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!
She assesses him well and the bruiser is more than ready to let his image be seared into her mind. After all, what was the fun in coming down to Caido in the first place if not to get them all to obsess and heel. Though, that line of thinking is likely far more up the rest of his family’s alleys rather than his own. He’s still content letting it linger, though.
Especially as his fingers tug in her hair, holding her as she surveys him and he surveys her in turn. The bright blue of his gaze is open, if not calculating, equally meeting her own as she lifts an eyebrow to him and settles more comfortably and Pierce remains wholly in Thalassa’s space. “You don’t have to rely on it in order to press it.” That deep baritone rumbles playfully, listening as the water continues to trickle. He’s aware of their surroundings enough to know that the trickle has begun to slip into their cave, nothing deep due to the fact that they are slightly higher than the rest, but water nonetheless.
With it, the scent of brine and ocean starts to fill the cavern and Pierce finds himself drifting in toward her, as if preferring her scent above the rest. “I do have a tendency of using brute force to ensure success, though.” His fingertips squeeze a little where they’re wrapped around her dark curls, Pierce’s lips curling in amusement.
The strength of his gaze on her warms every part of her body. Their blues meet in an unspoken analysis of each other. She maintains a neutral but playful expression while waiting patiently for him to make his move. When he speaks, the resonance of his deep voice melds with the trickling of the water to form a rushing symphony of sound that sings in her soul. Thal hums softly, adding to the harmony. "Fair enough." She isn't about to mention how terrible her luck is. That's why she has come to rely on her skills and wit. Notably when assessing a dangerous situation.
Her smile widens as the smell of ocean hits her. There's always been a calling in her towards the water and she finds comfort in the scent. It's a reassuring caress that juxtaposes the tightening hold in her hair. However, she enjoys both sensations equally and continues to hold his hand to her head in case he attempts to release it. "Whatever means necessary, although I especially enjoy when blood is involved." Thal runs her tongue along her fangs and grins. She lets the sharp nails of her hand drag against his, tangling further in her dark curls.
As the water rises, she refuses to acknowledge it, instead focusing on him. Her eyes are filled with determination as she becomes more impatient with his lack of action. But she will not move. She will not show her anticipation. Instead, she chooses to keep her body relaxed. In a bored tone, Thal gives a fake yawn. "Is pressing your luck always so slow?" She knows that she may be toeing the line, but the edge is always so seductive.
It’s still that game of cat and mouse and Pierce smirks as his words are offered, a brow rising when the comment of blood is involved – a deep and throaty snort of a laugh escaping him, especially as her nails drag against his own still tangled in her hair. It’s a playful and fun little game that Pierce doesn’t want to end yet – turning it into a little holdout between them to see which one breaks first.
He can see the impatience brimming in her easily, even as she fake yawns and complains about the speed of things, and Pierce leans in – lips hovering above her own to ghost by them when he says “good things come to those who wait” in a deep purr, leaning in to finally capture her own lips in another little greedy kiss.
It doesn’t last long, though, part of the game has him pulling away from the kiss, releasing her hair, and stepping back as the sound of water rushing against his boots can be heard when he takes a step back with a wink.
But waiting is so boring. She wants to growl in frustration at his words but lets the brush of his fleeting kiss dampen her anger. It lingers as he pulls away completely. The chill of the air feels as if she has been plunged into the cold ocean water rushing along the floor. A shiver runs over her body and she frowns momentarily before disguising her disappointment. Grabbing the discarded liquor bottle, Thal takes a large chug, warming her from within. Screw him and his warmth. If he wasn't going to give it to her, she would make her own.
Quite content to stay in the filling cavern, she clears the table around her. With her new space, Thal lays completely flat against the wood. The water won't reach her for some time and she refuses to run from a challenge. Until then, she will enjoy being dry and comfortable. Arching her back in a resounding sigh, she looks to the man. "Considering my familiarity with waiting is near nonexistent, I suppose I could use the practice." A coy smile plays on her lips while her hands roam her body for warmth and emphasis. Your turn, cat.
He focuses intensely on the sound of the water as it fills the cavern. Not out of worry, but pure curiosity – judgement, debating how much time there is before it does start to become a problem. But it’s clear his attention is diverted between the two of them, especially with how she takes that swig from that bottle, knocks down whatever else is on the table, and lays there so tantalizingly.
