Fairy Godmother

Welcome ladies and gents to our Friday book design! While it pains me to say it, for now we must say goodbye to the Chronicles of Elantra series, and greet new friends. While I might not do every book from the series, allow me to introduce you the 500 Kingdoms  books by Mercedes Lackey. I'll say this before we dive in, it is completely different than the Chronicles of Elantra, both in therms of style, and the fact that each book more or less stands on it's own. This week's book is the 'Fairy Godmother', first in the series.

** Note: This one got insanely long, so I’m doing something a little different this week. I broke apart the pictures, rather than having them on one canvas, and putting it in different spots within the text.  Let me know what you think?

Let's start off with the cover, blues and greens with a hint of pink. Not a bad color combo, although personally, I'd swap for purple, rather than pink.
We have a gent on a horse, looking sort of blah? And a blonde lass with rather fine eyebrows. I'm suspecting a romantic subplot at some point. Be warned those of you that aren't into it!

Elena Klovis, that's a rather nice name, although why is she carrying hatboxes?

Whoever she is, she's got an abusive stepmother. Never good.

"An unmarried girl was the ward and property of her parents who could do whatever they wanted with her? Ten stripes from the town gaoler, a session in the stocks. And whatever her Stepmother would dish out if she tried to defend herself." Ouch.

21 and it seems she's got a head on her shoulders if she's considering the dangers of running away in her world. I like this girl so far. ^^

"Dour, sour man, thin as a spider, balding with a nasty long fringe around his pate and evil tempered as a toad." < This is some serious characterization.

"The Horrids." I like this XD

"And if they lacked for suitors here, that was partly due to the fact that they wouldn't consider anyone without a title or a fortune, and preferably both." Well, they do sound positively horrid.

Whitewashed walls? I remember that that's a way of protecting the outside of a house, but why? And why inside?

D: Eating herself sick rather than letting Elena have any? Pig. I'm thinking this  is a Cinderella retelling maybe? We're only at page 15, so I'll keep going to see if this gets better.

Never combing your hair more than once a month? Egad! I don't care how elaborate your hair is, that's just twitchy.

Oh! World building! Elena and her family live in the capital of their kingdom, Charbourg. And their Royal family has their gardens open to the public. I'm being put in mind of Versailles?

Kingdom name: Otraria.

Tax collectors that give back if you've fallen on hard times? I wish this place was real.

using carhorses for a family carriage? ugh.

Ah, and now the peeping neighbors have names, Madames Blanche and Fleur.

"She still could have lived frugally, she could have decided to lose those airs of hers and act her station instead of miles above it." I like Madame Blanche XD

"The heavy old-fashioned furniture that had been in Elena's family for generations was not only hard to move, it wasn't worth a great deal." XD Whereas here it's worth a ton.

Forced from a normal room to a garret room, and from there to the hearth, hence 'Ella Cinders."

How many maids are needed though, really? O.o I can't imagine having one on a regular basis, let alone many?

Definitely a French based kingdom with names like Beauvrais, Fleur and Rabellet.

They took the books! T.T Poor Elena.

Ahhh, people are feeling guilty, good.

Ah, she's thought about what she'll do then and is determined, good!

Oh! So Fleur is a Witch? Finally, something new.

"You were careful about words around Witches. "

An actual love spell? Eesh, Poor man. They again with the way the Horrids act, I suppose that would be the only way she could've gotten a husband.

Oh, Madame had a name, 'Madeleine.'

A Mop fair? What an interesting idea. I wish Hiring Fairs were this interesting.

Why are so many people passing by? Elena's  a good worker, are they all afraid of Madame?

A dog-cart? O.o But it says it's pulled by a little humpbacked horse?

Eccentrically dressed, little old lady, with a humpbacked horse, who is wearing a straw hat. I think we may have something!

Ok, scarlet boots with black stitching, blue skirt embroidered with red & yellow flowers, green leaves, black bodice, yellow blouse, scarlet vest and a wildly embroidered black shawl. Holy moly.

     Lots of colors there, and I'm thinking polymer applique?

Elena! I don't care how kind her eyes are, she could be a serial killer!

O.O Flying cart? Ok. Maybe, hopefully, not a serial killer?

A little ball of light, how how lovely it would be to be able to do that, for late night reading.

