Fantasy ☽₊✩‧₊Found Destiny₊✩‧₊☾

[Colt Voltage]

Leo Thorn
𓆩✧♛✧𓆪
26.Leo.Vampire.Fire

Leo knew that he wasn't invincible. There were several times on the battlefield that were close calls, and every warrior had given thought to how they'd die. This was never in any scenario for him. Yet for some reason if he died right her and now saving Veda, well, it would've been worth it. Not a warriors death but, he was dying for the woman he loved. That to him was a good, worthy death. So as his grip on Kato weakened, as his body became oxygen deprived and his vision began to blur, he couldn't help but feel some comfort in knowing Veda would live.
Kato's hands tightened harder and Leo felt his grip on life slip away. His eyes were closed, the world was drowned out and all he could hear was his body screaming for oxygen. Just as Leo was about to give up he felt the hands loosen, his mouth suddenly able to take several gasped, desperate breaths. His eyes popped open to see Veda-- Veda covered in a mixture of her blood and Kato's. He tried to sit up, to help her or finish off Kato, but the hole in his abdomen caused him to cry out in pain and fall back to the ground. He took one glance at the bastard laying limply beside them and he knew that he was dead, knew that Veda had killed him... she killed him for Leo. Something about that warmed his heart entirely, and at the same time it completely broke him. He had never wanted her to know what it felt like to take a life, she was too good for that.
"I-I'm fine babe, it's just a flesh wound." Leo let out a pained laugh and his large hand covered his stomach so she didn't have to see. "Hey hey hey, it's not your fault okay? It's not your fault." His other hand reached out and cupped the side of her face gingerly, his forehead pressing to hers weakly in response as he tried to ease her heart. "Man, I didn't think it was possible to look so good covered in blood. You really are my most perfect person." Leo chuckled weakly and tried to distract her from the inevitable. "There's... nothing to do Veda. Just sit with me, yeah? I don't want to be alone when I..." Leo trailed off, the hand on her face dropping as he felt a darkness overcome him.
---
One of Leo's men had found the two of them in the closet just as Leo blacked out, the sound of Veda's crying loud enough for even people outside the tower to hear. He had looked for Leo when he realized he wasn't in the battle and, well, he walked into that shit show. Leo had a faint pulse so he picked up the large vampire and tossed him over his shoulder and quickly escorted Leo and Veda to the healers house. It was then that it was revealed that Leo could've bit her to help him survive the damage, only that he didn't because he inevitably would've killed her.

Honestly Leo couldn't tell you how long he was unconscious. The wraiths had withdrew from their attack and disappeared, not a one of them being caught but certainly leaving a trail of destruction. Several of their men were dead, Aqua was down, and both Leo and Rune laid in the healers ward barely clinging to life. The healer had hooked Leo up to four blood bags and his body completely drained them, they had Veda in her own room to tend to her and had her separated from her vampire.

"Veda..." Before his piercing blue eyes could even open he was already groaning her name. The first thing he saw was the pale glow of the stone above him, the next he was looking at Alina at his side. Disappointment etched his face and he let out a frustrated groan. "Is Veda okay?" The hole in his stomach had barely healed even with the additional bags of blood hooked up to him. "She was...was injured. I've gotta check on her." Leo attempted to push himself up but quickly found out the hole in his stomach was still there. It caused him to let out a loud cry and fall back into bed. "Can... I see her?" It was a strange request to make of his fiancé, to see another woman, but he couldn't help it.

​

 

[Pax Pardus Hale]

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


There was a silent showdown between the snake haired woman and lion. The woman gave up her own mate for power and status; she cared not for her daughters insipid little crush on her childhood friend. Unlike Alina she could see straight through Cypres and his lies and she wouldn't have them. She did everything she could to keep them separated, keep him away from her daughter who she had ever intention on marrying off to Leo. She'd be damned if he came around and ruined things just a day before the wedding.

Thankfully a panicked healer was running into the hall and alerting Leo's parents and Alina, and Cypres since he was right there too, about Leo's critical condition.

And so the lot of them were escorted back to the healers and Alina was perched in the chair at his bedside. The king interrogated the soldier who found him and Veda, Dahlia tended to Veda and sat at her side to find out what happened, and it left Alina all alone in her shadow infested head. She thought more on what what Cypres had said but, in the end she knew she couldn't trust him. He had been lying to her at every turn as of late. Claiming she was important to him then framing her the next day, apologizing one minute right before breaking her heart. As much as her heart wanted to believe him she just couldn't. Maybe she could try to make things work with Leo? Try to fake a relationship, try to pretend like she was happy...

It all sounded nice in theory. Then Leo woke up and the first thing he did was look at her like some disappointment and ask for Veda. It crippled the small bit of hope she had and the shadows thrived in the heartache. She was an asset to no one, cared about by no one. She could save as many people as she wanted, she could heal countless of injured warriors, but at the end of the day she had absolutely no one. What kind of life was that?

"Hey, stay there Leo. I'll get her for you." Alina stood with a small forced smile and moved down a few rooms to peek in on Veda. "Hey, if you're feeling up for it Leo's looking for you. He doesn't need me right now... he needs you." She flashed the injured twin a weak smile before leaving the room. Rune was in critical condition and Marigold was with him so it wasn't like she could talk to her, not that she even knew what to say. Cypres was outside Rune's room waiting for Mari, and for a moment Alina thought to talk to him.

Only, what were they to talk about? Instead the small blonde dragon walked straight past him like he was some stranger, her heels tapping against the tile as she walked outside into the cool night air. She looked out at the rest of the citadel as people busied themselves cleaning up the rubble of Aqua and collecting the casualties. All she wanted to do was transform and fly away, forget any of this happened, but for some reason she couldn't shift. The wedding was tomorrow and all she wanted was an out.
​

 

[Sir Damien]

Rune Finch
⋆༺𓆩

𓆪༻⋆
27.Scorpio.Basalisk.Shadows&Earth

Had Rune been anything but a Basilisk there was no doubt he would've been dead. The pain was horrendous, he couldn't feel his legs, and the copious amount of blood bloody in his mouth only indicated internal bleeding. Even he could only take so much. Rune was clutching to the bond and the sound of Mari's broken voice as if it was the only thing keeping him alive, and in truth it was. So when he finally open his eyes to see her tear stained face and the wild winds surrounding them he knew he had to push past the debilitating pain to comfort her. The large hands at his side twitched and he found it difficult to move them. His dark brows furrowed and sweat beaded on his forehead as he hissed uncomfortably, his hand rising to cup her tear stained face. His thumb slowly wiped off a few of them despite the stream that still flowed down her cheeks and he gave a small, weak chuckle. Dull emerald green eyes stared up at her longingly and knew that the stars were punishing them for being close to each other, he knew they had to separate so she'd be safe, but he was selfishly taking in these last few moments like they'd be his last.

"You really are insane, you know that? Crying over a guy like me..." Rune gave a small chuckle only to be interrupted by a deep cough. His body doubled over in pain as he coughed and suddenly it got too intense. No matter how much he tried to stay coherent he felt everything around him go black.

-

"I said I was fine already. Get this shit off of me." Damned near on his death bed Rune was acting like the stubborn asshole he was. The healers couldn't do much for him; they couldn't numb his pain because he'd stop healing, they couldn't give him anything to heal faster, all they could was monitor him and give him blood. Besides the IV they had a blood pressure cuff on him, a monitor for his heart, and they refused to let him leave. Not that he really could right now. His spine had already fused back together from all the pain but he couldn't entirely feel his legs yet. Still, he'd be damned if he sat in a bed like some invalid. However they seemed to know he'd throw a fit and let Marigold sit in the room with him-- not that they really had a choice, not with how demanding she could be.

The healer that was looking him over simply sighed for the millionth time and ignored his protests. She switched the cool cloth on his forehead to help ease his fever before leaving the room. Meanwhile Rune had been doing everything he could to avoid looking at Mari. He was embarrassed, he had never wanted her to see him in such a pathetic state. "...Your head. Did they look at it?" It sounded like he was worried about her, and in truth he was. But in true typical Rune fashion he also had to be a dick about it. "You know what I am and you're still sitting there. You clearly have some level of head trauma."


