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!
// seems like the whole damn world went and lost its mind & all my childhood heroes have fallen off or died. fake tears, real living, fake tears, but the alcohol never lies //
He’s trying to make his presence known – if only to try and spread the news that he isn’t dead anymore. But there are times where even remaining in Haulani or along the beaches that the Flood grows tired of it. There’s a place he hasn’t been to in a while, however, and it’s the first place he heads to while the tide remains out. Haai accompanies him, the griffin trotting along beside him as they make their way toward the cathedral – a stormy wind blows through and starts that haunting melody from the coral.
Somehow, it’s peaceful, and Sunjata lingers by the entrance of it – watching as Haai investigates it all. At least from this angle he can see the changes they’d made to the coast for Safrin’s quest – a thought that rings through him with a hint of apprehension, a thought that has her own blessed starry tattoos stuttering in their light shift along his skin. But he pushes it aside, sucking down a deep breath, trying to keep his head on straight as he rumbles to Haai to leave whatever it is she’s investigating, alone.
Turns out it’s a crab, scuttling toward her with its pinchers upraised, ready to clamp down on that dark furry muzzle should she get too close. She yips in her surprise, a puff of smoke curling from around her maw as she backpedals hard enough to scare off the crab for the moment, leaving time for Sunjata to approach her. "Haven't you learned to leave those alone?" He chastises with a sigh, trying to pull her away from it.
some princes don't become kings
SUNJATA
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Sunjata, without killing him <3
Sunjata speaks with an Australian accent and has a passive magic that makes him produce a subtle scent that matches exactly to whatever those around him most desire him to smell like.
She wasn't expecting anyone out here. Not when the tide was going to come in soon and cover the path. Her steps slow, bare toes sinking into the sand as her eyes fall on the figure lingering in the entrance of the small cathedral. The light is scare out here and she doesn't place him at first. It isn't until he speaks that she realizes she's finally face to face with the governor. The one important man in Torchline that she hasn't officially met. A man that she thought she saw fall to his death. Maeve clears her throat, struggling to be heard over the music coming from the cathedral.
"Hope I'm not intruding.." She calls out, taking the last few steps forward until her feet find the cold, ocean smoothed steps. Maeve wraps her arms around her middle, drawing the loose sweater she's wearing more tightly around her thin frame. "I wasn't expecting anyone to be here," she admits as she steps into the cathedral with him. Maeve stays on the opposite side of him, not getting to close despite the tight quarters inside the structure.
Poor little girl still waiting for her happy ending
// seems like the whole damn world went and lost its mind & all my childhood heroes have fallen off or died. fake tears, real living, fake tears, but the alcohol never lies //
He tries to pull the griffin away from the crab to no avail, half between opening his mouth again to curse her out in Korofi if it weren’t for the voice that pipes up and distracts the both of them. Haai is immediately far more interested in Maeve than the crab that tried to take her nose off, and so the griffin dives through Sunjata’s legs, bouncing over toward her to greet her – feathered and furry tail wagging in her excitement, magpie hued wings flaring in her excitement.
Of course, she’d moved so fast through Sunjata’s legs that that, paired with how fucking sore he still is, causes him to stumble and utter a quiet “fucking hell” as he regains his balance, lifts his gaze to find the source of the voice. He’s sure he’s seen her around before, though he can’t quite place where. But that’s fine, it seemed more and more common as of late. He clears his throat, offering a nod and a small half smile of greeting – if only because the scarred part of his face is still trying to heal. “You weren’t.” He offers more officially, voice a bit rough still and thickly accented.
“It’s a good place to hide away and think.” His tattooed shoulders rise and fall in a shrug, a snort leaving him to accompany his words. He pulls his steel gaze away from her to look back at his companion, while he remains on his side of the cathedral, trying to ensure he won't have to pull Haai off of her too.
some princes don't become kings
SUNJATA
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Sunjata, without killing him <3
Sunjata speaks with an Australian accent and has a passive magic that makes him produce a subtle scent that matches exactly to whatever those around him most desire him to smell like.
