Aspen The Spirit - Tumblr Posts

This is so cute!!!!! The detail in this is phenomenal. It has such a comforting fairytale esque feel about it. I think I could look at it for hours but the story that goes along with this is calling me

Emry, Cal, and Aspen on a (post-book 1) day out.

(Writing blurb to follow, now that my typing wrist no longer hurts!)

TSS Taglist: @crystallized-ink, @little-boats-on-a-lake, @semblanche, @theramwrites, @wordsbycreed, @pretend-im-normal, @mel-writes-with-her-dragons, @wildswrites, @ladywithalamp, @ettawritesnstudies, @mj-comics, @cecilsstorycorner, @write-your-own-stories, @chayscribbles, @storytracks, @lightningmastertrilogy, @magic-is-something-we-create, @authortango, @thegoldenseries, @lunewell

This is so sweet!!! I love the banter, and Emry's playfully reluctant acceptance of a fourth flower crown.

TSS Flower Crown Drabble

See, I promised you some writing to go along with this drawing! (Sort of- it doesn’t exactly follow the drawing. But that’s ok.)

Flower Crowns

Just as Emry felt himself drifting off to sleep, flower petals tickled his cheeks. He scrunched his nose and tried to turn away from the distraction.

 “Aspen…”

 “I made you another one.”

 “I already have three on my head.”

 “But this one’s a different color!”

Emry sighed and opened his eyes. So much for his nap.

They were all settled into Cal’s childhood reading nook- a willow tree near her parents’ garden, sun-warmed and spring-fed. Cal had taken up her traditional spot at the base of the trunk, her face hidden behind a book. Not wanting to stray far from her, Emry had eased in between two large roots and closed his eyes, enjoying the coolness of the willow vines’ shadows flickering across his cheeks. On a day this warm and clear, it would be the perfect place to doze off.

Aspen, however, had decided to make flower crowns.

“I think I like this color best,” Aspen said as Emry pushed himself to a sitting position and gingerly touched the new flower crown that itched at his temple. “What do you think?”

 “I think…” Emry plucked the latest accessory off his head to examine it. If he recalled correctly, the three crowns he already wore were blue, yellow, and white. This new one was a tightly woven net of orange blooms. “I agree. I like the orange best.”

 “I knew you would.” Aspen beamed. “Cal, what do you think?”

Cal dropped her book slightly. Somehow, she had gotten away with just the one crown, a beautiful ring of cream and scarlet.

 “I think Emry’s going to turn into a flower if you keep making him crowns.” She smiled gently and returned to her book. “Why don’t you make one for my mum? She’ll love it.”

 “Excellent!” Aspen scrabbled around in the grass- as their fingers moved through the blades, more flowers in all shapes and colors burst from the ground. “What’s her favorite color?”

TSS Taglist: @crystallized-ink, @little-boats-on-a-lake, @semblanche, @theramwrites, @wordsbycreed, @pretend-im-normal, @mel-writes-with-her-dragons, @wildswrites, @ladywithalamp, @ettawritesnstudies, @mj-comics, @cecilsstorycorner, @write-your-own-stories, @chayscribbles, @storytracks, @lightningmastertrilogy, @magic-is-something-we-create, @authortango, @thegoldenseries, @lunewell

Holy smokes this is so cool!! Aspen looks so intense, I can see and feel the desperation in the drawing that pairs spectacularly with the writing. Absolutely phenomenal 

(Image ID: a person in a crimson waistcoat and gray pants lunging forward and pointing behind them, screaming. Thorns and autumn leaves spiral around their feet. /end ID)

ASPEN THE FOREST SPIRIT

But all around the fane, the wind began to pick up, swirling the fallen leaves into spirals. At the tree, Aspen stumbled backwards as if shoved. Their face darkened in anger in a way Emry had never seen before.

