alaradraven

[alaradraven]

SHE COULD relate to that. She, too, had wanted - nay yearned - to find something new & exciting about this court, that wasn't tied to their dragons or food. She would've been appreciative of any kind of information ; on their customs, their special or court-wide famous landmarks, anything. It didn't even have to be a secret knowledge.

His guess was as good as hers, apparently, so she just hummed along. But, his questions only brought a defeated sigh to her lips. "No, nothing of true value, though I think they may have done that on purpose. It's one thing to have guests traipsing about your place, the other is to have them pry at your secrets. I'd be super secretive if I was them, too."

that many fae in one place was a disaster in the making.

"So very few believe in such tales! I think everyone just perceives stories as something false & made for entertainment, I doubt anyone is ever truly taking cautionary tales to heart. Take mortals, for example. Every now & then some of them come looking for us, despite the stories they've been told for centuries & centuries." she chuckled.

☆ﾟ*·ﾟHE ENJOYED KNOWING that others appreciated the grasp of knowledge as much as he did. it was a trait that he was incredibly appreciative that he had. but it was one that could also very easily get him into trouble. it definitely sent him down a few dangerous places in the past. "there's something different about this court, and i can't help the burning desire to learn more." laughing, he shrugged his shoulders. "i honestly don't even know. months?" damon wasn't always very good at judging time if he wasn't paying attention.

as she started describing the books, he leaned over, curiously. "any information about their dark mother, other than the basics?" he laughed, glad that even knowledge could garnish a laugh every once in a while. "anything about where the dragons came from or how they're here?" damon wanted more answers, ones that would give him concrete information instead of the basics that he did learn.

he let his face fall into his hands, feeling slightly foolish. "that's probably the point, to warn the children of the future, even if they don't truly understand it. but i've never been one for children either. so i'd never have believed it myself."

[alaradraven]

THEY TRULY were - at the Dusk's High Lord's mercy. Though, fae had never been very merciful, so perhaps the better word here would be leisure. The High Lord didn't seem like he wished for their presence, but he also didn't seem like he minded them too much to harm them. Of course, he had dragons, so realistically speaking what was he supposed to be afraid of? Their fiery beasts would surely end them all if he had wished them to.

"Sometimes, subtlety only stands in the way of efficiency. It would have been the easiest & most efficient way to get rid of us. Accidents, poisons or direct call for combat are a thing of luck & chance, & wouldn't guarantee their victory. Their fiery beasts certainly could."

& if they couldn't find a way out of this island anyway, why be subtle about their downfall? It's not like they could all flee or ask for help from whoever was left in the mainland.

"There's familiarity, yes, but that doesn't mean tolerance. Take my court for example. If one belongs to the Night, one ought to be ended at first sight. There is familiarity, but that familiarity also breeds unwarranted, or sometimes warranted, hatred & competition. This wild card of a court is at least keeping us all in check." Alara shrugged.

"But, I'm just a scholar, what do I know of tactics & strategies." she chuckled.

the high lady of summer was not known to compliment any court outside of her own, praises from her as rare the dragons that surrounded them currently. their food was decent, as were their fashions, but both paled considerably against the vibrance of summer. she was certain if she had to live under these dreary skies for the rest of her existence, she would surely go mad. alina knew that the dragons held the most fascination for the other courts, including her own siblings. truly, some days she feared they would attempt to go near one to ride it.

a brow rises as the other swiftly paints picture of their deaths - should that ever be a concern here. "they would be far more subtle about it, lady alara. that might be the quickest option, but not the wisest. i suppose if the plan extends to our courts, those are who are not present with us, then there would be no need for subtly."

the night lady certain raised a considerable point, the seven never quite shared much with one another, but the difference was they lived amongst of one another. "the high rulers and their courts all have their secrets, yes, but there's a sense of familiarity of co-existing with one another." in her time in the capital, all held captive she had learned a great deal of the other rulers and their fae, while they all held their cards close their chest, alina still could anticipate the worst from them, but of this court and it's...commodities? not entirely. "this court is a wild card, far more than the others. i will gave credit to the high lord of dusk, he does not strike me as violent, but that could change at a moment's notice. we may have our magic returned, but on his lands, lands we do not know, we are at his mercy, still."

