isleofavalon | 003

Entry tags:

003 - open

🧙 WHO: Rinea & You! (& one closed thread in comments)
⚔️️ WHAT: TDM prompts: ingredient hunting, and various Aurora Bearealis
🕒 WHEN: January
🗺️ WHERE: Camelot
⚠️ WARNINGS: None so far

1. Ingredient Huntee

Adalhard!

[Enter the Forest of the Felled, they said. It'll be just fine, they said. Hunting for ingredients is a great idea, they said!

Jump cut to Rinea's familiar lying completely still on the forest floor, wrapped in the Strangling Fig vines so tightly he cannot move. It is impossible for Adalhard to make an expression, skeleton face fixed in its unchanging grimace, but... you can still get the feeling that he is not impressed.

Better him than Rinea, maybe?? Still.... Rinea is a Little Bit Frantic.]

J-just hold on. I... [She paces back and forth in the snow, anxious. How do you get these off without hurting him?!?! Or getting caught herself??????]

2. Beary Troublesome

[Parenthood-- well, bearenthood-- has turned out to be an ordeal. Rinea is out shopping for groceries in the market, and strapped to her front in a baby carrier is a growling little teddy. It's VERY cute, but...]

Oh-- stop that!

[...Very unruly. Rinea squeaks as the bear swipes out at the aisle shelf suddenly, sending boxes of cereal tumbling to the ground with a series of rattles and thumps. One of them splits open, sending ye olde Cheerios scattering across the aisle floor.

Rinea's expression is a cross between mortified and Distressed. Oh god, please don't look at her. She kneels to pick up the boxes, face red with shame.]

Please, behave! --I'm, I'm sorry. Excuse us for getting in the way...

3. Beary Dangerous

[You might have a bear of your own, or perhaps you volunteered as a fighter to venture out on the bear-release expedition. Either way, you've ended up with Rinea, her hulking familiar, and her little bundle of joy and terror.

Her little teddy is peacefully asleep in her arms as you traipse through the chilly January forest, which is making the rapidly approaching separation that much harder on Rinea. She already looked pretty gloomy at the beginning of the trip, but now she's on the verge of tears.]

It... It has not even been that long since these creatures first appeared... But, still, I...

[Yeah, and it's about to get worse when those flaming lions descend on y'all in a minute, girl.]

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[Rinea has since learned where Somnus resides-- or at least, found the mews for his falconry that he habitually frequents-- which makes it easier to visit him when dropping off some work or alchemy or another. Today's excursion was to be just that, with a self-warming nest for the creatures, but her journey is stopped short by a noise she isn't expecting.

There's.. a small, crying sound coming from somewhere nearby. Rinea casts her gaze about the area, confusion turning slowly to concern as she searches for the source. It sounds like a cry of distress...]

Did a bird fall from the mews...? [Is it injured?? The pitch of the wail is certainly stress-inducing.]

[ It seems that the fae-egg had fallen from the edge of the mews, and while its colorful shell remains intact, shimmering like a well-polished crystal, tiny legs kick fruitlessly in an attempt to right itself. There she will find Somnus, already kneeling down by the source of the wailing. A few birds of prey look on with a keen, hungry interest as their master reaches out to the creature.

He stops just short of making contact when she speaks. He turns his head, giving his usual greeting-- ] Hail, Alchemist.

[ --but a moment after, the tip of his finger brushes against the smooth surface of the egg. His head slowly turns back to the fae, and his expression shifts from its grimness to what may only be described as understated severity as he withdraws his hand. ]

...The egg is cold.

Sir Somnus! [What an expression he has on! Still, Rinea's attention is drawn quickly to the object of his concern. An egg...? She'd think he meant it was one of his birds', but the legs and the crying put that speedily from her mind.]

My... [Rinea's pity is easily roused, even without yet touching the egg. It's a weird little creature-- a bit larger for an egg, and the legs are too long to be strictly cute-- but the helpless manner in which it moves and cries is arresting enough.] Well-- how fortuitous that the reason for my visit coincides with such a need.

[Kneeling beside the taller man Rinea quickly puts down the nest in her arms, and reaches for the egg. She hesitates a moment before touching it-- you're not supposed to just TOUCH strange creatures, after all!-- but picks it up after reasoning that an egg has no visible defense mechanisms and she probably will not be bitten or scratched.

She places it more gently into the nest, hand lingering on the shell. This is a good start, but she's beginning to feel like....]

Perhaps, a blanket as well?

