>>2291804
>Try and untangle her.
>Whisper in her ear a story about how the icefield leviathan caught Titania in it's jaws after a mighty hunt and see if she starts dreaming.

>>2291804
>Send Coral to get her handmaidens

>>2291804
>Try and untangle her

Good to see you again smiley

>>2291831
Always glad to be here, anon.

>writing

"Alright, you. I'm gonna need my cloak back..." You say as you start untangling the Queen.

You gently maneuver around so as to not wake her, but you can't seem to find a way to untie it... You can see where it begins, but try to follow it along and it just gets jumbled.

"Guess I'll just start and see what how it goes..." You say as you get to work.

It quickly becomes apparent after the first few knots that your cloak has been torn in a few places... or a lot of places.

Ah, well. The Guild replaces these for free, so- "No... that's only if they get busted up in a fight" You say. "This is... like a fight. Right, Coral?"

Coral nods.

You sigh. "I'm glad that you're being supportive, but they probably won't buy that." You say. "Ah, well. They can't be that expensive. I'd say Pip owes me some of her winnings, wouldn't you?"

Coral nods.

"Good... now I just have to convince her of that" You say.

Your attention is drawn away from your task by the sound of someone clearing their throat at the door. You look up to see one of the Handmaidens...

>About time you showed up

>This isn't what it looks like

>This is exactly what it looks like

>Other

>>2291888
>>This is exactly what it looks like
>>Why do we have to hide the cuddling?

>>2291888
>About time you showed up, who does she usually cuddle with

>writing

"About time you showed up" You say. "Come and help me with this"
"Help you... tie her up?" The Handmaiden asks.

"Untie her" You say. "She did this in her sleep somehow and I'm having a hell of a time undoing it"

She puts a hand on her chest and lets out a relieved sigh. "Oh, thank goodness" She says. "I thought you were doing something bad, and I wasn't sure if I could stop you"

"I haven't seen what you can do so I'm unsure, but you probably couldn't" You say.
"Oh, gods no. I'm not a fighter. Not even a little" She says.
"Well, it's a good thing I wasn't doing anything bad" You say with a smile.

With the maiden's help the work goes much quicker. In no time at all you've got Lyvia untangled.

"There" You say, as you pull the Queen into a more comfortable sleeping position. "You're pretty good at that. Does this happen often?"
"Almost every night" she replies. "She gets terrors a lot, and Brisella and I aren't umm... durable enough to stay with her through them"

You tilt your head and the maiden smiles awkwardly, before brushing your cheek with her finger. You wonder why she's doing that, until her fingers come away with a little blood on them.

"How? She doesn't have claws or anything" You say.
"She makes them from ice" The maiden replies. "By the look of it, they've long since melted"

"I see..." You say.
"Y-you might want to wash up" She says. "I can run a bath for you, if you don't mind taking Her Highness to her room for me"

>Sure thing

>I need to get a message off to my friends

>How bad is it?

>Ask about the terrors

>Other

>>2291978
>>Ask about the terrors
>How bad is it?

>writing

"How bad is it?" You ask.

"I-it's not that bad!" She says. "I just... wouldn't go to the council looking like that"

"Oh yeah" You say. "When is that again?"
"The call was sent out last night, and the meeting is in a few hours" She replies.
"How many hours is a few?" You ask.

"2" She replies.

...

"That soon?" You ask.
"Is there not enough time for you to prepare?" She asks.
"That depends on what I need to do..." You say.

"Well along with a bath, you'll need new attire" She says.
"What's wrong with what I'm wearing now?" You ask.

"It's... a little torn" She says. "And also marks you as an outsider right off the bat. I can have something brought for you to wear, if you'd like"

>Alright

>But I am an outsider...

>I'll figure something out

>Other

>>2292030
>>Alright
>>We should drive home we have queen's favor.

>>2292036
Eh, just meant second line to be explanatory.

>>2292030
>>Alright
Northern clothes sound rad.

>writing

"Alright" You say.

She nods and looks you over. "Stand up for a second" She says.

You lift up the queen and stand up, as the maiden pulls out a bit of measuring tape...

"Should I out her down?" You ask.
"Nope. She's fine, Just stand nice and straight" She says, as she moves around you and takes your measurements. "Huh... not as broad in the shoulder as I thought" She says. "Alright. I'll go run you a bath and send these off to get something made for you. You get her to bed, please"

"Doesn't she have to be at the meeting?" You ask.
"She does, but she'll wake up on schedule" The maiden says. "She's a heavy sleeper until almost exactly half an hour from now. Then she'll be up and about and demanding breakfast..."

You nod, and after asking which room is the Queen's, head on your way. Unfortunately the only directions you're given are 'go up the stairs, you can't miss it'.

...

So up the stairs you go, until you reach the top. Turns out she was right: you can't miss it. The entire top half of this massive palace is her bedroom.

It looks especially large given how bare it is. There's a bed and a dresser... and that's it. Well, except for the piles of ice shards everywhere.

"Well if it's all you need..." You say, as you head over to the bed.

You pull the covers back, lay Lyvia down, and then tuck her in nice and snug. Even stopping for a moment to give her a little peck on the forehead as she settles in.

>Take a look around

>Head to the bathroom

>Other

>>2292083
>>Head to the bathroom

>>2292083
>>Take a look around

>>2292083
>Take a look around
What's in the mystery dresser

>>2292083
>>Head to the bathroom

>writing

You figure you'll take a look around. It should still be a few minutes before your bath is ready, and you'll assume the maiden will come up and let you know when you're good to go.

The walls look strangely uneven, and looking closer you can tell why. It looks like someone's run rampant in here, tearing away at the place and then repairing the damage to the walls.

... you say 'someone', but it's pretty obvious who it is.

Almost on cue, Lyvia starts to thrash around on her bed. You head over to see what's wrong.

"Still asleep" You say. "These must be the terrors she mentioned..."

At this rate, she's likely to end up in the same position she was in before...

>Do something

>Let it pass

>Other

>>2292153
>>Do something
>Give her a hug.

>>2292153
>>Do something

>writing

You step over and try to calm her down, but she swipes at you. The pain surprises you until you see the ice claws the maiden mentioned...

"Just like a certain Felid..." You say as you wipe off the scratch. "And if that's so..."

You move in again, this time grabbing the blanket and wrapping it nice and tight around Lyvia. Once she is no longer able to scratch, you pull her in close and stroke her hair in an attempt to calm her down.

For a second you're worried that it might not work, as her claws quickly break through the thick blanket. But thankfully the struggling starts to slow down before she manages to completely break free.

"Shhhh... shhhhh... everything's fine" You say, loosening your grip a little now that she's not likely to squirm away.

She flaps her wings a few times as she settles in, as you couldn't quite fit them in the blanket. But when she 'hugs' you with them, you're glad you decided not to try.

"See? You're okay" You say, as you continue to stroke her hair. "Not even a nightmare can get you with me around"

The faintest smile comes across Lyvia's face. So small that even you almost missed it, but it's definitely there...

"You're very good at that" The handmaiden says.

You look over to see her at the stairs.

"It takes practice" You say.
"Your bath is ready, whenever you want to head down" She says.

>Can it wait until she wakes up?

>I'll do that now

>Other

>>2292246
>>I'll do that now

>>2292246
>>I'll do that now

>>2292246
>I'll do that now

>>2292246
>>I'll do that now

>writing

"I'll do that now" You say. "Mind taking over here?"
"S-sure" She says. "What do I need to do?"

"Keep her close and stroke her hair" You say. "Maybe tell her how cute she is. That kinda stuff"
"Alright, I think I can handle that" She says.

