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How To Deliver Justice (with KiraMusani

Castle Foyer

They only had about five to ten minutes from the time Diana's team returned, before the servants brought the boxes of ornaments out for decorating not just the tree, but the foyer itself, for Olivia and Ethel to touch base before the game continued.

Cinnamon and Clair had more time than Ethel and Olivia, since Olivia was on the winning team. As soon as both Clair and Ethel's teams were back in and getting warmed up near the sitting room hearth, Cinnamon watched Clair approach and began speaking to her.

She smiled and shrugged. "You still have to deal with Avenger and Ruby all the time going forward. Pick me for the Christmas dessert making, in a few days, and it'll be okay. After all, I have to get used to the idea of being the princess of Dunwyn and not just the Baroness of Pastries, amirite?" She gave a good natured, yet still flirtatious wink. "Besides, having Sapphire on your side now, is going to go a long, long way in Cordonia's future, mark my words. You just might have saved your parents a lot of headaches by appeasing the Jewel Kingdom Princess, now. She, Diana and Cassandra are warrior princesses, after all."

Olivia snorted. "Schematics." She then continued, "Close second place with a bonus, isn't too shabby a showing, considering Diana, Millie and I are strategizers. Clair may not want to admit it, but she and Avenger are the strategy planners over there, which makes me wonder how they missed the mark so poorly. Wasn't Avenger the strategist over there?"

A little covert nosing would learn Aurora just picked a direction and went with it, and was more interested in keeping her team safe and in one piece, than finding a decent tree. (Remember Avenger's remark about a "lousy place to set up camp"? Everyone went with the physician's recommendations, probably for different reasons, at first.)
 
Castle Foyer

Clair was relieved she wasn't upset and let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank you princess, honestly I didn't think of that when choosing, I am not great of thinking of that stuff." She admitted rubbing her head a little embarrassed.

Ethel nodded.
"Well, as for Claire's team, not to be cruel but leadership is an important role in these team events, and she doesn't exactly have a demanding presence. Something like that can really hurt a team. Not knowing whose advice to follow and whose to not." Ethel explained.
 
Cinnamon shook her head. "Clair. I'm the same girl I was back in the village. I don't stand or rest on ceremony. We know each other. Just Cinnamon is fine. Save that princess title for around Queen Kenna. She jumped me arse for telling her I was okay with just my name."

She thought about that. "Bit hypocritical, though, she lets you call Ruby by only her name. But then, Cordonian nobility has more wiggle room with their royalty." She shrugged.

Cinnamon watched Gregor head to where the tree was to be raised at the grand staircase. "Oh oh. Looks like round three is about to begin. I gotta meet up with Ethel and the others, and you have to rally your four. Good luck with the next part of the game. Remember, pick me for your partner in dessert making. We can talk more, then."

Olivia could only nod. "I agree with you for the most part, Ethel, because even I could easily be swayed by Aurora. Just on the fact she's a physician. She also has strong leadership qualities from being taught by an army medic in Lieutenant Arden. Aurora knows how and what will keep you safe, and that seemed to be more her priority than the actual tree hunt. She did have two princesses, an ex-princess, and a newcomer to court." She looked puzzled at Ethel, who actually DID know why the physician went the safe route, but did Olivia really have to know that Aurora hated the new tradition of Christmas trees, brought over from Germania, and was thus, uninterested in finding a good tree? Although she did gripe about the state of the tree they found, although it was the best in their area.

Gregor called for attention. "I want the strongest of you ladies to help right the tree, now, help balance it, wrap it's base to keep it sturdy, and we all can commence to decorating it, the walls and the banisters of the grand staircase for the season."

As Sapphire and Avenger stepped forward, Aurora gave a sharp "No! No heavy lifting! Avenger, you're still recovering from major surgery, and Sapphire, I haven't had a chance to clear you from your stomach woes! Stand. Down! Both of you!" She then nodded to Clair's only other available teammate. Ruby. She looked to Clair. "If you think you can help handle that heavy tree, you can join Ruby and I. Otherwise, could you please keep an eye on these two?" She pointed to Avenger and Sapphire looking sheepishly down blushing.

