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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They certainly don't have many options for where to build it now.

[County Hillock had been a bit of an anomaly that way. Although Talulah thinks it might have been, in part, the higher-ups' thinking that the Taran people and their sympathisers are more acceptable casualties in case the research went wrong.]

And they don't, but the noble here wanted to meet and speak with me. I guess it's a positive sign that they're all starting to think making my acquaintance early is worth the effort. But that means I won't be here for too much longer. Lucky we met when we did.

That's ... good.

[ the last word is tacked on, a course correction from Yelena's original thought of 'that's too bad'. too bad that Talulah won't be here for long, and Yelena won't either, because— what? that has nothing to do with the goal at hand.

she frowns into her teacup, thrown off course by her own thoughts again. Yelena doesn't like this newfound inclination to censor herself, the instinct at odds with her straightforward nature. carrying on with it will only make her feels worse, she can already tell, and there's nothing wrong with what she's thinking. it's a little embarrassing, sure, but there's no reason to hide it. ]

It's always going to be easier for me to tell you this stuff in person. It's too bad we both have to move on soon.

It is too bad. After all that time we spent together, being separated for so long feels a little weird, doesn't it?

[Talulah is going to assume the relief and contentment she feels in Yelena's presence has something to do with how familiar it had gotten to have the other by her side.

Recalibrating after Couny Hillock is just taking some time. Otherwise, the...intensity of things isn't something that she has the ability to examine when in the middle of a rebellion and war.]

So I guess we'd better have a long chat while we can. You should tell me what you wanted to put in your replies.

It took some time for me to adjust.

[ that's about as much as she can say on the matter without getting too into the weeds of her own emotions. being farther than a room away from Talulah had felt like a phantom pain for the first week after they parted ways. she'd thought it would be get better with the Yetis around, the family she's known for her entire life, but their company felt more like a bandage than a true cure for this particular ache.

maybe seeing Talulah in the flesh again will shake whatever lingering fog's clouded her senses. at least there's no way it can possibly get worse. ]

I mostly wanted to check on how big your ego's gotten, between your whole entourage and the Victorian nobles bothering to remember your name.

Me too.

[She never thought she'd ever prefer sleeping in that cramped space to a nicer, warmer bed, but the absence of someone resting beside her had been felt acutely. It's not the same sleeping in close quarters with the rest of the rebels, even when necessary so...maybe it had just been Yelena.

At the other's teasing, though, she makes a bit of a face.]

Do you want to trade, then? The nobles are one thing, but I'm really not used to being followed around like that. I understand the reason why, but it's...very new. [Then again, while she offered to trade, the thought of an entorage does bring something to mind.] Oh, I just realized, you are probably more used to it than me. I remembered all of your father's shieldguards the first time we met.

Edited 2025-09-11 01:38 (UTC)

I've wondered if you thought that was a show of force. I get a looser leash when I'm just hanging around the palace, or the other Yetis are around to look after me, but being in line for succession and personal guards are a package deal.

[ she shakes her head ruefully, remembering the logistical nightmare that ensued whenever she'd visit Leithenien when she was younger. ]

If we manage to take Londinium, you'll see how it is whenever I show up there after the dust settles.

[ it's only going to get harder for them to talk like this, really, if things go according to plan. Talulah won't just be a collaborating general anymore— she'll be a queen, and have everything that comes with the crown. ]

I thought it might have been an intimidation tactic, but that didn’t make sense, either. So I figured I’d talk to you first before making any assumptions.

[It had been quite startling to see all those shieldguards at what was supposed to be possible alliance talks, but Talulah had figured out soon enough that Yelena is simply cherished by her father.]

We’ll both be in the same boat then. I’ve been told very clearly that nobody on Victoria’s throne gets away with wandering around on their own. I guess you can say my current escort is a trial run.

[A part of her doesn’t feel quite right thinking about that future. It’s important because it’s what she and the rest of the rebels are fighting for, but if she assumes too much about what lies ahead, she’ll miss a step in her current place, and she can’t afford a mistake before they’ve even reached the city’s borders.

And, that is also the point where there’s no escaping the fact that’s the moment her and Yelena’s relationship will have to change.]

[ Yelena has her own reasons for not dwelling too much on what tomorrow might have in store. a reminder of her childhood— the first one, before her near-idyllic life as Ursus' beloved princess. there, the future had been a fantasy, something afforded to people who were seen as actual humans. thinking ahead could only distract from your survival in the tangible present. ]

I'm kind of surprised this is your first time dealing with it at all. A lot of nobles like having bodyguards, even if they don't actually need it.

