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!
Pain. She had not expected there to be so much pain. Everything was aching. Every muscle and joint from head to toe felt as though it had been set on fire, and no amount of gravitational manipulation could prevent the slight limp in her step as she made her laborious way down the corridor. The shoes on her feet were heavy as starwhales. A whole pod of them. She had not expected the shoes either, though Seren knew she ought to have predicted that part. Blisters and sores were theoretically less of a bother than cutting up the soles of her feet on jagged rocks, or having her toes crushed while lifting heavy objects, but knowing that did little to ease her discomfort.
Upon reaching an intersection in the hallway, the dark-haired young woman paused and gazed uncertainly down first one direction, then the other. The mess hall and the infirmary lay on opposite ends, if she recalled correctly, and it seemed an impossible choice to make. Especially considering that she was loathe to walk more than absolutely necessary for the rest of the evening. A disgruntled rumble from her stomach soon brought an end to the debate, and with a slight grimace Seren turned left and made her way towards the food.
A buzz of voices grew louder as she approached, and upon reaching the dining hall she hovered entranced, slightly overwhelmed by the sheer mass of bodies crammed together in one place. Talking, laughing, milling between rows of tables or busily devouring their meals, there was a lot to take in. It was the scent of dinner that finally drew her inside, and as she moved towards the stack of trays Seren tried her best to look confident. Head high, shoulders back - though she was sure every one of the people in there could see just how much of a green rookie she actually was.
They were not wrong.
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.
He always gets away with getting to the kitchen before everyone else. It also means he gets out of training early. Not that he doesn't enjoy it, because he does. But he's so tired of all the.. basic shit. He wants a dragon and he wants it now. But he knows that's not how it works. It just happens or whatever. Lately he's starting to think if he wants something, he has to go for it. No more pussy footing around.
And that's part of why he's got kitchen time. All he really did was spruce up the things they already had and set out a plate of cookies but still. The others seemed into it as far as he could tell. His attention is caught by a straggler. He's already made up his plate of food and has shoved himself as far into the corner as possible. She's the only person here newer than he is and she looks so young.
There's a moment before he's pushing himself up to make his way over to her. He's got his plate in one hand but he holds the other out to her. "Don't think we've formally met. Name's Locke. Probably the only person here fresher than you are. Here, sit down and I'll get your plate for you." He can't tell how old she is except that she's young and he's unsure if he should hit on her or take care of her. How old do you have to be to join?
Seren promptly stopped in her tracks when a man appeared before her, plate in one hand and the other held out towards her. For a brief instant she was utterly bewildered, not sure whether to take the plate or hand him something or - but then the obvious dawned on her as he introduced herself, and with a slight flush she took his hand in greeting.
"Uh, hi! I'm Seren. Taliesin," she added, torn between pride of sharing her father's last name, and a desire to keep it under wraps. In the end though, pride won out. "Thanks, but you really don't have to..." Slightly confused she looked about. The others were fetching their own plates, as far as she could see. Was this kindness? A joke? Had she misunderstood something?
Yet all the same the girl sank down by the nearest table, and was fortunate to find it almost empty, save for a pair at the far end who seemed to be almost done. If it was a prank, she could just laugh with the rest and get her plate later. Sitting down was wonderful though, she really hoped it wouldn't be necessary to get up for a while.
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.
The little flush to her cheeks, the way she looks so confused? All very cute. In an awkward kind of teenagery way. He thinks she must be one. Take care of her it is. He's also managed to not sleep with any of the other dragoons yet. Which is either very good or very bad on his part. He's not sure. He didn't come here to get laid though, so it's fine. He gives her hand a firm shake before letting it go. "Nice to meet ya, Seren. Hope you're havin' fun so far." He's being sarcastic, of course.
Taliesin? Ronin's.. sister? No way she's his daughter. Unless he's aged very, very well. And maybe he has. "I want too. Is that a crime?" He raises one eyebrow, waiting for her to go sit and it takes a moment but she does. He gives her a little grin before stepping away. He comes back a moment later with a plate and holds it out to her. "Don't know what you like so it's a bit of everything. Know it's not the best but it hits the spot after a day of training." Locke sinks down next to her to eat his own food.
"So are you Ronin's sister? You got an appetite like him?"
No, not a crime. Seren shook her head. It was very unexpected however, and she studied the back of the man as he sauntered off for the tray. Would this person be like Maeve, all eyes and hands and clever words? Accepting the tray upon his return, she was still trying to decide whether that would be a good or bad thing. Undecided, Seren threw a glance at the food and found that it honestly didn't matter. He could talk; she would eat. Honestly, she would eat even if it was rocks and gravel.
