Headed by a Snake

What Coraline found even more controversial... was that the King of the Elves was gifted his swords by one of those nonexistent dragons.

Not stolen. Not taken as a prize after a one-on-one battle of epic proportions. He was *gifted* those swords after what Felicity described as something like... 'meeting gazes and coming to a tacit compromise.'

Defeated with a single glance? It was difficult to believe-- even for a legend.

"It's just a theory," Felicity sighed with a soft, but tired smile. "And that's not even the most controversial one I have for my presentation."

"Mmm..." Coraline sat back and crossed her arms, "What else you got?"

Felicity steepled her fingers, "Are you ladies familiar with the name... Quies?"

"Oh, Quies of Sol Invictus!" Lucrezia hopped up in excitement, "When I was a little girl, I saw Sol Invictus perform live in the Ezyrian arenas~!"

"That's the one!" Felicity beamed, "I found some evidence that the Lord Ranger might not have actually been human-- but an elf."

"Whaaaat? No way!" Coraline furrowed her brows. "An elf as one of the most popular Tyrion heroes in the last century? You'll get *crucified* if you try to tell people that!"

"Mhmmm~ More than a few of my colleagues have attested that Ranger Quies' Blade Dance couldn't have been so perfect if he wasn't."

"So it's pure conjecture, then," Coraline rolled her eyes.

"It'll be more popular than the Forgotten King theory," Felicity stuck her tongue out. "Actually, you wanna know what my Order argues about the most, with that?"

"That dragons don't exist?" Coraline smirked.

"You'd think, right?" Felicity laughed. "It's actually that... in the texts, the Forgotten King is supposed to come back to save *all peoples*-- not only the elves."

"Stars and stones!" Coraline sucked in air through her teeth, "It's just a myth. And that's *nice!* What's the point in arguing about that?"

"No idea..." Felicity sighed dreamily, "Still... every myth has some basis in truth..."

"Six losses," Sir Tychon stood up, his chair scraping the deck, before tipping over and clattering onto the floor. "I'm done."

"HUH?! Wha!!?" Ramon snapped awake, blinking his eyes at his surroundings, "Fight? We fightin'?"

"Go back to sleep, Ramon," Felicity scolded.

"Don't mind if I do," The tiefling mumbled, turning his horned-head and again growing still.

That person was very good at sleeping...

"Boss," Lone bared his teeth in chagrin, "It's just... a string of bad luck?"

"Y-yes..." Giorgio coughed... "These... these things happen."

Tychon rubbed the bridge of his nose, "I have been soundly defeated in Pettaia, Red Snake-Black Snake, the Game of Generals, and literally every. other. game. we have played."

"Yeah..." Lone dipped his head, "It's kinda weird how you lost every single one..."

Giorgio averted his gaze, "Never in all my years..."

"I'm done!" Tychon shouted, "You've both bested me-- well done! But I'll have NO MORE!"

Felicity glanced sideways, "Not a graceful loser, is he?"

"Huh. Couldn't tell," Coraline groaned sarcastically.

Lucrezia clicked her tongue... "Oh, dear. I do hope he hasn't the same temper with his ladyfriend..."

Tychon turned and immediately began heading to the exit.

"Wh-where you goin', Boss?" Lone asked.

Tychon stopped, letting out a heavy sigh... "I was *planning* on returning to my room."

It was Coraline's turn to stand up, "Y-you can't do that!"

Tychon rolled his eyes, his head and upper body along with it, "And WHY in the seven--

The noble cut himself off, coughing into a closed fist, "Ahem... Apologies. Please explain your reasoning, young lady."

"Um. A murderer is on the loose." Coraline frowned, "Sir?"

Her sarcasm was slipping again-- but it was very appropriate.

She hurried to stand in the noble's way, blocking his path...

The best way to prevent unnecessary deaths was to keep everyone together.

Coraline didn't want to speak to Sir Tychon... but if she didn't do anything, she was certain she'd regret it.

The noble glared down at her... exhibiting a strange pressure that made her heart rate quicken... and not in the good way.

"Your reasoning is not good enough, Miss Coraline. Out of my way," He ordered. "Please."

Coraline gulped... it really was difficult to talk to this person.

She decided to speak in a straightforward manner. The green-haired Baron would probably appreciate that?

"Sir Tychon! As the representative of House Highblade, I'd like you to... to not go."

"I have heard your suggestion, Miss representative..." The noble smirked in amusement, "--but I am going to willfully ignore it."

Coraline stuck her lips forward, pouting. That would have been much more effective if she were actually a Highblade.

She bared her teeth, "How about as a favor, then?"

"No."

Coraline crossed her arms, "Sir Tychon... why did you speak up for me, the other night? At the dinner table?"

The noble twisted his lips to the side, "I don't recall doing anything of that nature."

...That was fair, "Then how about ordering Captain Nikandros to listen to me?"

"Because I was tired," Tychon's face remained impassive. "It was a matter of convenience."

ARRRGH!! Sleep was STUPID!

"Sir, do you... *have* to go?"

Tychon hesitated, furrowing his brows... "Well... no. By their definitions, there's a clear divide between needs and wishes."

Coraline decided to use her secret weapon! Her cuteness! The noble had softened his eyes for her once before! He would FALL, ONCE MORE!!

"Sir Tychon... stay with us..." She fluttered her eyelashes, swaying back and forth while raising the pitch of her voice to insurmountable cuteness levels, "Pwease?"

...Tychon narrowed his golden eyes to thin, judgmental squints... "Young lady... are you... unwell?"

"Sh-shut up!" Coraline shouted, stomping her foot, "Just listen to me!!"

"Come on, Boss," Mister Lone had walked over, a goofy grin plastered on his face.

Hmph. Lone was Sir Tychon's subordinate. There was no way the noble would deign himself to--

"Ugh, if I must," Tychon groaned. "Miss Coraline."

Coraline snapped to attention, "Haiee?!"

What kind of sound did she just make?

Tychon gestured to the boy at his side, "My companion, Mister Lone, is cleared of suspicion, yes?"