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!
With your big heart, you praise God above, but how's it working out for you, honey?
Conservations about leadership, war, the Ascended and the Order had all been far too frequent in the last weeks; Bastien had had to force himself to stay focused and not have his mind wander to Azrael. They were still so young, so inexperienced and stepping out into a world that was growing increasingly hostile to them and who they were. He didn't want to cut their wings, couldn't anyway - but he could not shrug off the fatherly urge to hold them close.
Perhaps a warning, at least, would be enough to calm his nerves for now. He sent a letter to the last address he'd known they were at and waited in the Artist's Sanctuary every evening since, sitting on the couch with a bottle of wine (habitual, still after all these years of barely tasting it) and a sketchbook.
Finally one night there came the footsteps that Bastien immediately knew belonged to his child; he would know them anywhere. Standing, he rushed to the door and seeing Azrael, went to grasp them tight and lift them up, squeezing and swaying. "My little love. I am so happy to see you alright. Thank you for coming to see your cautious father."
// we stood, steady as the stars in the woods, so happy-hearted and the warmth rang true inside these bones, as the old pine fell we sang //
They’d remained close to home, after the whole… Everything. That and with the Infirmary and everything that happened from that, well, they didn’t want to test their luck in a space that certainly didn’t have the protections that the Grounds offered for them. They were becoming more and more aware of how people felt outside of the little bubble they’d grown up in and while it had taken some getting used to, it only proved to Azrael that they wanted to make the Grounds something of beauty, something of power, of home for themselves if they weren’t welcome anywhere else.
So, many of their days are spent working in the Ruins, clearing out a lot of the debris that had accumulated over the centuries there, and hiding away in a random house when the sun rose so they might be able to recharge. They get the letter from their father, and once they’ve finished the task they’d worked on that day, they head for the Artist’s Sanctuary, never one to keep their father worried. They don’t even have time to open the door themself, because the door opens as soon as they step on the porch, and Bastien is there with a wide grin spread across his face.
“Hi Papa.” They announce with a bubble of laughter that leaves them as they’re lifted in their father’s arms. Their own arms wrap around him in turn, nestling in close to their father, before they pull away. “I’m alright. I’ve been working in the Ruins.” They say quite proudly, letting the sensation flicker through their face as if it might ooze their pride. “What did you want to talk about?”
With your big heart, you praise God above, but how's it working out for you, honey?
Bastien put Azrael down and stepped back into the studio, allowing them inside; there were a few in-progress artworks around the room, but he went to sit at a couch in the back instead, wanting to focus on what he needed to say this time. Even with the dread that had begun to live in his mind since talking to Wessex, he had to smile at Azrael's clear pride. "What have you been doing there? I will have to come and see."
As for what he wanted to talk about...Bastien wished they could stay on the light levels of chatting about the Ruins and other plans, but once again he had to bring the reality of the world to Azrael's shoulders. He patted the couch next to him and not for the first time, felt the absence of Rexanna on the other side of it; this was a conversation he would have gladly given over to her.
"Well, Az...have you spoken to anyone new on your travels out? Have you learnt anything about how people feel about us?" Maybe Bastien wouldn't need to tell them; maybe they had already discovered the horror awaiting all of their family.
05-29-2021, 05:38 AM (This post was last modified: 06-02-2021, 04:34 AM by Azrael.)
// we stood, steady as the stars in the woods, so happy-hearted and the warmth rang true inside these bones, as the old pine fell we sang //
They’re set down and the grin they send Bastien’s way is bright as it is vibrant – a hidden ghost of Rexanna as they follow their father toward the couch. “I’ve been cleaning it up! I talked to Wessex about my idea of rebuilding it. I think my first official task, though, is working on fixing the Barracks.” Because as they both know, the barracks had been through a lot during LongNight.
But for now? Idly? They can absolutely handle clearing up the Ruins when they have too much energy to burn.
However, in this moment, they’re more than content to sit beside their father in the comfort of the home they’d grown up in, their gaze bright as they focus on their father’s face, tucking one leg up underneath them as they focus their attention. “No… Not really. I saw Aamu! He told me a bunch of stories. Then I came back when I heard about everything going on.” They hadn’t wanted to be too far, and they know that they’re inexperienced with it. “I’m friends with Henry and I’m helping him fix up his farm.” There’s a softer smile here, before they shake their head and focus their attention back on Bastien. “I’ve heard the rumors though… That there are those that want to hurt us. So I’ve stayed close to home.” There’s still the glimmer of innocence and the inability of understanding why someone would want them dead, but they’d headed the warning and remained close.
With your big heart, you praise God above, but how's it working out for you, honey?
"Ah - yes, unfortunately there is work to be done here before we can play. I am proud of you for helping, little star." Bastien really was; it was wonderful to have such a bright, sunny child. He had feared he might end up with a teenager, well, like he'd been: moody and defiant, determined to sit and absorb himself in art and rebellion and not do anything helpful. He supposed that despite appearances, Az was still barely even a toddler. Maybe when they actually got to double digits, the teen moods would come.
