xf-grxmviridicn

[xf-grxmviridicn]

TRISTAN & LADY CERENIA

.

The pair of dark eyes, full of curiosity were staring down right beside him, yet they were still having him mesmerized. It took him a couple of seconds to really process the situation before his eyes finally dropped from her eyes, only inches below to her nose and her lips, and then up again, as if he was scared that she might disappear should he lose sight of her eyes for any longer than a second. He moved slowly, and barely at all, trying to push himself back against the tree once he realized just how close the two of them were to each other. Thankfully enough, she replied to his question with a much less threatening answer than what he’d imagined, although his shock was far from subsiding as many other, somewhat trivial worries flooded his mind. For example, how the purple glow of the plants behind her made her look like some celestial being of the woods. Or how sweet her voice was once she spoke. Or how he wan’t able to move, not even his fingers, not even an inch, afraid that he might touch her and scare her off, but the soft fabric of her clothes were brushing against the back of his hand. Or the fact that he was supposed to pay attention to her next words that sounded like a question, but he was too caught up in his own awe to notice. 

After a while, he could finally utter a silent “Wuh– what thing?” Their eyes met, and Tristan felt his cheeks warming up, his lungs expanding as he inhaled deeply, almost preparing for what was to come, even though he had no idea what it might’ve been. 

She was gone before he could do anything about it, not that he knew what he would do if he could. The touch of fabric from the back of his hand and the weight from his lap now cold night air. His hands finally let go of his book, lifting up into the air by his chest in surrender. “No, no, no it’s alri– you don’t need to apologize, I uh… I won’t tell your mother, I promise. Though… I’m not sure I even know her.” It was almost embarrassing how fast he slipped on the same hurried and distressed behavior, but he couldn’t help copying it as the nerves from how close they were just a moment ago were still having him on edge. He forced himself to look away from her in order to gather himself, which was when he noticed his phone beside him. “Is this what you were asking about?” He held up the phone in his hand, glancing back at her.

of course he didn't know her mother. what a silly thing to suggest. she was so frantic and out of sorts that practically anything could spill from her lips in that moment. that said, it did beg the question of when she might actually meet people her mother was well enough acquainted with since, with exception to family, there was little she actually knew about helen outside of the forest. nevertheless, that was a matter for another occasion, as the boy once at her immediate side gave focus to the strange device.

his query is met with a set of nods in place of words, an initial fear she may say something completely ridiculous again halting her tongue. but she has so many questions, bubbling and finally bursting to the surface when she can no longer contain them. “.. how does it work? is it tiny people? tiny .. um, animals?” she didn’t wish to be discriminatory and imply that small creatures were incapable of the same marvelous feat as a music box-like creation. “.. do others have one? out there? in the city?” what a strange thing that would be, really. little box devices as common as men. them being made by way of magic, frankly, made the most sense to her since what else could attain something so marvelous, but wrapping her mind around the concept of the thing existing at all — despite its presence before her — was asking quite a bit on its own.

the young woman collects herself as she listens curiously to the sound for a moment or so more, as if attempting to discern if she could make out any possible note or feature of the waltz-like melody. "it almost sounds like .. something my mother would play." cera seems to sway in place as she lies on her knees contentedly, not at all brave enough to close the distance between them again despite now having the sudden urge to dance more freely as she tries to hum along.

#⸻ LET THE HEAVENS REST ON YOUR MELODY | int. #⸻ tristan the apprentice. #ooc ⸻ #apologies on the delay!

[xf-grxmviridicn]

LADY SIF & LADY CERENIA

wasn’t she lonely? of course she was lonely! it was suffocating how truly alone she’d grown in the span of nearly two years. but in her grief, Seraphim finds that is easier to tuck herself away– to hide in the arms of the ones who truly care about her, rather than the masses who claim to love her for the legacy she carries in her tainted blood. in the time she had spent surrounded by faces, stretched thin by decision-making, and locked in schedules ( meant for only the Head of House Fraser to sit in ) there was hardly any time for to let it all out– to release those frustrations, fine-tune her own emotions, and finally grieve. to scream, to fuss, to cry and, yes, beat the sunlight out of puddles of water with her clenched fists was a tiny luxury of her own self-care, or perhaps, self-pity. 

when her mother was alive, it was easier. all that was expected of her was to sit in the background of meetings, keep her lips pressed into a thin line, and make sure the crown of her head was ready to be presented for an inherited coronation. yet, all of the practice and training in the world could have never prepared her for that transference of reigns. she was given a title when she was hardly ready to fill the shoes that had been left for her at her bedside. and yes, those shoes were made of ruby silk and second-hand. she doesn’t wish to be compared to an attention-seeking, lonely woman, and she further combats the other, verbally, for now– “It’s different–“ a melodic scoff flourishes into a whine of her own wallowing. “I miss her–“  her wailing sobs come to a coda as she speaks over the other’s words.  “She was taken from me, and I just want to see her again… but I can’t. She’s dead.” she doesn’t disclose any more information of her mother– she’s unsure if the stranger is ready to hear the tales of Lady Silk. nor is she of the inclination that she’s trustworthy of such regaling. 

