She rarely had a moment of free time now, between running the clinic, and venturing back and forth from court to court, establishing ties, and running Denocte alongside Israfel. There wasn’t much time to spare for herself. She liked to spend what little she did have down by the lake, at a small tea shop run by one of her dearest friends.
Of course it wasn’t always time spent with Caelum, she was busy running the shop. But Luvena liked the shop itself for what it was. Filled with fairy lights, and bright tapestries, it had all the charm of the night markets, and none of the chaos. Usually it was rather quiet, herself and maybe one or two others wandering in, settling for a cup of whatever experimental tea Caelum had brewed up that morning.
Today was no different. She wandered in somewhat wearily, having slept late into the afternoon. She could only see one other in the court. An old stallion who she recognized as one of the stall vendors in the markets just outside her clinic. She gave him a quick dip of her head in greeting before settling down in her favourite corner, sinking into the cushions. She had only just taken a sip of her tea when the sound of the door opening caught her attention. The woman who waltzed in was rather striking, with long gold tipped ears, and a coat of dusk and dawn. Somehow she seemed to capture the room in her gaze.
Luvenas interest was piqued at the sight of her.
@nerfertari
"speech"
usually it starts
with a nightmare,
some sordid dream
that creeps in on a
saccharine song,
souring as it hits its peak.
It had been a long time since the mare had dared to set hoof to the earth of Denocte. Too long her legs had wandered the sands of Solterra, the warmth of the sun to greet her in the day. Even so, her heart still belonged to the moon, to Caligo, to her home here in Denocte. The mare was not yet ready to face the court itself, nor the house from whence she came, but perhaps it was time to travel again, to ease the homesickness within herself. Crossing the Arma mountains at the peak of fall had been almost grave error, but she had managed. If she stayed long here in Denocte, she may have to spend the winter within the court of her birth. Perhaps that had been the reason for her late departure. Perhaps Caligo was intending to call her daughter home.
Still, Nefertari did not yet have the nerve to wander the cobbled streets of the Night Markets, or to dance in the halls of the noble houses with which she was far too familiar. Instead, she had heard from other travelers of a lovely tea shop off the lake. It had not been there in her childhood, but the stories she had heard did not disappoint.
The tea shop was beautiful, festooned in glittering lights and silks, tapestries of excellent make, and an atmosphere that beckoned one to come stay a while. The mare let out a soft breath of wonder as her golden gaze swept the room, taking everything in. She felt as if she had stepped into a fae abode, or a genie’s bottle. The aroma of carefully curated teas did not overwhelm the senses as it may have in other places. Instead, it did nothing but enhance the experience of the shop itself. Warmth, in its purest form. The woman had once believed that she would have only been able to find shelter and salvation in the land of the sun, and yet here, in this small tea shop, she felt more comfort and protection than anywhere within the desert sands.
Yes, she would stay here for a while after all. The winter chills would soon be upon them and the mountains would be impassable even to the most sure of foot. Caligo had always worked in mysterious ways, and now she knew that the draw to home had not been merely that of homesickness. The goddess of the night was calling to her for a purpose.
She wandered the space carefully, taking everything in before moving towards a woman in the corner. The mare was frail in appearance, her painted coat no longer the shimmering thing it must have once been in her health, but that did not hide the strength that emanated from her being. The clairvoyant had learned early on to never judge one only on their appearance, and the way the woman held herself and her cup of tea spoke of life’s trials, but… there was also great joy in it.
Nefertari was drawn to her as a moth is drawn to a flame, and she knew better than to ignore those instincts. Her sooted maw parted in a soft smile as she dipped her head, flaxen hair falling in her face. “My apologies,” her voice was soft as velvet as she spoke to the woman seated before her. “I have not been here before, and you seem like you would know a thing or two.” She chuckled brightly, her golden pools searching the endless depths of blue, careful to keep herself a respectable and safe distance.“Would you mind providing me a recommendation? I don’t wish to be rude, and if you would like to continue your afternoon in peace I will gladly leave you to it, but there is just… something about you that told me you have excellent taste.”
She tilted her head with slight surprise as the strange woman approached her. She couldn’t tell whether the woman seemed to embody night or day. Shimmering light or weeping darkness. She seemed neither or both at once, but never in between. She could tell though that she was not a denoctian, if only because she had access to the census.
Luvena gave a warm smile as the woman spoke. “No need to apologize, I do frequent this spot often. Caelum, the owner, is a dear friend of mine. Please” she gestured to the pillows across form her. “Sit, I’ve no issue sharing the space. I’d try the butterfly pea flower tea. It’s rather magical if you haven’t seen it before.” She did hope the mare would join her. She was curious as to what stories she held. Clearly she had some.
