(no subject)

[crownprincess]

Week 0

Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: We're almost home. Your room is just the way you left it.
Elodie, Crown Princess: ...
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: I know it's hard to leave your school and all your friends, but I've arranged the best possible tutors for every subject.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You'll have to work hard this year to prepare yourself before your fifteenth birthday, but I know you can do it.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You'll learn quickly and you'll make a wonderful queen. It's what your mother would have wanted.
Elodie, Crown Princess: This is not what Mother would have wanted!
Elodie, Crown Princess: She wouldn't have wanted to die and leave me.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: No. She wouldn't. But sometimes bad things happen. We have to pick up and carry on.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: All of Nova depends on us. On you.
Elodie, Crown Princess: *sigh*
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: I will be here to guide you until your coronation, but the decisions you make are ultimately up to you.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Come. Your maids are waiting.
Welcome to Long Live The Queen! If this is your first time playing, you should read this brief introduction to how the game works.
Menu: [Tell me more] [I've played this before]
Player chose: I've played this before
Week 1

(Studied Internal Affairs in the morning.)
(Studied Accounting in the afternoon.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: What's all that noise outside? Who's here?
Elodie, Crown Princess: Oh! It's my cousins! And my aunt and uncle.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: Darling. We were so terribly sorry to hear about your mother Fidelia.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Thank you.
Laurent, Duke of Merva: You look well, niece.
Charlotte, Lady Merva: Hi, 'Lodie!
Elodie, Crown Princess: Hi, Lottie. I haven't seen you in ages! Will you be staying long?
Charlotte, Lady Merva: Yup! Mummy said we'd be here all month.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Maybe we'll have some time to talk later.
Charlotte, Lady Merva: I love this room! It's so much bigger than mine back home.
Elodie, Crown Princess: You should visit more often. It's awful that the only time I get to see you is...
Elodie, Crown Princess: ... something like this.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I know your brother and sister are still too young, but why haven't you come to school?
Charlotte, Lady Merva: My mother worries about me. She doesn't think anywhere but home is safe.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I understand. I'm probably not going to be allowed to leave this castle until my birthday.
Elodie, Crown Princess: But at least we can have fun together here!
Week 2

(Studied Court Manners in the morning.)
(Studied Flattery in the afternoon.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: What's that commotion outside? Father? What's going on?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: I have come to pay my respects in honor of your mother.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You have no respect or honor. It's because of you and your powers that my wife is dead!
Elodie, Crown Princess: What?!?
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: I am a Lumen, as was she, and like every Lumen I am willing to give my life if necessary to protect our domain.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Your line has been traitors for two hundred years. I won't have you corrupting my daughter.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: That is for the Crown Princess to decide.
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: Elodie, your mother trusted me, and I have much to teach you.
Menu: [Send her away] [Arrest her] [Let her stay]
Player chose: Send her away
Elodie, Crown Princess: You heard my father - get out! Leave and don't come back!
Julianna, Duchess of Ursul: As you wish. I will return to my duchy, until you call for me.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: She won't.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Dad? What really happened to Mom?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: She was a Lumen, a magic-user. It was meant to be in reserve, to defend our domain, but she insisted on...
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: ... you don't need to hear that.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: She used magic. It drained her strength. She thought it was harmless, and it wasn't. Eventually, her heart just... stopped.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: That's why I don't want you involved with it.
Week 3

(Studied Internal Affairs in the morning.)
(Studied Ciphering in the afternoon.)
Charlotte, Lady Merva: He loves me, he loves me not...
Elodie, Crown Princess: Lottie, do you have a boyfriend?
Charlotte, Lady Merva: Not really. I just like to play with the flowers.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Me too.
You gather your skirts and prepare to sit down, when all of a sudden, a hissing noise alerts you to a hidden danger - a snake!
Elodie, Crown Princess: Charlotte, don't move!
You grab for a stick to push the snake away, but you lack the skills to do the job properly, and poking the snake only makes it angry. Too fast to see, it lunges forward and sinks its fangs into your leg!
Elodie, Crown Princess: OW!
The snake slithers away, but it's too late now. A strange tingling sensation begins to spread through your flesh.
Charlotte, Lady Merva: That's a milk viper. They're poisonous!
Elodie, Crown Princess: I don't feel good.
Your leg is going numb. You stumble and fall to the ground.
Charlotte, Lady Merva: Hold on!
Your cousin kneels beside you and presses her hands over the bite mark. The area throbs painfully, then begins to feel warm.
After a minute, you're dizzy, but your leg isn't buzzing anymore, and even the wound has disappeared.
Elodie, Crown Princess: How did you do that?
Charlotte, Lady Merva: I don't know how I do it. I just can.
Charlotte, Lady Merva: I'm not supposed to tell anybody. People think it's freaky. You won't tell, will you?
Elodie, Crown Princess: Of course not. I'm just lucky you were here.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: Girls? What's going on out here? I heard yelling.
Charlotte, Lady Merva: Nothing!
Elodie, Crown Princess: We saw a snake, but it got away.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: A snake! That's it. Charlotte, pack your things. We're going back to Merva. It's not safe here.
Charlotte, Lady Merva: Awww...
You creep through the castle dungeons, catching glimpses here and there of the fate that awaits troublemakers in this kingdom. Even nobles can end up here, sometimes. It's a good reminder to stay on the straight and narrow.
Week 4

(Studied Foreign Intelligence in the morning.)
(Studied Ciphering in the afternoon.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: The castle seems quieter with Charlotte and Emry and Zahra and their parents gone.
Elodie, Crown Princess: It's certainly not empty, though. It seems like we get more servants every day.
A walk in the fresh air helps you forget the burdens on your shoulders.
Week 5

(Studied Court Manners in the morning.)
(Studied Court Manners in the afternoon.)
One of the maids approaches for your attention.
Alice: My lady, couriers have arrived from the Duke of Sedna.
Elodie, Crown Princess: We have a Duke of Sedna?
Alice: ... No, my Lady. The duchy of Sedna is in Talasse.
Alice: They have brought you a letter, and a gift.
Elodie, Crown Princess: 'Condolences on the death of', 'deeply regret', 'best wishes'...
Elodie, Crown Princess: Oh! What a beautiful necklace!
Elodie, Crown Princess: It might not be appropriate for me to wear a man's gift in public, though. People would think it meant something.
Menu: [Wear it] [Don't wear it]
Player chose: Don't wear it
Elodie, Crown Princess: It's important to maintain the proper image.
A walk in the fresh air helps you forget the burdens on your shoulders.
Week 6

