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!
Delphine felt safe. She didn’t feel like a pet, like something someone owned or showed off. She just felt safe. That was the difference, between Noah and Bellamy. One of many differences, she was certain she’d come to find more. Like the way he had kissed her, for instance. Bellamy had never put that much passion into a kiss.
He was still trilling questions, but she’d gotten used to it. She listened intently as he described his parents, eyes bright, curious. His mother had been a healer? His father had oversaw many other hunters, taught his sons… She turned as he pointed, to the chairs, and her smile grew.
His home was a reminder of his life, his childhood. She was caught up in the story, and didn’t notice the shift from questions to statements until the end. Delphine had been contemplating his mother’s passing, and the loss of a sister, when he ended his tale with his father’s death.
“Your parents sound like they were truly amazing people. They certainly raised one son right,” She’d never met his brother, so she couldn’t talk about him. She pressed her hands to his chest, fingers splayed.
“I’m sorry that you lost them.” Her own parents had been lost after venturing outside of Northaven. She drifted into silence, the quiet sounds of the fire the only thing she could hear, aside from her heart. She was pretty sure he could feel her heart pattering against her ribs.
After a few moments of silence, she whispered, “Noah? Do you think we could work?”
How can I begin again? How can I try to love someone new, someone who isn’t you?
Even a few years ago, Noah still would have choked up when talking about his parents. Today, he had done enough crying. While he felt like he was honoring their legacy here in Halo, he still missed them. Even as a grown man, to have familial ties was something that he yearned for so desperately. The closest thing in Halo that he could call family, aside from his own brother who had decided to travel the world through the open portals, where the Hales. Now, he only had Korbin. He knew he would need to find the raven soon, to let him know that Noah was there for him no matter what. Korbin would still be family to Noah.
"They really were." He nodded, the corner of his lip being tugged gently by a smile. His parents were strong figures in Halo, good among them. Noah's father had raised his sons to be just as good, and Noah was trying his best. With all of his mistakes as of late, he wondered how his parents would look at him? Rolling his shoulders back a little, he let the thoughts roll down and out. Now was not a time to dwell on them. He had this woman before him, her body pressed into his. She was who needed his attention now, and in the days to come. When she applauded his parents with her words and praised his character, he leaned down to press his forehead to hers momentarily.
"I think we could work. It will take work. It won't be easy. We have so much to learn about each other. But I want you Delphine. I want to work for you." His own statement finally astounds him, and he chuckles out a breathy laugh. He was not astounded by the words, but by the fact that he finally realized he was no longer asking questions.
Delphine's lips tugged into a smile as she leaned into him, considering his words. "Promise not to stay mad when I mess up? I mess up... a lot." How many times had Bellamy had to correct her? She only just realized that he's not asking questions, and in response she patted his cheek.
"You're making statements again." She flashed him a goofy grin, as she studied her hands, covered in a crisscross of scars, like her arms. Healing didn't always take the scars. And because she'd planned to sleep in front of the fire, if she slept at all, she wore just a hip length top, with sleeves to her elbows.
Not the most practical thing, to be fair. "Do... we need rules?" Alder had rules. Bellamy had rules. Did Noah have rules? "More than 'no drugs, or alcohol'," she clarified.
Every time she wanted to take a step forward, she was pretty sure she took two steps backwards instead. He most certainly wasn't Bellamy. He didn't see her as a trophy or a tool, just as a woman. "Like... does the house have specific ways you like things done, or, uhm, how do you like your tea?" It was hard, putting the idea of rules as she knew them into words.
Mostly because those rules had ended up controlling her life.
How can I begin again? How can I try to love someone new, someone who isn’t you?
06-03-2020, 03:23 PM (This post was last modified: 06-03-2020, 03:23 PM by Noah.)
NOAH
I wait and tell myself "life ain't chess,"
Large, rough, skilled hands reached up to cup her small, scarred, skilled hands. He held them in his, carefully, examining the scars. The fuzziness of his mind was starting to fade away, and despite the blanket of exhaustion trying to lay over him, he listened to her. He lifted her hands to his lips, kissed them each delicately. "I promise. We will have grace for each other." He would not promise that he would not get mad at her. As much as he wanted to, as much as he hated his own anger, he knew he could never squash it or eliminate it totally. What he could promise, however, was that he would work through that anger with her. Talk to her. Listen to her. Hear her. He smiled some, a crooked grin. "I am making statements again. It looks like you've helped break my curse." He had not yet told her about visiting the shrine and coming up empty handed and cursed. He would if she asked.
She asked about rules, and Noah's mind brought back his parents. He thought of the ways they treated each other before him and his brother. He thought of how they were always quick to apologize to the other, and mean it. The "sorry" was never empty, never an excuse for poor behavior, never a lie. He breathed in, kissing her hands again. "We don't lie to each other. We don't keep secrets. We care for each other. We talk to each other. We share our concerns with each other. We apologize. We fight for each other." He released her hands only to pull her close against him again. The questions in his sentences were gone, and the slurring of his words was lessening with every syllable. "What do you think?"
