(What are you?) “Elena.”
(No. What are you?) “A girl.”
(No. What are you?) “Benjamin and Beylani’s daughter.”
(No. What are you?) “A child descended from Legado the Great.”
(No. What are you?)
Elena grits her teeth. She had had enough of these riddles that Hoshi offered to her. Why would she not just give her the answer? She huffs, as only a child can, tossing those tufts of cumulus atop her golden poll, pretending as if she were some angsty teen and not just a little girl annoyed with her cousin.
“What are you, Elena? Come on, just answer the question,” she says, baiting the girl, seeing the annoyance hammer at her mind.
…….
“Fire. Burning. Heat.”
And fire Elena has been.
Does fire know that it is fire? Does it know it exists to burn, to light, to destroy as well as heal? The answer is no, it is a mindless entity that is created, even destroyed at times, smothered, washed away. But give this fire the ability to think, a mind, a soul, a heart. Give it this and what will it do?
It will blaze.
Elena knows this. Of course she does. This was written across the faces of her parents as they looked upon their daughter with love in the creases of their smiles. Her parents whose love had created a fire, so much more than just the flickering flames passion. Elena could see it in the brief time she had known them.
(They had marched into the sea where they created fire from water. A romance that Elena has come to idolize.)
Elena walks the swamp, but there is a part of her that wants to return to her perch on the sea. What would her parents think now? Was it inevitable that Elena should end up beside the water when from the water the very love that gave Elena life was born?
Her heart patters in excitement. Just what she had been looking for. A particular herd that was quite gifted at settling pain of the limbs: Bunchberry. Lovelace had trained Elena well, but the golden girl was still learning. She wonders what secrets the desert may hold for healing. Her steps are slow, her head slumped over in a lazy fashion as glacier blue eyes remained trained on the ground in front of her, looking for any sort of the leaves, flowers, strange grasses she has been taught to look for. There is some quiet tranquility to this role of the medic, and Elena wears the job well. She is a medic, Elena thinks to herself, proud, but there are tremors underneath her skin, and worry that has sunk into the creases of her smile, and torment in the shadows of the corners of her eyes.
If Hoshi was still around, if she had been able to ask this question now—Elena knows just how she would answer.
(What are you?) “Scared.”
(Why are you scared, Elena?) “Because—after the fire—only ash is left behind.”
* e l e n a
in the dark I’ll pray for the return of the light the sunflower daughter of benjamin and beylani
medic of dusk.
@Lucinda
let's light this house on fire
we'll dance in the warmth of its blaze
pixel made by the amazing star
01-24-2020, 11:35 AM - This post was last modified: 07-21-2020, 05:52 PM by Elena
I know it's true that visions are seldom what they seem
She is like the ocean waves crashing against a rocky shore, the clouds rolling in before a storm and the thunder and lightning that comes with it. She is a creature of the sea with the sharp teeth and hunger of a monster. She has been reborn into something more powerful and deadly than a phoenix.
And oh, would she make Anandi regret this.
Through words of others, Lucinda has been trying to track the gray kelpie down since the turning. While she's come to enjoy the transition, she still hasn't forgotten what the other woman had done and what she said. Her cult-like group of kelpies is not something Lu intends to join, nor will she ever answer to someone else. Anandi wasn't too fond of her answer and set to kill her and she certainly came close. But it appears the woman didn't have the stomach, or she thinks she can keep Lu for something. Well, she'll find out that she's wrong.
Her travels have brought her to Terrastella where the Dusk Court resides. She's heard that Anandi holds some type of importance here, but Lu isn't sure if it's true. Part of her hopes it is so she can hold it over the woman's head. They almost bonded over their disappointment of the Courts, but now she's just disappointed at her for being part of one. A pity.
When she makes her way to the swamp, a putrid smell stronger than low tide hits her nose. Although this area is inhabited by water, it certainly doesn't call to her like the sea does. If anything, it does the very opposite and she has no desire to be here. Unfortunately, this is the path she was told to go on and the last thing she needs is to get lost within an unfamiliar Court's land.
A few moments later, Lu finds herself not regretting her arrival here as much. There is a girl shuffling through the water, head slumped over searching for something. She seems to be focused and does not notice the Friesian kelpie approaching. Of course, Lu is in her land form since this water is not nearly deep enough to be comfortable otherwise.
"I can't imagine you'll find much down there, girl," she says, coming out from behind her. Her green eyes are glowing and she flashes the mare a smile intended to be intimidating. Her sharp teeth will likely not go unnoticed. "It might be worth looking up instead." At this, Abraxia swoops down to land on the opposite side of them a couple feet away. The dragon looks on with suspicious eyes, but knows to wait for the word from her companion before doing anything.
