Fantastical Beasts and How To Imagine Them

It seemed things were going swimmingly! Solana beamed happily as they continued to speak amongst each other. Aster was on board to gather information, Heinrich was being nice to Fēowertīne and Fēowertīne was just being the CUTEST! All in all things we-

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...

"I'm sorry, can you please repeat what you said about our princess?" Solana rose, placing her hands lightly on the table as she stared down Heinrich. Despite her grave tone, there was still a pleasant smile written on her face. "I may have misheard. Sometimes I mishear things and make mistakes. I just don't want to make a mistake here, I think." She blinked hard, a concerned look appearing on her face.

"So, please repeat what you said. I think I misheard."

Aster was bordering on impatience by now. They might not have taken curfews seriously, but they didn't live here and had a bounty on their head. That said, Heinrich let slip a distasteful comment about the princess which instantly made Aster's eyes widen. It wasn't that she disagreed, not at all, but if someone who happened to be a loyalist happened to be--

Ah. And of course Solana was just that.

Solana was still smiling when she asked Heinrich to repeat himself, but the intensity in her eyes and the gravity in her voice was enough to cause her concern. She knew what Ardors were like when they were mad, and while she didn't know what Solana had been doing these past few years, she briefly sensed the madness she had grown to be familiar with in her youth.

A hand would place itself gently on Solana's shoulder.

"I'm sure he said nothing important," Aster said in a calm tone. She tried to feign a casual smile hoping to appease the situation.

She didn't really care for the hunter. If Solana wanted to be mad at him any other time, that'd be fine. But now wasn't. There were too many people and a scene could easily draw the attention of the border patrol. Hopefully, Solana would take her word for it, but she doubted it.

Solana took offense to the truth. Their dear little princess was an incompetent ruler who spent more time on sadistic games for her hand in marriage than she did about trying to do things about the the eternal winter and its friend famine. How many people died just last night of exposure in their own homes, bellies empty and frightful of the things lurking just outside their homes? How many were going to die that very night?

But the lady's anger was raised at someone who dares to question if the monarch that does nothing about that is the main problem. It was kind of amusing in a way and he couldn't help but smile back at Solana.

"Now, now. No need to get hot under the collar. I'm here for a job and my political commentaries aren't going to provide food on the table. If I've offended your fervent patriotism, then that is a shame."

He pressed his right hand to his chest, and under the table he was already palming a knife with the other. "I'm from Adlemerrow, and I hold no obligation to show deference to a foreign crown. If you find that unacceptable then how sad it is we both wasted out time."

And this is why no one ever visited Eeislyn. Worthless princess, worthless land, worthless people.

If Feo had been a mind-reader, she'd probably be surprised to have realized that, for once, she and Heinrich were on the same page. Though in the long run it obviously mattered little to her, her task was not one of compassion, what few stories she'd heard whispered in pubs painted a truly distressing picture of a mad child of a woman whose twisted games had led her nation down the path of ruin. Mental illness? Possession? Perhaps she had been given the Power, Feo wasn't quite sure. Whatever the case may be, no matter how much others may care for her, she was a menace to the people of this nation, and one that would surely either lead it to its doom or die for its salvation, one or the other.

Not that she'd voice those thoughts, politics were beneath her station, and tended to result in these sort of tense moments for some reason. Her brow furrowed as she quietly coughed into her fist, deciding she might have to refocus the group here. Her attempt was a bit uncomfortable, however; she was an Observer, after all, and putting herself in the middle of something was not exactly what she was used to.

"We need to gather information, so perhaps we should do so sooner than later; I believe the old saying is 'time is money', is it not? In that case, a swift conclusion would be to all of our interests," she said, looking between the three. "Let us split up for now, gather what information we need and reconvene at a location and time of Miss Ardor's choosing."

Solana's head would snap towards Aster as she touched her. For a moment, it seemed like she had forgotten where she was. Her face softened and a more genuine smile appeared on her face as she stared at her friend. "Ah...yes, if I wasn't sure It must've..."

And then Heinrich spoke more.

"Your mind may speak such things in Aldmerrow. You are in another's home, you must not spit on the floors!" There would be a small hissing sound in the air as Solana spoke. The air around Solana was growing hotter by the second. She blinked, her gaze narrowing on Heinrich a moment, before suddenly going to Fēowertīne. "Do you share his mind then? Am I..." Her voice hitched in her throat and she looked back at Aster. "I'm not...I'm not hearing things right am I?"

