Her mind drifted to other things, other feelings, she glanced at Olivia, she felt... sick? Why? Nevermind that, she had more important things to worry about, like her task... her test, acquiring most things would be simple, there were always plenty of knights and swords to make use of here, even if her needs were... singular. But she needed a particular sort of expertise if she was truly to succeed... or at least something unusual enough to give her an edge..."

"Olivia, come along, we need to pay someone a visit."

"Yes'm."

The journey to the Castellan-turned-Dragon Tamer and holder of strange, amusing, and ideally dangerous oddities and baubles was neither long nor particularly interesting, she let Olivia knock on the door

"Hello, my Lord Castellan, are you there this night?"

"You are... not being indecent with your... wife, yes?"

Edger opens the door to his study, annoyed. "What is with all of you thinking that just because I keep my doors locked that I MUST be fucking my wife?! This is my study, why would I possibly risk bumping into some horrid ancient-" Edger freezes in fear seeing Bellodonna stand at his door.

"A-Ahaha, what a funny joke, Princess Bellodonna. You are such a kidder!" While he keeps his tone pleasant, his smile betrays him, showing anxiety at the appearance of a woman who could order his death in seconds.

"Please, please! Come in. How can the Castellan of your future castle to be assist you today, Young Princess?" He denotes despite their ages being similar. "Do you need any oddities, any keys? My wife will brew you a fine tea, ah....as long as you like tea that is?"

"Apologies for coming... unannounced, I have been, how shall we say, in bit of flurry as of late, I've been neglecting all kinds of pleasantries recently."

"Hubby, you're not joking about that being the Bellodonna Drakken?" Lady Lucetta leans forward in her seat to try and catch sight of her, peeking around her husband.

"What brings you to our cozy nook this evening?"

A part of her had been hoping Lady Lucy wouldn't be here, she wondered why.

"Nothing too... disastrous, I hope... that is I hope my visit doesn't bring too much undue..." she glances at Edger "Distress."

"I am going on a... I suppose you could say, a Hunt, soon, and I was dearly hoping our dear Lord Castellan here would have something to help with that..."

She shuffled abruptly in place

"Also yes, I wouldn't mind some tea, if its not too much trouble."

"Ohoh, a hunt you say! Dragging my darling out into the fray? Let me waste no time, then." Lucetta sets the book she was pretending to read down onto the table, retrieving her glass.

"But if I hear any talk of gauntlets or gambesons over there, I might feel a little left out."

"What exactly are you hunting? Do you need a blessed weapon, or a normal one? My wife was one of the best blacksmiths in House Elzenstein. She could custom make you something if you honor her with the equipment and materials to do so."

Edger already begins to fish through folders of weapons the Drakken family had set aside to be kept. Many of the more mundane weapons were from the kinslayer. He puts those away, knowing that there would exist no life where Bellodonna would hold up the weapon of her brother. "It all depends on the enemy. You wouldn't want to bring a weapon blessed by the old gods if you're fighting a beast honored by it after all."

"Is that so..."

The obvious and ready affection these two showed left a cold sour feeling swirling in Bellodonna's chest, oh dear.

"Yes, well... Ideally, I need not bring the Lord Castellan into the fray, this is... probably... something I should handle on my own, maybe..."

"I am no fighter. Unless your enemy is one of those beasts made of filth and decay I would be of no help."

"But if you seeking such a man, no one kills a decay beast better than I and a team of loyal maids."

Shaking off uncertainty and whatever else she was feeling

"I admit, my... I was not given an overly precise description of the Beast I am to face, so I am uncertain what weapons would be best against it..."

"What were you told about it then? Surely you are not running into battle blind. What fool would send the Princess to do that?"

"I was advised that... certain qualities of mine... may be helpful to me." She couldn't help squirming in place a little bit. "Ah, and I was told its name, I was... told, that it was called... The Beast of Regrets."

"And further... I was told it lay deep, in the woods..."

As she said that she was honestly starting to feel a little silly over being so obtuse.

"Yes well, all grand beasts live in the woods." Edger says annoyed.

