The moon was high and bright, like a glowing ball of silver hung in a diamond sky. It lit her path, and Selene walked easily in the night, the glow of moondust shining from the iridescence of her coat and giving her an otherworldly appearance. Though she hadn’t been a goddess in some time, there was no denying the look of her was something regal. Her head was flung high and wild in the night sky, turquoise tresses blowing around her like a seafoam halo. Her legs are long and her stride is graceful as she makes her way into the kingdom of darkness, sparkling like a beacon that called to them, asking them to bring her into the fold.
Her turquoise eyes glowed slightly in the darkness, darting this way and that to make out the dark forms of those who were sleeping and those who were only now coming alive in the midnight hour. Around her, there was an unusual din of those who lived for the night like herself. More than just talking, she noticed their voices rising in song. For a moment, the newcomer had to wonder if they sang to the gods, or merely to break the silent night. Either way, it was a beautiful sound, and her lips twisted into an easy smile as she joined into the night chorus, her voice pure and silky.
She moved toward the others, wanting more than anything to walk among them, brushing easily against the warmth of their bodies and finding herself at home in the fray. She doesn’t offer much in the way of introductions, merely allows their bodies to sway in the dark, in a sense of community and wonder. And Selene felt an overwhelming sense of being alive, aware of her newfound mortality as much as she was aware of the thrumming heartbeat in her chest.
And she was pleased to be alive, and to truly be waking up to the world with new eyes.
Coming back from Delumine I feel my blood go from boiling, to simmering, to just... hot. Damaris is cool as a cucumber behind me, lost in her own thoughts. I'm glad she is not as volatile in her moods as I can be. I wander through the long grasses of the prairie. I'd say I'm lost in thought, too, but I'm more lost in nothingness. No thoughts can be threaded together to keep me occupied and it is more like I'm staring off into the distance as I trample grass beneath my heavy body. The moon illuminates my way, but since I'm just wandering I'm not sure I really need the assistance. (Except to keep me wandering into a poorly placed tree.)
Song begins to rise up to the night sky, destroying the normal silence of the evening. It's not raucous though, not just noise, but actual melody. It washes over me and cools my temper further, though I suspect that I could be easily driven to anger again. I keep on, toward where I think it originates. Sure enough, the farther we go the louder it gets. What catches my eye, above all else, is a female figure that seems to glow as brightly as the moon above. Pearlescent jade, amethyst, cerulean, I wonder if she doesn't glow from within. (What strange magic that would be indeed.) She, too, is singing, and her voice is beautiful.
I walk forward, a blundering idiot by comparison. Damaris hangs back, stopping twenty yards or so from me, when I finally stop before the female. I tilt my head forward courteously. "Good evening, miss. I'm afraid we haven't had the pleasure of meeting. I have been gone sometime - are you new to Denocte? If we had met I'm sure there's no way you could have slipped from memory." A rather charming smile breaks across my features, softening the jarring effect my ugly face might have.
WC: 322 Tag: @Serene I wasn't sure if you meant other horses she was joining, so.. if you did...pretend that Rosti noticed them too. Also dang. What a flirt! Rosti thoughts | "Rosti speech" | Damaris mindspeak
The goddess has had few interactions with mortals before, aside from watching them from afar, her heart bleeding for their causes and her compassion brimming for the toils in their lives. Never before has she been so alive, far from her godly temple and here walking among them. She doesn’t know how to act, exactly – but Selene acts on impulse, wanting to belong and to grow among them. Here in the throng of others, she feels a sense of community and belonging, even though they were all strangers. Their song is a comfort to her, her own voice a surprising addition that draws a smile to her face. Closing her eyes to sway in the moonlight, she finds herself lost in the song and the movement, until she hears his voice.
