selinaaster

[selinaaster]

SELINA SNORTED OUT AT HER YOUNGER COUSIN'S WHINE, casting the other an amused - albeit sympathetic - gaze, lips quirking upwards. "It could've been worse, Perr. It could've been hotter. Did you know there was a year, some seven-ish hundred years ago that Summer had such strange blip in its magic that the heat nearly took out all of their crops? Of course, one year is barely anything in our lifetime, but can you image a whole year of such unimaginable heat that it made into archives in every court in Prythian? Even humans were known to suffer that year from a strange weather in their lands." the archivist chatted, recalling the scrolls of it found in Summer's archives & Day's as well.

"Now imagine a year long summer for the poor creatures? It's the equivalent of making us camp at the very grotto of an active volcano." she added, smirking at her cousin & closest friend. She agreed with the latter, though. "Oh, I quite miss Dusk as well. They were a hoot. Maybe we'll get to visit them again on a more... positive occasion. Who know, though. Maybe after this whole thing with Gaea is sorted out, we'll finally go home to relax & unwind."

STATUS:  open.  no  cap.  LOCATION:  anywhere  that  pear  can  run  xyr  mouth.

"Sunfire,  take  me.  This  whole...constantly  warm  thing  is  simply  not  for  me,"  Perry  whines,  a  look  of  disgust  on  xyr  face  as  xe  once  again  uses  a  handkerchief  to  wipe  away  the  sweat  off  of  it.  "Another  reason  among  the  many  that  the  Day  Court  is  SUPERIOR  to  the  rest  of  these  ...desolate  areas.  The  next  time  the  Mother,  the  Cauldron  and  the  Wheel  of  Fuckery  decide  to  land  us  in  midsummers  night  hells  --  I  say  we  get  to  choose  which  one.  I'm  missing  Dusk  a  bit,  that  court  was  full  of  class."

[selinaaster]

ADELAIDE'S INVITATION WAS MOTHER-SENT. She had been far too invested in her upcoming novel - the fact that the king was done for did wonders to her inspiration, though she appreciated the option of a respite. Nodding to Addie's offer, Sel all but jumped up from her seat. "You don't have to ask me twice. I've been meaning to check them out, though I have been a little... occupied the past few days." she often got the bouts of muse, though it's been a long while since it's been to such an extent.

╰ ♡ closed starter for @selinaaster | @rosaxseer

╰   ♡   since   they   had   arrived   in   the   summer   court,   addie   had   been   mostly   focused   on   the   the   threat   that   had   come   with   the   king.   taking   the   chance   to   explore   the   summer   court   now   that   the   threat   wasn't   looming   over   them   was   precisely   what   she   was   going   to   do.   turning   to   the   person   beside   her.   ❝   i   think   i'm   going   to   go   check   out   the   hot   springs.   care   to   join   me?   ❞

[selinaaster]

PERHAPS THAT WAS THE REASON, & she can't say she knows the theory of magic well enough to truly judge if it's the case or not, but it all felt far too convenient. Perhaps coincidental, as well. His magic did weaken, but with dark mother still by his side, Kabir could have - nay, should have - taken out more fae. Lady Poppy's sacrifice predated the battle & for the conflict of such a scale to be so... simple, so finite in its victory...

something just did not add up.

But, Selina didn't wish to burden her cousin with her rather glum intuition ( which was quite ironic & slightly concerning for a fae that had been a optimistic & positive as a fae could reasonably get without being proclaimed insane. just quirky or eccentric. ) She had already spoken so glumly with Ced, she'd hate to sour Dec's mood, too.

"Perhaps you're right, yes. I mean, we should definitely count ourselves lucky, if magic indeed chose to count the Summer's scholar's sacrifice as enough of a bounty to leave the rest of us alone & unharmed - as unharmed as one can be in such a dire situation." Selina spoke with a light hum in her tone. Maybe she was too pessimistic - maybe the history will not repeat itself. Perhaps all the ominous scrolls she'd read in the archives throughout her time working in there, sorting out & cataloguing all the war-tomes from ye olde days before this generation of High lieges turned out be civil & - Mother above - reasonable.

"So, how are you enjoying the recent leisurely days in Adriata, cous'? Are you pillaging the market for sweet pastries & shiny baubles?" she asked with a grin upon her lips.

declan had spent the afternoon with his brother simply because he wasn't too keen on leaving the man alone for too long. his children were in summer now, and that certainly offset the emotions weighing on their high lord's minds and the aftermath of the king's defeat. cedrian would hardly share, when he first began ruling he'd not allow a single concern or complain fall upon his family's ears, it was a few years of badgering does ced finally share some of his burdens. thankfully, his brother allowed the younger lord a bit into his mind, and while ced would beyond alright in due time, dec made it a routine to check upon the eldest.

the rest of aster family wasn't excluded, and it's that late afternoon he locates his dear and favorite cousin. the two settled on the settes, with their drinks in hand. while declan seemed to be taking these changes with a bit more positivity, it did not meant his mind did not churn. when he's alone with his thoughts, he finds himself pondering all the what ifs, of what's may to come, and could occur with a throne done a high seat created in it's place. would this be prove to be a good thing for their realm or something worse? he raises a brow as his gaze settles on selina, "it's alright, although i do recommend you ask another this." he toys with his half empty glass, "it's a miracle no one else was taken. a scholar was already lost, perhaps that was the one and thankfully the last." he pauses, "his magic did begin to weaken, perhaps thats why no one else went along with him..."

