#lilythofthevallites

[anankelotus]

You’re Telling Me a Crest Stoned These Rocks?

Your hoard of crest stones collected from the Sealed Forest beasts grows steadily the more you work, in number and in power. The stones sing a siren song that appeals to some instinctual, animalistic part of yourself. A growing desire to take them, hold them, make them yours. It’s hypothesized that this is the very influence that attracted the animals to the stones in the first place. After a rash of attempted robberies and disappearances, you and another are tasked with guarding the Crest stones through the night. The strange curse upon the stones tempt you, but you must stay strong... [Grants Reason +1] non-mission board starter for @lilythofthevallites

Anankos stares quietly at the small bundle of rocks in his hands with many curious eyes, unable to tear his eyes from them as they seem to call out to him directly. He barely notices his bluebird by his side, completely entranced by the hum of the glowing ruby stones. He must protect them, he must keep them safe. The pOwEr must belong to him and him alone! He guards them even from the strange little bluebird by his side.

Wait... who was she again...? Did he even know her? Was she going to take his treasures from him? He wouldn't allow her to do that, they were his after all! No one could take them from him!

"You... do not take what rightfully belongs to Valla's king... You do not take what is... mine..." He doesn't know why his words sound harsh to him, it is rather strange that he would regret saying anything at all anyway. He cocks his head in confusion, hissing as a strange fabric falls from his face and exposes many eyes used to the dark to the bright, burning, light of the daytime. He does not understand why he was wearing that stupid thing anyway. What was the point of it...?

"Do not... take... little birdy... not without your king's permission..."

[paintingfallenraindrops]

Golden Eyes Get Brighter and Heavy Wings Grow Lighter

starter for @lilythofthevallites

Cadros adjusts rather quickly to the academy for the short time he has been here, especially considering how abruptly he had been all but flung through time. But all that aside, it was peaceful, and perhaps a chance to admit to himself how stressed he had been running Valla. Yet another reason why this could be considered a good thing! A wonderful chance to destress after running such a seculded kingdom for so long!

This place was only missing one thing: his beloved god. How was he supposed to function properly without the one person who had always been able to put him back on the right path once he got sidetracked? The one person who could keep him focused on the present rather than running forward aimlessly. It stung so much more than he had also been torn away from Anankos, a wonderful and gentle moment with his darling dragon, when he had been transported to this place.

He sighs softly, knowing he should not let himself dwell so on such things. If he let his mind get overwhelmed with what could be, then he would not be able to stand upright and lead his peopl- oh right, he did not have to do that here, other than lead the students he had been assigned to teach.

He's just as quickly snapped out of his thoughts upon noticing a familiar blue flutter past his vision. Instantly, he is upon his feet, chasing after it.

"Anankos, I'm so glad to see you, my frien- ... You are not Anankos..." He tries to hide his disappointment upon seeing that blue belonged to a girl. A girl who did so terribly look like Anankos if he looked a little bit closer.

"My deepest apologies... but your hair colour is exactly like his... I could not help but be caught up in the moment! I hope you are not offended!"

[peerlessscowl]

his wet cat vibes have bewitched me

(matchmaking starter for @lilythofthevallites)

"What on - ?"

Several things happened to Raven at once.

He had heard the chattering of their jailers overhead, attempting to keep himself from grinding his teeth, wanting to shout skyward, but knowing that ultimately it would lead nowhere. He heard the hissing of his saints-forsaken air patron, the mocking laughter in his ears, practically felt the glee dripping down his neck like rain that had gotten underneath his coat.

The card had appeared in his pocket, stiff card stock, pointed edges digging into his skin until he had fished it out, eyes skimming over the words written on it before registering that it seemed to be some sort of…adoption plea? He had the time to flip the card over to read the name Lilith in ornate metallic script.

And then, quite suddenly, he felt the familiar infuriating sensation of being buffeted by wind, but with more force, more control this time, lifting him to the tips of his toes and giving him not a moment to even consider fighting back before he was bodily dragged from his position at the outskirts of the ballroom, tugged from the shadows looming in the hall out into the bright lights of the dance floor, as though some anchor at his navel was attached to an invisible line that he was being reeled to, his toes scuffing against the shining, buffed floor.

He was stopped very suddenly - thankfully, just before colliding with a young lady, soft of feature and bright in the eyes. The stop was so abrupt he nearly fell to his knees, but recovered his balance well enough.

Once more, he felt the curling laughter of air in his ears. Now play, it hissed at him, make nice.

The urge to snarl was dampened by the girl blinking innocently at him.

And then he understood. Aided by the miserable weeks (days? Hours? How was he to know?) he had spent in the morbid toy house, the pieces fit together as he raked his gaze across the dance floor to find everyone else had been quite displaced from where they stood, presented to someone else as though for inspection.

He could not remember the contents of the card exactly, but it had indicated that she was friendly - no, perhaps more than friendly. Perhaps closer to eager.

Before she could open her mouth to confirm his suspicions; "I'm not…you don't want me."

[desertslegacy]

Mint candy: For when your breath isn’t as fresh as newly-fallen snow.

