The fae was watching the taller stallion through curious eyes; the warmth of that chocolate gaze a typical look for any to receive when interacting with her. The warrior queen was very much buried deep below the kindly, and wise tea shop owner. Novus didn't need her to be a warrior queen for Denocte - and she didn't think she could be one even if she aspired for it. No, the wise, and gentle natured fae of medicine was what she felt drawn to. Atleast while all of Novus seemed to be finding a state of peace.
These thoughts were not shared by the soul currently nuzzled into the necklace around her neck however. Tiana had concerns. Concerns of trouble brewing in the form of that stallion who bewitched Caelum's mind with out permission every time she was in range of his magic, and Tiana suspected, before that debacle would end, Seb's actions would lead Novus to seeing the true beauty in her friend, her brother's love; her bonded. Caelum would destroy the world for those she cared about, but having her own freedom robbed from her - she would never have permitted willingly - not again. Caelum had been enslaved before, Tiana had been a trapped soul in a necklace at the time; but she had seen the struggles Caelum had faced daily.
No, Tiana was certain, when it came to light, the manipulations of that stallion - Caelum would go to war for her own honor - and Tiana also suspected, the friendships Caelum cultivated with out preamble, willingly to just have friends -- they would come to her aid in a moment. The case of who would fight for Caelum the hardest to free her from that dastardly being's clutches were certainly up for debate. But Tiana knew the interactions, the magic woven deep into Caelum's mind, met that it would have to get ugly before Caelum was properly freed from that entanglement.
The fae in question was unaware of the trappings Seb had laid, to manipulate her, to control her emotions, to lead her towards a dependency; and until the time came when she discovered the truth, she would be the kind and wise tea maker. But that is a concern for another time, and one Caelum is unaware of - so Tiana doesn't bring it up, she keeps her thoughts to herself, and instead merely keeps that warm glow close to Caelum's heart, offering her never ending support to her bonded.
Caelum herself was happily settling into the conversation however, her gaze briefly flickering to the refraction and reflection of light from the minerals that coated Jarek's pelt like a natural armor. She would have to ask about them some time, her curiosity would demand it. But for now, there were more important conversations to be had. Her smile fell when she spoke of what had befallen her kingdom. "The princess was not currently within her own kingdom when much of it befell the fae lands. She was elsewhere, in a land of her own making with a beloved, and a child. Our king and queen were aware enough to take shelter those the princess freed, but the princess should have been smart enough to know that those they were rescuing the enslaved from would wish revenge. She should have been more cautious, should have know they would infiltrate. Instead, she felt herself invincible in those days. How foolish she was. She had an army that was slaughtered in her name. Her kingdom ransacked, guards defeated by a number of angry brutes who attacked unexpectedly. Her choices led to the slaughter of a nation, bodies laying in the streets. Her parents dead in the thrown room when she finally reached them. Her mate of the time dead. Her own . . ." Her words catch, and she barely conceals a flinch, her heart clenching, her heart aching, and for a moment the loathing that was directed inwards was replaced with something more painful, more regretting, the pain of a mother who buries a child before he was old enough to taste his first blade of grass, the sweet crispness of an apple. "Her own son, her beloved son dead from an ambush that saw the small guard of 40 dwindle to 7, one of which was herself. She lost her whole world with her foolishness. Yet her people name her queen as if she's some might being. They are wrong. She is no queen. She is a disgrace."
She was a disgrace, an absolute disgrace. To let that befall her people, her parents, Calico . . . and her beloved child. She had done that. She had destroyed everything she loved. Trey would be so ashamed of her. The sharp spike of heat at that thought briefly had the necklace around her neck flash hard, a punishing zap from the spirit inside that Caelum would ever think that. Tiana knew one thing more certainly than ever, you and I both know that my brother could never be ashamed of you. He would be proud of all you were able to accomplish, all the lives you did set free, and he would mourn with you, not blame you for the death that came in the wake of those who wished to control and own another being. He would be so, so proud of all you accomplished, and he would weep along side you for all you lost. The spirit gently reminded her through their mental connection.
