#v; no longer trapped in the cycle (cycle 1 ; main ; post ff1)

[cornelianlute]

@ragingfists liked for a starter

"oh, excuse me, sir. i did not see you there." the princess of cornelia was out on another trip into town (in disguise, of course). it was part of her duties to see how the people of her kingdom were faring. aside from the chaos a traveling fair can bring, things were the same as usual. brushing a lock of hair the colour of carnations behind her ear, the princess continues, "are you a traveler come to experience the festivities in store? if you would like, i can show you around the town?"

[cornelianlute]

@fabullisnova || eiko liked for a starter.

"ah, eiko! it is good to see you again!" the princess of cornelia was about to retire to her garden. there was a significant lack of care lately that she hated to admit, but she had found herself quite busy with her royal duties. "i would ask what brings you here today, but i was hoping you would oblige me with something? i do so need a break from helping my father and mother and i was wondering if you would like to come visit my garden? perhaps there is something you can take home to your moogle friends, too."

[cornelianlute]

@crystalmannequin liked for a starter.

"the warrior of light!" the corners of her lips turn upwards into a smile. she hadn't expected to see him here of all places - or maybe she did. she had been rather consumed in learning royal affairs with governess and she hadn't really had a moment to herself. her hair, the colour of carnations, blows gently in the breeze as she continues. "i feel as if it has been so long since the last i have seen of you. tell me, if you please... how are things outside these stone walls? i feel as if it has been centuries since i have walked outside."

she frowns. "oh! i shall have to mention to my lady-in-waiting the next i see of her that i need a break from all of this studying!" but then a thought comes to the young princess's mind. "hmm..." placing a finger to her chin, she asks, "unless you would like to oblige me, kind sir? if you already have plans, please let me come with you! i can't suffer another moment in this stuffy castle!"

[cornelianlute]

eiko slowly peeks from the door, feeling timid. ❛ um, surprise...! it's been so long, sarah. sorry i haven't stopped by these days; i didn't want to leave my moogles for too long when it was the holidays... ❜

eiko stops and feels that she's only trying to find excuses. she scolds herself, then steps into the room a little more bravely. ❛ anyway, i wanted to come visit you, so i did! my moogles understood and they sent me off! let's have another tea party while i'm here, okay? the last one was fun, and we can catch up! ❜

(eiko; fabullisnova 💕)

↳ @fabullisnova || eiko

sarah had found herself in the royal library of cornelia reading a novel about far away places and tales of heroic knights and swashbuckling pirates. it was all so exciting and sarah oh so loved thrilling adventures. the fireplace beside her kept the room nice and cozy and made her forget the chilliness of the outside. it had been such a long time since she had received visitors outside of the warriors of light and even those visits were far and few between now that they had saved the world.

a knock on the library door had alerted her attention but before she could get up, eiko had peeked her head through the door and had apologized for her absence. oh! seeing her small friend brought the corners of her lips upwards and sarah placed her novel ever so gently on the table beside her.

"why eiko! it is so good to see you!" forgetting decorum for just a moment, her skirts swished as she rushed forward. kneeling down to take her young friend's hands in her own, she smiled once more. she had not seen eiko in what felt like ages and the last had been when the two princesses of cornelia had heard from eiko that she had never gotten to experience a tea party, but had always wanted to try one.

"oh, it is all right. i understand how busy one can be especially during the holidays," there had been all kinds of balls, charity events, and the such to visit - either hosted by her parents or other neighboring kingdoms including one to the elf kingdom where sarah got to visit her dear friend, luci, and his newly wedded wife, jornee. she was happy for them and wondered if she would ever have the chance to fall so deeply in love with someone and share the rest of her life with them in holy matrimony. "but i am glad to see you all the same. perhaps you can tell me more about these moogle friends of your's? i have never seen a moogle before. what are they like? what do they look like? they sound rather fluffy. are they not?"

pale pink strands fell into her face then and sarah released her friend's hands to put them back into place. "i have heard of mythical creatures called chocobos - my father has statues of them in his throne room, but i have never heard of moogles." her eyes twinkled then. "do you think that somewhere out in the world, here, that these moogles exist, too? we could go on an adventure together to discover the truth!"

