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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[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.]

[ FrostNova peers into the dark as the hidden passageway reveals itself, a gust of cold air hitting her face once the door is entirely open. there's a short stretch of hallway that quickly veers down into a staircase— maybe a path to the tunnels that Vina Victoria made her aware of only a few short days ago.

the dust lining the floor appears disturbed, though Yelena can't immediately tell how long ago that happened. ]

Do you want me to go first? My arts are better for defense if something comes at us.

[Talulah tries her best to hide her immediate reaction of reluctance and distaste to that suggestion. Logically, it does make sense. Yelena knows her capabilities best, and the target does seem to be squarely on Talulah's own back, but it doesn't feel good or right to have Yelena take point after the ecstatic relief she felt when seeing the other safe and sound earlier.

But, really, the moment she crossed the threshold into this place is the moment she should stop considering going along with emotions like that.]

...yes. Go ahead.

[It chafes a little to be safely cushioned on all sides, but, she gives another order before following after Yelena's lead.]

You two can take up the rear.

[ it's smart of Talulah to keep those misgivings contained, because if she let Yelena know her first thought was about how she needed anyone's protection, it would quickly spiral into another argument. she still clocks the brief look of displeasure on Talulah's face, but attributes it to the general situation of a mysterious enemy appearing at the last minute to try and refute her claim. ]

All right. I want to catch whoever's behind this, but if I'm moving too quickly, say something.

[ she fishes out a small clip-on light from one her pockets and attaches it to her jacket, flicking it on before she begins their descent down the stairs, moving at a clipped pace. ]

[Talulah would have preferred they're both in the same lead position, but that would be asking for problems in such a cramped and dark space.

She keeps pace as they go down the hallway, checking behind her every once in a while that the other two are still following. She uses her own arts flickering at her fingertips to both add more light and to have a weapon at the ready. Her sword isn't the most elegant solution if there's a fight in a narrow hallway.

Yelena's not entirely wrong, though. Talulah is frustrated about this new and sudden obstacle, especially since their opponent seems to have such an upper hand and now a head start. They likely know the layout of the tunnel better, too.

Which brings something to mind, and Talulah lowers her voice so it doesn't carry further down the passage.]

Sometimes these things have false forks. If we want to catch this person, we'll likely have to split up or choose, and maybe guess wrong.

[And better to decide on a plan before they run into one.]

[ FrostNova slows her pace when she hears Talulah begin to speak, ears swiveling as she considers their options. while she'd like to end this whole ordeal here and now, she knows they don't have the luxury of playing reckless. ]

I think we have to choose and make peace with the gamble. We're both too valuable as hostages to take risks right now, and splitting up will make us easier to pick off.

[ she doesn't say it outright, but Yelena's thought process is almost childishly straightforward. as long and she and Talulah stay together, she knows they'll be able to fight their way out of whatever the mystery caster could throw at them. more than that, something in her gut tells her this late addition to the battle for Victoria wants Talulah alone, angling for a chance to isolate her and shake her convictions. ]

I agree.

[The straightforward way of thinking does seem to be the only option when it's so obvious that whoever this is seems intent on Talulah. That show back in the throne room couldn't be for anyone else. Splitting up would mean they fall right into their opponent's hands.

Of course, when Talulah spots something bright white zip just out of sight at the end of the hall, she thinks that perhaps it's an inescapable situation.]

...or this is a trap we have to spring.

[ Yelena steels herself as she sees a flutter of white just beyond them, knowing with certainty that they're walking onto a stage the culprit's prepared for a show. ]

Stay close, we don't want to get separated.

[ she calls back to the companions bringing up the rear, pressing forward once she hears an affirmative. they reach the turn and start descending down again, the incline steep, leading them deep under the foundation of the palace. ]

[Talulah's not very happy about it, but they don't really have another choice besides playing along. The only other option is to turn around and go back up, leaving this unknown to do whatever they want in the bowels of the palace.

She tenses when she feels the descent even out into a landing, knowing there's likely a room where their mysterious opponent lies. What she does not expect to see when they do enter the chamber at the end of the shorter corridor is a...young girl? She's dressed all in white, and her race is not one Talulah is immediately familiar with.

