desertslegacy

[desertslegacy]

"So it would seem..." 

It was incredible. The farther in they traveled, the more the light seemed to bend and refract along the surface of the water, lighting the cavern from within. If Igrene had not seen the walls around them and the ceiling over their heads, the blue of the sky peeking through nooks and crannies, she might have truly thought that they simply walked along any other stretch of beach. The salt air grazed against her skin, the sand soft beneath her feet. 

It was almost soothing, to feel the tread of her steps to familiar, despite being so far from home. 

The young man seemed to be enjoying himself immensely, and Igrene felt her heart squeeze, her mind's eye flickering to the soft round faces that had always awaited her whenever she stepped foot out into the desert wind. She returned his smile easily, feeling the home from within him. 

She did not think she was imagining the sensations of familiarity that she felt, but... 

The returning smile curved her lips easily. "Let us follow the trail for now – see how it forks? As long as we keep the trail in sight, we will not get lost. But I suppose we can venture farther in." 

Cautiously, Igrene moved along the gentle stream of water that trickled in from without – if it continued to move, perhaps there was another body where the current was stronger? 

"What tales have you heard of these caves? Surely we are not the first to have set foot here..." 

these clouds breathe for you

[desertslegacy]

"Ilia, is it? Well met, Fiora. I haven't met many of your countrymen, but then your pegasi have little need to venture to far into Nabata, do they?" There was the tug of something familiar – in the way the other woman spoke, in her bearing, in the features of her face – but Igrene had been willing to dismiss it as merely seeing her around the monastery, a vague memory of time filled in with the convenient present. 

But as she looked closer, she found that the sight of Fiora's face pressed gently against memories further back, and she cocked her head slightly, brow furrowed only a touch, before she continued back to their previous stations. 

"Well spotted – I...have come to teach at this institution." It wasn't a lie, but neither was it entirely truthful. She had orbited and eventually found herself adrift, so unlike the staid path she had followed as Guardian, but had allowed herself to be pulled back to this place for the sake of Sophia. "I instruct the Black Eagles house. What is it that might have brought a famed Pegasus Knight of Ilia to this continent?" 

The twine sat heavily in her hands, and she made to begin winding it about the posts that had been dug and seated in the hours prior. The layered knots were unfamiliar to her, but she got the hang of it quickly enough, looping and tugging the rope taut. 

"Where on earth did those other freeloaders go?" 

The voice beside them brought her attention from the work to the creased face of their overseer, the manager deployed by the island's owner. He'd been friendly enough in the beginning, promises of great pay and familial connection to come throughout the day, but had grown harsher and forceful as the day had gone on. 

Tellingly, but for the bright red of his nose, his skin was unblemished by sun. 

Igrene flicked her eyes to her new friend, and cocked her head at the man. "Did you not hear me earlier? I've sent them to fetch some water – when they return," she added pointedly, "Dame Fiora and I will step away to do the same. As you can see, the progress we've made in only short hours is astounding – don't you think so?" 

An energy of surprise struck her as her new companion turned to the other workers and spoke to them a contrary command that the two of them had just been given. Surely, their supervisor would want each of them to return to their work? But she spoke in such a clear, final voice — one that could hardly be refuted. She must be a great leader, Fiora recognized. Nothing at all like the man wielding his position as a weapon above them.

Hands folded behind her back, she stared at the other, careful eyes tracking the gait of her body, to ensure she was not near to toppling.

The question draws a small, awkward huff of a laugh from Fiora’s throat. Ah... so she’d been found out. Fiora’s body always betrayed her. There was always some form of tell. Her first commander had noticed her tremor when she got tired. She was fortunate that lances were so heavy — it often was easy enough to mask.

Today, though, it seemed to be the sweat on her back. Fiora smiled, complacent and serene, as they walked together.

“Indeed, ma’am. But I am a pegasus knight. I work for the honor of all pegasi knights from Ilia... I will not give up.” That likely meant nothing to her, Fiora knew. Fódlan was host to many people, from many lands — many of which were so far from Elibe, they’d not even heard of Ilia. “... I am Fiora, by the by. I see by your crest that you are a teacher?”