[cornelianlute]

@ednaeflowers asked: ❝  words often fall meaningless when we try to describe tragic events of a certain magnitude.  ❞ BREATH OF THE WILD SENTENCE STARTERS

thinking of events in her own past, those words couldn't be more true. she often fell silent or struggled with words when it came to recollecting that time. it was easier most days to think on it, to talk of it, but other days it wasn't. for most people, she wondered, if they would've already succeeded in moving on. was she the 'runt of the litter' so to speak? the last one to truly be able to put such an event behind her? would there come a day when she would steel her resolve and truly be able to move on? she didn't know.

then again she also didn't know the pain that her heart would feel at the betrayal of trust and the shattered remnants of her unspoken love. she had been a girl in love and she had been wounded so. though she thought of the warriors now with similar thoughts, it was different to that time. maybe she would never love again. she's silent, still, as she contemplates edna's words. things were much easier when they were focusing on using her lute to hit people over the head with.

"yes, i suppose you are right. i know that there are things in my past that are too painful, most days, for me to speak of. i hope, no, i wish that it is not the same for you."

[cornelianlute]

@fabullisnova || eiko asked: ❝ i hope you get to meet your true love soon. ❞ BREATH OF THE WILD SENTENCE STARTERS

taking eiko's hands in her own, she says, "thank you, eiko, for your kind words." some days it was harder for her than others. harder for her because was it so much to ask for that a princess like her be able to wed for marriage? if certain people had their way... than yes, yes it was. eiko was very sweet. sarah knew there would eventually come a day when she would have to lay down all notions of marrying for love for the benefit of her kingdom and her people, but even so. she appreciated eiko's kind words and they touched her more than eiko would ever truly know. "i hope so, too. i hope you get to be with the one you cherish one day as well. maybe that day will come soon for both of us."

[cornelianlute]

@ragingfists asked: ❝  when you get to my age, you start reminiscing about all the memories from your childhood.  ❞ BREATH OF THE WILD SENTENCE STARTERS

"is that so?" sarah was only still a young woman - much too young to be considered old by the general populace but at the same time in the royal courts was considered an old maid as she had not been married off yet. while she doubted that sabin was referring to the same thing (in fact she knew he wasn't), she couldn't help but to sigh dramatically. "though i am only a young woman, i am called an 'old maid' all the time in the courts. i do miss when i was younger and such talk of marriage was far from anyone's lips."

that was before such change had come to the kingdom - when she was still allowed out by herself. "i think i was the happiest, sometimes, when i was younger. there was much less pressure on me as there is now. is it the same for you, sabin? or are you content living as you do?" she sighs again, hands on her cheeks. "sometimes i wonder what life would be like if i were not of nobility. i confess i am a little jealous of the life you lead. i wish i could have that, too."

[cornelianlute]

@fabullisnova (eiko) asked: "so what happened after he climbed up the tower and rescued her?" PRETTY WOMAN PROMPTS

"he fell to his knees and sobbed at the sight of the beautiful, slumbering princess. he took her lifeless hand in his own and placed a tender, goodbye kiss on her forehead. it is said he offered prayers to the gods and just as he was about to leave, the princess opened her eyes to a world altogether unfamiliar to her." she sighed. "it's very romantic and bittersweet all at once. he thought his love had died by the hands of the dragon knight, but she awoke. she awoke from her years long slumber to unfamiliar sights and the knowledge that things were not the way they had been when she had been abducted." closing the book, she solemnly stares out the library's windows. "do you think they lived happily even after everything, eiko? i just couldn't bear it to think that misery awaited them after all of that."

[cornelianlute]

tag dump.

[cornelianlute]

@tribaloflight liked for a starter.

pale blue hues take in her surroundings and she's knows one thing for certain - that she is not in cornelia at the moment. her pulse quickens and she thinks to herself that surely an adventure lay around the corner. how'd she get here? she wasn't too sure, but the world was a magical place and there would be time to discover the answers later. right now she was excited about the prospect of an adventure! surely if the chancellor saw her or one of her parents, she'd be in for an earful but she didn't see them. besides she needed a break from their watchful eyes every now and again.

she spies a stranger in the distance and rushes over. it was unladylike of her to rush in such a manner, but at the moment it didn't matter to her. "forgive me, but..." she looks around again before resting her gaze on the other. "i think i am lost. could you, perhaps, tell me where i am?"

