the stars are eternal

sofia flores. high fae. spring court. spymaster a roleplay blog for @ofcourtfables

[eternalxstars]

closed starter @shvdwscng (any)

sitting outside the castle, her body huddled up in a warm blanket by the fire as she fought the dusk chill, was the most relaxed sofia had felt in weeks. the feeling of her powers running through her veins filled her with a glimmer of hope that she had long given up on. there was work to be done to figure a way out, but for tonight she was willing to let the dancing flames in front of her ease her nerves even if temporarily. she'd felt the light breeze in the air that motivated the flame's movements, gladly remembering that she could control it again if she wanted to. but not tonight. she had already spent her energy confirming that her powers were truly back already. "it is nice, is it not? the feeling that things are somewhat going back to normal?" no one else needed to know about the doubts in her heads, the cynicism about the whole thing, and tonight she wanted to avoid that too if she could help it.

[eternalxstars]

closed starter @stxrslisten (any)

their time in the dusk court was dragging on infinitely, and the prospect of not knowing when the barrier would fall and allow them out was starting to drive her mad. there was no information, none that she had managed to gather at least despite her best efforts. rumors from fae were not reliable but she knew to appreciate the hearsay and follow it up. some hearsay was based on hints of truths, she had learnt through the years, and at this point she had nothing to go on. sofia had stationed herself in a nook, acting like she was lost in her reading although her mind was busy coming up with plans to try and find out more. the approaching footsteps caught her attention, her eyes peeling away from the pages up towards the sound way before they approached her. "did i steal your hideaway place? i would apologize but no one has found me in hours and that was exactly my goal for the day."

[eternalxstars]

closed starter @ethercvl (any)

with the return of their powers came a glimmer of hope that things could somehow go back to normal. even though their new normal would involve a previously hidden court, a second mother, and a million questions that were left unanswered. although the feeling of helplessness did not drain out completely despite the return of their dear abilities. she'd heard mentions of fae attempting to winnow out of the dusk court with no success, the feat leaving them drained of energy. if winnowing out of her was not an option, she knew that transforming into her crow form and flying away would be a futile attempt. besides, the most important fae of her court were here - she needed to be around with them. "this is absurd," she muttered to herself as she pealed her eyes away from the skies she was so close to convincing herself to fly into, her eyes immediately noticing the shadow in the room. she had let her thoughts block her senses, something she never allowed herself to do. what was this place turning her into? "i didn't see you there. sorry. i was just talking to myself."

[eternalxstars]

closed starter @sparkledcrowns (sienna)

there were rolls of new fabric that she had purchased during the feast now lying in her room, waiting to be used. with the crispier weather in the solar courts, she knew she needed something thicker than her spring court clothes in her wardrobe. there was no knowing how long they would be here and she could not be caught out. sofia was always prepared for the eventualities and this was something she knew exactly who to approach to sort out. "just the one i was looking for," she announced as she approached sienna with a beaming smile. "i have a request for you."

[stxrslisten]

With enthusiasm she nods, she could have not said it better herself as she too was a lover of music, her first love she would dare say. a long friend that had filled the loneliness that had been confinement when she had been no more than a weak little lad. "i would have to wholeheartedly agree with her," narcissa says with a smile, unsure if her mother was amongst the living or not, she refrains from asking. her brow furrows at the mention of being cold, she had never developed a sensitivity for the cold, or the warm, it was one of the many things that often managed to get her sick. "has it now? i have not noticed, i don't get cold with ease i suppose, but i am never one to say no to new clothing."

[eternalxstars]

sofia refused to let the thoughts of her mother upset her. in time she learned to associate the good parts of her childhood with the beautiful fae that left them too soon, the one who taught her to stand up for herself and break free of the clasp of her father and brother. her mother had never been able to do so herself, her willpower had never been strong enough. she resorted to music and books and sofia for solace until her time was up. it suddenly hit her how much narcissa reminded her of her own mother. "you two would have gotten along really well," she stated with a soft smile laced with a hint of sadness that she tried to push away. "it certainly has. i am not used to being away from spring for so long, and the solar courts are heading into the colder season now. we should get something warmer just in case." she did not want to say it out loud, but just in case they were still here when that season hit - they needed to be prepared.

