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, let me know if I owe him another apology.” Indeed, Loren had already apologized to Bastien. However, for Rexanna’s sake the Launceleyn would apologize to her husband as many times as necessary. On the subject of their relationship—well, more specifically their wedding—the summoner blushed at the blue-eyed woman’s compliment. ”I think everyone was drunk and happy enough for you two that they would’ve enjoyed practically anything.” Yeah, Loren wasn’t great at accepting compliments.
As she began listing her concerns, he fell silent. It seemed that she, like him, would need to learn to think before they spoke or acted. She didn’t need to explain how hard that was, not to him. ”We’ll work on it together. And I’ll keep an eye out for him.” Pausing, he let out a huff of laughter. ”Although I thought I was the one who collected strays.” Rexanna’s comment about doing better caused his good cheer to falter a bit. ”We all are.” Even if he wasn’t sure that trying was enough, it was all they could do.
Unlike her, discussing Frey—or Loren’s sex life—didn’t bring a smile to his face, though he did have a warm and fuzzy feeling inside. ”Well. We ah. I never made it to a bed.” Chairs and desks, yes, but not a bed.
and indeed, just think: in many ways, body and soul,
i have been more a battlefield —
“I will.” She doesn’t think it’ll be necessary, but if Bastien had a problem with the Summoner, she’s sure he’ll tell her. And from there? The two men could work on their relationship. But apologies went a long way, and most people weren’t particularly willing to admit when they were in the wrong. So for Loren to openly admit it to her, to have apologized in the past for things and continue to do so, it means a great deal to her.
But again he’s not good at taking compliments, and she snorts on her side of the shell. “I miss being able to drink.” She admits with a wry sort of laugh. “It’d be nice right about now.” To forget about everything that had happened, all the other things that would or could happen. But, she had chosen this life, and she needed to deal with it in the end. So she tries, by listening and ensuring that perhaps Loren can keep an eye on Clemente as well. And between them all? She’s sure the boy will be safe. Loren, Bastien, Wessex, all of them could handle a teenager.
His comment sparks another gentle laugh from her. “Yeah well, maybe you rubbed off on me a little.” Had she had eyes and had he been here, she would have winked to him. But she hopes her gentle teasing gets the idea across. It still sparks a bit of cheer within her though, the idea of it. Because everyone needed someone at the end of the day, right? Someone to lean on? Especially being as young as he was.
Her comment about keeping the bed warm has her mouth forming a small ‘o’ in her surprise before she hums in her surprise. “Loren, you scoundrel.” She teases, laughing toward the end because she can’t keep up the mock horror. Then, as if to help relieve some of his embarrassment, she imagines she could at least offer one of her own experiences. “Though come to think of it, I’ve rarely used a bed myself.” A snort of amusement and a pause as though she’s running through every moment she’s done it. Her wedding might have been the only time she’d actually used a bed? “Counter tops and walls mostly.” She chimes a laugh at those memories.
Hopefully all would be well with Bastien: the other man had seemed to understand that the Launceleyn’s words had been born about worry for his wife. Considering she was safe and sound at the Guild, if not entirely whole, maybe the summoner would be fully forgiven.
However, it sounded as if Rexanna was in need of some company, or at least some alcohol, neither of which the Launceleyn could adequately provide at the moment. ”I um...should probably go back to being a teetotaler.” He wasn’t blaming the drinks for his decision—and it had been altogether pleasant, really—but he knew that his decision-making was suspect when he was inebriated. However, the blue-eyed woman’s comment about drinking inevitably called to mind what the Ascended could do and he flushed.
Thankfully she couldn’t see him. Maybe ever again. Well, that took care of the embarrassment.
”I have that effect on people. Like a fungus.” They both could probably do with a few more laughs, and he’d always found self-deprecating humor came most naturally to him. Unlike sex or intimacy, both of which were still mostly mysteries and yet seemed endlessly intriguing to Rexanna. Although the summoner didn’t really know what gossip was, this certainly felt like it. ”Well, it’s not like there are private beds in the Temple!” His voice came out in a light grumble, though there was amusement laced into his tone as well. ”Countertops and walls? Who is the scoundrel now.” He let out another huff of laughter before dropping his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. ”Desks and chairs for me, apparently.” Gods this was mortifying, or at least it should’ve been. Strangely, though, it felt almost...natural. Normal. Easy. Not things he was used to feeling.
and indeed, just think: in many ways, body and soul,
i have been more a battlefield —
“Ack, where’s the fun in that?” She tells him with a light laugh. She had absolutely enjoyed a drink now and then, when she could feel it. Now though? If nobody knew she was Ascended, perhaps she could drink everyone under the bus and they’d never know. It’s too late for that now, though she did have her fun surprising Deimos with that fact right after her Ascension. But he mentions he’s like a fungus, and her laugh grows a bit brighter. “Well, you said it, not me.” She teases him back, mouth aligning with a smile at the end of that thought.
