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!
There’s a reason she’s left the room and if some see it as cowardice (colored by their hatred for her, it likely isn’t possible for her to have any good qualities left, is it?), then they’ve never known the Ascended woman, who has not only risen to every occasion thrown at her, has never run from a challenge, but also aired her dirty laundry for the entire Ground to judge. Was it a political move? Absolutely. But to call her exit, all so they could yes, see what they are made of, and also decide what to do without her voice overshadowing them, without it turning into a farce like the last meeting, that sort of judgement is nothing short of narrow-minded and spiteful.
So. It’s a good thing The Queen doesn’t hear it. Otherwise this would go downhill very fast
Winking into existence as the hour would strike if they had a clock in the Temple, Wessex makes her way to the boxes. She beckons to the man she’d identified before and as he steps up to assist her, she separates the pieces of paper into piles. After a moment of conferring quietly with him, she nods and then steps back up.
“It may come as no surprise to some of you - or to myself - that you’ve voted to elect a council. Rexanna received the most votes after that, both with or without a council, so I propose that she lead the election.” Whatever that means. Finding the blind woman in the room, there is a small, genuine smile on her face. If not herself, then another Ascended, one far more suited to diplomacy in both temperament and words, should be at the helm. “Does anyone object to her organizing this, and Rex, do you accept this responsibility?”
She hadn’t tried to elude to the idea of keeping Wessex as the head of the Grounds. Because with Wessex stepping down, it opens up the option of the Greatwood to be traversed again, friendships to return to and check in on, trade or conversation to begin between the two closest lands that didn’t need to be traversed via portal. But a council, with or without a head, chosen to be whomever, Rexanna didn’t care. So long as there were the representations required – old gods, new gods, races, farmers to merchants, soldiers and warriors and the like.
She’s sitting when Wessex returns to the room, head angled downward as the rest of the gathering chat amongst themselves, eyeless face focused on the darkness that swarms her, but she has her friends and her family nearby – and she waits for the fallout, waits for the hammer to fall. Only then, it doesn’t. Wessex’s voice is like a beacon that grounds her, and she wonders who had taken her up on her own vote – a council, a gathering of varying backgrounds to come together for compromise.
And then, the announcement of electing a council and she smiles softly at that – imagining that everyone could at least agree on that. But what she doesn’t expect is to hear her name alongside it. She hadn’t even offered herself, hadn’t even crossed her mind that she could do it. And her smile fades in quiet surprise, awe, wonder.
She stands when Wessex asks if anyone objects, seeking out the gathering of others, where they may be. She could say no, that she doesn’t want it, but she could at least temporarily become one, to put together the council they’ve all so wanted and needed and craved, and she dips her head to them. “I’m… Surprised to be honest. Thank you.” A quiet soft, still shocked laugh leaves her. “If nobody objects, I’d be glad to organize it to at least get the council started?” And, remaining standing, hands clasped behind her back, she focuses on listening for the objections, waiting for them.
Waiting for this other hammer to fall. Also to figure out how to tell Bastien.
“You shouldn’t be surprised,” Wessex insists for the umpteenth times, repeating what she has said at least once before, that Rexanna is loved and respected. She is the grace and diplomacy part of #TeamAscended, whereas Wessex is the wrecking ball and ammunition. There were no objections, at least none that were publically voiced, so without further ado, the now former-Queen proclaims, “With Rexanna de Rosieres temporarily in charge until an elected council is formed, I resign, effective immediately. The House I was in is yours as a Town Hall if you want it.” She’s got a perfectly suitable place in the outskirts that will lend itself far better to working incognito than a house where she is expected to be easily found.
Leaving the dais by normal means this time, the Wraith heads to the nearest exit a freer demi-god than when she came in, eager to live her own life again and leave the bullshit of dealing with people to someone else.
Sam stayed quiet after saying his piece, surprised to find that no one particularly objected to him on it - perhaps public perception of his new role was not so bad after all...? Regardless, he was still nervous, as he always was at big tense moments of change. Though he did not expect Wessex to go. While she certainly had her naysayers, he thought them a vocal minority.
(Especially Amalia, who always seemed so eager to criticise and act superior. He was beginning to grow very tired of her indeed.)
So when the votes came back, his eyes widened. Though any fear he had swiftly went away as Rexanna was named..well, not Queen, but at least the next one in charge. Another Ascended. At least this way he could be reasonably sure his work for The Voice would not face opposition from the rulers of the Hollowed Grounds and he trusted she would not forcibly enlist anyone into a military. Things could have gone worse. "I trust Rexanna." He whispered to Nate, watching to see how things would go from here.
