[Gil'dae Cheb] The loneliest number (Fenn, Pre-Veil & GF'd)

[Larien Gil'dae]

11th brightening of the month Imperos, in the Season of Autumn
Era II of the Celestine Mandate, Era XIV Post Fractum.

Mid-brightening found the young elven woman sprawled upon a clumsy array of pillows on the floor of the Quicksilver Hall - her eyes closed in apparent slumber. She seemed so tiny beneath the great arching ceiling, her usually delicate features made even more fragile in comparison to the grand stone pillars and groping greenery. She was the very picture of the current season - a cool breath of autumn with her loose auburn locks shimmering with gold, brown, and red tones fanned out about her angular face and a gown of brown linen with gold embroidery and a panel of golden brocade down the front clinging to her form. Her feet, peeking out from beneath the skirts as they perched atop a rather over-stuffed pillow, were bare, her toes curling against the cool breeze playing within the hall. Her silver boots had been abandoned some time before, left lying by the edge of the gurgling pool.

In truth, Larien was far from sleep. Unconsciousness was a luxury that had escaped her for quite a few cycles, causing a matching pair of faint dark circles to bloom underneath her eyes like creeping shadows - the only blemish marring her translucent skin. When she slept, those dreams that were too painful to bear visited her once more... not nightmares, no, but dreams of happy things. Dreams of Motito, dreams of cherry blossoms, dreams of a pair of midnight eyes gazing at her with an indescribable passion and affection... she had long cried herself dry - months before in fact - but still, even as she found herself lying there, her mind soothed by the sounds of the Laughingwater flowing into the crystalline pool, Larien felt the telltale lump form in her throat. No, she reprimanded herself silently. No more. She would no longer mourn the past, that which she could not change. All she had left was the present and the future. I must move on.

Were there not things that still brought her joy? Rides through the Tawnleaf? The feel of a rustling book beneath her hands? The sound of beautiful music lilting through the air? Yes, all those things brought her pleasure in varying degrees... yet still, it was not enough. Her soul hungered for something more, something more filling, more real. She longed for companionship. True, she had her horses, but what kind of friends were beasts? They could not talk to her and tell her of their troubles. They could not listen to hers and comprehend them. They would never be able to share a laugh as they romped through the trees.

Her eyes remaining closed, a smile twitched Larien's lips upwards as another memory passed across her conscious mind - a memory of playing with Katerynn and Tyav'ondo in the Tawnleaf... but such times had long passed. She no longer had any friends. When was the last time she had talked to another on any sort of intimate level? In desperation, she had sought the friendship of the Cheb stablehand... but poor shy thing that he was, he was hardly better than the horses themselves. A soft sigh, almost inaudible, escaped from the young woman's parted lips as she curled her hands around the pillows, her fingertips stroking the soft cloth slowly.

One was truly the loneliest number.

[Fenn Gil'dae]

Fenn had promised he would visit his cousin first thing in the morning, but perhaps he had arrived too early. Then again, perhaps not. Either way, Fenn had been standing outside her door for several moments already and wasn't quite sure what he was thinking at the moment. Since he had seen her yesterbrightening, Fenn had been unable to get her out of his mind. At first he figured it was just excitement to see her again, but after several candlemarks he had grown more and more confused over what it was that was keeping her in his mind.

She was family, true, but not a sibling. As things went in such ways, he was not out of his mind for being attracted to her, not at all. But at the same time, he had been quite removed from any and all romantic feeling for quite some time. Whether or not Fenn's heart was willing to warm again he was unaware. Fenn decided the best course of action was to stay grey, utterly stone grey... keep it friendly, keep it cordial, and keep it safe.

He knocked three times. "Cousin?" he asked.

[Larien Gil'dae]

As delightful as Quicksilver Hall was, Larien could not linger in the underground luxury forever. With another soft sigh, she finally rose from her makeshift bed of pillows, smoothing out her gown before hurrying over to where her boots lay. Gratefully sliding her chilled toes into them, the young woman then stretched her long arms up over her head until she felt the tension in her back release like a knot unraveling. Finally, she was ready to venture forth. Her footsteps were soft, almost inaudible, upon the floor of the tunnel as she traveled at a decent pace, following the tilt of the land as it carried her slowly back towards the first floor of the keep. It was not a particularly long journey, but it was a rather dull one. Dragging her fingertips along the wall, the elven maiden hummed to herself as she walked, her tune rising and falling in rhythm to her steps. As she spotted the light at the end of the tunnel, she quickened her pace just slightly, hurrying towards it like a moth to a flame.

