audio; un: Sabriel.Abhorsen; The morning after the Gala

[bindsthedead]

The orb was in the royal family museum until very recently. Remi put a suppression spell on the orb- a strong one. It's able to keep the orb from corrupting its surroundings- and as far as I can tell, it's still on it.

The spell's strong enough that I was able to follow it straight to where they were keeping the orb, and I couldn't sense the orb's presence until I was right next to the cushion it had been resting on. But the spell's not enough to keep the orb from forming bargains, even if it keeps the thing from other forms of mischief.

[So having to negotiate with the whoever has it is still a possibility.]

Security at the palace is poor enough that someone from the outside getting in isn't implausible. I was able to swim in and and out without being noticed this morning, and I'm hardly an expert in stealth.

Nothing else was taken from the museum, and there was no sign of force being used to enter. So whoever took it knew exactly what they were looking for, either had the key or could pick locks... and locked the door behind them.

[Which speaks to an inside job, or something carefully planned.]

The guards mentioned that the princess has run away before, and a guard named Zek said the queen raised her voice to someone late last night. It may be a good idea to ask him for further details, as well as where the princess tends to run off to.

Either the queen or the princess has the orb and they fled the city together for some reason, or the orb reached out to someone before Remi put that spell on it, and this is a theft and kidnapping long planned. The trail leads out of the palace- and out of the city gates, but the currents past there obscured the trail.

Comments

[victorylap]

Well. That's a problem. Guess we're going out into the wild blue, huh?

[bindsthedead]

Well, I've still got the cushion- we could try a scrying spell with it to find our target....

But yes. Our path leads us out of the city. I just hope the queen and the princess are all right.

[victorylap]

They've lived here a while, right? Hopefully they know the dangers better than we do.

[bindsthedead]

Assuming they left on their own and weren't kidnapped.

[victorylap]

Who'd want to kidnap them? What would the point be? But can't be ruled out... so, yeah.

[bindsthedead]

They're the ruler and her heir. It might be political.

[victorylap]

True.

Not sure how involved we should get if it is.

[bindsthedead]

If the orb is involved, we're involved, no matter how much we wring our hands and say we don't want to be.

[victorylap]

Well... yeah. I'm just thinking about what happened last time.

[bindsthedead]

Well, we won't linger- given this world's lack of issues, there wouldn't be much point.

[victorylap]

Yeah. Just... I remember last time and maybe we should try to stick to the mission a bit more, you know?

[bindsthedead]

I know, but the problem with 'not getting involved' is that this is connected to the theft of the orb. So finding the queen and princess means finding the orb.

[victorylap]

Yeah, yeah, I know, I know. I just keep thinking - I'm overthinking it.

Let's just figure this out and get this done with.

[bindsthedead]

Yes. The sooner we recover the orb, the better.

[victorylap]

We'll make it happen. We're good enough.

audio; un: Ambus

[legalcy]

The Queen is stressed in general. I'm nor surprised she had any sort of outburst. But she would not leave her work for just any reason.

[bindsthedead]

It's not impossible that she and the princess were taken by force. But... Everything about the theft was very subtle. Why take the two of them?, and make it clear something happened?

[legalcy]

Obvious to those familiar with the orb, or obvious to everyone? If it's so simple to enter the castle, the intruder might not be aware of the additional magic the orb holds.

Of course, targeting the ruler and her heir is the most dramatic statement an enemy could make.

[bindsthedead]

And yet nothing else was taken. There were any number of valuables in the museum that would have been easy to carry out- why take what would have seemed to them a single gem, unless they had some understanding of its worth?

In which case, we should expect them to say something more, if only to make clear what they want. Who is next in line, after the queen and her daughter? The king is a mere consort.

[legalcy]

What if they accidentally used the orb, not knowing of its power? Somehow, the princess and queen may have been lost in exchange.