(Studied Flattery in the morning.)
(Studied Public Speaking in the afternoon.)
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: Your Royal Highness. I would speak with you.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What is it?
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: Your mother wielded the power of a Lumen, as have the kings and queens of Nova before her.
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: Now that she is gone, that responsibility falls to you. Her crystal of power is now yours.
Elodie, Crown Princess: My father said I shouldn't get involved in magic.
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: If you don't, who will defend your domain if the krakens rise again?
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: I have seen signs of the future. Danger is coming. I can teach you to control your powers, but first, you must seize your birthright and become a Lumen.
Menu: [I won't do it] [I will do it]
Player chose: I won't do it
Elodie, Crown Princess: No. My father said I shouldn't, and I trust him. You're trying to corrupt me.
Selene, Priestess of the Second Circle: Your Highness...
Elodie, Crown Princess: Leave me alone!
You spend the weekend holed up alone in your room with your favorite toys. It's childish, but you feel a bit better.
Week 7

(Studied Public Speaking in the morning.)
(Studied Presence in the afternoon.)
As you are walking up the stairs, a maid comes running down holding a towering pile of linen.
Before you can react, she barrels into you, sending you and the sheets flying.
Alice: Oh, my lady! I'm so sorry!
Elodie, Crown Princess: (These things happen. It's not a big deal.)
Menu: [Accept her apology] [Apologise] [Punish her]
Player chose: Accept her apology
Elodie, Crown Princess: No real harm done. Please be more careful in the future.
Alice: Yes, my lady. Thank you.
You spend the weekend holed up alone in your room with your favorite toys. It's childish, but you feel a bit better.
Week 8

(Studied Composure in the morning.)
(Studied Presence in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: There is a man here to see you. He wishes Crown funding for a project of his.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Remember, the treasury is not unlimited. If you choose to invest, you will have less money to work with later.
Man: Your Royal Highness, I have a plan to print books using metal letters which can be moved and reused.
Man: I need to borrow 875 lassi to assemble the metal and a factory to mold and cast the type.
Man: With this system, we will be able to create new books in a fraction of the time it takes now, and make copies to send all over the world.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I don't know much about factories or trade. Would that really be worthwhile?)
Elodie, Crown Princess: We are not interested.
You spend the weekend holed up alone in your room with your favorite toys. It's childish, but you feel a bit better.
Week 9

(Studied Elegance in the morning.)
(Studied Presence in the afternoon.)
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: Your Highness, my sympathies for your loss. Even after all these years I sometimes forget that my own mother will never be coming back.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Thank you.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: However, I must call for your aid. The Ixionite occupation of the county of Imbrium has gone on for too long. Now is the time to push back.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I know there's been some problems with Ixion, but I don't know the details. I guess they're occupying southern Maree.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I don't know anything about the military. I don't want to fight.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: There must be a peaceful way to settle this. I will send for diplomats from Ixion and try to come to some arrangement.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: Thank you, Your Highness.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: If I might say so, you are looking particularly lovely this day. I hope you will think fondly of me.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Is he flirting with me? He's almost as old as my father!)
You spend the weekend holed up alone in your room with your favorite toys. It's childish, but you feel a bit better.
Week 10

(Studied Flattery in the morning.)
You have unlocked a new outfit!
(Studied Court Manners in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The representative from Ixion is here. Be careful - no one wants to give up prizes that they have won.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: You have the full support of my sister and myself, Your Highness.
Brin, Duchess of Hellas, Countess of Dysnomia: Hmph. Let's get this over with.
Diplomat from Ixion: Your Royal Highness, thank you for granting me this audience. I am sure we can come to an amicable agreement.
Diplomat from Ixion: Let bygones be bygones, no? We will forget about your unprovoked attacks on us, and you will transfer the rights to this little province.
Diplomat from Ixion: We can be good neighbors again, without any lives being lost.
Menu: [Surrender Province] [Offer him money if Ixion withdraws] [Bluff / Intimidate] [Execute him]
Player chose: Bluff / Intimidate
Elodie, Crown Princess: You are trespassing on our lands. You will withdraw your troops at once. Only then will we have peace.
Menu: [Threaten to attack]
Player chose: Threaten to attack
Elodie, Crown Princess: My soldiers are poised to destroy you. Withdraw now.
Diplomat from Ixion: Then I'm very sorry we were not able to come to an agreement.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I guess now we have to fight.)
You attend services in the castle grove, letting the peace of the ritual calm your heart.
(Put on the conversation outfit.)
Week 11

(Studied Composure in the morning.)
(Studied Elegance in the afternoon.)
You have unlocked a new outfit!
You receive a report on the outcome of the battle against the Ixionites.
You succeeded in driving them out of Maree, but it cost you almost a full battalion of soldiers and a great deal of materiel.
You lost 1032 soldiers.
Elodie, Crown Princess: The Duke of Maree will be happy, but we could have done better!
You attend services in the castle grove, letting the peace of the ritual calm your heart.
(Put on the royal_demeanour outfit.)
Week 12

(Studied Composure in the morning.)
(Studied Elegance in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: There is a woman here to see you. She wishes Crown funding for a project.
Woman: Thank you for seeing me, Your Royal Highness. I... I come to you on behalf of the people.
Woman: I wish to build a hospital where any citizen afflicted with disease can be brought for treatment.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Putting all the sick people together? Wouldn't that make them die even faster?)
Elodie, Crown Princess: We are not interested.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Dad, if this trouble with Ixion started years ago, why didn't Mom fix it?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Your mother told the Duke of Maree and the Duchess of Hellas that it was their problem and they should sort it out themselves.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Oh.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Should I have done that?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The situation is different now. Everyone on all sides wishes to see what sort of Queen is coming to the throne.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Everyone is judging me.)
Week 13

