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!
I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment Destined to seek, destined to know
Watching carefully as he added her almonds to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients, she brightened a bit more at the praise. She was recovering quickly from the scolding, but remained a bit more subdued, and took the task very seriously.
Gravely she accepted the egg, and held it carefully. Her first tap against the edge of the bowl was too light, as was the second. Then, she applied a lot more force, and with a shocked expression she found the egg shattering in her hand. Luckily the contents ended up mostly in the bowl, but there was a good amount of shell fragments in there too.
"Oops," she said lamely, and hunched a little as she eyed Saiden, wary of more reproach... she hadn't meant to do it wrong, but it was too late all the same.
I am a princess on the way to my throne Destined to reign, destined to roam
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
Watching Seren carefully, Saiden wasn't surprised when she managed to smash the egg. Indeed, he smiled gently at her, rubbing her shoulder in sympathy. "That's okay. It's tricky, but you'll get the hang of it. It took me forever to get it right" With that, he reached his free hand into the bowl. His fingers sought out the eggshell, and he fished it out, pressing it to the side of the container and sliding it out when needed.
Eventually, he'd cleared out all the eggshell fragments he could find. Washing his hand slightly, he picked up a fork and began whisking the eggs in an efficient motion. "The more you whisk the eggs, the fluffier the final product will be. Because you like it chunky, we're just going to do it enough to mix the yolk and the egg white." That done, he poured the egg into the larger bowl.
Taking said bowl, he grabbed a spoon. Holding out the spoon to the girl, he grinned. "Now we stir everything together. Can you do that?"
I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment Destined to seek, destined to know
Breathing a small sigh of relief when she realized that this hadn't gotten her into trouble, Seren watched how Saiden fished out the egg shells - cleaning up her mess - and resolved to do better next time. The whisking looked very interesting, and she itched to try that too, but he was done before she even thought to ask.
"Ooh, yes!" she replied, and took the spoon he offered. Very thoroughly the girl began to stir the cookie mixture. It was easy at first, but in pace with the combining of the dough, it grew more difficult as it thickened. She huffed and puffed, and struggled on until her arm was so tired she could barely move it anymore.
"It is heavy," she remarked. Not so much to complain, as to tell him why she was stopping.
I am a princess on the way to my throne Destined to reign, destined to roam
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
As Seren commented that the bowl was heavy, Saiden nodded and took it back from her. "Thanks. You did a great job! I'm just going to do a little bit more." Smiling at her, he proceeded to do just that: his arm stirred the dough, pushing through the resistance with ease.
Once it was thoroughly mixed, he set the bowl down. Rummaging in the cabinets, he pulled out a baking tray. Taking out the butter from earlier, he rubbed it along the sheet. "You want to make sure you coat your baking tray, or anything you're cooking on really, with something that will make the final product come off easily. Butter, oil, that short of thing." Setting the butter down, he reached into the bowl and took out a chunk of the dough.
"Now we just place them in the size and shape we want for the cookies. It's important they're all the same size so they cook together. Can you help me with this?" He placed the dough down and shaped it, then gestured for her to take the lead. "What shape do you want?"
I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment Destined to seek, destined to know
He was really strong, to be able to stir the dough and hold the bowl so easily when she could not. Seren admired her uncle openly as he worked the mixture, then found a tray and prepared it. She nodded, listening attentively to the instructions, then thought carefully about what shape the cookies should be in. Her own preference was for stars, but these cookies were for Father and Remi, not her. She had not forgotten that.
"Hmm, make them like this," she suggested, and drew simple diagonal lines in the air over the spread dough. Then again in the opposite direction; depicting simple rhombus shapes that would make use of all the dough. Simple, efficient and maximum amount of cookies. She thought they would like that.
I am a princess on the way to my throne Destined to reign, destined to roam
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
Not noticing Seren's admiration (or choosing not to respond to it), Saiden just finished up with the dough. Nodding in understanding as she traced the shape, he pushed the dough already on the tray into a vaguely rhombus shape. "Like this?" Assuming it was good enough for her, he'd begin pulling pieces of dough out of the bowl and laying them out. He'd also invite her to do the same.
When they had a full tray, he'd lift it up using both hands. "Now we put them in the oven to bake. It'll take around ten minutes." That being said, he carefully opened up the oven, bracing the tray against a counter as he did. Sliding it in, he'd dust off his hands. "While we're waiting, why don't we clean the kitchen and ourselves up? Hands first." Walking over to the sink, he washed his hands, then made room for her to do it.
I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment Destined to seek, destined to know
Seren happily helped shape the cookies. Maybe they weren't as even as she would have liked, and not as fancy as Saiden's, but they would be edible. And she felt a samaritan delight in making the cookies just for Father and Remi, even if they looked delicious and smelled amazing as they baked.
"Okay. Do you want to see my room?" she asked, almost shyly as she held her hands out to be cleaned. It didn't take much time to wash the dishes and wipe the table down, so there should be plenty to spare. And she had made it really pretty, while she waited.
