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!
After being accepted into a guild for the first time ever, Oliver thought he should actually utilize the offerings. Somehow, he managed to fill up his entire sketchbook, so what better time to be accepted?
Bringing along his old sketchbook in a decently sized satchel, Oliver made his way into the guildhall, taking in a deep breath with a grin on his face. This was his second home now. He actually belonged to a group! Yeah, he had been here already, but this was so different. He was meant to be here, was allowed to come whenever. It was a fantastic feeling that he just couldn't shake away.
Making his way inside, Oliver started to wander around, very obviously looking for something. He hadn't exactly been given a tour and so he had no idea where to actually find the sketchbooks, but it shouldn't be that hard to find them. Right? The guildhall seemed pretty empty right now, so there was nobody around to ask or bother. Hopefully he'd be able to find it before he made an embarrassment of himself.
With all the stress of the last few days (primarily for Rexanna, but they were so close the burdens they held were often shared) Bastien had spent a lot of nights awake, trying to help his wife work out the best way to approach something, helping her create anything she would need, going to sort things that needed sorted - there were many things that needed doing when you were beginning to become the Queen.
So he had stayed in his room for the morning sleeping and trying to work out a plan in his mind - with the town in such upset, he knew the guild was deeply important now. People needed the outlet he provided more than ever, needed to scream their lyrics and cover their hands in paint. He'd need to buy new canvases, organise more space if the influx he expected happened in the next week...
Eventually he'd managed to get himself out of bed and ready to start organising it all. Coming downstairs, dressed in loose pants and nothing else, stretching, he did not expect to see one of their guildmembers already in the building. Smiling at Oliver's eagerness he walked into the main studio area, leaning on the table. "Good morning. Ready to start creating already? I do appreciate an excited spirit. Matches the warm sun, mm? Even if I cannot see it outside, perhaps I can feel it in your work."
Some people can't get success with their art
Some people never feel love in their heart
Some people can't tell the two things apart
But I keep rollin' on
Okay....maybe Oliver should have actually checked to make sure that Bastien and Rexanna were properly okay before visiting. He also should've realized that the man actually lived within the guildhall. It wasn't something Oliver really had considered, the latter part that is. Of course he was worried about everyone, but he was also living in ignorance, assuming that everyone he hadn't really heard from were alright. That nothing bad had happened to them. It wasn't a safe way to live, but it worked.
A light blush danced on his cheeks when he heard Bastien's voice and he turned to face a man who had clearly just been in bed. He was far more embarrassed about the other man's relaxed nature than seeing him wearing so little. Bastien was almost ignoring everything that had just happened...which was kind of nice, in a way. Surely, the man knew about his absolute failure.
"Honestly? That sounds great." There was a faint, genuine smile on his lips. It was really hard to be happy right now, but Oliver was eager for some sort of release. "I came here for a new sketchbook, but yeah, I'd love to do something new....maybe I or the both of us could make something new?" Bastien had talked a lot about the sun, which gave him an idea. "Maybe we could make something for the new season? To give us some hope for the future....the sun is bright, so it could represent something? I don't know..." What they needed right now was each other. Art could possibly show a hope in the future, a light at the end of the tunnel. Something to look forward to and to keep people going after so many dark times.
Unaware of any failure on Oliver's part, Bastien only noticed the blush on the young man's cheeks, which made him laugh to himself. The people here were such prudes! Perhaps he was simply too used to hedonistic, liberal art communities, but he had never been embarrassed by an exposed chest or leg.
"Absolutely! A new sketchbook for me as well, too. I try to start new with each season." A tradition carried over from Venice. He found his archives of work were better when they were split into seasons, a few months collected together; it allowed him to see where he had been at any given year, see patterns in the art. "I often do my best work in the Summer--ah, but here it is Longheat, isn't it? Such a literal word."
Going to fetch two new sketchbooks (both bound in a thin leather, dark brown) he handed one to Oliver and then went to find his pens and pencils, organised for the most part in a series of drawers against one of the walls. "Well - if we are to speak of the sun representing anything, it must be worth discussing the tradition of capturing the sun. After all, it will have the most relevance to the people here - do you know of the myth?"
