manonvalfaren

[manonvalfaren]

CLOSED for @slivertm -- honoria. café in adriata.

AT LEAST IT WAS ALL OVER, which meant Manon could finally relax & enjoy some well earned leisurely time her Prythian-wide friends. The fact that they were all still stuck in Summer was only mildly concerning, but if she had been apprehensive or mortified over it, she had made a conscious decision to think about it later - much later. Right now, she was on a mission & thankfully, this one included a drink & long overdue chat with an old friend from the Night court.

oh, it seemed to have been ages since they've last talked - all the way back in Dusk.

Sending word to Honoria had been as effortless as taking a stroll in the gardens ( which is exactly what had happened ) & they've agreed upon meeting in the café for a good drink or two, after dinner. That was how early evening had found Manon Valfaren sipping on a pretty, azure cocktail, with a soft red umbrella decoration sticking out of it & an assortment of peanuts & other salty snacks. Popping a peanut in her mouth, the commander of Winter waited until a familiar fae swam through the sea of fae cramping around the bar. Lips stretched into a smile, Manon waved at Hon.

"It's gotten quite cramped, but I managed to get us the good seats! What are you drinking - I'm having this hidden-lagoon, pale-lagoon, or whatever lagoon it's called thingy, it's surprisingly good!"

[manonvalfaren]

location & time: adriata, café in town, early evening. with: @shvdwscng ; lailah.

IT WAS ALL STILL A DREAM TO HER - or, perhaps, a very mild nightmare. It was all over & yet the barrier was still up, confining them in Summer court. It's not that she didn't like summertime - she liked it as any other fae who had enjoyed a good swim & a nice margarita on a sandy beach. But, she had also liked it moderately & with the option to remove herself from the sauna & into the iceberg that was her bedroom, back home in Winter. Well, alright, not an actual iceberg, but still! This place lacked ice.

she missed ice.

Manon was getting very homesick lately, especially now with the king dead & everything around them somehow proving to be more uncertain than it was before the epic battle between the High lieges & the overgrown lizard with clashing colors - honestly, purple & green? In those shades? Atrocious. Her train of thought had been interrupted when the bartender had placed before her - & her dear friend Lailah - their ordered drinks. For Mani, it was a Cosmopolitan with a pastel pink umbrella sticking out of it & an assortment of snacks to munch on as they talked.

"Honestly, I'm glad he's gone, but... did it have to be like this? I mean, it's not that I'm altruistic, it's just that we probably should've tried to get him to break the barrier before someone squished him like a blueberry." she sighed, shaking her head. "We're stuck here again, but at least the night's are pleasant." she paused, taking a sip of her drink & remembered, "Oh! Oh, actually scrap that! Now we get to go on our boat ride! Silver lining, indeed."

[manonvalfaren]

location & time: adriata, café in town, early evening. with: @sparkledcrowns , calista.

IT WAS ALL FINALLY OVER. Well, alright, it wasn't completely over, as they were all still in Summer, rather than returning to their respectful courts, but alas - such was the decision of the magic guiding their lives. She missed the cold & the frost, but Summer had proven to be a rather pleasant place for her to reside in - after all, one of her closest, bestest friends in the whole of Prythian had been a Summer fae ; & not just any Summer fae, but their very own commander, third in line of power.

they were so greatly matched in that area, as she was third in power, too.

Manon did not see the battle personally. It was up to her sibling & the other High lieges to put the king to his rightful place, which had unfortunately proven to be six feet under. Still, she felt as battle-fatigued as the rest of the fae in close proximity to the seat of any power. So, instead of napping her time away to recuperate, the commander of Winter had decided to venture to town for a drink - a spiked hot chocolate, to be precise. She wasn't one for clear alcohol, unless the situation was truly dire ( like when they first came to Summer ) & this was a cause for celebration! & what other drink reeked of happiness but rum spiked hot chocolate?

none.

Extending the invitation to join her for a drink, Manon waited to see if Cali would accept it & grace her with her presence. The wait, fortunately, wasn't long, so when the familiar head, followed by a pair of wings, popped up from the sea of other fae frolicking about, Manon grinned, drawing her attention.

"Cali, over here! I'm so pleased you made it. What are you having?"

[manonvalfaren]

REASON IS A VERY LOOSE TERM WHEN DEITIES ARE IN QUESTION, with that she could agree. There was no reason in creatures that were forged of magic & that came into existence by mere thought of the universe - chaos condensed into an anthropomorphic creature. But, the spymaster was right - the Dark One was stronger than the other Cauldron-born, though she can't say she has any personal knowledge about them. Still, it was a good question - how, or perhaps better yet why - is she so powerful? "Maybe she was the first Made fae. At least the first successfully Made fae. I think it could warrant for such gifts to manifest in her - though it doesn't explain why the other Made aren't as powerful. Maybe she tore the power from the Cauldron, or she still uses it do harness her magic. I've never heard of a Made thing lounging around the Cauldron, or using it as a bubble bath, but who can say what's real? We still know so very little of the Made kin to truly know." Manon hummed.

yes, let's hope they're wrong.

