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!
Her smile is a thing of warmth and beauty, and inspires his own in turn. "Thank you. I agree, honestly. We are all capable of holding so much pain and grief, but it's important to not let those things bleed out and hurt others. Or worse, to use them as weapons intentionally in that state." Harper is certainly no saint, has done such things in the past when he was newly freed and navigating his trauma on his own, homeless and directionless. But each and every time he'd come out of it and felt sick to his stomach for what he'd done. It had been the greatest teacher he could have had.
"Funny how things just fall into our laps, huh?" His grin is a maelstrom of teasing and understanding all at once, shuffling about as she sits beside him so they can gaze out over the water together. The jovial expression crumples into a darkness not often seen on his face at her inquiry. "She tried to kill herself," he admits softly, a bluntness that he can't spare Maea from with any number of flowery words. "She holds a lot of pain from what happened with her marriage to Sunjata. And even more from losing her nephews. I think maybe she couldn't see a way out, a way back..." sighing, the man shrugs his broad shoulders and turns a helpless look to the woman at his side. "I had to talk her from the ledge, and I've moved back into the clinic for the time being to try and help. I don't know if seeing you would help or not, if she's aware of your relationship with Sunjata, but she needs all the friends she can get right now." It would be up to Maea to decide whether or not to take that risk in seeing Phoebe.
if brokenness is a form of art I must be a poster child prodigy
She flushed at his gentle teasing and dug her fingers into the sand, down to where the soft grains turned dark and damp with cool moisture. But Maea's smile faltered and fell away as Harper told her about Phoebe, shock and pain replacing it entirely as she empathised with the young woman. For a time, she just sat quietly, processing... then she sighed, and dragged her knees up to lean the chin against.
"For what it's worth, he's hurting too," she said softly. "He might look fine and carry on like none of it bothers him, but... it does. I think this marriage would have ruined both of them if it continued... so, however awful the way it ended was... I still think it's for the better that it did."
Biting her lip, Maea glanced at the young man beside her. She recalled seeing him at the wedding, comforting Phoebe without hesitation. Maea hadn't known anything about the situation at that time, and would likely have taken Phoebe's side in a heartbeat, but now...
"If she is as wounded as you say, then... perhaps it's for the better that I keep away. I've heard too much of Sunjata's side of the story... I'm not sure I could be impartial, or offer the support she needs, and deserves."
I'm an angel bored like hell And you're a devil meaning well
BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
He leaves her patiently to her thoughts. It's not something that is easy to accept, and he knows that well. If Maea has any regard for Phoebe at all it will not be easy news to swallow. Though he doesn't expect for her to bring Sunjata into the conversation, he nods his head in deference to what she says.
"I don't doubt it. Inherent evil is incredibly hard to find, even in those who take joy in harming others. It takes two to tango after all, neither is fully blameless." He may be Phoebe's friend, and can't say whose side he would take (if any at all) were he forced to pick a side, at least Harper is aware that the situation is complex. "All we can do is support them in the aftermath. It's not my place to give an opinion on their past choices." Harper shrugs helplessly here. It was why he hadn't pressured Phoebe into leaving or continuing with the marriage one way or the other. A stance he continues to hold even now.
"I understand. At least you know you would be biased which is very mature of you, though...perhaps you should still try. If you know they are both hurting, isn't it unfair to leave one to suffer while tending to the other?" No judgement filters through his voice, offering the suggestion tenderly. Letting her choose to shoot it down without backlash. "I don't want her to have to lean on me alone as her crutch. That's just as unhealthy unfortunately. If you know any of her other friends, perhaps you can send them her way? Or tell me their names so that I can." The best method of healing is surrounding yourself with loved ones after all. Harper can't take the entire weight of Phoebe's pain on his shoulders unfortunately. And it would be unfair to her as well, likely leading to a codependency that will only further hurt her.
if brokenness is a form of art I must be a poster child prodigy
On Maea's part, she had encouraged Sunjata to break it off. Because it was destructive, because he was hurting himself as well as another... She wasn't capable of taking such a hands off, neutral stance as Harper. He called it mature, but Maea wasn't sure that was the right word for it.
