I want to be a pretty princess - Let's Play the Royal Trap

[oscar]

Gtfo.

So far we're just been playing cocktease to everyone, but can you blame us? Oscar's a bumbling fool and Callum is a generic brooding anime protagonist. And what is up with this matrilineal inheritance bullshit?

 

[abnaxus]

Fuck that emo loser

I think that's best.

I will come to you later tonight, after the evening meal, when Cassidy will be there.

<And we will not be alone, and my thoughts will be more clear.>

Until then.

<I don't know how to feel.>

<This isn't over. Sooner or later, we will have to speak plainly about what we feel, and what we wish.>

<I can only hope that by then, I'll know the answer.>

<My priority now is to prepare myself. I must wait and be ready, so that after the guards deliver my food, I can make my exit.>

<With Callum's directions in mind, I find the proper window easily enough.>

<A quiet knock, followed by his coded response, and I know that it is safe to enter.>

Madeleine!

It's so good to see that you're all right!

It is a pleasure to see you again as well, your highness.

There's no reason to be formal. Not after the way my family's treated you.

It's simply terrible. I can't imagine why they would ever do such a thing. They should have been grateful to you.

But everything's all right now, isn't it? I told them to take care of you.

I... well, they're certainly treating me with more care than they were before.

But I couldn't say that everything is all right.

What's the matter? Is there something you need?

As long as the story still stands that I betrayed my prince, I will be in trouble when we return to Ocendawyr.

Well, that's simple enough. Stay here longer!

No... I do see your problem. I'll have to think about that.

For my part, I would be happy to have your company here for any length of time.

Yours and Oscar's both.

If... well, I suppose he doesn't want to see me anymore.

Why would you think that?

<I want to encourage her to be interested in Oscar...>

~Oh shit, girl talk~

Because he doesn't?

I mean, he hasn't. I haven't seen him since...

<Oh, that's a relief. Not a real problem, just a lack of reassurances.>

My lady, you have been under guard. That is enough to discourage most visitors.

Even your brother needed a bit of luck to reach you, didn't he?

The guards only keep out those whom I don't tell them to let in.

But would Oscar know that?

~Yeah, he's a spineless wimp after all.~

After everything that's happened, and seeing me thrown into the dungeon for no reason, of course he would be cautious.

There's that, as well. I failed you. He might be angry.

<That part is true to some extent. Oscar did say he had no desire to remain in Gwellinor after such treachery. But...>

It wasn't your fault. You didn't order any of this. And now that you know, you're trying to set it right.

All you have to do is tell him that.

My prince could never remain angry with a kind and generous young woman such as yourself.

Oh, now you're flattering me!

If we've reached the pleasantries, it must be time to rejoin the others.

I know that Callum will be happy to see you.

Ehehe.

<What has he told her about me?>

No difficulties, then?

Nothing I couldn't handle.

Naturally.

<Dolores scoffs.>

Well! We are all together again. I think we have many things to talk about.

 

[Erebus]

Out of curiosity, I had a look at a Youtube LP of this game up to this very point. The player made completely different decisions (went pro-Callum every time) and yet things turned out almost exactly the same. The only noticeable differences were that you can overhear an interesting conversation if you don't speak to Oscar after the kidnapping and that you obviously don't meet Pherod if you visit Nazagi's room. I guess many of the choices we made since then may have long-term consequences, but it's still rather frustrating not to observe any immediate effect.

Anyway, let's defer to Cassidy.

 

[Kz3r0]

Cassidy

 

[oscar]

Defer

 

[Hirato]

Defer.

 

[papillon]

The player made completely different decisions (went pro-Callum every time)

Just to clarify, this playthrough made enough pro-Callum decisions to end up on the same "route" as that playthrough. If you notice where the chapter titles started having letters after them, that's when the story split into different directions. I expect you'll still get a different ending, but the general thrust of the story will be much the same.

Spoiler

If you'd gone for Oscar at the river, for example, things would be very different by now!

But you still have an option for an ending that's not Callum's, if you play your cards right.

 

[abnaxus]

I think you should start. I've seen little of what's been happening.

