The Spider Lily Blooms in Spring (Open)

[Hyacinthus]

Smiling brightly, Erstwhile nodded in agreement as the Spring fae chattered on, boundless enthusiasm and intrigue matched only by her vivid facial expressions and gestures. She was getting it, in her own way; Spring was certainly the 'calmness' of Summer, as Autumn was to Winter. Certainly, the fae of the four corners each had their own part to play-- their own stories to tell.

"I'm quite fond of rain. But I think I like to watch others dance in it, rather than dance myself. I'm sure you're a wonderful dancer in the rain, aren't you?" He mused, tapping his finger to his chin in thought. Just when was the last time he'd experienced a Spring rain? As deception and disdain were often harmful to the Spring fae, most of his own subjects shied away from such blindingly positive emotions. Among the autumn clan, only he, who'd spent so terribly many cycles carrying out his 'other job' had learned to not only accept, but embrace the fullness of the four clans-- though his magics never left the domain of decay.

[visualspice]

She smiled brightly, much rather enjoying her time conversing with her opposite. She found him splendid.

"Don't you find it strange that we met? I was always told it was taboo," She made a face, then smiled again as she considered ,"at one point I thought your kind weren't even real."

Although..

She approached him and gave a poke to his chest.

"You certainly seem real," She said, walking around his form and studying him.

[Hyacinthus]

Erstwhile's chest gave in just a slight bit as she poked-- as if her hands could've gotten lost in the forest of leaves and moss that was the robes covering his chest, had she pushed hard enough into him. "Auspicious, indeed. But then again, if anyone is breaking the rules here, it's not you-- don't you worry, my little green one." He smiled as she further investigated him, her curiosity boundless. He preferred watching over humans, but the Spring fae were a close second in their adorably aloof nature.

"I'm very happy that it was me that you met. Many of my clan are... less friendly. They're a dutiful-enough bunch, though, and I do love them for that-- They can just be so very boring, sometimes."

He was being incredibly unfair about that statement, but he wasn't lying. His clan was certainly much less friendly than any other Spring or Summer fae she'd come across-- Some of them even preyed on the more innocent fae-- That spider girl, for instance. Charming enough lass, but she loved weaving little traps and trails for the naive and innocent to wander into.

"Do be a dear, and be careful of spider webs, won't you?" Tragic, but beautiful in it's own way.

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She tilted her head. 
"Spider webs?" She blinked, then her eyes widened.  "Oh! I'd never dream of ruining a spider's beautiful web! Infact, I love watching them weave!"

[Hyacinthus]

"Lovely. They do so adore being praised for their work, did you know? Quietly, and from afar— That's the best." He explained, while leaning back a little. He almost seemed as though he might just tumble over, yet he somehow kept his balance, as if leaning against something that wasn't there. "I watch them from time to time, as well. They do so adore compliments, I've learned-- They also adore the rain. Just a little, though-- not too much."

His eyes scanned the horizon. The wind carried the sound of mortals in the distance as it combed through his golden hair-- Their lovely little mortal town not too far away from where the two fae now stood. His smile found renewal in the white noise of the younglings and their society; How wondrous their fumbling about was.

They were like Spring fae, in their own way. Just, a bit more chaotic. "Tell me, sapling-friend-- what brings you so close to the mortals, and their adorable little homes? Do you find them as fascinating as I do?" He asked, sarcastic laughter and the bite of a salesman's tongue whispering on the wind now as he listened to the sounds of the mortals from afar. It was a fair question-- most fae did what they could to avoid mortals. There were a special, enamored few-- and then himself.

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Veride was absolutely enthralled by this information on spiders. 
"Yes, spiderwebs are most beautiful with the morning sparkle of fresh dew." She gave a nod and added. "I always try to compliment them, but I'll be sure to pass on the praise of the autumn King!" She praised playfully.

Then at his next question, about the mortals, her smile broadened.

"All things fascinate me!" She proclaimed, a happy hum following her words. "The humans are very interesting.  Although they have such brief cycle compared to the trees. But oh- did you know they use corpses of other beings to survive? Animal clothing and animal remains as food and the dead trees for warmth and to build a home. Yet.. despite being so vulgar- they do wonderful art- almost like their own type of spiderweb for the world." 

She cocked her head at the idea but still she smiled.

"Is it so silly others of our kind light abhorr them? They are pretty destructive. "

[Hyacinthus]

"The younglings destroy, and they create. They are not born of the lands, and they do not live by the Great Cycle. They are tiny, insignificant, and their young long cities crumble like dust with the coming and passing of the dawn."

