It's new insight into their darling friend, a look into the past that helps to flesh out the full of why Mercy is the person they are today. To hear that anyone would be cruel enough to want to simply take her out, to wipe such generous, warmth from the world, it's absolutely horrifying.

But Rue reaches out to gently take Mercy's much tinier hand into their feathery, taloned paw, squeezing carefully, as they listen through all that the girl has to say. Her journey, her turn to the healing arts, the decision to finally leave home - all through the retelling, Rue holds her hand and simply listens.

"Let me promise you, no matter what comes next, this is the first of many, dear. The first time is the hardest, but after this, it will only continue to get easier. You'll have dozens of successes like these in just a few years, I'm certain of it. You shine too brilliantly to stay behind in the shadows as support your whole life. You deserve this."

And no one else can take that away from her.

"Oh certainly! I'm most impressed with the turnout and just how much participation we got from the crowd! Speaking plainly, events for humans seem to be much less a magnet for chaos than any I've thrown with the fey! It was quite easy to watch it unfold all on it's own, without any drama or mischief."