knit eyebrows catch the gaze of dark rufescent curls and amber eyes squint in offense. she doesn’t like being spoken to in that type of manner. it makes her feel childish, and it makes her feel small– it makes Sif’s tantrum feel insignificant, and invalid. and quite frankly it irks her– presses on golden spiked nerves– to be told to calm down, to take deep breaths and clear her mind. “Clearing my mind won’t be of any help.” exasperation teems in her tone as she mocks the other, “No one can succeed at everything, you insensitive forrest child.” she speaks with venomous words– “And there are some things that are quite impossible, like summoning the dead from the depths of this foul and useless, smelly lake.” she crosses her arms over her chest, “Even if that was how the magic worked, I doubt my mother would show her face to you other than to scare you away.” with a roll of her eyes she continues, “Now cease your tone, and leave me be. I said I wanted to be alone and I meant it.” 

any empathy once felt for the sad woman shrivels up and dies the second the insult is passed, any hopes of reaching their newly found acquaintance in a sensible way fading right alongside it.

instead of immediately acknowledging the harsher tonality of the one beside her, however, cera instead turned her face towards the waters before them. easy, slow breaths slipped from her lips as she followed the advice she'd once freely given. "i may be an ignorant forest girl," she begins as hands clasp together slowly, a correction of sorts in her choice of wording — even as realization strikes that it isn’t much better in the end. a sudden, dim glow emits from her person rather unconsciously as inner prayers and hard won beliefs pour through her, "but at least i have manners and acknowledge someone properly when they're only trying to help or do what i can't." at this curt explanation, during which she never removes her focus from the pooling waters for fear of ruining the chance she's given and breaking concentration, there's a reflection of another gradually shifting into them.

a face with elegant features similar to her own, but much older and dignified reveals itself, a softness to their smile.

and cerenia is so eternally grateful that it actually worked once she opens her eyes that it seems the leveret breaks almost every bit of her attentiveness to cheer and practically dance in victory, quite pleased with the development she wasn't so sure would actually culminate. "ha! see there you rude, mean woman. i was right." before accepting any retort in return, the young girl presents herself properly to her own mother's human reflection, waving happily. "hello, mother! it really is wonderful to see you, i —" as if it only then dawned on her who she was witnessing, a welling of tears emerge as if a shattered dam, submerging wide, umber hues in apparent relief.

waves of emotion immediately overcome her and cause her form to be wracked in sobs, a sadness she hadn't realized she felt overwhelming her to her very core. "i .. miss you, mama. so, so much!" this was the first time, after all, that she'd been able to see her mother’s face, any face of hers, for ages. it seemed so silly that she had never tried before now, but perhaps there was a fear in her, similar to her companion ( which she would never admit now ), that it would never work. it's barely enough that her hands cover her face, to veil the mess of herself she'd unfortunately become as hiccups and strained, broken breaths do their best to flee. settling herself seems almost impossible now, but hey, at least she proved the lake was as magical as others say.

#⸻ LET THE HEAVENS REST ON YOUR MELODY | int. #⸻ lady sif.

[xf-grxmviridicn]

TRISTAN & LADY CERENIA

closed starter for @xf-grxmviridicn·  location: nearby a stream in the forest

It probably wasn’t very wise, to pull an all-nighter right before his little excursion to the forest in search of fresh ingredients for one of his potions, but there Tristan was, not quite as lost as he thought he’d be, but just as much, if not twice as tired as he shouldn’t have been. It was only for a ten minute break, he thought, as he took a seat against a tree stump, overgrown by moss and ivy and some sort of a plant that’s flowers glowed purplish blue in the moonlit forest floor. Those ten minutes turned into twenty, as he’d decided how beautiful his view at the slowly flowing, light green colored stream was, and soon enough he was having his book open in his lap, pencil gliding from one end of a page to the other while calming music played from his phone beside him. 

It wasn’t long until his eyelids grew heavy, and Tristan did nothing to fight the oncoming drowsiness. In fact, he’d let it happen naturally, head lolling back against the tree as his breaths became more steady. His hands brought his open book up to his stomach, fingers gently entwining around the dreamstone as big as his fist lodged into the leather cover while he slept quietly. It was the ticklish feeling by the tip of his nose that slowly pulled him back into consciousness, his lips that parted during his slumber pressing together into a thin line as eyelids fluttered open slightly. The music from his phone was still playing in the background. His sight was still blurry, and all there was in front of him, was a pair of pink, see-through wings, elongated limbs of sparkling skin in a different shade of pink, resembling a human. But as soon as his view cleared up, and Tristan slightly scrunched his nose up, he’d realized how the pink figure was simply a forest pixie feeling brave enough to play with his nose. While he watched the pixie sly away after the slightest of movement of him sitting up more straight, he noticed how he wasn’t truly alone. His fingers on his dreamstone tightened, heart beating much faster at the sudden thought of threat being near him in the forest. It wouldn’t be the first time, after all. “You’re not here to eat me… are you?” He asked, his voice still hoarse from just waking up, eyes watering from having to look around so much to find the owner of the presence he was sensing. 