Caelum didn't answer her though - it was a truth she wasn't yet ready to embrace, to admit. Instead she focused fully on Jarek. Someone else she could help. Someone else she could provide council for. She always did have a hero's complex, didn't she? "Why Jarek, how forward of you." Her words were teasing, in attempt to dispel the seriousness of her previous conversation talk, "We barely know one another." She added, the ice and pain in her chocolate eyes once more melting into a warmer tone. "But I do understand your sentiment. The company of a friend can do wonders, and the environment is certainly one of comfort - though I should caution you not to wander too far about with out proper care - this land is common place for those who wish to follow more carnal pursuits after all. You may come across a rather amorous pair lost in the throes of their own desires for each other." She warned, before tilting her head at his concept of home, "That is a wise thought. Perhaps you should consider who it is you would wish to surround yourself with. There are many types who claim Novus their home. Misfits, and soldiers, scholars and priests, those with wise hearts; those whose kindess shine like a light, and those who carry hardness about them as if the act of consideration for others would fell them from the mantle they perceive themselves on. Whom do you wish to associate with? Only by discovering who you really want to associate with, can you find a place in which you can truly belong."
At the request of a sort of drawing to where things were, the fae paused, before she looked towards the place in front of them, "Perhaps this will provide aid for the moment, I shall search for a proper map of you." As she spoke, the the grass before them, in the shape of a large rectangle began to rescind towards the ground in patches, leaving a rough outline of Novus that was then portioned off into five sections. A small white flower blossomed in the current location, as even smaller blue flowers filled in the rivers of Novus to help offer land marks, "We are here, at Amare Creek; this little white flower. If you head north, that river is Rapax River in Dawn Court." A single flower with a center of yellow that faded into pinks and pale purples blossomed over the heart of Dawn Court, "And that is the point of where their seat of power resides. Now, if you were to travel to the east, and cross that river, and travel through the massive forest in that area, you shall notice you're back into this center land, and it only extends to the north, west and south -- these areas offer a sort of buffer between the courts, as the area to the east has natural buffers. Now, this area to the north is Eluetheria Plains, and stands as the common land between Dawn and Day. Once you pass through the plains, you find yourself in Mors Desert, and into Solterra, the Day Court."
Her a sunflower grows over the main seat of the court, marking it for him, "This is where you can find the majority of the population of the Day Court, as much of the land in the court is a bit treacherous, with a large desert, ragged cliffs, and some rather dangerous predators of the area. Now, if you were to head south, you would come across Elatus Canyon, which is the furthest south point of this court. When the land then moves into the mountains, you will find yourself in Denocte, my home. These mountains, Arma Mountains, as well as the Canyon in Solterra prove the buffers between our two homes, and Arma Mountains are also particularly dangerous. Many do not attempt to make their way through it the first time with out a guide do to the peril involved." She explains, before allowing the large lake to be filled in by those same water marking flowers. "This is Vitreus Lake, where I actually have my shop set up, and directly below it, where the dark purple and black flower is growing, is where my Court exists, along with the famous Night Markets. Anything you may wish to source is likely to be sold in those markets." She instructed, before continuing to walk him through the map, "To the west of Denocte is the Belle Steppe, a rather trechrous land and often used for fighting. You'll find Veneror Peak, home of this land's gods, as well as the caves we first met in. But, if you were to continue west - you would find yourself in Terrastella, the land that overlooks the sea."
Here a flower of pinks, purples and dusky blues grew over the heart of the court, "This is the heart of the Dusk Court, sitting just off of the cliffs overlooking Terminus Sea. And if you head back to the north again, you will find yourself passing through the Swamp, and then back into Amare Creek, and once more where you and I are currently sitting, and talking. Has this helped?" She asked hopefully, surprising even herself with the knowledge she has gained since coming to Novus. Not that it should surprise her, she was 11 now - even if she had stopped aging, and so she had made a home for herself in Denocte slowly over the course of four years. Of course she should be well acquainted with Novus now.
