Enemy of the Crown (6 Sep 2002) Alice confronts Simon in the Palace of All Seasons.

After the unmasking of the Year's End, confusion runs rampant at the Palace of All Seasons. Even those who personally witnessed the false Lord April strip off his disguise have a hard time accepting that the Destroyer is more than a myth. Though news spreads quickly, those who were not present are disinclined to accept the truth.

The Queen calls an emergency council of the Houses to discuss the situation, while Alice and Hannah assist the palace healers in tending to the wounded from the battle at the South Gate. Alice's own gift for healing startles the healers and wounded alike. In a matter of hours, everyone is resting comfortably, and those lightly wounded have already been discharged to return to their duties. Though a few hobgoblins did perish, there were no fatalities among the Mirari folk, and it looks as though all the wounded should recover.

Palace of All Seasons: Main Infirmary
This section of the palace, like a miniature of the whole, is divided into quarters, one for each season, with the center done in the blues and whites of the Umbrecht line. There's floor space in the central chamber for additional beds to be set up, but at the moment none are erected. It is a quiet oasis, with a fountain playing in the center, angel sculptures adorning the walls, and furniture like fluffy clouds, which remind Alice of very large and extraordinarily comfortable beanbags.

The infirmary is large enough that all of the patients requiring further monitoring have been housed in their own rooms. This includes an exhausted Nymuae, who is finally sleeping peacefully under the watchful eyes of a November hawk and an October crow. Hannah and Alice are, for the moment, alone in at the center, where the fountain plays softly.

After two confrontations with Lord Eoin plus the following chaos as well as the time spent after helping to heal the wounded Alice finds herself very, very worn out. After finishing up with the last fey that needed her care she joined with Hannah to take a moment to rest in the center of the infirmary. There Alice has after some amount of difficulty in sitting upon it correctly settled herself in to one of the large bean-bag like chairs. She rests now half-sunk into the folds of the chair, her hands folded neatly in her lap. "It's been a busy day," she tells Hannah, "and we still have a lot more to do!"

"That we do," Hannah replies with a weary sigh. She walks over and sits near the blonde girl, although on the floor rather than in a chair, merely resting one arm against it for a bit of support. "Eoin has disappeared, and now it is up to us to puzzle out where he has gone -- or what his next move may be."

"'Tis so. And more besides. Mirari must know that it was he who posed as Lord April. I still think we should make sure to try and tell all the House leaders. Maybe we can make some more copies of the photograph and ask Lord October to send them out. Or, mmm, maybe the royal messengers would be better. Some of the Houses might still think Lord October is just jealous," says Alice. The little girl reaches back as she speaks to untie the ribbon in her hair and let it flow freely. Then she lets herself fall back in to the chair with her arms spread out so as to lounge more comfortably. "It's been so busy. So many things to remember. I'm glad to be able to help here but, 'nay, I can't be happy with why. And trying to do this and this and that over there it's really easy to forget important things. Like this," she lifts a hand and gestures to the infirmary before letting her head roll to face Hannah. "Do you ever feel that way? Is that 'responsibility?' My mortal father told me once 'Adults are serious because they have responsibility.' -- I'm not getting serious am I?" She makes a face at the thought.

"To speak to an earlier point, you might use members of the Golden Hawks to deliver copies of the photograph to those you wish to see it," Hannah suggests. "We are not beholden to any one House, so that we may serve all of Mirari freely. That way no one could place any undue blame upon the motives of Lord October." Then she grins up at Alice. "As for the question of becoming completely serious, I do not think that anyone who accuses a gargoyle of being 'sneaky-grabby' can be entirely so! But it is a sign of responsibility that you begin to prioritize your actions. If one has much to do, one has to consider what comes first."

"You're very smart, Hannah. Good ideas. And I guess you're right about being serious. I hope so anyway!" Alice smiles. "The photographs need to reach the House lords and ladies as quickly as possible. If the Golden Hawks are very fast then that's perfect. If not maybe we can use both the royal messengers and the Golden Hawks. If that's okay with everyone, anyway. The Lords and Ladies of the Houses present are talking like we are, I think, but without the comfortable chairs so we'll have to talk about it to them later. Maybe they'll summon us later. But oh, anyway, let's think. We can plan too. I think Lord Eoin is probably going back to his keep. What do you think?"

