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!
If Deimos had learned anything from years of trials, tribulations, and traumas, it was to carve out the opportunities they had. To find time amidst all the other adversities, conflicts, disturbances, and busy hours to simply have for themselves; no paperwork, no messages, no foolish notions, save for the ones they initiated. The early afternoon presented some manner of pause – a break in the routine, where roles had been completed for a minute or two, and they could breathe across the vast plains of greenery, amidst the backdrop of mountains. No Warden titles, no pressing schedules, no orders demanded.
He lifted his jawline to the wake of the wind stretching its own limbs, and ran a hand over the long blades of grass, watching as Belial took off, sailing along the thermals with a holler in his carnivorous wake. Zuriel didn’t do the same, opting immediately for dipping her head to graze, a snort following, a flick of her leonine tail. He might’ve followed the unicorn’s wake with a shake of his head, grabbing one of the packs along her back, before throwing it over his shoulder. “Thought it would be nice day for a picnic,” he added with a wrinkle of his nose, tossing a wink in Evie’s direction. “There are some nice spots by the stream.”
It is perhaps a little strange to wear a dress in Halo, even in the heart of spring, but Evie's Academy blessing has given her flexibility in her wardrobe that she admittedly enjoys. With no Warden duties left to conspire over or concern herself with today, it is nice to wear something less formal - not that the citizens much care what the Evergreen adorns herself in these days, accustomed to her soil-stained knees and fingers and strange habit of wearing hundreds of pockets filled with vials and other containers.
Hands touching the long grasses at her side absently, Evie doesn't try to fight the faint, peaceful smile on her face as she watches Belial fly above them. Peacetime still feels strange even if it no longer feels new. She prays she never takes it for granted, never forgets the years of darkness before these sunlit hours. Deimos' voice brings her back from the skies and the far-away nature of her memories, and her smile is more present and eager as she turns her face to him. "If you'd told me, I could've prepared something," she scolds lightly. As if he will buy it for even a moment with her more than apparent excitement over the prospect of a creekside picnic. Taking any remaining load from Zuriel's back with a little pet along the unicorn's shoulder, Evie crosses the greenery to come to his side. "Lead the way?" If he has already scouted some opportune spots, she won't take the pleasure of such a surprise from him.
Cover your crystal eyes And let your colors bleed and blend with mine
“And then you would have eaten it beforehand,” he uttered, the air of ease apparent in his voice, in the deep, rumbling teasing. “Nor would it have been a surprise.” Content with the range of truth and logic, his long limbs persisted, even as he leaned down to press his lips against the side of the Evergreen’s head. Intentionally, perhaps, dodging whatever teasing and torment was to come next, his strides increased with purposeful notions, casting her another embellished smirk over his shoulder.
The stream rambled ahead, and Belial had already begun proclaiming his favored spot, hooting and scattering any small animals nearby. Deimos might have rolled his eyes, but he was determined to enjoy their small-scale venture without too many antics from the peryton, and simply followed the deer’s measures. Zuriel lagged behind, mouth full of long stalks of grass, trotting a few steps before snagging at another bunch, unbothered, capable of keeping them in sight.
Eventually, the water’s babbling took on a calmer notation, and Belial landed upon one of the many rock boundaries, carnivore eyes immediately searching for fish. The Sword took the opportunity of placing the pack down upon the ground, along its flat surface, where they’d be surrounded by nothing but greenery, mountains, and the calm wind for moments to come. “Suitable?” He inclined towards Evie with an arch of a brow, awaiting the approval before maneuvering further.
Evie's shameless grin is entirely unrepentant, aware of the accuracy of that statement. "You're a good cook, can you blame me?" As if the quality of the food on hand has ever impacted Evie's desire to consume it. The point of it being a surprise has far more weight - she is admittedly a sucker for surprises, no matter how minor, and her eagerness colors the happy hum in her throat as she leans into the kiss he lays on her crown. He strides away a breath later, and Evie wrinkles her nose habitually even as she jogs after him, needing to account for his much longer stride.
Like parents who are too tired to chase an unruly child, they follow in Belial's hooting, gallumphing wake. Evie doesn't mind the journey; too busy admiring the mountainous range in the distance, or turning her face to the wind to chase loose strands of hair from her cheeks. Their destination becomes apparent in time as Deimos stops, and the Evergreen obediently surveys the site - a mostly inconsequential thing, given she trusts the Sword's evaluations utterly - and smiles beatifically. "Perfect," she effuses in contrast to his laughably mild word choice. Eyeing the packs that she had not looked through before, she divests her own which has little more than standard supplies and snacks. "Anything I can help unpack?"
Cover your crystal eyes And let your colors bleed and blend with mine
He’d take the compliment for what it was worth. “Thank you,” though he was suspicious of other ulterior motives, and narrowed his eyes to indicate the furtiveness. Waiting for the approval, swift and apparent, he nodded, handing over the pack containing the blanket and some of the supplies. “You can unroll this,” and he turned to snag at the other adornments and containers. A majority of the food was in his grasp, for the notions of surprise, rather than Evie peeling back every layer and beginning an initial devouring.
