prologue

"They say if you dream a thing more than once, it’s sure to come true…"

"You were born of brightness," her mother would whisper as they lay beneath the stars, "Proof that when true passion sparks, it cannot be caged."

In Solene's wide, curious eyes, there was never sadness when faced with the knowledge that the only family she knew was her mother. Her father existed in legend. Any questions of anything else? Well, those were quickly washed away with her mother's dazzling smile and the heart pounding race with the sun.

Solene's childhood was a tumble of caravans and music and laughter drifting on the breeze. She learned the road the way that most learn their alphabets. From dusty deserts to lush forests, her mother danced in every corner of the realm that welcomed a well-placed jig or a captivating tale. And Solene followed eagerly, bright-eyed, catching glimpses of magic in every new place.

She learned to fear stillness, to let her feet rest too long in one place, lest they grow roots. Her mother was quick to sweep her up into a wagon seat, humming familiar tunes, her carefree spirit the only compass they needed.

Between taverns and torchlit squares, Solene grew - fed on applause, lulled by nightingale songs, and warmed by fires built in those in between places.

"Where you lead, I will follow."

Chapter I

The Painted Masquerade

“Here comes the sun, and I say, it’s all right…”

Once upon a time, there was a young Miqo’te who seemed to drift through life on motes of golden sunlight. The moment she stepped into a room, lanterns glowed a little brighter. Calico curls dancing at her shoulders, freckled cheeks brushed with an irresistible warmth. Her laughter soared above the din like a playful melody, drawing strangers to her orbit with ease.

They knew her as a traveling enchantress with a smile like honeyed cider. Her attire was a swirl of dark and vibrant fabrics offset by flashes of gold; rings that caught the torchlight and a dainty bow at her throat. She moved with the breezy confidence of someone who believed wholeheartedly in her own sparkling illusions; one could almost hear her humming, It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day… as she flit from one fascination to the next. Even her stumbles turned into moments of delighted laughter, as though she knew she was a cat with infinite lives.

So long as light was cast upon her, she remained an eternal spark, unburdened by storms and sweetly untouched by lurking shadows. She was her own masquerade of glitter and fire.

“Ignite the light and let it shine.”

Name: Solene Sorel
Age: 23
Gender: Female (She/Her)
Sexuality: Questioning, Masc lean
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Status: Trainwreck

Chapter II

Behind the Veil

“It’s always darkest before the dawn…”

Alas, the girl did not truly drift between sunbeams untouched. When the music faded and the lanterns dimmed, she found herself lost in quiet moments of darkness, haunted by doubts she could never quite name. Her heart would drum too quickly, urging her to run before she grew too attached. "I still haven't found what I'm looking for.." echoed through her thoughts whenever comfort felt too close to bear.

Each sunrise brough that flicker of unease, but she masked it with a careless smile. She roamed free as the wind, but each night her steps would falter, shadowed by the fear that no matter how far she wandered, the uncertainty within her would follow. To cling to anyone or anywhere would open her to the storms that lingered just beyond her masquerade of glittering laughter.

And so she wandered on, living by a warm hearth one day and the open road the next, never lingering long enough to feel the ache of belonging. It was a fragile dance between chasing dawn and fleeing dusk. Her soul balanced preciously between dazzling sunbeams and the restless hush of sleepless nights.

“In restless dreams I walked alone…”

Few are given chance to see behind the veil.Tread carefully if you do.Any sudden movements and she'll slip through your fingers, leaving behind only memories and the faint scent of citrus and sunshine.

Chapter III

Threads of Adventure

“At last I see the light, and it’s like the fog has lifted…”

They say fate can be quite a tricky thing, like an unspun thread that taunts with endless possibilities. For a girl who darted from sunrise to sunset, never pausing long enough to feel the weight of any one place, when fate called - it felt like a puzzle she was never meant to solve.

Yet, when she stumbled into an enchanted little cottage, it felt like an echo of her own spirit, called out, "Oh simple thing, where have you gone?" And she could not stop herself from meeting that call. She paused. She felt it's gentle pull. And in a moment of wild courage, she bound herself to something so immense it took her breath away.

