much weight you put on Ballad ? It's not fair to put that weight on her shoulders. No one wants you to exile yourself, but if I am mad reading just a little bit of this letter, can you imagine how Ballad would feel ?"

Jade sighs, "I know your smitten, I can see your hurting and this... I don't want to get in the middle of this because it is between you and Ballad. Do yourself a favor though think before you rewrite this. Think how you would feel if someone said they would exile themselves if you didn't see things the same way."

  Lance takes the letter and plops down onto the couch.  He rubs his face with his hands, then balls up the letter and throws it into the embers of the fire.  A long sigh.

  "I wrote it after my outburst this morning, and delivered it before I spoke with Ballad earlier.  One of the maids must have directed me to the wrong door...I thought it was hers.  There was nothing in the letter that I haven't already said to her.  She must be furious with me as well, and was merely hiding it.  I suppose I've really messed things up with her.  If she had even the slightest interest before, I've probably destroyed it then."

  "I promised her that I wouldn't speak to her again of my feelings towards her.  I won't write another.  I just don't know what the right thing to do is."

"Oh, I thought you wrote it after we got back." Her face softens from anger a little.

"Listen, she knows how you feel. She hasn't screamed at you or anything has she ?" She looked at Lance and shook her head slowly.

"Lance." She sits down next to him.

"Your feeling hurt and low. No one wants to have unrequited love, except for masochists and poets. I understand and I am sure Ballad understands. Right now you only have I would guess a moment of embarrassment and the pangs of heartbreak. It could be worse. She could hate you. She doesn't, heck she tried to cheer you up with those songs. So she does care."

Looking at him she knocks on his head lightly, "So, be happy for what you do have. Four new cousins that are friends, including Ballad. Things might develop between you two but it is clear she wants or needs time. Don't you dare exile yourself because you will make me walk the pattern to chase you down. You would be hurting other people, I think including Ballad if you did that. You have a family now, friends, heck your royalty Lance ! Your a royal of an incredibly powerful lineage. Whether you realize it or not you are handsome and tall, and when your not feeling sorry for yourself you are rather charming. Show that side of yourself have some confidence because you will need that. Just don't go past confident into arrogant, that is unattractive."

  Lance looks at Jade.  "You see more in me than I see in myself, cousin.  I've always seen myself as the odd man out, as it was said back on Earth.  Others have told me that I'm handsome, but I just don't see it.  When I look in the mirror, I see the flaws in myself, and sometimes it's a hollow reflection looking back.  I never felt that kind of attraction to anyone until I came here.  It's all just so new to me.  Maybe I'm just overwhelmed, and a little bit frightened.  No, really frightened.  So many expectations, so much to live up to.  A family I never knew I had, a love I never thought I'd feel.  People actually trying to kill me.  It's a lot to deal with.  I'm like a ...a fish out of water, and the incoming tide seems so far off." He thought the analogy might express it better for her than anything else he could think of.

  He smiles a little.  "But I really appreciate you trying to help me figure it out.  It means a lot."

Jade nods and gestures about, "True, all of this is hard to suddenly take in all at once, and with the gray men trying to kill us, your not alone. We are all dealing with this being thrust on us. The only reason I can accept it a bit better is being so close to Amber during growing up. Still this is a much different life then I am used to. Good choice of words fish out of water is exactly how I feel too. I don't know if I am screwing up or if I am doing the proper things as a royal."

"When we were in the bar I tried not to have things lead to bloodshed but I may have embarrassed family by leaving instead of fighting. What I am saying Lance is that your not alone. Ariadne would be good to talk to, your both from the same world and coming to this very different world must be a lot to deal with."

She smiled, "I try to help, I don't know you well, though you seem nice enough. The others will help to if you let them. Now I have to go and read up on that play. Try and have a good night Lance, I hope you have pleasant dreams and heal up."

  Lance stands and walks with her to the door.  Before she leaves, he opens his arms for a hug, if Jade allows it.

“Thank you, Jade, for everything.  If my opinion counts, you did the right thing by finding a way to stop any bloodshed.  Better than rewarding rudeness with free drinks or having people get hurt.  That was true royalty right there.  And your song was lovely.  I hope you’ll finish it for me someday.”

Jade nods and gives lance a hug.

"I may at that, I love to sing. Thank you, and I did find rewarding rudeness with free drinks odd too. Rest well."

She gives him a brief squeeze in the hug then heads back to her chambers after retrieving Odile.

There is a knock at the door of Flora's chambers.

"Eh?" says Flora, slightly surprised. "Shall I go see...?"

