a hard day's work
Maea Valair
Hollowed Grounds Ambassador / Loreseeker

Age: 29 | Height: 156 cm / 5'1 ft | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 2 - Strg: 22 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 25 - Luck: 20 - Int:
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Posts: 3,023 | Total: 5,765
MP: 1897
#1
Don't paint wonderful lies on me that wash away
If her brother wanted a party, a party he would get. Maea didn't care much for it herself, but since it was a task he had set in her hands and she had nothing better to do, she began preparations. Scouting out a suitable location in the Woodlands had come first. Then locating old contacts among the people to begin preparations when it came to food and logistics. Hands to carry, build and tear down once it was all done, with the promise of returned favors and eternal gratitude. Some were surprised to see her, after a dramatic note declaring her dead had been posted on the Temple noticeboard some years ago, but though Maea sensed the questions burning in them, she didn't offer any explanations.

It tore up old wounds she'd thought long healed, to re-establish these connections. To be called 'Valair's girl' again, to answer questions about the farm and her family, to hear their condolences several years too late and not know whether she would ever repay them like she ought, whether she would even be here in a season - it was rough.

There was a distant, vacant look to her by the time she reached the final task of the day. Dragging a hand-pulled cart behind her across the cobbles towards the smith's quarters, she shut out the noise of rattling metal and tried to ignore the unease that bubbled in the gut, a phantom nausea she didn't actually feel that only grew when she reached the goal. Moving around to the back of a particular house, she sought out the workshop and knocked hard on the door, so it would be heard over the clang of iron on steel.
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Alexander de Winters
Blacksmith

Age: 38 | Height: 6'2 | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#2
Alexander
I can hear it in your voice while your speaking
you can't be treated
Indeed a loud knock was necessary as there was a consistent clanging of metal on metal coming from inside. The Ascended thinning out a piece that would soon be a blade, but the pounding at his door pulled him from his focus. He stepped back, dousing the project in water, a hiss of steam rising in a cloud around him. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he removed his visor, tossing it onto the work table before approaching the door. He doesn't bother to look through the peephole before opening it with a rush of cool air, goosebumps rising across his skin despite the fact that he didn't really register the temperature difference, warmth seeping out around him.

Dark eyes look over her head, not realizing she's there at first, but when they do finally drop to her face it's with a flash of surprise. They widen slightly, a dark brow arching as his arms crossed over his chest, "Well, well, well... If it isn't little moony Mae. Been a while since I've seen you around." He drawled, a softer edge to his voice that she was unlikely to pick up on, seeing as she typically avoided being around him.

"You need something or did you just come to say hi?" His eyes go to the handcart behind her, brows knitting together as he examined the contents of the cart.
Mr. Know-it-all had his reign and his fall
At least that's what his brain is telling all
Maea Valair
Hollowed Grounds Ambassador / Loreseeker

Age: 29 | Height: 156 cm / 5'1 ft | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 2 - Strg: 22 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 25 - Luck: 20 - Int:
Played by: Chan Offline
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Posts: 3,023 | Total: 5,765
MP: 1897
#3
Don't paint wonderful lies on me that wash away
And so it goes again. Some things never changed, no matter how much she wished them to. People, for example. It took one second too long for the man's gaze to drop to her level, and she was already back in the old days. Back when teasing remarks and 'fun' pet names were leveled at her from folk she hardly knew. It was part of the reason why she had pushed this task off until the very last minute.

Maea shrank back from the heat that emanated from the forge, and from the man who towered over her. She didn't smile at the greeting.
"Hello, Winters. I haven't been around for a bit. I came with things that need repairing - it's for an event." She gestured to the cart, that he already had taken to inspect. Within lay a jumble of lanterns, collected from farms and barns all over the Fields. Some were rusted, others slightly dented and broken while others had lost their handles.

"Do you have time to mend them? There is no great hurry. It's quite a lot, though." Her tone was polite, if a tad clipped. Very much to the point, and she didn't acknowledge the twist on her name with so much as a blink. It might as well have been a kick in the shins, coming from her.
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Alexander de Winters
Blacksmith

Age: 38 | Height: 6'2 | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 0 - Strg: 12 - Dext: 10 - Endr: 10 - Luck: 3 - Int:
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#4
Alexander
I can hear it in your voice while your speaking
you can't be treated
When they were kids, she got so worked up by the way he poked and teased her. Now? Now she barely spared him a glance. It stung a bit to be so blatantly ignored, but a part of him was surprisingly proud that she'd finally managed to brush those things off. Even if the disdain that colored his name as it pushed past her lips was clear. He simply grinned, leaning almost lazily against the doorframe as he wiped his hands on a cloth hanging at his hip, cleaning away a bit of dust that clung to his skin from the sweat.

