Neverwinter Forest kanevvluk ‡

sorry for her D:

forneskja.

a word not her own, uplifted in callyope's words.

rodyn had built moontide for samani. kigipigak, for his faults, had built moonsong for ariadne. helmed always were the daughters of the moon. it had been her lifelong work to give them status and now callyope was willing to surrender this for a new creed.

different was not sunshine. callyope would be eaten by what she meant to found here, stolen as kigipigak had done. this land should belong in name to the nuiruk, and now it would not.

but kukutux had learned with ariadne.

now she turned her springjade eyes upon the tall man waiting in respectful silence. she would not reject him; callyope knew her mind and though the duck closed now to the forest, to the peace she had felt might come, she knew too that to stand against this would be to sour blood — to mass conflict where there need be none.

a breaking of tradition with a pawful of turned earth. callyope meant to build in his name. in his ways.

do not speak against it or you will lose another daughter, tooteega warned; a chert knifeblade to an aching heart.

"i am kukutux, moonwoman. her father is aiolos. sun man." maintained! tonality; evenness. her eyes warmed gently, for despite all her many thoughts, callyope regarded him with the same softness in her face. he had given respect, and in this too she discovered comfort.

the happiness of her daughter was tantamount.

her eyes moved between them. "when you choose the time, come to the village moonglow. we will eat and speak of your bride price, daughter. and we would hear you share the words of your ways, solharr," the duck offered, finding contentment in his strength. the children he might give callyope would be beautiful. it was what crane woman wished, and she had power now at her side to do it.

let it be, daughter, Lynx murmured.

quietly kukutux pulled the vulpine wrap from her shoulders, moving to arrange it gently around callyope.