Northstar Vale finding the path to follow

kalika was to seek out @Andraste come morning. the counselor slept on her thoughts, finding neither request too unreasonable. she was new, but she was capable; any leader worth following would see it.she had a siren's spirit, one that gave her strength worth acknowledging. 

after the morning sun rose, kalika made her way toward the heart of the vale. she chirped as she went, a small, discreet request for andraste's presence.

tags just for ref ♡

What remained of yueltide had been a time of deep healing;
for whether this meant scouring the vale’s reaches with @Star, waxing philosophical and impassioned with @Eros, asking after the frore-tales of @Kukutux’s people (and ever-coaxing the like from @Melkor), it mattered not. Undómiel sought to sanctify her sorrowings through the enlightenment of sunrises and sunsets spent in the company others; through the level of equality she wishes to be equated upon with her people. And when the selkie’s song unfurled, beckoning, it was seen as yet another opportunity to limb her mind of all that she had not learnt of before.

"Fëafelmë,"  the fée greets, by way of voice softened by rest; rabbitsoft halfsight flickering o'er the sterling figure out of some greenseer's wont, as she did of all.  "Have you news?"

By the tone of the siren's trill, it was certainly possible  –  but she would not assume.

the leader was quick to approach, her presence welcomed with a smile. not news, kalika said, her voice strong and level, but a proposal. it was a bold move, coming in with such confidence, but she figured that it would earn her an inkling of respect.

you don't have a second-in-command. i want to offer myself to you. the siren waited a moment for andraste to reply, if she so wished. i have experience leading and advising. anything that you would ask of me, within reason, i would be willing to give.

The nix diverted the notion of news, and instead insisted that what she had sought Undómiel out for instead was a proposal; the gleam within Fëafelmë's was of a likeness that the fée had only heard in the lore spun by mothersmouth; of conquerers, of crestqueens. Though rather disarming  (as seen by the crescenting of shorn brow), Kalika's forward implorance was both fair and laudable;
as was her claim of being a seasoned advisior and leader  (evident alone in her stature, her speech). The stricken's features settled now into some calmed regard, as she reclined then upon haunches with shoulders curved in contemplation. That there was not yet one who had taken up the mantle of Ungoliantë thus far was also correct. Then, ever-humbled;
"Where our Court once lie, there is a weald where I saw many things,"  Andraste intones, chords low, pensive.  "I saw a great serpent, with an eye that rivaled ze breadth of my skull. I saw a moth of bones and web. I saw rooks with eyes blind three. I saw sunlight spun beneath ze earth in a chasm where no sun should lie. I saw things that I did not want to see. I saw things that could have only been dreamt up."  A pause, weighing —
"One such dream is one that remains in my repose: a stag of stardust, crafted from fore'er. Its tines are twelve and of twilight,"  (Rhaesuial! Rhaesuial!)  "Your quest is to find this figment, and look upon it with your own eyes. Whether you hunt it or honor it, return to me, and tell me of it. I want to know what you saw. I want to know if you heard your heart's beating."

the cryptic riddles in which the woman spoke sent kalika's mind spiraling. where was this weald, and how was she to find it? having promised herself as a scout, she wondered if this were a direct test of her skill; the siren held her tongue, refraining from asking her first set of questions. 

andraste continued, kalika becoming increasingly confused. you say my heart's beating, she began, what do you mean?

every time a character is bamboozled by her i just think of this or w/e

"Will it dance, when you see ze stag? Listen to it, surely,"  meaning to mince her words, at least, inasmuch she were able,  "and what it compels you to do. What it asks of you to do. If it begs of you to hunt this thing, to return to this Court with some corporeal trophy  –  if it wishes you to honor this thing, to not bring it to its death ... It is my wish, Fëafelmë, to see where you find rightness, and what it is that you will do when faced with some peculiar decision."  Perhaps this telling of it  (still somewhat infuriatingly floral)  would be more digestible to the ashfell'd; yet, perhaps not;
"One of our herbalists 'ere, a Kukutux, will make a concotion for your quest. It will allow you to see  –  to look away, if you so wish."  And neither, in Undómiel's mind, was an evil. However, if there were further questions, she remained sitting before the selkie, endlessly patient, if not a bit gauzy-eyed as ever.

andraste's request was still unclear. kalika was confident that she could figure it out, and without an herbal aid. my eyes are already open, she replied. if the concoction would make her speak in riddles such as these, then the siren thought that she was better off without it. 

she decided that the mission would commence with the next snow. it would be soon; the time beforehand would be spent preparing. with that out of the way, kalika continued, i have something else to ask of you. it was a big ask, especially for a newcomer. in my culture, it is important that we take advantage of each spring.

the siren shifted uncomfortably, taking a moment to guage andraste's reaction. i asked aiolos to be my consort this spring. i won't do anything else without your permission. when the heat came, they would couple either way. asking was more of a formality, a way to ensure her daughters had a place to grow.

rip short post

Onto the next, then—
a thing that indeed took Undómiel by some surprise, for though the season was yet to encroach upon allworld and that the time for scavenging a different sort of flesh became a rampant thing–
it seems that Kalika did have news, truly. In Aiolos' telling of the male-culling, the female-grooming ... she remains quiet on that, for now, and refocuses upon the initial revelation.

Shorn lips, thinning; disapproval;
and yet and yet and yet, she had not enforced such a local law of requesting her for those within her realm permission to breed. Overall, though:  "...I appreciate your telling me, Kalika,"  deeming it better to assert such, rather than aggression over that which she had not first enforced.

approval, nor disapproval. kalika took that as a good sign, figuring this was just andraste's way of giving permission. she wouldn't argue with that; she'd gotten what she wanted. nodding her head, she stood to walk away. we'll be seeing more of one another, the siren cooed, do not doubt it. she spun and began to walk back to her perch to watch the day's going-ons.