[bindsthedead]

That's not impossible, but- the orb makes it clear what is being given, and what is being taken. Sometimes phrased in unclear ways, but- it would still make it clear. And it seems to limit what it asks for to something that is within someone's right and power to give.

[legalcy]

Who would have the right to give up the queen...unless it was another member of the royal family?

The Queen Mother would not have her disappear out of malice. If anything, my conversation with her tells me that she wishes that the queen would rest and enjoy the fruits of her reign. The King would rather keep his spouse and child near him, if they love each other so much. The Queen herself would never leave of her own accord, nor would she send her heir away. The Princess may be in hiding, but would she willingly give up one of her parents?

[bindsthedead]

Perhaps if it was a wish made by a child angry at her mother, who wished she 'would just disappear', before fleeing when it became clear what happened?

[legalcy]

...Perhaps.

It would be cruel, but it's possible.

[bindsthedead]

The orbs aren't kind. And the suppression spell doesn't stop anyone from making a bargain with it.

voice; un: stardust

[shadysided]

I've been working on trying to be a 'sentry in training'; not exactly getting up there in the ranks or anything more than a glorified fangirl of the guard, but maybe I could try to chat up this Zek guy and get something out of him? Or any of the guards, really. I've got nothing better to do, unless plotting revenge against some mean mergirls count as 'better'.

[bindsthedead]

Well, unless you think those girls have some knowledge of the princess's location, I'd say you should speak with the guard instead.

[shadysided]

Hey, you never know... I'd have to say the chances are slim to none, though.

I did hear that the princess is pretty ornery, actually. That she's pretty spoiled. But is there such a thing as a princess that isn't a little bit spoiled?

[bindsthedead]

Probably not. But... if someone like that ran away, I think they'd come back eventually. And would she really leave the city entirely? This world isn't as dangerous as some, but still, for a girl her age to go that far...

[shadysided]

She might if something gave her reason to run away further than usual, right?

How far do you think she went? Is it possible she's still somewhere in the city?

[bindsthedead]

No. The trail leads out of the city, past the gates and into the ocean beyond. Do the monarchs have some sort of- holiday estate? Is there any place outside the city she's visited often, and has fond memories of?

[shadysided]

... I don't know. Nothing's come up...

You'd think they'd check that place first though, right? If they went missing.

At least to make completely sure.

[bindsthedead]

Not if their vacation residence is a few hours outside the city. They'd check around the palace first.

[shadysided]

Maybe we'll have to find this possible vacation spot and check it out ourselves, then.

audio (un: major.yzak.jule)

[coordination]

Would you mind accompanying me through the city to show me where that trail went through it? I may be able to pull some strings and see if I can find anybody who might have seen or heard something strange going on along the path.

audio

[bindsthedead]

I wouldn't mind at all. If someone can give us a description of the thief, that would be very helpful.

Re: audio

[coordination]

Perfect.

Maybe... [ His voice takes on a slight exasperated, yet still hopeful, tone. ] my meeting Goldie and her many connections will come in handy here.

[bindsthedead]

Hopefully. This might be a mystery, but- someone left the palace, and went through the city. Someone saw them, even if they don't know what they saw.

audio. un: barnes.

[starer]

The kid left Zivi behind. She didn't run away.

[bindsthedead]

'Zivi'? Who or what is that?

[starer]

Her dragonling. She's basically her best friend. Pretty sure she wouldn't leave her behind if she was running away.

[bindsthedead]

Perhaps. But there's very little sign of outside action, just the possibility. And if she was taken- by who? And why take two people?

[Sabriel sighs.]

Between the cushion and Zivi, we should be able to track her by supernatural means.

[starer]

Leverage.

[Which, unfortunately, he knows a little too much about.]

Best way to keep someone under control is threaten their kid.

[As for who though, well, that's the billion dollar question.]

Zivi was a pretty good tracker on the palace grounds. Don't know how good she'll be in a wider distance. But it might be worth trying.

[bindsthedead]

I was thinking of using her as the focus of a scrying spell- don't worry, she won't be harmed.