A basket that keeps food hot or cold as needed, doesn't let it get squished or spilled without the use of tupperware. I like this. Where can I find one?

Watercress... relative of lettuce right?

O.O Oh wow.

I'd like to know this too!

Oh... that makes more sense, she's not /just/ Elena's Godmother, but Godmother to all of Otraria. I suppose it might be forgivable then that she abandoned Elena.

So... magic is what forces people into lives like story books?

Um... in this anyway

"That magic begins to try to force their lives down the path their circumstances their lives most resemble and the longer it takes, the more magic begins to gather. "

Fairy Godmothers- Midwives to fairy tales.

"Exactly so. Unfortunately my dear, in your case though, you stepmother and stepsisters are fully /wicked/ enough to justify that sort of happy ending." XD Madame's tales of evilness has spread enough that this FG knows of them it seems.

The magic is called 'The Tradition" interesting.  Apparently, the Tradition is constantly trying to recreate the tales, because who doesn't know a brave orphan boy, or a girl with an evil stepmother, but not all of them get their happily ever after because circumstances aren't right. Princes are greybeards, infants, rakes, married or even Princesses.

"It just gets attracted, the same way white cat hair is attracted to a black velvet bodice" XD Good analogy.

So... this magic can be siphoned off? Is that what she's going to do to Elena/

O.O Magic serial killer. Great.

Or... I could be overreacting and she just wants Elena to be her Apprentice and learn how to be a Fairy Godmother :D (Where are Cosmo and Wanda?)

With all the explaining going on, I didn't even realize we didn't kno her name. The FG, is Madame Bella, and now Elena's... Mistress? Or would it still be Master?

It's dangerous to be a Fairy Godmother? Interesting.

Oh no, is it all a dream? I mean, sure it sounds surreal, but it can't be a dream right? D:

THe little horse has a name! Sergei <3 Russian tales are what he's from perhaps?

Who or what is the Mare of the East Wind?

Sergei and his mum are apparently from another line of the Tradition, and another set of Kingdoms entirely. He's sort of like a dragon or a Unicorn. (why does Unicorn get capitalization, and not dragon? )

And he talks.. perhaps it's more magic? That lets Madame Bella understand?

He also has a sense of humor it seems, pity we aren't told what he would have done to Elena's stepmother.

Oh, So the Tradition runs everything? ... Because tales say that if a King and Queen are kind, then their kingdom will prosper. Makes sense. From there, that affects everything it seems. How odd.

And apparently there are more kingdoms than there are Fairy Godmothers. And they have to make sure things run as smoothly as possible, and things slip like they always do when you have more work than people.

Godmother to 24 kingdoms, capable of being called on for another dozen. Yeesh. HOw do you manage all of it?

So, downside ot being Godmother seems to be 'Single Forever' I suppose I was wrong then about the cover XD

A house that is larger on the inside than the outside?

     1) Timelord! 2) I want one.

Hob and Robin, what strange creatures. Ah, they're Brownies.

     Hob- Anything to do with mending

     Robin- Anything to do with making

     Lily- wife of Robin- Anything to do with tending

     Rose- wife of Hob- Anything to do with cleaning

Rule #1 of being a Godmother, NEVER say that the Brownies serve you. Bad Things Happen!

Laughs- Madame Bella's display room

          A cap of rushes

          Knitted tunic from plant

          White feather

          Golden ball

          Tiny fur slipper, child sized, but adult style

A rug as soft as kitten fur. I wonder if such a thing would be possible?

Ohh, here's a table I'd love to have. "resembled the stump of a giant tree, supported by carved sinuous bare roots."

Maybe it's just me, but why would you want to sleep in something with lace 3 inches deep? Even if it's incredibly soft, that is a LOT of lace.

Black clothes, piped in green and purple- there you go, distinct, but not as crazy as Madame Bella's.

And the happy giggles set in, it is in fact, not  adream!

She's a sharp little thing this Brownie is, she's interesting.

In order to have a 'milk-room' you'd need a lot of milk to justify it, yes? or is it meant for other things involving milk as well?

Finally looking it up, after having read it for years in Redwall, cordial = liqueur . Sooo... those little hedgehogs and mice were drinking at a young age! D: My childhood has been ruined!

And to take away the taste of what precisely Madame Bella? WHat are you giving Elena?

