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!
Saiden had finally managed to actually open his restaurant. Although business wasn't exactly booming just yet, he nevertheless kept at it. While the Ark was stuck in port, he spent most of his days (and some nights) at the Hali and Hearty, cooking for whoever happened to stop on by.
Today, he was playing around with a new sauce. Finely copping spicy green peppers with a practiced hand, he got rid of the seeds and tossed them in a bowl, which already had ginger, garlic, peppercorn, a few other spices, and oil. Taking a spoon, he started mixing them all together, trying to mash them and blend them together in a smooth mixture.
After a day of slim pickings, Theo was more than ready to follow his nose when he smelled something delicious cooking. When he saw the source of the scent was a restaurant, not a private home, he licked his lips. Score. He shifted his lute on his back and strolled on in.
"Hello!" he said, cheerful and boisterous. "I'm afraid I've been captured by that ambrosial fragrance -- what's cooking?"
At the voice, Saiden glanced up. Taking in the stranger's unremarkable appearance, the cook focused again on his work. He'd managed to finish the sauce at this point, and had poured it over a fish, which was now sizzling neatly in a pan. "Got fish in a green curry sauce with a seaweed salad as the special today." The words came out distractedly; as always when he was in the zone, pretty much his whole attention was on his dish.
However, he managed to find a moment to spare for the potential customer. "But I can make pretty much anything that strikes your fancy. What've you got a hankering for?" This time, there was a shrewd edge to his voice.
Theo gave the chef a wide smile. "That special sounds -- and smells -- fantastic. I'm just hankering for some good food, to be frank, not anything in particular."
His eyes lingered on the cooking dish, and he grabbed the nearest seat, leaning towards the stove as if the aroma were a physical force. Lunch had been meager, breakfast nonexistent. And he had nothing to trade for dinner, but he very much hoped that the chef wouldn't think of that little question. At least, not until the fish was already in Theo's stomach.
Smiling back, Saiden nodded at the stranger's words. "Coming right up." With that, the cook turned back to his work.
Thankfully, fish didn't take long. Before the other man knew it, the Hali was sliding his spatula under it and plating it. Moving towards another part of the kitchen, he reached in to a bowl and threw some of the seaweed salad on the plate as well. Then he gave it to the stranger. "There you are."
Giving the stranger a curious look, Saiden put his hands on his hips. "Let me know what you think." Then he narrowed his eyes. "Also I'm Saiden. Don't think I've seen you around before." When he wasn't in the midst of cooking a new dish, he made it a habit to get to know all his patrons.
Theo took a big bite of the fish before it had cooled off enough, burned his mouth, worked through the pain, and then finally answered Saiden's question. "My name's Theo. I've been here and there, but I can't say I've ever visited your fine establishment before. A mistake I'll be correcting forthwith, I assure you."
Assuming, you know, Theo didn't get blacklisted for not paying for this meal. But he could probably talk his way through it. Saiden appeared a little skeptical of Theo's shtick, but he also seemed quite open-handed with his meals.
As Theo introduced himself, and spoke, Saiden grinned. There was something distinctly predatory about it. "You're not from around here, are ye?" It wasn't really a question.
Crossing his arms, he nodded at the dish. "How is it? Is the sauce overpowering? Any suggestions, or ways I could improve it? What else do you think I should pair it with?" The questions came out in a bit of a rush, but he was quite invested in the answers to them.
Then he held out his hand. "Are we exchanging goods or favors today?" This time, his voice had an expectant edge. Luckily, he was pretty famous in Haulani, and a member of the Ark's crew, so anyone who tried to cross him would swiftly be punished.
Theo grinned. He had a feeling they were getting into his territory. "What gave me away? Thought I was finally starting to blend in."
The answer to where Theo was actually from, of course, depended on what layer of lies he was currently pushing.
He took a long moment to consider Saiden's questions -- a bit longer than he really needed to, honestly, but Theo was nothing if not dramatic. "It's very good. Certainly not overpowering; the sauce complements the fish well. The seaweed salad, too. Something sweet to finish off the meal might go even better."
