2022-11-30: The villains honeymoon, and nobody dies
- Log: The villains honeymoon, and nobody dies
- Cast: Yuliana Kafim, Elisa Kafim
- Where: The Silent Castle, The North Pole
- Date: 2022-11-30
- Summary: Yuliana and Elisa watch a movie, consider the REA, and plot Alma's downfall. Cosy!
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
Yuliana was very impressed that Elisa's made this much progress on their home already. And that she was building a castle out here! Of course, their minions have ceased working temporarily to make sure that the stillness and quiet of the North Pole isn't disturbed by their racket.
Which will give them some time to heal the wounds they've accrued, working without end out here in a place so hostile to life.
It's not really a favour to them, but it's nice not to have to replace them so quickly, isn't it?
The intimate sections of the castle were finished first -- the living spaces, the bedrooms, those rooms which call for cozy fireplaces and welcoming upholstering over stonework, surely all for Yuliana's comfort. (Only one bedroom really matters; theirs is the grandest, naturally.) It is not entirely defensible, yet, but that's why they haven't called attention to it. Stealing away here, quietly, though --
That's entirely reasonable.
How such a place receives power is a question one really shouldn't ask without bracing for the answer, but there is a film, playing on a screen opposite a very fine and comfortable couch. Voyna i mir, in four parts, runs for a total of 431 minutes; ancient Soviet films all tended to run long, and Leina's made a gift of the longest of the era. (It is, after all, an adaption of War and Peace, so it's only natural.) In front of that couch is curled a tiger, its fur now a deep emerald green rather than the typical orange; Yuliana calls it Sokrovishche, because it's a treasure.
And on that couch, Yuliana, in a deep green robe of her own, has draped herself brazenly sideways on Elisa's lap. Her hand curls close to her neck, and she leans sidelong against her, as she watches the tragedy of Natasha Rostova's too-many love stories. She's quite engaged with the material, but not so much so that she doesn't keep distracting herself with the woman she's sitting on -- like now, as she turns her head and nips at Elisa's ear, all too playful. (She's mindful of her fang, of course.) "Her heart wavers far too much, no?" She asks, and the smirk in her voice is audible. "What a pitiful woman, to stray so easily." Not like them, of course, implicitly. Being superior is such a grand activity!
She pulls back, a hand coming up to Elisa's cheek instead, so she can look into her eyes; and perhaps Yuliana meant to say something else witty, but green on jealous green, she gazes at her and her expression softens in an instant. "oh," she murmurs, all lowercase, and the word she uses for her wife is more tender than its typical form, "oh, zhenushka... I'm so happy I'm yours."
She's Yuliana Kafim, now, after all, leaving behind the name her country gave her.
The paperwork might have even gone through, by now, but she hasn't checked; she's been fully occupied with Elisa, since she stole her away for their honeymoon. This is hardly the first time Yuliana has gotten distracted from her point by such foolish and sappy affection, spending every moment with her, and it's likely not the last.
Elisa gets to see a side of her she hides from the world, after all.
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
Elisa's workforce has been toiling with great effort. It's really rather inspiring... or would be, to someone, probably. Not Elisa. Elisa simply lets them work, or not, as is best for the moment. (For her.)
Those who are actually being paid to keep their wits about them will enjoy the break! Those who aren't being paid will enjoy... something.
It's fine.
Elisa occasionally looks down at her tiger. But mostly she placidly watches the movie, hands resting about Yuliana possessively. She is... less engaged with the material, but very engaged with Yuliana. The occasional nip at her ear receives a little smile, and the talk of wavering receives a faint laugh. "She does, she does. A consequence of being uncertain what she wants, I think..."
All lowercase, Yuliana speaks, and Elisa looks down into her eyes. "Yes. Always," Elisa answers tenderly. "Mine."
She is aware, of course, of the importance of that change of name.
"My Yuliana..."
She regards the movie again for a moment, but really, "All is well."
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
Yuliana's gaze is all softness, all affection; her cheeks flush with it, as Elisa emphasises her claim, once and once again. Her chest heaves with a deep sigh, through her smiling lips, and she is so, SO happy. "Sputnica zhizni," she murmurs, warm, as she calls her the companion she's chosen for life.
Once again -- not for the first time -- she forgets the movie, thumb stroking across Elisa's cheek, lovestruck. How fortunate she is!, she crows, inside the bell-jar of her soul. There is no one more blessed in this world!
