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!
Eloise knew you were meant to throw rocks into the pool, but she seriously doubted if any wishes had actually been granted. Besides, given the size of her current wish, she thought it was asking a bit too much to trade some random shiny stone for the ability to raise the Ark out of the sea. So she dangled her feet into the warm waters, watching the sun's rays cast sparkling halos across her skin.
Though she wasn't a natural (and oh, how often she was reminded of this), she looked ever more the part: her skin was like brushed bronze, her clothing always airy and skimpy, her feet bare. Today was no different, but as she stretched her arms above her head and leaned back against one of the rocks, eyes closed, she did her best to hide the tension that was balled in the center of her chest like a piece of stone.
Perhaps if she threw that into the pool, she would get her wish.
After his last rock had been followed by an appearance by the L’ma in short order, Saiden had made a point of returning to the Miami Pool often. Today was no exception: after scouring the Rainbow Road for another beautiful stone, he’d made his way down the coast. He looked like a native of Torchline, with his tanned skin, loose shirt, shorts, bare feet, and a cutlass at his waist.
As he approached the water, he saw a familiar figure. His steps slowed for just a moment, before he made his way over to Eloise. ”Hey Elo.” Though his voice was soft, there was a familiar affection in it, even if it had lost the heat and suggestive air it had once possessed when he spoke to her.
He smiled as he sat next to her and dipped his feet in the pool. Most wouldn’t pick up on any changes, but she might see something a little melancholy around the edge. Holding out the stone he held in one hand, he glanced out at the horizon. ”You look like you could use this more than I could.”
02-28-2020, 05:56 PM (This post was last modified: 02-28-2020, 06:11 PM by Eloise.)
devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes
"Hey you." Eloise said, naturally as anything. She couldn't quite put her finger on when or how things had changed between them. They still fooled around every now and then, the illusionist finding her way into the cook's hammock when she found herself away in the middle of the night, but the passion was different now. She was no longer a lost and uptight duchess and he no longer the black sheep of his family. Still, she couldn't help but smile at the sight of him, bronzed and rugged as he was.
Glancing down at the stone, she just laughed and shook her head. "I know that things like this are possible in this world but...tossing a stone into a pool with the hopes that that...creature will grant my wish just seems silly."
Nudging him slightly with her shoulder and splashing her foot in the water, she put her chin on her shoulder to look at him. "What were you going to wish for?"
Saiden's smile grew at Eloise's response, and he settled in comfortably next to her. Shrugging at her comment, he examined the rock in his hands. "Just because something seems silly doesn't mean it's not worth doing." There was an easy cadence to the words.
Reaching around her, he smacked the stone against the rock she leaned against. It took a few tries, but he managed to break off a chunk from the rock in his hands, a chunk which he held out to her. "Come on. The worst that could happen is it doesn't come true."
Nudging her right back, he grinned as she splashed water on him. Letting it land on his skin, he immediately redirected it with his magic, aiming for her thigh. Arching an eyebrow at her question, he hefted the rock. "Safe travels, I suppose." With that, he tossed his offering into the center of the pool. "What would you wish for, if this wasn't just some silly superstition?"
02-28-2020, 06:10 PM (This post was last modified: 02-28-2020, 06:11 PM by Eloise.)
devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes
'You're silly. Does that make you worth doing?" Eloise quipped back easily, flashing him a grin.
Given Eloise' recent altercations in the Fingers and with Jack, as Saiden struck the rock against the boulder against which she leaned, the illusionist couldn't help but flinch despite how she tried to still herself. It was Saiden, and he wouldn't hurt her.
Then again, she'd thought the same of Jack.
Accepting the chunk and the redirection of water all in stride, Eloise used her magic to make it appear as though the water sizzled off her skin, the implication being she was too hot for such things.
"Something like that." She agreed, thinking of the Ark gliding above the waves rather than through them. Her smile grew a touch bashful, her cheeks turning pink with a sort of girlish embarrassment at wanting such a fairy-tale power for the Ark. Still, she tossed her chunk of stone in as well, her heart fluttering naively with hope.
Laughing at Eloise's retort, Saiden nodded. "Oh aye, absolutely." He flexed his arm a little, though it was playful.
When she flinched, though, he looked over at her. Eyes narrowing slightly he turned to face the pool. "Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you." There was a little bit of a question in his voice, but it wasn't insistent.
As her skin sizzled, he grinned. It faded to an easy smile as she followed his lead and threw her own rock into the pool. "Well, then, I'll be selfish and wish for both our wishes to come true as well." He spoke boldly, but there was something genuine in his tone as well.
Of course, then he scooted forward, sliding more of his body in the water. As he did, he splashed at her again, using his arm rather than his magic this time.
Eloise scrunched her nose at that. His biceps were easily three or four times the size of her arms, probably closer to the size of her thighs really. And oh, the ways he'd held her with those arms. "No you're fine. Too much coffee probably. Just jumpy." The lie was easily said but probably not easily believed. He knew her too well for that.
"Saiden Hali that's a sure way to ensure we get nothing. Everyone knows it's one wish per stone." Even if everyone did know this, Eloise certainly did not, but it didn't halt the indignant cadence of her voice as she grinned accusingly at him.
Shrieking playfully, Eloise jumped into the pool, making sure to pull her knees to her chest that she might send a wave of water his way. Opening her eyes underwater, she looked at all the pretty stones, her legs kicking softly to hold her upside before she surfaced. "What happens if we took all the stones?" She wondered outloud, a brow raised in the cook's direction. "We could maybe sell them on the beach."
