Nyx

[eliot_thespectacular]

Eliot hadn't expected to be in King's Realm again so soon, but he realized that he'd left something the inn he'd stayed at that one night. The night that had changed his entire life, as far as he was concerned. So perhaps it wasn't surprising that he'd been distracted enough to leave without something.

Also this time he didn't really give a shit about people knowing who he was. He wasn't wearing a crown or anything, but he was dressed as he usually did. And he didn't have a bodyguard or anything with him, because frankly, he was more likely to be assassinated in his own castle. He could take care of himself.

He walked back into the inn and looked around, not seeing Hex. So he went up to the bar. "Hi there," he said pleasantly to the person there with his back turned.

Comments

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Dryad, nymph," Nyx nodded. "We rarely leave our realm, but- I wanted to explore life outside my walls. ...And Hex was kind to me, happy to take me in."

[eliot_thespectacular]

"Oh I see," said Eliot. Then added, "Hex seems like a good guy, I like him."

He slipped the bracelet back onto his wrist.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"He's lovely," Nyx smiled. "A good soul. ...I'm Nyx, by the way," he added, offering his hand as humans often did.

[eliot_thespectacular]

"Hello, Nyx," said Eliot pleasantly, and shook his hand. "I'm Eliot. Also not from around here."

[prince_of_nymphs]

"I thought you might not be. Most who come here are wanderers, but you have an air of elsewhere about you," Nyx noted. "Not just the clothes and that, but... Something," he said, failing to explain what he meant as he gestured at what could really only be described as the space around Eliot. His aura, maybe.

[eliot_thespectacular]

"Mmmm," said Eliot. "Well, I'm not from here, in the immediate sense, in that I live in Fillory. But I'm also really not from here. Like... farther then Fillory." He waved vaguely.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Oh, I didn't know there was land to the east beyond Fillory. I must see the new maps some day. I thought it was just the edge of the water," Nyx replied, looking intrigued.

[eliot_thespectacular]

"Mmmm.... no, farther," Eliot said, before taking another sip of his wine. "I don't think Hex believed me when I told him but I'm from beyond the edge of the world."

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Oh," Nyx replied. He couldn't think of anywhere else one might come from, so he changed the topic.

"Do you know Hex well?" he asked.

[eliot_thespectacular]

"Oh, not at all," Eliot said. "I met him the last time I was here. We had a nice chat. He warned me to be careful about doing magic around here."

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Oh?" Nyx asked, since he'd never been warned of such things.

[eliot_thespectacular]

Eliot shrugged. "He just said... magic users should be on their guard here. Something about slavers."

[prince_of_nymphs]

"....Never told me that," Nyx frowned. "I use magic all the time."

[eliot_thespectacular]

"Maybe fae are different," Eliot said. "Or maybe it's a thing against Fillorians. Is that racist?"

[prince_of_nymphs]

"I don't really know," Nyx said honestly. "I've not been here long at all."

[eliot_thespectacular]

"Well anyway, I'm a magician," Eliot said pleasantly. "I mean I'm kind of shit at being a king but I'm good at magic."

[prince_of_nymphs]

"You're a king?" Nyx asked. "I'm sorry, if I'd known I'd have... Actually I don't know what I'd have done," he admitted.

He'd never served a royal, he'd only been one.

[eliot_thespectacular]

"There's no reason you should know," Eliot said with a shrug. "And it's fine, I haven't been a king for very long anyway and I don't particularly want to be. But yes, High King Eliot at your service."

[prince_of_nymphs]

Nyx wrinkled his nose, then offered a sad smile.

"Being King doesn't sound fun, no," he replied, not offering up that he'd been in line for a crown himself. Nyx was slowly learning not to share so much.

"At least you're allowed to wander. That's nice."

[eliot_thespectacular]

"Well that's one thing about being king. There's not a lot they can do to stop you." Eliot paused. "Or at least, not that I've encountered yet."

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Oh. ...It's not like that where I'm from. There are councils and advisors, and rules, and traditions and... Things. Things that get in the way, I guess," the fae shrugged.

[eliot_thespectacular]

"Sure, but... what would actually stop them?" Eliot asked. "The king, I mean. If he wanted to leave. Would someone tie him to a chair?"

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Angry mobs? Possible executions? Kings heads have a tendency to get removed from their necks. ...Though not as often as queens, I suppose," Nyx shrugged.

[eliot_thespectacular]

"Well personally I'd rather have my head removed than be a prisoner," Eliot said.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Fair enough, but I like my head where it is," Nyx said, touching his neck thoughtfully.

[eliot_thespectacular]

"I get that," Eliot said with a little smile. "I just... well. It's not easy being king. It sounds like the royalty where you're from have a rough time of it too."

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Oh, um, yeah, I dunno, I guess," Nyx said, failing to seem casual about it all, not sure how to pretend he wasn't a royal himself.