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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!
It was a disaster. Utter, complete disaster. A haze of smoke enveloped the interior of the Guardian's treehouse, and a sharp smell of something burning was rapidly overtaking the fragrance of something cooking. Maea was a dervish tearing from stove to sink with a billowing pot in hand, heedless of the scalding substance that leaked from it along the way. It didn't matter if the floor was dirty - dinner was ruined anyway, the pantry empty, and all desire to eat gone.
With her mouth turned down in a look of dismay, Maea stared into the charred remnants of what should have been venison stew. It resembled solidified lava at this point, and after prodding the contents with the spoon concluded that it felt like rock, too. Damn. For someone with mastery over fire it shouldn't be possible to mess up this badly - yet she couldn't even excuse herself with being busy. Truth was, she was just distracted. Unfocused, and prone to drifting off in thought in the middle of a chore. The trail of destruction left in her wake could have been amusing, if it wasn't so embarrassing.
Muttering curses worthy of a pirate as she went to open up some windows, a glance outside did little to improve her mood. A storm had swept past the coast during the night and left a thick fog in its wake, thick as peasoup and lingering despite the heat. While she didn't normally mind warm temperatures, the damp was nasty, layering everything in a sticky film and frizzing up her hair.
All in all, the day was going terribly. And in ten minutes Liam would be arriving to eat a dinner that was ruined, in a house that smelled like a bonfire, with a woman who was this close to tying her tail in a knot. And the worst part was that while she absolutely could blame it on someone... that wouldn't make the food edible again.
Scrubbing her palms over the face to reset, she allowed herself one long, deep breath, let out one growl of frustration - then she was on the move again, whisking a cloak off the peg before she headed for the door. If she couldn't cook then she'd just have to buy the food - as long as they ate it was all the same where it came from, right? Right. Ans so she flung open the door and stormed out, noticing too late that a very tall and unreasonably handsome looking someone was blocking the entrance - and plowed straight into him, only to bounce right back with a smarting nose and absolutely no dignity left.
Who was it that led you on And makes you want to hurt me so?
Arriving to any appointment ten minutes early was a habit instilled in Liam from his days as a dragoon. It was a tendency that lingered even now, as the soldier made his way up the lane to arrive at Maea’s door. He was unbothered and unhurried, and looking forward to a meal with the woman he might call his best friend - if not something more.
He was just about to knock when a familiar figure came barreling out of the house - and straight into his chest, only to bounce back with a wounded expression that brought a teasing smile to Liam’s face. ”Whoa,” he said, reaching out to steady Maea. ”Where’s the fire?” It was only upon glancing over Maea’s shoulder to see the smoldering remains of what he could only assume was supposed to be their dinner that his smile faded, giving way to something like concern.
”Is everything alright?” he asked then. He’d been around Maea long enough to know that she was no great cook; her arsenal was limited as a result of time spent on the road, her repertoire only having expanded recently due to Hadama’s prodding. Still, her food was usually well cooked - never a blackened mass in the pot. Or at least not that he’d seen yet.
Who do you want to forget? Who forgot you long ago?
Steady hands caught her by the shoulders and kept her upright. Rubbing her sore nose, Maea peered up at the brick wall Liam through watering eyes - she was not crying - and felt her face heat up.
"I'm fine. I, uh... the fire's in the kitchen. ... sorry. Dinner will be very delayed."
His concern made her want to sink through the floor right now. Maea had put effort into this. The house had been cleaned, she'd put her hair up in a braid that was already coming undone, and her pretty dress held several stains of grease and soot that would be a pain to wash out. Of course she was still happy to see him, but this was a far cry from how she'd hoped the evening would go.
"We could just eat out instead... unless you prefer to stay here?" At least the open windows was clearing out the smoke, and kitchen aside the floors remained clean, the vouch pillows were fluffed, and in a bowl on the dining table a bowl of peaches sat next to a beautiful flower bouquet. Simple, yet intentional - and already wasted by a silly mistake.
Who was it that led you on And makes you want to hurt me so?
Steadying hands held Maea upright as Liam looked her over. Soot and grease smudged the pretty dress she’d chosen, and her artfully braided hair was coming undone. Her eyes were a bit watery, and she rubbed at her nose, but she seemed otherwise unharmed. The soldier glanced past her into the house, which - aside from the kitchen disaster - was nicely cleaned and arranged. It was a shame about the smoke, but even that was clearing now. All in all, a salvageable evening, if ever there was one.
Liam smiled - a reassuring thing meant to put Maea at ease - and shook his head. ”We can stay here,” he said. ”We can cook dinner together.” It was an activity he’d done a thousand times in his past, although he’d usually been the one to follow directions rather than taking the lead in the kitchen. It was something that was so simple and mundane, and yet the thought of sharing such a task with Maea set butterflies free in his stomach. It felt… intimate, somehow, in a way he couldn’t quite explain.
”Unless you’d rather go out?” he added, shooting a questioning look at the Ancient. Maybe she’d rather have someone cook for them, and that would be fine, too.
Who do you want to forget? Who forgot you long ago?
