Part 101: Disney/Game of Thrones Elodie - Part 1

Disney x Game of Thrones Playthrough Part 1



We're almost home. Your room is just the way you left it.

...

I know it's hard to leave your school and all your friends, but I've arranged the best possible tutors for every subject. You'll have to work hard this year to prepare yourself before your fifteenth birthday, but I know you can do it.

You'll learn quickly and you'll make a wonderful queen. It's what your mother would have wanted.

This is not what Mother would have wanted!

She wouldn't have wanted to die and leave me.

No. She wouldn't. But sometimes bad things happen. We have to pick up and carry on. All of Nova depends on us. On you.

*sigh*

I will be here to guide you until your coronation, but the decisions you make are ultimately up to you. Come. Your maids are waiting.









What's all that noise outside? Who's here?

Oh! It's my cousins! And my aunt and uncle.

Darling. We were so terribly sorry to hear about your mother Fidelia.

Thank you.

You look well, niece.

Hi, 'Lodie!

Hi, Lottie. I haven't seen you in ages! Will you be staying long?

Yup! Mummy said we'd be here all month.



Maybe we'll have some time to talk later.













What's that commotion outside? Father? What's going on?

I have come to pay my respects in honor of your mother.

You have no respect or honor. It's because of you and your powers that my wife is dead!

What?!?

I am a Lumen, as was she, and like every Lumen I am willing to give my life if necessary to protect our domain.

Your line has been traitors for two hundred years. I won't have you corrupting my daughter.

That is for the Crown Princess to decide. Elodie, your mother trusted me, and I have much to teach you.







You heard my father - get out! Leave and don't come back!

As you wish. I will return to my duchy, until you call for me.

She won't.













He loves me, he loves me not...

Lottie, do you have a boyfriend?

Not really. I just like to play with the flowers.

Me too.



You gather your skirts and prepare to sit down, when all of a sudden, a hissing noise alerts you to a hidden danger - a snake!

Charlotte, don't move!





You grab for a stick to push the snake away, but you lack the skills to do the job properly, and poking the snake only makes it angry. Too fast to see, it lunges forward and sinks its fangs into your leg!

OW!

The snake slithers away, but it's too late now. A strange tingling sensation begins to spread through your flesh.

That's a milk viper. They're poisonous!

I don't feel good.

Your leg is going numb. You stumble and fall to the ground.

Hold on!



Your cousin kneels beside you and presses her hands over the bite mark. The area throbs painfully, then begins to feel warm. After a minute, you're dizzy, but your leg isn't buzzing anymore, and even the wound has disappeared.

How did you do that?

I don't know how I do it. I just can. I'm not supposed to tell anybody. People think it's freaky. You won't tell, will you?

Of course not. I'm just lucky you were here.

Girls? What's going on out here? I heard yelling.

Nothing!

We saw a snake, but it got away.

A snake! That's it. Charlotte, pack your things. We're going back to Merva. It's
not safe here.

Awww...

On the weekend...



Dad? What really happened to Mom?

She was a Lumen, a magic-user. It was meant to be in reserve, to defend our domain, but she insisted on... you don't need to hear that. She used magic. It drained her strength. She thought it was harmless, and it wasn't. Eventually, her heart just... stopped. That's why I don't want you involved with it.









The castle seems quieter with Charlotte and Emry and Zahra and their parents gone. It's certainly not empty, though. It seems like we get more servants every day.













One of the maids approaches for your attention.

My lady, couriers have arrived from the Duke of Sedna.





We have a Duke of Sedna?

... No, my Lady. The duchy of Sedna is in Talasse.

They have brought you a letter, and a gift.

'Condolences on the death of', 'deeply regret', 'best wishes'...

Oh! What a beautiful necklace!



It might not be appropriate for me to wear a man's gift in public, though. People would think it meant something.





It's important to maintain the proper image.













Your Royal Highness. I would speak with you.

What is it?



Your mother wielded the power of a Lumen, as have the kings and queens of Nova before her. Now that she is gone, that responsibility falls to you. Her crystal of power is now yours.

My father said I shouldn't get involved in magic.



If you don't, who will defend your domain if the krakens rise again? I have seen signs of the future. Danger is coming. I can teach you to control your powers, but first, you must seize your birthright and become a Lumen.





How do I do that?

You must find the royal crystal. Speak to your father - he will know where it is.













As you are walking up the stairs, a maid comes running down holding a towering pile of linen.





