siidera

[siidera]

{Alright. I feel like I've been spreading myself too thin when it comes to having different blogs for different fandoms, blogs being inactive for weeks bc my interests have changed, leaving me feeling honestly quite guilty. And I know I've tried the one big multi blog thing before, but I truly feel like this one could work out bc I've had it rotating around in my head for at least a good while now. And it gives me the chance to freely add or drop muses should I want to, decide which muses are active, and really go at my own pace.

So, ye, that's the big announcement. If you want to continue interacting over at the multi, it's @strdstd .}

[siidera]

"That is true, despite me still having my reservations..." Who better than the sole survivor of the Calamity itself, born and raised in Khaenri'ah? When it was put that way, Kaeya's desire to learn from him was valid. But... why want to learn about such a long forgotten place? Yes, he understood wanting to understand his ancestry. But, wouldn't it be best to avoid that, when the lively wind-loved Monstadt seemed to be a far more ideal home, instead of the blackened ashes of Khaenri'ah? Hm...

He merely nodded, gaze returning to Kaeya. "Yes, I did. Surprised I still am able to remember him." And that was the farthest he was going to entertain that topic. Lest he get entangled in the memories of times he'd never go back to. Now was not the time to dwell on the past, even if those memories tended to creep up on him. "Consider it lucky you're able to remember it at all. It only came back to me only recently."

Speaking that language again... Felt... foreign, like a piece just barely fitting into place. A not quite homecoming. Yet. Also like stepping into a warm home to take shelter from the cold after being outside for hours. "You needn't thank me so. All I need was provide the information you asked of me. A simple task, really." He then huffed a bit, gaze turning away. "Oh, please, I doubt my singing was all that good-"

Oh. He exhaled, shoulders drooping and eyes briefly closing. "I can only hope he was, considering what became of me and all that's transpired. Halfdan, that was his name. A knight of Khaenri'ah." Eyes reopened as he spoke the name.

siidera·:

“You honestly trust the muddled memory of a man who’s been separated from his long since destroyed homeland for five-hundred years, to give you information on that homeland?” An inquiry he couldn’t help but make, head tilting a bit. It was true, though. His recollection of things related to Khaenri’ah was spotty at best, no matter how badly he yearned to be able to remember more. Whether it be due to his curse mercilessly fogging up his memories or simply due to being “alive” for as long as he has. It was a pure miracle that song resurfaced, both a blessing and its own little curse. Bringing back such precious moments as well as reminding him of the harsh reality. The life he once lived — and wanted to live — was long gone. Never to continue the way he’d planned. “But… I suppose I could still try to recall the rest and its significance…”

“It’s a traditional Khaenri’ahn song. Sung by two people.” Cobalt gaze turned to the starry sky. “A love song, if you couldn’t tell. I… have an attachment to it, I sang it to someone once.”

        ・⊱ “Well, unreliable, muddled up old man or not, you’re all I’ve got.” The only source he could ask without raising a few eyebrows. Lisa and Albedo certainly wouldn’t do, not when they were as shrewd as they were. Who was to say there was anything worth perusing within Lisa’s collection for, anyways? And as much as he admired the man, his confidence that Albedo would genuinely have anything of use to him either, his only–unfortunately rather vague–leads he even could being the familiar star mark he’d gleaned upon the blond’s neck and the odd, unique alchemic techniques he’d seen him practice on occasion. And that assuming Albedo would even be in any way willing to grant him any of what he knew, if he did have something. No, the risks they posed were far greater than the rewards and possibilities of success in his ventures. Nevertheless-

                                                            …oh.

          ・⊱ “So even the ever-mysterious Dainsleif has had someone so dear.” Even in jest, his expression softened. “I suppose that must have been the case for my father, as well. Singing that to recall my mother, of better times. Passing it onto me so such a precious song wouldn’t be lost…shame I can’t remember it all though. Not clearly enough, anyways.” He shrugged as though the thought was naught more than trivial, but that…if even Dainsleif couldn’t remember it- “I thank you for your insight on it though. Some of the words themselves lost their meaning to me after trying to fit in here, after all. So I appreciate the explanation. And thank you for letting me hear you before, that too. I’m sure your dear one was a lucky person indeed.”

[siidera]

{…Dain starting out so touch-wary, physically moving himself away from any affection or any casual touch. Bc mans has been alive for 500 years with basically no physical affection/touch of any kind. As well as him just internalizing “who’d want to grace such a cursed being with affection?” so he essentially denies himself/thinks himself as undeserving.

