loyalty divide

i have no idea who that is ... the harsh words of the other reach the high lord, and he remains relaxed. zhōu hàoyǔ gives him the space to say what he needs, listening not just to the words that were chosen, but how they were said and the posture the other took. "may we introduce you?" they ask, as they turn as the large white dragon who lands silently, her wings folding against her back as she lowers herself down to better see the newest occupant of the dusk court. "this is tianyu, she is my soul occupying another's form --" they place their hand to their chest. "we are called zhōu hàoyǔ, we are the one who has been blessed with being the one who carries a piece of tianyu, as we are not worthy of her." the white dragon huffed, her breath warm. she didn't want the formalities, she wanted to learn of the strangers. "we cannot give you everything you are looking for. we can give you and yours lodgings, food and time to settle while all try to find answers -- as we are as surprised as you all are."

now, his mind could hardly hide itself away from the other man, embedded deep within his soul. they were partnered to a mated pair of dragons, after all, and baishe never missed an opportunity to tease or mock his rider about it. to laugh within his mind and croon about how his bond with tianyu was divine providence, and thus, any relationship that could come of jian-and-haoyu would be considered the same. " - prideful thing," he murmurs to the preening black dragon, prancing on his claws as he makes his way to roll his scaled hide along tianyu's own.

the naked affection blinds him, and causes him to swallow hard, nearly missing what his high lord has to say. or offer, he corrects internally, as he looks down to the amulet resting in his palm. power radiates from it, unmistakable, and the guard is quick to bow his head and accept it with both hands: "thank you, lord. the last amulet served me well, i will make proper use of this one, too." for he only traveled as far as the high lord did, being that he was their guard. "i regret that my attentions have been excessive, and will continue to be for some time. with all the new visitors and traveling we do, i have found i must... adapt to many more situations than before."

zhèng jian had been raised to serve another despite zhōu hàoyǔ's strength in magic. they understood that he had been a strange child, one that was more taken with the mystical and magical than with the practical. they had loved nothing more than slipping into the building their parents had built for them so they could experiment and practice without being a danger to others. even when they had began their own rigorous study - he did not begin to form alliances and friendships easily. in that way, he struggled to adapt and delegate to those who were experts in their own ways. yet after the death of his parents, his ascension came and what he aspired to be started to become true.

the night that they became high liege, they sought out zhèng jian and offered for them to serve the one they had been raised for, as zhōu hàoyǔ would not wish for them to be unhappy. yet, his guard refused -- and now where the high lord goes, he knows that his guard will be close. then, he bonded with the rare white dragon, one who was seen rarely and often was thought to bring good tidings and luck when she was spotted. tianyu helped them navigate their grief and soothed them as they tried and failed to help the twins mend their relationship.

they tried to be kind to the guard, perhaps not as kind and affectionate as tianyu was to baishe, but they took time to make them amulets, talismans and bespelled jewelry imbued with their own energy and prayers ... though zhōu hàoyǔ wouldn't speak to the fact that they had prayed as well... he normally only gave those gifts to his brothers and sister. for those of his court and those that sought him out, he would provide prayers but never energy. never his own magic. for zhèng jian, they received all three.

"we were not reprimanding you - we were acknowledging that even now - despite everything - you do your job nobly and ... with a bit of mother hen energy." they speak in plural tenses due to their deep connection with tianyu, she is he, and they are them. their tone is light and teasing, with soft and warm eyes. "tianyu shares with us that you are worried, and we know that you will continue to be at our side while we welcome our brethren. we are sorry that we have not been able to fly as freely as we have. we miss flying high to see the stars... that is what the amulet is for - for when we are able to be among the stars again."

the word choice cereus had used was purposeful. she served with love, the high lady sera... whom she would fondly call mistress and high lady... but sarai had more recently become my lady when cereus spoke of her and wished to gain her attention. within night, both sera and sarai had been outcasts upon their arrival, sarai knowing sera and serving her with dedication -- but having her own battles to fight among the ladies and lords of the night court who did not look kindly upon the dawn outsiders.

"my lady sarai," she said firmly, accepting sarai's wish to be called by name but refusing to diminish the standing that sarai deserved as the high lady's lady-in-waiting. "i am all right - i awoke indecently and had to cover with a curtain but i found a set of leathers that will do for now until i can find a dress to cover them." she gave an unladylike shrug. here without the eyes of the night and other courts upon her, she could be freer.

