Of Solemn Steps

Leian Drachen Original character affiliated with Isola Radiale -------- Housing: Townhouse 201 Rank: Dwarf

[mycosprite]

Porcelain Fungus Oudemansiella mucida

[arcusxx]

[artisticlog-deactivated20231213]

The Moon Dressed Like Saturn 🌕💫

[nyctern]

dimittere​:

while he does not disagree in the slightest, emotions in the TRUEST sense do not come forth easily. ganondorf has lived for many years without needing to share his thoughts aloud; this habit would not break easily. he doesn’t argue, however, and perhaps that alone says more than spoken word EVER could. it has been so very long since he made a habit out of arrogantly mouthing off to anyone who IRRITATED him.

❝–why do you call them SCIENTISTS?❞ he asks, changing tact with but a quiet nudge, a lowered whisper. ❝one would not typically form a CONNECTION between free thinkers and warriors. you’re not stupid, but you certainly don’t fight with just logic and technology.❞ he’s genuinely curious, even if words are intended to change the subject - and quickly! the bed creaks under his weight as he rolls to his side. a more DIRECT approach in the manner that he faces her.

☽☾ ⋯ He's silent, the only answer she's given. Leian picked at the bed covers as she wondered over whether such a response meant anything. It's noticed, certainly, and she's not about to pick it apart. If he refused to use his words, then let that be his issue, even if a small part of her wished he was a bit better at communicating. Still, he speaks up, eventually, and she's relieved for a change of conversational rhythm.

"It's archaic." A sigh, and she leans back into the bed sheets, staring up at the ceiling with only a blank expression in her eyes. Wistful, certainly, to think about those under her wing, yet the name they claimed only came with a hint of disgust.

"The royal family created an institute of technicians to research for the good of the people, a long time ago. But I'm sure you know, no family stays perfect." She glanced at him, almost expecting a reaction, for noble families seemed to share the same frustrating natures everywhere. "Someone wanted the Scientists to only research weapons, then that weapon research became a militia, then someone else wanted a royal militia, we became a sort of independent 'army-for-hire'... The name stuck. Somehow, there's still people in the isles who believe we research for good."

[detailedart]

• Details : The Flight into Egypt, 1609, by the German artist Adam Elsheimer.

[laorelcreates]

Moon serpent 🌙🖤

[seabeck]

Lichenomphallia in my yard

[nyctern]

sterrenlied​:

✧*:･ﾟ| IF he’s bothered by haughty attitudes, he doesn’t show it; he’s dealt with much worse in his time. Siebren allows her SIMMERING attitude to batter him, understanding well that she’s merely wrestling with a panging hangover. He nods in understanding, buttering a pair of thick bread slices before placing them upon the griddle. He is nothing if not generous with his cooking.

❝WELL, I wasn’t born a researcher. That would be, ah, perhaps a touch CONCERNING wouldn’t you say?❞ He says with a hint of a tease. ❝My mother worked … rather hard, so I wanted to do what I could to help her, and that included kitchen duties.❞ But, for all her surprise, Leian does have A POINT to her assumptions. ❝I can’t say that you’re wrong about us researchers. You should probably consider yourself lucky that I don’t quite have much to RESEARCH at the moment.❞

☽☾ ⋯ Her head pangs with pain again, throbs coming and going like a raging ocean's waves. Almost, does she wonder, if it's better to get up and leave, find a dark spot to lie down and forget she ever tried to get up; he'd prefer it if she did do that, anyway. Yet, stubbornness was a hard habit to shake, and at least he wasn't complaining about it. And, while Leian grew increasingly agitated by the pain in her skull, the food still smelt wonderful, a pleasant distraction besides. 

"You could have been a scientist as a child, or, fated to be one, or something like that." Though a storm cloud already thrummed above her head, it only seemed to grow, memories of sickness pouring through her mind, however little she wanted to think about it right now. Fingers brush against her face, and she sighs. "My team had more than a few like that. But their work was good, that's all that mattered."

[dolcesostenuto]

ballet | by gargouillade

[shroomlings]

[melancholiads]

blue grey fog on a winter evening

[dimittere]

mist that clings to his skin quite troublesome and unpleasant, seemingly in EQUAL halves. ganondorf's chest rises and falls to the sensation, a gritting of the jaw as he peeks, the occasional discreet glance in the direction of the woman at his side. as severe as always, she's no nonsense enough for him to EMBRACE her company. someone who would get whatever task lies ahead done. he appreciates such a notion, being likewise no nonsense, but ah, it would be nice if it weren't so damn MISERABLE and wet!