A sudden blur of feathers and fur comes barreling towards her, causing her to step back quickly until she realizes that whatever it is isn't interested in hurting her. Maeve blinks in surprise before a soft laugh bubbles out of her and she leans down, fingers scratching lightly at the small creature's head. Her eyes flick back up to him as he gives her the once over that everyone does. The look on his face is familiar. He's trying to figure out where she's from. If he's seen her around. Maeve isn't sure he's come into the Halenani. Fairly certain at least. "I definitely is. Most people don't come out here so close to tide. Guess that doesn't really matter for you."
Given the fact that he could turn into a dragon and everything. At least, that's what people say. The beast of a governor. A wolf in sheep's clothing. All bullshit. Just like most things are. Maeve looks back down at the griffin, finger tips running through the silky feathers, "What's its name? Her name? His name? Sorry, I'm not overly familiar with... griffins?" She's not actually seen one in person. The little beastie is pretty cute. Adorable really.
"So what are you hiding from out here? She finally asks, glancing back up at him with a soft smile. There isn't any accusation in her tone or her eyes. If anything, he'll find understanding there.
Poor little girl still waiting for her happy ending
// seems like the whole damn world went and lost its mind & all my childhood heroes have fallen off or died. fake tears, real living, fake tears, but the alcohol never lies //
He’s been there once, to speak with Phoebe. Otherwise, according to her, not allowed to enter. He supposes that’s what happens when one divorces the new head of the Halenani, but that’s neither here nor there, and something Maeve would likely find out at some point. There’s a huff of a laugh that does manage to leave him at her comment, though, something that’s partially amused and partially tired. “Doesn’t.” He agrees easily, watching the way Haai melts into Maeve’s touches.
The griffin is pleased to be graced with all the attention, her wolfish head tilting this way and that so that Maeve might scratch beneath her chin or at the base of her ears, halfway between deciding to flop over onto her side to get the elusive belly rubs that would really keep her here for hours. Sunjata, however, watches the interaction with his companion and Maeve, before his steel gaze casts out along the beach again, through the cathedral to the choppy waves alongside them. “Her name’s Haai.” He offers her, glancing back toward her as her question is aired.
There’s a brief awkward half-smile that crosses his face, a slight shrug once again. His hand is still bruised from the fight as he raises it to run through a tangle of dark locks. “Quiet a few things, actually, but thankfully no mobs so far.” This is said with a hint of a smirk, poking fun at his misfortune where he can. “What are you hiding from out here…?” He trails off, realizing he hasn’t caught her name, but recognizing the understanding look reflected in her eyes.
some princes don't become kings
SUNJATA
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Sunjata, without killing him <3
Sunjata speaks with an Australian accent and has a passive magic that makes him produce a subtle scent that matches exactly to whatever those around him most desire him to smell like.
This wasn't information she was privy to. The girl, while considered Phoebe's second at the establishment, wasn't exactly close to the other woman. Maeve's lips curl into a smile and she hums, eyes lifting to him from beneath her lashes at the sound of his laugh. "Didn't think so," Maeve drawls, shaking her head as she looks back down at the creature who is not wriggling around on her back. Her hand shifts to Haai's belly, nails scratching at the soft fur she finds there. She's kind of in love. It makes her wish for a little companion of her own. Something to keep her company all the time she's alone.
"Haai... That's a nice name." Awkward small talk was never her strong suit. Which is odd considering her line of work. Sometimes words just aren't easy. Things aren't easy. Honestly, things are pretty fucking hard in more ways than one. In comparison to his problems, they're nothing. Nothing at all. In the grand scheme of things they're just... problems. Inconveniences. Still, they weigh heavy on her.
The wind dies down, taking the music with it. Her teeth find her bottom lip, digging into the sensitive flesh and she wants to smile at his joke. Really, she does. It just doesn't come the way she wants it to. "Maeve..." She provides softly, drawing in a shaky breath, "Honestly? I don't know... Guess I just wanted some quiet. To get away from people." Maeve purses her lips into a thin line, brows knitting together as she focuses on Haai because it's easier than looking at another person right now. "Suppose I'm feeling a little lost."
Poor little girl still waiting for her happy ending
// seems like the whole damn world went and lost its mind & all my childhood heroes have fallen off or died. fake tears, real living, fake tears, but the alcohol never lies //
“It means shark.” He supplies easily. “When she hatched out of her egg, she immediately bit me.” This causes another half smile to form on his face, tugging up the corner that’s left unmarred before it falters again as he focuses on the sea and the dying wind, on the words that leave her lips and the question and joke he replies with.
