save your fears for tomorrow
Hotaru Kaito
the Valkyrie
Masseuse / Headmistress

Age: 33 | Height: 5'2 | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: King's End
Level: 3 - Strg: 38 - Dext: 38 - Endr: 54 - Luck: 40 - Int:
Played by: Brit Offline
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Posts: 2,241 | Total: 6,168
MP: 9427
#1
you are such a soft and messy thing, nobody knows how to take care of you
Before she left for Kings End to seek out Deimos, Hotaru had her own letter to send. One to Juniper, the only Fae she knew. Remi may lead these lands, but sneaking under his skirts wasn’t something that settled well with her. Hotaru may be happy to take any advantages she could to climb a ladder, but this was no ladder. This was something else entirely, and as a mother she would not leave any blind spots remaining.

She cannot move far from the Wildwoods with the twins, and won’t venture towards the Stonesong for fear of running into Ronin, but even in the wake of birth - drained even with Vai’s magic to bolster her - Hotaru cannot bear to remain in one place too long. Especially with feline and avian instincts alike that claw at her insides, uncomfortable with the fact that Vai’s cottage is not her own den or nest.

The twins are awake and active as she sits on a blanket by the river, gently rubbing their backs as they kick their legs and fist the fabric from where they lay on their stomachs. Sharp heterochromatic eyes watch for any signs of impending sleep, ready to turn them onto their backs as needed. But for now she simply sits cross-legged, waiting for Juniper’s arrival, and listening to the rhythm of the waterfall.
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
Juniper Dubois
the Amberwing
Diplomat

Age: 57 | Height: 4'8 | Race: Fae | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Greatwood
Level: 3 - Strg: 13 - Dext: 14 - Endr: 12 - Luck: 15 - Int:
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Posts: 417 | Total: 1,206
MP: 1749
#2
JUNIPER
you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do
Juniper was glad to receive Hotaru's letter; after having to tell Deimos that she'd seen no sign of Hotaru, it set Juniper's mind at ease. Whatever politics might fall between them, Juniper felt relieved to know that Hotaru had made it safely out of Halo, given her condition.

Now, as Juniper approached Hotaru, it was with a smile at the sight of the babies. So she'd come through childbirth safely, another relief. Coming to sit down with Hotaru, Juniper said, "Hello, Hotaru. I hope you -- and your children -- are well."

The conversation might end up turning to hard subjects, but it didn't have to start out that way.
if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.



table by Skylark
Hotaru Kaito
the Valkyrie
Masseuse / Headmistress

Age: 33 | Height: 5'2 | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: King's End
Level: 3 - Strg: 38 - Dext: 38 - Endr: 54 - Luck: 40 - Int:
Played by: Brit Offline
Change author:
Posts: 2,241 | Total: 6,168
MP: 9427
#3
you are such a soft and messy thing, nobody knows how to take care of you
Juniper’s arrival is quiet, but not too quiet for ears attuned to a cat’s. Hotaru turns her head with a tired but no less welcoming smile. As Juniper comes to sit beside her on the blanket, the Valkyrie brushes her hair back over the shoulder it had fallen over, still somehow regal even with exhaustion painting hues of purple around her eyes.

“They came early, but Vai has assured me they're quite healthy. Now it’s just me who needs to catch more than a few hours of sleep.” A soft laugh escapes her. The darkness feels farther from her with Juniper here, and Hotaru feels more like herself. “What do you know of what happened in Halo?” Had someone managed to contact her, or even better, find her? In many ways the answer will help settle her own fears about the fate of Noah and Deimos.
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
Juniper Dubois
the Amberwing
Diplomat

Age: 57 | Height: 4'8 | Race: Fae | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Greatwood
Level: 3 - Strg: 13 - Dext: 14 - Endr: 12 - Luck: 15 - Int:
Played by: Bees Offline
Change author:
Posts: 417 | Total: 1,206
MP: 1749
#4
JUNIPER
you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do
"I'm glad to hear it." Juniper smiled at Hotaru, concealing her concern at how tired the woman looked. Part of her wanted to offer assistance looking after the twins, just because it was always Juniper's instinct to help, but Juniper had no experience with children, and many other duties to keep her busy. Still, it prompted her to ask: "Are you ... alone? In raising them, I mean."

Juniper had heard rumors that Remi was the father of Hotaru's children, but no truly credible information, so she didn't want to assume.

