#~FaerieWood~

[mornstar70]

I've dreamt this running with brother wolves

[quibbs126]

have you done elder faerie and dark cacao…

So I ended up getting on this because I saw an announcement for an eldercacao week, but it also means I got through this design, so here we are with Silver Clay Cookie

So Silver Clay here is supposed to be a weaponsmith, though she specializes in silver weapons. She's got a noticeable amount of silver in her dough, and it makes her have a particular attunement to metal, as well as being able to shape it out of clay. It makes her pretty important around the Faerie Kingdom

She's also a bit of a germophobe, and hates stains. They don't really get on her, but she's got a bit of a compulsive need to get rid of germs and such when she sees them. She also instinctively does not like the yeast creatures around the Faeriewood, for the same reasons (it's because silver is antibacterial)

She generally lives in the Faerie Kingdom, and is expected to take up the mantle of Guardian if something ever happens to Elder Faerie. She does visit the Dark Cacao Kingdom, but not often with the Licorice Sea being a barrier. The metal powers make her more important to the Faeries than the Dark Cacao Kingdom

She has a tendency to be rather high strung, and has inherited some of her father's (Dark Cacao's) traits of not really letting loose and relaxing. If you see her at a party outside of the start of it, it's because someone's keeping her there or because she's multitasking. It makes her odd among the Faeries, but she doesn't pay it much mind in favor of more work

She also doesn't really have wings, due to only being half Faerie. She says it doesn't bother her, but it always kind of has, at least in the back of her mind. She wonders if things would be better if she grew up and lived in the Dark Cacao Kingdom, but she usually shakes it off as it doesn't really matter, she's living in the Faerie Kingdom

Where she stands post Beast Yeast Episode 2, I don't really know. I haven't put much thought into where she fits in the timeline, since I don't know when Elder Faerie and Dark Cacao would have hypothetically met. That's also why there's no mention of Dark Choco here either

I don't think I have much else to say on her, so let's move on to design things

So I actually didn't spend much time on picking a name. Her name's Silver Clay because silver is associated with the Faerie Cookies, and I know someone used it in a chocolate knife once. Silver Choco was also a consideration, but I went against it because I feel like I give too many Cacao kids the name "Choco". That's about it

I probably could have come up with a better name if I had spent more time on it, but I didn't, so

Silver clay (idk I couldn't find a good picture of the clay itself):

To be honest, I don't really know what to put here

Her design's me trying to mix Elder Faerie and Dark Cacao design elements. Though I do also feel like she ended up being too plain at the end

I mean she is supposed to be a weaponsmith, with that being her primary role outside of her princess status, so I guess it works? But also I still feel like she's plain looking. Maybe she needs an alternate outfit

I'm gonna be honest, my main takeaway from Silver Clay is that she's underbaked. I did not spend much time at all fleshing out her concept, or in general the concept of an eldercacao kid. I didn't really even have a name and I went with the first idea that popped into my head. She has not been marinating

I feel like I feel this way with a lot of recent fankids. I guess I really don't have as much time to think about them as I did before, but in general I feel like I haven't been putting as much thought into them. And their designs just come out okay to me. But maybe I'm just being too hard on myself?

It doesn't really help that if I do wait, I get even more backup than I already do. Like, the 100+ unfinished requests will never be done. And even at this rate, it'll be forever until I finish one. This person's lucky I happened to have something force me to do this request

But yeah, I don't know. I guess Silver Clay isn't terrible, but she's undercooked in my opinion. I feel like I could have done better

But I hope you at least enjoy her

[thebiscuitlabryinth]

Here is a secret: Pure Vanilla Cookie had felt like he was being watched for a long, long time.

He can't quite pinpoint when exactly that started, if it was before or after he earned his Soul Jam. He thinks it must have been after, because he thinks he wrote it off as the Light of Truth's presence, but the specifics don't really matter. Either way, the feeling of eyes on him had been so constant that it faded into normalcy, and he hadn't noticed it since.

Until now.

Now, with Shadow Milk Cookie breaching the seal, and crumbling Elder Faerie Cookie, and White Lily Cookie becoming the new Guardian of the Seal, and White Lily Cookie being really and truly back in the first place and– and—

The point is that Pure Vanilla is quickly realising that a lot of his prior assumptions don't hold weight anymore. A lot of things he had believed to be unshakeable truths turned out to be wrong or, even worse... well, lies.

And these realisations aren't all bad, truly. Some are sweet with relief and the familiar scent of lilies. But his feelings on the matter aren't helped by the fact that suddenly, for the first time in years, he can feel those eyes on him again in piercing clarity, burning with a malice he had failed to notice all this time.

Pure Vanilla does his best to leave them be, focusing on the unmistakeable warmth of White Lily at his side, and the determined hearts of the children, and everything that needs to be done. It is uncomfortable, but it is manageable.

