August 1st
City of Atlas
Atlas
Downtown
7:33 PM
Glynda Goodwitch slipped out into the still-warm, end of summer air, a letter in her purse and an increasing feeling of nervousness pervading her senses. She was well aware of what she was doing, as were James, Emmett, and Karissa, but the fact that it had been a unilateral decision between them did little to ease her nerves. She was well aware that she had the potential to cause a great deal of upset if what she had written fell into the wrong hands and she hated the acknowledgement that, among those people, now included was Emmeline. This was the first time Emmett had ever had to keep something from his wife for anyone, and it was the first time in decades that Glynda had questioned her best friend's sense of morality. Yes, in her hands was indeed a letter to her estranged daughter, one she hoped would at least tease out some direction for her location or with whom she was. And, yes, all of them involved were afraid of what would happen if Emmeline were to ever learn of it.
"There is no situation in which I will not use the utmost force necessary to get results," Emmeline had said just a few nights before, pacing. "Team RWBY has not encountered anything yet, but, when they do, I have given them the full authorisation, as independent contractors for this government, to use any means they require to address whatever it is they come across. I do not care if they kill hundreds or even thousands of people. If it kills Salem, then, in my book, it's worth it."
"Rather dangerous rhetoric, Emily," Ronnie had said, looking rather distressed at his sister's words. Beside him, Rosella patted his knee, herself looking nervous as well. "I wouldn't recommend you say such things publicly. I'd prefer you not make yourself out to be some sort of unhinged military official seeking to become an autocrat."
"I beg your pardon?" Emmeline had whipped around and scowled at her brother. "I am doing whatever it takes to preserve this kingdom, and if that kills people, then so be it."
Karissa had shaken her head, restraining Spencer from objecting. He, for his part, had glanced to her only to lean back a little, looking dejected.
"I think we need to be a bit more precise than that, Emily," James had mildly put in. "There are some things just as - if not more - important as killing, sealing, or doing whatever it is that we can to Salem to put an end to things. Maintaining amicable relations, though not my speciality, is one of those things. We can't throw away basic decency just because we're afraid….even if I won't deny the appeal if simply striking down any number of these foes."
"I say we execute anyone who betrays us," Emmeline had harshly replied. "This is no time for niceties, James."
"Emmeline -" Glynda had reproachfully started.
"And that includes," Emmeline had continued. "Ivy. The second that girl dares to set foot in Atlas again, I will find her and bring her to trial for treason."
Emmett had uncomfortably squirmed when everyone but his wife had turned to him expectantly, Glynda and James clearly hoping that he would say something that would calm her down, something that would convince Emmeline she was treading a dangerous line. He, however, said nothing and merely stared down at his hands in shame.
"Damn it, Ivy," Glynda said softly to herself, glancing around as she dropped the letter to Argus into the mail collection downtown. "Don't fuck this up more than you already have….because you have no idea what you've set off."
August 5th
City of Atlas
Atlas
Downtown
11:23 PM
"I'm worried about my mom," Samara absentmindedly swirled her wine with her finger, a glyph beneath it and her semblance doing all the work. "She's going to fall off the wire, and my dad doesn't seem to want to do a damn thing about it."
Her wife eyed her for a moment and then sighed. "Emmett's never been able to tell Emmeline no," Caitlin finally said, reaching over to gently rest her hands over Samara's. "If it helps, I think she'll ultimately be alright...but I know she's been...blinded."
Samara chewed at the inside of her cheek. "I just don't understand why. I used to think...well...I used to think she was like you, unable to be satisfied and just ambitious to a fault...but that's obviously not who she is."
"No, it's not," Caitlin agreed, a heavy note of remorse in her voice. "But, really, this seems to be a long time coming. I just…"
Samara took a long sip of her wine, watching her wife for a few minutes before finally deciding to speak.
"It's about Ivy, isn't it?"
Caitlin startled but then nodded. "I know I reacted badly when she told us all she was pregnant with Hope...and that Adam was the father but I...I never thought she would become any of the awful things I accused her of back then."
Samara squeezed her hand. "None of us saw it," She reminded her. "It's not as if we had any chance to stop it. If we had, we would have."
Caitlin took in a deep breath and then shook her head. "Your mom was the only person at the time who was really there for her," She eventually said. "And I can't even imagine how awful that must feel for her now...I mean, Ivy tried to kill her during the Vytal Festival and she did kill plenty of people."
Samara hesitated. "I don't know what to make of my mom anymore," She said numbly. "I know my dad will insist through everything that she means well, that she wants the best for everyone, that she wants to put an end to all of the shit that the world's facing but I just can't believe it anymore. I thought after what she did...when she killed Sienna Khan, that is, that she would heal but I'm not sure. I don't think she's ever going to heal...and I'm really scared she's only going to get worse."
"I worry about that too," Caitlin quietly agreed. "But I don't think Emmeline is necessarily as cold blooded as she's being depicted as now. I'm not saying that makes anything she has done better, or that it makes her more sympathetic...but I do think she's partially playing a game. I'm not convinced that this is really who she is...it's just the caricature she's trying to present to the media. Although….the fact that she's more than once made comments in interviews recently that she thinks anyone accused of treason ought to be executed publicly is certainly viscerally unsettling."
