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

[hypothermy]

I'm not just stressed out because of you.

[ it feels a little strange to speak frankly about her emotions to Talulah, but there's no avoiding it now. they're supposed to be friends, Talulah said— the word hangs heavy in FrostNova's mind, something about it making her chest tighten for reasons she can't put a name to. ]

This is the first time I've been this far out on my own ... ever, maybe. You remember the entourage I had when we first met, right? Any time I step out of Saint Grypherburg, it's either with the Yetis or an guard squadron.

[ she frowns when she mentions the name of her own unit, another worry coming to the forefront. ]

And the Yetis ... without me, they're a lot weaker, and not because they aren't capable of commanding themselves.

[reunionize]

You're not used to being alone, is what you're saying.

[That's a concept that's a little baffling to Talulah. She'd been alone for quite a while, even if there had technically been someone around her as she was growing up.

She doesn't say anything to that effect, though, and instead puzzles over Yelena's other statement.]

Does it have something to do with your arts?

[hypothermy]

... basically.

[ it seems silly to admit. FrostNova's a commander of the greatest army on Terra, trained by some of the most revered warriors still living today, but in a sense, she's still a coddled princess. even before the meeting that saved her life and placed a crown on her head, she and the children who would come to be known as the Yetis were always together. when there was no one left to take care of them, they only had each other. ]

Yeah. I don't know what you've heard, but the Victorian military thinks my squad boosts my arts, that I'm a living conduit. They've got it wrong way around.

[ while her raw power is undeniable, her ability to funnel her arts to those fighting alongside her is one of the things that makes Yelena a truly remarkable caster. ]

... actually, I could just show you. I don't know if you'd be able to use it that well, with your arts being the opposite of mine, but it would help me out in a couple ways.

[reunionize]

[If there had ever been a point when Talulah understood that feeling, it must have been when she was separated from her sister. But that had been so long ago now.]

There's only one way to find out.

[If the other says it will help, then Talulah's more than willing to try. Frostnova's right that the chances of it being successful might be lower than normal, considering Talulah seems to be the only one capable of handling the cold, but she's never been one to give up before at least an attempt.]

What do you need me to do?

[hypothermy]

Just hold out your hand. It might feel cold for a second, but try not to pull away.

[ Yelena strips off one of her gloves, revealing her bare skin. physical contact isn't necessary to establish the link, but she finds it makes things a lot easier.

whenever Talulah complies, FrostNova will reach out to touch two fingers to her palm. there's a brief sting, the sensation of brushing against frozen metal, before Talulah can sense a tendril of power being extended to her.

as she suspected, it's more difficult than it is with the Yetis. while a few of them are casters, none are on her level or breadth of ability. funneling her arts them it's like filling a half-empty cup, but with Talulah, there's already so much energy she has trouble finding a place to slip in. ]

Hah. Let's try this.

[ normally, she pours as much as she can into whoever's closest to her. for a stronger partner she thins the connection, winnowing her ice down to whisper to curl it around Talulah's fire. it's weak, but she can feel her now— the flicker of a connection that lets her know, even without sight or touch, that Talulah is still alive and capable of drawing from her power. ]

[reunionize]

[Talulah complies and holds out her hand, palm up. She doesn't flinch at the first touch or at the first attempt Frostnova makes, but the second one finally sparks a reaction.

She has to tamp down the instinct to flinch and pull away, because even if she consciously recognizes the person in front of her absolutely does not mean harm, it still sends some primal alarm bells ringing. Someone else's arts tangling with her own could mean a dangerous influence has breached her defenses.

After a deep breath and an exhale, though, she gets a handle on her initial response.]

That's definitely something I've never experienced before. And you say this kind of connection will help?

[hypothermy]

It makes it easier for me to manage my temperature if I can offload some of my cold onto someone else, but you're not much use there.

[ Yelena says with a little shrug, clearly not all that disappointed with Talulah's incompatibility on that front. ]

But as long as we're within the same area, like a city the size of Londinum or Lungmen, I'll have an idea of where you are and if you're alive. One less thing for me to worry about.

[ it's a thin kind of comfort, but better than nothing. ]

[reunionize]

So I effectively have a tracker on me?

[Talulah twists her wrist back and forth, as if to examine her hand for a bug.]

