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Evelin ☪️ Queen of Witches
(last edited Jan 09, 2021 09:46PM)
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Jan 09, 2021 09:40PM
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Her father, I think.
Full Name: Solveig Raymonda LoringNicknames: Sol, Vay
Apparent Age: 20
Actual Age: 292
Title: Captain
Gender: F
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Appearance:
Fae Type: Elf
Court: Seelie
Thoughts on the Treaty: “I'm not sure if the peace will last. Don't get me wrong; I think the treaty is wonderful, but it will be hard to move forward and forget memories from the war for many."
Power(s): Like her brother, Solveig has enhanced speed and strength, and she can control fire and darkness. She also has enhanced senses of hearing, sight, smell, taste, balance, temperature, pressure, and pain, and she can move objects with her mind.
Family:
Parents: Aloysius and Elda Loring
Siblings: Kendria and Casimir Loring
Biography: Although she now resides in the Seelie Court, Solveig was born in the Unseelie Court in a rural area. Her father, Aloysius, served in the army for many years, but he retired before she was born. Elda, her mother, worked as a seamstress and often sewed various articles of clothing for the royal family and other important personages. Her family lived in a soundly constructed home in a rural area. It wasn’t lavish or luxurious, but it had three bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom, and a living room. When she was still a small child, her father and brother built a wraparound porch onto the house and enlisted the help of two of the neighboring boys, Jasper and Foxley, to help craft rocking chairs to recline in.
Her sister, Kendria, and her brother, Casimir, were both older than her and frequently left her behind with her mother to go out hunting in the woods, and though there was plenty to do around the house, Sol couldn’t help but feel left out. She spent her days sewing and embroidering gowns of rich satins and silks, wishing she could wear something so elegant, and was also responsible for weeding the gardens, sweeping the floors, churning the butter, and assisting her mother in the kitchen.
Summer and autumn were her favorite seasons. In summer she ran through the fields at twilight, trying to catch fireflies in little, glass jars, and always there would be lemonade and sweets at the neighbors’ house on the porch for her and her siblings to share with the neighbors’ children. During autumn was when it was time to harvest, and Sol loved skipping through the tomato and corn fields and hiding among the stalks and vines from her siblings while they picked the ripe ones. Eventually, one autumn her older siblings let her accompany them to hunt, but she stepped on a twig unintentionally, causing it to snap loudly, and scared the buck Casimir was stealthily creeping towards. Cas rebuked her sternly and sent her home with Tahti, the neighbors’ youngest daughter.
Foxley and Lucan were by far her favorite playmates. Lucan was the neighbors’ youngest child, and Foxley was his cousin. Evidently, Foxley’s father had run off, and a few years later, his mother fell ill and passed away, though not before giving Foxley directions to the house of his aunt and uncle. Both Lucan and Foxley had an unfortunate talent for causing mayhem and getting into trouble, but Solveig didn’t mind and sort of liked romping about with them. One of her favorite activities was to swing from a rope tied to a tree branch and fling herself into the pond below, competing with Foxley and Lucan to see who could get the farthest. But nothing could compete with the fascination she had for fencing and archery. Her father and older siblings taught her how to wield a variety of weapons from rapiers to crossbows, and practicing in the old barn was much more fun than sewing or dusting indoors with her mother.
When Casimir began courting Tahti, it came as little surprise to Solveig and Kendria. The two had lots in common but were also different enough that they complemented each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and there seemed to be some intangible magnetism that drew the two of them to each other. She was overjoyed for both of them when Cas confided his plans to propose to her in the city, and she could hardly wait for them to come home and find out all the details of how Cas had asked for her hand. However, Tahti never returned. Casimir came home a day late and informed them of what had happened. He was furious, and try as she might, Sol could not persuade him against leaving home and moving to the city to get her back. Occasionally she received letters from her brother, but after a year passed, the letters stopped completely.
On the day before her 100th birthday, she took a trip to the city with her sister since she had never left the rural area she was born in before. By a stroke of luck, she ran into Casimir, who was much changed and had grown frighteningly bitter and callous. He hosted her and Kendria for dinner, but the evening ended with him slaughtering a trespasser in a horrid display. Something in Solveig snapped, and the next day on her 100th birthday, she switched courts, not wanting to be part of the court that had abused Tahti so terribly and turned her brother into such a monster any longer.
