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Description

A Reaper's blood is always black-every Other Folk (or those who knew their world and ways) knew this.

When the Solstice Battle ended, and the Frost Lord fell wounded, those there saw that his blood did indeed run black-but ran with a strain of bright red.

Those who saw it were justly alarmed-only humans bled red. Other Folk bled according to their element and order. A being from a Season's House, bled their season's color. An Other Folk of the water, bled clear, an other folk of the trees and plants, bled green, those of earth, a rich oak color.

Reapers always bled black, for black was the color of a reaper. They differed from Other Folk, and were governed by laws aside from Other Folk and humans.

But some knew of Reapers turning mortal. Every Reaper was once a human- that was the requisite for a reaper. But once a reaper, they were immortal until their time was decided and their position was relinquished to the selected successor. But because they were once mortal, they encounter the danger of becoming mortal. It meant their end sooner, and it meant their form and power as a Reaper would wane.

No one knew the actual signs of this decline, but surely the black turning red was a sign? Red was the human's color, after all.

Gerda heard the whispered rumors and saw the grave faces betraying a sort of pity and fear that both sickened and infuriated her.

***

The night hours whittled through quickly yet slow, like cold honey poured from a clay pot.

Having cleaned and bound most of her lord's wounds, Gerda remained defeated in her skill's success by the wound on his right shoulder and upper arm- right where that giant thorn creature (she remembered Bran referred to it as a "Briar Wolf") clamped it jaws and raked its teeth into the Frost Lord before the Lord cleaved its head.

None of her methods, none of her spells, none of her treatments proved of any avail for this particular wound.

It terrified Gerda that he should be rendered almost lifeless and bed-bound. He was the Winter King's second. He was the Reaper of the Frost. He served his father's house and denizens as their advisor and arbiter.

His demise, without a successor, meant chaos for the order of the Other World. Gerda surmised he was not entirely immortal, but quite close to it-he, like his house, could easily live for a thousand years. Perhaps two thousand. It was not his time to die, she decided. He was a Reaper, yet her duties as a healer made her recall her grandmother's oath "Reapers may reap the end of life, like a harvester, but we are the ones who must sow the seeds of life."

Leaving her lord's side, she sought first Bran. Distraught, he was inconsolably sulking in the kitchen corner. She knew the shape-shifting youth blamed himself that the house's protection circle broke, though no one was at fault. He refused to move or speak. He simply sat his knees drawn to his chin and he closed his eyes. Gerda, knowing her lord's second in command, Varglyr, was older and possessed a level head, sought him instead.

"That briar-wolf- what master did he serve?" She asked him.

"Most beasts like that one, they're under the rule of the Nox, typically their king or queen. The King was slain in the mortal world the season past, and now his wife, the Queen, rules the Nox. Why do you ask?" Varglyr wrinkled his nose and brow in confusion at the human healer's unusual inquiry.

"Take me to her-I will beseech her audience and plead for a cure. Perhaps she knows the cure for a briar-wolf's bite." Gerda faced her lord's second-in-comnmand with a determined backbone, though her legs trembled.

Being a human among the Other Folk, no one would pay her heed, she knew. But she must act. If anything, they would act for her lord's behalf, not hers.-- From Gerda and the Frost Lord (Rough Draft)

TL;DR Version:

Gerda's in the Other World, and one of the yearly events that keep the Other World in order are the Solstice battles. It's basically a struggle between dark and light entities gathered into two sides. Neither side is exclusively evil or good, but symbols of representative qualities, that is, Day and Night.

There's little animosity, it's fought, and fought quite fiercely as a obligatory duty to maintain balance. Each side must be equalized at all times. So these battles ensure the balance on the equilibrium.

The Frost Lord, belonging to a House of a Season, typically is one side.

He has Gerda remain in the house with his servants Bran and Senka, under a circle of protection. But the barrier is broken, and a gigantic wolf took off with Gerda's sons for some reason. Gerda fears using her magic, lest others see her and try to exploit her- she also fears her magic failing her.

When learning Gerda's sons were in danger, the Frost Lord takes down the briar-wolf and rescues the boys. But surprisingly, he's been badly wounded by the beast. This never happened before, and never he has suffered severe injuries, yet alone showing signs of mortality, like red blood. Reapers like him usually have black blood.

Taking responsibility that her lord was injured because of her own inaction (and the fact the only reason he was wounded because of her sons and the promise he made to protect she and her sons), Gerda attempts to heal him. But her efforts are in vain- she can heal Other Folk, but not in their own world.

Completed the "In Private" assignment for the Ninth Round in OC-training !
"In Private"- show the character's quirk/habit, favorite food or school subject, way they sleep, or usually adopted team role.

Like with Andrei in Round Eight , I felt adopted team role suited best to show more of Gerda's personality and depth.

Gerda's role is a healer and nurturer. She's pretty much the team's mom figure. Not so much the indulgent mother -type, but a strong, nurturing force and entity.

First time actually fully designing the Frost Lord! (Won't reveal his name yet, since it plays a vital factor in the story later on!)

He differs a bit from his initial design, esp in terms of style. Originally, I assumed he looked more human-originally blonde with normal pale skin, as well as blue eyes and a slender but overall normal physique.

But as he developed, he's revealed he's more otherworldly-looking, esp given his roles among the Other Folk.

A reaper whose death assignment/alignment is Frost, it seemed fitting he should be eerily white, like ice, with blue undertones. A raw-boned, skinny, almost bony frame seemed fitting for a reaper as well.

Designing his chambers was a frustrating challenge. Went for a colder, Nordic look, balanced with those contrasting looks of Middle-Age Rus palaces, like this room .

Will divulge moire in future developments.