[selinaaster]

NONE OF THEM HAD EVER REALLY SEEN THE CAULDRON - let alone interacted with it. What if that thing was the shadow world itself? A portal, hidden within iron confinements, if stories were correct of it's metal body. She had not personally known a Made fae, though she knew they existed, some of them even hiding in their midst ( though one can never discern the difference from just looking at the fae - there were enough half-breeds & subspecies as it was ). In that way, Algernon was, perhaps, right. "Well, I haven't seen the Cauldron. I don't personally know anyone who'd seen it. Perhaps it is the Creator of Ideas. What is life, but a perfect idea? We stray from that perfection, of course, but give thing a free will & it will weave it to it's pleasure."

yes, it really did seem that way, didn't it?

Selina didn't quite know whether or not she truly believed in predestination & fate - if such a thing existed, then knowing it was beating the game of Life. She needn't do a thing & Fate will take her to what she ought to have & who she ought to be. Honestly, it was a rather egoistical way of living - believing that the Universe ( or whatever ) was responsible for our ups & downs, victories & defeats.

though she reckoned the fae loved being perceived as chosen ones.

"I agree. My vanity hates it, as I do like to believe I'm currently the only one thinking those kinds of thought for entertainment, but I could merely be the brave one to put them in writing & pestering my publisher to multiply the copies of the manuscript." she snickered. His question, however, made her purse her lips in thought. In truth, Selina was a rather optimistic fae - the bouts of pessimism & irony had been a poor influence of the recent events, but while her mood had soured & her opinion of the fae turned more disappointed, in truth...

she still chose to think the best of everyone.

"I would say a mix of both, but it depends on the fae - or the current mood. When all these bleak things were happening, I found myself considering the more disheartened approach. But... I do believe in the former, more." she admitted. "The beauty of the life is unpredictability. Even if there are special fae who can peer into the future, one still can't be certain whether or not it will change with our own choices. I think there's beauty in it - hope, even." perhaps she had been a little naive in her views on life, or perhaps she simply did not consider relying solely on fate was a good way to go about one's life.

especially if it had been eternal.

droning  on  she  might  be  ,  but  in  the  current  arc  of  the  scholar  ,  he  listens  intently  .  there  is  simply  no  way  to  drone  when  in  algernon's  presence  .  whether  monotone  or  infusing  the  stories  with  lush  details  or  the  bare  bone  facts  ,  such  things  awaken  the  inner  root  of  him  which  drives  his  purpose  towards  the  endless  sea  of  knowledge  .  he  squints  ,  and  considers  the  question  with  a  great  pause  .  there  wasn't  a  correct  nor  best  answer  ,  with  these  things  often  there  were  not  ,  and  yet  still  he  would  be  thoughtful  .  “  i  could  ,  in  fact  ,  agree  with  that  .  that  within  that  universal  idea  …  hm  .  that  perhaps  the  universal  idea  is  a  cauldron  of  creation  in  and  of  itself  ,  ”  amends  he  ,  hands  coming  to  gesture  alongside  the  thread  taking  shape  in  his  mind  .  “  that  these  universal  things  float  in  the  universe  it  contains  .  and  then  ,  here  and  there  ,  they  pop  out  .  appear  ,  as  the  same  thing  in  different  forms  .  though  this  would  pave  the  way  for  a  debate  about  predestination  ,  fate  ,  and  other  notions  .  i  do  think  it  sort  of  proves  that  there  is  nothing  new  under  the  sun  .  ”  what  was  the  final  addition  to  that  phrase  ?  ah  ,  yes  ,  there  were  only  more  suns  .  although  algernon  would  be  incredibly  disagreeable  to  the  addition  of  more  suns  .  this  one  in  adriata  is  enough  .  and  with  her  next  train  of  thoughts  ,  he  nods  ,  rather  eager  .  he  has  never  written  fiction  like  that  in  his  life  ,  but  rather  scribes  historical  facts  —  and  a  poem  ,  here  and  there  .  the  way  her  mind  turns  these  things  inside  out  cannot  help  but  pique  his  interest  .  “  so  in  thinking  about  this  ,  does  it  make  existence  …  more  tantalising  ?  or  more  disheartening  ?  ” he  believes  it  to  be  more  tantalising  ,  because  the  infusion  of  such  mysteries  is  what  leads  them  to  being  unravelled  ,  and  these  connections  no  matter  how  small  ,  always  benefitted  the  bigger  picture  .  and  yet  he  awaits  her  opinion  first  .

[selinaaster]

SHE WASN'T REALLY TALKING ABOUT HEALING PER SE, rather that the uncertainty of tomorrow - with the Gaean throne shattering & likely turning into a High seat - may yet put their heads in a tornado. "You're right about that. It will take some time for the wounds to heal - everyone felt this shift, though not everyone's wounds are equally as deep, or painful." she, for one, didn't really feel for the king so 'her wound' was merely the future's uncertainty, but the High lieges of the courts of Prythian had much deeper gashes to heal. & like every other scrape or gash - it will take time.

the wounds of the soul heal the slowest.

