cetusxcetus

[cetusxcetus]

THE GENERAL WAS NOT WRONG - there will be the fae of other courts who will try to take the Gaean throne for themselves. In fact, he knew of one fae in particular who had entertained the idea - their very own High Lady, Alina. Still, as much as Cetus trusted the general, he didn't find it necessary to convey that particular information just yet - not until he comes to an agreement with Alina herself ( whether or not they'll push for the throne, or if it had only been a careless, dangerous thought spoken out loud ).

but, it was not a lie to say that no attempt had been made yet.

"Nothing that could be verified without raising eyebrows & ruffling some potentially dangerous feathers. I don't mind stirring trouble & demanding answers, but I think it would be unwise to act that way just yet. We cannot enter another conflict so soon, not without thoroughly preparing ourselves. Not unless it's necessary & worth the risk." which it wasn't - not now. However, he agreed with Noah - everyone was thinking about it, considering the options, possibly weighing the risks as well. He knew the fae well enough, had more than enough experience in dealing with them to know what they'll think. & what they will desire.

& how soon they'll recover, desiring to take the throne for themselves.

╰ ♡ continued from here @cetusxcetus

╰   ♡   optimism   was   not   something   that   was   associated   with   the   summer   court.   it   was   more   than   common   for   each   of   them   to   remain   cautious   even   after   the   king   and   the   dark   mother   had   both   been   taken   care   of.   that   was   the   case   for   the   general.   there   wasn't   room   to   pretend   as   though   everything   in   the   world   had   been   righted   with   taking   down   the   king.   the   barrier   remained   and   the   magic   still   unstable   was   proof   enough   that   they   were   not   out   of   the   clear.

╰   ♡   ❝   have   you   heard   of   anyone   in   attempt   of   taking   the   gaean   throne?   ❞   the   general   certainly   hadn't   heard   of   anyone   vying   for   the   spot,   but   it   wouldn't   surprise   him   if   someone   wanted   to   take   it   over.   ❝   there   is   no   guarantee   that   the   next   gaean   ruler   will   be   good   or   bad.   not   even   a   guarantee   that   someone   wanting   it   will   grant   them   it.   it   will   be   a   matter   of   waiting   for   one   to   simply   be   chosen. ❞   he   paused.   ❝   if   there   is   no   one   curious   to   know   who   will   be   chosen   i   would   be   surprised.   i'm   sure   that   someone   will   be   chosen   regardless   of   how   few   are   available   to   be   chosen.   ❞

[cetusxcetus]

YES, THE LESSER NOBILITY & THE COMMONERS WILL HAVE A FIELD DAY IN SUMMER - though, it won't last. Leisure & carelessness rarely do. The courts may still be camping in ( & cramping up ) Adriata, but there were three possible outcomes to the battle - one, they all stay here, forever ( ill advised, as Cetus' patience is vast, but not limitless ), two - the barrier shatters & they all skip merrily to their own courts & three - they all go poof into another court of magic's seemingly random-but-not-really choice.

guess which option he had had the gnawing sensation will be the pick.

"When it comes to every court in our midst, we shall remain debtless, as now every court owes us - save Dusk. While I am no master of economy as well, I have lived long enough to see the damages of being overdue with payment. Still, I don't think we should worry about that - or about the fae still imposing on us. I have a rather... unpleasant feeling the whole charade of forcefully visiting other courts may not be over. With Gaean throne shattered & seat empty... we may yet find ourselves guests to a different court once more. Who knows what consequence the shattering of the continent-wide seat of power will have on us."

he did not wish to dampen the mood, but he figured the spymaster would have already entertained the thought, anyway.

it  was  daxton's  job  to  be  nosy,  to  dig  into  places  he  wasn't  particularly  invited  to,  but  here  he  was  calling  others  the  trait  he  required.  it  must  mean  something,  he  wasn't  much  of  a  hypocrite  –  to  earn  the  title  surely  meant  you  were  doing  something  far  more  than  what  he  considered  normal.  daxton  was  also  well  aware  that  cetus  would  understand  the  sentiment  rather  than  scold  him  for  thinking  that  way.  the  laugh  earned  clearly  means  the  spymaster  was  correct  in  his  guess.  "  i  mean  the  ones  who  don't  have  courtly  responsibilities  to  attend  to,  lesser  lords  and  ladies  and  common  folk  who  have  realized  how  incredible  our  court  is.  "  and  while  normally  that  was  a  lovely  thing,  he  simply  wished  for  the  normalcy  of  no  new  faces.  ah,  desires,  wants,  they  may  never  be  achieved.  "  i  can  be  very  thankful  for  that.  while  i  may  not  be  our  master  of  coin,  debt  has  never  been  something  i  enjoy  our  court  holding.  "

[cetusxcetus]

CETUS MERELY SNICKERED AT THE HIGH LADY'S WORDS, corner of his mouth quirking up in a very rare smirk. Yes, he was old - & time was linear, so naturally he wasn't getting any younger. He wouldn't wish for it, either. Eternal life & eternal youth were good only in theory - what remained, was an eternity of boredom, eternity of things already seen, melodies already heard, experiences already experienced. There was little room for fear in his heart - a being that old, that... detached had very little to lose. "Now that the king is done for & the Made Mother locked up, is that your way of telling me to retire to a sandy beach & enjoy the rest of my immortality counting stars?" he spoke, amusement evident in the tone of his voice - though he had been put in a slightly better ( or, better said, he was appeased ) mood by the High Lady's display of concern.

another smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

"It seems I can hide very little from you these days, High Lady." Cetus spoke, but in all honesty, it wasn't like he was particularly hiding his disappointment. Well, disappointment & distrust, to be exact. "I'm disappointed in magic, in case you're wondering. The bill will come due & it would be unreasonable to think this... perfect victory will not have consequences. Perhaps the Gaean fall will not be the only destructive outcome of it." he mused, though at this point he was merely thinking out loud.

undoubtedly an elderly habit to have.

Still, as the High lady kept speaking of the Gaean throne, the seat of power now shifting to a high liege instead of a king, the Second in command found himself nodding along to her words, lips pursed together in thought. Indeed, what sinister, bitter things will the new liege of Gaea concoct for the rest of the Prythian to swallow? He couldn't predict it, not yet - not until the new liege comes on top & he can asses their character for himself. He quite wondered who it may be. "We'll find out soon enough, dearie. Magic cannot remain this unstable for long. It may implode, it may explode, but when the liege of Gaea is chosen at last, it might stabilize the current erratic behaviour of the magic. Perhaps even break the blasted barrier." if he doesn't find a way to do it himself, first.

oh.

interesting.

