cresccents

[cresccents]

expressing  her  emotions  had  never  come  easily  to  her.  perhaps  it  was  the  anger—always  simmering  beneath  the  surface,  pushing  away  any  feeling  that  might  invite  true  happiness.  and  yet,  sienna  allowed  her  a  lightness,  that  took  all  of  it  away  a  hint  of  pink  crept  to  Ilayda’s  cheeks,  lingering  as  sienna  complimented  her  dress.  truth  be  told,  the  excitement  of  gifting  her  the  dresses  had  been  stained  with  worry.  that  perhaps,  she  wasn’t  as  good  as  she  thought.  but  sienna’s  words  softened  the  crease  in  her  forehead,  the  tension  melting  into  something  warmer.  crinkles  wandering  to  her  eyes  as  she  smiled.  “thank  you.  It  means  a  lot  to  me,  really.”  if  sienna  said  it,  she’d  believe  her.  finally  allowing  herself  to  stop  doubting.  “after  all,  you  were  the  one  who  taught  me  to  make  these  dresses.  I  owe  you  my  life.”  as  dramatic  as  it  sounded,  it  was  nothing  but  the  truth.  without  sienna,  she  would  have  been  lost—useless. she  gestured  to  the  fabric.  “i  tried  to  find  the  perfect  shade  of  pink  to  match  your  hair.  though,  honestly,  your  gorgeous  red  locks  would  look  good  with  any  color.  please,  try  it  on!  i  need  to  see  it.”  her  excitement  bubbled  over.  “I  can  adjust  it  if  needed—I  brought  all  my  materials  with  me.”  that,  of  course,  hadn’t  been  by  accident.  ilayda  had  hoped  sienna  might  still  have  more  to  teach  her. “i  wouldn’t  blame  anyone  for  looking,”   she  added  with  a  laugh,  quickly  glancing  around  as  if  someone  might  be  watching.  then,  dramatically  lowering  her  voice,  she  whispered,  “  the  coast  is  clear.  but  you’d  better  hurry,  some  fae  are  approaching.”

☆ﾟ*·ﾟFRIENDSHIP WAS VERY important to sienna. it made her feel warm inside, especially when she felt like something was missing. and right now, being in another court, she needed all of the friendship she could get. and ilayda's hugs felt different because she'd missed her greatly. "oh really now? where do you think you're going?" sienna asked, raising her eyebrows, allowing a smirk to rest on her face. when ilayda originally asked if sienna would teach her, the redhead was overjoyed with the idea. she'd never had anyone actually want to learn from her and it made her feel so incredibly special. shaking her head, she picked up one of the dresses. "flattering you? ilayda, have you seen this? it's stunning! you're honestly amazing!" as she continued looking at it, taking note of the stitching that she'd done on the dress, she continued listening. all of these dresses were amazing and she loved the colors and style. "i love these! especially this pink one, it's just my style! i may have to wear it like immediately." looking around the area, she stood on her toes, searching for people. "i mean, there's no one around. we can watch out for each other," sienna said, shrugging her shoulders.

[cresccents]

stretching  her  arms  behind  her,  yurim  let  out  a  deep  sigh,  exhaling  both  her  troubles  and  the  thrill  buzzing  beneath  her  skin.  swinging  her  arms  forward,  she  tried  to  temper  her  excitement,  not  wanting  to  appear  too  happy  about  the  new  circumstances.  but  the  moment  of  seclusion  shielded  her  from  any  eyes,  and  a  wide  smile  crept  onto  her  lips.  all  she  could  do  now  was  wait.  wait  and  hope  that  the  mystery  of  the  suddenly  healthy  king  would  be  unraveled,  that  she  too  would  be  blessed  with  the  same  knowledge. humming  under  her  breath,  her  thoughts  drifted—to  the  sky,  to  the  melody  on  her  lips,  to  everything  and  nothing  at  once.  so  much  so  that  she  failed  to  notice  another  presence  nearby. a  moment  passed  before  she  finally  turned  around.  her  surprise  was  gone  within  a  second  and  a  flash  of  a  smile. “isn’t  this  place  perfect  for  a  little  stretch?” 