the girl shouldn’t have been here. it was not the first time such a thought had crossed her that evening, either, her stroll almost an accidental one as she took the usual route to ‘sneak’ away from her towering residence. but cerenia’s restless mind had settled easier the further away she found herself from home and while her initial intention may have been, perhaps, to seek out their resident lady of the wood — for guidance, for peace of mind, for something she couldn’t entirely place — the young shade instead found herself staring at a sleeping boy.  well, sort of. really, it was the peculiar device .. humming ..? at his side that kept doe-like, umber hues dialed in with undivided attention, her mesmerized state keeping her from noticing the pixie finally darting off to safety as she sat practically on top of the weird human. and his dreamstone fitted tome, which should have, frankly, alarmed her enough on its own.

instead of scampering off herself the moment eyes fluttered to life and an unexpected voice filled the otherwise mostly silent air, however, cera did nothing of the kind, not actually recognizing the threat these motions posed. instead, rather nonchalantly in fact and obviously distracted, the leveret answered his query with, “my mother would kill me.” the mere idea, had she been paying any proper attention and realized what was said, could seem humorous to her, albeit still unusual, on any other occasion. still, the square ... thing, kept her attention for longer than it should have and cera wouldn’t immediately face the stranger as she followed with, “what .. is this .. this thing?” it sounded like music, kind of? sort of? except it wasn’t any sort of sound she recognized, somehow too unnatural to seem quite real. and how was it trapped in this tiny box? was there a little man inside, playing? did the little man need her help? oh, she surely hoped that wasn’t so. “.. is this magic? did you — oh!”

and, of course, recognition flashed into her mind of where she was, what she was doing. and how much trouble she could be in the second their eyes met — he did have very pretty eyes, though.

cera was much too close to his face now in her efforts to be near the weird device at his side, a near instant blush coloring her features in response. completely regretting all decisions that led to this odd, very odd, moment as she finally, finally made efforts to put space between them on hurried limbs, there are apologies spilling from her lips before anything more could be given from him. “sorry, sorry, i’m so sorry. i didn’t mean to — i mean, i meant to — not wake you. or be that close .. to you. i know that was weird, i’m sorry i’m a little weird. i just .. you can go.” there’s a semblance of a breath taken, an effort to calm herself as she realizes she’s rambling incessantly. “.. please don’t tell mother i was here. i’m sorry i bothered you.”

#⸻ LET THE HEAVENS REST ON YOUR MELODY | int. #⸻ tristan the apprentice.

[xf-grxmviridicn]

LADY SIF & LADY CERENIA

had it not been for the current crisis that was, proverbially and perhaps quite literally clutching Seraphim by her throat and heart ( she was a couple of minutes into gasping for air due to the incessant outpour of cries she had fallen into ), the call of oh peony, would have sent her into a fit of uncontrollable ( and honestly, insane ) laughter. the euphemism for her womanly parts was nomenclature-d by none other than the person she was seeking to find in those pools of water– her mother. oh, how Lady Silk haunts in even the simplest of interactions. at a young age, Sif was taught to protect and respect her peony– to sit in positions that wouldn’t reveal her secret flower, keeping her legs crossed at the ankle with a blanket over her lap, with her neck elongated, and her chin parallel ( whilst pulling an invisible thread at the crown of her head to meet the heavens) to the ground. now it was perhaps a habit of weird nature– referring to her vagina as a peony. the pejoration of the word had since ruined anything involving the pink perennial plants. a scowl in the general direction of the flower would oft be the case. but no… 

Sif hardly hears the fluttering wings of a hummingbird– nor did her attention pull at the promenading girl before her ( or behind? ) she was of full notion that she had spoken to a whisper in the trees as the wind blew in her face to mock her already bubbling discomfort and discontent. eyes shoot towards the voice finally–  as it continues to grace her with unwanted opinions and attention. “Yes. I said alone. As in leave me alone.” the warm tears on her face grow hotter as her temper rises. “I don’t care about your attention-seeking mother nor her performances.” though– there was an understanding forming. Lady Silk was, if anything, one of the biggest sociopathic egotists in Selphia. and quite unfortunately Seraphim would continue to love her, seek her out, and die trying to make her proud. regardless of how cruel the woman truly was, validation from any other source would truly amount to nothing to Seraphim.

she pats the silk and tulle material against her tears– ruining the fabric with a careless nonchalance. brown mascara bleeds through and leaves stains in fading erratic lines upon peach textiles. her knees continue to dig into the ground even as she whips to face the stranger approaching. with the help of her long dress, Sif is able to dry her eyes, though the quaking of her chest still ruptures with meaningless sobs. she feels as if she is crying over spilled milk. “What do you mean?” she continues to snap at the other. her glaring eyes have hardly halted, but she is curious as to what the other thinks she means with those pretty big naive eyes. “You can’t summon the faces you wish to see.” her head shakes with certainty. “That’s impossible.” her haughty tone breaks in a sordid laughter as the many faces of the lake continue to swirl and taunt her. “I’ve tried. No matter how hard I have willed it into being I can’t !” she continues to exclaim with furrowed eyebrows and a harrowing expression. “I can’t find her, and I know that she’s visited here, I know that she liked to take her strolls when the sun would begin to set. She told me.” she once again blames the lake, her true source of frustration and anger. if she could she’d dry that whole thing up– let it shrivel and die. “You can’t possibly help.” 