A vow to stand still, to tend and protect a place that needed her as much as she needed it. That same restless girl who fled every shadow now dared to weave herself into something old and frightening and all too thrilling. And so the traveling enchantress chose to stay. To become the groundskeeper of a magic she could scacely understand.

“I have crossed the horizon to find you…”

((Aetherstitch is a 21+ RP community lead by Solene and a few friends. It is open to any with a similar interest in writing stories with a good mixture of humor, drama, suspense, and adventure.))

Interlude

"Today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten."

You didn't think her story was over yet, did you?

No, not nearly. But, here is your chance to find your place in it.

Public Hooks

No permission needed. Jump into any of these hooks!

I. Have you met my mother?
Solene often introduces herself as the daughter of Sera Sorel, the Sagolii Fire Opal. She's always thrilled to swap stories or learn if you've seen her mother perform.

II. Care for a reading?
She often caries a pouch of trinkets with her and will happily offer her own whimsical brand of fortune-telling. Her readings may seem playful, but sometimes there are real truths hidden within.

III. I swear we've met before...
She's traveled widely and met countless faces - most of which she doesn't remember. It is possible you've crossed paths once or more before and she simply doesn't recall at first.

IV. "Can I borrow you for a moment?"
Need an instant friend to rescue you from an awkward conversation or a dull moment? Solene will "yes, and" any situation without pause.

Rare Hooks

Some level of coordination is needed for these hooks.
Please ask FIRST before attempting them in RP.

I. Threadseer / Aetherstitch
Do you also see the threads of fate? Perhaps you sense something echoing in Solene's presence. Or something more?

II. Amateur Fin Dom
Solene was recently introduced to the thrilling concept of financial domination. She is fascinated by the idea of someone wanting to be mistreated into parting ways with their gil. She finds the concept delightful, but is far from a pro.

III. Arcane Summoning Partner
Solene’s brand of magic is whimsical and not always well-documented, relying on intuition. While she will claim an allergy to classrooms and traditional learning, she is always excited to share and learn from others.

IV. The Summons of Sera Sorel
Solene’s charismatic mother, Sera, occasionally reaches out for help.. and it’s never a small affair. Solene's loyalty to her mother is absolute, even if it means getting roped into others questionable escapades. Perhaps you know her mother and are engaged in such a venture, Sera might send Solene to "help".

Appendix

ties that bind

Here you will find a list of notable connections to Solene.

Places & Organizations

Aetherstitch
Solene's current residence. In fact, her first permanent residence. A magical cottage full of mystery.

NPCs

Sera Sorel
Solene's Mother, a traveling performer. Also known as the Sagolii Fire Opal.

Valerine Dubois
An older Elezen woman Solene met in her childhood, who gifted Solene a magical book of fairytales.

Eclipse
The first bit of magic Solene ever cast. Eclipse is a horse made of shadows and fire, and a regular companion of Solene.

Player Characters

Aster Coldtide
One to whom Solene is bound by fate, but has yet to resolve just where that path will lead.

Thistle Coldtide
Aster's twin sister, who seems just as intrinsically tangled by fate.

Author's Note

The OOC stuff

Hi there! Thanks for taking interest in Solene. At the time of writing this, she is a really new character and I'm excited about expanding her world. I might come off as aloof, but I promise that is just the neurospicy awkwardness. I am awkward af but not scary, I promise!

I do have some pretty strong preferences, however, and hope you'll respect them.

RP Partners

RP Styles

Smut you say?

Torn from the Heavens

Chapter 1

Hi, my name is Amaranth Love Honey Glimmersong and I have long golden hair (that reaches my ankles) with streaks of pastel pink and a few curls of divine flame that I don’t style, they just do that naturally. My eyes are like two molten pools of caramelized honey made out of stars and hope (that’s how I got my second middle name). I sparkle with the aura of unfiltered joy and my tail is fluffy even when it gets wet. I’m half-Miqo’te (but not one of those lame ones from a tribe) and half-celestial being from an ancient bloodline that is too powerful to be named unless you want your eyes to bleed.

I’m NOT like other adventurers.

