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!
Iris blinked after receiving the nudge, opened her mouth, and closed it. "Of course not!" She said finally, too embarrassed to be properly indignant, and followed after Henry once more, stomping through the tall grass.
She pouted vigorously while he teased her, taking another drag of the bottle and not missing the opportunity to give the farmer a sideways glare when she caught his eye. When her lip quivered with bubbling amusement, she did what she could to hide it.
She'd had a rough day. Yet, somehow, going through every imaginable emotion lifted some of the weight off her shoulders. Now that she was being led to safety by an overzealous eagle she found herself feeling surprisingly light-hearted. And, strangely, becoming slightly fond of the eagle.
"Be that as it may," she started haughtily and passed though the opening he'd made, hooking the branch out of Henry's grasp and letting it land on the bird man with with a surprising deal of satisfaction. She didn't hold back her giggle this time. "The trees are very grabby, Grounder. Don't say I didn't warn you."
She waited for him on the road ahead, having found a new spring in her step, with an outstretched hand, an offer of the bottle, and a snicker. "I can take care of myself, you know. Normally. And I plan to avoid any and all fungi for a long while." A hand rose to her heart in ceremonious promise. "I'm not looking forward to LongNight though. What do you do when it comes?"
I was waiting for something extraordinary but as the years wasted on...
Henry's gaze lifted up at her curiously, to see what sort of case she might make for herself. Only... she didn't, and instead she grabbed the branch out of his hand. All he could do was realize what was about to happen as he met her gaze. The poky, grabby branch comes flying into his face and, yes, Siri gets the satisfaction of seeing his panic right before the impact.
He tosses his hand through the branch, hitting it out of his way and tearing through it. There are a myriad of tiny, fresh pink cuts on his skin. "Ha-ha," he retorts, "very funny. Did that make you feel better?" He pretended to be right angry, snatching the bottle out of her offering hand. But, as he did, there was an edge of a smile that slipped through the cracks in his façade.
He laughed suddenly, at her vow to stay away from fungi. "Aw, you'd even stay away from me? I'm a fun guy, but at least I helped you out," he smirked at her, knowing it was an absolutely terrible joke. The worst he'd ever made, probably. He took a swig from the bottle and handed it back to her.
Siri's question sobers him, though, at the mention of LongNight. "Normally? I hunker down somewhere safe and try to ignore the monsters that mimic voices of dead people I used to know and love," he raised his brows at her, no smile on his face to indicate that this was another one of his really bad jokes. Nope, just a really shitty truth, which comes out so bluntly thanks to the bit of alcohol swimming around in his system. "That's how they lure you out, make you think they're a person. That they need help. Sometimes they just break in, though. Whole families have been slaughtered like that." He brought a hand up to pat her shoulder, "Welcome to the Grounds. Want to leave yet?" Because everyone did, sooner or later. No one ever wanted to stay.
01-28-2021, 12:48 PM (This post was last modified: 01-28-2021, 01:04 PM by Iris.)
'Siri'
"Tremendously." Iris retorted, returning the nudge into his side the moment she saw a smile slip through the cracks. Then the joke came and there was a distinct silence that ensued, disturbed only by the chirp of a cricket somewhere off the side of the road.
"That was just... yes. A great career awaits you in comedy. Much fame. All the women. Or men?" She added, a hint of curiosity in her gaze. Although they were dosed with sarcasm there was no malice in her words, mirth warming her smile from the inside, like good Trocher liquor. Happily, she took another swig. It lightened her steps.
Then she was quiet. As Henry talked she thought back to the apparition she'd been following. She called out to him receiving nothing but deafening silence and yearning for the smallest sound in his voice. Yet the thought of Elias calling out to her from the chill of the deep night gripped her heart like a closed fist.
Once again that feeling came back. The feeling of not being drunk enough.
"No." Comes the answer, after some consideration. "Not with such fun guys around." A grin spreads across her face, pulling up the tendrils of carefree joy that was there a minute ago, so akin to happiness. Another sampling of the brew and she was in front of Henry, pushing the bottle into his chest. "Here, take this." When she looked at him there was a gentle tide behind her eyes. He too had seen loss, and there were no words Iris could find that would not sound empty in trying to carry the weight it put on the soul. She gave only a glance, a silent and intimate understanding. "And go to Torchline when LongNight comes. The dead should be honored with laughter." That's what Elias used to say, anyway.
