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!
And just like that, they sorted themselves out – the structure applied, comfortable, within the realm of the unknown. There was a semblance and sense of freedom given and granted to their companions, orchestrations what they thought would be best – Deimos didn’t have any notions of theme, and had anyone asked he might’ve been dumbstruck and bewildered by the suggestion. He trusted in those around them, that knew them best, to consider and come up with something – which, to him, would make everything else a bit more poignant, refreshing, and affecting.
Once Hotaru had wrangled him for fitting (there were subsequent snorts and jokes tossed in there), he found himself at the lantern table with Samuel. He didn’t know his future brother-in-law quite well enough to throw out some amusing ploy or mischief as he might’ve done with all the other inhabitants, but the man had already extended them a wonderful gift. So Deimos breathed in a massive inhale again, before staring over the materials for the lanterns, not quite sure how to answer. “Perhaps something with stars, suns, or moons.” Cosmos, constellations, galaxies, painted, embroidered, or sketched upon, always leaning in those directions when crafting things for Amalia. A brief chuckle, realizing, remembering, it was his wedding too. “Mountains, oceans. Or swords and shields.” A wrinkle to his nose at the notions of it all – permitting Samuel to choose. “I can help when I am done with the brazier.”
Then he settled in along the end of the table, palms facing the wood. It took a far more intense concentration than before, what with the creation magic changed and altered, the metallic filaments beginning along the bottom. The last one he’d constructed had been for Remi and Ronin, patternworks of stars, of galaxies, for the impending flames. For his own, he began with darker hues, an-almost black frame, etched and embroidered with indented constellations, rising upwards on swirls of stars and clouds of twilight.
--
Keep carrying on! If a group finishes, they can move onto planting seedlings or making bracelets!
"As the lovely lady commands," Jigano teased gallantly at Hotaru's instructions, turning his attention to the paper and gauze and humming thoughtfully as he sorted through the colors. The task suited him perfectly, his paper-folding skills something he had made use of before to make offerings for the gods. Doing so for Amalia and Deimos's wedding was only fitting, and he began crafting three-dimensional stars in whites and golds that could be hung or set around the venue they ended up choosing.
He shamelessly stole some of the darker gauzy fabric to make a 'night sky' out of, using earth magic to create a series of small crystals that he set to sewing against the gauze so that it would sparkle and shine at even the smallest light that struck it. " Amalia , do you have a tradition of the bride or groom wearing a veil during the ceremony?" he called over to the baking trio, glancing to Hotaru for confirmation as well and lowering his voice for the blond alone. "Perhaps this could be arranged as a train on her gown, or a cape for Deimos? Otherwise we can hang it somewhere - maybe over the dessert table?" He was just enjoying the act of making, content to go along with what the planners chose to do with the decorations once he finished them.
Kiada is successful in stealing Amalia away for the bakery portion, helping to set out bowls and things like that with all the ingredients she might need. She’d learned a thing or two with Amalia, learned how to bake and create, and it’s just one little gift she wants to give back to the Shield for everything else she’s given. And her head tilts over toward Evie as she approaches, giving a small sheepish smile. “Hands we can certainly put to work.” She chimes, shooting Evie a wink that feels almost awkward considering everything – and her cheeks redden slightly with the memory as she focuses on the ingredients, beginning to separate them into smaller bowls to make small batches to test.
“So how about… One with some lavender and vanilla..? A hint of lemon?” She muses aloud, pulling away from her small station to grab those specific ingredients, before returning with a handful of random ones. Much like the prep of Flowerbirth a couple years prior, she focuses on the idea of them all kind of making their own versions with help, and seeing where that leaves them. Still, her icy gaze lifts to Amalia, softening with the bright smile given toward the bride to be to see her thoughts on it.
she's fire and ice. you'll fear the cold and crave the burn
BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3
Kiada has a large X scar on the right side of her neck.
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Kiada, without killing her <3
Deimos certainly had a lot of ideas for lanterns and Sam felt a little overwhelmed when presented with the list at first, but nodded and decided to start with one thing. He knew how to make star lanterns: easy papercrafts were easy ways to encourage children to visit the Atheneum. Folding and cutting quietly, listening to the chatter around him, he was content to work at it by himself for the time being.
First he made a large star, and several smaller ones: they would fold down, but when pulled out, form a 3d star shape that could have a candle placed within. Deimos' latter suggestions would come in for the paint: across the paper he began to lay down a simple pattern designed to look like the sea, with mountains in the distance. Mostly shapes with some decorative lines, Sam not being much of an artist, but he hoped it would still suffice.