[stxrfclls]

luka  rarely  visited  the  solar  courts  for  this  reason  alone.  a  creature  of  spring,  like  their  flowers  he  needed  the  sun  to  thrive.  being  away  from  it  made  him  feel  stifled,  as  if  it  were  a  tease  to  just  be  off  on  the  horizon  and  never  changing.  it  must  be  how  the  solar  fae  felt  when  they  did  venture  south.  were  it  not  for  his  newborn  to  blame,  he'd  claim  it  was  also  causing  him  to  be  endlessly  tired.  perhaps  it  was  a  mixture  of  both.  "  i  could  not  have  said  it  better  myself.  "  admits  the  spring  lord.  he  was  a  creature  of  habit,  and  would  not  be  afraid  to  admit  that  being  in  such  a  place  was  uncomfortable  and  draining.  the  lack  of  magic  only  seemed  to  irritate  the  spring  fae  even  further.  this  was  certainly  a  means  for  luka's  demise,  he  swore  it.  a  chuckle  slips  from  luka's  lips.  "  narcissa  would  never  allow  it.  "

[eternalxstars]

maybe there was already a hint of despair seeping through her blood. she was restless to return back home. each moment away from it meant a spring court unprotected, and increased vulnerability for the court and her high lord. what if something happened to the court and its fae in their absence? Shudders ran through her body at the thought. "it has been too long now. we might be going a little mad with the perpetual state of dusk." she certainly felt that way some days. days. what even were days anymore? "one of you has to do it, and i'm glad it's the one with the good fashion sense."

[stxrfclls]

taria  hated  her  inability  to  relax,  but  it  had  made  her  a  better  general.  eyes  constantly  moving,  finding  her  king  and  his  mother  at  any  given  moment.  she  had  her  best  guards  on  them,  but  even  still  she  trusted  none  fully.  "  the  addition  of  dark  to  her  title  does  pull  a  less  than  stellar  image,  though.  "  it  was  all  so  interesting,  but  yet  the  general  had  not  chosen  to  push  the  limits  of  learning  more.  she  allowed  the  dusk  fae  their  secrecy,  her  own  curiosity  subdued  in  respect.  "  it  was  kind  for  them  to  invite  us  and  make  us  feel  welcomed,  i  suppose.  "

[eternalxstars]

sofia knew nothing more than questioning. asking questions and searching for answers was the core of what she did and who she was. something as big as a second mother was surely a lacuna in her knowledge that she needed to find out more about. "maybe we are viewing her from the perspective of whoever named her so. there is always a reason behind such darkness." the priestesses would chastise all the thoughts and questions about their own mother that sofia had running through her head. she certainly did not think of her as anything stellar at the moment. not after abandoning them the way she did. "of course. that was certainly nice of them. tonight's event is certainly a show of that." she would not air her doubts about the dusk fae out in the air, nor how she did not trust a single one of them and their intentions. she could act like the innocent believer in their kindness and generosity and play along in whatever game they were playing. all she needed to do was actually figure out what the game was.

[sweetbriarfm-deactivated2025112]

"Geez, Sof, lighten up, will you? You can't bring the mood down any further. I never thought I’d be the first to say it, but I really miss my lilies." Tiernan had taken up gardening in his cottage by the palace. His former residence felt overcrowded and stuffy, so he was working on transforming the rundown shack into a lovely space for himself. He would be quite upset if his lilies were wilting due to these never-ending visits to court. Placing his hand over his heart, he scoffed lightly, "I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that. Maybe we need to find the right people around here to get the fun we're looking for. Perhaps our new dusky friends will have a treat for us."

[eternalxstars]

an involuntary roll of sofia's eyes followed tiernan's words. she could never lighten up as long as they remained away from home with no means of returning or even knowing what was going on there while they were gone. "you ask the impossible of me. but i am certain those lilies are thriving. you took great care of them and they will be there when we return." maybe she could put in the effort to not bring the mood down further for tiernan after all. some of them had to remain somewhat positive. "some tough love from me never hurt you. you are right, maybe one of them knows where the good stuff is. i certainly could use a decent treat and i'm sure you could too."

[slivertm]

a soft hiss escapes him as sofia leads the two of them away, unassumingly stronger than he expected of her. despite the serene smile on her face, a shiver crawled up his spine. he got the message loud and clear. iain messed up. alright, so he wasn’t so great at the secret part of spying. iain’s usefulness was in his boyish appearance, friendly and likeable. someone who could get along with anyone. he’d have to work on the cunning.

“sorry,” he says sheepishly. it was a rookie mistake, reminding iain just how green he was to the rest of the inner circle. “that was on me.”

perhaps he was passing judgement too early on the dusk court. it was a kind of them to incorporate halloween into their festival, but it was proof of their knowledge of them. in a way, it was unnerving. “i find the whole saviour act hard to believe. none of it makes sense and now we’re trapped. again.”

