lost to these linens / diplomatic visit

[Wishbone]

haze like a fever

i fell like a dreamer for sweet tea and lemonade; it clings to my t-shirt it’s loud and it lingers, designed to suffocate. i light up to find what i’ve known all this time, there’s some beauty here yet

Their trip to Hyaline is ultimately the shortest of all trips for the Nerinans. The mountainous kingdom rests as passage between the Leviathans and the rest of Beqanna, allowing the small group to travel only a short distance southern before they run into the border. Wishbone had been pleased to hear two other Nerinans step forward when she volunteered to travel to Hyaline — first a mare that she’s never met before (“Breckin,” Scorch had whispered in her ear) and then her own training partner, Tähti.

She’s been enjoying her time training with the younger filly, but she can’t imagine the homesickness that her friend must be feeling. While the mahogany girl lives for the thrill of life and all its recklessness, she’s noticed that Tähti leans more toward the path of being a homebody. Which is no fault to her, in Wishbone’s mind, and provides a cheerful mood to their trip. So too is the elder girl excited to meet Hyaline’s border; her sister rules here and her (similarly-minded) brother resides here. It’s a rare but blissful thing that she is able to deliver the news herself to them.

With spring just arriving following winter, Hyaline paints a beautiful picture as they stop at the border. The mountains are still cloaked in snowy drifts, their summits crisply white against the hazy blue of the spring sky. Floral life is beginning to spring out of the emerald grass of the land, with maple trees and cherry trees birthing sprouts from their bare branches. Wishbone knows that in just another few days the kingdom will be fully-colored in gorgeous hues of purple and yellow and white and green.

After glancing between Breckin and Tähti, Wishbone allows a peaceful call to rise from her throat while they come to a halt on the border.

credit to eliza of adoxography.

[Tähti]

Tähti

Tähti has most certainly grown over the last half year.

She's no longer fully black, what would have been expected of her after her summer bleaching, but instead she's started to grey. The yearling now sports an over-all dark grey coat, perhaps it will lighten a little more, she's not sure, but she will never be as white as her mother. Her wings have remained black as a raven's, just like her still-ebony mane and tail. She would be considered a beautiful mare, had she sported the muscle and fat accompanying the body of an adult. Alas, she is skinny almost to the bone, what with the battle training with Scorch and Wishbone, her new friend whom she looks up to with a dear friends' adoration (of course it helps that Wish is also a year older and was appointed heir to the throne of Nerine recently).

Now, Scorch has allowed her to tag along with Wishbone and Breckin, and she's very happy - and talkative along the way. She hasn't talked one-on-one to Breckin ever, but she tells them all about Hyaline along the way - about Auntie Solace who taught her to swim, about her friend Demi who's a bird shifter and once shifted into a pegasus by copying her own blueprint, and of course about her soft and loving mother, whom she misses but knows she will grow out of eventually. Ilma is the Ambassador, she tells them proudly, and she wonders if she will be among those to great them formally.

we are Stars, wrapped in skin
the Light you are searching
has always been Within

©HTML Tiny

This is short but wanted to get something up! She's excited!

[Kagerus]

UA

kagerus

as dreams are to the sleeper, so am I to you

Spring approaches with a vengeance that neither Solace or myself expected. Every morning, her swollen sides greet our dream-heavy eyes as surprisingly as it had the morning before, and before, and before - you're so freaking big So! Shut up Kag, when I get up off the ground I WILL fight you. But with the surprise comes this eagerness to meet her children, the twins that I already see as my own, whom I want desperately to raise alongside my own estranged son. Abysm plagues my mind constantly, and it shows in my dreams as Solace and I drift through sleep together every night - but during the day, I must present as Queen Consort, as I have so graciously been appointed.

When a call goes out peacefully from the border, I immediately turn to answer it. I'd just been leaning down into the reflection of the lake to admire Svedka's latest gift to me - not an apple this time, but something equally as lovely. By the sea he'd said in way of explanation as to how he found the thing - a soft white sea-shell with a hole right in the middle. Deftly and with a daintiness I know no other man of maintaining, my lover's twin had slid the gift on to my horn, leaving it there to dangle between my eyes.

The shell shifts a little funnily as I canter to the border, but I know that with time I will become accustomed to its movements; and then when it finally decays and leaves me, I will miss its company. Casting aside these silly girlish thoughts, I focus my nutmeg eyes on the border as I come atop a particularly tall hill in the rolling plains of Hyaline's northern point - not far off, three mares stand, all various shapes and sizes. Two girls and a mare, though one girl is clearly younger than the other.