[alaradraven]

THAT she did - but she didn't mind it. If she didn't like books, or reading, or learning new things, she never would've accepted her cousins' offer to join their inncer circle as their scholar. Plus, they'd never offer it if she wasn't up to the task.

"That is something I could relate to. Now that I've seen this new court & the world outside of Night, I too would like to bide my time before going home. Though, now that I think about it, it's been a while since I was back in the Hewn City. How long have we been here, again?"she asked, completely losing track of time.

"Well, a few on their Dark Mother, some zoologist's guidebook on how to recognize a dragon from other species - newsflash, they have wings & breathe fire, but that little info aside, they're in fact just a feather apart from common pigeon." she chuckled.

Alara bit her lip in order not to laugh.

"I made it up, there's no such rhyme." she grins, "If there were, though, maybe we'd be better prepared for all of this. Who'd think obscure lore & children's cautonary tales would prove to be true, huh?"

☆ﾟ*·ﾟDAMON COULDN'T IMAGINE staying in one place for too long. he thrived when he was out gathering information and exploring the world. every so often, if he'd spent too much time at home, he'd announce he was going on a small trip, even if he didn't need to. the desire would always be there. "ah, yeah, you need your books in order to do your job." raising his eyebrows, he chuckled softly. "sometimes i forget the day i'm supposed to return or even take longer on purpose to explore more."

he wondered how many of his own court were in a state of panic and worried about what might come. to him, this was an extended vacation. while he did wish he'd been able to bring more with him, there were ways around that. "found any interesting books? i'm always interested in the literature of another court. it can tell you a lot about them and their beliefs."

shaking his head, damon looked at her like she had three heads. he'd never heard such a thing, but then again, he was older than many of the fae, so it was simply possible it was just after his time. "no, never heard of it, but i'm not one for nursery rhymes. never saw the need."

[alaradraven]

ALARA'S grin was wide as they approached her table & nestled atop the corner of the pretty oak surface. She rather like that side of them - the artist's soul not much caring for appearances when their mind was occupied by the beauty - or the mistique - of things at hand.

in this case a kinky book.

"Oh, I agree. One can ride their dragons for only so much before I imagine their thighs would take a strain. I remember when I used to go rock climbing just for the fun of it - my body would ache for days." she chuckled, then continued, "It's not bad it just has some very weird plot twists. But, I reckon we all have some weird ideas, if we didn't such literature wouldn't exist."

Alara laughed out loud then clapped a hand over her mouth in order to keep quiet. Orbs! That was really hilarious!

"No." she spoke, her petite body shaking with concealed laughs, "No, but I've seen a few mentions of eyes ablaze with fire, moonlight reflecting in pale blue pools - & I thik they were talking about eyes rather than actual pools. Unless their main character has a very weird connection with lakes." she snorted in amusement.

"What have you been up to lately? I haven't had the chance to properly sit & chat with you." Alara softly pouted.

( 𐫱 ) 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗿𝘁.  for  creativity,  and  stirring  the  pot,  if  nothing  else.  but  for  imalda,  it  didn't  happen  often.  call  it  resolution,  call  it  boredom,  or  call  it  a  need  to  research  what  certain  creatures  —  which  they  heard  about,  but  hadn't  seen  for  themself  —  could  thus  appear  in  their  future  portraits.  symbols,  and  signs,  and  messages  within.

inspiration  could  be  uncovered  in  any  place.  including  the  rather  shadowy,  strained  ones.  by  nature,  it  was  not  the  romance  shelf  which  attracted  their  attention.  those  attentions  were  far  too  busy  elsewhere.  a  classic  collection  of  dusk  court  artists  might  serve  them  well,  provide  explanations  others  couldn't.  they  had  their  fingertip  to  the  spine  of  a  book  that  looked  promising,  though  the  language  was  indecipherable,  when  the  call  came.  they  blinked.  “a  spicy  book?” 

