#grinmalkyn

The presence at his back is subtle, something easily missed to those without the keen perception honed from sleeping with one eye open for most of your life. Thankfully, he has such skills. It'll take more than some lurking to get past his radar. And, in truth, he's been expecting it. It's rather overdue, in his opinion.

"If you're going to linger, you might as well come and sit down." He moves to the tea station he has permanently set up in his office, busies himself for a moment with selecting an appropriate blend. It's an opportunity for the young man to make his decision - to join him, to flee, or, perhaps, even to attack him again.

That would, of course, be an error on his part. Sigewinne isn't lurking around the corner to intervene this time.

the aroma of the tea reached her senses, and she breathed it in. as the door opened, her eyes followed suit, spotting lyney, one of her most favored children, the one she had been eagerly anticipating.

'there you are, lyney,' she greeted, her voice warm. 'i was starting to worry i'd have to enjoy my tea alone—and cold.'

she didn't want him to feel bad for being a bit late; there surely were reasons for his delay.

@grinmalkyn ⠀ :: ⠀ well... at least i’m not dead. ⠀⠀ / ⠀⠀ as said by fenris .

⠀⠀ if anything, the boy's ability to look at the bright side of a situation is to be commended — though it isn't something he should rely on. ⠀ “ you are — for now. ” ⠀ the voice of clorinde is as steady as always. a sound that chills some down to their bones, especially since no hint of emotion could be detected within it. don't look at it as something personal — it's her default setting as she conducts her work & takes on the role of another.

⠀​​​​​​​⠀ still, she's not a heartless creature — even if some may paint her as such. it's efficiency that she prides herself in. an exasperated sigh escapes the champion duelist & her fingers tread through the strands of her thick hair. ⠀ “ word of advice: keep out of the warden's sight for the time-being. i won't always be there to bail you out. ” ⠀ not only that, but she fears that the next time she is inevitably called to the fortress of meropide, the duke will find one way or another to share a cup of tea with her.

botanical headcanons | @grinmalkyn

acanthus: is your muse deceptive ,   or willing to lie or deceive to achieve certain means ?   why or why not ?

not... exactly. c.yno prides himself on his honesty and won't outright lie to achieve anything, even if the intentions behind it are for good. however, deception is something he considers different. again, whilst he won't outright lie as part of a deception, he's not against withholding certain information or playing a part in order to achieve a goal - but only if it serves a good purpose & isn't being used selfishly.

as for the why: that's just who he is at his core. he values honesty in others and so values it in himself. he's never felt the need to lie to get what he needs. he knows he has to set a standard as the general mahamatra, too, which definitely plays a part in how he handles his actions.

holly: how strong is your muse’s sense of intuition ?  are they aware of it ?   do they ever fear that it is only paranoia ?  

Closed starter for @grinmalkyn

The fairytales buried at the bottom of his drawers ironically only see the light of day at night. Freminet likes reading them in the relative safety of his own room where the chances of others barging in are low. But on nights where he is particularly restless, even stories fail to ease him into slumber.

So he takes to wandering around the halls of the Hearth. There is a quiet sort of magic to ordinary things at a time like this: How softly the rain pitter patters outside, the shadows of the lamp lights dance and flicker in a language only they can understand.

His favourite are nights like these, where the skies are a clear satin black and the stars wink back at him from their perch above. Freminet likes curling up by the comfortable chairs beside the window and count them one by one until sleep reaches for him.

i want to be more than what i am. (harbinger lyney perhaps)

⸤ 🌌 ⸣ ⸎ @grinmalkyn . ✩ aspirational "i want" prompts / accepting ﹗

the director regarded the young harbinger. it wasn't a surprise this wish came out, it was rather a frequent one that every one of his agents had expressed desire for.

"and what is it you want to be?" he asked with a curious tilt of his head.

For someone raised amongst endless dunes of sand, Fontaine is... very different. It's not just the vast stretches of water - there's a crispness to the air here, and a dampness that's so foreign to him. The closest thing he can compare it to is the humidity in certain areas of Sumeru's forests and jungles, but it's not the same. The cities, too, are far removed from what he is used to; the architecture and design unlike anything he's seen in his homeland. Kaveh, he muses, would love it here.

He's not here for the architecture, of course. No, his motivation for traversing regions is as it often is: he's seeking a rare Genius Invokation TCG card back, sold only in stores in Fontaine.

A gathering on the street catches his attention and, curiosity peaked, he wanders over to see what has drawn such a crowd. He weaves through the people until he is able to get a clear view, and finds himself witnessing what can only be a display of street magic. He watches as the magician - a young man in striking attire - finishes a card trick with a flourish, taking a bow as the gathered crowd applauds.