There had been a time when nyx too had been unashamed of her own nudity, human trivialities they had been called, but a lifetime of physical pain amongst her scars made her shy about the reality of her skin. "preferably, both would be wonderful," she manages to laugh, the situation was dire but the way they had been shove into it had quite the hint of amusement, and it was better for her to cry than to become anger. where they stood, in that strange court of legends, she could not afford to be angry it was entirily better for them to underestimate her than to see her a threat. "i do not think many would complain either way, but i would much rather be clothed. i wills settle for anything but this curtain, but i would give away my riches for a fine pair of fighting leathers. there is a matching curtain to this, if you would like to settle for that." she laughs again, shacking her head at her own joke.

she laughed; she enjoyed nyx' company and found that she could lower her own strict standards that she kept herself to, as nyx would understand that she was still herself. "a dagger and clothes... i think we have found our first to-do," she said. "i will accept the curtain, we could tell those who live here that this is the fashion that we have established for ourselves and perhaps start our own trend." she walked to the room nyx had left, so she could tear down the curtain and drape it over her shoulders. "when you were sent on your rite, did you have your fighting leathers? my sisters left me a pair that was too small..." she tightened the knot she had tied. "they thought it was funny -- do you think someone is watching us and laughing?"

"for my lady, and the high lady we serve," cereus elaborated before the other woman thought that she had a gaggle of children waiting for her. while she served the night court as a whole and remained loyal to them, it was to high lady seraphina that she had dedicated herself to and served alongside with the protective air of a momma bear after winter hibernation. yet there was one that she named before seraphina.

she considered the woman's words and then extended her wings so they could be seen at their fullest. cereus was proud of them, tended to them with love and reverence as they allowed her to take flight. "my name is cereus veneziana, i am a carynthian warrior from the war-band named thornridge... i left my camp to serve the night court, which is why i'm here before you now... if i tell you about my home and myself -- would you tell me what you're comfortable telling me about yourself and here?" she asked, as she folded her wings against her back again.

Her eyes narrow at the stranger, however she cannot help for her smile to remain at his words, if only he knew that she had the most wild of imaginations, if not he should ask her siblings who she had endlessly annoyed with her mind for years to no end. "something tells me that if you are indeed a part of my imagination, the simplicity ends in the physicals aspect, you might be as a wild card as i am."

she does however take a few steps closer to him allowing him to close the distance between them, his logic was not entirily wrong, "go on then, are we real?" but without warning she reaches over and pinches him instead. "well, did that hurt?"

"'m not! i'm an open book! like an open blank book that's waiting to be written in - or a book of cooking recipes where people doodle in the margins and then be like don't add butter, ethel, add oil and then there's another note underneath that's like aster, you old fool, you don't add oil - you add butter because --"

she pinches him, and he yelps, his rambling cut short before he could reveal ethel's secret. "so, you're real ... because that hurt -- and i'm real because you hurt me - so we're both real..." he looks around and frowns. "so this is real too then, huh? all right ... could be worse. imagine if we ended up on a cliff and the only way down was to jump in the ocean full of hungry sharks. so .. no sharks. no cliffs... all the reality that we need -- bet we could figure more out if we could get someone from here drunk."

@merxxki

soro knew that he was either very good at his job or he was failing miserably. he had no air of mystery around him, just an aura of playfulness and gaiety. he had befriended aoife by accident and realized quickly that there were things that he shouldn't know about her - if he wanted to keep their friendship as it was, he wasn't going to pry. he was going to purposefully keep himself stupid and blind. she greeted him with such affection; he swung his lute so it's behind him so he can wrap his arms around her and sweep her into a hug, spinning her in a circle. "so many pillows - and we can test out all of the things that look sweet." though even as he said that, he felt his stomach roll in discomfort. he couldn't easily eat what he didn't see being made or from people he didn't trust. still, he couldn't let aoife see that. "c'mon, let's tackle the food first and try to find the best room with the best view."

𝐈t was a dreamless slumber, the kind most laborers wished for and caelia abhorred. her shoulder ached, something hard digging into the soft flesh beneath the fabric of her dress. a rock, she realized, as the chirp of evening birds came into focus. perhaps it was her fault for making a habit of venturing about gaea so late into the night. except, the river that so reminded her of home was missing, and the air felt… heavy, charred. she remembered then the events of the evening. her father’s leather-bound book, a favorite of the late high lord, clutched in deft hands. she had slowly moved about her chambers as she leafed through its pages, an outpouring of resentment having prevented her from doing so sooner. a chapter on the seasonal courts, no more thorough a telling than other historical recitations, followed by the whoosh of something floating to the floor. the seal of the high lord glared up at her, pressed firmly to an aged envelope. reeling, she had stolen into the night to read her father’s words…

the scratch of paper tucked against her bosom returned her to the present. she needed to speak with julian, urgently. but first.

