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!
05-11-2022, 11:14 PM (This post was last modified: 05-11-2022, 11:16 PM by Maeve.)
Maeve
The hot cocoa booth is first. Neither of them willing to pass up on the treat. Maeve smiles at the booth attendant, "A large hot chocolate with extra whipped cream and a peppermint stick." The Nightshade grins over at Melita, shrugging her shoulders lightly should the honeybee girl say anything. "Mint and chocolate is a classic combination. You should try it." She suggests, reaching down to skritch the top of Aidon's head before he's back to nudging at Melita's arm, straining his long neck in an attempt to reach her companion, trilling at the smaller dragonling. A baby.
"They're a cute one. Did you find them?" The question comes easily as she reaches forward, offering her fingers to them so they might sniff at the digits. The Nightshade takes her drink from the stall keep as he places it on the counter, taking a careful sip as to not burn her tongue, humming as the rich taste of chocolate and mint coats her tongue.
NO ONE WANTS YOU WHEN YOU HAVE NO HEART AND I’M SITTING PRETTY IN MY BRAND NEW SCARS
Eating fire is your ambition to swallow the flame down
Melita had dutifully followed, if not slightly distracted by every other notion, sight, and sound before her. Winding up at the booth would’ve been an eventuality at some point anyway, considering the delicious aromas floating from its void – lifting her nose to the air, much the same as her companions. Arching her brow at Maeve’s order, but holding no judgment from it, she waited until she could partake in hers – eager, hands yearning to already outstretch. “Caramel, please,” ready and willing to enjoy the wondrous, sweet combination.
Aidon’s efforts weren’t lost on either. Protective Fangorn flailed his vines around, but Melita patted and scratched him on the head, valiant as he was, the hatchling was likely not in danger. Sila, for her part, remained entirely uncertain, unfurling her wings a little from the honeybee’s shoulder. “Sila,” she murmured, quite proudly with an askance look at the bronze youth. “A quest from Ludo.”
As the attendant offered hers, the honeybee snagged at it, a wide grin following suit. “Thank you!” Thereafter, she immediately began wandering away, from the line, from the crowd of people. “Do you want to talk about what we saw?” Or the eerie, enigmatic information given?
to be lit up from within, vein by vein to be the sun
Maeve chuckled softly at Fangorn's own efforts, head tilting to the side thoughtfully. "You know you don't have to worry about Aidon, dear. He wouldn't dare hurt her." She murmured to the Vampire Gourd, patting Aidon on the head and sending a reminder to be gentle along the bond. He was just that, maintaining the soft, cooing trills towards Sila in an attempt to introduce himself to the tiny creature. "Well, she's absolutely lovely." The Nightshade easily complimented, chasing the words with a sip of her cocoa, taking the peppermint stick out to lick the whipped cream from the end.
They shifted away from the booth, slowly meandering on the outskirts of the fair, unwilling to mingle with the strangers there. Her question earned the honeybee a soft hum of acknowledgement, head dipping in response. "I suppose we should... I sent a letter ahead to Ronin and I plan to ask Safrin for some guidance. I have a feeling that we won't be the only one looking for this." And the Nightshade was certain that they would attempt to reach this relic before they did, but at least they had a slight advantage with her connection to Ronin.
NO ONE WANTS YOU WHEN YOU HAVE NO HEART AND I’M SITTING PRETTY IN MY BRAND NEW SCARS
Eating fire is your ambition to swallow the flame down
Fangorn probably did know, but neither he nor Melita had survived via luck and happenstance. Obliged, he settled around the honeybee’s ankles again, twisting his vines around her leg in efforts to do something with his restlessness while Sila remained cautious. The coos and trills from the fellow dragon were somewhat appeasing, enough for her to reach out, little nostrils flaring. “Thank you,” Melita whispered, content too with her choices.
Sipping at her cocoa, humming a little under her breath, the discussion of the recent bizarre happenings along the Mistbanks did nothing to dissuade her – energy still effective and looming. “Oh, probably not,” immediately shrugging – presuming Amun had gone off as soon as he could to launch communications between the Ascended. She could hardly blame them. Not with everything coming. “Let me know what you hear from Ronin, and we’ll see what we can do.” Then she continued to parade on ahead, mug in hand while long strides, and a vampire gourd stuck fast to one of them, strolled towards the sleighs.
to be lit up from within, vein by vein to be the sun
It's hard to make proper introductions while they're walking, but by Gods Aidon tries his best to. Craning his neck so he can get closer, the very tip of his snout bumping lightly against Sila's in greeting, something like a purr in his throat. "Aidon seems to like her." Maeve chuckles, watching as the dragonling finally draws back, content for the time being to instead try and entice Fangorn into a game of tag.