Well, that is useful in this situation. But we don't really know if my arts are useless to control your temperature or not. We haven't tried it the other way around yet.

[The air around them both warms, faintly, a few degrees above what a deary Victorian afternoon should be.]

[hypothermy]

It goes both ways, if you can figure out how to use it.

[ just as Yelena uses the spread of her arts to track her men, they also use it to stay aware of their leader's position on the battlefield.

she pauses when Talulah mentions using her own arts to temper FrostNova's cold. usually how it works is by simply lessening the intensity of her power by letting her comrades siphon it from her. while there are skilled casters among them, no one has the ability to actively counter Yelena's condition. she's never actually considered trying to negate her condition that way. ]

I can handle it fine like this, but if you want to give it a shot, I won't stop you.

[reunionize]

Hmm.

[Talulah had never really been good at arts that need finesse, but she does try to follow the tendril of power back to Frostnova. It's very faint, but after a minute, she gets a new sense of awareness, a way she can perceive where the other is without sight or sound.

That really is an invaluable ability, especially on the battlefield.]

Tell me the next time you need to regulate your temperature because of your arts. There's no use in trying it when you're feeling fine and can't tell if it'll work.

[hypothermy]

I need it most after a fight. Let's hope that's not anytime soon.

[ exhaling, she lets some of the tension she's been clinging to ease from her shoulders. it would've been nice to have this conversation somewhere else, but there's no helping it. for whatever reason, it seems like Yelena's destined to forge all of her important bonds under dire circumstances. ]

Do you want to try circling back to the house now?

[reunionize]

I don't think waiting around here much longer is going to make much of a difference. Let's head back.

[If their attackers are that tenacious, then it wouldn't matter if they went back right now or hours later. But Talulah doesn't think they're so single-minded.

She's proven partially wrong when they do make their way back to the safehouse and there's a car parked on the street too near to be for anyone else. But, judging by the make and model, it's not the military, and certainly not something a ragtag group of Tarans could afford.]

...that's a noble's car.

[hypothermy]

Why would they be here?

[ Yelena stays close to Talulah, reminded once again of how she still has blood drying on her skin and clothes. of all the possible factions to account for, she really hasn't been giving the local noble populace much thought. even with Taran ancestry, gentry in Victoria have a reputation of ignoring anything that doesn't immediately threaten their status quo. ]

Have you run into any of them in town?

[reunionize]

I'm not sure. And I haven't run into them, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't know about us.

[Or more accurately, know about their cover. Especially nowadays, with conflict hanging over the whole country like an executioner's blade, information is better than gold. If a new person claiming to be a disgraced noble came to town, it's something worth looking into, at the very least.]

If I had to guess, they're probably scoping out if we're beholden to a bigger player. We can avoid them, but...they'll definitely come back if they're rebuffed.

[hypothermy]

Engaging with them directly right now seems like a bad idea.

[ if there's one universal trait to nobility, it's that none of them ever shut up. Yelena can already envision how their interest in Talulah, however benign, would devolve into a game of 20 questions where she's inevitably say something to implicate them in a lie.

but she also knows Talulah's right, and that same curiosity would only be intensified if they avoid them. she wishes they had some breathing time between this and the assault by the locals— FrostNova's dangerously close to being on her last nerve. ]

Maybe if you tell them what just happened they'd let us take a rain check.

[reunionize]

We can at least see what they want. I'll do the talking.

[Now that she isn't injured or in imminent danger of harm, it would seem odd to others, especially nobles, if her (apparent) servant spoke for her.

As they get closer, it's apparent that it's not the noble themselves waiting for them, but a messenger. Judging from the uniform, it's likely the chauffeur. He bows, says a bit about his esteemed lord wanting to welcome them, and then offers an envelope sealed with wax, explaining that it's an invitation. Talulah glances at the crest pressed there. It's not one of the major players, which means the local lord is a minion of someone else.

Turning this down would be incredibly suspicious. No genuine noble in her situation would ever turn down the opportunity to integrate into the local circles, even if there are strings attached. She takes the envelope with a polite smile.]

Thank you. Please tell your master I will do all I can to attend.