It looks like little Alina is Legion's true heir after all. The previous High Lord he'd served would have never passed up on the opportunity - though his reasonings would've undoubtedly been inifinitely less altruistic than Alina's. "Then go get it." Cetus said, the murky yellow-green eyes fixing upon the High Lady. "It could be... doable. Who is to say it has to be a Gaean? They have all but scattered about anyway, now that their dowager had retired, offering no immediate protection." it was risky - but, it was also rewarding. "If you decide to embark on that journey, I shall accompany you to the end, but do know it will not be easy. It may cost you greatly. You need to be absolutely sure that is what you want & the consequences of it are absolutely worth it. Once you step on that path, there will be no coming back." but, if that was her wish, indeed...

he'll be there to support & advise her.

without  a  moment  delay  the  high  lady  of  summer  could  hear  the  whispers  now,  or,  rather  accusations?  desperate  times  led  to  wilder  imaginations,  and  alina  herself  once,  in  a  moment  of  weakness  while  they  were  held  hostage  in  the  capital,  had  succumbed  to  these  wilder  imaginations.  teetering  on  the  edge  of  believing  that  they  would  all  be  killed  by  whatever  this  ancient  magic  that  was  holding  them  hostage.  of  course,  the  logical  side  of  her  understood  well  if  something  wanted  them  dead,  their  mother  would  not  allow  an  entire  realm  to  be  wiped  away  nor  would  they  have  been  held  captive  and  alive.  this  dark  mother  had  been  attempting  to  instill  fear  within  them,  and  then  when  the  truth  is  heard  from  the  high  priestess,  from  her  sister,  alina's  theories  once  more  had  been  proven  correct.  this  has  all  been  a  grand  twisted  scheme  to  have  control  over  prythian.

the  discovery  of  this  trident  had  left  her  astonished,  but  other  pieces  began  falling  into  place.  how  legion  spoke  of  a  rather  special  book,  kept  only  in  the  treasury  but  never  in  the  libraries,  how  her  mother  would  never  neglect  to  tell  her  daughter  the  wonders  of  temple  of  the  deep,  it  had  been  thalassa's  favorite  place  in  summer.  their  court  held  many  mysterious,  this  alina  was  aware  of,  it  is  only  now  she  learned  just  how  far  they  went.  to  those  on  the  outside,  they  would  likely  perceive  some  threat  from  summer,  or  wonder  what  else  the  high  lady  of  summer  kept  hidden.  that  was  an  issue  for  a  later  time.  truthfully,  it's  not  as  if  she  would  mind  being  seen  as  such,  in  the  end  the  benefits  outweighs  the  disadvantages.

her  attention  shifted  towards  the  elder  fae,  a  being  almost  as  ancient  and  a  man  she  viewed  with  several  different  lenses  throughout  the  decades,  but  who  then  proved  to  be  a  strange,  steady  presence  in  her  life.  "after  close  to  a  year  of  this  mess,  for  a  moment,  we  may  be  able  to  rest.  you  ought  to  as  well,  you  are  not  getting  any  younger."  others  might  view  her  words  as  an  insult,  but  cetus  knew  his  high  lady  enough  well  enough  to  read  between  the  lines  of  her  remark.  the  most  gentile  manner  alina  would  ever  express  concern  concern  for  her  inner  circle.  "ah,  you  look  rather  disappointed."  a  slight  curve  of  her  lips  as  her  gaze  finds  his,  her  commander  himself  had  been  itching  for  a  fight.  a  chance  to  put  good  use  to  his  threats  and  talents,  but  in  truth,  even  alina  did  not  know  how  such  a  weapon  would  affect  a  non-ruler,  nor  did  she  wish  to  find  out.  she  nods,  as  he  steals  the  thoughts  from  her  mind,  "yes,  far,  far  from  it  given  the  reports  from  gaea.  a  high  seat  created  in  the  place  of  a  throne,  i  wish  to  know  who's  chosen  and  what  trouble  they  will  be  concocting."  she  had  been  sipping  on  one  of  her  favored  strong  wine,  a  finger  tracing  the  edge  of  her  glass.  "i  want  it."  she  says  a  moment  later,  not  because  of  greed,  because  she  wanted  no  more  messes,  and  then  there  was  kris  and  his  concerns.

[cetusxcetus]

CETUS SNICKERED AT THE WORDS. Oh, indeed, some of the fae were just nosy. In fact, he was willing to bet that most of the fae were just being nosy. He had not yet caught a fae sniffing about, but he didn't doubt that given enough time spent in Summer, given enough idle days & relaxation, that some of the Prythian courts' members will find themselves... brave enough to attempt it.

they'll start with the most harmless, as they always do.

He agreed. The moment the barrier breaks, the moment this... invisible wall is shattered & the Summer fae will turn their unwelcome gaze to their guests. Already, his patience had grown thin & should the fae continue to overstay their welcome ( once the barrier breaks, that is - no one is blaming them for not being able to leave ), Cetus may yet take matters into his own hands - & he had doubted many would wish to witness that.

"I doubt they'll wish to stay when it breaks. It's less about abusing our hospitality & more about securing their own borders. Not to mention making a tally of their treasury. Most of these fae owe two courts, if we count our previous hosts. Fortunately, with this out debt to Dusk is nullified."

for @cetusxcetus, continued from here

daxton  knew  when  a  job  was  done,  and  he  knew  when  to  expect  it  to  continue.  to  say  that  he  was  on  edge  was  an  understatement,  and  none  could  accuse  him  of  being  idle.  he  worked  in  the  libraries,  he  worked  in  seedy  taverns  to  yank  secrets  from  drunken  tongues,  and  he  attempted  to  show  a  winter  fae  how  beautiful  summer  could  be.  sleep  was  often  only  found  at  her  side,  far  from  his  grasp  otherwise.  "  some  i  think  are  just  nosy.  "  he  shares,  having  already  met  a  few  newcomers  who  clearly  asked  questions  meaning  they'd  not  been  here  and  only  desired  to  uncover  what  they  missed.  he  had  no  patience  for  such  things.  "  wish  or  not,  that  barrier  drops  and  i  fear  summer  will  no  longer  be  a  place  for  them  to  rest  their  heads  under  any  sense  of  welcome.  "  alina  is  a  great  host,  but  even  she  has  her  limits.

