before we draw the battle lines

JUNIPER

you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do

Juniper bustled around her home a bit before the time she'd invited Remi to come over, making some unnecessary last-minute attempts to tidy up. She'd already cleaned, really; she was just a bit nervous. Then the teakettle she'd set on the stove whistled, and she went to pour its contents into a teapot that she set out on the table, along with two cups and the appropriate accoutrements.

In all the diplomacy Juniper had done recently, she'd never invited someone into her home, and she feared her hosting skills were rusty. Or nonexistent: she'd never had many visitors. The last person who'd entered her home was Nephele, offering her the position she currently occupied. Even with all its ups and downs, Juniper was glad she'd said yes.

She'd written a brief note to Remi asking him to visit her to discuss "the defense of the Greatwood," because she had questions. And although she was nervous, she knew this ought to be no big deal, especially compared to her meeting with Wessex, which had gone worse than she'd hoped and better than she'd feared.

if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.

table by Skylark

i wish i could say that i am a light that never goes out

The invitation was a surprise, but not an unwelcome one. That Remi had been to the village many times did not mean he let himself think he was welcome there. Sent to guard the Greatwood though he might have been, he didn't let them fool him into a false sense of welcome. These woods were the Fae's, and he was just an interloper here. A helpful one perhaps, but a largely uninvited one just the same.

The Remi who arrives at Juniper's door is one who bears all the hallmarks of someone well-travelled through the wood: scratches from branches on his bare arms, shoeless, his curls sporting more than a few leaves and twigs, and of course the scent of juniper and sap like a second skin. One of the tallest of the fae, Remi is still a good deal taller than she, and so he arrives without his wings so that he doesn't appear any larger than is necessary (and also so that he doesn't bump into anything).

"Hallo? Juniper?" Remi's knuckles knock once on the door; the alchemist likely just as nervous about this meeting as the fae was.

but I  f l i c k e r

from time to time

REMI

Table and Gif sniping by SKY who is eternally the best forever

JUNIPER

you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do

Even though she was expecting Remi's knock, Juniper almost jumped when it came. She put the teapot down and went to the door, opening it with a smile. That smile almost faltered at Remi's somewhat disheveled appearance, but in a triumph of professionalism, she kept it in place. While Juniper was surprised to see that he looked like he might have rolled through a bush on the way here, she wasn't offended -- after all, this wasn't a formal occasion. And she wasn't about to act judgmental towards a demigod.

"Hello! Thank you for coming. Come on in and have a seat." Juniper backed out of the doorway so that Remi could follow her inside and to the sitting area. He'd have to bend his head to get through the door; it was only 5'8", a good foot taller than Juniper herself. She took her own seat and picked up the teapot. "Tea?"

if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.

table by Skylark

i wish i could say that i am a light that never goes out

It's awkward of course, to enter into a space clear not designed for you, and Remi considers suggesting that they take their tea outside. But perhaps this was a powerplay on Juniper's part, to force the DeMiGoD to be somewhere so ill-fitting. To make him feel not quite so powerful. If that was her aim, it wouldn't work though, if only because strong as he'd become, Remi never really felt powerful. How could he? Especially now, separated by force from his husband as he was.

"Thank you." So saying Remi indeed lowered his head to enter, wishing he had a shift that he'd be able to speak with her through. Sadly neither hawks nor manticores would work. "Please." He replied enthusiastically, pulling out a chair and sitting on it as delicately as he could lest he break something. "I almost opened a tea-shop once." The alchemist offers, to fill the silence.

but I  f l i c k e r

from time to time

REMI

Table and Gif sniping by SKY who is eternally the best forever

JUNIPER

you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do

Juniper hadn't conceived of her surroundings as a power move -- hadn't even realized how out of place Remi would be in her small home. She tried to hide her embarrassment, in fact, as he navigated the Fae-sized door and Fae-sized furniture. At least she had a relatively high ceiling, so he shouldn't have to stoop too much. If he had suggested that they go outdoors, she would have agreed -- but he didn't, and the idea didn't occur to her.

"Oh?" she said, pouring the tea with a somewhat rueful smile. "That seems like a nice life, running a tea shop; I can imagine the appeal."