"A-Ah, as in, of course, yes, in the woods, uh, let me see if I know a beast by that name." He spits out, realizing his tone was unfair. Edger knows there are no reports of such a thing, but he flips through papers just to pretend as if he is hunting for the information. A princess would want to see effort put into her requests. "I am deeply sorry young Bellodonna, but there is no beast by that name. I have gathered papers on all beasts that lay quite deep into the woods, but..." He shows the thick stack of folders, papers and cutouts. "Is there truly no information to narrow it down?"

Lucetta moseys her way back to duo, offering Bellodonna a small cup of hot tea. "The name's a little on the nose, isn't it? I mean, if I, or any sorry creature for that matter, found myself in the position of beasthood, I'd certainly have my regrets, too..."

"I am... beginning to regret many things now..." She hung her head in a crestfallen way, she was... 'Stupid'. She should've realized what was going on.

"Well, it is not your fault Princess! Please, inform me of what IDIOT gave you such lacking information, and I will gather all you need to know for you!"

"I think my papa is finally throwing me away..." Her voice was empty and quiet.

"Irk.....It's....your father who gave you that information.....ah....no....no...Look, if he asks I didn't call him an idiot, alright? Maybe he just forgot to tell you more?"

"I realize I have been a fool, that my father told me to hunt some 'beast', in the depth of the fey woods, where my 'queer virginal virtue' would allow me to pass unharmed..."

".............................................................."

"But all he was truely saying was that I should simply run away to the woods, like the other queer fey woman, shouldn't I!" Bellodonna was getting a little hysterical

Lucetta's expression softens, her typically-coy smile waning as she approaches Bellodonna, "Oh, darling..."

"Well, if you won't say it, i'll say it. Your father is a daft bastard for sending you on such a stupid errand. Veiled as some grand hunt, at that?"

"Oh......Oh dear.....why oh ever why would your father call you a queer....how.....rude of him. You've never struck me as queer before, and you know me, I would know my queer oddities....." Edger glances at Bellodonna's maid for a second, trying to seem honest in his attempt at pretending he couldn't tell and failing miserably.

She snaps. "Do not mock me affected ignorance Edger, of course you knew about it, of course my father knew about, even James knew about, it seems like I was the only one who wasn't in on the joke."

"It's really hard to not notice when uh......" Edger looks at Bellodonna's maid once again.

"...is that not a normal thing to do with one's maids..."

"...I've always done that with my maids......"

Lucetta tries to make her grin less obvious. "Quite the spoiled maids you have."

"Well, ok." Edger rubs his temple. "The issue is that it's the same maid. See, when you can have say, any maid you want on any given day, then, no, it's not normal."

"Next you're going to tell me you didn't think there was anything odd about the time your father kept that other oomn maid with him, day and night."

"I... what... huh... that can't be right..." Bellodonna desperately contorted her face in an attempt to banish undesired mental images.

"It's ok. It was easy to miss." Edger lies.

"I do not think I will survive the humiliation I have just endured these past few minutes... perhaps I should throw myself at a beast anyway."

"I do wonder if your father wishes to protect you by tossing you at non-existent beast. I mean, by rumors of the fey woods you would be protected forever." Edger's ears perk up as there's a knock on the door.

"LADY LUCETTA. I GOT QUITE THE AMAZING GIFT FOR YOU!~"

"Excuse me for a moment, I have my own beast of regret to deal with. Don't worry he is..." Edger motions his hand. "Well, you already know he's not going to care."

The Mad Knight nudges Edger out of the way, holding up a potted maiden bloom from the fey woods. "Look what I have found just for you, my lady!"

"You did not find that, the gardener did!"

Bellodonna opens her eyes. "Oh yes... I had forgotten for the moment that you trucked in his company."

"Oh my graces, another unsolicited visitor? At least you've actually brought me a gift this time, Knight."

"Hopefully not laden with narcotics, at that? Darling, at least fetch his gift before you shove him back out the door."

"Yes, I am troubled with his company. Maybe you can put in the good word with your father to remove him from me. Please?" Edger takes the plant from the knight.