𝐚 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 @ofsnowfalls

[cresccents]

ilayda  leaned  against  one  of  the  wooden  beams,  her  wings  tucked  neatly  behind  her,  the  tips  quivering  slightly  with  impatience.  she  had  been  here  for  a  while  now.  worry  had  driven  her  to  arrive  way  too  early  at  the  stables,   waiting  for  iain  .  time  certainly  stretched  endlessly  when  one  was  anxious  and  she  wondered  if  iain  had  even  received  her  letter,  the  one  she  had  scrawled  in  bold,  scarlet  ink,  demanding  an  emergency  meeting.  she  knew  that  iain  certainly  had  more  important  things  to  do  but  impatience  gnawed  at  her  ,  and  after  all  he  was  the  only  one  whom  he  could  talk  with  about  their  horses.   “  iain  !  ”  a  wave  of  her  hand,  accompanied  her  voice  ringing  loudly  through  the  stables,  startling  a  few  horses.  behind  her,  a  black  mare  tossed  her  head,  flicking  it  with  irritation.  ilayda  barely  noticed,  as  she’d  already  stepped  forward  not  bothering  to  wait  for  him  a  few  more  seconds.  “  i  need  to  talk  you  about  the  horses  …  do  you  think  they’re  fine  ?  i  mean  even  if  they’re  not  here  at  the  dusk  court,  i’m  sure  there  must  sense  something  is  wrong  .”

𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 : @slivertm ( iain )

[cresccents]

the  sight  of  her  cousin  was  surprising,  and  yet  a  calculation  that  came  earlier to her than she  had  expected.  she  knew  that  sooner  or  later,  she  planned  to  speak  to  her  anyway  but  for  a  moment  she  felt  a  hesitation  that  usually  wouldn’t  have  interrupted  the  fluidity  of  her  words.  her  cousin  had  remained  a  riddle  to  her  till  now  (  mostly  blamed  on  the  fact  that  yurim  did  not  seek  to  talk  to  her  frequently  ),  one  she’d  hoped  to  at  least  attempt  to  solve  so  she  could  find  out  if  she  proved  to  be  useful.  stretching  her  lips  to  a  smile,  she  soaked  her  voice  with  sugar,  calling  her  cousin  by  a  nickname  she’d  never  used  before.   “  rara.”  the  word  felt  foreign  on  her  tongue,  making  her  cringe  inwardly.  the  corner  of  her  mouth  twitched  at  the  sheer  absurdity  of  it..  “  i  was  looking  for  you,”  she  continued  smoothly.  “i  wanted  to  make  sure  you’re  fine  with  everything  going  on—our  court  certainly  isn’t…  if  you  ask  me.”

𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 : @arashway

[cresccents]

embarrassing.  pathetic.  the  words  echoed  in  her  mind,  disrupting  her  movement.  she  caught  herself,  coming  to  an  abrupt  halt  the  moment  she  saw  derya.

it  had  been  far  too  long,  and  yet  it  felt  as  if  no  time  had  passed,  just  the  same  lingering  residue  of  something  unresolved.  she  had  hoped  to  speak  with  derya,  to  find  forgiveness  (though  she  wasn’t  sure  for  whom),  within  her  stubborn  pride  and  mend  what  had  been  broken,  ruined  by  their  father  and  eventually  by  her  own  hands.but  the  moment  passed  with  too  much  hesitation  again,  and  her  sibling’s  voice  managed  to  prohibit  her  from  running  again.

“you  know  i  don’t  like  these  kinds  of  drinks,”  ilayda  mumbled.  and  yet,  she  reached  for  the  strongest  liquor,  filling  two  delicate  cups.  maybe  she  needed  the  courage  it  would  bring—just  enough  to  face  derya.

“so…  how  are  you…?”  her  words  stumbled  awkwardly  out  of  her  mouth,  wondering  when  they  lost  the  sharpness  that  were  always  reserved  for  them.  

