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

I see.

[So it had been out of concern for the army and the Ursus people, but not in the way Talulah had thought. She doesn't flinch under Frostnova's stare, or words, or even under the implication of how much luck instead of skill has played a part. She had been lucky, in many ways, and she's not going to shy away from that. The ideal is to lessen the times she has to be, but that's also not a guarantee.

Frostnova's concerns, and by extension her father's, are now clear. But the problem remains.]

I do owe some of that to luck...and the talent and fortitude of my fellow rebels. So I understand your concerns, but it's a bit of a conundrum, isn't it? I can tell you all I'd like about the struggles when we first started, but without seeing, I doubt you'll be convinced. The only solution is another trial run, so to speak. And I might have an answer to that, but it's not something as simple as recovery or recon.

[ the comment about Talulah getting lucky in her campaign this far was intended to be a slight toward her— not one with any weight behind it, anyway. maybe Talulah's a military genius, but even prodigies can't fully overcome a truly dire situation. the conflict hasn't been going on for that long, and while the while the rebels aren't entirely fresh meat at this point, they're hardly veterans either.

Yelena's head cocks to the side at Talulah's words, though the movement is minimal. cautus are known for being clearly expressive with their emotions, but Frostnova seems to be an exception to that rule. ]

You think there's a way to test that? How?

"Test" isn't quite right. It will likely be closer to the hell that you mentioned.

[Talulah has wondered if Frostnova's general stocism is a product of her innate personality, or being raised by Buldrokkas'tee. She has a feeling even if she could see the wendigo's face under the mask, he wouldn't be any more expressive.]

I hadn't mentioned this before because it's technically still conjecture, but I'm all but certain Victoria is building or preparing something. It's why they've gotten so bold recently, I think. My immediate plans are to find out what it is and sabotage it, because this is obviously something Kashchey whispered in their ears. But because it's a complete unknown...it's not going to be the same as every battle up until now. It's risky, and not something I'd normally ask a new ally to consider, but if there's anything that can give you the answer about me you want, it's probably tagging along for that.

That just sounds like a good excuse to make your allies sign on to a dangerous operation as soon as the ink on our pledge is dry.

[ her tone is dismissive, but there's an undercurrent of something else in it. Victoria developing another unknown method of attack— it would certainly line up with what little they knew of their plans for the blade they'd retrieved. the powers in that country can't be trusted with any kind of super weapon, and if their alliance does become official, they'll be dealing with it sooner or later. Yelena's not entirely disinterested. ]

How you react under pressure isn't what my father wants to test. It's not the sort of thing you can test at all, if you ask me, and I don't expect you to be able to prove it. If things start to fall apart and you lose it, as long you can nod and follow my orders, I don't have an issue with taking control.

Mm. I was thinking more like a very small group would join.

[She isn't actually interested on sending everyone into a meat grinder.

At Frostnova's other statement, she blinks a little, lips turning down into a slightly puzzled frown.]

If we're allied and I'm incapacitated in any way, I already assumed that would happen. I'm not more important than a mission, or getting everyone out alive, if it comes to that.

[ there's a minute quirk of Frostnova's lips as she continues to look at Talulah, contemplating something for a moment before she opens her mouth to speak again. ]

I'm saying that if you mess up and lose your head for commanding, I'd seize control of your forces and demote you to a figurehead to serve Ursus' best interests.

[ Yelena's not hoping it comes to that, unlike many more power hungry commanders who would jump at the opportunity, but it's a very real possibility. Talulah seems capable, but Frostnova doesn't know her well enough to comfortably say she trusts her entirely. ]

[The thing about rebels is that they tended to be so because of a cause, and barring that, they had no reason to follow the orders of another party. Not without Talulah.

So how does she say "I'm not sure some of my people would listen to you in that scenario, no matter what I told them" diplomatically?]

It won't come to that.

[Or she could gloss over it, since she's certain she won't crumple like Frostnova is implying, no matter the pressure. Not with Kashchey dead, and unable to pull at her strings anymore.]

But if you need the reassurance, fine.

It's not like I want it to.

[ she shrugs, glancing back down to her papers as she turns over another page. Yelena's the one who provided a chance for Talulah to earn an audience with Ursus' governing bodies in the first, and if things go wrong, the bulk of the burden when it comes to righting things will fall to her.

