[That Guinea Pig Princess was so cute... Noelle couldn't help but smile as she listened to the message. And, well, how could she say no to that request?? But what sort of thing to bake, hm...

It was at the end of broadcast that she felt a strange jolt in her stomach. As she was asked to 'please lend us your assistance', she felt herself standing up and starting to get her things ready- all before she'd even told her body to react. It felt like-

Proceed

... No. She pushed the memory of that awful dream back. This wasn't like that. This was fine, wasn't it? No one was going to get hurt. It was just a simple ask. She didn't need to be scared.

Once she'd got to the Ash Mountain (or later, when she set about grabbing the rest of the cake ingredients at the market) she tried her best not to look nervous as she turned to whoever else was on this crazy quest.]

O- Oh, are you here for the Princess' request, too? Why don't we work together?

[When the Wild Hunt had begun in earnest, dread sunk itself into every single fibre of Noelle's being. She'd been getting stronger, sure, even whilst she'd been in Avalon- but against a force like this?? How was anyone supposed to fight against these creatures, really??

...Noelle wasn't sure how she ended up outside the walls. How she ended up on the outskirts of the battle, face to face with the enemy.

What had started with small, panicky blasts of elemental magic and cowering at anything that came close to her, slipped into something else- a shift into calmness that both seemed sinister, and far too easy.

Another enemy. She should freeze them.

Her hands outstretched, she unleashed more ice at the enemies around her. Concentrated now. The air and her fingertips were getting colder, but perhaps that would give cover or assistance to anyone else in the fight.]

[The battle carried on. Sooner or later, the overwhelming cold had started to snap Noelle back to her senses- and that brought with it a panic that someone was hurt. That someone might have been frozen, killed.

Oh- her familiar was still here, flying overhead. Somehow, the sight of its wings beating surprised her more than she'd suspected.]

B! Can- can you help me find anyone hurt?? I want to try and help them, please...?

[Please let it not be too late...!

And so, Noelle and her snowy owl spirit went out on the search for anyone wounded in the fighting, rushing over to the side of anyone they might come across. She hadn't realised it yet, but a different sort of magic was bringing a gentle glow to her hands.]

Gosh- hold still, okay? I'm going to try and help you-

[By Day 2 of the siege, Noelle had all but collapsed from exhaustion in her Inn Room. The previous day had taken a lot out of her, and all she wanted to do was hide away and try to convince herself it hadn't happened. Which... well, her memory of the battle was patchy enough, so, more evidence to suggest she'd just had another nightmare, right?

The Fae Queen had other plans, though.

For the second time this month, she felt an unnatural compulsion- something pushing her body to move before she'd even thought about it.

Wait, that announcement from... Morganna, was it? She'd ignored it at first, trying to block it out, but panic started to rise in her throat as she found herself racing outside all the same.

And sticking a shaking hand out toward the nearest person she could find.]

T-The ritual... um...