"That's useful, indeed." she nodded, more to herself than Lailah. Having connections of the same position with other courts had been useful. Befriending Calista Caelum had been one of her wiser choices in life - it was an added bonus she truly liked the fellow commander. "So, did the Summer's spymaster tell you of any fun things to do around Adriata? Maybe a cheap, but cosy & fun, restaurant we can visit without being robbed blind. We already owe quite a few to Dusk, I think Summer's extravagance might really put dent in my brother's treasury." she snickered - it would hardly be a dent, but still... if they keep up with the court switching, they'll owe the entire Prythian at this point. She was pleased that Lailah was equally excited about exploring Adriata together. "Excellent! I do love spending time with you, we can make it a girl's trip! Never mind it's limited to the single city, but still. We'll make do with the border limitations." she chuckled.

ah, she had her money on the eight, but still.

Manon nodded. "I think the biggest problem is not whether or not we're strong enough, but rather whether or not we'll be united enough to pull it off. Our Mother might try to protects us, but for now I'm not inclined to take it all for granted - even her protection. Who knows if the Mother's scale will tip in the Dark's favour - or ours." she sighed, but then another chuckle rasped out of her. "I think he's too well credited for it." she snickered - but, he really was warm hearted.

might they?!

"You needn't ask me twice! We ought to take a tour - so we can know which places to demonize with out presence, first." she beamed up at the spymaster. "Excellent! We don't need a tour guide then, we can wander about together. Where do you want us to go first? I heard only great things about their market - both day one & night one - but we can leave it for last, if you have a better place in mind."

"i  use  the  word  'reason'  very  loosely.  i  can  understand  to  an  extent  she  cannot  bring  herself  to  harm  her  daughter,  how  ever  she  was  made  by  ours."  lailah  was  no  parent  of  course,  but  in  the  time  she's  had  with  her  own  mother,  dare  she  almost  say  re-connecting  with  asha  (  in  whatever  form  that  was  familiar  to  sharma-rao  women  ),  she  does  not  imagine  it  would  be  easy  for  her  own  mother  to  inflict  any  form  of  permanent  damage  upon  lailah.  that  had  never  been  the  thought  for  the  spymaster,  her  mother  was  not  warm  or  particularly  affectionate,  that  in  even  in  lailah's  anger  as  a  young  women,  and  her  constant  verbal  battles  with  her  mother,  she  didn't  believe  her  mother  wanted  to  hurt  her,  even  if  she  never  quite  understood  asha's  mind  and  her  heart  as  at.  as  decades  slipped  by,  and  now  having  far  more  proximity  to  her  mother  than  she  ever  has  attempted  to  willingly,  the  spymaster  was  beginning  to,  very  gradually,  understand  her  mother's  complicated  emotions  towards  her  daughter.  still,  she  cannot  compare  herself  to  a  unstable  deity  hell-being  on  destroying  a  realm  and  using  their  king  as  her  puppet.  "she  is  rather  strong,  the  made  daughter,  hard  to  believe  she  came  from  the  cauldron,  however,  it  is  the  truth  of  her  creation.  i  think  the  question  remains  how  she's  powerful  and  other  cauldron  made  fae  are  not."

that  drew  a  small  chuckle,  "i  am  afraid  of  so  as  well,  but  let  us  hope  we're  wrong."  she's  nodding  along  to  the  commander  as  she  states  of  her  friendship  with  summer's  third,  which  was  certainly  good  news.  for  lailah  it  was  particularly  for  reasons  beyond  their  circumstances,  rather  of  her  own  as  well.  she  had  intended  to  know  a  bit  more  about  the  court  that  both  her  mother  and  her  lover  inhabited.  it  was  an  idle  thought,  how  strange  fate  was,  tying  her  to  a  court  this  way.  "that's  quite  splendid  to  hear,  lady  manon.  i've  been  in  communication  with  summer's  spymaster  as  well."  the  topic  of  their  scholar  was  still  tender  for  the  summer  inner  circle,  knowing  daxton's  friendship  with  poppy,  and  the  loss  of  her  had  not  been  easy  for  him.  "yes,  we  must  go  to  together,  it's  why  i  suggested  it.  i  thought  you  might  have  enjoy  that  as  well.  i  am  curious  myself  to  experience  it."

"we  cannot  be,  lady  manon.  if  we  were  kept  alive  all  this  time,  it  is  all  the  more  reason  we  must  keep  fighting.  regardless  of  our  odds,  which  we  might  have  the  power  to  turn  in  our  favor."  while  lailah  cannot  even  begin  to  understand  what  their  deity  was  doing,  she'd  still  like  to  believe  that  she  protecting  prythian  in  whatever  manner  she  could.  "i  feel  it,  we  will  find  a  way,  and  my  instincts  are  never  quite  wrong."  he  squeeze's  the  commander's  hand,  before  chuckling  at  her  words  of  her  brother,  "one  thing  your  brother  is  not  credited  enough  for  is  his  generosity."  the  spymaster  was  certain  it  was  not  direct  at  just  anyone.  "it  also  helps  i  rarely  ask  him  for  anything."  she  adds  with  a  slight  grin.  "i  believe  it's  always  this  hot  here,  and  while  its  going  to  take  some  time  to  get  used  to,  i  have  missed  the  sun.  i  was  going  to  suggest,  might  we  take  a  tour,  you  and  i?  i've  walked  around  enough  that  i  can  show  you."

