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!
Go to Torchline and tell the Queens what happened. It was the only clear instructions they were given. Which is exactly what they did. Sah and Cordelia slipped out of Halo in the dead of night, Whitebrim practically rubble behind them, Noah and Hotaru fleeing from their home. Word that they had tried to capture them. All of it was too much, but the Attuned and the Abandoned had no choice but to go. Aino needed to stay and keep an eye on things there. She needed to watch over their family. So they left.
It took a few days to get there. Even with Cordelia carrying Sah most of the way with her Luxere shift. She could only move so quickly and they were worried that they could be followed. They had to be careful.
Finally, they came to the edge of town. Haulani and in the heart of it, the Court of Stars, where they're meant to find Maeve and Aurelia. She waits for Sah to slip off of her back before shifting back into her natural form. It's not long before they're in front of the Court, stepping inside and requesting the presence of the Queens.
Say something, something like you love me Less you want to move away from the noise of this place
Leaving Aino behind in the mess of what Halo now was, was incredibly difficult. Sah never would have done so if she hadn't insisted. If the necessity of their current task wasn't so clear. And so they'd left, no matter how painful it was to do so. The Outlander hoped that he'd be back though. Halo was where Aino, Ilma, and the tundra were. Halo was home.
As they journeyed, Sah was grateful for Cordelia's shift. He was too restless for a long trek and riding on her luxere form had shortened the trip immensely. Lilly spent most of the trip either running beside them or taking breaks in Sah's arms.
As they arrived the Abandoned was a bit wary. He wasn't sure what lay ahead of them, but he was determined to do what Aino had asked of them. And so, upon approaching the Court of Stars, Sah gave Cordelia's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Here we go." He hoped the meeting would go well and the Queens would be able to use the information to protect Torchline should the need arise. Or more likely, when the need would arise.
07-21-2021, 03:19 AM (This post was last modified: 07-21-2021, 11:08 AM by Maeve.)
Maeve
They were waiting for them. Maeve had received Noah's letter only yesterday informing her of the takeover. How he managed to escape. What they didn't know was the how. How did Morgan win it back with Ascended backing her? Were they aligned with the Voice now? Was Halo lost to the New Gods? Maeve didn't know and the only people who did were being brought before them now.
They sat in one of the side rooms. This one perhaps less informal. Mostly due to the fact that Maeve hasn't wanted to overwhelm their visitors from Halo. Instead they're greeted by the warmth of a fire and plush chairs to settle in. A tea service set out on a table between them all. Maeve and Aurelia are already in there, sitting side by side in chairs that match the ones for their guests. The Nightshade waited for them to get comfortable before pouring them both some tea, fixing it to their liking with a kind smile directed towards both of them.
"Welcome to Torchline, Sah and Cordelia. Please know that while you're here you are our guests and under our protection should the need arise. Please, tell us what happened. Noah wrote and said that Halo was overtaken by Morgan once more?" The Nightshade prompted, motioning for them to speak unless Aurelia had more to add.
Honey just put your sweet lips on my lips We should just kiss like real people do
07-21-2021, 06:14 PM (This post was last modified: 07-21-2021, 06:16 PM by Aurelia.)
Aurelia
over the riots above all the noise
Aurelia sits in her seat and, from what can be seen, she appears calm. Her shoulders are lax and her back rests flat against the arch of the chair. Her lips are measured carefully shut, allowing nothing more than a stiff smile as Sah and Cordelia enter through the door. The fire crackles and spits behind her as a log splits, and her fingers twitch in unison with it.
There's a presence that comes up beside her suddenly, and her focus leaves their guests for a moment as Maeve tends to them with tea. Her gaze lands on dark scales and filmy wings. Amber, serpentine eyes blink back up at her. She offers a barely-audible sigh and rests one hand against the top of Aidon's head for a moment.
As Maeve's voice takes on a more formal tone, Aurelia lifts her chin to assess the situation more attentively. Sah, she's met before, so her gaze trains a bit harder on Cordelia - someone she's never seen.
