[SRP] Lovers In Autumn Leaves

[Strifeling]

This is a solo private RP for November 2019 for the following:
Hades (official WIP)
Percephona (official WIP)

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WIP removed in 2023 - slot is valid but I am not comfortable with freely putting my OCs on the internet at the moment

 

[Strifeling]

Hades stirred in the early light of morning. The sun's rays reached inside the den, warm against her eyelids, bathing her and her lover in pale golden light. She opened her eyes -- the ones on her face, glowing even in the morning light -- and looked down at the sleeping mare nestled close beside her. Percephona still slept peacefully, sides rising and falling slowly with deep, sleeping breaths. Her long mane framed her face in gentle curls, doll-like in its perfection, and shone gold like the wheat during harvest season. Long, dark lashes kept her eyes, big and bright baby blue, hidden. Hades lifted what she could of her face in a smile and leaned close, touching Percephona's cheek in a skeletal good-morning kiss. She lay that way for a few minutes, knowing the happiness of her lover's presence, breath and heartbeat both, warmed by Percephona and by the morning sun.

As the sun rose higher in the sky, Hades reluctantly got to her feet and stretched to begin the day. She pulled the blanket over Percephona's shoulders, a poor substitute to keep her warm in Hades' absence, and briefly paused to give her another kiss. Then she walked out into the crisp morning air.

The winter solstice was still a while away, but it was clear autumn was already coming to an end. Allhallowtide had ended but a few nights ago, and already the air was winter-cold. The trees in the forest were still covered in leaves blazing in rich autumn colors, but a layer of silvery-white frost coated the ground and low-growing shrubs. Hades exhaled deeply into the morning air, and almost immediately the vapor left small shimmering crystals on her exposed skull. She felt fine in these freezing temperatures -- her entire family had a high tolerance for cold, and her own blood ran strangely hot at times -- but the eyes on her sides struggled to stay open, stinging in the cold, and her exposed flower-filled ribs felt stiff. A petal fluttered loose to the ground, dried and withered, but this was not unusual. Like her lover personified the spring and the birth of new life, Hades knew she herself personified the end of the year and the end of life itself. Where Percephona brought life, Hades took it away. Together, they were in perfect balance. Hades stood in the cold, pondering this.

Hades was just a title by birthright given to the first-borns in her family, and not her true name -- her true name was secret, only those she regarded as family knew her full true name and only Percephona was permitted to use it -- but it was how everyone addressed her: Lord Hades. Sometimes Lady Hades. It did not matter. The title was bestowed on son and daughter both; her herd and bloodline were blind to sex and gender. The children, too, were equal; adopted and spirit-born children were no lesser or less legitimate than the natural-born children from a mare's womb. Unfortunately, the one exception to this rule applied to the children of Hades' own bloodline. Her own would-be daughters and sons with Percephona would not be permitted to carry on her title, unless she took on another lover, a stallion, and had children by him. Was that even possible, Hades wondered? Her insides were figuratively barren, if not literally. Then again, just as had been the case with Percephona -- Hades turned back to look over her shoulder at her still-sleeping lover, and grinned in her eerie but affectionate manner -- she had no intention of following her family's antiquated customs.

Hades Word Count: 601

 

[Strifeling]

Percephona stirred, half-dreaming. Sunlight touched her face, gently pulling her out of sleep. Slowly, she stretched, eyelids and their thick dark lashes fluttering open. The blanket was pulled over her body, tucked in under her neck, and Percephona lifted her head, looking for Hades. The shallow impression in the ground next to her was still warm, so it had not been too long since her lover had awoken.

Percephona smiled. Hades was always the early riser, and would call her sleeping beauty, frequently waking her with gifts, usually treasures and foods. Percephona loved flowers, but they tended not to survive long under Hades' care. Percy was never one for gifts in the first place, but she understood it was Hades' way of expressing affection. Her lover had always been raised to be strong, unwavering and independent. There had never been much room for sweet words or affectionate touch in Hades' family -- Percy felt a momentary pang of pain in her heart at the thought -- and as a result she usually showed her love and closeness when no one was watching, or in other ways. Gifts were one of them.

She shook off the blanket and stretched her legs, arching her back to rid the stiffness in her lumbar muscles. It was chilly today, and she doubted she would be able to sleep much longer on the hard ground. Percy winced slightly in chagrin; Hades pampered her like a princess, and she had become accustomed to living in luxury, sleeping with soft satin and thick feather blankets every night. She had grown up a wild child of the forest, babied by her family but living as one with nature, until her capture and their resulting separation a few autumns back. She had barely been an adult at the time. Percephona suppressed a shiver at the memory, trying not to remember how the shackles had felt around her ankles. It was all thanks to Hades that she was still alive. Hades had fought against her own family to prevent her sacrifice. At first, she had been terrified of Hades, but in time, as they grew to know each other, Hades fell in love. And so did Percephona.

She shook herself off again, banishing uncomfortable memories, willing herself to focus on the present. The flowers remained firmly attached in her hair, dimly lit by the glowing holy halo of light around her head. She walked out of the den and into the sun, blinded for a moment.

There Hades was, coat gleaming in the sun. Percy smiled and quietly, delicately walked towards the other mare. The frosty grass crunched beneath her feet, but other than that, her steps were silent. Her many wings, loose by her side, helped to muffle the noise. Maybe she would be able to surprise Hades this time.

Percephona Word Count: 469

 

[Strifeling]

While Percephona had been sleeping, Hades had already gone through the morning arrangements, giving tasks to her flock of ravens and crows. Some of them now gathered on the tree branches and ground near her, cawing to each other. Familiars though they were, they were part-feral and behaved like the common birds of the lands.

The wings at Hades' side obscured most of her extra eyes, but she could still glimpse Percephona walking up behind her, almost soundless. Hades turned her head to face the angelic mare.

Hades Word Count: 87

 

[Strifeling]

Mischief sparkled in Percephona's youthful eyes, blue as the sky on a clear spring morning. "Good morning, darling," she murmured, pressing herself up against Hades and gently nuzzling the other mare's shoulder, where her short horse hair met downy feathers. The vapor from her breath warmed her lover's skin, momentarily dissolving the crystals of hoarfrost that had collected in the early hour, and allowed Percephona to shyly hide her face.

Percephona would nuzzle the other's cheek, but Hades had told her before that the defleshed, exposed portion of skull had only as much sensation in it as did claws, or hooves; Hades could not feel much through her exposed bone, though she had mentioned that at the boundary of the flesh and bone, where flowers grew, Hades was particularly sensitive and could feel touch through the petals like cats could feel through their whiskers. In any case, Percephona would need to strain to reach her lover's cheeks. She herself was lean, long-legged and delicate, yet graceful and elegant, but Hades was unusually massive.

Percephona swished her long leonine tail, gently brushing it against one of Hades' paws as a show of her affection.

Percephona Word Count: 193

 

[Strifeling]

"Good morning to you too," Hades responded, and nuzzled back the other mare with her exposed skull, also gently touching one of her paws against the other's foot. "Did you sleep well?" She playfully mouthed her lover's golden curls as Percephona pressed up close against her. Hades guessed, inwardly smiling, it was as much for body heat as it was for physical closeness and affection.

The white mare had a longer and softer, downier coat than her own, but unlike Hades, Percephona was better suited to warmer weather especially with her lithe figure. She didn't have the muscle or apparent immunity to cold weather as Hades did. Right on cue, Percephona leaned back slightly and lifted her wings from the ground, fluffing them and then folding them at her sides to conserve her own body heat. She looked like one of those winter birds fluffing their feathers to keep warm.

"Aren't you cold out here, my dear?" Hades extended her wings, and though they weren't as warm as Percephona's they could still provide cover. She draped one of hers over Percephona, folded feather wings and all.

Hades Word Count: 186

 

[Strifeling]

"I'm always warmer when I'm with you," Percephona responded cheekily, unintentionally romantic and smiling both brightly and innocently. She was a wonderful sight. She stared into Hades' glowing red eyes with her blue ones and the two of them stood there that way for a moment, side by side, faces turned toward each other, enjoying each other's company and the quiet morning. It was such a simple thing, but deeply intimate and private, two lovers looking into each others' souls.

The remaining ravens and crows silently rose to the skies and glided away into the shadows, giving the mares seclusion. They often behaved like they were wild, but they were fully sentient and intelligent familiars; they could feel the discomfort of intruding on a private moment.

Percephona Word Count: 126