Caelum

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 . . .

art by bingo

With the height of summer winding to a close and the many changes in the atmosphere, the stallion had decided to take advantage of the shift and start making himself more visible to the denizens of the court. Much of his clientele had thought him marked for death and done away with in his long, unexplained absence. As such, he needed again to make his skills known among those who may find use for them. 

The Night Markets of Denocte would have been the perfect backdrop for such a thing, even if he had not called the court home. There were few places in all of Novus where those who had a cacophony of wares to shill could do so in relative peace and merriment. The atmosphere among vendors in the Night Markets was very different from those of other marketplaces, though Gareth could say with truth that he had not been to very many. Why travel far when those who wished to seek something truly unique would make the distance to Denocte to enquire about the wares of those who sold here? Perhaps he was just a stubborn brute, but he had seen no need to make something grand of his abilities. A decision, he was quickly realizing, may not have been in the interest of his longevity. 

The stallion wandered from stall to stall with his companion not far behind. Noor hated the city places, but the elk had made his own promise not to leave Gareth alone until he was certain that his friend was healing. The man had gone through some intense emotional upheaval lately, and it would have been in poor taste to abandon him while he continued to stretch his comfort zones. 

Comfort zones they were both about to shatter as a whirlwind of flowers and sparkles whipped past them and nearly bowled over an excited filly who was asking the two many questions about Noor’s glowing mushroom bits.  Gareth followed the zipping figure with his eyes for a moment, realizing that the blurr was not his own vision giving way, but the near vibrational flutter of wings that lifted the petite figure from the ground. 

“Is that the little fae?” Noor pressed the thought incredulously to the stallion’s mind, and he need not have turned his head to know the bewilderment that the two shared. 

Drawing himself to his full height, Gareth nodded. The young filly had bounded off in search of something that had caught her eye, so he felt less self conscious of his size. While the stallion normally stooped in crowded areas, when dealing with young children he bent even more so. The entirety of his frame loomed large in the markets and he would be very difficult to miss. 

He attempted to track the excited creature with his eyes, difficult though it was. He had a much easier time following the petals and faerie dust that fluttered to the ground behind her. He stopped occasionally to make sure the booths and vendors she dashed past were in proper order before moving on with his mission. There must be a reason for such a fuss, and while she had appeared to be full of energy in their previous meetings, this felt incredibly out of the ordinary, and it seemed no one else had the heart or mind to slow her down. Best that he try to mellow the flurry before some well meaning but concerned person attempted to involve some kind of authority. That would only muddy things. 

Caelum

Caelum normally avoided sugar.

It was in everyone's best interest, had even been forbidden in the kingdom by her father. Everyone knew everyone understood, and poor Denocte was about to get a crash course. The flowers and fairy dust left in her wake was the only thing left behind in her excited zipping. She hardly saw the others around as she zipped that way, or this. Looking for trinkets, for ribbons and anything else she finds that catches her attention.

She's hovering as she looks over something, eyes wide.

It is like this that she would be spotted, staring at all the things on a market. Her mane was practically dancing as her head zipped this way and that, looking all over, before spotting a bunch of ribbons, her eyes wide at the colors. It was then she spots someone approaching, spinning widely, white hair flowing around her like a cloud, wide brown eyes blinking before recognizing the stallion. Garth? No. Garriet? No. Gonzel? Definitely not. The first was closer! Gareth! Yes, yes, that had to be it. She smiled brightly at the familiar creature, even as she seemed to be hoping in place like a demented, hyper bunny.

"Oh, hello there!"

The words were a rush, but she didn't let it bother her, "Are you shopping? I am shopping for my shop! There is so much here, I found lanterns! I bet they would be amazing to hang up in my shop and fill them with will o whisps! I do not want to use real fire, otherwise Luvena might never visit then, and I cannot NOT have my best friend visit my shop!" Despite the high sped delivery, her words were still elegant, still complete sentences, regal, and direct, but her smile was bright, her eyes wide and innocent; "Oh, and I found a new individual to supply treats to my shop! They gave me a sample!" Her voice dropped, pitching lower like a secret, "But I think it had sugar. I'm not supposed to have sugar! It makes me behave oddly! But it was so yummy, I cannot be angry!"

Her wings sped up, and she remembered the ribbons.

She spun back to the wide eyed vendor, "Oh, I want a whole bunch of these! If it make you think of summer time, add the color in! 10, no twenty of each color! Delivered to Caelum; at the Faerie Gardens Emporium please!" She rushed out, before something else sparkly caught her eye, and she spun around again, barely remembering to drop a bunch of money off to the vendor, well more than needed; her eyes wide, "Oh! Shiny! What's that!" She squeaked, immediately flying to the vendor three stalls down, a trial of dust, flower petals, and a parted crowd who seemed just as concerned for the high strung fae that was normally so calm and collected.

"Speech"
Thoughts
@Gareth
Notes: She's got the attention span of a freakin' gnat.

art by bingo