I was waiting for something extraordinary but as the years wasted on...
He let out a scoffing laugh, shaking his head. He sensed the curiosity in her question, which didn't bother him, but he did have to make another crack, "Sorry, I have to choose?" He wiggles mischievous, knowing eyebrows at her. The conversation likely could've taken up into such airy, light feelings, with the bounce in Siri's step and the smile planted on his countenance. Alas, all good things must come to an end.
The way he speaks so bluntly about LongNight has him reeling a bit, even if she didn't seem to show much sign of being perturbed. He brings a hand up to scratch his neck awkwardly, realizing he could've put things a little better. There's a sigh that's wafting out through his lips when suddenly she pushes the bottle into his chest, which hitches his breath in a soft 'oof'. The answer and gesture is unexpected and, even if it's not exactly the most heartfelt, he looks up at her with pleasant surprise.
He doesn't mind her inability to find comforting words. The look in her eyes is enough to make him feel a little better, a kindness in them he didn't think he'd see from her today. It's a small victory but, a victory nonetheless, so he offers her a small, reassuring smile.
"Suppose they should, shouldn't they?" He echoes, distracted, taking a deeper drink of the rum in his hands. He continues on to clarify, "I am actually going to be in Torchline for most of Deepfrost. Wessex - she's the.. uh, queen around here - wants me to be there. Gotta kickstart the explorer's guild, generate interest for it. See if I can recruit anyone. And, uh, keep myself out of harm's way, of course," he looks over at Siri and raises his brows in question, "Hey, would you be interested? You could be apart of it, if you want... you already travel. Could do that for a guild, instead of by yourself." He brushes his shoulder against hers, an encouraging nudge.
Iris quickly chirped back. "The world is your oyster." Her tone light and curiosity sated. Although she hadn’t given him much attention at first, it was difficult not to notice Henry’s tanned skin and broad shoulders. She concluded her observation by looking him up and down and humming to herself.
Such thoughts were brushed aside for more somber topics, but only for a minute. Iris didn’t dwell in these feelings. As quickly as it appeared the vulnerability was gone from her eyes and pushed deep inside her, where it belonged. She smirked at the man who wore his heart on his sleeve with apparent ease and gestured for him to drink up.
There was a flicker of surprise in Iris that the audacious avian made the sensible decision of braving the LongNight by the bonfire. And a small pang of envy. ”Good. Go get your feathers ruffled. And maybe bring back a few bottles on your way back.” She emphasized with a playful nudge.
His guild piqued her interest, but the mention of the Grounds’ queen drew her attention. ”What’s her stake in the guild?” Although she still had a lot to learn about politics, Iris knew politicians. And they never did anything simply out of the kindness of their heart. The idea did excite her however. And it wouldn’t hurt to have a farmer or two watching her back on the treacherous landscapes of Caido. ”Who else is part of your guild? Where do you intend to explore?” The questions rushed one after another.
I was waiting for something extraordinary but as the years wasted on...
Henry scoffed and gently elbowed her back, "You could come with me, if you want." Ultimately, that would be her choice, so he didn't plan on pushing the offer at all. She didn't even have to answer it.
As for the guild, Henry shrugs. "It's her idea but I might help her run it. The last time she tried to start it, it wasn't able to take off. So I suppose we'll be spearheading it together. But I think we'll be making most decisions as a group, if it does manage to take off. Gods know I'll be exploring either way, with or without a guild," he smiles confidently at that. He'd always wanted to. A guild would be better than going at it solo, of course. The support of a team, should it be necessary at all, sounded promising to him.
Her questions were fair and he nodded along in understanding, a thoughtful frown casting across his features. "For now, it's just Wessex, Bastien, and I. I'm hoping I can find others, especially while I'm in Torchline. They seem like an adventurous bunch down there," he shoots her a knowing wink. As for where they intend to explore? "I think where is less important so much as if it's a justifiable journey and a good use of resources. But... it could be anywhere! Anywhere that needs us. If things go as planned, we'll start next year. I'll see you there, hm?"