Wait!! In British Commonwealth, cordial is a conncentrated non-alcoholic fruit syrup. Yay! Further reading has saved my childhood! :D

Black and oily looking.. what is this?

     Dragon's blood? O.o why??

     To understand animals? Well, I suppose that would come in handy.  Ahh! It aslso explains why Madame Bella could understand Sergei!

A room crammed floor to ceiling with books. So many that things spill over and take over another room... Heaven..<3

Ah, so it's  a spell that lets the house frow?

And it's to keep her enemies from finding them. Makes sense. If I wanted to take over, I'd take out the Fairy Godmother too.

Self-sufficient and set up to trade with locals. Sounds nice.

How do you manage gardening in stages? I've always wondered.

Elves and they have to test her it seems? I can't imagine any other reason to show Elena such horros.

Ah, initially all Fairy Godmothers were Fae. And Wizards were Elven Knights.

Huh, so for this 'verse, the wand is only a tool. It's not magical in and of itself.

Wand=magic same as magnifying glass-sun

"You are every bit as important in rank as an Empress and when the time comes, you must wear these gowns and wear them without a second thought. Appearances are important Mistress and the time will come when you will speak with Royalty and they will know you for their superior, the gracious bestower of gifts they have humbly asked of you." That's one heck of a shopping pep talk.

Lace, thick and rich with bobbins, and fine as  cobwebs. Trimmings made from silver and gold. O.o That's expensive stuff.

If you aren't fearless, you can at least look fearless. <Good advice.

"The Rogue who will leave her broken-hearted and perhaps in difficulties" XD I love how delicately this is phrased.

O.o explain how burn ointment is a frippery and not perfumes, face and hand lotions? This Madame Klovis was a piece of work.

     I hope we don't see her again.

The 'full rigout' for Madame Bella, powdered wig, silver buckles on high heeled satin shoes. Rose pink, lace festooned, fitted ball  gown. Satin overskirt, embroidered with rosebuds, underskirt with more layers of cascading lace, sparkling with tiny rose crystals. Staff topped with rose quartz, caught in silver vines. Not sure what to do with this, but certainly I'll figure out something.

Ohh, So even princes and princess can fail, even with the Tradition behind them, due to personality flaws. Interesting.

Randolf?

O.O a face in the mirror. A TALKING face that likes to.. make faces XD Apparently he is a Slave of the Mirror and used to belong to a Dark Sorceress.

Oh, now that sounds useful. "Al Forests Are One" I wonder if a modified version "All Roads are One" would ever show up or would it be dangerous since forests are less inhabited than places near roads?

If opaque means that a thing can't be seen through, does an opaque look mean that you can't understand their motives/thoughts behind it?

Different outfit for Madame Bella. A chain of amethysts and pearls, amethyst rings and amethyst and pearl buckles on shoes. Lace on gown, is beaded with tiny faceted amethysts and seed pearls ornamented the bodice. Even wearing a tiara with flowers made of amethysts with emerald leaves and centers of pearls.

Poor Elena , having to deal with a wand with a star on top XD

"Not one guest here was of common blood, Elena suspected even the servants considered themselves to be a sort of nobility." I wonder how that would work.

So it's better to call them all Faries, the Fair Folk, Witches, a lone Sorceress and Madame Bella? Interesting.

The Witches were all in earthy colors, russet, green, wheat straw and grey and their staffs and the ornaments they were were fashioned of silver, and gems were modeled on vines, leaves and flowers or beasts and birds.

The Sorceress wore a very dramatic gown of brilliant blue and white, her ornaments made of silver, diamonds, and spaphires were not representations of natural things!

     This one has me thinking of spiky ornaments, or maybe something on stars.

Is she evil? Or are Sorceresses good?

Well Elena... if theres this many Fair Folk, Witches and what not, and it's a Royal Christening, yes there are like to be other visiting princesses and princes.

"... and that a  Godmother's Apprentice didn't gape at the guests at someone else's party." ... so... if it's your own party, it's ok?

So the Tradition means an Evil Sorceress can't wear any color? Sounds boring!

"Her staff was black with a black serpent carved twining around it and it was surmounted by a globe of black obsidian." Hrm. Is it possible to carve obsidian into a globe? And how big would it be? A walnut? A bouncy ball? A baseball? A baby's head?

