Cadernia

Tirannwn

Cadernia peered over the balcony at the grand hall below. The palatial dining room was decorated with trademark elven elegance, draped in white and silver for the celebration of solstice. A large table at the head of the room seated the royals, and each of the elven clans had its own table on the floorspace. Being a new Benywdod, Cadernia was not to sit with her family; she and the other women would sit with the Brynddals at the royal table - an honour for Rhoswen and Alwen, she was sure... Though she was entirely unfazed by the situation. As she scoped the room, she caught Arweinydd's eye as he sat beside his father. He smiled warmly, not displaying the usual level of endearment she was accustomed to, now that he was 'on duty' before his people.

She breathed deeply and began to descend the curved staircase, her long, sheer trail falling gracefully behind her and caressing each step. It seemed in that moment that the entire room was fixated on Cadernia as she entered; she was a beautiful creature of elegance and mystique and was no doubt the object of many lustful thoughts, but these things did not appeal to Cadernia. She valued power and knowledge above grace or beauty, and had developed something of a reputation for rebuffing the advances of some of the most esteemed elves in Tirannwn. It was assumed by most that her heart must belong to someone else, which was not entirely untrue.

"You look beautiful," Arweinydd said charmingly, as he stood to welcome her to the table. "Please, take a seat." he said, pulling out a chair beside him in the most gentlemanly of fashions. Cadernia felt somewhat uncomfortable by his adopted mannerisms. Arweinydd was naturally polite, caring and eloquent - that much could not be debated. Yet, as Cadernia was one of few people - perhaps the sole person - that he felt comfortable with, she couldn't help but notice something... off about him. He took his birthright very seriously and Cadernia found it sad, it was as though he was trapped. She equated power with freedom, and yet it seemed in this instance only to restrain the young prince. She entertained him with a smile and gently sat in the comfortable chair, no doubt crafted by one of the Craffach.

After polite conversation with the royals and a most delicious feast, Cadernia was starting to grow tired of the whole occasion. Not least of her annoyances were Arweinydd's royal duties, prompting him to engage in discussion with the other Benywdods. Cadernia was not perfect and was prone to jealous moods such as this; whilst she and the prince were not a couple, she was fiercely protective of her childhood friend. At least, that was the excuse she gave herself when she began to feel the encroachment of the Green Eyed Monster.

Alwen Craffach was not similar to the other female elves around the table. Her dress was simplistic and practical, her hair short and cropped and her exposed arms toned with light muscle and tanned through work in the sun. Cadernia was not one to judge on appearances, but the girl's boisterous attitude was enough to make her head hurt as the craftswoman boasted loudly about her many achievements in wood and stone. As interesting as the conversation might have been, Cadernia had but one thing on her mind: that strange discovery out in the forest. As the urge to uncover what lay buried beneath that strange tree was too much for Cadernia's inquisitive spirit, and she knew that she had to move.

After a tiresome wait for Alwen to pause for breath, Cadernia coughed gently and attracted the attention of her fellow diners at the royal table. "Fascinating, Alwen... Your work is indeed magnificent," she said, gesturing towards the small sculpture that the Craffach had produced from within her pocket earlier on. "I'm sure the prince would love to hear more of your stories." she said, grinning mischievously as Arweinydd tried to mask his contempt. "In the meantime, Your Majesty," she said, attracting the King's attention. "May I be excused? I feel a little lightheaded, all this excitement must have gone to my head. I think I need some air." she said, feigning drowsiness.

"Perhaps Miss Rhoswen could help you," smirked Arweinydd as his friend's face dropped.

The King chortled, apparently not hearing his son's suggestion. "Very well, Miss Cadernia. But do rejoin us later on! You've been quiet this evening, and we're all eager to learn of your experiences with the magic arts." he said, humbling Cadernia as the rest of the table nodded in agreement. She assured them she would return, and hurried out into the night, her shimmering trail floating behind her.

As she wandered the dark forests, lit only by moonlight, Cadernia began to realise she was struggling to retrace her steps. Pausing for a moment, she whispered in elven under her breath. As her gentle words caught the breeze, a pale white light formed before her and floated off into the woodland. She grinned with pride, recalling how she had known that learning the spell would prove useful in the future, and set off after the wisp.

Eventually, she arrived once more at the crystalline tree. The orb of light descended slowly into the dry patch of earth, and with another murmur from Caldernia, it began to burrow into the soil, forming a small crater. As it did so, the light from the runes she had discovered earlier penetrated the darkness, and soon something unexpected rose from the ground. Bound in a strange black leather, with some sort of skeletal structure forming the spine and secured tightly with a magical lock... It was a book.

Tirannwn

It was early morning, and a cool but gentle breeze blew through the pale skies above the forests of Isafdar. There was an electric excitement in the air as hundreds of elves gathered on the ground below, their crystal torches guiding them through the thick woodlands that were so efficient at keeping outsiders at bay. Indeed, Tirannwn owed much to the resilient trees that sentinelled the Elven kingdom.

