Visions of your pretty face send me into hyper space
Caught up in a palentary world
The star was curious.
There was a hustle about this place that reminded her of where she and Jane had found a home, tucked along a busy street with those who worked hard for a chance to survive, to live. But this one, this place was different. The air here seemed almost peaceful. There was still a business along the streets, but the star found a calmness to this land she hadn't experienced yet. It also amazed her how vastly different parts of this rock was from others. Her ears pitched forward, her gaze calm, as the pink eyes danced from booth to booth. The air was alive with the noises of these people, only a handful of the sounds were familiar, though they held little meaning to her. She just know of them from walking through other locations like this one.
But that peace was a blessing.
A few curious gaze turned her way, whether from her unfamiliar face, to the glowing stone around her neck, to the galactic dust that wafted off her like her own regal cloak, she wouldn't know. She didn't care, rather, either. She was still largely under the assumption that everyone on this rock was friendly, everyone was her friend. It would likely crash around her one day, trusting the wrong person, being hurt when being used, or some other cosmic twist of fate, but for now; her naivety could be refreshing (if alarming at times). But, compared to her age, her wisdom that she shared as part of the universe, the all remembering, all knowing universe; she was only just beginning to understand what it meant to be a living being.
She was only just learning.
Her crash to this land had been her first real taste of being alive in this form, prior, she'd just been a solitary figure moving through the galaxy, a shooting star in equine shape. But the moment she had crashed, her body striking this rocky planet, her entire world had changed. And, at least her opinion it hadn't changed for the worse. So she was content to explore, to see new things, to find new and exciting thoughts and ideas to captivate herself with, which leads us full circle to her arrival at Denocte's Night Markets. She paused here, or there; viewing the items in stalls, smiling kindly at those she came across, but otherwise keeping her distance respectfully, a solitary star, still making their trek across the Night.
this life is sweet, sweeter than you think
gonna live the dream like a candy queen, like a candy queen
The mare worked her way through the markets.
She'd already ordered a few more supplies for her shop. Bolts of fabric to grace the ceiling and walls, sheer hues of red-orange, orange and yellow to brighten it up, make it warmer. Like the sunshine warmth she was so fond of. She wanted it to be a place of eternal summer. Cabinets had finally been ordered, with matching display cases. Small tables that would be perfect for serving individuals, and another maker had promised dozens of yellow, blue, and orange pillows for her to place in corners of her shop to further the feeling of comfort, of being able to just lay down and sit awhile, read a book. Small book shelves had also been commissioned, and she was hoping to find someone to do some artwork, including custom signs for the different areas and wares of the shop - including a sign for a community bookshop. Leave a book, take a book. Or even just to sit down and read a book while enjoying a glass of tea.
It would be perfect.
So now she was walking the market for her own snacks. It also gave her a chance to see what others made and sell, food-wise, and allowed her a moment to network, to find anyone willing to work with her in the teashop, provide her with food daily for a percentage of the profits. A few had expressed interests, giving her a little wider of a selection of potential cakes and snacks to serve. But currently the kind mare she was discussing for some sweet treats, was determined to have her try a few first, just to be sure they would be up to quality, "Oh, no, really; I am sure they are delicious, perfect even. But I really should not partake, myself. . . I cannot tolerate sugar well." But the mare was quick to dismiss. Natural sugars. Small amounts, really. No damage. Just try one.
Ever excuse under the sun.
So the fae finally took a small cake, and popped it into her mouth. Her wings started to hum as the sugary treat dissolved on her tongue. She swallowed hard, blinking past the feeling of energy it produced through out her tiny body, "Er, uhm, y-yes. Like I said. Delicious. Definitely would love to organize an arrangement . . . . have these on my shelves for customers . . . ." Her hooves had started to prance as that energy built up, a crown of pink and ivory flowers blooming in her mane, "Er, how much . . . . sugar did you say these have?" She asked, even as her vision seemed to sway, to focus on other things. Oh, where the lanterns here always so bright, so pretty. "Oh, I need to get lanterns for my shop! We can talk later!" The fae took off in an uncharacteristic rush of speed that had the mare suddenly concerned and realizing she'd offered a petit four with handspun sugar flowers, not the lighter angel food cake she'd intended to offer the fae . . . .
