#hoopdaughter

[luminousrider]

"Heyyyy......."

Fee, jumpy and sweating, bumps her elbow with the dracoknight. An unsure smile plasters itself to her face, and her knees would almost be knocking, if not for the knuckle-white grip on her sack strap. Honestly, she's a bit intimidated. Just a bit.

"Y-you know, we were both in Seliph's army together, but I don't think we've met. I'm Fee, princess of Silesse. I kn-now who you are, haha," she chuckles nervously. She swallows a gulp of her anxiety for one final push.

"We're both fliers and all so... would you like to be friends?"

Altena is not unused to others finding her to be intimidating. Even if Fee doesn't speak it out loud, she can tell from the stammering, the nervous chuckle. The fact that this is someone from her cousin's army makes it even less surprising. It isn't as if Altena had tried making herself a friendly or welcoming presence to others during the war. No, she remained closed off and kept almost exclusively to herself unless she had been dragged into something by someone else.

What really surprises her is that Fee just wants to be friends. She can't remember ever meeting the other flier besides in passing and Fee is ready to jump right into friendship.

Altena cherishes her friendships and cares deeply for those she does consider to be friends but most of them she has known since childhood. Friendship is something that grows and deepens over time. It means something. It isn't just a superficial word thrown around to anyone. Even with Nanna, even with all of the Nordion's efforts to break down Altena's walls and find a place in her heart. Altena still isn't sure if she would speak the f-word out loud about her brother's fiancee.

"You want to be friends?" Altena raises an eyebrow. "With me? Why?"

[youthfulthief]

A truce finally declared, Fee returns to recuperate with the troops.

"Thanks for stepping in back there," she breathes, collapsing in a green heap beside the thief. "I would've been toast!"

“Hey, don’t worry about it! Anything for a friend!” Patty was never one to stand by and let a friend in need be betrayed, and if that meant throwing a stone or two at another friend she was not going to back down.

Even if she gets a telling off from Edain, it was worth it.

Patty hugged Fee, tight and warm. “It’s so nice to see you again. I really missed ya.”

[heirjinto]

"Shiro, right?"

It's not weird, Fee tells herself. Names get around! It's normal for a prince and a princess to chat, right?

She offers her hand in greeting. "Your haircut rocks," she nods. "And, hey! Matching headbands!" She points a finger up at her forehead. "Your braid looks so much cooler though..."

As her thoughts trail out her mouth, she snaps to attention, suddenly self-conscious. Fee giggles nervously. "You're at the academy, right? What kinda weapons are you good at? I've been looking for a sparring partner who knows how to dance with their spear; are you up for it, big guy?"

prince or not, he's never expected people to know his name right off the bat. it's probably for the best that way — fewer expectations to face head-on upon first introductions, and less room for the inevitable disappointment that comes when a third party realizes he's the so-called crown prince.

shiro blinks back his surprise at the sight of the stranger's outstretched hand; she's the first to offer such a gesture on school grounds. he braces for some kind formality, already sorting through the mandated how-do-you-fare's before her voice cuts in with an ease he takes to immediately.

"right, but who's asking? you're gonna make me feel bad for not knowing your name!"

there's little hesitation as he accepts her hand. shiro shakes firmly, teeth flashing in a grin that stretches for miles. "thanks! your headband's pretty cool, too. so are your—" he jabs a finger at his own earlobes for emphasis— "earrings. i don't think i've seen anything like 'em!"

even more exciting is the mention of a favorite pastime. his eyes spark the moment the question leaves her lips, and he puffs out his chest, already slipping into a ready stance. "sure am. i'm with the deer, if you ever want to find me. i'll never turn down a sparring match. rain or shine, i'll be there!" he tilts his head toward the spot where he'd conveniently rested his naginata. "that's my trusty weapon. if you think you can handle that, count me in!"

[rafent]

6 + 🍪

With one disappointment under her belt, Fee looks to a new partner with new resolve. This white-haired boy isn't that much taller than her, right? Should be easy...