​

 

[ZombieBaee]

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

At this point Veda was constantly a hazard, her presence seemingly always getting someone hurt, well always getting specifically Leo hurt. This time was different than the last, this time Veda could truly feel that he had been teetering on the edge of life, that he had been hurt to the point of nearly leaving this world all together. “Shhh, I can’t believe you’re trying to comfort me right now.” Veda let out a pained chuckle as Leo pressed his forehead to hers, the contact between them sending a wave of warmth and tenderness through her body. There was also threads of fear, sadness and anger but none of it angled at her, no it was about her… and Veda instantly understood because she felt the same, being with him felt so special that it made her rueful with the world for trying to take him away from her. “Leo…” A sob escaped her as she felt his hold on conciousness slip away, as he eluded to his untimely demise. “Don’t you leave me here Leo, please.” She caught the hand that had been holding her face as it fell, squeezing his fingers tight as she concentrated hard on what she knew about healing and trying her best to support his frail hold on life before she began to scream for help.

-

It was Leo’s own mother who was finally able to convince Veda that someone needed to look at the wound on her shoulder. Prior to that she had been siting on the floor outside the room they were taking care of Leo in, convinced that she didn’t deserve to get any healing until he was out of the woods. As Dahlia tended to her wound, her and Veda didn’t speak, her mind still reeling with guilt after the events of the day, not only had she gotten Leo nearly killed but her own stupidity had lead to him not helping with the wraiths, who knows who they lost because they didn’t have all the help they needed. It was a weight that Veda simply couldn’t shake off her shoulders. The first person in the room to speak was Alina as she slid into the open doorway, her face covered with a sad expression that for a moment launched Veda into a panic wondering if something had happened to Leo. However what Alina had to say was - it was bittersweet.

As scary as it was, Veda knew that she was completely in love with Leo, it happened fast and she knew that should have been a red flag but he felt so much different than any other man she had claimed to love or that had claimed to love her. Leo had said it perfectly just a few hours ago, he was her perfect person. That was what made her decision to stay away from him so hard, Veda being around Leo was clearly dangerous, being with her threatened his way of life as well as Alina’s and Veda didn’t want to be the reason he got hurt in any way. So hearing that he was already asking her and so easily wearing down her resistance was sickeningly tender. “I - maybe he should just get some more rest.” Veda spoke softly, fumbling with her hands in her lap as Dahlia slid the strap of Vedas now stained tanktop up over the newly added bandage on her shoulder with a gentle squeeze. The woman shared no words but her gentle smile and sense of compassion flowing from her made Veda lose even more of her resolve. Alina saying that Leo needed her was the final nail in the coffin. “Well- I suppose. If you’re sure.”

Veda moved from the room and down the hall to the closed door of Leo’s room, it was quieter in the hall now, most of the chaos finally dying out as the injured rested. She opened the door and slid in, closing it gently behind her as she took in his form on his infirmary bed, it was much better now that they had cleaned up all the blood and replaced the sheets and bedding from earlier when they had arrived. Leo was laying on his side, the less wounded side of him against the mattress so he was facing a chair that Veda assumed had been housing Alina until recently. Her feet moved on her own, her body betraying the boundaries that her mind had tried to form just minutes ago as she walked across the room and instantly slid into the small bed next to Leo, laying down so they were face to face. Veda pressed her forehead against his and breathed him in for a few long moments before tears began to slide down her cheeks. “You almost died, you had to swoop in and protect me again and you almost fucking died Leo.” She inhaled a sharp breath as her eyes fell shut to try and blink away the tears. “You said all these terribly sweet things to me and I thought you were leaving, I thought you were saying good bye and I was so terrified! I would have rather taken a thousand more of those fucking daggers than hear you say goodbye to me Leo.” So much for her boundaries, so much for knowing how doomed loving him was, he was set to be married in days and it felt as if the world wanted to keep them apart due to his constant run ins with death around her. Leo was marrying Alina, they were a beautiful couple and the stars were throwing karma in Vedas face once more for not respecting that relationship. “I hate that you keep getting hurt trying to protect me! I’m not worth you getting hurt or killed Leo!”


​

 

[ZombieBaee]

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

“Rune.” Mari growled from where she sat in her chair against the wall, one leg crossed elegantly over the other as she watched him argue with the healers from his bed. “Let them do their job please, they just have to check the monitor and your blood pressure to make sure it’s rising finally. Although maybe the should check mine.” Her eyebrow twitched up wards as she spoke at him, her harsh words not matching the genuine concern in her gaze. Thankfully it seemed as though if other people were near them, Rune and Mari wouldn’t piss of the stars by being together in some way. Their secluded moment during the battle seemed to have been the cause of the insane cyclone seeing as how it instantly stopped them moment healers were able to help move Rune to safety. Mari had heard stories of this, of star crossed lovers causing accidents and natural disasters for attempting to be with one another after turning down their bonds. Mari just had expected for the stories to be so true, she had always assumed they were a tad bit dramatic. Clearly not.
The healer took a quick reading, jotting something down before hurriedly leaving the room to escape Runes foul mood. “They’re only trying to help you know.” She sighed and pulled her chair a little closer to his bedside now that they were alone, she hoped that keeping her hands to herself and the fact that the building was currently pretty full of people would stop anything to terrible from happening because of their close proximity. “Although I have to assume the increased pain is what’s helping you heal so quickly?” Her voice was a bit softer and sad as she spoke, she had always known something strange had to be at play when it came to his order but she never would have expected him to be a basilisk. They weren’t welcome inside the citadel walls and even outside them they were an extremely rare order form. That and the thought of him needing to feel pain to recharge… it made Mari feel so lonely for him. Her mind went back to the sight of all the scars along his back and chest and now they made so much more sense.
“I assume the kings are aware of, you know.” Mari spoke, not really wanting to say the word basilisk out loud in case there were any lingering ears nearby enough to hear them. Thought it was probably silly to assume that everyone didn’t already know. The man had turned into a giant fucking snake basically in front of everyone, soon enough there wouldn’t be a person around the grounds that didn’t know what he was. That only made Mari feel even worse, causing her to look down at her feet as Rune turned his attention to her. “Don’t be a jerk, I don’t have some fucking head trauma.” Her voice was a growl but she couldn’t help but laugh a bit at the end of it. “I’ve never been afraid of you Rune, and as big and bad and scary as you think you are, trust me, I’ve seen worse.” It was hard to imagine anything scarier than a basilisk who could control shadows to be honest but knowing that it was him of all people to control those traits made it so much different. Rune had used his order to save her life today despite years of keeping it hidden from everyone, he hadn’t even hesitated when he transformed to keep the tower from toppling over on her. “I’m sorry I wasn’t acting rationally and you had to use your order form to save me. It’s my fault you had to share that secret with the world before you were ready to do so. I feel bad about that, but I’m not scared at all.”
​

 

[KAYDEN]

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

The first hour after the attack finally settled had been filled with an attack of another kind for Cypres, one from his very pissed off father about Cy bringing in Alina while Mari was still unaccounted for and causing yet another rift in the already unstable relationship between his father and Mari’s. Explaining to his father that Mari was safe and had Rune with her didn’t help anything at all, in fact it only led to a “lesson” on how one should act with pride about protecting our women and children. The only issue with that was that his father didn’t understand Mari wasn’t HIS woman, she was mated to someone else. Not that Cy would ever admit that out loud to the man, but it still factored right? Although if Cy was being completely honest with himself, even without the knowledge of Maris bond to Rune… he still would have picked Alina. He would pick her a thousand times over. So why wasn’t he picking her now?

That was the question that repeated in his head as Cy stood in the hall outside Runes room as he waited for Mari. Both Alina and Mari had been cleared by healers despite their injuries and both had headed swiftly to Leo and Rune, leaning Cy in the hallway with his thoughts, he wasn’t sure how long it had been when Alina showed up for a moment before heading into the room that housed Veda. She wasn’t in there long either before she left her room as well and began striding towards him. Cy prepared himself to say something to her but then shock hit him as she continued to walk past him without so much as a glance.

“Alina!” Her name erupted from him before Cy had even fully understood what he was about to say. All he knew was that he was done with whatever this facade was, Mari may have walked away from Rune because of their plans to become the next king and queen of Terra but that choice had been made without his opinion… he never would have asked her to walk away from her mate. In fact Cy would have shoved her towards him so he had a reason to be honest with Alina, that way he would have a chance to be with her. “Alina wait up, please!” He caught up with her a few feet down the corridor and wrapped his fingers gently around her wrist to get her to stop.

