#nagargent

[disgracedvessel]

"Julius," Deirdre is quiet as she approaches her son in the med tent. She imagines he will not be too happy to see her but she needs to know that he is alright. Perhaps it is a selfish indulgence but she has always insisted upon overseeing his care, even when he was just a child. "Have you had enough healing? Do you need more blankets or juice? You know I will do whatever I can to help you."

“I’m not a child,” Julius snaps, turning sharply to face Deirdre. Ever since that Valentian knight made it his duty to “reunite” them and prove that his mother was indeed still alive, he had been uneasy around the monastery. The freedom he had previously enjoyed, even with the arrival of Seliph, Julia, and a number of others hailing from Jugdral, had become stale and stifled, and he was forced once more to check the other side of walls before turning corners. Glimpsing just one silvery hair would send him back the way he had come or, more often, down into the darkness of Abyss. His ghosts knew where he lived though, and so he was haunted everywhere he went.

The Battle of the Eagle and Lion was one of the few joys he had managed to retain over the last few years and the fact that his mother had never been much of a fighter had been enough to relax his guard for a little while. Of course peace would not last, and that tenuous security came crashing down around him the moment she caught his name between her lips.

He stares her down warily, shoulders tense, feet planted as if on the cusp of a new battle.

“I’m not your child,” he repeats - corrects - more subdued than the first. “Besides, you should worry about yourself before you worry about me.” His eyes narrow with false scrutiny, then he crosses his arms and turns away. “You look like a wreck.”

[duskroine]

tell a friend to tell a friend: SHE’S BACK!! — gold round, team 6

CHOSEN SECOND WATCHES THE MIMIC FALL as would a mortal to its unreliable god.  with disbelief etched into their very being.  they stare as though the mimic will rise once more from the ground, in a disfigured ascension of their features.  the arena ripples around them and they allow their eyes to close as the dream shifts.  tentatively awaiting whatever beasts are on the other side of the dream’s vision.

ophelia! heals +2 health with amaterasu and bond.   (   ophelia hp = 10 / 10   )

beneath their robes, burns caused by magic begin a quick process of healing.  sepia skin flushes with its normal tone and no longer does the after sparks of luce rise from their chest.  the weight of their former light soldiers leaves their shoulders, instead replaced by a physical pressure.  grey eyes open to the sight of a veil, dark and cross-stitched.  ophelia blinks slowly, raising a gloved hand to their face to test the veil’s fabric.  despite its darkness, they can still see through the thin material.  before them stands their companions—   all of them, thankfully.  relief leaves them as a small sigh at the sight of lloyd and julia back to their feet, no matter how exhausted they seem.

it is then, as ophelia walks forward with graceful steps, that they realize the depth of the magic within them.  the ability of warmth, not lightning.  gray eyes gaze down at their gloves, then back up to their companions.  healing is what they bear, the weight and responsibility of keeping those dearest to them alive rather than using their sacrifices as strength.  hands raise towards the team, a wide gesture that causes a glow to lighten their chest.

ophelia! rolls d20: 7! ‘fortify’ heals good, ( 2 base health + 2 white tomefaire ) +4 health.   (   andrei hp = 7 / 10 , julia hp = 9 / 10 , nyna hp = 10 / 10 , lloyd hp = 9 / 10   )

ophelia! heals +4 health with live to serve.   (   ophelia hp = 10 / 10   )

a channel of magic connects each companion to ophelia’s own well of health, filling all until the connection on their side falters.  it is all they can do, but despite the strange feeling, it is enough.   “   dusk will keep you all fighting,   ”   they declare with an odd gentleness,   “   no evil will drag us heroes down when we’re so close to the dream’s finale.   ”   but it is not a promise.  they cannot promise such a thing after seeing their companions and themselves fall victim to such darkness.  it is a hope, a wish, maybe.

the heroine looks upon the enemies, familiar already with the mechanics of its lunges and armor.   “   our weapons of eclipse and honor have struck such beings before with frightening strength.  what is it to deal the same damage once more!   ”   despite the trauma, they find their voice coming back to its dramatical pitch.  that is enough to quell their worries.

