003 ♒ ᴠɪᴅᴇᴏ

[alayne]

[ alayne is always nervous and fidgety when speaking through her looking mirror as she calls it; but today there is an extra frown on her brow that betrays her concern.

her manners, however, are as splendid as ever; she tidies down the blue silks she has found in her wardrobe and dips her head in greeting. ]

Good people of Wonderland,

[ the manners are there but her voice betrays a hint of urgency ]

There are those among you who have made by acquaintance. I seek those who have come to my aid before, those who I have met and have come to know in the duration of my stay in our Mansion. I have a request to make of you; I will be -- endlessly grateful if you shall hear my words, though I have little to offer you in return.

[ and she doesn't like this; does not like to ask for something she cannot repay for but she has little choice in this manner. ]

-- thank you.

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[wolfwild]

-- Is something amiss, Alayne?

[ her voice is a little distant. lyanna has family here, now -- she isn't certain how much time she ought to spend on some bastard girl from the vale. but she cannot help but remember alayne's earnest sweetness when they first met. ]

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[alayne]

Lady Stark.

[ she bows again. a greeting to the whole of wonderland is one thing, lady stark ( sansa's lady aunt ) is another. ]

Not amiss.

[ perhaps found. only alayne is not certain what she can do for bran and arya stark except to seek the aid of those who are more able than herself. ]

I have met your kin and you have been so good to me despite my station.

[ is it not a good reason? perhaps alayne stone is a girl who wishes to repay a debt. ]

I only meant to ask for others to aid them if they would need it as I cannot offer the same aid myself.

[Video]

[dashingdignity]

Lass? Is something wrong?

[ Because she sounds distressed. ]

[Video]

[alayne]

No, my Lord; nothing and for that I am grateful.

[ but she is scared, the fear is seated upon very bones. the starks of winterfell are not safe, not here where others may arrive; not here where the lannister lions may hurt them once more.

she has left sansa behind but it is a debt she owes the girl who she once was and can no longer be again. ]

I would ask your aid in assuring nothing will. There are two children of my realm, brother and sister they are and one cannot walk. I do not know them, myself but I know their kin and she has been good to me. I wish that they would be kept safe and that aid would come to them if they ever seek it.

( video )

[hypercompetent]

Do I need to punch somebody, Alayne? I'd totally do it if you needed it, I've got a pretty mean left hook. [ despite what it sounds like, stiles is in fact joking--he flashes the feed a crooked, teasing smile before it softens a little in concern.

(Okay, well, maybe it wasn't totally a joke. The second part was.) ] What's up?

( video )

[alayne]

[ she smiles a little. truly, she imagined the aid of armed men but stiles offers his so kindly and so willingly and perhaps it is small but alayne finds it endlessly sweet anyway. ]

You are good to me, Stiles but I am pleased to tell you there is no need.

[ you can't really punch potential lannisters. ]

There is a woman from my realm, a lady and she was good to me despite my station; she has shown me kindness and I wish to repay her. Her kin is here, two young children and I wish for others to watch over them. Wonderland is never quite safe and I would wish for them to be protected.

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[thneedifestdestiny]

[The Once-ler hesitates before he replies. They've only spoken once so far, and they haven't met-met in person yet, so he's not really sure he can offer the kind of help she's seeking (whatever that help might be). But...the whatever-it-is sounds kind of important. So he appears over the network, looking concerned in return.]

Alayne? What's up? ...Everything alright?

[The question feels equal parts mandatory and stupid - there's clearly something wrong if she's coming to the network like that but it's just what you're supposed to ask under the circumstances.]

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[alayne]

Once-ler, how good to see you.

[ she does smile at him if only since she remembers his sincerity and sweetness. ]

I am alright, you are so kind for asking.

[ sweetness and decorum, first. ]

I only need a simple favor done for me and if I can ever repay you for it, I swear I shall do so at once.

