Fandom The Dragon Prince: Deep Trouble [Closed]

[cleopat]

Aaravos found that he missed the warmth Lethe’s body provided when she was hovering behind him. She only moved around the desk in front of him, which actually provided him with a view of her. A fair trade for that warmth.

“No, I imagine it’s not something you think about often, as you simply consider it a part of you now.” Like any of them attuned to their arcanum did. But to learn more magic, to learn about the other arcanum, it was something one had to focus more on. He hummed as he listened to Lethe explain the sky arcanum to him, smiling faintly at how she described it.

Boundless. Freedom. Like one was always flying.

“Yes, like me and the stars,” he confirmed with a nod. “It’s hard to explain the star arcanum, though I suppose the same could be said of how you just explained the sky arcanum,” he chuckled. “It…can be overwhelming sometimes. Like I can see everything at once. And sometimes I can feel time ticking on, and see the faces of those I know age in an instant.” Such was the burden of the Startouch elves. To witness everyone around them live and die.

“And sometimes it feels like I can see into other lands. It’s like…omniscience.” He shook his head. “Connecting to the star arcanum means connecting to the cosmos itself, and all that it entails, such as time and space.”

~~~

Willow blinked as she processed his words. He…rejected her, which she hadn’t considered at all. And the reason he gave was sound, but it was also one she would be foolish to try if she valued her life.

As Finnegrin moved away, Willow stood there for another moment, before she turned back around, indecisive yet on what she wanted to do next. “If you’re afraid that I would bite your dick off, then you shouldn’t worry. Even I wouldn’t be so foolish as to do that when surrounded by open water.”

If he survived the amputation of his most prized member, then surely he would be the one to kill her, and if not, Deadwood certainly would. She knew her odds, and despite how she may sometimes act in her anger, she didn’t have a death wish.

But now with her night in the brig, and the unexpected rejection, Willow had one more question weighing on her mind. “Am I still to sleep in your quarters?”

 

[Lucyfer]

‘Similar?’ Lethe let her brows rise, wondering if that meant the star arcanum might be easier to learn than some others. She doubted the earth arcanum would be easy – she already preferred floating to walking, anything not to be touching the ground.

Of course, for him, it was omniscient, as hers was omnipresent.

And for him, it was near immortality. The stars were eternal, after all, ever-shining. Despite the consideration of it being terrible to have everyone die around you, Aaravos never seemed bothered by it. “So, there’s a lot to work on with that one,” Lethe noted, “but if it’s similar to the sky arcanum, maybe it’s the one I should try first.”

Which was insane – there was only one practitioner left among them. No one understood it, except him.

“Which was the hardest arcanum for you to pick up?” Maybe that would help her understand how it could be done. He had to struggle with one of them, right? ‘No.’ No! She was not going to let his status get the better of her – he still struggled with things! He had to!

~***~

Finnegrin chuckled as Willow protested not having his dick in her mouth, “Don’t worry, love, I’m sure I’ll come around again and you can suck all the cock you want,” he couldn’t help but tease, even if he was a bit, internally, flabbergasted that this was the direction she was trying to take it.

Yeah, no, he didn’t buy it for a damn second. Some people didn’t care about their own lives, so long as they could damage the one who hurt them. He would probably be one of those people if he was ever in that kind of situation, but blessedly he’d avoided those situations. It helped that he probably created them for others.

He’d learned to avoid them in that way.

“But yes, you still have space in my quarters,” and of course, he decided to add something she’d clearly not thought of when her anger took her, only to drive home how irrational she’d been, “there’s a couch there, I can have some blankets and pillows thrown on it for ye,” no, as soon as she’d heard his room, she didn’t even try negotiating.

Not that he would have been keen to it then, but she didn’t know that.

 

[cleopat]

Aaravos hummed his agreement that perhaps the star arcanum should be the first one Lethe should try. It may be the one most challenging to connect to, for those who weren’t born with it, but he had confidence that if she could attune to it, she could attune to any of them.

He smiled as she asked which arcanum was the hardest for him to pick up on. “I know many assume I picked up on all of them easily enough, but I actually did struggle with one when I was young and still learning. It was the ocean arcanum.”

The arcanum as turbulent as the oceans themselves.

“The stars told me of revelations and truths as I sought them. But the ocean? The oceans are tempestuous, and their dark depths hide their secrets. But eventually I was able to control the storm and uncover what they were hiding from me.” But he recalled struggling with it greatly in his youth.

Hopefully his young pupil took it to heart that everyone struggles, including himself, and that she shouldn’t discourage herself if it took her a while to grasp a new concept.

~~~

Willow could only roll her eyes at Finnegrin. If he did come back around again to the idea, she may finally have regained her common sense and refuse such a thing. Maybe by then, they would’ve gone back to Scumport, and she would’ve found somebody to satisfy her need for that physical affection.

She saw the couch, as mentioned, and her face remained neutral as her mind wanted to beat herself up over it. Of course there was a damn couch. But could any fault her for thinking the worst of the pirate? “Alright, thank you.” It pained her to give her gratitude, but now she knew better than to be on her best behavior.

And she still needed to leave the room before her emotions welled up and threatened to overflow.

“I’ll be back soon,” she said before turning back to the door and making her way out of his quarters. Once outside, she walked over to the rail and firmly clasped it in both hands, steadying herself as she breathed in deeply. In. Out. She allowed the sound of the waves lapping against the sides of the ship, much calmer than the night she fell overboard, to ease her nerves.

 

[Lucyfer]

Aaravos didn't hide behind perceptions of himself as all powerful and all knowing. He admitted to struggles, and in this case with the ocean arcanum, oddly enough one Lethe didn't think she'd struggle as much with, due to the way the ocean often interacted with the sky, creating terrible hurricanes together, and other phenomenon.

She didn't laugh or derride him for it, though, just hummed as she considered what it meant for the two arcanums, and what she could learn by understanding the differences.

"Mmm that makes sense. I'm sure I'll struggle with earth the most. I barely like standing on it anyways," a joke as much as a truth. She didn't even want to sit in a chair, terribly flighty, but some things were worth enduring.

