#* ❪ 𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐝𝐚 𝐜𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐤 ❫ ¦ ༒ threads .

[cresccents]

although,  ilayda  knew  that  amara  wouldn’t  hurt  her  ,  she  could  still  feel  her  shoulder  sink  and  her  expression  losing  any  tightness  when  amara  put  down  the  blade.  she  trusted  amara,  albeit  in  her  own  odd  way  and  enough  that  she  could  comfortably  speak  to  her.  it  had  been  a  while,  since  she  grasped  any  hint  of  familiarity  and  seeing  her  friend  in  such  an  odd  place  made  her  realize  how  much  she’d  missed  speaking  to  her.   “  i  certainly  admire  you  for  your  passion.”  her  gaze  softened  with  a  smile.  back  then,  she’d  have  loved  to  be  like  amara,  watched  her  from  a  distance  but  never  allowed  herself  to  get  close  to  her,  knowing  that  envy  easily  could  have  spoiled  a  short-lived  friendship.  now,  everything  she  was  left  with  was  admiration  for  her.  “  definitely  a  necessity,  if  you  ask  me  the  dragons  are  not  the  creatures  we  should  be  afraid  of.  all  of  this  is  just  …  odd.”  ever  since  she’d  been  here, her  mind  had  raced  down  and  then  back  up  a  dozen  different  dead  ends  and  yet  any  conclusion  seemed  to  be  hidden  away  in  some  small  corner,  no  one  could  ever  find.  “  but  you’re  not  implying  something  has  happened  to  you,  right?  i  know  you’re  capable  of  protecting  yourself,  more  than  anyone  else  but  if  someone  or  something  bothering  you,  i  might  rethink  my  current  position  as  a  seamstress.”  she  half  jested,  despite  knowing  that  if  amara  needed  her,  she’d  pick  up  a   blade  again.  “  no  need  to  sugarcoat  your  words.  dusk  does  not  even  come  close  and  the  skies  are  rather  sorry  looking,  sometimes  i  think  they  might  use  their  dragons  and  make  them  glow  so  they  can  mimic  some  stars.”  she  grinned.  “  it  truly  is  suffocating,  i  wish  we’d  fall  asleep  and  wake  up  in  our  court  again.  well  we  could  steal  a  dragon  ?  perhaps  we  could  use  them  to  escape…”

amara delicately removed her fingers, one by one, from the blade at her hip - the tension easing from her body at the sight of ilayda. she had been prepared for whatever undiscovered creatures likely resided in the unexplored dusk court lands or, even worse, the inner circle of another court, but this was a pleasant surprise. truth be told, there were not many fae amara would allow to see her so on edge, but the golden-haired fae before her was certainly an exception. "call it part passion and the other half... necessity," she admitted, striding over to the pale birch tree where her blade had hit. growing up, amara had developed an affinity for combat, namely quick, cunning blades, and over time it became even more important to ensure she could take of herself - protect herself. especially now that they all witness just how fast their own magic could fail them. "with all due respect to the esteemed company gathered here," amara started, retrieving the glinting blade with a forceful tug, "the court is entirely suffocating. dusk may be the closest we have to starry skies, but i've never felt so far removed from the night."

[cresccents]

it  had  been  a  while  since  she  saw  sienna,  words  only  exchanged  by  letters  .  memories  only  taking  shape  and  kept  alive  by  looking  at  her  first  attempts  of  what  couldn’t  even  be  considered  a  dress.  as  she  adjusted  the  heavy  basket,  her  heart  was  beating  with  anticipation,  wondering  how  she’d  gift  her  the  basket  filled  with  dresses,  carefully  stitched  with  dedication  and  appreciation  for  the  person,  who  had  somehow  saved  her,  taught  her  something  she  could  truly  be  proud  of.  “  sienna  !”  she  waved,  her  breath  caught  in  her  throat  as  she  finally  spotted  her.  her  eyes  softened  at  the  sight  of  her  friend,  stepping  closer  to  close  the  distance  in  an  instant.  “  have  you  been  well?  you  somehow  got  even  more  beautiful,  i  hope  my  gift  will  do  your  beauty  justice.  ”

