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!
If he'd tried a little harder, Nate more than likely could have arrived before his letter, but he really wasn't trying. It was better if his fellow ascended had a chance to think about the insult his letter had carried, better if the heavy pounding of his fist on the shop door made the other apprehensive.
It was coming up on the wrong side of the night, the sun a creeping threat on the horizon, lightning Nate up from behind and somehow making him seem even larger than life. It's a look not helped by the slow pulse of light under his skin, just enough to show the displeasure tugging at his features when Sam opens the door.
Nate spends a long moment staring down at Sam when the door opens, his mouth opening before the bookmakers just so he can cut him off. "Aren;t you going to invite me in?"
You got me actin' like the old me But you don't even know me
Sam had received Nate's letter first, though only barely. He had hoped for a civil response, a chance to talk it out reasonably, even if Nate was insulted - but no, the words clearly marked out that this was going to be a thing, and so the pounding fist on the door was not that much of a surprise.
He stood up and went to open it, indeed opening his mouth to talk then getting cut off by Nate. Once, he would have found it very intimidating, would have immediately begged for forgiveness...but Sam was older, braver, and he'd seen Nate vulnerable too many times to believe the macho bullshit he did; chest puffed out, height pulled up, almost like a little boy trying to pretend to be a man.
Sighing and rolling his eyes, keeping an arm very much across the doorway, Sam looked up at Nate and determinedly didn't let himself shake. "If you're going to have this kind of attitude, there's no point in having the conversation." He said primly, tilting his head at the end of his words. "Calm down, and you can come in."
"You think you can tell me to be calm when you started this bullshit thing?" Nate snarls, even as he pulls himself back, swallowing down the bluster to stand on the playing ground Sam lays out. The neighbours will know he has no qualms about screaming in the street, but he has to be met evenly to feel good about it, and he can tell by the steel in Sam's voice and spine that he wasn't going to get that here.
Swallowing once more, Nate lets out a breath through his nose and licks his lips, softening the path for his next words. "I'm just not a fan of being threatened with slander for no reason. I think you can agree that it would make you... tense." His voice is only just barely steady the whole time, a veneer of civility that is, for the moment, sturdy and solid. "Let me come in, and we can... exchange our perspectives here, huh?"
You got me actin' like the old me But you don't even know me
"Yes. I do." Sam answered frankly, peeking around Nate at the street behind but being sure to keep his expression as neutral as possible. This had not been an accusation he had necessarily wanted to make, but as soon as he had heard Wessex mention Nate's 'powers', alarms had gone off in his head. He had hoped they'd be able to discuss it rationally - surely, if their positions were reversed, Nate would feel the same?
Thankfully, after his initial blow up, Nate began to calm; Sam recognised the air blowing through his nose from their short-lived relationship and as he visibly lost the tenseness in his shoulders, Sam stepped back from the door to let him in. "It would be slander if I had shared my suspicions with everyone else before asking you. You are the only person I contacted over this. Of my options, this was the kindest." Once Nate had come in, Sam shut the door softly and turned to look at him. "Please, tell me your 'perspective'."
Nate works his jaw gruffly, stepping into the bookshop after Sam moves with a huff. "Didn't think I was still worth that must thought." He drawls slowly, irritation still dripping from his tongue. "If you want my honest opinion, I think you had the option to keep your nose outta it, Sam." A hand crackles into existence for the sole purpose of poking Sam's nose, disappearing in a flash
"My perspective is that I did a quest for the Voice, part of which included getting blood from a Seer cat, known for precognition, and now I see useless things on occasion." Nate makes himself at home, glancing around until he catches sight of Mia, who he immediately goes over to bother. "Why in the fuck do you think I'd make up such shitty visions? Don't you think I'd run a better grift?"
You got me actin' like the old me But you don't even know me
"Oh, be quiet. You know I care about you." Sam replied with a roll of his eyes, not having much patience for anything Nate was trying to do at the moment. He was about to speak again when the sudden hand appeared and poked him, which made him lean back with a wrinkled nose and pouting lips. "Ugh. No, that wasn't an option. We can't have our most powerful family member working on false information."
It seemed the majority of the initial tension was dissipating as Nate rushed over to pet the cat; Sam relaxed and listened to the story, leaning against his counter and watching his 'brother' closely. "I didn't hear all too much about the visions themselves. People are desperate for hope - I don't think you'd have to come up with anything too amazing...so you're saying they're real, then? You swear to me?" If Nate looked back to Sam, he would be met with a surprisingly intense gaze from the usually shy man.
“What, so on top of everything else now I’m stupid too?” As if he’d double cross Wessex, as if he’d share anything he wasn’t at least mostly sure of. Sure, his visions were confusion, but they’d always been right, one way or another.
Nate’s real arm is offered out to Mia, the Demi-god trying to coax the cat onto his shoulder while simultaneously trying to maintain his aloof and irritated expression. “Well I try to keep them as quiet as I can. I don’t want everyone knowing about this.” He was careful, just on the off chance that they did end up being wrong, or, worse, his ability got back to the wrong people.
