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+---- Thread: [RA] More than you'll ever know (/showthread.php?tid=10903)
More than you'll ever know - Hadama - 03-17-2025
In the wake of the meeting of leaders, Hadama had waited for Flora in contemplative silence until they were alone.
And then he had tilted his head at her and come to a decision. "I will be back in half an hour. In a bathing suit. With a towel. And we will go someplace else for the afternoon."
In fact, when he returned it was not only clad in his pineapple-print swim trunks (and still wearing the circlet that served as his crown) but there was a basket under one arm. The other was solemnly offered to his co-ruler, and once she was safely tucked against his side he pulled them into moonlight--
--and out into warm, fragrant waters that swirled around him at knee height and likely hit Flora at mid-thigh. It was nowhere in Torchline that he had brought them but up to their northerly neighbor the Climb and the healing waters of Frey's Breath hidden therein.
He looked around for a dry rock to set his basket on and then turned back to Flora with his arms free for whatever was needed of him. His eyes were warm and worried as he looked his co-ruler over, and his deep voice was a gentle rumble within the echoes of the steamy cavern. "How are you feeling?"
RE: More than you'll ever know - Flora - 03-19-2025
Having taken Hadama's cues for what they were, the queen had procured a bathing suit and wrap for herself before idly waiting in the Hanged Man for the Tidebreaker to return. When he does, she slips an arm around him as Hadama pulls them through moonlight, only to blink rapidly as they're plunged into the sudden heat and fragrant steam of Frey's Breath. Her brows arch, surprise flitting briefly across her face, before softening quickly into a tired smile. [say]"Well, that's one way to end a meeting,"[/say] she murmurs, voice warm despite the lingering edge of exhaustion from their earlier discussion.
Water laps gently against her thighs, the heat coaxing the tension from her muscles as she glances appreciatively around the hidden cavern, allowing the soothing atmosphere to slowly ease her tangled nerves. Flora turns back toward Hadama as he approaches, his steady presence anchoring her amidst the confusion that's still churning faintly at the edges of her thoughts. His concern earns a faint, grateful smile from her, shoulders lifting and dropping in a small shrug.
[say]"Honestly?"[/say] she sighs, reaching up to tuck a curl behind her ear. [say]"Frustrated. Tired. Confused."[/say] She waves a hand vaguely as if trying to encapsulate the entirety of the earlier debate, before tilting her head to look up at him, her expression gentling into something softer, grateful. [say]"This will absolutely help, though."[/say] Her voice is sincere, quieter now, her smile turning sheepish. [say]"Sorry if I was a bit much back there."[/say]
RE: More than you'll ever know - Hadama - 03-19-2025
"Mmh." His agreement with the meeting's end was tired but amused in turn. He was more concerned with how she had come through that discussion, which had been more difficult than any of them had anticipated, and he waited to hear what she needed before bringing up anything else.
Her response drew a nod of understanding, and a softening of his expression at her gratitude. "You were in a difficult position. I knew it was not easy." He relaxed as she began to smile again, and the familiar twinkle came back into his eyes. "We can continue to discuss it. Or we can discuss our plans for Torchline this year." He turned back to the basket and lifted it back into his arms so he could rummage through it as he spoke. "But while we do, we will take care of ourselves. I have been told that face vegetables and pink mud are good for relieving stress." And his hand emerged with a jar of sweet-scented exfoliating facial mask which he handed to Flora before dipping back for the smaller jar of a half-dozen fresh-cut cucumber slices. "Will you show me how to use these?"
RE: More than you'll ever know - Flora - 03-20-2025
[say]"I just...I hate feeling like I'm the crazy one, you know?"[/say] Huffing, the queen reaches up to twist her curls into a knot on the top of her head. [say]"Like, if everything we've done so far has failed, why is there so much resistance in trying to think of an alternative way forward?"[/say]
Spying the things the Tidebreaker revealed, Flora’s smile broadens warmly, the lingering heaviness from earlier easing further away with Hadama’s steady kindness and gentle humour. A soft, amused laugh escapes her as she accepts the jar of pink mud, turning it thoughtfully between her fingers. [say]"Mm, you’ve heard right,"[/say] she teases affectionately, tilting her head with exaggerated seriousness. [say]"Pink mud is practically a miracle cure for frustration."[/say]
Her eyes glitter playfully as she gently guides Hadama toward a smooth, rocky edge to sit, the warmth of the water lapping pleasantly against her legs as she carefully twists open the jar. Flora scoops out a bit of the pastel-colored mixture onto her fingertips, demonstrating by lightly smoothing it over her own cheeks and nose. [say]"Like this,"[/say] she explains with a soft hum, reaching up to carefully dab some of the pink mixture onto Hadama’s face, lips twitching fondly as she traces it lightly along his jaw. [say]"It’s supposed to clear your skin and your mind,"[/say] she murmurs conspiratorially, eyes sparkling.