He then spoke of Leviathan, mentioning needing to know what brings folks to rule. and she pauses, uncertain about how to handle the question, "Why do you wish to know about how one rules?" She questioned, "Perhaps I should first ask, which part of it you wish to know - how one becomes a sovereign, or how the sovereigns actually work with in their courts - as each court, each sovereign is different; and often rule in their own style." And she would be the first to admit she'd been more than a little alarmed at the less than typical diplomacy and culture shown by some of the current sovereigns. Her father would have had a heart attack if she'd attempted to run her kingdom with the same style! When he steps closer, she blinks in surprise and tilts her head up so she could continue to look up at him, his massive height growing more apparent in the stark difference between her much shorter height. His whisper however has he pausing. How much control do the gods have in how Novus works, and if she trusts the gods. She pauses, before her gaze turns away briefly, clearly considering her answers.
Finally she looks back towards him (or rather up at him, someone should really shrink him to a size that was easier to converse with - curse the fae race for being on the smaller side). "I have no qualms with the gods of Novus, but . . . I am not Novian raised, my home world is just that - another world, so please understand that means my relationship with them is not . . . . exactly existant. My people do not worship gods, we instead surround ourselves to the seasons. Summer will always mean more to me than Caligo, even if I attempt to outrun her blessings." She doesn't explain her words, doesn't go into detail what it would mean to accept what the season wanted to bestow upon the fae. The Summer Queen was meant to embody the season - and she wasn't ready to become the official Champion of Summer in her world, especially with the unknowns of how it would manifest in this one. She does offer a slight smile, "But what I have heard of them, is not necessarily bad, as I state, I have no qualms with them.
"As for their control - they handle Novus in a rather hands off approach. The equine of Novus govern ourselves, it is only through prayer and offerings that most interact with the gods and goddesses. Typically their actions are limited to attempting to fix any sort of calamity, or risk of destruction to Novus - a power to protect us. However, they often will be the ones who choose the next ruler of a Court, when one steps down with out another ready to replace them. Naturally, if a challenge occurs, the winner of the fight becomes king or queen; or if one Sovereign steps down, but their Co-Sovereign does not; that Co-Sovereign remains the sole Sovereign until they choose a Co-Sovereign. But if there is no one ready to take the thrown immediately through right, or conquest - the Gods will choose who will next rule their kingdom from the seat of power. I hope this offered some of the answers you sought?"
“Talk.”
(Alternate color for thoughts).
Tiana, the bonded soul-spirit
@Jarek
These thoughts were not shared by the soul currently nuzzled into the necklace around her neck however. Tiana had concerns. Concerns of trouble brewing in the form of that stallion who bewitched Caelum's mind with out permission every time she was in range of his magic, and Tiana suspected, before that debacle would end, Seb's actions would lead Novus to seeing the true beauty in her friend, her brother's love; her bonded. Caelum would destroy the world for those she cared about, but having her own freedom robbed from her - she would never have permitted willingly - not again. Caelum had been enslaved before, Tiana had been a trapped soul in a necklace at the time; but she had seen the struggles Caelum had faced daily.
No, Tiana was certain, when it came to light, the manipulations of that stallion - Caelum would go to war for her own honor - and Tiana also suspected, the friendships Caelum cultivated with out preamble, willingly to just have friends -- they would come to her aid in a moment. The case of who would fight for Caelum the hardest to free her from that dastardly being's clutches were certainly up for debate. But Tiana knew the interactions, the magic woven deep into Caelum's mind, met that it would have to get ugly before Caelum was properly freed from that entanglement.
The fae in question was unaware of the trappings Seb had laid, to manipulate her, to control her emotions, to lead her towards a dependency; and until the time came when she discovered the truth, she would be the kind and wise tea maker. But that is a concern for another time, and one Caelum is unaware of - so Tiana doesn't bring it up, she keeps her thoughts to herself, and instead merely keeps that warm glow close to Caelum's heart, offering her never ending support to her bonded.
