Check in on Madeleine.

"Go dunk your head in a trough, or whatever you need to do." you smile wryly. "I'll make sure Madeleine's alright."

“Bless you.” Kara says, kissing you and stumbling off on her way.

-

On unsteady feet, you navigate across the camp, towards the rise overlooking the town. Asking around, you're quickly pointed towards a small tent. Inside, Madeleine, Seki and a few of the Oro Elide's engineers a clustered around mid-sized ballista, making adjustments and improvements.

“Hard at work, I see.” you note, announcing yourself to the engrossed group.

Madeleine whirls around to see you. She's wearing a white smock over her gown, crystal goggles on her head, just as she had been when you'd seen her working on her acidic solution before.

“Edward!” Madeleine beams. “Yes, I rather am. Not every day I get to contribute to the war effort so... directly!”

“Her Excellency is rather at home here.” the older woman notes. “I wonder if we'll see her on the field next?”

“Yes, whyever not?” Madeleine snorts. “That'll be me, wearing trousers, hurling axes at marauders!”

Madeleine mimes throwing a couple of war-axes at you and Seki. You idly wonder just how much Jitterleaf she's consumed since you last saw her.

“There are worse things a woman of royal blood could do, Excellency.” Seki advises.

“Perhaps.” Madeleine says, offering an unconvinced sneer. “Of course, that's simply not how I prefer to spend my time. Leave the barbarity to the barbarians, I say. No offense.”

“None taken.” Seki lies, fiddling with her scimitar.

“How exactly will this work?” you ask, intent on changing the subject.

“It's really very simple, Edward.” Madeleine begins. “We're modifying this ballista to fire specially designed bolts.” Prancing over to a desk on the far side of the tent, the Dauphine holds one aloft.It's bigger and heavier than a usual bolt, with an empty reservoir, into which some manner of liquid might be poured.

“Filled with the corrosive compound I've created, they should be able to eat through the wood and iron in the town's main gate. Honestly, we're lucky Beathan fortifications are so primitive. This wouldn't have a hope in hell of working on a Sinnabarrovian castle.” Madeleine crows.

“Nor any desert fortress in the Far South.” Seki adds.

A moment or two later, a couple of Sinnabarrovian troops arrive, carrying sizeable flasks of Madeleine's acidic invention. Carefully unscrewing them, the Oro Elide engineers prepare to fill the bolts. Madeleine takes a step back.

“We should move back.” the princess opines. “You do not want to get even a drop of this stuff on your skin. It'll eat through to your bones, then probably carry on eating!”

“Such a weapon could be a powerful intimidation tactic...” Seki says thoughtfully.

“First, this is not a weapon. You'd have to be absolutely stupid to try using it on people.” Madeleine insists fierily. “Second... you really should move back, Seki. I'd hate to see you scalded. You... have beautiful skin, for a woman your age.”

The petite princess reaches up,impulsively touching the older warrior woman's cheek. You notice Seki restraining herself at the sudden invasion of privacy, though you're not sure Madeleine does.

“Her Excellency is... most kind.” Seki says, summoning every bit of diplomacy she is able to.”