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!
A resounding crack echoes down the beach. That tell tale sonic boom from the Nightshade's whip warning anyone with half a braincell to stay far, far away from her today. Since the news of Phoebe's arrival and the disaster that had followed, the Queen's typically sweet disposition was downright foul, eyes stormy and lips set into a thin line. Yes, staying out of her way would be a rather smart move, but not everyone in Torchline is smart. Nor do they know the Queen well enough to realize the monsoon they're about to walk into.
Lashing out again at the fallen tree, another flash of flame chars the already blackened wood, embers flaring across the surface as she growls out her frustrations. This was getting her absolutely no where. She wanted to hit something that fought back, damn it.
Long nights, daydreams Sugar and smoke rings, I've been a fool But strawberries and cigarettes always taste like you
Amanda paddled her small pontoon boat towards the shore. The pickings had been slim today. She'd found a small skiff half-sunk among the shallow rocks, but all that she'd found inside had been a few tools and a broken fishing rod. She'd taken the tools, but they wouldn't fetch much in trade. She hadn't found any other wrecks, which in a way was just as well--with the cold of late, diving down to a wreck wasn't exactly the most appealing idea.
She reached the shore and climbed out of the boat, shivering when her legs hit the water. She grabbed the rope and hauled the boat towards the shore, tying it off on a tree not too far from the water's edge. The woods that lined this part of the shore were sometimes home to animals she could scavenge from: eggs from birds' nests, horns and bones from dead animals, or molted feathers and claws she could trade to a jeweler or craftsman. At the very least, she could probably find some nuts and berries to sell. Not the most profitable venture, but it would at least make the day not a complete waste.
She wandered aimlessly through the wooded area, gathering what she could find and tucking it into her backpack. She had been at it for almost an hour when a loud sound from nearby drew her attention. A sharp crack followed by a thunderous boom.
Curious, she headed in the direction of the sound. Whatever was making a noise like that, it wasn't natural. Likely it was magical. A magical artifact of some kind would bring her an absolute fortune. Trying to get her hands on such a thing would probably be far too dangerous to actually try, but at the very least, she wanted to take a look and see what she was dealing with. She might always luck out.
She emerged from the woods, a light sheen of sweat on her brow despite the cold. She started to look around for the source of the sound, but before she could react, another crack thundered across the air. Startled, she turned towards the source of the noise, only to stumble and fall over a blackened fallen tree.
A blur of motion and flame came straight for her face. She flinched, throwing her arms up to protect herself, and instinctively throwing out a burst of telekinetic force. The magical force barely deflected the whip from connecting with her face, though it still left a singe as it burned through a lock of her hair.
Gasping for air, she looked up, holding her telekinesis at the ready, wary of another blow.
Now, Maeve might have been wishing for a moving target, but not an innocent bystander. The Nightshade hisses out a breath, eyes widening as she lowers her arm, abandoning the idea of lashing out again once she registers the girl before her. "Fuck.. I'm sorry! I didn't see you." The queen begins, taking a few steps forward, chest heaving as the tail of her whip drags through the sand as her boots slip across the surface before she's close enough to check on the girl in question.
Reaching out a hand, palm up and clear in her intention to cause no harm to Amanda despite how it might have seemed. "Are you okay?" Her jade eyes are filled with concern, bright and shining, painted lips parted around her breath as she scans the girl's features.
Long nights, daydreams Sugar and smoke rings, I've been a fool But strawberries and cigarettes always taste like you
Expecting to be assaulted, Amanda remained tense for a long moment, until she heard the stranger ask if she was okay. She let out a long, slow breath. She looked up at the woman, thinking for a moment that she looked familiar, but from the way she was dressed it seemed clear that she came from social circles higher than Amanda's; Amanda had grown up in the streets, and she knew next to nothing about high society.
She took the stranger's hand and accepted the help as she rose to her feet. "I'm fine," she said, brushing the dirt from her pants. "Nothing broken. Just wasn't expecting someone with a..." She glanced behind the woman at the trailing end of the whip. "...magic whip? That looks pretty cool. Any way I could try that out?"
She gave the stranger an innocent look, hoping to play to her sympathies. Amanda had never held a magic weapon in her hands, and it certainly looked like something she would love to give a try.
Funny enough, so had Maeve. Grown up in the streets, that is. That had been her first home before she got taken in as a working girl at her first brothel. This was before the Halenani had been built and before she rose in power. Before she became Queen. She wasn't dressed in one of her dresses. Nothing incredibly fine adored her body. Sure, the fabrics might of been light and high quality, but she was simply in a pair of breeches and a light linen top. The first few buttons undone and showing off a peek of dark lace underneath.
Maeve releases her hand, straightening up and arching a dark brow, head cocking to the side as she lets jade eyes roam over her from head to toe. The Nightshade wasn't naïve and she definitely didn't trust a total stranger to hold onto her whip. "I wasn't born yesterday, love." Maeve drawls, huffing out a laugh as she crosses her arms over her chest, rocking back on her heels lightly. "But I'll be happy to let you practice your abilities. See if you can keep from getting singed."
Long nights, daydreams Sugar and smoke rings, I've been a fool But strawberries and cigarettes always taste like you
Amanda backed away, raising her hands up protectively in front of her and drawing on her magic. She heard a threat in the words, even if the stranger only intended it for practice. Still, practice or not, she tensed up at the idea of that whip stinging towards her at any moment.
"Is this what you do for fun?" she asked. "Challenge random strangers to see if they can survive a good whipping?"
She channeled forth her telekinesis, pushing outward in a continual flow of force. The air in front of her rippled with the kinetic energy passing through it. The flow of force would, she hoped, be enough to deflect the whip when it started coming her way. If not, she would have to think quickly in order to deflect the attack.
