✦ W Λ R B I D D E N ✦

a small, almost playful smile curling at the edges of her lips as she watched him, her eyes lingering on those wings with clear fascination as she took his response as an invitation to approach. "the good stuff, hmm?" she echoed, her voice taking on a sultry quality. "i might know a thing or two that'll be worth clearing out my duties for." she let the words hang in the air. she tilted her head slightly, eyes gleaming with curiosity. "but if you want enlightenment," her voice dipped lower, "you’ll have to give me something in return."

aurora had said to get to know their guests. but there would always be a boundary between them and the others. an inconvenient truth known as trust. or the lack thereof. vesparia understood that her court had not been tested in the same ways the other seven courts were tested together—tribulations that would allow them to form allies or even make enemies plain and clear. relations with the dusk court, however, presented a torturous limbo. unknown if they would be friend or foe until...something were to befall them. this was where the spy came in. taking pages from tanvir's books, it was ves' job to sow the seeds, but the uncertainty in the other's voice told her to not push too hard. so, slowly, almost methodically, she put on a mask and softened her gaze as she listened, her expression one of understanding. "trust comes slowly," she replied gently, her voice carrying a hint of warmth as if she were confiding in him. "you’re not the only one who finds it hard to let down their guard, especially when everything is…so different."

taking in a steadying breath, the spy composed herself, letting her verdant gaze flicker over the equally green garden, appreciating the blooms with an absent-minded air, before returning to ellie. "i also understand that feeling of uncertainty." the spy's tone remained soft, wiling the vulnerability she felt saturate her vowels, as though she were sharing a secret. "like the air carries whispers you can't quite catch. or, perhaps, those are the dragons' doing." she paused, letting the words settle, watching ellie for her reaction before offering a small laugh, light and melodious. "but you’re right about the flowers—they are beautiful, aren’t they? i think they’re meant to comfort those of us who feel out of place. unless, you've found a companion to pass the time." she said with a curious tilt of her head, eyes spying the book in ellie's hands. a silent question and an invitation to talk about it.

"just lyria," she corrected with a soft smile, a spark of something unspoken flickering in her eyes. titles were for formalities, for walls erected between strangers. but for this moment she would wear the mask of simplicity. slightly lowering her eyes, vesparia adjusted her posture, making sure lyria bore none of the exquisiteness and air of the upper class. "is it unpleasant, or just unfamiliar?" her voice carried a note of genuine curiosity, her head tilting ever so slightly as she regarded him. when the fae offered to help, ves glanced at the tomes cradled in her arms. "thank you, but i’m perfectly fine carrying these." her grip tightened slightly around one in particular, as if its weight was more than physical before she extended it towards him. "but, here’s one you might like." the dawn of twilight.

the book’s cover was unassuming, but the title hinted at layers beneath the surface. "a rather interesting read on the history we were brought up with." she added with a reassuring smile. the title wasn’t random, of course. vesparia, even behind her disguise, was nothing if not deliberate. "i hope..." her voice even shook just a little, flavouring her syllables with the innocence of a wish as she held out the title to him. "that if anything, it might help bridge the divide between our courts. that you can come to...understand us better and, in turn, we you."

the  edge  in  her  twin's  smile  appeared  once  more,  one  aurora  was  all  too  familiar  with.  the  sisters  wore  their  masks  well  before  others,  she  often  suspected  her  sister  hid  a  bit  more  form  her  twin.  there  was  a  deeper  hunger  within  vesparia,  that  surpassed  that  of  the  emissary.  perhaps  one  she  should  be  concerned  of,  they  might  be  same  in  age,  but  aurora  had  always  felt  a  bit  more  of  the  protective  sister  to  the  other.  two  sides  of  the  same  coin,  but  if  it  was  at  all  possible,  ves  held  a  notch  more  determination  than  that  of  her  twin.  determination  had  driven  the  emissary  to  her  role,  at  first  it  had  been  a  drive  instilled  by  their  parents  but  solely  it  had  fused  itself  into  hers.  a  taste  of  what  she  had  since  she  began  working  with  their  high  lord,  only  made  her  wish  to  continue.  "we  are  several  steps  closer,  ves,  it's  well  within  out  reach.  as  for  our  dark  mother,  she  did  have  some  sort  of  a  hand  in  leading  these  courts  here.  perhaps  it  was  not  her  intentions  but  she  did  pave  the  way  -  we  must  ensure  it  does  not  close  on  us."  her  gaze  trails  upwards  to  the  skies  above,  but  once  more  they  are  all  only  met  silence.  "she  may  be  watching,  but  her  silence  says  much.  as  for  our  guests,  they  can  try  as  they  wish,  they  will  only  find  a  gracious  high  lord,  an  inner  circle  going  above  and  beyond  to  welcome  them."

it  was  hard  to  imagine  a  world  where  her  twin  was  not  by  her  side,  that  even  when  the  rest  of  the  world  would  be  open  for  them,  two  would  never  be  found  far  apart  from  one  another.  it  was  a  first  to  find  two  twins  so  strikingly  different  from  one  another,  and  yet  their  desire  to  see  the  other  prosper  rivaling  with  one  another.  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  her  twin  was  her  other  half,  she  made  up  all  the  parts  of  aurora  that  were  lacking.  as  the  emissary  sweet  talked  her  way  through  the  high  faes  and  rulers  of  their  courts,  her  twin  lurked  in  the  shadows  aiding  her  sister  where  she  could.  gently  picking  apart  every  secret  their  guests  might  held  both  of  which  could  be  useful  and  those  that  they  need  to  be  wary  of.

