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!
The Whispershore welcomes her with sound and song long before her eyes find the banks. It is a perfect day for wading in the shallows of the stream and searching for precious stones at Ludo's command. The heat of the day is like a shawl across her shoulders, darkening her skin with each long summer day, inspiring dark flecks of freckles wherever sunlight falls.
Nephele is dressed for the occasion in all ways but one. Shorts, a tanktop, bare feet...and Ludo's rags. Dark and daunting, but eternally present on her figure. She prays it will give her luck and guidance as she completes each portion of the quest it has given her.
The water is a shock of cold against her ankles as she wades inside the river, silt thick against the soles of her feet. It's a pleasant sensation in the heat of the day however. Pan in hand, Nephele begins to sift through the sand and clay, sharp birdlike eyes perusing each stone that remains after the water washes away the sediment.
It's a bit of a trek to come all the way out here and she knows that Safrin has advised her against using the portals, but this was important enough to warrant the trip. It would be one of the last ones she planned to make by portal if she could help it. Maeve moves quietly through the wood, Aidon gliding above her, keeping an eye ahead to make sure there was nothing dangerous before her.
He sends an image along the bond, a girl wading in water a little ahead of her and her curiosity gets the better of her. She approaches slowly, not wanting to startle the girl, "Hello?" Maeve calls out, stopping ten or so feet away from where the stranger is wading through the water.
Honey, I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere Nothin' scares me anymore Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
Nephele has no companion to tell her when someone approaches, no Attuned senses to rely upon to enhance her hearing or vision. All the same, the feet that move through the undergrowth are warning enough of an approaching presence. In the Greatwood, most are Fae who fly more than walk, and whose treading steps scarcely rustle the leaves and branches. Motions freezing moments before a voice calls out, Nephele lifts her head, long waves of red hair gleaming in the light that reflects off the river's surface as sharp hazel eyes scan the shore for the newcomer.
As she'd expected in the half-moment before the woman's voice met her ears, there are no delicate wings on her back. Though the fact that she is out and about in the sunlight means she is likely not an Ascended either, which keeps Nephele from rejecting her presence outright. Straightening, Nephele turns, her skirts tied up around her waist to prevent them from getting wet. "Are you lost?" It is succinct, but not unkind, as she stands there with her sifting pan in hand.
Aidon circles back towards Maeve, orange eyes narrowing as he watches the stranger in the water, landing in front of his bonded and flaring his wings in warning. The markings on top of them reminiscent of a butterfly; oranges, reds, white, and blacks mixing to create a beautiful pattern. He bares his teeth, rumbling out a growl that Maeve tries to shush, but the large dragon has no interest in that.
"No, I'm not lost. I was just coming out to do a bit of foraging." Before it was too difficult to travel back and forth with ease. She watches the other woman curiously, wrapping her arms around her middle lightly, head cocking to the side curiously at the sight of her wings that glint in the sun. She hadn't actually met a Fae before. Though she had heard of them.
Honey, I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere Nothin' scares me anymore Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
Nephele’s sharp eyes descend upon the dragon, and narrow in turn. “This is not your land, noble hunter, and I have not threatened your bonded. It is I who should be cross with your presence. Mind your manners.” His arrogance is deplorable, and his lack of manners more so, but Nephele has stopped trying to educate the humans who believe wherever they walk is theirs to claim. Not that it will stop her from boldly correcting those who need it - human or otherwise.
At least the woman herself is slightly more respectful. “Are you familiar with what grows here? Much can be poisonous.” Her brows crease in slight concern. Nephele is not cruel, she would not see a non-native die of a mistaken identification of a plant. “I am a botanist. If you need me to look them over, I could spare a moment.” The sun is still high, she could continue her hunt after.
Maeve sent a soft warning down the bond towards her companion, narrowing her eyes at him as she places a hand on top of his head, shifting to move around him. "Behave, Aidon." Her voice is quiet and the dragon shifts his attention up to his bonded, grumbling his distaste down the bond, clearly not trusting the stranger.