You stand up and hand Lyvia off to the maiden. She doesn't latch on with her wings like she did with you, but she remains calm.

Once you're sure she isn't about to start thrashing again, the maiden tells you where to find the washroom, and you head on your way.

When you get inside, you shut the door and strip down.

Your clothes are a little torn... but some of this could have been from yesterday's last fight. Either way, it doesn't matter, as you're getting fancy new northern clothes.

You toss your worn clothes into a pile in the corner and slip into the tub. The water is nice and warm, which makes it all the more jarring that the tub itself appears to be made of ice. But when you touch the insides, they're not cold like ice.

...

"I'm not even gonna try to make sense of this..." You say as you settle in, and start mentally preparing yourself for the day ahead...

But after some time, your relaxation comes to an end at the sound of crashing and banging outside.

"Please calm down, your highness!" You hear the maiden call out.

The response is a growl, followed by more crashing.

...

>Not your problem

>Check it out

>Tell them to keep it down

>Other

>>2292314
>>Check it out

>>2292314
>Check it out
So long as we're clean, that's enough for me.
No need to relax any longer.

>>2292314
>Check it out

>writing

You sigh. "Well, I guess that's it for relaxation..." You say.

Coral, who is floating around in the tub without a care in the world, looks concerned.

"For me, that is. You're good" You say.

Coral smiles and starts doing a backstroke, as you step out of the tub. You quickly towel yourself off, throw on your old clothes, and step out.

You only narrowly avoid getting layed out by Lyvia as she runs past on all fours, so you turn to the maiden that's chasing her.

"What's wrong with her?" You ask.
"She does this every time we try to bathe her..." She says.
"Why does she hate baths?" You ask.

"She doesn't like the warm water" She says.

...

>Have you tried cold water?

>Want me to try and convince her?

>For a dragon she's very catlike...

>Other

>>2292378
>>Have you tried cold water?

>>For a dragon she's very catlike...

>>2292378
>>Have you tried cold water?

>>2292378
>>Have you tried cold water?

>>2292320
>>2292321
>>2292336
You know were still Naked you know

But this is Yuu so he doesnt care
That lucky handmaiden can see yuu junk

>writing

>>2292391
>You quickly towel yourself off, throw on your old clothes, and step out.

"Have you tried cold water?" You ask.
"We've tried everything..." She says, sounding almost desperate.

"How very catlike" You say.

"Had some experience with Felids?" She asks.
"A friend of mine once got super high on catnip and tried to eat me" You say. "And her little sister is kind of a gremlin. So yes"

"This might be asking too much but... think you could help me out?" She asks. "She needs to bathe before the big meeting and at this rate, it'll be over before we get near the tub..."

"I guess I can give it a shot" You say
"You will? Oh, thank you!" She says, practically jumping for joy. "I'll be just over here sending off some sprites. Want me to inform your friends of what's been happening?"

"Uhh... sure" You say.

"Alright" She replies, as she walks off.

"W-wait, you're not going to help?" You ask.

...

No answer.

Alright then... it's nothing you can't handle. You head over to the room you saw her run into and look around. At first you don't spot her until you notice the pair of eyes peering at you from underneath the tablecloth.

Now, how to go about this...

>Convince her to come out

>Join her under the table

>Pretend you didn't see her

>Other

>>2292415
>Join her under the table

>>2292415
Well if she's truly felid like, then she wont be able to resist the pounce.
>Pretend you didn't see her

>>2292415
>>Pretend you didn't see her

>>2292415
>>Join her under the table

>>2292415
>>Pretend you didn't see her

>writing

"Huh... guess she's not here" You say, as you step out.

You head out to the room where the maiden went, and ask if there are any snacks.

"Snacks?" She asks.
"For bait" You reply.

"Ohh..." She replies. "I think there are some cookies..."

You head to the kitchen, grab the cookies, and go back to where Lyvia is hiding. "Well she isn't anywhere else, so she must be here somewhere" You say, as you check everywhere in the room where you know she isn't. "Ah, well. Guess I'll eat these myself"

You sit down with your back to the table, and munch down on a cookie. They're okay. Not as good as the ones Hella and Esther made way back in Bell's Run, but they're still cookies.

Sure enough, after a few seconds you feel a hand on your back. It's subtle, but it's there.

You hold a cookie over your shoulder, and it gets eaten. So you pat the spot next to you and Lyvia crawls over, walks in a little circle, and then sits down.

She seems to move much more gracefully on all fours than she does on two legs.

She is also butt-naked. Not a huge issue, but definitely something the maiden could have warned you about...

Lyvia doesn't seem to mind the nudity at all, which makes some sense. You'd imagine that she doesn't much like wearing clothes...

"Good morning, Your Majesty" You say, as you hand her another cookie.

She takes it and smiles, saying nothing as she takes a bite.

>Ask why she hates baths

>Ask why she's naked

>Ask if she's more used to walking on all fours

>Ask how she slept

>Other

>>2292468
>Ask how she slept

>>2292468
>>Ask why she's naked

>writing

"How did you sleep?" You ask.

"Vewy werw" She replies, her mouth still full of cookie. She chews and swallows before continuing. "I am told you kept me company"

"I did" You say. "You looked comfortable, so I didn't want to wake you"

"Did I... move about... while I was asleep?" She asks.
"That might be understating it a bit" You say. "When I woke up you were so tangled in my cloak that it took me and your handmaiden 5 minutes just to free you"

"I see..." She says.
"But you have a cute sleeping face, so that made up for any trouble" You say with a smile.

Lyvia averts her eyes and focuses on her cookie.

"Oh, and also... what happened to your clothes?" You ask.

"Treachery!" She says. "My handmaiden was helping me get changed, but once she'd gotten everything off she tried to drag me to the bathtub!"

"Don't like baths?" You ask.
"The ladies always scrub me too hard, and the soaps hurt my nose" She says.
"Can't you bathe without them?" You ask.

She mumbles something in response.

"What was that?" You ask.

"I..." She pauses. "I don't like water..."

"You don't like water?" You ask.

"It's scary!" She says. "I can only hold my breath for 2 minutes in this body! What if I drown?"

>You won't drown in a bathtub...

>What if I stick around to make sure you don't?

>You probably don't need to bathe today...

>Other

>>2292491
>What if I stick around to make sure you don't?
Smiley please stop making good daughterus :( it hurts muh kokoro too much ill die from diabetes.

>>2292491
>What if I stick around to make sure you don't?

>>2292491
>>What if I stick around to make sure you don't?

>writing

>>2292491
>>What if I stick around to make sure you don't?

You put a hand on her head. "What if I stick around to make sure you don't?" You ask. "I won't scrub, or pull out the soap. You can hop in the tub, get clean, and hop out. Okay?"

"I suppose..." She says.

You smile and stand up. "Good" You say, offering her a hand up. "Let's get you clean, shall we?'

She puts the rest of her cookie in her mouth, and takes your hand so you can pull her to her feet.

...

She doesn't let go of your hand, but that's fine too.

You let her lead the way to her personal bathroom. It's much bigger than the one you were using, to the point where you can see why she might be afraid of drowning in it... even if it's not all that deep.

"Alright. I'll stay here and keep watch. You do what you have to do" You say.

She nods, letting go of your hand and going back down on all fours. She darts over to the water's edge, testing it with her hand, giving it a sniff, and then she pulls in her wings and slips in with barely a splash.

She emerges a few seconds later and shakes her head off, running her fingers through her hair a few times before ducking back under. You keep watch out of the corner of your eye, but she seems to be a competent swimmer in her own right.

After a few minutes of swimming around she slips back out and shakes herself off.

"All done?" You ask.

She nods, slinking up to sit beside you and opening her mouth. "Ahhh" She says.

