(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

[teenyoda]

Yeah, it kind of is. Parents and kids... well, sometimes there's stuff that parents just shouldn't know. Or don't want to. Sometimes it's to save our own ass and sometimes it's to save theirs. It's done mostly out of love. And fear. Fear of grounding. But the spilling of beans to your friends? That's... always going to be up to you, Sansa. Doesn't have to be me, but I'm offering. It could be someone else, but it should be someone. Everyone needs someone.

I sort of stole your brother, but I suppose we can timeshare him if you need.

[He was teasing, and it showed in the small smile he gave her.]

[steeledskin]

Stole him!

[ the claim almost brings forth a muted coy playfulness. but it is smothered before it can begin. ] He must be shared. He is to be my sword. And -- and though I've told him very little about what's happened since we last spoke in Winterfell? I fear he knows it all when he looks at me.

[teenyoda]

Maybe you and Jon need to have a sibling's night. After this is over, you two should talk. Hang out. Get to know each other again. I think there's a lot you guys have missed out on.

But I'll have to see if I can spare him. I mean, I'm completely lost without him. Ask him and he'll say I can't wipe my own... ah, yeah.

[He was grinning definitely now, always preferring to lighten the mood with humor when he could.]

[steeledskin]

[ work on your humour, stiles. that joke makes no sense to poor delicate virgin ears. ]

It sounds torturous. Keep him -- it will spare you the separation and me the tears.

[teenyoda]

I'll just write my name on him so you know who to return him to when you're done with him. Can't have him just wandering the streets giving puppy eyes to everyone.

[steeledskin]

Jon is fierce and battle-hardened. [ oh she will break her pity party long enough to defend her blood damn straight she will. ] His eyes are nothing like a puppy's eyes.

[teenyoda]

[Yep, Stiles pretty much lost it then. He laughed, tipping back to fall on his butt.]

I was kidding. Well, mostly. He's tough, I get it, and I'm not denying that. But his puppy eyes could give Scott's a run for their money. He just looks at you and you want to do everything. It's unfair.

[steeledskin]

I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about, Stiles.

[ because when it comes to jon and sansa guess who totally has the puppy eyes advantage. this girl. ]

[teenyoda]

He just hasn't used them on you yet. You wait. I think it's a Stark thing. You all have the puppy eye ability. Kind of makes me want to run around blindfolded.

[steeledskin]

[ sansa shakes her head. ]

My eyes are my mother's eyes. Tully eyes. The rest have their wolf's eyes -- mine are the eyes of a trout.

[ that sounds a lot less silly if you're westerosi ok ]

[teenyoda]

... Sansa, I don't know what mirrors you're looking in, but you do not have fish eyes.

[Nope. Stop. We are not talking about her eyes. Danger, danger, abort, abort.]

[steeledskin]

They're blue. [ she taps the corner of her eye. ] The Stark look is predictable: dark of hair, grey of eye, long of face. They always said I took more after my Lady Mother.

[ you know. the one who wasn't exactly a shining beacon of warmth to jon. hence more of the awkward. ]

[teenyoda]

Blue doesn't mean fish eyes. They're a pretty blue.

[STILES STILINSKI, YOU STOP TALKING ABOUT HER EYES RIGHT THIS SECOND.]

Ah... I noticed you didn't really have the same coloring as the rest of them. Figured you took after your mom.

[steeledskin]

[ pretty. a soft word in hard times. she doesn't smile, but the corners of her pretty blue eyes crinkle with something almost-but-not-quite a smile. sad, still. but grateful. ]

Her name was Catelyn. And she was of a southern family. House Tully, whose sigil is a trout. Tully hair and Tully eyes.

[ FISH EYES. ]

[teenyoda]

Red hair and blue eyes? That's sort of a sought after thing where I'm from. Gotta love redheads...

[There was a wistful sigh for a moment before he remembered himself. And then he blushed.]

Ah, I mean... ah... w--w... hah.

[steeledskin]

[ hard truths and heart-felt affection are difficult things for her to accept. but compliments! those are simple. she's accepted a hundred of them in king's landing alone, even between the blows and bruises.

softly: ] Thank you. [ she drops one hand lightly upon his fingers. a bare small touch -- recognition of his kind words and banishment of his embarrassment. ]

[teenyoda]

[He was red, but he nodded, smiling crookedly up at her.]

I just... I wanted to come to say that you have friends, Sansa. People that care about you and want the best for you. So, you know, use us. Talk, if you want. Just hang out for company. But don't think you're alone here, because you're not.

[steeledskin]

When the battle's done, perhaps. There will be time for talk. But today?

[ her fingers curl over his knuckles. one soft sweet caress -- gratitude, only. nothing unseemly beneath it. and then she lifts her hand away entire. ]

Today is for other things.

[teenyoda]

[He doesn't push. He's smart enough to recognize that a willing touch from her is a huge step and he just smiles a bit more brightly at her before moving to get up.]

Today's for trying to keep the bad guys out. We'll do the best we can. Just make sure you're safe, okay?

[steeledskin]

Good leaders actually lead, do they not? They make grand speeches from the ramparts. [ a shake of her head. ] I won't be. I know that's not my place. Jon will be invested with those duties instead -- and at least the soldiers will hear from my blood, if not my tongue.

I'll stay safe. Here. I promise.

[teenyoda]

That all depends. You got any grand speeches that might rouse the rabble? I don't know what it's like here, but I know at home that we more likely to fight for something we believe in.

[He spoke from experience, Sansa. You should listen.]

[steeledskin]

I have said my piece over the lockets. [ and in one sentence she tips her hand -- that perhaps there was some deeper intent behind the announcement than mere truth-telling. ] Seelie allies have been moved to come here and help us.

[ it's a hand she doesn't want to overplay before the city itself. ]

[teenyoda]

[Stiles is no stranger to a little verbal manipulation, but he hasn't figured out the depth to her schemes yet. Even though he's a bit older, he's still just a baby to politicking. He might figure it out with a little push.]

I'm just glad they came. I was worried it'd be just me and Jon and a bunch of wolves.

[steeledskin]

I would not have allowed it to happen. I swear it. Either I would have found us allies or -- or I would have taken the offer, if things were truly so dire.

[teenyoda]

[He was quiet for a moment, looking her over before he took a small breath.]

Don't. I mean... don't ever do that. Put yourself in that sort of position for some kind of 'greater good'. You deserve some good just as much as anyone else does, Sansa. Don't corner yourself like that.