the drama of the past few days had strangled most of the warmth and fun from the treehouse in the wake of the ball. “something interesting to do. i mean, mayhaps i do cal but we tend to differ in our interpretations of interesting, wouldn’t you say?” amberly leans back languorously against the thick desk at her sister’s side, drumming her sun-bronzed fingers loudly in the quiet of the library.
❝ that's putting it mildly, to say the least. ❞ she says, rolling her eyes playfully and shaking her head. she and amberly were two sides of a coin, if that coin were showing two drastically differing opposites. ❝ i think i'd like to hear your suggestion even if it is outside my usual zone of comfort. you never know, am, i just might surprise you. ❞ she says, pushing her chair away from the table and standing up. ❝ i'm done studying for the day and i could use a break. ❞
“Should’ve known.” Not like Safiye had a problem with it, she was used to tis by now with Calista and Kaya. The two were always together or better yet, Calista was always trailing behind her older sister. It was cute if you asked Safiye. “It shouldn’t take too long, hopefully,” Safiye said before shrugging. “I’m alright, somewhat. Very upset that the party was cut short, everyone looked really into it.” More like she was really into it.
❝ it seems like everything is moving very quickly, thankfully. very efficient seeing as nothing like this has happened before. ❞ she says, the hand on her forearm rubbing gently up and down, fingers curling, her thumb rubbing to give herself a little comfort. she'd been doing so much to help that she'd completely transformed into some confident person and now she was back to the introvert she usually was, wishing she could hole up in the library. ❝ it did seem like everyone was enjoying themselves. i was having a lovely time mingling with our people. it's a shame someone had to go and ruin it. ❞
Evie looked up at Calista, not entirely sure who she was but terrified of the idea of the girl ratting on her. she smiled at the condoning of her act, grabbing two packets of raisens and shoving them in. she had to admit, she was terrified by the display tonight. this was supposed to be the safe place. and now she wasn’t going to be taken in by a place obligated to help. now the nation was being threatened. was anywhere safe?
she needed to keep food in her chair, just in case.
“I’m not sure. where is that?” her mother said no adult shelters, that those were bad places for little shifters. but Evie was too old for child ones, and that had been four years ago, and she wasn’t sure what to think. all she knew was she shouldn’t automatically agree. “who are you?”
❝ it's just here in the castle, down the hall a bit, and around the corner. ❞ she says, pointing toward the door, where a guard stood. it wasn't far to the great hall and it was roomier in there, though she wasn't sure they'd ever had to set up temporary beds and made a shelter of the castle. that was a part of the situation that she had no knowledge on. she'd never read anything about it, certainly. nothing like this was in the texts she read.
❝ oh, i'm calista lochtree. i've forgotten my hosting duties and didn't even introduce myself. it's nice to meet you. ❞ she says to the other girl. ❝ i was just thinking of heading there myself, if you'd like to go with me. i won't pawn you off on caleb, the guard who hasn't smile in a decade. i think he saw the thing that lurks behind the shelves in the library... ❞ she shudders at the thought of the urban legend.
LOCATION && WITH WHOM : : MADAN CASTLE W / ANYONE @atherions
“Well, that is a bit upsetting. But fret not, everything will be fine.” She wasn’t lying, simply stretching the truth more than usual. Which happened during situations like this, where Safiye had to put on her best smile and made sure that her eyes twinkled as she calmed whoever was near her. “If you are planning to stay with us, please let me know and I’ll find you an open room. Unless you want to leave then I’ll find someone to walk you home.”
❝ oh, i think i'm going to crash with kaya. if she'll let me bug her for that long. ❞ calista says, one hand wrapped around her forearm. she'd always liked tagging along with the part-fae madan princess. being the younger of the two, she'd always worried that she was a nuisance to the older of them, but she adored kaya, and always felt more confident and more free-spirited around the next madan queen. ❝ thank you, though. i've been helping my mother get people where they want or need to be. hopefully it won't be too much longer before we can retire for the night. how are you holding up? ❞
calista sat with pen in hand, taking diligent notes for the one class she was currently enrolled in. but, unlike most times when she was at the library with a book, she was a little bored. she needed something else to do. she sighed and closed her book, dropping it, her pen, and her paper into her bag. ❝ please tell me you're here because you have something interesting you want to do. ❞ she speaks softly, looking up to the person who'd approached, before slinging her bag over her shoulder.
