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!
nobody can give you freedom, but you can create freedom.
Elias tipped his head, as she stated that she was an Outlander. That'd explain why he didn't recognize her accent. He was speechless for a while, considering her words, simply walking next to her.
"I see. I'm sorry that stability is so hard for you to find," his words are soft. "Torchline can be a jarring place to live, but... after the way you put me in my place earlier, on my own turf at that," he chuckled, geniunely amused, "I think you'll do just fine." He glanced up at the dragonling too, with a smile.
Phoebe was fine with the silence as they turned to go down the back street that led to the Halenani. But he seemed to find his words quickly enough, and she shrugged. "There is nothing to apologize for. That's just what fate had in store for me apparently." she said. Not that she was happy with it, but she was forcing herself as of late to focus on accepting reality for what it was rather than lamenting what it wasn't. It wasn't as though she could change these larger things anyways.
She grinned though at his comment about putting him in his place on his own turf, shrugging a bit. "I've learned to be a bit tougher over the last two years. Can't say it doesn't have its benefits." she said.
nobody can give you freedom, but you can create freedom.
"Perhaps. Do you think it was fate that brought you to Caido?" Because ending up in Caido meant that her last world, her last home, probably the one she had grown up in was torn away from her.
"Tough looks good on you," he stated, with a grin. "You're delicate enough that I certainly wasn't expecting it." The Halenani was coming into view, and he studied the building quietly, letting out a sharp exhale at the state.
"You're an enigma, Madame Phoebe." He saw the bare bones of the building, saw where it would eventually sit, tall as it once had, improved, even. But right now...
Phoebe shook her head at his question at once, without hesitation. "I know for certain it was not fate that brought me to Caido. All of the Outlanders were pulled from whatever their place of origin was and brought to Caido by the Voice." she said, a slight frown curving her lips. "But even so, it was clearly my fate to be part of that. All I can do is try to make the best of the cards I am dealt." she said with a bit of a shrug.
His comment made her smirk though, and she flipped her long locks over her shoulder. "I am used to being underestimated." she said with a light laugh.
But as they stopped in front of the ash covered building she glanced at him curiously. "An...enigma? How so?" she asked in confusion.
nobody can give you freedom, but you can create freedom.
She spoke, and he nodded, "I see. You seem to be doing a good job of it, accepting those cards." She smirked, and flipped her hair over her shoulder, and he chuckled softly.
She was something else.
"An enigma... You're so bright," Both in appearance and personality, from the brief time he's had with her, "Yet sullen at the same time." He nodded towards the Halenani, "And it looks like you've got an even bigger job than I imagined on your hands." He studied the building thoughtfully. "Not a single person would talk so excitedly, when the building looks like that. But you do, and I can see the building you'll be creating. The... home," he smiled, slightly.
"Thanks...I wasn't before but...I've been practicing." she said with a small smile. Not quite a full, deep smile. Not one she really felt. Just an expression her face was accustomed to making.
She blinked at his description of her. Bright but sullen. She supposed she could see where he was coming from about that. A lot of her peppiness had faded away since coming to Caido, but it didn't stop her from being generally pleasant. Usually. He was older as well and a merchant, so perhaps he was just good at reading people. It wouldn't have surprised her if that was the case. Honeyed eyes turned back to the brothel and she smiled a bit. "I don't know if I would say I am an enigma." she said softly, shrugging a bit. "But it's been a rough few years...and I'm just tired of pretending is all. But I am glad you can see the home I am envisioning. I can't be the only one who is looking for wherever that is." she added quietly, staring up at the dilapidated building. Home. How lovely would it be to have a place that felt like that again?
nobody can give you freedom, but you can create freedom.
He listened, studying her. The last statement made him quiet, as he studied the building, imagining what it would be; the sort of home she would create for not only herself, but for others. He imagined the environment would be welcoming, safe, warm.
Elias leaned back, creating a frame out of his hands, to see the 'bigger picture' of the building, and he offered a smile, not a real smile, just something slight. "It will certainly be a gorgeous home, but do let me know, if you find 'wherever that is', because I've yet to find it, myself."
The man angled his head to one side, "Is this where you're staying?" Dark eyes wandered to her, once again. It wasn't really much of a place to sleep.
Phoebe laughed a bit as he framed out the building with his hands. "I hope it is." she said with a smile. But his statement caught her by surprise. "You're a sailor though, aren't you supposed to be married to your wanderlust rather than a specific place?" she asked, head tilting to the side.
