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!
"Thank you again, for this," Isla is saying as they step in through the doors to the Hanged Man, her smile grateful and her expression bright, even if it's an act put on to fool herself as well as everyone else. Being a travelling medic again - for lack of better word, because homeless nomad just sounds depressing - is hard on the wardrobe, but Flora has been kind enough to let her shower and borrow a few things upon her arrival in Torchline.
So as they head into the tavern for some well-deserved cocktails (in the Remedy's opinion), she's a blonder, topaz-crowned version of the Doubletake, and while Torchline glam isn't something she's used to wearing, it's refreshingly different. "What do you recommend?" she asks, happy to take the other woman's lead given that she's been on the road for some time.
we're gonna separate ourselves tonight we're always running scared but holding knives
'Gods don't even." Flora replies, laughing off Isla's thanks before beaming at the other woman. "Besides, you look so much better in those than I do." Indeed, though both women were slender and toned, Isla had a certain refinement that Flora couldn't quite emulate. The way she carried herself was just so much more elegant, and despite watching the Remedy out of the corner of her eye, Flora couldn't quite pin down just what it was about Isla that was so eye-catching. But give it time.
"Ooh, we just came up with something new." No, not the blushberry gin, don't worry. "Two sweetgrass martinis please." The Doubletake ordered, grinning up at their server which was code of course for make them doubles.
Leaning back in her chair and consciously trying to mimic the slant of Isla's shoulders, Flora raises her eyebrows conspiratorily. "So..........." That the Remedy had taken the girl up on her offer on coming to stay wasn't too surprising, but that Isla had brought more than just a small overnight bag was...well indicative of some tea, in Flora's opinion.
"Hardly," Isla says with a soft laugh, waving Flora away. "I'm still used to dressing as if I'm worried the sun is going to burn me to dust. It's a hard habit to break," she admits, looking intrigued at the order of sweetgrass martinis and taking a seat at the table. She doesn't know there are doubles on the way, and if Flora intends for things to get messy quickly, she's on the right track.
Wincing internally at the expectant so that breaks the silence between them, Isla lets out a long sigh and figures she might as well bite the bullet, given that she's going to be staying over at the Doubletake's place anyway. "Sunjata decided he's going to reconnect with your mother. He says friendship, but anyone can see the connection they share," she explains. "I decided it was probably better for me to leave the House of Midnight and give Sunjata the space to rebuild his life."
While I still had some dignity left goes unsaid.
we're gonna separate ourselves tonight we're always running scared but holding knives
'Well you're doing a great job of hiding it.' The Doubletake trills with ease. Flora had learned long ago that almost everyone (except Everest) liked getting compliments, and so Flora was prone to liberally sprinkle them into her conversations. With Isla though, she didn't even really have to think about them, and in fact, had to actively stop herself from gushing about the Ancient's cheekbones or the pretty colour of her eyes.
The rather flippant and gossipy expression on Flora's face faded almost at once, and though there was a lingering question on her tongue about how Isla and Sunjata were supposed to have just been business partners, she swallows it back. Opening her mouth to speak but waiting until their server had placed down their martinis before doing so, Flora nods her understanding naive though it might be.
"Yeah..." She murmurs a touch sadly. "That kind of history, it just..." Failing to find a word which somehow meant both is explosive and is insidious, the girl just swallows and raises one shoulder. Flora was too young to have her decisions swayed by dignity (hence why she was still buzzing around Jack), but she could understand in theory what a bitch it must be to be mature enough to think about such things.
"That sucks. I thought you two were cute together." Yes Flora had just advocated for her mother to get back with Sunjata, but that didn't mean she couldn't still feel for Isla.
Hissing a self-deprecating laugh under her breath, Isla is rescued from future compliments by the arrival of their martinis; the Ancient has rediscovered a love of life's material things since regaining her senses, and so the prospect of trying something new is always an exciting one. Raising her glass, she gently clinks it against Flora's. "To you," she toasts, "for being kind enough to let me stay with you for a couple of days."
As for the sadder parts of the conversation (read: her entire existence at the moment), Isla can only roll her shoulders in a shrug that's equal parts lonesome and resigned. "It can only be cute if it's real," she reminds the Doubletake with a wry smile. "It does suck, though. But he said he's going to see where it goes with Hotaru, and I can only wish him the best for that. If I thought I could still stay at the House of Midnight without hurting my own feelings about it, I would."
