#|✧| familiar (delwyn)

[liighthouse]

appears out of nowhere. “hey. you gonna eat that?”

[promethea-silk]

The feeling of dread overwhelmed her senses when Cordelia had approached Highgate, her eyes scanning up the estate that loomed over her darkly. A shiver ran through her as the iron gates groaned upon being opened, the sound of the crunching snow beneath her boots settling her bones with just enough grounding to keep her focused and pushing forward inside. Despite the fact that she had not stepped foot in her childhood home since her marriage to Ambrose, Cordelia had ensured that the groundskeeping and the interior of the house had been well cared for after her father’s passing. All of the furniture and artwork within was covered in white sheets of fabric, adding to the foreboding and macabre atmosphere of the lifeless home. 

Cordelia spent far too long lingering in the foyer before a fire took hold in her belly, rising to her chest and causing her to continue forward. With Tilly at her side, she began removing the sheets, admiring that the inside of the estate had been kept spotless as she had requested. It would take some work to bring everything back to living order but for the time being she sought to ensure places to sit and feel comfortable before diving into her mother and father’s belongings to further uncover their secrets. The candles were lit for the first time in years, the manor finally looking habitable from the inside and out as Cordelia found her way to her father’s study.

Unaware of what was already occurring at Highgate, Ricard sat in the back of a carriage paying excruciating detail to every landmark and building as the carriage moved past, jotting down the notable details. One never knew when such information may come in handy. 

He traveled light, as he always did - partially out of necessity and partially out of habit - but he brought no staff and only what could be carried in the small bag settled in next to him. Delwyn, who had returned from the far east several weeks prior,  had been left behind to oversee day to day tasks in his absence.

Ricard exhaled, slipping the book he’d been writing in away into the bag beside him as the carriage slowed, indicating their arrival, before glancing out at the building, once again, noting any distinguishing features, anything that would cause Highgate to stand out from other Ishgardian structures - and the first thing he noted was the lack of staff, which didn’t come as a terrible surprise. 

He stepped out of the carriage, tipping the driver before sending him on his way, and then letting himself into the building, wandering around a bit, and eventually calling out, his voice echoing down the halls. “Cordelia? I feel like a little direction here wouldn’t be remiss…”

The sound of the familiar voice rang through the hallways and found its way to her within her father’s study. Lashes fluttered as she lifted her gaze upward and smiled to herself for a moment. Pushing from the desk, Cordelia began her way down the hall, calling back to him. “It is hardly a labyrinth, Ricard!” Her tone was perhaps oddly playful and as she rounded the corner to greet him, her demeanor was noticeably different from the last time they were together. Still darkened and devoid of the bright and chipper personality most noblewomen adorned, as typical.

“Labyrinth, no. Unfamiliar, yes.” He tilted his head, gaze raking over her for a moment with a roguish grin. “I mean, I could take my time and wander, explore every nook and cranny without ‘adult’ supervision, if you like. Or is that for later?”

She offered a narrowed gaze at him with his jest, shaking her head softly. “Later perhaps.” Her reply came quiet, muted even.

Her arms outstretched at her sides just slightly as she approached him, gesturing at their surroundings. “My apologies you were not greeted at the door as usual, I’m sure you can tell already there is not a regular staff here currently as it is just Tilly for the time being.” She glanced around with furrowed brows before calling out for the other woman in hopes she’d arrive. “I believe she is working on some lunch in the kitchen…well, nonetheless-“ turning back to him, she lifted a hand in offering to take his coat and any belongings. “- welcome to Highgate, my childhood home.” 

“Ah.” He shook his head, shrugging out of his coat easily. “Just tell me where to put these - I’m perfectly capable of hanging up my own things, thank you.” Ricard took a moment to scan his surroundings, taking in the front hall in a bit more detail. 

“It’s quite the estate, a ways outside of the city proper though. I wasn’t expecting it to be quite so far out.” Blue eyes shifted back towards her. “How long has it been in this state? Empty, I mean.”

Cordelia sighed and gestured toward a nearby door where he could hang his belongings. As he would do so, her voice carried through the spacious foyer. “Thank you, my family tended to prefer to keep to themselves as much as possible, opting to have a bit more space and not having to worry so much about having society in their business.” Waiting for his return, she would offer an arm to guide him toward one of the hallways as she continued. “I had the staff transferred to the Grey Estate once my…father passed, nearly four years ago now. Even still, I made sure it was maintained despite the emptiness in case I ever chose to do something with it.” 

A curious hum left him as he took his time hanging up his things, the wheels in his head already turning. There were hundreds of reasons why he could imagine a family wanting their privacy - having a child to keep out of the public eye was certainly one of them. He shook his head quickly, putting on an easy grin as he returned to her, taking her arm and tugging her close as he followed her guidance. “I could see this as a get away from the city if one wanted it to be - there’s just enough distance. But a topic for some other time.”

His gaze moved over the various details of the halls and the structures before falling on the woman beside him. “How well did you know the estate as a child? I mean - I was almost always in trouble for sneaking off to places my parents didn’t want me to go, but did little Cordelia go sneaking around to find hidden rooms?”

She settled in next to him as they walked, her own gaze moving about the details of the walkways despite it having been a familiar setting. “Most of my time was spent with my mother, nearly always at her side learning this or that and otherwise I was holed up in my room reading. That’s not to say that I never explored estate.” As they approached an upcoming door, her footsteps slowed as she gestured toward it. “Often I found myself sneaking around my father’s study, which of course caused me to find myself in quite a bit of trouble. I think I was always trying to learn about what he was doing so I could impress him…” 

Her words trailed off briefly but her demeanor soon returned to the stoic stature as usual before she pushed the door open to said study. “I figured this was as good a place as any to start.” 

Ricard quirked an eyebrow, guiding her through the open door and releasing her arm once they were both in the room. He quickly moved back behind the desk, eyes scanning the room looking for anything out of the ordinary, anything that might give him a hint of where the man who once occupied the space might have kept things he didn’t want anyone else to find. 