"I'll try, if it comes to that," she promised. "But you know... for all that I think of Phoebe as a friend, want to be one, I don't actually know her. We're not close, and I don't..." She paused, to breathe, to think of a way to express her torn feelings on the subject. "I don't want to cause her more pain? I came back from nowhere and gained all that she wanted, and then I'd be standing there, acting like it's nothing while telling her to cheer up? That sounds incredibly cruel, and I would hate for someone to do that to me."
No doubt Phoebe needed friends, but Maea wasn't convinced that she was the right person to offer. Certianly she could never listen to criticism about Sunjata without getting defensive, or fully sympathize with the kind of thinking that would tie someone down when they'd made it plain they didn't want it... It just...
"I think I'd do her the best kindness by keeping away," she finished, a bit weakly. Hands coming back to rest in the sand, small and pale against the white grains.
I'm an angel bored like hell And you're a devil meaning well
BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Dark brows rise, azure gaze turning to the woman at his side. "She doesn't know, then?" Perhaps it is his own fault for assuming, but he wonders exactly how that revelation is going to go down. "Maybe it's for the best. Though her reaction is probably going to get worse with time, I'd hope she by now accepts that he's free to move on." Or maybe it's just foolish wishing, hoping that people would side with love and freedom of the soul instead of their own brokenheartedness. Phoebe is still young after all.
"If you do think of anyone, let me know. I only want what's best for everyone involved." His impartiality had come hard-won after years putting away criminals and delving into the morally grey areas of life. It's more difficult here, in matters of the heart, but Harper can only do what he can. "Time - and distance, if we can make it happen - can heal any wound." He chuckles, hoping Maea will understand his joking implication that they take each ex and run to the other end of Caido for a while.
if brokenness is a form of art I must be a poster child prodigy
Maea shook her head. "I doubt it. Leastways, I haven't told her, and I think we would both know if Sunjata and Phoebe ran into each other. Rumors fly though, so I suspect it won't be long before someone lets it slip." And it was not something she was very keen to hurry along, truth be told. Perhaps the reaction would get worse, but then again, perhaps Phoebe would have been able to move on a bit more by that time... it was hard to tell. Impossible to predict the outcome.
As for keeping an ear open for friends that might have the kindness and patience required to deal with a broken woman? Again, all Maea could do was nod. "I'll think on it, and let you know. I mean... if she does want someone to share curses with, perhaps Hotaru would be a choice... they've got ire for Sunjata in common, if nothing else. But I've no idea if they get along at all." It was the only thing she had to offer; truly, the albino had no idea whom Phoebe called friends these days. Not with Emmett and Roana gone.
As for keeping the two former lovers apart... Maea snorted. Doubting it would be possible for very long, no matter how many portals were opened. "Some people are never truly done with each other... But here's to hoping they both get a chance to heal, before the next time they meet."
Sighing faintly, she closed her eyes and tilted her face towards the sun. Spared herself the luxury of basking in its warmth, braving the risk of getting burned. "Tangled romances aside... who are you, Harper? I'll admit, I only know your name. Care to ease a girl's curiosity?" Cracking an eye open, she peered over at him, a half smile playing along the lines of her mouth.
I'm an angel bored like hell And you're a devil meaning well
BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
"Idle tongues are as bad as idle hands," he admits in agreement, wincing slightly at the mere idea of the potential explosion of someone telling Phoebe about Maea. It makes it all the more difficult to parse which the young woman would appreciate more: Harper being honest, or giving her more time to heal before dropping such a huge bomb. Awesome. Somehow he's still tangled up in this mess.
The name she provides isn't one he knows except in passing due to the woman's shop, but at least that gives him a starting point. Not exactly sure how that conversation will work, but no harm in trying. "It's a place to start!" Cling to that enthusiasm Harper. It's all you've got. He lifts his hand in a cheers motion to her words, though he privately hopes the two stay away from each other for longer than will likely realistically happen.
