Aurelia reveled in the change of surroundings as she roamed the Vericona Plains, eagerly leaving behind the dreary Druid's Moor. The expansive grassland stretched out in front of her, a sea of swaying wheat grass and dense shrubbery. The sun was descending towards the horizon, painting the landscape with a warm, golden, early autumn light. The air was brisk and pure, a welcome contrast to the oppressive sensation of drowning where Sephiran had elected to set them up at for the season. Aurelia breathed in deeply, savoring the crisp air that filled her lungs. She closed her eyes and let the gentle breeze play with the tips of her fur. The plains seemed to feel alive beneath her paws, each blade of grass humming with its own silent melody. Aurelia's expression gave away nothing as she surveyed the area, her sapphire gaze scanning for anything that she couldn’t live without in regard to her shallow herb stock. She walked with a sense of direction and intention, her footfalls barely making any sound on the varied terrain. The tall grass rustled softly in the wind, revealing brief glimpses of winding streams and small ponds scattered throughout the landscape. She found herself being idly drawn in by the trickle of moving water, curious to sort out just what could be found growing at the edge of creek bed.

"Aurelia Veratti"

"And who are you?" Kaino came up behind the blue marked woman. She'd seen her face here and there, but they'd never been properly introduced to one another. The menfolk had such bad manners. "You're definitely not a Saxe, so how do you fit into the equation?" Not that Kai knew every single Saxe on the planet, but she knew a fair few. This woman didn't hold herself like a Saxe. She held herself kind of like a bridling Sidi.

Kaino stepped in close, invading the woman's personal space so that she could fully inhale her scent. Mmm, she smelled Sephiran's manly scent clinging to the woman. A soft chuckle pulled from the lavender and smoke fae. "Ahhhh... close contact with my sweet cousin, eh?" The bob-tailed woman then took a step away, moving towards the sound of running water. A little stream meandered through the plain and Kaino lowered her muzzle to it, scenting its cleanliness before taking a little sip. Once satiated, she looked back over her shoulder at the other woman. "I'm surprised he lets you out of his sight. We both know how... all consuming... my cousin can be." Then she flashed a brilliant smile. "I'm Kaino, by the way." As if she didn't know.

"Speech"

The subtle flick of Aurelia's ears picked up the sound of approaching footsteps, alerting her to the presence of Kaino. The woman was a familiar face, one that Aurelia had seen around but had never formally met. Kaino's boldness was evident in her confident stride as she stepped into Aurelia's personal space without hesitation. Despite feeling irritated by the intrusion, Aurelia maintained her composure, her expression guarded as she listened to Kaino's tone of voice. Taunting. That was the impression that she got, and she couldn’t help the resentment that boiled beneath her surface. “All consuming … dictating sadistic asshole. It’s all the same, I suppose. Whichever you prefer.” Aurelia's words held a bitter edge as she spoke of Sephiran, her disdain for him evident in the way she clenched her jaw. She narrowed her sapphire gaze at Kaino, the flicker of defiance dancing in her eyes. “I’m Aurelia," she replied coolly, a hint of steel in her voice as she made no effort to hide her animosity toward the idea of Sephiran. With a flick of her tail, she held her ground, meeting the other fae’s icy blue gaze- refusing to be intimidated by her proximity.

"Aurelia Veratti"

Kaino didn't give two shits about the woman's salty attitude, nor did she mind that Aurelia seemed to loathe Sephiran. The blue marked fae's assessment of her cousin brought laughter bubbling up within Kaino and the lavender fae shook her head, mismatched eyes filled with mirth. "Oh, you seem to know him very well." Kaino would never deny that Sephiran was difficult to deal with. She imagined that growing up together was the only reason that she could tolerate the man.

A long stretch was given and Kaino yawned, her rump in the air complete with bobbed tail flicking. The woman then sank down to her svelte belly. "Did he make you his Sidi or is he allowing you to be free?" Neither mattered to Kaino. Nila was a Sidi and she was also her closest friend and lover. There was no judgement in her tone when she asked the question. Only curiosity.

"Speech"

Aurelia's nostrils flared slightly, a reflexive response to the sharpness of Kaino's words as they cut through the air. A mix of irritation and resignation stirred within her, like a turbulent storm brewing just beneath the surface. She despised the notion of being reduced to nothing but Sephiran's Sidi, a mere pawn in his twisted game of power and control. The thought of it grated against her pride, igniting a fiery defiance within her that burned like molten lava in her veins.

"It seems like I've been called that before," Aurelia replied tersely, her tone laced with bitterness as she struggled to contain the simmering anger bubbling beneath the surface. The very idea of being tethered to Sephiran's will like some obedient servant made her skin crawl. "But make no mistake, Kaino," she continued, her voice steady but edged with defiance, "if I wanted to leave, there's nothing that would prevent me from doing so."

Aurelia's gaze bore into Kaino's, a silent challenge burning in her sapphire eyes. She refused to be shackled by the expectations and judgments of others, determined to carve out her own path regardless of the obstacles in her way. If that meant enduring the disdainful whispers and sidelong glances of those around her, then so be it. She would not be confined by the chains of others' perceptions.

"Aurelia Veratti"

Aurelia spoke and Kaino chuckled again. "You're very touchy," the silver gloved fae pointed out with a grin. "That's all well and fine now, but I've known my cousin a lot longer than you have." Kai rose to her paws once more, giving her tri-colored coat a nice shake before facing the other woman. "A mouth like that will end up with a missing tongue. If you raise a paw against him, he'll snap your leg like a twig." Kaino's attention upon the other woman never wavered, but her expression sobered. "And if you somehow do find it within yourself to run, make sure that you never stop. The moment that you stop... he'll catch you and he'll make you beg for death before the end." It wasn't pomp or showing off of any sort. Kaino knew what Sephiran was capable of. She also knew what he was incapable of. Mercy was one of those things. If her warning could help this angry woman, then so be it.

"Stay safe, Aurelia," Kai spoke in a singsong voice, her playful expression returning. With that, she turned and made her way back towards the rest of the band. Talking to a stick in the mud was a big mood killer and Kai was in too good of a mood to risk it.

"Speech"