Selina lightly chuckled at her cousin's words, nodding along to his words. "If it's any consolation, I'll go down to my grave defending the superiority of Day court's wine. Our wines are richer in taste & sweeter & - if I may speak like a true Day gourmet - there is not a single cheese that does not go well with our reds. These in Summer, though? Imagine having a parmesan with this cinnamon tasting specimen they call 'rich wine'. It tastes like something the Winter court might be more appreciative of." she chatted, relaxing in her chair, "If you had to pick a favourite bottle from this court, which one you'd pick? I developed quite a taste for their rosé. Did you now they mixed in actual rose petals with some of those?"

when  selina  softens,  he  hopes  he's  done  so  in  a  way  that  doesn't  have  her  lingering  or  thinking  too  deeply  about  what  he'd  needed  to  do.  ced  felt  he  always  walked  such  a  fine  line  of  wishing  to  wear  his  burdens  alone  and  learning  he  needed  to  be  more  honest.  he  struggled  with  not  wanting  to  shatter  any  type  of  ignorance  or  naivety,  but  was  that  really  fair  to  them  either  ?  to  be  blind  to  the  world  or  treated  as  if  they  were  ?  "  i  do  not  think  we  are  out  of  the  woods  by  far,  there  is  still  quite  a  lot  of  healing  to  do.  "  he  agrees.  wounds  don't  just  disappear  when  the  cause  is  gone,  and  ones  as  deep  as  this  require  a  lot  of  soothing  and  care.  how  ?  he  wasn't  even  sure  yet,  he  just  hoped  he  was  enough  for  his  people.  "  hmm,  i'm  not  sure  i'll  repeat  that.  "  he  says  lightly,  a  slight  smile  on  his  lips.  "  alina  and  i  have  had  long  conversations  about  their  wine  here,  it's  a  very  intensive  battle  on  which  court  has  the  best.  "  and  talking  of  her  by  name,  casually  ?  it  was  still  something  he  was  getting  used  to.

[selinaaster]

OF COURSE THERE WERE THINGS LIKE UNIVERSAL IDEAS - the idea that there is not a singular thought out there that is original, but rather predestined to be known & pulled back from the shadow world - the world of the ultimate truth. She couldn't say whether or not she had agreed with it, personally. She was vain enough to consider herself an original artist, yet philosophical enough to know the shadow world of ancient philosophers may very well be true. It would certainly explain quite a lot. "So, do you reckon the similarities may be of the universal idea? I mean, the way two unrelated fae can come to a same conclusion or the same idea without even interacting - I'm not talking about special gifted fae like the daemati who read minds, but just two random, uninteresting fae. Who is to say my novels have not been thought of by another fae, in another court - maybe even in another lifetime." Selina hummed, lips pursed in thought.

ah, she was droning on again.

Still, Algernon was right - it was all possible. Without a viable way to fact-check the idea & their origin, it was all hearsay at this point. "Indeed, it's all very possible. I could've dreamt it, I could've imagined it & the real life could have aligned with that imagination. It could be a trivial coincidence as well, or it could be a deliberate game, a joke, from the deities. In the end, it's pointless to guess if there's no solid proof to be found." maybe it would be find, may it did not exist. She couldn't put her wager on either option to be the more probable one. Yet, she chuckled at the latter. "Everyone will have an opinion & everyone will see things differently. it's just how existence works."

in  truth  ,  algernon  has  no!  intention  on  sharing  this  with  the  dusk  court  .  and  if  a  dusk  fae  happens  to  overhear  —  well  ,  he  hasn't  yet  come  up  with  a  back  -  up  plan  as  to  what  he  was  researching  instead  ,  so  overwhelmed  with  excitement  was  he  to  this  connection  point  .  intention  is  rare  to  match  up  with  desire  .  he  tip  -  taps  his  fingertips  down  the  line  of  script  which  have  consumed  him  ,  considering  diving  headlong  back  in  and  ignoring  the  rest  ,  but  as  his  brother  would  say  ,  now  he  must  reap  the  consequences  of  the  can  of  worms  he's  opened  .  at  least  it  was  a  member  of  his  own  court  who  overheard  him  ,  even  if  one  of  the  ladies  of  the  high  house  .  “  now  it's  entirely  possible  it's  a  coincidence  .  these  things  happen  all  the  time  ,  that's  why  there's  a  disclaimer  at  the  beginning  of  fictional  epics  and  recollections  .  but  ,  in  studying  drawings  ,  there  are  striking  similarities  .  i  do  believe  solar  and  seasonal  continue  to  share  more  things  in  common  than  they'd  like  to  admit  .  ”  algernon  scoffs  to  themself  ,  having  read  more  than  his  fair  share  of  conflict  and  now  experienced  it  .  to  engage  in  these  notions  is  much  more  fun  .  “  or  perhaps  you  saw  one  from  afar  ,  or  it  came  to  you  as  knowledge  in  a  dream  ,  and  so  you  scribed  it  .  all  very  possible  things  ,  lady  selina  .  there  are  also  some  theories  that  leviathans  aren't  dragons  ,  but  they're  written  by  parties  who  believe  the  sky  is  in  shades  of  green  .  ”  and  that  has  been  siphoned  from  a  phenomena  called  reflection  from  the  auroras  .

[selinaaster]

CONSIDERING THINGS FROM THE 'HIGH RULER' ANGLE, Selina could understand why it affected Ced & the others. What she couldn't understand is why they're not taking this brief opportunity of just chilling about & enjoying a hard earned breather, but rather sulking about a king who lost his throne. Consequences of one's action - that's what happened to Kabir. "You have a reason, yes. Taking a life is never easy - it shouldn't be, but you have eternity to mourn it or remember it." Selina explained her reasoning, tone of voice softening. "You should take this time to relax & recharge instead. If history is anything to go by, we may not be out of the woods yet."

but, she wouldn't burden him with the questions of what now & who next? things like that never remain hidden for long, anyway.