Ah, it's you. She speaks as though she's not concerned at all that the group she's facing could do her harm. Talulah's free hand touches the hilt of her sword instinctively; she has room to wield it here. You're rather determined for a pretender...and for someone who ultimately didn't really need to be concerned with all of this.]

Who are you?

[ Yelena keeps her position in front of Talulah as they reach their target, sizing up the girl who clearly isn't what she seems. ]

I'm not here to argue about who's got the best claim right now. Are you with the dukes? Attacking us after a surrender means you've forfeited your right to pass through here freely.

[ every solider in Ursus knows disobeying the rules of warfare means surrendering your fate to your commander. exceptions can be made for civilians, but this girl didn't waste any time coming out and making it obvious that she's connected to the morbid display in the throne room. ]

[No. The dukes knew of the body, but they don't know of me, in truth. The most accurate way to put it is that I am with Victoria.]

That didn't answer my question. Who are you? And what do you want with all of this?

[Talulah tenses lightly when the other's attention shifts back to her.

I go by many names. This nation's "Sentinel", a fairy...you can refer to me as Clovisia, though. As for what I want, it has been as it ever was: to fulfill the desires of the people on this land. Including denying the Dracos the throne.

Her hand tightens further on the hilt of her sword, posture shifting as she readies for a fight that the words seem a prelude to, but the young girl keeps speaking.

However...it can be said that the people of this place no longer desire that outcome. So, daughter of the Red Dragon, would you like to make a deal as those before you have done?]

[ the name gives Yelena pause, rousing one of her jumbled memories from the last few days. she thinks she may have heard it mentioned in Alexandrina's camp, or possibly by the factory workers, speaking of a comrade who seemed to be missing. the rest of what Clovisia says turns her immediately back on the defensive, hackles rising as ice dusts her fingertips. ]

We're not here to bargain. You can come with us peacefully, or I can freeze your legs together and drag you back.

[ talking like she's some kind of wish granting fairy from and old tale sets Yelena on edge. summoning specters of Victoria's past glories already requires an extraordinarily skilled caster, and far more experience than a girl of Clovisia's apparent age could possess. she regrets letting Talulah come with her for this— she's clearly the one Clovisia is after, and they've served her target right up. ]

[Perhaps my choice of words was poor. It's not a bargain. I don't ask for anything in return--

At that, Talulah audibly scoffs. There is always a price for these kinds of "deals," and it's even more suspicious when someone claims they don't want anything out of it. But Clovisia continues as if nothing has happened.

--to grant your desires. It just depends on what you want. Let me think...freedom? I can make it so you have the ability to truly exercise your will, even with the weight of the crown. Choose what to do, how to do it, and even your...companions.

Talulah will blame her hesitation on how startled she is that someone she does not know managed to see into her heart so quickly. Or perhaps this is the same thing many people before her had also longed for? But it cannot be temptation. That would be admitting to several things she can't bring herself to look at.]

What the hell are you talking about?

[ she really is acting like a wish-granting goddess that appears at the end of a heroes journey, offering them their hearts desire job well done. it's absurd, and the calm way Clovisia states it like fact only adds to Yelena's suspicion that the girl is out of her mind, or worse— telling the truth.

but what really unnerves Yelena is the sudden silence at her back. it's enough to make her take her eyes off the enemy, glancing over her shoulder to confirm that Talulah's still there, despite being clearly dumbstruck. ]

Talulah?

[ Yelena's voice comes out reedier than she intends. why is Talulah hesitating? what could Clovisia even mean by giving Talulah the freedom to act how she wants? the throne is what she asked Yelena for all those months ago, and that's waiting to be claimed just above their heads. ]

[The throne, yes, and everything that came with it. Talulah knew about what she had to sacrifice to get there, she just never really expected when she started all this that along the way, she'd gain something else to inevitably lose.

Although. The idea of all this being unexpected brings something to the forefront of her mind. Clovisia did not think Talulah would be here. She said as much. This is an...exception. A boon granted for doing what everyone believed had not been possible. What Clovisia did not think was possible, because she had made it so.]

Ah. Sorry, I was just thinking. Just so I'm clear on this, Clovisia. You say you granted the wish of another to make it so my family could never take the throne?