Delivering word to Crispia about the situation is no quick business, let alone waiting for word to return back. As such, they are staying in Faeriewood for the foreseeable future, waiting on a response from the Republic or the other Heroes. The Faerie Cookies are lovely and more than welcome to the notion, though that is hardly a surprise with how beloved White Lily is to them, and rightly so.

Pure Vanilla Cookie, to his credit, does his best to relax as they wait, but it is increasingly difficult as time wears on. He cannot bear to go anywhere near the Silver Tree, because the weight of that gaze increases by a tenfold whenever he is anywhere near its vicinity, almost crushing him, as if urging him to- well, it makes navigating the Faerie Kingdom difficult, if he cannot get too close to its centre.

Pure Vanilla sighs from where he is settled gingerly down among the soft pastels of the flowers, nestled carefully beneath the shade of the bending canopy of less dangerous trees. From here, he can see White Lily's radiant figure across the bridges and walkways, roped up in conversation with the Silver Tree Knights and surely discussing her new title and all that may entail. Whatever the case, he is content to have her within his sight, soothing some age-old nerves.

He busies his hands with a flower crown, the repetitive motions helping to distract from the twisting trunks of the trees lingering in the corner of his vision, their silvery bark marred with dozens of squinting eyes, black as shadows with vibrant blue—

No, no, no – but it's too late, Pure Vanilla's hands stumbling on his work and crushing a flower in his clumsiness. Regret instantly soaks into his core, and he hurriedly releases the poor bud, only feeling worse when he sees that some of its nectar and colour has stained his hands. Such delicate beauty, destroyed by his own foolishness. He certainly can't give this crown to White Lily now.

Bitterly unwanted, the thought that Shadow Milk must be laughing at him now flits across his mind, and he drops the flower crown like its petals are dripping poison, lest he ruin it any further.

In the end, no matter how much he pushes it aside, his thoughts always swing back to the same dreadful realisation. If Shadow Milk has been watching him all along - and deep down, Pure Vanilla knows it to be true, even though he hates it - then he must have seen everything. Every moment he was vulnerable, every moment he was hiding, every moment he thought was private.

It's terrifying. His mind keeps reeling at the mere idea, flicking through his lowest moments with the aching, sickening knowledge that he had seen it all. It feels unfathomably invasive, almost as much as Shadow Milk's voice burrowing into his head like it belongs there. Nothing Pure Vanilla has experienced has been solely his own, and it seems like it never was.

Pure Vanilla is saved from his own sinking thoughts by the gentle warble of birdsong, and grateful for the distraction, he looks up to find a small bird descending from the canopy. Admittedly, it is different from the blue birds he is used to, looking to be a spore variant of some sort, but he smiles at it just as cheerfully.

"Hello, chickadee. How are you today?" He greets affectionately, voice warming as he holds out a hand for the spore bird to land on. It does with a chirped greeting back, and for the briefest, most blissful moment, Pure Vanilla feels light with the simplest happiness.

And then the bird looks up at him, with not two, or four, but countless eyes opening across its entire body, inky black and mockingly blue.

Pure Vanilla startles fiercely, jolting back and shutting his eyes tightly on instinct, and the movement is more than enough to scare the bird away, but he is too occupied with fumbling for his staff in the grass beside him to pay it any mind.

Finally, his fingers find purchase, and he hastily lifts the staff upright, half-leaning against it as he looks through its eye. The pupil darts around until it lands on the bird once more, where it has fled back to a perch among the branches.

It looks normal, or as normal as a spore variant can be. It certainly doesn't have a hundred knowing eyes.

The trees don't have eyes either, for that matter.

Pure Vanilla presses his forehead against his staff, desperately tempted to keep his eyes closed forever, to rely solely on his staff so he doesn't have to risk seeing anything unreal. It's a dangerous, guilty thought, but it persists even when he gathers the strength to crack his own eyes open once more.

He blinks once, twice, hesitantly looking around.

There are no eyes. Just a spooked spore bird in the canopy, a half-crushed flower crown hanging off his lap, and White Lily in the distance, now joined by an energetic Gingerbrave and his friends.

Pure Vanilla watches for a moment, waiting. When everything remains as it is, he sighs again, heavily, wearily, and sinks back into the bed of flowers, holding his staff to his chest in a loose grip, even as he lays down.

He thinks he hears a mean giggle chime faintly in his ears, but what does he know? That's probably a lie too.

[burningcheese-merchant]

You have fully covered me into a burningcheese fan. I absolutely love how you write these ships with them!

But one question if burningcheese ever decided to have a wedding, what do you think it looked like and play out?

*inhales deeply* MY FRIEND! MY GUY! I'M FOUR PARALLEL UNIVERSES AHEAD OF YOU! (also, welcome to the cult and thank you so much for your support! I'm happy to bring people joy with my stories!)

