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've seen fire & i've seen rain. i've seen sunny days that i thought would never end
Gone to the docks to think about the boat. Be home soon - R
It was easy to stealth out of bed when you shifted into a boneless bird and flew out the window. Remi had opened the door to his shop to leave Ronin the note, before turning and making his way toward the docks before the sun had even come up. The entirety of his conversation with Ludo rattled around in his mind, and though he knew nothing but time (if not clarity) would soothe him, at least having something to set his mind on would help. He'd not do anything without Mateo of course, but Remi could at least think through some of the last problems facing their skyboat.
Sitting with his feet dangling over a dock, that in turn dangled far, far over the Falling, Remi watched the various crewmembers as they rigged their vessels for the day. With just a scarf around his neck for warmth and an ill-fitting t-shirt, Remi looked more the part of some lowly merchant trying to stow away on one of the ships than a man with a mind capable of building one.
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
The feet that pad across the wooden docks are soft, because their owner has removed his shoes before stepping onto them in preparation to feel the breeze between his toes. Said shoes will appear in Remi's line of sight first, set down onto the edge of the dock, before Ronin follows. His feet swing a bit as he gets comfortable, wordlessly offering out a pastry filled with sweet jam to his husband.
"I got too impatient for soon," he explains, hiding a wide yawn behind his hand before taking an obnoxously large bite out of his own pastry. One look at Ronin will find him not long out of bed, his dark hair further ruffled by the breeze, his blue eyes still sleepy; soon apparently needed to be immediately.
"Figured out how many crew you'll need?" he asks once he's devoured that first bite, absently brushing crumbs from a shirt that's buttoned wrong.
i've seen fire & i've seen rain. i've seen sunny days that i thought would never end
Entirely lost in thought, it's rather amusing just how startled Ronin's appearance makes Remi. Feathers bristle through his curls, and the eyes that turn sharply upwards are tinged with a predatory black before the tight line of his lips becomes an easy smile. Accepting the pastry and instantly moving so that their legs brush against one another, Remi can't help the sweet smile that her offers the Star. 'I did not mean to wake you, I had meant to be—' One glance up at the sky lets the alchemist know he's been sitting on the docks far longer than he'd planned. With a sheepish shrug, Remi takes a bite of his pastry. "—'orry.'"
Looking at one of the boats, a vessel much larger than the one he and Mateo had made, Remi lets his head laze back and forth for a moment. "A captain and a first mate certainly. And I was thinking...one more crew member. Strong preferably, and...easy on the eyes would be nice." With a sly look in Ronin's direction, Remi schools his expression into one as close to neutral as he can manage. "And with no history of crashing even a single vessel." He adds, trying to remain straight-faced.
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
"No need to apologise - it meant I could grab us breakfast." Ronin grins and leans in for another bite of his pastry; as they sit close enough to touch, his leg absently hooks around Remi's as if to hold his foot instead of his hand. With fingers that aren't covered in crumbs, he reaches out to smooth away the feathers from his husband's curls, humming out a note of interest to hear him describe the necessary crew.
"Well, obviously Mateo is the captain. But I think you will make a fine first mate," he says, listening carefully to the description of this third crew member. Gasping, his hand flutters to his chest. "That sounds just like me!" He grins. Never mind the smudge of jam on his chin.
i've seen fire & i've seen rain. i've seen sunny days that i thought would never end
The boyish temptation to try and foot-wrestle with Ronin until one of them fell from the docks (to their deaths, if they weren't the men they were), is only tempered by the realization that there are already more than a few eyes watching the two men. Did chaos tend to follow Ronin and Remi around? Yes. Was it welcome here? Absolutely not.
