(I love the nixies. I wanted to “talk” nixian with them)
AO3
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Heated
They weren’t there anymore.
Kenyan searched the garden upside down, the castle, the forest, the city… but nobody saw them. Sure, her description of them wasn’t the greatest, but people had to notice that glowing person. They weren’t someone you glance at only once; they were like a magnet attracting her, and it should have happened with everyone else, too.
So where could they have gone?
She even wondered if they were an image from her mind, but, as far as she knew, hallucinations don’t act like they did:
An intruder broke the castle’s window yesterday, messed up Sylris’s chambers, stole food from the kitchen, cleaned her chambers, and put a big stuffed panda on her bed.
And nobody, not even Hiélo who was in her room, heard or saw anything while it happened. The only witness of the supposed “intruder” was her, Kenyan, when she was high, sleep-deprived, and with loss of blood.
It couldn’t have happened for real. They weren’t real. What she saw wasn’t an intruder. They even claimed the garden their home! What kind of intruder would be this bold at Maivtre? And the guards also searched for them in the garden, asked the Nixies if they noticed something and… nothing.
They had to be a figment of her imagination. A self-relief her brain came up with, that somehow worked.
Last night she fell in a deep slumber while hugging that panda (Hiélo said she threatened to set fire on him if he tried to take it), and that was far the best sleep she had in years. No dreams, no nightmares, no interruptions… just a full eight hours of rest. The migraine and nausea still came when she woke up, but that was common. She couldn’t have asked for anything better! Her mind was useful for once!
But even after being sure that person was something she invented, there she was in the garden, crouched by the flowers and signing to a group of Nixies.
Person. Light. There. Me. ?
And they shook their heads, no. Kenyan frowned slightly and tried again.
Walking. Jumping. Happy. Here. Home. ?
And they shook their heads, no. Also, one flew to Kenyan’s head, touched her forehead and dragged their tiny hands down her face. After staring at her, the nixie flattened their wings.
“You’re getting crazy. You were falling apart. Are you okay?”
She huffed and got up, quickly signing a “fine” for them.
“I told you,” the rough voice sounded behind her. “Nobody saw the intruder.”
“Yes, Élo, thank you for pointing out the obvious,” she replied harsher than expected.
His eyes squinted at her as they walked towards the tree. It was enormous, providing the same shadow she had used yesterday. The same shadow she shared with them. Right there. Where she felt them, their warmth, their excitement, and their happiness for being with her.
Could you imagine it? Even Kenyan herself couldn’t stand her presence, and someone, something, actually liked her!
“Kenyan, do you seriously don’t remember anything about their appearance? Gender? Voice?”
She sighed hard, rolling her eyes before turning at him.
“Why would I lie about it?” Her eyebrows raised. “Haven’t I been searching for them as well?!”
“How can I know what’s going on in your mind?” He crossed his arms. “They got you a teddy bear; how can I know if you aren’t keeping them hidden because of it?”
She flinched with the sharp pain on her head.
“Please, Hiélo, I might be a menace, but I am not reckless about this kingdom.” Her face scrunched. “If you think I can’t distinguish between safe and dangerous, you might as well have a problem with your mind.”
His jaw clenched as his tail lashed back and forth. Then, looking away, he pursed his lips. Avoiding talking to her. Avoiding her.
It was dizzying.
“Say it,” she demanded. “Now, while I’m listening.”
“…it’s not relevant.”
“I decide what’s relevant. Say it.”
He looked at her in that same reprimanding way. As if he was her father. As if she was a brat. As if he knew better than her.
“Look, I don’t want to offend you, but all you have been doing are dangerous and reckless things.”
“Ah, is that so? Thank you for pointing out the obvious.” She closed her hands on fists as her chest rose and fell. “I am aware of my dangerous and reckless behavior, General, and despite everything, I am still the Maivtre of this nation. I care about my people. I’ve been doing what I can to bear this burden, and I won’t doom it all over a teddy bear, as you swiftly placed in your statement.”
His eyes softened and her body tensed, shaking in disbelief.
“Kenyan, you know this isn’t what I said…” He reached for her hand, unclenching her fingers carefully. “I’m sorry if it sounded like that, I won’t ask again. Could you sit down and breathe slowly? Your head will get better if you do.”
There it goes. Hiélo, the white knight, and Kenyan, the poor queen.
Kenyan this! Kenyan that! Kenyan should! Kenyan could! Kenyan’s dumb! Kenyan’s wrong!
When will they stop treating her like a fool?
She shoved his hand away and paced back. “Keep guard from the outside. I’ll stay here for longer.”
“But you’re not fine, you should call the doct—“
“Yes, cause of my migraine, I am aware!” She glared at him. “Get out!”
