I have a calling to create, so you bet I'm gonna make anything and everything that I can! I hope you enjoy what I do~ uwu <3
Christian Artist | OCs | The Arcana | Sky:CotL | Misc Art, Crochet, and all of the above!
Born during the Season of Rhythm, Drema Songbird had a natural affinity for music. The traveling performers of the Rhythm Troupe recognized this in her (alongside other Rhythm-born sky children*) and acted as her mentors, teaching her song and dance.
The spirits of the Rhythm Troupe were Drema's first teachers, and she thinks of them fondly as she grew up duing their season. They inspired her love for music, which she passionately returned to later in life.
*In my setup of the Sky: Children of Light world lore, the different Seasons (and also the "Days" events) can affect Sky Children who are born during them. The intensity of the season’s influence varies from Sky child to child, and can include things like affinities/skills related to a season's theme, the personality of a sky child, and even their preferences. So, a child born during the Season of Rhythm can have a natural affinity for music; a child born during the Days of Bloom can have a deeper knowledge and interest in plants and flowers.
A season’s influence is similar to how zodiacs can “predict” how a person’s personality will be like and how they would act, but it is not always true or accurate.
A season’s influence is usually generalized for all Sky children, but not all Sky children born during a season will have affinities/skills related to their season’s theme.
Fun Fact: Drema's lore is inspired by my actual experiences within Sky: Children of the Light! I did start playing Sky during the Season of Rhythm and I personally like collecting all the instruments in the game, and so Drema has those bits of me in her lore~
(Also, it turns out that I cannot for the life of me make a simple, black and white video. There HAS to be a splash of colour hahaha~
Do I regret anything? No uvu thankfully, Sky designs are simple and very forgiving to me being lazy hahahaha)
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Callisto is a sky kid on her own in the kingdoms of sky. Early in her adventures, she encountered a little moth that was just like her: new, curious, and with a desire to explore and see the world for herself. Callisto, being the slightest bit older than this moth, took her on adventures through the realms and the kingdoms. They became fast friends, playing music together and even participating in the flight race in the Valley of Triumph together.
This new moth ended up being Drema, the soon to be champion of the flight race. It was there in the Valley of Triumph that Drema and Callisto decided to settle as Drema passionately defended her title as the Flight Champion. She was a good flier, and Callisto got front row seats to her spectacular wins again and again.
The two grew closer day after day. Callisto was the one who started braiding Drema's hair as the low pigtails sometimes wasn't enough to hold her hair back for her daring maneuvers in the sky. During these times, Drema would share her heart of learning more music, exploring magic, and returning to exploring the realms of Sky.
After Drema reached her breaking point with her champion responsibilities and Leon's assault (see this video~), she decided to leave the Valley of Triumph indefinitely. She invited Callisto to go with her, but Callisto hesitated, and next thing she knew, Drema was gone...
Months, seasons passed without her dear friend Drema... Then one day, a purple caped, bird masked girl showed up. Could that be her? A dear friend who vanished???
(Callisto belongs to my wonderful friend lanedotjpeg !! Check them out!)
The lore, so you don't have to fight the end of the video:
Drema Songbird, the Flight Champion of the Valley of Triumph, held her title steady despite the countless challenges. This frustrated Leon, who wanted her title more than anything. One day, he resorted to violence to try and take Drema out so he could finally win.
In truth, Drema already wanted to leave the flight race. The assault was the final straw for her as she then vanished without a trace.
I'll have to redraw Marielle's Aunt Ambrose since she gets her moment in the spotlight here~ And by "moment," I mean 5174 words
I had a lot to say about Ambrose, and she had a lot to tell me as the story unfolded hahahaha~ Enjoy what ended up being 13 pages in my Google Document. Maybe it's time I consider cross-posting to AO3 too👀✨
The “Aunt” – how did your OC get the shop in Vesuvia? Was it given to them by their aunt or other family member?
(Insanely summarized for tl;dr: Marielle's Aunt Ambrose opened the magic shop in Vesuvia, building a comfortable lifestyle for herself. She supported Marielle and her dreams of becoming a bard in Vesuvia. The two got along well. Ambrose then got insane wanderlust and decided to leave the shop to Marielle while she traveled once again.)
Also, it’s a separate story to tell, but the first time Marielle runs the shop alone without her Aunt Ambrose is a bit of a disaster–Marielle ends up overworked. Shortly after is when Asra officially moves in to help Marielle run the shop in her aunt’s absence <3
Enjoy <3 (Especially you, @arcana-echoes. Thanks for the prompt!)
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The wooden handmade sign of a snake wound around a mortar and pestle demarcated the iconic magic shop in Vesuvia. This two story building in the Center City district housed not one, but now two magicians. The younger magician was currently out and about busking; she was taking her first steps in pursuing her dream as a bard. The older magician, on the other hand, had been content with how she pursued her dream in the past. Ambrose and her identical twin sister Brielle left their home in the Pearl Isles of Prakra, and together, they traveled the world just as they dreamed. The many artifacts and exotic materials held within the magic shop were proof of their travels together.
Slowly, as their wanderlust was fulfilled, the twins chose to settle down separately. Brielle married a farmer named Marion in Venterre, and Ambrose decided to settle down in Vesuvia. The hustle and bustle of the city reminded her of her lively hometown in the Pearl Isles, so just like her parents, Ambrose opened a magic shop in the heart of the city. It soon became her pride and joy, allowing Ambrose to live comfortably in the most expensive district of Vesuvia. Ambrose was the real deal. She was a real magician who knew her way around potent, magical remedies and provided divination services for those curious about what the road ahead held for them. Accurate readings and magical remedies were child’s play to Ambrose, if the tomes upon tomes in her collection had anything to say about it.
It was thanks to this comfortable lifestyle and steady income that Ambrose was able to open the doors of her home to her niece: Marielle Castor. Ambrose was the one who pitched the idea to Brielle, as she and their whole Venterre town knew that Marielle’s dreams of becoming a renowned bard couldn’t be fulfilled if she chose to stay home. Though they were hesitant at first, Brielle and Marion allowed Marielle to leave for Vesuvia. It was here that Marielle now lived and breathed, and her bubbly being fit right in with the bustle of Vesuvia. When she was home, Marielle helped manage the shop and keep everything tidy. Marielle ran errands for herself and Ambrose, and even helped the neighbors out with theirs. When she wasn’t home, Marielle was out on the town busking and performing wherever she was allowed to.
Her debut a few years ago at the masquerade caused a stir in the musical scene of Vesuvia, and Ambrose couldn’t be prouder. Slowly but surely, Marielle and her music were becoming known in Vesuvia. Life was a perfect dream unfurling–especially for Ambrose, who got a front row seat to it all.
From her chosen seat in the shop proper, surrounded by magical components in their organized compartments, Ambrose watched the front door swing open to reveal a worn but beaming Marielle. Her signature lyre was held in one hand, an apple in the other as she made her way inside. The golden ropes hanging from her waist adorned with a few dangling coins jingled with joy atop her whole royal purple skirt swaying with the motion of Marielle skipping over to Ambrose.
“Aunt Ambrose! Guess who I met today~” Marielle settled on the chair beside Ambrose, resting her lyre in her lap as she took a bite out of her apple.
Ambrose smiled fondly, taking a sip of her tea as she pondered. “Hm, who? Was it that noble lady who kept asking where you got your clothes from? You better have told her that I helped you make them!”
“Haha, no!” A part of Marielle was glad that she hadn’t seen the noble lady since her last show in Goldgrave. She’d never hear the end of it then. “Guess again!”
“Did you finally say hi to the baker Selasi and thank him for the pumpkin bread?”
Marielle gave a guilty chuckle as she shook her head. Before Ambrose could scold her about it, she quickly asked, “Any other guesses?”
“Hmmm…” Ambrose once again lifted her mug to her lips, taking a drawn out sip of her lavender tea as she pondered. “If it’s not that noble lady from last week, the baker Selasi, or some other ‘magician’ wanting to whisk you away from me again, then I’m afraid I’m all out of guesses. Who did you meet today, Marielle?”
