[hr][hr][center][img]https://s2.postimg.cc/9u4ekd45l/darke.png[/img][hr][img]https://s13.postimg.cc/bqokv8vef/ezgif-2-aec9dbc0b0.gif[/img][hr][@Nallore][@BlueSky44][@FantasyChic][@mnkee][@LadyRunic][@Dragoknighte][@KazAlkemi][@jdh97][/center][hr][hr][center][h3][color=10A133][b]Present Day - The Castle: December 21st, 12,507 - 9:30 AM [/b][/color][/h3][/center][hr][@jdh97]: Jadis' eyes sparkled, reminiscent of the stars in the sky at night. They were a brilliant hue of blue, void of any black that would be associated with those who practiced the [b]Darke[/b]. While those in the Castle saw the Wendron Witches as monsters, they only used [b]Lyte[/b] [b]Magyk[/b]. Any harm that they caused to members of the Castle was done through purely non-[b]Magykal[/b] means. "Oh, I have many plans, Little-Bell...In fact, I believe that Valda will have received my first gift to her, in honor of this special moment," Jadis said. She could be so cryptic at times but with the feelings of joy and triumph washing over her, she decided that it wouldn't hurt to tell Bell what she had set in motion. 

"You remember my brother, don't you? The dear little imp?" Jadis prefaced. They were walking down Maker's Mile and had just turned, now heading west. It wouldn't be long until they arrived at the Palace - long until they would be able to see dear Valda and offer her congratulations. "It took some persuasion, but I convinced him to offer his hand in marriage to sweet Valda. He would be a great help to her - and then she would be my sister in [b]Magyk[/b] and in blood."

[@LadyRunic]: Rhys encounters no problems as he makes his way to the Traders Market. On the way, an idea will form in his mind - if he wishes to sneak into the Palace, who can come and go as they please without question? Servants and members of important delegations. He could claim to be the latter and they would be hard pressed to question him, with so many guests to the Palace. But most importantly, he technically [i]does[/i] have an invitation to the coronation. The entire Castle had been invited to go attend the ceremony on the Palace lawn. However, for one reason or another, Rhys doesn't notice Blaise Rowland and Jarvis Yule at all. Even if he were to look in their direction, they just seemed to blend into the crowd. 

[@KazAlkemi]: Rowland chuckled slightly, turning to look at his companion for a moment. "Perhaps I have not been away long enough - I'm still being recognized," Rowland lamented - yet there was a twinkle in his emerald eyes. He had been the ExtraOrdinary Wizard of the Castle for decades - it would take more than a year or two abroad to cause people to forget him. And of course, he stood out slightly in a crowd. He had a certain [b]Magykal[/b] aura to him, with his eyes glimmering with secrets and his beard so long that he could have tucked it into his belt. 

Yule shook his head slightly at his old mentor's antics. "Athelyna would have liked that," Yule said. Rowland had had four apprentices in total. For the last leg of his travels before returning to the Castle, he had visited his second apprentice, Athelyna, at her home in the Lagoon. Rowland nodded in agreement before turning to Cuyler with a playful smile. "So tell me, dear boy, how do you know Miss Rincewind? Tell me all about it - and perhaps I can survey your wares as we talk?"

[@Nallore]: The message rat nodded, before squeaking out, "of course, your highness! The bill will be sent to the Palace within one business week," before scurrying off. Even though they were royalty, royals only could use the message rat service without charge in cases of emergencies. Otherwise, they were treated like just everyone else. But as much as Luna may want to reflect on who Golds could be, it's about time for her to go meet the delegation from the Eastern SnowPlains. They'll be in the westernmost wing of the Palace - their Crown Princess and Grand Magician, the equivalent of the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, comprised the delegation chiefly. There were the usual associates servants and advisors present as well. 

[@BlueSky44]: Puck paused for a moment, looking at Valda incredulously. Had he not just told her the stakes? The people of the Castle did not trust her - there was a gigantic target on her back and she was [i]defenseless[/i]. She'd be lucky to make it to the end of the day without his protection. And as for the second matter, what did she knew of ruling? She was nothing more than a child pretending to be a princess - and in a few hours, she'd be pretending to be a queen. As far as Puck was concerned, she [i]needed[/i] him to step in and get things in the Castle sorted. 

