#SUPPORT: CAMILLA

[laslow]

She is shaking with rage when she sees him. Alive. Without her brother. The brother he was sworn to protect.

It's only the temporary weakness from her injuries that prevents her from slamming him against the wall and demanding answers.

Instead she towers over him, teeth and claws ready to strike. Her jaw is tight and her voice remains dangerously even as it cuts like a knife.

"Where is my brother Laslow?"

True fear sinks icy claws into his heart the longer he searches.

He's slow to accept the truth: King Xander is not here. Neither is Prince Leo, leaving only Nohr's daughters to face whatever comes next.

Naga. Laslow scrubs a grimy hand along his face, smearing dirt and sweat across his cheeks. Some retainer he is. He didn't even try finding his liege amid the chaos; it was enough of an uphill battle holding the greenhouse, and he'd failed that spectacularly. He believes what he told Elise. Xander won't go down easily, and it's that thought alone that soothes some of his guilt.

Defeated, he finds a somewhat quiet corner, letting his head fall back against the stone as he fights off a wave of emotion. He failed more than Xander; so many friends from home are nowhere to be found. They can't die. They've survived far too much for some unseen threat to claim their lives now.

Footsteps sound. He lifts his head, half-lidded eyes blinking open. That sinking feeling in his stomach resumes tenfold. He thought he'd have more time before facing Lady Camilla. This will not be an easy conversation, and he wanted to be composed before attempting it.

She's beautiful in her fury, he notes distractedly, choosing to focus on that instead of the murderous intent behind her eyes. He knows she's coming from a place of concern, and perhaps a little bit of fear.

His mouth opens, but no reply comes out. He grits his teeth and tries again. "...I don't know," and it sounds so small even to his own ears. "I wasn't with him before. I'm sorry, Lady Camilla."

Laslow holds his hands palm up, as if to ward off an oncoming attack. He's dealt with plenty of angry women in his life, but this will earn him no heartbreakingly funny story in a weeks' time. "Please, Your Highness," he implores, voice cracking. "Call me a failure all you like. I am fully aware of my faults. But don't for a moment think I'm not already kicking myself for not being there for him."

[far-from-common]

🍷🍰 🐚 "Here darling! Congrats on making it all the way through the Battle of the Eagle and the Lion!" Camilla approached with a smile, a glass of juice in one hand and a plate with a slice of cake and her seashell charm on it in the other. "An emergency pulled me away before I could finish handing out my goodies. I hope you enjoy the rest of the ball!"

“Oh!” A surprised look on L’Arachel’s face soon forms into a pleased smile. “Why thank you very much! I shall not boast too much on this night of unrelated festivities, but I really was quite something, was I not?” She lets out a boisterous laugh. “It is most kind of you to offer these! I shall cherish every bite and sip in honor of not just my battles, but all the good memories they have brought.” 

Before that, however, she quickly grabs her turtle charm and hands it out to the caring lady. “I do quite believe that sharing is what makes this charm game so fun and full of merriment! Here is a yet-unnamed turtle friend for you! I hope the two of you have a wonderful rest of the ball as well!”

[nohrslittleflower]

🧃🧃 Camilla was taken aback, her darling little sister was one of the first ones to arrive?! "Are you hurt bad Elise? Would you like me to kiss your boo boos?"

Ah. That voice is definitely her sister’s this time. 

“Big sister!” Old juice box is pushed behind her and out of sight as the younger princess sits up to meet the elder the best she can in the med tent’s could-be-worse-but-definitely-isn’t-great bed. Not that she really thinks Camilla with without juice boxes from her if she sees she’s already had one, but she’s not taking any chances. 

“I’m okay, it wasn’t too too bad! He went easy on me, I’m pretty sure,” A fact that only makes how quickly she went down sting all the more, though she tries not to focus on it. “I guess I’m still not cut out for all the frontline damage-dealer stuff yet… But that’s okay! I’ll do better next year, I promise! I’m gonna train super duper hard! I’ll make it past round one next time for sure!”

[princepsumbra]

[Water ] - The liquid of life, the quencher of thirst. Served in crystalline glasses. And what’s more dramatic than throwing water at someone’s face!