Flora gets up and heads to the door...

(REMINDER: This thread is visible to all.

NOTE: If this messes up any timelines, then OH WELL. But I figure it shouldn't be too bad, because Lance has been off in Shadows, and who knows how fast or slow time's been running out there...

NOTE: Okay, Lance, this is your turn to beat your mother to the door if you'd rather. If not, just say Lance is staying put at the table, and I'll have Flora open the door.)
This message was last edited by the player at 21:28, Sun 31 Jan 2021.

  Lance asks Flora if she would like him to answer it for her, but she is already moving towards it.  He stands, for politeness sake.

  When Flora opens it, he sees the green tresses just past Flora’s shoulder.  He waves hello to Jade.

"Hello aunt Florimel." Jade gives a wide warm smile.

Her eyes spot Lance, "Just who I am looking for."

  “Hi Jade.  Glad you stopped by.  I just got back into town, and have a message for you, but you first.  What’s up?” He says, casually, a glass of white wine in his hand.  Jade can see redness around his wrist, like a rope-burn.  He looks like he’s fairly banged up.  Clothes bloodstained, some rips and tears and dirt apparent.

Jade holds out her hand a wrapped and bowed gift box in it.

She smiles.

"I wanted to give this to you after your Pattern Walk but you seem to have taken it then left without so much as a word."

  Lance takes the package, smiles.

  “Thank you, Jade, but you really didn’t need to.  I suppose I do owe an explanation as to me walking it on my own.  The truth of it is that I could not have done it with the distraction of having everyone around.  I almost didn’t make it as is.  I know you all wanted to be there for me, and I suppose I let you down by going on my own, but I’ve got a lot that I’m trying to work through, and being around everyone was only making it tougher.  I need to work on myself before I can be any good to anyone else.  Right now, I feel like the fifth wheel on the wagon, and it seems like everyone is better off without me around to drag them down with m mopey moods, and Random had a task that needed doing.  But where are my manners?  Would you like a glass of wine?

"Oh yes please." Jade asked if Odile would not mind waiting while she visited for a bit with her aunt and cousin.

Lance pours her a glass and hands it to her.  His other hand is equally beaten up.

  “Excuse my looks, it was quite a day.” He says, aware of how bad his wrist looked.  “Should I open this now, or wait?” He asks, indicating the gift

"Oh, please you can open it now."

"So, did the mission not go well ?" Her look becoming more empathic.

Lance talks as he unwraps the package.

  “The mission was a success, although it didn’t go quite as planned.  I got the information that Random wanted and managed to kill two grey men along the way.  I also bumped into your mother in the process, which brings me to the message for you.  She asked after you, wanted to know if you were well.  I told her you were.  She said she missed you, and is looking forward to seeing you when she is able to return, but she’s rather caught up in something critical right now.”

"Did it look like she might need me Lance, like she is in trouble ?" Jade's emerald eyes widened.

  “She is well and has a handle on things, but the place where she is has a natural interference with the cards, so it’s difficult for her to get messages back.  I am heading back as soon as I have healed up so that I can give her some backup and act as a runner for her, so if you want to send her a message, I will see that she gets it.  I’ll bring her some comforts from home, if you can think of anything she might like to have.”

  He smiles, “So I found a way to serve the kingdom , get some time away from things, and earn my keep without going out pulling plows.  Lets me work out my inner demons too.”

"Oh, yes before you go I will give you a letter and a small gift package for her." Jade will then sip her wine.

  "Great!  So, what kind of mischief has everyone else been up to while I was out and doing that?  I expect everyone is rather annoyed at me for not waiting for everyone?"

  By this time he has managed to unwrap the present.  He looks at it...

A small wooden box with his heraldric symbol on it. It is hinged and has a little snap catch on it. A light click sound indicates something is in it.

  Lance looks at the box, smiles, traces the heraldry with his finger and shows it to Flora.

  "What a lovely box!  Thank you, Jade, this is very thoughtful.  I guess this means the Herald approved my arms?  That's good.  I'll have to get a banner or two made up next.  But hmm, what could be inside?  Let's see..."

  He opens the catch and peeks in.

Inside is a card of Lance all done up looking like stained glass.

  Lance gingerly pulls it out and looks at it. "Whoa!  Did you make this?  Is this like one of the other cards?  Mom, check this out, the artwork....just amazing!"

  Showing the card to Flora, Lance is in awe.

Jade smiled proudly.

Her heraldic symbol is on the back of the card.

"Yes it should work just like the family cards, You can give it to whomever you wish. Please don't tell the others I am going to give them cards also after they walk the Pattern."