"Respectfully, your majesty, we do not have the luxury of time," Puck clarified. "Do you think the Port Witch Coven will allow you to take the throne? They may be smaller in number than yours but they are ruthless and will not hesitate to kill you where you stand. Your impending coronation has made them desperate." He then took a step forward, looking up into Valda's eyes. "It is rare for a ruler to marry for love - but you, if you accept my proposal, would marry for protection. I know the ways of politics and hatred. We could live as brother and sister, married only as a formality. You would be free to chase your dreams, to live each moment to your heart's content, not weighed down with the rules and obligations of a kingdom...Yet I am afraid, your highness, that without protection you will not live to see another sunrise."

[@Dragoknighte]: Just as Atkin started to set down Wizard Way, making his way towards the Traders Market, a small disaster had been set into motion. Inside Larry's Dead Languages - a shop that attempts to rival the Manuscriptorium, offering translations of ancient tongues such as Italian and Russian - there was a shrill shriek. A second later, the clerk and a handful of customers came running out of the shop and flooding into the street, muttering unintelligible nonsense about a [i]furry creature[/i] that had taken up residence in the shop. But one of the customer's eyes latched onto Atkin - and unfortunately for Atkin, that customer just happened to be friends with an apprentice that lived in the dormitories of Wizard Tower. He had seen Atkin coming and going with the ExtraOrdinary Wizard before. 

"Apprentice!" the person called out, rushing up to Atkin and practically latching onto him. "There's a monstrous beast in the shop - you must get rid of it!" they urged him. And before Atkin could protest or say much otherwise, he found himself practically shoved onto the front steps of the shop, with a small crowd of people looking at him expectedly. [hr][hr][center][h1][b][i][color=#9B30FF]Arya Rincewind[/color][/i][/b][/h1][img]https://s9.postimg.cc/6tuc8047j/tumblr_inline_mh9g18863_U1qz4rgp.gif[/img][hr][color=#9B30FF][b]Location:[/b][/color] Wizard Tower - 21st Floor[/center][hr]	Arya shut the door of her room and then snapped her fingers. Instantly, her normal day-to-day robes had been replaced with the [url=https://i.pinimg.com/originals/a8/62/3d/a8623d5a50f18eb0d4e30f7f2669de77.jpg]dress robes[/url] she had selected for this occasion. She kept the Akhu Amulet of Hotep-Ra securely fastened around her neck. She wouldn't dare leave Wizard Tower without it - no ExtraOrdinary Wizard ever did. Only in times of great tragedy and sacrifice would the Akhu Amulet of Hotep-Ra be missing from the ExtraOrdinary Wizard's neck. She then allowed her hair to lie flat, braiding back two small sections from the front, before placing on a thin silver headband, with [b]Magykal[/b] symbols inscribed on it. As far as shoes went, she had chosen something a bit old fashioned - pointed heels made from purple python skin. 

	She then grabbed her things and headed out of her room and down the stairs, opening the door and then stepping onto the spiral staircase. [color=#9B30FF]"Down. Double speed,"[/color] Arya instructed, and the staircase began to rotate rapidly. As she stepped off of the staircase, a spectral form caught her attention. It was rare that the ghost of an ExtraOrdinary Wizard would choose to [b]Appear[/b] to her. Etiquette generally said that they shouldn't - otherwise, they might be tempted to micromanage their successor. 

	"Louanna Moon, it's been some time," Arya greeted politely. "But I really must be off. I have to prepare for the coronation." 

	[url=https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/the-salem/images/a/ae/Ashley-madekwesalem-s2-gallery-1jpg-9f1371.jpg/revision/latest/zoom-crop/width/240/height/240?cb=20150305233328]Louanna[/url] looked at Arya with an expression that could only be described as pity. "Don't get too attached to your apprentice - that's all I've come to say," the ghost warned. She was perched on the staircase, floating a few feet off of the ground. Yet her words caused Arya's expression to harden - she disliked it when ghosts were cryptic, even more when the words sounded more like threats. 	

