event pt 1 | full moon & litha

[moustre]

Event Log: June, A Midsummer Night's Dream

I. IUNERIL 17TH - THE FULL MOONS The days leading up to the full moons are the same as last month: Monsters are a little itchier and a little easier to agitate, whether they mean to be or not, which becomes increasingly noticeable the day before the full moons. But of particular note is that this may be the second full moons that some arrivals have experienced, and with that comes greater risks, greater agitation, and further reminders to take care of themselves. Weather fair, despite the worries of the city, Monsters will find that the Sisters aren't blocked away by clouds this night. The moons cast their light down on the city, and the pull is strong for even the veteran natives that call the city home. The Coven is offering potions and charms, in an attempt to encourage those without a Bond to ensure that they will be able to keep their wits about them throughout the entire stretch of the Sisters' time in the sky at their fullest. They're always allowed to reject the offer, but it's with a warning: if they let their newfound instincts overtake them, then they might find themselves back in the Coven under worse conditions. But the Sisters rise framed in stark red skies, even as evening falls across Aefenglom, much to the discontent of the city. Streets that are rarely dim are lit up even moreso, now, in the face of this omen, lanterns and candles leading all the way to the Harbor District. Their colors flicker with shades of blue, green, violet - anything to offset the red. Boats that come and go along the river also carry a lantern or two with the same intent, and ships in the harbor are decorated with magical faerylights, strung across hulls, masts, the works. There's no place in the Harbor District untouched by light, with nary a sign of red in the midst of their goods. Tensions are already high, between the humans and Monsters of Aefenglom. It's especially noticeable on this night: full moons already cause everyone to be a little jumpy, but with the red tidings for Litha, they're more on edge than ever. Some blame the new arrivals, though never directly to their face, especially when they don't know who, or what, someone might be. It's always a there-and-gone whisper, it seems like. Gossip. Distrust. Unease. It doesn't lend well to the full moons, but there are still those that want to help. Many will notice that there's already activities and decorations up for Litha, some of them still under construction despite the fast approaching festival. The most notable of all are the hedge mazes that have been constructed, both by hand and with magic to encourage their growth. Behind the festival organizers' backs, a group of people - both man and beast - are offering Monsters a chance to burn off some of their energy by embracing their instincts in a more... constructive manner, with native Witches and Monsters alike prepared to intervene if things get a little too violent. In a sort of mockery of Litha's traditions, they're partnering Monsters up with a willing participant to run the mazes, with a variety of options that they will list. The partner - or partners, if there is a party looking to go in together - can be either Witch or Monster, and the people organizing this won't judge as they inform the interested individuals of their options: a. A-HUNTING WE WILL GO, allowing the Monster to either hunt a small livestock or game animal (a piglet, fowls, rabbits, the like) or to hunt down their partner through the maze they've chosen. This need not end violently, and can become more of a game of hide and seek meets tag. b. EVERYBODY WAS FIGHTING, where one maze in particular has been devoted to a makeshift fight ring at the very heart of it. The organizers hope, somewhat, that by making the Monster(s) in question run the maze first they'll be a little tired out already when reaching the ring. c. UNDER THE PALE MOONLIGHT, because instincts don't always call for violence, the organizers offer a more intimate experience here, whether it's sexual or nonsexual. Maybe you just want a good cuddle..? The organizers emphasize the idea of consent, and will not force anyone against their will into the hedge mazes, no matter which one it is. They also want to make sure that they will step in to help if called upon, in case someone gets a little too overeager. Witches looking to use magic this night will, peculiarly, find that their magic is a little less... cooperative. Many of the Coven Witches speak of how they specifically wait to cast powerful spells on the night of the full moons, to ensure that they have the greatest chances of success with the help of the Sisters. However, Witches of the new arrival persuasion are much weaker on full moons. Their magic is still there, and they can still draw upon it for spells, but they'll have to put greater effort if they want to cast a spell with any significant amount of power. Overexerting oneself while doing this is entirely possible, so it's best to try and find some sort of balance, lest you find yourself exhausted and without a means to defend yourself. We ask that any and all NSFW threads be marked accordingly, or otherwise moved to a locked post on the log community or an entry/inbox on a character journal. Remember to please be excellent to each other, and respect all limits that your threadmates might have, if you explore the more sexual or violent aspects of the offered prompts. If things get OOCly out of hand, please let us know; if things get ICly out of hand, please let Nessie and Mhairi know.

