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Snowy nights, temperatures that could easily freeze a person to death were common nightly in Snezhnaya. For those not fortunate enough to have homes with fireplaces, or ran out of fuel would be a fatal fate. This was something so ingrained in the citizens' minds of the danger.
And yet the pale woman sat in the snow, as it covered her legs in a thin silk dress, humming softly, her cheeks softly pink but nothing else showed signs of freezing.
Arlecchino stared coldly at the third harbinger. Columbina moved around the world with grace that one could not find in any other person, she could see the worst, bloodiest situation, and prance upon it like a dancefloor. It infuriated the Knave. She was a harbinger, but she had morals. She knew what she fought for, she knew who to kill, and who to spare. But Columbina? She spared no man, no woman or child who came into her sight. Every step she took a bloodied path followed.
But what infuriated Arlecchino the most, was how she came back, every time they’d fight, every moment fighting for dominance, every bite and scratch, all the blood both had leaked from their endeavors. Each time the cursed Knave swore would be the last, the siren voice of Columbina lured her back each time.
“Columbina.” Arlecchino greeted, the third did not grace her with her eyes that day, staying still and not moving to acknowledge the other women. But Arlecchino knew she heard. Columbina always hears, listens attentively to anything her favorite toys might say.
“It’s getting worse. Look around you, I’m sick of begging you Columbina. Everyday Snezhnaya reaches its ruin more, the other harbingers have left to their respective nations to deal with situations, but the war here gets worse. And you sit, and hum in the blood of the people you claim to love and protect. Stand up, and do something Goddamnit.” Before Arlecchino could help herself, she had grabbed the feathers on the third harbingers pulling them, forcing the Damsellette to stand, finally facing Arlecchino. Her face soft, one could easily mistake her for a victim of the Fatui if they had not known her own crimes. Columbina goes quiet, her eyes closed but seemed to be staring into Arlecchino’s entire being.
In that moment, the shorter, angelic woman leaned forward, placing her lips against the Knaves. A moment of softness that was not reciprocated, Arlecchino’s hands in an instant pushed against Columbina, knocking her back into the snow after her lover denied her touch.
“You’re serious.” Columbina finally spoke, stunned from the aggression shown.
“Of course I’m serious. You can’t twist this Columbina. This world, the Fatui, everything, everyone we’ve ever worked for. It's going to ruin.”
“I never thought you cared about such meaningless novelties.”
Arlecchino went quiet at this statement. In truth, caring was a hard emotion she struggled with. She found emotions to be a weakness, one that she too often displayed in front of those who were not deserving of seeing it. Most notably, in front of Columbina. The Third Harbinger could destroy all of her walls with a single smile. But not today, it was over for anything Columbina and Arlecchino could have had, if they both were able to just tell the other the truth, perhaps things would have been easier. But two harbingers, it was set in stone that it would never have worked out.
Columbina grasped the snow, feeling the cold flakes fall between her fingers like mortal life. She found it beautiful, others judged. Others feared death, but Columbina did not. She has seen enough death to know the beauty of it. There was no horror or fear when someone dies, in death you could see someone’s true self. That was what Columbina enjoyed most, watching people lose their composure, it was beautiful, enticing. To be able to let loose, let every single thought you’ve ever had come out, all before you could leave the confines of the cold world.
She almost felt jealous, it was quite stupid to feel that way she knew, but she could not help it. The sweet relief of death, the skill to be able to express yourself with those emotions was a gift she was never given. Arlecchino’s gaze was dark and cold, not the warmth she had grown used to. Not the lust filled eyes that would devour her in the nights. This was not the woman who she had touched and shared her body with. This was not Arlecchino.
“Peruere.” Columbina said, softly. “You’ve made this choice as much as me. We are fated to the Fatui. The Archons fail us, only her Majesty has been able to keep us alive.”
“You know I had no choice. It was Fatui or an execution. I had to survive. For her…” The Knave’s voice shakes slightly as she recalls her closest friend.
