karma's a relaxing thought, aren't you envious that for you it's not?
The heat was oppressive, even with Spice tucked somewhere high in the trees to keep a minor chill on the air around her. Flora moved carefully through the underbrush, careful not to snap twigs or disturb the more temperamental greenery that might be inclined to take offence—and a chunk out of her leg. Barefoot and invisible, she was little more than a breath in the jungle, a shimmer of displaced air and mischief.
Hadama was already waiting. Statuesque and brooding, arms crossed in a way that suggested disapproval even when the only thing present was a suspiciously sulky flower. She crept closer, weaving between branches, slipping silent as salt spray over coral until she was just behind him. "BOO!" she announced, bright and unrepentant, her fingers flitting across the damp breadth of his back with a dramatic little wiggle.
A moment later, a purposeful kick of sand near his heel marked her place as the queen’s voice floated up again, airy and sun-soaked. "I’m happy to be visible for our little training exercise," she drawled sweetly.
True to her word, Flora appeared by degrees—first the glint of gold at her fingers, then the fall of her curls, her grin, her sun-kissed limbs and the knot of bright cloth tied at her hip in place of a proper skirt. Her expression was warm, amused, but tinged with alertness, like a cat testing the mood of the room. "But if my ghostly presence draws too much attention from any star-sent sensory creeps, I’ll be compass-bound faster than you can blink."
She tapped her compass in emphasis, the one that could spirit her away if needed, before turning her eyes toward the flower that had claimed so much of Hadama’s attention. "...are you practicing the flirting techniques we talked about?"
Hadama was already waiting. Statuesque and brooding, arms crossed in a way that suggested disapproval even when the only thing present was a suspiciously sulky flower. She crept closer, weaving between branches, slipping silent as salt spray over coral until she was just behind him. "BOO!" she announced, bright and unrepentant, her fingers flitting across the damp breadth of his back with a dramatic little wiggle.
A moment later, a purposeful kick of sand near his heel marked her place as the queen’s voice floated up again, airy and sun-soaked. "I’m happy to be visible for our little training exercise," she drawled sweetly.
True to her word, Flora appeared by degrees—first the glint of gold at her fingers, then the fall of her curls, her grin, her sun-kissed limbs and the knot of bright cloth tied at her hip in place of a proper skirt. Her expression was warm, amused, but tinged with alertness, like a cat testing the mood of the room. "But if my ghostly presence draws too much attention from any star-sent sensory creeps, I’ll be compass-bound faster than you can blink."
She tapped her compass in emphasis, the one that could spirit her away if needed, before turning her eyes toward the flower that had claimed so much of Hadama’s attention. "...are you practicing the flirting techniques we talked about?"