“Please just hear me out okay? I know you’re upset with me and I don’t blame you at all but today just made me realize how idiotic all this diplomacy and performative nonsense is.” Cy let out a long breath as he stared down at her, the nervousness he felt apparent in his features as his mouth went dry with his anxiousness. “I don’t love Mari, she’s a close friend to me and I care about her well being but I’m not in love with her and I’m sure you can tell by now she’s not in love with me.” He glanced at Runes door for a moment before gazing back over at Alina, “But I know my father, and I know that Leo is a good caring man who will treat you well. Me admitting that I was in love with you, that I wanted to be with you, it would only cause you pain in the end. At least that’s what I thought.” He raised his hand for a moment to brush some hair from her face but let his fist fall to his side as he noticed the hurt and pain in her eyes. “I mean it Alina, I thought that lying to you and just trying my best with Mari would be the best thing for you but I’m starting to realize that I’m wrong.”

Cy knew that that the likelihood of his father attempting to kill him if he screwed up this marriage to Mari, but at this point he felt as if he might as well be dead without Alina by his side.

​

 

[EclipseRosee]

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

“Yes they’ll be some smaller canisters, they won’t do a lot but they can slow the bleeding for us.” Matteo winced as he leaned against the wall the best he could to keep pressure off the worst of his wounds. He watched Vesta as she searched, eventually finding something and moving back towards him, prompting him to move so his back was exposed in her direction. Behind him, Vesta kneeled into place and warned him shortly before a stinging pain came through his wings but thankfully it was nothing in comparison to what they had just gone through. “Make sure to leave some for yourself, it won’t close the bigger wounds but it’ll slow the bleeding until we can get back.”

“Yes they’re from ash arrows, completely baffling how they had so many.” Matteo groaned as Vesta finished with his wings, turning his head to stare at her from the corner of his eye. A quick glance showed that she seemed fairly okay, her own wound was bad but seemed to have slowed considerably since she was hit. “Is it feeling any better than a little bit ago Vee?” Then he noticed the tears in her eyes forming and panic rose in his throat, “Does something hurt?” Matteo was about the get up when the words finally left her lips and caused him to stare at her in silence for a few long moments before his brow finally furrowed in frustration. “You’re not exactly of any rank yet to be giving out orders Vee.” He turned his body to face her full on now and reached out with his hand to gently take the hand on her non injured arm. There was no way in hell he would ever let her run into danger alone, even when she was able to pull rank on him and technically order him to stay back. “How’s this sound? Neither of us run into danger and if the other one is stupid enough to do it and ignore that rule, the other gets free will to chase after them.”

Vesta stood to reach out and help him stand which took great effort from the both of them but eventually they managed. “I’ll rest in a moment. So will you.” Matteo said softly, staring down at her for a long moment before moving one of his hands from hers to gently place it flat over her heart. “You know what you just said? What you’re feeling here? I feel the same. I don’t ever want to see you hurt or sad, or ever have to sit back and watch you fight without me at your side. So I think it’s best if you just accept that now and work on coping with it because for every rash decision you make, I’ll be right behind you to take it on as well.”

This was a time that he should kiss her again, when he was speaking crom the heart and now starved but just as Matteo was working up the nerve, a gust of wind blew through that shook the entire structure. “Okay come on, let’s both try and get some rest until this storm calms down.” ​

 

[Sir Damien]

Rune Finch
⋆༺𓆩

𓆪༻⋆
27.Scorpio.Basalisk.Shadows&Earth

"I'd honestly like to see what you consider bigger or worse than me." Rune plucked the wet cloth off of his forehead and tossed it to the side like it was a nuisance, his deep, grumbling voice rumbling his chest as he spoke. His emerald gaze finally lifted to see her sitting closer now and his heart ached. If he was anyone else he'd of been able to pull her closer, allowed to actually be with his mate, but Rune was cursed. Anyone close to him died and he refused to let anything happen to her. Still, that didn't stop him from wanting her more than he wanted the never ending pain to cease.

They denied their bond though. No matter how much they loved each other the stars would forever punish them. Besides, it wasn't like anyone had ever fixed a broken bond. They had to just... get used to this.

"Oh, they're aware. I was seven when the kings decided to turn me into a weapon and send me into battle." Rune shifted in the bed with a hiss, his arms pushing him to a better seated position instead of pushing himself up with his legs. "My dad was some prince from the shadow realm. He, uh, came over here to infiltrate the monarchy and learn about our people. Only once he weaseled his way into a position of the monarchy he met and fell in love with my mother. She got pregnant and he decided he'd never return home. They found out they were mates after that." Marigold was his mate, the love of his life, and the only person that knew what he truly was. She said she wasn't scared of him at all so she deserved to know the truth; the good, bad, and ugly.

"He was a basilisk and she was just this sweet Teuessian fox. I showed my shadow abilities and my order rather early and dad trained me how to both wield them properly and hide them. Only, one day the kings stormed into our house and accused my parents of treason. They had somehow found out what my father was and burned them at the stake right in front of me in the front yard. They decided to have pity on me and instead of killing me they sent me to war. If I lived I'd serve them, and if I died, well, that was that." A terrible, gut wrenching story for most, but Rune explained it like they were talking about the weather. "Obviously I lived and I've been serving directly under them ever since. I have all these titles, all this respect from the people, but one wrong move and they'll put me to death just like they did my parents."

"Or, at least I had respect from the people. I can't imagine the public will react well now that they know who I am." A frustrated huff passed his lips and he shook his head. "I know who you are Marigold Lycath. A fiery, driven woman who will go to the ends of the realm to help your people." Rune's hand stretched out to the side to reach for hers to squeeze only he froze right before touching her-- he didn't want to cause another disaster and he didn't want either of them hurt. His hand clenched into a fist and he physically restrained himself, pulling his hand back quickly and resting it in his lap. "I'm not mad at you Mari. Worse secrets could've been revealed. Now they just know I'm a stealthy bastard with a potent antivenom. I'll gain their respect back. Y'know, if the kings allow me to live." That last part slipped out before he could stop it and silently he cursed himself. If the kings thought that he was more trouble than he was worth he'd be discarded. Having a basilisk as a general didn't look good, hence why it was such a secret. Leo's dad and Alina's uncle were always easier to get along with than Cy's father and Aqua's king so it would probably be a 2-2 vote to keep him alive or kill him.

"Just, don't worry about it. Okay? I don't fault you for anything. I'd do it a hundred times over if it meant keeping you alive."



​

 

[Pax Pardus Hale]

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

Copper brows furrowed as Matteo attempted to reason with the small woman, her narrowed green orbs looking up at him as she tried to make sense of things. She didn't like his suggestion. Vesta was impulsive to a fault and for the most part it worked out in her favor, but that didn't mean she wanted Matteo following her into dangerous situations. Maybe she didn't have an official ranking yet, her order however was clearly stronger than his. At least, in some regards. Socially and battle tactic wise Matteo had her beat. What wasn't he understanding about the situation?

Just as she was about to drop the subject he moved his hand to cover her heart and nearly stopped it in the process. Pale skin turned nearly as red as her hair and her heart threatened to burst from her chest, every nerve firing like wildfire at such a simple gesture. What he was doing to her wasn't fair, not in the slightest. "M-Matteo..." The small woman tried to swallow the lump forming in her throat to no avail and her entire mouth was suddenly as dry as the desert. At the same time her palms were sweaty and for a moment she thought he was going to kiss her.

Then the shack swayed from the wind and he was changing the subject. Right... fae were used to this kind of thing. He probably offered all the women he got close to those sweet words. Vesta was just the idiot that was falling head over heels for him.

Quietly she followed him the few feet to the bed and silently she worked up the nerve in her head to make her next move. If it was natural for fae then surely that included her, right? She was fae, a bit newer to their world but still fae. And they were always together so charging with her would just be convenient! A million thoughts were in her head and not a one of them thinking that her feelings were requited.

So as she helped him situate on the small bed Vesta leaned over like she was going to climb in next to him only to press her lips to his in a familiar move, thankfully having a little more experience this time. It was soft and tender with a dash of passion, her eyes closed and her good arm moved to cup his cheek as their lips melded together. Before either of them could get too into the kiss though Vesta was pulling away a fraction of an inch with an even deeper blush on her face so her golden flecked orbs could peer up into his. "You need to charge to heal right? Does this help?"





​

 

[Pax Pardus Hale]

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


"So you expect me to believe that you've been lying to me all this time?" Alina stepped so she could fully turn to him, her shadow filled eyes glancing up at him so she could study his face. Cypres and Alina had been best friends since they were small, they were as close as close could be and she knew all of his tells. What with the tone of his voice and the look in his eye she could tell that he was being completely honest with her, and for some reason that only hurt her even more. Had he confessed to her a week ago in the garden things would have been different. Alina was hopeful back then. Now? Now she felt like she knew just how hopeless everything was.