[manonvalfaren]

MANON had enjoyed finding herself back on familiar soil ( even if it wasn't home, it was Prythian so it had been comforting enough for the time being ), but the bouts of melancholy that she had not displayed since this whole... adventure had started, had slowly crept back in again. It was the fatigue, without a doubt. Always looking behind one's shoulder was taxing enough on slow & dull days, let alone the adventure packed ones of the recent times. Still, she wasn't the one to complain - when most of the others had it so much worse.

at least she wasn't a special fae to be in the king's interest.

Dusk had found her standing in the gardens - less so admiring the flowers in full bloom, but rather catching a respite from the uncomfortable atmosphere that had clouded over the Prythian fae - all of them - even more so since the king was still nowhere to be found. Manon sighed to herself when a voice drew her attention & she turned to the source of it.

"Oh, no need for that! I don't mind the company, if you don't mind providing it." the commander spoke with a smile on her lips before turning back to a pink oleander in full bloom. "It's rather lovely here, isn't it? At least the heat is dimming down together with the sun."

@slivertm, @liuyan @ethercvl (whoever you want)

Kael moved through the garden with quiet steps, the hush of twilight wrapping the Summer Court in a rare stillness. Blossoms leaned heavy on their stems, glowing faintly in the fading light, and the breeze carried the sharp-sweet scent of jasmine and sea salt. He hadn’t meant to wander this far, hejust needed air, something outside the press of voices and heat inside the palace. His hand trailed along a low stone wall, fingers brushing warm stone, when he rounded a corner and stopped short.

Someone was already there, half-shadowed beneath the arch of flowering vines. Kael didn’t recognize them they appeared to be just a silhouette in the soft gold of evening. He straightened slightly, taking a respectful step back. “Apologies,” he said, voice low but clear, not wanting to startle them. “I didn’t realize anyone else was here. I can go, f you wanted the space to yourself.” There was no tension in his posture, only calm readiness, and his guard was held close but not raised. The Summer Court had a habit of catching him off guard, and Kael was learning how to navigate it.

[manonvalfaren]

AGREED. Manon agreed with her sister's words, nodding along to signal her approval. Until proven otherwise, it was probably the wisest to think the worst ( which was both ironic & a bit alarming coming from someone as bubbly as Manon ) - it would better prepare them for every possible outcome. She liked surprises as much as any other jovial fae, but not this kind of surprises. She doubted anyone liked those, honestly. "You're right. It's wiser to think ill of him until he proves himself better. Less disappointments. Though, I'm not really sure he could disappoint us any further - but you know how much I hate to stand corrected." she softly chuckled.

that was indeed good news!

"Fortunately, indeed! I don't think I'd survive anything happening to you." just like she wouldn't survive anything happening to any one of her siblings & family members. Manon simply nodded at her words again. "Isolating you or not, I don't think we're out of the woods yet. Who knows what he had planned for us in the coming days. We should be extra careful in here as well. Who can say whether or not he has loyal eyes spying around us. Just because he doesn't know it yet, doesn't mean he might not find out, if we're careless enough." if they relax a little too much.

Now that might be part of the problem. Although reticent to show it at times to any outside of their immediate family, Lydia's caring and deep-seated need to understand barraged its way through her world perspective. She didn't want to believe that there was a chance for the king to be naughty and awful through and through. Hearing how Manon addressed it enlightened her for a moment, and she pursed her lips, although she did not feel foolish. To be fair, she had merely offered a listening ear to him, and not necessarily bought into the emotions nor the sentiments expressed by proxy.

But still. When paired with Manon's observances, it only tightened up the chord of sadness in Lydia's head. Part of her couldn't believe that his personal grieving had come to this as a result. What would have happened to Winter if Adonis had a similar reaction to the loss of their parents? And now, the losses were more active for Kabir. What a shame. "It might be whatever shred of optimism I have left saying that he's been manipulated, but I'll stick with this story until it's proven otherwise. Because it's a difficult enough time already without adding to the discord out there."

She sighed. She felt like a drink herself, but refrained for now. "The good news is that he never found out that I'm a Shadowsinger. That was never used against me nor was it enacted as a threat against the realm. What a terrible loneliness. I couldn't imagine if he tried to isolate me at the same time as himself." Not that Lydia would've allowed that to happen, but also one can never predict what will go down from moment to moment.

[manonvalfaren]

MANON snickered at the teasing remark, but the merry respite came to a stop & she sighed, lightly shaking her head. "Reason with her? Perhaps. Or, she sees the other as her child & is unwilling to harm her. Perhaps she was the one who Made her in the first place. Do we know for sure she came out of Cauldron or if it was Mother's direct creation? Who is to say, at this point, what story we can believe in & what is fabrication? Maybe she wants us to believe she Made - maybe she's not Made, at all. If she'd mad, insane or merely a bit bonkers, only time will tell what her real goal is. I just hope we'll be able to swiftly adapt to the upcoming change." & she didn't doubt it will be quite the change.

oh, she'd love to maintain her sanity.

