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!
Soh nodded once and turned to gather some water in another pitcher. She wasn't sure how strong or diluted Lena liked her lemonade, so she set the water nearby and allowed her friend to continue her work. "We'll have plenty for leftovers," she agreed, eyeing their salad thoughtfully. It wasn't a massive salad, but certainly larger than two people could eat on their own. "I wonder what others will bring?"
She was looking forward to the rumored party, having been to very few social gatherings like it. She thought of the Flowerbirth Ball and smiled. "Just the Flowerbirth Ball," she told Lena. "But I like the idea of parties. All my friends coming together to celebrate things," she continued dreamily. "That's my idea of a good time. What about you?"
and sweetest in the gale is heard and sore must be the storm
“Thank you,” she uttered softly as the pitcher of water was placed nearby, and she squeezed some more portions of the lemon juice through the filter. “Maybe it will be like the spring ball? There were quite a few varieties.” The Caretaker had never been much of a picky eater, so she was content with whatever managed to be at the table. “If it is associated with the Ancients though, do you think there will be more raw components?” She couldn’t be certain, and still felt like she didn’t know enough about them.
Content with the amount of juice layered, she snagged at a few inklings of sugar, placing it alongside the fruity contents. “It’s nice to be able to have them again,” in comfort, rather than apprehension, hostility, or dread – the coming of war via announcements amidst fields had set everything into motions years before, leaving a taste for celebration by the wayside. “I think as long as everything is safe, then it will be a great time.”
that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm
Soh and Lena were similar in that neither were picky eaters; Soh had asked more out of an excited curiosity than anything. Although, come to think of it, she hadn't considered that the fare might vary because it was associated with the Ancients. "I hadn't thought about it," she confessed. "But I suppose there might be. Maybe that's why we're supposed to bring leftovers, so that everyone has something to eat?"
With their lemonade coming along nicely in Lena's hands, Soh gathered a few napkins and placed them at the table alongside the plates and silverware. "Of course," she murmured. She hadn't thought about there having been fewer celebrations during the war, but of course there must have been. What a relief it must be for those who lived through such trying times to see peace and happiness coursing through Caido! "I think we're just about ready," she said, shying away from implications of doom and gloom. "Let me just grab some glasses for the lemonade."
and sweetest in the gale is heard and sore must be the storm
The Caretaker tended to be an individual who overthought, but then again, based on how life had gone, it probably wasn’t surprising. But her calm radiance remained in the present, slowly pouring water into the pitcher, pausing every so often to stir the ingredients with a long spoon. “I like the thought of all the inclusion,” and she laughed, meaning it entirely. The world had had enough of lines drawn and battles forged. Maybe these were steps towards something better.
Lena had heard enough of prior festivals, especially one with mud monsters and rampant death, to not burrow into it too harshly; just enough to recall its weight across the land. She nodded at Sohalia’s insinuations, and then promptly persisted in finishing the lemonade, bringing it over to the table. “There. That should do it!”
that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm
With the lemonade complete, their meal was ready, and Soh beckoned Lena over to take a seat at the table. Soh fetched some tongs for the salad and then joined her friend, looking over their meal with pride. It was a truly delicious-looking salad, and prepared in such wonderful company! She tucked the tongs into the salad bowl, then took a seat, gesturing for Lena to take the first helping. It was only polite to let the guest go first, after all!
Luckily, the salad bowl was full enough that there should be plenty for the pair of them, and plenty still for leftovers to bring to the festival. After Lena had served herself, Soh pulled a portion of the salad onto her own plate and poured herself a glass of lemonade. She stabbed a bite onto her fork and raised it in a mock toast. "To good meals and better friends!"
and sweetest in the gale is heard and sore must be the storm
“Thank you,” Lena conceded with a nod and a smile, snagging at the tongs, and placing some salad upon her plate, waiting until Sohalia had served herself before beginning to eat. The food ended up being lovely and light, exactly what she’d hoped (with room for dessert afterwards – at least this had been somewhat of a goal in her mind).
Snagging some lemonade, and grinning in agreement and accord with the toast, they settled and tucked in. After a few bites, she hummed under her breath, the contentment and ease returning – it’d been a long while since these sort of comforts had even been a forethought in her mind. Churning subject matters over, she persisted in the cartographer’s noted skills. “Have you been exploring lately?”
that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm
For a few moments, the two women ate in silence, enjoying the salad and the comfort of each other's company. It was easy to relax in Lena's presence - she just had that kind of aura - and it was nice to just exist for a moment. Soh spent so much time running hither and thither that she sometimes forgot what it was like to just sit and have a nice meal with a friend. She took a sip of lemonade and hummed her approval - it was just the way she liked it - before taking a few more bites of her salad.
"I've mostly been settling in," she admitted, gesturing toward the shop below. "Establishing a bit of a client base. I'm considering hiring someone to mind the shop when I'm traveling, so that I can have regular operating hours instead of being a bit all over the place." She pushed her salad around with her fork, spearing a few different vegetables for her next mouthful. "But I've managed to go to Torchline a couple of times recently. I'm working on some new maps and drawings, but I've enjoyed just visiting, too. Have you ever been?"
and sweetest in the gale is heard and sore must be the storm
Lena often faced the same issue – having anyone nearby willing to help or assist, especially if she needed to go somewhere. While some portions of the Celestine were self-sufficient, others certainly weren’t, and she’d often have to make simple day trips. If they didn’t have the skyports, she would’ve truly been out of luck – for her flying shift could only take her so far for so long. “That’s understandable,” she mused, contemplating those trustworthy and young amidst Stormbreak would might want such opportunities.