“Maeve.” He finishes his original statement with her offered name, his voice a low rumble, a whisper above the crashing waves. He nods with a hint of understanding toward her, feeling exactly the same – having to talk with and deal with people that would dive too deep into himself, ones that would cause him to lash out at them simply because he doesn’t want to talk about what happened not too long ago, leaving him washed up in the caverns of Rae’s Fingers.
But he steps toward Maeve and Haai now, the griffin puffing a bit of smoke into the air at her happiness, a large wing flattening against the sand. Sunjata crouches nearby the two of them, his bruised hand outstretched to run his fingers along the inside of the griffin’s wing. “It’s easy to feel lost in a place like this.” He adds, gently, unsure why he’s acting this way when typically he could either charm someone into leaving him alone or lash out. For now? Perhaps it’s the weather that dampens everything about him, leaves him a shell of it, quiet and contemplative. “But at least there’s always some sort of adventure.” He withdraws his hand from Haai to rub at the side of his neck, over a scar and a compass tattoo who’s northern point aims straight at her as he lifts his steel gaze back to Maeve. "Though I'd suggest picking the adventure wisely." Another edge of attempted humor, the ghosting lift of the unscarred side of his lips again in a brief smile.
some princes don't become kings
SUNJATA
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Sunjata, without killing him <3
Sunjata speaks with an Australian accent and has a passive magic that makes him produce a subtle scent that matches exactly to whatever those around him most desire him to smell like.
The story earns him a smile. Albeit a faint one that struggles to reach her eyes. Why is it so hard to be happy when she's alone? She isn't alone now, of course. Except she doesn't know this man. Not outside of the rumors and gossip. The accusations that flowed with his name so freely only weeks ago. Not that she kept up with it all that much because she didn't. Nothing more than she needed to. She might as well be alone. Maybe. She doesn't know anymore.
Her name on his lips makes her look up, the green of her irises almost washes silver with the pale moonlight that filters into the cathedral. He looks at her and she knows he understands. It's a relief to not have to explain herself further. There is an unspoken understanding and she's grateful for it. Clings to it. His words are a surprise and she feels her shoulders stiffen for a moment as he approaches. She forces them to relax as he continues.
She doesn't mean to snort. Truly. Except she does and an almost bitter laugh pushes past her lips. "I'm sorry. I'm not laughing at you. I just- You have no idea the adventures I've been on recently. I-" Maeve cuts herself off, cheeks flushing a pretty shade of pink as she meets his gaze again, "I don't think I'm made for it really. Everyone here seems so... eager to prove themselves. To fight in a war or align themselves with the gods or gain power. None of my wants are so grand. Sometimes it feels like I'm not supposed to be here."
Her words come out in a rush and it isn't until the silence, aside from the little sounds that come from Haai, settles between them that she seems to realize all she said. Maeve drops his gaze, feeling the heat travel from her cheeks and down her neck too. "Sorry... I- I don't know why I just told you all of that."
Poor little girl still waiting for her happy ending
// seems like the whole damn world went and lost its mind & all my childhood heroes have fallen off or died. fake tears, real living, fake tears, but the alcohol never lies //
The bitter laugh earns her a brief raise of a dark brow as he watches her from where he crouches beside his griffin, hand outstretched to rub along the wing there while she speaks – drawing silent if only because his throat is still a fraction sore. But she cuts herself off in the middle of her conversation, catching his eye again and Sunjata tilts his head a small amount – avian-like in nature. “Mmmh, well.” He begins, puffing out a sigh that pushes against his cheeks which he immediately regrets in the form of a wince and him clamping down on his lips as he shakes his head out of it.
She drops his gaze and he drops hers, his hand reaching up to rub at the scar briefly before he shakes his head again to her, the dangling feathered earrings bouncing against his tattooed neck. “You’re fine.” He offers her after a moment, the accented voice tumbling out of him. “I’d say that makes you smarter than most of us.” He hums, readjusting himself so he can kneel in the sand rather than crouch – those legs of his still incredibly sore all things considered. “One of my first adventures when I arrived here ended up with me swallowed in a mud monster in the Grounds during one Fiat Lux.” An amused huff slips from his nose as he reaches into his pocket to pull out his pack of cigarettes, drawing one out between his lips and lighting it with the box of matches within.
