It's Not the Same

Valeria Angorian - Queen to Be - Softera Kavya Chalwa - Physician - Asteria Vikra Suraj - The Bone Carver - Frigola

[pepperwall]

   What she mistook for a loose tent wall was in fact half-rolled, allowing a moderate amount of sunlight for patients. The fragrance of herbs hung in the air, but her attention was drawn to the court physician who was examining plants for – what Jiao Bi assumed to be – medicine.

   Medicine?

   Not the bitters, she hoped. Those she detest. Bitters. She can neither stand to see them nor stomach their aftertaste. She managed to refrain from wrinkling her nose, but ended up sharpening her gaze upon hearing Kavya.

   Her main physician was clinically efficient – direct. But Kavya was unsettling. Soft. Gentle. Welcoming.

   Her growing suspicion backfired. A sharp pulse flared across one side of her head, she exhaled sharply, pressing fingers to temples.

   “Kavya,” the name clipped onto conception. She wanted to approach with diplomacy, but the pain. “Fix me. My migraine — I cannot be bothered to –”

   Sharpness.

   “I don't care how. Just... help,” she said through gritted teeth.

   There. Pleasantries abandoned.

[nightsxfalls]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟHELPING OTHERS WAS the best feeling in the world, at least that's what kavya believed. there was nothing any better. knowing that you could heal what ailed someone in just a few short moments was a welcoming emotion. and she adored it. what she hadn't expected was someone coming up to her with this much desire, the need for something that would heal every ounce of pain they had within them. nodding softly, she kept the smile on her lips, the one that was always there, constantly welcoming those that needed her.

gently, she gestured for her to sit on the bench next to them. "migraine, huh? how long have you had it?" kavya asked, bending down to grab some of the herbs she'd been searching for. a few of these, crushed up with some honey and mint would do wonders for a headache. "i can give you a remedy for now, but i will make one for you to keep on hand if it happens again." she started smashing up the plants and with a light wave of her hand, added a bit of honey and healing magic. with two of her fingers, she grabbed some of the mint, herb, and honey paste and looked up at the other before her.

"i know it looks weird, but it's just a balm of sorts. i'd like to rub it on your temples if you'll let me. you'll smell a bit of mint and with a few deep breaths and your eyes shut, the pain should subside. you can use this for today if you continue to have pain, but i will make another for a stronger and quicker effect when i have a few more herbs, if that's alright."

[illicitembers-deactivated202504]

Chuckle leaves lips at the queen's words. She understands the struggle. "Of course. I am at your disposal, your majesty." Iseul speaks, smile widens as she regards the newly crowned queen. To what heights will she deliver them to? To what lows, should she prove unfit? Iseul doubts it. Valeria will be a fine queen, Angorian line never fails. "It will keep my fire in place as well. Will you play first? A move for a thought or question."

[nightsxfalls]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟTHE WORRY IN valeria's head sparked worry within her powers. she didn't know what it meant or how to shift any of the stress within her. a game of chess would at least distract her enough to figure it out. "thank you, really," she responded, softly. when they sat down, valeria took a deep breath, getting as comfortable as she possibly could. nodding, she looked down at the board and chose a pawn to start first, moving it two spaces forward. "i worry about the water, general. it's gotten stronger and harder to keep inside."

[erisvalerian]

location & timeline: sotera's gardens, february 13th, an hour after the thorned king's appearance.

availability: open to all !

ERIDA had been rather disturbed by the appearance of the Thorned king. While his powers of terrifying every soul in the room had certainly been a thing of appreciation and envy, the amount of chaos it had generated simply be appearance alone, had been quite more than she'd been used in using.

it did help with her own use it, though.

She didn't have to deplete her own reserves of it, instead she'd happily use whatever power constructed by the... king, to her benefit. Still, she could only hope it would be enough to sustain her, for the time being. Being away from Frigoria had threatened to destabilize her magic - and that wasn't something she was keen on happening.

she'll have to do with this little help.

