T - Harps, Lucca

[Harpsdesire]

The smile on Dania's muzzle faded at Faust's lukewarm response. "H-hello." she echoed his greeting, her own tone suddenly unsure. She pushed against the bit of her mind that housed her suit-given charm, but it wouldn't disguise the dismay and sudden pain in her eyes from a careful observer. The rat seemed almost to shiver for a second before she got a hold of herself and asked mildly, "Perhaps I could make a pot of tea? It's chilly in here."

When in doubt, feed people. She had learned that from her mother. Dania shuffled her paws miserably. If anyone had told her a few minutes ago that it would hurt this bad for Faust not to recognize her, she would never had believed it. But, somehow, it was true. She looked at the half-avian, then at the floor.

Joel was less surprised to find that the man had lost his recent memory. It was more than likely a side effect of the physical and mental trauma of the battle on top of his recent head surgery. He smiled kindly and gently beckoned that it was alright for Faust to descend the stairs. For the first time since Zacharias appeared he spoke up. "I'm Joel, and this is Dania, Zacharias and His Majesty Colin. Follow us, please. You should sit down for a while. Maybe eat something if you feel up to it." Honestly, Faust shouldn't be up at all, but Joel didn't want to upset the confused-looking man. He still wasn't sure he trusted the half-Torque's motivations for being in the castle, but his opinion had mellowed somewhat, and his tone was friendly enough.

When Faust spoke again, Dania smiled weakly, "That's... good." Her eyes were almost pleading, but she kept moving toward the kitchen and dining area without further comment. She seemed to be listening closely to what the others were discussing, but now and then glanced back at Faust, making sure he was following.

When they arrived in the room, Dania would excuse herself to gather up some food and tea. "Joel, could you help me with the trays?" Once they were alone, she would tell him, tearful again with excruciating shame, what she had done, and what she had learned. Joel shuddered when she told him, and fear mixed with pity for Faust, the unfortunate victim who may indeed become a threat himself.

He dried Dania's moistened cheeks with a large, blunt paw. "He might remember, in time." He tried to reassure her, looking at the floor as he was consumed by adolescent awkwardness at the sight of her stricken expression. She patted him on the shoulder and sniffled. His words were hardly comforting, but she knew his intentions were good. Sweet kid.

[Lucca]

Well, this was bothersome. Faust seemed, if possible, even MORE confused than he had been. Dania was, of course, upset by it...Colin could see it in her eyes. But since Joel seemed to take it in stride, Colin didn't worry too much. He gave a slight shudder at the Wolf's words, and it would be hard to tell if it was put on or not. "I have heard as much, actually," Colin said. "And I can imagine, if the situation at her Court is like what it is at mine, it would hardly help her mental state." He continued to lead the group to the kitchen, and upon entering the dining room once more, he gestured Zecharias to one of the large tables. There was a familiarity in this place. It looked the same as when they left it.

Colin half wondered if it would be rude to leave Zecharias to eat while he went to investigate the basement. But then, he -was- learning from the Wolf, and he would need any information he could get before finally being able to solve this thing. He nodded, absorbing the words about the mist, and smiled as Dania was willing to make food for them. "Ah, yes, very good Dania." Despite the fact he'd far rather be moving, and looking at what other intruders were in his Court, he sat down across the table from the Wolf, smiling. "So, where to after this? It seems like the best thing for layfolk to do would be to hole themselves up somewhere safe until all this is solved." Of course, Colin wouldn't do such a thing. He was responsible for the solving part, since the was The Queen of Spades.

[Harpsdesire]

Dania had to rummage a bit to find anything worth serving a visiting king, but she managed to put together a tray of cold meat, cheese from the icebox, some bread that didn't seem too stale and a few sweets from a tin. Joel would carry the tray, leaving her to convey the pot of good, strong tea that she had deemed proper for the occasion. At the last moment she added a bowl of fruit which had probably be set up the night before for this strange day's breakfast. Oddly enough, there was a single strawberry perched there on top of the apples, peaches and pears. Dania plucked it from the bowl and ate it herself, although she wasn't feeling hungry so much as empty and drained.