"Thank you, it looks wonderful," she assured him, fervently. Already with a fork in hand, she barely took the time to blow on the morsel before digging in. Flavors aside, at least the food was hot. Still with her mouth full, Seren did a double take when Locke asked about her father. Ronin's sister?
At least the appetite part explained itself. A good thing, as it took a moment for the girl to chew and swallow. "Eh, no. His daughter," she corrected. A little hoarse; she had managed to scald her tongue. "I, uhm... grew up fast. You know him?"
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.
Wonderful is not the word he'd use for this food but it's fine. Especially after a long day of training. He eats more slowly, but he is a hungry boy and before long, his food is almost gone. Her expression of confusion gets a laugh until his face turns to match. "You're his daughter. Well then.." Locke is a little confused by it but Ronin is a demi god or whatever, right? That makes sense. Wait. Isn't Ronin married to a man? Probably more god fuckery.
"Yeah. He recruited me. Seems like a nice guy." That's part of his conflict over staying or leaving. But he just gives her a grin, no need to worry her pretty little head with all of that. "Have you tried an epsom salt bath after training? Works really well for the sore muscles." Soaking in warm water helps but the salt just does something. He's no doctor but it works.
God fuckery was exactly what had been going on. Seren smiled at Locke's confusion. "Safrin is my mother," she offered helpfully, so used to explaining her heritage by now that it didn't even phase her. "By mortal count, I have existed for technically no more than... two years, maybe? But time doesn't matter among the stars, which is why I'm like this." She made a vague gesture to all of herself. Decidedly not a child. And if her lack of experience sometimes made her a bit naive, well. That would soon be amended.
"He is nice. The very best of guys," the daughter confirmed with a light laugh. "Are you from Stormbreak, then? And I haven't, no. But I'll definitely try now, though. It would be nice to walk upright tomorrow." She shifted on the bench with a discomfort that was not all that exaggerated, though the grimace was definitely overly dramatic. "Is it always going to be like this?" Her view of the Dragoons as a place for fun and excitement was quickly shifting. Not enough that she regretted her decision to join, but... it would be nice if there was less discomfort.
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.
"Safrin? Is your mother?" He's not sure if he should be jealous or scared? Maybe both? That explains things. Kind of. Does that mean she's Sunjata's kid's sister? He tilts his head, thinking for a moment. Well then. Alright. Good thing he was nice to her, right? As much fun as he has joking about being smote, he only wants it to happen for being properly blasphemous. "Guess it's a good thing I didn't hit on you then." He shakes his head with a laugh. She is cute but her parents would kill him, not doubt about it.
"Not Stormbreak, no. I'm from Torchline. I came here with Ronin though, before the monsoons." He kind of regrets leaving before them but he can't change it now. What's done is done. He shifts towards her so he can see her better. "I've got some lavender too, you can put in the water. It might help. And a tea blend my friend made me if you need help relaxing. It can be hard to get used to.. All of this. But it does get better, once your body is used to it." He wasn't exactly soft before he came here but there's definitely more muscle than before. He can feel it in the way his loose clothes feel less loose. Probably good in the colder Stormbreak weather.
"Might be worth getting a massage too. There's parlors for that." He'd offer but that might be overstepping some boundaries he's probably overstepped already.
She laughed, but it sounded a little strained. So he had thought about flirting. "I doubt mother would mind. I'm glad you didn't, though. I really prefer to just be friends with people I just met," she mumbled, scooting the contents of her plate around. It still worried her a little that her parents might intimidate people to this extent. Would others refrain from coming close to her out of fear? Though she didn't exactly revel in the flirty kind of attention, there might well come a day when she did want it from someone.
"I grew up in Torchline, too!" she said, perking up slightly as she was distracted from the less pleasant line of thought. "When Remi was still governor. How is things back there, are people recovered from the volcano eruption?" There had still been repairs made to the towns when she had to leave, and the image of ash falling from the sky with crowds milling in chaotic frenzy were fresh in her mind.
The suggestions were welcome, to say the least. As was the reassurance that this discomfort was a passing thing. "I'd really appreciate that," Seren told Locke with a smile, her eyes warm with gratitude. "Thank you. Are you this kind to everyone?" She really hoped so...
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.
"You can flirt with your friends." Locke is not a good judge of flirting with your friends, don't listen to him. He also sleeps with most of his friends. "But I'll keep that in mind. It's not as much fun when the other person isn't into it." Plus she's like.. pretty much a baby? But physically an adult? It's kind of freaking him out a little bit honestly. Then again, he doesn't know how the whole god baby thing works.
"Did you now? Interesting." He tilts his head at her question, trying to remember. "Things were okay when I left. A lot happened with Sunjata though but I don't know enough about it to really.. Relay it to you. And now everyone is getting ready for the monsoons. Or they were. It's monsoon season already." He shrugs. He's worried about Maeve, his family, but he can't really do anything about it in Stormbreak so he tries to hide it.