Marielle grinned. “Asra! His name is Asra, and he’s apparently been wanting to meet me for the last few years after meeting me at the masquerade.”
“Oh?” Ambrose raised a brow, her curiosity piqued. “Now, now, that sounds like a story waiting to be told! Firstly, though, dear songbird, we have to set the stage…” Ambrose fished out another mug from the space under the coffee table, waving her hand to both conjure water in the mug and set it to boil in the same magical movement. She opened the box of teas kept atop the tray she carried down from the kitchenette upstairs and held it out to Marielle. “Which would you like?”
Her niece swallowed the next bite of her apple as she looked over the assortment of teas before curiously glancing over to Ambrose’s mug. “Which are you having?”
“Lavender.”
“Then I’ll have the same!” Marielle fished out the other lavender tea packet, plopping it into the mug set aside for her and letting it steep as they settled into their blanket-covered chairs, growing comfortable once more.
“So, this ‘Asra…’ The masquerade is when he first saw you?”
“Yes, yes! He was selling these wonderful wooden masks behind our shop during the masquerade when I debuted as a bard, but I was taking a break then.” Marielle thought back to the dizzying night of revelry that surrounded her debut performance years ago. She had been hired as one of the musicians, and borrowed her aunt’s snake-themed outfit for the night. As she had just arrived in Vesuvia, she did not have the time to make her own costume. Her aunt’s costume fit her relatively well, the bagginess of it only giving her more freedom to move. The flow of the fabric helped to elevate the visuals of her flowing movement, so how could she be upset at how big it was on her?
“I was looking over the multitude of masks and conversing with him and his snake familiar who adored me as one of her own. Suddenly, there was the sound of flutes all playing to the thundering rhythm of feet moving in unison… None of the other musicians were playing a welcoming tune for the masquerade, shunned to silence by the deafening thunder of footsteps. Those guiding the way to the palace and the outside attractions were astounded at the sounds too. It clearly wasn’t part of the masquerade. The sounds of flutes and footsteps grew louder and louder. The crowds grew thicker as they were forced back to the sidelines of the streets. I was crowded into this magician’s booth as we realized… There was a visitor. An unexpected one. We only caught a glimpse of her from where we were, but it was the youngest Prakran princess: Princess Nadia Satrinava. Do you remember that night, Aunt Ambrose?”
With Marielle’s signature storytelling description, how could she forget? While she was at home for the masquerade’s opening night, it only meant that she had a vantage point to view the grand procession from their balcony on the second floor. She remembered the curious murmurs, the beauty of the Prakran procession, the princess of her homeland as she rode into Vesuvia’s revelry, and the awe that rippled through the crowd as the princess passed by. Princess Nadia would eventually marry their Count Lucio and has been reigning as Countess since.
Seems that one fateful night brought change for plenty of Vesuvians.
“Of course I do,” Ambrose nodded. She took another sip of tea to silence herself so Marielle could continue her story. Tea time was for spilling the tea, after all.
“That night was our first encounter. We barely exchanged names before I was called back to post. With my break time over, I was lost to the crowd, once again playing music to the delight of all on their way to the masquerade. Apparently, Asra would spend the next few months looking for me, but to no avail. I just seemed out of reach, always performing in a different corner of Vesuvia. He heard the music I played, but I… I was elusive.
“One year after the other, he would see me at the Masquerade. I would always be playing something, singing something, but he was never able to get too close. These last few months, he was able to inch towards me in his relentless pursuit. He caught more glimpses of me in the marketplace, in the town square, around the theatre… Always singing, like a siren that would draw him in, but the tide would whisk my visage away before he was able to jump into the water. Then came today, when he was able to track me down.”
Marielle paused to take the first sip of her lavender tea, enjoying its floral fragrance and sweetness. At the same time, she took another bite of her apple as she pulled the next part of her story to the front of her mind. “Well… I was watering the plants on our balcony this morning, and as I do, I sang a little song to the plants like I would back in Venterre to help them grow. This dashing, white haired magician happened to be on a walk to the marketplace when he heard me singing. Taking advantage of the quiet morning streets, he followed the sound of my voice to find me here. He had finally found his siren in the water, and invited me to join him for a walk around the marketplace. As I just finished my chores, of course I joined him.”
“Ah, so you were in the marketplace, but didn’t say hi to Selasi?” Ambrose playfully tut-tut-ed her disappointment. “Did Asra at least treat you to something?”
Marielle nodded, pointing to the apple that was now half-eaten thanks to her most current bite. “He exchanged a fortune for a few apples. I got one, and the rest he’s taking home to share with his friend named Muriel.”
“Oh? He knows magic as well?” That was certainly a twist Ambrose wasn’t expecting. It was a welcome one, though. There weren’t a lot of young magicians in Center City; there were just a plentitude of old crones looking to make a quick coin off of naive passers-by by telling them sweet nothings. “Is he any good?”
“He is! He painted his tarot card deck himself, inspired by this book on tarot that his parents wrote together! The cards are gorgeous, Aunt Ambrose. And there was a strong magical aura about him, too. Watching him give a fortune was like watching your readings–the cards seemed to speak directly to the vendor.”
“Well, well, well. Seems I have a contender on the block.” An amused smile formed on Ambrose’s lips as she leaned back in her chair. “You should bring him around, Marielle. I’d like to see what he’s made of.”
“I will! I’m sure you’ll like him too, Aunt Ambrose~”
They smiled, excitement stirring the air between them once more at the prospect of this new visitor to the magic shop.
Ambrose swirled her mug, observing the levels of tea that remained within it. “Well, I’ve still got tea to go around… What else has my songbird up to today?”
They filled the rest of the afternoon in the magic shop by swapping stories of the day’s encounters and excitements. Stories and gossip over tea was a staple in their routine, and one carried through the years that Marielle lived with Ambrose. When Marielle’s newfound friend Asra was introduced to the mix, he joined the fray with fragrant teas and fascinating stories of his own. He was the honey added into their mugs that dissolved and integrated perfectly with the warmth of the shop. Asra found his place amongst the two magicians, and it was like he was there all along, providing an additional sweetness that complimented the fragrance of the shop’s tea.
Thanks to the three of them, the collection of the magic shop was always full. Whether it be herbs, crystals, trinkets, teas, songs, or stories, this building had it all.
Life was a perfect dream unfurling–especially for Ambrose, who got a front row seat to it all. Once again, she saw the growth of dreams now seemingly within reach; the growth of Marielle as a musician, magician, and a young woman; and now, the growth of two new things as the years once again slipped by. The first one was the growth of Marielle and Asra’s relationship. They grew closer, lives and hearts spilling into each other irrevocably, as how steeped packets permanently turn water into fragrant tea. They seemed inseparable these days. Marielle seemed to wait around the shop longer for Asra’s inevitable visits. He lingered longer, staying later, and always hesitated to say goodbye at the end of the day.
Fledgelings needed a push to learn to fly, and Ambrose was the one giving the lovebirds the nudge they needed to be together.
She was the one responsible for encouraging Asra to move into the shop with Marielle, after all.
The second new thing growing was Ambrose’s wanderlust. Ambrose thought that plant in her life had withered long ago with the opening of her magic shop, where she finally decided to plant her roots. Apparently that wanderlust was a beast of its own. Maybe it was more akin to say that her spirit was a caged up bird. It was content to stay still for a while, but it once knew what the wind under its wings felt like. No cage would allow it to soar the same way it would under the open sky.
Therefore, it wanted out. Her spirit wanted to fly, to stretch its wings, to soar again—even if for a little while.
Ambrose couldn’t help but wonder if her twin sister Brielle ever felt the same way.
Would she fly again, if given the opportunity?
In preparation of her return as an international adventurer (under the guise of getting new materials for the shop), Ambrose entrusted the magic shop to her dear Marielle. Marielle would become responsible for maintaining and running the shop while Ambrose was out. She was a young woman of her caliber: passionate, organized, knowledgeable, magically talented, and lovely. If there was anyone she could trust to run the shop, it was Marielle.