Perhaps one day she'd appreciate it, when she understood it.

Not today though.

"How did you learn? I mean…it doesn't seem like it can just be as simple as understanding," maybe it was, "I understand how to make a cake but I'm still terrible at it."

~***~

Terry wasn't as anxious as Claudia was about the timing, but her nerves still wore at him. She kept thinking they should have been to the Sea by now, but he had to remind her that, really, neither of them knew how fast the boat moved, or how far they were. Maps only said so much.

He promised to grab some food for everyone, including Viren, even though Viren seemed fairly apathetic to the idea of eating when he noticed Willow leaning against the ship railing, hands clenched into tight fists.

So, of course, he approached.

"Hey there," he wrapped his own hands around the railing and leaned into it. "You need to eat? Cause I was just doing a food run. You could come help and then stay and eat a bit with us if your job is done."

He didn't know if she'd be up for it, or if she wanted to see a group. Maybe she wanted to see no one. Or maybe just a single entity.

"This boat travel is so different from what I'm used to," he added, just to fill the space, to take her out of wherever her head was, "I built a raft but we stayed along the shore. No kitchen on that boat!" He laughed a bit at the idea of a kitchen on a raft, wanting to highlight some of the good here, even if he'd gather this ship want all good.

Not everyone liked it.

 

[cleopat]

Aaravos chuckled with her analogy. “Well, very similar to making a cake, it takes a lot of practice to actually master how to do it.” One doesn’t just bake a perfect cake on their first try. It takes patience and practice, much like learning magic.

“And like with the practice of baking, I practiced the arcanum. Practiced connecting to it, practiced feeling it, practiced using it. And all of that started by reading into what the ocean arcanum feels like, and how one attunes to it.” Maybe not something Lethe would completely enjoy, but learning more of the other arcanums would involve reading about them.

He almost wanted to tease that there may even be a quiz on the subject.

“So, I guess you can say understanding is the first step in learning your next arcanum. After all, you don’t just read a recipe and know how to make something perfectly the first time.”

~~~

Willow was pulled out of her spiraling thoughts by the other earthblood elf. At first, she wanted to decline his offer to join him on a food run, but her growling stomach had other thoughts on the matter. And, as Terry kept talking, she couldn’t find it in her heart to turn him away. Not when she was just yearning for some kind of companionship.

She gave him a soft smile. “A kitchen on a raft? I would’ve been impressed if you managed to build that.” She then sighed and stepped away from the railing. “You know what? I could use some food. I haven’t eaten since breakfast.” Her mind had been elsewhere all day.

“So I’m curious about your group,” she started, leading them towards the kitchen. “What kind of story do you have to share to explain why you’re traveling with two humans and…Sir Sparklepuff?” Maybe that was the homunculus’ name.

“And I hope you don’t mind me asking, but since I’ve never known another elf and human relationship before, how did you two meet?” She could only imagine the stories Terry had to share regarding his group, his relationship with Claudia, the older man’s absent state, and…the strange creature.

 

[Lucyfer]

Lethe had no qualms with reading, and she'd read any book Aaravos assigned to her to study. She was as eager as any, and that didn't diminish with the suggestion of work. Of reading.

Not that she'd mind shortcuts, either.

"Point," she giggled as he allowed the cake metaphor to stand. Understanding wasn't everything, but how did one practice without the ability to cast magic? How did one feel it, for that matter? Perhaps diving into the ocean, or sitting besides a flame, but the moon?

The stars?

'Maybe qasar diamonds or….'

An amusing thought crossed her mind and she couldn't resist reaching up, and wrapping her fingers around one of his horns. "Ok. Feeling the arcanum. Got it." It was not what he meant but she figured it would get a laugh before he corrected her on how to actually go about it. "What's next?" Even as she asked, trying not to laugh, her grip was already loosening to let go.

~***~

"Maybe the next raft! I'll have more experience by then," Terry commented as Willow agreed to accompany him. He'd easily set a slower pace to allow some talking, as Willow did have some additional questions.

"Is it really that strange?" Of course it was, most elves abhorred dark magic. "I met Claudia while she was looking for ingredients to help her dad. He's been having a real go of it lately, but we have him stable now. I don't really know what's up with his state but…he'll get better. He's actually pretty nice, once you get through his shell. Very loving."

But it'd be a while before she saw that.

"I helped Claudia find what she needed and learned she was trying to help her dad so I just…continued to help…and then we kind of fell in love," he gave such a sheepish smile, but so warm. "I've never met anyone as brave as her before. I admire her."

That was obvious.

"Sir Sparklepuff was created by dark magic. I don't really know the whole story on him, but he's been very helpful! The goo he excretes makes an interesting slime that we used to make the map of where we need to go!"

Then, hesitantly, "Your parents…didn't stay together?"

 

[cleopat]

Lethe reached up to wrap her fingers around one of his horns, and Aaravos all but shuddered at the soft sensation. “Not quite what I meant,” he chuckled, reaching one hand up to gently grasp her wrist and move it away from his horn.

Not that he didn’t like the sensation, but that was why he had to move her fingers. He enjoyed it too much.

His fingers lingered around her wrist a few seconds longer, before he let go. “What’s next, is studying.” He pointed to the tome on the desk before him. “Learn everything you can about the arcanum.” Only then she would be able to continue on to attempt to attune to primal magic.

“Which arcanum was it you were wishing to study first? The stars, right?” It would be the easiest to teach, but probably the most difficult to master, given the scope and range the star arcanum had to offer. “Or maybe you were wishing to learn about the earth arcanum and learn to control the ground and the skies.” A bit of a tease, as he recalled how she didn’t really think she would do well with the earth arcanum.

Any of them, Aaravos felt like Lethe would do well.

~~~

Willow could only chuckle and agree at Terry’s enthusiasm over his next raft. How could she not? And upon his question over his and Claudia’s relationship, she added, “Well, elves and humans aren’t really known for liking each other, even after the border dissolved.” The prejudice will last for years to come, but it has already gotten better over the last two years.