Before you can react, she barrels into you, sending you and the sheets flying.

Oh, my lady! I'm so sorry!





No, it was my fault. I should have gotten out of your way.

... If you say so, my lady.













There is a man here to see you. He wishes Crown funding for a project of his. Remember, the treasury is not unlimited. If you choose to invest, you will have less money to work with later.

Man: Your Royal Highness, I have a plan to print books using metal letters which can be moved and reused. I need to borrow 875 lassi to assemble the metal and a factory to mold and cast the type. With this system, we will be able to create new books in a fraction of the time it takes now, and make copies to send all over the world.



(Hmm. If it really works, that could be a very important invention.)



We would be happy to invest in your venture.

On the weekend...



Dad, what happened to Mom's Lumen crystal?

It's in a safe place.

Can I have it?

No.



But it's mine!

Meddling with magic killed your mother. I don't want that to happen to you. Once you're crowned Queen, I can't stop you from doing anything you want, but for now you are still a child.









Your Highness, my sympathies for your loss. Even after all these years I sometimes forget that my own mother will never be coming back.

Thank you.

However, I must call for your aid. The Ixionite occupation of the county of Imbrium has gone on for too long. Now is the time to push back.



(His sister, the Duchess of Hellas, started trouble in Ixion four years ago, so they invaded his territory as payback.)



(I don't know anything about the military. I don't want to fight.)

There must be a peaceful way to settle this. I will send for diplomats from Ixion and try to come to some arrangement.



Thank you, Your Highness. If I might say so, you are looking particularly lovely this day. I hope you will think fondly of me.

(Is he flirting with me? He's almost as old as my father!)









You have unlocked a new outfit!





The representative from Ixion is here. Be careful - no one wants to give up prizes that they have won.

You have the full support of my sister and myself, Your Highness.

Hmph. Let's get this over with.



Diplomat from Ixion: Your Royal Highness, thank you for granting me this audience. I am sure we can come to an amicable agreement. Let bygones be bygones, no? We will forget about your unprovoked attacks on us, and you will transfer the rights to this little province.



(It was the Duchess of Hellas who tried to take over part of Ixion's territory, without the support of my mother the Queen.)

Diplomat from Ixion: We can be good neighbors again, without any lives being lost.







We appreciate that you feel wronged. One of our subjects attempted to instigate a rebellion in your territory. However, she did not have our approval for these actions. If you withdraw your troops, we will punish her.

Your Highness!

This is the fair solution. You have no right to invade us because of her actions.

Diplomat from Ixion: What manner of punishment were you considering?



She will marry an Ixionite lord of your choosing.

I will not!

You will if I say you will, or I'll take your title away!

Her heirs will be of your blood, in a peaceful union that benefits us both.

Diplomat from Ixion: Very well. We will accept this arrangement.



Once he leaves, you take the Duchess of Hellas aside.

You have to marry someone even if you don't like men. You need an heir quickly. With a foreign husband, you'll have fewer problems if you divorce him after having a child.

... Very well.













There are reports that a keythong has been sighted leaving the Old Forest.





What's a keythong?

A beast with the body of an enormous golden cat, a sharp beak, and spikes on its back.

Eek!

Several disappearances in southern Caloris are already thought to be the work of this creature.

What do we do? Should we send hunters?

The traditional policy on stray beasts is to hope that they return to the forest and stay there. Hunters are no match for such creatures. You would only make it angry and waste more lives.

So... we just let it eat people?

Everyone dies in the end.



...









You have nothing more to learn about Internal Affairs.





There is a woman here to see you. She wishes Crown funding for a project.

Woman: Thank you for seeing me, Your Royal Highness. I... I come to you on behalf of the people. I wish to build a hospital where any citizen afflicted with disease can be brought for treatment.



(Hmm. Centralising resources could help people who don't have doctors of their own.)



We would be happy to invest in your venture.

That weekend...



My father says I can't have the crystal until I'm Queen. He's hiding it somewhere. What do I do?

I will search for it.

She brings out a black bowl filled with water and stares into its depths. You look as well, but you see nothing but your own reflection.



The crystal is kept in the treasury, under guard. They have been ordered to keep you out. You must find a way past this obstacle.

Like what?



Use your skills to convince them to stand aside, or else dispose of them.

What?

Their lives are a small price to pay for the safety of your domain. You must have that crystal.