Of course, Ambrose would still return to stay and run the shop for a while… But it was likely that she would go on another adventure soon after. Who’s to say when her wanderlust would settle down again?
Ambrose welcomed her wanderlust as an old friend who helped her pack her bags for travel once more. Her pack was soon filled with coin for the road, her trusty map, a travel journal, a bedroll, food, camping materials, her own tarot deck, a pouch of magical supplies, clothes, and letter writing materials… sort of. Of all the items Ambrose struggled to find, her letter writing set went from her least to her biggest worry. She probably misplaced it in the mess of the room. It didn’t help that Marielle was also living here: the number of books and magical and crafty projects had increased exponentially as both magicians explored different hobbies together.
Ambrose started digging through her storage boxes, taking the time to put away some of her crafts, bags, and handmade travel cloaks to open more space for her search. One box contained her sewing kit, another held seeds for the balcony’s herbs and flowers, a third held different currencies from places like Nevivon and Firent (should she grab some to take with her?), and another still…
… old letters between her and Brielle stuffed this box to the brim. It was a wonder the box was able to close with how many papers were inside it.
Deciding that she wasn’t in any rush to leave, Ambrose took the time to peruse her old correspondence with her twin sister. They were dated back at least a decade ago. The further she dug, the further back the letters were dated. Save for the several month pause in their letters, the dates written on them also became closer and closer together the further back she looked. Ambrose wondered what events lay in these pages that warranted the constant updates from Brielle. She flipped one of the folded papers open.
Ambrose,
It’s almost tiring how hard it is to try these days… Magical and folk remedies aside, we still have no fruit to show for our efforts.
Is there something I’ve forgotten? We can’t possibly be barren. I can’t possibly be barren. Not after the miscarriage… Not after the loss of our first fledgeling…
Please, respond as soon as you can, Ambrose. I need you.
Brielle
… Oh. Ambrose almost forgot about those days. Brielle couldn’t even manage a proper closing back then. The grief of losing a child… possible children… was too much for her.
She opened another letter.
Ambrose,
Finch passed through, asking around town for you by name. What happened? Weren’t you two happy to travel together?
I know it’s in our nature to seize opportunities as they come and to leave when they pass us by, but please, hold on to this one. Finch is a wonderful man, and we know it. Don’t let him be just another story in our wonderful lives full of them.
Mistakes aren’t fatal if you own up to them and face them head on.
He’s here waiting in Venterre. He wants to see you.
I want to see you, sister.
Is it really true? What you told me in your last letter? Don’t make me get out there and find you myself. You’re hiding something miraculous from me. Don’t hide the joy–the miracle–that Marion and I could only dream of.
Brielle
Finch, the wonderful bard friend of both her and Brielle. They met on the road when the twins were still together, traveling as one unit. Finch was a dear friend… and her first love. Ambrose felt a pang of guilt for how soon she left Finch in Nevivon. Maybe it was too soon…
Finch was wonderful, but Ambrose..?
Ambrose,
Marion had an idea, if you are willing to stay a while in Venterre.
You could stay here with us and in a comfortable town. We have a spare room that’s always open to you. In fact, I just finished preparing it for you. It’ll be just like our childhood in the Pearl Isles. We can have a sleepover–just the two of us–just like the old days. We can stay up and tell stories… practice spells… sneak snacks in the cover of darkness… Marion doesn’t have to know where all the mangos and sweets went. It can just be us again. Or maybe we include Marion. Maybe he also snacks with us and helps us keep the candles burning until dawn. Whatever you want, Ambrose.
Just… Let us help you through your pregnancy, Ambrose. It’ll be hard and long, but it will be worth all the struggle. You can have your own little bundle of joy after all is said and done. And you of all people should know that you don’t have to go through anything alone. Especially not this. You’ll always have me, your dear sister, by your side no matter what.
You shouldn’t have to face this solo.
If things turn out bad and the baby doesn’t make it… like all of ours… I want to be there with you.
The pain of a lost child is something no woman should ever go through.
But if for once, everything goes well… That will be another miracle we can write home about, maybe it’ll get our parents (and especially grandparents) off our backs about continuing our “magical heritage.” If everything goes well, maybe you can have your own songbird that’s just like Finch.
And maybe, when Finch is done in Prakra (he said he wouldn’t be there long, just long enough to say hi to our family (Yes, he wants to meet our family)), he’ll find his way back here. And maybe you two can fix whatever caused this rift between the two of you.
Being married isn’t like being caged or tethered, Ambrose. It’s the greatest choice of freedom you can make. To be able to choose to love someone for the rest of your life, to lay yourself aside and choose them no matter what and have them choose you in spite of everything… It’s a blessing. I see that desire in you, a desire to love and be loved. And Finch… He speaks so highly of you, so dearly about you. He does love you, Ambrose. And I know you love him too. Otherwise, you wouldn’t keep asking about him in every other letter you send.
It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. Just like… How carrying this precious child will be.
So let us help you. Come by, Ambrose, please. If not to stay, then to at least say hi and let me see in person how my beloved sister is doing.
I love you, Ambrose.
Brielle
… The half a year pause in their correspondence filled in the gap of memories that Ambrose suppressed. The explanation of those days’ events was right here in this letter she held in her hands.
The six (or so) months that Ambrose spent in Venterre with her sister and her brother-in-law were the quietest days of Ambrose’s adult life. The days were slow, peaceful even, as she absorbed the sunlight that sustained the Castor’s fields. Maybe Ambrose became a plant those days too: rooted and sustained by the warmth of the sun.
Those days, Ambrose learned what it meant to settle down as she became a part of Brielle and Marion’s domestic routines. Everything in that house was done with someone else in mind: Brielle cooked for Marion and Ambrose; Marion worked the field, did carpentry jobs around town, and even brought home food for Ambrose and Brielle; Ambrose did her best to smile, to stay alive, and to flourish for the sake of her sister… And for the sake of the little one growing inside of her.
Maybe this was the love Brielle was talking about. The pure, selfless kind.
Those days, Ambrose let the romantic inside of her wonder about Finch. She wondered if he had new songs and new stories to share from their time apart. She wondered if he would be as willing to settle down with her as she was starting to be. Maybe, just maybe… He traveled to see their family in the Pearl Isles to ask for her parents’ permission for her hand.
What a day that would be, to be courted by the bard who had her heart. Those daydreams were still fond wishes of hers…
Ambrose remembered the struggles of labor in the deep hours of twilight, ending as the sky turned to the familiar shades of purple (the same lilac and lavender from when she started), now illuminated by the dawning light. The sun was one of the first to greet her bundle of joy, who opened her eyes to greet the sun after her initial greeting of tears.
Her child–no, her daughter–had the same twilight eyes of the twins with flickers of pink that shone with love yet to be shared. Her warm hickory brown hair, almost reminiscent of the feathers that adorned her first love’s namesake, had wisps of gold. The same gold that hung from her shoulders in loose waves. The same gold that was held in a messy bun atop her sister’s hair.
Ambrose met her sister’s eyes with a tired, shaky smile. Tears streamed down her face as she held her newborn, but they were mere droplets compared to the waterfall that graced Brielle’s cheeks. Even Marion–renowned for his stoic demeanor–was crying with a smile that echoed her own.
(Huh, the twins had the same taste in men, it seemed. His smile was the same as Finch’s)
“Oh, Ambrose, she’s beautiful!” Brielle cried, adoring the newborn and holding Ambrose so, so close. “She’s perfect! An absolute miracle! Oh, I’m so, so happy for you..!”
The one thing that her sister Brielle had wanted for so long… a child… and here Ambrose was holding one with her sister.
And she loved her. In spite of how much it pained her, she loved her.
… Ambrose knew what she had to do. For her loved one.
“What!? A-Ambrose, are you sure?”
There was no pain, no regret in Ambrose’s eyes as she smiled at Brielle. She took in the sight before her: her twin sister, golden hair in a messy bun, eyes puffy from the tears of the early morning, stood beside her strong husband who held her close by the waist with one hand, the other hand hesitating to reach out for Ambrose in solid questioning, as his earthy hair was in a messy ponytail of its own.
