tryhard

there's a bulletproof bond

Remi tried to sigh out the tension he felt at having Wessex appraise his work. Not because he thought he'd done anything wrong, but because he wondered idly about the power structures at play here. Had Loren gone rogue? Was Wessex changing her mind? Had something else happened? Not to mention the fact that the king, Remi's husband, was noticeably lacking from all of these decisions, through no fault of the queen's.

"Loren had suggested collapsing it. But given what little I know of structural integrity I had thought a wall better." So saying he led Wessex down into the tunnel. Knowing she could see just fine, Remi shifted his eyes so that he too could see well-enough.

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WESSEX out of the night that covers me The Wraith follows Remi into the tunnel towards the Rathskellar, eyebrows raised at the news that Loren had asked the alchemist to collapse the tunnel. She recalls it being mentioned but had never given the go-ahead. That discussion had been fraught with suggestions and accusations, and in the end some things may have slipped her notice. Rather than throw Loren under the bus (because that’s not what leaders do, and you don’t publically chastise your mouthpieces if you want them to keep working with your authority), Wessex’s expression changes into one of consideration. “Good call. It’s all so old that we take it for granted. I was wondering, though, if you could make it like one of those doors I heard about in the Manor? Something that we can open in case of emergency.” black as the pit from pole to pole i thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul

there's a bulletproof bond

For a moment Remi pauses and looks at the queen. In Northaven—not that any of the royalty would have ever to a commoner like him—but their words would have been carried out immediately. Even those like the Master Chief had received nothing but humble and instant submission from the alchemist.

Now though...Now Remi was perhaps a bit more thoughtful, and a bit more willful as well. He wasn't even with Wessex, not in rank, strength, or knowledge, but he wasn't entirely beneath her feet either.

"I can add a door, yes. Easily even. Though, what is the difference between a door here versus the Rathskeller? All doors can be opened with enough effort, and short as LongNight is, the monsters seem to be quite efficient in their attacks."

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WESSEX out of the night that covers me This is not Northaven. Wessex isn’t royalty. She’s just in charge. And Lord, maybe someone should ask her about that, because she would love to write a fucking dissertation on the differences between the two places and then assign it as mandatory reading for everyone during LongNight. She shrugs. He makes a good point, and she knows nothing about architecture or structural things, other than her best, educated guess. “I don’t know, I was just going with what’s already been done, so you don’t have to undo it all and then do it again.” She’s flying by the seat of her pants here, having never done large-scale preparations for this many people. “This -” she gestures back to the Temple, to the area around her “ - is unprecedented. So, what about something that could be keyed to nanites. So that Rex or I would have to open it.” Cause if they don’t trust her, they should trust Rex. black as the pit from pole to pole i thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul

there's a bulletproof bond

Remi nibbles at his lip, turning towards the wall for a moment as if in thought. And he is, in a way. Only he's thinking about a different queen, who wanted a different door keyed to herself and those she chose.

Running a hand across his eyes, he turns back with his arms folded across his chest. Not defensively or in any sort of attempt to intimidate, merely to keep his fingers from fidgeting. "It would take one of my magic slots. That is not a no, just something to consider. I have saved my magic all season just for this week, so I am not against using it. Indeed a secret way out or in might be useful...but more useful than an amulet to store magic?" He shrugs, before giving the queen an easy smile.

"Your call."

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WESSEX out of the night that covers me Wessex watches him chew his lip and doesn’t realize what he’s thinking about (how could she?). The parallels would be inevitable, because the Wraith knows she’s like the Merciless in some ways. She also knows she’s better than Zariah, but they didn’t exactly go from the Evil Stepmother to Cinderella with their Queens, now did they? And as he keeps talking, she realizes just how little she knows about the Abandoned, particularly when he mentions magic slots. It might be as little as he knows about Ascended. “Understood. First -” she counts out the questions on her fingers, “- how many magic slots do you have? Second, we need at least two amulets - for spark birds from Loren. What others were you thinking? A general collection of magic or something specific?” At this point, she just needs him to talk her through it, because she’s sure she’s forgetting something and all she wants is to make a choice that protects the most people. It doesn’t matter who’s idea it is. black as the pit from pole to pole i thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul

there's a bulletproof bond

"Twelve, a season." Remi answers without hesitation. Wessex's perfunctory style takes all the worry the alchemist normally has with questions such as those, not wanting to sound arrogant. "I was thinking three amulets for the Monster Hunter's guild—two with spark bird magic and one with healing magic. We will have the unicorns, but mastered healing might come in handy. Then I would give Loren two empty amulets to do with as he—or you—sees fit. And then perhaps one with my creation magic in it, in case something else is needed."