[desertslegacy]

Trends are cyclical, so they say. The latest and greatest in fads sweeping Garreg Mach is the return of ~penpals~ except, erm, this time it isn’t just for fun. No, this time it’s a school-wide assignment! Students (and faculty!) are intended to be paired at random, so you could wind up with just about anyone as your partner. Of course, if you’d rather exchange letters with your friends, there’s nothing saying you can’t rig the system just a little… (starter for @errsaufen)

[a scroll, tied into a roll with a neat piece of twine but otherwise undecorated and undated, in a hand that is legible but clearly unpracticed and veers occasionally] 

To my esteemed colleague,  That is how these letters often begin, is it not? You will have to forgive me, I have not had occasion to write many of them, but I hope to practice, if you will indulge me.  In truth I know the likelihood of you being a colleague is slim – it is more probably that you are a student, practicing the sorts of letters and missives that the Academy will give you the opportunity to write. I shall attempt to live up to this standard, but I hope if you find me lacking that you will inform me, and I will correct my failings.  Perhaps it is unfair to assume that this endeavor will fail from the start. I shall try again.  It is with the warmest intention that I send to you my greetings today, my new friend. I am Igrene, of Arcadia. My village is one in isolation of much of the outside world, in the heart of the Nabata Desert, and though we find that notes often pale in comparison to the sight of our loved ones' faces, we are keen and apt to learn.  Maybe that is where we may best begin, with stories of our home. Will you tell me of yours?  I look forward to hearing from you, my new friend.  Best,  Igrene

notes on a fragrant breeze

[desertslegacy]

From the corner of his eye, Roy is quick to notice a familiar, warm presence. 

“Hello, Igrene. Nice to see you here.”

The sun’s reflection shines blindingly from the surface of the fishing pool. Perhaps it’s the cool water on a bright day, but he can’t help but be reminded of a certain desert village harboring a certain soulless divinity. Roy turns away from the water’s edge, and straightens up his still-modest height to meet her.

“It has been a while. What a coincidence, to find ourselves both so far from Elibe, isn’t it?”

Was it a coincidence? Igrene was not so prone to believe that the winds that had pulled the threads of their hearts together time and again to have been merely a whim - there were some habits that died hard, she realized more and more every day.

"Young Roy - or, I suppose, not so young anymore, are you? You have grown." It was not merely a comment on his stature, though she was sure that he would continue to develop into a fine man that any eye may find themselves traveling to - but through his journey, on his own, and as time trudged ever onward, Roy was becoming a credit to his people.

Her smile creased the lines of her eyes, and she crossed the remaining distance, arms circling about his shoulders as she drew him into a soft embrace. "It is good to see you as well, young lord. There are quite a few of our erstwhile party here at the monastery. It seems that fate has designs for us, that we may not yet quit one another."

[desertslegacy]

↪     𝑲𝑰𝑺𝑺  ﹠ ᵀᴱᴸᴸ .    (  a  collection  of  50+ kiss prompts .   feel  free  to  specify  the  initiating  muse .  potentially  nsfw  content  within .   will  be  updated .)

finally kissing the person you’ve been pining for .

a kiss shared during a game  ( truth or dare ,  spin the bottle ,  etc ) .

kissing your lover to show you forgive them .

neck kisses that turn into love bites .

wiping away your lover’s tears as you kiss them .

a kiss to prove you don’t have feelings for them .

a last kiss before one goes away .

biting your lover’s lip amidst a kiss .

an emotional kiss bringing one party to tears .

a kiss while being reunited after a long time .

kissing your lover in a moment of sheer joy .

a kiss while slow dancing .

sharing a spontaneous kiss with a stranger .

an abrupt ,  heated kiss during the middle of a fight .

kissing them to shut them up .

a kiss to wake your lover up in the morning .

sharing a kiss in a heavy downpour of rain .

kissing your partner to seal a marriage .

a possessive kiss that is meant to stake a claim .

a kiss to resolve suppressed romantic/sexual tension .

a kiss attempting to convince the other party to stay .

kissing the top of their head as you hold them .

a risky kiss between forbidden lovers .

stolen kisses while hiding away from a crowd .

a kiss that leaves lipstick stains .

a kiss shared on a rooftop while the sun sets .

a flirtatious kiss on the back of the hand .

sneaking off to a public bathroom to make out .

a kiss on the forehead as the other sleeps .

an  ( accidental / mutually )  drunken kiss .

caging your lover against a wall with your arms to kiss them .