@ulircursed , @alunyna , @fangedjustice , and @nagargent !!

[alunyna]

it’s just a phase mom  ─ team 6 steel round

Silence takes the arena before gunfire can continue, light washing over the room in that same blinding way that it had after the bird’s fall. When Nyna’s eyes dare brave the brightness of the room there is no pegasus at her side or hulking metal monster.

Someone coughs.

The white fabric of a healer’s robes flutters around her as she rushes towards the side of their previously fallen ally. Nyna kneels, white magic rushing to her fingertips. He is nowhere near as hurt as he had been -- the arena’s magic having done some of her work already -- but she will not allow him to take on the next battle wounded.

Nyna uses Recover on Lloyd. Roll: 4. +5 HP. (Lloyd 10/10 HP.)

A hand hovers just above his collar, gentle light radiating from it. Wounds knit closed and bruises wipe away as though nothing more than smudges of ink. Only when the light fades does she allow herself a sigh of relief, crystal eyes searching his as though in disbelief.

It is only a dream. Nyna dips her head, rising to stand. Reality is nary so kind. 

“I am glad to see you are alright,” that same hand extends now, an offer to help him back to his feet, “as are the rest of us.”

Finally she lets her attention settle upon the arena’s center. The horror that awaits them is no longer mechanical but flesh -- a man seated atop a gilded lion, larger than life but unmistakably living. 

Gaze flits back to Lloyd. “Be careful. I do not wish to see you fall again.”

@fangedjustice @ulircursed @nagargent @duskroine 

[fellincantation]

[WONDER]: unable to comprehend how incredible the receiver is, the sender decides to simply cup their face in their hands and marvel at them instead.

Grima froze as gentle hands were placed upon her face. There was an unmistakable tension in her shoulders as she stood completely still. The hands that touched her felt far too familiar for her liking. The blood that ran through her veins was making Grima want to pull away in disgust.

Instead, she stood silently and allowed Julia to watch her.

"Is there something you need?" Grima asked, smiling to the best of her ability. She felt like every hair on her body was standing on end. Every fiber of her being was shouting at her to pull away.

[sharpscion]

🎄+ 💋 "If I told you the law said you have to kiss me, would you believe me?"

   Scathach is taken unaware when the sleeve of his shirt was softly pulled upon by his party partner. He stops his stride to address her with a questioning look, one she is keen to answer with a single finger pointed towards the ceiling. Instant recognition began to bloom in his mind when the green decoration caught his eye. It was a Christmas party after all, these things were practically staple events. Still, being the naïve man that he was, the thought of them being caught underneath one had never crossed his mind. He blushed in anticipation, understanding that if Julia had stopped him, than surely she too understood the meaning. “Would you look at that... We’re both under the mistletoe.”

   She takes his recognition with a delicate smile, the kind of smile that puts his every worry to rest easily. He nearly misses the joke that sheepishly escapes her lips, but he doesn’t... and he is glad for it. It is his turn to smile now, and to laugh with glee, something he rarely gets the chance to do. In this moment, he can only thank his lucky stars that he had decided to follow after Larcei to this place. One where Julia could smile and crack wise, and one where he could be by her side to laugh and enjoy life with her. 

   “I think if I got to kiss you, then I probably wouldn’t think about it too hard.” With that piece being said, Scathach was quick to bend down and take the opportunity that was so graciously given to him. A chaste peck was placed against her lips, and in those few moments... He could finally say he knew what happiness was like. 

[making-dough]

"Professor!" Julia's cheeks are red from running but she bursts into a wide, bright smile upon seeing the flying teacher before her. A hunch had led her here. She had heard tell the woman was 'thrifty' but to Julia, that just meant creative. Resourceful enough to create joy and light from very little. A skilled flier too and who else would think to send a novice skyward? "Did you... did you organise a midnight flight for me to see the monastery? It was wonderful, a little terrifying - I thought that pegasus would knock me from my feet but--"

"Well no matter what I took some pictures I'd like to share. If you did grant me such a boon I'd like you to keep half. It's... made me reflect on my study goals too. So don't be too surprised if you see a little more of me!"

