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The Winter Hollow is cold all year-round, the size of a small village. There are small cottages made by the Court members, and every Winter can claim a cottage if they like. A few are larger, where motleys have merged their cottages together to make slightly larger spaces for themselves. A Winter Garden sits off to one side of the Town Square in the center of the Hollow, and in the Town Square is a huge old tree, into which has been carved a phone booth.
Ever since Summer raised the Hue and Cry (and perhaps for a hair longer than that, to a perceptive eye) Winter's holdings have been a bustle. As Robin Kovacs was one of theirs, most of the unusual movement and energy seems to be centered around the cottage that acted as the former-Steward's home and office - and nearly everything that was once inside has been turned over multiple times by the Silent Arrow in search of anything involving her dealings.
The Right-Handed Knight, Izzy Higgins - their features lined by thick ink-strokes, and little blots of color bleed - is standing a little ways away from the cottage, waiting, with their hands shoved deep into the front pocket of a baggy Philadelphia eagles hoodie. Much like nearly everybody in the Freehold at the moment, they look exhausted - the bags under their eyes accentuated and made obvious by the heavily penned lines of their mien. Unfortunately, there are miles to go before they can sleep - and at least one more meeting on the horizon...
As with all scheduled events, Charlie arrives way too early. She paces around the hollow, hands wringing over each other, with occasional looks at her phone until the exact moment they're supposed to meet. When that happens, she heads up to Izzy and waves hello. "Hey, um, I'm Charlie? I don't know if, um, I ever really properly introduced myself to you? Charlie Miller."
Exhausted? Lumi doesn't look exhausted. At least not in any way that anyone could easily tell. Her expression is set in the blank, resolute tone it always is. The Left-Hand steps out of the ex-Stewards's office, holding a file under her arm that seems filled with a small stack of filed, closed tightly. She looks Charlie over as she comes up to stand beside Izzy, her mask unreadable.
Travel was the last thing Wren wanted to do. Caught between a crippling drive to go to ground with her girlfriend and a searing need to be active and ripping down Robin's Iron Dreamcatcher at the seams, Wren is struggling to keep it together.
Internally.
Externally, though... Wren looks far more placid than she feels. She's lived her life since being Taken mastering control of how she looks, whether to deceive or deflect, and even now, it serves her well. The fragile Wren that Charlie was privvy to is tucked away and gone when Wren arrives from one of her factfinding missions, gathering the last of the names she needs to orchestrate the coordinated assault on Robin's machinations she has in the works. She arrives in nondescript clothing, overly bright and juvenile, with a hood that lets her play off her small size as youth instead of diminutive stature, deflecting attention from those looking for a small woman and not a "clearly" tweenaged girl. She pushes the hood back as she slips into the Hollow, revealing the fluffy, perked ears of a dark-furred Doberman where her bunny ears usually sit. Safer, just now, to wear the gifts of a Helldiver, and black dogs have been psychopomps for ages.
She marches up behind Charlie and places one hand in the small of her back, speaking to Izzy and Lumi together, the clashing picture of a professional operative dressed in clothing from Justice. "Evening. Sorry I wasn't here earlier." She's not late, mind. She's on time, but she feels late because she's last to the party.
"No need to apologize for being on time," Izzy's left hand - fingertips stained with a mixture of mingling color that bleeds up towards their forearm - appears from within the hoodie for a moment to provide a dismissive gesture at Wren's apology. "Well, Charlie Miller. Now you've been properly introduced - and you sure picked a great fuckin' time to get yourself involved, lemme tell ya' - so... we're going to put you right to work." When they speak, words seem to bleed into their mien around their mouth like a speech bubble on a comic page - but rarely stay long enough to be clearly read. However, when they place emphasis on the words 'great fuckin' time' those remain clear for a second or two before fading back into the parchment.
"More shit?" They quirk an eyebrow at Lumi - eyes darting to the folder as she returns from Robin's cottage. "This one for Doll, too, or...?"
"Puppy!" Charlie says, drawing her small girlfriend with extra cute into a large hug. She's still not positive if it's rude to comment on people's miens or not, so she stays quiet about how awesome Izzy's is. "I, um, thank you? I'm glad I can help out at all. I want to pull my weight here." She says that like she's afraid that one of the three people here will yell at her for not getting involved sooner. And she extends her hand to Lumi, introducing herself once again.
"No. Too confidential to place in the other Courts' hands," Lumi replies to Izzy. "I'll see its dealt with." She turns her cold stare upon Charlie, patient yet evaluating. The handshake is accepted--her hand ice cold. "Lumi Aaltonen. I've heard you're an incredibly skilled negotiator, especially when it comes to Hobs."
"You've heard correctly," Wren states. "She's got better relationships with Hobs than anything I've ever run into. It's impressive." She returns Charlie's hug, managing to look affectionate and professional all at once.
"Works." Izzy's gaze falls on Lumi again, and there's a momentary flicker around the edge of their inky-black outline, and their pupuls seem to sharpen - shifting from an unfocused blot to something more honed, and clear - as they turn their attention back to Charlie and Wren. They're content to let Lumi continue her line of thought for the moment, and their hand retreats back into the pocket of their comfy hoodie - posture loose and relaxed. Oh, such a stark contrast with the Left Hand's mannerisms.
"No, no, I'm not impressive or anything! I just spent a few months working in a Goblin Market. If yinz did that yinz'd be just as good! Honest. I'm nothing special. But, um, if you need someone to go along with people, I do really like spending time with hob villages," Charlie stammers out, extremely uncomfortable with the compliments.
