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!
11-03-2019, 10:12 PM (This post was last modified: 11-04-2019, 05:48 PM by Samuel.)
Samuel
There was something very comforting in returning to the routine of bookmaking after Samuel's several weeks away having a major crisisbeing busy. The rustle of paper and the stains of ink on his fingers, the slow but satisfying work of laying each page in, making sure it was neat, sewing it to the spine; he loved seeing each story come together. In his absence he had not realised how much he missed it.
Making an effort to get back into it and his work for the Loreseekers, he had to purposefully clear his mind of his troubles and worries. Focus his mind and eyes on only the work before him, the pen and the knife.
Perhaps he had made a huge mistake, and the work was admittedly much harder without three of his fingers, but at least there was the page to fall back on. Humming as he worked, Sam tried out his pen on a bit of scrap paper then began to draw out a large illustrated 'G', the first letter of a tome on local flora.
And it's hard to write about being happy
'Cause the older I get
I find that happiness is an extremely uneventful subject
so you say you want a deathbed scene, the knowledge that comes
before knowledge
and you want it dirty
Getting to come back to what he now considered home was truly one of the greatest joys Nate got out of Longnight ending. It made things feel fucking normal again, just a little bit. Despite Sams missing fingers, and the edge of the dark cliff he was teetering on, (not to mention the very different cliff Nate was on, the one there kept him from even thinking the word love) things felt better here.
Nate had been making more of an effort to spend some time at the college, now that things were back to normal, but even the promise of having something to fill his days didn’t beat the relief of coming home, greeting Mia, and moving through the house to find Sam. It was infuriatingly domestic, and he loved it.
Today, he found the ginger man in his office, the door barely cracked while he worked. Nate watched him for a minute, maybe more, then pushed the door open and came up behind Sam. ”That looks nice.” He said softly, his hands coming up to rest on his partners shoulders.
Sam looked up as the door opened, smiling to see Nate enter; it had begun to feel like his home wasn't entirely complete until his partner had arrived. Mia stretched up from her place on one of the nearby chairs and hopped up onto the table, 'mrrrp'-ing at Nate as he walked in. Sam placed his good hand over one of Nate's on his shoulders and leaned his cheek in towards it. "Mmm. Hello."
He let go to turn to the kettle next to him on the table, which was still warm enough that he could use the water inside to make Nate a drink. Pouring water into a cup he handed it over, the sweet spiced tea spreading a scent through the air that reminded Sam of bright red flowers on a Longheat day. "How was your day? Sit and talk with me for a while."
Putting down his pen in his inkwell and pulling a chair out a few inches for Nate, he waited to listen, genuinely interested in what it was Nate had to tell him about.
And it's hard to write about being happy
'Cause the older I get
I find that happiness is an extremely uneventful subject
so you say you want a deathbed scene, the knowledge that comes
before knowledge
and you want it dirty
The way Sam greeted him, leaned in towards him was so domestic and sweet Nate could swear he felt a cavity forming. This was something he never thought he’d have, that he never would have had if he hadn’t come here, and after the trials of Longnight it was exactly what he needed. A distant smile settles on his face as he absently watched the ginger man pour a cup of tea, and offer a chair.
”How could I say no to an offer like that?” He laughed softly, pulling the chair out the rest of the way and sitting. Nate took a sip of the tea, enjoying the warm spiciness of it before speaking. ”It was good. I spent most of it inside, trying to figure out a...” He snapped his fingers, trying to remember what it was called. ”... a lesson plan!” He grinned triumphant and took another long sip of his tea, reaching into a pocket for a flask to fill the mug full again.
Once he’d tucked away his flask, Nate continued, reaching out for the other mans hand without looking. ”I think I’m having the most trouble with relevance. I need to put a lot of useful information in a small space of time.” It was cathartic to talk about his day with Sam, to work through things, but he wanted to return the favour. ”It looks like you’re getting busy again.” Nate tipped his head towards the page Sam had been wooing on.
Sam tilted his head as Nate snapped, then laughed as the man found his word. "How organised. I thought you'd be the kind to improvise your lessons." His hands cupped around his mug of tea he smiled over it at his partner, teasing glint in his eyes. The joy left for a moment as he watched Nate pour a flask into the tea, but he said nothing for the moment, his smile only flickering for a second.
He let his hand be taken, gently stroking his thumb against Nate's palm. "How many lessons do you have? There's no real rush, is there? We have plenty of healers, magic or otherwise...take the time to make the next generation even better." Sam really had no idea about healing or what it was Nate was teaching, but he reckoned it was likely quite complex - better to take the time on it rather than rushing.
