talia vanderbilt :: high lady of day :: intro / interactions
emilie fairchild :: lady of summer :: intro / interactions
elian castro :: commander of dawn :: intro / interactions
lucius aguilar :: spymaster of hybern :: intro / interactions
vikram singh kapur :: lord & archivist of spring :: intro / interactions
tessa blake :: healer of night :: intro / interactions
kenna beck :: 2nd in commad of autumn intro / interactions
devon akello :: keeper of secrets of starlight :: intro / interactions
arisa págos :: lady & captain of winter :: intro / interactions
☆ﾟ*·ﾟ LIFTING HER HEAD, Tessa's eyes met those of Florencia and every little butterfly in her stomach fluttered in the most magical and beautiful way possible. Over the last however long, she'd found herself giggling, blushing, and down right enjoying every single ounce of time she spent with the redhead. She didn't know how she was supposed to react to her or what she was supposed to do, but all she wanted was to be around her. And it was in this moment that Tessa found herself running through the halls looking for her. She'd made her a flower crown and a bracelet to match, simply because she'd been thinking of her. When she saw that bright red hair flip as Florencia turned around, the smile on Tessa's face reached her ears. "I made you something, well two somethings. I just couldn't help it. I was thinking of you, and they're your colors." Tessa held out the flower crown and bracelet to her.
THE DROP INTO STARLIGHT WAS A RATHER UNEXPECTED ONE - AND NOT ONLY BECAUSE NO ONE HAD KNOWN STARLIGHT EXISTED IN THE FIRST PLACE. No, it was mostly because of what followed along with the discovery of a new-slash-super old court. The majority of the fae she'd seen and though were from Hybern turned out to be Starlight fae and it had put her mind in just a bit of a hurricane. However, it opened the possibility of her father being part of this court. It would explain why she hadn't really found him just yet. Well, that and the fact she had absolutely no idea what he looked like - just that she was an illyrian.
just like the fae in front of her.
To be entirely fair... if she was truly honest with herself, she would admit that she hoped her father to be someone exactly like Elian Castro. He was kind and funny, and there was an air of familiarity that would certainly explain why she felt at ease in his presence. It would explain a lot, in fact. But, facts were so seldom based on dreams and the tiny bit her mother had told her revealed absolutely nothing - just fueled the desire to find him.
but... it would explain why she does not flinch at the proximity.
"I'm happy to help anytime you need." Isa smiled, then lightened up at the mention of her eyes. "I'm told I have my mother's eyes! I can't really say for sure, because we all see ourselves differently from what others see us."
☆ﾟ*·ﾟSITTING IN FRONT of her, Elian couldn't wrap his head around why he knew her. He'd never seen her before, but everything about her seemed familiar, like he'd known her his whole life. She felt like a memory or a dream, or something out of a fairytale that he'd read a thousand times. But he couldn't figure it out and it would drive him crazy until he figured it out. Until then, Elian would protect her, because now, he felt protective of her, and couldn't help it. "I'll definitely seek you out if I need help. This is the most calm I've felt in a really long while."
"Your mother's eyes, you say?" In that moment, Elian stopped. Could it be? Was she really... no, she couldn't be. He shook his head, shifting in his spot. Because she would've told him, wouldn't she have? But as he sat there, looking at her, sitting in that moment, his thought was that she couldn't been. "I know I've seen them before, but I'm just imagining things at this point." Clearing his throat, he tried to change the subject. "Are you settling in alright? To Starlight?"
( piploy kanyarat, 25 / 250 , arisa págos, female, she/her ) Underneath the sparkling sky, did you see PIPLOY KANYARAT being tipped by the Cauldron? No, that’s just ARISA PÁGOS , who is the LADY CAPTAIN from WINTER. KIND and CREATIVE but if you catch them on a dark night, they can be DEFIANT and REBELLIOUS. But if you really get to know them, you’ll know that they vibe with SPITTING THE TRUTH AT SOMEONE WHEN THEY UNDERESTIMATE HER, DARKNESS BUILDING WITH ANGER, RAIN AND HAIL THUMPING ON A WINDOW LATE AT NIGHT.