Well. We've all done things for complicated reasons.

Sometimes the actions that we take don't have the consequences that we intended.

If I can forgive my brother for the confusion and the harm that he caused...

And forgive my parents for the damage they've done to us both in order to keep me safe...

Then I can forgive Dolores as well.

After all, she did try to protect me.

Kidnapping you was not an unintended consequence.

No, but hurting me wasn't what she wanted. Was it, Dolores?

I get no kicks for that.

She wanted money, nothing more. There's nothing noble in stealing from your betters.

Betters, hah!

Sure, I'm nothing noble. I've got no family. I'm a dog from the streets.

That doesn't make anyone here better than me.

You wanted to know how I could possibly betray the masters who'd done so much for me?

That's exactly why.

All I've heard since I've been here is how grateful I ought to be.

Grateful, for carrying the slops of my 'betters' while they laugh.

You were a page, not a chambermaid.

That's the jest of it! I'm not 'good enough' for a page's duties.

So they assigned you to lesser tasks, things that you think you should be better at.

No!

I'd've been better off if I were a chambermaid.

You must have been very lonely.

None of this explains our father's actions.

A street orphan, assigned as a page. A known traitor, promoted to royal service rather than punished as she deserves.

I keep telling you, I don't know anything.

Father said that it was a matter of family honor. That a wrong had been done in the past, and we had to make it right.

That's why they refused to see Dolores punished. They don't wish to do her more harm.

What 'harm' could the crown of Gwellinor have done to you?

Bringing me to the palace in the first place?

I don't believe they see it that way. They were trying to help you.

'Help' me. It's ridiculous.

Maybe it has something to do with your parents.

I don't have parents.

You didn't fall out of a gooseberry bush.

Perhaps your parents died in some way that the royal family feels responsible for.

Me and every other dog in the kingdom.

There is another possibility.

Your parentage is unknown to you. Not, necessarily, to others.

So what?

For my royal father to react so swiftly with lies and misdirection, even threatening a foreign prince and his entourage...

He's protecting you as if you were his own daughter.

Even a bastard daughter would be worth more to him than another son.

A king's daughter...?

It wouldn't make any difference. It's your mother that you'd inherit from.

Inherit? Don't you see what this means?

We could be sisters!

No, we couldn't.

Even if we shared blood, and that's an if, it wouldn't make you kin to me.

As it stands, there's no reason to believe that it's true.

But if it is, or if she's telling the truth about not knowing, then she might not be involved in any conspiracy.

Course not.

And if that's so... who was behind that assassin?

And what are the King and the Wisdom doing about it?

<For a moment, no one speaks.>

Cassidy?

What?

I have no idea what our parents' plans might be. They rarely confide such things in me.

Oh, I don't know either. I mean, I have guards...

Where are your guards now?

Waiting in the hall outside.

I'm safe enough with Callum here, aren't I?

If I can get in without the guards catching me...

Only because I let you in.

True. Still, if the guards are meant to be hunting assassins, I could be in danger when moving around.

It would help to know their plans. And we need to find out who's behind it, for your safety.

I'm sorry, I don't know about any plans.

I don't know either. Not that you asked.

You did tell them about the assassination attempt, didn't you?

<The siblings exchange questioning looks that fade into concern.>

I... I'm not really sure. Everything happened so quickly.

As usual, they had little time to hear my version of events.

So it's possible that they don't even know?

<Just how much danger is Cassidy in?>

Oscar might have told them. We were separated.

Mmm.

We should go to him! We can visit, and find out what information he gave to our parents.

And Madeleine?

<If they leave these rooms, I can't follow them. The guards would see me.>

Dolores can keep her company. Won't you?

If you say so.

<Callum catches my eye for a moment, then nods.>

<It takes no words to understand – he's asking me to keep an eye on Dolores. He still doesn't trust her.>

<But he does trust me.>

Please tell Oscar that I'm all right.

I will.

<I don't know what to say.>

<I believe that some of my anger at her may have been misplaced, but... she's still more slippery than a snake.>

<I wonder how well Callum can sleep in bed with her lurking nearby.>

Bet you're wishing you were alone here with yonder 'gentleman', eh?

