NOTHING GOLD CAN STAY

nature’s first green is gold, her hardest hue to hold. her early leaf’s a flower; but only so an hour. then leaf subsides to leaf. so eden sank to grief, so dawn goes down to day. || ROBERT FROST

[onlyrpmemes]

Send a ‘💬’ to catch a glimpse of a memory my muse has.

[fuckyeah-char-dev]

ENTJ: the Chief

ENTJs are strategic, organized and possess natural leadership qualities. They are master coordinators that can effectively give direction to groups. They are able to understand complicated organizational situations and quick to develop intelligent solutions. ENTJs are outspoken and will not hesitate to speak of their plans for improvement. They are decisive and value knowledge, efficiency and competence.

STRENGTHS

Genuinely interested in people’s ideas and thoughts.

Take their commitments very seriously.

Very good with money.

Extremely direct and straightforward.

Verbally fluent.

Able to turn conflict situations into positive lessons.

Extremely high standards and expectations.

Able to dole out discipline.

WEAKNESSES

Tend to get involved in “win-lose” conversations.

Tendency to have difficulty listening to others, as they are very quick to (try and) solve presented or foreseen problems.

Extremely high standards and expectations.

May have difficulty expressing love and affection, sometimes seeming awkward or inappropriate.

Can be very harsh and intolerant about messiness or inefficiency.

Tendency to be controlling.

May be slow to give praise or to realise another’s need for praise.

Keep reading

[forestcrowned-blog]

deileiryn:

The high captain lowered his head in indulgence, forming his apology as a gesture before she could even request for forgiveness. For it was not her place to ask such a thing in the first place. Even though she younger and her niece and he loved her dearly, she was still her liege and he owed the crown princess his respects. 

“The apology is mine, my liege. I have not meant to insult your mother.” he spoke calmly, for he owed her such respects and specially to the queen, his queen and his elder. And the youngling meant well, her intentions and worries were honest and with good intentions. But Daeleryn did not share such innocence as a warrior. He knew that blood needed be spilled and it would be in any way, the choice being out in the battlefield or inside the forests of Aeithel. The high captain was not risking the safety of his people. 

He eyes the village, choosing his words before facing the younger. “I question only our methods. The dragon riders are vastly outnumbered. We have the soldiers, the magic and the knowledge men and dwarves do not possess. There can be no war for what does not show itself but we can join forces against the evil.“

The crown princess of Aelinthal accepted Daeleryn’s deference as her due, the little girl who had received her first bow and arrows from his hands quailed at the distance it forebode between them, the conflict briefly visible in the way her spine stiffened, as her chin dipped shallowly in acknowledgement of his words. “I know you didn’t, uncle – and I took no offense. I know you have our people’s best interests at heart, too.” she waited the silence out, the grip on her mount’s bridle tightening in tension, before she relaxed her fingers and smoothed them over the stallion’s neck in a soothing manner.

“Men and dwarves have their armies too, and certainly knowledge elves don’t,” she pointed out distantly. “Our methods are subject to change. My presence at the cliffs was meant to show the queen’s support of the dragon riders. But we cannot take a stand with so little to go on.” she glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes, keeping her expression carefully blank as she reached out a hand across the distance between their two mounts. 

“Would you help me?” her voice had softened, a plea rather than a request, in an attempt to brush away the earlier obeisance he’d felt compelled to make. “Link your magic with mine and perhaps together we can find a trace of these…ghosts capable of wreaking such havoc. Perhaps the elves’ skill is what the dragon riders need to regain the upper hand.” Magic was a precious gift, of course, and there no doubt was a good reason why it hadn’t been bestowed on most humans or dwarves, but it was not as precious as her people’s blood. If a solution to this lay in magic rather than bodies sent out to stall the slaughter, Amaryllis was firm in her resolution to find it.

[forestcrowned-blog]

rhysandmorr:

“New faces, yes. You would hope so but one does not reach my own age without having a moderate level of suspicion of those around you. We elves have the natural capability of reaching a thousand years old if we willed it so but it is up to nature whether or not we do make it that long.” He chuckled offering her a hand. Memories flooded him of another much like her in appearance. He remembered days in their homeland and the mother she spoke of that was now queen and of the little girl that was once the queen’s sister. Things changed and though the girl mentioned it he knew her mother better than to think she too hadn’t changed as everything had changed. Truth be told Rhysand hadn’t seen the queen in a lengthy amount of time or been in his homeland in ages - he was no longer merely just an elven warrior with a rich history but he in effect had the whole of Vraea to worry about. Alleria would understand that and he still did as he had always done here and that was to protect Valeera in any way he could, acknowledged or not.  "Walk with me, your highness. It is a shame I haven’t seen your mother in many years but you remind me of her greatly. “

