[AW] a still day

[Kasil]

KASIL

Where autumn’s wind had been a kiss, the winter chill that enveloped the lands was a bite. With each breath, he felt the sharp nips of icy teeth tear into his very soul and threatening to consume him because she was hungry for his warmth. Winter had stalked the lands like a wolf, her hunting song echoing in the dark just beyond their senses until the moment to strike became abundantly clear. Now it was far too late to escape her jaws. Frost clung to his lashes and the very tips of his golden-brown feathers, unable to be banished by the fading rays of sunlight that had begun to abandon the craggly rocks of the cliffs. The king of scrolls turned his eye towards the setting sun, as Terrastella welcomed home her namesake -- the vibrant hues of honey-mead, mulberry and sanguine basking over the cliffs and straight on to the stark column that marked the very center of the court. His breath was a curl of smoke from his nares, wafting away until it disappeared as silently as it had left him.

With a meticulousness, the Dawn King began to draw the stretched expanse of his wings back against his body as he looked away from the fading light. It had been so long since he had been here last, not a day since he had become a sovereign. It filled with with an unspeakable sadness to have been away so long, yet there was joy in finding that he had returned at all and that he had managed to make it just before the sun was passed into Caligo’s embrace for the evening. He took slow, mincing steps across the uneven surface of the cliffs -- the wind’s song whistling in his ear and drowning the roar of the crashing waves below. His mind turned idly to the cliffs, wondering just how long the would continue to stand against such an unrelenting foe like the sea. Far longer than he would, he supposed.

A rueful smile twisted his lips just as a large droplet of snow hurried across his path. He raised his amber gaze, the golden diadem catching the final glint of the sun’s rays. Snow? He pondered, wondering if it was a good or bad omen to have such fat flakes falling from the sky this early into the winter season. And on his day of birth, no less. The snow began to drop rapidly around him, dusting his thick mahogany coat with a blanket of ivory. The first few had melted against his skin, drawn in by the internal warmth of his body -- but it was falling so swiftly now that they began to build, conquering him. He chuckled, the sound low and melodious.

By the time that he arrived at Terrastella’s heart, he was completely covered in a thick blanket of the stuff. The citadel was bustling, no doubt in full swing for the festival. He had missed the autumnal festival of Dawn’s Court because of his pilgrimage to altars of the gods, so he was curious to see just how everyone was preparing. He shook the snow from his form just before the gates, his feet leaving the hard crunch of the snowy outside world and into the clear paths of the court. His head tilted in curiosity once he saw all of the finely crafted pottery, artists taking posts to paint various designs on the bodies of others. How curious, he thought, his scholarly instincts clicking in as he took steps closer still to investigate.

open! tagging @Florentine cause she's queen bee ;)

coding by Avis

[Auru]

Eventually, the need to seek warmth and greater shelter than the swamps offered drove him from his home for the night, the man blustering out into the cold to head for the keep, desperate for the shelter of the old stone walls. He began to wonder if he had misjudged his path, pondering if instead he should have kept to himself in the darkest part of the swamps, perhaps nicked a few of the torches for the night to keep himself warm with.

It was a cold night already, a light mist in the air freezing as it clung to the ends of his hairs. The lion's mane about his neck and chest seemed to glitter, the tips of the the long hairs covered in sparkling frost. The light ice layer attacked his tail and hocks as well, giving him a bedazzled appearance in the little light that was offered.

Snow falling from the sky bedecked him even more, giving him a light cloak of soft white that fell onto his shoulders, streaming behind him as picked up the pace in an effort to reach shelter before the night grew too cold for his frail, un-insulated form. Winter forced her makeover onto him with roughness, having no ears for the hooves he pushed against her and asked her to stop. He became her frost-laden doll as the keep finally came in sight.

Even as his ears picked up the noise of the hustle and bustle within, the man only had relief on his features for the flickering firelight that could be seen in the openings of the windows. He came racing in just as another dark form slipped past the gates, Auru hurrying to catch up, knowing the man must be headed towards warmth, in a desperate bid to reach the interior.

He didn't bother stamping the snow and frost from his hooves at first, a fact he would later come to regret as the melting ice would begin to soak his coat and mane. He simply blustered inside, not quite making his way to the central place where all the fun and games seemed to be had, instead stopping near a hearth set near the entrance, sticking his face towards it gratefully and sighing in relief as the frost began to melt from his face, the licking tongues of flame warming his visage.

He finally took it upon himself to try and stamp the snow free of himself, but the already melting slush was beginning to stick to him, and wasn't so easily broken off. He got some of it off, however, and simply resigned himself to being wet for a while as he turned his side to the fire, warming another part of his body.

He didn't look for the figure who had entered before him, even though his form was still just visible to the man had he turned his head to look.

@Kasil

OOC: He gotta go everywhere, do all the festivities... once he's not a horsesicle.

[Liesel]

LIESEL

she must be a descendant of wolves; 
because her skin smells as though it is pure moonlight.