You put a cookie in her mouth, and she munches on it happily. Then you stand up and offer her your hand again. "Alright, let's get you dried off and dressed" You say.

She regards your hand with a curious expression and then she crawls around behind you and up onto your back, soaking your pants and shirt in the process.

When you look back to ask what she's doing, she settles in and smiles, giving her wings a couple playful flaps.

"This works too" You say. "Let's go"

That's all for tonight!

Next thread will be tomorrow.

As always I'll be sticking around for question/suggestion time.

>>2292526
Thanks for running smiley your daughteru post really gives me diabetes T_T

>>2292525
marrying the queen when

>>2292526
Thanks for running, out of curiosity would the legion have gotten whatever it is they were after if we had chosen to go south instead?

>>2292536
Had you chosen to go south or stay in Locke, then Cheska would have won the tournament with a different partner (possibly Caiah) and upon learning that her wish couldn't be granted she would have asked the queen to help you fight the legion

"Now put your arms up, and keep your wings folded" You say.

Lyvia grumbles but does as you say. You found out the hard way that she cannot dress herself, when she got lost in her shirt trying to put it on.

You understand how much trouble that can be. You used to have a hard time with it, and you only had 3 holes to find. With her wings, she's got 5.

Unfortunately, her handmaidens were nowhere to be found, but they left out something for her to wear. So you got stuck helping her again.

Getting her pants on was easy, but the shirt gives you some trouble. Eventually, you do get it on, and her grumpy face pops out of the head-hole.

"There" You say.
"I still do not understand the obsession with clothes you humans all seem to share" She says.
"Well up here at least they wear them to stay warm" You say.

"If it's for warmth, then why must I wear them?" She asks. "I do not feel the cold... and neither do you"
"I can't speak for everyone but I, personally, don't like walking around with my err... genitals hanging out" You say.
"My genitals do not hang" She says, her tail flicking around in annoyance.

>Let's not talk about genitals...

>I did say it was a personal preference

>It's more about being polite...

>Other

>>2293910
>When you aren't a giant dragon you have to put something on to impress people if you want them to listen. Aren't you always complaining about how weak a human body is?

>>2293910
>It's more about being polite...
with a bit of
>>2293921

>writing

"It's more about being polite and impressing people" You say. "When you're not a giant leviathan that's impressive in its own right, you need to use clothes as a way to show your status"

"I see..." She says. "So by adorning myself with impressive clothing, I can gain some of my old imposing stature"
"Something like that" You say.

"Should I be wearing more, then?" She asks, as she examines what she has on. "Surely more is better in this case"
"Quality, not quantity" You say. "A single very nice piece of clothing is better than twelve shoddy bits"

"Hmm... I suppose these will suffice then" She says. "Is there any way to make it better?"
"Well you are a queen. Do you have a crown?" You ask.

"A crown..." She says. "I suppose not, but that is easily remedied"

Lyvia holds out her hands and a ring of ice starts to form. It completes itself and then grows upward, ending with a snowflake-like crown which she then places on her head.

"How about now?" She asks.
"A crown fit for the queen of ice" You say.

Lyvia smiles, looking quite proud of herself.

"Ah, I was wondering where you two went" One of the handmaidens says. "Your clothes have arrived, my lord. I believe you will be most pleased with them"

>Bring 'em up

>Where were you 5 minutes ago?

>How did they get in?

>other

>>2293991
>>Where were you 5 minutes ago?
>>How did they get in?

>>2293991
>>Bring 'em up

>writing

"I was looking for you guys earlier. Where'd you run off to?" You ask.
"I can't speak for my partner, but I was busy making breakfast" She says.

"Oh" Lyvia says, as she puts her hands on her stomach. "I had forgotten about breakfast..."
"Hungry, your majesty?" Brisella asks.

"Yes" Lyvia replies.
"Go on then. Just be sure to let the tailor in first" Brisella says.

Lyvia nods and works her magic. "The stairs are made" She says.
"Just like that?" You ask.
"It is a spell I do quite often" Lyvia says. "Will you be joining us for breakfast?"

"Is there enough for me?" You ask.
"Of course!" Brisella replies.

"Alright then. You go on ahead, though. I'll go see this tailor and get dressed first" You say.

Lyvia nods, holding Brisella's hand as she walks down the stairs. You follow along, but go your separate ways at the dining room...

>1/2

The tailor is a friendly man, with thick glasses and an incredibly fancy moustache. He hands you your new clothes when he arrives and sticks around while you change to ensure everything fits.

The outfit is made up of a long, brown leather coat with a fur lining, a pair of warm, black, lined pants, and a shirt made up of burgundy, dark green, dull yellow, and blue fabric diamonds. Despite the colours of the shirt, it all matches the coat and pants quite nicely.

"Fits perfectly" You say.
"I expected it might. The woman who measured you is an excellent seamstress in her own right, with a good eye for these things" The man says. "Is there anything else you might need?"

>Ask him about his moustache

>Ask how durable this stuff is

>Ask if he's dealt with the lords before

>Other

>>2294079
>>Ask if he's got a good sheath-type thing to holster our mage-blade in that would both tasteful and visible.
>Ask if he's dealt with the lords before

>>2294079
>Ask him about his moustache
>Ask if he's dealt with the lords before
>Other
ask about any local customs or bits of etiquette we should be aware of

>writing

"Will this work with my weapon belts and stuff?" You ask.

"Don't worry about those. Here" He says, handing you a new belt with a pair of mageblade pegs built in. "Not a suit fit for a champion without a place to put his weapons now, is it?"

"Thanks" You reply, as you put on the belt. "How'd you know I was the champion?"
"That info was included with the request" He says. "I've been making clothes for the nobility for a long time now. It's customary to carry a weapon of some sort"

You nod and grab your mageblades so you can attach them to your new belt.

"May I?" He asks, holding out a hand for your mageblade.
"Sure, I guess" You reply.

You hand him a blade, and he looks it over. "Finely made" He says. "Who built these?"
"It was a joint effort between the Hunter's Guild, the blacksmith at Castle Locke, and the only other mageblade user I know of" You say, taking the blade as he hands it back and snapping it onto the other peg.

"A friend of the hunters?" He asks.
"Very much so" You say.
"When you're meeting with the council, be sure to mention that somehow" He says. "They might have their differences, but all of them have a high regard for the guild"

"You must know a lot about these lords" You say. "Mind giving me a few pointers?"
"Certainly" He replies.

>1/2

You talk with the tailor for a while, about the lords, and about his moustache.

"So how does one grow facial hair like that?" You ask.
"It doesn't grow like this naturally. I wax it every morning" He says. "It adds to my image"

"That it does" You reply.

"But, I think I've taken up enough of your time" He says. "I imagine you still have much to do before your meeting, so I'll be on my way"

"Alright. Thanks for the advice" You say.
"Don't mention it" He says. "Really... don't mention it. More than likely it won't be a problem, but I'd rather not have everyone talking about how I helped the Lubrian lad..."

"I understand" You say.

You say farewell to the man, and head off to the dining room. There you find Lyvia sitting at the table looking impatient.

"That suits you nicely" She says.
"I think so too" You reply. "So where's breakfast?"

"You took too long, so I ate yours" She says.
"Well, I guess-

>That's fine too...

>I'll grab something later

>I'll just have to eat you

>Other

>>2294197
>>I'll just have to eat you

>>2294197
>>I'll just have to eat you

>>2294197
>I'll just have to eat you

>>2294197
>>I'll just have to eat you

>writing

"-I'll just have to eat..." You walk over and lift Lyvia out of her chair. "you!"

You hold her tight and nibble on her horns, as she struggles in vain.