 “No, you have to listen to me!” they shouted. “You can reach out to the other spirits, I know you can. If you could just tell them that this wave is coming-“

A new voice rumbled over the wind like thunder, so much so that Emry at first attributed it to the rapidly gathering clouds above- until he realized the cedar tree shook to its cadence.

 “I will tell them nothing,” they boomed. “Spirits are meant to sleep, to shepherd their grove in silence. Nothing more.”

 “What?” Aspen stood their ground. “No, that can’t be true-“

 “But you have woken me,” the thunder curled with anger. “I cannot sleep like I used to, nor can the spirit in the water. You have cursed us like you have done yourself, you wandering stray.”

Aspen’s hands balled into fists.

 “Wandering? I’m not a- I’m not going to stay like this, you know! I’m going to go back to my grove one day!”

 “Then go.” The command rolled out like a wave, and with it, a vast elk shape stepped out of the tree. Emry had to crane his neck to see its antlers, which phased through the upper branches of the cedar tree without disturbing a single needle. “Burden me no more with your human chatter.”

 “No! You’re going to help me! You’re going to help them!”

Thorns began to crawl about Aspen’s feet as they shifted into wolf form, growing larger and larger until their shape flickered like flame- but the wolf’s shoulder hardly reached the upper haunches of the elk’s legs.

 “Hey!” Emry rushed out of the pavilion and skidded to a halt between the two massive creatures, holding out his hands towards them. “Enough of this. Stand down, both of you!”

The Stray Spirit Taglist: @crystallized-ink, @little-boats-on-a-lake, @semblanche, @theramwrites, @wordsbycreed, @pretend-im-normal, @mel-writes-with-her-dragons, @wildswrites, @ladywithalamp, @ettawritesnstudies, @mj-comics, @cecilsstorycorner, @write-your-own-stories, @chayscribbles, @storytracks, @lightningmastertrilogy, @magic-is-something-we-create, @authortango, @thegoldenseries, @lunewell, @vellichor-virgo

TSS: The Funeral (Pt 1 of 2)

Okay, listen, I can explain-

Aspen’s a spirit. Aspen has conditional immortality. Emry is a human. Emry does not have conditional immortality. 

Against my better instincts, I chose to explore that.

This ended up long, so I’ll split this scene into two posts. Part 1 is below.

Word Count: 882

TW/CW: death (NOT AN MC), heart attack, funerals

The Funeral, Part 1:

Emry leapt up from the chair as soon as he heard the front door open.

 “Hey, Gigi!” he called, grinning at his own use of her hated childhood nickname. “Didn’t expect you back from work so soon.”

No one answered. He didn’t even hear footsteps come into the hall. The grin slipped off his face, and he bounded into the hall.

“Georgie?” he ventured again- and froze in his tracks. His older sister was standing at the entrance, one hand clutching the doorframe, her gaze unfocused. Tears dripped from her eyes.

He felt his heart drop down past his feet and through the floor.

“Georgie, what happened?”

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I was so close to tears by the end of this. It was so well done and incredibly touching. Death is a tough thing, especially with Aspen's initial somewhat ignorance about it and it was handled beautifully

TSS: The Funeral (Pt 2 of 2)

You can find part 1 here!

(An exploration of Aspen’s conditional immortality. A post-book 1, pre-book 2 event).

Word Count: 1,032 (sorry)

TW/CW: funeral, death

The service went as smoothly as could be expected. It began with Petrov’s son welcoming the crowd- truly a crowd, it was three times as many people as could reasonably fit within the fane- and telling a story about his father. He then led a prayer to Hara, brief, repetitive verses begging the goddess to take this latest soul with love and care, followed by a prayer to the spirit of the fane, to watch over the souls left behind. It was here where Emry felt relieved that Aspen was in the audience, though he couldn’t quite place why.