"N...no....."

"You took my maiden bloom from me......we....."

"Why would you touch my maiden bloom if you didn't want to marry me, you fucking queer?!"

"I took it away from you so you would STOP TRYING TO MARRY MY WIFE!"

"Hiighk," She released a squeaky wheeze from her mouth, "I see you have finally accepted my brother's favorite toy, Castellan."

"Well, I suppose Edger isn't the prettiest woman, but for a knight she does have high status. I could be a castellan's husband knight."

"PLEASE BE SANE!"

"I accept your proposal!"

"You're the one who proposed to me, not the other way around!"

"HA! Then you accept my proposal!"

Lucetta leans over to Bellodonna, voice lowered, "Look at them quarrel. Do you see the power such simple little notions have over sane men?"

"And... in...sane, men."

Bellodonna sighs blearily. "Alas, nothing my brother has touched could ever hope to remain sane..."

"For the record, I think your father's frightened of you. You have your whole house in a tizzy because they can't control what they don't understand. Use that to your advantage." She backs off of Bellodonna, waggling her free hand, "Oh, love of my life?~"

"Yes, Lucetta?"

"Yes, Lucetta?"

"Those are some gorgeous flowers you've found me, my honeypie Edger. Aren't you going to bring them to me?"

"Oh, of course my lady. Here, please take my maiden blooms." Edger hands over the flowers to his most beloved of ladies.

"Papa... frightened... of me?" She mutters vaguely as she looks at the scene before her.

"You...you can't give over the blooms I gave you to someone else...I don't even know what that would mean!"

The Mad Knight, sobered by a moment of confusement finally notices Bellodonna. "Why is the virgin princess here?"

"I am trying to recall the reason myself..." She mutters defeatedly.

"Her father sent her on some sort of wild chase over the "Beast of Regret" in the fey woods. We're coming to an understanding that it doesn't exist. It apparently is...what did you say again, Princess? What are its properties?"

"Hm... ah yes, it is a Beast of Regrets, lurking in the depths of the Fey woods, where a queer virgin woman like myself would be... safe to tread. He had also said to me, that too look upon may drive me Blind and Mad..."

The Mad Knight gasps for a moment. He covers his mouth and grabs the door handle. "I.....No. I've....."

"You should tell your father there is no such beast! None! He should leave whatever is in the fey woods alone!"

Edger grabs his knight. "What do you know?"

"If I tell you what I know, there is no going back. Do you understand? She can leave, pretend she knows nothing, and that it's all some illness within her father's mind and everyone would believe it to be true!"

"I am afraid I cannot... what has been said cannot be unsaid, and what promises made cannot be unmade, If such a beast exists, then It is my doom to face it..."

The Mad Knight sighs and takes a seat.

"I was at the waterfalls, watching over the fey women. To make sure no harm would come to them during their joyous night. That's when someone called out to me."

"It didn't call me Mad Knight. It didn't even call me Skeleton King......It called me by my actual name."

"I was in shock. Who even remembers my name anymore? There was this blinding red light coming from the direction I heard. The fey women of the waterfalls had quickly gathered their items. Said something about "The Red Wood Beast" before telling me to escape as well."

"And when I finally saw it. I was struck with horror. I KNEW THE BEAST, but.....I could not speak its name."

"We call him, 'Kinslayer'. Your brother."

"When I tried to call out to him in fear.....nothing came out my mouth."

"What... of course I do, Its... ()" Huh? "No its... I could never forget my brother's name its... ()" Its ██████ isn't it?

"When your mind can't remember a name, it just replaces it with something else. Kinslayer. He's the kinslayer, that is what everyone calls him, and not just because it is what he is, but because the feys have taken his name."

"Boris has that giant painting in his room. Of you, of him, his late wife, and of his late sons. Everyday he has to look upon that painting realizing that one of them has died a death worse than the simple darkness or burning flames."

"The thing I saw out there, was disgusting. It was if your brother and his nichtendrakk had died side by side."

