When the Time is Right
5th of January 2007 A.D.
A moment to center yourself, a single breath, drawing more than air and you are as remote from the overpowering presence of the Queen of Summer as the dark side of the moon is from the face of the sun. Only then to you realize that she is not alone in radiance, though hers had eclipsed the others Lord Sathar, the court stable-master is her, though at least he isn't ridding a inferno given life this time. Beneath that mirrored visor are the hollowed eyes and beneath that the Enemy of all, plotting the world's, curdled in spite and secret shame. A quick look confirms none of the others are present, not unless Fleeting Dawn on Deep Trod is under the lake... which come to think of it is large enough for it.
Does it know I know? Does it suspect?
Lost 1 Willpower -> Now at 8/9 (IPP)
Between yourself, the Archive and all of Summer's Court, you do not think the sword at his side is the danger, but once he knows all will know, the others might go to ground or burn down as much as they can as they are brought low. A glance at the Archive reveals she does not seem overly troubled as she replies: "Hark, the All shines in the Mirror of Venus bound in fire golden bright, left in stillness dark as night. Who shall watch for wandering Mercury passing though the house of light. Tale raised or tail still who shall know, who's there to care?"
Lost 1 Essence -> Now at 8/15 (Empathy Excelency)
Over the glittering hosts of summer there falls a pall, not of anger or even of weariness, but instead vast confusion, all of them save one. Though her eyes widen only slightly, her stern regal bearing softening not a whit, you know Titania understands the message being imparted, some code dredged from her history. You do not seek to spy though essence lens. It's nice to be able to trust someone instead of burning precious reserves to be certain.
"You ask much, untimely so," the words are soft as a whisper of evening wind.
"I ask no more than is my duty, I ask no less than thou would wish me to Majesty," the Archive's voice is unruffled though a hot wind rises from the south to tear at her hair and yours.
Anger sparks in the eyes of the Queen of Summer, but she does not give it voice. Instead those same eyes settle on you: "Margret Carpenter, daughter of a line of kings be welcome in my court, a guest to enter now and leave freely. Dost thou consent?"
"I do." Sometimes knowing etiquette is knowing the precise nuances of what to say, at other times such as this it is knowing when to stop talking. Tension strains like an invisible guitar string pulled taunt, about to snap into cacophony.
"Come then, let us break bread and share salt that none might call the courtesy of summer is a light fluttering thing, easily bought," A look of faint disdain passes over her face as she looks at Kinkaid who does not seem to notice as he is doing his best impression of a blank faced statue, some kind of modern art about the brutality of war to judge from his accountants.
A servant with hair shinning like silver, garbed in silks finer than mortal kings approaches with a plain cutting board, scored with flame and blade, upon it a loaf of bread, the crust such a dark brown it is almost black, and a small pile of salt. Showing no sign of trepidation you partake of both. A moment later Ivy does likewise as does her protector.
The moment the rite is complete silence falls like the blade of a knife, not the whispers of the court, not the rustle of leaves, not the chirp of a bird to be heard. Wait, birds... You spy a lark frozen in mid-air and realize what must have happened, she brought you under the authority of the court so that she could pull you outside the frozen moment, a theory confirmed when Titania speaks up:
"Well, name your names then, these traitors which you say have passed into my house even as they have in the house of my system!" Absent an audience the veils of subterfuge had fallen, her voice is thunder and rage.
"With deepest sorrow majesty there are four, one of which is in this place, if not in this moment:Ellawyn Keeper of Fostern Hall Lord Sathar, Fleeting Dawn on Deep Trods, Lady Laoise."
"No, no,
no! I do not care what you think you see in your mortal scribbling , you were lied to and you brought lies to this realm!"
"Casandra's heir you named me. Dost that make you Priam?" the Archive challenges. "A guest you named me and a guest cannot be expected to sup with an outlaw."
"Recall not wars least you invite them!" the Queen of Summer spits venomously. "If you would impugn the honor of one of my lords than let him know you" So saying she reaches out for the shoulder of the silver armored night, the host of Nemesis to pull him into the frozen moment that he might face his accusers, a noble sentiment...also sure to inform Nemesis that he had been found again when only one of four is in arm's reach.
What do you do?
[] Call out what you can exorcise those possessed of Nemesis (Charisma+Empathy)
[] Formally attest that you too have reason to believe that four the Archive named are compromised (Charisma+Subterfuge to hide that you are her source)
[] Write in
OOC: The code Ivy used is from the Formula of the Crab/Scorpion, a real ancient alchemical formula. The Summer Solstice falls in Cancer, crab and the Autumn Equinox last Holloween fell in Scorpio er... scorpion, which made it a good way to say 'what happened to Mab last Holloween is happening to /Summer/ the House of Light'. Mercury is not used to mean the planet which it might to someone who caught Venus, but much like copper sulphate 'the mirror of Venus' it represents a metal, in this case ever-changing quicksilver, a shape-changing foe. The reason Ivy went with this is she made a guess about texts Titania would have read in her mortal days, ones which Nemesis and the fey lord it is posessing hopefully would not have known about. 