Belial obediently sat along a rock nearby, likely expecting his own share of the proportions. While Deimos unfurled and unveiled several of their favored dishes, he placed them upon the flattened ground, under his watchful eye for either Evergreen or peryton to make a move before things were ready.
Instead, though, what they received was a familiar pitch – the sound of ice crackling. “Hear that?” by way of casual mention, for he was certain he knew precisely what it was.
Malleable and easy to task, Evie gamely obtains the pack and sets about unrolling and weighing down their blanket first, flicking a few rocks out of the way with her magic that would otherwise feel rather uncomfortable beneath their bottoms. And if she whispers a little more magic into the ground to prompt some thick, comfortable moss to fill in the few gaps...well, it's hidden by the blanket, leaving her high-maintenance desires a boring secret.
Evie shares a conspiratorial glance with Belial, but she knows that they are too evenly matched (read: outmatched) with Deimos and Zuriel against them to warrant any attempts at stealth-snacking. She's distracted moments later by the sound of ice cracking that Deimos then points out seconds later, and though her shoulders hike up in instinctive tension at a noise most Halovians know to run away from, she comforts herself with the calm she sees on her partner's face. "But there's no ice around...?" she trails off uncertainly, wondering what she's missing. The river is unimpeded, and the snow itself is rather sparse as she gazes around at their surroundings, trying to place the source.
Cover your crystal eyes And let your colors bleed and blend with mine
The peryton gave Evie a steady glance too – perhaps shared notions of mischievous designs. Unfortunately, the deer was far easier to read, and one sharp glare from Deimos sent him back into a sneer, painfully aware that his attempts would be dashed quickly.
Maybe to spare them both the harshness of patience and waiting, the Sword settled upon the prepared blanket, surprised by the comfortable ease but not saying anything about it. If anything, his grin remained, airing on the impish side, as he took off one of the lids, revealing a plethora of bread, already rolled in some glaze, with accompanying cinnamon butter. “An appetizer,” he relented, passing the container over to the Evergreen, waiting for her to take her desired amount. In the meantime, he snagged a few treats, throwing one to Belial, caught midair, and tossing a few in Zuriel’s direction, for her to snag when she was done gorging on grass.
As for the noise? His grin simply grew deeper, dimpling along his cheeks. “Strange.”
Her partner in cooked crime quails immediately beneath Deimos' withering stare, leaving Evie to pout impotently. Luckily, Deimos is astute in more than just catching their ill-concealed planning, as he's aware her patience will not last long now that she knows food is near at hand. A goblinlike noise of pleasure gurgles in her throat as Deimos presents the delectable rolls, snatching one immediately and tearing it neatly in two to begin coating it in the cinnamon butter.
Only the sound of crackling ice keeps her from shoving it immediately into her mouth (though it's a very near thing). Still too confused to narrow her eyes at him as she would normally when he is so blatantly teasing her, Evie continues to glance around herself, sitting higher and eventually maneuvering onto her shins to try and glean any information from their surroundings. Just as she opens her mouth to mulishly inquire further, white fur catches her eye and silences her immediately. They're within easy viewing distance just across the stream, which is likely why they feel comfortable being so close, and Evie can't help how her expression instantly melts into something adoring. "Oh my gods, are those foxes?" Her free hand reaches to tug insistently on Deimos' sleeve, gesturing with her roll towards the -
Evie inhales a strangled squeal. "Are those kits?"
Cover your crystal eyes And let your colors bleed and blend with mine
Content in his mischief and in Evie’s persistent dedication to food, Deimos took his own and then placed the rest in the middle, likely to be devoured well before they got to any other course. Slathering a generous amount of the butter upon the bread, he no sooner heard another crackling of ice, glancing at Evie out of the corner of his eye. He’d be content with further teasing, but still eager to see her reaction, perhaps, given the upcoming circumstances.
And sure enough, with Belial barely restraining himself on the rock, the creatures made their appearance. Just as he recalled in the past seasons, unwinding from their verdant homes and rocky enclosures, slinking along the other side of the stream, and he had to muffle a chuckle, so as not to scare them away, at the way the Evergreen’s expression altered. “Frost foxes,” he whispered, striving not to disturb as he broke apart another piece of the bread. The kits, however, were another surprise – but given time and place, it should’ve been estimated.
So even he had to watch the little kits carefully, as they ambled and screeched, the piercing sound of ice grating announcing their presence to the world. Foolish, maybe, but they weren’t in the presence of individuals who’d snag or grab (he’d make sure with Belial). He laughed again, only a light taunt, because he wouldn’t forgo any of her emotional outreaches, but the squeal, strangled as it was, had to be discussed. “Will you be able to contain yourself?”
Bread utterly forgotten despite still sitting sticky and enticing in her palm, the Evergreen positions herself high on her knees and then goes utterly still so as not to startle the foxes across the stream. Deimos seems to feel the same with the way his voice is pitched to a whisper, delivering the name of the beautiful creatures that stretch their legs and scent the air as they emerge from their burrows. It seems a plain name for their beauty, but Evie can't deny the accuracy of the title. Even now she can't help but lament the misfortune of their noises and how disorienting they could be to a Halovian. Still, babies are babies, and the Evergreen is enchanted.