vesparia could still recall the faces of the terrified fae trapped behind the invisible barrier. females and children, soldiers and rulers. some part of her felt justified in their terror and panic. let the other courts have some taste of the isolation—the desperation she’s felt for centuries—permeate their bloodstreams and fill the heart of their home with dread. it was a selfish thought, she’ll admit, but if her kin were to be honest with themselves, would they not also confess to the very same? "our mother is playing her own game. i do not think it was her plan to have all the courts converge." vesparia’s voice was low, her gaze distant as memories surfaced, the cold weight of centuries pressing upon her chest. "and now, they’re all stuck together, bound in the very prison we’ve endured."

she  may  be  watching,  but  her  silence  says  much. with aurora, the spy knew she could be honest, could let the darker musings of her mind take shape, unfiltered by the courtesies and masks she wore for others. lips pursed, she revealed her thoughts with a heaviness that few would ever witness. "i think she’s biding time. time to correct her cosmic mistake."

time. her eyes flickered to aurora, viridian locking with lilac. "perhaps it's time our high lord think about securing more than an ally. perhaps a more meaningful partnership with our neighbours might work in our favour." a marriage would more than solidify their claim to freedom, to claim a foothold in part of prythian as a whole. it's obvious that the other courts do not yet accept them as their own. and why would they? vesparia could not help her radical thoughts as fingers twitched slightly at her side, as if itching to set plans into motion to pull the strings that had already begun weaving their intricate patterns.

the spy was gathering as much intel as she could by slipping into lyria's persona everyday. the only respite she had from being the librarian was when she came to meet her sister. even now, she wore the librarian's garb under her flying vest. "if you want the solar courts on a platter, then i will deliver it." and she was sure tanvir would have more to say about them by the end of the week. her gaze soften, affection gleaming beneath her grin. "success, sister, is not measured in a single meeting or a fleeting conversation. it’s the seeds we plant, the webs we spin. and those, i assure you, are well underway."

"The people are hospitable," he said, finally turning to meet her gaze. His hands rested casually at the small of his back, fingers laced together, though tension tightened his grip. Concealed just beneath his wrist, a dagger waited—silent insurance, should the need arise. "Though it feels a little cramped with so many of us gathered here." He added, his tone measured, as if he were commenting on the weather rather than the subtle unease that lingered in the air.

"Do you work for the high family?"

“if you must know,” she continued, her voice easing ever so slightly, playful but careful, “i work for my own interests. which, occasionally, happen to align with the high family’s.” there was no denial. the truth sat firmly in the undercurrent of her words, yet it was veiled enough and should leave him wondering where her loyalties truly lay. as an offering, she proffered, “i’ve always been curious about life beyond the dusk court.” her words lingered, soft, her naivety crafted with intention. “despite what we’ve been taught, i’ve never fully believed the stories about how cruel the other courts are. surely, there’s more to it.”

her gaze lingered on him for a moment longer, sharp yet warm. vesparia shifted the books from one arm to another, leaving her right hand ready to defend herself if she had to as she asked, “what about you? do you work for your court, or are your interests a little more… personal?”

the  days  certainly  held  an  endless  pattern  of  excitement  for  emissary  of  the  dusk  court.  truly,  could  anyone  blame  her?  after  endless  isolation,  aurora  craved  something  new,  craved  entertainment  that  their  guests  delivered  in  spades.  perhaps  most  would  find  the  job  of  an  ambassador  tedious  and  taxing,  with  it's  socializing  and  pleasantries  that  followed,  but  the  emissary  on  the  other  hand,  absolutely  thrived.  it  also  did  not  hurt  she  enjoyed  having  attention  upon  herself  -  while  in  this  case  it  was  not  always  a  favorable  one,  but  the  curious  glances  she  received  ,  particularly  when  vala  hovered  around  his  rider,  was  certainly  one  the  lady  relished  in.

vesparia’s smile mirrored aurora’s, but there was something sharper in it, a glint of purpose mixed with a familiar yearning. "because it's waiting for us out there—," she said, her voice steady and laced with a steely determination. they had dreamed of freedom, of stepping out from the confines of their court, since they were young. now, it seemed more possible than ever, but also more dangerous. "—everything we’ve ever been denied. perhaps we’ll get there,” ves mused, her voice dropping, thoughtful. “but you know as well as i do—getting past the dark mother’s eyes won’t be easy. everyone has their gaze on us now, watching for any misstep.”

her verdant eyes slid over to the lavender orbs of her sister's. twins, they were. born on the same day just minutes apart and yet...the differences were stark. despite everything that sets them apart, vesparia knows in her heart of hearts that there was nothing in this world that could rip her from aurora. her soul was tethered to the capricious fae just as strongly as it was to sylphira. she paused, letting the tension build between them before she continued. vesparia hadn't found anything truly groundbreaking—no forgotten relics or hidden powers, just a collection of whispers and murmurings that confirmed what she already suspected: which high fae held the most sway in the courts beyond their own. nothing more than a few pieces on the ever-shifting board, but useful all the same for future movements.

they   were   sat   in   the   garden,   legs   crossed   with   a   book   out   in   front   of   them   and   head   tilted   to   the   side   in   obvious   curiosity.   “   excuse   me,   ”   they   said,   calling   out   to   stop   a   passerby.   they   held   up   the   book   they   were   holding   and   nodded   their   head   towards   the   flower   in   front   of   them.   “   does   this   flower   look   like   this   image   here   ?   i   want   to   say   it   does   ..   ”   they   bit   down   on   their   lip,   very   clearly   talking   out   loud   now   but   still   rambling   on.   “   though   if   i'm   wrong   …   i   could   be   giving   someone   not   a   poisonous   plant   rather   than   a   healing   one   …   oh   stars   ..   ”