She’d be lying if she said she didn’t imagine the summoner like some kind of mushroom.
She calls him a scoundrel though, and his grumbled amusement brings her smile brighter – it’s so much easier to focus on this rather than everything else. And the laughter simply feels good. Because before she had been healed, carried back to the Guildhall, she wasn’t sure she’d ever feel anything again. And she embraces it closely.
“You’re right. Bastien and I stayed in a back room of the Rathskeller last Longnight.” She admits, before going on and making it seem like she’s counting off fingers. “The wall was fun, you should try it sometime.” She replies with mock offense. “Lucas certainly didn’t mind.” Gods, the thought makes her snort. And she wishes Loren was here to see her jesting in true fashion, wishing her hands worked so she could playfully bat him on the arm.
The mention of desks and chairs, however, she smirks lightly to herself. “You need more variety.”
”That’s kind of the point. I think I’ve had enough fun for a while. At least I caused the property damage before I got drunk this time.” Yeah, his track record with alcohol was quite poor (or quite good, depending on who was asked). However, Loren was hoping the mention of his less than reputable past would be enough to pique Rexanna’s interest. Indeed, he could almost hear the smile on her lips in response to his ridiculous resemblance to fungi and he let out a huff of laughter as a reply to her comment. It was nice to cause smiles instead of frowns, he decided, even if he himself wasn’t much prone to smiling yet.
At the mention of the Rathskellar though, he felt a little bit of his good cheer dissipate. ”Well, I guess there’s not going to be a repeat performance.” After LongNight—assuming he survived, of course—he’d probably have to rebuild. People would probably be more than willing to assist him with that particular project though. ”I think I’ll pass on the wall, thanks.” Well, he’d masturbated with his back to walls, but he figured that didn’t count.
When she mockingly critiqued his choice of surfaces, he snorted. While he felt a little weird revealing more details, she’d revealed quite a bit more than he had, so fair was fair. ”I made the most of limited options. Sunjata and Lusea and I were sitting while we drank and well, you know. And then Abasi found me washing up in the Medical College.” The summoner’s voice came out a little awkwardly, but hopefully Rexanna would appreciate it.
and indeed, just think: in many ways, body and soul,
i have been more a battlefield —
A hum of laughter is greeted back to him. “So boring.” She teases. But it’s probably for the best, unless of course there’s no monsters around and nothing to do. In which case, would arson really be the first resort? She doesn’t know. But there’s a part of her that wants to see Loren drunk, just to say she did, sad that she had missed out on that wonderful time.
When he tells her that there’s no repeat performance she laughs again, relishing in the relief it gives her from having to stare at her scans over and over and over again. “I have a whole house with him now, I definitely don’t need a closet.” She pretends to give into mock offense with the statement before passing it off. “It’s a bar, I’m sure someone will open another.” Because everyone needed a drink now and then, especially in a place like the Hollowed Grounds.
He passes on the wall and she tsks him, but doesn’t comment on it. Not as he gives her more information. The first name strikes a chord of memory in her and her head tilts, not knowing who Lusea or Abasi are. “Gods he’s tall.” She says, though it’s undiscernible if it’s a dreamy sort of response or bitterness. “Seems like a dick too, but hey you do you. Pretty eyes though.” She says lightly with a quiet laugh. Lucas had definitely been a prick, and she’d still fucked him.
“Two in one night?” She says in surprise before humming a laugh. “I can’t say I’ve never done it, but I’m surprised.”
”I think we’d all prefer a little bit of boredom for a while.” Indeed, they’d gone straight from blight to LongNight. Surely they all wanted a break from excitement. Except maybe Rexanna and Bastien: from the sounds of it, the blue-eyed woman was planning to have quite a bit of fun with her husband. ”Hey, how was I supposed to know? From the sounds of it you prefer doing it in weird places.” Or whatever the Ascended equivalent of doing it was. As for reopening the Rathskellar, they could figure that out in Flowerbirth at least their characters could.
Strangely enough, Rexanna actually knew Sunjata. At least it had to be Sunjata, since Abasi was certainly not taller. And she wasn’t the biggest fan. ”I mean, I’m tall too. And he definitely has pretty eyes.” Lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper, he felt his body responding to the memory. ”The rest of him isn't bad to look at either.” Rolling his eyes—though she couldn’t see it—a slight hint of exasperation crept into his voice. ”I wasn’t looking for a relationship. Just some good-old life affirming sex.” Lusea and Sunjata were way too dysfunctional and way too invested in each other for the Launcelyn to be seriously interested in either of them. Like the summoner had thought earlier, alcohol made his judgment cloudy. Still, she’d said ‘you do you’ so maybe he was overreacting.
