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!
Ray had just arrived back at the Court when she overheard. Maeve was back to work already. Brows pursed in concern, the herbalist hastened her steps. Returning to her office, she dropped off the file she'd been carrying and began to hurriedly put them away. The Attuned would have worked faster but she didn't want to make a mistake in her filing and pay the price later.
Task completed, Ray headed towards Maeve's office. She was deep in thought as she walked. Was Maeve really ready to be back? Was she pushing herself too far out of feelings of responsibility? Ray hoped her friend was taking care of herself. Arriving at the door, she knocked it gently. "Maeve, are you in? It's Ray."
09-06-2021, 06:43 PM (This post was last modified: 09-06-2021, 06:44 PM by Maeve.)
I would fall from grace just to touch your face
There wasn't time to rest. Not when Aurelia was missing in the desert. There was no telling when the Fireheart would be back, but she couldn't wait for her to reappear. She had work to do. Whether or not she just had a baby didn't change that. The Nightshade was at her desk, going through letters and other various documents, Edmund bundled up in a blanket against her chest. Aidon laid curled by the fireplace, snoozing as his bonded worked, but the sound of the knock had his head snapping up.
Maeve turned her attention towards the door, smiling softly as Ray's voice reached her muffled through the wood, "Come in, Ray." She called back, setting down her quill and adjusting her hold on Edmund, straightening up as the door opens. "How are you?"
Ray entered, eyes instantly softening as they fell on Maeve and Edmund. "Oh Maeve. He's beautiful. Congratulations." To think such a small and delicate creature was related to Locke. It was a bit difficult to process. Granted her only personal meeting with the other Attuned involved smashing pumpkins.
The herbalist stepped further into the room, closing the door behind herself. "I'm good. I was actually coming to check in on you." A slightly teasing glint appeared but there was sincerity in Ray's words, "I wanted to make sure that you weren't overworking yourself." Her eyes went to Edmund for a moment before returning to Maeve's. "How are you both feeling? Getting any sleep?"
Maeve shifted from around her desk to join Ray in the small sitting area, angling Edmund so she could get a better look, the babe just starting to stir awake. He blinked up at Ray with wide blue eyes, cheeks soft and full, skin a healthy flush of pink as he cooed and waved a tiny fist. Said fist caught a handful of Maeve's hair, holding onto it as he kicked and babbled, waving his hand around in the air. "Thank you. This is Edmund." Maeve introduced her newborn, carefully prying her hair from his grip and replacing it with her finger instead, smiling softly down at her baby.
A scoff pushed past her lips and she rolled her eyes, grinning over at Ray, "Me? Overworking myself? Never." The Nightshade was doing her best to balance things, but she was not only focusing on Edmund, but her business and duties as queen. There was a lot to do and that wasn't going to change any time soon. "We're doing well. He doesn't sleep through the night. I think we're both up every few hours, but we're settling into a routine."
Ray gave a small wave to the newborn. "Hi Edmund, I'm Ray. It's nice to meet you." Her lips twitched as he flailed about, clearly having a grand time. Maeve's denial only made the herbalist chuckle. "Of course. How could I ever doubt you?" Still she hoped that her Queen would find some time to rest. Ray knew full well what it was like to balance multipel roles. Herbalist, information broker, councilwoman. Her days were often long and strenuous but she still did her best to relax when she could. Hopefully Maeve would find a way too.
It wasn't a surprise to hear that Edmund was awake at night, but Ray still cringed in sympathy. "Ah. I'm glad you're finding a rhythm. Hopefully you'll be able to get some more sleep soon." The herbalist felt sympathy over the lost hours. Gods knew how creaky the Attuned was when she lost sleep. Maeve was a stronger woman then she was.
"Is there anything I can do to lessen your load by the way? Anything else that I can do to help?" Even if it was just running an errand or taking over one task while Maeve found her new stride, Ray was willing to help.