[eternalxstars]

sofia knew it stemmed from iain's inexperience mixed with his character. they worked in different ways and it was useful somedays, yet they had to thread carefully. in a place full of fae that could have personal agendas, they could not afford to air their suspicions and own thoughts out loud for all to hear. "you need to remember what i always tell you, now more than ever. be careful of who could be around you. if there are too many ears, you only say what they want to hear and leave the other thoughts for later."

he was certainly right in his thoughts, and sofia shared the same sentiment. there was no doubt in her mind that some members of the dusk court had gone out of their way to make them feel welcomed. yet she was certain not everyone's intentions were good. "you and i both. they have something to gain from this, the question is what. they've gotten us all trapped in here, far away from home. i cannot shake off the feeling that something might be happening out there while we're busy celebrating in a mysterious court."

[sweetbriarfm-deactivated2025112]

"Hmmm, I don’t think that’s what they’re used for, Sof," he chuckled. At least she was on board with him regarding yet another peculiar location they had found themselves in. The people parading around them must be drinking some sort of delusional punch. He could only imagine what the members of the Dusk Court thought as they watched the faes partake in the festivities. "What will cheer you up? A carved pumpkin? Candied apples? Should I confess my undying love for you?"

[eternalxstars]

"they are used to envision doom in your future life. anyone can make that up and chances are, they will be right. doesn't really require any special magic to predict that." she wasn't a fan of tempting fates. and there was no point in predicting the inevitable that was meant to affect every fae either. a playful roll of her eyes followed the other's words as an involuntary snicker left her lips. "you confess your undying love for me on a daily basis and yet i'm still grumpy. you know what? faerie wine would cheer me up. only this ridiculous punch doesn't even do anything for me and i'm stuck drinking too much of it for my own good."

[shvdwscng]

"they  have,  and  it  was  quite  thoughtful  of  them  to  allow  us  to  participate  in  something  that  is  scared  to  them."  with  how  the  palace  and  the  dusk  faes  were  abuzz  in  the  week  leading  into  the  celebrations,  it  was  quite  obvious  this  was  something  dear  to  this  court.  this  was  still  far  more  than  she  would  have  expected  from  them,  but  as  days  slipped  by,  sitara  could  contend  it  was  not  so  awful  here.  she  didn't  by  means  trust  them  yet,  given  their  positions,  and  not  yet  knowing  where  they  stood  compared  to  the  seven  courts.  it  could  as  easily  go  awry  if  they  could  not  all  come  to  some  form  of  an  understanding.  the  widow  herself  was  a  bit  hesitant  to  let  her  guard  down,  that  if  she  might  and  allow  herself  to  enjoy  the  celebrations  something  would  go  awry  and  everything  followed  her  son's  coronation  seemed  to  tip  in  that  direction.  "it's  likely  we  will  be  wondering  that  until  they  decide  to  tell  us  themselves.  their  creator  certainly  accomplished  much,  and  it  does  lead  me  to  wonder  -  did  our  mother  knew  and  kept  this  court  from  us?"  her  silence  had  been  quite  deafening,  and  sitara  wondered  what  their  deity  every  make  herself  known  to  them,  or  offer  some  form  of  answers.

[eternalxstars]

a thought passed through her mind, of how they had no choice but to include the guests. they might not have been doing any of this out of the goodness of their own hearts. "indeed. or maybe they simply enjoy a good celebration and nothing keeps fae occupied like one." hosting all these fae was no easy task, especially if not anticipated to do so. and from what she had gathered, that seemed to be the case. hearing the queen mother questioning the mother openly made sofia's eyebrows raise slightly in surprise. gutsy. she liked that. "the priestesses would tell us not to question the mother. and yet, if the mother knows everything, she knew about this court. she does seem to have abandoned us these days after all."

[n1ghtsongs-deactivated20250913]

innocence,  unless  proven  otherwise,  but  what  happened  when  the  evidence  was  little  more  than  a  game?  a  dance  between  two  fae,  who  evaluated  and  understood?  a  pleasant  evening  indeed.  for  movement,  he  allowed  the  undersides  of  his  fingers  to  rub  against  his  thumb,  presuming  thought  as  she  thus  approached.  arched  brow  at  the  mention  of  fortunes,  and  then  a  slick  narrowing  of  gaze.  it  bereft  him  that  his  dragon  was  not  allowed  anywhere  near  the  palace,  for  he  wanted  nothing  more  than  that  edge  of  flame,  that  which  only  came  with  brimstone.  alas.  peace  must  be  found.  yes,  she  remained  one  to  watch  in  return.  others  might  wonder:  what  causes  their  gazes  to  drift  to  one  another  so  often?  suspicion.