now,  they  had  read  these  before;  let  it  be  no  mistake.  they  snatched  up  the  book  from  the  shelf  despite  the  distraction  and  then  headed  over,  able  to  sit  down  on  the  edge  of  the  table.  it  wasn't  unlike  the  artist's  stool.  “i  didn't  think  the  dusk  court  capable,  but,  it  makes  sense.  what  else  is  there  to  do?”  they  leaned  forward,  craning  their  neck  to  see  how  far  she  had  gotten.  “hilarious  how?  do  they  describe  their  eyes  as  orbs?” 

that  had  to  be  one  of  imalda's  least  favourite  descriptors.  the  word  sounded  awful  and  didn't  have  a  kind  of  pleasant  colour.  it  sometimes  infiltrated  their  thoughts  when  they  painted,  and  they  had  to  put  the  brush  down  before  laughing.

[alaradraven]

BELIEF was a strange thing. Even for an unusually optimistic fae like Alara, the innate nature of the fae remains more on the foul side than the good one. Mortals, with their short life spans & frail bodies were more honest, even in their lies - the fae were just eternally bored & it was the boredom that made them vicious & cruel & vile.

she still hoped the fae here could behave, though.

"I think childlike tantrums are the best option, when the alternative is all out war. I am no commander, or a strategist, but even I can see how catastrophic it would be for all of us. We can only hope our hosts remain as benevolent & hospitable as they were to this day." she agreed.

"Oh, winter would end me, I don't do severe cold. Ice would ruin my skin, no amount of moisturizer would help with remedying that." Alara chuckled, but she agreed with the scenery.

Dusk court really was so beautiful.

Had she not been part of the inner circle to Night, she might've been tempted to stay here for good - & she just might, if no one figures out a way home. Who knows how much longer will they be welcome in here. & who knows if magic will choose to propel them elsewhere.

"I found a really cool cave by the beach if you want to go exploring sometime? It's best viewed just before she dusk, the light shimmering on the ocean's surface is just... breath taking."

and there it was, plain as day. despite the common cause bringing the courts together - at times even threatening to splinter them even further apart - the existence of the dusk court was the most pressing issue. did prythian have room for another court, one with creatures and abilities unknown to the rest? would the dusk court suddenly rescind its hospitality? it couldn't be easy to discover a whole new land and then welcome fae of all courts, both enemies and allies, here together. there were so many unanswered questions. "i'd love to believe the best in all of us... but unfortunately i almost never do." it was true life had planted the seed of cynicism in the fae, though there was quiet hope in her heart. "with so much ego under one roof i'd be truly surprised if we were able to make room for one more - and another solar court at that. i suspect some childlike tantrums are likely to be thrown, but hopefully we can come to some sort of resolution in the end." if they were ever able to go home, that is. amara took another bite of the sweet in front of her, savoring the taste as though they were back in their own court. "i'll admit the lands are quite beautiful," she considered, "and i much prefer this change of scenery instead of something more drastic like the summer or winter courts... there, i promise chaos would break out quicker." the fae paused, taking a glance around at the serene foliage shading the two of them. "thankfully fun hasn't been too hard to seek out, though i confess i might need to expand my exploration to beyond just the forest."

[alaradraven]

ALARA pursed her lips in thought, not entirely convinced her way of thinking was a correct one. The fae had war & chaos in their nature, it would be very unnatural for them to all see immortal life as she does, wanting nothing to do with bad things that life brought.

she doesn't do well in tragic situations.

"I wonder if any of it would be helpful. We are all forged from the same thing, yet our differences seem to dominate us, overshadowing the similarities. I doubt the fae would be civil for much longer. We wage wars on a daily basis even without a dragon-ridded island. The new court will either change us for better or annihilate us." she shrugged, as if it was no big deal.

