sparkledcrowns

[sparkledcrowns]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟTHE TIME THEY'D spend in the summer court would be one that taught haoyu quite a bit. he'd never had a reason to venture out of the dusk court, or had been given one. they were hidden, for a reason. and now, their world was upside down in ways that he couldn't possibly comprehend. this adventure was meant to make him stronger as not only a soldier, but as fae as well. there were experiences he had yet to experience, ones that both he and azah needed. "that was a decision we made for our safety, but now, i do not believe it was a good one. we might be better off if we had known all of you beforehand." haoyu didn't know enough about the specific decision, or if he had, it was something he'd pushed from his brain for a reason. now, he did wonder if this was all for the better. in order to continue from here, it was important to gather any and all information about what was seen as he could. "did you notice anything before he took flight? any indication of how this might have happened?" haoyu wanted as much information as possible. "the mothers together was not a sight i could have forseen. but it is one we need to watch for now. i do wish to learn more about your mother to hopefully find a connection." these opinions and facts were ones that haoyu didn't want to believe. he didn't want to think that someone could do such a thing, someone from his court, someone he'd loved. what had he missed? "how they even contacted each other, i would like to know. we were hidden for so long, for a reason. none of this should have ever happened," haoyu stated. he took a deep breath and straightened his posture. "have you met anyone in the dusk court that you suspect might have? at this point, i would like to find a solution."

@sparkledcrowns continued from here

the   autumn   high   lady   had   grown   tired   of   being   tossed   around   like   they   had   no   say   in   it.   actually   it   wasn't   even   that   she   was   bothered   by   it   all,   she   could   deal   with   it   on   her   own.   throwing   her   fae   and   her   daughter   into   the   mix   was   what   irked   the   ashway.   her   siblings   and   aerin   did   not   deserve   to   be   tossed   around   the   continent   when   they   were   not   involved   in   the   politics   of   her   court.   not   that   she   loved   having   to   watch   the   autumn   inner   circle   also   suffer   through   all   of   this.   however   that   was   part   of   the   job   that   they   had   agreed   to   when   they   had   entered   into   their   positions.   "that   was   not   our   choice   either   lord   haoyu.   until   we   had   found   ourselves   in   your   court   we   did   not   know   that   you   and   your   dragons   existed."   she   was   certainly   tired   of   the   discussion   of   how   the   dusk   court   did   not   ask   for   them   to   show   up   one   day   and   get   them   involved.   however   they   were   now   involved   and   likely   to   remain   involved   in   prythian   matters   in   the   future   to   come.   "what   of   the   king   taking   flight   in   the   sky   in   the   form   of   one   of   your   beasts?   or   the   display   of   both   mothers   in   the   sky   before   the   light   took   over   everything?"   gaeul   didn't   have   much   to   confirm   of   either   of   them.   she   could   not   claim   to   know   much   about   the   dragon's   or   the   king.   and   she   had   never   been   one   to   be   very   connected   to   the   mother   and   the   temples.   that   she   would   leave   up   to   her   high   priestess.   "i   suspect   it   as   something   of   the   doings   of   your   deity   and   the   king   himself.   or   someone   was   working   with   him   to   get   him   to   where   he   needed   to   be   to   be   successful   in   this.   and   i   cannot   suspect   anyone   that   didn't   know   the   way   of   your   lands.   meaning   it's   someone   on   your   side   that   aided   him."

[sparkledcrowns]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟIT WAS A relief to cali to have a space to actually train now. she felt more comfortable being home. "i don't think i'll mind sharing so much, now knowing we have our equipment back. there's training dummies that i've thoroughly missed," cali explained, laughing lightly. this would allow her to get back to routines she missed. she hated the idea that they needed refreshers, but with the way the prythian was now exposed to strange amounts of magic, rumors, and kings with ulterior motives. "have you spoken to other members of the circle to see if they'd like to join us?" cali knew that there were skills she had to improve on, ones that just weren't in her nature to use. but that was particularly why training would be useful. "it's my go to move, but i know there's better ways. what do you recommend i train in? i'm very rusty with a sword, and i'm not as swift as i may look."

@sparkledcrowns continued from here

"dusk   was   not   a   court   easy   to   make   daily   training   a   thing,   here   we   have   our   spaces   to   use.   though   we   may   need   to   share   them   with   some   of   the   courts."   that   was   something   that   the   general   was   still   working   out.   at   the   minimum   he   was   sure   they'd   be   sharing   with   the   day   court.   "it   would   be   a   good   idea   for   the   inner   circle   to   get   some   refreshers   in   regardless.   there   is   a   chance   that   we   may   have   to   fight,   as   much   as   we   wish   to   not."   the   last   thing   that   noah   wanted   was   to   utilize   the   army   in   a   battle.   however   he   would   not   be   the   one   sitting   around   and   waiting   for   it   to   happen.   keeping   them   at   the   ready   would   be   better   for   them.   "i   would   certainly   not   recommend   keeping   to   only   long   distance,   however   do   not   stop   training   for   that   either.   it   could   also   come   in   handy."