"hence the use of the pole," he said with an air of exasperation. no one respected the use of a pole when it came to traversing the wilds, no - they'd rather go with swords bared and feet boldly going into the nearest trap. "if you were dead, you wouldn't have felt it. if you awoke, which you are - then you're welcome. imagine had i shook you awake, you could be armed." he tapped his eyepatch with one finger. "i have learned from my mistakes."

in truth, despite having been a ranger for the court of spring, taking to the wilds as little better than an outlander, preferring the company of only himself than the politics of the court, he did not want to be alone in this strange landscape. the threats of spring and the capital were commonplace, he could understand them and knew how to avoid them (or seek them out). here -- he could only hope that the utilization of the pole is helpful.

he doesn't offer her hand to help her up. he does not reach for others. only for narcissa will he give the occasional kiss to the crown of her head and if he touches anyone it's with a feeling of disgust that he can feel to his bones. "we are not in summer, spring, fall or winter - nor do i think that we are in day, dawn or night -- that leaves us one very good guess... and a host of other questions. Can you walk or do you need me to fetch someone and send them back for you?"

vaati woke up in a tree ... stomach splayed over a branch with his head hanging down, long platinum white hair tangling in a bush below him. he felt that his eye patch had shifted before he even opened his eyes. due to his position, he had a throbbing headache, and could not easily free himself gracefully, so he pulled himself forward and let himself fall, hitting the ground with a pained oof. "tree," he gasped out, as he looked skyward, taking in the twilight sky. he felt his face, the eye patch had fallen onto the ground. he covered his bad eye with one hand. "i think we tracked too well and got ourselves caught up in a mess," he said, wrenching his hair free from the bush that it had been tangled in. "help me find my eyepatch, would you?"

“  as  is  my  skill.  ”  prior  to  his  position  on  his  brother’s  inner  circle,  luka  was  a  hellion.  getting  another  pregnant  wouldn’t  have  been  a  surprise  then,  and  yet,  he  had  not.  now  the  spring  lord  tended  to  be  a  bit  more  behaved,  but  for  all  his  precautions,  the  mother  wished  to  gift  him  with  a  child  none  the  less.  were  he  more  subdued,  a  more  obedient  brother,  he  might  not  mind  wedding  isuel  and  raising  their  child,  but  luka  didn’t  want  to.  his  desires  seemed  the  least  of  anyone’s  concerns,  and  yet,  he  was  still  trying  to  figure  out  a  solution,  to  figure  out  something.  “  my  child  will  not  be  a  pawn.  ”  he  nearly  growls,  and  then  takes  a  deep  breath  to  stop  himself  from  letting  his  anger  flare.  he’s  never  been  the  best  at  managing  his  emotions  around  his  family,  they  saw  too  much.  a  heavy  sigh  is  next  to  follow,  the  string  of  his  younger  brother’s  thoughts  ones  he  decides  to  write  off  as  not  the  course  of  action.

vaati’s  continuing  only  manages  to  stress  luka  out  more,  and  his  grip  slips  another  hair.  he’s  trying  his  best  not  to  stress,  but  all  the  things  his  brother  says  only  pull  more  of  his  emotions  out.  it’s  not  a  good  recipe.  “  please  stop  speaking  of  her  life  being  shortened,  brother,  i  beg  of  you.  ”  he  finally  manages.  he’s  already  concerned  as  to  how  her  brother  feels  of  it,  knowing  little  of  the  autumn  high  lord.  and  then  he  finally  looks  up,  spotting  his  brother’s  gaze  and  groaning  for  it.  he  doesn’t  even  speak,  just  stops  replying.

but  then  vaati  continues,  and  the  questions..  they  aren’t  ones  he  has  an  answer  to.  he  and  isuel  were  getting  along  fine,  he  worried  for  her  and  their  child,  and  he  didn’t  wish  for  anything  bad  to  happen.  he  also  didn’t  wish  to  force  her  into  living  in  spring,  or  wedding  him.  what  were  his  emotions  towards  the  lady  ?  “  i  don’t  know  how  i  feel  about  her.  ”  he  finally  admits.  “  i’m  wound  up  because  you  wanted  me  to  be.  ”  accuses  he,  even  if  he  knows  that  he  was  easy  to  bait  right  now.

he  shakes  his  head  when  vaati  mentions  the  child  in  spring,  terrified  that  the  court  could  darken  the  child  as  it  had  all  of  them.  narcissa  may  seem  bright,  but  even  she  had  her  demons.  he  wanted  his  child  to  live  a  life  differently  than  they  all  had.  but  then  a  demand  that  causes  his  head  to  snap  towards  his  brother  once  more.  “  yes,  vaati,  we  are  protecting  the  mother  !  ”  luka  doesn’t  mean  for  his  voice  to  raise,  but  the  pressure  he  feels  is  just  too  much.  his  stress  isn’t  meant  for  his  younger  brother,  but  the  questions  and  thoughts  only  made  his  mind  louder.