And then, turning to the business in Halo, Juniper grew even more serious. "Noah came to tell me what happened, and I've spoken to Deimos as well. They said that Morgan led a force of Ascended to attack and retake Halo, and that you surrendered rather than watch such a battle harm your people." There was no judgment in Juniper's voice for this last fact -- rather the opposite. She approved of the former Wardens' commitment to their people.
if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.



table by Skylark
Hotaru Kaito
the Valkyrie
Masseuse / Headmistress

Age: 33 | Height: 5'2 | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: King's End
Level: 3 - Strg: 38 - Dext: 38 - Endr: 54 - Luck: 40 - Int:
Played by: Brit Offline
Change author:
Posts: 2,241 | Total: 6,168
MP: 9427
#5
you are such a soft and messy thing, nobody knows how to take care of you
Though she knows the Fae live long lives far beyond her own, Juniper strikes her as particularly young at heart, tender and kind in a way Hotaru both envies and flinches away from. It is both a balm to her tired soul and a burning sensation that lingers in the wake of it, unsettling the bones of wrought iron and spine crafted from ligaments wrapped around bone harvested from those she'd felled over the years. A dark, toothy thing inside hissing at the implication that she alone is not capable of protecting, loving, rearing. Still - it is not enough to remove from her the deference one must adopt when speaking to a woman with power like Juniper has. Hotaru's control is far too impeccable, even brought low as she is. "Yes and no. Remi is involved in their lives, and will be forever, but we are not in any way together as most are accustomed to. But the others I had who I might have relied upon...I do not know if they made it from Halo safely." And here gorge rises in her throat, a reflex from revealing any kind of weakness, and from the terror that still consumes her as the days continue without word.

Except Juniper has word, and Hotaru spins as much as she can to face her, a dark sort of desperation in the shadows that play across her pretty face. "He came to you? He and Deimos - they live? Are they well?" Harmed in any way? If not, then it is merely a matter of time before they find one another. She is sure of it. She must be, if she is to keep hold of the will that keeps her standing these days.
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
Juniper Dubois
the Amberwing
Diplomat

Age: 57 | Height: 4'8 | Race: Fae | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Greatwood
Level: 3 - Strg: 13 - Dext: 14 - Endr: 12 - Luck: 15 - Int:
Played by: Bees Offline
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Posts: 417 | Total: 1,206
MP: 1749
#6
JUNIPER
you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do
"Yes, I spoke to Noah and Deimos both. They are both all right. I apologize; I should have led with that information," Juniper added, now that the vital words were out. It hadn't occurred to her immediately that Hotaru would have had no more word of her friends than they had of her. "They both asked after you, but I was unable to tell them anything. I believe they've both left the Greatwood, however -- Deimos told me he would be living in the Wilds for the time being."

Now Juniper almost wished she had asked for more details, so that she could tell Hotaru where to find Deimos -- but then, with the twins, she doubted Hotaru would be doing much traveling. And, of course, when one could not lie, it was sometimes best not to know sensitive information. If any of Halo's new leaders were to seek revenge against Noah or Deimos for the coup, Juniper could -- had to -- truthfully say that she didn't know where they were.
if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.



table by Skylark
Hotaru Kaito
the Valkyrie
Masseuse / Headmistress

Age: 33 | Height: 5'2 | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: King's End
Level: 3 - Strg: 38 - Dext: 38 - Endr: 54 - Luck: 40 - Int:
Played by: Brit Offline
Change author:
Posts: 2,241 | Total: 6,168
MP: 9427
#7
you are such a soft and messy thing, nobody knows how to take care of you
'Alright.' Such a simple word, and while appreciated, overall meaningless. Not at all Juniper's fault in her wording of course, but Hotaru has so much more she wants to know. How are they emotionally? Physically? Do they have further news of Halo? Do they now of the birth, the twins, of why she could not seek them out earlier? Do they resent her for it, unknowing as they are?

But all the same, she is stunned silent with relief that at least they are alive.

"The Wilds?" blurts out before she can control it - certainly uncharacteristic, but considering everything...well, Hotaru will not loathe herself too deeply for the mistake. It reveals far too much about her insecurities; why had they left her? Why had they not sought her out after Juniper let them know Hotaru was in the Greatwood? Shaking her head slightly, golden hair rippling around her in long waves, Hotaru tries to focus.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get distracted. I asked you here because I know Remi has said I can stay, and he is one of the Guardians, but I don't want to stay on his favor and connection alone. That's not who I am. I wanted to know you as more than two leaders who once met and spoke." Friendship, perhaps? It's a distant thought, but Hotaru has scarce few of them. Even an amiable relationship with Juniper would make the Greatwood feel less massive and isolating.
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
Juniper Dubois
the Amberwing
Diplomat

Age: 57 | Height: 4'8 | Race: Fae | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Greatwood
Level: 3 - Strg: 13 - Dext: 14 - Endr: 12 - Luck: 15 - Int:
Played by: Bees Offline
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Posts: 417 | Total: 1,206
MP: 1749
#8
JUNIPER
you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do
"Neither of them wanted to stay in the Greatwood." Saying that, Juniper couldn't help looking troubled, because, well ... There were reasons Noah and Deimos hadn't stayed in the Greatwood, reasons that could apply just as well to Hotaru herself. If Morgan sought revenge on the people who had usurped her -- demanded that the Greatwood extradite "traitors to Halo" ... Juniper couldn't imagine that Remi would agree to hand over the mother of his children. She didn't want to see Hotaru returned to Halo either. But she also didn't want further conflict with Halo.