So that's how you avert an Evil Sorceress. Introduce the Prince she was supposed to have.

"Elena sensed that even if he had to clean and mend his clothing himself, he would be clean and mended."

^ now that is the attitude to have.

Huh. She doesn't /want// to do this, but the Tradition is so strong she can't avoid it like a character in a play. That is scary.

So for the Tradition to be satisfied with curses, there needs to be pain, despair and loopholes.

         It seems likt it's complicated and yet rewarding for the characters "in the know".

Elena of course you're nervous, it's your first time subverting the Tradition!

Fair Godmother wanted

     Must be able to avert curses, tes and guide Questers and dispense punishments to failed Questers.

What type of magic do you have/

     Witch/Hedge Witch/ Hedge Wizard

          Works on the 'best' level of magic, using the smallest amt to gain the greatest effect.

          Blends in  with local community, but also doesn't interfere.

     Sorcerer/Sorceress

               Study all your life, live mostly on your own, go out in a ball of fire after a few chaotic months of battle and heroes.

               Generally comes into play when a HUGE amt of magic is needed to set things right.

     Godmother/Wizard

               Deep seated passion to set things right.

               Can't live with people because you'd get involved in everything.

               Also can't live totally separate, otherwise you'd lose your anchor to humanity.

So, if someone fails to be made into story A, sometimes the Tradition will try and push for Story B?

Ah, lessons in deportment, always difficult to find the best person to teach those.

I love how different fairy tales are hinted at, in a sort of side ways fashion.

     "She made a point of getting a particular pot of flowers into the hands of a young woman."

     "Once she ensured that a handsome kitten was adopted by a mill-ownder with 3 sons."

Oh is Elena going against her first actual Evil Sorceress?

Stout walls and good locks. The walls I get, but .... couldn't locks always be picked?

O!O using a Sleeping Spell from one Evil Sorceress to take out another? I like this concept.

Wait a sec. If Rosalie can't eat anything other than this rampion and she's been waiting...10 days. And she's pregnant. This does not sound right.

It sounds sort of like the premise for a video game.

     There's a maiden in the tower! She's 16 now! You must go save her, since you're a noble prince!

      But wait! There's an Evil Sorceress! And if you die, she'll take all the magic around you and become stronger! (Never mind that it's impossible to save teh girl till she's 18.)

Really? No one recognized Elena? None of them that knew her?

Why couldn't a Godmother engage in idle chat with a King and a Queen? If she arranged their marriage especially?

Oh, I wonder if the concept of Godmothering could be turned into a game? Someone talk to Mercedes Lackey and Lionsgate, quick!

O.O And there goes Madame Bella apparently. I wonder what a retired Fairy Godmother does? Can you stop using magic after a life time of doing it? Or what about not having Brownies anymore? Are there Fairy Godmother retirement homes?

"Crunching" is not a sound you want to hear in /any/ of your gardens, not just the kitchen garden.

So, apparently, Unicorns.

Random: I love the chapter headers. It's a woman with her hair flowing back and a wand (with a star!!) raised about to 'tap' the # for the chapter.

Unicorns, easy to trap, just grab a virgin of the opposite gender! They go stupid at the sight.

Are you hopelessly lost in a patch of woods that shouldn't be very large? Did you piss off a Witch/Sorceress/Godmother lately?

"As for the tower (at the top of the dormant volcano) it was the Sorcerer's own home and the Princess was, by all accounts, having a delightful time exploring it. "

The all important first test in any Quest. The test of kindness and generosity.

One minute you have her using a wand, he next you say staff. Huuh?

1) I want a magical forest. It would be fun to live near one, or cultivate a pseudo one.

2) Now that is putting magic to work for you. Sweet!

And now even though I'm still reading my brain is contemplating "how to cultivate a semi-magical (at least in appearance) forest."

Ok, if you're uppercrust and city dwellers don't use /rely/believe in magic, what do you do? How do you convince them to exist if they don't believe in you?

Sweet! Disguise magic!

Holy carp. 7 pages of notes. O.o

Why is it called a dowager's hump? O.o is there no male equivalent?

"She tied the false nose on over her real one and although she felt no differently anyone looking at her would see a bent and feeble old woman with a great beak of a nose and dowagers hump. Her hair had gone from golden to white as snow drops; her face was a mess of wrinkles and her hands were spotted with age."

