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
"Daddy, I don't feel so good."
Seren put down her spoon onto a plate after no more than a few bites. It was a stark contrast to the ravenous appetite she had been subjected to over the past week or so. Her usually so bright little face was droopy with weariness, as if the hours upon hours of napping between those meals hadn't done any good at all.
Her cheeks were flushed, the eyes hazy and too bright all at once, and there was an expression of discomfort as she shifted on the chair.
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.
It was still strange to Ronin, the simple domestic nature of their lives now that Seren had joined them. The Dark Star had (obviously) inhaled his meal in a trait that his daughter seemed to have inherited, apart from today, and he paused on his way getting up from the table. Glancing over her, an expression of concern clouded his face, and he glanced fleetingly across at Remi. "You don't look so good," he admitted, reaching over to tuck an errant curl behind her ear.
"Come on. We'll get you to bed, and I'll get some medicine for you. Looks like you might have a fever," he said, feeling a pang of guilt for all those times he knew Seren had been running about on the windy cliffside. "I'm sure I can think of a good story to tell you as well."
don't close your eyes
something beautiful is still alive
i've seen fire & i've seen rain. i've seen sunny days that i thought would never end
Parental figure or not, Remi wasn't simply going to stand by while Seren suffered.
As Ronin busied himself with tucking her into bed, the Alchemist was in the kitchen creating (from scratch), some tea. No longer could he simply create the water needed at the perfect temperature, couldn't pluck the botanicals from thin air. Instead, he scoured the cabinets for what he wanted while a kettle boiled on the stove. He even had to find a tea-cup by hand. It was the strangest thing, to not be able to instantly create what he wanted; the issue exacerbated by the child in pain in the other room.
Eventually though, a tea was made with various herbs meant to target a fever and settle a stomach. Walking softly into Seren's room, Remi paused at the doorway. It was a strange thing, to see father and daughter like this. Thanks to Ludo, the wound wasn't quite so raw and he could look upon the scene with something like appreciation.
"Here, this should help." He offered in a soft voice.
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment Destined to seek, destined to know
The followed quietly to her room. Too quietly, as it usually took a good amount of persuasion to get her to bed. And though she got in under the blankets easily enough, the girl couldn't quite settle down. Even with the promise of stories, even with her father right there.
She kept shifting and stirring, adjusting herself over and over. But there was an ache in her that wouldn't subside, a building discomfort within muscle and bone she couldn't abide.
"It hurts," she whined softly, gazing with feverish eyes from Ronin, and over to Remi when he came with the tea.
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.
Ronin was perched on the edge of Seren's bed, gazing over the girl with a soft frown as if trying to figure out what was wrong. "Where does it hurt?" he asked, glancing back at Remi and smiling softly to his husband, giving him a nod of gratitude since he couldn't communicate with him silently any more.
"Seren, do you think you can sit up and try some tea? It might make you feel a bit better." Turning back to his daughter, he reached out to smooth her hair back from her face, touching the back of his hand to her forehead to check her temperature.
don't close your eyes
something beautiful is still alive
i've seen fire & i've seen rain. i've seen sunny days that i thought would never end
Entering the room, Remi placed the cup on Seren's nightstand, before retreating a few feet. He didn't quite feel like an intruder here, but nor did his presence seem entirely...warranted. Wanting to grumble something about how neither of them possessed healing magic and how ridiculous that was, all things considered, Remi instead folded his arms across his chest and studied Seren as if noting all of her symptoms might spark some recognition in him.
It didn't of course, because the growing pains of a demigoddess was not something he'd ever heard of, much less witnessed.
"I could go to the lighthouse...call Safrin." Remi muttered in a law voice.
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment Destined to seek, destined to know
"Everywhere," came the reply. Delivered with a pitiful whine, that could have been a touch overdramatic if it wasn't so true. Every muscle and joint ached like it was on fire, and it was only getting worse.
She did her best to sit up when asked, and leaned a burning little face into her father's hand. The touch felt cool and comforting, very pleasant compared to her own achey skin.
Hazy eyes turned to Remi when he spoke. "Are you leaving?" she asked, sounding rather forlorn. Maybe she didn't call him father, but he was just as important to her as Ronin. She reached a hand for him, didn't want him to go.
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.
It felt as though her fever was high, and Ronin sighed as he looked her over. Keeping an arm around her so she didn't have to try so hard to stay sitting up, he took up the teacup and blew on it to cool it down. Remi's suggestion had his breath catching in his throat somewhat, and he did his best to keep himself from tensing up at the mention of the goddess's name.
Gazing across at his husband, there was clear conflict in his eyes. "...She can see everything," he said eventually. "If it were serious, she would be here." And Seren looked as though she wanted him to stay, as well. Holding the cup out for his daughter, he smiled.
