From being an Abandoned who had rarely left the Hollowed Grounds, to embracing the call of adventure, to dying and being reborn first as an Ascended and then as an Ancient, Maea has gone through quite the amount of changes in her life. One thing remains common, though, in her attempts to find out just where she belongs; she’s always had a craving for knowledge which has brought her to so many places and to meet so many people here in Caido. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for her!
Congratulations, Maea!
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!
"Come on now, indulge me." Ianto's accent was more musical than ever around the words, undoubtedly due to his excitement as he weaved through the pathways of the Greatwood until he found the banks of the Stonesong. In one of his hands he held a reed-weaved basket, created with a trio of boys and an ex-captain of Northaven. (That still kind of spooked him out a bit, being so candid with someone like Roana Steadman).
In his other hand, he held... well. Remi's.
The fox glanced over his shoulder to flash a golden smile the alchemist's way, his steps slowing for them to stroll along the riverbank. And oh did it sing today, the sweet melody whistling through the rocks that jutted out of the water, the sun bouncing off the river and scattering rainbows here and there. "Here," he decided. "Here is a perfect place to catch the sun."
Remi hadn't felt so light and buoyant in what seemed like years. In reality, it had been about a year, if not longer. A year nearly that they'd been in Caido, but even before that things had been...strange for the alchemist. Now though after death and change and so much loss, Remi once again felt like himself, perhaps moreso with Ianto's hand easily slipped into his.
"I suppose I should not be surprised that basket weaving is one of your many talents." Remi said with a laugh. He could create a basket for himself out of thin air, but the novelty of his magic had long since worn off, and the alchemist yearned to do something with his hands (and while yes, that was a blatant innuendo, since he wasn't able to constantly have his hands all over the fox, he needed to keep them busy with other things).
"Oh?" Remi replied, narrowing his eyes and pretending to scrutinize the riverbank. "You are sure? Here?" Though given the folly of what they were doing Remi didn't actually think the location mattered much (wrong), but also this spot—adorned with rainbows and the warm bubbling of the Stonesong—was too perfect for him to not poke fun at.
Table base by Sky!
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
"I didn't know it was a talent until I tried to do it. Luckily, it looks like I've a natural flair," Ianto remarked with a lopsided smile, his fingers still laced casually with Remi's as they slowed to walk side by side. The fox was seeking out the best spot where they might descend onto the rocks and 'catch' the reflection of light from the Stonesong, snorting at Remi's teasing. "Well, now that you say it, I'm really not. Maybe over there would be better."
Nodding upstream to a few bedraggled trees that had been half pulled into the water, Ianto pasted a smile on his face, like that was the most gorgeous thing he had ever seen. "We should definitely go there instead of staying here. Uh huh."
"Natural flare, mm?" Remi echoed with an approving grin. His friend certainly had that and more in spades.
Glancing ahead to where the fox was currently looking, the trees seeming to heave themselves out of the water in a manner that was far less visually appealing than the idealic rainbow-haloed area they were in, Remi nodded in definite agreement. "I thought so as well." He said, colouring his voice with as much confidence as he could through the smile etched onto his lips.
Suddenly throwing his shoulder into the fox to try and shove him towards the water, Remi fake-gasped, pulling up hastily on Ianto's hand. "Be careful. The bank is slippery." The alchemist admonished with a cheeky grin.
Table base by Sky!
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
"Mm... you certainly have an aesthetic eye," Ianto said, his smile still in place but his voice not sounding convinced, and he glanced sidelong at Remi as if to judge how far he was willing to push this. Only... it appeared he was actually going to be pushing the fox instead. Ianto yelped as he was jostled about, nearly throwing the basket in the river as his arm tried to pinwheel, only for Remi to drag him close again.
Laughing wickedly, he cast the basket aside on the grass - a sure sign of his mischievous intentions. "It is, Remi," he agreed, blue eyes growing wide, the fox exaggerately stumbling towards the edge of the bank - and dragging the alchemist with him.
"Oh no. I am falling." He beamed, pulling the other man close and letting himself tumble back into the water.
"You are not the first to tell me that." Remi replied, with a smirk that said that the fox absolutely was the first to tell him that.
As Ianto came close, Remi sucked in a breath. The fox's eyes were always so startling in their mischevious blueness, and the alchemist felt butterflies suddenly flit about his stomach as the merchant suddenly came close. However the unexpected turn of events—from Remi pulling to suddenly being pulled—had the alchemist laughing brightly, his head tilted and a knowing sort of grin beamed across his face as the basket was thrown aside.
"I will save you!" Remi chuckled, but of course he absolutely wouldn't and didn't. So together they tumbled into the waters of the Stonesong with a brilliant splash. Having tried to keep Ianto's hand this entire time, the alchemist would try and find his footing and surface, pulling the fox close. With water streaming in rivulets from his mop of curls down his face, he'd flash the fox a soggy grin and bow his head. "There. Saved. You are welcome."
Table base by Sky!
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
Ianto was grinning even as the water came up to meet them - honestly, the Longheat sun was beating down on them and it was only just mid-morning, so their dip in the Stonesong was refreshingly well timed. Sucking in a breath as he found his feet as well, the fox moulded against Remi as the clear waters rushed around them, his coppery hair drenched and swept back out of his face, his eyes as blue as the Stonesong.
