touchtheflames·:
Almost one could stop Ember once she put her mind to something with the exception being Adare and Cobalt. Adare held that ability with his position as her king - his word was law and she followed it as it had been ingrained in her since a child. She had been trained to never question, to only follow and that teaching was strengthened by the treason of her parents. With her bloodline, everyone expected her to prove them right and show disloyalty.Â
Meanwhile, Cobalt held that ability with his position as her closest friend and partner. No one knew her like Cobalt did. He alone knew everything about her - every thought, every desire, every pain, every shame - and he stuck by her nonetheless. She could front to everyone but him and for that alone, he had the ability to reason with her, to talk her down.Â
Ember pouted slightly as Oleander poked her but she rolled off the archfey. She immediately mourned the loss of the feeling of Oleanderâs body against hers but she stood. Dark hair tumbling down her bare back, Ember stood in front of her in her underwear with no humility or embarrassment. She leaned against Oleanderâs desk with the casual air of someone who hadnât just exploded out of the fire.
âIâll accept that drink and the robe. I learned early to never refuse a gift from you.â Despite flashing an incorrigible white-toothed smile, something hardened slightly in her eyes at the question before it flitted away. Oleander never pried, never pushed but Ember found herself wanting to admit her actions. âDo you remember Blossom? One of Garnetâs friends?â Despite the years that had passed, Ember still pictured the bully as a blond wisp of a girl with a cruelty streak that would impressed Rowan.Â
â.. Nasty little thing, wasnât she,â Oleander said over her shoulder, back turned to Ember as she got out a silk robe from an intricately carved chest. Blossom. Sheâd seen things, heard some; had stepped in where she could â rivalries werenât uncommon in the Golden Court, most looking for their time in the light, but some could get more fraught at the edges. Some were cruel for crueltyâs sake; rivalry becoming a bloodsport.
Blossom had always tended towards the latter. Did she still play her games, even now?Â
She held the robe out for the Guardian to take, doe-eyes taking her in. Where had Ember been? âBlossom,â she finally said, as if to actually say Yes. Tell me.