"I'm doing alright. This is an adventure for me, but I know the rest of the fae don't feel that way. I seldom get the chance to travel, so this is rather fun. But, I'm beginning to get a little antsy, as well." Alara admitted, then,

"& how are you doing? Are you having at least a little bit of fun?"

there was something so refreshing about having alara as a member of their inner court. though a member of the high family, she never made the fae feel anything less - not even for once, begrudgingly, supporting a different court. there were no political games, no self-serving ambition or schemes. she was the court of dreams herself, and amara, though she kept such thoughts to herself, was eternally grateful for the breath of fresh air. the fae chuckled lightly at her response before joining her on the forest floor, limbs outstretched as though they had not experienced comfort in the past few tumultuous months. amara took a slow breath, surveying the canopy of trees dotting the dusk sky above. "i think most courts cannot even comprehend that what's going on is bigger than us - bigger than politics and power and diplomacy. i'm not sure how much these inner circle meetings will help to quell the chaos - especially now that we're here... and there's dragons, for cauldron's sake." she accepted the sweet graciously, pulling apart the flaky crust with delicate fingers before taking a bite. "if only more people thought like you," amara mused, and she meant it. "how are you doing with everything going on?"

[alaradraven]

SHE COULDN'T relate to that. Before this strange occurence pulled them from their courts to this new land, Alara didn't have a chance to travel much. This was a welcome change for her, but she did get a little homesick.

"I seldom go anywhere, the troubles of being a scholar. They just lock me up in a library & forget I exist until it's dinner time." she joked. Her cousins treated her like a sister.

"But, that's okay. This is finally an adventure for me. I am not in a state of panic like the rest of the fae, I'm just... hanging around with a book or three."

"Oh? Haven't you heard? Where Dusk court comes knockin', the dragons do be walkin'?" Alara innocently blinked, having just come up with the rhyme.

☆ﾟ*·ﾟDAMON WAS A strange cookie. he didn't look like someone that would care so much about the good in the world, and yet, that's all he wanted. part of his job required sneaking into homes and destroying lives with secrets, and sometimes, he just didn't want to do that. people deserved happiness, even if they had secrets. it was a game he played every day, constantly struggling.

"i'm not one for missing home really. i travel so much for work that home is more of a construct or object to me than anything." damon couldn't help but laugh at her response, not really understanding it himself. "what makes this place a nursery-rhyme?" in all honesty, he was curious.

[alaradraven]

SHE had a point there. Cuisine was the least of their worries, if her previous thoughts were anything to go by. Perhaps the other fae thought of them as enemies, but so they did of the Night court & no one here seemed to stress about it. Perhaps the continent, mainland fae just needed a new distraction or a new potential threat to worry over for the rest of their immortality.

it was a sad thought, but it was true.

"Honestly, if they wished to kill us, the only thing they have to do is to lure us to a very flammable building & unleash their pets upon us. Why bother with poison? It's hard to cover the stench of it." Alara mused.

She knew a thing or two about poisons - everyone from the Night court was well versed in way how-you-can-be-ended-by-others from a young age. Sniffing out a toxic ingredient was a laughable chore she mindlessly did every waking moment of every day for centuries now.

"To be entirely fair, it's not like we go sharing our own secrets to each other, either. What do we trulyknow about each other, except for the thing we see with out own two eyes? I'd say not much."

"i  would  say  that  the  cuisine  here  is  the  least  of  our  worries,  or  the  least  strangest  thing  about  this  court."  of  all  the  things  she  pondered  and  mulled  over  about  this  court,  their  food  certainly  wasn't  one  of  them.  her  only  worry  of  it  would  be  whether  or  not  they'd  attempt  to  poison  their  unexpected  guests,  but  as  weeks  went  on  and  nothing  outwardly  happened  to  their  health,  she  could  place  that  worry  aside.  still,  the  high  lady  would  also  never  praise  another  court's  cuisine  as  a  whole,  she  was  a  pride  ruler  after  all,  a  sentiment  shared  among  the  other  rules.  "perhaps  we  ought  to  be  relived  that  they  don't  wish  to  poison  us."  the  dusk  fae  were  many  things,  and  a  part  of  her  believed  they  would  not  be  so  impulsive  or  reckless.

the  night  fae's  inquiry  has  the  high  lady  consider,  of  all  that  she's  learned  from  her  studying  as  well  as  from  her  spymaster.  their  magic  was  becoming  a  bit  more  clear,  they  had  their  special  abilities  as  each  court  did,  save  with  the  exception  of  bonding  with  their  winged  companions.  "they  will  always  be  different  from  us.  a  different  creator,  and  the  ability  to  quite  literally  bond  with  feral  creatures  we've  only  known  of  in  our  fables.  their  magic  seems  to  function  as  our  own,  but  this  is  only  what  we  know  of  their  magic.  i  would  not  be  surprised  if  they  have  far  more  secrets  they  will  not  reveal  to  us."