“Think I’d have learned my lesson, but alas.” He outstretches the pack of smokes toward her in case she wants one, while he draws deeply on the one between his lips, letting it hang there as he considers his words carefully. “Keep making stupid decisions, become a blade for Safrin, fall in love with an Ascended which sticks me smack dab in the middle of this stupid brewing war.” Indeed, if she looks hard enough she’d see the hundreds of silvery bite scars along his neck courtesy of Nate and the various Ascended’s he’s been with. “Then my fucking prick of a father arrives and blows it all to shit.” His gaze lifts to meet hers again as his shoulders shrug, hand lifting to pull the cigarette from his lips and to exhale the smoke when he offers her a charmingly playful fanged smirk, all the information he's offered was relatively common knowledge, as of late. “So yeah, I’d say you’re pretty smart for not getting stuck in it all. It’s pretty fucking awful.”
some princes don't become kings
SUNJATA
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Sunjata, without killing him <3
Sunjata speaks with an Australian accent and has a passive magic that makes him produce a subtle scent that matches exactly to whatever those around him most desire him to smell like.
Does it make her smarter? Is she really that much better off from all of them? From the ones who have been blessed by the gods or tasked with trying to set the world straight? She isn't so sure. Maeve lowers herself so she's sitting cross-legged in the sand. Maeve listens to him talk, still petting the griffin's belly just to have something to do with her hands. When he offers the cigarette Maeve takes it, lighting it off of his before bringing it up to her lips. He smiles and she's always had a soft spot for those damned fangs. Her cheeks flush and she takes a drag from the cigarette to distract herself.
"I don't know that it makes me smarter... I mean, I guess I'm smart for not getting tangled up with the gods or the war or adventuring. Maybe I'm smart for not bothering to care about all that." She's talking mostly to herself, trying to sort her thoughts as she talks. Her accent seems thicker now. Maybe it has to do with the tightness in her chest or the nerves swirling in her belly. Maeve heaves a sigh, blowing out the smoke to be carried off by the barely there breeze. Her fingers are barely moving through Haai's fur at this point. Instead it is just a small back and forth motion as her eyes glaze over.
"I met two people. Two people who I really like and care about. They're making me think about what I'm doing with my life. Who I am. If I could be something more. They're reminding me of things I want. Love, a real family, to be wanted. These things feel so small. So unimportant when there is a war close to breaking out and gods who play with our lives and I just-" The words catch in her throat, feeling lodged and unable to go any further before she forces them out because if she doesn't say something about it then she might lose her mind. "I don't know how wanting to focus on those things makes me smarter." Her eyes close and she feels like she might cry. Why does this make her feel so ridiculous? So stupid? So overwhelmed with things she wants, but doesn't know if she can have. A life that doesn't feel like it's made for her.
Poor little girl still waiting for her happy ending
// seems like the whole damn world went and lost its mind & all my childhood heroes have fallen off or died. fake tears, real living, fake tears, but the alcohol never lies //
He drags from the cigarette, noticing the way her cheeks flush slightly before she speaks. And Sunjata settles in, leaning back on one starry tattooed arm, flicking some of the ash off his smoke from his other hand before he lifts it to his lips to remain there while he contemplates what she has to say. Haai is more than content to remain how she is, to soak up all the attention Maeve gives her, the griffin’s own little puffs of smoke leaving her maw as well to complete the trio.
The Flood regards her again when she speaks of meeting two people, of wanting a life full of love and a real family, to be wanted, and Sunjata has to look away quickly – back out into the waves. Because hadn’t that been all he’d wanted when he’d arrived? Before he got tangled up in gods and wars and leading.
Hell, if it weren’t for Nate he’d have probably flung himself into Apopo’s lava after the eruption.
But he quiets those thoughts, stares out back at the water until her words catch in her throat. “I’d bet that the further from the gods you are the less you’ll be involved.” He shrugs slightly. “Gives you time to go after that life and family you want.” He manages to tilt his head back her way, the compasses and scars on his neck disappearing under a thick cuff of scales. “What is it that you do, anyway? Is there a way you could step back from it to focus on… Distancing yourself, I guess?”