He spoke almost as if he were disparaging them— a rather common perspective among fae, to be fair, even stated by Veride earlier. Perhaps that was what made his next statement so odd.

"I find them quite delightful." A crisp, golden leaf fell from his birch branch, and landed in the palm of his hand. His eyes watched over it passionately— as if enthralled with its decaying form. "They live, and they die— and their bodies return to the soil, like so much dust." As he spoke, the leaf in his hand did just the same— crinkling and shriveling in his open palm until it crumbled away, carried by the autumn wind to the grounds around them— particles glimmering in the light as they did so.

"They take from the land, and the land takes from them. They take from one another, and create sorrows— beautiful little sorrows, which give birth to new life, and new loves, in the next cycle. They are unnatural— different— and that which is different will always be abhorrent. But the land loves them, my dearest sapling— and so too must I. That is my role as the Fairy of Sorrows."

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Veride went thoughtful over his words.  But her thoughts jeot coming back to one thing.

"But why sorrows?" Her question was innocent enough. "You don't seen sad to me. Why not sheperd happiness?"

[Hyacinthus]

A big, bright smile swelled up on Erstwhile's face as he gave a mighty fairy shrug-- the most whimsical kind of shrug, surely. "Well, surely someone has to!" He explained in arguably the silliest and least-satisfying way possible, before chuckling a little. Afterwards, however, he gave a much more, well... 'him' response.

"As Spring prepares for summer, so too must the sorrows be prepared to be reborn anew as happy little things. Not unlike yourself, I should think!" He explained, his gaze turning toward the mortal city some ways away. It was why he'd come this far from the southern faelands, where the creatures of autumn typically resided; Why he was granted leave to wander the lands, even outside of autumn. And more importantly, why he was such a silly goose about it all. "If the sorrows are left alone, they fester and foul, like nasty little sores. Very dangerous to the mortals. Very dangerous to us, as well!"

With another nod, he turned his gaze back on his fae friend, not noticing that just a bit away, and quite a bit above, a little black crow landed on the branch of a nearby tree. Or... what looked like a crow at a glance. "I like to leave the shepherding of happiness to adorably, beautifully bright fairies, like you.

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Veride looked truly concerned as he described his post, his life. But then her smile shined at his compliment.

"I never considered that before. But it still seems unfair. You should sheperd spring if you want to too!" And that was that!

"But .. what would happen if the sorrows did suffer?" She thought, out loud. "I never thought I'd feel concern for sadness before.." it made her frown as she considered it.

[Hyacinthus]

"But what would happen if the sorrows did suffer? Caw, caw, pipipi."

The sound of mocking words echoed out from above the two chatting fairies— sharp words, almost as if they were filled with tiny little knives.

" You should sheperd spring if you want to too! Caw, caw, pipipi."

While the wry words and mocking melodies of the rather bratty, feminine voice may have been strange to some, Erstwhile, who was all too familiar with the voice's owner, simply sighed. He supposed he'd been in one place for too long— it wasn't surprising that he was so quickly found.

"Now, now, Neverlie— be nice."

The crow— or what looked like a crow— gave a great few flaps of its wings before taking off from its perch in the tree, landing near to Erstwhile's side. But what landed wasn't a crow— another young fae, who looked almost identical to Veride— if she's been doused in black and covered barely with feathers. The the crow... or harpy-like fae, whose body was near as bare as Veride's own when she'd first appeared before Erstwhile, simply gave a huff, and a hmph.

"As you wish, my dearest king— Neverlie is never mean. Caw, caw, pipipi." Even now her tone was mocking and sarcastic— which earned her an exasperated chuckle from the Autumn king.

This... was going to be interesting to watch, if nothing else.

"But why is the king so far from home? Why does the king converse with a crone? Neverlie's pretty eyes only spy a silly, sprightly, lily, brightly. Much too gross, much too green for Tyrnalhann the Autumn King. Caw, caw, pipipi."

"Now, now, Neverlie. There's nothing wrong with sharing lands with our dearest sapling friends..." Erstwhile explained, though admittedly amused, as always, by her antics.

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Veride nearly jumped out of her skin the moment the darker, bird like fae appeared and crowed about. Her eyes grew wider each time the other woman spoke- to the point it seemed the colors there in were about to explode like a display of comets.

"Oh!!!!!" She zipped around her new found friend, unable to contain the giggles of glee that exploded from her as she took the other fae's hands and danced.

