011 » we both know that things could get messy

[royalist]

fanart by 8koenji.bsky.social.
for louis at luciferi.

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[royalist]

How would I even get on a chair that tall? I'd have to... to float...

[ Furrowing his brow, the young prince puts some effort into making his sword fly up a little higher, but there are reasons that efficient magical flight was long known to be one of the foremost unsolved problems at the Mage Academy, and this effort seems to tire him out a bit quicker than it perhaps should (being a gifted mage himself, Louis might be able to see ways in which Will's magla expenditure is a little wasteful in this particular endeavor).

The prince floats up to be about Louis's height, then wobbles on the blade; realizing that his spellcraft is making him dizzy, Will gives up, letting the blade fall back down to its usual height with a faintly exhausted sigh.

...He's surprisingly playful and childish, like this. ]

It's too bad I'm not a fairy like Gallica. Then I could just float to whatever height I want to be...

[ Gallica must be another one of his companions... ]

[luciferi]

[ when the elda village burned, he was too young to recall the place of the fairies. they were there, but never in the forefront of his mind, perhaps necessity pushed them out, or he was far too much of a surly child to get along with their carefree ways. ]

Fairy, is it? Another surprise from the young prince.

[ though he wonders how many of those there will be as the two of them continue this dance: reaching forward bit by bit, feeling the other out, curious to the other's true intentions. ]

A floating sword, armor from magla, and a fairy companion. I suppose I fit in well with this eclectic mix that you've amassed. Come, I'm certain he's having us followed. There are wards that need to be checked in your quarters to ensure they are to my liking.

[ with or without Will perched upon his sword, he heads back to the prince's room. somehow, Louis Guiabern seems diligent in his duties as the prince's protector. for all the rumors about him, there are some eccentricates that don't quite peek through. ]

[royalist]

The wards...?

[ The wards are royal magic of a kind that Will has never bothered with double-checking because they are woven into the very construction of the palace. Not that he minds Louis re-examining them, of course; it simply surprises him, firstly, that the man would think to do so, and secondly, that the man even noticed them to begin with. He looks more like the type whose martial might was proven by his bladework and not his spellwork, but Will supposes that there was a very good reason after all that people started calling Louis Guiabern "the Archmage." ]

And if they are not to your liking? Will you make new ones?

[ When they return to Will's room, it would appear, at least, on face value, that nothing in the young man's room has been changed. On the air, however...

Something feels different. About the magla of the place. Surely the wards were not broken, but... it would have been a simple thing, for someone in Forden's camp to take advantage of the improptu "meeting" to plant something inconspicuous...

Will is quiet as they return. He seems to be aware that something has been altered, but he also wants to see how Louis will react to the violation of his quarters. ]

[luciferi]

[ it's a habit that he adapted after his political rivals had begun to sabotage him. once you became powerful, those with weaknesses would use every dirty, underhanded means of dethroning you, and Louis had learned well. some of the spells he knew were due to his own lineage, others through fine tuning of the craft, and yet others through raw necessity. he was highly attuned to the magla around them, and how igniters brought it to life. (he also knew that they were not needed to wield magla, much as the prince did, himself.)

the royal magic holds a certain type of authority, but Louis has no respect for any type of authority, so where this may seem blasphemy to some, he could care little. he knows that Forden does not, either, as much as he preaches otherwise. ]

Perhaps. If such a fool has tampered with your quarters, then there is a vulnerability in defense. If we expose it, we may also potentially have some fun with the one who thought they could dupe you.

[ it's curious that the prince can tell as well as he can, but that may be that they both are adept to it in ways that others are not.

Louis sets a hand on the doorframe, gently drawing it up in a gesture that looks delicate coming from a man of his stature. there is a look of quiet contemplation on his face, slightly devious to see if anyone would be so bold as to infiltrate the prince's quarters. ]

Someone wishes to tell when you come and go.

[ he says, gently tugging at the artificially created magla pathway, laying over one of the wards. it's easy to spot now that he's pointed it out. ]

You've become a threat.

[ there's a show of amusement from Louis, who seems rather thrilled at the prospect. ]

[royalist]

[ There is something inherently pleasing about the way that Louis tugs at magla. He is elegant with it, as he is in all things, but Prince Wilhelm catches himself thinking — foolishly, he knows it's foolish — that he would love to watch the man do that again and again.

He cannot think such things because he knows full well that Louis has yet to earn his trust, so Will says nothing about it, and merely imitates the gesture. Will can manipulate magla patchways as well as any archmage; he takes hold of the one that Louis pointed out, and draws it nearly taut enough to snap it in half. With cold dignity, he casts a glance in his personal knight's direction, curious to see what his reaction will be. ]

Well? Shall we break it and let our guest know that we've caught on to their scheme?

[ The question is meant to probe for a response, a reaction. The idea of an intruder in his personal quarters does not surprise the prince; such schemes and machinations have haunted him as long as he has been alive. What he is more interested in is what Louis's reaction to such an insult will be. ]

[luciferi]

[ the boy prince learns quickly, Louis thinks to himself as he watches Will imitate his gesture to an almost perfect comparison – it's not exactly perfect because Will knows what he's looking for enough that he has to change the gesture to grasp onto the path. it's a curious detail, one that is not unexpected, but there's something distinctly satisfying about it. it's very elda. ]

Is that what you wish to do?

[ he asks, unabashedly challenging the prince. ]

What would be most beneficial to the cause that you're pursuing?

[ ultimately it's Will's choice, and Louis will deal with whatever consequences come of that choice – he is Will's knight. however, there's something curious about the way that Will works, about what kind of person he is, and the potential of what type of person he could be.

Louis can't help but find himself more intrigued than he normally tends to be about people. ]

[royalist]

[ Will winds his finger around the strands of magla he's pulled taught; the motion strains them still further. ]

As entertaining as it would be to allow them to spy on me for a time to lure them into a trap...

[ He turns his gaze pointedly in Louis's direction, pulling the strings like so many silver spiderwebs around his middle finger, gazing at his new knight's lips — ]

I enjoy a bit of privacy in the evenings.

[ — so saying, he snaps the magla web outright, breaking the original caster's spell into unrecognizable ribbons that soon disintegrate into motes of magla on the air. Then he dusts off his hands, as if he's done nothing more interesting than clean up a few specks of dirt in his room. ]

You feel the same way, don't you?