But. Oof, once he gets past that & receives the smallest bit of affection (a hand on his cheek, linking fingers, etc)… mans is done for & heckin melts. Like a shock to his system initially, but he ultimately leans into it. He’ll try to keep up the stoic act once he regains his composure, but it’s obvious he’s affected by it & it’ll stick with him to hours after. And, oof, if any form of affection is given to parts of him marred by his curse (arm, shoulder, side of his face), even simply touching/grabbing his arm, mans is gone.

Thus, he realizes just how touch-starved he truly is.}

[siidera]

“You honestly trust the muddled memory of a man who’s been separated from his long since destroyed homeland for five-hundred years, to give you information on that homeland?” An inquiry he couldn’t help but make, head tilting a bit. It was true, though. His recollection of things related to Khaenri’ah was spotty at best, no matter how badly he yearned to be able to remember more. Whether it be due to his curse mercilessly fogging up his memories or simply due to being “alive” for as long as he has. It was a pure miracle that song resurfaced, both a blessing and its own little curse. Bringing back such precious moments as well as reminding him of the harsh reality. The life he once lived — and wanted to live — was long gone. Never to continue the way he’d planned. “But… I suppose I could still try to recall the rest and its significance…”

“It’s a traditional Khaenri’ahn song. Sung by two people.” Cobalt gaze turned to the starry sky. “A love song, if you couldn’t tell. I… have an attachment to it, I sang it to someone once.”

siidera​:

“Who else knows that language in the whole of Teyvat? Only you and I, as far as I know.”

It was astounding; how familiar yet foreign that song sounded to hear it again. Comparing the last time he sang it compared to the solitary present. It was such a stark difference. Heartache-inducing, if he were to dig deep enough into his own association with it. Murky as his memories of five-hundred years ago may be, one fateful journey down into the Chasm revitalized them in a way he never thought would be possible again. Had the Traveler not stood witness, his composure would’ve surely broke.

Seeing that face, hearing that voice. Their reunion only lasted maybe several minutes, but it was seared into his mind now. Reawakening other memories he’d ashamedly forgotten in favor of his festering desire to rid the world of the Abyss.

Halfdan. His Halfdan. His dear, dear Halfdan. Furious, he was at himself, for daring to forget. That was why that song was so familiar, he was who Dainsleif last sang it to.

“Indeed,” he said, stepping out into view, an admittedly wistful expression visible. “Quite a… memorable song to me.”

         ・⊱ While answering the query he’d posed, it wasn’t the full answer to the questions Kaeya had sought. Still, he supposed it was on him, leaving it too open.

         ・⊱ “As it is to me.” A concession of vulnerability, but one Kaeya would allow now. It wasn’t too deep to hurt, just enough to draw a connection. Give a little, take a little, ideally more than the other would be able to grasp at- “Or, well…it should be.” A hand moved to fiddle with the frigid, cursed gods-granted gem at his hip as he let out a softer huff. “Father sang it to me often as a lad, but with him gone for so long and me being so out of practice, I…it pains me to say it, but I can’t say I remember the words as much as I would like.”

         ・⊱ He tilted his head a slight. “But…you might have better recollection of it than I…right? Of how the rest goes? Of it’s truest significance?”

        ・⊱ Daring to let a glimmer of hope seep into his words and expression, a ( more genuine than he would like to admit ) plea for even a SCRAP of Khaenri'ah that Dainsleif hadn’t offered before. Something far more personal, far more emotionally tied-

         ・⊱ “Please–I-I need to know. Please…!”

[siidera]

{Update! I have a new job! Three days a week (Mon, Wed, Fri), 5:30-8:00 PM CST. Hoping I can be more active here eve with that & get queues set up!}

[siidera]

Twilight Sword. A title once the highest regarded thing to Dainsleif, yet he was never boastful about it, merely grateful he was given such a position. And he was going to continue to prove he was worthy of receiving it. Even with the stress it piled on his shoulders as — unwittingly to him at the time — the fall of Khaenri'ah neared. He'd long accepted there was very little, if anything, he could've done to change the outcome. Perhaps it was foolish to believe such a nation could even dream of defeating gods, yet he had back then, bolstered by the strong belief the fellow knights harbored for him. That hadn't been enough. Defeat and grief were overwhelmingly acrid tastes in his mouth, equally unpleasant feelings of regret and failure soon followed, only for fury to overtake them all. Avenging. That was all he could do for his dear, lost Khaenri'ah now.

Head moved back in response, the glare unwavering. "There is nothing that can be done for them now! The curse is embedded too deep in them. Nothing can undo their curse, I know that well," he stated, releasing his grip and stepping backward a few steps. "If there was a way, the Abyss or I would've surely found it by now. But five-hundred years have passed, and no progress has been made."

