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!
The object that Loren had removed from Eirachi's brother bothered the healer. Whatever it was, it was powerful enough to bind a seasonal spirit. So, after staring at it for too many hours the healer had sighed, packed it up, and made a quick stop in the market for some necessary supplies. Then he'd set off on the long trek to the portal, Astra in tow.
Stepping out into the Greatwood, he carefully made his way towards the Crimson Cataract and the shrine located there. Once he arrived, he took out the peaches and cream he'd acquired and set them down carefully before the statue. Only then did he kneel, take out the strange and hot metal and hold it out in his palms, and bowed his head.
Staring at his scarred hands for just a moment, he took a deep breath. "Frey, I was wondering if you could tell me what this is." Then he waited, wondering whether and how they might respond.
The peaches and cream barely get a chance to settle where Loren has placed them when they’re gone again, in the hands of the god Loren has visited so often. But there’s something different about the Frey who sits with their back to the Launceleyn, their bare feet dangling in the water. Fresh crimson blooms where their toes touch the water, and they glance over their shoulder to him, licking cream from their fingers.
There’s no flush of arousal, no charged sensuality in the air. This Frey is still everything Loren might wish them to be, but in place of sex there’s a sense of abundance, of just about to begin, of nurturing calm. ”I have no idea, honey,” they say, swinging their feet. ”Looks shiny, though. Where’d you get it?”
The change is Frey was obvious to Loren, though he couldn't put his finger quite on what. The lack of sensuality was a big clue, but he forced himself to ignore the mystery of the god to focus on the other mystery at hand. He stayed where he was, brow furrowed as he digested their answer. Astra, though had no qualms about trotting right up to them, heedless of the crimson lichen and water. She bleated excitedly the whole time.
Trying to keep the worry from his voice he answered their question. "I took it from the heart of Eirachi's brother. It had bound him in place, in a land of lava and fire." He gave them a concerned look. "If you don't know, do you know who might want to bind him and why?" Frey wasn't normally one to answer his questions, so he knew he was pushing his luck.
”Hello there, gorgeous,” Frey croons to Astra, their fingers working through her soft fur. They set down the empty bowl so that the little luxere might lick the leftover cream from it. At the mention of Tanau, of Eirachi’s brother, a frown passes over their face, sudden as a Flowerbirth shower. Taking their feet from the water, they get up and stretch, flowers seeming to spread over their tanned form.
”Tanau has always belonged in the Climb. Whatever gives you the impression that he has been bound?” They inquire, turning to look at whatever Loren holds in his hands. ”It’s a chunk of metal,” they say helpfully. ”Tanau is fond of such things, given the elements he likes to play with.” They hold out a hand for it.
Wriggling, Astra pressed herself against Frey. Every single one of the luxere's muscles relaxed. When they offered the bowl, she leaned down and licked it clean, bleating as she did.
Loren smiled at the sight. However, it slid away as the god frowned. "Stupid mortal assumptions, I guess." Sighing, he scrubbed his face with his free hand. "The Eirachi sent Wessex to rescue Tanau. And Vi sent Amalia to protect Tanau. So I assumed Tanau was in trouble. Trapped, somehow."
Holding out the metal for them, he frowned. "That, and this metal was lodged in their heart and causing them a great deal of pain. When I removed it, they were freed from the pain at least." He shook his head.
They look at the metal, but they do not touch, the deity tilting their head to examine it more closely. ”He was in trouble. That is as good a trap as any other, wouldn’t you say, sunshine?” They straighten up again from their inspection. ”It’s no good keeping it as a trinket. Whatever’s in it is already in you. Best you return it from where it came, no?” They lick a bit of cream from the corner of their mouth where it’s been misses, swinging their arms and turning to look out at the Crimson Cataract.
”You shouldn’t concern yourself so much with ifs and buts and changes, peach. Haven’t you got better things to do? Babies to make?” They sigh, leaning down again now to pat Astra atop the head.
Blowing out some air, Loren nodded. "I suppose it is." The words were quiet.
Eyes widening as Frey went on, he felt all the blood drain from his face. Astra looked up from where she was still licking the bowl clean and bleated. "In...inside me?" Swallowing hard, he lifted the metal up, turning it this way and that, examining it.
Biting his lip, he finally set it down into his lap. "I'll put it back where it belongs. Somewhere in the Climb, right?" His brow furrowed and the fingers of his free hand drummed a beat against his thigh.
However, his gaze was drawn back to them when they spoke again. Sighing, he shifted so his feet were dangling just above the water. Meanwhile, the luxere wriggled under the deity's fingers and pressed herself up into them.
