I saw rise in the heat settle soft and as pure as snow

[reunionize]

[This, honestly, took a lot of work. More work than some of the battleplans, but admittedly the machinations of the Victorian nobles are predictable. The only thing Talulah knows about the northern territories is what she's gleaned from her father's journals.

Edward Artorius apparently had a decent enough relationship with the ruler when he'd been alive, and since the wendigo race of Sarkaz live for a very, very long time, perhaps any goodwill towards her parent might be extended to her.

She has also gleaned the northerners are not unreasonable; they've crossed paths during various skirmishes at the border, and they ignore all rebel forces once their own task is complete. Talulah has made it very clear no one from her side is to engage with any other party that isn't either obviously Victorian, or strikes first, and it seems the courtesy is returned.

That said, isolationist policy is hard to overcome, and what she's asking isn't a mere favor. To be embroiled in civil war in another country is an idea most people would scoff at, but...the north has undoubtedly seen the writing on the wall for what will transpire after the dust settles. Victoria's appetite is ever unsatiable.

The Gaulish castle she walks through is a testament to that. It's nothing but ruins now, good for little else besides neutral territory. She's brought two members of the rebels with her, two with a calm rationality suited to negotiations. She'd be fine going in alone, but, well...if Talulah saw another group's leader sitting all alone during a meeting that was meant to be a peaceful talk, she'd think there was an ambush waiting.

Still, no matter how rational one is, curiosity tends to win out, and she can hear her escort party gossiping even behind their masks. They're wondering if the northern princess is as beautiful and strong as the rumors say. If she's half as strong as that Cautus she'd seen once during a border skirmish, then her alliance would be more than a boon.

By her estimation, the meeting time is near, so she supposes she'll find out soon enough.]

Comments

[reunionize]

I never thought they did.

[If it's anything like how the first negotiation had gone, Talulah has a good idea about it. And finds it preferable to Victoria and Leithanien's constant competition to see who could be the most underhanded.

Talulah's arts keep the area around her faintly warm, even in the general chill of the air, which means she's the one who's fine sitting closest to Frostnova.]

You might not know the answer to this but...to be honest, I was a little surprised I received a reply when I asked to negotiate. If your father gave me the courtesy because of my own parent, I'd like to know going in.

[hypothermy]

[ it had been more difficult to pick up on in the ruins, but in their current cramped quarters, Yelena can recognize that Talulah's arts have opposite effect of her own on the immediate environment. she wonders, briefly, if it's due to her specific magic, or something more related to her bloodline.

she shifts back in her seat, recalling the conversation she'd had with Buldrokkas'tee before his secretaries arranged the first meeting proper. ]

That one I can't say for sure. He didn't say anything like that directly, but he mentioned him when he read your letter, told me he was an honorable man.

[ Yelena knows well that her father, despite everything, is not immune to sentimentality. the unimpeachable wendigo king is still just an old man, after all. ]

But he also said he was a fool, and didn't elaborate on either point— that's how he is.

[reunionize]

Hm. He was, for thinking Wei Yenwu would care any for anything besides Lungmen. Even if my father helped hand the city to him.

[That might not be what Buldrokkas’tee had meant, but it is a mistake that has caused a lot of the problems they’re currently wrestling with.]

That gives me a better idea of where I might stand, at least.

[hypothermy]

It could be that.

[ her father, rather infamously, does not get on with ruler of Lungmen. there were plenty of rumors speculating on the reason, but anyone close to the situation could tell you the great bulk of the friction is simply because the two are utterly incompatible in their values. ]

You can stand on your performance here. There's nothing unclear about this operations success.

[reunionize]

Good to hear. These kinds of operations can go sideways quickly...I'm glad it worked out.

[Even the best-laid plans can go awry, if caravans are late or early or the Victorians decided to have more of a security detail. Luckily, most everything had been exactly like recon and the intercepted communications suggested it would be.]

Speaking of...I don't think you mentioned how the Victorians got their hands on that sword in the first place. Did they steal it from you directly, or did it happen to show up in something like an underground auction?

[hypothermy]

Stolen.

[ Frostnova's terseness returns in full when Talulah brings up the sword. it was unspeakably risky to involve unproven rebels in an operation that involved such a heavy state secret, and that was without the fact that her father hadn't fully signed off on the mission.

he would've preferred to just let the Victorian's have it, and "correct their mistakes. myself" if it came to that.

Yelena would rather entreat a passing band of mercenaries for help than let her father take to the battlefield again for something like this. ]

When the last emperor died, nobles fled Ursus like rats from a sinking ship. They knew my father's regime wouldn't bend over to placate them like the last one had. They smuggled anything they could get their hands on, even military equipment, if it had value.

[ calling the piece currently nestled between tens of decoy containers simple "equipment" is laughable, but Talulah doesn't need to know the full story behind it until she's gained the approval of Ursus' other generals. ]

[reunionize]

I see. I asked because Victoria has gotten bold recently. If they hit somewhere inside of your border, or had a spy steal the artifact, it would have added information to our own intelligence.

