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

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

[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.]

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I can burst a pipe. That would at least move all the servants to once place.

[ it's a tricky bit of arts to send her ice through flowing water to culminate at a far away point, but she's managed it before. she spotted a bathroom on her way upstairs, but it's hard to focus on triangulating its position from where they are when there a second set of voices filtering in from the hall.

This one's locked too, a clearly inebriated guest comments, utterly failing to moderate her volume between her giggles. Where's a lady supposed to find some privacy around here? ]

Edited 2025-06-30 05:32 (UTC)

That might be enough of a distraction--

[Talulah frowns at the loud voices, not keen on having to deal with yet another group. Thankfully, she does notice the rattling of the doorknob a moment before the rude partygoers enter their room.

In her defense, it's out of panic that she crowds Yelena against the nearest wall, practically shoving her. There's only one reasonable excuse for two people to be alone that would have others not asking many questions. She can only hope they look rumpled enough for it to be believable.]

[ Yelena shouldn't be so shocked by the move. she'd had the vague outlines of a similar idea when she had ushered Talulah into the room in the first place, having the experience of walking in on such a situation a handful of times herself.

there's no good excuse for stumbling when Talulah shoves her, needing to thrust her hands out and grab onto Talulah's shoulders just to avoid knocking her head against the wall. her eyes go wide, blinking rapidly up at Talulah, too dumb-founded to even point out that maybe she could've waited until they know the other guests are going to come this way?

it's moot point, because the voices grow louder a moment later and the door knob begins to turn. blood rushes to her face and it's a struggle not to duck her head, swallowing thickly and trying to look anywhere but Talulah's face. ]

[She absolutely did know because she heard them trying every door. And she's proven correct a moment later when the woman and her companion drunkenly stumble right into the room.

It's on instinct that Talulah presses closer to Yelena when the two rude guests finally do crash inside, a reflex to move away from a perceived threat and closer to an ally. But when she does, she's suddenly made aware of just how close they are, and how much more flimsy party-wear and the servant uniforms are compared to their usual outfits.

At least the flush to her face probably lends credence to the impression they want to make on the two interlopers, especially since one of them embarrassingly covers her hand with a loud oops.]

[ FrostNova almost jumps when Talulah presses in even closer, something like panic gripping her as the door opens on the far side of the room. she manages to smother the noise of surprise she makes, the tiny hiccup likely just adding to the scene they're trying to emulate. it's mostly drowned out by the giggles from the interlopers.

Sorry ... wrong room! she hears one of them say distantly, taking their sweet time closing the door, though she can't bring herself to look and see if it's because they're openly leering like she suspects. it's surprisingly difficult to keep her wits about her while her heartbeat pounds in her ears and Talulah's feels so warm beneath her hands. even as the door clicks closed, she can't bring herself to move right away, rooted to the spot like some started prey animal.

well, if Talulah wanted payback for that candy trick the other day, she certainly has ammunition for it now. FrostNova wouldn't blame her if she never lets her live this down. ]

[She won't have to worry about that, because Talulah is going to try very hard to forget this whole moment ever happened. Which, if she thinks about it, is a little ridiculous. They had to put on a bit of an act for a cover, that's all.

But Talulah feels bizarrely guilty about some part of this, like she really shouldn't have derived even an ounce of enjoyment over having Yelena so close, considering the circumstances.

She waits past the door closing, until the footsteps and giggles have disappeared completely down the hall, before she lets out a breath and steps back, needlessly adjusting the hem of her outfit.]

[ even after Talulah steps away, FrostNova stays rooted to her spot against the wall for a few long, awkward seconds. she feels a little like she needs to shake herself off like a wet animal, but that would be mortifying, so she settles for clearing her throat and continuing not to make eye contact with Talulah. ]

Are we agreed on the distraction? I'll send ice through the pipes to cause some damage, then we make a run to grab someone's keys and leave through the valet's exit?

[Talulah takes another deep breath. Now is really not the time to mess up because she's distracted.]

Yes. We'll figure out our next steps once we're away from the town. At this point...are we agreed that we fight our way out if it comes to it?

[They're not sticking around, and if they're captured with Dublinn leadership on the way, they'll be in an irreversibly awful situation. Blowing their cover is the much preferred alternative, in her mind.]

[ FrostNova gives a curt nod, walking stiffly over to the opposite wall. ]

Yeah. We can't afford to be captured by either side here.