Talulah's lack of venom toward what many would consider a slight is interesting. Frostnova wouldn't really mind more push back, despite how she might outwardly react to it— she respects people who are willing to fight to establish themselves. ]

If Ursus declares itself as your ally, we can't afford anything less than a total victory. I'll do whatever it takes to make sure my people make it out to the other side, same as you.

I wouldn't have bothered if that wasn't the case.

[No matter how desperate the situation, an ally willing to forsake their people wouldn't be any better than how Victoria is currently. And she rather not fight two wars in a row.]

Interviews go both ways. We, the rebellion, are together because we share a cause. There was trust given to me that I'd find the correct allies for it, and I'm not going to squander that. Or yours, should you extend it. Your hypothetical won't happen.

[ Frostnova continues to watch her quietly, contemplative. There’s no expression of relief, like a worry being put to rest, or a critical sense of judgment. Like she said before, Yelena doesn't believe in a method that allows one to accurately test how they'd react in complete despair. There’s no practical way to put that worry to rest, so all she can go on is Talulah's word. There’s no choice but to accept that as enough.

That doesn't mean there aren't other topics to pursue. Talulah just reminded her of one she's been curious about for a while. ]

The trust they placed in you, can I ask you a question about it?

[She didn't really expect the other to look relieved at her declaration. Frostnova has proven she gives actions more weight.

Although, she'd rather not face a situation where she proves herself in the face of despair in the first place.]

Sure, go ahead.

You're a noble, raised by one of worst in the country, and I heard you graduated from the military academy. Going by our intel, you're the type of person Victorian dissidents hate the most.

[ there's no judgment as she lists Talulah's faults, speaking as if it's all a simple statement of fact. ]

It doesn't seem like many of them are loyalists to your bloodline. Why are they overlooking all of that for you?

...they could probably tell you better than I could. I'm still not sure myself. You have to understand, I didn't set off with the intention to become the leader of a revolution. All I wanted was to clean up the rest of Kashchey's mess. To finish what I started.

[She had killed him, but she quickly realized that only solved part of the problem. The coils of the snake held fast even if its head had been chopped off. From there, only one choice remained.]

I didn't expect any of the scattered rebel groups I ran across as I ousted some noble or sabotaged some Victorian supply line to follow me, but they did, little by little. I don't care about my bloodline or the throne, and any military training is good simply for teaching the rebels how to stay alive better. I never desired to be their leader, but they've followed and believed in me, and I won't shirk that responsibility. So I can only speculate these actions spoke louder than my background.

You really thought killing Kaschey would fix everything? Getting rid of one person?

[ it's something Yelena's been thinking about for a while but hasn't been able to pinpoint until now, the particular way Talulah tends to present her arguments and the ideas she puts forth. the leader of the rebellion undeniably competent, not to mention powerful, yet at the same time some of the thoughts she reveals are painfully naive.

that should be a red flag when considering an alliance. Frostnova's certain that it's the other part of why her father is reluctant to engage with her. she has similar reservations, but she also finds herself feeling ... envy. how anyone could survive amongst the Victorian gentry for years and come out still feeling optimistic at all is beyond her. ]

What they saw you accomplish might have been the first time they'd seen someone go up against the nobles or military and win.

No. I thought it would cause more things to collapse than it did, though. And…

[Her other reasons for killing Kashchey are less altruistic. Maybe Frostnova doesn’t want to hear anything about Talulah’s personal feelings, or maybe that, too, is necessary.]

I’ve been his bargaining chip since I was a child. I wanted to stop his plans, but I couldn’t stomach the idea being his pawn for a second longer, either.

[ Yelena doesn't level Talulah with looks of judgment or pity for her comment. she has a hand resting atop the papers on her lap now, her attention clearly focused on their conversation instead of whatever she came to this room in the palace to work on. ]

It's not like waiting would've helped. Killing him is the only reason my father didn't throw out your first letter before reading it. As far as the old guard's concerned, we owe you aid just for that.

No, of course not. I wouldn't even be in a position to solicit allies at all if I hadn't killed him. The fact it was an action that helped Ursus is a happy coincidence, but one I'm glad exists.

[Talulah, even wrapped up in marionette's strings at the time, knew almost instinctively that Kashchey would love nothing more than to use any earnest pleas she sent out as bait to catch enemies. Or simply those foolishly heroic enough to try in order to heap more despair onto her.

Her choices had been to run and hide for her entire life, or kill him.]

But as you said, killing one person, even one like Kashchey, doesn't solve everything. The ambitions he stoked in the Victorian nobles continue to grow.

