shylarah

Drawing Characters! [Closed]

@Mae The dollmaker, while small, is really my inspiration for Istara's hair, and I have just the one drawing of her from a friend in that album I linked, and then a new sketch that I did, which more focuses on her face and stuff than the ponytail (you can see the ponytail's kind of a mess...rip me)

new sketch

When Royalty Collides (#YIKES)

Rhiannon Heledd Cadfael of Wales

The welcome ball had been relatively enjoyable, as such things went. She'd done some mingling, talked with her cousins and with the Brittanians and some of the others. Of course, Rhia knew she'd also had more to eat than she should've, and that meant she hit the gym early the day after. A few miles on the elliptical made her feel a lot less guilty about the upcoming brunch too.

Once she was done working out, Rhia took a quick cool shower and changed into nicer clothing, a loose black skirt and a bright asymmetric top that made her think of butterflies. She tied her hair back with a folded kerchief sporting a rainbow butterfly pattern on a black background, grabbed a butterfly wrist cuff and matching earrings, and headed out to find where people were at.

She found Lea waiting for people in the tea parlor designated for the brunch, and Rhia took a seat next to her. "Heya cuz," she said with a wide grin. "Sorry we didn't get more time to chat last night, but such are the hazards of hosting." She looked around to be sure she wouldn't be overheard and lowered her voice. "You seen the news yet? That Hat is the latest in photobombing. Between his height and the Hat, Quentin is visible in a full third of the photos from last night."

𝓣ℎ𝑒 𝓕𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝒻 𝓐𝑙𝑦𝑠𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑎 & 𝓕𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑛, 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡.

@Briza It's so short. *shame*

𝓣ℎ𝑒 𝓕𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝒻 𝓐𝑙𝑦𝑠𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑎 & 𝓕𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑛, 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡.

"Good afternoon, Walter," Alyssana greeted the young man when he opened the door for her. She would have said more, but Finnegan inserted himself into the conversation. "Thank you, Finnegan." Why her timing was beneficial he didn't say, but she knew he'd get to him in time. "Actually, I'm here to see Walter." She gave Walter a bright smile that, while still small, was as close as she ever came to beaming. "Congratulations on your first week. I had hoped to hear about how it went, that sort of thing. And I'm sorry Chris couldn't make it," she added, as she removed her gloves and tucked them in a pocket of her flying jacket, then offered it to Finnegan. "He was up to his eyeballs in his latest project, last I checked, and his poor housekeeper's found it a chore even to pry him away long enough to eat." She sighed. "I'll bring him along next time. By then he should be less totally absorbed in his work, and he won't resent the interruption. But you know how he gets."

When Royalty Collides (#YIKES)

Valentine/Edelessa of Luxième

Valentine reclaimed her hand and tucked it in close to her body. Prince Akio was still talking, but she could tell he was trying to be helpful. She wished, briefly, that he was something other than kind. If he wasn't so kind then perhaps she could have found it within herself to hate him, but with him trying so very hard she instead felt guilt for that wish, guilt that she couldn't reciprocate his effort properly, guilt that she was inevitably going to let him down.

And then he asked if she wanted to stay or leave, and a fleeting sting of anger flitted through her heart. Did she want to leave? She'd wanted nothing else since her arrival! But how dare this stranger decide what was "enough excitement"?

The anger didn't last. She couldn't maintain it for long, not here. But she couldn't leave either. She'd made a promise, to Anton and to herself. Valentine shook her head no, that she didn't want to be walked back to her room, and made herself uncross her arms and fold them neatly in her lap. She fixed her gaze firmly on her clasped hands, and did her best not to look as miserable as she felt.

The Plague Knight Chronicles: Chapter 1

Shiara Cazarin, bone mage

Shiara listened to the knight's instructions to his apprentice, and noted that they were indeed short on time. She desperately wanted more information about the Cursed, as he named them, but realized that it might have to wait. "Lord Barrett, it occurs to me that I've not offered my name. I am Shiara. And while I need to know more about the Cursed to figure out effective countermeasures, if we do not have the time now then I shall see what I can come up with on my own, while you deal with the local lord." A moment of thought, and then she continued. "I will work on a more effective barrier. I also mean to see what I can do to reconsecrate the graveyard, though with that hole in the crypts anything I do will be a temporary measure." Shiara sighed. "Even if the grounds were properly consecrated, we couldn't fit everyone in Kenfort here. That means I need to seek the source of these Cursed."

