"But it is a stupid fear, a selfish want, and a childish need."

Caressing your ear, the voice of Aeldra whispers, "Is everything well with you?"

A flurry of blackthorn petals arrives from the northwest, thorny vines sprouting within the floral cloud and twining together to form the body of Esei.

Esei gives a cat of black ink to you.

---> they nyoom away

You pet a cat of black ink ingratiatingly.

Harmony echoes in your mind as you sing to Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk, "**wordless gratitude.**."

Harmony echoes in your mind as you sing to Lady Aeldra Ladyn, of Cerulean Waters, "**for a long time, there is no response. if anything, the aether feels hollow.**."

Esei tells you, "Is all well?"

Harmony echoes in your mind as you sing to Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk, "**the equivalent of a shrug.**."

With an audible "baa", Yvai, the battle sheep trots from the northwest.

Aeldra flits in carrying a slice of raspberry-flavoured cheesecake on her hands. She flies over to you and wordlessly offers a slice of raspberry-flavoured cheesecake to you, smiling at you.

You have emoted: Cheliyi blinks slowly, glancing up from her reflection in the pond. She cracks a slight smile, taking the offered cake.

You think to yourself: **... hollow.**.

Aeldra gives a slice of raspberry-flavoured cheesecake to you.

Esei tells you, "** there is a soft sensation of the aether, like fingers ghosting gently across skin. **."
Esei tells you, "Would you like to talk about it?"

You have emoted: Cheliyi nibbles on the edge of the cake, the flicker of warmth in her gaze fading as she returns to staring off at nothing.

Harmony echoes in your mind as you sing to Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk, "**negation.**."

Esei tells you, "** a soft hum in response. **."

You think to yourself: **it tastes like sour mush.**.

Aeldra perches gently on your shoulder, her brow bent in a frown, watching out on the pond alongside the mugwump.

Hoarsely, you whisper, "How did the battles goes?"

Gently, Lady Aeldra Ladyn, of Cerulean Waters says, "I am unsure which battle you speak of dear, there have been many of late."

You pet a cat of black ink ingratiatingly.
Hoarsely, you whisper, "Well, meant the timequake. Sorry, yes."

Aeldra taps her nose thoughtfully, "From the vibrations lingering upon the aethers, I believe we had pulled out. I was not awake when it was attempted, so I do not know more."

You have emoted: Cheliyi hums softly in acknowledgement, the sound uncomfortably dissonant. She winces, and mutters a soft apology.

Aeldra tilts her head slightly towards you, the frown on her features deepening a little. She gently rests her left hand on your neck, asking "Can I do anything for you, Cheliyi?"

You have emoted: While such a question would normally elicit a smile from the mugwump, Cheliyi instead closes her eyes, looking weary. "I don't think so, Miss Aeldra. Thank you for the cake," she murmurs, voice practically creaking.

Lady Aeldra Ladyn, of Cerulean Waters thinks to herself: *a lot of worried thoughts pass through the faelings mind*.

Quietly, you say, "Am fine. Just... being fortitude-y."
You have emoted: Cheliyi attempts to crack a smile, but fails.

Aeldra rises an eyebrow slightly, "Dear, if I can't help... I'll grudgingly accept that, for I do not like to see you suffering. But, please, do not try to tell me you're fine len you're so clearly not." she says, though her voice remains soft and gentle. "I can still keep you company, while you're contemplating whatever you need to contemplate." she says, folding her legs on your shoudler, pulling out some more a slice of raspberry-flavoured cheesecake.

You have emoted: Cheliyi grimaces, glancing away. "... I just have to accept that I can't have what I want, is all." She lets the slice of cake lower into her lap, her frills wilting like firey kelp left in the sun. "Some hopes are just hopes. And they go out."
Hoarsely, you say, "So, I will push through, and make sure that they are happy, at least. Make sure it is all... okay.Be fortitudey."

Aeldra nods softly, "I am not going to pry, but I am here to listen if you wish to tell me." she carefully plops a tiny piece of cake into her mouth, her eyes still intent on the mugwump, who's shoulder is sitting on.

Hoarsely, you whisper, "Am not sure. But am guessing... my Dads will not get married. Do not tell anyone, yet. Gurashi... has not decided."

Aeldra blinks.

You have emoted: Though this revelation should be devastating, Cheliyi just looks tired.
Hoarsely, you whisper, "But they wish to marry Miss Cali instead. And she is lovely, and they love eachother, and Dad is happy. So... it will be what it is."

Aeldra squeezes you again, empathy shining her eyes, "I am sorry to hear that, my dear. Very sorry, such things are never easy to bear."

Hoarsely, you whisper, "They told me to think, if I want to be a Regalis or Skydrifter. How I want to be adopted."
Quietly, you whisper, "But I never want to make them do something that will make them less happy than they could be. So I will simply... not answer."

Lady Aeldra Ladyn, of Cerulean Waters thinks to herself: *a brief flicker of wrath ignites itself before being snuffed out by empathy and concern*.

Wearily, you say, "Miss Cali is lovely. But I do not want to be a Skydrifter."

Quietly, Lady Aeldra Ladyn, of Cerulean Waters says, "In the end, a family name is but a name, Cheliyi. Your heart decides who is family and who is not."

Closing her eyes, pained, you say, "I want both of my dads to be -my- dads on the weave. But I do not want Dad to marry when they do not want it, and I do not want Mister Dad to go through divorce a third time."
Softly, you say, "It is selfish. So I will say nothing."
Weakly, you say, "I know. I told them that from the very beginning. But then my hopes were made, when they engaged, and then suddenly..."
Exhausted, you whisper, "Nevermind."

