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!
I know that Most feelings are fleeting, but I could make a home from this one
Since coming back, one of the things Nate had wanted to do was actually spend some time with Kamaria. Do some bonding, grow closer. The kind of shit his parents had never bothered to do with him. And then everything had happened, and he’d lost the chance for a while, too worried about the newest catastrophe, about simply getting them through the day.
Today though? Today was different. He’d gotten up with an itch in his bones, had made breakfast, and had asked Kamaria if she wanted to go on an adventure while daddy rested up at home. And of course she did.
Which is how they find themselves out near the Miana pool, Nate eyeing the deep drowned hole and steering them towards a collection of tide pools instead. The sun is thankfully hidden today, rain pattering down in indecisive curtains before stopping again, but he’s got a jacket on just in case, and a bag slung over a shoulder.
“Have you been out this way before, Kamaria?” Nate asks, a smile plastered on his face and his hand wrapped tightly around hers.
the universe is in your bones, the stars in your soul
Kamaria was excited to go out in the rain to play, having no adversion to getting wet. But, of course, she had adorned a rain coat. It hangs across her torso more like a dress, a bit big on her. The hood comes down over her eyebrows so much so that she has to crane her neck way back to be able to meet Nate's smile with a little frown of her own. "Mmm.. nope, don't think so!" And she smiles at him more broadly after deciding so. "So what is this place?" She casts her gaze out towards the pool, where drizzles of water patter gently against its surface.
The hand that's wrapped around hers feels a bit strange, though. Normally, when she held onto Sunjata's hand or her teacher's, they would eventually grow clammy and too-warm. Nate's hand, no matter how long they've been walking for, stays the same.
"Your hand is cold," She blurts out, brows furrowing as her lip pouts a little. "Do you wanna wear my gloves? It's okay- my hands are warm." She tries to let go of him in order to start to tug them off. Of course, they wouldn't reasonably fit his hands but, that hasn't occurred to her yet.
I know that Most feelings are fleeting, but I could make a home from this one
“This place is the Miana Pool!” Nate drags the words out like they’re something magical as he skirts far around the edge of the deep blue hole, leading them instead to a collection of shallower tide pools, closer to the ocean. Even at this distance, there’s splashes of colour obvious in them, the images distorted by the raindrops.
Kamaria’s outburst has Nate turning to look down at her, his mouth opening in a silent ‘o’ when he realizes what she’s trying to do. Stopping and dropping into a Cronus, the ascended reaches out to take both of Kamaria’s hands in his own, stopping them gently. “I don’t need your gloves, Sundrop. Besides,” the very tips of Nate’s fingers squeeze small hands gently, “they look much better with your coat.” The words come out with a self assured confidence, Nate shaking Kamaria’s hands to invite her in on the attitude.
the universe is in your bones, the stars in your soul
The Miana Pool. By itself, the name only sounds slightly interesting, but the way Nate says it makes it sound even better. She's soon intrigued by the depths, peering out at it from her tip-toes and trying to see the bottom. She finds that she can't, and that surprises her.
And when she goes to give him her gloves, he stops her. She blinks up at him, smile stuttering on her lips, and gives him a curious look. Doesn't need them? Was he just trying to be nice? Or brave?
Kamaria bites back some of her chagrin at this, having wanted to make sure his hands were warm. She mulls over how to accomplish that now the most obvious solution has been rejected. But when he shakes her hands, she shakes them too, smiling and eventually giggling. "Okayyy! Fine, I guess."
Well... maybe if they run around and play a game, that will work! And he won't have to accept her help, necessarily...
"Nate?" She asks, tilting her head so that she can still see him past her hood, "What games did your parents play with you when you were little?" As much as she enjoys the games she's played before, she's hoping for something new and different today.
I know that Most feelings are fleeting, but I could make a home from this one
A soft laugh huffs from the ascended, his chest feeling properly light for the first time in a long time, though that realization only ignites more worry, more stressful buzzing in his chest. “That’s right you guess.” Nate leads them in among the tide pools, ignoring the brightly coloured sea stars and urchins and silvery fish to instead ensure they’re following a stable path.
“Yes sundrop?” Nate glances down, the smile on his face suddenly weighing more than it had moments ago. “Oh. Well... my parents were... busy, when I was little.” There’s a furrow in his brow as he picks his words, smoothing away as Nate continues onto a brighter note. “But! But, I played games with my brother. A lot of games with him.” A conspiratorial grin spreads over Nate’s face as he crouches, trying to lower himself so they can meet eye to eye.
Nate looks side to side, as if he needs to ensure that they’re the only ones out on their drizzly day before leaning in. “We were a little older than you when we played, but as long as you promise you’ll be careful I’ll show you, okay?”
06-27-2021, 10:22 AM (This post was last modified: 06-27-2021, 10:28 AM by Kamaria.)
the universe is in your bones, the stars in your soul
There's something to the look on Nate's face when he talks, something absent and not altogether in it. Kamaria can't put her thumb on it, much as she would like to, much as she'd like to squash it with her thumb. He seems to do that all by himself, though; squash it. His tone lightens up and his grin spreads, encouraging one of Kamaria's own.