All of that made Hotaru's next statement a bit awkward. Juniper considered it a moment, then decided there was no use borrowing trouble. If Morgan asked about Hotaru, then Juniper would worry about it. Until then, Juniper agreed: "I'd like to get to know you better as well. How did you come to Halo? Or were you born there?"

She thought she remembered something about Hotaru being an Outlander, but she wasn't sure. As for the topic of Hotaru's asylum in the Greatwood, maybe it was best to just not mention it.
if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.



table by Skylark
Hotaru Kaito
the Valkyrie
Masseuse / Headmistress

Age: 33 | Height: 5'2 | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: King's End
Level: 3 - Strg: 38 - Dext: 38 - Endr: 54 - Luck: 40 - Int:
Played by: Brit Offline
Change author:
Posts: 2,241 | Total: 6,168
MP: 9427
#9
you are such a soft and messy thing, nobody knows how to take care of you
She cannot fault them for their choices. They are both proud in their own ways, and were it not for the twins she can’t say she wouldn’t have joined them out there in the Wilds. Even so, there is a sense of loss and betrayal that eats at her stomach, illogical and persistent. It burns like acid up her throat, turning her momentarily mute, and so she merely nods in understanding. It is not Juniper’s fault after all.

“No, I’m not native to Caido. But the longest home I ever knew was a land just like Halo. I even came to rule over it for many years, at Deimos’ side at that.” Precisely what had led to the fostering of their deep friendship. Their shared, unquenchable desire to return to those frosted mountain ranges. “When the portals opened to Halo, there was no question in my mind as to where I belonged. Prior to that I was always drifting somewhere between Torchline and the Grounds.” A slight smile pulls at her lips, idly plucking grass next to her thigh. “I’d never seen much of the Greatwood before now, which I regret. It’s quite beautiful. Though I feel each place has its merits - nothing can top Torchline’s beaches on a clear sunny day.” Infusing a bit more lightheartedness into their conversation.
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
Juniper Dubois
the Amberwing
Diplomat

Age: 57 | Height: 4'8 | Race: Fae | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Greatwood
Level: 3 - Strg: 13 - Dext: 14 - Endr: 12 - Luck: 15 - Int:
Played by: Bees Offline
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Posts: 417 | Total: 1,206
MP: 1749
#10
JUNIPER
you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do
"So you have great experience as a leader," Juniper mused, wondering if she ought to ask Hotaru for advice. It couldn't hurt, could it? Even if she wasn't exactly impressed with Hotaru's recent decisions ... But Hotaru had done what she thought was right, and Juniper could admire that, even if she disagreed with Hotaru's assessment of what to do.

"Halo certainly has its beauty as well, though it's too cold for me," Juniper said with a rueful smile. She couldn't imagine many Fae choosing to settle in the land of ice; they'd freeze their wings off. "Torchline, too, is lovely. But my heart will always belong to the Greatwood -- I'm glad you find it to your taste."
if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.



table by Skylark
Hotaru Kaito
the Valkyrie
Masseuse / Headmistress

Age: 33 | Height: 5'2 | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: King's End
Level: 3 - Strg: 38 - Dext: 38 - Endr: 54 - Luck: 40 - Int:
Played by: Brit Offline
Change author:
Posts: 2,241 | Total: 6,168
MP: 9427
#11
you are such a soft and messy thing, nobody knows how to take care of you
“Most of my life, yes. Though I’m not incapable of making mistakes,” she allows with a chagrined twist of her lips. She doesn’t necessarily regret what they’d done - mostly she regrets letting Morgan leave alive, even with as much as she respects the woman despite everything. “For all its similarities, Caido is very different from my home world. The ruling habits here are still something I find strange.” So removed, far less necessary, figureheads more than leaders.

