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Character of the Season
Frail in body but dangerously quick of mind, Nikandr is the sort of character who proves that curiosity can be just as perilous as any weapon. A necromancer, inventor, and problem-solver with more ambition than self-preservation, Niki approaches the world like a puzzle box begging to be opened, even when what’s inside has teeth. Blunt, dry-witted, fiercely independent, and carrying a history best left partially buried, he has a knack for making even failure feel fascinating. Whether he’s raising the dead, moving across Caido to King's End, or experiencing a hangover for the first time, Nikandr brings a wonderfully strange spark to Caido, and we can’t wait to see what trouble his brilliant mind wanders into next.
Congratulations, Niki!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
OG Skinning provided by Kaons, with functionality and many custom plugins made by Neowulf!
The fireplace had been in constant use since the Deepfrost chill had started to infiltrate the region. At the first sign of snowfall, Zavien was chopping wood, stacking a pile just inside the door to keep it dry for the long weeks to come. Especially with Soh's condition, he was determined to keep the space comfortable and homey. He was even doing the unthinkable and stocking his kitchen. From the basics to random cravings, he'd been more conscious of keeping sustenance easily available for her, constantly checking in that she had what she needed.
However, with LongNight fast approaching, Zavien was increasingly aware of the looming deadline and the need to be prepared. He was stocking the house and repairing the shutters and doing everything her could to ignore the impending dread of the coming darkness. It was nice to have distractions, particularly on days like today, when the cold felt like a living creature attempting to claw its way into his chest, pressing the cold deep into his lungs with each breath.
Zavien let out a huff of breath, the warmth turning white before his eyes. He adjusted the stack of freshly cut wood in his hands as he angled his elbow for the handle and pushed down. The door popped open, heat from the fireplace making the cold feel sharp against his skin. With a low grunt, he paused in the doorway to let Sol through, the golden dragon carrying his contribution to the pile: an impressively large stick that hit the doorframe twice before he managed to maneuver it inside.
Shaking his head, Zavien chuckled and twisted to press the door closed, then set the new wood onto the pile and turned to find Soh. He dusted his hands on his thick jacket as he reported, "Okay. That should be enough wood to last us through LongNight." More than enough if the towering pile was any indication. "There are plenty of candles in the closet, canned food in the pantry, water, blankets, new shutters, weapons..." he trailed off as he offered her a nervous smile. "Am I missing anything?"
just you and me, dancing in a daydream; just you and me, lost in the clouds
Despite her condition - and the horrific symptoms that had accompanied it - Soh had done her best to contribute in whatever small ways she could. Ironically, perhaps, one of the things she'd taken it upon herself to do was to learn a few basic meals that she could prepare without burning either the food or the house down. Did that mean that she'd spent the past several weeks fighting through food aversions and sudden bouts of nausea to be able to cook a few bowls of spaghetti or a grilled cheese sandwich? Absolutely. Did she regret a moment? Absolutely not.
As the season wore on, her morning sickness had waned and the fatigue had lessened. Though she still struggled with the occasional headache, it was, all in all, an improvement. And with LongNight coming up quickly, Soh knew she would need to be able to function in the two weeks of darkness that would blanket Caido - and put Zavien into what she could only guess would be a protective, anxious mode that she would do her best to soothe.
As it happened, she had one idea that might make LongNight marginally less frightening - but she suspected that Zavien wasn't going to like it one bit.
The door swung open, a burst of cold air invading the otherwise warm house. Soh turned from where she'd been stirring a pot of noodles to smile invitingly at Zavien, her expression softening as his obvious worry bled through his words. Setting down the spoon, she crossed the room to slot herself expertly into his arms, nuzzling against his chest and breathing him in. "You've done plenty," she murmured. "Come get warm. I was just making some pasta -"
Just then, the smell of something burning had Soh yelping, hurrying from Zavien's arms to the oven, from which she hastily retrieved what she'd hoped would be bread to go along with the spaghetti she was attempting to make. As it turned out, making the pasta was one skill, but making bread to go along with it - and trying to do it all at the same time - was another entirely. Her cheeks flamed red as she set the pan of burnt bread down. "I really thought I had the timing down this time!" she explained, not quite sure whether to laugh or to cry at her mistake. At least the pasta would probably be okay.
Sohalia
Minor powerplay allowed without permission.
Feel free to use force/magic on Sohalia.
The smell of food was divine, weaving together with the smokey scent of burning wood as he took a deep breath that didn't threaten to slice his lungs open. He smiled at Soh, stripping off his damp jacket just in time to envelope her in his arms. Her warmth was more welcome than any fireplace, the cold in his bones fleeing just to hear her voice, to know that she was near, to sense the reassurance that could cast aside all flickering doubt.