Edmund babbled, using those very strong lungs to make his presence known as Ray looked down at him, speaking right to him. The Nightshade couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of her at the sight of her newborn taking to Ray so clearly, blue eyes bright as he flashed her a gummy smile, "You shouldn't. Doubting your queen will lead to nothing but trouble." She quipped, winking at Ray as she leaned into her for a moment before straightening back up, settling against the couch with a sigh. The Nightshade shifted Edmund to lay on his back in her lap, holding onto his hands as he kicked his legs, figuring out his motor skills.
"Oh, we'll be okay. Locke is helping. Which is... It's good. I'm glad he's here, but things are- aren't the best still." She admitted softly, a twinge tightening in her chest at the idea of what this meant. They weren't together. They might not ever be together. Yet they had a baby. This perfect little bundle that they're meant to raise together. The lack of sleep was he least of her worries.
Maeve offered her a tired smile, "That's very kind of you to offer, Ray. Truthfully, there isn't much that comes to mind. Other than needing a bit of a trim." She shrugged slender shoulders, eye dipping down to Edmund as he squealed in delight, happily kicking his legs.
Ray couldn't help the snort of laughter that escaped her. "I'll keep that in mind." It was nice to see Maeve so happy. Watching the energetic child happily kicking around, it was clear what the change was.
The issue of Locke had the herbalist humming in thought. "I'm glad he's helping. I hope you two find a balance soon enough of how you want to go about raising Edmund. It's a lot to deal with and I hope things go smoothly for all three of you." Life had certainly thrown Maeve down a challenging path. But Ray had faith that her friend would come out of it still standing.
Ray blinked in surprise, eyeing Maeve curiously. "A trim? Are you looking to make a change?" She stood up and pulled a few sharp knives from her pockets, keeping them far away from the baby. "Because I can give you a trim if you want. I've cut my own hair plenty of times."
"As you should." Maeve drawled, a smirk curling on her lips as she continued to play with Edmund as he squirmed and babbled happily in her lap, kicking out his legs and waving his hands in the air.
Her smirked faded and she sighed heavily, "I do too. I'm not sure we'll ever fix things between us. That we'll ever be more. Edmund being here now just makes it harder. Especially when I seem them together. Locke is so good with him and it just makes me love him ever more than I already did, but I know that nothing will come of it. Come of us." Maeve couldn't help the way her expression fell, brows drawing together at the ache in her chest, feeling that pain all over again. Lucky for her, Ray was there to pull her thoughts away from Locke and the fact that their relationship was most likely doomed for eternity. It's fine. She'd never settled down. She'd never have love. Perhaps she could find herself satisfied with other things. Perhaps not, but at least she had Edmund now.
"Not too much. I've been trying to regrow my hair out for some time after the incident with the tar pits, but I could use a little trim. I actually need some of my own hair for the quest. So it's not without ulterior motives on my part." Maeve explained, watching as she drew out various implements, setting them well out of reach of Edmund.
Ray smiled sadly, nodding her head. "That must be difficult." Her heart went out to Maeve, aching in sympathy. The herbalist had never experienced anything even remotely similar so she had no idea what emotions the Queen was dealing with. But it wasn't difficult to imagine that it must be painful.
Pulling the last of her tools out, Ray pushed her melancholy thoughts aside. She had a task to do. "Just a trim, ok. I'll get the split ends and a strand for your quest. That way your hair can continue to grow out. Does that sound good?" She wanted to double check first since it'd be reverse any snips.
Assuming that Ray was given the affirmative, the herbalist would move closer. Before she began to cut, Ray set about the task of finger combing Maeve's hair into relative neatness so that she could better cut evenly. Once that was done, she eyed the length and location of any split ends. Marking a line with her fingers, she held it out to Maeve to see. "How about here? Is this length ok?"