[ She kneels beside both him and the egg, effortlessly extending her gentle care to it in a way that a man like Somnus never could, but it is when she makes contact with the egg that his gaze elevates to meet hers-- and then she speaks-- that understanding overcomes him.

They must protect this egg at all costs, and they must do so together. It is a precious gift, a symbol of the future. A child. In this moment, there is nothing more he desires to protect and with whom to protect it. (What of his own son? His queen? Did he not--)

He takes off his cloak, and he drapes it both over the egg and her, for she is a part of this. She mentions a blanket, he thinks more. ] A shelter-- and a hearth. [ More: a strong, sturdy house, grand and impervious to attacks; guards posted outside, attendants at their call; handmaidens for her, for if she ever grows weary of tending to the egg herself. They must want for nothing, and it is his duty make this happen in the future, somehow.

With a sudden imperativeness he's never spoken to her before, he reaches for her hand, uttering: ] Come with me.

[Somnus has always been an intense presence, but even Rinea is surprised by his shift in tone. That, and he has almost always kept himself at a polite distance. To suddenly be wrapped up in a cape still warm with his body heat and offered his hand is somehow more arresting than anything else he's done before.

Rinea realizes she is nearly staring and hurries to take his hand, grasping the nest close with her other arm. The egg, bless it, has ceased whimpering, little legs drawn in on itself as it is gently cradled. Something about the sight of it tugs at her heart.]

Do you have an abode nearby? [She looks down at the egg as they walk, taking care not to jostle the poor thing.]

Aye. [ His head tips with a nod, but the affirmation fails to soften his expression, as if plethora of worries weighs now upon his mind. So much for which to prepare, so (suddenly) little time. The egg is already kicking with vigor. This means the milestone of walking will be soon-- but when will it hatch? (Something about this line of thought and the sequence of child growth strikes him as odd, but the enchantment's hold remains strong.)

Somnus stands, and with his hand still in hers, he'll help her to her feet, careful of her proximity and mindful of how she holds the egg herself. ] 'Tis no manse, but I pray you find it suitable.

[ Leading her through the snow, his attention remains divided between the route they take and both her and the egg. Already, she has calmed the poor thing. ] As soon as we arrive, I shall construct a bassinet for you, and whatever else you believe you shall need.

[The enchantment weighs less heavily upon Rinea's psyche than it does Somnus's-- perhaps because the act of such person-to-person care is less of a shock to her system. Whatever the case may be, it leaves Rinea with enough autonomy to be a little embarrassed.]

Oh-- thank you.

[So they're really going to raise it together?! That would be ideal, if Rinea is honest with herself. She knows very little about the specifics of childcare, but having two parents is likely healthier for all three of them.

That, and Somnus speaks with such solemn finality as if the issue is unquestionably a matter of course. It's... reassuring. And kind of sweet? Stoic as he is, Rinea feels increasingly confident assessment of his character as thoughtful. A kind man.]

Then, I shall rely on you. [Lead the way!]

[ As they walk, she'll find all ice and snow are pushed aside, kinetically, for her to step, as if he's taking extra care to ensure that she will not fall while carrying the egg. When they arrive at the steps of a sizable townhouse, he opens the door for her to enter, pausing only to look back over his shoulder towards the open street, as if to ensure they have not been followed. Once they enter, he assists her with any raiment she needs to discard and hang within the foyer's closet. As he moves his arm to smooth their cloaks flat, he appears to wince from some sort of strain.

The house is one of many residences he's purchased, as such, the interior is neat and orderly, if overwhelmingly minimalist and not lived-in at all. The only decorations of note are a few plants placed near one of the windows on the far side of the living room. He guides her to one of the plush couches there.

Somnus may be a man that appears to have something always weighing heavily upon his mind (and to be certain this moment is no different, for her safety is at stake--), but that doesn't mean he cannot prioritize her needs. His look is meaningful as he asks, ]

Speak of what you desire, and I shall provide.

[Rinea wasn't really sure what home décor to expect of a man like Somnus, but finally seeing it makes her feel like she couldn't have pictured it any other way. The plants are a surprising pop of humanity amidst the austerity, which suits him. It's warm, too, which is perhaps the most important part.

The egg chirps as Rinea puts the nest down onto the sofa and peers at it anxiously. The pattern on its shell, a mix of baby blues and navies, is glowing faintly.]

I wonder how we are to feed the little one... [She meets his meaningful look with a puzzled one of her own. With her thoughts as occupied as they are by their little charge, Rinea only subconsciously notices Somnus's strain and concern.] I suppose we should see what is available, first.

