the deep moans round with many voices

pilfered_words said: Black Jewels, Wilhelmina Benedict, The Company of Strangers. (575 words)

Prompt number 4 is still fighting me, so have prompt number 5 instead. *wry*

[ETA: The slightly revised final version is now up on AO3!]

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For Everything Which Is Yes
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"You know I love you, but--"

Karla cuts Wilhelmina off mid-sentence. "That's a terrible way to start a conversation. Try again."

Wilhelmina snarls and brandishes a hairbrush as Karla limps into the bedchamber that would normally belong to the Glacian Consort, if such a male existed. She's still not sure whether it was sensible to accept these rooms, or whether she should have insisted that they wait until after Karla's Court had grown used to her presence to make such a blatant declaration. But Karla has never been one for caution.

"Fine. I don't want to wear this dress, I don't want to make myself pretty, and I don't want to go down to dinner so your entire Court can judge us."

Karla plucks the hairbrush from Wilhelmina's hands and tugs her down so they're seated side by side on the decadently soft bed. "Then don't. I have other people who can play politics. You don't need to be one of them." She runs the brush through Wilhelmina's hair once, twice, and then begins to separate it into dozens of sections, each held separate by a droplet of power.

Wilhelmina fidgets for a moment, then relaxes into the firm direction of Karla's fingers. "I refuse to put more weight on your shoulders instead of helping you carry what's already there. But I hate people staring at me. I hate strangers."

"I don't believe in strangers," Karla says as her fingers rapidly bring Wilhelmina's hair into order, weaving braids in and around each other in some pattern known only to herself. "There are just friends and enemies I haven't gotten to know yet."

Her words, however frivolous, always have the full force of her personality behind them. But Wilhelmina has learned that force isn't necessarily the same as threat, and in any case, it's good to practice sharpening her claws in safety so she won't forget them when it matters.

So she says, "That's hair-splitting. The definition of a stranger is a person you don't know yet."

"Ah, but the difference is that when you consider a faceless person you don't know, that person could be anyone and anything. Their shadow could grow and stretch into all kinds of horrors while you worry about how to deal with them and what they'll think of you." Karla stabs a trio of gold hairpins into the net of braids she's created, then calls in another handful and ponders where to apply them. "Whereas if you consider a potential friend or enemy, it's all very clear and straightforward. Be yourself. If they like you, make friends. If they don't, ignore them. And if they make trouble, destroy them. See? Simple."

The hairstyle is anything but simple, judging by how long it took Karla to construct, but it does look deceptively effortless until you realize exactly how many tiny braids loop in and around each other to create the glittering spiderweb effect. Wilhelmina is certain Karla's philosophy has similar layers if she cares to pick them apart.

Instead, she smiles and says, "I think I can manage ignoring people and even wreaking a small amount of vengeance, but I may need some pointers on making friends. I'll just have to stay pinned to your side all night, hang on your every word, and study your expressions as carefully as possible. One should always learn from the best."

"Flatterer," Karla says.

"Kiss kiss," Wilhelmina returns, and suits her actions to her words.

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End of Ficlet

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If no one else is going to write me Karla/Wilhelmina, I guess I will just write it myself!