Private Tales A Winter's Dawn

[Favashi]

Favashi had wandered far from the lands of the Dawn Court.

Oh but the war, it had called to her like the sweetest of songs. The offerings they had laid out and the way they had begged her to stand with them on the field had fed a very core and important part of her very being. She twirled one such gift in her fingers now as she walked. A ring, a beautiful gift from a young man who had thought himself worthy enough to be a hero of his people. Favashi always had a soft spot for such mortals. Heroes made the battle so much more intense when there were one or two fighters who stood out amongst the stream of souls. So she had gifted him the powers he had sought, to foresee the blows that were meant for him. She wondered how he would deal with her gift as the years dragged on and he saw his death around every corner. Such a thing might drive a mortal to insanity.

Oh yes, her journey had been worth it; after all, space and distance were relative and she would meander her way back home at some point or other. Perhaps she would even be lucky enough to find another two peoples who hated each other so much that all it would take to push them over the edge into war would be a very gentle... nudge.

Favashi could of course travel by the ley lines that ran across the world but she loved walking in lands she knew were close to the Winter Court. It wound them up. She would barely be here long besides, just enough to ensure they would know that she had been there. A little gift from the Dawn Court to its kin in the East. One such small token she left now, a feather of a bird from the territory of her home. She tucked it into the worn knots of an old gnarled tree then carried on towards the sounds of a river with another gift in mind to leave.

 

[Delun]

The river gently churned, trickling along at a pace with which leaves could rest atop the surface and ride without a worry of falling below. Being swept beneath the water at other times however as though it's time once held high in the air were not but a dream. A hand held aloft a simple cane pole with a soft arch in it. Knobby along the whole length, as though the worst possible length of wood had been chosen.

Long sleeved robes of white silk adorned the lithe body that lazily sat beside the river. The clothing was not an expression of their wealth, but rather their personal station. The family was loathe to see him in anything less than what could be seen as what was appropriate for the litter mate of the current mother.

Their eyes were closed, free hand touching their forehead with just the index finger while the fishing pole hand held in place without twitching. The string gently set in the water with what seemed to be not bait whatsoever. Either they were simply enjoying the quiet, or they had fallen asleep in this position.

Their free arm was propped against a large rock, worn to a smooth and almost velveteen texture by time and patience that only the elements had mastery over. He was most comfortable in the presence of water, the calming bubble of water over stone, earth, and itself having a near hypnotic affect on the Cwn Annwn. Long white hair fell in three parts, the majority to their back while two separate strands where about his shoulders.

The task of organizing the Wild Hunt's list of targets this year had worn him thin for patience. The Vigil of the Wild Hunt had made it clear that after the first part had finished, he would be retreating for some time alone.

While it had not been nearly as hectic this year, the variety had made him wonder just who was doing so much footwork to find the elf who had slighted his best friend for wealth. Or the human that had repeatedly drowned his neighbors chickens for amusement.

He shook his head, a small scent catching his attention. Familiar, yet worrying. He tucked the thought away with a sigh, keeping his eyes closed and enjoying the sunshine and river. It was terribly dreary at times in the Winter Court, and the sun was his kind's natural born element before their talents arose.

Favashi

 

[Favashi]

A scent on the breeze. Favashi's feet came to a slow stop then a smile, a bright smile, transformed her face and she clapped her hands together. It was one thing to leave little signs of her passing through but another to actually run into a member of the Winter Court. Especially him. Her pace quickened towards the river though not before she left another of her little gifts; a small pile of sweet summer berries. The river was a welcome sight and she turned and followed its lazy meander towards the scent she had. It was easy to track now she had smelt it. He must have caught her own scent by now too but she didn't think that he had bothered to move.

Excitement built. Was he in one of his rare moods? She did so love those moods.

