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!
Being in a new city meant that there were plenty of places to explore. New experiences, people, foods, and drinks. The Madame was feeling the best she had in days. Her time in Stormbreak was truly proving to be good for her. Everyone had been right. There was something about healing outside of the rain. Maeve wanders down the streets that wind through the Silk Houses, not looking for anything in particular. Simply exploring what delights laid hidden inside each of these buildings.
Heels echo off of cobblestones, lights casting shadows and causing damp stones to sparkle as Maeve walks slowly. A light shawl covers bare shoulders, hair hanging in loose curls that fall just past her shoulders now, the dark maroon skirt of her dress swishing with her steps. Her eyes flit from building to building, alighting on a few denizens as she goes, none giving her more than a nod of acknowledgement.
And I was catching my breath Staring out an open window catching my death
when the night falls on you & you don't know what to do
Though Tobi had never been in great shape, her time spent running about the clinic from patient to patient had always kept her light on her feet. Now, though, with swollen ankles and a baby using her body as its own personal jungle gym, she has to make frequent stops to rest, and pee, and occasionally have a small mental breakdown before she's able to get up and on with her day.
Seated on a bench, Tobi has her eyes closed as she tries to breathe through what might be gas, or her child using her organs as a trampoline. About halfway through her pregnancy, the doctor's bump is noticeable but not painful-looking yet, especially on her narrow frame. Once the worst of it passes, the doctor's eyes slowly open, and she looks down at where she can see the baby's movement through the black fabric of the tank top she wears. "Why can't you just nap?" She asks, finding herself yawning at just the thought of sleep.
Most of those around her didn't hold her attention. There were couples tucked into corners, men leaning against walls and smoking cigarettes, groups stumbling out of various bars in fits of laughter. None of this was anything new. Just a new location. It isn't until a voice rings out over the din of the nightlife surrounding her, lamenting something that has her arching a brow and her lips quirking up into a smile. Maeve has been around enough expecting women to recognize that it's exactly what this stranger is dealing with. Even without the baby bump giving it away, Maeve would have figured it out soon enough.
Her steps slow as she approaches the bench, "Because that would be too easy. Don't you know?" Maeve quips in response to her aired question, a soft laugh pushing past painted lips as she finally comes to a stop near the bench. "How far along are you?" Maeve asks, eyes dipping down to her belly with a softness that always seems to come out when children are involved. It's better than the sudden spark of jealousy in her belly that she quickly stamps down. She doesn't even know this woman for gods sake. Her time will come. There's plenty of it. Maeve draws her eyes back up to her face, motioning to the bench, "Do you mind if I sit?"
And I was catching my breath Staring out an open window catching my death
when the night falls on you & you don't know what to do
"But naps are so good." The doctor protests, glancing up at Maeve with a ready smile on her lips despite the lack of familiarity between them. Glancing down at her belly and doing a bit of quick mental math, but not really, because pregnancy timelines are weird, she looks back up with a weary sigh. "About halfway." It was both too fast, and not fast enough.
Instead of answering, Tobi just shuffles to the side with a bit of a groan. ' Sometimes I think it would just be easier to walk around with a catheter." She admits, though perhaps that's only because she's a doctor that Tobi finds this an acceptable solution. Leaning back against the bench and trying—and failing—to get comfortable, Tobi eventually gives up and flashes the woman at her side a tired, but sunny smile. "I'm Tobi. I'd shake your hand, but I don't think I can reach that far." She adds with a laugh, keeping both of her hands on the bench to try and relieve as much tension from her body as is possible.
04-30-2021, 04:43 PM (This post was last modified: 04-30-2021, 04:43 PM by Maeve.)
Maeve
"Naps are so good. I wholeheartedly agree, but babies never seem to get that memo." Maeve counters, taking the opportunity to sit, letting her own recovering body rest as she takes in a breath that only tweaks her ribs a little. She can deal with this. "Entering the home stretch, it seems. My girls say this is when it gets to be the hardest. Before the last few weeks of the third trimester, of course." She's helped Phoebe with enough to know a thing or two, but she's definitely no doctor. Maeve grimaces at the idea of having to go around with something like that, but maybe it was better than having to stop to pee every ten minutes. The Madame couldn't really say one way or another.
Her own smile is easily given, something bright and sweet that lights up the soft green of her eyes, "I'm Maeve and please don't bother with such formalities on my account." She drawls, a quiet laugh rising in her throat as she shifts herself on the bench to more easily face the other woman where she's gotten herself slightly comfortable. As comfortable as you can be with a baby rearranging your organs. The name was familiar and her brows draw together as she tries her best to recall where she heard it from. Was it Remi? Ronin? Perhaps she was with the Order? "You don't happen to know Ronin, do you?"
And I was catching my breath Staring out an open window catching my death
when the night falls on you & you don't know what to do
"Mmm. Oh, are you a midwife?" Tobi asks, reaching up to adjust her ponytail as if that might help at all with the sweat she feels beading around her hairline. There's nothing she can actually do to make her existence more comfortable, not really, but still she tries with these small gestures, tricking herself into thinking she has control over her life.