The earlier flickering of the overhead lights seemed to have steadied considerably, allowing her to get a closer look at the room than she had earlier. It was in a mild state of disarray, and a dish was broken on the floor, left there from Faust's earlier uncoordinated attempt at finding food.

Joel, always the optimist, chattered on lightly about the good chance of Faust's complete recovery, the fact that it seemed the rain was slowing down, and how good the food looked. He was hungry again, of course. "Do you think I ought to go check on Arpeggio?" He finally asked, when it became clear that Dania's responses to his upbeat words were entirely out of polite obligation, and not a desire to make small talk.

Her expression softened as she looked at him. "No, stay here, Joel. Colin can call his tove if he gets worried. In the mean time... I have a bad feeling about what I... saw... and, um, maybe it wouldn't hurt to find something we could use to defend ourselves, in case anything else... happens..."

Weapons really weren't an idea Dania relished, but with the faint scuffles and muted thuds beneath her feet that confirmed that the basement was occupied, she wasn't going to take any chances. She was a queen now, and she had to protect Joel and Faust no matter how distasteful to her the reality of battle might be. She felt painfully inadequate. "Anything you find, hide it in your bag. I don't want to offend Zacharias or scare Faust..." She cast about for anything that looked weapon-like, eventually settling on a rolling pin, since the idea of stabbing something - or worse, someone - with a kitchen knife absolutely turned her stomach. It was added to Joel's increasingly heavy satchel along with the long knife he selected for Colin.

"Something like this?" Joel had wrapped his paw around a heavy meat cleaver's handle and was taking a tentative practice swing.

Dania cringed, but admitted, "That would be perfect." It went into the bag as well, sharp-side into a book to prevent any misfortune with the honed edge cutting through the bag and into the carrier.

Putting on a brave face, she gestured for Joel to follow her, then brought the food out to where Colin, his guest, and Faust waited. "I hope you don't mind a simple tea." Charm allowed her to smile, putting the bag of weapons from her mind.

((I hope it's okay I put so much in this one post! I'm excited to keep moving forward. ^_^ ))

[Nathalia]

((Faust wandered after the group, staring all around himself and every now and then, bringing a hand up to tap gingerly at his beak...a nervous tic, no doubt. He cocked his head at all of the paintings, the finery, the carvings and architecture; and clicked along behind the group, not seeming to have looked at any of them after being given incentive to follow...
Aside from Colin.
His eyes kept falling onto the new Queen, nervous and antsy, as though he expected to be jumped at any second.
Perhaps Colin's imperious tones were frightening him?
Regardless, he followed along, nodding at the mention of food, and sat down directly across from Colin as the Wolf sat beside the Queen. Every now and then, he would look up from his hands, and run his eyes over the Queen, quizzical and a little blank.
(I would like everyone, when they get back in, to roll a 20-sided die for each character to see if you notice anything. <3 There are randomizers for them online if you don't actually have one.)

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Zacharias smiled at the Rat. "Tea would be sublime." He murmured, watching her little face crumble.
What in all of Odom's grace could be wrong with her?
"Poor thing looks quite pretty when she's upset." The Wolf confided in Colin with a grin as the Torque hurried ahead of them. "Shame she doesn't have a mane. Regardless, your Majesty, the Queen of Hearts is...a bit on the offside, not to lay it on thick, but she's struck me as such from tales. Now, that I've met her, I advise toward being polite if you venture into her Court. Quite unpredictable and crass." He eyed the tray brought out appreciatively.
"Ah, thank you, just what we needed."
He gave the Corvistowneian a curt nod of acceptance and poured himself and the Queen some tea, hoping the Rat would sit down...that natural binding intrigued him so....
"After this? I must say I had been planning to pay a visit to all the Courts. I have an associate in the Court of Diamonds I would like to check up on, and I have never been to the Palace of Clubs. I have heard great things about their Queen, regardless of his consistent absence."
He took a sip of tea and crossed his legs again, at the ankle.
"Due to the circumstances, however, it may be more prudent for me to simply remain here, if you don't mind, of course." He turned his attention to their table-mate.