He smiled at the sight though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I know. I've tried. To live in the moment and make babies both." Laughing, he shrugged. "I've slept with a lot of people. No babies yet." Lips twisting, he leaned back and rested his weight on his palms.
Then he blushed and looked away from them. "Would you be willing to help me make a fertility charm?"
”That’s right, sugar. It’s gotten its fingers in you deep. I’m excited to see what happens.” Because of course they are. Smiling brightly down at Astra, Frey takes a long, deep breath in and the world around them seems to brighten a bit. Animals are peeping out from their various hiding places, like the deity is some kind of naked Snow White. ”Sure,” they say of returning the object to the Climb, sitting on the bank again and patting their lap for the luxere to hop on up.
Lifting their hand - within which there is suddenly a crisp green apple - they take a bite and bounce their eyebrows at Loren as he finally seems to hook onto the only thing that really matters. ”Well,” they say, chewing slowly, ”have you asked any of your lovers to have one with you? They might just say yes. That’s the key to your fertility charm, actually - getting someone to want to do the deed for a bundle of joy.”
Licking suddenly dry lips, Loren looked between the rock and Frey. Taking a deep breath and holding it for a moment, he let it out in a sigh. "We'll find out." He tucked the strange metallic stone back into his pack.
Then he gazed around at the animals poking their heads out. Taking another deep breath, this time through his nose, he took in the scents of nature all around. Astra climbed into the god's lap, nuzzling against their chest.
His eyes glittered with tears when they asked him about his previous lovers. "No." Bowing his head, he drew his knees into his chest and wrapped his arms around them. "I'll try that next time."
”Oh, we certainly will,” Frey agrees, taking another bite of the apple and paddling their feet in the water. Astra hops up and they scritch behind her fluffy ears, offering the rest of the apple out for her to enjoy. Loren’s tears do little to move them; this is a necessary lesson, they believe, that perhaps the Launceleyn is overdue learning.
”Tell ya what, peach,” they coo, tilting their head across at him. ”You come here with someone in mind, and if both of you want to get naughty and pop out a baby at the end of it? I’ll give you that fertility charm. Easy as pie.” They wink. ”We got a deal?”
Staring into the water, Loren nodded once at Frey's words. Astra wriggled into a more comfortable position in their lap. When they offered the apple, she immediately took it from them, taking the opportunity to lick their fingers as she munched it from their hand.
Looking up at their offer the healer smiled. Rubbing his eyes, he wiped his now damp hands on his pants. "Deal. Thank you." Taking a deep breath, he let it out, feeling tension bleeding from his shoulders as he did.
He glanced at the bag with the object before returning his attention to the deity beside him. "Did the Climb always have that environment? Or did something happen there, like the event that froze Halo?"
Continuing to fuss over Astra and letting her munch the apple from their hands, Frey’s padding in the waters cause fish to scatter from the crimson moss. They hum under their breath, turning their face up to the Flowerbirth sunshine to enjoy it for a moment or a million. ”Everything changes, sugar,” they remind Loren, pleased that his upset has subsided. Such a silly little thing to be sad about, and easily resolved too.
”What event froze Halo?” they want to know. ”They Climb is the Climb. Halo is Halo. You have so many thoughts, peach, that I’m not sure whether you’ve imagined them up, or if my long memory is spinning out into the stars.” Finished with the apple, they gently ease Astra from their lap and get up to stretch mightily.
Nodding at Frey's words, Loren managed to muster up a smile. "So it does." Astra bleated, peering out of their lap into the water below, eyes following the scattering fish.
Opening his mouth, he hesitated. Closed it and frowned. Finally shook his head. "My mistake. I'd trust your memory over mine any day. My mind is a far too busy place most of the time." He laughed though he was still frowning. "Which is why I need as many reminders to live in the present as possible."
Taking a deep breath, he let it out with a sigh. "What will be will be." He glanced at them before leaning back and turning his head towards the sky and the sun.
”Welp, regardless - the Climb has always been a hot little gem in the mountains.” Frey winks, reaching down to tussle Loren’s hair (leaving a glorious flower crown in their wake). ”Got to have some place for the firecrackers to live and to make a good hot spring.” A smile curls across their lips. With a final pat to Astra, they turn on heel and begin to stroll back into the Greatwood.
Loren’s final remark makes them laugh, and they spread their arms out wide. Overhead a refreshing shower begins to fall. ”Isn’t that always the way? Roll with it, honey. You might just surprise yourself by having a little fun.”