[cetusxcetus]

AS MUCH AS HE WAS THRILLED AT THE BATTLE BEING OVER & DONE FOR, he wasn't as thrilled about the fae still coming in to Summer & remaining here. Clicking his tongue at Daxton's words, the commander of Summer hummed in agreement. "As far as the fae in here have distant or close relatives they wish to be reunited with, I doubt we'll have a day's peace." Cetus let out a sigh, shaking his head.

truly, you'd think they'll know better.

"Not everyone wishes to go back. if it means being alone. I would prefer to see the fae on their merry way to their own courts, but I can't say when that'll happen. Our Creator seems to have yet another plan in store for us."

closed for : @rosaxseer ; @liuyan (your pick) ; @ethercvl (your pick)

summer  solstice  was  one  his  favorite  time  of  year,  until  it  began  to  mark  the  period  of  time  his  mother  decided  she  was  no  longer  interested  in  the  summer  court  or  her  child  there.  the  former  scholar  stashed  those  emotions  away,  the  disdain,  the  lack  of  enjoyment,  and  pretends  along  with  the  rest  to  enjoy  the  highest  season  within  his  court.  it's  become  something  he's  frightfully  good  at,  which  he  supposes  means  he  was  meant  to  be  a  proper  spymaster  long  before  alina  plucked  him  from  the  libraries  those  years  ago.  "  do  you  think  people  will  stop  arriving  when  they  remember  they  cannot  leave  ?  i  fear  the  halls  are  far  more  crowded  than  i've  ever  remembered  them  to  be.  "  which  he  supposed  was  a  good  thing  –  secrets  were  often  spilt  when  one  felt  there  was  too  much  going  on  for  them  to  be  noticed.

[cetusxcetus]

OF ALL THE SUMMER FAE - or, well, fine, most of the Summer fae - Calista had been among the select few who had been wise beyond her youthful age. He knew she could pick up on the irregularities of such a... deal - for there must have been hidden magic at work here. Whether it was the deal made by the High lieges with the Trident's magic, or just a united thought in their brains, something else had been at play in their grand battle, something that had warranted such an unfair protection. At her words, he lets out a pleased hum, nodding in appreciation as the murky yellow-green eyes fixed upon the petite commander. "You always had a very sharp eye - & a sharper mind, my dear."

he was not the one to give out compliments lightly.

"The barrier is still being a nuisance. Even the High Priestesses have not yet found a way to undo the magic placed upon our lands. I am doing background work on the types of magic that could be responsible for it, so I'll see what can be done - if such magic is, indeed, traceable & breakable by a common fae - no matter how old or powerful, we are all still no match to a god." especially not on their own.

he had agreed with Calista - it was all so very uncertain.

"It will come to pass, too. Everything does. We ought not to lose our wits now. Magic will choose another for the Gaean seat - but whether that other will take the mangle of king or high liege - it is up to the chosen fae. But, whatever the outcome of that choice will be, Prythian will never be the same. Things can only turn out in one out of two way - either for better. Or for worse."

& he knows which one he'll be preparing for.

☆ﾟ*·ﾟTHERE WERE FEW fae in this world that calista actually trusted with their opinions. they were fae that she leaned on in times of crisis, ones that she knew that despite their own personalities and beliefs, they would truly defend her and protect her until the end. cali didn't know how her almost friendship with cetus had begun, but she was thankful for it. she enjoyed spending time with him, trusted him, and believed he was truly good for the summer court. the only way she felt she truly could process what happened was to talk about it. and talking about it with cetus should provide some insight.

finding him sitting by the fireplace, she flashed him a small smile, one that was reserved for just him. he was like a father figure to her, someone she looked up to. a soft laugh slipped through her lips as he spoke, finding herself agreeing with him, completely. "no, no, i agree with you. something about this doesn't seem right. it shouldn't have happened so easily. it's almost as if it was planned this way," cali explained, pursing her lips as she sat down in the chair next to him. the third in command didn't know what to do. all of these fae were now still in their lands, and hadn't gone back to their own courts. what would happen with them now? "are they all going back now? will they be able to? with all of this shuffling us across prythian, i can't help but wonder what this means for us. it's still all really suspicious. i don't understand."

[cetusxcetus]

IT WAS ALWAYS HEARTWARMING TO SEE HE WASN'T THE ONLY UNDYING PESSIMIST IN THE SUMMER COURT. If even the general had felt weary after such a glorious battle, then something ought to be amiss. Cetus was, naturally, thrilled by it. Amongst the happy, pea brained fae who thought this truly was the end of their problems, at least Noah had been on the brainy side. He hadn't spoken to all of the Inner circle members ( in fact, he'd only seen Lavinia & Calista ), but he wouldn't be surprised if some of them had taken all of this as a swell sign. At least the High Lady was more cautious. All of the high lieges were.

if they were smart.

"That's because there is none, dearie. The battle is over, but the war had not yet begun. I don't doubt there will be one - with the little king gone & their dynasty toppled to ruin, many will try to seize the throne. & if magic does make it's pick, who's to say it'll be a good one? or an agreeable one. We're sailing right into the eye of the storm, thinking we're still in safe, calm waters." Cetus retorted, adding, "I do wonder who the magic will choose. Not like there's many Gaean fae left to pick from." he snickered.

╰ ♡ closed starter for @sparkledcrowns ( cali ) | @n1ghtsongs ( morgana ) | @cetusxcetus | summer inner circle

╰   ♡   relief   is   not   something   that   comes   to   the   general.   knowledge   of   part   of   the   situation   being   over   should   have   given   all   of   them   the   relief   that   they   had   been   so   deeply   fighting   for.   yet   the   magic   remains   unstable   and   the   barrier   to   the   summer   court   remains.   keeping   everyone   in   the   summer   court   that   has   entered   in   the   last   while.   his   wife   had   not   had   any   inclinations   to   how   to   remove   the   barrier   that   keeps   them   within   from   the   mother   herself.   perhaps   the   mother   had   not   asked   about   that   before   stripping   the   dark   mother   of   her   powers   and   locking   her   away.   something   he   would   discuss   more   with   his   wife   in   the   coming   days.   however   checking   in   with   the   other   inner   circle   members   had   been   a   slight   priority.   ❝   this   fight   seems   to   be   partially   over,   yet   i   do   not   feel   the   relief   of   it.   ❞

[cetusxcetus]

HE HAD DOUBTED LADY ASHA WISHED TO EXCHANGE GOSSIP, though he cannot say her invitation had surprised the commander of Summer. Yet, unlike the rest of the court he had protected tooth & nail ( & unsavory magic practices ) she had at least seemed to honestly enjoy his presence. Two oldest beings in Prythian had had a deeper understanding - a mutual disappointment & the sheer lack of the ability to be surprised by the workings of the fellow fae.

they were all so very predictable.