"Have a drink and we'll see if you can get some sleep. You might feel better in the morning." And if not, they were in a much better position to go out and find someone with healing magic, or a herbalist or whatnot.
don't close your eyes
something beautiful is still alive
i've seen fire & i've seen rain. i've seen sunny days that i thought would never end
Remi's jaw feathered, his lack of ability to silently communicate with Ronin an increasing burden. What if it's a test, he wanted to object. Would you let her remain in pain because you're too prideful to call for her mother? He couldn't communicate those things without upsetting Seren, so instead as she wondered about his continued presence, he merely smiled and moved to the other side of her bed. Sinking down so that he could rest his forearms on her mattress, he gave her a small smile. "I'll stay as long as you need." He agreed, swallowing hard.
"What does it feel like?" He asked, wondering if perhaps her description of her body might not help them better diagnose her.
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment Destined to seek, destined to know
Sitting up was easier with the support, and the girl drank the cooled down tea with wild grimaces. It tasted bitter and not good at all. But Father was there, and Remi stayed, and it made her relax just a little bit more.
"Like sun burn on the inside," she tried to explain, fumbling for things she knew that felt similarly. "Like when I ran a lot and then my legs hurt, but everywhere."
A mouldering ache, a steady gnawing discomfort... amped up to ten.
Handing the cup back to Ronin when she couldn't get more of it down - it made her stomach roil uncomfortably - the little girl skidded back down into the bed.
Slowly, the effects of the herbs started to kick in, and her eyes began to droop. But the fever showed no signs of letting up. Quite the opposite; she only grew warmer, and whimpered softly as she stirred in that same restless agony.
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.
Giving a hum of acknowledgement as Seren tried to explain what she was going through, Ronin accepted the cup back when she had stomached as much of the tea as she could manage. Setting it back on the bedside table, he smoothed her curls out of her face and let her lay down, watching with quiet concern. It could be anything; an illness picked up while roaring around the shoreline and the lighthouse, or something more sinister, only worrisome to tiny demigoddesses.
Rubbing at his forehead, he glanced back to Remi. "I'll sit with her tonight, while she sleeps," he said. "If she's no better in the morning, I'll go up to the Aumakua myself and speak with Safrin." If anyone ought to approach the lady of the stars it should be Ronin, given that she had delivered Seren into his care.
don't close your eyes
something beautiful is still alive
i've seen fire & i've seen rain. i've seen sunny days that i thought would never end
"Okay." Remi said gently as Seren concluded her attempts at explaining. The girl was young with a vocabulary that while impressive, wasn't diagnostically useful just now. Though perhaps when the men learned what was happening, they'd find her descriptions to be more apt than they first seemed.
It wasn't his place to disagree with Ronin on this course of action. The Star was Seren's father, and Remi, decidedly, was not.
So, with his arms crossed and his mind awhirl with thoughts, the Alchemist leaned against the wall with his pale eyes focused on Seren.
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
I am magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment Destined to seek, destined to know
With both men to watch over her and the tea working its way through her system, the girl soon fell into a restless slumber. As time went by and the night deepened, her fever kept rising, her skin slushed red and burning hot to the touch. Seren tossed and turned, occasionally whimpering in her sleep, but seemed otherwise knocked out.
It had dragged on into the wee hours of when something finally happened. Kicking off her blankets as she twisted around, the girl drew in a deep breath, and with a whimpering little cry she jerked awake, straightened herself out as if she was stretching... and grew. Her arms, legs and torso expanded horribly, awfully, with a creak of bone and sinew. As if all the growth of four years had been compressed into the space of a single instant.
It was clearly painful and Seren began to cry, reaching for her father that he might save her from the hurt.
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.
Ronin was as good as his word, sitting dutifully by as his daughter slept, or attempted to at least. He couldn't sleep at first, worried at every whimper and shift beneath the blankets, and as her fever began to rise the hunter resigned himself to having to speak with the lady of the stars. Still, as the night turned into the wee hours it would be a lie to say that Ronin hadn't fallen into a doze, and until Seren jerked awake he had been drifting between sleep and wakefulness.
Her cry changed all of that, of course. Blinking hard and trying (and failing) to really understand what was happening, even though distantly his mind told him that Safrin had mentioned that she would grow in fits and starts, the Star reached for the girl so he could gather her up close. The sound of it - the groaning bones, the creaking muscle - was enough to make him feel queasy, and he had no idea what it would be like to go through it. "I'm here," he told her, uncomprehending, glancing up towards the bedroom door. "Remi!" he called, hopeful that he would get the other man's attention.
don't close your eyes
something beautiful is still alive