"Here... Are you alright darling?" Camilla looks him over with concern as she hands him the glass of water. She can't help but fret over him. "You look quite upset, is some slimy worm in a terrible top hat bothering you? Just say the word and I'll tear him apart for you."

A puff of air escapes his nostrils. Leo accepts the water glass, reluctant to tear his gaze away from aforementioned slimy worm.

"Do I?" The fur of his cape shifts along with his arm as he lifts the drink to his lips. He's suddenly reminded of a tactic he'd heard caretakers use on children throwing a tantrum: for the truly inconsolable, a glass of water (or some other drink) can help them regulate their emotions.

He swallows carefully, lowering the glass. "You always could read my emotions with alarming clarity. I appreciate the offer, Sister, but I'd rather have the pleasure of finishing him off for good myself."

[godofclosure]

Even on a beach island vacation, Camilla would find a way to keep her title of “juice lady.” Where she found the supplies, for both non alcoholic and alcoholic drinks, or the cart she managed to hitch to Barbie to drag everything along with her was unimportant. It was juice time. 

“Here darling! Do let me know if you want it stronger.” 🍹

‘Stronger’? How can a drink be strong? Or weak, for that matter?

Embla takes the drink, not bothering to hide the way she eyes it in obvious suspicion. Poison? She’s heard mortals refer to poison as strong. Is this an assassination attempt?? In broad daylight???

Lone eye remains fixated on her drink (if it isn’t already poisoned, she’s not about to give ‘juice lady’ over here the opportunity to change that), but her observation focuses instead on those in her peripheral. Many drinks, similar glasses, all in a trail from where the purple-haired woman had approached from… Surely one would’ve fallen by now were it poison. It’s probably fine. 

Hesitantly, she sips it. Only to jerk her head back away from the straw moments later. Oh. That is what she meant by ‘strong’. It can be stronger than this?? And the mortals like that???

…She’d be lying if she said she didn’t see the appeal. Though she is nothing if not a liar.

She brings her free hand up to her mouth as she clears her throat, recovering from the shock. “N-No— ahem! No. No. This is fine as it is. You may go.”

Though perhaps she should make a mental note of this woman and her cart so that she may try another later…

[onigirisamurai]

🧃 “Oh dear did they gang up on you? You’ll just have to get faster I guess… Or take some classes on blocking.”

Kagetsu smiles, a little confused as this person he doesn’t know approaches him while offering a strange box, but he still takes it. It seems as though everyone else was receiving one. It must be a Fodlan tradition. Refusing would be rude.

“Yes, I suppose you are right.” He sighs as she reminds him of his defeat, still a little disappointed to have been taken down so swiftly, even if it had been an impressive display of skill from his opponents. Though he quickly shakes it off. No point in being upset over something that already happened. Nothing to be done about it. “I will train myself later. This misfortune will not be repeated.”

He then turns his attention back to the box, turning it over in his hands a little. It says ‘juice’. It probably is ‘juice’. But… Why is it in a box? And how does he get it out of the box?? “Uhm… apologies, but, um, before you go… …What is this? I fear I do not understand.”

[adalrikr]

🧃 “Here dear! Great job out there!”

Erk flusters at the visage of the woman who hands him yet another juice box, taking it with a bashful bow of his head. He really didn't need anymore, but she seemed nice enough.

"Thank you... milady..." He gets the feeling that he doesn't want to stick around for too long as his cheeks burn slightly though. She seemed like she would be the coddling type, and Erk certainly didn't feel like being coddled right now.

"I... I did my best..."

[goldoanheart]

🧃"Here dear! Good showing out there."

Kurthnaga smiles as he takes the juice box from the woman. She had done this before, hadn't she? It feels vaguely familiar, "Thank you, Lady Camilla."

The label on the box read 'mango' and Kurthnaga carefully opens it, taking a small sip. It tasted good, relaxing after the fight he'd had, even if it hadn't really been all that long out on the field.

"I could have done better, but thank you again."

[bones-for-time]

Gideon is an unreliable narrator not in the sense that she lies to the reader, but in that she reshapes or obscures her own memories to reinforce her perceptions of herself and especially of Harrow. Like how she maintains the vague impression that she duels Harrow constantly, always just barely missing her shot at an offworld shuttle, but also insists that she’s never hit Harrow before, because if she had then she wouldn’t have been able to stop.