Cetus snickered at the smile she sported, so very disinterested in the fate of Prythian - the sentiment he had shared. "You're not wrong, dearie. They've all hoped for such an outcome. Once our very own deus ex machina had been found lounging about the temple in the depths, in form of a trident, everything else had been a walk in the park. An outcome of a game long decided by the very Mother that played her part in the scheme." his snicker turned darker, the eerie note woven through the amusement of his words.

indeed, the Fate had long foreseen & decided such an outcome.

"Oh, I don't doubt we have fun times ahead of us, lady Asha. The battle was won, but the war? It did not yet start. With the ruin of the Gaean throne & the dynasty of Goldcove, many things remain uncertain. This barrier, for one. Had it all been truly finished, it would've dissipated." he shrugged, then added ;

"Don't you think so?"

now  the  apothecary's  turn  came  ,  nestled  back  in  her  domain  ,  a  table  brought  out  to  the  cove  .  invitation  only  and  for  some  reason  ,  you  have  thus  received  one  ;  so  far  as  asha  is  concerned  ,  you  can  make  up  the  reasons  as  to  why  in  your  own  head  .  she  may  confirm  them  ,  she  may  not  .  perhaps  your  ailment  is  simply  too  much  —  and  just  in  case  ,  asha  smooths  the  herbs  across  the  mortar  with  the  pestle  ,  the  little  cauldron  a  -  bubble  before  her  .  “  something  like  this  …  yes  ,  i  do  believe  most  of  us  suspected  ,  but  i  might  be  wrong  .  do  correct  me  if  i  am  .  ”  however  ,  here  she  offers  a  secretive  smile  .  there  could  be  little  in  this  world  which  she  is  wrong  about  ,  although  one  might  never  hear  her  bragging  about  such  a  thing  .  ego  smoothed  its  own  prickled  hairs  over  ,  and  asha  would  never  entertain  inflating  it.  “  now  we  can  move  on  .  though  into  what  ?  we'll  be  finding  out  whether  we  like  it  or  not  .  and  in  summer  .  ”  and  there  are  always  those  who  wish  to  remain  stuck  in  the  past  ,  and  asha  might  also  be  one  of  them  .  her  element  of  mystery  was  in  full  -  force  right  now  . / @rosaxseer ; @brckenrctual ; @sparkledcrowns ; @cetusxcetus .

[cetusxcetus]

location & time: adriata, summer's lounge. night. with: @shvdwscng ; alina.

CETUS WAS, IN LACK OF A BETTER WORD, disappointed. He wasn't disappointed that the battle was over & they've won, of course. He was simply disappointed it was a bit too... how shall he put it... easy. Yes - it was far too easy. A treasure trove none had mentioned in the six centuries he was in Summer, all of a sudden just popping up out of nowhere in an aptly placed codex - an iron, skittish, cold thing, written in a language only he ( & , alright, a tiny handful of others ) could read? It was all too coincidental. All too good to be true. & not a single life extinguished?

oh, he did not trust the coming days.

That - among the plethora of other reasons - was why Cetus had taken it up on himself to keep warding the palace until it was so solidly warded, even foul wind had trouble entering. Of course, foul wind wasn't a tangible thing to stop, but shadows were - light was. He knew the special fae were still in their midst, but who knew now that all was over what ludicrous ideas might pop in their minds. No, he really did not trust the coming days - or the fae still traipsing about their palace.

Spotting the High lady in the Summer's lounge, just as he had finished warding the other chambers, Cetus announced his presence by the knock of the serpentine head of his cane against the door - announcement, yes, but also a test to the wards he had put mere hours ago.

good - all was good.

"I see you're taking a well deserved rest, my dear." he spoke, setting the ebony-&-silver cane against a table in his vicinity, before gracefully lowering himself down on a sofa. "The wards are all in order. Should any... semblance of chaos try to slither about our place, I'll know. The battle with the king is over & done, but I don't believe we're quite out of the woods, yet." for one, the bloody fae are still in their home.

[cetusxcetus]

HE KNEW A THING OR TWO ABOUT NOSEY & NOISY GUESTS IN ONE'S HEAD - in his old age, one notices things even if they aren't of his power. Though his connection with the sea & the metal remains... eerie at best, he still perceived other things. He'd been in Summer for six centuries - it's be concerning if he didn't. "Pay them no heed, little Rosalyn. They will quiet down, if you don't feed them." he advised, though it was up to her whether or not she'll take it.

rarely anyone did - at their peril.

He smiled at the eagerness in her voice, the shine in her curious eyes & he pointed the head of the sea-serpent towards her, in offering. His cane was warded to perfection, but he did wonder... if the little Seer will see anything. An offer, yes, but also a test. "Livya has been with me for many centuries. We bicker like old, married couple, but it always obeys orders. Perhaps because I seldom boss it around." he snickered & the obsidian eyes of the sea-serpent shimmered in response.

lonely.

He had preferred it that way. It wasn't that he disliked the company of others - it was just that he didn't need it. The lack of it didn't cripple him, like it did with so many others. He wasn't antisocial - just... selectively social. "It is peaceful. I'll choose it over small talk anytime." but, as she spoke, the commander of Summer nodded. He certainly understood the feeling - both hers & her family's. "You are shielded by the love of your family, but they cannot keep you away from life's battles & challenges. Danger finds us all, at some point in our lives." it had found him countless times - & yet he had always come out on top of it.

he hummed as she spoke of her shielding charms.

