Changelings sound a little similar to some things Grant's told me about his world. I don't know if they're the same or just alike, but I'm not entirely without a frame of prior reference. My own world doesn't have anything like it, though. Stories, maybe, but nothing real.
I...didn't realize you weren't really talking about a monarch in the traditional sense, though. If you're from the Autumn Court, then I'm guessing there's four courts to a Freehold to correspond with the seasons, right? And those four courts are split between, at most, almost a thousand changelings in your Freehold. Although 'three figures' could be a whole lot less than near a thousand. But at maximum, we're talking a monarch ruling over maybe 250 people?
I admit, that's not the scale I was picturing.
[Which is to say, Claude feels a little sucker-punched right now.
It's true that he's not playing his status as Almyra's king that close to his chest anymore. Those close to him have been told, and those who aren't from his world aren't likely to care; it'd have no meaning to them. But feeling like Steven came from a king's court, directly reported to a king, had made Claude feel like they could understand each other on a deeper level, and he'd opened himself up on that belief...only to find that the monarch Steven is talking about isn't anything like the kind of king Claude was thinking of. Not a ruler of nations, but more of a small, underground community leader.
There's an absolutely intense discomfort at feeling as though he's opened himself up under false pretenses, even though he doesn't see Steven wanting to misuse that information and in fact has no idea how he could. It's just...the feeling of giving more away than he should have, than he would have if he'd known from the start what he knows now. Of having miscalculated. He hates it.
It's not Steven's fault, and Claude doesn't blame him. But he's not any happier about it. But letting on that he's feeling vulnerable would be even worse, so he buries it as best he can. Primarily by changing the subject.]
I do have to admit, though, my primary experience with assassins is being their target. It's a unique experience for me to get to chat with one.
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Date: 2021-05-01 04:57 am (UTC)I...didn't realize you weren't really talking about a monarch in the traditional sense, though. If you're from the Autumn Court, then I'm guessing there's four courts to a Freehold to correspond with the seasons, right? And those four courts are split between, at most, almost a thousand changelings in your Freehold. Although 'three figures' could be a whole lot less than near a thousand. But at maximum, we're talking a monarch ruling over maybe 250 people?
I admit, that's not the scale I was picturing.
[Which is to say, Claude feels a little sucker-punched right now.
It's true that he's not playing his status as Almyra's king that close to his chest anymore. Those close to him have been told, and those who aren't from his world aren't likely to care; it'd have no meaning to them. But feeling like Steven came from a king's court, directly reported to a king, had made Claude feel like they could understand each other on a deeper level, and he'd opened himself up on that belief...only to find that the monarch Steven is talking about isn't anything like the kind of king Claude was thinking of. Not a ruler of nations, but more of a small, underground community leader.
There's an absolutely intense discomfort at feeling as though he's opened himself up under false pretenses, even though he doesn't see Steven wanting to misuse that information and in fact has no idea how he could. It's just...the feeling of giving more away than he should have, than he would have if he'd known from the start what he knows now. Of having miscalculated. He hates it.
It's not Steven's fault, and Claude doesn't blame him. But he's not any happier about it. But letting on that he's feeling vulnerable would be even worse, so he buries it as best he can. Primarily by changing the subject.]
I do have to admit, though, my primary experience with assassins is being their target. It's a unique experience for me to get to chat with one.