[ P ] the rabble

Her return to active duty had been cathartic and work numbed a lot of the stress that constantly cycled through her body. Hyper vigilant was one way to describe Xandria's state of mind, mind constantly assessing for potential danger. The war was too fresh in people's minds to be part of history. She expected the king's winter ball to be a slap in the face to those who had suffered from the war. Was it a celebration of peace or victory? Xandria could not say, but she did not intend to go and stuff herself like a pig when she could be out doing something useful. She was ever mindful of the violence that the Jacobites and Royalists could incite just by sharing the same air.

Hey! Stop! she growled when a brawl erupted out of nowhere. She didn't know or care what they were fighting about so long as they got out of the streets else they hurt someone. Help me get him off? she asked her assigned patrol partner for the day. A soldier named Cyanide Morganstern. She bobbed her head to the man pinning down a smaller man with a bloodied ear. The attacker was cursing about bloody highlanders and that he was a loyal royalist defending the good King Adamh's name. A few demands to see the king were fruitlessly tossed around and complaints that he was being unlawfully assaulted when Xandria gripped his scruff to try to pull him off the smaller highlander.

Art by Ashon

some women fear the fire
some simply become it

When Cyanide joined the army, there had only been one thing on her mind- avenge Maeve's death. Of course, this is still very much on her mind. It's what she thinks about daily and why she doesn't have time for small talk or making friends. None of that is important to her.

However, she's been finding herself slowly folding into army life. She had never cared so much for politics even during the war and just tried to ignore it and go about her day. Perhaps that had been her first mistake and if she had been more involved, she could have saved Maeve from being killed by a Jacobite. Now she finds herself falling into the royalist mindset and it's a bit surprising to say the least. She still wants to find Maeve's killer, but now she wants to impress too. Maybe move up the ranks if she can. If anything, it would make it easier to find information. For now, she will fulfill the duties given to her and listen or look for clues where she can. Even if it takes her entire lifetime, she will find out or die trying.

Today she has been assigned to patrol the streets with another soldier named Xandria. There had been some talk of the Tiamat name, but Cy is still fairly new to it all. So far she seems okay, so she's had no reason to complain just yet. These days patrols never seem to have a dull moment and lo and behold, they are suddenly witnessing a brawl come out of nowhere.

Cy's hackles stand on end as Xandria jumps right into action. She grips the larger man's scruff to try and get him off the smaller man. Cy moves forward to try and press herself against the man's shoulder to push him off.

"Break it up, you idiots," she spits and shows her teeth. "If you're as loyal to the king as you say you are, you wouldn't be throwing this shit around. He wouldn't be impressed one bit." This seems to set the man off and he turns his attention to Cy while letting the smaller wolf go.

"You call yourself a soldier?" he snarls and spits at her feet. "Bloody highlander scum!"

Without hesitation, Cy pushes him and he falls to the ground. Well, this only made him more angry being thrown down by a girl. He lunges for her next.

@Xandria | "Speaking."

{ Art by Marina ; Table by Lauren }

The so-called loyal royalist was kicking up more of a fuss than the highlander man who had apparently insulted the king's good name. Xandria was not in the mood for his theatrics and her expression was clearly unimpressed, a mixture of tiredness and disbelief at his audacity. Just when she thought she'd witnessed the peak of idiocy someone else popped up to claim the crown. Cyanide was quick to react and assist when Xandria requested. It was a relief to know she had been paired with someone competent. Some soldiers were bone idle wastes of space. She was quick to point out the flaws in the royalist's logic, but he was too dumb to see reason. He was pushed to the ground, but before Xandria could pin him he was back up again and lunging for Cyanide.

No you don't, asshole! Xandria growled, slamming her chest into his side. His forehead smacked into her muzzle, cutting her bottom lip open. Blood dribbled down her chin, but she spat it out. She lunged for his foreleg, twisting the limb in the wrong direction causing him to sink to his knees howling. It wasn't enough to injure him, just enough to gain leverage over him.

Her gaze searched for Cyanide, hoping the woman would take the opportunity to pin the idiot so that they could arrest this trouble maker. Already his list of offences had grown in number from just minor assault. Resisting arrest, assaulting an officer, it wasn't looking good for him. She didn't feel an ounce of pity for the fool. He deserved whatever sentence he was given and the manacles slapped on his wrists.

Art by Ashon

some women fear the fire
some simply become it

This is quickly testing Cyanide's patience, if she had any to begin with. Thankfully, her partner gets a hold of the man before he could touch Cy. The look on her face shows the sheer disgust she feels towards him and she hopes he notices.

There is a part of her that so badly wants to keep going and to really show him how big of a mistake he made, but she holds back. It pains her to, but she knows if she goes too far, it might break the code. She only just made soldier recently too, so she clenches her jaw before showing him her teeth again. "I suggest you start making better choices," she growls at him as she pins him down next to Xandria. Looking to the soldiers nearby, she motions for one of them to help her apprehend the idiot and take him away to be charged. There's no tolerance for stupid brawls.

Her gaze turns to the other man who is now watching with a smug look on his face. Cy will gladly wipe that look right off him too. "And him, we should take him in too," she says while looking back at Xandria. Cy keeps the unruly man pinned so that her partner might be able to help get the other one. "I could care less who started this, they should both face trial." A judge could hear their whining and figure out who's in the wrong, but she didn't tolerate loud, unnecessary fights in public.

@Xandria | "Speaking."

{ Art by Marina ; Table by Lauren }

The two soldiers manage to subdue the noisy royalist and stop him from turning the street into an all out brawl. Xandria restrained herself from taking out her bad mood on the man who had bloodied her lip. He was an ass, but they were still obligated to protect him from harm. It was enough to know that a nice airy cell in the prison awaited him and his jacobite rival. Perhaps they could continue their debate there on who belonged on the throne. I’ve got him, she assured her partner, loosening her grip on the other man to subdue Mr Smug Face over there. He was still a perpetrator even if he hadn’t attacked the soldiers. They were both guilty and deserved neighboring cells as far as the lieutenant was concerned.

Better get used to each other’s company. You’ll be spending more time together in prison, she informed him, pleased to see that he didn’t look quite as smug when he was also apprehended. It was a relief when more soldiers arrived to help the pair arrest the men. Xandria was only more than happy to give custody of them over to her fellow soldiers. Watching them get hauled away was cathartic. She didn’t like extremists of either side and believed that Rionnach would be better off without kings and queens. It was a belief she kept relatively quiet, working behind the scenes to spread the voice’s message and help the people overlooked by the privileged elite. She was pleased to see that Cyanide didn’t favour the aggressive royalist over the smug highlander just because of his loyalty to the king. Justice was her priority and that was something she and Xandria had in common.

Art by Ashon