In the Seelie Court she found employment in the army and quickly moved up the ranks due to her father and siblings’ thorough training in her younger years. Finally she was promoted to a captain in the army but was relieved when the terms of the treaty were agreed upon and the violence ceased. She is hoping to retain her position under the High Court and become Captain of the Guard for Princess Eilidh and Prince Mihail.
Important Miscellaneous Information: Solveig's favorite flowers are lupines and daisies, and she has a decent singing voice. She can also sew and embroider very well and is good at stitching up wounds and giving medical care while under fire. Additionally, she performs exceptionally well under stress, and very few can rival her accuracy with a longbow.
Mod
@Evelin: Father makes sense since that would be the most likely way she would get the title Princess. She wouldn't be a princess if her mother was a Tenebris since the father didn't marry her mother. Can you tell me her father's name since he'll be the brother of the Unseelie King and also a relation of Allura and her father? :)
His name will be Demetrius Tenebris, and I don’t understand what the relation part? Sorry, I’m exhausted and can’t really think rn lol. Do you mean how they get along or...?
Mod
No, no, he's the Unseelie king's brother, that's why I needed to know his name. :) Plus Allura might make occasional references to him so that's why I needed to know since Allura is the king's niece. :)
Full Name: Herbert Ellis StarnesNicknames: Herbie, Yoyo
Title: None
Apparent Age: 14
Actual Age: 75
Gender: Male
Appearance: Herbie is a grubby, short urchin who reeks of filth. His foul stench drives others away, if his dirty clothes and weaselly nature hadn't already. He is clearly malnourished. Even at the age of 75, he hasn't grown past 5'2 and his bones jut out sickeningly. The only parts of him that aren't horribly skinny are his biceps, those particular muscles being defined from all of his climbing. Most of him is swallowed up by his baggy clothing, and he requires suspenders or some sort of belt to keep his trousers around his waist. Herbie always carries around a bright red yoyo, which he either hits people with or mesmerizes them with his tricks, if they're not grossed out enough to stay far away.
Herbie's hair is mostly covered by his black and white plaid ivy cap, though the hat is more brown now than any other color. Greasy, dark brown hair crawls down the nape of his neck and sticks out around his ears. When it's clean - which is almost never - his locks form nice curls, but otherwise they're weighed down by the oil. If he ever runs his hand through his hair, his skin comes away moist from all the oils and grease. Herbie knows better than to do that now. There is no style or order to his hair; everything either sticks straight down to the ground or gets mashed against his head permanently whether he wears his cap or not. His oval face hasn't lost as much fat as his torso has, but his cheekbones do protrude more and more as the years go on. His skin is tanned lightly except for his narrow nose, which is always sunburnt to a painful red. Ever since he broke it, there's been an unnatural indent at the bridge of his nose and it occasionally still swells up if he messes with it. An abundance of freckles sits on and under his cheekbones. Sometimes they aren't visible because of the grime that sticks to his face, or the bruises that occasionally announce themselves there. Herbie has dark eyebrows that furrow over his large, hazel eyes. His eyes are equally as gross as his hair. They're a cross between the color of wet sand, moths, and seaweed. His eyelashes are quite long and nice though, except he's always rubbing at them when his lashes fall into his eyes - and that happens at least once a day, if not more. Herbie's jaw is very smooth, but not because he shaves. In fact, he doesn't even have to shave. He just can't grow any sort of facial hair whatsoever, not even whiskers.
Besides his figure being very gaunt, he's also covered head to toe in bruises, dirt, and sweat. His stench surrounds him like a cloud, and his body appears poorly cared for. He has a small scar just below the inner corner of his left eye, as well as another long, diagonal scar on his hairline. His arms have the most scars though. He has one or two on his biceps, then several more on his forearms. His bruises are also mostly on his forearms, often swelling up to large, purple and brown areas. Among the callouses on his feet and hands, Herbie usually has several cuts and scratches on them too. His feet get torn up very easily from walking everywhere without shoes, and his hands get torn up from climbing things.