"An event you say... What kind of event? Anything fun?" It was hard to picture her planning a party. Even now he could barely imagine her enjoying one. Let alone actually attending it once she was done. Still, he pushed off the door frame and meandered towards the cart, picking through the pile of lanterns.

It was going to be a lot or work. That much was clear. Clicking his tongue at the shape some of them were in, he glanced back at her from over his shoulder. "Sure, I can make some time." He finally said, circling back around to her front, "What do you have to trade?" It wasn't even said with any sort of teasing, simply uttered without pause, a brow arching expectantly.
Mr. Know-it-all had his reign and his fall
At least that's what his brain is telling all
Maea Valair
Hollowed Grounds Ambassador / Loreseeker

Age: 29 | Height: 156 cm / 5'1 ft | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 2 - Strg: 22 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 25 - Luck: 20 - Int:
Played by: Chan Offline
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Posts: 3,023 | Total: 5,765
MP: 1897
#5
Don't paint wonderful lies on me that wash away
"Bonfire night. Or a version of it. Some food, drink, music and lights while telling stories, is all. My brother wanted me to help out." The barest flicker of a smile ghosted past her lips. Without thinking she had addressed Amun the way she used to, heedless of the person she was talking to. Of course, her actual brother, Noah Valair, har been dead for almost five years now. Along with the rest of her family.

When he mentioned trade, Maea shrugged and held out her hands, palm up to show exactly what she brought. "Work. I don't own anything of value these days, but if you can put me to use, I can offer my time and labor." It had always worked as a fallback in the past, and the girl hoped that not everything had changed about her home.
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Alexander de Winters
Blacksmith

Age: 38 | Height: 6'2 | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 0 - Strg: 12 - Dext: 10 - Endr: 10 - Luck: 3 - Int:
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#6
Alexander
I can hear it in your voice while your speaking
you can't be treated
Alexander arched a brow as Maea spoke, humming thoughtfully at her words, turning one of the lanterns over in his large hands. A thumb stroked over one of the cracked sides, feeling the press of rusted metal against his skin. "Your brother?" It was the only thing he was caught up on. All the rest of it not sticking out to him as much as that phrase.

Her offer made him blink almost stupidly. Eyes widening slightly before he managed to keep from laughing at her offer of help. She was a slip of a girl. Barely anything at all. A strong breeze could blow her away, but Alexander wasn't going to turn down her help as a trade. That's not how things worked here. "Alright then. Help me bring these in and we'll sort them based on what type of mending needs to be done." Alexander said, nodding his head towards the cart before grabbing a few lanterns himself.
Mr. Know-it-all had his reign and his fall
At least that's what his brain is telling all
Maea Valair
Hollowed Grounds Ambassador / Loreseeker

Age: 29 | Height: 156 cm / 5'1 ft | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 2 - Strg: 22 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 25 - Luck: 20 - Int:
Played by: Chan Offline
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Posts: 3,023 | Total: 5,765
MP: 1897
#7
Don't paint wonderful lies on me that wash away
The question made her look up, and realize what she had said. Silence hovered between them for a while, as she hesitated. Unwilling to part with anything but the most basic of information to someone she wasn't overly fond of. But... well, she could see that it was a strange thing to say.
"Amun Arlun. We... sort of adopted one another." A joke gone out of hand, until the play pretend felt more real than the ground she stood upon. Until it wasn't pretend anymore.

Offering nothing else, she nodded her acceptance of the task and reached for the lanterns. Despite her small size and thin arms she lifted a large sack full of them and hoisted it onto her shoulder, before lugging it to where he might want them. The glance she threw at the forge was hesitant however, balking from the heat and the potential of flying embers.

"I... can't go in there," she admitted, with some reluctance. And if it wasn't made obvious enough from her actions, the girl bared her teeth at the blacksmith, until the pointed fangs could illustrate why. It was still difficult to say out loud that she had Ascended.
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Alexander de Winters
Blacksmith

Age: 38 | Height: 6'2 | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 0 - Strg: 12 - Dext: 10 - Endr: 10 - Luck: 3 - Int:
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#8
Alexander
I can hear it in your voice while your speaking
you can't be treated
Now that was a name that he knew. Alexander hums softly at the admission, "Ah, Amun." He chuckles, recalling the last interaction he'd had with the potter. They started off a bit roughly, but eventually found their footing together. "I didn't know you two were close." To be fair, they hadn't exactly talked too much about it. There were other things to focus on. Not to mention that from what he knew of Maea, she didn't get close with much of anyone, but Alexander wasn't going to push the topic.

