I drew this weeks ago now I just had no motivation to post it sorry TT_TT
But at the time I was playing the newest Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar daily! I got really hooked on it!! I've taken a break now but I definitely want to get back into it again soon! It's a really, really good game. The best SoS game we've had since the 3DS era!
Hi, hello! I am excited to show off my illustration for the latest volume of @sornieth-zines! Volume 2 focused on familiars, so I picked the Nature Sprite and Sprouting Goblin.
Thank you to the wonderful mods for putting together another fun fanzine! Be sure to check out the finished zine, all the artwork is wonderful! :)
When Martenique had been grabbed in the tree, she had known it had not been Matty, she could still hear him talking with Cormoran below her. However, she did believe that it was someone with him. It had not occurred to her that Casperius was with Cormoran and that he too was looking for her, let alone that he would have asked her plants and trees for help. So once she had been released, she was ready to fight whoever it was who had traced her away from her forest, even if the only weapons she had were teeth and fingernails.
Once everything in front of her snapped into place in Martenique’s brain, her arms flew around Casperius’ neck and she sobbed against his shoulder. She was safe. When his arms were once again around her, she completely fell apart letting all of her emotions release in the tears and wracking sobs that shook her whole body. Never in her life had she known fear as she had while up in that tree. While she wasn’t sure what Matty would have done to her, she knew that it wasn’t good just from what she overheard of him and his brother conversing. There was something about the energy that swirled around him that had given her a feeling that he was one to be avoided, and she’d been right.
“Shh…it’s okay, Teni. I’ve got you. You’re safe now. ” Casperius held her as close as he could without smothering her against his shoulder, one hand softly running over her hair and back to try and soothe the emotions that she was releasing. There was nothing else he could think to do to comfort her at the moment. He kept his voice low, soft, and calm. The side of his head pressed gently against hers, trying to help her feel safe and know that he wasn’t going to let anyone near her now. Guilt was eating at him, and he did not try to hide that from her. She deserved to know that he truly had not meant for her to be hurt and he was grappling with how to explain why he hadn’t mentioned his younger brother. That was something he might even have to get Cormoran’s input on. “Are you alright? Did he hurt you at all, my darling sprite?”
Martenique could barely form words, but she did manage a weak “no'' against the side of his neck in between sobs. There was something that also sounded like “scared”. Both words were like daggers straight into Casperius’ heart.
“I’m so sorry, please forgive me for not warning you about him. I’m so, so sorry, please forgive me, love.” Casperius spoke softly against Martenique’s hair. The soft smell of a summer’s meadow came off of her as he gently kissed her hair and kept his head against hers as his hands slowly caressed her body, both to reassure her and also to make sure that there was truly nothing wrong with her. Cormoran’s words from their earlier fight were booming in his head, inflating his already blossoming guilt with every breath he took. He could have gotten her killed by hiding the existence of his brother from her and not taking more care to ensure that Mattheus had no way to find out about her.. If anything had happened to her, even a scratch, it would have been on his head as much as Mattheus’. “I never thought he’d find you; I thought you were safe. You ARE safe now. I won’t ever let him hurt you, love.” He kissed the side of her head, just holding her and lightly running one hand over her back still as he tried anything in his power to comfort her. This was not something he was good at. Emotions. Normally he tried to avoid them, just as much as he tried to avoid relationships. It seemed his little sprite was good at getting around his avoidance.
“She ok?” Cormoran’s deep and tired voice from the doorway startled both of them and they jerked. When Casperius looked over he saw black blood coating the front of his brother, and kept Martenique’s face turned into his shoulder to keep her from seeing it and getting upset all over again. There must have been one hell of a fight from the state that Cormoran was in. Mattheus wasn’t, and never had been, a match for their eldest brother. So, there was no doubt the lion’s share of that blood belonged to their younger brother. Still, Cormoran looked exhausted. How much of that was from the fight with Mattheus and how much was exasperation with himself, Casperius wasn’t sure.
“Yeah, just scared. He never got ahold of her, that forest protected her. Without its help, I probably wouldn’t have found her.” Casperius nodded to his brother as he continued to sooth the female in his arms that meant more to him than even he had realized up til he had heard Mattheus’s voice taunting her in her forest. She was still clinging to him, and he wasn’t about to try to make her let go, or let her go. “We’ll talk later. Why don’t ya stay in the room we have for ya here tonight.” Cormoran nodded and turned to head down the hall, too tired to put up much of a fight. Thank The Source for small favors that his brother didn’t argue or try to reprimand him right now. He wasn’t sure he could take it.
“Who was he?” Martenique’s voice was soft and low. She was afraid if she tried to be louder that she’d start crying again. That she wasn’t still losing her mind was only thanks to how calm Casperius was being. Matty showing up in her forest was so different than how Casperius had been. Even knowing that he’d been lying and trying to trick her into going with him, Martenique could not help but think over all that Mattheus had said.
“That was my brother Cormoran, he was the one down on the ground in the forest who was talking. I keep a room for him here so he can stay over whenever he wants. It’s on the other side of the one I’ve been making for you. He was here when I felt you call for me, so he went with me to see what was wrong. He kept Matty busy so I could get you out of there without you getting hurt.” Casperius answered her, kissing her forehead and rolling onto his back from his side so she was on top of him. “Yours is between mine and his but it’s not quite done yet, love. You can stay in here with me tonight if you want, I promise to be a good demon.” He kissed her forehead again. If it meant her being relaxed he’d sleep on the damned floor after what just happened. He wanted her to be able to relax and get some rest.
“No, the one in the forest, Matty.” She clarified, slowly relaxing as he held her. There was part of her that wanted to be mad. Obviously they knew each other and from what Casperius had said after they’d arrived in his house, at least that’s where she assumed they were, he’d known the man might come after her. Still, she couldn’t muster anger at the moment. Just a few moments after she’d pressed on the mark on her wrist, his brother’s voice was heard. He’d come like he’d promised.
“My other brother, Mattheus, Matty. There is a long story of a feud between him, and Cor and I.” Casperius decided to be completely honest with her. If he hadn’t given her the mark on her wrist. If Cor hadn’t been there. If they hadn’t JUST talked about this exact situation. If she hadn’t had those damn plants to protect her. So many things had worked in the right way to keep her safe and she was in his arms, he felt like he’d be giving the universe the middle finger to lie to her now. “He’s gone after several of the females Cor and I have had relations with. It’s not been pretty or ended well. I swear, Teni, I didn’t think there was any way he’d find you. Cor knew better.” He let out a heavy sigh. Guilt was eating him alive. If anything had happened to her it would have been his fault. His ray of sunshine in the dark world he ran in could have been stolen so easily. Not many things frightened Casperius, but that did.
(Veilspun scroll applied on 2022-02-12)
(Laced scroll applied on 2022-02-12)
(Hex scroll applied on 2022-02-12)
(Branches scroll applied on 2022-02-12)
(Scroll of Eternal Youth applied on 2022-02-12)
Purchased For: 350 gems
Hatched On: 2022-02-04
ID: 75606304
Comments: Got the idea for this permababy a few days ago, though I was originally thinking gaoler with white blossoms before trying out veilspun in predict morphology. I’ve been mulling over different possible base dragons every day since. Finally decided to go with this fae as a starter, since she already had primal eyes so that’d at least save me the cost of one scroll/vial (though if I’d been able to find a veilspun base I liked, that would have saved me even more). Also I liked how well camo hex toned with her branches and grassy eyelashes.
Named her after the world tree from Norse mythology.
