(sixth lemon cake) video ✧ open to both courts

[steeledskin]

[ before the lockets sits a well-composed and well-turned-out lady: her face is set with discipline -- though below it she wants to crack and cry. but sansa stark has a duty -- some imperative -- to speak calmly of grave matters. nothing about this is comfortable; nothing about this is within her conventional grasp. she could compare it to her makeshift trials before the lords declarant or her audiences with the king, but this stage is far wider. out of frame, her fingers tremble. ]

Dear Shardbearers of either court --

[ if her voice shakes then it is by design. some honest fear is permitted into her tone, for what better to move the hearts of strangers than to express genuine dismay at this great knotted problem? she would not have thought to even sell it as injustice until living here and meeting many a person who appeared outraged over these alliances. these marriages. these common cages. ] One turn of the moon ago, High Queen Morla delivered onto me an ultimatum: to marry some Unseelie lord of her choosing, or else invite war upon the Cothromach. Whatever your loyalties, I beg you all to recognize the attempt for what it was --[ and do please fill that blank with your own outraged conclusions. ] I call for aid and support.

[ some words are permitted more of a quiver than others: morla; marry; aid; war. ] But I fear war has come already -- has long already been present -- and today I will refuse the proposal offered, because I fear it was only ever a blade's poisoned edge. I would prevail upon some soul from that queen's court to speak my refusal to her. [ powerful men have met her vulnerabilities with laughter, only to turn and shake their heads when she took small careful steps towards decision. what else is she to do? if she will not play the game by their rules, she must try to write her own. but even now, she hinges her action upon the passion of someone else's protest. someone else's judgement -- for better or worse. ]

The Lady Keeper of the Cothromach will not swear away her city to another court by marriage vows or by vows of any kind. [ except for other partial vows made in quiet rooms with would-be neutral parties. but those meetings are a secret and her announcement today comes instead to engage the hearts and sympathies of prospective champions who might grow incensed over a bully's tactics. lady sansa is not above playing upon their pity if said pity will protect her, her family, and her new city. anyone's pity will do: seelie or unseelie alike. ]

High Queen Morla's dogs are at the gate; let us be wolves when we meet them.

( ooc; i know some efforts have already been made re: the unseelie camps by lancer and others -- there's also a fresh log for the battle itself. )

Comments

Video;

[steeledskin]

[ lady commander! she nearly chokes at the thought. and yet. and yet...

gods, lancer. help deliver her city from this fire and she will rain reward upon you. she has so little, but her heart is generous. ]

I've never -- [ a shiver in her voice. ] Winter is coming, Lancer. Bring it to them.

[ one might think that fire comes to melt away the ice and snow and blizzard -- but she is of winterfell, and she would see the chill laid upon these strange fire beasts. when once she fretted over lancer's involvement, she now feels an utter faith in his presence. a hard reminder of why it is not so terrible a thing to have refused the queen's bullying. ]

Video;

[red_branch]

[A pleasant smile found Lancer's lips. He raised one hand, summoning his red spear into the open air, wisps of energy trailing off of it. His expression turned a bit more bestial, thin red cracks running up his cheeks from his neck.

It made the situation clear--that he wasn't all that human.]

Well said. [With that kind of command, Lancer felt Sansa earned it--] It's Cu Chulainn. It means 'The Hound of Culann'.

For your bravery in turning down the Unseelie Queen, your forces will reward you with victory.

Video -- suddenly private ;

[steeledskin]

The Hound! [ half-horror; half-delight. she'd had a hound of her own once -- brusque and brutal. a hound, she knew, would die for you -- but never lie. and he will look you straight in your face.

he has given her his name. it feels like a precious gift; sweeter, almost, than his help. ] Well met at last, Cu Chulainn. [ careful pronunciation, as though it matters to her. ]

I aim to do what I can to bring you more sorcerers. Please, keep me apprised of the field. [ though she'll understand none of it really, and so: ] Me or Jon Snow. His mind is better for these matters.

Video; private -> perma

[red_branch]

[There was a whistle on Lancer's part. Sansa's reaction wasn't entirely surprising, but it wasn't entirely what he anticipated. She didn't seem pleased with him before, but her mood did manage to switch.]

Well, to begin-- [It lifted his mood considerably as well and his lust for battle only really heightened at that.]

I'll report after the initial volley. Just keep your head down. My first attack's going to shake things up, alright?

[steeledskin]

Bring thunder down upon them.

[ little bird she may be. barely a pup of a wolf. broken cast-off traitor's daughter. but there is a nursed anger in the pit of her stomach -- the same one that made her wish to see some hero lop off janos slynt's head. the one that made her pray for joffrey's death.

whatever the cause -- whatever could have avoided it -- morla now threatened her family and its seat. ] Seven blessings on you, Hound.

[red_branch]

I'll use them well. [Lancer gave Sansa a brief wink before shutting his locket and tucking it away.

Within the next few minutes, the sound of thunder did, in fact, come. The resulting explosion shook the city as Lancer laid waste to the battlefield to signal the start of the fight.]