“I’d have taken the execution.”
“Not everyone’s as insane as you are, Bina.”
“Perhaps not.” Columbina mused, staring off in the distance, the snow fell down, covering the bloodied battle fields that were there. She goes silent for a moment before finally standing up again, and turning around. Arlecchino did not speak, both shared the moment of quiet, a moment of understanding as Arlecchino followed the shorter women back to the palace.
“Columbina, what are you doing?” Arlecchino demanded an answer as the two of them sat in the Third’s grand bedchambers. It was truly a sight to see how despite not knowing what Columbina’s plan was, Arlecchino still felt compelled to follow her. “I’m not doing anything with you-”
“I know.” Columbina answered quickly, brushing out her hair methodically, each section being brushed through multiple times. “Tell me Knave, why do you stay?” She asked, her voice soft. “You express your hatred, and yet continue to work for us, continue to support and bring ruin on other nations. Why?”
Columbina not often expressed such interest in Arlecchino’s motives, but yet Arlecchino could tell, just this once, that Columbina’s interest was truly genuine. Not a trick to play with Arlecchino’s mind. She wanted to know the truth of Arlecchino.
“The children. Clervie… I’ve made an oath to protect them, one that I can not break. I can’t promise them a happy future, but I can promise them a chance at life, something children are commonly taken away from.”
“I’ll never understand you, Arly. You’re a cruel woman, you take pleasure in killing, and yet you have such a deep amount of empathy for those you swear to protect. I wish I could understand, if I could have a chance to restart, I’d hope I could be a person like you. I admire you, my Knave.”
Arlecchino felt her stomach drop, something was wrong, Columbina was not often quick to share her own perspective, to tell how she was feeling. To actually attempt to communicate.
“I’m a coward.” Arlecchino turned her head, Columbina had finished brushing her hair and had braided it, and her eyes for once were open, pink irises stared at Arlecchino.
“Don’t say that-”
“It’s true.” She said with a pitiful laugh, getting close to Arlecchino again. “Hold me.” She paused before quietly adding “Please…” to her request.
Arlecchino sat down on the bed, all her anger from earlier gone, it was hard to stay angry at the women who held Arlecchino’s heart.
“I love you.” Columbina suddenly said. Arlecchino went cold, never once has Columbina actually said those words. Their relationship was one of lust, convenience, power, but never love. “The way you hold yourself, how you treat others. Your strength, those moments of weakness you show me, at first, it made me powerful, but then it slowly just made me feel wanted, and needed. Arlecchino-...” Columbina goes quiet again, before leaning in and kissing Arlecchino, this time not being denied. Sharp nails scraped against her back, but after a moment, she stopped kissing, this time just sat there, in her lover's embrace.
“Columbina, are you okay?” Arlecchino finally asked softly, her hands rubbing Columbina’s back lovingly.
“All of our fates were sealed long ago, her Majesty blessed me, or cursed me to stay in this form longer than I should have.”
It hit Arlecchino, what was happening at that moment. She quickly pushed Columbina away and stood up.
“Take it back. Say you don’t love me, you hate me Columbina. For fucks sake don’t kill yourself for me!” Her eyes stung with salty tears but she refused to cry, she wanted to hit Columbina, to scream, to curse her out, to threaten her, but she didn’t. Instead Arlecchino went silent.
Columbina couldn’t talk either, she was shaking, smiling while tears streamed down her face.
“Get away from Fatui. Look at the seelies, they can help. It isn’t over…” She promised Arlecchino, standing up, and kissing her one last time. Arlecchino closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth of Seelie's lips. When she opened her eyes, all that remained was the faint blue glow that used to be a sentient being. Now lifeless, floating meaninglessly.
A curse on her bloodline was not one that could easily be outrun, no matter how long one could try. But in the end, she knew that the love was reciprocal. More than her body, and that was what she had truly wanted.