[ it was a status symbol, after all. going on what broad strokes she knows of Talulah's past, though ... when she was with Kaschey, it was probably a situation more like the one Franz and Kreide were in. ]

But they should be people you can trust. Don't let anyone push their way into that position just because they say they're important.

Then the opposite is kind of a status symbol too, isn't it?

[That, and Kashchey certainly would have swept her aside like so much dust if she'd been an heir who couldn't take care of herself amongst the assassins and those with a grudge.]

And I know.

[Her tone is soft enough that it says she's not annoyed by the reminder. Yelena is looking out for her because...well, as much as Talulah wants to say "then why don't you take up the position?" that's a total impossibility.]

I'm pretty sure I'll have enough volunteers from the rebels that it won't be a problem finding someone with their head on straight enough. Although that'll probably piss off the nobles.

It's not like anyone you'll find can measure up to me, but that's not their fault.

[ Yelena has, perhaps unsurprisingly, had the same thought as Talulah. there's no one currently allied with their cause more capable of protecting the rebellion leader than the Yeti princess— but that's the rub, isn't it? she has her own set of rules that come with her status, her arts too valuable to waste on guarding a single person, no matter how important they are to the war effort. ]

Maybe you should start telling the nobles that. They can't argue with that, not unless they want to risk insulting Ursus royalty.

Yeah, that's true.

[As much as Talulah knows those facts to be true, she also knows that there's no one else she'd trust as much as Yelena. Enough to be a bodyguard, maybe. But not the thoughtless, effortless kind that's become second nature by now.]

Maybe you can be the tryout test at least? Someone can last however many minutes against you, and they pass.

[ she's about to take another sip of tea when Talulah responds, and finds herself quickly moving the cup away from her mouth to avoid splashing tea all over the map as she laughs. ]

—oh sure, that sounds like a great first impression to make on any ambitious recruits. Go get smacked around by an allied general, and maybe you'll get a promotion.

[ Yelena shakes her head, like she's banishing the image from her mind. ]

Don't base your policy around making things fun for me.

I think it's just fine. If someone couldn't handle getting a little roughed up, there's no way they'd be able to stomach Victorian politics.

[Talulah does laugh out loud, mostly at the thought of what kind of rumors would start with a job interview like that.

Not to mention, it would probably weed out anyone too ambitious. The types who would sell out anyone for power likely couldn't handle losing gracefully.]

Besides, it would be pretty fun for me to watch that, too.

A little roughed up. Now you're asking me to go easy on them.

[ Yelena says sarcastically, a mock sneer on her face as if Talulah's making some unreasonable demand. she's glad to hear Talulah laugh like this, quietly relieved to have further confirmation that their bond wasn't entirely built off of survivor's necessity. maybe too glad— she almost wants to preen after seeing how relaxed Talulah is alone with her, especially compared to how tense she'd seemed back in front of the rebels.

there's nothing wrong with it, of course, but a strange feeling gnaws at the edges of Yelena's thoughts. it's almost like she felt lonely without Talulah around, the company of a single person outweighing all of her older, more familiar friends.

there's nothing to be gained from overthinking things. she's happy being able to spend time with Talulah again. it doesn't need to be any deeper than that. ]

You could just haze them yourself. That might play better with whoever takes up running your optics, if someone hasn't already.

Well, if I took things into my own hands, I might be accused of playing favorites.

[It is quite easy to be around Yelena. She's grateful that their closeness didn't fade even when the necessity had been taken out of the equation. Even if it means the other's absence makes her feel a little...empty.

And even if that presents a problem she'll likely have to contend with sooner or later. Thinking about that currently will inevitably trip her up. Besides, it would definitely sour the mood, and that's the last thing Talulah wants to do after they're finally in the same place.]

The compromise is probably offering the position to anyone who decorates themselves in this rebellion. Harder to argue with proven results on the field.

That's the practical option. Not as fun as a trial by combat.

[ entertainment value rarely carries much weight when it comes to making appointments in military or government, unfortunately. Yelena will be satisfied with Talulah's dedicated guards as long as she can confirm their loyalties aren't tied up with anyone else.

finishing off the last of her tea, she idly glances around the tent, scoping out some of the darker corners she didn't closely inspect when she first entered. ]

Is this doubling as your quarters, or did they put you up somewhere else?

I hear we can't agree to do something just because it's fun.

[Talulah teases back, tone mockingly light, as if she's playing the part of the naive noble again who wouldn't understand why enjoyment ranks so low in value when it comes to important matters of state.]