"Oh, I suppose." He looked over to his own work, ran a finger over the blank page. "I'm finding it hard to concentrate sometimes, but it's nice to be working...with everything that's gone on recently, I've neglected my books. It's difficult, with..." He held up his wounded hand. "The Voice offered me a way to fix it, and I'm going to, but...it won't be for a while, so I have to try and work anyway."
And it's hard to write about being happy
'Cause the older I get
I find that happiness is an extremely uneventful subject
so you say you want a deathbed scene, the knowledge that comes
before knowledge
and you want it dirty
”Oh believe me, I thought about it.” Nate laughed, leaning back and taking another sip of his tea. It did a far better job of warning him with his addition, and he smiled contentedly, not noticing the shadow that passed over Sams face, or at least, not commenting on it.
It was a different kind of warmth that filled him when Sam stroked his hand, and asked more about his classes. A half remembered conversation about love, and going with the flow came to him, and instead of pulling back from the tenderness, Nate leaned into it, putting another hand on top of Sams and lightly stroking the skin on his wrist. ”I’m trying to take my time. But... I want this to be good.” There was no underlying joke in Nate’s words, just raw, naked emotion. A part of him he had kept hidden, as much as he could.
The same warmth and joy came fo him as Sam so easily told him about his own day, Nate’s eyes following the other mans finger over the book. ”Well it still looks good. And you’ll be better after the Voice fixes you up, right?” Nate smiles brightly, and leans in a little, squeezing Sams hand with both of his own. ”What was her offer anyway? I don’t think you told me.”
It was nice, really, with what Sam knew of Nate's past life, to think he has making lesson plans now. It had sounded like in Nate's old world he had been in a life of a lot of violence and lies...the honesty and hard work of teaching suited him better and brought out warm smiles and the hands on Sam's. "It will be good, I am sure. You know things no one else in this world does...it'll be fascinating for everyone."
After The Voice fixes you up. If only it were so easy. "Well...I need to get a few things. A snake and some electrified metal and um...bones..." Sam chewed at his lip, unsure if it was wise to mention to Nate just where it was the bones had to come from. "Then if I take those to her, she'll be able to help."
He sighed, thinking now of the meeting with The Voice. "I know I'm lucky that The Voice only gave me a verbal reprimand, but..." Sam hugged himself, feeling sometimes as if he were totally alone with this thought. "She doesn't understand that it's hard for us, after the Blight. She thinks because it's fine for her it's fine for us, but she's a Goddess."
And it's hard to write about being happy
'Cause the older I get
I find that happiness is an extremely uneventful subject
so you say you want a deathbed scene, the knowledge that comes
before knowledge
and you want it dirty
Nate had to laugh, the sound almost nervous. ”You know... I wasn’t this like, medical big shot back home.” Yea, he knew... comparatively, but that didn’t really mean too much for him. ”I dropped out of my classes before I even graduated. But... I guess I do know some shit no ones ever heard of.” He grinned, covered up the insecurity with his usual confidence. ”It’ll be great.”
A snake, electrified metal, and bones? ”What kind of wild shit is she doing?” The words came out before Nate really thought about it, and he winced. ”I guess... if it works it works, right?” He laughed, trying to be supportive. All this magic and god stuff really was beyond him, but he wanted to be there for Sam. As much as he could.
That was why he reached out, lifting a hand off Sams and resting it on his shoulder instead, pulling him in. ”You’re lucky. And you’re not alone after that. All the blight shit.” He leaned in and kissed Sam gently, holding them close together. ”I’m by your side.”
Sam laughed, never having heard the phrase 'big shot' before. "Well, perhaps not, but I'm sure you still have valuable things to teach." He didn't know if Nate's world was more advanced than theirs or not, but more medical knowledge could never be a bad thing. The best thing of the Outlanders coming was the ability for them all to pool their knowledge, after all.
It seemed Nate was just coming out with various funny exclamations on this day - Sam couldn't help his snort at the question, shrugging. "I don't know how she will make the new fingers. I don't try to understand just how the Gods do things, a lot of the time."
He didn't know how he'd managed to find Nate in the midst of everything else in his life collapsing, but he was so glad he had. It felt sometimes like his partner was the only solid pillar in his life as everything else floated away in a chaotic rush. "I know." He kissed Nate back, smiling into it as he felt suddenly so appreciative for him.
Speaking of things he was appreciative of...Sam pulled away for a moment, looping his arms loosely around Nate's neck, and pressed his lips together as he looked over his lover's face, trying to work out how to sound...sensual. Sexy. Not anything he was. "..Would you like to go upstairs?"
