timeskip info.

[fuga]

LAURALAE COURT None TITLE N/A; Witch of Nimh Gleanne OCCUPATION Witch, teacher ABLE TO FAST-TRAVEL Wolf form RESIDENCE IN 2,701 Nimh Gleanne RESIDENCE IN 2,702 Unknown; travelling MAJOR EVENTS THE MAGIC GUILD Lauralae meets Saber who promises to introduce her to the Magic Guild to help her with her curse - the first to know some of the finer details - in return for assistance with regards to blood magic and bonding. [ ✖ ] BLESSING IORVETH At the Pool of Souls at Samhain Lauralae leaves Iorveth with a mark of her lips on his hand; a blood magic blessing, it keeps him from some measure of harm for when she is away from him. [ ✖ ] TOUCHING CLARKE The very first time Lauralae has embraced someone since she was a young girl. [ ✖ ]

SUMMARY OF KNOWN DETAILS Lauralae's foremost desire before timeskip began was to expand her range of power and adapt for her survival now that she has found a shardholder that she has claimed as her own; she means to protect him, if only so she can claim her shard as his own as soon as possible. Spending time with Iorveth has not softened her at all - if anything it has hardened her and made her more difficult to be around, her rather violent nature, inspired by her curse, inflamed by his company and his own rather cruel turn. Throughout the timeskip itself Lauralae had moved around, travelling from place to place in order to learn as much as possible about shard magic and what she might be able to use it for. She traded her own knowledge, blood magic and it's power, for whatever magic shard users could teach her and she holds on to it, craving it and uses it to further herself. She has learned how to control and manipulate water, to heal and obtained gifts - she also travelled to Redgate to learn more about blood granite, eventually obtaining some of her own. She has grown a little more confident over the last year but she has also fallen prey to more of the darkness that she suffers from; she kills without hesitation, now, more than just to eat but also for defence, and she doesn't care about the lives she takes. In spite of that she does have more hope; knowing that she has people that name her friend who intend to help her softens the anger that she feels on a regular basis. TIMELINE OF EVENTS SPRING IN 2,701 (Mar, Apr, May) APRIL - Meeting Harry Potter. APRIL - Meeting Sua and obtaining a pouch. SUMMER IN 2,701 (Jun, Jul, Aug) JUNE - Teaching Clara blood magic. JULY - Letter from the Brucolac. AUGUST - Letter from Clarke Griffin. FALL IN 2,701 (Sept, Oct, Nov) SEPTEMBER - Meeting Saber; invited to the Magic Guild and guided Saber to a bonding ritual. SEPTEMBER - Trading information for blood granite at the Brucolac's spire. OCTOBER - Samhain revels. OCTOBER - The Pool of Souls at Samhain. OCTOBER - Meeting Lavellan at Samhain. OCTOBER - Meeting Kieren at Samhain. OCTOBER - Meeting Flora at Samhain. OCTOBER - Meeting Grell at Samhain. OCTOBER - Meeting John, Shuck's Son, at Samhain. NOVEMBER - Letter and gifts from Clarke. WINTER IN 2,701/2,702 (Dec, Jan, Feb) DECEMBER - Visiting and touching Clarke for the first time. DECEMBER - The Hart Hunt with Bellamy. JANUARY - Slaughtering assassins at Clarke's side. JANUARY - The Festival of Shadow. JANUARY - Stalking Morgana at the Festival. SPRING IN 2,702 (Mar, Apr) MARCH - Teaching Wan to use blood magic. APRIL - Teaching Elizabeth of York to use blood magic.

( codes by whambam )

Comments

Late September - Nimh Gleanne

[scorchedchivalry]

[After Saber had spent some time at the Spire in Nimh Gleanne with the Baroness there, showing her the basics of falconry as she had gifted Elle with her own golden eagle, she had set out at a leisurely pace on her way back to her seat of power at Arachne's Eye. It was a good thing she had taken her time because she realized about an hour out that she had forgotten to buy jerky for her own eagle and the snowy-white eagle made his protests known when he was hungry.

So, the king turned around and headed back to the Spire. Once she had the jerky, she sat on a low wall on the outskirts of the settled land to feed him. Her horse looked up and snorted at the sound of someone approaching, but a soft word from Saber calmed him as she looked over - her eagle perched on her shoulder and a tell-tale silver crown upon her brow - to see who was arriving.]

[fuga]

[ She knows who is ahead; she can feel the power of a shard, the power of something more that draws her attention. She had come to see her home, to the grave of her mother - or the mother she claimed - and now the shardbearers had spread, the power of them alone were striking. She wanted more of it, she craved it, and it made her want to reach out to drag the power to herself, to fight for it and claim it as her own, teeth bared before she pauses.