As they entered the room, Cordelia stepped aside and simply watched on for the moment while Ricard went about sifting through her late father’s desk. 

“So…out of curiosity, why here rather than a location more associated with your mother? She was the one with more ties to Adrian Cress?” He asked the question as he sank down into the chair behind the desk, now assessing the piece of furniture before him critically, pulling drawers one by one to see if anything remained within - any hint of a false bottom or anything that might leave a clue of where to look.

The question poised at her brought about a moment of reflection, brows knitting together in thought as it seemed to not have been something she had originally considered. A soft hum reverberated from her, she glanced off at a portrait hung on the wall of the family. “I hadn’t actually thought to do that, I really had little thoughts at all when I arrived. I just ended up here.” She approached the desk where he continued to rifle through whatever belongings or documents remained inside, leaning against the side. “We can certainly adjust.” 

His hands paused their exploration as he leaned back in the chair, head tilting. “Well, then maybe there’s a reason you ended up here, hm? I imagine we’ll end up exploring a majority of the house anyway and if we fail to locate anything…then there is one remaining option for information but we can discuss that as a last option.” He motioned for her to come closer, drumming the fingers of his free hand against the top of the desk lightly. “You’ve been in here many times before, I imagine - and you knew the man who resided in this office - the things he wanted to keep close to the vest, where would he keep them?” 

Her lids narrowed slightly, gaze held downward as she looked at the expensive woodcarved desk while he spoke. She nodded with a gentleness as it seemed her thoughts churned, that typical demeanor of hers fading yet again for a glimmer of a moment before Cordelia lifted her chin with a hmph. As he gestured for her, she pushed from the desk and rounded the corner to meet him on the other side. Hands rested on the edge of the wood as she clicked her tongue in thought. She chuckled, reaching for a small portrait of her mother that rested among the belongings on top of the desk. Flipping it over, she pried the framing from the back and grinned at the small key that glimmered from the backing of the frame itself. 

“Now to find what this goes to…” Steel gray hues slowly scanned the room before returning to the larger painting of the three on the nearby wall, nodding toward it and offering the key to Ricard. “On the outside to everyone around him, his family was important to him, despite there being a different song sung within these walls behind closed doors. But if I were a betting woman, I would check there.” 

“Are you a betting woman, Cordelia?” He quirked an eyebrow with a smirk before plucking the key from her fingers. His gaze raked over the item for a long moment before tucking it into his vest pocket as he turned towards the portrait of the family on the wall. 

“Well…let’s see what’s hiding behind the picture, shall we?” He pushed himself up out of the chair, giving her a quick wink before slipping an arm around her waist and guiding her around the desk and over towards the portrait. Standing before the picture, he released his hold on her before crossing his arms over his chest - his tongue moving slowly across one of his canines as he assessed the size of the frame, trying to determine the best place to grip it. He unbuttoned his vest before stepping forward and reaching up to grip the edges of the frame, mindful of the size of the portrait as he pulled it away from the wall - muscles visibly tensing and moving under his shirt, as the portrait had no small amount of weight to it. Carefully, he set it down on the floor - leaning it against the wall as he stepped back to assess the wall and what was left behind.

Cordelia had waited behind for the time being, allowing for Ricard to do his investigations and only joining at his side once more after he had removed the painting from the wall to set it aside. “Seems I should be, hm?” She asked rather rhetoric in nature as they both gazed over the safe that was built into the wall having been hidden behind the Gray family portrait. With a quiet chuckle under her breath, she gestured to the safe. “I overheard my father mention the safe when I was younger, my luck will hopefully come from whatever may be inside.” 

“See, if you hadn’t told me I would have gone on assuming that it was just a good guess on your part.” He grinned as he pulled the key from his vest, “But amazing what adults let slip when they don’t think little ones are listening, hm? Let’s see what’s been ‘hidden’ away by good ol’ adoptive daddy dearest, shall we?”

The grin fell away as he turned towards the safe, focused once again as he slipped the key into the slot and carefully opened up the safe, brow furrowing as he opened up the front to see what was within. A low hum escaped him as he reached within the confines of the container and stepped back holding a small stack of papers, which he offered to her as he turned back around. “Seems like the entire house wasn’t cleaned up after he died.”

She took the papers in hand as they were offered, eyes glancing over them briefly before she turned away to cross the distance back to the desk where she laid them in front of her as she took a seat in her father’s chair. Fingers splayed over the papers, a pause taking over her as Cordelia prepared herself for whatever else she might find among them. Finally, she began going through them, brows knitted together as her lips pressed into a thin line. “I think you were right, Ricard…” Cordelia took a soft breath as her gaze lifted to him. “The Cress’ wanted me dead.” 

“Thinking and knowing are two different things.” Dark eyes focused on the papers laid out on the desk as he moved back behind the chair, setting a hand between her shoulder blades. “Was it all the Cress’s or just a handful? The details of the story make all the difference. Especially in ones full of twists and turns.” 

He scanned the details of the documents - who the letters were between, what they were about, what they possibly implied…and trying to determine who might have known about them.

The initial feeling of his hand to her back caused her posture to straighten just enough to be barely noticeable. Without adjusting her head, she glanced toward him with the flick of her gaze quickly before returning back to the papers. She lifted a hand to pluck the silver rimmed monocle from her eye and placed it aside with a soft sigh. “I believe all of the ones that knew, though it is hard to say who that is.” 

Narrowing her eyes, she hummed quietly before tilting her chin upward to look to him now. “Odd how it seemed in the letters to my mother that Adrian took an interest in my wellbeing as well as hers, though these are callous and devoid of any care at all.” She shrugged and looked back to the desk covered in papers. “Not that it matters in one way or another, I’ve no connection to this man and I highly doubt things would have changed much for me even if I had. This really changes nothing.

