Laraquae

Laraquae
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Clan Matriarch

Turkeywing Seashell

Dragonmade

Prized by alchemists as a binding agent.

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Sinew Net

Dragonmade

This net has been expertly patched many times.

34

Fluted Seashell

Dragonmade

A satchel full of cleaned-out shells makes a pleasing sound when jostled.

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Calm • Intuitive • Reserved • Observant

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Calm, cool, and collected would be an apt alliteration in describing the matriarch of the Stormtide Clan. She takes her time making decisions, making sure to assess all the possibilities before moving forward, oftentimes driving the wind dragons of the flight crazy in doing so. While she lacks the magical ability to prophesy that many other water dragons have, her experience and excellent intuition allow her to foresee many outcomes regardless.

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.-.Mates: Savatam, Urchin


"You think to own me? No, I will not belong to anyone."

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Found as an egg and brought into a small clan made up entirely of guardians, Laraquae was raised as all but royalty.

Bullet Time:

• Thought to be a sign of good fortune from the Tidelord.
  
  
• Lonely and insecure growing up, as everyone treated her with reverence rather than as an equal. She didn't have any friends or dragons to confide in.
  
  
• Upon reaching adulthood, was immediately pressured to find a suitable mate, although she wasn't interested at the time and none of them seemed "right" (hint: charge).
  
  
• Two of her "suitors" cornered and assaulted her in her personal lair.
  
  
• Spiraled into a depression, ending with her finally running away, frustrated and entirely ashamed, when the whole incident was brushed off with a slap on the wrist.
  
  
• Had no idea how to survive on her own, being sheltered her whole life.
  
  
• Eventually collapsed on the shore in the middle of a storm.
  
  
• Would have probably perished there were it not for Ezlio coming across her and protecting her from the elements overnight.
  
  
• Confused but curious about the fae, having never seen one before up close, not intimidated for once because of his size. Recognized something about him that ceased the once-endless stirring in her mind (hint again: charge).
  
  
• The two travelled together after Ezlio helped her recover.
  
  
• End up taking in some abandoned hatchlings and settled down (for what was supposed to be temporary) to take care of them.
  
  
• More younglings and misfits are found or show up, and eventually there's a small clan on their hands.
  
  
• Find a good, beachy cave in the cliffs and settle there.
  
  
• Even has her first nest with Ezlio, having become incredibly close the fae over the year+ they'd spent together.
  
  
• Things are going smoothly when Ezlio receives a vision from the Tidelord's bubbles, basically telling him to come to the Spiral Keep with their child, Abyssia, to serve the Tidelord directly.
  
  
• Ezlio leaves despite Lara's pleading. Literally has to be held back as Ezlio and Abyssia leave.
  
  
• Depression relapses to the point where she even refuses to eat sometimes. Doesn't even leave her lair and some of the older clan members have to step in and handle things.
  
  
• Finally starts doing better with lots of help from her closer companions. She manages to cope with the loss of her charge by treating the clan they made together as a surrogate.
  
  
• Eventually meets the clan's new treasurer, Kaspar. The two get along well enough, Lara respects Kaspar's work ethic and he starts to see that she's not a weak or neglectful leader as he first thought when working for the clan.
  
  Word Barf: BEGIN
  So relationship between Kas and Lara steadily grows, and they're just in the early stages of starting something romantic when Tenebris shows up. Tenebris is a big, but quiet, guardian who claims his charge is in the clan.
  
  7630562
  
  

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Impossible.

He was gone. Laraquae had watched Ezlio leave to join the Tidelord and his exaltees; watched him and her firstborn dive beneath the surface of the sea, never to return. Laraquae witnessed all that, yet… here he was once more. The pale blue fae looked up at the Matriarch, his head and frills tilted to the side in confusion. With good reason, Laraquae thought bitterly. She should be happy that her first friend, charge, life-mate had returned. She should be picking him up in her claws and showering him in all of the love and affection she’d been unable to share over the years, but all that she felt upon seeing her past mate was a tightness in her chest.

The other dragons present in the circular room were quiet, all eyes were on Laraquae as she struggled to breathe. “Why… are you here?” she croaked, trying not to let her voice tremble.

“T-The Tidelord… I was given a prophecy, for me to come to this island. I did not know that our- your clan had moved here,” the fae lowered his head and pulled his frills against his neck uncomfortably. This was far from the welcome he had probably expected, Laraquae realized.

“Ezlio, dear, now that the Lady Laraquae has greeted you, perhaps you’d care to be introduced to the rest of the clan here on the island,” a honey-sweet voice cut in through the awkward atmosphere. A black mirror with emerald wings and adorned in cobwebs and various birdskulls that clattered together noisily stepped forward from the crowd that had gathered.

“Hec- er, Witch,” the fae’s features immediately brightened at the sight of an old clanmate. He hopped towards her, adjusting the pure, white mantle that he wore around his shoulders. “It is good to see you.”

“And you too, dear,” Witch grinned sharply from beneath the green-feathered birdskull that covered her head, her pale, purple eyes sparkling. “I knew you would return some day, the spirits told me.”

