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!
With the Midnight Gathering behind and the hottest, dryest part of LongHeat engulfing the Ground in its smothering embrace, it was a relief to escape to the forzen wastes of Halo. On the opposite end of these weather extremes, she felt far more comfortable. Preferring cold fingers and clouding breath to ceaseless sweat and the feeling of never quite being able to draw breath without the lungs seizing up... but of course, Maea was never really cold these days. Or lonely. Her days and nights had suddenly been filled to the brim with happiness, bliss beyond her wildest dreams, and the light of it brightened her whole being into something warmer, kinder and far more confident.
It was amazing what love could do to a woman.
But with Sunjata off on dragon hunts, she had been left with more time on her hands than she quite knew what to do with. Brooding was an unfortunate habit whenever she was not occupied, and there was one particular dark cloud on her clear horizon that rankled more than the others.
So she made her way to the Citadel, and began to search for Loren. He was not at the Palace, she quickly found out, to her chagrin as it meant she would have to search the whole city to find him. But Maea was patient, and incredibly stubborn at times, and she would find the healer.
He had some things to explain, and she was quite eager to hear what kind of answers he would try to offer her.
They better be damn good.
Light is easy to love Show me your darkness
BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Loren was sitting in an alley, back against a wall, staring at two birds in front of him. They were both Ningos, and they both stared back at him with a dumb expression on their faces. Or maybe that was just their faces. The one on the left was being compelled, and the one on the right was being summoned.
Calling them both forward, he tried to see if there was much difference in his control over the two birds. It was much finer over the summoned Ningo, which was unsurprising, but the compelled Ningo seemed capable of actually operating slightly independently, which he supposed was useful. When they got close enough, he reached out to poke and prod at them, trying to see if there were any physical differences.
So he was hardly paying attention to his surroundings when Maea eventually stumbled upon him. Glancing up, he raised his eyebrows at the (presumably) unamused expression on her face. "Maea. Everything alright?" There was something different about him as well, a sort of lazy slouch to his posture.
Oh, she was definitely unamused. Not even the sight of the Grand Healer fondling Ningos in a back alley managed to draw a smile to her face. (Though she would have a really good time describing the scene to Sunjata later.) Pressing her lips together, the girl looked at Loren, at the birds, eyes about as frosty as the wall he leaned against.
"I could ask you the same." Dressed far too lightly in the Halo chill, with only the usual white dress and black shawl over her shoulders, there was a slight flush to her cheeks as if she'd stormed through the streets in her quest to find him. While not quite true, the white hair was still disheveled and her breath came out a touch quicker than normal.
Her menacing stance, with hands on hips and gratuitously able to glare down at him, was ruined as she had to turn aside and cough. Once, twice... Then she collected herself and turned back to stare at him. At the birds... and a look of annoyance passed across her face, as curiosity momentarily overtook the simmering anger.
"What are you doing?" she asked, pointing at the poor birds.
Light is easy to love Show me your darkness
BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Letting out a huff of laughter at Maea's question, Loren smirked a little. "You could. And I'd tell you that everything's just dandy with me." Actually, that was strangely true, though he seriously doubted she'd believe it.
Her next question just caused the smirk to deepen. "I am examining the differences between compulsion and summoning." He ordered both Ningos to hop away from him and walk towards her. The one on the left did so without any extra movements while the one on the right fluffed its feathers and squawked.
Raising his eyebrows, he slid his legs out a little further so he could properly lounge against the wall. "Despite the cough, I take it this isn't another healing session?" There was something darkly amused about his voice. Fishing out a flask, he took a swig, then held it out to her.
He did not look 'dandy'. And he certainly did not smell it, she realized, nose wrinkling in distaste as he began to speak and the odor of booze wafted to her on his breath. "I see. Fascinating." She followed the birds approach towards her with a neutral expression, then calmly stepped around them as Loren held out the flask towards her. She took it, held it up to her nose and sniffed, scowl deepening as she recognized the horrible stench of whatever these Halovians passed for liquour.
"No, it is not," she replied, as he slumped down further onto the ground. Stoppering the flask again, she turned it in her hand and looked at it, neither drinking nor passing it back to him. "I wanted to find out if the man I spoke to at Aumakua is a traitourous cunt, a hypocrite or just a cowardly fool. At the moment, I'm inclined to believe all three but I figured I would give you the benefit of the doubt, once."
Raising her gaze from the bottle to the man, she took in the looseness of his posture, the animated face and the dark humor, and her expression darkened. Hardened, into something far colder than he'd seen at the lighthouse.
"Can you think of any reasons why I might think these things, or will I have to explain them to you?" she asked.
