caspian:
castaway cove | closed for @danciingflameâ
Nearly every welcome bonfire Concordiaâs history boasted was one form of disaster or another, Caspian would argue, though heâd be sure to deny his own fault in the explosions. More often than not, his tempers crashed like angered waves and his rage would leave the night a ruin, shooting the absent barrier theyâd all been celebrating immediately back upwards, ensuring the island wouldnât see guests again for another five, twenty, fifty-something years.Â
He would not be the cause of such commotion this time, heâd swore upon all the powers of the seas themselves â not even as heâd been forced to bite down on his tongue all night, swallowing a tang of metal each time he watched another kingdomâs sprites act amuck. His own hand in its creation those centuries ago be damned, he resented the islandâs constitution for daring to forbid him, a being as old as the earth itself, from disciplining the stir-crazy sprites that spent the evening embarrassing their kind before the humans with childish antics.Â
To quell the storm that brewed in his chest was never easy; even in the days that followed the bonfire, he could feel resentment towards the others bubbling just beneath the surface, daring to explode, daring to ruin his hopes of allowing a few more straggling humans in before he inevitably erupted once more. Decompressing with Ocean in the depths of Aqueus had its therapeutic properties most nights â but this, this was too delicate. She, too, bore the blessing and the curse of the monarch â and a set of moods to match his own. Any missteps even with her would raise the barrier all the same. Politics. It meant the only inhabitants of the island safe to speak freely with in times of tension and attempted self restraint were the lessers. Call it strange and beautiful, that it was one engulfed in flame that so often knew how to calm their waters.Â
Theyâd asked Phoenix to join them at Castaway Cove, just as the sun tucked itself away behind the Terran mountains for the evening, the beach lit in twilight by the bioluminescent teal of the cove, with a pit dug out on the shore for their guest to light them a fire, perhaps one that might turn into a dance. Surely, a swim in the cove whilst the fire siren danced on shore would keep their frenzied heart distracted enough to keep from warring with the others; if not, a swig from whatever was in the bottle theyâd swiped from Charlieâs earlier that day might. âThank you for joining me out here. With the excitement beginning to calm, I hoped you might help me at least try to do the same.â Sat in the sand, they poured from an unmarked glass bottle into a pair of glasses, offering one to Phoenix. âI donât know who made it or whatâs in it, but it wonât kill us,â they shrugged with a chuckle, daring to take their first sip. âI thought you and I might indulge in a more private toast tonight. Itâs been.. how long, since youâve met one of your old kind? I imagine it brings.. emotions.â
The ecstasy and excitement of some humans had made her feel alive. Not that she ever felt differently, but they brought a new fire to Concordia -- stories about wars, terror, glory, technology and personal stories that deserved to be heard. Phoenix couldnât possibly stay away from them. Hearing about their own little stories enabled her to fully understand Concordiaâs newest citizen and her fellow sprites -- soon, at least. Phoenix burned with a passion that would remain unmatched that day. Her instincts turned quite motherly that day and she found herself surrounded by all sorts of lost souls eager to find guidance. Of course sheâd decided to help them out, that was, at least, until Caspian called her. She couldnât possibly say no to them, could she? Nothing had been as personal to Phoenix than her relationshin with Caspian. An understanding, a mix of fire and water, sprite and monarch, creation and beginning. Once the message reached her ear Phoenix followed one of the water sprites towards Castaway Cove. The further she walked away from the festivities, the more unsettled she became. They were close, yes, but Phoenix couldnât ignore his dominance and regal demeanor.Â
Phoenix looked towards the sky while the sun slowly began to hide, make way for the stars to illuminate the sky. Sheâd always loved the colorful sky change at dusk and dawn respectively. Only in these moments one rather looked upwards than down, enjoyed whatever fleeting moment of silence one allowed oneself. âYour majesty,â Phoenix greeted him politely. No need to forget about proper etiquette. She sat down next to them and Phoenix forced her body temperature to cool down so they wouldnât be bothered by the heat radiating from her skin. âEveryone has been excited so far. Itâs been a few years, yes. I donât particularly like to remember the old days. Every human who has survived will feel at home in no time, besides Iâm sure thereâll be a few willing to join your majestyâs ranks,â Phoenix raised one eyebrow and gently took the drink out of his hand. âTo inevitable change,â she cheered and took a rather large sip from her glass. Pretty strong, but she tried to hide her reaction as best as possible. âI do hope the arrival of new humans didnât open old wounds,â Phoenix gently brushed her thumb over Caspianâs arm, âweâve got all eternity to get to know them, no need to rush, no need to accept change now if we can do so tomorrow, am I right?â