Ricard tilted his head from side to side before meeting her gaze. “Doesn’t that seem a bit odd to you? That there would be such an abrupt shift in the tone of the letters - from the ones to your mother to these? Even if in the end it changes nothing - the story itself seems incomplete and wrong. Like we’re still missing pieces of the puzzle.” He exhaled sharply. “Don’t misunderstand - What I know of Adrian Cress is not flattering and would lean into the idea that he had penned these letters calling for your removal - but I’d rather gather all the information we can before we move to draw any conclusions.” He shrugged one shoulder easily as he grinned down at her, motioning towards the desk and the papers. “And this is what we found in one room, there’s still others to explore - and…as I mentioned earlier…one other option to explore once the house has been searched from top to bottom.”

Folding her arms over one another as they rested to her chest, Cordelia leaned back slightly in the chair to look up to him. “Yes, it does seem odd, but again, it really makes little difference.” She took a breath, narrowing her gaze over Ricard for a moment in thought before continuing. “However… if I were to play along with your way of thinking, I suppose the next place to look would be my mother’s belongings.” 

“It makes little difference to the end result, but to the story itself it could have significant implications. The full story is important, Cordelia.” The easy grin fell away as his gaze turned back towards the papers laid out across the desk. Something about them just didn’t sit right.

She tilted her head as her attention lingered on him a moment longer before adjusting so she could push  from the desk to stand. “I am curious of this other option you keep mentioning. Though, I suppose let’s see what mother dearest kept hidden in her room, hm?” 

Her voice drew his attention from his thoughts and he turned, offering her his arm. “Indeed, nothing like discovering your mother’s long lost secrets to make the day interesting.” A quick wink was given as he led her towards the door. “Not that I’ve ever engaged in such behaviors…” He trailed off as the pair entered into the hallway, exhaling slowly as if to gather his thoughts as his breath left him. “...the other option I keep mentioning - that I don’t particularly want to name - is talking to Vahalia.” 

Ricard swallowed roughly, before glancing down at the woman on his arm. “...There’s no love lost between her and her father, especially after what the man did to her mother and attempted to do to her sister…but if anyone might have information about her father and the Cress family…it would be her. If we don’t find everything that you’re looking for here, speaking to her about the situation would be the next logical option.”

His suggestion caused her brows to raise in surprise, lashes fluttering with curiosity. Her attention remained forward even as she spoke, guiding them through the hallways of her childhood home. “Words I would have never expected from you, Ricard Blythe.” Her tone took on a lower octave, lips curling just so in a hardly noticeable smirk. It was true that she and Vahalia Cress had been growing acquaintances and business partners, though her trust for the woman still had yet to take root deep enough to be considered stable and considering the circumstances with her brother-in-law and the Cress sister, that was a complete other demon to tackle. “While admittedly I had foreseen a possible growing friendship with Vahalia, I have been on the fence about allowing my trust to rest with her seeing as, truthfully, I know very little of her.” 

His head lowered an ilm, appearing sheepish for the briefest of moments. “I don’t offer the suggestion lightly, and it’s certainly not one I ever thought I’d be providing to you. But I’d be doing you a disservice if I didn’t, at the very least, give voice to all of the available options.” He exhaled through his nose as he lifted his head once more. “That’s reasonable - but as I said, she could be a veritable fount of information, particularly on Adrian.” He licked his lips quickly. “I would - for obvious reasons - not be accompanying you on that particular excursion, should you choose to pursue it. I’m pretty sure Bruce would snap me in half on sight.”

They rounded a corner and Cordelia shifted toward the first door on the right where she would grip the handle tightly for a passing moment before finally pulling it downward and pushing the door open. This room had yet to be turned down, sheets still covered the furniture and artwork, the curtains were closed causing just small slivers of light to beam through the tiny space where the fabric did not meet completely. “Though an option it is, all the same…” She whispered softly as her eyes adjusted to the change in lighting as she slipped her arms from his and approached the windows to pull apart the curtains with a loud whoosh. 

Ricard paused, watching her for a moment before allowing his gaze to shift to the interior of the room. Bedchambers were always an interesting puzzle of sorts - they helped him in understanding a person, providing little details about who they were without intending to. He ran his tongue across of one of his canines as light filled the room and slowly, methodically started his search. “You said you spent a majority of your time with your mother, correct? She have a favored piece of literature…an area of the room she spent more time in?”

It was odd being back in this room, Cordelia hadn’t been there since her mother had passed many years ago. The space functioned as more than simply a bedchamber, it was somewhat designed so that Elsbeth had her lounging and resting area but also a space for her to enjoy her favorite pastimes. A soft smile graced her lips as she looked around the abandoned items in the room, from books stacked in small piles throughout the area to where her mother spent much of her time embroidering and tinkering with her jewelry making. There was so much of the woman that could be seen in her daughter including their interests. 

“Hm?” She blinked back into reality after having a moment of reminiscent silence. “Oh, you can check the desk over by that window and anything by her workstations. If she wasn’t baking in the kitchen, she spent most of her time there working. I’ll check by her bedside, I know she kept her favored books in the drawers there.”

Ricard watched her for a long moment, a curious look crossing over his features before he offered a nod “As you wish.” 

He moved over to the desk in question, scanning over the items that littered the top, trying to get an idea of the woman who once occupied the space before beginning to slowly, methodically, open and search each drawer, checking for false bottoms, for any papers or letters hiding within items already stored in the desk itself - anything that might have seemed out of the ordinary. 

“Did you pick up any particular habits from spending so much time with your mother?” He glanced back over his shoulder for a moment before sitting down to flip through a small stack of papers he’d managed to find.

Cordelia had crossed the room to her late mother’s bed, sitting on the edge gently as if the abandoned blankets were frail and fragile. Carefully, she picked up a book on the bedside table, thumb flitting through the pages. “Quite a few, actually. I got my eye for jewelry crafting and stitching from her, my affinity for writing everything down…” She paused, smiling to herself as memories of her mother flashed in her mind before she shook her head and continued looking through the books. “She was not the warmest of people or even the most maternal, but she did her best and that was more than Archer did.” It was the first time Cordelia referenced her ‘father’ by his name, it was odd and yet she hardly stumbled over it. 