"Ah, me?" Slightly flustered and certainly surprised by the interest, Harper fumbles and tries to come up with something. Rather unsuccessfully. "Well I'm not very interesting...what do you want to know? I'm pretty much an open book." Except for. Y'know. Telling people about his annoyingly traumatic backstory.
if brokenness is a form of art I must be a poster child prodigy
With those difficult topics more or less settled, Maea was happy to leave them behind for now. Seeing Harper fumble for answers was far more entertaining anyway, and it made her grin. More than a little pleased at finding someone who was as easy to torment as herself.
"Oh, well. I don't know anything, so... when did you come to Caido? What do you do, where do you live, friends, interests... oh, and of course not to forget, what's your favorite color?"
Her eyes glittered as she rattled off the questions, clearly teasing, mouth twitching with the attempt to hold back laughter. He could choose to answer all of them or none, it was all the same.
I'm an angel bored like hell And you're a devil meaning well
BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Oh how to tales have apparently turned. There is definitely a vindictive sort of glee to finding someone more easily flustered than you and teasing them, but Harper wonders when that constantly became him. It's hilariously awful. He almost (almost) misses his terrible crime infested city with its stoic, mirthless citizens who didn't care if he flirted or made awful puns, aware it would never go anywhere.
"Well that's a lot to unpack," he chuckles, laying down fully in the sand and tucking his arms behind his head, eyes falling closed against the dangerous light of the sun overhead. "I've only been here for two, three seasons? Currently I don't really do anything, aside from help out whenever people ask for it. I've been thinking of helping Deimos more with the militia since I used to train students." What's the best way to say 'oh yeah, I'm pretty much a wandering hobo because you guys don't have much of a job economy' without seeming lazy? Hopefully he didn't fail too terribly. "I lived in the Launcelyn Manor for a time, but I'm in the spare room at Phoebe's clinic now to help out." It goes unsaid that it's due to the wake of the boys' deaths.
"I don't think I've met anyone I haven't become friends with, except Jigano," he snorts to himself, amused by the fact that they'd managed to needle each other so effectively when apparently everyone likes the Sage. "I like way too much to list, and I'll try anything once! But my favorite color, now that's a tough one." Brilliant smile turns mischievous. Pondering aloud with a loud hum that drawls on and on as if it's the hardest possible question. "Cliche, but I've gotta say blue. Now, what about you? Time to be unoriginal and steal all your same questions." Cracking an eye open to glance at her with a grin, Harper shamelessly steals her ideas for the sake of getting to know her on equal footing.
if brokenness is a form of art I must be a poster child prodigy
"All very interesting," Maea said approvingly, when Harper decided to answer all her questions at once. "I approve of the militia, does that mean I could bother you for some training, once you've settled in?" She looked quite eager, eyes flitting over him to assess his buildt in a whole new way. Measuring, as if to decide how much of a challenge he would be.
"Hm, me? Well, I'm natural born, so I've lived in the Hollowed Ground my whole life. Was a farmer, until my family passed away... two LongNights ago. I've since joined the Loreseekers, and recently left the guild to study magic in Halo. So I guess I'm a bit of a vagrant these days."
She pushed hair from her face, thinking. "I don't make friends easily," Maea admitted. "Trust issues... and I've a tendency to be too honest, which push people away. Right now, I've got Sunjata, Loren, Amun and Jigano... and I'm not sure where I stand with Jigano at the moment. He wasn't happy about my decision to leave for the Academy." But then, the provost was rarely happy about anything she did.
"Interests... I like to read, and learn, and I've realized I enjoy training too. Colors... Purple. And blue, and green."
With the list completed, she sat back with a slight grin, a brow rising, inviting questions or comments.
I'm an angel bored like hell And you're a devil meaning well
BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
"Of course!" Harper agrees with pleasant ease. Helping train others had been a longtime calling for him, and turning anyone down is inconceivable. Instead he listens faithfully as she recounts her own life for him, squinting past the glad of the sun to give her his full attention.
They whittle the time away as such, pleasant company and pasta, memories and meaningful questions. Harper hadn't expected company so soon into his first trip to Torchline, but he's glad she'd been the one to find him and occupy his afternoon. So he rolls over onto his stomach, and begins thinking of new questions to keep themselves entertained, unaware that this will be the last chance he has to ask her anything at all.
if brokenness is a form of art I must be a poster child prodigy