"So, Faust, what was it you came to the Court for?"
The Torque mix was staring blankly by him, eyes on Colin's wings and the wall behind him when the Wolf impatiently thumped the table. "That would be you, sir. What brought you here?" The Calloo asked again, voice sounding a little dangerous...or maybe just annoyed, he did have a deep voice.
Faust jumped, focusing back on the Wolf and nodding.
"Um...um, sorry. Forgot, ok, so I-. Um...I'm here to...see the place?"
Zacharias gave the Avian mix a flat, unimpressed look.
"Why don't you try again?"
"Sorry, ok. I'm here to...get a job?" He gave a pathetic half-shrug to Zacharias and turned his attentions to the bowl of fruit instead.
The Wolf looked annoyed.
"Oh, wonderful explanation, really, I'm absolutely blown away." He rumbled, stabbing a piece of meat and chewing it in stony silence.

Meanwhile, Joel's concerns about the Tove may be right on the money. Colin feels the poor little thing stirring a bit in the back of his mind. Maybe he should send Joel or Dania to check on poor Arpeggio after all. Seeing as he's the Queen and obviously doesn't have the time, it would make more sense for one of the other two to go.
The storm outside seems to have abated slightly for the time being, leaving a thick, chilly mist all around the Palace, blocking most things out there from view...))


~Nathalia

[Lucca]

Colin chose to loftily ignore the Wolf's crude remarks. After all, he was not going to let him make any inappropriate advances towards -his- guest, and the Cardinal felt he'd made the clear already. So he instead focused on the description of the Queen of Hearts. A small frown turned the corners of his beak. "I see. Unpredictable, you say? Of course, one should always do one's best to conduct oneself with the utmost respect when in the presence of royalty, no matter the temperament," he said. If he weren't on such a confidence high, it would have unnerved Colin that the Wolf had chosen to sit next to him instead of across the table as he'd intended. As it was, he merely gave a polite, if distant, smile to Faust as the half Avian kept throwing him nervous looks.

He nodded to Dania and Joel as they reappeared with food and tea. "Yes, that will do nicely," he told them, and took the tea with a nod to Zecharias. Colin actually hated tea. Always had and always would. But he drank it because that was what one did when one was high class. Tonight, the warmth of the drink was actually a little comforting, even if the taste was as disgusting as ever.

Inwardly, Colin hated the thought of the Wolf staying here, in -his- Court. He had enough to deal with already, what with this whole situation, and unless Zacharias intended to help get to the bottom of it, he was only going to get in the way and require a good bit of bothersome entertaining. But, of course, he couldn't say so. "Perhaps that would be best, although you are of a high enough Rank that travel would not be as dangerous for you as for some."

The Cardinal sipped at his tea for a moment as he listened to Zacharias's discussions with Faust with increasing disbelief. "Sir, I must ask you to not frighten Mr. Faust. You see, he's had a head injury and has been a bit confused all evening," the Queen said politely, but his eyes held that warning again. The more Zacharias spoke, the more Colin disliked him. The more part of him wanted to throw him out of his Court. But he controlled the urge, forcing himself to remain calm and poised and...did he feel Arpeggio stirring in his mind? Well, he didn't want to risk summoning his Tove, but it would be best if someone went to check on him. He wasn't going to go, of course, he had no time. He was about to ask Joel, but...

"Dania?" he asked, voice gentle. "Be a dear and go check on Arpeggio for me?" That way, Dania would get a break from both Zacharias and his leering, and having to see Faust be even more confused than ever. He was sure that was hard on the poor girl given how much she seemed to like him. Inwardly, the Cardinal congratulated himself on his own genius.

((Colin rolls 17))

[Harpsdesire]

((Dania rolls 14, Joel rolls 8))

Both Dania and Joel sat at the table, the rat choosing a seat across from Zacharias, Joel the one Colin's other side, still unconsciously in the role of a protector. Dania accepted tea and some bread with jam, while Joel served his plate more generously and began to eat with appetite-- battles and running about spade-speed were enough to make a guy quite hungry! He felt more at ease in the dining hall; once again it seemed to be a safe haven from weirdness and the clammy grip of paranoia that infiltrated most of the palace.