"It's the sea air, I believe. The salt & the moisture of the nightfall add some spice to it, I think." Sel responded, filling two glasses with the blood-red liquid. Frowning at her glass, she handed the other to Cedrian. "Did you try their white wine? They have a wider variety of grapes than we do, I think I heard the kitchen maids speak of the cooking wine as if it's another sort of grape - & not just the reds & the whites, the rosés as well." she chatted, setting down on a sofa beside his seat.

for @selinaaster, continued from here

his  eyes  drift  to  selina  with  no  real  desire  to  share  his  initial  thoughts.  he  tries  to  convince  himself  that  his  cousin  isn't  demeaning  his  feelings  and  his  own  involvement  in  what  was  needed.  not  all  were  meant  to  understand  the  burden  of  a  high  ruler,  and  he  made  a  point  not  to  share  it  with  most.  he  wished  for  them  to  be  happy,  careless  and  carefree.  "  i  do  believe  some  of  us  have  quite  a  solid  reason  to  do  so.  "  he  does  say,  a  gentle  reminder  that  even  her  brash  approach  might  need  tempering.  then  again,  he  loved  each  member  of  his  family  for  being  themselves.  "  only  if  it's  wine,  i  may  have  to  finally  admit  summer's  is  a  close  enough  rival  to  our  own.  "  a  slight  smile,  truly  trying  to  find  himself  in  a  better  mood.

[selinaaster]

SELINA WAS GETTING RATHER FED UP OF EVERYONE BROODING IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE BATTLE. The king was dead. It was tragic ( as he was still barely an adult to begin with ), but the little asshole had it coming. It had been the only way. Entering the Day suite, the Aster cousin & the archivist let out a heavy sigh upon hearing Ced's greeting - or warning.

"Well, that's one thing you have in common with half of the Prythian, cous'. Everyone's sulking about. May I interest you in a drink then? I was thinking on working on my novel, but that can wait. Heavens know my muse shrunk up & shriveled along with the Gaean throne. I'll brood with you, if you don't mind company." she offered.

closed for : @rosaxseer ; @ethercvl ; @selinaaster

cedrian  was  in  a  reverent  mood,  which  put  a  damper  on  his  time  in  the  summer  court  where  he  was  supposed  to  be  enjoying  his  children  finally  with  him  and  the  woman  he  loved  no  longer  a  secret.  but  alina  was  busy,  and  his  children  were  with  declan  doing  who  knew  what.  he  should  still  be  relieved,  but  instead  his  mind  kept  playing  over  what  was  done,  what  he  wished  they  never  had  to  do.  ced's  fingers  flexed,  the  same  that  he  used  to  place  his  power  into  the  trident.  steps  near  draw  his  attention,  and  the  high  lord  of  day  sucks  a  breath  to  turn  and  greet  the  newcomer  into  his  space.  "  afraid  i  may  not  be  the  most  joyful  company.  "  warns  he.

[selinaaster]

SELINA SNICKERED AT THE WORDS, fighting another eyeroll. Truly one of the beauties of the faekin was that they were always true to themselves - seldom changing, despite having an entire eternity to explore different versions of oneself. She had already had a perfect retort upon her lips & it would've been a shame to swallow it, so she chirped back with a teasing grin, "I shall love you from a distance then, old friend." Selina shrugged as if it were of no consequence to her. She knew well enough what she'd signed up for when they first befriended.

there was comfort in the predictability of one's character.

She knew he'd cave at food. A grin returned on her lips, this time a conspiratorial one, as she considered the options. "Well, I'd die for anything not local. Isn't there a Day bistro, or Autumn one? I could go for either option. So long as it's packed with quite a bit of alcohol. Have you tried their cocktails yet?" she chatted, but the chuckled at the opportunities. "I doubt I'm the only one getting something out of this. I'm just the only one willing to admit it without blinking."

well, slap her behind & call her Susan.

Selina didn't doubt he could read the amusement - & a hint of surprise - on her face. "I never expected you to cave in - even if it's half-assed caving in. Well, if the future you is ever uncertain, you do know where to find me." the offer that will always stand - a friend to confide in, should he wish for one. "It's not so much not getting what I want, it's more the illogical aspect of this whole fight. You heard about it, didn't you? The fight with no casualties except from the bad guys? Everyone just... surviving & thriving? I mean... a bit sus, don't you think?"

as korain's friend it was hard not to catch onto the large effort that he always put in making himself right in their eyes, but he was not the only fae who could be blamed to want to appear better than he actually was. many did, so korain's confidence in himself or his blood relation to his high lady had little to do with it. " love me just as i am, no other option, because people don't change, " he whispered to her with a smile before releasing her from the hug he had forced her into, not that selina had been intent on pushing him away either. he definitely took that as a sign that they were going to be alright. " well, you don't have to say it twice. what are you in the mood for ? "

" we have been living in too much comfort it seems. frightening change usually brings sparks to the people in places they never would have guessed. at least you are the one actually gaining something out of all of this, " he snickered, wondering who else in what areas found all of this advantageous because surely it should be to some.

the young autumn court lord rolled his eyes at her silly gesture and let out a sigh, crossing his arms over his chest and straightening his stance. " a few months ago i would have definitely barked that i don't need it, and now i still don't, but the future for me is not as clear as it used to be, " he confessed, his thoughts going back to his ex betrothal, something he had been spending less energy to overthink recently. " as much as i love a constant in my life, i guess i'm used to not getting what i want, so it's easier for me emotionally than it is for you. "

[selinaaster]

SHE DID NOT KNOW THAT. In fact, she quite wondered what the Dusk court would have to say about that information ( or at least the idea of it ) coming their way. Would they be insulted or pleased? Would it make them more eligible to reenter Prythian? She couldn't say. History never spoke kindly of recluses returning in grand light, not unless they did an even grander gesture like, say, saving the world.

oh, wait, they did that - along with the rest of the High lieges of Prythian.