"And some monster stitched them back up, thinking it would still be sane after being mangled like that!"

"You should not go hunting for the Beast of the Red Woods! Tell your father you know your brother still lives, and then tell him you refuse to battle with it!"

"Hiighk hii hii he he he," She began to laugh bitterly. "Oh this is a bad joke, even for you. My brother is dead, you hear me... () is dead... for it to be otherwise would a be far crueler fate than even someone like him deserves..."

"Please, I wish for you to say you are lying to me... I wish you to crawl on the floor and apologize for this wretched joke you've told to me... to admit you'd thought to lead my trusting nature astray, once again, for some... cruel amusement of yours."

"Please... lie to me, like that..."

"Because if what you say is true... than... than I have no choice do I." She ceases what little remains of her laughter, and sighs. "I have a responsibility to uphold, not as a Princess, not as a Von Drakken, but..."

"...but as an Older Sister, as his Older Sister who only realized too late how far gone her precious Little Brother had gone... who couldn't do anything for him when it mattered... when he destroyed himself... when he ruined others... when he broke... you..." Bellodonna can't quite look at the Skeleton King.

"On the day I saw him again. I thought I could shoot him, be done with it. I raised my gun against him."

"He laughed at me. That horrible laugh, and in that moment I felt like a.....stupid little girl. The toy he dragged around and tossed in the dungeon."

"That's the only place it was safe. If I was behind the bars and he was not, the worst he could do was force me to watch what he did to those who didn't have the safety of the metal between him and them. Too many maids ripped to pieces, killed for nothing but sport. I started locking them behind the bars and losing the keys when I knew he would be coming back."

"I couldn't shoot him out of fear he'd punish me again. An idiot I was."

"I don't even think there's enough of your brother in the mind of that THING to remember such things."

"I am sorry... I am sorry for what he did, for what I didn't do... saying sorry does nothing for the past... but I am sorry..."

"If you are going into those woods, I am going with you."

"How ridiculous... I couldn't ask that of you, I couldn't ask that of anyone... not now. This is my fault, my responsibility, and I'm the one who has to set things right."

"You are not asking me! I am choosing this for myself. This is not a request."

"Everyday I think about, what if I go to protect the fey women at the waterfall, and am late for my duty? What if I get there and the waters have run red, your brother ruining more lives? My gun is the only iron bar that can protect the innocent in those woods."

"Plus. I owe him a shot between the eyes."

"Mangle his mind as much as he has done mine."

"Hiighk... I suppose there are likely many who deserve to give him something similar."

"I apologize again... for insulting you... I should not have doubted a Knight's resolve like that... and to be so presumptuous as ignore you pain like that... again..."

"Thank you for this kindness, Princess. Just call upon me when the day comes and I will be there. Either I will kill the beast with you, or I won't come out of those woods."

"My advice to you. You must go to either the Dawn Knights, or one of the last remaining giants. You must apologize to them for the crimes of your father. We may be able to kill your brother, you and me, but with a Dawn Knight who can see through the light, or a giant who can hold him back, we may get out of this without casualty."

"Do you think you will rule better than him?"

Bellodonna sighs ruefully. "I... cannot say... I fear I do not understand myself nearly as much as I thought I did, did not understand the things I wished to do to others..."

"Why... even when I came here... a part of me had hoped that the Castellan would give me an excuse to do... something awful... to him... to his wife....." she closes her eyes and sighs. "I am... unsure of what I would truly do, on my father's throne."

"It is... not something I had ever really wanted before..."

"I am sorry... for what I've done... what I wished to do, and for what I may fail to do... I am not my Father, I am not my Brother... I cannot simply insist that what I do is right and what I am is absolute.

"Maybe it is time for the throne to change hands if you cannot stop your lust for blood."

Bellodonna closes her eyes, and breathes. "No... I cannot allow that... That is... one betrayal of my Father that I simply cannot allow no matter what else may pass. No matter how hard it may be... it is something that I must do..."

"Fine. I accept this."

"But should you show the same signs that your brother has, or show a lack of disregard like your father....."