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!
It turned out that even Loren, as tense as he was, could only stay vigilant for so long. Given that they were cooped up inside, and there was no light streaming through the boarded up and covered windows—it was pitch black outside, so even if they hadn’t been, that wouldn’t change—it made time a little hard to measure. Still, he’d gotten a little bit of sleep on what he assumed was the first night. It was restless, but then again he’d always been plagued by nightmares. When he woke, probably before dawn his body still following the natural rhythms he’d gotten used to as a farmer, he’d scrounged up some food for himself, Beatrix, Jace, Astra, and anyone else who'd chosen to stay with his strange little family. Then he’d made sure they were all fed, and his relatives were set up for the day with some toys, books, and sweets (plus whatever else they needed) before informing them that he’d needed to go to work.
Even now, he couldn’t sit idly by. While it was probably a bit silly, he decided to patrol and guard a bit. Maybe the sight of him would inspire confidence, given the small luxere by his side, peering at everyone with curious eyes. Or maybe not: he was still too thin, a fact accentuated by the form-fitting dark clothes he’d taken to wearing. At least he wasn’t as painfully gaunt anymore as he had been until recently. He nodded at those he knew, and those who looked like they needed some acknowledgement, though he didn’t stop moving until he found himself in the tunnel to the Rathskellar.
Opening the door, he was surprised to find it empty. Oh, the signs of people staying there were obvious, but they’d either drank themselves into a stupor and stumbled somewhere else to sleep it off or they’d gone elsewhere when they woke up, the cramped quarters not as nice as the more open spaces of the main area of the Temple. Regardless of the reason, he decided to enjoy the unexpected solitude; taking a chair, he positioned it so he could watch both entrances, then tried to get in a little light meditation. He’d need all the calm he could get in the coming days. They all probably would. Astra curled up at his feet, and he smiled, reaching down with one hand to give her an affectionate head rub before focusing on his breathing.
Abasi found the tension of Longnight unbearable. While he didn't know any of the people dotted about the temple, he could feel their nervousness, their fear of what was to come. That in turn made him more anxious, eyes darting to the door every second as if expecting them to burst open and reveal all the horrors of hell.
Perhaps, he thought, it was time he went to a dark corner somewhere and tried to sleep. He was sure if anything truly awful did occur the screams would wake him and at least then he could be alert later.
He entered the Rathskeller and locating a corner behind some tables, used the only luxury of his own he had bought; the bedding from his room in the mansion, the soft sheets and pillows something of a personal comfort of his. He laid down and curled himself as far into the wall as he could, hoping to avoid notice.
Abasi didn't know how long he'd been asleep when he was woken by the sound of a chair moving. For a moment he was back in Egypt and he frowned at the disturbance and burrowed down, trying to fall asleep again. Only a minute later when he remembered where he was and how dangerous it could be was when he sat up.
Oh. Just Loren. "Hello." He greeted, not wanting to startle the man later in case he had some kind of weapon. "You have...tamed one of the glowing beasts?" He asked, looking towards Astra.
Apparently, Loren was not as alone in the Rathskellar as he’d thought. The sound of someone moving drew his eyes, and he tensed for a moment, his concentration shattered and magic rising within him. However, it turned out to be just Abasi. While the summoner didn’t relax immediately, he could feel his nerves settling. If he was going to be this jumpy at every unexpected sound and sight, it was going to be a very long week. And there hadn’t even been any incidents yet.
Still, he was weirdly pleased to see the other man; they’d had mostly pleasant interactions, despite Abasi’s bout with the blight, or at least the Launceleyn liked to think so. ”Hello Abasi. Didn’t mean to startle you.” His eyes searched the other man’s face for some hint of how he was feeling now that LongNight was finally upon them. Then Loren realized he could just ask. ”How’re you holding up? You comfortable in here? Got everything you need?” It hadn’t been long, but he wanted to nip any problems in the bud.
They’d have problems enough with the monsters outside that he wanted to banish any demons that might be lurking within. His own were problematic enough.