That Azrael still continued to be mostly ignorant was both a blessing and a tragedy; it meant they had not come into any trouble, but that Bastien had to once again be the bearer of bad news, the one to ruin the innocence in their eyes.
Nodding, he reached out to touch their arm. "You were smart to stay home. There are people...they call themselves The Order. They want to hurt us; they would want to hurt you especially, because your mother and I had the Voice create you." Had Bastien known how much of a target his child would be, would he have brought them into the world? "If you ever see anyone that says they're from this 'Order', you need to get away quickly. And there is more..."
// we stood, steady as the stars in the woods, so happy-hearted and the warmth rang true inside these bones, as the old pine fell we sang //
The term ’little star’ had always been enough to make Azrael preen under their father’s support and pride. It does the same here, too, the grin spreading across their face is nothing short of loving and happiness, content and pleased to be helpful and useful, in gathering their thoughts to make the Grounds into a better place become a reality.
But the grin falters, as it’s wan to do, shifting so that they might be able to rest their arm in their father’s soothing touch as the topic of the conversation starts to shift toward something dark and sad, and it’s clear in the way their gaze almost dims, the brightness snuffed away by the harsh reality. “Me?” They whisper, lips forming a frown as they peer at their father, uncertainty lingering in their gaze. He explains quickly but it still leaves them rather unsure of what to say.
They absorb everything Bastien tells them with absolute attention, chewing at their lower lip before they’re nodding – committing the warning to memory. “What else is there?” What else could be worse than an entire organization out to murder just one poor soul?
With your big heart, you praise God above, but how's it working out for you, honey?
Hearing Azrael's surprise upon hearing they might be a target of the Old God's ire hurt; how Bastien wished he could wrap them in cotton and keep them safe at home forever, make sure they would always be free from harm. "Yes. By the time your mother and I wanted a child..." He paused. Did Azrael know the birds and the bees? Had he failed to explain that particular aspect of life to them? Hopefully they'd say so. "We had ascended and couldn't have one ourselves. The Voice made you herself from us - a miracle, really, and wonderful, but...some will see it as unnatural."
Which it was, he supposed, but Bastien didn't see anything wrong with that.
As for what else...letting his hand drop from their arm, he took in a heavy sigh and let his shoulders drop. "It seems that we are going towards a war. I wished and dreamed that would not be the case, but it appears that the Old Gods will not rest until the Ascended are truly eliminated - which means we have to resist that. There will be fighting." Neither of them were prepared, really; Bastien wished he could reassure, tell them that they would win, that the Ascended would live past this conflict, but he could not.
// we stood, steady as the stars in the woods, so happy-hearted and the warmth rang true inside these bones, as the old pine fell we sang //
Oh, they know about it. Only it didn’t make much sense to them – having never grown up with the idea of sensations and the like. They wouldn’t even know where to start. It had been a warning Aamu had given them, one of waiting to bite until it was someone they trusted, somewhere they trusted, if only to let the sensation overwhelm them. They imagine everything else is very similar in that regard – the overwhelming sense of too much unloaded on them in the span of their life being completely and utterly full of next to nothing.
Still, they nod, despite their brows that pinch together, both wanting to know and not wanting to know the answer to the next question. “Is it unnatural?” They ask in a quieter voice, their dark gaze ringed in sapphire lifts to spy Bastien’s face, as if they might be able to find the answer therein.
But there’s more, more that has them still nibbling on their lower lip idly. The idea of war was terrifying, if it were anything like LongNight. “How can they be okay with that? We’re not… We’re not bad people. Why do they think they can do that?” There’s a sudden, slow creeping fear that fills them, an oily dread that pools in their would-be stomach.
With your big heart, you praise God above, but how's it working out for you, honey?
The quiet, cautious way Azrael asked if their birth had been unnatural was painful; the hesitation there, the knowledge that Bastien could not entirely say no. He was quiet for a long moment, trying to think of the right phrasing, the correct words; eventually he turned more towards Az and with slow, circular gestures of his hand, explained. "It is not...how humans naturally, normally have children. But Azrael, you must remember that the Voice is introducing to everyone new ways to do things. New, better ways for everything to work. How you were born is one of those - so it might not be what people are used to, but that doesn't make it wrong. Do you understand?"
Honestly, Bastien wasn't sure whether it actually was better; while there had not been the pains of childbirth, Azreal had grown in a flash. That was the Voice, though: ever efficient with no time for sentiments in her designs.
The next question was no easier, one that could just have well have been asked in his old world without an answer then either. "They do not see it the way we do. There are always people in the world that disagree...unfortunately, these people have allowed fear and hate to cloud their judgement though. That disagreement has turned to violence. We are not hopeless, but things may be hard for a long while." How long he really couldn't say; a war where several soldiers on either side were immortal, run by Gods, could go into the eons.