[alaradraven]

BELIEVING in goodness was a trait not many fae possessed. Everyone just jumped aboard the 'evil' ship the moment there was an opportunity for it. She preferred to stay positive if she could & right now she had no excuse to be anything but such.

Still, she listened as he spoke & silently nodded along in agreement. It seemed that staying in everyone's good graces was the best course of action. Alara figured waging wars in an unknown land was a stupid idea not even the more volatile fae were keen to exercise.

"I agree. For one, I'd love to know how to go back home. I mean, I love a good travel as much as any other girl, but being teleported to a nursery-rhyme place is a little out of my perfect vacation plans."

☆ﾟ*·ﾟDAMON SAT DOWN next to her, looking down at what she'd found, wondering if he could possibly figure out something from all of this. he wanted to believe that there was an answer in the tome, but he wasn't sure. the problem was that damon didn't understand it as much as he should've. "i want to believe in the good. but i do think we should still be wary," damon explained, flipping through the pages slowly and carefully. "the dragons, well, they worry me. they could very easily take out all of the other courts. we need to stay on their good side." he shrugged, continuing to look through the book, unsure what he should even be looking for at this point. "i've been here the whole time, and other than our magic returning, no updates have been given. but we must be patient. bide our time, be kind, and we'll find information at some point. i'm still investigating as much as i can, even if i'm not getting anything. you never know."

[alaradraven]

BRIBING the other fae with sweets & drinks was something Alara did on a daily basis. She was no politician, nor was she a particularly good courtier - the Night court was supposed to be dark, deadly, volatile & overall hostile to other courts, but the only thing she knew how to do was to be polite & make new friends. It was only partially her fault - the rest of the blame laid with her parents, & her wind-wild mother who sailed oceans in pursue of freedom.

in other words, she was very un-Night courtly.

But, she didn't mind & it seemed like her cousins did not mind that too, since they've made her their scholar. If they minded, she guessed she wouldn't have had a place in their inner circle.

"Don't stress. They'd probably say I've walked into it, & they'd be right to assume so." she waved her hand, than sat down on the blanket.

"I can imagine this whole thing is very stressful. We've been pulled out of our homes & placed in this new court, it's straining everyone's nerves. Even I, with as much political savviness as a fish, can see this has been an uneasy thing for all of us." Alara nodded, then handed the commander a pastry.

"I'm glad I can be of help! Stress is a killer, even for an immortal bloodstream." she chuckled.

her ears picked up the delicate crunch of the fallen leaves scattered across the forest floor. amara knew it was a fae before she even made out the approaching figure and inwardly scowled. ten minutes. it was all she had asked for, almost pleading, and yet the request must have been deemed too much. the fae's grip on her carefully crafted dagger only tightened in anger, and she mentally prepared for the unwanted company to round the bend of trees. a moment later she was greeted by what must have been short-lived shock - and then a familiar smile. the third in command loosed a quiet sigh of relief, easing her tense body that had braced itself against impending danger - whether she was to be faced with a violent attack or prythian politics. "you should take caution exploring these woods," amara warned with a knowing yet softened tone. "i would hate to have to explain myself to your cousins if i threw that dagger a moment too late." she let go of the blade and crossed the open grove toward alara, hands outstretched to help the lady of the night court set down her supplies. "truthfully, my mind seems pushed to the brink with exercise over the past few days," she admitted. "but you're always a welcome distraction... and i suppose the sweets as well."

[alaradraven]

ALARA hated wasting pretty days. The sun was high, the birds were chirping & despite the winter's chill, it was a rather mild day. Warmer than, she guessed, the Winter court with their perpetual blizzards - not that she's ever been to the Winter court to ee it for herself, but that how she liked to imagine it ; made of ice & snow & such cold that blood chilled in mortals' veins. Fae's blood could never chill like that. She doubted faes could even get frostbites - she should probably investigate that.