a kiss after joining your lover in the shower .

a kiss after receiving good news .

a tentative ,  exploratory kiss between friends .

a kiss shared between enemies during combat .

kissing your lover after believing you’d lost them .

a kiss after a devastating event ,  meant to comfort .

a possessive kiss in front of a jealous third party .

kissing your lover under the night sky while stargazing .

a kiss between two people in a fake relationship .

a kiss that seals a promise .

kissing your lover lazily first thing in the morning .

holding your lover by the jaw to kiss them .

kissing the tears from their cheeks .

a kiss to your lover’s stomach as you travel down their body .

an abrupt kiss that you melt into after a moment of hesitation .

sleepy ,  domestic morning kisses in the kitchen while making breakfast .

a rushed kiss before one party leaves for work .

a kiss shared while holding your dying lover .

[desertslegacy]

another kiss prompt

a kiss to make up for an argument

a dominating kiss to end an argument 

a gentle kiss to ask forgiveness 

a kiss against shoulder blades as arms wrap around from behind 

a kiss against the shoulder after waking up beside each other 

a kiss to distract

a kiss against tear stained cheek

a kiss on the brow 

a kiss where they’re both covered in blood

a kiss after one muse has killed for the other 

a kiss after one muse has injured the other 

a kiss between enemies who should be fighting 

a kiss between exes who meant to walk away 

a playful kiss to make the other stop rambling 

an adoring kiss because the other is rambling 

a kiss to end sexual tension 

an angry kiss 

a tearful kiss 

a kiss to prove a point 

a hesitant kiss 

a kiss from one muse who should be afraid of the other 

a kiss from a muse who the other should be afraid of 

kisses scattered along hardened jaw to try and sooth 

a kiss as if trying to answer a question 

a kiss between furrowed brows to try and comfort 

a kiss from someone the other didn’t think thought of them that way 

a kiss that says thank you 

a kiss on the corner of the mouth,  hoping for more but expecting nothing 

an exploratory kiss,  testing the waters between them 

a kiss on the forehead of one who is starting to fall asleep 

a kiss against the cheek after discovering the other is napping 

a platonic kiss just meant to express overwhelming emotion 

a kiss to comfort both parties

a kiss stemmed from relief 

a kiss to make the other believe professed feelings 

a possessive kiss to remind the other who they belong to 

a possessive kiss to show the world they belong to each other

a kiss stemmed from jealousy 

a kiss to make someone else jealous 

a biting,  passionate kiss 

a kiss against the neck which feels more like a bite,  teeth bruising skin 

a desperate kiss as if they are convinced they’ll slip through each other’s fingers 

a kiss to make each other feel alive 

a kiss stolen away in a corner,  ignoring crowds 

a kiss after being pulled into an alley to have a moment to themselves 

a kiss after grabbing the other’s arm and pulling them back close 

a kiss to convince the other to stay 

a kiss like they’re trying to convince the other to love them 

a hopeful kiss in the rain

a desperate kiss in the rain 

an angry kiss in the rain 

a possessive kiss in the rain 

a playful,  happy kiss in the rain 

a passionate kiss stemmed from previous heartbreak in the rain 

a kiss in the rain to make up like it’s a damn romcom 

a kiss in the rain filled with the foreboding of a goodbye 

a kiss to make the other stop being stubborn 

a kiss after treating a wound 

a defiant kiss 

a kiss between partners in crime in front of someone they hold captive 

a kiss to anger a third party 

an adrenaline filled kiss shared after committing a crime 

a surprise kiss just because the other couldn’t stop thinking about it 

[desertslegacy]

Though Igrene's gaze flicked to the overseer, she made no move to rise, not immediately. Not because she was in any way opposed to the work being done, or because she had not the spirit to continue, but simply that she understood that a man who threw his weight around like that would take any light that continued to flicker and burn it out without remorse. There were dozens, hundreds of such men all over Elibe, and she had stood her ground before far more intimidating than he. 

Smiling softly at her new companion, so eager to hop to attention, despite her labor being volunteered and not obligatory, Igrene eventually rose, stretched languorously, and sighed before the collected the load she had set down for the moment. 

"There are only so many times that one can attempt to drink from an empty flask before accepting that it needs to be refilled," she said, feeling the strain in her muscles. Before she continued to move along, she raised a hand to those that had gathered, and called out; "Take another moment, and collect yourselves. I believe there is a spring not far from here, why don’t you all refresh there, and return in a few minutes, that we may do the same?" 

