[whatever he was about to say, it's lost as another memory begins.
this memory begins in a forest; it's dark, even though you're in a clearing, so it's probably sometime either late at night or very, very early in the morning. there's a boy standing before you - well, not quite standing. the two of you are fighting, after all, and not a spar or a practice battle. you know that the stakes for this fight are life or death - only one of you can leave this forest. but as the battle (11:48 to 14:11) with two very enthusiastic observers continues, it becomes clear just how much neither of you want to be involved in this conflict. you can barely even hear the two giving their commentary in the background, and you don't spare them a passing glance - even after your sword is knocked out of your hands and you drop to your knees, you're entirely focused on the person in front of you, and the way the feelings you've been holding back for days come pouring out.
Ugh. There was some stupid power struggle that turned into a war, and since they couldn't do anything to solve it themselves, they were trying to force us to end it.
[oh, also.]
What I mean? Oh! Oh, right. When I say rooted I mean, like, literally rooted, they both got turned into trees.
Well, no, I think the intent of that spell was probably to turn them into trees permanently? Like, tree people. People trees. They could still talk and stuff, you heard them, they just couldn't move at all. But the forest they were in was cursed and the curse ended up getting broken, so when the rest of the forest disappeared, they did too.
Yeah. I don't remember the exact words, that was like six months ago, but essentially, it was something about how if one kingdom didn't prevail, then that forest would keep spreading over everything. And that would be bad, because it's full of monsters and it was growing over the fields we used to harvest food, so - you know, widespread destruction, the usual.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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But really, it was a long time ago. I haven't actually seen my family in over seven years now.
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[whatever he was about to say, it's lost as another memory begins.
this memory begins in a forest; it's dark, even though you're in a clearing, so it's probably sometime either late at night or very, very early in the morning. there's a boy standing before you - well, not quite standing. the two of you are fighting, after all, and not a spar or a practice battle. you know that the stakes for this fight are life or death - only one of you can leave this forest. but as the battle (11:48 to 14:11) with two very enthusiastic observers continues, it becomes clear just how much neither of you want to be involved in this conflict. you can barely even hear the two giving their commentary in the background, and you don't spare them a passing glance - even after your sword is knocked out of your hands and you drop to your knees, you're entirely focused on the person in front of you, and the way the feelings you've been holding back for days come pouring out.
meanwhile, he just kind of freezes.]
Uh, that was—
[personal!!]
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His eyebrows shoot up. ]
... You two seem like a really cute couple.
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[don't just say that!!]
I just wasn't expecting, uh - that one to, um, come up.
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[ all memories are fair game rupert ]
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[rupert]
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Does it dredge up something unpleasant?
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[a vague handwave]
It was - sort of a private conversation! That's all.
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[ ... ]
Yeah, that's pretty private... It seems like your fathers were watching, though?
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[he was focused enough on the fight during the memory itself that he never turned to look at them, didn't glance at either of their faces.]
I mean, not that they could have left or anything, they were pretty firmly rooted there.
[what.]
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What do you mean...? Why were they trying to get you to kill each other in the first place?
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[oh, also.]
What I mean? Oh! Oh, right. When I say rooted I mean, like, literally rooted, they both got turned into trees.
[
okay]
1/2
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[...]
Well, no, I think the intent of that spell was probably to turn them into trees permanently? Like, tree people. People trees. They could still talk and stuff, you heard them, they just couldn't move at all. But the forest they were in was cursed and the curse ended up getting broken, so when the rest of the forest disappeared, they did too.
[i'm personally sorry to claude]
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[ HELLO... HE THOUGHT RUPERT LIVED A HAPPY NORMAL LIFE ]
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[......]
Wait, I didn't explain the whole prophecy part to you yet, did I. Maybe I should start over...
[why does it keep getting worse]
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There's a prophecy about you and your fiancé?
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[why is that the usual]
That's why we thought we had to fight.
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But you didn't. And you managed to break the curse anyway?
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Yeah! It turns out the answer was not fighting at all. It meant one kingdom as in, like, unity, not as in conquest.
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So all that fighting... for no reason. [ not so cute ] And your fathers are still gone?
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[rupert]
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I'm sorry, that must've been difficult for you growing up.
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[PLEASE save claude]
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