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!
05-21-2021, 03:26 PM (This post was last modified: 05-23-2021, 10:29 PM by Seren.)
Love, let's talk about love
Smoke billowed black against a sky where the night has begun to pale into the first morning light. Too much has happened in a very short span of time, and from the relative safety of the beach, a crowd is still gathering to watch as the Slagveld burned. Shocked murmurs and outcries of dismay disrupted the usual morning hustle towards the docks, but while there was some unease, panic had not yet set in.
The fire was not spreading, they murmured to each other. Was anyone hurt?
Well...
A sudden shimmer in the air outside the smoldering house drew new sets of gasps and wide-eyed stares. People pointed and pulled away as a young woman came stumbling through the rift, with her hands tucked gingerly to the chest. Seren did not see them. She was still blinking tears from her eyes and scanned the immediate area around herself with a wild look about her, ready to leap out of the way should there be more daggers waved about.
As she caught sight of Maeve and her dark-haired friend, she came hurrying towards them. On bare feet, with hair coming loose from the braid and soot staining the freckled face she looked very young, and very scared. Even as she went, a falling star crashed to the ground by her feet and coalesced into a snarling wolf of condensed starlight, gleaming and vigilant for any more trouble.
"Maeve! I thought I saw you... thank goodness. Are you alright?" Hastily Seren looked the Madame up and down, more concerned about the well-being of her friend than herself. A quick glance at the man beside her included him in the question; she recognized his face from before, but never heard his name.
Maeve, Adam first please, then anyone can join! NO POST ORDER
Is it anything and everything you hoped for?
SEREN
✰ 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.
05-21-2021, 11:17 PM (This post was last modified: 05-21-2021, 11:18 PM by Maeve.)
Maeve
Maeve stands on the beach, bloodied and exhausted, adrenaline finally fizzling out as she watches the smoke billow from the building. The sky is beginning to lighten above them, signaling the dawn of a new day of dealing with the aftermath of the events that happened. She still can see the dagger plunging into Atlas's throat, a ring of flames engulfing his body, Seren throwing herself into the fray. Her eyes close against tears that suddenly threaten to spill down her cheeks. There was so much to wrap her head around and she couldn't even begin to start. A shuddering breath wracks through her chest, sea glass gaze glassy as she forces her eyes open just as the air shimmers before them and Seren tumbles through the rift.
The sight of her friend, scared and confused, pushes her into action. She rushes forward, boots slipping on the sand as she stumbles towards her, grabbing her by the shoulders as the tears finally spill. "Don't you ever do something like that again! Do you fucking hear me, Seren? What were you thinking?" Her voice trembles dangerously and she crushes the girl to her in a hug, holding the back of her head and somehow tucking her against her chest as she cradles her close for a moment. Maeve pulls back, both hands coming up to hold her face and it looks wrong with the way the blood on her fingers stands out against Seren's pale skin, but she wipes away the soot from her cheeks tenderly. "I'm fine. I wasn't hurt."
It's easy to reassure her. Especially when it's true. She wasn't hurt physically. Nothing more than a bruise or two from where Aurelia shoved her out of the way. She got away with so much less than others. Than Hotaru. Even now she yearns to seek her out, but it isn't safe yet. To do so now might give her away and while Maeve doesn't know what led the former queen to doing this, she can guess and it would likely be best to give her time to get away from the scene.
"Let me see your hands.." Maeve murmurs gently, looking down at where they were cradled against Seren's chest as if to protect them from further harm. With great care the Madame takes them into her own, examining the burns with a tense brow, "They'll likely blister and they're going to be tender, but I don't think there will be any lasting damage." She finally says, shaking her head as she glances back at Adam now, lips pressed into a thin line, "Adam, love, you can't stay out here too long. The sun is going to come up soon. I have a spare room at the inn. Give them my name and you can stay there, okay?"
Honey just put your sweet lips on my lips We should just kiss like real people do
His day had gone from meh to fucking awful real fast, and Adam was still reeling from it. Once he'd been told Pet wasn't inside the blazing building he'd followed down to the beach silently, in his mind wondering where he was, then. It wasn't like he had any right to know, since he'd fucked up their marriage and distanced himself, but...his heart ached with the uncertainty of his safety. For the moment, he didn't even consider how the fire had started.
He didn't move until Maeve spoke and he glanced up at her; she was right, the sun would come up soon...but he found it hard to summon the energy to get his feet to move right away. Nodding, as if he understood, Adam leant against a rock and stared out to the sea, saying almost to himself: "That was everything I had in there. Everything. I already lost my fucking guns and now...fuck. All of it. I don't even have any more shirts."