Here, she gestured to herself and her new friend, smiling in a way that she knew was pretty and pleasing, but with her tone brooking no argument – a holdover, she knew, from the time when there had been so many tiny voices calling for her attention in Acradia. 

Turning to the young woman, she finally took that step back in the direction of the foundation they were setting, aware but pointedly ignoring the eyes on her back. 

"I do not believe that you can continue in this way, either, my friend, if the sweat on your back is any indication. You are human, as the rest of us, are you not?" 

“Tired?” she echoed, a lilt of surprise seeping into her voice.

Well... of course she was. Her body was sore, throbbed with a dull ache across her muscles, a splitting pain in her joints. In addition, the world was more tinged gray, or a touch white, and felt very slightly off-center, as it did on the rare occasion that she sustained blows to the head. But that was just the way that it was. Fiora was used to working herself down to nothing. You did not become a pegasus knight if you sat on your proverbial haunches, after all. Nor did you keep your life in battle. No matter the pain, one must carry on, must endure.

“You there!” a supervisor boomed above them. Fiora’s eyes flickered up — he was talking to the two of them, a knobbled, long-nail finger gesturing at them. “Get back to work!”

“Yes, sir!” Fiora called back automatically — then, quieter, to her new companion, she continued. “Come... we can talk as we walk. Do you believe you can continue in this way? I will carry your share, if not.”

[desertslegacy]

Where had all of her strength gone? Igrene leaned her weight heavily against the trunk of a nearby palm, entirely flummoxed at the sap of her vitality which had occurred after only a few scant hours' work. She had abandoned her duties and her charges for a time, but she had not been entirely idle - not entirely, but enough that she felt the tug of her muscles when came time to lift and heave, and felt the guilt wash anew.

Still. It did not account for this utter drain that she experienced now. She understood that the heat was lesser than she was accustomed, in the simmering sun of the desert, but she could not have accounted for the humidity.

She had noticed, however, as time had gone on, that she was not alone in her fatigue - strong laborers, experienced to a man, and all had began to flounder one by one. They did not mask their irritations, their faces stormy as they grumbled amongst one another, even moreso at seeing the double-headed eagle on her doublet marking her as a professor of the academy.

When she offered them an understanding smile, they did not return it, and continued to eye her warily.

"Ah?" The approach of a knight drew her to standing, even though her pulse still fluttered.

It was the question she registered first, and Igrene's eyes creased. She leaned in, cocked her head to a group of laborers nearest them, who had watched the knight's approach with all of the bristling interest of a pack of stray dogs. "Are you not tired as well, dame knight? Forgive me for saying so, but you do not look as though you come from a place of similar climate - this heat would be quite a bit to deal with for even someone used to such temperatures, to say nothing of the hours of labor. I believe this may be the first break many of us have taken today."

i’ve been here before

@desertslegacy

It’s time to put all of your recent building experience to work toward a tried and true marvel in engineering: bridges, intended to connect all of the various islands in the archipelago. This job is a perfect workout for those itching to use their muscles, as there are tons of metal and wood to lug about. The supervisors in charge of the project, however, are a bit demanding. They drive you hard and have even begun prohibiting breaks! Will you write a formal complaint to the eccentric owner of these isles, or will you perhaps instead take matters into your own hands? [Grants Authority +1]

Fiora was no stranger to hard work. It was nigh impossible, she thought, to come from Ilia and not know the taste of it, the stinging, aching burn across muscles, the sweatied upper lip, the stiffness of lower body and joints. Today was no different. Though instead of wielding a lance and others’ blood on the tip of it, she was carrying thicker metal beams, along with corresponding wooden ones, and taking it to the construction site.

She herself didn’t notice anything amiss, in truth, at first. She made many trips with no complaints, other than the ache of her body — but it always protested so, finicky, fleshy thing that it was. But somewhere, slowly, a gentle, careful awareness trickled in. Her companions were looking... frustrated. Upset. In some cases, unwell, even. Fiora carefully off-loaded the metal beams she was carrying, and looked to a woman nearby, putting down her own load, with an expression Fiora found completely inscrutable. (Something, though, about her was horribly familiar. Perhaps it was that she held herself like a warrior... yes, that must be it...)

