open post: further up and further in

[magicianking]

Eliot hasn't been depressed, per se, because it's sort of impossible to be depressed in Fillory. There's too much to do, these days: rebuilding Castle Whitespire, helping Josh and Poppy with the baby, and generally trying to run a post-apocalyptic-but-now-pretty-much-fine magical kingdom. Being High King of Fillory is, not to be totally cliche, Eliot's calling, and he's found a peace that he never had before. But it still sucks absolute balls that both Quentin and Janet are gone.

When Janet had first disappeared, Eliot had devoted all of his kingly resources to trying to find her. None of their world-jumping buttons had been missing, so he'd promised a knighthood and a castle to anyone in Fillory who found the missing Queen Janet.

"She won't love being treated like a damsel in distress like this," Poppy had told him.

"Well, if you have a better idea," he'd snapped, and that had been that, until a letter had arrived in the gazing pool. It had been frustratingly contextless, but obviously from Janet.

"Where is she?" Josh asked at the next meeting of the monarchs.

"I don't know. She's trapped, but she seems more annoyed than in danger."

"So she's in another universe? Since she had to use your telegram thing?" Poppy asked.

"Seems likely."

All of them had lapsed into silence.

"Should we call off the Queen hunt? Some of them are getting a little Don Quixote out there," said Poppy.

"No," Eliot had decided. "Just in case." Damsel in distress, Janet was not; but hell if he would ever be the one to give up on finding her.

--

Eliot's on his way to check on the progress of Castle Whitespire, wandering up the path from the comfortable townhouse he's been staying in, when the ground changes abruptly beneath his feet. He stumbles, and when he looks up--Dorothy, he is not in magical Kansas any more. Not in Oz any more? Whatever. The energy of wherever he is is totally different. He doesn't think it's Earth, either, despite the fact that he's in front of a huge Earth-style mansion.

"What the fuck," he mutters, and opens the door.

Comments

[magicianking]

Wow, this is clearly a dimension of hot men as well as kidnapped queens. "I'm good," he says. "Eliot, High King of Fillory. And are you alright, or did it hurt?"

[temnota]

Another king. If the Mansion had to bring another royal here, at least it wasn't a Lanstov. Anyone would be a step up from them. Aleksander repressed a sigh and moved back so Eliot could step inside. "Did what hurt?"

[magicianking]

"When you fell from heaven," Eliot finishes with a grin. "Forgive the cliche. If you give me some time I'll come up with something better."

[temnota]

Aleksander's lips quirked, amused despite himself. "Most people accuse me of crawling up from hell. You may be the first to suggest otherwise."

[magicianking]

"Do they really? Well, I would never. What's your name?"

[temnota]

"Aleksander, moi tsar," he said, sweeping Eliot an elegant bow. "Welcome to the Mansion."

[magicianking]

Oh, Eliot likes the bow. "Aleksander. Thank you. So, have you always lived here or were you kidnapped as well?"

[temnota]

"I have been here about a year," Aleksander answered. "I was in the middle of a battle when the Mansion pulled me here. I was so angry at first but I've come to realize it was the best thing for me. I never imagined I would say such a thing but it is true."

[magicianking]

"Huh. Well, that would piss me off too," Eliot says. "But sometimes you can't beat being whisked off to an alternate magical realm."

[temnota]

Aleksander tilted his head curiously. "You sound as though that has happened to you before."

[magicianking]

"Sure has. I was born on Earth, and got whisked off to Fillory." Eliot makes a face. "Well, we sort of forced it to whisk us, the first time, but still."

[temnota]

"I see," Aleksander said thoughtfully, interpreting Eliot's use of the word 'forced' to mean that Eliot had some sort of power. "I do not know of Fillory thought I have heard other people say they are from Earth. I am from Ravka, myself. Whatever power that allows this place to bring so many different people from so many different worlds is beyond me."

[magicianking]

"You haven't met Queen Janet?" Eliot asks in surprise. "Fillory's a world that summons people from Earth to rule it. God knows why. Well, honestly, I don't think Ember and Umber did know why."

[temnota]

Janet... the name was vaguely familiar and it took Aleksander a moment to remember that being the name of the brown-haired woman he met that first terrible day. He had seen her on and off since then, of course, but they had never really talked since then.

"I did meet her thought I had no idea she was a queen. I was... not myself that first day," he answered. "I was so angry and all I wanted was to get back. I can't imagine I made a good impression at all."

[magicianking]

"The bad news is she's definitely one to hold a grudge," Eliot says, apologetically. "But if she hasn't tried to kill you, you haven't pissed her off that bad."

[temnota]

Aleksander, who held onto grudges as though they were precious jewels, could understand that sentiment. He knew he had been barely holding on to his civility and truthfully, his sanity, and he could not blame her if she had taken offense.

"She has not for which I am grateful," Aleksander answered. "It gets old after awhile, people trying to kill you. Sometimes they don't even make a token effort."

[magicianking]

"You know, I've very rarely faced assassination, for being a king. I guess I'm just that beloved."

[temnota]

Aleksander raised an eyebrow and his lips twitched but he only said, "A rare quality in a king, I've found. My own tsar is a disgrace to his whole line. Still, he is no longer my problem so I suppose I should be grateful."

[magicianking]

"I guess coming to a pocket dimension has its perks. International waters, sort of."

[temnota]

"You are not wrong about that," Aleksander said thoughtfully. "It has certainly forced me to stop and reexamine things. I've had a... fraught past and have come to realize I did not want to be what I was in Ravka. Two of my fellow Ravkans were brought here as well. We are not - I am not sure that we can be friends but at least this place gives us the space to get along."

For the moment, at least. He and Nina had kept things cordial by staying out of each other's way. He knew she had witnessed one of the terrible acts of his future self but she had been a child. Zoya, on the other hand, had known him from the time she came to the Little Palace and would have seen everything and he knew she did not believe him when he had said he was trying to change.

[magicianking]

This guy is completely giving dark tortured antihero romance novel protagonist, and Eliot's digging it.

"On a redemption arc, eh?"

[temnota]

"Is that what they call it?" Aleksander asked, amusement in his voice. It sounded like something Shen Yuan would say. "I suppose that's not inaccurate."

[magicianking]

"Yeah. Redeemed from your dark, evil deeds by hard work and/or the attention of some more virtuous person." Eliot smiles. "A handsome king, perhaps."

[temnota]

Aleksander gave Eliot a considering glance, reminded for a moment of Nikolai Lantsov. They shared good looks, confident charm - and were certainly trouble with a capital T. "Is that an offer?"

[magicianking]

"If you want it to be." Eliot shifts closer to him. "I mean, I'm only here for a day, so I can't promise that much redemption, but I'd try my best."