(Studied Presence in the morning.)
(Studied Presence in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You are requested to stand in judgement. A woman has been convicted of attempted murder and requests the mercy of the Crown.
Kevan, Earl of Io: Your Highness! This slattern dares to beg pardon, when she admits that she tried to poison my sister under her own roof!
Elodie, Crown Princess: Which sister?
Kevan, Earl of Io: Corisande, the Duchess of Mead.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Is she all right?
Kevan, Earl of Io: She is unharmed. We caught the culprit in the kitchens before anyone could eat her foul spew.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Well, what do you have to say for yourself?
Condemned Woman: It's justice, it is! Them devils killed me brother, and broke me mam's heart.
Condemned Woman: Lied to her, they did, when she went to see why he'd not come back. Said he'd gone for a soldier, when he never would!
Condemned Woman: He weren't the only one neither. I waited ten years for my chance to get my own back. That's justice!
Kevan, Earl of Io: You see? She's completely unrepentant! Hang her and be done with it.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I don't know what this is all about. Either way, murder is a serious crime, but...)
Menu: [Put her to work] [Imprison her] [Execute her]
Player chose: Execute her
Elodie, Crown Princess: As she is clearly guilty, her life is forfeit. She will be hanged in public as a deterrent to other criminals.
Condemned Woman: Ye'll not have me!
All of a sudden, she breaks loose from her guards and rushes at you!
In your Court dress, you are unarmed - you grope for a weapon and find only a heavy golden ornament which you hurl in her direction.
Your missile flies wide of its mark.
Before you have a chance to do anything else, your personal guards step into action, cutting the woman down before she can endanger you. Her lifeless body lies bleeding on your carpet.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Get that out of here. Put it on display, so that everyone sees what happens to criminals.
You attend services in the castle grove, letting the peace of the ritual calm your heart.
Week 14

(Studied Composure in the morning.)
(Studied Elegance in the afternoon.)
As you are walking one day in the gardens, you hear a strange sound and look up to see an owl flying overhead. A single dry leaf flutters in its talons.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (That's funny, I thought owls were nocturnal. I guess I was wrong.)
When you return to the castle, your father is waiting for you.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: There are reports that a keythong has been sighted leaving the Old Forest.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What's a keythong?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: A beast with the body of an enormous golden cat, a sharp beak, and spikes on its back.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Eek!
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Several disappearances in southern Caloris are already thought to be the work of this creature.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What do we do? Should we send hunters?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The traditional policy on stray beasts is to hope that they return to the forest and stay there.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Hunters are no match for such creatures. You would only make it angry and waste more lives.
Elodie, Crown Princess: So... we just let it eat people?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Everyone dies in the end.
Elodie, Crown Princess: ...
Sitting in on court sessions is not fun at all, but it pleases your father and it may be important for your future.
Week 15

(Studied Public Speaking in the morning.)
(Studied Flattery in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Remember that the Festival of the Good Lady is approaching.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: There will be public celebrations for the commoners, followed by a grand gala for the nobility.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (A grand ball... There will be dancing.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: As Queen, you would be expected to lead the procession and take part in the ceremonial planting, possibly give a speech.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: However, since you are not yet crowned, it is not required, and it may not be safe to expose you to the public.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What do you mean, not safe?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Outside of the castle, you are less well protected. If anyone means you harm... Think on it now, decide later.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: There is a letter for you as well.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (It's from Briony! I went to school with her, but she's a couple years older than me. Her mother is the Duchess of Mead.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (She's complaining that her mother still won't let her come home for the holidays.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Apparently her uncle Kevan has been acting strangely lately and shouting at shadows.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (She's bored and looking for an adventure. Well, I don't have any to suggest to her!)
You wander through the parts of the castle where other people rarely visit, but find little except spiderwebs. Yuck.
Week 16

(Studied Public Speaking in the morning.)
(Studied Public Speaking in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Today is the procession and planting for the Festival of the Good Lady. Will you be leading the parade?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: If you have any concerns about your safety, please, stay here.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The people will recover from disappointment; if we lose you, there is no recovery.
Menu: [I will lead the parade] [I will parade and make a speech] [I would rather not go]
Player chose: I will parade and make a speech
Elodie, Crown Princess: I'm not afraid. I'm going to be the best parade-leader ever!
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: My little girl.
You prepare your best gown for the occasion, then walk slowly through the town with your attendants. It would not be appropriate for you to wear a sword, but you do walk with a sturdy golden scepter that's taller than you are.
You can tell from the excited murmurs around you that the people are impressed with your queenly appearance.
At the end of the route, you help the priestesses turn over the earth for the new tree to be planted.
After the blessings are read, you hold up your hands and call for silence so that you can speak.
Elodie, Crown Princess: My affectionate greetings to you all, and my thanks. For it is the people that make this domain great.
Elodie, Crown Princess: We are here today to celebrate the gifts of the Good Lady, the promise of fertility and new birth.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Winter always comes, but winter is followed by spring. Each of us faces hardships, but we grow back stronger than ever.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Now is the time for new beginnings, and for my beginning as your Queen.
Your words are met with great applause.
The procession regroups to return to the castle.
All of a sudden, there is a faint rumbling noise from under your feet.
The newly planted tree in front of you quivers, and then, out of nowhere, a spurt of water comes up from the ground, spattering you and the assembled crowd with droplets.
Just as quickly as it began, it vanishes.
The priestesses try to calm the crowds with talk of omens and natural eruptions, but they can't halt the whispers: dark magic. That water tasted of salt.
You attend services in the castle grove, letting the peace of the ritual calm your heart.
Week 17

