Caelum
he just bought 'em home one day,
"Ain't they beautiful" he said
Perhaps, had Caelum been in a different place, a different mindset, she'd have been more aware of the dangers.
As it was, her inexperience was her own hindrance. Caelum was no stranger to magic. Her father had lived and breathed the essence of Summer. Caelum could kiss a plant back to life. But the enchantment that warped the mind - that wasn't something she was aware of. Sure, she knew of illusions, she knew of tricks and the likes, but the magic that Sebastien wove, ensnaring her with, was not in her vast knowledge base. It left her defenseless, utterly unaware of its first settled touch. The Fae doesn't lose all wariness, however.
Caelum has been a cautious being now, her trust in others dismal.
But those who knew her more deeply might have been surprised by how quickly she appeared to relax in this stranger's company. A settling she was not known for that could not be explained away by their shared patronage. She feels her wings flutter slightly, the nervous tick settling, even as she folds them down, flat against the gossamer of her shawl, iridescence against iridescence, even as she smiles in return to his charming expression. However, the fae queen could feel the slight warmth of the glowing ruby necklace against her chest. Despite the process of Novus's magical forces weaving into the gemstone, the spirit within was still too entrapped to warn the young Fae of her dangers. Tiana knew something was wrong, but the bonding between soul and equine hadn't manifested yet. Caelum would later recount how unfortunately unlucky she had been that day.
Instead, she foolishly takes part in conversing with the devil.
She mentions her court and her Court in Novus, watching him visibly perk, a slight smile of amusement at what she perceives to be honest and genial expressions. All the while, that gravitational pull of his magic is entwining her closer and closer, tangling up her thoughts, settling her doubts and fears before she can become aware of the effects of his charms. Each moment, it seems to settle heavier upon her, the weighted mantle of a magical compulsion on her behaviors.
She offers her name with little hesitation, and she laughs, the sound light, bright, full of the warmth of Summer she had yet to claim as her own birthright. As insightful as this stallion was, how long would it take for him to start picking apart what he was really conversing with. The magic of the drinks that had allowed her to float inches above the ground was waning. As her delicate hooves touched back onto the hall's flooring, flowers blossomed around her hooves, pushing through stone cracks to eagerly caress the Summer Queen's limbs. Her lack of disturbance at their arrival was proof of being a victim of his enchantments. Caelum had always done everything to ignore the flowers that bloomed in her trail, that clung to her in greetings to what would one day be the embodiment of Summer, should she only accept the titles.
He draws her attention as he speaks, her smile amused.
She tilts her head to one side, those ivory waves bouncing, exposing the star on her forehead, the speckling of where her roaned features faded into the pale blue of her neck, "Oh, knowledge of dangerous things can truly be useful, but Fae rarely share their secrets. We are rather selfish creatures after all. We like to keep what we obtain. We do not divulge." How ironic, considering whom she was talking to. Particularly when you consider that she did have similar means at her own disposal to do precisely as he was enticing. Fae music could ensnare the individual, forcing them to dance for eternity and never leave. A bite of food made from ingredients native to her realm would leave someone dependent on them, unable to eat mortal fairs.
How often had she playfully, and not seriously, tempted herself with doing the same to Vikander for a day?
After this fateful meeting, her determination to not accidentally ensnare others would only increase dramatically. "Oh, dear Sebastien, most Fae are dangerous by nature. We just obscure our intentions far better than most." There, for a moment, she was free of the enchantments, those brown eyes darkening, her muzzle twisting briefly into an expression far darker than might normally be seen upon her delicate features. It's a look borrowed from her truest love, from the demonic stallion who had been her everything. Who had taught her that it was okay to allow the darkness some control because balance made your place in the world. She wasn't just the Light of Summer anymore. She was something more.
Her features soon softened, the weight of his magic quickly settling over her once again.
She settled soon enough, tilting her head, her features softening, an elegant, delicate, and proper lady who looked at home among the courts. He explains that Solterra was where he was originally from, speaking of nostalgia from his childhood and wanting to learn everything about Novus and the courts. Then he asks about her. She turns her gaze to the celebrations around them, and for a moment, a flicker of mournful familiarity crosses her face, "Nostalgia." She agrees, "Solterrians live life with the same vibrancy as my people did." Before she'd led the destruction to the Summer Court's doorstep. An unintentional invitation to those who would burn her kingdom to the ground in retaliation to her own conservative war efforts. She knew there were casualties in war. She had not been prepared for how tragic and all-encompassing they could be. She turned her attention back to him, her ears perked forward slightly, twitching as the motion caused them to brush against the flowers embedded into her mane, "I can also not deny my curiosity of how others handle coronations, and how it compares to the methods of my own people. Does Solterra typically find any reason to hold a celebration, or is it a function reserved for moments like this?" She adds with a curiosity, her head tilting to the side to observe the celebrations once more. Her people found a way to celebrate anything. Ironic, considering she'd missed her coronation, unaware she'd been raised to 'Queen' upon her parents' murder until she'd seen the graffiti praising her in the face of the heathens still ransacking her home.
When he speaks of indulging a scholar, she pauses.
A promise to see Solterra in exchange for stories of her people. She tilts her head, her expression thoughtful, "I suppose I can grant such a request. Naturally, not all of our stories can be spread. I am honor-bound to not indulge all of our secrets." It's proof of the depth of his magic's control, when the next sentence slips out without her notice, "I will not betray my citizens again." The possession is spoken without her notice, as she turns to observe the celebrations around them, really not finding any fault in the idea of leaving this place that hurt her heart to watch. She turns back to Sebastien, a beautiful smile stretching across her features.
"Lead the way, I am at your disposal."
She'd regret those words later.