Laughing lightly, the Valkyrie tilts her head in playful allowance. “It’s too cold for many, admittedly. If I hadn’t spent most of my life in a similar climate, perhaps the lack of nostalgia would have made Torchline more of a draw for me.” It still will - apparently Ru will always be attracted to the extremes, the opposites. Her mind shies away from the deeper meanings there. “I’m glad to be here. Halo seeks to be a haven from the war - truly, I think the Greatwood is achieving it already in its own way.” By excluding the Ascended, frankly. They could have the Grounds to themselves and keep the Order away - Ru would even understand barring Old God followers entirely, would be far from upset - and the Greatwood could do the same. Its defenses similarly lend a sense of peace and security that make raising her twins her a much easier experience.
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
Juniper Dubois
the Amberwing
Diplomat

Age: 57 | Height: 4'8 | Race: Fae | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Greatwood
Level: 3 - Strg: 13 - Dext: 14 - Endr: 12 - Luck: 15 - Int:
Played by: Bees Offline
Change author:
Posts: 417 | Total: 1,206
MP: 1749
#12
JUNIPER
you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do
Juniper smiled at Hotaru's response and politely kept her thoughts -- you certainly are capable of making mistakes -- to herself. If she'd known what Hotaru was thinking, that feeling would have only grown stronger; Juniper certainly wouldn't have been ruthless enough to kill Morgan after she surrendered, and she'd suspect that such drastic action would only provoke an even more violent response from Morgan's Ascended ties, not to mention turning the average Halovian against Hotaru and Noah. Instead Juniper asked, "How did you rule differently at home?"

Hotaru's further statements made Juniper nod, then duck her head. "I hope the Greatwood can serve as a haven. Even if war is inevitable ... We cannot allow it to consume everything. I wish ..." Juniper trailed off, unaware of the similarity between her thoughts and Hotaru's -- she, too would just as soon leave the Grounds to the Ascended and their allies, let everyone live in their own enclave, without fighting over it.
if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.



table by Skylark
Hotaru Kaito
the Valkyrie
Masseuse / Headmistress

Age: 33 | Height: 5'2 | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: King's End
Level: 3 - Strg: 38 - Dext: 38 - Endr: 54 - Luck: 40 - Int:
Played by: Brit Offline
Change author:
Posts: 2,241 | Total: 6,168
MP: 9427
#13
you are such a soft and messy thing, nobody knows how to take care of you
"Where I am from, kingdoms were far more important. Wanderers had little incentive to be untethered, as the wilds were far more dangerous, and allegiance more important. Here, you can travel between lands without being questioned or stopped. Live where you desire without ever speaking to a ruler to request to." Aside from perhaps the Sidhe Village itself, but even that is slowly becoming more and more open to the world. "As such, politics were far more complicated and involved. I knew all my people by face and name, I worked to improve their lives directly. Aided where I could. Protected them directly against invasion, theft, and challenges. War was waged between kingdoms more often than an outward force or godlike creatures. And Deimos and I were always on the frontlines." It's difficult to find words for the differences between Helovia and Caido, but Hotaru does her best. Weaving a tapestry of bold strokes so that Juniper may see the vast differences instead of focusing on the details.

The woman's tapered sigh and unfinished thought has Hotaru feeling a rare surge of empathy. She does not envy the ways Juniper is surely torn between how she feels on the war and the expectations of her people, who have suffered the most at the hands of the Ascended. "I think it stands the best chance to, if that is any comfort," Hotaru murmurs sincerely. Halo may parade itself as a neutral area, but the Greatwood's firm and unwavering stance allows them to somehow be more so in Ru's eyes.
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
Juniper Dubois
the Amberwing
Diplomat

Age: 57 | Height: 4'8 | Race: Fae | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Greatwood
Level: 3 - Strg: 13 - Dext: 14 - Endr: 12 - Luck: 15 - Int:
Played by: Bees Offline
Change author:
Posts: 417 | Total: 1,206
MP: 1749
#14
JUNIPER
you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do
Juniper listens to Hotaru's explanation with interest, trying to imagine what it would be like to live in a world where one's national allegiance was so important. As a Fae, she could probably understand better than most in Caido what Hotaru meant; her wings marked her as coming from the Greatwood wherever she went, and the Fae were more united as a people than Grounders or Torchers. But still, it seemed strange. "Why would these kingdoms go to war? What were they fighting over?" It was hard for Juniper to imagine people taking such a drastic step for any reason less compelling than the gods' will.

At Hotaru's words of comfort, Juniper nods and gives her a sad smile. "I hope so. We are working on our defenses, so perhaps the heart of the Greatwood will be ... relatively safe." An idea occurred Juniper, an obligation remembered, and she hesitated only a moment before speaking it. "Actually, if you don't find it too uncouth of me to ask ... You are a hybrid, are you not? Safrin gave me a quest that involves receiving samples -- hair or nails -- from two hybrids, among other tasks."
if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.



table by Skylark


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