[Open Adventure] A Gift for the Queen

[Poison]

Summer, 511 AV Chemah vo Ranek – the Morning of the Moths – was the biggest event of the season. Maybe it was even the biggest event of the year – and it was certainly the longest lasting. It always took place in summer, on four consecutive days. No Symenestra went on a Harvest or hunted in the forest above during the festival, and those that were on the surface always tried to be home by the time the festival began. Sometimes traders stayed in Kalinor during the festival, hoping to get their hands on the precious silk and the tapestries that the Symenestra made especially for it, but no visitors came to Kalinor after the festival had begun – and nobody left. Chemah vo Ranek was a time when the Symenestra wanted to be among themselves, when Kalinor almost seemed to be closed off from the outside world. Chemah vo Ranek was a festival to honor the Ranekissra, the moths whose coccoons were used to create the silk that was Kalinor’s primary export. A lot of Symenestra spent the whole year before that working on especially beautiful and colorful clothes that they wore solely during the festival. Some even sewed costumes that were made to imitate the moths. Most residents of Kalinor also decorated their homes with curtains in intense jewel tones so that the city resembled something out of a fairy tale, a thing of impossible, nearly otherworldly beauty. The festival always began the same way, with a weaving contest. The winners received a prize purse, and their tapestry was exhibited in the gathering hall, among the works of previous winners. The tapestries that didn’t win a prize were often sold. At the same time the Moth Queen was chosen. She was always a well liked, unmarried girl who would play an integral role during the festival, together with her friends, the so called moths. She would visit as many Webs as possible and often give those that she visited small gifts. Her moths assisted her in this. It was a coveted role, and the young women in Kalinor did what they could to be chosen. They turned it into a veritable competion, and everybody in Kalinor wanted to be the first to get a glimpse of the new queen and congratulate her. Thus it shouldn’t come as a surprise that a huge crowd waited in the gathering hall, in front of the small chamber where the new queen was putting on the final touches to her silk costume. People were whispering among themselves, wondering who she was, making bets. Some claimed to already have found out her identity. Merchants of all sorts tried to take advantage of the fact that there were so many people in one place and tried to sell their wares, sometimes at exorbitant prices. Selaria Anice had never thought that she would be chosen. Her Web was in no way important in Kalinor. They were not particularly talented weavers. They were no artists, no famous Harvesters and no talented hunters. Her only sibling worked as a guard at the gates where he stood day in, day out watching for visitors. Selaria herself was no great beauty – she certainly wasn’t the most beautiful girl in Kalinor. She had never taken part in any of those ridiculous competitions like the other girls. She was neither in favour of the Harvest, nor against it. Selaria was a quiet gentle girl, a maid of sixteen, a poet and an aspiring healer at the Purging. She was always friendly and greeted everybody with a smile. That was the reason why she had been picked, although she didn’t realize it. She was surrounded by four girls and a boy who helped her into the huge, elegant dress that was decorated with silver and tiny pearls. They also helped her with her makeup. She was just about to step through the door that led into the main area of the gathering hall when somebody came through the smaller door at the back of the room. She recognized him. He was a silkworm breeder. He was one of the rare Symenestra that had been born outside of Kalinor and had only arrived in the city a few weeks prior. He was a bit older than her, with red eyes and black hair, a little bulkier than the norm which often made her wonder if his blood wasn’t entirely pure. She was too polite to ask him about it though. He held something in his hands, a small, narrow package. „A gift for you, my queen“, he said to her and knelt in front of her, as if she were the one who ruled Kalinor. Selaria hesitated, finding the whole thing strange. She had never heard of the Moth Queen receiving gifts before she was officially announced, but then she smiled gently and murmurred, "Thank you." As she opened the package, she found a thin veil, made of the most beautiful silk. It almost seemed to shimmer in the light of the candles that burned everywhere in the room. She turned around to ask the man about it, but he was already gone. Shrugging her shoulders, she gave her moths a sign to help her attach the veil to her head before she stepped out of the door, followed by her moths. A cheer went throw the crowd as she revealed herself. The people started applauding her and calling her name, and she smiled at them like a true queen would, although her smile was a little shy. She wasn’t used to her new role yet. She had been a plain girl before they had done their work on her, but now she looked stunning, like a goddess, and dozens of pairs of eyes were focused on her, as if they had never seen somebody like her before. None of them, neither Selaria nor her moths nor the people in front of them realized what would happen soon.