Arisa is the baby Págos in the family, the smallest one, and yet she refuses to allow others to see her that way. She might be small, but she's feisty and managed to train herself right into Captain of the Armies. Her eldest sister, the High Lady trained her from the minute she could walk. She was practicing with little wooden swords, and finally moved higher as she got older. Arisa adores that she's small and everyone underestimates her. It's how she got to the role she did. She proved herself. Around everyone, she's soft, sweet, kind, and always bringing fun ways for the army to train to her Commander.
She's playful and loves a good time. But there's a darkness in her, a need to be more than everyone believe she is. There are times when she hates how others treat her and because of that, she's known to be rather rebellious, wanting to run away, learn more, and just go on adventures. Arisa knows her sisters and her court will always have her back, but that won't stop her from wanting to be more than what she is.
Her honest nature is always there to remind others when they're wrong, not afraid to upset others, because she knows she can just use her cuteness to make them feel all better again. It's kind of manipulative in a way, but can you blame her?
NORMALLY, SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN JUMPY OVER THE SITUATION AT HAND. Then again, she had long since lost the ability to be shocked by the surprise that the... whichever fae deity had thrown her way. It was a shame that it was forgotten - the names of the Ancient Gods, but then again, if this court is anything to go by, maybe they'll discover the names of their gods as well!
wouldn't it be just peachy?
Finding herself separated from her husband - and court - during the drop, Iseul followed the sound of rustling about, not expecting to meet with Dawn's commander. Turning an inquisitive look around, she hummed. "I'm guessing the storage room. Though, remind me to commend their staff for the exemplary tidiness of it. You should see the storage unit back in my home. It is the stuff of nightmares." she snickered.
☆ﾟ*·ﾟELIAN HUFFED THEN chuckled. That was not at all where he expected himself to be. But he really didn't know where he was even supposed to be. This court was a whole lot more confusing with the sky looking down on him like this. "Well that's completely wrong. Not that I even remember where I was trying to go now at this point. I'm so incredibly turned around." He looked around the room, laughing at her comment, because it was really rather true. This was the cleanest storage room he'd ever seen. "Oh my stars, they could do a number on my closet back home." Reaching for the door handle, he opened it, peering out of the room. "I'm really not sure what I was doing in this room, but what were you doing?"
SHE COULD TRY TO BEGIN TO EXPLAIN JUST HOW STARLIGHT GOT ISOLATED FROM THE REST OF PRYTHIAN AND HOW IT WASN'T DONE ON A WHIM OF AN ANCIENT RULER OR OUT OF MALICE. It was necessity. It was fighting to survive. The isolation of Starlight was not something that was done lightly or easily. How terrible did the first generations of the founders feel? How alone, how maddeningly lonely they must have been - losing all of their friends and allies, slipping away from knowledge and remembrance as if they'd never existed in the first place?
it made her heart ache and she was born to this isolation as did her predecessors.
She could not even begin to imagine the pain. But, as the High lady of Day spoke of Luc, Tia knew it was the perfect opportunity to come clean to the one of the courts that had shown some friendliness to them. "Lucius is a dear friend but he is not my spymaster." he belonged to Hybern and she, decidedly, did not.
"If I'm entirely honest, it would be kind of hard not to know about the court of Starlight, given how I am the one ruling it." she admitted, an apologetic expression settling on her face. "I'm afraid we haven't been properly introduced for obvious reasons. I am Tia Malgrave, the High lady of Starlight. Welcome to my home, High lady of Day."
☆ﾟ*·ﾟIT TOOK TALIA a moment to process. She'd been speaking to this high lady and completely mistook her for Hybern instead of this magical court that had been hiding for so many years. And she felt decidedly ridiculous. But what would you expect? They'd been hiding for so long, and now, she was rather confused. "Oh gosh, I am so sorry! I didn't even think that you might be from Starlight..." she started before she thought about it yet again. "What were you telling other fae before we knew your court existed? I believe that's where my confusion came from."
The addition of this court was far too confusing to her. There was so much learning and hidden secrets that Talia didn't know what to say anymore. "Luc is Hybern, that's right. He spoke of another court like he knew it. How have your two courts been in contact if the rest of us haven't?" The problem was that Talia wanted to know as much as she could, so that she could become the best high ruler that she could. But all of this information was only confusing her even more.