For now, however, she is silent - leaving all of the breathing room the two Halovians would need to speak their pieces. Her expression harbors no judgements. In fact, there is a sliver of concern that pinches between her brows and creases the corners of her lips.
07-21-2021, 06:56 PM (This post was last modified: 07-22-2021, 12:25 PM by Cordelia.)
Cordelia
Cordelia can say without a doubt that she'd never felt nerves like this. Not really. Maeve was the less intimidating of the two. The Nightshade was regal and dark, holding herself with poise and grace, offering them kind words as she poured them tea. The queen's counterpart, the Fireheart, was much harder to get a read on. The woman fixed her with a hard gaze even as she absentmindedly stroked the top of a dragon's head.
With surprisingly steady hands, Cordelia took the tea with a soft thank you, taking a sip before she started. "They came in the middle of the night. On the back of a dragon. Morgan and the Ascended. I didn't really know them, but they were all people that Hotaru and Noah knew. Nate, Neron, and another. The dragon. I don't know if they were Ascended or not." She began, clutching onto her tea tightly as she turned to Sah, knowing that he had more information on this than she did.
"Over the Attuned bond they told us to get the citizens to safety in the barracks. That's what we did. Noah and Hotaru surrendered. They fled along with Deimos." She finally finished supplying what she knew, aware that Sah hadn't heard the parts said over the bond and not wanting to leave them out.
Say something, something like you love me Less you want to move away from the noise of this place
Sah nodded to the Queens in respect as they arrived. He hadn't met Maeve but Aurelia was a familiar face at least. "Thank you for meeting with us." He glanced at Aurelia, "It's good to see you again, though I wish the circumstances were different." His voice was even, deceptively calm. None of the anger and restlessness beneath his skin was visible.
Taking a sip of his drink, the Abandoned informed them of what he knew. "It's as Cordelia said. I saw a dragon come into Halo, Morgan on it's back. I don't know the identity of the dragon nor did I spend any time trying to guess. Aino, Cordelia, and I immediately started evacuating the citizens to the Barracks, even before the order came through. The dragon did fire on one of the towers, but that's the only shot I saw that was actually taken in Halo proper. Whitebrim, however was nearly completely destroyed." He paused, brow furrowing in contemplation before he continued.
"Before we left, I heard Morgan begin giving a speech to the citizens. She claimed that this was a move to return Halo to remove Noah and Hotaru because they hadn't been elected by the people. Morgan claimed that her goal was to return Halo to neutrality, that this was her giving justice to the people of Halo." Sah spoke bluntly, allowing the Queens to draw their own conclusions and not press his own beliefs and suspicions onto them. "She did also claim that once the Citadel was secure she'd open up a challenge in case anyone wanted to take her spot as Warden."
Sah's tone did take on a bit of frustration as he wrapped up his piece. "Aino tasked us with informing you of what had happened, but she remained behind while we left that night." The Abandoned still hated that fact that he'd left his sister to that mess, even if she had insisted on it.
Maeve was quiet as they spoke. Her legs crossed as she cupped her tea in her hands, head tilting to the side thoughtfully as she listened to all they had to say, eyes occasionally flicking over to her counterpart. The news was surprising. From what she heard of the original coupe, Morgan and Neron left peacefully and the citizens were settling under the new Wardens well. Not only that, but from what she knew of Noah and his love for Halo, the man was going to do everything in his power to take care of the people under him. The fact that Morgan came in to take it back under the guise of neutrality while being backed by only Ascended was hard to accept as any form of neutrality at all.
She took a breath, sharing a look with Aurelia before facing forward, shifting in her seat as she smoothed a hand over her belly. "First, thank you for making the journey here and sharing what you know. I'm glad that you were able to get the citizens to safety during what was clearly a blatant attack." Maeve began, lips pursing in thought, considering her next words carefully. "Morgan made a speech to claim that she was going to shift Halo back to a neutral stance, but only had Ascended backing her... I can't be the only one finding that a bit suspicious. What else do you know of her? Does she have major ties with the Ascended? Has she shown any favor to the Old Gods before?"