Focusing on the task at hand, Alexander didn't notice her hesitation until she spoke up, turning back to look at her with a knitted brow. "Hm?" His head cocked to the side and then she flashed her fangs. "Oh." She didn't realize, then. Alexander offered her a soft smile. Much softer than anything she's ever seen grace his features. "It's alright, Maea. I've taken precautions." And if it wasn't clear enough from his words, his smile grew until he flashed his own fangs, pushing the door open further.

"I wouldn't invite you in if it would put you in danger. Promise." And he really wouldn't. Despite what she might think of him, Alexander didn't want to see her hurt and he wasn't going to put her in danger.
Mr. Know-it-all had his reign and his fall
At least that's what his brain is telling all
Maea Valair
Hollowed Grounds Ambassador / Loreseeker

Age: 29 | Height: 156 cm / 5'1 ft | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 2 - Strg: 22 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 25 - Luck: 20 - Int:
Played by: Chan Offline
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Posts: 3,023 | Total: 5,765
MP: 1897
#9
Don't paint wonderful lies on me that wash away
"Well, we are. I didn't know you knew him." Her eyes narrowed slightly on the smith in quiet scrutiny.

Indeed, she had no idea. The extended absence from the Grounds had left her woefully uninformed of who had Ascended and who remained their old selves. It startled her to see the sharp teeth in Alexander's mouth, and she found herself... sad. To realize that he had made himself part of the conflict. Inextricably tied to the fate of the Voice. For all that she didn't much care for him and his jokes at her expense, he probably didn't deserve what the war would bring onto all of them.

"Oh," came her quiet reply. A little awkward before the strange smile of his, uncertain whether she ought to congratulate or offer condolences - the latter felt more apt, but would probably make Amun frown if he knew that's how she still thought. "Alright, if you're sure."

She still hesitated before crossing the threshold. The temperature in the room set off a number of alarms within her, and she kept as much distance from the forge as possible even as she began to sort through the lanterns.
"How can you be a smith if you're... you know." She made a vague gesture, keeping her head bowed over the work before her.
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Alexander de Winters
Blacksmith

Age: 38 | Height: 6'2 | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 0 - Strg: 12 - Dext: 10 - Endr: 10 - Luck: 3 - Int:
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#10
Alexander
I can hear it in your voice while your speaking
you can't be treated
"Yeah, I know him." Not too well yet, but they were working on remedying that soon. Alexander didn't miss how her eyes narrowed. Interesting. The smith felt a smirk curling on his lips, "I'm the newest member of his guild."

Or maybe he did deserve it, Maea. Ever consider that? The smith hasn't exactly been the best person. Not just to her, but to most people. Not unless he had something to gain from it. Sure, he'd turned over a bit of a new leaf. He was trying to actually do something productive with his life. That didn't change things, though.

Alexander grabbed his own sack of lanterns, setting them down on a table and started to sort through them, grouping them into their own sections for what needed to be done. "It took a bit of time to figure out. Had to make some changes to how I did my work, but I eventually got it." He was just even more careful than he was before. Something he didn't think possible until he had to figure it out.
Mr. Know-it-all had his reign and his fall
At least that's what his brain is telling all
Maea Valair
Hollowed Grounds Ambassador / Loreseeker

Age: 29 | Height: 156 cm / 5'1 ft | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 2 - Strg: 22 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 25 - Luck: 20 - Int:
Played by: Chan Offline
Change author:
Posts: 3,023 | Total: 5,765
MP: 1897
#11
Don't paint wonderful lies on me that wash away
Was that bragging in his tone, or some kind of challenge? Maea's expression remained bland, disinterested in whatever measuring contest the man tried to rope her into. "Good for you," she replied blandly, and bent over her work again. That smirk on his face made her bristle, just like it always had.

His answer about the forge did not clarify anything to her at all, and her mouth thinned into a line as she sorted lanterns based on the amount of rust, crookedness and need of repair. Her hands were disfigured and ugly, made that way from merely lighting a fire; how he avoided boiling himself to death was more than she could understand. It seemed too reckless, as if he was purposely putting himself in danger.