She jumps over to him, cookie already perched in her pursed lips. "Mm-mmm!"

𝐏𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐘 𝐃𝐀𝐘 ♥

". . .Mm-mmm?"

A pale brow rose high with momentary confusion. Repeating a babbling vociferation by no means made it any easier to understand. Nevertheless, Rafal was thankfully dubbed no stranger to the yearly custom of this challenge and so could recognize it at a glance. The stick of frosted cookie in the girl's mouth said aplenty. He was dubbed no coward most of all.

"Very well. I would admire one who sees no need for words. It is actions that do the loudest of talking, after all. In that way, your approach is most profound—I suppose you have even come to me as the result of like recognizing like." By this point, and unbeknownst to him, Rafal was practically conversing with himself due to how thoroughly stuffed his partner's mouth was. Utterly incapable of talking back.

—well, no matter.

Rafal roll: 3, loss!

He stepped forward to do his own version of 'talking' and would have partook wholeheartedly in the proffered challenge. If it weren't for the terrible taste of the cookie in question. No more than a small nibble on her opposite end and the silvery dragon recoiled, looking far paler than his usual complexion and hair ought to be.

"What is this atrocious excuse for a cookie? You can hardly taste of its sweetness!" Alas; the only challenge Rafal won this time was that of complaints.

[luminousrider]

🎄

She's not a romantic, but she's hopeful. That's not how Arthur would probably put it, but, well, he's not here now, is he? She never knew what her parents were like before she was born, whether they cared about that sort of thing, Fee had always been hopeful of falling for someone, head-over-heels.

That being said... she is running around the halls holding a sprig of mistletoe. The gatekeeper told her some real nice things about it, and she has seen it before back in Silesse, but... Anyway, maybe there's some cute person that will humor her. Hehe.

She's not sure about cute, per se, but tall, dark, and brooding stands menacingly in the courtyard. Maybe she's waiting for the training grounds to open, maybe she's waiting for a companion, but either way, Fee's already dashing up to her, waving her plant wildly to get her attention! "Hey, Altena! Can we... you know... it is the holiday, after all!"

"You!" Altena narrows her eyes and points a finger directly at Fee's mistletoe. "You're the reason I can't turn down a hallway without looking over my head first?"

Scowl turns to surprise when she realizes exactly why Fee is waving this plant at her. Fee wants to...with her!? It makes even less sense than just randomly bounding up to her and declaring a friendship.

"No. I don't kiss people just because they wave a plant at me."

[hosannan]

She stops in her tracks, mint-leaf green eyes tracking a particular feather-adorned blonde. A day earlier, Fee might be second-guessing herself; but after seeing how much of Jugdral has made themselves known here, there's little doubt in her mind. The Silessian squeezes past a gaggle of students, pushing herself towards the princess, with no plans what to say, just ready to say any plan.

"Hey, Nanna! Fancy here you seeing, here!"

Real smooth, Fee.

There’s an inexplicable, sharp ascent that comes with the sound of that voice, like a lift that makes her lungs gallop above the clouds. Then the quick dip right back onto earth, where Fee was waiting with her heel prints pressed firmly onto the ground. Bright bells chimed as Nanna laughed, half-obscured behind a polite hand. “Fee! …I take it that you are attending the academy now?” 

There’s a shimmer to it—her voice, her gaze—as Nanna tried to hold onto the reins of her stashed-away feelings. When was the last time Nanna had taken to flight? 

“Did you bring your pegasus with you…? Haha! I don’t often catch you without one foot off the ground, you know.” When you stash away a fondness of old times, undoing just a single ribbon unravels the entire bundle. Stowed away in her heart was a small gift-wrapped package. Of how blue the sky was. And the liberating feeling of her crown passed through a train of clouds, until a veil of droplets followed behind her. One look at Fee unbounded her wrists and set old wings back to her heels. 