II. LITHA - IUNERIL 21ST TO 23RD Despite what chaos there might have been on the night of the full moons, and the subsequent day after as things began to calm, Litha still arrives as scheduled on Iuneril 21st, as the sun begins to set. The summer solstice reaches its peak the following night, and the festivities wind down the third dusk. While certainly still lively, it isn't as completely festive as Boaltinn, most certainly because of the red skies, and the natives are obviously trying to make the best they can of what they perceive as a poor situation. To say that the natives are on edge would certainly be an understatement. Whatever happened in those hedge mazes is untraceable, now, and everything looks pristine. Faerylights decorate every awning, overhang, and eave, magical and twinkling with colors to offset the red skies. There are no bonfires, this go around, but much like the fires it seems that the lights all lead to the primary area of celebration: in contrast to Boaltinn, Litha is celebrated in the Entertainment, Shopping, and Harbor Districts. Doors to businesses are wide open (with many even having large signs indicating VAMPIRES WELCOME HERE - those that don't make a clear statement), and stalls offering wares and foods and activities alike are set up at nearly every corner alongside preestablished businesses in the market. The harbor is especially lively, with many sailors coming and going as they prepare for setting sail. While ships themselves are always coming and going in the port, Litha is an important time for the more longterm voyages and those meant to carry some significance, and each ship departing is bid farewell with equal fanfare. Fireworks and celebration that is, at least in some part, genuine, but does carry a certain level of enthusiasm that borders on force of will. a. ASKING FOR A LITTLE COMPANY Though all businesses in the Entertainment District open their doors for the festivals of Aefenglom, the brothels of the city in particular are offering a warm welcome this Litha to anyone who might be interested in spending some time with someone - or, multiple someones. They have open rooms for mingling, lounges with floor pillows and low tables where customers can partake in spiced and unspiced drinks alike, where the unspiced are lacking in the potions and near-aphrodisiacs of the spiced drinks. Private rooms are also available for those seeking a more... intimate experience, however one may take that to mean. The brothel workers are more than happy to attend to any interested parties, but also aren't against randomly pairing individuals up, based on their specifications. And, after a little misunderstanding regarding their classes, the Head Madame of the guild has decided that they will be offering chances for individuals to perform at their establishments. She was rather charmed by the mishap, bless your souls, as were the rest of the guild, so the new arrivals have endeared themselves to the brothel workers. Dances, conversation, assorted busking - whatever skills that their quest-takers learned, whether it be of the more sexual nature or not, they'll provide whatever they might need to put on a show and attract or entertain clientele. b. I'M WISHING FOR THE ONE I LOVE Anyone interested in making their way into the Shopping District will find just as many open doors, as well as numerous stalls interspersed where they weren't before. Vendors hawking their wares and goods like always call out with Litha specials, and businesses set up temporary stalls to draw attention to themselves, with promise of greater bargains and products to be found at their main establishment. There are many that sell spiced foods and drinks, with varying degrees of strength depending on how one wants to feel. Others are selling candles and lanterns, offering a magitech version of a lighter at a steal, depending on how much you purchase otherwise. The largest stalls, and the biggest displays at storefronts, are the flowers though. Every single flower shop in Aefenglom has come out full force, practically painting the district in a myriad of non-red colors as they put their stock on full display. They offer deals for those who wish to buy bouquets for a sweetheart or someone they admire, as well as anyone wanting to make flower crowns for those they care for. Each of the seven largest shops are also handing out a single flower for those partaking in festivities to place under their pillow to dream of future partners, the flower they're typically most well known for; this varies from shop to shop, but the up and coming Rose Bush certainly isn't going to let superstition stop them, and are handing out red roses. It's a bold move, but one that causes the tizzy that they were intending it to. And if one is feeling particularly whimsical, they can go to any well at night, looking into the depths in a bid to see their future spouse and true love within. Perhaps making an offering of a flower would bring good luck..? Just don't linger for too long, as there's a rumor that someone is pushing unfamiliar faces into the well, likely targeting those they think are new arrivals. c. GET LOST WITH ME Though the Harbor District has some bleedover from the Shopping District in terms of festivities, their streets and warehouses are where the most room is available for the hedge mazes. Some are sprawling as they fill the streets and alleys, spilling into the towering buildings that have been empty to load the contents onto waiting ships. They create their own environments, with flowers from the flower shops blooming in the rows and creating archways at entrances and exits. Some are enchanted to seem neverending, although there always is an exit, if one can only figure out the puzzle. Each maze has a different method to its madness, and arrangements that those running them have decided on. (Some faces may seem familiar, to those that encountered them on the full moons; they'll feign otherwise, focused only on the now and refusing to draw attention to any recognition.) Some mazes send in the partners together, randomly selected and tasked with figuring out how to reach the end of the maze together. Others will send the partners in from different ends, with the instructions to find one another, whether in the center of the maze or in its winding path. Another variety offers something reminiscent of the hide and seek meets tag game, tasking one as the hunter and the other as the hunted, a game of pursuit meant to replicate the "playing hard to get" variety of courtship. There's no restrictions on how many times one can enter the maze, as it allows one to forge many bonds - and possibly Bonds - and replicates the process of finding your true love. Or, loves; no one here is going to judge anyone. They certainly won't judge, either, if participants opt to take a swig of something for luck in love before they go in. However, some mazes have been tampered with: rather than opening out into somewhere safe on the street or in a building, they empty out unaware participants into the port itself. Hopefully you know how to swim. Once again, we ask that if any threads take on a NSFW nature that they be marked as such, or otherwise moved to a locked post in the log community or an entry/inbox in a character journal.