His attention is focused on something else too – a sudden pang from another place, a connection that has him watching her despite how his eyes seem to bore straight through her, staring into the stone of the table beneath her. His tongue darts out to wet his lips and he hums a little sound, as if only just coming back into the moment before his head tilts, curls bouncing slightly around his face as he does so. “I suppose you could use the practice the most.” He agrees, still distracted, but torn between focusing on her and whatever the silent to her thing is that calls to him from beyond.
As her hands ran intentionally along the fine lines of her body, a strange voice entered her head. Despite the alarming and violating presence, Thal didn't pause her actions or give any acknowledgement to them. Instead, while she listened, her eyes remained locked on the man's, gauging if he heard the voice as well. The unnatural words echoing through her mind felt like they should be causing her to scream and panic; however, she didn't much care for anything said and nothing she did at this moment would give her answers. So she pushed aside the peculiarity and kept to the present, waiting for the broadcast to stop.
The danger of the situation was not lost on her, only serving to increase the potential for pleasure. Although she was unfamiliar with the cave system, her expertise with the ocean told her they had about five minutes before there would be no more escaping. In her hungry greed, Thal wanted to spend those precious minutes with this man's touch all over her. She would not lose this standoff and it would give her extreme satisfaction to tempt him further.
When the words finally faded away, she responded to his comment, "Perhaps, but would you rather teach me a lesson in patience or something else?" Thal emphasized her words by moving the trailing of her hands beneath the material. Small moans were deliberately released and she bit her lip in concentration. Her eyes threatened to close, but their vibrant blue gaze latched onto his out of pure willpower and defiance.
The broadcast goes without a hitch for Pierce, even if distracted while he watches Thalassa. In fact, the realization that there are more of them yet again brings a small twitch of a smile to his lips. The Family grows, and with it Pierce’s resolve to take everything he can from Caido as it is offered.
It’s what draws him back in the moment as the water begins to fill and Pierce draws closer, as if lured in by the way her hands move against her body, wet footsteps hailing his arrival toward the table again, his hands are warm when he reaches up to trace the pathway she started along her body, fitting himself toward the end of the table between her legs.
After a moment, he reaches to pull her closer to the edge of the table toward him, leaning over her with a playful smirk. “Perhaps both?”
She watches his approach, again noting the height of the water for timing, but otherwise preoccupied. The touch of his hands is becoming more familiar and she relishes in their presence along her skin once again. Their heat added to her own lights her skin ablaze. It sizzles with overstimulation. When he steps between her legs, she opens them wider in invitation, happy to see him approaching rather than leaving. His smirk makes her hum pleasantly, returning the look with narrowed eyes and a coy smile. She doesn't pause her actions as he pulls her to the edge of the table, closer to him. Instead, the path of her hands creeps lower, increasing her own gratification.
Staring into his blue eyes, she says between moans, "I'd like to see you try." There is a small suspicion that he'll be able to teach her something, even if that's not patience, but she lets the challenge stand. Arching her back, she reaches to bring her legs around him. As she starts to move her body more, Thal gives him a personal show to her pleasure.
“You want to see me try?” He purrs, fitting himself in between her legs as she continues to lounge on the table like a cat, surveying his every movement. But that’s not all she’s doing, as her hands rake across her skin, as the sound of the water trickling in is drowned out by the sound that leaves her lips, the moans that echo softly like chimes of music to his ears.
His hands smooth down her sides to her thighs as she brings her legs around him and he meets her right at that edge of the table, palms smoothing under her legs toward her backside as he contently watches the show she puts on for him. His hands smooth up, calloused fingertips drifting below the hem of her shirt, aiming to slip his warm palms up against her skin, being particularly careful to not dive in entirely to what she’s offering him, curious to see whether she forces his hand or not.
His purred words are a promise for further satisfaction, but Thal simply shrugs her shoulders, unwilling to imply faith in his capabilities. While his rough hands caress her sides and his body stands within her legs, she chooses to ignore him other than to lock with his gaze. He can join if he wants. She is going to enjoy these few minutes with or without him. His piercing blue eyes watching her is enough to keep her squirming on the table.
Each passing second, the world drifts away. The fear of the water and their perilous situation is the last thing on her mind. Instead, everything is narrowed to the heat, the need, and the intensity in his eyes. She just wonders if he is going to finally give in to the temptation or if he is going to let her finish alone in the slowly-filling cave.
It appears to be a continuation of cat and mouse, evident with how Pierce watches the way she squirms and indulges herself – ignoring him for the most part. It is incredibly tempting, and Pierce does end up eventually giving into her – letting his hands run across her skin precisely where she’d prefer them to go, ignoring the water that still continues to trickle and gush around his boots.
