#with: ara ashway

[arashway]

& @ofcourtfablesarchive

the autumn scholar,

the night scholar (@alaradraven),

the dawn spymaster (@vivianvaldemar),

the summer second (@cetusxcetus),

the dusk third (@liuyan)

& the gaean emissary. (@wcngxue)

IT WAS the emissary's idea to invite the scholars for information on the Dusk court.

"They're rotten boring, I'll tell you that." Ara said to Wang Xue, turning her head towards the Gaean emissary, arm looped with Alara's. "I can survive them for a while. I mean, the court is pretty & everything is... dark colour hued. But, it so goddamn cold with this blasted winter. I know I said I like winter, but I meant mild one one Winter court manifesting here one."

the Night court's own scholar chuckled.

"I don't think they're boring. You also don't think they're boring, or have you forgotten the fawning over their dragons?" Alara retorted, then smiled at Xue ;

"Pay no attention to her, she is cranky recently. I think they're friendly so far & I don't mind being here, but I'd be lying to say I'm not getting a little homesick. If you're looking for someone to paint them in a less subjective light, talk to the Dawn's spymaster. Then on the other hand, she hates everyone." Alara chuckled, dark stare fixing upon the woman lounging against the nearest wall, eerie smile pulling her lips to the side ;

"Or do you think them pleasant, Vivian?"

the Dawn spymaster's eerie grin stretched & she peeled herself from the wall.

"Why ask when you know the answer." Vivian snorted, pale, almost silver gaze sliding over the merry band of unlikely... acquaintances.

though, she couldn't say she liked them.

Her pale gaze slid across the Summer's Second & Dusk's Third, & Vivian smirked. "Contrary to popular belief, I don't mind the new court. I don't even think they are a new court. You could be older than all of Prythian & perhaps it is us who should show allegiance to you." she spoke, the gaze fixed upon the dragon-rider.

"How fortunate they are one of us, not the one of you, aye, Cetus?" Vivian poked the ancient fae in the ribs.

the summer's second in command graced the spymaster with an unsettling smile.

"Little Vivian." he chuckled at the feral grin that graced the spymaster's lips at the moniker, "it is advantageous to some, that the Dusk court is one of... the solar courts, but are they truly a court? I agree with what you've said. They are a fraction for themselves, are you not?" the murky gaze shifts to Liu Yan, who, in return, merely smiles.

"It is ridiuculous, what all say. A court staying hidden on purpose. Yes, yes. But, whose purpose? The Mother or her Dark sister, who are we to ponder of it. We can simply... observe."

the third in command, the dragon-rider of Dusk smiles as they all speak.

"How very kind of you, lord Cetus. Many seem to think we have decided to pull magic tricks & vanishing acts. To have you & the other guests in our presence, consider us in such a... favourable light, is truly an honour." a diplomatic reply, but perhaps the only one she hadn't feigned all day & the only one she was confident enough to give.

It was a sugar-coated, but still unanimous agreement, that the Dusk court was not regarded as a thread among these fae. Some of them higher ranked than the other, but Liu Yan could tell while some ( Ara & Alara ) had been eager to return home, they still did not hold the Dusk court accountable for keeping them all here.

because they really weren't.

"Thank you for inviting us all here, Wang Xue. It certainly helps to clear the air & any potential miscommunication between us."

The fact that Liu Yan herself wants to stay far & wide away from the rest of the Prythian had not really been an unanimous stand amongst the Dusk court fae. It was only a matter of time before she clashes heads with their High lord, once the question of everyone's... integration ( or lack thereof ) becomes a hot topic in their next council meeting.

the Gaean emissary smiled to the little group & found herself panicking internally.

"Well, good! That's good, isn't it? That way we can all be friends now." her smile widened & she wouldn't let the panic show.

could they all be friends?

With Kabir's sudden upgrade, she doubted the other courts looked at it beneficially ( especially when she, herself, didn't know how she felt about it, but positive was not how she'd label her sentiment regarding the power-up ), but she didn't want to poke the proverbial - or given Liu Yan's pet, actual - dragon & ruin the pleasant evening they've all agreed to share.

"Let's sit & have a drink, please. We talked so rarely these past few days, I want to know what everyone's up to?" Xue offered, taking a seat by the table & motioning for others to follow her.

there would be no talk of weirdly powered up kings, diplomatic treaties & potential integration or chaos or war, tonight under her watch, not if she had a say in it!

