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!
Cool guys don't look at explosions, even if they're imaginary
Edmund trails behind his mummy, hand tightly gripping hers so as not to get lost. The path in front of them is half concealed by the jungle foliage, the shadows creating bizarre shapes that the child is half-convinced are creatures. The sounds of birds and other animals is overwhelming at first, but soon is drowned out by a distant roar.
Edmund picks up his pace a bit, eager to see the source of the sound. "Is that the Leap mummy? You said it might sound like a roar, right?" How water could roar was a mystery to him, one that he desperately wanted the answer to. Maybe there would be faces in the water? Or the fish were the ones yelling for some reason? Maybe it was a monster! Edmund's grip on his mum's hand tightens at the thought.
10-16-2021, 12:54 AM (This post was last modified: 10-16-2021, 12:54 AM by Maeve.)
Maeve
Aidon flies ahead of them, keeping an eye out for anything that might pose a threat to his bonded and her son, sending a flash of the waterfall along the bond as he spots it up ahead. The Nightshade holds onto his hand just as tightly, not allowing him to go too far from her as they push through the underbrush, the roar of the water growing louder in her ears. "That's right, starlight." Maeve confirms with a smile, looking back at him as he speeds up, shorter legs attempting to take longer strides.
She slows herself down just a little so he doesn't have to try so hard. "Why do you think it sounds so loud? Why does it rugir?" Maeve prompts, pushing back a bit of brush so he can step through and finally see the falls, a fine mist filling the air as they step into the clearing.
But I don't like a gold rush, gold rush I don't like slow motion double vision in rose blush
Cool guys don't look at explosions, even if they're imaginary
Once they clear the trees, Edmund peers beyond his mum and gasps at the sight. There's so much water, more then he thought was possible. "Wow!" The child's eyes are wide with wonder and delight as he soaks it all in. "So much water...is that why mummy?" The Leap is too much for him to take his eyes off of for long, so the question is sent with a quick glance. "Is that why?"
The massive surges of water cascading down the rocks and into the open air is breathtaking. Edmund holds a hand out to try and catch the mist that's being thrown off. The droplets of water left behind make the child frown, holding is hand out to Maeve to see. "Or is it because it's crying?"
Maeve releases him so he might get a bit closer, but she's ready to reach out and grab him if she needs too, unwilling to even let there be a chance he could get hurt out here. A quiet hum barely loud enough to be heard over the water pushes past her lips and she smiles softly, encouraging the thought process as she gives a small nod, "That's a part of it." Maeve confirms, but at his next question her brows knit together and she kneels down, taking his hand and brushing her thumb through the condensation that's collected on his palm.
"No, starlight. It isn't crying. What could it possibly have to be upset about? What could make it cri?" She poses another set of questions, arching a dark brow as she releases him so he can turn back towards the water, examining the rainbows the fine mist creates as it falls through the pale Deepfrost rays of sun.
But I don't like a gold rush, gold rush I don't like slow motion double vision in rose blush
Cool guys don't look at explosions, even if they're imaginary
Edmund shrugs, glancing at the Leap in concern. "I don't know mummy. Maybe it's scared to fall?" Peering through the mist the child finally notes the rocks at the bottom. Seeing how the water crashes into the stone, an cascading up and into the air with the force of impact. It looks kind of painful to the child. "Maybe it doesn't want to hit the rocks? I'd cri too if I hit rocks like that."
A thought occurs that has a small sound of recognition leaving Edmund. "Is that where the sound is coming from? From the water hitting the rocks?" Was it like a drum in that way? So many questions whirl around in his mind, trying to better understand the world around him.
It was such an interesting thought. That maybe the water was scared. That it could be afraid of the fall and hitting the rocks below. Maeve knew a fall like that would be deadly to almost anyone. Was it possible this water was like the water that made up memory snow? Could Vi be making it cry as a gift to Mort? The Nightshade hadn't thought of it that way before, but her son made an interesting point. "Maybe it doesn't. Except if it didn't hit the rocks we wouldn't get such pretty rainbows." Maeve points out the few that are shimmering in the mist, faint, but the colors are still bright.
"That's a part of it, starlight. The water hitting the rocks and rushing over the edge." She stands up, urging him closer to the water, holding onto him as she reaches out with her hand to let some of the water close to the edge hit her palm. The force of it make her arm jerk a little and she's sure to hold tightly to him if he attempts it himself.
But I don't like a gold rush, gold rush I don't like slow motion double vision in rose blush
Cool guys don't look at explosions, even if they're imaginary
Edmund follows her finger and observes the rainbows. Their flickering forms from the spray seem to add an ethereal element. But to the child, they just look magical. "Oh...pretty...."The words are a hushed whisper of awe, the sight taking Edmund's breath away. The colors were just to vibrant against the white foam.
Edmund watches Maeve stick her arm out an follows suit. The Leap still has him wary so he grasps her sleeve with one hand. The other reaches out towards the water and cautiously pokes it. The jet of water almost stings but it pulls a giggle from him. "It's strong mummy! How are the rocks not broken?" Surely water that could sting hands could scratch rocks?
Her smile grows at Edmund's childlike wonder and she has to remind herself that there are still so many things that are new to him. He's only been in this world for less than a season and he's only been this big for about half of that time. She laughs softly, nodding in agreement at his hushed observation, "It is pretty. Très jolie. Very pretty." Once more she sprinkles in her language, making sure he can hear her over the roar of the Leap, wrapping an arm around his waist as he sticks his own hand out towards the water.