"HI, Neverlie!!!" She beamed. "I'm Veride- of the spring court of faeries! Oh wow! I simply love your feathers! You remind me of the morning birds! Look at her, Erstwhile!" She went on, dancing about him and clinging to his arm as she gushed with glee.

"Do you sing like the birds do, too? " her eyes grew even larger, like saucers. "I bet its beautiful when you do!"

[Hyacinthus]

In a stunning show of foresight that was truly befitting of a king who'd lived a thousand lives and reigned for even more cycles, Erstwhile, still smiling all the way, raised both hand hands to each side of his head, and playfully covered his ears. He did this for two reasons. Veride was the first; Her boundless excitement and enthusiasm in the face of something new was nothing short of explosive, to both the eyes and ears.

"Caw, caw, pipipi! Leave me be! Set me free!"

Neverlie was the second reason. Just as loud as Veride was she— but her cries were not of joy, but protest as she quickly found herself overwhelmed by the force of 800 suns.

Summer and Winter fae often clashed when they met; it was the nature of their courts to be fierce, absolute. Courageous and dominant in the court of summer, ruthless and all-encompassing in the court of winter. By comparison, the courts of Spring and Autumn, more often than not, just... were weirded out by one another. Erstwhile could've prevented, or ended, this interaction quite easily— but it was funnier to watch Spring and Autumn fae interact, so he didn't.

Before long she was able to wrench herself free— and in an amusing attempt to 'hide' from her tormentor, she scrambled away to the only hiding spot she could think to find; beneath Erstwhile's robe. He chuckled as she complained, though he didn't make any sudden moves to remove her. "Far too noisy, far too green! Far too creepy, dearest king! Nevelie cannot stand the song of this one, Tyrnalhann! Caw, caw, pipipi!"

Be that as it may, having given her peace to say her piece, so to speak, Erstwhile took a few steps to the side— his golden-red robes parting like free-falling leaves to reveal the crow fae beneath. Oh, how she glowered at her king— to his further amusement. "Neverlie is my dearest attendant. She is the evening sparrow— the call of autumn is her story." Erstwhile somewhat proudly explained, and as he did so, she appeared to cheer up a bit— puffing her chest out a little as if implying she was better than everyone else.

"And, yes. She has quite a lovely singing voice."

Aaaaaand the glare came back. Erstwhile chuckled in response.

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Veride was an array of un-erasable smiles. Infact, she was so transfixed by Neverlie that she made gleeful little noises once Erstwhile umhid the shy little autumn fae.

Veride was upon her the moment it was proclaimed she could sing, and she giddily took her by her hands and beamed.

"Oh! But won't you sing for me? I'd love to hear your song!"

[Hyacinthus]

Erstwhile watched as Neverlie, in response, did everything in her power to pull and pry away from Veride once again-- visibly overwhelmed by how high-energy the green fairy before her was. It was as if she was sunshine and life itself-- and it was much too exhausting! "Neverlie never sings for any but the Autumn King! Caw, caw, pipipi-- release me now, away with thee!"

She protested and struggled, but she didn't do anything to outright harm Veride-- as much as she wanted too. There were few lines that Neverlie didn't cross-- few boundaries that she respected with all of her heart as a fae. All of them-- literally all of them-- were rules that dearest Tyrnalhann put in place for the fae of the Autumn court. Among them? Yep... no preying on fae of the Spring and Winter Courts. It 'went against the natural order of the cycle', he always said.

What she wouldn't give to not love her dearest king so much right now...

"It's a bit too early for Neverlie's song, unfortunately." Erstwhile happily interjected, while doing nothing to separate the two. The Fairy of Crows looked pleadingly at her king, who simply gave an amused shrug-- his eyes speaking for him as he silently lectured her on putting herself in that situation in the first place. "When Neverlie sings, Autumn comes. She is my attendant in all things that usher in the gentle calm that is the beginning of our Cycle's end. The lands will wither. The leaves will fall. The fertility and life of spring would be replaced with decay and decline." He spoke in a rather loving tone about it all-- as a king of such should. There was no hint of disdain, regret or sadness in his voice-- it was no different than when he gleefully spoke of Spring earlier.

"Still, it is a beautiful song to hear." He added, while Neverlie once more managed to free herself and ran to hide behind Erstwhile... as if that would do something. "Aren't you being a little too dramatic, Neverlie? She won't hurt you." He teased a bit, which resulted in the bird-like fae to quickly leap-- or, moreso fly-- up onto her king's shoulder, resting atop it like some sort of cat.