[Duvalyon Hellebore]

Duvalyon clapped half-heartedly for the new moth Queen, as he looked around the room. He didn’t want to appear uncouth and show his true boredom (a cultured Symenestra only bruised feelings intentionally) but he had always found Selaria perfectly unremarkable. Poetry, healing, rarely an ill word on anything, they were splendid qualifications in theory, but when actually sitting in her presence, Duvalyon found her intolerably dull. “Nice” souls didn’t get very far with him. There had been a bit of magic done with her looks, though. He wouldn't be entirely uncharitable towards the girl. Duvalyon continued picking apart the crowd looking for the top of his sister, Melia’s, head. She would have made a fair moth, if not a Queen, he mused. It was her idea to drag him out of the Place of Purging for the festivities. Illness didn’t abate because a girl put on a fancy dress, he argued. Eventually she broke him, waiting for a moment when his lack of sleep and apathy collided. Then, as he expected, she abandoned him for her friends and husband the moment they arrived. It didn't irk him, she was young and still enamored. He would have been more upset if she clung to his side the whole time. He’d just have to seek familiar faces and remind his peers there was a time when he made for good society.

[Dra-Nivias]

Dra-Nivias hid in the back of the crowd, clapping for the new Moth Queen. She didn't know the girl, but she didn't know a lot of people, so it didn't matter to her. How lucky is she to be a full Symenestra? she thought, her mind drifting to another world. She was soon brought back into reality when someone ran into her, knocking her over. They almost helped her up, until he recognized her as the 'mute' mixed-blood, so he just left her on the floor. What a rude thing to do... she thought, this time paying more attention to her surroundings. She dreaded the thought of ever being picked as the Moth Queen, and she knew she never would anyways because of being only half Symenestra, and Nivias was glad of that.

Her mother was off with her friends, so Nivias was all alone. She didn't know anyone here, except her mother and a few of her friends. She did recognize a few people from when she went to school, but none of them her friends (she never made any friends). She tried to look over the shoulders of people, to see the new queen, but she couldn't see her. A pity...I wanted to see her. All well, I'll catch a glimpse of her eventually. she thought, and continued to catch a glimpse of the new queen.

[Osakis]

Osakis felt very blessed having been allowed out of the Purging by Svorador. It was in this very moment that she realized just how isolated she was from the rest of Kalinor. Most of the Symenestra that passed her gave a curious glance but quickly turned their noses up in racist disgust. Others merely were too excited about the Moth Queen to give notice to the Konti or recognized her as the surrogate healer and chose to ignore her. She let out a soft sigh before poking her head around a big burly man who must have been a merchant. She really just wanted to see the pale beauty that was the Queen and find a less crowded place to sit. The merchant turned to her and offered a wide smile which she gladly returned. Quickly he held out a purple and blue beaded necklace. Upon closer inspection Osakis found that beads were glassblown and very beautiful. Her face lit up as she asked for his price but quickly fell at the mention of twenty four gold mizas. Svorador hardly paid her, the only time she did receive money from him was when she did an exceptionally good job and even that was disguised as a, “go buy me this and you can keep the silver miza you get for change.” The merchant could sense her disappointment and shook his head as he left her there, knowing that he wouldn’t get a sale from her. There wasn’t really much to do, and Osakis began to feel the dizzying effects that usually occurred when she wasn’t standing on solid ground. For whatever reason she had found that she would grow nauseous from the height after some time. Osakis took a deep breath to rid herself of the feeling; she didn’t wish to leave just yet.

[Devmond Incarnata]

Devmond Passiflora-Incarnata let the crowd’s roar wash over him like the flush from a lover’s compliment. Bright colors were dancing everywhere. To these people submerged in the dark, it was a reminder of the glory of their days in the sun. The most lovely thing, though, was the moth queen that hovered above them. With his fangs in full, he grinned as though smitten. That feeling when he saw a beautiful women would always be indescribable to him. It was in a jolt that he was reminded that he wasn’t alone.

“She’s so pretty, I wish I could wear a dress like that.”

His six-year-old daughter, Sunay, tugged at the back of his sleeve. This remark should have annoyed him more. He had spent quite a bit of miza on her elaborate jewel-toned dress.

Patting her head lovingly, he whispered, “Little darling, you shouldn’t be jealous of someone else's gifts.”

