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!
see the sunset turning red let all be quiet in your head and look about
You watch her watch the shelled creature with a smile pulling at your mouth, pleased by her interest in your finding, wondering if there will be freckles on her pale skin after more time in the sun. Snorting at the comment about you being a warm soul, you turn away with a somewhat sheepish expression, wrinkling your nose as you take the cowrie back. "Pft. 'scuse me, I'm scurff all the way through."
For a moment you consider yeeting the thing into the ocean to prove your point, but the urge quickly fades because she's right- you are a big fucking softy. So instead you wade into the shallows, water lapping at your bare calves, darkening your shorts. The thing needs to be on rocks to be happy, so you go until your find a shallow shelf and set it down.
When you wade back toward her you're holding something rock-like in your hand. Holding it up, you reveal a rather ugly looking brown shell. "Know what this is?" you ask, extending the oyster for her to inspect.
There was definitely a bit of smugness in Vai’s expression as he turned away, the huntress folding her arms across her chest and nodding to him. ”Oh I am certain,” she said, believing it not even slightly. Zeph brushed past and she moved to watch him, the way the waves rushed to the shore as if to meet him, the way he hunted and searched for just the right spot to put the creature. He treated the ocean the same way she treated the woods, and she found herself admiring the wildness of the water.
”I have no idea what that is,” she said as he returned, tilting her head and examining the rock-like thing as he extended it out for her. ”Is it an animal?” It was obviously a guess, given that the last shell-like thing had been, but she couldn’t be sure. ”Or a gem that’s not been polished, maybe?”
see the sunset turning red let all be quiet in your head and look about
The water feels like home to you, your body strangely steady in the push and pull of the waves. Even now you haven't fully left it, letting the tide lap up to your ankles as you wait for her to step a little closer, to feel the salt on her own skin. The oyster is passed between you like a treasure, your fingers lingering a moment on hers before going to your belt. You roll your shoulders at her guesses, mischief sparkling in your almond eyes. "Bit'a both. Here, watch."
You've pulled out a knife, small but sturdy, made essentially for this cause. Standing next to her is totally unnecessary but you do it anyway, your bare shoulder brushing up against hers as you begin your demonstration. Reaching out to take her hand, you tuck the blade between the lips of the creature, showing her how to find the crease that will allow you to break it open.
Once split open the shell will reveal its first secret: a shimmering sheen of glittering color, holding a fleshy lump. "Oysters. Gristly fuckers, but worth a fortune if yer lucky. An' delicious if ya ain't."
Vai’s hands were used to this sort of work; skinning rabbits and deer, cutting meat and stripping bone and cleaning fur, but there was something much more delicate about this process that had her entranced. With water tickling her bare toes, feet sinking deep into the wet sand, she let Zeph guide her hands. A swift learner (with a good teacher), the oyster cracked open with a satisfying crack, revealing the treasure within.
A smile lit up her face at the glittering colours hiding beneath the rocky exterior, and she raised her eyebrows up at Zeph. ”What makes them worth fortunes?” she asked, examining the apparent creature within. ”And how are you supposed to cook them?”
see the sunset turning red let all be quiet in your head and look about
"The thing'about oysters is they make th'most of a bad hand." Brushing over her questions with a grin, you reach around to push at the flesh of the thing with bare fingers, hunting for the prize you hope that it might contain. "They eat by grabbin' food outta th'water, but sometimes sand gets in instead. 'Stead'a givin' up, though, some'a them take it an' make somethin' beautiful- ah, there we go."
In fingers slick with oyster guts you proudly show your prize. The pearl is black with a sheen of purple, blue, or green, based on the light, and has taken a shape that's far from a sphere. "Some pearls, they're totally round. Those ones fetch t'most, 'cus people like 'em perfect but...I dunno. Always been a bit'uv a sucker for things that ain't quite perfect." You deposit the pearl into her palm for closer inspection, waiting for her to make her assessment with keen, inquisitive eyes.
”I know how that oyster feels sometimes,” Vai remarked with a sly smile. Was she talking about doing her best with a bad hand? Was she talking about Zeph’s fingers in soft oyster flesh? You decide. Still, he was obviously hunting for something, Vai tilting her head curiously to hear about how the strange little thing made its meals. And when it appeared - a jagged, shining thing that caught the light in an array of colours - her lips parted in a soft gasp.
”Well would you look at that,” she murmured, holding her hand up to the light as the pearl was deposited in her palm, Vai trying to see how many colours she could encourage out of it. ”That’s amazing... and that explains a lot, you know.” She nudged him gently in the ribs. ”It is my pleasure to be not quite perfect. Makes things much more interesting.”
see the sunset turning red let all be quiet in your head and look about
The gasp is exactly what you hoped for, inspiring a look of smug delight to dance across your face. It is a beautiful, multi-faceted thing, interesting from every angle and endlessly with new things to discover... aaaaaand you aren't looking at the pearl anymore, are you? Okay, okay, get it together. And wipe that dumb smile off your face.
You don't lose the smile. You also don't stop looking at her face, even as she playfully elbows your ribs. "To bein' imperfect," you say with a grin, raising your half of the decimated oyster up in mock cheers.
The treasure discovered: now for the meal. "Well, ya could cook it a number'a way. Grilled, fried, baked- but." Sticking your fingers back into the guts of the mollusk, you separate the meat from its filter and hold it up with a wicked grin. "True Torchers know th'best way is t'down the whole thing, raw. Care for a taste?" It looks astoundingly unappealing, you know, all slimy and slick, and your grin only widens as your extend it toward your companion, an eyebrow raised in challenge, eyes glittering with the dare.