It's difficult to say how long she loses, captivated by Elisa instead, but certainly the scene changes on the screen. At length Yuliana glances back to it, and her hand drops to curl at Elisa's neck as she rests her cheek on her shoulder, as she watches it sidelong.
"I hope..." She starts, a shade more troubled, as she watches Andrei Bolkonsky annul Natasha's bethrothal after learning of her wandering heart, "I hope the Republic is able to handle such a thing gracefully. Surely they know I've not abandoned them... but... the Major is a jealous man."
As if Elisa isn't.
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
Elisa knows these words, but even if she didn't, she knows Yuliana's gaze. She need not have those abilities to understand. They understand each other better than any could.
Elisa continues to watch Yuliana in that lovestruck mode, and that great fortune. She neither knows nor cares how long it takes, though she glances to the screen now and then as a particularly interesting or vibrant motion calls her attention. It rarely even begins to compete with Yuliana's eyes, though. And soon...
"I am sure they will manage," Elisa says, and she says it more gently than she might. "They must understand the primacy of love."
Elisa is a jealous, jealous being, it is true. But...
She has reasons to be sure.
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
"They must," Yuliana agrees, easily, taking the comfort of Elisa's gentleness as she hugs herself to her. "It's just... I'm sure you noticed I didn't go by my family name, Elya. 'Dispersal'... my country gave that name to me."
It's not an uncommon practice, really -- it's always useful for elite agents not to have a past beyond their service record, so changing one's name for war is entirely reasonable.
If only it were just about keeping secrets.
The first half of her sentence, at least, is certain: "I know you'll protect me, but I'm still a little... troubled," she settles on ending it, finally, fingers curling in Elisa's cloth. (Certainly her dreams have been disturbed in ways entirely divorced from the void, of late; not all of Yuliana's nightmares are dark portents.)
"We've so many enemies in this world," she says, laments it, as if it's something unfair inflicted on them. "I don't wish for our people to think me disloyal, on top of that... really, it would be... very inconvenient."
She treats the consequences lightly through her choice of words, but the way she draws into Elisa, the way she pauses to delicately pick at the those charitable descriptions, the way her tone turns towards melancholy --
She's under threat, and the call is coming from inside the house.
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
"I had noticed," Elisa answers. She had indeed; she noticed, and she has also read over many notes that have come into her possession about how exactly that came to be. It is not uncommon... But neither did Elisa counsel her against taking her name.
"I will," Elisa says first. It is certain; it is known. But she is still troubled, and Elisa puts on a face wherein she looks concerned for Yuliana, and it is not even a false front. They have enemies...
"Hmm... Yes," Elisa answers. "We would not want that, when you have gone out of your way to display loyalty to your country. You have been so good to them, my Yuliana."
Elisa holds Yuliana thoughtfully, protectively.
"...I believe I have two ideas, as to how to reassure both them and you." Pause. "The first is that we happen to have another Federation officer lying about. She could be of use to you. Our... Alma."
A smile. "We could prepare her for this purpose."
Then, almost as an afterthought, "I must also speak with Major Pham," she considers. "But that can wait for now."
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
Yuliana is protected, in word and in touch; Elisa looks concerned, affirms her worth, and gratefully does Yuliana bury herself against her. "I still love my country," she insists, and how much of it is to settle her own nerves is an open question.
No wonder, perhaps, Elisa would speak of reassurance.
Her fingers curl, and her head tilts, as Elisa mentions Alma -- some beginning engagement -- or the promise of distraction, perhaps, all interrupted by her last idle thought. "Ah," Yuliana's voice breaks from her, as she stiffens against Elisa; her hand clutches at her a little tighter, pressing closely to her, and there's a touch of fear in her eyes as she looks up to her.
"Military commanders can be... I mean, I'm not sure you'd approve of him," and it's not the first time she's worried about it, either. "And if he thought something was wrong, well... he's already suggested he could have me... shifted from active duty to," she pauses, lips pressing together, as she tries to think of the right euphemism, "medical surveillance."
(She's not scared of Elisa.)
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
"Yes," Elisa says. "I can see that you do." And while Elisa does not love Yuliana's country, she loves Yuliana, and perhaps that is good enough.
She notices that fear, and grasps it curiously. It must be fear for the Major, from what she said the last time. Military commanders...
"Whether I approve of him or not," Elisa says, "You have made clear your desires as regards your commanders. Thus, I will find something good to offer him, instead of threats. Yes?"