“Why not? Some people just have everything...”

Sunay pouted slightly which made it hard for him not to laugh. Everything the girl did was exaggerated and her blown cheeks looked like a pufferfish at the moment. His answer would have been along the lines of their own wealth and her ingratitude, but catching sight of a someone jostling through the crowd made him only pat her head again in answer. The Symenestra had dark hair and red eyes, whose blood was not entirely pure.

“Silk, silk it’s like woven milk.” Sunay sung to herself in Common, her eyes still fixated on the queen.

Dra-Vesper was panting slightly with the wild eyes of the pursued. The head would go one way, and, so would his feet, only to turn around again and again. Laughing, Devmond watched and enjoyed the sight a chime before calling out to him. The two made eye-contact before a jostling group of Symenestra teens separated it. About to pull Sunay deeper into the crowd, something heavy was then laid on Devmond's shoulder.

“There, you can see I gave it to her.”

“Thank you, Dra-Vesper. I’m glad I suggested you be the messenger.”

Although Devmond’s voice had all the gentility of the upper class, he brushed the man’s hands off his coat like a piece of dirt. He may have been sympathetic to the half-breeds but not to break social code. To be touched so shamelessly in public, some bad-bloods had no respect for Vitaras.

[Erasmus]

A Symenestra male’s eyes shone with child-like animation as he stood alone a few feet away from the main cluster of people. He could hardly stand still, finding his mind speculating what more surprises such a great festivity had planned next. To Erasmus, this was his ‘first’ holiday even in Kalinor. Well… the first he remembered. It felt odd to be a complete stranger in a home that had once claimed you as its own child, the ‘amnesia’ chafed at this being’s patience day in and day out. He decomposed the troubled thoughts rather quickly however; the festivity had definitely aspired his overall ambition. He was captivated by Kalinor, and he would embrace this experience as long as he possibly could. Erasmus even attempted to act like he had seen such things before, to avoid scrutiny of course. On the outward appearance there was simply nothing special about him really, just a normal face in the sea of the spider-race. Venders swarmed all around like ants feasting on a plumage left aside the forest floor. He wouldn’t buy anything, but he enjoyed listening to their ludicrous pricing. He clapped with a wide smile across his handsome face while following the social cues of others. The moth queen revealed herself and he relished the familiarity the crowd shared with the young lady, having no idea who the girl was made him the idiot in his awry perspective of things. She was dressed in the finest of clothes and seemed a spectacular sight. The stranger wondered what important role this Queen must be included in to have such an honor bestowed upon her. ‘Selaria’ was supposedly her name, but he didn’t cheer the title like some of the others… for trepidation he would just make a spectacle of himself. Erasmus was an observer, an introvert, and a fantastic actor... so far all these traits seemed to serve him well.

[Dra-vindu]

Dra-Vindu stood away from the clapping crowd, knowing well how much they would hurt him if he tried to be one of them. He clapped, but only for the Moth Queen because of the extravagance of her outfit. It took years for him to learn how to see the value in objects. He quietly thought to himself ~I could have that, i would only need to forge one signature, I mean i've done it before why do i already feel guilt for even thinking it?~ He turns his thoughts back to the event, scanning the crowd, looking for someone else who seems just as alone as he felt when his father left. Dra-Vindu noticed a small girl who had just been knocked over. ~I see how that guy didn't care. Why is it that we have to be tolerated as less because of our parents? ~ Dra-Vindu thinks of helping her but knows what it would be like to step into a crowd like that. ~I know how it feels to be struck and left on the ground~

[Poison]