[slivertm]

CLOSED ; for @arashway's ARA.

it was poor of jia to admit this, but even the deepest crevice of her heart had no room to house a single concern about whatever problems the mainlanders were facing now. attempting to focus on the prythian’s words was a herculean task, reason being her minor concern for them, but also because she also had difficulty reconciling the idea of being considered prythian herself — and caring for their causes meant empathizing with the other, which meant she was that much closer to allowing them to assimilate her into the collective label of being prythian.

jia gives a nod, humming a manner that hopefully was not obviously apathetic. “no, not all of us ride dragons. or, even want to have one for that matter. you see, it's similar to keeping hounds. not everyone is compatible with the lifestyle."

[sparkledcrowns]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟHIS HEAD WAS full of confusion of what to do, of how to process his emotions. haoyu wasn't good at it and never really had been. he was always the kind to suppress every feeling down until he couldn't feel anything anymore, ultimately exploding. this was one of those days in between. he'd pushed everything down enough to allow himself to find a way to distract from the madness within his own court. haoyu needed adventure and he needed it now. it didn't matter what it was, but he needed something and he needed someone to do it with. as he walked through the courtyard, he searched for someone that might be entertaining, someone that could potentially distract his thoughts. his eyes stopped on a woman with dark hair, soft features, and eyes that sparkled under the foggy skies. he didn't know who she was, but he wanted to. walking directly up to her, he sat down next to her and without looking at her, said, "okay, look, i need to do something crazy, or adventurous. i have a concept of a plan. you down?"

@arashway

[feathcrcd]

‘ woo do-hwan, cis man, he/him, 26 / 260 , daemati high fae ’ ― cauldron save you. it seems KORAIN ASHWAY has been teleported to the dusk court, the LORD from AUTUMN COURT is said to be DAUNTLESS and is said to describe themselves with A FIRE WARM LIKE THE PERFECT TEMPERATURE OF A HOT SHOWER, A GOLDEN LEAF ENCLOSED CABIN HE'S BUILT HIMSELF; A SYMBOL OF HIS SECRET DREAM FOR A SIMPLER LIFE, HANDS ACHING TO PROTECT WHEN BEING GIFTED FOR THE OPPOSITE and with all of this in mind their VOLATILE nature always seems to get them into trouble. may the mother hold them as they navigate this unthinkable time.

basics

birth name : korain ashway. nicknames : n/a. title(s) : lord of autumn court. species : high fae. allegiance : autumn court & night court. age : 26 physical age / 260 actual age. birthday : october 1st. gender : cis man. orientation : heterosexual.

physicality

face claim : woo do-hwan. hair color : black. eye color : brown. height : 6'0. notable features : pointed ears, a bargain marking tattoo on his chest. abilities : winnowing, fire manipulation, memory manipulation, daemati abilities.

personality

inspirations : xaden riorson ( fourth wing ), stefan salvatore ( the vampire diaries ), nate archibald ( gossip girl ), jon snow ( game of thrones ). alignment : lawful neutral. positive : dauntless, protective, devoted, passionate, kind, composed, well mannered. negative : volatile, deceiving, reserved, non-confrontational, evasive, self-distrustful, possessive.

relationships :

father : general ashway, former second in command of autumn court (deceased). mother : lady ashway (deceased). siblings: high lord suho, lady gaeul, lord kai. other: cousins dabin and ara ashway, niece lady aerin and nephew lord jae.

story

i. the youngest ashway surrounded by the love of his parents and siblings learnt to always put family first. that loyalty to his family and his court came very easy and naturally to him, especially when he craved to be just like his oldest brother, always in his shadow and looking up to him. as a child he really tried to be more mature than he really was, attempt to do all the grown up things he was too young for, which often resulted with lies. some were smaller lies, some were white lies and quite a few of them were bigger lies, making him appear untrustworthy in his adolescence. with the grief of the passing of both of his parents, the lying was a small comfort to him to be in control of something, to control the narrative.

ii. korain went through the warrior training since he felt like he just had to do it because of his family, but being a warrior was not really his thing. he was never really meant to be a fighter, rather a protector. over the years he's found his passion in making things with his hands. he's very crafty and likes carving things out of wood when he's bored. he's built a whole cabin in autumn court which is his not-so secret getaway, where he spends a lot of his time, pretending to be someone who he's not but would like to be.

iii. their family was well situated as it was, but the moment that his oldest brother became the high lord of autumn court, it put quite the spotlight on his whole family and although he is so proud of his brother being one of the strongest fae in prythian and the high lord, he despises change and he despises the attention that came with it. on top of that, quite late in his teenage years korain discovered that he had daemati abilities that he had been unwillingly using, not really wanting to confront this gift that was uncommon as he did not even know he was a daemati. he just thought himself strange and losing sanity. he managed to keep this a secret from everyone for quite some time, being the liar that he was, but when he uncontrollably exposed these abilities to the late high lord of night court, he found himself in a position of no choice but a bargain to a chance to master his powers, tying him to that rival court.