With a soft and thoughtful hum, she pursed her lips as she reached into the drawer to pull out a small and worn tome, the page edges were torn and frayed, pieces stuck out of place here and there. It was her journal. Slowly, she went about moving through it until finally coming across a few pages that felt thicker than the rest. Tucked inside were loose pieces of parchment, which she pulled out carefully and went about unfolding after setting the book back down. “If it was true that the Cress family wanted Adrian’s bastard removed, I don’t believe he shared the same sentiment.”

“Oh? That’s a drastically different viewpoint from the one you found in the previous documents.” Ricard tossed the stack of papers he’d been flipping through back onto the desk, abruptly standing up before making his way over to the bed and easing down next to Cordelia - paying little mind to her personal space as he looked over her shoulder at the parchment in her hands. “Adrian and Elsbeth were sharing a bit of private correspondence behind the scenes, were they? Just what did the former Lord Cress have to say about his long lost oldest child that he couldn’t acknowledge?”

The question fell on deaf ears it seemed as Cordelia had become rather quiet, eyes quickly moved over the scribbled words over multiple creased pieces of parchment. 

Ricard’s eyes narrowed as he peered over her shoulder. “Coooordelia?” Getting no response, he shifted, settling in behind her, one leg on either side of her - arms wrapping around her waist and his chin on her shoulder. “You know - I was thinking once we find what we’re looking for that it might be a good idea to go break in that desk in your ‘father’s office’. I’m betting it never had a real good ‘workout’ and could use a good stress test or two…”

Instead of flinching at the unexpected feeling of his touch behind her, Cordelia instinctively settled and relaxed into him as her eyes continued scanning each word exchanged from her blood father to her mother.

Still getting no response he huffed, turning and pressing a kiss to her neck, in a last ditch effort to draw her attention from the papers. “Care to share with the class what mommy and daddy were writing about?”

Her skin bristled with goosebumps at the gentle gesture placed to her neck, turning her head just slightly as to finally be cognizant enough to respond to his curiosity. “I’m not sure what the responses look like from my mother, but whatever she was telling him, Adrian was agreeing. I think he’s the main reason I’m even still alive, they seemed to actually care for one another, surprisingly?” Cordelia lifted the papers a bit, allowing him even better access to be able to read along with her. 

“I told you earlier something was off.” He drew her  back against him as he scanned over the contents of the letter, brow furrowing. “People change their minds all the time, sure, but  the number of abrupt changes in this family are absolutely astounding if one were to take them at face value. This is  why we don’t take things at face value. If I were to guess, someone higher up than daddy dearest was probably pulling strings - but I don’t know that we’re going to find the answers to that here.” He turned and nipped her neck playfully. 

“Any other juicy details in these little scandalous letters your mother decided to keep hidden away in her bedchambers?”

She chuckled softly under her breath, the feeling of her skin falling between his teeth gently returning a bit of the devious nature they shared between them. “If there are, I’m not sure I would want to be privy to those details. Though, I suppose you’re right, seems there are at least two sides of this story depending on how you’re looking. ” Cordelia scrunched her nose, folding the papers over themselves as she shifted to be able to turn and face him a bit more. Resting her hands with the letters in tow into her lap, she fell silent as eyes narrowed on him before the inevitable inquiry finally came. “Ricard… considering what little I do know of your history with this family, I do hope you understand my concern here. I am able to trust you with this, yes? Admittedly, it is a bit late for me to ask for this reassurance, but here we are.” 

He’d lifted his head from her shoulder, allowing her to move, his head tilting curiously as she spoke, fingers teasing the fabric of her dress as he quirked an eyebrow at the question. “My history with this family can be more specifically narrowed down to my history with your newly discovered half-sisters. But what makes you think you wouldn’t be able to trust me with this?”

“Nothing particular, but it’s a necessary base to cover. It’s not that I distrust you-“

A hand reached up, fingertips lightly trailing along her jawline before gripping her chin as he leaned in, brushing his lips against hers in a brief - but less than chaste kiss. “Your secret is safe, Cordelia. This information goes nowhere you don’t want it to go.”

Her eyes closed as briefly as the kiss lasted, leaning against him further. “I trust you.” She finally remarked shortly though offered an addition soon after. “I think more than I was even aware of considering the fact that reaching out to you regarding this simply happened out of second nature.” Cordelia turned again just enough to set the papers aside having seen enough of what had been written to date her curiosity for the time being. Unfortunately, she would never find all the answers as those holding the secrets were all long gone now. She knew this would have to be brought to Vahalia, if anything to be sure that there was no chance that it traveled to her from someone other than Cordelia herself.

“I think we’ve done enough reading for now.”  She twisted again toward him, lips turning upward at the corner in a faint smirk, her hand running fingertips over his chest. 

Ricard’s gaze followed the path of the papers for a moment before shifting to her fingers against his chest, meeting her smirk with an easy grin of his own before leaning back against the mattress and drawing her down against him. “Have we now? It is true that all work and no play makes me a very dull boy and we’ve been working very hard these last few weeks. I do think a bit of a break is in order.”

A hand reached up to cup her cheek as the other trailed along her spine, coming to rest on the small of her back.

“Mm, and you have become rather boring,” she replied in jest as she adjusted to reclining down with him comfortably. Pulling away from his touch just enough to lift her upper half, ruffling her skirts and hiking them upward as she contorted her body so she now straddled him. “Now, give me something better to fill my attention.”

( collab with @ricard-blythe-ffxiv

@sanguinecourt-ffxiv @house-cress)

[sayurifellfrost]

Longing

A crawling ache slowly spread across her left thigh and bicep, alongside a sharp pain to her side. A quiet whimper left her and she twisted herself around in her bed faintly, eyes fluttering open as a tiny crackle of lightning darted across her jaw.

She recognised the area she was in as an infirmary, yet something felt.. Wrong. It didn’t look like the one she had fallen asleep in, yet her surroundings were familiar..

Khive slowly sat up, letting her legs slip over the edge of the bed.

“..Hello..?”

Her ears twitched slightly as footsteps began to move in her direction, a slight unease settling in her to closer they drew.

“Ah, you are awake.”