////

As Wessex leans in, the alchemist raises a curious brow. The mention of Roana's children nearly makes him gasp as he offers her a wide-eyed and confused stare. "Here?" He whispers back, aware that she'd made an attempt towards privacy. Loren had said the ascended-hunting-soldier was going to be placed in jail, but he'd never even considered her children. All the more reason they shouldn't be here. "I...I do not think there would be anyone to watch over them here. Is...isn't Phoebe their aunt?" He asks, the lineages confusing him as always. Even if not, the children-loving midwife seemed the best candidate.

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WESSEX out of the night that covers me “So that’s eight, then, with the shells and the parchment?” The division of amulets and powers is all fine and good, yadda yadda yadda. Chewing in inside of her lip, running it against a fang, she muses aloud, “And you should save at least two slots for emergencies.” A needless exhale. “I think a second way out is necessary, practically speaking. But only if we can control it.” Picturing the tunnel and the Rathskellar, she makes a sound that indicates a new idea. “What if you take this away-” she indicates the barrier “- and put the door at the cellar entrance. Make it so it can only be opened by someone with a heartbeat.” Which means that the Monsters couldn’t use it. And neither could the Ascended. But that was a risk she was willing to take, and her somber gaze acknowledges the sacrifice she’s willing to make. “The only other option I can think of right now is to just barricade and prepare the Rathskellar as usual. Or leave it as is and have an amulet filled with earth magic, too.” Fuck. This is getting complicated - and Wessex isn’t a fan of complicated. /////// “She is,” the Queen agrees. “But Phoebe can’t be trusted to follow my instructions. She’s proved that already.” She’s proved a lot of things, actually, but Wessex isn’t about to get into that right now. “And while I’ve come to think that keeping Roana and the children in the same place might be a good way to keep her from doing anything stupid, I also have Rex, Bastien, and their new Ascended kid in the Temple as well.” Logistically, this is turning into a nightmare. Who she’s willing to risk, who she isn’t willing to risk. “I thought this might be the more child-friendly place. With Aoife here, and all.” black as the pit from pole to pole i thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul

there's a bulletproof bond

Remi nods once, twice. Their thinking is aligned. Until...Remi's mouth opens. Clever. A heartbeat. He pauses, and nods. "I can do that." The alchemist says. Placing a hand on the wall, a door appears. If nothing else, it will slow someone down if they can break in. Later, when there is more time, he can remove the earth. Trusting Wessex will follow, he walks through the tunnel up into the Rathskeller. The door leading to it is old and rickety, easily knocked in. In a matter of moments however is is encased in stone with a panel on it for a hand to be placed. A panel that will only recognize one with a beating heart to open it. A similar panel appears on the other side as well.

//////


That Phoebe wouldn't follow the Queen's instructions, Remi can only snort in amused agreement. "Would that were true..." If anything, with limited food and water, with warriors instead of caregivers and with unicorns instead of two proper healers, citing Aoife as somehow making it child-friend is laughable to the alchemist. "Safrin protects her." Remi says with a slight shake of his head. "If anything, I think knowing the boy's safety is at risk would make Phoebe more likely to listen to you, if only to ensure their safety."

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WESSEX out of the night that covers me The Wraith remains silent while Remi does his work, appreciative that they’re on the same page and doubly so for his willingness to give away his magic like this. It probably helps that she very rarely asks for anything from him. She places a mental note to immediately get on preparing the Rathskellar and to include some way to reinforce the door in said preparations. Once the alchemist is done, the Queen asks, “Test it?” Not that she doubted his work, but because it’s the smart thing to do. Wouldn’t want a malfunction when they need it the most. Placing a hand to the panel, she presses it gently into the area and - surprise, surprise - nothing happens. Stepping aside, she waits for Remi to do the same. /////// There’s that phrase again, Safrin protects her, as if there is no one else there who can, or is willing to. And she supposes that Ronin probably hasn’t been the best parent lately, but to think that Remi and Amalia and Deimos couldn’t…? It’s exceedingly curious. Her eyes narrow ever so slightly. “Got it.” She won't ask again. Maybe if worse comes to worse, she can have some sleeping potions made up for the like, five fucking kids in the Temple. He is probably right about the Steadman women and the kids, at least when it comes to following instructions, but as for the rest, she’s still highly skeptical. There’s a brief pause. She knows best of all that during LongNight, warrior-types don’t make a place safe, in the traditional sense of the word. But is there something else at work? “Remi. Are you… not saying something?” A vague question. But it’s a vague feeling. black as the pit from pole to pole i thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul

there's a bulletproof bond

With a nod, he extends his hand to the panel. Light flushes beneath it and within the door a locking mechanism clicks and tumbles, and the bolt is released. Giving the queen a wry smile, he nods. "Done."