[sparkledcrowns]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟTHERE HAD ONLY been a handful of soldiers that elias had with them when they'd originally visited gaea, simply for protective measures. he'd kept them close when they were transferred to dusk, hoping to keep them as safe as he could. but now that they were once again thrown to another court, they were once again, lost. "i would very much appreciate that. it's important that we're all safe. it will give me some satisfaction and i would owe you in the future," elias explained, nodding with a small smile. that was part of elias' worry as well. if they ever returned to the dawn court, what would become of his soldiers? would they be alright? "i'm torn on the idea of that. while i wish for them to be safe, i don't know that i would force them to be here. what of their families? what of what could happen to them? it's a decision i'm still mulling over." he understood the struggle of the other. how could you explain to all of the other soldiers what had happened, and now that they're forced into it? it was difficult and he felt for all of them. "if there's anything me, or my soldiers can do to help, please let us know. at this point, i truly believe we all need to work together."

@sparkledcrowns continued from here

the   return   to   summer  ��fixed   the   issue   of   not   having   the   numbers   of   his   soldiers   available   to   them.   however   it   was   not   the   relief   that   the   general   could   have   wished   for.   those   soldiers   that   had   been   unscathed   in   these   games   were   now   included   by   no   choice   of   their   own.   that   was   not   something   that   noah   could   even   begin   to   be   happy   over.   "of   course,   it   is   going   to   take   time   to   locate   them   all.   if   you   need   an   assist   in   locating   them   i   can   lend   some   guards   for   the   search."   he   already   had   a   couple   searching   the   summer   court   for   the   missing   scholar   but   he   wasn't   going   to   mention   that   portion.   "my   soldiers   are   not   safer   with   us   being   back   in   the   summer   court.   a   number   of   them   had   been   left   out   of   whatever   this   all   is,   however   now   all   of   my   soldiers   are   involved   without   choice.   would   you   be   asking   the   soldiers   that   were   not   present   in   the   capital   or   dusk   to   join   you   here?   even   knowing   that   they   will   not   have   the   option   of   leaving?"

[sparkledcrowns]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟLISTENING TO KRIS, cali felt bad for his situation. she knew that the high lady was protecting him and knew that it was all done out of love. despite him being a pain, cali knew that alina still cared for him and would want to make sure they were safe, no matter what. "do you know why you've been making things difficult for her?" cali asked, wondering if kris would open up together, allowing them to find a way to perhaps make things right, or make alina trust him a bit more. "perhaps we can find ways for her to trust you a little bit more." cali wanted kris to trust her, and wanted him to feel like he was important. in any way that she could allow him to feel like he was valuable, she would. "it's a mixture, of our court and the others. it almost feels as if others aren't as confused or worried. people are more inclined to explore here than they were in the dusk court. i simply want to ensure that everyone is alright, and safe. we still don't know who we can fully trust."

it   is   deserved   that   alina   would   not   want   him   to   be   aiding   in   what   had   been   happening.   the   entire   time   she   had   been   summer's   high   lady   he   had   been   going   out   of   his   way   to   make   her   life   difficult   because   of   his   own   childish   want   for   attention   from   their   shared   father.   nor   was   he   raised   as   someone   to   be   an   aide   to   the   court.   he   was   simply   just   the   product   of   another   relationship   that   legion   had,   tossed   aside   his   only   focus   on   the   elder   two   of   the   siblings.   alina   had   allowed   him   to   learn   more   about   the   dusk   court   when   they   were   there,   but   he   wasn't   sure   how   he   fit   in   now   that   they   were   back   in   their   own   court.   "i   know   that   alina   cares   about   me.   i've   been   nothing   but   a   pain   to   her   over   the   years,   i   do   not   make   things   easier   for   her."   case   in   point   that   he   had   extended   the   offer   for   alaric   to   join   them   without   saying   a   word   before   hand   to   the   high   lady.   "our   court?   or   out   of   everyone   that   has   joined   us   from   the   dusk   court?"

[sparkledcrowns]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟELIAS WAS APPRECIATIVE that his court was full of people that were sure of themselves, of ones that knew where their heads should be. "i'm thankful for that. it'll help us navigate through our time here in the summer court." he wished that he could navigate the way he felt, the emotions, or the headache that wouldn't leave him alone. it would take time, but that was something he wasn't willing to want. "at this point, we have to be ready for anything. we don't know what the intentions were for us to be here either." elias hoped that everyone was feeling alright, at least enough to function. "that's to be expected. i'm hoping we can get a good night's sleep, at least knowing we're somewhere warmer that reminds us of home." sighing softly, the general ran his hands through his hair, frustrated. no one had any answers and it drove him absolutely mad. "it had something to do with the mothers. i don't know how or why, but i'm almost afraid of what might happen now. i don't believe kabir will be gone for very long."

