A Cold Day in Freljord (Closed Roleplay)

Ashe, at certain points, decided she didn't like acting like royalty. Sitting on a throne for long periods of time was not her idea of fun. This young man who claimed he knew her had asked for a meeting, and she had been sorry to reply that she did not quite remember any small children. It would have been before her time as Queen, in fact. A very long time before, whether or not she had discarded the White Garments of Victory she did not know. She had been advised against leaving the Palace, but she had reassured them saying that she knew she would be safe. Her bow had been slung over her shoulder along with her quiver, and with that large dress thankfully discarded, Ashe knew she would be able to protect herself.

Still, she also knew that there would be bodyguards tailing her. Archers hidden in snow, and guards in their icy towers. Her path to the designated meeting place was short. Small patches of green could be seen peeking from the light blanket of frost, no doubt waiting for the first sign of rain instead of hail. The ice crunched beneath her boots, her hands gripping at the leather cut diagonally across her front.

Upon spotting the young male, she decided not to speak up. Instead, her eyes wandered to the left to search for any hidden assassins. Then to the right, for the very same. Caution was a second nature to her, and her sharp eyes missed nothing. Holding out her palm, Ashe whispered something too soft to be heard, breathing ice shaped like a bird into her hand before releasing it into the skies. It would scout for her, a whole five yards. In the mean time, after deeming it safe enough, the Frost Archer approached the male clad in many, many layers and an odd looking hat.

She cleared her throat, standing a respectful distance away. "John... Cole, is it?"

The icy avian soared back to Ashe's shoulder, breaking into a fine mist as it caressed her ears softly. It had seen nothing but the frosty ground and her own archers. Rarely did her hawk's eyes miss its prey, and she felt confident enough to take another step forward as John ascertained his identity. Her hand loosened its grip on her bow and she responded, "I apologize for the briefness of my letter. There was much to do that day." It was a wonder the male had picked out a day where she had time to spare, though there wasn't much of it. She supposed the main reason why his request had even been considered was because he wanted to offer something.

Ashe took a few more steps towards John, fully studying his features now without the slight fog in between them. The hat didn't look any less strange from up close, and the rest of him was, logically enough, covered save for his face. His cheeks seemed slightly red, no doubt from the biting chill of the Freljordian air. She tilted her head, realizing that he was stuck for a name. She smiled briefly; normally those she met called her 'Queen', and she did not say anything about it. However, such... formalities were merely that. The Archer inclined her head, "Call me Ashe. If such familiarity is of discomfort to you, then Queen Ashe is what many seem to default to."

Before he could respond, she gestured towards the palace. "Shall we? As much as I like the scenery, a frozen conversational partner does not sound very enjoyable."

Ashe chuckled softly, finding amusement in the other's words. "Higher up? I think everyone, regardless of station, has much work waiting for them down the line." With the recent escape of Nocturne and the Void creature, Cho'Gath, the Institute was in a frenzy. They had been sent a letter, asking for their service to some sort of... journey to the dark lands of Icathia. Ashe had immediately declined, knowing that she could not leave Freljord for so long. Though she knew that the two were capable of creating much havoc, it would be a while before her lands would be of interest. For now, Freljord's greatest enemy was itself.

She tilted her head subtly, noting that he too was studying her. Ashe saw the way the male's eyes lingered on her own, and was no more surprised than expecting it to happen. She has been told that they were a very startling blue, sharp as they appeared and were very much capable of freezing anyone in their steps with just a glare. All they were doing now, however, was glinting in quiet humor as John whipped the hat off his head. Was she really staring so oddly at it? She knew that if Tryndamere had seen it... well, they would find out. The Archer inclined her head, "As you say." She motioned behind her back, commanding the guards to return to the Palace. They immediately began to make their way back, never alerting their presence to John.

Ashe, on the other hand, had mirrored John's glance. "Stone and ice, I believe." She commented, "Carved from the hardened mountain side, and has been encased in both blizzards and glacial storms of varying degrees to create quite a durable barrier." People had always mentioned that ice was easy to destroy; easily smashed and wrecked. But she knew it as the complete opposite. While it looked as delicate as a crystal flower, the Ice Palace was an indomitable fortress and had held its own even against the harshest of beatings.

She knew those that visited Freljord were normally captivated by its beauty (normally those who did not find themselves in the middle of rain and hail), and so she simply waited for John to finish admiring the view before continuing down the path.

Ashe, satisfied that John had finished staring, had begun to walk at an even pace so that the male could drink in the sights around him. While it was mostly just snow, the air and skies glittered with varying shades of blues and purples, the high mountains throwing intimidating shadows across the icy walls. She glanced at John, who had fallen into step by her side, when he inquired about the sails. She almost asked what he was talking about, when she realized there were red-finned skates sitting on the shimmering lake currently encased in ice (which was its state about 90% of the time).

