exsilium | ☼ 001

[There's a pair of big brown eyes - and just that - peering very, very closely into the camera. They blink a few times before their owner backs away slightly, just enough so that the rest of her face can be seen. Aw, it's a cute little girl! She's wearing an elaborate golden crown that appears to be just a touch too big for her head, as shown when it slips down over her forehead. Scowling, she pushes it back up to its rightful place atop her head, and glares daggers at the camera. Her mouth is pressed into a hard, thin line; her eyes are narrowed. It's a strange expression for such a young face.]

You have an awful lot of nerve, dragging me into all of this. This isn't my country. This isn't even my world, apparently, and I'm not sure I even believe all that nonsense. Why should I care? What does it matter to me whether you win or lose?

I'm just a little girl, you know. How much help am I going to be, hmm? And I am a queen, on top of that: queen of a nation with its own war to worry about. Perhaps if you'd asked nicely, I might have sent reinforcements, once things had been settled. Except I can't, now that you've gone and kidnapped me.

And what if I die? What then? Falena would never, ever, ever forgive the death of its queen - you'll just end up with another war on your hands. This Initiative of yours isn't very smart, is it?

[There's a pause, and a pained expression crosses her face for a brief moment. Her voice is suddenly as small as she is.] They could have at least brought Frey here, too. He would know what to do.

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[ Oh. Oooh. Collette makes a sympathetic face, tilting her head to the side to look at the screen and not her own little camera eye. ]

I miss my brother, too. Family's pretty great! We're both lucky we have family, you know?

[ Not everyone does. ]

Feel like telling me about your brother? If you're the Queen, what's he?

[Lym nods slowly. She's had a few days to settle in and learn more about this place and look for any fellow countrymen. There are no other Falenans here, as far as she knows, which is both good (no husband) and bad (no brother).]

He's the Prince. Or... well, he was. Now he's just the leader of a rebel army. Um. It's a long story. [a beat] He's a really good big brother, though. He's always been really nice to me... even when I wasn't very nice to him.

Just the leader of a rebel army? That's so not a just, you know! Though it's kind of funny, my brother's in the military back home too. Not a revel one, for the most part.

[ The Yeerks likely thought of anything human armed military as rebel once it was turned on them in public in full force. ]

We're little sisters! We've got a brat license, just like older brothers are supposed to have a jerk license some of the time. Doesn't sound like yours used his!

[ She grins, more amused by this than anything else. Her brother hasn't been so kind, but it was usually all for the stupid things kids get into. She didn't want to count her being left behind as a jerk move. ]

[She shakes her head quickly.] No, he's never been a jerk, ever. I don't think he could be mean to anyone, he's so nice. Well... unless they deserve it. And I know a lot of people who do.

He sounds pretty cool. Kind of like a few guys I know.

[ She smiles, more thoughtful. ]

Probably nicer than they are, now that I think about it. Tell me more about your brother! If you feel like talking about him.

[No, it's cool, Lym loves gushing about her big bro. Good luck getting her to shut up.]

He's really smart! And strong, too. Mother trusted him a lot; she always sent him on errands whenever she was too busy to leave the palace. And he always made time for me, even though he had a lot to do...

I miss him. [Sad face. :c] He had to run away during the coup, but he'll come home when his army is ready. [It almost sounds like she's trying to convince herself of that - it makes her feel better.]

I'd love to meet him. He sounds ike a pretty great guy. You're lucky! I mean, I totally am too, my brother's pretty great!

[ Right down tot he running away for duty of country in another place. Weird how that rings familiar from this younger girl. ]

What coup? What exactly happened?

I am lucky! He's the greatest. [a beat] What's your brother like?

[And another pause, accompanied by a little frown.] It's a long story. My... fiancé [she all but spits out the word] and his men attacked the palace after the engagement party. So Frey ran away to get help.

He's a pretty great guy. He can be a jerk once in a while, but that was more when we were growing up. He's been in the military for a few years now! Since he graduated high school. He's married to a pretty cool girl, I guess. She makes him happy, and he seems to make her happy too. That's what it's about, right?

[ In a society where marriage is by and large done out of desire instead of dictation. ]

Wait, they did what? Why? That has to be terrible, I'm glad your brother was okay! He's going to come get you back out of that, I know he has to.

He sounds nice. Frey has a girlfriend, too, kind of. I don't think either of them realizes it yet, though, but they care about each other a lot. I wonder if they'll get married someday.

[Hey, if she can't get married because she wants to, big brother should be able to.]

They wanted to take control of the country. So... with Mother gone, they could put me on the throne as a figurehead and make all the decisions for me. Brother tried to come and get me, right before I showed up here, but-- [Her expression is pained.] It didn't go well. He'll try again soon, though.

It's funny how people can be like that. I saw the same thing with some of my friends! Who's fooling who there, you know?

[ Amused thinking back on James and Kelly... pained, too. ]

And this time, he'll succeed. Or if not this time, then the next. It'll be okay! None of this stupid figurehead stuff. You're way too spunky to be a figurehead, anyway.

[ Collette winks at Lym. ]

She's been following him around for so long, it's really obvious. [Even to Little Miss Socially Inept here.] Maybe after the war is over, they'll come to their senses.

[Oh, Collette, you get a grin for that last comment.]

I don't think any of them realized what they were getting into when they decided to make me their little puppet queen. I can't just sit back and let them ruin everything!

No duh! They'd have realized before too long, but by then they'd have already lost, mm?

... And I bet they will, after the war. Most people do, right?

☼ 001 | video

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