I'll just give a few bullet points, because a) I have a lot of thoughts, and b) I haven't finished planning their wedding in full lol

Biggest. Wedding. Ever. Not exaggerating at all. It would be the biggest, most grand and beautiful wedding in the history of the world. Eclair will be there and he won't even be fully enjoying himself; he'll be too busy taking notes on EVERYTHING he sees, because it's such a fascinating culture mix/clash, there are so many guests (many of which are important figures), there are so many unique traditions and rituals and artifacts on display and and and... This isn't even his field of study, but he would absolutely be remiss to NOT document the wedding extensively, if only to pass it along to colleagues that actually specialize in cultural history (and help author some textbooks lol)

As said above, a big, fun culture clash. Members from both of their kingdoms worked together and went above and beyond to blend Egyptian Golden Cheese Kingdom aesthetics and with Indian Wild Spice aesthetics to create something traditional, yet brand new and exciting. Who would've thought they would work so well together? (You can say the same thing about the bride and groom tbh lol)

Our lovely couple's outfits would have bits and pieces from each other's cultures as a respectful homage to one another (and to show that they will be unifying their peoples through their marriage). Golden Cheese will dress mostly in her own traditional style, but with a good handful of pretty, tasteful Wild Spice accessories to accentuate her look. Same with Burning Spice; traditional Wild Spice wedding clothes, but with a touch of GCK to honor his wife

Also, they would both have matching henna (or mehndi, as they're actually called in India) tattoos. Very elaborate and beautiful, done by Wild Spice artists. (Henna/mehndi are mostly for women/brides, but from what I understand, men/grooms can get them too. I want to do this because I LOVE the idea of GC and BS having matching tattoos/makeup)

Everyone is invited. Literally everyone. They don't even have to know you. Just show up and have a good time (and be in awe of their love and devotion lol). It's very common for Indian weddings to be big ragers with many, many, MANY guests, and I thought that would suit a BurningCheese wedding too (especially for GC, she honestly probably would want EVERYONE to show up, both to show off and because she genuinely wants to share her joy with others)

Wedding party(ies) is their closest homies. The other Ancients plus the Cheese Gang (Smoked Cheese, Burnt Cheese and Mozzarella) for GC, a handful of his best subordinates for BS (Nutmeg Tiger, Saffron Buffalo, Pepper Pangolin, maybe Cilantro Cobra too).

Burning Spice thought of having Pitaya Dragon as a best man equivalent of some sort because they're Crime Besties (in my headcanon lol) but Hollyberry walked him through why that's a terrible idea and just left Pitaya as a regular guest

Wedding lasts a whole week, the main ceremony plus other rituals and a whole lot of dancing and drinking and laughing and having a blast together and with their loved ones

A+++ food, both GCK dishes and Wild Spice dishes, plus an assortment of delicacies from other lands (there's food from the Dark Cacao Kingdom, Faeriewood, the Creme Republic, etc). Hollyberry came in clutch and provided most of the booze (her kingdom has the god-tier alcohol, it was a welcome choice)

You can rest assured that they enjoyed their wedding night very, very much lol. Especially because there were technically seven of them. (One of Mozzarella's wedding gifts to them was soundproofing GC's bedroom no strings attached. She Knew™️. She's a girl's girl lol)

I'll stop there for everyone's sake, but TL;DR: it's a enormous, gorgeous event that perfectly encapsulates and celebrates their love. (And I envision this as part of Burning Spice's redemption arc, so it's like the reward at the end of a long, arduous journey. The breathtaking sunrise waiting at the mountain summit.) And they live happily ever after and have a family in the future, but I'm not spoiling that for any of you just yet :)

[republicsglory]

i think the faeries of cookie run kingdom in general are a waste and that's really sad </3

okay, face it. faeries are already a banger concept, and kingdom's twist on them is really unique! and very ironic — fae are often depicted to be allergic to silvers. really fun spin on it.

but god..... head in hands.... what did you DOOOOOOOO. it's no secret that the beast yeast arc was (and still is) a mess. but i think it's really sad how these sick ass concepts just.. get executed so poorly??

the thing is, in the 3rd anniversary, devsisters was trying to bite off more than they could chew. the introduction of the beasts was sudden, they felt pretty shoehorned in. i COULD say shadow milk is exempt from this — he's got some decent foreshadowing! can't say the others have it going for them...

okay, sure, introduce the beasts. introduce the faerie kingdom with them. these two things of course go hand in hand. BUT HOLD YOUR HORSES WITH THE BEASTS???

it's okay for crk to introduce new nations! but the faerie kingdom was out of the BLUE. nothing leading to it whatsoever. how are we supposed to deduce anything from what, white lily's prologue asset?

it's very possible to introduce a new nation and do it right. dare i say the créme republic? there were previous mentions and hints to it ingame, making its introduction decent. see — if executed correctly enough, the faerie kingdom may not have needed too much of that.

let's say.. i dunno... two beast yeast episodes are equal to two days of odyssey. in two days of odyssey past ch1, that'd give us enough about the créme republic and time to learn about it! the good parts, and the gritty. BUT in the 3rd anniversary they were obviously trying to make it a little TOO big...

