forum A Dreamer, a King, and a wolf. // Romance & Adventure // OxO // closed

Started July 09, 2019 by @croccin-champagne

tune

Soren smiled lightly. "Thanks." He said, and went into his room, tumbling into bed after putting his pajamas on.
(Do you want to Time skip, or do you want me to use Sue? It's up to you)

Celeste’s light laughter filtered through the air, a musical sound that didn’t reach the ears of other all that often. The source had her head thrown back, her hair pulled into a messy bun as she sat cross legged on a bench in the palace courtyard, Pluto at her feet and a young-looking servant boy sat across from her. She had gotten to chatting with him as she helped pick up a basket of dropped vegetables, and now, ten or so minutes later, she was reading his fortune. Cards, now, and palm had been just earlier. “No! That’s not-“ She burst into another fit of laughter, trying to speak through it and explain the card the boy had just drawn. The joke he had made was on par with all of the others he had made throughout the time they’d been talking, absolutely hilarious and somehow enough to get her laughing.

Soren was walking with one of his advisors, speaking to them. He had his hands folded behind his back as he walked. He knew that, technically, he shouldn't be doing too much, but…he was just talking. And walking. That was it. And it wasnt even to anyone that stressed him out. The man he was with, Lord Hark, was one of his closest advisors and one of the best. "-no, no, Mikhail is fine. He'll be back on his feet in a few weeks, although knowing him, hes probably trying to direct the guard from bed." Soren chuckled softly, and heard Celeste's laugh, his eyes flickering around to find her. When he saw her, he smiled slightly, then returned to his conversation.

“It’s supposed to mean love!” Celeste managed to squeeze out, still unable to fully quiet her laughter as Eric, the boy across from her, grinned. “Like-something big to do with love will happen!” She gestured wildly, still giggling. “In fact!” She pointed at the cards, wanting him to draw the next one, and immediately gasped. “That’s it! You’re going to confess!” She was too focused on trying to worm details out of Eric to notice Soren or his advisor, practically glowing with the combination of her smile and the sun on her face.

Soren glanced over at her again, then returned his attention to his advisor.
"And, well…the people are wondering what, exactly, happened in the throne room. Many just remember suddenly falling asleep." The advisor said, watching Soren.
Soren sighed. "Yeah. I'll be getting out an official report about that soon. Try to keep the rumors from getting too insane, will you?" He asked.
His advisor nodded. "Of course." He hesitated. "Does it have anything to do with your…condition?"
Soren paused, then nodded. "Yes, which is why it's very important you keep the rumors down as much as possible."

Wrapping up went fairly quickly, as Eric had to get back to work. Celeste was halfway through folding her spread when she frowned at the cards, then looked up, eyes flickering around her surroundings and landing on Soren and his advisor. After a moment of thought, she smiled brightly, waving in greeting. “Your majesty! And Lord Hark, right? Are either of you interested in having your fortunes read? The cards seem particularly eager to keep spilling.”

Soren looked up, and smiled. "Sure, why not." He replied. He turned to Lord Hark. "Excuse me, sir." He walked over to Celeste, sitting down across from her. "So how does this work?" He asked with a small smile. The bags that used to be under his eyes were still there, but not as obvious as they had been. He looked like he had actually gotten a full night's sleep for once, and it had obviously benefitted him. He was wearing the signet ring on his finger, as usual, along with the crown, but he was dressed more casually than normal. Well, casually for a king, anyway.

“Simple!” Celeste took a moment to study him, seemingly satisfied with the obviousness of the rest he’d gotten last night. She looked back down at the tarot cards, returning them to their spread. “Don’t think about the card you’re drawing, just follow your immediate instinct and draw. Each card has meaning, and put together, that’ll give you your fortune for today, the near future, whatever the cards feel like. Go ahead!”

Soren nodded slowly, and looked at the cards. He picked one up, flipping it over and looking at it, then at her. "Now what?" He asked curiously. He had never done something like this. Mainly because the only person in or near the castle with similar talents was Lena, and well…"I don't hold with all that hocus pocus card nonsense." She had told him once. He smiled slightly at the memory, then returned his attention to Celeste.

Celeste’s eyebrows lifted slightly as she nodded, muttering to herself in an old sounding language. “The Emperor.” She finally said, in a language Soren could understand, as she looked up at him. “A man in a position of power, ruling with the best intentions for his people. You’re going to have some issues, a tough decision to make, but seek help from those you trust, and you’ll make the right choice.” Her fingers danced over the card as she spoke, like she was drawing the fortune straight from the card.