"Definitely not." She knew better than to think that they were going to wait. Especially if they had any idea that Ronin would be gone soon. That himself, Deimos, and Remi would be in the Maw and thus unable to keep them out. "He's going after another relic in the Maw. Stormbreak will be left undefended. He asked that we keep an eye on it." Maeve pauses, pursing her lips, hands wrapping more tightly around her cocoa. "I think we should and investigate. See if we can find anything before the others do." She says as they approach the sleighs, selecting an empty one and climbing into the back, drawing the provided blanket over their laps.
NO ONE WANTS YOU WHEN YOU HAVE NO HEART AND I’M SITTING PRETTY IN MY BRAND NEW SCARS
Eating fire is your ambition to swallow the flame down
“She’s a bit shy right now,” which was odd coming from Melita, for the honeybee had never been in such a way, nor Fangorn, truthfully. But each creature was different, and there was a lot of growing to do in Sila’s case. But Aidon gave her adequate space, and the little hatchling could tolerate the gentle touch of noses before clinging tightly to the honeybee’s shoulder. “Thank you,” she whispered to Maeve’s counterpart, for his patience and reassurance.
Hopping along the sled, ready and eager to be dragged along wherever, she tilted her head, listening to the pending circumstances. The vampire gourd followed suit, taking a seat beside his bonded, while the dragon remained perched – taking in every little sight and sound. “Undefended,” and the youth’s nose gave a slight wrinkle, remembering, recalling, the words of recent events surrounding the world. “Do you want to bring anyone else with us?” Emboldened, audacious, and infinitely ridiculous, Melita had no intentions of backing down – but greater numbers might mean they had more of a chance at this impending business.
Another notion sprang to her mind as she took the blankets and spread it out over the lot of them, cosy and content despite their ongoing conversation. “I’ve never been to Stormbreak. Have you?” She’d avoided it for the longest time, given the notions of racism around its stonewalled existence.
to be lit up from within, vein by vein to be the sun
Aidon chooses to trot along beside them. Not like he could fit in the sleigh anyway. He was much too large for that. Maeve nods at her words, lips pressing into a thin line, "Exactly. They'll move on it quickly." She murmurs, thumb stroking the side of the mug, attempting to self soothe. "There isn't anyone else that we could bring. Sah can't come and Jack..." Maeve shakes her head, unsure if Melita is aware of his gifts or not and she doesn't want to out the captain. "I doubt he'd set foot there." With it being so uptight.
"I stayed there for half a season when the Halenani collapsed. It's lovely, but very refined." It's the best way she can describe it. The Nightshade wasn't a huge fan of the city, but Maeve wasn't going to let her distaste stop her from going. Not when it was so important. "We should go soon, though."
NO ONE WANTS YOU WHEN YOU HAVE NO HEART AND I’M SITTING PRETTY IN MY BRAND NEW SCARS
Eating fire is your ambition to swallow the flame down
The kind luxere began to drag them along, and were Melita not wholly occupied by all the other thoughts swimming in her head, she might’ve enjoyed the soft whishing of runners gliding over snow. Of the lights twinkling. Of peace and tranquility.
But perhaps they were too far removed from that now.
She clutched the mug, but her eyes were elsewhere, drawn over the plains of darkness, jaw taking on a mulish clench. “And Jack should be here, if you’re gone from Torchline.” As some sort of defender, she supposed, considering it’d be in his self-interest.
Lovely, but refined, wasn’t how the honeybee had heard it coined. Ancient and racist came to mind. Dreading the notions of setting foot there before, only an actual purpose, rather than audacious curiosity, inspired the trek. “All right.” Acceptance of the inevitable, whenever the sovereign was ready.
to be lit up from within, vein by vein to be the sun
"Yes... Someone needs to be here. I don't want to leave it undefended." It would be bad enough to be away at all, but there was no telling how long she'd be gone. How quickly things would happen. They could be looking for days before they made any headway. That thought alone was enough to turn her stomach. The Nightshade took a long sip from her cocoa, hoping that the warmth would chase away the unease that formed a pit in her gut, making her nerves wind tighter.