Amaryllis could have told him it wasn’t a matter of age, her own suspicions prickling numbly at the base of her neck – what was this shadow that had fallen over Vraea and what were the odds of her own kingdom being spared of falling under its wing? – but instead her lips lifted into a lenient smile as if to make light of peculiar ways. “Is it more or less likely to live so long if one worries so?” she asked, lithe fingers grasping his, eyes dancing with counterfeit amusement, playing the part of the carefree princess seeking to lift his troubles – she was the hostess, it would be poor form to not do her utmost to ensure her guests were enjoying themselves, and after all, Lys was well-versed in playing parts, each smile deliberate, every movement considered, every word carefully weighed before she spoke it, her tone precisely modulated for the desired effect.

Who would she be if she wasn’t a Windrunner?

The question always rang in the hollow places inside her, whenever she dared look back and see her life for what it was – a succession of bricks she’d build herself out of, the countless hours she spent observing and learning, the many considerations she took into account at any given time – an elven queen in the making. The question was pointless, she knew, for she was what she was, what she had been born into, what she was sure to become. And self-indulgence was not a mark of queenship.

Smile softening slightly, she let go of his calloused hand and slid her arm through his, fingers resting lightly in the crook of his elbow. “Gladly, sir.” He had meant it as a compliment, she knew, but that comment only stirred the memory of her father as they stood waiting in the wings for the queen to announce her new heir. ‘You are your mother’s daughter’ he had told her then, and the shadows in his midnight blue eyes did not speak of pride, but sorrow, as if with that one sentence he’d relinquished his claim on the half of blood in her veins that had come from him. “How long has it been since you visited Aelinthal?” she asked. “Surely the queen would have extended an invitation, to her wedding, at least,” that was still three centuries past, and if he’d met her father at any point, he’d no doubt remember him as the mage warrior known as Brightshield, rather than the king. Her father might have seen too much of her Windrunner blood in her (like most others did), but she attributed her skill with magic to him. “Forgive me, perhaps you do not want to reminiscence,” he might no longer hold any interest in elven matters, and Amaryllis did not want to impose her curiosity about events she hadn’t been there to witness on him. “How is Hyrithann? How are the dragon riders faring?”

[garden-of-hesperides]

“She looked just like a painting dying to speak.”

— Aeschylus, Agamemnon  (via funeralfaerie)

[forestcrowned-blog]

🙋+ forgiveness

It doesn’tcome as easy to her as people think. She is not vengeful, but each slight iscarefully remembered, carefully categorized as intentional or not. It shamesher, this ability to evoke such trivial details in what is bound to be a verylong lifetime, and pushes them aside as best as she is able. 

She finds excusesfor others, justifies their behavior and puts herself in their shoes until thefables she creates in her head are watertight and perfectly logical. She mighteven be able to defend someone’s actions better than they can do it themselves.No one asks this of her, but to her forgiveness is not a natural inclination; shehas to work at it.  

She’s set in herways, and while the person she’s the hardest on is and will always be herself,these high expectations bleed into her interactions with others. When she feelslet down, first and foremost, it is herself she’s angry with. It’s thedisappointment in herself she feels most keenly. Her inability to take othersas they come, her constant, critical gaze that makes the world seem a dimmer,meaner, smaller place than it should. Who’d heard of an elf that holds agrudge? The future queen herself, no less. So she fights her impulses untilthey’re beaten into submission. Until her behavior is precisely as it should. 

Until she forgives them: her brother for leaving (dragon raiders must remainimpartial), her mother for pushing her so hard as well as pushing her away(Amaryllis will be queen, the elven people deserve someone who will fill therole flawlessly), her aunt whose placeholder she was made to become (her familyhad abandoned her, it was her right to do the same). She forgives them, andtheir flaws and knows she is not perfect herself, no matter how hard she tries.She forgives, but she doesn’t forget and to be queen is to be alone.

[forestcrowned-blog]

ofdraqcns:

                                  rowan had been among the elders when they had sent the envoys to the elven & dwarven rulers to ask for their support & to lend soldiers to the human armies in order to fight back the dread.  he’d also been there when they had returned with unfavorable news.   he knew that from the ruler’s point of view , the soldiers they were to send to aid the humans would most likely not return.