Khive’s ears flattened against her skull, eyes widening and frame slouching. A violent ache rippled into her heart as the voice emit.

“... M-.. Maerec..?”

Her voice was a quiet whimper, the Hyur eventually coming into view. He wore a smile on his lips, his gentle, yellow gaze resting upon her.

“Hey. You got us worried for a moment there, love.”

Confusion settled upon her features, brows furrowing as she slowly pushed herself back - crawling over the bed in order to distance herself from him. Tears began to sting her eyes, a small whine leaving her.

“..W-why am I here..?” she whined.

Maerec tilted his head a touch, concern gracing his expression as he eyed Khive.

“.. You were hurt during the contract, remember? Delwyn patched up the worst in the field but-”

“..N-no! I-.. I left! W-why am I-...”

Khive’s voice broke off, her tears finally beginning to fall down her cheeks. Maerec’s brows furrowed a touch, beginning a careful approach  despite the fact numerous crackles of lightning began to dart across her body.

“..S-stay away!”

“..Easy, sweetheart..” the Hyur spoke softly. “You ran quite the distance after being struck, in your confusion and fear.. But it’s okay. You’re home. Safe.”

Khive jerked herself backwards and scrambled herself up against the wall, weak sobs and whimpers leaving her.

.. She shouldn’t be here.

She vividly remembered running away from them.

Despite the many moons that had passed since.. She remembered why, with a painful clarity.

“..N-no.. G-..go away..”

Her words were more akin to a whine, dripping with reluctance and hesitation - something which did not escape Maerec’s notice.

“Khive.. I don’t think being alone is going to be good for you. I understand that you feel confused, but please.. Don’t send me away.”

Maerec gave a saddened frown, carefully reaching over to Khive despite the fact she tried to crawl away from him.

“.. I love you.”

Khive awoke with a start, flinging herself out of her bed and onto her feet, a violent ache shooting through her left thigh and wrenching a whimper out of her. Her chest heaved rapidly as her eyes anxiously scanned the area, pupils having thinned into mere slits in her fear.

She slowly came to recognise the room she was in, with her anxiety easing alongside it.

It was still an infirmary, but the correct infirmary. The one she had placed herself in after returning from an excursion with Bexy, Pheirrix and Erjon, where they had followed a possible lead for the people who stole away their members.

.. Far away from them.

From him.

A desperate, longing ache wrecked Khive’s heart and she slowly raised her hands up to tangle her fingers between her dreadlocks, breathing out a shaky sigh as she sank back down to sit on the bed.

Once again, her heart and her mind would have this argument.

The argument of returning, where her heart was craving Maerec’s presence, with her mind trying to remind her of what he had done to make her leave in the first place.

… Everyone who made that place a home had already left it, long before she did.

Khive choked back a weak sob and slowly shuffled herself back to have her back meet the wall. She raised a hand to lightly touch the chain of her necklace, letting her ears droop along with her shoulders slouching.

The mere act swatted the thoughts of Maerec aside, replacing him with new ones - of the one who gave her the necklace.

Of Strym.

.. She missed him.

[broodsys]

scheduling this for a weekend post, but might as well share on here too bc i finally got it all organized

DAI OCs and their related fics:

OCs: Nessa Lavellan; Delwyn/"Delwyn" Lavellan

Nessa Fic: Longing (series)

"Delwyn" Fic: Antiquation (series); Make a Mess (oneshot, nsfw); Appetite (oneshot, nsfw, read tags: dead dove do not eat); Domitable (oneshot, nsfw); Good Dog (nsfw); Inquisitor's Commission (nsfw but cute); Familiar Routines (sfw, fluff) Note: Only the Antiquation series actually explains her background, although the oneshots draw from it they don't spoil anything/are intentionally left a little vague in some regards.

[peace-coast-island]

Diary of a Junebug

Mushroom picking, foraging, and getting in touch with nature

Today’s the kind of day that’s perfect for mushroom picking. The forest is full of them! It’s been kinda overgrown with mushrooms for a while so I figured, why not make an event out of it? 

Joining me and Daisy Jane on this little outing are Shara and Francesca. Shara’s teaching her new apprentice the basics of making potions so along with hunting for mushrooms, we’re foraging for herbs and berries. Nothing like digging our hands into the earth to get in touch with nature.

It’s amazing what a couple days away from a monotonous setting can do to your mindset. With each passing day, Daisy Jane’s starting to look more like herself, scribbling in her sketchbook like there’s no tomorrow. I really hopes she considers my offer to move into the cabin. Not only it’ll be nice to have her around, but she’ll feel a lot more at home here than in Neptunia or stuck out in the middle of the road. 

Shara and Francesca arrived at the camp late last night so we could get an early start today. Francesca’s a magician who specializes in illusions and psychological manipulation. She had a falling out with her mentor, who put her through a lot of shit she didn’t sign up for when she became his apprentice. 

Despite that bad experience, she still has an interest in magic and pretty much got everything she wanted out of her current area of expertise. So Francesca turned to witchcraft - an area of magic that her people tend to look down on. Along with genuinely having an interest in witchcraft, she chose to study it out of spite - a surprisingly good motivator that brings results.

Given how her mentor had shady motives and ethics, I think Francesca made the right call. Throwing yourself in the line of fire’s not something to be taken lightly, especially if it means throwing away everything you worked so hard for.

Since foraging and mushroom hunting isn’t really my forte, Goldie is taking the lead for this event. Goldie’s well versed in all things nature so she’s the one I turn to when I need an extra paw. Now that I think about it, Goldie’s basically my assistant. I mean, we’ve known each other for years back in Wizpire and she was the first villager who showed up to the campsite, so it makes sense that she’d be my right hand girl.

There’s something so whimsical about mushrooms that makes me feel like I’m living in a cottage deep in the woods. Digging my hands into the rich soil brings me back to my childhood, playing in the backyard without a care in the world. I’ll admit that it doesn’t really feel the same - to be honest I’m not too crazy about having dirt underneath my nails these days - but it’s nice to do something that once brought you joy as a kid.

