The Croydon Debacle

[falsify]

Croydon is a dismal place at the best of times, but at this time of year it's damp and cold and miserable. Amazing it's a place in such high demand. December 7th will see preparations taken. Some of the fae in the area take serious issue with handing the area over to witches of any kind and vacate the area as soon as word gets to them. Others prepare for the inevitable fight coming to their doorsteps. The hope is to avoid as much bloodshed as possible, avoid alerting more mortals than necessary as to what's happening on their doorsteps, but it's foolish to assume Daybreak would catch a whiff of this and not step in. December 8th. The day of the handoff. Several fae, Eames included, watch the witches coming in with a harsh gaze. It's kind of frustrating, how it's impossible to tell the allegiance of the witches by sight alone. It may seem threatening or intimidating, but it's important to be ready at moment's notice. One thing they'll not allow is to be bested again so soon. December 9th is a strange day; likely on all sides. With so many involved, it's probably a surprise that all it lead to is a stalemate. Anyone sensitive enough to magic will feel an electric tension in the air; tempers are high, frustrations are high, crime... is surprisingly low actually. A place held in contention between fae and witches is bound to be a magical minefield, but the fae at least seem more concerned with fortifying their position than starting any fights in the immediate future.

Comments

[hurtfew]

"No. They will not make it easy. Yet if you think it is because they want it back in Mortal hands, Miss Widdowson, you are naive. They give it to you deliberately. They know it will anger us, to put you right on our border."

Norrell shakes his head, upper lip twitching a moment in disgust.

"You play into their hands. The fae cannot be trusted."

[acrookedchild]

Naive. The same word Eames used. And it still infuriates. Still, she bites her lip briefly to hold back from saying anything too sharp.

"They give it to us, yes, to put Midnight on your border. But, whatever their intentions, the result is that it passes back into mortal hands."

[hurtfew]

"But not it's original owner's hands."

He stares at her for a few seconds, small hard eyes examining her reaction, then Norrell sighs and removes his glasses -- pinches the bridge of his nose.

"It will not be tolerated. Any other territory and you may have had a chance, but Croydon is a place we had wanted to reclaim for some time. By aiming to accept it you are acting aggressively, Miss Widdowson. You endanger your truce. You anger all those who once called Croydon their home. It will be an act you cannot take back."

[acrookedchild]

Just after his sigh, she gives one of her own. It's messy. It's always messy. But she didn't come here for a shouting match. She won't leave satisfied, no. She knows that by now. But she will defend her position. Calmly.

"By intending to accept it, I am acting to defend the mortals who live there. If you attempt to take it from the fae, they will act, and it will be bloody. A quiet exchange, however, will cause no bloodshed. My agreement with Ms Redbright was that we would not attack those boroughs under her protection. 'Original owners' or not, Croydon falls outside of that, and I am making no attack."

[hurtfew]

"You are setting up a Midnight Circle where Daybreak once lived. Whatever you say your intentions, Miss Widdowson, you know it will look bad. It will be discussed. How it borders us. How it could be seen as symbolic. How your interaction with the fae could be read. It will not go uncontested. You have been warned. If you go ahead with this despite this you cannot say it was a surprise."

Norrell presses his lips together, slides his glasses back on and shuffles his papers.

"The matter is a closed subject."

[acrookedchild]

"I cannot say it was a surprise," she echoes with a soft sigh.

Another inevitability. Still, she'll handle it as best she can. It's too late to step away now, but if she can avoid engaging Daybreak in violence, keep the other Midnighters from doing the same. Well, she can at least attempt to mitigate some of the damage.

However small it might be.

"Good day, Mister Norrell."