Next, she reaches for the cucumber slices, delicately taking two and placing them gently over her own eyes. [say]"And these,"[/say] she announces, voice dramatically serene as she leans back, visibly relaxing. [say]"Are meant to make you forget stressful meetings ever existed."[/say] Lifting one cucumber slice to peer at him with a bright, teasing grin, she hands over two slices for Hadama. [say]"Your turn."[/say]
RE: More than you'll ever know - Serendipity - 03-20-2025
You’ve encountered one of Rae's Lilies!. This counts as a rare creature encounter for the purposes of levelling, but does not count as a Random Event for levelling or MP. There will be no further admin/re intervention. You can post a link to this thread in the character updates thread if you take the lily, to have it added to your inventory.
Rae's Lilies (rare - The Climb): Purest white and veined with turquoise and gold, these lilies may only be found along the edges of the Frey's Breath hot springs. Rumoured to contain all the healing power of the springs and more, they are a mythical find indeed.
RE: More than you'll ever know - Hadama - 03-20-2025
"Mmh. Alternatives are good, but I would guess that you are not suggesting that someone else approach Dahlia for information?" he rumbled as he rummaged in the basket. "And we are worried for your safety." He tilted his head, meeting her eyes warmly as he inclined his head in acknowledgment of her own feelings. "As you are worried for us." When emotions ran high it made for a difficult meeting on all sides. But someone needed to take risks or far more people would be in danger in the days to come. At the moment, limiting who was exposed to that danger seemed to be their only choice, and it was not an easy one. No one wanted to see their friends and loved ones willingly throwing themselves into the whirlpool, not knowing who would come home and whether or not they would be infected if they survived.
But for the moment they had mud that Hadama had purchased from a fancy boutique in upper Haulani and the cucumber slices that had come with it, and Hadama followed Flora obediently to a steam-heated rock so that he could sink down to place his face in easy reach. The water slid over his legs in its comforting embrace but he resisted the urge to slip into his mer form. Instead he watched Flora apply the facial mud to herself first, bright humor twinkling in his eyes as she then dabbed some on for him. Following her method he began to spread it lightly over his brown skin, a low laugh rolling beneath his words. "Now I understand what you were attempting with the frosting," he teased.
With matching pink faces in place he accepted the little jar of cucumber slices from Flora and started to raise a brow as she placed them over her eyes. The tug of the setting mask reminded him to keep his expression serene, but he was holding in laughter at the picture they both made, and he was perhaps quietly glad that there was no one else around in this little grotto--
And then he forgot the mask entirely, emerald eyes widening as he looked past his co-ruler and the steam parted to reveal a flower, gleaming with veins of gold and turquoise. It was identical to the one he had received from the sacrifice of Ray's wand and for a moment his throat closed on the memory of his friend. "Flora..." he said softly instead, his voice reverent as he set aside the cucumbers and stood to make his way over to the divine flower. He knelt in the water as it rose to his chest and cupped his hands around the beautiful bloom, all memories of the stressful meeting indeed forgotten.
RE: More than you'll ever know - Flora - 03-20-2025
Flora sighs softly at Hadama's gentle words, feeling the warmth and sincerity behind them smooth away some of the sharper edges of her earlier frustrations. [say]"I mean, Sunjata was already infected, Deimos doesn't really seem like the type to be able to charm Dahlia, and I'm sure not going to risk you going to talk to her,"[/say] she chuckles quietly, offering a small, sheepish smile as her shoulders lift in a faint shrug. [say]"And I know everyone is just trying to protect each other. But it's hard not to feel like I'm being treated like I can't handle myself, you know?"[/say] Her voice softens, a grateful warmth blooming behind her eyes as she meets Hadama’s steady, reassuring gaze. [say]"Anyway, thanks for not thinking I'm totally crazy. And for being so patient."[/say]
She chuckles then, the tension easing further from her shoulders as she returns to the soothing rhythm of smoothing pink mud onto her face. Hadama’s teasing comment earns an exaggerated gasp from her, amusement twinkling vividly in her eyes. [say]"Hey! Frosting is totally different,"[/say] she retorts playfully, lips twitching as she suppresses a laugh. [say]"Way tastier than mud, though less effective for stress."[/say]
She’s just about to lean back and fully embrace the relaxation of their spa moment when Hadama's entire demeanour shifts, the sudden awe in his expression causing her heart to skip curiously. [say]"Mmm?"[/say] she murmurs, her voice filled with quiet confusion as she turns swiftly, the cucumber slices falling from her eyes to land softly in the warm waters below.
And then she sees it.
