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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!
Lena didn’t roll her eyes, but it was close as he perused through, and then promptly dumped the sauce in everything but the other main part of the dish. Shaking her head, because it wouldn’t much matter, she grabbed hold of some plates. “You can’t forget the pasta,” and she added that in as well, straining the water and ensuring it was provided ample delight within the confines of the vegetables, hare, and sauce. Thereafter, she made sure to feed Mittens some kibble nearby, so much that the snowball forgot about its hostilities and rampaged straight for its own food.
Snagging at portions for themselves, she grinned and handed over a full portion to Zavien. “Now it’s ready.” Glancing over at their surroundings, and the lack of chairs anywhere near her table or counter (something to recall for the future), she snorted. “Do you want to eat it out on the porch?” She’d need to find some glasses…and preferably some wine.
"Oh right!" He laughed at the misstep, trying to stay out of her way as she finished combining the aspects of the dish. Zavien took another whiff, smiling. "Mmmmmm. Looks good. And the house is still standing." He looked around as if surprised before giving her a wink, chuckling at the absurdity of his anxiety around cooking; although, he was fairly certain that Lena was the only reason that things had gone as well as they had.
Raising an eyebrow at her suggestion, he asked, "Wasn't that the original plan?" He flashed her a playful smile, accepting his own plate and hers as he waited for her to find a drink for their meal. Wine would be much welcome after all the hard work of furniture moving and cooking. He couldn't imagine how Lena must be feeling.
Once she was ready, Zavien led the way outside, deciding to settle on the stairs due to lack of furniture. Maybe one day they'd sit on a chair or swing, but for now, he would make do with well-placed footholds. Taking his place, he waited for Lena to take hers before offering her plate with a smile. "Shall we?"
If you don't like the road you're walking, start paving another.
Going back towards the oven to ensure everything had been turned off, especially after his statement, she laughed. “See, it’s not so bad. You just have to be attentive and follow the steps.” Raising her brows but implicating nothing else, she hummed, rummaging through containers and cabinets before finding the wine glasses, and the drink itself, figuring the pairing would go well. Whether or not it would send her all into a food coma was pending.
“Yes, well,” she wrinkled her nose, following after him as they made their way outside. “I think I forgot to buy chairs.” Or pick them up – but that was something easily remedied. “Tomorrow’s problem,” and found herself a nice spot beside Zavien on the stairs – where they could glance across the wake of Stormbreak’s horizon and see the sun beginning to settle along the horizon. “This seems better anyway.”
"I still think there's plenty of room for practice, and some more lessons couldn't hurt." Lena may not have been implicating more, but Zavien was definitely explicit in his hopes for further cooking sessions. She was a great teacher, and he enjoyed seeing her in her second-best element (the Celestine obviously being her first). A few more sessions might let him absorb even an ounce of her skills and knowledge, or he'd just get the pleasure of eating her fantastic cooking.
When she settled in next to him, Zavien chuckled, leaning gently against her shoulder with a wink. "Eh. Chairs are overrated." He'd much rather sit by her side. It gave him a better excuse to keep a subtle continuous contact between them. Even the brush of her arm was a comfort that brought flutters to his chest.
Accepting his own glass of wine, he lifted it to Lena with a bright smile full of affection and hopeful optimism. "To new beginnings and more sunset meals to come."
If you don't like the road you're walking, start paving another.
“Agreed,” she hummed, then grinned, for one meal where she oversaw the entire process didn’t mean he wouldn’t burn his own house to the ground at another interval. They’d have to plan out some other occasions. And despite the quip about chairs, and the particular necessity of them around a table, she was content with this setup too, leaning back into his shoulder as they settled along the porch steps. Clinking her wine glass in return, she laughed once more, wholehearted and genuine. “And no fires,” she winked. “Start thinking about what we want next time,” and she’d have everything ready and prepared.
