beneath the pretty.

Laiken Prowers Martinez A 45 year old, half-blood (surface-bound syren, salt-veined human). An Illegitimate heir of syren royalty. The half-brother to Lana Martinez. A Deadwood local from birth. Also a Biology professor at Deadwood High.

[thyxromeo-blog]

dcfenderx·:

This shouldn’t be a price they had to pay. It wasn’t like they asked to be immortals in the first place. However, for all her years of living, Zehra knew that life had its share of unfairness. “We were bound to be revealed. Time is constantly changing and society is becoming more and more invested in evolving…It seems that we have been too comfortable in our own skin and as always, not all are receptive to change.” 

She glanced over at Laiken and nodded in agreement, “I saw it too. I’m surprised it took this long. However, with the advancement of technology and people reverting to a backwards mindset, it’s unfortunately the ugly truth.” Her expression eventually hardened as he noticed the syren’s demeanour. He was still young and had a whole lot of years ahead of him that he couldn’t see the full picture, except for what was at face value. 

“Many of us have already been through prejudices Laiken.” explained Zehra in a calm tone. Brown hues averted over to the many people around them, all showing signs of different emotions, some negative, some positive…It was all the same. “This is nothing new to us.” She wasn’t going to sugar coat it, but she needed him to understand that they could get through this. “Now that our truth is out in the open, it’s our turn to make the difference. Yes, it hurts and we have every right to fear for our lives—but we can’t let them get what they want. We need to grasp onto that hope and not let go. We need to keep fight for who we are and survive this mess.” 

   The unfortunate truth of the matter remained: their secret was out in the open, with no way of undoing such a revelation. They were all stuck with the reality that the existence of supernaturals were known to all of mankind. No way of turning back was foreseeable. 

   And though it was clear that Zehra was trying her best to cheer him up and turn around the mindset he was stuck in, her words seemed to be taking a long time to stick to him. Not even with all the things she painstakingly explained to him. Which was highly unlike him. 

   Apparently, he was taking it all worse than he thought, especially if the wytch could hardly change his perspective. 

   A defeated sigh sounded once more from him. Lately, he had been sighing a lot more than he’d like to. 

   Laiken lifted his downfallen gaze to rest on Zehra. “It’s going to get better, right?” A part of him felt foolish enough to even bother asking outright. But the syren needed that assurance that all their troubles were well worth it. That all their troubles would come to an end eventually. That all the lives lost were not for nothing.

   “I mean, it has to?”

[thyxromeo-blog]

dcfenderx·:

Zehra’s heart was heavy, while her mind was clouded with worry. It wasn’t a pleasant state to be in, but at face value not once did she falter in her rank. She was an advocate for the people, she couldn’t afford to show signs of weakness when they needed someone who was levelheaded in this time of need. Therefore, it was in isolation that she chose to drop her guard. However, it seems like wherever she went—faces of the people she cared for surrounded her.

The wytch moved over as she made space for Laiken to take a seat. Glancing over at the syren, she pressed her lips in a thin line and nodded before looking away. “Sometimes, all good things come to an end.” she concluded. “It’s grave times…Out of all the years, prejudices just had to resurface now.” Finally, she looked up at Laiken and softly said, “However, it’s hope that makes us resilient during instances like this. We can’t give up on that now if we’ve gone this far don’t you agree?” 

   Once Zehra made space for him, Laiken didn’t hesitate to take the seat. It was clear they were both troubled by the tragedy, and needed to air some of it out.

   “And we thought it was already bad enough that we had to speak our truth.” 

   For one, Laiken was not quite for the idea of revealing the existence of supernaturals. It was a well-kept secret for hundreds and thousands of years. Now was not the time to pull the veil and reveal the truth. Unfortunately, there was little they could do in opposition to the move.

   And now, they were more or less being targeted. 

   “I saw this coming.” he quietly admitted, as his gaze remained fixated onto the floor. “No matter how much I want to believe that it’ll be for the best, I knew it just wouldn’t be.” A kind heart was ruled with sound logic, and even without running the scientific method, Laiken knew what the hypothesis was.

