Gideon

Gideon lazed around the balcony, languid, bored, carelessly handsome.
"What're you doing?"
He cast glowing eyes dulled over with boredom at his sister padding up beside him and resting her head on the ledge. "Sulking?"
He smiled lazily. "Why would I be sulking, sister dear?"
"Oh, I dunno, because you're going to a circus later when you'd rather be chatting up the ladies, or whatever it is you do these days?"
He raised his tail and flicked her coal-dark antlers. "When did you get so smart?"
Queen snorted and set her head down gently on top of his, avoiding his horns, and gave his snout a soft, affectionate lick.
"So, how're you going to get out of it?"
"Want to cover for me?"
"Not particularly."
He snorted, feigning hurt. "What is this lack of loyalty, Queenie?"
She shrugged and grinned, which he felt and heard more than saw. "It could be good for you."
"Oh, you know what's best for your big brother, lord of the Ashfall Waste?"
"Yes," she answered like an imp, still grinning, and added, "And you're not a lord of the whole Ashfall Waste, Gideon. Just part of it."
"Whatever."
She nudged his face with her snout. "See, you don't even know how far your territory reaches. This is totally responsible behavior, right?"
"I could be, if I wanted," he answered, with an idle wink that made her roll her eyes.
"Queen!" called their sister from behind swaying silk drapes. "I need your help with this- I'm, um, stuck."
Snorting and giggling, the youngest of the family licked Gideon's cheek, rose, and padded inside to help disentangle Autumn from her sylvan wings.
Gideon returned his eyes to the fiery, volcanic earth below him, teeming with lava rivers and abundant, beautiful plants, where they had found a safe place to grow in the fertile soil. Inside him, a sinking feeling seemed to be taking place- he didn't know why on earth it was necessary for him to go to this circus, but his mother seemed to think it was a great idea for the young lord to show his face in an informal- appropriate- setting.

So that was how Gideon found himself in a stand directly in front of the stage, waiting for a performance to begin, which he had no idea what it would be like or who would be in it or even if it would be remotely interesting. His patience was already strung thin from all the well-wishers and partygoers, drunk on glee and high spirits, and Gideon had had enough of it.
It wasn't that their merriment was annoying- it was that he was forced to stay on the sidelines.
But being flanked by his mother and sister didn't really leave him with any other option but to set his head down on his paws and spare no pains to hide his boredom. Maybe his mom would take the hint and let him leave early.
Then, the lights around him flickered and dimmed, the fires probably being lowered by some magical force, and Gideon slitted his eyes, waiting for something remotely impressive.
The red curtains parted down the middle, and a flurry of faes rushed and looped in mesmerizing circles with one another, joining paws and forming links and shapes with themselves, working in sync like a well-oiled machine.
Gideon blinked, his eyes feeling somewhat assaulted by the onslaught of color.

Bloodstone Beetle

Familiar

This iridescent beauty becomes even more colorful once it takes flight.

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