While harvesting mushrooms near a patch of wildflowers, Daisy Jane started making flower crowns for everyone. She’s been into making flower hair accessories lately, a refreshing change from the art block she’d been experiencing these past few months. 

Like I said, being here at the camp has done wonders for her mind. At this rate, she’s gonna fill her sketchbook by the end of the week - which is a very good sign! Yup, she should definitely pack her bags and leave Neptunia for good. Be like Francesca and get the hell outta there.

I hope Daisy Jane takes to heart what Francesca said about not wasting time with people who won’t respect you. I’ve had my share of people who pushed me around and overstepped their boundaries. I hate conflict and confrontation so I try to avoid them but there are times when I should’ve fought back instead of acting like a doormat. It’s still something I struggle with, but for the most part I know when to leave if I’m not respected.

It’s nice to see Shara again, this time under happier circumstances. She’s been keeping tabs on Theda, Lala, and Delwyn and they’re all coping in their own ways. I still can’t believe Edvin’s gone. It just doesn’t feel right without him. He should be out here with us picking mushrooms, strumming a cheerful tune on his guitar, picking wildflowers with Daisy Jane, and fishing in the river.

Theda would’ve joined us but she and Lala are in Newmoorvalley visiting family. They’ve been spending a lot of time together, it seems. Shara also invited Delwyn but he rarely leaves his house these days so it was a long shot. On one hand, life must go on, but on the other, who can blame him? After all, he and Edvin were more than just friends - hell, they were more than soulmates.

It’s a good thing the forest’s full of mushrooms so Shara can take a couple baskets to Camellia for Theda, Lala, and Delwyn. Maybe I’ll try drying mushrooms so we can have mushroom powder and tea. Not exactly sure how the process of making powder and tea work so it’ll be a fun learning experience!

So the edible mushrooms are for cooking and potion making while the non-edible ones will be used to make furniture and clothing. Dom and Raymond have set up a station at the camp so we can look up to see which mushrooms are which and sort them accordingly. That chart they spent the past two days putting together is a life-saver!

Now that I think about it, we should really start making a database on fungi, bugs, plants, gyroids, and fish found in the camp. Probably should’ve done it sooner but better late than never, especially now that we’re more familiar with the campground. I should make a note of this in my to-do list to bring up at our monthly campfire meeting next week.

Plucking herbs, picking berries, and digging up mushrooms - sometimes all you have to do is get down on your knees and become one with the earth. Well, not literally lie in the dirt unless that’s what you wanna do, but at least take off your socks and shoes and stand on the bare earth. I don’t know why, but I feel at peace - something about grounding yourself, I guess. Sounds weird, but it works.

We’ve got a pretty good haul with far more than enough mushrooms to last us for a while. There’s still a lot more we have yet to pick but we’re gonna call it a day. Besides, we were running out of baskets as well as space to put all the mushrooms. Plus we gotta set up the camp for tomorrow as Shara and Francesca are gonna teach us how to make potions with mushrooms, berries, and herbs. 

[ihavealavalamp]

ALL OF THEM. NOW

1. A favorite character you have played. - YOU CAN NOT POSSIBLY THINK THAT I DONT LOVE ALL MY CHARACTERS EQUALLY I LOVE THEM ALL SO MUCH YOU CANT MAKE ME CHOOSE

2. Your favorite character that someone else has played. - r.....ruby...... and all your characters honestly.. also monty played by jaye in daga boys will always have a special place in my heart cause hes just a Ride of a character, chas played by nick is my fucking Friend, and i could keep going honestly i love everyones characters so much you dont understand

3. Your favorite side quest. - i think a lot about the werewolf shenanigans in aurum. i’ll never forget it. 

4. Your current campaign. - im in so many fuckign campaigns rn please god dont make me list them

5. Favorite NPC. - sheila.... all of huli’s friends in flying plague, literally every npc in best intentions (emphasis on astarielle and marlon who make me think a Lot), everyone in story of the stars, and Uhhhh cat does a Real good depiction of ellar in the murder HDSDHS

6. Favorite death (monster, player character, NPC, etc). - i wasnt even fuckin There but the death of elaris. i think abt that a lot. also poetry killing bear was Top Ten Anime Moments

7. Your favorite downtime activity. - depends on the character! most times i cant really think of much though hgfhgf

8. Your favorite fight/encounter. - the poetry vs bear duel was Iconic, and every encounter in best intentions is so fuckin Good cause milo makes some real terrifying monsters like jesus CHRIST.. also in daga boys when walter and the gang were escaping Lich Court. iconic.

9. Your favorite thing about D&D. - i like that it keeps me social and interacting with friends! i have problems with isolating myself but planning d&d stuff keeps me from doing that frequently Thank God.. also i love roleplaying and having a character that grows and interacts with others! i also really love some good ol combat.. i honestly love pretty much every aspect of d&d im very easy to please

10. Your favorite enemy and the enemy you hate the most. - i dont know if i have a favorite! i think lots are real good! but enemy i hate the most has gotta be those fuckin magical huge centipedes milo sent after us in best intentions. FUCK those things.

11. How often do you play and how often would you ideally like to play? - i play pretty frequently! im in a Lot of campaigns rn so im able to play things pretty much whenever i have the time to do so. 

12. Your in game inside jokes/memes/catchphrases and where they came from. - “you really pulled the nose on that one” is Iconic, it was from the first session of daga boys in which a trap activated by pulling the nose of a statue just. kept going off. like they kept pulling the nose Knowing it’d go off. and god i could write so many more but it would make this way too long GDHJDS

13. Introduce your current party. - im in so fucking many campaigns!!!!! but the last two i played i guess.... in best intentions dmed by milo we’ve got gwen the life domain cleric and delwyn the berserker barbarian played by simone and kiara! theyre two dwarf wives on their honeymoon and they got caught up in this ghfhgf,, and my character is silbryn! the fiend warlock we all know and love! and marlon, the dmpc who is generally cryptic and kinda terrifying sometimes but i love him anyways. and then in story of the stars, dmed by krissie! it’s a warrior cats campaign because we’re VALID and the party is orchidpaw played by cat who is aiming for being the leader but has a tenancy to be a bit loudspoken, and my character, songpaw, who is the medicine cat apprentice who tries to be mature but his short temper can get the best of him sometimes. and simone plays bo, a big ol mom cat! i love them.