And it's hard to write about being happy
'Cause the older I get
I find that happiness is an extremely uneventful subject
"Evie's been baking as long as I have," Amalia says with a laugh, shaking her head at the girl's false modesty. Sure, her sister had never exhibited the passion for pastries that the Shield professed, but she'd done her fair share of mixing (and tasting). "Have you two met?" she asks, suddenly unsure. Two of the dearest women in her life (and oh, there's a pang for the absence of Wessex); surely they must know one another by now.
Kiada's chosen flavors are met with bright agreement. Already Amalia's nerves are easing, soothed by this smaller, simpler task. "I think a spiced ginger with cinnamon for mine," she contributes, heading off to fetch the ingredients. Coming back with them in hand, she pauses as Jigano calls her name, raising her head in surprise. "A veil?" she repeats, confused. "Not.... my family wears a long piece of sheer fabric, but it doesn't cover the face." She glances at Deimos, waiting for his input, unwilling to force her customs on him.
took the stars from our eyes and then i made a map i knew that somehow we would find our way back
"Only so I could sneak samples easier," she teases back playfully, recalling growing up in an apron alongside Amalia. Kiada's awkwardness is met with a bright smile, letting it fall away to convince the girl she's not bothered. "We met during Fiat Lux," she clarifies easily. If Kiada doesn't want to admit to the spin-the-bottle portion, Evie isn't going to pressure her into it.
"I'll try blackberry with chocolate mint!" It was a delightful strain of the mint plant with a natural chocolate bouquet to the flavors. One of her favorites to grow considering how lovely it is in tea as well. As the others grab their ingredients she does as well, getting to work and smiling softly as all of it comes back to her faster than she had anticipated. Muscle memory, perhaps.
I was brought up as a southern belle I grew into the queen of hell
Jigano is a talented and flexible partner for their particular tasks, and she feels no need to oversee his ministrations as she might with a less experienced man. Instead she gets to work on measurements, and doing so with Deimos is positively hilarious considering their height differences. It takes more time than anticipated because of it, hushed undertones and laughter accompanying her efforts, but then she returns to the table to begin tailoring his particular suit.
It takes time to make each garment, and considering Amalia is busy at work with her own (much messier) task, Hotaru leaves her be for the moment while she perfects the groom's outfit. As it is Jigano seems to have his own questions for her, and Hotaru chimes in with her own. "Would you prefer a train Amalia?" It depends on her desire for dancing and cavorting about after the vows. "Let me know a good time to get your measurements as well while you bake." She seems a little anxious, and Hotaru is sure the familiar motions are more important in settling her nerves than submitting herself to a relative stranger for intimate pinning and sizing.
You were just a little stowaway That stabbed her way to save herself
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
He hadn’t meant to overwhelm Samuel with notions or ideas – so once he’d finalized the brazier, the fragments continuing to spiral from his glowing palms, little marks of blades and shields careening along the sides – if he could’ve instilled magic in it, he might’ve insisted they glowed. Instead the effects would take place in the little hollowed, hallowed portions when it was lit. Finished, his concentration ebbed and flowed, mind churning out a little too many nuances all at once, he placed it along the counter for safekeeping, intending to return to the table and assist in the lanterns.
The General only half-listened to a few passing conversations, his interest likely leaning more towards the cake flavors, lifting his head up from the patterns of a lantern meant to look like a shield gilded along his hands at the discussion of veils or capes. Not a single thought about those things had ever entered his mind until this moment, and he was grateful again for friends who actually had a clue about what they were doing. Mantles hadn’t been an object often used – too many battle contortions, there wouldn’t have been a place for them, more ceremonial than anything else. Which, of course, was what they were heading towards. A light laugh, a rumble musing through his chest. “Sure.” He could pull off a cape, probably.
He painted amongst the rest of the lanterns as Samuel worked too, occasionally lifting his gaze to watch what the Ascended was doing – intrigued by the star shape, looking down at his ornamental designs, landscapes of mountains, some others oceans. “That looks good,” he prospered to the otherwise silent brethren, before adhering back to the rest of his task.
Once he’d finished several more, adorned with suns and moons, he relinquished the table to Samuel again, marching over to where they’d left seedlings, corresponding to the plants while the rest continued their work in contentment.
--
Just need the bracelets made next! Next to last round (and then taste-testing cakes!)
Honestly, she’s half tempted to mention that she’d kissed Evie, but swallows it down because certainly that would make things quite a bit awkward. “Oooh, that is fair.” She agrees instead to Evie’s comment of sneaking sweets – something Kiada is sure she’d end up doing as well had she been given the chance to as she grew. But she watches Amalia pull the ingredients for her own, watches Evie grab the ingredients as well, and focuses on the task at hand – making the batter.
