liu-daiyu

[liu-daiyu]

open starter location: the midnight market, as daiyu is arguing with a merchant who believes she has stolen something

the midnight marketplace was alive with color and chaos, just how she liked it. smoke curling from food stalls, colorful lanterns swaying overhead, music slipping between laughter and haggling. it was the kind of night that promised trouble. daiyu should’ve known better.

“i didn’t take anything,” she snapped, standing her ground despite the stall owner towering over her like a storm cloud. her arms were crossed, chin tilted up, fire in her eyes. her cane clutched in her hand

the man, broad-shouldered and red-faced jabbed a finger toward her satchel. “then open the bag.”

“no.” daiyu’s voice didn’t waver. “because if i let every jumpy merchant rifle through my things, i’d be here all week.”

she felt it: the heat rising in her chest, the old pulse of anger and exhaustion. her body still ached from overexertion the night before, but she refused to let it show. she wasn’t going to shrink. not tonight.

“i came to buy oranges,” she said “not get accused of petty theft by a man who can’t count his own stock.”

the tension crackled like lightning. one more word might ignite it or let it fizzle out. daiyu didn't care which

[liu-daiyu]

.

daiyu blinked up from her drink just as her sister’s voice cut through the din. her eyes lit up instantly, her expression breaking into a wide, slightly unsteady grin.

“yanyan!” she half-gasped, half-laughed, slamming her half-empty glass down on the table like it had personally offended her. “see? i knew if i got into just enough trouble you'd appear like a summoned spirit. works every time.”

she shifted, making room without being asked, practically dragging her sister into the seat beside her with a force that was more affection than grace. her cheeks were flushed from the alcohol or maybe just from seeing her…probably both.

“i was going to send word. i swear.” she leaned her chin into her palm, staring up at yan with eyes that gleamed just a little too brightly. “but then i didn't want to risk being scolded for being out too late again and being tucked away in bed with tea.”

she bumped her shoulder gently against yan’s, voice dropping into something softer, honest. “you worry too much. i’m fine tonight.” a beat. “better than fine now that you're here.”

and then, because she couldn’t let the softness linger too long. she flagged down someone to bring two more, placing them in front of them.

she reached for her drink again, raised it in salute. “to sisters. and questionable decisions.”

a pause, then a grin.

“mostly mine, obviously.”

CLOSED for @liu-daiyu. a bar in adriata, night time.

THERE WERE A FEW PLACES WHERE SHE HAD EXPECTED TO SEE HER SISTER, but a bar was not too high on that list. Then again, given Yanyan's own taste for lurking about crowded places unseen with a glass of gin in her hand, she really should not have been surprised her younger sister had followed in her footsteps. Yet, after the... infernal incident, she was worried about her - worried of the frailty in her sister's constitution after the unfortunate meal with their relatives.

Yanyan still hated herself for not coming home early.

The guilt was, even now, sometimes unbearable - but, unlike the fae that would let it break the bond with the sibling, it only strengthened Yan's resolve to always be there for Yuer & to protect her, even if from afar. Though, right now, the commander of Dusk was also craving a drink. Pushing the door to the bar open, Erinya circling the skies above before perching upon a roof, Liu Yan entered the establishment, dark gaze immediately fixing upon the younger Liu.

a smile fluttered on her lips - the kind only her siblings ever elicited from her.

Plopping down on a seat beside Daiyu, Yanyan crooked a grin. "I wondered where I'd find you, Yuyu. You could've at least sent for me, instead of dooming to wander aimlessly in this heat. What are you having? I'm getting us double."

[liu-daiyu]

.

“you make it sound like a religious experience.”

daiyu stood at the edge of the sand, arms crossed over her chest, the wind tugging at loose strands of her hair. her boots were already kicked off, feet buried in the warm grains, but she hadn’t stepped closer. not yet.

she watched the water roll and shimmer under the sun, cool and wild and calling.

“i wasn’t planning to swim,” she admitted, tone light but edged with that familiar tension, the kind that came when her body was behaving for now, but she didn’t quite trust it to stay that way. she had left her cane in her room for the day since she felt so good. but unsure if this was pushing herself too much

her eyes flicked to him, water dripping off him, beaming, wrapped in a towel like he hadn’t just launched himself into the sea with all the joy of a young child. she couldn’t help the crooked grin that pulled at her mouth.