(Studied Court Manners in the morning.)
(Studied Flattery in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Are you ready for the grand ball?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: All the nobles in the domain are here to see you - to see their queen.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (gulp!)
You finish dressing and descend the stairs to make a grand entrance.
All around, the rich and powerful pause in their activities to gaze upon you, the ruler of them all.
You let your eyes rest upon each in turn as you have been taught, impressing upon them that you are not a child, but a Queen.
Your father waits for you at the bottom of the stairs and offers you his arm.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The first dance is for us.
He guides you gently around the dance floor, never rushing you. It's fun to dance with your father, but the look in his eyes is so sad.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: After this, you must choose your own partner. There are a number of men who hope to catch your eye.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The Duke of Kigal alone has brought three eligible sons, all near your age.
You look around the room at all your possible partners - which is to say, everyone. No one may begin dancing until you do. You can pick whomever you want and you will not be denied.
No doubt every noble family with eligible sons has dreams of a royal wedding. Your choice will raise some hopes and dash others. Feuds could be born here.
The Duke of Kigal has not yet named any of his sons as his official heir, but his second son, Linley, was always kind to you at school. If you wished to show favor to Kigal, Linley would be your choice.
The Duchy of Elath is currently held in regency for its young lord Adair, who is only twelve and a head shorter than you are. Elath is a rich territory, and at least little Adair wouldn't try to take any liberties.
Dancing with Banion, the Duke of Maree, could be quite awkward if you did not actually wish to marry him. He has been waiting years for a powerful heiress to accept his suit.
Not all nobles are created equal. You could choose someone charming and unimportant, like the Earl of Mima, a territory too minor for anyone to consider it a threat. However, the major families might eat him alive afterwards.
If you wished to distract attention from your marital prospects, you could choose someone clearly ineligible. One of your uncles, or an older family man like the Earl of Ishtar, or even a woman, though that would be mildly scandalous.
Menu: [Linley of Kigal] [Adair, Young Lord of Elath] [Banion, Duke of Maree] [Chaine, Earl of Mima] [Armand, Duke of Mazomba] [Erwin, Earl of Ishtar] [Examine the women]
Player chose: Examine the women
As a Queen, few would dare comment about your choice of companions, but until you have provided an heir to the throne, there is great pressure on you to make an appropriate match. That doesn't mean you have to give in.
Brin, the Duchess of Hellas, is an attractive and unmarried woman. What might people think, seeing the two of you together?
The most important woman present, after yourself, is Arisse, Duchess of Lillah. She is married, elderly, a mother and grandmother many times over, but might be flattered by the acknowledgement of her status.
Or, if you truly wanted to set the court on its ear, you could demand your first dance with a mere servant. A maid - like Alice. The assembled nobles would be outraged.
Menu: [Brin, Duchess of Hellas] [Arisse, Duchess of Lillah] [Alice, the maid]
Player chose: Brin, Duchess of Hellas
You feel deliciously wicked at the expression of shock on her face, but it soon fades into something more ambiguous. Her hand in yours is warm, and too late, you wonder if you're playing with fire.
Dancing with a real partner feels quite different from dancing with your father. You knew him, knew his steps like a part of you. Now every move is a mystery.
Unfortunately, you lose track of which steps you're supposed to do when, and trip over your own feet. Oops!
Between the dances, there is time for the guests to mingle, chat, and sample tiny bites of exquisite food.
You interact comfortably with your peers, leaving a wise word in every ear.
During a lull in the music, Banion, the duke of Maree, taps an elegant fingernail against a wineglass, letting the clear note ring out through the room.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: If I might have your attention?
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: I believe we should offer our compliments to our lovely hostess.
Banion, Duke of Maree, Earl of Serenitatis: Her bravery and courage keep our borders defended.
Everyone applauds politely.
As the gala continues, you take the opportunity to observe nobles that you rarely see.
There's Gwenelle, for instance - the Young Lady of Sudbury, only months older than you and due to finally inherit control of her duchy soon.
Or Adele, the youngest daughter of the Duchess of Lillah and a fierce sportswoman. She was a few years ahead of you at school and the absolute terror of the ballfields.
No Briony - she had said her parents were leaving her stuck at school this season.
Her parents are here, dancing together - the Duke-Consort clutching his Duchess possessively tight.
Strange that there's no sign of your cousins, though. Shouldn't they be here?
Your aunt and uncle are here, of course. It would be scandalous if they hadn't come, Merva being so close by.
It's nice to be able to enjoy time with friends and family, isn't it?
You attend services in the castle grove, letting the peace of the ritual calm your heart.
Week 18

(Studied Flattery in the morning.)
You have nothing more to learn about Flattery.
(Studied Court Manners in the afternoon.)
Alice: My lady, a bouquet has arrived for you.
The flowers are unusual - long spikes of red, thick with nectar and emitting a strong fragrance, nothing like the delicate blossoms in most vases.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Honey-flowers... that's code for a sweet and secret love!)
Elodie, Crown Princess: Who sent them?
Alice: The Duchess of Hellas, I believe.
Menu: [Accept them] [Reject them] [Give them to Alice]
Player chose: Accept them
Elodie, Crown Princess: Put them on display. I think they look nice.
You wander downstairs to visit your father and talk about the latest events in the domain.
You're moving with such enthusiasm that you don't realise your father isn't alone until it's too late to avoid him and his... companion.
Sirin, Countess of Miranda and Callisto: You are too kind, Joslyn.
Countess Sirin. Not a member of your circles - she's a bit more than a decade your senior, far too old to have ever been your friend. And yet, not at all old, as noblewomen go.
She has two minor titles, no husband, and your father's arm in her grasp.
You take a deep breath.
Menu: [Greet her politely] [Shame her with silent scorn] [Insult her with false flattery] [Trip her as she passes]
Player chose: Shame her with silent scorn
You meet her eyes and imagine your mother's disapproving presence behind you.
Her color pales, and she releases her grip on your father's arm, mumbling an apology before hurrying out of the room. You have defeated her.
Once she's gone, you raise an eyebrow at your father.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Don't give me that look, young lady. She's a nice woman, nothing more.
Elodie, Crown Princess: She wants something more!
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: And it's not going to happen any time soon.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You should be careful how you deal with people like Sirin. You need the goodwill of your nobles as well as your commoners.
Elodie, Crown Princess: There haven't been any problems so far.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: As Queen, you must be aware of everything around you.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Isn't that what I have agents for?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Yes, but you must give them direction. What is your greatest concern?
Menu: [Noble plots] [Commoner uprisings] [Foreign threats] [Assassins]
Player chose: Noble plots
Elodie, Crown Princess: I need to know what the other nobles are up to, and whether anyone is plotting behind my back.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: As you wish.
You attend services in the castle grove, letting the peace of the ritual calm your heart.
Week 19

(Studied Internal Affairs in the morning.)
(Studied Ciphering in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: It is the time of year to decide any necessary adjustments to the royal budget.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The majority of the money we receive is already spoken for, but there is always some room for discretion.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I really don't understand all of these numbers. Maybe I should leave them alone.)
Menu: [Raise taxes] [Keep them the same] [Lower taxes]
Player chose: Keep them the same
Elodie, Crown Princess: I think they're fine as they are.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: As you wish.
A walk in the fresh air helps you forget the burdens on your shoulders.
Week 20