He only has one outfit, which means it's rarely washed. In fact, he scrounged it up from the garbage, so it was never clean to begin with. The brown trousers he has are far too large for him. The bottom of the pants are very scuffed up and the fabric is tearing apart, but he always rolls them up so they don't drag on the ground. He wears a dark green, button-down shirt with the sleeves folded up above his elbow, and he also adds brown suspenders to hold up the pants. They're probably the only thing keeping his pants up since he doesn't really fill any of it out. He doesn't own any shoes or socks. And of course, he's never without his ivy cap or his yoyo.
Fae Type: Elf
Court: Unseelie
Thoughts on the Treaty: "I don't really care. But can I have some food?"
Powers: Herbie has enhanced hearing, agility, and speed. He also has an enchanted chain around his neck that provides protection against some spells.
Family:
Father: Hobart Starnes
Mother: Monica Starnes
Biography: Herbie never knew his parents. Instead, he was raised in an orphanage where the only thing anyone knew about his identity was that his name was Herbie. He didn't know his exact age or birthday. He possessed no knowledge of his middle name or last name, or of who his parents were. He didn’t even know that Herbie was short for Herbert. And most of the time, the other boys at the orphanage just addressed him as Yoyo since he always carried a red yoyo with him.
Life at the orphanage was tolerable. He slept on the concrete floor with nothing but a scratchy blanket - which he used as a pillow - in a room filled with other boys of all ages. The meals consisted mostly of thin soups. He also consumed a lot of potatoes. Their diet rarely included any sort of meat or fresh vegetables. They had no changes of clothes, and if they wanted to bathe, they could do so in a muddy lake. So from early on he became accustomed to the harsh hunger, stench, and discomfort.
The woman who ran the orphanage, Mary, assumed the role as the children’s honorary mother. She taught them all how to sew, garden, and cook. Some days she’d have guests to teach the older kids pottery and carpentry. Unfortunately, they never kept anything they created. Rather, they sold it, and used the cash to feed the children and pay for their home. Money was always tight, although most of the kids never really thought about it and thus never complained. And most of the older children focused on teaching and caring for the younger ones. Mary desired for them to be self-sufficient, to one day climb out of poverty with the skills she taught them.
Despite the hope she offered them, the spirits of the children always seemed dark. Oftentimes, those at the orphanage died of sickness or malnourishment. Some of the kids had been previously abused by a former guardian. Mary’s home was one of the kindest places to be in the area.
Herbie mainly grew up with the other boy close to his age, Harrison. Harry had actually been born at the orphanage. One of the older girls – Dorothy - had gotten pregnant while she lived there, and then she gave birth to a son. Although against Mary’s advice, Dorothy decided to leave Harrison at the orphanage when she traveled to visit his father. She never returned. So, Harry grew up parentless.
The two spent their days goofing around, and neither sat still long enough to learn anything that Mary tried to teach. Really, the only thing Herbie became proficient in was gardening. He always retired to bed covered in the dirt that he worked with, unless he and Harry were allowed to run down to the lake before bed. In his free time, Herbie played with his yoyo. He’d found it on the side of the road when he was 20 years old, and since then always tucked it into one of his pockets. He eventually learned how to do a few tricks with it. Mary once commented that the yoyo gave him something to do with his hands, which he desperately needed.
The orphanage fell apart when he was 28 years old. Mary had been shot in the street by a robber, and the children slowly all moved on. The older ones attempted to keep the home running, but without Mary, nobody really stayed.
Herbie and Harry set off on their own. At first, the boys tried to earn a living by gardening. However, even if they managed to find and plant a few seeds, the crops were usually destroyed. To quench their hunger, they began stealing things. Their many failures brought them harsh beatings, but soon their skill increased. Herbie’s favorite way to thieve was to sit on a ledge with his yoyo and knock some innocent passerby below in the head with it. When it provoked an angry reaction, Harry would sneak up behind them and snag whatever coins they had in their pockets. At the end of the day, they’d usually stolen enough money to buy themselves a meager dinner. Even with that dinner in their bellies, they often dug through other people’s trash for items of food still in their containers, or clothing, or other useful items. They also searched uninhabited buildings. The boys actually settled in one specific building for a while. Before they got kicked out by the building’s new owner, Harry and Herbie shared a mattress they found upstairs for a few nights, and set up a stash of utilities they'd found. The space and the bedding were very comfortable. Of course, they were forced out as soon as they found it, which they both found disappointing. But life goes on.
