Deisenin [Matier / Invite]

[Megaera]

It was early, even by Megaera's standards, and she rose before dawn often. Over her white sleeping gown, she tugged a heavier blue knit dress, knowing Aurilia's mornings to carry a biting chill in their creeping mists.. She stepped into a pair of shoes, pulled her hair into a quick tail, and rushed out the door.

Her mother was waiting..

Matier had requested the morning for a little excursion, just the two of them. Megaera, always a good girl, obeyed without question. She ran, as though pursued by devils, to the central firepit, where her mother would be waiting, for whatever the day had planned. It was not an uncommon request. Matier might be a bit unstable in regards to insurrection, and all those not of Aurilla, and a few other fine points, but she must be..

She had to be. It was her rule.

Slowing to a more dignified pace, Megaera folded her hands before her and approached her mother. Matier was waiting beside the pits. The dying embers of the previous day's fires were scenting the air with woodsmoke. It blended with the rolling mists along the ground and gave the whole settlement a rather haunted look.

"Good morning, Mama.." She smiled brightly at her dame..

[Matier]

Aurilia mornings always proved to be a bit frigid but the mists whispered a promise of warmth on the other side of the forest, their destination. It was custom, for some, to venture into the land of the former Misty Falls Clan and cleanse themselves in the mineral abundant springs there; the wounds of battle would seal with guided swiftness and the bloody grime caking their skin would fleck away helplessly. The waters were always warm, even in the winter, and provided a sort of retreat for the women of Aurilia.

Garbed in a simple white robe, that highly accented the dark shade of her long hair and vivid hue of her amber eyes, Matier patiently awaited her daughter by the fire pits. Strapped across the robe was a satchel, obviously full with items, and a clean bit of cloth was slung neatly over that. When Megaera arrived, Matier offered her an almost sane smile then canted her head toward the dense woods.

"We must make use of our time while the sun still hangs in the sky, daughter." She informed the beautiful, blond youth in a matter-of-fact tone.

[Megaera]

"Yes, Mama.." She nodded her head and at once started walking in the direction of the woods.

There was a thin worn trail heading into the tree line. It disappeared beyond the first bend, completely obscured by the abundant foliage. That was their path. They were out of sight and sound of the awakening settlement within minutes, going deep into the wild. Megaera's delicate tread made no sound upon the soft, damp floor of the woods. Each step, each compression of her shoe into the squish of the earth, kicked up the scent of moss and turned dirt, she rather liked it.

Her leaf-green gaze darted around them. Soon it would be lovely, with the sunlight filtering down on them from above. For now though, there was only the crimson line of dawn begining, and even that was blocked from them now. They travelled on instinct, and from routine, in companionable silence for some time..

[Matier]

"It has been quite a while since we were able to spend some one on one time with each other, Megaera." Matier remarked, shrugging the strap of the satchel higher onto her shoulder. Her hand, which was not caught beneath the strap, idly wandered the branches protruding into their path. Her eyes closed for several moments, allowing the force to guide her down the trail and the mothering mist to assail her open senses.

[Megaera]

Her Dame had just acquired her undivided attention. There had been an unspoken promise between them lately, not to talk about a particular subject until the timing was right. They were very much alone now, only the mist would keep their words.

Megaera continued to walk along, not even trying to read her mother. If Matier wanted to have that talk, they would.

She admitted, her behavior was somewhat disturbing. She'd been raised her entire life to see men of little use, save for the matter of breeding. That was what Matier and the other clanswomen had always taught her. What she had always believed, until the time she started having her visions of the present, and the return of Matier's consort. She'd never seen her mother this way and it was an interesting experience, to say the least.

Megaera did not blame her though. She knew that it was the difference in him that had first drawn him to her mother, all those years ago. Though, not the specifics of how it had happened. He was possessed of the same waves of dark magic that gave the Sisters their power, though to her it felt like a much more concentrated and controlled version. Something that he had been molded to weild, as he did.

She closed her eyes remembering her foolish comment at the feast, as she had been pondering these very same thoughts. She'd simply stated aloud.

