step into the open air

Seren

I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment
Destined to seek, destined to know

From a brilliant sky a wan sun gazed down upon the cliffs of Aumakua. The ocean rolled blue and brisk in the stiff wind, and inland from the lighthouse, waves were rolling in the salt meadows too. The grass was not tall but reached the child to her waist all the same, and as she ran with arms outstretched, the browning tips tickled her palms until she laughed.

It was a peaceful place, this rocky part of the coastline. Few people ever came by, and most she had seen were either friends of her Father's, or visitors to Mother's shrine. In the short time Seren had spent in the mortal lands, she had yet to meet anyone she didn't like. Or indeed anyone who paid much attention to her at all. Aside from Father, of course.

It was a bit lonely, but she had all the freedom a child could want. So she ran, and laughed, playing tag with the wind, her bright voice echoing in the open air.

-----
Set before the KQ <3

I am a princess on the way to my throne
Destined to reign, destined to roam

Loren had been devastated by the news of Maea's death. Still, although he'd looked towards the bottles of alcohol in his room, he'd decided against drinking, in honor of her memory. Still, he couldn't stay cooped up in Halo, not with its cold and frozen atmosphere, when the one person he'd actually considered a friend there was gone.

So he'd made his way to Torchline instead, seeking out the warmth and the sun in the hopes it might raise his flagging spirits. Astra was by his side, bleating anxiously, and he could feel her concern. So he stroked her, but couldn't summon the energy to properly comfort her when his eyes sparkled with tears and his cheeks were damp with them.

Unbidden, his steps took him to the lighthouse where he and Maea had spoken their first realy conversation. It didn't take long to reach the Aumakua, but the steps seemed daunting to him instead. Besides, there was a child playing by the rocks, and he frowned slightly as he watched her. "Are you alright?" The call came out raspy, as his throat was raw from crying, and he angrily scrubbed at his eyes.

you are lost, hope is gone

but you must go on

Loren

Base Code by Sky!

Seren

I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment
Destined to seek, destined to know

Too caught up in her games to notice the approach of the stranger, the girl was caugh off guard by the question. She spun around quickly on bare feet, promptly tripped over herself and fell headlong into the grass, fortunately avoiding any rocks jutting from the ground. Far enough away from the cliffs edge that it wasn't dangerous.

Still, there was a searing pain biting into her knee, quite unlike anything the girl had experienced before. It drew unbidden tears to her eyes, and there was a whimper as she turned on the ground. Her knees were scuffed, full of gravel and dirt, and a bright red flow of blood had already started down her leg from one of them.

"Ow," she said pitifully, breath hitching; slowly working its way into a proper cry.

I am a princess on the way to my throne
Destined to reign, destined to roam

As the girl fell and cried out in pain, Loren grimaced. Even in the throes of depression he wasn't going to let someone stay injured, especially a child, and especially when it was his fault. He immediately dashed over, though he slowed to a more reasonable pace as he got close. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to startle you." His words were low and soothing.

Astra settled in by the girl's side as Loren knelt by her. He reached out, his hand shimmering with sky blue light though it stop just short of the girl's shoulder. "I can heal that, if you want me to."

you are lost, hope is gone

but you must go on

Loren

Base Code by Sky!

Seren

I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment
Destined to seek, destined to know

Impossibly blue eyes brimming with tears looked up at the man, and the pretty animal that came bounding alongside him. Sniffling, she watched him without any trace of fear - only pain from her throbbing knee - and blinked at the pretty light that appeared in his hand.

"Heal how?" she asked, curious despite the agony that wrecked her. The hiccups subsided, and when the soft little animal settled in beside her, Seren smiled. Wrapped equally soft little arms around its neck, and hugged it gently.

I am a princess on the way to my throne
Destined to reign, destined to roam

As the girl asked how Loren would heal her, he smiled gently, though his eyes were obviously still sad. "Magic. I have healing magic." He wiggled his fingers, which still glowed softly. "It will take care of that scrape no problem." Still, he made no move to actually do so, not until he got her permission.

As the child wrapped her arms around Astra, who was happy to be snuggled with, he glanced at his luxere companion, then back to the girl. "That's Astra. I'm Loren. I'm sorry again for scaring you like that." Again, he spoke softly and soothing, and he shifted so he was seated instead of kneeling. "What's your name?"

you are lost, hope is gone

but you must go on

Loren

Base Code by Sky!

Seren

I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment
Destined to seek, destined to know

Her big eyes widened even more when he said it was magic. "Ooh," she sighed, suitably impressed, and nodded vigorously. "Yes please, that would be very nice." Her speech was very correct and impeccably polite, completely free of accent.

"Loren. Astra. My name is Seren, it is very nice to meet you." She parroted the names near perfectly, using his inflections and all, hardly aware that there was a difference. Her attention was focused on the glowing light, eagerly awaiting the promised healing.

I am a princess on the way to my throne
Destined to reign, destined to roam

When the girl agreed to let Loren heal her, he immediately laid his hand on her shoulder for the briefest of moments. His magic leapt into her, and sped down to her knee, knitting the scrape closed. Lifting his hand from her, he scooted back a bit. A tendril of water appeared in his palms and wiped away the blood, which he tossed aside. ”There. All better?” He peered at her knee for a moment, making sure he hadn’t missed anything.

”It’s nice to meet you Seren.” Astra bleated as if in agreement. However, the healer was already looking around. ”Where are your parents? Do they know where you are?” Now that Seren was healed, he found his spirit flagging and his expression grew somber.

you are lost, hope is gone

but you must go on

Loren

Base Code by Sky!

