Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky [Open]

[rules_winter]

1. Bulding glass houses
Mab had finally staked out her home, something that had before been more of a manor she now was pouring will into, icing the facade. She'd been working intermittently for days now, spilling enough magic into the structure each time to build a new layer of ice without completely draining her resources. It simply wouldn't do to be caught out without some of her strength to use. By now the building reflected the sun back in glacial colors, and almost seemed to have it's own inner glow, a pulsing of variable colors that matched her eyes and would leave those without strong magic entranced if they gazed too long. The ice was thick enough that you could no longer see the stone that had originally created the structure and you could also no longer see the door. Icicles hung like deadly spears from the eaves and the windows glittered with facets.

She pulled her hands away from the side of the building and stepped back, breathing in deeply before looking up at her work. It was nearly done, a few more days and it would be a solid defense, beautiful, remote and deadly, standing at the top of a hill bare of trees though they gathered around about a half a kilometer from the base of the hill. She shook a hand as though weary before straightening completely and giving it all a proud look. Yes, this would do nicely. Snow started falling just in the general area, carpeting the top of the hill and scattering down into the grass and heather. The snow muffled all the other noises in the area making everything feel even more remote.

2. Air and Darkness

A pale figure seemed to shimmer into space between two trees in a wooded area of the Southeastern Greenbelt. As if she'd taken off a black cloak and let it fall to her feet she stepped out of the darkness and onto the grass overlooking Crystal Palace Park. Following her as though congealing at her feet is a creeping fog, a result of her own natural coolness hitting the warm summer air. In the darkness she puts a hand out to touch the worn stone pillar on a set of stairs leading down from the Italian terrace she is standing atop and ice forms along it, spreading along the surface and making soft cracking noises as the cool expands inside the stonework. Lambent eyes take in the area, assessing who is nearby. Even as she begins to walk down the steps, the fog starts spilling down them in her wake like a living thing, silent and sinuous.

Her gown trails down behind her and it is difficult to see where fabric stops and fog starts, it all blends together.

3. Newfangled technology

Mab stood unnaturally still, looking up at the sign above the store. The sign did not sound like it should sell cellular telephones but the window displayed them. The sign should be changed. She had the strong urge to fix it for them because it annoyed her. Finally she took a noticeable breath and her head moved, dropping to look at the door which hand a metal handle. Humans loved metal far too much. It was why she found gloves necessary but she still did not like to touch the bane. Even through her gloves it burned a little. Instead she waited a moment more for someone to open the door and she followed them in, letting the door close behind her without ever touching it.

She stopped again inside the store and looked askance at the rows of different phones many of which also seemed to have metal housing. The air in the store was cool enough it didn't noticeably cool when she entered but the window on the glass door behind her fogged a little until she began to walk farther in, eyes scanning across displays that seemed to be written in English but for the life of her none of them made any sense at all. Abbreviations, numbers, features. She stared down at one of the little cards and then looked up at the displayed phone. The screen glowed with pictures splattered across the screen. Tiny tiny pictures.


4. Anything else!
Hit me up, I know there are a few people I mentioned wanting to meet, if these don't fit for you let's work something out, baby.

Comments

[looksatkings]

"I certainly tried to," he said with a fluid shrug. "But vampires have such thick skulls, and it is often hard to tell what they managed to retain." He gave a chuff of half annoyance, half amusement. "Sometimes I wonder how any of them manage to survive long enough to gain any power at all."

They walked in silence for a bit while Tybalt turned over how to best ask the question that now nibbled at his mind. Or rather, how to ask without risking giving offense. While he didn't trust Mab, he was beginning to think he liked her. Finally he gave her a sidelong look and asked, "What of you, m'lady. Where in this fine city do you hope to extend your icy touch? In service of the Unseelie Court, of course." He didn't expect a fully honest answer, but any answer at all was likely to be interesting.

[rules_winter]

"Some of the older Vampires know how to be polite." She pointed out. They lasted so long for a reason. But vampires also tended to forget bargains and think with their fangs. Sometimes it was important to show one that the fae bit back. Even metaphorically speaking. "I imagine it is mostly luck for others." She tilted her head a little and looked like she might be savoring a thought. "It's always fun to see the luck run out."

Mab was content enough with the silence as they walked through darkness and pools of light where a lamp struggles to hold the darkness at bay. The lights make seeing the stars difficult. Humans always fear what they cannot see, but it is interesting that in the process they blind themselves even more in the pools of darkness because of their lights.

His question is carefully polite and Mab gives Tybalt a thoughtful look before considering the answer. She really does not care overmuch about claiming territory in the human realm but it will be necessary if their plan to push back against the witches is to proceed. Were it winter she would think nothing of challenging a held territory or even taking one with less protection. But her power was only now starting to wane again after the solstice. Those would best wait for a time when she could draw the full range of her powers. "I had considered Enfield. Or even Greenwich or Lewisham all of which I suspect would assist in our cause, but it might be best to have something north of the river that can still be easily defended for now." The idea of going for something easy did not really sit well with her but strategy was part of the game. She might still go for Enfield it had the werewolves on one side even if Mistress Sylvia would likely take it as a personal affront. Which was not necessarily a deterrent. She would have to have support of her fellow fae for that one though.