There are lights, and soft music. And little treats laid out carefully on tables, enough to snack on but not enough to fill the stomach. There are goblets of fine wine or juice, tempting but mild, not enough to spur anyone to drunken rage. Decorations of silver and white, bedecked with simple flowers, have been hung all over the streets of Denocte.
The cream and purple hued woman seems to fit right in with the purity of the setting. Her long mane braided over her right shoulder and still decked in the pretty jewels from her homeland, various amethysts and sapphires embedded throughout. And yet, yellow eyes are brave, taunting. She carries herself like an ethereal being. An angel in disguise.
It has only been a few days since she entered these lands in search of her cousin Isorath, only days before she met and spoke with him prior. Yet she felt at home here regardless, taking note of the natives and their way of doing things. In a small way..Denocte reminded her of Vectaeryn. The cloaks of shadow and the free way the people danced and celebrated out in the streets. It brought a smile to the princess's lips as she moved down the street, listening and humming softly to the music.
When twilight falls, Veteris is suspended in the In Between — the world is awashed in lavender and a dusting of stars; the same moments that are shared between breaths and heartbeats. But yet, the city could not be more alive, where the Night Court glitters under the slumbering sun in finery. The stones themselves are shimmering jewels, crafted of the moon and cosmos themselves. A perfect image of Calligo’s kingdom wrapped into one, for even now, as always, the City of Starlight is near bursting at the seams. They are whispers of revelry, teaming with sugary pastries and mulled wine, and even on this night like any other.. the denizens dance in gemstones and pyres that reach to the stars.
Aislinn is no stranger to those she calls her people. As she walks, the music thrums against her skin as the pale violet of the sky kisses her in hues of Asterion’s homeland. The coins and feathers around her throat tinkle with each teasing breeze, every flower petal that tangles in the mess of her hair. Until she is a breathing song, a symphony of storms and stars eternal as she meanders through her Crown City. Reichenbach’s city. A jewel.
She still cannot believe that now.. now is Regent.
An unfamiliar weight sits upon her forehead, all sweeping silvers and moonstone that catches the fading light in rainbows in each precious gem. The diadem is lovely, hand crafted and befitting of her new title, but yet she cannot feel comfortable with it’s weight. Not yet. Even so, despite this, she is still a stormsinger, a dreamer, and a gypsy woman. She is still the guardian protector of each soul that resides within the walls of the Arma mountains and the Sea. But now, as she strolls through the parties that thrive, they look to her with something profound. There is another, phantom weight that sits upon her shoulders. One that is both welcome and uncertain and proud.
A smile curls an edge to her copper lips. She may be their Regent now, but that did not mean she could not enjoy the livelihood of her people. Aislinn was, at heart, a woman who could not deny the festivities. So her throat sings, giving in to the rise and fall of the music that builds and soon, her body sways. She is dancing, swirling, and one with the crowds that pulse and whirl like an ocean’s waves. The night sky falls ever slowly in this In Between, darkening and burning with the last hues of sunlight.
But it is not the sky that catches the blue of her eyes, grabbing her attention. Through the twists and turns of her dance, her gazes lands not upon Calligo’s stars, but a creature of ivory and lavender. A woman, who if she was not mistaken, looked very much like a beloved face she had come to know very well.
The music softens as she pulls away from the crowd, the violin’s tugging at each beat of her heart. Her chest rises and falls, near breathless with her revelry, but still she does not hesitate. As she nears her, Aislinn’s orbs flicker, her suspicions deemed correct. A kirin.. yet another. The resemblance near unmistakable. Yet..
Who was she? And what was she doing here?
Her throat clear, Aislinn’s crown dips generously, and when she rises, a grin pulls at her lips. She eyes her with curiosity, catching flashes of the woman’s amber gaze. The stormsinger doesn’t miss the near-intimidating air in her orbs, but instead she finds that she is drawn to her beauty. Such a remarkable trait of those from Isorath’s home.. and now, she cannot help but wonder still. And the same taste in finery.
”I never thought I’d meet another kirin so far from your home,” she muses lightly, ”welcome to Veteris. I pray that you find our City of Starlight to be accommodating.”