   Glancing to the wytch, the syren let out a soft sigh. “I want to still hope though. That some people don’t see us as the threat. That they see us for just who we are.” It hurt to think that they were seen as people undeserving of life. 

   “That they don’t think we don’t deserve a life.”

[thyxromeo-blog]

dcfenderx·:

Due to recent events, Zehra put up her defences for the Arslan Estate. She was working around the clock to protect her people as she refused to have them become victims of a stupid list that was passed around. In terms of taking in inhabitants, they’ve tightened security which made it slightly difficult than usual to claim refuge. It was all a safety precaution, for Zehra knew of the risks if she wasn’t vigilant and on top of things.

Although she was supposed to be celebrating the life of a fallen comrade, the wytch remained in isolation as she sat in silence watching the festivities in front of her. It wasn’t until she felt someone staring that she looked over and asked, “Were you close with the deceased? My condolences by the way…May their soul rest in peace.” 

   It was tragedy plastered all over the news. What should have been a festive celebration was immediately struck by sorrow. And everyone in the supernatural community now stood wary of their place in the world. 

   They should have known; this was the consequence of being out and public about what they truly were. Now, with every passing day, their fates remained to be unknown.

   The increasing amount of odd looks he was getting from the ordinary folks had his confidence shaken, which was why he opted to hide from the public eye in the meantime. Professor Laiken still attended to teach his classes at the local school, but he was no longer seen anywhere else.

   Withdrawing himself from the mortal community, Laiken had ended up helping out more at the Arslan Estate. There, he was surrounded by his fellow immortals, without fear of judgement. He was more than willing to help Zehra out in running the place, as he had been doing, over the last decade.

   Shaking his head at her query, the syren knew none of the deceased supernaturals, but his heart still went out for them. “Unfortunately not. But it’s heartbreaking to know all of this happened at Harvasi.” It was such a cruel twist of fate.

[thyxromeo-blog]

   Though usually a bright source of hope, even Laiken couldn’t deny that there was a falter in his own spirit. How can there not be, considering the attack on supernaturals? It was bad enough they were outed to the world. But now, all their lives were facing the great risk of the unknown. 

   After all, it was the fear of the unknown that could conjure the most hatred, and spur even the kindest of hearts and most innocent of souls into desperation. 

   Suddenly, the mood shifted. And Laiken was observant enough to note it. Heck, he’d seen the change in his own classroom, right in front of his own eyes. 

   “They say life goes on,” the syren noted, with gloom etched in his features, “but how can we, when we know there’s a great threat looming over all of us?”

[thyxromeo-blog]

amxthystlxve·:

     Lana did not begrudge her little brother his optimistic disposition on the matter; after all, she was an optimist at heart, too. And there was definitely a part of her that wanted to be as excited about the whole thing as he was. But after everything she’d been through, after the three human lifetimes she’d lived on this Earth (which wasn’t a lot but supernatural standards, but then again, she had always lived more like a mortal than an immortal creature), she simply couldn’t find it in herself to have the same hopes and dreams.

     She had tried to find peace in her existence, to accept her circumstances and learn how to live with them, but deep down, the syren princess never could quite bring herself to settle for anything less than life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. She hadn’t lived through the American Revolution for nothing.

     “Father’s perfectly aware of where I stand on the matter,” she replied, avoiding the question of why her name might or might not be called and jumping straight to the next point, turning to Laiken and offering him a faint smile. It wasn’t that Lana didn’t want to talk about it, per se. It was more that she had no idea how to verbalise that, contrary to the general atmosphere, she was rather hoping her name wouldn’t be called. “He sends his best, by the way. I told him to call you, but…”

   Laiken’s expression faltered at the mention of their father. The very one that decided to allow him to live twelve full years on Earth believing that he was anything but a syren. Suffice to say, the man still carried a grudge for the father who needed to be called upon before claiming him. 

   “Yeah, I’m not really counting on it.” The disdain was evident on his voice. Not even when Laiken went into the seas did he really have a chance to speak to their father. After all, he was the all-important king of the syrens, and Laiken was merely the bastard son. He wasn’t really worthy of his own father’s time.

