Fantasy ☽₊✩‧₊Found Destiny₊✩‧₊☾

[ZombieBaee]

Veda “Smith”
₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊
21.Gemini.All Four. Siren.
​

A few months ago Veda and Vesta had sat on their couch and marathoned horror films, campy older ones had always been her favorites; the ones about classic monsters and spooks. Now she was sitting in the middle of a forest with one, though she no longer considered Leo a monster… she understood him in a way that she could tell most of the others didn’t. He may have been annoying and misguided more often than not but it wasn’t from a place of malice, it was from a place of great trauma and hurt. So as Veda sat on her knees, tilting her chin towards the stars to allow her throat up to a creature she had once only known from horror films… she wasn’t scared, not really. Well, she wasn’t scared of him. The idea of him being hurt scared her a whole hell of a lot, more than she should have felt for a man she barely knew anything about. But for some reason her stomach had turned into a hard knot at the sight of his blood and the thought of him not making it out of this situation alive was enough to make her panic.

“I’m sure.” Her voice was soft and she had no energy left to be sarcastic, she just wanted to focus on him healing and then getting the hell out of these creepy ass woods. Leo’s hand against the small of her back caused her to learn towards him slightly, the two of them fitting together like puzzle pieces as his face turned to the crook of her neck. His words caressed her ear and Veda’s breath hitched for a moment before escaping in a gasp as his fangs pierced her skin. It didn’t hurt as much as she remembered, being prepared and not fighting it made this a much smoother experience, Veda could even see why she heard this could be considered enjoyable in certain circumstances. That realization caused her face to warm, her eyes falling shut as her body relaxed against his. This time it wasn’t from the loss of blood, this time it was due to her mind losing out to her body, she wanted to be as close to him as possible and at this point Veda was damn near in his lap as he fed.

It had been a long time since Veda felt safe around a man, it made no sense to her why it was Leo of all people. Ever since the end of a tumultuous relationship a few years back she hadn’t put much trust in their gender again… especially considering they kept proving her right. It was the reason Veda never felt any sort of remorse when she stole from the dates she went on, because she knew that was the most damage she could do to the shitty ones without stooping to their level. Something about Leo just made her feel so secure and safe, ever since their first time together after the fire trial … she could just tell he had changed. What he had done to the twins that first week, it was out of character for Leo and she knew in her bones he would never do anything again to hurt her or Vesta. It wasn’t as if he had told her or anything, it was just that Veda knew it.

Leo pulled back only a minute or two later, his forehead resting against her shoulder as he pulled her in tight before finally looking up at her. Veda opened her own eyes finally, staring into his with a sort of serene expression that caused her smile to slowly grow. “Yes I’m fine- are you- Ah! Leo!” Veda gasped as her body was lifted into the air as if she were weightless, her arms instantly scrambling to get around him as Leo began to whip through the forest at a speed that dizzied her. However the way that he was holding her made Veda fairly certain that she could completely let go of him and there was no way she would fall. Leo had her held firmly but gently against him and the cool hardness of his chest against her only made Veda tighten her hold despite knowing she didn’t really need to. “Leo?” She spoke softly but knew he could hear her, “Can we wait before we go back completely?” The two of them had broken the edge of the trees and across the thin clearing she could see the lights and chaos of the citadel.

“I just- if you’re not going back out to look, which you’re not unless you want me to personally kill you, then we don’t need to go anywhere right NOW.” Veda peered up at him as she spoke, her eyes moving over his features slowly and really taking them in for the first time. Obviously Leo was gorgeous, but now she realized that his strong features were also somehow soft in a way and that just really seemed to make perfect sense for him. “It’s just all a lot right now and if it’s okay, I’d like to keep away from any more chaos. So even if we go back to the citadel can we remain unseen?” Her fingers dug into the material of his shirt a bit as she asked, she would leave the last bit unsaid but hoped he would catch on ; Veda wanted to spend more time with him.

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[EclipseRosee]

Matteo Sellis
｡ ₊°༺❤︎༻°₊ ｡
26.Sagittarius.Incubus.Fire​

“Vesta don’t!” Matteo growled after her with a guttural fear as he quickly moved to give chase but stumbled near instantly over a tree root. Dammit! As he scrambled to his feet his full order was taking over and Rune was yelling at him. “Yeah no shit bud!” Two small horns popped from Matteo’s temples as his eyes changed from their natural appearance to the blood red hues of his fae form then to finish it off two large wings spawned from his back, they were deep blue and maroon to match the color of the fire he typically summoned. Then he was off, flying wouldn’t help him until he reached Vesta but his wings did help him keep his balance as he ran through the woods, small wing bursts catching him every time he tripped up.

“Vesta!” Matteo yelled once more as he entered the space where the wraith had her held, thankfully Rune was just a few feet ahead of him and took care of the creature… at least he thought it was Rune although Matteo hadn’t actually seen any magic be used. Right now how didn’t matter to him, all his focus was on scooping up Vesta from the ground before he ran her over and launching into the sky with one powerful jump. Once they cleared the trees his wings furled out completely and a deep blue haze encapsulated them as he soared higher into the air.

Now that Matteo could actually breathe again he looked over the woman curled in his arms, he was holding Vesta in a hug basically, his arms wrapped tightly around her back and hips to keep her up but from what he could see the only wound was on her cheek. Those few scratches were enough that it was hard for Matteo to not turn back and kill that fucking wraith himself. “What in the FUCK is wrong with you?” He adjusted her so that her legs were around his waist, one of his arms supporting her hips while the other hand moved to cradle the back of her neck. “Do you know how badly that could have gone? How close to that you got? Those things can take down even our most trained people and even give the heirs a run for their money. You’re barely two months into this! You could have been fucking killed Vee!”

The two of them landed once they reached the citadel and Matteo gently placed Vesta’s feet on the solid surface of the Ignis tower spire. Around them the night wind whipped wildly at this height but Matteo didn’t even feel a chill due to the fear fueled rage he was still deeply drowning in. Vesta winced as she touched the cut on her cheek, her eyes unable to meet Matteo's furious gaze but still he stormed forward and took her chin between his thumb and fingers. “Does it hurt?” He grumbled turning her head softly but with a firm grip that showed he wasn’t willing to take any excuses or sugarcoating. “It’s fairly deep but thankfully didn’t break through any tissue fully. We should get you down to a healer to get cleaned up though, or I have some supplies in my room. But even if you have me clean it up now that doesn’t mean you don’t need to go get checked out later. Wraith wounds are strange and can bring up complications often.” Finally his gaze moved from her cheek to the rest of her face, moving first over her eyes before moving down to her full lips then back to her gold flecked eyes. “You could have been killed Vesta.” His eyes held hers intently, his face void of anything but worry and frustration. Silence stretched between them, broken only by the howling wind. “You don’t have to be the only person fighting anymore, it isn’t you and Veda against the world here. There are people here to support you and care for you, to help you when you need it. Running into shit just because you can’t fully trust others is just plain stupid and bound to get you or others hurt.”

It was rare that Matteo showed his serious side, around here he stuck so closely to his comedic relief role in order to save himself from strife and drama. But this was serious, this wasn’t a time for jokes or smiles. He was so frustrated with her for constantly butting heads with all things confrontational and threatening! She could run off after a wraith, throw her flame towards a stranger and constantly tell off Leo but she couldn’t seem to handle texting her sister. The bravado was dangerous and he just couldn’t swallow her getting hurt, it was already killing him to look at her cheek! He couldn’t even begin to imagine something more dire.