These weren't questions about Halo specifically. Nor the invasion, but they were necessary to see where Morgan potentially fell in the grand scheme of things. Halo, for all they knew, was now lost to the Voice. If that was the case then there was reason to worry with how closely they bordered Torchline. It would be even more important to maintain neutrality with them now if they were going to stay at peace with their neighbors.
Honey just put your sweet lips on my lips We should just kiss like real people do
Sah's brow furrowed. "It's incredibly suspicious, and none of the implications bode well." He agreed with Maeve's assessment. The Abandoned was worried for the region that had become his home. And for the people still there.
Taking a sip of his drink, Sah answered Maeve's questions. "Unfortunately I don't know much about Morgan. I've only been in Halo, in Caido for about a year. And I've never actually met her personally. But Hotaru mentioned when she took Wardenship that they had removed Morgan because the Old Gods had ordered it to be done. Specifically because Morgan had been discovered to have ties to the Voice. Hotaru and Noah didn't expand on it further then that." He explained, knowing full well what this likely meant for Halo. Even if the region wasn't for the Voice yet, there was a strong possibility that it'd end up falling to her side if nothing was done.
Sah made sure not to eye Aurelia as he spoke about Hotaru. The history between the two woman had nothing to do with the current situation. And he refused to let it distract anyone from the danger that Halo was now in.
07-26-2021, 10:19 AM (This post was last modified: 07-26-2021, 10:25 AM by Aurelia.)
Aurelia
over the riots above all the noise
Aurelia's silence is stoic and hard, stubbornly unyielding to not let the others know her inner thoughts. Even when they each give her their own looks, even when Maeve glances towards her, her face remains stony and unyielding. The darker lines revealing concern shift and ebb away, until all she is is a straight face. Her fingers continue to absently stroke the top of Aidon's head, finding the little grooves of his scales to keep her grounded.
The words Maeve speaks cut through her, they sting, and she is reminded yet again of the Nightshade's attachment to Hotaru. Her eyes go to the woman's hand where it rests against the small rise of her belly. She does have to give a nod, though, because she is grateful that Sah and Cordelia had traveled this way to inform them of the events that unfolded in Halo.
It's certainly valuable information.
But what to do with it? The question sets Aurelia's gears turning. Calloused fingers rise from the dragon's head to press against the side of her own jawline as she leans her chin forward to listen to Sah's answers.
The word 'suspicious' makes her eyes narrow - a subtle lapse.
Clearing her throat to draw attention to herself, she speaks for the first time since the two Halovians have arrived. Sitting straighter and taller in her seat, Aurelia folds her hands in her lap and lifts her chin, "Morgan took back something that was taken from her - and she had every right to, as far as I am concerned. If the people of Halo believe that she should not be in power, or that she will use that power in a way they do not want, then perhaps they should challenge her leadership... properly. It seems as though she is willing to hear her people out. And we would all do well to learn from the past so as not to repeat it, don't you two agree? Though - if I may - it sounds like she's better equipped to protect the city than her usurpers were."
Then she relaxes, and says more gently, "We do appreciate you coming to tell us all of this. You're both very brave, and Halo should be proud to call you its own. If there is nothing else, you are more than welcome to stay at one of the inns here in the city, just tell them we sent you for a warm meal and a bed to sleep in. You can take all the time you need to recoup before you return home."
Maeve listens raptly, lips still pursed as she rests back into the plush cushions of her chair, crossing her legs lightly. Her expression is still one of concern, not unreadable as her counterpart's seems to be, but whether it's true concern over Morgan taking leadership or for the citizens of Halo is anyone's guess.
When Aurelia does finally speak, Maeve isn't surprised by what she hears and to an extent she agrees, despite the worry that blooms in her chest at the fact that their neighbors could likely be inclined to take more extreme measures against them in the future. She considers this quietly, unwilling to raise the concern yet, knowing it's a conversation better suited between just them.
