come as you are.

Jem pulled his cloak further down to conceal half of his face, keeping his head tilted down towards the ground as he strode through the fae's market. He was in search of a special ingredient that he couldn't ask someone else to fetch for him, as he wanted to keep his intentions to himself. Since this was the case, he was forced to hide and find his way through the place carefully, trying hard not to be seen. Jem knew if he made a mistake and let his cloak reveal himself it wouldn't end in a good day. Every species has been on edge with each other since the alliance was broken just several weeks prior to his outing. It couldn't stop him from continuing with his magic, but it made him even more weary. His fingertips tingled with pinpricks of magic, feeding off the energy that was floating off of the crowds of fae. Warlocks and fae had different magics and called from different sources, but their ways and spells sometimes intertwined. It was night, and the sky was alright with twinkles of magic stars and lanterns that floated in the air, illuminating the bustling of the market and fae flittering on their wings or their feet to and fro. There was a ball happening, as there always was, at the castle just down the road, bright and glittering in the distance. He expected there to be less fae and there was, more commoners about than anything else. Jem turned a corner into a dark alleyway that led to the stalls he was looking for. It wasn't quite a black market but there was something different about it than the fae markets he was leaving behind him. They allowed all sorts of species to mingle and buy what they needed from the different corners of all of their worlds, and was a hopefully neutral ground comparing to everything else.

Tessa stood up from her vanity when she heard a thump outside on her balcony, raising an eyebrow in interest as she walked over to the long curtains that were covering over the doors. When she drew them open and her eyes laid on Noah, a smile crossed her lips and she opened her doors. "Of course you're here on the night of the ball. And dressed so handsomely, as well?" She teased lightly, leaving the doors open as she turned and returned back to her vanity to finish her hair. She was dressed in a golden gown, covering her shoulders and breasts with sparkling lace that billowed down to her feet. Her hair had golden flowers weaved through, her makeup warm and her lips a deep red. Her crown was fitted in her short hair that was curled, and as she sat down, she reached for her jewelry, sliding on a few sparkling gems for rings before reaching for her necklace.

Savannah grabbed a glass jar filled with a dark blue powder, the ground up stems of a plant she had harvested the day before and filled a smaller jar with it before handing it to a man who lived in the village not too far from her own little house. She told him to hold on for just one more moment before grabbing a small container of a think purple paste and handed that to him as well. "Tell your wife to place just a small bit of this on her stomach every night until it's all gone, it'll help the baby," she told him. He seemed surprised that she knew of his wife being pregnant. But Savannah always knew these things, feelings just came to her. The man paid her and she placed the coins in the coin purse that set on a back table in her small shop. A few of the shops on the street were closing up for the night, but most, like her own little shop of herbs, other plants, and remedies stayed open into the late of night. There were unusual customers that came at night, the kind of people that would not be welcome during the day, like the warlocks, witches, vampires, and every other kind. Most of the fae people didn't take too kindly to these kinds since the war broke out. Still, Savannah was there to help everyone, and that meant everyone. She took up a broom and started to sweep her wooden floors. In her head, she went over the list of things she needed to do eventually before closing up the shop later.

Noah easily slipped through the castle grounds, evading each and every guards that littered the area before making his way up to Tessa's balcony. He knocked on the glass of the doors and waited patiently for her to open up the doors. He had a smooth smile on his lips when she did, finally open the doors. He let out a low whistle as he took her in. "You look beautiful, darling," he spoke slow, before walking into her room. She was absolutely gorgeous. "Here, let me," he said, taking the necklace from her hands. He gently laid it on her skin and carefully clasped it together. Noah leaned over and gave her shoulder a light kiss.