Trying his best to retain an air of skepticism, Remi reaches up to scratch at his lip as if that might help hide his smirk. "Is that so? Well it says here.." Pretending to read a fake piece of parchment, Remi squints at his hand as if to inspect something. "..Mr Taliesin is it? It says here that last year you wracked up quite the debt in property damage." He pauses for dramatic effect. "Property damage sustained during a skyboat crash. A ... what's this?" Gasping, he narrows his eyes at the fake-resume or whatever it is he's miming reading. "Stolen sky boat?"
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
The people of the docks are safe for now, at least - the Star and the Lullaby are occupied by both their breakfast and each other, and as Ronin takes another large bite of his pastry, Remi will need to catch up before his own started getting eyed up for seconds. At the completely accurate imaginary resume he produces, Ronin shuffles to sit a bit closer, leaning over Remi's shoulder so he can more accurately read his hand as well.
"Ah, no no, see," he says, shaking his head, "the debt was all squared away, you just need to speak to the Eye. He can provide a stellar reference." And he fully expects Remi to do just that. "And that's a mistake. It wasn't a stolen skyboat. That should say borrowed. And returned." He nods wisely. Only a few squawks from nearby distract him, Ronin looking up to see some of the crew on the boat being hassled by a Hel trying to steal their breakfast (instead of his, for once).
And Ronin can't help himself, bursting into boyish laughter at the sight.
i've seen fire & i've seen rain. i've seen sunny days that i thought would never end
'Ah HAH. So you admit that there was debt.' Remi declares triumphantly, looking over his shoulder with his brows raised. 'Oh? He'll be able to speak to all of your...skills?" Remi's eyes drop down Ronin's chest (just now taking in the mismatched buttons), lingering around his crotch (currently collecting flaky bits of breakfast), before rising again.
"Borrowed." Remi repeats diligently, as he searches for an imaginary pen, finds one, and crosses out "stolen". "So, with permission, then." He adds before writing anything more, offering a look that demands honesty.
It's convenient then, that Ronin's gaze is nowhere near him, but is instead focused on the rather unfortunate situation on one of the nearby boats. "A man who laughs at the misfortune of others? I am not so sure our captain will approve." Remi grumbles under his breath, though he too is snickering at the wild antics being deployed to try and fend off the hels.
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
Ronin jumps a bit at the bark of Remi's accusation (or confirmation, more likely), the Star almost inhaling a few crumbs and wishing he'd brought coffee to go with the pastries. "Oh he can absolutely speak to all of my skills," he says once he's recovered, popping the remainder of his breakfast into his mouth and wearing practically only a bit of it.
Swinging the leg that isn't wrapped around Remi's, he watches the imaginary pen cross out the imaginary words, nodding gravely along with the assumptions made. "Retroactive permission, absolutely," he agrees, brushing the crumbs from his clothes now so he doesn't attract any Hels of his own.
Speaking of which, he watches as one of the birds succeeds in taking off with a whole piece of bacon, Ronin seeming a mix of horrified and impressed. "If our captain were here, I think he'd have found that incredible," he objects, before grinning back to his husband. "And he'd have laughed."
i've seen fire & i've seen rain. i've seen sunny days that i thought would never end
Remi's nose crinkles as his bluff is called out; under no circumstances will he ever be checking in with Cian about Ronin's skills. "Mmmm..." Grumbling under his breath and writing retroactive in swooping italics that absolutely no one can read (because it's against his palm, with his own finger), the alchemist tsks under his breath and gives his head a slight shake. The look he offers the Star suggests the interview isn't going well at all. But then the scene is interrupted by the hels, and Remi can only watch it all play out.
'You seem to know a fair bit about our captain." Remi murmurs skeptically, raising a brow in Ronin's direction. "Just how did you hear about this job posting, mm?"
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
Ronin tries to watch the swoop of retroactive as it moves across Remi's palm, but honestly he gets a little distracted by the movement of his husband's finger instead. And the interview might not be going well, but Ronin's smile is sunny all the same, and after brushing the rest of his crumbs from his shirt and pants, he reaches out to wind an arm around Remi's waist. "I know him outside of work," he explains about their illustrious captain, the Star shrugging his shoulders.