She held onto hope it would improve even more.

Terry explained how they all came to be, and while it left more questions to be answered, she allowed his explanation to be enough for now. She didn’t quite need their entire story right then. There was time to learn more. But she smiled at how he described the two humans, especially Claudia, and the explanation of Sir Sparklepuff only caused her to raise a brow in curiosity.

But she didn’t ask questions about that particular situation right then. Instead, Terry asked one, of her parents, and Willow shrugged. “It’s…kind of complicated. My father was a sailor, and so he was never around much. I’d say every few months, he would come back to visit for a few weeks before he was off again. But then the visits became fewer and fewer, and when I was around ten, he never came back.”

 

[Lucyfer]

The butterflies sparked to life again with the touch, and the chuckle, even if both were wholly expected. Still, she enjoyed it – but Aaravos could probably read the literal dictionary and she’d enjoy it, so that wasn’t saying much.

Sadly, it did seem she had to get serious and actually read.

And if he read it she might not pay enough attention to what was actually being read. “All right, all right,” she picked the tome up and began to flip its pages back to the start. Even if she was supposed to focus on the Star, she suspected it would be good to read all of it, so she had an understanding of them all. It might help her to differentiate the Star from the others.

Definitely from the Sun, and the Sky.

She needed to know her own better to know what she was trying to add.

“And yes, I am going to focus on the Star arcanum first,” she said, “there’s enough other people around who know all the other arcanum, but there’s only you for the Star. It’s about time that changed,” as if that were a good enough reason.

No, she did suspect it would be difficult. Whether or not it’d be more difficult than earth was debatable, but she’d find that out later. “You can go be distracting elsewhere, I’ll have this read in a few hours,” assuming they didn’t close or kick her out. She doubted they’d let her take it out from the bookery.

~***~

“Oh,” Terry knew it couldn’t have ended well, but there was…mystery to this. “I’m sorry that you never got closure as to what happened with your father.” It was possible he died at sea. It was possible he fell out of love with her mother.

Then there were the thousand other things that could have happened in between all of that.

“Well, rest assured, there are some good relations between humans and elves now, and that should start to make things better for you, too!” Terry said, “Why, I know the Sunfire Queen is seeing a human woman!” he didn’t know how far that progressed, it was just snippets of things he heard while moving around, before Claudia.

A bit after Claudia, but he didn’t hear as much since they had to avoid others. “It’s a great step forward, really. I’m hopeful there’s a bright future ahead for humanity and elves alike. And some dragons,” he chuckled, and sighed.

Domina pressed on his mind.

Did she really deserve to die?

He was never really on the side of killing things in general, but for Viren…well, he’d killed for Claudia before. If it was for Viren…then it had to be done. "I'm sure they're not all...bad."

 

[cleopat]

Her logic for wanting to study the star arcanum first was sound. It had been a long time since someone other than himself knew of the arcanum, and it was time he taught someone the arcanum, to pass on his knowledge and teachings.

“Maybe one day you’ll know even more than me,” he said with a chuckle, both as a form of encouragement and a tease. Given his lifespan, they both knew that would be impossible, but he could still encourage her to learn as much as she could.

Maybe Lethe could surprise him.

“I didn’t know I was distracting.” Aaravos placed his hands on the desk and used them to help him push up from his seat. “I should ask what about me is so distracting, but I don’t want to distract you further from your studies.”

~~~

Willow gave Terry an appreciative smile, but happy to move on from the subject of her father. Sure, she would’ve liked a little closure, but she was also afraid of the answer. Afraid that he may still be alive, and just…fell out of love with the family he had.

“Really? The Sunfire queen and a human woman?” She raised a brow at that news. Indeed that the times seemed to be changing if an elven queen was actually in a relationship with a human.

Maybe there was hope for relationships between elves and humans.

But she felt some pity for Terry, as it was obvious he had no desire in killing Domina. Like many other elves, he saw no purpose in needless killing, but that is where he and Willow would differ. She wouldn’t mind seeing the end of the archdragons.

“Domina, like the other archdragons, hold too much power over, well, everything, and then there is their history with the human race.” She shrugged, leading Terry inside the eating area, “You can’t fault me for not really liking them.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Lethe would never pass Aaravos in the Star arcanum. Or any arcanum, for that matter. She had no idea how old he was, but she knew she’d only amount to a century, if she was lucky, so she chuckled along with his tease while shaking her head, and letting her eyes move over the words of that introductory chapter.

She hummed at his query and rolled her eyes up to him. “Do you usually read well with someone hanging around you, hm?” It was meant to imply anyone would be distracting if they were waiting in anticipation for the reading to be done.

No matter how they occupied themselves, whether with another book, or even a nap, the presence was just that: a distraction. A hastener, which wouldn’t let Lethe focus as well as she could.

She supposed there were probably some people out there who could read that way.

And she had other reasons to be distracted; how was she supposed to read and not be anxious about understanding it all when he was right there? He’d see the questions and confusion form on her face as she read!

How embarrassing that would be!

~***~

Terry did nod to confirm what he said of the Sunfire Queen and a human, as the scent of food reached him. Or, well, what passed for food. It wasn’t the best thing he’d ever had, but he could live off of it and that was what was important!

“No, no, I don’t fault you for disliking them,” Terry said, “Rex Igneous is a right pain! I’m just…not the first to go towards murder, you know? I don’t think it’s the best way to solve our problems, even where death was, um, caused in the past. I want us to do better, be better, but I’m not…naïve. I know, sometimes, that's not an option."

He’d killed.

He knew sometimes talking was impossible.

“Just a dreamer!” he grinned at that, because that was a nice, positive spin that Claudia put on his talents, sometimes. “And now to dream of balancing multiple bowls of food to take back!” he joked, though not really a joke, as he went to fetch the four bowls he’d need for himself and his companions, to fill up and take back.

 

[cleopat]

Again, Aaravos chuckled at Lethe, shaking his head in amusement. “No, I suppose I don’t.” Well, during his younger years, certainly, but age made one oblivious towards such distractions.

But he wouldn’t mind as beautiful a distraction as Lethe could be.

“I’ll be among the stacks,” he said, moving past Lethe. “Should you need me, that’s where you’ll find me.” As he passed Lethe, he allowed his fingers to gently brush against her arm, his skin tingling at the contact. Interesting.

“And if I don’t hear from you within the next few hours, I’ll just assume you lost yourself in the text, and I’ll come get you.” Aaravos smirked, and gave her a look before he disappeared around a corner and into the bookshelves of the library. Now was time for his own research.