Olivia shook her head, saying to Ethel and Diana. "I think the doctor took over the leadership role, but then Sapphire AND Avenger ARE still being stubborn."
 
Clair nodded with a look of embarrassment on her face.
"Right, sorry, just still trying to get used to switching between formal and informal speech. Cinnamon, I'll try and remember, at least when it's just us and friends together. And I suppose it is, but maybe that is because you are new to being a princess and she wants you to not fall into informal habits?" She suggested.

Ethel listened to Olivia.
"Very astute, plus I don't really think Aurora cared about this event all that much anyway, like you said, she had bigger priorities. Which I don't blame her, this is just a game, compared to the health of her friends. I think she made the right call."

Clair smiled and looked at the other two, nodding.
"Right, I'll help keep an eye on these two" She agreed, knowing that strength was not her strong suit, she was more about technique than anything when it came to feats of strength.

Ethel chuckled lightly.
"Once again I side with the Doc on this one, they shouldn't push themselves if they aren't ready, do so and they could do permanent damage to their bodies. As for us, go ahead ladies, I'd say any combo of you all are stronger than I"

Diana gave a nod and moved to help with the tree, going beside Aurora.
"Hey Doc, couldn't help but hear your, orders there. I know you are keeping them safe, but this is also not a boot camp, could try to take it down a notch"

As they lifted the tree Clair Asided to Avenger and Sapphire.
"Hey, I umm, I know it's difficult at times to not help or work. But I do believe it is in our best interest to hold back when we need to" She said meekly.
 
Aurora gave Diana a glare, before her countenance softened. "Duly noted, Amazon Princess. This isn't the battlefield, either. I had told Avenger though, from the beginning, right after her surgery, she'd be unable to push herself like she's used to, for at least six weeks. It's only been what? Ten days? That's barely a week and a half." They began righting the tree, and shook her head, holding to the trunk with Diana, Olivia, Cinnamon and Grovershire, as the other ladies tried to brace and wrap the bottom, around the now even cut base. "I told Sapphire just the other day, that until I could check her abdomen after her stomach ailments, I couldn't have her lifting anything over seven and a half kilograms without my express approval. This tree is a helluva lot more than seven and a half kilograms, even spaced out amongst all of us." She sighed as Cassandra barked at Millicent Umberto to tighten her side of the wrap, and Amanda Butcher barked herself, at Ruby about situating her brace better. Aurora looked over, "I forget sometimes, not everything warrants an army voice."

She watched Amanda help Ruby with the brace, saying sternly without going militaristic on the Cordonian royal, "like THIS, princess! Balance brace AND tree!"

Aurora shook her head. "Looks like I could learn a lesson or two from the meat cutter." She quipped.

Meanwhile, Sapphire, still not learning the true Amazon way, stated honestly, "But Clair. I'm a warrior princess of the Jewel Kingdom. I recently learned my actual heritage from Diana, that my great-grandmother, Cassiopeia, was an Amazon. Strength is my inheritance. This isn't the way." Actually, if she WOULD ask Diana, or even Avenger, neither is jumping in without using discernment. She had been sidelined for a good reason. Her health. Aurora knew exactly what extra tightening of her abdominal muscles would create when her stomach was already upset.
 
Diana nodded as she explained and gave a light chuckle at the meat cutter comment.
"Heh, one thing I am pretty sure of is that we can always improve"

Clair wasn't one for confrontation
"Oh I umm, I understand that viewpoint, but umm, so is Avenger here right? And umm, even mighty Amazon warriors need to take care of their bodies right?" She tried to explain, hoping Avenger would help her out as she was sitting with them.
 
The only difference between Avenger and Sapphire, was that Avenger was only half Amazon, while Sapphire may actually be closer to three-quarters.

Sapphire hadn't meant to sound confrontational, and even apologized to Clair. "I'm not meaning to sound like I'm coming down on you, Clair. I'm just confused about my inheritance. Amazons are strong willed fighters. I don't want Diana to think any less of me than she already does. Bad enough I didn't know my own history when Jewel Kingdom and Themiscyra are both in the Greek kingdoms."