The fae didn't care, her mind was rushing.
She slid to a stop in front of the stall, staring at the paper lanterns, "Oh goodness, these are beautiful! Can you do other shapes and designs painted on them? Or cut out even? Oh, or both! Painted and cut out! How many can you do? How quickly? Oh, I am looking for my shop, a tea shop, over at the lake. It shall be amazing, grand, but I want some lanterns for them, oh I would love some lanterns for them! Do you take bulk requests? 20, no maybe 40, I have an outside eating area too! Oh, I can pick them up too! Wait, I am going to need something to hang them from huh? 40 Lanterns, for Caelum, please; at the Faerie Garden Emporium!" She barely breathed as she spoke, dropping a chunk of change to pay for the request before rushing through the market for ribbons to hang the lanterns on.
She was a whirlwind of fairy dust and flower petals.
And the sugar was only just settling in.
"Speech" Thoughts
@Gareth Notes: Sugar Caely. Might recommend Gareth rescue the markets from her . . .
this world's got more than you can ever hope for
just gotta walk through the door like a kind in a candy store
That had been his pacing as he had spoken to the others in his court , the faces he'd come to known in his short timeframe there . Ones that likely wouldn't be long but were at least someone for now that he could trust to hold things down for a small amount of time if he wasn't there .
The temporary council set into place had nearly lost their minds when he had mentioned he was going to head to Denocte to meet Israfel , alone . He recalls the horror on their faces , and shakes his head a little , leaning down a little to rub a rather large ear against one leg , scratching an itch carefully before lifting back up and shaking himself off . The sand grains dig deep down into even his fur , and its an annoyance he can't quite get rid of . The joys of living in Solterra , he supposes .
A snort , and heavy hooves click and clack on stone as he makes his way through the Denoctian Court , tilting his head just slightly so his good eye can take in what's in front of him , ensuring no obstacles , and keeping a lookout of the place . So far , so good . He isn't scared , but there's no harm in keeping an eye on what could be potential harm . After all , many of the Solterrans had fled here -- he had nearly been one of them -- and he knows all too well the old call of the Day Court .
What they had used to be .
He mulls over his thoughts almost lazily , walking with a confident step into the home of the monarch herself , and through the hallowed halls . His steps were more muffled , and he could hear better than the hub-bub outside . He's certain he makes a sight as he walks into the grand throne chamber itself , scars dotting his body and muzzle, crossing over his right eye , clouding it over , removing its blue glow .
He pauses before the throne , before her and offers a grin that flashes golden canines for a moment .
"I guess I made it in the week timeframe , barely . I'd apologize but I've been a busy man . Gave my council a bit of a heart attack when I told them I was leaving mid-preparation for a Festival and Hunt to come here to have our meeting . "
@Israfel
jesus christ Levi why can't you say HELLO
The Courtyard had been an alive thing, breathing, the flow of bodies coming and going. Those who wished only to grab a glimpse of the face of the new Sovereign, some convinced that she would be as short lived as the last. After all, there had been no fanfare with her arrival and ascension to the seat of power. How much of a leader could she be? They whispered and moved in and out of sight, keeping their thoughts to those they felt had sympathetic ears, shaking heads before moving on with the rest of their evening.
The stallion did his best to pay no mind to them. After all, he could not blame them for their hesitations. Denocte had been thrown into such turmoil recently. She had been without a proper leader for so long, and when Caligo herself had descended from the heavens to right this terrible wrong, the chosen leader by her own people had simply vanished. How could they come to expect any kind of stability, to rebuild when all they had seen and heard had been false fancies? He could not fault their hearts for being guarded in such affairs. He knew the hurt that came from opening oneself up to the possibilities of change and growth only to be shot down with an arrow made of fire aimed straight to the breast, burning through all that you had left to give.