@sparkledcrowns ( sienna )

[cresccents]

as  ilayda  moved  through  the  quiet  streets,  the  air  felt  cool  against  her  skin,  a  slight  breeze  threatening  to  uncover  her  face  hidden  by  the  black  cloak  as  she  moved  with  hushed  steps.  it  hadn’t  been  too  long,  since  she  started  following  him  but  her  heart  still  raced  with  unease  and  her  steps  slowed  with  uncertainty.  the  darkness  barely  offered  her  comfort  and  although  the  shame  written  on  her  face  was  covered  with  her  cape,  her  words  were  marked  with  it.  clearing  her  throat  one  last  time,  she  stepped  out  of  the  shadows  and  finally  spoke,  her  voice  low  and  unnatural  in  a  pathetic  attempt  to  conceal  her  identity.  “  i  need  to  speak  to  you  .  someone  told  me  you  know  the  general,  right  ?”

@courtfallen ( vastien )

[cresccents]

years  of  loneliness  had  settled  in  her  bones,  stifled  her  and  housed  a  constant  state  of  unease  but  it  took  nothing  more  than  a  change  of  expression  and  ilayda  could  feel  the  tension  escaping  her.  “  i  might  find  some  similarities  to  my  court  as  well”  but  it  didn’t  feel  like  home.  nothing  could  ever  replace  the  vast  night  sky,  shining  its  light  on  its  hauntingly  beautiful  landscape.  “  yet,  not  enough  to  feel  as  if  this  could  be  a  place  to  settle  in.  it’s  something  i  would  rather  not  think  about  though.  ”  she  stifled  a  laugh,  concealed  by  a  grim  smile.  how  long  would  it  take  until  she  could  finally  be  back  ?  she  barely  began  to  build  a  new  life  and  she  didn’t  know  if  she  had  the  capabilities  to  do  it  again.  not  when  it  meant  that  she  had  to  do  it  at  a  place,  she  could  only  tolerate.   “  i  agree,  winter  would  definitely  be  more  comfortable  than  the  summer  court,  although  if  i  have  to  pick  a  seasonal  court,  i’d  choose  the  autumn  court.  it’s  the  most  respectable  one,  at  least  regarding  their  method  of  choosing  the  high  rulers.  the  other  courts  could  learn  from  them.”  her  last  words  disappeared  in  a  low  murmur,  an  attempt  to  drown  her  disdain  for  the  high  families.  even  ilayda  knew  that  discussing  values  and  morals  with  a  stranger  wasn’t  a  smart  move.  “  so  what  is  the  court  you  hail  from?  i  assume  none  of  the  seasonal  ones.”  her  gaze  wandered  to  the  other.  there  was  something  different  about  her  but  she  couldn’t  pinpoint  what  it  was.

THERE were those who feared her & showed it, then there were those who, for some ridiculous reason, did not fear her at all ( though they were rare ) & finally those, like this little thing, who feared her & yet still talked to her.

she grinned.

"I wouldn't say I dislike it. It's similar enough to my own court, sans the dragons." Vivian replied after a moment. She appreciated the dragons - like all animals, they were no faes, & thus not her enemies. They seemed as erratic & volatile & feral as she was, & she liked to have someone to share such characteristics with - even if it were just dragons.

The girl spoke again & the witch chuckled.

"I would not survive Summer. Winter, I could do. It's fortunate the Solar courts abide by the laws of nature." that was why she picked one - she would've picked Dusk if they were visible back then, or Night court, were they only a little further from evrything else.