Avenger finally saw her opening. "Just because you're both considered part of the Grecian kingdoms doesn't mean you subscribe to the same rules. I was on the island of Themiscyra about four years ago. The laws and culture are vastly different from the Greek mainland. Most importantly, no males are allowed to set foot on the island, and although in either the Ionian or Mediterranean Sea, it's not even that easy to get to. It's a totally secret society with a matriarchy. Likewise for the Jewel Kingdom. Unless someone has actually been there, your kingdom is mostly in our legends also."

Sapphire sighed. "Like how we're twelve tribes named after twelve different gemstones?" She then named them off, Avenger could only hope to remember, while Clair might actually write them down with quill and ink in her trusty notebook, if she's quick enough. "Alexandrite, Amethyst, Aquamarine, Blue Topaz, Diamond, Emerald, Garnet, Peridot, Ruby, Sapphire, Topaz and Tourmaline." She took a deep breath. "Opal tribe is a sect of the Tourmaline tribe, but we try not to talk about them. They're basically the bad guys of the Jewel Kingdom, trying to overthrow whichever king or queen is sitting at the time. My father, the current King, is from the House of Blue Topaz, and mother is of the House of Amethyst."

She noticed herself, the tribes. "Yes. I'm named for one of our tribes, that's also a common tradition when two tribes intermarry. The child is named after a third tribe, to promote unity amongst us."
 
Clair blushed a little at the apology.
"Oh don't worry about it, you are totally valid for it"

Clair did indeed have her notebook handy and ready, recording not only them but making notes about the information she gave about them. She also took notes of Sapphires' family dynamics once they were mentioned.

Once she had finished and Clair finished her notes seeing a break in her lecture she nodded.
"That is all really fascinating, I made a new section in my notebook for these things, I am not sure if it will be important to know later, perhaps I could incorporate it into designs if I make anything decorative for your family." She replied.
 
Sapphire nodded with a smile. "It will be important later, as you're Cordonian nobility, are you not? Even if your parents hadn't taken Queen Kenna's generous offer to be a noble house of Cordonia, you befriended me to establish trade relations between my family and kingdom, and your family." She gave a shrug. "Whatever you plan decorative for our family, find a way to incorporate the violet colour of the House of Amethyst with the cerulean blue of the House of Blue Topaz. My parents may end up friends for life, and I don't say that lightly. House of Blue Topaz last got a gift from the Amazons upon the wedding between my mother and father. Later ,he sent female warriors to Themiscyra when Hippolyta was in need. A skirmish on Themiscyran shores, so yes, Avenger, I'm aware of the no males law."

Soon, everyone would be able to choose between decorating the tree and banisters of the great staircase. "I know how father likes the banisters decorated. We wrap the green garlands around the railings all the way up. It's not breaking Aurora's heavy lifting rules, and I think the three of us, who can't do much lifting anyway, will have the easiest job. As the new princess, Cinnamon will have to carefully light the candles on both the tree and along certain spaces on the banisters. As the original princess, I couldn't get out of that chore, even though I didn't participate for so long in the games themselves. We should call for the banisters quickly; they'll be grabbed first."

Avenger didn't say anything about the tradition only being the last three years.
 
Clair returned to her notes as Sapphire added more.
"Right, we will definitely find a way to incorporate those colours, I think we can find a way to meet all the criteria," She said as she looked through her notes and started to tweak their designs to incorporate all the things the girls had said while doing her best to have them mesh well with each other. She had also taken Avenger's advice and went to get the banisters as soon as she could.
 
Aurora was speaking to the king about light work for Sapphire and Avenger when Clair approached and asked for the banisters.