Sensing an additional presence, her mask long forgotten somewhere in the ballroom, Eris checked her posture and her usual lady of the kingdoms mask had slipped back into it's place.

"Do you find yourself unwilling to retreat for the night as well? Tiredness beckons, but I fear I would be unable to sleep. Tonight's events had shaken quite a few individuals - even I cannot remain immune to it."

[nightsxfalls]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟTHE WORLD BAFFLED vikram most of the time, especially within the realm of his empire so long hidden from the world. he was constantly so focused on his own head that sometimes the other world didn't matter to him. the feelings radiating through his body were different, almost unnerving. his head felt fuzzy, confused, and just not normal. but vikram hadn't slept properly. the visions plagued him, ones that threatened to make him feel even worse.

he wanted to run, to hide, to sit in a pile of pastries and beer, and just let his head heal from what happened lately. the thorned king wasn't what he'd expected, in the slightest. he hadn't expected any of it and frankly, he didn't want to think about it, at least not until he got a proper night's sleep.

vikram wanted to sleep, he really did, but something wasn't letting him. was it the thorned king? was it the visions that threatened his life? he didn't know. instead, he found himself wandering through the halls, finding himself in the ballroom. he spotted erida, and a soft smile formed across his face. "sleep has evaded me for days. rest is but a dream these past nights. shaken is an understatement, my dear. we are but vessels to this madness, and even i can't deny the feeling of uncertainty."

[nightsxfalls]

Name: Vikram Suraj Age: 54 Pronouns: he/him FC: Shah Rukh Khan

Traits: charismatic, disciplined, innovative, methodical, perceptive, judgmental, critical, superstitious

Background:

vikram couldn't remember when he first had a vision. it was almost like they were always with him, even as a baby. he would cry preemptively before something happened. once he could talk, his parents sold him out for his abilities. but then one day, they were gone. everyone he knew was gone and suddenly, his abilities were wildly accepted, and sought after. vikram became rich and wealthy, but found that he longed for the comfort of knowing everyone's secrets. he wanted more power and more to learn. once he was of legal age, he wound up working for the cruel king as an advisor. this man knows more secrets than almost anyone.

he knows about the damnatio memoria and he knows who kidnapped the prince and princesses of asteria. you can't really keep a secret from him and if you can, well, he might require some kind of payment to continue to keep it a secret. he's a very dangerous man to know, especially if you're not on his good side, so make sure that you do. vikram enjoys judging others for their opinions, for why they come to him, and for just about everything. and the thing is, he doesn't know much about his background, so how do we even explain it? is this a cop out 'cause i can't come up with anything else? yes, shush.

Headcanons:

He's incredibly superstitious and will often bless a door before he leaves it. Every morning, he prays to a few different gods, asking them to provide him with the best day possible, offering them sweets and drinks. He dislikes black cats, and often will do everything in threes, indicating that he might be a little bit OCD, but he doesn't like others to know it. If anyone questions him about it, he claims his visions told him to, or something of that effect.

He's a sucker for anything sweet. If you bribe him with desserts, you can get him to do almost anything, but this is a secret that he keeps very close to his heart. He likes anything with the flavor of vanilla. 

He has a fluffy white cat that either follows him around everywhere or rides on his shoulder. The reason she's white is because white is opposite of dark and he believes that she will counteract any bad things in his life. She's very protective of him and will often threaten other other people or hiss at them if she decides they're not good enough for him. He will tell her which people can be trusted and vice versa. If she likes you, she will allow you to pet her and love on her. This is a very special relationship to have, especially according to her. Her name is Veda, which means knowledge. Often his visions are from her, because he can cuddle her and see what she might have seen, but this does take a lot out of him.