( 𐫱 ) 𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗳𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗳𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲. though  there  are  a  certain,  small  handful  of  fae  for  whom  derya  might  wander  a  bit  further.  it  was  beyond  time  for  them  to  break,  having  allowed  the  forge  to  cool  for  the  last  twenty  minutes,  setting  aside  the  steel  sword  upon  which  they  had  been  carving  designs  down  the  blade's  centre  for  the  better  part  of  an  hour.  all  these  little  tasks,  which  create  an  overarching  narrative  which  drives  their  life;  they  are  sore  about  how  something  else  seems  to  be  infringing  upon  it.  don't  count  current  company  amongst  those  numbers,  they  berate  themself,  or  else  you'll  lose  what  little  meaning  life  has  left  for  yourself.  not  allowing  these  thoughts  to  appear  on  their  otherwise  stoic  countenance,  that  bout  of  seriousness  fades  a  bit  at  being  approached  as  they  near  the  table  set  aside  for  casual  beverages.  “finding  yourself  in  need  of  a  drink  too?"  ask  they,  not  wanting  their  gruffness  to  overshadow  everything. / @feathcrcd ; @dcwnthercad ; @cresccents .

[cresccents]

KIM JI WON as Hong Hae In in QUEEN OF TEARS (2024)

[cresccents]

*lying* why would i lie

[cresccents]

for  a  moment,  she  stared  at  the  other,  wondering  how  she  could  be  of  any  use  ,  if  she  was  aware  that  with  her  words,  she  greatly  overestimated  herself,  claiming  to  be  of  any  more  help  than  those  books,  possessing  so  much  knowledge.  but  yurim,  faced  none  of  these  thoughts  aloud  (  as  if  she’d  ever  dare  )  and  instead  a  feigned  smile  resided  in  her  lips,  lacking  any  of  the  pretended  warmth  of  her  words.  “  surely,  we  can,  is  there  any  useful  information  you  might’ve  came  across ?”  she  asked,  not  really  interested  in  the  answer  as  she  doubted  that  anyone  was  as  good  as  her  in  doing  their  research.  yet,  today,  she  found  herself  to  be  patient  enough  to  await  an  answer.  “  i’d  love  to  help  you  out,   however,  i  must  admit  i  haven’t  found  any  answer  yet.  i  assume  the  winter  court  is  as  clueless  as  we  are,  no?  ”

☆ﾟ*·ﾟNEWS OF THE king rocked the world. aoife couldn't wrap her head around how, or when, or why any of this happened. but she wanted to understand. she wanted to know why something like this would've happened, or how. finding herself in a library, the second in command needed to know what happened, and needed some kind of answer. she couldn't live like this, not knowing, not being able to help her court in any way. it drove her absolutely mad and she hated that feeling. aoife was strong, powerful, and proud of herself, but lately, she hadn't been feeling like that and it wasn't right. she hadn't heard someone's voice next to her and turned her head to face her, eyes firmly on the other. "sorry. i was just looking for information as well. perhaps instead, we could help each other out."

[cresccents]

a  sigh  fell  from  her  lips,   the  movements  of  her  eyes  ,  now  rolling  with  annoyance,   hidden  one  last  time  before  she  dropped  the  fabric  covering  her  face.   her  hand  shifted  to  her  forehead,  pushing  the  cape  backwards  and  falling  back  to  crossing  her  arms  when  she  finally  spoke.  “  i  see,  you’re  still  as  rigid  as  ever  .  admit  it  you  were  scared  for  a  moment,  no  ?  ”  her  lips  twitched  with  an  irritated  smile,  forced  upon  her  lips  as  she  didn’t  wish  to  be  rude  again,  as  she  was  the  one  about  to  ask  a  favor.  “  i  know  you  do  not  give  out  favors  for  free  but  i’m  here  to  ask  you  for  one  .  it’s  not  much.  “  she  added,  hoping  that  it  would  somehow  soften  him,  or  at  least  not  make  him  refuse  it  right  away  .  “  and  you  technically  don’t  have  to  do  more  than  you  usually  do  …”