“Did they,” the fae flicked his frills and tilted his head once more in question.

“Ha ha ha, of course! They tell all, with a little persuasion! Now come, my friend, let us find Moonghoul. I’m certain he will be just as pleased to see you as I.”

Ezlio nodded and began following Witch out of the room. Laraquae mouthed a silent “thank you” to Witch as she strode out, who flicked her tail reassuringly against the Matriarch’s leg as she passed. The rest of the clan that had gathered slowly filtered out, leaving Laraquae alone in the reception hall.

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“Tidelord’s gills,” Laraquae swore, taking her head in her claws. The quiet waver of her voice echoed around the rocky walls of the hall. “Have I not suffered enough? What did I do to deserve this?”

“Deserve what?” a familiar voice asked. Laraquae hastily dropped her arms and leveled a glare at the approaching dragon.

“Savatam,” she growled, standing as the mottled red and blue ridgeback sauntered towards her, grotesque, skeletal chimes clacking against each other as he shifted his blue, abyssal wings. His usual, arrogant grin was plastered upon his features, made menacing by the long scar over his right eye. Laraquae fought the urge to thrash her tail as Savatam paused and looked down at her, something that annoyed the Matriarch more than it should have. “What do you want?”

“Heard a ghost from your past returned… thought you might want company.”

“You! I-I have no time for your games! What is it you really want?” Laraquae snapped, anger covering uncertainty. The ridgeback couldn't possibly be here just to talk; he had to be after something. The last thing she needed to put up with today was Savatam challenging her to a duel or needling her with pointless questions. He was a thorn in her side that she had no desire to deal with.

“I…” Deep crimson eyes locked with ocean blue, before looking away uncertainly. The ridgeback sighed before looking back at Laraquae and cleared his throat. “I was, ah, bored. Decided to visit.”

Laraquae felt a wave of anger surge through her. Of course he wasn’t concerned about her at all. “You think I have time to entertain you? I have a clan to run, and with the arrival of… I’m busy.”

“Oh, you look it. Wallowing in misery over some dragon that-”

“You will watch your tongue!” Laraquae snarled, stepping into Savatam’s personal space, the ridgeback flinching despite being far larger. Always, always Savatam got under her scales like this.

“Why?” Savatam growled lowly. The ridgeback advanced, driving Laraquae back one pace, and another, and another, until she felt her tail hit the wall. “I’m saying it like it is. Something is wrong, isn’t it?”

The guardian snarled in retaliation, flaring her wings and crest out aggressively. If Savatam wanted to push Laraquae, then she would just shove back. "The only thing wrong here is you."

"All I'm trying to do is help, and you just can't believe it, can you?" Savatam's eyes flashed with anger. Laraquae tensed her muscles, ready to counter anything the ridgeback had to throw at her or fight back, should things come to that.

"You haven't done anything but get in the way before! Why am I inclined to think anything different now?" Laraquae tried to shoulder past Savatam, but he blocked her path with a large, spined wing. Laraquae glared daggers up at the ridgeback. "Move."

"No."

Laraquae didn't have the patience for this, for him. She just wanted to go somewhere alone, and the Shade-driven pest chose now to pick a fight? Very well. She would just have to take him out quickly.

Without any more warning, she lunged at Savatam catching him off-guard. He staggered backwards as Laraquae slammed against his chest... TBC

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Laraquae felt her anger evaporate like a puddle of water in the Shifting Expanse. It gave way to fear, remorse, guilt. She looked down as her face burned with embarrassment. Regardless of how Savatam behaved, Laraquae was acting unbecoming of the leader of a clan. She took a trembling breath, willing herself to calm down; just for a moment.

“I… I’m...,” Laraquae stammered, letting go of her pin on Savatam.

"It's fine," Savatam grumbled as Laraquae stepped back, shaking himself off and slowly getting back to his feet.

"No, it isn't, I was-" Laraquae cut off at the pained smile of... resignation? Rejection? Hurt? Savatam gave her; one that made him seem aged and weary to her eyes.

"It doesn't matter," Savatam sighed. "I shouldn't have bothered you."

Laraquae didn't know what to say as Savatam took a step back, lowering his head passively. What had she done? Where had this come from? What had she missed?

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"Ple-... just listen!" Laraquae snapped in exasperation. "I came to... apologize."

"You what?" Savatam gaped at her.

"When you came to... reassure me- the other day. I refused to listen to you or take you seriously. For that, I'm..."

By the Eleven, why was it so hard to say those two words?

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“Lio- the fae and I… I knew him, long ago. We were… close.”

“Close how?”

Laraquae warily looked up at the response from the ridgeback, noticing a guarded worry in his features. “He was my first mate. He… he helped me through a hard time; one I would not have made it through otherwise.”

“What about now? What're you gonna do with him here?”

More questions that caught Laraquae off-guard. Now? Did she still care about Ezlio as she had all those years ago? Should she take him back? Would he even want to come back? Could things still be like before he had left?