She couldn't say that she thought he'd be good at it or anything, because she knew so little about him; her Fae honesty kept her from meaningless platitudes. Instead she decided to move on to the true meaning of this visit. If they were already uncomfortable, no reason to delay further in introducing awkward questions.

"I asked you here because I have questions about the Order," Juniper said, gently putting the teapot down and sliding Remi's cup towards him. "Is it true that they seek the destruction of all Ascended?"

if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.

table by Skylark

i wish i could say that i am a light that never goes out

'I wanted nothing more than that." Remi says, and then grins. "At the time anyway.' Now opening a teashop with Ianto seemed about as possible as ending this whole ascended-war without any bloodshed. Still, it was a nice memory to think about, from time to time.

'Oh?' Remi knew enough about them, thanks to Ronin and the brief affair he'd had with Finn, to hopefully answer Juniper's questions. "They do." He confirms with a grim nod, reaching for his cup and wrapping his fingers around it to savour its warmth. "They're just..abominations to them. That one or two might be kind people doesn't factor into it. They...throw everything out of balance." That's the best way he can think to describe it, anyway. 'After how things went before with the war, and the barrier...I think they plan on being more aggressive this time around to make sure nothing like that happens again."

but I  f l i c k e r

from time to time

REMI

Table and Gif sniping by SKY who is eternally the best forever

JUNIPER

you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do

Juniper nodded, smiling back. She could share the wistful idea of a simpler life -- though her life had been that simple until Nephele had knocked on her door, and she hadn't been happy with it. No, it wasn't a simpler life that she wanted so much as a less dangerous one. If war would only cease to threaten ...

"I see." Juniper's practice in diplomacy, in self-control, kept her voice neutral -- kept her from protesting the idea of exterminating an entire people just for the crime of existing. Yes, some of the Ascended had attacked the Fae, and she rather wanted those Ascended dead -- but many of them were innocent. "That's what the Order seeks -- but what do you think? Do you agree that the Ascended should be exterminated?"

if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.

table by Skylark

i wish i could say that i am a light that never goes out

"Oh, no." Remi's response is instant. His voice is tempered and calm however; this isn't the first time he's been asked this question. "Some of my best friends were ascended. A man I once loved, too." This is added much more quietly, with a private and almost bashful half-smile. Remi hasn't spoken of Sam that way in...years now. But it seems important just now, for some strange reason.

Running a hand through his curls, the alchemist shakes his head with a weary sigh. "But what I think doesn't seem to matter. When we—" 'we' being the demigods. "—were called before Vi and Mort and Rae, there was no time to negotiate. No time to speak on the behalf of the ascended. Delphia and I were placed here, while Ronin and Amalia were stationed in Stormbreak." Cracking his knuckles, the tension in his jaw and shoulders evidence of just what he thought of this arrangement quite clear, the alchemist again just shakes his head.

"The gods seem...quite unreasonable." He concludes, sitting up slightly straighter as if expecting to be struck down at any moment for saying so.

but I  f l i c k e r

from time to time

REMI

Table and Gif sniping by SKY who is eternally the best forever

JUNIPER

you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do

Juniper let out a relieved breath. "I'm glad to find us of similar minds. I don't agree with the Order's goals either. I may not have much personal experience with the Ascended, but to wipe out an entire people ... Some Ascended have attacked us, and they should face the consequences of their actions, but I have no quarrel with the rest."

But the gods wanted it. Juniper hesitated, a lifetime of faith warring with her conscience. The heralds were fallible, could be jealous or contrary, but the greater gods -- Mort and Vi and Rae -- how dare she contradict them? She might as well tell the rain not to fall.

And yet ... the gods had to work through mortals, or at least demigods. Otherwise they would have already wiped out the Ascended themselves. And Juniper might not be able to change the gods' minds, but she could say not me; you won't use me for this.

"I know the Order are our allies, and we will need them if it comes to war." That if was important to Juniper; she still hoped that perhaps her efforts could prevent an outright war. Though if the gods willed it, who was she to say no? I'm someone who actually has to live with the consequences. "But I have no desire to aid them in such slaughter -- the opposite. So ... what are we going to do about it?"

if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.

table by Skylark

i wish i could say that i am a light that never goes out

Remi nods emphatically at that, though he can't help the way his fingers twitch and want to rub at his eyes. It's as if all of this is some strange dream. He was once a commoner and a no-one. Now to be in the thick of all this, potentially making life-altering decisions was almost laughable. And indeed if he knew Juniper better, he might truly have laughed.

