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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 secluded section of the springs they'd found was bathed in a gentle haze of steam, thick enough to veil them from the rest of the cavern. Remi eased into the water first, a soft, relieved groan slipping past his lips as the heat soaked into weary muscles, releasing tension that had knotted deeply beneath his skin. Turning back to Ronin, the Bastion extended a hand to help him into the water, a playful yet boyishly affectionate smile on his lips.
"Alright," he announced, adopting an expression of mock severity. "Three rules, Ronin, if you think you can manage that." He held up one finger. "First rule: absolutely no talk about the end of the world. Not even a whisper." Raising a second finger, Remi continued with a growing smirk. "If you break rule one, you have to take a very generous drink of the gin I brought. So, unless you'd like to be thoroughly drunk—best listen."
A third finger joined the others, though his voice softened into something more tender. "And finally, rule three: we have to stay within arm's reach the entire time. No exceptions."
The Bastion settled comfortably against the warm stone, tugging Ronin gently closer, water rippling around them. "Can you manage that, do you think?" he asked, arching a playful eyebrow, the steam already curling his damp curls into soft ringlets plastered against his forehead and neck.
did it bend or did I break?
Coding base by Sky!
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
"Three? That is at least two more rules than I was expecting for our jaunt out here," Ronin complains, though he's given away by the smile in his voice. Accepting Remi's hand with warm, calloused fingers, he steps into the hotsprings and instantly submerges himself enough to relax against the hot stone side of the pool they find themselves in. Closing his eyes for just a second to enjoy the way the tension begins to flood out of his muscles, he peeps across at Remi in time to see him start to hold up his fingers.
"I accept your terms," he informs the other man without a whisper of complaint, ferried willingly closer and stretching an arm around his husband to all but melt against him. "Though I must ask - what do I do if I want a generous sip of that gin you brought, but I don't want to break any of the rules?" Grinning, Ronin doesn't actually care about the answer to the other man's question, something made evident by the way he's already trying to sneak kisses to his cheek and against his jaw.
"This was a great idea," he murmurs against his scruff. "I needed it."
Remi melts easily beneath Ronin's gentle barrage of kisses, tipping his head back with a soft hum of appreciation as the warmth of the spring and the brush of his husband's lips conspire to ease the ache in his bones. One hand slides lazily up Ronin's back, drawing idle circles against the damp warmth of his skin, his own touch gentle, almost reverent.
"Well," Remi murmurs, voice thick with a fond sort of amusement, "there's no rule that says you can't just ask for the gin." With his free hand, he reaches back to where he's left the bottle safely on the ledge, bringing it close enough that Ronin could easily take a sip if he wishes.
His arm tightens around the Knight, pulling him even closer until there's hardly space between them. "We both did," Remi admits quietly, pressing a tender kiss against Ronin's temple. "Though I swear to all the gods if I see a lily right now, I might just turn my back on it." The words are soft a touch blasphemous, but who cares.
His fingers gently comb through Ronin's dark hair, lingering to cup the back of his neck, thumb brushing softly against the curve of his jaw. "I love you," he whispers, the words low and fervent, as though he might make up for every second they've spent fighting, worrying, surviving.
did it bend or did I break?
Coding base by Sky!
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
"Oho, now this is why you're the brains of the operation," Ronin says, grinning a last kiss against Remi's cheek before he draws away enough to accept the bottle and bring it to his lips. Humming a note of indulgent approval as he offers it out to his husband, the sigh the Knight lets out has him sagging even further against the other man. "I didn't realise how much rum and whiskey I'd been drinking again because we were in Torchline," he admits with a soft laugh. "I've missed your waterfall gin."
More than content to get as close as possible to the Bastion and then closer still, given their track record in Frey's Breath, Ronin inhales a sharp gasp of faux outrage to hear the blasphemy spill from the other man's lips. "You can't say that - one will definitely appear just because you don't want it to, and then where will we be?" he hisses, glancing around suspiciously.
It's the sort of suspicion that melts away easily as fingers slip through his damp hair, Ronin tipping his head back into the touch and letting his eyes slip back shut of their own accord. "I love you too," he whispers. "One day up here almost doesn't seem like enough. We ought to commission someone to build like... a vacation spot up here. We can stay for a week." Or a season.
Rising up from the water is one of the largest lilies that you've ever seen.
You’ve encountered one of Rae's Lilies!. 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. You can post a link to this thread in the character updates thread if you take the lily, to have it added to your inventory.
Rae's Lilies (rare - The Climb): Purest white and veined with turquoise and gold, these lilies may only be found along the edges of the Frey's Breath hot springs. Rumoured to contain all the healing power of the springs and more, they are a mythical find indeed.
