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!
The silence was even more chilling than the cold Leafchange night as Jigano sat upon the frigid stone that held a promise of the Deepfrost to come and hid his face in his hands, afraid of seeing the hurt and condemnation in his friend's gentle eyes. The only sounds were his own: the beating of his heart, the faint sound of his breath leaving his lungs, the lightest rustle of his tunic and cloak as his chest rose and fell. No such sounds came from Sam, and so long as he kept his eyes closed, the bard could almost believe that he was alone in the night. That the words that had slipped from his venomed tongue had been a hallucination, nothing more.
Almost.
He heard the bookmaker move - not away, but towards him, and though Jigano had been told of the violence that Sam had done to his mentor's ghost in the tower before, still he felt no fear that the young Ascended man would do the same to him. He looked up in weary resignation, waiting for the angry words of a wounded man who had every right to blame him for his lack of control over the illness that stole more and more of his soul each day.
No words in anger, but a hand in friendship, and an offer he had no right to hope for. He swallowed down the lump in his throat, nodding slowly as he reached up to accept Sam's help with a shaking hand and pull himself to his feet. "Thank you," he said quietly. "You... are a better friend than I deserve." More than a friend, in many ways, but this was not the night for that conversation, not with how easily the blight could slip into his thoughts and twist his tongue.
After that he kept his word, holding his silence and occasionally reaching out for Sam's arm when he stumbled on uneven ground as they made their slow way back to Rory's farm. Before they parted he squeezed Sam's shoulder, pulling the bookmaker into a sudden, rough hug, brief but strong, before he turned away and fled into the farmhouse, leaving the Ascended alone beneath the autumn moon.
Sam shook his head and smiled sadly, helping Jigano up. Yes, he was hurt and a part of him wanted to lash back, to fight, but he knew it would be the wrong thing to do. This man had helped him so much, had lifted him up when he was down, had in many ways helped him get to where he was now. The illness had taken some of him, but for what was left, he would care for him until his dying day.
Though against all odds, he hoped it wouldn't come to that.
They walked in silence, Sam having time to reflect on everything. A new skill of his, he had found - the ability to not take on everything everyone said. The words Jigano had said in his anger were not right, and he felt strong for being able to acknowledge that. Strong enough that when Jigano embraced him (rather a surprise) he hugged him right back, rubbing his back and promising he would be there if anything was needed.
He watched Jigano walk into the farmhouse, hoping it would not be the last time he saw him.
Samuel
He took a step but then felt tired
He said, I'll rest a little while
But when he tried to walk again
He wasn't a child