middaeg | [Open] Catch All for January (Some closed prompts)

Who: Edelgard von Hresvelg and You!
When: Pre-Snatched Plot, some Post potentially
Where: Dorchacht and Aefenglom
What: A Catchall
Warnings: Possibly discussions of torture, war, and 3 Houses Spoiler Warnings.

Tarnished Reality

[Unsure of what to expect when she stepped through the teleporter, Edelgard had gone fully prepared for the worst, insisting on wearing her scarlet battle armor, with her axe strapped in a leather thong across her back. When she found the city nothing like what she had been told, she'd initially been puzzled, but as it became more apparent that she was not going to be troubled she found herself relaxing fractionally.

Her changes were making it more difficult to function during the day, so she'd come at dusk, well rested and ready to explore the city. Moving among the people, her outlander dress marking her as a Mirrorbound as surely as the unusual battleaxe she carried, the Emperor was quiet through most of her wanderings. The sounds of a scuffle up ahead of her current path drew her up short, though and she stopped and looked around a corner.]

It seems all is not well. [Mumbled, but audible enough for any nearby to hear.] Do you think we should aid the guard?

Bond Lessons

[It's strange seeing other Mirrorbound being pulled up onto the stage, but so far she has avoided being ensnared herself. Watching the goings on is interesting enough, though, but she's still a little uncomfortable with it. So, she slides through the fringes of the crowd towards another unmolested Mirrorbound.]

Eager, are they not?

Home

[Edelgard has made it a point to attempt to win over support from the aristocracy early on, including personally investigating the Mist that had settled in there. The few supporters she'd managed to charm haven't quite turned on her, but when she makes her way out of the district she can feel something building. Tensions are rising, a thing she is extremely familiar with, and that's going to potentially be a problem.

It's not until she leaves the district and makes her way towards the Haven, the cool and crisp night air making her more alert than she might otherwise be, that she senses something amiss.

Eyes narrowed, she pokes her head around the mouth of an alley to see two graffiti artists hard at work. With an exasparated sigh she turns to wave a passing Mirrorbound over.]

Look at this nonsense...

Wildcard

[If you want to plot something out, in Dorch, out of it, a quest, anything else? HMU at

intercession and let's figure it out!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Well. That's certainly a thing.

Edelgard simply steps into the mouth of the alley, hand on her sword's hit, ready to draw...and shouts out a challenge.]

...And what do you think you're doing?

[It certainly is a thing.]

[Instead of directing the flames to attack the citizens, Rose instead keeps them behind her and Edelgard. They highlight Edelgrd’s already formidable presence. When Rose walks up, she’s frowning, and her arms are crossed.]

I believe they’re playing a game with the refugees. A cruel, unfair, and utterly horrible game.

Strange...I had thought that the Parliament and Coven both had agreed to give the refugees sanctuary.

[The vandals freeze, stunned by the dramatic entrance. The short, stocky woman walks forward with all the confidence of a human moving to crush a gnat, and they shrink back in fear.]

Should we turn them over to the watch? Or do you think it would be appropriate to show them the justice of our worlds?

[She smiles, making no attempt to hide the vampiric fangs that are just beginning to poke out from beneath her lips.]

It appears that they don’t care about the word of the Parliament or the Coven.

[Rose frowns. Her ‘flames’ spread out, blocking the closest exits to the ‘artists.’ They seem very scared. Not that Rose can blame them, looking at Edelgard, she’s a little terrified herself. At least they’re on the same side.]

I think we should show them the same respect they showed the Parliament’s ruling. That’s the fairest solution.

[Edelgard knows the kind of figure she cuts. Short, yes, but her crown and her demeanor are nothing short of frightful. And that's important because she looks like someone capable of murder, and that's what she wants these people to believe. She does not even need to bare her blade to have them just about ready to piss themselves.]

You mean blatant disregard, then? Very well.

[The shortsword flies from it's scabbard, pointed right at the two with unwavering certainty.]

Why do you persist in attempting to frighten those who have no home, no life, and no livelihood?

[The ‘artists’ are now looking for some, any escape, but there is none to be found. Rose has ensured that every exit in the vicinity is blocked by a wall of ‘flame.’ With tensions in the city rising, it feels like a bad idea to exacerbate the situation. And yet, that’s what the graffiti is already doing. This is nothing more than control.]

[Rose doesn’t draw her weapon, because she doesn’t need to. Edelgard is terrifying enough for the both of them. That’s not going to stop her from stepping forward and speaking up, however.]

The refugees have been nothing but kind to this city. They’re merely displaced families, looking for a home. And yet, you, who sleep comfortably in your beds every night, seek to harass them. This is nothing more than childish bullying, and we will not stand for it.

H-How dare you! We-

[One of the men begins to respond, but he's cut off by Edelgard. She slashes her hand through the air, a sharp gesture that makes him flinch.]

How dare we? How dare you. You disregard your own leadership's decisions, in the name of what? Nationalist pride? The misinformed belief that you are somehow better than people from another city? Those people are desperate and scared. They left their homes because they had nowhere else to go.

This city has plenty of resources to spare for a few mouths for a few months. The opulence that the aristocracy displays alone makes that clear.

[She advances another step.]

You ought to be ashamed of your own foolishness.

[Even though Edelgard slashes her hand, as far as Rose is concerned, she might as well be slashing a sword. The force behind her words can’t be understated. The citizens are cowering. Either her words are reaching them, or they’re too scared to pretend otherwise.]

[Rose fans the flames a little higher, and has them encircle the citizens completely. She’s not playing around.]

Now that you’re trapped with nowhere else to go, how does it feel? Certainly better than the refugees have felt, I’m sure.

This needs to stop. The tension you are causing is boiling over. Do you truly want more riots and looting?

[A callback to October and the Mists...Edelgard hopes to invoke that particular image without saying as much.]

Or do you want to live in a more peaceful, secure city that can better stand against the Cwyld?

[She hopes...mostly...that they'll agree. But some people are stubbornly foolish so who knows.]

[Whether it’s because they agree, or because they’re terrified out of their wits, the citizens appear to at least be paying attention to Edelgard. It’s a good start, if nothing else.]

Like it or not, these people are now part of your community. Dorchacht is now your ally. You can choose to accept them or reject them, but if you reject them, they won’t be the only ones who suffer.

[Rose eyes Edelgard, asking for permission to release the flames.]

[Edelgard nods to her quickly, her eyes only briefly leaving the vandals.]

My companion is right.

[She takes another step forward, lowering her blade a fraction.]

I would prefer that this not come to blows, but this behavior truly must stop. So I will ask you once more. Do you wish to persist, or would you prefer to take the peaceful option?

P-peace! We choose peace!

[They're absolutely quaking in fear when Rose halts the flames. Despite their fear, they don't flee immediately, and Rose uses this opportunity to say her piece.]

You must understand that we can't trust your word. Even should you flee here, we'll be watching.

[Edelgard tilts her head in acquiesence and waves them away, off towards the far end of the alley. They scamper away, practically tripping over themselves to do so.]

Well. At least they had the sense to flee.

[Rose frowns, and she sighs. This is always how it ends, isn't it?]

Indeed. Now we can only hope they have the sense to change their ways.

We can only hope.

[And cut? Let's move on to Snatched stuff?]

[Yes!]

[Open] Catch All for January (Some closed prompts)

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