                                  with the current track the dread was taking , from the south to the north , rowan knew that kaer shakar was going to be hit soon.  of course , they had most of the valuran army there , as well as walls , & was siege ready.  but all towns & cities before them had fallen in less then a day to the dread.  they knew their weapon of choice was fire , & with the magic they possessed , rowan feared that men & walls would not be enough to protect the capital city.  

                                 but when he heard that princess amaryllis windrunner was to come to the cliffs , he was quick to facilitate a meeting.  the elder’s meeting room near the top of khari tower , midday.  he was there near an hour early , alone.  he’d told the other elders of the meeting , of course , but did not want the remaining four to attend.  all of them , & perhaps the princess would feel as if she were being forced into a decision. 

                               right on time , she entered the fire - & sun - lit room.  “  princess windrunner ,  “  he spoke , & went for the traditional elven greeting.  he placed a hand over his heart & bowed.  “  though perhaps not under the best circumstances , it is a pleasure to meet you. “

For a moment, her smile ignited, lighting up her whole face and she seamlessly returned the greeting. “Likewise, Elder Forester. And please, call me Amaryllis – I aim to improve on our circumstances and if that’s to pass we’re sure to see much more of each other in the coming months,” she straightened her spine, allowing herself a brief moment to study their surroundings before her gaze returned to the man before her.

“I would like to know more about the threat the human kingdom is facing. I’m afraid only rumors have reached Aelinthal, and even those, often contradictory.” Their forest was a fortress, too, with its thick trees and the strong wards guarding its borders. Others rarely wandered inside without a clearly stated business and the news they brought was always stale from extended travel. “I hear they leave no tracks behind, they appear and vanish as if from thin air,” her voice was measured, serious, not one to employ sarcasm when so many lives had already been lost, no matter how fantastical the tales relayed sounded. She was here to gain knowledge, after all, and what she had to start with was very little. 

[wardeviant]

The elf’s eyebrows furrowed, the male lost in thought as he watched the ruins of the destroyed village with grim emotion. There was a eerie feeling in the air left by more than the flames. Even his loyal horse, Silma, was fighting his stand, unstable on such grounds. The more he ran the realms, the more he disagreed with his sister and queen to not get involved with the affairs of men. 

“If we remain passive, destruction might reach Aeithel earlier than we expect.”

[forestcrowned-blog]

“We are not passive!” there was something sickening in the air, a bad odor that had nothing to do with the charred remains of houses and people and cattle, and everything to do with wrongness, a sulfurous scent, just below the surface that obscured her ability to connect with her own magic – her anxiety had brought an edge to the words she had not quite meant, definitely not as directed at her uncle. “Forgive me,” she apologized almost instantly, her expression stony as she looked around them, trying to bury her distress beneath sternness. 

“Mother is just being cautious. We cannot fight something we know nothing about. If we don’t find the right weapons for this scourge, bringing our armies out to face them will only needlessly kill our people.” Elves might have been long lived, but they could still be killed, and a force who could cause such destruction in so short a time – a force who so far hadn’t been stopped by even the dragon riders – would decimate their numbers and it could take centuries for their kind to repopulate – they were not a proliferating race, elvish children, especially full blooded ones, were few and far beween. Amaryllis might sympathize with the humans whose lives had been so brutally ended, but she was not willing to see her own people follow suit. For the time being, the forest still extended its protection to the elves living within, and she was determined to keep it so. 

[forestcrowned-blog]

vinnyxhong:

Screwing the cap back on, the rider gave it back to its owner. “Don’t worry, I also don’t eat meat. It just wasn’t something that was incorporated into my diet despite the whole…” he gestured up down towards his body, referring to being a halfling. If that wasn’t even obvious. Even with his father who was human didn’t meat like his mother. Which made the entire food situation at home easier to handle. “Honestly, the only one in my family who does eat meat is actually Axel. If I let him, he would probably eat an entire cow, but I only let him eat half a cow.” The way that it was a normal occurrence, which it was for him. For someone who probably didn’t have a dragon nor did they spend a lot of time with them, probably didn’t see it like that. “Honestly, it’s a lot of fun feeding him. You should help me one day!” 

Amaryllis knew he was a halfling, of course – there was a different energy coming off of him than from full-blooded elves, but she never did find it well-mannered to comment on people’s parentage. “So he must still be young, then – your dragon. Full-grown dragons need far more than half a cow to survive,” a smile played on her lips, even though inwardly she cringed away from the thought of carrying that much meat for a house-sized creature to gorge on. “I wouldn’t mind that,” she understood that different beings had different needs, of course, but still, she wasn’t being entirely truthful – she’d never helped feed a dragon before, she was among what felt like the minority who weren’t that fascinated with the dragons’ way of life, but she was more than willing to maintain a cordial relationship with all. “How often must you feed him? Has he learned to hunt for himself, yet?”