“I beg your pardon,” Fiora began, earnestly, “but... is all well?”

[desertslegacy]

Now that she had spent a little bit of time around the island, taking its paths and courses underfoot with every spare moment that she had, it became easier to appreciate its beauty. Not that it was not immediately apparent, as anyone with eyes might have been able to see the clear sky and jeweled waters, the lush greenery and vibrant flora and fauna - but there was so much of it that tugged at her attention, she who was so attuned to keeping her focus on a singular point in a large expanse of sameness.

But the isles promised much and more to those who were willing to plunge into their nooks and crannies, and though she could not be tempted by riches, there was the pique of curiosity that came with such tales.

"Do you think there is truly anything to find?" Igrene brushed aside a crop of vines to allow the Lady Elincia to pass underneath them. There seemed just ahead to be the opening of one such network of caves, if the maps were to be believed - though they, too, had the potential to be nothing more than legend.

"Of treasure, I mean." She cocked her head as they approached, lips curving into a soft smile. "The tales have seemed to my ears to be little more than that - merely legend. We're sure to find something, but whether it is what was promised is another matter. Are you prepared, Lady Elincia?"

pieces of eight

[desertslegacy]

Rumor has it there is a beautiful cave at the northern end of the archipelago, and if that isn’t enough to tempt you, then how about the promise of treasure washed in by the waves? It is not a trek for the faint of heart, however, requiring climbing, rappelling, and even jumps to navigate. Adventurers heading in had best come prepared with plenty of rope, but be warned: though the sights and loot are said to be more than worth the danger, danger indeed there be! You had best not be caught inside after the tide begins to flow. [Grants Bow +1]  (starter for @carmennivis)

She had no need for treasure, necessarily - what would she do with such riches, if given to her? In Arcadia, and for the moment here, in Fodlan, Igrene would have said that she had all that she needed, and if one did not search too deeply then it would have been the truth.

But the circuit of islands is vast, and their cave networks long and interconnected - some laden with natural gifts untold to one such as she, and others fraught with peril beyond imagining.

The one she emerged from now appeared to be the former: while the slick walls of the entrance told a story of merely another damp, rocky enclosure, a few meters in it expanded into a lush ecosystem in its own right.

"I believe there must have been a sinkhole, some time ago," she said after she hoisted herself out of the rocky incline to meet the young man she traveled into the wilds with. "There are points of natural light, but I cannot determine where they originate. But there is growth, and there is life. Would you like to see it?"

She extended her hand, to help the lad down into the cavern, and her smile took on a somewhat mischievous tilt. "Perhaps we shall see these fabled treasures."

these clouds breathe for you

[desertslegacy]

Ain’t no party like a slumber party! The latest fad of late has been to host secret sleepovers. Unlike the church-imposed roommates from a month or so ago, these are unauthorized get-togethers testing your stealth, comradery, and bravery. After all, it takes guts to follow through with the main event at most of these gatherings, whose main purpose is to perform summoning rituals for tiny 'demons’ meant to grant wishes, cause trouble, and anything in between. Are you part of the problem, or are you on the other side wondering 'who keeps summoning these things?!’ [Grants Reason +1] (starter for @nabataprophet)

There was so much that might have needed to be discussed, so many things which might have come to pass or stayed the same, but as Igrene tucked the edge of a blanket around herself, she found that there was something so comfortable about bedding down with Sophia nearby. That they were thousands of miles away, in a dormitory rather than in one of their own homes, surrounded by pilgrims and wanderers and students rather than by the familiar faces of their countrymen in Arcadia mattered little to her, for when the sun went down and she dragged a brush through Sophia's hair it was as though nothing at all had changed.

And, if she closed her eyes and cast her mind back, she might have recalled a time when it was Sophia brushing her hair, and watching over her in kind.

"I suppose it isn't the time for bedtime stories," she mused, threading her fingers through the dense locks of purple, plaiting them with practiced motions, "but of late I've been thinking quite a bit of the Locket in the Dunes. Do you remember that one?"