As Abasi asked about Astra, the summoner’s eyes darted down. His luxere companion was always capable of bringing a genuine smile to his face, even in these dark days. ”I think it’s more accurate to say that she tamed me.” He hadn’t done anything to deserve her, really, and yet she’d followed him home one day and stubbornly stuck by him. While he was surprised they hadn’t met before—they’d both been at the Manor all season, at least as far as the Launceleyn was aware—hopefully she could bring the other man some comfort as well. ”Abasi, this is Astra. Astra, Abasi.” She stood up and trotted over to the other man, looking up at him with wide eyes that practically begged for a head scratch.
Loren's pleasant question surprised Abasi, though he supposed it shouldn't have; the other man had been nothing but polite to him, even through the Blight-inspired threats. He was just unused to people caring, to asking after his emotions. He was even further unused to giving them.
"I...am comfortable, yes, but I fear what is to come. The people here seem either bold and sure it will all be fine, or terrified, and that gap worries me. I do not know if to be scared is foolish or wise." Perhaps this really was all a big show over nothing, a myth and tradition taken too far.
He stood up to get closer to Loren, but brought the sheet with him; this place was always so cold. Wrapping it around his shoulders, he sat down on a nearby chair. "Astra. Interesting choice of a name - did you give it? Or do these creatures possess any kind of sentience, enough for names?" He studied the Luxere carefully, but did not reach out to scratch it. He had never much cared for animals.
Loren wished he had a better response to Abasi’s comments. Unfortunately, the summoner had been shown the horror that the monsters could inflict, and he knew people were right to fear. However, people had also assured him that they had done everything they could to keep the darkness at bay and the deaths to a minimum. He just wished that brought him more peace of mind.
Still, he needed to respond to the other man’s comments in a way that was honest, but comforting. ”I think it is both wise and foolish, and that the truth of the matter is that we should all feel confidence tempered by common sense. The monsters are powerful, and from what I understand that some will die this LongNight, either through their own folly or some unforeseen tragedy. However, we have done everything possible to ensure that most will survive.” That wasn’t all that soothing, at least to the Launceleyn. However, maybe it would help Abasi understand what they were up against.
As the other man stood up to move closer—and brought the sheet with him, a fact Loren noted with slightly narrowed eyes—the Launceleyn turned his own chair to face Abasi’s. Apparently, Astra wouldn’t be getting her scratches. Her ears dropped as she returned to the summoner’s side. Indeed, she looked so pathetic and dejected that he couldn’t help but laugh (though there was no malice, only joy in it), before giving her side a good rub. That was enough to restore the luxere’s spirits, and she gave a contented bleat before settling at his feet once more.
”She’s certainly more intelligent than most animals, though not to the degree of a person. We can sort of...sense one another, in our minds.” Emotions more than thoughts, obviously, though it had taken the Launceleyn a long time to recognize the connection for what it was. ”I named her.” His voice came out a little sadly: she’d been given the name of the other light of his life, his (full) sister, who’d sadly failed to make it to Caido.
Abasi’s movement had made Loren realize how chilly it was in the Rathskellar. Rubbing his hands together, he gave the other man a considering look. ”Chilly, isn’t it? We can probably find a better way to keep you warm.” There had to be blankets somewhere, though the summoner found he was reluctant to move.
Then again, there were other ways they could keep warm, and the summoner bit his lip as his thoughts strayed that way. Although he didn’t know if Abasi had been flirting back in the Manor, it was hard to interpret being called attractive as anything but flirty. Then again, maybe the Launceleyn was just feeling lonely and scared and he was looking for comfort in all the wrong places. It certainly wouldn't have been the first time.
Confidence tempered by common sense. Abasi liked to think he had both confidence and common sense in abundance, so if those were the deciding factors in his survival, he rather liked his chances. Still, the way Loren simply acknowledged that some people would die, as if it was a foregone conclusion, rattled him. "What do you do with your dead, here? How do you bury them?" He asked, the question suddenly coming to mind as he imagined piles of corpses.
He did not notice Astra's disappointment even as he kept his eyes on the Luxere, more interested in the anatomy and function of the antlers, how they glowed. "How did you choose the name?"
At the mention of the temperature he nodded and pulled the sheet tighter around his shoulders. "Oh? Do you have some sort of solution with your magic?" He asked, not aware of any flirtatious connotations of their previous conversation nor this one (not to say he didn't find Loren attractive, or that he was especially opposed to such a thing).
