Anaia Sulwell/Supports

**Juno:** Tough luck…

**Anaia:** What the hell-?! How long have you been standing there?

**Juno:** Oh. I just got here. Prince Merek is in a meeting with his majesty, so I came down to practice…

**Anaia:** As if you of all people need practice with a bow and arrow…

**Juno:** What’s that…?

**Anaia:** Forget about it.

**Juno:** …Hey, you’re Prince Cas’s retainer, aren’t you?

**Anaia:** …Yes, that would be me. We’ve only stood next to each other for ceremonies a thousand times.

**Juno:** I knew I recognized you from somewhere…

**Anaia:** Prince Merek’s tolerance of you is truly a testimony to his longsuffering nature.

**Juno:** He is pretty nice, isn’t he…?

**Anaia:** By the gods… Yes. Yes, he is.

*C support achieved.*

### **B:**

**Anaia:** “Tough luck!” Hah. Luck has nothing to do with it. Just incompetence. How hard can it be to stick an arrow in the damn target?

**Juno:** Hey…

**Anaia:** Of *course*… Good afternoon, Lady Juno. What brings you here?

**Juno:** I told Prince Merek that I met you the other day and he said something really smart… He said that if you seemed frustrated with archery, then maybe I could help you with it… Are you frustrated?

**Anaia:** You told him what now? Ah, gods, if Cas catches wind of this then I’ll never heard the end of it…

**Juno:** What do you mean?

**Anaia:** Why do I even try? Lady Juno, you *are* aware of our lieges’ little feud, right?

**Juno:** Well, yeah, but what’s that got to do with us…?

**Anaia:** …To be frank, I don’t rightly know. Very well. If it truly would please you to offer your services, then I would be glad for your instruction.

*B support achieved.*

### **A:**

**Anaia:** Lady Juno, a word?

**Juno:** Sure. Anytime.

**Anaia:** As my first order of business, please allow me to thank you for your tutelage. To be frank, I didn’t expect any results, but your instruction proved more useful than I had anticipated.

**Juno:** It was my pleasure… It was kind of fun, actually… I like having a pupil.

**Anaia:** Your advice hasn’t failed me so far… which brings me to the second matter. …

**Juno:** …What’s the second matter?

**Anaia:** Right… You… You and Prince Merek are close, are you not?

**Juno:** You could say that… I am his retainer… That’s what retainers do…

**Anaia:** There’s nobody here except for us. You may speak the truth. You’re closer than most would expect from a retainer and her liege.

**Juno:** I don’t know what you mean…

**Anaia:** …By Alseid, I sincerely can’t tell if you’re playing dumb or not. No matter. Lady Juno, what would you say to someone who… cared for someone else? Someone who cared for another, more than… what is… proper.

**Juno:** Huh?

**Anaia:** Don’t think about it too hard; you might hurt yourself. Just… what comes to mind?

**Juno:** …Well… I don’t see what’s wrong with caring about someone. I’d say to just let it happen, and see where it goes. I mean, that’s what I did…

**Anaia:** Is it now…

*A support achieved.*

## Cas Ridley

### **C:**

**Cas:** Hey, where the hell have you been?

**Anaia:** What business is it of yours?

**Cas:** What business is it? I counted at least seven times today where I could’ve easily been murdered and you weren’t there to stop it.

**Anaia:** You’re still alive, aren’t you?

**Cas:** No thanks to you! You do remember you’re getting paid to protect me, right?

**Anaia:** …You had an argument with Prince Merek, didn’t you?

**Cas:** He is *such* an insufferable son of a *bitch*-

**Anaia:** I thought that might be the case… What did he do this time?

**Cas:** It was one thing for him to kick my ass during combat training, and to have neater penmanship, and to keep better count while dancing, and to not jumble up all the numbers in math…

**Anaia:** …But?

**Cas:** What do you mean, but? That’s it. That’s all there is to it.

**Anaia:** …

**Cas:** I’m going to go train – practice on – something. Don’t bother catching up. You’re always doing your own thing anyway. Don’t let me interfere.

**Anaia:** …

*C support achieved.*

### **B:**

**Anaia:** …

**Cas:** …Ack! Angel above, don’t scare me like that! …What are you even doing here?

**Anaia:** It’s my job to guard you, is it not?

**Cas:** Well, yes, but I was taking a bath. Lurking outside the door without telling me is kind of weird, even for you.

**Anaia:** “Even for me?”

**Cas:** Never mind. Why are you so concerned with your job all of a sudden? You didn’t give a damn about it before.

**Anaia:** It pains me to hear that you think so lowly of me.

**Cas:** It does not; now knock it off. It’s because I was giving you a hard time the other day, isn’t it?

**Anaia:** …I won’t say it’s entirely unrelated.

**Cas:** I didn’t mean to guilt trip you, y’know. I was tired, and… pissed off at Merek. It didn’t have to do with you.

**Anaia:** I’m aware. Regardless, I would prefer to stay in your good graces. If you must act like a spoiled child, I’d prefer your anger be directed at your brother and not I.

