The Ballad of Adler Young, Canto 2.5

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>Estmere: Do NOT sit in that throne!
>Edessa: Try to prevent Estmere. Do not succeed.
Estmere, nothing bad will happen. Go prove your elfness.
>Royal Crown and Robe: Be conveniently sitting on Coronation Throne.
>Estmere head directly to the Coronation throne.

"Wait, husband!" Edessa protested. "You should not sit on the Coronation Throne without the proper attire. Your casual suit is inappropriate to its ancient dignity. You need a formal robe and the coronation crown."

"There's a spare set hanging behind the throne," the Ixie pointed out helpfully.

"Yeah, I totally remember hanging them there after my coronation," Estmere recalled.

"This is not necessary," Edessa pleaded. "Why throw your life away? I don't care if you're a lowfolk bagelmonger. We can make it work. Think of our child! Would you leave your unborn heir fatherless?"



"No way, babe," Estmere grumped. "I'm not gonna die today. You have fallen for their tricks and now you don't even have faith in me. I'll show you I'm totally still King, and we'll settle this right now."

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Just outside:

That shrub-of-the-evening
one of your Shrub-Ho's

Angus sat on the steps of the Hall of Ancestors and cozied up next to the shapely shrub.

"What's a beautiful bush like you doing out here all alone?" he asked roguishly.

The shrub rustled flirtatiously.

>Adler: Might wanna change outfits.
>Adler: No time to change, you have but mere moments
>Ixie: Scold Adler for NOT wasting time looking for a proper outfit.

"I've got to get to the Hall of Ancestors right away, then!" I exclaimed. "But I've never pooked to a location I couldn't see. How do you do it?"



"Surely thou'rt not thinking of going like that?" the Ixie asked, pointing at my attire.

"Oh," I muttered, looking down at myself. "Yes, I suppose that would convey an odd impression. But I thought you said time was crucial."

"It is," the Ixie affirmed. "But thou hast a few moments to change clothes."

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Only one moment later, in the Hall:



"I was actually sort of fond of him," Edessa sniffed as she tried to hold back her tears. "You damned bug, why did you have to goad him on to doing it?"

"Thou knowest it was necessary," the Ixie replied with an unrepentant shrug.

"It was not! We could have left, I could have persuaded him to abdicate, we could have lived in peace."

"Firstly, thou couldst not have persuaded him to abdicate, and second, as long as there existed any loose end that could potentially lay claim to the throne, thou wouldst have no peace. Hide whithersoever thou listeth, the Sisterhood would find thee."

"Then why this? Why humiliate him so? Why not a decent assassination instead?"

"Thou knowest this well, too. The Sisterhood doth not deign to dirty its hands when others can be made to do the deed instead."

"I'll remember this, bug. Don't imagine things are over between us."

"I am but a single cog in a metaphorical giant Elfhamian machine. Thy grudge is not against me, but against a vast conspiracy of which thou knowest but the smallest particle. I'll give thee some free advice: Recall what I said regarding loose ends. Get thyself a good head-start."

The Queen abruptly pooked away from the Hall of Ancestors.