. ​

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[ZombieBaee]

Marigold Lycath
◯ ☽ ◑ ● ◐ ❨ ◯
23.Scorpio.Werewolf.Water

Dammit! Mari hissed under her breath as she watched Alina interact with the woman in her arms. She had known it was a long shot and knew there was only so much possible but it still stung to lose anyone to a wraith. Darkness had plunged their realm into a war that ravaged their lives for years, the shadow users from the shadow realm had become so jaded and power hungry after their exile to their own realm and had found a way to bridge the divide and wage war. Mari could remember those days like it was yesterday, she had fought in the ranks alongside her family despite her power being worthy of more. She could remember feeling strange about fighting at all, she knew she had to in order to protect their people but at the same time she understood the shadow users qualms. Their entire race had been sent to a dangerous new world based simply upon fear of a few radicals who had gone power hungry and discovered the use of shadows in order to steal other power. Any incidents that came up with wraiths sent the war just… sent her mind in spins.

“Thank you.” Mari spoke simply as she stood and watched as Alina lifted the woman into the air. With a flick of her wrist Mari pulled water from a nearby creek and rinsed her hands, then doused the bloody ground to diminish any smells that would pull more unsightly creatures towards them. Then the two women began the walk back towards the grounds. “I should have assumed it was after the twins. Their power aura must seem like quite the prize to any of those things.” Wraiths were still a bit of mystery in their world besides being insanely strong and coming from the shadow realm. Thinking about that realm made her mind jump instantly to Rune and his secret, one that Mari had never been afraid or or prejudiced against. He would never use his shadows to do anything but protect this land and its people but she couldn’t help but wonder then why he seemed to be the only one left.

“Cy will be able to get her to her home, she had a terra signet on her amour right? If you can just help me get her to the Terra barracks, I’ll take it from there Alina.” Mari knew that bringing up Cy was a touchy subject between the two of them but given the circumstances kept the usual biting tone out of her words. “I’d appreciate the help.”

—
A day after the attack it was announced that the woman who has died was being given an honorary title to commend her bravery against the “rogue wraith” and that there was no need for any one in the Citadel or surrounding villages that should worry. An announcement that made Mari more rage filled than ever because it was a fucking lie. But the current powers that be would rather helpless sheep who follow without question than an actual prepared population that might see all the fucked up shit that happened. This was why Mari needed things with the heirs to happen as planned, Cy and the others might have issues but they cared about their people and would change things for the better. At least Mari thought so.

The other announcement was one to distract the people from their paranoia and fear; the wedding between Alina and Leo was moving up.

“There’s so many people around.” Mari grumbled as she walked through the courtyard with Vesta at her side towards the arena for more training. “This fucking wedding is going to be so damn tacky. Did their mothers invite the entire fucking nation?” She barked at two people standing obliviously in the entry way to the arena when they didn’t move and caused them both to nearly jump out of their skin before running back towards the main building. “Acting like fucking tourists.”

“Anyways, where’s your lap dog Vessie? Still keeping him in a crate?” Mari plopped down on one of the benches to re-tie her white and blue sneakers as they waited for the others to arrive for some combat training. It was their last session all together until all focus turned to the wedding. “Not that you need him anymore, you’re like everyone’s favorite new conquest now kid. New girl AND a basically dead order? You jumped to the top of the hit list there girlie.”


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[KAYDEN]

Cypres Ettery
~𑁍~
27.Capricorn.Nemean Lion. Earth & Air​

The wraith attack had screwed things up for Cy more than he thought it could have. As if it wasn’t hard enough to have to deal with the reality of wraiths returning this close to their home, he also had been fairly positive he watched Rune use shadows against the creature during the battle… and that the creature had spoken to the man in its eerie voice. Then just to add insult to injury, it was announced that Alina’s wedding to Leo was moving forward as a celebration to look forward to in this trying times. It was meant to be proof that the leading families weren’t scared, that they were frivolous enough to throw a wedding so the public didn’t need to worry about any silly attacks. It was reckless. Plus, it meant the love of his life was officially the wife of another man. A couple that he would have to see often, do business with and act with respect towards. All things that Cy felt nearly impossibly at this point in time.

“Listen to me closely, I want you to gather everything you can on shadow users for me okay Matteo? I know you can get your hands on things and I won’t ask a question. Promise.” Cy spoke lowly into the speaker of his atlas as he walked towards their meeting space for the day. “I just want to do some research because of the attack okay? That’s all. Plus it’s a good distraction from all the wedding madness around here.” He wasn’t about to tell Matteo the real reason why Cy needed a big distraction from this wedding but he was sure those closest to him and Alina had to see why he was upset. Even if they didn’t know anything or have suspicions, it was clear that he and Alina were growing distant as friends and that this wedding would be the nail in the coffin.

As Cy entered the arena his eyes landed on Mari and Vesta, finding no one else here yet. “Morning ladies, Mari is this who you’re going to hang out with now? Vesta do you mind if I ask to check your eyes real fast, Mari do I need to start doing that with everyone you’re around or making her friends with or do you want to maybe finally let me in on the truth there?” He dug at her with a raised brow, moving to lean against one of the supports of the benches. Ever since the announcement moving Alina’s wedding date he had begun to drill Mari again about the black circles in her eyes. Maybe just maybe if he could push her into realizing she should be with her unnamed mate, Cy could figure out how to be with Alina.

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[Pax Pardus Hale]

Vesta “Smith”
✴︎⋆✴︎⋆✴︎
21.Gemini. All four. Phoenix.

"It hurts a little." Or a lot, but she couldn't tell him that. Vesta had met his eyes once, those deadly serious blood red orbs of his causing her to shrink down like she was in trouble. A normal person would have recognized his fear of losing her, but Vesta didn't pick up on those social cues. No one had ever been this worried about her and she mixed up the signals, and while she secretly dreamed of Matteo holding her face she had never wanted him to be mad at her. The eyes that always made her heart beat funny were now cutting her down smaller than she had ever felt. Immediately tears pricked in those golden flecked orbs of hers and flowed down her cheeks, the single stream of tears healing the bloodied wound in a matter of seconds.

"I- I'm sorry Matteo. I do trust you. I just wanted to help..." Why else would he have brought her out there if he didn't want her help? Vesta had so many questions, so many things she wanted to say, but she couldn't find any words. The whipping winds reminded her how high up they were, and while Matteo may have not of felt the temperature she had a deep shiver run down her spine. "I don't want anyone hurt because of me. I - I just didn't want you hurt." Vesta quietly admitted with a quivering voice and the small copper haired woman stepped closer to him to rest her forehead against his chest in defeat. "...I'll go to the healer."

--

"Matteo hates me and I don't really know how to face him anymore." Vesta followed Marigold absentmindedly and did her best not to bump into people on the way. This last week had been hell. The news of the Wraith had the citadel busy, the images of her as a phoenix spread like wildfire and it suddenly seemed that everyone wanted to talk to her, and the impending wedding had the entire place packed. All of which wouldn't of been an issue if she could be by Matteo's or Vesta's side like usual. She just... she couldn't stand to see him mad at her again. Vesta folded in on herself and would've held up in her room had it not been for Mari keeping her social.

Vesta had sat down on the bench next to Mari and hugged the top of her thighs to her chest so she could rest her chin on her knees. The usual spunk she had was left on the top of the Ignis tower and each day without Matteo and Veda her mood went more south. But Mari was wrong, Vesta did need Matteo. They may have known each other for just a few months but he became a pillar in her life, someone she appreciated, idolized, she admired him so much. Even now she couldn't help but think of that beautiful form of his, horns, wings and all. At this point she'd give anything for him to just flirt with her-- she knew it meant nothing to him but it certainly meant something to her.

"Eyes? Why would you be checking my eyes?" Dark red brows furrowed at the mention of eyes and Vesta peeked over to look at Mari's. Yep, a black ring. "Are you sick or something? What happened? Want me to walk with you to the healer?"


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[Pax Pardus Hale]

Alina Diaval
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
22. Aquarius. Storm Dragon. Water & Air


Once upon a time ago when they were teenagers Alina and Marigold were good friends. She couldn't even remember what had crumbled their friendship, but the thing that sealed the deal for her was the engagement to Cypres. Still, Alina silently assisted in the transport of the sentry to the barracks and parted ways with her old friend. It wasn't Mari's fault that she was hopeless in love with him, it was just painful to be around. Still, she loved Mari. She was brave, fearless, and confident, all the things that Alina wasn't. Maybe that was why Cy would never love her.

