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!
07-02-2020, 12:29 AM (This post was last modified: 07-02-2020, 12:29 AM by Delta.)
Delta
The only emotion Delta felt anymore was pain.
LongNight always was a miserable time- a cold dark week where she would normally just shelter. For many, it was a time to rest, but to her it felt like a prison. She couldn't explore or stargaze or look at the clouds or literally anything. There was nothing to do and at first, she thought that was the worst it could ever get.
But those words absolutely bit her hard in the mermaid ass.
The voice never left. The only escape was the glowing creatures that rested on the surface and the bonfires that the mouthbreathers held. Otherwise, there wasn't a single light to bring her a relief. The only thing that made it livable was constantly staying at the surface and one would think that Delta would be sick of it at this point, but that wasn't the case.
With LongNight gone, Delta had chosen to swim a bit farther out- heading towards the Rainbow Road. The voice was pleased with staying towards the surface and this gave her an escape. A small little flame inside her hoped that this would be a cure- that it could make her feel happy again, but deep down she knew that this wasn't the case, not at all.
It's why she remained at the surface. Her body was flipped over so that her face was turned towards the sky. With her eyes staring upwards, she took in deep breaths, trying to calm herself down and completely ignoring the rain that pounded against her.
once upon a time my world was big and full of monsters
Longnight, brief respite that it was, had ended, and Nerissa slipped back into business easily, her days suddenly filled, a dozen tasks to be seen to, and not near enough hands that she trusted to see to them all. Olavi helps where he can, bless his cold heart, but one mer is not enough, especially with how specialized her beau's talents are. Really, this is a boon, the fewer steps and checks there are, the more certain she can be that things are working exactly how she expects.
Business is what brings her close to the shore, but it's her own personal pleasure that draws her so close to the surface, to the pounding rain and dim grey void of sky. Scylla swims before her, and it's the shark who notices the body first, the limp little present drifting in the waves. Belly up.
It's a shame, always is, and though the pretty little fish is not someone who's familiar to Nerissa, the scavenger still swims closer, hoping for an easy score, some bonus to round out the trip, make it more worthwhile. With a thought, a wave folds over the body and pulls it down, the water itself bending to her will. She waits only a few feet into the dim, fingers outstretching to pick out anything that seemed valuable, or interesting, ready to take what she wanted and leave the rest to sink to the bottom feeders.
Luck is on Delta’s side for once. It means that she doesn’t shift for once!
Unfortunately, luck isn’t on Nerissa’s side for Delta didn’t even bring much with her. A bag is strapped to a belt tied around her waist, but it is only filled with some important tools and food. That’s it. Nothing exactly worth stealing to a typical person.
If Nerissa is observant, she will notice that the body moves slightly. Arms moving slightly, fingers twitching and as one point curling into almost a fist. It would only be helped if she got closer as this mermaid was breathing- she wasn’t dead. Why she’d choose to appear as if she were dead would be a mystery to the common person. Delta wasn’t exactly being logical in this moment, far from it.
This new life she was living led her to doing weirder and weirder things.
once upon a time my world was big and full of monsters
Almost immediately, it becomes clear that this is not a typical belly up, not a true dead body. And while that should put caution into her actions, in reality, all it does is make Nerissa grow more curious, her safety assured by her own power, even without Olavi at her side. She could handle a single would be cadaver.
But oh, on closer inspection this is not just any, would be cadaver. This is the princess. Nerissa feels her lips curl, her nose wrinkle, before she schools the expression into one of quiet disappointment, a long sigh leaving her. Scylla swims around her body, into her arms, just in time to be stroked. "What a shame." She sighs, speaking loudly, but to her companion.
"The poor princess. I suppose... I will have to inform her father of her passing. Console him, as he grieves." While she speaks, Nerissa moves around the still body of Delta, stealing glances where she can, wondering when this game will end. "And then there will be the funeral. Oh, what a shame, a young life lost."
It wasn't that Delta was trying to ignore the mermaid at first, hell, she didn't even really notice that the girl was there. At this point, she felt like she was in a state of shock, thinking about really nothing and just trying to avoid having the voice return. At first, Delta doesn't really understand what the girl is talking about. She's... not dead.
And then it hits her. Her eyes widen and she immediately tries to roll over and figure out where the girl is. She flails around a small bit before finally seeing her. It's the first time she's expressed such emotions in a while. "I'm fine!" She calls out, sounding a bit more panicky than anything else.
Eventually, her eyes do land on the mermaid and she takes a few deep breaths. "I'm fine- I'm okay." Well, she wasn't dead, but she absolutely wasn't fine or okay. "Why- why did you think I was dead?" Delta really needed to learn to think for a moment. Her brain was in a fog and it really was showing.
once upon a time my world was big and full of monsters
The call comes while her back is turned, and all at once, Nerissa drops the act and twirls, looking over the younger mer with a sharp eye. Scylla leaves her arms to swim in tight circles around Delta, seemingly looking her over, the small shark somehow more menacing than it has any right to be.
A lazy hand lift's to Nerissa's cheek, sharp nails resting delicately on her face while she answered. "What else was I supposed to think, princess?" A tentacle tip glows briefly, and Scylla swims away from Delta again, to rest along the smugglers shoulders, half hidden in the long curtain of hair. "A body, belly up, and when I scooped you up with my wave, you didn't move. Don't you know there's dangerous things in these waters, willing to make a meal of you?"
There is something off about the child, though perhaps that's simply her, her lack of experience with the youth. Or perhaps it was the disparity of their lives, an out of touch royal child. Perhaps again there really is some issue troubling the princess.
