Snow, Blood and Bonds

[Kira]

Snow and ice covered the countryside as a trio of trucks struggled through the cold. Each carried a complement of soldiers, the men doing their best to stay warm with what protection was offered by the cloth covering offered on the flatbed. Their uniforms had been stripped bare of any identification, leaving only their colors of the soldiery to tell of their authority. The road to their destination offered little comfort for both drivers and passengers, the lights of the Arcus estate thankfully coming into view. 
~

A knock on the bedroom door woke Vaela as the muffled voice of her butler soon followed.
“Madam, there are visitors. They wish to speak to you personally” The girl quietly groaned to herself in response, throwing off the mix of fur and cloth bedding that had kept her warm. Quiet was the only word she could use to describe life these days. The affairs left by her father had been managed soon after his death, with her seat on the Frozen Council being more of an appeasement to Talamore’s supporters than anything else. Busing herself with home life, the former Clan heiress had done away with much of the household's staff and “amenities”, as her father liked to put it. What had once been the home to an army of servants, guards and attendant nobles now only held three. The fact that someone had shown up at her door in the middle of the night grew a sense of confusion in Vaela’s mind.

Throwing on a nightgown, she’d crack open the heavy oak door to see her butler waiting for her. Sadik had long served both Vaela and her father, the elder Mil’Nor having practically raised the girl himself due to her father’s own inattentiveness. He wore a concerned look on his face as he gave bow to the woman, something which only furthered Vaela’s concerns.
“They are soldiers, Madam…and I do not think they are here for another tax collection” Sadik said, the man pausing as a frown dressed his face “And I do not think it is proper for you to meet them like this.” He’d gesture to her clothes, the woman giving a sigh as she spoke.

“You didn’t tell them to leave? Surely their business can wait until morning, Allfather knows it’s far too late for this.”

“That I did, Madam. They proceeded to threaten breaking down the door if I did not let them in. I think it would be best if you readied yourself for travel Madam, the winds are biting tonight.”
Sadik gave a warm smile, the look Vaela saw in his eyes bringing a familiar comfort as he continued. “Besides, Umut would never let me hear the end of it if you were to get sick again Madam. I will keep our guests busy a bit longer while you prepare.”



“Just be careful, Sadik. I doubt anyone but the Snake has a hand in this.” Vaela said, the servant giving another bow before starting on his way back to the guests. “As you wish, Madam” Leaving her, the girl closed the door as she turned back to look over her room. Expense had been waived in the decoration, with paintings of the Arcus family and heirlooms passed down through generations scattered about the place. As she clothed herself for the cold outside, a sight of metal was caught by her coming from underneath her pillow. Since her father’s death, she had taken to sleeping with a Marrlan SH-13. Picking up the gun, the woman considered the tool and the events of the past few months. The importance of a weapon had been drilled into her by both family and society as a whole, with the thought of those waiting downstairs weighing more and more on her mind.
~

[Kira]

~
Seated within the main living room of the estate, the black-garbed soldiers warmed themselves from the cold outside. Overseeing the men was Colonel Flagg, a scar-riddled Mil'Nor officer notorious for his recent zealotry against supposed 'Turnscales'. Inspecting his resting troops and the interior of the building, Flagg's eyes fell on the pictures and decoration throughout the room. Although pictures of Talamore had been removed, many of Clan Meiyo's other nobility were proudly on display. The men kept to themselves, with only hushed whispers heard as Sadik returned to the guests.

"Apologies for the wait, good sirs. Lady Arcus will be ready to see you soon. Might we offer you a warm meal before your trip back, however?" Sadik asked, the butler giving a warm smile to Flagg as he continued. "Allfather knows we should be grateful for those who serve, after all"

Flagg gave a dismissive wave "The Deacon waits for no one, and I will not be forced to wait for the daughter of a fiend.” The Colonel snapped his fingers, causing his men to leap into action. Sadik had little time to react as several rushed him, tying the Mil’Nor up in a chair as the soldiers commander started on his way towards the master bedroom.
~
Holstering her pistol and double checking her belongings, Vaela ran through her plan again. Staying wasn’t going to be an option anymore, that much was clear. Quickest way out she had was the train station in New Raltera and a trip up to Zedonia. She’d take what gems and coin she could….but as she moved to feel the weight of the pouch she carried, the reality of it all was difficult to face. The woman had grown up being keenly aware of her station,the lack of her father’s attempts to find her suitor after suiter being a blessing in disguise with his death. Having finished her self inspection, Valea began on her way towards the door when the sound of a gunshot rang out from within the house. Her hand jerked to the holstered gun, claws digging into the grip as the sound of a door being kicked in came from down the hall.

“Probably my father’s room” She thought to herself, given how it had been under lock since his death. The fact they had gone for that over her was not lost on the girl, and she cracked open the door with her pistol in hand, she quietly cursed the Allfather. Down the hall on her right stood two guards peering into the vandalized room. Mild curses and sounds of breaking furniture could be heard echoing down the hall, with Valea taking the distraction to sneak down the left towards the main chamber of the estate.

[Kira]

~
Music: Optional, kinda follows what i wanted in theme
~
Flagg exhaled after taking the last drag from his cigar. The night had proven more annoying than expected, with the Colonel already moving to light his third. He eyed the now bound butler before him, Sadik having been beaten and tied to a chair after the snap.

“I hope your accommodations are enjoyable, peasant, Allfather knows there are worse fates I could sentence you to” Flagg said, his words only causing Sadik to spit at the officer. The mix of blood and saliva landed on Flaggs shoes, with the anger in the butler’s eyes clear as he spoke.

