Flitting about, as if riding the waves like air currents, a sparkling silver-white butterfly found the slumbering Nebulosa beneath the surface. It fluttered over to the sleeping Anago, landing lightly on her forehead and vanishing into her dreaming mind...
The moonlight overhead cast dancing reflections on the surface of the river below. The current was gentle, allowing one to settle in the shallow waters along the bank without much effort. Nebulosa would be easily comfortable in the shallows, with the center of the river being much deeper for easier swimming. It was a calm night from all appearances, yet tension hung in the air.
A few moments passed before a sound from the bank preceded the arrival of another. A young, lovely faun woman emerged from the foliage, glancing around furtively. At first glance, she seemed quite lovely, dressed in fine bangles and sashes with fancy ornate antlers, but with further study one would notice subtle lines around her eyes, a weariness and anxious energy about her. Clearly under some stress and likely not sleeping well in some time, she crept closer to the water, looking around for something. Or someone. Crouching by the water, she reached up to push her hair back behind a wilted, half-dried flower at her ear.
"I'm here," came a quiet voice from the water.
The faun woman sighed in obvious relief, some of the tension easing from her form. "Thank you."
"You requested my presence. May I now ask why?"
Looking unsure for a moment, the faun replied, "I...need some help. Some advice, I suppose. Guidance."
"Do you not have those in the Tree you can ask for help? Your own advisors and counsel? Is that not why you have a Seer on the Circle?"
"I can't ask them! Especially not the Seer! It's...complicated," she stammered, then closed her eyes in frustration. Her fists clenched briefly at her side. "...I haven't been back to the Tree in some time now."
Some movement cast ripples across the surface of the water as a Naiad woman with fancy fins emerged from the shadows to lean on a river stone with crossed arms, lower half of her body remaining in the flowing waters. She seemed to study the faun woman for a moment, then said, "...you have some issue with the Circle. Perhaps a certain, dear member of leadership..." The look of shock that flashed over the faun's face was enough to confirm her suspicions. She'd suspected certain things for a while now. "...and perhaps some issues that lie beneath the waters as well..."
The faun seemed to swallow nervously before giving a single nod of affirmation. A deep breath and anger seemed to push aside her anxiety. "I...I've known for some time. But...what can I do? Who could I turn to? I didn't know who to trust; I couldn't trust the Circle. I knew this was a risk too, but I...I just can't take it any more. I thought maybe, if I could reach out to someone on the Court instead, I..." she faltered, still seeming frustrated, but lost. She reached up, fist clutched over her heart. "I don't know what I expected. I just...can't take this anymore. It hurts...it's hurt so long, now I think I'm going numb. I'm just...furious and if only they knew how much pain they were causing me...if they could just feel a taste of it..." She dropped her head, a futile attempt to hide the angry tears building and trailing from her eyes.
For just a moment, when the faun turned away, there was something unsettling in the smile that crossed the Naiad's face. Then, she seemed sympathetic as she reached towards the other. "Perhaps, there's more I can do for you than you might have thought." The brief flash of hope in the Faun's face when she looked up in surprise sealed it. "Now, let's talk about what you can do for me..."
===================
The moonlight overhead cast dancing reflections on the surface of the river below. The current was gentle, allowing one to settle in the shallow waters along the bank without much effort. Nebulosa would be easily comfortable in the shallows, with the center of the river being much deeper for easier swimming. It was a calm night from all appearances, yet tension hung in the air.
A few moments passed before a sound from the bank preceded the arrival of another. A young, lovely faun woman emerged from the foliage, glancing around furtively. At first glance, she seemed quite lovely, dressed in fine bangles and sashes with fancy ornate antlers, but with further study one would notice subtle lines around her eyes, a weariness and anxious energy about her. Clearly under some stress and likely not sleeping well in some time, she crept closer to the water, looking around for something. Or someone. Crouching by the water, she reached up to push her hair back behind a wilted, half-dried flower at her ear.
"I'm here," came a quiet voice from the water.
The faun woman sighed in obvious relief, some of the tension easing from her form. "Thank you."
"You requested my presence. May I now ask why?"
Looking unsure for a moment, the faun replied, "I...need some help. Some advice, I suppose. Guidance."
"Do you not have those in the Tree you can ask for help? Your own advisors and counsel? Is that not why you have a Seer on the Circle?"
"I can't ask them! Especially not the Seer! It's...complicated," she stammered, then closed her eyes in frustration. Her fists clenched briefly at her side. "...I haven't been back to the Tree in some time now."
Some movement cast ripples across the surface of the water as a Naiad woman with fancy fins emerged from the shadows to lean on a river stone with crossed arms, lower half of her body remaining in the flowing waters. She seemed to study the faun woman for a moment, then said, "...you have some issue with the Circle. Perhaps a certain, dear member of leadership..." The look of shock that flashed over the faun's face was enough to confirm her suspicions. She'd suspected certain things for a while now. "...and perhaps some issues that lie beneath the waters as well..."
The faun seemed to swallow nervously before giving a single nod of affirmation. A deep breath and anger seemed to push aside her anxiety. "I...I've known for some time. But...what can I do? Who could I turn to? I didn't know who to trust; I couldn't trust the Circle. I knew this was a risk too, but I...I just can't take it any more. I thought maybe, if I could reach out to someone on the Court instead, I..." she faltered, still seeming frustrated, but lost. She reached up, fist clutched over her heart. "I don't know what I expected. I just...can't take this anymore. It hurts...it's hurt so long, now I think I'm going numb. I'm just...furious and if only they knew how much pain they were causing me...if they could just feel a taste of it..." She dropped her head, a futile attempt to hide the angry tears building and trailing from her eyes.
For just a moment, when the faun turned away, there was something unsettling in the smile that crossed the Naiad's face. Then, she seemed sympathetic as she reached towards the other. "Perhaps, there's more I can do for you than you might have thought." The brief flash of hope in the Faun's face when she looked up in surprise sealed it. "Now, let's talk about what you can do for me..."
========================
What happens next?
It is up to you to finish Nebulosa's dream sequence!
You have until --April 22, 2018-- to complete the task in order to move on to the next step.
What happens next?
It is up to you to finish Nebulosa's dream sequence!
You have until --April 22, 2018-- to complete the task in order to move on to the next step.
Elros Namasi
