Winter's Call

**Malcolm Green** · Mar 24th, 2016 10:31 PM

There is a mark upon the pavement.

There is a hand print upon the wall.

There is indecipherable kanji on an unfurled roll left wrapped around a balcony and left blowing, ragged, in the cross breeze of the city street and the dingy alley beyond.

Individually they make no sense. Together they point the way to those who know the Icelaw and the hidden language of the Silent Arrow.

Some arrows are not made of wood.

Selena @Laire Parable Daniel Leto

Green stands in the Court Hollow. He wares his thorn scarred coat almost like the cloak of a saxon or romano-british noble, if only he knew of such things. His corporals and pledge marks glint and glimmer like flash frozen crystal, brilliant as any broach. A broad band of leathery cloth, inscribed with arcane markings, is wrapped lightly around his neck. At his left hand is a seat.

He thinks he may need it.

The ice thaws and water runs. It is not just because the seasons turns.

Stone cracks. Roots tremble and rustle.

Winter. Cold winter. Time of renewal and death. Time of frost and lonely want. Time of Yule. Time of the Hearth and close companionship. Time of hiding. Time of reflection. Winter. Cold Winter. A new hearth is needed. A new sovereign must rise. Or the Silent Arrow must find one.

Winter. Cold winter. Time of counsel and preparation for the time to come.

Green carries his Goblin Contract: Diviners Madness. He'll be waring his magic ring, gift of Perry diCarto, openly and have his Goyle Feather pinned with his other Pledge markings.

**Daniel Leto** · Mar 25th, 2016 12:48 PM

Daniel entered the Hollow bundled in a dark jacket, with a sweater underneath. Between the natural chill and all the Winters' mantles, he had decided a few extra layers would be wise.

He gave Green a sad smile when he saw the huge man in his occult attire. They both knew why this meeting had been called Katrin was gone. Though Daniel hadn't really talked with, her presence as a regal figure in the background was always there. A stabilizing force, rarely seem but always felt. And with her gone, someone else would have to take that role. Or at least assume it and make it their own.

"'Sup Grun. Vee gay de tag." The throaty accent of the Mourning Cant vibrated within the walls, even from someone as small as Daniel.

Translation: <<Hey Green. How's your day going?>>

Unless stated otherwise, Daniel will continue to speak in Mourning Cant.

Mar 25th, 2016 11:47 PM

The Fairest entered into the Winter Hollow not really knowing what to think. She would miss Katrin dearly, but at least they knew how to contact her.

She had no need for an actual coat, L’aire never really did. Often she only wore one to please the mundane and not look so out of place. Plus, formerly from Chicago, California was not cold by any means. Yet she wore it today, a leather jacket that she’d received as a gift. The weight of that sorrow shrouded her when she wore it.

The Dancer wore a black and white striped jacket over a dress, colors of Winter or void of all colors. She had learned much from their former Queen but still never enough. Hanging between her collar bones was a necklace, a gift from Perry. Long gone he was, but it was a token of Sorrow which came in many forms. Those that departed, and those that moved away.

“Hello Daniel and Malcolm.”

ooc

**Malcolm Green** · Mar 26th, 2016 12:29 AM

Green stirs from his blocky pose.

"I see you have been learning the Mourning Cant. Always a good thing to do, yeah. But I reckon we're safe enough here. Unless there is something hidden away in the Lore, I'd say this Hollow is clean. Its still standing, though I got my concerns if we don't put things in place soon, yeah?" He spoke levelly, untroubled and in control. Only a thrum of concern resonated in his voice at the end.

"Hey L'Aire," the Elemental inclined his head toward the Fairest as she arrived. His eyes rose and stared as another drip started from the roof just above his head.

"So. The Sovereign's have gone. Don't know if it was an individual thing or if they've gone off as a motley or something. Nothing has come in from Harvey or the others, so I guess they may have moved on as well. Which, yeah, leaves us. Man, we gotta work out who will take the crown... At least... I guess until Winter comes around again and the old Wyrd makes its choice known, right?"

He let his gaze flow significantly between the other two.

"So one us as to... um... step up? Kind of. At least be representative of the Court for the moment. Yeah. Um. You know. Do the ritual functions and stuff." He gestured feebly to the leather strap hanging loosely about his solid neck.

"Oh yeah. Pull up some seats."

**Daniel Leto** · Mar 26th, 2016 12:03 PM

Daniel shrugged. <<Okay. Sure.>> If Green preferred, Daniel wasn't going to make him uncomfortable. The Darkling switched back to regular English.

"Hey, L'aire," he greeted the Fairest she arrived with a welcoming smile.

"So how do we want to do this? Secret ballot?" It seemed the obvious choice. Well, the obvious choice for Daniel was to just say Green was King but maybe that was assuming too much, least of all from Green. If the Mountain didn't want to be Sovereign then it would be L'aire. Then again from what he'd seen of her general shyness she almost definitely wouldn't want the position. Daniel couldn't imagine them both opting out though and leaving him with the crown since both their mantles were obviously stronger. "Did anyone want to volunteer?"

Mar 27th, 2016 10:09 PM

L’aire had a large shrug and a shake of her head. “I’m not sure if they left together or separate. Regardless, they entrusted us with this. Many of us have been here long enough, I think we’re ready.” She really would miss Katrin, but they were all still reachable if the fit hit the shan.

Taking a seat, the Fairest looked to the two of them with the same question on her face. Since the notice had went up, she’d given it a lot of thought. L’aire thought one of them would have instantly volunteered. However, she realized it was common for them all to be passive as Onyx Courtiers.

“I know that whoever does do this, it will be a learning process. Just like the duties of the Council has been. However, at least our Lore and our former Queen gave us all a good path to follow.”