Perhaps she means this in the context of never having sucker-punched Harrow or fought dirty. Whatever violence she has administered has to be noble and justified but also almost chivalrously constrained, the bloody details politely brushed aside, because in her own eyes Gideon has to be the unabashed hero but she also has to convince herself that’s why she’s never really won. She has to believe she would have gotten out of here by now if she was willing to actually really hurt Harrow. And she absolutely cannot explore why she’s never been able to take that fatal step. It’s only once she sees Harrow from the inside that she can admit that their mutual suffering led them to inflict suffering on each other.

The payoff to all this, of course, is the reveal she knocked a ten-year-old Harrow on her ass hard enough that Harrow clawing herself free fundamentally advanced the plot narrative.

[icedflora]

"A very happy holiday!" Camilla handed the icy maid a blue cashmere scarf. "I realize you may not need one but I thought you would enjoy it regardless. Even if you don't wear it you could use it as a table runner or something."

"Lady Camilla!" Flora takes the gift with a stunned expression, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. The material is so soft and delicate in her hands, and the fact that one of her former charges is even giving her a gift, to begin with, has Flora's throat tightening and grey eyes stinging with the threat of tears. She quickly swallows it all back and smiles brightly at Camilla. "I will treasure it, Lady Camilla. I couldn't possibly imagine using it for anything besides its intended purpose, and it will keep me nice and warm, especially if I am to go visit home again. The ice tribe is... well, you know how it is." She chuckles and immediately wraps the scarf around her neck, then curtsies politely. "I apologize for not having anything in return for you, but please, let us get tea together soon. We ought to catch up, and it would delight me to have your company."

[duskofendflame]

He looks like Corrin, but there's something about him that's strange... Lighter perhaps?

Camilla doesn't dwell too much on it. Her darling brother had joined them at the academy at long last. She embraced him in a crushing hug when she found him.

"Oh my dear Corrin! I've missed you so!" She pulls away, her hands on his shoulders and a smile on her face. "Are you adjusting alright? Do you need help?" Perhaps she was being a bit over the top, but when her siblings were just so adorable who could blame her?

"Eep...! Camilla!" Corrin startles slightly as he is pulled into a tight hug by his Nohrian older sister. She's as smothering as always, he sees. Just as he remembered. He doesn't mind all too much, at least just this once. It has been a while since they have seen each other, with him still having to care for some stuff back home before he was able to join his siblings at the academy.

But he's here now, and he's so dearly happy to be able to see those siblings again. He's not surprised that Camilla has immediately fallen back into her old ways upon seeing him.

"I've missed you too, Camilla. I think I will be fine, but I'll tell you if I do need anything. If I am able to rely on my big sister still, of course."

[laslow]

Her steps are wobbly as she approaches, the half finished drink not her first of the night. New year, same reliable friends and allies. Camilla was determined to show her love and appreciation for all who had served in Nohr.

She was of course exceptionally grateful to the darling retainers who kept her siblings safe.

"Laslow!" She smiled as she placed a kiss on Laslow's cheek. "Do let me know if you need another, I can fix my lipstick at anytime." She teased.

He laughs at nothing in particular, cheeks slightly flushed from drink. Clumsy fingers adjust the flower crown atop his tousled hair--no celebration is complete without one, after all!

"Lady Camilla! You're positively glowing tonight. To what do I owe--" Laslow blinks in surprise as she pulls back. His skin prickles from the pressure of her lips. "I will never say no to a kiss from one as lovely as you."

Somewhat recovered, he offers her a lopsided grin. The faint impression of lipstick tugs with the movement. "Does the color compliment my hair?"

[tiffanyachings]

Matching T-Shirts for You and Your Weirdly Codependent Cousin

based on this excellent post by @casgirl

[nohrslittleflower]

Her steps are wobbly as she approaches, the half finished drink not her first of the night. New year, same reliable friends and allies. Camilla was determined to show her love and appreciation for all who had served in Nohr.

She was especially determined to remind each of her darling siblings how much she loved and charrished them.

"Elise!~" Camilla practically sang as she gave her little sister a giddy embrace. "Happy New Year!" Camilla placed a kiss on Elise's cheek. "To many more to come!" And one more kiss on her forehead. Because everyone knows that forehead kissies made everything better.