14. Introduce any other parties you have played in or DM-ed. - TOO MANY I CAN NOT

15. Do you have snacks during game times? - when we’re playing online i dont bc i dont want to make Crunching Noises, but in irl sessions i just eat whatever’s there if anything is there. ya know. im so tired.

16. Do you play online or in person? Which do you prefer? - both! i prefer irl greatly though... im a very Expressive person and my characters are like 75% facial expressions and body language gfhfghgf

17. What are some house rules that your group has? - i can not actually think of any rn ghfghfg

18. Does your party keep any pets? - ya!! lots of familiars.. u know how it be

19. Do you or your party have any dice superstitions? - hfghf i know some people i play with do, but i personally do not!

20. How did you get into D&D? How long have you been playing? - my friends were playing it cause theyre a bunch of NERDS. and it’s been like two years now i think! i started near the end of highschool!

21. Have you ever regretted something your character has done? - CONSTANTLY MY CHARACTERS ARE SUCH DUMBASSES BUT I GOTTA BE IN CHARACTER!

22. What color was your first dragon? - first dragon we took down was a young green dragon in daga boys!

23. Do you use premade modules or original campaigns? - original campaigns, mostly! i do play in a curse of strahd and a ravnica campaign though!

24. How much planning/preparation do you do for a game? - I HAVE TO DO SO MUCH AS A DM otherwise i will Fall Apart. as for pcs, i jsut go in blind and do what my character would do in that moment HJDSKJD

For DMs

25. What have your players done that you never could have planned for? - mainly not acknowledge certain things that are important hgfhgf but other than that ive been lucky to have players that dont really do things that throw me off too much

26. What was your favorite scene to write and show your characters. - the marley scene in weltschmerz i am still SO HAPPY with that... also in underground orchestra when iris explored ellar’s house.... Classic.

27. Do you allow homebrew content? - yeah!! as long as the player runs it by me first then im usually good with pretty much anything as long as it isnt game breaking gfhgfh

28. How often do you use NPCs in a party? - very often i like to Talk and i usually have quite a few reoccurring npcs that either stick with the party or are consistent in their appearances gfhgf (velki in weltz, ellar in uo, ivory in harbingers)

29. Do you prefer RP heavy sessions or combat sessions? - I LIKE BOTH.... im a simple man

30. Are your players diplomatic or murder hobos? - i have good players in both my campaigns!! but i guess it depends!

For Players

31. What is your favorite class? Favorite race? - i LOVE ME SOME CHARISMA CASTERS.... warlocks, sorcerers, and bards are just Fun babey!!! and tieflings, aasimars, and aarakocra are Fun and friends

32. What role do you like to play the most? (Tank/healer/etc?) - im almost Always a caster ghfhgf... glass cannon babey

33. How do you write your backstory, or do you even write a backstory? - it always takes me a While to fully flesh out a backstory, but usually listening to music is what gives me ideas and inspiration for it!

34. Do you tend pick weapons/spells for being useful or for flavor? - flavor, usually! i try to pick things that would be in character for the one im playing!

35. How much roleplay do you like to do? - lots...... im a simple man

there you go, thanks ya fuckin heathen

[eidetictelekinetic]

Anne/Henry/Cromwell - 9, 16, 12?

It is Ykenai, the lovely black gyrfalcon, who finds Anne when she is at her most upset. She settles on the pillow beside Anne’s head, beak preening her hair gently, as soothing as a hug she finds. Her own Nerian is curled against her hip, his small red form a familiar comfort, but it is Thomas’ Ykenai whose gentling truly calms her, truly chases her tears away, if only because it’s a gesture made they only way they can. 

Delwyn comes with Henry, later, her sleek leopard’s body draped over the foot of the bed. Ykenai soars out the window after fluffing her feathers happily as Henry stroked her head. 

It’s all right, these gestures say without words. It will be all right, even if it hurts tonight.

---

“I love you.” 

It’s the first time Thomas has dared say it, dared confess the truth of his feelings to his king and queen. Yet here it is easy, the three of them tangled so close together he’s almost unsure if they still are three people, and not merged into one.

Their daemons, fox and gyrfalcon and leopard, are curled together as well. If Thomas reaches out a hand, he can pet all three of them and he does, daring and breathless when he feels Anne’s and Henry’s hands reach out, do the same.

---

“We’ll defend them, won’t we?” Henry asks into the dark, watching his daemon’s glowing eyes. He can’t really see Del nod, but he watches her eyes move and knows that’s enough. “We’ve fumbled it before, but we’ll do it now.” He thinks of that, thinks of mistresses flaunted, to prove to Anne that she wasn’t the only star in his sky, to distract him from the thoughts of Thomas he’d never known what to do with.

“We will,” Del’s firm voice cuts into his thoughts. “They’re ours and we’re theirs, and we won’t slip up again.” 

It’s meant as a private vow, but their bedmates do hear. That’s all right - they won’t tell.

@mihrsuri

[exemplari]

✨+ bringing him a blanket/extra layer for the cold?? from delwyn!

MEME || accepting!!@laureled

          IN  ABSENTIA   /   ACLASSIS  A  FLIMSY  SHIELD   .   appendages  quiver  for  their  lack  of  buffer   .   battlements  an  eyrie   /   a  welcome  in  stone  walls  comfort  rare  found  anywhere  else   .   sól  soothed  the  sky  not  long  ago   ,   rose  dusk  to  kiss  lover  with  gallop  of  silver  chariot   .   everything  twinkles   ;   universe  too   breathtaking   in  her  beauty  to  turn  away   ,   &   thus  commander  had  remained   —   to  ponder  the  stars  whispering   ,   the  gaze  of  moons   &   their  children  in  orbit   ,   the  lounges  of  gods  as  they  sip  their  whiskey   &   ichor  in  dust   -   cloud  nightrobes . 

          footsteps  are  heard   ,   though  directly  address  he  does  not   .   lavender  dances  a  waltz  through  lazy  air   ,   &   in  its  passing  to  kiss  cheeks   &   caress  jaw  he   inhales   ,   deep   &   encompassing   .   attention  then  shifts  to  familiar  bundle  presented   ,   hefty   &   sound   .   he  accepts   ,   swathing  ursine  frame  in  wonted  fur   .   gratitude  heartfelt   .

