we are what the fire could not burn

[moonvcils]

𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐬 is a dependent rpg blog for nocturniafm written by bea. 

ELIZABETH 'ELIZA' KELINDORR. twenty eight years old. lady of 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐫, hailing from morkhul. 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫. { biography. dash interactions. mirror. musing. } SEREN TENELITH. twenty three years old. lady of 𝐯𝐲𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥, hailing from vallarion. 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧. { biography. dash interactions. mirror. musing. } VARYN MIRETHORN. thirty five years old. lord of 𝐯𝐞𝐱𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡, hailing from drakathar. 𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫. { biography. dash interactions. mirror. musing. } LUZ SOLKARITH. twenty four years old. leige of 𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐞𝐧 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩, hailing from braxigar. 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫. { biography. dash interactions. mirror. musing. } SLOANE CALDRITHEN. forty seven years old. lady of 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐧, hailing from vallarion. 𝐝𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧. { biography. dash interactions. mirror. musing. }

[springscngs]

"You are forgiven." A huff of laughter, chiming in with her own. "Familiarising yourself with the local politics." He nodded at her words, slow and contemplative, his gaze flitting up curiously. "Anything or anyone I should be wary of? With so much change to occur soon… it would be useful to know where I had better tread carefully." Cai offered a bemused smile, for he knew well that everywhere had become a political minefield, and caution ought to be applied at all times. Still, he hoped she would share her thoughts, for he would be sure to consider any misgivings Seren chose to share.

"It does highlight your neck. And your features." His eyes drifted from her hair to the flush of her cheeks, a sight he indulged in for a heartbeat too long before he let emeralds drift to their surroundings. "I think sometimes, we can be guilty of hiding behind our hair, our preferred attire, certain colours. Certain habits we do not stray from because they bring comfort -- but comfort isn't usually where confidence is found." Only when she seemed to have fixed her attentions on him rather comfortably did Cai turn to her once more -- and the compliment uttered surprised him. Such frankness, coming from someone he had deemed reserved, was a curious discovery. "Thank you, Seren." Cai dipped his head, his smile softening -- trading some of its habitual whimsy for warmth. "Many have. Not all of them have done so as sincerely. Fewer still hold enough of my regard that their words truly reached me." He noted the swift transition from locking eyes to fanning herself, and this time, he chose to suppress a snicker.

"Selfishly, I would not mind her leaving her impressions of me with my father. I could never be too sure what he made of how I spend my time. I wonder…" A halted breath, exhaled with unease after a moment's hesitation. "Well, none of his children are wed. None of them have applied for crownwearer. I wonder if he finds disappointment in our aspirations -- or in our lack thereof." Her offer to intercept lifted a half-hearted smile to his lips. Surely their parents were entirely too adept at their schemes to be thwarted by their children. "I try to comport myself as becomingly as I can in public, as I was taught to do. I have always hoped it would spark at least a sliver of pride in him -- that I aim to carry the name he has given me well. That I wish to do it justice." His shoulders tensed into a shrug. "There is no need to stop your mother. Having earned her favour may do me some good."

[moonvcils]

truthfully, seren was uncertain if she could sum up all the potential dangers that seemed to be closing in on them, but if he wanted to know, she would not deny the transfer of knowledge. "perhaps the fact of life here in heliophra and my own suspicions and speculations do not exist side by side. what i've noticed since visiting your home, and a few others, is that the council has become so wary of a threat, that they are desperate to name a crownwearer. i wonder now, with the death of lady garramoth, if that is only encouraging the pace in which they are making such hasty decisions. it also has me wondering, what they are truly afraid of. and why they are not sharing such concerns with the rest of nocturnia." her already flushed cheeks grew hotter as she discussed theories and speculations, a past time that always had her heart racing. uncovering these ever building mysteries had become a passion of hers.

that warmth did not leave her body as cai's gaze took her in. in fact, she found herself so distracted by the reaction her body was having, that she nearly misstepped. seren only caught herself once his gaze turned back to their surroundings. "i have never noticed how much comfort i find in my belongings, but i do agree that being removed from them will force one to find comfort in themselves." when he thanked her, her smile grew. so had she not been too forward, she wondered? "you are welcome, cai." somehow he had grown more handsome in the month apart, or she had just started noticing it recently. regardless, the young woman did not try to hide her admiration of his features.

the mood grew more serious as the topic of their parents were discussed. seren's intently listening to the ways cai seemed to feel as if he did not measure up to the expectations set for by his parents. it was a feeling she could relate to wholeheartedly. "do you doubt he finds pride in you?" she asked, offering up her own feelings to show that he may not be alone. "i often feel as though my mother looks upon me with nothing but disappointment." she had not expressed this fear or suspicion to anyone else, but she suspected their fears derived from the same experience. "and truthfully, i spend so much time amongst tombs and books because i want to show i am worthy of being a guardian to the citadel like the rest of... my ancestors." she stumbled over the word, often second guessing if she was truly able to claim herself as a member of house tenelith when she was merely adopted into it. not born into it.

given the severity of the conversation, seren stopped walking and softly placed a hand on his arm. "i believe you represent your family well, cai. you have been nothing but genuine and respectable in my company, and when i am around you i feel a sense of comfort i have not experienced with another." she did not expand, it was not the time, not unless he asked about it directly. "not to mention, you heroically saved my life. if your father cannot find pride in such traits and accomplishments, then he is wrong. simple as that." her smile was genuine, the heat from earlier disappearing and only holding the true sincerity of her words. "and if my mother decides to express her positive opinions to him while we are here, i promise not to stop her."