"I see they do their work well enough." Cetus nodded, though she could use stronger talismans, stronger wards. His offer to aid had not fallen on deaf ears this time - unlike it always did with the majority of the Dragomirs, Alina & Lavinia aside - & it had left him with a wider grin. "Of course, if you are willing to learn, I can teach you a trick or two. Not only shields & wards, but other defenses. They may yet prove crucial."

.

rosa blinked slowly, as if filing away his words,cramped, loud, no space left to be quiet, into some mental corner already cluttered with whispers and dreams. “yes,” she murmured, “sometimes it feels like there’s too many things trying to live in my head at once.” she offered him a small, half-apologetic smile. “i don’t always mind the company. but they’re noisy guests.”

her attention snapped to his cane as he lifted it, eyes widening with open wonder. “oh, it’s beautiful” she breathed. “it looks like it remembers things. old things.” she leaned closer to peer at it, hands carefully clasped behind her back so she wouldn’t be tempted to reach out. that would be rude and she didnt want to be rude to her new friend. “and it listens to you? that’s very rare.”

his words about the abyss made her go still again, more thoughtful than afraid. “it sounds lonely” she said softly, not as a judgment, but an understanding. “but maybe sometimes lonely is better than too full.”

then, his warning. her gaze flicked up to meet his, the brightness in her eyes dimming just a little. not fear, exactly. but something close to recognition. “my court…my family worries about that too,” she said quietly. “i think they try to keep me away from dangerous things, but…” she gave a helpless shrug, the corner of her mouth twitching. “they tend to find me anyway.”

at the question of wards, rosa perked up slightly. “a little” she said. “i make charms. threadwork, stone circles, salt lines. they’re more stubborn than strong, but they do what they can.” she tapped the ribbons at her wrist gently holding them out for him to observe. “this one’s for banishing illness. that one” she gestured toward a loop of braided silver and black, “is for keeping nightmares away. though i dont think it works as strong as i would like. they often come anyways.”

a beat passed. then, quietly. “do you think they’ll be enough?” she asked. “if you would teach me others i would be much appreciative.”

[cetusxcetus]

location & time: adriata, somewhere along the beach. night. with: @valtamcri

WHATEVER IN THE FRESHLY MADE HELL IS HE GOING TO DO WITH HIS TIME, now that the little king was dethroned & some parts of his physique detached from its original place? Like his heart, for one, from his underdeveloped, tantrum-throwing chest. What was he supposed to do now? Entertain guests? That so rudely refused to leave? He felt a scowl forming upon his mouth at the very thought. Perhaps he should upgrade his foreboding, menacing presence to truly become a menace to the High lieges just... traipsing about Summer as if they'd owned it. Fine, fine, fine, it's not like the magic had allowed them to leave, but what was next? Eternally hosting a Prythian full of fae who did not belong in Summer, could not truly navigate the watery realm?

not if he had any say in it.

He'll find a way - Cetus always finds a way. Mumbling & grumbling to himself, the ancient fae all but created a flood wherever he left - tiny droplets of water pooling in the prints of his footsteps left behind on the beach. He had predicted the victory of the Prythian fae - the success was in numbers, especially numbers of the gifted, powerful fae that had governed the courts. What he did not predict - which others had taken as a good sign - was that no one but the boringly annoying king would perish. Not a single fae? Not one?

oh, that was incredibly suspicious.

Wandering about the beach of Adriata & sticking to the shadows, Cetus had all but hissed at the thin air around him - vexed by even the pale glow of the beautiful, cold moon. Yet, as he noticed another's presence on the shore, he toned down his grumbling to a minimum, the murky yellow-green eyes fixing upon the shipmaster.

"Evening, Orin. Quite a night for a stroll, eh? Or are you setting sail to spend days away from the... very lively crowd?"

[cetusxcetus]

location & time: adriata, royal palace. night time. with: @sparkledcrowns , calista.

WELL, WELL, THE LITTLE KING WAS NO MORE. It was all so very anti-climactic. So very simple & easy, bordering on both laughable & suspicious. Little Poppy had perished... for this? While it was certainly a good thing that no one else had shared her fate, it was a little... suspicious no one else had shared her fate. Not a single fae had left the Prythian's land of the living, not a single animal, even. Only the poor little king that flew far too close to the sun as well as the Dark Mother had paid the price of their treachery. It was far too good to be true & he was far too old to believe it.

he didn't trust the sudden peace - but, then again, Cetus hardly ever trusted anything.

Sitting by the fireplace - emitting the cold instead of the heat, the Commander of Summer fixed his murky, yellow-green eyes into the blue flames cracking against the wood & stone. The presence of another in the room would have been an annoyance, had it not have been a welcome guest - dear Calista, the third of their feisty Inner Circle. At least no Summer fae took a hit this time, but for no fae to take it?

oh, suspicious indeed.

"How very interesting. The little king is no more & if the rock solid tension in the air is anything to go by, monarchy is also no more. Yet, I cannot say I'm not a little... disappointed." he clicked his tongue, spindly fingers curling around the silver sea-serpent head of his cane. "It went so smoothly for Prythian. Too smoothly. I don't know if I should be thrilled or apprehensive of the liberty of our coming days. Whatever shall we do with all these fae traipsing about our lands?" that was yet another thing that had irked him.

when will they all, respectfully, finally fuck off to their homes?

[cetusxcetus]

THAT, IT CERTAINLY DOES. The noise inside the head is endless, the memories of even fleeting acquaintanceships taking up space where they shouldn't. What a cramped world they lived in. Too many fae, too many memories, too much resentment & energy. Cetus hummed in agreement, absentmindedly nodding along. "It gets very cramped if one isn't careful enough. Loud, perhaps, but it's easy to be loud when there is no space left to be quiet." he retorted. It was rather refreshing to speak to so plainly - so, as the others might say, eerily - with a fellow fae.

of course, his eeriness came with near-seven centuries of existence.

Lightly snickering at the latter, the second in command of Summer nodded in a conspiratorial manner. "My cane is the same. It's a sentient thing & we have finally been reunited after a long separation with my relocation to Dusk court." he lifted the ebony carved stick with the silver head of a sea-serpent, the black, glowing eyes of golden-sheen obsidian. "It's a friend & a companion. Sometimes, it's the only thing I talk to for days on end." when the interaction with the living becomes too much, his cane takes the brunt of it.

perhaps she did.