Hannah smiles gratefully at Alice's compliments, but her eyes darken at the mention of Eoin. "I must admit that this thought also crossed my mind. It is probably the only place in Mirari where the Destroyer feels the safest, so why would he not head back there, now that his disguise has been lifted?"

"I don't know where else he would go." The unspoken concern over what Lord Eoin might find on his way home reflects in the frown that slowly replaces Alice's smile and the worried way her brow creases as she thinks about the situation. "I don't think I forgot any clue, or-" she blinks suddenly, "-oh! Oh! Oh, um, Hannah?" The younger girl scoots herself awkwardly across the bean-baggish chair towards the Golden Hawk and gestures her to lean forward so she can whisper in her ear, "Have you seen Simon?"

Hannah listens to the blonde girl's words, then leans forward to whisper in response, "I have seen a Simon, although I think that the person I saw with the Lord Explorer is not who he claims to be. Lady Redmane mentioned a disguise of some kind ... so does this mean the Simon you spoke of in your letter is the real one?"

"I think so," the princess whispers with a nod. "I was in her Majesty's audience hall when Lord Eoin, who was disguised of course, approached the Queen with Squire Simon. I thought at first maybe Simon came back. Like Lady Nymuae did. And when her Majesty asked him what he could do, why he almost said tricks on a skateboard -- a skateboard is a kind of board with wheels boys like to ride and fall off in the mortal realm. So I think maybe Simon is here and the one with You-Know-Who is the imposter." Alice bites her lip, frowns more deeply, then shakes her head and continues, whispering uneasily, "It makes me think of what Lord Eoin said and the prophecy reads. Maybe Lord Eoin is going to try and use Simon to change the Rules of Mirari to what his lordship wants them to be!"

Hannah blinks at this and looks horrified for one fleeting moment before blanking her expression completely. She is silent for some moments more while she thinks over what Alice has just said. Finally, she whispers in reply, "If the Destroyer has discovered the secret behind the linking of our worlds and uses that against us, we are in more danger than I had ever thought possible! But could he do that, by manipulating just one person from the mortal world?"

Alice's fingers wiggle nervously as she thinks on that. If he really could with just one person. She thinks back to that time in the field when she tried to do magic and nothing happened. This comforts her slightly but not nearly as much as she'd like. But with this in mind she answers, "Verily I'm just not sure. But perhaps Simon told Lord Eoin all about the mortal world because he thought Lord Eoin was really Lord April who just wanted to help Mirari. If Lord Eoin can use a Siege -- and I would think maybe he can! -- then he might try to find others. Or try and convince one of our friends. I think this is very important, though. I want to go now and see if we can find Simon and Lord October and my mo- ... her Majesty and tell her quick! Maybe Lord October can send his crows to the mortal world and watch the Sieges and the town."

A small boy, muddy-brown hair cut in a pageboy-style, wearing blue and brown clothes peers into the infirmary. He looks about for a moment, studying the faces of the patients, and then his gaze falls across Alice and Hannah. "Lady Jill!" he calls as he hurries toward them. "What happened? Where is Lord April? I heard that he was attacked!"

Alice lifts her head to see who called her alias and when she spies the boy she utters a squeak just before she covers her mouth and hides her face by sinking deeper in to the chair. "It's Simon!" she tells Hannah in a muffled voice. To Simon she lifts a hand and waves shyly over the rim of the bean-bag like chair suddenly distinctly aware that she also happened to have let him kiss her earlier as well as the serious matters at hand. She blushes furiously and reaches a free hand to try and gesture Hannah to scoot around to hide her blush a bit more.

Hannah peers in the direction of this new voice, looking concerned, but at Alice's exclamation she tries her best to cover her wariness and look as if nothing had bothered her. She does move a bit in front of Alice, however, to hide at least part of her face from the boy's view.