Turqouise eyes open to find the battle scarred stallion and his companion watching her, and drunk from the trance of motion around him, Selene steps from the throng. Her steps are as graceful as her dance, curiosity and naivety shining clearly in her gaze as she stares unabashedly at the stranger, drawing in the sight of him. Her gaze rests on every line of his face, on every scar against his earth-hued frame, as if she could tell the stories behind each mar of his skin. Carefully, she reaches toward the mysterious stranger, the fallen-goddess as curious as a child, and every bit as untrained in the ways of the world.
"Good evening.” Her voice is as smooth as lemonade on a summer’s day, and as she nods to her companion, a tumble of ombre curls frames her delicate face. "I am Selene, and yes… tonight is my first night in this place.” Denocte. She mentally corrects herself as she looks around him to take in the sight of his canine companion. Offering both the male and his Damaris a smile, she steps more into the moonlight and away from the others, silver light bouncing from her iridescent coat. "Tell me about your Denocte. About my Denocte…” The last words are spoken with a quiet sort of reverence – for Selene has never before had a place to belong.
She turns her gaze toward me, her turquoise eyes meeting my silver ones. She glides toward me, barely disturbing the grasses around her. The others around her move away, fading from my attention until they seem more like ghosts than actual beings. She practically stares me down as she approaches; I see the intelligence in her eyes as she looks me over head to toe. She gets closer, but Damaris and I stay put, each of us watching the other carefully, cautiously. I feel Damaris tense as the shimmering stranger reaches toward me, but neither of us reacts beyond that.
My nostrils flare slightly as I take in her feminine scent, noticing that it is slightly different than those who have been living in Denocte for some time. (Although the cool scent of pine seems to be slowly enveloping her.) Selene... a stranger to Denocte. "I am Rostislav, Warden of the Night Court. This is Damaris, my companion." I turn my skull back to the hellhound, gesturing. She huffs at Serene in introduction, but stays back. Part of my mind wonders at her hesitation, but doesn't concern me enough to fully distract me. Perhaps I'll ask her about it later.
I turn my gaze back toward her. The moonlight dances over her coat, doing more wonders for it than it could ever do for mine. I do not radiate color nor light. "We welcome you. Denocte is the land of the night, the goddess Caligo. The ruler here is Reichenbach, our sovereign. His second-in-command is the regent, Camdis. And finally the emissary is Lothaire." The structure of the government is probably not what she wants to know, but it's the first thing that comes to mind. "We are a family here." My voice softens, betraying the affection I have for some of my comrades. Suddenly I feel fur along my hind leg; Damaris has joined me, and combines her warmth with my own.
The titles of men did not make much sense to Selene, but she nodded anyway, understanding that this was a place which relied on structure and hierarchy. Calligo was a name unfamiliar to the former goddess, but then, she was also in a new place and unfamiliar with their lore. Making a note to find and worship the goddess of this place, she offered the stallion and his companion an easy smile (even though she could sense the canine’s hesitation in greeting her). Knowing that some creatures needed time to find a friendly greeting, she didn’t let it bother her.
Processing the information, she let her mind rest on a single question, choosing to understand process the information in bite sized pieces. ”What is a warden? Do you protect this land?” She quite liked the idea of the mortals having roles to play, each working together toward the betterment of the collective. The possibilities were endless as she wondered where she could add value in this place. “I wish to be a protector too, of sorts. Not a warrior, but it is my gift to heal, and to listen.” For this is a job she was doing since the beginning of time, and it wasn’t a duty she took lightly.
Curiosity drew out her inquisitive side, and Selene tried to form the conversation around her many questions, without seeming either ignorant or intrusive. “I quite like the idea of a family… I haven’t had a family, ever.” The statement was true enough, for the goddess had not been born, in a traditional sense. Instead, she had simply become, and existed wholly of stardust and celestial things. The closest thing to being born she’d experienced, was coming here… and now, the girl felt more alive than ever, relishing in the warmth that spread through her as she stood beneath the moonlight with this stranger and his companion.