As she laughed, he felt himself flushing again. That seemed unfair, given what she'd told him about her sexual activities, so he decided to tease her right back. ”Did I somehow manage to shock miss orgy? And I don’t know how much time passed, really. But yes, it was...quick.” Probably too quick: he wasn’t normally the sort to sleep around (not that he’d had much opportunity to do so), but again, the circumstances weren’t exactly normal. And he found that he didn’t mind in the slightest. In fact, he was already thinking about how to arrange for some more unusual circumstances in the near future.
and indeed, just think: in many ways, body and soul,
i have been more a battlefield —
She shrugs as he comments on the boredom aspect, finding it to be true enough. There had been so much happening, to everyone, not just to her. Perhaps if this Flowerbirth was as successful as last Flowerbirth, they could absolutely let go and relax a bit more. But at the mention of her and Bastien, of having sex in weird places, she laughs with more of that mock offense. “At least I have choices.” She snorts. Low standards for where they get it in? Perhaps, but when the feeling is there might as well go for it, right?
At the mention of those steel eyes and the scandalous comment he makes after, she laughs brighter. “You make me feel short enough as is.” She admits with a shake of her head. “As for the rest of him? Let me guess.” She makes a moment of pause, a hum of amusement leaving her. “Scars? Seems like he’s gotten into a rumble or two. Oh! Wait, can he fight? He seems like a fighter.” She lists out all she can recall. Strong arms, probably packs a mean left hook.
But he mentions he just wanted some good-old life affirming sex, and she can agree with that. “Ugh, don’t we all.” Except her. Without Lily’s room, there wouldn’t really be any of that. Just bites, which are good enough for the time being. At least until she craves more.
Still, she laughs brighter at his teasing tone. “Believe it or not, miss orgy still has room for surprises.” She grins, unable to keep her smile from leaving her lips. “You have been busy. That is a surprise.” She jests with chimed laughter.
Her laughter was increasingly becoming a balm for the summoner’s still half-shattered soul. Just because he was mostly over the emotional turmoil around Remi and around the Launceleyn’s return didn’t mean he didn’t have other, deeper traumas to contend with. ”That you do.” His voice came out softly, without even a hint of teasing or mocking; Loren didn’t begrudge Rexanna finding happiness where she could. Indeed, it seemed that he too had choices more than he’d ever expected to have. He certainly had more choices than he felt he had any right to have.
It was exhilarating.
As the conversation swung back to some of the decisions he had made, he snorted with laughter. The blue-eyed woman’s assessment of Sunjata was almost right on the money. However, there was one small, but crucial detail that she’d missed. ”I think he fancies himself more of a fighter than he actually is. As I said, Lusea and I were the ones who did the work. He mostly just stood there, looked pretty, and turned into a panther.” Not exactly the most stellar showing on the other man’s part. ”Well, I guess he tossed a corpse outside.” There. Loren had thrown the panther a bone.
Apparently others had figured out that sex was good fun before the summoner had. Well, he’d had his aversion to touch to get over first; he imagined it wouldn’t have been very pleasant if he’d flinched at every small caress. Although he probably should've been more sensitive to the blue-eyed woman’s limitations, both because of her injuries and her race, without her physical presence it was hard to remember that maybe sex wasn’t the safest subject. ”Do I have to have another harsh word with Bastien about his treatment of you?” The Launceleyn’s voice came out gently teasing, so hopefully Rexanna wouldn’t get upset at the words.
”I’m always busy. It’s getting me to not do things that’s the problem.” Granted, those things were usually about as far from sexual as it was possible to be: moping, working, arguing with people who really should know better, but not the pleasures of the flesh. Still, everything Loren did, he did wholeheartedly. Maybe it wasn’t a surprise that applied to his orgasm quest. Once he finally got around to it, that was.
and indeed, just think: in many ways, body and soul,
i have been more a battlefield —
A very small amount of choices now that she’s Ascended. But gods it had been so fun before then. It’s in the past, however, she has made her choices and now she must live with it. But she appreciates the softness of his voice with his agreement, a smile resting on her face with it. Perhaps the Ascension could give more places to others rather than herself – after all, part of her can recall the way his hands had tangled in her hair on the edge of the bone bridge when they attempted summoning the Sparkbird.
She begins to think that it’s kind of nice having a power like that.
But it cuts off as her thoughts drift toward the tall man, and her observations before she snorts. “Sounds about right.” She agrees with a hum of laughter, shaking her head. “Ah, well, it’s something. Men like that are usually all talk anyway.” Certainly a bone, but nothing Sunjata would be pleased to hear about should the other man overhear. It’s a good thing the writer plays both of them. Either way, it’s amusing to her, and she finds herself smiling amongst everything at this playful banter they always managed to have between them.
Unless of course, she’s calling him a prick. Even then, it can kind of be fun.