Remi chuckles quietly, the sound resonating low and warm in his chest as he gratefully takes the bottle of gin from Ronin’s outstretched hand. "I'd say yes, but I think we both know I'm far too humble for that," he murmurs affectionately, lips twitching into a playful smirk as he takes a generous sip. "We could always head back into the mountains for a while? Not to hide of course, but just to make more gin." But also maybe to hide.
As Ronin gasps in exaggerated horror at his blasphemy, Remi presses his mouth against his husband’s temple to muffle another laugh, nuzzling softly into the Knight's salt and pepper hair. "If it appears, I’ll take the blame entirely. It might be worth it, just to prove you right for once," he whispers, thumb brushing tenderly against Ronin's jaw. For just a moment, the Bastion allows himself to sink further into the fantasy Ronin weaves between them—a week, a season, an eternity just hidden away, just the two of them—
—And then he sees it.
A flicker of white, delicate and pure, rising silently from the water behind Ronin. Remi’s muscles tighten instantly beneath his husband’s touch, warmth and affection replaced swiftly by tension, echoed sharply through their bond. "Gods damnit," he mutters, amusement warring with disbelief as he stares helplessly at the Rae’s lily bobbing innocently on the surface.
"I'm at serious risk of having to drink the entire bottle of gin if I say another word," Remi says through a tense, half-laughing breath, eyes wide and fixed pointedly over Ronin’s shoulder. "You should, ah—" His lips twitch helplessly as he nudges Ronin gently, the humour darkening the lines of his face despite his best effort to remain stoic. "—you should turn around."
did it bend or did I break?
Coding base by Sky!
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
"So humble," Ronin gushes, cracking an eye open to grin at his husband. "And that does sound nice, actually. We could just spend a couple of days up at the houseboat, collect some water from the waterfall, see how much the garden we tended has taken over the rest of the meadow..." And never mind that they both know full well that they can't do any of that regardless because of the void infection, because that would be breaking the rules.
Leaning subconsciously into the further kisses pressed to his temple, Ronin is already starting the sneaky process of getting his arm further around Remi so he can eventually draw him into his lap. Alas, before he can do as much, the tension whipcracks through all the places they touch so quickly that the Knight almost thinks something dangerous has happened. Fae blue eyes snap open, radiant light fracturing out of him brightly enough to highlight the bright pink flamingos on his swimming shorts, and he gazes towards the other man for context.
"Hm? I should-- wait, no." Now he's also sitting up straight, jaw feathering with the sort of defiant annoyance that begs this not to be real. "I don't think I will turn around," he announces airily to Remi, even if he can practically feel the lily radiating out at him just over his shoulder. "It wouldn't be fair on you after all, husband. You saw it first. You should have the pleasure of picking it."
Remi's lips twitch involuntarily, caught between exasperation and helpless amusement as he watches the radiant light spill from Ronin—bright enough that the flamingos on his husband's shorts almost seem to glow. It's enough to temporarily ease the tension from his shoulders, and despite the impending threat of the lily behind them, he can’t stop the burst of laughter that slips out, brief and boyish, at Ronin’s sudden stubbornness.
"I believe your generosity is unmatched," Remi drawls wryly, voice thick with mock-seriousness as he meets Ronin's defiant stare with one of his own, an eyebrow arched in challenge. "But I am afraid I must insist." He leans forward slightly, just enough that his lips brush teasingly against the corner of Ronin’s mouth, as if in negotiation. "As your humble, devoted husband," he continues softly, "I simply can't deny you the joy of claiming this victory yourself."
Pulling back just a fraction, Remi tilts his head innocently, though his eyes glitter with mischief and a stubborn playfulness all his own. "It is my birthday this season, so I'm afraid I simply must insist."
"Generous, humble, modest - I am all of those things," Ronin agrees with a ready bob of his head, his own laughter spilling out despite the steel in his shoulders and the knowledge that even in a relaxing space like this - a space they've been to plenty of times on purpose looking for this very lily, he might add - the weight of the world is able to find them. "There would be no greater joy for me than seeing the look on your face as you collect it," he fires back, the words murmured against Remi's lips, his fingers teasing across his lower back.
But then he goes and plays the fucking birthday card.
Groaning dramatically and splashing water at the Bastion, Ronin ushers him away at last and turns, with a dramatic huff, to regard the truly gorgeous and mythical Rae's Lily bobbing innocuously in the water not a foot away. "You really pick your moments, y'know?" he complains to the flower, reaching out to carefully collect it into his hands, rising out of the water so he can go and sequester it safely away with the rest of their belongings.