That didn't stop him from kissing her in the greenhouse. The thought made her want to cry and vomit every single time, and she thought about it a lot. I don't love you. The words crippled her heart every damned time. He wanted to still be respectful to him but at this point Alina would never be able to look him in the eyes again, not without breaking down and sobbing.

She locked herself at the top of Ignis tower in Leo's room once more and told Leo to go find Veda. As if the Wraith and heartbreak wasn't bad enough the wedding got moved up. Alina couldn't eat, all she did was sob, and she refused to even shift from her dragon form up until today. Their families arrived today and she had to put on a brave face. Perfect makeup, perfect wavy hair, and she donned a flowing blue dress that was a bit too big now for her dwindling figure to make believe that she was fine.

The only thing she couldn't put on was a smile.

Thunder clapped in the distance and dark storm clouds were rolling in as her, Leo, and Veda moved closer to the arena for their training session. She'd be seeing Cy today and that was something she didn't want to do. He'd be there at the wedding with Mari, he'd watch her kiss Leo and wouldn't even feel a thing about it. All the thoughts weighed heavily on her as they walked into the arena and of course those swollen tired eyes of hers landed on Cypres. Her stomach churned and she quickly turned to Leo to straighten the obnoxious tie he had to wear to impress his father. "Veda I'm not sure if Leo has invited you yet, but I insist you and Vesta come to the wedding. It's the event of the year from what I hear."

Still, even as she tried to fake her enthusiasm it didn't reach that dejected look on her face. The poor thing hadn't eaten in weeks and no matter how much she slept it never seemed to be enough. And the only person she wanted to confide in was the person who was hurting her the most.
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[Colt Voltage]

Leo Thorn
𓆩✧♛✧𓆪
26.Leo.Vampire.Fire

"Veda didn't want to go back to the citadel and, honestly, neither did Leo. He was going to go back in and hunt for the Wraith but with Cy and Rune both there surely they had it under control. Plus as fun as it sounded he didn't want her killing him. "Yeah, I've got a few places I can show you to kill some time. I didn't want to let you go quite yet anyway." Leo peered down at her with an easy smile on his face, his blue eyes soft as he looked over her gorgeous feminine features. Her nose, her eyes, those prominent cheekbones, she was so damned beautiful it should've been illegal.

And so they were off. The nearest town was about an hour away, 15 minutes with his vampiric speed. He held onto her the whole time like she was the most precious thing to him until they got there, gently setting her down on the cobblestone path once they arrived. There they stayed for hours meeting the townsfolk that Leo had personally saved from an attack years ago. They welcomed Veda in with open arms, cooked food for the two of them, and showed them around the quaint little village. It showed Veda more than just the bustling overwhelming citadel, just how well loved Leo was by his people, and how welcoming they were to her despite not even knowing her background.

---------

"I hate ties." Leo grumbled miserably as Alina straightened the red tie he wore over his black button down. This past week he was bombarded with blow after blow. He wanted to warn the people of the possibility of more Wraiths but was vetoed, his worries swept under the rugs by the kings and instead the wedding was moved up. It made him furious but, Alina shut down. He didn't know what he did to hurt her so bad but it seemed she didn't want him around, so much so that she had sent him off to hang out with Veda. Honestly that was the only positive of the week, but whenever he wasn't with Veda he was trying to get Alina to at least eat something. The only thing she seemed hungry for was biting off his head.

He knew their relationship was never about a connection. He was marrying her because he promised her dying father he'd look after her, and Leo had never broken a promise. He... he wished he could set Alina free to love who she wanted, hell he wanted to be free to love who he wanted. That wasn't an option anymore though, so he was thankful she at least pulled herself together for their family's arrival.

"*My oh my, is this where you two have been hiding?~*" His eyes widened to the size of saucers and his jaw dropped at the sound of the chipper feminine voice. "M-Mom?" He spun on his heels and blinked widely at the 5'4" olive kissed skinned woman who didn't look much older than mid her early thirties. She had pixie cut black hair, striking blue eyes and a cat like grin to her face. She had elongated kohl eye liner like Cleopatra and a small golden crown fixated to the top of her head.

"*I absolutely had to sneak off to find you. Your father is such a busy body-- said you two were far too busy for your mother. Can you imagine? Now Alina doll you're absolutely fading away. The cards have said you haven't been well lately. And they also said that you've made a new friend, Leo-bear.*" "Oh, please mother not your card talk again." Leo let out a small groan as the small woman bounced over to them, her blue eyes with the glowing golden ring around them instantly landing on Veda. Her Cheshire smile only grew and her eyes practically sparkled. "*Yes yes yes, you're one of the twins are you not. The siren? The cards speak so highly of you. It's an honor, really. My name is Dalia Thorn, buuuut you can call me mom. Mommy? Mother. Whatever you prefer. Welcome to the family.~*" There was no hesitation as she pulled Veda into her arms for a tight hug.

"Mom seriously you have like, NO chill. You're embarrassing me."
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[Sir Damien]

Rune Finch
⋆༺𓆩

𓆪༻⋆
27.Scorpio.Basalisk.Shadows&Earth

Matteo had seen Rune's shadow abilities time and time before, he was just good at making it look like earth powers. His blood ran cold when he realized that Cypres saw him, and although he didn't say anything he could just feel the look on his face. Still, Rune acted like nothing was wrong and escorted the two of them out of the woods into the hell that was the citadel.

While the threat of the Wraith was minimized and swept under the rug Rune argued with the kings. He insisted that they at least allow Rune to take a leave of absence to look into where the Wraith had come from but, they dismissed him and said that he would be the last person they sent. It made Rune feel like he wasn't trusted, like he wasn't good enough purely because he was a shadow user. It made him clench his jaw and bite his tongue, but, he couldn't argue. They controlled his life-- one word from the kings and Rune would be executed. While it didn't sound like a bad idea sometimes Marigold lingered in the back of his mind. How if he died it would rip her to shreds, how if he was gone no one would be looking after her like he would.

He simply accepted the refusal and slithered back to the citadel.

"I overseen the arrival of the kings this morning Dalia but I noticed your absence. Jasper said you'd be tracking down Leo." There was a hint of amusement to Rune's voice as he entered the arena. Honestly Dalia was the only royal he genuinely didn't loathe. She was from a land faraway simply here to visit when she had instantly bonded with the king. Already mates were a rare thing, but an instant bonded mate was one in a million. She seemed off the wall at times but-- no, she was off the wall all the time. But her predictions were never wrong and he often sought her advice for things that troubled him.

Speaking of things that troubled him. Those black ringed emerald orbs of his looked to Cypres and Marigold and his jaw clenched. He hated seeing them together but there was nothing he could do about it, nothing he could do to ease the pain in his chest. "Matteo's late so we'll start without him. Alina-- you look like shit." His brows furrowed as he looked at the small dragon. "Today we were going to tackle air and earth, but we can start with Ettery."

Rune looked towards Cypres once more and arched his brow. "Unless you're not up for it. You missed hitting the Wraith, you'd probably miss the girls too. In which case I'll have to do everything again." Okay maybe that was the jealousy speaking, but the point remained.

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[ZombieBaee]

Veda “Smith”
₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊
21.Gemini.All Four. Siren.

Veda didn’t know how to handle her own emotions anymore, it was like being a siren made her already tumultuous emotions even more rocky. Between still being estranged with Vesta, all the weirdness with the wraith attack and whatever in the hell was going on with Leo… Veda was a mess. Ever since the night of the attack Veda’s mind was completely clouded over with Leo, a haze that only got worse with every time they were together the last week. The man was engaged to a woman that he loved, a woman that he was getting married to this week and a woman who was such a beautiful soul. It was just like Veda to grow attached to an inappropriate man, to want something she could t have… but this just felt so much more intense. In reality Leo and her didn’t know each other, she didn’t know his middle name or his favorite book, she didn’t know anything about his family aside from them being currently involved in the council and he didn’t know her. But it felt like she did, Veda felt like she had known Leo for eternity and was so comfortable around him as if he was an old friend. It just made it all that much more confusing and of course Veda wanted to talk to Vesta about it all but she knew she would t understand! Vesta would just tell her she was being stupid and that Leo was a monster … but that wasn’t fair. So instead Veda just bottled it all up and moved on with her life.

