Shatter every window 'til it's all blow away
every brick, every board, every slamming door blown away
'til there's nothing left standing, nothing left of yesterday
She had gone out to explore.
It was a random need she would feel in her bones, the need to stretch her wings; to see a bit more of Novus. An excuse to search for herbs she may not have growing in her well-tended garden and greenhouse. Today's random adventure found her landing among the bright, and lush green trees and plants that surround the delicate little creek. It bubbled so sweetly, set off by the sounds of birds; that the mare had to smile, just starting at everything - the small waterfall, the soft mist that encases the thicket around her.
But she is cautious as she steps through the land.
This place isn't just for those passing through; it serves a more carnal purpose. Of love. Of lust. And the mare had no desire to unintentionally intrude upon a couple . . . . coupling. So she sticks close to the creek for now, gathering moss from the rocks and sealing it away in small jars where it could stay moist; collecting cattails, and other various herbs she found near by for her stock. She took a few cuttings from plants she didn't automatically know, with the intentions to study them further.
More than anything, she allowed herself to relax.
As she travelled, small flowers peppered the ground at her feet, growing tall and lush around her ankles, soft pastels that stood up against the green and drew the eye. The fae herself pays them no mind, tossing back that rich ivory forelock as she peers up at a few singing birds, smiling in soft delight at their melody. It's in this moment of bliss that the sounds of another approaching startles her; the mare spinning around, brown eyes wide; before recognizing the dark form (and feeling a little relieved he's alone; so she wouldn't be unintentionally intruding upon a couple trying to find a place for their . . . . . . . coupling. Instead she offers the man who is still little more than a stranger, having only met him once before, "Jarek."
She calls his name in greeting.
Turning towards him more directly, the delicate fae looks up towards the dark approaching gem-encrusted male, "How nice to see you in actual sunlight. I hope you have been well?" She greets when he approaches close enough that she wouldn't have to shout - her smile friendly, and kind; if not a touch awkward with interacting with someone she only met once - but that's how friends are made, is it not? Repeat exposure?
Jarek was delighted to see warmth arrive in Novus. In the back of his mind he always had a tickling concern that he had arrived at a place that would be forever set in a stranglehold by the cold season. He had met a mare that assured him that like in other places the seasons would shift. That Summer would arrive in Novus and that it would be warm and glorious. Well, she hadn’t said those exact words, but he inferred that it would be a comfortable place to be in summer.
He hadn’t been to this place before. The scents surrounding him, alluded to its other uses. The idea of it made him a little uncomfortable. He had recently learnt lessons about himself, and about decency. Was he better off just turning and leaving? It was such a beautiful place; he couldn’t ask for a clearer day. The warmth embraced his darkened hide, setting off the sparkling of the minerals and clusters of rock attached to his skin. His icy blue eyes momentarily closing and savoring the moment of peace.
He had never heard the tiny singing feathered creatures before. Their songs were energetic and uplifting, if only he had a fraction of their energy. Before long he found himself close to a familiar scent and a trail of flowers. Could it be the mare from the tunnels?
She called his name and turned closer towards him confirming his suspicions. He had been a different creature in their last meeting. Before the intervention that had taken place during the spring festival.
“Caelum.” his graveled voice produced her name. “Well, the weather surely has taken a shift for the better, it is a pleasure to see you also.” he added with a soft smile. “I had seen your flowers on the ground, I thought it might have been you.”
It was indeed pleasant to see a familiar face. They had only met once, but Jarek didn’t have a lot of faces he could depend upon. Caelum had also given him valuable advice in the darkened tunnel. His mind strictly forced him to focus on the enjoyment of the situation and not to revisit darker places in his past.
Shatter every window 'til it's all blow away
every brick, every board, every slamming door blown away
'til there's nothing left standing, nothing left of yesterday
The runaway queen was not expecting a friendly face.
She tilted her head as she called his name, watching him curiously as he had seemed to follow the trail of those blasted feathers that refused to do anything but grow in her wake. A rather obvious calling card, they were. Yet, even from the distance, she was curious about the shift in his demeanor; in his stance. Where before he was proud until the mention of his roots; he now stood more weary - as if the very ground had shook beneath his hooves and he was relearning his balance in a precarious moment of leap or fall. Her name fell from his maw in that same gravelled tone she associated with the mineral encrusted being.
She smiles at the mention of the weather.