The song came after the prayers, and it came as another relief to know that he only needed to sing the first verse alone, before the rest of the audience was expected to join in. He had been to a funeral in Tazlo, once, and it nearly broke him to find that performers in the south sang alone through the entire piece. How achingly terrible, not to let friends and family sing with you, help you through. How too much like death.

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I love reading about characters getting into mischief and causing chaos. This was so nice to read!!

Flash Fiction #93 Prompt: Broken Windows

Another bout of self-indulgent TSS writing thanks to @flashfictionfridayofficial​!

Bar Fight

Word Count: 882

TW/CW: violence, alcohol mention, cursing

Synopsis: The post-book 1 Karics have chosen violence tonight. (Mentions a book 1 climax spoiler).

It was one of Emry’s favorite nights in Senne- which was to say, it was as cold as hell.

Snowflakes drifted lazily downward, melting on his shoulders and on Marley’s gloves as she walked with him along the frozen canal. The frigid air, thankfully undisturbed by any sharp wind, refreshed him with every breath. Between the snow, the chill, and the stars above, he had half a mind to take another lap around the canal before heading home.

If only his legs were up to the task.

 “How are you feeling?” Marley frowned up at him as he winced and grabbed the snow-dusted stone barrier that ran along the canal. His grip tightened on the cane he had borrowed from Nana.

 “Fine.” The word came out automatically. Marley sighed.

 “No, come on, we’ve talked about this. How are you actually feeling?”

He leaned against the stone to take some weight off the ache in his legs.

 “It all still hurts,” he muttered. “Thought I would’ve recovered by now. S’been, what, a month?”

 “Well, you were asleep for the first quarter of that.” Marley hugged his arm. “And no one else has been possessed by a spirit and lived. Cut yourself some slack.”

 “Hm.” He pushed himself back up onto the support of the cane. He hadn’t cut himself any slack in three years. “Think we can head back? I’m sure Georgie and Aspen have beat us home from the tavern, with how slowly I’ve been walking.”

Marley was about to turn him around when a frenzy of shouts, glass, and cracking wood careened out of the building ahead of them.

 “Out!” someone boomed. Both Emry and Marley flinched when an empty glass bottle crashed through the window and shattered on the cobblestones, glittering shards skidding along the ice.

 “Yeah, out!” A vine of thorns whipped another bottle through the hole in the window.

Emry and Marley looked each other in horror.

 “I don’t think they beat us home.”

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You captured the motion in this so well! And the banter was a delight to read

The Stray Spirit Excerpt: River Routes

Okay, as a 200-follower celebration, I’m posting a longer TSS excerpt than I normally do!

Book-Spoiler-Free-ish Synopsis: Emry, Cal, and Aspen need to get somewhere fast. Emry leverages his past as an emergency runner in underground river routes to get them there.

Length: 710 words

TW/CW: rivers, river rapids, caves

TSS Taglist: @crystallized-ink, @little-boats-on-a-lake, @semblanche, @theramwrites, @wordsbycreed, @pretend-im-normal, @mel-writes-with-her-dragons, @wildswrites, @ladywithalamp, @ettawritesnstudies, @mj-comics, @cecilsstorycorner, @write-your-own-stories​, @chayscribbles​, @storytracks​, @lightningmastertrilogy​, @magic-is-something-we-create​, @authortango​, @thegoldenseries​, @lunewell​, @vellichor-virgo​, @writeblrfantasy​, @blindthewind​, @weaver-of-fantasies-and-fables​

Emry led Cal and Aspen down a side tunnel, away from the main docks and towards the sound of rushing water.

 “I’ve gotten approval to run some supplies to up to Thisby,” he explained as he jogged down a set of stairs hewn out of stone. “From Thisby, we can take the purple med route to Copper Mill, then passenger green to Dawnstone. The first two are long routes, but between the rapids and the lack of other stops, they’re our fastest option.”

 “How safe are they?” Cal’s trepidation bounced off the stone walls as they reached the dock, a tiny one with a single boat. Though the rapids couldn’t be seen from their viewpoint, the looming sound of them filled the cavern.

