selinaaster

[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)

[selinaaster]

SELINA snickered at the emissary. "It's no problem, I am predicting a hefty sum from my upcoming novels, anyway. & since you're so generous to have allowed me to turn you into a character, why shouldn't you profit from it? You'll be just the thing that sells it." she grinned, but she meant it. A bit of his personality draped in ridiculous but pleasing to the ladies outfit? A winning combo - so long as she doesn't kill him off in the future works.

ah, she'd never do that, anyway.

But, her lips pursed in a soft pout & she softly huffed. "You sound as if you doubt my writing magic - I can charm the stone to turn to a puddle with a few eloquently strung sentences. It's almost as if you never read any of my books." the corners of her mouth quirked up in a grin & she chuckled, covering her lips with a gloved hand. "Ah, don't you worry, you'll be the lovable sidekick with a plot armour hard enough to terrify even our king's purple, invincible ass." Selina softly laughed, but then sighed at the question.

"I don't know, but there ought to be one." there was always one. But, she couldn't say more on the matter, so she focused on the gossip at hands, refilling Percy's glass with a cheshire grin upon her face. "Oh, I know of two of them, but Dec? & a winter fae? Well, Hell truly must have... frozen over." she snickered, intrigued by the news. "You don't know who the Frosty is, or you won't say?" Sel asked, before clicking her tongue against the teeth.

ah, a cousin.

"Well, that's predictable, but also safe for them. I don't think they'd take it very well if it was one of us that bonded to a drake. I'm sure we'll be waging wars left & right if one of us Day fae bonded with a dragon. Can you imagine Ced on drake? Maybe a pink one. Do they come in pink?" she snickered at the thought.

He resisted the urge to peer at the notebook and her scribbling. No, she was one of the creatives; he wouldn't be infringing on her surge of inspiration unless she shared it. What was it about having such doors shut until the time was right? He could have sworn he overheard such a sentiment during one of his spring court visits. He was in the company of a writer there as well, and although they were rather boastful about their efforts, Percy encouraged it and listened intently. They spoke of writing on their own with the 'door shut' and then opening it up to criticism later. So he drew upon it and kept his natural curiosity to himself.

"Oh, please. No percentage is necessary, none at all. Just the joy of being involved. We must see if I'm even liked, that's for sure." He did not doubt her prowess. Though what on earth would Ced think about this kind of arrangement? He wouldn't want the high lord, whom he sat on the inner circle for, to think him draining the coffers. Well, it had been a while since he joined the inner circle, surely this was known better by now. Not to mention he could simply put it back where it came from if need be. "Where on earth is this middle ground? I'm not seeing it in Prythian," agreed the emissary.

He didn't see it in the Dusk Court either, now that he thought about it. Might be one of the most elusive creatures in this place. "I will never decline a refill. Surely I don't have to be the one to announce to you that Lord Cedrian and Lady Alina are ... close. But Lord Declan has been acting as though he has his eye on somebody from the Winter Court. Things are about to ice over." He gave a tumultuous shiver. "Mm, I'm not all too sure. There is a rumour spreading about the cousin of the high lord, but I truly can't tell you how true it is." That had spread throughout the circles as part of the cause as to those particular upgrades. He sipped and made a face.

[selinaaster]

PERHAPS. Or there was another explanation - not necessarily more sinister, but... well, it depended on the point of view, actually. "Unless she'd the first mortal Made into a fae. Unwillingly or not, maybe she was the first of the mortal kin to have been cast into the Cauldron & survived it. it could warrant this much power & anger, or whatever it is she feels to make her so... blood thirsty. Or, perhaps, it is simply what means to be Made - to be wrathful & thirsting for power, a Truest form of Fae, come to think of it. " the fae were definitely not the good specie traipsing around the world. The humans were equally distasteful, but their lifespans were shorter so it kind of evened it out. But, the fae?

monsters, really.

"As is everyone, I reckon. First, we abhorred the Dusk court for simply existing outside of our realm of knowledge, now it's Gaea because their king is a little cunt. I wonder who shall we detest next? The Summer court for being hot? For losing their scholar? I'm sure we'll find a reason within days." Selina chuckled, though she wouldn't be surprised if her words do come true - one did not have to be a seer to predict the fae behaviour ; it was purely common sense & deep understanding of how her kin worked.

ah, indeed. "Cous', I'm a writer & therefore a pacifist by nature - I think even the Dark Mother would be horrified with the plots I come up with - , but even I can see that the alternative is probably the only thing possible. Unless he has a bitch of a shield. Then we're not in a pickle, but an entire jar of pickles." but, he was right about that - Prythian will change. It has to. It will need to adapt to new circumstances, or risk getting utterly & permanently destroyed.