"I thought it was just a random dragon." Selina chirped with a snicker upon her lips. "I mean, come on. It's not like anyone but them had seen dragons to vouch whether or not such a specie existed. It could've been an extinct line of the current dragons or just an artist's idea about that-one-sole-survivor of the random genus draconii. My mortals have glowing red eyes in their books. & if one such mortal truly does have such eyes, it's coincidence. This could be one, as well. If Leviathan was a dragon, it wouldn't be aquatic, would it?" she asked, head tilted to the side.

the  scholar  emerges  from  the  archives  ,  shaking  out  the  pages  of  the  manuscripts  in  which  he  studies  .  he  ,  ironically  ,  wishes  to  take  them  elsewhere  ,  as  though  shedding  the  natural  light  of  summer  upon  them  will  change  how  he  absorbs  their  information  .  at  least  now  this  is  for  leisure  .  not  for  pain  nor  intrigue  ,  not  for  the  doubts  which  have  been  seeded  throughout  the  courts  .  algernon  wishes  nothing  more  than  to  have  awakened  his  need  for  the  thirst  of  knowledge  ,  returning  to  his  roots  .  of  course  ,  this  also  means  he  plans  on  pulling  whomever  orbits  far  too  close  to  him  ,  right  into  the  thicket  of  his  reading  .  (  but  here  is  the  benefit  :  none  of  it  is  really  doom  and  gloom  ?  )  “  did  you  know  that  the  leviathans  are  rumoured  to  be  related  to  the  duskian  dragons  based  on  one  single  story  ?  ”  he  gestures  to  the  artwork  of  the  cover  in  his  hand  ,  sleeves  rolled  up  as  he  begins  to  walk  .  his  own  personal  goal  is  a  table  there  in  the  corner  ,  where  the  wind  blows  somewhat  ceremonious  and  it  is  out  of  direct  sunlight  .  just  enough  .  doesn't  want  to  wash  out  the  art  nor  the  texts  .  “  that's  why  there  was  one  in  the  dusk  court's  fountains  .  a  facade  of  a  monstrous  -  looking  draconic  figure  ,  i  mean  ,  ” explains  he  . / @rosaxseer ; @brckenrctual ; @selinaaster ; @sparkledcrowns ; @stxrfclls .

[selinaaster]

SOME FAE WOULD SAY THAT THE CHANGE WAS VERY LONG OVERDUE - & yet she didn't quite know how she felt about it. From an author's perspective, it was the rational - or better said expected - plot twist. Very expected course of action, something she would gleefully bestow upon her readers. But, from the perspective of an archivist, of someone closely knit with history & how odiously it had a habit of repeating itself... the times ahead will be most uncertain - not to mention explosive. Even the most innocent of side-glances, not even necessarily malicious, could spark an inferno to consume Prythian, already chipped at by a tyrannical king & a false deity.

no, the times ahead will not be easy.

"Yeah, & I don't really know what to think about it. From which angle I should consider it. The author in me is both thrilled & inspired, but... it won't be easy. I have a very ill feeling about it in my guts. I can give you both an alphabetical & chronological order of upcoming fuckups. The fae don't learn from their mistakes. They just don't." Selina spoke to Alistair, before taking a sip of her hot cocoa & setting the mug back on the coffee table beside the sofa she had been lounging on.

"We should enjoy the calm of these days, commander. I fear they might not last for too long."

𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃 ⎯ @sparkledcrowns , @n1ghtsongs , @rosaxseer, & @selinaaster

the  commander  of  the  day  court  wished  he  was  not  capable  of  being  so  astonished  at  what  they'd  all  seen.  what  other  logical  emotional  response  was  there?  it  felt  as  if  the  most  normal  one  to  be  induced  after  watching  a  king  fall.  even  if  a  part  of  him  knew  that  this  was  one  of  the  likely  outcomes  of  this  entire  dark  period  that  began  since  the  capital.  it  did  not  erase  his  empathy,  that  he  wished  kabir  did  not  need  to  die,  knowing  well  without  a  doubt  that  he  was  taken  advantage  of.  as  any  other  would,  alistair  would  place  his  court,  his  loved  ones  above  all  else.  this  was  the  only  way  of  ensuring  that  no  other  fae  would  end  with  the  same  fate  as  the  summer  scholar  had.  he  was  far  more  concerned  for  his  high  lord  and  best  friend,  and  the  gaean  fae  -  who  were  the  most  distraught  learning  their  king  was  gone  and  if  the  missive  that  came  was  correct  -  that  the  throne  of  gaea  dissolved.

in  between  his  duties,  and  as  those  allowed  the  shock  to  wane  of  the  events,  alistair  hadn't  ceased  his  exploring  of  the  summer  court.  it  would  appear  they  would  be  here  for  some  time,  but  again  the  eldest  hightower  didn't  mind,  his  only  concern  was  of  cedrian's  children.  now,  he's  certain  they  could  be  sent  for  as  the  danger  above  them  had  passed  albeit  with  a  great  cost  as  well.  "it's  hard  to  believe  this  all  occurred  before  our  very  eyes."  he  wasn't  sure  what  left  him  stunned  -  what  the  high  priestess  revealed  to  them  or  that  prythian  no  longer  had  a  king,  no  ruler.  "our  realm  is  about  to  change  in  every  facet..."