♠ - Calling her 'thrifty' was probably not inaccurate, she supposed. If there was one thing living in poverty had taught her (and let's face it, with few exceptions, Ilia was poverty), it was in how to make every gold count. To that count, the pegasus was the academy's, the extra feed she used for a bribe reward was nicked borrowed from the kitchens and she just asked the local eggheads to figure out when was the next expected meteor shower. The most she'd ended up spending gold on was on that snapshot tome and even that was second-hand. Alright, call her a cheapskate if you must but so long as no one got hurt, she was happy to carry on as she pleased.

Though, she'd never imagined she'd end up bringing quite that much happiness. "Yep.", the mercenary grinned proudly at the silver-haired girl's bright smile. "You got me. Glad you enjoyed it! Astra didn't end up hurting ya, did she? I know the girl can be a little...enthusiastic but she means well. Just a little.. uh.. over-excited, that's all." Well, it wasn't as though she had much else in terms of options for the Plan. Pegasi were notoriously shy and it didn't look as though the academy's flock were any better. And that was even with some extra bonus feed for a bribe reward. To be honest, she was happy she even got one volunteer eager for a chance to stretch their wings. She had.. other plans for Murphy that night. Still, it seemed to all work out so all’s well that ends well, she guessed. Especially since she came back with so many juicy pictures. “Oooh, nice!”, the mercenary gasped, glancing over at Julia’s pictures. “You got a much better view than I did!” There was a slight pause as she stopped to process what she’d just admitted to. Well, novice flyer. Pegasus off its leash. Practically anything could have gone wrong. Seemed like something she needed to keep an eye on. The last thing she needed was for her own first time to repeat itself.  It was still a little embarrassing to admit, though. “Ah, I mean, uhhh”, came the helpful noises out of her mouth while her brain tried to come up with a response. “Oh, yeah! I’ll take some, thanks!”, she declared, snatching up a handful of pictures. “I’ll be seeing ya around, Julia! Don’t do, uhhh, Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”, she tried to conclude, trying to sound somewhat authoritative and probably failing badly. Well, it was the effort that counted, right?

[nagaficat]

"Mama, did you plan a pegasus flight for me last night?" When she thinks about it, the gift giver must be someone free-spirited. Perhaps a touch impulsive too, no one fits that description better than her mother. The note as well - it was clearly someone who cared for her, wanted the best for her. "Whether you did or didn't, I'd like you to see some of the photos I took! They're breath-taking and to keep them to myself would be selfish. Ah, if you did gift me the experience though I'd like you to keep some. A little present in return."

"I would love to see your photos! I wish I had been there to watch you fly! But alas, I was not the one to gift this to you. It is such a lovely and clever idea and so romantic would you not agree?"

A dreamy glaze falls over Deirdre's eyes as she imagines it. It is just like something out of a story! A snow white pegasus showing up with a note from a mystery sender. Though if it really were in a story, the Pegasus would take her somewhere magical and intimate to a waiting handsome prince ready to fall in love with her.

With a shake of her head, Deirdre returns to reality and poses a sheepish question of her own. "You were not the one to give me a gift, were you? Whoever it was knows how important you and your brothers are to me and perhaps you addressed it to my full title in an attempt to conceal your identity?" She laughs. "It sounds even more foolish now that I am saying it out loud!"

[lukendary]

"Excuse me, sir? May I ask you something," Julia clutches a pouch filled with snapshots close to her as she searches for her Secret Santa. Her first thought is someone skilled with animals, thoughtful and clearly very charming. Perhaps Sir Luke? Now that she stands before him, she feels a little embarassed asking. "Did you perhaps organise an evening pegasus flight for me? If so, I'd like to share these pictures with you."

"If you didn't, please feel free to browse them anyway. The view was lovely. So beautiful it deserves to be shared."