it'd have been nice to see those two episodes focus around the faerie kingdom, its traditions, its denizens and general environment and culture. there could've been problems without too much of a big bad, hell we could've had an almost beast escape. but then again, it WAS the anniversary, but was releasing lily not enough?

now don't get me wrong here — shadow milk had a spectacular introduction! he kind of saved the story i can't lie LOL but was his releasing from the seal..necessary so soon? of course, we'd just be delaying the inevitable, but it'd be nice to just..explore our surroundings a little first.

most information on faeriewood and the silver kingdom are in the LIMITED artbook </3 which kinda. sucks.

we should've also had time to meet the characters more. elder faerie dying is chill with me, nice to know devsisters aren't afraid to kill someone permanently. the problem is, his death was notably supposed to have impact. but like most people felt nothing... because elder faerie is more or less a plot device. give him a character, traits we can attach ourselves to!

there's a Lot more i could rant about actually, but my wrist hurts and i'm tired. i've posted stuff about the silver knights before. just had to let some of this out. tldr the faerie kingdom and faeries are a cool concept but dear god they were executed AWFULLY

[tinycheesecakedetective]

INTRODUCTION

 "Deep within the bowels of Beast-Yeast rests a forest unlike anything you've seen before. Walls of ivy weave through abandoned settlements. The canopy of trees looms above you, each branch buckling and interlocking with another as they block your path. Dirt roads litter the floor, always ending at the same place."

 "What was once a solace for many has twisted into a refuge for one cookie only. Those that enter her woods are at her mercy."

