I'm tugging at my hair
I'm pulling at my clothes
I'm tryna keep my cool
I know it shows
The air was still, silent.
It'd been still and silent for a while. A landscape of ivory. Perfect. Untouched. Unblemished. Pure, and innocent. Vibrant and full of life. Hiding death and deceit. Winter was the cruel hand of fate, tricking you with the way the snow glimmers like diamonds to obscure the way the world dies, animals struggle to make it through with limited food. The proper time of when only the strong, and the prepared make it. Caelum knows she's 'strong and prepared' because her species aren't victims to their intentions, their baser urges. They think, and speak, and plan and do. While others are shocked by the turn of the season, and that first snow, horses, equine - they prepare for the approach of winter. Herbs were gathered in advance by medics. Artisans stocking up on their goods. Stores of food so none go without.
Yet, all Caelum sees is what's beneath.
Beneath that picturesque scape, the ground is barren. As the snow drifts down, so romantically, so peacefully; small animals shiver, quiver, trying to stay warm to not freeze to death. Small animals, so desperate for survival. Caelum finds little joy in winter because she's seen the less fortunate who struggle to make it through. She had walked upon the less fortunate equine once upon a time. Draping blankets over tiny backs, offering food to those already weak from an escaped life of slavery. Winter had been the hardest time them . . . Winter had always been hard. Winter had been when she'd lost it all too. She had come to find no beauty in this time. Where others saw a white blanket of unbroken snow, beautiful, vibrant, pure. Caelum remembers walking into the heart of the Summer Court. She remembers seeing those lumps buried under snow, the knowledge that the ivory coating was proof before she'd even seen them, that her parents had passed with most of their citizens. While a ruler of Summer sat on the throne, the land was in a constant state of Summer. The moment her father had perished, so had that connection to Summer.
Did her people panic, or mourn, when the first snow fell?
She wanders deeper through these non-court lands. She doesn't know what she'll find, but . . . she just needed time away. So she'd set off. Set off, and meandered. What had been morning, had turned into afternoon, and now was approaching evening. Soon, the night would fall, the moon would rise, and when it did, the world would seem aglow by the snow reflecting the light of the moon. As bright as day, in a way only snow could produce. She didn't care to see it, she wouldn't find it beautiful, because her memories cast shadows in the snow, and that pure light turned into a blood bath the longer she stared. Her gaze was conflicted behind her ivory mane, wondering if perhaps she should head back home, to Night Court, settle into her beloved shop, close the doors against the snow, curl up beneath a blanket, and wish for warmth, for summer.
If she would just embrace it, she could have it.
But her heart refused to acknowledge her birthright. Her people may call her Queen of Summer, but she wasn't ready to be the embodiment. Not yet. That was still supposed to be her father. Delicate hooves clicked against stone, and she pauses, as if only just now realizing she'd stopped flying at some point. The snow was high around her knees, cold, chilling. She glances back and can see the path of flowers that had grown up with each step, already they were collecting snow, being buried, suffocated, frozen. Was she just as bad? Growing these flowers just for them to succumb to the snow before the next morning? Her gaze turns away, wings tucking against her back, the delicate filmy appendages being carefully folded down to ensure they wouldn't tear. Her eyes focus on the opening in the side of the mountain.
A brief moment of curiosity flares within her.
A cave system? Had she heard of this? Maybe? She wasn't sure. Ears perked forward as she looked around slowly before delicate, long limbs stepped free of the snow and carried her into the entrance of the tunnel system. Her ears remain perked, swiveling as if to catch anything that might let her know if she was about to come across a hybernating bear. She steps further in, out of the snow and it's only from the red glow of the gem around her neck that she can see as well as she does in these caves. She's not afraid of the dark, she'd learned to embrace it long ago, when she'd fallen for a demon. And so she journeyed further, to see what may await her with in the depths of these caves.