"Obviously we cannot have you transferred in this way. And you do not wish me simply to destroy him for considering it. Thus..."
"I will reassure him, instead."
Elisa kisses Yuliana on the forehead. "Do not worry, darling. All will be well."
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
"Yes," Yuliana agrees, when Elisa asks, and it's the easiest thing in the world.
Obviously, they can't have her transferred, and surely Elisa understands what that means; Yuliana doesn't understand entirely how Elisa has claimed the Institute, but she's sure she can guess. She nods, when Elisa identifies her concerns, trails to her conclusion.
A smile breaches the concern on her face, as she feels Elisa's lips on her skin -- this much, this much they couldn't steal from her -- and hears her reassurance. "All will be well," she agrees, softly, softly, softly. "Thank you, Elya... it's in your hands."
And so is she.
Her hand lifts, to trail a loose pattern, below Elisa's pointed ear. "But, you know... Alma. Alma! She's the one who ruined our perfect reception, you know!" A scowl crosses Yuliana's face, and, again, she's not frowning at Elisa. "Since it was for her benefit that Lilith decided to interrupt in such a rude way... she even shot you!" And Yuliana, at least, is offended about that. Even if Elisa was fine, it's about the principle of the thing.
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
She has ways. Yuliana knows some of these ways, but need not know all of them to trust in Elisa. it is fine!
But that smile... Elisa smiles, too, pulling back to look into Yuliana's eyes. In her hands--yes, this is true. In more ways than one. All will be well. And that is good enough. But Alma... Yes, Alma.
"All the more reason to ensure that woman doesn't get what she wants," Elisa says. "She wanted to free this 'Alma' from our tender influence. We will not allow it. We will instead ensnare her ever more deeply into our webs. Such that she will be of use to you. Such that 'Lilith' will know the depths of her failure."
Pause. "She did ruin my dress," Elisa allows. "But that is all the more reason to make them suffer."
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
And Yuliana has so much trust in Elisa. It is fine; all will be well. Elisa said as much, after all...
"Let's destroy her completely," Yuliana sniffs, on the topic of Alma, tongue darting across her lips with the brief flash of a fang before they press to a thin line. "Until that wretched Lilith couldn't even recognise her..!"
She pouts, looking up to Elisa as her fingers play about her hair. "It was such a nice dress," she laments, "and you looked so lovely in it!" Surely the problem is that she ruined Elisa's dress, and not that she meant to kill Yuliana, who happens to be much more stoppable by bullets.
"Hmph," she huffs, eyes blinking shut for a moment, before she gazes up to Elisa again. "But... what use would you have such a miserable creature as that serve, in any case?" If Elisa has a plan... well, Elisa so often has the plan, between them.
<Pose Tracker> Elisa Kafim has posed.
Elisa could destroy Alma. It would be easy. But, "I think that lets Lilith off too easily. We must let her believe that there was something she could do... but that she did it poorly, or not at all, or badly. That she could save her, if only..."
"Thank you. We looked so lovely together." Elisa doesn't comment on ALMOST TAKING HER YULIANA to Yuliana because she is being gentle here.
"She could be a toy for you," Elisa suggests. "She could be there to assist you in the Federation... and for you to do as you like with. We could also... advance her condition. Make her useful to us. A symbol. A symbol, of what happens when someone trifles with us."
"And for that her punishment must be ongoing..."
<Pose Tracker> Yuliana Kafim has posed.
"Crushing her spirit, just the same..?" Yuliana considers, head tilting, and muses: "Perhaps..."
Her pique eases, for a moment, as she smiles to Elisa: "Oh, we were perfect." She appreciates Elisa's gentleness; they can be so gentle, with each other.
Yuliana's fingers brush at Elisa's hair, smile growing sharper. "A symbol?" She echoes, and grins, all teeth: "An enduring symbol of their futility, in the face of what is to come!" She is as vicious as easily and eagerly as she is warm; her hatred of Newtypes is, perhaps, as strong as her love for Elisa.
(Of course it's not the other way around.)
"I am wearing out the newest toy they've assigned me," Yuliana adds, smiling. "And perhaps there's something even a wretched woman like her can do, for us... yes, of course, Elya! Oh," she sighs, entirely charmed, "you're so clever."
She lifts her face, fingers at the back of Elisa's head, to press a kiss to her lips. "And so good to me," she purrs, close and content. "Yes, it's just what they deserve..." And in her hatred, still it is Yuliana and those she despises; they are them, separate and loathed.
She's not like them.