  Lance puts down the box and walks over to give Jade a hug.

  "Thank you, Jade....it's beautiful, and it really means a lot.  I thought that your mom was the only one who knew how to make these, but I guess she passed the talent to you!  Thank you, thank you...a thousand times over, thank you.  I hope you'll forgive me for walking it alone, but you know what I'm going through."

Jade hugs him back.

"I had to get really good at it, so my mother was not overworked. Now you don't ever have to be out of touch with family, you might even be able to ask King Random for a card to add to your deck." She smiled up at him.

  “Well, with this one I’m up to two...I have a card of my mom.  I suppose I should give this one to her so she can reach me.  I take it that these must be very difficult to make, right?” He asks after the hug ends.

Jade nods, "Yes they are much more hard to make then simple art. They are worth it though."

"I am glad you are able to stay in contact with your mother now."

  Lance presents the card to Flora.  “If anyone is likely to want to try to reach me, it’d be you, mom, so I’d like you to have it.”

  He smiles at Jade.  “If you ever needed to reach me, you can always make your own.  I just wish I had one to give to the King as well.  Outside of you three, I can’t imagine anyone else ever needing one of me.”

"Give me time, I plan on making of full deck of our generation for us all."

A warm smile, "I am glad your ok, heal up a bit, and as I said let me pack something for my mom. A bottle of Absinth is a must. Also you really should stay for tomorrow someone is taking their pattern walk and you should be there to cheer them on."

  “That would be either Jon or Ari, since you and Ballad have already done so.  I can’t imagine that either one particularly cares if I’m there or not, but if they really want me there I’ll go.  I was figuring a day or three of rest to heal up before I head back out, and I’ll be happy to bring whatever you want me to back to your mom when I go.”

  He thought about telling her that he was far from okay, and that he was actually terrified of seeing Ballad especially and the others somewhat less so, but he figured she knew that already.  He glances at Flora and to the dinner table.  It was hers to invite Jade to dine with them or not as she saw fit.

Lance feels a contact... "Eh? Hello?"

It's Flora, trying out the new card. "Just testing." She passes her other hand over the new card, in order to break the connection. "I'm very glad to have this... And yes, of course Jade may sit and have wine with us. I'd let her do that even if she hadn't made such a useful thing as this-- now she's doubly invited. And I'm sure that Odile would be willing to relay an order to the kitchen if she'd like a meal brought for herself..."

"Thank you aunt Florimel, I shall let her know. I will be back shortly."
Jade looked for Odile in the hall seeing if she could get a pheasant or small game bird with some in season vegetables brought for her from the kitchen, also for Odile to get something for herself to eat.

Whispering to Odile, "Thank you for suggesting I bring these things myself."

"No problem!"

Odile once again makes her I-am-a-puppy-who-is-delighted-with-her-own-cleverness face.

( https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/...9/Screenshot_116.jpg )

"I'll go put your food order in with the kitchens, and bring it as soon as it's ready!"

She hurries off...

When Odile returns Jade will take the tray to the table to join her relatives.

"So, if your allowed to speak of your mission, I would love to hear of your adventure. I work for the crown too, though my work is more in using my magical arts for the realm."

  “I don’t know that it’s entirely classified, but in general strokes, he sent me out into the field to look for signs of grey men incursion through a shadow.  I honestly don’t think he expected me to find any.  Probably more of a let’s send the kid out to find a left-handed-smoke-shifter kind of thing, you know, give me a task to go out, have a little down time, feel useful that I was working on something kind of thing.  Lo and behold though, I found some.  In the process of ending them they accidentally led me to where your mom is working on her mission.  She didn’t go into a lot of detail about what she’s doing, but had me come back here to report to Random about what I had found, and to send her regards to you..”

  Lance takes a few mouthfuls of food before adding, “Your mom did pass on that the grey men seem to communicate telepathically,, no speech whatsoever, and that they are fanatics.  It also seems their motivation is capture of us, not killing.”
This message was last edited by the player at 04:55, Tue 02 Feb 2021.

Jade listened cutting small slices from her meal to eat delicately.
Nodding she said, "My mother suspected the telepathy, good to know it has been completely confirmed. They want to capture us, that is good to know."

"Those things can be used to our advantage. You already spoke to the king ?"

  “Yeah, he seemed worried that they had encroached so far.  He seemed concerned at their seeming connection to the black road.”

  A bite of dinner, a sip of the wine.

  “I can guess you’ve been busy with the cards.  They have to take a long time to make.  Have you gotten out to do anything fun or exciting?”