[selinaaster]

SELINA HAD DONE HER UTTER BEST TO MASK HER AMUSEMENT WITH A GRUNT, but just as she had known what makes her friend tick, so did he, undoubtedly, remember all of her quirks. "Yeah, well, you certainly use that to perfection." she snickered, returning the briefest of hugs with a light pout on her face - yet a tense knot in her heart had loosened. Oh, she so hated being on bad terms with her friends - heavens above knew she didn't have too many of them to take those bonds lightly, & she'd always been such a sociable creature. "You're still not entirely of the hook, my friend, you owe me big time. Having a dinner could appease me a bit, though." she added with a light grin upon her lips.

she could always be appeased with food.

"Oh, my muse is doing splendidly, which is a bit concerning given everything around is hanging by the thinnest thread known to faekind, but... alas... one cannot pick & choose when inspiration pops up. Better to have it in the worst of times, then not have it at all." Selina shrugged, though understood the sentiment. She, too, would've loved to sit this one out, but she had a gnawing sensation she won't have that choice. Day court may yet have need of her knowledge & skills in finding out proper scrolls to read from obscure information & very bad cataloguing skills the majority of faes seem to posses.

at least she was good at her job.

Selina stuck her tongue out at him at the laugh. "I'll advise the dead about the afterlife if I'm given a chance to see a ghost & yet you're still surprised at my attempts to hint you in how to successfully woo a fae - or a mortal, though that's widely frowned upon." she shrugged, the added. "I mean, sure. I'm almost used to it, but I don't want to get used to court skipping every now & then. We're supposed to have free will, right? Well, my will ain't free in this place."

if anyone would have to understand why korain had built that little cabin in the middle of the woods back in autumn court to avoid everyone and act as though his life really was something else, it would have to be a writer, which selina was. that was one of the things the two could bond about. the autumn court lord could not hide the relief that came with selina's forgiveness, so he raised his arm to push her into a side hug. " when you signed up for this friendship you already knew what a mess i was, so you knew you'd have to forgive me my bullshit, " korain spoke with a smirk, glancing down at her before he released her from the hug. he definitely considered himself to be the worst of the friends, but he used to be better at hiding it with little lies, excessive courtesy and extremely expensive gifts.

" everything now is even more shit now, but i am better, ironically. i've just been avoiding all this shit, hoping it will go away, but now that i have come to the realization there's no chance, i have decided to stop sitting and waiting around when everything will get solved, " he shared a bit of a change in his view of things and also his motivations. he really did feel as though he had finally woken up. " and how are you ? i assume all of this is good for your muse, correct ? "

korain let out a loud laugh, making the birds frighten into flight from the windowsills somewhere high over their heads. he hadn't laughed like that in a long while and it was a good feeling. " you have not a single clue of my skills, so how could it possibly be advice ? let alone, friendly. " he shook his head in disapproval with a grin on his face. " the first time was mind blowing to me and i definitely had a mental breakdown or two, but now... it's like i'm numb to it, aren't you ? "

[selinaaster]

location & time: adriata, day suite. late afternoon. with: @shvdwscng ; declan.

THE KING WAS GONE, long live the kinglessness of the coming days! Was that the way humans had seen off their departed monarchs? The again, their monarchs never tended to threaten world-wide annihilation - & even if they did, they never turned into dragons to do so. This was just a rotten apple, threatening to let others to rot as well. Good riddance - good riddance, indeed. But, now they were all left with a worse question upon their lips, boiling & bubbling away in their battle-worn minds.

now what?

What are they do to now, with no way home, still - trapped in eternal Summer, magic all but worn out of the lands. How long will it take for it to recuperate? How long before the barrier breaks & they can go home? Now what, indeed. Clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth, Selina nursed the mug of hot cocoa, frowning lightly at the steam that rose from it. At least her family had all been accounted for - in fact, everyone's families & friends & even vague dislikes, had all been accounted for. No casualties - none whatsoever.

Turning to her cousin, Sel spoke, "So, it's all over, huh? What do you make of our intact numbers, cous'? A bit... sus, don't you think? I mean, not to sound like a heartless wench, but you'd expect at least one of the fae would keel over - not just our demonic king."

[selinaaster]

THAT WAS A FAIR POINT. It really was uncharacteristic of her to be reluctant to participate in - or start, to be fair - a round of chaos. "No, we don't, but I'm not sure Prythian would survive any more chaos right now . Not even if it was fun & light hearted." Selina snickered, but pursed her lips in mock-thought. Ah, indeed, the Aster women could always do with more entertainment.

even if their idea of entertainment was chaos.

Oh, it could have been such spicy gossip if only Ulka could be prompted to share. "You have all the fun, cous'. As a mere archivist, I don't get nearly enough of the inner circle gossip as you do! & you remain so odiously mysterious about it! It's not like I'm asking for state secrets - I get enough of those in the archives." she let out an overdramatic sigh, before continuing, "I would simply love for you to throw me a bone. Something hilarious I could use in my upcoming novel." she paused, then added ;

"So, what type of chaos do you wish to get us into?"