The summer fae turns her head towards the sky, the sunlight streaming down to touch upon her pelt, warming the stormy hues of her pelt, "I am rather grateful for the season. I always feel . . . more myself; when summer rolls around." She agrees; turning her chocolate eyes back his way; "I should always consider summer a shift for the better. It feels of home." She admits, though there is also a twitch; a slight shift of the shadows that cloud her gaze at the mention of home - knowing hers will never taste of summer again; that ash still penetrated the air; that the formerly beautiful kingdom of her people had succumbed to the ruins of a ravaged nation.
Her home was dead.
She laughs at the mention of the flowers; even as her muzzle twitches at the possession he offers her of them. They weren't hers, they weren't supposed to be. They were her mother's flowers. They were her mother's gift. She was just a child dressed in her mother's finery, and smearing lipstick across her cheeks, a fake; a fraud. "They are a rather telling trail for where one may be able to find me; are they not. I suppose I should be grateful I have no enemies in Novus; least it lead them to me." There's a thrum at her neck, a slightly brighter flash of Tiana's light, and the spirit seems unnaturally upset at such a thought.
Caelum shushes her mentally.
The necklace calms with the promise that they can discuss it later. Right now; she could enjoy the run in with a familiar face, "How are you settling into Novus then? Is it any better than before?" She asks conversationally with a friendly smile. She tilts her curiously, motioning towards the creek she had been approaching, "Would you care to join me? I would not turn away company, particularly if said company has only positive tales to tell of his coming to find Novus a place to call home."
Novus had a way of healing after all.
She had been finding that healing in Denocte for a while now.
Her mention of home and of heat stirred an uneasy unrest somewhere deep within his mind. He needed to find a new meaning to the term of home. This place had to become his home; with all he had learnt his homelands may as well be an alien planet. Inhospitable and unreachable. To return would ensure he would perish, to continue down the path of his own kind, would result in destruction. He had to do better.
He felt relieved at her invitation to join her, it felt natural and smooth. “It would be my pleasure” he replied in his distinctive graveled voice. He felt that there was perhaps more that he could learn from Caelum.
“Much has changed since we last spoke Caelum. My previous perception of time and of place was warped. I have learnt much. The place I once called home, is actually a prison. In a way I am homeless, I simply hope that in time I can find a meaningful place to exist. I have forsaken my ancestry, I have learnt much of their lies and hatred. “ he felt like he needed to tell her each and every detail. It was difficult to place words to, but in a way he felt uplifted and hopeful.
The desert devils no longer rode his back. He had shaken himself free of those. But what was left, felt almost like a waiting void, just biding its time to consume him. It was moments like these that reminded him to contest the darkness that had grown within him. It was not him, it was simply a product of his existence to this point. He would continue to challenge it each step of the way.
He stopped for a moment mentally to consider one of her previous statements. “You’d simply need to plant little paths of your flowers all over, that’d throw them off.” he said with a soft chuckle. “It would be a captivating way to decorate a place also.”
“I am ignorant of the politics of this place. Perhaps you could enlighten me as to how it all works around here?” If he was to find a place that was suitable for him he would require more knowledge. Maybe Caelum knew something more of pointing him in the right direction.
Shatter every window 'til it's all blow away
every brick, every board, every slamming door blown away
'til there's nothing left standing, nothing left of yesterday
The mare tilted her head with a gentle expression upon her features. Though, as was typical of the fae, that expression was largely based on an outward appearance. Inside, her emotions usually remained a mess. But, company wasn't horrible, and so as she offered to share company, it was with honest, and pure intent of interacting with another. Perhaps a chance to further create connections to bind her tighter to Novus - tighter to a new world. Tighter from the reins she was running from.
The runaway queen would do anything to keep running from the past after all. She turned curiously towards him, whisps of ivory hair falling down the side of her face as she listened to him speak of changes in perception of time and place being warped. "A great . . . . man once told me. The day we stop learning, is the day we stop thriving. To learn and to grow is how we become the best we can be. To learn how to better help those around us, and grow in a way to support our friends, our family." And most importantly, Caelum; it's how we know we are ruling our kingdom fairly. We must grow with our people, see what they need; and learn as they do - so we can always ensure their survival, their happiness, their prosperity. To do the best for our people should be our utmost desire, and I know, you too; will achieve greatness for the Summer Fae as their queen one day. She had achieved something alright, the destruction of the Summer Fae. Her crowning came upon the ends of their destruction. Queen of a dead land. Queen of a scattered people. Some queen.