'I want one.'

As she'd never shown any such inclination before, it was as shocking to her mother, as Matier's new consort was to her daughter. Not wrong, or unpleasant.. just shocking.

"Yes, Mama. You have been very busy lately, I understand."

[Matier]

Matier's expression did not reveal her appreciation of her daughter's understanding. Rather, it was quite blank for some time. They continued to trek through the forest in a rather comfortable silence, observing nature as it had formed around them. The trees seemed to bend away from the Nightsister Matron, rendered spineless by the dark forces writhing torturedly around her frame. The last bit of green coating the leaves at her feet seemed to wither away upon being touched by her booted feet and the air began to sizzle with an inexplicable tepidity.

"The mist has spoken, child. I'm certain you've heard its call." Matier finally spoke up. Having taken the lead by two meters or so, she stopped and turned toward her blond daughter. A sharp wind snatched at the somewhat braided, somewhat straight hair that dangled around her waist line and cast it in a raven cascade past her shoulders.

"Tonight, we will become new so that you might better achieve that which you desire." She continued, propping a gloved hand upon her canted hip. "There is nothing in this universe that will be barred from us, daughter. Nothing."

[Megaera]

Was that what this fascination and restless feeling building inside her was? The voice of the mists, speaking to her in some new way? The way the winds suddenly whipped at her mother's hair, accenting her her sharp features.. The way Matier's eyes blazed with meaning, Megaera did not doubt her and nodded in afirmation of the fact. Something was stirring within her.

She picked up her skirts and sprinted along, keeping close behind Matier. It was not hard to become disoriented quickly in these woods. Tonight! She was going to begin preparing for something. Megaera could feel the prickle of anticipation rush through her.

Occasionally their path forward, would be blocked with tumbled logs, or other natural obstructions. At the pace Matier had set, Megaera often took them at a leap, her skirts trailing behind her, as she would sail over them, and land gracefully on her feet.

Eventually the trail led straight through the exposed root system of an old tree, laying on it's decaying trunk, like carion. Many of the roots were as thick as the enormous branches that had crashed all around, in the fall. They had to crawl through some places, and scramble over in others, trading off carrying the supplies. Once they exited on the other side, they picked the path up again, and continued onward.

[Matier]

"You're quite lively today, daughter." Matier remarked as they traded off the supplies once more, her hand snagging a bone hewn cantine that was attached to one of the satchels. Canting the item back after removing the cap, she drank deeply and even allowed some of the liquid to drip freely down her neck. The water eventually cascaded down into the unruly nest of curls unfurling down the length of her back.

In truth, Matier had noticed a change in her blond offspring ever since Jeseth had returned to Dathomir. She, more than anyone else of this planet, comprehended the overpowering influence that was beginning to spread amongst their number. He had a way of changing anything he looked upon, whether that be by death or something else so sacred and unspoken. She was almost jealous and for Matier, that was never a good thing.

"Not that I'm complaining..." She added, placing the cap back on the cantine and handing the satchel over to Megaera. "We'll be there soon."

[Megaera]

"Thank you, Mama.." Megaera smiled, acknowledging at both the compliment and the water cantine being passed to her.

Personally, Megaera didn't know how she looked today. She'd only just rolled off her pallet on the floor and hastily made herself ready for this mornings outing. Beauty was not a subject that she concerned herself with, on most occasions. It was true when the Sisters gathered for ritual purposes, and Megaera donned her silky ceremonial garb, she could not help but feel like a princess. Now though, in rough linens and with a sheen of sweat from climbing through a felled tree? Beauty must truely be in the eyes of the beholder..

Megaera took a small sip of the water, then tucked the cantine strap over her own shoulder. A princess she was not, she was more than capable of carrying some of their burden.

"Things are changing, aren't they? Not just because of him.. but all around us. I feel it..."

[Matier]

Things are changing, aren't they?

Matier never brought herself to answer the question her daughter had thrown out there. It was expected of the warrior women of Aurilia to comprehend the fluctuation; this was unlike anything they had experienced previously. Jeseth Cloak had chosen Asherah, the eldest daughter, to be the instrument of his will. The Matron of Aurilia had ever intention of using everything else at her disposal to counteract his invasion. She'd teach the man that she was one not to be trifled with.