“.. i think she’s just lonely, really.” cera corrects somewhat quietly as she stays firmly in place despite the declaration of the other for time to themselves, a vein of defensiveness forming at the mere implication of the woman that became her new mother being anything other than wonderful. her flaws notwithstanding, naturally. “aren’t you lonely sometimes?” the query arises in earnest curiosity, cera herself rather familiar with the notion herself, given her typical living arrangements. “.. is that why you’re so upset?” she follows, noting the tears still slipping through as mascara lines mar otherwise pleasant features. it summons a level of apparent sympathy in the forest dweller, her own delicate features softening further. “because the person you’re looking for isn’t around anymore?” if it seems rather prying, cera doesn’t immediately recognize it, her nature getting the better of her once more.

in fact, instead of disappearing as once instructed, the shade dares to step closer, her pia presenting themselves on her shoulder now to allow cerenia the freedom she needs with her hands as she continues on. a small laugh forms on rosy lips at the idea of anything truly being ‘impossible’ as her acquaintance thinks, shaking her head slightly with dark rufescent curls swaying alongside the motion. “well if that’s how you feel, i’m sure you’d never get anything done.” yes, the shade was a firm believer in well .. believing, and if that made her silly to some, she didn’t quite mind it so much. “you’re really so certain? .. if i promise to try to help, will you be nicer to me?” it isn’t as though she hadn’t noticed the tone of the other — simply choosing to ignore it until right then. and while she acknowledged herself partly at fault, rudeness was something of a pet peeve of hers all the same. “first and foremost, you must stop with this ‘can’t’ this and that. it doesn’t help you very much at all, with things like this. genuine belief is very important in these matters.” 

placing herself at the woman’s side finally, minding the plants carefully as she does so and they seem to naturally part for her anyhow, she later says, “and next, deep breaths. you’re pretty riled up and like mother says, a foggy mind is pretty useless.” or something like that. the leveret didn’t pay as close attention as she should while being scolded, you see. she was often just in tears and entirely incoherent, herself.

#⸻ LET THE HEAVENS REST ON YOUR MELODY | int. #⸻ lady sif. #ooc ⸻ #can't you tho lol

[xf-grxmviridicn]

the lure of darkness | event i.

dreadful confusion. it was the first thought, the first sensation to come to mind as the darkness with which cerenia now found herself came into being, enveloping her in perpetual shadow. had she taken a wrong path again? despite her knowledge of the boundary’s existence, just along the edge of the wooded area, gradually creeping forth to swallow all she may hold dear, cera had yet to know a place among them to be so abysmally empty. so devoid of life and feeling. it drew the very essence from her bones, dug into the marrow of her soul — a gnawing, almost painful stirring held in her gut.

⸻⸻ “oh, my little flower! haven’t you any thorns?” it screeched. the gaping abyss which was the monster’s mouth hung open, splits of golden light tearing through the shadows. the entity held out its shadowy tendrils, a steady trickle of black sludge falling to the floor.  ⸻⸻

it startles her, the frightful call from depths she cannot yet bear witness — not until the seeping light that marks its gaping maw shows through horrendously, cera’s doe eyes widening in abject horror as quivering lips struggle to spill the words that catch in her throat. she’s petrified to near silence save for the deafening pounding in her chest, her legs giving out the only sense of action her trembling form can manage right then. she wants to run. to hide in the warmth of safety, another’s arms. but there’s no one there to protect her, to shield her from this apparent nightmare. and in the moment she might imagine anyone at all, the sludge from which they’re born seems to warp and twist them enough to where they're no longer recognized. her sister, her father, the creatures she knew to be kind. they become malformed and mutilated, strange. unknown. she doesn’t want this anymore. the tears prick at the corners of her eyes, something like a sob slipping through her lips. much like anything else, it isn’t quite as it should be. she wants to go home. she buries herself in trembling knees, wrapping her arms around them as if they might aid her somehow.

“please .. let me —” her voice is hoarse, barely above a whisper. her body felt drained, tired. “ .. let me go home. i want to go home.”

⸻⸻ “deep down, you know that you’ll never free yourself from those woods as long as your mother remains that thing,” it said. “does that thing even recognize you anymore? you can never stray too far, never go off on your own adventures! because in the back of your mind, you know the mortals can round up their pitchforks and torches to slay mommy dearest.”  ⸻⸻

her mother. the word seems to pull her from tears, drag her from despair briefly. whatever this horrid creature wished of her, certainly it wasn’t a spark of hope at the mere mention. she loved her mother, entirely. unconditionally. no matter what became of her, how the woman may hate some part of her, how the woman may curse her. cera’s love would pour through. she would save her. she knew it in her heart. no one would hurt her so long as cera could draw a shred of breath. she couldn’t stand it.