[Talulah wants to rule out them gearing up for something specific, instead of just testing the waters for how far they can push Ursus and other countries.

But what Frostnova's said makes sense. There are plenty of former Ursus nobles who are hiding out in foreign courts, having bought their relative safety with some bauble or information. Perhaps the lucky rat who stole the sword didn't know the true value of what they held. Not that Talulah expects to know it, either, until after the alliance is solidified.]

[hypothermy]

They've been venturing past our borders, but not far enough to reach a major military outpost or city.

[ ... yet. with every passing day she gets new reports of Victorian soldiers spotted further and further inland. the military brass ignore or outright deny any claims of trespassing brought to them, and Yelena's found the only thing that really works to discourage it is removing the units by force. ]

Once we're back in Ursus, the sword will be moved to a safe location. Then our intelligence just has to worry about whatever research they were able to complete.

[reunionize]

They're worryingly unconcerned about retaliation.

[Which isn't a good sign. For a while, Talulah's wondered if they have something in their back pocket they've just been dying for an excuse to test or use.]

I can provide a list of nobles who likely funded the research. They would have been given reports of the findings.

[hypothermy]

We already have a list of suspected contributors, but taking a look at a second source could help.

[ Yelena reaches into one of the pockets of her coat, feeling for something as she continues their conversation, her focus still respectfully directed to Talulah. ]

I was surprised you didn't know anything when I brought it up in Gaul. Your guardian was one of the main backers, before you killed him.

[reunionize]

I don't think any records I found digging around in his things mentioned exactly what the research was—just the name of the institution.

[And, at the time, it hadn't really been what Talulah was looking for when she had been going through Kashchey's records and correspondences.]

I'd been focused on finding more detail on his plans in Victoria as a whole.

[hypothermy]

[ she meant it more in the sense of how Talulah might've been involved in Kaschey's plans while he was still alive. the duke had presented her as his heir, at least in public, and many had assumed she was included in his governing and machinations as such.

it's a good and bad thing, if that's not the case. good in the sense that Talulah hasn't been stained by the snake's poisoned intent so deeply, and bad in the sense that there are likely many secrets pertinent to Ursus' that she has no knowledge of. ]

I don't think he had a lot of direct involvement in it. He might've not had much to find in his personal records.

[reunionize]

[She had been, unwittingly and without another recourse. He often shared lofty ideals when she'd been younger, but she had to uncover the truth and depth of things as she'd grown.

Whether he had sensed her resistance or he had some kind of hidden plan to reveal everything later is unclear to her even now. All she does know is he fed her half-facts and wrapped his actions as mere politics until confronted.]

No...money to fund things that would help reach his ends if they came to fruition sounds like the extent of it. He liked working behind the scenes whenever he could and manipulated a lot via proxy. I was one such piece on the board.

[hypothermy]

[ that aligns with what Yelena's heard of Kaschey from those who had direct interaction with him. Talulah gets a small hum of acknowledgment, but other than that, it seems like Frostnova's reached the end of her current questioning.

she draws something out in her pocket— either a candy or lozenge of some sort, twist up in a shiny wrapper than she begins to peel away. ]

If there anything else you want to know about what you should expect in Ursus, just ask. I'll be awake until we cross the border, if you want to get some rest.

[reunionize]

[Talulah glances at the candy, mostly because the foil-lined wrapper catches the light, and wonders if Frostnova has a sweet tooth.]

You imply things will be rather straightforward, but if there's a protocol or tradition that's observed, I'd like to know about it. Or anything else that will help me from stepping on anyone's toes unintentionally.

[She can get single-minded, so keeping pitfalls in mind ahead of time would probably be better than her attempting to nagivate it in the middle of negotiations.]

[hypothermy]

[ Yelena stills her hands, holding off on popping the candy into her mouth while Talulah still has questions. ]

You'll have to field questions from our generals during the negotiations. The least experienced ones speak first, then the veterans last. If my father has anything to say, he'll only speak after everyone else has said their piece.

[ he won't, in all likelihood, unless Talulah gives an especially impactful showing.

giving too much away will negate Talulah's responsibility to forge her desired alliance on her own merits, and Yelena almost leaves it at that. after a pause, however, she adds one more thing. ]

No matter how things turn out, we'll have a dinner for you before you leave, to honor you as a guest. You need drink, but don't get drunk. Have you had vodka before?

[reunionize]

I see.

[The hospitality is in stark contrast to most people's image of Ursus. The lines of questioning from the generals are not.

She smiles a little, wryly, at the other's question.]

Yes. I've also had experience drinking while avoiding getting drunk. Not that I expect this from you, but a lesson I learned quickly from whatever parties Kaschey expected me to attend was that nobles love to ply those they see as easy targets with expensive and exotic alcohol.

[hypothermy]

Good, then you're familiar. It will be the Ursus version of that.

[ if anyone of high rank were around to hear the empire's princess compare their time honored traditions of sussing out the constitution of prospective allies to the spineless games the Victorians inflicted on their peers, they'd surely have a conniption.