He did not need to give her orders and commands and a job to do within this house. The two of them would work together to decide who's responsibility was what, but Noah did not care about that right now.
Delphine smiled at his answer. It wasn't a promise of no anger, but it was a promise of trust, and of calm discussion, of gentle hands and voices. She eyed him questioningly when he spoke of a curse; he must have visited a shrine, then. At least it wasn't permanent.
When Noah answered her questions about rules, her brows furrowed and her fingers curled against his sides, as he drew her into him again.
"I..." Her voice trembled, as she snuffled. "I-I like those very much." She whispered, hiding her face against his chest. She wasn't a fan of crying where people could see. "I'm s... sorry," she murmured, pushing away from his chest, sniffling.
"You should sleep. I've kept you up. I'm sorry." She was apologizing for her tears and apologizing for keeping him awake because surely he'd be asleep if not for her.
Still crying, she rubbed at her eyes, yawning herself. "Mmm... I can keep the fire going. Go--" Another yawn, "--to bed." She pushed at his chest, ushering him to obey.
How can I begin again? How can I try to love someone new, someone who isn’t you?
He closed his eyes and drank in the warmth of her body as she pressed into him. For as safe as he made her feel, she made him also feel safe. She felt like someone he could do all of those things he said--the "rules" he imposed--with. Her face streamed with tears again, and Noah noticed immediately when she pulled back. He reached up to stroke her alabaster cheeks, to brush away all evidence of her crying. She said she was sorry, and Noah smiled down at her. "I forgive you." It was the first step if they were going to make this all work. She needed to hear those words from him.
"I forgive you for everything, Delphine." For her children, for her substance abuse, for her defense of Zariah and Neron, for her self-harm. He needed to forgive her if he wanted to keep her -- if he wanted to love her. She pushed him away, ordering him to bed, but he planted himself firmly. His state of awareness had come back enough to where he could hold his own weight up without struggle, and without the room spinning around him. Surely he was not back to normal, still somewhat drunk from the amount of alcohol he had consumed, but enough time had passed that he regained some semblance of himself. She could not move him.
He stepped forward, towards her again, one arm looping and holding the small of her back. He pulled her in close again to him, lips finding hers and adorning them with another deep, hard kiss. "I'm not going anywhere without you." He said, voice a low rumble as he pulled his face just barely back, leaving hardly an inch between their lips.
Delphine sniffles softly, when he forgave her. Nobody had said those words to her before. Maybe Remi. She thought there was a lot to forgive, because she believed she was the person who caused so many problems. It never occurred to her that causing issues was a two-way street.
When he claimed her, and press another hard kiss to her mouth, she groaned under her breath. "That so? You keep giving me kisses like that, I'll never let you go," she warned, leaning to nip his bottom lip. Her hands settled on the back of his neck, fingers running through his hair.
"Mmm, you ready for bed or up for something else?" Hazel eyes glimmered with mischief, as she slipped her left hand along his back, cold fingers reaching under his shirt, as she adjusted her weight from foot to foot. "Your choice." She purred, the invitation there. Delphine wiggled from his grasp, and moved toward his bedroom, because whether he took the invitation or not, she expected his words meant his bed was theirs, because they certainly couldnt continue to share a couch. Not enough space.
How can I begin again? How can I try to love someone new, someone who isn’t you?
It did not take long for a hunger to rise in him. The tips of her fingers danced and tangled in his hair, sending shivers down his spine. Her groan against his lips released his own growl, deep and low and rumbling. He watched her with his melted ice eyes, his lips reaching out in a fleeting kiss, barely a touch, as she bit at his lower lip. Her fingers ran up his spine and he wanted to envelope her here and now. The woman, however, slipped away from him like smoke.
He turned to watch her go, closing the distance to his bedroom door. The window had been repaired and that was good. It would be warm enough for them without the actions that would surely raise the temperature in the room. He had no words for her, but he followed. Strong arms grabbed her once more, turning her body to face him and scoop her up into his arms, off the ground. He kissed her again, one arm holding her up and one hand fumbling to open the door.
The room was colder than the main room of the house, but still quite warm compared to the world that raged outside of the safety of their walls. Noah didn't even worry about closing the door behind him as he rushed into the room, lips hungrily pressed to her's, tongue searching for all it wanted. He moved further than the bed, pressing the blonde woman's back against the far wall. Lips moved from lips to cheek, tracing kisses along her jawline before finding her neck. His body pulsed with the desire for her. This was not the first time this action had crossed his mind. Noah, however, was never going to be a man that moved towards a woman physically without permission.
His hands roamed her body, hungry, desperate, rough.
Delphine gasped as he scooped her up, her hands finding his shoulders, legs curling around his waist. His kisses were desperate, searching, hungry. Hers matched.
Her back pressed to the wall, she pressed hot kisses to his ear, to the side of his head, her hands careless, nails scratching scorching paths in their wake.
It was good. Bellamy had never gotten such a response from the woman. She explored his body, showed hers off. She learned what Noah liked, what she liked.