 “As safe as I can possibly make them.” Emry grabbed two cork vests off a rack and handed one to her. “Just remember to hold onto the lines with both hands and lean in when I say so.”

Cal nodded, but was still eyeing the water with skepticism as Emry secured the supplies and the luggage.

 “What if I fall out?”

 “If you fall out…” He double-checked the ties on her vest, then pointed to the safety lines running around the boat. “Grab those ropes and face the boat if you can, so I can pull you in. Otherwise, keep your nose and toes above the water and point your feet downstream.”

 “What if I fall out?” Aspen asked, already sitting in the boat.

 “Don’t try to turn into a fish or anything, just get back in the lute.” Emry turned back to Cal. “Listen, we don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. We can still get on the passenger route in an hour or so-“

Cal shook her head.

 “No, I trust you. Let’s go.”

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I will say this once again. Aspen is such a sweetheart. They really want the best for all their friends

TSS Sleep Tight Drabble

It’s prompt time!!

From @missingpeace: One person being so exhausted they fall asleep in the middle of something, and the other person decides to tuck them in where they are instead of moving them.

Love this! I don’t think I’ve ever done a scene that’s just Cal and Aspen, so let’s try that out, shall we?

Aspen leaned over the edge of the armchair and squinted at the clock.

 “Cal, I might be reading it wrong, but- when the little arm points in that direction and it’s dark out, doesn’t that mean it’s human sleep time?”

Cal yawned.

 “It’s little hand, and…” she dug around for her pocket watch and frowned at it, “no, you’re not reading it wrong. I’ve got to get up in a few hours…” She sighed and rubbed at her forehead, staring down at the heavy book she had curled up with on the sofa. “I was hoping to get to the next chapter before going to bed. Tell me when it’s one, would you?”

 “One?”

 “When the little hand points at the next number.”

 “Oh. Right.” Aspen watched as she felt around the floor for her coffee cup and grimaced at the dregs. “Would tea help?”

 “Tea always helps. Thank you, Aspen.” She paused as she lifted the book back up. “Did Emry teach you how to make tea?”

 “Of course he did!” Aspen lied as they leapt up and bounded into the kitchen. It wasn’t a total falsehood- they had watched Emry make tea before. Something to do with water, a little bag, and a teacup…they glanced out the window. Could they feasibly make it rain for tea? Did rainwater make nice tea? Who were they kidding, of course rainwater made nice tea, it probably made the best sort of tea, Cal was going to love this cup of tea-

Ten minutes later, Aspen trudged back into the study.

 “I, um- I can’t find the little cup things. Could you help me?”

Cal didn’t answer. She had dozed off on the sofa, one finger still nestled behind a page as if she were about to turn it.

Aspen fidgeted for a moment. Forest spirits didn’t need to sleep, so they didn’t fully understand the mechanics- but they knew that for humans, it usually involved blankets, and Cal didn’t seem to have one. So they ducked behind the armchair, grabbed a nice woolen blanket from a little basket, and draped it over her, taking care to tuck the corners over her shoulders.

 “Goodnight, sleep tight, don’t let the…” they stopped. “The nightingales- no. The cockroaches- no. The…” they sighed. “Just don’t let anything bite you, and I’ll ask Emry about it tomorrow.”

