The Morning of the Moths (Sosicly)

[Poison]

„I could probably stand reading this for a fair bit“, Avarys replied and gave her a bright smile. The weaver could not stand being a tiny bit flirty, even if she was his employee, and he was here in a more or less official function. „Talking does have a few advantages, but if you write you can think about what you want to tell the other person a bit more.“ He shrugged his shoulders. He decided that he’d rather not discuss the topic further. This was a joyful occasion, an occasion to celebrate, and not dwell on one’s inability to speak and one’s physical limitations!

~~~~

There were at least a dozen questions on Sonara’s mind as she looked at Sosicly, but she decided not to question her. For whatever reason they had decided to make her Moth Queen rather than the ruling couple’s daughter or another young and popular woman, and she would respect that decision even if she didn’t agree with it entirely. „It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Sosicly“, she replied. „I don’t think we’ve ever talked much. I’m a relative of Laudavyn, the head of the Aconitum.“

„I’d like you to change first“, she told her. „And then we’ll do your hair and makeup.“ She looked at Avarys who was still standing there, watching Sosicly and her. „Didn’t you want to get her Moths?“ she asked him. „Indeed“, Avarys replied, smirked and walked out of the door. Solara shook her head.

~~~~
Once Avarys was gone, Solara turned to Sosicly and helped her into her dress before she asked her to sit down so that she could do her hair and her makeup. Once she was done, she handed a mirror to her. Sosicly looked breath taking. Her hair was in a complicated updo now, her lips looked fuller than before, and her eyelashes seemed longer. „Do you like it?“ Solara wanted to know.

[Sosicly Magnolia]

The girl in the mirror looked surprised, shocked even for a moment before confusion marred the features, followed by slow comprehension and the even slower smoothing of her features. Sosicly did not believe the mirror could lie as it followed her every move but the change was striking. It made it seem as if it was not her, and made her both pleased and uncomfortable at the same time. Pulling herself out of her own head Sosicly gave Solara a tiny nod, and a tiny smile. The other girl she did not know well, it made her uncomfortable and she had no doubt that Solara probably felt the same. It reminded her that this feeling would be present so long as she was Moth Queen. The smile turned wary and she moved for her notebook, taking small steps and watching the edge of the dress carefully. She had no desire to fall on her face or ruin what Solara had done. With a quick dip of her quill she scratched out a few more words, excitement beginning to bleed over her any worry. I thank you, Enda. What is left to do? Do we wait for Avarys? She nearly crossed out the last section, her nervousness showing too much but she quelled the urge and instead showed it to Solara while eyeing the sweets. Another one wouldn’t hurt but would it ruin the dress? A little shake of her head to tell herself no and she awkwardly pulled the book back, waiting for Solaras answer.

[Poison]

„I’m glad that you like it“, Solara remarked and smiled. „We simply wait for Avarys and the Moths to arrive now, and then you can go outside and meet the people of Kalinor. Do you know what the duties of the Moth Queen are? Did Avarys tell you?“

While she waited for Sosicly’s reply she put all the makeup, brushes and combs she had used away and cleaned up the room a little. It looked a little chaotic now – but the result had been well worth it.

A few chimes passed, and then Sosicly could finally hear a knock on the door. Avarys entered, her Moths in tow. As he saw that Sosicly was already wearing her dress he stood completely still for a moment, and then a smile spread across his face, and he approached her.

„Sosicly, you look magnificent! If the people see you like this, nobody will disagree with your appointment! Even Silenva Hyacinth will be jealous! I wouldn’t be surprised if you had a number of suitors after today.“

The look on Avarys‘ face suggested that he didn’t exactly find Sosicly ugly either. He was really surprised that she could look like that! By Viratas, if Nissabella Rose hadn’t existed …

He shook his head and looked at Sosicly again. „Are you ready to go outside now and show yourself to your people, Moth Queen?“ he wanted to know.

[Sosicly Magnolia]

Sosicly thought back to what she knew when she had been visited by a Moth the previous year but truthfully she did not know. Tilting her head and looking over curious she waved for Solara to go on and explain. Just as Solara finished Sosicly heard the door open and took a moment to bask, gloat really, in the praise before there was a panicked expression as they stood at the exit. It flitted across, and she struggled to get her breathing under control but her feet already refused to move. Her body swayed in the opposite direction, tempted to run. She took one step back, then another; they were long quick strides and shook her head slowly. She likely would have shaken harder to get rid of all her foolish fears but Solara had worked hard on her otherwise unkempt hair. The young woman finally tore her gaze from where it had been stuck to the ground and looked to her Moths, Avarys and Solara, panic written clearly across her features. It wasn’t hard to tell what she was thinking, and she made no move to grab her notebook. Instead pointing frantically this way and that, at herself, at the moths and gesturing around them wildly. She wasn’t even sure what she was trying to say. It was Neliana who spoke first, “I was surprised you chose me as one of your Moths, Sosicly but I can’t be a Moth if you don’t move. Imagine the talk if you don’t show up! I mean, I’m all for a good scandal but I’d rather not be involved in one and doubt you would either. Although there will be talk about you being chosen no one should really question it. You look pretty enough.” Sosicly terror only seemed to grow at the words but she took a tentative step forward. Then another. Neliana was right, it was her duty to go regardless if she knew why she was even in the running to be chosen. Taking a chime she struggled to fix her expression, taking small breaths and closing her eyes. When she opened her eyes she nodded shortly to the occupants, latched her arms through her two Moths and tugged them towards the door before the feeling in her stomach rose up any higher.