Light is easy to love Show me your darkness
BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Given that Loren actually felt better than he had in a long time, and quite liked his much more carefree attitude than the cautious, careful, almost meek person he'd been even recently. And it was vastly preferable to the empty shell he'd been after Abasi's death. But she could believe what she liked.
When Maea failed to return the flash or drink from it, he just pulled another from his pocket. Smirking, he waved it at her vaguely. "Oh, so I'm the bad guy? Funny how that worked out." He shrugged, and called the birds back so he could resume his examination. "Maybe it's all of the above."
However, he looked up at her when she gave him what she probably thought was a chance to explain himself. "I could hazard a few guesses." He took another sip from his flask. "Let me go with the one that seems most likely. I'm sorry. I should've told you that I slept with Sunjata a while ago and that I kissed him recently." Although his tone wasn't particularly apologetic, he'd at least said the words.
Well, at least he knew why she was angry. That made this a whole lot quicker.
"Wonderful, right in one guess. Then this will be quick." Reaching out with her telekinesis she tried to snatch the second flask out of his grip, in an attempt to get this over with before he descended into some drunken stupor. Personally Maea had preferrred the version of Loren that actually tried to deal with his pain rather than drown in it, but if it was how he wished to spend his time, she would leave him to it. After she was done with him.
"Did you kiss him before or after I told you about us? Or was your little speech about staying away from him just some misguided attempt at getting him for yourself?" While there was bite to her words, the anger was only a thin layer over an abyss of hurt, and his sorry attempt at an apology barely even rippled the surface. For all Maea knew it was just words, empty and hollow; she'd not figured him for a liar, but then... she hadn't thought him a cheat either. Perhaps she would be proven wrong on both accounts today.
Light is easy to love Show me your darkness
BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
As Maea snatched at the second flask with her magic, Loren just grabbed the first one she’d taken with his own telekinesis. If he was successful, he’d mocking raise it in a toast before taking a triumphant sip. Either way, he’d raise his eyebrows at her. ”Will it?"
Then he smirked. "I take it this all means the two of you are still together.” He let out a huff of laughter, and his eyes were still darkly amused.
”Before.” Pushing off the wall a bit, he rolled to his feet, flanked on both sides by the Ningos now. "But don't assume that just because he's got you wrapped around his finger everyone else wants him."
Her fingers closed tighter on the bottle, and though it was yanked hard in her grip the girl actually managed to hold on to it, to her own big surprise. Giving Loren a dark smile of her own, she began to pour the contents of both flasks out into the snow, the reek of it intensifying in the air as it sloshed towards the ground.
"As a matter of fact, yes. We are. And as he is willing to give us a real try, I have no reason to believe that will change anytime soon."
Throwing the presumably empty bottles to the ground at his feet, Maea set her hands to her hips and stared up at the man, annoyed that she had to crane her neck to actually see his face properly. She wished he could have stayed down on the ground, scolding someone was far easier when they weren't towering over her.
"Before, hm. Alright. That saves you from a murdering, Loren, but it still makes you a hypocrite. If you don't want him, why throw yourself at him? What made you think it was a good idea to keep quiet about this when we were actually talking about it? Thought I wouldn't find out?
"Or, wait, that I might hate you for it?"
Biting her jaw together, her fingers tightened into fists. For all the turmoil of thoughts in her, Maea found that her head felt strangely clear now. As if some terrible storm looming on the horizon had changed course, staved off by his simple reply.
Before. Meaning, Loren hadn't know she cared for a man and then gone after him anyway. He had not knowingly betrayed her trust.
It might just be his saving grace, here. The rest... was a filthy mess, but at least not as personal. Much like Sunjata's sordid past, it could be overlooked. Accepted, for all that she didn't approve of it.
Light is easy to love Show me your darkness
BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
As Maea started pouring out the contents of the flask, Loren raised an eyebrow. Then he just created two cups and maneuvered them into the path of the falling alcohol. Holding on tight to them with his telekinesis, he stepped forward to grip both cups firmly.
”No reason, huh? So the string of failed relationships and his habit of cheating on everyone he’s with aren’t reason enough?” Snorting, he shook his head at her. ”So you’re sure he’s not seeing anyone else right now?” The challenge in his words was evident.
Letting out a huff of laughter at the threat, he fixed her with a bemused stare. ”Murder? I’m quaking in my boots.” Voice scornful, he smirked.
Rolling his eyes as she continued to speak, he sighed. ”Sure. I’m a hypocrite. And I was horny and drunk.” The admission fell from his lips without a hint of shame.
”I didn’t think it was relevant. I thought warning you that he was bad news would be enough to deter you from pursuing a relationship with him without getting into all the sordid details, since you seemed a bit sheltered.” He snorted. ”Clearly, I was mistaken.”