Saiden's eyes narrowed playfully. Putting a hand over his heart as if wounded by Eloise's words, he shook his head in mock sadness. "Don't tell me you've been drinking other people's coffee." Laughing, he lowered his hand. Expression softening, he turned to face her. "You know you can always talk to me, even if it's just about...coffee, right?" His voice was shockingly gentle.
"And here I was thinking this was all silly." Grinning at her, he shrugged. "Supposedly we wished for the same thing, so I say we just doubled our chances." Reaching out a hand, he made the waters dance and leap before them. "Besides, safe travels should be a self-fulfilling prophecy for us, navigator extraordinaire." His words were excited, though he let go of his magic.
Letting the wave roll over him, he ducked over the surface, moving through the water easily. Popping up next to her, he sent another splash towards her, using both hands this time. At her words, though, he glanced down. "Or we could toss them in again, make up for me ruining our first set of wishes."
02-28-2020, 06:38 PM (This post was last modified: 02-28-2020, 06:38 PM by Eloise.)
devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes
"And disturb your beauty sleep?" Given that Saiden was almost always up before anyone else, the objection was a poor one. Then again, they both knew it wasn't coffee that was at fault for her jitters. "No, I know." She agreed, not sounding entirely convinced. "I..uhnm..moved into Jack's cabin." Her words were soft and lacklustre. "Dunno if you'd noticed."
As the water was sent her way, Eloise blinked in mock surprise, before ducking down under the wave to try and swim around Saiden, popping up behind him. If she could she'd wrap her arms around his neck, pressing herself to his back that he might hold them both up. "We could do both. Collect them all, make new wishes, then bring them back to the beach. Then again...I think the story goes that the L'ma takes the ones it likes. If that's the case, I guess all of these are duds."
"Don't worry, I've got beauty to spare. Especially for you." Saiden winked at Eloise, though his easy smile faltered at her next comment. "I'd noticed." Big as it was, the Ark was still a rather insulated environment, and sailors were terrible gossips.
When he spoke next, it was slow and cautious, as if he was choosing each word carefully. "Was that something you wanted?" His eyes had tightened, and there was a sudden lump in his chest.
However, he had no objection to letting her cling to him, treading water easily. "Perhaps they just need some polish from the right hands." He held up his, broad and callused and scarred, and wiggled them a little.
"Rude!" Eloise huffed, her chin raised indignantly. "Last I heard from you I had more than enough beauty. Among other traits."
Gossips they were and from what little she'd gleaned from Jack, that was exactly his plan. Better the men think she'd finally succumbed to his captainly-ways than find out the truth. They already thought so little of her, it wasn't a stretch to think she'd finally bartered her way into Jack's bed. "Why of course. Who wouldn't want those noodle arms around them every night." Elo replied with a gentle laugh, the humour of which failing to reach her eyes.
"You would think a good rub is all that's needed." She chuckled, chin against his shoulder.
Raising his hands placatingly, Saiden smiled. "I think you're beautiful, yes. I thought that went without saying." His voice was soft, and he gazed at Eloise fondly.
However, he felt himself losing his easygoing manner as she laughed. His eyes lost a little of their luster, and he frowned slightly. "Do you?" It came out more bluntly than he'd intended, and he stared at her with an almost hurt expression on his face.
Doing his best to muster a laugh, though it fell a little flat to his ears, he reached up with one hand to stroke her knuckles with his thumb. "It's worked for me before." His playful tone was a little off, the words coming out a beat too late.
"Doesn't mean I don't like when you say it." Eloise added, her smile pirate-like and crooked, her cheeks perfect plumes of happy amusement.
She should have known she couldn't fool him, not with the same charms she used on others. So instead she fell silent, swallowed, and just looked down at the lingering droplets of water on her thighs. Kicking out her foot almost in defiance of the thoughts she couldn't say, Eloise sighed and just shrugged lamely against him. "He hired a bunch of new crew. A few women even—" This was said with a rasp of jealousy that she didn't bother to hide. "—quarters were getting cramped." Another non-answer.
Watching almost sadly as his fingers brushed hers, Eloise sighed against him. "Yeah, you and every other man aboard this ship who struck out and returned back unable to sleep." As of late though, Eloise had noticed (because of course she had, it was Saiden after all), that the cook was...traipsing about far less than in the past. She wasn't entirely sure what to make of it, but given their history, it was hard to bring up without sounding as if she'd been recording his comings and goins.
Turning his head so he could see Eloise, Saiden grinned at her. "Well then I'll make a point of saying it more often." Taking a deep breath, he spoke in a whisper just for her ears. "You're beautiful." It was out without any hint of pretense or artifice.
His frown deepened as she explained the change, though he grew a little sheepish at the mention of other women. "Actually, our new quartermistress is partially my fault." Laughing a little, his expression grew thoughtful. "I hadn't heard about other women, though. Even so, he could've made them cram in together." His eyes were sharp, and his tone once again had a slightly prying edge to it.
As she sighed against him, he smiled sadly, and gave her hand a pat before letting his own hand drop to the water with a splash. "Not all of us strike out." Of course, it was impossible to strike out on something he never set out on to begin with. "Besides, you can't tell me the women of the ship have never had a good rub." Tone teasing, he raised his eyebrows in a challenge.