"It is a place most easily accessible in one's dreams & meditative states. Though, I do not mind the deep darkness of the actual abyss." he snickered again, but returned the grin at the latter. "Ah, there is no safer place than home. I will not judge your brother's choices, but perhaps you would've been safer back home in Dawn. The situation here is... uncertain at best. Dangerous & deadly at worst, though there are always worse things to happen." he warned - who knew what Kabir had cooked up for them.

"Do you know how to ward yourself & your quarters?" he asked. "It might come in handy."

.

rosa listened the way one might listen to a story being spun from fog—quiet, still, like any sudden movement might disturb the shape of his words. her fingers slowed where they twisted one of her ribbons, letting it fall loose against her wrist again.

“everything in this world wants to be perceived…” she echoed, almost dreamily. “that’s beautiful. and also very troublesome. it makes for a lot of noise in the head, doesn’t it?” her lips curled into a wry smile. “even the stones want attention. some more than others.”

when he spoke of the inanimate having hearts, rosa gave a small, eager nod. “my journals are the most alive things i know,” she said. “they’re terribly temperamental. they hide themselves when they’re annoyed with me. one of them sulked for three days after i spilled tea on its corner.” there was no doubt she believed every word of that.

she watched him closely, the sharp angles of his face, the strange gleam in those green-gold eyes. when he said she wasn’t eerie, only honest, something in her expression softened—like he’d unknowingly peeled back a layer she usually kept shielded. “honest,” she repeated, blinking once. “yes honest” she repeated again like she was agreeing as she nodded her head.

then, quieter, almost to herself: “i think i like that.”

his mention of the abyss made her hum low in her throat, a sound like curiosity swirled with something distant and thoughtful. “soothing darkness,” she mused. “that doesn’t sound so bad. maybe i’ve visited. in dreams. or in the spaces between them.”

at his observation, her gaze flicked back to him, brightening again. “you’re right—i didn’t make it to dusk. my brother, saint, sent for me once the birds could fly again.” a beat. “he says i’m safer near him. i think most just doesn’t trust me to keep myself from wandering into trouble.” she tilted her head at cetus, sly grin returning. “they might be right.”

[cetusxcetus]

CETUS DID, IN FACT, wish for some good old isolation. The shift between the court was needed, as his power had returned in full force, but the lights? He could live without - as he could live without the incessant bumping into the troublesome fae traipsing around Summer as if they'd owned it. He nodded, more to himself than the High Lady, as she spoke of the members of the inner circle looking to hole themselves up in the library & the archives - as well as keeping the position of scholar open. It was a good way to honour little Poppy. But, it won't stand like that forever. The inner circle members cannot keep filling that position out themselves - there will be more pressing matter for all of them to tend to. "It is good you keep it off limits for now, but you will have to consider her replacement after all this is over. Perhaps even sooner. If it all turns to something worse, we will need all our strength, & our dear circle members cannot juggle a task they were unequipped to deal with in the first place." only scholars can take over Poppy's mantle - none other. Not even him, even if he would do a swell job.

but, he was more needed elsewhere.

"I'll help them out, you know I will. I did offer to, didn't I?" Cetus retorted. But, as she spoke of punishment, he shrugged. "There is a time when things are just boiling over. Perhaps Kabir's decision to wither seek out the Dark Mother or work for her, with her, had sealed our fate in our own Mother's eyes. Perhaps it's been long overdue - & perhaps some ancient magic had finally clicked into place that had made it all possible now. If gods were truly just, then they wouldn't be gods. We'd be living in an utopia, or we would not be living to begin with. Whatever her reasoning might be, I doubt we'll learn of it. Deities never explain themselves to the lesser kin. It is the equivalent of us making humans understand our motives - or making ants see things from our point of view. It is simply not done." he had lived for long enough to know that living being with the power of speech had never used it to adequately communicate with each other. Instead everything had festered & boiled over when, seemingly, there was no reason for it to go tits-up over something insignificant or unimportant.

well, that was good.

He'll speak to Lavinia about it when he sees her again, suggest she makes do of the Faith's connection with her... other-courtly sisters. He hummed in approval of Alina's assumption, but then let out a chuckle-like sound, hand gripping tightly at the silver sea-serpent head of the ebony cane. "Ah, it will be done covertly if it is ever needed. They'll never even find out their rulers are gone. You know I have quite a few tricks up my sleeves." oh, to succumb to his youth's violence - to shrivel a high liege like a little grape & chuck it to the sea for the urchins to feast upon! It was a sight often seen in his youth so very long ago. But, age brought a calm to his less agreeable temperament. Now he merely waited & smirked & allowed others to underestimate him.

"Tedious, indeed. I'm in conversation with Dusk's commander, I believe the very brother of their High Lord. He seems of the reasonable kind. Agreeable. I will speak to the others, as well. The high lieges' very own commanders. Seconds & Thirds, if they agree. Though, we should be weary of those that prove too excited to talk to us. Either they're hiding something & are wanting to get their story straight before they forget it, or they are muddleheaded enough to think everyone will be jumping to the same opportunity. This will have to be broached with great care." & not a small degree of charm - which he had lacked. Though, where he lacked in charm he made up in power & experience.

"we  won't  isolate  anyone  to  that  role."  though  she  knew  cetus  wouldn't  object  to  working  alone  on  any  front,  as  he  preferred  it  that  way.  she  turns  in  the  direct  of  second  in  command  stood,  her  honey  gaze  meeting  the  other's  ancient  ones.  all  the  information  she  and  their  spies  gathered  thus  far  by  now  has  the  high  lady's  mind  troubled  yet  churning.  as  always,  she  did  not  allow  those  darker  emotions  cloud  her  judgement,  but  everything  that  has  come  to  light  led  to  only  one  logical  path  for  now.  furthermore,  she  does  not  believe  anyone  is  ready  to  take  that  role  so  soon,  the  only  way  they've  earned  it  was  through  a  bribery  of  sorts.  bribery  was  beneath  the  high  lady  of  summer  as  well  as  her  inner  circle.  "for  the  time  being,  until  we've  found  a  way  to  eliminate  the  issue  of  our  king  and  this  volatile  dark  entity,  i  will  not  be  appoint  another  scholar.  daxton,  along  with  archivists,  historians,  and  our  librarians  will  work  collectively  to  gather  what  we  need,  and  any  other  of  our  circle  members  would  like  to  join  in,  and  you,  if  you  wish."  alina  also  has  gathered  that  not  all  of  her  inner  circle's  members  strengths  lied  in  combing  and  studying  through  archives.  she  nods  in  agreement,  "there  is  something  there  and  i'm  certain  something  she  found  it.  her  disappearing  is  no  coincidence  and  i  am  also  certain  she  herself  has  a  hand  in  this.  i  had  a  suspicion  she  was  either  close  to  uncovering  something  or  had,  and  simply  was  waiting  to  let  me  know.  perhaps  she  never  intended  to  and  used  what  she  uncovered  to  perhaps  ensure  we  made  it  back  to  here."  a  pause,  as  she  toyed  with  the  pendant  of  her  necklace.  “some  form  of  information  that  is  cross  referencing  across  all  archives.  it's  more  than  viable,  cetus.”