After both boys hit puberty, their thieving skills had improved quite a bit. They ate at least one meal a day, and they also handled angry people better. However, Harrison earned the nickname “Squeak” because of all his voice cracks. They also held many contests or debates, such as: what does the word “truckle” mean? What does this sign say? Is water wet? Would you rather go without toilet paper or food for a day? How many times can you get your stomach to growl in one minute? Would you rather be a tool or hit yourself in the head with a tool? Is it “whoever” or “whomever?” Is scotch a great drink? Are you currently using the smart part of your brain? How many apples can you steal without getting caught? Are blueberries blue or purple? Is there a such thing as a gold fork? Would pyromaniacs wear blazers? How come flowers don’t actually smell good? Should you be superstitious or just a little stitious? Why do feet smell and noses run?
Sometimes if they couldn’t sleep, they’d sit up for hours and talk quietly in the alley. The two boys were inseparable. Once, Harrison stole a wallet with a surprisingly large amount of money in it. They decided to visit a fancy restaurant, but unfortunately they always got thrown out. To be fair though, they naturally looked absolutely filthy. The boys would probably leave a trail of dirt everywhere. Eventually, they rented a tiny room at a bed and breakfast, cleaned themselves up, and returned to that same restaurant. Herbie found oversized coats to cover up the raggedy clothes underneath, while Harry stole two pairs of shoes that someone had left out on their front porch. With this new look, they finally got a table. The boys gorged themselves on steak, and on the way out, Herbie snagged a half empty bottle of scotch from a table that hadn’t been cleaned off yet. They hung out in the alley for the rest of the night, Herbie drinking a bit of the scotch. Harrison got grossed out after one sip, and spat it out.
Of course, that occasion never happened again. People didn’t seem to carry large amounts of money around. And also, both the boys felt sick after eating such rich food. Neither wanted to experience that sensation again.
The treaty hasn't affected them much either. They're still hungry, they're still scrounging for necessities, and they're still living on the streets.
Important Miscellaneous Information:
Herbie spends most of his time begging for food or hitting people with his yoyo.
He's an excellent climber. He loves heights, and fiddles with pieces of rope or string constantly.
He has had no education whatsoever. He doesn't even know the alphabet.
Herbie has a fascination with scotch and steak, although he's only had it about twice in his life.
He does a lot of traveling since he doesn't have a home. He's pledged allegiance to the Unseelie Court but he likes to visit the other courts. Herbie doesn't stay in one place.
Full Name: Tilda Renee Patrice Delphine ArchambaultNicknames: Tilly
Apparent Age: 22
Actual Age: 190
Title: Lady
Gender: Female
Appearance: (view spoiler)
Fae Type: Elf
Court: Seelie
Thoughts on the Treaty: "This treaty might be the best thing that's happened to any of us in a long time. It has to work."
Powers: She has a lot of control over plants. Tilly can accelerate their growth or save them from dying. She can also manipulate air, and her senses are enhanced.
Family:
Father: Laurent Delphine
Mother: Gwendolyn Delphine
Sister: Marcellina Noelle Delphine Rhienne
Sister: Christiane Hilaire Delphine
Husband: Georges Archambault
Son: John Archambault
Brother in law: Alain Rhienne
Nieces: Pauline Rhienne, Peridot Rhienne
Nephew: Martin Rhienne
Brother in law: John Pierre Archambault
Biography: Tilly was born the youngest child of Laurent and Gwendolyn, and she ended up just a tad spoiled. Her servants brought her whatever she requested, the cooks provided her with sugary desserts and fancy meals, and seamstresses regularly added new, beautiful gowns to her closet. She would fuss if she was ever refused her desires, which greatly annoyed both her sisters and maids. Yet, Laurent and Gwen never stuck around long enough to notice any of this.
Tilly was mostly surrounded by her sisters. Marcellina was the eldest, though they quickly nicknamed her "Marcy." Marcy acted like quite the proper lady. She never complained, never criticized, never galloped around like a child, and never let her appearance fall into a disorderly state. It seemed the only time she didn’t care as much about acting proper was when she was with Christiane and Tilly. Both sisters agreed she would make a very nice wife one day, and Marcy beamed at that statement. She often mentioned her wish to marry and bear children.