"It is. I won't lie. I- I'm struggling to find the proper way to handle things with him. It would be easy to slip back into what we were before, but that isn't possible at all." Maeve sighed, shaking her head even as she looked down at Edmund, a small smile curling on her lips at his gummy grin he gave her. There was an ache in her chest that wouldn't go away, but looking down at his happy little face did wonders for smoothing the rough edges of her heart that chafed and rubbed her raw.
Maeve glanced back at Ray, nodding before she shifted Edmund over to the small bassinet that she kept in her office, keeping her eyes on him even as Ray shifted behind her. Aidon lifted his head, moving to sit on his haunches beside the bassinet, resting his chin on the edge to keep watch over the babbling babe. "That sounds good." The Nightshade confirmed easily, straightening up so that Ray could easily comb through her hair, working the snarls out of her curls until they laid smooth once more.
It was only about an inch that Ray was taking off and Maeve was more than happy to accept it. This was much better than the last time she cut it. Over twelve inches in one go was not what she had in mind originally. This time, though, it was much more manageable. "Perfect."
Ray hummed in sympathy to Maeve's words. "I'm sure you'll find a balance with time." Time didn't certainly heal all wounds, but it did grant you time to learn with them. To grow from them and learn to manage the pain. Maeve was strong and clever, she'd find her way.
Gently combing through the Queen's hair, Ray prepared to make the cut. When approval was granted, the herbalist reached over and grabbed her knife. With careful precision she neatly took the inch off, the trimmings falling into her hand. Soon Ray was complete with the cut, and with some final neatening up it was over.
Wrapping up the trimmings in a napkin, she placed it on the table as she sat down. "There we go. Do you have a mirror? I think it looks great but you should let me know if you want me to adjust anything." The length removed was minor and so the change wasn't obvious. Maeve's hair did look a bit healthier though given the new lack of split ends.
Little did she know that there would be no finding a balance because soon Locke would be no where to find. How could she fix their relationship when he disappeared? Again. The Nightshade doesn't know the heartbreak that's coming for her. The loneliness. The all consuming feeling of 'not enough'. Never enough. No, she's not aware it's coming for her again. Instead she's in this little moment, enjoying the closeness of another human being, even if it's just a haircut.
"I hope so. I want us to be a family. A good one for Edmund. Both of us had such fucked up childhoods and that's the last thing I want for him." Maeve murmured, drawing in a shaky breath that she let out just as slowly, looking down at her son in his basinet with Aidon's head resting on the edge. She grew quiet, straightening up so that Ray can work more easily, letting a comfortable silence surround them.
Only when Ray finished did Maeve move again, running her fingers through her hair and instantly noting the missing length even though much hadn't been taken off to begin with. "Thank you. It feels good. Better." She didn't need to look in a mirror to know it. Maeve turned to Ray, patting he spot beside her, "Would you like to hold him?"
Listening to Maeve recall her childhood had Ray pursing her lip slightly. The herbalist hadn't had a traditional upbringing, but it had been a good childhood. She may not have experience one, but plenty of her more talkative patients had. Patients who had told her enough horror stories that the Attuned could guess what Maeve had dealt with. At least, she could come up with a handful of theories.
Completing the haircut pulled Ray from her thoughts. With a small smile towards Maeve, she returned to her seat. "I'm happy to help."
The offer to hold the child made her sit forward eagerly. "May I?" Ray held her arms out with barely restrained excitement.
Maeve smiled softly in return, turning to scoop Edmund out of the cradle, holding him close for a moment and pressing a kiss to his forehead. He babbled happily, waving his hands about before Maeve shifted him to Ray's arms. "Mind his head. He doesn't have full support just yet." She instructed gently, laying him in her waiting grasp before settling back against the couch with a sigh.
Edmund looked up at Ray with wide blue eyes, the flecks of gray obvious in the pale depths of his gaze, similar o the ones in his mother's own eyes. His cheeks were round and full, a healthy flush of pink in the pale skin, a gummy smile curling on his lips. "He likes you." Maeve murmured as Edmund let out a happy little squeal.
