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!
It was still early in the afternoon, and Aurelia once again found herself in the Oerwoud. She was cloaked in thick, dark brown material; a mere shadow along the jungle floor. Attached to her back was a small pack, filled with food and water and miscellaneous tools (such as rope) she thought she might end up needing. Attached to her leather belt were a set of daggers and her hunter's knife.
It didn't take her long to find a set of large tracks, circular in shape, stamped into the dirt. She paused at the discovery, heart thumping. Instinctually, she lowered herself to the ground.
A single, adept finger felt along the imprint to see how fresh it was. The dirt's pliability beneath pressure and the undisturbed perfection of the trail revealed that it had not been very long. Maybe earlier that morning. It had to be heavy to leave a track as big as that, though, and a few ideas were already cropping up in Aurelia's mind.
But there was a snap of a vine from somewhere nearby and she jumped to attention, cloak whirling as she turned to face whatever or whoever might be there. Briefly, she wondered if the animal was still in the area. She was not so defensive to instantly draw her weapon but, her splayed hand was ready to grab it at a moment's notice.
Jungles are pretty enough, I suppose, but really not my cup of tea. Well, nothing is my cup of tea anymore, except I suppose for human blood- and oh, now I do wish I could mix that with a good jasmine and actually appreciate the taste!
Vampiric tendencies aside, though I do not drink tea I do still make it. More specifically, I make wine, and there are supposed to be some lovely little berries out here with odd properties that would make for a fascinating blend. Thus is my excuse for venturing into a jungle, clad very appropriately in knee-high combat boots, some tastefully torn black leggings, and a black silk top I had long since unbuttoned - not because I needed to, but more because I can. Fuck the weather, darling, I do what I want.
I'm not looking for trouble, I'm looking for fruit. And yet trouble is what I seem destined to find - trouble in the form of a young woman who practically leaps from her skin when I trip over a vine behind her, swearing audibly and stumbling down onto my knees. Not a position I particularly mind, when it's by choice, but an obnoxious one just now. Palms on the ground I look up at my assailant, taking in her readied posture, the way her hand lingers near a knife that hangs dangerously from her belt.
Gulp.
Ok, Ezra, this is fine. You've been in much deeper shit. I try to look harmless as I meet the woman's eyes, still on my knees but now raising my hands up and flashing my brightest, most please-don't-murder-me-thanks smile. "If you're going to stick me, the least you can do is buy me a drink first."
i may not be everybody's cup of tea but i'm someone's double shot of tequila
The tension that pricked along her fingers dissipated as she laid her eyes upon the man. Falling through a thicket of vines in the jungle, wearing torn pants and a thin button-up, and {more importantly} offering an awkward smile weren't exactly the ingredients for an assailant... Certainly not a skilled one, at least.
So Aurelia shrugged her hands away from her knives (because yes, there were multiple, as always) and relaxed her stance. Although she remained alert, evident in the way she glanced around for a split second before settling her gaze on the stranger as he spoke.
She pulled back the hood that cast a shadow over her face, revealing a slightly amused expression. "Sorry," she rumbled, stepping forward to offer him a hand up, her own hand covered in a skin-tight leather gauntlet, "I was tracking. Thought you might've been a wild animal. Can never be too careful, eh?"
Whether or not he accepted her help, once he was on his feet (unless he really preferred to stay on his knees), she unstrapped a small canteen from her belt. She extended it out to him, not sure how long he'd been out in the jungles without something to drink. "Water?" For how observant she was attempting to be, she had not noticed his Ascended teeth yet, probably due to the fact that her mind was in a few different places at once.
"What are you doing out here? I hope you don't mind me saying this, but, you don't exactly look like an explorer." Her eyes followed the line of his shirt down to the holes in his pants, arching a curious brow as she looked back up at his face. For a moment, she assumed he was lost and that she might have to lead him back to the safety of civilization. She wasn't opposed, exactly, but that did sound a bit disappointing - considering she was on the trail of something.