His focus is captivated by her, right now, adjusting and leaning over her to pull her against him more, utilizing a combination of his hands on her and on the table to gain all the bracing he needs, and he focuses on indulging her exactly how she wishes him to.
For the next few minutes, Thal works with the man to satisfy herself while bringing him pleasure as well. By the time the water is getting dangerously high, she is feeling pleased with herself and their experience. The sweet smell of desire mixes with the salty ocean water, creating an escape rope for her mind to follow back to the present, leaving the magical clouds of ecstasy behind. Her breathing is quick and a light sheen of sweat glistens on her brow. A smug grin pulls at her lips as her hoarse voice echoes around the filling cavern. "I think your lesson on patience will have to wait for another day." She winks playfully at him and lifts her hand to run it down his chest.
With an unconcerned glance around, Thal observes the chilly torrent of water cascading in. Some of the lighter pieces of treasure are floating along the current, painting the walls in a rainbow of jewel reflections. Thal takes her time straightening from the table before letting her eyes find his again. "I guess now is your time to show off how you plan on getting us out of here." There is still a small kernel of worry that he may decide to leave her, but she lets the challenge fall all the same, intentionally implying that he would be getting them both out. Her head tilts in attentive curiosity and excitement tingles across her skin, imitating the movements there only moments before.
It works, satisfaction brewing within Pierce as happily as a cat. Water brushes against his calves and he pays it little mind in the face of distraction along her glistening skin, the way the Ancient seems to radiate so much heat it’s nearly tantalizing. Her hand runs down his chest as she makes her quip and Pierce hums a deep baritone rumble of a laugh, his hands running down her sides and legs all the same as he shrugs so casually. “Evidently.” He murmurs before he cocks his head a little and steps back for a second to let her straighten. “But that’s no problem.”
She straightens and finds his gaze finally again and Pierce’s head tilts despite how the water swells around his legs even more, and he seems a bit contemplative (having wholly thought to leave her within the confines alone, but given that he’d just had so much fun he supposes he can keep her around a bit longer). “You will have to trust me, then.” His deep voice rumbles again and he steps forward, hauling her up onto his shoulder with so much ease it’s almost surprising – the power burning through his body becomes abundantly clear as he takes her out of the filling cave, back into he center of their little pathway where it’s even deeper, keeping her above to stay dry at the cost of himself.
Before too long, they’re right back out as the sun continues to set in an even brighter shade of violet now, and he sets her down with a playful wink of his own and starts to twist out his shirt, letting the water fall into the mixture of sand and small grasses beneath them. “Easy.” He drawls, quite cockily.
Thal is secretly delighted to hear the implication that their initial rendezvous may just be the first with this mysterious stranger. His accompanying laugh has her smile widening. She keeps it present on her face while she watches the indecision cross his. Although she doesn't delude herself with fantasies that he legitimately cares for her, she hopes that their time together tips the scales in her favor. When his rumbling voice endorses that she "trust" him, Thal is tempted to give a snarky response, but it is cut short as he lifts her onto his shoulder. The ease with which her weight leaves the table is astounding and a strangled squeal of surprise partially escapes her lips along with a following growl of annoyance. It's not the graceful, loving gesture of newlyweds, but the rough jostling that is reserved for a sack of potatoes. Although it keeps her dry in a strangely considerate way, she crosses her arms indignantly.
Their trip back through the tunnels is quick and Thal spends most of it thinking about the warmth of his arm supporting her. It blocks the cold chill of the breezy cave with no obvious effort. Her curiosity has her wanting to question him but it's hard to have a conversation with someone when you are looking at their backside - no matter how good that backside looks. As she is admiring his physique more, the sunset purples begin to brighten the stone around them.
When he deposits her on the same path they had entered from, Thal keeps her arms crossed. A small, playful sneer is on her face when he winks at her although she is quickly distracted by the glistening ripple of his muscles. His rumbled word feels more like an invitation than a warning and she steps closer. Being back on solid ground, she is reminded of his towering height over her. Looking up with her hooded blue eyes and tousled hair, she places an accusing finger on his chest. "You could have warned me." Her initial annoyance is gone, but she uses the statement as an opener. "Next time, at least let me curse your name." Lifting up on her toes, she whispers, "And you can groan mine." Thal hopes to bridge this situationship past the point of mysterious sexy strangers, laying the opportunity before him.