Oh, my quarters are connected. You can go through there to reach them. It's supposed to give me a semblance of privacy, but I can hear anyone who comes into this area anyway.

[She points near one of the corners of the tent, where an opening in the canvas is currently tied shut.]

Does the noise bother you that much? After Hillock, I think I can sleep through anything.

[ Yelena's more than accustomed to sleeping in uncomfortable situations while out on missions, but the safe house had been crammed so close to the surrounding homes that they almost shared walls. they could hear just about everything their neighbors were doing and vice versa, leading to several nights where they'd become unintentional eavesdroppers on the people next door.

the memory of sharing that dingy bedroom conjures another strong flash of emotion that Yelena instinctively shies away from. her next comment doesn't sound particularly harried, delivered in her usual relaxed tone, but her inner dialogue is far less composed. ]

But I guess anything beats having to share a bed with a human-sized cold scalefin.

I think it's the circumstances.

[She's the leader here, after all, and needs to be prepared for what may require her attention. It makes it difficult to relax or sleep deeply enough that every little noise doesn't alert her.

Ironic, since this isn't behind enemy lines like Hillock had been, but there, she'd had Yelena to watch her back. The people with her are trustworthy, of course, but it's simply not the same.]

And besides, I didn't think our sleeping arrangement there was all that bad.

I guess I assumed you were just being nice about getting the short end of the stick there.

[ Yelena had certainly had no problems with it, but Yelena basically got to sleep next to a personal space heater in a drafty bedroom. while part of her struggle with adjusting back to sleeping alone was a natural reaction to a change in routine, in a lot of ways her arrangement with Talulah had been nicer than her usual nighttime arrangement.

she shouldn't linger on this topic, her instincts clearly tell her, though she can't quite say why. the feeling has started to become commonplace whenever she thinks about Talulah, and some stubborn part of her naturally bucks under the constraint— leading her to say more, even less relevant crap. ]

I think I slept better there than I ever have in a camp.

My arts probably helped a lot. But, me too.

[No small part of Talulah's lightened mood is attributed to learning more and more that Yelena felt much the same as she did after County Hillock. It would have been fine, or bearable, if Yelena had treated those weeks as a more unpleasant memory. But knowing that she'd enjoyed the time they spent together, even in such horrible circumstances, has buoyed Talulah's spirits to new heights.]

It actually took a while for me to get used to all the room in my bed when we got back, believe it or not.

[ it strikes Yelena, as she watches yet another smile bloom across Talulah's face, that the leader of the Victorian rebellion ... is really cute, isn't she? when she looks at Talulah's face right now, she feels the same kind of overeager, feckless energy that the sight of baby animals inspire.

she wants to reach out and squish something, aggressively. instead, she settles for taking one of the plates that was left for them and starting to idly move the food around with a fork. ]

Do you usually move around in your sleep? I didn't notice you tossing or turning that much.

[Talulah probably would not enjoy being compared to a baby tuskbeast as much as Yelena's having fun picturing her as one, but what she doesn't know doesn't matter.

Instead, she takes another sip of tea and tilts her head to the side, thoughtfully.]

Not that I know of. But I do typically like having a little more room to stretch out.

[Unlike Yelena's much smaller (and fluffier and cuter) tail, Talulah's requires a little more space to be comfortable. Then again, perhaps she should be grateful she doesn't have the size she's seen on full-blooded draco or some lung]

You could only sleep on your side when we were sharing a bed, right?

[ Talulah's tail was nowhere as long as the one she'd seen on Loughshinny Dublinn, but it's still multitudes larger than the sort most cautus or ursus possess. Yelena can't imagine what it's like to have to account for an appendage that takes up that kind of space all the time, and has to suppress the urge to lean back in her chair to take an appraising look at Talulah's again.

she's not even sure why she'd need to do something like that. she knows what Talulah's tail looks like, has fairly good estimate of it's circumference and length, which aren't weird pieces of information for Yelena to have memorized. ]

Considering how close we had to be, I'm surprised you never whacked me with your tail on accident.

I think I mentioned I was taught it was a bad habit to emote with it. I guess I'm just used to not moving it unless I absolutely have to.

[It's useful to have when she needs a counterweight for balance or to take someone behind her off-guard in a fight, but otherwise, she's only mindful when she has to move it out of the way of something.]

You know, if it wasn't for how much time we had to spend with each other in Hillock, I'm not sure I'd ever see yours otherwise. It's always under your clothes.

[Some cautus didn't seem to do the same, so maybe it's a preference?]

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