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[climbed]

[ things in wonderland have been quite a blur lately, but bran doesn't think he could forget alayne stone's face if he tried; the girl that had appeared so similar to his sister Sansa that he thought he might have cried upon seeing her is burned into his memory. though she is not his sister, no matter how many times he sees her he has to remind himself so, that alayne stone is just a bastard from the vale and nothing more.

still--bastards mean little to bran, who saw his older brother Jon as just that. a brother. though she wasn't at all sansa, alayne had been good and kind to him upon his arrival, and the concern in her voice worries him. he will be a good king someday, and so he will be good to his allies and the people who have done so to him, as robb had always done, as maester luwin had taught him to do the same.

he answers her video after some brief fiddling with the device, and jojen disappears from the back of it, as if he had been helping bran along, and his brows are knit in concern for the girl whose torment he does not know and could not begin to understand. ] Are you well, Alayne? Is there any way I could help?

[ a cripple cannot do much, he tells himself, but for the people who were his friends and allies, he would try. ]

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[alayne]

[ it is hard to lie to him, much harder than it is to lie to the others. her heart clenches each time and alayne has shed many tears over bran stark; but they were all shed onto her pillow and never in front of him.

he has arya to look after now as oddly, their ages are reverse. many duties for one so young ( she cannot forget the way old nan's stories frightened sansa and how they huddled in the dark eons ago ) and she would aid him in whatever little way she can. ]

I am well, my Lord. Truly, you need not be concerned. You are so sweet for asking.

[ I will never trouble you, never you. ]

It is but a simple matter, I am sorry if I had alarmed you.

[strategisch]

Of course, Alayne. What's wrong?

[alayne]

Armin, you are well met.

[ manners, first. she bows her head with a small smile. so few make her smile, even here. ]

I would ask for a simple favor, a small one, I hope. I am in servitude of a Lady, beautiful and kind who cares for me and I for her. Her kin has arrived, two children who are good and I would swear on my life that they are of no harm to anyone. Yet I would have others know of them and watch over them; if they would ever come to ask for aid, I would have it granted.

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[glumshoe]

[ Tense must be a natural state of being for Alayne, but today is the strongest spike on the chart since the event where everyone went a little crazy with emotions. Will is bit bothered that he only seems to be around when she's in need. Still, it's no reason to refuse. ]

What can I do for you, Alayne?

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[alayne]

[ Will is right; it has been years since alayne has ever been without nerves. she has grown into her role, the lies come easily for her now; at the same time, she is still terrified. Wonderland has brought sansa stark's kin and while she insists to be a stranger to them, she worries that they would see and they would call her in a name that is no longer her own.

( Lady Sansa Stark, they might say and if the queen shall come here, it would mean her death, surely.) ]

How good to see you, Will.

[ there is sweetness there that doesn't need to be called forth, that comes from the part of alayne that is true and honest. ]

You have been so quick to come to my aid, this is a second time.

[video | private]

[jivitadana]

Is everything okay?

[If she needed help, then of course Minato would be there for her. She's helped him out too.]

[video | private]

[alayne]

Minato, how I hope this day has found you well.

[ she bows her head. ]

You have offered me so many kindnesses, one after another. You have given me precious knowledge of our realm and have kept me company, I cannot thank you enough for that. I am well, myself; the favor which I ask is not for my own benefit.

[video]

[assembles]

[Given how their previous interactions had gone, how difficult it had been to convince Alayne that Steve meant to offer her help without expecting anything in return, it's a shock that she would make a broadcast like this.

If she's outright asking for help in this way, it can't be anything good. Steve's quick to send a reply.]

What is it, Miss Alayne? [The frown on his face matches her own.]

[video]

[alayne]

Steve Rogers.

[ a tone of relief there. alayne would receive any aid offered to her with deep gratitude but steve rogers is someone who gives her a spark of something she was not allowed to feel in westeros. a hope for something that might be good after all.

mayhaps good can still see light here, maphaps wonderland does not seek to vanquish it as westeros has done. ]

Two children have been called into our realm. Two children who are kin of a Lady I am in servitude of. She is bold and good and yet, I would ask for others to mind their steps. Wonderland is not without its dangers, I was told.

