The Queen noticed the arrival of the newcomers when the rest of her court did. And like the rest of her court, she paid them no mind at all. A human page, a boy, presented the queen a clay goblet full of wine. She patted the lad's head, sent him on his way, and drank deep without spilling a drop. The sprites went about their day playing in the fields. It seemed only the Queen's knights paid any mind to Rikive. 

As she stood and walked toward the festivities, a dozen knights slowly shifted, hands resting on their blades while casually approaching their Lady to stand in the way.

Parry gave up fidgeting as Rikive picked him up, instead planting both hands on his mouth as if that would stop the next hiccup, whenever it came. He could feel something stirring in his gut, straining for release, and fought it with all his might to keep from shrinking any smaller It was a fool's hope, but he was out of options and ideas.

The Queen smiled as the two approached, passed her goblet to the nearby Page, and stood from her seat.

"Nefrate, my First-"

One of the knights, a tall, elfen eared female wearing a cloak of rose petals, saluted the Queen but said nothing.

"You told me that Parry wouldn't find his way here in time. Yet it appears he stands before me- or rather, is held before me- humbled." She licked her lips, a lioness looking at a gazelle away from its herd. "de Lacy's golden goose. A true Celestial."

Then, for the first time, she looked at Rikive. Where Rikive was martial power and honor, the Queen stood tall as the picture of femininity and cunning. She had no weapons at her hip, wore no armor, but being in her presence one could tell she commanded powers other than the sword and shield. And there was something else... off, about her. Parry couldn't place it. It was eluding him. Not something that was there, but something that [i]wasn't[/i].

Parry dropped his hands when it finally came to him.

"Bitch! You're not actually pregnant! I threw you a baby shower and you're- [b][i]HICCUP![/i][/b]"

Parry held on to Rikive's arm for dear life, his whole body thrown by the force of that last one. When his brain could finally see straight again, his hands and legs were pudgier while absolutely swimming in their sleeves. Parry's eyes teared up as he immediately felt another hiccup building in his stomach.

"Time is of the essence, Parry Magnus. I think two, maybe three more? And then you're stuck that way for a good 10,000 years. And greetings to you, my lady. I saw and heard through the Hedge. I know why you're here. You want me to release Parry from this curse. But what is he to you?"