[...yes. Although truthfully, it was to ensure Victoria doesn't fall apart due to your line's machinations. It seems now it will collapse without them, hence why I'm speaking to you. Clovisia seems a little surprised that Talulah would even ask for clarification on such a thing. But at the confirmation, the air around Talulah starts to grow sizzling hot.]

I see. That solves a long-standing mystery for me. Wei Yenwu killed my father with his inaction and self-interest. But he didn't set that conspiracy in motion. That was Kashchey...and you. Wasn't it?

[ Yelena relaxes once Talulah comes back to herself, though her lingering worry over what she saw in Clovisia's offer doesn't entirely fade away. she'll have to ask her about it later. right now, she's more interested in what Talulah rebukes her with.

Buldrokkas'tee had given her a truncated version of the story behind Edward Artorius and his demise in Lungmen, but the accusation Talulah hurls in response to Clovisia makes something click in Yelena's mind. she called Talulah someone who didn't need to be concerned with Victoria at all. the display in the throne room, while compelling propaganda for anyone who wanted fuel against Talulah's right to the crown, was underwhelming in terms of the personal impact it would have on her. Alistair II was no more than a cautionary tale at best, an enemy at worst, and the way Clovisia refers to Talulah as a pretender— ]

You were expecting Alexandrina to be the one retaking the throne room, weren't you?

[Yes, on both accounts. With everything in place, it should have been Alexandrina taking over the throne from her father. And Edward had to be removed as the third point of that triumvirate in Lungmen, so his progeny could never consolidate power and...well, do what you have just done.

Something about the way she speaks reminds Talulah of Kashchey, like all of people and history are some B-movie from Wrankwood, and it sets her on edge.]

Well, none of that matters now, does it? If I say no deal, what will you do?

[Call you a fool. But I'm not going to force your hand or retaliate, if that's what you're asking.]

It's not. I'm wondering what the chances are that if I let you live, you plot against me like you did my father.

[ Clovisia's way of stating things hasn't inspired much trust in Yelena either. while she talks about the wishes of the people, like she's will of Victoria itself, Yelena doesn't buy that a large percentage of the common folk wanted Edward Artorius in the grave a few decades ago. people care about putting food on the table and keeping the fire stoked in their homes, not the dealings of a disposed royal half a world away.

killing Clovisia outright might be rash, but before she can weigh in on Talulah's options, the sound of approaching feet from the rear corridor draw her attention away. at the same time, her previously silent communicator springs to life, a half-garbled message coming through;

Sestra where— ... reached the Pal ... underground? We're spreading out to find you and Talu— ]

[Talulah's also distracted by the comms coming to life and the sudden arrival of their reinforcements, but the moment she lets her attention lapse, she realizes her mistake.]

Shit.

[Talulah sends a streak of her arts roughly in the same spot Clovisia had stood moments before in an effort to cut off any escape route, but the other obviously took the chance to slip away when it was given.]

[ Yelena realizes her blunder after Talulah swears, and with newly arrived rebels and soldiers beginning to pour into the room, it's hard to shift gears and address them as quickly she needs to. ]

There's a hostile caster in the palace. She doesn't look older than sixteen, dark hair, calls herself Clovisia—

[ Clovisia? A rebel she doesn't recognize remarks. You found her? We thought we lost her in a tunnel collapse when the siege started, is she all right?

Yelena's brow knits in incredulity, barking back at him sharply. ]

What do you mean is she all right? She attacked our group when we opened the throne room.

[ What? Are you mad?! Clovisia's the leader the Londinium resistance! Why the hell would she do something like that? ]

[Talulah bites back another curse and the urge to rub her temples from the pounding headache that's building from arts exhaustion and now this exceedingly more complex situation.

The dukes had been the biggest issue, she thought. Them and their armies and weapons and airships. Not...whatever this is now. She has to be careful about how much she reveals right now and how she phrases it, unless she wants a scism to start in the middle of this dark basement.]

...for her own ends, I'd imagine. It's true she was the caster that attacked us, and she revealed she'd been puppeting a lot behind the scenes. She didn't say anything about the Londinium resistance, but it's possible the resistance was something else at the end of those strings.

[But that's only one of the issues. Talulah takes another breath and straighens her shoulders.]

I need a report on what it's like in the city right now and a status on everyone we sent the scouts to search for.

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