In Brielle’s arms was the bundle of joy: a little songbird, sound asleep.
The three of them looked like the perfect family. Maybe it helped that Ambrose and Brielle had similar tastes in men… It helped for the one thing that Brielle wanted so badly, and in spite of everything, Ambrose loved her sister more than life itself.
No passerby would think that Marielle didn’t belong to Marion and Brielle.
“I’m sure.” Ambrose nodded, securing the strap of her bag on her shoulder. “You know what our parents always said, Brie: I always make messes–”
“And I always stayed to clean them up,” Brielle finished. “But–But Ambrose, this child isn’t your mess–”
“She’s the result of one. A mess so big I can’t possibly waltz up to him and expect everything to be alright… As much as we both want things to be alright… So, please, Brielle…” Ambrose sighed as she rested a hand on her sister’s shoulder, rubbing her thumb across her sister’s skin comfortingly. “Take care of her for me. Please… raise her as your own.”
The hesitation was obvious. How could she just take her sister’s child for her own? But… After almost a year now of trying and failing to conceive with Marion… A child that would be her own, just like this…
“... Okay. Okay, I will.”
Ambrose smiled, letting her hand fall from her sister’s shoulder as she turned to her brother-in-law, patting his arm affectionately. “And take care of Brielle, won’t you?”
“I-I will,” Marion nodded. His brow was furrowed with concern, words refusing to form as he wrestled between his own desire for a child and concern for Ambrose’s decision.
The logical man stayed silent for once, his heart accepting the reality of now having its deepest desire.
Ambrose was almost glad her sister’s grief clouded her thinking. As she started packing the last remnants of her belongings strewn around the Castor’s living room, she thanked the stars for the quiet end of this chapter of her life. It was a blessing to be able to settle down and take life one day at a time. But life had its seasons, and just as birds knew what season it was to migrate, Ambrose knew it was time for her to go. The longer she stayed, the more opportunity there was for Brielle to discover her true motives. If Brielle knew the truth—that she considered her sister’s happiness of greater importance than her own—she would never hear the end of it.
Brielle was too selfless to consider herself… Much like Ambrose.
“What will you do now?” Marion asked, finally finding his voice.
“I’ll go north. Maybe I’ll run into Finch. Maybe we’ll fix things up and… try again. Who knows.”
“When will you leave?”
“As soon as the next merchant caravan passes through.”
“So today…” The Venterre man almost sounded… disappointed.
“Ah… So today, then.” Ambrose offered an apologetic smile. The ever present look of understanding was there on Brielle’s face as she nodded. They were always ones to seize the opportunity in front of them, and this time was no different.
“Won’t you come back and visit?” Brielle hesitated, the question asked slowly.
“Of course I will, Brie.” As she finished packing, Ambrose gave her bag a pat of finality. Then, with her hands no longer occupied, she pulled her sister (and the newborn between them) into a hug. Her arms were a comfort around her twin sister’s, holding both of them steady in the tidal wave of changes that they found themselves in.
For just a moment, they were reminded that they had each other. Twins had a special bond, no? They would always be connected no matter where they are and no matter what happened.
“Before you go, Ambrose… Won’t you name her?” Brielle motioned the child towards her biological mother, with whom her forehead was pressed gently against. The request was enough to make Ambrose pause. Name her..? She hadn’t thought that far ahead. The desperation in her sister’s voice made her stop. She looked over the sleeping child between them. She was so small, so innocent. She had let go of the possibility of being responsible for her, and now, she was being asked to name her as if she was hers…
Maybe this was Brielle’s one final request to keep some memory of Ambrose, her real mom, with them, even if Ambrose herself wouldn’t stay around…
Brielle and Marion… Marion and Brielle, the perfect couple, the perfect parents… Now their names were the foundation for her daughter’s perfect name.
“Marielle,” Ambrose nodded, slowly pulling away. She looked at the family in front of her: Marion, Brielle, and now the newborn Marielle in their arms. Marielle, now the daughter of the perfect union between Marion and Brielle. They could be the perfect parents that Ambrose couldn’t be alone.
“Name her Marielle.”
Since the magic shop will now be Marielle’s, maybe it’s a good idea to make space for her and remove some of my stuff, Ambrose pondered. She lifted her eyes from the box to look around the room. In the pursuit of her letter writing set, more treasures, blankets, and books have been uncovered and scattered around the bedroom. It was now in desperate need of cleaning.
Ambrose closed the box of letters, once again surprised at how the box was able to close with how many papers were inside it, stuffing it to the brim.
Maybe I’ll take these with me. I could use some reading on the way. I wouldn’t want Marielle to worry about what’s in these either…
… My Marielle can take care of everything here. She is my daughter, after all.
maybe you've already talked about this, but... Marielle is a bard, and has a lot of musical talent. How much, if anything, of that does she hold onto once she loses her memories? Does she sing things but forget how she learned them? Does she ever try to play the organ in the palace and how does that go??
:0 I actually haven’t given this much thought, so thank you for asking! I haven’t thought a whole lot about connecting Marielle’s past to her present in Vesuvia and her future after Asra’s route haha~ I think the most I’ve touched on this specific topic was this paragraph for The Arcana Inktober, and even then, it wasn’t much thought. Let’s see what I do have for this, though…
You get my live thoughts that I’m going to type out straight from my brain, college essay style. I’ve enjoyed rambling a lot lately in writing, and so this time will be no different haha
(Spoilers ahead, new fans of The Arcana. Read at your own risk <3
You can skip ahead to the “spoilers end here” section, especially if you just want the answer to the question. This is here for me to sort my thoughts and justify my logic✨)
To start, I suppose, I am a very “by the book” person when it comes to throwing my own characters into the canon world of any piece of media. I don’t really like to break what is already established within the world, so I build around it for my characters. It is said pretty clearly in The Arcana’s story that MC doesn’t remember anything at all from before they were revived. So all the songs and techniques for the lyre that Marielle grew up learning, she ended up forgetting. Marielle has a completely blank slate of a mind with her revival. No memories of her family, her rural upbringing, her music, how to use her lyre… Nothing.
At the same time, it is shown in Asra’s route that the MC is able to recover their memories. (My MC Marielle is paired with Asra, so his route is the “canon” route for my girl and anything I make for The Arcana, including art and stories with my friends’ Arcana OCs~) Not a lot of memories are mentioned in Asra’s route, but there are two moments that come to mind where the MC remembers a past memory: Book VII The Chariot, Chapter 2: “Enter the Cave” and Book XIII: Death. In Book VII: The Chariot, Chapter 2: “Enter the Cave,” if you choose to smell the flower, the MC recalls a moment where Asra teaches them a spell that lets them breathe underwater the last time they and Asra went there. (I think the last time the MC and Asra were there was after the MC was revived, and Asra tried taking them here before to try and activate their magic/memory or something.) The second moment in Book XIII: Death is when the MC remembers their final moments before dying of the red plague.
What a fun memory to recall after having your past shrouded in darkness for 3 years, huh? Hahah~
Additionally… Something else I just recalled: it is mentioned by Asra and is also canon to pre-game events that whenever the MC is reminded of their past, their mind would shut down and they would enter a catatonic state. The only way they could return back to normal is if Asra removed the memory of that past related thing being brought up. This implies that their memories are still there inside their head, though the MC is unable to consciously remember anything themselves. Their brain/body/spirit recognizes the memories and refuses to let them come forward to a conscious state of remembrance.
