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!
and they will shake their heads and wag their bony fingers
He half expects her to say no, despite a history of past success, and so it is with the greatest, most wondering grin of the night that Koa responds to Soh's breathless permission, his heartbeat thundering in his chest. "Good." He wastes no time, gives her no opportunity to second-guess him - worried, perhaps, that she'll come to her senses, realized he's a rake and a knave and unworthy of this gift.
Koa slides around to her side of the table, legs astride the length of the bench. One hand keeps hers clasped within his; the other reaches to caress her, dancing over an angled cheek before dipping to her neck. He smiles at her, basking in the anticipation, the heat that radiates between them in the aching breaths before... before...
...and then every breath before is over, and all that remains is the brush of her mouth on his.
Ah, sweet victory. Every moment of the night was a stepping stone to this one, melting like snowfall in springtime to nourish the blooming beauty of her rosebuds lips. His mouth is warm and experienced against hers, but he doesn't push, not too much - just enough to tell her he wants it, that he's savoring every sensation, each taste.
It's after no time and also forever that he finally breaks away, drawing back with an exhalation and a flush dark on his cheeks. "How was that?" Copper eyes peer down into silver, warm and self-satisfied and confident and eager for confirmation of his skill. If you were to ask him it was excellent - but then, he's biased.
And a horny boy.
in all the wrong directions— and by daybreak we'll be gone
Whatever Koa may or may not be, he'd been a perfect gentleman to Soh. She was wonderfully enamored by him and his teasing, his flirtation, his sweetness. She assumed by his cockiness that he was more experienced than her (and let's face it, everyone was more experienced than her), but though nerves fluttered in her stomach (what if she was a bad kisser?), she couldn't imagine a more perfect scenario in which to receive her first kiss.
He slid around to her side of the table, and she watched him breathlessly as he moved closer. Time seemed to stand still as he lifted a hand to caress her cheek, oh so gently moving to her neck; she smiled back at him shyly as he leaned in - closer, and closer, until there was no more space between them. His lips pressed against hers and for a moment, she wasn't quite sure what to do next. But Koa, with his experience, was a silent guide, and after a moment's hesitation, she leaned into the kiss almost instinctively.
When he broke away, it left her breathless, her own cheeks a shade of pink that wasn't entirely due to shyness. She was unfamiliar with these new feelings and sensations, and something that she would come to learn was desire pooled in her gut as she contemplated his question. "That was..." What was she supposed to say? That is was lovely, that it was wonderful, that it was more than she could have hoped for? "Perfect," she said after a brief hesitation, a small, giddy giggle slipping from her lips before she could stop herself.
and they will shake their heads and wag their bony fingers
Koa isn't used to this, to be honest. Oh, don't get me wrong, he's got experience. The flirting and kissing and rush of desire? All of that is old news.
But the gentleness, the shyness, the let's just say it, virginity of his partner? Those are not waters the young man navigates often, and they leave him breathless with both lust and wonder, heady with the confidence that he holds something as precious as her inexperience in his hand. Sure, maybe he isn't giving her enough credit - he doesn't know how many partners she's had, how many kisses, hasn't bothered to ask. But the tentative stroke of her lips speaks volumes, as does the ruddy flush of her cheeks. Sohalia is not a woman of the world, not the way that Koa is. It excites the boy, thrills him, just like everything else about her.
But damn if it doesn't scare him, too.
"I'm glad," he murmurs with warm sincerity, his broad thumb tracing the bones of her cheek. His warm eyes take her face in hungrily, from her rosy lips to the button nose, the scar on her eyebrow (it looks recent) and back to the quicksilver of her eyes.
Koa leans back in so their foreheads are touching, nose to nose, breath exchanged. "You're perfect," he adds with a charming amount of honesty that cuts through the flattery of his boyish voice. The temptation to kiss her again is strong, but he'll let her decide if she wants it. Koa may be a cad, but he's also a good kid. And any romantic interlude is more fun when both parties are enthused.
in all the wrong directions— and by daybreak we'll be gone
Soh's experience was limited to what she'd read in the occasional romance novel in which she indulged, and real life was very different. She was a modest girl, and she'd never imagined having her first kiss on the first real date of her life and for it to be with someone so wonderful. To be fair, she'd never really imagined what her first real date might look like, but whatever she might have imagined paled in comparison to the real thing.
Koa's thumb traced her cheekbone, leaving sparks in its wake. As he searched her face, she watched him, enamored and enthralled by the way he seemed to drink her in, as though he couldn't get enough. He leaned back in, and for a moment, she thought he might kiss her again, but he only leaned his forehead against hers in an intimate gesture that had previously been reserved only for Jude. She smiled crookedly, thinking of all the ways she was very much imperfect, especially in comparison to her companion. "No, you're perfect," she whispered back, gently nudging his nose with her own. And, for the moment, at least, she fully believed it.
Hesitantly, as though afraid of doing something wrong, she scooted a little closer and lifted one hand to rest it on Koa's shoulder, the tips of her fingers tracing lightly against the bare skin of his neck. She searched his eyes as if for permission, her gaze warm with desire and affection, before her eyes flickered down to his lips as she leaned forward for another kiss.
and they will shake their heads and wag their bony fingers
Even if he could deny her, why would Koa want to? His main concern at the moment is her consent; when clearly given through look and action, there is no part of the boy that wishes to say no. So he lets her kiss him and kisses back, leading her with gentle confidence, enjoying each moment and every taste, pulling her close so she's nearly in his lap.
And when it's done he walks her home, her delicate hand tucked in his large one, brought frequently on little detours back up to his lips. Even Pipsqueak remains enamored, sleeping comfortably on the girl's shoulders - an impressive degree of trust and affection for the prickly little beast. If perhaps the walk is slower, more meandering than necessary, who can really blame them? They're young and infatuated, their heartbeats skipping through moments with giddy abandon, and Koa, at least, has no desire for this night to end.
But end it must. With great reluctance the Dragoon stops outside Sohalia's door, a forlorn look cast to the entrance before the smile is turned back to his date. With is free hand he cups her chin, pulling in close for another kiss, this one long and sweet and lingering, full of promises left unsaid. "I would ask to come up, but I think I'll wait for next time," is murmured playfully in the space between them, his forehead hot where it touches hers. "Sweetest dreams, sweetest Soh."
All that's left is to collect his sleepy dragon and walk - no, float, really - back to his home.
in all the wrong directions— and by daybreak we'll be gone
Koa was a perfect gentleman, kindly walking Soh home without even having been asked. They walked, hand in hand, Pip draped across Soh's shoulders. Every now and then, she reached up with her free hand to stroke the sweet little dragon. They took their time, meandering through the city, Soh, for once, at peace with the company enough to relax in the nighttime air. When they arrived at her door, she looked down at their intertwined hands, deeply wishing for more time, before peering back up at Koa's smiling face. His kiss, when it came, was sweet and lingering.
She couldn't wait for more kisses like that.
His playful murmur elicits a soft laugh from Soh. "Next time," she agreed, without really thinking about it. As he collected Pip and left her on her doorstep, she watched him go for a moment, her hand pressed to lips that still tingled from his kisses. When she had made it inside and locked the door behind her, she leaned back against it, exhaling with a gleeful giggle. What a night! She couldn't wait to see Koa again.