Sometimes it was hard to remember where one heard a story for the first time, in a village such as Arcadia where the same story was passed around, shaped by small influences from one person to another in the same way as one might spice a meal in a shared cookpot. Still, the basics remained the same;

"The displaced hermit crab, traveled so far from the sands of Nabata's beaches and into her heart, moving from shell to shell before discovering the enchanted locket, left behind from the Scouring and suffused with such strong magical energy that the crab began to develop a consciousness. Unsatisfied with how little of the world he had seen, he traveled farther and farther into the desert, unaware that this was taking him away from his family, his life, everything he had ever known - unaware too that the locket was keeping him alive.

"Oh but," tying a knot at the end of the braid, Igrene laughed softly. "I suppose that's a far sadder story than calls for right now, isn't it?"

If It Goes Bump in the Night

[desertslegacy]

Master your fears, lest they master you. A strange guru has just pulled into town, here to spread his agenda of curing people of their fears. For a small fee, he will treat you with exposure therapy, pushing your greatest ick into your face until you are forced to accept it. Scared of creepy crawlies? He’s got those. Heights bothering you? He has a course. Existential dread weighing on your shoulders? He might have to check the back. Come on down and get your remedy today! [Grants Faith +1] (starter for @semperiuvare)

It was ironic, she thought, that her steps might falter in her approach. This so-called guru, who helped those to conquer their fears…was this truly applicable, for the likes of her?

It was not that Igrene did not experience fear - of course she did. There could be no protective instinct without fear, and there could not be a Guardian who did not protect. It was the carefully cultivated fear that drove she, and those in the long line before her, into fulfilling their duties.

It was merely that… She frowned. Her departure from the monastery, from her duty to Nabata, to Sophia, to Idunn, to Fae…

Igrene shook her head, resumed her pace. Her fears had become less cultivated. It was something that she needed to admit, to acknowledge, and ultimately, to face. The tumult in her heart was unlike her, the drift between one location and another, one purpose and its opposite.

And it was another obstacle that needed to be eliminated, with as much efficiency as she eliminated those that swarmed the sands.

"Oh…hello brother." She thought she had recalled the sheen of blonde hair from another point in time, both more recent and farther back in the past. She canted her head, and smiled at him. "Are you…here to assist the guru…or to ask his help as well?"

you don't have to be a ghost, here amongst the living

[desertslegacy]

There’s something calming about island life when you’re not in the thick of work. The odd breaks you’ve managed to carve out for yourself offer the opportunity for an activity unique to coastal surrounds: exploring tide pools! These little pockets of seawater dot the intertidal zones of the rocky beaches about this section of the archipelago, and are treasure troves of marine microbiomes waiting to be discovered. (starter for @fangedjustice)

The feel of the sun was different here, closer and more intimate, sticking to her skin with every spray of seawater that the breeze brought in. It was not as unending as in the desert sky, the eye in the sky that arced a careful sentinel over she and her people, but the boisterous presence of a loud, tropical bird.

The mountains were easier to get used to, if she were honest, the same dry air familiar to her lungs than wading through this dense blanket of moisture, and even if the heat was comparable it was the bright blue of the sky that took her aback every time she looked up at it.

With a task in hand, some preparation or other for the rich patron of the island, it had been easier to overlook, but now…

"Ah! Sir Lloyd, look!" Igrene tossed her hair over her shoulder as she knelt, fingers grazing the surface of the low pool of water, before rising to gesture him closer. "There's movement - can you see it?"

Another Rather Lovely Thing

[desertslegacy]

To her credit, Igrene did not flinch, though she felt the heat of breath and blood against her arm, the weight of a body urgently violent pushing her back, though she smelt the thick ichor and the sputtering of a dying fire, and when her back hit the snow she was prepared to fight for her life, as she was always prepared to do. 

With a smart yelp, the wolf released, skittering back to its fellows, and Igrene looked up to find the broad back of her companion before her, separating her from the wolves and she scrambled up from prone, cradling her sheared forearm to her body. 

Over the roar of the wind, she scant heard Sir Lloyd speaking to her, but she forced herself to focus, to find that focal point over the throbbing pain of her newly opened scars. Gritting her teeth, Igrene ripped the scarf from her throat, wrapping the thing about her arm tight, tight, stanch the bleeding, she could not afford to be useless in the face of danger again. Her eyes flicked about the space swiftly, seeking the depression in the snow where he bow might have fallen, and knelt to reach for it with trembling fingers – from the pain? From the cold? Impossible to tell, but the leather of its grip shifted under her grip. 