"Speech"
Thoughts
@Sebastien
Notes: YYYEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSS. Caelum, I'm so sorry baby T.T
As it was, her inexperience was her own hindrance. Caelum was no stranger to magic. Her father had lived and breathed the essence of Summer. Caelum could kiss a plant back to life. But the enchantment that warped the mind - that wasn't something she was aware of. Sure, she knew of illusions, she knew of tricks and the likes, but the magic that Sebastien wove, ensnaring her with, was not in her vast knowledge base. It left her defenseless, utterly unaware of its first settled touch. The Fae doesn't lose all wariness, however.
Caelum has been a cautious being now, her trust in others dismal.
But those who knew her more deeply might have been surprised by how quickly she appeared to relax in this stranger's company. A settling she was not known for that could not be explained away by their shared patronage. She feels her wings flutter slightly, the nervous tick settling, even as she folds them down, flat against the gossamer of her shawl, iridescence against iridescence, even as she smiles in return to his charming expression. However, the fae queen could feel the slight warmth of the glowing ruby necklace against her chest. Despite the process of Novus's magical forces weaving into the gemstone, the spirit within was still too entrapped to warn the young Fae of her dangers. Tiana knew something was wrong, but the bonding between soul and equine hadn't manifested yet. Caelum would later recount how unfortunately unlucky she had been that day.
Instead, she foolishly takes part in conversing with the devil.
She mentions her court and her Court in Novus, watching him visibly perk, a slight smile of amusement at what she perceives to be honest and genial expressions. All the while, that gravitational pull of his magic is entwining her closer and closer, tangling up her thoughts, settling her doubts and fears before she can become aware of the effects of his charms. Each moment, it seems to settle heavier upon her, the weighted mantle of a magical compulsion on her behaviors.
She offers her name with little hesitation, and she laughs, the sound light, bright, full of the warmth of Summer she had yet to claim as her own birthright. As insightful as this stallion was, how long would it take for him to start picking apart what he was really conversing with. The magic of the drinks that had allowed her to float inches above the ground was waning. As her delicate hooves touched back onto the hall's flooring, flowers blossomed around her hooves, pushing through stone cracks to eagerly caress the Summer Queen's limbs. Her lack of disturbance at their arrival was proof of being a victim of his enchantments. Caelum had always done everything to ignore the flowers that bloomed in her trail, that clung to her in greetings to what would one day be the embodiment of Summer, should she only accept the titles.
He draws her attention as he speaks, her smile amused.
She tilts her head to one side, those ivory waves bouncing, exposing the star on her forehead, the speckling of where her roaned features faded into the pale blue of her neck, "Oh, knowledge of dangerous things can truly be useful, but Fae rarely share their secrets. We are rather selfish creatures after all. We like to keep what we obtain. We do not divulge." How ironic, considering whom she was talking to. Particularly when you consider that she did have similar means at her own disposal to do precisely as he was enticing. Fae music could ensnare the individual, forcing them to dance for eternity and never leave. A bite of food made from ingredients native to her realm would leave someone dependent on them, unable to eat mortal fairs.
How often had she playfully, and not seriously, tempted herself with doing the same to Vikander for a day?
After this fateful meeting, her determination to not accidentally ensnare others would only increase dramatically. "Oh, dear Sebastien, most Fae are dangerous by nature. We just obscure our intentions far better than most." There, for a moment, she was free of the enchantments, those brown eyes darkening, her muzzle twisting briefly into an expression far darker than might normally be seen upon her delicate features. It's a look borrowed from her truest love, from the demonic stallion who had been her everything. Who had taught her that it was okay to allow the darkness some control because balance made your place in the world. She wasn't just the Light of Summer anymore. She was something more.
Her features soon softened, the weight of his magic quickly settling over her once again.
She settled soon enough, tilting her head, her features softening, an elegant, delicate, and proper lady who looked at home among the courts. He explains that Solterra was where he was originally from, speaking of nostalgia from his childhood and wanting to learn everything about Novus and the courts. Then he asks about her. She turns her gaze to the celebrations around them, and for a moment, a flicker of mournful familiarity crosses her face, "Nostalgia." She agrees, "Solterrians live life with the same vibrancy as my people did." Before she'd led the destruction to the Summer Court's doorstep. An unintentional invitation to those who would burn her kingdom to the ground in retaliation to her own conservative war efforts. She knew there were casualties in war. She had not been prepared for how tragic and all-encompassing they could be. She turned her attention back to him, her ears perked forward slightly, twitching as the motion caused them to brush against the flowers embedded into her mane, "I can also not deny my curiosity of how others handle coronations, and how it compares to the methods of my own people. Does Solterra typically find any reason to hold a celebration, or is it a function reserved for moments like this?" She adds with a curiosity, her head tilting to the side to observe the celebrations once more. Her people found a way to celebrate anything. Ironic, considering she'd missed her coronation, unaware she'd been raised to 'Queen' upon her parents' murder until she'd seen the graffiti praising her in the face of the heathens still ransacking her home.
When he speaks of indulging a scholar, she pauses.
A promise to see Solterra in exchange for stories of her people. She tilts her head, her expression thoughtful, "I suppose I can grant such a request. Naturally, not all of our stories can be spread. I am honor-bound to not indulge all of our secrets." It's proof of the depth of his magic's control, when the next sentence slips out without her notice, "I will not betray my citizens again." The possession is spoken without her notice, as she turns to observe the celebrations around them, really not finding any fault in the idea of leaving this place that hurt her heart to watch. She turns back to Sebastien, a beautiful smile stretching across her features.
"Lead the way, I am at your disposal."
She'd regret those words later.
"Speech"
Thoughts
@Sebastien
Notes: YYYEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSS. Caelum, I'm so sorry baby T.T
they're sittin' in the vase but now they're dead.
dead flowers.
art by bingo
