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!
This time Morgan was not coming to the spa in the spirit of comfort or compassion; while those things were not necessarily absent, she was here now in the name of justice, with a heavy smack of betrayal. First from Deimos and now from Hotaru, if Sunjata was to be believed; what had happened to the foundations she had set? They had seemed so strong, her council and her people, and overnight it had fractured.
After a perfunctory knock on the Spa's door she stepped in, all business; stiff posture and floor length black cloak, eyes hard and ready to deal with whatever came next.
"Hotaru - I need to speak to you now." Morgan called out into the Spa, her voice with an air of authority she didn't usually adopt when talking to citizens. Waiting to see her, she felt the letter in her pocket, the words that had thrown it all up into doubt again, and hoped that she was somehow wrong in her new gut feeling; somehow, she didn't think she was.
Hotaru is certainly not properly prepared for visitors - in fact she’s currently throwing her guts up into a bucket when Morgan steps in, voice loud and authoritative. Hotaru gasps in the aftermath, nose and throat burning and eyes watering like hell. She groped for one of her hand towels, clutching it to her face as she straightens to turn towards her Warden. The slight bump in her navel is growing by the day, and no words really need to be said between them to make her pregnancy more obvious.
“Morgan?” It’s more of a croak through the towel, but she punches her nose to get the fluid out and abandons the bucket awkwardly to move towards the woman. “What’s wrong?” Dread settles in her stomach, stealing any minimal color left in her cheeks.
I'm ready to hope, swing me out of the low Wide awake in the glow, I can't do it alone
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.
A part of Morgan felt a twinge of pity for Hotaru as she lurched into view mid-vomit, but she could not afford sympathy in this moment. If her suspicions were confirmed, pregnant or not, Hotaru would have to pay the prices for her actions.
"I can tell this is a bad moment, but this can't wait." She said, voice flat. "I have received information that there are eye witnesses that saw you, Hotaru, at the scene of the incident with Deimos, and have reason to suspect you were involved in setting the fire." There was a pause as she tried to see the effect of her words on the woman, if she was shocked, upset, frightened - if she seemed surprised to have been blamed, or surprised to have been caught.
With a short sigh, Morgan shifted to a slightly warmer tone of voice, though she still kept her stiff posture. "I believed you when you spoke to me earlier. If you promise me now you are telling the truth I will fight for you and your innocence. If you lied to me, it is best you tell me now so we can work out what to do next. I am being asked to bring you to justice. Tell me, do I need to do that?"
Hotaru is not so far gone as to forget all propriety, all grace. She stands tall, as tall as her form allows, and frowns heavily at the woman’s words. They wash over her in a wave, ongoing and seemingly endless, leaving her dizzy and with a pain behind her eyes. She waits until Morgan is done, and wipes her mouth with the hand cloth before clearing her scratchy throat.
“I was honest, I told you I was there. If someone saw me…with all that was going on, I’m not sure how it may have looked.” Pushing her hair back from her clammy forehead with her free hand, Hotaru sighs. Then she straightens, something fierce and steely coming over her face.
“No, I will do this alone. You’ve done…so much for me. For Deimos. Believing me, being willing to fight for me - it means the world.” It made her reconsider many things, admittedly. “If they want my account, I will give it to them. I have nothing to hide.” Hotaru would face them alone if that is what they asked or her. She assumes it is Sunjata, for lack of any other governing official to consider. The steel bends slightly, and her eyes avert from Morgan’s in a display of weakness. “He was my husband. I can’t…I’d rather face his anger on a personal level.”
I'm ready to hope, swing me out of the low Wide awake in the glow, I can't do it alone
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 denied involvement in the actual crime and Morgan studied her face, looked carefully at each second that passed beyond her words; she couldn't find any guilt there. Without having been at the event herself, it was impossible to know what had occurred, but she could not dismiss the words of her citizen over the wishes of the Governor. This whole situation was swiftly becoming very complicated.