"Speech" Thoughts
Open to Any Notes: Wanted a Cael Post. Anyone welcome, good, evil, nice, not nice. Those who want to say hi, or those that go 'oh, you're in the abigo caves, can I steal you away and keep you?' xD
I'm staring at my feet
My cheeks are turning red
I'm searching for the words inside my head
The stillness of the caves was unsettling, he felt as though there were eyes in the walls watching him. That they could peer into his soul and see every misdone deed he’d ever committed. The cave however did feel like some relief from the biting cold outside. Being a larger creature he had some difficulty with staying warm. Movement helped to warm him, but his bones still felt chilled within the caves. It felt to him closed in and haunting. He was used to open wide spaces and desert life.
He had been born in the summer, a strong and enormous colt. His mother had struggled to find enough nutrition for them both. His very existence had caused her to succumb. She had given everything so that he may walk on. His father had flown into a rage on finding his wife dead, essentially by work of his son's existence. Perhaps what really turned the anger and guilt of his father, was that it took two beings to create life. In this way he was also responsible for the birth of Jarek.
It was then he noticed the crisp frozen flowers. These were well out of place. Nothing would have grown like this naturally. Perhaps these caves would be a source of unnatural food, or warmth deeper in. He owed it to his own curiosity to find out what was within. He nibbled at the flower. The taste of it was strange, it did not taste all that good. The flowers would not be a source of food for him. They were likely hardly worth the nutrition to chew them, and if he had to survive on that taste…he had to find something else.
Each step of his hooves sent ringing down the caves. His presence would not be hidden here for long. He was in turn actually in search of a home. A place where he could isolate himself from the rest of the world. He could however smell the faint scent of others that had passed through here. It was unlikely that these caves would be remote enough for his hermit lifestyle. For now he needed to lay low and gather support. He did admit that his mind was starting to become a little shaken at lack of interaction with others. It truly had been the longest and most challenging trek of his life. He only hoped it would prove to be worth it.
OOC: <3
01-28-2022, 12:05 AM - This post was last modified: 01-28-2022, 06:51 PM by Jarek
I'm tugging at my hair
I'm pulling at my clothes
I'm tryna keep my cool
I know it shows
The fae moved quietly through the system.
Her hooves clicked delicately against the rock, small lichen and luminescent flowers glowing at a slower rate around her hooves, struggling in the unfamiliar environment. The soft ruby glow of her necklace lit the world around her enough to provide her a sense of direction. Enough light to keep her from walking into a wall as she traveled. A slight sound further behind her had her pause, head spinning, ivory forelock drifting in loose waves over her eyes as she attempted to discover what it was.
Her ears perk, before eventually dismissing it.
She continues along her trek, steps light, her wings held close to her body, her gaze curious for what she may find. Veins of gems and minerals? Anything she could collect for her shop? Luminescent cave live? There was no knowing what could be hiding in the depths of these caverns. Finally the sound repeats behind her and Caelum pauses a second time, suddenly cautious, unsure. Was someone else in these caves? Was someone else exploring?
Who may they be?
"Hello?" Her voices echoes along the slick walls of the humid cave, her gaze curious, peering through the darkness, "Is someone else there?" She adds cautiously, ears half pinning in uncertainty. Ready to defend herself if need be. You never know who might be out there.
The scents that danced around his nostrils told of long ago struggles. This was an interesting place indeed. Filled with turmoil and struggle. The cramped and cold space made him feel unsettled. Why and where were they running to? Curiosity drove him onwards. His breath visible in swirling huffs, he had never been somewhere so cold as these lands. The cold made him feel miserable, it made him feel lethargic.
The flowers still grew in a pattern ahead, leading him - he hoped to a prize ahead. He could now start to smell something. Someone to be more exact. This scent was a lot fresher than the others he had been noting. It smelt exotic and wild to his senses. What exactly was this tunnel he had found himself in?