⸻⸻ the noxious ooze bubbling on the floor multiplied in size, mutating into the writhing hydra nora soteira had become. but, each head had the human face of cerenia’s mother. “c...e...r...a?” croaked the monster. the boundary levitated overhead, thrashing in delight above the twisted reunion.  ⸻⸻

the human chimera is repulsive, grotesque down to its very core. cerenia knew, of course she knew .. or believed she did, that this .. thing, wasn’t really the woman who held her, that kissed her goodnight, that showed her the world as she knew it still  .. but it had her voice. and began to hum the very song only she would know, albeit rather distortedly. still, it mimicked her music box completely. how could that be?

“.. mama.” she cries, reluctantly drawing near on stumbling feet, wishing to .. just to be closer, perhaps. “mother! i’m coming, i’m here!” it shifts, falling away from cera, crawling on distorted limbs. “.. mother, please wait. i’m coming, i promise! don’t .. don’t leave —” again. not again. she couldn’t bear it. not again. “m —” just then, as cera might be within reach, another figure draws forth, shooting up from the darkness in a way that has the woodland girl stumbling backwards, landing on her backside in a loss of balance.

staring curiously, the figure doesn’t distort as the others had, holding form enough to actually be known. and cerenia swears, there’s no mistaking him, “eras—” her voice breaks, tears forming again, and the figure shakes its head, a finger to its lips, as if to tell her not to go further. either in speaking or in following towards whatever thing the boundary created. cera finds herself in awe and ever so vaguely annoyed that even her subconscious couldn’t seem to disregard the man, the image of his memory, even as she swears he’s forgotten her entirely.

⸻⸻ “don’t you want to save her?” it laughed. “don’t you want to snip the last thing that tethers you to those wretched woods? or will you really deny your mother salvation, little rabbit? i know that all you’ve ever wanted is to be truly free.”

the boundary approached her again.

“i want … just a piece of you,” it whispered. an outstretched hand reached for where cerenia’s heart should be. “i want it so badly, i swear to grant your wish.” as if stung, the boundary recoiled back. it slowly disintegrated into darkness, leaving her alone in the nightmare where illusions and old memories lurked around every corner.

“won’t you … accept my offer?”  ⸻⸻

she had almost overlooked the beast residing with them still, completely mesmerized by what her mind dared to conjure, until the bizarre creature’s distorted speech ripped through and drew back honey brown hues. its misshapen form and trickling tendrils didn’t seem to alarm her as much anymore, however, a strength found within herself to deal with this figment of nightmare and imagination. even as it thought to approach and nearly touch her, her eyes shutting tightly momentarily and skin crawling at the very attempt.

".. no.” she begins softly, summoning her courage as her uncertainty wavers. “.. no, i won't. i'll find a way, you'll see. i have good people helping me. i won’t need to rely on you.” at this, cera seems to glance towards the shadowy make of her old memory, some semblance of what one could perceive as a smile apparent in their features. as it helps her to her feet and soon dissipates, presumably returning to where it came, cerenia’s focus shifts entirely to the boundary .. or whatever it might be. “now, shoo. go away, you rude, rude thing."

as if on command, the world of darkness distorts and disappears. cera is found on the forest floor, collapsed in a ring of light and curled in, peacefully slumbering and ignorant to the world.

#⸻ CHOOSE LOVE NOT IN THE SHALLOWS | tasks. #event ⸻ #the curious case of the boundary #cag: event

[xf-grxmviridicn]

#⸻ DRAPED IN SILK AND ETHEREAL SIGH | visual. #ooc ⸻ #so precious.

[xf-grxmviridicn]

LADY SIF & LADY CERENIA

@cagliostrostart​​ // THE WILDWOODS: Secrezo Lake [ 𝒄𝒂𝒑 𝒙 𝒐𝒇 𝟑  ]

the peach colored gown she wears brushes against the bottom stems of the lavender and fuchsia foxglove blossoms.  she seeks out a single reflection of Secrezo in particular. she wishes to see a pair of eyes that are a twinge darker than hers– a nose that is more defined than hers– and a set of cheeks that are far paler than hers in comparison with a couple of decades worth of wrinkles. but even in her older age, Seraphim’s mother was the most beautiful woman she had ever met– the most beautiful woman she craves to 𝒓𝒆-𝒎𝒆𝒆𝒕 in the pools of reflection. the toxins of the poisonous bell-flower dust against her sandals as she makes her way to the bank of the lake. 

kneeling at the edge of the water, her eyes remain closed– her hands clasp at her chest, and a final breath is exhaled before she’d takes the plunge to look. though eyes open to nameless faces. she scans eyes, lips, noses, and brows, but none of them are familiar to her. she broadens her search as she surveys beyond her means. palms dig in dirt and gravel as she peers into the pool, she grows frustrated, growling an insult under her breath, “ I would love to insult you but I’m afraid I won’t do it as well as nature did, you purposeless lake.” dirty palms then swat at the water, not once, not twice, but a three times. muddy hands throw their tantrum despite the something– someone pulling at her attention nearby. “What? What do you want? Can’t you see? I’m busy causing a scene and want to be left alone! Save your interruptions for someone else.” 