Elena doesn't often like to let her mind wander, for it ultimately leads her down a path to Tunnel. How she fights and struggles to keep him caged up in the shadows of her past. But, unfortunately for Elena, that was the place Tunnel like to live best. He skulks and scavenges through the memories of her short past, and it is in the quiet moments with no protection from the shadows that he comes to the fore front of her mind and Elena can call him with such clarity that her skin recoils involuntarily. The navy glisten of his coat, the deadly charming smile, the way his breath smelled like danger, and the exact traces of his affections on her skin. It is so easy to summon his memory, but just like a vampire, once invited in, it was so difficult to make him leave.
Icy blue eyes are still directed downwards. The golden mare continues to walk, entirely unaware of the approach of another, until the water starts to stir further out than what Elena could cause, and it becomes coupled with a voice, causing the girl to lift that proud, Spanish head upwards, turning to look directly behind her. “Well, it’s a good thing what I am looking for isn't much,” she says with a good hearted smile and laugh in the mare’s direction. She gathers her herbs and lets it remain beside her for now: Bunchbery and Roundleaf Sundew. Is the other mare aware of what she has discovered? Elena, who is far too new, too green to Terrastella, just believes her to be another resident of the many she has yet to meet. It is then that Elena gathers a closer look at her, those glowing green eyes, (they remind her briefly of Roland, of Brielle, but it passes quickly.) Her teeth are pointed and sharp as fangs, like that of wolves, or bears. But Elena has traveled across the lands of Beqanna, has faced quests, and monsters, and she does not fear the woman.
This is Elena’s achilles heel.
She will forever dive deep into her compassion.
Elena is little red riding hood, except instead of getting lost, she strolls willingly off the path, and into the arms of the wolf.
Or.
In this case.
Dragon.
Castille. She is reminded of, of Leoss, one of the man kingdoms of Beqanna. She is reminded of the shapeshifters, the the lion man, of Aodhan, and the bird companion of Brunhilde. Elena folds back her ears for a moment, unsure, but she quickly warms up to the idea of the strange trio that now stands a little less than knee deep in the swampy terrain. “Guess I haven't quite anticipated just how magical this land is,” she offers, glacial eyes drifting upwards towards the dragon once more. “What are you doing out here in the swamp?” She questions. “I can probably guess you weren't looking for me, and if you were, I hate to say it, but I don't think we have met before,” she says, once more with that warm smile her mother had been so famous for. “I’m Elena.”
* e l e n a
in the dark I’ll pray for the return of the light the sunflower daughter of benjamin and beylani
medic of dusk.
@Lucinda
let's light this house on fire
we'll dance in the warmth of its blaze
pixel made by the amazing star
02-05-2020, 11:06 PM - This post was last modified: 06-02-2020, 03:03 PM by Elena
I know it's true that visions are seldom what they seem
It always comes as a surprise when someone doesn't flinch. She is so used to the good majority showing fear in her presence, especially when Abraxia arrives. Lucinda feeds off of the fear and may even be a bit too obsessed by it. This is why she is so disappointed when the girl does the complete opposite. It's unclear if it's because she's confident or is just naive.
The mare claims what she's looking for isn't much, but Lu can't possibly imagine what anyone would be looking for here. Maybe something that one dropped into the muck, but to be purposefully sifting through here? There are many other things she'd rather do than to cover herself in swamp water.
She surely asks a lot of questions and Lu almost wishes she had the ability to turn off someone's voice. She looks on with pursed lips and wonders if she would've been better off turning the other way.
"There are a lot of untold mysteries in this land. They say it's not safe to travel alone…" she trails off, grinning again at all the horrible things that could happen. A kelpie could drag her off into the sea and make her one of her own (or kill her), for one thing. "Are you not from here?" she questions with a hint of curiosity. Maybe there would be a weak spot after all if the girl is unfamiliar with Novus.
At the same time, it would work more in Lucinda's favor if the girl was knowledgeable. She introduces herself as Elena and the friendliness of the girl almost makes her sick.
"Lucinda," she says, but does not return the warm smile. Lu's expression has gone back to cold since there are more serious matters at hand. "You are correct, I was not looking for you," she continues, her eyes drifting away as she tries to make a decision. Normally she does not reveal her intentions so quickly, but seeing as she could use the information…
"I am actually seeking out a woman who goes by the name Anandi. Do you know of her?" The question finally comes out and she looks over, eager for a good answer. Maybe this Elena will turn out to not be a complete disappointment after all.