**Cas:** If Merek weren’t my brother, and if I didn’t already have to live with myself, I think I could sincerely call you the worst person I’ve ever met.

**Anaia:** You’ve always been such a charmer, Cas.

**Cas:** Not to be blue-blooded or anything, but it would be nice if you used my title and treated me with respect for a change.

**Anaia:** I imagine it would be.

**Cas:** Any chance of that happening?

**Anaia:** Hah! I’ll refer to you as my lord when we share a wedding bed.

**Cas:** Damn.

*B support achieved.*

### **A:**

**Anaia:** Cas, it’s so late at night I could almost call it morning. You’ve been here for almost nine hours. I’m exhausted just watching you. It’s time to give it a rest.

**Cas:** Not until I’m good enough at the lance to grind my damn brother into the dirt!

**Anaia:** You’re not going to improve enough to beat him overnight, no matter how intent you are on trying.

**Cas:** That’s what you think.

**Anaia:** There’s more going on here than just my thoughts. Your form is disastrous. You forget to bend your knees – the slightest blow from an enemy would knock you off balance. Your shoulders are hunched when they need to be held back. Chin raised-

**Cas:** Don’t touch me!

**Anaia:** You’re too tense. You’ve been here so long that you can’t focus on what you’re doing anymore. And your hands are bleeding. They’re more blisters than skin. How do you expect to win a fight if you can’t even hold your weapon?

**Cas:** Let go of my hands already-! A-augh…

**Anaia:** No more. Either stop now, or I’ll knock you out myself and drop your senseless body at Prince Merek’s feet.

**Cas:** …

**Anaia:** You know that I will make good on my threat.

**Cas:** …I know you would. Fine. You win.

**Anaia:** A wise choice. Now, it’s quite past the little prince’s bedtime.

**Cas:** Hey, Anaia… Want to hear a secret?

**Anaia:** Not particularly, no.

**Cas:** I’m so tired.

**Anaia:** Of course you are, you’ve been here most of the day and then all night.

**Cas:** I’m so tired of everything.

**Anaia:** …You’re delirious. Go to sleep; I’ll take you to your room.

**Cas:** …

**Anaia:** Just rest… I’ll watch over you now.

*A support achieved.*

### **S:**

**Anaia:** …Cas! I turn my back for five damn minutes, and you go missing for nearly four hours – are you injured? Where the hell were you?

**Cas:** I wasn’t *nowhere*, I haven’t been nowhere…

**Anaia:** …Oh, gods. Please don’t tell me you’re drunk.

**Cas:** I’m not.

**Anaia:** Somehow, the mead on your breath doesn’t convince me. Now get inside before someone sees you!

**Cas:** Anaia!

**Anaia:** Hands off. It’s not appropriate for a prince to hold on someone like a child. I’m your retainer, not your nursemaid.

**Cas:** *Anaia.*

**Anaia:** Gods, what is it?

**Cas:** Anaia, would you die for me?

**Anaia:** What?

**Cas:** …

**Anaia:** …I told you. I’m your retainer. It’s my duty to die for you, if need be.

**Cas:** Ssssure, it’s your *duty*, but would actually do it?

**Anaia:** You’re in no state to be asking such questions. Control yourself, Cas. You know you’ll regret clinging to me like this when you’re sober.

**Cas:** Don’t care. …Your skin smells like smoke.

**Anaia:** And *you* smell like apple-wine. I’m never allowing you to do this again.

**Cas:** Do what? Drink? I’ll drink if I want to, I’m a *prince*.

**Anaia:** No, I’m never again letting you sit in my lap, on your bed, and put your face against my neck. For your own sake, I pray you don’t remember this come morning.

**Cas:** Why not? You don’t wanna let me have anything. Can’t have a retainer who likes me, can’t have a brother who doesn’t make me look like shit at everything, can’t have a father who notices me…

**Anaia:** Come now, only two of those things are true…

**Cas:** All.

**Anaia:** Must you be so cruel to yourself? Truthfully, it pains me to be with you.

**Cas:** I know. I know. I *know*, don’t say it again!

**Anaia:** ...I wish I knew with all certainty that you wouldn’t remember any of this. There are so many things I wish I could tell you, my prince…

**Cas:** You’re a coward.

**Anaia:** I am. I am craven…

*S support achieved.*

## Luinne Ridley

### **C:**

**Luinne:** By the goddess. I never expected to see you again at all, much less here.

**Anaia:** Who the hell are- …No. No, no, no!

**Luinne:** You do remember me, then!

**Anaia:** Of course I do. Who could forget the Navitian mongrels polluting the heart of Heaven’s Palace?

**Luinne:** You wound me, Anaia. Is that the sort of greeting we’re giving old friends now? I expected better from a knight.