An eagle. Creatures do not like her, her natural wolf form painting her as an enemy more than anything else, and she relents, frowning before she turns her head and steps forward. The woman, at least, is handsome enough, and not like to attack, and Lauralae lifts her head. ]

My lady.

[scorchedchivalry]

[The eagle looked up, ruffled his feathers a little, but another piece of jerky made him turn his attention from the approaching woman. It seemed her felt safe enough with Saber there that he didn't feel the need to take wing. Or it could have been the food.

Saber took in the woman - a native from the looks of her - and nodded.]

Just Saber is fine. I am not feeling the need for formalities today.

[fuga]

[ Her eyes stay, for a long moment, on the eagle and nothing more, frowning, before she finally lets herself turn back to the woman. Powerful, she can feel that, and dignified; someone so unlike Iorveth, so unlike the many people she had met in her time, that it was almost a comfort.

Her hands, covered in black, thin silk, fall to her side, the thick cloth of her robe dropping to cover them. For all that she seems young, gentle, Lauralae is dark and careful, her voice low and measured. ]

Not today? I am in luck, then, Saber.

[ She turns, nodding her head at the town. ]

What brings you to this place?

[scorchedchivalry]

[Saber glanced over and a small smile touched her lips.]

I had been delivering a present to the Baroness. [A hand came up to stroke the eagle's head gently.] Her own golden eagle to train. And it is nice to see this Spire growing, to see the leaves in this forest begin to turn color.

[She looked back at the other woman.] May I have your name, my lady?

[fuga]

It is a fine creature. Birds often mislike me - I am glad to see one that seems unconcerned with my company.

[ She nods, turning her head to glance towards the Spire itself. The power of the Shardbearers grows and she wants to dip her feet into it, she wants to steal it for herself, to claim it to use it upon herself. If she can take it for her own she might well find a means to cure herself.

Still, she pauses, watches Saber before her lips curl, a barely-there smile. The power of this bearer is obvious and she breathes out. ]

I am Lauralae.

[scorchedchivalry]

A pleasure, Lady Lauralae. [Saber inclined her head toward the eagle.] This is Bedivere. He is well-trained and he has been kissed by the magic of the Monarchs. You need not worry about him.

[She tilted her head a bit.] Why do you think birds tend to dislike you? I am simply curious.

[fuga]

I am no lady.

[ She is stern when she says it, not wanting any kindness nor tenderness. She has no standing and that is how she prefers it, hiding herself away in the darkness and the shadows. She does turn, watching the bird, before she nods her head. Safe, true, and she appreciates that. ]

But I am a creature, of magic and darkness. All animals that may fall to the hunt do not disguise their hatred.

[scorchedchivalry]

Hatred is just another thing to accept and move on from. Some of us have duties that bring great hatred upon us. Some are made stronger from it.

[Saber spoke that all in a very conversational way, breaking off another piece of jerky for the eagle.]

So what does this creature of magic and darkness before me seek today?

[fuga]

I have grown from their hatred. It has strengthened me and my power, fear not, and I am proud of it.

[ She is equally as conversational, simple and well gentle. She is an Aellyn mage, empowered by race and blood. When she smiles it's a little more dangerous, almost feral. ]

I came home, to collect items of value. To pay respects to those long gone.

[scorchedchivalry]

I never had such concerns; you give off the feel of one that has never willfully cowered before anything. Or anyone.

[Saber put the jerky away and the eagle took flight, circling overhead before settling on a nearby tree.]

Do you call the the Spire home or somewhere else within Nimh Gleanne?

[fuga]

I would not. There is no one that I will let force me to my knees. I am more than what I seem and those that think otherwise learn for their mistake.

[ Her eyes trail after the bird, the eagle handsome, and she pauses, pursing her lips... But then she relaxes, body softening. ]

I have a house, left to me many years ago. I have not dared approach the Spires; I do not know their masters, nor their mistresses, and would not wish to offend.

[scorchedchivalry]

My Spires are all held by shardbearers, and you are welcome at any of them. The laws of Dorchadas apply, but we are Unseelie. [And with that came a lot of leniency when it came to a good bit of law.]

This one is more military based than the others, and there is a decent vampire presence here, but you would still be welcomed.

Summer

[parallels]

Clara had heard whispers of a woman traveling the woods who knew of a magic that was different from that used in the courts. Blood magic. Wild and free and dangerous. How could she resist?

It wasn't just the mystery that drew her in but the idea of magic. A raw magic that had power. She'd known magic before the battle and it had done her little good. In fact, her poor attempts to interpret the visions from the fairy bowl had nearly gotten her killed. It was useless. And she'd been as defenseless as a child on the day the Jabberwhelp struck Caer Glaem. Her scars were a bitter reminder of that. So when she'd heard the rumors, something within her had stirred and compelled her to go seek it out. It was, in a strange way, a way to regain her pride. Pride was a dangerous motivator.