A smile glances across the face of the stranger - Selene, I correct myself - that meets the warmth Damaris and I offer. Damaris is quiet but observant, feeling a certain intimacy in the moment that she does not want to break. Perhaps it is the sinking or the starlight above, but there's a soft blanket of warmth surrounding them, hiding them from everyone else in plain sight. What is a warden? A damn good question. A position created as part of a hierarchy - a social construction to maintain some type of order within a vast territory. But that's not a very interesting answer. Nor, again, probably the answer she's looking for. "Yes, like a protector. I help organize the defenses of Denocte and communicate with the higher-ups, seeing that their orders are carried out." I pause and cock my head. "It sounds more rigid and unforgiving than it is." Of course perhaps that's just because I was kidnapped and held captive in Solterra, thereby having no say in what was was doing down here in the south. I resist an irritated snort at the thought.
"A healer?" My gaze refocuses on hers as my thoughts return to the present. "The world could always use more healers. If you'd like to live here, you'd be more than welcome." Indeed, with the political atmosphere the way it is, that means more warriors fighting, and more being wounded. More innocent citizens being wounded too.... I sense that there is much she wants to know, but she'd doing a good job of balancing the conversation in a way I would be unable. "You're in luck then, if it is a family you want." I beam at her and Damaris wags her tail in conjunction. Perhaps we should take her to meet Reichenbach then?
WC: 298 Tag: @Selene Seems like we should wrap it up? Can start a new one maybe :) Rosti thoughts | "Rosti speech" | Damaris mindspeak
She listens with the intense focus of a child, learning for the first time the ways of the world. In many ways, though the goddess had been ageless, she was experiencing life as a newborn babe now. She blinked at his words, an easy nod joining the motion as she considered his title and role. “And, it is important for warriors in this place too. Is there much strife among courts?” She was no stranger to the wars of men, watching from afar, her heart breaking with every slaying blow and every cry of pain. Fighting was a necessary part of life, she knew… but she didn’t have to like it. Still, protecting the family was a role that was far more important than Rostislav probably realized. He gave the others hope for a better life.
And, she would heal the wounded, doing her part to mend the hate that was born from strife. It was her way of giving back to those who gave her life… and she looked forward to doing it.
“I would like to stay here.” Her words only mildly surprised her, for Selene didn’t intend to have found somewhere to belong so soon… but Rostislav and his companion had convinced her to explore the Night Court more. She knew it would take some time to find her place in this new world, but the prospect was exciting instead of frightening. “Can you show me more?” She took a couple of steps away from him, looking toward the East, and then back to see if the warrior would take the lead.
ooc: sounds good – we can post our closing posts to get credit and she can either follow him or branch out, either works for me.
Her gaze on me was intense. So intense that I felt something start to tickle, then burn inside me. It was an emotion I couldn't identify, but it lit me aflame and began to consume me. She had a certain... celestial essence to her, and it seemed interesting that she could have such an innocence about her. She asks about strife, and the great smile on my face fades. There is a lot more strife these days than I would like to imagine. I don't know why it came about. Whatever was going on between Denocte and Solterra, particularly, was beyond me. Was Maxence insane? Was there something going on that I was completely unaware of?
"Indeed, there is strife. The root of it is... well I don't have a fuckin' clue. But I am intimately familiar with the original act that started this current... struggle." It wasn't just that my smile faded. Instead I was scowling, grimacing at the thought. I was far, far from over my kidnapping. I did what I could to smother the bubbling rage. A humming in my head from Damaris helped me pop those bubbles.
I was unexpectedly soothed further when Selene's tinkling voice said something rather pleasant. That she would like to stay. The grimace faded and instead a surprised, somewhat hopeful look replaced it. "You would?" My voice sounded more rumbly than I might have expected. She gestured eastward, taking a few steps that direction. I followed her, Damaris trailing my heels, then passed her. "Of course I will show you around. I can't promise to be the best tour guide but uh, I can give you my own rundown." I offer a crooked smile, wondering exactly what kind of adventure we are about to go on.
WC: 295 Tag: @Selene Sorry I took so long! :3 and uh, peace out yo! XD Rosti thoughts | "Rosti speech" | Damaris mindspeak