Snagging at some carrots and chewing thoughtfully, she waited until she’d swallowed down the vegetables before continuing. “That sounds nice, even in the heat of summer. I’ve only gone there recently to get some more supplies, and stumbled into that party for the Ancients.” Otherwise – she hadn’t gone elsewhere. “And the Climb, I suppose, but I’m not sure I like it.”
that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm
Unfortunately for Soh, simple day trips were often not an option when she was doing a detailed map of an area. Such an undertaking could take days, weeks - and, as a result, she'd been unable to produce any new maps since opening her shop. Oh, sure, she had a couple of smaller scale maps that she'd been able to do, but nothing like what she offered for an area like the Greatwood, where she'd spent the better part of a season. Still, she hesitated to invite a stranger into her shop, especially given that her home was located right above it. It would have to be someone she trusted. Until then, she'd just have to give ample notice to customers about potential closures.
At the mention of the party for Ancients, Soh nodded. "So did I - I think I saw you there, but I was a little late to the party," she added with a small smile. "It was definitely different from what I'm used to." She thought of the cocktails, and the toast to Dygra, who Soh still knew very little about. Of course, she wasn't used to many parties, so who was to say what was normal? "The Climb was interesting," she agreed. "I didn't get much of a chance to map it, so I'll have to go back one day. Perhaps when it's cooler."
and sweetest in the gale is heard and sore must be the storm
Lena still didn’t know much about the Ancients – and she couldn’t quite fathom if her discomfort came from the sudden influx of them after the Ascended, or just her sheer ignorance. If the Old Gods weren’t bothered by Dygra and her followers, perhaps she shouldn’t have been either – at the very least, she hadn’t heard anything otherwise. And if they came long before, had they fallen out of favor? Had they ceased to exist? Were they reliant upon their deity, just as the Ascended had been upon the Voice? Her multitude of inquiries wouldn’t have answers here, so she shrugged her shoulders, taking in another bite.
“I’m not certain its ever cooler,” she mentioned with a slight grin. “But there are some waterfalls.” When it wasn’t full of pouring blood and a dead body. “And I’ve heard about their hot springs too.” So there were good things to be had in that midst, just as long as someone knew where and when to look.
that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm
One of Soh's favorite things about the city was the hustle and bustle, and as the pair of women ate their salad, the sounds of the city wafted in through the open window. For a brief moment of companionable silence as they both chewed, Soh enjoyed the birds chirping, the people talking - the soft hum of myriad voices coming together to form the heartbeat of the city,
That was the thing about places - there was always something good to be found, as long as one knew where to look. It was the same in Stormbreak. Some people might think the city lifeless and grey in comparison to somewhere like the Greatwood, but Soh had come to appreciate the bright colors of the Silk Houses, the bustle of Pacifist Plaza, the beauty of the Celestine, the knowledge of the Collegium... the list went on and on. She was sure that Lena was right - there were probably nice places amongst the heat of the Climb.
"I can't recall if I've ever asked," said Soh. "But what's your favorite place in Caido to visit?"
and sweetest in the gale is heard and sore must be the storm
Taking earnest sips of her lemonade, Lena was allowed to think on the subject matter, pausing momentarily to push her salad around in thought. She certainly hadn’t been everywhere, and given how difficult travel had been before skyports, had generally existed along the depths of Stormbreak’s stony walls with curiosity piquing and nothing to show for it. Eventually, with her winding need for supplies, exploration, and overall compunction for knowledge outside of a tome, she’d roamed in some places far more than others. “The Greatwood has some wonderful parts,” serene, even if one became a bit lost. Perhaps that was part of the beauty of it – requiring nothing more than birdsong and nature.
Further considerations mulled about it in her mind for fractions more. “Parts of Torchline are beyond beautiful too,” for they had no beaches to roam, no sand beneath their feet here – cliffs upon cliffs of sea breeze and then daunting heights below. “I think my favorite might be King’s End though.”
that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm
They'd met in the Greatwood, Sohalia remembered, and she smiled fondly. Despite settling down in Stormbreak, she retained quite a bit of affection for the wooded region. It was still one of her favorite places in Caido to visit - and one of her most well-documented places in terms of maps and artwork.
Torchline and King's End, though, she was less familiar with. She'd been to Torchline recently to visit Jude, but most of her visits were spent with her best friend and not so much exploring and mapping. She'd have to remedy that eventually, but she still agreed with Lena that some parts were beautiful. King's End, too, she'd rarely visited, though she did have Sunjata as a contact now, should she ever wish for a tour of the area.
"Why's that?" Soh asked curiously, sipping at her lemonade and taking another bite of her salad. "Is it the animals, or...?"
and sweetest in the gale is heard and sore must be the storm
The animals were vastly appealing – that was true. They’d always have her attention first and foremost. “Well, there are the herds of unicorns,” and she grinned, taking a moment to bite down a few more leaves of lettuce, before giving her additional thoughts. “It feels serene. Peaceful.” Between the flowers, the barrows, and the carefully cultivated wakes, sometimes it represented something otherworldly and beyond her capabilities; as if it had once known great, horrid violence, and chose to grow, restore, and rejuvenate around it. Incapable of putting that into words, she only had the feelings and emotions. “Reminds me a little of the Celestine too,” and she laughed; like a home away from home. “I’d like to explore more of it when I get the chance.”
Recollecting Sohalia’s other mentions, she hummed contentedly before extending her own inquiry. “Did you have a favorite spot in Torchline?”
that could abash the little bird that kept so many warm