~~~

Willow smiled at Terry, already deciding that she would protect the elf and make sure nothing happened to him while they were on Finnegrin’s ship. He knew what he wanted wasn’t possible all the time, but he still wished for the greater good.

Perhaps her life spent at Scumport jaded her towards others, but it was refreshing to see such a kind perspective, even if Willow may agree to it to an extent. Sometimes death shouldn’t be matched with death, but in the case of the archdragons, she would disagree.

“I think it’s nice to be a dreamer,” she said, smiling at him. “It’s nice to see the hope out there. And speaking of dreams, you don’t have to dream about balancing the bowls, because I’ll help you take them back.” She held out one hand for Terry to hand her one of the bowls, while she took one for herself.

“So where exactly are you from?” She put some of the unappetizing food into her bowl. It had protein, and it would fill her up, which was the important part. “I believe my mother told me she was originally from the northern part of the Uncharted Forest.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Within the observatory of the mind, Lethe could still feel that lingering touch as she forced herself to shut the book. She knew, of course, where it all went from that day. She knew where it went from everyday, in a way it was yet another nice curse of the star arcanum and this orderly mind.

She didn’t want to think of the good things and regret his imprisonment, though.

‘When did you fall, Aaravos?’ She shoved the book back onto the shelf. ‘When did I fall?’

She knew the answer was before she even attempted Dark Magic. She’d grown frustrated with the attempts to learn. Unicorns, quasar diamonds, learning all the constellations, and finding every startouched creature she could, had given her nothing, and then all of a sudden, Aditi was gone, and her friend asked her to find out – no, not find out, it seemed set in her friends mind already – to prove that Aaravos was behind it.

‘Dark magic was just the start.’ Learning it led to other revelations, because Aaravos thought he could trust her. He’d been an idiot to think that, but that was the memory she reached for, in the hopes it’d remind her why she was an idiot for trusting him, as well.

~

It had been years since Lethe first approached Aaravos about lessons in magic. Despite no discernable progress, the friendship had grown, so clearly to all that it sent Lethe on a mission to find proof of his crimes. She’d agreed – of course – because she wouldn’t find anything.

Aaravos was innocent.

But it left her frustrated alongside her failures as she arrived in the border town for another lesson. The cities further within the Human Kingdom were no longer as safe for Lethe, even if some people had learned that she and Aaravos were friends. Most weren’t aware, and they didn’t like the sight of a skywing elf as tensions between Xadia and the Human Kingdoms mounted, first with Luna’s death, and then Aditi’s disappearance.

It was a rainy evening, which only bothered Lethe because it meant the stars would be covered. The practice wouldn’t go well, and she’d keep failing to learn anything, but still, the Skywing elf dropped out of the sky with her new companion, the sunbird Arinna, she’d befriended in the hopes learning more of the sun would help her with the stars.

It did not – but she loved Arinna anyways.

Arinna expressed her distress with the weather as they landed on the hill just outside the town, “I know, I know, you can go find shelter,” she said, still holding up her makeshift umbrella of air over them, “I’ll whistle when I’m ready to go,” Arinna stepped out of the umbrella, shook off the rain that touched her plumage, before making a beeline for the trees that would somewhat protect her, leaving Lethe to chuckle a moment, before the day returned to pull her into a vice grip of frustration again.

She wrapped the translucent cloak tighter around herself as she walked into town, keeping the umbrella up and not bothering with the hood as she sought out the bookery. It was usually where she found Aaravos, after all, even if the study had long passed what books could offer.

~***~

“Ah! Thank you!” Terry let Willow take one of the bowls so it was easier for him to try and carry the remaining bowls. His grin was quite sincere as they both balanced their bowls, and scooped up some silverware before making their way out of the kitchen. “Oh, I’m also from there!” Terry said.

“I’d tell you where it was, but, well,” he chuckled, “that’s part of the secret. Sometimes though, I wonder if earthblood elves ever do get lost and unable to find their way back. Not that we ever had many who went missing unintentionally,” intentionally missing was another thing, like Terry. He knew how to get there. He just…didn’t.

“Have you ever visited?” He had a feeling the answer was ‘no’, so he added, “what brought your mom all the way out here, away from the others?” it must have been something, most didn’t strike out on their own.

Sometimes it was good!

It wasn’t always because people relentlessly mocked them and wouldn’t hear out their truth. That was just Terry’s luck – and even then, there had been some who helped and encouraged him. He missed those people, and did wish he knew a way to safely visit them, without enduring the hatred of the others back home.

 

[cleopat]

Every day he grew more desperate.

Every day he sought for more control.

Aaravos knew things were changing. He could feel it, sense it in the stars.

And his little pupil hadn’t picked up on the star arcanum yet, a fact which had frustrated them both. He knew it would be difficult, but had he overlooked the exact difficulty based on his warped sense of time? Did it take him longer to truly hone the primal source than he realized?

His little star, who hadn’t noticed his glances lasting longer than normal, who hadn’t noticed how he brushed against her arm or back to show her something up close. But Aaravos wouldn’t say anything about it. It was just their close relationship as pupil and teacher.

But in that close relationship, he began to wonder if he could trust her with the knowledge of dark magic, since her attempts to connect with the arcanum had failed. And tonight, he would try.