Right now, though, she was investigating a way to the pretty grove of birch trees she's spotted on one of her random walks a few days ago. With a book in one hand & a satchel full of pastries, a pretty pink thermos of hot cocoa & another pale blue filled with piping hot jasmine tea.

Making her way to the grove, Alara almost walked into the path of a dagger - the commander of her cousins' court. Instead of getting angry, Alara's lips stretched into a wide smile at the sight of a friend.

"I see you're using a lovely day to get some exercise as well! Though, my idea of exercise I sitting down with a book." she chuckled, then, "I have provisions brought up for a picnic & I always bring extra. Do you want a cinnamon bun? I also have tea & cocoa..." she trailed off, setting a midnight-blue blanked on the grass.

⋆。°✩ amara // open starter.

t r a p p e d. the word that had plagued amara's childhood as she was molded and perfected to suit a life unwanted in the court of nightmares. the dusk court was no hewn city, she continuously reminded herself, but once again the feeling she worked endlessly to rid herself of had wrapped itself around her - clouding all her senses. she much preferred the change of scenery to that of the capital, but it had the high fae on edge. dragons. there were great big, beautiful beasts flying high amongst a land and people unknown, and she had been powerless. almost out of fear that it would once more drain from her fingertips at any moment, she tuned in to listen to the steady thrum of it living beneath her skin time and time again. it was all too much, and without an end to the never-ending chaos in sight, the high fae felt as though she would CRACK at any moment. slipping away for a moment of much-needed solace, amara landed upon a quiet grove, save for the rustling of branches in the cool autumn breeze. she savored the quick whir of an intricate throwing knife as it cut through the air before landing firmly in the bark of a pale birch tree. her hand slid down to reach for a second blade tucked in a belt by her side before hearing the rustling of fallen leaves nearby. fingers slowly wrapped around the smooth handle before her gaze flicked to inspect the source.

[alaradraven]

TRUTH be told, she didn't really think about that - whether or not the Dusk fae were the same specie of fae as the rest of the mainland. It was a severe lack of thought in case - a scholar ought to know better, ought to dissect all the differences & the similarities, & which one of those things did Alara do?

only focused on how similar they all were.

She did not even acknowledge the possibility of them not being the same specie, but what if it was true? What if the Dusk court truly was something else entirely? The dragons were a novelty, yes, but she heard of the bond dragon riders shared with their fated dragons. & to her knowledge, not a single mainland fae bonded with a dragons - does that not make the Dusk-born fae superior to them, innately different from them?

perhaps.

& perhaps it was a bad thing, but it was such a vile thing to think about. She was no warrior, no strategist to contemplate such things & tire her head over it. She was a scholar & a scribe, & beyond that she paid no heed to the differences between the fae - in her mind, they were all the same ; immortality, arched ears & even an occasional pair of wings. Maybe it was naive of her... but she did not seem to really mind it.

"You know, I did not really think about it." Alara admitted, but then added with a chuckle, "Truth be told, I am no good measure for such things - I get stuffed with food back home, too. Maybe I just love food too much."

"Do you think they're really that different from us?", she asked.

of  all  the  strangeness  this  court  held,  the  high  lady  of  summer  was  relieved  of  one  familiar  sight  that  was  consistent  across  all  of  prythian  -  horses.  it  had  always  been  a  therapeutic  hobby,  particularly  when  sleep  began  evading  her,  it  was  always  the  early  morning  rides  that  calmed  her  mind  before  she  had  to  begin  her  day.  in  summer,  it  was  a  ritual  set  in  stone,  a  routine  she  did  not  diverge  from  -  just  before  dawn  broke,  alina  would  take  a  ride  around  the  adriata  palace.  of  course,  here,  she  first  had  to  familiarize  herself  with  the  possibles  routes  before  she  began  visiting  to  the  stables.

as  developments  made  way  since  the  capital  for  the  high  lady,  she  no  longer  was  awake  before  dawn  break  to  continue  her  morning  ritual.  furthermore,  simply  that  she  had  no  desire  to  leave  the  chambers  of  the  man  she  had  been  spending  all  her  nights  with.  so,  it  would  be  during  the  afternoon  she  would  devote  some  of  her  time  to  take  a  ride  around,  last  week  she  had  ventured  further  into  the  woods  surrounding  the  dusk  palace.