---

Winter.

She could recall the gentle bite of it, the small changes in the jungle air that had heralded its coming when she was a child. The sensation of cold kissed mornings, still pleasant enough that she slept under the stars upon the beach and the feeling that all was well — but that was all, the extent of her memories of winter at her birthplace... with her family. She must have had one, knew there was a heritage behind her, a wolf song that she heard and felt thrumming within her... but whenever she tried to summon the memory of family, her mind found nothing but empty shores. 

Liesel pushed the thought out of her head solemnly, shaking out her silver-lilac hair and brightening as her lips curved into an excited smile. She approached the festival with a crowd of others from the Dawn Court, grinning and laughing easily amongst them, her laugh like a silver bell through the crowds. The group split and she took a moment to admire the decorations and dim lanterns littering the sky — she wanted to see everything, experience everything they had to offer. 

After a moment, she began to move lightly through the crowd, slipping through them daintily, amber gaze wandering over the pots of ink and the tattooed skin around her before settling upon a familiar figure. Her eyes lightened, lashes brushing her cheekbones as she smiled to herself, admiring Kasil's strength within the thriving city. Another figure drew close to her King, covered in slowly melting snow — Liesel grinned and began to weave her way toward them.

Her slim frame slipped in beside the man in winters embrace, though her eyes couldn't help but to lock onto Kasil's first, glinting in amusement. She flicked her gaze back to the snow quilted man, grinning as she said wryly;

"Run into some bad weather?"

---

@Kasil @Auru sorry if this is all over the place!

space

[Kasil]

KASIL

The Dusk Court was just as he remembered her, though with the festival preparations she was wearing like a fine dress. The stallion knew in his heart that of all the places he had seen in his youth, Dusk Court was the only one that felt close enough to his heart to be called a second home. Solterra’s scorching heat and sandy dunes were too barren and desolate for him, and Denocte’s lively markets and people had proven too much for his naturally solitary heart. Dusk was Dawn’s perfect match in many ways, and he was grateful that her queen was a dear, dear friend.

His thoughts returned to the artistry before him, watching as one of the women painted an intricate rune on the face of another. He recognized it as a symbol of strength, followed by another for courage. The stallion was smiling, his face a picture of peace -- but a familiar sound drew Kasil’s attention away. He would have known her musical voice anywhere, his ears twisting in anticipation as his crown followed. He could not help the slight way that his chocolate-colored gaze narrowed, a white hot bolt of jealousy striking his heart like lightning as he watched the silver lass talk to another man. HIs mouth twisted in displeasure though he was quick to wipe it away. He had no right to be jealous -- not yet.

His gaze shifted to the male that she was speaking to, a stranger to Kasil. He looks as though he needs a good meal and as if he were caught in the same storm that Kasil had trudged through. The Dawn King drew himself together, before crossing the short distance between them. His steps were a little heavy, but not lumbering -- as if he were making some silent point about his position. Posturing and he was not even thinking about it! Her coconut and vanilla scent wrapped around him like a scarf, drawing him in closer until he stood at her shoulder. He had a height advantage over both of them, and he found it a little amusing that Liesel was technically his guardian. He was not foolish enough to underestimate her, however, because he knew that she easily could overtake him. Her lithe body was hardened in ways that he was not, and he had no misconceptions about her just because of her sex.

His gaze cut to the stallion, a thin man with quite the shock of hair. He offered him a smile, though it seemed strained somehow. “That storm blew in rather quickly, didn’t it?” He murmured, his tone casual. “I’m glad you weren’t caught in it.” He turned to Liesel, briefly -- his smile much more genuine for her. “Perhaps you should see if one of the merchants might have a blanket for you, friend?” He said to the stranger. “Come on, I’ll see to it that you get something to warm you.” He nodded in the direction of the festivities, not willing to take no for an answer from the the younger stallion. “This is not the time of year that you want to catch a chill.”

@Auru @Liesel omg he’s so jealous xD


coding by Avis

[Auru]

He didn't realize he had been approached until the silver mare was directly before him. Fortunately for all parties involved, he was both very much so inundated with the sound of voices about him, as well as more concerned with warming himself, for him to be too shocked to hear someone speaking to him. The shock came only from the fact that he himself was being addressed, little from hearing a voice in and of itself.

Copper eyes blinked up in surprise at the woman who had approached him out of nowhere, and Auru suddenly felt a wave of self-consciousness as a dollop of melting snow suddenly splattered to the ground from his mane only moments after her inquiry. He felt warmth painting his cheeks, and not just from the fire. Her wry grin did little to help him feel better as he nervously shuffled his hooves beneath the taller woman's amused gaze.

"Erm... yes... yes I suppose I did... It is uhm... snowing, outside and all."

Very eloquently put. Well done Auru Geniven. Truly a master of public speaking. Why, next thing you know, the whole court will be clamoring for you to be the next sovereign. You could stop a war with your mastery of words.