   Taking a deep breath, the man shook his head, shaking away the ill thoughts and feelings. “Never mind about him though.” he said, gathering his bearings. “It’s too important of a night to let him ruin it.”

[wodka-aunt-deactivated20240307]

The sexiest thing in the entire world is being really smart. And being thoughtful. And being generous. Everything else is crap, I promise you. It’s just crap that people try to sell to you to make you feel like less. So don’t buy it. Be smart. Be thoughtful. And be generous.

Ashton Kutcher ~ words to live by. (via wodka-aunt)

[givemeguys]

[expressions-of-nature]

by Caamila L

“… And once the storm is over you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, in fact, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.”

― Haruki Murakami

[enjoy-the-life-baby]

[thyxromeo-blog]

dcfenderx·:

Being alive for almost a millennia, Zehra has participated in Harvasi once due to it occurring every five hundred and seventy four years. However, she wasn’t part of the chosen ones who were tied to a soul for life. This year, she wondered if things would be the same. In her honest opinion, she would think it is for the best to simply give such title and ‘opportunity’ for an immortal being that’s well deserved of a lifelong partner. With everyone and everything around her, she couldn’t possibly think she’d be able to solely focus on one individual for life.

“We all are, but some feel as if their fate has been sealed.” explained Zehra as she picked at a few stems and leaves that were no longer needed. “—Plus you have those who do not have the same welcoming sentiment to the idea.” Finally, Zehra looked over at him as she shrugged in response. “To each their own Laiken, regardless if they stay behind or not—If they’re chosen, then there’s no turning back.” She paused, “However, not everyone receives a soulmate. They go into the cycle once more if they continue the immortal route.” Her gaze softened and so did her tone, “But sometimes it’s for the best. Being committed to someone for life can be overwhelming.”

   It didn’t really occur to Laiken just how others wouldn’t be equally into the idea of a destined soulmate handpicked by the fates. To him, it was all mystical and romantic. 

   But that was to him, to a mortal boy who had only been revealed to be part of the immortal, supernatural world for mere decades. The others, well, they were easily a few hundred years old; perhaps the enchantment and the prospect of having their soul tied to another was no longer as charming as he believed it to be.

   Which was why the syren simply nodded his head in understanding, looking rather serious. To each their own, indeed, he thought. Laiken rarely questioned Zehra. Instead, he took the time to digest the point she was stating, before seizing the chance with yet another inquiry.

   “I understand, but won’t the fates be upset if an immortal doesn’t accept their soulmate? Aren’t we to burn in the eternal fires if we perish without a soulmate?” Being the young immortal that he was, the half blood had one too many questions in his head, and he never did miss an opportunity to learn.

[thyxromeo-blog]

savantwolf·:

“Mmm. I have…history with some of the others.” He shrugged. Hoping that it would settle the case. Didn’t want to drag up old history. And that’s exactly what it was. History. Unless someone else brought it up. Doubtful here of all places. Of all times. But not entirely unheard of.  “I’m sure I’ll be fine once I’m used to it.” Jake felt some of his nerves settle. Laiken might be lying to him, but he doubted it. There wasn’t a good reason for it. “I tend to stick to myself whenever possible so it’s just a bit…crowded for my liking. How about you? Enjoying the festivities?”

   Laiken didn’t further inquire. By the sound of it, Jake had unsavoury history with other creatures. It was best not to dwell on it, in order to move forward. He wouldn’t want to be starting anything that could potentially halt the festivities.

   “Right.” 

   Despite keeping a watchful eye on the man, the syren lowered his defenses, wanting not to spark any animosity between them. “It is particularly odd. I’ve never seen a lot of supernatural creatures in one place.” he commented, stating the obvious, as he threw a weary glance around their immediate area. “I hope it doesn’t fully sully the night for you.”

   Softening up, Laiken offered a slightly brighter smile; the prospect of a soulmate never failed to turn his frown upside-down. “Well, the Harvasi does only come once every five hundred and forty-seven years. Let’s just say I’m really making the most out of it.”