“Actually I already got invited as a plus one, but thank you for thinking of me Alina. Of course I’ll be there.” Veda tried her best to give Alina a bright smile as the three of them walked, Kato had invited Veda to be his date a few nights back and she had said yes out of surprise. It was an agreement she was now very much regretting. “It wouldn’t be all messed up if you would stop playing with it.” She laughed softly as she watched Alina fix Leo’s tie, a simple interaction that made her want to vomit on the spot. Stars, someone should lobotomize her and put her out of her misery.

Then without warning an unfamiliar voice rang out that caused Veda to nearly jump out of her skin as she beautiful woman approached them. At first she was confused but after looking past the skin tone and the make up it was very clear who this woman was, she was Leo’s mother. Leo-Bear? It made Veda let out a snort that she quickly hid behind a polite cough, that nickname might even be better than mosquito. Veda’s soured mood was instantly changed by watching the way Leo’s mother spoke to him, we’ll really spoke in general, she was just so authentic in a way that she hadn’t seen much around here. Authentic in the way she hadn’t seen Leo in the village he took her to, the way he acted with the citizens and didn’t front with that toxic mask… it was easy to see how they were related. “Oh! Uh yes ma’am, I’m Veda and over there-“ Before Veda could even begin to turn to point in the direction of Vesta she was being pulled into a hug that shocked her. For such a small woman she was quite strong and despite Veda’s awkward back tap of a hug the woman held on with no sign of letting go until she was satisfied. “It’s nice to meet you… Mom?” Her voice was clearly filled with anxious energy as she finally gave the woman a full hug back and was released to stand on her own again. There was no way in hell she was calling this woman mommy, mom felt strange enough on her tongue. “You must be excited about the wedding right? Coming up fast.” Another half hearted chuckle left her lips as she tried to make small talk however her body shifted uncomfortably at the mention of the ceremony. It wasn’t reasonable for the idea of their marriage to make her so depressed but she couldn’t fucking help it. There was just something about Leo that spoke to her soul, he called her in and knowing that he was getting married to Alina hurt so much that Veda was having issues handling it. Hell if it was anyone but Alina, Veda probably would have been actually causing a stir by now but Alina was such a lovely person that didn’t feel right to ruin this for them, especially based on just some gut feeling that she was sure would go away in time.

Across the way Rune’s voice rang out and Veda was more than thankful for the distraction. With a small wave she excused herself from the trio and jogged over to join her sisters side to prepare for training. Veda was shit with earth but decent with air, thankfully it seemed that Vesta had a decent hold on earth. “Hey Rune! Don’t be a dick to Alina. Save that energy for the men around here.” Rune had gotten a lot less scary in their weeks here despite his increasing use of insults and lack of filter. That being said, Veda had become accustomed to calling his shit since Mari and Matteo had stopped recently. The man needed someone to check him.



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[ZombieBaee]

Marigold Lycath
◯ ☽ ◑ ● ◐ ❨ ◯
23.Scorpio.Werewolf.Water

“Oh please.” Mari huffed as she fixed her lipgloss in a compact before tossing the tube and mirror back in her purse. Her muddied golden orbs landed on Vesta with a raised brow, “That man doesn’t hate you Vesta, Matteo is obsessed with you. I’ll be the first to admit I’m not friends with the little shit but I do know that Matteo had zero people he hung out with until you and you sister showed up.” And including Veda in that is a stretch lately since she had been basically in the three way with Leo and Alina for weeks now. “Just take it from me kid, this world makes things get difficult fast and your status will only make things more complicated. So if you feel anything for someone now, go for it because there’s a strong possibility that once you girls reach any sort of status… choices will be made for you.” Mari tried to keep her mind from wandering to Rune as she spoke but she couldn’t help it or the stabbing feeling in her chest at the thought of him.

However when Cy joined and chose to open his mouth and be an abrasive dickwad, that stabbing was taken away and replaced with a burning anger that made her eyes turn to dangerous slits. “Cy I asked you to drop this. It’s over. It’s done. Can’t change it anyways. Plus shouldn’t you be acting right with all of our parents here? Who knows who’s sniffing around for a reason to drag your name through the dirt.” Her voice was low and dangerous as she spoke to him, Vesta was thankfully the only one within earshot but even then her asking questions could get dangerous for Rune. Mari glanced over at the redhead for a moment before her eyes returned to Cy, “There’s a phenomenon among fae called starbound mates, it’s like your one true person made for you by the stars. It’s not very common to find yours, but if you do there’s signs.” She chose to leave it at that because any more information was first not her job and second potentially dangerous. “And Cy is choosing to be petty about things rather than realizing that I chose him and that’s all that matters.”

Thankfully the subject was put to an end as others began to arrive, the throuple mentioned previously and then eventually Leo’s mother and Rune shortly after. Mari had to make a cognitive decision to stay calm and collected when Rune entered the arena, she knew that Cy was watching her every move lately and she couldn’t risk him finding out who her mate really was. Although when Rune said Alina looked like shit Mari couldn’t help but react with a short burst of laughter from where she sat. Mari wasn’t needed for today’s training, but there is no way that she was getting stuck dealing with all the parents in the back at the citadel. So instead, she had woken up and gotten ready to come train for the day. The girls were mostly training with Cy and Rune for earth and air hit the others would be working on general fighting techniques now that within the citadel walls it was mandatory to complete additional training each week due to the wraith attack.


​

 

[KAYDEN]

Cypres Ettery
~𑁍~
27.Capricorn.Nemean Lion. Earth & Air

Cy couldn’t help the rueful smile that spread on his lips as Vesta looked confused and Mari began to become agitated. If Mari would just come clean and tell him about what going on, he would drop it… or he would convince her to leave him for her mate. If Mari walked away, Cy could try and spin this to somehow end up with Alina, he could be free to tell her the truth about how he felt about her and why he lied. But it had to be her, if he tried to break it off his father would likely fucking kill him for embarrassing the family. “Mari no need to get so hostile, I can be happy and thankful while still remaining curious. Can you blame me for wanting to know who my fiancés mate is? Who I have the lovely privilege of apparently beating for your hand?” He spoke it sweetly but hoped she could see the betrayal he felt in his eyes, it wasn’t that he was heart broken because Mari loved someone else, it was that he was giving up happiness for her and that she apparently had spent enough time with someone to have gone star crossed.

A few moments later the others began to trickle in and he stopped the subject, deciding that she was correct about the fact that the families were present especially considering Leo’s mother had found her way to their training. Cy watched them all for a moment as the woman pulled Alina then Veda into individual embraces that made him scoff. The woman was strange but kind enough, but he just couldn’t stomach watching Alina and her future in mother in law interact. It was just another reminder of the event occurring in just a few days.

Then as if he could get any more annoyed this morning, Rune had to go and call him out in a way that made his rage flair. “I’m sorry we don’t all thrive in dark corners like you Rune, it was hard to see in the forest that evening.” Cy growled over at the man, staring at him point blank to try and drive home the secondary meaning behind his words. Cy believed fully that Rune was a shadow wielder he just needed to prove it, or threaten the man enough to scare him into admitting it. He couldn’t wrap his head around why he would be here or why the council would allow a shadow wielder the rank that Rune held, but maybe they simply didn’t know. From what he knew Rune was registered to Terra as well… maybe he had hidden it from everyone until his slip up with the wraith. “We can start with me, good idea to show the twins that their mentor isn’t invincible. That he can take a hit.” Cy smirked as he pulled off his jacket and tossed it over by where Mari sat on the benches. Veda was mouthing off at Rune and that only fired up Cy even more… just something in him was itching to hit this fucker.