'Well....I recently spoke to Frey about that. What you'd said before, about the Mathair, had me thinking. Truthfully..." Here, the alchemist pauses to offer the fae a boyishly apologetic smile. "..I hadn't really believed that the tree was a goddess. I suppose it won't surprise you at all that I was wrong." Bemusement shapes his smile for just a moment before he continues. "Frey said the spirit of the tree is healing. She's taken refuge in the Feverlands...a...dangerous swampland, but the sound of it. With enough fresh meat though, Frey thinks she might be strong enough to return."

but I  f l i c k e r

from time to time

REMI

Table and Gif sniping by SKY who is eternally the best forever

JUNIPER

you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do

Returning the Mathair sounded wonderful, but that wasn't really what Juniper had meant by what are we going to do -- she wanted to know if Remi had any plans to thwart the Order's murderous intentions. Preferably while still managing to act as their allies, which would be ... complicated. She let it go for now, though, because she wanted to know about the Mathair too.

Remi's admission of his disbelief made Juniper smile a little, amused rather than offended -- especially since he'd been wrong. The Mathair lived. She could be restored! That was the best news Juniper had gotten all season, and she smiled brightly. The Feverlands, yes, that sounded like a potential obstacle, but other words of Remi's stood out more: "She needs fresh meat?"

Was that what the Fae typically offered the Mathair?

if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.

table by Skylark

i wish i could say that i am a light that never goes out

"That's what Frey said." The alchemist confirms with a nod. "Frey had said once the Mathair was strong enough, she might return and help defend this place. If that's the case...perhaps there will be no need for the Order to come here. It might delay things enough to find another way." He adds, finally answering her original question.

Running his fingertips around the cup of his tea before raising it to his lips, the alchemist levels a steady stare toward Juniper. "I was going to go to the Feverlands...see if what Frey said was true and if I could find the Mathair. There aren't portals there, and even if there were, I'm...leery of using them as I"m sure you can understand." Remi's mind often worked in scattershot blasts, and sometimes it could take a moment or two for him to finally come to some sort of point. "So it might take some doing to get food to her which isn't sourced directly from the marshes.." He frowns, looking into his tea.

"Can you think of any way? The Greatwood could provide so much food, if only we could bring it to her."

but I  f l i c k e r

from time to time

REMI

Table and Gif sniping by SKY who is eternally the best forever

JUNIPER

you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do

Juniper's eyes lit up at the idea of the Mathair returning -- and the idea that they might be able to kill two birds with one stone, bringing their goddess back and keeping the Order at arm's length. She nodded, adding, "Bringing the Mathair back would do great things for my people's morale, too."

So they had to get to the Feverlands ... and get food to the Feverlands for the Mathair. Juniper agreed with Remi that transport was the problem, not sourcing; the Fae had plenty of hunters who would gladly contribute their catches if it meant the return of their goddess. She considered for a moment. "It might be a good idea for a small group to go first, to scout out the land -- and confirm that the Mathair is willing to return. I would be quite interested in being part of that group. Then ... our gift of flight might help carry supplies across dangerous territory. And what about that magical wagon of Ianto's? I don't know what properties it has beyond 'magical,' I'm afraid."

She wasn't even sure if Ianto still had the Wishing Wagon -- she hadn't seen it around lately.

if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.

table by Skylark

i wish i could say that i am a light that never goes out

"Absolutely." The alchemist says, inclining his head in easy agreement. It wasn't his place to tell Juniper what she could or couldn't do, and certainly he could understand her desire, as a Fae, to aid with the return of the Mathair. "I was thinking of going in perhaps a week. Would that suit you?"

As for Ianto's wagon? Smiling crookedly as he ruffles a hand through his curls, the alchemist is helpless to offer much more than a shrug. "I can ask, though the wagon gets rather disobedient when anyone other than Ianto leads it. And...I very much doubt he'll want to be on this journey." Remi says with a shrug. "But whether it's through flight or not, I'm sure we'll find a way."

The fate of the Greatwood might just depend on it.

but I  f l i c k e r

from time to time

REMI

Table and Gif sniping by SKY who is eternally the best forever