(16 AE) The Royal Gathering

[Lesingnon]

He could only shrug slightly in response to Green’s question. He couldn’t say he knew much more about either of Bronson than the mountain did. Merely his name, from the introduction that Green had just missed, and some gradually forming first impressions from what he’d seen of the man so far. “He said his name was Bronson Keeley, he’s here to swear the oath…other than that I don’t know anything more about him than you do.”

Though he appeared to be a bit…full of himself, and more than a little condescending. He perhaps seemed to be, Rick pondered, one of those people who was entirely too aware of his good looks.

Or perhaps it was just a bad initial impression. Time would tell.

But at least he wasn’t hounding after a girl whose attention was clearly…elsewhere. Mhairi had a penchant for Shadowsouls, it seemed. He wondered if that was some sort of reflection upon her time in Arcadia.

“Really?” He certainly hadn’t expected to hear that it was Nathan’s first Autumn Coronation, he knew the Hunterheart had been around longer than that. “What happened with last year’s?”

And Morgan’s bit of news about the pixies was something he’d certainly had to keep in mind. And he considered it as he followed L’aire as she gravitated away from the door, staying at the side of his Motley mate for now. “Huh, now that you mention it I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen unsworn changelings in their presence before,” but now he knew what to expect if he ever did. “I’ll make sure to get them sworn in before we head to the Hollow, then.”

“I’m actually hoping to administer the oath all at once, like we did back in the old days.” His eyes did slide, briefly, over to L’aire as he mentioned that. She might be the only other Changeling left that had seen those coronations. Certainly the only one he knew from that era. And then he shrugs slightly, “Call it a nostalgic touch, I suppose.”

[Malcolm Green]

Green said nothing as he quietly lumbered behind Rick, L'aire and the others as they moved to one side.

When he broke his silence, he said: "So they new. And not an envoy... Hum. Yeah I'd get that Bronson guy sworn as quick as possible. Yeah. You know... Looking like that, I gotta wonder just what he is. Using. Yeah."

And then he was turning more toward Rick.

"Administer the Oath at once? How did that work? I mean, yeah. Why not? Freehold's a bit rickety these days, yeah? We need a bit of grounding."

[Morgan Bellanar]

Morgan quietly releases a nervous laugh as Rick mentions the sprites. She scratches the side of her head, even her tone had that old hint of wariness Morgan is known for: "I hath seen it. The wee ones, heh, sprites I meant, are...vocal in proclaiming a unsworn hath entered the commons. The orbit the violator shout. Loudly with great repetition, um...heh, yet Imma little concerned over a, heh, thing I nay wish to mention a'fore the noobs. Twas a problem with a illustrated, schematic level, book on castle warfare, heh, that came up a while back. Dissuaded them, but I worry they, sprites nay noobs, might try something more then shouting, heh heh."

"I do, heh, recall my first coronations, heh heh," a full body shiver went through her. Morgan had terrible luck at the first and second coronations she'd attended, "too scary to forget" was what she thought and mumbled at the same time.

When L'Aire mentioned Betony, the Scrivener couldn't help blurt out: "Speaking from experience, nay. None would wish to gain Betony's ire...heh, sorry interrupt ye L'Aire."

Morgan started looked between back and forth between the others. Focused mostly on L'Aire and Rick since Green had yet to confirm his attendance to Spartan's coronations. "Verily Green. Twas, old oath way, heh had Spartan loudly command all willing to swear, heh, into the club. Yet, I recollect, heh, we awaited a time for folks to arrive, yes?"

"My memory hath some faults, so, heh, I don't recall how long we waited. Um, Rick?" she quirked an eyebrow at the Dread King, "if we art, heh, hiding the higher ranks then t'would it be best if Mhairi or I administer the oath? I mean," she waved her right hand in the "oh well" gesture, "Both of us hath admitted our titles to the noobs. So, heh, might as well if we are trying to keep some ranks secret we just, heh, expose those that art already laid bare."

[Lesingnon]

"If I were to hazard a guess I'd say he's using Vainglory. But L'aire's our expert there." It wasn't often he deferred to others on...pretty much anything dealing with occult in any way, shape, or form. But with Vainglory; it was something he knew of, and that L'aire actually knew.

Speaking of his motley mate, though, he shot her a wry grin as she said what she had to say about the Autumn Hunterheart. "Well you certainly know just what to say to make the newly minted Sovereign look forward to his reign, don't you? In all seriousness, though, I talked to him at our most recent court meeting. Challenged him to step up; he seemed eager to, and I think he has it in him. So...we'll see." And possibly have to adjust his approach accordingly. Part of his duty as a Sovereign was to bring out the best in his courtiers, after all.

And then there was the bit about the sprites. "Schematics on castle warfare? Did they...build a siege engine? Do I even want to know?" No, he figured, he probably did not. At least so long as they didn't do something particularly messy with it.

Anyway...

"As for the oath, that actually has to be administered by the Ascendant Sovereign. That's why you've pretty much always seen them handle it at their coronation."

[Morgan Bellanar]

Morgan couldn't help but wince at Rick's question about the siege engine. "Um...they tried. I, heh, bribed 'em with pizza to stop after I, " she winced again, "well...uh," she looked at Rick's expression, "Mayhaps ye'd rather not have the answer? Tis probably amusing to most but if ye happier with ignorance I shant speak on it."

"Oh...alrighty then," she gave Rick a thumbs up as he explained the oath process.

[Nathan Griffin]

The Hunterheart had walked away for a moment, and when he returned he was deftly balancing on one hand a small tray of little cakes, each one shaped in the form of a coffin. There was chocolate around his mouth, on his fangs, even a little stain on the neck of his shirt.

"Not bad," he licked some of it from his lips. "Sorry for the detour. Free food, y'know?" he forced an apologetic brown smile and turned to his sovereign. "Last year's coronation, right? If my memory's screwed on tight, I'm thinking I got caught up with Freehold business and wasn't drunk for once. I figure that's a huge accomplishment right there, hmm?"

He was somewhat at a loss when it came to oaths and sprites, so lacking any better ideas he held up the tray to the assembly: "Cakes, anyone?"

[Malcolm Green]

"Um. Yeah. Cakes..."

The mountain battled with his chunky fingers to liberate some of the coffin cakes from his motley mate's grasp.

Turning back to Rick, he continued: "I was kinda worried for a moment back there... What with the Summer Court almost vanishing on us. Glad the Oath's held to the new season. You got anything planned for your time as Freehold Sovereign?" This time the curiosity was genuine and it seeped into his facial features.

[Lesingnon]

"Well, I suppose nobody's ever called the Hedge or any of its denizens boring." And the pixies that inhabited the commons certainly weren't any exception.

At Green's question he could only shrug slightly. "Well, I wasn't exactly planning on having the crown for the season. Succession just got figured out last night. So...haven't really had any time to set up any plans yet. I'm sure I'll get things figured out when I have a bit more time to ponder it. But for now I'll settle for not screwing anything up."

"But yeah...there've been a few times where it's been a bit dicey making sure there was someone around of the appropriate season to wear the crown. We've managed to make it through all of them so it's not complete disaster...but still something I far prefer to avoid."

At Nathan's explanation he just shrugged slightly. He supposed Freehold business wasn't the worst reason to miss a coronation. Not as ideal as finding a way to make them both work, of course...but better than nothing. "Well, I'm glad you didn't ahve any scheduling conflicts keep you away from it this year."