While the loss of his possessions did sting, it was just the easier thing to complain about rather than his aching want for Pet. Hugging himself, fingertips digging into his arms, Adam stared up at the smoke spewing from the roof in the distance.
Hands seized her shoulders, and Seren found herself barraged by frantic worry, reproach and beratings flying into her face. She stiffened and straightened up, already taller than the woman who seemed determined to view her as a child. The blue of her gaze seemed to shift in the pale light as emotions swelled. Shock turned to pale fury at the audacity - no one had ever cursed her like this before - and only slowly warmed back as Maeve pulled her in for a hug.
Gently bur firmly, Seren freed herself from the affections, and kept her hands to herself, despite the request to view them. "I will not promise that," she said, and tried to catch the Madame's gaze. Despite the shock and fright, despite the youthful roundness of her face, there was a hint of steel behind the kind expression. Her smile was pale, little more than a thin line slashed through the grime. "I did what I thought was right, Maeve. Just like you." A quick, meaningful glance dipped to the woman's hands. Stained with red, the proof that neither of them were creatures to sit idly by while chaos reigned. "Not that it did much good... the unicorn is dead. I could not save it." This was more painful than even the burns on her hands, and no amount of deep breaths could keep the tears from welling up all over again. "Do... do you know who it was bonded to?"
Even though the voice cracked, the young demigod tried to stay on topic. She could cry later; right now, she needed to know who was grieving for the beautiful creature that lay dead on her island. Whom would she have to apologize to, for being too weak to save a life?
As for the man - Adam, was it? - she had nothing but a look of sympathy to offer. "I am sorry about your home," she murmured softly. "Is there anything we can do for you?"
Is it anything and everything you hoped for?
SEREN
✰ 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.
05-23-2021, 10:25 PM (This post was last modified: 05-23-2021, 10:25 PM by Maeve.)
Maeve
The rational part of Maeve's mind knows this. She wouldn't keep the girl from helping. She didn't truly want to, but the fear of seeing her dear friend in the line of fire, so close to being hurt further by Aurelia had her panicked. Maeve lets out a breath, drawing her close again and dropping her head against her shoulder lightly, "I know. I know you did. It just.. It scared me." She admits honestly, voice trembling as she draws back to look up at her, eyes glassy as she cups her face between her hands. With a tenderness she brushes her thumbs across her cheeks gently. Maeve did know who it belonged to. She knew who did this, but the fear of potentially outing Hotaru made her hesitate to actually speak.
"I-It was Hotaru's. You can't say anything, Seren. Okay? You can't say a single word about her being here." Maeve drops her voice down so it's barely more than a whisper between them, making sure that no one else can hear them as she speaks. That information could absolutely ruin things. She made it out clear. At least, Maeve thinks she did. The Madame isn't too sure, but she doesn't want to put her at risk. "It isn't your fault, Seren. It's not mine either. We tried and we're both lucky that we weren't hurt worse. That you weren't hurt worse."
Maeve turns back to Adam, releasing Seren to move over to him instead, drawing him into a tight embrace, "But you weren't in there and Pet wasn't in there. That's what matters right now, okay? When it stops burning we can go through and look. Maybe some things survived." She says softly, rubbing his back as she rests her cheek against chest, drawing in a shaky breath. "I'm sorry, Adam."
Honey just put your sweet lips on my lips We should just kiss like real people do
The last of the steel melted from the demigod's eyes, and she leaned her cheek softly into the hands that cupped her face. "I am alright," she assured, even as the scalded skin of her hands throbbed in objection to that statement. "I will be more careful next time." If there was a next time. Stars above, was this going to be the new normal?
Listening to Maeve's answers, the thought only made her feel colder. Eyebrows shot up in surprise, only to immediately dip in a frown that lent the girl an uncanny likeness to her father. Hotaru... she knew that name. Had met the woman, and thought her delightful. Smiling, laughing, cheerful and mischievous. A playful vixen; they had shared some adventures together. Absolutely not the kind of woman who might have anything to do with burning buildings and dead companions.
"Maeve," she mumured, worried and reproachful at the secretive whispers her friend offered up for answers. "How can you say that? If she had anything to do with this, she needs to be held responsible for her actions. People could have been killed. This is not something that can simply be hushed up." It upset her to think that the lovely woman might be guilty of this, and yet Maeve's expression made her heart beat hard and fast. What was this about? Why was she being told to stay quiet?
"What do you know about this?" It was more demand than question, and though she kept her voice hushed, it might not be quiet enough to prevent others from listening in.
