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!
Edmund felt conflicted and a bit confused as he made his way home. Mummy had said that he'd likely never see his Papa again. And yet, he'd just spoken to him, hugged him. What was going on? His frustration was making his magic react and as he opened the door to the kitchen the candle on the table flickered higher for a moment.
Taking a deep breath to calm himself like his Mummy taught him, Edmund relaxed, and the candle returned to normal. "Mummy? Can we talk? Please?" He called out as he made his way to the couch. He knew his mummy would be home soon if she wasn't already, so he figured he'd wait.
She is home already. Maeve glanced back from where she was hovering by the kitchen counter, in the middle of making a simple dinner for the two of them, still trying to figure out the best way to broach the topic of Locke coming back. She needed to tell him. To talk to him about it all. When they last spoke of his father, Maeve was sure that something had happened to Locke. That he'd disappeared. Her brows drew together as she took in his strained expression, the way his fists were clenched at his sides, and how quickly his chest rose and fell with his anxious breaths. Instantly she was on guard. Her motherly instincts on high alert at the sight of her son so clearly upset.
The Nightshade shifted away from what she was working on, moving to his side and settling on the couch, reaching out to cup his cheek and brush her thumb across the skin there. "What is it, little star? Is everything alright?" Maeve asked gently, "Did something happen?"
Edmund leans into his Mum's hand happily relaxing somewhat at her tender care. For a moment he wanders if his Mummy even knows. Hand rising up, he squeezes the one on his cheek as his eyes rise to meet Maeve's. "Mummy, I met Papa. Did you know that he was back?"
The question is loaded both with meaning and emotion. The child is confused to say the least and some part of him feels a little betrayed by both his Mummy and his Papa. He needed to know the truth so that he could get rid of the icky hurt that had found its way into his chest.
Her expression falters at his words and she draws in a deep breath, letting it out in heavy sigh, "I did. I found out a few nights ago. I was going to talk to you about it. I just hadn't had the chance." She explains gently, smoothing her thumb over his cheek once more before she shifts to run her fingers through his hair instead, using her other arm to wrap around his shoulders and draw him against her side.
Maeve leans down to press a kiss against the top of his curls, urging him into her lap so she might hold him a bit closer to her chest, hoping to soothe the hurt that is clearly curling in his gut. "How did it feel? Seeing him again?"
Edmund happily curls up against his mum, nodding as he accepts her words. Something in him soothes as he realizes that his Mummy had been in the same situation as him. Needing to tell him something but still trying to find the words to do so. The child reaches up and kisses his Mum's cheek, "Ok Mummy, I understand." He wasn't mad at all.
His Mum's question about Papa makes Edmund furrow his brow in thought. "I don't know...confused? Happy? A little sad?" His emotions had been a confusing tangle of feeling and they still were somewhat. "I was happy to see him. I still am. But it was a surprise, and I felt a little angry that he'd stayed away for so long." The child leans further into his Mum's hold. "I missed him. It was nice to hug him. He seemed like he really missed me too."
Edmund let out a small sigh, "He got lost Mummy. I told him I'd come find him if he ever got lost again. But I don't know how to do that." This was what weighed most heavily on the child. He was still so small; how could he protect his Mummy and Papa?
Whatever concern she has for her son being upset with her melts away as he shifts in her lap, pressing a kiss against her cheek and she gives him a little squeeze, hugging him close to her. "I'm sorry I didn't get to speak with you before, little star. C'est la vie. We don't always get to do things according to plan." Maeve murmurs, rubbing his back gently before her fingers are back in his curls, brushing them away from his face.
Her heart squeezes at his words and the Nightshade sighs softly, "I felt a lot of different things when I saw him again too. Part of me was angry, but I was happy too. It's okay to feel all of those things, though." Maeve explains, fingers still brushing through his hair, marveling at the softness of his curls as they slipped through her fingers. "I missed him too. I missed him so much that sometimes I didn't know how to breathe. Feelings can do that. They can be so big that we just don't even know what to do with them."
The Nightshade draws back to look at her son, cupping his cheeks as she meets his gray eyes, thinking that they look like the stars that litter the sky above Torchline. Her thumbs smooth across his cheeks as she cradles his face, "We'll both go look for him if it ever happens again. I don't think your papa will let it though. I think he'll be with us forever if he can."
Edmund leans into his Mum's hold, soaking up her warmth and allowing it to soothe him somewhat. "It's ok Mummy. C'es.. C'est la vie." It takes him two attempts to get the phrase out properly but once he does a tired smile stretches across his face.
Every emotion and feeling that Maeve describes reflects what the small child had been feeling since reuniting with Locke. The complex emotions so difficult for one so small but having them laid out plainly helps him process it all. "Me too Mummy. I felt that too." Emotions so powerful it felt like his little heart would burst if he tried to contain them.
Any uncertainty that Edmund might be feeling vanishes when his Mum cups his face, one of his own hands coming up to rest on hers. "Ok Mummy. We'll find him if we look together." To hear that his Papa wanted to be with them forever makes the child giggle, "Good. I don't want to let him go either." A light crease appears in his brow, "But how can you be so sure, Mummy?" How did she know? She hadn't thought Papa would return and he had.
Her smile is gentle as he works his way through the pronunciation of the phrase, having to give it a couple of tries before he manages it. When he does, however, she beams down at him in return, "Très bien, petite étoile." The Nightshade croons, drawing him close to her, pressing a kiss to the top of his curls as they snuggle together on the couch.
