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!
Koa 's letters had been a cause of concern for the King, and he shared those concerns with Harper, though knowing neither the name of their citizen nor the crimes of which they were accused made speculation largely impossible, even had Hadama been inclined to it.
There was little to do but wait for the Dragoon to arrive and fill them in on the evidence against one of their own. Perhaps it had been a simple misunderstanding or case of mistaken identity...
But the mermanta doubted the earnest young soldier from Stormbreak would have approached them without being certain a serious crime had been committed. Serious enough to warrant an inter-regional meeting.
Though the fact that it hadn't occurred within Stormbreak's jurisdiction was another point to consider.
Regardless, the day of the meeting arrived, sunny and cool (for Torchline, at least; the locals were wearing light sweaters and long pants, though the tourists still lounged around in short sleeves or even swimwear), and within the Court of Stars' garden Hadama rested within the pool of water beside the Healing fountain, using a stylus to scratch a few quick notes into a wax tablet for the upcoming meeting.
To say he is concerned is underwhelming. Harper does not know Koa to start with, though he respects the Dragoons as a whole, and given they were not told of the suspect's identity the general lack of knowledge and preparation going into the meeting puts him admittedly on edge.
Hadama - as his closest friend - will surely be able to tell that when he arrives, even if to most others he merely appears serious and somber. Choosing to stand with arms crossed beside the Tidebreaker (mostly to avoid the desire to pace or show his fiddling hands to a stranger) Harper kicks one foot back against the base of the fountain, the Attuned bond slightly muted but sharing his unease all the same with his co-leader at his side as they await Koa's arrival.
So tired trying to see from behind the red in my eyes No better version of me I could pretend to be tonight
He'd addressed his letter to Hadama alone, and now as he stands before the pair of Kings, Koa wishes he'd been a little more direct about why. It isn't just that he doesn't know Harper, hasn't ever had a chance to interact with the Stalwart- no. Sure, the young Dragoon would feel more at ease speaking to the familiar merking, a man he's come to respect and admire, to think of as a friend.
But more than unfamiliarity, Koa's trepidation comes from what he knows of the ties between the Stalwart and his suspect, and the effect it will have on the way they prosecute this crime. Edmund and Jude are Harper's sons, and while one may not be related by blood, Koa doesn't know that, nor would it likely matter if he did. What's he supposed to say? Hey, Harper, it's me, your son's romantic rival, here to accuse your other son of murder?
You see the problem here?
He's put careful pains into his appearance, making sure his uniform is crisp and iron, his boots polishes, his hair in place. It's armor, the badge and silver dragon emblazoned on his back. Even Pip is calm and serious, perched on Koa's shoulder with uncharacteristic aplomb. Together they cut a picture of professionalism, one that's only slightly belied by the way his fingers twist behind his back, the darting uncertainty of those copper eyes.
"Hadama. King Harper. Thank you for seeing me." Koa's voice, unsteady at first, quickly grows in confidence as he slips into his role. You're a soldier, a Dragoon - you can do this. His eyes locked at a space behind Hadama, the young man pushes on. "As my letter said - it's come to my attention that two residents of Torchline were involved in an attack in the Oerwoud. I've spoken to the one individual involved, but I'd like your permission to question the other."
Koa
No other version of me I would rather be tonight And, Lord, she found me just in time
Although he was not secretive by intention, the mermanta took care in keeping the secrets others entrusted him with. But he had never yet come across a situation that he could not - or should not - share with his friend and co-ruler, and it had not occurred to him that Koa's letters should be an exception.
The young dragoon was, if not yet a friend, then certainly fast becoming one, and Hadama nodded a cordial greeting, though somber one in light of the day's topic. His emerald eyes were encouraging, however, as Koa began, and as the young man's voice steadied the mer King began to take swift, shorthand notes in the beeswax of the tablet he held. At the conclusion of the report he paused his stylus and glanced to Harper, a single pulse of uncertainty laced with confusion and a leavening of concern slipping through the Attuned Bond. That was all for the moment, and he turned back to Koa with a grave nod. "Thank you for involving us," he rumbled first. "Can you tell us more about the attack? And who was involved?" He was poised to continue writing, but waited to see if Harper had any other questions to add.