"I don't think sanity is what's in store for us, dear spymaster." Manon sighed, but then softly chuckled. Being this pessimistic wasn't in her nature - but, if she had maintained her ridiculously optimistic self at these very troubled & trying times... she would have been considered a bit on the delusional side. "I'll have to try & team up with other commanders. Luckily, I'm pretty friendly with Summer's Third. We're getting drinks later." her smile widened as Lailah spoke again & the commander found herself nodding to her words. "I heard of the canal rides, I'm most eager to go! Perhaps we could go together?" she liked to explore - but she often liked to do it in company of another. Exploring by herself was simply not as fun ( or, well, given the recent events - safe ).

well, here's to hoping.

"Eight high lieges against a mutated king, a deity & another, bitchier deity. I do hope we won't be obliterated to hell & beyond while the fight their battles." Manon sighed, but she agreed with Lailah. Eight high lieges was better than one - or two. But, could their powers combined truly be enough to stop three deities ( or godlike creatures )? Still, as the spymaster kept speaking, the commander smiled again. "I'm sure you'll be successful. He doesn't have it in him to refuse a fae anything. I swear to any benevolent deity out there, he'd give away the family jewels if pestered enough." she chuckled.

if only!

"No, I didn't have the chance - or the time - in my previous arrivals to Summer. it was mostly just in-&-out situation, I hardly even registered the heat the last time I was here. Was it always this hot?"

"lady?"  shifting  her  gaze  with  a  slightly  arched  brow.  "that  has  to  be  a  first...."  this  is  mostly  a  teasing  remark,  before  she  continues.  "no,  it  shouldn't  be  possible,  and  perhaps  it's  not.  still,  it  does  not  explain  why  ours  is  not  able  to  detain  the  other.  is  she  waiting  for  something?  attempting  to  reason  with  her  perhaps?"  it  was  likely  their  deity  was  doing  this  exact  thing,  though  the  spymaster  considered  a  waste  of  time  simply  because  this  dark  one  was  well,  mentally  unstable,  if  someone  asked  lailah.  "it  doesn't  add  up,  and  once  we're  left  to  waiting."

"returning  to  prythian,  i  do  believe  there's  some  purpose.  we  only  need  to  find  it,  and  the  only  way  we'll  be  able  to  do  is  to  work  with  our  counterparts  as  our  rulers  work  with  one  another."  her  gaze  was  studying  the  alluring  view  of  the  seas  that  was  being  offered  from  their  vantage  point.  it  was  nothing  like  watching  the  winter  mountains  with  their  shimmering  snow  under  the  sunlight,  lailah  could  get  used  to  the  turquoise  seas.  she  dimly  wonders  if  her  mother  enjoys  this  peaceful  view.  "you  are  right,  we  can  sit  about  worrying  or  we  can  maintain  our  sanity."

"i  say  that's  an  excellent  plan,  commander.  we  might  as  well  take  advantage  of  the  luxuries  of  summer.  if  we're  to  leave  any  moment,  i'd  like  to  experience  more  of  this  court  before  we  do  so.  they  also  have  canal  rides  here,  by  the  shore,  i'd  also  like  to  do."  manon  was  a  lot  like  her  in  that  sense,  always  willing  to  try  new  things.  "diplomacy  and  power  wise."  they  would  need  to  gather  all  of  their  forces  to  face  off  the  king.  lailah  did  not  elaborate  on  where  her  mind  went.  kabir  was  beyond  diplomacy  that  along  with  the  dark  entity,  he  also  needed  to  be  contained.  she  hopes  when  it  concerns  the  dusk  court,  they  wouldn't  need  to  try  so  hard  to  convince  them  on  siding  with  prythian.  "they  can,  there  are  eight  of  them  now  -  they  can  accomplish  much."

lailah  grinned,  "i  appreciate  the  offer,  i  will  let  you  know  how  my  efforts  to  go  with  him."  don,  was  a  rather  generous  high  lord,  in  the  time  she's  served  him,  she  cannot  recall  him  ever  refusing  such  harmless  requests  from  her.  "have  you  had  a  chance  to  walk  around  the  palace?"

[manonvalfaren]

MANON followed the emissary, listening to her intently, nodding along to indicate Nalani had her full attention. The fae were arrogant enough to include even a single drop of blood to the citizen registry, but then again... they were also on another spectre of arrogance to refuse that drop of blood if it didn't hold their loyalties - or the manifested power. So, truly, it could go both ways. "I think they should still count you in as Summer fae - half of your bloodline is summer, so it has to count for something." she said in a reassuring tone.

she had hoped it'd be that way, though.

She nodded once more, agreeing with the emissary's plan. "I think that'd be the best course of action as well. I'm sure the Summer royal court & their inner circle had already started to inform their citizens & other noble fae that were not part of our first court-switch in what was happening these past few months. Though, I can't say how anyone would react. The whole story sounds so very unbelievable enough as it is. I believe even our Winter fae will be in a state of shock & bewilderment - especially once they learn they're stuck in this place." she really wouldn't wish that curse upon them all.

Manon's smile widened.