She's not surprised to hear that he felt like that too. Of course he had. They both were missing a part of themselves with Locke gone. Neither of them truly whole without him. To have him back now was like a piece falling into place all over again. She could finally breathe.
It's easy to offer the words of comfort and to make this promise when she's already made Locke promise her as well. If he left again she'd hunt him down and he'd never get the chance to leave them again. Maeve smiles instead, eyes soft as she looks down at her son, "I just am. I feel it in my bones. In my soul. He won't do it again. Not willingly."
Edmund giggles softly at the praise, burrowing further into his mum's hold. He can feel her relax as she reassures him, and it soothes the child just as much as her words. And as his Mummy insists that his Papa will never willingly leave again, Edmund believes her. "Ok, Mummy." It's still difficult for the child to process, but if his Mum is certain, then so is he.
Worries about his Papa gone, another concern emerges. Edmund glances up at his Mum, eyes a little worried. "Mummy I have to tell you something." He isn't scared, how could he be? He knows his Mummy loves him. But he is worried nonetheless as all children are when they feel uncertain about how their parent may react to something.
They sit like that for the span of a few breaths. Maeve lets them, cradling her son close until he decides that he is ready to move on from here. His next words aren't a complete surprise. Not after her conversation with Sunjata about her son. About his special gift. The magic that flows through his veins and makes up his very soul. Still, the Nightshade hadn't brought it up, wanting to give Edmund the space to do so himself whenever he was ready. Maeve draws back to look at him, brows drawing together as her fingers smooth back unruly curls, jade eyes searching feather gray.
"What is it, petite étoile? What's weighing on your mind?" She could see it in the tension of his slim shoulders, the slight tightness in his jaw, and the pinch to his brow. Of course she already knows, but she asks anyway, letting him broach the subject on his own.
Edmund hesitates for only a moment. The hand running soothingly over his hair and his Mum's warm eyes convincing him that it's ok. "I'm an Abandoned, Mummy." It's like a weight has been lifted off of his chest as the words tumble out. "I have fire magic." Or more specifically, candle flickering magic at the moment.
The small child takes his Mum's hand in his, "Uncle Jata helped me figure it out. He also told me that Lady Safrin wouldn't be angry, just like you said last time. But..." He squeezes his Mum's hand for a moment. "I'm still worried. I don't want Mummy to get in trouble with Lady Safrin. And I still want Lady Safrin to like me too."
He says it quickly. As if it would crush him to keep the weight of that secret on his chest any longer. Her expression softens and she lets him speak, getting it all out, telling her how he figured it out. Expressing his worry about how Safrin will react. Maeve gives his fingers a gentle squeeze, "Oh, little star, you needn't worry about that. I promise. Safrin won't be angry with you." After talking with Sunjata, Maeve is fairly certain the goddess already knew what he was, but she hadn't turned him away yet. The Nightshade feels it in her gut that her goddess will continue to welcome her son with open arms. Why wouldn't she? Maeve uses her free hand to cup his cheek, thumb brushing across the smooth skin there, head cocking to the side as she regards him.
"Want to know a secret, darling? Safrin knew what you were ever since you were a little baby in my belly. She knew then and she knows now. She didn't punish me then and she won't punish me now." Maeve reassures him, leaning forward to press a kiss to his forehead, drawing him in to a tight hug afterwards. "Do you want to follow Safrin?"
His Mummy's words soothe Edmund relaxes completely, sinking into the hug. "Really? Lady Safrin already knows I have magic?" It makes sense given how amazing the Goddess is, but Edmund had never considered the possibility before. The realization brings such relief to the child. His mummy wasn't going to be in trouble because of him and Lady Safrin wouldn't be mad at him either. She'd hugged him already and she must have known then! Right?
And then Mummy asks him about Lady Safrin and Edmund's head flies up in confusion "Of course Mummy!" Edmund exclaims, the thought of following any other god having never crossed his mind.
Maeve laughs, the sound light and airy as she nuzzles into his curls, peppering kisses against the unruly locks. They're reminiscent of his father's in all ways except for the color. The color he gets from her. With a smile the Nightshade draws back to look down at him, holding his face between her hands, "Yes, my love. She knows. I don't see how she couldn't. You were born with it and she met you just before you aged." It would have been highly unlikely that Safrin wasn't aware of her son's abilities.
Dark brows lift in surprise at the conviction behind her son's voice and the way he seems almost outraged that she would suggest otherwise. "Then we'll start early. There are things to know about the Gods and the Voice." Maeve begins, becoming very serious as she looks down at Edmund, leaning back against the cushions of the couch as she holds him. "You know of the Old Gods and why they're wary of Abandons because of what the Voice did, but I haven't told you about what she's done now."
Maeve draws in a deep breath, a weight settling in her stomach, knowing that it was potentially a lot for him to take in. It was necessary he knows, though. "She's created the Ascended. They aren't like you and me. They can't feel physical sensation in the same way, they don't age, and they can't really go out in the sun. Their bite allows them to draw from any powers you have. Shifts, magic, and other abilities." She pauses, waiting for him to ask any questions before continuing, "The Voice is connected to all of her Ascended and we believe that she can take control of them at any point, but I've not seen it happen before. The thing I want to warn you most about is her portals. I know they're tempting and might seem convenient to use, but every time you use one, you give her access to you."