**Anaia:** Lower your *damn* voice!

**Luinne:** Why should I?

**Anaia:** I don’t go by that name, and I’m certainly not a knight any longer.

**Luinne:** I should think not.

**Anaia:** Get out of here.

**Luinne:** …

**Anaia:** Get out of this town. If I see your face here again, I’ll kill you.

**Luinne:** Now you’ve piqued my interest. What else have you done that warrants the secrecy?

**Anaia:** I won’t repeat myself.

**Luinne:** …

*C support achieved.*

### **B:**

**Anaia:** Why are you still here? Did you not hear me say I would kill you, or is your brain so rotted you can’t comprehend it?

**Luinne:** I understood you perfectly, just as I understand you’re no man of your word.

**Anaia:** …The boy you’re traveling with is your son, is he not?

**Luinne:** What of it?

**Anaia:** Because he’ll die screaming with you, unless you *leave already!*

**Luinne:** Hah! Kill Seti? Oh, I’d *love* to see you try.

**Anaia:** …

**Luinne:** I’ll even make it easy for you. Do you want me to call him here?

**Anaia:** What the hell is wrong with you?

**Luinne:** I’m a performer. An entertaining show is what I love best.

**Anaia:** …Alright. You’ve called my bluff. If you stitch up that loose tongue of yours, I’ll let you live… But only for his sake.

**Luinne:** Don’t make me laugh! You’ve never done anything for his sake.

**Anaia:** I’m not gracing that with a response. Now tell me, is the girl your child too?

**Luinne:** Does she *look* like she’s mine? Goddess above, you have lost your wits.

**Anaia:** Her eyes are so pale… Who is she?

**Luinne:** I don’t
think she needs an introduction.

**Anaia:** …

*B support achieved.*

### **A:**

**Anaia:** Luinne.

**Luinne:** Oh, so you do remember my name! With all the generic insults, I was starting to think you had forgotten it.

**Anaia:** Stop it.

**Luinne:** Why are you here? Have you come to deliver more empty threats?

**Anaia:** I want to know what you intend on telling Princess Diadra.

**Luinne:** Why would I bother her with details about someone as inconsequential as you?

**Anaia:**  Not about me. About Alhena.

**Luinne:** Your daughter?

**Anaia:** …Yes.

**Luinne:** She has beautiful eyes – certainly not from you. Did she get them from her mother?

**Anaia:** That’s no business of yours, jester.

**Luinne:** Hm… If you must know, I don’t intend on telling her anything. All I promised was to take her home. Not to reunite her with her family.

**Anaia:** …

**Luinne:** But if we happen to run into King Mikael, well… If I were you, I would light myself on fire and save him the trouble.

**Anaia:** …

**Luinne:** And if we find Cas? He deserves an explanation, as much as I’d hate to see him suffer any more on your account.

**Anaia:** Stop acting like you treated him any better than me! We both left him.

**Luinne:** He was my little brother, not my liege. I wasn’t duty-bound to protect him. I took no oath to stay by his side and serve him until his dying breath.

**Anaia:** You know that he admired you. He thought the world of you, and you disappeared without a word. Tell me, why did you leave?

**Luinne:** …I missed the wind. I wanted to go home.

**Anaia:** You left because you loved it.

**Luinne:** …

**Anaia:** If you understand anything, then understand this: I cared for him dearly. When I vowed to protect him with my life, I meant every word of it. I only left because of her.

**Luinne:** …

**Anaia:** She's the one thing in the entire world that I love more than him.

**Luinne:** …

**Anaia:** …Say something!

**Luinne:** …When… When you look at Princess Diadra... I hope all you can see is the child whose mother you stole away from her. When the foul wind finally catches up with you – and it will – I hope you have the courage to meet Cas’s eyes and see how you ruined him.

**Anaia:** …

**Luinne:** You will pay for what you’ve done to them. When the time comes, you're going to suffer, and you deserve every moment of it.

**Anaia:** …

**Luinne:** But for now, your wishes are fulfilled once more. We’re leaving, come morning.

**Anaia:** …Farewell, then. Until we meet again.

**Luinne:** No… I don’t think we will.

*A support achieved.*