Alas - here she is instead. "How are things with you? This place seems busy."
we're gonna separate ourselves tonight we're always running scared but holding knives
Rolling her eyes playfully, Flora accepts the toast. "Honestly, it's nice to have the company. Things have been..." Biting at the inside of her cheek and waving one of her hands, the Doubletake shrugs. "..I dunno, like, all over the place lately?" It would be nice to have a bit of consistency, not that Flora was going to say so. That was probably not the sort of responsibility that was appropriate to heap onto her houseguest.
Tittering a laugh that seems far too bright given their gloomy conversation, Flora helps herself to another long sip of her martini. "Weirdly she just started dating someone? I mean, he for sure doesn't seem like her type, but.." Pulling a face, the girl can only bob her eyebrows. Though Isla didn't know her mother very well, this was all absolutely on brand for the Valkyrie such that Flora wasn't very surprised by how any of it was turning out. "Oof, what a mood. I hurt my own feelings all the time." She adds with a crooked smile that;s as self-deprecating as it is girlishly young.
"Oh, yeah. I mean.." Twisting in her chair to gaze around the Tavern, Flora tilts her head back and forth a few times before returning to Isla. "I mean, it's a bar in Torchline. A Wine Spider could probably keep it going."
"Maybe it's the blood moon," Isla suggests with a gentle bob of her eyebrows over the rim of her martini glass. There had certainly been a lot of chaos going on at that particular festival; perhaps there's something in the air this season that's causing everything to become weird and restless.
Trying very delicately not to choke on her drink to hear that Hotaru is, in fact, dating someone else, she can't help but wince as she sets her drink down. "I hope Sunjata's alright when he finds out." And it still doesn't make her any less sure of her decision; she'd still be living in a place feeling like she wasn't giving herself her best chance. Not that she's entirely sure she has any chances left.
Offering another, mini-toast to hurting our own feelings, Isla follows Flora's gaze around the Hanged Man and purses her lips to hear her talk about the place. "I don't believe that's true at all. You're an impressive young woman, Flora - you should be proud of this place. Not everyone could do what you've done."
we're gonna separate ourselves tonight we're always running scared but holding knives
"Maybe." Flora agrees with a grin. She isn't entirely convinced that it isn't just her own choices lately that have been lending themselves to the chaos in her life, but she's quite happy to pass the buck onto this Caidoian version of astrology.
"Do you?" Scrunching her nose skeptically, Flora offers the ancient one of those looks that only teenagers seem capable of. The sort that says, hey don't worry, you can be a petty bitch with me. And indeed she could, even if Hotaru was Flora's mother.
Wanting badly to make a farting sound with her lips in response, Flora instead purses them and eyes her martini glass which is suspiciously empty already. "Maybe." She concedes with a shrug, before deciding that a change of topic was absolutely necessary if this girls-date was going to be anything other than a drag.
"Hey, have you visited the weird island here yet? The one that's like..alive? I want with an ancient.." Well. Not friend; Danta was...gods, she didn't know. Not a frenemy, but not just an acquaintance either. Clearing her throat, Flora decides not to finish the sentence with any qualifiers but lets it stand on its own. "He seemed to have a great time with all the things to kill."
Laughing at that - and clearly noticing Flora's empty glass, because Isla goes ahead and finishes her drink too - she relaxes a little more into her chair. "I really do," she assures her. "When I say the war did a number on the both of us, I mean it, and he deserves to find any bit of happiness wherever he can. Besides, he could have found out how I felt and carried on stringing me along," she points out, before gazing into their empty glasses. "Those were very good," she adds, of their martinis.
"Mm? No, I can't say I have. Did you say it's alive? As in, it gets up and moves around and breathes?" Isla raises her eyebrows at that, clearly enthralled by the idea. (Gods, Remi would have loved it). "Do you know I've never actually met another Ancient? What was he like?" From that last quip alone, feral is the word that comes to mind for the Remedy.
we're gonna separate ourselves tonight we're always running scared but holding knives
To this Flora can only roll her eyes as if Isla was a seasonal finale that wrapped itself up just a little too neatly. "So...you think it's like..the sort of thing you should not do, then?" The Doubletake wonders, trying to keep the leading edge out of her voice. "Like, if you have feelings for someone and they don't, you should...like, not keeping sleeping with them, and..." Trailing off, thoughts of Jack manipulating her tongue, Flora glances up at Isla over the rim of her glass.