[celcstine]

the  tenelith's  quesiton  goes  unanswered  .  she'd  already  spoken  enough  about  her  bethrothed's  task  in  life  and  she  was  not  the  one  who  could  bring  his  words  the  best  fort  ;  that  was  him  .  "  yes  ,  it  feels  like  time  flows  beyond  the  capacity  i  can  hold  ..  i  still  wish  i  could  go  back  home  to  asharok  and  stay  for  years  within  the  council  summoning  for  gatherings  -  "  citrine  hues  peeked  at  the  other  than  and  the  smallest  sad  smile  appeared  .  "  i  just  wish  for  peace  and  quiet  .  "  her  voice  lower  than  former  words  and  sounds  .

"  do  you  feel  the  most  comfort  surrounded  by  books  ?  "  she  frowns  and  doesn't  quite  understand  it  .  until  she  does  .  she's  most  comfortable  in  the  company  of  shaelun  ,  her  family  and  vaelor  .  perhaps  the  books  gives  some  sort  of  solace  which  she  finds  with  them  ?  it  dawns  upon  her  that  the  two  might  not  be  so  different  ,  just  different  names  and  hollows  .  it's  a  dangerous  thing  to  feel  however  ,  as  friends  always  seem  to  turn  into  foes  .  citrine's  turn  back  to  the  other  ,  thankfull  to  be  drawn  out  of  spirraling  mind  .  "  i  would  very  much  appreciate  a  story  or  two  ,  perhaps  it  will  make  me  sleep  better  at  night  as  well  .  "

[moonvcils]

seren notices that lady thanachalerm does not answer her question regarding lord vaelor, but she does not press. there have been times where the tenelith did not want to answer questions directed at her. why should she expect something different from another?

she could not help but let out a soft breath and a humorless chuckle at the mention of peace and quiet. "how delightful that would be. unfortunately i feel i have only experienced either on the travel journey between my home and wherever we've been summoned." then again, she had experienced peace and quiet her entire life, did she not somewhat appreciate something different?

"i do. they were my closest companions throughout my life. if i am in need of a distraction i can either open one up, or spent hours returning them to their home. but if i would like to enjoy an experience new to myself, i can do it safely from the walls of my own home." and her most recent pursuit of restoring books had become her way to show them the respect they deserve. when chantara agreed to the offer, seren began to walk around the room and pull a few options that she had read in the past and loved. "do you have and avocations that bring you joy when you are at home in drakthar?"

[prodigxlis]

“So you think them newly-sprung, then?” Cian tilts his head, no judgment, the question true. “That they have not lurked, biding their time? For why show their hand when they could muddle the waters, make the school of fish scatter, easier for the spear to pierce?” Cian shrugs. “The tempo of a dance does not start at its peak. It quickens as all dance to its tune, leaving those to hurry to meet it, or bow out as their own exhaustion drives them back to their seats.”

He stops then, looking at her. “It could very well be naught but a distraction. But I do not believe the scroll surviving the fire would be a relief.” Cian turns to the bubbling fountain. Wonders how many wishes had been granted, and how many had been spoken by too hopeful fools. “There are poisons that stop the body in its tracks, may make one as dormant as death. Yet it is fear that paralyzes without a single touch, a hand that creeps through the distance and chokes any that looks back enough. It has been reaching since the ball, and made of all of us easy prey. But to what end do they seek our ruin, I could not say.”

His gloved hand goes into his own coat, and he procures a small gold coin. “Do you believe, lady Tenelith?”

It is an abrupt question despite the smoothness of his voice. “I do not speak of my own beliefs—we are beyond such a thing mattering between us. But that the scroll under the White Oak was more than simple relic. Knowledge is power, but few would dare to call any knowledge holy. The Tethalunes preach of their own god, so I wondered…” The coin glints in the light of the lanterns as he turns it, the face and the seal both. “If your own lineage had its own sort of worship. Last we spoke, you did not laugh when my clumsy tongue spoke of something beyond our comprehension. I said so in my own befuddlement, because I could fathom nothing else. It may be that the truth of the matter is this: we are searching for answers that will make us comfortable, like an open window, a greased palm. When the answer might simply be something more frightful yet.”

Magic, he thought but did not say. Knew she would hear it even if he did not speak it. Magic, in their enemies’ hands.

[moonvcils]

"i do not know," she exhaled, shaking her head. "they could have been biding their time, they could've have sprung up right when we were in moira castle. all i know is that i do not believe the assailants that have attacked us twice now, are not the ones that set the fire in my family's library." the cause and intention did not make sense. at least not in her mind. at her core, she was still confident that it was the council that had been behind the ruin of the knowledge within the citadel.

watching him turn from her and draw his focus to fountain before them, seren found herself moving to take a seat on the edge of the fountain, watching the water ripple. she understood what he was asking her. what he was saying about those that were somewhere out there, planning the demise of her and her loved ones. and yet she found she couldn't speak the word aloud either.

after a moment, she stopped looking at the water and turned her attention back to lord garramoth. "i am a woman of facts and logic. i find it hard to have blind faith. but that does not mean i will turn away a potential outcome just because it is not something i have not seen or experienced." just because she had not personally used magic, did not mean others hadn't. "my plan is to continue searching for answers. in every place i visit, i search library's and archives for information that may breed new theories or answers. unfortunately my search has not proved to be fruitful, but that does not mean i will stop looking." she ran her fingertips through the water lightly as she sighed. "perhaps i am merely looking in the wrong place."

she thought for only a moment before asking, "have you found anything out on your own? any potential information that may help guide my research?"