Loren shrugged at Abasi’s question. Honestly, the Launceleyn didn’t know the answer to it, though he hadn’t heard of anything standardized. Besides, the monsters didn’t leave bodies behind. Probably best not to mention that. ”I don’t know, really. My family burns our dead with magic.” It was supposed to return them to their roots. Glancing at the other man, the summoner wondered whether this was too morbid a topic, considering it was LongNight. Abasi had raised it first. ”Did your people have funeral traditions?” The other man had seemed to enjoy talking about his old world. Perhaps it would help take his mind off the outside, even if the subject was dark.
Even if Abasi wasn’t interested in petting Astra, that didn’t mean he wasn’t interested in the luxere in general. Specifically, he seemed quite intrigued by her name. It wasn’t something Loren was particularly excited to talk about, and he glanced down, playing with a stray thread on his pants. ”She’s named after my sister who...didn’t make it to Caido. But Astra was the brightest star in my life, and so...I thought it was fitting.” And dumb, probably, naming an animal after a person. But they both brought him joy and light, and he thought that was important.
When the other man asked if the summoner’s magic was a potential solution, he laughed. ”No, probably not. Anything I summoned that could warm us would probably burn the place down.” The potential for property damage during LongNight was too high to even think about it. ”I meant that we could get a fire going, or find a blanket. Or…” He bit his lip, looking away as a slight flush came to his cheeks. ”We could share, if there’s room.” Again, this was far more forward than the Launceleyn would have normally been comfortable with—not that he was particularly comfortable with it, as evidenced by how awkwardly he’d brought up the possibility—but Abasi had seemed to open the door to it. And Frey had commanded it. And it was LongNight and they all might die at any given moment.
And frankly, Loren was tired of being lonely. Better to take a chance and get rejected than to assume the worst all the time: it was something he’d finally learned and was just now beginning to accept.
"Burn them...?" The horror was evident in Abasi's voice, even though he tried to tone it down. Such disrespect, to simply burn away the body of loved ones. He had heard the Greeks built great pyres for their heroes or Kings, like the one constructed for Patroklos, but he had never actually met someone who had participated.
He was more than happy to tell Loren what it was his people did, hoping he might inspire a change. "Yes. Once someone has died, we embalm them to preserve the body - though depending on how they have died, sometimes we might leave the body for a few days. For people of high status we would place mud on the face, to prevent decay." Abasi had performed this rite himself several times, and the act had often, shamefully, made him feel a little queasy.
"We act out stories of the Gods and the judgement of the heart and place the body facing the South, with their mouth open, so that they may speak for themselves at the judgement before the scales." He had always had an irrational fear he might be buried with a closed mouth and find himself mute at the trial. "For the common man, this is where the ceremony ends - we say spells to help them reach the afterlife and the body is buried."
Abasi wondered if he was going on a bit too much, but he did not like to leave a story half-done. "For those who can afford it, we go to further measures to preserve the body. First we lay them out and remove...ah...um...are you easily upset by gorey imagery?" He asked, finger just short of acting out pulling out his brains. He made himself pause, waiting for Loren to say he could continue.
A sister who did not make it. Abasi nodded, suddenly glad that he did not have any family or true friends left behind in Egypt. He had always been a solitary man and after the death of his father he had never pulled close to anyone else; he did not know what to say to Loren's solemn admission so he stayed quiet.
Loren did not have a summoned creature in mind; no, as he turned away and blushed, Abasi finally began to understand what he was getting at. His eyebrows raised and he let go of an awkward breath. While the idea terrified him, he found himself not entirely objecting either...not that he knew how to actually encourage anything like that. "If you want to sit with me, back where I have more of the sheets -" He pointed to the dark corner. "You are welcome."
Well, that wasn’t the reaction Loren had been expecting or hoping for. Abasi sounded downright horrified at the idea that the Launceleyns burned their dead. Still, the summoner just gave the other man a curious look. ”Yes. We were born from magic. So when we die we are returned to it.” It was an ancient tradition in his family, one of the few that he thought had some positive connotations to it. While being made of magic was probably an arrogant thought (and not one well suited to Caido) it was a large part of their heritage.