As for the island? Grinning, Flora nods. "That's the rumour anyway since it moves and that the underside of it, like, seems to eat things. Maybe you could-" Blinking, something in her mind indicating she'd made a mistake, the girl huffs out a laugh and shakes her head. "Right, you aren't an ascended anymore. I was going to say you could steal an aquatic shift and go see below for yourself, but.." Her bad.
"Oh well, this one is like a born-ancient. I dunno if that makes any difference, but he really leans into the whole hedonism thing. Not that it's a bad thing-" Flora adds quickly, just in case that was the new vibe Isla was going to go for.
Absently spinning the stem of her glass, Isla (having no idea about just how close to the bone this subject cuts for Flora) can only offer the other woman a gentle shrug and a smile. "Well, if they've made it very clear that they don't... you're only hurting yourself in the long run, right?" she says. "You could be out there enjoying yourself with someone who does want to be with you." But then again Isla has never really done casual sex, so it might be completely different for Flora.
Nonetheless fascinated despite the mild faux pas, Isla waves the Doubletake off with a warm smile that's still fanged, even without the ability-stealing powers. "I could still go and see," she supposes. "There are cloud manta here, right? I heard their stones can let you breathe underwater." It might be fun, something sorely lacking in her life - granted, cocktails with Flora is a good start.
The whole hedonism thing both does and doesn't surprise her, the Remedy letting out a laugh and pushing her empty glass forward. "I think the only hedonism I want to indulge in right now is another drink, if that's alright with you."
we're gonna separate ourselves tonight we're always running scared but holding knives
The answer, of course, was, yes, that's exactly what Flora was doing, but.. 'I mean...what if there's no one else right at that point? Would it be okay then...?' Based on the fact that Isla, who didn't seem to have any other prospects at the moment had nevertheless left Sunjata, maybe not. Biting at the inside of her lip, the girl just shrugs, feeling very young all of a sudden. "Then again, relationships are stupid anyway, so." Flora, with exactly 0 healthy role models to draw from, was fairly confident about this.
'Oh yeah for sure. I have a bunch of their crystals in the back if you want one. You just put it against your throat and off you go.' The girl explains. "It won't protect you against anything under there, but you seem like you can take care of yourself." Eyeing Isla's fangs, Flora can only smile a touch jealously.
"More than alright. Same thing, or do you want to try something new? My brother and I just made a blushberry cocktail if you prefer..?"
Not particularly wanting to feel embarrassed as fuck about her already embarrassing circumstances, Isla declines with a polite shake of her head. "Let's have more martinis," she suggests. "Though they did go down far too easily, so I'm worried about the state of us at the end of the night." Isla hasn't been sad and drunk for so long that she's not sure if she's the type to bawl her eyes out any more, so... good luck to both of them!
Relationships are stupid, Isla is beginning to think, and (starting to sense that this might be about Flora in particular) she'd toast to that too if they had new drinks. "I think as long as you know the truth about the situation and what you're doing, there's no shame in doing whatever you like," she tells her. "For some people that looks like walking away, for others that looks like keeping the fun going."
Grateful for the offer of a cloud manta crystal, Isla fully intends to take Flora up on it, and she relaxes fully into her seat and lets her gaze slip out of the window towards the setting sun. "You know, sometimes I look out at Torchline and I do consider moving here."
we're gonna separate ourselves tonight we're always running scared but holding knives
"That's a problem for the end of the night. Flora counters. Twisting in her seat to make eye contact with one of their servers, she holds up a hand with her fingers splayed to indicate that they wanted another round. "Very wise," the girl agrees, before grinning. "And very unhelpful." Still smiling though - it wasn't as though she'd expected Isla to just summarily solve all of her problems (not after just one drink, anyway) - Flora shrugs and lets the threads of this particular conversational cloth slip away.
'Well, the leadership is shit.' Flora murmurs, though her bitterness is mostly superficial now. Gazing out at the waters which are starting to take on a sparkly green tinge thanks to the bioluminescent creatures starting to become visible, the Doubletake sighs contentedly. "But I do like it here. Halo is cold, Stormbreak is boring, the Greatwood is...I mean, it's fine, but I grew up there and not all the memories are great." That just left the Grounds of course, but in Flora's humble opinion, it wasn't even worth mentioning.
As their empty glasses were swapped out for full ones, Flora reaches for hers before glancing at Isla. "Okay, what should we cheers to this time?"