"I believe you." Thin fingers moved up to meet his chest, her hands glowing that radiant blue of hers. Her gaze fell from his so she could focus on scanning and healing him for any wounds he had sustained from his little meeting he inevitably had with his father. It was no secret how abusive his father could be but everyone had always swept it under the rug. Alina detested the man. The only reason her healing magic was effective was because of how much practice she got on healing Cyrpes when they were younger. She couldn't fix his father, but she could fix him. "Our situation hasn't changed though, Cyrpes."

Once she had healed all that she could the glowing faded and she moved to hold his hand, leading Cy into an empty nearby room so they could have a private moment. She had shut the door behind them before she turned to him with a sad smile. "You are by far the most courageous, benevolent man I have ever met. You are wise beyond your years and it would be a tragedy for the kingdom if you didn't take the crown." Alina took his much larger hands in hers and gave them a small squeeze, her chin lifting so she could meet his gaze. "It was selfish of me to say anything. Truly. Your father would disown you if you left Mari or brought any sort of shame to the Ettery name and I should of realized that."

Tears stung in her eyes and a small, sad smile tugged at her lips. "You'll marry Marigold and be the king the people need. Leo and I will--" The words caught in her throat and the smile fell from her face. Alina couldn't marry Leo. He needed to be free to be with Veda, and Cypres needed to be free of Alina to move on with his life. The realization was a punch in the gut and she knew what she had to do to set them all free... but Cypres would only stop her, so instead she changed the subject. "I-I'll... the wedding is in a few days." Her hands fell from his and the small blonde woman shook out her locks. "The only way Marigold would let you out of your commitment to each other is if you found your mate. We're not mates. No matter how much I wish we were, we're not. We have to come to terms with the fact that we're not made for each other, and I won't let you throw away your entire life for someone pathetic like me."
​

 

[Colt Voltage]

Leo Thorn
𓆩✧♛✧𓆪
26.Leo.Vampire.Fire

It was taking everything in Leo to stay in the bed. Maybe it was the pain, or the fact he had to focus on staying conscious, but it was taking Veda forever to get in the room. His hand braced the bandaged abdomen and with a discomposed groan he rolled to his side to stand. Only, that was as far as he got. He stayed there and took a sharp inhale as he felt the wound start to tear open just from that little movement. He had to stay here, he had to wait. His clenched eyes finally relaxed and popped open when he noticed her smell join the room.

Before he could summon the energy to roll to see her he felt the bed shift and his heart nearly burst out of his chest. "Hey--" Just as his hand rested on her hip to greet her their foreheads pressed against each other. Concern etched across is features immediately as he noticed the stream of tears down her cheeks. He was happy to see her and she was crying. Was she sad? He blinked widely in confusion and the hand on her hip drifted up to her cheek to gently cradle her in his hand. Cool, calloused fingertips did their best to wipe the tears off of her as he patiently listened to her.

"You're worth everything to me, Veda." His brows furrowed as he began to speak. "You're literally the bravest, most thoughtful, beautiful woman with the biggest heart. You literally brighten up this entire fucking realm. I don't care how much danger I have to jump in to save you, or whether you want me to do it or not, I'm doing it and dammit I'll keep doing it because I--- I-I love you." For a while there their relationship was an enigma. He knew that he cared for her, but he didn't know why he was always coming to Veda's defense, or why he was always protecting her, or why he cared just so damned much. Now that he damned near lost her though everything made sense.

As his serious eyes continued to gaze into hers they suddenly widened. Her blues were surrounded by a golden halo and he knew that a matching ring was around his. "No shit?" A bright grin tugged at his lips, a grin that shouldn't of been on a man with a literal hole in his stomach. "Veda you're my- I'm yours- We're each others mates." There was something that looped around his heart, a bond that forever tied him and Veda together. It caused the breath to hitch in his chest and he had to physically restrain himself from planting his lips on hers. "I-- uh, someone's explained that to you, right?"

​

 

[KAYDEN]

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


“Of course I was lying!” Cy exclaimed with an exasperated sigh, of course he had been doing everything he could to try and convince her of that lie but still…it hurt his pride a little to hear how easily Alina believed that he truly didn’t care for her. They had a lifetime of friendship and he believed that she was the person who knew him the best in this world, which is why this was all so fucked yo and confusing. Cy watched her intently as Alina turned her gaze up to meet his, something dark shifting along her iris in a way that caused his stomach to twist nervously. That looked so similar to what Cy had seen in Rune but there was no way that Alina of all people had any bit of shadow living within her… he would have seen it by now… he would know. Right?

An all too familiar blue glow began to emerge from Alinas palm and Cy felt his face heat as her hand pressed against his chest. No matter how many times she had done this for him before, it never got less embarrassing… and heartwarming. Being a man who was preparing to lead a nation yet still bowing down to the abuse of his father and requiring her assistance felt like a blow to his gut every time. “Alina.” Her name left his lips as a plea, a whisper between destiny and choice. Her words felt as if they were ripping his heart to shreds and he knew there was no one the blame but himself for not being more confident in them, in himself. “My only way to the crown isn’t just marrying Mari, I could challenge my father.” It was the plan he had as a child but as he got older he realized how unrealistic it was… his father was named the king of their element after the late king passed because he was the lost powerful Terra user in the realm, Cy wasn’t positive he would ever be able to beat him in a fight let alone any time soon. “Don’t say it was selfish Alina, please. I was the selfish one for lying all for the sake of a fucking throne. Look at how walking away from love has punished Mari, I’m sure you know by now about them. You may not be my mate Alina Diaval but I am madly in love with you.”

Alina ignored him and continued, her hands wrapping around hers as her words began to fail her. His own fingers adjusted to wrap around hers and squeeze slightly in an attempt to calm her down. She was entirely correct about the way that things should be, the seemingly responsible and correct thing to do was to stand back and allow her to marry Leo in a few days, to go forward with his own engagement to Mari and carry on the best the could for the sake of their kingdom. Only no matter how many times Cy went through that plan in his brain and told himself it was for the best, he didn’t buy it once. “Contrary, I think Mari would hang me by my toes if I left her for my mate at this point, considering what she did for me.” Cys eyes didn’t leave Alina once as they stood in the dim private room, his shoulders slumping more and more as his outlook grew dimmer and dimmer. “You’re not pathetic, you’re strong and smart and drop dead beautiful inside and out. Even now you’re putting your people and your family ahead of yourself and while it’s not currently working in my favor I find it to be one of your most amazing traits. You are so far from pathetic, trust me. I know pathetic and it’s people like my father who want to use their power to keep control, you want us to use our power to change things and you’re willing to sacrifice for it. You’re amazing.”


​

 

[ZombieBaee]

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

Lying here next to him had calmed all the storms that were coming and going in her mind for the last few hours. The torture of not being here and understanding why she shouldn’t be there… it was all wiped away once she saw he was okay, once he was touching her and she could hear his breathing, feel his chilled touch. “I can’t even begin to describe how happy I am to see you’re okay.” She was still so worked up about getting him hurt but his hand that now rested on her hip and the dreamy sound of his voice as he began to speak were doing wonders at making her feel at rest. Leo’s compliments and words made her shift uncomfortably, embarrassed by the attention despite being the twin who was normally very used to this sort of thing. But from Leo it felt so genuine and sweet that Veda rally didn’t know how to respond. At least until Leo said he loved her and a million little panic buttons went off in her head. It was so painfully wonderful to hear that she was moved to tears once again as she tried her best to wrap her head around all of this. Falling in love so swiftly felt absolutely insane, but life tended to be far more intense here than in the human realm. Her and Leo had already seemed to have gone through a hundred lifetimes of bullshit together in just a few months. Despite this it was still so hard for her to wrap her mind around this all being real.

“You don’t love me, you have Alina and a wedding and a lifetime of plans. You don’t know me- not really.” Only that all felt like a lie as the words slid from her lips, saying that he didn’t love her felt so stupid because it was so obvious that he did and that she loved him back. And while Leo might not know the trivial things like her favorite song or the types of books she liked, her knew her soul. Veda wanted to be with him, wanted to be able to love each other openly and proudly but it was just so scary to think that she might be hurting him in the long run. For her it all boiled down to the simple need to keep him safe and happy. “ I just feel like I’m ruining everything for you and I don’t want-“ Veda was cut short as a soft golden glow took root in Leo’s gaze, a circlet of sunlight shining through and down at her. Not a moment later did his eyes widen as Vedas own eyes presumably changed as well.