It was almost, almost a suggestion. And then they came to the sticking point. Theo gave Saiden a slightly ironic, cheeky smile, one that said I know you know I'm messing with you. "Now, wouldn't you say I've already done you a favor by testing out an unproven dish?"
Laughing at Theo's question, Saiden shrugged. "Torchers don't say things like 'fine establishment' or 'forthwith.'" He flashed the other man that wolfish smile again.
As Theo suggested the cook end the meal with something sweet, he nodded in agreement. "Good. And I have fruit in the back." He gestured at the pantry, the door to which was hidden in a corner.
Narrowing his eyes at Theo, the Hali leaned forward, placing his hands flat on the table. Looming was a good word for his posture, and he stared steadily down at the other man. "I wouldn't." There was no room for negotiation there. "Good or favor, take your pick."
"Right, I'll keep that in mind." Another grin. Theo knew how to blend in when he wanted to. But the main persona he happened to be pushing right now was that of a foreigner -- more foreign even than Theo's actual background.
"Fruit would really hit the spot." Theo gave Saiden what could only be described as puppy-dog eyes, though not without an ironic note in his face, a suggestion that he was laughing at his own attempt.
"Ah, too bad." Theo sighed, looking down coyly, and fiddled with a piece of seaweed salad left on his plate. "Favor, then."
He certainly wasn't going to say "goods," as he had none at the moment. But a favor -- that he could work with.
Saiden just laughed at Theo's response. "You do that." Winking at the other man, the cook's expression was amused.
As Theo agreed that fruit would do the trick, the Hali nodded. Heading towards the pantry, he entered it briefly, snagging a banana. Coming back, he laid it on the table for the other man. "There you go." Saiden was eager to find out if that would actually compliment the dish as intended.
However, his friendly demeanor melted away as they discussed payment. Nodding, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Got a last name, Theo? And where can I find you to collect that favor?" Then idly, as if they were discussing the weather, he added, "And don't even think about lying. I have sources, and if you make this hard for me I'll make it hard for you."
Theo took his time with the banana, savoring it. He hadn't had access to a lot of fruit growing up; even after some time in Torchline, it was still a delicacy. "Yes, that's excellent. Thank you."
Theo's eyes glittered, and he leaned forward. "Now, now. How long-term are we talking, here? I figured I'd be washing dishes or something, not entering a contract."
Though honestly, it suited him just fine if Saiden wanted to postpone repayment to some nebulous future date. Theo was quite used to having outstanding debts, and if Saiden wanted to collect, he'd have to track Theo down and make it stick. But ... well, those debts had gotten Theo in a lot of trouble, too -- it wasn't just the terrible weather that kept him out of Halo these days -- and he'd just as soon not enter into that whole rigmarole for just one meal.
"Theo Caldwell," he said, picking a surname he'd used a few times before. "I'm here and there, you know how it is."
Grinning as Theo expressed his pleasure over the meal, Saiden nodded. "Thanks for being my taste tester." Obviously, he was pleased (if not that surprised) that his latest dish had turned out so well.
However, his eyes narrowed and his friendliness departed again as they continued to discuss terms. "You're really not from around here." Scowling, he leaned forward a bit, once again looming over the smaller man. "The currency in Torchline is favors. Better get used to owing people and having them cashed in without your control." He smirked at the other man.
Reaching out, the Hali gripped water with his magic. Sending it swirling around both of them, he winked. "I got the dishes." Then he scowled. "Actually, I don't know how it is. Give me a way to get in touch with you, because the favor just gets bigger and bigger if I have to hunt you down."
"Oh, I'm used to that." Theo's tone wasn't so much bitter as wry. Yes, he had plenty of experience with owing favors -- and with others' attempts to collect.
He spread his palms, shrugging. "I'm trying to help you here, but I don't know where I'm sleeping tonight, let alone where I'll be in a week or two. And, as you've noted, I'm new in town, so it's not like I have any regular haunts."
Theo would suggest arranging a drop if he sincerely wanted to stay in touch with Saiden, but he's not exactly going to go out of his way to make it easy for someone to hold him to a debt. That's not really his thing.
