[center][b][color=6ecff6]Arys[/color][/b][/center]

Arys enjoyed solitude. It was a time to be alone with her thoughts, instead of the whispers of her court. The goblins, trolls and gremlins that called the Winter caverns home were loathsome creatures, ugly and smelly. Unfortunately such creatures were the main residents of the Winter Realm. And they were not without their redeeming qualities. Gremlins could touch iron; trolls were large and sturdy, hard to take down in a fight; goblins were good at sneaking and stealing; and there were quite a few selkies that resided in the waters of the icy caverns of the Court. It was ironic that a Queen of such beauty and elegance would be ruler over such vile creatures, but under her rule they were at least well behaved.
But those times when she was alone... the beauty of the silence and crisp icy wind that surrounded her... those were the times when Arys could truly enjoy herself, would allow herself the privilege of one of her rare smiles.

But alas, her solitude wasn't to last. A sudden rush of warm air made the smile instantly vanish from her face as the ruler of Fall decided to [i]grace[/i] her with his presence. His words were cutting and cruel, not that she expected anything else from a fellow Unseelie. He was cold... but she was colder...
[color=6ecff6]"I would think one as aged as you would know how to speak to a lady, let alone a fellow ruler and queen,"[/color] she commented, her voice as chilled as the ice that formed at her feet. [color=6ecff6]"Or perhaps time spent with your human plaything has caused your manners to suffer."[/color]
It was not a kind thing to say, but she responded in kind to the approach that he had used. If he showed her respect, she would oblige. The queen knew that Falk did not respect her in the slightest, indeed he respected no one. Such was the folly of the old, always underestimating  those around them. Well, she would allow him to think she was an empty-headed female. As the only female ruler in the courts she knew that the male rulers didn't think much of her. Let them think what they wished. Winter was deceptive that way, you didn't realize you were freezing to death until it was too late to seek refuge. It may be slow, but Winter always arrived with death at it's heels.

Arys kept her head high as Falk admonished her like a child, no emotion on her face. [color=6ecff6]"I am not capable of tears, dear King of Fall. The only feelings that ice inspires is the hatred that is born of anger gone cold. Haven't you heard the whispers of the courts? I am a monster as those who came before me were."[/color] Her grey/blue eyes finally turned to him, the gaze in them heavy with meaning. [color=6ecff6]"One must never toy with monsters... especially those that do not have the ability to feel remorse for their actions."[/color]

It was a veiled threat but not likely to be taken seriously by the Fall King. Unlike him Arys did not overestimate herself. She knew just how powerful the Fall King was and that she could never defeat him in combat, but there were other ways of causing him pain that could be done from the shadows, with no finger to point to her. Her threat may not have been fear-inspiring, but it was not idle either.

They arrived at the meeting place. True to form, Summer was already there with Spring either on his way or nearby. Arys stared at the males with equal cold regality, but her gaze hardened considerably when it fell on the Summer King. Cold mist eveloped the ground around her, a sign that she wanted space and a lot of it.
She moved her gaze from Summer, not allowing cursed fool to remain in her sight for longer then necessary. She stood straight with her head held high, her demeanor that of a true Queen : graceful and calling for the respect her status deserved.
[@Prince of Seraphs][@BlackPanther][@LadyRunic]

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[center][b][color=f49ac2]Lyra[/color][/b][/center]

The human child pouted at her Ba-Ba's words. She didn't like it, but she would obey... for now...
Ember appeared and Lyra was distracted from her pouting. Smiling brightly, she hugged the Salamander before following it to several rooms behind the throne. One was a bathing chamber. Several nymphs appeared to undress and bathe the child. They laughed with her as she splashed and played. The nymphs, due to their playful nature, enjoyed caring for the human child. They would kiss her and run their hands over her hair and arms, showering her with attention. But although she liked the female fae, Lyra only really cared about her Ba-Ba.

No one knew where it had come from, but no one dared laugh whenever the child called the King by the name. The one time someone had, they had not lived to regret the action. Only the child was allowed to call the ruler by such a ridiculous name, but he seemed amused by it and never corrected her when she used it.

Once she was clean, dried and dressed in a new dress, this one a darker red gown that reached her feet and had short sleeves, her hair was brushed until it gleamed like gold.
The nymphs sang as the weaved flowers into the child's hair.

[color=c4df9b]"Child of Summer, skin so fair,
dancing freely through the air,
hair that shines of purest gold,
never to age or grow old,
treasure of the Summer King,
with only sweetness shall we sing,
Forever young, the Forever Child,
protected from the pain of the Wilde,
gentle heart, tiny light,
shining brightly through the night...[/color]

Lyra yawned as the voices lulled her to sleep. The nymphs lifted her in their arms, carrying her to a dryad who wrapped her in it's boughs to give her a safe place to sleep. Although the court members detested the human child, those of the lower classes such as the nymphs and the dryads treated her innocence as a treasure to be admired and protected.
[@BlackPanther]