Pulling up to a halt before the gaggle of Nerinians - not questioning their amount since the journey to Hyaline is but perhaps a half hour for them - I offer them a smile, a burst of warm vapour rising from my lips as they easily part. "Hello there," I say, shifting my eyes from leopard mare, to Wishbone, to Tahti. "It's good to see you again," I offer to the latter two with a shimmer in my eyes. Then, to the third: "And it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Kagerus - Queen Consort of Hyaline." I add the Consort part as more of a formality than anything; Solace and I have taken equal duties ruling the kingdom.

"To what do I owe the joy of three Leviathans upon these borders?"

[Breckin]

Only a recent inhabitant of Beqanna, and an even more so recent inhabitant of Nerine, she had been eager to learn the ways of the Leviathans.  When Scorch had requested diplomats to visit the surrounding kingdoms there had been an opportunity that the leopard girl could not resist.  Hyaline would be her first choice as she had been there once before on friendly terms.  The girl she now knows as Wishbone, the next sovereign of Nerine, had been the first to volunteer to travel to Hyaline and Breckin had been quick to follow in offering assistance.  Shortly thereafter a younger filly had requested to accompany them.

Today proves lovely for southbound travel as the trio follows a different path than what Breckin had traversed before.  Admittedly, that first encounter had been a chance occurence as she had no idea that she had crossed into Hyaline at the time.  Luckily for the spotted mare, she'd come across the kind Ilma who turned out to be rather pregnant at the time.  Fate has a funny way of working things out sometimes as she looks to the graying filly nearby.  Having learned that Tahti was Ilma's filly nearly through her for a loop (Had that much time already passed?), but upon closer inspection the friendly demeanor and unparalleled willingness to help that was recognized in the white pegasus was very much so evident in the young girl.  And Breckin wonders if Ilma will be present amongst the upcoming gathering; she wonders how her friend is faring these days.

It seems as though Tahti is eager to share her memories of Hyaline before having moved to Nerine for a time.  Breckin's ears swivel haphazardly in an attempt to catch the filly's stories.  There's a smile upon her lips as she laughs softly at the endearing girl's descirptions and experiences.  What a life the girl has had already, there's no doubt there will be much in store for her has she grows.  

The lighthearted conversation makes time pass quickly, and before she knows it they draw to a halt at the joining of kingdom lands.  Wishbone's eyes meet with her own for a brief moment, and Breckin reciprocates with a small smile.  The bay girl issues a resounding call of peace and they do not have to wait long before they are joined with a painted mare.  The words she speaks are dutiful but not unkind.  It's evident that she's already met the other two in the Nerinian party, so when she offers her name and title, Breckin understands its for her own benefit.

Smiling, her voice carries softly across the border, "Well met, Kagerus.  Likewise it is a pleasure to meet you.  My name is Breckin, I am a Nerinian diplomat in training.  We've come to share news of the Sisterhood."  With that she falls silent, turning slightly to look in the direction of the mahogany maiden.  It was not Breckin's news to share and truthfully, Wishbone most likely knew more about diplomacy than the older mare did.  This would be an opportunity to learn she knew, as she settled back to allow the gathering to continue.

[Wishbone]

haze like a fever

i fell like a dreamer for sweet tea and lemonade; it clings to my t-shirt it’s loud and it lingers, designed to suffocate. i light up to find what i’ve known all this time, there’s some beauty here yet

The conversation that Tähti carries with her only adds to the pleasantry of their travels. Wishbone finds herself smiling as the younger girl tells stories and memories of her birth-home. She can practically taste the girl’s excitement at seeing Hyaline again, and Wishbone can only imagine what her own excitement might be like when she returns to Tephra (she already has a trip planned to speak with her parents about this next adventure in her life).

The warmth of their trip only expands further within Wishbone’s chest when she spots a familiar face approaching to greet them. Kagerus had been in Hyaline when the mahogany girl had first visited with her mother, over a year ago, though there had been no fanciful title to go with her introduction. Still, the title Kagerus does give causes Wishbone’s ears to prick in surprise and her eyes to scan the painted mare’s face with more interest. Queen Consort would certainly mean she is the mate of Solace (and thereby the lover of Solace, if Wishbone’s assumptions about mates are true).

Having not seen her sister in the distance, approaching the meeting, Wishbone makes a mental note to go find the queen after they have finished their conversation here. “Congratulations on your promotion, Queen Kagerus.” Her voice is light and warm, but there’s a hint of a flutter in her voice that suggests she knows exactly what the promotion means.