Welcome to the event log, part I! While mingling on the log itself is highly encouraged, feel free to make your own logs; take the prompts offered and go wild, go crazy, go stupid, have fun. As ever, if your character is getting into any Shenanigans, let the mods know, and if you have any questions about the log, ask them here!

Comments

[beariot]

There's "less formal" and there's "completely misunderstanding someone's intentions", your highness. [ Ursula sighed, taking a long sip of her drink. ]

I thought you wanted to drink from my cup.

[fulgency]

And if I had?

[He's mostly teasing, but he's also curious how she would have navigated that. He takes a sip of his own glass, briefly, but watching her over the rim of his glass.]

[beariot]

[ Ozy's eyes were in for a show to be sure. Ursula's cheeks had already been flush from the wine, but the slight pink went a much more vibrant red, almost matching her eyes, as she suddenly found herself unable to look at anything BUT her drink, eyes fixated on the reflection in the wine as if it were the most interesting thing in the world at that moment, hands fidgeting and biting her lip, struggling to think of just how honest she should be.

She was just very aware in a very profound way of how... nice the pharoh was. Not just to her, but in general. Handsome, with calming golden eyes, a pleasant tone to his voice when he wasn't aggrandizing, and even then it was at least entertaining. Dark features, an air of sincerity...

Ursula wasn't usually inclined towards men, much less nobility or royalty, she'd never obsessed over the English princes like many of her peers, but she couldn't deny the truth that he was, indeed, very very attractive.

And to share a wine glass with him, an experience that'd be considered intimate in any culture, she imagined, she... ]

I s-suppose... if you'd insisted... [ She finally spoke, voice quiet. ]

I would have let you.

[fulgency]

[Without saying a word, Ursula says her truth to Ozymandias.]

[It seems perfectly reasonable to him that perhaps at first, her look to her cup was to consider the question he posed. But the moment the heat visibly rises to her cheeks and the longer she stares at her cup instead of looking at him again, Ozymandias doesn't need to know her exact thoughts to know the truth's come to her mind.]

[It then becomes only a matter of whether or not she'll say it. Will she mumble it more to herself than for him to hear? Will she speed through it, clearing her throat and shifting the topic of conversation away as quickly as possible? Or will she not give an answer at all and deflect?]

[Ozymandias smiles. Which she chooses to do doesn't particularly matter when she's already betrayed her truth. He at least does her the courtesy of hiding his smile behind another sip of his own wine in case she feels bold enough to look at him again.]

[It's a stammer and quiet, but she answers. He's...surprised. It seemed more likely she would take an escape from the question, and yet she did not.]

[...]

[Ozymandias' smile widens into a grin.]

[She's braver, he thinks, than she gives herself credit for and by being so well-versed in playing down her own strength, she's adept at convincing others the same. She certainly has him convinced more often than not. But he likes it. He likes the surprise when she gets a little bolder from time to time. He imagines there will come a limit to that boldness eventually, but he hasn't found it yet.]