❝i would very much like a hot bath when all is said and done. this weather is positively DREADFUL.❞ he remarks with all pomp and circumstance as they weave their way to the terminal in question. ❝this shan't be too DIFFICULT, not for us.❞

@nyctern

[nyctern]

dimittere​:

flattery or no, his teeth tug into a thin smile. if he has to SUFFER through the clinging mist and damp woodlands, he’d rather suffer with his lips pulled back and mouth bared as a CHALLENGE. a small victory in his own way, though far less does he care about winning wars against leian than whatever creatures seem to be lurking within the darkness before their eyes. as much as the THRILL of the hunt would normally being his dark heart to excitement, the thought of caring for a living being all the same does not.

❝do you not REMEMBER what it was like being small and afraid?❞ he certainly does, with no thanks at all towards the event that forced him to be a child again. leian was good to him then, so wouldn’t she also be good to these children too? ❝i know you are angry, and so am i, but please … i ask for EFFICIENCY.❞ keen, bright eyes focus now upon the children , one step after another to close the gulf between them. ❝i do not think it would be easy for us to simply gather them up in our arms and move off with them,❞ he says, pressing his hand into the hedgerow barrier and feeling nothing but an IRONCLAD wave of plant fibre. ❝this is no MORTAL maze.❞

☽☾ ⋯ The damned hedge, the maze's walls matted and weaved tight like well-crafted fabrics. Leian sets hands against it, and begins to look for any gap within its walls, the scuttling children beyond stepping out of sight once again. Surely, there was some way to get in? "It's not safe out there, can you find a gap to get through?" She calls out, pausing in her search to peak through a gap to the darkness beyond. Children were better at finding their ways through pesky gaps, anyway. How else must they have gotten out there in the first place.

The beady eyes reappear, only to disappear into the mists, and Leian steps back too the path before the clinging white haze could steer them off it. Not that it'd matter, with how dense the maze was, but she listens out for nearby scuttling, anyway. "Picking them up would do nothing to endear ourselves to them." Spoken with a hushed whisper and a jab to Ganondorf's side, she's disturbed only by a sudden noise behind them. Turning, there they were, having slipped through the barrier -- two ruffled children, identical to themselves. 

[shroomlings]

[cinnamongirlheaven]

prima ballerina

[lsleofskye]

SALLA - in the middle of nowhere | eevamakinen

[nyctern]

bulletrein​:

UNSURPRISINGLY NOBLE IN HER DEMEANOR AND choice of words, the girl could quite as well stare down a coeurl with the same degree of FEROCITY. as usual when thrown into unknown situations, he can’t help but think, just what have i landed myself into this time? at least she is POLITE and above all else, needed assistance.

all too willing to place in him her TRUST and yet, she doesn’t even know what she’s landed herself into! he laughs, a warm and appreciative breathy little thing. ❝you really did want everythin’, huh. not even THINKING’ ‘bout it.❞ and wouldn’t it be nice, to never have any REPERCUSSIONS of that sort?

❝eeh…? ya never even had a burger before? well, ain’t that somethin’. is like a sandwich, but the bread is a bun, an’ ya can have a whole lotta DIFFERENT options on it. ‘sides pizza, i can’t think of a food with MORE options.❞ he beams, though can’t help but worry - does she have allergies? ❝ah, does any food make ya feel SICK in any way?❞

☽☾ ⋯ A sandwich? Yet, one with a lot more interesting things on it! Even the breads looked unfamiliar! Leian stares up at the picture with awe, fascinated by the ingredients and the peculiar, fancy sandwich. New and bizarre, she just had to try one! "Lots? Can I try everything on it?" Perhaps if she asks again, he'll understand just how important this request was. But even if she can't, she thinks hard about what he said, and how that might mess up her fancy sandwich.

"Nothing makes me sick. Well, a mushroom did once. Mam said it was good for me but it didn't feel good." It falls out, like bad words and bad memories often do, as her brow scowls as deep as they could go, and she stares at the tiles on the floor. But Leian didn't come here to be sick, and the kind man didn't come here to listen to her sad stories, so she puts on her important-person-voice, and looks back up to him. "But other mushrooms are okay. I like mushrooms a lot, especially the purple ones." 

Well, that seemed to give a clear answer, so she points back up at the fancy sandwich, and whatever sour cloud had slipped over her before had been thoroughly replaced by a beaming smile.  "I'd like a burger with mushrooms on."

[safeintheforest]

 very fortunate to live where I live right now.