Power: 

His clairvoyance rules most of his life, but he enjoys it .He likes when people come to him, asking for his opinions. In order to actually tell you a vision about your life specifically, he needs an object of yours to gather your energy. But when he simply has visions, they just happen, randomly, more so when he's tired or frustrated. He tends to simply get quiet and stare off into space when he has one. If he knows you well enough, he can give you a vision or a clairvoyant thought without touching an object of yours. He doesn't like to give out visions willy nilly, in fact, even though he enjoys helping others, he requires payment, and it has to be something of value to him. What that is, he will decide in the moment, as it will be something he needs then. He also isn't afraid to lie to get people to come back if he deems it important and isn't afraid of the truth. He won't sugar coat anything for you. When he gets visions from touching an object, person, or animal, he has to welcome the vision into him and be prepared. If he doesn't ask the spirits to give the vision to him, he won't get one. 

[zhaoycn]

location & time: the gardens of sotera, late morning after the masquerade.

availability: open to all !

NIGHTMARES plaguing her night's rest aside, Zhao Yan had been having a swell time in Sotera. Alright, nightmares, the jesters, the absolutely creepy idea of a hidden kingdom and subsequently an entire civilization apart ; she'd been having a good time.

The mask were pretty, people were - mostly - polite, everyone had been having fun ( until the jesters had arrived but she had promised herself she won't be thinking about it anymore ) and overall she had met with some old friends, and made new ones.

a success.

Strolling down to the gardens after finally kicking into gear, Yanyan had been standing beneath the Datura tree. The flower had closed once more, the moment the night had turned into day. Perhaps it was for the best - the flowers had been... a little eerie, looking quite a bit like some monster's long forgotten trumpet.

Still, it had reminded her of home, of the village called Frigoria she had lived in her entire life. It had been filled with the Datura. Turning towards the sound of footsteps, Yanyan smiled to the intruder.

"The garden looks rather lovely in the daylight. Though, it is a shame the Datura only blooms at night. They are quite the sight once their flowers open."

[nightsxfalls]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟTHE GARDENS PROVIDED kavya with a sense of calm; they were a reminder of simpler time spent with her grandmother. she could let her mind wander or even take notes on the shapes, sizes, smells, and textures of any new plants. today wasn't any different. the physicist sat on the ground, cross legged, her notebook resting on her lap, and notes scribbled amongst the pages. she'd picked up a leaf nearby and was looking at it rather closely, not hearing someone's voice behind her.

this happened quite often. she was known for being easily distracted, and while some people admired it, kavya knew it often got her into trouble. but the conversation the other seemed to start was one that she could talk about easily, one that perhaps her extensive knowledge of flora would be of assistance. however, kavya had only seen the datura tree a few times, and instead had heard stories of it. she wanted to learn more, and hadn't gotten the chance to see what the other was describing.

"really? i've only ever seen it in drawings, and never truly in person. what's it like? my grandmother used to say it was excellent in healing potions, but you have to catch it at night and use it immediately. i've never gotten the chance."

[illicitembers-deactivated202504]

The night had passed. Nightmares surface. Ill omens fly overhead, none connected to the woman in her presence. Iseul, detached and composed to rein the fire in her blood, understands the itchiness. The rage. The fear. The masquerade heightened it -- she had felt nervous and fatigued as well, though the general shall never admit to the weakness.

"I have aplenty. Will you indulge me in a game of chess? It soothes and diverts. We ought to speak of last night. Shall we rid ourselves of it now or later?"

[nightsxfalls]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟBREATHING DEEPLY, VALERIA wished she was better at keeping herself calm, at keeping her emotions in check. but the closer and closer she got to the coronation, the more she worried. would she be a good queen? could she actually rule and keep her kingdom happy? nodding with a small smile, thankful of iseul's company, she hoped that having someone to talk through her emotions and worries with might help. "i'd love a game of chess. that always helps. could we talk while we play? that might keep me distracted enough to not cause anymore damage to the pipes," valeria responded, laughing lightly in an attempt to calm her nerves.

[vindexance]

at the sight of the queen-to-be (more like the new queen, now, of course), qynna stopped, eyebrows shooting up. quickly, she pulled her arms back, nodding to the other woman out of respect while she listened. her brows furrowed while valeria spoke, and after a minute, she returned her hand to the queen's arm.