Caelum herself was happily settling into the conversation however, her gaze briefly flickering to the refraction and reflection of light from the minerals that coated Jarek's pelt like a natural armor. She would have to ask about them some time, her curiosity would demand it. But for now, there were more important conversations to be had. Her smile fell when she spoke of what had befallen her kingdom. "The princess was not currently within her own kingdom when much of it befell the fae lands. She was elsewhere, in a land of her own making with a beloved, and a child. Our king and queen were aware enough to take shelter those the princess freed, but the princess should have been smart enough to know that those they were rescuing the enslaved from would wish revenge. She should have been more cautious, should have know they would infiltrate. Instead, she felt herself invincible in those days. How foolish she was. She had an army that was slaughtered in her name. Her kingdom ransacked, guards defeated by a number of angry brutes who attacked unexpectedly. Her choices led to the slaughter of a nation, bodies laying in the streets. Her parents dead in the thrown room when she finally reached them. Her mate of the time dead. Her own . . ." Her words catch, and she barely conceals a flinch, her heart clenching, her heart aching, and for a moment the loathing that was directed inwards was replaced with something more painful, more regretting, the pain of a mother who buries a child before he was old enough to taste his first blade of grass, the sweet crispness of an apple. "Her own son, her beloved son dead from an ambush that saw the small guard of 40 dwindle to 7, one of which was herself. She lost her whole world with her foolishness. Yet her people name her queen as if she's some might being. They are wrong. She is no queen. She is a disgrace."
She was a disgrace, an absolute disgrace. To let that befall her people, her parents, Calico . . . and her beloved child. She had done that. She had destroyed everything she loved. Trey would be so ashamed of her. The sharp spike of heat at that thought briefly had the necklace around her neck flash hard, a punishing zap from the spirit inside that Caelum would ever think that. Tiana knew one thing more certainly than ever, you and I both know that my brother could never be ashamed of you. He would be proud of all you were able to accomplish, all the lives you did set free, and he would mourn with you, not blame you for the death that came in the wake of those who wished to control and own another being. He would be so, so proud of all you accomplished, and he would weep along side you for all you lost. The spirit gently reminded her through their mental connection.
Caelum didn't answer her though - it was a truth she wasn't yet ready to embrace, to admit. Instead she focused fully on Jarek. Someone else she could help. Someone else she could provide council for. She always did have a hero's complex, didn't she? "Why Jarek, how forward of you." Her words were teasing, in attempt to dispel the seriousness of her previous conversation talk, "We barely know one another." She added, the ice and pain in her chocolate eyes once more melting into a warmer tone. "But I do understand your sentiment. The company of a friend can do wonders, and the environment is certainly one of comfort - though I should caution you not to wander too far about with out proper care - this land is common place for those who wish to follow more carnal pursuits after all. You may come across a rather amorous pair lost in the throes of their own desires for each other." She warned, before tilting her head at his concept of home, "That is a wise thought. Perhaps you should consider who it is you would wish to surround yourself with. There are many types who claim Novus their home. Misfits, and soldiers, scholars and priests, those with wise hearts; those whose kindess shine like a light, and those who carry hardness about them as if the act of consideration for others would fell them from the mantle they perceive themselves on. Whom do you wish to associate with? Only by discovering who you really want to associate with, can you find a place in which you can truly belong."
At the request of a sort of drawing to where things were, the fae paused, before she looked towards the place in front of them, "Perhaps this will provide aid for the moment, I shall search for a proper map of you." As she spoke, the the grass before them, in the shape of a large rectangle began to rescind towards the ground in patches, leaving a rough outline of Novus that was then portioned off into five sections. A small white flower blossomed in the current location, as even smaller blue flowers filled in the rivers of Novus to help offer land marks, "We are here, at Amare Creek; this little white flower. If you head north, that river is Rapax River in Dawn Court." A single flower with a center of yellow that faded into pinks and pale purples blossomed over the heart of Dawn Court, "And that is the point of where their seat of power resides. Now, if you were to travel to the east, and cross that river, and travel through the massive forest in that area, you shall notice you're back into this center land, and it only extends to the north, west and south -- these areas offer a sort of buffer between the courts, as the area to the east has natural buffers. Now, this area to the north is Eluetheria Plains, and stands as the common land between Dawn and Day. Once you pass through the plains, you find yourself in Mors Desert, and into Solterra, the Day Court."
