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!
She brightened as he brought out the pot, and quickly went to rinse her hands from the clay. "Quite a bit better, yes," she agreed, "but are you sure? I probably can't pay you what it's really worth... Funds aren't as good as they used to be." She had no farm to pick apart anymore, after all. Not to mention she was likely about to ruin the amphorae. Maea gave the brushes and the paints a dubious look.
"How do I go about this?" Still, she wanted to give it a try. Decorating the vessel would be almost as good as making it herself from scratch, and likely far better for the liquour she had in mind.
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 ♦
Amun grinned and gave Maea an affectionate punch in the shoulder. "Call it a family discount, yeah?" The words were cheerful, but also quite firm and insistent.
When she asked how she should decorate, he shrugged. "Just paint something you think he'd like. All of them will set with a glaze when we throw it in the kiln." He gave her a much more normal smile. "I could also paint something, but I think it'll be more meaningful coming from you."
With that, he headed towards the kiln in question. Opening the chute at the bottom, he built up the fire (very carefully, using tongs and liberal use of gloves and long matches) while she worked.
"If you insist, brother," she replied, amused but also quite touched. This play pretend of family was a pleasant one, cementing further and further the more they used the terms back and forth... and Maea couldn't say that she minded.
Turning back to the amphora, she picked up a brush and looked over the paints. Her question had probably been more aimed at how to apply it, but as he hadn't offered any instructions, perhaps it was just like painting anything. There was nothing for it but to try, so she began to mix up some shades of blue and set to work. Hesitant at first, but with growing confidence - she was not skilled at this, had no real experience, but the image in her mind of what she wanted to paint was clear and easy to follow.
"When is your birthday, Amun?" she asked him as he went to fire up the kiln.
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 ♦
Fire built up, he returned to his position leaning against the wall next to her while she worked. As she painted the clay, he offered a few pointers here and there, but mostly left her to her own devices. He was content to let her struggle through this, mistakes and all.
At her question, however, he raised his eyebrows. "Huh. Kind of complicated to be honest." He tilted his head to the side as he considered. "You just missed it, I'm afraid. It's in Flowerbirth." Grinning at her, he gave her an appraising look. "Let me guess...you strike me as a Deepfrost baby, icy." The nickname sprang back to his lips with a great deal of affection.
Under her brush, an ocean was taking form. Rough waves rose up from the base of the amphora in shades that ranged from a pale powder blue to deepest cobolt, thrashing and churning their way around it. It was quite simple, rather stylized, but she thought it fitting for the Flood, who loved the sea so much. The upper rim of the pot was given a simple blue band to tie things off, but otherwise the clay was left untouched, letting the elegance of the piece speak for itself, in a quiet homage to Amun's skill. There had been an inclination to paint all of it first, fill the upper portions with black and splatter white across it, mimicking the night sky... but Maea thought better of it. Made the small pinpricks of stars with the same deep cobolt instead, and found that she liked it better when understated, merely suggested. Sunjata would know, anyway, and that's all that mattered.
"Awh, that's too bad. Why is it complicated, though?" She reached for the water and began to clean out the brush, taking a moment to look over what she had done so far. It wasn't exactly the work of a master, but... she thought the point came across, at least?
"Right on the spot, a week before LongNight," she admitted, and poked her tongue out at him. "Why, is it so obvious?"
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 ♦
Amun was not in the slightest bit surprised when the sea began to appear beneath Maea's brush. Reaching out a hand every now and again, he'd point out ways to make the image more distinct, the painting more beautiful. However, mostly he just made approving sounds every now and then.
"Well, I'm not sure you could consider me falling from the sky a real birth. Even if I did, the seasons in my old world don't correspond exactly to the ones in this one. Alternatively, I guess I could count the day I portaled in to Caido, in a weird way." Shrugging, he grinned. "Maybe I should celebrate both. Anyway, the closest analog is Flowerbirth."
Nodding solemnly, though his eyes sparkled with mischief, he reached out to boop her nose. "You have the coloring for it, yes. I thought you were an ice spirit the first time I saw you, so seems appropriate."
He poked at her nose, and Maea snapped her teeth after his finger, grinning back. "Well, any reason to celebrate should be embraced. I say you should go for both. Actually, you could pick LongHeat too, since it's the season you became my brother. Another kind of birth." Which meant that she could celebrate on that same day? Maea very much liked the thought of that.
"So sorry to disappoint though... I'm sure a real sprite would have been a little more adventurous. Instead, you just saved my life." She said it lightly, like it didn't mean anything. But it was far from true, and the quick glance she gave him suggested Maea had not forgotten. If not for him, she would most likely be dead now. It was a debt she had yet to repay him for... and likely never could, in full.
Refilling the brush with new paint, she began to add a few more details, happily following Amun's quiet suggestions. There wasn't much left to do, and after twisting and turning the amphora a few times to really see everything properly, Maea declared herself done, and set the paint aside.
"There, don't think I dare touch this anymore. You said something about glaze?"
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 ♦
Chuckling at Maea's suggestion, Amun eagerly grinned in agreement. "I suppose that just leaves Leafchange. We'll have to find some excuse to celebrate then." Grinning, he waggled his eyebrows. "Or just celebrate without an excuse."
A solemn expression on his face, he nodded sagely. "Yes. And you've been a constant disappointment since." The words were as serious as his feature, but he couldn't maintain it for long before he smirked.
Reaching out, he carefully lifted the pot, gripping it firmly, but in a way so as not to disturb the careful designs she'd painted on it. Moving to the kiln, he slid it in there. "It'll take a bit to bake. You can wait here, or, since you're apparently planning to stash the gift here, come back when you have the alcohol." He turned to her, waiting for her response.