​

 

[EclipseRosee]

Matteo Sellis
｡ ₊°༺❤︎༻°₊ ｡
26.Sagittarius.Incubus.Fire​

“Yes, I already told you earlier in this conversation I would. Now will you please stop asking so I can get ready? I already told you I woke up late Cypres.” Matteo stammered as he raced around his room with sopping wet hair to gather his things. He had been fucking exhausted since the wraith attack, he had used to much of his power and really needed a recharge but he just couldn’t fucking do it! It used to be so simple and casual but now the idea of flirting with or heaven forbid more than flirt with anyone other than Vesta felt so dirty and awkward, even if she was currently avoiding him like a plague. That only added to his exhaustion, the constant stress of trying to get Vesta to talk to him about what he said to her up on the spires that night but getting met with nothing but avoidance. Clearly Vesta was upset with him and he wanted to apologize for yelling and ask what really bothered her? He could understand that any sort of yelling was uncalled for but the rest of it he didn’t understand? Was Vesta upset with him for actually caring about what happened to her?

It only took Matteo about fifteen more minutes to finish getting dressed and tie his long hair into a bun due to it still being soaking wet. Once he was presentable he gathered his bag and booked it towards the arena. But unfortunately by the time he arrived the air was already filled with a palpable tension thought currently it seemed to be between two unlikely candidates… Rune and Cypres. “Sorry I’m late!” Matteo yelled as he reached them and slid to a halt, her bent over slightly and braced himself on his knees while his breath came in ragged spurts. He couldn’t remember the last time he was this fucking drained, it was a chore to even run. “Why are you two fighting? I don’t understand what’s happening here? What’s happening?” He finally caught his breath and glanced around at everyone, his eyes finally landing and remaining on Vesta. It had been a week since he had even seen her and just watching her standing there seemed to calm his nervous heart just a little bit. “I thought they were training you two today? Not putting on a show of toxic masculinity?” ​

 

[Pax Pardus Hale]

Vesta “Smith”
✴︎⋆✴︎⋆✴︎
21.Gemini. All four. Phoenix.

Normally Vesta would brush off whatever Mari said, assume it was a joke or some catty response. However what she said stirred up emotions she couldn't quite label. Matteo stirred up feelings she couldn't quite label. With all the toxic relationships Veda had been in she swore off men and dating, she wasn't willing to get mixed up in all the drama. With Matteo there were smiles, laughs, and even at their worst moment on the tower he made her heart flutter. If he was obsessed with her like Mari said then did that mean she was obsessed with him too? Too bad they weren't starbound, but even then she didn't care.

The trio came in and soon was followed by Leo's mother who, for some reason, opened her arms to Veda like family. Honestly it made her smile because that's all they wanted growing up, though it was a little weird that it was Leo's family of all people. She didn't understand why her sister insisted on hanging out with him. She didn't want to hang out with Matteo and Vesta but she much preferred the company of people actually engaged?

The sudden pissing match came out of left field. Vesta stood to her feet next to her sister and straightened the tight black tee she wore and simply watched the two males quietly. However when Matteo walked in her eyes fell on him and stayed there. He looked so tired. She had seen this man run, jump, and fly without so much as getting winded. Now there were bags under his eyes, he was running late, and he was panting like he had just ran 10 miles.

"Are you okay?" It wasn't the first thing to say to someone after a week of avoiding him but, she couldn't help it. All of her anxieties about him hating her shifted into anxiety about his well being. immediately she turned to him and moved the back of her soft hand to is forehead gently. "No fever... when was the last time you--- um, charged?"

The thought of him with flirting or being with anyone made her physically ill. Part of her hoped that it was him just being sick, but as she felt both of his cheeks with the back of her hand she confirmed no fever. It wasn't like she had any claim on him though, he was free to see whoever he wanted to. "I don't think training is happening today. Come on." The small pale hand fell from his face and grabbed hold of his much larger hand so she could lead him out of the arena. She'd talk to Veda eventually, just not right now.

"Can I help you at all?" The sentence made her face light up bright red as she realized what exactly she said. "I-I, um, do you want me to find someone for you? T-There's that one girl in Ignis that's always flirting with you. I can find her?" It wasn't like he couldn't charge, even if it crushed her soul.

​

 

[Pax Pardus Hale]

Alina Diaval
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
22. Aquarius. Storm Dragon. Water & Air


Well, at least Veda would be at the wedding, that was the only positive in this whole event. She had quickly grown to love and value the woman. On their own they got along great and their personalities meshed well, but when Leo was there she was different. The way the two spoke to one another, the way they interacted, hell, the way they looked at each other made Alina feel like she was a third wheel. It wasn't that it bothered her. Well, it did, but not in a fiance sort of way. She was bothered because she wanted Leo and Veda to find happiness and if that was with each other then they should be allowed to pursue it. Most of the time when she was around them she made an excuse to go back to Leo's room to her nest, but with Dalia joining them that wasn't an option.

"Hello Dalia." Alina offered her a sweet smile but between Dalia and Rune all noticing her appearance her nest was sounding more and more tempting. Leo and his mother were squabbling while Rune and Cypres going in on each other and it made her heart ache. Rune was always looking over at Mari, Alina always had a feeling that there was something there between the two. Cy was a prideful man though and he'd protect his woman... like he used to protect her. Tears burnt in her eyes and a lump formed in her throat. The damage with Cy and Alina were unrepairable, she'd never be able to speak freely to him again, but at least she could look out for other peoples happiness.

The small blonde dragon stood on her toes and pressed those soft full lips of hers to Leo's cheek, putting on their famous show for his mother, and slipped away to the twins just as Vesta dragged Matteo off. She stood next to Veda and gently nudged her with her thin elbow. "The battle between two fae males always takes a while and normally requires a healer afterwards so I'll need to stay. Why don't you and Leo sneak off? I'm sure he's dying to get as far away from this place as possible." She put her hand on Veda's lower back and gave her a small push towards Leo while she silently prayed that the dark haired twin understood what she was saying. Alina was giving the two of them her full blessing. "If anyone asks I'll cover for you."

With that said she moved to where Mari was sitting and sat besides her old friend, her vibrant blue eyes looking over at the boys once more. "Oh what it must be like to have the most powerful general of our army and the Terra heir battling over your hand." There was a playful tone to her voice though it was clear she knew something was up with Mari and Rune. "Who are you betting on to win? I haven't seen Cypres this angry in forever, I'll have to put some gold on him winning."
​

 

[Sir Damien]

Rune Finch
⋆༺𓆩

𓆪༻⋆
27.Scorpio.Basalisk.Shadows&Earth

"The only people who think they're invincible are fools. Or lions." Rune didn't bother looking to any of the others. Not Mari, and certainly not as Matteo joined them late. As he suspected Cypres had seen him use his shadows despite the darkness of the wood and that was an issue he had to handle as soon as possible. Marigold knowing was one thing, even Matteo if he ever wised up, but not Cypres. If he brought this issue to the kings he'd quickly find out that they knew about Rune's... condition. That would cause strife, he could spread the information among the other fae, they'd never trust him. If the people got fired up about him being a shadow user then they'd no doubt execute him.

It was already bad enough that the heir was marrying his mate, he wasn't going to let this little shit get him killed.

"I prefer my dark corners over living in the light and lies. Luckily for you Alina is marrying the strongest heir. Must be such a relief to know you won't have to worry about her anymore. You can put your energy into protecting Marigold now. The true love of your life, right?" Those emerald green orbs glowed dangerously as he further aggravated the Terra heir. He'd have to keep his distance to prevent him from seeing the black rings of his eyes, and fortunately for him he was a distance fighter anyways.