(Studied Herbs in the morning.)
(Studied Poison in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You are requested to stand in judgement. A man has been convicted of the murder-by-strangling of his wife.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: He does not deny the act, but requests a pardon that he might be set free.
Elodie, Crown Princess: If you admit you killed your wife, why do you think I'm going to set you free?
Condemned Man: Save me, Your Majesty! Wasn't my fault. Demons made me do it.
Condemned Man: Everyone knows the power of magical beasties! They used me, they twisted my fingers into chains...
Condemned Man: My wife found me screaming, she tried to shake me, and the chains wrapped around her...
Condemned Man: I need the priestesses to bless me and make me clean again!
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Demons that make you attack people? Is that even possible?)
Menu: [Pardon him] [Imprison him] [Execute him]
Player chose: Imprison him
Elodie, Crown Princess: Whether there were demons or not, you still killed a woman - your wife.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I won't forgive you for that. You will be imprisoned for the rest of your life.
He opens his mouth to argue with you further, but then his shoulders slump.
Condemned Man: Yes, Your Majesty.
You pay your respects to your mother's tomb, and wonder if the same fate is waiting for you.
Week 21

(Studied Herbs in the morning.)
(Studied Battlefield Medicine in the afternoon.)
You receive word that the murderer you condemned to prison has escaped. A large explosion rocked the jail he was in, destroying the walls and setting many dangerous criminals free.
It will now fall to the Royal Treasury to repair the damage.
Sitting in on court sessions is not fun at all, but it pleases your father and it may be important for your future.
Week 22

(Studied Foreign Intelligence in the morning.)
(Studied Foreign Intelligence in the afternoon.)
You have unlocked a new outfit!
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: I regret to inform you that Fabian, the Earl of Titan and Duke-Regent of Elath, has passed away.
This isn't really a surprise; he was pretty old. The problem is the political implications.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: With the control of Elath in doubt, it falls to the crown to make decisions.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Young Lord Adair will not reach his fifteenth birthday for over two years. He requires a regent.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: His stepmother, Arisse, the Duchess of Lillah, has petitioned that the boy be left in her care.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: This would, however, leave her in personal control of two neighboring duchies, which is generally forbidden.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Almost the entire eastern border.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I don't know anything really bad about her, though...)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The boy does have a living grandfather, the Earl of Ishtar. Or you might appoint an unrelated noble to act in his stead.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The Earl of Ishtar has suggested another possibility. You and Adair are both young, not too far apart in age.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: He requests that we accept the boy as your future husband and keep him here at the castle.
Menu: [Leave him with Arisse] [Send him to his grandfather] [Marry him] [Send him to your uncle]
Player chose: Leave him with Arisse
Elodie, Crown Princess: Adair must be upset enough already without us taking him away from his home.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Leave him with his stepmother.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: As you wish.
Sitting in on court sessions is not fun at all, but it pleases your father and it may be important for your future.
(Put on the intrigue outfit.): (Put on the royal_demeanour outfit.)
Week 23

(Studied Internal Affairs in the morning.)
(Studied Internal Affairs in the afternoon.)
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: There is a woman here to see you. She is a musician and wishes Crown patronage.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Which means money.)
Sabine: Your Royal Highness! If you accept me as a member of your court I will immortalise you in word and song.
Sabine: I have dabbled in musical styles from many countries, and can entertain your guests and lighten your evenings.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Musicians are often used as secret agents and messengers. They can be useful - and dangerous.)
The musician sings a little ditty to demonstrate her skills with the lute.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (She's actually pretty good.)
Menu: [Accept her as Court Musician] [Reject her]
Player chose: Accept her as Court Musician
Elodie, Crown Princess: Very well, you can remain as part of the court.
Sabine: I will do my best for you!
Sitting in on court sessions is not fun at all, but it pleases your father and it may be important for your future.
Week 24

(Studied Internal Affairs in the morning.)
(Studied Internal Affairs in the afternoon.)
You receive a letter from Young Lord Adair.
It's a bit messy and hard to read, but he seems to be thanking you for letting him stay with the family he knows.
You wander through the parts of the castle where other people rarely visit, but find little except spiderwebs. Yuck.
Week 25

(Studied Composure in the morning.)
You have nothing more to learn about Composure.
(Studied Elegance in the afternoon.)
You have nothing more to learn about Elegance.
Staring up into the sky out your window, you notice a strange flash of light.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (A falling star... Pretty!)
You attend services in the castle grove, letting the peace of the ritual calm your heart.
(Put on the intrigue outfit.)
Week 26

(Studied Foreign Intelligence in the morning.)
(Studied Ciphering in the afternoon.)
Alice: My lady, there is a letter for you.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Who sent this? It isn't signed...)
It appears to be a poem, describing you in a manner that is entirely inappropriate for a Queen.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I *what*? With a *squid*?)
Menu: [That's hilarious!] [That's terrible!]
Player chose: That's terrible!
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Who writes this garbage?!?)
Just then, an incredibly unlucky breeze swirls between the windows of your tower bedroom, tugging the paper out of your hands and off into the sky.
You stick your head out the window to discover the 'poem' caught and fluttering on the roof nearby. You can almost reach it.
Menu: [Climb out and grab it] [Ignore it]
Player chose: Climb out and grab it
You take a moment to look at where you'll have to climb in order to reach your target.
It's so close! You just need to put your foot here, and your hand there, and then reach a little bit more...
...
... OW!
You're lucky you didn't break your neck, but your bruises are going to make it difficult to do anything strenuous for a while.
A walk in the fresh air helps you forget the burdens on your shoulders.
Week 27

(Studied Foreign Intelligence in the morning.)
(Studied Ciphering in the afternoon.)
Alice: My lady, there are letters for you.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Another letter from Briony. Why does she keep writing me? We were never even friends.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (She says she's bored and lonely and she's looking forward to seeing me at Gwenelle's birthday party.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (That's right! Gwenelle is about to turn fifteen! She'll be Duchess of Sudbury for real now.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (This other letter must be my invitation to her birthday celebration next week.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Gwenelle and I were friends at school, and this will be a big event, but it's also a long way to travel.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (A lot of things can happen on the road.)
Menu: [Go to Sudbury for Gwenelle's party] [Send your regrets]
Player chose: Send your regrets
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I'd better stay here.)
You attend services in the castle grove, letting the peace of the ritual calm your heart.
Week 28

(Studied Foreign Intelligence in the morning.)
You have nothing more to learn about Foreign Intelligence.
(Studied Ciphering in the afternoon.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: *sigh*
Elodie, Crown Princess: (All of my friends are at Gwenelle's party and I don't get to go.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I sent her a note with my regrets and a gift, and she accepted, so at least she's not upset.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (We can get together sometime after my coronation when things are less hectic.)
You spend the weekend holed up alone in your room with your favorite toys. It's childish, but you feel a bit better.
Week 29