I look like a hotter Azeyma (AN: if you don’t know who she is get the hells out of here!). I’m regal AF. For example, today I was wearing a bunch of gold bangles and golden Hannish lace, gold lipsticks and golden dipped shoes. My freckles are gold too. Those are real not just makeup. I was walking up to Ishgard and it was snowing and gross. A lot of guards stared at me. I put up my middle finger at them.

“YOU CAN’T ENTER HERE” they said but I just looked them in the eyes and said, “The sun RISES even HERE.” They started sobbing uncontrollably and opened the gates IMMEDIATELY to let me in. Probably because my presence awakened something in their hearts because of my celestial blood that makes anyone within 10 fulms of me fall hopeless in love with me even if they’re gay.

Anyway, I walked into Ishgard and everyone looked at me. Some passed out. An old lady went blind. Aymeric was there (OMG HE IS SO DREAMY LIKE A BLUEBERRY IN ARMOR) and he saw me and his jaw practically fell off. “Who is SHE?” He asked Haurchefant, who said “I don’t know, but you would die for her, probably.”

I tossed my curls. “My name is Amaranthe Love Honey Glimmersong.”

TO BE CONTINUED...

Chapter 2

I walked to the Forgotten Knight and the doors burst open even though I only gently touched them. Sometimes my aura does that when I'm emotionally radiant. The whole tavern was silent, except for the bard who immediately threw down his lute and cried because he knew he'd never write a ballad as beautiful as me. I casually flipped my hair and strolled in like I owned the place. Honestly, on a spiritual level, I do.

At that EXACT moment, Estinien Wyrmblood was down on one knee with a ring made from the shattered scale of Nidhogg in his hand. He was about to propose to the most beautiful woman in all of Ishgard, well, formerly, until I got there. Her name was Thistle Nightbloom and she was almost as flawless as me. She had dark, silky hair that flowed like a shadowy waterfall down her back and piercing purple eyes like expensive gems filled with the souls of her enemies and everyone who ever fell in love with her. Her dress was custom Ishgardian velvet. Literally everyone wanted her. Even the head of the Holy See.

But then Estinien saw me, he stopped and his mouth opened and closed like a confused fish. He burbled some nonsense and the ring fell out of his hands and rolled to my feet. Thistle looked at him and then at me and then at her reflection in my eyes, which she could see because my irises are basically reflective pools of light.

And then she said, "Thank fuck. I didn't want to marry a guy who I can't trust with my gil purse."

And just like that, we were BEST FRIENDS.

Thistle sashayed over to me like we'd known each other all our lives and past lives too. "You're Amaranthe Love Honey Glimmersong," she said without needing me to tell her. "I could sense your hotness the second you got to Coerthas." Then we hugged and laughed. The bard tried to play his lute but it exploded.

Estinien stood there with his dumb hot face and said, "Does this mean I'm not getting married?"

We ignored him and left.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Chapter 34

It was a bright sunny morning and I was chilling on my gold leaf chaise with Thistle (my BFF and style goddess) and Aster (her tragically gay twin who is SO HOT I definitely did him, but accidentally made him gay cause I said it was just a one time thing.) We were drinking butterfly nectar tea and talking about how boring Ishgardian fashion is (like do they even know what color is?) when all of a sudden.. he appeared.

His name was Ravenn Noctvale (yeah with 2 N’s because he’s exotic). He is the HOTTEST Viera ever. Like. His abs have abs. He wears this black leather armor and his hair is like if moonlight had emotions, the kind that just dramatically flop over in his eyes but in a sexy way. “Amaranthe,” he said with a voice that was broody and dripped with melancholic liquid darkness, “I have walked the forest of sorrow and only your sparkling eyes made me feel my feelings again.” He was so hot it made me feel things too but probably not the same things, since I don’t know what it’s like to be broody and depressed.

But then! GET THIS! I didn’t even have time to say anything and the sky LITERALLY exploded (for real it was like fireworks or something). And a carriage flew down from the sky and the most romantic man ever born stepped out. His name is Alejandro de las Rosas del Sol de la Luna de Mi Alma. His hair flapped in the wind like fine copper fabric and he ripped of his shirt for no reason and put a rose between his teeth and held out a plate of flan. “Mi dulce flor del sol.” He said in a sexy accent, “I haff come from de ocean to claim your heart!” But in a better accent than that.