personality

korain thinks that he was meant to be a simple man, he feels it in his bones. he simply wants companionship, a partner and a family of his own, but he's been given too much that he can handle. such strength, such a strong family and unique powers that come with a lot of responsibility and weight of what he could do, it makes him want to question his morals and is afraid to get carried away with that power, so he purposefully tries to not use it. he is not proud of who he is because of it and feels being a daemati is more of a curse, standing in the way of a life that he wants.

he has an intimidating exterior and he does prefer the company of the few of his closest ones, rather than be surrounded by a lot of people. the people he considers his family and friends, he is a fierce protector and a great friend. once you're in his heart, you're in there forever.

he comes off very strong about his opinions and the right and wrong. when somebody makes him question if his thinking truly is right, it makes him lose trust in himself. he tends to avoid any issues with others and confrontations and is always trying to find common ground, despite the fact that you will probably not be able to change his mind. simply avoiding people also works just as well.

the tendency to be deceiving still causes issues in his life once in a while, more often lately since he's been thrown into a series of events in which he cannot control a thing, so it makes him act out, being uncomfortable with these sudden changes. with the lying he can at least try to appear like he's managing with everything that's going on.

[silverflcmes]

‘ sang heon lee, demi man, he / they, 27 / 270 , high fae ’ ― cauldron save you. it seems WREN RYEONG has been teleported to the dusk court, the MUSICIAN / SPY from THE AUTUMN COURT is said to be CREATIVE and is said to describe themselves with THE LILTING SOUND OF GUITAR STRINGS ; A SOFT MELODY HUMMED WHILE ONE WORKS ; THE WARM SCENT OF SANDALWOOD AND VANILLA ; CAREFUL EAVESDROPPNG WHEN NO ONE IS THE WISER ; A PLEASANT SMILE AND AN EVERWORKING MIND and with all of this in mind their CUNNING nature always seems to get them into trouble. may the mother hold them as they navigate this unthinkable time.

𝙂𝙀𝙉𝙀𝙍𝘼𝙇.

full name : wren ryeong

nickname/s : wrennie ( only by those he's close to )

name meaning : english origins, meaning small songbird

age : appears 27 / actual 270

gender + pronouns : demi man + he / they

sexuality : biromantic / bisexual ( masc leaning )

species : high fae

loyalty : the autumn court

occupation : musician / spy

𝙋𝙃𝙔��𝙄𝘾𝘼𝙇.

face claim : sang heon lee

hair : black, a little long in the back, parted down the middle, face framing bangs

eyes : dark brown

height : 5'10"

build : athletic and lean build with some muscle

𝙁𝘼𝙈𝙄𝙇𝙔.

father : ilsung ryeong ( biological father, deceased ) / juwon ashway ( adopted father, deceased )

mother : aceline cha ( biological mother, deceased ) / hyung cha ( adopted mother, presumed deceased )

sibling/s : ara ashway ( adopted sister, cousin )

relationship status : single

𝙋𝙀𝙍𝙎𝙊𝙉𝘼𝙇𝙄𝙏𝙔.

positive traits : creative, outgoing, headstrong

negative traits : cunning, stubborn, sensitive

mbti : esfp / the entertainer

enneagram : type 4 / the individualist

𝘿𝙀𝙏𝘼𝙄𝙇𝙎.

wren was born in the capital of gaea to a regular couple of normal citizens. truthfully wren doesn't remember much of his parents, he doesn't know if they loved him, how they felt about each other, or even what they did for a living because they died when he was young, barely four years old and not able to make lasting memories of them. wren only remembers brief flashes of his mother's long, black hair and there feels something nostalgic about the smell of vanilla to him but he can never truly pinpoint why.

he was orphaned but it seemed the mother was looking positively on him as he was taken in by extended family, that family being ara ashway's as his mother was her mother's sister. they took him in when he would have likely been sent to an orphanage if they hadn't and they treated him like their son. it meant he grew up in the autumn court and doesn't feel anything strongly for the capital since he remembers next to nothing of living there.

in discovering himself, he found that he had a love for music. wren picked up several different instruments over the years and becoming proficient in his skill for a lot of them in various levels, but his favorite instrument would be the guitar. alongside his ability to play many instruments wren's voice is quite nice as well with a voice that was made for singing. it became a no brainer for him to become a musician and it allowed him to travel and see various parts of prythian, but he would always return to the autumn court and to his only family left in his sister especially when she became a scholar for the court.

in his travels so was seen an opportunity to assist the autumn court and he eventually became a spy. as a musician he has been able to travel when others might not and over the years he has felt his loyalty grow to the autumn court. wren has been careful in not letting it be known that he is a spy and continues to let people think him just another musician.

