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!
Like some child possessed, the beast howls in my veins
Continuing in her struggle to remain upright, the youth eventually hooked her arms and legs around all things, effectively finding a forced balance along the hammock. She probably could have solved the issue by simply moving to another seating arrangement, but she’d already claimed it as a proper throne (albeit, it bit back), so she pretended as if nothing was the matter as Hadama seemed to share wares and examples of cuisine.
She sniffed curiously, then realized scent wasn’t necessarily transferable and she was only going to manage on billowing bubbles and dragging water into her lungs – so that stopped swiftly. Instead, the Honeybee watched on and on, tilting her head outright, admiring the paste and the other transactions.
Finally, she pointed to one of the morsels of red and white fish filets. Could she have one of those, perhaps?
There was a moment when Hadama had considered offering Melita assistance in settling on the floating hammock. He hadn't considered how unwieldy the furniture would be for someone without a proper fishtail, but his friend was both stubborn and capable and so he busied himself with bringing the food into range, figuring that he could always offer a little adroit help if she needed it by the time he got back.
She did not, as it turned out; finding a way to make it work with her usual ingenuity, Hadama tilted his head in admiration of her solution before he explained the meal with charades in a way that he hoped made sense.
When she pointed to one portion he nodded pleased confirmation and added a dab of white paste on one side and black paste on the other so she could try both. Whatever morsel she indicated wanting he was happy to hand over, topped with any condiment she pointed to or none at all if she wished it plain. He ate as well, a quiet sense of pride and joy in his ability to share a piece of his home and culture with his human friend.
When they had eaten their fill he tilted his head questioningly at Mel and gestured first to the hammock she was in, and then to the door with a raised brow. Would she like to stay and rest a while? Or see more of the City?
Like some child possessed, the beast howls in my veins
Finding herself somewhat settled, the youth readily applied to the food – curious about the paste, pausing more than once to study the unfamiliarity of it. But having never been a picky eater, especially when she’d once only had survival to consider, she plunked the majority of it in her mouth on the first go around. Swallowing down the morsels gave her more widened eyes and satisfied expressions, a widened grin at the taste simmering across her tongue.
When they’d both had their fill, her gaze followed Hadama’s gestures. More rest (as if the Honeybee ever did such a thing) or exploring the range of wonders outside the home? And while the mermanta’s place was lovely, the fervent ease of her life always granted more curiosity, more interest, more intrigue. So without much more thought, she pointed towards the door, indicating her choice.
He had suspected her answer before he made his inquiry, but courtesy called for her to be given all options. Stoic lips quirked up into a smile as she pointed at the door and he tilted his head in agreement, waiting for her to disentangle herself from the hammock before leading the way, swimming leisurely now but still taking care to keep her within the range of his ring's power.
There was a public garden, filled with coral and flowering underwater plants bedded in swirling, sweeping patterns with nary a hard corner in sight. The flowers tended to be small but the brightly colored fish that darted among them were often startling in their hues and patterns; mobile 'flowers' that lived within the park.
There was a market that stretched up several 'stories' with shops open to the ocean and merfolk swimming not only between shops on the same level but rising or descending to vendors on different levels. Jewelry of pearl and amber and scale and bone was on display, as well as utilitarian harnesses such as Hadama wore for attaching various tools and pouches; fancier flowing garments woven from seaweed fibers; food vendors; sellers of fine bags and containers; hammocks such as the ones in Dama's home, and decorations of polished black driftwood and shell.
The Underwater City was unlike Haulani in many ways, but the people there - though they had fins - were going about their day, buying necessities and trinkets and food and furnishings, or else running errands or working at those jobs that were necessary beneath the waves.
The City was lit in an eternal twilight, but after a few hours of swimming Hadama motioned to Melita that it was time to leave for the day. Her presence had caused a stir everywhere they had gone; some good, some bad, and most neutrally wary of the stranger in their midst. But no one had picked a fight and nothing had been destroyed and it seemed like a good time to end the visit while things were still on a high note.
Like some child possessed, the beast howls in my veins
Her inquiring mind vastly approved of the sights and sounds, implored and admiring of the way the world below fathoms and currents was laid out. There were discernible differences, as always, but the way in which they merfolk also lived their lives was inspiring; and Melita had to wonder if war would even touch these places. Hopefully not. She couldn’t imagine what the Voice would require from the sea.
She waved along to those she saw, ignoring if they grimaced or stared at her, bewildered, content with the entire exchange. Her features were of obvious dismay when time was of the essence, but the youth understood, even if her expression showcased her disappointment. On another whim, she pointed upwards, indicating launching towards the surface – so she could have some air and extend her gratitude with words, rather than just earnest smiles.
Though they had little enough to fear from the dark in Torchline, neither of them could see in it so it was still easier to begin the journey back to the shore while it was still daylight in the world above to navigate by.
Seeing her indication of direction, Hadama nodded--
And then flashed her grin that was a brief white crescent against his dark skin. That was all the warning she would receive before a sudden current welled up from beneath and gave their swimming a boost towards the surface. He was careful to remain within ten feet of her regardless of who was in the lead as they left a trail of scattering stars and swirling nebulae in their wake.
When they broke the surface the sun was well to the west and a chill breeze with that lingering hint of Deepfrost cooled the surface of the water. Hadama tilted his head at his friend in invitation, emerald eyes sparkling as he waited to hear what she had to say about their adventures.
Like some child possessed, the beast howls in my veins
Swells of water came from below, and had her mouth not been firmly closed to alleviate drowning, the youth would have summoned and bubbled up an enormous, exuberant adornment of laughter and glee. Taking the sharpened current for what it was, her arms reached forward and above, shooting towards the surface with a Cheshire grin hallmarked on her face – endlessly amused.
Only when they surfaced could she display her true emotions and sentiments on the entire thing. Breaking through the polished, waving veneer, wild locks stuck to her forehead, and an endless, bubbling energy claimed her vocals. “That was amazing! So cool! I didn’t know you guys lived like that too,” babbling on and on into a rambling stream. “And the food was great! Do all of you do the whole Warden or King or whatever thing like us? How did you get your houses to stay like that?”
Once air made conversation possible again, Melita's excitement and enthusiasm washed over Hadama like warm sunlight. The mermanta wasn't the type to beam, but he didn't bother to hide his pride and pleasure at his friend's joy in their adventure. He was content to let her ramble until she ran out of (momentary?) steam and then tilted his head in a nod of acknowledgment as he gathered his thoughts to try and tackle all of her questions.
"The water provides support," he rumbled, answering the last one first. "From below, against the weight of it above." Remove the water from the Underwater City, and many of its buildings would collapse beneath their own weight without that balancing pressure from within and beneath.
Then there was a pause, and his expression shifted towards a more serious and thoughtful mien. "We... had a King," he said slowly. "A monarchy, yes. But things are... complicated, now." And the merfolk were without a leader.
Like some child possessed, the beast howls in my veins
“Ooh, neat!” As if she had any idea what any of that meant – nodding her head along as if rapt understanding was instantaneous, rather than something she’d have to ponder over later.
Her comprehension of kingdoms and sovereignties ran only along experiences – from Helovia, where the Dragon’s Throat and its predecessors battled for supremacy, from the Rift, where it was all a simultaneous, collected hell, and here, where sometimes it didn’t matter at all. “Oh, well. I hope you get that all resolved soon.” But everything seemed complicated now.
From there, the Honeybee could ask more and more inquiries, and poor Hadama would likely have his ears talked off before they hastened off to opposing directions. "Thank you for the trip!" echoed and persevered through it all.