          Celebs would love having something like this were it possible. XD

          Even the clothes got aged? That is ingenious.

Oh? This is a first. We're seeing things from a different character's POV. Prince Alexander of Kohlstania, middle son, being forced to go after the Princess  I mentioned earlier.

          Eesh, his life sounds boring. Trained to be a spare?

DX This guy is as bad a dad as Odin!

Ohh this Alexander guy is arrogant!

"He /wanted/ a kingdom of his own and although he would rather it had come without the need to marry some brainless bit of fluff, probably spiled into uselessness by her father he would put up with the girl to get the throne." O.O Whaaaaaaaat?

     Elena! Squish him! There is no way he's going to pass any tests, squish him!

XD "He thought that he would be generous once he had won and find Julian (his younger, dreamer brother) a pretty young heiress to marry. "Oh how kind of you! Don't trouble yourself too much!

"Someone was plaguing him with some sort of magical impediment" Ohhh! I love laughing at this guy.

Oh a tactician's thoughts on magic. Rather amusing. I can't wait to see how this plays out.

XDD There have been days when being able to turn someone into a pig would be useful.

"Magic! It might as well be cheating! ... From now on he'd use his compasss and not the map." ...=promptly gets further lost=

Yay, back in Elena's head! ^^

I like this spell, although I'd hate to have it used against me.

Oh, a description of our arrogant princeling

     Wavy brown half, thick and shining, fell down past his shoulders with a cap tilted rakishly. Face, rather foxlike... so pointy with high cheek bones? Ah... no, square chin chiseled cheek bones, broad brow. Nose, very pointy.

I'm using this when the chance arises! "He could plow a field with that nose!"

He went out wearing a tunic patterned after a military uniform? O.o While camping, riding and expecting to pass trials? How silly, even if he did come more prepared than his elder brother.

"If the Tradition held true to form, the first Prince had been merely rude and haughty, this one would be haughty, rude and arrogant and aggressive." Well, I don't know about aggressive, but the first three are right!

Hmp! Rude much?

O.O dude! you are a major jerk Alexander! I hope you get caught by a spider.

!! No! I don't care if you hate magic and are angry from wandering around. You don't try to run people over!

Am I the only one that corrects editing errors in the text when I find them?

Ohhh... This is going to be interesting.

     "You are as ill- mannered, as stubborn, and as stupid as an ass! So Be One!"

XD I think threatening to turn him into a frog is  a bit insulting to legitimately, turned Frog Princes, no?

3 Princes, Octavian, Alexander and Julian.

     I hope Julian succeeds...

Alexander's confusion is so amusing. Who wouldn't wonder if an evil magician had been set to plague their family, or if their brother had turned into a bug.

I really have to wonder about this one. How can someone's laugh sound like a 'tiny silver bell' really? Without being fake?

"Some babble about freeing trapped foxes, rescuing baby hawks, feeding ants-" Plenty of help and not cheating at all. It's tradition! ;)

Clothes made for use and not for looks, I DO like Julian! Intelligent, and to the point, love? Hah! He even knowns she did something to his brothers. Genius!

How would you get past a lion without fighting him?

And how could all these animals be arranged without actually being in danger?

And by sending the horse home, you make the father freak out?

I know it's only a saying, but I wonder where does "eyes red with rage" come from?

A polite and well mannered giant! Well,, that's a first, Titch, cute name and 30 feet tall to boot.

Oh Robin is going to work this guy to the bone. Hah!

XD Knocked himself out on a manger.

She did threaten to turn you into a frog..

"Magic was for those who didn't have the intelligent to come up with other solutions." Oh really? I can't wait for Elena to prove you wrong..

His first day a s a man... this is going to be funny.

     step 1) attempt to attack

     step 2) get thrown backwards

     step 3) Attempt to escape

     step 4) Curse all magic. Again.

Ahh... so that's why she bartered with the Unicorns. XD

Yay Julian! Hooray! -dances-

-chuckles- Why yes, mumbling explicatives under my breath does mean I'm interested.

Ooo Hob told you, you spoiled brat.

"Not as in merely /ignored/ him, but as in 'paid no attention because his intelligence was lesss than that of the village idiot."