This whole party felt very fancy, and Evie felt very out of place. people made way for her chair, and she’d made her way to the buffet tables. heaps of food, so much food. enough to feed her for weeks. she’d grabbed a plate, some potatoes and gravy and other heavy-sitting stuff. meat, as soon as she checked that it wasn’t fox.
she also grabbed some things that were a bit more preserved. juice boxes. whole apples. a protein bar. and she pulled the backpack off her chair’s back, slipped the food in next to her stuffed unicorn and other meager belongings. she thought she was being sly, but when she caught sight of someone looking, her eyes widened. “I wasn’t stealing!” she squeaked, putting her bag next to her and making to roll away.
calista had been watching the action, checking to make sure everyone was still well and truly dealing with the fallout of the attack. watching stragglers to see to it that they got to safety and made sure everyone got a blanket should they want one. she turned toward the banquet tables and spotted a young woman gathering supplies and a smile tugged at the corners of her lips. if calista were to be stuck in an unfamiliar place, she'd probably do the very same thing.
❝ oh, i didn't think you were. i'm glad you're getting food. it's probably going to be a long night. ❞ she says, walking over to where the other girl sat upon her wheelchair. calista wanted to make sure she was okay. the crowd was thinning and people were getting to where they needed to be for the night and she was trying to help the last of the people get to safety now that things were calming down.
❝ are you staying in the great hall tonight? i can show you the way. temporary beds have been made and blankets passed out. guards are stationed everywhere. We want to make sure everyone is safe. ❞
“ what happened? “ the words tumbled out as she gripped the folds of her dress, clinging to them as she was unsure of what move to make even as the other spoke of making a choice. she wanted to smile and nod, say the right thing and be seen as someone a lot more put together than she felt in that moment. but she could not. “ i… i don’t know what i need. “ part of her wanted to see to someone else, see if they were alright — perhaps even take a note from the other before her, one that was calming and already knew what to do in the state of the emergency that others were experiencing as well as herself as elena stared at for another beat. “ how are you so calm? “ she asked out of pure curiosity.
❝ the candles all blew out and when they were relit, there was a threat from an unknown person. nobody knows who left the threat, but i'm sure the guards are on it. it's just a matter of getting people to safety now. chambermaids are bringing blankets to the great hall, i can take you there if you'd like. ❞ she says, soft smile on her face.
❝ you're likely in shock. it's been happening a lot tonight, what with everything that's happened. it's a natural reaction, i'm told. we can get you some water and get you cozy somewhere if you'd like to stay here. ❞ calista understood not knowing what she needed. she was starting to feel like she was going to crumble under the pressure and didn't know what she needed to feel okay again. she needed to be strong for her family and her land.
❝ honestly, i'm not sure i'm calm. just trying to do what i have to for atherion. ❞
it’s in this very moment that ariella fully resents the gown she had chosen for the occasion. she’s busy tucking the corners of her skirts into the hem at her waist to at least gather them away from her feet, while her younger sister–albeit only by a year–plays leader. ariella lets calista take on the role, nowhere near confident enough to do so herself. still, she hovers near her sister as if to imply their authorities are combined to any interested citizens. it’s the only way she knows how to help without having to speak up.
ariella quietly notes how even the shyest of her family takes on the leadership role so comfortably. she smiles and nods to the townsfolk calista is speaking to, at least offering her familiar face (seen the most often out of her siblings, she thinks). once they’ve moved on, ariella steps up to calista’s elbow and gently nudges it to indicate that they should speak. “i haven’t heard anything about what’s going on.”
❝ all i really know is that there are chambermaids gathering blankets to be passed around in the great hall for those who plan to stay. as shock sets in, they'll want to bundle up and feel cozy. ❞ calista says, repeating what she'd heard as she'd been walking around just after the candles had been relit. she'd been listening for what the madan's present army had been whispering, catching a few words hear and there, but had gathered only a little information.
❝ i should really see what mom wants me to do, but i figured making sure our people were taken care of was as good a place to start as any. if you want to help me, you can escort these two out to the guard in the hall while i help the couple over there. ❞ she tells her older sister, a soft smile on her face. she doesn't know where this ability to take the lead is coming from, but she's going to ride the wave as long as she can.
where: madan castle
when: after the candles blow out
status: open to anyone
❝ anything i can do to assist? ❞ devlyn asked, dagger strapped to her thigh over leather pants, tunic covering the weapon. this was the way she always dressed, the only thing different in her appearance was that her pants were nicer, and her hair was done up better than usual. otherwise, she always had a weapon on her — usually for cutting rope, but tonight, she felt all the more safe having it on her.