Emerging into the bright foyer from the dimmer light of the tunnel, Larien had to blink a few times to regain her bearings, her pupils shrinking to accommodate for the light. The entrance hall of the Cheb was as busy as ever with servants scurrying here and there, going about their business or what not. It always felt so alive within Starshadow, as if the keep had a pulse of its own and her own heart just thrummed in rhythm to it.

In no particular hurry, for indeed Larien had forgotten about Fenn's promised visit, the young woman took the time to wander towards the kitchens on a quest to find something to silence her softly rumbling stomach. The servants there greeted her warmly and were quick to give her a hearty chunk of cheese in between two slices of bread. The bread was crusty and warm, most likely from one of their freshest loaves, and Larien inhaled its delicious scent gratefully. With a soft word of thanks, the young woman then wandered from the kitchens, nibbling happily on the bread and cheese as she went. Her steps were slow, almost lazy, as she floated back through the entrance hall, stopping to gaze at the paintings on the walls or talk to the occasional familiar staff member before finally finding her way towards the stairs and up towards her room once more.

Humming to herself again, Larien finished eating the last of her bread and cheese just as she rounded the corner... and found herself gazing at Fenn standing outside of her door and knocking. Her eyes widening in surprise as she finally remembered his words from the darkening before, Larien cast around, hurriedly brushing the crumbs from her bodice, trying to make herself decent before he spotted her. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward lightly, the skirts of her brown and gold gown swishing about her ankles.

"Vedui, cousin."

[Fenn Gil'dae]

"Vedui." Fenn said warmly, with a tilt of his head and grin. "Do you have plans for the brightening?"

He wasn't sure what they could get into, but Fenn was interested in at least catching up with his cousin, maybe treating her to a picnic, and perhaps wandering around the forest on horseback or barefoot. Then again, perhaps they would only have the morning for catching up and that would do him just as well.

He leaned on her door frame with his right hand, his slightly transparent cream-colored tunic revealing his chest beneath. Over his tunic rested his leather jacket and on his legs were his brown leather briggas. He was dressed as himself, trendy and quite elvish at that.

[Larien Gil'dae]

Larien returned his smile warmly as she moved closer to him, like a flower turning its face upwards towards the sun. It was nice to have a male paying her some attention once more... even if that male was only her cousin. "I have no plans," she lilted quietly, her lithe form tilted in towards his, matching his casual body language as he lounged against the door frame to her room. Were his eyes not so engaging, she surely would have been tempted to let her gaze wander downwards to graze over his revealed chest... but as it was, she was currently unaware of his stylishly elvish appearance.

"So it would seem that I am yours for the brightening." Her smile was wide, curling the corners of her full lips upwards as her eerily light green eyes twinkled playfully. It had been long since last she had had someone to joke with. Too long.

Though she knew very little about her cousin Fenn, perhaps they could grow to be friends? Leaning against the wall, she tilted her face upwards to gaze fully into his features as her auburn locks teased against her angular cheek. Stroking her finger along the wooden paneling, she gave him a playful smile that lit up her whole face. She was positively glowing with happiness. "Do you have anything in mind?"

[Fenn Gil'dae]

"I believe any good brightening must begin with a picnic, fancy?" He smiled and nodded, throwing his left arm out toward the door, inviting her to leave with him. Little did she know, Fenn had arranged a picnic lunch for them with the kitchen staff.

"Are you ready?" He grinned, "I hope you enjoy spinach leaves and herb chicken?" It wasn't the most lavish of meals, but he loved the subtle flavors and hoped she did as well.

[Larien Gil'dae]

OOC: Whoops... sorry about the wait hun x.x'

IC: Matching his smile with one of her own, Larien stepped out from her place by the wall, moving to follow him wherever he might lead her. "A picnic?" Her eerily light green eyes brightened considerably at the thought. When had she last taken a picnic? Not since she was a much younger girl, that much was certain. Her skirts swishing about her thin ankles, the young woman moved to walk by her cousin's side, her spirits lifting with each step she took. Being within Starshadow always seemed to have that effect on her... how could one remain anything other than happy in such a place, surrounded by such people?

"Yes," she murmured simply in response to his question. "Spinach leaves and herb chicken would be lovely." Larien was far from picky in most things. Having been born and raised in Natura as the daughter of Encalyme Calafalas and her husband Quendil, the young woman had never been particularly spoiled. She had known want. She had even known hardship at times... therefore, such a simple meal like spinach leaves and herb chicken was absolutely perfect, and was actually much nicer than some meals she had experienced. Her life as a Gil'dae, thus far, had been a truly eye opening experience. Some brightenings she pondered how she had even gotten by before when she had still been merely the Calafalas girl of Natura.

"So, where are we going?" Her curiosity was too great for her to just wait patiently and find out.