Some people can't get success with their art
Some people never feel love in their heart
Some people can't tell the two things apart
But I keep rollin' on
It was nice that Bastien hasn’t judged him at all or spoke down to him. Of course, Oliver fully assumed that Bastien knew about his participation...or lack of it. Maybe not everyone would grow to hate him, to despise every inch of his body. He had a place to feel safe and wanted, to make sure his thoughts remained healthy.
With a hint of a blush still remaining, Oliver ran a hand through his hair. ”The old one has lasted me a season and a half. Surprised it went that long.” Then again, he hardly even had it during Deepfrost, so did that season really count? Oh well. Bastien went off to gather the materials and Oliver remained back, setting the book on the table as he did so. If Bastien wanted to look through it, he could. He was the only person really allowed to freely look seeing as Oliver saw him as an opportunity to learn, someone who wouldn’t judge him for how pitiful his drawings looked at times. ”We called it summer too, back where I came from. I don’t remember drawing too much back then, so maybe I can find the perfect season for me to draw.” There’s a light shrug, showing he wasn’t too rushed or bothered. He’d figure things out, just had to give it some time.
Bastien returned with some supplies and honestly? The new sketchbook was far better than his original one. It looked much better made and far sturdier. Oliver wasn’t sure if he really deserved it, but he could always repay Bastien in the future. His fingers delicately ran along the book, tracing each curve and identifying it as his. The sudden voice caught his attention and his motion stopped, his head shooting up.
”A...sun myth? No. This is the first I’ve heard of capturing the sun.” He moved to take a seat on the table. Hopefully Bastien wouldn’t mind. ”Would you mind telling me about it? Maybe I could create art for the tradition?” That could possibly help makeup for how awful Fiat Lux went. Show that he did want to dedicate himself to Caido.
"I do not think anyone could blame you for not drawing as much during this last season. It has been...difficult. As they often are." Bastien sighed, testing the paper quality of the sketchbook between his thumb and finger before he handed it to Oliver (odd how his standards had changed; in Venice he would have returned these books. Now, he thought they were fine).
He traced his fingers over the cover of the book that Oliver had left, looking to him and raising an eyebrow to ask permission to open it. An artist's sketchbook could be a very private place indeed and he would not delve in without Oliver's consent; he had to admit though that he was curious. "A perfect season or no, it's good to have a space in which to explore."
Sitting down with a pencil, he opened his own book and began to draw immediately, doodling circles and sun patterns across the page, intricate designs spreading between the lines. "I can tell you what I know. It is a Fae myth, one that only spread to our traditions in the last year - but the people here like their rituals. They keep things organised among all the chaos."
The patterned lines of his sun rays began to curl around the handle of a basket at the bottom of the page. "The Fae believe if we find a way to capture the sun, say...it's reflection in a basket, or in a painting, or any other way we can think of, then we may extend the long days of warmth further. After Longnight, I believe we all want the Longheat to last forever."
Some people can't get success with their art
Some people never feel love in their heart
Some people can't tell the two things apart
But I keep rollin' on
Bastien understands where Oliver is coming from, which is a nice breath of relief. "Also....I tend to try and draw multiple things on one page. I need to work on drawing bigger things that are more detailed." It was a combination of reasons, really. Sometimes he felt too stressed to draw, worried about so many little things. Hopefully he'd be able to devote more time to drawing. It could help him to relax, not worry about everything. An escape from his darkest thoughts brought on by Fiat Lux. "Go ahead and look in it, if you want." He had noticed Bastien's interest. Really, there wasn't anything bad in it, so he had nothing to hide really. Anyone else, he'd say no, but Bastien was a different case.
The myth was an interesting one. It was only when Bastien had finished talking that Oliver would speak up again, wanting to know a bit more. "So...the fae want to have more sun? Since we lose it all during LongNight? I'd guess that also helps with farming, right? More sunlight means more time to work and farm and well, be productive." That seems logical, in a sense. There was a desire for more sun, so they'd pray for it. "Does the capturing of the sun really work?" Ah yes, questioning myths. Great job Oliver.
"Actually....do the fae believe in our gods? Who would we speak to about this whole capturing the sun thing? Vi?
