The Circlet and the Cocoon

[[July 17th, 2020]]

[[ I prayed to Viravain that the Circlet She asked me to make was done. Included was a wish to give Her the very first one, and I was en-route to Her fulcrux when She responded ]]

Like spiders weaving a web, the voice of Viravain, Lady of the Thorns crawls across your mind, "Indeed, My little spider."

Harmony echoes in your mind as you sing to Viravain, Lady of the Thorns, "I was just coming to Your Fulcrux with Your Gift!"

You step into a mirror and briefly pass through a swarm of spiders.
The Fulcrux of Viravain.

A low, disarming voice that creeps through the air like crawling spiders says, "Mmmm. Thank you, My spider."

You beam broadly.

A low, disarming voice that creeps through the air like crawling spiders says, "Tell Me -- what inspired this?"

You say, "You asked me to, last we spoke! And I sat down, and I thought of all the things that remind me of You, and I tried to make it as beautiful as I possibly could."

You smile and say, "Spiders and webs, roses and thorns."
You smile and say, "Crow feathers, and shadows clinging to them like a lover."
You have emoted: Running a thumb over the surface of a thorned circlet of rose and web, Aleyah murmurs, "And the constant, nervous threat of blood."

A low, disarming voice that creeps through the air like crawling spiders says, "Quite so. Who shall wear such a lovely thing?"

You smile and say, "I would like to gift the first of them to You, my Lady! And would be honoured if the circlets would go to those that You favour, in Your garden and Your Glomdoring."

A low, disarming voice that creeps through the air like crawling spiders says, "Mmm. Your gift pleases Me, child."

Bursting with excitement, you let out a little chirp of glee as your wings start to cycle rapidly through the primary colours.

A low, disarming voice that creeps through the air like crawling spiders says, "Alas, My focus is distorted by the screeching of the chaos city. How absolutely perturbing, the way they mimic banshees."

You purse your lips pensively, gazing off into the distance as you carefully gather your thoughts.
You frown and say, "It's very loud, and very... bright. It hurts my eyes."

A low, disarming voice that creeps through the air like crawling spiders says, "Quite so."

A whirlpool of incorporeal shadows fills the area with an unnatural darkness, revealing the ghostly figure of Viravain, Lady of the Thorns at their centre as the umbral filaments dissipate.

You kneel before Viravain, swearing your allegiance to Her.

Viravain reaches out to tenderly cup your cheek in Her hand.

You smile softly at Viravain.

Presenting her gift reverently, from where she kneels, you give a thorned circlet of rose and web to Viravain, Lady of the Thorns.

Viravain holds the circlet lightly in both of Her small hands, Her wide eyes narrowed in thought. Slowly, She smiles, and then nods. "Nearly as beautiful as I."

You have emoted: Aleyah rises slowly, a grateful smile painted across her face. She bows her head before Viravain, voice warm. "I did my very best to make something worthy of everything that You mean to me."

[Mysrai shout]

Viravain tilts Her gaze skyward for a moment, Her pensiveness dashed.

You tilt your head curiously.

She is a radiant immortal and is possessed by a ghostly countenance that haunts the very depths of Her being. Shimmering hair the colour of a harsh winter's snow spills over Her shoulders and down Her back in a straight fall, meticulously twisted into a loose plait mid-back with a single bit of silver thread. Striking pale blue eyes are deep set within Her youthful face, haunted and fathomless as they rarely stay focused in a single place. As befitting Her youthful appearance, Her figure is slight and willowy and each of Her arms is slender, ending in sylphlike fingers and meticulously sculpted nails. Dark shadows swarm sinuously at the corners of Her slender silhouette, their movements manifesting a phantasm of bewitching grace.

She is wearing:
an earring fashioned from a feather of Crow through Her left ear
an exquisite, intricately webbed black rose brooch nestles against Her chest, holding closed Her cloak
a tenebrous gown of manifold shadows
a ghastly white silk pouch draped lightly around Her waist
an earring fashioned from a feather of Crow through Her right ear
a hooded cloak of stygian darkness billows around Her like living shadows, drifting in slow-moving waves
a crown of midnight black roses rests atop Her head, black vines twisting into the white tresses of Her hair
a thorned circlet of rose and web. [I MADE THIS!!!]

Viravain waves a dismissive hand. "Pay them no mind, My spider." She purses Her lips briefly before twisting them into a wide smile. "Do show My Garden this creation."

Your mouth turns up as your face breaks into a smile.

You smile and say, "I will, My Most Revered Lady."

Lightly, Viravain, Lady of the Thorns says, "And remember: flies get stuck in webs of deceit."

