boy what's normal to you? 'cause that sure ain't normal to me.

The hunger sings. Her melodies are low, suspenseful . . . alluring. She beckons with cold, pale fingers: a pianist and a seductress. One may laugh if Litotes ever thought he stood a chance against her darkly mischievous wiles.

He chases her, hunger, all over Beqanna - mouth watering and bloodied by the cutting teeth of his predatory magic. What was once a desperate, listless wandering has turned into a need to feel something other than . . . nothing. The emptiness in his chest is unbidden, but still it looms and consumes and hollows him out like the dying tree he is. Desperation, he still feels it, but now it is angry: a tornado, or perhaps a hurricane, upturning every one of his thoughts. He needs to focus, this he knows, or he will fixate on vicious indulgences and unending vices.

Tephra and her mother - they await the word of Pangea. Or, is Pangea awaiting the word of Tephra? Lie is not so foolish as to convince himself he was a neutral party in the dragon’s war, but he is curious as to why he has yet to hear from the West. He does not expect a “congratulations,” but perhaps at least a casual “fuck you.”

Litotes sits upon the border of Tephra, lion claws digging into the nutrient rich soil. He can feel Leliana’s earth magic pulsing in all of the plants. He finds it mildly endearing that the jungle’s foliage remains springtime vibrant year round.

Once, he might have called out for a leader’s attention, but the cremello has grown into a quiet and maddened man: upon the invisible line he remains, tail shivering just at the tip. Shadows swirl and whip around him, eventually settling like a fine dawn mist upon his shoulders.

and if i fall would you know that to do?
and if i'm caught up would you stay?

boy what's normal to you? 'cause that sure ain't normal to me.

In this bubble, he is totally alone. Solitude has sat heavy upon his heart: most days he wanders Pangea entirely by himself - no children to tend to, no wife to visit, no secret lover to occupy his mind. Ghaul is a rowdy creature, and the only distraction the Archon has, but even he does not ease his lonesomeness.

He loves his son, of course he does. Ghaul quickly became the center of his affections, but there is a quiet emptiness Litotes carries.

He is not sure if it is his lack of love for himself or the tearing apart of his relationships.

Vulgaris approaches, as suspected. Word of kingdom leader changes travels through Beqanna quickly, and the recent rumors have the once-snake as the King of Tephra. Lie smiles at the idea: a once war-mongerer leading the land he helped destroy.

Beqanna has quite the character arcs.

“I’m afraid I’ve got too many stories I would like to share with you, Vulgaris,” is his quipped response, tail flicking as he lifts to a stand. This is the man that pushed his snowballing life down the mountain, afterall. Strangely enough, Litotes finds a kinship with the King simply because of their shared past.

“I’ll start with the unfortunate politics, though.” He sighs but a grin quickly follows, and he offers a steady gaze to the gray stallion. “I have spoken with Heartfire of Nerine, and it would appear Castile, Lepis, and Wolfbane are attempting a takeover of the North. Purely to expand Loess’ reach, I think? Though I have a feeling Castile has much less control over Lepis’ actions than he realizes.” Lie’s jaw sets when he pauses, a muscle in his cheek trembling with the force of his teeth. “Truth be told, I offered Lepis my support without the full story, but I trusted her just as I trusted Wolfbane. I cannot support violence for the sake of power, Vulgaris. I have to go back on my word and protect Nerine. Because I am tired, but mostly because I have demons to destroy, and this is not right.”

He sighs. There is too much, sometimes. Just too much. The world can be so loud.

“I need to know where you stand. I plan to visit Loess and make it clear the East will not destroy another kingdom for no reason.”

and if i fall would you know that to do?
and if i'm caught up would you stay?