Selaria looked at the people that were gathered in front of her. She recognized a few of them. There were the members of her own Web of course. Her parents looked very proud. The Anice Web would without a doubt benefit greatly from her appointment. Maybe it would finally enable her brother to get a better job, to become something other than a simple guard. In her opinion he would deserve it. She smiled at him, and he smiled back – and then she let her gaze drift over the rest of the crowd. It almost seemed to her as if all of Kalinor had come to see her. It made her feel like somebody special. She could see that some of the people were surprised – as surprised as she was. They had probably expected a girl from one of the more important Webs to be chosen, a Curare maybe or a Hellebore. Nisana Curare would have been a good choice, if she hadn’t gone on a Harvest, she quietly decided. But on the other hand she was quite happy that she was standing here now instead of Nisana, even though all that attention took some getting used to. „Selaria“, she could hear one of her moths. The young man – Vorador of the Acacia Web – handed a basket to her that was filled with all kinds of little gifts, fruit, tiny dolls in the form of moths, small things made of silk. Selaria turned to him and nodded. The things in the basket would be distributed to the smallest children in Kalinor. Selaria accepted the basket – and then a wave of dizziness washed over her, and she had to grab Vorador’s arm so that she wouldn’t fall. „Selaria, is anything wrong?“ he asked her. „I don’t know“, she murmurred. „I don’t feel well. Maybe it’s just all the excitement.“ He looked as if he didn’t entirely believe her, but then he nodded. Selaria let go of him again and made a step forward, towards Devmond’s little daughter – and then the basket suddenly slipped from her hand, and the toys landed on the floor and rolled in all directions. Her moths rushed to her side – but it was already too late. She vomitted, and then she was lying on the floor, and her slender body was wrecked with spasms. Next to her Vorador looked as if he was soon going to join her. Somebody screamed. And then the whole crowd was in an uproar. People either tried to get closer to her to see what had happened – or they wanted to leave the gathering hall. Within less than chime Kalinor had been plunged into chaos. Erasmus had been away from the center of the crowd, but now he was right in its middle, surrounded by people that wanted to get past him towards the entrance. „We need a healer!“ somebody cried out. „You are Old Hellebore’s son, aren’t you?“ an older Symenestra woman asked Duvalyon. „Go and help the queen!“ Osakis suddenly found herself pushed forward, towards the unconscious or dead Moth Queen. She had been recognized as Hellebore’s Konti. Dra-Nivias on the other hand was facing a pair of male Symenestra, older and taller to her. They looked at her as if they hated her, as if she were worth less than the dirt beneath their feet. „Petching halfblood“, one of them hissed. „You have something to do with this, don’t you? They should never have let people like you live.“ He raised his fist. From where he stood Dra-vindu could see what was just happening to Dra-Nivias.

[Devmond Incarnata]

The silk gifts in the basket scattered on the floor, soon trodden by the mob. The queen had collapsed near Sunay's feet. His daughter screamed. Like a mother hen, he drew her to him. Small shoulders were shaking as the girl burrowed her head in the folds of his jacket. Devmond gave a glance back and saw, as expected, that Dra-Vesper had long left their company. Sunay’s sobbing voice could barely be heard over those that pushed at his back to get a closer look. Part of him wanted to take her away from this spectacle. Like a good father, however, he could not let this perfect teaching moment pass.

“Didn’t I say to not be jealous of the gift of another? Shouldn’t you be feeling very lucky?”

As Sunay cried even louder, Devmond frowned with disappointment. Couldn’t she see that something important had just happened? With a sigh, he continued to speak soothingly.

“Dear, I know its easy to be frightened right now. But you shouldn’t trust your own heart with its surging emotions. Hearts will end up betraying you. For instance, let us say you are gravely injured, what does your heart do? It keeps pumping the precious blood throughout the stream, letting you bleed to death. Those that also rely on their emotions and instincts should not be trusted either. The heart is a selfish, cruel thing.”

Sunay had stopped crying, but her eyes still held fear as she looked at her father.

“Then what am I supposed to trust?” she asked quietly. He smiled at Sunay tenderly while reaching up to tap her forehead.

“Trust in what you have been taught. You can always trust me, that I’ll always do what’s best for you. I love you, sweetheart.”

He then gently turned her around, forcing her to look directly at the fallen queen.

“Now, I want you to pay close attention to what happens today. Distinguish what’s important to remember and what is not. I’ll expect you to relate those details back to me when this is all over...”

[Dra-vindu]

Dra-Vindu rushes towards the two male symenestra and he stands between them and the other half blood. "She didn't do anything! Why do you have to place blame on our kind when all we want to be is like you?!" He makes sure that the two make symenestra can reach Dra-Nivias. "I can't see why i ever wanted to be like you! Even though i am half of what you are, you are twice as worthless as I am. I would be ashamed to be the dirt on your FEET!" He steadies his feet and hopes they turn away. ~If i stand and fall now, atleast i will be seen standing tall.~ Dra-vindu also hopes that this other half blood will respect him for standing up for her. " Begone and leave her alone. She did not do anything." He awaits for a reaction from the two male symenestra.