Suffice to say he regretted opening his mouth the moment the awkward words left his lips, the man not quite sure how to handle idle conversation. 'Snowing outside', what, did he think she'd think it was snowing inside?

There's a reason I tend to stick to myself most days.

At least he wasn't panicking in the middle of the conversation, he supposed awkward stuttering was an improvement to that. But on the other hoof, panicking would give him an excuse to leave. Oh goodness, he'd really start panicking if he thought to much about this.

Now you're going to be laughed at for being such an incompetent child. Can't even answer a simple question without looking like an idiot. She'll laugh at you, mock you, better leave now before she gets started, little boy, unless you happen to be in the mood for being put in your rightful place, for once.

He almost gave into the thoughts, but the physical needs of his body stopped those actions before they could begin. He was cold, and wet, and he was not going back out there until he was dry, at the very least.

He didn't have a chance to act on that before another approached the group, and Auru distantly noted that it was the man he had followed inside, having seen someone else headed to warmth and deciding that he clearly knew the way. The smaller and younger man found his shoulders hunching as the winged man approached them both, something in the way he held himself just screaming to the nervous stallion, 'powerful'. Maybe not necessarily physical power, although her certainly looked to be in better shape than Auru himself. (Most were.) But that wasn't all there was to power.

Auru had the sudden thought that he really ought not to anger this man.

To be fair, he had that thought about most people he met.

When the man smiled at him, Anxiety was quick to latch onto the discomfort that seemed to be in the gesture. It could have simply been that the man was as prone to isolation as Auru himself, and found parties to be rather more than he cared for, but that didn't stop the wretched looking stallion with a lion's mane from immediately trying to figure out what he did wrong, how to apologize for it, and how to extract himself from the situation so that he might never have to encounter either of them ever again and risk inciting their ire for daring to show his pathetic face.

"The storm blew in rather quickly, didn't it?"

Auru had nothing to say, more prone to silence than answering what was so obviously a rhetorical question.

It was a rhetorical question, right?

Oh Vespera, was he supposed to answer? Was the man waiting for Auru to answer?

Oh crap, he's turning to the mare, he missed his chance! Oh fuck, how badly did he fuck up this time. Was there a way to undo the damage? Crap, crap, crap...

Auru was quite a professional at rapidly working himself into a panic, and began doing so as the winged stallion spoke to the silver mare, something about her not being in the storm. He wasn't really listening. Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap. Oh crap, he looks happier talking to her?

Fuck, is that what's wrong? Are they together? Is Auru speaking to someone he shouldn't be? (Never mind the fact that she spoke to him first.) Is she not supposed to talk to people because of some rule because the two of them are together? He didn't know of any rule like that! But then again the people here were getting weirder and weirder by the day. Take Lysander, for instance, just appearing from the middle of nowhere like a god.

Auru still had his suspicions about the man.

Crap, the winged man is turning back to him. Should he run? Answer the initial question?

Panic?

Yes, panic sounded about right.

The man was biting his own lips as he tried very hard not to hyperventilate, to little avail.

“Perhaps you should see if one of the merchants might have a blanket for you, friend?”

Two things. One, friend? Second, he didn't have anything to buy a blanket with! He lived in swamp, living off of the surrounding foliage and fruits, occasionally going to the fields for grass. He didn't have money.

“Come on, I’ll see to it that you get something to warm you.”

Oh fuck, was he going to owe the winged man in return for a blanket? Become a servant for this man who had to be a noble or some high ranking individual, probably from some other court or foreign kingdom, since Auru knew both Florentine and Isorath and he was neither of them. Was he the new Emissary? No, no, he was too powerful for that. Did this man want to get Auru's servitude in exchange for buying him a blanket?

Crap, he'd just fuck everything up if he tried to be a servant. He could barely hold a conversation or grab a firefly with his telekinesis, never mind being a servant! Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck.

Why were his fucking hooves following the other man. Why wasn't he turning around and running.

“This is not the time of year that you want to catch a chill.”

A trick. A lie. Don't be an idiot. See through it.

All Auru could see were the lies Anxiety and Paranoia painted for him as his voice manged to find itself, clearly strained and shaky, as was his body as he trembled in terror, not wanting to become an indentured servant or slave in exchange for a blanket and speaking to the man's wife, fiancee, daughter? Crap, what if she was his daughter? No... the man didn't seem old enough for that. But looks could be deceiving. His voice trembled with the shaking of his body as he forced himself to a halt, shaking his head and trying to bow out of the conversation, leave the two who clearly wanted nothing to do with him to themselves.

"N-No... it's f-fine... I'll just... just stand b-by the fire f-for a while a-and th-th-then I'll just be on my w-way. I-I won't bother you a-anymore, s-s-sorry for the inconvenience."

Well at least that sentence made sense.

Why was it suddenly getting so hard to breathe?

@Kasil @Liesel

OOC: Auru breathe and try not to have a panic attack in the middle of the party