[ARCANA PLOT - ota]

[stacks_the_deck]

[ooc: okay, so this comes with a few 'rules' because of the mechanics of how this is going to happen. In the previous thread Gustave disappeared from the Embassy resolving to go snatch each of the Suit artifacts (if you've missed the threads regarding each of them, there is one for each Suit, a Sword for the Spades that is in Victor's possession, a

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[thediamondqueen]

The texts from Sophie, Silas, and Damian come in quick succession, all warning of the Magician's plans. It still doesn't feel as though she gets it quickly enough.

It's a feeling that increases when she finds herself locked outside of the Diamonds' own library, just barely able to hear the sounds of fighting within and feeling so entirely incapable of doing anything about it. She paces a little, decides it's better to save her energy for the fight that may come. That she hopes doesn't come. She doesn't know.

All she knows is that, one way or another, the Magician will be reappearing here, and she'll be ready for him.

No matter what the circumstances.

[stacks_the_deck]

One of the library doors blows open revealing the Magician in all his torn clothing, bruised body, and bleeding from several places glory. Of course, behind him, the library looks like it took the brunt of the fight with several toppled bookcases, books everywhere, and Sophie and Cadogan lying mostly-unconscious among all the destruction.

And the vault broken open too, as well.

"Your Highness," he manages to grate out, "you should let me pass."

Handwavey fight-ness to speed things along?

[thediamondqueen]

She doesn't start at the sound of the library door opening, only twists so she is facing the Magician. There's a rush of emotion at the sight that greets her -- pride, in seeing how much of a fight her Diamonds had put in, worry, at the state of the library, Sophie, Cadogan, and more importantly, the vault. Anger, at all he had destroyed and the people he had hurt-- that all his people had.

The knives slide out into her hands before she ever really notices them being there.

"I'm afraid, Mister Asarlai," she answers in an alarmingly calm and incredibly cold voice, "That I cannot let you do that."

And then she doesn't really wish to talk anymore. The knives go flying at him in a blur of steel-- not aimed to kill, no matter how much she wishes it.

Killing one of them would undoubtedly start a war, and after all they had done (all they had already killed,) she knew that was unacceptable.

o7!

[stacks_the_deck]

In his own way, like Burke, the war never entirely ended. There'd been no true closure, after all.

And the Magician had done his share of fighting in it. More than his fair share, really, though he'd tried over the years to push away that part of himself. Unfortunate that it had chosen this time to surface.

So, tired as he is, bleeding as he is, bruised as he is, he feels a rush of new adrenaline as he wades into the fight. He has no wish to kill her either, he's taken care to try and not kill anyone at all, despite the resistance.

But that won't stop him from pulling out all the tricks he needs to disarm and get past her as quickly as possible. He's already wasted far too much time here. He still has the other Castles to see.

[thediamondqueen]

Rachel is still fresh, still fill of enraged energy-- he'd hurt her people, damaged her Castle (because the Diamonds, no matter what Silas thought about their shared duties now, had only ever been Hers)-- and so she fights with the ferocity of a mother bear unleashed and the finesse of an Ace and Queen.

It's precious time that their battle takes away from him, but horribly, terribly, nothing else. Rachel is Strong, has been so in so many ways for so many years, but she does break.

And lying beneath the rubble in the aftermath, bleeding and with pain emanating out from the lower half of her body, she feels as though she's done exactly that. Through the span space and time, the taunting voice of Henry Givenchy rings through her ears. Failed again, Clubs bitch.

It's the last thing she hears before she succumbs to the darkness.

[uncutclarity]

It's after she finds Cadogan and Sophie that she finds Rachel, and if she thought the library was bad.

Well. It has nothing on this. Absolutely nothing on it.

Rachel is unconscious, of course she is, and so Avery says nothing, holds a grim silence as her hands curl around the rubble and she shifts it carefully off her mentor. She can't move her, of course, she's knows that's dangerous, but she can get her free. And surely, surely...

Help will come soon.

[thediamondqueen]

Help comes. Whether it's soon or not is debatable, really. It comes first in the form of lower-Ranked library workers who are thoroughly alarmed at the sight that greets him and who Avery could send to get medical help for both the Queen. It then comes in the form of the medical help itself-- some Diamonds, some from the hospital in Town. They're tired and shortstaffed from the Embassy's fall, but they're quick to work, insisting that the former Jack remain out of the way while they do so.

Moving Rachel is delicate work. Seems to take hours, even though it is likely only a few minutes. Once they're able, they'll be rushing her off to the hospital, leaving only one Diamond nurse behind to speak with Avery.

"It's... rather bad, milday," she states, even though she doesn't need to. Avery knows.

[uncutclarity]

She watches it all silently, utterly composed as she watches them work. And then Rachel is gone, still unconscious, still bloody and broken. She hates the Magician right now as she's never hated anyone, but it doesn't show on her face.

"I know," she tells the nurse. Another deep breath. Her Diamond Mask is so firmly in place that if you didn't know her, you'd think her unaffected. "You'll call Lady Säde, Lord Silas, Lady Atalanta and myself with updates. Our contact information is on file at the medical center.

"I want to hear the moment there's any change." Good or bad. But she had to hope for good, she thought, or she'd break.

[thediamondqueen]

She cutrsies carefully, nodding as she did so, "Yes, m'lady."

She glances around, notes the damage and the various other members of the Suit already beginning to do their best to clean the damage (and the blood, of which there's far too much of.

Maybe it's best not to think about that.)

"Is there... anything more you require of me, Lady Avery?"

[uncutclarity]

Yes, it's definitely best not to think about the amount of the Queen of Diamonds' blood that is staining the walls and the floors of Diamond Castle. Avery just...breathes for a moment, before aiming a faint smile at the nurse.

It goes nowhere near her eyes.

"Nothing," she assures her, and then pauses. "Except...take care of her. Please."

[thediamondqueen]

She nods, curtsies again.

"Of course, milady."

As if they would do any less for the woman who already given so much for them.

[uncutclarity]

Avery nods curtly, and waits until the nurse has turned away before squeezing her eyes shut and pushing her hands through her hair. Her breath comes harsh and sharp, and she bends her head.

Just one moment. She just needs this moment.

And then she'll straighten and be the Ten that the Diamonds need.