The mist became ever more dense once they reached the opaque pool before the falls; it was difficult to even see the darkened rocks jutting out over the water's rippling surface. A particularly menacing looking reptile slithered out of the water just as Matier approached the murky shore; they shared a mutually malevolent gaze before the creature thought better of causing problems.

With that, Matier slid into the pool with her robe still loosely hanging from her body. Then, she turned her gaze back upon her daughter.

"Join me, Megaera."

[Megaera]

Setting down the small parcel she'd carried, Megeara stripped off the slightly heavier blue dress, stripping down to only her thin shift. Without fear she followed her mother into the pool, wading into the chilled depths up to her waist. Goosebumps prickled along her exposed arms, the water was actually a few degrees warmer than Dathomir's chill morning air..

Things had always been so simple for her. Her lessons came easy to her. Her commands were rarely questioned, as Matier's daughter, but there would be trials in her life soon. Things that would not be given to her. Things she had to fight for.. She could feel the Mists telling her that..

She wanted more from this life, and she had to strengthen herself to claim it..

[Matier]

While the opportunity had been presented solely before her daughter, Matier felt that this one time chance could benefit the entirety of Aurilia. Jeseth, with all his carefully harnessed power that threatened to surpass her own, could easily provide the control many of the doubtful followers required before they devoted themselves completely to the cause. What better way to accentuate her rule than by luring in another unsuspecting prospect, using her own offspring as bait? A sequel of undeveloped power that would serve as Megaera’s consort when the time came to pass along her crown of thorns; not that she saw that day coming anytime soon. For now, the carnal fixation would sustain their relationship, as it had for Matier so many years ago.

Matier’s saffron eyes bore into her daughter, bypassing the physical frame that supported her in this realm and fixating upon the very inner body they would use to obtain what they both wanted. Astral projection, one of the many things force users could choose to excel in, would drive the Nightsister’s soul beyond the stars and planets. The force, as it was now known to be, would guide her to a worthy vessel that would serve as her eternal counterpart; the yang to her yin, as it should seem.
<o></o>
Water would be Megaera’s conduit, her very spirit the essential element of lure, the delicate breeze would usher her through the depths of space, and the earth surrounding them would provide a corporal grounding that would provide a stable return to this reality. There was only one rudiment that had escaped their immediate presence. This is where Matier came into the grander scheme of things. The pyre of her wrath, her passion, would churn around Megaera, exuding an undeniable enticement. The Dathomirian youth would be draped in ethereal adornments of fire; and, like a moth to the flame they say, this man would be drawn.
<o></o>
“Your desire is great, my daughter, but must be fanned to a flagrant roar. As you are, the whisper of your wishes shall go unnoticed. Chaos begets beauty. Let loose your hunger, let your appetite hone you into a piercing dagger that never misses its mark.” <o></o>

[Megaera]

With the waters swirling around her waist, and her Dame's powerful scrutiny upon her, Megaera could almost sense what was coming.

The water.

Her neck arched gracefully as the young Nightsister bent her head, tendrils of her pale hair escaping to frame her face as she peered into the depths of the water, seeing it not as a basin of aquatic life, but as her mother would have her see it, as en elemental conduit for her spirit. Matier's words hung about her daughter, elusive yet... alluring as well.

Megaera knew what she wanted. She wanted him. Whoever he was... In the deepest part of her, at her core, she was her mother's daughter. A creature of passion, and desire. Her own nature, however was entwined with mischief, rather than the violent whims that often overcame her mother. Alone, she did not have the ability, but with her mother's blessing and her power...it was possible. She'd never been so inclined to desire a partner before, but now that she did, it was an ache that would not ease. It was a need that clawed at her from within..

Without shame, she shrugged her slender arms from the thin dress and let it drift away atop the pool's ripples.

"What must I do....?", she ask quietly, sinking to her knees within the water, knowing she would have to be completely submerged for this transition...