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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Some sort of arts trick? Or...a real ghost?

[The other rebels flinched, moving back towards the now-closed exit, although when they see Talulah hasn't flinched a step or two is as far as they retreat. Her arts flare out, illuminating the room as they burn in a protective half-circle around their party.

There's a sensation like someone's glaring at her, even though the corpse? on the throne hasn't moved. And a singular impression inside of her mind, loud and reverberating like a voice has shouted in the large throne room, even if Talulah's sure she's the only one who can hear it.

Pretender.]

Ha. Those Dukes are really more vile and self-serving than even I imagined. That [She points her sword, now unsheathed, at the throne.] is the previous king. Or what's left of him. Either way, I don't think he likes that I'm here.

[ it seems like a the kind perverse scheme the dukes would hatch, but doubt gathers in the corners of Yelena's mind. the grand dukes are as ruthless as they are prideful, and it's no secret that the last Aslan king's execution was little more than a political murder. proof of their animosity toward the royal family is evident in the palace itself, the symbol of Aslan dynasty's power left abandoned, falling into disrepair while the nobles held court elsewhere.

and beyond that, it strikes FrostNova that an apparition of Alistair II seems like an odd choice, if it's meant to be a deterrent for Talulah. she has a feeling, however improbable, that this display was intended for another claimant to the throne. ]

It could be both. [ while the rebels tense and murmur with disbelief, she steps forward to stand at Talulah's side, staring down the dead man in front of them. she drops her voice lower when she speaks again, her next words meant for Talulah's ears alone. ]

The old man at the Universität has seen it done a few ways. If I'm remembering him right, there has to be someone pulling its strings nearby.

[At Yelena's words, Talulah's posture changes, becoming more alert. Her eyes narrow and her gaze roams around the room, at the flickering shadows cast by her arts.

A vengeful old king, resentful that the Red Dragons are about to take the Victorian crown? Fine. To be expected, in some respects.

But if it's arts...]

Unfortunately, there's one person we know who can do something like that, don't we?

[ Yelena blinks dully, not immediately picking up on what Talulah's suggesting. she's been focused on the adversaries they've faced over the last few days and unconcerned with the wider cast of enemies they have to worry about.

when it clicks, her expression turns sour, as if she's found something rotten where she wasn't expecting it. ]

Are you serious? She's out over the wall in her landship right now. I was able to confirm that much.

[ besides, weren't Eblana's arts followed by her distinctive flames? it would be obvious if she was the culprit. it's a massive stretch, at best. ]

Then that's good to know for certain.

[As far as Talulah's concerned, there's no telling where some other players had ended up in the chaos, and it's hard not to associate the living dead with the older Dublinn sister.

Her stance relaxes, just a fraction, but she's still looking around the more shadowed sections of the room.]

That still means someone else is orchestrating this, though.

I don't think they're going to come out if we ask nicely.

[ her hand moves to her weapon, grimly sizing up the throne room with a tactical eye. if this ghost is similar to Eblana Dublinn's arts, there's a chance it's here to do more than give them a scare. ]

Do you want to advance? Attacking it outright could be a trigger for a trap, but if it can hurt us, it's better to make the first move.

If there's a trap, we have to spring it. And end this quickly.

[Even if they don't know who this is, what faction they belong to, or their goals, it's obvious they don't want Talulah here or on the throne at all. That's reason enough.]

Watch my back.

[The fire that she'd encircled around them to act as a shield moves outwards in a flash, sweeping across the other half of the room like a wave. If their opponent had been in the room while puppeting the king, they'd be flushed out.]

Keep your guard up!

[ Yelena barks at the rebels who followed them in as soon as Talulah's arts move, her voice knocking them out of various stages of shock. it's a good and bad thing that only a few managed to follow them in before the closed— Talulah outright attacking an image of the former king, who was popular with the commoners if no one else, isn't something they want a large audience for.

she feels something in the air change before she sees it manifest, a golden tinge to the disturbed motes of dust swirling through the room. a wall of ice goes up just in time to intercept what looks like a golden, sword-bearing lion charging at the rebels. ]

[Well, it's either that or possibly die, because it doesn't look like whatever the king is or is being influenced by wants her to walk outside of this room alive.

With that in mind, Talulah thinks all of this should end as decisively as possible. So while Yelena's playing defense, she takes the opportunity to charge right at the throne. But before her sword or arts can make contact with the real corpse or the illusion of one, there's an ominous hissing sound and the sharp clang of metal on metal as her sword finds resistance against an enormous arm.

She steps back, putting distance between herself and...well. At first, she thinks it's a Steam Knight, but the armor is a little different than the tales tell. Regardless, this is possibly even more of an issue, both physically and otherwise, than the old king.]