"Yeah," Samara swallowed hard, looking down at her hands. "I don't understand what that would accomplish. It's not going to make things better, especially…."
"Because of her overarching powers?" Caitlin frowned. "I would tend to agree. And, the fact that Elizabeth has given her quite a bit leeway hasn't helped. At this point...I don't think Emmeline's going to go completely stark raving mad, but I do think it's possible she's flirting with being something of a dictator, something that I do fear."
Samara flinched. "I hope not."
"It really depends on how this war ends," Caitlin said, glancing briefly at her scroll as it lit up. "But I do get the feeling Karissa, Spencer, and Ronnie would restrain her, or at least try to keep her bloodlust in check."
"But my father won't," Samara said shortly.
Her wife paused. "I'm not sure what Emmett will or won't do anymore," She finally said. "He's an enigma...and the only thing I'm certain of is that he, unlike my parents, will stand by Emmeline no matter what she does...whether or not that's for better or worse.'
August 13th
Mistral
Uncharted Territory
Deep Forest
2:10 PM
Per their usual meeting spot, Raven Branwen jumped down from the trees, the letter she had retrieved from Argus tucked under arm. In the middle of the clearing, Ivy Ironwood whipped around and pulled out her knives, ready to fight, but lowering them upon seeing her leader. Raven slowly stepped towards her once she had landed, the Spring Maiden approaching the Summer. Rather uncomfortably for her, since her running away from Atlas, Ivy had taken on a new form using her semblance, a form that Raven found to be disturbingly close to that of Summer Rose. Her stomach turned every time she thought about it; she was well aware that there was nothing to be done about it and that Ivy wasn't trying to resemble a dead woman, but Raven couldn't help but wonder if Ivy was a darker version of Summer.
She set that thought aside, however, when she pulled out the letter and handed it to Ivy, whose eyebrows immediately shot up when she saw the handwriting on it and who it was from. Raven made no sign of noticing this and instead stared at her, looking bored, and trying to conceal her genuine concern for the woman. Every time she used her magic, it was erratic. Every time she expended her energy to the breaking point, stressing her aura and stressing every part of her body, she insisted she had to and would continue to go on. Raven had quite a few doubts about Ivy's ability to survive; not because she was a poor wielder of the power of the Summer Maiden, but because she was so rash. So far as she could tell, Ivy was quite skilled and took up everything the older woman taught her quite quickly.
Her death, so far as Raven was concerned, would be a waste and that was the only reason she had retrieved the letter when her informants had told her it had been received in Argus.
"What the hell is this?" Ivy finally said, still not having opened the letter and holding it up disdainfully. "You didn't give anything away to my mother, did you?"
Raven scoffed. "I'm not an idiot, Ivy."
Ivy pursed her lips but nevertheless nodded shortly, believing the woman with no sign to indicate otherwise. As it happened, Raven was telling the truth although Ivy had no idea what she had done in order to retrieve the letter before authorities took a look at it.
"Are you going to read it?" She pressed, sounding rather bored. "Or are you still angry at them? I wouldn't fault you if you are. After all, they wouldn't stand by you."
Ivy considered her words. "I might eventually," She said shortly. "But not right now. It's hotter than hell right now, we probably should get back to camp."
A faint smile graced Raven's lips. "That's a reasonable suggestion," She said as they began to walk. "And, frankly, it's quite astute of you to wait. Those Atlesian politicians are all the same. I understand that your mother isn't a politician per se, but she has become a major political figure in Atlas and, of course, that carries a great deal of weight with it."
Ivy frowned. "I'm not worried about what powers my mother might have," She said, crossing her arms, the letter tucked under them. "I'm far more concerned about what powers Emmeline has."
Raven laughed. "Emmeline has no power. She may have her title as a general, and she may have her fighting prowess, but she is not a figure people can sympathise with or rally behind. Real power, Ivy, is being able to convince people that they should follow you, that you can make their lives better. Especially since the revelations of all she has been involved in, it comes to little surprise, for me, anyways, that she is unpopular. Emmeline and I are quite similar in so many ways, ways that I'm sure Emmett will never recognise, but there is a key difference, and it's that she cannot convince anyone but him that she is worthy of being followed. Haven't you seen it yourself? Over the years, haven't your own parents - her supposed closest friends - step away from her?"
Ivy's eyes widened in surprise. "Yes," She said heavily. "But I don't think that's quite the same thing. People may not like Emmeline, but they're afraid of her. In my book, she's just as bad as Varna."
Raven watched her closely, and then shook her head when Ivy briefly activated her powers as the Summer Maiden to kill a nearby grimm with a flaming spear.
"Emmeline is no Rosalinde Varna, no matter how lowly I think of her," Raven finally said. "Emmeline may have bloodlust and a desire for revenge and power in her...but Varna had so much sway. She killed so many, and no one ever batted an eye and some even applauded her for it. Emmeline will never have that treatment...even if she does eventually wear Elizabeth Morell down into bending to her will. And, honestly, however much I detest Eliza...I don't suspect she'll ever bend….to anyone."
