As it is with every Fae creature, the coming of age also comes with a right of passage. Typically associated with the nature of one's own specific type of Fae creature. For those with a close affinity for nature's life, the plants and animals, are the Druidic Fae. Their rituals and ceremonies closely centering around their bond with nature, usually done out in the wilderness on a full moon. The right of passage for a Druidic Fae is in fact, quite simple. Without crossing any of the other elemental territories, that is to only be associated with nature and it's flora and fauna, the child coming of age will wander off into their affinitive domain. For an unmeasured period of time the child will wander, finding their way and learning to become more in tune with themselves, a pilgrimage of sorts. For the Druidic Fae the exchange is low risk, the only real danger comes from the wildlife and even they tend not to stray to closely to the strange and mystical beings unless compelled to do so.
The coming of age for the Aquaticus Fae is quite the contrary. So to the point that they are arguably one of the rarest form of Fae. The child of the Aquaticus must journey out into the water, until they come onto the land. Though they are not to stray into the domain out of their affinity, such as a forest or field. The water's domain lies in the ocean, and all that it touches including sandy shores and partially submerged caverns. There is always the threat of storm, predator, and fatigue. Unlike the Druidic Fae who feast and rejoice up until their journey. It should be noted that only for the time of the pilgrimage are the Fae restricted to their affinitive domains, though not by any known law. Merely by tradition and legend alone. The most common danger for a child of the Aquaticus Fae, are when they wander into the territory of man. Often the less experience fae, unskilled at moving unseen or manipulating their magical abilities, are mistaken for some form of edible sea life.
Conchae wiggles her toes in excitement, feeling them squish into the soft damp sand beneath her. Her heart hammers in her chest, letting the adrenaline course freely through her body. All her life has led up to this moment, this one particular night and each night beyond this until she returns once more. She grins at her mother and father, her four brothers and three sisters. She had heard all about the journey from her older siblings. Though their return varied greatly from each other. Virilem, her older sister and the one she trusted most, had been the shortest at five days. She wove great tales of her journey,her favorite was when Virilem went through a storm, riding the waves as if she were part of the water itself. She had spoken much of her five day journey, but she never told Conchae of that moment. The moment where your soul frees itself, and you can feel the magic flowing through you like the very blood in your veins. The moment of adulthood.
Conchae winced in pain as the woman next to her stuck her again with her long sharpened quill, before dipping it back into the ink bottle. Their clan always passed on the family markings before a journey, so that if one were to find death, they would still be able to find each other in the afterlife. She kept herself from glancing at the unfinished markings that were being drawn on her pale blue skin, though usually nearly white with an off tint of blue, being so close to the water was making the blue pigmentation more vibrant, and it would as she drew closer until she was as blue as the ocean. An intricate pattern of water lilies, connected by long twisting lines, weaving through each other and at every point they crossed a lily was drawn. Conchae winced again and tried not to make a noise, trying to act brave for her little brothers and sisters. Her mother smiled warmly, a stark contrast next to her father who seemed to be a mix of content and indifference. The woman clapped her hands and Conchae looked at her new markings, encircling her left bicep fully, and spanning maybe the width of three fingers.
There were to be no more goodbyes at this point. Her family hollered and cheered, all except her father, as she turned and slowly walked towards the water. She took a deep breath "This is it ..." she thought to herself. The moments of transition from a child of fifteen, to an adult. She reached the waters edge and felt her toes dip into the cold water as she shed off her ceremonial garments. One deep breath, no hesitation, as she sprinted forward and dove into the water. The noise of her family replaced by the rush of water, and the air bubbles as they rushed past her towards the surface. Her skin mottled before becoming wholly blue, though her hair remained the normal sky blue. She took a powerful stroke forward and swam across the ocean floor. She felt the additional clear membrane stretch out across her eyes, knowing they would be filled edge to edge black, the color of a dark abyss. This gave her the ability to see better than any land walker could underwater, almost as easy as seeing through day. Far clearer than her normal eyesight. She smiled as a torrent of feelings coursed through her. Her long lithe arms bring her parallel to a school of fish, who swam alongside her for a time before breaking off.