Aaravos waited in the bookery, like all the other times before. He was reading a book, like so many times before, when he heard her footsteps approach. The bookery was otherwise empty, which was the only reason he did not fear asking her, “Tell me, what do you know of dark magic?”

~~~

Willow and Terry now had a shared connection of having origins in the same location. Well, not really Willow, as she’d never been to the Uncharted Forest, but her mother and her mother’s family were from there! The connection was there.

“I like to think we’d be able to find our way back. We can sort of speak to the earth, right? Maybe we can just…ask it to guide us home.” Would it work for her, someone who had never even truly been home? She didn’t really have any desire to live in the Uncharted Forest, but it would be nice to visit sometime.

But now, she didn’t think she would ever get that chance again.

“But no, I haven’t visited before. And my mother…well, she never really explained it completely to me. She just mentioned being unsatisfied with her life there, and set off to find that something for her life. She came here, met my father soon after, and the rest was history.” And now Willow was stuck on a ruthless pirate’s ship, most likely until she died.

A little ball came rolling up to them, stopping at Willow’s feet. The ball straightened itself out to reveal Pucca, staring up at her. She looked down and smiled at the pichi, “Oh, there you are, Pucca. You seem to be enjoying yourself on this ship.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Lethe waved away the umbrella once she was inside, noticing it seemed to be barren of people. Perhaps it was the weather? Either way, it made it all the easier to see Aaravos. The stress of the day almost entirely melted away in that stolen look within the moment he didn't try see her.

Everything would be okay.

The rest of the world would fade away and she'd find nothing wrong with him.

So of course, a smile grew on her face as she approached, only to be startled by the question posed even before a greeting.

Her heart sunk in an instance, but that didn't show. Confused curiosity reflected instead, just as sincere as the gut punch she felt, but far more lingering.

Aaravos could simply be asking because he was also trying to figure things out, too. "Well I know it's basically human magic, since they haven't figured a way to connect to an arcanum," she took a seat, "and I know it changes them, like arcanums do for us, but…."

There she hesitated. Everything she heard was bad, but….

"I know it involves taking magic from living sources so many in Xadia consider it bad, but I don't really know much else," she was careful to say she didn't consider it bad, which wasn't wholly incorrect.

She could easily admit she didn't know it well enough to call it anything, other than something Xadia feared…but who didn't fear becoming an ingredient?

"Why?" She teased, "does some human need one of my horns for something? It'd have to be very important."

~***~

"That's what I always figured, too," Terry agreed, "though I've never gotten lost, so I've never had to try it," the theory was sound in his mind as they continued to where the room was. Her former room.

He hummed agreeably as she mentioned her mother just not getting on well back home. *I understand, the people there can be pretty stubborn and resistant to change. Not all of us, but those of us who like change tend to just…leave," rather than deal with it.

Maybe that was flawed.

Pucca rolled in front of them and Terry lit up at the sight of the pichi. "Hey there little fella! It is nice to see you…around…again," he grinned at his own words, "sorry I didn't grab you anything to eat, but you can come join us, too! Would you like that?"

He knew Claudia wouldn't mind and he was pretty sure Viren didn't. He wasn't sure about Sir Sparklepuff, though. He hoped that one wouldn't mind greatly.

At least he hadn't been yelling as much lately.

 

[cleopat]

Aaravos looked up at Lethe to see the confusion written on her face. “And don’t those who eat meat technically also take from a living source?” Which many elves certainly did. He believed the only aversion to dark magic was because humans were the ones using it. Humans, the designated lesser beings because they had no connection to any of the Primal sources.

At her question, he chuckled, and shook his head. “No, no, nothing like that, and as if I would let anyone harm you like that.” He would kill anyone who laid a hand on Lethe.

He had truly grown to care for her deeply. Maybe that was why he felt he could divulge into dark magic with her, and she wouldn’t betray him.

Looking back at this moment, Aaravos would realize he missed all the clear signs of this lie.

“Forgive me, I forgot my manners. It’s nice to see you today, my little star.” A nickname he gave her over time. She may not have connected with the star arcanum, but he still saw her as one. “I trust you had no difficulties getting here today?”

~~~

“My mother was definitely stubborn,” Willow laughed, knowing it was a trait she inherited, “But she was pretty open to change.” And maybe that was why she was open to leaving her home, when most earthbloods didn’t.

She wished she had asked her mother more about her home and life prior to leaving.

Pucca looked up at Terry and tilted its head. “Oh, she’ll definitely come join us if there’s food involved,” she chuckled. Upon reaching their temporary quarters, Willow’s old one, she took the lead and opened the door for them, as she was juggling fewer bowls than Terry.

“Hey!” she greeted Claudia, and maybe Viren. “Terry invited me to come eat dinner with you guys. Hope you don’t mind!” She didn’t even consider how Claudia would mind, but if Terry didn’t, then maybe she didn’t care either.

 

[Lucyfer]

Lethe pursed her lips together at the mention of eating meat. Aaravos wasn’t wrong, but she’d never thought of that before. That…did make sense, but it was always suggested that this was somehow worse. Not that she actually knew how. Was it simply because she could be an ingredient that it seemed worse? ‘The animals I eat probably think what I do is evil.’

However, she chuckled as he corrected his impoliteness, “It’s fine, Aaravos, and I’m…well, I’m not fine, but getting here was easy enough,” she let out a sigh and drooped in the chair, “Xadia’s in turmoil, and people are talking about war with, well, everyone,” she gestured out broadly, “Elves are blaming dragons for what happened to Aditi, and it’s…no one’s listening. It’s chaos. And to top it all off, it’s raining,” which, normally, she liked, and her pithy little chuckle, made light of that usual fact, “we can’t study the stars as planned, and I was looking forward to that distraction from all the chaos.” Sure, the stars were still there, but they were hidden.

She wouldn’t grasp much.

She didn’t feel them.

She wouldn’t sense them shining through the clouds.

“And I’m just not…getting it,” she admitted, “I’m starting to think maybe I should have started with the ocean, or something easier,” a light tease at how he’d claimed the ocean harder for himself, but then, it didn’t seem a total opposite to her. “So I’m just feeling a bit discouraged today, that’s all. But I know I have to keep trying!”

Even through that, she’d be – she’d feign – optimism.

“Sorry – I’m sure you’re aware of everything,” he always was, “it’s just weighing on me, and of course, no one cares what I have to say,” she wasn’t an archmage, she wasn’t a person of politics, she was just…Aaravos’s friend.

