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

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.