"Because the rocks are stronger. When I was a girl, they used to be much bigger, but as time has gone on they've gotten a bit smaller. The water takes a little bit away at a time." The Nightshade explains, thinking a lesson on erosion might be taught better down at the beach, but this would do for now.
But I don't like a gold rush, gold rush I don't like slow motion double vision in rose blush
Cool guys don't look at explosions, even if they're imaginary
"Très jolie", Edmund mimics, nodding his head but keeping his eyes on the rainbows. His mum's explanation has the child thinking deeply. He glances at her with slight confusion. "Rocks are stronger then water? But the water never stops falling so the rocks are slowly cut?" Edmund squints his eyes and tries to see the rocks better. "Really?"
There was so much water, the idea of the rocks being able to withstand it all was hard to wrap his mind around. How could anything handle that much power, much less be stronger than it? More questions came to Edmund's mind as he thought about it, brow scrunched with focus. "Then what's stronger then the rocks and earth?"
"Très bien!" Maeve praises as he mimics her words, pressing a kiss to his cheek as she grins, hugging him closer for a moment. It's only when he turns to look at her does she shift them back slightly away from the edge. "There is a balance to it all. Sometimes water can be stronger than rocks. Other times rocks are stronger than water. It just depends on the circumstances." Maeve does her best to explain, knowing that he'll likely just have more questions for her to answer, but the Nightshade doesn't mind. She'll do her best to explain it all.
Her laugh is soft as she looks down at her son, "Fire can be stronger than earth and rocks. It can melt it down into magma. It can turn water to stem." Maeve explains, whistling for Aidon who comes swooping down, landing a few feet away per her instruction. "Feu." He lets out a bought of flame, white hot and blazing, heating a patch of earth until it's glowing red.
But I don't like a gold rush, gold rush I don't like slow motion double vision in rose blush
Cool guys don't look at explosions, even if they're imaginary
Edmund giggles at the affection, making a note to mimic more of the weird sounding words. If it made his mummy this happy? He had to do it. He listens intently, brow pinched with confusion as his mummy speaks of 'balance'. "So...they take turns being the strongest? Does that make them friends?" You could only place nicely with friends after all.
He's about to ask if that makes fire the strongest when Aidon sends up his flame. The sight of the fire however takes all of Edmund's focus. Something in the child warms, tingles and pulses at the sight. It's the prettiest thing he's ever seen. "Feu?" He mimics breathlessly, wide eyes on Aidon. "Can I do that too? Feu is so pretty."
What a lovely thought. The earth and water being friends. Maeve hums softly, snuggling him close for a moment, breathing in that ever present scent of lavender that clung to his curls just like it did to hers. It was from the bubble bath she used for him each night. One she made herself special. Maeve imagines that he'll likely pick his own signature scent when he gets older, but for now it was their shared scent. "That's right. They take turns being stronger. It does make them friends." She smiles, recalling something that she read somewhere, having tucked it away for a moment like this.
"You see, the water loves the earth. It loves it so much it rushes to the shoreline to kiss it every few seconds." Maeve murmurs, turning her attention to Aidon as he releases his flame, turning the patch of earth red. She blinks at his question, brows drawing together as she considers for the span of a breath, unsure if she should broach the subject with everything so new. "Well, starlight, I'm not sure. There are some people in Caido that are born with gifts like that. The ability to control the elements. We call them Abandoned though it isn't a very nice word. I much prefer the term Acquired."
But I don't like a gold rush, gold rush I don't like slow motion double vision in rose blush
Cool guys don't look at explosions, even if they're imaginary
Edmund snuggles into his mum's arms, listening to the story of the earth and water with wide eyes. "That's nice. I'm glad that they're friends. Everyone needs friends." Even raw elements apparently, at least according to the child. "So are they all friends? All the elements? Even opposites?" Or were they rivals and enemies? The child wanted to know it all.
Still eyeing the scorched earth with wonder, Edmund misses the slight tension in his mum. There's still something about the fire that calls to him. The word Abandoned though rings in his ears and makes the child frown, calling his attention back to the conversation.
"Abandoned? That's a mean word. Why are they called that if they're also called Acquired?" Was it a mean name that bullies called them? That would make sense to the child if it where the case.
Everyone did need friends. How could you make it through life without them? No, they were necessary. If you were going to survive in a place like this and make it through the things they were faced with. Maeve nods, smiling as she holds him close, pressing another kiss to his temple. "They are all friends. Some are just better friends than others. The opposites can only be around each other sometimes." She hums, sending a silent command to Aidon to stop and the stones instantly began to cool, some of them looking almost glassy now.
"You know about the Old Gods, right, Starlight? Well, there is another god. A new one. She's called the Voice and she used to be an Acquired, but she thought she could be stronger than them. She decided to turn against them." Maeve begins, drawing in a deep breath as she gathers Edmund into her arms, settling back on a large stone to sit for a moment. "Now the Old Gods don't trust the Abandoned, worried that they'll try to be like the Voice, but there are some who have gained their favor. They just aren't quick to trust them anymore."
She brushes back his curls, smiling softly at her son, a sad glint in her eyes. "But you don't need to worry about that. Safrin already loves you and I know she'll always love you. She loves you so much that she promised me she would keep you safe. Isn't that special?" Maeve hasn't told him of the war or the Ascended or what this might mean for them later. She's the Queen of Torchline and there would be no escaping this conflict, but she'll do what she can to spare him.
But I don't like a gold rush, gold rush I don't like slow motion double vision in rose blush