Description

A Reaper's blood is always black-every Other Folk (or those who knew their world and ways) knew this.

When the Solstice Battle ended, and the Frost Lord fell wounded, those there saw that his blood did indeed run black-but ran with a strain of bright red.

Those who saw it were justly alarmed-only humans bled red. Other Folk bled according to their element and order. A being from a Season's House, bled their season's color. An Other Folk of the water, bled clear, an other folk of the trees and plants, bled green, those of earth, a rich oak color.

Reapers always bled black, for black was the color of a reaper. They differed from Other Folk, and were governed by laws aside from Other Folk and humans.

But some knew of Reapers turning mortal. Every Reaper was once a human- that was the requisite for a reaper. But once a reaper, they were immortal until their time was decided and their position was relinquished to the selected successor. But because they were once mortal, they encounter the danger of becoming mortal. It meant their end sooner, and it meant their form and power as a Reaper would wane.

No one knew the actual signs of this decline, but surely the black turning red was a sign? Red was the human's color, after all.

Gerda heard the whispered rumors and saw the grave faces betraying a sort of pity and fear that both sickened and infuriated her.

***

The night hours whittled through quickly yet slow, like cold honey poured from a clay pot.

Having cleaned and bound most of her lord's wounds, Gerda remained defeated in her skill's success by the wound on his right shoulder and upper arm- right where that giant thorn creature (she remembered Bran referred to it as a "Briar Wolf") clamped it jaws and raked its teeth into the Frost Lord before the Lord cleaved its head.

None of her methods, none of her spells, none of her treatments proved of any avail for this particular wound.

It terrified Gerda that he should be rendered almost lifeless and bed-bound. He was the Winter King's second. He was the Reaper of the Frost. He served his father's house and denizens as their advisor and arbiter.

His demise, without a successor, meant chaos for the order of the Other World. Gerda surmised he was not entirely immortal, but quite close to it-he, like his house, could easily live for a thousand years. Perhaps two thousand. It was not his time to die, she decided. He was a Reaper, yet her duties as a healer made her recall her grandmother's oath "Reapers may reap the end of life, like a harvester, but we are the ones who must sow the seeds of life."

Leaving her lord's side, she sought first Bran. Distraught, he was inconsolably sulking in the kitchen corner. She knew the shape-shifting youth blamed himself that the house's protection circle broke, though no one was at fault. He refused to move or speak. He simply sat his knees drawn to his chin and he closed his eyes. Gerda, knowing her lord's second in command, Varglyr, was older and possessed a level head, sought him instead.

"That briar-wolf- what master did he serve?" She asked him.

"Most beasts like that one, they're under the rule of the Nox, typically their king or queen. The King was slain in the mortal world the season past, and now his wife, the Queen, rules the Nox. Why do you ask?" Varglyr wrinkled his nose and brow in confusion at the human healer's unusual inquiry.

"Take me to her-I will beseech her audience and plead for a cure. Perhaps she knows the cure for a briar-wolf's bite." Gerda faced her lord's second-in-comnmand with a determined backbone, though her legs trembled.

Being a human among the Other Folk, no one would pay her heed, she knew. But she must act. If anything, they would act for her lord's behalf, not hers.-- From Gerda and the Frost Lord (Rough Draft)

TL;DR Version:

Gerda's in the Other World, and one of the yearly events that keep the Other World in order are the Solstice battles. It's basically a struggle between dark and light entities gathered into two sides. Neither side is exclusively evil or good, but symbols of representative qualities, that is, Day and Night.

There's little animosity, it's fought, and fought quite fiercely as a obligatory duty to maintain balance. Each side must be equalized at all times. So these battles ensure the balance on the equilibrium.

The Frost Lord, belonging to a House of a Season, typically is one side.

He has Gerda remain in the house with his servants Bran and Senka, under a circle of protection. But the barrier is broken, and a gigantic wolf took off with Gerda's sons for some reason. Gerda fears using her magic, lest others see her and try to exploit her- she also fears her magic failing her.

When learning Gerda's sons were in danger, the Frost Lord takes down the briar-wolf and rescues the boys. But surprisingly, he's been badly wounded by the beast. This never happened before, and never he has suffered severe injuries, yet alone showing signs of mortality, like red blood. Reapers like him usually have black blood.

Taking responsibility that her lord was injured because of her own inaction (and the fact the only reason he was wounded because of her sons and the promise he made to protect she and her sons), Gerda attempts to heal him. But her efforts are in vain- she can heal Other Folk, but not in their own world.

Completed the "In Private" assignment for the Ninth Round in OC-training !
"In Private"- show the character's quirk/habit, favorite food or school subject, way they sleep, or usually adopted team role.

Like with Andrei in Round Eight , I felt adopted team role suited best to show more of Gerda's personality and depth.

Gerda's role is a healer and nurturer. She's pretty much the team's mom figure. Not so much the indulgent mother -type, but a strong, nurturing force and entity.

First time actually fully designing the Frost Lord! (Won't reveal his name yet, since it plays a vital factor in the story later on!)

He differs a bit from his initial design, esp in terms of style. Originally, I assumed he looked more human-originally blonde with normal pale skin, as well as blue eyes and a slender but overall normal physique.

But as he developed, he's revealed he's more otherworldly-looking, esp given his roles among the Other Folk.

A reaper whose death assignment/alignment is Frost, it seemed fitting he should be eerily white, like ice, with blue undertones. A raw-boned, skinny, almost bony frame seemed fitting for a reaper as well.

Designing his chambers was a frustrating challenge. Went for a colder, Nordic look, balanced with those contrasting looks of Middle-Age Rus palaces, like this room .

Will divulge moire in future developments.