From being an Abandoned who had rarely left the Hollowed Grounds, to embracing the call of adventure, to dying and being reborn first as an Ascended and then as an Ancient, Maea has gone through quite the amount of changes in her life. One thing remains common, though, in her attempts to find out just where she belongs; she’s always had a craving for knowledge which has brought her to so many places and to meet so many people here in Caido. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for her!
Congratulations, Maea!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
Skinning and hosting by the epically talented Kaons, and functionality fanciness by the coding magic of Neowulf. If you ever see either of them around, make sure to show them some love!
Soleil awakes with a start, covered in dirt and very disoriented.
When she rolls onto her side and sits up, she realizes she's still in the planting bed she'd been exploring in the greenhouse, which means she had likely fallen asleep in it. Oops. The panes are semi-frosted, which make it a little hard to tell what time it is, but given there's still sunlight beyond the glass hopefully she isn't doomed just yet.
Getting out of the planting box is a little easier than getting in had been, and with a huff her feet hit the ground solidly. Her dress is stained and dirt follows each step as she runs for the door, already giggling quietly to herself at having gotten away with napping amidst the vegetables - only to realize as she reaches the door that the stain is going to give her away regardless. Pausing, Sol examines her dress with a worried crease to her forehead, standing idle just inside the doorway. How to remove this so her dad would never know she was here...
let us live like flowers, darling wild and beautiful and drenched in sun
Soleil has made one, major, miscalculation in her mischief. It's not dirt that'll give her away. It's the hour that she's been missing. Now, of course the little Accepted is allowed to play close to home. But dinner has a set time for a reason, a check-in of sorts. He's lost them one and the Wild Thunder refuses to lose them again. At the same time, he'll never deny them their freedom. As such, a couple of minutes late was one thing. But an hour? That was a cause for concern.
As Sah passes the greenhouse, he hears a thud within. Glancing over, he sees an especially Soleil-shaped figure though the glass. Letting out a heavy yet relieved sigh, he walks over and opens the door. Raising a brow, the Abandoned appraises his daughter. "Little Sun, where have you been? I was worried."
Soleil wouldn't be surprised if it was her hair that gave her away. It's back to the big beautiful afro she prefers, freed from the tight, beaded braids her auntie Ru had put them in for the winter. Oftentimes she forgets when her hairstyle changes, making it far more difficult to peer around corners without drawing someone's eye.
The shadow on the other side of the door makes her hold her breath noisily - only to blow it out in a groan when it opens to her father on the other side. "Busted," she whines to herself. But maybe she can cute her way out of it? "I was lookin' at all the plants! And then I got in with 'em because I wanted to pretend I was a turnip, and then I...fell asleep..." she grimaces sheepishly, hands fisting in her dirtied dress. "It's so warm in here, I couldn't help it!" (She definitely could have, but naps were more fun.)
let us live like flowers, darling wild and beautiful and drenched in sun
Sah chuckles slightly at Soleil's expression. "Busted." He echoes, reaching over a wiping a smudge of dirt off of her cheek with his thumb. Listening to her excuse makes affection bubble in him. His pup is just too adorable for her own good. A fact she unfortunately knows well.
"We both know you could have absolutely 'helped it'. Next time you feel the need to nap somewhere random, just bring Pad or Lilly, ok?" That way he'd at least know that hi daughter was protected. Letting out a sigh, he glances at the stain on her dress, "Let's find a towel and some water. We can try to get the worst of the stain off here before going home."
The scolding is minimal but still present as he begins to look for a towel, "Please be more careful in the future, pup. If you're ever late like this again, I'll make it so that you can't go out alone. And no, bringing Luka doesn't count."
Soleil wrinkles her nose up as he brushes dirt of her cheek, but she can't help the little giggle that sneaks out, ruining her irritated facade. Though the reminder of her babysitters does renew the pout. She'd been hiding in the greenhouse for that exact reason. "But they're not as fun," she admits in a mumble, a little shamefaced. She adores her wolf siblings, which is why she doesn't want to say it, but it's the truth.
Trailing behind her father as he begins to hunt for a towel, Soleil pulls on one errant curl, staring at her feet. "But I'm lonely," she whines quietly. Luka is her only constant aside from her schoolmates, who still stare at her strangely sometimes for her odd mannerisms. She misses Paige, and longs for new friends. Halo's youth are far fewer than Torchline's, and most were from old legacy families who knew each other from the womb. Soleil just...doesn't have the words to express all these things so eloquently. "Everyone at school knows each other, and none of them want to play after. When can I be out alone? How big do I have to be?" It sometimes feels like that same vague parental declaration of 'someday' that always vexes her.
let us live like flowers, darling wild and beautiful and drenched in sun
Sah drops to a knee and cups his daughter's face with tender hands. The idea of her being lonely sends shocks of pain through his heart, constricting his lungs. Part of him wishes to keep her ever close, always safe. But he sees himself in her. Her adventurous and mischievous soul that bursts out with glimmering tendrils of laughter and joy.
Sah can't deny her anything. But he has to keep her safe. Mind whirling, he comes up with a compromise. Mouth curling into a devious smile he lays it forth, "How about this? I've taught you some basic self-defense in the past. But if we make it a regular thing, say, I train you twice a week, then you can." Laying a kiss on her cheek he pulls back to meet her eyes, "What do you say, my little sun?"
His hands are calloused and scarred, but gentle on her cheeks, and Soleil's eyes drag reluctantly from her feet to meet eyes she'd inherited long ago. Clearly doubting that he will throw her a line, try to meet her in the middle; not because she has no faith, but because her loneliness has made her bitter in the petulant way that children often are.
So when he does propose something - anything - the girl lights up immediately. "Really?!" Almost exploding with energy after her previous stillness, Soleil clasps her hands overtop her father's on her cheeks, and bounces on her toes. "Yes! Yes yes!" Training has always been fun to her anyway, so it's far from a negative in her book. "Can I go to Torchline then too?" It's a bit of a stretch, but all the friends she has and knows are still on those sunny shores - though they are older now, and she has no idea of the loss she will feel when she finds out.
let us live like flowers, darling wild and beautiful and drenched in sun
The weight on Sah's heart dissipates, burned away with Soleil's answering smile. "Yes. Once you've improved a bit more, then yes. I'll show you how to protect yourself and how to navigate to and from the Skyships." Pressing a kiss to his daughter's forehead, the Wild Thunder chuckles. "I'll never deny you your freedom, my little sun. Never. I just ask that you be as safe as you can be, ok? I love you."
After hashing out a few more details in their deal, Sah picks up his precious daughter and carries her out of the greenhouse. Setting her on her feet, he smirks and gently taps her shoulder before turning and running down the street, "Tag!" The day has yet to end and what better way to make their way home then through a game?
