eachdraidh | vi. video. unseelie locked. night of the 7th.

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vi. video. unseelie locked. night of the 7th.

[News has reached the front lines. The Brucolac has rubbed his face clean for this broadcast, but his pupils are blown, blood drying in his eyebrows, and he hasn't taken off any of his armour.

He looks like cold hell.]

Those at Caer Scima who got out. The Ninth Spire has room for you; if you need to avoid the sunlight, the cellars are ready. Blood, food, medical aid, a place to sleep, whatever you may need. Go via fairy ring, or else follow the Criostal down to where it meets the sea.

I can't meet you. [He grits his teeth, rubs at one brow with a spike-gauntleted hand, sounds like he's furious at himself for it.] Needed at the front lines. Give me some days. Until I return, my captains have orders to take you in and treat you well.

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What?

[ She freezes, save for the drip of some blood that hasn't yet dried. It pauses on the end of her chin, lingering there before it drops, splashes against the ground. ]

Crap. I don't- How did they get past us? It wasn't the fairy ring, Grell has all sorts of alarms set up- we've been fighting, we've been trying to keep them here and then-

[ As many villagers as possible had been warned that La Llorona was in danger, that the Seelie was coming, but she doesn't know if it had been enough. Her manor will stand, it's warded against flame, but... ]

I don't know. Flight. Invisibility. That world-stepping magic—

[He sucks in a breath, shakes his head; the how is irrelevant for now.]

Reul may have fallen. Don't ask me how. The Jabberwock is loose. But the vast majority of the Seelie forces are here, must be kept here.

[Don't expect too many reinforcements, in other words. His face is lined with weariness.]

Will you go back to the forest?

World-stepping?

[ Brucolac you can't just say that shit. Ariadne shakes her head with him, pushes some hair out of her face. ]

No. I- my magic here is all concealment and shadows and healing, not putting out fires. And like you said. They have to be kept here. Let me-

[ She puts up a finger; one moment. Steps away before turning to look at him over her shoulder. ]

I'm going to put out a call, same as you did. Give me... fifteen minutes, then I want to talk more. Plan something. I don't know.

That, yes, the thing people do where they raise their boot in Glaschu and bring it down in Dorchadas.

[Someone still doesn't know the word teleportation. He sounds distracted and frustrated. Inclines his head when she steps away, and turns back to his own locket.

Moon keep, guide, save us, he thinks.]

Er- teleporting?

[ Whatever, it doesn't matter now -- she goes, makes her own call. Returns a half snarling mess, having hugged some of it out with Bucky but still a ball of tension. Brennan follows her this time, sticking as close as possible without tripping her; Ariadne keeps one hand in his fur. ]

Fuck's sake, you'd think people don't look at a map. Okay- okay, what have we got?

The Jabberwock may be a damn good thing.

[He says it shortly, and doesn't want to have to explain that when he's saying that, it must be bad.]

Ten spires. We can house refugees. Fuck Ganondorf and his posturing, it's doable. [Yes, he saw that argument.] They haven't broken the lines; just got a small troop of shardbearers beyond us, and now they're trapped in enemy territory, with Morla's personal wrath and a goddamn Jabberwock on the loose. For now, what we do is hold the line here. Until reinforcements arrive. [His tongue lashes.] The Red Lady is off the field. She'll be back, perhaps within the hour, but that's one of the Seelie powerhouses gone.

The Jabberwock will keep them distracted, at least. If they want to kill every one of us now, nowhere is safe -- not Mair and its defenses [ Caer Scima had been defended and look at how that had gone ] and not the spires. Everyone saying 'run' or 'strategically regroup' isn't thinking it through.

[ She's still pissed about that conversation, especially with being called girl at the end. You want to agree with someone who says 'run for the hills', then you handle it when you're called on it. ]

La Llorona needs to be stopped by anyone who can be spared or who isn't already here -- that fire will spread. It's windy, the plants are dry, it'll consume everything. Do we know Morla's status? And- why the hell is the Red Lady over there? She-

[ And her voice drops now, inhale sucked through her teeth. ]

She gave us a lot of the information to get the alliance at the Conclave.

[The Brucolac shakes his head.] I bet she did. She's a merc, Ariadne. Seelie were the highest bidders.

Weather mages. We need more snow, more rain. Water-workers. Get Roa; doesn't he fester in Quendi? He can do something or he can burn.

[Against his chest, the sigil-key seems to warm up. He thinks I could change this and then shuts the thought down again.]

We also need transport, people who can flit...teleport, to bring firefighters to the area if they can't do it themselves, and to stand by to pull out those who need it.

Did the Unseelie even bid?

[ Ugh. She pauses, spits some of the blood out of her mouth. ]

Roa's been lurking around; some of those dead things were his. Thought I saw him go after the Red Lady, actually. And- well, he keeps insisting that I should let him turn me into a vampire.

[ You go get Roa, Brucolac. ]

Lumina can do it, I think. If she's- available. Clarke's going to contact Jack Frost, he can fly. Grell's sending some of her people who are at the fairy ring already.

[At mention of what Roa's been up to, the Brucolac's face goes through a spasm of different emotions; first his eyes widen a little, mouth pinching, hackles visibly rising, going after the Red Lady—then a reconsideration, eyes darting away, make her fucking day, on second thoughts—then, on the news that he's been trying to turn Ariadne—]

Who does that cunt think he is?

[Tongue lashing with vexation, expression thunderous.]

Hot shit.

[ She runs a hand through her hair, grimaces when her fingers get stuck in some strands that are all but glued together by blood. A few tugs and they're through. ]

But his traps are useful. He's not someone I trust but I'd rather have him working toward the same goal as I am than against it. Still-

[ Again. You go get Roa. ]

This is over, we should talk about the other barons. Until then... this is what we've got.

[He nods, mouth drawing into a tight line.]

After.

I'll go hunt down my wayward kin.

[He starts to go, then stops, turns, standing close.]

Ariadne. I know what it is to feel a home and a people threatened. [His spike-gauntleted hand comes to her shoulder, their armour clanging together.] Rip these fuckers to shreds and protect what's yours with tooth and claw. I know you will. You have me at your disposal.

[And then he's gone.]

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vi. video. unseelie locked. night of the 7th.

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