Thistle was like “OMG YAS” and made Aster go get a fresh bucket of popcorn. He gave a really gay sigh and rolled his eyes but it was still sexy. Thistle threw her glass of champagne because she knew you can’t really celebrate with tea, and shouted “LET THEM DUEL FOR HER LOVE!” and I was like, “OMG YES! A TOURNAMENT!”

So anyway, everyone in Eorzea heard about it instantly. Even Emmanellain wrote a shitty poem about it. Even Alisaie was like, “I swear if I hear another word about this..” but then she was on the fucking first row. Hypocrite. And the WHOLE arena was covered in glitter and roses and all the shirtless fan boys got to stand in the way so I didn’t have to look at Alisaie’s stupid face.

The first round started! There were swords and fire and HOT sexual tension. Like the kind where they clash and skid apart and look deep into each other’s eyes while breathing really hard. They did that A LOT and it turned into a tie! The next round would really test them hard.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Chapter 38.5

(If you're not crying by the end of this chapter you have NO SOUL and are probably an Ishgardian tax collector)

So anyway, it was time for the FINAL round and I was like super torn because both Ravenn and Alejandro were so hot and perfect and wounded in their own deliciously opposite ways, but also it’s even harder because I’m the most emotionally complex person in the realm (and probably in all the other realms too if we’re being honest) so obviously my decision had to be completely and utterly meaningful. The only way was for them both to take me on dates. One at a time, because together would probably get weird. Not that I couldn’t handle it. I’ve been on those kind of dates before but never when it really mattered.

Ravenn came to pick me up wearing black leather pants that clung to him like all of his regrets and a long coat with no shirt underneath because he knew I liked seeing his abs, which looked like they were carved from marble and sorrow. His silver hair was tied in a loose, tormented bun, one perfect stand falling over his eye like veil of unspoken pain and secrets. He didn’t speak. He just held out his hand some somehow I heard him in my mind like a sex psychic whisper: “Come with me if you want to feel.”

So I did, duh.

We got on his flying motorcycle that was made out of black shadowsteel and had purple flames painted on the side and I wrapped my arms around him. His abs felt weirdly cold and he made a deep grunting noise, like he approved of my impeccable survival instincts. I knew he respected me intellectually. And then we felt into the night and everyone left on the ground gasped in awe when we did that thing where it made us look like a silhouette against the moon, even though his bike wasn’t really made for space travel.

He took me to this old ruined chapel in the middle of nowhere, and at first I was like ew, this place is haunted by mildew, bad decisions, and dust monsters. But then he turned to me with his eyes that looked like bottled twilight and whispered, “This place is cursed with the memory of things that could have been.” (I didn’t get it, but it sounded hot.)

It started raining as soon as he walked inside, like the sky was weeping for him. The ruins didn’t have a roof because ruins never do and so the rain poured over him and down his chest in perfect rivulets that just added to the aesthetic. His boots crunched over shattered glass like the bones of all his broken dreams.

“I don’t bring anyone here. Ever.” His voice was low and gravelly like it was forged in a volcano of despair, “But I had to show you the place where I learned what it meant to bleed without wounds.”

“Omg same.” I whispered and clung to his arm.

I sat in his lap on a crumbling pew that was definitely haunted and he pulled out a broken viola he found under a statue. He played the saddest song I’ve ever heard even though all the strings were snapped. The viola just respected his tortured artistic soul so much that it played perfectly anyway. “You make me believe that maybe.. I don’t have to be alone forever.” He said then immediately looked away because feelings are scary af.

Then he slowly took off his single black leather glove (he only wears one because of a tragic incident that no one else survived except him). Underneath his scarred hand trembled as he brushed my cheek with the back of it, like the emotionally repressed prince of darkness and twilight that he was. “You’d be better off with Alejandro but I would still die just to protect your smile.”

I almost cried but I didn’t because my tears hold ancient sun-magic passed down from forgotten gods, and just one drop would kill him instantly. “I don’t want you to die,” I said, my voice trembling with truth and beauty, “I want you to LIVE.. for me!”