"Where were you a few days ago?" he continues his diatribe as he tucks it into one of their bags. "You had my husband wandering all over Caido on a quest, and you were just here sitting around in the water. Lazy, if you ask me."
Remi watches Ronin with eyes bright and glittering, laughter still bubbling from his lips at his husband’s theatrics—his dramatics only amplified by the truly ridiculous (and utterly charming) sight of those glowing pink flamingos. Leaning back against the warm stone wall of the spring, he offers an exaggerated sigh of pure relief, playfully wiping a pretend sweat from his brow.
"Well, look at that," Remi says warmly, his voice honeyed with amusement as he watches Ronin scold the lily, tilting his head and letting his eyes roam appreciatively over his husband's dripping figure. "You’re the only man in all of Caido who could make one of the most sought-after flowers seem guilty."
He reaches for the gin, taking a long sip before stretching out an arm toward Ronin with a lazy grin. "Now come back here," he urges gently, sea-glass gaze softening. "You're dangerously close to breaking Rule Number Three."
did it bend or did I break?
Coding base by Sky!
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
"I wouldn't make it seem guilty if it weren't deserving of it," Ronin announces haughtily as he straightens up, sweeping his wet hair out of his face. "Now sit there and think about what you've done," he tells the lily, before turning back towards the springs. A good plan, evidently, as he's reminded of the third rule of their trip. With a sound that's something like ooop! Ronin hurries back to the springs, slipping into the water and prowling through it to get back to his husband's waiting arms.
"I think we might have to add an additional rule," he confesses, swarming into Remi's space to almost pin him back against the side of the pool. "Not only can we not drift out of arm's reach of one another, but I don't think it's safe to even look anywhere else. Next thing you know we might find Frey's bikini by accident."
Remi arches a brow, lips curving into a slow, wicked smile as Ronin prowls toward him through the steaming water. He lets himself be cornered easily, welcoming his husband with arms that wind around him, fingers tracing idle patterns against warm, damp skin. His breath catches softly at the press of Ronin’s body, though his smile only grows brighter, eyes glinting with playful challenge.
"Mmm, you know, that's an excellent suggestion," he murmurs, tipping his chin up slightly so their lips are barely an inch apart. "I'll happily add it as rule number four." His voice lowers conspiratorially, almost teasingly serious. "Though, if Frey’s bikini does happen to appear, I absolutely forbid you from putting it on. I wouldn’t be able to handle the distraction." In my head it's purple with polka dots like Mayor Lewis' shorts
Laughing softly, Remi brushes his lips gently against Ronin’s, just enough to tease. "Now, are you done scolding innocent lilies, or should I prepare myself for more of your lectures today?"
did it bend or did I break?
Coding base by Sky!
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
"I'm so pleased that we're in agreement," Ronin says with a smile curling across his lips, doing his best not to simply melt into the press of his husband's hands when he's trying to be the teasing and dominant one. As for wearing said bikini - fictional or otherwise - should it happen to appear, the Knight raises his eyebrows. "Are you saying I wouldn't look good in it, or are you saying I would look too good in it?" he wonders, all but kissing Remi with each brush of his lips.
And as the Bastion does teasingly close the distance between them, it will absolutely serve as Ronin's undoing. "I am done doing anything except you," he assures him, leaning in a second time for a real kiss at last, hungry and slow and everything he's been craving since the moment his husband had cured him of the void infection. Drawing Remi closer even as he surges forward to pin him further against the side of the hotsprings, Ronin is unashamedly greedy for the other man's touch - even more so if it lets them forget about the lily a few feet away.
Remi’s answering groan is low, eager, and deeply appreciative as Ronin presses him firmly back against the stone edge. All thoughts of lilies and bikini distractions fade into blissful irrelevance as his husband’s mouth claims his, fierce and intoxicating. Remi’s hands grow bolder, fingertips tracing teasingly along Ronin’s spine before dipping lower, gripping his hips to pull him close.
"I’m saying you’d look so good in it that you'd draw a crowd," Remi growls softly against Ronin’s lips. He shifts slightly, pressing himself purposefully against the Knight, his body responding eagerly beneath the steaming water.
Breaking the kiss just enough to trail his lips along Ronin’s jaw, Remi gently bites at the sensitive skin just below his ear, his voice dropping to a husky whisper. "But given the lesson we've just learned about tempting fate, please shut up." His fingers flex suggestively, sliding slowly, teasingly downward.
did it bend or did I break?
Coding base by Sky!
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