that  afternoon,  she  had  spent  it  with  her  sister,  the  two  as  of  late  sharing  meals  together,  before  she  inquired  if  ner  wished  to  join  her.  her  sister  seemed  in  a  bit  of  a  hurry,  and  alina  didn't  need  ask  what  it  is  was  for,  and  simply  told  her  to  enjoy  herself.  so,  she  found  herself  strolling  the  vast  gardens,  not  a  sight  comparable  to  the  summer  court,  but  it  would  do  for  now,  her  thoughts  interrupted  when  a  feminine  voice  made  itself  known.  "i  suppose,  not  that  either  one  of  us  truly  needs  it."  she  responds,  even  if  it  was  not  the  goal  of  her  wandering.  "baffling?  perhaps,  but  it  is  a  relief  to  know  it  has  no  averse  affect."  namely,  that  for  a  time  she  was  certain  the  food  would  be  laced  with  some  form  of  poison.  "it  is  possible  the  agriculture  here  affects  our  systems  differently  than  the  dusk  fae."  seeing  as  this  court  had  a  different  creater,  it  wasn't  far  fetched  to  imagine  their  physiologies  might  work  differently  and  in  turn  so  did  their  food.

[alaradraven]

OH, A spy! That was exciting! She vaguely knew of what the spies were doing, but she thought it'd require more stealth & secrecy - & not flipping to yellowed out papers & moth-gnawed books. Her own court's spy seldom shared the information with her & why would they? She was nothing more than a cousin & a scribe.

Alara pushed the tome towards the fae & plopped her head on her hands.

"So, what do you think? Are we to fear the Dusk court or could they be potential acquaintances? We rarely have friends in other courts, given our own dubious nature. & of course there is the matter of their winged pets." she mused, "you know, for things with wings, I'd expect them to come sailing to other court, but they've been kept a secret for such a long time. There's got a be a catch in there somewhere. Maybe I wasn't present when they were giving everyone an update." she chuckled.

☆ﾟ*·ﾟON OCCASION, THE best possible solution to finding out as much as he could about a different court was to retreat to the library. damon wanted to know as much as he could, but he also needed a bit of peace and quiet. lately, his escapades were much less than perfect, always finding a little bit too much drama, let alone compassion and kindness. finding himself making his way to the library, he took his time, searching for what could actually be useful, instead of just nothing like he'd been finding lately.

making his way to the quieter parts of the library, damon knew the information he was really after would be hidden there. he hadn't expected to hear someone else's voice, let alone someone actually willing to share information with him. raising his eyebrows, he looked down at the scroll. "dark? let me see." he asked, bending down to sit across from her. "of course i'm looking to spy. after all, it is my job," damon stated, laughing. "i'll take any information i can get."

[alaradraven]

location: dusk court. isolated part of the library. time: midday. with: @sparkledcrowns ; damon.

BEING a scholar for the Night court was hard. Read this, translate that, it was hard work for a lady of her delicate constitution - but, she loved it. She loved being surrounded by books & papers & pens, & she made all her little notes in various glittered colours. Whoever said scholars had to be dull, obviously never met her.

The worst thing about scribbling things down was the posture - her neck & back were killing her, & not to mention the cramp in her right hand from continuous writing. Sitting back on her chair, Alara rolled her neck & massaged her palm for the tension to leave, when she suddenly got the sensation she was no longer alone in that part of the library. She could hear various fae traipsing around the more populated area, but she came here for solace & work.

Still, she was never the one to pass up on an opportunity to meet new people. Tilting her head to the side, she asked, loud enough to the newcomer to hear, but not loud enough for every other arched fae ear to catch.

"Are you looking to spy on our hosts & their obscure lives as well? Here I have a rather interesting scroll about their Dark Mother & I'm confused. It's similar to ours, but her character seems... well, dark. Not much of a mother in my opinion."

[alaradraven]

location: dusk court. library. time: early evening. with: @n1ghtsongs ; imalda.