(Studied Novan History in the morning.)
(Studied Foreign Affairs in the afternoon.)
Alice: The Duchess of Lillah has sent you a gift.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What's this?
It's a cushion, finely embroidered with the design of a running horse. It's well done, and clearly required hours and hours of needlework, but it's also fairly useless.
Elodie, Crown Princess: That's nice... I guess.
Menu: [Keep it] [Give it to Alice]
Player chose: Keep it
Elodie, Crown Princess: Find a chair or sofa to set it on.
A walk in the fresh air helps you forget the burdens on your shoulders.
Week 30

(Studied Novan History in the morning.)
(Studied World History in the afternoon.)
Alice: The Duchess of Mead is here to see you, my lady.
Corisande, Duchess of Mead: Hello, Elodie. I'm sorry to trouble you, but - have you seen Briony?
Elodie, Crown Princess: No, not since I left school.
She shakes her head.
Corisande, Duchess of Mead: She's gone missing. She's not at school where she should be. I know she was unhappy, but I never expected...
Elodie, Crown Princess: She wrote me a letter saying that she was bored and looking for adventure, but that's all I know.
Corisande, Duchess of Mead: Oh, dear.
Corisande, Duchess of Mead: I hope she hasn't done anything too foolish. My poor little lamb... I have to go look for her.
You creep through the castle dungeons, catching glimpses here and there of the fate that awaits troublemakers in this kingdom. Even nobles can end up here, sometimes. It's a good reminder to stay on the straight and narrow.
Week 31

(Studied Foreign Affairs in the morning.)
(Studied World History in the afternoon.)
You have unlocked a new outfit!
As you are walking through the great hall, a freak gust of wind suddenly blows out all the candles in the room.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (How strange. There must be an open window somewhere.)
You attend services in the castle grove, letting the peace of the ritual calm your heart.
(Put on the history outfit.)
Week 32

(Studied Novan History in the morning.)
(Studied Novan History in the afternoon.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: Things have been so unsettled lately... Everyone's on edge. We need something cheerful.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You could hold a tournament.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What a good idea!
Elodie, Crown Princess: Knights, jousting, musicians... all sorts of competitions. Everyone loves a contest.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: What will you offer as prizes to the winners?
Menu: [Status and praise] [Employment] [Gold]
Player chose: Employment
Elodie, Crown Princess: The winners will have the option of taking up royal appointments.
Elodie, Crown Princess: It's a recruitment drive!
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Very well. I will draft the announcements.
You leave him to his work.
As you move through the hall, your eye falls upon a vase of flowers. Pretty, but apparently not getting enough water. The leaves on one blossom have shriveled.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (Someone on hall duty is being lazy. Those flowers should be replaced.)
You continue up the stairs to your room, where a maid is waiting for you.
Alice: My lady, a gift has arrived from Kigal.
Elodie, Crown Princess: From the Duke?
Alice: No, my lady. A merchant house, I believe. It was sent with a shipment down the Cavalla River.
You tear open the brightly colored paper, to find:
Elodie, Crown Princess: Chocolates!
There is a little card with the box - 'With Our Compliments, The House of Kraellat'.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (That's oddly high-handed for some tiny trader I've never heard of.)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (There's something suspicious about this.)
Menu: [Eat candy now] [Save it for later] [Test for poison]
Player chose: Test for poison
You can't think of any safe way to test the chocolate, and you don't want to leave it lying around where it might present a danger to others.
Eventually you mash the candies together into an unappetising paste and bury the box in the palace garden.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (It's a waste, if they weren't really poisoned... My candy...)
You spend the weekend holed up alone in your room with your favorite toys. It's childish, but you feel a bit better.
Week 33

(Studied Novan History in the morning.)
You have nothing more to learn about Novan History.
(Studied Foreign Affairs in the afternoon.)
This is the week of the general tournament. Nobles and commoners alike have turned out to compete against each other.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: The people will be pleased if you participate in their games. However, it would expose you to danger.
What event do you wish to take part in?
Menu: [Mounted Parade] [Jousting] [Fencing] [Archery] [Music] [Falconry] [None]
Player chose: None
Elodie, Crown Princess: I guess I'll just watch from my tower.
The tournament goes on without you.
Sitting in on court sessions is not fun at all, but it pleases your father and it may be important for your future.
Week 34

(Studied Foreign Affairs in the morning.)
(Studied World History in the afternoon.)
Alice: My lady, your father wishes to speak with you. He says it's urgent.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Fine, I'm coming.
You find your father standing over a map of the coastline, his face grave.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Ships have been sighted on approach from Shanjia. Not tradeships - this is a warfleet.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Within a week they will be in Novan waters. Within two they could reach the capital.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Then we will fight to defend ourselves.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You can try to use the treasury funds to hire additional soldiers, but it may be difficult on short notice.
Menu: [Recruit soldiers] [Don't]
Player chose: Don't
Elodie, Crown Princess: No, it's too late for that.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You will need to draw up a naval strategy for our ships to carry out.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You could choose to act as admiral and lead the fleet in person, but the danger to you would be very great.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Unless you think your personal skills will make the difference, I would strongly advise against it.
Menu: [Direct the fleet] [Stay in the capital]
Player chose: Stay in the capital
Elodie, Crown Princess: No, there's too much to do here. I can't go to sea.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Do your best, and Nova will survive.
You spend the weekend holed up alone in your room with your favorite toys. It's childish, but you feel a bit better.
Week 35

(Studied Foreign Affairs in the morning.)
You have nothing more to learn about Foreign Affairs.
(Studied World History in the afternoon.)
Danger on the high seas!
Ships close in on each other, angling into range.
The Shanjians have half again as many troops as you do. It doesn't look promising.
The eventual outcome...
... is not in your favor.
The Novan ships are sunk or scattered, as the Shanjian forces press towards landfall.
Many good soldiers were lost today, and Nova's troubles have not ended.
Since you have failed to repel the invasion, the Shanjian fleet will soon land and their troops will begin to progress towards your capital city.
Your remaining soldiers will hold them off as long as possible, of course, but the main strength of your military has been exhausted. Nova's future looks bleak.
Sitting in on court sessions is not fun at all, but it pleases your father and it may be important for your future.
(Put on the royal_demeanour outfit.)
Week 36