[cresccents]

her  name  needed  only  to  be  spoken  with  the  comfort  of  familiarity  and  ilayda  could  feel  her  heart  breaking  a  little  more.  cracks  shining  with  the  light  of  the  reminder  of  her  family.  a  second  of  indecision  (  or  was  it  fear  ?  )  broke  her  stride  and  ilayda  simply  stood  there,  paralyzed  by  the  uncertainty  of  what  would  come  next.  she  could  keep  on  walking,  taking  the  inevitable  pain  with  her  alone,  and  allow  it  to  be  eroded  with  the  passage  of  time.  but  she  turned  around,  facing  her  brother  and  cherishing  a  moment  that  would  become  a  distant  memory  way  too  soon.  “  kerim  …”   how  long  had  it  been  since  she’d  seen  him?  spoken  to  him,  instead  of  simply  lingering  in  the  shadows  of  shame,  never  daring  to  come  close.  of  course,  she  went  back  to  the  camps  a  few  times,  only  to  turn  her  back  on  it  again.  once,  when  she  wanted  to  ask  him  to  leave  as  well.  the  other  time,  to  make  sure  he  was  fine.  alive.  “  you  look  well  …  how  have  you  been  ..?”  clumsy.  but  how  was  one  supposed  to  talk  to  one  of  the  most  important  people  in  her  life,  someone  she  decided  to  half  abandon.  “nevermind.  i  think  …  i  …  i  better  leave  now.  you  must  be  busy  ...”  her  eyes  shifted  to  the  ground,   “  and  there’s  something  i  still  need  to  do.” 

@cresccents

his  heart  had  shattered  each  time  that  a  sibling  of  his  moved  off,  did  something  out  of  his  reach  and  was  hardly  heard  from  again.  ilayda  had  always  been  just  out  of  touch,  still  in  the  same  court  but  not  reachable.  it  hurt,  but  he  didn't  want  to  push  something  so  fragile.  but  when  he  sees  her,  well,  it's  impossible  for  an  older  brother  not  to  say  hello.  where  did  he  even  begin  ?  hi  didn't  seem  to  suffice.  "  ilayda  ?  "  name  falls  from  his  lips,  it's  all  he  knows  how  to  do.

[cresccents]

terrifying  (  she  had  grown  up  around faces  like  these  ),  resembling  more  the  picture  of  an  illyrian  than  ilayda  ever  would.  a  grin  played  on  her  lips,  taking  the  others  bad  mood  as  an  invitation  to  dig  deeper,  oblivious  (  willingly  or  not  )  that  she  might  come  off  across  as  simply  nosy. 

“  so  the  dusk  court  isn’t  too  your  liking  ?  at  least  that’s  what  your  expression  is  hinting  at.  or  is  it  something  else  ?”  like  being  stuck  here,  reminded  of  how  far  home  seemed  to  be.  even  back  then,  when  she  left,  she  couldn’t  bear  to  leave  the  night  court.  it  was  as  if  she’d  abadanon  herself,  her  old  life.  ripping  out  a  half-withered  flower  from  their  roots.  an  inevitable  process. 

“  i’m  not  an  optimist  but  if  you  ask  me  i’m  glad  it’s  at  least  one  of  the  solar  courts,  imagine  being  stuck  in  the  summer  court.  but  i  guess  it’d  mean  having  to  waste  less  material  on  clothing  …”

location: dusk court. balcony. time: night. status: open / to all who dare.

VIVIAN despised faes. It was ironic, given she was one, but her Making was neither natural, nor of her free will. She hated what she had become, hated the arched ears & perfect vision & being forced to live forever with a shadowy, misty, cold & wet voice inside her head. She hated the Cauldron, the Courts & the Mother - both versions of her - but, most of all, she despised the Continent - & the pompous, rotten fae living in Gaea.

she loathed Gaea.

Her lover was from there. The Cauldron, last she saw it, was from there. The threat to the humankind were not speed, immortality or the bloodlust of the fae, but rather the sorry excuse of a heart they possessed. The heart that knew nothing of love - only possession & darkness.