 "She is relentless, she is cruel, and she is desperate. And you're the only one who can stop her."

  ~~~~~~~~

Hello everyone! I'm back to ramble on some more about things I made. Today I would like to talk about Wilted Lily Cookie! Of course, I won't be going too deep into her. This post will be covering her general vibes, as well as a bit about her area and her backstory. This will not be covering her relationships with other cookies, her arc with Fleur de Sal, any other motivations, etc. All of those topics will be covered in future posts.

Now, without further ado, let's begin.

GENERAL INFORMATION

  Once the witches' most promising protégé, Wilted Lily was revered and adored by her peers and followers. But after an attack from wild witches, the growing tension on Earthbread, and a confrontation turned violent, the Silver Guardian turned her back on everything she knew. Now known as the Witch of the Ravenous Wilds, the beast became hellbent on making the witches atone for their actions.

While her overall demeanor appears meek, do not be fooled. Her cruelty knows no bounds, and she can upend societies with a single hum. Her word is a disease that plagues the hearts and minds of her followers, and her confidants remain loyal to her and her madness alone. Don't bother reasoning with them, they can't be saved.

Wilted Lily is the fourth ancient to become a beast.

She's naturally gifted at phytokinesis, but leans more on dark magic.

Back when she was the Silver Guardian, Elder Faerie would show her a special vault of spells, giving her a wide access to faerie magic.

Her relationship to the beasts as a whole is neutral, viewing them as a necessary demonstration of the witches' neglect. Once she stops them, well... The other beasts won't be an issue.

LOCATIONS

The Ravenous Wilds   Beyond the borders of Faeriewood lies the Ravenous Wilds, a no man's land overrun by plant life and dark magic of all kinds. The forest is almost impossible to enter by normal means. Wilted Lily has ensured that herself. Those that try to enter never return, or rather don't return whole.

If you manage to enter despite that, you'll be met with a heavy fog and gnarled, overgrown vines mimicking trees swaying in the wind. The sky becomes a light crimson, and no stars are visible to the naked eye. Many strange and new creatures wander the wilds, and they won't attack unless they deem you a threat, so keep your head low and your weapons lower.

The deeper you go, the more distorted the wilds become. Nerves of vines pulsate as the first trees appear, sickly and grey and weaving within each other. They tower over you, blocking the red skies with their canopy of branches. Bugs larger than you skitter up and down the chafing trunks. Eyes begin to watch you, some curious, some malicious, and others still apathetically.

The Nest   The first set of buildings appear, shaped like cages and whittled out of silver branches. They fractal, everything bleeding out into lines and lines of houses and branches. It's incredibly easy to get lost here, as the beginning looks exactly the same as the end. The wildlife here seems to appear... calmer. Several types of docile animals appear, as well as a wider variety of plant life. But don't let your guard down. The threat here isn't the flora or fauna, it's the legion of Fae that live here. Avoid them at all costs. They don't take too kindly to visitors.

The Calamity Point   At the epicenter of it all is Wilted Lily Cookie's "kingdom," If it can even be called that. A few vanilla orchids can be seen scattered near the ground alongside other shrubs. Jagged sets of silver branches reach down into the floor, making up each spire's walls and rooms. Webs of white moss line the windows in numerous patterns. Lilies grow from the dirt floor and clear water flows throughout the kingdom.

At the center of it all is The Heart, made up of every vine in the forest. It hangs over the center of the room, pulsating and beating life into this cursed realm. Mucus seeps out and drips onto the floor, birthing many abominations that terrorize the land. Many Fae tend to it, patiently awaiting the reawakening of The Calamity herself. If you look closely, you can see the faint silhouette of Wilted Lily Cookie within.

BACKSTORY

The Death of the Silver Guardian

  As the herald of Solidarity, Wilted Lily Cookie acted as the Faerie King's most trusted advisor and as a guide for lost and wandering cookies. Perhaps her most notable job, however, was as the Witches' Apprentice. When she first was created, Lily herself sought to study under her creators and learn their ways. In return, she would benefit all of cookie-kind with her newfound knowledge and skill. Of course, working so closely with the creators meant Wilted Lily was restricted with what she could share and do. Under their careful watch, she would never become a ruler, and she could never venture outside of their watchful eye.

But rules were meant to be broken, and Lily often traveled beyond her creator's boundaries despite their warnings. Until one fateful day. She had made her usual rounds outside of her range, researching the creatures and wildlife that thrived there, when she was ambushed by wild witches, savage and cruel. Unlike the benevolent witches, these hags cared not for her life; the only thing that they valued was how she tasted. With her power, she managed to escape within an inch of her life and ran back to her creators. The witches, benevolent and kind, forgave her for going beyond their sight, and reassured Lily that as long as they lived they would never let harm befall their beloved cookies.

For the time, this was enough to satisfy Wilted Lily Cookie. True to their word, she never saw those wild witches again. But doubt isn't rational, and it began to creep into her heart like a thorny vine. Had they really stopped those awful savages? What if her creators, blessed they be, also ate cookies? The lunatics at the edge of the world were still witches, weren't they, surely they wouldn't be so easily stopped, right? And if they couldn't, then was she actually learning anything of use? What if they were lying to her?

                 What if they lied about everything?

  "...could I trust them? Should I trust them?"

This seed of doubt overtook her mind, and she paused her apprenticeship. Her fears manifested into plotting all sorts of schemes and defenses for the worst case scenario. To help prepare the world, Lily broke her silence about the incident to some of her followers and noted the... very unique reactions to her plight. She had tried to tell her friends, the other guardians, but by now many of them had become unreachable. The only two willing to listen were her lover and a haunted wraith, and even then they could only do so much. Times were getting worse. More and more cookies came fleeing from the other realms. Attacks on the Faerie Kingdom became more frequent, and armies counting up to the thousands came like floods. Wilted Lily did the best that she could, but it wasn't enough. Where were the witches? Why weren't they helping them? Discouraged and frustrated, she came to the rational conclusion that this problem was something only she could handle. After all, she knew the witches better than anyone.

One fateful day, she went to confront them herself. A single cookie against the world, armed against the only gods she ever knew. She demanded answers. She demanded to know why they weren't acting. Their answers felt hollow, scared even. Wilted Lily could've never imagined they'd look so helpless. How disgraceful. Lily steeled her nerves, glaring with disdain before rushing to attack them. Even with the power of her soul jam, she knew this would be no easy feat. But she never expected to lose this quickly.

She felt her body quickly being cast down, feeling cracks run along her back. She couldn't move. The pain seared through her dough like none before and none ever would. She blinked a few times, seeing the deep regret the witches had on their faces. A bitter laugh echoed from her aching body. Everything blurred. One second she was on the ground, the next in her lover's embrace. Lily dove in and out of consciousness before finally stabilizing in Pure Vanilla's kingdom, accompanied by him and other healers working to help her.

The days melted into each other. Her recovery was swift, but nothing could heal the wounds carved into her heart. When she finally returned home, Pure Vanilla asked if he could stay by her for a bit longer. She didn't remember what she told him, not like it would matter. Wilted Lily forced him out, ignoring the thumps against the thorn wall and drowned out his pleas with her sorrow. One day, he would understand. But she couldn't afford any distractions. She was going to get her vengeance. Even if it meant becoming the very thing she swore to fight against.

  ~~~~~~~~

[asksilverbell]

What's with the obsession with silver? Minus the tree. Or is that the only reason?

"It's a common resource in Faeriewood!"

"it's a bit hard to mine, other cookies tell us to use iron instead but we don't exactly do well with that."

[tangents-from-an-awkward-void]

Ykw fuck it have DoI location concepts

[Deceit of Identity Spoilers.]

[Faeriewood]

[The Study]

[The Storm]

[the-silver-kingdoms-king]

*Owl noises*

—🩷🪽

*Elder Faerie lifts his head up, his ears perking up as he raises an eyebrow.*

"An owl?- I don't believe we get many of those within faeriewood."

[modcroissant]

oh actually speaking of her

our elder faerie is up and about again, and aware of sugar's current freedom

he doesn't seem to be making any moves to go look for her rn though, and i'm still trying to figure out if you two are in the same timeline as us or not, i'm assuming not but looking at how this is going i wouldn't be too surprised if we were - sugar wisp anon

What exactly makes you think that?