///////

Tilting his head in a decidedly avian fashion, the alchemist shakes his head. "Only that, if I am being honest, I do not want the responsibility of the triplets." It's exceedingly selfish, but also true. "Had I that responsibility last LongNight, I could not have just run out into the fields to save Isla. Or...whatever it was Ludo did to her." He said, swallowing hard. "I do know Phoebe does not like you and does not want to listen to you. I think she will though, for the boys. "

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WESSEX out of the night that covers me She nods. “Good. And thank you for the slot.” Turning back to the Rathskellar, she leads the way to the warm little bar and then into the Temple, where everyone else has by now dispersed. She’ll have to update Loren on the changes, but that is neither here nor there. “I’m sure I’ll see you again before LongNight. Take care.” And with that, the Wraith moves silently to go and collect some snow moss for the Rath, because she seems to have created more work for herself. {Fin!} ////// And if Wessex is being honest, neither does she; except that she’s the one who arrested the triplets’ mother and so… that obnoxious sense of duty that’s come up recently is there again. Her jaw clenches. “Right,” is all she says, until Remi’s words make her do a double-take. “Ludo did the unicorn thing?” comes out rather incredulously, unable to tell if it was a blessing or a curse for the alchemist and the once-human unicorn. Ludo was an enigma to her, in all honesty. He showed the Ascended her family, but then tells Roana to kill them all. Did he infect Isla, too, as a premature attack on the Ascended? She shakes her head. Can’t be worried about things like that now - it’s all just a distraction. “If you feel the need to endanger yourself this year… be quiet, slow, and dark. They can sense power in a person and are more likely to… be swayed by the powerful, though giving them that kind of credit isn’t exactly right.” A brief pause. “And for fuck’s sake, shut all the doors tight.” She doesn’t want to know She doesn’t want to know She doesn’t want to know. black as the pit from pole to pole i thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul

there's a bulletproof bond

"Let me know if you need any other help. If not, I will most likely be preparing the guildhall." He echoes brightly.

//////

Trying not to wince at the words unicorn-thing the alchemist nods. "I...found her, and made an open-ended promise to Ludo to do whatever it might ask of me, at any time, if it could bring her back." Ruffling a hand through his curls, he sighs. "I should have been more specific." He adds lamely, though it hardly matters now.

The news about them sensing power was new, though. Jaw open, Remi blanches. "They...so..." His blood runs cold for a moment. Himself, Jigano, Amalia. They are all, in their own right, extremely powerful. It is by virtue of that that he'd thought they stood a chance. To hear it might be their downfall? "..oh." He adds, pulling in a hasty breath.

"Mmm." Remi agrees, belatedly. "I was going to create a ...second wall within the guildhall. In case anything slips through, at least there would be one more barrier.

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WESSEX out of the night that covers me “Ludo is…” she trails off with a shrug, unable to finish the sentence. Unpredictable? An enigma? Bi-polar? He was always the one she understood the least when she was Accepted. But his recent actions - what she took to be a kind gesture juxtaposed with telling Roana to kill them all - put him in another category entirely. “Just make sure you have a lot of tricks in your pocket.” she says darkly, now irritated that the alchemist is putting himself in danger. Which is what she assumes, because he doesn’t deny that he’s going to do anything. And he better not drag Sam into it, either - but she keeps that little threat tied up tightly. Everything is falling to pieces and she can’t do a damn thing about it. “Might work,” the Queen offers noncommittally. “Give you some time to… I don’t know, try and hide somewhere.” But that’s the best she can offer, because you can’t fix stupidity and she’s beginning to wonder how far it’s spread, this going out during LongNight nonsense. “Then I’ll leave you to it,” comes as she steps away and takes one last look at the Guildhall. Remi said no to the kids, and she could command it, but she won’t. On the long list of battles to pick, this wasn’t one of them. black as the pit from pole to pole i thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul