#cauldronsborn

[fcrtheglcry]

a small starter for @cauldronsborn ♡ muse: coralie devereaux (they/she, bisexual, 25-30, misplaced mermaid)

✧˚ · .   ❝ YOU’RE A BIT DIFFERENT THAN THE STORIES I’D HEARD ABOUT YOU, ❞ coralie mused, their voice a light but thoughtful hum. ❝ HUMANS, I MEAN. ❞ coralie hadn’t been on land very long, and most of it had been awful thus far. they couldn’t wait to find their way back to the ocean and their real life. but while they were here, it seemed they were learning all sorts of new things. like the interesting mannerisms of this human in front of them – so different than other creatures they knew, their own species especially. ❝ IT’S WEIRD HOW WRONG WE GOT IT. ❞

[fairiewines]

was brienne not aware of the fate airlie had been sentenced to? to speak of her ignorance of how life worked was truly laughable. " you have not seen the horrors that lie outside these gilded gates , i know more about consequences than you will ever know ." and when had this turned in to a trauma show and tell? airlie was taken back to the days when she had been young enough to attend school, when her father was still present and the weight of supporting her siblings did not fall on her shoulders. did airlie bore the face of someone who was to be treated like a lesser being by every single person she countered? she was beginning to think so as the other woman began readying herself to leave. it was hard not to be somewhat bitter, to dwell on the other female going to her no doubt comfortable bed and not having to worry for a single moment whether she will have to relieve herself where she slept or just slightly to the left this time. " and you should return the favor to me , i am not a pet and i will not be treated like one regardless of where i am . your husband and his guards have tried to strip me of who and what i am , they have failed ." by now the darkness had become her companion, if brienne's attention became diverted by some ball or dress fitting airlie would need to rely on herself once more. " i do not know you ", she reminded the lady as she made to leave , " you tell me words and yet it is actions that speak much louder . " how could she so blindly trust someone who slept in the same quarters as the man who had so happily put her down here? to do so would be foolish, even more foolish than letting her sharp tongue get the better of her. the hunger and exhaustion had sharpened it to a blade, where normally she would be silent and obedient.

brienne was thoroughly resigned to be done with tonight’s adventure, having found herself suddenly extended too far beyond her typical abilities. and, if asked, she’d deny that the fit the lesser fae sent her into had anything to do with it. deny all claims that she lost her temper and was ashamed of herself for it. she had striven her entire life to counter the affects of her birthright, yet they still plagued her even on her strongest of days. “you’re a fool if you do not think everything comes with a price,” her voice was lacking much of the warmth it held prior, “my only conditions were to be treated kindly in return. though it was not something i thought needed to be spoken to be known — that was my mistake.” standing upright and patting out any wrinkles in her nightdress, brienne prepared to take her leave. even if she cared to further tend the connection between the two of them. she knew herself well enough to know she couldn’t come back from her outburst. her autumn soul needed time to simmer, and pursuing further would only turn volatile for both fae. “to warn you does not mean i have gone back on any promise, airlie, but hopefully it does bring a few things to light in your darkness. mainly the fact that i will not be treated as less than i deserve and still be expected to risk my life for you. to do so would be imprudent, left biding my time before fulfilling a death wish.” gathering herself, she turned to leave, only stopping to let the girl know she’d be back tomorrow eve.

[persephonyed]

whispers i only have 3 more drafts i feel like i’m on top of the world. if anyone wants to revisit or plot any of our pairings next threads or wants a little something new like this or message me hehehe.

[meltemakcol]

"then let's what it go down" he proposes, much to his disliking but holding a smirk on his features either way. the war was bound to happen anyway, going out of his way to stop it would be ridiculous but he would've had — for the thing he wanted most, her. "you'll be safe, they know better than to touch you." he made sure of that, and that only.

"marry you, and i betray everything these people look to me for. marry you, and i—" marry him, and eirinn would have to admit she finally gave into selfish temptation.

[persephonyed]

i currently have 15/26 of my drafts done, and i have 3 more hours alone at work, hehe. whatever i finish today, i'll have queued to post sometime tonight! i won't be online really once i leave work since we have nye plans but i'm alone for a night shift tomorrow and it's gonna be dead so...whatever i don't get done today will likely be done tomorrow night.

if i forget to say it later, happy new year!!!

[persephonyed]

oooookay, because i have been away for so long, i'm dropping a handful of threads that i just don't have any more muse for rn / are close to ending and we can just finish the plot in dms / etc. i'm super down to continue all pairings with new threads! i just have to be realistic with what i think i'm going to be actually motivated to write rn and hope that's okay with all of u. <3

i'm gonna put my current drafts / the things i will be replying to under the cut. if you don't see your thread there, feel free to reach out so we can continue the pairing on a new thread. ( i also may have not seen a notif for something since i have been away. )

daisy + heath — @stcrskims jude + annie — @muchallure margot + newt — @muchallure daphne + peter — @muchallure jill + dovid — @someotherdog indie + eoin — @someotherdog romy + brendan — @lcvewaslcst malia + jeb — @springbreezc sawyer + gaten — @atrickrtreat conrad + bentley — @mccntower nat + cecily — @lvciddreamt flora + simone — @wutheringdevotion indie + oliver — @blcssom

& for @cauldronsborn

brienne + airlie — @calanmais

jackie + kyle — @twistxdtales

nissa + alaric — @prythiaens

rhiannon + rune — @prythiaens

just so u all know that replies to all of these threads are definitely coming!!

[persephonyed]

i just got home and i’ve gotta make gingerbread syrup for people and wrap all my gifts, so i’ll be on a little later. i’m already itching to do the new replies i owe fr. also kind of a soft launch for now but i made a side blog where i’m writing all my fantasy/bookish threads at over @cauldronsborn if any of u are interested.

[thursdaygrl]

the instinct to deny overcame soleil for a moment, guilty in a want to insist that she wasn't enjoying herself. this event was meant to be a celebration, but it felt as if the difference between them was clearly becoming soleil's awareness of her duty and rhiannon's inability to think of hers. her position, her magic, it afforded her that privledge. "my benefit?" she echoed with clear skepticism. "i fail to see where my benefit lies in potentially placing us on the backfoot before an important journey." it wasn't like soleil liked sounding so stuffy and boring, but it didn't mean she was wrong about her assertion. as the other took her arm, her brows lifted, eyes narrowing at the pout she began to pout. of course, instead of simply being frustrating, rhiannon took her aback entirely with mention of being invited to bed. pursing her lips, she forced herself not to overreact, instead peering away before her gaze settled back on the other. "i hate to inform you of this, but i wasn't having any fun in the first place." there was a touch of humour to her words, surprising even herself with it, but she relented even despite them. "but if you insist. one more thing, within reason. what is it?" she demanded, curious even despite her apparent irritation.

cont. from here for @thursdaygrl. ☺

 “yeah, it shouldn’t imply that absence…but are you having fun?” she knew the two weren’t mutually exclusive, but every way soleil had behaved tonight seemed to make the assumption quite clear. there was no doubt in rhiannon’s mind that her companion had been avidly avoiding anything that resembled fun throughout the night despite the celebration being entirely in their shared honour. “the ulterior motive was in your benefit — i didn’t lie about the properties it would endow upon us, i just knew you would decline the concoction if you were privy to it’s true contents. and we do call them frog tears!” she wasn’t one to create falsities just for her own amusement, though it might be hard to convince soleil of that entirely if she continued on tricking her, so rhi made a silent vow to put a pin in any such action. for now. taking the other’s arm gently, she composed herself rightfully though her bottom lip jutted outward, forming an obvious pout. “i know you’re not inviting me to bed, soleil, so this must mean you’re attempting to put an end to the party. are you truly that desperate to deny yourself a little more fun? i just wanted to do one more thing, if you can spare yourself the few minutes of rest. i’ll even beg if i have to.” she would, but she also knew soleil would rather perish than be privy to it.

[fairiewines]

a person wasn't incapable of change, airlie knew that. but she also knew that the high lord had undoubtedly sent countless lesser fae just like her down to these very cells and likely left them to rot, or worse. her being the first one brienne found was not quite a strong excuse for turning a blind eye, but she supposed that the guards did serve as a strong deterrent for coming down. the fae's temper tantrum did not impact her, not really. while airlie was not cold hearted nor oblivious to the plight of being married to a high lord she had a suspicion that brienne was simply letting out what she had kept inside for quite some time. her blinking stare never wavered, expression neutral until the mention of food being withdrawn made her laugh — or what may have resembled one considering her throat was so dry. " ah there it is . your kindness comes with a price , doesn't it ? i never said you were the same as him , your worth isn't found in other people . it's something you find within yourself , regardless of the family you come from or where you end up . there is no reason for you to feel less than unless you truly do believe it ." which clearly, the other woman did. or perhaps she was conditioned to believe in such things, to place her worth on whether she could make a tyrant happy and smile in the right ways. " if you want to do something meaningful then i strongly suggest you do not make promises only to take them back when you become frustrated ." after all, airlie had gone countless days without food prior to the woman sneaking down to visit her. it wasn't the food she was angered about, it was the quickness with which brienne had threatened to withdraw it.

            ”you are the first i have found,” brienne combatted, a defensive tone creeping into her words, unfamiliar with her intentions being questioned. this had never happened before, though this palace was seemingly a breeding ground of unfamiliar experiences for the high fae. and the way airlie was prodding her for deeper answers, attempting to uncover some unknown secrets, was fair warning that brienne should keep some semblance of her walls up. after all, the other fae knowing that she was breaking her own set of rules by coming down here could be used as a bargaining chip with someone who had more power than she if given the chance. “do you not see that i’m trying? or are you choosing to remain blind to the shadows i’m tip toeing in, that i’m attempting to gather any amount of power i can have here, to figure out what change i can make in this godsforsaken place?” the autumn court temper brienne worked so hard to combat was fighting it’s way out, desperate for a flame after having been starved for weeks while she attempted to be the obedient wife her husband commanded. “you have no idea what it’s like to be treated as a token in these males’ war game, airlie — i may be born into legacy, powerful by name, but i’ve been stripped of everything in actuality. reduced to detailed paperwork, to a high lord’s promise. so be not mistaken, i do this all for my people, and being here means i have nothing left to lose. so you will not compare me to him, and you shall never reduce me to nothing.” releasing a deep breath, brienne stared down her nose at the other. “let that be your only reminder, or you shall go hungry once more.”

[fairiewines]

" i am not the first person to be held down here ", she stated, pinning the other woman with a knowing look. " nor will i be the last so tell me , what is special about me ? what could i possibly have the others didn't ?" some untrusting part of her still clung to the idea that this was a cruel trick played upon her by the high lord, to lure airlie into feeling some sort of hope before he ripped it away. she had survived countless horrors in that cell, but she feared that may break her completely. it was unknown to her just how brienne could help her, how she had even managed to sneak past the guards was a mystery to the fae. her time was surely running out. so she was sold off like livestock. it was a horrid reality for someone to face, despite how wealthy they were. " women can be more than breeding centers , it is a shame that your family didn't believe that too ." her brows furrowed at the woman's final sentence, the surety the words carried. " if you truly do believe that then you may just be a perfect match for that cruel bastard sitting up there now . how many women have suffered at the hands of men similar to him purely because they weren't born with the right anatomy between their legs ? because they were pretty and some tiny dicked man assumed he had a right to them ?" it was incomprehensible to airlie that the woman before her could believe such a thing was her purpose in life.

            “is there a point you’re trying to make?” brienne raised her brows, challenging whatever the lesser fae was implying. “i know the choice i’m making, airlie, and i do not make it lightly. but i also would not be able to face my reflection in the mirror if i left you down here to rot. so please, don’t object, because i won’t listen to you regardless.” perhaps giving the other no chance to reject her aid would keep her from questioning the woman’s actions, or the path she’d decided to go down. in her eyes, if she was killed for being kind, then she would risk death every chance she was offered. “how?” the inquiry cast a bit of humour upon her features, finding the trivial question amusing amongst the gravity of the situation. how silly of her not to see it for what it was. “what else is the daughter of a high lord good for besides trading her hand in marriage for undying loyalty? unity with the second most powerful court? promises that go beyond anything i could surely provide in bed?” brienne held her head high, not letting emotion penetrate the facts she was posing. “this is how i was most valuable to my family, and who am i to object?”

[fairiewines]

despite the inherent want to believe brienne's words airlie knew that even the best intentions could not save her, not unless her tyrant of a husband suddenly had a change of heart and decided to let her roam free once more. the mere fact he had married someone like brienne told airlie that he was fond of collecting pretty things, of chaining them up and clipping their wings so they could no longer flee. her knowledge of court politics was weak to be kind, given how she had grown up in a town that did nothing aside from pay their tithe and pray that the high lord deemed their business to be worthy enough to still stand. it was rather humorous, how despite airlie and her townsfolk living so close to the esteemed lord's land they knew so little about the dynamics within it — she likely suspected that was a purposeful choice, to remind them of their place subconsciously. " everyone has a choice ", she remarked quietly, the need for more liquid to coat her tired throat causing the words to rasp. " you may not have had a choice marrying him but . . . this choice may have you killed ." was she worth dying for? she was no noble woman, a visitor from another court that had somehow gotten caught in a trap. airlie was a small girl in an even smaller town. what good would her existence do to brienne? " how did you marry him?" she murmured, curiosity apparently getting the better of her. at least if she continued speaking she would not be reminded of the constant aches in her body, the pangs of hunger and the lightheadedness of dehydration. " you said it wasn't your choice so . . . was it your family ?" evidently the woman had been born in to wealth, the way she carried herself and spoke told airlie it was not something that had been taught but more so handed at birth. it was a strange concept, to originate from a family that had so much power and hold over a high lord, to have attracted his attention.

