[It's sometime in the middle of the day that Infinite manages to send a text out;]
This is Queen Helaena, correct? It has been quite some time since we last had the opportunity to speak; I wanted to see how you were settling in, your majesty.
I do believe I have also managed to attain an interesting specimen of insect for you, if you were interested in looking it over.
This is Queen Helaena, correct? It has been quite some time since we last had the opportunity to speak; I wanted to see how you were settling in, your majesty.
I do believe I have also managed to attain an interesting specimen of insect for you, if you were interested in looking it over.
[! Oh, she recognizes that username!]
Yes, this is she. I am doing [hmmm] alright. Everything is a bit strange, but when everything is strange, nothing is strange. Day by day I will get more used to the strangeness. I can learn a lot, so I can't complain.
[!! NEW BUG]
Yes! [oh, wait--] I mean, yes, I would like that, to take a look. How many legs does it have? Does it have wings?
Yes, this is she. I am doing [hmmm] alright. Everything is a bit strange, but when everything is strange, nothing is strange. Day by day I will get more used to the strangeness. I can learn a lot, so I can't complain.
[!! NEW BUG]
Yes! [oh, wait--] I mean, yes, I would like that, to take a look. How many legs does it have? Does it have wings?
An interesting way of looking at it, but I don't find myself disagreeing. I may even say there's almost a monotony to our lives now, despite the circumstances.
I believe by my count that there are six of them, though this creature continues to vex me by not staying still even in this jar...it appears to have wings as well, though it seldom seems to use them? From my observation, at least.
Where would you prefer to meet?
[Her enthusiasm really is infectious; it's quaint, almost.]
I believe by my count that there are six of them, though this creature continues to vex me by not staying still even in this jar...it appears to have wings as well, though it seldom seems to use them? From my observation, at least.
Where would you prefer to meet?
[Her enthusiasm really is infectious; it's quaint, almost.]
[She could agree with that-- monotony. Once the awe of everything wears off, will she grow bored? So long as she has something to embroider she'd likely be fine. She's gotten by with little for entertainment but her own thoughts for a long time.]
Oh good, you got it into a jar. That will make things easier. [Did she think he was just standing around with it clasped in his hand...]
Are you still in the building they assigned us to? We could meet in the common room That would work well enough.
Oh good, you got it into a jar. That will make things easier. [Did she think he was just standing around with it clasped in his hand...]
Are you still in the building they assigned us to? We could meet in the common room That would work well enough.
[...She can't be thinking he was holding it in his hands, could she...first off, ew, second off, that poor little guy would be so dead and crushed and he'd have to go find another one???]
I am, yes; I can meet you there quite easily to pass this little one off to you. I imagine it will fare far better in your hands than mine. I shall await you.
...Though, if you do simply wish to grab it and leave once we meet, I can understand.
[Infinite does not elaborate any further on that; he's pretty...used to the fact that oh yeah, talking anthropomorphic animals aren't actually commonplace in a lot of worlds. But Infinite will wait for Helaena; he's sitting over at a table with the little jar and one grasshopper who is not exactly happy to be here. It even has some grass and holes on the top of the jar! How unbelievably ungrateful.
Still, when Infinite sees Helaena, he hesitates briefly before hailing her over.]
Over here.
I am, yes; I can meet you there quite easily to pass this little one off to you. I imagine it will fare far better in your hands than mine. I shall await you.
...Though, if you do simply wish to grab it and leave once we meet, I can understand.
[Infinite does not elaborate any further on that; he's pretty...used to the fact that oh yeah, talking anthropomorphic animals aren't actually commonplace in a lot of worlds. But Infinite will wait for Helaena; he's sitting over at a table with the little jar and one grasshopper who is not exactly happy to be here. It even has some grass and holes on the top of the jar! How unbelievably ungrateful.
Still, when Infinite sees Helaena, he hesitates briefly before hailing her over.]
Over here.
[Curious. She's not sure why he'd expect her to just grab and run, but now she's curious about it. Either she gives off the impression of running after 5 seconds of in-person contact (which, fair) or there's something wrong with him that makes him think he'll run her off.
Hmmm.
She stuffs her device in a pocket of her dress and makes her way to the common area and-- Ah. She pauses, startled for a moment, before she raises her hand in return greeting and continues. It's definitely strange to he, but that's ain't any of her business. She takes a seat and immediately reaches for the jar, holding it up in her hands to examine it closely with delight]
A grasshopper! These aren't that easy to catch, I'm impressed! Where did you find him?
Hmmm.
She stuffs her device in a pocket of her dress and makes her way to the common area and-- Ah. She pauses, startled for a moment, before she raises her hand in return greeting and continues. It's definitely strange to he, but that's ain't any of her business. She takes a seat and immediately reaches for the jar, holding it up in her hands to examine it closely with delight]
A grasshopper! These aren't that easy to catch, I'm impressed! Where did you find him?
[Infinite's expression is pretty unreadable by default; he's always liked the security of the mask due to this. It hides the expectation that she'll look at him oddly and his own reaction to it; it hides the expectation that she'll run and his reaction to that too. And...
It hides the small smile when she elects to stay, passing off the jar to her easily.]
They truly are not; this one wanted to hide among the brush of the forest we were tasked with exploring. Truly made it quite the difficult hunt indeed, but I'm used to such endeavors.
[Infinite says, taking credit for all of this like a jerk,,, (Silver absolutely helped.)]
It is good to see that you are satisfied with it. [It's...strange, how sincere that sounds. Hm. Is this how one makes friends...???] I admit, I knew that they were quite prone to hopping about, but it was fascinating to see it hop such great distances while in pursuit...
Will you tell me more about them?