Shaking her head, she blinked, allowing a moment to process all of this information. "Well I feel silly now!" Talia let her head fall into her hands for a moment. As she stood up, she put on her best High Lady stance, knowing that she didn't want to come across as inconsiderate or incompetent. "It's really a pleasure to meet you, Tia. You may call me Talia. It seems I'm still learning quite a bit and I really do appreciate your kindness. Your court is absolutely stunning. I've been in awe everywhere I walk."
location & time: stellaria, spring quarters ; early evening.
closed for: @courtlights ; vikram.
WHILE EVERYONE ELSE MIGHT HAVE BEEN ON THE DISTRUSTFUL SIDE OVER THE STARLIGHT COURT, ISABEL WAS NOT SO JUDGMENTAL. Sure, it wasn't her problem to worry over it, anyway, but even so she was more inclined to just... enjoy the fact that there was a whole 'nother court for her to investigate - and, possibly, track down her father. She did not find him in Spring, nor did she find him in Winter or Autumn. Maybe he was in Hybern or Starlight? Or... Night? Whichever court had illyrians, maybe that's where she should start looking.
granted, once her powers return.
Still, while Isa was a bit amused by the situation, there was a gnawing thought that kept resurfacing in her mind. It was interesting that the fae had lost their power and the special fae were rendered normal, it was also concerning that it had happened in this new court - and while everyone was still trying to adjust to being in it. So, when she stumbled upon the High lady's consort, Vikram, Isa made her way towards him with a soft smile upon her lips.
"Lord Vikram, how lovely to run into you here. What a joyride this court of Starlight proves itself to be - first it traps us here and now our powers are gone poof. I wonder if there's some hidden wisdom in it." she mused, lips pursed together, before she found herself asking ;
"During your work in the archives back home, did you ever... stumble upon anything that might have been similar to this situation? I'm not saying the exact copy of it, I'm sure there's none, but... maybe something that, at least, hints to what in the ever-loving frick frack is going on."
☆ﾟ*·ﾟVIKRAM HAD VERY quickly found the library in the Starlight Court, hunkering down and hiding as much as he could. He'd told his wife exactly where it was and how to find it, along with a few select other people. But for the most part, he wanted to hide from as many people as he could. When someone walked in, looking exactly for him, he was shocked. Who told? Who snitched on where he was hiding? Or did they expect to find him here? But when they spoke, he realized it wasn't intentional. That didn't ease any frustration with the social contact that was now about to happen.
Lifting his head at her voice, Vikram watched her speak, claiming it was lovely to run into him and how she had all of these questions for him. He didn't know her, but he could sense the curiosity and worry in her voice. And it was for that reason that he would humor her. "I believe there is wisdom behind it. From what I've gathered, miss, Hybern has known of the Starlight Court this whole time."
His voice was soft and gentle as it was something he was actively interested in. Finding information and analyzing it was his favorite thing to do. "There is some information, but much of what I've found has been hidden here. Someone or something is running all of this and has been planning for a while. It's been glamoured. I sensed the magic before we lost it. We might be best to find their Archivist or Keeper of Secrets. I have yet to find either."
the high lord had seemed to be a very closed off man who liked his privacy very much, but after meeting him properly, the witch decided that she liked him. he reminded her of a cat in a way, and lia loved cats, so her way of reaching out was to silently give him things that would remind her of him, or his wife; a small trinket here, a crystal there, a book with a colorful cover, and she was grateful he seemed to be humoring her, since today was no different.
after having lost their powers, which lia had felt almost instantly with their daemati abilities just always being there,they decided to look through the market stalls to keep themselves occupied, and not worrying about what this could mean, they had found a small scented candle that reminded them of him, which quickly led them here. "hello my lord. i hope you've been well, I just...found this candle and it made me think of you! how has...spring settled, over all? I actually had the chance to meet your own apothecary not too long ago. he's very kind. I believe you're in good, gentle hands..." she shyly sets the candle down and put her hands behind her back at the thought of the Illyrian.
☆ﾟ*·ﾟVIKRAM WAS KNOWN for his cold demeanor, being the kind of fae that rarely gave you anything in return. And yet, he was comforted by a few select fae and one of those was Iliana Song, the Apothecary of Hybern. He couldn't tell you how it happened or why he decided to let her in, but he adored when she stopped by. It was one of the rare instances that his voice was soft and gentle. Her presence was welcomed in this cold, depressing moment of magic lost.