𝔥𝔢 𝔦𝔰 𝔟𝔢𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔣𝔬𝔩𝔩𝔬𝔴𝔢𝔡. vastien hears her footsteps, catches her scent, even reads the rhythmic pounding of her heart as she closes the distance between them. it echoes in the narrow alley. there is irritation rising in him, but also curiosity — she must know he senses her, so he concludes that her fluster and panic must come from a need to conceal her own identity, not from the intent that drives her to fall in step and trail him. when he finally stops, he crosses his arms over his chest, brows knit with annoyance, wings tucked tightly as if bracing against whatever's coming. and then she speaks — voice cloaked ridiculously to conceal, just like her caped form. eyes of moss and oak roll toward her in acknowledgement, lips pursed to the side.

❝ seriously? ❞ the flat drone of his voice reflects his unamused regard of her dubious intentions. ❝ you must think me an idiot. this conversation's over unless you drop the theatrics. ❞

[cresccents]

it  was  only  out  of  the  corner  of  her eye  that  ilayda  spotted  the  winter  court’s  fae,  coming  to  a  halt  when  she  turned  around,  eyes  fixated  on  her,  once  again  struck  by  the  beauty,  so  much  that  she  couldn’t  help  but  speak  to  her.  “lailah,  is  it  right  ?  i  hope  i’m  not  mistaken.  ”  a  genuine  smile  spread  on  her  lips.  she’d  gotten  used  to  all  the  strangeness  surrounding  her  that  seeing  a  familiar  face  was  enough  to  lift  up  her  mood.  “  don’t  worry,  i’m  not  here  to  force  you  to  buy  another  dress,  although  i  might  be  bold  but  assume  you  need  one,  considering  that  most  of  us  did  not  expect  to  …  well  land  here.”  ilayda  couldn’t  find  another  word  to  explain  the  odd  circumstances  that  led  them  here.  surely,  the  other  was  no  wiser  than  her.  “  i  just  wanted  to  say,  if  you’re  ever  in  need  of  protection  ,  especially  regarding  the  current  circumstances,  i’m  happy  to  help.  ”

a closed starter for @shvdwscng ( lailah )

[cresccents]

𝔦 . finding  herself  returning  jia’s  gaze,  she  was  getting  lost  in  the  endless  depth  of  her  eyes,  touched  by  the  warmth  of  the  slightest  hint  of  gold,  and  yet  mysterious  and  captivating  as  the  court  itself  she  hailed  from,  hiding  untold  stories  that  were  gently  pulling  her  in.  as  jia’s  voice  interrupted  her  thoughts,  ilayda  could  pinpoint  the  moment  she  needed  to  snap  out  of  her  thoughts,  remembering  that  she  came  for  answers  instead  of  an  exchange  of  silence.  “  i’m  not  sure  .  i  thought  those  dragons  might  have  spoken  to  you,  or  dropped  some  hints  ?  signs  ?  do  they  even  speak  ?”  she  blinked,  embarrassment  shadowing  her  earlier  determination.  ever  since  ilayda  met  jia,  she’d  always  thought  of  her  possessing  all  the  knowledge  of  the  world,  so  much  that  she  didn’t  expect  her  to  ask  a  question  in  return.  “  i  wouldn’t  mind  if  you  did,  i’d  rather  be  controlled  by  the  ‘evil’  dusk  court  than  the  king.  ”  although  she  was  jesting,  worry  shifted  the  usual  ease  in  her  voice  and  with  not  having  even  one  question  answered,  she  knew  it’d  soon  start  to  grow.  “  so  is  your  cousin  planning  to  do  anything  about  it  ?”  ilayda  knew  it  was  better  not  to  ask  about  such  matters  but  she  couldn’t  help  but  be  curious.  “  or  is  it  on  us  and  i’ll  need  to  teach  you  how  to  murder  a  king.”