𝙋𝙀𝙍𝙎𝙊𝙉𝘼𝙇𝙄𝙏𝙔.

wren is a creative sort for the most part when it comes to music. while he does play songs that are known throughout prythian from year past, he does like to experiment and create new melodies, songs, and other music in his free time. in his spare time he can usually be found with his guitar and a piece of parchment as he writes down notes and chords that come together in his head.

he's also outgoing and headstrong and it certainly helps him when he's trying to make new friends and learn things that people might not necessarily divulge to strangers. but he's also stubborn and bullheaded as well as having something of a cunning mind as well.

also can be said to be something of a sensitive sort but will deny it if said. he's not the best at controlling his emotions and when he feels like they become too much he will try to run away and hide rather than letting someone see him like that. only with those he trusts can he allow to see himself like that.

[ofcourtfables]

𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒏𝒐 𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒍. 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒏𝒐 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒏. welcome EVA, you have been accepted into ofcourtfables. please have your account in within the next 24 hours or you risk your roles and face claims. also take a moment to look over our checklist.

‘ merve bolugur, female, she/her, 34 / 340 , high fae ’ ― cauldron save you. it seems alara draven has been teleported to the dusk court, the scribe from night court is said to be courageous and is said to describe themselves with late night embers crackling in the fireplace, the smell of freshly spilled ink, leather binds of tomes tickling her fingers & the smell of cinnamon spiked coffee in the morning and with all of this in mind their deflective nature always seems to get them into trouble. may the mother hold them as they navigate this unthinkable time. + cousin to the high ruler

‘ eva green, female, she/her, 40 / 400 , cauldron made high fae ’ ― cauldron save you. it seems vivian valdemar has been teleported to the dusk court, the spy master from dawn court is said to be charming and is said to describe themselves with mist colored liquid lapping at the sides of an iron decanter, rusted scales of balance, calm nothingness of an abyss & iron hot visions burning though silken veins and with all of this in mind their intimidating nature always seems to get them into trouble. may the mother hold them as they navigate this unthinkable time.

‘ IU, female, she/her, 28 / 280 , high fae ’ ― cauldron save you. it seems ara ashway has been teleported to the dusk court, the scholar from autumn court is said to be intuitive and is said to describe themselves with dark blue ribbons in place of bookmarks, mint tea grown cold in an chipped mug, stone statues peeking from an overgrown hedge maze, red & white roses wrapped around the cracked marble & the feeling of a sunset warming the skin and with all of this in mind their indecisive nature always seems to get them into trouble. may the mother hold them as they navigate this unthinkable time. + cousin to the high ruler

[sparkledcrowns]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟCOOKING FOR PEOPLE was one thing, but sharing the whole experience always made him happy. he liked when others watched and gave their opinions as he cooked. there was something about the radiating smells while you were cooking that made an environment so wonderful and warm. just the whole act of being in a kitchen with someone that you could talk to while you cooked made nik happy. he liked being around people while he cooked.

"i'd love that actually. there's so many spices that i just don't know! do you have any favorite dishes that we can start with?" nik asked. he wanted to know if he could compare it to recipes that he knew to get an idea of what other courts liked to cook.

scratching his head, nik honestly didn't know where to start. he looked at all of the books in front of the two of them, feeling slightly overwhelmed. "oh goodness. i don't know. something simple, not too complicated. 'cause i want to be able to... read it."

ARA WASN'T a good cook. She's let things burn more times than she could remember. Her mind would wander off & then she'd follow after it, completely forgetting the stew she was attempting to make, cooking over the fire.

it was a shame.

She liked the idea of it, just not the practice. Her mind had been too occupied by other things to truly pay attention to it, but she would like to learn how to cook. This little chef could help - if she asked nicely. But, it had seemed as if he'd already been open to the idea of shared experiences & so maybe he wouldn't be opposed to letting her tag along to the kitchens & observe how he did everything cooking-wise.

"I can definitely give you advice on Autumn's spices & everything concerning out cuisine." she offered, then smiled wider ;

"I'd be happy to help! Do you want a generic cookbook or something targeted, like sweets, drinks, roasts or marinated dishes? I hear there's a special cookbook for all of those things, as well a generic ones that already have some of those dishes integrated in them."