“fortunes?  for  me?  never.  i'm  afraid  i'd  frighten  the  card  reader.  nothing  but  darkness,  would  be  their  remark.  darkness  and  wretched  moods  and  glaring.”  a  twist  of  his  smirk  against  his  features,  for  these  were  merely  things  which  followed  tanvir  around  the  dusk  court  as  his  reputation  to  the  others.  but  what  did  sofia  think  of  him?  offering  these  tidbits  was  a  method  of  baiting,  he  must  admit.  “though  don't  let  me  get  in  your  way,  if  you  want  to  know  all  about  your  promised  true  love.”  gesture  with  a  black  glove,  for  these  were  not  forfeit  even  for  costume's  sake.  “and  do  tell  me  the  details,  won't  you?”

[eternalxstars]

intimidation was a game she played well. she never faltered in her steps, never cowered, and certainly would never let a fae like him trump her. reading fae was her skill and she could read him too even if he tried to conceal himself so well. it took one to know one, and she knew that he was perfectly aware of what she was too. she wouldn't let him intimidate her but she was no fool - being cautious was only the bare minimum she needed to be.

"solely darkness? what a terrible outcome. we all need a bit of light in our lives. some light and a scattered smile to lift up the moods." her life revolved around that same darkness, and yet the few fae that brought light into her life were all too precious. there was nothing she wouldn't risk for them. and she knew, had she given the tarot card readers a chance, that they would be predicted to be her downfall. "some of us are not looking for love," she pointed out with a slight raise of her eyebrows, cautiously taking a step closer into his space. "oh no. you'd need to earn those details."

[sweetbriarfm-deactivated2025112]

Open Starter: To Anyone. Feel free to assume connections!

Amidst the twilight shadows of the Dusk Court, Tiernan can't help but roll his eyes as the Halloween festival unfolds. The atmosphere is a blend of revelry and unease, with vibrant costumes and flickering jack-o'-lanterns. Leaning against a weathered stone pillar, cigarette in hand, the best option here is to watch the spectacle of people pretending all was okay in their world. “Did you get a chance to hit the tarot card table yet?” he asked the person closest to him.

[eternalxstars]

her eyes were constantly scanning the gardens, searching for an interesting face or shady dealings. but sometimes her eyes wandered around to look for a familiar face. with tiernan spotted, she could not stay away. she needed an ounce of good company, even if for a short while. she settled against the pillar next to him, her shoulders visibly relaxing once in his vicinity. "tarot cards? you know i don't believe in any of that. never has a tarot card predicted we'd be in this predicament, and yet here we are."

[stxrfclls]

it  was  difficult  for  the  general  to  relax,  despite  the  desire  to.  even  when  her  eyes  closed  each  night  all  taria  could  think  of  was  the  unknown  they  found  themselves  in.  weeks  amongst  the  dusk  fae  did  nothing  to  calm  her  racing  mind.  "  they  seem  reserved  when  it  comes  to  their  beliefs,  the  teachings  of  their  dark  mother.  i  can  hardly  blame  them.  "  the  dusk  court  fae  seemed  protective  of  the  deity  the  mainland  fae  knew  nothing  about.  taria  was  mostly  curious,  but  she  also  didn't  want  to  pry  too  heavily.  "  open  arms  is  a  relative  term.  many  still  seem  so  unsettled  to  have  us  here.  "

[eternalxstars]

sofia was all too cautious with the unfamiliar environment they found themselves in. never had she spent such a long time in foreign territories surrounding by so many fae that came from lands beyond her home. there were plenty of opportunities to discover information, surely, but they were all lost. nothing was making sense for anyone. "yes. quite fascinating, isn't it? a second mother." a part of her doubted whether it was true. maybe it was the same mother playing tricks on them. maybe she hated them all. "as are we unsettled to be here. it is not a great circumstance for anyone."

[slivertm]

“i love it when you tell me what to do,” iain says — his grin uncontrollably wide. he follows her lead with no complaint, a pup on her heels. with a barking laugh, “i’m only teasing. of course we should place them with the others. tossing them into the lake would be undignified. disrespectful to our new court’s hospitality.”

in spite of his genial disposition, iain felt unsettled. the mother worked in miraculous ways but this was… bizarre. to spirit them from the capital, to this new court… what was next? humans would start walking among them? how many people were still unknown to them? was there a twilight court? they wasted millennia arguing over courtly politics when there were worlds to discover.

still, there’s no difference in his jovial tone as he waggles a brow to sofia. “have you learned anything of our new friends? anyone you’d like me to arrange a meeting with?” because didn’t their roles overlap, in a way? his methods were a little more upfront, but information was the name of the game.

