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Firelight and Friendly Steel (By Tamplior) - Motion ver.
No Motion ver. Link
____________________________𝔙𝔞𝔩𝔪𝔢𝔯𝔦𝔡𝔦𝔞 was was a dreamlike place in the red vixen’s eyes.
Fields that seemed almost endless, and old, gnarled willows, some of them older witnesses to time than the no less wondrous Castle della Verbena.
Every other corner invited one to dream by day or wander at leisure. Castle gardens, picturesque stonemasonry and fountains,
reading nooks tucked into the pale red sandstone of the castle, or cushioned armchairs in delightfully warm fireplace rooms.
Firm but skilled hands of a myriad of artists carefully engraved pillars, wall borders and window frames with intricate, floral imagery.
One could often daydream here and forget the world.
After a handful of days, the stay began to blur, at least through the eyes of a visitor, into a haze of interesting encounters,
delicious food, and new insights, which, thanks to the prince’s open-minded adviser, even included a first exploration of written texts.
The vixen would likely have gone on dreaming for quite some time, had a slightly tense voice not pulled her back into the present.
“You cannot be serious!” Silva Vernalis warned.
She too was a red vixen, and now raised an insistent finger into the air, straight before the bewildered spirit’s face.
“I am fully serious” the hare replied with a nod.
“Duels are a fine means of keeping the art of swordplay from growing rusty.
All the better if they are fought with sharp blades! That demands a measure of caution one would scarcely find with blunted practice swords.
And caution, as well as perseverance, my lass, is something of which our prince could ever make use of more, isn't it?
Come now, don't look at like that. How often has he swung Arnoglossa against me without harming so much as a hair on my head?”
“You are a spirit, Sir Cordiale!” the Court Lady burst out indignantly.
“Of course you remain unharmed afterwards! How often have I had to dab blood from princely lips after a failed parry? And today, neither of the combatants is a ghost.”
Before the castle ghost could press another objection, Silva shoved him aside and straight into the salmon-coloured wall of the stair-tower they were just descending.
Fenja rustled in the armour she wore beneath her clothing and spoke a few reassuring words over her shoulder in Silva’s direction.
“If it eases your mind, m’lady, I am wearing mail beneath my tunic. It should keep me from the worst of the First Blood.”
“Just so!” came the echo from farther back, as the dragon prince sprang past his court adviser with light, lively steps, quickly straightening his crown as he did so.
“And I have fought things far more troubling than a friendly guest within my own walls. Dragons on four legs, dragons on two legs, necromancers and their undead, other princes…”
The longer he spoke of his past triumphs, the more the prince began almost to vibrate. The euphoria was plain upon his face by the time he and his entourage finally reached the castle vaults.
It was a wide chamber, built wholly of the castle’s sandstone and supported by old, solemn columns, its torches ever burning.
By then he was grinning widely, almost childishly, and patted his foxish challenger upon the shoulder.
Her face looked just as delighted, as Silva had to note with a roll of her eyes.
Resigned, she sat herself upon one of the many crates and prepared some rudimentary sewing supplies and magical ingredients.
Fenja Weaver laid a clawed hand upon the pommel of her sword: “Ready for a dance, Prince?”
The dragon stretched his hand toward the ground and made a summoning gesture with his fingers: “I can hardly wait!”
Small stones rolled aside as the first buds of the fabled sword Arnoglossa began to press up out of the earth.
Later
With a click, the last leather buckle of the chainmail came undone, and with a few firm tugs it sank rattling onto the bench upon which the antlered vixen sat.
The tunic, it’s sleeve slightly bloodied, already lay folded at the edge. Fenja’s chest, bound with linen cloth, rose and fell in a quick rhythm.
The hair upon her head was slightly damp with sweat and clung to it, forming thicker strands, which fell unruly into her face. Upon her left arm, finally laid bare, one could see a fine, bleeding wound. It was not particularly deep, the cut was clean and even.
“To be honest, I had not thought it would pass through the mail so casually.” Fenja admitted, looking, despite her exertions, with a satisfied grin into Silva Vernalis’s focused face.
“Fortunately for you” the Court Lady conceded: “Borgon’s sword is never blunt. With every blooming it comes out of the earth as new.
I can likely stitch the wound. The few mail-links our farrier will mend, of course. And now hold still.”
A little farther away, the castle spirit fluttered excitedly around the victorious prince.
“That final strike was a delight, bravo! Who was your sword-father again? I should gladly like to make that splendid fellow’s acquaintance.” Sir Cordiale laughed, planting his hands upon his hips as he did so.
The prince, however, looked almost furtively over toward the two vixens and scarcely responded to the knight’s words.
“Her eyes were captivating, her stance exquisite, her sword-blows grim. Is this what the Valkyries of the northern lands look like, Sir Cordiale?”
The dragon sighed: “Do you think she would love a piece of torrone? I could invite her to some this evening. Perhaps wine as well…”
The ghost thoughtfully chewed on his semi-transparent lower lip and answered carefully: “I fear this Valkyrie loves other Valkyries above all else, my prince...”____________________________
Wow wow, what a nice piece I've got from my friend 
^^
This commission showcases the artist’s strong ability to create clear,
engaging fantasy scenes with a solid sense of composition and atmosphere.
The setting is easy to read, and the lighting adds just enough depth without overwhelming the characters.
Speaking about characters, I shared this commission with my friend 
.
Her beautiful Fenja comes across as confident, composed, and experienced,
but also quite charming and cute. Not gonna lie, Borgon is definitively enjoyin' their fight!
Overall, the piece reflects a good balance between technical execution and character presence.
It’s a clean, well-handled commission that delivers exactly what it sets out to do.
Also, for once backstory isn't mine ^^
My friend is great at writing, so I let her take care of it.
And boy, if she delivered!
Please, visit both my friends' pages and give them a watch~ If you enjoy my content, please consider supporting me on these social media:
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Your donations will be used for the production of long comic projects set in the princedom of Valmeridia.
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☩ Castle della Verbena ☩
Thank you, my dear follower~
***
Art by ©
Story & Fenja are by ©
Prince Borgon is mine ©
Category All / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 1620 x 864px
File Size 2.29 MB
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