I think the reason for this is because the MC is now in the body of The Fool with their revival. They have their new beginning, which is what The Fool symbolizes. Who the MC is can’t be forced onto them by bringing up their past or telling them who they are/who they used to be. The point of The Fool is that they have to discover that for themselves. The MC has to be willing to learn about themselves and the world through their own journey and experiences with others, not by being told who they were/are. All of this is in line with what I remember about The Fool’s symbolism in the Major Arcana. (Please correct me if I am wrong)
So when the MC chooses Asra, it is the first step of their own journey of learning who they are. Up to the start of the game, the MC is learning all the basics of survival and learning how to be a human again. They have been learning magic from Asra and just doing things for/with him without much of a clue who they are. The start of the events within The Arcana is the start of the MC learning about themselves and how to actually thrive in who they are–and with a lover by their side, no less hahaha~ But it’s their willingness and their initiative… this first step of their own volition with a newfound mental fortitude that allows the MC to 1) retain the memory of Asra’s love for them in Asra’s route, compared to the prologue when the confession of Asra gives them a splitting headache and 2) have these glimpses of their past memories without a migraine since they are learning (and hopefully, helping Asra learn) that the past doesn’t define them, but it’s who they are now and what they do going forward that matters.
(In essence, the magical body of The Fool is stopping the MC from remembering until they fulfill The Fool’s archetype of going on their own journey of self-discovery. That’s when they can really remember things, as they learn about themselves through their experiences with others over being told who they are.)
(The spoilers end here and the actual answering of the questions begins here)
And now, my preface and interpretation of the MC’s amnesia aside… When it comes to how I work with the apprentice’s “blank slate state” for Marielle and her former musical talent as a bard…
I think that her memories as a bard are in there somewhere. Immediately post-Asra’s route (where a lot of my dabbles in The Arcana take place), Marielle’s not able to consciously recall anything about her time as a bard. All that would come up for her is emptiness, or if it’s pre-game, an absolute migraine and a catatonic state. Her brain/spirit has held on to those memories after all those years, but I don’t think that the songs she once knew would slip out so easily. (By this, I mean that she wouldn’t absent-mindedly sing a song she once knew and then stop and wonder where that song would come from.) (Also, if Asra remembered them or tried to teach her early after her revival, I imagine they’d send her into that catatonic state.)
Since it is still Marielle and her soul, I choose to interpret this as Marielle retains her personality, preferences, and innate desires–such as her passion for music and magic. Those things are a core part of who she is. After Asra’s able to teach her how to be a human again, I don’t think that past Marielle would differ drastically from pre-game Marielle (other than, of course, what she remembers).
So since she retains her personality and innate desire to make music, Marielle would be able to relearn the lyre in the same way as before and repeat a lot of the magical and musical experiments that she did in the past. Following my own logic, since she is seeking this musical skill out on her own initiative, she is able to rebuild this skill from the past for herself without going into a catatonic state. It would come so easily for her since she’s already built those skills in the past, the movements held in her subconscious mind.
Marielle is also an organized person, so she has sheet music and notebooks of lyrics and performance routines from the past all written down. She would find these and be able to quickly re-learn her own songs and techniques. (Without going into a catatonic state since, again, this is all of her own volition and desire to thrive.) She may not recall all of the details of the songs or what inspired her to write the songs, but they are hers. The music is in her mind somewhere, so this is when the songs slip out of her more easily. Allllll when she’s re-learning her instrument and her skills of music~
I would love to dabble in writing a story where Marielle does start remembering more of her past. Writing all this has made me realize that it is more likely than I would’ve thought for the MC to remember things about their past👀✨ It would have to be a little longer after the end of Asra’s route (upright ending, of course), but it’s entirely possible~
As for Marielle trying to play the organ in the palace…. Oh ho ho ho you’ve given me an idea to write that fun little scene~ Marielle definitely would try to play the organ. It would be a rough, imperfect introduction to the instrument, but it wouldn’t be the most ear-bleeding, key-smashing experience. Nadia would definitely be there, helping guide Marielle to proper organ chords and teaching her the nuances of the instrument. Portia would be there too, highly amused but probably just as curious as Marielle. Aaand Marielle would soak up all that musical knowledge and keep trying until she could play something smoothly~
Will I write that scene out someday? Who knows haha~ Thank you for asking and throwing that idea my way, though! That’s the first time someone’s asked me something about my characters here hehehe <3
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Day 4 for @arcana-echoes about my girlie Marielle~
Education – did they go to a private school, were taught at home, or taught themselves? Did they have a favorite subject?
No story this time haha~
Being in a small town in Venterre, there were a few people who served as teachers for all the kids in the town. They gave all the kids a good education between everyone’s morning and evening chores, as the kids were also expected to pitch in with the farm responsibilities. Classes were often during the weekday afternoons when nothing was expected of the kids. The evenings, after chores, were for the kids to enjoy themselves.
Marielle was also taught at home by Marion and Brielle. They dabbled in showing Marielle things about English (both Marion and Brielle were huge readers, so they shared books for her to read), magic, nature, and of course: farming and basic carpentry. The last two were obviously thanks to Marion, though the topics never seemed to interest Marielle as much as music, the arts, and magic did. Those topics were Marielle’s independent study topics, and boy, she learned a lot on her own.
In addition to music, art, and magic, Marielle strongly loved English, science, and math. She loved reading stories and writing poetry. She loved learning about how the world worked. And math was a fun mental exercise for her; she loved seeing things neatly come together when solving math problems.
Every day that I write something for @arcana-echoes, it gets longer. Whoops hahaha~ Sorry not sorry for getting back into the writing flow~
(Even if it means the stories get longer and I am unable to keep up--)
Magic – talk about their magic, when did they discover it? Did they have to learn how to use it or did it come naturally?
The above is what I imagine Marielle's magical aura to look like, especially during/after the events of The Arcana. It's a lovely swirl of many colours, shifting through every hue.
Enjoy the story within the rest of this post~
(tl;dr Marielle discovered magic through her mother, who is a magician. Both her mom Brielle and her aunt Ambrose taught her about magic before Asra did before the start of the game. Magic came naturally to Marielle, as she was a quick learner. Fire, light, and illusory spells are her favourites.)
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Ambrose, 💕
Mom was right when she said we’d continue our magician bloodline. Our grandparents really didn’t have anything to worry about when we decided to leave the Pearl Isles to travel. Do you remember how astonished they were when we mentioned that we wanted to explore the world ourselves? Grandma had the audacity to say that our books were all we needed to see the world! We wanted to see what lay beyond the horizon and on the distant shores!
Ah, what times we’ve had since we’ve left home! We’ve met many interesting people, experienced many wonderful festivals, and I’ve even found my beloved here in Venterre. And you now have a magic shop in Vesuvia! Hah, They thought we were throwing our magical heritage away by leaving the Pearl Isles! None of these blessings would have ever happened if we just stayed at home! If anything, our magical heritage is stronger than ever!
Why do I bring this up? Well, guess who cast her first spell today? That’s right! Our little Marielle!
She caught me preparing a birthday breakfast feast for Marion last week. As it is still early spring, the sun had not risen yet, so I was using a light spell to illuminate the kitchen while I cooked. (No, of course we don’t have candles anymore after this long winter. You keep the ones in your shop! Someone will want to buy them!) I think this is the first time she’s seen me use something other than green magic (although I was using green magic for Marion’s meal. He’s worked himself to the bone this last week), so curiosity got the best of her as she kept poking at my magical lights and asking questions. I told Marielle that if she helped me prepare the rest of Marion’s meals, I would teach her. She lit up and cooked so fast that we were done much sooner than I thought!
In the time before Marion rose for breakfast, I was able to teach Marielle the same light spell that I used to illuminate the kitchen for the both of us. She caught on quickly–probably too quickly–as her first orb of light blinded me. She was so entranced and excited by that spell that she begged me to teach her more, so I pulled out that dusty book Grandma sent me (you know the one) and we went through the different types of magic together. I did also teach her about the magical ingredients we used in her father’s breakfast.
I am thankful that she is starting to become more aware of her magic now. Do you remember when we found her in the fields as a toddler, flowers magically growing all around her as she tried to use green magic to “make Daddy’s job easier?” Haha, we found flowers in the field for weeks! This time, now that she’s a little older, I’ll be able to teach her properly. I’m sure she’ll find a way to put these spells to good use, especially as she’s started looking after the other kids in town.