The way Zacharias was talking to Faust had an agitating effect on Dania, who glanced at the confused bird with gentle sympathy and sipped her tea with nervously-moving paws. The faux-binding was still on his wrist, and as far as she could tell he hadn't even noticed it-- Probably for the better, as it would be rather awkward to explain what she had done, harder still to tell him why... Even thinking about what she had learned, and how, made her insides squirm uncomfortably with a sickly combination of fear and shame. Poor Faust, hadn't he been through enough?

Her strained expression relaxed somewhat when Colin spoke up. He was a good queen, defending the helpless, something she had just now proved herself too cowardly or too stuck on polite convention to do. If I was a Mid-Ranger, she thought, I'd be a goner. She sighed and kept the dark humor to herself.

As much as she hesitated to leave Joel, and even Faust, in the company of the wolf, it was a bit of relief to get out of there. She understood why Colin would be worried, too. A Spade's summon was very closely bonded to the summoner, as she understood it, and many Spades returned the affection of their familiar in kind. "Of course, Your Majesty." Dania nodded demurely and got up to leave the hall. She would have liked to take the rolling pin from Joel's bag, but as she could think of no discreet way to do so, it would have to be left behind.

Perhaps thinking the same thing, Joel started to get up from his plate, a slight look of regret passing over his face. "Should I...?"

Dania should her head. "Stay and eat, I'll be fine." She smiled at her assistant and headed back up to the room where Faust and Arpeggio had been locked in. It was probably a good thing she was going up, it seemed unlikely that Faust would have had the presence of mind to lock the door after himself... Oh, Faust! Dania's breath hitched in her throat and she hurried up the stairs, moving quickly for one with only three legs to carry her.

[Nathalia]

(Joel noticed nothing...Dania noticed that the stitches around Faust's head looked...old? Or at the very least as though all of the blood had been wiped away.)

((Zacharias leaned back a bit in his chair, pulling his plate with him and nibbling at a bit more of the meat. He coughed seemingly to discreetly to cover a snort of derision at the idea of not mocking Faust, and nodded to Colin.
"Apologies, your Majesty, no offense to your delicate guest meant."
He murmured, dipping his head to show respect and re-settling, letting his gaze rove to Joel briefly, and then back to the Rat.
"Respect to Royalty, I'll grant you, but this Hearts Queen seems beyond any semblance of reasoning I've ever seen. Still, I appreciate your accommodations, and would like to stay, should it be no problem, thank you."
He smiled, toothily at the Queen.
"Though I'm sure my powers would help me to be a tad safer than say, a Five, I would still dislike chancing it in such conditions."

He watched, expression going a little distant...maybe affronted? When Colin suggests Dania leave them, though he says nothing about it and simply helps himself to a pear and chews nonchalantly.
"So, Joel, was it? What brings you out here? No offense, but you seem a bit young to be a guard, and I would like to know how it is that all of you remain upright and functioning, when no one else appears to be around? In the Palace of Hearts I found many frozen in place, or sleeping. So strange..."

------------------------------------

When Dania goes to turn the knob.
The door is still locked.

Seeing as she had the key and took it with her...this is...odd to say the least.
After unlocking and opening the door, she finds something else unexpected.
Arpeggio flies to see her, obscuring her view for a moment with his delight to see a familiar face again.
He appears in great health, and his wounds look as though they've healed magnificently...for how grievous they were especially...summons, such weird things.

Faust is still on the bed.

He sits halfway up, starting as the door opened, and looks muzzy, eyes blurred and his pillow stained crimson.
The fur on his ears is sticking out stiffly at odd angles from the caked on blood.
"Dania?" He muttered, shaking his head gently and raising a hand to touch it. "What...happened? Sorry, I think...I think I passed out or-" He gave her a sadly appreciative look.
"It's good to see you...I thought... But, it's not here?"
He watched the Tove drift around the room, and then out of it, to find his owner.
"I think I'm a little confused. Sorry." He sits fully upright, steadying himself on the bedstead and stopping, an odd look on his face, as he stares at his broken binding.
He touches it gingerly and a half smile graces his beak.
"Heh, did- Did you do that?"))