Any experience Aquaticus Fae would have been able to sense the approaching hurricane just a day away... and the tropical cyclone cell moving with its center..
Seven years later...
De'mari stands at the road leading up to a large banana plantation she had called home since she was brought back from the brink of death. The owns had found her lying face down on the sandy shores just a few miles away as they took a moonlit stroll, such as many older couples do. Despite mankind's superstition revolving around her particular species of Fae the couple took her in, and nursed her back to health. It was fairly obvious, from the blue tint near large bodies of water, to the occasion when De'mari would sleep weave and cause the water to float from her glass into the air. In fact, even De'mari had her suspicions, but with a lack of memory and her knowledge growing up as an Aquaticus Fae, she had nothing to base her classification of herself on, so it remained a mystery. Until now.
She bit her lower lip, holding back a string of profanities as the guard searched her for weapons, perhaps a little too thoroughly. Her adopted father was face down in the dirt after assaulting one of the guardsmen, and her adopted mother along with the field hands she had come to call family, were being held back by a group of heavily armored men. The guard seemed satisfied with his search, and with a grunt, kicked in the back of her knee sending her sprawling into the dirt. Her adopted family screamed with their outrage as the guard put his boot on the small of her back, preventing her from raising up. He takes a handful of her hair and yanks it back, forcing her head up with a cry of pain.
"De'mari Lamperouge, you are hereby being sentenced to trial by a lawful court, effective immediately. You are being accused of unlawful sorcery, assault, endangering the lives of thirty-seven people, and multiple counts of treason, including but not limited to; Gathering of secret of information, Selling of said information, Harboring and Aiding and Abetting other spies for the Nomadic Provinces of The Dunes, plotting against his Highness, sabotage, and murder of government officials. Regardless of what you say now, you are to face each of your accused crimes at trial where a ruling will be determined by an official judge from the school of law."
De'mari looks up to see a woman dressed in long flowing red robes, adorned with gold thread work. The parchment she holds out in front of her is quickly rolled up as the scholar turns on her heel with a huff and seeks refuge in an elaborate carriage, polished and painted in vibrant colors of blue and white. The guard with his boot on her lets our a shrill whistle, "Some record there, think they'll hang you?" He asked nonchalantly as he hauled her to her feet. Distantly De'mari could see her adopted father screaming at the guards, on his feet once more as they withdrew. She couldn't hear him though as her ears had gone deaf as she mulled over the accusations. The only thing she was guilty of was sorcery without a proper license, and maybe an assault of two. But none of that had any official business, especially not treason. Vaguely some part of her mind wondered if this was the doing of a work hand nicknamed Rat, a scrawny scheming man she had punched in the nose. That thought crossed nearly unnoticed in the back of her mind as she was led, trance-like, into a wagon. She was laid out spread eagle, with each of her limbs secured to a shackle attached to the wagon by very short chains.
She brushed a strand of light blue hair out of her eyes and looked at the sky. Sighing and feeling the pain on her eye where the guard had hit her with a stiff wooden baton wrapped with metal bands. And where he had hit her on the right shoulder, and probably fractured a rib. And to think she had only called him scum. She felt as if she were dreaming something awful, this couldn't really be happening... could it? Reigns cracked and the wagon began rumbling, De'mari would have been tossed to the side if not for her bindings. For the next two days she would get to watch the endless sea of blue above, with the added bonus of being spoon fed slop. It was sometime later that first day she had been arrested that she thought back to Rat, vowing to get vengeance on him regardless of his involvement in this. Though she was almost positive he had come up with it somehow.
The cart jostled again as they hit what felt like a particularly large rock. It also felt as if the driver didn't even attempt to avoid it. He let out a soft chuckle as the chains to her shacks shook as she was momentarily bounced up just enough to cause burning agony to her shoulder. She had never heard of so many crimes piled up on one person, she grit her teeth half in pain, and half in anger. The sadness welled up inside her of being torn from her family. She knew where she was headed, to the dungeons of the capital, Providence. With a list like her accusations, there was no avoiding a hanging. She could cry when she was alone, but she would not give into these guards.