[ As soon as she's finished speaking, he immediately moves to the kitchen area, and if she's still paying attention to the egg as it coos and wiggles in its nest, she'll hear only rummaging from behind. Not too long afterwards, he's on the opposite side of the egg from her, a bowl of winter fruits, cheeses, and bread in hand. ] Will this do...?

[ He questions openly, holding out the offering. The egg within the nest only appears to wiggle, turning over the circumference of its form once. Does this mean it is excited?

Somnus' focus lifts from the egg to Rinea, watching her care for the egg. There is something he needs to tell her, now that this is their duty together. ]

Let us see... [Rinea pulls the nest into her lap, accepting a piece of bread from the bowl and attempting to feed the creature. It.. rolls away from it, cheeping. She tries a bit of cheese. No dice. A clementine slice??]

--Oh, good. There is hope yet.

[As strange as it is to see an egg absorb something into its shell, it is a relief at the same time! Rinea looks back up to smile at Somnus, but she falters at his expression. He looks.. well, he always looks serious. Maybe "burdened" is a good word for it.]

Sir Somnus?

[ The egg absorbs the citrus by way of its magical shell, and the oddity of it is brushed aside by the enchantment that holds him. Just as so, the magic causes him to grapple with a subject about which he has spoken to with no one in all of these months.

His hand lifts, and he places his palm along the top of the egg as if to soothe it as it eats. Somnus' palms are rough from both war and scarred by the magic of his own world. Cognizant of how his touch can be, his caress remains exceedingly light upon the egg, as if anything more he gives may shatter its shell; or, perhaps, that protectiveness and care for a child in such a soft way is a distant memory to him. The result is clear: what the enchantment has given him (what it has made him believe he has)-- a family-- is extraordinarily precious.

But then his hand quickly withdraws, and his eyes snap up to meet hers. He speaks, conclusively: ]

You are in danger.

Danger?

[Rinea's face clouds immediately at the declaration. It feels so sudden, and the shift of atmosphere is stark despite the little ward nudging at Rinea's fingers in demand of another slice of clementine.

But-- she hasn't forgotten the way Somnus has rebuffed her every effort to learn of his affairs. It's with thoughts of this that she wets her anxiety-dry lips, speaks again.]

How-- however so?

[ It's always struck him that there is something fragile about kindness-- easily broken, easily taken, and easily thrown away. At the same time, those that wield it at its most august point are like diamonds: unshaken, unshatterable, never wavering in the face of what they give. In the midst of her borrowed time, where she needn't give, Rinea she has yet to fall out of compassion and grace. He predicts that she never will.

She should not have this burden, yet here they are with an egg to care between them. She needs to know. ]

From your association with me, you are in danger. Perhaps the most, out of all.

[ His words do not provide clarity to her new situation, and he seems to recognize it. Somnus continues gravely. ]

My brother would have you at the other end of his blade.

Your brother? [Somnus has a brother? A brother that wishes to isolate him, violently and cruelly?...

Perhaps Somnus is royalty of some kind. In court siblings are so often locked in conflict, murderous or otherwise. After all, so it was back home: Zofia's royal children had all been murdered ten years ago in a bid for power. And of course in Rigel there was sir Alm, and Berkut--... well.]

So, that is why. [What Somnus alludes to is certainly scary, but more immediately Rinea feels grieved, guilty for her past prodding into his life. She looks stricken, holding the egg child close.] That is why you had taken such pains against meeting others. And I have trampled on your care...

[ Whatever he may have expected for her to say, it appears it hadn't been that, for his lips part as he stares at her for a few beats of silence. But of course, she speaks with understanding and empathy, even respect-- ]

You have not. [ He replies, insistent. If there is one thing Rinea has ever done, it has been to impose. There are others with whom he has interacted that have, but with her, she's been anything but. ] It is I who has forced this danger on you.

[ It's something she didn't agree to, something she didn't know about (because he wouldn't have told her otherwise); too late, the choice has been taken from both of them. He can be sure of this: if it were not for him and his affairs, she would be safer. ] ...There is no taking this danger back, but hear me: you have all of my protection.

... Thank you. I will put my trust in you.

[If the threshold of danger has been crossed, then, perhaps she can impose on him with less guilt. What is the risk in more company?

Rinea looks down at the egg, running her thumb over its pattern gently, before she can meet Somnus's eyes again. ]

May I ask... [It's a scary question to contemplate, but contemplate it she must if she is to keep their little family intact.] What, or whom, ought I to look out for? Your brother... what is he like?