"hey—look, i was just on my way to the gardens. want to take a walk?" she offered, not really giving valeria a chance to answer as she gently tugged her down the hallway. clearly, the woman needed a moment to calm down. if nothing else, qynna could do that.

"so!" she began, exhaling brightly. "how's your day been? actually, don't answer that—rather stupid question, really. let me think," she paused her rambles, searching for a better question before snapping her fingers. "i know! what's your favorite part of the palace? i still get lost here; it's so different to asteria's. do you have any favorite hangouts?" qynna grinned, nudging the woman slightly. all pretense of general and queen had been dropped—at this point, qynna simply saw a girl in need.

[nightsxfalls]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟVALERIA KNEW SHE still had a lot to learn about being queen, enough so that each day was a completely new task. today's brought more anxiety than she thought, causing her to nearly spill over the entire water jug on the table. when she'd run out of there, she didn't have any plan of where to go or how to process what happened. but spotting the general eased some of her worries. part of her worried how much she should tell her about her panic, but she needed that moment of calm. so when the general offered to head on a walk with her, valeria was on board. she needed the fresh air.

"i'd like that, a lot," she responded quickly before she felt herself being pulled by qynna, appreciative of her knowing she needed to simply be taken there, especially when in moods like this. how she knew, valeria didn't know but she didn't ask. "no, not stupid actually. you have every right to ask when you're dragging me out of the palace, but i appreciate the concern. maybe later i'll explain." valeria wanted to throw out all of her worries, emotions, and stresses, but she knew she needed to understand why she'd gotten frustrated in the first place before she explained it to anyone else. "there's a balcony off the south side of the library. we keep these comfy couches out there with these glorious fire lamps and the view, oh gosh, it's one of the most breathtaking views i've ever seen. it still wows me to this day."

[nightsxfalls]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟ THE MOST IMPORTANT person in her life was her sister, sabrina. valeria would terrorize the world, cause tsunamis, and take out just about anyone to keep her safe. so, allowing her to marry someone from another kingdom, and therefore be taken away from her was not something she wanted. her sister kept her calm, kept her happy, and she couldn't dream of ever losing her. but how could you explain that in a way that didn't sound completely and irrevocably selfish? their mother didn't understand, no matter how much valeria fought and screamed. this was sabrina's plan and she had to allow it to happen, at least that's what she was told. but valeria wanted to find a solution, wanted to make sure her sister was well taken care of, no matter what. finding her in her favorite spot, valeria snuck up behind her and poked her in the sides playfully. "i tried to fight mother on the arrangement again today. didn't go over well. one of her favorite table cloths has to be hung out to dry because it smells of damp lemon water. oops?" valeria explained, trying not to laugh too much.

@apricitydelivered

[nightsxfalls]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟTHE PEOPLE CLOSE to her were ones that valeria valued greatly, ones that without, she wasn't sure she'd make it through the coronation. she didn't know why her mother believed in her so much or how, but she hoped it would all work out. the more and more her temper rose to the surface, the more frustrated she became. and now, she needed advice. she needed some kind of help, something that might make her feel better or even just words that would ease anything that frustrated her. valeria was in search of iseul, knowing that she understood the feeling. emotions were scary and she felt like she was getting worse and worse at handling them.

as she found iseul, valeria tried to steady her emotions. "do you have a minute? i need a distraction, majorly."