Lumi looks to Wren, nodding faintly in acknowledgement. Her gaze lingers a second, piercingly, before settling her attention back on Charlie. "Don't undersell your skills," she says flatly. "It's exactly why I am giving you this task. I assume you have been brought up to speed regarding Robin?" Another glance toward Wren, for confirmation.
Wren nods. "Yeah. I've told her that she's a Bridge Burner, and the architect behind the Iron Dreamcatcher, that she's brought Iron to attack at least one of us, and stands a good chance of coming after anyone she thinks might stand a chance of derailing her efforts."
"Well," Izzy begins softly, their inky pupils flicker through a series of different configurations before settling back on that little, focused pinprick again. "Unless you say otherwise, I'm going to assume you're still working on dismantling and impeding the mortal efforts of our treasonous former-steward, and focus on what we can put Charlie to work doing." There's a lazy smile that plainly reads as: yeah, I already know what you've been doing, so good work. "What else are you good - or should I say "not impressive or anything" at, Charlie?" Their tone is playful, but gentle. "I figure if I ask it like that you can be shy and self-deprecating, and still me what I need to know to put you in the right spot." They wink.
"Um, I'm somewhat okay at punching things, since I know how to, um, use my weight well. And I can find things in the Hedge alright..." Charlie says, holding out her hand for Wren to take. She needs the strength. "And, um, I'm a decent lookout and I hate how good of a liar I am and, um, I'm okay with plants?"
It's a good thing Charlie doesn't know lightshy or she would be gone right now.
Lumi nods to Wren, before considering Charlie's list of skills. "Very well. Then you are likely indeed the best choice for this task." A nod of finality--sorry Charlie, you've been recruited. TOO LATE NOW. "We can't afford to make any assumptions regarding whether Robin is working alone, or with other Lost. We need more information. I'd like you to seek out the Hob at the East Edge Market and negotiate for information. If there is Lost in the city that have been staying under our radar, odd are they know about it. At least have heard rumors about others--or Robin herself."
Wren does not say otherwise. She does nod at the end, though that seems as likely about agreeing that it's best to find Charlie Work so she can get her mind off of her girlfriend heading out alone into a world populated by a literal knife murderer trying to hunt down people in opposition to her morpheatic armageddon. You know. Like Wren.
"... and if you're feeling like filling out more shit for extra credit, you should talk to that Summer chick, Sigrun - and maybe Autumn's new scrivener, Mearcstapa." The lines on their face deepen in thought, and ink soaks into the creases. "If I remember right, they'd each made some postings in the main hollow about needing help with Hobs and Hedge bullshit - though, if you want finer details, you might have to dig them out from under the fucking pile of notes that've gone up since this shit happened." They hook a thumb over their shoulder at Robin's cabin. "It's not really Winter's work, specifically, but if it turns out to be something big, it'll effect us all in the end."
The words they emphasized seem to float above the other words in their "speech bubble" for a moment - even after the other characters have dissipated - then "fucking", "this shit happened", and "it'll effect us all in the end" fade in the order they'd said them.
"I'm, um, kind of friends with Mearcstapa-" a name that her accent puts into territory only remotely sounding correct "-but I don't know Sigrun. Bunny?" She asks, squeezing Wren's hand. Charlie is perking up with the hand holding, standing remotely straight and not looking like she's about to barf. "Should I, um, bring other people with me or go alone?"
"... you should definitely bring some people to watch your back," Izzy replies with a slow nod - and their mien echoes the emphasis.
Lumi looks to Izzy, nodding faintly after they've finished speaking. "The Hue and Cry comes first," she stresses. "But if you find the time, yes. That would be a worthwhile thing to look into."
"I will warn you to exercise extreme caution while you're there, Charlie. The Market is neutral territory, so you won't be harmed while you're there, but... They won't differentiate between Freeholders and these Bridge Burners, so there very well may be Hobs working for them there, and try to weasel out as much information from you as you would from them. Bringing others with you isn't a bad idea, so long as you trust them."
"I wouldn't go so far as to say it's safe there," Wren mutters. "Neutral ground just means you're in the shit if you hurt someone there. Doesn't mean it might not seem worth it to- well- burn that bridge if it means taking a piece off the other side's board. You want someone capable watching your back. This is just further evidence that it's exactly when you think something's safe that you start to bleed for it."
"I doubt they are foolish enough to risk the Market's wrath by attacking anyone inside. Waiting for someone to leave and ambushing them after they leave? That is possible."
"Agreed, but..." Izzy offers alongside a heavy sigh that sounds like rustling parchment and turning pages. "Eyes open - which is something we can all take away from this shitshow - and try not to get killed." Beat. "Alright, if there's nothing else that needs to be asked or said, I think the Avengers can disassemble - and we can all get our respective shit done?"
"I, um, I don't think I need to take up any more of your time! If you, um, add me on signal I can message you when I've picked a team and am planning to head out. I think I know some, um, tough people who I'd love to bring. Assuming they're, um, interested?" Charlie's eyes focus in on a point somewhere out in space as her posture fully straightens out. She's thinking-- no, planning-- and her anxiety is melting away like winter snow. Her Gentrified Bearing is apparent when she straightens up like this and just about the only thing keeping this from looking like a mind control situation is how she squeezes Wren's hand.
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