"Ahh! Ahhhhh! I was kidding!" She says. "I didn't eat yours! I promise!"
"Oh, well that's alright then" You say.

"I-it is?" She asks.

You sit down and place her in your lap. "You know I wasn't actually going to eat you, right?" You say.
"Y-yeah... I knew that. Haha. Hahaha" She replies.

...

"You thought I was being serious" You say.
"Maybe a little..." She replies.

You chuckle and give her a big hug, which she returns with her wings, keeping her hands in her lap.

"Do you make these kinds of jests often?" She asks.

>Like 99% of the time, yeah

>You'll get them eventually. It took me a while too.

>You did kinda start it...

>Other

>>2294268
>>You'll get them eventually. It took me a while too.

>>2294268
>You'll get them eventually. It took me a while too.
...Huh, you know, I'm just now questioning WHY the queen woke up when she did.
What was the catalyst for that? Is it related to something else happening in that time period?

>>2294274
Probably the simplest answer is the spell was keyed to go off when the black god revived or was expected to revive.

>writing

"You'll get them eventually" You say. "It took me a while too"

"It did?" She asks.

"Absolutely" You reply. "I remember my first day in this world. I don't think I really understood half the things people said to me. Heck, I didn't even get why they kept asking what my name was"

"You had no name as well?" She asks.
"Yeah. Emi is the one who came up with Yuu. You'd like her, actually. She's been like a big sister to me ever since I woke up" You say. "How did you get your name?"

"Lyvia was something Caian came up with. Before that I was known by simpler terms, like the great Leviathan, or just the Leviathan" She says. "Caian named the other great beasts as well"

"Impressive" You say. "The only person I've named is Coral"
"Coral is a sprite" Lyvia says.

Coral pops out from your collar, looking angry.

>That's even better than a person

>See now you've made her mad

>She's not really a normal sprite...

>... how did she even get in there?

>Other

>>2294326
>>She's not really a normal sprite...

>>2294326
>>That's even better than a person
>>... how did she even get in there?

>writing

"That's even better than a person, Right Coral?" You ask.

Coral smiles.

"Alright! Gimme five" You say, putting your hand out for Coral, who leans over and gives it a tap with her own. "And Coral's not really a normal sprite. For one, she's made of Soul, and she doesn't act like a sprite... and according to Namaki she's going to outlive everybody"

"A sprite outliving a human?" Lyvia asks. "I don't know if that means bad things for us, or good things for her..."
"Good things for her, I hope" You say. "and... just how did you get in there? You were in the bathtub last time I saw you"

Coral shrugs.

"That's the answer I was expecting" You say.
"Does she normally live in your clothes?" She asks.
"Pretty much" You say. "She used to stay in my hat, but then I stopped wearing it all that often so she hangs out inside my shirt"

"That sounds... strange" She replies. "It sounds uncomfortable"
"I don't even know she's there half the time" You reply. "As I'm sure you've noticed"

Lyvia laughs.

>1/2

After a few more minutes, Brisella gives you some breakfast and lets you know how much time there is until the meeting.

"Is that a lot of time?" Lyvia asks.
"Depends. How far is the building this is being held in?" You ask.
"A fair distance. If you walk it would take roughly 20 minutes" Brisella replies.

"Best get a move on, then. Wouldn't want to be late" You say.

You then make quick work of your breakfast, stopping only briefly to let Coral have a few bites before scarfing down the rest.

"Alright. Let's go" You say, as you stand up and set Lyvia down.

You take a moment to brush yourself off, then head off.

"Wait up! These little legs can only go so fast" Lyvia says, as she scampers after you.

You hold up for a moment so she can catch up, then start moving again.

"You're going too fast!" She says.
"This is how I usually walk..." You say. "I guess I can slow down a bit"

You look back in time to see Lyvia flap her wings and leap up. She lands on your shoulders and sits down.

"There. Now you may walk as fast as you wish" She says.

>And you can be bigger than everyone again

>You don't think they'll have a problem with this?

>I said I'd slow down...

>Other

>>2294389
>>And you can be bigger than everyone again
If they have a problem with this, tough.

>>2294389
>And you can be bigger than everyone again
fusion

>writing

"And you can be taller than all the lords" You say, looking up with a smile.

"Only because I'm on your shoulders, not through my own abiilities" She says.

"That's what friends are for" You say.

"... to sit on so you can be tall?" She asks.

"No. To cover for your weaknesses" You say. "Along we're both kinda short. But together we're the tallest"
"I see..." She says. "I suppose it will be nice to have an imposing stature once more. Let us make way"

"Good luck, you two" Brisella says. "We'll be following along shortly"

"You sure it's a good idea to leave your queen alone with the foreigner?" You ask.
"Right, because we'd be any help there" She says. "There's a reason she doesn't have guards"

"Point taken" You say. "Let's go!"

>1/2

The walk to the meeting hall doesn't take too long. You pass most of it talking about the buildings and such with Lyvia. She doesn't often leave the palace, so all of this stuff is as new to her as it is to you.

The people give you some odd looks, and the looks only get odd-er when people ask who Lyvia is. Because of course, she gives them the honest answer.

"These folk are not as awe-stricken as I'd hoped" She says.
"Most of them have probably never seen you before, so they might not be sure if you're actually the queen" You say.

"I see..." She says. "So the crown is not enough... perhaps I need a more public presence..."

You catch sight of the building, and see Hella, Pip, and Cheska waiting outside. It's subtle, but you notice Pip reluctantly handing off a few coins to Hella...

"Heya Yuuster" Pip says. "You gave us a scare, stayin' out all night like that"
"Really?" You ask.
"Not really" Cheska says. "We figured you stayed the night over there"

>Ask what the bet was about

>I probably should have sent a message earlier

>Let's head inside

>Other

>>2294437
>>And I sustained more injuries than in most of the tournament fights.
>>Let's head inside

>writing

>>2294437
Why are you guys getting off my back?
What is the bet this time?

"And you were right" You say. "Though I probably sustained more injuries there than I did through the whole tournament..."

The girls all look at each other.

"Not it" Hella and Pip say in unison.
"Not i- dangit" Cheska says, just a split second short of the others. "Alright. How did you get injured?"

"Lyvia thrashes a bit" You say. "But it's cool. We're cool"

You hold your hand up for a fist bump and wait.

...

Pip subtly signals to Lyvia what you're expecting, and after a second Lyvia bumps your fist.

"Alriiiiiight" You say. "Let's head inside"

>1/2

You turn a few heads as you enter the hall. And by a few, you mean all of them. They all stand for the presence of the Queen, and then they stare at you...

There are only two people you recognize in here: the Lord Commander of the city guard, and oddly enough, the tailor.

The kindly old man with the moustache is seated at the large, round table with the rest of the lords. He gives you a subtle wink when you notice him.

"Good morning, my lords" Lyvia says. "I trust you are all well"

"Y-your majesty" One of the Lords says. "What is the meaning of this?"

"The Prince and I have become friends" Lyvia says. "Is there a problem?"

"The prince?" That same lord asks. "Is he..."

"Not a prince of the North" The Lord Commander states. "My Lords, your champion is none other than Yuu Gallant, a prince of Lubars"

That causes no small amount of uproar. Some of the Lords remain calm, the rest start shouting.

"How dare a Lubrian set foot in our halls?"
"We should hang him for even setting foot in our land!"
"No! We should send him back, piece by piece"

>What say?

>>2294504
>>What say?
Hi nice to meet you

>>2294504
Id like to see them try, we're not the champion for no reason. If winning the tournament wasn't enough for them then lets 1v1 them to prove a point.