Then we kissed and it was like he cast Slow on the whole world. Time froze except our lips and tongues, which were in perfect sync, our teeth didn’t even clash in that weird way that kinda hurts. Then the moment shattered and lightning struck the statue beside us, fire rained in the distance and an invisible moogle signed and whispered “..damn.”

Then Ravenn stared into my eyes like they were the last thing he’d ever see and said, “If you pick him, I’ll understand. But I’ll never stop loving you. Even if it kills me. Slowly. With more pain than I’ve ever endured before. Which is a lot.”

TO BE CONTINUED...

Chapter 38.5

So like, after my date with Ravenn, it was hard to even think about going out with anyone else. But all of Eorzea knew this was the FINAL round and I’m a woman of my word. I always keep my promises. Especially when they probably involve fireworks and shirtless declarations of undying devotion. It isn’t fan service if it’s just my life.

Then he came. Alejandro de las Rosas del Sol de la Luna de Mi Alma glided toward me like a golden dream sculpted from fate and every romance novel I ever read. He was in a golden gondola that shimmered with an inner light and was drawn by a team of chocobos draped in satin roses and sequined reins. His shirt (which was really more of a suggestion than an actual piece of clothing) billowed in the wind like it had practiced choreography with his hair. The parts of his chest that peeked through glistened like it was blessed by the sun and his pants? Painted on by destiny and luck.

“My luz eterna!” He sang in a voice so rich and buttery that it almost gave me high cholesterol, “Chu are more beautiful dan de sunrise over de waves of my homeland!” (His accident is still way hotter than that) Then he kissed the back of my hand for a long time. Like almost too long but also not long enough.

He pulled me into his gondola and magical candles began to float around it that immediately lit themselves and made it super romantic. He handed me a delicate saucer with a perfectly jiggling single serving size of flan and a tiny caramel heart on top. “I made dis.. from my soul,” He said, eyes smoldering. “And condensed milk.”

I was already feeling super romantico (obviously), but then we arrived at THE ballroom. Not just any ballroom. It was a ballroom that made the gods weep tears of bitter envy. The ceilings were made of glass and the walls sparkled like ice and there was a staircase that literally glowed and a full string ensemble of bards was playing passionate love songs. Rose petals fell from above but I don’t know where they came from because I could see right through the ceiling and didn’t see any rose petal machines.

The dance floor lit up when we stepped on it and I did a few really flashy steps just to show off how good I am at dancing. “Brava mi amor de mi vida de mi deseo eterno.” Alejandro said, clapping and weeping from how inspired he was just from watching me.

He took my hand and we danced the Forbidden Tango of Eternal Desire, which is banned in Ishgard for causing too many spontaneous engagements, but luckily we weren’t in Ishgard anymore. His movements were almost as flawless as mine and he burned with such passion that puffs of fire literally sparked in the air around him. And at one point, twirled and tipped me so hard I thought we were entering another Calamity. But then he caught me and his face was so close our eyelashes almost touched.

He pulled me closer and whispered with his lips brushing against mine and tickling a little, “Amaranthe,” he said romantically, “If loving chu es madness, may I never be sane again.”

I whispered back, “O.M.G.” (Yeah, the actual letters.)

He took my hand and placed it over his heart, which was beating like a hummingbird having a panic attack mid-mass in a giant cathedral. “This corazon has never known peace,” he said sexily, “Only my name on chur lips may soothe it.”

So I said his name because I’m a giver like that, “Alejandro de las Rosas del Sol de la Luna de Mi Alma...”

Then we kissed.

Thousands of rose petals rained over us and the bards instinctively broke into an almost perfect mariachi song except one of them had fainted. Everyone was staring and blushing and even the moon slid closer in the sky just to get a better look. (I could tell. I have really accurate celestial awareness.)

When we finally pulled apart, he looked into my eyes with the heat of thousands of saunas. “If chu choose him, I will not stop chu.” He said and wiped a tear from his cheek with a rose that he pulled out of thin air, “But Alejandro de las Rosas del Sol de la Luna de Mi Alma will WAIT.. because our love es written in de STARS!”

TO BE CONTINUED...