"I agree. It may revert us back to the time before monarchy. I'm not a scholar, but I did succumb to a hyperfixation of exploring the early days of known Prythian history, for a book I was writing. I scrapped the idea, as it was a bit mental, if I do say so myself, but I do remember a passage of our texts saying monarchy is not as old as we may remember. There was a time with only high lieges. Perhaps it will come again."

"it  is  strange,  consider  cauldron  has  never  spit  out  a  fae  that  was  more  powerful  than  a  born  fae.  i  wonder  how  our  own  created  this  dark  entity  for  her  to  be  as  strong  as  a  god?"  again,  they  have  more  questions  than  they  do  answers.  his  next  thought  would  be  what  sinister  magic  was  brewing  in  their  artifact  that  they  don't  know  of?  "after  all  an  entire  millennia,  we  still  do  not  understand  the  inner  workings  of  the  cauldron.  perhaps  this  dark  entity  was  never  meant  to  exist."  a  faint  chuckle  befell  the  lord's  lips,  meeting  his  cousin's  gaze,  "i  would  not  either,  sounds  miserable  if  i  am  being  honest."

"seems  the  fates  believe  we've  become  too  comfortable  and  complacent  in  our  realm.  so,  i  must  agree  with  your  wise  words  cousin."  their  realm  held  far  too  much  for  consistent  stability,  and  while  their  ancestors  have  never  faced  anything  close  to  this,  declan  was  certain  they  would  come  out  on  top.  he  simply  refuses  to  believe  otherwise,  but  he  supposed  it  was  easier  for  him  to  never  do  away  with  his  enthusiasm  because  he  has  plenty  of  reasons  not  to.  "i  am  the  most  worried  and  equally  curious  of  gaea."  with  the  path  their  king  has  opted  what  did  the  future  for  hold  for  the  capital?

"i  am  hopeful  the  rulers  will  all  be  working  on  this  very  thing.  either  find  a  way  to  neutralize  him  completely  and  strip  him  of  his  powers  or  do  the  alternative."  declan  would  never  advocate  for  any  such  thing,  king  or  someone  else  but  in  this  case  what  were  the  choices?  he  doubts  there  is  anything  that  could  provide  them  the  means  to  simply  take  away  his  abilities.  in  an  ideal  world,  they  could  strip  kabir  of  his  abilities  so  he  could  not  hurt  another  with  it.  the  question  would  remain,  which  of  the  courts  would  leave  him  alive  and  risk  another  cruel  king  on  the  throne?  if  there  was  no  king  -  what  would  happen  with  the  throne.  would  this  cause  another  conflict  for  every  court  reaching  for  it?  "i  fear  what  the  future  holds,  cousin,  but  whatever  the  future  looks  like,  it  will  change  prythian  as  we  know  it."  it  has  already,  with  dusk's  existence  now  being  open.

[selinaaster]

AH, THAT was fair. Not everyone was a social butterfly. It wasn't that Selina was that social, but she had no qualms in chatting up a fae - what should she fret over? What insecurities should she have? None. Especially not when others were concerned. What the fae thought about her was their problem, not hers. The moment she realized that was the moment of true liberty - suddenly unbothered by the things that in her youth had plagued her. "& what if Ced says you ought to schmooze around a fae or two?" she snickered, a teasing grin on her face before she chuckled, shrugging. "Ah. fret not. They'll probably ask of you to glare at them from a safe distance. None of my cousins would ever put a fae in very uncomfortable situations - they do that enough themselves."

Selina nodded in agreement.

"Yes, we can't deal with this on our own. One or two High lieges won't do. To beat a beast of that capacity, teamed up with at least one deity... it'll take all we got. I just hope it won't take all we got to make a little dent in their armours." she sighed. It wouldn't surprise her, but... having too much power in this realm was simply inconceivable. No one can hold that much power & be godlike without consequences. Perhaps the only thing they ought to find is a loophole & a chink in his armour.

"I know that. While I'm certainly more sociable, I can understand the reluctance to mingle with others - especially those outside of our own court. Sometimes I just want to drop Sun upon the land & scorch them all to living hell." it could get overwhelming - but, she had learned to navigate it. As an author, every experience, every interaction to her could provide t be inspiring in the long run. "I'm sure that can be arranged with the High lady or their general. Ring master? Well, whoever it is that schedules such things. It'll provide everyone with a sparring partner from another courts & maybe it'll be good to train with those that don't share our Day's grifts. If push comes to shove with the king, who know what type of battle we'll have to get ourselves in - just what kind of power up Kabir might get in his isolation."