[talesinrequiem]

hope for health and happiness. yes, that was exactly what she wished to do. trying times may be good business for some, she did not find that sort of joy in her duty. perhaps joy to help, joy for a purpose but never joy for being needed. it pleased denma to hear that her family was well. after hearing of her mother’s injury and even seren’s own it had pained her to think that they too could be claimed by machinations that were not of their own.

there was a board that no one could see being played by people that were not to be named. things as such, truly drug up the elder fukuyama’s ire. politics among lords cared little for the people it harmed and only for the power it could create for who won. history was written by victors they said, but fukuyama did not forget the history…

“i am pleased to hear that your mother is doing well and that you are doing better,” her hand reached for seren’s to gently give it a squeeze if she allowed. only to show that she was truly glad. a careful serenity that wasn’t a mask. it warmed her heart to see those that were kind prosper.

sighing tenderly, she tilted her head in thought before answering the first questions presented to her, “my family still keenly feels the loss of akira, but i believe we take solace knowing that he is at peace now. there shall be no worries to cress his brow or sorrow to weight his heart,” it was truth of course. she still held a soft kind of sadness for losing him but certainly took solace knowing that whatever game was being played… could no longer harm him.

“while my family had, thankfully, not been needed during that short time – it is my belief that we would have been able to travel.” her calm words paused briefly as she thought it over. “there are few things in this world more needed then the services my family offer.” smiling gently, she nodded to herself more than the younger sitting with her. "did you stay near home while recovering?"

[moonvcils]

"thank you." lady fukuyama doesn't seem like the kind of person to just grant well wishes and other positive expressions if she did not feel it. very much like seren, she suspected the other woman only said what needed to be said, and did not try to say more if only to sooth someone else's feelings.

as the older woman reached out to soft squeeze her hand, seren's gaze landed upon their hands with a soft smile.

as lady denma mentioned her younger brother, seren's smile could not help but falter for only a moment. it was hard not to think about the one's they lost and the terrifying way they died. but that is why she would continue on with her research on her own. if she could potentially name who killed the four chosen only months prior, perhaps she could help give their spirts rest. "what a way to remember him and make peace with such a loss." she would be sure to try to follow such thoughts if she were to also lose someone she loved.

somehow it was a comfort to hear that the fukuyama family was not needed during the last month. that no deaths were recorded during that time. perhaps the lock down had done it's job in ensuring the safety of the residents of nocturnia. "do you like to travel, or would you stay in braxigar if you could decide?" seren had spent so much time alone and at home for the majority of her life that she had not expected to ever want to leave her home, did denma feel the same? would she never leave the confines of asharmal castle if she had the choice? "and i did. i did not leave our estate much, to be honest. not only did i feel it was important to stay close if my mother needed me, but i've learnt as much as i enjoy spending time with others, i enjoy the peace and quiet. the last month was rejuvenating."

[graeclings]

for: @moonvcils

location: elaris keep, tenelith quarters

A quiet harmony blankets the room, a nature balance restored by content lounging by mother and daughter. Seated side by side upon a flush couch, Elowen's eyes periodically close, as a gentle hum leaves her lips; she is happy, at least for now. She knows such stillness will not last, and thus pockets of joy must be relished --- and taken advantage of. "Have you enjoyed reuniting with the other Hollows, my love? Perhaps one or two figures in particular, that you had missed in our little interlude?" An honest addendum to this inquiry, would unveil that Elowen had no real insight as to whom these people might be --- but she desired they might exist, and Seren would gleefully unveil their identities to her. It was a longing for her children to be happily settled, in lieu of a blind quest for matrimony; nothing would warm her heart more, than to hear they had settled their affections upon those worthy of them. "I may be forced to blackmail the council, and guide their hands to throw a matchmaking ball; one where all windows and doors are locked, to ensure some measure of success."

[moonvcils]

seren sat beside her mother, legs tucked under her as she flipped the page of the book she was reading. there was always a sense of comfort around her mother that seren had yet to find in another's company. when elowen spoke up, the youngest tenelith lifted her head to gaze upon her mother's features as she closed the book, her finger trapped within to hold her place. "i have. it is surprising how much i've grown to enjoy such social gatherings and the people who attend them," as she had always claimed she was comfortable in her solitary silence amongst the walls of the citadel's library.

of course, she blushed as her mother clearly inquired about a potential suitor or two. it was not until the last month spent in vallarion that seren herself had noticed how enamored she had become with the youngest elarion (the ever present smile she found herself wearing in his company was sorely missed), so confessing such interest to her mother hadn't come up. "a matchmaking ball? is marrying off your children all you worry about?" she asked. "if so, lukesh should be your focus. i will be fine." he was the heir after all.