The ground beneath them quaked and Rune stood there unphased, his combat boots firmly planted on the ground and his hands held behind his back. He'd show this heir that he could overthrow him if he ever wanted to. That he pitied the man in every which way, even flaunting that he knew that he wasn't Marigold's true love. Multiple sharp projectile rocks were pulled from the earth beneath them and all aimed at Cy, meanwhile beneath the heir roots sprouted from the earth and tied around his ankles to prevent him from moving.

Like every battle in the war he'd do this without his shadow powers.

​

 

[Colt Voltage]

Leo Thorn
𓆩✧♛✧𓆪
26.Leo.Vampire.Fire

"You're by far the most embarrassing of all mothers, you know that?" Leo could've died of embarrassment from the way Dalia embraced Veda, even more so at the way she insisted on calling her mom. The tall man pinched the bridge of his nose with an exasperated sigh and shook his head at the small sphynx of a woman. Of course seh was kind and welcoming to Alina but it was never to this extent. "*I see what the cards want me to see and she's someone special to you Leo-bear, you best take care of her.*" Dalia spoke with a small amused hum. Alina had kissed Leo's cheek before wandering over to Veda and she instantly could sense what was going on. "*Oh! I have to go meet your father, please do be a good boy while I'm gone.*" And with that the small queen was gone.

"Stars help me." Leo situated uncomfortably as he watched Alina and Veda's interaction, normally not giving a second thought to the kiss on his cheek. It was natural for them to put on a show whenever they were around his parents and her mother. They had to make believe that they were happy even if that happiness wasn't the true love they all thought it to be. Now the kiss made his stomach churn. The only persons lips he had wanted to feel was--

Why was Alina pushing Veda towards him? It heated his face and without thinking his feet moved towards the breathtaking siren and offered her an awkward smile. "There's a, uh, beach. Want to go? I need out of this tie and you can let out your scales. I don't need my moms cards to tell you this weeks only going to get worse." He wanted to get as far away from the citadel as he could, and even more so spend some more time with Veda. Deep down he was dreading this damned wedding.

"C'mon." Without waiting more than a minute he scooped her up in his arms like it was the most natural thing in the world for them, his feet quickly carrying them out of the arena just as the boys fight started to get even more heated. It wasn't long before they were passing the outskirts of the citadel and through the tree line of the forest. The forest looked completely different during the day and Leo didn't think twice about running through the eerie dense forest.

On the other side of the woods they continued on for a little while more until the salty sea breeze whipped through their hair as they ran. Once on top of the hill he paused, though it wasn't because he was out of breath. He was letting Veda get a view of the vast sea and the white sandy beach. "So what do you think?"
​

 

[ZombieBaee]

Veda “Smith”
₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊
21.Gemini.All Four. Siren.

So much for thinking her and Vesta were finally going to talk after days of silence but apparently not. Thanks to Rune and Cy’s ridiculous show of testosterone, it appeared that their training for the day was canceled so Vesta was already yanking Matteo away and leaving Veda standing with her arms crossed over her chest until Alina came over. At first Veda simply hummed in agreement to what Alina was saying but when it actually clicked she turned and looked at her with a raised brow, “Oh come on, you could go with us? To hell with them if they need a healer.” It didn’t take a genius to see the tension that had grown between Alina and Cy, with her siren senses it only make it a thousand times more obvious than it already was. It felt literally evil to leave Alina behind with that AND Mari. However before Veda was able to protest much more, Alina was giving her a gentle push in Leo’s direction. There was something in the tone of her voice and the emotions that had passed through her for a moment at the short contact that made Veda feel so guilty. Veda wasn’t even sure she understood herself why Leo made her feel the way she did but she knew it well enough to understand why it was shameful that his fiancé recognized there was something between them as well. For days Veda had tried to explain what happened in the forest as just being a source, she assumed that she was always so enamored with him because of some weird vampire thing but upon talking to others, that really didn’t exist. “I-okay fine, but tell me about this fight later okay, I’m wondering which one will be more pissed off tomorrow!”

Veda turned on her heel to finish walking the few feet to Leo only to be met with him standing right in front of her which caused her to jump slightly. “Christ, you need a fucking bell.” She placed her hand over her heart as she faked a pain before raising a brow at his mention of the beach. “You mean it’s not all pools and the lagoon I almost died in? Count me in.” She went to say she would just run fast to grab a bathing suit however she didn’t have the chance as Leo scooped her up and went running. Honestly Veda should have probably scolded him for this by now but a selfish part of her didn’t want to, the way he held her made her feel so warm all over and it did only make sense he carry her with his vampire speed right? At least that’s what she told herself.

As Leo ran, a smile began to form on Veda’s lips as she tossed her head back to rest on his shoulder and closed her eyes to feel the wind passing over her skin and through her hair. The slightly cool feeling of his skin with the crisp air around her was so comforting that if it wasn’t for the excitement moving through her she may have fallen asleep right then. Due to his speed their run wasn’t long and once Leo came to a stop, Veda opened her eyes to look out over the beautiful view; the sea here was so much more crystalline blue and sparkling than in the human realm, the beaches clean and filled with colorful shells, the scent of the salt water hit her nose in a way that reminded her of what people THOUGHT the ocean smelled like. “Oh wow.” It was all she could manage to say as she looked out over it all for a few more moments before turning her grey ish blue orbs up to him.

Gods he was beautiful as well. Without even realizing she was doing it, Veda reached out a pale hand to brush away some of his wind swept hair that was stuck to his cheek. In the movement her fingertips grazed his skin and just that small intimate touch was enough to light her face on fire. “Uh- you had something on your face.” Veda stammered and rolled to stand on her own two feet as she took a few steps to distance herself from him. She didn’t want to fuck things up here by being reckless like she used to be, she didn’t want to end up having feelings for an emotionally unavailable man who was getting married to someone who she found amazing! She didn’t want him to think she was crazy and touch starved because she was becoming so attached to him after only a few months of knowing each other. Veda had a history of crazy and dammit she didn’t want to be like that anymore!

“So mosquito boy, taking me here to test a reaction on girls or what? Have some plans to bring Alina here after the wedding?” Just saying the words were like a knife jabbing through her chest and Veda had to turn away from him to look out over the view once more. “That would be really nice, it’s so serene and calm here. I think I could sit here for hours and watch the waves.”




​

 

[KAYDEN]

Cypres Ettery
~𑁍~
26.Capricorn.Nemean Lion. Earth & Air

It wasn’t often that Cy got fired up like this but something about the way Rune was acting was setting him right off. He was already stressed enough between this wedding, lying to Alina and whatever the fuck was going on with Mari! The last the he needed was the man everyone viewed as a mentor picking at him every time he had a chance. This wasn’t the way that life was supposed to be, he was supposed to have been at the end of the road, the fight was supposed to be over and he should have been ready to reap the rewards of his fight. Instead it seemed like a whole new one had begun thanks to the twins arrival in their realm. “I am so tired of you sad, lonely, pathetic people constantly saying shit and questioning my loyalty to Mari.” He growled at Rune, shrugging out of his jacket before moving to take a fighting stance against his own mentor.

“Careful sir, your own dark side is showing more than you usually let slip.” Cy glanced back at Mari and Alina where they sat and his eyes settled on the woman he truly loved for a few extra moments. He had to remember that he was moving forward like this for her, he had to remember that trying to be with her would only put her in danger… Not only would it royally piss off Leo’s family and her own, it would in turn set both Cy and Mari’s fathers into a rage. While Leo’s mother may have been all cards and love, Cy’s parents were cold, serious and deadly. There was no question in his mind that if Cy did anything to ruin the relationship between the Ettery family and the Lycaths, his father would kill whoever had been involved. So Cy would put his all into Mari, she had walked away from his mate for the same reasons he was sure. The both of them couldn’t be with who they truly longed for… so they would try their best to live happily together despite it. He turned his attention back to Rune with new resolve in his eyes, a new focus that had allowed him to notice something off about the man… no, not just that… Rune’s eyes.

Oh.