Seriously? You learned about this and you still question the power at least of magic?

     Ahh.. this explains why and the bias makes sense.

     O.O Eternally burned by iron? Ouch! No wonder the family is cursed.

He wants to break her wand. What tales were you listening to? Breaking the wand doesn't do anything. XD

WEll, so it is to be a romantic plot... although how when he's such an idiot and an ass, I don't know.

O..o if you go through with this asinine plan. .. I hope she puts you sisx feet under.

O.O XDDDD Go Elena! Geld the imbecile.

Well of course songs have just as much power. They're still stories.

Well. That should prove interesting.

Hob, you are amazing and scary. ^^

Are these True dreams Alexander is having?

Ahh.. so the father /has/ learned. Octavian /is/ learning. now just for Alexander.

'Being called a ____ does not make me one, any more than calling Master Hob a giant makes him 30 feet tall."

It took a month to break his anger.

What a cute Fae! I wonder what that bit of mischief will do?

Well. That's certainly a surprise. Giving up his court garb? What did that little pixie do?

O.o letting him spend more and more time as a man? Sounds dangerous.

Wait, a horse and 2 donkeys? But where will Alexander sleep?

All that emotion boiled up in one man, and he has to ask Elena to find out what's going to happen to him now.

Wait, bud off rooms? But.. Madame Bella always did a spell to get more space? Was that because she wanted specific rooms?

And /more/ kingdoms? O.O She's already Godmother to 2 dozen! 

Books! Lots of books! Heaven!

Why would he read books on magic? And histories, like what Elena did?

O.O So she's Godmother to Kohlstania now? XD That's going to be interesting.. Does that mean it didn't have a Godmother before? Can the Kingdoms exist without Godmothers at all?

You're supposed to be trained in asssessing situations? HOw on Earth did you pass those courses if this is how you've done?

Eee! He really is changing. Able to admit he was a knight in name only. Color me shocked.

So he's learning about the Tradition. What game are the Brownies playing?

What a strange thing to dream of...

So apparently having manners includes a change in.... his level of speech? I don't know how to phrase it ><

There's an orchard? O.o

How does an apple taste woody? And how does one keep apple trees from making bad apples with age? That's what happens right?

I wonder what happens to a Godmother when an Evil Wizard/Witch/Sorcerer /does/ pop up on their watch? do they get yelled at by others? Magic taken away?

TARDIS reference! <3

O.o men's bathhouse? Surely that hasn't been there before, I mean neither HOb nor Robin would need it, with being married... where do they sleep? Anyway, is this an example of the house budding?

One of the palaces of the Great Fae huh? So then.. despite what Robin said, the house isn't 'budding' like a plant, but slowly opening rooms as needed, and then Madame Bella's use of spells would've just been poking at it in the sense of "Hey, we need more space here please!" like Elena and poking at the Tradition/ofrest to take her where needed.

Hooray! Octaviann gets to go home now!

O.O This was already discussed. This whole thing was explained... why... ok. It's not contradictory if you read it right, but yeesh!

Splitting it with Arachnia, stashing it in every available receptacle and STILL it's thick enough to cut? That is a lot of magic. I wonder how she's driving the chariot?

Bwahahaha.

D: So much sad. So much sad right there..

HE's watching with Randolf? O.o well. That's interesting.

XD You want a weapon to attack the Magic Mirror? Have you learned nothing?

Less than a month? All together? O.O That's horrible! That is so not parenting! King or no.

"You couldn't actually fill a day with with wenching" XD This sentence amuses me. Another!

Hm. Hanging a lantern much?

Wait. If they were watching her with Randolf.. did they see her crying?

Soo.. did Rose do this when Randolf showed Elena what Madame Bella was up  to early on in the book? Hmmm.

Not leaving? Randolf? What do you mean?

Yup Everytime you think you have the pesky things in hand, something happens so they rear up again.

O.O well. That's one heck of a dream. Are they sharing it I wonder? Since he said he'd figured out who she was?

Blasted rooster. Although it is tempting to get one as an alarm clock.

Ahh, so them sharing dreams means he has magic? Sweet!

:D

Ahh, so it's been several months now, oh.

O.o A hunting lodge. So it's not just the house, but the entire grounds, that grows it seems. Will Alexander live here now?