there was no proper way to confirm airlie’s words, so brienne remained silent, letting that answer the girl in heed of her own attempts. none would soften the blow that was airlie’s current fate, so she saw no need to further push the current situation down on the girl stuck behind her husband’s bars. “i’ll find a way.” the words slipped out before she could pay them thought, surely aware that shock covered every inch of her face. it was a weighted statement that brienne had no idea she could back up, yet she didn’t take the promise back. “if you know anything of their politics, the kind i’m forever burdened to endure, you’d know sharing his bed wasn't a choice of my own. my fate isn’t up to me to decide, airlie, but i can try to make the best of my situation. i can try to do some kind of good with the small power i do have while i reside as a warm pawn at the high lord’s side, no matter how cruel he may be. my destiny has never been my own to write.” it was the heavy truth of being born into power, her fate always to be written by her father and what would be best for him, for his people, even if she must be sacrificed. it was the way it always was. “i will continue to come down here whenever i can, visit you in the middle of the night and bring you scraps i can gather without drawing attention to myself. we may be in different circumstances, but we are both trying to survive this place. if i can do something to help you, i will.” and though she paid no mind to the girl’s final question, there was a sincerity in her eyes that met the other’s, and brienne was sure the girl could understand the fate she was accepting. that this risk could cost her everything, yet she was still determined to do what she thought was right.

[fcrtheglcry]

✧˚ · .   ❝ SO YOU’RE SPECIAL, EVEN AMONG THE PEOPLE? ❞ coralie asked, their voice lilting just into teasing territory beneath the genuine question. for all they knew, maybe this one human they stumbled upon actually was special. maybe she was the chosen one or something. ❝ I SHOULD BE HONORED TO HAVE MET YOU, THEN. ❞ there it was – the moment coralie had to decide whether or not to tell the truth or make up a lie. should they pretend to be a human? ❝ I HAVE NEVER LIVED AMONG OTHER HUMANS, ❞ they say, settling for a bit of omission. ❝ THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I’VE SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE SAME PLACE. ❞

“i tend to frustrate many expectations, so please, don’t be alarmed if this is a first for you,” eirinn laughed lightly as she remained focused on the other, attempting to unravel whatever the girl was hiding beneath her approachable air. the way she spoke, how she observed the world, it seemed just slightly out of place that it caused eirinn to nearly pause, wondering if the girl had simply hit her head too hard or if there was more to her story. it wasn’t entirely cause for alarm, but eirinn often prided herself on being knowledgeable about the people in town and the surrounding areas, and she was so unlike anyone she knew... “you say ‘humans’ as if you categorize yourself apart from us. why’s that?”

[fcrtheglcry]

✧˚ · .   was coralie meant to be hiding their true nature from the humans? it hadn’t really occurred to them before now, but it seemed like this human girl before them likely thought that coralie was just that as well – a human girl, that is. the other had been a great help to them so far, and it really would dampen the mood if coralie admitted straight-out that they were the stuff of human legend and this girl dragged them off to be put in chains again. they’d had enough of chains to last many lifetimes already. ❝ I –  ❞ they hesitated a second before finishing, opting for a small truth rather than an outright lie. ❝ I HAVE NEVER KNOWN HUMANS TO BE VERY HELPFUL. ❞ they gave the girl a small smile, if a little teasing. ❝ AND SO FAR YOU SEEM TO BE FRUSTRATING THAT EXPECTATION WELL. ❞

eirinn had noticed the stranger stumbling about in the woods, and she almost avoided them altogether, but there was something compelling about them that drew her in and the girl couldn’t deny her curiosity. she was glad, though cautious, that she’d approached. “what do you mean — wrong?” for all she knew, they’d lived a standard life here. their little town was humble at best, but no different than others she had travelled to, so the observance took her quite off guard. “i’m perhaps a little closed minded to all that exists in the world. some enlightenment might do me good.” and give her the opportunity to prepare for those that may be more threatening than the hidden creature before her.