So when she walked into the room, told him of something she'd found and thought of him, Vikram smiled. It was of those soft smiles, reserved for her. He often thought of her like a small child, in the nicest and cutest way possible. "A candle, you say?" Vikram reached for the candle and took a large whiff before humming softly. He gestured for her to sit across from him and pulled out a lighter from his pocket. "Thank you, Lia. It smells wonderful. Shall we see how it smells once it's lit?" With the lighter, he quickly lit the candle and placed it on the table in between them. "It's good to know that you approve of our apothecary. Don't tell him you're my favorite. Like you, dear, he doesn't bring me little gifts." His shoulders dropped at the question of asking how they were. "We are still in the midst of checking on them. My wife is a lot more stressed than I believe she lets on. But we will be okay, together."
she knows he trusts her after all this time. even though some of her friends would say she’d be the most likely to poison them. not that she’d actually do it. they only think that because they know she likes to study dead things. she hums, “multiple times. when it was not me.” she shrugs, grinning though. “i have no idea.” she sighs, sipping from her own drink. “i don’t know if everyone is really okay with this. more just… tolerating it while they figure it out? maybe?” she shrugs again. “did they… bring the fae who were killed? maybe studying them would lead to… something.” as disrespectful as it sounds.
☆ﾟ*·ﾟA SOFT CHUCKLE escaped Luc's lips. She was correct. There were few and far between who he would accept a drink from. Taking a sip of it, he swallowed slowly, allowing the alcohol to burn his mouth. It warmed his body and soothed him slightly, even with that one little sip. "Alright, that's fair." Nothing anyone was saying had any sense of calm to the scryer. If anything, it frustrated him. Because scrying wasn't giving him any answers. Even though he could continue to use his tools, he was getting nothing. "Even I can't find any answers, and I didn't lose my skill. It's just emptiness and darkness." This frustrated him even more. Because he prided himself on having answers, on always being able to see something, but now, nothing. As she asked a question, Luc's head lifted up. "Seren, you're a genius! We owe it to ourselves and everyone else to find out. We can at least check!" It was rare to see Luc so excited, but this was progress and could lead to answers that weren't big fat goose eggs.
ONE THOUSAND AND HUNDRED YEARS AGO, DIVYA HAD LOST EVERYTHING - HER FAMILY, HER SURNAME, HER MORTAL LIFE. But, coming to Hybern, centuries late she had gained most of it back. She could never have her mortality back, nor her mortal family ( what did they look like? she had forgotten the sound of their voices, the way they smiled and how they laughed. she had forgotten what they looked like and she hated herself for it ) - but here... she had a family. She had something as closest to a baby brother as she could have, given how they did not share a single drop of blood.
but, lucius was her brother - and she feared immensely for him.
Going on a search for him after the magic vanished from the court, Divya realied on her extant powers and that sibling bond to take her to him - in time to hear him call out for her, too. "I'm right here." she spoke, quick strides until she'd reached him and crushed him into a hug. Moving away far enough to still hold him, but far enough to give him space, Div nodded.
"I'm fine - and I mean it. This thing did not affect me." she sighed, before her expression softened, worry mixing with relief ; "How are you, Luc? Are you unharmed?"
☆ﾟ*·ﾟFEELING DIVYA PULL him close for that bone crushing hug, Luc's entire body calmed down. She was safe. That's what mattered. She was his entire court. He'd never had siblings that he'd cared about, anyone that had meant anything to him. Divya knew everything, had been through everything, and now, he could finally breathe again. Every breath before that had been worrisome, scared that something had happened to her. With this magic ripped, he worried that because she was what she was, that she'd been made, that something would take everything from her. As she pulled away, he lifted his hands up, pushing her hair out of her face. "I was so worried. You're my best friend, Div, I was beside myself."
But as she continued to speak, and stated that it hadn't affected her, Luc took a step back, tilting his head to the side, taking her in. "What do you mean it didn't affect you? It didn't take your powers?" Shaking his head, he pushed off her comment. "Forget about me. I'll always live. What do you mean it didn't affect you?" Luc was confused. He knew that Starlight had a link with Hybern, as that was one of the facts ruining other parts of his life. But there was something else, something confusing. Divya was a cauldron-made fae. Was that why?
