A rogue at heart and in life, Jack has been dodging trouble and rewriting Torchline’s rules for as long as most can remember. Though his slight, rugged exterior might seem easy to overlook in the crowded alleys of Haulani, a sharper look reveals a man as dangerous as he is enigmatic. With an infamous reputation and razor-sharp wit, matched with eyes that see and say more than most can handle, Jack's real weapon lies not in his stance but in his piercing blue gaze—and a telepathic edge no one knows about. Recent endeavours—like romancing Torchline's queen and trading favours for children with Safrin—show that while Jack may lack a conventional moral compass, he’s bound only by his own ambitions.
Congratulations, Jack!
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!
and we'll forget this solemn day, we'll always be young again
Leafchange did bring more clouds to Torchline – it made it far more bearable for the Ascended to find himself among the streets of Haulani and the markets. Here, he’s searching for good quality fishing line – something to work with that they don’t have in the Grounds, something he’d promised Wessex he’d try to find. If nothing else, it would make for something quite useful to those that remained in the Grounds when it came to the Oasis, wondering idly how many people would try to use it to catch Dreamfish, before he’s pulled out of his thoughts when the merchant addresses him.
He flashes a small smile, careful to hide his fangs, carefully hiding his metal arm even with the long sleeve he wears paired with a delicate set of leather gloves. “A couple of spools of fishing line.” He requests, wondering what it would take to get the merchant to release such an item, debating where to start when it came to charming the man.
07-30-2021, 08:27 PM (This post was last modified: 07-30-2021, 08:27 PM by Maeve.)
Maeve
Maeve hasn't been doing too much shopping recently. Between focusing on her tasks from Safrin, running the Halenani, and her new responsibilities as queen there hasn't been too much time for anything else. However, she's making time today. Her due date is growing nearer by the day and she has yet to get their nursery together. Something that she needs to do before it's much too hard for her to move about. Right now she's trying to find some paint to do the walls with and there is really only one place to get that.
Which happens to be where Cal is currently doing his shopping as well. As soon as she approaches, the shopkeeper shifts their attention to her instead, offering him a polite smile. "One moment, please." He says before he's moving towards Maeve instead, smile even brighter for the queen, "Your highness, how can I help you? Looking for anything in particular? A new knife? Perhaps some parchment for all those important letters you're surely sending?" The merchant chuckles, seeming rather pleased with himself even as Maeve shakes her head, "Please, finish up with him first. I don't mind waiting." She waves a hand, trying to urge him back towards Cal and it isn't until she glances his way that she realizes it's him, "Oh! Well, isn't this a bit of a surprise!"
If you're a lover, you should know The lonely moments just get lonelier
and we'll forget this solemn day, we'll always be young again
His lips part, about to offer something when he’s cut off – watching silently as the merchant tells him to wait a moment, he dips his head and nods, idly fiddling with something on the desk with a gloved hand. A muscle feathers in his jaw of quiet surprise at the sound of ‘your highness’ not recalling any queens to be residing anywhere near Torchline – until the realization dawns on him. New leaders, new titles, new leadership titles.
Her voice is familiar, though, and it isn’t until she acknowledges him that his head lifts and a look of surprise crosses his face as he looks over at her. “Oh, Maeve?” He says, flashing her a smile of greeting before his head quirks slightly. “This is a huge surprise.” A warm chuckle leaves him, his shoulders relaxing a fraction. “Though I guess, less so on my end given that I knew you lived here.” Gloved hands rise to extend in front of him before he snorts and shakes his head. “I can wait, though. I’m just grabbing some fishing line.” If what she needed was more important, he technically has all the time in the day on his hands, given he doesn't sleep.
He turns and a smile blooms on his face, causing a tension that she didn’t realize was residing in her chest to ease and her own smile is easily returned. ”Which part? The seeing me part or the queen part?” It was probably the latter, but she wasn’t going to assume anything. Maeve was slowly beginning to realize that more people found it fitting than not. Once they got over the initial surprise of it, at least. ”I’m just getting some paint. My needs are no more important than your own.” She dismisses, turning her attention back to the shopkeeper with a warm smile. ”I came by last week and spoke to your wife. She said that it would be ready today.”
Realization dawns on the merchant and he gives a nod, “Ah! That’s what it’s for then. Right, right… I’ll only be a moment.” With that he heads into the back to seemingly retrieve said paint.