[ while Kaschey's death was certainly a net positive for the world in general, he hadn't muddled directly in Ursus' affairs in some time. What made the senior leaders of the army and cabinet feel indebted to Talulah wasn't relief from an active enemy, but the end of a years old grudge.

Yelena doesn't comment on it, though. If Talulah's not aware of her guardian's ultimate sin during the Gaulish war, if the alliance is finalized, she'll learn of it soon enough. ]

Like whatever they're aiming for with that secret project you mentioned? I'm guessing he had a hand in starting that too.

It's very likely he did, since he wanted to stoke conflict. And I can't think of anything that would cause more of that besides an overconfident Victoria.

[Even if they didn't manage to conquer anyone else, at the very least whatever show of force they have planned would make every other nation exceedingly nervous. And who knew what Leithanien casters or the researchers in Columbia could come up with in retaliation?]

I'd hoped that his death set back their progress a little, but based on their current movements and attitude, he'd already whispered enough information in their ears.

Victoria's elite are the kind to trample over each other for power, with or without a mastermind egging them on.

[ they were no strangers to a power vacuum, after all. How many rulers had they directly or indirectly opposed, all while scheming to raise their own political capital.

Ursus has not been kind to those types of so-called nobles for decades, hence why so many former northern noble families had fled over the course of Buldrokkas'tee reign. ]

I don't know how you imagine you're going to fix that, even if you win back the country on every other front.

It depends on who remains after the dust settles, but...I don't think it can be fixed. And even if it could, most Victorian nobles would not abide a draco...I used to think it was none, but the Duke of Wellington and the Earl of Warwick proved to be exceptions.

[Talulah shrugs, lightly. Those sympathetic and loyal to her lineage had immediately come out of the woodwork once news about her and the rebellion started circulating. She didn't have an attachment to it in the same way, but she did understand the plight of the Tarans.]

Not that I have plans on joining hands with them. They'd use me for their own ends all the same.

[ the Victorian's preference for one bloodline over another isn't one Yelena say she understands much beyond the shallowest level of acknowledging such traditions exist. the last emperor of Ursus had given up his throne because he saw none of his issue were fit to rule, and even longer before that, an entirely different family was designated as the country's royals. ]

You could consider a temporary alliance with them, but your decision isn't a bad one. I don't think those types are worth the trouble.

[ certain cabinet members and commanders will want Talulah to try to garner the favor of a few nobles as the bare minimum. making allies of convenience one intends to dispose of after a certain point isn't Frostnova's style, however, nor is it her father's. any proponents will have difficulty pushing that agenda. ]

A temporary alliance wouldn't work. They want Victoria the same as it ever was, just with another family line at the helm. And with themselves in cushy positions at the top of the noble hierarchy.

[Bloodline is everything to Victoria's elite. And to a lot of its ordinary citizens. Talulah doesn't think much of it, but she's come to understand it, and understands how the nobles and common people alike think about it.]

They'd cause a lot of trouble in the aftermath, and besides, it's not the kind of change we're working for.

You've been saying that.

[ going beyond uprooting Kaschey's corruption to fundamentally change Victoria's society has been a recurring topic in the negotiations, or so Yelena's heard. it makes sense, in a way, that she'd come to Ursus for this task. the country today holds little resemblance to the one her father had been bestowed decades ago by the last emperor. but that transfer had been made at the height of his power and influence, the patriot, as he'd been known, was an impeachable choice of a successor. Talulah, the rebel leader born of a deposed bloodline, hardly holds a candle to him.

she turns her attention back to her papers, satisfied with the information she's managed to glean. ]

You're not bad in a fight. With our army, you can win the battles you'll need to. Everything you want after that still sounds like pipe dream to me.

[Aren't a lot of changes like that? There had been those who didn't think they could ever be out from under the thumb of the nobles, even as a tenuous, dangerous existence like the one in the rebellion. There had been a time when breaking away from Kashchey's influence had seemed an impossible task as well. Talulah wouldn't be sitting where she is if she didn't take chances on pipe dreams.

Victorian society is linked, inexorably, to Kashchey's plans. The rotten things he sowed could not have grown so quickly otherwise. To pull up one means the other has to follow.

She looks at Frostnova across from her, without any assessment or disappointment or confusion. Just unwaveringly, in the way that probably had convinced many rebels to follow her.]

If you stick around, you'll see how it won't remain as one.

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