She forces her attention back to Jarek, knowing his words would provide the escape from those memories she needed, and she's alarmed that he would consider his former home a prison, before stating himself homeless, needing a place to exist. She hesitates for a long moment, before finally speaking. "Before finding Novus, I myself was a wayward petal being pushed from place to place by the wind. Searching for meaning to a world that felt dead and void around me." Her words are softly spoken, almost a whisper. "I come from a kingdom, and land now in ruin. Our foolish princess had wished to aid those who were being hunted by another, only for our land, our kingdom to come under the attack by those who felt slighted for their property - their slaves - being taken from them. Her good actions cost the kingdom our beloved King and Queen; our town, our home burnt to the ground, and ransacked for all its worth. I can understand coming to Novus, feeling lost, and just searching for a place to exist."
She tilted her head, her brown eyes carrying a weight of thousands of lives she had destroyed in one fell swoop, "Denocte has been my saving grace, and perhaps I would suggest to you too, find a way from the vagabond life style. A nomadic way of life is not one to promise you shelter, safety, and a meaningful place to exist. It will not grant you a home, a safe haven." She instructed gently, "While you have taken steps to better yourself, the next step should be a way to better yourself in one place. Whether it is by taking to a herd land to call your place of residence, while maintaining a segregation from the populace by maintaining a vagabond status - or by fully intertwining yourself with such a herd; and taking on their court title, you may find the meaningful place, only by the people you would then be able to surround yourself with."
She smiled faintly at the idea of planting such little paths of of flowers, before looking down at the ones gathered around her, as if nuzzling into the darkened navy of her limbs, "Captivating, yes . . . but it is not a gift I am fond of . . . It was my mother's gift . . . and taking it now helps cement the fact that my parents are gone from this world, to join our brethren in the sky." She sighs softly, "My magic is my birth right, and upon it's awakening as I would come into fae majority, my parents were supposed to be at my side to help me learn to master the arts. Instead, I find myself overcome with the knowledge I now wield my parents' gifts. A reminder of what I have lost." Well her mother's gift, really . . . Her father's gift had not yet been passed onto her, and she was fighting it with every breath she had. The Summer Queen was running from Summer itself.
She looks up in surprise at his next question, blinking, and suddenly she wondered if she'd given too much of her background away from him to ask such a question -- surely not though, he was asking of the politics of Novus, where she was a teashop owner, a medic, "I suppose I can be of assistance. I am fairly close with the sovereigns of Denocte, so I know a fair bit of the ongoing politics. To begin with, there are four nations in Novus, if you are not aware. Delumine is the land of the Dawn Court, who are governed by Callynite, a doe who has been in power for a little over a year now. Day Court rules over the land Solterra, with Leviathan, a rather grisly older stallion as their king. Dusk Court resides with in Terrastella, under the council of Liam and Uzuri. And lastly, my home; Denocte is the land of the Night Court, and we are guided by Isra and her mate, Luvena; who is my best friend."
The fae glances his way, to see if he is following along well enough. "Most of the courts are in fairly decent communication, with no current strife as I am aware of it, though many of the other courts have grown stagnant lately. I cannot speak with certainty on some of the other sovereigns, as I have had little interaction with them. Callynite is a proud deer who holds the care of her people as her most important mission. Liam is a kind gentleman, who tends to believe in creating ties with others to further support the building of his own Court. Luvena and Isra cherish the individuality of Denocte, wishing to see our people grow in their pride of self. Leviathon is a fairly gruffer individual, war-hardened, but passionate about building up Day from the darkness. Although, I have not heard much about him in a while. I have not heard of him stepping down either.
"Is there anything in relation to the politics in particular you are curious about?" She adds, more than willing to dive deep into this conversation - and to chase away the darkness that had been closing in on her so drastically, since Tiana awoke as her bonded companion.
Standing here in this moment in these gardens he could almost pretend that everything was ok. There was a beautiful woman who wanted to be in his company, there was a lush landscape around him, and no one was wracking his brain or manipulating him. The sun's warmth embraced his obsidian hide, reflecting the minerals scattered across his body. If there was a home, this was the closest he had felt so far. But maybe this was another one of those times where his perceptions and experiences were shaped by his existence this far. Perhaps he could make a home wherever he was, if he chose to embrace this feeling?
He listened to her words and story carefully. Trying to etch the details to his memory, stories were important. Stories were what helped shape the view of the worlds around us. His stories had been misshapen and false, so he craved exposure to those of others. Perhaps the only drawback is in attempting to separate the truth from the tales. He did however trust Caelum was being truthful.