Her smile grows, orbs of blue flaming to match the warmth wafting from her skin where sweat glistens against midnight. Aislinn’s crown tilts, taking in the sight of her. ”I’m Aislinn.”
Vaella enjoys the livelihood of this kingdom, it fills her heart and soul as she walks among the dancers and singers. Sometimes joining in even though she was not much of a dancer, she could sing however and it brought her joy. Her topaz gaze alight under the night sky as the sun drifts lower and lower beneath the sky, allowing for the stars and moonlight to take stage and shine. The gems in her long mane sparkle and shine with every movement she makes.
Her gaze lands upon a new face approaching her and she paused in her steps to let the creature draw closer. A woman that reminded her of stormy nights and cloudy skies, beautiful in their own way and wild. She wondered if this new equine was wild too. At the woman's voice Vaella managed to smile a tad, despite the brief moment of wariness in her eyes at the mention of her home. Vectaeryn natives didn't trust easily and for good reason as throughout history they were often hunted, but Isorath lived here so of course some of the people here would know of it.
With a slight dip of her elegant head she looked the stormsinger in the eye, "Not many dare to venture far from the safety of our home." She admitted quietly with a slight grin gracing her pale lips. "But it's King wanted to see how her son is doing and if he is staying out of trouble. So I am here to keep an eye on him."
At the mention of the other's name she inclines her head by way of greeting, her eyes curious. "I am Vaella, it's nice to meet you. Isorath has spoken of you quite fondly."
Veteris is alight — glowing with gathering starlight and the lavender of Vespara’s dusk. Yet it is not the skies that catch the regent’s attention, but the kirin in front of her. The cream of her skin shimmers like liquid moonbeams, ethereal and near godly. Jewels and precious stones glimmer in the firelight and reflect the waking star’s gaze from where they are carefully bound in her hair. Her eyes are likes those gems, gilded gold and piercing. She is reminded of her friend, her Emissary, her family not bound by the constraints of blood. Isorath could mirror her with his own amber and porcelain divinity.
She is suddenly and all at once hyper-aware of their contrasts, of how they are two sides of a coin. Where Aislinn was Calligo’s alluring darkness, the kiss of stars and storms made woman, this stranger was almost glowing from within. Her curiosity piques. What exactly made all kirins — all of the ones she knew, anyway — such lovely, hallowed creatures then?
So she was here with business, it would seem. Her sovereign’s son? Isorath?
I am Vaella, it’s nice to meet you. Isorath has spoken of you quite fondly.
The delicate flowers bound in her hair shift as Aislinn straightens. Her warm smile doesn’t falter, however, no matter how many questions swim in the hurricane waters of her mind. ”Has he now?” she chuckles. Blue orbs flicker with equal warmth and mirth. ”Well, who I am to go against the Flamekeeper?”
Twisting to gaze at the stars, noting the final rays of light that are swallowed by Calligo’s dark, Aislinn turns. From the corner of her eye she watches the kirin — falling victim to her child-like curiosities as she asks: ”Are you related? The similarities of your kind are remarkably beautiful.”
Orange-gold eyes regarded the woman of stormy skies and nights. Aislinn fit in nicely among the stars and night sky, a perfect combination for this land of darkness and starlight. Vaella however was like a beacon, her own personal star that never seemed to lose it's glow. She stood out and for many reasons the princess took it in stride, she knew she was different. An ethereal being to many and she loved it. She would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy the looks or whispers every time she moved through a crowd, she was just as vain as her cousin in that respect. Even if it wasn't always good whispers, Vaella liked the idea that she was thought of at all.
A light chuckle leaves her lips as she listened to Aislinn's words, eyes amused. "Isorath likes to speak of his friends often." She replied with a slight inclining of her head at the mention of her being related to Isorath. "Isorath is my older cousin though he is more like a brother to me." She admitted with yet another smile on her lips. Many fond memories enter her mind of days spent chasing her cousin all over the palace. Of trying to be just like him when she had been but a child and him a young man. The admiration was still there hidden beneath her heart, never once telling her cousin of it.
With a small shake of her head she returned back to the present, eyes curious as she gazed about Veteris. "I'm sure you have many questions for me." Vaella ventured to say with a knowing smile upon her lips.