Then, however, it was Abasi’s turn to explain. Mostly, Loren stayed silent: it was long and elaborate, and he made encouraging noises in places to let the other man know he was still listening. However, when Abasi paused in his recounting, the summoner shook his head. ”Not at all.” Many horrors had been inflicted on Loren at the hands of his kin—plus he’d recently experienced the carnage wrought by the monsters of LongNight through illusion magic—so whatever the other man might say would not phase the Launceleyn. Indeed, he was far tougher than he looked and not at all squeamish. Obviously he had many questions about the ways of Abasi’s people, but Loren figured it was best to let the other man finish his explanation first.
Thankfully, Abasi didn’t follow up about either of the Astras that had been a part of the summoner's life. He was quite grateful for that. However, it was nothing compared to the relief he felt when the other man actually accepted Loren’s offer. Maybe. Possibly. His eyes rose at the awkward breath the other man let out. The summoner hoped it was just a bit of uncertainty, and not unease about the idea itself. Whatever that idea was. In fact, Abasi even suggested that they retire to the much more secluded, and presumably much more comfortable corner, which the Launceleyn found encouraging.
Whether it was just to share body warmth or something more, Loren didn’t know yet, but he discovered that he was eager to find out. Either way, perhaps it would bring them both comfort. ”I’d like that. Thank you.” He stood up and started making his way over to the pile of sheets, trying to keep his movements as graceful and calm, just in case he was misinterpreting all of this. Luckily, his luxere decided to stay where she was; she was napping, he thought, or at least polite enough not to follow the two men. The summoner sank down and made himself as comfortable as he could manage, though he left space for Abasi. At the same time, the Launceleyn looked up at the other man with hopeful eyes.
With Loren's further explanation, Abasi felt a little less disturbed by his funeral rituals. Perhaps it made sense, if one was created by a spark of magic, to leave by a flame created of the same.
He respected that Loren was not bothered by gory descriptions. Abasi had never had much patience for squeamishness. He got up and went to join his friend, who had rather eagerly gotten up to sit in the corner, before he continued speaking. He went to sit next to Loren, leaning against the wall to where he was almost laying, and laid the sheet he had been holding over the both of them.
Perhaps he should have felt something close to embarrassment or have been flustered, but for the moment he was focused on finishing his topic. "So as I was saying. We take out the brains through the nose, with a metal hook -" He hooked his finger out before them. "There is always some residue, which can be made to liquid with the right chemicals. We then dispose of this." The way he said it conveyed just how little importance the brain was given.
"Then we make an incision down the torso." Abasi gestured with his own finger, drawing it slowly down his chest and stomach. "We remove each organ and place it in a jar, each bearing the head of one of the sons of Horus. For those of importance, we can place these in a chest that is buried with the corpse. You must leave the heart, for it is the source of all thinking and life and is what is weighed at judgement - for some, we leave each organ inside once it has been cleaned. It depends on the wish of the family." He shrugged. Personally, he preferred the organs inside; it felt more correct.
He took a breath and continued, wondering if his burial practices really were so much more complicated than Lorens, or if the other man had simply been brief. "Then we stuff the body with Natron and leave it for forty days to dry. For some the process ends here and the body is returned to the family for burial. For those of importance we then wrap the body in linen and paint it with gold, ready for a more intricate tomb." Abasi paused, wondering if he had left anything out, but only said one more aside: "I have heard some people simply insert the sap of a Cedar tree into the body to preserve it all, but...I have not done that."
Moving a little closer to Loren (though still very much not touching him) and down, he laughed sharply, air leaving his mouth with no sound. "That was likely too much detail, but...it is one of the most important things in my culture. How we treat our dead will come to affect all the living."
Well. Funeral rites weren’t exactly the type of thing to set a romantic mood. Not that Loren was expecting much, even as Abasi laid the blanket over both of them. Perhaps if the other man had just stuck to words, instead of using gestures (thanks for that lovely image of brains getting hooked out of corpses) the summoner might’ve been more bold. As it was, he remained mostly silent as Abasi finished the explanation. The whole time, the Launceleyn also stayed where he was, not daring to move.