"no brain power for chaos, that hardly sounds like you at all, selina." ulka says with a laugh. with the sun beaming down on them, ulka felt like she could handle anything. no challenge was big enough for her. "we aster women should not settle for anything less than chaos."

and here they were now, trapped in the summer court. which, was chaos in a way. but, ulka could feel familiarity beginning to settle into her bones ones more. if they had beheaded to boy king in human form, would they be in this situation?

"oh, you know me. very important inner circle business," because technically, if she was keeping in the company of her former lover, then she was indeed keeping within the circle. but, she offers a mysterious update instead, "wanted a war, was shot down. now, we're here!" if they had just allowed her to storm the gaea camp and behead the boy, then perhaps they'd be home by now. alas!

[selinaaster]

WHO WASN'T DISSOCIATING AT ONE POINT IN THEIR LIVES? Even Selina - being as bubbly as she is - had succumbed to the sentiment once or twice in her lifetime. Recent times, to be entirely fair. The switch between courts had been both a welcome & unwelcome surprise to her. At least this switch was more dignified & at lest they could access the stuff left behind in other courts. For one, she'd hate to part with the glitter fountain pen she purchased in Dusk court. In that regard, she could let him off the hook - at least this one time.

supressing an eyeroll but giving out a heavy sigh, the archivist relented.

"Fine. Fine, fine, fine. I'll let it slide this time." she threw her hands up in the air, the innate dramatics giving way to diffuse the tension between them. "I hope you're at least feeling better now. As well as one can be in recent days. Who even thought there was whole court hidden in plain sight? & that their deity will prove to be such a thorn in our sides." she said in an attempt to move from the current topic. Everyone was still debating about Dusk & the king, anyway - no matter that she went out of the room to get out of the very same topic she was now entertaining with Korain.

talk about irony.

"It was less of an insult & more of a friendly advice." Selina snickered, though she doubted there was anything he could learn from reading mortal smut. She doubted anyone could learn from it - except maybe mortals. She should check if her books have gotten shipped over to the mortal lands. Now that would've been hilarious. "I admit it's difficult to relax here. The heat, I can live with. The mosquitoes, less so, but going to sleep without having the certainty of not waking up in yet another court, is probably enough to make anyone sleepless."

technically, korain was not in a relationship anymore, so he could not fully blame abandoning his friendships due to that either, but the heartbreak that had come was something that made it hard to tolerate everything else. the same reason he found it hard to remember everything. he was just out of the loop, overall, but he was determined to change that. one could act like a sappy bastard for so long since he had confronted the situation with taylan. " again, i apologize for missing the important things in your life. i'm a terrible friend, but you already know that, " he spoke and let a smile slip. " i have been dissociating, not wanting to face what's going on and it was not in my intentions to cast you aside. i just haven't been well, " he explained, hoping it was enough of a reason for her to forgive him. he hoped she could relate to what dissociating truly was like. at the same time he wasn't going to get down on his knees to beg for forgiveness, he was tired of doing that.

" well, i will make time. it's not like it will be easy to settle down and sleep in a brand new place. " the male let out a sigh even thinking about it. he was just such a habit creature and the disruptions in his routine stressed him out, even something as small as having to get used to a different pillow. " you always did say i might even learn a thing or two, even if it was an insult, " he smirked. he doubted there was something he might learn that he didn't already know, his daemati abilities came very handy when it came to pleasing someone, but this white lie wouldn't hurt selina. korain scowled at her question and let out a huff of air. " of course i do. "

[selinaaster]

SELINA DIDN'T CONSIDER THE KING TO BE SO ALTRUISTIC - rarely any monarch ever was. Sure, in the history of Prythian there had been one or two decent ones, but a good king? In Prythian? Among the faekin? Na-ah. She was idealistic, but she wasn't stupid & history spoke louder than any half-truths & hollow promises. "That's my point. How can we think highly of him when he allowed himself to be so easily corrupted? As a monarch, he should've known better -been better. Often, it's not just about power. There's also charisma & general likeability. Of which he had none. He couldn't have blamed his meek appearance for that. That was just sloppy & lazy." the victim's game, an easy way out to just sigh & pretend none of it is his problem or fault because he is of ill constitution. Maybe Alistair was right & the boy-king was too doe-eyes & unprepared to truly understand what was at stake here. Perhaps he was too young & untried for the role. But, did that excuse his behaviour?

no.

Perhaps the switch had made her merciless, but he had been toying with fae lives - lives he, as the monarch, swore to protect - to the extent of Summer court losing their scholar. Perhaps he could've been deemed foolish if the consequences were less grave - but now? Now they've all only seen him as wicked. A weed to be uprooted at very first sight. "Someone once said that ignorance isn't an excuse to avoid the consequences of one's actions. His actions had caused not only a disaster, but death, as well. Forgive me if you consider me judging him too harshly, but I simply don't see how he can redeem himself. Villains in my stories always die - to redeem oneself is to die. A life for a life. It's only fair." Selina spoke, but then pivoted with a nod. "Alright, I admit, I judge a bit too happily. We have a soul, as all living things do, but what we do with it is questionable."

selina found herself chewing on her bottom lip.

"Look, Ced, Dec & the rest of my beloved cousins are all as perfect as imperfect creatures can be. They're genuinely good. But, millennia, upon millennia, upon millennia of ill behaviour & downright rotten life's choices will have to come up for payment. Our ancestors avoided it. & look what happened - a Made Mother with a personal vendetta, a handful of Mortals Made Fae, the special fae, all together writhing in this bubbling pot that's one more inconvenience, no matter how minor, away from boiling over. Why now? Maybe Mother has had it. Maybe Kabir's choice made her think we're all as rotten in our decisions, as ruthless & reckless as he is. If one fae would make such a... reality altering choice, how can anyone - even a deity - be certain many more won't follow? Maybe she's trying to prevent a worse disaster. It's all speculation at this point, but I do think it's something we might consider. From a writer's point... I like all my angles checked, to avoid plot holes. & as an archivist... I've seen where this type of unease leads." she shrugged.