"I apologize for him. He's feeling the need to be a touch more protective lately." The Madame offers the apology to the other woman, a small smile tugging on her lips, hoping for a civil interaction if nothing else. "I'm growing more familiar with it. I've been studying the various plantlife each time I've come out. I was hoping to get some peppermint bark among other things." She takes another small step forward, "I appreciate the offer. I've found a few different things, but I wouldn't mind another set of eyes making sure I haven't gotten anything harmful."
Honey, I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere Nothin' scares me anymore Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
The woman moves in front of the bonded, so his reaction is something Nephele can’t see, but there are few hard feelings here. Animals are Rae’s realm, and before Ludo she had worshipped them. Their instincts are easier for her to understand than human complexity.
“You are alone in an unfamiliar land. It is not without reason.” Unaware of any other reason the dragon would be feeling protective but offering her acceptance of the apology with no further strings. As she inches closer, Nephele lifts a wet hand to push her long hair back over one shoulder. “I will come to you.” Her wings beat and hum, lifting her from the water, bare feet skimming the surface as she gracefully lands before Maeve. She is used to being much, much smaller than almost everyone, including women, but her presence is clearly one of an aged and wise individual, and it makes her seem much larger.
Setting her tray down, she wipes her hands idly on her skirts, still tied up and revealing dainty legs spotted with freckles and sun-kissed olive tones. “Are you looking to make something in particular with the bark?” She is more familiar with tinctures and chemical creations, but the plants by themselves were still quite useful.
Aidon curls around Maeve's legs, lifting his head so his cheek presses against her belly, nuzzling there lightly and she places a light hand on top of his head. Her smile soft as she looks down at him, a soft smile on her lips just for her bonded, sighing as his reassurance trickles along their bond.
Maeve lifts her eyes back up to Nephele, watching with a touch of awe as her wings flutter and shimmer, bringing her out of the water to join her on the shore. She pulls her eyes away, not wanting to stare or make the other woman uncomfortable, instead choosing to focus on her face. Maeve looks down at the smaller woman, already knowing that despite her stature, she's in the presence of someone much older than she.
Offering the Fae her basket, she allows her to look through it at her leisure, chewing on her bottom lip as she meets her gaze. "Tea among other things. Mostly for nausea." She leaves it to the other woman to put things together.
Honey, I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere Nothin' scares me anymore Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
Nephele watches the dragon’s face gently touch the woman’s stomach, and hums softly. Saving her question until she is standing before the woman, bare feet in the sand. “Are you with child?” It stands to reason that she could be wrong, Maeve is hardly showing, but it doesn’t stop her from asking anyway.
Taking the offered basket, Nephele props it on her hip to better use her hands to sort through what has been gathered. Removing a few pieces, she holds them in her hand until it has all been gathered before she gestures to the small bundle. “This is a hard one to detect. It is quite similar in appearance, but you can tell by the number of points on the leaf - there is one fewer than the safe alternative. There is also a different color to the main vein beneath - this one is slightly blue, instead of a paler green.” Nephele shows both areas as she does, and pulls another leaf to allow Maeve to see the difference in color and shape. “Never fear; you did not collect many. They are invasive, and grow near the safe counterpart, so that they may be ingested and their berries spread by animals as there are no flowers to pollinate.”
The faint flush deepens despite the fact that she has no real reason to be embarrassed. Despite her situation with Locke, the child is a blessing, one she's very grateful for. Maeve manages a small smile, nodding in response as she scratches Aidon's brow, appreciating the gentleness in which he offers his comfort. "I am. It's very early. Only about seven weeks or so." She'd yet to hear from Phoebe, not knowing for sure and the Accepted was hesitant to seek anyone else to confirm, only trusting the midwife with the the health of her baby.