“but ah, cauldron, you’re right.” she stepped forward, one foot, then another. her fingers already reaching to undo the buttons on her linen shirt. “what good is life if i just sit on the edge and watch it?”

with that, she ran, not gracefully, not carefully, just pure joy, straight into the water, laughing as the cold hit her like a challenge.

“if i drown” she shouted over her shoulder, “you’re dragging my body back and explaining to my dragon, and he’s mean when he’s mourning!” she teased

"we must sojourn to the water!" chevalier calls out, rivulets of water drip of the ends of his indomitable curls as he shakes out his head - much like a dog. chevalier's heart raced in his chest, made young again by swimming through a huge wave. he'd learned as a boy, taught by his father in a lake by his house and made better by his time as an emissary. he leaves the water for just a moment to catch his breath, wrapping himself in a towel. "the sun is high in the sky, the water is cool. what good is life if we do not enjoy it?"

open for @ofcourtfablesarchive + @crxssdhearts' xavier.

[liu-daiyu]

.

daiyu had was jumping around trying to get her boots on.the floor was cool stone beneath her bare feet. outside, the hum of summer still buzzed, distant and alive—but in here, it was quiet.

too quiet. she wanted to get out

she spotted kain nursing something suspiciously plum-colored at the low table, and her grin kicked in before her mind did.

“you mean to tell me you choked it down just to drag someone else into the fire with you?”

she dropped onto the cushions beside him without asking, her cane left leaning against the wall, forgotten for now. her sleeves were rolled to the elbows, her boots finally now on

“now that’s the dusk spirit. misery loves company and liquor that might kill you.”

she snatched the glass and raised it in a half-sarcastic salute before taking a bold swig. her expression twisted. the plum wine hit her tongue, sharp and hot, and she made a small noise halfway between a cough and a laugh.

“gods,” she wheezed, eyes watering just a bit. “it tastes like regret in a velvet bottle.”

a moment passed before she finished the glass anyways.

“come on,” she said, pushing herself up and offering a hand, half an invitation, half a challenge. “let’s go get a real drink. one that doesn’t feel like it’s trying to start a war in your throat.” she smiled. "i could use a partner in crime tonight" she said leaning down to finish lacing her boots

open starter !

he had heard people list all sorts of reasons for their dislike of the summer court: the warmth, the bright sun, the buzzing city scape, the secluded palace — ironically, the items on the list were also the things people had fallen in love with the court. he considered most of the details irrelevant. but what he was both intrigued by and averse to, was the sheer amount of unique flavours the court had to offer. the fruits, the drinks, the spices... everything was just a bit sweeter, more vibrant, stronger — and that was exactly where the danger lay. kain grimaced at the spasm his throat made when the plum wine burned it. did it even qualify as wine ? mother know if it did. as discreetly as he just could, he coughed to free himself of the tightness in his throat. " have you ever given this a chance ? " the untouched crystal glass that had been meant for water got filled with the deep amber liquid. he had decided he was not going to be alone with his suffering. with the tips of his fingers he slid the glass closer to the person sitting close by. " it is what one might describe as an experience. "

[liu-daiyu]

.

“give it five minutes—i’ll make you regret sharing the view.”

the voice came soft, wry, and unmistakably amused. daiyu dropped into the lounge chair beside desmera with all the elegance of someone who didn’t quite care about looking elegant, her cane resting against the wood with a quiet clunk. she leaned back, letting the moonlight catch on the rings she hadn’t taken off in weeks.

“the night is the perfect time to be out. I'm still used to all the...sun.but i’m glad you’re not one of those summer court types who worship the sun like it grants personality. oh shit...no offense if you are summer” she tilted her head, studying desmera through shadowed lashes, her dark eyes sharp even in the dim light.

a pause. the wind tugged at daiyu’s long sleeves. she didn’t bother fixing them.