”To being imperfect,” she agreed, winking at him and lifting her half of the oyster in turn. Tucking the little pearl away for Zeph to pickpocket later, Vai turned her attention to the apparent fact that the thing that had already given them a treasure was apparently edible as well. ”Hey, what?” She narrowed her eyes at him mischievously as he held up the raw mollusk, as if trying to gauge whether or not he was yanking her chain.
”A true Torcher, huh? Am I also expected to eat it from your fingers?” she asked, bouncing her eyebrows at him. A hand moved to her hip as she examined the unappetising little guy, before a sigh escaped her - one that was resigned to her own competitive nature. ”In for a penny,” she muttered, taking the oyster from him to eat it in one. The face Vai pulled was... interesting to say the least, melting from what the actual fuck Zeph down to pleasantly surprised.
see the sunset turning red let all be quiet in your head and look about
"Yes." Your crooked grin does not falter as you watch her expression scrunch and squeeze, wiggling the little fucker appetizingly for her to steal from your fingers- or not. "If you're too chicken..." you trail off teasingly, waggling your brows again. Ah, but once again she does not disappoint, swallowing down the morsel with admirable aplomb and causing your sunny grin to only grow.
"Not bad, right?" The pleasant surprise on her face is all the reward you need, smug pride creasing the edges of your eyes. Leaning in close enough to brush your lips onto her ears, you whisper in a husky voice: "They say eatin' oysters raw makes helps get ya' in th'mood."
Drawing back with another eyebrow waggle, you stick your pockets in your pants and continue down the beach, whistling.
Too chicken - pah! With a triumphant smirk, Vai actually seemed rather proud of herself for winning their little dare. And he was right, actually; texture aside, it hadn’t been bad at all. ”I can see the appeal,” she admitted, brow furrowing as he leant in close, a flush on her cheeks even before he delivered that little snippet of information. Tongue running across her teeth, Vai watched the cheeky bastard swaggering off down the beach with something playfully challenging in her eyes.
She threw her half of the oyster shell at him first. Then she threw her balled up shirt.
”I am going for that swim,” she informed him airily, before slipping out of the rest of her clothes and going running - naked - into the ocean. Above them, the skies opened and rain began to softly patter down.
see the sunset turning red let all be quiet in your head and look about
The oyster shell hits you squarely between the shoulders. "Oi!" you yelp in surprise at the impact, turning around to face her with a rather indignant laugh. "What was tha-"
Any protest is interrupted as her shirt hits your face.
Your eyes grow wide in surprise and then crinkle in a grin, lingering appreciatively as she strips off the rest of her clothes. Ah, so that's how she wants to play it. Well, two can play at that game. "And what about workin'?" you protest quite half-heartedly, already making no effort to stop her and indeed staring at her ass quite unabashedly as she runs into the waves.
And then, of course, the rain begins. So you might as well be swimming, since you're already getting wet.
You're out of your shorts in another moment, the garment chucked onto the beach. You've already wasted enough time pursuing her today, and you don't intend to waste any more. Naked as a baby you charge into the water, diving down as soon as it's deep enough to reach your waist. As nimble as a fish your body moves through it, a stream of bubbles marking your progress until you resurface right beside her, shaking your head to get the damp hair out of your upturned eyes.
So, the sea was salty as all fuck. Vai - who had only swam in lakes and rivers - found that out as quite the nasty surprise, and it slowed her progress considerably. As did the tide. Still, by the time Zeph popped up beside her like a gods-damned fish she’d at least hit her stride a little, though the tug and pull of the sea was breathtaking (sometimes literally).
Dark, wet hair swept back from her face, there was excitement in her eyes as she gazed out at the deep, wild waters, and she glanced across at him with a smile that was honestly a little awed. ”This is a lot different to the Stonesong,” she murmured, raindrops striking the surface of the waves all around them, quickly intensifying to a downpour. Vai laughed, unable to help it, kicking off the sand towards Zeph and reaching up to wind an arm around his neck, dragging him into a kiss. It said more than words did.
see the sunset turning red let all be quiet in your head and look about
Your smile is bright and a little bit breathless as you watch her take in the sea you love. The rain pattering down on your face makes the water that much rougher, but you love the chill of it, the way it drenches you, the way it drenches her. "Beautiful, ain't it?" And really it is: everything you can see is gorgeous, from the rain to the water to her.
Her arms around you and her mouth on your lips is all the encouragement you need. You take her in your embrace gladly, holding her weight as she floats in the water and devouring the taste of her lips, her tongue, while rain pours and pools upon you both, nearly hiding the shore.
You break away with a breathless laugh, pushing off on the sand and bringing her with you, your arms still wrapped around you. "Think ya could get used't this?" The ocean, the rain, the press of your bodies- because gods damned, you could.
It was beautiful, and Vai could only imagine it in Longheat and Leafchange, the sun glittering on the waves in place of the rain. Enough about the sea, though - Zeph’s touch was warm and his lips were warmer, kindling further heat that made the cool drift of the water around them a delicious contrast. Stealing in a breath as he kicked off the sand, they hit the crest of a wave and Vai was weightless, the roar of the rain and the ocean filling her ears and nearly drowning out his words.
Could she get used to this? To the sand and salt of the beach, to almond eyes and whiskey kisses and flirting like a teenager again? ”Fuck yes,” she said with a grin, not having to speak too loudly given their proximity. It was like the rest of the world had been swallowed away in the downpour, and they drifted errantly on the whims of the tide. ”Though if this keeps up I feel like we won’t be doing much swimming.”
And y’know what? She was fine with that too. She could always blame the oyster.