Maeve watches with interest as the Fae gathers a small bundle of leaves from her basket, separating them from the rest of what she's gathered, brows drawn together as she begins to explain the difference between the two. "Oh, I didn't even realize." She studies the differences between the two, doing her best to commit them to memory, noting the different shape and color that Nephele points out. "Is there anything else I should be on the lookout for besides those?" The Madame asks, motioning to her basket with a nod of her head.
Honey, I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere Nothin' scares me anymore Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
The flush on Maeve’s cheeks doesn’t register, interest instead brightening her eyes. “We live such long lives that we have children quite infrequently. I apologize if it came off as insensitive, it’s a subject we deeply enjoy.” Nephele had in fact met very few children, even human ones. She’s not really sure how she would take them - if she would like them or not.
For now, there is no baby to examine, but plants instead. Maeve seems open to the corrections, which is more than Nephele can say about most other humans when corrected. Though knowing she is pregnant only encourages Nephele to share her knowledge, softening her demeanor in a way scarcely seen by humans. “Though I doubt you’d have reason to pursue it, the red lichen in the basin of the waterfall near here is deadly if consumed. I would avoid our mushrooms entirely - there are far too many to tell you which are safe and which are edible, and even Fae can mistake some. Everything else should be acceptable during Leafchange.” With many things dying off or no longer in prime foraging season that would endanger the woma.
"No, it's alright. It's just very new and the circumstances surrounding the pregnancy are... Complicated. The father isn't in the picture." Maeve murmurs in way of explaining the flush on her cheeks, offering the woman a small smile instead, a free hand smoothing over her belly. There is the faintest swell visible beneath the fabric of her clothes. She turns a little so the fae might see it more clearly. "I'm barely showing, but they're in there." A faint laugh rises from her, the sound soft and light, bringing a brightness to her eyes.
"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you. Perhaps I can come back when there are more things growing and you could teach me a few other things?" The suggestion is aired with a small arch of her brow, hoping that the fae would be willing to share her fountain of knowledge. Especially given that Maeve simply wants to learn. Plus by that point she would have had her child and Nephele could have the delight of meeting them as well. "What were you doing here? If you don't mind my asking, of course."
Honey, I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere Nothin' scares me anymore Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
Love and entanglements are not something Nephele understands on a personal level. Her first and only kiss had been at the Fiat Lux festival in the Grounds during Spin the Bottle. She’d never been loved, dated, held, or made love to. For all her age, suddenly she feels quite unsure of her footing. As such she doesn’t know what to say. “I’m…sorry. At least they are with you.” Was that even a positive thing for the woman?
Plants, at least, are easier to understand. “If you find my manner of teaching adequate, you are welcome to seek me out. My name is Nephele of Sidhe, my family name is Amoret.” Maeve wouldn’t be able to enter the Village, but the Branches workers could get a letter to Nephele easily enough.
Handing the basket back to Maeve and tossing the toxic leaves away from the river, Nephele brushes her hands off and reclaims her pan. She isn’t anticipating the stranger asking any further questions, but there’s no harm in answering. “Ludo has tasked me with a quest. I am to find precious stones in the sediment here.” Easy enough, if Nephele were not so inherently picky.
While Maeve might be the one with more experience here, she's never let such a thing cloud her opinions on someone else's experiences, knowing it all happens within its time. Not everyone is interested in such things or ready to take those steps. There is no judgement in her gaze as Nephele seems to falter. Her smile simply remains and she nods again. "It's alright. I'm grateful to have this chance. I've always wanted a child. Even if this isn't how I imagined things going." Her shoulders lift in a gentle shrug, letting whatever discomfort the statement might have brought roll away.
"I will be sure to do so. Maeve Ansel. It's a pleasure to meet you." Maeve murmurs, dipping her head as she commits the name to memory, intent on following through on that offer.
Taking her basket back and offering it to Aidon instead so he might hold it in his maw, Maeve straightens up at the mention of Ludo. "Would you like some help? I'm familiar with Ludo. I'm actually rather good friends with his demigod, Remi. It feels only fitting I should offer my aid."
Honey, I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere Nothin' scares me anymore Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