She’s a natural born caretaker, I suppose. Marion says she’s really just like me in that way. But I think she takes on after you in this sense; you refused to leave me behind throughout all of our travels. I think Marielle sees the other kids like that too: they’re her kin that she wouldn’t want to leave because what’s ahead is more exciting when they’re together.
Come by soon, Ambrose. With all those tomes you’ve collected, I’m sure you could help Marielle grow more in magic. She’s already gone through half of my collection!
With love,
Brielle
Brielle, 💕
If you end up reading this (I highly doubt it, but we like to be prepared), it’s because I’ve already caught the next merchant caravan on its way back to Vesuvia. I would’ve loved to stay and tell you in person, but you know how it is. We’re not ones to let opportunities pass us by. Just look at how you were with your Marion~ (Speaking of, I hope you two enjoyed your date today~)
Thanks for letting me stay with you in Venterre! I always love dropping by. It has been too long since we had one of these sleepovers, huh? I loved every second with you, with Marion, and with our dear Marielle. She’s growing so quickly, I can hardly keep up.
I’ll get to it, since it’ll be the first thing Marielle will want to tell you about: I took the time today to teach Marielle more spells. We went through Grandma’s magic compendium and I showed her how to form a small fireball (don’t worry, it wasn’t inside the house), a spell for amplifying sound that she can use for her music, a spell for growing flowers (a focused and proper one this time. Not like the one she used as a toddler), and basic illusions. The loud sounds startled Mr. Alder’s chickens, so there might be a few running loose in your fields despite us doing our best to gather them all again. And the new roses in your garden are Marielle’s doing!
In Grandma’s book was also a folded up paper about a spell to remove rust and polish metal items. I’m not surprised that she managed to combine those two spells that way. I did give it a try with Marielle, so if you find all of the pots and pans out… now you know why~
I think the one that excited her the most was the stillness spell. We applied it directly to the pegs of her lyre so it can stay in tune! She can dismiss the spell whenever she wants to change the tuning of the string to a different key.
You were right when you said she was a wonderful musician like Finch. She even knows his songs like the back of her hand! She ran through his whole repertoire and even had her own songs to spare! Are you still in touch with Finch? I’d reach out, but… you know. Still, I would love to hear from that bard again. I bet he’s making a name for himself somewhere in the world. He told me once that he’d love to see Nevivon or Firent. Last we talked, he was on his way south to the Crab Isles to see if the “crabmen” are really half-crab, half-human.
I know that Marielle has the potential to be just as skilled and famous as Finch–if not more. Should Marielle be hit with our same wanderlust and have the same overflowing passion to tell stories and songs as Finch, maybe I could take her to Vesuvia? It’s a hard ask, but if that day ever arises… Please, let me know. I’ll be sure to keep our songbird safe.
Here’s to you, Marion, and Marielle, dear sister! Thanks again for the wonderful week in Venterre!
With love,
Ambrose
Brielle, 💕
Marielle’s picked up another student for me, it seems. Do you remember the lad Asra? The one that saw Marielle performing on the streets one time, and then he found her on our balcony watering our plants? The one starting to befriend Marielle? While he is shy, Marielle did finally convince him to come by the shop to say hello. He’s a very warm compliment to Marielle’s bubbly personality, and I dare say he’s just as playful and mischievous. He opened up quickly in our magic shop, and we all talked magic for a solid hour or two before he had to rush off. Something about a friend who was waiting for dinner.
Well, it seems the lad is very curious about the many magical materials in the shop. He’s only read about them from a book his parents gave him and hasn’t seen many for himself. Now he too wants to learn more about them. Most of the items are souvenirs from our travels around the world, and he was enamoured by them. Marielle led the tour around our shop, giving her own mini presentations and embellishing our stories of how we got them and where. She really has our Finch’s charm; though I lived through those experiences, I was still captivated by her retellings.
You’d be pleased to know that Marielle’s grown stronger as a magician and a musician. She’s found so many ways to incorporate magic into her performances to dazzle and awe her audiences. Light magic and illusion magic have become staples in her routines. And she’s even managed to have a show or two at the theatre in Goldgrave. They’re coming up this month! You and Marion better find your way up here somehow, I’d hate for you two to miss it!
She’s taken an interest in healing and divination lately too. Might be thanks to that Asra, that book he has, and/or something they get up to together that’s caused a bit of interest in healing. I’ll have to look for some tomes on those topics to add to my collection.
As brief as this letter may be from me, Marielle has more she wants to tell you. I’ll include her letters in this envelope as well.
Do come visit us in Vesuvia someday, Brie. We’d love to have you. I’m sure you’d like Asra as much as I do.
With love,
Ambrose
With a small sigh, Asra slowly refolded the letters in his hands. He was thankful that Ambrose kept every little trinket, tome, letter, and souvenir in this shop. Maybe somewhere in here would be useful in helping Marielle recover and come back to herself. Especially after having to bring her back…
… He never expected that he had to start over from square one with her. And here he was, searching for answers in Marielle and Aunt Ambrose’s possessions for things Marielle used to know.
There was one thing he knew for certain: Marielle knew magic. Magic and music were her two passions in the years that he knew her. He had watched her countless experiments combining the two and their beautiful results. Maybe starting with spells she once knew would help her remember. She could come back to herself… come back to him…
It was worth a shot, right? Maybe they start somewhere familiar with her…
The principles of alchemy yesterday went well, and she received them fairly easily. It didn’t help that he had to re-teach her how to speak, read, and write… but she was catching on.
The books and papers from his multitude and Aunt Ambrose’s collection were stacked to the ceiling. Dust motes wandered through the air, catching the attention of a familiar pair of lavender eyes that peeked through the piles of books. Her hair, a deep hickory brown hair fading into golden waves, lay as a tangled mess upon her honey shoulders that were exposed due to the extra large shirt she wore. She didn’t bother to fix up her appearance as she slowly approached Asra in the middle of it all.
Though her uncharacteristically silent demeanour pained him, Asra put on a smile that failed to hide the despair in his eyes. He extended a hand to Marielle, beckoning her closer to sit beside him on the couch. His once grace was that she currently couldn’t read him well… or had a way to communicate it.
“Why don’t we start with something simple, Marielle? How about… a light spell?”
Day two of @arcana-echoes' Echoes of the Past with my Arcana OC Marielle! This prompt finally got me to name Marielle's parents haha~
Parents – what kind of people were/are they? What was your OCs relationship like with them?
Enjoy the story within the rest of this post~ (tl;dr Marielle is so important to her parents, Brielle and Marion, that they will support her and love her in whatever way they can. Marielle, of course, fully trusts and loves them in return)
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“That’s a beautiful song, little songbird,” Brielle cooed, her arms outstretched for her daughter. She adored how Marielle beamed with pride at her mother’s praise. The stars in her eyes twinkled, refusing to settle as Marielle chose to nestle into her mom’s open arms. She hugged the mahogany frame of her lyre, keeping her dearest treasure close as her mom gathered her into her arms.
Marielle was her dearest treasure. She was a gift given after seasons of despair for her and her husband. Just as Marielle held her lyre close to her heart in both hands, Brielle did the same with her daughter.
“Mom, do you think I can make it?” Marielle’s twilight coloured eyes bore into Brielle’s, whose eye colours echoed her own.
“Hm? Make what, silly songbird? Your own song? You already did that, and it was beautiful~” Brielle playfully pinched her daughter’s cheeks with her own calloused hands.
Her daughter’s laugh was sweet and light as she shook off her mother’s hand. “No, Mom! I want to be a bard! Like your friend who visited here months ago. Do you think I could be like him? Singing songs that make people smile?”
The soft trill of the lyre from Marielle sliding her fingers across the strings stirred Brielle’s memories from a year ago. Her bard friend’s visit “months ago” (with “months” being an understatement) was certainly a momentous occasion for Marielle. It was her first time seeing a skilled performer, and Finch made sure it was more than a show for the entire town. Anyone passing through this region of Venterre would’ve thought their harvest festival came early with how joyful and loud everyone was. He was quick to teach everyone—especially the children—his songs and dances, turning a mundane afternoon into a day of merriment.