Maeve shifts to lean against the counter, being mindful of her growing bump. Her dress hides most of it, the loose cardigan she wears to shield against the sea breeze doing a good job of keeping the swell of her belly from view, but not by much. She’s to the point now where it looks like she’s stuffed a ball of some sort beneath her clothes. ”So is fishing line the only thing that brought you by?” Maeve asks, a dark brow arching as her head cocks to the side, the same soft smile still on the curve of her lips.
If you're a lover, you should know The lonely moments just get lonelier
and we'll forget this solemn day, we'll always be young again
“Bit of both, I suppose.” Varus quips back with a light chuckle, unable to keep his fangs hidden (nor really needing to given that she already knew), but still. He draws silent, watching the interaction between queen and shopkeep. The merchant disappears soon enough, though, which lets Varus’ oceanic gaze slip back to Maeve, readjusting his stance to lean against the counter in a mirror of her own.
He nods to her question, though, fiddling with the glove on one of his hands. “Yeah. The fishing line in the grounds is lackluster compared to the perfection Torchline’s crafted over the years.” He offers with another huff of a laugh. “One would think given a few centuries they might’ve figured it out, but… Suppose the barrier had no help in the matter.” He shrugs, before taking a deep breath he doesn’t need. “How have you been, though? You look… Comfortable? Uncomfortable?” His head cocks, scanning her. He doesn’t want to ask outright if she’s pregnant, but given the attire he can only assume.
"I've been getting that a lot recently." Maeve huffs along with him, a quiet laugh of her own pushing past her lips, not missing the flash of fangs. It isn't something she pays much mind to. No need when he's already told her. Their last meeting had gone well and Maeve believes that they could be on a path of tentative friendship if things persisted as they were.
The comment draws a soft hum from her and she nods, "That might have something to do with it, but when you're not surrounded by water on most sides it isn't as pressing to create such a thing." Maeve lifts her own shoulders in a shrug, mimicking his own before she lifts her eyes to his, jade green drawn to oceanic blue. The barest hint of a flush rises along her cheeks, knowing that he's noticed, but realizing that he's hesitating asking her straight out. Another thing she's grown used to. "I've been... okay. A lot of changes recently. Way more than I was expecting." She begins by saying, lips pursing as her brows knit together, turning over just all that has happened since she last saw him.
So much has changed. So many choices have been made. Yet she's still the same Maeve even if her title is different. "I look pregnant, Cal. You can say it. I won't be offended." She finally quips, giving him a smirk as she's pulled from her thoughts once more, a playful glint in her eyes. The shopkeeper chooses to reappear then, two containers of paint in hand, "Alright... Here we are. The paint and the brushes you requested." He says, placing them on the counter and Maeve gives him a nod of thanks, "I've got the fishing line, too. I'm sure my previous offer covers this, yes?"
"Of course, of course! Always happy to take care of our leaders here." The merchant replies quickly, wanting to stay on good terms with the new queen, knowing that meant business for himself if he did. "Thanks so much. I'll be sure to let you know if I need anything else." Maeve moves to grab the buckets, eyes widening in surprise at the weight of them as she draws them off of the counter, brows knitting together before she draws in a breath. "Always forget how heavy these things are."
If you're a lover, you should know The lonely moments just get lonelier
and we'll forget this solemn day, we'll always be young again
There’s a soft chuckle that leaves him as she mentions not being surrounded by water – his shoulders rising and falling as he shrugs and nods. “Is it too difficult to find or make good fishing line to catch some dreamfish? That’s all I want to know.” He pouts playfully, before shaking his head lightly and listening intently – as an old friend would – to what she says has been happening with her recently.
The many changes are nodded to, understanding completely. He’d had a bit of a shakeup himself when Isla had been crowned one of the leaders of the Grounds alongside Bastien, but that paired with his mental switch ups while he tried to practice for the war, well, it’d proven a bit more difficult. Regardless, his brows raise as she mentions she looks pregnant, gloved hands rising in a placating gesture as he flashes her another amused grin. “Listen, I didn’t want to ask, but congratulations.”
It dies off before the merchant is back, though, and Varus flashes Maeve a quiet thankful smile as she takes the charge for the fishing line, too. It’s quite a few spools but he’s hoping that they won’t run out as he tries to teach the younger Groundsfolk how to fish. “Thank you.” He says to the merchant, before turning to Maeve. “And thank you.” He takes the fishing line and tucks it into the satchel at his side before he’s reaching for her and the cans of paint. “Let me take those for you. I’ve got a metal arm, don’t forget.” He tips her a wink, slipping the cans of paint onto the metal arm by the handles. “Where are we heading?”