~***~

Terry smiled at the little description of Willow’s mother, not surprised. Even he was stubborn. He’d insisted forever on his identity and refused to accept otherwise, no matter how others pushed him. But his stubbornness was in accepting others for what they said, and what they did – not in what others tried to press onto them.

Within the quarters, Claudia turned from staring Viren, a bit startled at the sight of Willow, but it broke into a smile, “No, no, it’s fine!” Claudia said and walked over to Terry to take two of his three bowls, “Thank you, Terr-bear!” she kissed his cheek, and went to go back to the bed to try and get Viren to eat.

“Sir Sparklepuff, we brought you food, too!”

Sir Sparklepuff immediately hobbled over to Willow, recognizing her as the one with the extra bowl, and held up his too-long fingers for the food. However, when he saw the pichi there -- he hissed at it to make sure it didn't try to get his food.

"Sir! Sir no! That is a friend." Terry insisted.

Sir Sparklepuff looked at him and hissed again, "No, Sir. That is not how you get food. How do you get food?"

Sir Sparklepuff looked back up at Willow. "Blood of Child?"

Terry groaned, "No that's -- well it's better. Still, no idea why you keep saying that."

 

[cleopat]

Aaravos frowned a little as Lethe went on about what was bothering her. There was some guilt as he was the cause for some of her stress, but nothing in his expression hinted at that guilt. “I’m...sorry you seem to be having a rough time right now.” He truly was. “You know I always care for what you have to say.”

And he did. And he wanted to hurt everyone whom she tried to talk to and didn’t listen or care.

“But don’t worry, I know one day you’ll understand more than just the sky arcanum.” He offered an encouraging smile. “I just know it. You’re bright, Lethe, and I know you may not see it, but you’ve come far since our first lesson together.” Her own connection to the sky arcanum grew, and he could tell a breakthrough with another should come soon.

“But about dark magic, what is your opinion of those who use it? Do you think it should be bastardized the way elves and dragons have over the years, or do you think it can be useful for humans in those moments when they truly need a magical miracle?” Aaravos stood up and clasped his hands behind his back as he studied Lethe.

~~~

Willow looked a bit startled at Sir Sparklepuff and its…odd behavior. If that behavior was even odd for the creature. Pucca whimpered and cowered behind Willow’s legs at the hiss, and she reached down to pet Pucca. “It’s okay, he won’t hurt you.” She looked over at it. “I think.”

Sir Sparklepuff tilted its head, reaching out one hand. Willow gave it the other bowl she had, and it looked satisfied. It gave her a look before diving face-first into the bowl.

“Sir Sparklepuff is…interesting.” She moved over to a wall and sat down, resting against the wall. Pucca joined her at her side, looking at the bowl with great interest. She picked off a little with her fingers and fed it to the pichi, who consumed it.

“So, I know you’ve already told me a little of your story, but I know there just has to be more to it.” She glanced at everyone. “I mean, I grew up in Scumport, so I know when someone has an interesting story or not.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Lethe smiled at Aaravos’s concern, but still shook it off. It was just how things were. She was powerless to change it, except to confirm Aaravos’s innocence.

Which…was looking less innocent with his questions.

‘Magical curiosity. And I should be curious, too.’

Lethe was, even if she felt that knee-jerk reaction to deny curiosity. “Nothing’s ever black and white like that,” Lethe shook her head, though Aaravos’s phrasing clearly indicated what side she ought to agree with. “It’s just in how it’s used. I mean, no one says the moon arcanum is evil, but there are those who use it for evil, like the bloodmoon hunters.”

Which were now uncertain of their place. Luna Tenebris’s protection was gone, but no one had yet ascended to her position. Would the next Archdragon continue the tradition or strike out against it?

“I could use the sky arcanum to do heinous things, too,” not that she would, “so I’m sure there are ways to use dark magic for good,” she canted her head, “why are you asking me this? I can’t learn dark magic – I know an arcanum.” She was pretty sure that wasn’t allowed. “And no one is going to listen to me if I try to defend human use of dark magic.”

‘And if you say it….’

That’s all his detractors needed.

~***~

Claudia’s expression grew a bit colder as Willow asked for more of their story. Terry noticed it, and interceded quickly, “We’re not all that interesting,” he chuckled, “just a family trying to help each other. Like any family would,” even if they were an odd family, they were family, in a way, and he wasn’t going to see that broken up.

Claudia hummed, “Besides, we don’t know anything about you,” there was an accusation in that statement. Willow had no reason to be prying when they knew literally nothing about her, except her name.

Well, Claudia knew nothing.
Terry knew things.

“If you grew up in such an interesting location, you must have an interesting story, too, right?” Claudia’s smile wasn’t all that sweet. She’d been on her guard since people started asking more about Viren and what, exactly, they were trying to get in the Sea of the Castout. Willow could be prying more.

Viren still didn’t lift the spoon with food to his lips, though now that Sparklepuff had finished his meal already, he hobbled to Viren’s side and seemed to try and encourage eating, lifting his arm and making protesting noises.

 

[cleopat]

Aaravos tilted his head as he listened to Lethe’s answer. She seemed to understand the general moral ambiguity that made the world, instead of the good-versus-evil that elves and dragons seemed to employ.

“Oh, but you can learn dark magic if you know an arcanum,” he assured her. “It just depends on, as you said, how it’s used.” He didn’t see her using dark magic for any nefarious reasons, but as a way to supplement her own abilities.

He wanted to see how she would react to that dark magic. If she would react to it differently than humans, since she had that primal source connection. But everyone had a point when their curiosity would win out, and he wondered what hers was.

Aaravos strolled over to Lethe and stood in front of her. “Would you like to see a demonstration?” He leaned forward and lowered his voice, “It can be our little secret.”

~~~

Willow felt a little taken aback by Claudia’s reaction and tone. The accusation and coldness didn’t escape her notice, and she briefly wondered how someone as warm as Terry could end up with someone like Claudia.