…These candies were probably not intended to be taken by a handful, but they were sweet! And crunchy! And they had a nice aftertaste, and so Lilith takes a handful and hurries off to an edge of the ballroom, so as to not be seen as the person who ate ten mints at once.

It is there that she meets one of the professors of the Academy- though not of any of her classes! As her mouth is still stuffed with mint candies, she simply uses telepathy instead.

“Hello, Professor! Have you tried any of these mints? They’re delicious!”

//please imagine she’s eating them like nerds

Igrene starts slightly at the voice in her head, not expecting it, but as she turns to see Lilith she relaxes. They don't do that at home. She smiles, kindly, and reaches out a hand, covering Lilth's with hers. The combined heat of their fire brands travels up her arm, almost refreshing in the winter night air.

"I don't think they're meant to be eaten that way," she says gently, plucking a mint from Lilith's hand and popping it in her mouth. "I believe you're meant to suck on them - one at a time - over the course of a few minutes."

After a beat, she laughs. "Although I suppose you can eat them however you'd like. Just make sure your teeth are clean - they have a lot of sugar in them. How...how many have you eaten?"

[anankelotus]

[ Cue the Music ] - The songs of the crickets have their own charms, Lilith thinks! Turning to her father with a wide smile- practically beaming, she holds out a hand.

“Father! Shall we dance?”

Anankos has wandered from Cadros' side for a moment, the other man preoccupied in his own engagements. It was fine, though, Cadros was a social creature, always had been. It pains his heart though, even for a single moment, that they must be apart again after so long. It seems so trivial, compared to his other pains, that he longs for to linger by Cadros' side for the entirety of this ball, that he does not want to parted from him again.

"Oh...! Hello, Lilith..." He smiles softly at his daughter and her playful outstretched hand. For once, his mind is not on his troubles, and his smile seems to have a tint of a strange happiness that it usually doesn't.

"You extend your hand so easily... please do remember that is how we are to exchange the marks we wear... but if you were to want mine..." He takes her hand, so small and gentle in his own that have been tattered by time, and squeezes it, watching carefully as a small green flower blooms on her vines.

"Haha... I suppose it doesn't matter between us anyway... we are family, after all..."

[paintingfallenraindrops]

Sweet Bun Trio: The first bun is filled with sweet cream and topped with icing and a candied cherry. The second is a sweet roll filled with almonds, pecans, and dried cranberries and glazed with honey. The third is a bun sliced in half, filled with almond paste and whipped cream, dusted with powdered sugar on top.

“Sir Cadros!” Lilith bounds up with her treats in hand. She is still a little nervous around him, but the only way to get past that is to get to know him better! She had already eaten one such trio- and, finding them as delightful as they appear, she brings them as an offering. “Have you tried these yet?”

Cadros perks up at the sound of Anankos' daughter's - his daughter's - voice, a brilliant smile flickering across as he sees her. Her youth was vibrant, filling a room with her endless energy.

"Lilith, darling, you look wonderful! Have you seen your father? He looks quite beautiful as well! Probably not intended, but if you were to stand next to each other, you'd make quite a perfect match with your outfits! Anyone would be proud to call you family, but especially me!" His own finery is a familiar old one, Valla's flowing white robes an old staple of any of his outfits. He takes the food offered to him gratefully, reminded slightly of both of the kingdoms he had called home in his lifetime. It seemed that no matter where he went, there would always be some sort of sweet bun to enjoy.

"No, I haven't, but they look quite delicious! Oh, and you do not have to be so formal with me, dear Lilith. If you are comfortable, I do not desire such titles, especially since any child of Anankos is surely a child of mine as well." He glances to his hands holding the buns, remembering the marks that they all bore.

"Right! And if you desire an exchanging of marks, I happily offer that as well!" He resists the urge to pull her close to him, to pat her head and kiss her forehead, as if she were truly his own. She is not, not quite yet. But he hopes someday, that she will happily call him 'Dad' the same way that she calls Anankos her father.

[desertslegacy]

a playful,  happy kiss in the rain :D?

Something she did not think that she would ever grow accustomed to was the rain. She had seen rain, of course, she was no sheltered child, but it was so scarce in the desert, and when it did fall it evaporated, scattered in the sun and the wind as everything else was, impermanent, fleeting, a grain of sand in the hourglass of eternity. 

But this rain was so different, clouds hanging heavy and dark in the sky, not a downy shimmer but enormous, booming, clamoring for space, fat droplets spattering the ground about her, slapping against her skin. Transfixed for the moment, Igrene turned her face upward, her eyes fluttering shut as she extended a hand, supplicant accepting the offering of life from the heavens. 

She heard a musical chirp of laughter from faraway, from right beside her, and she glanced down to see a young woman, a student, spinning in a little dance not far from her. The student glanced up from her merriment and made her way over, floating steps scarcely leaving ripples in the growing puddles. 

"Isn't it lovely, professor?" The student said in greeting, and then, as though overcome with joy, Igrene felt the press of lips against her cheek, and the student grabbed at her wrist, dragging her along for a refrain of her little jig. 

It was lovely, she had to admit. It was lovely and it was incredible, and it was powerful and dangerous as all things in nature were, but Igrene pushed the thought from her mind and allowed herself to abandon her reservations and simply dance in the rain.