'Nice to meet you.' Running a hand over her belly, she says: "Do you hear that? I'm already rude on your account." Despite the circumstances of her pregnancy, the words are still sweetly said. "Mmhm." Tobi grins as she points at herself. "Doctor. That means I tend to get to know the dragoons very well." Injured on a regular basis, Tobi found that her clinic was made up of at least 25% of Ronin's dragoons at almost any point in time.
That Tobi had had a breakdown in Ronin's home and the pair had stolen a skyboat together and maybe almost kissed once? Well...that probably wasn't the sort of think Maeve was asking about.
Maeve shakes her head, wrinkling her nose, "No, that was more Phoebe's thing. I have gotten some training with it. I'm a Madame. As you can imagine, I have seen my fair share of pregnancies." She provides as explanation, shrugging her slender shoulders, watching as Tobi takes a moment to speak to her baby. The woman fidgets this way and that, trying to find some comfort, but she's right that it doesn't really help. Not at this point. Maeve reaches into the pocket of her skirt, drawing out a fan and offering it to the woman, "I always keep one on me. A habit from Torchline."
That explains it. She hums, nodding slowly, "Knowing Ronin, he likely finds himself in need of some tending often." Maeve huffs, an amused smile curling on her lips as she smooths out her skirt, crossing her legs. "I'm actually staying with him right now. Until the monsoons pass, at least. Maybe a little longer. Something about it being good to rest out of the rain?" She waves a hand lightly, seeming to relax easily at the other woman's side. "I was actually looking for a place to grab a bite to eat. Would you like to join me? I've been pretty wanting for company lately." Which would be obvious given that she was inviting a literal stranger to dine with her.
And I was catching my breath Staring out an open window catching my death
when the night falls on you & you don't know what to do
"Oh." Confusion tugs at Tobi's lips for a moment. At Molly's there were charms that kept anyone capable of becoming pregnant from doing so, unless they wished it. So for a moment, what Maeve explains makes little sense to her. "Oh. You...you aren't from Stormbreak, then." She manages, piecing it together. Had she waited just a moment, Maeve would have revealed the information on her own. "Thank you." Accepting the fan, she offers the madame an apologetic smile. "I've only ever been to Torchline once, and it was quite brief."
Closing her eyes that she might enjoy the sunshine on her face, Tobi raises her eyebrows and nods emphatically. "That he does. The first time I met him he'd been impaled to a post." She recalls. Cracking open an eye to glance at Maeve, the doctor chuckles. "I can only imagine the shenanigans of living with Ronin." Having not had a single encounter with the man that wasn't dramatic or adventurous (or both), she fully expected that dwelling under the same roof was as exhausting as it was fun.
'Oh, absolutely I would. I feel like I'm always ready to eat lately.' Pushing herself up slightly so that she was on the edge of the bench, Tobi takes a moment to catch her breath. "Anything in particular you want? We can always just walk through some of the food carts and see if anything catches your eye, if not."
There is confusion on Tobi's features and it only occurs to her after she mentions her line of work that it might not make much sense considering that Molly's is named after its Madame. Tobi quickly works it out herself and Maeve nods, confirming her suspicions."No, I'm not. It's my first time here actually." She didn't get out much for various reasons and travelling had never been high on her list of things to do until recently. Maeve releases the fan once Tobi gets a hold on it, "Of course. No need to apologize. I know I don't look it. Most people from Torchline tend to be rather tan." As if to prove her point she flashes a bit of pale leg, tossing the doctor a wink.
Her brows raise towards her hairline and a wince tugs at her lips, "Fucking hell. Talk about a first impression." She's not sure she actually wants to know about how that happened. Since it was Ronin, it was likely something dramatic. There were shenanigans aplenty between Ronin and Mateo, but Maeve didn't mind it so much. At least there was always something relatively entertaining happening. "He taught me how to make pancakes. Which, we managed to do without burning them. I've also learned that he is very willing to play spy." She laughs at that little memory. The things you did for your kids.
Maeve stands, offering her hand to the doctor with the intention of helping her stand as she shakes her head, "Given that you're the one with a potentially picky baby on board, you can pick. I don't know what's around." It's said easily and once Tobi gets to her feet, Maeve goes so far as to loop their arms together to give her some extra support.
And I was catching my breath Staring out an open window catching my death
when the night falls on you & you don't know what to do
Tobi grins at the bare flesh, before shrugging as she looks around at those who stroll by. "Well, with that complexion you'd fit in here. We get sun, but..it's nothing like Torchline." The doctor doesn't have the ability to flash Maeve back, but suffice it to say given how many hours she works and how rarely she bothers to go outside, Tobi could probably rival Maeve's skin colour were it not for the natural pigment she possessed.