“oh, peony!” cera’s call rings forth and dances on the lighter breeze as bare feet bound along the forest grounds to give chase to the crafty creature, only the occasional slip in step breaking her otherwise steady stride. she doesn’t even notice as her poor floral garment woven of lace and layered silk chiffon snags on loose branches, her focus almost entirely on her wayward pet. “pia, get back here! you silly little thing.” the bird, in turn, moves swiftly about, expecting to be free of its owner a bit longer before pinning its beak, accidently, to the trunk of a ‘misplaced’ tree. “... now look at you!” a bout of laughter bubbles forth as the leveret finally traps the hummingbird in her grasp only briefly, plucking it from its sad fate and caressing it sweetly. “you always get so carried away, pea. and now you’ve — oh!” cera cries, startled by the woman not even a few feet away from them now. “i’m .. i’m so sorry, i didn’t mean —” the outburst from the other unknown woman seems to silence the forest dweller only momentarily, a pondering mind put to work almost immediately as a softness fills delicate and forgiving features. it's enough to distract from the matter of the woman being so strange at all, for the time being.

"... alone? really?” her cadence is warm, considerate. “in my very limited experience," the shade began again, a gentle hand reaching forward for her hummingbird to perch and nuzzle against. "people only cause a scene to be noticed." a finger on her opposing hand presses along erubescent cheeks in mild consideration for her words just then, however, a hint of amusement buried on her tongue. cerenia didn’t wish to seem so rude, after all. particularly to one already so riled. ".. that may only really apply to my mother, though." there's recollection of moments more recent where she would spot a tiff or two between her parents, helen practically begging — in her own way — for a modicum of affection or attention and her father barely batting an eye. a younger cera would hardly recognize their troubles for what they were at first, either. and assuming this was merely how they were together, should one think it common in a marriage as traveled as theirs, didn't suit the imagery of how they once behaved. it'd been nearly constant in the last few years, however, and there'd been more than enough time for the young shade to formally adjust.

“.. i could help, if you’d like? it’s deceptively tricky the first few times.” the young girl speaks of the lake now, realizing where exactly the pair of them had landed following their minor escapade. “it can take some practice.” the absolute focus and desire being most important, perhaps. or so she’d seen of others .. from a distance. her own experiences, as they were, had mostly been driven by a want for a face that she knew likely would never come to pass, considering the one in question actually hadn’t .. well .. passed or apparently even come upon the lake prior. at least, not as far she could guess, given time spent. really, though, considering their duties, who could say they really had the occasion for it?

.. still, she’d never let her own failures deter her. and like most things in the wildwoods, cerenia would like to think she knew her way around the enchanted waters well enough.

#⸻ LET THE HEAVENS REST ON YOUR MELODY | int. #⸻ lady sif.

[xf-grxmviridicn]

lxmerences·:

LORD KIERAN & LADY CERENIA

STATUS: OPEN ! LOCATION: THE WILDWOODS !

THE TRUTH WAS THE HARDEST TO SWALLOW AS IT TWISTED DOWN HIS THROAT LIKE MISSHAPEN BLADES OF ONYX AND THORN … 

the truth was that the lady sif could have killed him many times over, but he held on to the probable statement so tightly that nails gripped into it and drew blood. this time, there wasn’t a question. he lay there as a fool, an example of his own hubris souring his judgement. strikes from her rose whip part paths through the thick fabrics of his clothes and into his skin. the arrows from her bow impale him from a distance and he was unable to hear the sound of them slicing through the winds of their heated rivalry until it was far too late. he lay there now in a increasingly growing puddle of his own blood flowing freely from his open wounds as the blossoms from the tree he lay his head against rained down on him. in his hand sat the dagger of his rakuyo limply, his hands trembling with the need to grasp it. vision began to fade quickly and he could feel his body giving out as a shadow began to approach him, their feet lightly trampling the fallen petals. with a weakened smirk and his last bit of will, he lifted his dagger. “ after all of these years, you’ve returned. “ he mused, believing that the lady of silk from his dreams had come from the underworld to grace him with her presence. “ am i finally worthy of your grace ? in this state, of all ? “ his hand shook until it fell at his side, the dagger landing a few inches from his thigh. “ perhaps you were right to avoid me all of these years. “ he spoke, delirious and hallucinating of the former fraser head. “ perhaps the vanitas are nothing but fools, too stubborn to die. “ 

it had been longer than a few minutes, cera guessed, since her sneaking journeying out of her tower had brought her to this marvel of a scene — a boy in the forest, a tangleseed arrow gutting him through, and her hiding behind the safety of darkness and aged wood.

the delirium with which he less than clearly spoke, however, tugged at delicate heartstrings, the pain he'd evidently felt twisting softer, hooded features. and deeming the boy no obvious threat as the dagger finally falls from his weaker grip, quiet steps finally dared to tread lightly forward from the hidden depths of their surroundings, parting blades of greenery and scattered blossoms at her bare feet.