(Studied Public Speaking in the morning.)
You have nothing more to learn about Public Speaking.
(Studied World History in the afternoon.)
You have nothing more to learn about World History.
The invasion of Nova is proceeding. Your coastline is under Shanjian control. Soldiers have marched through villages, trampling fields and frightening citizens.
A diplomatic delegation from Shanjia has requested access to the castle to discuss terms - most likely, for your surrender. You lack the strength to hold off their armies, and surrendering now will save many lives. It would seem that you have no choice.
You prepare yourself as best you can to meet with the representatives from Shanjia.
You expected diplomats and a military representative, a general or an admiral. You did not expect the handsome man decked in jewels who now stands before you - a man announced by your servants as Togami, King of Shanjia.
Elodie, Crown Princess: (King-consort, he should be, if even that much. He's a common musician who married his way onto the throne.)
Togami: My dear young lady. How difficult this must be for you. So much responsibility at such a tender age.
You yearn to slap the false sympathy off his oily face, but you force yourself to remain calm.
Togami: War benefits no one, don't you think? Such a terrible waste. Better to settle things in a civilised manner.
Togami: A contest. A game, so to speak, with Nova as the stakes.
Togami: Should I win, then your domain will submit and accept me as Overlord with no further resistance.
Togami: Should I lose, then my army will leave your domain in peace and shed no more blood.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What sort of game?
Togami: It is well known that Nova is ruled by Lumens. As it happens, I too possess the powers of a Lumen.
Togami: I propose a formal duel. My powers against yours. The winner takes control of Nova, the loser... dies.
Elodie, Crown Princess: But I'm not a Lumen!
Togami: Saving it for the coronation, were you? Such a pity that you'll be unprepared.
Togami: Well, then. Go and find your crystal. Becoming a Lumen is a very simple matter. Then we can have our duel.
Elodie, Crown Princess: What's the point? You know I can't win. Why don't you just kill me now?
Togami: Because that's not the game. You want to save your people, don't you? I want to fight a Lumen.
Togami: If you refuse, then the war will continue.
Togami: I'll sweeten the deal. If you meet me in a formal Lumen challenge, I'll call off the invasion even if I win.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Really?
Togami: I swear it by the gods. Nova will be free and safe.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Why take that risk? You're winning the war.
Togami: It's not your land that I want. It's your crystal.
Togami: To gain your power, I am willing to wager my own. Shall we begin?
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I don't like this... But what choice do I have?)
Elodie, Crown Princess: (He was a musician, once, before he married his way into power. Can I use that?)
Menu: [Accept his terms] [Sing to him]
Player chose: Sing to him
Elodie, Crown Princess: Wait! We're civilised people here.
Elodie, Crown Princess: And if I might die... I need to compose myself first.
You have only one chance for this, one hope to touch the heart of the man beneath the monster. You know so little about him, but he is a father who was once a musician. Music may reach him where nothing else can. And so, you begin your favorite song.
But after a moment, he claps his hands over his ears.
Elodie, Crown Princess: I thought you liked music?
Togami: That was not music.
Togami: Let us get on with things.
Menu: [Accept his terms]
Player chose: Accept his terms
Elodie, Crown Princess: Then... I must.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: No! Not my little girl!
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: You want to fight the Lumen ruler of Nova?
Your father reaches into his pocket and pulls out a shimmering blue crystal, which he places over his heart.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Illuminate!
Your hair stands on end as a veil of blue sparkles settles over your father, crawling into his skin. When it's over, the jewel has been absorbed into his body without a trace.
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Fight me. Leave her alone.
Togami: Well! This is not what I expected, but it will serve my purposes just as well.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Daddy?
Joslyn, King Dowager, Duke of Caloris: Be quiet, Elodie. You are not a Queen yet.
You are forced to sit and watch as the two men work out the details of the duel and its stakes, then take their places in a carefully warded circle.
Your father crosses his arms, summoning up a thick gray fog that swirls around him, hiding him from view. But the Shanjian king conjures a cloud of glowing butterflies which drive into the fog and blow it apart.
Then the invader claps his hands together and chants. Fiery red lights cluster over his fingertips and merge together into a pulsing blob before erupting towards your father. He resists with a beam of blue, catching the infernal energy and pushing it back in Togami's direction.
You knew what the outcome would be, you knew it all along. Togami is a trained Lumen eager to demonstrate his powers, and your father...
... was your father.
The blue crystal reappears, lying beside your father's body like an innocently-discarded bauble - but now that blue color is colored by a faint wash of red.
The smirking King of Shanjia sweeps the crystal off the floor and tucks it away into his robes.
Togami: How fitting. First I end your mother's life and then your father's.
Elodie, Crown Princess: You what?
Togami: You didn't think her death was an accident, did you? That took careful planning!
Togami: And now the Novan power is mine, and you even get to live.
He holds out a hand in front of him, the elegant robe dangling freely.
Togami: Now kneel and kiss my hand.
You stare at that horrible hand hovering before you. You have a choice.
Menu: [Obey] [Attack Him] [Stare Him Down]
Player chose: Stare Him Down
Elodie, Crown Princess: That... was not our bargain.
Togami: You are a cold one, aren't you?
Togami: Very well. Have your little victory. You have so few of them, after all.
Togami: Well. As I promised, the invasion will end, and my men and I will return across the sea.
Togami: Unless one of you is so foolish as to attack me. Then all deals are off.
No one stirs.
Togami: Pity.
You attend court sessions and try to focus your attention on the needs of the domain. It's what your father would have wanted.
Week 37

(Studied Battlefield Medicine in the morning.)
(Studied Poison in the afternoon.)
You have unlocked a new outfit!
The war has ended, and the Shanjians have withdrawn.
All throughout Nova, a fragile layer of calm lies over a deeper pit of uncertainty and fear.
Your court musician has already contructed an epic ballad about your father's last moments; his nobility, his love, his brave sacrifice. His praises are sung in every village square. Rich merchants foresee a great trade in artwork commemorating both of your parents.
That doesn't make them any less dead.
You attend services in the castle grove, letting the peace of the ritual calm your heart.
Week 38