"At least we still have our heads on straight." Kiernan nodded in agreement with Elias. Thankfully, they were incredibly level-headed and a remarkable leader of the Dawn Court. "You're not wrong. I feel like the heavens are still deciding whether to keep us here or send us back." As much as the Dusk Court was a shock in its own right, Kiernan couldn't lie that he was relieved to be in a Court he was familiar with again. "As for news on everyone, I think they're pretty much all on edge." He checked in with his posts and made sure Eri was brought safely to the Dawn-designated quarters. Beyond that, Kiernan was just exploring and creating notes of things to the best of his abilities. "I've been keeping my eyes and ears peeled for any news but outside the shock and people wondering how Kabir evolved into a dragon, it's trying to find our collective footing once more."

[sparkledcrowns]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟTHE COMMANDER OF dusk knew that his personality wasn't one that many understood, respected, or even knew who he really was. but that was fairly intentional. haoyu liked being who he was, and liked how his demeanor felt in his body. he knew that his polite, stoic, and somewhat elegant nature (at least to him) was respectful for a commander. and it helped him in his every day life. it allowed him to keep himself calm as much as possible and acquire the respect and confidence he believed that he deserved.

as the summer commander spoke, haoyu listened to him with determination and understanding. he was not only severely interested in what he was saying, but curious about the man, his personality, and role within his court. "we do appreciate the space and allowance of your resources. they will enjoy the space, as well as your confidence that their lifestyle will not disrupt your day to day life." haoyu and azah had never thought about what they'd have to do if they ever met someone from outside of the dusk court. and now, they had to think about every single fae within this court now. it was something that admittedly he was afraid of feeling. "that is something we got used to rather quickly. azah is rather fascinated by the other fae, and asks far too many questions. however, she is still afraid to approach one, and i would prefer she keep it that way. but the suggestion that they travel in pairs is rather excellent and i shall suggest it to my high lord."

their drakes always hunted their own food, sussed out what they wanted to eat, and decided on their own. but now, they had to be provided with fish and told where to fish. azah wasn't appreciative of this idea, however, both she and haoyu knew it was for the best. "the drakes might be intrigued by the idea of fish, but the offer for hunters to assist in the acquirement of food is appreciated. we will take you up on that, for safety reasons."

nodding, haoyu wished to continue with the topic at hand and discuss the matters at hand. it was important that he continued to gt as much information as he could. the king. wishing that he had an answer, he hoped that the other would. or at least that they could have a rational discussion about it and come to a conclusion. "there are rumors within the court, however i am not one to believe rumors. without straight facts, i do not wish to come to a conclusion. it could not have been created without involvement from the mothers. that is the only way. how else would one bear a form like that?"

CETUS had nearly snorted out the fancy, expensive brand of gin he was sipping on when the young commander spoke. Oh, aye, this will be hilarious, indeed. it was only thanks to the self control that only very old age can bring, that the elder commander had remained with a stoic expression upon his visage. Did the rest of the Dusk's inner circle speak in such an... amusing manner. Was it politeness, or nerves? Either way, he was amused - the corners of his lips quirking up almost imperceptibly.

yes, the dragons would be the most pressing matter to discuss.

"Indeed, your mounts have taken us all by surprise. But, our court is vast & there are more than sufficient isolated patched of land for your drakes to enjoy at their leisure. There is a secluded area, though near to the palace, that is already being prepared as their keep. They should have enough space to roam as they wish, but do be mindful of the citizenry - they've not seen a dragon in their lifetimes, they might be curious about them. I have... warned" in other words terrified "the majority of the populace into keeping their distance, but do... warn your beloved mounts to remain at arm's length. Perhaps they could travel in pairs, should they wish to explore the vastness of the Summer court. There are many secluded areas they could enjoy." the small islands, the coves, the caves, the isolated beaches & mountaintops...

many things to satisfy a drake.

"They will be provided with nourishment & food, though I'm afraid it will largely be fish. However, the barrier allows for animals to pass through. Perhaps we can sent... hunters to fetch a more satisfying meal for them. Outside of our borders, of course." he doubted the farmers of Summer would appreciate having their livestock devoured.

ah, excellent, straight to the point! he liked that.

"I wish to speak to you of the... little king. The form he had taken. Have you any idea on how he had managed to... acquire such deep, ancient magic?"