Since then, Marielle’s interest in music was undeniable. Brielle often found her daughter writing poems and singing Finch’s songs around the house and the fields. She kept Finch’s songs and dances alive and well with the other children of the town. Her passion was so infectious that Mr. Alder, their reclusive neighbor, bought Marielle her lyre several months ago. He was the last person Brielle expected to make a direct investment into Marielle’s passions, but they had him to thank for Marielle’s quick mastery of music.
To sing, play, and also dance simultaneously is no small feat, but these days, it was Marielle’s child’s play. If she wasn’t occupied with anything or anybody, Brielle would enjoy watching Marielle practice in the wheatfields behind their comfortable home. Seeing her sing, moving as gently and elegantly as the grain in the breeze, always brought a smile to Brielle’s face.
“Of course you will, darling. You have such a beautiful voice, and the way you play your lyre… the way you move so freely always makes me want to sing and dance with you~” Brielle hefted her daughter up in her arms as she stood from the blanket-covered couch, swaying and spinning around the living room adorned with handmade blankets and trinkets. All the while, she was rocking her daughter back and forth while singing, “My daughter Marielle will be a beautiful bard~ She’ll sing songs with her lyre, it won’t be that hard! And all will smile and cheer and say: ‘What a wonderful bard! I love hearing her play!’”
“Mom! Put me down!” Marielle laughed, writhing without the serious effort needed to escape her mom’s grasp. “That’s such a silly song!”
Brielle continued doting on her with playful affection, her rhymes and sing-song story starting to get ridiculous as it went on. It was at least three nonsensical verses later that her husband, Marion Castor, entered the room. His earthy brown hair was tied into a neat ponytail, a contrast to his more rugged, button up shirt. The sleeves were rolled up after another day in the field and in town. His belts held the weathered tools of another day of work.
Marion was used to long days getting hard work done in the wheat field and in town, where he did various carpentry jobs for merchants and townsfolk alike. There was always a need for a new bucket, a barrel assembly, a hole that’s too big in a chicken coop, or most commonly, a broken wagon that needs fixing. With all the visitors that sojourned in their Venterre town, someone was going to need a wagon fixed. The work was inevitable, but rewarding—both in satisfaction and in coin.
Slipping his leather gloves off, Marion wiped the sweat off his brow and took in the sight of his two loves in the living room. It was foolish, sure, but Marion himself was a fool for a simple domestic life. His wife and daughter were the stars of his life, the reason he continued to do any tasks in Venterre. Every task was for them and their livelihood.
And speaking of tasks…
“Marielle,” Marion started, breaking the trance of silliness in the room, “are you done with your chores? Jerald is looking for you. You agreed to look after their kids today.”
“That’s right!” Marielle slipped out of Brielle’s hold, straightening her skirt as she stood on her own two feet. “I’m all done with my chores, so I’ll be heading out!”
“You’re sure you tended to the field? No weeds, Marielle?”
“Of course I did! I was out there today, and everything was just fine!” Marielle fished her purple crossbody bag from the many hanging from their coatrack. Just about everything in this house was homemade by someone in the family, and Marielle and Brielle’s collection of bags were no exception. Marielle ensured her necessities were inside her bag, collecting her coin pouch from the table and a few apples for the road before closing it.
“I’ll be back for dinner!” Marielle smiled as she slipped on her shoes. “Don’t start without me!”
“Don’t be late!” Brielle waved her daughter out the door, the curtains fluttering from Marielle’s haste to leave. With the gentle thud of the door closing, Brielle’s attention shifted to her husband who shook his head fondly as he approached her. A firm hand settled on her waist and pulled her in, the other brushed her golden flowing hair out of her face so that Marion could press a kiss directly to her forehead. She melted into the gentle affection, leaning into her husband’s embrace.
“She always seems to be rushing off somewhere,” Marion muttered, clear enough for her ears only.
Brielle chuckled. “She’s got big ambitions, and she won’t stop until they’re hers. Just like you.” She smiled playfully, tousling the bit of his hair within her reach. “You remember how hard you pursued me when Ambrose and I were first in town?”
Almost immediately, Marion’s face turned red at the memories of how quickly he made a fool of himself trying to get Brielle’s attention. He was quite literally tripping over his own feet to talk to her–a stark contrast to his normally aloof and composed appearance. He would often (perhaps too often at first), mix up the identical twins and forget which one he last talked to. Ambrose found it hilarious while Brielle found it more endearing. It was thanks to this one difference between the twins that Marion was able to get close to Brielle and romance her.
Marion cleared his throat, averting his eyes from Brielle’s playful lavender gaze. “I do remember.”
“You know you’d do anything for her, as well as me.”
“I would.”
“I know~”
In just a few hours, “anything” would mean “make Marielle a new lyre.” Marielle had spent the afternoon running around town with Jerald’s kids. Lykos had stolen her lyre as a prank, but in the pursuit, he tripped and broke it.
Though she could never be upset at the kids, especially over an accident like this, Marielle returned home with tears streaming down her face. She presented the broken pieces of the wooden instrument to her father, who quietly observed the broken pieces as her mother held her songbird in a tight embrace.
Of course the craftsmanship is a little shoddy. They cut a few corners in production… Marion sighed in disappointment as he placed the wooden pieces on the table. He knew Mr. Alder meant well when he bought Marielle that lyre from a traveling merchant, but Mr. Alder didn’t have the same eye for quality that he did; a cheap price would often mean poor craftsmanship, especially for a good like this coming from Vesuvia. Though common knowledge, Mr. Alder probably did not leave the house often enough to realize this.
If his daughter was going to pursue her dreams with the same intensity he pursued Brielle’s heart (his dream), then she only deserved the best instrument to see her through every song and performance. With the settling of his daughter’s tears, Marion was settled on what he needed to do. He rose from his seat and retreated to his workshop behind the house without delay.
The town was much quieter in the absence of Marielle’s lyre, but the silence was merely an intermission before act two. The new lyre in her hands was lovingly carved by Marion with stars and swirls detailed by the very hands that played it. Act two’s opening was on the harvest festival’s stage, with Marielle’s confidence as brilliant and bright as the fires that blazed in the square as the sun set. Those who recognized the signature smooth handiwork knew the truth of its creation; and one glance at the proud, part-time carpenter and his magician-turned-farmer wife would confirm one of the immutable truths of this town in Venterre: Marielle Castor was Brielle and Marion’s everything.
I've stumbled across @arcana-echoes and wanted to take the time to share Marielle's story! These will mostly be drabbles that I write until I feel satisfied hahaha~
So, Day 1! Click open the rest of this post to enjoy a bit about Marielle's hometown of Venterre~ (A real and canon place south of Vesuvia!)
Hometown – what was the place they called “home” like? What were the people like? Did your OC like it there or did they leave the first chance they got?
The wheat fields grew with golden grains swaying gently with the breeze. The trees above, though currently barren of fruit, provided a reprieve from the warm sun. The neighbors on one side owned vineyards that sprawled down the hills. On the other, lavender fields grew in neat rows. The boundaries were as loose as the cloth that freely flowed from Marielle’s body as she wandered through the fields her family owned; though they held their shape, they were flexible without consequence. Behind her, and slowly growing further into the distance, lay the cluster of homes and houses that made up her town. It was comfortable, pastoral, and ever peaceful here.
The land of Venterre, south of Vesuvia, was lush and prosperous. The harvest was always bountiful. With the constant annual labor, there was always more than enough to go around in her town. It seemed to surprise Marielle how much surplus her town had with the many growing mouths they had to feed. Whatever leftovers they had, they sold to the merchants and traders who passed through as frequently as family.
Venterre is known for its fine wines and delectable foods, and it has towns like Marielle’s to thank for the slues of supplies. Vesuvia, being Venterre’s closest neighbor, was annually blessed to be the first recipients of Venterre’s harvests.
And this year, like any other, the harvest was set to be plentiful.