The bearded man that confronted them when the weary party returned to daylight was an annoyance, but one quickly dealt with by Mergoux. It was just as well the duty didn't fall to Shiara, for his accusation of queer magicks did not sit well with her. The content of his accusation, however, was of interest, and while she really wanted a bath, she might not get a second chance to obtain details.

"You say the grave called to you?" she asked, looking at the gaping pit. Was this connected to the Cursed, or just the standard hazards of a place of death? "Can you tell me more?"

The Plague Knight Chronicles: Chapter 1

@LordOfTheNight We really should figure out what is effective against the cursed. I suggest that consecrated ground at least slows them. I also think that eventually Shiara will be able to create a ritual that either weakens them and makes them easier to kill, or perhaps returns them to properly dead. Of course the ritual itself won't be a fast thing, and she'll need the others to keep her safe while she casts it -- and it will only work in a specific area, either her immediate surroundings or else an area she has to mark out in advance.

Drawing Characters! [Closed]

@Mae Aww, you're still planning on drawing things? Oh gods, my references are so old half of them are not where they were anymore! I'm honestly fine with whatever inspires you, but I should probably give you updated links. *flails around* Let me know who you need when you're ready for them, and I'll get them updated for you...though I think I fixed them all.

(Thank you)

𝓣ℎ𝑒 𝓕𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝒻 𝓐𝑙𝑦𝑠𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑎 & 𝓕𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑛, 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡.

It was a Saturday, the first since young Walter had started helping his brother Finnegan at the perfume shop. Lady Alyssana Grey decided that she could take a break from grading papers and worrying about the string of vanished urchins long enough for a visit.

It was a lovely spring afternoon, a nice break from the week of rain that had just passed, and instead of walking across town Alyssana fetched her wings from the cabinet that held them. Once she had them in hand it was an easy matter to use her machine empathy to guide them to the sockets on her back, after undoing the three small buttons that held the flap in her blouse shut. The metal connected with a brief tingle of energy, and as she rolled her shoulders her wings responded in kind, metal feathers sliding to their ready position. within moments her wings had tripled in apparent size, and she was ready to take to the air.

Her home was three stories above a bookshop, and she had easy access to the roof from her upstairs parlor. The moment of weightlessness before her wings caught her and carried her aloft was a tiny freedom, and quietly exhilarating. Alyssana watched the world fall away below her, the streets and alleys, the clustered buildings, the patches of greenery with flowers blooming, and let the view push her concerns aside, at least for the duration of her flight.

All too soon she spotted Finnegan's perfumery, and spiraled down carefully to a lower altitude before committing to a shallow dive that set her down at the entryway. The city was not really built for fliers, though those with wings learned to navigate the narrower streets or else stuck to the open areas and rooftops for their landings. Now firmly on the ground, Alyssana went around to the side entrance and knocked firmly upon the door. The shop might be closed, but Finnegan should be present, working on one thing or another. Hopefully his brother would still be about as well.

When Royalty Collides (#YIKES)

Valentine/Edelessa of Luxième

Prince Akio was trying so hard to be helpful, and yet he was hardly helping at all. He was right about looking after her cut, at least, though it took a few moments to work up her nerve and let him. While he did, Valentine fixed her gaze firmly on the ground in front of her. Her thoughts were a flurry of shame and self-recrimination, but at least they distracted her a little.

The arrival of an attendant brought her back into sharp focus. Prince Akio wanted to know who she'd be comfortable with. She wanted Anton, or Ianos, or Melissa, none of whom were really available -- and that assumed she could manage to communicate her desire. At least he's trying. And he's doing better than I am. Valentine sighed internally and held her hand out to Prince Akio again, feeling like she'd let everyone down. With a mental wrench she pulled herself away from that line of thought, though it lingered in the back of her mind.

The cut was a small one, somewhat deeper than a papercut but still superficial. Having Prince Akio fuss with it hurt a little, but that was a welcome distraction from her thoughts. She still hadn't managed to say anything to him. She really should fix that. Valentine took a deep breath, closing her eyes to focus better on the words.

"Th-thank you."

They came out wavery and quiet, but at least she'd said them.