[sparkledcrowns]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟTHANKFUL THAT SHE was back in her home court, cali knew there were plenty of places that she could retreat to and hide out if she needed to be alone. heading straight for one of her favorite places, she pushed open the door and took a deep breath. this was one of her absolute favorite pools, and one that was restricted to the summer court. but she realized she wasn't alone. it was the back of a head that she'd seen before. taking a step closer, cali cleared her throat. "excuse me. i don't think you're supposed to be here. this is restricted to the summer court only, but i can help you get to where you need go. i don't mind, it's a beautiful place, i get it." one thing cali understood was the desire for exploration, so she wasn't upset in any way. she really just wanted to make sure they didn't get in trouble from anyone else.

@rosaxseer

[sparkledcrowns]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟIF HE WAS going to train his soldiers to be ready for anything, especially in a new court, he needed equipment. for anything he ever needed, elias trusted zorya. they always came through and everything was always better than he'd ever expected. the general also knew that one of the best ways to deal with a new court or stressful situation was to distract himself with training. once he had all of his soldiers accounted for, he'd do just that. "oh thank goodness. that's a relief to hear." elias looked down at the bows, inspecting each of them. he bent dow to examine them closer. "may i touch them?" he always liked to ask, just to be sure. "there are a few i trust with longer distances, but some that need more practice in short range, so it'd be a mixture of both." elias was always fair in trading with zorya. he knew they were reasonable and he'd been doing so for years, but this proved to be a little bit more difficult. they hadn't traveled with much and as a result, he'd been a little less careful about what he brought. going through his pockets, he pulled out a few bags of plants he'd saved to use as healing balms, but knew that wasn't enough. "i found a few herbs that could be used in healing, perhaps a few pebbles, however, we can discuss a payment plan, or if you'll give me a few days, i can discuss something with a few of the summer court fae to find a suitable trade for you. is there anything you're searching for in particular?"

☆ﾟ*·ﾟPART OF THE issue with how they were so quickly transported was that much of elias' weapons and training materials were left behind. while he knew that it wasn't out of the question to befriend some of the summer soldiers and their general, that didn't stop him from wanting equipment of his own. there was only one person that he trusted to find good enough equipment that knew him and his qualities well enough. and that was zorya. a smile grew across his face at the sight of her, and of the knives within the velvet case. "you're a life saver. i managed to travel with my sword, but that's about it. these bows are beautiful, but i wouldn't trust any of my soldiers with them, at least not the ones still in training. how difficult would it be to find some a little less beautiful for them to practice with, and what would be needed to trade?"

[sparkledcrowns]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟA SOFT CHUCKLE slipped through her lips, knowing that fact was true. the dragons hadn't had any need to respect anything in the slightest until they were suddenly transported out of their home. cali worried what might happen should the dusk court fae or their dragons find themselves upset. would their beautiful adriata cease to exist? she wanted to protect her court, but how could she if she didn't know or trust them. "you're right, but that doesn't stop me from secretly wanting to see the dragons fall into the pools without understanding." cali too a deep breath, wishing she had an answer to asha's response, wishing that she could give her some kind of solace or peace with an answer. "did no one sense anything? admittedly, i haven't spoken to the seers to know if they did, or if they're even alright." that much she knew. that this plan was too simple. something was missing. while the commander didn't know, she wanted to be as prepared as she could be. anything could happen. "he has an ulterior motive. disappearing is part of the plan. something big will happen and we need to be ready. i don't know how, but we need to be." cali needed to do something with her hands, needed to focus on small tasks as she kept an eye on the others. as much as she could keep all of her senses alert, the better. "if there's any way i can help you find ingredients to make sure we're prepared for anything, please let me know, okay? i need to do something with my hands, with my time while i search for the others and keep an eye on the newcomers."

❝ dragons  haven't  had  to  much  respect  anybody  besides  their  masters, ❞  remarked  she.  it  came  down  to  the  imbalance  of  power.  how  would  the  summer  court  be  viewed  by  drakes  which  could,  in  return,  use  the  heat  and  wind  to  their  advantage?  there  might  be  enough  water  to  slake  their  flames  when  cursed  with  anger,  but  the  rest  was  a  waiting  game,  which  aggravated  asha  but  was  not  an  emotion  the  older  apothecary  would  show.  ❝ whether  that's  the  pool  or  the  waterfalls,  the  mainland  farms  or  the  graneries,  we  do  have  our  work  cut  out  for  us.  who  could  have  foreseen  this  coming? ❞  this  might  be  a  dig  against  those  who  proclaim  themselves  to  be  seers.  asha  could  scoff  at  such  nonsense.  what  was  the  point  of  receiving  visions  if  nothing  came  of  them?  if  nothing  was  shared  nor  done?  she  cast  the  piteous,  understanding  look  towards  cali,  humming.  ❝ try  not  to  fret  too  much.  we  have  many  tasks  to  focus  upon.  i  think  it's  because  his  plan  is  far  too  simple.  to  gain  power.  and  that's  all. ❞  and  it  didn't  match  up  with  the  reputation  nor  countenance  which  the  king  put  out  into  the  world.