If I insisted? [He hums with amusement at first before chuckling, giving her a break from his gaze to look out at the others celebrating around them.] I've never had to insist on anything before...

[He's quiet a moment, contemplating the notion.]

A pharaoh would not consider insisting for anything commonplace. It would be an insult to ask that of him let alone imply that it would be required of him.

[He looks at her again.]

You should hold your head higher, Ursula, and take pride in yourself. You haven't insulted me.

[beariot]

[ His response eased her anxiety some, Ursula sharply exhaling beforte sucking in a breath, not even realizing she'd been holding it. Honestly it shouldn't have been a big deal, but she got her head lost in the idea of sharing a wine glass with him, and all that implied. Once it was all said and done, she felt a little silly for thinking that at all. As if he'd ever... ]

I suppose even with enough wine, I can be pretty stuffy. I'm glad you appreciate my company, regardless, your highness.

[fulgency]

[Ozymandias shakes his head.]

I appreciate your company regardless of nothing, [he corrects. He isn't harsh with this correction, but his mind is firmly made up and he will not even entertain the notion of something else.] You are a beautiful, intelligent, and kind-hearted woman. Why wouldn't I enjoy your company?

[beariot]

[ Ursula was genuinely surprised by his declaration... but it didn't take much to realize the surprise itself wasn't entirely founded. Ozymandias had been nothing but cordial and kind to her since they met, and had shown concern when she'd hurt herself, interest in what she had talked about, and a desire to help her when she needed it. ]

I guess I'm just... not used to hearing all of that said so earnestly. Least of all by someone like yourself. [ Definitely not anymore, since she left her Shiny Chariot persona well behind her. She took another long sip of her drink, cheeks warming again. ]

I just barely know what to do with myself under your charisma. I feel like a teenager again, blushing any time an attractive person pays attention to her.

[fulgency]

[Ozymandias isn't surprised to hear her say as much. Setting aside the effect he's well-aware he has on people, he knows that Ursula doesn't appear to allow for many opportunities for anyone to say these things in the first place. Although he expects that most would push aside attention from themselves out of deference to him, there's something more habitual and less a formality about the way she does it.]

[He sets aside his wine glass before removing her hat from atop her head. Before he sets that aside, he selects one of the flower crowns from the stack.]

If you were mine, I would see to it that all the world knew you, [he says, tipping her chin gently so her head is straight before he places the crown there.] And they would adore and praise you as I would.

[Satisfied with his work, Ozymandias picks up his wine glass again.]

I imagine such worship would be difficult for you, but I think it would be interesting to see you shine like that. [He smiles into his cup as he takes another drink.] I hope I have the chance to see it someday.

[beariot]

[ She had color in her cheeks before, but they were practically burning when he started to take her hat aside, a form of security blanket for her most of the time, and then adorned her head with one of the crowns, holding her face as he did so. And the words he spoke, the fantasy he provided, blending into her mind with all the heady aromas of the spiced wine she'd been drinking... it was almost too much.

But the honesty the wine had inspired in her wasn't stopping with a simple candidness of her feelings. Her eyes fluttered closed, but she couldn't hold her face there for long, turning it away, and finding herself... laughing. Light and... mostly mirthless. ]

I was once the shiniest star in the sky, your highness... If you'd met me when I was younger, you'd probably find me that much more fascinating...

But that's not me any more. I don't... I don't shine like that. If you'd put me in that sort of position, I think I'd just shrivel away under the weight of everyone's attention. I can't... I can't be that star anymore...

[ Despite the laugh, there was... a tear that rolled across her cheek. ] No shine is worth the price others had to pay for it...

[fulgency]

[It's not her honesty that catches him off-guard so much as the shift in tone. Ozymandias' expression softens to something uncharacteristically quieter, more serious without being severe, allowing her to take more space as he concedes it to her. He even goes so far as to allow the words between them to hang in the air and be what they are. It seems the right thing to do in the moment as while he doesn't know the reason for such sadness, he can sense how deeply it runs for her. It feels closer to grief than sadness.]

[After the moment has passed, he doesn't reach out to wipe away her tear or turn her face towards him. Instead, he wraps an arm around her, drawing her in close where she can have privacy not just from him, but from others as well. He will be still and only let her go when she wills it.]