He doesn’t know the can of worms she might open up, but his gaze is steady as it is curious, his head angled just enough to keep the scarred half of his face mostly shadowed.
some princes don't become kings
SUNJATA
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Sunjata, without killing him <3
Sunjata speaks with an Australian accent and has a passive magic that makes him produce a subtle scent that matches exactly to whatever those around him most desire him to smell like.
There is truth to his words. Except that one of those two is involved with Safrin too. Which means that the likeliness of Aurelia not getting dragged into things is dwindling. How much of a risk she is at joining the fray is to be determined, but it is a risk. Maeve blows out a stream of smoke, meeting his eyes again as she considers how to respond. "Except I'm involved with someone who's involved with the gods too. Not really sure how much distance I'm going to be able to maintain."
Her brow arches and she huffs out a laugh, shaking her head, "Sure, I could step away if I thought the Halenani could run itself, but with Phoebe being... Where ever Phoebe is, it can't. That's what I do.. I work at the brothel." She could leave it at that, but everyone is always curious as to what that entails exactly and she'd rather just have things out in the open than pretend to be something else. "I'm a courtesan there. I'm training to take over as the new Madame."
It's funny to think how many people have asked her if she would do something else. If she would be something else. How many times has she said no or that she wasn't sure? That there was nothing else she could be because this is what she was made for? The thought ways heavy on her, causing her shoulders to slump, "I've been doing what I do since I was sixteen. Not really sure what else to do at this point, you know?"
Poor little girl still waiting for her happy ending
// seems like the whole damn world went and lost its mind & all my childhood heroes have fallen off or died. fake tears, real living, fake tears, but the alcohol never lies //
He listens to her as he drags from the cigarette, catching her gaze briefly before Haai is puffing a bit of her own smoke at not having his attention too – her iridescent wing lifting and smacking him in the leg. “That does make it difficult.” He agrees quietly, internally chastising the griffin as he reaches out to run his fingers along the muscles where her wing connects to the rest of her body.
The mention of Phoebe has his head snapping up to her though, the briefest glimpse of a grimace as it crosses his face that he tries to mask with a pull on the cigarette, immediately dropping his gaze. “That explains it. I’m not exactly welcome around there. I think I’ve only been once.” He snorts a humorless laugh, focusing on Haai now with a bit more intensity in the steel of his gaze. The feathers along his neck and shoulders is quickly replaced by the scales of his dragon shift, black armored plates, scarred and battered that cross his skin up to his chin.
“I wish you luck with that endeavor.” He offers her, by means of taking over as the new madame. The fact that Phoebe is… Essentially missing, is concerning, but it isn’t Sunjata’s problem, regardless if he’s governor or not. He tries to continue telling himself that. “I know what you mean.” He murmurs, head tilting slightly as he inhales a deep breath, lets it go slowly through his nose. “Though in my case it took getting dropped in a different place entirely to figure out what I wanted to do without having what I did in the past come into play.”
some princes don't become kings
SUNJATA
No permission needed for power play!
Feel free to use magic/force on Sunjata, without killing him <3
Sunjata speaks with an Australian accent and has a passive magic that makes him produce a subtle scent that matches exactly to whatever those around him most desire him to smell like.
She doesn't miss the grimace even though he tries to mask it with a drag from his cigarette. Maeve lets it slide. She's not interested in dredging up whatever that is. She isn't overly close with Phoebe. The other woman kept her private life, well, private. Which is fine by Maeve. Except when it came to the whole... Missing thing. That was a problem she didn't really know how to address. As far as she knew, Phoebe just left on another jaunt and that was that. She did hope the woman was okay, but there wasn't anything she could really do about it. Someone had to take care of the girls. That someone just happened to be her.
"But you did figure it out? What you wanted?" She asks softly, finally meeting his steeled gaze again. Her eyes held a hopefulness in them. Surely if he found his way then she could too, right? There had to be more for her out there. Even if she didn't know what that more was. "I admittedly like what I do... I mean, most of it is just sex, but there is more to it. I take care of the girls, I help people feel something good and real when they sometimes can't feel at all, I'm a safe place. That means something and I love that it does. I guess I just want more."
An unamused laugh pushes past her lips and she shakes her head. Of course she wants more. Everyone always does eventually. Can't be satisfied with that they have, can they?
Poor little girl still waiting for her happy ending