Eh, we should probably ask questions later. The kingdom is a bit too quiet for my liking.

Okay- maybe we should stop and check the Beast-Yeast map? Yeah, I know we're currently in Faeriewood, I just want to know where we should head to next afterwards.

━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ⁎°.• ⋆*. ⋆ ♫ ━━━━━━━━━

━━━━━━━━━ ✿ ⋆⁎ °.• ⁎ *.⋆ ♪ ━━━━━━━━━━

[quibbs126]

So instead of more stylized Cookies, I drew that cacaolily redo yesterday (I just forgot about posting)

Anyways, so this is Night Rider. She’s replacing my old cacaolily kid, Snowdrop, because I thought I could do better (and frankly, Snowdrop didn’t have a personality outside of being a White Lily clone). So Snowdrop doesn’t exist anymore, and Night Rider replaces her

In any case, let’s get on to Night Rider herself

So basically, Night Rider here goes around Earthbread, seeking out and learning secret, ancient or forbidden knowledge/magic. She ultimately has good intentions in her research, she probably started by trying to look for a way to ultimately stop the Licorice Sea, or maybe to revive Pure Vanilla, but she can get carried away with her research and not think about the consequences of it (which I sort of tried to imply with the sketch, she’s trying to bring the Soul Jam to its fullest potential, but in the process awakening the Beasts). She’s been doing this for several decades and she really only visits her home sparingly; she’s gained a really poor sense of time and always thinks it’s been less time than it actually has

Outside of that, she’s a very cranky and antisocial person. Her decades of mostly isolated research have led her to view other Cookies as either not being able to appreciate the knowledge she yearns for, or that they ask dumb questions about her research. She respects and tolerates her father and the other Ancients (her mother disappeared when she was young, so she doesn’t really have a connection to her or opinions about her), even if she thinks they can fall into those categories. She can actually like people, and she can act like a decent person around them (or if she has to), but it’s pretty rare. She probably wasn’t always like this, it’s just something she built up over the years

Her research means she’s probably way ahead of all the other characters on the plot, like she’s known about the Beasts and faeries for years, but due to her general isolation and always looking for new knowledge, she’s woefully unknowing (that’s not the right word) of what’s going on in Earthbread right now. Like she doesn’t know Pure Vanilla’s back, her mother’s connection to Dark Enchantress, or even that her brother was banished in the first place

She likes her father well enough, she was mostly raised by him and she respects him, even if they value different things. She doesn’t see him as much due to her research, but she doesn’t see it as meaning she has any less connection to him. As said prior, since White Lily disappeared when she would have been young, she doesn’t really know her mother and isn’t sure what to think of her (though if she’s been to Faeriewood, she would have chosen to avoid White Lily’s coffin). Due to her nature of spending so much time away from home, she and Dark Choco barely know each other, but she thinks he’s fine enough. She thinks he’s just following in their father’s footsteps and being a good swordsman and prince back home, nothing out of the ordinary to note. She probably would have a reaction to knowing this isn’t the case

I’m also thinking she uses some sort of shadow magic, in part because of her research (and also because of her name)

I do kind of want to draw a younger version of Night Rider as well, before she started on her endless search for knowledge, since back then she was probably more normal

Can you tell I’ve thought way too much about her? Because I have

Anyways, let’s get on to other stuff

The name Night Rider comes from the night rider lily, since it’s a black flower

Night rider:

So if you can tell, she doesn’t look too much like her concept sketch. That’s because originally when I was making that, she was supposed to be a guy who was a knight that lived out in nature, or something like that. The original Night Rider concept was completely different. But then when I was listening to Unleash the Magic yesterday, it got me inspired to make this new version of Night Rider. If I ever bring that concept back, it’d probably be like her twin brother or something

Anyways, so I made her hair have gradients instead of streaks because I thought it worked better with her colors of red and black. Also Dark Choco sort of has that. Speaking of the red, it’s supposed to be because of the flower, even if the red doesn’t necessarily fit in with the rest of the family’s color scheme

Speaking of colors, my roommate told me she might have too many colors, which is honestly fair. She’s got black, red, purple and green in her design. It was originally going to be black red and purple, but then I wanted a pop of another color for her bag, so I added in the green. Maybe I’ll go back and tweak her colors more. If this becomes no longer applicable to her design, know that I changed it

I realize that her outfit may look a bit odd, as like some sort of bodysuit or whatever, but it was kind of just what came to my head. Maybe it’s some sort of special suit she got during her travels

Her design is probably simplistic, but it’s not necessarily bad. But I may want to tweak it a bit later on, we’ll see

But yeah, that’s Night Rider, hope you like her

[thebiscuitlabryinth]

Faerie Cookies are born with a song on their tongue, and a tune in their hearts – a gift from the trees, and the wind, and the moon. Music is baked into their very dough, which is why it is considered the purest form of communication, and why all their records are scribed in sheet music.