>>2294504
>>If I wasn't here one of those demons who made a mock of your tournament would be. I came here as a diplomatic envoy and fought fairly. They came to assassinate your queen and however many of you they could probably get. Where would that place your nation then? And where were you in the tournament?

>writing

"Oh?" You ask, speaking loudly over the clamor and putting a hand on your blade. "I assume by now that you've all seen what I'm capable of, so which one of you is planning on wielding that knife?"

...

"No takers?" You ask. "Are the lords of the north the sort to make idle threats?"
"I'll not stand while this pup insults us!" One of them says.

"So sit down" You reply.

The moustached man laughs. "He got you there, Lord Willard" He says.

The Lord, Willard, sits down. You move into the room and take a seat yourself. When you're seated, Lyvia moves down from your shoulders to your lap.

If there were ever a way to let everyone know the two of you are allied...

After that display, it seems you have their ear. Now, to-

>Get straight to the point

>Introduce yourself

>Ask what their feelings on the Legion are

>Other

>>2294541
>>Get straight to the point

>>2294541
>>Ask what their feelings on the Legion are
>>Explain what the Legion is to them.

>>2294541
>Get straight to the point

>writing

"Alright, I'm going to get straight to the point" You say. "The Hell's Legion is a danger to everyone, not just us southerners. By remaining passive in this fight, you waste our only opportunity to defeat them"

"And what would you have us do? March south right now and defend some Lubrian town?" One of the lords asks.

"Absolutely not. The defense of Lubars is a concern for its own armies" You say. "I would have you march south and strike and join us in wiping the Legion off the continent"

"And why should we do that?" Another asks. "We are safe up here. Why get involved in a southern war?"

"If you truly believe that you're safe here because you're hidden behind some snow, then you're either a coward or a fool" You say. "Either way you are wrong. If Lubars falls, the North is next. The cold won't stop the demons, and no amount of power can protect you from the boons of the Black God"

"The Black God...? What nonsense is this?"

>Explain it

>Let Lyvia field this one

>Other

>>2294568
>>Let Lyvia field this one

>>2294568
>>Let Lyvia field this one

>writing

"I could tell you everything I know about it, but it's all second hand" You say. "So I'll let your queen take it from here, if that's alright"

"Fine by me" Lyvia says, as she straightens out. "The Black God was the enemy of all life. Every living thing, man or monster, on this planet banded together when it first appeared"

"And the eight heroes with all their might slew the mighty Malieria. Yes, yes, we've all heard the stories" One of the lord says.

That same lord promptly shuts his mouth, as Lyvia cuts him a glare so sharp you're surprised he doesn't start bleeding.

"First of all, Malteris was not the Black God" Lyvia says. "Second of all, it was never defeated. Any living thing that strayed too close had their mana drained, spells would flicker out long before they could reach it, and the only beings who could approach the monster did not have the power to destroy it"

"So if you couldn't kill it, where did it go?" The moustached lord asks.

"We split the world into two pieces and sealed them off from each other, with te Black God on one, and every other being on the other" She says. "It was the only way to ensure the future of this world"

"Only now, the Legion has found a way to open a hole into that world" You say. "I'm sure those of you who watched the tournament saw the flesh-weapons that some of them held"

"We did indeed"

"They recieved those from the Black God" You say. "They are each imbued with its hunger for mana, draining it from anyone they touch"

"Except for you, of course" Someone says.
"Oh, I'm sure if they could drain me they would" You say. "But I've got no mana for them to take. I'm a Pure Demon and a chaotic, and that makes me your best chance at beating the Legion"

"If they've got you, what's stopping the Lubrians from fighting them off?"

"I am one person. I can fight on equal footing with their commanders but said commanders happen to have armies with them most of the time" You say. "Lubars doesn't have the numbers to defeat them alone, but together with the warriors of the north and south? We can win"

The room is silent for a long while. The Lord Commander of the guard is the first to speak.

"So the Black God is a threat, and the Legion is its army" He says. "Alright. But if we're going to commit troops to this, we're going to need a bit more than a story..."

"Well, luckily I didn't come empty handed" You say. "I understand a few of you have lost land to my people..."

That's all for tonight!

Next thread will be next Wednesday, and unless anyone has any objections I'll be skipping forward to the action.

As always I'll be sticking around for question/suggestion time.

>>2294584
Thanks for running

I finally caught up that was one hell of a marathon

It's been 3 weeks since the big meeting, and you're currently marching south with the bulk of the Northern Forces. The rest of their armies either stayed behind because they belonged to lords who weren't swayed, or remained on guard in case the Legion decides to turn its eye northward.

If you remember right, you crossed the border into Lubars, and have been marching south to your planned assault location of Lutain. By keeping the Locken River to the west of you, you make any worthwhile assaults much more difficult, while any army that tries to harass you from the other side will find out just how quickly the Pale Queen can create a bridge...

"Where is she, anyway?" You ask Pip.
"The Queen? I dunno. I figured she was in her tent or something" She replies.

It's still early in the morning, and camp hasn't been struck yet. You're spending today's morning leisure time playing cards with Cheska and Pip.

"Doubt it. I saw that Gilna girl askin' around for her earlier" Cheska says.

After much hemming and hawing, Cheska decided to stick around after all. You thought for sure that you'd get up one morning and she'd be gone, but you're glad she decided to stay.

Hella isn't with you. You sent her back to Lubars to relay your plan to Altea. It was too much to trust to a sprite, but you knew she was up to the job.

"Why so curious?" Pip asks.
"Because she's usually bugged me in some way by now..." You say.
"Where do you think she went?" Cheska asks.

>Maybe my tent?

>Off to bug the cooks?

>Ask Coral

>Other

>>2311343
>>Maybe my tent?

>>2311343
>>Maybe my tent?

>writing

>>2311343
>>Maybe my tent?

"Maybe my tent?" You ask. "I was up a little earlier than usual, and she normally shows up before I'm awake"

"And she just decided to stay there when there's no Yuu to bug?" Cheska asks.
"Who knows? She might have figured he'd be back soon, so she's waiting to ambush you" Pip says.

"What do you think, Coral?" You ask.

Coral smiles and points to a card in your hand.

"No, about- well, I mean yeah. That, obviously" You say, before playing the card Coral pointed to.
"Dangit" Pip says.

"Looks like I win" You say, as you stand up and brush yourself off.
"Hold up. I demand a rematch. You used Coral to help you, that's cheating!" Pip says.

"No can do. I've gotta go check in on the queen" You say. "Toodles"

"Ugh, fine. Just keep your eyes open. I hear there's a pleasant surprise coming today" Pip says, gving you a quick wink.

...

>Head off

>What kind of surprise?

>It's not my birthday again, is it?

>Other

>>2311423
>>What kind of surprise?

>writing

"What kind of surprise?" You ask.
"I just told you: the pleasant kind" Pip says.

...

"That could mean anything from 'I'm getting candy' to 'the war is over and we won'" You say.
"Well it's neither of those" She says.

"That... doesn't narrow it down" You say.
"Just go on, Yuuster" Pip says. "Best not to keep the queen waiting"

You give Pip one last look, and then head off.

"Too bad it isn't candy. As far as pleasant surprises go, I wouldn't mind that" You say. "Right Coral?"

Coral gives you a thumb's up.

You walk into your tent, and nothing immediately looks amiss. Though there is a rather large lump under the covers on your bedroll... a lump that looks roughly queen sized.

>Pretend you didn't see anything

>Take the queen back to her tent in the blanket

>Take the blanket off

>Other

>>2311476
>>Other
>cuddle with the lump

>>2311476
>Take the blanket off
the only option

>>2311476
>>Take the blanket off

>>2311476
Reach under the blanket and tickle

>writing

You walk over beside your bedroll and grab the edge of the blanket.

