video | un: flowercrown

[floralias]

(( Today when Will takes to the network, he looks a little more serious than usual. There's a some weariness around his features, like he didn't get a good night's rest. But he cards his fingers through his hair to push it back and he manages a soft smile when he looks into the camera. ))

I'm curious.

There are people here from so many different places and times with so many different expectations about social interactions. So, I'm really curious. What's considered right and good behavior when and where you come from? What's polite? What's rude? What's something one could get away with but could be questionable? Is there some sort of social hierarchy?

Comments

[dragonrising]

Fae? I'm afraid I'm not so familiar with your kind. Would you mind explaining what it means to be Fae?

[floralias]

Some people call us fairies. We're like... magical elemental beings. My domain is flowers, as an example. My boyfriend can manipulate water and ice.

[dragonrising]

Fairies are such different beings where I come from. How interesting. [And this one is tied to flowers... He pushes that thought aside and smiles gently.]

Water is my element as well.

[floralias]

That makes sense since you're a dragon.

(( Will nods like that's the perfect explanation for his water affiliation. ))

What are fairies like for you?

[dragonrising]

Mm. Perhaps the easiest explanation is that they are weaker Immortals who have not yet gained enough energy to achieve Immortality yet. Most often they are very young and still in need of guidance. Especially if they hope to one day reach such power levels.

[floralias]

Ohhh, interesting! That does sound quite different. Is that part of your social hierarchy, too? Like fairies are a lower tier than what you are?

[dragonrising]

Something like that, yes. They can hold seats of power at times when an Immortal in their field is not there for one reason or another... [Largely just if they're, well, dead.] But they often serve the Immortals who can properly help them to manage things and even aid them in increasing their abilities.

[floralias]

So they're mentored? Interesting! The Fae where I come from aren't much like that at all. There's stratification -- royals, nobles, everyone else -- but there isn't much in the way of mentoring or cooperation. It's sort of a sink-or-swim situation.

[dragonrising]

So they're more divided. In the time of my father he tended to keep things that way. Though he was subtle about it until his many lies were exposed.

[floralias]

I think the Fae sovereigns like it that way. If everyone is too busy securing their own piece of power, no one will come after them. Did your father feel like that?

[dragonrising]

I think he was ruled by vanity and greed. As well as lust. As long as those were satisfied he had no reason to take care of matters. No one ever realized until I pointed it out.

[floralias]

If he was able to keep your people distracted, it makes sense they wouldn't notice.

[dragonrising]

They never knew. I could see the shock on their faces when I revealed the truth.

[floralias]

Did they believe you?

[dragonrising]

I'd managed to gain enough support that they did believe me. A battle still broke out but I was believed.

[floralias]

Things like this are why I've never cared much for Fae politics. I guess that makes me a bad Faerie Lord.

[dragonrising]

Or better than the rest for seeing things the blind themselves to.

[floralias]

I think that's generous. I didn't choose to leave. I could have before something terrible happened, but I didn't.

[dragonrising]

I wasn't given a choice about staying either. But if we dwell on what we could or could not have done in the past it won't heal scars or bring back the dead. It will just deepen the wounds of our hearts. That is what I've learned.

[He sighs softly.]

What we can do now is remember the past so we can bring about a better future and keep those we love smiling.

[floralias]

Oh no, it's not dwelling. Just honesty. Anyone could get hung up in could haves and would haves. There's just so many more for long-lived people to get lost in. All I'm saying is I saw what was happening but I didn't do anything to try to change it. A mistake I won't ever repeat.

[dragonrising]

You learned from your error. I'm the same way. I don't ever want to repeat my mistakes again.

[floralias]

It's always a hard lesson when others die because of your mistakes.

[dragonrising]

[He closes his eyes a moment and nods.]

It always is.

[floralias]

Ah, ah, what a horrible topic we've settled on.

Have you been here in Nippon long?

[dragonrising]

[That gets a soft laugh.]

A year and a half now.