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!
"Well, I don't know how common it is weird guys with wagons come in here." Jiao giggled, sticking her tongue out. "But yeah, there have been a lot more humans...I know we're not meant to like them but..." She sighed and looked out of the door, craning her neck to be sure there was no one stood outside listening. "I just don't mind that much, I suppose. A lot of them are very boring, but so are a lot of Fae. I cut the hair of a human boy in the woods, that was fun."
She frowned at his explanation of the value of secrets, still unsure about it. But whatever, if he wanted to give away his things basically for free, that was his business. "Hmm. The cravat...probably I can have it finished by tonight. The waistcoat maybe a bit longer, and I need you to come in for a fitting in a couple days when I've started it. In case you get fat between now and then."
Ianto smiled a knowing smile - they both knew that he'd been the only 'weird guy' to come strolling into the Sidhe Village in longer than most could remember, but that didn't change how comparably common it was now. Arching an eyebrow as Jiao lowered her voice, the fox craned a touch closer so it was easier for her to share the information. And as she spoke, his expression turned almost sweet.
"That's good to hear," he said with an enouraging nod. "You cut a boy's hair, you say? Jiao, my dear - is there no end to your skills?" He laughed softly, teasing at a lock of coppery hair as he heard out her estimations. "Then I will try on the cravat at the same time as I come for a fitting for the waistcoat, if that's alright with you. And I will do my best not to get fat between now and then. Deal?"
"It's not like cutting hair is hard. You just snip at it with scissors, and if it goes wrong you make it shorter. He was a weird guy, all scars and scarves covering his face. I made him prettier." Jiao finished proudly, lifting her chin at the news of her accomplishment. And it had really been an accomplishment, to make Peter into someone worth looking twice at.
Ianto's suggestion sounded fine to her, so she stood and airily stepped over, held out a hand for the shaking. "Deal. I will see you next week."
"Perhaps you should expand your business from fashion and into personal grooming," Ianto suggested with a crooked smile, though Jiao didn't actually seem the type to go into anything without intending it to be perfect, lighthearted though her words might have been. Shaking her hand firmly, Ianto's smile grew to a grin and he stepped back towards the door.
"That you will," he said warmly, dipping into a bow. "Who knows, perhaps before I debut my new outfit, you can cut my hair as well." Tipping her a wink, the fox ducked out of the shop before she could agree to it too quickly.