the corner of her lips tilt upward, amused by the idea of her cousin scheming in this way. then, transparently, further entertained by ilayda’s straightforwardness. jia returns the inquiry with a strong gaze of her own, peering into the depths of ilayda’s eyes — “but why would we want that?” she still couldn’t pinpoint the right word to describe the shade of her eyes, not just green, but a little blue, with some burnt flecks. jia liked the illyrian (although her species still hung awkwardly in her mouth, the new vocabulary left a weird taste behind). she didn’t mince words and did not try to push her buttons like the male populous of the mainlanders. maybe that was the issue. the males: so hellbent on getting under her skin it seemed. so, in turn, she planned to get under theirs. “do you think we’ve taken control over his majesty to bend him to our evil will?”

[cresccents]

𝔦 . eyes  widening,  lips  parted  as  she  gave  a  quiet  gasp.  only  a  moment  ago,  she’d  found  herself  in  a  safe  distance,  taken  in  by  an  iteration  of  the  past  that  had  rarely  felt  so  tangible.  she’d  believed  that  she’d  changed,  that  the  illyrian  part  of  her  really  died  when  she  couldn’t  even  beg  for  life,  yet,  she  caught  herself  staring,  just  like  back  then,  shameful  with  admiration,  envious  that  her  body  could  never  mirror  the  same  precise  movements.  “  i  surely  did  enjoy  the  view  when  you  covered  your  face  .  ”  she  snorted  as  she  fell  back,  resorting  to  the  usual  insults.  since  ilayda  had  left  the  camps,  her  temper  had  cooled  down  with  losing  the  constant  strain  of  having  to  meet  certain  expectations.  but  eldar,  he  was  aggravating  enough  that  ilayda  would  fall  back  into  those  old  patterns,  finding  comfort  in  crude  words  instead  of  facing  the  complicated  emotions  she  was  supposed  to  feel  towards  the  person  who  saved  her.    “  you’re  sweating  so  much,  I  doubt  the  shirt  will  suffice,  mind  if  i  help  you  ?”  she  mused,  her  lips  curling  with  childish  mischief  ,  when  she  dipped  her  hands  into  the  cool  water,  flicking  it  forward  and  sending  a  spray  of  water  towards  him.  but  the  amusement  tugging  at  her  features  only  lasted  for  a  moment  with  the  reminder  of  why  she  came  to  look  for  him  in  the  first  place.  the  news  of  the  king  had  stolen  enough  of  her  pride,  that  she  could  admit  that  she  was  worried  about  eldar,  an  odd  revelation  that  she  still  needed  to  get  used  to.  “  very  well.”  she  shrugged,  “   at  least  the  dusk  fae  don’t  seem  to  avoid  me.”  she  added  under  her  breath,  saving  herself  the  embarrassment  from  throwing  around  baseless  accusations  .  truth  to  be  told,  she  wasn’t  sure  if  he  was  in  fact  avoiding  her  or  if  he  was  simply  busy  with  whatever  a  fourth  child  of  a  high  ruling  family  was,  and  still,  ilayda  couldn’t  deny  the  disappointment  that  she  barely  got  to  talk  to  him,  feeling  foolish  that  she’d  ever  thought  that  their  connection  had  surpassed  the  point  of  rivalry  and  her  own  resentment.  “  what  about  you  ?  i  guess  you’re  well,  although  i  must  say,  you’re  a  little  out  of  shape  but  i  assume  it’s  only  natural  since  you  don’t  need  to  defeat  me  anymore.  ”