"of course, you've always had luck with your romantic partners. how you haven't found yourself in this position before has been a matter of luck or the use of a clever tea. i had thought that you were infertile -- it bodes well for our family line that you aren't." he knows that he shouldn't tease luka, but in this situation, he feels as though there are too many chances that he can't pass up. luka has gotten himself into this position, and vaati is waiting to hear what is expected of him, as vaati places little value in the lives of others unless he's told to. if people could hear the secret thoughts of others -- the value of life would be worse than that of a penny in the hands of goldsmith ...

he shakes his head. "your child will be a pawn. autumn court. spring court. another court -- your child will be used as a piece to be moved about, if not by you or your lady - then by your family - or by a high priestess. that child will be used - and it is up to you and the mother to determine how you can protect the child - since that is what it seems like you are determined to do. it's a noble effort, if all parents had the same love for their unborn, we may never have another war." the languid grace that he rises from the chair speaks to a stalking predator instead of the silent owl that he can shift into. his one-eyed gaze locks hard to his brother's face, as he nears him.

"i'm asking you the questions you've been asking yourself. the questions she's asked. emilios has asked. if you wanted comfort, you go to narcissa. if you want your lord's command, you go to emilios. i'm the one you come to when you are waiting to hear something you already know and haven't voiced out loud. you love her. you don't love her. you could love her. you may never love her. the child will be born regardless of love, and it will connect you to her for the rest of your life."

his brother snaps at him, and vaati then reaches for him. vaati rarely touches his siblings -- he rarely touches anyone. there are whispers that he has never enjoyed the intimate touch of another, that he has spurned the affection that can come from another's body. yet here and now, luka gives him the only answer that vaati needed, and vaati's hand came to rest on the back of luka's neck as he rested his forehead against his brother's. "all right, luka --" he says finally. "we will protect the mother and the child. spring court or autumn, it makes no difference to me. you say the child will be born, you say the child is family and by extension - so is the mother - we will do better for the child, yes? i will ... grow used to this lady of yours. even if she remains a friend of yours when all is said and done. -- be at ease for now, celebrate the life you have created, accidentally or not - the mother has blessed you for a reason. she must see something in you that you do not."

His words warm her more than any cloak can, it was rare for the acheson siblings to expressed their feelings openly, a trait they had picked up from their father. but they showed up when it mattered, no acheson left behind, it had always been a rule they followed without needed to speak of it. she relishes in the warmth the cloak brings her glad to be covered once more. although the warm kiss of the dusk sun had been nice on her skin. "and luka? have you seen our brother too?" he spoke of emilios, which meant he was accounted for, but she needed to know luka too was well. "i can walk," her body shakes one more from the violence of her caught, "no amount of rushing will prevent me from being bed ridden once i get there brother, no difference shall any small or long time make." she says with sadness, yet there is small smile on her face as she is resigned to her faith with that weak body of hers.

"i have seen emilios, i have not yet found our wandering second nor his lady." because now that vaati knows that the protection he grants to his family is to be extended to lady iseul and the child she carries, the woman is now included in his search -- how many pregnant high fae could there be ? by the mother, he hopes not many. "you were the one emilios and i needed to find first. luka can take care of himself until we can lay eyes on him -- and we will find him."

his one-eyed gaze darkens as she coughs. he wraps an arm around her shoulder, so they may walk together towards the first place that appears to be warm and inviting enough to take in the chilled sister of spring. his idea of sleeping outside and taking care of what he needs to there is not to be borne, as he has narcissa to tend to. "i can find a healer for you. the quicker your recovery, the easier it will be for you. you know emilios and luka will worry if you become sick outside of our home --" as if they wouldn't if she were still in their home within spring.

