Tati Gabrielle As Jo Braddock Uncharted (2022) Dir. Ruben Fleischer

who? @yaviefey where? the last bean notes: they are getting some pumpkin spice lattes <3

"I must thank you for your presence at the festivities," Robin nods at the former Autumn Fey as she approaches the table he has taken for himself. She had heard of the change, the Council of Elders whispering legends of Astral elf and what it meant for Yavie the change, but she had not believed them until her eyes had fallen upon him on the festivities and she had not found the call of Autumn on him. It is a loss keenly felt, but not as much as that of Farenduil, for Yavie remains untouched by mortality in the same Farenduil has been infected. "I had assumed that you would take the opportunity that make a proper clean break, and truly, I would not have blamed you for it."

Unlike so many, Robin had been lucky. Fen'harel had never attempted to sink their claws on her, her apparent foolishness and lack of presence within the Autumn Court as she traveled through the Otherworld keeping her out of the realm of influence of the Dread Wolf. Many of the others had not the luck, and she did not blame the resentment that had festered on them, seeded by the traitors hand.

"Do tell, was it to your liking?"

wadecalhoun​:

          He’d not been privy to the mysticism of the Otherworld before, had been prepared for it by The Eye’s admissions, but the Archer had never seen it firsthand. He’d not know, inherently, if this was some infernal place disguised as the realm, but it certainly felt embedded with irrefutable malfeasance, a suffocating miasma of death which clouded the two. “So, the Otherworld wouldn’t be so littered with bodies, yeah?” It sounds like a cold and calloused inquiry and Wade’s expression is grim as he looks down upon the soulless cadavers that litter the woodsy floor. Though he’s a bit hopeless in the brains department in lieu of any brawn, Wade peers around the shadowy realm, nods at Robin in finality, “Well, even if it’s a fake place parading around as the Otherworld, it’ll have to mirror it, then. Wouldn’t you know of some exit in the real place?” An unrealistic solution but they’d have to try.

....

“Not quite, it’s inhabitants would have eaten them before long,” Robin says as she observes the bodies more closely with narrowed eyes. She had traveled the area around the Courts enough times to know that the Otherworld was a dangerous place, but one in which predators did not falter when it came to devouring their prey. “The Otherworld is a rather dangerous place, however, so I recommend you keep an eye out as I will likely have a hard time protecting us.” Then, she tilts her head in consideration as she thinks his words through. She has a basic sense of recognition of the area, so she would likely be able to guide them to one of the exists she knows if they are lucky. “Perhaps, and it is worth a shot. I believe there is a exit nearby, but we might have to search for it as I have only been on this area’s counterpart a few times.”

Tati Gabrielle

"Nothing more than what you have already willingly given: an introduction and the pleasure of your company," Robin says with a snort, bringing the goblet on her hand to her lips and taking a deep sip from her spiked cider, eyes calm as she takes in the god before her, wondering how he would take her response. "I will not deny that your help would be a boon, but I did not call you here to ask for it. It is not my place to demand for it, particularly not when you are on a vacation at this point in time."

She is not idiotic enough to demand help from a god, specially not the god before her, known for his neutrality. That would be both an insult to her intelligence and one to his character, to believe something as simple as an invitation would convince him to change his mind on an stance that he had kept for far longer she has been alive.

"In reality, I am rather curious about you, now that I have been accepted by the Holt and experienced entropy by myself," she admits with a shrug and take s a deep breath.

Next year, that would have been funny if it weren't so sad. Undoubtedly the chancellor's heart was in the right place, but if he had to ask for an invitation then clearly he wasn't welcome. No, no, he'd already made up his mind: these fey still hated him even after everything that he had done. His family never invited him to reunions either back in the day, not a feast or a single celebration. There was something to be said about not leaving the door open for Death. "Noble creatures," Thanatos said in short after Robin was done licking his boot, cat sidhe were quite particular, they chose nine people to follow before joining them in eterna. So brave, though nobody ever really owned them.

"I'm never summoned for pleasantries," Thanatos admitted, his candour still stifling and unchanged, "you're respectful, I'll give you that, much more than the rest of the inhabitants of Rome. My patience runs deep, but it does have an end; I can only assume that you want something from me." He took a bite of the biscuit he'd been lovingly fixing, delicious, though his features were stilled just the same. Washed down with some mead, beer was more to his taste but he didn't expect the chancellor to know that.