@cresccents

things had turned tense and he could feel it in the air as the fae moved swiftly in the hallways between meetings and mother knows what else to discuss the change in the monarchy. eldar had used the opportunity where most appeared busy to use the almost empty sparring ground. he was not completely alone, of course, but he wasn't one to complain since being completely alone was actually intolerable for the illyrian. he also didn't have to look for a sparring partner since there was a day court warrior who had had the same idea as him. eldar advanced on him so quickly he realized that he'd have to go easy on the redhead and this, in truth, would have to turn into more of an endurance training, which he did not mind either. eldar found himself sweaty and exhausted enough after going a couple of rounds with him, so he ended the training with a handshake, pulled off his shirt to wipe the sweat off his face and walked towards the barrel of fresh water, his eyes recognizing another illyrian lingering right by it. the male felt sudden tightness in his chest, his heart skipping a beat with recognition. ilayda. fuck. eldar hadn't deliberately avoided the female, but he didn't exactly feel like facing her either. he didn't want to deal with his own complicated feelings that were brought to the surface by her. guilt, fear and shame. all those serious things. he didn't want to face what he had done for her. it was way easier to plaster an easy smile on his face and to act as though he did not have a care in the world. " look at you, " he spoke to her, his eyes locked on hers as he threw his shirt over his right shoulder and went for a mug to fill with water. " enjoying the view. " but the second she turned her attention to him, really, the memory lingered right in front of his face. the paleness of her face as her lids had closed and all that blood on her. on him. eldar took a deep breath and a large gulp of water to swallow it all up. " how is dusk court treating you ? " he asked afterwards. that seemed the normal thing to do.

[cresccents]

𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐊 : how  does  your  muse  feel  about  the  dusk  court  and  its  fae  ? @ofcourtfablesarchive

𝐲𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐦  𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲

yurim  has  no  particular  feelings  towards  the  fae  and  the  dusk  court.  it  is  only  the  fact  that  she  barely  possesses  any  knowledge  about  them  (  and  the  dragons,  she’s  quite  terrified  of)  that  might  make  her  slightly  more  suspicious  towards  them  than  towards  any  of  the  other  courts.  while  she  finds  it  odd  that  they’ve  decided  to  remain  hidden  for  such  a  long  time,  she  also  cannot  blame  them  for  doing  so  as  she  probably  would’ve  done  the  same.  if  the  dusk  court  ever  decides  to  ally  with  her  court,  she’d  rather  welcome  it  as  she’d  like  to  avoid  going  against  those  terrifying  creatures  (  the  dragons,  of  course  .)

 𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐝𝐚  𝐜𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐤

although  she  hasn’t  talked  to  many  of  the  dusk  court  fae,  there’s  some  kind  of  strange  companionship  she  feels  towards  them.  having  grown  up  in  the  secluded  illyrian  camps  and  not  having  seen  too  much  of  the  other  courts,  she  wonders  if  the  fae  of  the  dusk  court  can  somehow  relate  to  her.  admittedly,  the  dusk  court  is  quite  beautiful  (  she  will  never  admit  it  though  )  and  out  of  all  the  other  courts,  she’s  secretly  glad  that  she  isn’t  forced  to  stay  in  one  of  the  solar  courts.   still,  ilayda  remains  to  be  a  proud  fae  of  the  night  court  and  she  wishes  nothing  more  than  to  finally  return  home  .

[cresccents]

hesitation  lingered  in  the  distance  she  found  herself  in,  watching  her  cousin  as  well  as  the  high  ruler,  appearing  to  be  quite  pathetic  even  from  the  sole  glimpse  of  his  back.  she  could’ve  ignored  him,  leaving  him  to  whatever  he  was  going  through  and  indulge  in  the  fact  that  he  appeared  to  be  quite  miserable,  yet,  as  a  matter  of  fact  she  was  still  curious  about  his  plans  as  it  was  inevitable  to  be  not  involved  in  any  of  the  future  decision  involving  their  court.  “  have  you  ever  been  a  good  companion?”  she  stepped  closer,  amusement  playing  on  her  lips,  disguising  her  words  as  a  jest  and  not  a  truth  she  felt.  “  a  thorn?   you  seem  to  be  quite  poetic  today,  i  might  dare  to  say  misery  suits  you,  it  makes  you  quite  mysterious,  brooding  .”  yurim  continued,  finding  childish  delight  in  teasing  him.  “  considering  the  recent  developments,  i’m  curious  about  how  you  feel  about  all  of  this.  ”  

open starter from high lord suho ashway.