TSS Taglist: @crystallized-ink, @little-boats-on-a-lake, @semblanche, @theramwrites, @wordsbycreed, @pretend-im-normal, @mel-writes-with-her-dragons, @wildswrites, @ladywithalamp, @ettawritesnstudies, @mj-comics, @cecilsstorycorner, @write-your-own-stories, @chayscribbles, @storytracks, @lightningmastertrilogy, @magic-is-something-we-create, @authortango, @thegoldenseries, @lunewell, @vellichor-virgo, @writeblrfantasy, @blindthewind, @weaver-of-fantasies-and-fables

This is so cute!! Emry looks like he's going to get destroyed by Marley and Georgie, poor thing. And I love Aspen's snowman

[ID: a scene of four kids drawn in a Calvin and Hobbes style, playing in the snow. On the far left, a boy in a jacket and scarf winds up to throw a snowball, pile of snowballs next to him. In the middle, a kid in a scarf with long curly hair creates a snowman, with too many carrots on the head, pieces of coal stuck everywhere, and sticks with leaves and flowers for arms. On the right, a girl yells at the first boy atop a snow fort. To her right, another girl creates a pile of snowballs. end ID]

I am forever in @theramwrites’s debt for the prompt snowball fight, and making me think:

Who would get in a snowball fight? The Karic kids & Aspen, obviously.

But why do I keep thinking of Calvin and Hobbes?

What if I tried…drawing them like Calvin and Hobbes?

So, there you go. Emry on the left, Aspen in the middle, Georgie atop the fort, Marley on the right.

The Stray Spirit Taglist, if you…happen to like Calvin and Hobbes, I guess: @crystallized-ink, @little-boats-on-a-lake, @semblanche, @theramwrites, @wordsbycreed, @pretend-im-normal, @mel-writes-with-her-dragons, @wildswrites, @ladywithalamp, @ettawritesnstudies, @mj-comics, @cecilsstorycorner, @write-your-own-stories, @chayscribbles, @storytracks, @lightningmastertrilogy, @magic-is-something-we-create, @authortango, @thegoldenseries, @lunewell, @vellichor-virgo, @writeblrfantasy, @blindthewind, @weaver-of-fantasies-and-fables

Oh they're so cute!! I love them

[ID: a happy person with brown skin, vivid green eyes, and dark curly hair poses in an oversized wolf onesie. A jack-o-lantern-shaped bucket of Halloween candy hangs off their arm. end ID]

Every time I draw my beloved gentlethem Aspen, their hair gets longer, and I’m okay with that.

Anywhere, here- have a Halloween-ready Aspen for your evening, loves!

The Stray Spirit Taglist: @crystallized-ink, @little-boats-on-a-lake, @semblanche, @theramwrites, @wordsbycreed, @pretend-im-normal, @mel-writes-with-her-dragons, @wildswrites, @ladywithalamp, @ettawritesnstudies, @mj-comics, @cecilsstorycorner, @write-your-own-stories, @chayscribbles, @storytracks, @lightningmastertrilogy, @magic-is-something-we-create, @authortango, @thegoldenseries, @lunewell, @vellichor-virgo, @writeblrfantasy, @blindthewind, @weaver-of-fantasies-and-fables

I love the flower talk. And Aspen's sweet reassurances

Flash Fiction Friday #94: Riveting Revival

Thanks for the prompt, @flashfictionfridayofficial​!

I couldn’t not write about Aspen for this prompt, so have a Stray Spirit post-climax snippet, where Aspen is hanging out at the Karic house. I also somehow wound up in Tessa’s POV (Emry’s mother) for this, and it was a lot of fun.

Winter Garden

Word Count: 488

TW/CW: snow

Tessa Karic chewed on her thumbnail as she stood on the back stoop of her house, squinting out at the withered remains of her winter garden. She supposed it was a blessing that last night’s snowfall hid most of the desolation from view, but the sun glaring against the white banks still made it difficult, almost painful, to look at.

 “I never thought a forest spirit would ever be looking at it,” she admitted aloud. “It’s shameful, is what it is.”

Aspen shook their head.

 “It’s winter, is what it is,” they said, looking at the garden without even a hint of disgust or anger. In fact, they were smiling. “My grove looks just like it this time of year.”

 “Really?” If it were anyone else, she would have assumed it was a polite lie- but this spirit didn’t seem the lying type. “I was hoping at least the pieris would be blooming at this point…”

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That’s one way to vent your frustration, Aspen

TSS Snippet: Card Game

AKA ‘Let Aspen Say Fuck’ Scenario #1:

Emry tossed his cards onto the table with a sigh.