“I don’t know,” she said softly, the words slipping out before she even realized it. Everything was so different. Both of them were so different. Laraquae had gone through so much without Ezlio, been forced to deal with so much that she was unprepared for because of him. “He left me so long ago, and I don’t think-“

Laraquae cut off, choking on the words in her throat as she felt the sting of tears well up. She quickly turned away, not wanting Savatam to see her weak like this. The ridgeback shifted his weight from side to side, uncharacteristically quiet, and Laraquae realized that she’d made everything uncomfortable again. Of course she had. She didn't want to deal with this, she wasn’t ready for all the questions. How did Ezlio think about her now? What would her friends think about this? Would the fae want to be together with Laraquae? Why did this have to-

“I wouldn't have left you.”

Laraquae glanced upwards, catching the end of whatever Savatam had just mumbled. “What did you just say?”

“I said… If it were me... I wouldn't have left... you.”

Laraquae was taken aback for a moment at the comment. She opened her mouth to reply, noticing the embarrassed look on Savatam’s face, and oh. Oh. It was as if a missing piece had just clicked into place. All the time he’d spent following her around and asking questions, stealing her belongings, trying to fight against her… it made sense now. How had she overlooked such a simple reason?

“Uh, you gonna say something?” the deep rumble of Savatam’s voice shook Laraquae from her thoughts. She snapped her jaw shut and looked away again, feeling her face heat up. What could she say? How was she supposed to respond to something like that?

"It's... clear I said too much... I'm gonna- just- leave," Savatam stepped away, slowly backing out of the room with his head lowered.

"...wait."

Laraquae stood tall and walked forward. Savatam stopped in place at the order, looking sheepish, yet hopeful at the same time.

"You... this whole time, you mean for me to believe that you... fancy... me?"

Savatam laughed nervously, "Yeah, I wouldn't say it like that but... yeah."

Laraquae narrowed her eyes, suddenly suspicious. Was this really the ulterior motive that she'd sensed from him this whole time? Was it really something so incredibly simple and not nefarious, or was this some cruel ploy of his? His embarrassment seemed genuine enough, but Laraquae was unsure. "Why?"

It was Savatam's turn to be thrown off-guard, but he quickly covered his uncertainty. "Well, I only like the best-"

"Honestly," Laraquae cut him off with a stern glare.

"Because I... who wouldn't?" Savatam blurted out. "You're... you're strong, and clever, and when you fight you're breathtaking, and... Look, I don't normally... do compliments, or need anyone but myself, but you're... different. I feel different with you and..."

He looked down at Laraquae with a pained grin, seeming so small despite his larger stature, like a hatchling confessing to his first crush. Savatam was being so genuine, so open and not hiding behind his usual wall of scathing remarks and insults... the way the conversation turned had Laraquae reeling.

"Look... like I said, I'm gonna leave, and you can, uh, forget everything I just said and go back to hating me."

"Just, stop, for a moment," Laraquae growled, "I need to think."

So Savatam... was attracted the her. To her. Attracted. Laraquae began pacing. She'd thought it had just been her who felt that way towards him, thought it'd been some strange and irrational inclination that her mind had come up with because she'd felt lonely. But... was it really so strange? The ridgeback was impulsive. He was obnoxious, self-centered, entitled, and persistent. He said what he thought, did what he wanted, and ultimately drove Laraquae up the wall at times, but... he looked at Laraquae; looked at her for who she was and not as the leader of a clan to suck up to or tread carefully around. He listened to her, even if it was just to get a snarky reply in. And the gifts-

"You're the one who's been leaving the presents at my quarters, aren't you?" she paused her pacing looked at Savatam out of the corner of her eye.

"N-" Savatam hesitated at the stern stare Laraquae leveled at him. "...yes."

"And the one who stole my ring?"

"...yeah. I- have it, can give it back, if you'd like."

"Hmm... no need," Laraquae walked a few more steps, before adding, "I can find others."

"Oh? Ah, great."

"Were you also the one who got fish guts all over my armor?"

"Hey, that was an acciden-" Savatam protested, but Laraquae's eyes bored into him. "...Yes."

"Then... I accept."

"A-accept what?" Savatam sputtered.

"Your declaration of affection," Laraquae felt a small smile creep across her features as a bubble of something warm welled up inside her. "Although, if that was your idea of courting me, then I'm afraid you're just going to have to do better in the future."

"Better? What do you-" Savatam began as if insulted, but shook it off as Laraquae's eyes shone with mirth, taking up his familiar, toothy smirk instead. "If those are your terms, then I'll just have to come up with something you can't say no to."

"Think fast then, I have high standards, but little patience."

"Oh, I know. Lucky for you I'm both quick and remarkable."

"Get going then, you fool, before I change my mind," Laraquae retorted, giving Savatam a small push backwards.

"I am, I am, old harpy" he said with no real venom behind the words, turning to leave.

"That's negative points!" Laraquae called out as Savatam reached on of the room's exits.

"Negative points- what does that even mean?" the ridgeback grumbled to himself as he lumbered off, leaving Laraquae once more in the the quiet of the hall.

The Matriarch exhaled slowly and swished her tail back and forth. All her problems, the din of her thoughts, were still there, but now... now she had something to look forward to.

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