However, when the other man scooted closer, Loren felt his breath catch in his throat. That had to be a positive development. It helped that Abasi finally laughed, before wrapping up the lesson. ”No, it was fascinating, really. And I agree that these customs are important.” In fact, under pretty much any other circumstances, the summoner would’ve followed up, his mind practically buzzing with questions.
Right now, though, he had other thoughts on his mind. Slowly and tentatively, as if worried he might startle the other man, the Launceleyn closed the gap between himself and Abasi, pressing their sides together gently. While Loren hoped he wasn’t moving too quickly—for both their sakes—this still was relatively tame. The sort of thing friends might do. So he moved his hand underneath the sheet, and gently rested it on the other man’s knee. This time, the summoner held his breath as he turned his head to look into Abasi’s eyes. Hopefully the Launceleyn hadn’t misread all the signs here
Abasi smiled softly, glad that Loren had enjoyed his lesson. He knew he had a tendency to over-explain, to overwhelm people with details that they didn't need to hear in the interests of completion for himself. Perhaps he was just being humoured (especially if the man was after him romantically, something that he did not know at all how to handle), but it still felt nice to be listened to.
At first when Loren shuffled closer he didn't react too much, sure he was just getting comfortable and happened to press next to him; but the hand on the knee...that was harder to explain away.
He took a few breaths in silence, unsure of what to do, then turned to look at Loren (almost jumping as he saw the other man staring right at him too). As much as this was not his area of expertise, he had always been a straight (ha) talker, so he simply spoke his mind: "Are you hoping this will lead somewhere sexual?"
10-18-2019, 01:15 AM (This post was last modified: 10-18-2019, 02:25 AM by Loren.)
LOREN
The other man had a nice smile, the Launceleyn decided. However, he didn't have long to enjoy it, because at Abasi’s question, Loren couldn’t help himself. He laughed at the absurdity of the words and of the situation, the sound breathless and bright and joyful and kind. Indeed, there was nothing in it that should give the other man any reason to think that the summoner might be laughing at Abasi instead of with him. Except for the fact that it was laughter, that was. However, the other man’s question was so ridiculous and sweet in its own way and there’d been so much tension in Loren for so long that his emotions needed an outlet.
When it subsided, the Launceleyn smiled gently and maybe a little apologetically, their bodies still pressed together. He returned his hand to his own lap, figuring he should keep it to himself until he’d gotten confirmation that it would be okay. Obviously he only wanted to do this, assuming the other man was willing as well. Something had given him pause, though, so they should make sure they were on the same page. While Loren wasn’t that skilled at seduction or love, maybe even he had more experience than Abasi did. Perhaps that was all this was. Gods let that be all this was, a momentary bout of uncertainty, a request for clarity.
Because that Loren could provide. ”I was hoping that, yes.” Rather than sultry or sensual, the summoner’s voice came out softly, but with a great deal of hopeful innocence in it. In this arena, in this moment, he wasn’t the powerful Launceleyn or the broken human: he was just a man asking another man if it was okay. If the other man liked Loren, at least a little. If they could share something together that the Launceleyn had shared with very few people, while darkness and monsters lurked outside. Live a little, while they still had the chance. Maybe that lack of confidence would kill the mood, but the summoner didn’t know any other way to be.
Still, Abasi had been nothing but honest since Loren had met the other man, sometimes even bluntly so. And Loren was speaking the honest truth. That had to count for something. ”But only if you want that too. And it doesn't have to be sexual. We can just lay here if you'd prefer, whatever you're comfortable with.” All Abasi had to do was say no and the summoner would walk away, and probably never speak of this again.
However, he was very much hoping the other man said yes.
It was only fair, given he had asked such a blunt question, but Abasi had not expected such a straight forward answer. He took a breath and stared out into the room. "I..." He had not planned to get this far, and he did not know what he wanted. As he thought he ran his tongue over his teeth, imagining what it might be like if he said yes.
Warm bodies and gasps, hands exploring...the idea was not abhorrent. But the place was too public, the moment too soon. He was a private man and the idea of being so crass as to make love in a room open to anyone to walk in reviled him.
"I would like to. But." He looked to Loren, not moving away lest the man interpret his answer as disinterest. "Not here. Not now. I do not make a habit of giving myself to anyone, but certainly not in somewhere so open as this. Perhaps...when we return to the mansion."