Jem made his way into the market, looking for a small shop that he had always passed but never stepped into. There was only a few stalls still left open this late, but he had hoped that this shop was one of them. He sighed with relief when he saw that candlelight was still flickering in the windows, going to the door and stepping inside, looking around before lowering his hood. He saw a girl sweeping the floor and he cleared his throat. "Good night, miss," Jem said in greeting, his eyes wandering the shop, skimming over all of the different jars that held different ingredients. It only took him a moment to read her, her aura glowing a brilliant, sparkling tone that usually only resided with those of great power, though it was dim at the edges. She was a brilliant cobalt blue, burning bright before he let his magic fade. He was intrigued, his eyes sparkling an intense green before leveling out at a neutral tone. His warlock mark, a curling and twisting tattoo that shifted up the length of his body, from his right calf all of the way up around his hip and across his stomach and all of the way up until it curled back around to span the entire length of his back, was not visible but he could feel it pulsing with magic. There was something about this girl that made his body thrum with something that he did not expect to find in a commoner girl in an herb shop. "I was hoping you could help me find something that's important to me," He began, moving more into the shop, his fingers trailing the many jars set among tables and looking for the right one.

"Thank you, love," She replied, her voice quiet and full of longing, as she felt his fingertips brush her neck as he put her necklace on for her. His skin was like ice, although familiar against hers that still thrummed with life. "I could give you a glamour and bring you to the party. How does that sound?" Tessa said, looking up only to not see his reflection in the mirror. She turned, then, and looked up into his eyes with a smile. "Or did you come and visit me for something else? I never know of your true intentions," She said, brutally honest as always, as she couldn't help it. Her capacity for lying was nonexistant, a characteristic known of the fae that she knew Noah enjoyed about her. Tessa was sure that even though she could not, she would be sure that she wouldn't be the kind to lie all the time as all of the mundanes usually did. She reached a hand up to cover one that he still had laying on her shoulder, giving a kiss to the inside of his wrist.

Savannah turned when she heard a man speak and sent him a smile. "Hello," she chimed, noting the way he was looking at her. It was something she was not used to - he was looking at her like she was far more interesting than the commoner fae she was. He was beautiful - for a warlock that is, and it was clear that he was one. Still, he was quite beautiful nonetheless with hair nearly as light as her own, and a little less than half the length of hers. Savannah leaned the broom up against the counter and wiped her palms on her thighs which were covered by a pretty green dress and a cream coloured apron over that. "Alright, I've got most everything here, but if I don't I'll be able to find it within a few days. Do you know exactly what it is, or at least what it looks like?" she asked the man, watching as he looked over the jars in her shop for the item he required. If there was ever a need for a herb she didn't possess in her shop, then she was sure to find it in the following week when she would go out on a run to restock everything. The plants came naturally to her; she always seemed to know exactly where they were. That was thanks to the woman who raised her when she was little who had taught her everything she needed to know about nature. Still, it seemed like Savannah always seemed to know a little more.

Noah smiled, "I would love to be able to escort you to the ball, Tes, then after I can have you all alone to myself," he said, his smile growing into a wicked little grin. He loved how blunt she was to him, even if it was just because she was a faerie. Some of her kind liked to word themselves around the truth without actually lying, confusing you or convincing you otherwise. Tessa had never done that to him, that he could recall at least. She was always so blunt and so he was with her in return, even if he could lie. Noah took a few steps back after she had kissed the inside of his wrist and held his arms out in a grand fashion. "Alright, glamour me, darling," he told her and gave her a cheeky little wink.

His fingertips grew warm with magic as he searched the shop, and he smiled when he felt a pulse when his fingertips passed over a jar containing a magical purple root. Jem picked it up, peering into the container and sighing. "This is what I need, but unfortunately, I need a lot more of it than you have here," He said, taking the container and carrying it over to her and showing her what was inside. "I'll pay for this and for more if you wouldn't mind going out and collecting more," Jem continued, setting it down on the counter and reaching into his jacket to find an inner pocket that contained money. He pulled it out, thumb brushing over the coins in the velvet pouch before he moved his eyes to hers, raising an eyebrow. "However, I might have an odd request. I was wondering if you would mind taking me with you to find this, so I might be able to see for myself," He proposed, before laying out the coins required for what was in the container and quite a few more, piling up as they clattered against each other as they fell from his velvet pouch. She was quite beautiful, and that was one of the reasons why he was wanting to go on a journey with her, even if it was only a few days. There was something about her that he needed to be around her more in order to discover just quite what it was that was intriguing him. There was something and he intended on finding out, as she had riled up his curiosity.