"I see." She didn't, but he didn't need to know that. "Once these are sorted, then what?" Suspecting this would take several hours, Maea wished she had chosen some other blacksmith. Darkeye maybe... though his trouble with metal might still be in effect.
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Alexander de Winters
Blacksmith

Age: 38 | Height: 6'2 | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 0 - Strg: 12 - Dext: 10 - Endr: 10 - Luck: 3 - Int:
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#12
Alexander
I can hear it in your voice while your speaking
you can't be treated
Why did everything have to be a thing with Maea? It seemed that even when he was being pleasant, only making a few playful remarks, the moonfaced girl couldn't keep the sourness of her demeanor at bay. He arched a dark brow at her, clearly having hit some kind of nerve despite the way that she attempted to play it off and remain neutral. The smith had known her long enough to pick up on those tells of hers. This one was a classic and he found himself sighing. "Yeah, he's a nice guy. Good at keeping up." He slight smile curling on his lips as he recalled the banter. The verbal sparring that had kept him on his toes and almost tripping to follow each of Amun's steps as they danced around each other.

Curiously watching her system, Alexander eventually followed the same idea. It was easier than potentially arguing to change how it was done. This would work well enough for the time being. "Once they're separated, I'll have you clean them up while I start casting some replacement parts." And she was right, this would take several hours, though he had no intention of making it drag on more than necessary.

Eyeing her for a moment, noting the rags she still wore around her shoulders, a question formed on his tongue. He considered if it was rude to ask, given that she was now an Ascended, but he was too curious. "You don't still follow them, do you? I would think given you being an Ascended and all... Doesn't it not like us?" Not that Alexander knew too much about Ludo.
Mr. Know-it-all had his reign and his fall
At least that's what his brain is telling all
Maea Valair
Hollowed Grounds Ambassador / Loreseeker

Age: 29 | Height: 156 cm / 5'1 ft | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 2 - Strg: 22 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 25 - Luck: 20 - Int:
Played by: Chan Offline
Change author:
Posts: 3,023 | Total: 5,765
MP: 1897
#13
Don't paint wonderful lies on me that wash away
The simple truth was that she didn't trust him. Unable to tell the difference between his banter and insults, unable too to see the humor in his teasing, everything that came out of the guys mouth was cast in a shadow of a nagging doubt. Weighing every word was exhausting, and so the girl tried to simply not engage. It was a poor defense, probably, but she had no energy to spare for sorting out a lifetime of prejudice. Not now.

"He is nice," was all the could agree with. And felt a twist in her gut as she knew her own sense of humor to be stunted. A dry and quiet thing, far from the witty banter Amun was so good at. Another shortcoming of hers; another thing she wished to change.

Nodding at the instructions, she kept sorting and bringing in more lanterns until they were neatly arranged. Once equipped with a stiff-bristled brush, she set to work on cleaning dirt and rust from the metal. It was simple work, and she would have been content to do it in silence.

But Alexander's question made her pause and look up, understanding dawning after a quick glance at her own clothes. The dark coat she wore was certainly ratty and worn enough to pass for rags, and she could see why he would make a connection to the dark cloth she had once worn.

"I see no reason to stop honoring all the Old Gods," came her quiet response, in a pause between the grating sound of metal on steel. "They created this world. They govern it. Just because we are different from how we were born, doesn't mean we are not part of it still." She looked up to gaze at him. "Ludo might not wish to see me anymore, but I still love it." Painful as it was, to be beyond Abandoned.
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Alexander de Winters
Blacksmith

Age: 38 | Height: 6'2 | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 0 - Strg: 12 - Dext: 10 - Endr: 10 - Luck: 3 - Int:
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MP: 877
#14
Alexander
I can hear it in your voice while your speaking
you can't be treated
He supposed that he couldn't blame her. Had he known the driving force behind her unease, Alexander could easily understand why she was so wary of him and even without that knowledge he knew that she had plenty of reason to distrust him given their history.

But talk of Amun didn't last. Her replies just as clipped as ever. Still, his lips curled into a soft smile and he dipped his head in acknowledgement. He was nice. Among other things. Smart and quick witted. With a sharp tongue that cut him down to size without a second thought. Had he voiced these things, it would have been very clear that he had a bit of a crush on the potter, but he kept it all to himself.

It was confusing to him. Sure, he could understand it to an extent. That had been her deity and none of them would be so quick to abandon the Voice. Why would she abandon it? Still, Alexander felt his lips pull into a slight frown, brows knitting together in confusion, "Why? It doesn't make sense, Maea."
Mr. Know-it-all had his reign and his fall
At least that's what his brain is telling all


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