“No, but I wish I had.” Luke mentally kicked himself for never thinking of such a sweet and romantic date idea. Someday, he’d organize such a thing himself. He smiled looking through the pictures, only raising his eyes to her to say, “Absolutely beautiful.”

Alright. Back to being a good boy.

He handed the pictures back and gave a slight bow.

“I wish you luck on your quest to find your mysterious secret giver. Have a happy winter festival, Julia.”

[fangedjustice]

"Happy holidays, Sir Lloyd," Julia stands, bundled up in a thick scarf and woolly coat. She runs over to him, smile bright as the sun. "I know it's not much but I was making some gingerbread cookies and I'd like you to have some. 'Tis the season, after all!" Their pace slows and small hand tentatively grasps his sleeve. "Thank you, for looking out for me."

Lloyd registered the sound of footsteps before a strangely familiar voice spoke his name, hazel eyes glancing up to find the bundled up form of Julia. For all the different attire he saw her in during that dream, he thinks this is much more fitting-- not just on account of the weather, but it looks soft and warm; a comfort to have against winter's presence, as hers had been to their ragtag group.

"Lady Julia, it is good to see you. I hope you've been enjoying the winter holidays," he greeted in return, his tone fond as she closed the gap between them, a delicate hand hesitantly gripping the rough sleeve of his own coat. "That's...That's very kind of you. It's more than you had to do, certainly, and I appreciate the gift."

Truly, he hadn't expected anything, so this was a pleasant treat.

"Of course, it was--" He has to stop himself from saying it was his duty to do so. While it was certainly his duty as a knight here to put others first, and his father had instilled a sense of dutiful protection in him for others that needed it, those had not been his immediate motivations towards his allies in that place. He'd not known any of them before that dream, but in what had to have been a short, slapdash amount of time, they had all come together to fight for the safety of each other.

It had been pure instinct on his part, the desire to not see any harm done to innocent people. It had not been guided by guilt or a need to prove himself, and that realization was surprisingly grounding.

"Of course. I'm glad I was able to help, even if I wish I could have been a bit more effective in some regards. But, I owe you my gratitude as well, Lady Julia; you kept us all going, and the magic you used...you have quite a talent for it," Lloyd responded, "I look forward to seeing what you decide to do with it. Whatever you choose, I've no doubt you'll make everyone proud."

Julia had reminded him of Nino quite closely, and even if the words tasted a little bittersweet on his tongue, Lloyd meant it. It's what he wished he'd told her when he'd last seen her, and perhaps one day, he'll be given a chance to, but if saying them now to Julia is helpful in any way, Lloyd wasn't going to miss speaking them out loud again.

"Ah, before I forget!" he said, his tone pitching more towards something lighthearted than just a moment before as he pawed around in his pockets. With a satisfied noise, he withdrew something small from his jacket -- in his palm it seemed a touch too small, but in Julia's it fit better. A tiny bird, wings spread mid-flight, carved from holly wood; the feathers of its wings and tail were rougher compared to the rest of its body, its head and beak smooth to the touch.

"We used to see these birds all the time, back where I'm from. They're small and some might consider them fairly unassuming, but they are brave and playful, and they are beautiful when they take to the sky," he explained, clearing his throat a little when he realized he was rambling just a bit. He passed the little carving to Julia with a smile, "Put me in mind of you, if it's not too forward to say."

[duskofendflame]

[GROUND]: during a moment of intense emotional stress, the sender gently takes the receiver's face in their hands to ground them until they're calmer again.

face cupping (still accepting) :D

Corrin cannot just stand by and watch as the girl shakes, trembling before him upon the ground. Kneeling beside her, he gently takes her face into his hands, craddling it as gently as he craddled Kana when she was a baby.

"... Hey, you're okay. I... I won't let anyone hurt you, alright?" He thinks back to a kid with similar long silver hair, maids who would pass by without sparing Nohr's middle child another glance as they trembling in the corner of a hallway. There was no one who would have offered that child such a tender touch when they were afraid, so as a grown up now, Corrin could not help but to extend a comforting hand to whoever needed.