The realization hit him as soon as the vines wrapped around his ankles and caused an increase in Cy’s adrenaline. Maris mate was RUNE? Stars. If what he thought he saw in the forest was true… he couldn’t let Mari end up tangled in that mess! With a sweep of his arm a moving wall of rock appeared to intercept the projectiles before rushing towards Rune with a roaring sound as it tore through the ground. While covered by the wall, Cy used his air magic to slice through the vines with sharp precision. Then he advanced, charging towards where Rune should be beyond the still moving rock and lowering the wall just before he reached him, staggering forward and throwing a punch into the man’s ribs.
​

 

[EclipseRosee]

Matteo Sellis
｡ ₊°༺❤︎༻°₊ ｡
26.Sagittarius.Incubus.Fire​

“Woah woah! What’s going on?” Matteo stammered as Vesta began to fuss over him, as she felt his temperature and looked him over he felt his face grow a bit warm at the contact. “Vee I’m fine, I swear.” However it didn’t seem as if she would be taking that for an answer because before he could even fully understand what in the hell was going on with everyone, he was being pulled away from the group by Vesta. It seemed she was correct, behind the two of them some sort of fight breaking out between Rune and Cy… what in the hell did he miss by being late this morning?

“Vesta!” Matteo let out a loud gasp as she began to question him, they were out of ear shot from the others and it wasn’t like he was really embarrassed of what he was, however having HER asking was making him want to crawl in a hole and die. Vesta was the whole reason he hadn’t been recharging… it just felt weird to put that sort of attention towards anyone else. “It’s been a while yeah but don’t worry about it Vee, I’ll be okay.” He cleared his throat and ran a hand through his still wet hair, trying to get himself to sound and act like a normal person despite the fact that his heart wanted to fucking explode. Her questions made his mind wander for a moment, wander in a way that caused his face to go bright red. Dammit Matteo, get it together. “R-right, no… yes. Uh- dammit.” He stammered unable to really think straight let alone form a coherent fucking sentence. “Don’t worry about it Vee.” It was all he could handle, giving her a strained smile and patting her head gently. “I’ll figure something out, just been crazy around here right?” ​

 

[ZombieBaee]

Marigold Lycath
◯ ☽ ◑ ● ◐ ❨ ◯
23.Scorpio.Werewolf.Water

So much for getting in one last day of training before the festivities, not that Mari was complaining but it would have been better than this. There was a lot of women who would be more than flattered over a man defending her and arguing about her but this only made Mari feel nauseous. “What?” Alina’s voice besides her was the only thing to pull her away from the brewing battle before her, her gold flecked eyes going a bit wide. Usually she was so careful to avoid direct eye contact now but what Alina said has surprised her so fully that she couldn’t help but stare at her in awe. “T-they’re not fighting over me.” She tried to dispute what Alina was saying but the words being thrown between the two men made it hard. What in the fuck had happened between them that she didn’t notice? What had happened to set Cy off like this? “I haven’t either.” Mari said with a hum, her eyes returning to the two men as their fight began. Cy had grown more irritable lately and Mari knew it had nothing to do with her, actually if she had to guess it would be related to Alina and the wedding. “You’re sticking around as a healer then? I think they’ll need one.”

Mari felt like she should stop them, like she should step in and tell them both they were being childish and stupid but she couldn’t, it would be too obvious. Watching this was akin to torture because she knew these two men, she knew that even in a simple training spar they would take it too far. Cy’s order took over on a fight and his pride was on steroids, Rune was an honorable fighter but had a reputation to uphold and now adding Mari to the mix would only make things worse. The first hit landed and Mari jumped a little in her seat, it was silly! Everyone here was strong, half of them or more were warriors! Mari included! She was more than aware that he could take far more than that punch but it didn’t make it any easier to watch, she fucking hated this. She hated losing control of rationality. She hated all this nonsense.

“How do you do it?” Mari spoke the words, barely above a whisper in hopes that Alina wouldn’t hear the words that she couldn’t help but ask. It would take a blind man to not realize that Alina and Cy were in love, Mari used to hate her for it before but now, she felt awful for treating her badly. She felt awful for pushing them apart and ruining their friendship. Now that Mari understood that what she felt for Cy wasn’t true love like she once thought, she felt like actual garbage for not even allowing their friendship. “How do you not absolutely hate me? Or resent him? How are you so nice?”


​

 

[Pax Pardus Hale]

Vesta “Smith”
✴︎⋆✴︎⋆✴︎
21.Gemini. All four. Phoenix.

The pair walked hand in hand towards the tower they both called home, or it was more so Vesta dragging him back to the tower. She didn't see anything wrong in talking about it since it was his order, he had been open and candid about what he was! However she could just feel the awkwardness in his voice. She had stopped mid walk and turned around to face him with a curious expression, one of her dark red brows arched as he tried to reassure he he was fine. They spent every day with each other up until last week, she knew when he was feeling fine and this wasn't it.

"I charge like, every night." Granted Rune worked the girls far more than Matteo but still, surely he still needed to charge on a regular basis! His face was red as he stammered and Vesta even felt her own cheeks a deep shade of red. Those golden flecked orbs glanced from his dark orbs to his lips, her heart fluttering in her chest for a moment before she looked back up at him again. This was a horrible time to confess, but despite his reassurance that he'd be fine she didn't believe him. He was her best friend and, and she was pretty sure she lov--.. more than liked him.

"...Fine. Whatever. I forgot something in my room. Walk with me." Vesta's small hand released him and her arms crossed across her chest like she was popping an attitude as they entered the tower. In reality she was trying to summon the courage to make a move. Vesta had no problem picking locks and stealing from wealthy people but somehow Matteo's rejecting her was far more intimidating.

Up the winding staircase and to the room at the end of the hall they went. Once they were inside Vesta took a deep, encouraging breath and spun around to face Matteo. There was no hesitation, no sense of their surroundings as the door still remained open. Her warm fingers touched his cheek and guided his face down towards her, the small woman standing on her toes so her soft plush lips could crash into his. Those long dark lashes of her closed over her eyes and her pale face burned bright, her heart pounding so loud she swore he'd hear it. The confession could wait until later, right now he needed her help.

​

 

[Pax Pardus Hale]

Alina Diaval
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
22. Aquarius. Storm Dragon. Water & Air


For a moment Alina swore that she had caught Cy's lingering gaze, or maybe that was just wishful thinking. Just that glimmer of a minute was enough to cripple her heart and made her empty stomach flip. There was nothing there though, not from his end. Cy didn't want her, yet her heart ached for the man every second of every day. Not just to love, but to be each others confidants again, to look out for him. Hell, her entire childhood she dreamed that they were starbound. Alas that wasn't what the stars had in store for them.

Cy's gaze broke and so did hers, allowing her to turn her full attention back on Mari. Or, rather, Mari's black ringed eyes. Her heart immediately dropped to her stomach at the realization and she did everything to prevent the shock from appearing on her face, however her smile did falter for a split second. Did she love Cy enough to go starcrossed? The arena felt dizzy and the hands on the bench suddenly gripped the edge to make sure she didn't fall over. She couldn't even pay attention to the fight right now.

Mari spoke up again and it pulled Alina from her daze. "I- um, it just wasn't meant to be, I suppose." A small smile tugged at her lips as she looked from Mari to the battling men, her shoulders giving a small shrug at the mention of it. "I know we have our tiffs but I love the both of you. I want what's best for you, I want both of your happiness. And Cy's happy with you." And if Mari had turned down her one true mate for Cy then she obviously had to be happy with him, right? The part of her that would've cried at the realization was completely numb at this point. If she had even a sliver of a thought that Cy may have changed his mind that was gone now. She-- She wouldn't let him. No, Mari gave up her mate for him.

