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 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?]

I just don't wear a lot of clothes that leave it out.

[ Yelena blinks, a little surprised by Talulah's comment. it's not as though she goes out of her way to hide her tail because there's anything sensitive about it— that would be ridiculous. she honestly forgets she has the fluffy nub back there most of the time, and doesn't have that rough of a time sitting in chairs with backs or sleeping supine. it's fine as long as no one touches it, and anyone would react strongly to having their tail grabbed out of nowhere, wouldn't they?

she's naturally careful with how she presents herself. there are a couple of lingering childhood scars that she can't easily explain away, and became mindful of where and how she undressed after starting school in St. Grypherburg. it wasn't that hard to change privately in Hillock either, given the empty rooms in the house ... which, actually, begs the question— ]

Wait, when did you see my tail?

When you wore my clothes that one time.

[She...carefully avoids mentioning what else she saw, but the tail is the important point in this conversation.]

I don't think you noticed, but the back was too open for your tail to be hidden like usual. Should I not have mentioned it?

Your clothes?

[ it takes a moment for Yelena to put two and two together, as her mind immediately goes to the stylish outfit she'd torn up to dress Talulah's wounds when they'd first arrived. ]

You mean the night we got jumped out in town? I didn't think our sizes were that different.

[ and they aren't, objectively— Talulah is barely taller than her. Yelena suspects most of it is from the heeled boots she favors. ]

I don't mind, but why didn't you mention it then?

It seemed pretty awkward to bring up out of the blue.

[That's a very reasonable excuse and not very close to the reality, which is that if she had brought it up at the time, she'd have to admit she'd been looking at Yelena's tail, among other things, which is...probably weird. It's best to avoid that.]

And I don't think it's a matter of sizing. There needs to be room in my clothes for my tail, is all.

[ luckily for Talulah, Yelena doesn't dwell on the circumstances of her inadvertent tail display for that long. it's true that she keeps it covered most of the time, so it makes sense that Talulah would notice quickly if she left it out. ]

If you don't speak up the next time I have a wardrobe malfunction, I'm not going to be as forgiving. I can't stand people who won't tell you if you've got food on your face because they think it's rude to point it out.

[ Yelena can see why Talulah might've thought it wasn't a big deal in that instance, considering they were just eating and then going straight to bed when her tail was exposed. she's not too bothered thinking about Talulah seeing her like that at all, actually ... but she's an exception, not a rule. ]

I thought I pinned the gap closed. It must've been bigger than I realized.

I didn't think it was on that sort of scale...

[And now that is a blatant lie because of the whole panty thing, but Talulah is planning on taking that to her grave, probably.]

But okay, okay, next time I'll say something. You already know I'm not the type to avoid saying something because of propriety or anything. You don't have to worry about that.

Walking around with sauce on your chin and leaving your tail are on the exact same scale.

[ kind of mortifying to realize in the moment, but insignificant in the grand scheme of things. flashing something else through that generous hole in Talulah's pants would be another matter ... maybe? they were both girls in the end, and you can't be too precious about modesty in a war zone. and Talulah thinks of her as a friend. it's really not a big deal to get an accidental eyeful of a friend. ]

I did play that prank with the candy on that same night. We can call it even, as long as you're not hiding anything else from me.

Are they?

[So Yelena does think of it as something embarassing?

She decides not to dwell on that point. In the grand scheme of things, it shouldn't really be that big of a deal. Certainly ranked lower on the scale of embarrassment and some other emotions than the nobles' party, after all.

Which definitely means she's not hiding anything, but simply...not mentioning something that's not even all that important.]

We're even, then. But if you ask me, the candy was way worse.

[ Yelena purposefully avoids any direct mention of the tail slip-up actually makes her feel. the front she puts on for Talulah is just as taciturn and cool as ever, so there's no real evidence that she's embarrassed by it. Talulah can't prove anything.

the obvious smile that flits across her mouth when Talulah mentions the candy, on the other hand, makes it hard Yelena to deny that she'd absolutely do it again if she had the chance. ]

Well, yeah? I went out of my way to embarrass you. You just lucky.

Edited 2025-09-25 06:20 (UTC)

I guess I should be grateful we were alone, then.

[Talulah feigns exasperation, but she'd never really been that annoyed by the candy prank. Yelena is so pleased with herself whenever it's brought up. Maybe that's worth it being at Talulah's own expense.]