[wcnderingsovls]

she told him to hold his tongue, and so he did. many wished they had the power to silence lorencio when he went on his tangents, but few, if any, possessed the ability to do so. to see the mighty lord of crowreach at the command of the woman before him, it was unheard of. dangerous, even -- if anyone knew the extent to which she held him on a leash. it was among one of the reasons their affair could never be widely known; at least not at that very moment.

"you would not want me to speak with your daughter," he said with a small chuckle, "i am horrendous with children. even when i was a child myself, i detested them." those in his family were the only exception, but crowreach was not a place known to harbor many children. they may have worked in the markets to aid their parents, but any sensible person would not subject their small child to the likes of crowreach. it was all the better; they cried too loud and were no fun, unless you plied them with liquor, and that was 'frowned upon'.

her question made him grin, mischievous like a clever cat. was she jealous? "aye, my days have been filled," lorencio said with a sigh, as if the thought tired him. he drew the silence only a moment longer before adding, "with trade deals and other business matters." his grin widened. "but if you are asking if i have fucked anyone since we last met, then no, i haven't." he thought back to when they had met in vallarion. "last time i enjoyed another's company was when the fire broke out in house tethalune." sloane would know; she was there.

"if i was a superstitious man, i would have taken it as a sign that unsheathing my sword was only a harbinger for misfortune." and then, he shrugged, because he placed no weight on the universe or the fates -- only on himself. "i enjoyed myself at a nearby inn," lorencio said, "i drank them dry of their liquor and partook in songs with drunkards." he took the hand pressed to his chest and placed a kiss to the tips of her fingers. it was a compromising position, but he enjoyed a little danger. "i am restless when i am away from home," he added softly in the space between them. "but you are here." and that was enough.

[moonvcils]

he was correct, she did not want him to speak to rhyaenna. the idea that her child and her lover could interact was not one she wanted to consider in this moment. she was certain judgements would be made on rhya's side and sloane could not bare that in this moment, not given the state of their current relationship. she did not allow that to be known, however, and gave a soft smile. "thankfully she is a grown woman, even if she is acting as a child currently."

the lack of an explanation as to how his days were spent (at first) caused the caldrithen to hold her breath. she did not know why the idea of him potentially taking other lovers pained her. that was a lie. she did know. when they had started this affair it was not to move past physical, but somewhere along the way affection began to bloom for him. now the idea of him being with other's made a darkness creep along her mind. "i was not asking anything of the sort," she played ignorance, turning her face away to hide the smile that tugged at her lips, hinting at her lie. the mention of the fire however, the true reason sloane had not been in danger or witness what had happened, the woman looked back at him with intensity. a warning. "do not speak of it," she started, once more looking to see if anyone was nearby. she did not need the other nobles to know that when the fire had taken over the oak, they were pulled into a private alcove with his hands under her skirts. it would not reflect well on the ruling house of vallarion.

she could not stay mad at him for long, however. the moment he took her hand in his, left soft kisses along her fingertips, she melted into his embrace. "i thought i smelt liquor on you," she murmured, curling into him as she looked up at him. she allowed a moment of softness to slip through her often solid demeanor and let her hand run through his hair. "i can imagine it is hard to be here, given the nature of our reunion," after all, they were here to select a new crownwearer. the last time they had all gathered for such an event, his sister had been killed. immediately she felt guilty for going on about the prospect of rhyaenna being chosen, when she had yet to lose her daughter. another hand ran through his hair, caressing downward until is cupped his cheek. "how can i help?" she asked.

[wcnderingsovls]

rhyaenna looked upon her reflection in the looking glass while she sat at her vanity. the humidity in the air relaxed her curls into a softer pattern, as if peering at the young woman through a haze. she tilted her head to the side and watched as the her in the looking glass mirrored her movement. her hair fell over her shoulder, long, raven locks revealing the slope of her neck. she had learned at an early age how best to present herself to be most appealing for a suitor. she learned how to act, how to talk, when to laugh, when to be demure. make herself smaller. bigger. it mattered not what she was, so long as it was what they wanted.

and now as she stood on the precipice of change, free from the shackles she had worn since birth, rhyaenna did not know what she wanted, nor who she was. however, she knew this -- there was no better sound than that of a slamming door. her gaze looked on as her reflection smiled at her, unhinged in its glee. in no time sloane had burst through the doors of rhyaenna's chambers and demanded answers. rhyaenna reached for her soft-bristled brush and combed through her hair, her back still to her mother. "now mother, is that any way to greet me after all this time?" she tsk'ed her tongue in feigned disappointment.

she had no words to properly surmise her delight in that very moment. rhyaenna expected sloane's fury, longed for it, but seeing the older woman quake before her, held together by a single thread, well... she held no regrets for her decision. "one would think you would encourage your daughter's ambition," she said with a sigh. "or does that only extend as far as who i choose to wed?" it was stated plainly, for they both knew the rules of her mother's games. only, rhyaenna no longer wished to play.