06-06-2021, 05:32 AM (This post was last modified: 06-06-2021, 05:32 AM by Azrael.)
// we stood, steady as the stars in the woods, so happy-hearted and the warmth rang true inside these bones, as the old pine fell we sang //
For a moment, Bastien’s hesitation simply makes the pit in their stomach feel as though it yawns open widely. But they cling to everything their father says, eyes wide and understanding despite the answer that leaves them a bit more confused than they had initially sought out with. They’re silent for a moment, digesting what they’ve heard, and then their head slowly bobs in a nod. “Yeah. I understand.” They agree, mulling it over, but the more they think about it the more it makes sense.
Isn’t that what they were trying to do too? Trying to make things new and introducing new ways of doing things as well when it came to the way people lived?
So they suppose that’s answer enough, especially given the slight oily slick of horror that seeps through them at the realization that they are a target for such people, their lips shifting to form a frown as they nod. “How hard?” Their voice is quieter and they sidle toward their father, tucking themselves into Bastien’s side. “Like… Longnight hard?”
With your big heart, you praise God above, but how's it working out for you, honey?
"Good. Never let them tell you you are lesser. If anything, you are valuable - you show the world there are new ways to be. Other ways to live. A wider perspective is never a bad thing." Bastien knew that there would be those that disagreed, that there were those that disagreed to a violent degree, but he hoped Azrael could still hold in their heart their own value. That they would be able to keep in mind that no matter what the Order said, they represented a new beginning for Caido and a miracle he and Rexanna had managed together.
As Azrael came close Bastien put an arm around them, pulling them in closer; how he wished he could keep them there at his side, easily looked after and protected. With a sigh, he decided to give them the whole truth. "It is hard to say, but...yes. It could be much harder. These are not monsters but calculated and hateful people, which are far more dangerous. We will have to be very careful and very clever...but, Az, we are fortunate - because we are both of those things." Attempting a smile, Bastien leaned down to kiss Azrael's forehead.
// we stood, steady as the stars in the woods, so happy-hearted and the warmth rang true inside these bones, as the old pine fell we sang //
Their father soothes their worries quickly and Azrael does manage to spark a small smile on their face at the confirmation from him that they’re valuable. “I won’t, papa.” They won’t let anyone tell them they’re lesser for being who they are. That much is slowly being instilled in them day after day. And it’s something that they plan to cling to, especially if and when things get difficult as Bastien has said it would.
But they slip in close to their father, his arm slipping around their shoulders and Azrael tucks themself in close beside Bastien, resting their head on their father’s chest. “And we have the Voice.” They say softly, leaning into the kiss pressed to their forehead, a child soothed by their father’s words even if the topics were harsh. Their arms slip around Bastien, giving a light squeeze, considering everything that was to come. “I talked to Aamu and he asked if I’ve bit anyone yet. I haven’t, though, and he said that maybe I should do the first one with someone I trust… Because it’s overwhelming.” They shift their head to let their sapphire ringed ochre gaze lift to their father’s own. “Do you think that’s a good idea, too?”
With your big heart, you praise God above, but how's it working out for you, honey?
"We do have the Voice." Bastien agreed, arm tight around Azrael; in a moment of weakness, he added: "I do wish we had your mother." Even now, when he was doing well in comforting Azrael, when their chances seemed to be improving, he yearned for Rexanna to fill the gap in the room, to be the other half of his heart that was still missing.
He especially wished for her as Azrael kept talking and Bastien's eyebrows almost rose to meet his hairline. He'd never been one shy of sex or talking about it, but he'd always thought he'd be bringing that up first. A protective streak rose in him, Azrael being as young as they were - but then, the lines were so blurred with their rapid aging. He sighed.
"Yes. Someone you trust. Do you...remember the conversation we had about dating and kissing and so on?" He asked, trying to think of any kind of decent transition into explaining boner teeth just what the Ascended bite could do. "Biting someone will feel like that, but very intense. It's very intimate."
// we stood, steady as the stars in the woods, so happy-hearted and the warmth rang true inside these bones, as the old pine fell we sang //
The moment of weakness has Azrael leaning in closer to their father, their arms giving him a tight squeeze as their head rests against where their father’s shoulder and chest meet. “Mama’s with us, Papa.” They confirm, looking up with eyes a mix of both Bastien and Rexanna’s in the hues of ochre and sapphire, before they let their gaze drift to the portrait Bastien had painted and left hung in their home.
Rexanna was always there in some way or another and even if Azrael hadn’t had a chance to know their mother much, they do feel as though they know her solely because of Bastien. They don’t want that to be forgotten.
As for biting, though, they feel the way their father sighs and their gaze snaps back to him. “I remember.” They say at first, watching and waiting for a bit more explanation, a bit more understanding over what it would be like. “I think I’m afraid of getting too overwhelmed…” They admit with a small frown, replicating the sigh that their father had done, for themself.