(Studied Poison in the morning.)
(Studied Poison in the afternoon.)
Visitors have arrived to see you - your family, or what remains of it.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: My poor darling Elodie. You should not be alone at a time like this.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: There is so much still to be done, and you so young... We have come to give you whatever help we can.
Elodie, Crown Princess: Thank you.
She's right, after all. You have a coronation to plan, a domain to run, and without your father, you need some adult to give you advice...
Time has slipped by you so quickly. Only two weeks remain before your birthday celebration, and your official coronation as Queen. Have you done enough to build a stable Nova?
It is traditional for the palace to provide entertainment and refreshment for the common people when a new monarch is crowned. It is a rare opportunity for the poor of the land to dine like nobles.
Considering the recent tragedy, celebrations may appear to be in poor taste.
The size and scope of any such feast depends on what expense the royal treasury is willing to bear.
Menu: [An extravagant feast] [A respectable feast] [A small feast] [No celebration]
Player chose: A respectable feast
Elodie, Crown Princess: (I'm sure we can afford to give everyone in the city some bread and sausage and a bit of cake.)
You attend services in the castle grove, letting the peace of the ritual calm your heart.
Week 39

(Studied Poison in the morning.)
(Studied Poison in the afternoon.)
You have nothing more to learn about Poison.
The castle is buzzing with preparations for your upcoming coronation. Ministers press you with details for your favorite colors and flowers and so on.
You really can't see the point of wasting time worrying about decorations when there's so much else to worry about.
Others are more interested in the subject of your marriage.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: Don't listen to all of those fools pressuring you to choose one noble or another, not at a time like this.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: Have they no decency? You deserve the time to mourn.
Elodie, Crown Princess: ...
Lucille, Countess of Nix: Dear niece, it would break my heart to see my own daughter in such a situation. Both of you are still so young.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: Remember poor Cayleigh, the past Duchess of Elath? Her father forced her into marriage to get an heir for the duchy.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: And for that, she died in childbirth when she was only seventeen.
Lucille, Countess of Nix: At your age, it is neither wise nor safe to wed.
Elodie, Crown Princess: You're probably right. There's no need to hurry.
You spend the weekend holed up alone in your room with your favorite toys. It's childish, but you feel a bit better.
Week 40

(Studied Herbs in the morning.)
(Studied Herbs in the afternoon.)
At this time last year, you were celebrating your fourteenth birthday. You were in the school gardens, surrounded by your friends. A teacher brought you tea and cakes, while a wealthy merchant's son wove a crown of flowers for your head.
It didn't matter so much that you were a princess then. Your title was something for the future. Many of your peers would be Duchesses or Earls or the like, someday, but not then. You were children.
Your parents could not attend on the actual day, but they did send wonderful gifts, some for you, and some for you to share. And a week later, they came for a visit, and your mother took you with her through the countryside in a splendid carriage.
It was the last time you would ever see her.
You wonder if, wherever she is, she can see you now.
You are fifteen years old, a legal adult. You have worked and studied and suffered and prepared, and now the time has come.
You kneel before the priestess, barely hearing her words as she recites the blessings.
She calls upon the gods to deliver peace, wisdom, and prosperity to you, and through you, to all of Nova. And then she calls upon you, for your oath of rulership.
Priestess of the First Circle: Will you guide and govern and protect your people to the best of your ability, according to law and custom?
Elodie, Crown Princess: I will.
Priestess of the First Circle: Will you to the best of your power uphold the ideals of love, honor, justice, and mercy?
Elodie, Crown Princess: I will.
Priestess of the First Circle: Lords and Ladies assembled: I present to you your undoubted Queen, who has sworn you her loyalty.
Priestess of the First Circle: You who have come to give homage, will you do the same?
One at a time, the head of each duchy approaches your throne and kneels to swear his or her service to you and your heirs.
Priestess of the First Circle: People of Nova, I give you Elodie, daughter of Fidelia, your true sovereign. What say you all?
People: LONG LIVE THE QUEEN! LONG LIVE THE QUEEN! LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!
Elodie, Queen of Nova: (Thank you! I will!)
After the coronation, in a private ceremony with the High Priestess, Elodie was officially offered her mother's Lumen crystal. She refused to accept it. For the first time in centuries, magic would have no hold on the throne of Nova.
The tragic events of the past year left a gap in the Novan power structure, since Joslyn, Duke of Caloris, died with no acknowledged heir to his title. Elodie, of course, was the reigning Queen, which by tradition would prevent her from holding the duchy as well.
In order to resolve the situation quickly and keep the lands within her family, Elodie offered to grant control of Caloris to her uncle Laurent, the current Duke of Merva. The title of Merva, in the meantime, would be transferred to her aunt Lucille, who had always claimed to be descended from the extinct Mervan line. It would then be up to that couple which of their children inherited which territories.
During Elodie's reign, the public opinion of Lumens and magic in general would fall to a new low. Parents taught their children that Lumen power was all tied up with witchcraft and blood sacrifice, and would always lead to sorrow in the end.
In some territories, any village outcast found to be in possession of a shiny bit of rock was likely to fall victim to a lynch mob, and the miscreants were rarely punished. Better safe than sorry when it came to magic, after all. Even healers and priestesses were eyed with some suspicion. Who knows what costs their powers might have?
The young Queen sponsored expeditions of trained knights to venture into the Old Forest and attempt to exterminate the monsters within. Unfortunately, black magic would not give up its grip on Nova so easily. Many lives were lost, and with their blood, the monsters appeared to grow even stronger...
True to his word, Togami and the Shanjians ignored Nova in the years to come, focusing their efforts instead on the far northern continent of Borealis.
He was no doubt chasing the rumors of "Lumen Shamans" ruling over those barren wastes, rumors which Elodie now knew to be false. Let him waste his time in that hostile land as long as he wanted, he would not find any crystals there.
Though she received many proposals, Queen Elodie appeared to have little interest in marriage. When she was not occupied with running the country, she spent much of her time with her companion Brin, the Duchess of Hellas.
Despite her lack of husband, Queen Elodie did produce an heir to the throne - a daughter. The child was acknowledged; the father never was.
Elodie's studies of history revealed previously glossed-over facts from Nova's past, such as why the Novan empire only blossomed after the fall of Borealis: The old Lumen warlords were forced to flee to more fertile ground after their constant squabbling damaged their homeland beyond repair.
That also explained why, from the beginning, magic in Nova was viewed with caution. But as memory faded, caution did as well, leading to a cycle of magical destruction that waxed and waned over the centuries.
Elodie vowed to improve the state of Novan education so that important lessons would not be so easily forgotten.
And thus Queen Elodie's legacy stretched into the future...