ISABEL WAS, INITIALLY, EXCITED ABOUT BEING IN A NEW COURT. Starlight sounded like such a pretty dream and while landing there had not been a dream, it still lived up to her expectation. However, once the fae started losing their power, the initial excitement turned to quite a bit of disappointment.
but, it wasn't disappointment over the Starlight court.
She was, actually, rather disappointed at whoever was orchestrating all of this. Couldn't they have given them at least like a month of peace? Two weeks! Two weeks would have great, as well. Sighing, Isa wandered over to the garden, fully intent of finding some natural grown chamomile for her tea and the tinctures she'd started to make. Seeing someone else had had the similar idea, Isa approached the other with a smile.
"Oh, I never say no to a flower crown!" she said with a chirp, then kneeled beside the other fae. "In fact, I'm down for both. I was looking for some fresh chamomile for my tea."
☆ﾟ*·ﾟA BRIGHT GRIN grew across the healer's face. Giggling, Tessa patted the spot next to her. "That makes me happy! I love making them and I can teach you how to do it too!" She started gathering all of the weeds that rested in the dirt and placed them in a pile. "Color preference?" Then, she reached into her bag and took out a small bag, placing it down on the ground between them. "I don't know if this court has chamomile themselves, but I always carry some with me, so we can absolutely make some too!" This made Tessa happy, knowing that someone had similar interests to her. Maybe this whole Starlight Court trap thing could be a little easier.
☆ﾟ*·ﾟTHE LIBRARY WAS Devon's safe space and always had been. In there, he could protect everything there was to know about Starlight. And with his magic, he did just that. He'd glamoured every bit of the library, making sure everyone else only saw what he wanted them to see. Not many people came in, so when he heard footsteps, Devon was immediately on edge. He turned around, ready to glamour himself and turn out the lights when he realized he couldn't, not anymore. Swearing under his breath, he ran to the front, standing in the foyer, staring at someone he didn't recognize. "How did you get in here? What can you see? Why are you here?" Devon interrogated him, and didn't care if it frightened the other.
location & time: stellaria, night court quarters ; evening.
closed for: @courtlights ; tessa.
THE FACT THAT MAGIC GOT SUCKED OUT OF EVERY FAE IN ATTENDANCE HAD ONLY BEEN MILDLY CONCERNING. What made her truly concerned was the - recently largely known - fact that witches retained their power ; and she had had one in her own court. Granted, that particular witch was her friend and she'd known Tessa to be gentle and kind.
other witches... she couldn't tell.
What made her concerned was not the fact that Tessa kept her power - it was the fact that someone else orchestrated all of this. The memory wipe, the murders, the drop into Starlight, of all places... and now this. The magic wipe. It was making her feel distrustful and reclusive, and as a High lady, she really ought not to be the latter. Sighing, Yiren reached over to the porcelain cup on her coffee table, dark gaze setting upon her friend -
the witch.
"I'm glad you are alright. But, I think it would be for the best if you kept your wanderings... limited. I don't know how those from other courts are going to respond to this novelty. I don't wish to see you in harm's way, especially not now when I can't protect you." and she hated herself for it. The protectress of the Night court, rendered as weak as a mortal. The only thing still pointing her out as fae were the ears.
and nothing else.
"I'm almost willing to believe there's someone out there who has a personal vendetta against us." almost, as this doesn't seem like a personal vendetta. This feels random, yet precise. Universal. Not tailored to target a specific court ( except, maybe, the court of Starlight, but then again they had that coming up for being secluded for fifteen thousand years ).
☆ﾟ*·ﾟWHEN TESSA HEARD her High Lady had sent for her, Tessa practically ran to her chambers, worried that something happened. Yiren had been nothing but supportive of every part of Tessa's life, joining her court, being a witch, being the calming, soft, fae that she was. But with everything that happened, she was worried. Only the witches were spared and she now worried what that might mean for her. And her worries only increased once she reached Yiren's room.