There had been a tiring panic within him that echoed in his mind, it made things almost unclear where they stood, he did his best to remain calm in the face of the uncertain, even if he did not indeed feel that way. it was out doors where he could feel grounded feeling the freezing breeze, a breeze that somehow lacked the earthiness that the autumn forest provided, that smell of home. the vastness of the dusk court did not help him feel any less trap top his demised . "what had began as a growing irritation is not a thorn on my side," he sighs as he feels someone else in the near. "pardon me, i am not a good companion at the moment." if he ever was.

[cresccents]

“  thank  you,   it’s  fine.”  yurim  replied,  a  default  reply  to  match  her  polished  exterior  and  yet  her  eyes  followed  the  book  the  general  stole  from  her  sight,  irritation  tucking  the  corner  of  her  perfectly  painted  smile.  “  that  book  is  quite  boring,  i  wouldn't  recommend  it  unless  you  plan  on  falling  asleep  in  troubled  times  like  these.”  she  said,  hidden  intentions  concealed  by  a  lie  as  she  planned  taking  it  with  her  later.  “  there  must  be  a  lot  of  things  on  your  mind  as  the  day  court’s  general,  no?  ”  her  voice  was  wrapped  in  feigned  concern,  brows  bumping  together,  awaiting  an  answer.  “  you  think  these  are  the  brightest  minds?  then  why  are  we  still  stuck  here?  ”  amusement  disrupted  her  facade,  and  for  once  genuine  laughter  escaped  her  throat.  none  of  them  were  capable,  and  she  could  admit  that  she  wasn’t  excluded  either.  “  so,  if  there  aren’t  any  answers  in  here,  i’d  like  to  know  what  you  might  think  has  happened  to  the  king?  i  doubt  that  he  was  bright  enough  to  come  up  with  whatever  has  happened  to  him.”  

“my apologies,” ulka laughs half-apologetically, unwittingly plucking yurim’s book off the shelf before fluttering out of the autumn fae’s way. “with the brightest minds in prythian all gathered under one roof, i’m thinking that the answer won’t be found in a book.” ulka was hardly as diligent as the day scholar, but even she felt compelled to find out more. she loved to uncover mysteries and learn about the world they lived in, but it was beginning to seem like every fae trapped in the dusk court was doing rounds through the library. ulka grabs one of the books off of the other fae’s stockpile. — skimming the title. she nods appreciatively. “a nice collection you’re building.”

[cresccents]

@slivertm ( jia )

she  didn’t  want  to  admit  it  but  hope  had  easily  vanished  within  the  current  events.  a  king,  once  sickly  and  unfit  to  rule  and  whom  she  hoped  would  perish  soon,  suddenly  regained  powers  that  none  of  those  rulers  deserved.   she  could  only  guess  what  would  happen  next  and  while  she  could  admit  that  she  slowly  got  used  to  the  new  world  around  her,   news  like  these  make  her  body  ache  for  her  once  home,  where  none  of  this  would’ve  reached  her.  knowing  that  her  friend  was  far  more  knowledgeable  than  her,  it  was  only  a  natural  instinct  that  made  ilayda  seek  jia,  their  friendship  somehow  was  one  of  the  only  true  good  things  that  had  encountered  her  ever  since  she  was  forced  to  remain  in  the  dusk  court.  “  jia.”  she  smiled,  hope  glimpsing  through  it  with  only  ilayda  needing  to  see  jia,  looking  at  her  lavish  dark  hair  and  sparkling  deep  brown  eyes.     “  i  believe  you  must  have  more  answers  than  me  but  cauldron  boil  me,  what  happened  to  the  king  ?  is  it  some dusk court  dragon  magic  ?”