She smirked at his statement, giggling when he gave her a wink and standing up after him, her eyes scanning over his figure. Tessa brought up her hands and mumbled a few words under her breath, trying to give the spell as much strength as she could muster. She hadn't used much of her magic that day and so the spell worked beautifully, transforming Noah into a fae, one that had similar features but still was quite different than the Noah she knew so well. "How do you feel, handsome? I quite like you as fae, actually, but I miss your pretty skin. Your eyes are the same, however," Tessa said, moving closer to him and touching his face, admiring her work. She then tilted her head up for a kiss, parting her lips slightly as an invitation. She could never find herself missing an opportunity to press her lips to his, as it was the best feeling in the world.

Savannah watched him look through the jars and hanging, dried plants and roots. "Alright," she hummed, looking at the purple root and recognizing it immediately. It had been tricky to find but she was convinced she could find the meadow that where she had located it before. "It might take me a day or two to get more of the root," she told him, eyes widening when he laid out as many coins as he had. She let out a low breath at his request of coming with her on her journey to gather more. "I do have to go gather more herbs for the shop soon. Meet me at sunrise at the edge of town and I will take you with me," she finally told him, "but first, i must know your name. I can't just go out with a warlock I do not know, who's kind, may I add, is at war with my own, and not know his name. I need to be able to trust you."

It felt strange. It always felt strange. It wasn't his skin but it was at the same time. He knew that nothing was really different with him, just how people saw him was different. They couldn't see his fangs and they could see fae wings. It was him, but it wasn't really him. "Like usual, my love," he smiled, before pressing his lips against hers in a wonderful kiss. Tessa was always amazing. He was always so thankful that he had met her, before the war had started. But then it had, and things just became so complicated.

He smiled and inclined his head slightly, licking his lips before he spoke again. "Jem, Jem Goldhallow," He offered, and outreached his hand in an offering for hers. "I've been around for quite awhile, you see, so I'm not as weary of different races as some may be these days. I'm sorry if I have frightened you. I am often aware of the odd air that now bubbles about around our different people, but I happen to not let it affect me. I rather would see the inside instead of what was on the surface, or whether it be sharpened teeth or pretty wings I will always strive to see the heart and the spirit," Jem rambled, and realizing he was pattering on, he shut his mouth, leaning over to press a small kiss to the girl's hand once she had offered it to him. Their skin tingled where they touched, and he smiled at the heat of magic that he felt course through the press. "I will meet you at sunrise with provisions and an adventurer's attitude, and I hope that your trust will come easy to you," He said, letting her hand fall away from his. He turned, then, and realized he hadn't gotten her name. "I trust you will tell me your name once we meet again. It'll be a surprise, a little gift to start the journey," Jem said with a wink, giving her a wave before exiting her shop. He felt an energy course through him, and he walked briskly back to the inn that he was taking refuge in for the night, his eyes glowing in the dark. In the morning, he packed a bag of all of his things that he had taken for the journey, as well as buying food down at the market before making his way to the edge of the town as they had arranged. He had a beautiful blue cloak draped over his shoulders and a hood over his eyes, and it billowed around his ankles in the cool, morning breeze. The heat had yet to break yet, and he leaned against a tree, eating an apple as he saw the sun poke up over the horizon.

Tessa pulled away from the kiss with a smile before offering her arm to Noah. "Come, darling, there's a party and a feast awaiting us," She said, leading him towards her door and opening it, closing it with a magical seal behind her. Once it was done with the flick of her wrist and a pulse of magic, she lead him towards the stairs where the noise of the party got louder and louder the closer they approached it. There were fae everywhere, clustered in groups in the hallways and spilling out from the open doorways with laughter and clinking glasses of faery wine dark as berries. There were couples pressed against walls and sliding their mouths together with no care of others seeing, hands creeping up the bottoms of dresses and pressed underneath loose shirts. The balls had lost their traditional care for being proper and had led way to a casual, relaxed form of entertainment, in which magic and wine flowed freely all throughout the night. Tessa moved around, looking for a way into the dining hall where low tables and pillows adorned the floors, and people sat and talked and ate and drank until they could no longer move, or where the ate fast and quickly made their ways to the dance floor. She led them both to the end of the table, sitting down with a sigh and reaching for a bottle full of her favorite wine and pouring them both a glass.