Christiane was the middle-born child. Tilly dubbed her “Christy,” since her full name always twisted her tongue. Christy's cheeriness never ceased, and she constantly dragged both her sisters into games that would’ve been considered childish. They danced around the room until they collapsed from dizziness, created plays, or snuck around their manor and spied on others. The latter game ended after a scolding from their mother, who firmly decided that it was not ladylike at all. And Marcy, not wanting to experience that embarrassment again, refused to let her sisters rope her into that game anymore. Once Marcy stopped playing it, Christy and Tilly gradually lost interest as well. Instead, they focused on dancing and creating plays. Christy would create elaborate, albeit silly stories – usually with herself as the star – and Tilly and Marcy would perform with her for the servants.
As the three grew older, they stopped spending as much time with each other. Marcy began attending parties and flirting with suitors, Christy sat at her desk for hours reading and writing, and Tilly practiced the piano. Soon, Marcy announced her engagement to the lovely young man, Alain Rhienne. Both Christy and Tilly were bridesmaids, along with several of her friends. Of course, the wedding meant Marcy would be leaving home. That greatly saddened Christy and Tilda. The home seemed emptier without their elder sister.
Tilly started attending the balls next. She loved deciding on a fancy outfit to wear, and she was greatly interested in both the food and the other nobles. She had a few suitors express interest in her, but she never paid much attention to them. Eventually, her parents introduced her to a young gentleman named Georges Archambault, whom they strongly encouraged her to court. So, Tilly accepted his admiration of her and agreed to do so. Georges was very flamboyant and popular. He always seemed at the center of the party, and he loved bringing Tilly along with him. She mainly treasured his cheer and kindness. He treated her very respectfully and never insulted her on purpose, and his energy almost reminded him of Christy’s. So when he proposed, she accepted gladly. Marcy and Christy were her only bridesmaids. The two sisters contributed quite a bit to planning the wedding. Marcy gifted Tilly her wedding gown, Christy found musicians and a venue, meanwhile Tilly decided upon the menu. And a few months later, Tilly pledged herself to Georges Archambault. She and her servants moved to his estate, which always seemed grand and busy. Georges often hosted parties in his ballroom, so she was used to the house being filled with noise.
After a few years of marriage to him, Tilly discovered she was pregnant with a child. The majority of her pregnancy was actually spent with Marcy and Christy. Marcy was pregnant with her second child at this time, although Christy still had yet to marry. Marcy and Tilly knitted, embroidered, and played the piano to fill their days, while Christy took it upon herself to make sure they each felt okay. Sometimes she would read aloud to them while they sewed. The three finished quite a few books then. And occasionally, Marcy would bring by her first child so they could all visit with each other. Tilly loved playing with her little niece Pauline, growing even more excited for the children that she and Georges would have together.
Marcy gave birth roughly a month before Tilly, and she named her new daughter Peridot. Then Tilly bore a son. Georges insisted on naming him John, after his elder brother John Pierre. Tilly’s days were then filled with nurturing her baby.
Georges decided to join the army after his birth. Although he did hate to leave his family, he believed it to be his duty. The house grew a lot more silent. Tilly didn’t host nearly as many parties. Georges had always done that, and she almost didn’t want to have balls without him there. After a few years, she received news that Georges had been killed. Now she was without a husband, and her son was without a father.
Georges’ brother, John Pierre, promised he would provide anything that Tilly might need. He also assumed a father-like role to little John. But still, Tilly lived alone in his large manor, only a young child to keep her company.
Marcy and Christy visited regularly, at least. Marcy brought her two daughters and her newborn son, Martin - or "Marty" - around, which Tilly loved. Marcy and her children always lit up the house. Christy stayed at their home occasionally as well. She spent time talking with Tilly, reading aloud to them, or keeping John company. She probably visited the most out of anyone, since she had no husband nor children to occupy her time with.
Years passed, and John grew up into a young man. He was very similar to his father in some respects. He always maintained a cheery attitude, but mostly he loved attending parties. John would try to persuade Tilly into hosting balls at their estate, and she finally relented after much of his nagging. Of course, John Pierre always remained in their life, offering his help or guidance. Georges had left Tilly and John quite the sum of money, so although they were taken care of financially, John Pierre didn’t wish to leave them completely alone. He extended support in any way he could, becoming one of Tilly’s closest friends and a father to John.