[hypothermy]

[ FrostNova is more than happy to let Talulah do the talking. she'd be happier if they weren't talking to the local nobles at all, but it seems like there's no way around it.

she hangs back and keeps her head down as they approach the car and the servant who's been waiting for them. an invite to the lord's estate would be a good opportunity to gather information, if everything else about their situation wasn't already dangerously precarious. as it is, Yelena knows there's no way to get around the meet and greet, at least for Talulah.

avoiding eye contact with the messenger, she waits until they're (relatively) safe within the house to speak up. ]

This could be a trap.

[reunionize]

It could. But it's also one we can't avoid. They really won't like it if we refuse.

[Even if they come up with a decent excuse for why they won't come to this party, another invitation will inevitably arrive on their doorstep, and rebuffing that one would absolutely lead to hostilities.

Talulah turns the envelope over in her hands before peeling it open and taking out the embossed cardstock.]

This is coming up pretty soon.

[hypothermy]

[ glancing over the invitation, Yelena's expression sours further when she realizes this is an actual, bona fide noble event. it wouldn't be completely out of the question for Talulah to attend on her own, it's not like they're pretending to be from any family high ranking enough to require their own servants be brought along to such gathering.

FrostNova entertains the thought for all of five seconds. if things go south while they're separated, they really might jeopardize the entire rebellion. ]

I'll be honest, I'm not that familiar with the etiquette for Victorian parties, especially not as a servant. We're not very formal in Ursus.

[reunionize]

I can teach you enough to get by.

[Even Talulah, who is usually more comfortable with risky maneuvers if there's a benefit, doesn't entertain the idea of attending this on her own. She knows more about Victorian high society, but even in the boonies like County Hillock, it's still a pit of carnivorous beasts.]

It's frustrating...I don't recognize the family name or the crest, so I can't tell who they're allied to. My best guess is they're using this as an excuse to scope out where our sympathies lie.

[hypothermy]

I can't help you there either. I learned about the royal family and the duchies of Victoria, but that's it.

[ given the relations between Ursus and Victoria during Yelena's lifetime, her tutors hadn't considered it information she'd get much use out of.

she sets the invitation on nearest flat surface, then works on pulling off her boots. all she wants is a hot shower and to crawl into bed, but FrostNova's life hasn't been that straightforward for a while now. ]

What should I expect? Do guests get poisoned all the time like they do in the novels?

[reunionize]

[Talulah laughs softly as she unlaces and takes off her own boots. The crisis of the day had been averted, so once they figure out what to do about the party, they could probably relax a little. Well, as much as they could behind enemy territory, anyway.]

No, definitely not. I'm sure it's happened once or twice, but that's definitely not a concern for this party. As far as I can tell, they don't see us as a threat. More like...we're an opportunity for them to score points with more important players.

[She tips her head to the side, curiously, when she turns to face Yelena.]

I've been wondering this for a while based on your cover act, but have you got all your ideas about what a "servant" is from knight novels or something?

[hypothermy]

Ah, you caught that.

[ Yelena reaches to rub at the back of her neck, definitely to work out an anxious kink she's been carrying since a trio of disgruntled locals approached her in alleyway, and not just because she's embarrassed. ]

I don't know if you noticed at the palace, but my father's never liked keeping excess staff. I had a governess as a kid, a housekeeper now, and a few maids that clean my apartments.

[ and given FrostNova's background and Buldrokkas'tee's down to earth parenting style, Yelena would never dream of treating any of them the way she sees nobles from Leithanien and Victoria do with their household. ]

Knight novels aren't what I usually read. This one series, An Obscure Wanderer, got popular at my secondary school, and I ended up reading all of them to understand what my friends were talking about.

[reunionize]

I don't have much more experience with servants, since I never liked anyone Kashchey decided to assign, but I know you always acted more like a retainer.

[Which is what made Talulah wonder where Yelena had been drawing her inspiration from for their cover, and from there, it had just been a matter of putting two and two together.]

You have some wiggle room since the story is that you've been my playmate since I was a kid, but most Victorian servants don't act so...independently?

[hypothermy]

So just defer to you for everything? I guess that's the whole point of servant.

[ she stops short of saying that it sounds easy enough— if Yelena's truly honest with herself, when was the last time she was truly in a position with zero authority? it's the furthest thing from completely unknown to her, but FrostNova's grown into a natural leader. letting someone else speak for her will take some getting used to. ]

I'll do my best. If you're going to handle most of the talking, we might want to decide on a signal in case you need to me to act.