silver tongue

Seraphina

the artificer

wanna play cheat, now says the sloth
a domino flush to his nose

Once everything had been arranged, projects completed so her entire focus could remain on the task at hand, Sera thinks she’s prepared. She’s gathered quite a few things they’d need though it would take a lot of figuring out where to put them all. But first, a conversation needed to be had, because she’s not entirely sure the demigods in the Greatwood are expecting her.

She assumes it’ll be a wonderful surprise, though, dressed opposite to how she usually does around the Tower. No heels to be found, switched out for boots instead, and rather than the low cut tight fitted blouses, she comes with a sweater and a jacket. Still formal, still official, because gods did Sera love her clothing and put way too much time into making sure she looked incredible. But she gathers her blueprints, a small pack to carry them in, as well as the few basic supplies she might need.

And then she appears in the Greatwood, honeyed eyes wide but appreciative of the large trees that spiral above her and Levi, the pale opalescent dragon immediately lifting from her shoulders to scan the canopy. And then she walks a bit more toward a clearing, sure that someone would find her soon.

tickle that cheek and take your throne
pump your veins with gushing gold

i've seen fire & i've seen rain.
i've seen sunny days that i thought would never end

Sera might be dressed to steal the hearts and breaths of anyone she comes across, but it's Levi who fully takes Remi's attention and refuses to release it. Not unlike when he catches a scent and he's forced to follow, the Lullaby all but stops what he's doing (clearing away branches from the base of a tree), to watch the pale reptile.

It takes about as long for Remi's heart to rise as it does for it to plummet.

Not Sugar.

Swallowing hard his feelings of disappointment, Remi turns in the direction the dragon had come from. With his shirt tucked into the back of his pants and the sweat and mud and markings of a hard day's work all along his body, the alchemist looks about as rugged as Sera looks polished. Having never seen this woman before, Remi straightens. It isn't because he thinks her shapely but petite form is nothing to be worried about, moreso that he's confident enough in his own abilities to not worry about much.

"Hallo." He calls out, accent all the thicker for having almost no one to speak with anymore. "Lost?"

Seraphina

the artificer

wanna play cheat, now says the sloth
a domino flush to his nose

Levi drifts in idle circles, too young still to notice that he might be watched while he intends to do the watching, but it’s no matter. He never drifts far, and quickly returns to Sera as soon as Remi addresses her. Sera, carries her notebook easily, a swift smile spanning on her face as the dragonling finds his place along her shoulders. For a second she pauses as she peers at Remi, noting the similarities between him and Finn, and of course, hearing the rumors… Well, it makes it all the easier to pinpoint just who he is.

“No, I’m actually right where I need to be.” She chimes in greeting, taking a step forward toward Remi. “You’re Remi, right? The Lullaby?” Her head tilts as her smile remains. “I’m the Artificer for the Order and I heard that you could use some help with building fortifications.” She opens up a bit more here, an arm spreading to gesture to herself and the things she’s brought, lowering her head in a dip of greeting, a strange version of a curtsy if there ever was one, anyway.

tickle that cheek and take your throne
pump your veins with gushing gold

i've seen fire & i've seen rain.
i've seen sunny days that i thought would never end

Remi is of course at a loss, his almost-twin offering no assistance here when it comes to identifying the woman before him. That she carries a notebook is something he immediately warms to though, that being a trait of his as well.

Nodding, his smile halting as she uses his monicker, strange thing that it is, Remi stills further to hear that she's from the Order. So she's allowed to come, but not Ronin? It's rude of course, but Remi finds himself having to force himself back into the conversation, lest his ire get the best of him. As Sera gestures to herself and the various items she's brought with her, Remi has to step forward with a laugh as he shakes his head. It's almost like he might stop the action before it happens, but of course, without actually touching her, he's helpless to do so. "Not necessary." He says of her strange curtsey. It might be years since he was in Northaven, but the commoner in him still can't abide this strange twist of social stature.

"You seem to have me at a bit of a disadvantage. Unless I really am just meant to call you Artificer?." And well, with the Order, he wouldn't be surprised if he was.

Seraphina

the artificer

wanna play cheat, now says the sloth
a domino flush to his nose

A calculating mind much like Remi’s but far less experienced in the world and it’s adventures, Sera doesn’t notice the shift in the Alchemist, the deflation, and instead marches on as she's known to do. His smile and the laughter that reaches her has hers growing warmer, vibrant against tanned skin and dark hair as her dark gaze lands back on Remi as he tells her it’s unnecessary. She makes a mental note of it, always wanting to set the best impression she can.

As for Artificer, however, she offers a bubbling laugh and a shake of her head. “Gods no. I’m Seraphina, but you can call me Sera.” She offers, before reaching up to point at the dragonling that peers at Remi. “This is Levi.” And once the introductions are completed, she can’t help the amused slant of her grin at him.

