From Attuned to Ascended to Ancient, Kiada Njovu-Reyes has been reborn several times throughout her short life, but her fighting spirit has never once been diminished. With beauty, grace and a quick wit, Kiada is the whole package wrapped in an infectious smile. Recent endeavours have found her in the heart of the Hollowed Grounds, aiding the region and bettering it for her new Ancient kin, and whatever she does next, we know it's sure to pack a punch.
Congratulations, Kiada!
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!
The first few contractions are weak, and Evie knows she has hours yet to go before anything remotely needs to happen, so she doesn’t say a word. Deimos is wonderful at keeping his head in an emergency but she isn’t exactly keen on being shuffled into a bed this early on. She does, however, tidy up her desk and leave early if only to keep her own fluttering heart at bay. By the time she hears the front door open she has gotten their go-bag ready, and though it isn’t heavier than she’s allowed to carry she uses her magic to transport it onto the island anyway. Can never be too careful this late in the game.
“Welcome home love. Can you come here?” Her voice is a little breathy as she concentrates on riding out the tail end of another contraction, hands braced against her lower back. She meets him with a smile, cheeks slightly flushed as she gestures her chin to the bag. “First frost on the ground was all it took apparently,” she laughs, charmed by the fact their child had apparently only waited until the technicality of Deepfrost to join their parents in their season of birth before calling it quits on the waiting.
And The most beautiful thought Is the fact that I have always loved you
Deimos, prepared as ever, still bore the weight of trepidation as the new season dawned and reigned. First inclinations were to hover the moment Deepfrost unwound its chill throughout their region, but he persevered in struggling and striving to not be an overbearing shield. As the days approached, he would cast her studious glances, as if trying to pinpoint any alterations before she did - but as anyone would know, Evie would recognize the signs far before he did.
So stepping into their warm home like any other afternoon, he hadn’t anticipated the movement of the go-bag placed upon the counter, but it activated all the notions they’d been preparing for. He eased a breath, promised inwardly that he wouldn’t be panicked or frantic (he’d handled many an emergency, but never had they been over a birth), and rushed over immediately, hands on her back. “You all right?” was quickly followed by, “Do we need to go now?” head tilting towards the door, and the soon to be awaiting infirmary. He could likely pass on a message to some passing courier and have them get the room taken care of before they even arrived, but while his mind was already busy winding through the calculations and machinations of the moment, he would defer to her counsel.
Her hand comes up to gently touch his cheek, grounding herself as much as him. She’d normally say she’s an old hat at this, but she’s never been the one giving birth so it’s just as daunting and novel on her end. “I’m okay for now, the contractions have been getting closer for a few hours but I think it’s time we leave now.” Her eyes follow his to the infirmary, and she smiles - only to grimace shortly as another flicker of pressure-pain crawls up her nerves. Micah twines around her legs, purring encouragingly, rosettes flickering in the warm light of their home. Evie drops a hand to play with his ears to settle her nerves.
“Game faces,” she encourages with a bit of soccer-mom charm. She doesn’t need to put on a brave face so to speak - she’s anxious, but she’s also eager - but she flashes him a grin and two thumbs up anyway. And it does make her feel better for a moment before another contraction sneaks up on her. “Okay, definitely speeding up,” she winces, hands falling to brace along her hips as she moves for the door, intent on getting to the healers and their pain-numbing magic as soon as possible now that it’s worsening.
And The most beautiful thought Is the fact that I have always loved you
And while she was working on reassurance, his eyes narrowed, the calm desperately trying to override anything else snarling and snagging in his mind. “All right,” he uttered with a relaxed composure that didn’t fetter anywhere near his chest, and gently scooped her up into his arms. Bags were adorned on his shoulders, Belial could guard and watch the house, and Zuriel could accompany them. All according to plan; which was a mantra he’d repeat in his head because it sounded very certain and very sure.
He maneuvered carefully through the snow though, closing the door behind them, and the unicorn ambling from around the corner of the house to follow. The mare’s eyes scrutinized but she was silent, gratefully so, as they moved towards the medical threshold. “Zuri can give you some relief until we get there,” was another offering through his deep vocals, trying to keep all the edges and fringes at bay.
Like a self-contained blizzard, a white dragon snarls overhead with an ursur clutched between its claws. Flying towards the high cliffs that no doubt are its home, it’s probably a good thing that it already has its dinner for the evening, lest you have become its meal.