Mate. The word resounded through her body like it was ringing off every one of her senses, like it was calling her stupid for not realizing the possibility before, like her order was laughing at her for not noticing the different between how she connected with Leo versus others. Before her Leo was beaming brightly and clearly restraining himself in a way that made all piece of the icy confusion shrouding Veda chip away as a smile broke out across her face. “Of course someone has- well in part I suppose.” There was a comforting tightness that wrapped around her heart and suddenly she was being pulled towards Leo more than ever and Veda didn’t think she wanted to stop it, didn’t think she could stop it. “You’re my mate.” The statement came out as a nervous chuckle as the woman who had lived her entire life as a human struggled to wrap her head around this extremely fae concept. There were no words to try and describe her emotions so instead Veda broke the restraint that Leo had been trying to have himself, her head tilting so that her lips pressed against his in a soft embrace before pulling back once more. Oh stars, this was bad wasn’t it? “B-but what about Alina, what about your wedding?”




​

 

[ZombieBaee]

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

“Could you please drop the martyr act for a few minutes while I try and get this through your thick rock filled skull?” Just because she loved him didn’t mean she would baby him, Mari would always give it to him straight no matter what. It was part of what made them so compatible yet not at the same time. They were both brutally honest unless they were hiding something that was hidden for good reason. “They may not be physically bigger than you but we both know damn well that were are plenty of worse things out there. One type of them attacked us today. You think you’re so bad and cursed but you are always throwing yourself into danger for people, not just me. Those things don’t hesitate. They just kill. So don’t you dare keep lowering yourself as if you’re similar.”

Then Rune began to tell his story, the whole thing for once without feeling the need to omit any parts. Hearing about the way he was treated so young, about what happened to his parents and to his people was so sad that Mari felt herself instinctively reach forward and place her hand gently against his. However she was swiftly reminded of their status as star crossed and the ground below them began to shake dangerously until Mari snatched her hand back with a hissed curse.”They won’t touch you Rune. You’re clearly something they want to keep on their side and if it ever became a possibility of them wanting to put you to death, I would stop it.” She said it as if there was no wiggle room for any other possibility, it was either the kings stayed in their lane and understood that he had shown his order for the good of the citadel or they would be forced to come to that realization. Mari was good at getting what she wanted and the head asshole of the asshole committee was set to be her father in law that tended to respect her demands. Worst come to worst, Mari would reveal that Rune was her mate and that killing him would likely cause her so much harm that she wouldn’t be too far after him. Even star crossed mates were connected in some way, one or the other dying was bound to be torture for whoever was left behind.

“You say that you’d do it again to keep me alive Rune but will you please understand that part of keeping me alive is keeping you alive as well? If you died protecting me do you think I could handle that?” Mari stared at him incredulously, her heart pounding in her chest as she remembered feeling his soul slipping through her fingers just hours ago. “It would ruin me. It’s a wonder that I can go on surviving being like this with you, not being able to touch you, be with you, grow with you. Those things are hardly bearable enough, I couldn’t endure you dying. So don’t.” Mari spoke it like it was a demand, as if it was something he could control himself. The urge to reach out to him hit her again and she wrapped her hands tightly around the arms of her chair to keep herself from moving.
​

 

[EclipseRosee]

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

On again Matteo had to go and create an awkward tension between the two of them, thankfully this time he didn’t fucking maul the poor woman like some sort of psychopath. However that only made it that much more shocking when Vesta was the one to initiate a kiss, her lips pressing to his in a tender manner that made Matteo instantly lean into it despite his surprise. Vesta however pulled away fairly quickly, leaving him in a state of dazed shock that made it harder to interpret her words.

Oh. Right. That made sense.

Matteo cleared his throat sheepishly and prepared to turn down the offer but one quick glance at her lips was enough to erase all self control that he had. “I do.” His voice was strained now, the inside of his lip beginning to bleed slightly as he tried his best to act like a gentleman. His hands moved to glide across her waist, gently pulling her against him before tilting his chin to press his lips against her once more. This time it was between their two prior encounters, not as wild as back at Ignis but not as mild as when Vesta had just kissed him. It was intensely bittersweet to be with her like this, it felt so amazing to be with her but at the same time Matteo was ashamed of his inability to be honest with her about his feelings. He was falling for her, head over heels, yet he didn’t feel adequate enough for a woman of her standing, of her greatness in general. Vesta wasn’t just a princess, she was also the most amazing woman he had ever had the honor of meeting. She was fiercely protective and despite her rough edges only wanted the best for people. Matteo was just some poor sack of wasted time and energy, doomed to forever be someone’s assistant or slave. He couldn’t be honest with her because a relationship with him would be dragging her down.​

 

[Colt Voltage]

Leo Thorn
𓆩✧♛✧𓆪
26.Leo.Vampire.Fire

Yeah, Leo still had a lot to learn about Veda. Her favorite color, her favorite song, whether she preferred heels or flats (he was pretty sure it was the latter), but they were fae. They had eternity to grow with each other and learn everything about one another. He could see her though, he could see her heart, her nature, values; he loved everything about her. The mating bond just confirmed that the two of them were meant for each other and he wasn't going to be an idiot like some people were and deny the bond. And the fact that she was kissing him and accepting the bond as well? His heart was soaring. Nothing could get him down.

His large hand slid down to her hip to pull her close to him and the other propped him up so he was partially off of the bed. A bright grin was on his lips as he memorized every detail of his beautiful mates face, not even seemingly rattled by the question she posed. "I'll look out for Alina somehow just not by marrying her. I'll figure how to get out of this, don't you worry. It'll be you and me for all of eternity babe. Now, less talking about politics and more kissing. Maybe I'm part Incubus because I'm feeling a hell of a lot better." And with a tilt of his head he was pressing his lips to hers in a more greedy, passionate manner.

---


"Welcome to my wing of Ignis. Everyone make yourself comfortable." Leo gave everyone a bright smile as he walked into the double doors that led away from the rest of the castle and straight into his. Well, the wing he was to share with his wife. The large room that was lit by a fire in the middle of the room and several fires that surrounded the room, large plants and greenery covering the walls and pillars that circled the entryway. There were double doors that led out to a large infinity pool that looked over the ocean, and a staircase to the side that led to a balcony to get a better view of the gorgeous view.

"Rooms are down this hall, there are enough for each of you. Veda since I'm now your official guard dog I'd appreciate it if you bunked next to me... or with me, should you get lonely." Leo turned and shot a wink straight towards his mate with a bright grin plastered on his face. Alina had found out last night about their mating bond and asked about canceling the wedding. No, no, they couldn't just cancel. His dad would be pissed, her mother would literally kill her or force her to marry Aqua, nothing would've turned out right for either of them. He had to make it a grand display that Alina wasn't at fault, it was his fault for finding his mate. He still held onto the duty of protecting Alina but he'd find her a proper husband... hopefully. Never the less, he was getting out of this marriage because it wasn't fair for Veda to be sidelined.

"Now the chefs are preparing us a welcome home feast but it's not ready yet. So I vote we go for a swim, let your fins out, and have a few drinks. I had them pull out several vintage wines for us to drink and they'll serve us poolside. Swimsuits have been provided, no need to thank me, And, uh, yeah. That's it. Veda, darling, this way." The tall vampire plucked her suitcase up in his hand along with his before turning towards the door, freezing for a second to let out a pained groan. The wound in his stomach had healed some but not all the way yet. Like the true stubborn ass he was he kept busting it open and needing more blood from the healers since he refused to bite Veda while he was in such a state. If he bit anyone right now he'd drain them on accident, there was no way he'd risk hurting her.

So instead of letting her see his wince he passed it off as a cough into his arm. "Right! This way m'lady." With that said he marched down the seemingly never ending hallway filled with rooms. At the end of the hall was the master room so he stopped at the room to the right of it. "This'll be your room. Unless you'd like to join me in the masters room. Offers always open." He leaned against the doorway trying to act all suave and smooth, shifting carefully as to not hurt his stomach.

​

 

[Pax Pardus Hale]

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

For someone who had swore off men she sure was doing a lot of kissing lately. Each kiss caused fire to spread over her entire body, sparks flew and fireworks were shooting off in her head. One of Vesta's hands slid to the side of his cheek to gently hold him there, partially terrified that he'd pull away again and reject her like last time. She didn't know if her heart could handle that pain again. Thankfully Matteo was pulling her closer and kissing her back this time and she felt like her heart would burst. Her free hand slid up his chest so her arm could slip around his neck and pull him closer so that their was little space between them. The entire world was drowned out and she didn't even care about the cyclone of wind threatening to blow down the shack.