[sparkledcrowns]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟSITTING ACROSS FROM someone and speaking to them in a casual manner wasn't something that haoyu was relatively used to in the slightest. in fact, he hadn't expected anyone to join him for tea. originally, he'd wandered down here in an attempt to learn more about the summer court. this light beaming from the sky threw him off quite a bit, and in all honesty, he was thankful for when the sun dipped blow the clouds slightly for a moment. but sitting there with the autumn scholar, haoyu was curious, about quite a bit.

he wondered where she'd learned all of her information, having been fairly restricted to much of their records within dusk. but with her title, it was understandable, and she'd likely be allowed to see at least some of it. "scholar and relative, noted," haoyu stated, his voice lacking emotion, simply taking memory of the information in case he needed to use it later.

haoyu wanted to know what she knew, how much she knew, and where she'd gotten her information. there was still a fair amount that was unsure, but he knew that he needed to be on good terms with as many of the prythian fae as he possibly could. "that was quite a sight to see and not one that i was expecting, quite honestly. but at the moment, opinions are not what we need to discuss. facts must be pulled from the shadows, lady ara." at the mention of a loss of someone, of someone from the very court that they were stationed at, haoyu's shoulders sank. "there should not be any gone fae, in any instance. it is truly a loss for not just summer, but for all of us."

"i am taking my time and learning as much of summer as i can. it is not a usual occurrence for us to be anywhere but dusk, so this is all a bit strange. the weather has me quite perplexed. i am not used to this bright sun beaming down upon us." haoyu wished that he had better things to discuss. he was sitting in a bar, with a cup of tea and was discussing shop. but this was all he knew. the second in command wasn't the kind of person that could sit and have a proper conversation with you. "have you been to the summer court before?" he asked, wondering if that would in any way be considered small talk.

SOMEONE did his homework on her - she thought with a spark of amusement, though it had faded almost the same moment. Her leisurely time in Dusk was gone ( & to be entirely fair she was a bit pissed about it ) & now she had to be the boringly serious scholar of the Autumn court.

aish, this was really annoying.

"You're not mistaken. Scholar & relative of the High lady Gaeul." though the latter wasn't really all that important - she'd figured if he already worked out her position within the inner circle, he undoubtedly already knew the rest, as well. The question, however, left her with a petite sigh & a light pout, her eyes narrowing in thought as she sipped on her gin.

"You mean, aside from the obvious? Depends on what the others have seen. I've confirmed the beast thing was, in fact, our not-so-dearly beloved king taking a form of a dragon. The two Mothers deciding on an epic battle right in the middle of my sunbathing was a poor timing on their end." Ara clicked her tongue against her teeth, leaning back on her chair. "I heard the Summer court lost their scholar. I didn't really know Poppy that well, but so far she's the only gone fae. It does raise some concerns whether or not it's been... merely a coincidence." or something far more sinister.

"Did you find something of relevance? I'm trying to find a way into Summer's archives, but honestly speaking I don't know how useful that would be. This is quite a novel situation for all of us." she didn't mention her hunt for the Made Mother's name & existence to him - not yet, at least.

not until she knows more.

[sparkledcrowns]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟTO FIND HER brother was such a relief. now, ellie could calm down, at least a little bit more. she knew that if anything were to happen from here, declan would make sure to keep her safe. even though they weren't completely home, at least they were safe in prythian, at least that's what ellie believed. but she also knew that the king had plans and what he'd done was intentional, or at least it made sense after what he'd asked her to do. she couldn't tell declan what she'd done. she couldn't tell anyone. hugging him tightly, she felt calm. "i don't know if i should be offended by that, but it's a good thing i'm not!" ellie explained, giggling. "no, i don't think so. i have a bit of a headache, but that should go away with the sunshine. they usually did back home." that was one of the problems of being in a new court. you had to relearn everything and she'd just begun to kind of understand the dusk court. "but at least it's back in prythian. are we at least safer here? do you think the king's gonna come back?" ellie had no idea where he'd gone or what happened, but she worried what would happen when and if he did.