~Nathalia

[Lucca]

The urge to kick the Wolf out of his Court was rising, but Colin merely smiled at him, because to retract his offer at this point would be a very grievous political error. After all, he wanted the Spades' relationship with Calloo to stay civil. Uh, assuming it was before, given that Colin had never seen a representative visit the palace before. "It's no problem. Please stay as long as you need," he said, taking another sip of his tea to hide the fact that he wanted to grimace as he said those words. More guests in the Court was actually the last thing he needed at the moment. He really didn't need any more help solving this. If he could just get back to the library or to the basement, he could take care of everything once and for all!

"Oh, I understand completely," Colin said easily, selecting two pieces of bread and some meat and cheese to make himself a small sandwich. "I wouldn't want to chance it out there myself, if I could help it, with..." The Cardinal trailed off, belatedly realizing that the sounds of the storm had finally stopped. For some reason that struck him as odd, though he couldn't explain why. Oh well, just another thing added to the long list he had to investigate. "With so much going on." Perhaps, after this meal, he could rush the Wolf off to bed? Yes! Another brilliant solution!

He settled down to eat his sandwich and fruit and let Joel speak in his own defense. He appeared relaxed, but was actually watching the Wolf very closely. His entire attention was focused on him until he heard a little chirp...and turned around to see his Tove floating down the stairs towards him, looking fit as a fiddle. He felt overwhelmingly happy as he saw his faithful little summon was all right, and extended his wing, restraining his glee to just a small smile. "Arpeggio! Glad to see you're all right," he said to the creature in a low murmur, and the Tove chirred happily, rubbing his horned head all over Colin's face and curling around his shoulders. "But you left Dania in the dust!" he teasingly reprimanded the Tove. Arpeggio blinked and looked a bit abashed, but didn't want to leave Colin's side again.

[Harpsdesire]

Joel looked at Zacharias a little uncomfortably. He wasn't exactly eager to admit that he wasn't actually a palace guard, but the thought of lying to the man didn't sit well with him either. He swallowed a bite of meat and said, "I spent some time in a palace as a kid, but this time around I came along with Dania. As for why we're still up and awake, I dunno. I've had a few theories, but none of them are easily provable or really explain the whole situation." If things had been a little calmer and less dangerous, Joel would have liked to run some experiments on the unconscious nobles Colin had found, but it didn't seem likely that the Heart king would be interested in any of that, or that the cardinal would permit it. Fascinating, though-- and Zacharias had said that those remaining in Hearts were frozen... what did that mean? "Frozen? In ice?" He tried to sound more concerned, rather than mainly curious.

Unlocking the door, Dania was met by a flurry of happy chirps and pastel fur. "Arpeggio! Aw, I'm glad you feel better!" She attempted to pet the lithe creature, cooing "We were worried about you! I looks like Joel fixed you right up, hmm? We should--!" Dania's voice died in her throat as she saw the still form of a tall biped sitting up in the bed. At first, she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. But he stirred, spoke. Faust. Faust was still here! Torn between relief and sudden fear, Dania's face twisted oddly for a second before a smile won out.

"It's good to see you, too. Are- are you feeling better?" Dania rushed over to the bed to push her nose affectionately into the half-torque's hand. "I was so worried!" She admitted, blushing a little as she nuzzled him. He was the REAL Faust, he remembered her, he was going to be okay, and it didn't seem that her spell, dreadful as it was, had harmed him.

She would have been overjoyed if the memory of his blank-eyed double downstairs hadn't rushed back at that very moment. The Other Faust, or whatever it was, was with Joel and Colin! "This is going to sound strange but, um... do you have a brother? Twin brother?" If they really were the same person, she could only imagine what trouble getting them in the same room could cause. Some kind of paradox that would rip apart the world? She glanced at the pen and paper on the nightstand. A note to warn Colin... But Arpeggio, who could have carried it, was already gone. It didn't look like Faust was in any shape to make a dash down to the dining hall, and she couldn't bring herself to just leave him again without a word of explanation, so she would have to trust that Colin could handle himself against Not-Faust for a while.