Given he only knows Koa through the tearful half-stories from Sohalia and Jude, he can't help but rake his eyes over the Dragoon the moment he walks up, eyes sharp and discerning in a way that - to the casual observer - will surely come off as rather disapproving. Koa was wrong on one little detail after all - he was walking on three dangerous lines when it came to Harper's kids.
Luckily Harper doesn't know that (for now) so he gives Koa a professional smile that hints at the normally warm man beneath, hoping to put the young man at ease. In some ways he can't help it, serial adopter that he is. He sees an anxious young adult and simply can't resist familiarity. "Of course. We appreciate you coming to us directly." Hadama asks the most pressing question, but the two bounce off one another easily, a history of friendship making such exchanges pleasant. "So long as one or both of us can be present at the questioning as their representative, I don't see any issues with questioning whoever was involved." Due process and all that. If only he knew.
So tired trying to see from behind the red in my eyes No better version of me I could pretend to be tonight
Alright, so Harper already hates him. That is what the look of cold inspection means, Koa's pretty sure, even if it's followed by the barest smile. There's no way this is going to go well; might as well not pussyfoot.
"As reported to me, the attack was on two individuals in the Oerwould. There were between four and seven assailants." His voice is calm and steady, but a lick of his lips and clench of his fist betrays the way his nerves vibrate. Copper eyes focus largely on the mermanta, occasionally flitting to the human King. "Reportedly, the two Torchers defended themselves... resulting in all attackers being killed." Without a scratch on the 'defenders', he doesn't see fit to add.
And then comes the tricky part. Koa pauses, weight shifting, trying to find the best way to go on. "One of the... victims, has already given his story, but there are some holes. I went to the scene already, but wasn't able to find much new information given the amount of time that's passed." Another pause and the boy swallows, but doesn't drop his chin. "I would like to speak with the other party privately before disclosing their identity. Though I would be willing to have a neutral third party present, if you prefer." So neither of them- especially the Stalwart.
Koa
No other version of me I would rather be tonight And, Lord, she found me just in time
Hadama gave a simple nod of agreement to Harper's stipulation before meeting Koa's eyes again. Of course he was curious, but the matter was clearly grave and he was willing to wait for as long as the young Dragoon needed to make his report.
It came swiftly, the soldier tense but steady, and Hadama met his eyes with calm acceptance of the tale that unfolded. He continued to make notes in the wax of the tablet, but for the most part he kept his gaze on Koa's, nodding acknowledgment of the facts without interrupting the flow of words, even when the pauses came.
"Mmn," the Tidebreaker hummed, acknowledging Koa's request without answering immediately. He tilted his head thoughtfully, gathering his impressions of the incident and how it had been presented and he let the silence stretch before speaking, his voice slow and measured. "It sounds simple. Two people defended themselves against... bandits? in the Wilds. This extra secrecy seems unnecessary," he admitted.
He paused then, for there was something else worrying him. "And that you do not consider us neutral," he added slowly, but willing to wait and hear Koa's reasoning.
Harper’s expression is too controlled to change outwardly, but Hadama might feel the uptick of confusion and burgeoning suspicion as Koa scarcely meets his eyes. Something about this entire meeting feels off, and Harper can’t put his finger on why, which is only further vexing.
“Is there reasonable suspicion they could not have succeeded in defending themselves against that many? Especially when one of the parties attacked willingly reported the crime?” Harper has trained many talented fighters, magical or otherwise, and while it would certainly be hard, it was only two people against less than double the attackers. Was that truly enough to warrant an investigation? If there was something to be hidden, why would they have come to Koa at all and risked it? (Oh but if only he knew.) “If the attackers were merely bandits they may have been solely relying on intimidation and little skill. Torchline has far more magical citizens as well.” Not everyone is an Accepted like in Stormbreak, he wants to say, but that’s likely too mean, even if Harper’s hackles are slowly rising as the information is kept and kept and kept from them.