It settled the pounding of his heart as he let out a sigh, muscles relaxing and thoughts slowing with the contact. Content to keep her wrapped in his arms until LongNight, he was sorely disappointed to release her to deal with the other burning smell.
Zavien tried not to laugh, managing to contain it to an amused smirk as he followed her towards the kitchen and the log she removed from the stove. Her worry and frenzy were adorable, the sincere attempt flooding his heart with more affection than any perfectly cooked meal could. He wrapped his arms around her from behind as he inspected the charred bread, not an ounce of judgement or concern in his voice as he tapped the exterior. "I'm sure we can scrape off the black parts." Isn't that what she'd said about his toast that first day?
Grinning, he kissed her head to dismiss any worries she might have, his voice lighter as he teased, "This smells so good. Did you make anything for yourself?"
just you and me, dancing in a daydream; just you and me, lost in the clouds
To his credit, Zavien didn't laugh at Soh's predicament, though she wouldn't have blamed him - it was kind of funny. She wasn't the best cook in King's End by a long shot, though certain meals had certainly become more edible with practice. When she wasn't burning bread into a crisp, blackened log, that is.
Discarding the urge to cry and instead smiling ruefully, she leaned into Zavien's hold as he wrapped his arms around her. "Mm, we can try," she agreed - but first, the pasta. Without moving from his hold, she grabbed her spoon and stirred the noodles one last time, just to make sure they didn't stick, before draining off the water. The meat sauce bubbled on the stove nearby, simmering low enough that Soh wasn't worried it would burn.
"I made enough for both of us," she assured him, one hand coming to rest on his arm where it surrounded her middle, tracing against his skin lovingly before she reached for a knife to start attempting to salvage the bread. Fortunately, there were a few sections that she was able to save - enough for each of them to have a piece, anyway. Satisfied by this turn of events, Soh twisted to press a kiss to Zavien's jaw before wiggling out of his hold. "Here, let me fix the bowls -"
It didn't take long before they'd settled at the table, each with a serving of spaghetti and a slice of (slightly burnt) bread. The fire crackled merrily in the hearth, warming the house against the bitter chill of the outdoors. It was such a quiet, picturesque moment that Soh was loathe to ruin it. No matter what the outcome of the conversation was, this was the house where they'd built their relationship, where they'd started their family - and she wanted to take in this peaceful breath for a moment before she potentially shattered it.
It wasn't that she worried about their relationship, not really. She still had days where she wondered if Zavien would wake up one day and regret choosing her, choosing this - but those were growing fewer and farther between. It was more that she didn't want to cause him discomfort, and she knew that suggesting they move to Torchline, of all places, would do that. It was easier to sit in the comfort of the warm home they'd made here.
But things couldn't always be easy, so it didn't take her long to glance at Zavien from beneath her lashes. "So... I was thinking... we never really settled on living arrangements once the baby is here."
Sohalia
Minor powerplay allowed without permission.
Feel free to use force/magic on Sohalia.
Zavien loosened his hold only enough to let her work, occasionally reaching forward to assist with holding a lid or ingredient. His smirk widened at her reassurance, squeezing her tight to him as he joked, "Are you sure? I'm pretty hungry." The gleam in his eyes suggested he might share with his pregnant girlfriend, but that he could very much eat it all on his own.
When Soh finally slipped from his grasp, Zavien let her go as if the kiss was the key to her freedom, wondering if he was imagining the distracted look on her face. With nothing to occupy his hands anymore, he maneuvered around her in an easy, familiar dance as he gathered drinks, butter for the bread, and silverware to meet her at the table. Before long, he settled down next to her, smiling at the pleasant meal and better company.
The spaghetti was delicious, the marinara sauce was perfectly executed, and the bread had a unique sharpness that he didn't mind. It might not have been a five-star professional dinner, but Zavien would happily eat it for the rest of his life if it meant sitting across from the woman he loved, even if that included whatever conversation they were about to have. He could tell in the flickering of her silver gaze, the cautious way she held her fork, the silence that felt less like quiet contentment and more like cherished moments before the peace was broken. It almost had him asking what was wrong, but she seemed to be searching for the words to start, so he paused to butter a piece of bread until she spoke.
Soh's words had his head tilting, eyes meeting hers with an openness that invited her to speak whatever worried her. He offered an encouraging smile as he said, "No, I guess we didn't." It faded as the uncomfortable thoughts arose, something that had been on his mind for the last few weeks, a decision he'd been grappling with. His lips pressed together. "I've actually been thinking about that." Not wanting to interrupt or derail whatever Soh had to say on the matter, he looked to her. "But what are your thoughts?"