[arashway]

general details.

full name: ara myeong ashway. nickname(s): rara. myeong-a ( family ). name meaning: ara - 아라 tranquility. ; myeong - 명bright, clear, brightness. age:  28. / 280. date of birth:  october 31st. place of birth:  autumn court. current location:  dusk court. ethnicity:  high fae / korean. gender:  cisfemale. pronouns:  she/her. sexual orientation:  bisexual. romantic orientation: biromantic. religion: Mother & fae religion. occupation:  autumn court inner circle scholar. education level:  high. extracurricular:  ancient fae language & literature. living arrangements:  an apartment in the suburbs of the city. financial status:  wealthy. speaking voice and accent:  soft & melodic, but can get a higher note when angry or irritated. spoken languages: fae, ancient fae. ( english & korean ). voiceclaim: IU

physical appearance, etc.

faceclaim:   IU ( Lee Ji-Eun ). hair color and style:  dark, often leaves it down or half updo's. slightly wavy. complexion:  fair. eye color:  dark brown. eyesight:  fae perfect. height:  5'6. weight:  58 kg. body and build:   lean, slender & fae strong. tattoos:   small ourobouros behind her right ear. piercings:   earrings. clothing style:   casual, but prefers soft & flowy materials & texture. partial to dresses. distinguishing characteristics:  often clenches her jaw when seething with anger. signature scent:  gucci gorgeous orchid & gucci nettare di fiori.

health.

mental disorder(s):  n/a. physical disorder(s):   n/a. allergies:   peanuts. sleeping habits:   early riser, going to sleep late. eating habits:   normal. sociability:  moderate. she is approachable & friendly, but unless engaged well in conversation loses interest quickly. body temperature:   moderate. addictions:   cigarettes ( or fae equivalent of them ). drug use:   no. alcohol use: yes.

personality.

label(s):   the one with the ancient tongue. the autumn doodler. positive traits:   intuitive, friendly, approachable, kind. negative traits:  indecisive, quick to lose interest, a bit of a hermit. likes:   hearth, plum tea, apples, candied fruit, the smell of books. dislikes:   loud noises, nosey people, gossip & the colour beige. fears:   loss of family & friends, very small spaces ( like prison cells & cramped attic ). habits:  crews on her bottom lip when deep in thought, playing with her hair. goals and ambitions:  to be fluent in leshon hakodesh. to one day own a library filled with the rarest of books. astrology:  scorpio. personality type:   INFJ. moral alignment: lawful good. element:   water. primary vice:   despair. primary virtue:   temperance. weather: rainy. cloudy. color:  purple ( every shade of it ) & rose gold. music:   classical. loves violin. beverage:   red wine, tea & gin. food:   not a picky eater, but prefers salty / moderately spicy food. animal:   serpents, snakes & birds. season: winter.

family, relationships, etc.

mother: cha hyung. deceased. father:   ashway ju-won. deceased. significant other: none at the moment. best friend:  pending. exes: none. sibling(s):   younger sibling/s. children:  none. extended family: ashway family royal & extended ( cousins ). distant gaea relatives ( unaware of ). pet(s): none yet, but regularly feeds strays.

head canons.

tw: parent death. The eldest child of a relative of the royal family, Ju-Won Ashway and his Gaea citizen wife Cha Hyung, Ara was born in the outskirts of the autumn court, in a mansion not too deep in the woods. She knows nothing of her mother's family, except that she was born and raised in Gaea, but fled the moment she met her father and married him in Autumn. When she was seven years old, her mother disappeared and to this she doesn't know what happened to her - she is presumed deceased, but Ara hates to admit that she still hopes to one day see her. Her father refused to talk about the disappearance and managed his hurt by locking himself up in his workshop and tinkering with wood and metal, often carving things like dolls and figurines, imbuing them with magic and metal. Sometime before her twenty second birthday, in the early Autumn when nature begins to wither and die, so did her father - but not with a soft wilt, but rather a fiery blast which incinerated their family home. At the time she was out and about in the city, having a drink with one of her cousins and her younger sibling/s to celebrate the upcoming Autumn solstice. Returning home to ash and cinders left her with an equally burning hole in her chest, a fire which never dies out and leaves a taste of bitterness and ash in her mouth. On her twenty second birthday, her extended family - the royal one - asked her to fill a position as a scholar, knowing her aptitude for languages and her love for books and ancient trinkets. She accepted their offer and briefly lived in the palace while waiting for her funds ( and the funds collected from her inheritance ) to grow, when she purchased an apartment in the very heart of the city.

[arashway]

location: dusk court, the drawing room of the autumn court quarters. time: after dinner. with: @stxrslisten & suho ashway.

SHE was beginning to wonder when would they all return home. As fun as it was to be in a - previously unknown - court, Ara was starting to feel a little... caged. It's not that the new hosts were limiting her liberty in any way or shape - especially now with her powers back in her veins - it's just that she was tired of the politeness & the way everyone side-eyed the Dusk.

She side-eyed them, too. It was only natural, but so far she didn't have any unpleasant feelings around their hosts. Then again, it was not like she purposely sought them out to feel anything other than lukewarm pleasantries when in passing. Everything was just so... wrong around here & she couldn't put a finger on it.

