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!
maybe who we were then is shattered, but who we are in the end is what matters
Hotaru playfully chomps her teeth in the girl’s direction as if mining biting her cheeky tongue, but the race is on and far more enticing. A tactile woman by nature, Hotaru scarcely notices the way their palms still meet, except perhaps in the distant way of enjoying the sort of touch she now so rarely enjoys.
Seren recognizes the creature both visually and by name, and Hotaru commits it to her own memory even as she refuses to blink, appreciating the vibrant plumage contrasting against a scaled body. Then there is song, picked up from all around them, echoing and harmonizing even from a distance. “Amazing. I wonder if they could relay messages? They don’t seem as tricky as the Labyrinth squirrels.” As if itching to prove her wrong, the Treeflit overhead scurries down, dropping from its branch to land on Hotaru’s shoulder as its wide mouth immediately seeks the bright metal of her necklace. Hotaru jolts with a strangled noise, trying to shake her shoulder to dislodge it and flailing their connected hands around as a result.
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
"I don't know, maybe. Might be hard to train them though," she replied. Just in time for the treeflit to make its move; Seren started and very unheroically shimmied back when the serpentine creature lunged for Hotaru. Just as quickly she cursed herself for a fool and was back, anxious that blood might be spurting from the woman's neck. Just a fine way to introduce herself that would be!
Fortunately, it was only the jewelry the critter was after. Laughing as much in relief as over her friend's frantic attempts to dislodge the thief, Seren tried to reach for it. Maybe if she could dislodge the body from Hotaru's shoulder, it would stop nibbling the gold.
"Mischievous little thing," she commented brightly, trying very hard to contain her amusement.
It's written in the stars above Exactly who we are is just enough
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
maybe who we were then is shattered, but who we are in the end is what matters
Training might be the best thing on the schedule for the mischievous little things, and though Hotaru does not startle overmuch the way Seren does, it doesn’t speak badly of the younger woman. Hotaru has merely seen and experienced far worse surprises than a jewelry thief. Though she’s slightly more worried about her long hair honestly - untangling a flighted lizard from her long locks seems like a disaster in the making.
“Well he can’t have it,” she blusters playfully, craning her neck away to try and both make it easier for Seren to pluck the Treeflit off and to hopefully get her hair out of the metaphorical crossfire. “Though he has fantastic taste.” Amusement returning as if it had never left, winking at Seren even as the creature pulls anew on the gold chain, causing it to dig gently into her throat. She blows a loud raspberry at the lizard, and immediately bursts into laughter when it drops the chain to mimic the noise right back.
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
Hotaru's attitude was infectuous, and lent Seren far more confidence than she might have had normally. The odd and somewhat alarming sensation of grabbing hold of a feathered snake shuddered up and down her spine, but grasp it she did. The little body was warm, and seemed to consist of nothing but muscle. As she pulled it away from the other woman, it quickly began to wrap around her hands instead, until she had been very effectively cuffed.
"The pickpockets of Torchline would pay in gold for these," she laughed, retreating a few steps so that the serpent would have to let go of the necklace. "Can you imagine the chaos this might wreak on an open street?" She could see it. Fancy ladies shrieking and fainting, men shouting and waving about, all while urchins cleared out their purses with quick fingers. "A good thing I don't have anything fancy on."
Holding her hands up towards a branch, she tried to coax the critter to return to where it belonged.
It's written in the stars above Exactly who we are is just enough
✰ Starlight (Passive) | Starfilled night billow around her like a veil as she moves. It is more noticeable in daytime and when she make sudden movements.
maybe who we were then is shattered, but who we are in the end is what matters
Hotaru turned as she was freed from the greedy, scaly grasp of the creature, watching with a burgeoning grin as it instead chose to wind around Seren’s wrist like a particularly colorful bracelet. “Quite the fashion statement.” Though she’s quick to conceal her necklace beneath her shirt before the young woman prepares to release it. Who knows how stubborn they are.
The imagery prompts a laugh from Hotaru, quite the similar vision coming to mind. “Don’t go giving me any ideas now, that sounds like a delightful bit of fun. Though I’d admittedly worry about the poor thing getting squished.” Torchers would likely react far more violently than Hotaru’s own experienced collected response. As willing as she is to twist and manipulate the lives of men, beasts and creatures of the world are far more precious to her.
Luckily the Treeflit has apparently had enough excitement for the moment, as it releases Seren readily enough and retreats back into the canopy overhead. Bold as ever, Hotaru grabs for Seren’s hand before it can retreat back to her side, and pulls anew with that same mischievous smile readily returning. “Let’s go see what else we can find.” Turning, she pulls the girl along once more, ready to get as close to lost as they can in pursuit of excitement.
- FIN
Hotaru has a passive magic that makes her glow with an internal golden light; it makes her appear youthful and her hair seems to look like moving sunlight. Can only subtly illuminate dark spaces.