“Luvena Xiaoli” she introduced herself “Where did you journey in from?” she asked, unable to help her curiosity. “You aren’t from here… It’s somewhat my business to know who calls Denocte home. The pass isn’t favorable this time of year, so you must have been brought in by something irresistible.” she raised a brow. She knew she was prying, but something told her this woman wouldn’t mind, nor take her as rude for it.
The mare looked to the proffered set of pillows and settled into them comfortably as the woman spoke of the tea shop owner, as well as her tea recommendation.“Magical you say?” She gave an airy titter of a laugh, not quite the hearty sound of a chuckle, but an amused note nonetheless. “Well, that sounds just about right for me, then.” She dipped her crown again as the mare introduced herself.
“Thank you, Luvena, for sharing your space and your time with me.” The woman smiled brightly, the swirling golden pools sparkling beneath the frame of blonde lashes. She was quite used to being questioned while she had traveled. After all, her slender frame was quite distinct, and to be traveling near the turn of the seasons was rather unusual. She welcomed the questions, but danced around them carefully.
“I would certainly say something irresistible indeed.” She cast her gaze to the tea shop, “I had heard many wonderful things in my travels about this place, and I am delighted to see that not a single good word had been an exaggeration.” The mare admired the scenery for a moment longer before returning her attention back to Luvena.
“You would only be half correct, I think,“ she commented. “I traveled from Solterra, as that is where I have been living, though I was born here. I decided that it had been much too long since I had seen my mother, and my lot has always been quite stubborn. When we get an idea in our heads, we follow through with it right that moment. Whether or not it’s the ideal time or place is completely irrelevant.“ She laughed lightly, “Though it seems that decision will keep me here within Denocte until the seasons turn again. I had forgotten how perilous the Arma could be once the chill hit. The last time I traversed her peaks I had been quite young, and it had been the height of summer. She is a different beast once the cool air creeps in.”
Her long audits flicked as she watched the mare before her, careful to keep enough distance between the two of them that she would not accidentally read the woman outright. “You say it’s your business to know of Denocte’s citizens, so I take it you are quite close with whomever is currently Sovereign of the court?”
She sipped at her own tea, a blend that Caleum had made mostly for her. Licorice root, ginger and raspberries, all steeped to a hot perfection. “And your name?” she asked, watching as the woman seemed to form a dance with her words. It was a strange time to come through the pass, though she couldn’t pass judgement too harshly. She planned on making her own journeys through it in the next few days, and she wasn’t quite looking forward to them.
She nodded. “Unfortunately the pass seems to have a mind of it’s own this time of year. I’ll be making my own ventures through soon, much to my own disappointment. Hopefully Denoctes winter doesn’t disappoint. I hear there may be some festivities come the cold weather.”
She hummed a little at the womans next statement. “You would only be half correct, I think” she quipped back, forming her own song and dance with the strange mares' lyrics. “I am quite close with one of the current sovereigns. Enough to stand by her side with a crown of the same weight.” She was never quick to push the fact into anyones face, but she was not eager to hide it either. Though they still had to formally announce it to the court, there simply hadn’t been time yet.
Nefertari watched the woman carefully, golden pools sparkling with mirth. She decided she liked this mare, Luvena. It had been a long while since she had felt any real companionship, and she thought that there was a chance that perhaps she might be able to find it here, if only for the time she might be spending in Denocte. That time was looking quickly to be the entirety of the winter season, but the thought bothered her less than she initially anticipated. Caligo worked in mysterious ways after all. First the tea shop, and now this lovely woman. Small things always added to big things, and they were best not to be ignored.
She filed that feeling away for later, chuckling and shaking her head. “Goodness, where are my manners?”The mare parted her sooty maw into a smile. “My name is Nefertari,”she paused, seeming to debate for a moment before continuing. “Of House Vogelstein.” The words felt nearly foreign to her tongue. How long had it been since she had spoken of her lineage? More years than she cared to count and more than she wanted to admit hurt her. It felt almost like a relief to speak it out loud, to no longer have to dance around her name and hide. Why now she felt comfortable enough to claim it she could not say. Perhaps it was Luvena’s kind eyes and quick wit, and the mare’s desperate gnawing need to have someone and a place to once again call home and believe in.
“If you carry a crown equal to your Sovereign, I must say that I am humbled then, that you would share your company with me, Luvena.” Nefertari dipped her vision for a moment as a sign of respect before once again catching the woman’s eye. “I do hope that your future travels will treat you kindly.”
The mare shifted slightly in her seat, and then drew attention to a small silk satchel. “This may seem a bit forward, and forgive me if it seems strange, but I have this urge to read for you.” She carefully opened the bag and pulled from it a well loved deck inlaid with gold leaf. She shuffled them gently, pausing only briefly to look at Luvena once more. “Would you be interested in knowing a little something of your future?” A peculiar light twinkled in her gaze, as if she knew something already, a secret she was just too eager to tell.