[ she places her palm flat against the wood paneling and releases a mild wave of cold on the surface, pushing through the grain to feel out where the metal is hidden beyond. with her pulse still hammering in her eyes, it takes her a few seconds longer than usual to find the right pipe.

once she gets a hit, it doesn't take much effort to send frost creeping along the plumbing. she can visualize it snaking through the house, freezing its veins, concentrating the ice on the upper floors to prevent any servants from sticking around where they need to get through.

the effect isn't immediate or easily. there's a loud thunk somewhere above them, but that's the only indication either of them have that Yelena's succeeded at first. after a few minutes, a smattering of hurried footsteps and aggrieved voices fly down the hallway in a rush, and Yelena finally turns to face Talulah again. ]

All right, let's go.

[Talulah doesn't take much more prompting--the more time they spend waiting around, the greater the chance is that someone besides drunk partygoers runs into them.

Even through the back hallways, she tries to hide her face as much as possible. There's nothing to do about her clothing, but hopefully, someone thinks she's some random noble avoiding being seen for whatever reason rather than a person of interest.

Once they're deeper into the servants' sections, though, she realizes she doesn't know exactly where the coatroom is.]

Right or left?

Left.

[ Yelena motions for Talulah to follow, down into a narrow hall. the light is dingy, but there's a coat rack and a door at the end of it. she begins with the ones that look like what the other valets were wearing, quickly going through them until she feels something promising in a breast pocket. ]

I've got one.

[ they may want to get a few to make finding a car one matches to easier, but her thought is interrupted. it's muffled, the impact coming from the other end of the house, and for a split second Yelena thinks she might've overdone it with the pipes— then the explosion hits, and the foundations of the house shake. ]

[Talulah has also found a key, and is in the process of squinting at it in the dim light to see if she can figure out the make and model of the car before they get to where all of them are parked when the explosion rattles the house.

Her head snaps towards the direction of the blast before she turns back to Yelena.]

Nearest exit--go. I don't care if we end up in a whole company of soldiers, we shouldn't be here if this place starts collapsing.

[ her mouth goes dry as she realizes a fight isn't just a possibility, but likely inevitable. still, she doesn't question Talulah when she orders her out, dropping the coat in her hands and immediately moving to throw open the door.

the back garden is empty, an eerie pocket of calm as the sounds of havoc begin to amplify around them. there's sounds of weapons firing in the distance, smoke beginning to rise behind them in the direction of the front of house, and when FrostNova looks toward the gate that leads to the side street where the cars are parked, she catches flashes of fights in dark uniforms marching beyond the bulky shapes of the vehicles.

shrill screams mix with sound of a newborn conflagration. Yelena looks wordlessly to Talulah, waiting on her orders. ]

[Talulah frowns over at the shadows moving by the cars. That's their best way out, and she already said she doesn't mind fighting if it comes down to it, but she'd rather not get pinched between two factions if she starts a scuffle with whoever is marching in.

Instead, she tips her head in the direction opposite the sounds of fighting. It's higher ground. If they can get a better look at the lay of the battle unfolding, they can get a better idea of how they can slip through the worst of it.

Thankfully, there's a lot of cover and shadow for them to use as they go.]

[ again, Yelena moves without question, sticking to the shadows as they make their way to Talulah's chosen vantage point to survey the area. she moves as fast as she can while maintaining over, only pausing when she hears a familiar whistle overhead. a streak of light in the sky momentarily casts the city below in a daytime glow, before the explosion of its landing throws them back into the dark. FrostNova grimly notes it came from the direction of the base.

by the time they arrive at higher ground, the battle lines have clearly been drawn. fires have steadily grown from the west where Dublinn made their entrance into the city, the current focus of the Victorian army's bombardment. military vehicles are beginning to stream in from the base in the east, holding troops who mean to drive the invaders back. ]

We could go north or south to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. The civilians will have the same idea, but that could work out for us.

We could blend into the crowd, but no matter what, we still have the same problem. We can't use those anymore...

[She points towards the nobles' cars, the parking area now full of both Dublinn and Victorian footsoldiers. If she and Yelena tried to get one, they'd get surrounded immediately.]

So we need to find another way out. And before the Victorians get up a roadblock and start trying to restore order. I hate to say it, but we might need to take advantage of the chaos and steal something from the military.

Are you saying we should go for the base while their attention is focused here? Or head for a choke point and attack one of their trucks as they're entering the city?

[ they don't have a lot of time to make a decision, but deciding things rashly won't help them either. getting to the base on foot as they are will cost them precious time, while lingering in the streets greatly increases their chances of getting caught up in a serious fight. ]

If you want to avoid adding to the casualties, it's better if we stay out of the way for as long as we can. I'm not going to hold back if we have to engage either side.

I know. We've got no choice but to fight now if it comes down to it.

[But she would like to minimize casualties.