his  youngest  sister,  the  missing  aster  he  finally  comes  across.  the  day  lord  has  no  reason  to  believe  she'd  not  be  here,  every  day  fae  who  should  be  present  was,  but  still  he  could  not  fully  be  at  ease  until  now.  in  truth,  the  shift  from  dusk  to  prythian  was  alarming,  but  he  cannot  bring  himself  to  complain  because  they  returned  to  prythian,  even  if  all  else  remain  still  a  mystery.  summer  was  not  day,  but  it  was  a  familiar  of  sorts,  it  was  a  court  that  was  day's  allies.  "the  one  and  only."  he  teases,  he  manages  the  words  just  as  her  smaller  frame  comes  hurling  at  him.  he's  quick  to  wrap  his  arms  around  her,  embracing  his  sister  for  several  moments  before  she  moves  to  show  her  damp  dress.  "somehow  you  falling  into  a  pool  is  exactly  what  i  expect,  ellie."  his  relief  of  finding  her  unharmed  was  visible  on  his  features,  and  he  nods,  "yes,  everyone  from  our  court  is  safe,  and  i  was  on  my  searching  for  you.  you  aren't  hurt,  are  you?"  gaze  drifting  over  her  form  just  to  ensure  this,  "this  place  is  nothing  short  of  a  maze.  i've  had  to  memorize  certain  marks  on  the  interior  to  find  my  way."

[sparkledcrowns]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟA GIGGLE ESCAPED from ellie's lips, allowing a bright smile to grow upon her lips. she was always fond of alistair and knew that he would always be there to take care of her in any way she need. "i'm relieved to find you like that too! but i didn't think you'd have any issues, 'cause you're really strong!" as she listened to his definition of a spring, she nodded along, picturing it in his mind. and now, she wondered why she hadn't seen one before, why it might've been missing from her life. "oh! i'd like to see one one day. but i'd also like to see a lot more of prythian one day, so this is fun for me!" ellie was trying to look on the bright side of everything, trying to push away the dark and worrisome thoughts that lingered in her brain, making her wonder if she'd become dark like kabir one day. looking at him, she wondered if they were similar, overlooked, misinterpreted, and frail, ones that others might not expect to grow up to be strong. she shifted in her spot, letting out another giggle, as a façade to the other fae. "i don't know if it's accidental though. being in dusk wasn't. there's a reason for everything, right?" she shrugged before she looked at him again. "why do you say it's not an accident being in prythian? what do you think was their plan?"

"lady  ellie,  i'm  relived  to  find  you  unscathed."  at  the  very  least  he  could  relay  to  his  best  friend  and  high  lord  his  siblings  were  all  safe.  he'd  found  the  other  three  and  ellie  was  the  only  one  who  remained.  the  youngest  aster's  question,  has  the  commander  flashed  the  other  a  smile,  "it's  nature's  version  of  a  pool.  springs  emerge  from  nature,  and  pools  are  installed  or  made."  day's  library  was  vast  compared  to  the  rest  of  the  solar  side,  and  alistair  recalls  during  his  studies  he's  read  up  a  bit  on  the  other  courts  and  there  was  no  doubt  only  one  court  held  such  springs  and  pools.  "it  is,  i  think  most  of  the  fae  will  be  spending  their  spare  in  it  to  cool  off."  he  chuckled,  and  he  was  one  of  those  fae.  despite  the  lady's  rather  chipper  nature,  the  worry  he  finds  in  her  gaze  has  him  reach  out  and  gently  squeeze  her  shoulder  before  letting  go.  "i  would  like  to  believe  so,  being  in  summer  might  be  an  accident  or  unintentional,  but  being  in  prythian  is  not."

[sparkledcrowns]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟ"I FELT SOMEWHAT out of place in the dusk court, like they didn't want us, which i think most people felt," ellie explained, knowing she wasn't alone in that fact. "but i wanted to be welcomed. i'm hoping that with them now visiting prythian, we can welcome them into our world more!" she was hoping that they could all come together, but worried that with the king's actions that it would pull them apart instead. ellie's nature was to be kind to everyone, to always bring the light into everyone's life, but lately, she wasn't feeling much like herself. she'd done things that others would be upset with her for and it scared her for the future. could she still fit within the day court now? as she watched percival pour a glass for her, ellie gave him a soft smile, appreciative that he allowed her the chance to taste it. lifting it, she took a small sip, shuddering slightly, not sure if she really liked it. "they'll have lots of space now! and hopefully everyone will feel better. i just need everyone to be happy, that's all i ever want." this was in fact ellie's problem. that was why she'd done what she'd done with kabir. she even wanted him to be happy. and that's why she was now in the predicament that she was. "well that's something we have to learn, right? we have to learn how to work together. how do you think we can do that? is there anything i can do?"