The young boy comes closer and looks perplexed to see Alice squashing down into the chair. "Are you okay? You look like you're running a fever..." He shakes his head, sparing a quick glance toward Hannah, whom he evidently doesn't recognize. "Never mind that! I heard the castle was attacked! That Lord April was wounded, or maybe even killed! Do you know what happened?" He appears at wit's end.

Trying to muster all the dignity she can manage and doing only so well at it Alice draws herself back up to a sitting position and gives Simon a weak smile. She inclines her head to him and with a motion gestures him to have a seat. Unfortunately she still can't entirely cease to feel embarrassed or cover her blush which causes her to fidget even as she tries to sound calm. "Aye, the Palace South Gate was attacked by Lord Eoin. That is the Lord of Year's End -- the Destroyer. The Lord April you knew wasn't at all the real Lord April but really Lord Eoin in disguise. It was a trick to try and gain the throne," she explains to him.

"What?" Simon reels as if struck physically. "That's impossible! It must be some kind of trick! Lord April warned me that he had enemies who were capable of creating illusions. Lord October must have staged it all with illusion to cast suspicion onto him!"

"Are you really Simon?" asks Alice. For the moment she puts aside his question in favor of one she thinks terribly important.

"Of course I am! Don't you remember, I introduced myself to you when Lord April took me to see the Queen..." Simon peers closer at Jill, as if making sure that she really is the one he remembers.

"And you said you could do tricks on a skateboard," says Alice with a little nod. She doesn't move away when Simon leans forward to peer at her but instead gives him another faint smile. "Have you long been in the fey world, Simon? For when did you cross over and with who?"

"Alice?" asks Simon, looking puzzled.

Alice nods again. "Yes."

Hannah suddenly quirks an eyebrow at Alice as she pursues this line of questioning, but it threatens to vanish into her hairline at Simon's confused query.

The young boy blinks several times. "What are you doing here? Who brought you to Mirari? Was it Lord October? Or ... the Queen?" His voice hushes at this last phrase.

"I'm sure we can talk about that later Simon. A whole lot has happened since we talked last, I think. Simon when did you come to Mirari? And with who? You must also know that I am telling the truth about Lord Eoin. With the help of my friends and the Optikon we were able to reveal him at South Gate." Alice's blush has since faded and the almost shy expression on her face is gone. Replacing it is sad look of concern. "I think Lord Eoin lied to you, Simon. He's a very bad man."

"Lord April brought me some weeks ago, when I fell in the pool," Simon says confusedly for a moment. "It was when he sent the ch-- the knight to take my place so no one would get worried-- but you're wrong about Lord April! He wants what's best for everyone." The young boy turns vehement on this point. "It's just that no one understands that when things are bad, you have to take a strong hand in things. Look what months of dilly-dallying around have done to Mirari!"

"Simon, I saw his lordship with my own eyes! He tried to trap Rebecca and me in a nightmare world, and I was the one who took his picture with the Optikon. Lord Eoin is a warlock, Simon, he's a-... a bad kind of make believe wizard." The little blonde's expression grows all the more sad the longer her lost friend argues with her and as she finishes her latest argument she turns to Hannah, asking, "Golden Hawk Hannah, would you please show Simon the evidence?"

Hannah nods to Alice, then takes the copy of the photograph that had been given to her for safekeeping from a pouch that hangs at her belt. She unrolls it and wordlessly holds in front of Simon's eyes, watching for his reaction.

Simon, white-faced as he studies the photograph, hands clenched, shakes his head slowly. "Pictures lie. Anyone could have made a picture by magic to look like whatever they wanted. From where I stand, it looks an awful lot like the Queen just got rid of the only rightful heir, so that she could announce that it was her duty to choose a new King! But I'm not going to let her get away with it."

A short pause and then he continues, "Now I know why her men were keeping an eye on his servants. They didn't want anyone to spread the word of April being made to disappear. But they didn't catch me." Simon looks sideways to the infirmary entrance, then begins walking that way, determined. "And they're not going to catch me, and I'm going to let April's people know what happened. And if you have any sense, you'll help me, Alice, because Lord April is the rightful heir to Mirari. This isn't a game anymore."