I promised you before that I would listen, [he says in a low voice.] I will not ask you to be that star, Ursula.

[He doesn't say it now -- he thinks it unwise -- but he disagrees with the implication that being that star, the one whose light cost her and others so much, is the only way in which she could shine. He knows there's more to her than that by the very fact she doesn't want to be that person any longer.]

[beariot]

[ Her will took her to rest against his shoulder. A more sober version of herself would have frozen up at such contact, but... whether they'd meant to or not, she'd just shared a rather intimate part of herself with him, a part of her soul that even some folk back home weren't really wise to. So the physical closeness just felt... fine. He'd seen her. Now he felt her, too, how heavy her breath was, and the warmth of her cheek against his shoulder. ]

Thank you... [ Her tone was soft, broken by some cracks in her voice, sniffling back another tear. ] You've been nothing but considerate of me this whole time... I only wish I could do the same... I know you must have so much more on your shoulders, as a king, than I could ever know...

[fulgency]

[It's not often that he hears talk of burdens associated being king. Much of that is simply because he presents as someone born to rule and it's honest. Even before his father declared him crown prince, Ozymandias knew in his heart that he was destined for greatness, bolstered by the encouragement from his beloved Nefertari and his brother. But what that cost at times...]

[Ozymandias keeps that to himself both in general and in this moment. He mourned those losses long ago and besides, it is important that he be present for her right now. Strong as he always has been. There is no point in dwelling.]

You needn't worry yourself over that, [he says, leaning slightly to set down his glass once more, freeing up his hand to wrap his other arm around her.] I am a son of Ra. Since my birth, the gods have blessed and watched over me and continue to do so in this land.

[He rubs her back lightly.]

They watch over you as well. That is why we met in that dream.

[beariot]

[ She had trouble thinking of herself as worthy over that sort of watchfulness, least of all from gods or monarchs, but at that moment, she felt too warm in his embrace to really care. Maybe it was the wine (it was mostly the wine), but she couldn't think of a place she'd rather be in the raw, vulnerable state she'd found herself in than right there within his arms.

It was... strange. She didn't really know what, specifically, she was feeling, but it was somehow strangely healing, and just let her blood heat up, chest thumping steadily. If she was really thinking about it, and she wasn't, she'd realized she'd felt this way before, in someone else's arms, a long time ago, when she really was just a teenager, desperate for the approval of others... ]

If you say so, then I won't. Or... at least I'll try. Right now, I just... really don't want to move. I'm sorry, if that interrupts the wine we were sharing...

[fulgency]

I won't hear any apologies, [he says with a slight shake of his head.] I will allow you to stay for as long as you may want or need.

[As was his intention from the moment he decided to hold her. It's not that he believes Ursula incapable of protecting herself, but this level of vulnerability was something altogether different. In his arms right now she seems so...small. So fragile because the grief and guilt pull at her viciously. If she felt safe within his arms, if it was a place she could find a little peace to soothe that away for even a little while, he would offer her shelter until she felt she no longer needed or wanted it. It was the least he could do after accidentally stumbling into such a sore point for her.]

[Ozymandias doesn't press her to speak any further, allowing her to decide if she wishes to continue quietly conversing about anything at all or if she would like to simply be in silence. Regardless of her decision, he maintains the gentle touch at her back with circles that widen and shrink invariably but in a smooth and slow rhythm. Absentmindedly, he notices she smells nice, the scent of the fresh flowers in her hair mingling with her scent.]

[beariot]

[ Akko had forgiven her. So had all the others. Even Croix had sworn she'd find a way to heal Ursula's condition after all they'd been through. But she still had so much trouble feeling worthy of any of it. The albatross of guilt and shame for what she'd done was still so heavy. She appreciated having others around to life it, but not a one of them followed her into this strange land. Maybe that was why she'd become so close, so quickly, with Ozymandias.

And even that made her feel a different sort of guilt. Like she was just using him to comfort her insecurities and anxieties and doubts. But he had to know all of that, right? He wasn't some fool or playboy, she was certain of that already. He was genuine in his concern for her, his interest in her. But just like with her circle of support back home, she hardly felt worthy of it.

He didn't want her to apologize, though... so she at least resisted that as she pulled away just slightly, to turn her face up to him, the crown becoming lopsided in the process. Her face felt really warm... it must have been the wine, she thought. ]

My star must still be guiding me, even here, if I was fortunate enough to make a friend like you.