& now she was darkness.

Standing in the corner of the balcony, Vivian all but disappeared into the shadows - sometimes, she wished she could just vanish, perhaps there's an isolated, uninhabited island in the middle of actual nowhere she could disappear to. She'd love that.

A voice diverted her attention, from the shadow & ice tinted whisper inside her head, to the person who now stood in her vicinity. Stifling a scowl, she plastered the most polite expression which her face could physically contort into, without terrifying everyone within five feet radius.

"The best thing about solar courts truly is their Cauldron-given time of day. Dusk here was... something else."

[cresccents]

terror  has  formed  into  distant  admiration  of  a  skill,  the  blade  so  far  from  her  that  it  didn’t  cut  through  her  memories:   hands  stained  with  blood,  ragged  breath  cutting  through  air  before  the  knife  would  slide  from  icy  fingertips.  instead,  it  was  just  amara,  a  familiar  face  spotted  at  a  strange  place  that  felt  way  too  far  from  home.  “  you’re  quite  good  at  this.  ”  a  lazy  grin  touched  her  lips,  smoothing  her  creased  forehead  from  raising  her  brows  in  surprise  only  a  second  ago.  “  i  wish  i  was  only  half  as  good.”  once  she  used  to  yield  all  sorts  of  weapon,  but  never  with  such  a  skill  like  her.  “  you  seem  tense.”  her  gaze  travelled  to  the  other  blade  again.  “  is  there  something  bothering  you?  i  must  admit,  the  dusk  court  isn’t  exactly  my  favourite.  ”

⋆。°✩ 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.

[cresccents]

her  body  stiffened,  barely  used  to  the  warmth  of  an  embrace  and  it  took  her  a  second  before  she  returned  it,  wrapping  her  arms  around  sienna  and  lightly  squeezing  her  with  a  smile  softening  the  surprise  in  her  expression.  “  and  you’ll  certainly  miss  me  more,  after  leaving  with  the  gift,  i’ve  made  for  you.”  the  confidence  in  her  expression  only  slightly  mirrored  her  true  feelings.  although,  years  had  sharpened  and  honed  her  skills,  she  wasn’t  sure  if  she  could  ever  reach  sienna’s  levels.  there  was  something  truly  magical  about  every  dress  sienna  made  and  if  it  wasn’t  desperation,  ilayda  was  sure  that  seeing  those  dresses  alone  would’ve  probably  introduced  her  to  becoming  a  seamstress.   “  you’re  flattering  me  .”  she  said,  a  hint  of  rose  tinting  her  cheeks.  “  and  yes,  i  think  i’ve  found  the  perfect  place  to  buy  those  fabrics,  it’s  a  secret  though  and  i’m  only  revealing  it  if  i  like  your  reaction  to  the  dresses.”  she  jested,  allowing  sienna  to  grab  the  basket,  already  pleased  over  her  excitement.  “  we  could  try  to  find  a  clothing  stall  or  if  you’re  feeling  particular  daring  today,  we  could  use  that  tree.”  she  jested.  “  don’t  worry,  i'm  going  to  use  my  initimidating  glare  and  no  one  is  going  to  dare  to  get  close  to  that  tree.” 

☆ﾟ*·ﾟHEARING HER NAME caused sienna to turn, smiling brightly at whomever it was. but when she saw ilayda running toward her, her eyes brightened. it'd been so long since she'd seen her and she honestly missed her. sienna taught her as much as she could about sewing and from then on, only wrote her letters. it was absolutely wonderful to see her again. squealing, she wrapped her arms around her, hugging her tightly. "oh gosh, ilayda! it's so wonderful to see you! goodness, i've missed you." laughing lightly, she shook her head. "me? you've gotten more beautiful and these fabrics! oh goodness!" the redhead grabbed the basket and pulled out one of the dresses. "this is stunning, oh gosh, let's go find somewhere to try these on! i must see them in all their glory!"