[forestcrowned-blog]

rhysandmorr:

“I apologize for my apparent indifference and lapse in protocol, Princess. In times like these I find myself scanning the room for unfamiliar faces and anything  a miss so one might protect the things they care for here” He apologized realizing how he sounded and towards a member of the royal family that had once been as close to him as anything else. “We are dragon riders here and the people that support them but we do enjoy a gathering. It allows some to forget for a while what they are facing and when it is thrown by a princess it is hard to ignore. I am thoroughly surprised some of our young riders haven’t tried to steal you away to dance” Rhysand chuckled softly finally turning to her to devote his attention to the princess. “How is the queen these days? Faring well I hope”

Amaryllis had not expected an act of contrition, didn’t think her façade had lapsed enough to give him reason to think she noticed anything worth apologizing for. The moment caught her off guard and there was a brief hesitation before she recovered herself, with a small shake of her head and an easy laugh. “Are there many?” she asked, turning to face him. “Perhaps it’s not so bad a sign this time. It could mean people are rallying to the dragon riders’ side.” it could also mean agents of the enemy could more easily melt into the background, and a fleeting frown flickered across her features as her eyes were drawn to her guard, expression relaxing somewhat as they gave her a small nod form across the room. She never stopped paying attention to Rhysand though, and a partly amused, partly dry chuckle left her lips. 

“Mayhap they’re only waiting to take the lead from their elder,” she teased, a slight smirk dancing at the corners of her mouth. In fairness, Amaryllis hadn’t planned for this to turn into a dancing party, and the music was humming quite low. “My mother is thriving. She remembers you fondly still and speaks very highly of you.” She spoke the truth, though not all of it. Over the years, Alleria had begun to take it personally – this exodus of great elves towards such a fundamentally different lifestyle. She rarely spoke of it, but with each new desertion of those closest to them, the more bitter she grew. Amaryllis was still surprised she was the one chosen as an envoy, with how difficult it now was for the queen to let things go. Although, her mother was also fond of tests, and what greater trial of loyalty was there than to set someone free and wait to see if they’ll come back? 

[forestcrowned-blog]

rhysandmorr:

“Your grace” He breathed countering her light-hearted greeting with a small nod of acknowledgement as eyes too skilled to notice every little thing panned the crowed for faces unfamiliar to him.  "I hope it is you who is doing well here in the Cliffs. It is a strange place in comparison to what you are used to but it has been my home for several hundred years.“ Rhysand chuckled dryly for a moment before he did truly respond to her inquiry remaining rather expressionless; stoic and yet entirely charming. "The old man is well. Alive and breathing. How do you fair, Princess?”

Amaryllis was not charmed, he did not even look at her and though her composure did not waver, the welcoming smile on her face full-fledged and unaffected, she was taken aback by such indifference. She was a royal after all, having people’s eyes on her was expected. “Not strange – different,” she retorted with a small chuckle. (She missed the forest already, she missed her home, and its scents and the pleasant breeze in the air. She missed the silence, and the warmth of her own kind, but she would rather swallow embers before she returned in disgrace). “I’m glad,” I can see that, already, she wanted to point out, but Lys was not so petty, or rather did not allow herself to be so petty, as to chide one of her elders on conversational skills. “I’m well and learning new things, thank you.” she replied, with a small nod of her head, turning to look at the people milling about, although the lion’s share of her attention was still on him. “I’ve yet to meet all of the emissaries here, I thought perhaps a gathering wouldn’t go amiss,” she’d planned the affair to be quite muted, just an occasion for everyone to get to know each other. “And while the queen might not be prepared to pledge troops to your cause, she would gladly assist in other ways.”

[forestcrowned-blog]

oncedovah:

‘ NO, thank you. ‘  a pause. he’s AWARE of how weird he sounds.  ‘ for…. smelling it. ‘

“You’re very welcome.” she hesitated for a moment, at a loss for what to do, before deciding to hand it back to him. “Your own production, I assume?” 

[randomroleplaymemes-blog]

Send "🙋" + any headcannons you want to know about my muse.

[windrvnncr-blog]

topic, just a word, anything goes.