Eyes widened before narrowing. "Everything I've done is to avenge those lost. To make their sacrifices not be in vain. Does that truly equal me not caring to you?"

siidera·:

[ @dutybcrne — cont. from ★ ]

He’d told him, he’d told him. To ignore his true origins, that’d make things all the more easier for him. But… perhaps he hadn’t considered the consequence of that only pushing Kaeya further into wondering about the lost nation. Foolish, in hindsight. To think it’d lead to this, Dainsleif caught within the Abyss’ grasp, caught off guard for a mere moment. The fates of the knights who’d accompanied him unknown.

Still, even with himself successfully hauled off to whatever hellscape he resided in now, he’d fight his way out. If Dain was anything, he was stubborn, a thorn in the Abyss’ side since day one, only pushing in deeper. Besides, whatever information he could gain from this could prove useful to the Knights of Favonious.

Hands gripping firmly against Kaeya’s forearms to keep them against the wall, daggers were glared. Expression one of pure disgust as the name of his nation was spoken. “Silence! You have no place to speak that title to me! And as far as I’m concerned, you abandoned your own title the moment you were enticed by those wretches. I will never join the likes of you.”

          ・⊱ Perhaps he had Diluc to thank for how unwavering his facade remained now. After four or so years of clipped words and remarks meant to keep him at a distance, of masking just how much the constant pushback hurt, this was nothing. They still stung of course ( perhaps more than they should, considering what Dainsleif meant, being the very one who helped forge anew Kaeya’s own missing connections he wasn't alone! No longer the only one left!, to stoke his intrigue beyond passing interest, and been the very reason he had come seen the light in the first place in his desperation to learn more ), but Kaeya could bear with them, regardless. Just as he always had, as he always intended to before he’d come to realize his purpose. Realized where he was needed-

         ・⊱ “Ha.” The only indication of how much the bite in the knight’s ( of Khaenri’ah, of Mondstadt, since they’d seemed to find it so damn EASY to replace him ) words had affected Kaeya was a distinct chill permeating through the air as he’d laughed. Laughed, and let his head tilt a slight.

        ・⊱ “Dainsleif, oh, Dainsleif-” His gaze would grow a hint colder as he pushed back against the other’s strength, leaning in and much as he could. “Tell me honestly, of the two of us, who exactly is the one that truly deserves to be stripped of their title here? Who gave up on the chance to avenge their–OUR–people and DO something for those who yet remain? Suffering?" He shook his head. “It sure isn’t me, because that’s exactly what I’m working towards. What I want your help to."

         ・⊱ A breath. “Unless you’re seriously telling me...you truly don’t care about them?”

[siidera]

[ @dutybcrne — cont. from ★ ]

He'd told him, he'd told him. To ignore his true origins, that'd make things all the more easier for him. But... perhaps he hadn't considered the consequence of that only pushing Kaeya further into wondering about the lost nation. Foolish, in hindsight. To think it'd lead to this, Dainsleif caught within the Abyss' grasp, caught off guard for a mere moment. The fates of the knights who'd accompanied him unknown.

Still, even with himself successfully hauled off to whatever hellscape he resided in now, he'd fight his way out. If Dain was anything, he was stubborn, a thorn in the Abyss' side since day one, only pushing in deeper. Besides, whatever information he could gain from this could prove useful to the Knights of Favonious.

Hands gripping firmly against Kaeya's forearms to keep them against the wall, daggers were glared. Expression one of pure disgust as the name of his nation was spoken. "Silence! You have no place to speak that title to me! And as far as I'm concerned, you abandoned your own title the moment you were enticed by those wretches. I will never join the likes of you."

[siidera]

{Been kinda inactive oop but SHE!}

[siidera]

How Attractive Are You From 1-100?

"Well... I do have a Pyro Vision-"

[siidera]

{Oof, him pretty-}

[siidera]

“Razor…do you have a favorite food?” Looks like Clara wants to know…perhaps the female wants to make something for him sometime? possibly!

Unprompted Ask ★ @galaxcias ★ Accepting

Oh, that's an easy answer! "Meat, any meat. And potatoes!" Of course, since raw meat can be bad for humans, he cooks his own... through trial and error. He tilted his head before asking, "Do you like meat, too? I can hunt something for you! Rabbit, boar, anything! I can catch them all." Well, someone's eager, eyes brightening at the potentiality.