[ while Yelena's focused on intercepting a blast of arts the lion shoots at her, hurling a chunk of ice to trigger the impact a safe distance away, the bombastic clang of metal is impossible to ignore. a gilded image of the towering knights she's seen in old photos from the war, Yelena finds herself at a momentary loss. to any layman, it would look like the very soul of Victoria was rejecting Talulah.

if the dukes had a trick like this up their sleeve, they would've used it sooner. she needs to flush out the caster, but with the rebels behind her, Yelena can't fight at full strength. ]

Form up and protect each other!

[ the new enemy on the field has at least given her a hint toward the linchpin of this fantasy. a hail of ice explodes toward the throne, aiming for the Aslan king waiting there. ]

[Talulah almost pitches forward when the Knight stops resisting her and moves to intercept Yelena's arts instead. For such an enormous thing made out of armor, it moves with shocking speed.

Cursing under her breath, Talulah sends another blast of arts towards the king's corpse on the throne, but that too is deflected. Maybe as an arts construct or whatever it is, it doesn't need to actually move the same way something of its stature normally would, but Talulah doesn't have much more time to think when she has to send another burst of arts at the golden lion leaping at her.]

Shit--is there a way to slow that thing down?

I'm trying!

[ no one here was expecting a fight when they walked through the door, and Yelena's not sure how long they can hold out against a surprise attack. she channels a staggering amount of force into her next cast, a wave of ice shaped like a crescent moon sweeping out from where she stands in front of the rebels. except for the safe spot just behind Yelena, the enter floor of the throne room is frozen, theoretically pinning anyone in the blast zone where they stand.

given the situation, she can't really aim around Talulah, but she should be able to free herself quickly with her arts. ]

[Talulah can't escape the sudden wave of cold, and also doesn't have a cocoon of heat to stave it off as she usually does when she's expecting to fight against or with Yelena.

She does manage to escape, melting the ice in a surge of swirling fire after being briefly enveloped, but her breath still comes out in a cloud even with her arts. She definitely wants to snap that more of a warning would be nice next time, but letting the opportunity Yelena attempted to give her go would be a total waste.

From the beginning, she's noticed that the Steam Knight and that ethereal lion seem more interested in protecting the corpse than they do in outright attacking. That gives her an idea, but it's not exactly a safe one.]

...I'm going to try something. If it doesn't work, be ready.

[ Yelena's attack had its desired effect. the phantoms react to her ice as if they were real, stuck in place when their feet are frozen to the ground, but it also draws their attention toward her. the engines on the hulking knight roar as its legs begin to crack the ice restraining it, one of its arm rising up to point a giant rocket squarely where Yelena's positioned. ]

Just do it! I can bring the roof down if it comes to that.

[ if the ghosts insist on taking their precious throne with them, Yelena will gladly forfeit a symbolic victory for the lives of Talulah and their companions. ]

[Well, the crux of Talulah's plan isn't something that's risk-free, and the casualty won't necessarily be the throne. Which Yelena can probably pick up on as Talulah finally acts.

She wreathes her sword in flames, a concentrated inferno that grows so large the burnig crackle of it is audible, and it's melting the ice beneath her feet. All that power focused in one single spot...before she tosses the blade towards the throne, where it sticks in the ground nearby. It's inelegant, but it doesn't have to be pretty, or even accurate. It just has to be enough of a beacon, enough of a threat, that the Knight and the lion turn their attention to it, leaving an opportunity for Talulah to slip behind them.

The window is narrow. She already has her arts gathering on her hands as she darts up the dias while the other two are occupied, aiming her real attack at near point-blank range at the corpse. She hopes that if the body or the arts connection to it are destroyed, the other two will vanish as well. If not, she's left wide open for a counterattack.

Not really the ideal tactical maneuver for a fresh royal, but when Talulah is running on instinct, that's not really at the forefront of her mind.]

[ Yelena had expected risky, not Talulah literally disarming herself for a distraction. the sword cracks the floor, buried deep enough to prevent Talulah from retrieving it easily, but it distracts the kings guard like they need it to.

she doesn't see what happens to the corpse, or illusion, or whatever it is up there on Victoria's throne. the light of Talulah's flames reflects off marble, glowing like a miniature sun trapped inside the palace, bright enough to burn FrostNova's eyes as she rushes forward on the offensive.

a sword of ice explodes into her empty hand, poised to bury itself between the great lion's ribs if it doesn't manage to dodge her in time. Yelena's arm thrusts out, and her strike would've hit true, but her ice never connects. gold shimmers through the air where the imposing figure once stood, the steam knight gone with it, while the empty throne of Victoria burns like a pyre beneath Talulah's arts. ]

[Talulah's not sure what that thing on the throne had been, either. That voice in her head from before still boomed, telling her Victoria will never belong to a theiving Draco pretender, that her bloodline is cursed, and more she's heard a hundred times before.

Whether a mere corpse or an illusion or a ghost, it burned all the same.