"Leafchange is when Sunjata's birthday is, so perhaps we can just let him in on the fun," she suggested. "I was thinking it would be nice to bring some people together, make it a surprise... You'd of course be top of the guest list."
She said that, but almost rescinded the invitation right away at his somber declaration. For a split second Maea felt her heart falter, almost believing he actually meant it... and then he grinned. Only the fact that he'd reached for the amphora saved him from being smacked. She waited, quite patiently, until he'd placed it away into the kiln before she jabbed her fingers into his side instead. Payback, brother.
"Why, thank you for offering! That's very kind of you," she told him sweetly. "I was thinking I'd take it back to my room, but this is a much better option. I'd even offer you some of it once it's ready, but... I'm not sure if you'd be able to fully appreciate it?" Her head tilted in question, recalling how he'd said he didn't need to eat or drink.
"If you're not too busy, I've nothing pressing to do," she added, quite willing to stay until he kicked her out. "What have you been up to lately?"
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 ♦
Amun grinned a bit wickedly at Maea's suggestion. "Why, how nice of you to share Sunjata with me." Obviously he was teasing, though he did waggle his eyebrows teasingly.
As she jabbed her fingers into his side, he made a show of rubbing the skin there. "Ouch." It came out in a wry tone, since he clearly didn't actually feel any pain.
Shaking his head, he leaned against the kiln, not even noticing how warm the bricks were. "Nah, alcohol doesn't do anything for us. I'd be happy to hold onto the gift for you though."
Cocking his head to the side, he smirked. "This and that. Exploring Torchline, mostly, working on my boat." Raising his eyebrows, he waggled his fingers at her. "How's the magic coming along?"
Something quite dangerous flashed in the girls eyes at the jest. For all that he was joking, she still felt a sharp stab of jealousy at the thought, the mere idea of sharing Sunjata with anyone. Perhaps made all the more vital because... well... she knew his weakness for Ascended bites. If she'd not insisted on being the only one, then... "He's mine," she bit back, perhaps a little too hotly. "Find your own."
It was too bad she didn't believe him for a second when he winced at her stabbing finger. At least it made her smile again, and able to snort in disappointment that he wouldn't be able to enjoy her project, even a little.
"Your boat?" she repeated, raising a brow. "And what does 'this and that' mean? You're keeping secrets, aren't you." She pouted, rather insincere.
Then... a slow grin appeared, a glitter in her eyes as he asked about the magic. "There have been some new development... Let me show you something neat that happened the other day."
Biting her lip slightly, she looked around and stepped back, making sure there was plenty of space around her. Then, with a look of intense focus, she clenched her hands... and from her back, a pair of huge, white wings burst out in a flash of light. Easily twice as wide as she was tall, with glistening feathers that looked perfectly real. Would feel real too, if he tried to touch them.
Grinning broadly, she held the wingspan out as far as she could - the room was not quite big enough to let her spread them completely without toppling a few pots - and looked at Amun, clearly delighted. "What do you think?"
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 ♦
Amun raised his eyebrows at the vehemence in Maea's voice. "Well alright then. And I'm trying, you know that." Grinning, he gave her a playful shove. "I take it things are going quite well, then." There was something almost wickedly cheerful about the comment.
Nodding, he crossed his arms. "Yeah. The Voice promised me a boat if I collected a few things." Then he shook his head. "Not really, honestly. I've just been out to Torchline a few times with my fellow Ascended. Nothing nefarious, I promise." He raised his hands in a placating gesture.
Absolutely he did try to touch them, reaching out a hand to stroke the feathers. "I think that you've been holding out on me." He cocked his head to the side. "Do they work?" There was a great deal of admiration and maybe a hint of jealousy in his voice.
A lopsided grin was all reply he got to his guess. It would have to serve as an apology too, for snapping; it was just a sore spot. Her love interest was not exactly known for his chaste ways - there were a lot of people to be jealous of. Maea did not want to add Amun to that list.
"I see. I hope it goes well. Any place in particular you want to sail to?" There were a lot to choose from, Torchline was big. And there was a whole world beyond it too.
Having someone touch the wings was an odd sensation. Maea could feel his hand brush over the feathers, but it was a distant thing. Like the magical appendages were somehow wrapped in wool, or a bit numb. Maea shook her head, a little sadly. "They only appeared the other day. I haven't shown anyone else yet... I can move them alright, and they hardly weigh anything, but even if I try, there is no lift if I flap them. I think something vital is missing still..."
She folded one of the wings in to her back - it towered over her head, the long wingpens trailing out over the floor behind her - and gently maneuvered the other around, angling it so that she could brush silky feathers across his cheek. Maea wondered at the jealous tone, but was bolstered by the admiration. Straightened her back, with dawning confidence in her face. Perhaps she wouldn't mind showing them off a bit more, if this was the kind of reaction she would be met with. "You had wings too, once. Didn't you?" she asked him softly. Recalling what he'd said before, about his old semblance.
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 ♦
Amun shrugged. "Nowhere in particular." Grinning a bit, he gave Maea an appraising look. "Maybe one of those islands I've heard about in Torchline. And since I'll have to sail at night, it might even be safe for you too." Tone gleefully teasing, he waggled his eyebrows at her.
Placing a hand on his heart, he gave her a solemn nod. "I am honored you chose to share your new appendages with me first." Mischief in his eyes, his lips twitched into a smirk.
"Sadly, as I've told you before, I'm not the guy to ask about magic." As she brushed his cheek, he reached up to trail his fingers through the feathers. However, he shook his head. "No. No wings. I was just...a part of the sky."