ALARA was lounging in the library with a glass of peppermint tea nestled between her palms. Dinner was absurdly long, but their hosts seemed to have made it their life's mission to please everyone. She could understand that, these new fae that suddenly emerged from the mist & clouds. In a way, her own court was like the isolated island of Dusk. Only they were isolated between the mountains - an island of rock & stone, one could say.

She liked these new fae - or at least the idea of them. Perhaps another misunderstood court would shed a kinder light to those belonging to the Night. Though, truth be told, even her overly positive nature doubted that.

Sipping on her piping hot tea, Alara was only half concentrated on the romance book she found in the Dusk court's selves - the concentration which fully vanished when a familiar face walked though the door.

"Imalda! Over here!" she stuck her hand up in the air & waved to attract their attention. "Come, come, join me! I found this very spicy book & it's the most hilarious thing I read in a century."

[alaradraven]

HE did not seem invested in the conversation & Alara could certainly understand why - it must be so hard to suddenly surround oneself with an entire continent of new faes, when in the past it was just an islandful of them. His retort made her shrug - the Night court was no island, but they might as well have been one ; out of all the mainland courts, theirs was the least known, least liked.

& her ancestors knew what they were doing - the faekind could not be trusted to be kind. "Not all isolation comes from islands. If you ever come to the Night court, perhaps you'll understand what I mean." It was refreshing, though - to find someone who did not immediately scowl or spit at the mention of her homeland court.

"Oh, a general! That must be very exciting. My cousins would not let me anywhere near a fight, so I scribble & scribe & keep myself cooped up in libraries & archives. Do you wield a sword?" she asked, then added, "I shot from a bow once, but the only thing I hit was the wind."

it  was  like  a  forced  behavior,  being  charming  and  kind.  evander  never  admitted  his  shortcomings,  but  he  absolutely  loathed  this.  his  lack  of  enjoyment  meant  he  hardly  put  any  effort  into  it,  and  as  long  as  he  wasn't  coming  off  entirely  rude,  that  seemed  enough.

his  eyebrow  raises  at  the  mention  of  the  night  court  being  less  than  part  of  the  mainland.  amusing,  how  one  would  think  the  northern  part  of  the  continent  was  not  as  much  part  of  it  as  the  rest.  it  gave  him  even  more  insight  into  these  other  fae.  "  certainly  different  than  an  island,  though.  "  he  states  simply.

a  nod  comes  from  the  general,  and  he  supposes  he  could  be  polite  enough  to  introduce  himself.  "  i  am  general  evander  voss,  a  member  of  the  dusk  court  inner  circle.  "  it  sounded  so  pompous  to  say,  but  he  also  knew  that  not  offering  the  position  he  had  hard  earned  was  an  insult  to  it.  ev  didn't  brag,  he  simply  stated  a  fact.

[alaradraven]

ALARA tilted her head to the side - the man's words made it clear he's a member of the Dusk court & the enthusiastic side of her that had not yet had an opportunity to take a nap found the information exciting.

"Night court, so less mainland & more... way up on high-land. Top of the mountain land. Our wines are made with either spiced snow from the mountaincaps, or something equally ludicrous from below the belly of the earth. Can't say it is my area of expertise, but I could check." she shrugged.

"So. You're from Dusk court. We must be as big of a surprise to you as you are to the rest of us. To lessen at least one of those surprises, I believe introductions are in order. Alara Draven, of the Night Court." she extended a hand.

he  didn't  like  speaking  to  the  mainland  fae,  but  the  general  knew  well  that  to  assess  an  opponent  you  would  have  to  get  close.  each  new  face  he  met  set  unease  into  his  belly,  but  as  they  had  yet  to  do  any  harm  to  his  court,  he  remained  passive,  appearing  open  to  their  company  and  kind  enough  in  his  words.  even  if  ev  was  never  the  warmest,  he  could  at  least  not  be  an  ass.  his  eyebrow  cocks,  and  he  refrains  from  offering  much  else.  "  the  wines  we  make  are  different  than  i  suspect  yours  in  the  mainland,  as  the  eternal  dusk  skies  here  bring  a  different  grape  into  the  mix.  "