[cresccents]

“  i’m  sorry  [  …  ]  ”  she  gulped,  swallowing  the  pieces  of  words  crushed  by  guilt.  how  long  had  she  wished  to  see  him,  talk  to  him  instead  of  always  leaving  before  she’d  dare  to?  she  knew  that  if  she  talked  to  him,  she’d  come  back  even  if  she  couldn’t.  now  kerim  was  here,  touched  by  the  time  she’d  lost,  and  all  she  wished  for  was  that  he’d  ask  her  for  stay.  but  he  didn’t.  he  didn’t  ask  her  where  she’d  been,  reproach  her  or  spoke  with  any  disdain  she’d  have  deserved  .  and  she  wished  she  could  resent  him  at  this  moment.  it’d  be  easier  to  leave  again.  but  how  could  she,  when  there  was  so  much  love  she  had  for  him?  she’d  always  care  about  him  and  it  still  wouldn’t  be  enough  to  repay  him  for  all  the  care  he’d  given  them.  back  then,  she  thought  kerim  was  perfect  (  she  was  wrong,  deluded  by  her  own  struggles  ),  enough  to  meet  all  the  expectations  she  couldn’t.  yet,  she’d  always  thought  he  had  it  the  worst.  after  all,  meeting  their  father’s  expectations  meant  losing  yourself.  she  lost  all  of  herself  without  ever  reaching  them,  so  she  wondered  what  kerim  had  lost.  how  much  of  it.

 “  i  wanted  to  talk  to  you,  i  tried  to  see  you  ,  it  was  a  pathetic  attempt  though  -  ”  she  wanted  to  step  closer,  hug  him  and  make  sure  that  none  of  this  was  a  dream.  but  it  was  only  a  moment  that  allowed  her  arms  to  shift  slightly  before  stepping  back  into  the  comfort  of  distance  she’d  gotten  so  used  to.  “  but  i  figured  it  would  be  best  if  i  didn’t.”  her  eyes  shifted  again,  then  back  to  kerim.  was  she  trying  to  run  again,  even  with  regret  seeping  through  all  of  her.  “i’m  glad  you’re  well  .  i  think  i  can  spare  my  favourite  brother  some  minutes.  ”  a  genuine  smile  broke  through  her  expression.  all  of  it  could’ve  been  worse,  he  could’ve  been  dead,  considering  his  position.  “  you’re  still  leading  the  camp,  right  ?  have  you  ever  thought  of  doing  something  different  ?”  something  less  dangerous. 

it  wasn't  exactly  how  he  expected  to  greet  his  sister  again  after  so  many  years  parted,  but  he'd  also  done  nothing  to  stay  in  contact.  kerim  was  a  smart  man,  he  knew  she  would  have  stuck  around  if  she  wanted.  so  the  elder  brother  let  her  go,  hoped  she  would  find  whatever  it  was  she  needed  and  maybe  come  back  some  day.  it  was  difficult,  he'd  been  raised  to  look  after  his  siblings,  but  he  also  knew  ilayda  was  capable  of  handling  herself.  and  when  she  slows,  when  she  recognizes  his  voice  and  greets  him  by  name,  kerim's  own  heart  slows  with  her.  the  moments  pass,  and  all  he  can  do  is  look  upon  her,  to  see  how  she's  changed  and  grown.

"  it's  been  a  while.  "  probably  not  the  best  thing  to  say,  but  his  words  offer  no  harshness.  he's  calm,  despite  the  gnawing  in  his  chest  that  he  failed  her.  he  doesn't  want  to  overstep,  doesn't  want  to  give  her  a  reason  to  dash  off  again.  his  heart  had  missed  her,  he  hoped  she  would  at  least  indulge  this  conversation.  

his  lips  part  to  answer  her  question,  but  then  more  words  are  tumbling  from  her  lips  and  the  older  illyrian  steps  closer,  nearly  reaching  out  to  hold  her  arm  but  keeping  his  hands  at  his  sides.  "  i  am  never  too  busy  for  you,  and  i  have  been  well.  "  he  says  softly.  "  i  cannot  stop  you  if  you  have  matters  to  tend  to,  but  i  would  also  be  doing  myself  a  disservice  if  i  did  not  share  that  i  am  happy  to  see  you.  "