He looked hurt at her, but she was already approaching the tree, finding that comforting spot amidst the roots. When she sat, he was marching at the door, and the place finally got its quietude back.
Her head leaned against the tree, and she breathed in, trying to control her heart. That unending pain was shattering her sanity, and the lack of answers wasn’t helping.
If that person was there, would they help her to calm?
No, but who in the cosmos could they be? A single day they appeared, and everything was messed up that much. A single day, and half the castle hates them. A single day, and they got her obsessed with them.
And they weren’t even real, were they? They came from her fractured soul.
So why couldn’t she summon them when she needed? Why wouldn’t they appear now? Why can’t they hear her crying?
Auvies Race
By my searches, black people lived in places where the UV light was too intense, and their skin evolved to reflect this light away (so they don't absorb much vitamin D and get sick).
Now white people absorb MORE, as their environment are usually cold, and the sun doesn't hit a lot; so they need to absorb as much as possible vitamin D.
The Auvies need to stay in cool places because they don't sweat—they're cold blood beings (I’m still thinking about its consequences, but they’re supposed to not have pores). So they obviously don't stay exposed to Sun cuz they’ll easily get burned, and this leads to the conclusion they're mostly white.
Maybe some of them have a kinda darker skin if they're ones who travels a lot, or works on markets, but I don't think they'd get really black because it hurts to stay in the Sun; it's not likely they'd get exposed for ages to evolve that much.
(This is me searching logics to make a single drawing)
Miorak
BEHOLD! THE SONG I MADE FOR MARTRA’S CULTURE! It’s sang in Martrakoji, but someday I’ll made it in English too. Someday.
The translation is below, but lemme tell you a bit about this song! It was sang before wars, so the warriors would be encouraged. It means hope for Martrans, or at least, it meant, before Kenyan turning into Maivtre.
Now, people sing it in silence, only the first part, as a kind of revolt. If one sings it whole, they’re openly declaring they’re against Maivtre, and it often cause them to die. You get it? Their supposed goddess is now their enemy. It’s just how bad things are going on.
Translation:
Longing for a time
That’s no longer here.
At seeing life goes by, you’ll see,
You are no more free.
Ohhhh
The fear never is letting go
You forgot? You are old? It still along.
Soon we’ll notice what’s going to show
Cowardice or bravery to fight
The battle may even scare you,
But don’t let it take over you.
Keep deep in your heart
There are lives to take care in your hands.
Oh the battle will come
Oh what will be done
Oh they gotta fight
To the citadel come back
Martrakoji
BEHOLD! MARTRA’S ALPHABET. Geez, it is so hard to find the sounds in English 😭 if you speak some Latino language it is easier to understand!
B, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, R, S, T, V, W, X, Y, Z, SH
W sounds like a vowel (u), but it can’t be matched with another consonant (like vowels do), and for this reason it’s a consonant.
The vowels are A E I O U. Like in Portuguese, they have accents depending on the word.
For example, Bravá(place). Without acute accent (loud and strong), the stressed syllable would be BRA (BRA-va), but the accent turns VÁ into the stressed one (bra-VÁ).
Same with circumflex accent(low and deep?). Lânu(plural of it), LÂ-nu, without accent would be la-NU. The difference is small, but it exists. Try “calling/screaming” the word with emphasis in the stressed syllable. Like, LAAAAAAnu. LaNUUUUUU. U get it?
bra-VÁ, not BRA-va.
LÂ-nu, not la-NU.
u-TÉ(nine), not U-te.
Ê-nu(they/male), not e-NU.
Í-nan(we), not i-NAN.
Î isn’t used.
Ó isn’t used.
o-ye-TÔ(desert), not o-YE-to.
mo-Ú-li(rude), not MOU-li.
Û isn’t used.
I tried to understand my own logic, but I can’t explain it 😭😭
I just know that having M and N in the end makes the syllable stressed.
o-VEN(soon,early)
wa-NAM(double)
Also, sometimes Y makes the syllable stressed.
zi-YE (musician). Short word, stressed.
sha-yu-DE-fe (sea port). Long word, non-stressed.
yo-RAN (resignation). N/M syllables are stronger than Y.
Behínji Sume Sohiel
Ad Xinie Maivtre — Ad Auvana Odabrani — Ad Mizae Iskatram
Translated, it means “Blessed be Sohiel. The Pure Maivtre, The Wise Odabrani, The Loving Iskatram.”
As I said some posts ago, Sohiel is the holy family of Martra. They are both religious figures and royalty as well. It’s something determined many ages ago, a culture deeply enrooted in the citizens.
The current lineage is Kenyan as Maivtre and Sylris as Odabrani; they're married.
Sylris is so handsome, gosh. Look at those lashes and hands.