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!
Caden hasn't ventured into the Greatwood since the previous year. Being nomadic means going where the coin flows and the trade takes you, and the woods have only recently been taken beneath a guiding hand that provides improved infrastructure. After his conversations with Kallan and Alys alike Caden has admittedly been wondering if the merchant lifestyle is the right one for him, and if hiding his magic is any better.
As such he's rather distracted walking through the village today, head in the clouds and blue eyes distant and far-away. At least until he bumps into a Fae and trips straight over his own feet as he tries to correct himself, falling sideways into the water surrounding the wooden docks with a strangled yelp and an anti-climactic splash.
If he's home, I've got a message for the man above Getting out is not enough if nobody else can come
Phoebe was patrolling the village...mostly because there was no one else to do it at the moment. Really, she needed to take Liam up on his offer to start a security force in the Greatwood. At least it got her out of the office and into the Leafchange sun. Not too hot. Not too cold. Just right. At least she thought so.
That's when she heard the splash and looked over to find a gentleman had fallen into the water by the docks. "Oh by Frey!" she said in alarm, hurrying over. "Here." she said as she knelt on the dock, reaching out a hand. "Take my hand." she said, trying to stay calm so he would as well.
There are a few murmured or shouted words from those who witness his embarrassing downfall, but to Caden it's mostly haze given the water newly surrounding his head. Luckily the water here isn't too deep - enough to have cushioned his fall entirely, but not so deep that he can't stand on the silty floor beneath.
Luckily he's already the type to remain calm, if a bit sheepish given how publicly he just made a fool of himself, so as he looks up at the - wow, that must be magic, he can tell - beautiful woman, he can only give a grimace of a smile as he takes her hand to have her help him back up onto the dock.
"Thank you. Sorry for the inconvenience." It's not too terribly cold this early into Leafchange, but his wet clothes are going to swiftly become problematic once the sun goes down. "It has been some time since I was last here, is Freya's shop still open? I'll definitely need a change of clothes." As a traveling man of magic and merchantry it's a name he knows well, but anything can change in two years.
If he's home, I've got a message for the man above Getting out is not enough if nobody else can come
Phoebe smiled and pulled the man up out of the water with ease. She wasn't just beautiful, she was strong too. "It isn't an inconvenience at all. Are you alright? I'm a healer if not." she said, giving the ginger a once over. He seemed alright, but not all hurts could be seen beneath clothes.
"Yes, it's still open but it has moved." Phoebe said. "I'll show you the way." she said, gesturing for him to follow. She walked with confidence, and the crowd seemed to treat her with some deference. "My name is Phoebe. I don't think I have seen you around here before. What brings you?" she asked in a friendly but curious tone.
He's not as startled as one might expect by her strength, but he has mostly made his company in shady dealers and talented Abandoned who were far stronger than they looked. "A few bruises at most, though my pride will be the largest," he chuckles, clearly far from truthful. Caden doesn't mind rolling with the punches, and he isn't prideful enough to be embarrassed by such a tumble.
Following in her wake with the squish of damp socks in shoes, looking rather pathetic compared to her flawless beauty, Caden can only rub the back of his neck when she swiftly notes his lack of usual presence in the Greatwood. "Caden, miss. I'm actually a merchant of sorts - but this time I'm traveling with the mindset of trying to find a real home to settle down in." Slicking his wet hair back, now a dark auburn instead of bright ginger, Caden looks fondly out over the docks and towering trees. "The Greatwood is most familiar to me, so I thought I'd start here."
If he's home, I've got a message for the man above Getting out is not enough if nobody else can come
Phoebe smiled at him in a sort of consoling manner. "One's pride always bruises most easily." she said in agreement. She did feel a little bad for him too, squishing his way through the village as he was, people glancing at him curiously. Not everyone enjoyed being the center of attention after all.
"It's good to meet you Caden." she said with a grin. At his expressed interest in potentially settling down in the Greatwood, she brightened. "The Greatwood is a lovely place to live. Rustic compared to the other regions, but quieter and more secluded too. The village doesn't have the same hustle and bustle of the larger cities." she said.
One of his phrases in intrigue her though. "When you say you're a merchant of sorts, what do you mean by that?" she asked.