He contemplated a moment further before replying “It is the duty of the king and queen to oversee what is happening within their own lands - to also be aware of what their children are doing. If they could see what had happened and truly feel the good intentions the princess had, surely they would support her. Surely the wrong doing here is actually that the princess wasn’t given more support, or that she didn’t have an army to support her. “ He felt there was perhaps more to the story by the way she had told it; but he could almost feel the bitter sting to the words and didn’t push for more details.
He once more contemplated her words, his mind in a dizzy spin contemplating how honest to be in the moment. He sighed softly before adding, “You are right, I need a place. But to be honest Caelum; this right now, at this moment is the most at home I have felt…ever. We have the warm sun above us, lush greenery around us. With the added benefit of the company of a friend.” he added with a soft smile feeling vulnerable. “I’m starting to think, what I'm missing from a home isn’t just the place, but those who I surround myself with.”
There was no way he would be able to remember each and every name and detail she had just listed. He would try, but there were a lot of names and places he was unfamiliar with. “Could you perhaps draw for me, where these places are?”he asked softly in a raspy gravelly voice. He hummed for a moment before adding “Leviathan sounds like the kind of man I could work with. But what I really need to know is what brings folks to rule here?" he asked, then stepping closer to her and attempting to speak a little softer he asked further;“How much control do the gods themselves have in the operation of Novus?” “Do you trust the gods here?” he attempts to whisper, struggling with his voice.
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
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
At this place being one for lovers, he could understand why this place was chosen. He could understand why it would fill the hearts of those here with warmth and inspire such actions. It did however remind Jarek about how lovely Caelum’s company was, and how otherwise being here would have likely made him feel very alone. Once more her warmth and kindness had shielded him from feeling entirely awkward and out of place.
He listened carefully to the additional details. “It seems like the details are enough of a punishment to live with, that the Queen should live life fully to give meaning to their sacrifices. For the seasons continue changing do they not. It seems like it would be impossible to fully escape them. As much as I wish I could outrun winter sometimes” he said softly making direct eye contact. He had started to piece together some parts of information. Were the fae’s of other seasons he wondered? Mentally he made note that he should likely stay away from the winter version if such a thing existed. Would they be cold and ruthless? In contrast to Caelum’s warmth? He didn’t want to force the conversation, but there seemed to be so much hurt he wished there was somehow a way to comfort her.
There was a massive amount of information to soak up. He tried to remember the map, and how the lands all connected. In some ways it amazed him how massive Novus was, how far it stretched and how different the homelands were. If he were being honest, the description of the day court had his heart leaping a little harder. It sounded like his previous home, perhaps this could be somewhere that was both familiar and a fresh start. “This is indeed very helpful. I think the day court sounds like it would suit my needs best, perhaps I could start there with my ventures for a home.`His voice was gravelly but hopeful.
He listened carefully once more to each and every sentence of information Caelum could provide. He felt like he was getting a secret sneak peak, a bonus into starting a life on Novus. How set he had been in his way that he would shun them all for something greater. It had taken the interaction with the Veil Nebula to excise his demons. It had provided him with enough mental clarity and support to make better decisions going forwards. Those demons still reached for him in his dreams but they no longer consumed his wakeful hours.
“This has all been very helpful, I am exceedingly grateful for your assistance” he said warmly in raspy tones. “I think there may just be a future for me, here somewhere in Novus. Perhaps in the day court. There is much yet to learn. But the future can be bright, it can be warm.” he said, reaching to gently brush his muzzle to her cheek. It was a pleasure to just be, to exist beneath the sun with this fresh new outlook.
The warrior queen was silent for a moment as he spoke, of his expectation that the Fae Queen should be able to life life so as to offer meaning to those sacrifices. She doesn't argue, how can she when she gets up every morning for them. She is still quiet after a moment, thoughtful to his words, "I once knew her very well, the now Queen of the Summer Fae. Laughed with her at her antics. Celebrathed the success of the pranks she played, on both her people and the stuffiness of the council. And yet, the last time I saw her; I hardly could recognize her. Like a stranger. She seemed so opposite of who she had once been, a shade hiding from the warmth of Summer for as long as she can." Her words are soft, sad - as if a friend reminiscing about someone they once held so dear. She didn't say the last time she had seen the Queen had been in the mirror before she shattered it. That trying to stand tall, presentable, to see if she could be who she had been meant to be had torn out her heart and she didn't recognize the fae in the mirror. It wasn't the sure, and headstrong princess she had once been. It wasn't the little fae child playing in her mother's jewelry, adorning herself as queen.
