Drawing Them/Painting Them/Art

Drawing Them/Painting Them/Art

Amaya pulled Janai away from the reception, telling everyone -My Radiance and I have a private appointment to keep- with that playful smirk. Janai tried not to blush, it would help if nearly everyone else hadn't instantly turned red. Everyone except King Ezran, who gave her a little thumbs up, making her blush even harder as she recalled their talk of 'sandwiches'.

"That was not funny." Janai scolded her when they were alone.

-Okay, okay. I'm sorry everyone out there is under the impression two newlyweds are leaving the party to make sandwiches.- Amaya's silent laughter undercut the apology. -Is it really a big deal here? In Katolis, it's almost expected for the couple to sneak off.-

"That wasn't very sneaky."

-Best I could do.- At least she didn't throw Janai over her shoulder like Sarai did with Callum's father. Or sweep her off her feet for a princess carry like with Sarai had with Ezran's father. Sarai had nearly given the royal steward a heart attack for that particular infraction of royal decorum. Amaya had nearly died laughing, Harrow just grinned apologetically, waved and looped his arms around Sarai's neck. -Are you ready?-

"Are you?"

Amaya answered by hopping up on the table. Janai took that as a yes and gathered the necessary supplies. She brought them over, along with a small chest. After setting thing up, she took her bride's face in her hands for a long moment and took an equally long kiss; enjoying the touch while she could.

The elf took washed her wife's face. Then she took great time and care in tracing a pattern on each cheek, it had to be perfect. Personally, Janai would have preferred a professional to do it, but Amaya insisted.

After the pattern was approved, she began to fill it in. On her right cheek, a line curving slightly upwards just above her jawline, a three small triangles just above it; a three pointed sun. On the other side, Amaya ignored the tradition of symmetry (-No reason to try to blend in with the other sunfires, I will always stand out in the crowd-). Instead of the other three points of the sun, she had the uneven towers of Katolis rising up the curve of her cheek; her homeland and her chosen land both represented in gold.

There. It'd taken three times longer than it needed to, but it was done. Now for the final touch. She opened the chest and pulled out a circlet crown, and placed it on her queen's head. Amaya was now officially a queen of the sunfire. She joined her wife in front of the mirror, looking over the sunfire paint, clothing and crown.

-How do I look?-

Breathtaking? Like a queen? A gift from the sun herself? Like all Janai's dreams brought to life? Good enough that Janai didn't know whether she she should bow and swear allegiance or fall in love all over again?

-"Beautiful."- she signed, wanting so bad to kiss Amaya but unable to touch her face while the gold patterns dried. She settled for squeezing her hand, "Now we wait."

-For what?-

"..." was this a trick question? Surely Amaya knew exactly what Janai was waiting for, "I can't kiss you for a few hours."

-You can't kiss my face for a few hours. You really can't think of anywhere else to put those lips?- she asked with a look that sent a jolt through Janai, -On your knees, My Radiance.-

-Yes, My Queen.-

Future

In the heart of the Sunfire capital, there is a statue of the first Queens of Nova Aurora. People take shelter from the rain under Queen Amaya's raised shield, they use the fireruby lit runes on Queen Janai's unsheathed sword to light their way. Parents take pictures of their children posing like the queens, playful lovers pose like they're battling each other at the Breach.

At the base of the statue there is the inscription 'We gain nothing if we throw away the chance to learn and grow'. There is a urban legend that somewhere, hidden on the statue there is the secret inscription 'Karim and Viren are dicks.'. This is untrue, that is what Amaya inscribed on a book sent to her old friend, Opeli.

But on Queen Janai's right vambrace, the one above the couple's intertwined hands, there is the small inscription 'Do you pose for a statue with all your prisoners, Queen Janai?'

Fifth Day of Gift-Giving

Five Fights (and Reconciliations)

... five times they fought and reconciled

The fight had been about nothing. They had been on edge for the last couple weeks and it finally came out of them. Thank god a conversation and a big hug was all that was needed to make up.

He had told her not to make a fuss about his birthday. He definitely hadn’t told her to plan a surprise party.

It had all just been a big misunderstanding and after finding that out all they could do was laugh.

They had very different approaches to problem solving and it took some time to figure out how to accept that without getting into fights every time they disagreed on something.

Humour is different for everyone, but when they realize that they’ve hurt their friend with their careless jokes, they know that they desperately need to apologize and do better next time.

24 Days of Gift-Giving

Fantasy prison guards discuss some of the most mundane items prisoners have used to escape. An old guard white with age shivers as he remembers the day an imprisoned Druid received a mouldy potato for their meal.

Sobbing/Crying/Tears

The General, Amaya, was back. She came back. Janai couldn't believe it. The little king had promised to send help when he got back to Katolis, and Janai did believe the boy would try. She also believed his nation would be in turmoil, and he would have to spend months sorting things out before attempting to send aid. Imagine her people's surprise to find Katolian soldiers escorting wagons of supplies so soon after they left; imagine her surprise to find General Amaya at the head.