”Given that no one has managed it in your neck of the woods… I’d say yes.” Maeve quips, giving him a playful bump with her hip at the sign of his pout, finding his surprisingly easy going mood brightening her own. Something she’s desperately needing right now. It encourages her to talk almost candidly, but she keeps her emotions still tightly in check given that they’re out in public.
Maeve arches a dark brow as he lifts his hands in front of him as if warding her off, huffing a soft laugh with a roll of her eyes, ”What? Were you afraid to offend me?” She drawls, uncrossing her arms and finally allowing her bump to come into more of a complete view. ”Thank you. I’m about halfway through now. A little over if our calculations are correct. So by Deepfrost…” Maeve trails off, shrugging her shoulders and letting him put the rest of it together as the shopkeeper reappears with her supplies.
With favors exchanged and goods acquired, Maeve turns to leave, fumbling with the buckets before Varus is swooping in to take them for her. ”I appreciate it. I try not to do much heavy lifting, but some things are unavoidable.” Given that she hasn’t seen Locke since their talk, still hesitant to reach back out to him despite what he told her about wanting to help, fearing that anything she asked for would be too much. ”To the Halenani. Well, not the Halenani proper, but the living quarters. It’s for the nursery.” She explains, getting the door for them so they can step out into the crisp air, a strong breeze coming in from the sea and dropping the temperature further.
Aidon is waiting for her outside, instantly perking up at the sight of his bonded, a low warble coming from his throat before his eyes narrow in suspicion towards Varus. Only when Maeve sends along a gentle reassurance over the bond does he relax, moving to trot along beside her. ”Cal, this is Aidon. Aidon, this is Cal.” She introduces with a small grin, setting them on the path back towards home.
If you're a lover, you should know The lonely moments just get lonelier
and we'll forget this solemn day, we'll always be young again
He supposes that’s a fair comment given that they didn’t have the best kind of fishing line in the Grounds, but that’s why he’s here isn’t it? As for offending her, there’s a bright chuckle that leaves him as his head tilts, his shoulders shrug, shifting his weight from one leg to another. “How very exciting.” He comments before they’re moving on.
He takes the buckets of paint, looping them onto the metal arm with ease, he nods in understanding. “Some things certainly are.” He murmurs softly, following her toward the Halenani, a space that he hasn’t visited ever. It hadn’t existed before he’d shut down, and after? He’d hardly had a reason to go. So he lets her take the lead, the breeze ruffling his clothes and hair – longer now than it had been as he goes to grow it out again.
The rest of it, though, he spies a dragon that approaches with a rumble of a growl in his throat and Varus snorts lightly as the dragon calms down. “Hello Aidon.” He offers quietly to the dragon, flashing a fanged grin his way, before he continues to follow Maeve toward the Halenani with the buckets easily held onto his metal arm.
The slits of Aidon's eyes constrict in the bright sunlight, focusing in on Varus with a hint of distrust, but with a resigned sort of huff he leaves it be. "Don't mind him being a grump. He's gotten more protective since I became pregnant." Not that she could hardly blame him. It was in their nature already, but to have his bonded suddenly be with child. Well, he had a job to do. One that Aurelia gave him specifically. He wasn't going to fail at it.
"So how are things with you? Read any new novels lately?" She asks, calling back to their little game they played together last season, offering him a smile as she leads the way back home. The walk isn't a long one and it's only about five minutes before they arrive. "You're more than welcome to come up. I know you don't really take tea or anything, but I wouldn't mind the company."
Truthfully, she could use it, having felt nothing but lonely the last few days. Even with Locke back in Torchline and the regional quest to focus on, the loneliness has set in, making it hard to ignore even on good days.
If you're a lover, you should know The lonely moments just get lonelier
and we'll forget this solemn day, we'll always be young again
“Yeah?” Varus asks with a light chuckle, eyeing the dragon again before focusing on the walk they take. It’s an overcast day which makes it easier for him to slip between the buildings, and he can’t help but to tack on a little tidbit on the subject of her companion’s protectiveness. “How’d ya get him? Some sorta gift from the gods or were you lucky to just happen across him?” He asks, curious despite himself.
As for any novels? He readjusts the cans on his arm, following her still before he’s nodding. “A few, yeah. Most recently a ghost story.” Wasn’t entirely his cup of tea but it was a story nonetheless, captivating him while he’d healed from the concussion he’d given himself, read to him by Isla.
Once they reach the space, he glances up through the building before his gaze lands back on Maeve with a nod. “I can stay a little bit but I should be heading back soon. My girl’s waiting for me back home.” With the fishing line as promised, a quick jaunt to Torchline and back as promised.