Maybe the girl was just very protective, and didn’t trust an outsider to ask about what they were doing. That seemed more likely, but the whole thing still didn’t rest well with Willow.

She shrugged and played around with her food absentmindedly. “I don’t have as interesting a story as you may think. The most interesting thing about me is my parentage. At least, that’s the only thing people ever really cared about, it seems.” It gave her enough nicknames and light abuse over the years, at least.

What was it like to have a family like them?

“I earned money for many years by doing various illegal dealings, and now I’m here.” She didn’t sound thrilled as she spoke. Would anything happen if she said she was there against her will, most likely for the rest of her life? Or if she told them of what Finnegrin does?

 

[Lucyfer]

‘No I—isn’t that physically impossible?’

All the stories Lethe had been told, suggested dark magic was impossible for someone an arcanum to learn. It would rend them from the inside out, corrupting them into some sort of terrible shadowbeast, a shade of their former self, with no sense of self or ability to stop them from hurting their loved ones.

But Aaravos was there, offering a demonstration.

One he’d do himself.

Which meant he’d been practicing dark magic, and hadn’t been corrupted by it.

Which meant….

Lethe pushed the thought back, and nodded. She told herself, in the moment, it was because now she had to. She had promised her dear friend she would learn more, and that required proof. If she denied the demonstration, she’d have no proof!

And even if he did dark magic, that didn’t mean he did…everything else they were saying.

Yet Lethe’s nod was more enthusiastic than mere compliance to a friend’s request would have made it. Her eyes were alight with that terrible curiosity, even if her expression also held an understanding that this was a morbid fascination she shouldn’t indulge. Taboo was always curious. Always interesting.

And a secret? Her grin was decidedly impish. “Yes! I thought – I thought it just wasn’t possible at all for us!” She rose, eager to go where needed, or just to be able to move, if something went wrong.

~***~

Terry and Claudia exchanged a look as Willow spoke, a touch of a warning in Terry’s own gaze about asking about the parentage. Claudia didn’t need to say anything to show she understood. She wasn’t going to ask about that, after all. That didn’t concern her much. Sure, it was weird, but she knew plenty of blended and mixed families.

She was in love with an elf.

It was no surprise others realized how amazing elves were. Well…some of them. The majority were still terrible.

“Ooo, but illegal dealings are interesting!” Claudia insisted, “what sorts of things? Stealing from other ships? Ransoming helpless nobles?”

“Clauds!” Terry laughed at the enthusiastic way she said those things. Those weren’t good things to be enthusiastic about!

"What? You can't tell me it isn't interesting!" Claudia challenged, and Terry supposed, he couldn't, "We're traveling with pirates right now - I'm sure she has some great stories about what she's done!"

Viren did eat, when Sparklepuff got the food to his lips, but in that vacant way that suggested he was just on auto-pilot. Still, it was…something.

 

[cleopat]

Aaravos smiled as Lethe agreed to a demonstration enthusiastically. “Good. I was hoping you would say yes.” He turned and made his way back to the table, pulling out a vial as he did so. “Dark magic is possible for anyone, regardless of their connection to an arcanum or not.”

He pulled off the stopper from the vial. “Because dark magic was looked down on as something evil, lies were spread about its capabilities and about who can utilize this magic, as a way to discourage its use.”

He tipped the vial over onto the table, spilling the liquid it held all over the surface. “Tfos emoceb gniht gnidleiynu dna dilos.” With his words, the table softened, allowing some flexibility as he pressed down onto it to test the effectiveness.

“And now one could sleep here if they so choose,” he chuckled, slipping the vial back in his pocket. “Of course this was just a mere demonstration. There’s so much more good that dark magic can do. Even, if you want, give you wings.” Aaravos raised a brow at that, recalling a conversation one time about her skywing elf wings, and how she wished she had them on her back instead of her arms.

~~~

Willow managed to crack a smile at Claudia’s enthusiasm to hear more about her illegal dealings. To anyone who lived outside of Scumport, she supposed it could be something exciting to hear. For her, it was…just a way of life.

Her eyes did glance over at Viren and Sir Sparklepuff, as the creature tried to get the man to eat, but she glanced back at Claudia. “Well, in the last few years until I was caught, I had sort of a business of buying and selling goods from incoming ships that already had a marked buyer. I came across many interesting items that way, but I never kept anything. That would have been too risky.”

Best to get rid of the evidence and now have it laying around.

“When I was younger, I did things like pickpocket. Though sometimes if I was desperate enough, I would just…swipe a loaf of bread.” Not all of her petty crimes were because of boredom or mischievous curiosity, but because she and her mother didn’t have much.

“Haven’t done anything interesting on this ship though,” she chuckled. “I’ve only been here a few days now.” And yet already she’d almost drowned, fucked the captain, and spent a night in the brig. They didn’t need to know that though.

 

[Lucyfer]

The language that Aaravos spoke to turn the table into something somewhat different was harsh. The look to his eyes was unpleasant, but it faded, as did that harshness of tone, and he pressed into the table. The table moved with his press, and Lethe pressed down on it as well to find it was made soft.

At first, it seemed pointless.

Then her mind filled with ideas of how it could it be useful, if someone were falling from a high height, or even a short one – but onto dangerous terrain. This could make that better, couldn’t it? There were likely other uses she wasn’t thinking of, such as a place to sleep – but people could sleep on the ground just fine!

Although this would be nicer.

Apparently, it could also give her wings. She turned a look quizzically up to him, wanting to note she could have wings if she wanted to – she just didn’t like them – before his expression made her realize that was exactly what he was suggesting. Wings she would like. Wings that didn’t take over her whole arm when she called them forth.

Wings like the skywing elves she was jealous of.

‘Dark magic is destroying my people, Lethe.’

Her friend’s words still beat into her head, not forgotten, but pushed aside in the simple question, “How?”

~***~

‘So, stealing.’ Terry surmised as Willow told them about her illegal dealings, and the way she procured goods by stealing from other people. It was a bit, well, disheartening, especially since she was mostly doing it for profit. Rather than giving it all away – especially since it sounded like she’d been there before.

But Terry knew this was probably how she got money to take care of herself.

It was just unfortunate it involved crime.

“Ooh, you’re not normally a pirate,” Claudia said as Willow surmised that she hadn’t been there long, “Why the job change? Because you got caught?” That could certainly disrupt a business operation, but then, why wasn’t she slapped in irons and carted off to Scumport’s jail?

Claudia didn’t realize, of course, that this was Willow’s jail.

Nor did Terry, because he also seemed curious about the change in job, especially given how Willow had warned him about Finnegrin. She didn’t seem to like the captain much at all, so why would she join his crew? He heard a few whisperings that people weren’t all there because they wanted to be, but…still, she could have found another job, right?

 

[cleopat]

Aaravos carefully watched Lethe as she observed the table, pressed down on it to test its newfound softness. He could see the ideas flickering in her mind of the potential for this silly little spell he showed her. Surely an inventive person could see the benefits of transforming a hard surface into something soft!

But that was hardly why he wanted to show it to her.

And when he spoke of her gaining wings, actual wings like some of the skywing elves were born with, he could see the curiosity win in her mind. He smiled with her question, pleased she didn’t outright reject the idea. Deny herself what he knew she wanted.

“All it would take is one ingredient, and a simple little incantation,” Aaravos said. “All you will need is the wings of a creature you would like to mimic, say…a dragonfly?” He tested the waters with a smaller creature, a mere insect. Surely much more palatable than an animal she may call cute.

“So…what do you say?”