Lady Aeldra Ladyn, of Cerulean Waters asks, "That change comes suddenly and it feels like it pulls the rug from under your feet, does it not?"

You have emoted: Finally, finally, tears begin to drip from Cheliyi's face once more. "They still love my Dad. It is not a lack of love that does it. But Mister Dad is tired. He is withdrawing, and hurting, and biting and running from anyone who gets to close. Is practically scorning us. It makes sense. Am staring at the bottom of a waterfall on a river, knowing I can do nothing to swim out."
Quietly, you say, "But it is a stupid fear, a selfish want, and a childish need."

You have emoted: Cheliyi wipes her face, expression growing weary once more.
Softly, you say, "They both love me, and that is what is important."

Wrapping her arms gently around your neck as best as she can Aeldra says in a soothing voice "It is, at times, difficult with those that have lived as long as he, to overcome the troubles that age brings with itself. To fight against memories... to overcome the past." she smiles at your second remark, "Yes, that is most important. But it shows your strength and wisdom to wish for them both to be happy. At times, all that can help, is time. And I am very certain that, regardless what happens, they'll always be your parents."

Quietly, you say, "They will."
You let loose a long breath from your lungs, exhaling slowly.

You think to yourself: But it does not hurt any less.

A rush of summer warmth passes through you as you smell grass and flowers and glimpse the limitless blue of a perfectly blue, sunlit sky.

Lady Aeldra Ladyn, of Cerulean Waters says to you, "But Cheliyi, it is alright to be upset and sad, that is part of our lives too. While acknowledging what is right and not losing sight of that, it is alright to give oneself the chance to air one's own grief, to deal with it. You are a person too, with feelings and wants and desires."
Lady Aeldra Ladyn, of Cerulean Waters asks you, "And that's also what friends are for, hm?"

Aeldra saying that shoves another piece of cake towards Cheliyi.
Aeldra gives a slice of raspberry-flavoured cheesecake to you.

You have emoted: Cheliyi smiles weakly, her frills lifting ever so slightly. She takes the cake with a soft laugh, setting it beside her first slice. "Thank you, Aeldra."

Lady Aeldra Ladyn, of Cerulean Waters smiles and says, "Anytime dear, anytime."

You let loose a long breath from your lungs, exhaling slowly.
You give Aeldra a friendly squeeze.

Aeldra gives you a friendly squeeze.

Quietly, you say, "I should rest. But thank you for checking up on me."

Aeldra nods her head at you.

You pet Yvai, the battle sheep ingratiatingly.

Lady Aeldra Ladyn, of Cerulean Waters says to you, "Of course dear. I'll speak soon with you and am here if you need me."

You smile softly.

Yvai, the battle sheep nudges you gently with her antlered head.

Leaning forward, you gently press a kiss to Yvai, the battle sheep's brow.
You have emoted: Cheliyi makes a face. "Wooly."
A wry smile spreads across your face.

Aeldra gives a trillingly melodic laugh.
Lady Aeldra Ladyn, of Cerulean Waters says, "Yep!"

You wave goodbye.

Aeldra waves goodbye at you.

You portal to Celestial Leviathan.

You flutter your nose at the air, sensing through a cute little rabbit nose upon your face the faint traces of others in the surrounding area.
You make out the scent of Tridemon coming from A cozy living room.
You make out the scent of Gurashi coming from A cozy living room.

This room has not been mapped.
A pathway from the beach.
This location is flooded with shallow, crystal clear water. Transitioning between the violet sands of the beach, a pathway leads up to soil tinted by the sand, and finally into firmer ground. Rising up from the sandy earth and the firmer soil to the north are an array of jewel-hued bamboo stalks and plants, all of which feature sparkling, crystalline veins of the same substance and color as the beach to the south. The plants are smaller and shorter to the south, and growing larger and taller up to the north until they dominate the skyline simply by being dozens of feet tall. Within the bamboo thickets, a rainbow of sparkling jewel-toned leaves constantly fall, constantly regrow, leaving the ground that is not the path a sparkling riot of marvellous color. At the end of the path is a sturdy and polished wooden door, set into the wall of a house whose walls- painted a bright, cherry red- rise a story or two above the ground, but nowhere near to the top of the surrounding jewel-toned bamboos. To the west, a sandy path winds through the bamboo, with glimpses of the top of a colorful tree above the rest of the foliage.
You see exits leading east, south, west, and in (open door).

Harmony echoes in your mind as you sing to Herald Gurashi, The Heart's Friend, "**You see the mugwump hesitate by the door, before slipping away with a weak smile.**."

Before a bejeweled tree.
This location is flooded with shallow, crystal clear water. The bamboo here has opened up into a wide, shady clearing, dominated by a singular tree. Wider than the average igasho is tall, this tree's trunk displays dozens of glittering colors from every angle, as if the entire plant were carved from a dark opal of truly prodigious size. The trunk isn't particularly smooth, though, with knots and handholds every few feet that seem to beg to be climbed at the soonest opportunity, with the tree stretching well over fifty feet above the ground below. Above the trunk and all along the branches, the leaves are all a vibrant green at their cores, but the edges of each of them are quite variable, glittering in dozens of colors. More notable are the large fruits hanging from the branches, each a faceted shape of a single color apiece, the flesh of each fruit transparent, with the shape of a stone visible at the center of each one. An inconspicuous sign at the base of the tree declares its name to be "Terrance".
You see a single exit leading east.

You grow still and begin to pray silently for preservation of your soul while you are out of the land.