          ‘   oh   —   that  was  kind  of  you   .   thank you   . 

                   we  have  a   superb   view  of  the  world  from  here   ,   wouldn’t  you  agree   ?   ‘ 

[salavante]

Front loading character designs and getting a feel for drawing certain races on The Road, first up is probably my favorite: the Ben Adimen, more commonly referred to as Bennai, our resident small humanoid race. A few named characters and familiar faces in here, like Artie (one of the protagonists of the current arc) and Odwain’s dad. A full description under a Read More.

From the Traveler’s Guide and the desk of @saltineofswing: 

“The Ben Adimen are an ancient race from another plane that fled from their home to avoid complete extinction. Most commonly known as ‘Bennai’, they are unequivocally the oldest race to inhabit the Road- the real discussion takes place if you ask a Bennai and a Shade who was here first. The Bennai are an incredibly magical species, more so than any other race on the Road, but they are not very physically imposing. Even the tallest Bennai barely break 5’2” (1.58m), although on average they are closer to 4’11” (1.5m). Still, this isn’t the strangest thing about them- Bennai’s skin is green, their eyes a solid gold, and their hair seems to imitate the local flora they are born around. Although the Bennai are a deeply spiritual and culturally proud race, the tolls of a century or more of slavery beneath the Shades and Humans are evident. In the cities and away from the Green, Bennai are not very well connected to their heritage, and although they still remain strong, many City Ben and Bennai distant from the Green strive to find that one missing piece. Most Bennai are not great with technology, and prefer to rely on their own magical means. Despite the fact that the Bennai labored under a slave trade for so long, they are tough, and they have flourished since slavery was abolished after the Second Great War. Humans, especially in the Tidelands, have not yet fully accepted Bennai as equals- but in the Green, where the Bennai are the dominant force and their culture pervades the very air with inviting warmth, it’s hard not to learn to love them. Bennai live deep in the Green, in the sanctum-state known as Brillig- once it was a large, powerful collection of many city-states around Noth Nulloch, the Bennai’s ‘capitol’; now there are only reclamation projects going on to restore Brillig to its former glory. The Bennai evacuated their planar homes- the near-planar islands known as the Hebrids- after their pantheon of Gods was torn apart by a being known as the Besher Gatman. The deaths of every Good-aligned God in their pantheon took a heavy toll on the Bennai, and although they are a cheery people by and large their religion revolves almost entirely around eulogizing and praying for the dead. The Books of Twynn Taory- also referred to as the Forever Operas- are written recordings of all the hymns, songs, and prayers that are to be said to their deceased Gods and relatives. However, the Bennai are not devoid of Gods on The Road… unfortunately, most of the neutral and evil Gods of the Bennai have followed them here, and aren’t shy of kicking up trouble. Few Bennai pray to these savage beasts, but it’s not impossible to find cults that worship them comprised of many different races. It’s not all doom and gloom, though; the Bennai are the most innately magical species, after all, and every once in a while a Bennai will be born with significantly more natural magical energy. These Ne’Felem, or Rising Divine, are considered by most Bennai to be the first steps towards the birthing of a new generation of Bennai Gods. They are substantially more powerful than the average Bennai, and over time will inevitably either become great guiding lights for the Bennai people, loved and renowned across the land… or they will become corrupted, turning their power to cruel uses. There’s very rarely ever any in-between. Bennai’s magical aptitude and unique, extraplanar physiology makes their bodies extremely susceptible to their own mental images of themselves; Bennai will begin to change to better suit the way they look in their heads, whether it’s growing facial hair, losing facial hair, bulking out, or thinning down. The process by which Bennai subconsciously will their bodies to change is still not entirely understood- but none of the Bennai seem to mind!”

[liighthouse]

the main four! (counting a tiny delwyn <3)

[liighthouse]

hmmmmm delwyn may not be a black cat but the chaos of these icons is very him

[liighthouse]

༄ @oddlies

“so, you’re a magician.” delwyn stretched atop the cobblestone wall, savoring the warmth of the sun. he sat and fixed his bright eyes on dewin. “what sorts of magic d’you do? pulling rabbits from hats and the like?” if they wanted to employ his kitty services, he wanted to understand what he was getting himself into, and he did not want to get pulled from a hat.

[liighthouse]

@magickedhat // for simus <3

“bit of an odd one, aren’t you?” delwyn raised a paw, as though intending to bat at the other’s ears. it was terribly tempting. amusement laced the cat’s tone as he added, “is that your natural fur color?”

[liighthouse]

delwyn looks like this btw and he’s a menace

[liighthouse]

- boops nose - (the return of dani and delwyn. and yes she brought him fish)

cat meme - accepting!

sharp teeth snapped down on her finger like a tiny bear-trap! not hard enough to break skin, though. just a warning bite. “don’ do tha’” he cautioned, her finger still caught in his mouth, voice muffled. the audacity. his tail flicked back and forth in irritation.

then a fishy smell reached him. nose twitching, he released her finger and backed a few steps away from her — hoping to spot the source of the scent, but unwilling to risk more boops. “smells like you’ve got something better than bread this time.”

[liighthouse]

what’s peculiar about your soul?

DELWYN: Your soul is... Hungry

Visitors are not supposed to tap against the enclosure of your soul. It sends it into a manic frenzy. Understimulation gnaws at it like a hunger pain... It gravitates towards sights and sounds- towards new people, interesting places, foreign smells. It shudders in place when it is held, vibrating like an atom.

You want to be real. You want to be held. You want the sensations of life returned to you. You did not know it was possible to crave quite so much.