So instead, Maeve simply nods in agreement with Aurelia, presenting a unified front to the two before them as she reaches over to take Aurelia's hand. The Nightshade gives it a delicate squeeze of reassurance, wanting to remind her that she is on her side, "Yes, as Aurelia said, if Morgan has given people the chance to speak out then I'd take that chance if you are unhappy with the way things have gone. Despite who each of them follows, the back and forth between leaders affects the citizens first and foremost, something that should be at the forefront of their concerns. If it doesn't seem that way, then I'd press for change." She finishes, reiterating what Aurelia said in her own speech, offering them both a kind smile that's meant to soothe any ruffled feathers.
"Please stay and rest as long as you need to before making your journey again. We appreciate you both bringing us this information and wish you safe travels." Maeve gives them both a nod, turning her attention to Aurelia for a moment, jade eyes studying her features as her thumb swiped across the knuckles of her hand.
Honey just put your sweet lips on my lips We should just kiss like real people do
It wasn't entirely what she was expecting, but at the same time, Cordelia didn't know what she'd expecting in the first place. So she listens quietly as she's known to do, expression just as neutral as the Queens before her. Once they both finish, she simply nods before moving to stand, setting down her barely touched tea to reach for Sah instead. "Thank you for having us and listening to what we had to say." The Attuned offers quietly, giving them both a little bow as she holds onto Sah's arm, giving him a little tug.
"Come on. We should rest before we start back." Cordelia starts to head out of the room, once Sah is ready.
Say something, something like you love me Less you want to move away from the noise of this place
Sah nodded to both Queens. "Yes, thank you both. You have made a valid point. When we return home, I'll bring up my concerns with Morgan and see where that leads. Hopefully things in Halo will settle for now." Of course with the coming war, it wouldn't last. Sah hoped that they'd have some chance to regroup and prepare first however.
When Cordelia made motions to leave, Sah nodded respectfully to both Queens before following his cousin out. "That sounds good. Let's plan to head for Halo at dawn." His brow furrowed slightly. "I hope Aino and the others are alright. From the evidence, I assume they are. But I don't think I'll relax until I see for myself." Morgan seemed genuine in her desire for Halo's security, but Sah wasn't sure if she could pull it off.
Cordelia kept a tight hold on him after they left, leaning into the younger man, allowing his support to keep her steady as she let out a shaky breath. "Me either, but a good night of rest will help. Not to mention a proper meal." She said softly, drawing her bottom lip between her teeth as her mind went to her cousin and her family, hoping beyond hope that they're safe, but she knew neither of them would be soothed until they saw for themselves. With that, they slipped back out onto the streets and headed for the inn.
Sah and Cordelia out!
Say something, something like you love me Less you want to move away from the noise of this place
07-31-2021, 10:35 PM (This post was last modified: 07-31-2021, 10:35 PM by Aurelia.)
Aurelia
over the riots above all the noise
As Sah and Cordelia make their leave, she waits with baited breath until the door clicks closed behind them. Then, her shoulders fall and a sigh heaves through her lips, a whisper, a sliver of all the stress and strain weighing on her mind.
She can feel those jade green eyes on her, and for a second she feels irritated. "Hotaru and Noah's leadership was doomed from the beginning," she says sharply, teeth chattering against each other when she's done speaking. A breath is pulled in to steady herself, and she finally looks at Maeve. "It was only a matter of time," this is said softer, gentler, Aurelia unable to be harsh when staring in the face of the woman beside her.
"Torchline is known for being a city of thieves, and even then? That the people of Halo went along with those two? If it wasn't idiocy, then it was fear. They are too afraid of war, of people stronger or bigger than them, too afraid of being caught up in the storm to stand up and speak - let alone fight for themselves," it makes her blood boil, drawing a dark red color into her cheeks that burns and stings with her anger.
"I never want Torchline to be afraid. I don't want them to know the meaning of fear."