[ Would that he could merely say that his brother-- in his own words-- is a man of no consequence. But now that they are family...

He looks at her carefully, taking in her question and the innocence of it. She means to arm herself with information to protect herself-- but as much as her goodness is a strength, it is also a weakness. She would fall to Ardyn's cunning, no doubt. ]

You would think him charming. [ He responds at last, but a longer pause follows.

He no longer sees Rinea as she sits there. He sees a woman, dead.

Somnus lowers his voice, and while his words are not rushed, there is urgency in them. ] Hear me, Daughter of Rigel.

There is bloodlust in his eyes, a malicious gold, and venom in his smile... [ Just as Somnus is meant to sacrifice all of their Line to the Star, Ardyn would assist for his own reasons. What grave hubris has Somnus developed, believing that he can protect a single woman (and an egg) of this new 'family'. ] A soul as kind as yours would want to soothe his.

If you encounter him, call for me.

[Rinea looks mournful again as she holds his gaze. Somnus's expression changes have always been subtle at best, but that only makes each inflection that much more meaningful. Whatever may have happened between Somnus and his brother, that wound, that lingering danger, gapes open.

If she didn't know better, she might call this emotion.... fear?

What can she do to assuage this ache, except to agree?]

...I shall take your warning to heart.

[The eggs in her arms had taken to faintly glowing under her fingertips. In the heavy silence between them, all is still... until a faint crack of an eggshell being chipped at breaks the quiet.]

Oh...!

[ And so the egg shell cracks. Somnus straightens, looking at the egg as it hatches.

Just what sort of child will they have together....?

Moreover, how terrible it is, the state of the world it will be born into. There is so much more work to be done, if this realm is to be safe for their kin. ]

Know that you and our child... I shall do whatever it takes, to ensure your safety.

[The eggshell chips further and further, its aurora flickering with the effort-- and finally splits in two. The little creature stretches and discards its encasing, revealing... a diminutive, light blue teddy bear.]

Oh, how darling!

[For a moment Rinea forgets the dread hanging over them. She beams like sunlight parting the clouds, snuggling the little bear close. It chuffs in response, the sound squeaky and high-pitched due to its small size.]

What a sweet little thing! [Enamored, she turns back to Somnus. The bear, too, looks up at him.] Would you like to hold him?

[ What clarity it brings when a child is born: it is as if nothing else matters in the world. The future he suddenly wishes to ensure for this child has now become of the utmost importance. And for that, he needs to ensure that there will be a world-- and that none will bring harm to it.

...Oh, she said something? And she is smiling. There is little else that matters in the world besides her and the child.

His head lifts, then falls in a nod, and without saying anything, he reaches for the teddy bear, cradling the child in his arms. ]

A name.

A name...

[Rinea watches, face settled into a fond smile, as the bear reaches for Somnus's finger with both of its little paws.]

Does your home country have any naming traditions, sir Somnus?

[ ....And there goes his finger, now being gnawed upon by the baby bear. Thank goodness for baby teeth. Somnus doesn't seem to mind at all. Rather, he appears perfectly content (at least, judging by his expression is less severe. ]

Of our Line, the use of old Lucian has continued into the modern era. [ Aka Latin ] With the sur name, of the father.

[ Whatever it will be, it will read like this: His Royal Highness (first name) Lucis Caelum CXV.

Somnus looks at her. ] However, we are of different worlds. What of your own traditions?

In Rigel, well... [Rinea is utterly charmed by the sight in front of her, and it's obvious on her face.] Keeping in line with our patron the War Father, names associated with strength are highly favored.

But... [She falters, not out of sadness but of thought. A year ago she would have been much more nervous about voicing something like this; it was dangerous to openly scorn the teachings of one's patron deity, after all. But after so long in Avalon, and in this moment of tranquility, the strife in Rigel feels more like... a bad dream.] I would not wish for this child to be placed on that narrow path. I would much prefer a name assuring wellbeing.

[Valentin, perhaps. Or Anthelm?]

[ There is little else more precious than newborn life. He cannot see the future, but a heavy, somber hope manifests within his chest as he looks both at the babe and then Rinea.

A name for well-being?

Somnus encourages, ] I would hear your suggestions.

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003 - open

1. Ingredient Huntee

2. Beary Troublesome

3. Beary Dangerous

closed - for Somnus

⁝⁞⁝⁞ʕु•̫͡•ʔु☂⁝⁞⁝⁝

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SOMNUS "MULTIPLE HOMESOWNER" CAELUM

he needs to have extra safe houses ok

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