Yelena's yetis just have to stifle their laughter as they pretend to not be eavesdropping on her conversation with the draco rebel. ]

The veterans put a lot of stock into how well you hold your drink. You'll be offered more than you can handle, and once you hit your limit, you'll need to be smart about how you turn them down.

[reunionize]

[Talulah's escort, on the other hand, are staring at her with an intensity she can feel through their masks that says without saying are you sure this is a good idea? She ignores them for now.]

I can be...creative, although maybe some of the tricks I've learned here and there won't work in this case.

[Like burning off some of the alcohol with her arts. It took a few tries before she got good enough not to scorch the glass.]

I guess I'll have to think on my feet to make a good impression, then.

[hypothermy]

If you're used to dealing with the Victorian court, you should be fine.

[ Yelena notices those looks from the rebels, but makes no comment on their clear trepidation. if they think Ursus' rituals are too dangerous for their leader, she'd like to see how they handle Talulah courting the leadership of Leithanien or Kazimierz for support. ]

It's six hours to the border, give or take. We'll be flown the rest of the way to capital once we cross it, and you and your men will have a day to recover before we start any talks.

[ she shrugs a shoulder in the direction of her yetis before continuing on. ] We're taking turns keeping watch the comms until we're out of Victoria. If you want to do the same with yours, you should discuss it soon.

[reunionize]

[They're likely questioning the point of it all, rather than the actual danger, but Talulah knows just as well that other countries would be worse to negotiate with. Unlike Kazimeriz, Ursus is not likely to ask her to sign away her soul as a commodity. Leithanien...well, if the rumors are even half true, that would just be asking to get tangled up in something else.]

All right. We'll take care of our end of things.

[It had been getting close to the time when they should get a signal from the larger rebel group over the communication channels.]

Let me know when we're close to the transfer point.

[hypothermy]

[ Yelena gives a curt nod, finally popping the candy into her mouth once Talulah turns her attention to her rebels.

the trip to the border is thankfully uneventful, a welcome few hours of calm before they meet up with the air forces in Ursus who escort them the rest of the way to the capital.

Yelena doesn't sit in on every meeting the draco heir has once the negotiations begin in earnest. her position is already known by the other heads of state, and they're all perfectly willing to give the princess a play-by-play recount of talks she chooses to skip. from what she hears it seems to be going well for the Victorian rebels— save for the one major sticking point.

Buldrokkas'tee's schedule has barely changed since Talulah's arrival. he makes his rounds through the training yards, does his trips to the orphanages and foster homes, and takes his meals with his daughter as often as time permits, and does not mention the would-be queen of Victoria throughout any of this.

it's enough to make Yelena roll her eyes. the old man always gets especially stubborn when he knows his opinion is in the minority.

she knows they've put the rebellion members somewhere in old palace for their stay, but she never bothered to ask exactly where. they have a good number of rooms reserved for guests, but many of the finer suites have gone untouched for years now. Yelena doesn't think to knock as she opens the door to the sitting room with wide windows and an especially pretty view, but freezes on the threshold when realizes it's already occupied. ]

—sorry. I didn't know you were here.

[reunionize]

[The negotiations are somewhat what Talulah expected. There are those who question her experience, those who wonder if this is tenable and not a grand suicide mission, and those who think she's not a megalomaniac in a pleasant skin like Kashchey.

The latter are the ones who take the most convincing that she's cleaning up that snake's messes and preventing further ones, and the claim to the throne is simply a means to an end. If there's an easier way to fix everything that doesn't involve a crown, she'll take it, but her heritage is leverage in Victoria right now.

They are all slowly coming around, she can tell. They start treating her slightly more like a comrade rather than a guest they show enough respect so as not to be rude, but not a piece more. All except Buldrokkas'tee himself. And that's...a problem.

The worst part is, she can't figure out exactly what fault he finds with her. She's not looking to say what he wants to hear if it's not true, but at the very least she could convince him of something if she had a better idea about it. He very obviously cares for his daughter and those under his command immensely, so maybe it had to do with dragging the country into danger when they're perfectly happy isolated in the north, but no manner of talking about what could happen if Kashchey's plans came to fruition seems to convince him.

If only she had a better idea of what the Victorians are scurrying around about, what they're trying to accomplish under the radar, maybe that could be persuasive enough. But she's hesitant to dispense orders to look for clues. If something goes wrong while she's absent, it could cascade into a disaster.

And it's this she's thinking about while she watches the snow fall from the windows in the sitting room near the rooms where they've been staying, before her contemplation is cut short.]

Oh--no, that's fine. I didn't know anyone else would come by here, either. Did you need the room for something?

[hypothermy]

This is one of your rooms, isn't it?

[ or one of the rooms they've designated for Talulah's use, to be more specific. it's meant to go with the grand bedroom nearby that has the matching agate stonework, she recalls from her childhood lessons about the history and architecture of Ursus' royal palace. ]

I'm just come here when I want a change of scenery while I do paperwork. I'm not going to kick you out for that.

[reunionize]

It's in the same wing, yes.

[There are other sitting rooms and offices, ones not nearly so large or with the same view, that she'd found in the same area.]

And I was only thinking. I don't mind sharing, if that's fine with you.