[moonvcils]

there were moments when rhyaenna was the best thing that had ever happened to sloane, and moments where she was the worst, hellbent on personally destroying sloane and everything she had worked for. and it was not often that sloane saw her daughter's ire directed at herself. as she stood in the room, rhyaenna smiling as she eyed her through a mirror, the rage and frustration within slaone continued to build.

she did not find this enjoyable, or adorable or amusing. before her she saw a child looking to lash out at their parent, and it had the caldrithen longing wipe that smug smile of rhyaenna's face. "do not mince my words around to further this vendetta you've built up towards me." sloane started, pointer finger extended into a stern warning. "i will always encourage your ambitions, but that does not extend to this foolish decision. did you even consider that i pushed you towards marriage because it will allow you to retain the power of your spouse but also keep you out of harms way?" she did not step closer, anger and frustration not diminishing in the moment. sloane did not see this conversation ending well, but she needed to be heard. needed to make some effort at getting her daughter to willing pull her name from that horrid list. "crownwearers come and go. the last one died. do you feel that if you were to sit upon that throne that you are not going to meet the same fate? not to mention, crownwearer is not just a title. you will be responsible for the whole of nocturnia, you will be the face of them. is that a title you truly wish to carry? or is this all some childish attempt to upset me?"

[moonvcils]

where: elaris keep, a sitting room who: sloane caldrithen & denma fukuyama @talesinrequiem

the two woman sat next to each other in an opulent room and did not speak for some time. sloane had known denma for many years. had spent time within the fukuyama house in braxigar, had even followed denma to her duty in order to catalogue the event and the practices that it entailed. so now after at least two decades, they had found a quiet companionship that did not need words to feel see or heard. however, given the nature of denma's position, she was privy to information that sloane could not help but be curious about. "i assume you were the one to guide valeria garramoth into the next journey?" she asked, looking up from the parchment she had been writing on to pass the time. "have we any need to worry on her cause of death?" the woman seemed healthy the last time they had all been together, and now with the decision on crownwearer approaching, and her daughter in the running, sloane needed to know if there was any reason to worry. or worry less, that is.

[moonvcils]

where: elaris keep, a random hallway who: sloane caldrithen & orion tethalune @wanshangs

sloane had been considering how best to approach a member of the tethalune family to gain more interest in the new home they had been provided, and the items that had perished in the fire that took over the last one. it had seemed brannon had made the mistake of offending the heir, so she did not want to try to speak to him so soon after and ruin any chance of answers by not appearing sympathetic to their loss. however, walking through elaris keep, she found an opportunity presented itself. the youngest of the siblings appeared opposite of her, and a wide smile spread across her features as an idea came to her.

"lord tethalune," sloane greeted as they grew closer, although the tone of her voice did not indicate that she was simply greeting him and would then carry on. as she stood before him, the older woman smiled and continued. "how are you and your family? i can imagine a month within your new home was not enough time to feel settled before being called away here to heliophra." she ensured her voice was even and kind, to appear nothing more then a daughter of the ruling house of vallarion, intent on inquiring after the wellbeing of the other nobles of their hollow. "heliophra is such a stark contrast to vallarion, is it not?"

[graeclings]

"The climate is at least, inclined to inspire warmer dispositions -- maybe we shall have a grand garden party, or a ball beneath a sunny sky. Would it not be wonderful, to be merry and pretend we are all fond of one another?" It warmed him to see Eliza express glee; health had made its grand return to her features, which bore a lively expression. His own pallor had finally dissipated, though Tristan retained a trace of the melancholy that had haunted him during her convalescence; optimism had yet to making a daring return to his humour.

Eliza bloomed beneath the prospect of a free and blessed future; he would never claim ownership over politics, but it would be his one earthly endeavour, to see her enjoy rambling across lush fields, slipping between hollows, unburdened by anything but wanderlust. "But you will come home to visit, won't you? I do not know if I am meant to travel anymore --- I have discovered I am at my best, when situated in my garden. I shall however, prize your future chronicles with great delight; I suspect that you may be in possession of a companion, in your journeys." He spoke of her friendships chiefly -- Eliza was too beloved for her newly acquired menagerie of companions to allow her to slip from their sides. Of companions of another nature --- ignorance as to such matters, kept Tristan from unbecoming irritation, or the unsightly throbbing of a vein in his forehead. "As for my wishes .... should we see peace, and be left to our own devices, I would like to grow my garden. I should like to do so with one I love, but I fear I am rather an acquired taste --- there's a rumour going around I'm rather foolish, and I worry I may have started it myself."

[moonvcils]

she had not even considered all the kinds of events that could be held. the life she had once dreamed of while in her childhood bedroom came to her mind in quick images. for a moment it saddened her that once again it seemed as though it were only possible in a dreamscape. but she pushed that thought away. it would be possible, someday. "a garden party sounds magnificent."

she smiled brightly and laughed at her brother's words, coming to sit next to him and grasp his arm. "we could never be apart for long. i would write you every day, and i would make sure to always return home long enough that it wouldn't even feel as though i was gone." how she wished he would be her companion, but eliza knew if he wanted that he would have offered. her brother seemed to be at peace when they were back in the lush gardens of their home. at the mention of him spending his days in said garden with a loved one, her expression took on a cheerful feature. but it was quickly driven away by concern over courtly gossip. "you are not foolish. how could you be the source of such a rumor if you do not even remember starting it?" she shook her head, determined to return back to the subject of love. "i do hope to see you find someone soon, brother. in fact," she paused, getting up to grasp the list she had just been thinking about.

she tugged it from under the mattress before bounding back over to him. "i have made a list of every eligible person currently at court. look over the list and tell me what you think of them, or what they think of you." she had even put her friends on the list, although she found her heart constantly at war over the disgust at thinking of her friends in a heated embrace with her brother and the idea of spending almost every day with them in minolith manor.