@illicitembers

[vindexance]

time: the morning of february 13th. location: the halls of sotera's palace open to everyone.

the echoes of her footsteps rung in the empty halls as asteria's general moved briskly towards her destination. qynna popped the last of a muffin in her mouth, poppy seed and blueberry—not a combination she had ever expected, but one that had the potential to quickly become a favorite. it was surprisingly good. then again, maybe she just liked anything the head chef made. it was certainly a possibility.

as she walked, her mind was racing with to-do lists and memorandums. after the disaster at the masquerade last night, there was so much she needed to do. first on her list, however, was to set up a meeting with her...advisor? who should she even talk to about this? perhaps she could just catch anyone of higher rank than her. no, that had the potential to go horribly wrong horribly quickly. it would be better to find someone that knew more about the thorned things than she did—perhaps someone who had seen them enter, or someone who–

abruptly, qynna's train of thought derailed as she crashed into another person. "oh, do excuse me, my sincerest apologies!" she exclaimed, arms flying up in an effort to catch whoever she'd bumped into and keep them from falling over. "i-i wasn't looking where i was headed, and i was headed there quite quickly. that's—my fault, i swear."

[nightsxfalls]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟWORRY FLOODED VALERIA'S mind as she stalked through the hallway, trying to clear the thoughts from her head. she couldn't stop worrying about what she might do as queen. would she even make a good queen? or would her temper get the better of her and ruin everything? it was always the little things that got to her, that would make her entire body cold before she'd feel a rush of water flow through her. then, a pipe would break or the sink would flood. water would explode from places that she hadn't even thought about. and she hated it. valeria hated how much her power was fueled by her emotions.

she'd ran out of her room after she was frustrated with the way a dress fit. changing faster than she ever though, valeria needed something comfortable, finding a dress that always fit, that always made her feel safe. as she tore through the hallways, the queen to be wasn't looking where she was going. but she never was when panic ran through her like this. what she hadn't expected was to physically run into someone, let alone her general.

shaking her head, valeria laughed lightly, trying to calm herself down as much as she could. "no, no, general, please, it's my fault. i'm not..." valeria started, sighing softly, fiddling with the sleeves of her favorite dress. "i got emotional and i ran again and i just..." running her hands through her hair, she tried to get the rushing feeling of water to disappear from inside her. "i needed a breath of fresh air, but i'm not sure where i'm going right now."

[pepperwall]

𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑: @nightsxfalls

𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: sick bay, Sotera palace gardens

𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 & 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞: February 14, 1276; terce ( 9AM )

 

   Jiao Bi disliked physicians.

   Not for their craft nor their presence, but for the expectation of surrendering to their scrutiny.

   The tent stood among the trimmed hedges, and the morning breeze did nothing to topple its canvas. Sunlight bled through the fabric, distorting the figures within. Like phantoms. She had half a mind to turn back, but she had not slept well. No, not well – she had not slept at all. Despite feigning composure, her mind had been steeped in wakefulness long enough to skew her thoughts. She had arranged an appointment because her father insisted. Because Zhou had noticed. Because a Shih could not afford to be seen…unraveling. What had happened then had made her slow.

   With tentative steps, she approached the entrance, fingers smoothing the creases of her mended sleeves. The court healer was an acquaintance in passing; enough to acknowledge, not enough to trust. Should the woman ask what troubled her, Jiao Bi would supply only what was necessary.

   Irritation picked at her. Would Kavya dare to prescribe rest? To tell her that fear had suckled onto her bones, as if she hadn’t already known? She sniffed before parting the tent’s entrance, stepping inside. She would not let herself be examined like some tender thing. She was here to straighten herself out. And perhaps, in the depths of her reasoning, for reassurance.

   …

   “Lady… Kavya?” Behavior resembling that of a petulant child, instead of staring at the floor, Jiao Bi kept her gaze on the far wall in front of her.