Tessa's head fell, nodding along with her. She sat in a chair opposite of her and rested her hands in her lap. "I think you're right, Milady. I don't want to, but I know it's for the best." Her body sank into the chair and she finally lifted her head to look back at her again. Tessa wanted more than anything for none of this to have happened, but she wasn't controlling it. And the fact that they had no idea who was made it even worse. "I appreciate that you want to protect me. But I don't get it. None of this makes sense." Tessa's hair fell in front of her face and she tried to push out of her face, but it wouldn't seem to stop. "They have a vendetta against all of us fae? But wouldn't they be fae too? That's what doesn't make sense. Who wants to hurt all other fae?" The witch wished she had answers, but she really had no clue. She wasn't the type to even look for answers. "But Starlight have been all nice to us, for the most part, it can't be them. We're in their court now, and they're struggling just as much as we are?"
( tyler james williams , 32 / 400 , devon akello, male, he/him ) Underneath the sparkling sky, did you see TYLER JAMES WILLIAMS being tipped by the Cauldron? No, that's just DEVON AKELLO , who is the KEEPER OF SECRETS from STARLIGHT. MAGNANIMOUS and LOGICAL but if you catch them on a dark night, they can be CUNNING and DEFENSIVE . But if you really get to know them, you'll know that they vibe with TELLING STORIES TO THE LITTLEST FAE IN PRYTHIAN, ORGANIZING EVENTS TO HELP THE COMMUNITY, CONVERSATIONS ABOUT YOUR DAY.
Devon's life was everything you'd ever want in a life, and yet, it was completely broken. He had absolutely zero family, no parents, no siblings, no one. Bu it didn't even matter to him because despite all of this pain and difficulty, Devon grew up in a home with a ton of other kids. Every little ounce of it was wonderful to him. He got to be with his friends and the other fae running the place, they made him feel loved, and made him feel seen. Until he met other kids outside of the house, he didn't think that life was any other way. And it's because of that, that he lives the life he does. It's every intention in Devon's life to give back to the community. He wants to make sure that everyone is kind and loving.
But the older he got, the more fae he saw, the more he realized why he'd lived this life like this. One day, while getting food for some of his less fortunate friends, Devon ran into an older fae that looked at him with nothing but malice in his eyes. It was then that he learned that his father was killed by this man and the rest of his friends. From that day, Devon made it his mission to never do it again. He set out revenge, and from then on learned how easy it was to keep secrets and manipulate other fae to help the less fortunate. But from looking at him, you'd never realize that, never learn or understand that Devon could do anything that might be bad, manipulative, or rude in any way.
He got himself the Keeper of Secrets position by simply being the kind man he was, the one that had saved the right person at the right time. And it was by that line that Devon wanted to extend the rest of his life, letting everyone believe that he didn't have a secretive, cunning, and defensive bone in his body. But Devon will always protect those that need it.
She gave Talia a nod, walking back to the door to stand by it, hands still behind her back and posture straight and tense. After what happened at the Winter ball, those words that Talia mumbled a little drunk at her, it kept Penélope up at night so she was nervous about this. It would be such an embarrassment if Penélope got the wrong idea or if Talia didn't mean any of it and she was just drunk of faery wine and didn't know what she was doing so she was trying hard to put does images out of her mind, the need in her eyes and urgency in her tone. Penélope wasn't worthy of any of those and besides, Talia was going to marry someone important one day. What was the use of dueling on such things that were impossible? "Of course, we can talk about anything you want." She tried to relax her face and give her High Lady and friend a smile.
"The closets have some garments, apparently, set by the Starlight court. Let me know if you find something you can sleep on or if you need me to go out and get something for you." The Sterallia staff must have made sure everyone had fresh clothes for the night. "That door is the lavatory." She added pointing at one on the opposite side of the chambers, on the other side of the big bed in the middle against the north wall. Big threatening bed that Penélope kept eyeing with a bit of dread. If she got too tired, she could always sleep on the floor or in one of the arm chairs which were far more than she was used to from the Valkyrie camps, to be fair.
☆ﾟ*·ﾟFOR MOST OF their lives, Penélope was Talia's safe person, so she'd go to her with anything, but now the one thing she wanted to talk to her about was difficult. How could she express her feelings if she wasn't fully sure how to explain it. Her mother wouldn't be happy with them, but the thing was, Talia was the high ruler, and she could decide anything she wanted. There was no need for her mother to barge in any decision she made in her life. As they both stood in the room, she looked around for a moment, but she wasn't looking at the room and instead kept glancing back at Penélope.
