onceuponacomm | Prologue

PROLOGUE

The clink of glasses, the clatter of utensils upon plates and the soft murmur of conversation flows smoothly in the warmly lit dining hall. It's a dinner party, a rather vivacious one at that, with the food flowing freely. Savory and sweet, regional specialties, refined and rustic, there's something for everyone. Omurice, chiffon cake, kimchi, sizzling porterhouse steaks—it might be more apt to call it a buffet than anything else.

Do buffets usually serve such a unique smorgasbord of food? And actually, weren't you doing something else? A free meal is usually a good thing but is anything truly free? Who are these people around you? And where exactly are you?

Whatever thoughts are racing through your mind, they're abruptly cut off by a note, high pitched G-sharp from a woodwind. All your senses return to you, though they won't tell you much. Maybe not all of them actually, if you're used to feats of heroic strength or manipulating reality or numerous other abilities. There is one clue at least, a heavy weighted paper beneath your plate, an embossed note rather than a list of courses.

"Enjoy yourselves. I'll come see you when you've had your fill. And don't try to dine and dash, huh? There's something I have—something I can do for you, after all. Besides, you've already agreed to the terms anyway!"

Welcome to your Fairy Tale.

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Oh, that's the question of the day, certainly. Zola sees it right when she's about to leave and gives a dismissive look at Suga. He seems...clueless. Doesn't mean he's harmless, just that he's clueless]

Of course I don't. Keep giving it a try, someone in here must know.

[It wouldn't be strange someone does know and is pretending not to!]

This is a lot of people to kidnap at once

[Not that... he knows much about kidnapping, really.]

It's not impossible!

[All you'd have to do is knock them out and then carry everybody somewhere else. That's it. Zola gives her best carefree grin]

We should consider ourselves lucky we're alive!

[Outwardly she sounds flippant, but inwardly she's thinking it with a faaaar gloomier mood. She's not discarding the possibility something awful happened while they were unconscious. At some point someone will...melt into a puddle of sparkling cider or something, and then she'll know just in how much danger she's in]

[They probably should, but Suga can't summon up the same relief that this woman seems to have.]

It's not worth holding me for ransom And if they wanted to kill us they could have done that before bringing us all the way here So I have no idea what they want

Oh, you probably got brought here as a little bonus. They saw you and thought you'd be of use as fodder.

[It wouldn't be unusual, really]

But there's nothing for you to worry about. As long as I'm here I'll try harm to not come to you.

[Zola absolutely doesn't mean it but she really has to play her role as a heiress apparent. That includes sympathizing with the commoners]

Thank you I'll try and keep everyone safe too

[He's usually the one protecting other people, he has no idea what to do when someone makes the same offer.]

You can? What can you do?

[It's not her intention to sound dismissive this time -- now that he wrote that, Zola does wonder if perhaps he has a trick up his sleeve]

I make protective charms If I had the materials I would make some for everyone here

[He doesn't know if she believes in such things, but it's what he does.]

[Zola is...skeptical about it, but hey: people can make anything work. If Suga ever makes a protective charm that works she certainly wouldn't think it's magic, she'd think it's technology.

Which is why she asks:]

What do you need for that? I could see if I can find these materials you need.

Good quality gemstones And a place to work I can make do with the rest

I'll give them to you if I find some.

[Keeping other people busy most likely would be a way to make sure they wouldn't get in her way. She doesn't have any gemstones right now, but she will try to find them]

What...kind of protection would you get if you make some?

[She's still skeptical but...hmmmm...hey, no harm in finding out more! Who knows, maybe there's something about all that and it'll be useful to her]

Thank you

[This is more courtesy than most people who don't believe him offer, so he's grateful either way.]

Depends on the stone But since we don't know what we're up against, anything is better than nothing

Prologue

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