TATI GABRIELLE ph. Tatijana Shoan for AS IF Digital Cover (April 2023)

wintersaurora​:

❅

Aurora sighed, rolling her eyes but nodding. “I understand, Rob, I do. But unless you’ve been in that situation, I really could not explain to you how difficult it is to think of anything but giving peace of mind to the people that you care about, especially when you’ve already made their family’s life difficult to begin with by bringing in your own world.” She wouldn’t have bothered even explaining that much, as little as it was, had it not been Robin. But Aurora had known her, barely after the cusp of maturity, and so she had always held her words back less. They flowed out like a reckless young adult’s.

“I never mind how harsh you are, you already know I don’t. But don’t extend that to him and don’t act like you know my nephew or the situation better than I do. If you mention anything about him getting killed or bound again, I’m going to take that very seriously,” Aurora replied, impressively calm. “And I’m trying to be level-headed tonight. So while you’ve given me some sage counsel, Robin, the best you can do now is keep an eye on him every once in a while if you’d like to help him in any way. That is all.” Though much unlike their youth, Aurora now spoke with the crushing finality of a Chancellor. 

...

“According to you our experiences do not align in the slightest,” she notes, voice amused still even as the ever present warmth fades from her eyes. It is not that Aurora is fully wrong, and yet she is not fully right either. She had brought plenty of mortals into their world, whether they wanted to learn about it or not. Anne and William had just been the beginning, the parents and childrens she had set up for her plans a continuance of said actions. Despite the Chancellors assumptions, she knew rather well what it mean to bring someone to this world. She did not care for all of her birds equally, but she is not heartless and there are some she had loved and lost for the greater good. Still, she gives Aurora some grace, as she knows nothing of what is going on behind the scenes. ”I will simply add that I have actually experience similar situations, but I see that doesn’t matter so I shall keep the rest of my words to myself.”

Aurora is an old friend, and Robin will always hold her dear for that. That doesn’t mean that Robin approves of her every action, nor she likes some of them. The younger eladrin’s tendency to default to her position as a Chancellor as a trump card over and over again is one of the things that grate her the most. It’s truly infuriating when she believes herself to be better just because her father died before his time and she was chosen to replace them. Yes, Aurora had the prowess and the intelligence necessary to assume the role of chancellor, but damn did her arrogance undermine her every move when she used her title to end every argument, assuming that being a chancellor could make up for being wrong.

“Of course, Chancellor,” she says thinly, with a brief yet almost mocking bow to demonstrate her annoyance at the other’s use of her position in what was supposed to be a conversation amidst friends. “I will endeavor to do as Your Excellency orders, despite the fact you do not head my court.”

TATI GABRIELLE Uncharted (2022) dir. Ruben Fleischer

wadecalhoun​:

          He flinches as Robin tosses the shield atop of them, Wade had expected her vehemence to triumph over all and confusion for what they’re currently enduring, to the way she still came forth to protect him, settles over the Archer as they drift into blackness. He’s unsure of how long he’d been out and Wade snaps to attention, the rustling of trees and the chittering of creatures has Wade standing, or rather scrambling to attention. Robin’s not far off and he half-jumps over to her, kneeling beside her as he unsheathes a knife. It’s poised to strike in his hand, yet his other hand hovers over the autumn fey, frowning down at her with a litany of thoughts and extempore he’d never say aloud. There’d be time to grieve the new chasm between them, but now was not such time for he could have sworn the ground beneath her was swirling, haunted by his own imagination. This place gave him the damned creeps and though his eyes peered around the cavernous depths of the woods, he’s shaking her awake in tandem, a hushed whisper escaping him, “Robin?.. Robin,” more emphasis as he attempted to rouse her, “Where the hell did you take us?” He’s a mere human, he can’t actually sense magic, but everything that revolved around him felt pretty damned fey-like to him, begrudgingly so as his eyes peered past the littering of bodies that surrounded them, listless and still.

...

Awakening comes with Wade’s voice and his shaking, and it takes her a long second to rouse through the sluggishness she feels. Her magic is oddly settled against her skin, an uncomfortable feeling that she has to asses at once, but first, she flickers her eyes open to find Wade above her with a knife on hand. A droll look is sent his way as his words register, and she brushes his hand away as she straightens into a sitting position, not bothering to dignify him with words as she glances around with a level eye. The scenario is familiar for years spent exploring the boundaries near the courts, the Otherworld stands before them but it does not feel right. Not when there is an ominous sentiment settling over her chest as she looks around. Finally, she deigns to look at Wade as she stands up and brushes off any dust that had gotten on her clothes. She does so by hand first, and then attempts to gather a gust of wind, but the air around them is filled with twinkling flames instead. A swift curse leaves her as she cuts her magic.

“I did nothing but throw shields in an attempt to protect us,” she explains him calmly as she looks around. “And if I venture a guess, I would say we are somewhere that looks like the Otherworld, but not quite, as something is interfering with my magic.”