"although,  yes,  we  cannot  rule  out  that  he  is  likely  being  used  as  you  once  suggested,  as  a  vessel.  that  leaves  the  question,  if  this  magic  is  extracted  from  him,  it  could  likely  end  kabir."  it  was  hard  to  admit  he'd  be  missed,  but  alina  hadn't  wished  death  upon  the  young  boy.  kabir  would  have  been  spared  if  he  simple  chose  to  step  down  from  his  position.  now,  it  was  either  they  would  take  his  life  or  the  dark  entity  would.  "if  our  deity  wishes  to  punish  us,  why  now?  what  have  we  done  that's  far  worse  than  our  ancestors?  i  argue  they  have  done  far  worse.  you  can  attest  to  this,  since  you  have  known  my  grandparents."  alina  stood  firm  on  this  belief  simply  of  her  own  family's  history.  the  dragomirs  have  been  ruling  the  summer  court  so  far  back  one  had  to  comb  through  their  history  to  know  each  ruler,  and  couple  what  she's  learned  of  the  other  courts  said  as  much  as  well.  being  punish  after  a  millennia  made  no  sense  either,  there  such  atrocities  committed  since  the  beginning  of  prythian.  "i  do  not  take  it  for  granted,  while  my  faith  in  our  creator  is  little  to  nothing,  i  cannot  imagine  she  has  any  reason  now  to  eliminate  us  now.  she  either  cannot  bring  herself  to  work  against  her  daughter  or  she  simply  cannot  interfere  with  kabir.  it  does  not  bode  well  for  us  if  she  cannot  contain  her  made  daughter."

"she's  been  in  communication  with  a  few  of  the  other  high  priestess,  perhaps  she's  already  on  her  way  of  working  with  them."  to  her  knowledge,  lavinia  hadn't  shown  any  aversion  to  working  with  the  others.  "she's  spending  most  of  her  time  in  the  temple  of  the  deep,  to  see  what  else  can  be  covered  from  there."  alina's  response  to  faith  aside,  it  was  a  bit  puzzling  to  know  their  deity  hadn't  at  all  attempted  to  contact  her  chosen  children.  she  also  has  seen  that  her  silence  troubled  her  elder  sister  the  most.  his  words  of  steering  the  other  rulers  in  line  had  drew  a  slight  brow  arch  from  the  high  lady  of  summer.  "now  that  i  would  find  to  be  a  rather  entertaining  sight,  commander.  quite  bold,  your  thinking,  do  be  careful,  do  not  let  the  other  courts  hear  you,  lest  they  turn  on  us.  i  cannot  deny  that  would  be  the  ideal  thought,  for  the  time  being  to  simply  have  them  follow  along."  although  her  words  nor  her  thoughts  held  much  worry  over  that.  "i've  managed  to  speak  to  a  few  of  them  and  they  are  in  agreement  with  me.  the  high  liege  of  night,  lord  of  dawn,  and  perhaps  even  the  high  lord  of  dusk.  i've  inclined  to  believe  the  spring  lord  and  autumn  lady  can  also  be  convinced.  i've  yet  so  speak  to  the  remaining  ones  over  this  but  that  shall  be  done  swiftly  as  well.  i  do  wish  for  everyone  to  understand  we  must  work  as  one,  as  much  as  we  find  it  tedious."

[cetusxcetus]

CETUS SNICKERED AT HER WORDS. It wasn't so much initiative as habit. & routine. & perhaps a smidgen of paranoia. "None of that, dearie. It's so I don't get side-eyed for doing nothing, but the bare minimum of looking eerie & off putting." he grinned, the murky yellow eyes glinting with thinly veiled amusement. The silver sea-serpent head of the cane let out a darkish glow as the weaving enchantment of a shield clicked into place.

he might as well join her now, after a job done.

Not many used the epithet dear before his name, let alone invited him to have a seat by them. But, in the long years he'd known Lavinia, he took to regarding her as family - more than the other members of her bloodline, even if he did watch most of them grow ( & most of them die ) in his long centuries spent in Summer. The trademark smirk of an ancient being had waned into a genuine one - a grandfatherly one - around the High Priestess ; but he still snickered at her words.

"That is debatable. After so much darkness in the Dusk court, my eyes had forgotten how bright direct sunlight is. At least the song of the water is stronger here. I feel almost a century younger." Cetus grinned.

"What is your plan now? I'm going to scout for the beast in our midst. Dragons being here could be another ploy to shield the king in plain sight, or a diversion. Wherever he is... I should track him down."

"brilliant and great initiative as per usual," lavinia smiles. it was just like cetus to be on his feet immediately, warding the premises without a backwards thought towards their guests. better safe than sorry.

with cetus' familiar cheek, she can find herself relaxing back into the shell of childhood. the summer court's second as her scene partner, in tandem with the youthful set-design surrounding them, lavinia was cast in the role of child once more.

"pleased is an understatement, my dear cetus." she returns to sitting on the rattan weaving of her settée, patting the space next to her as invitation. with a dramatic roll of her eyes, lavinia adds, "even if i had been plunged directly into them upon arrival. i hadn't even thought to dry myself off before showing face. you had a kinder landing, i hope?”