"Do you have any cool stories about the waterfall? Or the Summer court?"

nalani   didn't   grow   up   close   to   the   summer   high   family,   sticking   to   her   own   family   mostly   when   she   was   a   young   child.   neither   of   her   parents   had   worked   for   the   high   family   either.   and   with   her   being   so   new   to   the   inner   circle   of   their   court   now   she   hadn't   had   the   time   to   establish   connections   as   such.   though   that   was   something   that   she   would   be   working   towards,   a   need   to   prove   to   adonis   that   she   had   what   it   takes   to   be   his   emissary.   "that's   good   to   know.   i'm   not   sure   if   i   would   still   count.   my   father   was   a   summer   fae   by   birth,   but   my   mother   was   winter.   i   manifested   her   powers   over   those   of   the   summer   fae.   and   have   been   gone   for   seven   decades   now.   it   would   be   nice   to   find   out   if   i   still   count   as   a   summer   fae   or   not."

"on   top   of   that,   i'm   not   sure   that   the   summer   fae   that   had   remained   here   or   the   ones   joining   us   from   their   respective   court   would   believe   someone   of   another   court.   it   would   be   best   for   us   to   inform   anyone   coming   in   from   the   winter   court   that   was   not   with   us   in   the   capital   or   dusk."   their   high   lord   certainly   did   not   seem   to   be   the   type   to   ask   someone   to   join   them   in   this   curse,   however   she   was   sure   he   would   if   there   was   a   dire   need   for   it.   "there's   a   high   chance   that   he   has   not   asked   anyone   to   join   us,   however   it   would   be   good   to   know   to   keep   an   eye   out   for   them   should   they   be   arriving."

"of   course."   she   smiled   in   reply   before   turning   towards   the   waterfalls   that   she   had   visited   so   often   as   a   young   fae.

[manonvalfaren]

MANON could certainly hope it would pass - well, after all, everything in life passes, good things & bad ones. This can't last forever, nothing can. She merely shrugged, then nodded at her eldest sister's words. "It will, it has to. I mean, everything comes to an end, doesn't it? By that logic, this will, too."

logic was the keystone to every thing.

Oh, she agreed with Des. Nodding again, the younger Valfaren softly sighed. "I hope it will take him centuries, but I'm still worried what it may mean for us. What if his recovery period is tied to us being stuck in here? We could be stuck in Summer for a very long time then! Perhaps even longer than we've been guests in Dusk. I like exploring courts as any other fae, but I also want to go home - & I know you want that, too. Everyone wants that." she paused, softly chucking at the latter: "Well, except for Summer fae. They' already home."

"At least we get to hang out around here. Do you wanna go grab a drink? Or have dinner in the market? I heard they have amazing roast fish on a stick. Served directly from the fisherman's boat."

desmera  can't  help  but  entertain  the  thought  that  her  twin  fell  to  the  same  fate  as  some  others,  falling  into  a  form  of  water  in  the  summer  court  –  but  she's  not  that  evil  nor  would  she  wish  to  hear  him  complaining  when  that  would  be  a  rather  horrible  experience  to  endure.  ❝  hopefully  it  passes.  ❞  she  says  with  ease,  even  if  her  own  annoyances  seem  not  so  temporary.  ❝  i  wouldn't  ask  where  he  is  and  hope  that  great  expression  of  magic  is  taking  a  long  time  to  recover  from.  ❞  she  says  gently.  the  absence  of  the  king  could  be  worrisome,  but  in  truth,  des  preferred  he  stay  gone.

[manonvalfaren]

WELL, fortunately for her, she had been on friendly terms with their third commander, even if they haven't spoken since the switcheroo. She should probably track down lady Callista & have a chat with her, maybe she'll be inclined to show her around to the Summer-exclusive parts of the court ( so long as those parts did not hold court-wise secrets, of course ). "I met lady Callista in Dusk, she seems very friendly. I think we could meet up with her, if you're uncertain whether or not your Summer heritage still counts?" she offered.

Manon nodded at the latter.

"You're right, I believe it will be the safest to just take care of our own court. I'm sure the others wouldn't want strangers to meddle with their court affairs." just like the Winter fae would be iffy if others tried to interfere. "I can ask him. I don't know if he'd be inclined to curse our citizens with being stuck here, enduring horrors that are, undoubtedly, incoming."

it was likely this was just a brief respite from upcoming chaos.

The commander smiled widely, nodding. "Alright! It sounds lovely. Lead the way, please."

nalani   wouldn't   say   that   she   had   a   close   relationship   with   the   other   emissaries   yet.   she   still   quite   new   into   her   position   that   she   hadn't   had   the   opportunity   to   really   get   to   work   with   the   other's.   though   she   would   be   working   to   change   that   now.   not   to   mention   the   notes   that   she   was   essentially   taking   on   how   both   aurora   and   morgana   had   handled   the   sudden   influx   of   guests   within   their   courts.   something   telling   her   that   someday   she'll   be   the   one   organizing   them   all   into   the   castle   back   in   winter.   though   some   part   of   her   wished   that   they'd   figure   this   curse   out   before   that   had   to   happen.