Selina's grin widened.

Baby steps, indeed - but a progress nonetheless. "Excellent, I'm just dying for a cocktail. They make non-alcoholic ones as well, did you know that? Mojito, but without the rum. I think I might try it out. Is there a drink you want to try?"

gathering   allies   was   the   last   thing   that   ravyn   would   be   good   at.   certainly   that   was   something   left   to   the   most   of   the   inner   circle.   something   that   he   assumed   was   already   happening.   as   much   as   ravyn   wasn't   fond   of   working   with   others,   right   now   was   not   the   time   to   be   trying   to   take   on   someone   as   powerful   as   the   king   as   a   singular   court.   he   would   put   aside   his   wishes   to   not   work   with   them   until   at   least   the   current   matter   had   been   dealt   with.

"a   skill   that   i   do   not   possess.   i   will   be   leaving   that   up   to   lord   cedrian   and   the   inner   circle   to   determine.   i   will   simply   follow   the   orders   of   my   general."   he   shared   similar   outlooks   as   ulka   did,   but   they   had   been   told   to   stand   down.   "it   would   be   in   the   best   interest   of   everyone   to   put   aside   our   differences   to   team   up   against   him.   a   united   front   is   the   only   way   this   will   be   solved."

"i   have   conversed   with   the   other   members   of   courts   since   coming   here.   i   just   am   not   fond   of   socializing   that   much."   that   was   true,   he   was   never   one   that   loved   to   be   social.   instead   keeping   to   himself   in   his   training.   although   her   suggestion   of   training   with   them   wasn't   the   worst   idea.   "perhaps   that   is   something   that   can   be   done.   depends   on   the   scheduling   of   the   training   yards."

the   summer   court   wasn't   the   worst   thing   for   the   day   lieutenant.   it   was   closer   to   home   with   the   sun   shining   high   in   the   sky   at   least   for   the   time   being.   "a   drink   would   not   be   the   worst   thing   to   get   in   this   heat."

[selinaaster]

INDEED, the whole Gaea-to-Dusk-to-Summer relocations had been doing wonders for her creativity. The shift in seasons, time of day & sheer aesthetics had made the lady of Day court pull out a notebook & a pen on more than one occasion -& some of those had not been at the most adequate of timings. Still, she cracked a grin at the commander, lightly humming in agreement. "That is true. The vibes of these switches are absolutely... ineffable."

also a bit shocking but she appreciated the change every now & then.

No, she didn't think Dusk wanted to be isolated again. Who in their right mind would? Loneliness, isolation, solitude & abandonment from the rest of the world... it was a horrible thing to consider - only truly mad ones would wish for it. "Oh, I agree. I doubt they wish for it, too." but, his un-fae majesty was another pair of shoes. "Are you sure about that?" Selina asked, tilting her head to the side. She did not think so highly of Kabir. "If he did not yearn for it, he would not have been so easily tempted by it. Perhaps he did not seek the Dark Mother on his own, perhaps he'd waited for her to contact him... or perhaps we all think far to greatly of him. For all we know, he could've been the one who sought her out first, who pestered for aid & bargained his very soul for it - or heart, if we lack a soul." she certainly believed in the latter option.

she shrugged.

"I don't doubt we'll see what happens. He is bound to make an entrance again & I believe he'll go for the throne again. Creatures like him can only be halted by death." but perhaps they also think too highly of their own creator. "Perhaps, yes. Or perhaps it's still a front for our eyes. She created us, yes. Who is to say she's not disappointed in us? In how we live & govern ourselves. Perhaps she wishes to wipe the board clean & start anew." if she was the Mother...

she'd do that.

Selina snickered at the latter. "You say that because you haven't seen the atrocity I wore - packed up with a facial mask, hair tied up in a bun & cucumbers for eyes. Truly a horrifying sight. I think I even heard a poor Dusk staff scream in my vicinity. They even dropped a tray." it was hilarious, really. "This one was more pleasant outfit-wise, but it was also more painful. I nearly got blinded by that blasted light, my eyeballs hurt for an hour."