It is natural for a Faerie Cookie to hum their own melody when idle, almost compulsive, as if it cannot be contained by their body. Even Elder Faerie Cookie, wise and great, cannot resist the pull. When he serenades the sky, everyone stops to listen and harmonise, his voice strong and breathtaking even among the perfect tones of the voices of the Faeriewoods.

The only Faerie who doesn't sing is Mercurial Knight Cookie.

Really, in all the years Silverbell Cookie has known him, he has never heard a single note from him. He's always found it a little strange, compared to the neverending symphony that is the rest of the kingdom. Even compared to the other Silver Knights, who are more careful about following their songs' urges but still tap the rhythm along their weapons, Mercurial Knight is unique in his absolute lack of music.

Silverbell has only ever brought the topic up with him once, in a moment of pure impulse when he thought it was just the two of them.

"Why don't you sing?" He had asked, words blunt but softened by the sweet harmony of his own tune, melting into the sentence from his earlier humming. His bells had chimed along with it, stopping abruptly when he realised he had spoken aloud, with a little tinge of embarrassment. Still, he hadn't backed down, simply smiling sheepishly. "I've been meaning to ask. I don't think I've ever heard you before."

He hadn't said that it was strange, because that wouldn't have been very nice, but he had still heard it beneath his own words, despite his best efforts.

Mercurical Knight took no offense, though he rarely does with Silverbell. Instead, his expression had pinched slightly with confusion, glancing over at him. "Because there isn't any need for me to. My duty is to the Guardian. I cannot allow myself to be distracted by something trivial like singing."

It had been an earnest answer, and exactly the sort of answer Silverbell should have expected, but he had still found himself surprised. "But how do you ignore the call of your song? I know your oath is your highest priority, but I can't imagine always resisting its call."

Silverbell, himself, feels the pull of his melody at least once a day, if not more. To constantly resist it, he had thought, would surely drive him crazy.

"I don't have a song." Mercurial Knight had replied easily, as if that hadn't immediately shook Silverbell to the core, disbelieving. That was even crazier – no melody at all, not a single note floating within his head? Wasn't that lonely?

Mercurial Knight, who had become very familiar with Silverbell by that point, seemed to read his mind, the slightest amusement in his eyes. "It is as I always say. On the day the Silver Blessing was bestowed upon me, I cast aside everything. My flavour, my scent, and my song. Whatever it may have once been matters very little to me."

Silverbell had been unable to respond immediately, trying to fathom it. During his stunned silence, another voice had arrived to answer in his stead. "Does that not simply mean that the song you now carry is that of the Silver Tree instead?"

Silverbell had jumped a little, startled by Elder Faerie's appearance, and had hurriedly fixed his posture, well aware that he was still on duty. Mercurial Knight adjusted his posture too, though considering it had already been perfect before Elder Faerie's arrival, it hadn't made much of a difference.

Mercurial Knight had hesitated for a moment, before inclining his head in a slight nod. "If you say so, Your Majesty, then I must believe that to be true."

Elder Faerie, in all his brillance, had approached them with grace, a knowing look on his face. Of course, if Silverbell could tell Mercurial Knight had been doubtful, Elder Faerie certainly could.

"You may have not felt the urge yet, but not all songs surface frequently. Even I only feel mine on rare occasions." Elder Faerie had explained, almost gently. "The Silver Tree's song will surely come to you when the time is right."

It was Mecurial Knight, then, that had been at a loss for words, blinking slowly. He had glanced away a moment later to regain his composure, in a way Silverbell would dare say was shy. "...Thank you for your kind words, Your Majesty, but it truly doesn't matter to me. Silverbell was asking me about my song, that's all."

Elder Faerie had hummed in understanding, looking towards Silverbell for a split second, before returning his attention to Mercurial Knight. "Well, that doesn't make my words any less true." Then he had smiled, an elegant, mysterious curve. "There's no rush, of course, but I do hope to hear your song someday. You know, I have a feeling both of your voices would harmonise quite well."

Mercurial Knight had, somewhat helplessly, declared that he would be honoured to share his song with Elder Faerie if it ever arose, and that had been the end of it.

Or maybe this was the true end of it, because the opportunity to share his song with Elder Faerie had now been swept away by the winds of time, never to return.

Faeries do not mourn. To return to the soil beneath the Silver Tree is what awaits all of them, eventually, so they do not mourn. They only celebrate and honour the lives that were lost, and to do that, they organise a grand feast.

The atmosphere is light and jolly, a celebration of Guardians both new and old, and Silverbell is lingering by Mercurial Knight's side, a cup in his hands. Usually, he would have flitted off to mingle with the others by now, but after everything that has happened today, he feels like he should stay with him, at least for a few moments more.

The Silver Tree stands tall behind their backs, the evils within trapped securely once more, and its shadow falls upon Elder Faerie's final moments. Silverbell's eyes linger on the place where they watched him disappear. Inexplicably, it does not feel like he is gone.