Bastien shrugged, never having had much patience for the idea of drawing, of art in general, having to look one way or another. "If you want to draw bigger images, yes. If you are happy with your smaller ones, though, why change? It is for yourself, not anyone else." It wasn't like there was a pressure to sell art here, like there had been in Venice - in some ways it was the best environment in which to create, Bastien thought.
He opened the sketchbook and turned each page, looking at everything individually; some things he would skip past quickly, others he would linger on for a moment and smile, fingers just lightly running over the page as something appealed to his eye. "This is a good place of release for you, I can tell."
Bastien was happy to teach as much about the myth as he knew, though admittedly it would never be as good from his mouth as from a Fae's. "Well...it works in a metaphorical sense, I suppose. I believe for the Fae it is more commonly a story for children." The examples he had, of spirits and ghouls, stories for the children of Italy, would not work for Oliver, so he simply continued: "The Fae do believe in the Old Gods, as far as I know. We do not need to speak to anyone about the capturing of the Sun...in fact, the only Goddess involved in Safrin, whom must be sung to so she does not bring back the night too soon."
Some people can't get success with their art
Some people never feel love in their heart
Some people can't tell the two things apart
But I keep rollin' on
There's a light shrug. "I guess you're right. Just feels like I'm learning this stuff incorrectly." That obviously wasn't going to stop him from ever drawing, mostly just made him a little self conscious when actually talking about his practices. Drawing and art made Oliver happy, it made him feel at peace with himself. He had no plans of ever stopping, not anytime soon.
Cautiously, Oliver watched for any kind of facial expressions on Bastien's face, searching for something that he could try and interpret. It wasn't a healthy thing to do nor was it accurate, not in the slightest, but he couldn't help it. He just had to see what Bastien thought! The moment he first saw a smile, Oliver grinned and felt his cheeks heat up, proud of himself for actually doing something that earned a positive reaction! It never crossed his mind that it could be negative, for he was far too happy about seeing the smile. "You think so? I mean- it is! It's helped me a lot." And now he got to do more art with the guild.
Bastien was as good a storyteller as he was an artist. Despite not knowing much, he still dazzled Oliver with the tales and words he had to share. To hear his Goddess' name also brought joy to him, a sense of pride almost. "I'll be sure to sing a song for her! And leave her an offering, of course." Not like he already planned to leave tons of offerings for her. He needed to feel the connection now more than ever. The issues that came with Fiat Lux were far too trivial for Safrin to care about, seeing as she told him that she didn't want her time wasted with his silly problems. So, instead of asking her for guidance, he'd simply leave offerings in hopes to simply feel the connection. Maybe he'd even find the time to sing to her, seeing as that was now an option for him as well.
"What comes with capturing the sun? Is there.....is there another party? There was a large space between his question, showing his reluctance to ask. It'd be hard to celebrate and he knew that, he simply wanted to hear of the traditions, that's all.
"Incorrectly, correctly...if it feels like you are enjoying yourself making your art, I believe that is correct." Bastien nodded to himself. Sure, there were things one could learn, anatomy and lighting and composition, but they were not requirements to make art. They were tools one could choose to use, just like a thick brush or a sponge, rather than anything obligatory.
Shutting the sketchbook and returning it, he put a finger to his chin. "I've been thinking about giving a sketchbook to each of my members and asking them to fill it as much as possible each month, then perhaps we could gather and see each other's work at each new season. Could make an evening of it, wine and food.." It was hard for Bastien to host any social event without making it into a bit of a party, even if he was holding off on the actual big ones for now.
Oliver's eagerness to sing to Safrin was something he could not share given his past, but he smiled nonetheless, happy that they had someone with a good relationship with her in the guild. That meant his old reputation had not chased him here, he thought. "The offering is not required, but it can't hurt, I suppose." It was certainly not something that Bastien would be doing.
As for parties... "There is a celebration, a midnight gathering, towards the middle of the season...people take gifts. I am not sure if it is a party, though, as such. I certainly am not holding any parties for a while, not after Fiat Lux...I think it is best to wait a while." With a sigh, he added some hatchmarks into the background of his drawing, frowning in lost thought.