Then he heard the words calling out in the darkness down a different turn, deeper within the tunnels. His ears flicked forwards and focused on determining its exact origin. He stepped from the shadows revealing himself with smooth motions. Icy blue eyes taking in the beautiful form that was before him. He was momentarily taken aback by her appearance. Who was this little lady?
Were those wings? He looked closer looking for deception and trickery.“Good evening little dragonfly.” He said softly in his gravelly voice. Trickery or not, this creature seemed to be….otherworldly. Perhaps she would even prove to be his bridge back to the desert gods he held so dearly.
OOC: <3
01-28-2022, 07:11 PM - This post was last modified: 01-28-2022, 07:11 PM by Jarek
I'm tugging at my hair
I'm pulling at my clothes
I'm tryna keep my cool
I know it shows
They say darkness guards many secrets.
Caelum was no stranger to the darkness. Her past was filled with it. From her time in slaves before freedom bells wrong and she was given a means out, to her beloved Tremaine who was all sinister smirks and soft eyes. But she also knew the dangers of some of the locations of Novus. Of the desert with the monsters that live within, to the rumored wendigo in the forest of dawn . . . And these caves the more she traveled the more she realized where she was.
The land of thievery.
She has to snort at the idea. That someone would come into these caves just to try and steal away another? What kind of world would that be. Where people were mere possessions to be stolen away and kept. In coming months she would be more aware of how terrifying an idea this is but for now she still scoffs. Even if the wariness remains.
She hears movement.
She watches him peel away from the shadows, an inky shadow in his own right as he steps forward. She has to crane her head back, staring up at the impossible height and she feels her mouth go dry with the thought of his size. If he were a foe, could she truly defend herself from . . . Well this mountain.
His greeting irritates her.
She huffy, tossing back her ivory forelock, chocolate eyes turning annoyed, "I am no such dragonfly and would prefer you not address me as such. My name is Caelum, a member of Denocte." She states instead, her words crisp, clear, elegant and proper. A lady, even if she was small. She continues to watch him, gaze guarded.
This wasn't Denocte, not like Boleyn.
This was a new situation, and she wasn't about to be a welcome commitee to an unknown entity. Was this was that roaned stallion meant so long ago about her needing some protection, could he sense the dangers she walks into and stumbled upon.
No, she'd be cautious for now.
She's be safe.
Because she knew better than to blindly trust a stranger.
In the desert - such wings would be valued highly. The warriors of the land that had to trek through thick and heavy sands would appreciate such a creature. She could fly over the challenging terrain and provide an extraordinary benefit. The potential was truly endless; messages, carrying some goods and services. This creature he now knew to be named Caelum and she didn’t like being called a dragonfly. A dragonfly was beautiful and lithe, at times even was able to bite. Thus far it still seemed accurate, but he would keep his opinions to himself for now.
The dragonflies in the desert were creatures that flourished and took advantage of their surroundings. Some point in history they had adapted to being able to scavenge meat, from there their populace had bloomed out of control. He was hardly an expert and didn’t find their existence to be all that interesting beyond observing them flittering and fluttering.
“My sincere apologies Caelum.” he said softly, tasting the sound of her name, letting the silence hang. He stood still in some attempt to let her relax slightly. The last thing he wanted was for her to fly off and leave more of these questions unsolved. He wondered how common it was for equine in these lands to have wings. He also didn’t know what Denocte was. A herd? A place? A tribe?
He noticed the flowers seemed to lead to her, they followed what potentially may have been her path. “I am Jarek of nowhere, I have walked the desert this entire season. I have never seen radiant blooms like these before” , observing the unusualness of the flowers. There were limited flowers that grew in the desert, when the rains came there would be a temporary show of colour and greenery before it faded back into the dull sands.
How did a creature that could fly feel in a cave? Did she feel as trapped and claustrophobic as he did? He didn’t truly believe himself a monster, but he knew that there were those in the world that didn’t appreciate his appetites.