The fact Nate's parents were too busy to play games comes as not as much of a surprise as Nate might be thinking. Given... he and Sunjata are usually pretty busy themselves. And Safrin? Well, Kamaria doesn't get nearly as much time with her as she does them. So she understands, maybe more than he realizes.
"I wish I had a brother," she comments, "then we could play while you and Dad are gone!"
Then he's glancing around and she leans in a bit closer, totally understanding the need for discretion. Her head tilts to look around too, pulling off her hood to get a better look, before she meets his gaze.
"Oh, I promise! You can count on me!" She points to herself with her thumb rather proudly, smiling all the while. Lowering her voice because this is obviously a secret, she asks expectantly, "So what is it?"
I know that Most feelings are fleeting, but I could make a home from this one
“Do you?” Nate laughs, his eyes sparkling. “What about a sister?” Hr asks, head tipping to the side and his smile stretching wider.
“Me and Bart called it shove.” It was one of many they'd made up for themselves, and one of the few that Nate felt even a little bit comfortable showing Kamaria. He stays in his crouch and holds his hands flat out in front of him. “So you put your hands on mine, and then we both try to push each other back, into uh,” he tilts to look around her, then twists to check over his own shoulder, “into those puddles behind us.”
As soon as Kamaria’s hands press against his own, the skin glowing where they touch, Nate’s false arms crackle into being, a safety net around the girl. “Aaand, how about if I win, you have to help me cook dinner tonight, and if you win, I’ll dooo... something for you. One thing you want.”
06-30-2021, 03:35 AM (This post was last modified: 06-30-2021, 03:35 AM by Kamaria.)
the universe is in your bones, the stars in your soul
Kamaria's lips quirk to one side, though she's still smiling through it, and she shakes her head vigorously. "Mm-mm! I already have a sister," she explains, "I want a brother! Like you have!" And she smiles brighter.
The game sounds simple and easy enough, and while logic would dictate that she has no chance at winning, she doesn't listen to that itty bitty voice in her head. Instead, determination shrinks her smile and she bites her bottom lip excitedly as she places her hands against Nate's. The difference in the size of their hands is stark, his palms alone dwarfing hers. "'Kay!"
She already knows what she wants from him when she wins, but she can't tell him yet. Instead, she tries to get the jump on him and pushes against him. Her heels dig in against the ground and she gives her mightiest effort! "You're going down!" She mumbles.
I know that Most feelings are fleeting, but I could make a home from this one
Nate’s brows all but disappear into his hair, a laugh quick to grace his lips. “Alright! I’ll keep it in mind, just for you Sundrop.”
As Kamaria squares up and prepares herself for the game there is the barest flicker of something across Nate’s face, something that settles in the pinch between his brows, the unguarded softness in his eyes. And when her hands settle against his, a barely there huff of laughter leaves him, his fingers twitching with the urge to close his hands and swallow Kamaria’s up.
Instead, Nate stumbles back, genuinely surprised when he’s pushed against, his balance already made deliberately tenuous by his squat. Kamaria shoves him back a few inches before he manages to steady himself. “Fuck, I might be!” He replies on reflex, recognizing the curse only after its ringing in his ears. Immediately he pushes back against her, trying to distract from it and regain an inch or two, grunting with faux strain all the while.
07-02-2021, 07:26 PM (This post was last modified: 07-02-2021, 07:27 PM by Kamaria.)
the universe is in your bones, the stars in your soul
Nate's promise - because it definitely sounded like a promise - sticks with her for the rest of their game. The thought of having a brother slips back and forth from the front of her mind to the back of it, but either way she can't seem to stop thinking about it. Not entirely. Having Seren as a sister and Safrin for a mother is great, it's amazing! But... they don't live with Kamaria. She feels as though she misses them more than she should, and surely... having a sibling more like her would make that better!
Anyway. Right. Shove Nate into the puddle! The curse that resounds from his vocal chords makes her startle, bluish-green eyes flickering up towards his face with mild confusion. Then he pushes back against her and the look is gone, her focus back on pushing against him.
But he's so strong! How!? She feels like she can barely even move him! She almost growls out her frustrations, "Rrgh! You piss me off!" And, at the realization that she said that to Nate, she hesitates. She loses traction and falls ungracefully into the puddle behind her. The still water suddenly splashes out around her and she's left sitting there, staring up at him in disbelief.
A sharper feeling tugs her attention away and suddenly her expression twists into one of genuine pain. "Oww-" Looking down towards her foot, it appears fine, but it hurts. Her hands move to touch it but she immediately flinches back when that only aggravates the pain. "Why'd you do that?!" She accuses, tears springing to her eyes.
I know that Most feelings are fleeting, but I could make a home from this one
A laugh bubbles out of Nate at her exertion, the Demi-god realizing for the first time that odds may be stacked in his favour. Just a little bit. But he can game it, he can let her win, after a little of back and forth.
At least until she snaps her own curse at him, surprising the both of them and throwing them off balance. Nate tries to overcorrect, tries to fall back and pull her onto him, but he’s not quite coordinated enough, and goes falling back into his own puddle. He at the very least manages to get back on his feet in a breath, rushing to Kamaria’s side.
“Shit, shit, are you okay?” Nate reaches out for her, his hands hesitating before they connect. His face is pinched with guilt, regret, panic. “I’m sorry Ria. It was... it was an accident. Here, let me see, huh? I’ll make it feel better.”
