A Court Of Shadow and Blood

☆ Daughter of Velaris ☆

This—this she could get used to. She sighed as much to the man before taking the food and thanking him profusely. Eblis made sure to take a bite and exclaim how wonderful it was, just to express her gratitude. Though, as the juices from the meat rolled over her tongue, she couldn't help the slight groan of pleasure.

The man merely smiled and nodded his head, moving on to the next person in line; another beautiful blue skinned female, this one with a slightly spotted pattern. Eblis marveled at the thin ebony marks that wrapped over her joints, as if cobwebs were etched into her skin. She continued to nibble on the fish, the salt and lemony zest warming her stomach almost as much as the stones beneath her feet.

Shoes dangling from one hand and the other occupied by the fish, she continued to dance amongst the other fae. The sun beat down, shimmering over the marble bridges and copper roofs, accepting the loose outerwear most of the people wore. Potted palms lined the railing of the bridges, the large fronds leaning over the sparkling Sidra as if reaching for the cool relief of water. Other people passed her by, ignoring the bare-footed, grimy, and torn up woman who walked over their pristine bridges.

Easy chatter followed her as Eblis strode past all the beautifully painted buildings, birds chirping and the Sidra rushing past as she visited the Rainbow of Velaris. Somewhere in the folds of the people, music drifted through. She felt a tug towards those notes, but made a plan to circle back around and enjoy the melody later.

The Artist's Quarter rose before her, and she couldn't help but gaze at the gorgeous paintings depicting still-life's that weren't so still and spindly woven cloths being fed through the loom. Eblis came to a stop in front of an ongoing painter's class, watching as a beautiful woman with brown-gold hair peered over several people's shoulders, patting some on the arm and offering others a mirthful laugh.

Eblis stiffened as the artist turned to her, as her soft lips spread into a wide and open smile. Eblis didn't realize the stones beneath her feet were burning the soles of her feet until she stepped into the cool parquet of the building, the shade it offered a pleasant relief to the sudden heat of the day.

The building was opened up, allowing the smell of acrylic and watercolor paints to escape. Each window was tall, framed with curling latticework and green-flecked paint. The walls inside were carefully painted with spindly trees during the bleak of winter. Though, it faded into vibrant spring, into cheerful summer, and into ocher fall after the winter scene, leaves tumbling from branches. Each variation held a version of it during the day and night, and each panel of wall held a different framed picture on it. Most pictures were dark, some splattered with blood-red paint, others a soft blue that held a somber tone. And Eblis knew.

This painting class was not only for enjoyment, but also for healing, for telling the stories of those who couldn't anymore. Eblis felt her heart turn molten at the thought of being able to pour herself onto a canvas with her minimal art skills, to entrap herself within the beats of music even if she had never been able to play before. The faded gray of her eyes offered some inner light, something like stars winking into existence.

The woman who Eblis presumed the teacher watched her carefully as she surveyed the room, something fragile in the blue-gray gaze she used. Once Eblis met her eyes, the female approached, tear-drop stones shimmering from her ears and a smudge of black smeared across her sharp cheeks. Eblis froze, noticing the bedraggled state of herself compared to the simple gray sweater and black pants, an artist's smock thrown over it. If the other female noticed, she didn't show it.

Instead, she reached a tattooed hand forward. "I am Feyre, the owner of this building and teacher. Do you...need anything?" Though warm, the woman's features were curious and testing, searching the dirtied planes of her face.