The drawing room was pretty - very autumn inspired, which only showed how much their hosts cared about their comfort... or how well they spied on them.

Lips pursed in thought, Ara turned to her cousin, the High Lord, & squinted.

"They have a rather impressive library & I wonder if their archives are as glorious as they say. Do you think they'd grant my request to visit, or would it wage a war between us?" she asked.

[stxrslisten]

Suho gives a short shrug, "i would never doubt the kraken, the sea is a bast place we know very little of after all, and the summer court who does hold most of its secrets will never share them with us," alina was his friend but even he knew his limitations. his own blood chills at the thought of how autumn would fare without them, how they would have fare if they were forced to remain in dusk, force to call it home. "i do not know, ara." he says with shame in his voice, for he could not guarantee they would return home as much as he wished he could, their days were uncertain at best. "i can only hope we will return," for he could not even bring himself to pray.

ARA chuckled at his words, then lightly shrugged. "Hey, we all confidently ignored this court, yet here we are. Though, I do agree about the Kraken. Who knows, maybe they're lurking somewhere in these seas, as well."

She softly sighed, falling serious once more, & nodded. Indeed, it was all wishful thinking at this point. Still, she had to ask ; "You don't think we're suck here forever, do you? I hate to even consider what would happen to Autumn if we're gone for too long..."

[arashway]

OH, SURE, every blunt object can be of use. If anything, she can poke them in the eye. Though, it wouldn't do as much damage as she'd like it to. However, her cousin spoke of magic & she found herself, tsking & pursing her lips together. He had a point, but then again he always had a point. Her scholarly mind also knew she can't keep swallowing down her magic just because she wasn't ready - or willing - to deal with the consequences of it going haywire.

but you know what?

She no longer cares about it. "No, no, you're right. Ash makes for a very potent soil. Perhaps being an Ashway is certainly showing me a way to go." Ara grinned, amused by her own mind's machinations, but then added, "You're right, cousin. Maybe I should go insane & just flambé the entire thing." she hummed.

Ara grinned, snorting out in amusement. That would certainly be entertaining ; her, attempting to flirt her way into the archives. Maybe she should try, but there are certainly less... annoying ways to get inside.

maybe she should seduce the high lord. or his guards.

Aish, that was too much work & she wasn't keen on seducing anyone for profit. Out of boredom & amusement, sure. She loved doing that. But, to gain something from it? Nah, that was just too much unnecessary work & afterwards they all keep sticking to her like mud to wet face. She tried it twice in her lifetime, never again. Unlike the mud masks. She liked those on a weekly basis.

"I'll pass on batting my lashes at them, but I will find a way in. It's a promise." she answered.

"Uncertain of it. There is no record of the dragons ever having an opinion on her, but then again every scroll & codex I found on dragons have suspiciously little information on them. Nothing we can truly use." Ara tsked.

( 𐫱 ) "𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗸𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹." anything  can  become  a  tool  to  withstand  fire  if  simply  put  to  the  test.  he  considered  the  opportunities,  how  a  knife  could  be  set  on  fire  and  then  used  to  cauterise  wounds  and  cause  greater  ones.  was  this  one  of  the  reasons  he  had  snagged  the  commander  role?  well,  never  mind  about  that.  ultimately,  he  still  had  to  await  the  opinions  of  others  before  he  could  make  moves.  not  that  this  stopped  dabin  before.  “well,  if  the  rest  of  the  courts  can  resort  to  magic,  why  can't  you?”countered  he.  “i  mean,  do  we  have  to  put  up  with  the  consequences  if  they  don't?  can't  we  claim  it's  for  the  good  of  the  realm?  burning  wood  is  how  you  make  good  soil.”  was  that  an  actual  claim  he  could  make?  eh,  he  wasn't  too  sure.  he  made  sure  to  amend  it  just  in  case.  “at  least,  i've  heard  that.  who  can  say?  no  one's  burning  anything  to  know  for  sure.”  he  blew  air  from  his  lips  until  they  vibrated.

he  scrubbed  his  hand  across  his  mouth.  now,  see,  someone  was  muttering  their  true  opinions  about  the  whole  king  -  rising  thing,  and  dabin  appreciated  it.  no  need  for  pretty  semantics  here;  ara's  tone  carried  enough  derision  to  wipe  out  the  whole  main  ballroom.  “well,  surely  you  can  get  in  there.  the  scholars  i've  seen  milling  in  and  out  and  all  about.  you  can  bat  your  eyelashes  and  go:  oh,  please!  i  really  need  to  know!”  in  his  opinion,  ashways  had  some  of  the  most  potent  charm  and  manipulation  skills  amongst  those  in  the  seasonal  courts.  spring  liked  to  think  itself  far  ahead,  but  he  knew  better.  as  usual.  (  tiernan,  it's  nothing  personal!  )  “the  dark  mother  surely  is  …  something.  do  dragons  have  opinions  on  that?”  he  had  to  keep  the  finer  details  in  mind  if  he  and  tiernan  were  going  to  steal  one.  were  they  actually?  well,  that  would  be  showing  his  cards!