As he created the cups and she found herself just pouring him another drink, Maea realized that she probably hated magic. And she was quite close to hating Loren too, as he questioned her about Sunjata's past, his horrible track record. Because she knew it was true, and knew there would be a niggling little thorn of doubt in her until the Flood had proved beyond a doubt that he really intended to make their relation work.
"Yes," she hissed, throwing the flasks down; she let him have the booze, deciding it was not a fight she cared to even try and win. "I'm sure. Because I made it damn clear that I'm not staying if he does, and I happen to trust his word. He's not lied to me once, nor tried to keep his past a secret. Don't think I'm walking into this blindly, Loren, I know what he is. "
But Maea knew she was trying to convince herself more than Loren. As much as she hated it... she could no more deny the truth in his words than she could wipe the smirk off his face, that clear indication that he thought her capable of absolutely nothing. The scorn cut deeper than anything else he'd said so far, made her feel the foolish, weak girl he obviously saw when looking at her. Unable to back up her own words.
Why had she offered to help him, again? She couldn't quite recall.
"Clearly, you were," she agreed, trying to rein her emotions in with a steadying breath. "Why don't you make us both a favor and keep your hands to yourself next time. Find someone else to play with, if you need a pityfuck so badly."
Her mouth twisted, derision plain at the idea it might solve anything.
"You know, for someone who takes such pleasure in speaking badly of Sunjata, you're starting to act a lot like him. Careful of where you throw your stones, healer."
Light is easy to love Show me your darkness
BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
As Maea finally gave up with the flasks and dropped them, Loren caught them with his telekinesis. "Well. As long as you're sure." Tossing one of the cups back, he let out a huff of laughter. "Enjoy it while it lasts." Obviously, it was clear he thought it wouldn't. "And don't say no one warned you."
Snorting, he shrugged. "Gladly." Dismissing the Ningos (one of which disappeared, the other of which flapped off with a squawk), he leaned forward. "No one needs a pity fuck that badly though, least of all me. Too bad you think he's a pity fuck though." He toasted the air with the remaining cup, though made no move to drink from it.
However, he tilted his head to one side as she threw more insults in his face. ”You say that like it’s a bad thing." Leaning forward, he dropped his voice to a whisper. "But you’re attracted to him, so I don’t see why you mind seeing this behavior.” Then he smirked, eyes wicked. ”Unless you’re a hypocrite too.”
Then the smirked deepened. "Or unless you don't mind seeing it as much as you think you should."
She listened as he went off and felt her heart beat hard in the chest with every new taunt, every added accusation. He was good at twisting her words around to suit him, and she was not so versed in the art of arguing that she could resist the temptation to nitpick, correct him, hone down on the petty details as if it somehow would leave her standing on some moral higher ground.
"Oh, no, I do not think he is that. I do think that the only reason he - or anyone else, for that matter - would ever touch you right now, would be out of pity for your little misery act."
Shifting her stance, she moved away as he leaned in towards her. The stench of his breath was intolerable. Her lips curled at feeling it waft over her face, and she felt a strange itch in her hand, an urge to let it connect with his face now that he presented it to her and made himself such a good target.
"Understanding a behaviour is not the same as condoning it, or approving of it," she retorted, forcing her hands open and down to her sides. Maea walled the anger up behind an inner wall of ice, and her voice took on a chilly tone, her eyes devoid of color as she stared back at him.
"I love Sunjata, not his poor choices in methods of coping. And I would really rather not have to watch as you abuse yourself in the same way. Mourn your losses however you want, but don't you dare let Abasi's death become an excuse for acting like this.
"Grief is not a shield against the consequences of your own actions, and you cannot hide behind it forever."
Because, wasn't that the root cause of all this? Grief. Loss. Mourning. On top of all the other terrible things that had happened to this man in his life, things she only knew a fraction of.
Light is easy to love Show me your darkness
BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Loren laughed outright at Maea's assertion. ”People have touched me recently and none of them have done it out of pity.” It came out with a wicked edge, and he raised his eyebrows at her as if daring her to dispute it.
As she moved away, he moved back, slouching against the wall. "His poor choices and coping mechanisms are part of him." When she brought up Abasi, however, his eyes flashed with something dark and ugly and he snarled.
Raising a hand, the one holding the empty cup, he pointed his finger at her. "Don't. Don't tell me how to grieve, how to act, how to be. I'm not using this as an excuse." He growled again. "I'm just not letting grief be an excuse not to enjoy my life." The words were flung at her with a great deal of venom.
However, his anger grew just as chilly as hers was. He tossed back the other cup almost carelessly. Then he spread his arms, almost invitingly. "I'm not hiding. Give me these so-called consequences."