"No kidding." Tobi agrees with a chuckle, remembering how she berated the man before being entirely charmed by him. How long ago that all seemed. "Oh?" Offering the Madame a whimsical but confused smile—playing spy?—Tobi accepts the offered hand. Groaning slightly as she rises to her feet, the doctor catches her breath as she shakes her head and scoffs. "I'm an attuned, a dog. I can eat just about anything and if this little one has anything to say about it..." She pauses as if waiting for an argument from her baby. "..maybe something savoury." Tobi decides as she gratefully accepts Maeve's arm.
"So what brought you here? You said something about healing out of the rain?"
Maeve laughs, the sound bright in the quiet din that surrounded them, "During Longheat I hide from the sun unless I want to end up looking like a lobster. Everyone is always out lounging in the sun and I'd sitting under an umbrella." She had a feeling that there might be a few who wanted to drag her out for beach shenanigans and while she was looking forward to the idea of it; the possible repercussions were less appealing.
"With Mateo. Going on pretend secret missions and all of that." The Madame explains, grinning as she stands and helps Tobi up as well. Once the doctor has her feet under her, Maeve loops their arms together before setting off down the street. She wasn't in any real rush and found herself more than happy to keep her steps slow for the other woman. Dark brows bounce towards her hairline and she chuckles, "That must help, then. Some of the girls get so sensitive when it comes to food." With that in mind, they simply walk until something catches their attention. Surely it wouldn't be too long before they stumbled onto a suitable meal. "Savory sounds perfect."
A small nod is offered in response to her question, "I'm the Madame of the Halenani and we didn't make it out unscathed this year. The monsoons took down one of our walls and the roof. I was inside when things came down. Thankfully no one else was hurt and I'm doing much better, but had some cracked and bruised ribs. A mild concussion." She waves her free hand dismissively as if it isn't anything Tobi needs to be concerned about. Doctor or not, Maeve has been tended to be a number of people since the accident and she's healing nicely.
And I was catching my breath Staring out an open window catching my death
when the night falls on you & you don't know what to do
"Ooof. Sunburns are no joke." Tobi says, suddenly sounding extremely professional as she frowns. "But if you ever want, I have some sunscreen that will do wonders." She offers with a bit of a shrug. Smiling at the mention of Mateo, the doctor nods her sudden understanding.
"Mmm, not me. I wasn't picky before, but now? I think I'd let myself eat a chunk of wood if I didn't pay attention." She'd certainly gnaw on one. And had she, unshifted? What business is that of yours?
"Oh that sounds terrible." Noting the wave, Tobi bites back the surge of advice and medical care she's about to offer the Madame. Walking toward one of the carts selling freshly baked rolls with jams and cheeses, the doctor looks at the menu helplessly, wanting to order everything. "Well, given how deadly monsoons can be, that doesn't sound too bad." Tobi decides after a moment, glancing over her shoulder at Maeve before slyly only ordering half the menu. "You'll go back once the storms have passed, then?"
05-03-2021, 12:45 AM (This post was last modified: 05-03-2021, 12:45 AM by Maeve.)
Maeve
"I wouldn't say no to sunscreen." Maybe she would actually be able to enjoy a bit of sunshine with it. The idea of lounging on the beach wasn't unappealing. She just didn't relish the idea of getting a sunburn.
She laughs, grinning over at the other woman as they wander down the street, "I don't think splinters are good for the baby." Maeve teases, barely bumping her shoulder against her, careful not to knock her off balance. That definitely wouldn't be good for the baby either. The Madame doesn't really care about her eating habits one way or another. Although, eating wood likely isn't the best option.
"It wasn't the best thing to happen this season." Maeve huffs. Admittedly there wasn't a lot of good that happened. Not until recently. Even then, it came with a dash of bad. She has a feeling that Tobi has some advice to offer, but the woman had heard a lot of it at this point. Not that Maeve would mind hearing anything from her, but she just wants to enjoy this bit of sunshine. Her eyes scan over the menu, noting a Brie and fig jam croissant with ham and quickly deciding that's what she's getting. "It wasn't too bad. Thankfully we can rebuild."
Maeve puts in her order, turning her attention back to Tobi, "I likely will. I think there have to be repairs to the Skyport. So until that happens I'll be here in Stormbreak."
And I was catching my breath Staring out an open window catching my death
when the night falls on you & you don't know what to do
"Perfect. I'll drop some by the Taliesin's, then." Tobi agrees with a nod. She might not do it herself—long walks had never been one of her favourite pastimes, and even less so now—but she could have someone run it over.
'Oh, I'd chew them up really good." Tobi's grin is wide and white as she thinks about all the things she's eaten as a canine and just how many of them would wreak havoc on a normal stomach. 'Besides, it's probably good fibre? Low in sugar, no additives..."
Already Tobi's mouth is watering and her stomach is growling. Her feet itch with the urge to leap into the food stall that she might just devour all of the raw ingredients right there. She can see a hunk of cheese; can't they just hand it over? "Oh, right. I heard Ronin was doing something with that." The new route likely wouldn't affect the doctor too much—rarely, if ever, did she travel. "One of the Order members could take you, although it's...not a fun ride with more than one person." Tobi explains with a queasy smile.