"I see." She accepted Hotaru's willingness to work on her situation alone, respecting the strength it took (and thankful that she might be able to maintain at least some distance from the whole thing). "Then you should know that Sunjata wants you brought to Torchline to answer the accusations. I have been assured you won't be hurt." To be fair, she did believe that - Sunjata didn't seem like the maliciously violent type, but she was sure if Hotaru was found guilty there would be punishment of some sort.
"I will write to him and inform him I will not be sending you against your will. You are welcome to stay and seek sanctuary here or go and see their judgement in Torchline. Unless he can send me some more satisfactory evidence than the existence of a witness, I cannot in good faith allow them to have you."
Morgan’s answer has her blowing out a slow breath. It’s no show, her anxiety over the idea, but similarly her determination is unwavering. She had started this, and now she will end it. It was that simple.
“I don’t think he’d hurt me either,” she agrees, hoping to further put any hesitance in Morgan to rest about sending Hotaru to the figurative gallows as her Warden. Going to Torchline however, that’s something she isn’t looking forward to at all. It will not sway her, even as Morgan offers her sanctuary and defenses.
Hotaru smiles, though it doesn’t reach her eyes, and reaches with her free hand to gently squeeze Morgan’s elbow. “I am many things, but not a coward. Even if they decide to jail me on a single witness, I’m sure they would allow me a letter to you.” And frankly if they did try to hold her there against her will and Deimos noticed her absence, there would be hell to pay. Hotaru knows he would come for her, just as she would do the same were he in her shoes. “And knowing Deimos did it by admission, fairness would dictate the same judgment for me as for him - and even if they won’t believe me, I will accept it to make things right.” She assumed it was banishment of some sort considering they hadn’t tried to do anything else to the Sword. It’s a punishment she would be willing to take. “Please write to him and tell him I will arrive by tomorrow morning - I want to do my part to help this find a resolution.” On personal grounds, away from the oversight of politics. “I trust you to have my back if I need it Morgan. I do.” Squeezing gently she drops her hand, wrapping it idly around her stomach as she has become accustomed to doing.
I'm ready to hope, swing me out of the low Wide awake in the glow, I can't do it alone
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 bravery, willingness to defend herself, made Morgan proud. This whole situation was complicated and messy and nothing she had wanted to deal with in the first place, but at least one of the people involved was acting with integrity. She nodded at Hotaru's assessment of herself as no coward; Morgan would certainly agree.
"I will give what support you need and I will contact Sunjata telling him." She nodded. The business was concluded, then, much easier than she had imagined - but Morgan didn't feel right leaving immediately after, just turning and walking away from Hotaru ill and facing her trial in the morning.
Pausing, the Warden looked about the room. "I have found this whole event worrying. It's proven I have a poor judgement of those in my council and that I did not know the troubles of one of my people that I had considered a friend. I...apologise, if I have been too distant. The betterment of Halo is my only goal, and I may sometimes grow too focused on the practical." Quests, Gods, Wars, all important, but she had to remember to keep her ear to the ground. "Do you need any help preparing for your journey?"
She nods mutely to Morgan’s words, mind already spinning with everything that needs to be done in the dwindling hours remaining if she’s to be in Torchline by morning. Realistically she could set a different day or time but she doesn’t want to be sick with anxiety, waiting for the days to pass. Rather get it over now, pull the shrapnel out so she can begin to heal. Focus on other things.
Morgan’s apology is unexpected, and draws Hotaru from her musings. Her eyes soften, and she maneuvers closer to the woman in a physical display of unity. “It’s not an easy balance to keep, especially alone. Your support now makes any past absence moot.” A support that she truly appreciates, for all she knows she must use it to her advantage. Such is the way of her life. A shake of her head precedes her answer, giving a brave but diminished smile. “No, thank you. I usually keep a go bag handy with how often I travel. I’ll come straight to the Citadel after I return.” To share information, whatever it might be.
There’s little else to say beyond that, and both women are keenly aware of all that must be done before the morning comes, so Hotaru sees Morgan out with a pale face and a solemn wave of her hand as the Warden ventured back into the snow.
- FIN
I'm ready to hope, swing me out of the low Wide awake in the glow, I can't do it alone
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.