Wounds of the heart, of trust and friendship and reliance are always the hardest to heal. Even when the wound could be seen as something so superficial as a change in power structure. For all its seeming simplicity - just toss the crown around at the hoof of another and whomever takes it up can just give it go- the winds of change rippled through a society like a stone thrown into a stilled pond, affecting even those deep below the surface. No bit goes unchanged.
Perhaps that is why now Gareth stood among the denizens who hung so tightly to every word of the ivory pegasus. He had spent far too long now, he realized, thinking he could keep the depths of his heart still and cool by surrounding it with thorny brambles to ward off others from throwing stones. Perhaps it was stones exactly that he needed. He shifted his weight on his trunks, feathers shifting over daggers and brushing the cobblestones. It was during this motion that he caught the eye of a slender figure.
She had been painted with all the colours of dusk, as if she had plucked the clouds from the sky and had them spun as silks to wear. She was delicate, so very small next to him and the brute’s first instinct was to shy away, to make himself less than and to shrink so that she may not find him so overwhelming. That flutter in his heart beat like the wings of a trapped bird as he realized that she had not cast her nervous smile at him for his size. Behind that anxiousness that pulled at the edges of her features, she had seen a sort of comfort and solace in his presence being larger than life. He caught himself, adjusting so that his girth was no longer leaning so far away.
Noor stood to his other side, watching from the corner of his bright green eyes. This had been the first time in too long that he had seen his friend hold himself to his full height and not shrink to comfort others. A small smile tilted at the elk’s lips. Though he said nothing to the stallion, he kept his attention on the two.
Gareth nodded towards the figure of Israfel, speaking quietly to the mare next to him, hoping to catch her golden gaze with the amber pools of his own.“I’ve never been much for politics, but she seems to have a decent head about her shoulders.”His tone was soft and rich like freshly turned earth. A gentle smile fixed itself to his features, hoping to reassure the nervous woman.
"Speech" |Noor | @Runaveig | An aside to Israfel's Meeting of the denizens of Denotce
nlike so many of his blood-brothers, Tug had never been one for the sin of alcohol. The things he'd done haunted him, surely, he saw things at night that left him jerking awake, shaking and soaked in sweat.
But never did he drown his sorrows in alcohol and, in fact, he tended to give it a wide berth for fear of finding himself as so many soldiers before him.
And besides, while he was not on duty, while he was to enjoy himself ('for once in your life, brother!') and 'eat and drink and be merry', he was always on guard, always on watch. A party with liquor flowing could only bring about trouble, would bring about rowdiness and fights, arguments over who would dance with who, people who'd imbibed too much getting just a bit too rowdy.
So it was he stood at the edge of the crowd, rump to the wall, a plate of 'nibbles' as the fancy folk insisted on calling them held close though he focused, mainly, on watching the crowd as they twirled and talked and drank and ate.
Leave a note for your next of kin
Tell 'em where you been
Pray that Hell or Heaven lets you in
It seemed like Susurro Fields were his favorite place to frequent in the lands of Dusk Court. Outside of the Citadel and the main hub of the Court itself, that is. Here, in the expansive field that he found himself lounging in every so often, he didn't feel claustrophobic, didn't feel like the world was closing in on him, and he didn't feel like his lungs were going to give out on him. Here, in Susurro Fields, he felt free, he felt welcomed, and most importantly, he felt comfortable. The grasses hid tiny creatures like rabbits, mice, burrowing owls, and prairie chickens. The larger animals, such as pronghorn antelope, whitetail deer, coyotes, and even elk criss-crossed the Fields, clearly cherishing the safety that they felt there. Liam could understand how they felt; out here in the fresh air, he could really relax and stretch his legs and go about his day as if nothing had happened.
As it was, the copper-burnished stallion was coming into the Fields after a long day of working out, working with the military, and making sure the other soldiers had everything that they needed for the next day. His coat was darkened from a recent bath, and his white markings gleamed in the early afternoon sun. The stallion and his colleagues had gotten incredibly sweaty, frothy, and dirty during their excursions, which had warranted his bath. It'd been a luxurious event, one where he took his time getting clean; very rarely did he get the chance to relax that way, and he wasn't about to pass up that opportunity. The sun above blazed on, and yet the grasses in the Fields stayed as luxurious and viridian as they always had.
