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!
There’s nothing worse than Rainbow Road in Longheat - the heat, the smell of geysers, it all sticks to you like the worst kind of sand. But in Leafchange? At night? Under a cloudless sky and full moon? It’s fucking gorgeous. It’s perfect for fucking, actually. In fact, I pass a teenage couple who make no attempt to hide what they’re doing - I can’t see anything, but their voices are crystal clear. It makes me smile. Get. It.
Oh, I forgot to mention that Hoa is with me. He loves Rainbow Road when it’s cooler out. Plus he’s cool to walk with - gets some stares cause he practically glows in the dark.
Anyway, the two of us reach the pools of water, dimly lit by, yes, the full moon. I gently place him on the ground and he begins to move off, while I sit, tie my hair back and just fucking chill out, letting the ocean breeze mix with the heat to make the perfect temperature. My eyes close.
she's got a real quick trigger and some new demands
The Rainbow Road was one of Jiao's favourite spots in Torchline. After all, it was colourful, which was basically her favourite thing in the world, and the water here was fun without being dangerous; she liked to try and fly above the geysers before they shot off, see if she could miss their shot.
Coming to have a late night walk, Jiao first saw the snake and let out a shriek, jumping up. While she was used to plenty of creatures from her upbringing in the Greatwood, she'd never quite gotten used to snakes. A moment's study showed her though that there was a woman stood with the snake, so presumably it wasn't a wild beast.
Flying forwards, her toes just skimming the surface of the water, she looked over to see Raza. "Is that...your snake?" She asked, pointing to Hoa.
That shriek startles me; shooting up to standing and looking around wildly, I can’t actually see anything because it’s dark and steamy. After a moment, something comes out of the pools at me, small… and flying? My jaw drops a little. Is this - is this the Fae Saiden was talking about? Despite her question (which I vaguely register), which isn’t like, the best first introduction to someone, I am fucking delighted to see her. Her? Yes, her.
I exhale loudly. “Ah, yes! A white one? That’s Hoa. My companion.” Squatting down on my heels to be more at her height, I promptly forget about said companion, though it seems like he might be turning back around to come and see wht all the fuss is about.. “Are you a Fae?”
I’m looking everywhere - at the wings, her tiny proportions, angular shape of her face and eyes. I have to ask and don’t give a fuck if it’s rude. Because, you know, a Fae.
she's got a real quick trigger and some new demands
Still making sure she was high enough and ready enough to fly off should Hoa come near her, Jiao smiled as Raza came forward to explain, glad that the snake was under control and also finding herself suddenly quite charmed by the quite beautiful woman before her. Trying to seem a little braver she drifted closer, well aware she was being studied: she was used to it by now, after spending so long among humans.
"Yep! Is it the wings that gave it away?" She laughed, twirling so Raza could see them, iridescent butterfly wings shining through colours in the moonlight. "I live here in Torchline now...just me though! The other Fae...don't like it here." Because they were boring, basically, but that was a whole thing she didn't want to get into.
"What're you doing out here..?" She asked, leaning forward to see if Raza had anything with her other than the horrid white snake.
“They’re stunning” I gush again, reaching out slightly to touch them and then remembering my manners and pulling my hand back. She mentions that she lives here, and it all clicks - between Saiden and Jack, I know who she is. “Ah, so you’re Jiao. I’m Raza. Hanged Man owner.” That might clue her in a little bit, if she’s heard anything amongst the crew of the Ark. As for what I’m doing here, I’m about to answer when -
Hoa comes out of the mist again, sliding along the edge of the pool up to my side.
Reaching absently for him, I try to tell him with images that he’d scared the flying woman even as I sstroke along his dry scales. He peers at the Fae but rather smartly keeps his distance and I try to answer the question again. “Just an evenin’ out. I like the heat during Leafchange and Deepfrost nights.”
she's got a real quick trigger and some new demands
Raza's appreciation would have made Jiao jump back had it come from someone else - but from a beautiful woman on a colourful beach? Well, she had to admit the context improved things. "...You can touch them, if you want to. I just...I hurt myself a while ago, so be gentle." Her injured wing was healed now, though you could see where the cuts had been made, the colour disjointed and lines broken. "You've heard of me?" She asked, thrilled to know she had a reputation already.
Warily watching Hoa appear again, Jiao kept an eye on him as she replied to Raza. "Mhm. It is lovely and warm here. This time in the Greatwood is always so rainy and dull." Pulling a face, her disdain for her once home was obvious.
