When morning dawned this day, it had not seemed at all unlike any other. Well, except that the flower girl had gone in search of fabled pink dolphins in the Dawn Court – that did not happen every day. However, the buttermilk girl had returned empty handed and really quite convinced that her friend, Somnus, possessed a wonderfully vivid imagination capable of fabricating beautiful pink dolphins.
This morning, it was Florentine’s own lively imagination that let her down. She could be forgiven, however, for not imagining that she would go to sleep a queen this night.
So it is, that as talk of imaginary pink dolphins fades, and matters of resignation and replacement begin to replace it, Florentine becomes very ill at ease. Her stomach starts to fall, as if cast from Verenor’s highest peak. It drops faster and faster the truth rising up before her like the hard, ground rushing to meet her. It is dread that has the flower girl’s nerves prickling like electricity.
There is too much royalness in this moment for Florentine to ever feel at ease. The words tumble from Rannveig’s lips and this is not a queen leaving her subject a Court. No, this is a friend, a sister leaving another. It is this that breaks Florentine’s heart. Oh how ironic that her heart should be so newly filled with a true sibling, only to lose the woman who was as much of a sister to her as blood could ever be.
The girl does not lift her amethyst eyes to her courtiers until Rannveig’s body is swallowed by their mass. Rannveig’s bow, long and slow and reverent, was awkward for the girl of curtsies but the silence that follows is worse.
Tears, hot and dangerous, prickle the back of the once-Emissary’s eyes, threatening to overflow. One breath, two breaths and then, at last, “May we wish Rannveig the best with all she does from here.” Her eyes do not leave where the wolf-queen disappeared. “I shall do my best to lead us on.” A breath, fluttering and sorrowful whispers its way past the girl’s lips. “Dusk can and will flourish, we are blessed with numbers and I will see all our ranks filled. Take time, mix with the other courts, show me your skills. In a few weeks we will have a coronation celebration and invite the other Courts. It can be a time of giving and receiving. I will make my announcements for our Court and the positions you will hold then.”
It was all too much this early in the morning, even for a girl who had been chasing dolphins with the first sun’s light. Another breath, long and deep and steeling, “So, tea anyone? Top marks for anyone who gets Rostislav’s flask off him, lord knows my tea could do with something alcoholic.”
Yes, now was definitely a time for strong tea.
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-So, Florentine is in shock and frightfully upset at Rannveig’s leaving (for a while, Rann still remains a member of the Dusk court – Yay!). Flora would never be able to address the court properly given what has just happened. With that in mind, I will be putting up a list of court positions on the first of December or there about. It would be great to get the Court really alive and interacting in dramatic/fun ways with the other courts.
On the 1st December, lasting through until new year, we will have a winter coronation party/festival. It can be their version of Christmas – exchange gifts/share love/be merry with the other courts etc.
Flora will be approaching members over the coming weeks with tasks – party prep, messengers to go to the other courts etc so keep your ears to the ground peeps! <3 -
★ She is clothed with strength and dignity,
and she laughs without fear of the future ★