	[color=#9B30FF]"What do you think is going to happen to him?"[/color] Arya asked cautiously. Sometimes ghosts didn't know how to tell the current world apart from the one they remembered. Louanna's warning could have easily been meant for an ExtraOrdinary Wizard that lived centuries ago. 

	"The [b]Queste[/b]."[hr][hr][center][h1][b][i][color=7bcdc8]Nera Hawthorn[/color][/i][/b][/h1][img]https://s9.postimg.cc/9cg18nv2n/giphy-30.gif[/img][hr][color=7bcdc8][b]Location:[/b][/color] Port Witch Coven House[/center][hr]	Nera chuckled slightly, her laughter having a slight melodic quality to it. Yet the melody itself was not sweet - it was one in minor. [color=7bcdc8]"They aren't wicked thoughts at all - we would be doing Princess Luna a service. Just as she so tragically lost her mother - and soon her sister, too - she will gain a [i]Witch[/i] Mother,"[/color] Nera said. Of course, the Port Witch Coven was smaller than the Wendron Witches - but the Wendron's restrained themselves to practice only the [b]Lyte[/b]. They limited their [b]Magyk[/b], hampering their creativity and spirit. The Wendron Witches were doomed to fail without balance. 

	She nodded and followed Fleur to the staircase, remaining at the top of the stairs. They had a rather narrow landing and more than two people couldn't fit there properly at a time. She rolled her eyes slightly upon recognizing their [i]guest[/i] - his name was Sigmund, but most referred to him as Old Man Sig. He was nearly as fat as he was tall, giving his body a grotesque circular shape. His veins bulged slightly and he was almost covered from head to toe in what seemed to be soot. He was a paranoid old drug that spent most of his time looting other people's waste. 

	[color=7bcdc8]"In order to curse your boat, you must first [i]have[/i] a boat,"[/color] Nera said pointedly. 

	Sig's beady eyes narrowed as he raised his fist towards the witches, extending a particular finger towards the three of them. "You bloody witches know what you did, the lot of you! Ain't no tea is going to make me forgets the wrongs you did! If me boat ain't fixed by the end of the night, you're all DEAD!" Sig screamed, before slamming his fist against the door. His fist swung in at just the wrong angle, however, causing him to hit a rather sensitive nerve and scream slightly in pain. 

	"FUCK!" Sig groaned. "You see that? Huh? You see! They cursed me! Whores the lot of them! And then there's the man-woman!" Sig sneered, motioning with his head towards Malekith. 

	[color=7bcdc8]"Charming as ever, Sig,"[/color] Nera muttered curtly.[hr][hr][center][h1][b][i][color=ff0000]Myrus Silvers[/color][/i][/b][/h1][img]https://s9.postimg.cc/42b2h1xvj/tumblr_inline_naz1rpis_Mx1qce4fj.gif[/img][hr][color=ff0000][b]Location:[/b][/color] Servants Quarters - The Palace[/center][hr]	[color=ff0000]"Right, just a friend,"[/color] Myrus repeated, before hesitating for a moment. [color=ff0000]"Actually, erm, let's say I hypothetically liked a girl...And I wanted to get her attention...What would you...if you were the girl...want me to do?"[/color] Myrus asked, his cheeks crimson enough to match his robes. He didn't have a parent to ask for advice on women anymore and he certainly wasn't going to ask Luna about it. He could just see it - Luna running down Alchemie Way and telling Mavis all about how he was begging to get her back or something silly like that. Girls could be weird at times - but Lyra didn't strike him as giggly and silly as some of them could be. 

	[color=ff0000]"And for context, in this situation, the girl and I used to date,"[/color] Myrus explained, turning his gaze to look at the ground. [color=ff0000]"But she may have called me a... [i]coddled man child[/i]...or something along those lines..."[/color] He bit his lip and played with a loose strand on his cloak. He hadn't quite gotten over Mavis. She had been the one to end things after that awful fight they had gotten into, and while they had managed to repair their friendship, Myrus didn't want to be just friends with Mavis. He then looked up at Lyra sheepishly, wondering what advice she'd give him. Hopefully it wasn't to take a letter opener and cut Mavis open - but with all of the knives Lyra kept grabbing, he wouldn't have been too surprised if she said something along those lines.