❝ i'm armed and i can walk people back to their homes in town if need be. ❞ she says, a soft smile on her face. she'd always wanted to be a knight, and now she felt like she was getting a chance to shine. to show that she could do it.
“Calista, This is what I’ve been doing my whole life. Preparing for this moment. My ᴛʀᴀɪɴɪɴɢ has led me to do this. While I would spare with anyone who was capable of welding a weapon. I will not let Atherion fall.” He said as his raven dark curls that he had spend over an hour, getting ready for the ball; now fall slightly limp over his eyes, he pushed it back with his free hand.
Feeling her fingers softly grasp his forearm, he looked down at the floor briefly. “Will you have faith in this kingdom? 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘦?” He said as he swallowed a bit uneasy before his other hand had rested upon his sisters’, giving her a warm smile.
“You shouldn’t have the need to worry. We will find what is happening and put a stop to this.” “I promise.” Edric responded before taking a few steps away from his sister, as he rolled his shoulders back; standing up as his confidence also rose. “I’ll be back as soon as possible.”
❝ yes, yes, i know. but we've never actually had to do this for real. ❞ she says, turning her head to survey her surroundings. a woman was scrubbing the red paint that looked so much like blood and it made calista sick to see, her stomach churning at the sight. she shook her head before looking back to her brother.
❝ of course i have faith in you, and our kingdom. i just can't believe this is happening and it feels very big. ❞ it's the biggest thing that's ever happened to atherion in her lifetime. she can't remember anything so scary or unnerving happening in the span of her memories.
❝ go. take care of atherion, help the madan's, but be safe. you know mother will worry endlessly if you do something stupid and get hurt right after this has happened. ❞ she says, giggling softly to lighten the mood. if she could depend on anything, it was a worrisome mother. at least that was a constant.
What a night this came to be. Joyful music filled his ears. This was a night surely to remember… . But things had suddenly turned for the worst. One moment, he was happily chatting (or at least attempting to talk) with the plethora of girls surrounding him but their over-exaggerated giggles just caused Edric to smirk and smile. It happened rather quickly, when the candle lights ceased from existence. Once everything reappeared; to which Edric’s gaze was towards the writing on the walls. He immediately made sure that the girls that were at an arm’s reach were first to go towards the castle for safety.
Hastily making his way down the corridor, he was somewhat relieved to see another family member of his. finally catching the eye of his sister as the girls seemed to huddle in a circle approaching her. “ I can’t go with you– lead our people to safety.” Edric said as he seemed antsy, nervous for what would happen to the beloved kingdom of Atherion. “I have to go and gather the royal army. I want full surveillance, every single ear at my command.” Edric said as his face grew concerned, his colored hues glancing around the room as if he were anticipating the next move, before letting wetting his lips slightly. Unbuttoning the clasp of his suit jacket.
“Now- I really need to go. We all have a role to fulfill. Protect our family and our people.” He spoke with such an authoritative tone. It was stern and serious; although his body posture seemed to say something else.
❝ our people are far from the safety of their own homes, edric. ❞ she says softly, a hand upon his upper arm. she takes a breath, glancing at a worried-looking fae couple behind him who were talking to one of the madan's guards. it meant she could take a moment to talk to her brother without worrying that she wasn't doing enough to help their people.
❝ i don't... i don't think we have much of an army, edric. when was the last time we had an attack happen in atherion? there are barely mean-spirited people here, let alone people who would orchestrate an attack such as this one. i fear our forces aren't strong enough to take on a large attack. what are we going to do? ❞ she asks, worry painting the features on her face. she had been holding strong, but with another member of her family so close, it was easy to want to fall apart. it was easy to let herself take the comfort that being close to familiar people offered.
❝ there's safety in numbers, i suppose. it's a good thing so many are here. ❞
status: OPEN
where: Madan Castle
when: after the candles have relit
꧁｡.:* 𝓚 *.:｡. ꧂
Kaya’s heart pounded in her chest so hard it felt like it would jump out. What the hell was that? She looked around, locating her mother and watching her whisper with Queen Ayesha. She ran up to her, fear in her eyes. She’d always been prepared for something unexpected to happen, and yet… she never expected it really would. Not here, not in her lifetime. She got instructions from her mother, and moved on.
“Hey,” she said to the first person she turned around to find, “are you okay? Would you like to stay or be escorted home? How can I help?” She didn’t want to overwhelm them, but she was overwhelmed herself, a little understandably shaky as she stepped into her role.
