the history channel

[her_imperial_radiance]

It's something of a truism that "it's not like the Empress is going to make a speech or anything" when the Masquerade folds up. Regardless, there comes a time when the incessant requests to be allowed to make a documentary about the Golden Coven are met not with "absolutely not", but instead, "let's talk".

Elspeth does a fair amount of the negotiating for this - she does run PR. Harley, presently thirteen, is allowed to sit in on a few of the storyboarding discussions - the documentary will not be fictionalized, but they still have concern for narrative flow. It's going to be very long, after all.

Significant portions of the documentary will be conjured recordings of events, from outside or even first-person perspectives, but an entire segment is devoted to personally profiling members and peripheral associates of the Golden Coven, one by one. Harley's not on the list - it's mostly a history documentary, with younger generations present almost entirely for 'where are they now' color, and he's not, technically, her son - but Elspeth and most of her family is. And Harley is permitted to lurk around the studio setup while various people prep with their interviewers, or eavesdrop, or - if they are sufficiently non-vampiric to allow makeup to stick - get that applied. It's a big production; the supernatural community would have found it just as convenient to spread it out, but the film people want everything taken down, edited for a consistent look-and-feel, and released according to schedule within a certain time frame.

So there are a lot of people around. Mostly vampires, but plenty of hybrids - there are most of Emmett and Rosalie's kids, over there, with the proud parents themselves - and wolves; Jacob is over with Elspeth - and even a few humans, ranging from imprints to Lizzie who's with Carlisle, Esme, and Lily, and also Alice and Jasper and their son Brandon. People not normally seen around the Golden Capitols have been hauled in. There's Marcus, no longer as craquelure thanks to magic, and Didyme at his elbow, literally radiating happiness. (Bella rendered her power opt-in along with several other mind-affecting abilities that can't be turned off, but it's very inviting, so people usually do so opt.)

And of course Bella and Edward themselves are present, flitting around, mingling. Their interviews aren't until later.

Kerron waves to Harley when he shows up.

Comments

[luminous_regnant]

"I don't imagine any of you require the excuse of an explicit contest to do so if inclined."

[pythbox]

"Yeah, but the contest would get us thinking about it," he says.

[luminous_regnant]

"It could do the same thing if we had Sherlocks or Matildas or Libbies doing the judging," chuckles Bella.

[pythbox]

"And those ones would probably come up with a winner," says Harley. "So maybe you wanna go with them."

[luminous_regnant]

"Possibly. I may bring this up with other Bells, if I ever see them again."

[pythbox]

"Do you think you're gonna?"

[luminous_regnant]

"See them again? I don't know. I certainly hope so."

[pythbox]

"I hope so too," says Harley. "Anyway, you're my favourite empress."

He hugs her.

[luminous_regnant]

She hugs him back. "I'm glad."

[pythbox]

He beams at her.

[alicornucopia]

And here is the Emperor. "Hello, Harley."

[pythbox]

"Hi, Edward!" says Harley. "What's up?"

[alicornucopia]

"The interviews are going smoothly - your mother is holding up fine, Bella - and there has been no mayhem so far."

[pythbox]

"Aww," says Harley, grinning. "But I like mayhem!"

[alicornucopia]

"What sort of mayhem do you imagine would suit this project?" inquires Edward.

[pythbox]

"I don't," he laughs. "But you knew that already."

[alicornucopia]

"Yes," says Edward archly, "or the conversation would have gone a bit differently, I suppose."

[pythbox]

Harley cracks up.