With a tender smile on his face, Liam crested a gentle incline, looking for the best place to take a midday siesta. Pricking his ears forward, he looked a picture of regal formality as the gentle breeze took his tail and billowed it out behind him, his mane lifting from his neck as he peered over Susurro Fields. Spotting a comfortable spot that was near his position, he walked off the incline and trotted toward the spot, thankfully finding it clear of any burrowing owl nest or prairie dog holes. Grunting softly as he lowered himself to the ground, his legs bent comfortably against the ground in the sternal recumbency position that he found he favored when laying on the ground outside. It kept him clean -- mostly -- and he found it easier to get up and protect himself if he needed to. Such was the life of a soldier, not that he had any regrets.
"Liam Speaks."
Notes;; I'm so excited!!
Tag;; @Buchanan
Voice claim;; Chris Evans
Word count;; 440
it was my heart, it was my life, it was my start, it was your knife
this strife, it dies, this life and these lies
and these lungs have sung this song for too long
and it's true, i hurt to remember i loved you
The mare stared quietly ahead.
The waves crashed so gently into the cliff base, and even from this distance she could taste the salt in her mouth, the feel of the wind carrying ocean water to her hide, and she closed her eyes, peaceful . . . but missing, something was missing. For so long she had felt that missing piece was her pod. Her sister, Shard, her father, the others . . . But, but she had Pol back, could see her sister whenever she wanted. And Shard felt more like a distant thought, a former part of her past that she had outgrown. Yet that feeling remained.
Empty. Alone. Missing.
Like the sun had set, and her world was colder for it. She knew now why it felt that way. She'd seen it that day, in those caves. Felt it when her forehead had pressed to his. When he'd smiled so softly to her, so caring. The way his golden gaze lingered, caressing her skin, warming her to the core with the sense of belonging. She glanced to where Yukime held a letter, before she nodded, nervous, wondering if he would be disappointed as she sent Yukime to deliver it. He wanted a yes, those three words returned to him.
She couldn't give him that.
She wasn't there yet. But . . . that didn't mean she couldn't give him something else. She watched her bonded scamper off, awkwardness for a creature of ice and water making their way on land. She knew it was cruel to make her carry the letter through land, so she'd sealed it, and as soon as Yuki was close enough, she dived into the water, she took off to find the flaming stallion. Bel's gaze returned to the horizon. Would he be disappointed? Would he be angry? Would he come for her, would he ignore it? What would his reaction be, what would his choice be.
She was afraid to find out.
Yuki left the letter with the stallion, a simple, but short letter. "We need to talk . . . about, well you know what about. I'll be waiting at Praistigia Cliffs, when you get a chance to come see me. You'll want to hear what I have to say." She wasn't in love with him, no . . . But . . . but she could see it ending up that way, if they continued the path they were going down. She knew, if he were to ask her, if he were to offer it. She'd accept a courtship. She'd be willing to let him continue to to show her his affections where true, and she'd let hers continue to grow rather than being buried down.
you are a vast forest
full of beautiful and vibrant stories
T
here was a sour man who came in after the King had introduced himself. He laid claim to the throne, and there were already hollow words being pried from the lips of this stranger. Delia in her tiny fury stares daggers at the boy. He might be bigger than her, and heck he might even look meaner than her. But she was no force to be trifled with. The small palomino woman with the crown on her head and a cape draped around her small frame step up to the bronc who came shortly after her. Her eyes narrow as she stands on her tiptoes to reach his eye level. There is a storm coming on her heels. "And who do you think you are? Who are you to cast stones of judgment and doubt when you did not thrust yourself forward to rectify the silent throne?" She demands of the bronc who looks like he was born from the stars.