 “I’m all out. Aspen, it’s up to you now.” He leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms. “Please, defeat Cal at least once before her ego gets too big to fit in this room.”

 “Is it my fault that you passed the wrong card three rounds ago?” Cal murmured through a smile from across the table.

 “Yes, it is. The sunlight hit your face a certain way and it distracted me.”

Cal rolled her eyes and played a card.

 “I thought we needed to deflate my ego, Mr. Karic.”

 “I’m fickle.” Emry nodded to Aspen, who was hunched over their cards and frowning deeply. “Aspen, it’s your turn. You have anything that beats a ten?”

Aspen looked at Cal’s card. Looked at their hand. Slumped.

 “Fuck,” they said.

 “Aspen!” Cal’s wide eyes snapped to Emry, who raised his hands immediately.

 “Hey, I didn’t teach him that!”

 “Then who did?”

They both looked to Aspen, whose green eyes flicked up from their cards.

 “Georgie,” they all said at once.

TSS Taglist: @crystallized-ink, @little-boats-on-a-lake, @semblanche, @theramwrites, @wordsbycreed, @pretend-im-normal, @mel-writes-with-her-dragons, @wildswrites, @ladywithalamp, @ettawritesnstudies, @mj-comics, @cecilsstorycorner, @write-your-own-stories, @chayscribbles, @storytracks, @lightningmastertrilogy, @magic-is-something-we-create, @authortango, @thegoldenseries, @lunewell, @vellichor-virgo, @writeblrfantasy, @blindthewind, @weaver-of-fantasies-and-fables

Ohhh it's done and it looks so good!!!! Aspen looks so ferocious

[ID: a man with brown skin and dark curly hair stands in front of a snarling wolf. One hand is held out to the wolf, the other towards camera. The hand closest to the wolf is glowing underneath a bandage. The man is looking up at something off-camera. The background is a sun-dappled forest in autumn. The closed caption reads: “Enough of this! Stand down, both of you!” end ID]

We’re gonna pretend like this is done.

Shout-out to @cecilsstorycorner for the whole fake screenshot idea, and tagging @rose-mountains because you mentioned you wanted to see the final version!

TSS Taglist: @crystallized-ink, @little-boats-on-a-lake, @semblanche, @theramwrites, @wordsbycreed, @pretend-im-normal, @mel-writes-with-her-dragons, @wildswrites, @ladywithalamp, @ettawritesnstudies, @mj-comics, @cecilsstorycorner, @write-your-own-stories, @chayscribbles, @storytracks, @lightningmastertrilogy, @magic-is-something-we-create, @authortango, @thegoldenseries, @lunewell, @vellichor-virgo, @writeblrfantasy, @blindthewind, @weaver-of-fantasies-and-fables

Don't worry Aspen, although I am human and have been for my entire life, I too, like sitting on the place where you put the food.

Flash Fiction Friday #95: Dance the Night Away

Thanks, @flashfictionfridayofficial​! I could have gone longer on this one, but kept it short & sweet for today.

First Steps

Word Count: 359

Synopsis: Aspen needs to fill in some human-tradition knowledge gaps before attending a wedding.

TW/CW: none

Emry wandered into the dining room to find Aspen sitting cross-legged on the table, poring over a card.

 “Aspen-“

 “Yes, I know, no sitting on the place where you put the food.” Aspen waved a hand and made a half-hearted effort to uncross their legs- but the missive had claimed too much of their attention, and they never quite got off the table.

 “What is it?” Emry looked over their shoulder at the card. It was Marko and Stef’s wedding invitation, which had arrived last week. Aspen had been fascinated with the delicate gold lettering and the sheer number of spirals the artist had been able to fit on the little paper. “Still admiring the calligraphy?”

