#gives iris/angel aura more time for growth (and everyone else too)

[amaryllidae]

OK ok so if Iris got poofed and the others are hiding I have two questions. 1. How is Nora doing there? (Which, kind of sub-question, IS Nora there?) and 2. Does Iris get out?

no art this time- but yes, nora and connie are there! homeworld has a breatheable atmosphere thanks to various flora kept as decoration. (side note: some are even edible! huzzah!) nora is naturally very curious about homeworld, but she's also worried about connie. she and connie are spending most of their time in an abandoned kindergarten away from prying eyes. as for iris, she doesn't- not of her own accord. eventually, garnet yeets blue aura quartz in through the tower window, where iris fills her in on why she's here, looking different yet again, and what that means for the cgs and earth.

[logic-with-a-pinch-of-deceit]

Briar Rose

PART ONE: 

Once upon a time there was a happy kingdom, it prospered and the people were happy. However, the queen and king were growing older and the queen was unable to produce children. The couple had gone to every witch they could find, but hadn’t been able to concoct a way for a child to be born. 

Finally, they had gone to their last chance, the Fae. The king had always tried to have a good relationship with the good neighbors, everyone knew what happened when you did not respect them.

In the late of night, as not to worry their subjects, the queen and king made their way toward the hill. In their hands they held rosewater, honey, and cakes for offering, as well as strings of pearls. 

The two walked through the deep forest for hours until they found the hill, a sentry keeping watch. Even a guard was as beautiful as an angel. 

“We come to request an audience with the rulers of the Seelie Court.” The queen stated, speaking for both her and her husband. “We bring gifts of honey and pearls.” 

The sentry said nothing but nodded to the human rulers, holding up a hand to ask them to stay put as the fae slipped into the hill. Even their footsteps made no noise. 

It was a few minutes before the guard came back, nodding once again before gesturing toward the open hill. Another one of the fair folk stood inside, hands clasped behind their back. “The Kings welcome you into our home. Please follow me.” they said curtly, not unkindly, just formal. They looked to be an important figure, wooden armor covered with moss and a stone circlet resting on their forehead. 

The queen took her husband’s hand and squeezed it, following the fae. “We appreciate the hospitality.” She nodded a goodbye to the sentry, choosing her words carefully as to not offend the kind fae.

The guide led the regents into a circular room, two thrones set atop a raised platform and sitting atop these thrones were two fae. They both radiated an aura of power and leadership and had stone circlets not unlike the one who had guided the king and queen. 

“Hello,” The faerie on the right throne stood, a wide smile on his face. The smile held too many teeth. “It’s not every day when two human royalty come into our kingdom. I am King Avaron, this is King Lunme and you have already met our husband Admiral Iri. How may we be of assistance to you?”

The queen and king bowed as the kings introduced themselves. They may be rulers themselves, but the queen and king knew that respect was key for anything.

“We are more than willing to make a deal if you will help us get a child. I am unable to produce children.” The queen explained, her husband’s hand tightening against her own. 

The fae kings shared a look between them before turning back down to the humans. “And why would you want a fae child? We are well aware of the way you are the only kingdom willing to even interact with us, much less treat us with respect. A faerie child would not be welcomed by other humans.” King Lunme asked, head tilted and unsettling eyes staring right at the human regents. 

The human king answered this question, freeing his hands from the queens before signing something in quick succession. The queen was about to translate when the general spoke up. “He says that they want their child to be protected and have a home here. For their kingdom and ours to have a good relationship- And… they want to prove that humans and fae can love each other. It would not matter if the child was a faerie anyhow, they would still love the child no matter what.” 

King Avaron blinked. “Well, that was certainly honest. I can say that we wouldn’t be against it…” He looked to Lunme. “Briar Rose is still in the nursery isn’t she? She doesn’t fit with the other children ever since her village passed… We would have to ask, but do you think she would like it?” 

“I think she would, she does have her collection of human trinkets and… she would benefit from socialization. I don’t think we could give that to her here.” King Lunme answered finally, nodding as they both looked down to the humans. 