[cornelianlute]

"a... paint bomb..." sarah had a good guess as to who was the unlucky receipent of her sister's schemes, but she didn't say a word. a mental image of the likely suspect being covered in a shower of beautiful pink glitter is enough to make her want to laugh but she holds it in. after all she is supposed to be the older one who is supposed to be against such activities. taking in another look at the unfortunate state everything around the two sisters is in sarah wonders if they'd be able to truly hide all the evidence before someone were to find them. surely there'd be glitter for days and even in the most unsuspecting of places. 

her eyes grew large as her sister plopped her head onto her chest and sarah thought about how she was most likely covered in glitter too. thankfully the dress she wore today was also a soft pink so it'd hopefully blend right in. "well... i'm not entirely sure. i suppose it depends on where you got them? they aren't from the restricted section... are they?" surely diana's penchant for mischief wouldn't cause her to break into a closed off area for a prank... would it? "diana, relax and be calm. i will help you clean up. father and mother are gone away into town for until the evening. i'm sure everyone else is much too busy to notice where we are." but where should they start? a broom and a dust pan? would that be enough to get rid of most of the evidence?

her big sister's presence brought a brought a soothing wash of relief across her panicked features. yes, there was a possibility of a scolding, but if anyone had to witness the results of her disaster, she'd rather it be sarah than a servant or worse ... the girl shuddered — her parents. diana let out a sheepish giggle in response to sarah's question. she was about to reach up to scratch at her scalp, only to immediately throw her hand down as the acute awareness of how stained her hands were hit her. ❝ i was about to set off a paint bomb ... ❞ she told her, sidestepping the glass to reach her older sister.

❝ ah ... this sure IS a mess huh? um, & some precious scrolls are now a lot prettier too ... yay glitter, right? ❞ she tried to lighten the mood but only succeeded in making her crime worse. with a slight cry, her head plopped onto sarah's chest in defeat. ❝ ohhh! i can't get in trouble like this! i mean, were they that valuable? please help me clean up! i promise i won't do anything like that again! ❞ she whined, voice muffled by fabric.

[cornelianlute]

"Sarah!" the white mage ran to her sister, flinging herself onto the beautiful woman. tears burned behind closed lids, hands grabbing fistfuls of her gown. the arduous journey for the four crystals was over. the winds were calmed, fire nurtured, water cleansed & earth protected. & while diana had matured greatly in her journey, all she wanted was sarah. "I'm home. I'm home." she weeped, snuggling her closer.

"Diana!" It had been so, so long since she had last seen her sister. It seemed like just yesterday that she had departed the kingdom as a warrior of light to save the world from the encroaching darkness. Sarah had entrusted her beloved lute to her younger sister, knowing that she would keep it safe and prove useful on her journey. Sarah would be lying if she didn't say she had missed her sister dearly.

Each day she wondered if she would ever see her again and each day she prayed to the crystals to keep her sister safe as she freed the world from its struggles. When the elements had returned to their natural harmony, a prideful surge had swelled deep within her breast, and Sarah knew that her sister was safe and fulfilling her destiny.

With Diana clinging to her for dear life, right now, her own arms slid around her sister and she squeezed tightly. Never again would she let her sister go, and she hoped never again would her sister have to go and fight terrifying monsters and creatures of the dark and she hoped never again would her sister have to fight for her life. Stroking her sister's soft, beautiful pink hair, Sarah says, "Thank you for all you've done, and Diana," She smiles. "Welcome back!"

[cornelianlute]

twilight princess sentence starters

❝ just as there is light to drive away darkness, so, too, is there benevolence to banish evil. ❞ ❝ your heart and mine were as one, however briefly. ❞

one simple misunderstanding was all it took for her life to be forever turned upside down. the last thing sarah remembered was rejecting garland's hand in marriage. now she found herself in what she could only guess was the chaos shrine. everything was made of stone, of marble, and the atmosphere was oppressing and cold. a few shafts of light broke through the ceiling but otherwise it was dark. when she awoke, she was alone. the room she was in was sparse. there was no furnishings, no ceremonial offerings, nothing that could indicate that this shrine had once been in use years and years ago.

leaving the room she was in, sarah never realized just how big this temple actually was. she had only ever seen it from a distance from the castle and she had assumed since it was abandoned and falling apart that it was just as small as the disrepair on the outside had made it seem. how wrong she was. outside of the room she could hear the call of bats and the hair on her arms and the back of her neck rose. why had he brought her to this place? why had he kidnapped her when she turned him down? she didn't understand at all.

she found him in the middle of the temple surrounded by the bats she had heard. she couldn't see it but she saw its glow - the glow of a purple crystal in the very center of the room. this confused her. she had never once heard of a fifth crystal. there were only four and they were responsible for the harmony of the elements and keeping the balance of the world. where had this crystal come from? was it a crystal of darkness? was it possible for such a thing to exist?

