I really feel like I should make a backstreet's back joke here

[But I'm not gonna.

Anyway, it's been quite some time we last checked in on a certain witchy kingdom, hasn't it? And while, rather predictably, Alex's father was peeved at losing a bargaining chip to witches, but politics being what they were, did settle down when a relatively long engagement was offered. Things have been relatively quiet...

Until today, of course. Today is the last day of the succession trials, and as such, the entire capital is primed for a massive party. The final parts of the trials are held behind closed doors, in a specific chamber that any foreign princes asking about will be cheerfully told the survival rate's probably gonna be pretty good this year, and nothing else. One at a time, each candidate goes in, and comes out drained and looking haunted as hell, but without whatever it is people are looking for to mark the successor.

The city is quiet. Yue went in about 15 minutes ago, and the average amount of time spent in there is ten minutes. They crack it open at 20.

What do.]