(Is she serious? She wants me to kill my own guards?)

Try to reach the crystal. If you fail, speak to me again and I will help you to do what needs to be done.









You are requested to stand in judgement. A woman has been convicted of attempted murder and requests the mercy of the Crown.

Your Highness! This slattern dares to beg pardon, when she admits that she tried to poison my sister under her own roof!

Which sister?

Corisande, the Duchess of Mead.



Is she all right?

She is unharmed. We caught the culprit in the kitchens before anyone could eat her foul spew.

Well, what do you have to say for yourself?

Condemned Woman: It's justice, it is! Them devils killed me brother, and broke me mam's heart. Lied to her, they did, when she went to see why he'd not come back. Said he'd gone for a soldier, when he never would! He weren't the only one neither. I waited ten years for my chance to get my own back. That's justice!

You see? She's completely unrepentant! Hang her and be done with it.



(This must be about the last Duke of Mead. He had a lot of servants who were 'mysteriously' injured or killed. But he's dead - and he either killed himself or his family 'helped' him along.)



You are wrong. Justice was already done - by the gods, and by the nobles that you've despised. The one who killed your brother is dead. He was replaced by wiser rulers, like the Duchess you tried to harm. You blamed an innocent woman, one who might had sympathy for you if you had told her the truth. Not all nobles are the same.

Condemned Woman: I... I never thought.

You will have time to think about your actions in the dungeons.

She should be hanged!



She acted for the love of her sibling. Surely you can understand that? No one else needs to die.













As you are walking one day in the gardens, you hear a strange sound and look up to see an owl flying overhead. A single dry leaf flutters in its talons.





(That's funny, I thought owls were nocturnal. I guess I was wrong.)













Remember that the Festival of the Good Lady is approaching. There will be public celebrations for the commoners, followed by a grand gala for the nobility. As Queen, you would be expected to lead the procession and take part in the ceremonial planting, possibly give a speech. However, since you are not yet crowned, it is not required, and it may not be safe to expose you to the public.

What do you mean, not safe?

Outside of the castle, you are less well protected. If anyone means you harm... Think on it now, decide later. Word has come from the factory for books that you funded. They have assembled enough equipment to begin printing test pamphlets. As their royal sponsor, it is your right to decide the content of the first printing.



What I want them to print is a memorial for my mother. How beautiful she was, and strong, and noble, and wise...



I don't want anyone to forget her.

That... that's very thoughtful of you.

For a moment, he blinks repeatedly and does not speak.

There is a letter for you as well.

(It's from Briony! I went to school with her, but she's a couple years older than me. Her mother is the Duchess of Mead. She's complaining that her mother still won't let her come home for the holidays. She's bored and looking for an adventure. Well, I don't have any to suggest to her!)









You have unlocked a new outfit!





Today is the procession and planting for the Festival of the Good Lady. Will you be leading the parade? If you have any concerns about your safety, please, stay here. The people will recover from disappointment; if we lose you, there is no recovery.









I'm not afraid. I'm going to be the best parade-leader ever!

My little girl.

You prepare your best gown for the occasion, then walk slowly through the town with your attendants. It would not be appropriate for you to wear a sword, but you do walk with a sturdy golden scepter that's taller than you are.





You hear the occasional little girl squeal "Pretty!" as you pass by, and can't hide your smile. At the end of the route, you help the priestesses turn over the earth for the new tree to be planted. Then the new life is blessed, and all the attendants join in song. The procession regroups to return to the castle.







We now have the toga.









Are you ready for the grand ball? All the nobles in the domain are here to see you - to see their queen.

(gulp!)

You finish dressing and descend the stairs to make a grand entrance.



All around, the rich and powerful pause in their activities to gaze upon you, the ruler of them all.









You mask your fear behind the armor of beauty. Whether or not you are truly ready to be Queen, you certainly look the part. Your father waits for you at the bottom of the stairs and offers you his arm.

The first dance is for us.

He guides you gently around the dance floor, never rushing you. It's fun to dance with your father, but the look in his eyes is so sad.

After this, you must choose your own partner. There are a number of men who hope to catch your eye. The Duke of Kigal alone has brought three eligible sons, all near your age.



You look around the room at all your possible partners - which is to say, everyone. No one may begin dancing until you do. You can pick whomever you want and you will not be denied.