Soren blinked, and nodded. "Okay…" He said slowly. He tipped his head slightly. "So…what now? Am i supposed to draw another card?" He asked. He smiled slightly. He wasn't sure how much of this was real, and how much she was just making up, but hey. Why not pass the time this way, if he couldn't do anything of importance. Not that this wasn't important,it just wasn't…court matters.

“Yup!” The strange look that had taken over Celeste’s eyes as she’d spoken the card’s meaning to him disappeared, replaced by that same bright smile. “How many cards total do you want to draw? Most people go three or five, but I’ve had a few sevens and even one thirteen.”

Soren shrugged. "I'm…not sure. Five?" He shrugged again. He pulled another card, flipping it over and putting it down, watching Celeste to see what it was. To be honest…maybe it would be nice if it could be like this more. Relaxed, calm. But no. It couldn't. Too many issues with the court, with the people in it.

"Five it is!" Celeste repeated the same odd process she had before, with different(or at least assumed so) mutterings, before looking back up at Soren. "The Lovers. This one has two possible meanings. The most common one is that your love life needs focus. Take that as you will, considering…you know. The other meaning might tie into The Emperor." She said, tapping his first card, still laying there face up. "And that is finding yourself at a crossroads. Consider the outcomes of your choices, your possible choices, how they'll affect you and others in the long run."

Soren blinked. "Oh." He said slowly. "That's… interesting." He raked a hand through his hair, biting his lip slightly. Great. So now i have multiple sources telling me to get fucking married. Isn't that just wonderful. He sighed softly, looking at her, then away, then back at her again.

Celeste studied him for a moment, moving her hand from the card to touch his arm lightly. "If I may, your Majesty, as the fortune teller here. I don't think this means exactly what you think it does. It's rare to get very specific readings. I think…the cards might be telling you to just think about it. Or to look for love, not just marriage. There are so many interpretations, the cards are just a guideline." Her smile was softer now, not as bright but more personal, and oddly caring. "Besides, they're just pieces of thick paper, right?"

Soren shrugged. "Yeah, i know. That's just been…well. I've told you about that." He sighed softly. He blinked, shaking away his thoughts. "Anyway." He pulled another card, putting it down. Maybe this one wouldn't be about love/marriage. Hopefully. He wouldn't be too happy if it was again. He was really, really tired of everyone demanding that he get married and have kids.

"Oooh." Celeste let out a sort of whistle of air, making a face at the card he'd drawn. "Well, the good news is, this one has nothing to do with love at all. The bad news is, The Tower tends to be…a dreaded card. It means you need to let go of something, to let it fall away from your life. Usually, it's something that's bad for you, or is keeping you back." She didn't talk to herself at all for that one, just brushed her fingers over the card and gave a nod.

Soren nodded. "Alright…and what could it be talking about?" He wondered. What could it be talking about? I can't think of anything, but… He drummed his fingers slightly as he thought, not seeming to notice as he did so.

“I’m not sure. I don’t know all that much about what goes on in your head, Soren.” Celeste said, tilting her head and looking off to the side to think. But I might have an idea. It’s not my place to mention though.

"What? You mean you aren't a mind reader too?" He said teasingly, with a soft chuckle. He smiled slightly. "If you are…dont tell me you are, I really would rather not know." He remarked. He looked at her, smiling slightly.

“No mind reading here, sorry.” Celeste said with a light laugh, shaking her head. “Well, at least not in the Waking Realm. The Dream Realm however….”

"Oh." He commented with a small smile. "So…never sleep with you?" He blinked. "That…came out the wrong way, my apologies." He shook his head. "I'm sorry." He said again. "I did not mean it…the way it sounded. I really am sorry."

Celeste blinked. And then she was laughing, not the light sound from earlier but musical nonetheless, a deeper laugh from her gut. “T-technically-“ She had to pause to continue laughing, clutching her gut. “You aren’t-aren’t wrong.”

Soren stared at her for a moment, then started chuckling. "Oh? And why, exactly, is that?" He asked, laughing softly as he looked over at her. "And in what way aren't i wrong?"

“If you’re going by-“ Another pause for laughter. “The technical usage of the word-“ Celeste managed to muffle the laughter with her hand while talking. “Then yeah, you shouldn’t. They don’t call me the Dream Thief for nothing.”

Soren chuckled softly. "Alright, alright." He said. "So you…steal dreams? Is that it?" He asked, looking at her with a raised eyebrow

“No, not quite.” Celeste shook her head, face flushed from laughing so hard. “That came from another aspect of my magic, and a really weird weekend. But I can…access dreams when someone is asleep. Get inside of them. I use that for sleep therapy.”