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[avoirfaim]

[ Alayne's tension reads like a tremor on a seismograph, and Hannibal is somewhat impressed by her constant composure in the face of it. So many others would shake like a leaf under the degree of pressure that Hannibal believes she inflicts upon herself. He smiles to himself for only a second before he returns to neutral, making the connection. ]

And what request might that be, Alayne?

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[alayne]

A simple one, I hope and not one for my own benefit.

[ I would ask it for Sansa Stark who can no longer speak with her own voice. ]

I have found such kindness in this realm, so many keen to aid me. Yet there is a Lady from my own realm whose kin has arrived in Wonderland not too long ago, a boy and a girl. I have promised to remain in servitude of this lady who has shown me such goodness and I would ask for aid in watching over those who are dear to her.

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[psalmed]

Mademoiselle? What is wrong?

[And she looks very worried.]

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[alayne]

Not wrong, Lady Lia, please forgive me if I have startled you.

[ a soft apology. alayne meets her gaze with worried eyes before bowing her head again in a greeting which is private. ]

There is a Lady of my realm who I swore my loyalty to. She is good and sweet and kind and now her kin has arrived in our realm. A boy and a girl; I only wish for others to watch over them and offer them aid if they shall ever ask for it.

private video;

[nascensibility]

[It isn't unusual for people to reach out in Wonderland - Evelyn is guilty of doing so on more than one occasion - but the fraught tone of Alayne's missive has her genuinely concerned. What could she possibly have to request that makes her so wary to even ask in the first place?]

Are you all right?

[Evelyn asks her gently over the network, anticipating something dreadful.]

private video;

[alayne]

Evelyn, how good to see you.

[ there is a true comfort there. alayne smiles at the woman who has been so good to her when she was new and frightened. ]/small>

I am well, please forgive me if I have worried you. I have not come to plead for aid for me but for another.

[severedheads]

[ Surprisingly, Lucy manages to respond to Alayne's urgency with only a look of concern rather than anxiety of her own. Maybe because everyone in her life for the past year has been a ball of nervousness and sobbing. Vague panic the norm. ]

Is there anything I can help with? You don't need to give me anything in return, it's fine.

[ Unless the task is like. Shooting someone. Or stealing organs. Things she has experience with but would rather not do again if it can be avoided. ]

[alayne]

[ many have said exactly that and yet alayne worries. help that is given without aught in return is a debt and others may recall these debts later on. still, arya and bran are have her concerned, nearly panicked (a girl I knew have lost them both once, see.) and in her fear, she forgets her previous worries. ]

Mayhaps, Lucy, if you would be good enough. I ask for a simple favor, aid in watching over two children, kin of a friend of mine from my realm.

voice | mind an uber late reply? V___V

[boyhood]

<sub>[Peter supposes he counts as an acquaintance, doesn't he? Even if, by very nature of being Peter Pan, he's not always that helpful.

He answers her inquiry with curiosity.]</sub>

Hearing someone out is easy enough.

_{[But what the request amounts to, and who she ultimately picks to ask a favor of is her choice. Peter can always hope the circumstances prove interesting. Interesting deals can be entertaining, just ask every resident of the Enchanted Forest. (Though he's sure they wouldn't choose the word "entertaining.")]}

Looking to make a deal? You're in the right place for that.

voice | it is a wonderful one shh

[alayne]

[ she knows his voice, the boy of neverland. she considers his words. he speaks of a deal and alayne finds it an odd, terrible comfort. favors are always given for a price, that no one has asked her for anything in return yet worries her. they might remember my debts when the time is right.

yet what is she to do? ]

You would ask for something in return.

[ quietly, they both know it is a fact. ]

What would it be?

text

[screeee]

[She recognizes this adoptee. She hopes no one has hurt her while she was not around to do something. But if someone had...]

Sister what is wrong?? Are you akll right??

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[alayne]

I am fine. Please, I did not mean to startle you. It is so good of you to write to me.

[ dare she ask for her help? ]

would it be possible for us to speak in private?