eachdraidh | video | morning after the audience | unseelie & open non-locket comms

[ It's safe to say that Ariadne has never been this upset about anything in her entire life. She tends to smile, with large, gentle eyes. She does not tend to look murderous.

She does today.

Her trust has been broken, betrayed. Her people have been caught in the storm that Reynard started. Her mind has been violated, her companion dead.

When she speaks, her voice starts out calm. Cold. ]

So. When were we all going to start sharing what we know about the Cult of the Fox?

[ A breath and then she snarls. ]

Because it turns out they're wearing shard masks that let them look like anyone and they can get into your memories and mind control you to the point that you'll hang yourself.

[ It takes a tremendous amount of effort not to throw something. ]

That lying little fuck and those like him know how to use shards even when they're masks. If we don't stop sitting on our information then they're going to tear us apart from the inside. Do not trust anyone without- somehow verifying it's them, though I don't know how when they can do that much.

If you're staying at Diasbaile -- get to work or get out. I don't know how many people might still be under his spell but he's destroyed wards and rooms on the top two floors, read what was in my office if he didn't just steal it.

Everyone- be on your guard. And share your information, because otherwise we're all fighting this blind and then everyone is dead.

[ locked to steve rogers & sam wilson; ]
You need to get out of the Station. Just in case. Bucky's with me, he- we're not okay, he was with me when it happened, neither of us remember anything after a point. But we'll look after each other; he at least knows I'm me.

[ locked to grell, jason todd, loki, & waver velvet; ]
Gaff died in the Battle of Falling Fire. It was a cultist all along. Grell, can you watch Diasbaile? I can only assume that he'll know what I would do, but he didn't get in your head.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Hn.

[Of course everything's got to be made more difficult. Oddly, he still looks more irritated than worried, but you could probably just write that off as him having "his head up his ass".]

Then I don't know what to tell you. This is best brought to someone who knows more about how all this works -- shard-magic, the Fox's cult, all of it.

Do we have an expert in that laying around?

[ She can hope. ]

We have people who've been around for far longer than we have, who are in the habit of knowing most things around here.

[He is giving you the most pointed look possible, Ariadne.]

If you can get in touch with one of them and arrange something...

I could.

[Y'know, just in case debts over the aid to Redgate thing hasn't been entirely repaid by now in introductions and actual money.]

But you couldn't meet at your spire.

It has to be somewhere I don't know. You or your contact can pick.

I'll let you know when the details are worked out.

[Well, at least he looks as frustrated as Ariadne now.]

Forget it.

[ Ariadne hisses through her teeth. ]

Maybe remind him that the mark he put on my arm says that a member bearing it must help another, if asked.

He isn't just a member. He makes those rules. And apparently, the rules right now state that the whole group is to avoid the Cult.

[As much as it irritates him too, it isn't exactly coming out of nowhere. That one Court member back in Daonna had mentioned that the group had been advised to stay out of these matters. Poking into things had already resulted in some heads being sent to the King.]

So forget it. He offered his wisdom on the situation, but nothing more.

And how is that supposed to happen when members of the group are targets? What happens when it's you they go after next? Still going to take his side?

[ Tzilan you fuck. ]

And his wisdom was?

If they come after me, then they'll have a much harder time of it than they expect.

[Deadly serious, and there isn't a shred of doubt or his standard play at innocent charm here. It fades as he carries on back into mild annoyance, but it was there.]

And I didn't say on I was on his side in this matter.

[Saralegui frowns, almost pouts, but then he sighs and just glances away, unhappily reciting that advice:]

Mark those who matter most in a way that even they don't know about and can't discover for identification purposes. That's it. If this becomes as common a tactic as it apparently used to be, he expects most of us will go mad.

They should have had a harder time with me.

[ But they didn't. Shard magic ripped right through her training like it had never happened at all. ]

I'd already considered the first part. Ugh. What is the point of knowing an ancient vampire if he's that unhelpful?

We aren't the same.

[Some people keep their greatest strengths hidden.]

Now, enough. You're lashing out at people who've done nothing wrong. If you're going to be angry, point it in a more productive direction.

We could be.

[ It isn't, after all, the Devourer that should have been able to stand up to it. ]

I wouldn't go as far as to say that he isn't doing anything wrong.

[ In fact, she'd say sitting idly by while the Cult does this is very Much wrong. ]

Thank you for trying.

[He arches an eyebrow delicately, but otherwise doesn't bother responding to that statement. She doesn't know anything, and he isn't going to be more specific.]

Then you can tell him that yourself at the next Court gathering.

[His patience is clearly running thin, and her gratitude does little to soothe it.]

I'll let you know if anything happens.

video | morning after the audience | unseelie & open non-locket comms

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