“…We should grab some tea sometime! The selection here is incredible, hahaha! Oh, and I’ll treat you to some sweets. They have the tiered cake displays that could humble any princess, really…” 

Cleverly, Nanna brought a finger up to the moonbeam curve of her smile, pressing her dimple playfully. “In exchange, will you take a ride with me sometime? For old time’s sake…”

[seawardoath]

"Hey, Ronan! Gotcha something!"

The tell-tale sounds of Fee's approach appear far before she does. Descending to the students' courtyard on Annand, it's a pretty grand entrance, and many of her peers turn to the source of the commotion. Fee doesn't seem to notice, though; as soon as her pegasus touches down, she slides from the saddle, making sure to grab an oblong, paper-wrapped parcel tied up with her gear.

She hurries over to the Thracian, extending it with a toothy grin. "I picked up this quiver from the marketplace just for you! 'Cuz it's your birthday, and all."

As soon as the package is in his hands, she backs up sheepishly, focusing her attention on marching back to her pegasus. "You're a nice guy, ya know? Go team!"

Ronan's Birthday 2026 | not accepting

Now everybody knows his name. Ronan dips his chin down below the collar of his shirt as everyone who'd been ogling the entire pegasus that had just touched down in the courtyard now swiveled their heads around to stare at him. He'd just been repainting a section of the fence that encircled the terrace where students liked to come for tea, so he had stray splotches of black across his pants, on his forearms beneath his rolled up sleeves, and even a dash on his cheek.

Trying to pretend he was just as unflappable as Fee, who hardly seemed to notice the attention, Ronan wipes the back of his hand across his forehead and goes to meet her before she can shout his name again.

"Hey, Fee." Of course, he's no less warm in his greeting. They'd been allies on the battlefield a couple of times by now so that made them practically friends. Closest thing Ronan had, anyway. But he feels a little bad now for shying from the attention, since she'd come all the way over here - presumably having come just from the marketplace - to deliver a birthday gift. Although he still pretends like no one is staring at them, he raises his chin a little more with pride and confidence.

"Oh, wow," he breathes when he sees the quiver she's brought to him. All shiny and new, made of fresh leather, with all the seams in tact. "My old one's been with me for a while now but it's seen better days." He runs his thumb over the twists and turns of the knotwork stamped into the front.

"This is great, Fee. Thanks! Or, uh... go team?"

[frigidsurge]

❰❰ PIN ❱❱ sender pins receiver during a fight/training

Tumbling, arms entangling, Fee and Tine roll away in the sand floor of the sparring hall. Battered from their training, but happy still from their exertion, as soon as they come to a dusty stop, Fee can't help but smile widely, breaking into giggles. She tries to prop herself up from her elbows, but it's a bit difficult while balancing over Tine's face. In between deep breaths and chuckles, she looks down at her friend, inches apart. "No kidding, that was some powerful spell..."

She doesn't deserve this

The levity in the air, the practiced, confident motions more a dance than a fight or even a sparring match.

It's freedom.

Still, no grace is ever lasting.

For just a brief moment it's no longer a game. Fee's figure is blurry, almost indistinguishable from a genuine foe.

She doesn't inhibit her spell enough

Throwing them both down to the ground, uncaring of any confusion or pain it will cause in the moment .

The flame misses widely in a brilliant explosion; it covers the wall behind them in smoldering embers. It's solid stone, but her mistake burns too brightly, too unmistakable to be ignored.

"I-i"

I'm so sorry.

In the tumble, Fee ended up on top of her, seemingly oblivious to her mistake, and took it all in levity.

Or maybe she's ignoring it on purpose to ease Tine's shame?

What a gift.

She laughs with relief; whatever the truth, she will simply be glad this isn't the end of their bond.

She presses her forehead against the girls of winds descent before crawling from underneath her and dusting herself.

"My apologies, I got too carried away. I might need a break to sort myself out. Do you want to grab a bite together?"

She doesn't have to deserve this to cherish it.