"Barely," she whispers back, and takes a bite out of her roll for good measure - to silence herself for any measure of time. Slowly sitting back on her heels now that she's sure her view won't be impeded (as if those scant inches had really done much) Evie swallows and tears her eyes away reluctantly to glance at Deimos. "What do you know about them?" Their name, obviously, but she doubts that is the end of it.
Cover your crystal eyes And let your colors bleed and blend with mine
Peeling away another layer of his bread with more signified, slowed movements, cautious in breaking over the spell, he listened to the breadth of minute yips and breaking ice with a grin. He rarely did anything without purpose – even now, in the breadth of the stream, he’d sought out a place where he’d figured the family remained from previous ventures. A gamble, but also a chance and opportunity for a pleasant outing, and for the Evergreen to experience notions of the newer flora and fauna without any dangerous aspects. It was satisfying then, to see her enamored and smitten with the creatures already, enough to have him shaking his head and muffling a rough chuckle.
He moved back to the bags in the same meticulous manner, snagging at the next course while contemplating more potential. As he maneuvered, the Sword shared the brief wisdom and sagacity he’d learned from their last time, and with tidbits from others in the interim. “Supposedly they are impervious to the cold, and also cool to the touch,” though he hadn’t tested either theory. “The crackling and creaking you hear is what they do instead of yipping.” From there, he revealed some fruit – all snagged from the greenhouse earlier – including grapes, berries, and sliced proportions of apples and oranges.
The sweetness of the roll is distracting enough to tear her gaze briefly back from the foxes to Deimos' face, watching him enjoy his own portion of the appetizer he'd brought. Mentally noting to weasel out of him the supplier of the cinnamon butter later, the Evergreen returns her attention to the newly named frost foxes. Whatever Deimos is doing or grabbing is momentarily ignored as she watches a pair of kits go tumbling through the spring grass, one of them with its ear firmly in its sibling's mouth. She smothers her endeared laugh into the rest of her roll. So many of the creatures in Halo are primordial and threatening, it's a breath of fresh air to see something so cute, so innocent.
His voice in her ear is a familiar rumble that has taken on the equally familiar teaching tone she has heard him utilize a thousand times before. "I wonder if they evolved to sound that way to avoid predation," she muses as she turns, eyes immediately zeroing in on the spread of fruit the Sword has revealed. "They're lovely, whatever the reason." And her smile sits warm in her eyes as she meets his, suspecting he had planned for the odds to fall in favor of this happening. Seeking out the grapes readily - they were her favorites too, the green ones - the Evergreen takes a moment to enjoy a few, relishing the tart-sweet combination on her tongue. "Do you ever miss the animals from the Grounds or the Wilds?" The ones that were there to be observed and admired instead of hunted, like the luxere.
Cover your crystal eyes And let your colors bleed and blend with mine
Finishing his roll, he partook in the fruit next, sliding a few grapes and berries in his mouth with veritable snaps and crunches, watching the frost foxes irritate one another. Like human siblings, he figured, as they dashed, pounced, rolled, and tumbled through the grass, given over to freedom and liberation, their parents likely close by. One snagged at the other’s legs, nipping and biting, before the other initiated a more formidable sequence, and he was given cause to snort as they drifted in a wild, zealous haze, in between the flattened or hilly terrain. They were much too embedded in their own antics to be concerned with his abrupt noise, so he tilted his head, listening to Evie’s sagacity.
Truthfully, he hadn’t taken the time to consider it. “Makes sense,” he whispered lowly; there were multitudes of predators throughout Halo – even if the foxes were one themselves, they’d likely be easy pickings for owls or ursurs. People too, given the fragility of ice, and the alarm of its creaking given over to individuals who made their living across this vast land.
If she’d guessed at his intentions, he said nothing of the sort, intentionally snagging a few more of her favored grapes, before thinking, mulling, over the inquiry. The luxere here were plentiful, and they’d always been one of his favored creatures, even if they were wary of his own existence. Mentally running through the multitudes, he crossed numerous off his list, like banshees and vampire gourds, but found himself wandering back to the same figments. He shifted his head to glance in Zuriel’s direction, who was still content in her grazing. “The unicorn herds were nice to see in King’s End.” Deimos’ gaze pinpointed back to hers, the subtlest arch in his brow. “Do you?”
Though she is rather well-versed in animals given her history and continued membership with the Monster Hunter's Guild, his implied praise never ceases to make her breast warm with pride. Even if it is momentarily dashed by the way he snags her favorite snack, prompting narrowed eyes and a touch of magic to levitate a large portion out of the bowl to save them from his fingers.
"I loved seeing them while I lived there too. I thought about asking for one for a companion, but I'm not sure how well they'd fit me." While unicorns did not have the same issue as luxere with only wanting to bond with light magic individuals, there is a purity to them that Evie's anxieties insist would not mesh well with her own spirit. "King's End had elephants and pandas to the east, I used to take trips to go and see them. Way cuter bears than ursur," she chuckles, remembering how they'd napped most of the day away.
Cover your crystal eyes And let your colors bleed and blend with mine