"safest  manner  to  attempt  to  steal  items  or  beverages  no  one  will  wonder  if  it  goes  missing."  the  commander  doubts,  a  few  missing  fine  wine  would  be  of  concern  to  the  high  lady  not  with  far  more  pressing  matters  on  hand.  "this  court  touring  we've  been  doing  should  also  provide  some  new  material  for  your  writings."  flashing  the  lady  a  small  grin.

"i  doubt  it  as  well,  they  are  revealed  -  the  chances  of  them  retreating  is  very  slim  even  if  they  themselves  wish  for  it."  something  told  alistair,  it  wasn't  isolation  they  wanted,  at  least  not  all  dusk  fae.  if  the  court  wanted  it,  he  doesn't  think  the  high  lord  of  dusk  did  given  how  he's  been  mingling  with  prythian's  ruler.  from  cedrian's  accounts,  alistair  had  gathered  as  much.  as  lady  selina  expressed  her  thoughts,  he  nods  along.  "he  might  have,  but  the  dark  deity  played  on  all  of  those  desires  and  made  kabir  given  into  it.  without  the  influencing,  i  don't  think  he'd  have  stooped  so  low  as  to  all  of  his  recent  actions."  alistair  can't  say  he  knew  what  it  felt  like,  but  the  desire  for  power  would  make  anyone  weak  and  willing  to  give  up  their  very  souls.  it  was  a  thought  he  ponders,  did  fae  possess  souls  the  way  mortals  did?  "interesting  way  to  earn  respect  and  fear.  i  wonder  what  will  occur  if  he  attempts  to  sit  on  his  throne  in  gaea."

"there's  perhaps  some  hesitance  given  her  creation,  but  i  don't  think  our  mother  imagine  this  one  would  turn  out  this  way.  she's  currently  battling  her  up  above,  i  worry  more  that  either  she's  not  able  to  contain  her  or  hesitates  because  the  dark  one  is  daughter."  either  way  that  outcome  didn't  bode  well  for  them,  and  it  troubled  alistair  to  think  that  this  dark  one  is  stronger  their  own  mother.  was  that  even  possible?  "if  they  are,  do  you  think  ours  would  allow  any  harm  to  come  on  the  very  lands  she  created?"  he  inquires  after  a  beat  of  silence,  gaze  turning  to  the  aster  cousin.

the  topic  of  dresses  drew  a  low  chuckle  form  the  commander,  "surely,  it  wasn't  as  bad  as  you  imagine?  i  agree,  this  drop  was  significantly  better  than  the  previous."

[selinaaster]

RIDICULOUS? Perhaps it was. Perhaps she was ridiculous for holding her friends accountable for their actions - & lack thereof. Still, if she had a beloved maybe she'd be the same as Korain abandoning all previous friendships, leading a solitary life with only herself & her significant other. It was a dangerous thing, in her opinion - reforming the broken bonds once the relationship inevitably ends. Isolation, betrayal, she could see it all before her, but it doesn't soften her heart. Those who isolated themselves with in love were fools. But, everyone was entitled to their opinion, no matter how displaced it was.

she merely shrugged at the words.

"It's low, indeed. A generic congratulations card would've sufficed to avoid the resentment from building up, but of course, you're right. It's water under the bridge now. A demonic king certainly takes the crown now - though I doubt it would fit his transformed head." what would a dragon do with a crown, anyway? Stash it? Melt it for the jewels? Who knew at this point.

"No, no, given the recent events you definitely don't have enough time - or, well, not time per se, but concentration & focus - to finish it all. But, since you've expressed an interest, you'll probably find them in the bookstore in Adriata. I heard they were shipped Prythian-wide. Though, mind you, majority of my readers are females." Selina found herself amused by the idea of Korain actually reading her spicy books. "Do you still remember my alias?"

it was not in korain's intentions to stir something up and make her even more angry towards him. he had wanted to avoid all of this in the first place, but selina seemed to be the exact opposite, she wanted him to receive a lesson and apologize to her, while he did not see the importance of him abandoning their friendship. in his mind, there were bigger things going on in his life than celebrating each and every one of his friend's career wins and though he had to admit, he should have at least sent her a letter, he truthfully had forgot all about it. he was too independent to understand that others actually craved to share their accomplishments with others.

the autumn lord's mouth hang open at her words, her simmering anger now made clear as the day to him. " that is a ridiculous thing to say, " he responded, shaking his head in disapproval. she seemed so dramatic to him and even though he was used to such things, having grown up with two sisters, it made him feel like this whole situation was blown out of proportion. " i'm not blaming it all on that. what i was trying to say, if this is really what's now important to you, calling me out on forgetting to congratulate you two freaking years ago, when we have more important things to focus on ? it's low, " korain spoke calmly and shrugged. " i never said i do not have the time. congratulations on accomplishing four books, selina, and i can't wait to read them when you let me know how i can obtain them, " he said, adding a smile in hopes to soften the situation.