You’ve encountered a White Dragon. This counts as a rare creature encounter for the purposes of levelling, but does not count as a Random Event for levelling or MP. There will be no further admin/re intervention. If you choose to follow this creature, you do so at your own risk, however, just having it in this thread is enough to satisfy your levelling requirements. You may not kill your rare creature without admin permission.
White Dragons (Rare/mythical): Living in underground tunnels that are warded with ice and snow, white dragons hoard treasure and anything they deem beautiful. Often this means that one might find gold, gems, and frozen humans stored in their caves. They can speak the basic common tongue and can communicate telepathically with the attuned, though they are secretive, vain, and usually aloof and unhelpful.
Evie sputters a small noise through her nose at being carried, but it’s admittedly nice, and the time for independence is halfway out the door already. Instead she tucks her head into his shoulder where he would surely feel the relief in her exhale. “Yes, please,” she mutters, willing to take the aid while it's offered. It's not far to traverse, and Micah keeps up easily though his ears are flattened with concern. They're met by infirmary staff that jump immediately to their sides, though they're smart enough not to try and pull Evie away until they're being led to their room.
Evie lets Deimos take the reigns for maneuvering her onto the bed, though their birthing plan had been clear that she wouldn't be on her back for the actual birthing. The medics flit in and out, and Evie abides getting undressed without a flinch of self-consciousness. At least until more...intimate checks have to be performed. Only then does she reach for Deimos' hand as she reclines backward, waiting for the measure. "You're quite close already Evie, we'll want to start preparing you for pushing soon." Evie turns her head toward her husband and her smile is more of a determined grimace. "Our kid isn't one to wait around I suppose." She wonders if that will herald any personality traits.
And The most beautiful thought Is the fact that I have always loved you
He waited for some semblance of a protest, but when nothing came along he wondered if the situation was more dire than he’d figured – steps elongated but not jostling her. Zuriel tended from the side, the sweep of her horn careful and precise, striving to keep an even keel over the situation.
The infirmary staff all seemed quite trained and prepared, but it was still difficult to relinquish Evie to their skills and ministrations the moment they entered – he yielded regardless, placing her gently upon the bed as the rest hustled and bustled. There seemed to be no denial of his entry, and he would’ve refused being placed out of the quarters regardless, so he stayed by her side through the movements and motions, eyes briefly widening as Zuriel stood guard at his arm.
He kept a reassuring but firm hold on her hand, eyes going to her immediately at the news. Their timing hadn’t been the most impeccable in any of these situations, and he couldn’t help but unfurl a brief snort. “I am not surprised,” given everything else that had gone along in the seasonal intervals. To the medics surrounding, he inclined his head. “Do you need me to do anything?”
Evie squeezes his hand back, head turned to the side and eyes caught on his as if he's the only other person in the room. He's the only one she needs at the very least. Her anchor to hold her to the earth while she journeys through this.
The head nurse - appointed by Evie seasons ago - shakes her head at Deimos' question, smiling slightly. "No, just keep her calm and support her. All signs are looking good." They have magical diagnostic tools at their disposal, but Evie is keeping a thumb on her own physical state as well and nothing is throwing up red flags just yet. "The pain is getting a little worse." She says it with her eyes still on Deimos', but it's to the room at larger. It summons one of the nurses, who hums after reading her dilation again and murmurs that she's going to fetch the doctor. Evie exhales slowly. "Just stay with me," she murmurs, the anxiety beginning to creep in. "You're all the luck I need." And the rings on their fingers will surely see to the rest.
The doctor comes then, and Evie has to get into position to begin pushing. The pain drastically increases the moment she is instructed to start, and she squeezes Deimos' hand until her own is stark white. They can only relieve the pain magically in waves so they don't miss any signs of rupture, but Evie lives and breathes for those moments. Her stamina holds out with each wave of contractions, but she can't help but pray to Frey that her birth is just as easy as her pregnancy had been, because she's so tired already.
And The most beautiful thought Is the fact that I have always loved you
The Sword was well versed in striving to assist and help, but his measures were in support and support alone. He had no power to mend or heal, and the unicorn at his side was the only capacity near him in those regards – so he nodded, presiding and providing relief where he could. His hand squeezed hers in gentleness, in grounding, anchoring measures, face flickering between pride at her abilities, and along the faces of the nurses and medical staff at large, gauging information through nuances as well as shared wisdom.