OOC: <3
01-28-2022, 08:24 PM - This post was last modified: 01-28-2022, 08:25 PM by Jarek
I'm tugging at my hair
I'm pulling at my clothes
I'm tryna keep my cool
I know it shows
The fae was being cautious.
And it was affecting her genial mood when introducing herself to strangers. But she also knew, upon being where she was; caution was important. She hadn't been too concerned when first entering these caves, unaware of their importance. Now, having experienced kidnapping before; a stranger was considered an unknown until their motives could be revealed.
This stranger soon apologies.
His voice soft, though she can't help but wonder if it was an act or a true softness. She had heard of others able to utilize honey words as deceitful trickery. She herself was know to hide her own emotions behind false smiles and laughter. His gaze falls to her feet and she glances down at the flowers scattered around her limbs.
The small flowers brushing her ankles, petals nuzzling her.
He introduces himself as Jarek, of nowhere; and a faint frown touches her features. Nowhere alluded to Vagabond. She hadn't properly met one, unless you counted Huehuecoyotl; but Coy had been a part of her own past, a familiar face; and he'd settled into Dawn when his mate had become Sovereign.
Sometimes her own connections startled her.
Old friends with the mate of the Dawn Sovereign, Best friends with one of the Co-Sovereigns of Denocte. Her thoughts trail of when he mentioned having never seen blooms like the ones growing around her. A hoof pushes through the blossoms. Her voice was soft when she spoke, "Oh, they tend to reflect the flowers found in the locations I am in." She explains wings rustling, shedding fairy dust that glitter in the soft red glow of her necklace.
"It is supposed to be a birthright."
Her voice makes it obvious it's not a birthright she is comfortable with.
He listened intently to her words. Ears remaining pricked forwards. The tone of her voice displayed discomfort with the gifts of her ancestors. It was interesting that she would have a birthright that would cause plants to grow even in winter. His kind had limited magic, the dust desert gods sometimes would give them glimpses of their desires. When these were filled, occasionally they would be showered in blessings. The Desert gods were vicious and unrelenting in hunger for destruction and chaos. Some had gone as far to call them demons rather than gods. His own personal experience with them just further conflicted his beliefs. They had led him here, then up and disappeared. But he could see before him evidence of magic, real magic.
“Do you have any control over what grows?”he asked with a curious tone. He took a small step forwards lifting enormous hooves and shifting his weight. He dipped his enormous neck to take a closer look at the flowers surrounding her hooves. Looking back up at her from this lower pose he added. “It’s truly remarkable that these grow beneath your hooves”. His icy blue eyes focused on her with interest and intrigue.
He was used to weaker mares responding simply to his physical prowess. She had layers of complexity that seemed to go beyond that. “So do all your relatives grow plants?” he inquired softly. “My kin come from desert lands. Ground loose and constantly shifting, each day the face of it changes. There are oases that allow our survival, but it takes resourcefulness and determination to survive. It is, however, warm year round. This coldness is chilling my bones.” He shivered as if reinforcing the words, his breath still visible in soft swirling patterns.
His eyes caught the sparkle of her wings as he lifted his head. That was something dragonflies didn’t do. Perhaps she truly was something else. He felt wary of the dust, of what he did not understand. Plants seemed innocuous enough, but the dust. The dust was an unknown factor. He was trained in operating smoothly and without giving away the game. It was simply something he was going to have to be mindful of.
The soft red glow of her necklace was ominous and he wondered about its function. Was it warm because of its colour? He made a mental note to enquire about it if the conversation came up. This however was not intended to be an interrogation. Jarek accepted it was likely some elements of this mare would remain a mystery.
OOC: He thinks his really smooth, but clearly Caelum isn't that impressed. lol
I'm tugging at my hair
I'm pulling at my clothes
I'm tryna keep my cool
I know it shows
The maiden's ears flicked quietly.
