A world in colour

In a world where everything is black and white, color is known to take hold when one meets their soulmate. Still this does not make the hunt for the 'one' any easier, the key is they eyes they are known to be the first hint of the truth.
Atrel x Connor
Teenager Connor is stuck on the camp his parents sent him to to 'fix' what's wrong with him. Atrel winds up in a mushroom ring very close to the camp and the young human comes across him seeking to escape the camp even for a little while.
Kat x Kit
With her brother in line for the throne, Kat feels more comfortable wandering around the human world on her own. On one of her trips she finds Kit sketching more treehouses
Nero x Vi
Deciding that he's in need of an assistant, the royal healer Nero takes a trip to the warehouse to see what's on offer and finds Vi.

At his wish to thank her, Renee just shook her head “There’s no need to thank me, I’d do it all again for you Atrel” she didn’t need anything in return at all. It had been her pleasure to help him and get to know him, his friendship was something that she valued very much and would always do so. Clambering down out of the tree she landed with a soft thump of her feet on the grass and touched her hand to the bark of the tree in silent thanks to the old being, suspecting that there was something else he wanted to say she looked about the garden “It’s a lovely day, shall we go for a walk?” they could enjoy the garden and wander while he worded what it was that he wanted to say.

Walking along with him she stopped to pick up a four-leaved clover and held it by its stem between two fingers, making it spin between them as he mentioned that he felt that it was time for him to move on. Having been expecting this for a little while she nodded and offered him the clover “Then you’ll need this then, take what you need from here, it’d be unwise to wander about unprepared” she didn’t know much about how faeries saw debts, but if asked she would have mentioned that there was no debt to be paid as she felt blessed enough to call him a friend. If he didn’t feel like he could talk to her about things, that was fine, as long as he found someone eventually, and knowing now that he had his twin sister she felt comfortable that whatever he did now he would be able to figure himself out after all he’d already come so far with his shadows, their appearance as his wings had become better and better the more he’d practiced even at the cost of expensive honey she believed it was all well worth it.

The quiet thank you was met with a nod “You are very welcome Atrel” she’d never told him why she and her husband had shown up at the black market and bought him, it had never really been brought up and she hadn’t felt that it would have helped matters. Parting ways with him when he decided to leave she watched him vanish into the pine forest, satisfied that she had done what she could.

She had lost track of how long her brother had been wandering, but now she had been sent to find him by their parents. Wandering along searching for her brother, the female faerie had been careful to not alert poachers to her presence. He’d last sent her a cern while in a forest, wandering along until she spotted him Katherine walked up “Well well well, you’re looking well” she had kept her feelings from their connection from the moment she’d found out who their parents had chosen to make the next monarch of their homeworld.

Returning the smile Kat moved to stand next to him, wearing simple jeans and a light shirt with little jewellery, clothes that she’d picked to be able to blend in with any people she might come across in her journeys. Giving him a quick hug she ruffled his hair “You’re right on that front brother, however, finally starting to look good Trelly” for now the topic of why exactly she was here was avoided. “how have things been going for you then? It’s been a while since we talked”. It was hard not to be a bit bitter about Atrel being picked to rule next after she’d spent time studying things at court as well as spending time at court and building connections. They’d picked him to give him something to do was the impression that she’d been given although there were perhaps other reasons but those reasons were ones she wasn’t privy to. Starting to walk wanting to keep her feet moving hoping that the movement would help her a little, sure she’d get over it eventually, he was her twin and she loved him dearly and wanted the best for him but it didn’t dull the sting and quiet thoughts that if she’d known she wouldn’t have put so much wasted effort in.

Slipping her hands into her pockets she was quiet for a bit “Mother and Father are good, they’ve decided who they want to take over from them” taking a deep breath she mentally imagined folding her thoughts up and stashing them into a draw in her mind. Closing the mental draws she breathed out and continued “you. They want you, it didn’t sound like they’d take no for an answer” determined to act like nothing was wrong she flicked him a warm smile “Congratulations your royal pappiness” she wasn’t ready to talk to anyone about what she felt, privately feeling that it wasn’t anybody else’s business about how she felt. She’d tell him the news and go back with him to court then perhaps she’d go off on her own for a little bit, take a break from court and everything and everyone there. This desire made it easier to act like she was fine with all of this, with everything else nicely tucked away she continued “They want you back asap to start teaching you everything you’ll need to know to rule” she knew she’d get over this and then would put her efforts into supporting him as best as she could, he was her twin and there was nobody else she was very close with. “Naturally I’ll do my best to serve, my brother, hopefully, this insignificant one can do some small service to you and your vast empire” flicking him a cheeky grin she elbowed him, laughing a little.

Shrugging slightly she looked over at him “They want you, they mentioned giving you roots, Mother explained that I could still help you and they wouldn’t stop me from doing that” understanding what he was wanting to do she flicked him a smile “Its fine Trelly, I understand why they did it, you’re overthinking things. Besides you won't be crowned right away, you have a few years ahead of you to get in the mental capacity” continuing to walk along she let her hand remain in his, wanting to give him as little reason as possible to suspect that all was not what it seemed. Briefly dropping his hand to pull her hair back into a low ponytail as she was getting sick of it bothering her, Katherine took his hand once more, “Still your wandering has inspired me, I’m considering doing some wandering on my own I’ve been mulling over it for a while now, it’d be nice to see some more of the various worlds” by now there was a complete disconnect between her true emotions over what was happening and what she wanted the world to see and so she spoke in a light-hearted jovial tone.

She knew her twin like she knew her own mind, just as he knew her, he didn’t believe her but that didn’t matter she hadn’t asked about many things and it seemed now he was returning the favour. “As soon as possible means as soon as possible Atrel” looking forward to being able to go and in all honesty sulk for a bit like the spoilt brat she was, Katherine decided to change the subject “Don’t forget to go find that boy again, you’ve got a second colour, that’s a chance most anyone would kill for. Don’t waste it” she hadn’t brought up Connor for a long time and now was using the chance to divert the subject but also bring up something that needed discussing. She’d been alive just as long as he had and she hadn’t seen it, annoyed at herself those thoughts were also stuffed into a draw although perhaps not as neatly.

Biting her tongue she nodded, staying quiet while she figured out what to say and wound up deciding that it was better to shut up. “Very well” coming to a halt she carefully rescued her hand from his “I have other things to do, I’ll see you at home” it was better to leave now to go find somewhere to sit and come to terms with things. “Stay safe Trelly” smiling affectionately at him she turned and walked away, there were many worlds to choose from perhaps she’d find one that’d be interesting to explore.

The service had ended and Connor was subtly distracted, it’d been about ten years to the day since he’d woken up and found himself alone, completely alone. Making some small talk with some of the other men of the church, he talked to them and manipulated them just as well as a faerie might have, he’d had ten years to hone his natural skill after all. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed someone familiar, Conrad was standing off to the side watching him, once he had Connors attention the fairly transparent faerie turned and walked over to a tree and stood next to someone who was standing in the shade. The spirit lifted his hand and rested it on the persons shoulder only to have his hand go straight through their shoulder, looking down at his hand the spirit looked up at Connor with a pained expression and mouthed words to him that seemed to say ‘he needs you’ and with that the spirit faded away. Brought out of his almost trance when he heard his name, Connor apologized to the men he had been speaking with and turned to walk over to the man under the tree stopping in surprise when he saw him properly. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out the somewhat crumpled up stag that he had kept with him this entire time and offered it to him, the woven item standing on the palm of his hand “Hello” all of his eloquentness was gone and he greeted the faerie very similarly to how he had so many years ago.

“well of course, It was all I had left of you both” having expected that the man would want the stag back he offered it to him quietly waited for it to be taken away from him “it’s been a while” part of him desperately yearned for the companionship that he had felt when he was younger but it felt like the older man was shut down in a way. He didn’t look a day older despite it having been an entire decade, and it felt hard in a way, with a face full of questions that he didn’t feel he had the right to ask the years fell away from him leaving him looking almost as young as he had ten years ago. “Do you want to go for a walk?” the perceptive part of himself had a feeling that the offer likely wouldn’t be taken up on but he had to ask. Not understanding why this some how hurt he watched the shorter mans face, seeking for answers to those questions that he wasn’t quite brave enough to ask.

When the stag wasn’t taken back, Connor quietly slipped the stag into his suits jacket pocket, starting to walk along the quiet question made him glance down at his feet. In some ways he hadn’t changed at all, while he was confident and manipulative around everyone else apart from Tess and Julie, there was something about the man walking next to him that made him feel. “Did I say both?” giving a slightly sheepish and anxious chuckle he rubbed the back of his head not really wanting to admit that age fifteen he had had an imaginary friend that looked exactly like himself. It made him feel that he was a narcissist, and he was very reluctant to go into details, “I didn’t think you’d come back” he had definitely hoped he would, there were many unresolved feelings floating around in his head and his heart to do with the man. He had been his first real crush and had been the first to break his heart when he vanished and never came back despite all of his hopes, feeling like he was fifteen again he didn’t look up from the ground while they walked. “I’m very glad that you did though” murmuring the words quietly he smiled quietly “So many things have happened since I saw you last” his father had died and now he was the head of the church, he had manipulated and schemed and yet even when surrounded by people he just felt alone.

The apology was one that he hadn’t expected and it pulled him out of his thoughts, glancing up from the ground to the other man's face subtle surprise showing. The explanation wasn’t considered an excuse in the slightest “I’m sorry to hear that, I hope he recovered” it made some things easier to think through at least, “My father died about three years ago” it was rather noticeable that his features hardened slightly while speaking about his own father. The man's death had been a blessing and it certainly hadn’t been a peaceful passing, nor was it an accident but there was no proof and so he’d gotten away scot-free as had his mother although she wasn’t aware that he had manipulated her into it. Doing his best to ignore the churning thoughts in his mind and the sensation in his stomach, despite everything he was still a complete coward, too scared to ask too many questions, too scared that Atrel wasn’t going to come back this time and he would wind up hurt due to getting his hopes up. Despite what he showed the world and was trying to hide from Atrel there was a tangled mess of problems, thoughts, and troubles, in a way he felt that the man walking beside him had once known him very well and now something was different. Some parts of him were now a stranger although he surmised that some parts of himself had changed that perhaps made him a stranger to him as well, feeling like a fifteen-year-old boy and at the same time feeling very disconnected with the world around him he tried to come up with something to say so there wasn’t an awkward silence “I hope your sister is well too” looking down at the ground again he clasped his hands together behind his back to give them something to do that would keep him from fidgeting, fidgeting was wrong, quiet hands were important as was eye contact but he was fairly sure he couldn’t do both right now.