Xaviers!

"<She's the Crown Princess. Unacceptable doesn't begin to describe it. Not that it stopped her, but when I tried to protect her from the inevitable fallout it backfired catastrophically. She suffered enough because of that already, I will not burden her with my own consequences as well.>"

"<Was the fallout really what concerned you? Or the fact that another girl got there first?>"

Nika narrows her eyes and glares at Isolde.

"<I want what's best for Her Royal Highness. This conversation is over.>"

"<I mean, I'd be upset. You knew her longer. You knew what she liked. You worked for years and years...>"

"<Are you trying to start a fight?>" Nika snaps, years of training making her stand straight, feet almost instinctively sliding into a stance.

"<Seems like the only way to get you to be honest with yourself.>"

"<It doesn't matter! Maybe she could have thrown away tradition for me, but she didn't. She did it for some...>" Nika clenches her fists as she tries to find the right words that aren't monstrously insulting. "<...some naive loudmouth dreamer!>"

"<Tell me, is her little talent to read minds by any chance?>"

"<No. Is yours? Because you're sure acting like you can read mine.>" Nika glowers.

"<The other girl got her foot in the door because she asked.>"

"<You can be angry. Anyone can be angry. It's what you do with it that makes the difference.>"

"<What I did with it is betray her to her enemies in a vain attempt to make her see reason. There, happy now!?>"

"<I suppose you're just not ready,>" She shrugs.

"<Ready for what? She doesn't want to talk to me. I had to call her to even find out she was still alive. I wrote her a letter that... who knows if that ever even reached her.>"

"<You're still tied up in this notion that it's all about your country, when it's much simpler than that and you're sabotaging all the ways you could get through this because you're afraid of what might happen.>"

"<Assuming the worst means you can't be hurt any more than you already have. I know what that's like. I spent hundreds of years like that.>"

"<She is my country. No amount of being brave and hoping for the best is going to change that. You think you see some kind of... kindred spirit in me and maybe you're right, but none of that changes the fact that she is the Heir Apparent to the throne of Symkaria. Her enemies already tried to use her... proclivities against her.>"

"<She is to be queen, yes?>"

"<Yes and I know what you're about to say. When she's Queen she'd just decree whatever she wants, but it's not that simple. The other royal houses already tried to dispose of her. Making sweeping changes will see my country plunged into civil war once again and conquered by Doctor Doom. There's no room for hopeful thinking. Symkaria is a harsh country not because we're backwards or less developed but because of necessity>"

"<Your face to the world is a mercenary in a lycra catsuit.>"

"<Silver Sable isn't the official anything of Symkaria. What's your point?>"

"<She's popular, and not just because she drives half your economy.>"

"<She's popular because she's a tradition too, whether you realize it or not. You Symkarians like your bogatyri, but you love your polianitsa.>"

"<Folk tales...>" she says, trying to sound dismissive but not quite managing. "<I was her polianitsa. And if I'd just been happy with that I still would be.>"

"<It's a vision of womanhood the people could support, one that's respected in Doomstadt, and one you could teach her.>"

"<And if that is what she asked of me I would gladly do so.>"

"<You want your princess to summon you? My, but you are particular.>"

"<Fuck off. I'm giving her space because she clearly didn't want to talk to me.>"

"<You keep saying that as if you're hoping it's true.>"

"<Because I'm pretty sure right now it is, but please do keep talking as if you know her better than me.>"

"<I could just put you back in that hospital bed. At least then she'd know where to find you.>"

"<I can admit when I'm not in good enough shape to not rely on my power. And I'm not putting a bolt through somebody over whatever this... is.>" she gesticulates in Isolde's general vicinity.

"<That's smart, because it wouldn't stop me.>"

"<Maybe, maybe not. You're out during the day and not reserved enough about it to be a bruxa and not ugly enough to be a strigoi. I'm guessing farkasember, so how much do you want to wager I don't have a bolt of fine silver.>"

"<How much do you want to wager that you'll kill me before I could tear your throat out?>" She smirks.

"<Not a lot, but you don't get into the Royal Guard in a country that borders Transia without being prepared to fight your kind.>"

"<I'll take the hint and leave you to your wallowing, then.>"

Nika grunts dismissively, then quietly adds. "<I'll take what you said under advisement.>"

Isolde is already walking out as she taps the side of her head.

"Good ears," she says as she exits.