Imriel nó Montrève de la Courcel

What makes you think they weren't children to begin with?

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I have seen them as adults, messire - including, I believe, yourself.

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I'm not a child. I'm 13.

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Of course not. My apologies.

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What were you talking about by possession of the dead?

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It was something I saw before coming here.

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Tell me about it.

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I traveled to Lucca to attend a friends' wedding, but the ruler of a neighboring city state attacked before we could arrive. He kidnapped the bride-to-be, and laid siege to Lucca; their honored spirits were released.

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Ghosts? You're saying ghosts possessed people?

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Gallas Tadius has been dead for generations, but I served under him for weeks.

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That must have been intriguing.

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It was...an experience.

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It's called a flood. The Barge "takes on water" that you can't see and suddenly people act or look different. Sometimes you have your memories, sometimes you don't. Sometimes you're affected, sometimes you're not. I mean, it's pretty arbitrary? But it's kind of fun to watch as long as you're not the one affected. So, there's probably about one third to one half that are kids, and they'll be that way for somewhere between a few days and a week.

Have fun.

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And this occurs frequently?

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Pretty often, yeah.. usually when it's the least convenient. I haven't really kept track, so I can't give you a better guess.

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I suspect it isn't always children. Do the inmates change into other things?

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Yeah. The wardens change too sometimes. It can be like, people from their past, different versions of themselves, kids, the opposite gender.. I heard rumor that there was one where people could only tell the truth, but I wasn't around for that.

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That sounds...dangerous.

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It can be. Usually it's just traumatizing though.

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Usually.

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So you should be grateful you're not affected this time and actually got to see it happen to someone else first. I hear it sucks a lot worse when it's just like, thrown at you without even knowing what it is. I mean, imagine if it was one where you like, lost your memory and.. I don't know, made out with the Cobra Commander or ~~killed your friend or~~ something. Then you woke up like yourself, but you remembered everything? It sucks.

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~~'Sucks?'~~ I - yes, that would be...I'd rather know that it will eventually end, thank you, my lady.

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Yeah. It should end soon. Sorry if I went off on a tangent that you like, didn't even care about or whatever.

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On the contrary. I appreciate the explanation, my lady.

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Sure thing. ~~You're really polite, aren't you?~~ When are you from.. ish? If you don't mind me asking ~~or whatever~~.

You're welcome to ask be about whatever and I'll try to help if I can. As long as it's about the Barge or people I don't like.

How old are you anyway?

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I come from Terre d'Ange, under the rule of Queen Ysandre de la Courcel. Thank you for the offer, my lady; it's good to know there are those who offer help here.

I reached my majority several months ago.

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Could you maybe translate that into years? Or like, levels of technology?

How many years have you been alive? I mean, are you like, immature or super advance in your life, or what?

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...I'm eighteen. [He's still getting used to the way people talk here.]

That is...difficult to say. I've been studying my world's counterpart of sorts - France - and it's difficult to find exact parallels in time. It's been a thousand years since Elua founded my nation, but this France in 1000 is...barbaric.

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Oh. Uh.. huh. I didn't think there were any guys around here under like, 25.

Do you cast magic, swing a sword, have a gun, or talk to fight?

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I suppose you would know better than I, but I'm only eighteen.

~~Magic?~~ I own a sword. What is a gun?

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~~Oh.~~ Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Hayley. I'm actually 18 too ~~normally~~.

It's this thing that launches a small piece of metal really fast; it's a kind of weapon. You can research it in the library if you want. Swords are way better, though.

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It's a pleasure to meet you, Hayley. I'm Imriel.

...I will, thank you. It sounds a good deal less...personal than sword combat. ~~Perhaps that's a good thing~~

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You should know enough about guns to be able to deal with one if it gets pulled on you, but trust me that they're not a good thing to be too familiar with. They can kill people in an instant with no connection at all without any like, fairness or honor or whatever. Suddenly anyone can kill anyone without a second thought and almost no effort.. That's not a good thing.

How about I go to the library with you to make sure you get some good information? Then you can read the Butter Battle Book too. When the flood's over, maybe? I really don't like little kids.

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I suppose. There is...killing a man is hardly about fairness. Or honor. But to take away the horror of the act would...You're right. It's unsettling.

Butter Battle Book? I would appreciate that a great deal.

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It's very unsettling.

The Butter Battle Book is the best book by Dr Seuss, who's this awesome writer from my time; he writes kids books. But this one's about how they're fighting over something dumb and they just keep making bigger and worse guns to fight each other and eventually end up almost destroying both villages. It's really deep stuff for a kid's book. I figure it'll show you why guns are bad. I mean, more than I already explained.

Cool, I'll see you next week sometime.

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