"of   course,   there's   definitely   some   great   things   to   check   out   in   the   summer   court.   though   some   you   might   need   to   befriend   a   summer   fae   to   see   it.   i'm   not   sure   if   i   still   qualify   to   access   it."   it   had   been   seventy   years   since   she   had   left   the   court.   however   half   of   her   dna   was   comprised   of   summer.   she   would   have   to   find   that   out   at   a   later   point.

"i'm   sure   that   they   will   need   the   update,   though   i   am   sure   that   summer   has   already   begun   to   fill   in   their   own   that   had   remained   here.   and   i'm   sure   the   other   courts   will   take   care   of   their   own.   i   will   fill   in   any   new   winter   fae   that   arrive   after   the   fact.   i'm   not   sure   if   adonis   has   sent   for   anyone   yet."   she   didn't   expect   only   summer   to   take   care   of   it,   but   she   wouldn't   be   filling   in   strangers   either.   "i   think   we   could   check   out   the   waterfall   first."

[manonvalfaren]

MANON nodded at the words. It was good to have a pleasant, friendly relationship with the emissaries of all the courts - especially since none can be certain how long they'll remain imposing on the Summer court & to which other, poor, poor court, they might end up involuntarily making their home. If the recent events are anything to go by, she didn't doubt they'll be imposing on another unwilling host in the foreseeable future. It's a benefit to the Winter court that Nalani grew up in Summer - perhaps their hosts will be more... favourably inclined towards them.

she can only hope.

"That's great, indeed! You can certainly recommend all the nice places for us to visit, then." Manon smiled widely. Nodding at the following, she agreed with Nalani. This new... portal was different. It allowed the other fae to waltz in, but not leave - which could make the hosting all the more difficult for the Summer court.

"That's a good plan. If we see any newcomers, they'll definitely need the update on what in the frosty winter sky had been going on in the past few months. I don't think it'd be very polite to leave it all up to our hosts." she mused, then turned to her companion again, "So, where shall we go, first? Is there any place you'd like to visit on our walk?"

@manonvalfaren continued from here

the   summer   emissary   had   proven   to   be   very   efficient   in   the   organization   of   the   courts   within   the   summer   court.   it   was   something   that   they   had   been   taking   note   of   herself.   should   she   need   to   be   the   one   to   be   organizing   all   of   this   if   their   court   is   the   next   one   chosen   to   be   their   destination.   though   that   was   also   something   that   she   would   be   discussing   with   the   high   lord   as   well.   at   least   to   have   a   general   idea   in   mind   of   what   will   need   to   be   done   should   it   be   them.

"i   can   absolutely   relay   that   message   to   the   summer   emissary   when   i   see   them."   she   nodded   in   tandem   with   her   response.   "it   would   be   excellent   to   know   the   lands,   all   of   us   i   mean.   better   than   remaining   within   the   castle   or   getting   lost   trying   to   explore.   with   the   fact   that   i   grew   up   in   this   very   court   i   know   how   to   get   around.   and   where   all   the   best   places   to   go   are."

"now   also   works   for   me,   i   do   not   have   any   pressing   matters   that   must   be   attended   to   in   the   moment.   dinner   would   be   great,   we'll   definitely   have   to   see   what's   open   tonight,   i'm   not   sure   how   many   of   them   were   with   us   in   the   dusk   court."

[manonvalfaren]

MANON softly laughed at her brother's unbothered chirp. She was pleased that, at least someone, wasn't panicking over the current situation. A cool headed fae was what the courts needed right now. "I don't think you'd find common sense in the market. Have you seen the prices they've put on their goods? Unreasonable." she huffed in reply.

adonis' words made her chuckle.

"I think it's all of them, combined. But, you'd expect some kind of overwhelming chaos from the deities, but I really couldn't fathom how stupid Kabir had to be to actually believe in whatever bull they've fed him with. He was weak, yes. A bit invisible, even. No one took him quite so seriously, I agree, but still. He was young. No one expected a thousand years worth of wisdom in his head. He was still king. The fae - most of them, at least, still obeyed & respected him, even if for the crown alone. This ruined everything for him, in the long run."

“ah,” he nods sagely. “i have none of that. been this way since i was born, unfortunately. think we can find a dash of common sense in the markets?”

he understands the reason for concern. in a sense, manon is right. he should feel some sense of worry, urgency. but, what can they do but pray? offer their support to the mother? what good are mundane hands against a celestial battle? he makes a note to seek out meera. he needs to hear the high priestess' thoughts on this.

“you think little kabir is the reason for this transfer? not the bitch mother?” his brows furrow at this, taking a strong stance on how he feels about the false mother now that she'd made clear they were on opposing sides.

[manonvalfaren]

OH, BOO hoo, another misunderstood asshole with the loneliness ploy as the excuse for being a little bitch. She was a very good & warm hearted fae, but even she wouldn't blink at that bull. Manon couldn't control the eye roll that had possessed her usually fun & light expression. "Really? Another misunderstood boy with ego the size of a mountain? He's lonely? He's sad? Please." the commander sighed, taking a sip of her drink - she needed one. "His volatile nature can't be excused, no matter what kind of piss-poor manipulation tactic he used. He got a power up & his true nature, that of a little bitch if I may be so harsh, shone through like a beacon in the night." a pause as she pondered the information, then, "He could have easily not known this would be an outcome. At least not in a permanent way."

at least she had some information, which was more than Manon ever gathered.