So she entered the woods, dressed in a dark cloak to fit the quiet darkness of the shadowed trees. She was armed with a sword and had brought a chiseled stone from the Cothromach as an offering to the woman in exchange for learning new gifts. Now the question was... finding her. She'd sent a message to the forest but it hadn't been returned, though she was certain it had been received.

Clara raised her lantern over her head in order to light the path in front of her.]

Hello? It's... Clara. I'm looking for someone who could teach me magic. And I'm hopefully not just madly talking to the trees.

[fuga]

[ There was a creature that watched Clara, at least for the first few moments that she awaited in the forest. Lauralae moved through the shadows on four legs rather than two, stepping through the greenery in near silence, head tilted, expression curious, pausing to sit by a tree and let her eyes remain upon the woman with a careful silence about her. She had received the note, of course, but she had offered no reply, a test, to see if she would step out of the realms of the Seelie land and come to find her.

She was a native, of course, restrictions smaller, but she still called upon the Unseelie as ally and trader. She would not let herself fall prey to anything that those of the Light might attempt upon her, after all, for then she would surely be trapped.

After a few more moments of silence she darts back into the shadows, her shape twisting and her flesh turning back to herself, her fingers stretching before she breathes out, hand on her stomach. It aches each time she does it, bone deep exhaustion, but she doesn't care. She will make do, as she has always done. Slowly, she turns and steps out from behind the trees, moving forward and making sure that the woman might see her, head tilted. ]

The trees may well speak back to you, human. I would not offer such dismissal.

[parallels]

Point.

I've probably talked to trees before. Think I have. Mostly I was just looking for an excuse not to keep talking to myself.

[Clara watches the other figure step out from the shadows. She was certain that the woman had always been there, perhaps simply in another form. Naturally, she pushes her weight onto the back of her heels in case she has to whip around and make a run for it. But even still, she stands firm and looks the native in the eye.]

I've been looking for you. But I figure you already know that.

[fuga]

They listen and, at times, share their tales. Trees are often the best of secret keepers.

[ She nods her head, watching Clara for a long moment before she steps out and offers a barely there bow, more of a twitch than anything else. Her hood shadows her and her arms are covered by the length of her cloak, but her hands are visible - covered in thin, black silk that looks thick despite being see-through. Are her hands black or is it just a trick of the light? ]

I did. You wish to learn magic.

[parallels]

I ought to start listening more. I don't spend enough time out in the forests.

[Clara's eyes flit over the woman's hands. Long enough that she knows Lauralae caught her watching but quick enough that she has enough plausible deniability if called out. Trick of the light or not, Clara has a feeling that there is magic in the air and she must tread carefully.]

I do. If I'm to continue here. I must learn magic.

[fuga]

Not many do. They are dangerous.

[ She frowns, watching, judging, for a long moment, before she tucks them back behind her. Lauralae, for her part, does little more than nod, a sharp movement of her head. ]

I can teach you. What do you offer in return?

[parallels]

Sometimes danger is worth the risk.

[She reaches into her bag and pulls out a lovely obsidian stone that's been decorated with etched symbols and golden paint.]

A rare stone from the Cothromach. If it's not enough, I'm willing to barter other things.

[fuga]

Well spoken.

[ Lauralae hesitates before she holds out her hand. ]

Drop it to my palm. What is it's nature?

[parallels]

[Clara obliges and drops the egg sized stone into the other woman's palm.]

It's not a common stone in the halls of the Cothromach. They've only found a few in all the time they've been hallowing out the halls of the city. Supposedly, they bring good fortune and some say they might have magical properties. That's just rumors though.

[fuga]

[ Gloved fingers curl around the stone and she feels it, the prickle of something... Before she nods. It disappears into her robes before she shifts to face Clara again. ]

The trade is done. We shall sit and you shall tell me all you know of magic.

[parallels]

Not much, honestly.

[She doesn't quite sit, but she leans against a tree and stares at the ground in front of her. It's mossy and dirty. The trees are so thick the grass barely grows.]

I have a magic seeing bowl. Fill it with rain water and I see... visions. Of the past, future, sometimes even things that are happening right now. But they're vague. Unreadable. When I've tried in the past I've gotten them entirely wrong.

[fuga]

You are a Seer.

[ Her eyes flick, stepping closer. Her people - her once people - had always been closer with the Oracle than otherwise, and she breathes out before she nods her head. ]

You are untrained. I can teach you blood magic, yes, but I cannot help you on this matter. That is something you must do - find a Seer, learn to understand what you read, or your gifts will be wasted.