A moment would pass and she'd relax once more. She'd let out a long sigh, steam flowing from her mouth. "I apologize. We will split up and meet back at the inn right before curfew. I've provided rooms. There will be a bonus for everyone, I think. I've misheard things twice now. I'm...I don't wish to upset anyone."

Despite the tavern being a lot warmer than the outside, Aster noticed the air about her getting hotter, like a hand in close proximity to a fire place. Observing Solana's distress and the steam about her, she had to temporarily let go of Solaana's shoulder.

When Solana faltered and asked if she was hearing things, she merely steeled herself and placed her hand on Solana's shoulder again.

"You're fine," she reassured. "As for splitting up, I'll go with you and these two can go together."

Aside from wanting to find out more about Solana in general, Aster didn't want to be indirectly responsible for murder by letting Solana go off with one of these anti-kingdom talkers only to singe them to ashes. It wasn't that she shared Solana's sentiments, but she knew Eisleyn enough to carefully tread the ground she walked on.

"You and I can start with some of the village folk to the east if you'd like, Solana," she said, trying to be as soft with her tone as possible. Solana seemed to feel bad about "mishearing" things. "How about you two?"

Heinrich just smiled wryly when the mad firefly that was financing this fools errand talked about spitting on the floor of another's home. That wasn't quite accurate. To properly fill in the analogy, he didn't so much spit as point out that the roof was on fire and there were feral dogs helping themselves to a meal in what used to be the infant's crib.

"Feo speaks for herself. Even if she has to mind me for her own reasons doesn't mean she shares any opinions with me." If anything, having to come to Eislyn was the latest indignity for her to be cross with him over. Was he trying to defend her? "If your boiled over patriotism means you have to scald someone, do spare hr that would you?" It did! The things you can buy with money!

"We'll be relying on her to talk with the other children. I might as well go and get what supplies I can before curfew." He didn't react when it got hotter, or even when their mercurial expedition head. "It's best not to waste any more time, then."

"It's as Heinrich says; I speak only for myself, and in this, I have nothing to say. I don't keep up with Eisleyn," Feo replied, after a moment of hesitation. She'd honestly been caught offguard by his leap to her defense, but it quickly dawned on her that this leap was, of course, purchased a moment ago. Moreso, she was surprised to find herself lumped in with Heinrich's speech; again, her association to him was bringing her nothing but trouble again!

"... I will do my best to gather any information from the children, though I would like to remind you I... do not have much in common to endear myself to them," she added, awkwardly. It was true, people closer to her appearance seemed to get along well with her for the most part, but Feo herself wasn't used to them, herself, and tended to sound more like an uncomfortable adult trying to reach them on their level when she spoke to them. "B-But yes, this argument isn't going to help any of us. Let us split up for now... And, erm, my apologies if I somehow offended you. I am... not socially couth."

She added the last part with a small nod of the head to Solana. If Heinrich was willing to go the distance to get this paycheck, she'd at the very least do her best to avoid sabotaging it on her own.

Dealing with this man was truly doing Solana's mood no favors. In the end, she simply gave a small frown. She truly must be hearing things wrong. Surely the man wouldn't insist on being continually frustrating to an Ardor. Such the man would've been boiled alive by her mother by now. Solana had more patience of course, but her reputation was that of an Ardor. Most didn't look too far past that. As for the child..."You said nothing to offend! Nor am I, so I'm told." Solana let out a small snicker and beamed at the young one. For someone so young, she was incredibly well spoken.

"Going different paths is a good idea, yes." Gingerly, she raised her hand and pat Aster on her head. "Your mind is so much better than mine." She said almost endearingly.

"Okay then!" She suddenly brightened. "Let us meet back here when the sun hides from the moon!"

The hunter and the girl didn't seem to care about how much offending the princess and Eisleyn were super taboo around here, but it wasn't unlike outsiders who didn't have to live here to be that careful. Aster merely let out a controlled sigh.

Her eyes quickly shifted to Solana who was looking...worse for wear? Solana then gave her a pat on the head, something that made the latter visibly tense. When was the last time someone had ever done that to her?

Whatever the case, they were on their way. Aster would place a firm hand on Solana's shoulder and guide her out to part ways with the others. Once Heinrich and the young one were out of earshot, she'd turn to the red-haired noble and offer a small smile.

"Ignore them," she said. "They're not from around here, I'm guessing. Now that they're out of the way though..."

Aster took a few steps forward.

Her fur cape billowed as the wind picked up from underneath. She turned to Solana and gave her a soft smile.

"Maybe we can catch up a bit?" she said.