It hides the small smile when she elects to stay, passing off the jar to her easily.]
They truly are not; this one wanted to hide among the brush of the forest we were tasked with exploring. Truly made it quite the difficult hunt indeed, but I'm used to such endeavors.
[Infinite says, taking credit for all of this like a jerk,,, (Silver absolutely helped.)]
It is good to see that you are satisfied with it. [It's...strange, how sincere that sounds. Hm. Is this how one makes friends...???] I admit, I knew that they were quite prone to hopping about, but it was fascinating to see it hop such great distances while in pursuit...
Will you tell me more about them?
[She holds the jar up, turning turning it to see the grasshopper better as it hops about, rubbing its legs to produce its chirping sound once in a while. She laughs softly, smiling all the while as she listens.] I used to keep a few grasshoppers and crickets in my room in their little cages. Their songs were always so soothing at night.
[A thoughtful hum and she tilts her head thoughtfully, thinking of some fun facts to share] They spit as a form of self-defense and their hindlegs act as miniature slingshots. They can leap 20 times their body length. They're also surprisingly good for you if you eat them. And they normally only live an average of about a year.
Crickets and grasshoppers are different, but grasshoppers and locusts are the same. [A pause and then, cheerfully:] They have ears on their abdomen!
[A thoughtful hum and she tilts her head thoughtfully, thinking of some fun facts to share] They spit as a form of self-defense and their hindlegs act as miniature slingshots. They can leap 20 times their body length. They're also surprisingly good for you if you eat them. And they normally only live an average of about a year.
Crickets and grasshoppers are different, but grasshoppers and locusts are the same. [A pause and then, cheerfully:] They have ears on their abdomen!
sorry for the wait on this!! i've been so dead retail-wise orz
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
phantomruby
2025-04-29 04:24 pm (UTC)(link)
[Infinite listens with surprisingly rapt attention as Helaena goes on--he's not surprised that she's kept some of those things alive, all be told, but it's...strange, hearing about such insignificant life forms from a woman who didn't seem like the sort to be interested in them. She clearly knows so much about them, and Infinite's look doesn't really change, but...]
I do at least know that they can sustain you, if you've no other alternatives; though it wasn't often that we ran out of food, one learns to adapt to all sorts of circumstances and eat anything they can find to survive.
[Still--]
Ears on their...abdomen? For what purpose do they have those, if you do not mind my asking?
[Not that he imagined many insects have ears on whatever counts for a head, but that is interesting.]
I do at least know that they can sustain you, if you've no other alternatives; though it wasn't often that we ran out of food, one learns to adapt to all sorts of circumstances and eat anything they can find to survive.
[Still--]
Ears on their...abdomen? For what purpose do they have those, if you do not mind my asking?
[Not that he imagined many insects have ears on whatever counts for a head, but that is interesting.]
[She tilts her head, regarding him curiously. She doesn't know what his...species?? eats, but insects would've been among the menu she would've provided in her head. Well now she knows!]
I'm not sure, actually. [She picks the glass up to peer underneath it, as if somehow she'd be able to see it. She can't, of course, but whatever.]
Were you in these...survival situations often?
I'm not sure, actually. [She picks the glass up to peer underneath it, as if somehow she'd be able to see it. She can't, of course, but whatever.]
Were you in these...survival situations often?
But would you?
Would you tell me if I were lacking?
( Get a grip Aemond you know she's the only one who actually WOULD. Anyway, it must be the mania associated with extreme exhaustion that's got him acting unwise, because he continues on somewhat petulantly: )
I hate him, Helaena.
Would you tell me if I were lacking?
( Get a grip Aemond you know she's the only one who actually WOULD. Anyway, it must be the mania associated with extreme exhaustion that's got him acting unwise, because he continues on somewhat petulantly: )
I hate him, Helaena.
Yes. I have never lied to you. But despite that, would you believe me if I said you were not?
[She sighs to herself, tilting her head back to feel the sunlight on her face. It's warm. There's a quiet murmur of people, further away from Helaena as she would like. There's quiet birdsong, the drone of bees. The scent of flowers on the breeze.
This could be such a peaceful place, the other dangers aside. Sometimes she can let herself imagine that her family might be able to put their differences aside for even 5 minutes to come together in this strange place. This should be the time they do it, when it's just them that are familiar.
Instead the men bicker. Why was it, again, that the Realm couldn't abide being ruled by a woman? They seemed to have a better hold of their emotions than any of the men did.
She doesn't voice this, of course, just watching the bee that lands on a flower]
Yes, I know. [What else is she supposed to say to that? Everyone knows that.] But I love you, brother. I would not see you lose yourself to it.
[She sighs to herself, tilting her head back to feel the sunlight on her face. It's warm. There's a quiet murmur of people, further away from Helaena as she would like. There's quiet birdsong, the drone of bees. The scent of flowers on the breeze.
This could be such a peaceful place, the other dangers aside. Sometimes she can let herself imagine that her family might be able to put their differences aside for even 5 minutes to come together in this strange place. This should be the time they do it, when it's just them that are familiar.
Instead the men bicker. Why was it, again, that the Realm couldn't abide being ruled by a woman? They seemed to have a better hold of their emotions than any of the men did.
She doesn't voice this, of course, just watching the bee that lands on a flower]
Yes, I know. [What else is she supposed to say to that? Everyone knows that.] But I love you, brother. I would not see you lose yourself to it.
You are the gentlest soul in this place, sister. Perhaps it has been recognised, in some way; perhaps you will find such a connection only with those who truly deserve your company.
I would cut down anyone who claimed you "too odd". You are meant to be exactly as you are.
I would cut down anyone who claimed you "too odd". You are meant to be exactly as you are.
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