It was an adult mare, whose eyes hid shadows, and a layer of danger and darkness that came from courting the darkness willingly, and then the hate that came when it was pulled away. She wasn't the fun loving mare of the summer, she knew in her soul that she had been corrupted beyond that . . . But the real reason she didn't replace the broken, and covered mirrors in her room? Because she could see the healing, she could see those edges softening. When do you forget about what had happened. TO her parents, her son, Calico, Arson . . . when would she forget about Tremaine? Would that happen?
Dear God, she didn't want it to happen. She wanted to see him in every shadowed feature, a grand stallion ready and waiting for her in the shadows. Teasing, and a cocky smile that could make her heart race with one tantalizing smirk that promised all kinds of dangerous games full of fun, to hear his words huskily whisper his nickname for her. To see those red eyes soften in hue to something more akin to cherry juice than fire and flames. To see the demonic being turn into putty at her gentle touch, moldable, changeable - and yet she never did so with him. Because he, as he had been, had been perfect for her, and in return, it had also turned her into a more sure individual, she was more confident in her own abilities. She trusted herself more. She believed the world would be okay as soon as the two of them were together. And then time had stolen him from her. Had robbed her of her happily ever after.
And now he haunted her thoughts, and she clung to those memories, those phantom whispers, the way she would see his facade from the corner of her eye only to have him disappear when she went to look closer. If she forgot about the others, so be it. But Tremaine, and her son; they were never allowed to just be forgettable, because forever, Tremaine would hold a key aspect to what made in . . . well, her. And her son had been what had made her feel capable again for the first time since Trey's death. Those two, their memories kept her going.
She focuses now, however, on helping this stallion learn Novus, willingly letting the distraction tease her thoughts to a different avenue. Useful as it was, a convenient distraction. "I am glad to have been of service." She replies gently, before explaining more about the courts, the gods that these individuals believe in. She tilts her head when he speaks of being grateful for her assistance, and her smile is warm in response, relaxing at the words, before nodding to the understanding of a particular place calling to him - Denocte had called to her after all. And then he reached towards her, his muzzle brushing to her cheek, and she flinched visibly away in shock, turning her head quickly, "My apologies, but I am not comfortable with others touching me." She apologizes, ears flicking back, the mare glancing briefly at him, "I understand many are more physically demonstrative, but I must ask that you not touch me with out permission." Her words are gentle, "Not all those who have done so in the past, have done so with kindness, and sudden touches alarm me." It's as close as she will get to, to admitting being in conflict, of horrible place, that not all touches were warm - that many were cold, cruel, meant to hurt and cause pain. Yes, it would be better to make sure he understood that.
Besides, it felt wrong . . . for another stallion to just touch her.
Very few were allowed to these days.
“Talk.” (Alternate color for thoughts). Tiana, the bonded soul-spirit
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
He listened to her carefully and watched how she seemed to be somewhere else in the moment as she spoke. He dared not make the assumption about exactly who she was talking about, but the nature of her speech gave him some hints. Either way this wasn’t an identity she seemed eager to take ownership of in discussion with him. Jarek knew Caelum superficially and it was understandable that she was not ready to reveal every secret in its most raw state. He dared not push her, but he longed to encourage her to embrace the sunshine of summer. It takes light to cast a shadow, there is always hope.
An electric shock of panic slid up his spine to her reaction, once more he had made a mistake. He stepped back giving her space, he dropped his head slightly and apoligised; “Please forgive me Caelum the fault is mine.'' His voice was sincere in its tone. Even with the best intentions he had made her uncomfortable. He would make note of this interaction, tucking the piece of knowledge of social interaction away in his brain. He had no intention of possessing or taking control of Caelum. This was not like before, this was different. So he told himself.
He had merely felt a sincere appreciation and wished to share that connection with her. But he had been wrong to assume that she would feel this mutually. He struggled to say anything else, as though it would somehow make things worse. Others had touched her without kindness, this made his stomach sink. “I will never touch you without a kind intent, and I will never touch you without your permission. I promise.” he felt like this wasn’t enough, but that the pledge made sense to him. He had no assurance that she would believe him however.
“As I mentioned before I am going to go to Solttera and see if there is a place for me. Should you ever see your queen and she wishes to warm herself in the summer’s warmth, I shall be there. Thanks to your guidance I may actually get there without being consumed by the desert itself.” he said with a soft chuckle. The danger of the sands of the desert was not something to scoff at, the sands would consume any creature given the chance. “Do you have any other plans for today?” he inquired softly his icy blue eyes focused on her with warm interest.