"When we head back to the rooms, I'll go see what I can find. And nah, not normally this nice." That's what he keeps telling himself anyway. He does like to take care of people and he has a habit of adopting people too. Guess Seren falls into that category. "Usually only nice if I'm going to get something out of it, you know? Sex, shiny things, booze." Is he saying it to scare her off? Maybe a little bit.
Seren glanced sideways at him, trying to gague how serious he was. Why was everyone so casual about flirting? Was it a Torchline trait? If so, she wasn't being a very good native. "Sorry," she said, and was surprised to find that she meant it. "Don't mean to be a killjoy. It's just... I only feel awkward and don't know what to say." Lack of practice, probably. But like she'd told Maeve, the expertise that came with trial and error in this particular area did not appeal to her. Or rather, the potential emotional scars did not.
Hearing that Sunjata had been involved in i something turned her interest into sudden worry. Sitting up straighter, Seren made a grab for Locke's sleeve as if she could shake more details out of it. "A lot of what? Is he alright? He isn't hurt, is he?" Safrin had said nothing about that, though, and neither had Ronin. And since the Flood would come to Stormbreak with her sister... hopefully it meant nothing was wrong. Seren's stomach still tightened with fear for her second favorite man in the world.
Somewhat unfocused, Seren nodded at his defensiveness. "I appreciate it, all the same," she murmured. Having none of those things to offer, she couldn't help but wonder what had prompted this generosity. "I hope we can be friends anyway." He reminded her a bit of her uncle Saiden. Kind, warm, but trying very hard not to let it show.
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.
"No reason to be sorry, Seren. Probably for the best. I'm not exactly the kind of guy your dad would like you flirting with, I'm sure." Sure, he's scared of Safrin. But he's ESPECIALLY scared of Ronin. "And yeah, flirting can be awkward. It can be fun though, in the right situations." He kind of shrugs before dropping the topic again. He's really not upset about it.
Honestly? Locke has no idea how Sunjata is doing. He's only vaguely met the man. He does know that Maeve is (was?) with him and things seemed.. Alright. "Don't know him that well but I think he's alright. He's got.. help. I don't think I'm the right person to ask about all of it. Like I said, don't know much." Do people worry about him now that he's gone? He doubts it.
She gets a laugh out of him and Locke shakes his head. "'Course we can be friends. I've got a little sister, you kinda remind me of her." He's got a lot of little sisters honestly. But she does. In away. Locke pats her back lightly before standing up and holding his hand out to her. "If you're done, we can head back now and I can get you that tea."
That statement left her with more questions than answers. Why would Ronin disapprove of Locke, if he had been the one to recruit the man? Would her father approve of her flirting with anyone at all? His talk about approving her 'friends' was fresh in her mind, and left her thinking that Safrin really might be more tolerant indeed. If Seren was interested. Which, honestly, she was not. It was amusing though, how this guy said almost the exact same thing as Maeve had. They might get along really well.
Happy to drop the subject despite her lingering curiosities, Seren breathed a little easier when no tales of gruesome injuries followed. Still, she would have to find out more about this. Would her father know? Maybe a letter could be sent, or... "I understand," she replied, looking a little disappointed when there really were no more details forthcoming. "Don't worry about it, I can ask someone else."
Poking at the food, she found that her appetite was gone. Not much was left on the plate, fortunately, so when Locke wanted to move on, she nodded and stood. Then winced, when her weight reawakened every single blister and scrape. Only when she was already on her feet did she notice the offered hand; smiling lopsided at him, she shook her head slightly. "Careful, or people might think you really are flirting," she joked. "Though little sister sounds rather nice, I have to admit." She only had younger siblings herself, neither of whom she had met. What would it be like, to have a big brother? Seren supposed she might find out. "Lead the way."
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.
She seems to take his answer well enough and he's glad for it. He pushes down whatever residual maybe jealousy he's feeling. There's no reason for it. Just something that occasionally bubbles up under his skin and likes to linger there. He wonders if anyone worries about him. He doubts it. When she doesn't take his hand, he clicks his tongue at her. "People can bite me then. Helping a fellow dragoon isn't flirting." He can think of ways it could be but he's not going to say that. The poor girl has probably had enough of his almost flirting.
"Little sister it is then." When Ronin said the other dragoons would want to be adopted, Locke doubts this is what he was expecting. But Locke genuinely misses having a little sister. So even though she doesn't take his hand, he keeps close to her, should she want to lean on him. He leads her back to the main rooms, unsure exactly where she's staying. He jus knows she's not in the same room he is. "Hang on." He gives her a little.. pat before heading into his room. He comes back with a little tin.
"Tada! Tea. My friend, Maeve made it. It helps me relax.."