“We agree. For our terms, we simply wish for you to make it a law for humans in your kingdom to not harm our people. We have been trying to stop any of our subjects to hurt your humans, but relationships are strained when humans keep iron above their doors. For that, we will give you a child, Briar Rose, a spring fae. She would like it in your kingdom, we think.” King Aravon nodded, eyes closed as stepped down from the throne. “Iri, can you please fetch the child? Tell her we have found her a family, and make sure she promises to visit. It’ll be terribly lonely without her in the palace.” He quietly asked his husband, the mentioned fae nodding before vanishing into a wall of moss. 

The human royalty were smiling widely, they had finally gotten their wish. A child of their very own. 

PART TWO:

Years later, the fae princess of the human kingdom had grown into an enchanting young woman, filled with laughter and love. On her twentieth birthday, the peace that had blanketed her home fell away.

Both her parents had died and she went into a deep abyss of grief. She usually had a pretty good control on her fae magic but… she wasn’t prepared for the overwhelming grief. The moment she heard about her parents’ deaths, a large wall of brambles and roses formed around the kingdom. Everyone but Briar herself fell into a deep sleep. At first she had thought everyone had died as well, but she checked the nearest person’s pulse and had found them to be simply asleep. 

She went into her garden and didn’t leave. If anyone were to look into the garden, they would see something that used to be the princess. They would see what looked like a statue covered in plants. Curling vines and thorns in the shape of a weeping woman. 

It was weeks before anyone noticed that nothing was coming from the kingdom, no exports or travelers. It was total silence. 

The first to notice was the fae kingdom, the court was in the unseelie at the moment. The queen of the unseelie sensed a huge disturbance in the forest. She usually delt with the darker sides of nature, so went out to see for herself what was wrong with the plants.

She traveled from shadow to shadow before coming upon the wall of thorns. 

“Oh dear…” was her only response to the growth, she could feel the plants’ anger and… something else. Something more fae then plant. There was a fae in there, drowning in darkness. 

She stood tall and placed her hands on the wall, not even flinching as thorns pierced her flesh. She began to speak to the plants, her voice low and echoing. 

“Those with thorns and vines and roses

Let me in i wish to help

I do not hurt, i only come to bring assistance and let you grow naturally” 

Eventually, a small hole opened up, just enough for the queen to slip between branches. She stepped into a deserted courtyard, following the pull of anger. 

“Hello, I’m not here to hurt you… I’m Elenaia, the Unseelie Queen, your walls are disturbing the other plants in the forest…” She stoppecd when she realized that no one was responding, shaking her head she went towards the place with the largest amount of plants. 

It was a garden, a beautiful one filled with roses of every color. She marveled at the flowers before coming across the person covered in plants. “Oh dear, this is… worse than I thought.” The queen muttered. 

She placed her hands on the growth and muttered the same words as she had before, this time adding: “I can feel your anger but it’s alright, you’re harming your roses. They haven’t been fed in a while, can’t you feel them?”

The woven vines fell off. The woman who had been draped in the plants fell as well, the queen being able to catch her. The only noise from the rosemaker were sobs. 

The Queen ran her fingers through the woman’s hair. “Hey hey, shhh, it’s going to be alright. I’ve got you…” 

The crying faded away and the woman looked at the queen. “Who… Who are you miss?” She stuttered out, voice hoarse and scratchy. 

The queen smiled, continuing to run her fingers through the other’s hair. “I’m Elenaia, Queen of The Unseelie Court, Autumn court to be specific if you wanted to know.” 

“You’re… a fae?” 

“As are you.” 

“Well… yes. I’m Princess… or I guess queen… Briar Rose. My name’s Briar Rose.”

“How’d a seelie end up in human royalty?”

“I never said I was seelie-”

“You didn’t have too, I know every fae in the unseelie court so you’d have to be seelie.”

The woman- Briar Rose wrinkled her nose. “Oh… that makes sense. Erm, my mother and father made a deal with the kings of the seelie court, they couldn’t have any kids themself and it was a good chance to strengthen the bonds between the kingdom and seelie kingdom.” The words seemed to tumble out, voice nervous. 

The queen stood up, offering up a hand for Briar to take. “Well, how about we go fix this mess? I think your subjects are all asleep and you’ve got a mighty big wall still up.” 

The seelie took the offered hand, pulling herself up. She looked sheepish. “Yeah… That might be my fault. I- It’s all kind of fuzzy. I would appreciate the help though.” 

They got married a month later