"He is a venomous thing. But, whether or not his nature is like that or he had been manipulated by another source... it remains to be seen." maybe it wasn't all his fault. But, she couldn't really say she cared all that much about his motive - it is the actions she believed in & his actions proclaimed him a wicked fae. Manon rolled her eyes again. "Unless he is using echolocation, I don't think anyone is hearing him right now. He had a mother who loved him. A court that was loyal to him, one way or the other. Now? He has nothing. He truly is all alone."

it was a sad thought, after all.

lydia had taken no pleasure in keeping a low profile with this secret. in fact, during her last conversation with manon, it pained her to skirt over the details. there always loomed the knowledge that she should have confided this more quickly; that des should not have had to shoulder this information alone. and yet, as she had told lord declan: the valfaren pride often succumbed reason to protection. she meant it in the way of not wishing to burden them, drag them further into business that may threaten the very nature of the winter court. of course, hindsight fixated itself into a perfect vision, and with kabir's current actions, such secrecy didn't matter.

manon's mortification and palm smacks were well-placed. lydia accepted them and the admonishments with a grimace. "it felt better at the time to keep it to myself. he was so volatile in the weeks leading up to this. but he gave no hints as to this being his final decision. he ... often spoke of loneliness. of being misunderstood, and wanting something else." she also could not help, nor be particularly ashamed, of the empathy she felt in sharing these sentiments. they were inherently young ones. he simply had too much to learn, and wasn't doing so from trusted sources. it turned dangerous later.

"i don't blame you for the smacks," allowed she. "we've found out the hard way that his decisions are a deeper and more poisonous root than we could have predicted." and even outside the mantle of sister, manon was the third commander. however, it was too late to go back and change the things already done. "he spoke of going away where he would be heard by someone who would truly listen. but honestly, manon, it was all in riddles. ones that only make sense now." perhaps those riddles should have been a clue as to what spiritual things were influencing him. they did not sound as normal fae do.

[manonvalfaren]

IT WAS a smart way to think about the situation at hand - their court was safe & sound, & perhaps they could take it day by day, to figure out what had happened & why - & what was the cost of it all. She didn't dare think about the consequences of a king being loose like a cannon aboard ship in a storm. Working to contain the dark deity or working alongside it. "I don't know about that just yet, lady Lailah. She might be containing the dark Mother, but for some reason I doubt it. I mean... I don't see how a real deity can be weaker than a Cauldron Made fae. Something just doesn't add up." she softly sighed, pondering the idea that the two Mothers had worked in unison.

she was right about that though. "There is a meaning in everything, yes. I'm sure we'll find out sooner or later why were all here & not in another court. Perhaps this will prove to be a blessing for us, or the most unimaginable curse. But, we can't really beat ourselves over it right now - not since we don't have any tangible information." Manon mused, lightly humming.

oh, lovely!

"Excellent! I am told I'm a good & patient tutor & we should have fun while we're at it as well. I heard the Summer court has some very nice cocktails, maybe after a lesson well done we can try some of them out?" she offered with a wide smile on her face. But, the solemn expression returned as she nodded. "Yes, the High lieges will definitely have to shoulder quite a lot of the burden. Everything rest us upon their skills of diplomacy & their power as a whole. We can help them as much as we can, but there are some things only they can achieve." her brother will have to step up his charismatic Lord game during the ( undoubtedly upcoming ) High lieges' summit. Or a friendly gathering, however they wished to call it.

Manon softly laughed at her words. "Don't worry! Ado will be happy to help. I can pester him in your stead, if you want. He'll cave in like a snowman in summer."

"nor  mine,  not  entirely.  for  now,  i  will  relish  in  the  knowledge  that  our  court  if  safe,  and  we  can  gather  our  bearings  and  figure  out  what's  to  be  done."  it  was  difficult  keeping  faith,  with  how  their  king  turned  out,  and  now  turned  into  a  beast.  however,  lailah  was  determined  not  to  believe  the  worst  simply  because  they  still  lived.  "if  we  what  we've  seen  before  we  were  sent  here  is  correct,  our  mother  is  here  and  perhaps  working  to  contain  this  dark  entity."  who  would  have  ever  believed  they  would  be  caught  in  the  crossfire  of  wars  of  the  gods?  one  of  which  wished  to  use  a  young  boy  as  a  puppet.  "i  am  inclined  to  believe  some  things  do  happen  for  a  reason,  commander.  being  in  prythian,  in  summer  might  mean  something,  we  only  need  to  uncover  what  it  is."

the  spymaster  chuckled,  a  faint  one  "it  does  not  hurt  to  brush  up  on  my  skills,  i  did  know  a  bit  but  i'm  certain  i've  lost  practice,  so  i  would  appreciate  the  lessons.  i  do  not  intend  to  leave  until  i've  taken  a  proper  dip  into  the  waters."  it  was  the  only  way  to  cool  off  as  well.  she's  silent  for  several  beats,  "i  would  not  call  him  a  king  either.  that  raises  endless  questions,  would  the  throne  even  accept  him  still?  he  knows,  he  might  be  a  beast  but  the  drakes  have  proven  to  be  intelligent  creatures  so,  when  he  does  return  we  must  be  prepared,  rather  our  high  rulers.  this  is  a  task  now  only  pointing  towards  them."