Another bump in the road, probably a ditch this time and she cried out as she bounced up, the burning agony flared up into a raging inferno of pain in her shoulder. She would have to decide later if it was dislocated or broken.
The coming of age for the Aquaticus Fae is quite the contrary. So to the point that they are arguably one of the rarest form of Fae. The child of the Aquaticus must journey out into the water, until they come onto the land. Though they are not to stray into the domain out of their affinity, such as a forest or field. The water's domain lies in the ocean, and all that it touches including sandy shores and partially submerged caverns. There is always the threat of storm, predator, and fatigue. Unlike the Druidic Fae who feast and rejoice up until their journey. It should be noted that only for the time of the pilgrimage are the Fae restricted to their affinitive domains, though not by any known law. Merely by tradition and legend alone. The most common danger for a child of the Aquaticus Fae, are when they wander into the territory of man. Often the less experience fae, unskilled at moving unseen or manipulating their magical abilities, are mistaken for some form of edible sea life.
Conchae wiggles her toes in excitement, feeling them squish into the soft damp sand beneath her. Her heart hammers in her chest, letting the adrenaline course freely through her body. All her life has led up to this moment, this one particular night and each night beyond this until she returns once more. She grins at her mother and father, her four brothers and three sisters. She had heard all about the journey from her older siblings. Though their return varied greatly from each other. Virilem, her older sister and the one she trusted most, had been the shortest at five days. She wove great tales of her journey,her favorite was when Virilem went through a storm, riding the waves as if she were part of the water itself. She had spoken much of her five day journey, but she never told Conchae of that moment. The moment where your soul frees itself, and you can feel the magic flowing through you like the very blood in your veins. The moment of adulthood.
Conchae winced in pain as the woman next to her stuck her again with her long sharpened quill, before dipping it back into the ink bottle. Their clan always passed on the family markings before a journey, so that if one were to find death, they would still be able to find each other in the afterlife. She kept herself from glancing at the unfinished markings that were being drawn on her pale blue skin, though usually nearly white with an off tint of blue, being so close to the water was making the blue pigmentation more vibrant, and it would as she drew closer until she was as blue as the ocean. An intricate pattern of water lilies, connected by long twisting lines, weaving through each other and at every point they crossed a lily was drawn. Conchae winced again and tried not to make a noise, trying to act brave for her little brothers and sisters. Her mother smiled warmly, a stark contrast next to her father who seemed to be a mix of content and indifference. The woman clapped her hands and Conchae looked at her new markings, encircling her left bicep fully, and spanning maybe the width of three fingers.
There were to be no more goodbyes at this point. Her family hollered and cheered, all except her father, as she turned and slowly walked towards the water. She took a deep breath "This is it ..." she thought to herself. The moments of transition from a child of fifteen, to an adult. She reached the waters edge and felt her toes dip into the cold water as she shed off her ceremonial garments. One deep breath, no hesitation, as she sprinted forward and dove into the water. The noise of her family replaced by the rush of water, and the air bubbles as they rushed past her towards the surface. Her skin mottled before becoming wholly blue, though her hair remained the normal sky blue. She took a powerful stroke forward and swam across the ocean floor. She felt the additional clear membrane stretch out across her eyes, knowing they would be filled edge to edge black, the color of a dark abyss. This gave her the ability to see better than any land walker could underwater, almost as easy as seeing through day. Far clearer than her normal eyesight. She smiled as a torrent of feelings coursed through her. Her long lithe arms bring her parallel to a school of fish, who swam alongside her for a time before breaking off.
Any experience Aquaticus Fae would have been able to sense the approaching hurricane just a day away... and the tropical cyclone cell moving with its center..
Seven years later...