[Poison]

Solara looked a little shocked as Sosicly asked her to explain what her duties as the Moth Queen were. She had thought that Avarys would have told her by now or that she at least remembered the previous years‘ festivals. „Your duty is to raise the spirits of our people during the festival“, she explained. „You are supposed to visit as many Webs as possible during the next four days. If you cannot visit all the Webs, your Moths may help you. Furthermore, you are supposed to bring the children of Kalinor small gifts. A few baskets with small toys and sweets have already been prepared. Nobody expects to you buy gifts for a few dozen children with your own money and go broke as a consequence.“ She paused for a moment before she asked, „Do you have any questions?“

~~~

As Sosicly stepped forward, towards the door, Avarys opened said door for her, but then he stepped back. Normally the weaver loved the spotlight, but this was Sosicly’s day, not his. Solara and he would remain in the background and make sure that nothing happened to the Moth Queen.

~~~

While Solara had helped Sosicly get ready, a crowd had gathered in the hall. Everybody was there. She could see her fellow weavers, the ruling couple and the priest of Viratas. Even the hunters and the Ochya had come. Vass Vervein was standing there, arms crossed over his chest, staring at her. He seemed to be in a bad mood, as always. Next to him was Soraya Orchid, one of the previous year’s Moth Queens. Her mouth hung open. She couldn’t believe what was she was seeing. All the people seemed to be talking at once.

But then Nessora Hyacinth, the female half of the ruling couple raised her hand, and it was suddenly quiet. Dozens of eyes were on Sosicly now. The people of Kalinor were waiting for their new Moth Queen to greet them – if she could. People were already doubting whether a Moth Queen that could only write could fullfill her duties.

[Sosicly Magnolia]

If she could have made noise, Sosicly would have squeaked. As it was the noise clearly overrode anything she could do, she kept her face as smooth as possible but her cheeks stung with reproach. A sense of knowing settled in her stomach, she had known they would react this way, it was nothing other than what she expected. She had never been a pariah but acceptance and tolerance were very different things. Most tolerated her but she was nothing to anyone, her eyes gazed at the floor coldly. It was nothing she hadn’t heard before, she was invalid, if she couldn’t do anything else how could she do this? In the silence that followed her eyes landed gratefully on Nessora before gazing quietly into the crowd. They did not have to want her as the Moth Queen, she was the Moth Queen and that was that. Slowly she let a slow smile creep across her face with each step until there was a bright beam on her face. She gestured for both her Moths to join her, her hands tugging at their elbows so they stood beside her. She tried to look as many people in the eye as possible, her smile sharpening a bit at her brothers smirk and his quietly mouthed ‘boo’, at Vass’ stare, her parents shock and at her fellow weavers. She could do this. Greeting was not all talk, she could show them and do it properly. Not releasing her Moths Sosicly turned from the crowd to the ruling couple and gave a low bow, gently tugging the Moths down to encourage them to follow her, then she turned to the crowd and did the same. It was a silent show of thanks for them accepting her. When she straightened she finally released her Moths and gave a two-armed slow wave, her smile bright even if her eyes were glossy. Sosicly was pleased when her Moths did the same, she had been chosen as the default but she hoped they could cheer for her as they had for last years Queens.

[Poison]

As Sosicly bowed to the ruling couple, both Nessora and Avadon Hyacinth inclined their heads a fraction.

Their daughter Silenva, the Sweet Poison, only looked at her though. The young woman who many thought should be a Moth Queen as well, wore a floor length dress of black silk that was decorated with a lot of shimmering white and silver gems. She was showing a lot of cleavage which meant that a few male Symenestra were looking at her rather than Sosicly.

As Sosicly weaved, the people of Kalinor didn’t do anything at first, but then somebody somewhere in the crowd – a woman – called out her name. Then another Symenestra did the same, and finally they were cheering for her as they had cheered for the last years‘ Moth Queens. Even the men that had been looking at Silenva finally turned around and watched the new Moth Queen.

A couple of children stepped forward somewhat hesitantly.

Solara handed Sosicly a basket that was full of sweets and little toys. Apparently she was supposed to give them to the children before she began her tour of Kalinor and visited the different Webs.

OOCDo you want to end the thread now or RP the tour of Kalinor as well?