but no. she couldn't allow herself to think things like that. she had to try to escape. somehow. turning around she thought she could spy the entrance but she wasn't sure. what if it led to another room? what if this temple was never-ending? what if she could never return? what if garland kept her here forever? why had he brought her here? the question pained her. she feared she'd never have the answers to the questions she sought.

hearing the faintest of whispers, she turned back around. was there someone here with them? who was it? were they here to save her? there were no other people - just her and garland. the bats she had heard were swarming around garland, and she heard him reply, "the history of light and shadow will be written in blood. there is nothing anyone could do to change the course of fate. it has already been decided - as it was then is as it shall always be."

no, he was wrong! the warriors of light would come! it was prophesized! they would stop the darkness from taking over their world. they would, wouldn't they? but even so she couldn't stop herself from voicing her own opinion. "you're wrong, sir garland. just as there is light to drive away darkness, so, too, is there benevolence to banish evil. "

"ah, so you're awake, princess." her former knight turned around, his purple cloak billowing softly in the breeze that came through the cracks in the stone. he was fully armored now so she could not see his eyes instead she felt an overwhelming, oppressive feeling of darkness from him that she had not felt before. it… scared her. a hand to her breast, she had to keep her terror in check. every part of her trembled in fear and she hated it. she shouldn't have to be afraid of something she once trusted her entire life with, someone that had protected her and her family.

he made his way over to her, the clank of his armor was so loud in her ears. she flinched when his gloved hand reached out towards her and gently stroked her cheek. "your heart and mine were as one, however briefly, princess."

closing her eyes, she could see that time so clearly. it only seemed just like yesterday that things were so jovial at home, that he had brought her back flowers from his travels and described for her just what the countryside looked like and what the waves smelled like. she remembered how he always took time out of his knightly duties to visit her and to spend time with her. thinking on it now, she realized, she took the comfort and safety of him for granted. a single tear slips from her right eye and she wishes she could change things and take back what she had said.

if only she had known her choices would lead her down this path, if only she could take it all back...

[cornelianlute]

twilight princess sentence starters

❝ if you were to get proper instruction, i bet you could be a very skilled swordsman. ❞

As part of her studies, Sarah was out in the training yard practicing on a pair of wooden dummies that had seen their fair share of recruits over the years. Captain Biggs and his apprentice, Wedge, stood watch over her as she continued her training - or well, it was more so the start. With the ever-increasing monster population and the looming threat of pirates from Pravoka, there was an insurgence of freshly faced recruits to her father's army. Her father and the chancellor both had been hopeful that these new recruits would not only bolster the army's numbers, but also would prove to be a valuable asset in protecting the kingdom, but… She had heard talk throughout the castle through hushed whispers that some thought otherwise, and of course there were those that worried about the safety of their king and queen and their daughters. Who would protect them if everyone else was on the field protecting the people and their homes? So Sarah resolved to take up the sword as well and learn and train as much as she could in case of a monster attack in the city's walls.

Biggs and Wedge were sworn into secrecy by Sarah. Her younger sister was on a bench nearby, content, with watching her big sister take up the sword. They both knew that if word got out that there would be those that disagreed and would take word up with their father and mother on how unladylike it was, but Sarah didn't care. She wanted to protect those that she loved. She was already progressing well with her magic. What could go wrong learning the ways of the sword?

She had selected a rapier, glittering gold and adorned with nephrite jade, carnelian, and blue topaz - all three sacred gemstones of the kingdom. It felt both light and heavy in her hand, and she wondered if there would come a time when she would be as familiar with this sword as she was with her lute.

With a blunt swipe, she struck the training dummy - again and again and again.

Someone behind her sighed and another chuckled and she hoped it wasn't her trainers, but instead a familiar voice called out before she could turn around and ask if was necessary for the 'process', "if you were to get proper instruction, i bet you could be a very skilled swordswomen."

That voice-! Could it be?

Turning around, she realized that her closest friend, her confident, Prince Luci of the Elven Kingdom was here standing before all of them. The youngest princess of Cornelia called out his name and forgetting decorum, rushed forward and embraced him in a tight hug. Ah, to be a child again.

Both Luci and his retainer chuckled at young princess, Cordelia's boldness and even Sarah couldn't help but to smile.