"Alright... 1... 2... 3!" You say, as you rip the covers off and prepare for what follows.

As the blanket comes away, you see Lyvia's wings spread out. She leaps at you, latching on with her legs around your torso and her arms around your head as she starts gnawing on you.

You sigh. "Good morning, your majesty" You say, craning your neck back with some effort to get a look at her face.

She smiles. "You taste good today" She says, giving your forehead a few licks.
"Do I want to know why you have a point of comparison for that?" You say. "Why aren't you in your tent?"

"People keep bugging me in there, so Gilna keeps making me wear clothes!" She says.

...

You don't know if it's a good or a bad thing that you didn't notice that was nude...

"Does this not count as me bugging you?" You ask.
"Incorrect. This counts as me bugging you!" She says with a cheerful smile, as she licks your head again, flaps her wings playfully and starts to wag her tail.

>Can you at least wear something when you bug me?

>Gilna's been worried about you...

>Engage tickling hands

>Other

>>2311532
>>Gilna's been worried about you...

>>2311532
>>Engage tickling hands

>>2311532
>Engage tickling hands
destroy her

>writing

"You know Gilna's been worried about you" You say.
"If she didn't want me running off, then she shouldn't have forced me to wear pants" Lyvia says, pointing to a pair of fine looking pants laying on the floor. "What even are those? I could feel my legs being suffocated!"

"They're not supposed to be that tight..." You say. "Can you please get off my head?"

Lyvia responds by munching on some of your hair.

"Alright... you have until the count of 3" You say. "1... 2... 3"

You reach up, grab her ribs and tickle the absolute heck out of her. In response she squeals and tries to fly away, only getting a few wingbeats in before her lack of speed causes her to fall.

You catch her, of course. Not because you don't want her to fall, but because you don't want her getting away.

But it quickly becomes clear that restraining someone with 7 limbs while you only have 4 is a losing prospect. You lose hold of her and she skitters around on all fours, running circles around you until you trip on her tail and lose your balance. Then she pounces, bowling you over with more force than you'd expect from someone so small and smiling triumphantly.

>Admit defeat

>Fight back

>Other

>>2311594
>bring out the mage blade to even up the limb score

>>2311594
>>Fight back
>>Can we grab her with a chain flare without actually injuring her?

>>2311594
>Fight back
fugg

>writing

For a moment you consider using your chain flares to even up the odds. But if you start using spells, she gets to start using spells.

With her magic she can make an entire palace out of ice, freeze rivers in seconds, and manipulate the weather. You can inconvenience people with chain flares and little shields.

...


Yeah, she'd definitely have the advantage there. But just because she's on top doesn't mean she wins...

"You know that this is exactly where we started, right?" You ask.

The realization dawns on her, and she goes for your arms. Too slow. You reach back up and tickle the hell out of her again.

Only this time you get a better hold so she can't fly off. She squeals and kicks and struggles, but you hold fast.

You only stop when you hear someone clearing their throat at the entrance. You look over to see Altea looking at you with her eyebrow raised.

...

So that's what Pip meant by surprise.

...

>What say?

>>2311632
>Don't worry, I don't discriminate between white and red dragons if you want to tickle fight too.

>writing

>>2311632
She needed to be punished for sneaking into my tent for the umpteenth time.

>>2311660
I figure no reasonable way out of this, so might as well go all in.

>>2311632
>I know what it looks like, but this is self-defense.

"C-care to join us?" You ask.

"What exactly are you doing?" Altea asks.

"Punishing her for sneaking into my tent for the umpteenth time" You say.
"And she is...?" Altea asks.

Lyvia stands up, brushes herself off and offers her hand to Altea. "I am Lyvia, queen of the northern reaches" She says.

Altea takes Lyvia's hand and gives it a delicate shake, as you stand back up and nudge Lyvia with your elbow.

"What is it?" Lyvia asks.

You point to her clothes, which are on the floor at the side of the tent.

...

Lyvia looks down at herself and nods, before silently walking over to the discarded clothing. She gets about halfway, and then trips on her own feet.

You walk over and give her a hand up. She thanks you and continues forward.

While Lyvia struggles to get her clothing back on, Altea looks at you.

"Do I want to know why the Queen of the North is naked in your tent?" She asks.

>She hates wearing clothes

>Just building diplomatic relations

>I honestly don't know

>Other

>>2311695
>Clothes are a very new thing for her. She's more used to being a giant leviathan, and I don't think they ever made clothes in that size.

>>2311695
>Just building diplomatic relations.
>It'd be worse if she was naked in someone else's tent.

>writing

>>2311695
Clothes... I used to have the same problem

"Just building diplomatic relations" You say.
"That didn't look like diplomatic relations" Altea replies.

"Oh, because she was nude? That's normal. Lyvia isn't quite used to having to wear clothes... or put them on. Gimme a sec" You head over to help Lyvia get her pants on. "Those are backwards, Lyvia. Here, just hold your legs up"

"Why is there a front AND a back?" She asks. "Were these built to frustrate me?"
"They were built to be worn, and- jeez, these are tight" You say. "Next time you see your handmaidens tell them Yuu said to loosen your pants up"

You hear Altea chuckling. "Okay. I get it now" She says. "But I think I'm a bit too old to be a grandmother..."

"Well, that's good because she's more like a sister than a daughter" You say, as you give up on trying to get Lyvia's pants on and ruffle her hair. "And maybe we can ignore the pants. Your shirts are always more like long robes anyway"

>Ask what brings her here

>Ask how your actual sister is doing

>Ask why she didn't tell you she was coming

>Other

>>2311728
>>Ask what brings her here
>>Ask how your OTHER sister is doing

>>2311728
>Ask why she didn't tell you she was coming
>Ask what brings her here

>writing

>writing

"So what brings you here?" You ask, as you pull Lyvia's shirt over her head.

"I came to finalize the plans for our attack" She says.
"Can I come?" You ask.

"It's already done" She says. "It was quick and painless. A nice surprise given the hostility I had been expecting"

"I did a pretty good job convincing them to join us" You say. "Well... Lyvia did a lot too. I doubt I would have gotten so far without her"

You get the shirt down over her head to reveal Lyvia looking very pleased with herself.

"There. That should do for now. We'll talk to the maidens and see if we can't get you something more comfortable" You say. "Oh, and how's my other sister doing?"

"Val is doing quite well. She's in the care of your cousin for the time being, but I'll be making trips back to Leon every now and then to see how she's doing..." Altea says. "Kind of unfortunate that she was born in such a time. I wish I had more time with her..."

"We'll just have to finish this up quickly" You say. "Any word from the south?"
"Nothing yet" Altea says. "But it doesn't seem like anyone has been trusting much to sprites these days..."

"No kidding" You say. "Coral's been bored out of her mind these last few weeks. Right Coral?"

Coral smiles and gives you a thumb's up.

"Or maybe she's enjoying her vacation" You say.

"Still, I didn't expect the Pale Queen to be quite so..." Altea says. "Well, I'm not quite certain what I expected"

>You don't even know the half of it...

>I, for one, am glad that she is adorable

>Other

>>2311773
>>I, for one, am glad that she is adorable

>>2311773
>I, for one, am glad that she is adorable
>Wait, hang on a minute, couldn't you just make some magical unmelting ice clothes whenever you wanted? And just un-make them when you're done with them?

>>2311773
>I, for one, am glad that she is adorable

>writing

You pick Lyvia up, and give her a big hug. "I, for one, am glad she is adorable" You say. "Diplomacy is so much easier when foreign royalty takes well to things like snuggling and petting"

"Had I known about this in advance it would make me look quite wise for having sent you" Altea says.