She always forgets the exact rawness of it, the way it prickled, alive on her skin, like flames licking at her bones. She was used to that more kind of subtle fear, the low and steady haunt of the traumatized. Not the raw and feral thing that clawed at every organ like some kind of vicious lion desperate to escape.
This is why she is
(maybe it is was.)
a fighter, a young woman who clothed herself in flames, who made herself untouchable. A woman with blazing eyes and a wild spirit who felt safe in her own skin —safe as she possibly could anyway. A young mare assured in her own abilities, her own strength.
A fighter now almost rendered useless, the flames had nearly been put out, smothered by defiant lands and others in her heart.
Now, not a fighter, but a young woman still. A girl painted in sunflower yellow, with a scar on her shoulder, hidden from view.
(It doesn't burn anymore, at least. She takes a small, bitter comfort in that.)
And she should not be alone. When that creeping sensation hits her that no one is around, it is then she hears the distant baying of hellhounds that may or may not exist. Alone she could be so easily taken, so easily seduced and secluded. Not safe to travel alone. Elena has heard these words before as she sat among the rocky land of Pangea, traveling to the kingdom from her territory of Hyaline. Not safe to travel along to the Snow Plains where the Snow Prince sat waiting on his icy throne for what was promised to him (a girl with yellow ribbons in her hair and sunflowers clutched in her hand.) “It seems there is not a safe place to travel to any longer,” she says with careful brows knitted together in concern and challenge. “I am not,” she answers the question. Although she hardly knows where to say she is actually is from, Elena just knows it is not from here. There is some sort of comfort in at least knowing that, even if she no longer understand what home actually means.
“Anandi?” The child of sunflowers and sky blue eyes is taken aback. “How do you know her?” Elena asks. Anandi had been one of the first Elena had met, what would someone outside of Dusk want with the girl? “I do know her, she spends some time in the capital,” Elena responds. “I planned to travel back that way, would you care to join me? And then maybe we can find her.”
* e l e n a
in the dark I’ll pray for the return of the light the sunflower daughter of benjamin and beylani
medic of dusk.
I know it's true that visions are seldom what they seem
It's true what the girl says, nowhere is truly safe. It's partly why she scoffs at the Courts because they like to stay in their fantasy world and live in luxury. In reality, the true intention of the world and its creatures are unknown. The deities they worship are very much unknown. For Lucinda, she would rather embrace the chaos and not hide away like a coward.
For Elena, maybe in some way she's the same. She does not cower like most would in Lu and Abraxia's prescence. While this has disappointed the pair that their moment of fun has been lost, it's not entirely a loss. It can still go in Lu's favor with Elena knowing Anandi.
"Anandi is," she starts to say, thinking of how she can hide the details. "An old friend and we have much catching up to do." She hides her wickedness with a smile more innocent although she may as well be cackling in her mind. But, Lu isn't entirely wrong. She does want to catch up with the woman, just not exactly in a friendly way.
Of course the other kelpie spends time in the capital. It certainly solidifies the rumors that led her here in that Anandi is not only a member of a Court, but one of higher importance. The only reason that would be moderately acceptable in Lucinda's mind is if she's working as a spy of some sort. That is the only time she could see herself doing the same thing, especially if there's something in it for her in the end.
Still, there is so much irony in this.
And, not only does Elena know her, but she offers to help Lu find her if they travel back together. Yes, this is all working perfectly, she says to Abraxia through their telepathy. The dragon, who still stands farther from the two mares, looks at her closely. There is a similar glint in the creature's eye to that of Lucinda's. After all, they are bonded for a reason.
"I would love to, thank you," she answers with a dip of her head. There is still that hunger inside her, but she holds it back for now. All of that energy must be saved for when she does find Anandi again and it'll all be worth it.
"So are you a citizen of the Dusk Court? How do you know Anandi?" she asks Elena while joining the mare by her side. Abraxia gets up to follow and walks behind them. She'll likely take to the air once they get somewhere that's more out in the open. For now, Lu will exchange in small talk and if anything important comes up, she'll save it away for later in case it becomes useful.
They had spoken it when her mother withered away to nothing as the illness infected her veins. Her father had taken her into his strong neck as she snuggled close to him.
Poor girl.
They had said it when she turned up in Murmuring Rivers with the word orphan written across her skin like a jagged scar.
Poor girl.
They had sympathized as Frostbane tried to take her away from her family, to collect a debt that was owed to him.
But, at some point, these poor girls said with shaking heads and sad eyes turned into something else.
Foolish girl.
They had scolded when she fell in love with a man too old for her as she sought him out for late night rendezvous.