[selinaaster]

YES, IT was all about determining this & that, seeing who was willing to work with whom - if anyone was even truly willing to put the work in for it. Peace seemed like a swell idea in theory, but in practice? They'd all get too bored with their eternity if there wasn't at least a feud to entertain the always bored fae. Her cousin was a fae of reason, as were the majority of the current high lieges, but for how long? Perhaps it wasn't just the high lieges that ought to be in talks with each other, but the inner circle members & the citizenry itself. A declaration of war would come from lieges, of course, but the sparks?

oh, they could come form anywhere.

"It just might be the most difficult thing to determine - who is truly willing to work with Day & who is simply saying it to avoid any uncomfortable conflict or the consequences of such words. I doubt anyone will take any damning action for the time being, not until the situation with the king is resolved." or she hopes - the last thing they all needed now was a fight on two fronts ; or more.

"You don't have to be acting tour guide to help the fae around. A simple conversation or two would do. Perhaps you could train together. Many things can be found out in the heat of a good work-out." when the tensions are high, but only due to adrenaline, not conflict. "Blowing off some steam while indulging in a chatter could be just the thing. I'd do so myself, if I could wield a sword to such extent - alas, the only sharp things I work with well are quills & fountain pens." Selina chuckled, but then waved her hand.

"Ah, neither do I, but I' not so concerned about it. There is a clear path to the market, isn't there? I'll just head down for a drink & ask the locals for some directions - & courtly gossip. You're more than welcome to join me."

"of   course   one   would   not   be   revealing   that   to   just   anyone.   as   the   same   will   not   be   happening   from   me   myself."   he'd   been   vocal   about   his   wish   to   fight   the   dusk   court,   though   he   wasn't   sure   if   that   was   something   that   had   even   gotten   to   them.   or   if   it   would   have   mattered   that   he   was   the   one   uttering   those   words.   the   worry   being   more   that   ulka   had   been   heard   sharing   her   wishes   to   fight,   the   general   being   caught   in   that   would   be   a   different   story.   one   to   cross   though   when   that   happened.

"i   am   positive   that   lord   cedrian   has   already   been   in   talks   with   all   of   the   high   lieges.   even   before   we   had   left   the   dusk   court.   it's   just   a   matter   of   determining   who   is   willing   to   work   together."   summer   was   an   obvious   one   for   the   day   court,   but   were   there   others   that   would   work   with   them?   or   would   they   all   work   together   as   one?   perhaps   the   latter   was   the   better   option   for   dealing   with   the   king   now.

"how   exactly   am   i   supposed   to   show   a   dusk   fae   around   a   court   that   i   barely   know   myself?"   ravyn   certainly   was   not   the   one   that   was   meant   to   be   befriending   the   other's,   especially   not   if   he's   supposed   to   be   getting   on   their   good   side.   that   wasn't   something   that   the   lieutenant   excelled   at.   trained   to   fight,   not   to   make   friends   and   show   them   around.   "yes,   they   are   going   to   have   to   adjust   as   the   rest   of   us   are   to   a   court   that   we   likely   have   not   stepped   foot   in.   the   same   goes   for   me,   i   do   not   know   the   summer   court   well."

[selinaaster]

THEY might! & so they shall. Selina returned the wide grin her cousin had graced her with one of her own. "Oh, I love how you think, dearest cousin." the writer snickered, looping an arm through the other's. "I do hope we run into something interesting - the mild interest will do. I don't think I have the brain power for more chaos, today." she mocked a heavy sigh.

ah, nothing much of true value.

"I can say the same of you! I barely caught a wayward glimpse in our common rooms." Sel retorted, but then shrugged. "Ah, just focused on my writing, dearest. I have so many ideas, yet not enough hands to write them down with. Perhaps I ought to have a scribe to dictate my notes to." she chuckled, then, "& what shenanigans did you get yourself into in Dusk?"

ulka smiles brightly - the white of her teeth sparkling in the brightness of the sun. truly, the warmth of the sun brought back a certain joy in her, dulling her blunt edges somewhat. "we might as well head to where the people are!"

the general hits her stride first, typical of the forward aster, guiding the way. she does turn over her shoulder, glancing briefly at her cousin.

"i feel like i've seen so little of you, selina. what were you off doing in the dusk court?"