"Cordelia! What would Mother and Father say?" Sarah said, feigning shock, but giggling all the while. Sarah curtseyed herself and welcomed her friend. "And that proper instruction you speak of… I've only just begun. Sir Biggs and Sir Wedge are here to help me train, but as for my father, he doesn't know about this, so please do not let him know. I'm sure he would forbid it if he knew." Sometimes she couldn't help but to wonder if her father thought she was too delicate to do anything other than be kind, graceful, and gentle and to never dirty her hands in any way whatsoever.

"Perhaps I could also teach you a thing or two? There are rumors that the Dark Elf, Astos, is preparing something and everyone in my kingdom has been prepping for his eventual assault - whatsoever it may be." Luci said.

"Of course. I would very much like that. Perhaps between you, Sir Biggs, and Sir Wedge, I, too, can be ready in case of a monster attack here in our fair city."

"Ah, the day that the city of dreams and its kingdom is attacked will be a said one indeed." Luci replied.

She trained with Biggs, Wedge, and Luci far into the daytime before a servant had come to ask Sarah if she had seen the elf prince as her father had been expecting him. Everyone shared a good laugh at Luci's forgetfulness and as Sarah, Cordelia, Luci and his retainer made his way to the throne room, Sarah couldn't help but to wonder if her friend's visit wasn't a friendly calling, but was in fact something more serious.

Hopefully if anything serious came to pass, she would be ready for it and if she wasn't ready in time with her sword then she would do all she could to assist with her magic abilities.

[cornelianlute]

again? she restrained from saying the word out loud and instead let out a sigh. she had thought that after everything, more leniency would be shown, but for all she knew the chancellor was probably thinking that that was what had gotten them into this mess in the first place. if her sister were here, she'd probably say something about how 'he needed to stop worrying. he was already balding anyways so urging the two of them to marry wouldn't do him any good.' tugging on a strand of her hair, sarah says, "must i go back so soon? i'm not really in the spirit for listening to a lecture right now - especially about how fine of a marriage candidate i am." she sighs again. trouble in paradise one would say. "i don't suppose you've ever dealt with such trival matters such as this, lady rosa?"

sympathy pulls at rosa's lovely visage, gaze tender towards the princess's plight. recovery from such trauma would take time & she was felt great guilt for startling sarah so. affection was readily available if the young woman needed it. for now, rosa would do her best to distract & put her troubled mind at ease with other matters. ❝ ever a thorn at your side ... he wishes to discuss your marriage prospects.❞ the words came smoothly, a blonde brow twitched in mild irritation on sarah's behalf. the chancellor was a good man but ambitious, seeking opportunities at all turns with the blessing of king cornelia. ❝ there's something of a scolding awaiting you, yes ... & i am sorry.❞

[cornelianlute]

twilight princess sentence starters

❝ a sword wields no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage. ❞

in her hands was a silver and gold sword, embedded in it is the royal gemstone of the kingdom of cornelian near its hilt and equally crimson colored tassels, and blue baubles attached these colored tassels to the sword as well. it was a very pretty sword, crafted by the finest blacksmith in all of cornelia eons ago and was fabled to be a sword of cornelian legend.

it was her fervent desire, her wish, that this fabled sword protect them from evil. she had already gifted her lute, another object of cornelian fables passed down through the royal family, to the warriors, but she wanted to gift something more. after her lady's maid had helped clean her up from her ordeal, sarah had asked her father before the warriors had made their entrance into the throne room if there was anything at all they could gift the warriors with. after all they had risked life and limb to fight garland, a once noble knight of the kingdom, and had journeyed to an otherwise unknown and dangerous location to save her too. what had been decided on was this sword.

they were outside the throne room now, a moment between the five of them, and she offered the sword to them. each of the four warriors had protested, but the princess of cornelia, the kingdom's sun, had insisted.

"it is not just a gift from myself, but a gift from all of the people of cornelia. please take it." outstretching her hands, she hoped that they would accept. she hoped it would prove useful on their quest and perhaps… perhaps this very sword would be the light that shone through the darkness and saved their world.

the warrior with his crimson locks was the one to take the sword, to hold it in his hand and firmly grasp it. she hoped its weight was lighter than the one that surely rested on their shoulders of saving this world and its people. the four warriors took their time admiring such fine craftsmanship and sarah said, "a sword wields no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage. it is my wish that it keep you safe on your travels, and please remember - you will always have a home here in cornelia no matter where you should find yourselves."

wherever they went, wherever they should find themselves, she would always be thinking of them and praying for their safety.

"and please be careful. where you walk, darkness follows. keep the light within you strong and may the crystals grace be with you always."