Not quite buried in her mane, but flinched back as she looks down at the flowers. She used to love the flowers her mother trailed everywhere she walked. Would beg for her mother to trot around so she could roll in them as a young filly. Now, they fill her belly with dread, knowing this so-called-gift was given because her parents were gone. Murdered by those villains who had wanted so desperately to hurt her, to destroy her. Her and everything that she loved.
They had certainly succeeded.
Her kingdom in ruins, her parents dead. Calico dead. And her beloved little boy stolen from her before he was old enough to even truly experience life. The fae was queen of a dead land that lay in ruins. And she was now running from the very birthrights bestowed upon the ruler of the Summer fae. She was running from Summer itself. Jarek is curious however, and the mare casually shakes her head, "Not truly. It is typically only what is common in the area. Rather than any control on my part." The runaway queen admits. His step forward has her cautiously freeze before he merely drops his head to look at the flowers, before his gaze raises to her. She shifts her own weight, awkward and unsure still of his intentions, but she doesn't respond.
Her gaze turns away, as Tiana's necklace warms around her neck.
The warmth is enough to reground her. Soothe her, even. Tiana was always watching out for her. She glances back to the stallion when he spoke again, asking of her relatives, "Only my mother. It is only gifted to the rare few." She doesn't elaborate that it is a gift for the current rulers of Summer. That had her parents survived, they would have been teaching her to use her new found abilities. Any children she had would be blessed with the same gifts only if deemed a Heir or Heiress by Summer's blessing.
He speaks of his kin, of coming from the desert.
She understands the warmth being missed, "I am of the Summer branch of the fae. I can certainly understand not appreciating the cold. My homelands, when in proper order, a proper royal on the thrown; is set into a constant state of Summer. I will not deny missing the warmth during winter, like this." She admitted quietly.
His eyes suddenly catch the sparkle of her wings, and she notes his wary attitude.
"We, my people, call it fae dust. It flakes off our wings, but is not dangerous, though can have magical properties. Mine heals, provides life." She explains, demonstrating by letting the dust fall onto the small patch of flowers. As soon as it does the flowers grow bigger, the patch larger, more plentiful. "Useful, considering my profession as a healer." She may not trust this stranger, but neither was she so cruel to not assure him something so benign as her fae dust wasn't dangerous.
Her answers made sense. He was almost surprised she couldn’t control what bloomed. But he knew very little of the magic of this land. Or what levels of power were normal. His mind simply imagined that it would be very useful to grow whatever plants one desired. He sensed some shift in her emotions as she turned away from him then to speak about her mother. “The flowers are beautiful, they should be celebrated. A breath of warmth on the land during this frozen disaster.”
He felt his interests rise within his chest as she spoke about her home lands. It also answered his other question - that she was called a Fae. He knew there was something more to her than just a simple equine. “This land is blessed to have your talents and your warmth within it.” He hadn’t expected winter to be so distasteful. Prior to this journey he hadn’t experienced winter in his life. Occasionally they would feel the chill if they ventured past their borders, but this was a rare occurrence. This chill was nothing to the frozen hellscape that this land offered. The plants and animals seemed to suffer, what was the purpose of it?
He was rather impressed that she had healing capabilities. This was something that he would take note of in his churning brain. These were the connections he needed. “That is a rare and blessed profession.” his voice laced with respect and awe. “I am a warrior, I was trained in our homeland to fight and defend. In a different time I would sit upon a throne, but our land is chaos. Our kin are broken since the loss of my mother, our matriarch. It has been a slow and wasteful death of the tribe.” The words were heavy with honesty.
He hadn’t thought he would be this honest with one of the first equines he had met. But he felt like there was something special and significant with Caelum. That feeling went beyond the fact that she was a magical healer. It was something about her demeanor and how she carried herself. She was also beautiful and mysterious compared to the women of his homeland.
01-29-2022, 06:57 AM - This post was last modified: 01-29-2022, 06:59 AM by Jarek