The Fae of War turned with the river bend and there before her was an unmistakable figure. Fishing. Such a mundane little hobby he seemed to take a pleasure in doing. Favashi clasped her hands behind her back as she approached. She didn't like to wear the robes of the Dawn Court when she walked the fields of War, preferring her own personal colour of a dark bloody red fashioned into a long flowing skirt and a jagged bit of leather in the same tones wrapped around her chest. A cloak fell from her shoulders fashioned in place with golden clasps of a tigers claws.

"Delun," his name was a caress from her lips but her smile and look were not so friendly. Favashi stopped the respected distance away and flourished him a small curtsy of greeting. Half a playful jibe, half sincere. "What a pleasant surprise."

 

[Delun]

The scent that had caught his attention slowly grew in strength, yet he did not open his eyes. A known trickster was his guest known to be. Malicious at times, possibly. But as oft she was to spread chaos and misery, there were the few instances through either her own machinations, or the unintentional circumstances of choices made by those affected with her presence that had a favorable outcome.

Her imminent presence made him softly open his eyes, relishing the final few moments of peace before he was made to appease her curiosity and games. While he was Cwn Annwn, there was a slight limit to how much authority he had over certain areas. His reach was mostly limited to affairs of the Wild Hunt, and further tethered by his families association to the Winter Court.

His sister, her litter mate and thus a ranking member of the family that happily claimed him, held sway over the whole clan he belonged to. He feigned limited knowledge of the goings on of the clan, as he already had enough administrative duties with the Wild Hunt, and he was loathe to even think about trying to keep track of his families affairs.

She spoke his freely given name, a name that held no intimate power over him, but one that would summon him if spoken correctly. Favashi stopped at the polite distance, giving him the polite bow as he returned the motion, the string of the fishing pole removed from the river before he placed an open hand over a balled fist of a hand in a motion of giving respect. He bowed to her with proper respects she deserved.

He was not going to elicit any sort of mischief from the woman by a petty slight as some other might. Aside from that, he was a representative of both the Wild Hunt and Winter Court, and his own Clan. Impropriety was not something that came readily to the man whose name was a simple reminder of his favored setting.

Order.

His eyes watched her as she spoke, the small tilt of his head as he examined their surroundings before speaking.

"Most proclaim my presence one of misfortune, or at the least, irritating. You are kind to offer such praise. It is truly a surprise however to find you gracing the Winter Court with your presence. Even so kind as to leave further surprises I would guess for those intent upon finding them, no?" He spoke quietly, the weight of his words at first soft until one realized it was a quiet question of her presence.

He held no malice in his words, but even she would know that he was particularly finicky about details, and the whim she allowed herself to follow was not something he was oft found attending to.

 

[Favashi]

He'd always been so polite, Favashi mused as she watched his more sincere bow of respect towards her. But then, she was in his lands and that thus made him the host and her the guest. It afforded her perhaps more luxuries than if it had been the other way around. Once they were done she walked to sit upon a rock beside the rivers edge, her skirts the only thing making a noise as they brushed over the grass. When she sat she raised them a little and dipped her toe into the water. His words wrung a musical laugh from her and she set her helmet carefully on the ground by her feet.

"If they say your presence is one of misfortune then that must make mine one of tragedy," not that her tone indicated that she found that a disastrous thing. In fact there was a touch of pride to it. The rest of his comments led to further merriment. "Oh you have always been so serious Delun. In truth, it was a coincidence that led me back through your lands and I thought some gifts might forgive my trespasses for not presenting myself in the more formal way. It is so hard to ignore a War when you are asked for personally by such...generous mortals," as she spoke she reached a hand behind her to grab at her hair and pull it round in front of her to comb through. There were little things amongst the braids; beads, feathers, small little bones even. Odd assortments that the Little Folk liked to gift the more powerful Fae with. She took in the look on his face and the smile she gave him this time was like the edge of a knife.

"Do not frown so, they were little gifts. Summer berries, a feather or two. Nothing sinister. As another gift, I make that a promise," the wind ran through the branches of the trees and ruffled the blades of grass at her words as if carrying them about the little setting so all of nature might bare witness to her soft oath.