Oh! We have names for three of the former Godmothers now.

     Emerald Fairy (Fae), Madame Beaubaton (the 1st mortal)  and Madame Bella

     Yay Hp ref!

King Huon? Seeing to it personally? Oh this should be... interesting.

Now that is a useful bag, put almost anything you like in it and doesn't get a bit heavier. I could use one for when I go to the library.

Oh, this should be good, he's running towards it.

O.O That is a nice shot.

:D Go ALexander! I cannot believe you're the same person as before, this is utterly different. Shoot the noble bastard!

This is better than I could have hoped, this is so much better.

Wait. Wait one bleeding moment. THAT was the test? I thought it was something real. Dang. I wanted Elena to blast the dude or Alexander to shoot him. ....

O.o why would you let your hair grow long enough to sweep the ground? Even as a Fae, wouldn't it cause a major headache?

Ahhh... so that's what them touching people does... but /why/ did the King give them both his mark? Surely not just for matchmaking?

A Champion?

Aren't all ravens clever?

Ooooh I wonder how they had favors to call in? From centuries of work?

Yay more masculine rooms and a salle!

O.O really now. Well. How honorable of you Alexander.

A year and a day? Of wedding celebration? That's insane!

Ahhh I love when people are able to put some of the pieces together without having it spelled out.

A bear the size of a draft horse? Frightening.

Blah blah blah. Romance, blah blah blah.

-laughs- Someone gave him rather good advice.

Deep ponds and burlap bags. Oh those poor Unicorns! -laughs-

Oh bugger.. Surelly this can't be because of them?

Julian! Oh noes!

Nothing? Normally there's  a challenge issued.

He slaughtered the king? D:

Oh. Bravo, that is using your heads and putting the Tradition to work.

Sergei! The little humpback horse :D

Wait, the Evil Dude is from his country?

Aww, what a dashing horse and a gift too.

How are they going to get all of that back again? That's a lot of weaponry.

HOly scraps! 12 pages of rules back and front. God bless... I'm going to need to do something different with this post.

Poor Elena, Alexander is going to be miffed she didn't tell him after things pan out.

Is Voice Modification a thing they teach in military school?

Seriously? No safeguards/

Magical Genetic Lottery, Pick Two!

      Magical abilities, beautiful, strong, intelligent

She attacked with a poker. Maybe this Princess wait, Queen now, of Julian's isn't so bad.

It's like mind control but for the Tradition.

     "Julian- singlehandedly- heroic- so you can escape."

And she fought imprisonment? Good for her.

Cat speech. Amusing and interesting.

Eugh, nasty creepy creatures.

"If it could be made of gold or silver it was probably in those piles. If it could be studded with precious gems, it was probably in those piles."  Sooo.... I could find an onyx and amethyst golden fork?

'Plain un-ornamented gold' pft. gold is gold it always draws attention.

Gold box, filled with gold, protected by a steel cage, a heart encase in diamond. O.O 

Not a protective spell? Then what is it?

Wait. If it's to his advantage, why are you doing it? O.o

Ahh, I see.

Woo. Go Alexander!

Is Titch scared of the cat? XD It's got to be the size of his pinkie nail.

Phew! Yay scary machine of death called Alexander!

Itsy bitsy cat standing over them, hissy  as if guarding her kits. An amusing image.

! Well, that was faster than anticipated.

Wait convocation? That does not sound good...

Braking Traditional paths, combining others.. This is good yes?

Wait, 100 years ago?

Again, wait, why was there nothing mentioned, /anywhere/ about Godmothers taking lovers if its happened so often?? You'd think that could be mentioned somewhere, or for Madame Bella to have known D:

Wait a tic. Didn't you just say Champions were /rare/? How then can there be 6 others?

I wonder how Mirror-Slaves are created?

Hey a fast travel portal system! Why exactly wasn't one in place previously? And what is a Moot?

Hey, it's Madames FLeur and Blanche again :D

O.O They turned.... Hah! That's fantastic!

A party that wished to remain anonymous -chuckles-

I hope y'all have enjoyed this bit of crazy and will come back two weeks from now. It seems I severely over estimated my capability to balance the blog and packing. >< So, I'll need to take the next week... off? Sort of. All posts will resume once I get down to Texas. I'll see ya'll in a week, two tops ^^. 
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