The elves were an active race, thriving on the great outdoors and enjoying every moment of their seemingly endless lives, and so it was not uncommon for so many of their kind to be awake at these hours of the morn. However, this particular morning marked the Summer solstice, and the beginning of the harvest was an event that the elves had considered sacred since the dawn of their race - thus, the elves were out en masse to thank Seren for her yearly gifts. What's more, this solstice was made particularly special due to the fact that a handful of the Enethig would be celebrating Benywdod, an ancient ritual that pronounced them as women. Due to the incredibly long lives of elves, these rituals were few and far between, and so the entire community was eager to welcome the next generation into maturity.

Cadernia Iorwerth was one such Enethig. The Iorwerths were a noble family, well-respected by the Elven royal bloodline. Cadernia was the first daughter born to the clan in hundreds of years, and so her passing of Benywdod was a particularly rewarding occasion. She, along with a couple of other girls from different clans, stood in the centre of the Pilerihud. They were dressed in long, white gowns - clothing reserved for sacred or royal occasions - and wore the white flowers of Lletya in their hair. Cadernia's dark black locks framed the floral accessory beautifully, and her eyes sparkled in the developing light.

The three girls faced East, looking out through a magically arranged clearing in the thick forest, and Cadernia was glad that the majority of the spectators were situated behind them and out of sight. As she held hands with the girls either side of her, she could sense their nervousness at the select group of elves who were within their eyeline. Just off to their left stood the royal family of Tirannwn: King Llawrain, Queen Aeronwen and their son, Lord Arweinydd. As the King addressed his people before a glorious sunrise, Cadernia received a smile from the youngest royal. She blushed and smiled back. She and Arweinydd had known each other for as long as she'd lived, and they were very close. In fact, she completely lost track of what the King was saying - lost in the Elf Lord's eyes - until he began to read the rites, catching her attention and causing her to break eye contact with her friend as she focussed once more upon the rising sun.

"O' kind and radiant Seren, mother of these precious lands, we thank you for your continuous generosity and sympathy for our people. We thank you for the bountiful crops, we thank you for the fair weather, and we thank you for the peace that makes its home in Tirannwn. And, on this most joyous day of Benywdod,, we thank you for guiding our Enethig through the difficult journey into womanhood." The King turned to face the girls, announcing them one by one. "From the clan of Craffach; Alwen, who enters Benywdod with her skilled craftsmanship." The crowds cheered. Cadernia was not familiar with Alwen, but she had heard much of her talents with a needle and thread.

"From the clan of Moddion; Rhoswen, who enters Benywdod with her gifts of healing." the crowds cheered once more, and with more fervour than they had for Alwen. Rhoswen's talents were considered a gift from Seren herself; able to heal wounds and ailments using only her mind. Cadernia knew Rhoswen quite well, as their families both belonged to the royal's inner circle. Though, admittedly, no clan could compete with the Iorwerths when it came to royal repute. This was a well known fact that was soon to be exemplified.

"And finally, from the clan of Iorwerth; Cadernia, who enters Benywdod with her magical prowess". The crowds went wild, the endless sea of elves cheering and clapping as Cadernia bowed in royal tradition. It was true; she was an excellent mage and seer with a particular affinity for nature - talents that were, again, attributed to Seren by most. This was a fact of life that left Cadernia feeling less than satisfied. She knew more than anyone else how hard she had trained her skills in her search for power, from sunrise to sunset, day after day she poured through tomes in the ancient library or practiced her skills in the warm sun. There had been no divine intervention that Cadernia was aware of; her power was earned through a lifetime of dedication and perseverance. As much as she disagreed with the elven goddess taking credit, she would never oppose the elven views that so many she loved held so dearly. And so, she smiled gracefully and accepted the situation begrudgingly.

After the Sun had risen and the ceremony was over, Cadernia stepped down from the plinth and made her way over to her family. Her father was chatting to the King by one of many long tables piled with fine elven delicacies, the wives and offspring standing by in dutiful silence. Conversation turned to her as she approached.

"Ah, Cadernia. A pleasure to see you again." the King smiled welcomingly. He was a well-respected ruler, known for his fairness and good relations with the people. Cadernia smiled and thanked him, returning the sentiment. "Splendid Benywdod, wasn't it? We're grateful to have a mage such as you amongst us. I'm sure your father is very proud, right, Merddin?" he asked rhetorically.

"Of course, Your Highness. We are blessed to have a daughter such as her, Seren must look down upon us kindly." replied Merddin Iorwerth, to which Cadernia had to resist rolling her eyes. In the process, she met Arweinydd's gaze once more and smiled implicitly. He got the message.

"I'm sure you two have business to discuss," he said pleasantly to their fathers, before addressing Merddin directly. "May I?" he asked, referring to Cadernia. Iorwerth nodded affirmatively, pleased that his daughter held such strong relations with the nations future King, and Arweinydd swiftly lead Cadernia out into the forests by the hand.

Tirannwn

OOC