It was a generous description. That Maeve wouldn't argue. She just thought it best not to speak too ill of the place out loud when there were others around. It would only lead to trouble. "I have a few thoughts on where to start. Ronin will likely give us clearance to go wherever we need."
NO ONE WANTS YOU WHEN YOU HAVE NO HEART AND I’M SITTING PRETTY IN MY BRAND NEW SCARS
Eating fire is your ambition to swallow the flame down
She began to hum with hands intertwined over the mug, relishing the warmth seeping through her fingers, as the discussion and conversation unwinding wasn’t exactly doing the same. Torchline wouldn’t lack its guards; those were everywhere, from the seediest underbelly to the loftiest noble, but still, they wouldn’t want to be gone long.
Sipping at the caramel concoction, she released one hand around the cocoa, scratching at the top of Fangorn’s head – perhaps self-soothing for both of them as thoughts ran rampant. “Where were you thinking?” The honeybee wouldn’t know where to start – ignorant of each of its tracings, and only aware of its requisite abilities to block out Abandoned.
Or that a Tower had fallen there, into rubble and ruin and perished people.
to be lit up from within, vein by vein to be the sun
The Nightshade takes a sip of her own drink, eyes flitting over to Aidon, watching him trounce through the snow alongside them, claws sinking into the fresh powder with each step. It was an unsettling thing, having to potentially try to be in two places at once, needing to stretch herself so thin. Sensing her unease, Aidon looks over to her, trilling a soft comforting sound towards her. It's accompanied with a pulse of reassurance.
"The Sleeping Steps. There is an area that only the clergy can get to. I feel like it could be there. The temple would be the other place I would think to look." Maeve tells her softly, glancing at the Honeybee girl, trying to manage a slight smile. The stress clear on her features. "Hopefully that will give us a good place to start."
NO ONE WANTS YOU WHEN YOU HAVE NO HEART AND I’M SITTING PRETTY IN MY BRAND NEW SCARS
Eating fire is your ambition to swallow the flame down
Melita, used to rushing headlong into danger with zero thought or hesitation, had only recently matured into thinking beyond the notions of audacity and emboldened fervor. Even still, her head tilted a vague degree, permitting Sila to crawl down to her lap, the little dragon watching the other race and rampage alongside the sleigh. At least to the luxere’s credit, it seemed entirely undaunted by the display of power; continuing onward as if this was a regular occurrence.
“Sleeping steps?” An inquiry based on its name only. “Do people like…fall asleep on them or something?” Which almost be amusing – enemies and adversaries drifting into a deep slumber before they could rampage further. “Sounds good.” And more information than Melita could offer – which was nothing.
to be lit up from within, vein by vein to be the sun
Maeve couldn't keep the laugh contained as it bubbled past her lips, looking over at Melita with an amused grin, shaking her head. "No, nothing like that. From what I understand it's where they bury all of their dead." A pretentious kind of place, but that didn't make it any less important to Stormbreak. Even if she did hate the place the dead deserved a place to rest properly. "If these relics are older than we are why not start with those who died ages ago?" It was the only thing she could really think to do at this point. It wasn't like they had much else to go off of.
Aidon glances back over his shoulder at Sila, calling out to her, trying to urge her to play. Not that she would likely take the bait, given her size. "Not much to go on, I know, but it's at least a start."
NO ONE WANTS YOU WHEN YOU HAVE NO HEART AND I’M SITTING PRETTY IN MY BRAND NEW SCARS
Eating fire is your ambition to swallow the flame down
“Oh.” Melita snorted, chin going up seditiously, defiantly, because she thought the name was a misnomer and a bit stupid. “I suppose. Though wasn’t one found in a weird house..?” Maybe logic didn’t have a place with relics – she didn’t have all the stories, all the nuances, put together. Some below the ice. Some churning within monsters. Some on hints, others readily told. How and what and why they were determined in each interval was a mystery to her.
Sila didn’t take the bait, but definitely slid closer, down into Melita’s lap, where she could be content to watch the rise and fall of the sled over snow. Fangorn had already snuck his vines out of the compartment, allowing them to be flung around on the manufactured breeze. “Do you want to head out tonight?” The youth murmured over her mug, pondering how soon those layers truly meant.
to be lit up from within, vein by vein to be the sun