[prodigxlis]

“The news… Of the White Oak?” For a moment, Ásta truly looks aghast. “Of it burning down with all of you in it? Those news? Varyn!” But a smile comes to their face either way, painted with worry and fondness both. “All of Nocturnia heard of it, I felt like I was going to be sick when I heard… I only got back to Draegor like, right before we all had to leave for these lands. It was a lot!”

The surprise is honest as his murmurs fail to escape their ears, let alone when Ásta is hanging onto every word of his as he speaks. “Wh—You would think other things would have their attention.” Pause. “Like. You know. Your wedding. And I was not missing, just... gone. For a little bit.”

Onyx eyes follow his hands. “What are you working on?” Curious yet cautious, as they always were when it came to this. “Lately, I mean, anything new and all…” Though at the mention of Amarei, besides the small pang of envy (still unsure of for whom, as greedy as they feel for whatever company either of them could spare), comes a question they have to wonder at how to word. “You are… So she uh… Does not disagree? With your, you know.” They nod at the items in Varyn’s hands, prodding as subtly as they can. Even Ásta, for all that Varyn and them share a fascination, had never been able to stomach the implications of it all. Too sensitive, too fragile for it...

“Oh, you know!” There is an attempt to wave away the sudden shift in mood, as they look elsewhere. It feels too much to try to decipher why Varyn's smile had faded, and why he looks so serious now. “Just a little jaunt around Drakathar, seeing the sights and all.” It had been beautiful, truly. Only barely enough to stave off the grief, and only because they had left themselves behind in Draegor’s halls. But the soul called back, it seems.

They shake the melancholy away, hoping their stillness mid-sentence remained par-for-the-course in Varyn’s eyes. “It would’ve been great if you had come with. Next time. Nobody knew who I was! We can just get you a couple of capes and—yeah. Besides that…” Ásta’s mind goes where it usually goes nowadays, which is to Vaelor, Vaelor and his ambition which feels like a noose around both their necks. “Not much. Though the stress, well. The smelling salts are not just an excuse to see you, if you get what I say. Heh.”

[moonvcils]

the moment they mentioned the white oak, understanding bloomed across his features as he gave a curt nod. how could he have forgotten about something so pivotal? because it had been a month past, and so much had happened in the meantime. "ah yes, the fire. how could i forget?" he murmured with an uncomfortable chuckle. "it was chaotic and frightening, to say the least. i am thankful we did not have more casualties." the thought of the oak once again had him wondering what would happening here in heliophra.

"i think my wedding was exciting when it was announced two months ago, but the staff have moved onto more interesting topics. ones that they can speculate on." he put a hand out to rest on her shoulder for a moment, the only bit of affection he could give in such a public space. "how thankful i am that you were simply gone, and not missing." how thankful he was to have answers, and to see them standing before him. whole and healthy. "currently trying to research if there is some way to change or enhance the bond between rider and dragon. a way to affect the natural scent of a rider, ensure their pheromones are as appealing and approachable as possible. my brother has been speculating new concepts that i am to help put into practice. so i have come here to find some new items we can use for such research." he held out the items in his hand for àsta to inspect if they chose to.

when they answered his question, with a lack of any real information, he could not help but ask, "is that all?" was there potentially a world where such grief over losing a sibling drove them into a deeper pit of despair, unconcerned with their own wellbeing? he tried to put on another smile, to accept the story he was given. "you left just to experience our lands? it sounds like a fantastic way to spend your time. next time you leave on such a journey i expect an invitation." however, would he go? now to be a husband, would such a journey be possible? he knew he could trust amarei to run vexmarsh in his absence, but feared she would not be happy with him leaving for an extended period of time just to travel drakathar on a whim. "the stress? your brother?" he questioned, hoping his voice did not sound too interested in what àsta knew of their brothers goals and intentions. "were you surprised to hear he submitted himself to be considered?"

[aubadement]

✧˚ · . ─── There had been a flicker of a moment where Varyn had been witnessed of some worth to her, but he had so unceremoniously declined her thoughts for crownwearer and that pivoted and hindered any relationship between them greatly. He was Amarei's betrothed, but such truth and attempt at benefiting both houses mattered little in Efigenia's pursuit. She had trusted Amarei, let such plan simmer and build, but this was her moment to seize and Efigenia would not sit back quietly and let another take a place in which their family name deserved to be within. If Varyn would not propose his own name to hinge Amarei and the Velwyrn name upon it, then Efigenia would cast them away if it meant salvaging them within the end. Sometimes, a snake had to eat it's own tail to free itself from the chain. Such is what Efigenia believed she was currently accomplishing, even if it meant her dearest sister would likely never look at her the same.