[fulgency]

[The temptation is there to straighten her flower crown, but he chooses to let it be. There is something appealing in the slight dishevelment with the flush in her cheeks. It seems more...honest isn't the right word. Ozymandias thinks that even when she's beneath that hat of hers, averting her gaze and trying to hide in plain sight, there's honesty behind it. But the way she is now seems... It seems more natural.]

[Unlike his usual smiles, the one he gives her now is less the boisterous sort, the kind he uses so often to inspire others to place their confidence in him. Instead, it's softer and smaller, private in its own way.]

So it would seem.

[Holding her face in his hand, he presses a light kiss to her forehead.]

[beariot]

[ She was puzzled, at least briefly, by the shift in his smile. His smile was a memorable one to be sure, grand as the sunlight he claimed to be descended from, the sort of brilliance that brought warmth to all around him (though easily could annoy some). This was different, a sort of smile that looked strangely familiar, one she'd seen on a different, paler face before. Her wine-induced haze made it difficult to piece together, but as he held her face, leaned in...

... Suddenly, she remembered exactly what sort of smile that was. And her heart skipped a beat. It was good of him to have only kissed her forehead, or else she definitely would have passed out right then and there. The heat in her face was palpable, cheeks deeply red, unable to find any other words to say.

If this was where her star had guided her, she definitely didn't expect her destination to be something like that. She felt her heart hammer in her chest. Once again, she felt like a teenager, swept away and swooning, but this time by a man. A king, no less. If Croix could see her now...

... Well. Best not to think about that. ]

I... admire your restraint. [ What a dumb thing to say. She immediately winced, realizing that probably sounded stupid. ]

I-I mean... um... I'm not hallucinating all of this, right?

[fulgency]

[She winces at her words, but Ozymandias chuckles quietly. While perhaps not the most eloquent of responses to a kiss from him, he finds no fault in it or reason for mocking her. It is exactly as he would have anticipated from her based on how warm her face feels against his hand. Besides, what her response lacks in eloquence, it makes up for in honesty. She clearly anticipated something more than a kiss to her forehead. Whether or not she could have tolerated it... Well, Ozymandias isn't quite as confident in that if a kiss to her forehead was enough to fluster her so.]

Is my affection towards you still so difficult to believe? I thought I made myself clear that I value your company, but... [He brushes some of her hair behind her ear.] If you truly desire clarification, you need only ask.

[beariot]

[ Maybe her own fragile sense of self really was tripping her up here. His sincerity was impossible to argue with or ignore, after all, to dismiss as anything but what he presented. She still didn't fully understand it, though. Was he just like this with his friends? With women in particular? Or was she particularly fascinating? If so, why? He'd explained, at least somewhat, but it still puzzled her. What about the woman he'd met in that dream, was holding in his arms, had kissed the forehead of, seemed special to someone as tremendous and sun-like as The Great Ancestor, Ozymandius? ]

I almost wonder... if it's not better left a mystery... [ She murmured, out loud, as if answering the conversation she'd only had entirely in her head, but still responding to him all the same. And the more she dwelt upon that idea, twisted it about in her head like the careful examination of a puzzling and alien artifact, or a spell she couldn't quite brain out... even more honest truth was revealed.

This was some good wine. Her lips pulled into a faint smile, radiated only by the warmth surrounding it, her her features and in her chest, heart still beating so fast... ]

I think I'm... afraid. Of knowing anything more. If the answer will somehow change things between us. But I'm not even sure... what it would be changing.

[fulgency]

[Though he doesn't know her thoughts, he can see the dialogue she's holding within herself reflected in her eyes. He can see that whatever she's thinking, she's analyzing from every conceivable angle. The corners of Ozymandias' lips quirk a little further upward in amusement. Even wine cannot truly slow the mind of an academic it would seem, especially not one so conscientious in her actions with others. He finds himself tempted to place another kiss on her forehead as though it could somehow quiet her mind, but he resists the impulse. She needs her space to think.]

[So, despite his amusement, he takes what she says seriously. It's apparent that she sees a more complicated picture than he does. It would be easy to dismiss it as her overcomplicating matters given how straightforward and simple he views it, but her confession of apprehension eliminates that as a viable thought. Even more so when she cannot fully put into words what it is that gives her cause for such worry. Just that something would change. Maybe. Unlikely, but maybe. His gaze drifts to her faint smile as he considers her words for a moment.]