“That said, if no one else volunteers, I would do so. I’d like us develop Mourning Cant further and to be more flexible so that we can teach it to new Onyx as well. To help us and others stay true to the IceLaw as well as help to keep our Lore to date. We can mourn, but we should not forget those who have passed on.” She said with confidence for a change. It was a gift given to her by a friend and she wouldn’t let it just slide away. “I would step down as Emissary to focus on our Court as well.” L’aire had recalled in thoughts in the past couple of days how Winter found her, and not the other way around. Her life, drenched in sorrow, lead to those events. She always wondered what events led Katrin to being a Winter, but now she would never know.

“We could secret vote too, but it would be difficult I think, given there are only three.” She softly smiled, but it could definitely work. “I understand if either of you object to my volunteering as well and would want to go that route.” The Fairest didn’t waiver in her confidence, but simply put the statement out there, she wouldn’t be offended if they disagreed. It was the first time she’d ever tried to do something for herself, but still for the betterment of others.

**Malcolm Green** · Mar 28th, 2016 02:48 AM

Green paused, toying with the long leather strap draped over him. He let the L'aire finish, head bowed.

"Well... I was going to put my name forward if no one else did. I don't think I'd be the best choice, see. Old stone, harsh, yeah. I'd have us be quiet and keep the Icelaw. Keep hidden. Keep safe. Help out... um... on the quiet. Let each Court fulfil its function, yeah. I'd... probably hang onto too many secrets. But, like, that would be me. We'd still have an Emissary for the face stuff..."

He trailed off, nodding to L'aire.

Taking a breath, he plunged on. "Depends on what you want from the Court. How you want us to be. Byeli was distant. Yeah - a vision of what we should be. What a Freehold Sovereign should be. L'aire, here, might be in that mould. I wouldn't. I... I'd want to extend the Cottage network and stuff. Bolt holes. Yeah. Eyes. Always watching..."

He grunted sourly and scratched uncomfortably at his neck.

"You know. Updating the Lore with whats out there. We been fixated on a Dragon for too long and I fear the Lore is getting a little stale in other areas."

Grunting again, teeth clenched as he struggled, he looked between the other Onyx.

"So I guess thats two different paths we could take. Depending on who votes for what."

He thrust a hand into a pocket, signalling his pitch, as it were, was over. The look he gave indicated he was throwing open the conversation to the others once more.

**Daniel Leto** · Mar 29th, 2016 11:23 AM

Daniel considered as the others spoke. Both were willing to be Monarch, contingent on no one else volunteering. Even Green apparently didn't think himself the obvious choice. Which left Daniel in a slightly awkward position. He could step up and relieve them from the responsibility. L'aire was Emissary and Green was Constable. It didn't seem right to have them give up those positions or shoulder more because Daniel wasn't willing to take it on. Especially since they were hesitant to to it on, with L'aire saying she'd give up her council seat if she became Queen. Not to mention adding to the Freehold's upheaval as a whole.

The thing was, Daniel didn't really want the crown either. It didn't really make sense for him to get it. He had been a part of the Freehold the shortest amount of time. Counting by mortal years, he was the youngest in that regard too. The way the mists of his mantle bowed and changed in deference to both L'aire's and Malcolm's, it was obvious Winter favored them over him. How many times had the Darkling thought that he wasn't the best Winter? As for having a plan and direction of taking the court, Daniel didn't have that either.

All of which was really excuses to justify a selfish desire. He remembered Ramona's words. 'Can't or won't'. Despite everything and how odd it would be, he had to admit that he could be King. The situation did have another layer to it though. Should he volunteer? Was it the best thing for the Winter Court? Was it the best thing for the Freehold?

And unfortunately in many ways the answer seemed to be yes. It kept the Council (currently the Freedhold's steady point) intact. It prevented any in-court resentment, because L'aire was right that a secret ballot with only three people made it hard to not know who votes for who. Queen Katrin's hand's off approach meant even if Daniel did little that it wouldn't upset anything too greatly. If he did more and took their suggestions as a base point to start from, then he was simply more active. And given this wasn't even official until the end of the year, it meant the Wyrd could chose one of the better candidates when Winter came again. In the mean time, with Daniel as 'King', that painted a target on his back while protecting the two that were actually ranking court members from danger of assassination during these uncertain times. If Daniel died, then they could still step up. All it took was taking on the responsibilities of leadership for less than a year. In the big picture of life, that wasn't too much was it?

"I'll volunteer," he said with the quiet calm of someone putting their name in for a chance to be executed.

Mar 29th, 2016 05:49 PM

L’aire was ninety-nine percent positive she already volunteered, as well as Malcolm. This wasn’t going to get anywhere. Sure, she went about it in a passive way, but that didn’t mean the Fairest didn’t want it.

“It seems we all volunteered, more or less.” Looking to her fellow Winters. “I think this means we secret ballot vote.” The Fairest previously thought it was unnecessary, but now plans changed.

Chuckling in her own thoughts, she wondered why Daniel didn’t volunteer to begin with but it was too late now. L’aire may have been more shy in the past, but the more help she had with her confidence, the more she was ready to do what it took. In the past, she may have backed down as well, but things changed; she changed.

“Do we have pens and some paper?” Standing up, ready for directions of where to fetch it.

ooc

**Malcolm Green** · Mar 29th, 2016 06:19 PM

Green blinked. His brows furrowed and he seemed to hunch forward.

"Hum. Well... Dunno. Don't think we have paper around here. But, yeah, we got other stuff that... that can do the same thing. I'll see if I can find it for you."

He turned with ponderous tread and began rummaging in the hidden nooks and crannies of the Hollow.

Winter's Call

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