❝ you  won't  hear  me  disagreeing.  i'd  much  rather  be  here  than  up  in  dusk  any  day  of  the  week. ❞  one  thing  that  the  emissary  shared  with  the  youngest  aster  was  the  preference  for  routine.  he  was  rather  set  in  his  ways  despite  his  impulsivity.  indeed,  he  might  consider  being  impulsive  part  of  it.  and  he  despised  running  about  a  court  where  he  had  no  idea  where  he  was  going,  even  if  by  the  end  of  it,  dusk  was  resembling  more  of  a  home  than  he'd  like  to  admit.  when  she  sat  down,  he  raised  his  brow.  technically,  she  was  old  enough  to  partake  in  the  red,  and  so  what  was  the  harm?  nothing  else  was  happening  yet.  so  he  poured  her  a  goblet's  worth.  or  rather  a  half  of  one.  no  need  to  get  accused  of  bad  habits.  ❝ they  do.  but  we  took  up  just  as  much  in  their  court!  nearly  chased  them  out  of  their  bedrooms. ❞  he  chuckled  at  the  thought,  though  it  soon  faded.  how  she  managed  to  think  of  others  before  herself  still  resembled  somewhat  of  a  talent  to  percy.  ❝ what  of  summer  and  dusk  both  being  stressed? ❞  asked  he.  ❝ neither  know  how  to  handle  the  other. ❞

[sparkledcrowns]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟIF THERE WAS one creature that haoyu was protective of more than anyone else, it was azah. she was his pride, his life, and his best friend in the world. they met when he needed her the most and now, he would do absolutely anything for her, no matter what. the two of them were known for being rather closeted and preferred staying away from others. what he hadn't expected was this small, bright, and cheerful young fae, staring at both him and azah.

his eyes stayed firmly on her, and his hand on azah's leg as she stood behind him. haoyu watched her eyes as he knew where she looked. this young fae wanted to touch azah and the thought of that frightened him to no end. he looked down at the button in her hand, not entirely sure what to say. "that is a button. what am i supposed to do with that?" haoyu asked, not entirely sure that he was used to anything about her personality. no one gave him presents, especially not ones this close to him standing next to his dragon.

"you should follow instructions, young fae. the dragons are not to be touched, interacted or reckoned with in any capacity," haoyu explained, taking a step back, a little closer to azah. "you may admire her from afar, but that is it. in fact, you are a bit close." haoyu wanted to make sure azah was safe. from this position, he couldn't see her expressions, but he could sense her protectiveness and worry about this fae being too close. "she does not want you close either."

closed starter for @sparkledcrowns for haoyu location: at the fountains in the summer court, early afternoon

the fountains shimmered in the golden light, their gentle trickling filling the air with a quiet sort of music. rosa had only meant to pass through, but then she saw them.

dragons.

or, well, a dragon, moving with a careful grace near the water’s edge, its scales catching the light like molten gold. her fingers twitched at her sides, the temptation nearly unbearable. she had been explicitly told not to touch them. which, in her opinion, was terribly unfair. it wasn’t as if she meant any harm.

still, she remained where she was, arms tucked neatly behind her back like it would somehow restrain her impulses. her gaze flickered toward the figure standing nearby—his expression unreadable, his posture rigid. he seemed to watch the dragon with the same intensity as the sun watches the earth, unwavering and silent.

rosa, naturally, interrupted that silence.

she studied him now, curiosity sparking in her hazel eyes before stepping forward. her hand out stretched to him to offer a small yellow button that was supposed to look like a bird but had more of a shape of a dragon than anything else. “i think this is meant to be yours. i found it but it told me it belonged to someone. i think it is you” she smiled happily.

“you know,” she mused, stepping closer with an easy, lilting cadence, “i was given very clear instructions not to touch them.” she clasped her hands behind her back, rocking slightly on her heels. “but you see, i’m terribly bad at resisting beautiful things. it’s a personal flaw. but i do not want to frighten them. i can be very scary”

[sparkledcrowns]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟAFTER BEING DUMPED into a new court, ellie wasn't expecting to look fabulous at all times, but algernon was right and looking the way she did wasn't exactly the best idea. chuckling softly, she tried brushing her hair back in an attempt to tame it down. "oh, i would never want them to think that. do we have an area for the day court yet? i hadn't even thought of clothes! how are we going to do that?" she hadn't thought about what would happen now. ellie was still too preoccupied with everything that had happened in the dusk court. anyone could find out at any point in time what she'd done and what she'd told the king and she was terrified of what everyone would think of her. "books should always be cherished, no matter what. have you found the library here? i wanted to go look, but i didn't want to get lost or go somewhere i'm not supposed to be."

the  youngest  aster  stood  close  enough  that  if  algernon  shifted,  his  elbow  would  bump  into  her.  becoming  aware  of  this,  he  remained  as  still  as  he  could.  there  was  a  glance  towards  the  messiness  that  she  described,  which  he  dismissed  with  his  own  laugh.  ❝ surely  you  should  get  that  looked  at.  and  get  yourself  cleaned  up.  we'd  not  want  our  hosts  to  think  us  rudimentary. ❞  that  so  happened  to  be  one  of  his  best  words.  feeling  the  weight  of  her  watching,  uncertain  what  it  meant  nor  of  her  own  admiration  towards  him,  the  hightower's  automatic  reaction  was  to  flush.  ❝ and  who  must  be  eloquent  besides  this?  books  don't  mind  if  we're  clumsy  or  not.  so  long  as  a  more  rare  text  isn't  dropped  on  the  floor,  it's  a  wonderful  day. ❞  this  might  sound  odd  to  someone  else,  but  it  made  the  most  sense  to  algernon.