As Gregor nodded and approved Clair, Avenger and Sapphire decorating the banisters, saying in Kenna's presence that Avenger knew how he liked them decorated for the Yuletide, and to listen to her, Aurora couldn't help adding her two pence. "Just because there's no heavy lifting doesn't mean you don't have to be careful. Steps are dangerous going up and down normally, you'll be pausing on every single step to wrap something around the banister to make it look 'purdy' for the holidays. Be extremely careful. I really don't want to be settling any broken bones." Someone was applying to the Worse Case Scenario newsletter, but then, it hadn't been proven yet, but most accidents do happen in the home.
 
Clair nodded and looked toward Aurora.
"Don't worry I have thought of a safety device to keep us from falling down the steps, and it will be super easy to implement as well." She assured before going into the details unprompted as she got the usual spark in her eye that happened when she spoke of her inventions.

"Basically it's ropes attached to metal hooks that attach to our belts, and then to another part at the end that anchors us to the banister with a cushioned metal claw-like attachment device that will lock up if pulled too suddenly, like from a fall, so it catches us"
 
Aurora grimaced. Taking a tumble down the concrete and stone steps of the grand staircase inside the foyer would have different physics then what it sounded like Clair was describing. It seemed Cassandra, Olivia and Millicent were onboard for the type of mountaineering device she was describing, however, as Millie spoke up next. "I want in on your next mountain climbing experience, Clair! With that device packed!"

Cassandra was next. "What an interesting teaching device! Imagine the bones unbroken, and melons not cracked open with that on a cliffside!" She elbowed her older sister, Diana, and nodded towards Clair to ask more, or for a device for the next Amazon mountain climbing excursion.

Aurora raised an eyebrow. "Clair. I'm not so sure that will work as well as you think it will. Tumbling down a staircase has different physics and impacts to the body than a straight fall from the same distance from a cliff face." She took a deep breath and then showed Clair the grand staircase, as she pointed to a point halfway up, from over the side of the banister. "Over the side, from the banister your device has a chance of working." She pointed to the many steps between the middle of the staircase and the foyer floor. "Down the stairs, not so much. Your bodies would hit each and every step, in different angles, all the way down. Best case scenario down the stairs? Extreme bruising and a long recovery period in a very uncomfortable infirmary cot." She laid a comforting hand on Clair's shoulder. "I'm not trying to be a killjoy, here, sweetheart, I'm just trying to show you that you need more than just arithmetic and materials for most practical inventions you're thinking up. You need a full knowledge of the laws of physics and anatomy. Especially when dealing with inventions that attach to you to keep you safe from harm."

Avenger grimaced. "But her grappling gun, Aurora!"

"Is a tool for getting around, not for stabilising you whilst working in place, Calla. I'm trying to prevent you girls from seeing angry physicians." Aurora said, glaring at Avenger.
 
Clair looked puzzled for a moment as she processed the response from Millie.
"Mountain Climbing? oh! well it would need a way to stick to the side of a mountain for that to work, and much longer connections between people"

Clair looked to Aurora as she made her claims.
"Okay, maybe I didn't describe it well enough, the ropes between each person are quite short, which would limit movement yes, but one should not be able to lay down let alone fall down any amount of steps before being caught by the group. Like maybe equal to one arms length" She replied.
"My anatomy knowledge may be lacking but I have studied and experimented with many forms of physics and use their laws in my calculations constantly. So if the length needs to be shortened from an arms length then let me know, or I suppose if this task needs us to separate more that would also be an issue" She proposed.
 
Aurora nodded. "Alright. Fair enough. It still sounds like you're not giving enough room to move, restricting mobility, or more time will be used hooking up the device and disabling it to move on."

She listened farther and scratched her head. "Short? Then, that's what? In measurements we use today." Aurora asked with genuine curiosity, her brow furrowing.

Avenger and Sapphire exchanged a look. "A metre!" They said in unison, pointing to the other one. Avenger shrugged. "She did say an arm's length. But wouldn't gravity pulling the one down also pull the other two once the rope is taut?"

Sapphire nodded, before Aurora could answer. "Theoretically, yes. But if the ropes are any shorter, we'll have no elbow room to maneuver. The next size I can think of from an arms length, which is a metre, is a royal cubit. But that measurement hasn't even been used by The Jewel Kingdom in forever."