Hadama asks it kindly, but Harper is beginning to feel a little too suspicious, a little impatient. His hand comes out in a stopping gesture. “I don’t mean to scrutinize your procedures, but it seems you are pursuing a lead based on a victim’s story which is understandably scattered, that they gave willingly, and with no physical evidence at the crime scene to support your suspicions.” His voice has dipped lower, the line of his shoulders hardening, but his frown is the last defense against a more severe change in body language - remaining fixed in a vain attempt to not offend. “You then expect us to be unaware of which of our citizens you want to interrogate? No. I’m sorry,” here his eyes flit between Koa and Hadama, because he normally doesn’t take any hard stance without his co-lead’s approval, but here he simply can’t abide it, “but no. It is our duty to protect our people. You are asking us to heavily risk failing that with this setup.” And Harper is a protective man. Almost overbearingly so. All of Torchline is his to protect, even those who hold no fondness in their hearts for him, and he will not risk them being snared in a trap they wouldn’t see coming.
10-20-2023, 04:57 PM (This post was last modified: 10-20-2023, 04:57 PM by Koa.)
So tired trying to see from behind the red in my eyes No better version of me I could pretend to be tonight
This is going terribly wrong, and Koa is not sure how or why or what to do. As out of his depth as a whale in a kiddy pool (or a child in a whale pool, I suppose), he can only square his shoulders against the onslaught of accusations - accusations! - from the Stalwart, his own jaw setting stubbornly as the words fly forth. It's not like he's saying the 'victim' did a crime (even if he's thinking it). It's the job of an investigator to get more info before jumping to conclusions, right?
Right?
"I am not identifying the victims because they didn't identify themselves." Koa's words are clipped, but professional, years and years of training shining through as he somehow keeps his cool. "Begging your pardon, Majesties, but this crime was reported to me." Not you- something rather telling, the young man thinks. "I came to you as a show of good faith, that the Dragoons are committed to protecting all people of Caido, and doing it in a way that is fair. I haven't made any accusations against your citizens. I simply want to gather more information so I can determine what the next course of action needs to be."
He doesn't want to be here. He wishes he could channel Anju, that he'd made her go in his stead, that Jude had never come to him, that anything was different. But it isn't, and he's here, and so the boy must square his shoulders and carry on with what honor he has. He's trying, damnit, and as he turns to Hadama the soldier's mask cracks just a little, a pleading, overwhelmed young man's eyes peering through. "I know this is a difficult situation. But I swear on my dragon and my honor, all I want is to understand what happened, so we can prevent such bloodshed in the future." And to avoid being obliterated by Harper for kinda-sorta accusing his son of murder. That would also be quite nice.
Koa
No other version of me I would rather be tonight And, Lord, she found me just in time
He could feel Harper's suspicion even before the Stalward spoke, and as Harper laid out his questions, concerns, and, yes, accusations the mermanta watched Koa. The stubborn set of his jaw, the tight control he held over his shoulders and voice as he gave his rebuttals. There was pride there, and perhaps a hint of youthful sass, but he was so painfully, intensely earnest that his belief that he was doing the right thing shone through.
Whether it really was the right thing, however, was far less certain.
He glanced to Harper, inclining his head in a bid for peace before he turned back to the Koa. "We are agreed, then, that both Torchers were victims?" he asked carefully, wanting to be sure that the words that had been used previously did, in fact, mean what all three men thought they did before he continued. "If that is true, the other victim is not required to answer questions unless they choose to. The other sought you out. That was their choice and right. But it does not give you the right to force another to relive what you have described as a difficult experience."
He wanted to offer Koa help, but the dragoon's insistence on secrecy and inconsistency in what he described compared to what he wanted made it difficult. Not when one of his people had apparently undergone one bad experience already. And when Koa was asking them to trust him, when the dragoon did not seem to trust them... It had to go both ways. Or it would go neither.