“liu daiyu,” she added, finally. “dusk court. and you are? sorry i don't know. still learning everyone”

there was something curious in her tone—not quite challenge, not quite invitation. just interest. and for daiyu, that was rare.

open starter / @ofcourtfablesarchive

desmera  was  still  a  lady  of  winter,  still  not  used  to  the  heat  of  a  summer  sun  on  her  skin  for  prolonged  hours  of  the  day.  however,  she  found  that  at  night  the  beaches  were  simply  irresistible,  far  less  busy  and  the  heat  was  not  a  pill  to  endure.  she  was  trying  to  embrace  what  she  could,  and  this  seemed  the  best  way  to  do  so.  when  another  joins  her  on  the  lounge  chair  beside  her  she  can't  help  but  turn  with  a  slight  grin,  the  night  time  breeze  blowing  enough  around  them  to  keep  catching  the  thin  dress  she  wore  and  require  a  hand  to  hold  it  down.  annoying,  but  tolerable.  "  and  here  i  thought  i  was  the  only  to  enjoy  the  beaches  at  night.  "  comes  her  greeting  to  the  newcomer.

[liu-daiyu]

‘ jessie mei li, genderqueer, she/they, 260/ 26 , high fae ’ ― cauldron save you. it seems LIU DAIYU has been teleported to the summer court, the APPRENTICE TO THE HIGH HEALER from DUSK COURT is said to be INQUISITIVE and is said to describe themselves with STACKS OF BOOKS READ LATE INTO THE NIGHT, THE SOUND OF LAUGHTER FILLING A TAVERN, THE UNWANTED CLUTCHING OF A CANE and with all of this in mind their RECKLESS nature always seems to get them into trouble. may the mother hold them as they navigate this unthinkable time. ;

tw: sickness, death, near death experience

b a s i c s

FULL NAME:  liu daiyu

NICKNAME(S): dai, yuyu

AGE:  26 / 260

GENDER: genderqueer

PRONOUNS: she/they

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: pansexual

AFFILIATION: dusk

ABILITIES: healing, dragon rider

DRAGON: novriss an orange dragon, freshly bounded 

a p p e a r a n c e

FACECLAIM:  jessie mei li

HAIR COLOR AND STYLE: dark black with a little wave normally keeps it about shoulder length or longer

COMPLEXION: pale

EYE COLOR: dark brown

HEIGHT: 5'3

OTHER: has a small cane she uses when her sickness comes back or her constitution is weak again. she still has not fully recovered from nearly being killed by poisoning. some days she pushes herself too far which is when she can be compromised again

PERSONALITY.

POSITIVE TRAITS:  courageous, observant, honest

NEGATIVE TRAITS: reckless, rebellious, stubborn

MORAL ALIGNMENT: chaotic neutral

FAMILY, RELATIONSHIPS, ETC.

MOTHER: wang jiayi. deceased.

FATHER:  liu bai. deceased.

BEST FRIEND: tbd

EXES: tbd

SIBLING(S):  yanyan (oldest sister), older brother

EXTENDED FAMILY: two distant cousins (living), seven close cousins (deceased).

b a c k s t o r y

you were born into a family of immense love and care. you had everything going for you. a family. a sister and brother whom you cared for more than anything in the world. you were starting your official training as a healer as an apprentice. you were ready to take on the world. maybe a little nervous. a little scared but you were ready.

why did things have to change?

you were at dinner with you cousins. a night that was supposed to be about family and about the love you all shared with one another. you urged everyone to wait for your sister. she was running late but that wasnt unusual with how busy she was nowadays. but your cousins insisted you started. you didnt want to be rude. you wanted to be good and kind like you always are. so you started without her. you ate dinner with everyone and then everything went back

you were in an out on consciousness. you remember pain. you remember everything being blurry. was there a scream or was that your imagination? you dont know. 

you woke up in an infirmary bed. too weak to talk. too weak to move. you were in and out of consciousness. when you finally built up enough strength and were mentally ready you were given the news. 

you had been poisoned.

along with your brother and your parents. your parents didnt make it. some miracle you survived given how much poison you had been given. it seems whoever did it tried to make sure you went first. but it didnt work. you lived.

you couldnt even fathom how much time had passed. how much you missed. you missed their funerals.

you missed so much and your grief only had just started.

it took much more time before you were even able to sit up out of bed. and then walk. and then leave the infirmary. you should be resting more but you cant sit around anymore. you refuse to. too much time has been lost. you’ve been given your life back and you want to do the most with it.

you go to bars. you go out late and stay until everyone is waking for work. you meet new people. you let them take you bed sometimes or just adventure into the wild. you don’t care. you just want something. you want to feel something again.

there are times you can keep your feet grounded. you get back to being an apprentice for the high healer. back to what you loved before. the one thing you take seriously in your life. everything else can come and go but your healing is always there. you have that.

you arent letting anything else go by you again.