Seren

I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment
Destined to seek, destined to know

The magic was a curious sensation that made her wriggle where she sat. "It tickles!" she giggled, awed at how easily the pain melted away. The blood and dirt too was gone before she knew it, and Seren quickly wiped her eyes, having no need for the tears anymore.

"Thank you, Loren," she said, beaming a bright smile at him. "Daddy is home, over there. Mama is there. They know." She pointed once to a trail in the grass that led off over the hills, towards the direction where houses lay, not quite as abandoned as they once had been. The second gesture was to the lighthouse, where even now the magical light could be seen.

"Are you sad?" Her eyes focused on his face, having just realized that his expression was less than cheerful.

I am a princess on the way to my throne
Destined to reign, destined to roam

As Seren exclaimed that it tickled, Loren gave her an apologetic look. However, he simply nodded at her thanks. "You're very welcome." The words were quiet, and he dropped his hand to his lap.

Glancing at the trail she indicated and the lighthouse, he frowned. "Your mom is in the Aumakua and left you down here?" Shaking his head slightly, he focused his attention back on her. That didn't stop him from compelling a gull to check to see if someone was actually in the tower and report back to him about what it saw.

"Would you like to go back to them? It's not really safe to wander around Torchline alone." His voice and expression were both gently concerned.

However, they shifted to grief at her question. "I am." The admission came out with enough raw pain that Astra lifted her head from the girl's shoulder and bleated anxiously at him. He swallowed, mouth suddenly dry. "A friend of mine died recently, and I miss her dearly." Smiling sadly at his companion and the child, he glanced out at the horizon. "But you don't need to worry about that."

you are lost, hope is gone

but you must go on

Loren

Base Code by Sky!

Seren

I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment
Destined to seek, destined to know

Seren blinked at him, not quite sure why he was frowning. But she nodded, because... it was correct. "Mama said I have to stay here and learn important things," she told him, in a rather serious manner. "That is why daddy is building on the house now, and it's really boring because I am not allowed to help."

Don't get in the way, Seren, don't climb that, Seren, don't lift that... It was unfair, and her pout spoke volumes about how she felt.

But then Loren looked so sad that her little chest ached from it, and Astra cried from it too. Without hesitation, Seren reached out a soft hand - it wasn't too dirty - to pet the man's cheek very gently.

"There there," she said, trying to sound as warm and soft as Mother. "My sister died too. Maybe they can play together until you see your friend again? And I can be your friend, if you want to."

There was no doubt in her mind that Loren would meet his friend again, and the compassion the little girl felt glowed genuine and deep as the sky in her ocean eyes.

I am a princess on the way to my throne
Destined to reign, destined to roam

Nodding almost sagely at Seren's words, Loren shifted so he was seated in a cross-legged position. Lacing his fingers together, he smiled faintly at her, though again there was something fragile about the expression, and it didn't reach his eyes. "What kinds of important things?"

Glancing in the direction she'd indicated her father was in, the healer's brow furrowed slightly. "Did he explain why you weren't allowed to help?" The questions were spoken in a soft and gentle voice.

At the pat on his cheek, he gave her another one of those tentative smiles. "Maybe. I'm sorry to hear about your sister, though." His jaw feathered with tension. "Most of my siblings are dead too. Only my brother is left."

At her offer to be his friend, he sighed. "That's very kind of you, but I don't think your parents would approve." Giving her an apologetic look, he shrugged slightly.

Astra, of course, didn't like the sadness in him, though she missed Maea too. So she nuzzled the girl's cheek gently. Then the luxere rose to her feet and trotted over so she could settle in his lap.

you are lost, hope is gone

but you must go on

Loren

Base Code by Sky!

Seren

I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment
Destined to seek, destined to know

Her brow furrowed in concentration, straining to recall all that Mother had said. There was the explanation she had given Father, and the ones Seren had been given before, and she knew them but it was hard to explain.

"I need to learn to be mortal, and what that's like, and how to do the important things Mama needs me to do, when I'm bigger," she told him. Knew it wasn't a good explanation, but it was the best she could manage right now.

At the counter question, she squirmed a little. "Not really. " There might have been reasons, but none that she felt were very good. "Why would they not app-approve? Are you a not nice person?"

Seren giggled when Astra nuzzled her cheek, and watched without envy how the little animal went to nestle into Loren's lap.

I am a princess on the way to my throne
Destined to reign, destined to roam

Loren couldn't help but frown at Seren's response. "What do you mean, learn to be mortal? Aren't you mortal?" Confusion evident, he searched her for some explanation for the words she'd spoken. "And...who is your mother?" There was a slight hint of unease in his voice.

As she revealed that her father hadn't explained why, the healer nodded almost decisively. "Building a house is dangerous." His tone was gently patient. "I'm sure your dad didn't want you to get hurt. And if he was too busy watching you, there was a chance he might've gotten hurt as well. Or else the house might not have turned out very well, because he was distracted, and he would've had to work even harder to fix it." He tried to use as reasonable and as simple terms as he could manage.

Sighin at her question, he pressed his lips together. "Not really. Depends who you ask." Smiling sadly, he shrugged a little. "Sometimes I'm nice, sometimes I'm not, but I wouldn't say I'm a nice person." Meeting her gaze, he felt his smile slip away. "But that's not why they wouldn't approve. You shouldn't talk to strangers without an adult you or your parents trust present."

Astra, seeing the envy in Seren's eyes and sensing her nature as a demigod, wiggled around until the luxere's body was on Loren's lap and her head was on the girl's knee. His companion was careful to keep her antlers away from the child.

you are lost, hope is gone

but you must go on

Loren

Base Code by Sky!