~~~

Willow’s expression fell with Claudia’s question. “Yeah, I got caught.” She bit her lip in silent contemplation for a moment, but then decided it wouldn’t hurt to tell them what was going on. Maybe it could even serve as a warning to them to be careful, and don’t do anything to piss off Finnegrin.

“Finnegrin rules Scumport, so when I was caught after years of not paying him taxes on my…illegal dealings, I either had to pay him a fine he created on the spot, or serve on his ship for an indeterminate amount of time. And since I had nowhere near the gold he requested…” she shrugged, as Pucca looked up at her in want of more food.

“So now I’m stuck in servitude on his ship, until he either decides that the debt has been paid, or until I escape.” Which she didn’t know how feasible either one were. Ever since her fuck up, she was sure she was stuck in his servitude forever, and could escape be possible? Maybe if she had the chance to run on land, her territory, instead of the sea.

But she couldn’t imagine the consequences should she try to escape and get caught. The pain of that spell he used on her was still fresh on her mind, as well as the hopelessness she felt in the brig, shackled to the wall. No doubt, Finnegrin was capable of more. She would just…have to learn to deal for now.

 

[Lucyfer]

All that was needed for wings was a creature with wings she wanted to have. A dragonfly, a moth, a bird, a dragon – each a life, and each viewed very differently. Bugs weren't given much respect, swatted away indifferently, often. No doubt it was why Aaravos suggested one.

That was a small death.

A small price.

It prepared for larger crimes. Who knew what was in that potion?

'You need to prove this. And if it's used right….' Aaravos…knew human limitations better than any of them. Perhaps he could help find a balance. If a creature was already dead….

Still, she bit her bottom lip. Hesitated. "It might be hard to find one in the rain," it wasn't no. It wasn't a strong confirmation. "But if we can find one, or a moth, a butterfly…." No she couldn't do a bird. She wouldn't be able to fly home if she did that. Her companion wouldn't forgive it, no matter how necessary it was.

Or maybe Aaravos was already prepared. Finding wouldn't be necessary.

~***~

Terry gasped at the situation that Willow relayed to them, "That's terrible!" Okay so she was committing crimes, but Terry knew that Finnegrin was, too. "Is everyone on the crew his slave?"

"I think so," Claudia answered. "But that's what happens when you get involved in crime!"

"Claudia, we're involved in crime."

Her lips pursed, "Only crimes the dragons call criminal!" She protested, "and it's for my dad."

"I know love," he said, "and maybe her crimes aren't bad enough to deserve what's basically slavery."

"No," she agreed, "but that's probably true if everyone on the ship." There lied the conflict, "and Finnegrin is helping us."

"And we're helping him. We're even with him when Domina, um, dies," he still didn't like it, "we could…just help his crew…get away. He could start a new one, he'll have plenty of fans for being the dragonslayer! He won't have to force anyone anymore!"

 

[cleopat]

Aaravos gave Lethe a light smirk as she spoke of the difficulty finding a creature with wings in the rain. True, it would be, if he wasn’t already prepared, hopeful that she would readily agree to learn about dark magic.

His little star. His Lethe. His pupil whom he grew to admire greatly.

“While I’m sure a moth could be found in here somewhere if we look closely, I already have something that would be useful for the spell.” He had a pouch attached to his clothing, and in the pouch, he grabbed a sunray butterfly, the life already gone from its tiny body.

“I found this little guy on a walk yesterday, already gone from this world.” Maybe Lethe would better handle dark magic if the creature was already dead, or maybe that would have the opposite intended effect and she would freak out. He wasn’t quite sure, but still, he tried.

Aaravos held the butterfly out to her. “Would you like to attempt the spell? I’ll guide you through it.”

~~~

Willow could only nod at Terry’s question. “Well…the majority are here against their will. I think he has a few who are here because of loyalty.” Which was bizarre to think about, but maybe if Finnegrin had offered her an actual job instead…

She shook the thought. “What is or isn’t a crime is very subjective, isn’t it?” she mused. “Some may say a little girl stealing a loaf of bread shouldn’t be a crime, and yet it is considered one.” Okay, what she had been doing with Drake for the last several years was definitely illegal, but it certainly shouldn’t have resulted in slavery!

“Oh, he doesn’t like it when someone takes something from him. Doesn’t matter if there’s a crew ready to immediately replace them. They’ve got to be let off on his own terms.” But certainly Finnegrin would be seen in a new light if they killed Domina.

A great dragonslayer, new ruler of the seas.

“Just focus on killing Domina and saving your dad.” She put her bowl down, done with the food, and Pucca immediately sniffed it for any remnants left behind. “We’ll be okay.”