Her a sunflower grows over the main seat of the court, marking it for him, "This is where you can find the majority of the population of the Day Court, as much of the land in the court is a bit treacherous, with a large desert, ragged cliffs, and some rather dangerous predators of the area. Now, if you were to head south, you would come across Elatus Canyon, which is the furthest south point of this court. When the land then moves into the mountains, you will find yourself in Denocte, my home. These mountains, Arma Mountains, as well as the Canyon in Solterra prove the buffers between our two homes, and Arma Mountains are also particularly dangerous. Many do not attempt to make their way through it the first time with out a guide do to the peril involved." She explains, before allowing the large lake to be filled in by those same water marking flowers. "This is Vitreus Lake, where I actually have my shop set up, and directly below it, where the dark purple and black flower is growing, is where my Court exists, along with the famous Night Markets. Anything you may wish to source is likely to be sold in those markets." She instructed, before continuing to walk him through the map, "To the west of Denocte is the Belle Steppe, a rather trechrous land and often used for fighting. You'll find Veneror Peak, home of this land's gods, as well as the caves we first met in. But, if you were to continue west - you would find yourself in Terrastella, the land that overlooks the sea."
Here a flower of pinks, purples and dusky blues grew over the heart of the court, "This is the heart of the Dusk Court, sitting just off of the cliffs overlooking Terminus Sea. And if you head back to the north again, you will find yourself passing through the Swamp, and then back into Amare Creek, and once more where you and I are currently sitting, and talking. Has this helped?" She asked hopefully, surprising even herself with the knowledge she has gained since coming to Novus. Not that it should surprise her, she was 11 now - even if she had stopped aging, and so she had made a home for herself in Denocte slowly over the course of four years. Of course she should be well acquainted with Novus now.
He then spoke of Leviathan, mentioning needing to know what brings folks to rule. and she pauses, uncertain about how to handle the question, "Why do you wish to know about how one rules?" She questioned, "Perhaps I should first ask, which part of it you wish to know - how one becomes a sovereign, or how the sovereigns actually work with in their courts - as each court, each sovereign is different; and often rule in their own style." And she would be the first to admit she'd been more than a little alarmed at the less than typical diplomacy and culture shown by some of the current sovereigns. Her father would have had a heart attack if she'd attempted to run her kingdom with the same style! When he steps closer, she blinks in surprise and tilts her head up so she could continue to look up at him, his massive height growing more apparent in the stark difference between her much shorter height. His whisper however has he pausing. How much control do the gods have in how Novus works, and if she trusts the gods. She pauses, before her gaze turns away briefly, clearly considering her answers.
Finally she looks back towards him (or rather up at him, someone should really shrink him to a size that was easier to converse with - curse the fae race for being on the smaller side). "I have no qualms with the gods of Novus, but . . . I am not Novian raised, my home world is just that - another world, so please understand that means my relationship with them is not . . . . exactly existant. My people do not worship gods, we instead surround ourselves to the seasons. Summer will always mean more to me than Caligo, even if I attempt to outrun her blessings." She doesn't explain her words, doesn't go into detail what it would mean to accept what the season wanted to bestow upon the fae. The Summer Queen was meant to embody the season - and she wasn't ready to become the official Champion of Summer in her world, especially with the unknowns of how it would manifest in this one. She does offer a slight smile, "But what I have heard of them, is not necessarily bad, as I state, I have no qualms with them.
"As for their control - they handle Novus in a rather hands off approach. The equine of Novus govern ourselves, it is only through prayer and offerings that most interact with the gods and goddesses. Typically their actions are limited to attempting to fix any sort of calamity, or risk of destruction to Novus - a power to protect us. However, they often will be the ones who choose the next ruler of a Court, when one steps down with out another ready to replace them. Naturally, if a challenge occurs, the winner of the fight becomes king or queen; or if one Sovereign steps down, but their Co-Sovereign does not; that Co-Sovereign remains the sole Sovereign until they choose a Co-Sovereign. But if there is no one ready to take the thrown immediately through right, or conquest - the Gods will choose who will next rule their kingdom from the seat of power. I hope this offered some of the answers you sought?"
“Talk.”
(Alternate color for thoughts).
Tiana, the bonded soul-spirit
@Jarek
Running out of fucks that I can give to you
But you can still be pretty on the inside, too
Your heart's so cold, but I love the way you lie
Should've seen the red flags, but for you I'm fucking blind
But you can still be pretty on the inside, too
Your heart's so cold, but I love the way you lie
Should've seen the red flags, but for you I'm fucking blind