And it was awkward between them. Before they left, Janai was sure they'd never see each other again; she had to lead her people, the general had to care for her nephews. Their paths were different, but she couldn't let the human leave without letting her know how she felt.

With the language barrier, Janai had to calling for the linguist, Kazi. She'd asked for a simple phrase 'I'll miss you', short, sweet, ambiguous enough not to start any rumors. Kazi had showed her another word without prompting 'beautiful'...maybe 'I'll miss you' was more obvious than she thought.

Neithertheless, she pressed on, getting the general alone and carefully signing the phrase. The look of surprise softened and the phrase was repeated to her. Janai still remembered her heart pounding as she closed the distance and leaned in for a kiss. A kiss she'd half expected the woman to refuse. She hadn't, they kissed, long, sweet and sad. Janai had watched the general mount up, pulling a giggling king up by his shirt to ride with her, and begin the long track home. She was heartbroken, but...a sliver of her was relieved, an infatuation for a human was a complication she didn't need. When Amaya returned, she did the formal greeting, and fell into her duties, the cheerful, teasing woman she'd grown fond of disappeared; replaced by a sour soldier. She felt like she should clear things up between them, let the general know she didn't expect anything. They could work together as comrades and not worry about feelings. She honestly felt incredibly a little foolish for thinking she was anything more than a novelty to the human. It was fine, though, if she were a cheep thrill for the woman, it made it easier to get over her.

The general liked to leave the camp after her duties were finished. Hiding it seemed. Well, that was easily solved. Janai grabbed a journal, a gift from Prince Callum, and went to find her. She heard sobbing before she saw anyone, she dismounted and cautiously closed the distance to the noise, now looking for whoever was so downhearted; General Amaya could wait.

She stopped suddenly, a knife laid at her throat, then it retreated just as quickly. It was General Amaya, caught off guard and assuming an ambush. Janai got a good look at her in the fading sunset light. Tears streaked down her face, the sobbing woman was General Amaya? The woman turned her face, and wiped away the tears on her sleeve.

"What's wrong?" She asked, the single sign was lost on her so she gave Amaya the journal and coal pen,

"Nothing." she wrote

"Do not lie."

"Okay, a lot, but you wouldn't understand."

"I wouldn't?" she was almost offended, had she not lost her home, her sister, her entire future to lead her displaced people; she had more right to sob than anyone in the world at the moment. She told Amaya as much,

"At least your remaining family wants you around."

"And yours doesn't? I don't understand, they seemed to adore you."

"And I was still ordered away. Again!!!" A good portion of the page went on to explain that after Amaya's sister-queen died in battle with the Dragon King, Amaya was sent away to guard the Breach against retaliation by her brother-in-law, where she spent years separated from her family when she should have been there to help raise her nephews. She'd been sent away. Now, after the death of King Harrow, when she should be with her family now more than ever, she'd been sent even further away to Xadia. Looking at it with all the information, it was easy to see why she felt like her family didn't want her.

"I can order you away, you know." She offered, she owed this woman so much after all. The general shook her head sadly,

"I tried to talk Ezran out of sending me away. He wouldn't hear it. The damn glowtoad snitched on us, now the boys think we're in love."

"Oh...oh, I'm sorry. I never meant for this to happen."

"It's not your fault. And I know they're trying to help, but" words were scribbled out, it looked like something horrible you said about a loved one before remembering that you did, in fact, love them, "I wish they would listen."

"I could write to them?"

"You really think they would listen to you?"

"Not if they're anything like their aunt." She reasoned, making the woman laugh. At least it was a step in the right direction.

The Year Wrapped: Artist's Edition

Because @ash-and-starlight is right why can't we find one for artists, hugely inspired by the AO3 wrapped ask meme from @floydsin

How many works of art have you made this year?

How many works of art have you shared?

How long did you spend creating in an average month this year? Was any month more or less creative?

How many different styles/medium (e.g., digital art, traditional art, comics, sculpture, paper craft, etc.) did you try this year?

What work are you most proud of (regardless of likes/reblogs)?

What work of yours has the most likes/reblogs/notes this year?

What work of yours got more feedback than you expected?

How many total reblogs/likes/kudos did you get this year?

What's your favorite set of tags/comments you received this year?

What inspired/motivated you this year?

What pairing/character/subject did you create the most for this year?

Favorite pairing/character/subject you created art of this year?

What pairing/character/subject/body part/object gave you the most trouble this year?

What's one pairing/character/subject/body part/object you want to explore next year?

Is there any new style/technique/medium you want to explore next year?

What piece was the quickest to create?

What piece took the longest to create?

What work of yours do you go back to admire again the most?

Did you do any collaborative works this year?

Is there anyone you'd love to collaborate with next year?

Did you create any gifts this year?

Did you receive any gifts this year?

What WIP(s) are you taking into next year with you?

What did you listen to while creating this year?

What is your favorite work that you created this year?

What was your most-used pose/perspective/color this year?

Biggest surprise while creating art this year?

Did you learn anything about your art/process/style this year?

What are you excited for next year when it comes to your art?

Share a fun quick little sketch because why not!