She tries to think, quickly, going over the possible benefits and pitfalls of each option. The base is likely in chaos, and because of that, there is guaranteed to be something left unattended. That's also where all the juicy intel they hadn't been able to get their hands on resides.

But it's far, comparatively, and they'd have to cut through or avoid a lot of the fighting. The Dublinn and Victorian forces only have to get lucky once to catch them. Jacking a truck as it drives into the city is the safer (and less lucrative) option, but there's also no telling if and when one will drive by.]

Ambushing someone as they drive in is easier, but not guaranteed. What do you want to do?

[Yelena had been following her lead out of necessity, but they didn't need to play master and servant anymore.]

[ FrostNova turns to look out over the city, exhaling a breath that fogs the air. it's not a particularly cold night— it seems more like she's readying herself for the inevitable. ]

If we're already playing dirty, we need to hedge our bets. We'll head for the base while skirting along the army's entry routes. Someone falls behind the pack or looks vulnerable, we move on them, and if we don't get lucky, we'll go take whatever's left behind.

[ the ruler of Ursus' reputation proceeds him. he's a fighter who values honor above all, sometimes to the point of his own detriment. his soldiers are trained similarly, a fighting force to be both respected and feared, but when it came to Yelena and her squadron, Buldrokkas'tee changed his tactics.

in sad sort of way, this may have been the better outcome for them. FrostNova's specialty is guerilla warfare, and this sort of chaos lends itself to practical brutality. ]

Alright.

[The situation they're in doesn't really afford any room for a fair fight. Even Talulah can see that.

She flexes her hand, now glancing across the city to find the best route to take between the major battlefields. She'll have to remember to pick up some kind of weapon on the way--she can get by with her arts, but she's much more effective with a sword.]

That way. [She points at what appears, from a distance, to be a corridor of darkness between the fires and moving soldiers in the dark. It would be easy to use as a way through, for now.] Let's go.

[ with a nod, Yelena falls into step beside her as they head into the labyrinthine backstreets of the small city.

while they aren't entirely alone on some parts of their discreet route, the fleeing locals pay them no more than a glance. the ones embracing violence are out in the open, looking for targets to take a swing at— the people in the shadows are focused solely on survival.

FrostNova's focus is everywhere at once, her ears swiveling around at a frequency Talulah's never seen before. she's trying to keep track of who's seen them, how far away the nearest fight seems to be, the direction of the wind and more. even the smallest things can make a difference when moving through a hostile environment. which is why, a good ways into their route, she reaches out to tap Talulah lightly on the shoulder. ]

Do you want to switch shoes for a while?

[ the dress heels the nobles had given her aren't the the most absurd pair she's seen, but still, they're not exactly made for walking long distances. ]

No. If we do that, we'll just have to keep switching.

[Talulah sighs, slowing to a stop and peering down at her shoes. She's been managing so far, but there's no telling what terrain they'll have to cross in the future.

Admittedly, the whole outfit is frustrating, but the shoes are definitely the worst.]

I could probably break the heels off, but these won't hold up as flats...did you see any looting on the way? We might be able to get what we need from somewhere that's already been broken into.

[So they don't have to waste time breaking the locks and windows themselves, that is.]

[ well, there goes her attempt to be considerate. she huffs out a breath and turn her head to the direction of the main thoroughfare, considering. ]

I saw a couple places on our way, but they weren't stores I knew. We're close to the city's general store though. I'd bet it's been hit by now— we could make a stop and see what our chances are.

[ even if it's accessible, there might be competition, and it's hard to gauge how their fellow looters might react if they run into each other. ]

Edited 2025-07-12 01:35 (UTC)

[Well, isn't Yelena always telling her to be more pragmatic?]

Alright. Let's try. We can probably gauge how things are from a distance, at least.

[Talulah drifts slightly off their original path now that they have another goal. The city gets more signs of previous fights as they make their way through--more smoldering piles of trash and wreckage, more cracks and gouges in the streets.

The general store has obvious activity when they get there, but from what Talulah can see, it's mostly civilians. All the windows are broken, so after choosing one with the least amount of jagged pieces left behind, she jumps through.]

[ Yelena hops through as gracefully as she can, landing firmly on feet— though the stiff, plain dress she's wearing doesn't fare quite as well, catching on a narrow shard of the remaining window and tearing easily. FrostNova doesn't seem bothered by it, fishing a knife out from somewhere beneath her skirts and then proceeding to cut most of it away, up to above the knee. ]

It looks like most people are going for food and medicine.

[ she glances around, undeterred by her now more ragged appearance. the civilians seem to be grabbing things for a long journey or long occupation in mind. given the level of destruction outside, Yelena's not sure either side has plans to hold the city once the fighting is finished. ]

We should see if they have any coats as long as we're here.

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