❝ i'm okay. i'm going to stay here for the time being. ❞ she says, voice strong, nodding her head quickly. ❝ tell me what you need me to do; i'm ready to help. ❞ she's been directing people toward the great hall, where blankets are being passed out, but if there's a better use of her time, she'll happily be told what else she can be doing. she's worried, naturally, but she's put a brave face on and can't help but act like every bit the princess that she in in this time of crisis. honestly, she didn't know that she had it in her to do so.
when: post candles blown out
where: madan castle
status: open to anyone
❝ you should get somewhere safe. they're taking people further into the castle. we're getting down blankets for anyone experiencing shock. please let me know if you need anything. ❞ calista kicks into emergency mode, the big sister role she's rarely had to play turning on and taking over when she starts to direct people toward her mother and queen madan.
she's almost nothing like her usual self, turning from the demure, quiet girl she usually is, into a princess fit for the title. who knew panic and terror could do that to her? ❝ i can walk you to the great hall. it's not too far from the ballroom. ❞
Location: Leaving the Madan Library, Unity Ball
Who: Open
Unsure of how many hours she’d spent in the Madan Royal library this time Vespera had packed up her bag and stretched out her aching fingers that were stained with black ink. Ink that matched the black scales that littered her skin across all parts of her body. Skin that was fully covered by the darkest materials available so that none of that would ever risk being on display. People probably thought the historian almost prudish with the long sleeves and high collar she always wore. The pants and knee high boots and the gloves she was slipping onto her hands at that very moment. The only skin that showed was the fair elven face and even that was usually only half as her hair covered the single eye with the draconic pupil that was hidden from sight.
With everything fully adjusted she moved through the stacks and out of the large and familiar room that felt like a home away from home. As she reached the door Vespera watched a few servers rush by and realized what time it must be. The Ball was here. She was dressed well enough as she always dressed in a studious high society manner when she came to use the royal library but emotionally she was not ready at all to face this. She had meant to be long gone before this had begun. “Professor, allow me to take your books while you enjoy the ball,” she heard a familiar voice call before the bag was removed and she was practically spun down the hall towards where the voices where echoing from.
Entering the room Vespera very nearly tripped into a person nearby thanks to the forced movement and she felt her stomach clench as nerves hit. “Apologies my friend back there was a bit too excited,” she commented aloud to the nearest person she’d almost taken out.
❝ oh, it's no problem at all. ❞ kinsey says, breathless, bracing herself against the other, hands against her arms, lithe fingers wrapping around the fabric of her clothes. she had been in a rush to find a bathing chamber, wanting to use the facilities before she got to work on her painting, and had rounded a corner too fast, coming to bump into someone.
❝ i didn't get any paint on you, did i? ❞ they ask, quickly removing their hands and looking at where their fingers had just been coiled. where their bodies had just collided. she didn't want to mess up the other person's belongings or make them all messy for the ball when it was supposed to be a formal affair. if anyone was going to be paint covered, it would be kinsey. they take a step back and brush down their dress, taking a breath. it felt like they'd been running all over tonight, talking to so many people, doing so many things. she needed a break.
(jamie campbell bower, 27, cis male, he/him) JAMIE HELLSTRÖM is a BOOKSELLER. They are an ELF. They are CODEPENDENT, but they are also POETIC. In their spare time, you can find them WRITING POETRY IN THE TAVERN.
jamie was always the athletic one in school. captain of his dueling team, he was always doing something to be seen as the sporty, athletic one. he was always the golden boy. he never did anything that could get him into any known trouble.
known being the operative word. he was always doing something stupid to get himself into trouble, his parents just didn’t know about it. and he liked it that way. he thought that if he were the perfect child, they might stop arguing for five seconds and remember that they had kids that depended on them.
a lot of the shit he got into was because he was defending his twin sister from people who shouldn’t have been talking shit about her in the first place. sure, she could fight her own battles, and when it came to the really big stuff, she did, but if jamie ever heard anyone say anything about her, he’d swing first and ask questions later. it didn’t matter. nobody talked shit about jules, especially not where he could hear.
jamie is bisexual, and although he’s not closeted, he never really came out to his parents. he never thought he needed to. he never brought a boy home while in high school, but he never sat down and had a conversation with his parents saying hey, i also like guys, and if that’s a problem, you’re just gonna have to deal with it.
jules, being the other half of himself, was the only person he ever felt like he needed to come out to, and not because he thought she might think of him any differently, but because he thought she’d be the one person that would understand him and not judge him. because she was the only person who he ever really cared enough to tell.