[nightsxfalls]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟTHE GARDENS HAD become a safe haven for kavya; they soothed her worries with a simple visit. she spent any free time she had searching the grounds for plants that she could use for any future potions. with a basket by her side, she hummed softly, sitting cross legged in the grass, inspecting each and every petal. most petals were excellent for mixing into potions, either for soothing benefits or for sustenance. while she could heal many injuries and illnesses with her magic, kavya enjoyed the calming and soothing nature of creating potions and trying to find the best possible combinations to heal those who needed assistance.

hearing someone's voice behind her, kavya looked up, coming face to face with jiao bi. she'd met her before, but only in passing, not knowing too much about her or what might be troubling her. something the physician had learned about people over the years was that injuries and illnesses weren't always talked about so commonly. many liked to hide them, to keep them a secret from their doctors. it was for worry that the solution would be one that wasn't so peaceful or kind. that never stopped her desire to help or to find ways to make life a bit easier for those that requested her help.

chuckling softly, kavya gave her a smile and responded. "just kavya is perfectly fine, please." she stood up, wiping her hands on her skirt, really not minding that she was now covered in dirt. "how can i help?" her voice was soft, gentle, and completely welcoming. after all, the desire to help and befriend as many people as she could became stronger with every passing day.

[nightsxfalls]

name: valeria angorian age: 38 role: queen to be kingdom: sotera power: water manipulation

valeria's world was manipulated by her mother, in the most loving way possible, at least that's what she always claimed. she was the eldest, and the heir to the throne and she'd known this since she was a child. everything she did was to prepare her for her role as queen. but there were a few problems with this. one of them was valeria's temper. it was something she couldn't control but something that she knew she needed to. she found herself getting frustrated at each and every little thing, the kind of things that no normal sane person would be bothered by.

but she liked to say that it was because of her power. it fueled something inside of her. it was the core reason of all of her emotions. like water, her mood shifted with each passing second. one slip and she could very easily break a pipe, cause water damage or even cause a tsunami if she's outside. the one upside to her power is that she needs to be hydrated. if she's not, she can't use it, or it's not truly very strong. but valeria hates this. she hates that her body is so dependent on being hydrated, on her mood. she tries her best to stay as calm as possible, but it doesn't always work very well. so now, she's trying to find soothing tactics to stay calm.

she doesn't approve of her sister's marriage, but these are for selfish reasons. valeria knows that when her sister gets married, she'll leave and the idea of being in the world without her sister terrifies her. she's afraid of what will happen. she's worried about who she might become. it will not only unite the kingdoms, but will also divide the kingdom of sotera, according to valeria.

valeria wants to be a good queen, she really does. but she worries that she won't ever be. what if her temper gets the better of her? the thought of doing anything wrong is absolutely horrifying. but she tries to be as kind and nice as she possibly can be and hopes that she can make the kingdom of sotera proud.

[nightsxfalls]

name: kavya chawla age: 36 kingdom: asteria role: the physician powers: healing magic, potion creation

tw: death

kavya was born to two loving parents, into a very close family. she was doted on by her grandparents, given many gifts and treated like royalty even though she wasn't. they spent all of their time together, adoring everything about their little girl. she was the apple of her parents eye, but of her grandmother's especially. from a very young age, as a toddler, kavya was fascinated by everything her grandmother did. she wanted to know what every single potion did, what all of the magic was, and how it all worked. so, she was brought into the world very early, given little tasks that a child could do and by the age of six, she created her first potion. it was love at first sight. kavya knew she wanted to help her grandmother.

when she was eighteen, she went out on an assignment by herself, due to a client requesting her. she left her grandmother and parents by themselves, thinking nothing of it. the trip took a few days, and she thought all was well, but once she returned, she found her family deathly sick. immediately, kavya sprung into action, trying to heal them, doing everything she could. but nothing worked. no potion, healing magic, or ointments would help. it took only another day after for them all to pass. kavya was left all alone, helpless, and orphaned. the kingdom took her in, making her the official physicist. she accepted, immediately, knowing that she would be taken care of as much as possible, even if it hurt.

kavya tries not to let the absence of her entire family hurt her, but it does, every single day. she wants to prove to the world that she can and will do everything in her power to heal anyone that comes to her for assistance. when she's not healing others, she tries to live every single day as if it's her last. she doesn't want to miss anything and leave the world like her family did. as a result, kavya is very playful, adventurous, and constantly looking for something fun to do. this tends to get her into trouble quite easily, but she doesn't care. she'll do what she wants, when she wants.