[sparkledcrowns]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟIT WASN'T OFTEN that haoyu made jokes, in fact, most of the time, he tried not to, but it seemed on occasion he was indeed a little bit funny. but as he stood there, the commander wondered if everyone was safe, and how them staying in an entirely new place would go over. the thought of ever visiting the summer court wasn't one that he had or ever thought he would. and he didn't know how to process the fact that he was. this sand was different than the kind in the dusk court and he really hated it. the weather wasn't any better. "i am a soldier. we are trained to keep our composure no matter the situation and i intend to keep it." haoyu wished that he knew how to handle these situations, but who would know?

nodding softly, haoyu was pleased to know that he and azah weren't the only ones struggling with this sudden and different change. "it helps. and i concur, the other seasons would be more bearable. azah is miserable. she is constantly complaining about the heat and i believe she is doing so more than i am. but i do not blame her. i just need her to calm down enough so that we can continue and work with these courts to strengthen alliances." haoyu was still struggling to understand the motivation behind the mothers' decisions. what had they seen in the young king? and the more and more he learned about the mothers, the more he was curious to find out about how prythian was created. alliances would be more important than ever.

at the current moment, azah stood behind him, protecting him from anything that she could. at the moment, she was merely protecting him from the light from the sun that she believed would hurt him in some way. it was somewhat helping his headache, but not enough. "that would be rather helpful. azah is not helping as much as she thinks she is. at this point, even if it is not our medicine, i trust you more than healers that i do not know."

THE COMMANDER chuckled at Haoyu's words, amused by the same discomfort she'd shared. The sand was a dreadfully odious thing, she disliked venturing to sandy beaches in Dusk, let alone the sand of unknown courts. This was a disaster in the making & could yet prove to be quite the menace. "I don't think anyone would hold it against you. We are transported to a world we never thought conceivable to visit. I bet your sibling are out of it, as well. It will take some getting used to." she didn't doubt the Dusk court will get used to the situation at hand - the only question remains for how long will they have to be in Summer.

if she had to live here forever, she'd perish immediately.

Yanyan offered another light chuckle at his words. "If it's any consolation, both myself & Erinya are exceptionally pissed about this. I would've been fine with Winter, perhaps Autumn or any of the darker solar courts like Night or Dawn, but this. It's like the deities want us to suffer." it must've been Kabir's doing, aided by one ( or both - she trusted neither one of them ) of the Mothers. Ever since she'd found out their Mother had been a Made creature, Yan didn't trust her one bit. "We'll make do with the situation at hand, until we find a way home. We simply have no choice in this matter."

she hated not having a choice.

Lightly frowning, Yanyan cast a glance at Erinya - & the herbs in the satchel. "I left my medicine at home, but it's sheer luck Erinya & I went herb picking when the portal opened. I should be able to brew a handful of medicines - I believe none of us would trust the healers around here. I can concoct something to ease your headache." she made a mental note to scout the Summer's territory for medicinal herbs.

[sparkledcrowns]

☆ﾟ*·��ALLOWING HERSELF TO sink into her sister's hug, ellie practically melted. she hadn't realized how much she needed it, and needed to feel the comfort of someone that loved her. but as she stood there, she had no idea what to say, or how to say it. the nicknames always made her feel special, like she mattered to her family. "even if i wasn't safe, i'd make my way back to all of you," she said, her words soft and gentle. but how could she explain what happened, what the outburst was or how she felt like she'd broken every fae's trust by helping out king kabir. "ulka, i..." the terms of affection weren't helping. she hated the idea of letting down her sister. it was never something that ever crossed her mind in the slightest. "i just don't want to be innocent ellie anymore. i'm sick of everyone thinking i can't handle all of it and trying to protect me. i don't need to be protected. i can be strong and fight too!" her voice raised slightly, but not as much as the other day. she just wanted to get her point across and hopefully her sister would understand.

“sweet girl," she murmurs, embracing her tightly in turn. "i'm glad you're safe." her heart twists her in chest. despite the flippancy she'd used in reference to ellie since, it was a weight off her shoulders to see her little sister. change was such a bizzare thing. ellie has always been a darling in her eyes making a shift in her sweetness a difficult syrup to swallow. while rooting for a metamorphoses, ulka had not been ready for the adolescence as the youngest dipped her toes into the uncomfortable. "i still don't really understand what that was all about, plum - what a startling change to witness."