[forestcrowned-blog]

vinnyxhong:

Taking the wineskin from her, Vinny unscrewed the top and took a long sip from it. It was good, very good. Pulling it away from his mouth, he stared down at the wineskin. I would have to get my own thing of this, he thought to himself. When Lys started talking about the pastry once again, Vinny only chuckled lightly. “Well, I’m glad that you like it, I wasn’t too sure what to get you.” 

She watched him out of the corner of her eyes as he drank from the wineskin, her grin widening minutely as she noticed his expression of pleasure. Lys loved elvish wine. She’d been known to enjoy the humans’ equivalent every once in a while, but she always returned to her native drink. It was more fragrant, and stronger, too, but she was more used to it and less likely to grow lightheaded from indulging in it. “It’s good to try new things, isn’t it?” she beamed at him. “You may definitely help me widen my tastes.” Lys hesitated for a second and gave a little awkward chuckle. “Except for meat – two hundred years is a touch too long to attempt to introduce it to my diet.”

[forestcrowned-blog]

@rhysandmorr

Amaryllis was – in theory – good at adapting. Or rather, she liked to think of herself as such. The mark of all good politicians was the ability to blend in and make themselves comfortable in any environment. But she’s had little practice in the more chameleonic inclinations of diplomats – she was better at putting people at ease when she was in a setting she knew well, but take her out of it and she felt a little like a fish out of water. It was difficult not to flounder, or second-guess her decisions, and that kind of…imbalance was anathema to her character. 

In an attempt to bolster the confidence she usually had in herself, she made for a more familiar face among the crowds currently milling about, a smile, more genuine than she’d managed in quite a while pulling at her lips. “Elder Morr,” she placed a hand over her heart, and bowed her head in greeting, the gesture, practiced for so long, flowing and serene. The man was one of her own, though he had belonged to the dragon riders for longer than she’d been alive. Still, Amaryllis was a Windrunner, and true to her forebears, she did resemble the queen he’d himself would have been the subject of, so long ago. “I hope you are well?”

[forestcrowned-blog]

 @chivalrybound

“What do you mean there’s nothing left to eat?”  she kept her voice low and polite, smiling pleasantly at the retainer who had drawn her away from the guests with a subtle gesture. The man’s nervous energy was unmistakable though, and while he kept enough hold of himself not to completely ruin the illusion, she could notice the tension at the corners of his mouth, and his wildly roving gaze, exposing the whites of his eyes. 

Lys half-turned to the tables for a quick inspection, wondering what he was on about. There were still plenty of fresh fruits and nuts, although the cheese platters were more than halfway empty. The cold meats she’d ignored her extreme reticence for and ordered anyway had completely vanished, though. “Are there any more in the kitchen?” her eyes widened minutely, her lower lip catching between her teeth in a nervous gesture, though she struggled to maintain her composure.

“N-no m’lady.”

“Everything we ordered is already gone?” for a split second, she could not understand how that was possible, and then mortification hit and her face suffused with color.

“It wasn’t enough m’lady.”

“You’re telling me this now?” while her voice hadn’t risen much higher since the beginning of their discussion, the last question was spoken at an almost normal level, the sudden ice in her tone making the change in the conversation quite obvious if one was close enough to hear her.

[forestcrowned-blog]

@ofdraqcns [rowan]

The queen had been quite adamant when envoys from the Council had landed on Aelinthal with requests for soldiers. Well, at least behind closed doors. It was a human plight, and they ought to deal with it on their own.

Amaryllis, as usual, had cautioned prudence and her words, expected as they were, had fallen on deaf ears. Her mother’s inflexibility had not been witnessed by the envoys, although her reply was of the same uncompromising nature in spirit.

She’d left them barely enough wiggle room to justify Lys’ arrival at Shallune cliffs, she’d acted barely sympathetically enough to hint at a possible, although improbable, change of heart. Amaryllis knew that until elves themselves were suffering – and those under Alleria’s care, not the ones who’d left their kind to consort with other races – there was little hope of her mother changing her mind. 

It wasn’t that Lys herself was of a different opinion based on the information already provided. She was simply worried that the landscape might change, and they would fail to notice in time. All in all, her mother could be swayed by certain developments, were they to provide the proper incentive and Amaryllis was here to ascertain whether they would come to pass and warn her if they did.

In her bid to appear as accommodating as possible she’d let Elder Rowan Forester choose the date and the location for their audience and she simply made sure she was there on time.  “Elder Forester,” a half-smile of greeting danced on her face as she waited to see if he’d reach his hand out for her to shake, or he’d go for the traditional elven meeting. “Thank you for seeing me.”