[He draws a breath and returns his gaze to her eyes.]

Then I propose that if there comes a time where that fear is quieter in your mind, [he says, stroking her cheek with his thumb before letting his hand fall away once more,] or you find yourself wanting to know, we can discover whether or not that change exists together.

[He wraps his arm back around her, his hold no looser or tighter than it was before. Although it's still entirely up to her whether she stays or goes from here, it's his silent assertion that he would like her with her red cheeks and slightly askew flower crown to stay.]

And in the meantime, we can still enjoy and take pleasure in good wine and conversation, and even better company.

[beariot]

[ Ursula went back to resting her head against his shoulder, his response having helped a great deal in letting some of the tension out of her shoulders, easing the hammering of her blood in her head. She believed him, that there was no pressure than to take this perfectly at face value. And if she ever wanted to go further, to know more about the depths of just how deep that affection of his ran, or even her own, she could. The door was, effectively, open, and would remain so. Which for the moment was good enough for her.

Besides. She really did want to know if she'd feel the same while sober... She probably would, but it still felt safer. And in that moment, with her heart still so raw in his hands, despite how delicately he was handling her, safety was appreciated.

This was still an alien world. She still had so much about Ozymandias she wanted to learn outside of his regard for her. And she had no doubt he was still curious about her, as well. It could all wait, at least for the moment. It wasn't like either of them were going anywhere, not soon at least. ]

Wake me up if I start to drift away... [ She murmured, practically nuzzling against him. ] Right here, in the arms of the king, I feel like I could enter a dozen new dreams. But I don't want to part from these arms in the waking world... not right now.

[fulgency]

[He feels her relax before her head even comes to rest at his shoulder. Or rather, he can sense when her mind finally ceases trying to analyze or make sense of something and instead falls into quiet vulnerability. As she settles in further, nuzzling at him, he tightens his hold slightly to let her feel close and secure against him. It's better this way, he thinks. He is content with her implicit trust to have such a still mind in his presence.]

Of course, [he promises, placing one last kiss to the top of her head so briefly and lightly that it may not even register as anything more than a nuzzle in return. He turns his head briefly in the direction of the Harbor District as the sound of another round of fireworks launching. They're not as readily visible from where they seated, but he doesn't particularly mind and looks back down at Ursula. He smiles, smoothing down some of her hair that got a little ruffled from her nuzzling.]

[He won't say it, but she looks beautiful.]

When you're ready to leave, let me know. I'll walk you home.

[Though if she gets too much more relaxed, he imagines he'll be carrying her instead. He takes no issue with that, but he imagines she might feel some guilt for it come morning and sobriety. Or perhaps not. Perhaps she will surprise him as she does in little ways every now and again.]

[beariot]

[ Though try as she might, she was too emotionally exhausted and had well too much wine to keep Morpheus entirely at bay, and sleep soon claimed her. Her breathing slowed, steadied, and aside from occasional, almost instinctual nuzzles against his shoulder, it wasn't long before it became obvious that her attempts to remain in the waking world weren't paying any profit. But given the warmth and comfort surrounding her, well better than any bed or pillow, who could really blame her.

When a night's sleep and a sober mind finally came to her, she'd still look back on this night with tender fondness. She'd never really experienced anything like it before, even in her youth. Sure, she'd fallen asleep on Croix before, but that wasn't... well. There were a lot of reasons, complicated reasons, as to why that didn't feel the same. But she didn't want to spend her time dwelling on what might have been with Croix, whether or not she had any right to even feel that way.

With the pharoh, it felt... simpler. Which was a very very strange thing to feel given he was literally Ramses II and she was just a simple witch (with perhaps a more-than-simple background, sure) in a land that was alien to them both, with talk of bonds and what it meant to fight back the influences of the world's lunar magic. No, not a bit of that was simple, but Ozymandius' affection for her, and her budding affection for him, that felt... almost storybook. Both in how pure it felt, and in how quickly it had bloomed.

Her morning would be giddy to be sure, rolling about with anxious, excited energy she would have no idea how to direct. But she knew, she definitely knew, that when she saw Ozymandius again... she'd have to thank him.

Not just for carrying her home after she passed out, but also for showing her a new possibility. One she might just find it in herself to explore. ]