Gnawing on her lip, Delta cant even try to look the mermaid in the eyes anymore, clearly growing very embarrassed. "Well- yes, I know that." Delta looked back at the girl and let out a soft sigh. This was... going to be hard to explain. Already, Delta could tell that she was going to get a few questions and that this woman was the opposite of understanding. Already it was exhausting enough living this life, but to also deal with this? Damn.
She tried to look less scared, but mostly she just looked like she accidentally cut herself while cooking. "I'm just really tired and really out of it.... it's really hard for me to focus anymore. And trust me, I'd be securely at home if I could... but this kinda place is where I feel the most comfortable." She hadn't forcefully shifted yet so no reason to divulge deeply into the curse. "Something happened and, well, I just have to deal with it." She really wasn't speaking well anymore and had already shown that she was a pitiful excuse for a princess, but she couldn't bring herself to try any harder.
"I am sorry that you had to deal with it... I can assure you, I'm not dead and I'm... okay."
once upon a time my world was big and full of monsters
Every word Delta offers only raises further questions, without supplying much in the way of answers. The pittance of pity that Nerissa felt evaporated in an instant, her time far too valuable to waste with any kind of guessing games, the complicated dance that the princess stumbled through.
"What happened?" There is a sharpness to Nerissa's words, a demand lingering in them, as she leans back, letting the water cradle her like a comfortable chair. While it doesn't seem particularly likely that she'll be able to use this information for anything, there is still something to be said about being in the know. And she's gotten where she is by always being in the know.
Though the apology draws a dark laugh from Nerissa, her hand coming up to cover her mouth while the sound tinkles out of her like breaking glass. "Don't include me in your struggle, child. I have dealt with nothing." And she would leave, having done nothing, as soon as it became clear there was nothing to be gained. For now though, she lingered, watching the princess with a distant interest.
Unfortunately, this mermaid was very pushy and thanks to Delta being the way she was: she absolutely had to share just about everything. "I was cursed- by a spirit. They have taken over the Shrine... and so they cursed me... but I have spoken with one before and they didn't curse me then, just told me that what I requested wasn't possible for them to do." That was something she had actually failed to mention to really anyone else- it had completely slipped her mind until she thought deeply about her past experiences.
The woman showed zero sympathy and was now angry. Wow. Okay.... Delta really had screwed up in this case. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make it sound like that-" She left it at that because, well, there wasn't anything else left to say. Delta felt bad for making the woman deal with her and now she felt even worse seeing as she was making her angrier and angrier. Gods... things were terrible.
once upon a time my world was big and full of monsters
There's a vaguely curious tilt to Nerissa's face as the explanation is spewed out, a single eyebrow arching as she tilts back towards Delta. "Have you ever heard what they say about the shrines?" Nerissa sure hadn't, but spinning tales was a skill of hers. It was easy, when near everything is delivered in the same cadence, no indications given to tell a truthful word from a lying one. "Each time you pray at one, your very being is weighed by the divine, by the spirits." The very corners of her lips tilt up, Nerissa's back straightening so she can look down her nose at the royal mer a touch easier. "I wonder what you must have done to be found so lacking."
The apologies upon apologies did nothing but exhaust Nerissa, it was not a trait she tolerated in her underlings, and it was she only barely tolerated here. "Perhaps you should think about your words a little more carefully then." The tone was muzzled, clipped, but not obviously angry, merely... strained. "You're meant to be the face of our people, aren't you?"
The words at first were wise and ones she took to heart. It would hopefully be helpful and maybe if she ever prayed again, it would be helpful... but then she had more to say. A frown formed on her face and she let out a sigh. "Honestly? Nothing. Literally. The first time I was cursed I showed up and without saying a word I was attacked." Why did everyone make assumptions?
The assumptions continued and steadily, Delta's stomach started to ache. Her head hurt and ears jabbed with pain. It was impossible to ignore what the mermaid had to say to her. It was then time to speak and... she didn't know what to say. "I will... do my best to think about my words more." Her voice was soft and almost fearful, clearly both overwhelmed and ashamed. "I know.... I know I have a lot to learn and I haven't been the best I should be so far." All Delta wanted to do now was go home. She got the picture: Nerissa disliked her and everything she had done.
once upon a time my world was big and full of monsters
It took everything Nerissa had to not sigh, to not raise a hand to rub at her forehead. This is precisely why she had never entertained the idea of children. Even when she thought she was clear, beyond misunderstanding, she was proven wrong. It was a trait she would be unable to abide in anyone she had to deal with more often. "I suppose the spirit at the shrine simply sensed that you were unworthy of whatever it was you were going to ask for." There was no longer any attempt made to soften her words, to feign haughty aloofness. If she needed to be sharp for her point to be understood, then so be it.
A stern disappointment still clung to Nerissa's face, and it managed to settle into her tone again. "Good. Perhaps you will have learned the skill by the time you are meant to take over." If they ever reached that point. Maru was still in good health, and much could happen between now, and his eventual abdication. In her deepest dreams, Nerissa imagined a crown on her head, a return to bloody glory unlike anything the mer had seen in centuries. More likely though, she would live to see the princess before her take over.
"Perhaps you should return home." If not for her tone from earlier, this would seem almost caring. As it was, Nerissa simply sounded done with the conversation. She had more important things to pursue, and she had wasted more than enough time with the pitiable princess. Without waiting for an answer, she swim past the younger mermaid, dark tentacles curling to reveal hidden spikes beneath them as she disappeared into the distance.