You got me actin' like the old me But you don't even know me
"...You said it." Sam replied quietly, something like an amused smile on his face; whether or not it was the time or place for jokes would be seen by Nate's reaction.
He watched as Nate reached out to Mia, the cat happily returning his affection with an eagerness that made Sam pull his lips into a pout. More than his companions betrayal though, that Nate failed to swear to the truth of his visions stood out and made Sam's eyes harden. "You didn't answer what I said. Are they real? I need to hear you say it. I need you to look at me and say it."
Staring straight at Nate, challenge issued, Sam repeated: "Tell me if they're real."
There is a single terrible moment where it seems like Sam’s joke might tip Nate into violence, some impossible vein all but throbbing in his forehead, and then, just like that, he’s laughing, face almost split in two by the force of his grin. “Guess I did.”
A hum of triumph leaves him as Mia clambers onto his shoulders, Nate turning back to Sam with a smugness that slips away when he hears the bite in the others voice. When he turns to face the steel in the bookmakers eyes. A single brow lifts, some part of Nate still not quite used to Sam like this, but he bites his tongue, thinks for a moment before he speaks.
“They’re real. They’re cryptic, nonsensical bullshit, but they’re real.” Nate sighs, and reaches up to stroke Mia’s fur. “Everything that I’ve seen has happened, in one way or another. I don’t need anything more than that to believe it.”
You got me actin' like the old me But you don't even know me
Sam kept Nate's eyes in the silence, though nervousness did begin to build in his chest even as he determinedly stared. Thankfully, the tension broke and Nate laughed; he let out a huff of relief and smiled himself. Maybe now they could finally have a real conversation about it.
"...Okay, well...what have you seen? Is there anything that hasn't happened yet?" Now that he was beginning to believe Nate, pleased that he had begun to take the conversation seriously, Sam was realising the potential usefulness (and terrifying foresight) of the gift. "I think you should tell everyone in the family about these, not just Wessex. What if we could all come together to work out the clues?"
Honestly, he was also just quite curious to hear about the visions. Shuffling up to the edge of his seat he leaned forwards, hoping Nate would tell him some details.
01-09-2022, 08:23 AM (This post was last modified: 01-09-2022, 08:29 AM by Nate.)
NATE
Nate’s distaste for the thought of sharing these visions with more people sets up shop on his face, but he has to admit there is some wisdom to it. Many hands make light work, so many minds should be able to get something together quicker, right? The hand in Mia’s fur drops to stroke at his chin, light dancing under his fingertips. “It… might be worth trying.”
His jaw works, bright eyes sliding off Sam to focus on some particularly distracting slip of paper. “My… most recent one doesn’t make much sense to me.” Nate admits with only a tiny amount of reluctance. “Something about a storm breaking, and paper changing hands.” Suddenly expecting eyes return to the bookmaker, dark brows lifted in a silent question. Does it mean anything to you?
You got me actin' like the old me But you don't even know me
Sam watched Nate carefully. He knew the man quite well - their tryst had been short lived, but intense, and they'd spoken often since then. He knew when Nate was struggling with an idea, knocking it back and forth in his head; he had a specific way of holding his face when he was decided what to say. "Indeed." He agreed, when the expression finally begot words.
"A storm breaking and paper changing hands...my first thought would be the beginnings of the war, and the need for some kind of diplomatic action. Did you say these visions come from the Voice herself? Can you go to her for clarification, or is that...cheating?" It seemed odd, given this was literally life or death, but he knew Gods, even their new Goddess, could be capricious at times.
Nate knows a lot of things about Sam. Maybe too many. Maybe just enough, because the only reason he doesn’t laugh at the suggestion the bookmaker gives is he knows it completely sincere. “I think we’re past diplomacy.” He manages through a poorly concealed grin.
He rubs at his nose with an irritated huff, and tips Mia into his arms. “The upgrade comes from her, but I don’t know if the visions do.” A false arm crackles into existence to push his hair back out of his face, then reaches out to poke towards Sam, agressive and teasing all at once. “Why didn’t I get something that suited me, huh? Like you.”
You got me actin' like the old me But you don't even know me
"Are we? I don't know, I'd like to think enough people on either side are intelligent and caring enough...I mean...it's been a while since I've seen him, but I don't think Remi wants to kill anyone because they're Ascended. I'm sure there's others that would be willing to talk. I mean, you're married to someone that has connections to the Old Gods!" Sam pointed out, pointing at Nate, proud of the point he'd just thought of. "How do you and Sunjata settle God differences between you?"
Mia squeaked as she tumbled back into Nate's arms, but seemed happy enough to wiggle into his chest and idly bat at his arm as he spoke. Sam leaned back as Nate reached out his extra arm to poke, then when the words came, he looked rather offended.
"Oh, you think this suits me?" He asked, becoming invisible, starting with the top of his head then disappearing downwards, until nothing was before Nate. "Thanks."