he once broke his arm climbing a tree, because he got a dueling sword stuck super high up, and really wanted it back. he didn’t care that his parents had told him no. he didn’t care that it was higher than he’d ever climbed before, or that the branches got super thin that far up. he fell, hit a lot of branch on the way down, and ended up with a splint.
over the years, he did a lot more stuff like that, adding broken bone after broken bone to the list. he wasn’t careful and he was an idiot, always getting himself into places and things that he definitely shouldn’t have been getting into.
jamie is a bookseller, but he is also a writer, and loves to write poetry. he always has. while he was always a big jock in school, he secretly loved to make beautiful things out of words. he writes them all down in a notebook and keeps the notebooks in a box in his bedroom.
While his appearance was practically mandated, nobody had told Alistair he had to enjoy it. It was the mingling that was the problem, it was a ball, and there was an obvious dress code but individuals had shown up with tattered hemlines and pocket squares that didn’t match the occasion. It was a disgrace, but he intended to play nice. At least for now. Perched somewhere near the kitchens so he had first access to the flow of food that made its way out to the ball, he did his part to remind himself of the purpose of all this. Camaraderie, coming together, pleasantries, safety, so on and so forth. Idly Alistair was counting down the minutes until it was appropriate for him to leave, dark eyes wandering over what those on the floor considered dance.
“You should be enjoying yourself,” Alistair remarked, “it’s a party, remember?” He tried to keep the chiding tone out of his voice and opted instead to tip his glass towards his lips, draining the champagne before setting it on a passing tray. If anyone was going to look sour and sulky he was determined that it would be him, at the very least if he was to have competition he could say that at least he looked far better. “Smile, maybe someone will even ask you to dance.”
❝ i am enjoying myself. ❞ calista says, one hand wrapped around her champagne flute, the other wrapped around her midsection, looking to the outside world like she was hugging herself. it made it rather obvious that she didn't like to be in crowds. that this was hard for her. she was supposed to be mingling right now, but instead, she was by the refreshments, snacking on strawberries, her index finger and thumb stained red from the juice. she'd reach out for a piece of fruit, eat it quickly, and then resume her position of looking like she was holding herself together tightly.
❝ who would ask me to dance? that's never happened before, i doubt it'll happen tonight. ❞ she says, almost bitterly. besides, she'd never put any effort into getting asked to dance. she turns her head toward her brother, anyhow, and gives him her best smile, as if to say 'happy'?
queen ayesha lochtree, clothed in rich red silks and hair in it’s usual silver twists, admired her subjects that had attended this years unity ball, settled comfortably into a velvet lined throne with a full goblet in her hand. the fae queen felt pride surge through her body, the same pride she had felt for the previous generations of atherion and alike those, this was a generation of individuals that celebrated diversity, hungered for peace, longed for inclusion and most importantly, as signified at tonight’s event, fostered a sense of unity amongst all the folk of atherion.
while she loved and cared for her adopted children with an unparalleled love, she loved all the citizens of atherion, considering all of them as if they were her own children, her maternal instincts stretched geographical limits from one side of the atherion border to the other.
oh how she loved to watch them dance, smile, hug and laugh…it had not always been this way. despite attending countless balls and feasts in the madan castle over the centuries, being inside it’s lofty walls did not make it any easier. grief still coursed her veins and had settled itself like a permanent silent shawl over her aging shoulders. the grief was heavy, it hurt, but the pain was a reminder that the love was real, that kala madan’s memory would live on through her life’s work as protecter, matriarch and queen of atherion.
a figure bowed before the queen.
“rise my child” the queen’s voice was soft and gentle, as it often was, greeting her subject and waving her goblet signalling that they may stand and address her, “- are you finding the festivities quite satisfactory?”
♕
calista wasn't one for big parties. she was here, though, as the dutiful daughter of the queen, doing her part as a lochtree princess. it was a wonder she hadn't ducked out into the madan's library yet to explore their collection of books. no, calista was indulging in champagne and attempting to stay unbothered by the large group of people that was currently in the ballroom. she wasn't a fan, but she was doing her best.
when she saw her mom, though, she was delighted, and she walked up to her quickly, curtsying as best she could in the gown she was wearing. ❝ hello, momma. ❞ she says, upon rising. ❝ are you having a good time? ❞ she asks, setting her empty champagne flute on the tray of a passing waiter, not bothering to grab another. she was sure she'd had enough by this point. she didn't drink much. it was probably best to indulge in a lemon water now.