There’s a light amount of laughter to his next comment and she shakes her head though knowing full well by now he can’t see it. “Mmm definitely not. But if you could share a word with our dear friend Frey to share the Ascended love to our home, I would not complain.” Gods she wishes he was there and she still had eyes so she could wink to him after. He’ll just have to take it as it is. A tease.
But he mentions he’s always busy and she murmurs her agreement with that. “We all are nowadays it feels like. I can’t wait for Fiat Lux.” She agrees. Perhaps the summoner won’t need to do so many things once the sun rises, and they can all relax around the festival of celebrating life after so much death. Gods knew she could use it.
”That we are.” Yes, Loren was fully aware that his hard and tough exterior covered an entirely weak and gooey interior. No, he didn’t see that changing any time soon. He was also fully aware that he was far too talkative, but given that he’d spent a year not talking to anyone he’d had a lot of pent of aggression and conversation to get through. Maybe now that he’d been back in people’s lives for enough time—and reached a point with Remi where things were at least stable, if not good—the summoner could start to just listen more and speak less. He’d certainly been warned, more than once, especially by the Naturals, that he didn’t know nearly as much as he thought he did.
At Rexanna’s request the Launceleyn nodded before remembering that was a dumb thing to do. ”I’ll see what I can do. Though...why not just ask The Voice for another um, round?” That seemed far more likely to yield results than an Abandoned asking the god of sex, love, and all things good to provide an Ascended with an orgasm.
When the blue-eyed woman responded that she, too, wished for a break, Loren smiled; it slipped away when she brought up something that he’d never heard of before. ”Fiat Lux?” From the sounds of it, it was something he should know about. Again, though, mental breakdown for a year.
and indeed, just think: in many ways, body and soul,
i have been more a battlefield —
She absolutely doesn’t lump Loren in with the rest of that statement. But she doesn’t comment on it, knowing how he might end up trying to defend his standpoint, of being mostly talk. But she’s seen him put action where words could be, she's also seen the coldness to his words first hand. And decides it’s a topic for perhaps a different day.
As she makes a joke about Frey, she smiles at his suggestion. “Why just one more round?” She replies with a light smirk, the corners of her lips lifting. “What if I wanted to be able to whenever?” Because that’s how it was at Lily’s. Just needed to be there to experience it.
But she realizes soon after that he doesn’t know what Fiat Lux is, and she pauses to try and figure out how to describe it. “Everyone here spends the season fixing what happened over LongNight. And then near the end I think there’s a festival, with dancing and food and beautiful lights everywhere. We light candles, eat, drink, party to celebrate life.” She comments quietly, nostalgic, before realization comes over her. “I think it might be for Frey.”
Well, seeing as Loren had a newfound appreciation for the pleasures of the flesh, he could understand Rexanna’s desire. ”Again, I think that’s a conversation for The Voice. And maybe Bastien.” The slight teasing tone had returned to the summoner’s voice; if the blue-eyed woman’s husband wasn’t pleasing her, there was very little the Launceleyn could do about it. As she explained the other joys that would come with the new season, he listened, content to just learn about this new part of Caido. ”Sounds wonderful. And...maybe I can ask Frey if I speak to them again.” Loren still wasn’t quite sure about the mechanics of his burgeoning relationship with the god. However, regardless of who it was dedicated to, it sounded like it was for the people of the Hollowed Grounds, a much needed period of rest and relaxation and life.
Loren couldn’t wait. He too, was feeling restless, feeling the need to make a new beginning. Perhaps, after the cold and the dark of Leafchange and Deepfrost, of blight and LongNight, of romantic woes and descents into cruelty, he could find the light that he knew was ready for him. For the first time, perhaps ever, he felt ready for it.
Except he had to wait, at least a little while longer.
and indeed, just think: in many ways, body and soul,
i have been more a battlefield —
A hum of laughter is met to Loren’s teasing tone, a smirk finding its way to her face as she nods. “Indeed it is.” She offers. There isn’t much else they can do other than ask and wait, visit Lily’s, perhaps indulge in a bite or two. But at the moment? She’s not feeling particularly in the mood for any of that. Not at least until she gets her eyesight back, maybe, perhaps? It’ll get easier, she thinks, as the time goes by and she gets used to this new version.
Like she had when she Ascended.
He mentions he could ask Frey, and she shrugs her shoulders before realizing he can’t see it before she hums lightly in acknowledgement. “Don’t go and get yourself cursed on my behalf.” She tells him, a hint of seriousness underlining it before she decides she should probably get going. She needs to rest, check her scans again for the millionth time, and see what happens next.
“Well, Loren, I’m glad I got to check in with you. I should go, though.” She manages to stand from the chair she’s sat in, fingertips on the table near the shell since she can’t bend her wrists with the splints. “I’m glad we got to chat.” It’s her little way of saying that she appreciates him, his friendship, the easy conversation she can get from him.