[sparkledcrowns]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟONE OF THE traits of being a good chef was being able to take criticism and listen. he always loved listening to other people while he cooked. not only did it occupy his brain, but it helped him find inspiration for what to cook them. it allowed him to learn about what kind of people they were. shaking his head, nik wasn't sure how to answer that question. he didn't want to deter anyone from talking about something they liked, but he couldn't promise that he would know the subject.

"oh, you can talk about what makes you happy. i like learning about people," nik explained, flashing her a bright smile. the most important part was that they were happy.

one of the things nik really wanted to learn during his time spent with other courts was their cuisine. every court had such interesting food and he wanted to know what everyone ate, what there favorites were, and what ways he could improve his own food with some of their favorite flavors. he hadn't done enough traveling to the other courts to know too much.

sighing softly, nik let his mind wander, thinking about all of the delicious meats, the way you could smoke them, roast them, or soak them. and now, he wanted to invite her into the kitchen to share some flavors with him. he could do that, couldn't he? "oh that sounds delicious. i'd love to talk about the flavors and maybe try to make one of your dishes one day." letting his head drop, he played with his sleeves. "i really want to be able to cook something from each court, so everyone can have food from back home."

nik nodded, searching through the books, looking for the word cook, because he knew that. most of the words he did know, had to do with food, and she was right. that would be the best place to start. "oh! that's a good idea. there might still be some words i don't know, but i think i'll know enough. do you mind helping me find a good one?"

A MATCH made in Cauldron heaven, then. She could use a friend whose ear she talk right off. The Autumn fae were all so very dull & familiar, she lost interest in interacting with them - what would they talk about, anyway? The shades of leaves? Please.

"Boy, do I like to talk. Is there a topic you particularly like to listen to?" she laughed.

Hearing him talk only made her laugh harder. Eating dirt? As if! No one but maybe earth worms or pigs ate dirt - or, well, pieces of dirt that stuck to food. Animals did not wash their edibles, but maybe they were smarter for it. Eating a part of the world they were was bound to generate some kind of homey magic in them.

though she really shouldn't get any ideas.

"What? No, of course not." she snorted in amusement. "We are actually rather famous for our roasted pig. We like various meats, smoked, soaked in wine or vinegar, seasoned, roasted or cooked. We are very carnivorous, but we also really like our vegetable, especially those having an earthy taste. So, lentils, beans, mushroom & everything in between." Ara explained.

she took reading abilities for granted.

There were so many people, mortal & immortal, who struggled with reading & written words ( & thus writing as well ), but she only offered him a kind smile, & added ;

"You can always start with cookbooks. They're fairly easy."

[sparkledcrowns]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟNIK COULDN'T HELP but laugh. he was always glad to help people in any way he possibly could. while he didn't understand a lot about books, reading, and anything that required knowledge of any kind, but he like to think he was more street smart than anything else. people were important and nik wanted everyone to know that they were worth something. he hoped that his advice would make her smile.

"you're welcome, glad to help somewhat? i can also stand in certain places if you need too, to block her view. i'm kinda tall-ish," nik explained, laughing lightly then tilted his head to the side. "oh? you like to talk. i like to listen."

nik shrugged his shoulders. he knew a lot about a lot of food, but every chef has foods that they don't like. "it's the texture of it. there's something that's just wrong. plus, they're too small and i want to be able to see my food." raising his eyebrows, he was incredibly curious what kind of food they ate in the autumn court if she wanted to eat dirt. "wait wait, what are you eating in the autumn court? please for the love of calabrian chilis, tell me that you're not eating actual dirt."

looking down at the book, he tried to figure out what they could possibly be doing to the books, but he didn't even know what would be different in any sense. "oh uhm, i'm not sure. i'm not the best at... reading," nik explained, his voice soft and gentle. "i might need something easier than these."

ARA found herself chuckling at the man's idea. Of course, she could turn her back to the shopkeeper, but then the light would hit the book wrong & it would be difficult to flip thought it - the paper here had a weird golden shimmer that made her eyes uncomfortable. Or maybe the Dusk fae laced their books with a weird magic? She wouldn't put it past them.

"I am known to multitask, so in fact I could be reading & talking at the same time. Thanks for the idea. Now I won't shut up." she chuckled.

Hearing his words, Ara tilted her head. "What's wrong with quinoia? I find the earthy taste so rich & wonderful. But, then again I'm Autumn, so I might be earth biased. I'd eat the soil if it was edible." she grinned.