And it's hard to write about being happy
'Cause the older I get
I find that happiness is an extremely uneventful subject
so you say you want a deathbed scene, the knowledge that comes
before knowledge
and you want it dirty
”I guess so.” Nate conceded, figuring the other man was right. If nothing else, he had knowledge most others here didn’t. And he’d already helped before with it, at least a little, with Phoebe’s attempt to stop the blight, however unsuccessful that ended up being.
A bright smile spread over his face when Sam laughed, Nate revelling in the fact that he could make the other man laugh, could bring a smile to his face. ”I guess that’s what makes her a god. You and me aren’t supposed to know what she’s doing, right?”
There was an immediate twitch of interest in Nate’s body when Sam suggested they go upstairs. It was not an offer he wanted to refuse, but it also wasn’t a situation where he could resist teasing Sam, at least a little. ”What do you have waiting for me upstairs?” He purred, looking over the other man from top to bottom.
Sam was glad Nate had at least sort of admitted his medical knowledge; as much as he struggled to see his own worth he always lamented when his friends and loved ones could not see theirs.
"I suppose not, though it would be nice to know sometimes." He tried not to pull down the mood too much, but he couldn't help the wrinkle of his nose as he thought of The Blight, the best example of The Voice hiding away facts and plans from him. The fear that it would happen again would take a long time to clear, he knew, no matter how forthcoming she was from now on.
The immediate change in Nate, the show of interest...Sam smiled, feeling all kinds of things he had thought were barred from him. To be desired was a new sensation and one that he found fit him awkwardly, but he was still willing to wear it. Straightening himself up and stretching out his legs, posing just a little, he looked up to the ceiling and tapped his chin. "Well...you mentioned we should get some rope a little while ago. I went to the market yesterday and I did..soft, like you said, too."
And it's hard to write about being happy
'Cause the older I get
I find that happiness is an extremely uneventful subject
so you say you want a deathbed scene, the knowledge that comes
before knowledge
and you want it dirty
”It would be nice to know a lot of things.” Nate agreed softly. ”Bur you know what they say: if wishes were horses you and I would... rule the world. Or something.” He paused to think about it, then shrugged. ”It’s a stupid saying. But it’s a little right too. There’s no point in worrying about things you can’t change, and that includes things you can’t understand.” it was as comforting as he could really be without being physical, but he was trying.
Sam posed, and Nate leaned in, eyes taking over the ginger while his body is half drawn off the seat, a metal shaving being drawn in to a magnet. ”Look at you darling.” He purrs, the pet name just feeling right for the moment, though he’s not willing to put much more thought into it than that. It’s just the moment, nothing that serious.
”Oh, you got the rope?” The purr is now a growl, Nate’s eyes hungry, his hand coming up to cup the bookmakers cheek firmly, and leaning in so their lips are touching when he speaks next. ”What are we waiting for them?” In an instant, Nate is standing, and reaching over to pull Sam up, then onto his shoulder in one easy movement. He carries his lover up the stairs. To the room, the bed they share, and deposits him on it, still fixing him with that look. ”What do you think we’re going to do with that rope?”
Nate's comforting words were nice and Sam nodded at them, but he was after a different kind of comfort entirely, one that he knew the other man was more than able to provide.
The way Nate leaned in towards him as if he were unable to resist drew a smile from Sam. For a long time his body had been something hated and inconvenient to his life, but seeing the way Nate looked at him made him reconsider it in a way he had never thought to. Joy obvious in the laugh he gave as he easily let Nate carry him upstairs, he tried to remember the moment forever, for times when he felt less than enough.
Laying on the bed, propping himself up with his elbows, he smiled and acted coy, shaking his head. "I can't say I really know. You told me to get some so I did, but I could not even begin to imagine what it is you'd like to do." He glanced over to his wardrobe, still wearing the same innocent expression. "It's in there."
And it's hard to write about being happy
'Cause the older I get
I find that happiness is an extremely uneventful subject
so you say you want a deathbed scene, the knowledge that comes
before knowledge
and you want it dirty
Nate tried to not let himself get too excited, but Sam just made it so easy. He was so earnest, so easy to please, and yet all Nate really wanted to do was please him over and over again. His mind strayed back to things like love, his eyes roaming over the other, propped up on the bed, and swallowed.
A thought for another time, one he knew that was going to come up sooner than he wanted. ”Well if you really don’t know what it’s for, I suppose I’ll have to show you.” Nate said with a grin, wasting no time in moving to the wardrobe and retrieving his tool. He held a length between both hands, inspecting it, then snapped it suddenly, making a sharp, dangerous noise. With an approving smile, he looked into Sams eyes, something predatory in his own.
”Can I have your wrists please, darling?” Even though it was phrased as a question, Nate’s voice left no room for denial, quick hands already making a loop from the rope, spread open wide enough for his hands. ”We’ll get to the fun part after.”