thankfully  reila  had  found  a  dress  in  the  room  she’d  awoken,  and  forced  preston  to  assist  her  in  putting  it  on.  otherwise,  the  lady  wouldn’t  be  caught  dead  outside  of  the  space.  she  refused  to  walk  in  her  nightgown.  she  still  desired  to  find  her  siblings,  but  would  be  remiss  if  she  passed  a  chance  to  speak  to  the  younger  spring  lord.  his  greeting  pushes  a  slight  chuckle  from  her  lips,  and  she  wonders  if  this  will  be  the  only  way  they  run  into  one  another.  it  wasn’t  so  bad,  she  enjoyed  gardens.  that  which  was  found  in  dusk  was  a  stark  difference  to  those  in  spring,  but  she  wasn’t  hating  it.  “  it  might  have  been  mentioned  a  time  or  two.  ”  admits  she.  normally  her  interactions  were  by  design,  but  this  was  entirely  by  chance.  “  my  question  aligns  less  with  what  you  are  doing,  and  where  you  plan  on  making  your  mixtures.  i’ve  yet  to  understand  any  of  this  town  or  palace.  ”  she  agrees,  there  was  no  telling  if  these  people  were  their  friends  or  not.

the first time could be coincidence and the second time luck - he isn't sure what the mother's goal is if he has a conversation with reila for a third time in a garden. normally, he does engage with anyone outside of his immediate family unless it is about selling the weapons he's crafted or the potions he's made. to talk to reila takes an effort he's not used to, as he has to mind how he speaks. his brisk frankness could be taken as rude, and he has to remember that while he may be the third son and fourth child, he is still an acheson.

vaati changes his position so he's able to see her properly, despite leaving his blind side open to an attack, he prefers to be able to see the people that he's talking to. "honestly, i had thought about being a bully and telling someone that i was going to use their home for my needs -- and then i thought about how it would look for my siblings who will need the grace and goodwill of others, so I'm going to barter. many of what i'm going to make requires nothing more than a pot, fire, something to stir it with and vials. i can get those -- it wouldn't be the first time i've slept by a fire in the outdoors."

as he stood outside, he held the bookmark out, watching as the swirling designs moved through his head. it took a moment until he realized that they guided him along the path of the cobblestone rocks. he stopped at an inn, the kind that felt comforting just by looking at it. walking inside, damon couldn't help but chuckle as eyes drew to him when he pushed the doors a little too hard. the bookmark itself had levels, indicating that it wasn't the end. as he continued following it, damon was more than interested in what zarek might have this time. his information was always helpful and damon needed something. he was losing it a little, not having any new information to play with, to use, to help improve the world and all its courts. knocking on the door, he pushed it open, leaning against the door frame. damon wasn't sure what their relationship was, but it was something he needed. nodding, he shut the door, and sat down, getting comfy in the chair. "not going to lie, really interested in what you've got tonight. that clue was pretty good. sent me on a beautiful walk, thank you."

zarek enjoyed damon's company and in his own way, he sought it out by having the spymaster come seek him out. the game that he used to play to see if damon could find him had turned into a game where he knew that damon would solve his little puzzle, and they would spend an enjoyable night with a bottle of wine and discussed their business over a game of chess or go. zarek hadn't allowed himself to have many friends since he left the winter court and made his way to the capital. the death of his mother and the inability of the soldiers she had trained and served besides to save her had soured him to any thought of finding brethren or kindred souls. for a time, he had been driven to destroy the winter court - all the courts. he wanted to tear apart each and every institution that profited off of the subjection of others - as he found the idea of high rulers to be repulsive.

he still did as a matter of fact, but the distance that his age gave, as well as his life within the capital that he built for himself and others meant that the desire had been tempered and worn away. he had grown used to the ache of grief - grown around it so he could trap its sharp edges and wear them down with time.

"i thought it would be interesting to see if the change in scenery would impact your ability to find me," he said, as he held up a bottle of wine that he had procured for the two of them -- and even found a game of go. "i'm glad to hear that you enjoyed your walk and still found me at the end of it. i'm flattered."

"i think it's a strange way to spend my time, and i haven't yet figured out the reason why i've been pulled into this mess, but as it isn't every person in the capital ..." he shrugged. "it is a strange thing, and not to mention the dragons which are the most obvious difference... this isn't home, not for any of us." he's lost the home field advantage that he spent so long cultivating. he had lived a comfortable life in the capital, not needing to worry about the high lords, ladies and lieges -- nor of what policies they were trying to enforce while they bickered and fought for power. now, in this place of perpetual twilight, he finds himself interested in the affairs of those in power because they have nothing and he wonders who will flounder and who will rise.

he chuckles when she apologizes. he finds her youthful energy refreshing and reminds him of the birds in the capital and the songs they'd bring him. "they do appear to be dragons; they have all the markings of the beasts our mothers used to tell us about -- though, none of them have stolen a damsel and locked her in a tower." a pause, his adopted mother enjoyed telling stories about damsels-in-distress. his mother told him of damsels befriending the dragons. "please - feel free to keep to keep speaking. you may find your train of thought and figure something out that you wouldn't have if you kept your thoughts to yourself."