Foolish girl.
They had shamed her as she left one home after another and had been able to keep herself from getting stolen away again and again.
Foolish girl.
She had told herself as she flung herself into Tunnel’s arms only for him to throw her body to the ground, broken and bloodied.
Elena does wonder sometimes if there is still a fire within her — for it had come from nothing, once, ignited by the snow prince and his cold breath on her shoulder, so why couldn’t it be smothered again?
But look into her eyes and there is the memory of fire there, beneath blue sky eyes.
So she knows Anandi. The fact is surprising, but then again, Elena may not be the only one who wanders from the border of Dusk to catch sight of the world beyond her. Elena stares at the mare curiously. You would think with all the time she spent around those with wicked smiles and dark sneers she would be able to spot one even under a mask. But the sunshine child has been so good at pulling her own mask over her eyes, blinding herself to those who would do her or others harm.
“Then please, follow me,” Elena says, leading the cat to the mouse. Elena walks, taking Lucinda to the capital, so unaware of what exactly she was bringing into her court. The palomino bobs her head in response to her question. “I am, I am a medic,” she offers. “I actually met Anandi my first day in the city. She was kind enough to show me around and welcome me,” Elena says fondly. She liked Anandi, she had no reason to distrust the mare when all she had shown the sunflower was kindness. “You say you are old friends. Were you once apart of Dusk Court?” She asks. Old friends. Friends since childhood? “You don't seem like you are from here.” She adds slyly, looking carefully to the mare. “If you do pardon me saying so. There is something more…wild about you…both of you.”
“Do you think there are really dragons out there?” Lilli had asked one day and Elena had smiled and shook her head at her crimson cousin. “Of course there are dragons.”
‘Lilli,’ she wants to say now. ‘You have got to see this.’
* e l e n a
in the dark I’ll pray for the return of the light the sunflower daughter of benjamin and beylani
medic of dusk.
I know it's true that visions are seldom what they seem
With every step, Lucinda is hoping it's one step closer to Anandi. There are many things running through her mind like the first thing she'll say or what the other woman might think seeing her alive. Either way, Lu is looking forward to it.
As Elena talks about herself, she's only half listening. It's all small talk and really just to humor the girl while they get to where Lu needs to be. Truthfully, she could care less. But then her attention is brought back in when the girl asks all her questions. A curious one, clearly.
"No," she replies, trying to hide her disgust at the thought of being part of a Court. "I give no allegiance to a Court. We simply met by the sea." As nosy as the girl is, Lucinda has no plans to give everything away. It's not her place, but there is just enough information she can give to humor Elena. Plus, maybe she will wonder why Anandi spends time at the sea. Maybe she can put a bug in her ear to question her Emissary.
But her observation is a good one. There is something wild about the woman and her dragon.
"I come from another land, another realm," she explains as the memories come to the forefront of her mind. As they continue on their journey and leave the swamp behind, Lu fabricates a story about her kingdom. It's one that will surely keep the girl's interest, but not one that would truly give anything away. Hopefully it will be enough to satisfy her craving for answers and it'll get the girl off her back once they arrive.
Because once she comes face to face with Anandi, she wants the woman all to herself.
take this burden away from me and bury it before it buries me
She remembers now.
Remembers how enamored she had been by him.
How delighted in his peculiarity.
Maybe she never loved Tunnel after all, maybe she just loved the abuse.
And she seeks it out again in the single, cold syllable of the mare’s response. Perhaps, had she been anyone else, she would have been put off by Lucinda’s response. Elena is a gentle thing, who seems of wild flowers and stares at the horizon. Elena has helped and healed many people and then sat there diligently waiting for the reward she believed she rightfully earned, their friendship, their love. In the end, maybe it was karma, that so many of them had not cared for her as deeply as she had for them, Lilli being the only exception to this. But she has learned in this life that not everyone is kind, and all you can do is give, give and give and give.
Glacier blue eyes look to the mare for a moment as they walk. “The sea is a good place,” she says, so unaware of the dangerous kelpies that lurk below their depths.
Elena had been so brave once, staring down the Snow Prince, walking with the undead, and falling in love with a monster. Yes, Elena was bold and brazen, but guilt and regret have broken her little by little, taking something away from her, chasing her.
And maybe she is brave still, walking with danger and her dragon.
so take away this apathy bury it before it buries me
@Lucinda Sorry! Just wanted to do one final post, I promise!
let's light this house on fire
we'll dance in the warmth of its blaze
pixel made by the amazing star
04-20-2020, 09:24 PM - This post was last modified: 04-20-2020, 10:36 PM by Elena
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