You approach Linley, the second son of the Duke of Kigal. He's about two years older than you, and he was always nice to you at school. He bows to you with great courtesy and you begin to dance. Dancing with a real partner feels quite different from dancing with your father. You knew him, knew his steps like a part of you. Now every move is a mystery.



Unfortunately, you lose track of which steps you're supposed to do when, and trip over your own feet. Oops! Between the dances, there is time for the guests to mingle, chat, and sample tiny bites of exquisite food.



During a lull in the music, Banion, the duke of Maree, taps an elegant fingernail against a wineglass, letting the clear note ring out through the room.

If I might have your attention? I believe we should offer our compliments to our lovely hostess. Not only does she protect our borders, but she has begun to address the long-standing problem of a shortage of heirs. My sister is proud to do her duty. As, of course, are others, such as myself and our lovely new queen.

You can almost hear the chorus of eyebrows being raised.



May I have this dance, fair lady?



You are pushing your luck, Banion.

Your use of his untitled name does not intimidate him.

Am I? Surely, as Queen, you would act in accordance with your responsibilities, just as you expect of your court.



Yes, I will marry, but I will marry the person who is best for me and my domain.



Not the one who bullies me into it.

There are low chuckles around the room, but you're not sure which one of you they're laughing at. As the gala continues, you take the opportunity to observe nobles that you rarely see. There's Gwenelle, for instance - the Young Lady of Sudbury, only months older than you and due to finally inherit control of her duchy soon. Or Adele, the youngest daughter of the Duchess of Lillah and a fierce sportswoman. She was a few years ahead of you at school and the absolute terror of the ballfields. No Briony - she had said her parents were leaving her stuck at school this season. Her parents are here, dancing together - the Duke-Consort clutching his Duchess possessively tight. Strange that there's no sign of your cousins, though. Shouldn't they be here? Your aunt and uncle are here, of course. It would be scandalous if they hadn't come, Merva being so close by.



It's nice to be able to enjoy time with friends and family, isn't it?













You wander downstairs to visit your father and talk about the latest events in the domain. You're moving with such enthusiasm that you don't realise your father isn't alone until it's too late to avoid him and his... companion.

You are too kind, Joslyn.

Countess Sirin. Not a member of your circles - she's a bit more than a decade your senior, far too old to have ever been your friend. And yet, not at all old, as noblewomen go. She has two minor titles, no husband, and your father's arm in her grasp.



How dare she make a move on your father?



You meet her eyes and imagine your mother's disapproving presence behind you.



She notices your stare, but only smiles at you ever-so-sweetly.

Darling Elodie. I hope you have been well.



... Fine.

Perhaps we'll be seeing more of each other in the future.

She gives a little wave and exits. Once she's gone, you raise an eyebrow at your father.

This is the path that you have set us on.

What do you mean?

Your acts have made everyone think about preparations for the future. Caloris needs an heir. My brother, your uncle Armand, is looking for a wife as well. One of us, at least, must produce more children.

But... Mama...

Nothing can ever replace your mother. But we all have to do things that we don't want to do.



...



You should be careful how you deal with people like Sirin. You need the goodwill of your nobles as well as your commoners.

There haven't been any problems so far.

As Queen, you must be aware of everything around you.



Isn't that what I have agents for?

Yes, but you must give them direction. What is your greatest concern?



I need to know what the other nobles are up to, and whether anyone is plotting behind my back.

As you wish.













It is the time of year to decide any necessary adjustments to the royal budget. The majority of the money we receive is already spoken for, but there is always some room for discretion.



(I really don't understand all of these numbers.)



I think they're fine as they are.

As you wish.









You have unlocked a new outfit!





You are requested to stand in judgement. A man has been convicted of the murder-by-strangling of his wife. He does not deny the act, but requests a pardon that he might be set free.

If you admit you killed your wife, why do you think I'm going to set you free?

Condemned Man: Save me, Your Majesty! Wasn't my fault. Demons made me do it. Everyone knows the power of magical beasties! They used me, they twisted my fingers into chains... My wife found me screaming, she tried to shake me, and the chains wrapped around her... I need the priestesses to bless me and make me clean again!



(Demons that make you attack people? Is that even possible?)





I'm very sorry for your loss. The monsters are responsible, not you. Don't blame yourself. The priestess of the royal grove will take care of purifying you.

Condemned Man: Bless you, Your Majesty!







We have unlocked the scholar's gown.

This is taking longer than I had expected, so the other half of this playthrough won't be up until tomorrow.