"You'll be fine... I promise."

[optimismxmagicism]

[CHECK]: after an unexpectedly violent situation, sender frantically rushes to check if the receiver is okay, cupping their face to look closer.

When Ewan and few other mages went up the mountains to gather herbs, the last thing any of them expected was to run into mountain bandits. Thankfully they were able to scare them off without too much trouble, but not before one of the bandits managed to just barely graze Ewan’s cheek with the tip of his sword. The boy retaliated with a bolganone spell, finally getting the last remaining bandits to flee.

It wasn’t until the adrenaline wore off that he registered a stinging sensation as well as the feeling of a small trickle of blood running down his cheek. Before he could do anything himself though, he felt a pair of warm, gentle hands cupping his cheeks.

He recognized these hands belonging to one of the mages in the group: Julia, a kind girl from the class next door. He noticed the concerned expression on her face, no doubt from the small injury he received.

“Don’t worry, I’m a-okay! This is just a small scratch, it’ll heal just fine!” He said with a toothy, cheerful smile, hoping to put her mind at ease. Last thing he wanted was her worrying over him, though it was a little comforting, feeling her warm hands on his cheeks. It reminded him of his big sister, just a little bit.

[aegisshielded]

[ scar ] sender sees one of receiver's scars for the first time and gently kisses it

Different Kinds of Kisses Ask Meme - {Still Accepting}

He should have never let her get close enough to see the scars, let alone press her lips softly to the marred bit of flesh. As soon as she places the gentle kiss on the scar on his hand, his body goes stock-still and he stares at her with wide, amber eyes, words lost in his throat as his mind seizes to silence.

After a few short moments, though, his mind catches up to the situation and he snatches his hand back quickly, clutching it to his chest defensively as a rosy hue begins to paint his skin from the neck up to his ears.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" He manages to say, though the words feel like they are scratching their way out of his throat. "D-Don't just kiss people's hands like that!"

Julia never ceases to amaze Felix with her oddity.

[adalrikr]

(o・・o)/

what does erk think of you :3

Same as Katarina, being a mage is already an instant approval rating rise.

She was also nice to him, and knew about his book (+ had read it.) so that's another plus.

And she's friendly. He would also enjoy just sitting and reading with her :) Black Eagles mini book club yippee.

[alunyna]

. ˚♡  for whom the wedding bells toll

[NEW!] In spite of getting dragged from your Academy beds and made to solve problems in the middle of nowhere, these weeks spent in the village have given you all the best sleep of your lives. Tonight, you and your friends are whisked off to shared a dream of the past, what is now an idyllic world that adapts easily to your desires and expectations. Your mistakes, the pain others have inflicted on you, the things you’ve lost… everything you wish you could have changed or have control over, this dream gives you the chance to correct the course and make things right again. But as you feel your mind and body getting weaker with every minute you remain asleep, you realize that tearing yourself away from a world where everything is perfect takes a lot more will than simply kicking yourself awake. [Grants Faith +1]

The world is gilded in a heavenly shade of gold — the walls that surround her decorated in ornate designs of more flowers than she knows even the name of. 

Her own reflection is a surreal kind of beautiful, glowing in the mirror before her like that of an angel rather than a human. Features fall into an easy smile and crystal eyes glitter back at her — full of life, full of love. 

Heavy white skirts shift against the little stool upon which she perches as Nyna leans forward. A careful hand rests fingers against cool glass, daring to confirm that there is a reality to the image before her. Nothing wavers or fades, no illusion cracks beneath her touch. In all of a heartbeat, the vision is sold. Too good – too beautiful – to deny.

She is to be wed. 

Gold curls are pinned to frame her face, eyes framed by dark lashes and lips painted a lovely peach. She looks to all the world as Archanea’s princess should – the absolute image of elegance, a woman in love.

Eyes pull away from the mirror and instead to a portrait framed and displayed on the vanity before her. She does not even register the unnatural way that the faces blur, only that the figures painted within it are her own mother and father when they had been wed so many years ago. Lips draw into a smile as her thumb smooths over the gilded frame. She will have to have another made just like it of her and her knight.