"Why, how will I ever repay you," he gasped dramatically, resisting the urge to fake a swoon. Instead his hands found Remi's hips beneath the water, drawing him closer still as he leant in to steal a soggy kiss from his lips. "That's your lot though, sir. I'm honourable, don't you know," he mumbled into Remi's mouth, the laughter evident in his voice.
Before Remi could come up with a sufficiently corny response, the hands on his waist and the lips against his quickly cleared his mind of anything except the warmth of the fox's lips and body against his, in tantalizing contrast to the refreshing waters rushing passed.
With colour high in his cheeks from adrenaline and the chill of the water, Remi grinned against the fox's lips as Ianto pulled away. "So honourable that I only get one little kiss for saving you from certain death?" Remi said enticingly, his own hands below the waterline to spread across the fox's hips. The stronger of the two (somehow) the alchemist could easily unbalance the fox at this point, giving him another opportunity to save his life and earn another kiss, if the merchant couldn't be persuaded otherwise, of course.
Table base by Sky!
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
"My, perhaps I have gravely underestimated the great amount of danger I was in," Ianto painted a befuddled expression onto his face, though it would be an absolute lie to think it anything more than skin deep.
And Remi would undoubtedly see the wickedness lurking underneath, Ianto stepping closer with the intention of backing the alchemist up against one of the large, smooth rocks of the bank. "I'll have to reconsider my generosity." he said dramatically, like it was some great sacrifice.
Luckily, you are worth it." With a cheeky wink, the fox leant in for another kiss, this one slow and deep and lingering, as if to make as much of a point as possible to Remi that he was so very thankful for his efforts in saving him.
Remi raised his eyebrows in agreement, the corners of his lips tilting upwards and deeply dimpling his cheeks. Easily he allowed himself to step backwards, his teeth finding his lower lip as his back was pressed against one of the rocks. "Mmmm you will. Especially since I forsee you needing to be saved quite frequently.."
Remi's smile dissolved against the fox, hands shifting beneath Ianto's shirt to the wet skin beneath, humming a satiated note into his lips. "Ianto—" The alchemist whispered, pulling his head back and offering the fox as adoring of a look as he could manage. It wasn't a fake look, as the alchemist was very much enamoured by the fox, but it was still a calculated one; a mask to hide the mischevious smirk below. Having used his magic to tug the basket towards them, Remi dipped it into the water and then as slyly as possible, overturned it above the fox, showering him with water.
Table base by Sky!
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
"I would call you a liar, but it's absolutely true. The amount of predicaments I foresee myself getting into..." He sighed melodramatically. "Remi, you'd better turn your alchemy towards something especially good at getting me out of trouble." Ianto winked, melting into Remi's touch and thoroughly enjoying the warm hands against cool skin. In fact, it was only the look on Remi's face that gave the merchant pause as he pulled away, Ianto cupping his cheek in his hand and smiling softly...
Only to get a basket of water dumped on him for his trouble.
Yelping through a laugh, Ianto shook his wet hair at the other man and splashed him, taking a step or two back. "You are a monster," he told him, before turning around in the water and motioning for Remi to hop on his back. "C'mon. Grab that basket and I'll piggyback you up the river. You and the sun will make very good friends."
"Well if I am to make you something, I will have to be around you quite a lot you know. To see the sorts of shenanigans you get into and how best to get you out of them.."
With a boyish snort of delight, Remi accepted his splash of punishment, running a hand through his mop of curls with an entirely too-proud grin plastered on his face. "Me?" He tittered, giving the fox a skeptical glance as he turned around. Then again, they were both wet already. It wasn't like there was much more the fox could do.
In an awkward jump-swim towards Ianto, Remi wrapped his arms around his friend's neck and shoulders, pressing his body for more against the fox than was strictly necessary. "Now," Remi whispered, his breath hot against Ianto's cool skin as he leaned in to place his lips near the fox's ear. "We will have to be very sneaky yes? So the sun does not see us coming?"
Table base by Sky!
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
"Oooh. I don't know how I feel about that, Remi. Having you around me so much might just persuade me to get into even worse shenanigans. You're a bad influence on me you know." Ianto cackled, ready for the alchemist as he jump-swam-scrambled onto his back, the fox hooking his arms beneath Remi's legs so he could keep him hoisted up. The lips near his ear sent a shiver thrumming through him, though Ianto's golden grin was full of mischief.
Lowering himself further into the water so he and Remi just about had their heads above the surface, Ianto began to prowl slowly upstream, trying to make as few ripples as possible. Should anyone look into the Stonesong it would be to the sight of a very odd looking crocodile indeed. "Aha," Ianto hissed, nodding up ahead to where the sun dappled against the water. "I spy it. Get the basket ready..."
"Listen, I can either offer you my services or not. If you think you cannot handle being around me...well..." Remi looked at one of his palms with interest, shrugging as an amused and wicked grin parted his lips to let a laugh escape.
Trying to bite down on the buoyant gasp of surprise as Ianto lowered them into the water, Remi instinctively clung closer for a moment, the gasp leaving his lips in a shaky chuckle. "Quiet, quiet.." Remi whispered indulgently in the fox's ear. Secured with Ianto's hands around his legs, Remi let his own wander down the fox's shirt, stealthily (not) unbuttoning the top few buttons and letting his hands dance around Ianto's collarbones.
As they neared the sparkling pool of sunlight Remi held out the basket with his magic, suddenly growing quite serious. "On the count of three. Are you ready?"
Table base by Sky!
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