"Cubits haven't been used in England since around King Arthur. Only place you can find it now, but not exactly how long it is, is in the Bible. Royalty still has to know the royal cubit." She then pointed to her elbow and tip of her middle finger on one arm. "That's even shorter than the amount you mentioned, Clair, of an arm's length. That's only half the arm. Maybe a little more."

Aurora sighed. "I think, for the sake of not restricting movement, and not all of you tumbling at once, tied together, that you keep an eye on each other, and watch your footing on the stairs. Again, Clair, it sounds like you have a great idea, just implementing here would cause more trouble than it's worth. As Millie and Cassandra said, save it for mountain climbing. Sounds like it'll do the best good there."

Calla Avenger grabbed the crate of green garlands. "Should we wrap going up or down? Either way, it's not exactly quick, but going with gravity DOES seem more speedy."
 
Clair nodded.
"It's okay, I would never force an invention on anyone, and yeah it would definitely slow things down, but the anchor at the end of it would prevent the group form falling if a chain reaction of falls started." She clarified.

"But again it was just an idea we don't need to use it, perhaps something more like, each person has a device that can hook onto the Banister as they move along? Again would slow us down, but wouldn't restrict movement as much and could prevent a fall without relying on others to catch them." She paused.
"Assuming the banisters are strong enough I suppose"
 
Avenger chuckled. "Let's just save it for an outing. In the spring. In Cordonia. Besides, we'll be closer to the Alps."

Seeing her question had been either missed or ignored, she pointed to the top landing of the staircase and started up the steps, with Aurora taking the crate from her, balancing on one shoulder, and following. "We'll wrap the garlands as we come back down. It'll only be slightly quicker, and we'll be working with gravity, believe it or not."

At the top, she wound the first strands of garland up, around and under, between the top of the concrete hand hold, to show how Gregor liked it hung.

Screenshot_20250216-122835.png

(Best overall image I could find. Railing is concrete with thicker newels)
 
Clair nodded.
"Right and sorry, I was still thinking about if we should go up or down the stairs, but that is a good idea, I agree" She took a moment wanting to ensure that Avenger didn't feel ignored.
"As for other details, who should lead and cover the rear? maybe the strongest and most stable at the front?" She asked.
 
Sapphire listened as Avenger and Clair talked back and forth. When Clair asked her question, Sapphire scoffed. "Tch. I've got a flippy tummy and Avenger had surgery just about two weeks ago. Most stable of us currently, no contest. You, Clair."

Aurora laughed as she came back down, and quipped to Clair, "She's not wrong!" She nodded to Avenger showing how to wrap the garland. "But a true leader delegates responsibility. Calla has had the most experience with Christmas in the castle than any of us. I say you two follow Avenger's lead, and you two might be able to join us in decorating the tree!"

With Avenger's teaching the correct wrapping of the baluster, could the three girls get the nearly thirty feet wrapped in three hours, and carefully?
 
Clair rubbed the back of her head.
"Oh no, if I am the most stable we are going to need to be extra careful" She chuckled.

"But yes I agree I don't really know this stuff well, so Avenger, lead the way" Clair agreed and would help in safely leading them through the process.
 
A careful decorating, where watching how they came down the steps whilst wrapping the garland, might have been the best course of action, but it was also time consuming. The thirty feet of baluster took three hours; basically ten feet an hour, which in and of itself was actually pretty noteworthy, as Olivia was the first to remark when the three girls met up with the others around the tree.

Olivia looked at the garland decorations, then them and finally nodded. "Not bad at all. I think I'd still be trying to get the wrap itself right, were it me. Even after three hours."

Gregor nodded. "Unfortunately, the only thing left is to light the candles, which falls on the princess of the realm. Cinnamon, this shouldn't be any harder than when you've lit candles on a cake. Just be careful of the open flame."

Now could be a good time for Clair to mention any way to keep the candles or Cinnamon, from accidentally burning down the tree.

(In the 14th century, lightning was only suspected to be electrical, as Aurora and Ruby have already alluded. Harnessing that electricity is about four to five centuries away.)
 
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