Her knight who, no matter how hard she tries to envision in her mind, does not quite piece together properly.

But there isn’t time to dwell on that, not when a gentle knock sounds at the door and pulls her attention away. Nyna turns, calling for the visitor to enter, and smiles when her eyes fall upon the visage of a foreign princess whose name she knows to be Julia.

“Princess,” she greets, nodding for her to enter properly. “It’s good to see you.”

@nagargent !!

[rafent]

"Release me at once and no sooner. Otherwise, I will conjure up a thousand ways to kill you and feed to your loved ones what remains!"

Spitting. Snarling. Lashing out at every living creature that veered within reach of the bars. Containing the mighty Fell Dragon in a cage was no different than tethering a venomous viper to captivity. That proved to be the case for the first hour. Rafal stood adamantly at the ready until eventually his backside met with the ground and he simply sat in the more meaningful conservation of energy. A far cry from his original defiance that could scarcely be blamed.

So secure was the cage in question that shackles hadn’t even compounded the experience. A sore flush to his palms proved the futility of defying it - steel and cord, reinforced by even more steel and even more cord. Without his Fellstone in hand not even the wildest dreams of escape could be entertained. Now, this. One stretched to three - several hours' worth of listless inaction. The desert sun, no matter how illusory in theory, bled through the roofless prison in countless scorching rays.

When he voiced his desire for penance he might have indulged this memory as a well-deserved fraction of it. Remaining attentive through thirst, heat, and boredom, in that state he waited and waited. And waited.  .  .until at last there appeared a chink. A ripple in the stiff and unyielding fabric that composed the once stagnant Sreng encampment. Weapons ripped from racks and walls, harried steps mobilized across the stomped dunes, and shouts rung in fraught quality through the chain of command. All told; the bells and whistles of a battle soon to be born.

“About time. That must be the others,” he voiced to himself in observation, chest buoying with a secret relief as he rose. Beside him, the Sreng Lancer in his attendance cocked his head on a mystified tilt, bewildered by the words bespoken by the thus-far silent prisoner. Rafal sobered at the movement. “—mind your business."

And he did. Another round of commotion summoned that guard to join his efforts with the others. Left newly alone, unattended, and with no question toward the breakout presently set in motion, the incarcerated dragon fixated on causing his own stir with fingers waving in the air. “Here I am you fools! If you require a substantial addition to your strength, I trust that you will know what to do."

Get. Him. Out.

@venalier @nagargent @viridescent-lance @foreversnightmare

◜  ₊  —  𝓡  ˚  ₊ 𝐍𝐎 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐒; team 15, bronze round.

[nagaficat]

"Mama-- sorry, mother. Professor?" Julia worries she's being too forward, too affectionate given Deirdre's position at the monastery. She'd hate to cause her dear mother trouble, or start accusations of favouritism. It's hard to hide her excitement though, as she bounces on the balls of her feet. "I have a present for you... but you can't actually have it!"

Julia hands over a doll for Deirdre to see. Handmade, in the empresses image. Each stitch placed carefully, wings tucked in the back carefully and a fairy wand in hand.

"It's you! I'm going to put it on the tree in the reception hall but you can keep it once the festivities are over."

"Julia! I am your mama, your mother, and I shall always be such. I will always be your mother first and foremost before I am anyone's professor." Her heart sinks a bit to hear professor from her own daughter but she knows Julia does not mean it to cause harm. But Deirdre would resign her position without a second thought if it meant she must relinquish her title of mother. Perhaps she should speak with Lady Rhea about it and make sure it is alright.

Julia's infectious excitement keeps Deirdre from dwelling on it too much and her own excitement bubbles to the surface when she sees what it is Julia has brought to show her. "Did you make this yourself? It is lovely! And oh! It does look just like me! Oh Julia, you are such a wonderful, clever girl. The only gifts I ever need are you and your brothers but I shall cherish this always. When, of course, the decorations must come down!"