By now she should have expected the calm reassurance emanating from this man, yet as always it took her aback that he wasn't even phazed by the change of their plans. Calmed by Liam's ease, the little woman relaxed beneath his hands, and shook her head about going out. "I wanted it to be just us," she murmured, abashed even though she was fairly sure it was okay to admit such things now. "Just need to check the pantry - I dont know how much is left."
Managing a brief smile at least, she stepped aside to allow Liam inside the house. With the smoke clearing up, it didn't look quite as bad as it had seemed a moment ago, and if she ignored the blackened pot in the sink, one could almost believe that this was what they had planned all along.
Padding over to the pantry, she pulled open cupboards and considered the contents. Root vegetables and onions she had enough of, spices too (even though she wasn't sure what to do with them) and though the venison was ruined, at least there was a hunk of smoked meat that could be used.
"Think we can make something with this?" Glancing over a shoulder, the sight of Liam filling up the space of her living room filled her with a nervous excitement; almost exactly the way she'd imagined. Except the real thing was always better.
Who was it that led you on And makes you want to hurt me so?
I wanted it to just be us.
Maybe he was reading too much into such an innocuous statement, but his chest fluttered at the words. Emboldened, he smiled, reaching up to tuck a bit of Maea's braid back into place. "Then we'll stay here," he agreed, stepping into the house.
With the smoke clearing, things weren't as bad as they had first appeared. Beneath the lingering smell of burning meat, there was a homeliness to the house that warmed Liam's heart. There was a flower bouquet to brighten up the space, and the couch pillows were fluffed just so. He noticed the bowl of peaches, and was touched to find that Maea had remembered his favorite.
Maea called out, indicating some smoked meat, root vegetables, and spices. Wandering into the kitchen after the Ancient, Liam peered into the pantry from behind her, standing close enough that his chest just brushed her shoulder. "I think so," he said, tilting his head to peer at the spices. "There's always stew - or, if you have some bread, we could probably do some kind of sandwich..."
Who do you want to forget? Who forgot you long ago?
A tingle traipsing down her spine as Liam's presence behind her threatened to erase all thoughts of food and cooking. How was she supposed to think up a new menu when she could feel him breathing, that steady rise and fall of a chest that had no business being so solid and real. That she could simply lean back and let him support her passed through her mind and wouldn't leave again - and perhaps that was why it took her far too long to identify the loaf of bread on the shelf right in front of her nose.
"Ah, mhm, there's bread. Is toast okay, though? It's so simple.." Would it really be enough to keep him from going hungry? It certainly was a far cry from succulent stew and the pie she had been making... "Oh shit, the pie!" Whipping around on a heel, she was off to the oven, elusive as a wisp and just as hard to catch. Pulling open the oven door, a scent of warm fruit and caramelized sugar wafted into the room, replacing the charred odor with something far sweeter. A whoop of delight escaped Maea as she pulled it out, to find that while the crust was a touch darker than it ought to be, it hadn't burned at all. "We have dessert!" she announced as it was set aside to cool, suddenly feeling infinitely better. "You know what, toast is fine. What do you want on yours? There's ham, cheese, some condiments..."
Who was it that led you on And makes you want to hurt me so?
Liam would have been happy with anything Maea saw fit to serve, and he was about to tell her as much when she whirled and rushed to the oven. Bemused, Liam turned to watch as she pulled something out. It smelled divine, and while it was perhaps a little darker than intended, it certainly seemed like it would be delicious. With a grin, Liam said, ”We could always skip dinner and go straight for dessert.” Who needed toast when they could have pie?
But, seeing as this had clearly been meant to be a full meal, Liam returned to the pantry and pulled out the bread. ”Ham and cheese sounds great,” he said. ”And some mayonnaise, if you have it.” It would be simple fare, but Liam was a simple man. And all he’d really wanted from this evening was time spent with Maea. The food had been secondary, and he’d be more than happy with a sandwich and some pie.
Who do you want to forget? Who forgot you long ago?
"Mmh, tempting. My friends will scold me for not eating properly though," she replied with a light laugh, and a fond thought spared for the king of Torchline. And she had indeed had grand plans for the dinner, so she was quietly relieved that they were able to salvage most of it despite the setbacks.
Why she'd ever been nervous about this evening was a question Maea couldn't have answered in that moment. Except, it was fairly obvious. Something had shifted between the two of them after her near drowning, and between that, Liam's 'condition' and the uncertainty it added in their otherwise easy friendship, she couldn't see him in the same way anymore. The taciturn soldier-for-hire that had shadowed her steps on a futile hunt for legendary flowers had revealed himself to be both a man - with all that entailed - and a potential danger. Not in this instance perhaps. but how could she be sure? Where did the line go between Liam's decisions and the Family's?
It wasn't something she liked to dwell on, but the thought hovered at the back of her mind as she rummaged through her supplies to find the mayonnaise. It still haunted her as the fragrance of roasted bread banished the memory of her dinner plans, though anytime she looked up to find Liam smiling and acting perfectly normal, the doubts melted back again. Smiling shyly as their eyes met by accident, she ducked back down over the task of slicing cheese and tomatoes - silently cursing at herself for blushing like a schoolgirl.