"Sort of." she said, gesturing with a hand for her to follow. There was a small path along the side of the building, surrounded by some sad palm trees that needed some TLC. Behind the building was a large wagon, though no horses to pull it in sight. "I am living in here for the time being. It's surprisingly secure and Harper is staying there as well." she said to assure him she was safe. He had already expressed concern about that after all, so it was best to get ahead of it.
04-22-2020, 09:12 PM (This post was last modified: 04-22-2020, 09:21 PM by Elias.)
nobody can give you freedom, but you can create freedom.
Elias raised an eyebrow, "I'm a merchant, I travel only to acquire goods, whatever those goods might be. But I would not consider myself a sailor, I grew up on the land, and I desire a home on the land."
He grinned sheepishly. "The boy and I have a little shack in town, but I grew up above a merchant's shop; my father only sold locally. I think I'd like something similar, someday." He admitted.
When she led the way to a wagon, he eyed it, easing when he found out somebody was staying with her. Good, she was safer with someone than alone. "I see, I see. Good."
Her head tilted as he corrected her, interested in his take on what made him so different from a 'sailor'. Phoebe had grown up near a quarry, far and away from any port, so the nuances between sea-faring professions was not something she was particularly familiar with. "Well...why don't you buy yourself such a place? Or build one?" she asked, unsure what exactly was holding him back. Clearly he was a well off merchant, certainly he had the means to do so.
It seemed the conversation was coming to a close, but Elias still lingered on. "Is there something else you need?" she asked.
nobody can give you freedom, but you can create freedom.
His lips curved in a slight smile, and he shrugged. "Well, I don't know where I'll end up. I've been single for... such a long time, but the boy's mother wanted to move to Halo." He smiled sadly, shaking his head. "Too cold for me, but I guess, I'd rather keep options open, rather than choose between my home here and the wishes of someone I might care for."
He watched the sky, "As a merchant, I can sell my goods anywhere, but I'd never want to be a hinderance to whoever may next walk into my life." The boy's mother had wanted to see all of Caido, and they had not even made it out of Torchline.
She asked if there was something else he needed, and he flashed a playful smile. "Well, you never answered me on that date. I was thinking, perhaps a picnic. Venue of your choice." After all, she had said she'd not talk about it while in the hull of a ship with him. But they were not in a ship, now.
Phoebe blinked, lines starting to be drawn in her mind as be spoke between disparate pieces of information. "Wait...is he your son? Was she your wife?" she asked suddenly. She hadn't thought the young man had looked anything like Elias but...maybe he just resembled his mother?
But he continued on, about not wanting to be a hinderance. She looked over at the dilapidated building, growing pensive for a moment. "I used to think like that, not wanting to be a hinderance to anyone; working hard to make sure I could be the perfect whatever to whoever that was with me at any given moment wheyher friends or strangers or significant others." She paused and glanced at him. "But in the end, I just realized how unhappy I was because I never persued anything that would fulfill me. I let myself become a shadow in my own life. And really, how can anyone ever love a shadow when there are beautiful people in full color all about?"
She was about to say more, but then he brought up the date again and her eyes widened. "W-what?! I thought you were joking about that!" she stuttered.
nobody can give you freedom, but you can create freedom.
Elias shook his head, "She was... a whore. Never worked in a brothel, had a pimp. He beat her when she became pregnant, and... one day she walked up to my stall, looking over one of my dresses and the guy she was with began to hit her. Right there, in broad daylight." He paused, "I took her in, promised to adopt her boy so her pimp couldn't get to him. We married shortly before the boy's birth, an extra measure to ensure both their safety." He fell into silence, for a moment.
When she spoke, though, he paid attention. She had a very poetic way of speaking, and that made him smile. "Ah, you? A shadow? Tsk. Not anymore. You're too vibrant to be a shadow." He commented, idly. When she stuttered over his statement, he just smiled.
Phoebe listened in silence as he spoke of the woman he married - his wife if only in name it turned out - a small frown on her lips. It was an all too familiar story though. She had treated many women suffering injuries that came from abuse - the more vulnerable the woman, the more likely it was to happen too. "It was noble of you, taking in her and keeping her son like that." she said, offering a small smile. "And I am certain Frey would agree." They had a soft spot for sex workers after all. Elias' actions to protect one as he could would likely have earned him some small favor.
"Mmm maybe its the sun in Torchline. Though I think I am still pretty wallflowery compared to most here." Torchline was loud and boisterous, and she was quiet and modest. Perhaps in time that would change.
But his final statement left her completely befuddled. "Perhaps you're joking? Or perhaps you're serious?" she asked in confusion.