"Lord April is the proper heir," responds Alice a bit too loudly. She slides out of her seat and draws herself to standing. "But 'nay. I will not help you against her Majesty. The Queen is not wrong. Simon he lied -- you don't know what you're saying! This is not a game and I am not lying. You must see the truth."

Hannah leaps to her own feet and springs forward as Alice starts her reply to Simon. While his attention is diverted to the blonde girl, she slips around him and blocks his path to the infirmary's door. She puts her other hand on the hilt of her sword for emphasis, but still says nothing.

The young page-boy's eyes narrow at Hannah, and then he turns back to look at Alice, one hand going into a pouch. "What did Lord October offer you, Alice? The Queen? A chance to become the Princess that you played at?" Without waiting for a response, his hand slips out, holding a small eggshell, which he throws to the ground.

A brilliant flash of light, a gout of smoke...

"Guards!" yells Alice at the top of her lungs in a mix of desperation and horror.

Hannah makes a desperate grab for the boy amidst all the smoke, but her frustrated cry says that she has come up holding only empty air.

The sounds of footsteps in the hall suggests at least some guards have heard the call, and come ... but as the smoke clears away, the guards arrive upon the scene empty-handed. "Is there a problem, miladies?" the senior guardsman asks, looking around the quiet infirmary, puzzled.

Alice spins to face the senior guard and points directly to where the smoke had been. "Page Simon who was aid to the imposter Lord April is- ... he-, he's ... " The girl's hands tense, then begin shaking. Her face darkens a shade as the very idea of declaring her own friend her enemy threatens to bring tears to her eyes. She seems to strain to hold them back as she stands rod-straight and struggles to maintain her composure. "He's an enemy of the crown," she blurts out. "He must be caught if he's still here. The Queen and the council must know -- but you mustn't harm him! He's just seeing things wrong! Please, don't hurt him!"

The senior guardsman ponders the request of the Lady-in-Waiting. "Of course, milady," he says carefully. "If we see Lord April's page, we'll put him into protective custody to await the Queen's pleasure. Men! Spread out and canvas the area," he orders, before crossing the infirmary on a brief but professional search himself.

Hannah looks as if she was about to add her explanations of the incident to Alice's own, but after catching sight of the blonde girl's face she hurries over and says to her in a low voice, "Are you all right, Lady Jill?" Her expression is sympathetic.

As the guard walks off, Alice continues to stare off in the general direction the man had been. She stands, tight-lipped and red. Her eyes shimmer with the gloss of unshed tears, but then she turns to face the Golden Hawk and lets the tears loose, barely managing to reach up and cover her face with her hands. "Simon," she whispers hoarsely, "Simon is my friend from the mortal world. We helped him with a bully. I gave him my ... my cupcake. How could he ... " She shakes her head in disbelief. "He doesn't know what he does. He doesn't know what he's saying. I, I-" The princess inhales deeply. "I must speak to the Queen. It is as we thought. I cannot let him spread lies or harm my mother. I must be with her more, and the council too."

Hannah reaches down to the Princess and lays a hand on her shoulder, lightly, comfortingly. "It is hard not to be hurt when someone you care about does not understand what you do. I have had some ... experience in that area myself," she says softly, her eyes unfocusing for a moment. Then she comes to herself. "But I agree, we must warn the Queen and the other Lords and Ladies of this occurrence. Simon must not be allowed to spread his mistaken beliefs too far."

Previous Log: Truth of the Optikon	Next Log: Quest for the Green Sward

Thread Links
	Previous Log: Truth of the Optikon Next Log: Quest for the Green Sward

---

This site serves as a chronicle of sessions in an online roleplaying campaign moderated by Conrad "Lynx" Wong and May "Rowan" Wasserman. The contents of this site are (c) 2001, 2002 by Conrad Wong and May Wasserman except where stated otherwise. Despite the "children's fantasy" theme of this campaign, this site is not intended for young readership, due to mild language and violence.