⇨ THE WINTER COURT

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone willing to come.
When: Day 142
Where: The Winter Palace
What: Whether you've ascended to godhood or been blessed with temporary protections, it's time to confront the Winter Queen.
Warnings: ???

THE BEGINNING AND THE END↴ Once everyone has made their decisions, the Ringmaster will take those that have chosen to ascend to an isolated place within her realm. As it turns out, that end up being the core of the two moons, combined into one impregnable space. This might be a bit explosive, she warns. Can't be too careful. With everyone together, back in her partly humanoid form, she will bring out the Blue Rose and the Silver Mirror - both in their sword and shield forms respectively - and begin her work. Her wings, now feathery and glowing red with power, spread around the group, and they will feel a stirring in their body and soul. The space becomes blinding, like overwhelming light and darkness all at once, burning and freezing all at once. Life and death, all at once. You bleed into the ether, become one with it, and then reform - only you've brought something back with you. The domain of one of the Miracles has bound itself to you, body and soul. Though it is the Miracle's legacy, the power is now yours, to do with what you will. No other force will command you. Once it is done, the moon has become an eclipse, it's corporeal form melting away. You will find yourself floating back down to the surface of the realm, changed but empowered. Your body may appear different than before, or it may be the same - regardless, you are something fully new. You have the same memories, the same desires, the same hopes, but they have come together to create something else. You are born again.

Comments

[atouts]

"I think I know how that feels, just a little," Childermass says with what is, surprisingly, a faintly amused tone. Portland feels like a hundred years ago at this point, although he supposes he can't quite hold that up directly next to 'was a Miracle all along'.

"Although between what the River Dragon told us and the way I understand that your kind's children come to be, are you really any less the Great Beast than you are the Red one?"

[lordofthering]

She sighs, obviously frustrated with things in general.

"I don't know... Maybe I just feel stupid for deciding to hunt after myself." That's gotta be some kind of metaphor. "I suppose... I should speak to the River Dragon, at some point. He never paid much attention to me in this life. I guess now I know why."

She crosses her arms, and then looks at him.

"...I feel worse about what I let happen to you. To everyone." She glances away again. "I meant it before... that...that I was... sorry..."

It's harder to say it now, not in the passion of the moment.

[atouts]

Childermass raises his eyebrows at that. He hadn't really expected her to repeat an apology, all things considered, but the least he can do is reply with, "I know. Please, consider your apology accepted, at least by me."

Although for what she's apologizing for...

"Though I had plenty of chances to leave throughout your wild hunt for the Miracles, Ringmaster, and I chose not to. Even at Shabon, I doubt any of the fae would have bothered searching the shadows too deeply had I chosen to leave everyone else behind."

[lordofthering]

She exhales softly, like she is letting tension out of her system. Hearing him say that means a lot, especially since Childermass is not one for empty platitudes. She manages a smile.

"What do you think you'll do now? After... whatever happens with the Winter Queen..." Since that's still an awkward little roadblock, but hey, they're working on it! "You'll be a better mage than pretty much anyone else on your planet, I imagine."

[atouts]

"After whatever happens..." A good question. Childermass looks elsewhere for a second or two, mulling it over, though with how little time that takes, chances are he already knows exactly what he's doing next. "You'd think but, no, I have no plans to be that."

He says that with a shrug, bringing his gaze back around to her.

"I was never destined to be the greatest magician in England and I've no interest in anyone believing as much, either, so I'll just do what I always planned to do. I'll go home and translate the book and then let the rest take it from there."

[lordofthering]

She frowns a little, seemingly a bit bemused by the concept. Both his logic and him apparently not wanting to be the greatest in the first place.

"Well... it doesn't matter if they think you are. You actually are," she says, shrugging her shoulder helplessly. "All the more reason for you to do what you want, I think. Are you taking Lambert with you?"

Of course she'd ask that.

[atouts]

"There's what is the truth and then there's what I'd rather have them believe," Childermass tries to simplify it some. He doesn't want attention. For all that his own treatment back home can rub him the wrong way, he's never been much for showing off.

Moving on to the topic of Lambert, though, now that draws out an amused look from the magician.

"Of course. Can you even imagine me leaving him behind?"

[lordofthering]

She grins back at him - if there's one thing that cheers her up, it's the idea of Childermass and Lambert being in love. Not that either of them would probably like to hear her phrase it like that.

"Not particularly," she admits. "I'm not even sure he'd know what to do with himself if you did." There. A more subtle way of saying 'I ship it.'

She pauses for a moment, considering.

"...I do want you to know that, after this, no matter how much time passes... my door will always be open to you. Wherever my door ends up being. That is, if you ever want a change in scenery."

[atouts]

"Something miserable, I imagine," Childermass says, knowing exactly what that would be and knowing that, yes, it would be depressing, so he won't say anything more.

"Ah, I was actually hoping you could point out how to get to Alola sometime," he gratefully shifts topics when she does. "Though it's good to know you won't be giving up on the carnival after all of this. I imagine I'll miss it sooner than later." Although, he adds with a faint laugh, "I would suggest you visit England sometime but you might find it dull. Even with magic returning, I'm sure they'll find some way to suck the excitement out of it."

[lordofthering]

"Oh, Alola? That's easy. I have it bookmarked," she says, batting a hand. "Though it may take some time for you to learn to do it yourself, once you have the connection it's much easier to do a second time."

She crosses her arms, looking uncertain.

"Though... I don't know if I'll still be doing the carnival... exactly..." She doesn't sound like she's sure one way or the other. "There might be something else I have to do."

[atouts]

"Considering how badly I wish to visit it again, I'm sure I'll figure it out," Childermass admits, for once, to someone who isn't Lambert. He is awfully attached to his stupid dog from those islands, so he suspects it isn't a surprise, anyhow. The rest that the Ringmaster has to say, however, gives him pause.

He gives her a curious look, trying to sort out what she might mean on his own first before having a guess at it with, "Do you mean staying in the Wyldlands?"