Page 78 of Court of Aether and Shadows

"Soon, my love," I whispered, too low for the others to hear. "Soon you will awaken, and together, we will reshape the very foundations of reality itself, but to make that all transpire, we need an alternative motive. One that will confuse all those who dare wish to harm what’s mine."

The shadows in the room deepened in response to my words, a promise and a warning all in one.

The game had begun in earnest, and I intended to win.

For Sparrow, for myself, and for the fate of all our worlds.

Awakening Tides Of In The Mist

~AETHEREON~

“Ahs’a Le Hmmamina. S’Hara Le Ve Nashina La Yunm.”

The scent of night-blooming jasmine and ancient magic filled the small room as I watched the Elder work her craft.

Her gnarled hands moved with surprising grace as she attended to Sparrow, weaving protection and concealment into every fold of the new garments she draped over my sleeping queen.

The robes themselves were masterpieces of magical artifice – shadowsilk harvested from the depths of the Twilight Court's most sacred groves. Interwoven with threads of pure starlight captured during the convergence of the three moons.

The fabric seemed to breathe, shifting between deep purple and absolute black, occasionally catching the light in ways that made it appear almost transparent before deepening again to an impenetrable shadow.

"Each thread has been blessed," the Elder explained as she worked, her voice carrying the weight of ancient knowledge."The shadowsilk absorbs excess power, while the starlight threads help channel it safely back into her core. It's an old technique, rarely used now. Few have the power levels that require such measures."

She seemed pleased with how her aged eyes twinkled with pride.

“This will be a testament to shielding the Princess. If this provides protection, I’ll begin to create various pieces of cloth down to garments that can be worn continuously to give around-the-clock protection.”

I nod ever so slightly, though the idea of her wearing clothes beneath the covers in our massive bed seems amusing, to say the least.

My Queen despises clothes at night. Makes her hot and sweaty.

I’m unsure if that trait still follows Sparrow, but if that’s the case, a light sheet for the warm nights and a blanket for the chilled will need to be crafted.

Though, in my arms, she’d need none of those tools. My shadows would shield us both, cloaking us with a blanket of the very night sky to conceal our energies.

That would have to be later on when I know where I stand with my little Songbird.

I watched from my position by the window, every fiber of my being attuned to Sparrow's presence. Even through the dampening effects of the new garments, her power called to mine like a siren's song.

The best way of envisioning it was standing near a star, feeling its gravitational pull while trying not to be consumed by its brilliance.

Kaelon shifted at his post by the door, his eyes tracking the Elder's movements with careful attention.

"The craftsmanship is remarkable," he observed. "I haven't seen any like it since the Age of Twilight."

The Elder –whose true age I was beginning to suspect was far greater than her appearance suggested– smiled as she adjusted the final fold.

"Some arts are worth preserving, even when their need seems to have passed. The old ways remember, even when we forget."

She stepped back, surveying her work with critical eyes.

The robes settled around Sparrow's form like a second skin, the magic within them already beginning to take effect. The brilliant beacon of her power, which had been visible to any with the sight to see it, began to dim to a more manageable glow.

"There," the Elder murmured, satisfaction evident in her tone. "The garments will help conceal her aura, though they are but a temporary measure. A more permanent solution will be needed before she fully awakens."

I could feel the truth in her words.

The power within Sparrow was too vast, too primal to be contained indefinitely by mere clothing, no matter how masterfully crafted. Already, I could see tiny sparks of energy escaping the shadowsilk's dampening effect, like stars peeking through a clouded night sky.

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