Selina returned the grin, pleased that they've, for now, switched to a lighter topic. "I do try. Who knows where the next switch will take us - I can't be unseemly." she snickered, but then pursed her lips in mock-annoyance. "I thought you said you wish no harm done unto the Aster bloodline, yet you insist a little fright never hurt nobody? It was downright demonic fright. I don't care we come from Day - & our eyes are generally accustomed to this much light - but switching from near-darkness to the white hot burst of a supernova wasn't fun." she wouldn't like to repeat it. Still, she hummed at the latter. "Now, if we only know what they have planned for us next, I'd be able to sleep a little tighter."

& speaking of -

"Is it just me, or is the palace a little too hot during the night, as well? I know the Summer fae don't mind that much heat, but I sure do."

"you  are  right,  there  is  temptation  on  his  end  -  always  has  been.  he  yearned  to  be  powerful,  but  i  don't  believe  it  was  initially  with  the  intent  to  hurt  anyone.  kabir  desired  the  power  to  command  the  respect  of  the  high  rulers,  so  that  they  would  think  view  him  as  an  equal.  the  corruption  came  because  of  the  dark  mother,  offering  gods  know  what  sorts  of  promises.  it  was  inventible,  i  suppose.  we  are  fae,  greed  goes  hand  in  hand  in  our  nature."  the  day  commander  could  be  entirely  wrong  in  his  observations,  as  he's  exchanged  not  a  single  word  with  their  king  since  they  arrived  in  gaea  for  his  coronation.  however,  he'd  not  been  oblivious  to  the  looks  the  boy  carried  around,  most  didn't  see  it,  but  alistair  has  caught  glimpses  of  it.  he  has  always  felt  bad  for  kabir,  has  all  this  time,  sick  since  his  birth,  thrust  into  a  power  title  with  little  preparation,  and  among  seven  ruthless  rulers  who  thought  little  of  him  and  wished  him  gone.  it's  often  he  thinks  kabir  was  better  off  stepping  down  and  living  a  normal  existence  and  having  another  be  monarch  in  his  place.  "he  simply  did  not  understand  he'd  be  offering  his  every  soul  and  autonomy  in  exchange  for  all  the  power  he  gained.  it's  possible  he's  being  controlled  still,  once  he  handed  himself  over,  the  dark  mother  could  very  well  being  molding  him  to  her  wish."  in  the  end  it  didn't  matter,  the  courts  would  be  demanding  blood  or  at  the  very  least  the  stripping  of  his  title.  well,  they'd  do  more  than  demand.  "i'd  like  to  think  we  do  have  some  portions  of  a  soul,  perhaps  not  as  mortals,  but  our  versions."

"it  seems  that  is  what  the  rulers  are  planning  for...."  alistair  might  be  the  few  in  his  opinion,  he  didn't  want  the  boy  dead.  in  an  deal  world,  they  simply  take  his  power  away  and  he'd  be  stripped  of  his  title  and  exiled.  that  was  the  best  case  scenario,  and  alistair  hoped  that  if  they  all  found  a  way  to  eliminate  his  power  and  keep  him  alive,  they'd  opt  for  this  avenue  but  he  doubts  the  high  rulers  will  show  that  mercy,  not  at  all.  in  the  end  it  was  out  of  his  hands,  as  well  as  the  other  inner  circle  members.  the  high  rulers  would  be  taking  this  matter  entirely  in  their  hands,  and  the  commander  could  not  object  to  it  either.  a  brow  rises  a  bit  at  the  lady's  words  of  their  mother's  disappointment  in  her  children.  "then  why  now,  lady  selina?  we  have  not  done  any  worse  than  our  ancestors.  in  fact,  i'd  argue,  she  should  have  steered  them  straight,  we've  been  learning  doing  far  better  than  our  ancestors.  i  can  speak  confidently  on  behalf  of  our  high  lord."

the  remark  from  his  companion  drew  another  chuckle,  a  shrug  as  he's  not  to  insult  a  lady  for  her  efforts.  "and  your  efforts  have  certainly  been  paying  off,  lady  selina.  look  at  you  -  a  picture  of  radiance."  this  was  sincere,  "a  little  a  harmless  fright  won't  hurt  anyone,  you  certainly  made  his  mundane  night  a  bit  more  exciting."  he  grins,  dark  hues  gleaming,  "although  i  wish  i'd  have  been  present  at  that  moment  and  had  a  good  laugh  myself."  the  light  flashed  and  the  two  deities  emerged  had  nearly  blinded  him  as  well,  but  he'd  also  been  a  state  of  shock  following  the  moments  before  they  were  hauled  off  to  summer.  "i  stand  by  my  previous  words,  you  never  look  anything  less  than  lovely."  he  nods,  "blinding  is  one  word,  but  i  suppose  we  finally  know  what  our  creator  looks  like.  i  find  it  somewhat  amusing  that  the  dark  mother  looks  as  exactly  as  her  name  sake."  and  ominous.

[selinaaster]

Tati Gabrielle as Jo Braddock – Uncharted (2022)