.. cera could hear it plainly in her mind now — her mother bellowing in her pretty head to fall away and turn back, to risk nothing of herself for his sake.

yet, her curiosity would know peace, be sated in cautious glances over his person as she came closer, in the strange pooling of red at the base of the elder tree. he seemed quite silly in this way up close, murmuring and slumped over as if in a dizzying slumber. lowering the hood of her cloak from atop her mess of curls, the words that spill forward are hesitant as she parts rosy lips. “.. are you ..” she doesn’t consider what she might ask really, a million queries rounding in her head. though, obvious to anyone, the boy was far from okay and in no state to handle such a whirlwind of worries and wants. chief among them, she supposed then, was her wish to know how he came to be this way, what pain he might be in, how she might help ease his troubles — if for no other reason than merely being her manner to do so .. even if the very sight of him alarmed her quite a bit. a decision is made, however, not to start with a question after all, but rather, to correct a mistake she isn’t necessarily certain he knows he’s made. “ .. excuse me, but — i think you may have confused me for another. i’m really quite sorry.”

gentle fingers ghost along the shape of the boy’s face and form, fearing what her touch may do in this precarious and weak-seeming state of his, to the wounds he still suffers. he smells .. odd, she realizes, and while the shade isn’t quite sure if this is due to him merely being a strange man of all things, as certainly her father never bore such a scent before, she’s fairly convinced the make of the arrow pinned to his chest and the red seeping through hardly helps matters. was there something he’d done to deserve such a fate, really? it seemed quite harsh, all things considered. and she wonders, suddenly, if she really should be more concerned over this whole ordeal. “is it alright if i .. handle this?” cera motions along the shaft of the weapon digging into his person, the possibility for infection or actual death in her presence more than a smidge distressing. she’s aware enough to know that pulling it straight out would do no good to anyone, though, and had no intention of this. “you won’t hurt me, right?” the shade tries for sternness. “if you intend to hurt me, you have to say so. i will be quite .. cross if don’t, you know.” she does her best to seem even vaguely threatening in that passing moment, but the echo of her racing heart in her chest seems to distract from even that much.

please don’t let him be a bad person.

… her mother was going to kill her.

#⸻ LET THE HEAVENS REST ON YOUR MELODY | int. #⸻ lord kieran.

[xf-grxmviridicn]

⸻ XF-GRXMVIRIDICN. a dependent blog of cagliostrohq. as penned by eva.

⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻

CERENIA KOREN SOTEIRA ⸻ the efflorescent " to fullness of manifestation " ( samantha logan , cisgender woman , dreamshade ) ⸻⸻ intro. interactions. visual. musings. answered. tasks.

[xf-grxmviridicn]

to CERENIA SOTEIRA, the whole world looks like an open page. With a leap of faith, their ability of CHLOROKINESIS grows a little stronger. They are a  WINGED HALF-LOP RABBIT shade aligned to HOUSE of FRASER. For  TWENTY-SEVEN years, they have survived a world of magic with their PERSEVERANCE and NAIVETE. They work as an UNEMPLOYED FOREST GIRL  but if they could change their fate, they’d want to ACHIEVE TRUE FREEDOM.

hello, hello! eva here finally with our resident forest girl who’s maybe ready for the big city life one day soon. her inspo includes the likes of the following, though by no means is this list exhaustive because i had a lot tbh: euphemia li britannia of code geass, persephone of mythology ( specifically the lore olympus variant, though ), yuna of ffx, kagome higurashi of inuyasha, starfire of teen titans, and of course, rapunzel of known fairytales.

&. ⸻ LINKS

doc | pinterest

&. ⸻ HEADCANONS

she loves the color pink. and glitter

bubbles are also pretty neat in her book

she is a strict vegetarian and would never dream of consuming her poor forest friends

she is also a pacifist in most regards, but it’s best to mind her temper, which can be quite the doozy if triggered

she was homeschooled all her life within the wildwoods and despite her vast knowledge of all things regarding the woods, knows absolutely nothing of the modern world save for whatever ( many ) books she’s researched through and various trinkets she’s picked up over the years that happen to scatter on the forest floor from careless humans. she’s collected these items faithfully and, like the hoarder she truly is ( similar to ariel of the little mermaid ), has her own trove dedicated to lost human things housed in her tower

she believes honesty is the best policy and can be fairly blunt when occasions call for it. it helps, of course, that she's also the world's worst liar

she's also a terrible baker, the absolute worst, but really enjoys sharing her creations with any who might feel brave enough to try them

she can be a total child and is spoiled as shit

she believes in the power of the written word

she can be superstitious and is rather skittish around strangers generally, but especially men. partly in response to her stepmother putting the absolute fear of god in her regarding most people, and especially men

she tends to stick to known paths where possible when wandering the woods, but her capacity to be easily lost and a little too curious for her own good tends to work poorly in her favor

she knows the importance of keeping up appearances per her stepmother and homeschool tutors, but always has a tendency to attract flower petals and various bits of nature in her hair and clothes

despite knowing the safety it offers, the idea of being stuck in the woods and locked away forever completely terrifies her, specifically because of all the little discoveries she’s made of the world beyond the border of the woods as the years have passed. that said, actually taking those steps beyond the border, despite all her talk of wanting to see more, also terrifies her

she is proficient with strategy and card games, and is quite the seamstress, to boot. all her little forest pals have their own signature looks thanks to her efforts