Some people can't get success with their art
Some people never feel love in their heart
Some people can't tell the two things apart
But I keep rollin' on
Well, Oliver could sort of accept Bastien's statement. It's always good to do what one enjoys, but he also knew that he should try to become a better person. The use of correct and incorrect probably wasn't really a good choice. It's hard to be completely one way with art. "Art is so....unique? I cant find the word, but it's so unique to each person...and I really hope I can someday show my own unique style. For now, I'm kind of just doing....something." Again, what he was doing wasn't incorrect, nor was it probably correct. Oliver knew he had room to improve.
Tapping his fingers against the table in a constant motion, going from pinkie to index before returning back, Oliver nodded, listening to Bastien's idea. "I think that's a great idea. It should be interesting to see what each person thinks of. Look to see what their inspirations were...as well, it'll help to show improvement. Maybe you could have us sketch something at least once a day? Even if it's just a little drawing, like of a spider or a frog." At first, he simply agreed, but then his mind started to wander. He explored for more to say, things to look forward to, and positive things they could focus on.
Oliver hadn't expected a party, really. Hopefully he didn't appear to be insensitive. "Yeah...I don't know if people would be willing to gather for another celebration, not yet, at least..." His voice softened and he turned to look at Bastien's work, watching with eagle eyes. "Why do we bring gifts? Who are they for?"
Bastien nodded to what Oliver said, though he felt it was a little obvious. Still, he was training complete amateurs here, not his students in Venice, who had usually had some time in an art school before arriving at his Sanctuary. Not to mention then there had been hundreds of years of artists before them to reference in discussions. "You are developing that uniqueness. Do not try to force it - it will come."
He was glad that Oliver thought his plan a good idea - though that the man's first examples were 'spider' and 'frog' did make an amused smile play around his lips. "I will likely suggest it in time, when people are less busy. After Fiat Lux...many places are stretched thin trying to help. I myself have kept this hall open at night and had some visitors who simply wanted to throw paint around or drink and speak of it." Bastien had not minded those who had not come to make art. It seemed counsellor was a part of his duties here and it was not a task he minded.
"We must, as they say, get back on the horse. We cannot stop celebrating forever just because of Fiat Lux - I think the quiet mood of the Midnight Gathering might be perfect. The gifts are exchanged with each other. You may make one for whomever you like. Of course, I shall be creating something for Rexanna." He was also going to gift each of his guild members something, but it was a secret.
Some people can't get success with their art
Some people never feel love in their heart
Some people can't tell the two things apart
But I keep rollin' on
Not forcing the uniqueness would be very challenging. He didn't have exactly much to work off of, so anytime he saw something he liked he would accidentally start to try and mimic it. It's an embarrassing thing to do and Oliver could only hope that Bastien wouldn't notice or worse: what if he accidentally copied Bastien?
Tapping the fingers along, Oliver let out a soft hum. "Yeah...I do think we will need an escape, soon enough. I know I really need one...I probably should be helping way more, but I just cant even bring myself to really do anything that is mentally taxing." He couldn't bring himself to look Bastien in the eye, embarrassed by his incapability to help out with something he had caused. "We will need a lot of help once this blows through...I'm sure your idea will be great for us." Oliver finally looked at Bastien and offered him a warm, comforting smile.
Bastien was a wise dude, clearly. He understood a lot of things and seemed confident that this Midnight Gathering will help everyone heal after the disaster that was Fiat Lux. Almost trying to change the subject a small bit, Oliver did think of one troubling question. "And what if we don't have someone to exchange a gift with? Could I just give it to someone random?"
"Care for yourself first. If you lose yourself, you will not be able to help the others anyway." This was advice Bastien had heard elsewhere and felt might help Oliver, though he wasn't sure if he actually personally believed it or could apply it to his own life. He'd always had a seemingly limitless amount of energy in himself for meddling assisting in others lives, for giving advice and encouraging creativity.
Bastien certainly liked to think of himself as wise, perhaps worked to put out that impression a little with his gentle cadence and considering way of moving, the slightly pretentious choice of vocabulary. After all, he was a teacher of the arts, and it was what people expected to see; he did not want to fail their expectations.
He raised his eyebrows at Oliver's question, breaking off from his drawing to look up. "You have no one to give a gift to? No friends? Not even your new guildmates?"
Some people can't get success with their art
Some people never feel love in their heart
Some people can't tell the two things apart
But I keep rollin' on