It made her feel safe to know that she wasn't alone in a completely new place. At least with the Winter Court, she'd been there before. Starlight was a little nerve wracking. "Oh gosh, Pen, seriously? We've been friends for years, you don't need to worry so much about things like that." Talia laughed, letting her mind wander back to when they were young. "We've probably taken baths together, honestly." But she wasn't sure how to bridge that gap now that they were older. They'd remained friends and remained close, but now that Talia was crushing on Penélope, everything felt different. Could they cross that bridge and become more without it ruining anything? Sitting down on the bed, she took a deep breath. "Last night, I remember some of it. I know I suggested some off the wall things, and I'm sorry, but I'm also not." Talia had been looking down at her hands, and finally looked up at her friend. "I wasn't lying when I said I liked you a lot. You're my safe person, Pen."
"For someone so soft-spoke, you just threw that at me like a blade. Deep in the soil. Very clever." His honey eyes were dark in the low starlight, unreadable but warm, and the grin tugging at the corner of his mouth was the grin of someone who knew exactly what he was doing and had no intention of stopping.
"The conservatory is this way," he said, tilting his head toward the winding path that led deeper into the gardens. Icarion rose to his feet and offered her a hand. Not quite touching. Just an invitation hovering in the air between them, his rings catching the starlight.
"But let's be clear about something." He waited until she met his gaze. "That night in Winter, you were quiet. Nervous. Sweet. You barely looked at me until you were under me, and even then you bit your lip like you were afraid of making a sound." He paused, his grin sharpening. "And now you're sitting in my family's soil, looking at me straight in the eye, talking about how deep I was. So I have to ask..." He tilted his head. "Are you going to remind me what you sounded like when I got there? Or should I remind you first?"
☆ﾟ*·ﾟTESSA TURNED BRIGHT red as he continued to speak. She couldn't believe she'd even said that. But she knew why she'd done it. When she was in her element, the healer had confidence. So now that Icarion had brought her out of the moment, and she'd gone right back down to shy, giggly, and completely different in confidence. Slowly, Tessa reached for his hand, lightly placing it in hers. Her cheeks were still flushed a bright red. "Thank you." Tessa kept her head down, now feeling ridiculous. How had she even gotten the confidence to say such a thing to him?
Fidgeting as they walked, Tessa knew she had to explain it, but could she? "Well, I..." She bit her lip, pushing a strand of hair that fell, giving her a moment to lift her head up to barely meet his eyes. "I'm not going to remind you. I'm in awe that I said that, but..." she giggled. "I'm more confident when I'm around plants. I saw these and I just went for it, and when you showed up, my hands were still in the dirt." Tessa felt absolutely ridiculous now. Then, she stopped. Her words were slightly shaky, "Wait, you're showing me now?"
the court is amazing, truly beautiful, but malvina is busy running around looking for the people she cares for after the winnowing. even though she wants to explore. but now that she knows ellie is in one piece, she relaxes more, because out of all of her friends, she’s always been the most protective of ellie. so she clutches her tightly, inhaling softly as she confirms she’s fine, before pulling back to look at her. “well, you are in one piece so that is all i actually care about, if i am honest.” she shrugs, humming. “they are. although i got a bit sidetracked from looking at the court while looking for my friends.” she hums. “i…” maybe. yes. absolutely. and she finds herself looking around for rivian, distracted by the thought, knowing that he's from summer, and this is their area of the palace.
☆ﾟ*·ﾟELLIE WAS A strange fae, because she worried about her friends, but she also knew that they would either take care of themselves, or come find her first. So, she hadn't actually gone and looked for anyone really. Being the youngest of her family, she knew their worry would come. It might've been a little bit arrogant, but she knew she was protected. If she ran around enough, she'd run into them, and they'd inform her of anything that she needed to know. "I think I am! I'm okay, promise, just very distracted by everything." Ellie did feel bad, that she hadn't gone and looked for anyone. It was something she had to learn, not always expecting to be the baby. "Who are you looking for? Maybe I've seen them and can help you! I wanna be helpful!"