puppets and clowns are among her biggest fears. there’s just something unnatural about them

she loves sketching any and all things and enjoys painting in general, having quite the talent for it. more so when using her fingers, but she knows her stepmother abhors this habit of hers, given how messy and unsophisticated it can seem

puns and riddles are an absolutely delight and she's certain you're wrong if you say otherwise

flower crowns and herbal remedies are her love language

&. ⸻ DREAMSHADE FORMS

see here + here for ideas on her base form, a winged half-lop rabbit with red eyes

see here for an idea on her hollow form, a winged wererabbit with red eyes

&. ⸻ TREASURED POSSESSIONS

her father: her enchanted dancer jewelry box. displays imagery of her parents among other wraith-like figures when the music plays

her birth mother: her emerald necklace and the accompanying cursed dagger that expands into a glaive-like weapon of death when fully activated

her stepmother: her cloak of imperceptibility, for her use only

her sister: her wrist crossbow with enchanted bolts that serve to trap or stun opponents

erasmus: her stuffed deer named persie, who’s she had since childhood and refuses to get rid of entirely despite its obvious wear and tear

lady of the wildwoods: her tome of beasts, a grimoire gifted to atone for past actions

&. ⸻ FAMILY

VISCOUNTESS NORA SOTEIRA: her mother, nora, was a spirit warrior, blessed with the capacity to manipulate poisonous plants and utilize them effectively against her many enemies. she would align with dreamshade and her soon-to-be husband in a truce, well before such unions were considered common, in their efforts to stave off the wickedness of the present world. nora would be appointed a viscountess following her service to the crown and community in troubled times and as such, her sole offspring cerenia would be addressed in similar fashion. the woman would see her supposed end after a group of rather skilled hunters sought her out and followed in nora's footsteps, targeting her daughter among other creatures of the woods for a quick payday, a massacre in their wake. word would soon reach the lady of the wildwoods regarding nora’s residence there and the events that transpired because of her carelessness. she would be forced into a monstrous state by said lady and in turn, nora would also curse the female line of her family to a supposed mortal fate in her twisted state. among cerenia’s goals is saving the life the woman once knew and curing her family of their cursed state. ( inspo: catelyn stark of game of thrones, demeter of myth )

SIR ZED SOTEIRA: her father, zed, is a dreamshade also of the rabbit variety. a fair share of his compatriots were actually followers of the dragon priesthood and it is through them, among others, he learned to respect and honor those he's hunted and gained the talents he now possesses. a burly, stoic man who’s known to get around, shall we say, he actually had another family before his current one. he would leave them for nora sometime later due to his great love for her, and he's still not certain if he holds much in the way of shame for his actions. because of said actions, however, cerenia has a number of half-siblings she's come to know over the years, including her favorite sister artemesia. zed at one point or another, was also a fierce dragon tamer, serving as a former member of the royal guard and later knighted for his service. in the years to follow the birth of cerenia, he’s since become something of a hermit, settling into his role as a fisherman well enough and minding his little corner of the woods with great vigilance for his family's sake. particularly following the ‘loss’ of his second wife. ( inspo: sig curtis of fullmetal alchemist, zeus of myth )

HELEN SOTEIRA: her stepmother, helen, would come into cerenia’s life the same day her birth mother fell, offering protection and sanctuary in a moment of utter crisis. cerenia would have no clue the woman in question was partly responsible for the mess that came of the day and they would part ways for a number of years, until the familiar face would make itself known again as the soon-to-be new wife of her father. the woman’s protectiveness is unmatched, surpassing even cerenia’s sister due to the severity in which it’s doled out. and while cera is perfectly aware that it comes from a place of love, she’s also attuned to the fact that it mostly derives from a deep pit of fear that tends to swallow whole any sensible reasoning. the woman’s life before coming into her own is unknown to cera, but she treasures her all the same and respects the majority of her wishes — with some noted exceptions here and there.

ARTEMESIA SOTEIRA: her sister is the only other female in cera’s family aside from helen at present, serving as her elder half-sister, a partner in crime, and a primary guard in and, when the time might come, out of the forest. the woman does her darndest to look out for her cerenia at every possible turn and is almost on equal footing with helen and zed regarding how protective she can be. misa is the person cera turns to most and holds the greatest respect for at present, and not just for her physical strength as impressive as that may — but for her strength of character as such things surely matter far greater to young cerenia. alongside helen, misa is known for her insufferable stance against most, if not all men, which cera sometimes struggles to understand, and she takes a fair bit to warm up to anyone — including family. cera appreciates all her sister does for her, however, even if she doesn’t say this as much as she probably should and has a tendency to tease her mercilessly on occasion.

alongside these four, she also has eight older and two younger brothers of varying ages from either side of the family.

&. ⸻ WANTED

fellow forest friends

those with an interest in helping her complete her goal and specifically, those with an interest in researching curses and old knowledge, to aid in her use of the grimoire

city folks to show her around — once that time comes

people who absolutely cannot stand her ignorance of the modern world and all it entails or just can't stand her in general

honestly, any and everything

#cag: intro #⸻ SINGS CAGED DIVINITY | intro.