#theravenlyn

[millionsknives]

my favorite commission ever!! barda and lindal’s wedding from deltora quest for @theravenlyn <3

[artbymavy]

if you want another, "I wouldn't change a thing about you." for zukka?

"I wouldn't change a thing about you."

The day of the wedding was drawing nearer, and many things were still to be attended to. Often the happy couple found they were forced to be separated, attending to official court business and choosing china patterns and menus in turn, and today was no exception.

 When at last Zuko was finished with his many official responsibilities for the day, the afternoon was growing late, and the shadows long. He knew at this time, Sokka was meant to be with the royal dressmakers, having final alterations made to his wedding robe. Zuko let himself into Sokka’s chambers quietly, so as not to disturb their work.

 He knew his entrance went unnoticed, as the tailors continued flitting about Sokka’s feet like bees buzzing about their hive, pinning and sewing away without stopping to offer proper greeting. He preferred it this way. From this vantage point, he had a perfect profile of his groom-to-be, and what a treat such as sight was.

 Sokka’s robe was of the finest silk produced anywhere in the Fire Nation. Zuko had chosen it himself. The deep red fabric glinted in the light of the afternoon, woven delicately with patterns of fire lilies, and embroidered with grand silver and gold dragons that stretched across his shoulders and down his back. The long back and wide sleeves of the robe cascaded down to pool at Sokka’s feet, rippling and flowing like ocean waves. In his hair was a delicate and exquisite golden hairpiece, set with rubies and pearls that shone brightly against his dark hair.

 Sokka was cloaked in red and gold, and it looked wonderful on him. Robes like this were a statement all their own, and nothing needed to be said by their wearer, for it to be heard.

 “Wow,” Zuko said, breaking the silence at last. The breathless exaltation was all he could seem to manage

 At this announcement of his arrival the royal dressers and dressmakers scurried to bow and greet him, but Zuko waved them off, his only concern to be able to keep his eyes fixed on Sokka, who looked a perfect statuesque figure – even, Zuko noted with dismay, his face was stony and serious.

 Sokka looked up at him then, and smiled. But then, Sokka always smiled when he saw Zuko, even at times when doing so would be considered most inappropriate. It didn’t take long before his troubled frown returned.

 “Would you like to see, Ambassador Sokka? We still need to finish this hem, but otherwise it is ready for your wedding day. Quite fine craftmanship, too, if I do say so myself.”

 Sokka turned to look as the large, floor-length mirror was angled towards him. He stared. And stared. And stared.

 “Would you mind giving us a moment alone?” Zuko whispered to the dressmakers, who abandoned their tidying in a heap as they hurried out of the room at his bidding.

 Sokka drew his hand slowly across the soft fabric that stretched over his chest, and lifted it to let the tips of his fingers rest on the intricate gilded headpiece that was tightly woven into his sleek topknot. He looked deep into his own sad eyes. The reflection that looked back at him from the mirror still looked more trapped than he was, but only just.

 In an instant Sokka had turned from the mirror, flying to the window and throwing it open, leaning out to let its warm scent flow over him. As he did, he wrestled with the hairpiece to no avail – the royal dressers had done a marvelous job securing it, and eventually he was forced to give up the futile effort.

 Zuko looked on helplessly. He took one step towards Sokka, but hesitated. There was a deep, painful moment of silence as Sokka’s breath heaved and Zuko waited. And waited. And waited.

 “I don’t know if I can do this, Zuko.”

 “Sokka…” He began.

 But what was there, that he could say?

 “I – I love you Zuko, and I – I want to marry you, spirits believe me, but I don’t know how much of this I can take. I don’t know if I can change like this, even for you.”

 His hands were lost in the wide sleeves of his would-be wedding robe as he gestured down at the ensemble. And suddenly, the whole thing seemed utterly ridiculous to Zuko.

 Sokka was many things. Many wonderful, wonderful things. But nowhere among them could the words delicate, poised, or regal be counted. Sokka was no ornament to hang off Zuko’s arm, looking pretty and perfect and nothing more. Sokka would not, and could not, be silenced, only to be seen and never heard. And Zuko would never have that anyways.

 It was certainly a beautiful costume. But that’s all it ever was, or would be.

 “Then fuck this.”

 “Zuko…”

 But Zuko wouldn’t hear any argument or objections. He seized a pair of tailor’s shears in haste from where the royal dressers had left them, and Sokka’s eyes went wide as Zuko took his arm and made wild, swift cuts until one long sleeve was free, and drifted to the floor like spent flower petals.

 “Zuko!”

 “Listen to me, Sokka,” he said, taking his now freed hand in both his own, holding it tightly to his chest, “I never want you to compromise who you are because you think it’s something I need you to do. I don’t care what anyone else thinks, I wouldn't change a thing about you.”

 Sokka’s eyes were watery, but bright as he lifted his hand slowly from its place on Zuko’s chest to cup his cheek, grazing the carved face of the jade stone that sat in the hollow of Zuko’s throat along his path. Zuko’s hand trailed not far behind, pressed against the back of Sokka’s as he turned his head to place a kiss to the inside of his wrist. Sokka leaned in close, and Zuko felt the cool sensation of silk against skin as his other hand came up to brush his neck, and he leaned in to Zuko’s space and held there, afraid to take any more of him for himself.

 “After we’re married, I can’t deny that some things may change. But not you, alright? Not you.”

 Sokka nodded, and let his head fall against Zuko’s.

 “And not this,” he murmured.

 “Just promise me one thing?”

 “Anything.”

 “When you do show up on our wedding day, and marry me like you promised, that you’ll do it wearing your Water Tribe finest. Because you’re right – there is not a single piece of you to be found in this ridiculous robe. And I want every single piece of you I can get, for as long as you’ll let me have them.”