You were quick enough to go at each other this afternoon.

I did not -

With what I saw before?

Perhaps he's tired of you, then. Maybe you kiss like a fish.

<Now that's below the belt. No one can be that rude by accident.>

I don't understand you. You're not a fool. Why are you trying to make me angry?

To see if I can?

It doesn't benefit you.

I don't know what benefits me anymore. Nothing makes sense.

I don't understand you. Playing happy servant to people who'll screw you to a post if you cross them.

Sucking face with a killer.

Callum killed an assassin. If I had to take a life in order to save someone else... I hope I wouldn't hesitate.

As for the rest...

 

[Erebus]

We don't want Callum, FFS !

Sometimes the actions that we take don't have the consequences that we intended.

 

[oscar]

Not interested

 

[CaptainAwesome]

It's none of her business.

If she wasn't a result of the King getting moon eyed over some whore, she would be hanging from the gallows right now.

She's got a lot of nerve, prodding at her betters like that.

It's our duty to let her know when she's becoming too insubordinate.

 

[Crooked Bee]

Not interested

 

[WhiskeyWolf]

He's a dork, not interested - I hope this is not a 'tsundere' type of response.

 

[Kz3r0]

Not interested

 

[Lagole Gon]

Not interested.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Not interested.

Onwards to glorious tranny-mansion or, alternatively, royal lesbian mansion romance!

 

[abnaxus]

:initializing yuri protocols:

He kissed me, not the other way around. It wasn't my choice.

Didn't see you saying no.

If a man laid his hands on me like that, I'd crack his eggs.

Any man?

There must be someone in the palace who you find more interesting.

Ha.

Why did Cassidy say that you were lonely?

Because she's a lot smarter than you are, Lady Nosy.

Tell me. Back in your stone heap. Are you friends with the hall-maids and the scullions?

We're friendly.

Not what I asked.

Are they your 'bosom companions'? Do you trust them with your personal secrets?

No, I don't have a lot of close friends. I don't see what that has to do with anything.

So who's a close friend, then?

Oscar.

Right, your 'prince'. A noble. Like you.

You'd never unburden yourself on a 'lower' servant. They just wouldn't understand your lofty concerns.

Not to mention that most of 'em would keep their distance if you tried.

Never did no good for the common folks to get caught under the skirts of the mighty.

As a page, you held the same rank as many noble children. They start as lower servants.

For the nonce. Ask any boot-boy if he's equal to a page who'll one day be a knight. They all know.

And ask any lord's daughter if she's equal to a street cur who just happened to be named a page.

So you're too high-ranking for the lower sort, and too common for the others.

And promoted to the service of a man who'd like to strangle me in my sleep.

Tell me again how grateful I should be!

I suppose you'd be happier with your own kind?

What kind? There's no one in all the world like me.

You could be King Preidric's daughter. And Cassidy could be your friend, even if you won't call her a sister.

Now that I'm high enough for her notice?

I think she'd be happy to have any friend at all. She's led a lonely life.

More fool her, then.

What do you want, then? What would make you happy?

To be my own mistress. Live my own life. Nobody telling me what to do. Nobody expecting how I should behave.

No one's life is free of expectations. Not peasants and not kings.

Because people are fools.

A proper life leads to a proper grave. All your roles and customs mean nothing when you're dead.

Are you happy, Lady Slave? Do you enjoy being a pawn?

 

[Kz3r0]

I enjoy my life.

 

[Lagole Gon]

I wish things were different.

I want to be a rebellious princess!

 

[CaptainAwesome]

I enjoy my money life.

 

[Erebus]

I enjoy my money life.

We have no money !

I wish things were different.

 

[Shadenuat]

Are we a Queen yet? No?

I wish things were different then.

 

[Crooked Bee]

Wish things were different

 

[GarfunkeL]

But... but... she had it all planned out, didn't she? Satisfactorily, I might add.

I enjoy my life.

 

[Kipeci]

enjoying the life