"I think the results will speak for themselves" You say. "Now come on. Let's get you back to your tent before Gilna has a heart attack"
"Fiiine" Lyvia says.

"So how did you two come to be so close?" Altea asks.
"Kind of a long story" You say. "Well... not long. It's actually pretty short. But it might take a while to tell"

"I have some time" Altea replies.
"So it sort of started during the tournament..."

You tell your mom about your first meeting with Lyvia at the tournament, and how things only got stranger from there when you spent time with her at the palace.

"So... yeah" You say. "We've grown pretty close... which would have been hard not to do given the circumstances"

"Can we back up to the part about how she was a massive leviathan three thousand years ago?" Altea asks.
"Oh yeah... I suppose that bit's important too" You reply. "Lyvia can tell you more about that, though. Right?"

"What?" Lyvia asks. She looks confused.
"Were you listening?" You ask.
"I thought it was safe to tune this out, since I was there for all of these events" Lyvia says. "What are we talking about now?"
"Tell Altea about how massive you were" You say.
"Ah, yes" Lyvia says as she turns to Altea. "I was quite large indeed"

"... and?" Altea asks.

Lyvia looks to you for further cues.

"She probably wants to know what happened after that" You say.
"Ohhh. Yes that makes sense" Lyvia says. "Well it all started when the Black God came to our world..."

That's all for tonight!

Next thread will be tomorrow.

As always I'll be sticking around for question/suggestion time.

>>2311783
Ice is way too brittle to make clothing of, even with magic.

>>2311826
Ah, I see.
I totally thought she'd be able to pull it off due to insane levels of skill.
Ice that doesn't really act like ice.

>>2311826
I'm not sure if it got lost in the timeskip or was intended for later, but did Lyvia's investigation of where all the information on the monsters sealed in the towers went result in anything?

"Whatever happened to those books you mentioned?" You ask Lyvia. "The ones about the harbingers"

"They could not find them" Lyvia replies.

"Were they... stolen?" You ask.

"Destroyed, more likely" Altea says. "I recall something similar happening at Castle Locke, with another book you were looking for"

"Oh yeah... Monuments and Mysteries, I believe" You say. "I never did get around to that one, even when I got to Leon"

"Who would have destroyed them?" Lyvia asks. "There's only one person I can think of who would even want to do such a thing"

"Malteris?" You ask.

Lyvia nods.

"I guess he's just hellbent on being a massive pain in the butt..." You say as you arrive at Lyvia's tent. "We'll have to find out about the rest of the Harbingers the hard way then. Now go on, tell your handmaidens I said to give you looser pants"

"Kaaayy" Lyvia replies as she heads inside.

"You seem to have slipped into the role of 'big brother' rather well" Altea says. "Good thing for her, those handmaidens don't sound like they're doing a very good job..."

"To be fair, they had no idea they'd be taking care of someone until the Queen melted" You say.

>But they could definitely use some pointers...

>Ask her how things are in Locke

>Ask if she's talked to Pip yet

>I'm always in the big brother role

>Other

>>2313648
>I'm always in the big brother role - but even I was shocked given her tail is not fluffy
>Ask her how things are in Locke

>>2313648
>But they could definitely use some pointers...

>Ask her how things are in Locke

>writing

"And I'm always in the big brother role" You say.

Altea smiles and ruffles your hair. "So you're a champion now, hmm?" She asks.
"Me and Cheska" You say. "Though admittedly, I did most of the work..."

"And humble too" She says.

"What? I did..." You say. "But you've heard about that already. How are things in Locke?"

"Tense, but otherwise okay" She says. Never thought I'd hear soldiers who were happy about marching out, but I think a lot of them were just happy to finally be doing something"

"Understandable. Waiting on the walls for the Legion to come again couldn't have been pleasant" You say. "How's the marching been?"

"Slow going through the snow, but the weather's been kind" She says. "We brought the Rook, by the way. Once we're in Lutain you can get it from our supplies"

"You didn't have to bring it with you..." You say.

"We didn't do it just for your sake. Having one of our best fighters on the fastest transport has its own advantages, you know" She says.

You hear a bit of a ruckus coming from inside Lyvia's tent.

"Should we do something about that?" Altea asks.

>Gimme a second...

>It's probably fine

>Other

>>2313763
>It's probably fine
>You really think I'm that good of a fighter?

>>2313763
>I'll leave it to you, grandmother.

>writing

"It's probably fine" You say. "And you really think I'm one of your best?"

She smiles and lays a hand on your cheek. "You've come a long way since you first showed up at my doorstep" She says. "You went from someone who could barely hold his weapon together, to well... what you are now"

"You get some of the credit for that..." You say.

"I am well aware of that. But most of it is owed to your own perseverance" She says. "Both my boys have gone and become formidable in their own right, and I am certainly proud of you"

"Both... Derrick?" You ask.

"Of course. He's not mine, technically. But he might as well be" She says.

You chuckle. "Be sure to tell him that" You say. "He doesn't get compliments very often, so hearing how proud of him you are might make him faint"

"Oh, please. I doubt he would faint" She says.

>Yeah, probably

>5 silver says he does

>Other

>>2313853
5 silver he does
Time for our first bet and lose

>>2313853
>>Yeah, probably
>>I'm expecting him to be there at the end with me when we take out Mahron.

>>2313853
>So, are you planning on teaching your new daughter how to kick ass too?

>writing

"5 silver says he does" You say.

Altea snorts. "You've been spending too much time around Pip" She says.
"You're the one who sent her with me" You say.

"That is true" She says. "I'm surprised Derrick decided to stay behind, in the end"

"He wanted to make sure Locke stayed safe" You say. "and one of us had to stay behind and look after you"

For a moment it looks like Altea might get defensive but instead, she smiles. "Thank you... it has been a difficult time, and I suppose I was glad to have some company"

You smile, but before you can reply you hear crashing from inside the tent.

...

"Are you sure we shouldn't do something?" Altea asks.
"It's probably still fine, but I'll go check just in case" You say.

>1/2

You walk in and the scene in the tent is about what you expected: Lyvia is naked on top of a piece of furniture in a defensive sort of 'cornered animal' stance, while her handmaidens look distraught.

"How is she wearing less clothes than I sent her in with?" You ask. "I just said to give her looser pants..."

"We tried to do that, but she freaked out" Brisella replies.

You sigh and walk up to the dresser where Lyvia decided to make her stand. "Come on down, Lyv" You say, holding your arms out to her in a welcoming, non-threatening way.

Lyvia calms down a little, scurrying down from the dresser and into your arms.

"There we go. What's the matter?" You ask.

...

"If you don't tell me what's wrong, I can't help you" You say.
"I hate pants..." She says.

>Me too...

>Skirts are a thing that exists

>You can't just not wear pants forever...

>Other

>>2313955
>Skirts are a thing that exists

>>2313955
>>Skirts are a thing that exists

>>2313955
>>Frilly skirts are a thing that exists

>writing

>yfw the queen agrees to skirts, but not to underwear

"Skirts are a thing" You say.

"Indeed" You hear Altea say from the entrance. "You'll need to be more careful when flying in one, but if pants are the problem..."

"And y-you will probably have to start wearing underpants..." Gilna says.

Lyvia looks like she doesn't like that prospect.

You smile and stroke her cheek. "I know you don't like it, but sometimes you have to compromise" You say.

"Com-pro-mise?" She asks.

"Find a middle ground between what you want and what others want" You say. "In this case, it's a choice between pants, or skirts with underpants"

Lyvia thinks for a moment. "I suppose the second will suffice"

"See? That wasn't so hard" You say. "Now get dressed and don't give your handmaidens any fuss. That goes for you two as well, try not to be pushy okay?"