"Hmm. A suggestion," he rumbled, looking between the two men and knowing neither would like it. "You may send a letter to this person, asking if they are willing to meet with you, and why. And telling them that they may choose to have witnesses with them. Including either of their Kings," he added with a nod to Harper. "At a place of their choosing. If this is to be done, it should be done willingly by all."
Unless there was more to the story that was deliberately being hidden from them. But Hadama preferred to move forward believing in Koa's honesty and good intentions.
Half his questions go unanswered, and though he is more riled than Hadama to be sure (which isn’t hard when the Mer King is almost never ruffled) Harper is more bewildered than anything. And yes, a little insulted.
“I don’t doubt your sincerity - but this seems like you’re instigating a political nightmare. The Dragoons are Stormbreak’s protectors. If you received a testimony from one of our citizens, regardless of where the crime was committed, should we not be the ones to take on any follow up?” He tries to word it more kindly than you’re out of your jurisdiction kid, because Hadama’s emotions wash over his own, but Harper has had his kingly toes stepped on almost endlessly since stepping up to the title. He’s admittedly running out of patience - but even he knows that isn’t Koa’s fault personally.
Hadama’s offer doesn’t feel like enough, and Harper’s restless disagreement is felt through the bond. But this is the balance they keep; Hadama the giving, pliable ocean, and Harper the stubborn stone it washes against. Good cop bad cop. “I would prefer to conduct it ourselves. Alone. Even if sentencing were to happen, it would still not fall to the purview of the Dragoons.” Maybe Harper is more fiercely protective than he thought, but he doesn’t enjoy the encroachment of what is essentially an un-allied militia on the procedurals of Torchline. “We haven’t allied with or hired the Dragoons on this matter, nor with Stormbreak at large. You’ve told us the crime - we can take it from here, and happily transfer information such as the testimony you received, and our own discoveries.” Baby steps of cohesion and cooperation instead of whatever in the world this is. “You ask for our trust, but why do you not trust us to have and upkeep our own functioning judicial system?” Harper’s earnestness shines through here, both palms emerging almost in supplication. “I’m just saying, it doesn’t inspire confidence in how you perceive us.” Like helpless maidens, or an underdeveloped nation that needs the intervention of a superior power to “advance”. Which, as a futuristic man dropped in Caido straight onto his head, is laughable to Harper. Still - he tries to use his words as a gentle teaching lesson, so that any future relations or ideals for the Dragoons do not die here on the shoreline due to heightened emotions and perceived slights.
So tired trying to see from behind the red in my eyes No better version of me I could pretend to be tonight
Koa is beginning to wonder if sleeping through his politics classes wasn't a mistake.
Hadama's question has him caught between bristling and sighing, the circular nature of the conversation starting to wear on the boy. "Of course," he agrees with clipped frustration, pretty certain he hasn't really suggested anything else (out loud). But it's frustration he swallows down, forces back into his gut, because what point will it serve? At least Hadama's trying to work with him, to get the awkward position he's in.
Unlike Harper, who seems to have developed a serious vendetta against our poor Dragoon. No wonder Flora hates him, he thinks.
Muscles flicker in his jaw, his mouth drawn into a tense line as Harper continues to make a mountain out of a bloody molehill. "I think we're losing sight of the actual issue." It takes all of his carefully crafted self control to maintain any amount of neutrality, though his composure is belied by the way his fingers rub against his pants, the strain in his face as he tries to smile. "And much of the fault lies with me. I'm... not great at all this diplomacy stuff. The Dragoons have nothing but respect for Torchline, its people, and its rulers. I would never want to imply otherwise, and I'm really very sorry that things came across that way."
He means it, too. Angry as he may be at the Kings of Torchline, Koa is angrier at himself. His first attempt at establishing the Dragoons as a group promoting the protection of all people, and he's failed rather miserably. Maybe it was a pipe dream, thinking he could do this. Maybe he should have just stayed in his small world, in his narrow lane.