[thyxromeo-blog]

amxthystlxve·:

     “Maybe,” Lana corrected with a soft, almost patient smile, not wanting to appear sombre about the whole thing but unable to muster the same enthusiasm for it as her brother. She had been known to smile even when she was sad, but there was a large difference between hiding emotions that she did have, and faking emotions that she didn’t. She excelled at one far more than the other. “If our names are called.”

     Turning to Laiken, there was something distinctly regal about the way the brunette subtly adjusted and brushed down her dress; subdued, polite and carefully put together. It was in times like these, she found herself thinking, that it became obvious that despite their many similarities, the pair had been raised very differently. “I’m glad you’re excited about it,” she continued warmly, her smile widening. “Dad’s going to love that.”

   “Oh, come on!” He, as usual, was far too optimistic for his own good. “Why wouldn’t you be called?”  He had utter, complete faith in the fates, believing that people were destined for a half of them, someone to complete them.

   Lana stood before him, looking divine and pristine in her black dress -- truly a princess in every sense of the way. Meanwhile, Laiken strove for the classic - black long sleeves, slacks, a belt, and a tie  with the giddiest of smiles and posture. It was clear that the distinction between the two identified who was more regal than the other. 

   At the mention of their father, the half blood’s disposition faltered. “Of course he would.” There was a tinge of bitterness laced in his tone; Laiken was the bastard son of the king, which meant that he had his own set of impossible standards to live up to. 

   Composing himself, he tried to refocus, unwilling to allow his own daddy issues to get in the way of tonight’s festivities. “I bet you he’d love it even more if you’re the one bouncing up and down for a soulmate.”

[thyxromeo-blog]

savantwolf·:

Jake took a half step back, let the mask he used with new people slide over his features. Composure. He needed composure, even if the smell and sight and feel of vampires was everywhere right now. Damned Harvest.  “Yeah. Just thought I was further away from everyone else.” His gaze slipped past the other man, making sure he wasn’t coming with company. “Besides. Can’t be too careful. This many people, not everything goes to plan.”  A long moment passed, and calm slid over him. It was like sliding under cool water in the lake out by his cabin. Just let it slip over, and descend into peace. He needed peace more than he could say but between nightmares of his pack, and the vamps lurking by the fire peace wasn’t something that was gonna come easy. Not til he made it back home anyhow.  He cracked his neck and then threw out a rueful smile. Meant to put others at ease. “I’m Jake. Jake Dawes.” He rocked back on his heels and watched the other man, curious as to what he’d say. How he’d react. 

   There appeared to be an air of unkindness swirling around the other man. “I didn’t realise that there’s still tension in such gatherings.”

   It didn’t entirely occur to Laiken that hostility could possibly arise during Harvasi. The syren had thought very little about the implications of gathering various supernatural species in one place. To him, the stories of fighting between species was merely that -- stories.

   Stopping short a few paces in front of the man, he instead opted for niceties, willing to dissipate uneasiness. “I’m Laiken. Laiken Prowers.” he politely replied, nodding his head timidly with a tight-lipped smile. “I’m sorry Harvasi has you on edge.”

[thyxromeo-blog]

dcfenderx·:

And just like that it was simple dead end to the conversation. 

The wytch’s guilt was eating her up inside as she stood there in silence. Laiken’s words does not reflect his actions and tone as it carried the heaviness of worry that lingered between them. Finally, she broke the silence by clearing her throat and assessing the garden out front. “—We should have these tended to before Harvasi. Not all will be in Blackhills, as such I’d like the Estate to remain open and welcoming.” 

Changing the subject, that’s what Zehra was good at. However, with so much on her mind it was sometimes the only option. 

   Just as Zehra changed the topic at hand, Laiken knew that there would be no coming back to it. Instead, he chose to let go of his audible attempts, pursuing a more subtle, laid-back style.

   Following after the wytch, the syren’s gaze focused onto the garden, before turning to her with a puzzled look. “Are we not all supposed to be at Harvasi?” 