However as the wind died down Vesta pried her lips off of Matteo's as she completely forgotten to breath during their kiss. Her forehead pressed to his as she quietly caught her breath and tried to calm her racing heart. They could leave now and go to the healers, but Matteo didn't need a healer to heal. Vesta needed fire, and Matteo needed... well, either Vesta or another woman. "Can we stay for a little while more?"

--

One thing led to another and the treehouse ended up being the best night of her life. It also made things all the more confusing. The two of them ended up falling asleep in each others arms and waking up to the morning sun peeking in the small east facing window. They didn't talk about anything, didn't ask questions, they didn't define what they were at all. Vesta assumed it was because they were, well, nothing more than the friends they were yesterday. He had said it was normal for the fae back when she kissed him the first time so she just assumed that this was something he did with every woman. He had made her feel so special though, like she was the only woman to have ever mattered to him and she didn't want it to end.

They made the trek back to the citadel to find that Leo, Rune, Marigold, and Veda were all wounded. Vesta ran into Mari before she did her sister and made sure she was okay, but when she did find Veda she also found that she had a golden ring around her eyes. It made her both elated, pissy, and heartbroken. Veda found her mate and she was so happy for her, unfortunately it was Leo. Even more unfortunate news? That meant that her and Matteo weren't mates. They spent almost every hour together and if they were mates surely it would've clicked by now... right?

So while she took Veda to be her new roommate while Aqua rebuilt she got caught up in a self-induced depression. Thankfully Aiden was happy to see her, tending to her injured arm, and excited for the wedding they were attending together. Another pain to her heart-- Matteo never asked her to go with him, nor did he ask who she was going with. So Vesta tried her best to act like she was excited about going to the wedding with Aiden.

"Is swimming optional?" Vesta gave a small groan at the peppiness in Leo's voice. The woman was back to her usual cranky attitude as she rolled in her black suitcase, her bright green eyes looking around the obnoxiously huge room. She hadn't said much to Matteo since Rune had assigned Matteo and Leo to watch over the girls. The small woman was all caught up in her feels about this whole mate situation, even more so that he never asked her to the stupid ass wedding. If anyone would look out for her this weekend it'd be Aiden. Besides, she was a fucking phoenix and could look out for herself.




​

 

[Pax Pardus Hale]

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


Alina wanted to believe him, wanted to believe that she wasn't this pathetic girl that was crippling the ones she loved most. The shadows swirling around in her radiant blue iris shrouded her from the truth. Alina used to be so confident in who she was. From her lineage, to her order, to her terrifyingly impressive magic she had so much to be proud of. Her whole life she would've killed to hear Cypres confess his love for her, but now she just felt it cause her broken heart to shatter anymore. His only option for them being together was him fighting his father. No, not on her life would she let him fight that man. With how much he already abused his so there was no doubt in her mind that he'd kill Cypres. The kingdom needed him and she wouldn't let him throw his life and his future away for her.

"I love you." Alina stepped closer to him and she felt tears burn in her eyes. Soft, delicate hands lifted to smooth out his wrinkled shirt before sliding up to those slumped shoulders of his. Her arms slipped around his shoulders, giving him what would most likely be their last embrace ever since she knew exactly what she had to do to fix the mess she had made. "I love you so much that I refuse to ruin your life. You're not fighting your father, you'll marry Mari, and you'll make the most perfect king and queen." Maybe in the next life they could be together, but it wasn't going to be in this one. "And as for me... we'll see how the next few days play out."

---

Alina left Cypres broken hearted but solidified in her resolve that she had to get out of the picture. Later when Leo joined her back in the room in Ignis she found out about him and Veda and she was genuinely happy for them. Alina had always dreamed of finding her mate and it happened for two of the people she cared about the most. She hoped that he would call the wedding off so maybe she could not off herself and instead run away, but he still insisted that they go on as planned. Something about it was better this way, how things would be fine and how she shouldn't worry about things. Like usual he dismissed her and her worries and left it at that.

And so she packed her bags and traveled with the crew to the castle that she called her home. It wasn't a long ride, two hours by carriage, but by the time they all got there it was dark out. The castle was bustling with making the wedding the most grand event of the year, to try and distract everyone from the attack last night and all the tragedy that took place in the citadel. Thankfully their wing in Ignis was as calm as ever, her home away from home despite it being still in the castle. The east half of the castle belonged to Ignis, south to aqua, north for aether, and east for terra. Honestly, if you didn't grow up in the castle it was impossible to navigate.

"Take it easy Leo or you'll rip open your wounds." Alina let out a small growl as she shot a warning glare at her fiance. Most of her room was already packed with clothes and her dress so she didn't need to bring much. The only thing of importance she brought in the blue bag over her shoulder was a vial of condensed phoenix fire her dad had stored in his old study back at the citadel, the only thing that could kill a dragon besides ash arrows. It was her way out of all of this mess and freeing everyone.

Those shadowy eyes of hers landed on Cypres and she felt her mouth instantly go dry. He was staying here in Ignis with Mari instead of going to Terra, and truth be told it was making her whole plan a lot harder. "I'll go, but I'm only going for the wine." with a heavy sigh she turned on her heels and headed through the double doors and towards her room.

​

 

[Sir Damien]

Rune Finch
⋆༺𓆩

𓆪༻⋆
27.Scorpio.Basalisk.Shadows&Earth

"..Fine. I'll promise to try and be more cautious when I jump into danger. So long as you can promise to listen when I give an order." His brows furrowed and he groaned as he pushed himself to a seated position at the side of the bed, his feet landing on the ground with a small smack, a pained growl rumbling his chest. It didn't just hurt, he couldn't feel anything. It was unlike any wound he had ever sustained before and he hated that Marigold was there to see him in such a pathetic state. It was easy for him to act so cocky because he didn't feel Mari's soul slipping away, that was a feeling he never wanted to experience. But as he recognized that, he also recognized that he never wanted to put her through that situation again.

"I know that we can't be together, but I won't put you through the pain of losing me again. I can promise you that." Rune offered her a small smile as he tried to comfort her, his pained eyes swarming with shadows as he gazed at her. The pain of not being able to hug her, to kiss her and comfort her, that was healing him more than the searing, stabbing pain in his lower spine. "Someone has to keep you safe from the consequences of your own actions. I have my hands full with that job alone." With a small chuckle he ripped off the cuff and monitors before ripping out the IV from his arm. "Now help me stand. I want out of this damned bed."

-----------

The citadel was a complete mess, one that obviously the kings had assigned him to take care of. Not one of them seemed to notice or care about his order being exposed; he supposed so long as his shadows remained a secret he'd be fine. So despite the fact that he should be resting he oversaw the cleanup and reconstruction of Aqua, though now he had to walk with the assistance of a cane. He had given Leo the order to protect Veda since he was her mate, and Matteo was to guard over Vesta. Should a wraith get either girl they'd obtain all the elements and that was something the Kings didn't want to happen, hence the body guard assignments. And unfortunately the next few days would be spent attending a wedding so he'd be forced to relax and get off his weak leg.

"Cyrpres." The entire carriage ride over Rune could feel shadows lingering, ones that didn't belong to him. He had observed everyone for as long as he could without making it obvious, had his own shadows scope outside of the carriage to ensure they weren't followed, but he wasn't able to pinpoint the location until they entered the castle. Alina had disperse that shadow cannon and had been engulfed by them before she fell out of the sky. He anticipated that the shadows dispersed, but from the darkened aura around Alina he knew for certain something was wrong with her. Hence why he was motioning Cy to meet him towards a pillar so the two could have a private conversation.

Rune stepped much slower than normal with his limp and his hand used a black wood can with emeralds melted into the cracks and crevices of the wood each time he stepped. While he was manage to stand and walk it wasn't well. The healers said they didn't know how he lived through such an accident and that healing would take longer than normal, so while he was thankful he could walk he cursed it all at the same time. His left leg felt like it would give out whenever he walked. Thankfully it felt better when he used the cane, but he hated having Mari see him so fucking weak.

"Have you seen any shadows in Alina's eyes?" The words were a harsh whisper towards the Terra heir as his gaze narrowed at him. "Having someone infected walking about would only spell danger for everyone. You need to turn her in for observation." Though most people that went in for shadow observation didn't make it out. The odds wouldn't be in Alina's favor to walk out alive, but Cypres was an heir. He had to do what was best for the people. "If you don't turn her in then I will." His tone was cold and detached like Alina wasn't an integral part of the group, like she wasn't the love of Cy's life.