" Your head is not strong enough to hold the weight of the crown anyway , Varyn , " words were steeped in a venom unlike how Efigenia had been to him prior. She held no ill will for the heir of Vexmarsh, but if he wished to voice his complaints then Efigenia would be upfront with her own truths in turn. " You proved this when last we spoke . " Something within her burns with a blaze as potent as that which destroyed the white oak when he speaks of Amarei, " She will recover , even if she is to never talk to me again , your softness - so repugnant and unsightly - will soothe her , will mend what may break from this . She is comfortable with what your marshes and your castle will allow her , but that is not enough for what I seek for her , for us . "

[moonvcils]

he scoffed at the insult. even if he did not want to sit upon the throne, it did not mean he liked knowing other felt he was not capable of such a seat. of course, she seemed to be willing to bet on him until he turned her down. "what i proved was that i have no interest in being a puppet. and if you are willing to be one in order to earn a title, then perhaps you do belong amongst the other contenders." they had not spoken in such a way before. he had traded verbals blows and raised his voice in the company of her sister, but thus far varyn had tried to be nothing but respectful to the ruling lady of graveholt. but this desperation for power and acceptance was not going to benefit him, nor did it align with what amarei wanted. so he speak up for her in this moment.

"have you considered that you do not get to decide what is enough for her? your decisions are rooted in selfishness, and you do not get to choose power and then claim it is for the good of your sister. especially when she is vehemently opposing such a decision." he shook his head, his eyes hard and dark and full of disgust. how blinded has she become? or is she willing to break every tie she has, even that of her sister, in order to achieve what she deems what she is owed? "it is truly worth gaining a title if it means losing everyone along the way?"

[springscngs]

"Not at all." Amarei mirrored his chuckle, although hers was softer, dissipating as quickly as it came. "Drakathar was a welcome reprieve." His recounting of his visit she weighed, a silence settling between them that was neither uncomfortable nor required urgent filling. She sensed he did not agree with her inherent scepticism, and she would not seek to sway him -- but she would justify her standpoint, so he may make his mind, accordingly. "It will not surprise you that I do not place my trust in promises nor good intentions of others, never mind how sincere they may seem. We have all learned to say what another wishes to hear, particularly if it helps us achieve an aim. But I do hope Vaelor's aim is peace." A short pause. "I trust in myself and in my judgement. If you believe his character to be just, I will not question your account of events. But I will continue to question him." A glance cast over her shoulder, to search his gaze. "I hope you can understand that."

His question prompted another spell of silence, though she had already decided it was the sort for which no adequate answer existed. Amarei would have preferred never to drift from Efigenia as she had done, in spite of her own relentless pursuit of what she deemed a future worth having -- a future that would never confine her to the halls of Graveholt. But the longer she troubled herself with what she could neither control nor remedy, the more time she squandered. "It doesn't matter what I would decide, Varyn." She looked to their clasped hands, where she could feel the thrum of his heart. "People like us learn to navigate the world as it is presented to us."

She drifted from his embrace then, hands slipping from his warm skin, to float in the scented waters for a few more eyeblinks. "I think I shall retire early tonight." Perhaps it was the weight of shifting politics -- perhaps it was the realisation his closeness had not brought the comforting reassurance she had sought. She had hoped that, for a sliver of time, they could simply be. "Stay as long as you'd like."

[moonvcils]

he smiled and nodded, humming softly before agreeing. "very much welcomed," the time spent in drakathar not only allowed them to grow closer as friends, but lovers. there was a trust brewing between them that varyn had not allowed to happen with anyone else, and while that thought was terrifying, he knew if anyone deserved it, it was the woman he was to marry. and as every day passed, he recounted just how well matched he felt they were. how one day, he may not second guess any sort of interaction or statement. how a deep understanding could settle over them. and how interesting it was to realize he may want that.

as she spoke of her views and her skepticism regarding most, he simply listened. realistically, it would be best for him to assume everyone he spoke with had intentions and motives different to what they verbalized. but perhaps it is the mere desire to be friends with vaelor that has him less skeptical and more trusting then he should be. "i do understand that. i have learned much from you and this is another instance. i need to remember that no matter how much i'd like for vaelor's words to hold nothing but the truth, that does not mean they do."

he wanted to argue that they could decide. that she had made him believe there was a way to control, convince, manipulate - whatever was necessary, really - those around them into seeing the outcome they desired. but her tone had taken on something that felt distant and then she was releasing from his hold. the man's brows furrowed in confusion as she spoke of retiring. memories of their time in vallarion flashed through his head, of her seeking silence and solitude when she was upset or angry, and he knew he had done something to push her away. he did not want to argue or demand she stay, fearful of driving the wedge even further between them. amarei had not been openly angry or combative with him in over a month, and he did not want to end up there. so he tried to tell himself she was being honest and truthful, and that perhaps she had grown tired from their journey in and needed to retire early. even so, he could not help but ask, "are you certain? i can call for something to eat..."

[decthless-a]

Open Starter:  [ accepting 0/3 ]    Location: near a riverbed hehe

The faintest a chuckles fell from the little nymph's lips, infectious and syrupy-sweet, muffled by a palm quick to latch to his mouth as he rustled like a small animal through the dense greenery, the thickness of the woods surrounding the river, offering a sliver of privacy amidst the tribulations of late, which he, in his infinite boredom and desire to entertain himself, had deemed fit to violate—a wisp of pale hair moves amidst the evergreen.

He had waited, patiently, until they had properly disrobed and discarded their garments aside to sprout from the bushes, gathering all in his arms clumsily as he laughed—drunk in his own impishness, his fair eyes so mischievous as they caught a glimpse of him. He bit his lip, and in a haste, bolted; off into the bushes like a startled bunny.