He bent down, mouth near her crown as the contractions seemed unending and the pushing began, low murmurs in her ear for her and her alone. “You are so strong,” because it was true, and would be for eternities, no matter the situation. If he could give her any wave of strength, fortitude, and might, he would – some manner of salvation and semblance through these chords of life and growth.
Evie leans sideways into him to rest between pushing, but soon even that is taken from her as they become too close to offer real respite. His words linger in her ears, and though her lashes thicken and clump with errant tears, her eyes find his time and again to linger in the support he offers. Any words she might have reached for are negligible; her love is apparent in her gaze, and she doesn't have the breath to spare.
It isn't the longest delivery she's ever witnessed, though as her first it feels like an eternity before the doctor crows out, "They're crowning! Okay Evie, you're almost there!" In her exhaustion it feels patronizing, but she grits her teeth and her hand clamps around Deimos' as she gives everything she has, heart aching with the need to see their baby. She's not sure she'll ever remember the actual moments between, but as a newborn's squawling fills the room she comes back to herself with her head slumped forward in the cradle of her bracketed shoulders, knees shaking as she's guided by foreign hands onto her side and then her back.
Her eyes hunt restlessly until they find her baby in the doctor's hands, who is waiting only until their eyes meet to approach and lay the babe on her chest, pulling her gown out of the way for her. "Congratulations, it's a boy," she shares quietly beneath the slowing tide of the babe's wailing, and Evie takes up the torch in his stead as she turns her eyes to Deimos, hands cradling their infant protectively as her tears spill over in disbelief. "A boy. Our boy. We have a son," she utters in stilted half-measures, torn between staring at her husband and the new life they've brought into the world, scarcely capable of blinking.
And The most beautiful thought Is the fact that I have always loved you
The Sword granted support to the Evergreen wherever and however he could, a vessel and anchor in the storm, whispered murmurs, and formidable vows. He listened and snagged at each portion of information that he could, forging long held breaths and striving to grant anything he could. Almost there echoed against his mind, and he had no measure of how much had been taken or snagged in between those hours and moments, seconds and synapses – and perhaps it scarcely mattered in the end.
Not after a wail, a scream, from a newborn son.
He leaned first into Evie, grabbing hold of her cheeks gently, and indifferent to who saw, pressed his lips fervently against hers. “You are amazing,” and he’d tell her so every day.
And then there was a baby, theirs in her arms, and he unleashed the sigh forged into his lungs, proudly looking down at the squawling little beast. “Yes,” he rumbled, as if affirming it for both of them and the newest motion of reality, brushing away a few of his own tears that had suddenly appeared in an emotional upheaval. “You did so well,” giving credit where credit was due, before reaching out a finger to stroke at the babe’s crown; a forge of open admiration.
His kiss is all she needs, and she sinks into it boneless and trusting. She had thought that once more it would only be him in the room, the center of her entire world, but as their son is placed on her chest she finds the world narrows down to three instead of two. If she cared to notice she'd see that they're given ample privacy - perhaps even more given their titles and positions - but Evie can't see anything past the tiniest dusting of dark hair on a tiny head, or Deimos' wet eyes. Her world shifts and settles to wrap itself around this tiny soul in her arms, the axis of her life changing forever.
"Our Erebos," she murmurs, the tip of her nose gently touching the top of his head beside Deimos' fingers, caring little for the movement of the nurses who are busy clamping the cord and taking her vitals. One hand leaves their son to bring Deimos close by whatever she can snag, foreheads coming together like a prayer above Erebos. "I love you so much," she whispers to the both of them. Measures of returning home, settling in, weighing the babe - they are all nudging somewhere in her brain, but for right now she is consumed by her own devotion to what has truly become a tiny family.
And The most beautiful thought Is the fact that I have always loved you
His heart had always been large, if a bit decrepit and tarnished in the past, and it only took a moment to place their son well within the boundaries of his shelter, sanctuary, shield, and love. While the nurses tended and eventually disappeared, there was only Evie and Erebos in his eyes, brows upon brows, and his hands soft, delicate, gentle along their song. “Good thing we had already decided on that name. He is perfect.” he whispered for amusements, bringing some humor to the forefront. “I love you,” he echoed, to both in turn, and they’d follow all the other necessities and hours within – eventually being able to bring him into their home, threshold, and protection.