He is beautiful, but his insides seem as though they are torn. She wonders what thorns have been raked through his garden. What they keep bound inside this man who is made of ire. "If you are a child of Solterra, as you say, why did you do nothing for these people you have so much pride in? Pull your weight, or silence your voice." The small, elderly woman chastises the man. Her fury is visible. "Where are your manners? My my, if you were my boy I would have taught you respect!" She snaps at him, but there is a warmth in her voice. It is not quiet pity, but disappointment. Cordelia knows this is a stranger, but she treats everyone the same. They are old friends or children who make up her family. Even the ones she doesn't get along with.
She adjusts her shoulders and the cape that is strewn across them as she comes down from her tiptoes. Cordelia is not a native to Solterra, but she'll fight anyone who tells her it is not her home. That she cannot care for its people with the same hot compassion as the natives. "I may not be a native, but I will fight anyone who tells me it is not my home and I do not love it as much as you. That I do not understand. Sonny, I have seen more in my lifetime than you would believe. I know someone who has too much pride when I see them. Have pride in your home, but don't you dare look down on someone for trying to make their home better. You're not the only one who loves Solterra." She huffs at him, finally growing quiet.
A trip to Terrastella has been more than a success , in her book . A friend had grown a garden there in the swamp , with herbs she hadn't quite been able to find in Delumine , as well as varying teas that she hadn't seen before . The small zorse had been welcomed in for tea and a chat with the lovely fellow , and had been sent on her way with her little medicine pouches full as she hummed with every step she had taken .
Even now , she hums , silvery hair wild and flowing as she steps around into her own garden to carefully plant a few bulbs of herbs she'd been able to cultivate with his help , smiling to herself as she does . The rest , she puts away , the tea filed away in small jars , and the pouches steadily emptied . It doesn't take much to put it all up and get it all together , settling herself for a moment before she nods , a few petals falling free from the now permanent flowers that grow from her horns and the vines that gently make themselves at home around the antlers . She had been surprised when she had woken up and the flora had been ... alive still . It had become permanent , but she isn't surprised by Novus anymore , much as she isn't surprised by the challenge that had been whispered all through Delumine for the title of Sovereign now .
Good she thinks . Someone needs to .
Her head nods , and the smile curves her lips as she steps away from her own garden and back out into the Court , weaving through stalls and citizens , making her way back toward the edge of the Court once more . She finds herself constantly wandering away from Delumine , no matter who is at its helm . It's because she always finds herbs , seeks them out .
But now she feels a tug at her to keep wandering , to learn about the new Sovereigns , this rise of new royals . These faces she wants to know . For now , she settles for leaving the walls of the Court itself on tiny peach hooves again , her steps small and bouncy , leading her towards the meadow as she settles for allowing her mind to wander yet again .
For now , she'll simply keep to herself , she thinks . No need to wander just yet . Not until the Courts all settle again .
In the center of the court comes a strange cry and a flutter of green and red . How strange . Lovebirds , rather intelligent parrots native to desert and arid areas , an entire flock , come to deliver a scroll . They quibble and call out before suddenly taking off , leaving behind the scroll . Unfurling , it reads the following simple invitation ;
Dear Denocte , I am aware you are also celebrating your own coronation , and I can only hope it is a joyous occasion for you as well . If you have the time , you are invited to Solterra for a time of merriment and hunting , should you so wish it . This is a formal invitation , and you only need to show up to join in if you would like .
Yours truly , Leviathan , new Sovereign to Solterra
From the flock of so many birds , now all of them roost about , a gift from the new Sovereign . Lovely new plumage and perhaps a sign of turning tides coming from what was once considered a warmongering Court and bloodthirsty beasts ?
Maybe a sign of hope .
Maybe to annoy Solaris and Israfel a little bit .
You have been invited to Solterra ! Any and all are welcome to show up to the Sol Festival and coronation party for Leviathan ! It's meant for fun and joy , and to allow mingling to occur . There is also a hunt for those inclined for such things !
Please come with good intentions , all ill-will will be promptly ejected .
In the center of the court comes a strange cry and a flutter of green and red . How strange . Lovebirds , rather intelligent parrots native to desert and arid areas , an entire flock , come to deliver a scroll . They quibble and call out before suddenly taking off , leaving behind the scroll . Unfurling , it reads the following simple invitation ; 