The heiress offers a gentle look toward Breckin after her introduction. While she would have been fine with her fellow diplomats announcing the news, she’s grateful for their thoughtfulness. “Nerine has gone through some recent changes.” Honey-whiskey voice pauses to regard the best way to announce the death of an important leader. “Queen Hestia has recently passed on to the Afterlife. She left Scorch the throne and she rules in Hestia’s place. She has announced me as heiress to Nerine, once I am ready to take the throne.” None of them — Scorch, the rest of the Leviathans, Wishbone herself — know exactly when that will happen.

“We hope our relations with Hyaline will remain steadfast through this time and into the future.” She pauses then, curious to know of the queen’s reaction to this news.

credit to eliza of adoxography.

[Tähti]

Tähti

The slightly greying filly is a little disappointed by her mother’s lack of an appearance, but she makes do. She smiles at Kagerus, whom she honestly never got to know as well as any of the others in Hyaline; it wasn’t until shortly before her exchange that the spotted woman had told her mother and the other council members what had plagues her so, and Tähti being considered too young, had only noticed that Kag was never really all there.

How different she looked now, bright eyed and welcoming. Also her title was now of Queen Consort, she said, and the once-black filly tilted her head at that a moment. So she and Auntie Solace then - which would make her Auntie Kag, if she wasn’t too old for naming anyone her auntie that was (even though strictly she wasn’t related to any of them).

The black-winged filly does not do a lot of talking, however. Breckin is good at that stuff, and Wishbone perhaps even better. So while Tähti is glad to visit, she quickly understands that she finds politics and diplomacy really boring. Her ears flick around to catch the sound of the mountains while she lets the others speak, in fact perhaps she shouldn’t have come. But Kag would at least tell Ilma she was looking healthy, she figured, which would be a good thing to keep their relations up and ongoing.

we are Stars, wrapped in skin
the Light you are searching
has always been Within

©HTML Tiny

@[Kagerus]

[Kagerus]

kagerus

as dreams are to the sleeper, so am I to you

The mare to first offer an explanation of their appearance is the leopard mare whose name I don't immediately know. Breckin, she introduces herself, stating also her placement in Nerine's diplomatic caste. I nod at this appreciatively, but upon the mention of news, a soft snort billows from my nostrils and my ears perk eagerly. Looking from one mare to another, I wonder who it will be who delivers this news - but I do not have to wait long to find out.

Wishbone, the wired-up little creature whom I'd met about a year ago, steps forward. My eyes twinkle slightly as I consider her, remembering all her bubbling questions and how a simple answer would never satisfy her. She seems to have settled down now, her demeanor evolving into one of composure and authority. I smile my thanks to her congratulations, wondering what exactly brought about this paradigm shift; but again, I do not have to wait long to find out.

Hestia's dead, Scorch is on the throne, and Wishbone's the heir - my head reels slightly with this bombardment of information, but I keep my face impassive and remain mostly still as she delivers this news. The girl-gone-woman finishes her spiel with a statement of hope in regards to our kingdom's relationship, and at this I shine a smile of agreement; but it fades slightly as I move on to address the whole of what she's said.

"I am very sorry for your loss," comes my lyrical murmur as my nutmeg eyes scan from Wishbone to Tahti to Breckin. My stomach twists painfully to remember the black hag, and the exactness of our relationship; y'know, bringing a demon into the world, seeing her most vulnerable thoughts, etcetera. My lips twitch as I remember that she still owed me a favour - but I use the twitch to form other words, pushing aside that realization. "I knew Queen Hestia well, and she was a good monarch. I trust that this Scorch will lead you well, in her wake."

"And although I do not know this Scorch personally, if she has placed you as heir, Wishbone, then we will assuredly remain allies during this change." I look to the bay girl directly now. "We are also allied to Tephra and Ischia - making us a strong unit to defend against the oncoming darkness."

"But in lighter news - I look forward to your coronation, and I will absolutely be telling your sister, Queen Solace. She will be ecstatic."

Taking a step back, I pivot my body invitingly, creating an opening for the three women to cross into Hyaline. "Please, feel free to stay for as long as you'd like. Tähti, I'm sure that Ilma is about and would love to see you." I smile towards the greying girl, noting her choice to stay silent during this exchange. Not much one for words, apparently. Then, my eyes go to the leopard mare. "And you may explore as you wish too, Breckin. There are many to meet here in Hyaline; I hope they make good company for you."

"And thank you, for bringing news."

Smiling, I allow them to come or go as they please, gently fading into the background as the diplomatic visit dissolves.

@[Wishbone] @[Tähti] @[Breckin] I wrapped it up since most everything that needed to be said was said feel free to have some threads in hyaline if you want!