"Aren't you being a little too dramatic, Neverlie? She won't hurt you. Caw, caw, pipipi." She mocked, though there was clear concern on her face. "She is GREEN, my Autumn King! These are not your fairy's colors-- Autumn yearns for something duller! Leave this brightly, sprightly green-- your subjects miss their Autumn King!" She complained, futilely pulling at his robes from her perch. Erstwhile could only chuckle a little as she did so--thankful that the truth had finally come out.

Though he was almost certain 'his subjects' didn't miss their Autumn King as much as she did... he knew he'd eventually get tracked down regardless.

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Despite Neverlie's obvious objections to her very presence, Veride was all smiles and glitters of green. But she wasn't so distracted she didn't catch what the other younger fae had said.

"Miss their King? Why would they miss him?"

[Hyacinthus]

Erst, for the first time since the two-- and now three-- of them had stopped to chat, looked a bit like a cat that'd been caught with it's hand in the pot. With a slight chuckle, he attempted to respond to the question before Neverlie did-- for all the good it would do him. "Neverlie enjoys embellishing stories a little. My subjects don't--"

"Miss their King? Why would they miss him? Caw, caw, pipipi. The Green one cannot understand the plight of dearest Tyrnalhann!" With a shift and a flip, Neverlie leapt from her spot on Erstwhile's shoulder to his very head-- daintily dancing about with but the barest touches of her toes to the center of his hair, before flipping forward, and coming face to face with her beloved king... upside down, suspended in mid air. Erstwhile's look of being caught red handed deepened, his sheepish smile a bit more obvious.

"Tyrnalhann, the longing one--
O' Autumn's Fairy King,
Bestowed default the crown of thorns,
And burdens that it brings.

Yet endless is your wanderlust
For mortals far and near,
So does the longing one ignore
The subjects he holds dear.

Caw, caw, pipipi."

Erstwhile admitted defeat through knowing laughter, trying to smooth the mood over with his mocking, teasing attendant. "I haven't been gone THAT long. And I'm bound to return by the end of the season. It's my fate, after all."

[visualspice]

Veride was absolutely enchanted in everything before her- from the singing fae- to its sheepish king- and it sunk in what had been brought to light. 

"Oh!" her hands went into little fists as she turned to Erstwhile, a determined glow to her eyes. "If you are a King, you should not stay away from your subjects. Especially of they are so attached as Neverlie sings!" Veride chided. She put hands to her hips, her entire form accented by the mass of tangled hair she possessed that, despite its dissaray, appeared like a beautiful river of green shades. Fresh, crisp leaves accented her and it brought out the little green flush to her cheeks.

"How long have you been away?" She found herself asking... for perhaps Neverlie might be embellishing?

[Hyacinthus]

"Hm... well... If I recall--"

"How long have you been away? Caw, caw, pipipi."

Amusingly, Erstwhile now found himself faced with two adorable, frowning fae; One objectively concerned about the state of his affairs-- the other, so deeply aware of and involved in them that she couldn't help but be upset. While a pair of hands pressed at tiny hips and sparkling eyes bored his way, two other hands pressed at his face-- squishing his cheeks gently, as if to admonish him childishly. Neverlie's pout, even upside down, was every bit as intimidating as it was amusing.

"800 mortal years! Enough to bring this fae to tears!" She complained, though obvious pleading carried through in her words. "One hundred cycles had he reigned as patron of our clan-- And then he left us suddenly, to walk these mortal lands! Caw, caw, pipipi!"

"Now, now, Neverlie... You know I can't stay in one place for long."

"Now, now, Neverlie... You know I can't stay in one place for long. Caw, caw, pipipi-- Tyrnalhann, return with me at least this once to our domain-- your children miss you, such is plain!"

Erstwhile's shoulder's slumped a bit, and he sighed. Neverlie didn't usually complain this much-- maybe it had been too long since he'd visited...

[visualspice]

Veride's eyes were wide as dinner plates. 

"Eight hundred years!?" She exclaimed, hardly believing the words. "Oh.. Erstwhile.. or should I say- King of Autumn?" She pouted thoughtfully at that one. "That time is far too long for a proper king to be away from his people. "

No wonder Neverlie was in such a state! 
"Surely you must miss your wards and your keep? Why... I couldn't even tell you when the Queen or Springtime ever left our court. Why.. it's unheard of! And I wouldn't believe it if I wouldn't have seen such sincerity from Neverlie."