"Leo's happy with Veda, Veda's happy with him, so I make silly excuses of staying here as a medic. All I ever want is for those I love to be happy." Though, no one seemed to be very concerned for her happiness. She was trying to be as selfless as her father, the man who put his life on the line countless times to protect their people. Even if there was that selfish part of her that envied everyone's joy. "You gave up a lot for your relationship with Cy. I don't blame you for being so defensive so there's no hard feelings Mari."
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[Sir Damien]

Rune Finch
⋆༺𓆩

𓆪༻⋆
27.Scorpio.Basalisk.Shadows&Earth

The whole time Cy bitched about everyone's comments about his loyalties Rune just stood there with his arms held behind his back, that judgmental resting bitch face of his plastered on his face. Everyone could see where his loyalties truly lied and it was pathetic he tried to cover it up. Maybe if he had set Mari free he could be with her-- No, no Rune. This was the life that Mari deserved, the life she fought so hard to get. She earned a lifetime of happiness, but Rune didn't have to like that it was with this prick of all people.

And the way the man looked back at the girls only enraged him even further.

Cy had summoned a rock wall and Rune didn't have much time to act. Cy had air on his side, and while Rune could feel his shadows seething to help him he had to mentally restrain them. By the time he had calmed them the wall was lowering, leaving Rune just enough time to form rock armor around his torso. It crumbled with contact and allowed him to grab hold of Cy as the two skidded back a couple feet on impact. "Is that all?" The cocky tone of his was pair with a smug grin. "You want to know why I'm giving you shit Cypres? It's because Marigold deserves better than some pretty heir with wandering eyes for dragons. You can say your loyalties lie with her but everyone knows who you'd choose at the end of the day. And it pisses me off." With that said he whipped Cy across the arena like he weighed nothing.

He glanced over at the two women and his eyes lingered on Mari. Why did she look so heartbroken? Suddenly he felt panic pumping through his body and it made him forget completely about the fight on hand. His narrowed brows relaxed as his concern took over his expression, and just as he moved to walk over to the girls to pull her out of whatever depressing conversation they were having he felt his shadows hiss in warning. Yet he ignored them, taking one step forward.

That was the only step he got before his body was sent flying through the air and crashing into the solid stone of the arena. There had been enough force that had Rune dented into the rock, his ears ringing and blood dripping from both the corner of his mouth and nose. For a second the man didn't move, the next second his body collapsed to the dirt ground. The man laid there for a long while before he pushed himself up with shaky arms, a small groan slipping out at the blood dripping down onto the ground beneath him. No one bested Rune. He had fought the greatest warriors, he had even fought Alina's dad back in the day yet he always came out on top.

It was in that moment that he realized Mari would be his downfall, yet for some reason that didn't bother him. "Lucky shot." Rune spat out some blood onto the ground before wiping his mouth on his sleeve to try and hide the profuse bleeding. Sure it hurt but he fed on pain. His main concern wasn't the ringing to his ears, the pain, or even the blood; he didn't want to worry Mari.

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[Colt Voltage]

Leo Thorn
𓆩✧♛✧𓆪
26.Leo.Vampire.Fire

"There was something so comforting having Veda in his arms. He had carried warriors and comrades in his arms, maybe even a girl or two before his engagement to Alina, but none of them felt like this. There was no fear, panic, lust, there was just an overwhelming amount of peace and tranquility like he was meant to carry her. Her warmth resonated with him, the soft dark hair of hers on his shoulder filled his nose with golden amber, sea salt, and sandalwood. It was a silly notion so he'd never say anything, but it made his heart swell nearly five times its normal size. He couldn't help but grin ear to ear as he looked down to see that expression on her face.

Their eyes met and in that moment he felt like time had stopped, like it was just the two of them in the world. He couldn't help but longingly gaze down at her, though when her soft fingers touched his cheek he could've died right then and there and be happy about it. "N-No problem." His face heated as Leo offered her a gentle smile, trying to act like his heart wasn't about to burst from his chest. However his eyes fell from those grayish blue orbs to stare at that smile on her lips, his gaze lingering there for a long minute until she brought up Alina.

That soured his mood for a milisecond, his strong hands gently setting her down so she could stand on her own two feet; though if it was up to him he'd hold her the whole damned time. "Uh, I'm sure Alina would like it. But we don't really do things together by choice. She'd prefer to come here alone... or with Cypres." Leo wasn't an idiot, he knew what was going on there. "No I wanted to bring you here because I thought you'd like it. No one is here trying to kill you, and the oceans a lot prettier than the lagoon."

"Here, look! I planned on us dipping out at some point so I'm glad I dropped the shit off this morning." Without warning Leo was moving to a large boulder on the grass that bordered the white sand and he lifted it like it weighed nothing more than a paper weight. As soon as he scooped up the satchel he dropped the boulder and it shook the ground underneath them as it landed. "Swimsuits. Prettier than the lame black ones Mari gave you. Here." Leo tossed Veda the suit that matched her scales, even shimmering in the light just like her own scales did.

"You know Alina and I are a political marriage, right?" He didn't know why he felt the need to defend himself about his relationship. Yes he was engaged but, it wasn't out of love. Everyone knew that. He went on the other side of the tall boulder so he could dramatically throw off the tie and the other obnoxiously tight and sophisticated clothing he wore to impress his father. He replaced it with a pair of black trunks with red flames on it. "Her dad died in my arms on the battle field. Asked me to look after her in his stead, so this is my way of doing it. Your humans didn't do that kind of stuff?"


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[ZombieBaee]

Veda “Smith”
₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊₊✩‧₊
21.Gemini.All Four. Siren.

“You planned this?” Veda chuckled, watching as Leo ran off towards a large boulder and lifted it like it was nothing, something she was growing fairly certain she would never get used to here. When he dropped it he popped back up with two bathing suits in hand and even if she wanted to try and dispute he had planned this with her, she couldn’t. The women’s suit he held was a perfect match to the colors of her scales and the realization made her heart flutter a little bit, it wasn’t like they were showing often but he was able to get it damn near exact. Leo moved around the edge of the rock to hide himself partially as he changed his clothes and Veda couldn’t help but smirk at him as his tie went flying and his button up ended up in the sand. Veda followed suit, crouching a little behind it to where just her shoulders and head peaked out as she fussed with her clothes to get changed.

“You have just always been pretty adamant about loving her.” Veda said a bit meekly, her eyes avoiding his as she finished pulling on the bottoms and pulled off her top to slide the bikini over her shoulders. She finished tying it before standing back up and using her shirt to cover herself up a bit until they were in the water. “I mean I don’t want to sound rude but I could kind of sense something was off but, my senses are new to me and I guess I just assumed after everything with Cy.” Veda stood and walked around the rock and towards the shore a bit, glancing back at Leo finally. “That sounds awful Leo, I’m sorry you went though that.” Her lips spread into a sweet smile, her tone soft and light. She couldn’t begin to imagine the horrors that this realm held, now that she had seen a wraith and what they could do, it was hard for her to imagine and entire war against those things. Her mind slipped to Leo in the forest, how scared she had been when he got hurt and how desperate she had been to help him. “I imagine some humans do? Vesta and I never really ran with anyone remotely normal and I’ve never been close enough to anyone but her to hear of anything like that. But I understand it, and I think it’s very noble.”

Noble yes but heartbreaking. Veda didn’t enjoy the cracking feeling in her chest, the feeling that accompanied the understanding of his and Alina’s marriage. She could remember when she first came here and judged all of their dysfunctional relationships but as time passed she was able to understand it all more and more. Everything here was so political and strained, these were people just coming off of a war and handling their first exchange of power since the king and queens death… since her parents death. These were people just trying to get by and Veda could understand that more than anyone.

Something wet trickled down her cheek and Veda looked up to the sky to find it still bright and sunny without a sign of a cloud. “What the?” Her hand reached up to dab at the wetness only to realize that she was crying, great. As if she wasn’t already strange enough. “Oh- god. I don’t even know why I’m crying. How fucking stupid.” The woman scoffed at herself and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand before turning away from him in embarrassment and moving to put her feet in the water. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what the hell my problem is. You brought me to this beautiful place to have a good time and all of a sudden I’m crying like some psychopath.”

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