​

 

[ZombieBaee]

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

It was so terribly confusing to be this enamored with a man who was still set to wed a woman that she had such high respect for. But despite how guilty Veda felt, it didn’t overshadow how deeply happy she was to learn that Leo was her mate. Mates were a very new thing to her obviously but some innate sense within her just knew how special this was and seeing how happy it made Leo was just further confirmation. Hell, Veda didn’t have to see his smile, she could feel it down to her bones, the combination of her siren powers and her new secured bond making everything between them feel like pure sunlight. It felt so insane to find someone who lit that in her, someone who took all of her shadowy corners and lit them up and loved her for who she was despite her downfalls. Someone who she did the same for. Someone who really truly completed her. “Leo!” Veda scolded him as he moved to sit up more, her eyes instantly darting to the bandage on his stomach out of fear of it reopening but no blood seemed to seep through. His hand on her hip however halted any further scolding and his words only made a slight blush creep over her cheeks. Veda couldn’t help the little giggle that escaped her lips as his lips pressed to hers and instantly wiped away all of the pain and fear she had been feeling, replacing it with true golden joy.

-

Veda hadn’t been entirely sure that she wanted to instantly tell anyone about their bond, actually she wanted to tell the entire world but felt so guilty about fucking up a literal marriage that she was scared to death of telling Alina. It also killed her that she couldn’t run and talk to her sister, she couldn’t because she knew Vesta wouldn’t understand… Vesta hated Leo ever since the first trial and Veda understood that, she had hated him too until she discovered how much more he was. That he wasn’t hateful or evil, he was scared and radicalized from the war. Leo was probably softer than any of the others which only meant his shell of toughness and charm were so much thicker. But Veda was so thankful that she got to know what was beyond that mask and she only wished her sister would accept that Veda loved him so deeply and would trust that she was making the right choice. Thankfully Alina seemed to be accepting, even happy for them despite the position it left her in, she had even suggested they call off the wedding that Veda maintained in support of. Leo disagreed of course, saying he had some plan but Veda tried to get him to realize that she would be okay if he had to go through with his engagement… it would kill her a little inside but she would know it was all political and would still stay by his side albeit in the shadows.

“Woah.” Veda stammered as she took in the beauty all around her, ever since she had come to this world she was constantly in awe of how gorgeous everything was but this place was a new level. Her newly golden eyes danced around the room, taking it all in before her eyes finally landed on Leo, a small smile spreading over her full lips. He stood in the center, surrounded by an ethereal glow that seemed to amplify his presence and she could literally see his newfound happiness. “Idiot.” Veda chuckled as he brought up the rooms, her eyes rolling in a loving way before she glanced back towards the pool once more at the mention of a swim. Before Veda could truly answer, Leo was plucking her suitcase from her hand and making his way towards the directions of the rooms.

Alina spoke first at the wince and Veda instantly darted to his side despite his attempt to wave it off and carry on. His cough didn’t fool her, the bond between them even seemed to roll its non existent eyes at his feeble attempt. “Leo…” She sighed softly as he pulled her on towards the room, clearly not wanting to make any mention of his injury. Ever since he had gotten hurt a second time protecting him, Veda put all her free time into studying healing magic… she might not be good at it yet but she was determined. If Leo wasn’t going to stop putting himself in danger, then she would find a way to help by his side. “Maybe we should utilize other rooms, you need a full bed to yourself to spread out and rest. You know, because you’re still injured.” Her hand very softly pressed against his bandages under his shirt, a very soft light beginning to glow as she soothed some of the pain which was all she could really do yet with her powers. “The last thing we need is you bleeding through your tux tomorrow. Now go get dressed so we can go relax at that beautiful pool you showed me.”




​

 

[ZombieBaee]

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

“I promise to try.” Mari said with a soft growl to her voice, the arms that were crossed over her chest in annoyance finally dropped to her side as her defenses came down. Her eyes slid over the features of his face slowly, taking in everything with a sad smile… Rune was the strongest person she could find yet it seemed all she was doing was making him miserable and that realization was like a dagger to her chest. They had thought denying their bond would be the best for the both of them but now more than ever she realized how wrong they had been, that just because they walked away didn’t mean they would be able to stay apart, it didn’t stop her need to be with him, to make him happy and ensure his safety… it only punished her for trying to do those things. “I’ll try to listen, I’ll try to stay safe, I’ll try.” Her first statement had been one of simple disobedience but now Mari truly meant it, she would try her best to stop making things harder for him.

“You overgrown child!” Mari suddenly groaned as she watched him rip at his IV once more, preparing to strangle him or help him stand… she wasn’t sure which yet.

-

Well this sure was set to be a wedding for the papers! The event of the year, the first wedding of the heirs set to marry a noble daughter of one of the strongest dragon bloodlines there was… only for that same heir to have found his mate a few nights prior and nearly have died protecting her. Oh! And don’t forget that the bride is helplessly in love with a different heir who is engaged to a woman from a staunch wolf family, again not just any woman… a woman who was starcrossed from her mate who just HAPPENED to be a shadow using basilisk with 6 years of age on her. Mari should be writing a fucking screenplay. Not attending this wedding.

“Veda if you think this is pretty, wait until you see the wing for when Aqua nobles are here, it’s insane. You’d love it you weird little fish girl you.” Mari spoke without even looking at the twin, her arm instead looping through her sisters and pulling her in close to whisper in her ear. “You hear that my little protege, rooms for everyone which means you and Matteo can get it on again since you won’t have your sister across the room.” She hissed a laugh at Vesta, waggling her eyebrows and giving her arm a joking squeeze before letting the girl go. After the attack Vesta had come to check on Mari and despite being touched that Vesta had thought of her… all she could do was lose her shit and instantly call out the woman for her behavior with Matteo. Mari had always been a gossip and she was SO excited to listen to all of the drama and hear about what had happened… without much detail.

The woman began turning around to take in the area. As she looked her eyes fell on her fiancé and her mate whispering back near the entrance. “Secrets don’t make friends boys.” Her voice was a playful taunt but her intense gaze made it clear that she wanted to know exactly what that conversation was as about at a later time, because right now she had other games to play. Her gaze carried on and eventually fell on Matteo, a sly grin spreading over her features as the wheels began to turn in her mind. “Matteo, be a dear and take my and Vestas bags to two rooms next to each other please? Seems our fiery little phoenix friend needs some pep in her step prior to joining everyone poolside. Be a dear yeah? Take care of these so I can handle that? Poor dear seems to have some boy problems as of late. Probably sad Aiden couldn’t join until tomorrow.”

Without waiting for Matteo to respond, Mari plucked the woman’s hand into her own and pulled her off in the direction of the rooms, tossing a glance back to Matteo, “We will take the two on the end here, we will be changing in one so put them outside in the hall.” Could the girls have carried their bags, yes. Did she want to make Matteo grovel. Yes. The two into a room and Mari quickly shut the door before turning to Vesta with judgement in her eyes, “Now how in the hell am I supposed to wing woman for you when you’re acting so miserable? Stars Vee.” She gently slid past her friend and moved to the large chest of drawers at the foot of the bed and began looking for the swimsuits Leo mentioned. “Oh these will be perfect for you, typical Ignis having to make everything fucking red for some reason. Not a single one of these isn’t some shade of fucking red. Ugh, so loud. No offense.” She pulled one out and held it up in the air in front of Vestas frame, debating for a moment before tossing it at the woman. “Wear that, and put your hair up. Men go feral for a good hair flip. What are you waiting for? Chop chop!” She turned back to find a suit for herself, finding one that would be the least offensive against her olive skin and moving to the privacy screen to get dressed.
​

 

[KAYDEN]

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



Alina said that she loved him. That one tiny statement was enough to completely destroy Cy because he had known by the tone in her voice that she had no intention of being with him… she was in love with him but she wouldn’t be with him. She was so strong willed and selfless that she was refusing to take the leap and face the danger that leaving their current marriages would result in. It was also then that Cy realized that pushing her like this was breaking her, that constantly tempting and taunting were frustrating her to no end and he realized that he needed to respect her feelings. “Alina, I love you too much to let you be miserable. So I’ll cool off for now but I promise you if we can find a way for this to not be a disaster, we will be together.”

—

There was no way in hell that this wedding would be happening, Cy had already been racking his brain for any reason for it to be called off but now that Leo had found his mate in one of the twins of all people? All bets would be off. At least that was what Cy had assumed, he couldn’t believe that Alina’s mother would allow her daughter to marry a man who openly didn’t love her…. Although it was actually quite believable that she would. It was clear Alina was unbothered by it, she even seemed to be happy for them in a way, so that meant all his trust and patience had to go to Leo. Great.