[siidera]

{Alright, gonna be working on icons today~ Might throw out a few starters as well.}

[siidera]

"Who else knows that language in the whole of Teyvat? Only you and I, as far as I know."

It was astounding; how familiar yet foreign that song sounded to hear it again. Comparing the last time he sang it compared to the solitary present. It was such a stark difference. Heartache-inducing, if he were to dig deep enough into his own association with it. Murky as his memories of five-hundred years ago may be, one fateful journey down into the Chasm revitalized them in a way he never thought would be possible again. Had the Traveler not stood witness, his composure would've surely broke.

Seeing that face, hearing that voice. Their reunion only lasted maybe several minutes, but it was seared into his mind now. Reawakening other memories he'd ashamedly forgotten in favor of his festering desire to rid the world of the Abyss.

Halfdan. His Halfdan. His dear, dear Halfdan. Furious, he was at himself, for daring to forget. That was why that song was so familiar, he was who Dainsleif last sang it to.

"Indeed," he said, stepping out into view, an admittedly wistful expression visible. "Quite a... memorable song to me."

Clinging to the past was a fault of his. Was that not why he was here, doing this now? Reciting the very song his father had danced with him, around their campfires, around the cramped little rooms they’d at times boarded in? Then again the man had been so happy then…a shame he couldn’t find a fraction of that same happiness now, the memory tasting more bitter than sweet in his lonesome-

Only now he wasn’t.

If the air around them chilled a slight in Kaeya’s initial surprise and briefbsurgebof defensivness, it would even in hearing his mother tongue spoken by another after so long.

“Of course, it’s you.” Caught up in his awe, his mask lay discarded. Discarded, in favor of the burning, near desperate curiosity that arose anew. “You know it just as well, too?” Many more questions lay threaded within the one. What did it mean to Dainsleif? Did it mean as much as it did to Kaeya? Did he miss a time and someone just as much?

[siidera]

sometimes i really think you have a death wish . / and for dain

Dusty Toybox ★ @lostanemo ★ Accepting

"Hm, I understand why you might think that," he said with a fair nod from his place out on Starsnatch Cliff, moonlight coating the grass in a silvery tint. With how hellbent he seemed when it came to going after the most dangerous organization in Teyvat, it was reasonable one might not think of him as being all that sound in the head. "But someone has to take down those wretches. And that someone is me, for better or worse." A gloved hand tightened into a fist, unknowing clenching a patch of grass in his grip.

[siidera]

Had he been watching? Perhaps. He'd know that language anywhere, even though he'd say his memory of it was long gone. In a crowd of thousands, with only a single person speaking it, he'd be able to detect it. It'd just stand out too much to his ears. A tongue of a nation vanquished by godly power, one he sought so desperately to avenge. Hearing it again now, he'd dare to call it a blessing.

"Min egen, det var smukke ord

De fylder mig med varme

Men alt, jeg ønsker her på jord

Finder jeg i dine arme..."

Words sung far more hollowly than the song itself intended, yet the pronunciation came so easily to him. A little too easily.

”Jeg rider livets storme af Ja, om jeg så ska’ svømmer Jeg krydser hvert et oprørt hav Hvis du vil være min…”

         ・⊱ Unusually solemn, it seems like he’s practicing a dance meant for two alone. As for the song…well, it doesn’t quite sound like any lang spoken in Mondstadt, now did it? Too caught up in focusing on his steps, it seems he’s not too concerned with it, nor truly thinking of its ramifications as he moved and the melody would flow on, ever-soft, from his lips,

“Ej solens brænd, ej frostens bid Kan holde mig i tømme Når blot dit hjerte bliver mit Og jeg må være evigt din-”

[siidera]

"Zhongli! Zhongli!" Hu Tao, incoming- "Huge favor! Do me a huge favor! Let me style your hair!" (I saw the post and sjbdfkjg, INSPO)

Unprompted Asks ★ @dutybcrne ★ Accepting

Oh. Oh goodness. Well, she might've just burst into the room and interrupted his tea, but... what really got him was her favor. He set his cup down and turned his head to face her, a quizzical expression present "What brought this up, hm? You've seen my hair everyday and have never offered to style it before, why now" According to him, it was fine the way it was. Never had he felt any urge to switch things up or do really any changes. Keeping it simple and easy to manage despite the length.

[siidera]

"Perhaps you should be grateful I entered Monstadt to even sketch you in the first place," he says while not looking up from the nature scene he was currently sketching.

          ・⊱ “Albedo tends to sketch me a lot faster than an awful lot of people, I’ve heard…should I be relieved at the ease he has or feel disgruntled that means he wishes to get it over with so quickly…”