[eternalxstars]

it took effort not to find iain’s cheekiness entertaining, and quite frankly she’d given up on that effort a long time ago. instead she always opted to simply go along with it and allow the lord to be one of the few who brought out an endearing smile to her lips. “don’t tempt me. i have a long list of things for you to do,” she announced with flick of her hair. she knew he followed her without even needing to check. knowing iain was more than enough for that. “indeed. and we are nothing but respectful.” and scheming, and suspicious, but no one needed to know that.

sofia paused in her tracks momentarily at his question, only to resume her pace quickly. she remained quiet as she placed her candle down near the others and motioned for iain to do the same. that was the difference between them. he had methods that were upfront, whilst she worked in secrecy. and this place was far from ideal to share secrets with. grabbing his arm, she gently pulled him to the side, keeping an unassuming smile plastered on her lips for the other fae to see although the tug was slightly harsher than that. once they were away from prying ears, she let go of the younger lord. “there were too many fae there. i’d rather ensure that the ones in the dark of my role remain that way. there are too many ears and no one can be trusted. our new friends… i don’t trust them either. something is not adding up and i can’t get to the bottom of it.”

[stxrslisten]

Her eyes were always full of light and excitement when her mind focused on music, specially discussing it, it would always put her in a good mood. "it is quite new, and not, a mixture of the basics our own music has have, it is interesting to see the way they too grew and developed even when set apart from the rest of us." she is quick to point out, ramble even, for music had such an important place in her mind and heart. "i must confess i hadn't thought to browse through the fabrics here, i had settle for what they had managed to put together for me to wear when first arrived with such short notice. although you have given me a good idea if i do grow bored tonight." not that she needed any more dresses, in dawn, or in spring, or even in the capital where a large part of her clothes new and old had remained.

[eternalxstars]

there was a delightful light in the lady’s eyes, a gleam of joy sofia rarely allowed herself to express so freely. It was refreshing to see one so genuine in narcissa’s eyes. “my mother used to say that music is a universal language. it is the same everywhere with only slight tweaks. she would have been delighted to discover the new music here.” although she would have enjoyed the music, sofia doubted she would have been very comfortable in a strange court so far from home. “i am finding our spring court clothes to be a comfortable reminder of home, although the weather is much more chilly from what we are used to. an thicker item of clothing is now due,” sofia pointed out, also knowing that the darker dusk court colors would come in useful with so many people around. she could not afford to stand out most of them time.

[stxrfclls]

luka  was  far  too  relaxed  in  so  many  instances,  and  he  often  wondered  what  the  other  membres  of  his  brother's  inner  circle  would  think  of  it.  not  in  a  way  that  he  seemed  concerned  or  upset,  just  that  he  hadn't  the  slightest  clue.  luka  worried  for  such  little  things,  it  would  hardly  matter  to  him  if  they  hated  him,  but  here  he  was  all  the  same.  the  rumor  of  him  being  given  his  position  due  to  his  last  name  was  old,  and  not  untrue,  so  nothing  else  could  be  said  to  earn  his  ire.

"  candles  are  a  nice  addition,  though  the  ever  need  for  light  can  grow  tiresome.  i  may  have  forgotten  what  the  sun  even  looks  like.  "  he  says  with  a  chuckle.  the  lightness  of  the  night  was  not  lost  on  him,  but  luka  was  a  seasonal  fae.  seeing  the  skies  never  change  was  unsettling  and  impossible  to  get  used  to.  "  she  has  an  impeccable  sense  of  style,  and  i  appreciate  her  for  taking  all  the  thought  out  of  the  equation  for  me.  "

[eternalxstars]

oh mother, how she missed the sun. her art flourished in the darkness, hiding in shadows and pitch black nights. yet the moment the sun lit up the day was taken too for granted. she'd grown to realize that the constant state of dusk was making her grow weary. it wasn't the darkness she enjoyed working in, and there was no sunshine to breathe some color back into her. "you and i both. if i had to spend my whole life in such a place, i would become desperate." she could already feel herself getting to that point, even if it had nothing to do with being in a place stuck in the same time of day - it was more the fact that she was actually stuck in the place herself. "she truly does, luckily for you. we can't afford a reputation of a high family who don't dress up right for the occasions."