"Though I didn't know about the job posting until I sat down here this morning. It must have been fate." As if such a thing exists for the two mean. Leaning in, Ronin steals a kiss from Remi's cheek. "Do you want to stay a little longer, or walk home and get coffee on the way?"
i've seen fire & i've seen rain. i've seen sunny days that i thought would never end
'Excuse me just what do you think you are doing?" Remi demands as Ronin twines his arm around his waist. Nevermind that their legs are still interlocked. "I am a married man, you know." He points out, waggling the fingers on his left hand where his ring sits, as evidence.
As the Star steals a kiss and ruins the charade, Remi reaches out to grab the Star's collar and tug him back. The pair have found themselves in more romantic settings, but covered in crumbs (Remi still is), with the skyboat workers in a screaming match with a flock of birds, the alchemist can still feel butterflies flitting about his stomach as he gives his husband a proper kiss.
'Coffee.' He agrees with a nod. "I was out late with Ludo, and then up early this morning." Remi adds, as if his needing coffee requires justification.
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
"I'm sorry, I just can't help myself. You are irresistible," Ronin purrs, at least at the point where he is still playing along with the whole charade. "Your husband is a very lucky man." He's drawing away only for Remi to pull him back, crumbs and all, and Ronin hums out a soft laugh just before his lips are captured by the alchemist. His free hand reaches out to rest atop Remi's thigh, and were it not for the very public nature of their meeting, it might be trying to sneak higher. (Even with the publicity, it's a tough call).
The act broken, he presses another kiss to the tip of Remi's nose and shifts to get up, holding his hands out now to help haul his husband to his feet. "Oh, an all nighter with Ludo?" He waggles his eyebrows, but the sudden softness in his expression tells that he knows those particular waters run very deep. "Come on - I'll make sure yours is very hot and very sweet. Just like you."
i've seen fire & i've seen rain. i've seen sunny days that i thought would never end
Placing his hands in Ronin's—to pull him off the dock, or not to pull him off the dock?—Remi ends up standing. Crumbs rain down, no doubt soon to attract the attention of many hels, but luckily the men are on their way. "Okay, okay!" Chuckling, Remi stretches an arm around Ronin, sliding his fingers into his husband's back pocket. "You have got the job. The flattery can stop."
Trying to occasionally trip Ronin as they walk, stiff-shouldered, Remi looks at their feet silently for a while before finding the words to explain his meeting with Ludo. "I told Ludo about what happened with Nate. At first...it seemed unbothered by how ready I was to kill him. He is an ascended after all...but when I mentioned the war, that you thought I might start it, I..." Frowning, Remi shakes his head slightly. "It seemed...very upset by that."
Biting at the inside of his cheek, Remi glances over his shoulder, eyeing the profile of Ronin's face. Gods but the Star was handsome. "Perhaps the war is farther away than we think. Though...it did say to attend that party in the Wilds." Which seemed a fairly ominous sign in and of itself.
Speaks with a thick Italian accent.
Force and magic can be used against Remi without permission.
Ronin shoots his husband a look that suggests he will not be particularly enthralled to find himself pitched over the edge of the dock, and when Remi decides merely to try and trip him as they walk, he accepts it in his (occasionally stumbling) stride. His arm slips around Remi's shoulders, and he gives him a gentle squeeze accompanied with a wicked smile. "Why would I ever stop?" he says of the flattery. "You are so easy to compliment, and if I try hard enough, you show me your dimples."
They continue down towards the Plaza where Ronin plans to get them coffee, the Star giving his husband the silence he needs and trusting him to speak when he's ready. And when it does come, he raises his eyebrows and lets out a long sigh through pursed lips. "Well," he says, "it's a good thing that you've got someone helping you not to start a war, isn't it? And I suppose that means we ought to go to this party. If the herald of death tells you to go, it can only mean good things, right?"