De'mari stands at the road leading up to a large banana plantation she had called home since she was brought back from the brink of death. The owns had found her lying face down on the sandy shores just a few miles away as they took a moonlit stroll, such as many older couples do. Despite mankind's superstition revolving around her particular species of Fae the couple took her in, and nursed her back to health. It was fairly obvious, from the blue tint near large bodies of water, to the occasion when De'mari would sleep weave and cause the water to float from her glass into the air. In fact, even De'mari had her suspicions, but with a lack of memory and her knowledge growing up as an Aquaticus Fae, she had nothing to base her classification of herself on, so it remained a mystery. Until now.
She bit her lower lip, holding back a string of profanities as the guard searched her for weapons, perhaps a little too thoroughly. Her adopted father was face down in the dirt after assaulting one of the guardsmen, and her adopted mother along with the field hands she had come to call family, were being held back by a group of heavily armored men. The guard seemed satisfied with his search, and with a grunt, kicked in the back of her knee sending her sprawling into the dirt. Her adopted family screamed with their outrage as the guard put his boot on the small of her back, preventing her from raising up. He takes a handful of her hair and yanks it back, forcing her head up with a cry of pain.
"De'mari Lamperouge, you are hereby being sentenced to trial by a lawful court, effective immediately. You are being accused of unlawful sorcery, assault, endangering the lives of thirty-seven people, and multiple counts of treason, including but not limited to; Gathering of secret of information, Selling of said information, Harboring and Aiding and Abetting other spies for the Nomadic Provinces of The Dunes, plotting against his Highness, sabotage, and murder of government officials. Regardless of what you say now, you are to face each of your accused crimes at trial where a ruling will be determined by an official judge from the school of law."
De'mari looks up to see a woman dressed in long flowing red robes, adorned with gold thread work. The parchment she holds out in front of her is quickly rolled up as the scholar turns on her heel with a huff and seeks refuge in an elaborate carriage, polished and painted in vibrant colors of blue and white. The guard with his boot on her lets our a shrill whistle, "Some record there, think they'll hang you?" He asked nonchalantly as he hauled her to her feet. Distantly De'mari could see her adopted father screaming at the guards, on his feet once more as they withdrew. She couldn't hear him though as her ears had gone deaf as she mulled over the accusations. The only thing she was guilty of was sorcery without a proper license, and maybe an assault of two. But none of that had any official business, especially not treason. Vaguely some part of her mind wondered if this was the doing of a work hand nicknamed Rat, a scrawny scheming man she had punched in the nose. That thought crossed nearly unnoticed in the back of her mind as she was led, trance-like, into a wagon. She was laid out spread eagle, with each of her limbs secured to a shackle attached to the wagon by very short chains.
She brushed a strand of light blue hair out of her eyes and looked at the sky. Sighing and feeling the pain on her eye where the guard had hit her with a stiff wooden baton wrapped with metal bands. And where he had hit her on the right shoulder, and probably fractured a rib. And to think she had only called him scum. She felt as if she were dreaming something awful, this couldn't really be happening... could it? Reigns cracked and the wagon began rumbling, De'mari would have been tossed to the side if not for her bindings. For the next two days she would get to watch the endless sea of blue above, with the added bonus of being spoon fed slop. It was sometime later that first day she had been arrested that she thought back to Rat, vowing to get vengeance on him regardless of his involvement in this. Though she was almost positive he had come up with it somehow.
The cart jostled again as they hit what felt like a particularly large rock. It also felt as if the driver didn't even attempt to avoid it. He let out a soft chuckle as the chains to her shacks shook as she was momentarily bounced up just enough to cause burning agony to her shoulder. She had never heard of so many crimes piled up on one person, she grit her teeth half in pain, and half in anger. The sadness welled up inside her of being torn from her family. She knew where she was headed, to the dungeons of the capital, Providence. With a list like her accusations, there was no avoiding a hanging. She could cry when she was alone, but she would not give into these guards.
Another bump in the road, probably a ditch this time and she cried out as she bounced up, the burning agony flared up into a raging inferno of pain in her shoulder. She would have to decide later if it was dislocated or broken.