She's still breathing hard from adrenaline and exertion by the time her flames have died down to something more closely resembling a campfire. This whole situation is not going to be easy to explain to anyone else, but that can wait until after she turns around to asses the situation.]

Is everyone all right?

[ beleaguered shouts affirming their status go up from the back of the room, the rebels all safely ensconced in the ice walls Yelena had thrown up to protect them. Yelena herself is momentarily stunned, yet another sudden change in their circumstances leaving her at a loss. the room is eerily silent again, save for the crackle of burning wood at the top of stairs.

the sight of the burning throne is what finally prompts her to action again. she did say a few moments ago she'd happily destroy everything in the room to survive, but with their ghostly attackers gone, the greater scope of their situation returns to her thoughts. with a gust of cold air, a pile of snow is unceremoniously dumped at the top of the staircase, smothering the fire. ]

I'm fine. You?

[Talulah's silent for a long stretch, staring at the snow melting over the throne in contemplation. After another moment, she blinks, turning towards Yelena's voice and finally answering.]

...yes. I'm okay.

[She glances back at the charred remains again. It's obvious the dukes left the body here, but had they also been responsible for everything else?]

Although I'm not entirely sure what just happened.

[ it's obvious there's more going on that Talulah isn't voicing, and Yelena sullenly wishes they'd entered the room alone. at least that way she could inquire further without drawing the rebels attention, or offer Talulah a stronger gesture of comfort. for now she settles on reaching out to briefly clasp her arm, dropping her hand after a few seconds of contact to dissuade the curious eyes behind them from thinking too deeply on it. ]

Should we check the room over? There have to be other exits. If the caster was nearby we might be able to catch them.

[Even though the contact is brief and slight so the others with them in the room don't get the wrong idea, Talulah still appreciates it, and smiles slightly.]

Yeah. Or at the very least, we should take a look around to make sure there aren't any other traps.

[She's not expecting the corpse of a former king anywhere else, but considering everyone thought this place didn't need much caution when exploring it since it had been abandoned for years...it's best not to take any chances.

Talulah alights from the dias and looks towards the back of the room, seeing a door set hidden away in one of the corners.]

Let's start there.

[ it's futile to wish they were here alone, and worse than that, reckless. without the other fighters here things might've gone differently, the summoned creatures attention only split two ways, and if something had gone wrong, they'd have no one to carry a report back to their forces.

she and Talulah won't have many chances be truly alone with each other going forward. that might be for the best— the lingering warmth on her palm reminds her of their greeting back in the outer halls, and she feels her heart jump to her throat when she tries to swallow the memory down. ]

You two, with us. [ she points out an Ursan solider who knows some healing arts and one of the rebels who only flinched when the specter of the king appeared. ]

We'll see if the caster left a trail for us. The rest of you, get this door open and get the message out; there are hostiles in the palace.

And mention to those patrolling around this area to watch the palace’s perimeter. They should make note of anyone who’s not obviously an ally leaving.

[If the mage escaped via secret exit, they’ll be seen by either the groups above or below ground. It would be troublesome to hunt that person down after the fact, but it’s better than having nothing to go off of.

After everyone moves to handle their orders, Talulah makes her way across the throne room to the door in the recess. It’s unlocked, and she nudges it open with the hilt of her sword that she’s holding onto out of an abundance of caution. It swings open to what appears to be an ordinary room, likely a place for the staff to prepare for various things, but since there are no one and nothing immediately hostile, she instead looks for clues that someone had been there recently.]

There are trails in the dust on the floor…but they’re pretty indistinct.

[ when Yelena enters the room, she doesn't immediately go looking for signs of recent life. instead, she begins to circle the room clockwise, one hand trailing along the wall. ]

Most palaces this old will have escape routes near important sites. A way to make fast exit in case there's an assassination attempt, or a coup.

[ the side-rooms for ceremonial preparations off the grand throne room of Ursus has its own set of secret passages. based on the information Alexandrina had given her, FrostNova knows the Aslans had something similar.

a faded tapestry hangs on the wall to left of the door, and Yelena pulls it down without much fanfare. it appears unremarkable at first glance, but when Yelena leans in to inspect it further, she feels the faintest flow of air against her cheek. ]

It's behind here.

So there has to be a switch, too.

[Something not immediately obvious, but not so out of the way that the royal family and their retainers fleeing in a panic would waste time trying to activate.

Which means the person they're chasing is quite familiar with the palace and what had been placed inside, which ultimately pointed to the Dukes. Caster, maybe?

But her speculation is just that, things to occupy her mind briefly while she tries to observe the entirety of the room at once and see what's out of place.]

Ah. That's probably it.

[There's a part on the opposite wall that looks damaged, but there are no hairline cracks or other flaws in the stone surrounding it. Talulah moves to press her palm against it, and with enough force, it sinks into the wall. There's a loud click, followed by a soft rumble, and the wall Yelena's in front of starts to move.]

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