By the time they'd found the bed, she was pretty sure she'd bitten him by accident, and left a mark. It was a bit satisfying, though. He'd certainly satisfied her.
Curled against his side, her nightshirt somewhere on the floor, Delphine murmured her approval, fingers pulling the blankets over herself. She was pleasantly achy, and tired.
"Noah?" How many times had they gone, how many times had she gasped his name? It was her new favorite word, she was certain.
How can I begin again? How can I try to love someone new, someone who isn’t you?
Noah had not had a lot of emotional sex in his life. Most of it was out a sense of necessity, thrown into the heat of passion and carnal desire. In his life, Noah had never had a steady significant other. He was often too aloof, too dedicated to his own pursuits of serving the people of Halo. But Delphine was someone Noah would try to cling to. He would try his best to balance what his duties to Halo were and his duties to her. There was something different about her than other women he had been with, something enticing and comforting and good.
He lay with her, breathless and naked, soaking up the aftermath of their encounter. His heart still beat heavily in his chest, and his head was rolled back onto his pillow. He as both exhausted and satisfied, his arm curled around Delphine and his fingers tracing circles on her back. He was content to just lay here with her curled up against him, warm under the covers and safe within his--their--home. Though when she spoke, rousing him from his pleasure and exhaustion induced near-sleep, he did not resent it.
"Yes?" He asked, blue eyes shifting down to meet hazel, face relaxed and happy.
Delphine smiles up at him, soaking in blue hues. "Could I paint the house? We've got to do more repairs anyway... seems like a really good time to redecorate." She'd been here a while; and while the place did feel like home, it was...
Certainly lacking a woman's touch. She reached to trail her fingers across his face, grinning sheepishly. "Most of my paints survived," though some had spilled. She had also managed to find some of the pigment herbs that she needed to make some colors she had ran out of. But this wasn't her home, not yet, so she'd ask permission.
As she studied him, she found herself appreciating the happy, relaxed look on his features. It was different than his focused, reserved look that was typical. And it made her warm and fuzzy, knowing she caused that.
Bellamy had once called her a calming drug, his sedation. "Maybe... something bright?" She knew the walls were covered in furs, but that didn't mean they had to be... otherwise empty. The woman's smile was a bright, contagious smile, and she snuggled into him, murmuring, "Do you have to go hunting tomorrow?"
How can I begin again? How can I try to love someone new, someone who isn’t you?
Noah's brows knit together in their typical fashion when Delphine posed the question. the thought of painting his house had never crossed his mind. He wasn't opposed to it, he had always just been practical, and painting seemed like a task that was less important than others. "I like green." He said, simply, giving her enough of a smile that she would know it was permissible for her to do as she pleased.
As she snuggled into him further, his throat and chest vibrated with a deep, low rumble of pleasure. "No," He said softly, barely a whisper, while he leaned down to press a kiss down onto the top of her head. "I do not have to go hunting tomorrow." Even in Deepfrost the Olson had spent time hunting. While he had not ventured out to the tundra to hunt, he was still bringing in Ningos whenever he found them around the Citadel. "What should we do tomorrow?' He asked, wondering what she would pose for their "day off".
Delphine beamed, as if he'd just handed her the world when he told her his favorite color, and gave her permission to do as she pleased to the house. And her excitement only seemed to grow when he informed her that he did not have to hunt, tomorrow. Like a child being given a gift, she brightened.
"Well... we could stay in bed all day, you might have a hangover." She surmised, nuzzling into his neck, pressing gentle kisses of less urgency there. "Or you could introduce me to some of your friends. I don't know many people here. If you're not terribly hungover." Delphine hated crowds, but she was very social. Like a flower needed watering, Delphine needed to be social.
In this moment, here in his arms, in his bed, nothing could go wrong. Nothing in the world was wrong. Every worrisome thing was nonexistant. For now.
How can I begin again? How can I try to love someone new, someone who isn’t you?
Noah Olson, a hunter of Halo, had never stayed in bed all day in his entire life. He always had things to do, tasks to accomplish, people to feed. When duty called, the man was known even to move out to work even while under a fever. Some might think him foolish for living such a life, but Noah did not know any different. Even Hotaru, another blonde woman he had met briefly, had tried to convince him to take a vacation. Noah mentally protested his brother's leaving for weeks because he thought his brother's selfish (self-caring?) act was not the right thing to do.
Despite that, laying there beside Delphine, did not seem so unfathomable to him.
He let his breath out, slow and deep and warm, and spoke. "We can do whatever you would like." He meant what he said, too. If she wanted to lay in bed all day and talk, or not, he would. If she wanted to bundle up and explore parts of Snowcloak, he would. If she wanted to rearrange and paint the house, he would. All he wanted, more than anything now, was to be with her, to feel happy.
She was right, though, about the hangover. He could feel the beginnings of a headache start to throb in the back of his skull, now that the aftermath glow of sex was starting to wear off. For being a man with such hard and strict rules in his life, how to act and how to be, having let himself devour and entire bottle of whiskey was starting to feel heavy on his chest. He knew that familiar feeling--it was shame.