[cetusxcetus]

IT WOULD also explain the next court they get hauled off to - when they get there. He didn't doubt the court skipping would continue until they defeat Kabir, but who is to say the magic of court switch is tied to Kabir per se - given their streak of luck, there is something far worse lurking beneath the surface. "There is always a way to end the enemies. It is the timing that concerns me. With out scholar gone, we will have to divide the circle to visit the archives, & I cannot yet say who will be willing enough to isolate themselves there - except for me, of course." he would not mid a bit of isolation. Not at all, in fact. "There should be something in our archives, or else our young Poppy wouldn't have been taken so cruelly from us. She must have been on the right track - no matter the track was in Dusk, it may have something that connected to the knowledge here. I am merely speculating, of course, but... it does seem viable." until proven otherwise.

perhaps.

"It is an option to consider. Given his old character into account, it could be believable. Then again... stronger fae turned power-crazed for less. He could be controlled & unaware of it, or he could've been a willing trial subject. I do not think we will ever truly know for sure - not even if he is stable enough to converse with us, when it's all over." Cetus hummed. Ah, perhaps. He did not deem either of the deities to be that altruistic or benevolent. If they were, there'd never be any war to begin with. "Or she could be displeased with our general history & past & is now wishing to re-set us. To change the inner workings of the faekin. I would not think her happy to go against her Made daughter, if such things are to be believed. Until we have solid proof of either, I am not inclined to put my faith in something that could be even more treacherous. Were we not promised peace, in our beginnings? Protections? For how many eons did we have none of the promised?" he retorted. "Take nothing for granted - not even our own creator. She made us - she can very well unmake us without blinking."

not that he'd blame her.

Cetus nodded at the lady's words. "Perhaps the High Priestesses should team up. They have a power more... intuitive than ours. If Lavinia is willing to work with others, it could prove to be a good way to go. It can't harm. As for the lieges..." he pursed his lips together, the murky yellow eyes flashing with a dimmed glow. "It is vital all eight of the court's rulers work together. As one heart & one mind & one soul - & whatever other notions of unity you wish to string along. But, there must never be doubt in the loyalty to this cause. If you find... any of the other lieges unwilling to fully commit... you let me know. It is never too late for puppet rulers. Magic will choose someone from here - we could hone those more attuned to our cause." should any of the lieges falter... their replacement would be ready for crowning.

one  of  the  benefits  of  having  an  eerie  commander,  his  presence  alone  was  enough  to  unsettle  most.  so  far,  she's  heard  of  no  mayhem  brewing  since  a  week  or  so  has  passed  of  their  arrival.  she'd  wager  most  were  simply  in  shock  to  do  much  else,  and  well,  if  they  took  a  break  from  complaining  of  the  climate  here.  "i  am  also  inclined  to  believe  neither  of  the  deities  fully  are  able  to  either.  it  explains  why  we  were  trapped  in  gaea  and  then  hauled  off  to  dusk."  summer  was  because,  well,  after  placing  the  pieces  together  that  was  poppy's  sacrifice,  and  it  would  not  go  in  vain.  once  more  alina  has  to  push  aside  the  darker  emotions  curl  her  insides,  reminding  herself,  that  one  way  or  another  kabir  and  this  dark  entity  would  pay  for  their  sins.  "it  will  not,  for  him  and  the  entity  controlling  him.  after  learning  she's  also  cauldron  made,  there  should  be  a  way  to  end  her  as  well."  they  would  find  it,  if  it's  the  last  thing  they  ever  did.

his  words  have  the  high  lady  pause  for  several  beats,  "hm,  there's  a  chance  he's  not  fully  aware  he's  being  controlled?"  it  was  possible.  they  could  not  rule  out  anything,  not  until  they  gathered  all  the  pieces.  so  did  that  mean  if  they  found  a  way  to  neutralize  the  dark  mother,  kabir  would  be  released  and  return  to  his  weakling  form?  "of  course  it  is  the  dark  one.  who  else  wishes  to  destroy  prythian?  i  also  imagine  he's  alive  because  of  our  mother.  she's  either  attempting  to  find  a  way  to  reserve  whatever  the  other  did  to  him,  or  finding  a  way  to  release  her  control  over  him."

"her  disappearance  is  no  coincidence.  there  are  texts  that  have  spoken  of  ancient  sacrifices,  ones  that  have  been  outlawed  to  never  be  used."  still,  the  high  lady  is  certain  their  court,  their  temple  perhaps  held  some  sort  of  a  weapon  they  weren't  privy  to  yet  to  find  a  way  to  fight  against  a  cauldron-made  deity.  there  was  no  possible  way  the  dark  mother  is  nearly  as  invincible  as  prythian's  mother.  "i  agree,  until  she  reaches  out  to  lav  and  the  other  priestess,  we'd  best  prepare  on  our  own.  perhaps  we  were  brought  here  as  another  form  of  a  trap,  but  we  are  on  familiar  lands,  and  we  will  prepare  for  his  return.  that  will  also  require  the  aid  of  all  rulers."

[cetusxcetus]

CETUS had been dying for a respite from all the... fae traipsing around Adriata's royal palace. To think any other court could've hosted them had only made him scowl that the task of playing tea parties had fallen to the Summer court. How long before they all vanish to another place? He had hoped for weeks this time. The lack of light in Dusk court had been most beneficial to his aging eyes & finding himself propelled to the blasting, annoyingly white sunlight of the perpetual Summer had been...

an annoyance.

The commander tracked down one of the rare few fae that had not only tolerated, but also welcomed his presence. There as some kind of innate insanity there, he was sure of it. Using the sea-serpent silver head of his cane to knock on the door to Lavinia's childhood room, Cetus waited until she called for him.

"Not to seek for you, no. I did place an additional ward around it on my... check-up on some of the more important estates & palaces of our court." he spoke, a grin cracking across his usually reserved expression. "I trust you're well, Lavinia? Are you pleased we're back in our home waters?"

it was bizarre for lavinia to be back in the rooms of her childhood, traces of her youthful eccentricities scattered about - a trail of dusty seashell against the balcony's edges, her cherished childhood octopus plush shoved under the bed. it'd been a long time since this had been her primary home, stuck in the conundrum of being present to increase her face time with her father and wanting to be anywhere else that didn't make her feel so small.

a loud rap on the door interrupts the peaceful serenity of quiet filling the palace apartment. her eyes glance to the sundial. ah. she'd lost track of time. the high priestess motions for the door to be answered.

"welcome," lavinia calls out, rising to her feet to greet them. "i hope you didn't go to the estate first. noah and i have been staying in the palace for the time being."

for @sparkledcrowns' and @liuyan's muses (not a group thread).