The Castor family’s fields were quiet, save for the occasional lowing of the cows providing a melody to the distant chorus of children. The fields were Marielle’s sanctuary–though she would never call it that: “sanctuary” implied that her wonderful hometown was something to hide away from. The fields were simply a place for a much needed break, not an escape.
Why would she want to leave? The people were friendly, warm, and hardworking. They always had a story, a song, or wisdom to share whenever work was done. They looked to Marielle with wonder and awe, especially as she was part of the only magical family in town. Their children are just as friendly–if not rambunctious. Marielle, as the oldest child in the town, loved watching after the multitude of children. When all their chores were done, she would spend time telling them stories, organizing games between all of them, and keeping an eye on the little ones who were too young to be left alone.
Her heart was with the people here; they truly were one large family.
But her head? Her dreams? They whisked her away here, to the space where her fingertips could freely dance across her lyre. To the space where her voice could be carried by a wind that regarded her and the songbird as one in the same: free to sing, free to live, and free to be carried away from here.
Chords were struck by calloused fingertips as Marielle settled in the shelter of the trees.
“Maybe someday, maybe someday
I’ll find a way I could get to roam free”
Her lyre was carved from a maple that grew alongside Marielle on the Castor’s land. After an incident with little Lykos that broke her old lyre (a gift from Mr. Alder), her father helped her carve a new one. The joy of its completion overwhelmed Marielle so much that she spent the rest of the day playing music on it–her remaining chores neglected until sundown. But her parents couldn’t be upset: with a passion and a musical talent like Marielle’s, why would they stifle it?
She deserved to grow.
“Or at least maybe someday, maybe someday
I’ll find a way to climb the tallest highest tree”
She deserved to soar.
“That could be me”
But how could she leave the family of her whole hometown? Who would take care of the kids? Who would help her parents with the harvest?
As much as she wanted to be a bard, dreams could wait for now…
… But her whole hometown family thought otherwise.
As Marielle grew, so did her desire for music, for dance, for stories. Her skill, like Venterre’s harvests, were never lacking; she became the one leading the musical celebrations of their festivals. (Especially their harvest festivals, the highlight of every year.) The whole town recognized the talent and wanderlust in Marielle. They saw the song of Marielle as a beacon of a gift, a blessing that they were the first to share as her songs helped breathe life and joy into their town (especially the children). They saw the desires of their fledgeling Marielle to fly, to soar, to go beyond the borders of Venterre. She would sing from the rooftops if that’s what it took for her to succeed.
But like some fledgelings, Marielle needed a little push to learn how to fly.
“Go. Go to Vesuvia. Become the bard you dream of being,” the whole town seemed to cry. “We will be alright. We want to see you grow, succeed, and be the person you dream of becoming.
“You can’t become the bard you dream to be by staying here.”
They encouraged Marielle, just like they would for any of the other children of the town.
So Marielle, though reluctant at first, took the chance to soar.
The city of Vesuvia, Venterre’s closest neighbor, was blessed to be the first recipients of Venterre’s harvests. This year, Vesuvia had the honour of receiving the harvest of a town’s cultivation of one girl’s musical talent and golden heart: Marielle Castor.
Day 24 of The Arcana Inktober: Favourite Familiar in Human form!
Obviously, my favourite familiar is Faust~ The most affectionate girlie and most involved snake~ When it came to designing Faust, the one (1) thing that I KNEW I wanted for her human design was a long bubble braid to emanate the snake vibe and match the pattern on her scales that has the connected oval energy. There’s lots of circles and pearls in her accessories and hair ties to also tie in those snake patterns~
You can barely see her outfit, but I was taking inspiration from Asra and his parents Aisha and Salim. Human Faust has a scarf wrapped around her waist and a shirt with a v neck that would button up to the collar. I settled on pink to compliment her red eyes, and of course, I drew her in the palace garden since that’s definitely one of her favourite places to hang out~
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Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7
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I’ve talked before about how Marielle was left completely alone during the time of The Red Plague: Asra had left, so many around her died, and eventually, Marielle would die of the plague herself as well.
Marielle, with her heart of gold, was desperate to help those around her and became the plague doctor Julian’s apprentice after Asra left. The magic shop where she lived soon became the base of her research. The days passed, the books piled high, the candles burned, and yet… The exhausted Marielle came no closer to finding a cure. She slowly lost hope as well as many friends during this time, pushing through with only the thought of being able to see Asra again if she could just find a cure.
And she would… someday in a future she couldn’t imagine.
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Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Proverbs 31:30 NIV
Here’s Day 22 of The Arcana Inktober: Favourite Courtier!
Of all the villainous and vile courtiers in The Arcana, Volta is definitely my favourite. She’s the least of a threat of the court, but also the most precious because she’s just sooooo hungry~ She is the most docile and precious of the court, especially in comparison to Volgura who is insistent on bloodlust, but let’s nooooot forget that Volta is indeed the one responsible for many of the starving civilians in Vesuvia. Alas, I do appreciate that she gets on Nadia’s good side after helping reveal the court’s plot against her in Nadia’s route.
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“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."
John 10:11
If you were a card, what card would you be? I assigned cards to my apprentice Marielle, starr.masterr’s (on Insta) royal guard Fabian, and LunarNightmare’s (on YT!) dancer Lavinia based purely on vibes alone. Marielle, of course, gets two: the ace of hearts representing her golden-hearted nature and her shared heart with Asra aaand the Joker for her being The Fool. Fabian, as a royal guard and a master tactician, gets the King of Spades. I decided I hated the design of the card halfway through, and I’m glad I redid it~ Aaand Lavinia, our ice magic specialist and elegant dancer, gets the Queen of Diamonds~
And no, I have no clue what card game they’re playing. What would you play with playing cards like these~?
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So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV
This is a redraw of a drawing I did in 2019 as a celebration of the upright and reversed endings of Asra’s route being released!
This drawing specifically is a scene from Asra’s upright ending, where my apprentice Marielle and Asra got to cuddle up and sleep outside while traveling~ Asra didn’t want to put up the tent so that they could stargaze, resulting in the two nestled in the open field together without any cover—not that they needed it in the warm Vesuvia nights. Their trip was a well-deserved vacation after saving the world. Marielle’s very cuddly, which is perfect for Asra’s (and Faust’s) love for physical affection~ They’d definitely always be cuddling or holding hands as they go along together!
(Thanks to mad.juno who was on Insta and is lost to time now for the prompt list! I'm almost done with it!!!)
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If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9 NIV
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Here is Day 17 of The Arcana Inktober: Marielle's Favourite Hobby✨
Long before Marielle ever took charge of the magic shop, her dream was to be a bard. She wanted to sing stories of life, of love, of victory to all who would hear. It was the whole reason she came to Vesuvia from her hometown, actually: there would be more opportunity for her to make a name for herself in the bustling city of Vesuvia than the quiet pastures of Venterre. Everyone in her town knew this, and thanks to their encouragement, Marielle left for Vesuvia. She and Asra met while she was performing her songs on the streets.
These days, though, that dream is one forgetten as Marielle heads her aunt's magic shop with Asra by her side. Every now and then, though, the familiar lyre finds its way to her hands, and she can't help but sing another song to its music.
(Thanks to mad.juno who was on Insta and is lost to time now for the prompt list)
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For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12 NIV
Imagine this: you just started your career as a royal guard in Vesuvia. Unfortunately, it's during the time of the red plague. Hundreds of people die everyday, and all you can do is shepherd them to their deaths on a remote island. One day, a plague doctor's apprentice leaves the palace at the same time as you, and since living company has been so scarce, you accompany her back to her home at a magic shop. In exchange for the company in such trying times, she heals your wounds.
Marielle was so tired during the time of the plague. It was a bleak time of hopelessness for her after losing her aunt and Asra, who ran off. Fabian (belonging to starr.masterr on IG!) could say the same, his heart breaking over everyone he could never help. But for this moment, they had each other. And maybe it was all worth it for one more smile.
(Thanks to mad.juno who was on Insta and is lost to time now for the prompt list)