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!
As a member of the Order, most of Ronin's days are spent in an office and overseeing the barracks. But there are occasions (at least twice a week, if he has it his way), where he can go and let off some steam and do some actual training. Today is one of those days, and the mid-morning light falls upon Ronin and a group of Dragoons-in-training running laps around the training grounds. It's just a warm up before he splits them into pairs for sparring, but most of the time that'll be enough to wear them out regardless.
The Star is leading the group as they run by design rather than out of ego - he has been alternating straight laps and the obstacle course, and sweat is already glistening along his forehead and down his back. Not looking particuarly militia-like, Ronin wears a pair of grey sweatpants and a white t-shirt that will no doubt need washing after this. Still, he's happy enough with his little troop of soldiers, and it's as wholesome a way to spend a morning as he can remember.
03-24-2021, 03:38 AM (This post was last modified: 04-21-2021, 08:01 PM by Iris.)
Perched atop a stretch of wall bordering the training grounds, Iris watched the Dragoons run. The gloomily silent girl who'd led her there didn't allow her to wander the Nest's halls as she'd have liked, depositing her instead on trampled grass littered with training dummies in various states of distress. Her choice to hop onto the wall had clearly annoyed her uptight guide, making Iris content to stay there.
It had been a couple of weeks since the wilds spit her out, scratched, bruised and half-chewed. She was now, after some time, comfortably dressed, her hunger sated and her compulsive need to self-medicate with various poisons pleasantly manageable. She was as ready for the military as she could get.
The soldier she was looking for easily stood out amongst the recruits, even before her guide pointed him out. He looked exactly like a man meant to suit Safrin's vanity. Iris watched the group, ranking its members aesthetically while waiting for it to come full circle.
Meanwhile, she leaned back to catch the sunlight before another downpour decided to descend upon them without warning. When the demigod approaches, Iris dons a charming smile. The Dragoon girl introduces her as a potential recruit before departing. ”You’ve got quite an imposing base here. Though the dragon atop the tower is a stellar example of false advertising.”
The sudden downpour is not long away - and when it does come, it has Ronin laughing, in truth - because of course a Flowerbirth shower would interrupt their proceedings. He falls to a halt with the troop of Dragoons, letting the rain wash the sweat clear and soak through his clothes, when one of the soldiers approaches and introduces a potential new recruit. Blue eyes glancing down to Iris, Ronin raises an eyebrow and offers her a polite nod in greeting.
"You think so?" he says, following her gaze up to the rather striking stone dragon curled and posed atop the base, folding his arms across his chest. "How do you figure that?" With a small grin, he tilts his head. "True, none of our dragons are quite that big, but I reckon a bunch might be as fearsome. Mine's got much more bite than bark, put it that way." Letting his arms drop, he holds out his hand to shake.
Iris hopped off of her perch, her smile slowly dragged out by the commander’s silver-tongued pitch. As smooth as a snake oil salesman. Dark eyes went searching for the creature amidst the winded recruits. A hand casually brushed a damp strand of hair to the side, revealing, in the corner of her eye, the glint of scales. The dragon lay sprawled out on the wall not far from where Iris had been sitting. Like a python digesting its prey it watched them, the promised threat sitting quietly within reptilian eyes.
It made Iris think of the distinct feeling that had one day appeared and has since been following her around like a knife inching closer and closer to her back. It kept her moving through wild places and run-down boarding houses, searching for a dark corner the smell of danger couldn't reach. But this hadn't been enough to convince her that hiding out betwixt a gaggle of fanatics was the sensible next step.
It wasn't sense that brought her here, but what'd happened on the approach to the walled city. She'd caught the smell of the sea in the air and a hot, merciless fist of longing gripped her from the inside. If she had turned away and slept one more night without the lull of waves crashing against the shore... and a bed. A soft, feathery bed... she felt she'd have gone mad.
Iris turned her gaze back to the demigod. As easily as she’d missed the dragon’s approach, she now found it difficult to shake the feeling of its presence. ”Siri.” She took the offered hand and gave it a squeeze. ”Oh, you know. To make friends, learn a few useful skills. I’m also hoping the pay is decent.” She glanced between the stone goliath and the smaller dragon to her side as the cooling rain bounced off of their scales. ”One of those would be nice as well.” She added with a quick lopsided grin.
"Friends, skills, and you'll be fed and watered and provided a decent place to stay. How does that sound for a start?" Ronin asks, wiping the rain from his brow as the downpour starts to ease off, the Flowerbirth sun peeping through again as if it had never left. As for the dragon? Ronin follows her gaze to the creature snoozing along the wall. It's not his dragon - Sugar often likes to soar just above the cloud cover where the air currents are cooler - but it's certainly a good example of the sorts of companions that exist within the Nest.
"I can't give you one of those, but you can certainly work towards bonding with one, if you decide to join," he remarks, flashing a grin her way. "Most recruits don't start with a dragon, but working with them is what makes us different from any other place. So what do you say? Have I sold it to you, or has the rain put you off?"
Fed and watered... like a proper farm animal. It appeared that Stormbreak was as desperate for cannon fodder as she’d heard, taking in strays right off the street. There wasn’t even any mention of a trial or test. Not even a quiz on the gods.
"Decent, you say? I guess it will do." She brushed stray rain droplets off of her arm. Decent lodgings were preferable to none. If only just. ”So where do I go to get one of these? Is there a store on the Plaza?” She nodded towards the creature lounging on the wall, wondering what sort of thoughts went on under those sapphire scales... and feeling entirely uneasy.
As she'll soon discover, there is no need for a single trial or test when every day is about to become one. For as many dragoons-in-training that enter the Nest, scarce few earn their proverbial wings and scales. Ronin ruffles a hand through his damp hair and shrugs, flashing a smile her way. "That was my thinking," he says. "It's hardly the lap of luxury, but it keeps the rain off a heck of a lot more than this." He gestures to the open air.
The conversation turns back to dragons, then, and he glances to the creature resting on the wall with a softer smile. "Not exactly," he murmurs. "It's a pretty personal thing. If circumstances haven't bonded you with a dragon by the time your training is almost complete, a lot of recruits are sent out into the Wilds. Sort of like a finding yourself kind of journey. I've heard most come back with their dragons, if that's the case." Store bought aren't possible, unfortunately. Neither is there a convenient hatchery.
Safrin’s chosen was smiling as hard as a lawyer. It made Iris’ thoughts wander, wondering what amount of drink would draw out a different face. When they wandered back to the conversation at hand, he was talking about soul seeking journeys. It all sounded like a convenient excuse not to hand over the dragons, but Iris nodded along, mirroring his smile.
”I guess that matter’s up in the air. Ha-ha.” Comedy gold, Iris thought to herself sarcastically as she playfully jabbed the commander’s shoulder with her fist. ”Well, I won’t keep you. Those guys are beginning to look well-rested.” She nodded at the other recruits before pointing back in the direction her guide had retreated in. ” Do I ask the grumpy one for directions to my new place?”
"I suppose it is," Ronin agrees, taking the jab with a good-natured nod and turning back to his recruits as it looks as though his newest(?) soldier is about to take her leave. "They are starting to look as though they're not out of breath anymore. Can't be having that," he says, glancing back to Iris and over to where her guide had disappeared off to. Having to bite his cheek to hear her reference to the grumpy one, Ronin nonetheless nods.
"That's right. You should try a few more of your puns on her - I'm sure that'll cheer her up." It won't, but it might make the time pass a little quicker. "It's good to meet you. I'll catch you again soon, I hope!" With a clap to her shoulder, the Star is jogging away again to continue training. Rain or shine, there's always time to sweat.