 Sokka smile, and tipped his head to fit his nose against Zuko’s as he pulled him in for a deep, wanting kiss, and Zuko felt that familiar pull on his heart like the tides. As their tensions eased, and Zuko fell back into the comfort of simply being with Sokka, who loved all of him just as he was, he let himself speak easily once more, giving little thought to what he said, knowing Sokka would listen regardless.

 “I mean, obviously literally speaking you are in it, but I meant more like, figuratively -”

 Sokka laughed, and pulled him back in for another kiss, soft and sweet. “Yeah, I got that,” he said in the smiles between kisses.

 “I promise.”

[irithyllians]

okay so i closed my tabs really quick and i dont know if my original ask went through and even if it that just means you get double the compliments 💕

anyway honestly your art is so gorgeous and i love how beautifully you draw faces and the eyes are always 👌👌 and oh my god the hair is always on point. like my jaw is on the floor skdhsks the styles are so good and when i see them it's like 'yes this is real hair' and that fidelity makes your characters feel realistic!!

It did indeed go through!! Thank you for taking the time to send a second one just in case tho! You’re so sweet ;-;

[mavy1]

heyyy miranda ive got some worldbuilding questions for ya: 3, 18, 28, 32. and some extra bonus ones if you wanna keep going: 13, 22, 33.

3.) Tell a bit about [character]’s parents?

Evelyn and Theo’s mother, Cerus, was originally from the land of Dia, where they were both also born. In her youth, she left Dia to travel around the world learning magical disciplines from all different cultures. Naturally curious by nature, she developed a strong connection to her craft, and it became a very important part of her identity. During this time, however, she fell in with a group of other mages who wanted to use these magical abilities to gain power and advantage. While she went along with this at first, since it provided her opportunity to learn even more, eventually she knew they were going to far, and defected from their group to try and find help in stopping the spread of their power. She found it with their father, Kal, a tough but fair hunter and the pack he belonged to at the time. In his pack, Kal was a highly decorated and respected warrior. He took it upon himself to assist Cerus in travelling through the southern mountains back to her home land of Dia to escape the wrath of the sorcerer she had betrayed. While they travel, his pack is lost in the battle, and he decides to remain in Dia with Cerus, rather than return home to nothing. Here, he makes his living as a blacksmith, which he had some previous experience with, making and repairing weapons and other necessities for his pack. During this time, Cerus works as an alchemist, providing medicines and other potions for the townspeople.  

Luca’s birth parents were the chiefs of a small village of people in the eastern hills. They were chosen as such because of their kind spirits, generous natures, and level heads, which made them ideal choices in the people’s minds, and they were just so with their only son as well. During Luca’s childhood, their village is attacked by rogue sorcerers, and Luca is separated from his parents. His parents, as the chiefs, must lead their people to safety. His father is injured during the attack, which prevented him from returning to search for his son. Though his mother returned only a day or two later to their decimated village, and searched for their son for weeks, she never found him. The two now live in a larger, coastal city with what remains of their people. Their grief over the loss of their son never eased completely, and they never had any more children. Though they hold out hope for his safety, they know it is unlikely that, if he is alive, they will ever get to see him again.

13.) This might seem an odd question, but are there any colors you affiliate with certain characters?

Answered for Luca. For Theo I would say green, gold, and deep blue, and for Evelyn I would say pink, red, and green.

18. ) Answered!

22.) Answered!

28.) Is clothing or fashion (whether individual or regional) ever used to convey important information about a person or place?

Fashion here, as in real life, is somewhat regional, so clothing and appearance does give some indication of the region a person is from. Additionally, it does often (even inadvertently) convey their status as well - for instance, the nobility of the southern Kingdom often carry delicate and intricate rapiers, and Luca’s hairstyle and armor would indicate easily to anyone who was familiar his status as a respected hunter. Jewelry can often be important as well - Theo’s Alchemist’s signet ring marks him as a highly trained mage, and is used as a seal to officially mark him responsible for his magic where employed, the wise women of the Dian sea people collect and string together necklaces of shells over their lives, and the more shells she has, the greater weight her opinion has, and the binding ceremony of the Mishima Valley, similar to marriage, has the couple wear bracelet woven from horse hair to indicate their commitment. 

32.) Are there special abilities, magic powers, or warped laws of physics in this world?

I imagine that magic in this world is primarily sourced from the earth - stones, metals, and gems contain the most raw power of any objects, but these need to be converted into different forms before they have use. All living things, people, plants, or animal, do this inside themselves, resulting in different effects from each - some are useful to humans, in effect and/or quantity, while some are not. The distinction between ‘magical’ and ‘non-magical’ in this case, being defined primarily by potential usefulness, and anyone with sufficient knowledge, skill, straining, and persistence can tap into this usefulness. In addition, fae are humanoids who hail from the mountains. Because of their proximity to such powerful sources of magic, they often have inherent magical abilities that regular humans do not, which can be passed down to their descendants, even if these descendants are only part fae. So, some people who are often thought to have fae blood, can perform natural magical abilities as well. What exactly their abilities are is thought to be determined by what fae group the are related to. 

33.) What holidays are celebrated here?

Holidays are, again, fairly regional. In the northern and southernmost regions, at least, they have some form of solstice celebrations. In the Mishima Valley these come in the form of the festivals of light and shadows. Many places with good growing seasons celebrate harvest and planting, and new year celebrations are typically a large undertaking.

[artanogon]

yo val i need you to know i lpve you and you make awesome content

:,) 💚💚💚💚💚 *uno reverse card*

[torilamez]

[twoevileyes]

Raven Lyn by Cory Vanderploeg.

[wxmxn]

Raven Lyn

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