“I believe the word you were looking for is garish.” Cy snorted as they walked into the open entrance, glancing around the mildly familiar Ignis wing before suddenly being stopped in his tracks as the others carried on towards the other end of the large corridor. The two were hidden partially behind a pillar, though not completely it would be enough to avoid any lip reading. Rune wasn’t an idiot, he had positioned themselves like this on purpose and that only made Cypres worry even more than this moron was pulling him back for a private conversation. There were possibly a million things that Cy would have assumed that Rune would like to talk to him about before Alina, especially when they both knew that the fucker was walking with a cane and Cy could sweep his leg at any moment. “Excuse me?” His voice was a low growl deep in his throat as he responded to what felt akin to a threat from Rune.

Of course Cy had noticed something off with Alina recently and during the conversation after the battle he had sworn he had seen a darkness swimming in her eyes. But turning her in would basically be a death sentence or a one way ticket to the shadow realm, though the last he knew they weren’t able to open the portal so any lingering shadow users were simply imprisoned or put to death… Rune excluded apparently. “You don’t think this sounds a wee bit hypocritical no?” Across the way he heard Mari’s voice ring out and he didn’t even glance in her direction, instead it only gave him inspiration as his eyes narrowed on Rune. “If something is going on with Alina, you will help me help her. You will not turn her in because if you do, I will tell Mari’s father and all of her brothers about her infidelity with you. If that isn’t enough to make them exile her from their pack, I will report her to the rest of the council for murder attempt on the twins. Behind closed doors they may want that but when they’re confronted with it in public they’ll have to do something to her as a punishment. And that would be your fault.”





​

 

[EclipseRosee]

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

Despite his best judgement and the slight guilt that he felt, there was nothing that could have pulled Matteo away from
Vesta that night. Even if he hadn’t been injured and needed this so badly, Matteo still would have been far too attached to her to walk away a second time.
Their first kiss he had tried to have some sense of self and underhand his status versus hers but now there was nothing way that he would walk away again. The two of them spend their entire evening in the small shed despite the storm calming down with plenty of the for them to make it back to the citadel before curfew was enacted. It was a beauty and magical evening that Matteo was fairly sure he would dream about until the day he died, the two of them just felt so perfect sometimes that he had to wanted to ask her to be his, to ask her to go with him to this shit show of a mini trip and wedding but then he had remembered Aiden…. And backed off. Matteo wanted Vesta to want him, he wanted her happy and it seemed like she was getting there with that moron. So Matteo decided that so long as Aiden remained a gentleman and Vesta was happy, he would try his best not to cause any waves in her relationships.

-

“Me? What?” Matteo had completely zoned out for the trip and their first few minutes at the Ignis wing common area, trying to wake up from the nap he had taken on the way here. That and he was actively trying to keep things from getting awkward between Vesta and himself, she seemed to be upset with him about something against and honestly Matteo didn’t know what to do to fix it. He had never really had friends and especially not female friends that he was constantly blurring lines with and making things more complicated than ever. “Bags? O-okay.” Mari had barked some orders at him about getting bags for her and Vesta and then two two women were walking off without waiting and Matteo realized that everyone seemed to kind of be doing the same.

Matteo signed and grabbed both bags as well as his own before heading off towards their sleeping arrangements. He dropped off the suitcases at the door mat had indicated before heading to claim an empty room for his own. After getting dressed in a bathing suit, Matteo made his way out to the infinity pool and sat on the edge with his feet dangling in the water. ​

 

[Pax Pardus Hale]

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


Leo had advised Alina not to tell anyone about his and Veda's mate bond; not her mother or uncle, not his parents, he said the wedding would proceed with as planned. It was the one and only out she could think of, the only way her and Cy could ever possibly be together, but now everything seemed more hopeless than ever. She quietly made her room next to Leo's only to see him shamelessly flirting with her and Veda simply healing him through her shirt. It was a notion that made her heart ache something miserably. She was so happy for Veda, truly she was, but she wished Leo would break off the marriage and free Alina. That way even if Cy kept her a secret, well, she'd at least be in his life.

Alina stepped into her room and proceeded to place her bag down on the large red clad bed, retrieving her suit from the bag before turning back towards the door. "Leo you hound, quit overwhelming your mate. Shoo." A sphere of water shot at his head and just barely missed, hitting the wall right next to him so she could get her point across. "Come on Veda. Vampires have little self control. You're going to need to douse him to calm him down." Alina linked her arm with the siren's and escorted her inside the room, slamming it shut behind them to tell Leo to fuck off.

"I'm sorry about this." While Alina didn't elaborate on what 'this' was she meant everything; the wedding, the awkward engagement Leo still insisted on, just everything. "It'll all work out though. Leo and I both know that we don't want to be married to one another. So just, hang in there with us while we figure it out." Or until Alina took herself out of the equation. With her suit in hand she moved behind the privacy screen to change into the shiny suit. The slit in the skirt revealed the purple scales on her thighs, the matching scales on the side of her upper arms also able to be seen now.

While Veda took her turn to dress Alina fashioned her long platinum locks into a high ponytail. "That suit looks great on you. We can get the tailor to make you your own wardrobe while we're here if you'd like. Here, let me do your hair." With a sweet mile Alina moved behind Veda and her fingers quickly worked those dark locks of hers into a French braid. "Perfect. Ready?" Once both of them were ready she headed out and back down the hall, her bright blues landing on Cy and Rune near the pillar. She could feel the tension all the way across the room. "Will you two be joining us in the pool or gossiping all night?" Her head tilted curiously as she approached the pair, her hand gently touching the small of Cy's back to try and comfort him a bit. "If I have to suffer through this so do you two. Now go get changed so we can have a couple drinks."

Speaking of drinks. A waiter came from the kitchenette area with a tray of wine glasses and the small dragon plucked two of them. "Here Veda I got you a drink. Let's go." And out to the infinity pool they went. "How's the water Matteo?" The blonde woman took a seat in one of the pool chairs before she took a long sip of the red liquid.​

 

[Pax Pardus Hale]

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

"How can you be a wing woman if you don't have wings?" Vesta blinked widely at Mari as she tossed her the prettiest swim suit she had ever seen. It was almost the most revealing. Not that Vesta swam often, at least not voluntarily, but she usually wore a plain black one piece. God, the fae really had no shame did they? "O-Oh, yeah. Chop chop." Vesta quickly changed into her suit before tossing those copper locks of hers into a messy ponytail. "I don't think it's as big of a deal as you're making it. Matteo just needed to recharge. I doubt it'll happen again." Even just talking about it had her entire face a deep shade of crimson, her fingers awkwardly playing with the ends of her hair as she waited for Mari to get ready. It wasn't a big deal for Matteo since he was used to it but it was huge one for Vesta.

"Come on. If I have to suffer through Leo and Veda shamelessly drooling over each other then so do you." Dammit, there she went again sounding resentful. She was trying to be happy for her sister, she really was! With a small sigh the two of them made their way out to the infinity pool and her eyes instantly landed on Matteo. Her throat went dry and her hand grabbed two glasses from the nearby waiter.


"Matteo, um-" Vesta felt her words fail her as she tried to summon the courage to talk to him. She sat by him on the edge of the pool and handed him the second glass before awkwardly twirling hers between her fingers, her feet slipping into the warm water before swaying back and forth. It wasn't often she had a difficulty time finding words but, dammit she was terrified of him rejecting her.

With an encouraging breath and a sudden burst of confidence she flipped her hair and looked over at him. "I'll be sitting with the Aether heir tomorrow since Aiden's his best friend and I was wondering if you'd come with me. I wanted to go to the wedding with you but Aiden said that you had your own date and you'd be busy, but she could come sit with us. I'd just feel better if you were there with me." Vesta would've felt better attending this stupid wedding with him but she would've settled for just being near him.

"Or- y'know what, never mind. I'll be fine." Idiot. She was a fucking awkward idiot. Her golden flecked eyes looked down at the glass of wine in hand and she quickly took a long drink to try and drown out the self doubt in her head. Before she knew it she had downed the entire glass and she pulled away from the glass to take a deep breath. Her cheeks heated the effects of the alcohol immediately hit her. Was fae wine stronger than human wine?

"Veda have you tried the wine yet?" Glazed over eyes looked over to her sister as her thin, small frame started to sway from the intoxication.

​