"Well, back home they do! The Dusk fae have a strange way of binding their books & the ink is a bit different from ours." Ara mused, but then her smile grew, "If you need any recommendations, I'd be happy to help."

[stxrslisten]

Suho tilts his head to the side, clearly amused by the imagination of the younger ashway. "while i would confidently rule out the existence of another hidden court, i would never doubt the existence of a kraken." suho wiggles his eyebrows for emphasis, there was no proof of it being a real creature, but there was no evidence otherwise either. suho sighs with tiredness that could touch anyone's soul. "i truly wish i had an answer for you, ara, but i do not. it is all a gamble and wishful thinking at this point," something he had come to accept as of late.

IT WAS good to be optimistic. She may not have been a commander of her cousin's armies, or even a spymaster, or anything else of much greatness, but as a scholar it was her job, nay her calling, to find threats or potential problems where there were currently none - or minimal.

"I hope you're right, cousin. The last think we now need is a random aquatic court, say, the Abyss court, riding up on a kraken. Though, it would be a fun sight, I admit." Ara mused, but then asked with a soft sigh ;

"So, what's the hunch? How long will we be isolated in here?"

[stxrslisten]

He would always appreciate the smiles in the faces of his family, it was the reward in life he truly cared for. "considering the myths and legends of the dusk court were unconfirmed tales lost in time and narration and adding to that the fact that there is no other court whispered about in children tales, i would dare bet this is indeed an isolated incident." he says with confidence, or was it wishful thinking? he could not handle a repeat of what they were living, in fact he didn't even want to deal with the present, he was simply forced to.

CHUCKLING, Ara throws her cousin an amused glare. Yes, teasing family members was enjoyable - how many times she's spent annoying her younger relatives to death & yet they'd still tolerate her little quirks & a very odd sense of humour.

"Some dangers come with the position." she lightly shrugs. "I am no seer, but the appearance of one elusive court has to raise questions about whether or not they're an isolated case, or we'll have more odd faelings strutting into our territories." the scholar mused.

Her cousins' words brought a mischievous grin on her face, but she refrained from commenting, instead mimicking locking her lips with her fingers.

[sparkledcrowns]

☆ﾟ*·ﾟ IN ALL HONESTY, a bookstore wasn't a place that nik would regularly find himself and he couldn't tell you why he thought this was a good idea. because truthfully, he wasn't sure he could properly read. but he wasn't going to tell anyone this. it wasn't that he didn't know the words, because he did, but it was more that pronouncing them was a little bit more difficult. he knew what a lot of the food words were, for the most part, but he didn't want anyone to know. and most of the time, he'd make up his own titles for things to make it sound fancy, just so no one would really know that he didn't know. and yet, he found himself in a book shop, mostly looking for new recipes, because he could always use inspiration.

as he looked through the titles of the books, he whispered to himself, trying to find the right vibe. he heard someone next to him and couldn't help but chuckle. the shop keeper had done a similar thing to him earlier. "i've found that if you turn your back to her and pretend like you're talking she can't see what you're doing," nik explained, having grabbed a cookbook, starting to flip thorugh it. his body was turned from the shop keeper, actively trying to look like he was deep in conversation. "eww, i don't like this one. it has kwin-oah and that stuff is not good."

nik put the book back, looking for another one. "most books do, don't they? i don't read much," he admitted softly.

location: dusk court. bookshop. time: early afternoon. status: open to all.

ARA has been on the hunt. For books, that is. She wasn't the one to deal with all the blood & everything else an actual hunt required, but how else would one call an - almost - frenzied search for new novels, dramas, epics &, dare she admit, romances. The upside of being a creture filled with magic was that there was always a way for her to transport the mountain of books she'd undoubtedly purchase, withough having to actually heave all that pile up the stairs herself.

that, or she'll find some poor sucker - she mean's helper - to lend a hand or a tendron of power.

Strolling down the seemingly endless isles of bookshelves & bookstands, Ara found herself in personal Heaven - if one believed in such things. She only hoped The Mother had romance novel & pretty fiction involving something obscure & terrifying called 'a train'. Whatever was a steam engine? Who in their minds came up with something like that? It was so fantastical, but perhaps the Day fae with their tinkering could do something like that. The author of that particular genre was Day fae, after all.

The only downside to this library? It was no-seater. She couldn't just pick a book up like in a library or book-café she visited back home, she barely had the time to flip through a few pages before the shop keeper would side eye her.

"This is ridiculous." she muttered beneath her breath, "How can I know if I like it, if I can't see what is it about? I don't have seer powers." she huffed & put the book back on it's stand.

"I strongly believe books should have a summary written on them somewhere, like we do back home."