"that  would  be  marvelous.  i  actually  intent  to  ask  your  brother  if  i  could  have  one  installed  in  my  chambers  back  home."  she  jests,  well  partially.

[manonvalfaren]

PERHAPS it was a pity - but, what was a bit of water comparing to the trauma of being pulled from one court to the other, until all of the courts are bled dry. She wonders how unstable magic had been in the courts that were left vacant of their citizenry & high lieges. How erratic & chaotic. She had wondered what had happened to Winter, though if Summer was anything to go by... probably nothing bad.

this place seemed to have survived rather well without it's high lady.

"Oh, me too. I hate this." Manon whined, rapidly blinking to clear her peripheral of the blotches of white starlight. But, her elder sister's words made her sigh, softly shaking her head. "I'm not sure either. You're right, it certainly seems like it, though the whole beast thing is putting my head in quite a whirlpool. Can we even say we have a king at this point? Where is he? Don't get me wrong, I really don't mind him stay the ever-loving frick away from us, but... what's the point of a monarchy when there's no monarch?"

des  had  been  fine,  she  materialized  –  or  whatever  term  they  were  using  to  describe  what  happened  –  in  a  crowd  of  others.  it'd  been  an  alright  place  she  supposed,  but  she  did  see  someone  else  land  in  a  fountain.  ❝  some  landed  in  water,  i  pity  them.  ❞  she  notes,  specially  if  one  were  someone  she  cared  for.  des  is  only  certain  her  twin  is  not  in  the  sea  because  she  couldn't  hear  furious  screaming.  ❝  i  can  still  see  stars.  ❞  admits  she,  and  the  fear  that  had  riddled  her  body  at  what  they  saw  was  something  she  never  wished  to  feel  again.  it  was  only  paralleled  by  the  worry  she  held  for  her  family.  ❝  i'm  not  sure,  manon…  it  seems  so,  though.  ❞

[manonvalfaren]

WHEN he put it like that, he certainly didn't have the need to be the worried one. The second & third in command did everything for him - along with the general, the spymaster & the rest of the inner circle. Adonis just admitted openly to the thing other High lieges refused to acknowledge. "You could be at least a little worried." Manon replied with a soft chuckle, sitting down on a sofa in her brother's vicinity.

was she afraid? absolutely.

But, she shrugged instead of replying. As he so eloquently put it, he didn't have to fret about it, so why should she bother him with such things? Though, on the other hand... when other high lieges undoubtedly start asking for a meeting, it will be Adonis who'll have to go. In other words, she & Des will certainly have to keep him well informed.

"Anyone with a dash of common sense is afraid. It's not really fear, though, it's more... uncertainty & apprehension about it. It's not every day our king sprouts a beastly form & then vanishes, while locking us up in another court." a pause, then, "There's always a reason for concern."

"don't look so concerned, sister." adonis pushes himself out of his makeshift throne - a simple seat with a cushion - with a series of cracks accompanied by his vertebrae clicking into place. evidently, he'd been sat for a long while. "do i look worried?" he turns to her with an easy smile. "you and des take care of everything for me. why should i fret?"

he'd won the "competition" by default, never knowing what made him worthy to inherit their mother's wealth of power out of the rest of them. it was a relief that he had his sisters to lean on, taking the burden of ruling almost entirely out of his hands. he was the figurehead. this was the least he could do.

their arrival was a curious thing, but nothing so out of the ordinary from recent days. a series of visions in the blink of an eye. the mothers in a war. he prayed for the good mother daily. he was sure she would emerge the champion.

"is there reason for concern, little manon? tell me. are you afraid?"

[manonvalfaren]

MANON had been seated in the kitchen of the Winter court's suite, munching idly on breakfast. She wasn't even aware of what she had been eating - a fruit salad & juice of freshly squeezed oranges. Tasty, but rather forgettable, as other things have been plaguing her mind.

however, hearing her cousin's voice had put a smile on her face.

"Cousin Vera!" she exclaimed, hopping down from the chair & approaching the elder woman with a beaming smile. "It certainly does." she agreed, a solemn expression falling over her face before she shook her head & exchanged it for another smile.

no matter that now - she'll worry later.

"I was thinking of exploring a bit of Adriata after breakfast, how about we go together? Unless you have other plans for this morning, of course." Manon offered with a wide smile.

Closed: @manonvalfaren | Winter Court Perimeters

"Hi, my sweet Manon," she smiled as she entered the kitchen quarters. What a whirlwind of time they had all been forced to endure. At this point, it felt like a guessing game, trying to determine what plans were being concocted, especially with the King's absence and the rumored formation of dragons. This was unlike anything documented in the history of Prythian, and Vera was growing weary of the constant uncertainty in their evolving realm.

Vera had been diligently checking in with each of her family members. Winter had maintained a reserved court for quite some time, engaging methodically with the other courts. However, things might have to change swiftly now that they were placed in the Summer Court; they needed to engage more actively and potentially lead conversations like never before. "How are we doing today? It feels like an endless fever dream."