When the only thing remaining was to move everything over to a table - dining or coffe table, whichever he preferred - Maea wiped her hands on a towel and grimaced after a glance down her dress. "Could you finish up here? I need to change... be right back."
Who was it that led you on And makes you want to hurt me so?
For all that Liam had been married, his experience with relationships was limited. His late wife had been his school sweetheart - and the only person he'd ever been with. He wasn't in familiar territory with this friendship-that-could-grow-into-more, but he knew that there was something different in the air. Something had changed that day on the skerry, leaving them in a strange sort of limbo. The friendship was still there, of course - that same easy camaraderie that had drawn Liam to Maea in the first place - but now it was like he was holding his breath, waiting to see which way things went from here.
Add to that the fact that he was a Friend of the Family now, and that Maea was not, and things were... complicated. But that wouldn't stop him from enjoying the meal, however simple it might be.
At Maea's question, Liam nodded. "Of course," he said as she disappeared from view - and he did his best to ignore the desire that sparked at the thought. He'd seen her nearly naked before - both that day she'd almost drowned, and on their trips to Frey's Breath - but now the thought made him flush with heat. To combat the faint tinge of pink to his cheeks, he set about moving everything to the coffee table (it was more comfortable, and less formal). By the time Maea returned, he'd have everything in place.
Who do you want to forget? Who forgot you long ago?
As promised, she wasn't gone more than a few minutes. When she emerged back down the stairs from her small room it seemed she'd managed quite a bit in that short time, as not only had she changed into a comfortable skirt and the shirt of midnight blue that he'd helped her pick out, but her hair had been let down and rebraided into a loose tail spilling down a thin shoulder. A subtle pink flush of her cheeks was all that stained her face now - and she felt calmer, all enthusiasm rekindled as she joined Liam on the couch.
"Hi," she said softly, the greeting belated but no less welcoming. "Thank you for waiting... let's eat. How's your day been?" Pouring a glass of fizzing cider for each of them, she settled in with her plate on the lap, taking advantage of the chance to finally relax. It felt like she'd been in motion since she woke up, all hectic nervousness and determination. Not that it had done her much good.
Who was it that led you on And makes you want to hurt me so?
When Maea reappeared, it was in the midnight blue blouse that Liam had helped her find, and with a newly plaited braid over one shoulder. Liam watched her, something tender and soft in his expression as she joined him on the couch. "Hi," he said with a small smile, scooting to make sure she had enough room. "You look nice." Nice, of course, being an understatement, in Liam's opinion, but that was neither here nor there.
He helped himself to the meal, thanking her for the glass of cider as she handed it to him. "It's been quiet," he said of his day. "Is it just me, or are there fewer visitors right now?" There were still some, of course, searching for those elusive roses, but the skyships coming into the Greatwood these days seemed emptier than they had been the season before. Perhaps the heat was dissuading people from coming out. "How about you?"
Who do you want to forget? Who forgot you long ago?
Smiling sheepishly at the compliment, she did a little curtsy before seating herself beside him. "Thanks! Glad you like it." Taking a bite of her toast, she would have been happy to listen to Liam talk about everything and nothing for the remainder of the meal, though as always he didn't go into detail unless it was anything serious. The reflection on the dwindling number of adventurers gave her pause; she'd spent a good chunk of the season traveling and hadn't thought much about it.
"Yeah? You might be right. Not to mention, it's expensive to travel, unless they can get their own food. Even the most dogged explorers need to go home and resupply occasionally." Taking a sip from her glass, Maea cast a sideways glance at Liam. "Of course, the mess at the party might have something to do with it, as well. People might be afraid of retaliations, getting caught up in events..." She didn't blame anyone for choosing safety over the thankless job of searching for what was so rarely found.
Who was it that led you on And makes you want to hurt me so?
In truth, Liam wasn't talkative because there wasn't much for him to say about his day. Now that the endless search for roses had come to its completion - at least for him - his days felt rather empty. He'd always hated the feeling of twiddling his thumbs and waiting for something to happen, and this was no different. But he also didn't want to bring down their dinner with his feelings of restlessness.
The soldier nodded at Maea's points, enjoying his meal as she spoke. "Could be the season, too. Torchline's more of a Longheat destination." What with its pristine beaches and cooling sea breeze. Here, amongst the Greatwood, he was just happy to have shade to stay under. The thick canopy of leaves overhead at least kept them cooler than other regions.
At the mention of the pool party, Liam stilled. They hadn't spoken again about the Family since that day, and he'd been too nervous to bring it up for fear that Maea would decline to accompany him to Stormbreak. What she didn't understand was that joining the Family was the only way that he could ensure she was protected in the days to come, and that he would do anything to ensure that she joined him as their Friend.
"Perhaps," he said after a moment. "The Family's Friends are perfectly safe, though." Not, perhaps, a subtle invitation, but then Liam was never known for his guile.
Who do you want to forget? Who forgot you long ago?