Before she had much time to fret about the impostor, the man drew her attention to the oddly-repaired binding on his wrist. She still smiled, but there was a strain and sadness in it as she looked from the chain and doorknob back to his face. He would know from the repair that something was up. There was no natural way she could have known how to rebind him. More than that, he deserved to know what had happened, as much as Dania would rather pretend she had never seen the frightening contents of his mind. It was painful to admit even to herself that she had used a painful, potentially damaging ability against an injured and unarmed friend, but she felt she owed him the truth, even if he would hate her for it. "Heh. Y-yeah. That was me..." She admitted. "Listen, I need to tell you something... I, um..." Tears stung her eyes and threatened to fall as she stammered, "W-while you were out... I did something bad..."

[Nathalia]

(Colin noticed that the stitches around Faust's head looked...old? Or at the very least as though all of the blood had been wiped away.)

((Zacharias finished his pear and delicately placed the core back on the plate.
"Glad to hear that you understand, your Majesty. Such kindness, I should have known to expect it from the Queen of Spades...would that I had been born one."
He picked up a few slices of cheese and some bread.
"Ah, interesting, Joel. Does your Corvistowneian interest pertain to slumber and its qualities?"
He asked, ears flicking back as Faust cautiously slipped a few slices of bread and cheese.
When no one seemed to notice, he made a grab for the main plate and piled another one high, wolfing it down as though afraid someone was going to steal it from him.
Ears still flipped back in disgust, the Calloo Wolf gingerly picked his teacup back up, pinky extended, and sipped.
"Frozen? Ah, no, I didn't illustrate well; what I meant was, they were frozen in place, unmoving...they appeared hale and healthy enough...simply unable to move or be moved."

He watched as Faust, gasping, finished stuffing ham down his throat and swallowed hugely, eyes bulging for a second before panting, grabbing a glass of water, downing it, and sitting back, looking exhausted.
"Your guest here is an...interesting sort, is he not? What is it your were looking for a job in, exactly, Mr. Faust?"
Faust paused, giving the Wolf a hurt...or maybe offended, look, before submissive worry crawled across his features.
Hunching his shoulders, he nodded, voice quiet, as he tapped his scaly fingers together.
"I was, um...hoping to...maybe work in the kitchen?" He muttered, before staring at the table until the Wolf looked away.
Zacharias turned back to Colin, brightening slightly. "Ah! A summon! I had always wanted one of those. Tell me, what's it like to be bonded to one?"
Faust's eyes drifted lazily...but as surely as though drawn by a magnet, to Colin. Hazy, but intent, especially on his wings.

-----------------------------------

"Better? I...I don't know I-"
Faust jumped a little when the Rat moved quickly to his side and pressed her nose into his hand, keeping it in place only by dint of his shock locking his muscle response.
"D-Dania, wh-" He gave her a curious look and his eyes seemed to focus a bit better.
He flushed.
"Thank you..." He mumbled, gingerly letting his fingers close around the back of her head and thread lightly through her fur.
He didn't know what to say.
"Thank you, what...what's been going on? I think...where are the others? There were others, right? Didn't...imagine them?" He asked, gesturing for her to sit up on the bed with him.
The image of her pressing her face into his hand was confusing some part of him, and encouraging something else that he was fairly certain couldn't be true.
She was just nice.

Her question brought him up short, beak closing as he winced, feeling the back of his head.
"Am..am I hurt? Brother? No...no, I'm pretty sure I don't. Don't think so, sorry I-" He scraped his claws along the length of his beak. I wish was was more use! I'm sorry...it won't...I can't remember."
He remained awkward, long legs dangling off the edge of the bed and wracking his brains for answers.
He glanced up when Dania admitted to repairing his binding.
"You did? Thank you...it was, it was doing something to me...I do feel better, actually. Heh, sounds silly, doesn't it?"
His eyeridges knitted slightly at her next comment...and her expression.
"Are- are you all right? Bad? What...um, what was it?"))



~Nathalia