video; unseelie.

[survivra]

Well, now that that silver nonsense seems to be sorted out, I think we need to start talking about things we can actually fight back when they attack us.

[ About as direct a greeting into the topic of this message as you can get. Katsa sits somewhere outdoors, cross-legged in the grass with her locket angled to show the sky clear behind her: fitting for the mismatched colors of her eyes, unusually bright green and blue. ]

I know our High Majestic King and Queen [ the titles spoken with a hint of irony ] don't seem to care always how old someone is or how much experience you've with weapons or fighting when they decide to claim you. Whatever you think of this war, whether you'd rather run right into the Void right now or wait for it to come to you, everyone here should have the skills to unlock their own strength. It's better that you've the ability to jam a knife into a man's eyeball and never have to do it than find yourself at the end of an attacker's blade with no way to get out of it. You shouldn't have to rely on anyone else.

So I'll teach you if you've no experience of your own. I usually teach young girls—children—but I'll not turn my back if you need it. That includes how to use your shard—the thing that Seelie will try to take right out of your chest.

[ She moves to close the locket—then halts, fumbles, and picks something off the ground to hold flat in her palm to show anyone watching. ]

And what in the name of the Middluns am I supposed to do with this?

[ WHO HAS TURTLE CARE TIPS???? ]


( dated after boon delivery on the 25th! )

Comments

[unafraid]

[ oh. so this is the woman Hiro told her about. ]

What do our shards do? I thought we were just supposed to protect them. Y'know, not get killed so people couldn't take them. There's more to it?

[survivra]

[ Katsa fidgets. She knows more, far more than she is at liberty to say, about what the shards can do. She wants to tell, too, but what might come of talking about what she knows about them scares her far more than almost anything.

And Katsa is rarely afraid. ]

Imagine yourself at your most powerful. Your shard can make you twice so.

If they're going to think to force us into a war, we might as well be able to use the things we never asked to be stuck beneath our breasts to our own advantage, shouldn't we? The shard has power; that's why people want them. So you ought to learn to use it for yourself instead.

[unafraid]

Yeah, that- really sounds too good to be true. What's the catch? [ she is totally working off of what she's read in myth more than what she's learned about magic so far here. in stories, something that powerful always comes with a catch. power comes with a sacrifice, magic comes with a cost. ] I mean, why wouldn't that be the first thing they tell us when we get here? What's the point of keeping it a secret?

[survivra]

A lot of people have forgotten that it can even do those things before now.

[ A frown. That's not a bad question. ]

Mostly the bad things come when you lost it. The power comes from your connection to your home. And—

[ She fumbles for something off to the side of her locket. ]

Have you heard of the Fox Cult?

[unafraid]

Yeah, I've heard of it.

[ nothing good, and it's probably obvious in her tone, but she leaves it at that because maybe this woman has connections to it or.. something. better safe than sorry? eh. ]

[survivra]

Well, then you’ve likely heard they can turn the power of your shard against you if they’re around when you try to use it. There’s something else. But only you can decide whether you’d like to use what you can of it nonetheless.

[unafraid]

[ well that sounds awful. we all know how much Octavia hates the idea of being controlled. ]

But there's ways to defend yourself against that, right? [ what's that thing Clarke always talks about ] Runes. Protection spells.

[survivra]

[ shrug ]

You’d have to ask the people of Diasbaile. But I don’t think so. From what I’ve heard the only way to counter their shard magic is with our own, but that takes training.

I'd rather just use a blade, personally, but I've not seen their power myself.

[unafraid]

[ she nods, but she'll cut that topic off there, not wanting to get into details if it's not.. really safe to. but the corner of her mouth quirks up at that last part ]

I'm with you on that one. There's no magic in my world, but most problems are solved with a knife.

[survivra]

[ Katsa smiles back. ]

My cousin tries to solve most of his problems with his words or medicines and would tell both of us that a knife rarely solves anything. I’ve seen it solve plenty when applied correctly.

Can you fight with one?

[unafraid]

I've been learning. That's actually- why I came to you.

[ slight hesitation there, like it's embarrassing to admit or something. ]

A friend told me you were a good trainer. I'm not starting from scratch, but I wouldn't turn down a chance to relearn the basics. If you're up for it, since I see now you usually help kids.

[ AND 17 DOES NOT A KID MAKE OK ]

[survivra]

A friend? [ That’s curious. Katsa’s repetition is obviously a question, though she continues speaking without waiting for an answer. ]

I only usually teach young girls because in my seven kingdoms those are the people who need it most: those who need the opportunities to hone their own strengths as much as any boy or man, or aren’t already married into a situation in which they choose then to rely on their husbands or brothers for safety. I know it isn’t the same here, that women are at that sort of disadvantage, and all I care is that those who need it have the training they desire. Everyone deserves to be able to look after themselves.

So—I’d be glad to continue teaching you.

[unafraid]

Hiro.

[ they talked a few times, and Bellamy looks out for him, so he's a friend. they're at friend status, yep. ]

Good. I mean, thanks. [ thanks should have probably come first woops. but really she's just relieved. there have been a lot of people who have offered to train her, but Katsa's the only one that's actually been recommended by someone, so, there's a little more confidence there ] When were you planning on meeting with people?

[survivra]

Oh, Hiro. [ Katsa likes him, and that’s evident in her grin. ] In the early week or two of next month, at Caer Scima. Can you make it?

[unafraid]

[ nodnodnodnod!! ]

I'll be there. Hopefully with a new weapon of my own.