There, rising serenely from the swirling steam and glistening waters, is a lily—breathtakingly beautiful, pure white with intricate veins of turquoise and gold shimmering delicately on each petal. Flora's breath catches sharply in her throat, eyes widening in stunned disbelief. [say]"Shut the fuck up,"[/say] she whispers, voice full of awe as she moves swiftly after the Tidebreaker, water swirling around her thighs as she sinks beside him, gaze locked reverently on the mythical bloom.
[say]"It's—holy gods"[/say] she breathes, hardly daring to blink for fear it might vanish into thin air. Her fingertips hover hesitantly near its luminous petals, gaze shifting briefly to meet Hadama’s eyes, alight with wonder.
RE: More than you'll ever know - Hadama - 03-21-2025
Hadama had already proven how diplomatic he could be when it came to the Family. And Flora was correct in not wanting to risk him causing another international incident, even before her genuine concern for his safety factored in. It was that concern, however, that had softened his expression and warmed his eyes. "It is because you are choosing a much more dangerous path. We are merely putting ourselves at physical risk." Not without its costs and losses if things went wrong, but far less frightening than having their minds twisted against them. Their hearts turned against their loved ones. Their spirits enslaved, however soft the violet velvet lining on the shackles.
"If you wanted to join us in punching Void dragons on Starfall, I do not think there would be nearly as much objection," he added, a teasing rumble in his voice to lighten their mood as masks were smoothed into place and cucumbers were contemplated amidst the steam.
And flowers were found. A timely gift, in light of recent conversations.
He did not take his eyes from the Lily as she joined him, but there was nothing wrong with his ears. "Yes." Holy gods, indeed. Exhaling gently so that his breath didn't so much as send a ripple over the beads of water balanced on the pristine petals, Hadama finally raised his gaze from the flower to meet Flora's eyes, and there was hope and awe and a deep, quiet joy in their emerald depths. He moved his hands, slipping them away from the flower and around to the outside of his co-ruler's, putting just enough pressure on them so that Flora's fingertips touched the flawless flower, their mingled hands cradling the divine lily like the priceless treasure it was. "And now... there are choices to make."
RE: More than you'll ever know - Flora - 03-22-2025
Flora’s eyes soften as Hadama speaks, his quiet steadiness like balm to the persistent churn in her chest. She gives a breathy little laugh at his words, more exhale than amusement, but her smile is genuine. [say]"Yeah, well... picking the easy path doesn't really run in the family,"[/say] she says, her tone caught somewhere between wryness and regret before a huff of laughter escapes her, the corner of her mouth twitching upward. [say]"Although—honestly? Punching a Void dragon sounds way more straightforward."[/say] Her voice turns warm with gratitude as she glances over at him.
But then there's a lily to consider, and already her thoughts are racing ahead. A Lily. One.
Her smile dims just a little—not from any loss of joy, but from the weight of possibility. [say]"Yeah,"[/say] she murmurs, her voice quieter now. [say]"I know you've got some extra ooomph behind your attacks when it comes to the Family, but do you really think that Deimos and Sunjata are up to it? I know Deimos has his gloves, but with Jata....I've seen the way he freaks out when he sees someone who was infected. Do you think he'll be able to keep his cool on Starfall where literally everything is going to seem so much worse to him?"[/say]
RE: More than you'll ever know - Hadama - 03-22-2025
Possibility and responsibility weighed on them both despite the awe of their discovery, and Hadama listened gravely to his Queen's questions. She knew more of Sunjata's experiences than he did. Knew more of what haunted him in the wake of his own return from the ranks of the Family's Friends, as his future step-daughter. And he drew in a slow breath as he accepted the information she shared and turned it over in his head, giving it the scrutiny it deserved.
Would Sunjata be a liability on a mission to Starfall itself, knowing this?
"I have fought beside Deimos recently. In defense of the Citadel last season. We are a good combination against the Void." Level-headed and able to strike hard and hammer any openings the other man could create. Hadama may have lagged behind the Resurrected Sword in raw strength, but being a demigod made up for a great deal of that gap. "Sunjata..." He exhaled slowly, gaze tracing a vein of turquoise along one petal. "I do not know him well enough. I have not fought beside him. But I believe that he has... a great deal to prove, after his infection. To himself, if no one else. I do not believe that he will squander this chance to do so."
Emerald eyes rose to meet Flora's once more, his grave expression somewhat undercut by the pink mud that coated his face. "But we should consider retaliation against Torchline, as well, if I go. The citizens will not be pleased, but I have been considering a defense tax. Small, but one that we can use in the future to improve our ability to push back invaders." Purple or otherwise.