Much to Tilly’s distress, John began speaking of enlisting once he was of age. Tilly sometimes cried herself to sleep when she thought of her son fighting in the war. She’d already lost her husband. The idea of losing John sent her into misery. A few times she asked John Pierre to convince her son otherwise, but he failed. Maybe he didn’t try that hard. Regardless, John had his mind set on enlisting. When Tilly heard the news of the treaty, she was so relieved that she almost wept. There would be no war for John to risk his life in. Rather, his mind would turn towards courting and other frivolous things. She wouldn’t lose her son to the war, like she had her husband.
Important Miscellaneous Information:
She is widowed. She is a very strong supporter of the treaty.
Name: Larson Errol Adriel Walden HalloranNicknames: Lars, Ari, Addie
Apparent Age: 15
Actual Age: 100
Title: Prince
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Appearance: (view spoiler)
Fae Type: Halfing (Merman/Each Uisge)
Court: Undersea
Thoughts on the Treaty: "Sometimes I don't understand the other courts. Why can't they just agree to stop fighting, and stop involving people that weren't involved in the first place? It's not other people's fault that their leaders were bad. Why should they be forced to do things because of other people's mistakes? It's just unfair."
Powers: Lars can shapeshift into a gray horse, and he also has a merman form. His senses are very enhanced. His ears are especially sensitive - even sounds of average volume startle or hurt him. He can manipulate both fire and water, he has increased speed, and he can communicate with every sea creature.
Family:
Parents: Chernomor and Morwenna
Siblings: Sereia, Beowulf
Biography: Lars was one of the youngest children in the family, which meant Chernomor rarely took him along or brought him out to practice magic like he did with Sereia and the other brothers. He thought he was "too young." Since Lars didn't talk much for a while, Chernomor also thought that Lars was stupid - and he told him so. And although Beowulf also never accompanied Chernomor either, Lars rarely hung out with him. Wulfie had the tendency to disappear for several hours a day. When he did try to speak to his older brother, Wulf refused to carry the conversation. He hardly responded with more than a grunt, and he was often harsh and cold towards Lars.
So most of Lars' time was spent with his mother, Morwenna. She lovingly nicknamed him Addie or Ari - derived from his third name, which she had picked out - though he found the former nickname especially embarrassing. However, she only addressed him as Addie in private, so over time he got used to it and stopped caring. At least she never called him anything other than Lars when Chernomor was around. Even though Lars didn't know his father very well, he suspected that Chernomor would find his mother's nicknames too sentimental. He thought that constantly doting on and forming a loving bond with his children would make them soft, and he didn't want them to consider him as an equal either. He wanted respect. Lars figured that Morwenna probably knew that too as they mostly spoke to each other when Chernomor wasn't around. Although sometimes, Morwenna would say something in Lars' favor, which irritated their father. He still considered Lars too young to learn anything, even though he was fairly close in age to the brothers that Chernomor did include in his lessons. Lars wasn't really aware of any reason why his father might treat him the way he did, but he preferred not to think about it.
Instead, he sat at his mother's feet and listened to her. She would often teach him about history or literature or magic. If she wasn't particularly busy, they'd eat a quiet lunch together in her sitting room. Even when she was busy, Morwenna allowed him to tag along as long as he was only seen and not heard. He'd observe the way she conducted her business, the way she carried herself, and the way she spoke to other people. He only realized what a special bond he had with her after watching how she treated some of her friends or his other siblings. Chernomor really had taken on the job of raising his children. Perhaps now that his father didn't show interest in or exercise control over Lars, Morwenna sort of stole him away from his father. She could shape up one of her children the way she thought they should all be raised.
Morwenna required him to complete his studies, read important literature, and to nurture his own patience, honesty, kindness, grace, intelligence, capability, discipline, and obedience. Yet, despite her high expectations, she remained - most of all - encouraging and merciful. If he failed, she talked him through any frustration or disappointment he experienced. And then, she'd slowly walk him through his mistakes until he reached success. He never felt guilty for asking her for assistance or needing her to explain something twice. It seemed like she was truly invested in his benefit, not her own pride.
Morwenna also provided him with a listening ear. At their private lunches, she would inquire about his life and emotions. She wanted to have a connection with him that didn't involve his education. She wanted to hear the casual thoughts that ran through his mind every day. Mostly, she aspired to erase the gap of distance that existed because she was queen and he was only a boy. When he was a little boy, she’d always read a story to him before bed. Or at least, she gave him a hug and wished him sweet dreams. Although he grew out of the bedtime story, she still never failed to embrace him before he trotted off to bed.