You nod your head emphatically.

In a near whisper, Viravain, Lady of the Thorns says, "Be ever the Spider."

Viravain leans close to you and gently lays a kiss upon your forehead.
Coiling sinuously about Her petite frame, stygian shadows cloak Viravain in an unnatural darkness and evanesce into the aether, leaving behind only the faintest scent of roses.

You smile and say, "As long as I live."

You sigh contentedly.
You tilt your head back and look up at the sky.
Your mouth turns up as your face breaks into a smile.

You step into a mirror, briefly passing through a wall of shadows.

=========[[ Roughly 2 hours later ]============

Before The Master Ravenwood

Khasur Stormcrow sweeps in from the north like a bad omen, her eyes sweeping about in quick, canny
glances.

You curtsey gracefully before Khasur Stormcrow.
You smile and say, "It's a pleasure to see you, Master Stormcrow!"

Her voice curt, as if she were irritated by something, Khasur Stormcrow says, "Let us dispense with
the pleasantries, hmm?"

You nod your head emphatically.
You tilt your head and listen intently to Khasur Stormcrow.

Khasur Stormcrow drops a a vaguely humanoid-shaped cocoon.

You purse your lips, contemplating a a vaguely humanoid-shaped cocoon thoughtfully.
You look surprised and say, "Oh, interesting..."

Khasur Stormcrow shakes off her hands as if trying to rid herself of something foul.

Snapping her fingers, Khasur Stormcrow says, "Aleyah, spider of our Mistress -- take this, ah, thing."

Lifting her lips into a dissatisfied curl, Khasur Stormcrow says, "I've been sent to deliver it to one of Hers."

You have emoted: Aleyah rests her hands upon a a vaguely humanoid-shaped cocoon, casting a bemused look at Khasur Stormcrow. "Gladly, but... am I to watch it?"

Khasur Stormcrow ruffles her feathers distractedly, her hands still ridding themselves of stick. "I suppose not you alone. She was rather vague with Her order. Something, something, an achor, whatever have you."

You look thoughtful and say, "Oooh, I see, this is related to what She was speaking of earlier..."

Khasur Stormcrow says, "Accordingly, whatever's left of this man is to be kept in Her temple. See that it's protected, I would imagine."

You nod your head emphatically.

Khasur Stormcrow says, "Which --."

The cocoon gives a small squirm, perhaps in protest, at the order.

Khasur Stormcrow smiles thinly. "Is your job. My role in this is done."

You say, "It is... too heavy for me to lift, I think."

Ilistala, an enormous leopard tilts her head curiously at you.

You say, "I cannot pick it up."

Khasur Stormcrow rolls her eyes and heaves the cocoon from the ground again, and then snaps her fingers. Shadows cling to it then, and as it falls, it does so gracefully, lightly.

You pick up a a vaguely humanoid-shaped cocoon.

You nod your head emphatically.

Khasur Stormcrow says, "Well? Why are you standing here? Unless you think She will be pleased if you let it escape?"

[[ To the temple. End of Day 1 ]]

The gale of crow song rings through your mind, despite no corvine wings in sight. You know in your heart that She is pleased.

================= [[ Gurashi's POV: While I was getting the Cocoon ]] =======================
With its gaze intent on you, a massive black widow crawls across the bark of the nearest of the blackthorns and settles in, staring.

Falling with a clatter, a staff covered in thick, sticky webbing lands at your feet.

As if it were never there, the black widow fades to nothing in the night, its chittering mandibles whispering, "An eye for an eye..."

You have emoted: Gurashi's earlier unease seems to evaporate immediately at the sound of the clattering crutch. They furrow their brow, leaning to pick it up... freezing.

Orventa stares at the sudden tree growth in her kitchen, "What in blazes?"

You have emoted: Gurashi hiccups, shaking their head vehemently, clutching the staff still even as they let Orventa begin to guide them towards the doorway. Suddenly they peel around, scanning the kitchen and stomp their hoof.

Loud and hoarse, rasping with their years-long silence, you exclaim, "WHY?!"

You have emoted: Gurashi takes the staff awkwardly, picking it up, looking it over. Their brow furrows in confusion, and they lift their head, their breathing growing heavier as recognition settles in. They hold the staff out at arm's length, their eyes growing wide and once more filling with tears.

"...better...if they forgot I ever existed..." [[God Emote, not more speech]]

You have emoted: Gurashi's fingers curl around the staff, and they look up to where the spider was, seeking the space where it's retreated. They suddenly burst into tears, covering their mouth with one hand, clutching the staff now to their chest with the other.