"We must get the buck," she said, as though there were no other option: they had been sent into the wild for the good of the monastery, and Igrene had faced worse than wolves in the desert. She would return successful, as she always had. 

She could focus through pain. 

It was the cold that was another beast entirely, unlike any cold she had ever felt, its teeth digging far deeper than the wolf's mere glancing strikes, seeping knives into her gut and stealing sensation from her limbs, casting her mind in fog. She shook her head, mostly to herself, and felt along her hip with numb fingers for another arrow. 

This was no magic, no force that separated them from themselves, and their wills were strong. This was the realm men and beasts and nature, all things Igrene had endured, time and again, and she saw no reason this was to be so different. 

The Snowfields Wouldn't Seem So Big If You Knew

[desertslegacy]

The younger members of the clergy empathize deeply with the fearful students. Noticing that it’s the Guardian Moon, one of them decides to show the students how to make a “Saint Seiros charm” from their hometown, a traditional craft for Saint Seiros Day. The bit of Faith magic woven into it gives the trinket a certain comforting aura, something much-needed during these perilous times. Others offer instruction about their own version of charms that, while not for Saint Seiros, offer a sense of togetherness and cultural connection, and helps take one’s mind off the cold. starter for @semperiuvare

The cold had been intense for several days now – intermittent bouts of ferocious wind sweeping great sheets of snow across the monastery grounds, to moments of complete stillness, an almost lulling peace were it not for the biting cold. Though Igrene was certainly unused to such duration of cold, to say nothing of the sheer degree of it, she forced herself to move about and shake off the chattering and the sluggishness, not allowing herself to fall idle.

Many of the students were not so lucky, did not have quite the focus or discipline as she, had not had to deal with such extremes in their time on this earth, and stayed quite bundled up, boarded in their rooms or the common areas, huddling with friends for warmth when possible. Some, of course, stuck to strict regimes of their own, but the majority found themselves falling to despair.

The church seemed rather at a loss, for many of the senior members of staff were of a similar mind to she: keep moving through the cold, endure, scrape what warmth she could.

Igrene found her way to the reception hall one morning, the air bright with chill and found that it was bustling with an energy quite unlike anything she had seen in recent weeks. Indeed, the last time she had seen such a font of activity was during preparation for the Ethereal Ball, and it felt quite similar: tables set up with baskets of twine and other bits and bobs, groups of students and knights and professors with their heads bowed working dutifully or chatting amongst one another with their hands working to curl the twine about charms and mini fetishes, some in the shape of a human, others draconian, and others still in the shape of the fan she had seen in flags and standards all over the monastery, this so called Crest of Seiros.

Craning her neck, she found serene blonde person in monk's habit, seated and working happily alongside a gaggle of students. Igrene weaved her way through the crowd to stand off to the side, peering down at everything that littered their table with some curiosity.

"Good morning, brother. What's all this?"

In the Embrace of Saints

[desertslegacy]

let's go, lyon!

[desertslegacy]

Oh, and now his discomfort truly shone, and Igrene was reminded of the precise situation in. Her smile softened about the edges, and her eyes creased, twinkling with the barest tease. "Not suited to it? Is that so? It's been several minutes, and neither of us is yet to trod on the other's toes." 

More than that, they seemed to move together well – if a bit stiffly – but considering that Igrene had little experience with dances of these kinds, she considered it well and truly to be a victory. Indeed, though Lyon was not comfortable with the circumstance – whether that be being presented, or being controlled, or merely dancing by its own merit – their combined muscle memory had them gliding about the space with little fanfare, good or bad. 

"See?" She emphasized as the song came to an end, meeting his eye with a bright smile, expression open and kind. "We made it through well enough with your lead. You might even think me a proper lady," she added with a soft laugh. 

Still, the boy was clearly crawling beneath his skin at the attention, at the spotlight – and, Igrene suspected, that was possibly his patron's intention. Canting her head thoughtfully, Igrene raised her hand to her mouth in a large, showy yawn, and extended her hand to him. 

"The dance was lovely, and I thank you for it. It seems I'm rather more tired than I thought – perhaps you'd join me for a glass of champagne. Er, before the next dance," she added, a touch loudly, a touch pointedly, at the ceiling. 

Extending her arm, she winked, and said undertone, "It takes it out of one, doesn't it?"

let's go, lyon!