But that makes me wonder...do I need a poison taster for spicy Yanese chilies from now on?

What, you think I just carry around a packet of spices everywhere I go?

[ the candy doesn't count, in Yelena's mind. there's plenty of sugar in those as a conservative, even if it does next to nothing to cut the heat.

she's fond of that memory, not just of the prank, but the entire night. even if it had started with getting terrorized by the locals, it had forced Yelena to finally let herself lean on Talulah. that conversation they'd had in the abandoned factory felt different from any of the times they talked before— more like a genuine, direct interaction between two people, rather than a meeting in the war room. ]

Besides, that prank's never as funny the second time around if I can pull it off.

People fall for it twice?

[Talulah wonders how that ends up happening, since she'll be a little wary whenever Yelena offers her something candy-like.

But despite being on the receiving end of a prank, it's a fond memory for Talulah as well, for similar reasons. She'd said they were friends earlier that day, but Yelena doing something like teasing her had reassured Talulah that the feeling genuinely is mutual.]

How do you manage that?

By not playing fair. Don't worry about it too much— I stopped getting a kick out of doing that in high school.

[ outside of the tent, lowered voices filter in as someone approaches the entrance. Yelena's posture stiffens somewhat as the flap opens and a soldier in white pokes their head in— one of Yelena's Yetis.

Hey, Sestra, were you planning to give the final sign-off on the supply list?

there's an awkward air about the interloper, a kind of unstated apology in his words that can only come from a person who's been bullied into taking on a task no one else wanted to do. ]

What? Why? I told Yuri he could do it, did he run off somewhere?

[ Yelena's annoyance comes through loud and clear— which is unusual, considering how close she is with her squadron. she obviously wasn't expecting an interruption right now. ]

[Talulah is about to ask what she means by that, but they’re interrupted before she can even open her mouth. She watches the exchange, a little puzzled, but she figures this might be the Yeti trying to mention something that’s related to their squadron, or not really meant for Talulah to hear.

Despite the fact they’re allies, there are always inter-squad happenings that shouldn’t be spread around.]

I don't have my next appointment for a while, so if you need to check that out and come back, you can.

[ the Yeti's phrasing being a squad-exclusive code would be a good guess, if Yelena didn't look genuinely baffled by her comrade's appearance. she's about to tell him off when Talulah mentions her schedule, making her feel abashed. there's no reason to get worked up over a relatively simple request. all it means is slightly less time spent with Talulah, which is ... fine. not a big deal at all. ]

All right. This shouldn't take long. [ she sets her plate aside and stands from her chair, slipping out through the tent flap and into the night.

what should be a one and done signature on a piece of paper turns into an ongoing series of simple tasks that she, for some reason, is the only person capable of accomplishing. the Yetis shepherd her all over the camp, one chore leading to another, until it's far too late for her to ask for more of Talulah's time.

Yelena considers just turning in (which the Yetis seem weirdly keen on), but decides that she should at least say goodnight and apologize if she's still up. the guards stationed at the front of her tent seem oddly cagey about it, making Yelena get the distinct sense that there must be some piece of gossip circulating about one of them that she's not aware of. ]

Look, if she's busy with someone else, you can just tell me. I don't actually freeze people to the ground for saying the wrong thing.

[Talulah waits as long as she can for Yelena to return, but when it's obvious that's not happening and the time of her other appointments looms, she has no choice in the matter. She's informed that Yelena's fine and simply attending to other tasks around the camp, of course, which she takes at face value, but it is a little odd. She supposes she can ask about it herself when she runs into the other later on.

She's in the middle of writing down a short summary of the day for her own personal records (a diary, really, which is what her letters become when she doesn't have someone to write to) when she hears the noise outside of her quarters get louder. She hadn't been kidding when she said she could hear what's going on when it's that close, even in the section cordoned off for her privacy.

She stands, setting aside her writing and heading out into the main area of the tent before opening the flap at the entrance slightly and peering out. She's surprised to see Yelena standing there, since by all accounts, she should be let inside if she's come by. Maybe that hadn't been implied firmly enough to the guards, and she shoots them a brief, questioning look. Neither of them responds.]

I'm not busy. You can come in.

[One of the guards purses her lips like she's biting down on something she wants to say. Well, that's one thing more to address in the morning, then, but for now, Talulah keeps the entrance open to let Yelena inside.]

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