[moonvcils]

sloane's mind had been crowded as of lately, and so it would only be cleared by two things. writing and walking. and the trip to heliophra, as well as the death of lady garramoth and the names of the eligible chosen had already been transcribed in her notes, she decided it was time to take in the warm air of the land she once called home. she had not been nearly five and twenty minutes into her walk when she saw lord chae emerge from a dense area, giggling with a bundle of clothes in his hands.

sloane's eyes narrowed, and she was immediately reminded of a child. how clouded was her judgement, to think her daughter had influenced lord chae's actions in any way? no, baeksa clearly was not one to allow others to have the upper hand. "is there no other way you can spend your time? perhaps in a more productive manner," she chided, her tone very much that of a mother.

[aenaos]

They were right. A war drum pounded beneath his skin—did he not welcome its reverberations? Better than the blankness that had made a home within him. He had turned his body into a haunted house, an abandoned tomb, a hollow suit of armor. He had desired this, and yet he could not accept the cost it carried: the complete, devouring desolation left in the wake of his loss.

But Luz deserved a teacher, not a maddened hound.

So he inhaled through his nose—once, twice—and said, “You are right. I should have warned you.” He ran a hand through his hair, seeming less a man and more a lion pacing his cage. “In the midst of battle, it is tempting to let ferocity fuel you. Become mindless. Drive your body forward even as your limbs ache with strain.” He huffed. “It is, however, a temptation that can bring about your own demise. It seems I, too, needed this reminder.”

The dulled carnelian of his eyes drifted away from Luz, searching for no point in particular. Shame flooded him. Vow and duty meant nothing if he lacked the strength of will to uphold them.

“I will do better.”

[moonvcils]

the moment hiran acknowledged his fault, any irritation or anger that was buzzing through luz was released through a deep sigh. their shoulders fell as their body grew more relaxed and they nodded their head. but as hiran continued, speaking of battle and how your actions could be your undoing, luz found herself concerned for her mentor. how often had he allowed his emotions to fuel him?

she did not hesitate to reach out a hand and place it on his arm, a warning for the softness and concern that would come in words only momentarily. "are you okay?" luz asked, using the back of their free hand to wipe away the sweat that had started falling down their face. "i mean no offense but, you seem troubled. right now you're acting as you did after the fire." her voice came out gentle, not accusing the man before her but simply willing him to open up to someone. "you can be the most honorable man i know. kind and gentle to those who deserve it. but sometimes hiran, you seem as though you are on the edge of falling into a dark pit that you cannot claw your way back out of." a simple observation, one she hoped he would speak on and not disregard.

[mortifere]

Marya  clasps  her  hand  together,  her  flesh  cold  as  the  contact  settles  between  each  of  her  fingers.   " There  is  always  something  kept  from  someone.  Perhaps  that  is  what  makes  life  so  very  interesting. "  She  held  herself  as  the  image  of  ease,  with  no  further  explanation  to  accompany  it,  only  a  dreadful  narrative  that  said  no  more  than  it  said  less.  She  was  a  riddle  of  omissions;  like  a  page  with  missing  verses, neglected and bereft of mirth,   or  a  room  with  no  doors,  the  dust  gathering  undisturbed, where no footsteps seemed to intrude.  Still,  if  Marya  knew  anything  about  the  death  of  Lady  Garramoth,  she  found  no  reason  to  spare  her  information  with  someone  who  rejected  their  way  of  living. 

Is  it  not  the  mumbling  that  one  might  say  when  they  stick  their  hand  in  the  trap,  Marya  thought.   For  a  while,  Marya  basks  in  her  own  silence  before  her  shrill  voice  cuts  the  lull.  " Hm. "  Voiced  like  a  patient  carrion  bird  as  Marya  tilts  her  head  like  she’s  ready  to  pry  the  Solkarith  clean.  She knew that one  could not  wash  the  blood  of  their  primogenitor  that  stuck  to  them  at  birth,   with their hands  scrubbed  raw  beneath  the  cleansing,  for it  never  did  lessen  the  stain  of  one’s  creed;  blood, like scripture, always did assert its claim in the end.  The  deathling’s  eyes  are  cold  when  she  speaks,  and  her  mouth  twitches  upwards  as  the  sardonic  lilt  reaches  the  air.  " When  another  fire  comes    at  least  you  will  have  the  good  sense  to  enjoy  the  burning  as  the  flames  take  hold. "

[moonvcils]

luz simple watched marya, a look of confusion spreading across their features. she spoke in riddles that luz found deeply confusing. the squire had never claimed to have a sharp mind, simply fast reflexes and an ability to read her opponent. but that seemed to only exist within a sparing ring or on the battlefield. pretty words and any avoidance from the truth was not the solkarith's forte. so she simple scoffed at the lack of information. "okay." they muttered, as they rolled their eyes.

even more prose was spoken, and luz ran her hand through her hair in frustration. she had forgotten just how unsettling and unhelpful taemris' sister could be. she would stick to the other morvaen from now on. ruby eyes narrowing, luz responded, "if another fire it lit, others will know where to find me. where were you when the blaze errupted in kal’thera?" there was no real weight to the accusation, just the response of an irritated and hurt child.