"A party at the beach, but yes the cards take a long time I can only finish maybe two reliably a day and with bad distractions one."

"The King does have a spare though, so you should ask him when you see him again."

  Lance had been to three beach parties in his life.  One was out on Cape Cod, one in Malibu, and one in Hatteras.  The one on the cape was with the renn-fair group from King Richard’s Faire, the second was a wrap party for a film, the third was another fair group.  All of them had ended with couples or even groups going either into the water or off into the dunes for some adult fun.  He pushed the memory aside, not wanting to think of the ramifications of such a party among the young royals.

  “Sounds like fun.” He said, doing his best to conjure up a smile. “So, who is taking the walk tomorrow?”

"Jon, possibly Ariadne too if she feels up to it."

  Great!  Mr Perfect Player was going to walk it, probably with everyone throwing rose petals down before him!  Lance was undecided whether Jon would want him there or not.  On one hand, he felt pretty sure that Jon was much happier being the sole male among the three princesses.  That way he could wear his two-sizes-too-small-shirts and have everyone swooning over him.  On the other hand, he might like it if Lance was there, just to show off how much easier it was for him, and how the women still fell all over themselves around him. Yep, definitely the fifth wheel, Lance old shoe!

  Ari, conversely, Lance felt sure couldn't care less either way if Lance were there or not.  She had already judged him, he felt, and not in a good way.  In her eyes, he had already been lumped in with the drunks, junkies, and loser crowd, and he would never rise above it.

  Ballad had already made her feelings towards Lance abundantly clear, of course.

  Jade had been the only one that seemed to actually want him around.  Probably so it could make Jon's day more special, although he was pretty sure her reasons were more of the altruistic lets's all be friends and form a happy group thing.

  Lance knew he would probably go though, if for no other reason than to walk out to save anyone if they got stuck and were in mortal peril.  It was just how he was wired. Fucking Paladin Complex!

  Lance shrugs, "Have to see how the morning goes, I guess.  I'm planning on turning in early-ish and resting up to try to get back out into the field as soon as possible."

  After all, the less time he spent around Ballad, the less it would hurt, he thought.

Jade nods and continues with her meal.

"You should rest up. It really looks like you were roughed up but you also took down the enemy which I am proud of you for. I was never able too. You did good ! Still Lance you know I care about you and when you get all banged up, or do something as dangerous as walk the pattern on your own. I get mad because I can't help. I wanted to cheer you on ! You know how I found out, a herald at Ezra's and I had to corner him to get the info out of him, and all he really knew was you were going off camping. Ballad ended up telling us and it was well a bit heart breaking."

  “I understand, and I’m sorry if it upset you, I didn’t mean to do that.   I know you really want to be there for me and help me, but I just have a lot going on in here,” he points to the left side of his chest, “and it’s just stuff I have to work out on my own.  I’m really struggling with a few things, and it’s gonna take time and distance.”

  Lance lets out a small sigh.  “I’m really only good at one thing, and that’s using a sword.  I spent my whole life on my own, and I have this great ability to feel alone even when I’m surrounded by people.  I’ve been different and an outsider all my life, and a few days ago everything I thought I knew got turned upside down.  Then there was Ball...well, other stuff.  I just need to be away from things for a while so I can work my way through it all.”

"It must be a Shadow Earth thing. Ariadne feels like she is separate and apart too. Your both not though. At least you don't have to be. I will respect though that you need time to work things out. Just please be here for your cousins walks. You could raise a toast to them and applaud. After all now you know just how big of an accomplishment it is." Jade smiled warmly.

"Bah I refuse to believe your only good at swinging a sword. I bet your wonderful at a lot more then you know." She pats his hand.

  “If it’s important to you that I go, I’ll be there.”  Lance assures her.  “I don’t think it matters to either of them, but I can see that you want me to be.  After that, though, I’m gonna probably scoot and leave the celebration to everyone else.  I know I’ve been moody lately, and don’t want to be the cause of bringing down the mood.”

Jade nods, "Thank you Lance. It will mean a lot to me. I will go and let you enjoy the rest of the evening with your mother and so you can turn in early. Thank you aunt Florimel I hope you have a wonderful evening." She gives Florimel a brilliant smile.

  “Good night, Jade, and thank you once again for the incredible gift.”

When she departs, Lance walks her to the door, gives her a brief hug and promises to be there in the morning.  Afterwards he closes the door and returns to the table to continue his meal with Flora.

"I am glad I was able to finally deliver his gift. You ready to go Odile ?"

"Sure thing!"