>>5843284Princess Ekaterine was a pale, slim thing, with chestnut-brown hair, wearing a white-and-purple gown with gold accents, and rather simple (for a Queen) golden headband set with a green gemstone in lieu of a crown, to hold back her hair. She didn’t sit in the throne, but rather paced before it—agitated like the gryphon at the gate. Her eyes were nearly as wide, to, but not nearly so hostile when they fixed upon the three of you who had come calling.
“You’re the, the Mage Apprentice then, yes?” spoke the Queen of Hawksong, Ekaterine the First, Keeper of the Silver Peace and de facto Empress of the Northwest.
“I am, Your Majesty,” you answered, bowing your head automatically. “And this is Logan Pearce, Tower Guardian, and… Ah, Muffins.”
“A pleasure to meet you all. I understand you have important news as to the dragon-pox, and how to prevent its spread? Maybe even to cure its effects?”
She sounded genuinely interested, this Dark Queen. Eager, even. TOO eager?
How were you to respond?
>“Yes, Your Majesty. I have found a way to cure the plague, and I’m prepared to share it with you.”[Give it freely, altruistically, without extracting concessions first.]
>“The Fairy Court of the old hill with the maple tree beyond the southwestern trade road have a possible solution… But they need something first.”[keep your promise, first and foremost, and negotiate the price for your cure.]
>“That depends… How do you and the Dragonborn feel about such a prospect?”[Probe her intentions and allegiances, calling her out and revealing your own knowledge of her secrets.]
>“Perhaps, if the price is right…”[There’s something else, something personal, that you want in exchange for your knowledge, beyond what the True Fey have requested…. But what? Please specify.]
>Write-in