Of course, Chernomor soon interfered with the relationship. He declared Lars was old enough to be included in his activities. His teaching style was the complete opposite of Morwenna’s. Everything was a competition with Chernomor. And if you didn’t win, the disapproving words he spoke felt like a terrible punishment. His father did not encourage. He did not explain things twice. And he did not like any kind of failure or mistake. He often accused Lars of a lack of motivation. Yet, Lars was plenty motivated. He just wasn’t angry or competitive. Rather, he encouraged any sibling that he thought needed it. If one of his brothers had just lost a race, Lars would comment that they were still very fast. He often used his own “failures” to lift up his siblings. Since he didn’t care very much whether he won or lost, he would put himself down so that they would seem better in comparison. At one of his lunches with Morwenna, she actually brought that up. Perhaps Chernomor had told her. Anyway, she praised him for his consideration of his siblings, and his confidence in his own skill. She also added that he should maybe try a bit harder to impress his father. Lars later figured out that Chernomor had demanded that she tell him to put in more effort, since he seemed to listen to her better than he did Chernomor.
His kindness and encouragement improved his relationships with his siblings. Before, since he’d been excluded for so long, his brothers and sisters still acted like he wasn’t there. But through continual effort, they finally accepted him. Some of them teased him, calling him a “mama’s boy” - which he was – although the rest were generally welcoming and fun to play with.
Sereia sometimes invited him to hang out with her and a few of their brothers. She liked to spend days by lakes and oceans, racing, using magic, and whatnot. Lars always felt extremely intimidated by her. Chernomor treasured his eldest daughter very much, and she was among the more powerful of his siblings. Lars never took the time to evaluate his strength in comparison to the others’. He did like to tag along on these trips though. He preferred to watch the races or competitions rather than participate, so he brought along a book to read. That way, he could still hang out with his siblings and have something to occupy himself with while they competed. Other times, he stayed home to spend time with Morwenna.
During one of his lunches with her, a servant burst into the room and announced that Chernomor was dead. Apparently Sereia had been with him when it happened, and Beowulf had brought her back home. He noticed that Wulf always seemed to be nearby her in the following months, comforting her. Lars decided not to disturb them. Instead, he would sit with his mother. She also seemed to brighten up in his company. Sometimes they covered their usual topics of conversation. Other times, Morwenna would get very sentimental and start talking about how much she loved her children, or what things had been like when she first married Chernomor. And still at other times, she refused to speak. Lars always felt awkward on these occasions. He liked listening rather than talking, and he had trouble with finding what to say. So rather than search for things to say, he’d pick up a book from her shelf and read it aloud to her. After a month or two of this, Morwenna insisted on going about her duties again and that ended their reading sessions. Of course, Lars was never too far from her, and he could mostly be found with a book in hand nearby. Once she’d mostly recovered from her grief though, he left her alone more often and continued about with his life. Grieving with Morwenna had also greatly helped him deal with his feelings towards Chernomor – which were extremely confusing. Chernomor had constantly changed his opinions and attitude towards Lars. At first, he was stupid. Next, he was too young, and thus belittled. After that, Chernomor was proud to have him join his lessons. Then, Chernomor thought he was sluggish and unmotivated. Sometimes Chernomor would say something positive if he succeeded at something, but the next day he could return to his usual sighs and expressions of disappointment. Lars had no idea whether his father loved him or not – a question which he still struggles with today. He once asked Morwenna if Chernomor loved his children. Morwenna only told him that his father loved differently than most people. That was the answer he received whenever he brought it up. Lars stopped asking after a while, instead settling into his confusion and conflicted feelings towards his father.
Morwenna had actually discussed the possibility of a treaty with Lars once or twice, before it was officially announced. She created a little segment of lessons on past treaties or what happened without treaties. Thus, Lars wasn’t especially shocked when the Seelie and Unseelie courts agreed to a treaty, even though he was never very interested in learning about their politics. Now he’s mostly trying to predict how this will affect his own life.
Important Miscellaneous Information:
He is youngest son of Chernomor and Morwenna, and he is clearly a mama's boy.
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