"W-we'll try" Gilna replies.

>Go wait outside

>On second thought, let me do it...

>On second thought, why not let Altea help?

>Other

>>2314022
>On second thought, let me do it...
Seems like she trusts us a lot more than the other people, so she'd probably let us do it with the least amount of effort

>>2314022
>>On second thought, why not let Altea help?

>>2314033

>>2314047
meant to say

>writing

"On second thought, why don't I do it?" You say. "Mom, you can help. You must have some tricks for getting wings and tails through clothing"

"I do" Altea says.

With Altea's help, you get Lyvia dressed up in no time.

"Oh, dear. Don't cinch around the wings too tightly. Makes it chafe too much" Altea says.
"Alright. How's that?" You ask.

"Give it a few flaps, dear. See how it feels" Altea says.

Lyvia does just that. "Much more comfortable than usual" She says.

Altea smiles. "My own mother had to teach the maids something similar when I was growing up" She says. "You'll find that flight is all the more pleasant in well fitting, comfortable clothing"

Lyvia looks frustrated and gives her wings a few short flaps.

"What's wrong?" Altea asks.

Lyvia mumbles something.

"Speak up, dear. You're a queen, not a mouse" Altea says.
"They don't let me fly around on my own" Lyvia says.

Altea seems to be at a complete loss for words.

"W-we can't send her alone, she would be safe up-" Brisella starts, before a look from Altea shuts her right up.

"Safety? She's a dragon" Altea says. "A dragon growing up without the open sky is... it's a crime!"

>What say?

>>2314090
>I think it's time to start treating her like a queen and not someone who needs a caretaker. Anyone who can actually kill her is not someone you can stop anyway.

>writing

>>2314104
Will you stop citing m voting to cuddle? Blasphemer

Ah fuck these phone keyboards they make you look like an idiot

>>2314119
>>2314121
I have no idea what you are saying.

"Yeah, maybe it's time to let her spread her wings a bit" You say. "It's not like the rest of us would stand a chance against someone who could threaten her anyway"

"But what if she falls?" Gilna asks.

"That's part of learning to fly" Altea says. "Tell you what, if falling is your fear then there should be no problem if she were accompanied by someone who could catch her"

"Th-that would be fine, but-"

"Excellent" Altea says. "Care to fly with me, your highness?"

Lyvia looks excited, and she turns to you.

"Don't look at me, it's up to you" You say.

She turns back to Altea and nods enthusiastically, then the two of them step out.

Pip is outside the tent. "Hey Commander, I was hoping to-"
"In a minute, Pippi" Altea says. "I've got to spread my wings for a bit"

"O... kay" Pip says.

Altea and Lyvia take flight, rising quickly into the air. Lyvia is far more graceful than you thought she'd be. You guess it's just like how she prefers to walk on 4 limbs. Flying is just more natural for her...

Pip looks confused

>Ask Pip what brings her here

>Fill Pip in on what she missed

>Ask where Cheska is

>Other

>>2314166
>>Ask Pip what brings her here

>>2314166
>Ask Pip what brings her here

>Fill Pip in on what she missed

>writing

"What brings you here?" You ask.

"I had a few things I wanted to ask the Commander" Pip replies. "But I guess that can wait... how did this end up happening?"

"She got upset when she heard that they weren't letting Lyvia fly" You say.

"Ahh, I get it" She says. "So were you surprised?"

"Pleasantly" You say. "I would've preferred some head's up, though. It took a while to explain why I was tickling a naked dragon in my tent"

...

"See, that sounds dirty even though I know the context" Pip says. "You might wanna phrase that differently next time"
"Is there another way to phrase it?" You ask.

"Literally any way but that" She replies. "And speaking of your tent, you'll want to go strike it. Sounds like we're moving out soon"

>Do that now

>Wait until the dragons land

>Other

>>2314228
>>Do that now

>>2314228
>Do that now

>writing

"Sounds like a good idea... but shouldn't you be doing that too?" You ask.

Pip smiles. "Red's taking ours down" She says. "As per our wager on our last game"
"Yuh-huh" You say. "Lemme see what's in your sleeves"

"Only 2 cards, and I never even had to use 'em" Pip says. "Aint that impressive?"

"I should tell her about this" You say.

"Be my guest. She knew what she was gettin' into when she decided to bet something tangible against me" Pip says.

"Fair enough" You say. "If they come down before I'm done, let them know where I went"

"Aye aye~" Pip replies as you head off.

When you reach your tent, you get started. You've done this enough times that it's become second nature to now: pack your bedroll and blanket, take down the poles, fold up the canvas, aaaaand done.

Now you just pack it away on the storage cart, and away we go.

Looking up, you see that Altea and Lyvia are still flying around. While it is interesting to watch them fly, you can't exactly do it forever...

>Go find Cheska

>Head back to Pip

>Other

>>2314289
>>Go find Cheska

>writing

You figure it'll be a while before they come down, so you might as well go see how Cheska's doing.

She's doing about as well as you expected...

You arrive to find that the tent has collapsed on top of her, and she appears to be lying down inside.

"How ya doin', Cheska?" You ask.

"The tent has bested me" She replies. "You should leave me behind, I'll be no use to you in a fight if I can't even beat a tent"

"To be fair, you are at a disadvantage" You say.
"Oh yeah?" She asks.

"You can't burn the tent, otherwise you and Pip will have nowhere to sleep" You say.

She sits up and tries to feel around with her arms. "Aww, you'd make poor little Cheska stay out in the cold?" She asks. "Where the heck are you?"
"Over here" You say.

...

"That doesn't help" She says.

"You can come out of the tent, you know" You say.

...

"You've lost the entrance, haven't you?" You ask.

"I closed it because I was changing, and then I kicked one of the poles out after I tripped and now I can't get out..." She says.

>Maybe I should leave you...

>Help her out

>Tell me you at least finished changing

>Other

>>2314336
>>Tell me you at least finished changing
>>If my mom walks in on me naked twice today, I'm not sure even I can talk myself out of it.

>>2314340
"with someone naked" I mean

>writing

"Tell me you at least finished changing. My mom's here today and she's already walked in on me with one naked girl..."

"Lyvia doesn't count. You're like her dad" Cheska says.
"It was still awkward" You say.

You step over and start trying to find the entrance to the tent. Sure enough, it's shut tight. So you undo the snaps and open it up.

"Alright, there you go-"

Cheska's head pops out of the tent and she gives you a peck on the cheek, smiling as she pulls away.

You sigh. "Be honest with me. How much of this was just set up so you could do that?" You ask.
"None. That was all spur of the moment" She says. "I actually was... stuck..."

"Something wrong?" You ask.

Cheska points up to the sky. You turn around just in time to see Altea dive towards Lyvia as a massive fireball just misses them.

You turn back to Cheska, as you hear explosions coming from elsewhere in the camp.

"I think the tent can wait" You say as you stand and pull Cheska out.
"I agree" She replies.

All around, the alarm bells start to ring. You're under attack.

That's all for tonight!

Next thread will be next Wednesday, but I'll try to keep things moving in the days between. I may try to do short 1 1/2-2 hour runs either before or after work in the next few days just to see how it works, because I'm tired of how slow BtG is moving.

As always I'll be sticking around for question/suggestion time

>>2314387
I wouldn't worry about the pace, you can't appreciate the action unless there's a moment of rest between every now and then.

>>2314548
Not the pace as in the pacing, that I'm fine with. It's how slowly things move in general when I only run twice a week. I do have other projects I'd like to start once BtG is done, so it'd be nice to have it finished within the decade.