RE: More than you'll ever know - Flora - 03-23-2025
Flora wrinkles her nose at that, leaning back on her hands as she lets her legs drift lazily in the warm water. [say]"I mean... maybe,"[/say] she says doubtfully, her mouth twisting as she considers it. [say]"But Sunjata doesn’t really strike me as the ‘proving himself’ type."[/say] Her gaze flicks toward Hadama, expression wry. [say]"He’ll do his best, for sure. But if it all gets too overwhelming?"[/say] She can only shrug. [say]"All I'm saying is that you all seem a lot more confident than I think you should be about storming onto Starfall."[/say] A sigh slips through her lips as she turns her attention back to the lily, the steam from the springs curling around her in dreamy spirals. It was beautiful. Miraculous, even. And somehow still not enough.
Hadama’s next comment draws a sharp bark of laughter from her, brows arching high over amused aqua eyes. [say]"Gods, you want to talk about getting chased with tridents—propose a tax in Torchline."[/say] She grins, teeth flashing. [say]"We’d be lucky if all they did was riot."[/say]
Then, a little more seriously, she adds, [say]"I get it though...But if people already feel like we’re under attack from every direction, the last thing they want is us digging in their pockets too. Maybe instead of asking for more, we just... build more? Make the city feel stronger, safer. Fortify without waving it in everyone’s face."[/say] She shrugs, sending a few droplets of pink-tinged water flying. [say]"We give them something that makes ‘em feel proud again, not paranoid."[/say]
She dips a hand into the water, letting it swirl in lazy spirals before looking back at him. "[say]"But if you think it's the right call, I get it."[/say]
RE: More than you'll ever know - Hadama - 03-23-2025
It did not inspire confidence in Sunjata, to hear Flora speak of the Flood in such a way. Hadama inclined his head in acknowledgment of her concerns, a slight frown beginning to form between his brows before the tug of the mask reminded him to smooth his expression out once more. "Your fathers did not have much trouble when they planted their flower on its shores," he said slowly. "But I am not them. You are right to have reservations." He drew in a slow breath and sat back on his heels in the steamy waters, the Lily protected between them. "I will not minimize the losses we have taken." Lives and items lost in the past year in particular. "But I think that our lack of progress has not been for lack of strength. It has been a lack of flowers." So many tasks required them, and they were so vanishingly hard to find or expensive to buy.
He tilted his head at her, a warmth and his own wry humor flickering in his eyes. "And if it comes down to it and I am not up to the task, I can teleport away. I will not sacrifice myself needlessly." A vow he had made to Safrin and made again to Flora, unwilling to leave either his goddess or his co-ruler bereft.
His idea for taxes lightened the conversation significantly and he puffed out a laugh that stirred the steam between them at her insight. "Mmh. Perhaps they will need time to prepare for it," he agreed. Her suggestions of fortifications brought a tilt to his head, thoughtful as he turned the idea over and then nodded slowly. "Defense... yes. But if it is civic pride we want, then something more impressive would help. We have a shield in the stargate." He nodded to the ring on his Queen's finger. "Perhaps it is time to ask Safrin for a weapon as well. A way for citizens to not simply endure an attack, but to fight back when you and I are on the front line."
RE: More than you'll ever know - Flora - 03-23-2025
Flora considers Hadama’s words quietly, fingers tracing idle patterns on the water's steamy surface. [say]"I mean, you're not wrong,"[/say] she concedes with a small sigh, head tilting thoughtfully. [say]"But they had the rapier when they went last time."[/say] Her gaze flicks back up to meet Hadama’s, lips quirking into a softer, relieved smile. [say]"But hey, as long as you're not planning to play hero and peace out if things get dicey, I’ll sleep a little easier."[/say]
His comment about a weapon earns another slow nod, though there's something a little distracted in the gesture—just a faint hint of distance in her gaze, as though she’s already imagining something else entirely. Like the Tower, a violet kiss, and a vial of blood. [say]"Yeah, that makes sense,"[/say] Flora says, shrugging lightly, a casual agreement that feels deliberately noncommittal. [say]"Let’s definitely plan on that—unless something else comes up first."[/say] Her smile warms, though, genuine beneath the vague wording.
When her attention returns to the lily, Flora hesitates only briefly before nodding decisively. [say]"You should take it,"[/say] she says, her voice quietly firm. [say]"You’ve already got plans for Starfall."[/say] Flora lets the seriousness of their conversation drift away with a soft, decisive huff, her attention shifting back to their original reason for coming here. [say]"Anyway,"[/say] she says, tone brightening as she fishes two more cucumber slices from the jar. [say]"We’ve got way more important things to worry about right now. Like making sure these cucumbers haven’t gone to waste."[/say] With exaggerated delicacy, she places one slice gently over each of Hadama’s eyes, grinning playfully before doing the same for herself. Relaxing back against the rocky wall, Flora exhales slowly, her smile lingering as warmth and steam wrap around her, easing the tension from her muscles. [say]"There. Now we can officially forget stress exists."[/say]
For, like, the next day or so, anyway.
~FIN