A melody, low and stilted, imperfect, begins to drift in the air, curling around them. It takes Silverbell a moment to realise it, and when he does, he lets out a tiny gasp.

Mercurial Knight is singing.

He turns to watch him with wide eyes and, mortifyingly, they feel damp as he does. Silverbell doesn't cry – his voice is too high, and his eyes naturally dewey, so he hates to makes himself seem any weaker when he is a perfectly capable knight – but it almost feels like a near thing.

After all, music is the purest form of communication, and he is hearing Mercurial Knight's song for the first time.

It takes Mercurial Knight a moment to find his footing, but when he does, his voice smooths out, running rich like liquid silver. All Faeries have voices designed for song, so it is no surprise that it is beautiful.

Mercurial Knight does not look at him as he sings, steady but still quiet. Instead, he holds his glaive perfectly straight, his gaze lingering on an invisible grave. It is bittersweet, a gift come too late, but the song itself is not sorrowful, because the Faeries are not in the habit to mourn.

No, the tune is powerful and majestic, determined and confident. Before long, Silverbell finds himself drawn into it, his bells tinkling on beat as he sings along.

As it turns out, Elder Faerie was right, as he always is. Their voices blend together wonderfully, slotting atop one another as if they had been waiting endlessly for the opportunity. They sing, and sing, and sing, and though they barely look at each other, Silverbell feels closer to Mercurial Knight than he has ever been.

He hopes, somehow, Elder Faerie is hearing their duet. It's dedicated to him, after all.

[detective-piplup]

I should check on my animal crossing island

[ladyshandioftheendless]

Shandi’s Writer’s Month Prompts!

Day 13: Word: Knot | Setting: Fairy Realm

Oh yiss an opportunity to write for another KISSteriaverse OTP that I haven’t written about in a while! =D

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Are you ready for this, luv?” 

Michael inhaled deeply, held it for a few moments and exhaled. “Honestly..not one bit. But I’ve been putting this off for too long..” 

The Elven triplets looked on with worried expressions. “Why..can’t we go with you..?” Nisse asked, very near tears. “What if you--?” Nicholas patted Nisse’s head. “Don’t you worry..I’ll be there and I’m not gonna let anything happen to him.” 

“Why do you have to go..?” It was Calle’s turn to question. Michael just shook his head. “The demon cannot be blamed for everything I did. I must be judged for my actions. I must prove I am worthy enough to keep my title as King of Hanoi. I must go to the Nymphs and ask them to offer testimony for me.” 

Pelle frowned. “So what does that mean?” 

“I must endure the Nymphs’ tests. Only then will I influence them enough to have them speak to my Council on my behalf. Now, I cannot say anything more.” Trying hard to keep a smile, Michael kissed each boy’s forehead. “Please don’t be concerned for me. I swear I will return to you~” 

“Luv..we gotta go.” 

“I know..” 

~*~

“So..you’ve come here at last.” Tomaisin leaned back and crossed his legs with a smirk. He and the other Nymphs sat upon their glass thrones awaiting their guests in Glass Lake’s hidden palace. “You’ve shown great promise already in doing so.”

Michael bent down on one knee with Nicholas standing close behind him. “It has only been a few weeks since the incident. My Council doubts my ability to rule and I cannot prove otherwise without your help.” 

“It is indeed true that we know you far better than any of your Council..” Erikas mused. “You..and your body~” 

“Our task will be to prove you are no longer influenced by possession of the Black Beast.” Frewyn said, with a gaze as cold as steel. “These trials will be long, as well as painful. Are you prepared for this?” 

Michael tensed, gripping his knee so hard his knuckles turned white. “Y-yes.” 

“You don’t sound certain, King of Hanoi.” Jefferie crossed his arms and scowled. “If you are not certain, you will surely perish. Do not presume that just because you are King you can use our power..or our patience.”

Nicholas could see Michael started to shake. He reached down and gripped his lover’s shoulder tightly, speaking with a gentle whisper.  “I’m right ‘ere by your side, luv. Through anything..even this.” 

Michael lifted his head and looked directly into Jefferie’s eyes. “I am prepared. I need to do this. Hanoi needs a strong King.” 

“Very well then~” Tomaisin stood up from his throne and the other Nymphs followed suit. “Let the trials begin~” 

~END~

[clionalilleth]

Morning Rays in the Otherworld #fae #faeriewood #faerie #otherworldly #otherworld #woods #hobbittrail #thinplace #oregon #oregoncoast #morningsun #morningrays (at Hobbit Trail) https://www.instagram.com/p/B4LHmoRnMbd/?igshid=1b0avbxyhst0g

[asksilverbell]

Oi m8 how ya be?

Cuz I don't be knowing and I has got nuthin betta to du ten ask sum rando how thems be doin .

"You don't look like a cookie..."

"What is your business in Faeriewood?"