“You insult his name with those words, Jan-yik .” One of the guards raised his rifle to strike the butler, his movement’s stifled as the man’s superior grabbed the gun. “Ah ah ah! He’ll get his due, man. The void’s taken him for all I care.” The soldier grumbled to himself in response as Flagg turned back to the butler returning to his spot in front of the man. “The Deacon will need to see you alive, after all”

~
From her spot beside the doorway, a mix of relief and fear battled in Vaela’s stomach. While there had been more than a few who had vowed support to her, the last thing she was looking for was conflict. She had declined talk with any offers of sedition or opposition to the new government, so it could only have been a third party as far as she could guess. The Colonel's words had only accentuated her need to escape however, the girl doing her best to keep quiet as she made for the doorway to the connected stable.

Having been a clan adhering to tradition, the calvary of the former Joined Clans was primarily drawn from the nobility of Clan Meiyo. As a result, House Arcus had invested heavily in its own unique calvary mounts. Having managed to domesticate and utilize the Taratect local to the subarctic region of the nation, Valea had several Taratect’s trained and used for both travel and combat training. The latter had been an appeasement from her father, the man eager to train and win the girl’s cooperation with at least potential suitors. Still, as the heiress approached her current Taratect, she couldn’t help but groan as she noticed the beasts behavior in its stall. The great spider had begun to act out as soon as it noticed the girl approaching, it’s chitterlings increasing with each step she took.

“Just don’t make this harder than it needs to be, ok? If you are lucky, maybe I’ll let you eat one of them.” Vaela said. She’d move to the equipment trunk set next to stall, grabbing what she’d need to harness the creature. “Come on now Zaya, work with me here”

~
Mikle Falins was surprised by several things on his first shift on the Black Claw Guard, the newly formed internal police of the Valderan Republic. Having been chosen due to his actions during the Talamore Crisis, the young man had been hopeful to rid his homeland of ‘scale-killers’ as was being called. Several non-Mil’Nor homes had been his visitations during what little light was available during the ‘day’, with this last stop being a special order of the Colonel. Mikle had been hopeful when word came down, the involvement in the arrest of a noble traitor sure to win the man some recognition.

What Mickle had been unaware of however, was the ability of a Taratect to punch a hole through his stomach with a mere step as it landed on the man. Reigning herself after the initial head start from the stable doors, Vaela pushed on Xaya as the few guards remaining outside started shouting and yelling at the fleeing rider. The attention outside was soon reported back to Colonel Flagg, the man soon splitting his forces to chase down the girl in two of the three truck convoy that had arrived.

[Kira]

~
Speeding alongside the countryside, Vaela looked back again to try and spot her pursuers. The snowbound countryside proved easy enough for her Taratect to traverse, the girl hopeful that the soldiers' trucks would be slowed down by the snowfall that had started. Seeing nothing but the passing landscape, the heiress was about to let out a sigh of relief before a glimmer caught her eye. Near the horizon a blaze of fire and smoke sailed upwards from her former home, the light acting like a makeshift beacon in the cold night.

The pit in her stomach grew only deeper as the heiress stopped near the edges of the city. The night watch was sure to be on the lookout by now, leaving Vaela little option but to let go of her stead.
“Come on girl, it’s time for your treat. '' The beast's begrudging attitude soon replaced with excitement as it started chittering at the Mil’Nor. Taking her things from it’s satchels, Vaela led the creature back in the direction of her former home. “Go on, go get it! Right back from where we came hun, lets go!” Vaela said, her tone joyful as she pushed Zaya to go on.
~
The Taratect took the encouragement, speeding back along its tracks as it searched for the meat it had been forced to ignore before. Food was the only thing on Zaya’s mind as it eventually collided with one of the Colonel's trucks. Smashing into the side of the lead truck, two of the soldiers inside were crushed instantly by the weight and speed of the creature, while several others broke arms and ribs from the collision. The second truck, carrying Flagg, barely avoided driving straight into the creature, it’s driver managing to swerve around Zaya before coming to a halt.

Only the first trucks cab passenger would have enough time to react to the Taratect, the young Mil’Nor practically stumbling out of the truck as he held a hand to his head. “F-Freeze!” He stuttered, his arms trembling from both the shock and the cold. Zaya seemed to consider the request, still recovering from the impact before a decision was made. In a flash, another was claimed by her leg as she crushed the man’s chest, with those Mil’Nor who were rushing to the truck screaming in rage at the sight.
~

[Kira]

Slipping between guard patrols and the few locals out in the night, Vaela gripped the handle of her gun. The maze of a city had always been easy to get lost in, the moonless skies only adding the girl's difficulties. She had nearly walked into two patrols so far, the bright lights of their watchlamps thankfully alerting her first. She had no idea who she could trust in the government, and wasn't about to hand herself over now, but the girl's mind turned to a detour in the market square. She had but a single stop to make before she left her home.
~
"I don't care about damn spider, get those who can walk up moving." Flagg yelled, the scene before him filled with carnage and mayhem. Two recruits had tried to take the Taratract on with their service daggers, it's giant legs spearing them both in quick succession. Their bodies had ended up flung to the side of the road before the rest of the guard began firing on the rampaging beast. The Kumo machine guns in the Black Guard's arsenal decimated the former mount, a pained cry given in it's final moments before it collapsed on the now ruined truck. The injured were being loaded into the remaining truck, the Colonel having taken the wheel. Lighting his last cigar, the Mil'Nor's grip on the wheel tightened as he prepared his report. The Deacon wasn't going to be happy hearing that he'd failed.