#sofiaflores:interactions

the eerie colors of the dusk court’s skies made the perfect backdrop for a halloween celebration. it was not a holiday close to heart back in the spring court, but sofia had to admit that the darkness of the celebration was quite enticing. any celebration which involved costumes and masks was an opportunity to hide behind an alter persona and discover secrets that the celebratory drinks might reveal. the darkness of the dusky skies provided enough opportunities to hide in the shadows and limit her visibility when hiding was not an option.

she stepped into the gardens of the palace, doing her utmost to withhold a scoff at the thought of how bland they looked compared to the spring court’s. the thought of home brought back a wave of desperation. she was not one to feel homesick but the uncertainties and unexpected events made her long to be back in their court. the candle that she held in her hands was meant to be lit in celebration, yet a part of her hoped that the mother would mistake it for an offering to restore the world back to how it was meant to be. there was a bank of information she had to discover in this new court, one she never even imagined she would ever have to, and with so many people around it was always challenging to filter real information from mere gossip.

she stepped forward in the dim light of the twinkling fairy lights, unlit candle held between her lithe fingers, and reached out to tilt the candle over to another burning one’s wick. it seemed like someone had the same idea as her, as they both aimed for the same candle at the same time. “ pardon me. go ahead, i will light mine up after you.”

@ofcourtfablesarchive

sitting outside the castle, her body huddled up in a warm blanket by the fire as she fought the dusk chill, was the most relaxed sofia had felt in weeks. the feeling of her powers running through her veins filled her with a glimmer of hope that she had long given up on. there was work to be done to figure a way out, but for tonight she was willing to let the dancing flames in front of her ease her nerves even if temporarily. she'd felt the light breeze in the air that motivated the flame's movements, gladly remembering that she could control it again if she wanted to. but not tonight. she had already spent her energy confirming that her powers were truly back already. "it is nice, is it not? the feeling that things are somewhat going back to normal?" no one else needed to know about the doubts in her heads, the cynicism about the whole thing, and tonight she wanted to avoid that too if she could help it.

their time in the dusk court was dragging on infinitely, and the prospect of not knowing when the barrier would fall and allow them out was starting to drive her mad. there was no information, none that she had managed to gather at least despite her best efforts. rumors from fae were not reliable but she knew to appreciate the hearsay and follow it up. some hearsay was based on hints of truths, she had learnt through the years, and at this point she had nothing to go on. sofia had stationed herself in a nook, acting like she was lost in her reading although her mind was busy coming up with plans to try and find out more. the approaching footsteps caught her attention, her eyes peeling away from the pages up towards the sound way before they approached her. "did i steal your hideaway place? i would apologize but no one has found me in hours and that was exactly my goal for the day."

with the return of their powers came a glimmer of hope that things could somehow go back to normal. even though their new normal would involve a previously hidden court, a second mother, and a million questions that were left unanswered. although the feeling of helplessness did not drain out completely despite the return of their dear abilities. she'd heard mentions of fae attempting to winnow out of the dusk court with no success, the feat leaving them drained of energy. if winnowing out of her was not an option, she knew that transforming into her crow form and flying away would be a futile attempt. besides, the most important fae of her court were here - she needed to be around with them. "this is absurd," she muttered to herself as she pealed her eyes away from the skies she was so close to convincing herself to fly into, her eyes immediately noticing the shadow in the room. she had let her thoughts block her senses, something she never allowed herself to do. what was this place turning her into? "i didn't see you there. sorry. i was just talking to myself."

there were rolls of new fabric that she had purchased during the feast now lying in her room, waiting to be used. with the crispier weather in the solar courts, she knew she needed something thicker than her spring court clothes in her wardrobe. there was no knowing how long they would be here and she could not be caught out. sofia was always prepared for the eventualities and this was something she knew exactly who to approach to sort out. "just the one i was looking for," she announced as she approached sienna with a beaming smile. "i have a request for you."

the costumes, the decoration, the festive feeling in the air. it all felt as though some were trying too hard to shift their focus onto a celebration rather than figure out what wicked game the mother was playing with them. some saw this as an act of goodwill from the fae of the dusk court, who accepted strangers they never met into their home. sofia, on the other hand, could not help but be cautious around them. and there was one particular fae of the dusk court she had set her eyes on, knowing that he was one to watch. tanvir.

there had been not even the slightest sliver of doubt that he occupied a role similar to hers in this court. the uncanny similarities in his behavior, the way he composed himself, it was all too familiar. it was a mirror of her own behaviors. deep down she knew that he probably suspected the same of her. it took one to know one after all. and yet since their paths first crossed on her arrival to this mysterious court, they both played innocent. a game she was more than willing to keep going at until one of them caved. "what a pleasant evening it is proving to be," she remarked as she approached him with an innocent smile. "were you about to get your fortunes told? some do like to tempt fate by uncovering what it holds in store." her head tilted to the left, motioning towards the fortune teller's stand which was right next to them. the crystal ball was nothing but a gimmick, she had no doubt about that. surely no crystal ball could have ever predicted the predicament they had all found themselves in.