"I think... at the end of the day, there's a group of people who attacked travelers in the Wilds. And for all we know, there could be more. And that's the most important thing, what the Dragoons - what I - want to do: figure out why this happened, and how to prevent it from happening again." Because no matter what he may suspect about Edmund's role, Koa cannot shake the memory of Jude's very real fear. And that - that is something he never wants the boy to ever endure again.
"Like I said, I've never done something like this before. And I really didn't mean to step on toes. Or tails," he adds, smiling wryly at Hadama, hopeful that some levity will help patch up this disaster. "If you'll let me - I have a proposal. I am still going to investigate what happened in the Wilds, to try and find out who this group was and make sure the roads are safe for any who travel them." On this Koa will not yield. He's made a promise to protect all the people of Caido, after all. "Though I would welcome the assistance of Torchline - Gods know I'm, uh, not much of a seasoned adventurer myself.
"But for the victims, I'll reach out to the one who disclosed to me and encourage him to come to you. As you've said, the last thing I want is for anyone to have to relive this trauma." Not strictly true- he'd really like to hear from Edmund just what the fuck went on. "That way you can conduct your own investigation, and I won't have to compromise the anonymity of the victim without his consent. Is that..." Ah, and here it is, the shift from soldier to puppy dog. Thus far our lad's been eloquent and composed, but now he lets his guard drop slightly, face earnest and hopeful and a boyish as he looks between the kings. "I mean, does that sound okay?"
And yeah, maybe he's putting it on a little thick. Never let it be said of Koa that he doesn't know how to work what gifts the gods gave him, be it smooth flirtation or boyish charm.
Koa
No other version of me I would rather be tonight And, Lord, she found me just in time
Hadama might not have been happy with the turn that things had taken, but it didn't take the Attuned Bond to realize that Harper was upset at the not-inconsiderable gaffes that Koa had made so far. Youthful earnestness could only push so far into regional sovereignty, and as much as Hadama strove to encourage international diplomacy there were still limits.
Harper's firm, blunt honesty and more stringent restrictions on the Dragoons' authority within Torchline balanced the mermanta's softer touch, but it did make it harder to find a middle ground to move forward with. The Stalwart threw the ball back into Koa's court, and Hadama held his peace until he heard what the Dragoon had to say.
Apology was followed by explanation, and Hadama gave a slow nod of acceptance and agreement with both points. There was, perhaps, the tiniest tilt of his head at Koa's attempt at lightening humour, acknowledging the metaphorical extended hand it represented, but at the moment he could not simply be the young man's friend. He was a ruler of a region and protector of its citizens, one of whom the Dragoon wanted to question alone under concerning circumstances...
Until Koa offered an alternative.
A very acceptable alternative, and one that had the Tidebreaker nodding approvingly. "I appreciate wanting to make the Wilds safer," he said slowly. "And in the future perhaps a joint patrol of the Oerwould could be negotiated, since it lies between our regions." Then he turned to Harper with a questioning tilt to his head. "But for today, I agree with this. And I am willing to share whatever new information we find with you. For the protection of all our citizens traveling the Oerwoud. What do you think, Harper?"
Harper doesn't think they're losing sight of the issue at all, but it's a clever way to get the conversation back on the young man's turf, he'll give him that. Feathers thoroughly ruffled but not unwilling to let them be smoothed, the Stalwart listens quietly util Koa has said his plentiful piece. Hadama weighs in first - which Harper appreciates - and he nods when the Merking turns to him, though his arms have crossed once more.
"I agree. We're happy to pool information resources, and you can reach out to the other individual on your own terms so long as you express anything they do will need to be voluntary, and they have us as diplomatic mediators if needed." He won't risk uncertain wording allowing loopholes for Koa to take advantage of, though he hopes the young man is sincere enough to not feel enticed to try. But the confrontation is at a close, and Harper nods his head politely, even offering his hand to shake as they all dismiss - though he doesn't feel particularly positive about it all.
