iliana amaranth

She's habitually paradoxical, a parallel perpendicular;

Somewhere along the way, Iliana had decided Andras was not a big scary dragon-fae that was going to eat her, even though the man seemed nothing short of predatory to her. But Iliana was entirely trusting, perhaps far too easy to put her trust in that man she had once fled from. Her metallic eyes seemed to watch him, studying them in that quirky but thorough way her face soft. That firm dip of her head and that sweet admittance that she had believed him. It seemed to please him as that pleasing chuckle resonated through the forest, a booming sound. Such a powerful sound she thought and yet she hardly flinched, as chiming giggle escaping her all at once. That mention of treasure soon ensnaring her attention completely. Not just some.. but a mountain of treasure and it needed someone to take care of it. She gasps, that excitement still trilling through her very body. "I will do it!" She all but burst, unsure exactly what she was offering and yet she hardly cared.

With that emerald still clutched tightly around that pilfered necklace, her fingertips laced within that chain, she showed no signs of letting go. That mention of this mysterious placed called Somina had intrigued her, that portal he created even more so. The strain completely obvious to her as sweat glinting beads upon his brow. Was he ill? Iliana could not help that frown that took to her features despite her fascination with that summoned inky black vortex behind him before asking if he was alright. He wasn't going to die was he? Worry continued to mount within her chest, meeting her innocent eyes. Regardless he seemed to shrug it off with the admittance that he was fine.. He didn't look fine.. But she trusted those words with a gentle bob of her head as her attentions seemed all together focused on the portal behind her. Could she touch it? It was beautiful... like a sky without stars, which only seemed fitting to her for the mere reason that Iliana was it's contrast, a silvery starlight and she was drawn to darkness of the sky. Bravely, the woman moved towards it, inching slowly as if she dared enough to find out. His words are gentle as the cool breeze that pressed against her delicate features, unsettling her hair once more to expose her ears. "I think.... I think its beautiful." She muttered softly, her fingers loosening its hold from that emerald necklace. He explained how that portal worked and it was like a story she heard every word of... well almost. At least until those wings moved just barely in her frame of vision, her metallic eyes settling upon them.

Her attentions so drew fixated upon his massive dragon-esque wings, that temporary envy soon snatching her firmly. What she would give to fly. That thought almost wistful. In her dreams she did.. soaring with Mr. Crow in the dead of night, the stars being their guide. It was perfect, it felt right, gleeful like nothing else. But when she woke, she could hardly help but feel a fleeting sadness, like she missed something she never possessed. The woman hardly allowed those thoughts to saturate her and bog her down for long. Even if she was destined to be grounded.. her soul was meant to soar. There was a moment she wanted to touch his wings, that desire far stronger than she was prepared for as if mesmerized by them. Instead, she turned her face downward towards the glinting emerald in her hand. She cupped it like she held an egg within her grasp, fragile and cherished. She offers it to him willingly although missing it immediately after she had gifted it back to its rightful owner. How quick he was to slip it away from view, shielding it from her gaze. Regardless, the man seemed grateful. Perhaps grateful enough to allow her raven companion to come along, not that she would have given Andras the choice. She would not go anywhere if he could not follow. As soon as he accepted.. her raven seemed to alert them of his presence. A fond knowing smile pulled across her lips before she giggled at something he had spoken to her. Andras' gaze falling upon her and she didn't betray another word before whistling for Mr.Crow. Only he had other ideas.

Mr. Crow narrowly missing Andras' head if it wasn't for him ducking. Iliana's genuine laugh flooded that clearing, in response, the sound dying as that bird uttered something crude.. akin to 'what the fuck are you waiting for'. "Rude!" She put her hands on her hips, all before the corvid dove into the shadowy portal a second later, a mere blur of black. She cried out for him! Losing all common sense as she took after to follow her feathery companion to the edges of the earth if she had to. She ignored Andras' pleas after her to wait, but she was already swallowed by that darkness. It felt weird and yet oddly soft, surrounded by blackness that should have terrified her to her core and yet didn't. But that spinning feeling.. that didn't feel so good. Once out on the other side she was met by a brilliant sun within that mighty sky that deserved to a painting, the pale haired fae perched upon some rooftop of some kind. She nearly falls over as that vertigo still affected her. Woah that felt strange. Mr. Crow was also hopping around like he was drunk and Ily couldn't even take a moment to enjoy that feeling. "Woah..." She uttered as that familiar voice surrounded her.. She backed up almost too fast, nearly toppling off that very rooftop. Swaying uneasily upon her usually steady feet, her arms outstretched for that invisible support of balance. Welcome to Somina he said, his voice soft, kind even, perhaps even proud. "I think I am going to be sick..." She said with a sad pout, closing to eyes, sinking to the ground unable to get a proper view of the impressive cityscape below from this rooftop view.

She pulled long deep breaths, shutting her eyes, willing that sound of chiming laughter and the smell of smoke to ground her. She hugged her knees, focusing on her breath. As that steady resolve soon finds her, she dared to open her doe eyes, her metallic eyes glinting brilliantly beneath the sun's rays. She wrinkled her nose, blinking back the darkness. "It's a very nice roof." She declared pleasantly, not truly getting the real view of the beauty of the city below. But the air felt alive as if enchanted with magic, it swirled about her as she tucked some rogue hair from her face to behind her pointed ear. She slowly but surely rises to her feet to find herself far steadier, her feet growing root. Those gargantuan mountains off in the distance seemed to call to her the most, intimidating as they were inspiring. How she wanted nothing more to explore them, to see what creatures lurked there and in the woods. That curiosity nothing short of burning. She inhaled a breath that felt more invigorating than any other, taking in the city next, people were happy.. people like her, dancing and chatting, going about their days without a care in the world. "Its..... beautiful. It magical.. why is it magic? I can feel it." Her words possessing the creeping awe she felt then. Mr. Crow must have felt better as he flew up from the ground to land precisely upon her dainty shoulder, the needling of his claws felt familiar. "I want to too see it all.." She said in genuine wide-eyed determined.

"I also, I think I wish to meet this Ida and the monarch you mention. Are they like a queen or a butterfly? Do you think they will like me? Are they nice?" She frowned deeply as if curious yet it was sullied by a nervousness flooding through her as the prospect of mean fae. Her mind, it soars a million miles a minute. She had met her fair share of judgmental faes, the woman not exactly connecting with those of her own species, her own parents and those within her household often thought her to be peculiar, helpless. She hardly liked that feeling.. in turn, it had made the woman more inclined to befriend animals instead, on separating herself further from her own race entirely. Andras was perhaps the nicest of her own kind that she had met and even he had a prickly mercurial edge to him. Thankfully, it hardly deterred her in the slightest.

barefoot in nightgowns, that's how she dances in the rain;