"They do their job," she responded with a soft laugh. Ashe had to admit she wasn't much of a water person, feeling far safer on land. The sail-skates doubled as both boats and a way for guards to quickly maneuver their way across the expanse of Freljord, which took an incredible amount of time and patience to learn. Children too had their own to play with. "I've ridden one a couple of times," Ashe continued, musing a little at the memory. It had been when she was younger - much, much younger. Her parents had taken her to the frozen edge and had given her a (not very) gentle push. It had been both terrifying and exhilarating.

The Archer had noted the subtle hint of extreme interest in John's voice, and she gestured to the scratch-ridden surface spread all around them. "Perhaps once we are done with your business, I could show you how to control such a thing. Providing we have spares available."

"Fair," she replied mildly, her even tone of voice betraying neither a happy memory, or one of complete disaster. It was, as she had said to John, an underwhelming yet not unwelcome experience. Fun, yes, but she liked it when she had her feet firmly on the ground. "Well, the ice could crack, for one. The water is incredibly unpleasant in this weather." Ashe didn't quite know why she was listing all the things that could 'go wrong', as the Piltoverian had said quite nicely. "Crashing into rocks, being run over by other boat-skates... things like that." She waved her hand.

They continued walking, reaching the Palace in no time as the ice loomed over them. The crystal shards glimmered beneath what little sun was seen, reflecting off the frozen lake and mountain face alike. One could clearly see now the rocky hide beneath such a delicate surface. Ashe nodded to the guards at the doorway, the door creaking open as she lead John inside. The interior itself was not so much warmer, though the Frost Queen had made it an effort to make it a lot more comfortable. Ice coated both the inside and outside of the high windows; the ceiling itself formed with high beams and sturdy curves. The Palace was not exotically decorated, save for the natural formations of icicles on the walls. Some may ask what would happen if they melted, and Ashe would only reply honestly that they would not.

A large staircase spiraled right and left to rooms, most notably the 'Royal Bedroom' on the left, and guest rooms and spares on the right whilst the one in the middle continued upwards, to the throne room and to other rooms of interest. There they went, straight ahead without stopping (at least on Ashe's part). The Archer wondered if Tryndamere would be around, but she doubted he would sit in the room for so long - no doubt he had taken the opportunity to sneak out.

"To the throne room," she said evenly, "That's where discussions are usually held, and I assume you have something of importance to discuss." Ashe wasn't one for casual talk, so the walk towards said room was relatively quiet. She merely let John do his own sight seeing, passing by a room with a large fireplace, and another with a strange glowing light. At the end of the hall, the double doors were thrown open and she lead the male inside.

There were the two 'thrones', though Ashe simply considered them as glorified chairs that sat higher than anybody else's. The stone floor was layered with a strip of dark blue cloth, almost like a path way. To the side was a long, rectangular table and this was where Ashe gestured for John to sit. She herself pulled out a chair, though waited for her guest before sitting. In this situation, she didn't think sitting on a high throne was necessary, and it was really only for large gatherings. Politics in Freljord didn't involve as much lollygagging like other city states, and Ashe much rather preferred to act amongst her people.

"So tell me," she began. "What is your proposal?"

The soft sound of Ashe's fingers tapping on the table could be heard as she pondered John's offer. It was certainly strange. Freljord was quite a ways away from any other major city state, so for the male to come out in the frost was respectable. What she wanted to know was if he would be taking residence here, or if he simply meant that he would do work outside of the city... or if he would be hers to summon on a whim. Such inquires were running through her head, but first, she needed to clear something up.

"What... skills are you speaking of?" Ashe asked, pausing in her slow taps. "I've no need for thieves or... assassins." She shrugged, "I've got many people who are good at what they do, and their talents are boundless. Can you fight? Can you stay hidden? Are you good with reports and paperwork?" She let out a soft chuckle, "You must tell me what you are capable of before you offer your services. To trust you with even a speckle of Freljord means that I must know that I can trust you. Though you speak of returning a debt, I am sorry to say I do not recall it. Even there, I must take your word for it."

Ashe took a deep breath, then continued, her tone soft. "We do things a little different in Freljord. Yes, there is no denying that having information on what the other city states are doing is useful. But we do not send moles or spies unless absolutely necessary. Unless we know that Freljord is being targeted. It is a good monarch's duty to understand that the very thin thread of balance between the major cities is a line that must be carefully tread upon. Noxus is up to something, and yet I can do nothing. Why? Because we do not have the means to defend ourselves."

The Frost Archer leaned back in her chair, hands and fingers pressed together. Politics was far from enjoyable for her, but she understood its place in their current society. Noxus was on the move. She could feel it. There were rumors from her scouts, from the Institute and even from Champions themselves. But she would not start a war based on rumor alone. "What sort of connections do you have?"