Is it anything and everything you hoped for?
SEREN
✰ 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.
"I don't know anything! Okay? I don't know that she did have something to do with it. All I know is that Atlas is her companion. All I know is that he was there. That could mean anything. She could have been anywhere in the city." Maeve stresses, turning from Adam to face Seren again, stressing her words as if that will get the point across more clearly. It's a lie. She does know that Hotaru was there. Maeve knows that she attacked Aurelia. Maeve thinks she likely started the fire, but she doesn't have proof. They can't do anything without that. The Madame approaches Seren again, trying her best to keep her voice even and calm.
A breath is sucked in, filling her tired lungs that are more than a little irritated from the smoke, "I saw someone stab Atlas before going inside. Aurelia arrived after that. I didn't see anyone go in besides a man." It's the truth. She hadn't seen a single thing. Maeve reaches out to grasp her shoulders, holding her glassy blue gaze firmly, "I know this is a lot right now. I know it doesn't make sense, but we can't go pointing fingers when we have no proof of anything. Do you understand? He could have just been lingering there. Perhaps even looking for Sunjata. We don't know." It feels wrong to lie, to feed her friend false words, but she knows that Hotaru wasn't trying to hurt anyone. No one except for those who scorned her.
"If you say something and are wrong... Seren, there was no one there to prove anything. A false accusation in a situation like this could have serious repercussions too. They'll get to the bottom of this, but I'm not going to say anything that could potentially put her in harms way."
Honey just put your sweet lips on my lips We should just kiss like real people do
A hurt expression flicked across Seren's face, and an inaudible snarl from the star-wolf by her legs mirrored the emotion. "I wasn't trying to accuse anyone. But you said I shouldn't tell anyone she was even here, and that is wrong. The Governor should know about everything that happened here, or else, how can he do his job and find out the why of it?" Seren felt a headache coming on, and wished she knew if it was because of the smoke, her hands or Maeve's tone. She suddenly missed her father terribly; Ronin would know what to do here. Or Sunjata.
Speaking of...
"Where is Sunjata? I thought he would be here by now..." She had not heard Maeve's shout during the chaos earlier, and now looked around in search of the Flood. But he did not loom amidst the crowd, and that only made her unease grow.
She did spot Umbra, however. Like a streak of lingering night, the blue dragon came shooting towards her from the rooftops. At the last second he slowed down and landed clumsily on her shoulders; huffing and hissing, staring wild-eyed around at the others gathered. Soothing his frazzled nerves took her attention away from Maeve; perhaps a good thing. She didn't want to argue.
Is it anything and everything you hoped for?
SEREN
✰ 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.
Except that if he knows that Hotaru was here he might suspect her. Given the attack on Aurelia as well there would be too much against the other woman. Maeve inhales sharply, running a bloodied hand through her curls as she shakes her head, "I'm not saying you are, Seren. I'm just saying we shouldn't make assumptions and with everything that happened between Hotaru, Sunjata and Nate... It could just lead to people drawing conclusions that might not be accurate. That's all." She explains as gently as she can, reaching out to place a comforting hand on her arm, but she doesn't let her touch linger. Maeve knows that it's a lot to ask of the starchild. Perhaps too much given the circumstances.
"He's not here right now. He said he had to go help Samuel with something. He didn't give me specifics. It was only meant to be a couple of days." She's not sure how long it's been at this point. Where he even went. Just that he was helping a friend and would be back later. It was why he couldn't help with the Halenani. As for Nate... She wasn't sure where he was either. Apparently not serving in his husband's stead. That much was for sure.
Just as she finishes speaking, Seren's new companion sweeps down from the skies above, curling on her shoulders with clear intent of protecting his master. Maeve doesn't try to step closer as she turns her attention to the dragonling instead. "I'm sure he'll be back soon."
Honey just put your sweet lips on my lips We should just kiss like real people do
Seren pressed her lips together, too stubborn to make promises and not calm or steady enough of mind to keep up this discussion right now. Maeve was already turning away as well, and it left her to stew in silence, while the horizon slowly paled in the east.
When nothing else seemed about to go down, and the crowd began to disperse, Seren too touched a hand to Maeve's arm, before scooping up Umbra.
"I'm going home, with the first Skyship," she informed the woman. Tired, aching; longing for someone to look over her hands properly, and just collapsing into a bed. It would be hours of waiting on the ship before she was home, but it was better than just standing around here.
"See you later." In days, or weeks, or per letter; she couldn't think beyond the day to come.
- FIN
Is it anything and everything you hoped for?
SEREN
✰ 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.