   To his understanding, the Harvest was for all supernatural creatures. It was a time-honoured tradition - every five hundred and forty-seven years, to be exact - that was to be celebrated in thirty-nine other parts of the world. No supernatural wanted to skip out on fate’s unveiling of their soulmates. To them, soulmates carried much more gravity than they did to mortals. There was simply no excuse not to be at the festival. 

   “Who will be staying behind?” he asked, unable to hold out his curiousity.

[thyxromeo-blog]

hccly·:

“There’s no pleasure in pulling up in a car as there is a horse and carriage, nobody knows who may appear. The unique embellishments in the outside of carriage may be able to give hints but nothing is truly set in stone. Cars lose their wow factor after a short while, horses never do.” she continued their walk at a steady stride. “It’s like…” Cambrie paused for a second “…it’s like, cars are loveless kisses. They’re nice, but there’s no substance to them, they don’t compare to the majesty of true love. Just like they can’t compare to a hire and carriage, maybe one day you’ll be able to experience it.”

The past had begun to blur into the present some days, like she was living in both simultaneously. There were many aspects of history she did not wish to repeat, and she was still so young, and yet there was something incredibly rare in her past. Something which many wouldn’t be able to understand, which she more than often didn’t understand herself.

“Or maybe I’ll show you one day. Describing it doesn’t give much justice. I like horse riding, without the carriages, it’s like you’re being pulled closer into a sense of oneness with everything else.” her hands waved about vaguely in midair. “Motorcycles. Brilliant, have you ever rid one ? The thrill, that over a car any day and flying. I’ve only done it once, with the help of some fae. I think, that was the best part of my existence to date. It was a wonderful day.”

   Her answer had Laiken’s brows raised. Horse and carriage. The half blood had only ever seen such carriages on film and on television. Horses were more accessible than the carriages themselves. So as the other spoke, he practically drank up the knowledge, hanging onto her every word as she described oh so eloquently the beauty and finesse of carriages. 

   He could only be jealous of not having first-hand experience.

   A smile danced on his lips as he nodded eagerly. “I would love to be given the chance. I have yet to ride horses, unfortunately.” The Prowers were not fortunate enough to have access to a horse of their own. 

   Luckily, motorcycles were another story. “But motorcycles, yes I have.” His steps carried him forth, matching pace with the woman. “I have a motorcycle back home, but I rarely ride it. Only when I’m completely in a hurry. The feeling is quite confident-boosting, I must admit.”

[thyxromeo-blog]

WHERE: Black Hills WHEN: evening, Harvasi WITH: @amxthystlxve

   Finding his sister amongst the crowd took very little time. Laiken jokingly called it the ‘twin connection’ (the two were nowhere near twins in terms of age), but he always had the strongest sense when it came to locating her. True enough, his intuition had yet to fail him. 

   “Lana!” Waving towards her, the half blood nearly skipped all the way to meet her. “Is tonight not the most wonderful of nights?” For a supposedly somber celebration of fates and soulmates, Laiken appeared to be quite giddy, even in his all black outfit.

   “Isn’t this exciting? Finally, we get to meet our soulmates.”

[thyxromeo-blog]

savantwolf·:

Out away from the fires, and the others, Jake could almost breathe again.  Almost.

If there had been another choice he would have stayed at home. Harvest or no, being around this many people made his skin crawl. Too many vampires, too close and he wasn’t a fan. A stick broke nearby and he looked, teeth bared before he realized what he’d done.

   Crack.

   Laiken’s enhanced sense of hearing picked up the faint but noticeable sound, tugging his attention as he turned instinctively towards the source. For a brief second, his brows furrowed, expression befuddled by the sudden noise. No one else around him seemed bothered by it. 

   And the syren would have let it go, had he not found the man not a few feet away from him, looking uneasy. 

   Ever the worrier, Laiken quickly excused himself from his conversation partner. Cautiously, he sought to approach the man.

   “Hey.” His tone presented to be light and cheery, amidst the worry. “Are you okay?”