She covers part of her mouth as if sheds abojt to tell him a secret, even if it’s entirely for show. “You’ll find I’m not quite as stuffy as the rest of those bats when it comes to titles. But I do have to try sometimes.” And leaning back, clasping her hand to her notebook she rolls on her heels a small amount. “Anyway, I heard you could use the help and I’ve never been here before so it seemed as good a place to start as any!” Her tone seems to suggest that he guide the way, so that she could get an idea of what they’re working with.

tickle that cheek and take your throne
pump your veins with gushing gold

i've seen fire & i've seen rain.
i've seen sunny days that i thought would never end

"Sera." Remi repeats, his accent stretching out the syllables as his smile wrapped around the name. "Pleased to meet you. And you—" He calls up toward the dragon, easily hiding the melancholy he feels to see her now.

Grinning at that and relaxing considerably, Remi folds his arms across his chest. "Well, I am glad for it. Though you'll never have to try on my account." He replies, almost bashfully that anyone would still think him worth bowing, curtseying, or anything of that sort, to.

'Help?" The word is said with a rather avian tilt of his head, Remi's expression boyishly confused beneath the scruff on his cheeks. With a slight frown, the Lullaby tugs his shirt out of his waistband and pulls it over his head. Magical as it is, it's about the only thing about him that's clean at the moment. "Uh, well welcome to the Greatwood, then."

Seraphina

the artificer

wanna play cheat, now says the sloth
a domino flush to his nose

Levi trills his own greeting while Sera offers a bright grin in response to Remi’s relaxing, pleased that it’s smoothed over so well so quickly. She wasn’t much one for talking with people and getting them to relax – she was more the silent type, idly babbling about the way things either fit or didn’t fit, and cursing at herself for not seeing it sooner. Still, she was outgoing, easygoing, and she gives him a brisk nod with the mental note.

As the question rings out, Sera realizes that he hasn’t been informed, and a quiet laugh leaves her – is it a slightly awkward laugh? Perhaps. “Oh, I’m getting ahead of myself.” She murmurs, spine straightening up a bit. “I’m here to help you and the Fae fortify the Greatwood against the Ascended.” She offers, an almost clinical tone coming over her as if she’s kept her mission close to her mind. “Thank you, by the way.” Gone is the droning tone, shifted for the chimed thanks at the welcoming.

“I heard you were the Alchemist before you were the Lullaby. I imagine you still like to tinker?” She asks, choosing some small talk while he guides her the way, hoping that he does still have that fiddling part of his mind around. It’ll make this much more of an exciting adventure than it already was prior.

tickle that cheek and take your throne
pump your veins with gushing gold

i've seen fire & i've seen rain.
i've seen sunny days that i thought would never end

The change in her tone certainly signifies that her presence here is as official as she explains that it is, and Remi finds himself both soothed and upset by that fact. 'Ah, well that makes more sense then. You being an artificer, then." He rather adores the term artificer, and though he has a thousand questions on his tongue that he'd like to ask Sera about it, he remains politely reserved.

'Well, maybe not the Alchemist—" He corrects with a humble smile, once certainly he had been that. "—but an alchemist to be sure." As for tinkering? Remi can hardly contain his smile or the way his cheeks dimple at the thought. "Quite a bit, yes. When I have the chance anyway." Like when he wasn't being stationed in the Greatwood away from his friends and family.

"One of the things I was working on was creating places for the dragoons to hide." He gestures to a relatively innocuous-looking ironwood tree. Moving closer, he shifts some branches and bark revealing that the tree has been entirely hollowed out. 'I'd thought about specifically asking Frey for a way to magical hide them, but...I've not always had the best encounters with them." Blushing, the alchemist clears his throat. "So I'd been working on a way to do it manually." Upon closer inspection Sera will find that the panel of bark that moved to reveal the entrance has actually been stitched into the tree itself.

Seraphina

the artificer

wanna play cheat, now says the sloth
a domino flush to his nose

A bob of her head in agreement to why she’s the Artificer, has a wide smile blossoming along her face – not noticing whether it bothers Remi at all to have her there. Instead, she chooses small talk to try and better understand the demigod. A nod is given to the mention of being an alchemist, though Sera wonders if that’s entirely true. She’s heard the stories, anyway.

She perks up at the mention of placements for the dragoons to hide, following his gesture to what appears to her like a normal tree. Upon further inspection, with his help, it’s suddenly revealed to be hollow. “Oh my.” She chimes, that grin growing brighter as she shuffles the things she’s brought into her back so she can accurately offer her attention and inspection of such work.

Her hand reaches out to run along the bark, to see just how long it may have taken the Lullaby to hollow out this one. “Frey, hm?” She murmurs, head tilting. “Luckily for you, I tend to prefer them over the others.” Turning her head back to Remi she flashes him an easy grin, until she’s distracted when her hands run along the stiches. “Oh this is brilliant.” She hums, elation brightening her face as she runs her fingers up along all of it. “How many have you done so far?”

tickle that cheek and take your throne
pump your veins with gushing gold