 “No. I mean, yes, but…” Aspen scratched their chin. “This invitation doesn’t explain what actually, you know…happens at a wedding.”

 “Oh.” Emry blinked. “Yeah, I suppose you’ve never been to one. But no worries, Aspen, you’ll love it.”

 “So what will we be doing?”

 “Fun things, mostly. The ceremony can get a bit boring, depending on how long the families talk. But then there’s drinking, and eating, and dancing-“

 “Dancing?” Aspen hopped off the table, green eyes sparkling. “Can you teach me?”

Emry grinned.

 “I’ll do you one better.” He turned towards the doorway. “Hey, Cal?”

 “Yes?” Her voice floated from down the staircase in the hall.

 “Aspen wants to learn how to dance.”

A pause.

Then footsteps thundered down the stairs, and Cal burst into the room, beaming and breathless. 

  “Which dance? What sort of function are we talking about? How many would you like to learn today?”

Aspen held up the invitation.

 “I’d like to-“

 “The wedding, of course! Yes, absolutely, we’ll start right away. I can think of at least four basic dances you’ll need to know.” Cal grabbed Aspen’s hand and shooed Emry out of the room. “Em, go get your lute, we’ll need something to dance to.”

Emry pretended to look offended, one dramatic hand flying to his collarbone.

 “Excuse me, love, am I nothing but a music box to you?”

 “No.” Cal kissed his cheek. “You’re a handsome music box. Now go get your lute.”

Taglist under the cut:

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This was so beautiful! And Aspen reading cues and leaving was amazing. I could see the fireflies ahead, and I love how you described how the characters experience the music. And the touch of doubt at the end was fantastic

TSS Excerpt: Glow-Worms

Does anyone mind reading this and telling me if any of the sentences are jarring? I’ve read it too many times to know. I’m specifically thinking about the description of the glow-worm performance.

Word Count: 542

Summary: Emry tries to be romantic.

As the boat drifted around a bend in the tunnel, Cal looked up and gasped.

 “Weir’s eyes…”

 “Literally.” Emry leaned back. Up above them, the normal darkness of the cave ceiling shimmered with thousands of tiny green lights, as if someone had trapped the entire night sky in the tunnel. He dug the oar into the silt below them to slow down the boat, letting Cal admire the brilliant twinkling.

 “They’re the not-flowers we saw before.” Aspen craned their neck to take it all in. “What did you call them?”

 “Glow-worms,” Emry said. “We’re very lucky to see them like this, at their full strength. A few days from now, and they might be too dim to see at all.” He watched their glow illuminate Cal’s face. “You want to see what they can do?”

 “Of course,” she breathed.

 “Aspen, could you take out the lute for me?”

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Aww Emry with his poor broken heart

And I agree Aspen. Humans are frustrating when they're pining

The Stray Spirit Excerpt: Aspen Ships EmCal

For context: Emry’s just done his lil “look at me Cal I’m playing music for you under the glow-worms, isn’t this romantic, haha oh god please fall back in love with me why have I done this to myself” trick.

This is what follows:

Aspen reappeared in human form just as Emry emerged from the tunnel, the warmth of the midday light feeling less reassuring than it should have. 

  “So?” they whispered and glanced ahead at Cal, who was leading them down a wide dirt road. “Did the music work?”

Emry shook his head.

  “I’d forget about it, Aspen,” he whispered back. “Really, it was a stupid mistake.”

  “So she didn’t like it?” Aspen scratched their head. “Well- okay, there’s other things you could try. There are these birds that, when they find their mate, they do these dances-“

  “Aspen.”

  “-or you could build something for her, maybe with some twigs and flower petals?”

  “Aspen.” Emry stopped walking. “Drop it.”

Aspen searched his face for a moment, then trudged ahead to join Cal.

  “Humans are so frustrating.”

TSS Taglist under the cut:

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