It goes together relatively easily, and she slips away to grab the pans to help both Amalia and Evie with getting the pans ready, putting her batter in and letting it settle before she turns to focus on what the rest of them are doing. Her eyes slip over the cape and Deimos and Sam working on the decorations, something warm and sweet bubbling in her chest – refusing to let it sour with the thought of Ru’in and the ring that still sat as a necklace around her neck.
she's fire and ice. you'll fear the cold and crave the burn
BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3
Kiada has a large X scar on the right side of her neck.
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Kiada, without killing her <3
Sam got quite lost in his work, adding in with a smaller brush outlines and details. While he was not an illustrator, he'd learnt some tricks in his time making books that helped him to pick out features of the designs he liked and highlight the right areas.
Deimos' compliment drew a smile from him and he continued to work until there were at least four lanterns before him, each with a different theme and painting, all adhering to the elements that had been described to him. While he was hardly the most confident of people, when he saw them all laid out before him, Sam felt rather proud of the work.
Once he had enough lanterns before him he took to making the bracelets, figuring it was a simple enough task even though he had not done it before. Stringing them together at the table he laid them out before him one by one as they were finished next to the lanterns.
And it's hard to write about being happy
'Cause the older I get
I find that happiness is an extremely uneventful subject
He'd intended the train - or veil - for Amalia, but hearing Deimos acquiesce to a similar garment had Jigano's eyes lighting up with positive glee. "This should work for Amalia, then," he said to Hotaru, carefully winding the 'star'-studded gauze into a more manageable roll and handing it over to the seamstress to add (or not) as she pleased. Cracking his knuckles eagerly he set to work reaching for a slightly heavier though still fairly sheer fabric to begin cutting and stitching together a half-cape for the General that would have matching stars. Not black, but a deep navy blue from which the magically-created rhinestones sparkled. There were fewer on this garment than Amalia's, more shadow and less light, with the stones themselves ranging from a dark sapphire to clear diamond, but they would still shine and glimmer within the folds, given any source of light whatsoever at the altar.
04-26-2020, 06:52 PM (This post was last modified: 04-26-2020, 07:23 PM by Hotaru.)
I was brought up as a southern belle I grew into the queen of hell
"It's gorgeous, thank you," she breathes in excited awe as the fabric falls upon her fingers, delighted and envious alike that magic can create such beauty when she cannot. But it will be absolutely stunning on Amalia, and that is what truly matters at the end of the day. So Hotaru goes to work on the woman's gown, carefully folding Deimos' away when it is tailored to her liking.
Eventually she must kindly interject at the baking table, holding the dress in her arms as she beckons Amalia away for her fitting. It's easier when they're of equal height, and she tries to be swift so that she won't make the bride uncomfortable or ruin her cake efforts. In this manner she pins the gown quite a bit more than with Deimos, determined to get it all in one shot. Then she thanks the Shield and moves back over to Jigano to begin tailoring the wedding dress.
You were just a little stowaway That stabbed her way to save herself
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
Evie grins at Kiada's comment, aware how spoiled she was (and still is) to have dibs on all of Amalia's creations. She's quite excited to try the cake flavors at the end of all this, it will be a reward for the work unto itself. But first, of course, the actual baking needs to happen.
She sets to work making the batter and preparing the ingredients needed for the next steps. The repetitive whisking, adding, and measuring is a dance that comes back like muscle memory. Evie lets herself drift to those old days of learning this process, nostalgic. This is the best possible way to spend the wedding preparation for her. Immersed in their childhood while preparing for and looking towards the future.
She would have been more than happy to stay in her corner with Evie and Kiada, but alas, Amalia is the bride and has bridely duties to attend. Reluctantly she at last allows Hotaru to pull her away, confident in Kiada's ability to handle cooking the cakes (and Evie's ability to chip in with comments about flavor).
The fabric that the seamstress produces is breathtakingly ravishing- literally, in that as she looks upon it the Shield audibly gasps. Glancing up at Jigano with awe in her eyes, she reaches out with reverent hands to caress the starlit silk. "You made this?" she asks as Hotaru pins and measures, distracted enough by the glittering stones to avoid flinching at the woman's touches. "It's exquisite, Jigano. I can't do it justice."
Measurements, lanterns, cakes and gowns all (mostly) done, it is time for the final step. As she pulls the three flavors from the oven the Shield glances at Deimos. Ready to taste? she asks him silently, the aroma of spices and fruit and sugar filling the bakery to the brim.
took the stars from our eyes and then i made a map i knew that somehow we would find our way back