I am a princess on the way to my throne Destined to reign, destined to roam
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
As Saiden cleaned Seren's hands, he nodded in agreement. "I would love to see your room. But first, dishes." That said, he dried her hands, then turned his attention to the mess on the counter top. Putting the ingredients away first, he made quick work of the bowls, the mixing spoons, and everything else they'd used in their work. It wasn't long before the kitchen was spotless again.
Turning, he put his hands on his hips. Beaming down at her, he leaned forward a little. "Lead on!" That said, he reached down to scoop her up, fully intending to play the horse or the chariot to her much small rider.
I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment Destined to seek, destined to know
Seren had done her best to help out, able to at least hand him the things that needed cleaning and to wipe the table, and she felt very much the big, good girl again despite the mishap with the almonds.
She waited patiently until Saiden was quite finished, and then started to bound off towards her room. She managed all of three steps before he caught her, and squealing in delight the girl found herself picked up. This was of course completely alright; wrapping her arms around his neck, she gave her uncle a fierce hug, then urged him on, towards the next destination.
"That way!" she told him and pointed the way imperiously. Guiding the way out of the kitchen, down the hallway past a living room, Father's room, and then onto a small corner room at the far end of the house. "In here!" she told him, watching eagerly for a reaction.
It was, truth be told, a rather plain room. Small, with a window overlooking the wildgrown garden, and a bed that looked to have been there since the house was built. It was clearly oversized for her, but was amply furbished with blankets and pillows, offering a perfect nest to curl up in. The walls were undecorated, but Seren had made up for it by cramming the few shelves full of interesting items. Curious rocks, seashells in every color and size imaginable, twisted driftwood branches and washed up coral crowded together without any real thought. There were pages with pressed flowers hanging on the walls, and a few paintings clearly made by herself, and a simple, sturdy rug to cover the floor.
It was all suspiciously clean, though the underside of the bed - and the inside of the chest of drawers standing off to one side - would reveal quite the chaos of hastily removed clutter. What it lacked... was perhaps the customary toys associated with little girls. No dolls, or plushies, or tea-sets or indeed any frills at all, aside from the dried, pressed flowers.
I am a princess on the way to my throne Destined to reign, destined to roam
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
Carrying Seren easily enough (he might not be strong, but she was small), Saiden followed her directions. Taking her to the corner room, he set her down once inside. That done, he put his hands back on his hips as he surveyed the space. Although he noted the suspicious cleanliness and the lack of toys or dolls or anything of that sort, he didn't comment on it.
Instead, he just whistled approvingly. "Very nice." Then he got a sly look on his face. "But I think it could do with a few splashes of color, don't you? Wait here." With that, he darted out and grabbed his bag. Returning to the room, he started pulling the paints back out. "Want to make some more stars?"
I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment Destined to seek, destined to know
His reaction was positive. She was very pleased with it, and fully intended to give him a showcase of all her favorite things, when he interrupted that plan. The comment made her tilt her head slightly, puzzled. She gaped when he disappeared off down the hall, and then appeared again just as suddenly, unpacking paints she recognized from the lantern making.
"O-okay," she replied, quite taken aback. Usually she had to coax everyone into play... this was unexpected, but the girl approved. She headed off to the chest of drawers, and pulled open one of them, producing a few blank sheets of paper, thinking that was what he meant.
I am a princess on the way to my throne Destined to reign, destined to roam
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
At Seren's surprised look, Saiden laughed, though not in a mean way. When she pulled out the paper, he arched an eyebrow at her. "We could do that. Orrrrrr..." Voice trailing off playfully, he dipped a finger in the blue paint. Then he very gently traced an outline of a star on the wall itself.
Of course, as he did, he was very careful to keep his eyes trained on her. At any sign of distress, or reluctance, or upset, he would immediately pause and do his best to cover the paint. If she didn't stop him, though, he would move on another finger, dipping it in the silver that was the next part of the star.
I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment Destined to seek, destined to know
The girl gasped when he drew on the wall, looking scandalized. But slowly, a glitter of mischief lit up her eyes, and she watched without objection as he drew another star on the wall. It made her fingers itch.
Slowly, almost as if suspecting a trap of some kind, she came over. Hunched down, with her eyes fixed on Saiden... and she too dipped a finger into the paint. Gold coated her skin when she withdrew it, and quite deliberately, she poked the wall. Giggled, at this outrageous prank... The star she made was a bit lopsided, and quite a bit smaller than his. But that didn't really matter.
I am a princess on the way to my throne Destined to reign, destined to roam
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
Saiden paused slightly as Seren gasped, unsure exactly what it meant. However, as she began to dip a finger in the paint as well, he grinned just as mischievously as she did. Laughing along with her, his deep voice a striking counterpoint to her girlish giggling, he dipped a finger in the gold as well to finish the star he'd started. Next up was the white core.
Glancing at her own work he beamed approvingly. Shifting slightly, he let her work on the stars lower down. He himself reached above, using his significant height advantage to paint stars at the top of the wall. It didn't take him long to make quite a few, a veritable night's sky, albeit on a vertical surface.