“Big sister!!” The younger princess practically jumped into the other’s arms at the sound of her name, squeezing tightly and laughing excitedly. At least, she was until she noticed… it.

Elise pulled back from the hug, squinting at her sister. Weird, wobbly balance, smells kinda bad… She gasps. “Did you drink something funny?!” Eyes narrow in a glare — a rather un-intimidating glare that looks more like a pout than anything — but a glare. She’s not a kid anymore! She knows what the ‘adult juice’ is! And she remembers the consequences.

“Camillaaaa, that’s bad for you! You’re gonna get sick, and your brain’s gonna explode! I don’t want a brain-xploded sister!” She huffs as she stamps her foot (in a very non-childish and adult-like way) to emphasize her disapproval, fully intending on continuing down the list of definitely very real side effects of drinking — but then she gets a kiss on the cheek. Then the forehead.

…It’s kinda hard to continue being angry after that. Especially when she’s not all that great at being angry to begin with. “Hm… Okay, I guess I’ll forgive you for now, though. Just this once, hehe.” Elise’s sigh gives way to more laughter as she leans back in, returning the hug once again in full force.

“Happy New Year, big sister. I love you.”

[princepsumbra]

"Hello Leo." Camilla gives him a warm smile and a tight hug. "Care to tell me why Sigurd thinks we're all so dour?" She whispers conspiratorially. It's merely a joke now, gossip to pass the time. But once upon a time these "jokes" were terribly common for them to survive amongst Nohr's cutthroat court.

Baldr's Bounty!

"Hello, Camilla."

Her hug comes as a surprise. Leo remains stiff a moment, then returns her gesture. She'd always kept a hands-off approach with him; a fact he both appreciated and resented in equal measure, especially in his youth.

They were trying to make up for lost time, now, and he could hardly begrudge her for doing as he'd asked.

His lips twitch. Pulling back to see her properly, he regards her with a flat look. "I cannot fathom why he'd say such a thing. Perhaps it's our tendency to favor darker colored clothing?" He neatly slips out of her embrace, shifting so he's standing next to her. Their shoulders brush; it's his particular way of showing support.

"If you and I are dour, how do you think he'd describe Xander?"

[amatsuken]

"Laaaaaaaaaaaadies and gentlemen, party people! Our next event of the evening is a friendly little competition... a test of your reflexes, your dexterity-- and even your bravery!" Someone that Say'ri doesn't recognize is shouting into the night, a crowd of students and faculty alike seemingly enthralled by the challenges that the announcer keeps proposing to any and all that are interested. This one in particular has caught her attention, though, at the mention of putting her nerves to the test-- and she pauses to hear out the rest of the details provided. "The name of the game is simple. Twisterrrrrrr! Step on up, spin the wheel, and find out what's goin' where! It'd be easy if it was just you, though... so good luck winding and weavin' around your opponents!" This is certainly nothing like she's seen in Chon'sin, dark eyes sweeping across the wheel set up, before settling on the mat stretched out across the sand. She's suddenly thankful that she's worn a loose outfit that gives her plenty of room to move... and she boldly steps forward with a hand raised to volunteer as tribute. Little does she know, this is far worse than what she believes it to be. "We have our first challenger! What is your name, Miss?" All eyes are on her, now. And she swallows nearly audibly before speaking. "Say'ri, of Chon'sin." "Well nice to meet you, Say'ri! Come on, come on, there's no time to waste. Give that wheel a big ol' spin!"

His hands are at her shoulders in the blink of an eye, shuffling her towards the oversized prize wheel with various labels on it. She barely gets a chance to reach out before he's nudging her harder, and she nearly stumbles-- her hand barely catches the wheel before spinning it, feeling as if maybe she's just signed her soul to a devil.

Say'ri spins the wheel! Roll 1d5: Left Leg.

Easy enough. With a flourish of his hand, the event host directs her to the mat stretched out before bowing, allowing her to take the metaphorical stage. Her left foot easily makes contact with one of the red circles, and she lies in wait for her next challenger to appear. @soulsaligned, @old-scalebag, @dottingoldersister, @nohrianoutlaw, @fujins-favored

twister? i hardly even know her

twister @ toaball2025. game start!