From Attuned to Ascended to Ancient, Kiada Njovu-Reyes has been reborn several times throughout her short life, but her fighting spirit has never once been diminished. With beauty, grace and a quick wit, Kiada is the whole package wrapped in an infectious smile. Recent endeavours have found her in the heart of the Hollowed Grounds, aiding the region and bettering it for her new Ancient kin, and whatever she does next, we know it's sure to pack a punch.
Congratulations, Kiada!
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!
04-18-2024, 07:58 PM (This post was last modified: 04-18-2024, 07:58 PM by Dantalion.)
Dantalion
innocence died screaming honey, ask me, I should know
Danta can't help but cough and splutter into his wine, both at the assumptions (apparently) made about him, and the prodding at the tender bruise against his shoulder. "That would have been news to me," he wheezes, sitting up to rub at the mark Asta has so kindly jabbed a finger into. "Having me take over anything up there would have been a terrible idea." It's a terrible idea now, to be frank, but no one had wanted the Grounds and now the Maverick has his teeth in it, and isn't keen to let go.
Speaking of teeth, he shoots Asta a reproachful look. "I hope you're proud of yourself for this, by the way." He gestures to his neck. "I don't get love bites that look like this all too often." Taking a grateful drink of wine, he gestures to the rest of the bottle. "I was meant to be bringing this to you as a token of apology. Remind me to get you another, since I seem to be helping you through it."
I slithered here from Eden just to sit outside your door
Table base by Skylark
Horns: Diamond - they look very similar to #2 in this image.
// a beast in the business of selling forgiveness //
Asta’s grin only brightens as Danta reacts to it and he takes a moment to fully look at the teeth marks left behind in the dark but slowly getting better crescent shapes. “Nobody knew. You were kind of a secret.” With Danta going off on his crazed, starved senseless ways, they’d assumed Morax had made him into the perfect weapon to rule. Little did they know.
Maybe things could’ve changed.
Maybe it doesn’t matter now that they’re here.
It’s a thought that draws him a touch nostalgic as he grins at the Maverick. “Oh I am very proud, my dear.” He trills with all of his charm, before he takes another sip of the wine and starts to feel the hazy effects of it take root. “I absolutely will remind you.” Asta says with a touch of that same old arrogance.
innocence died screaming honey, ask me, I should know
Danta's brow furrows at that, the Maverick's expression growing a touch solemn, and he hums his soft agreement. "Mm, I suppose I was," he murmurs. Apart from in those small hours where he could be sated and find himself in the company of whatever warm touch would have him for the evening. It's little wonder he finds himself the man he is, and he'd consider as much if he ever gave himself time to reflect (rather than brood, like he's starting to do now).
With a quick inhale, as if he's caught himself without a mask on, Danta sits himself up again and rolls his shoulders, despite how he's also starting to feel that familiar numbness against the tips of his fingers and his nose as the two cups of wine in quick succession make themselves known. "Lucky for you, the bar is right there," he points out, vaguely gesturing towards Asta's closed door and finally rolling himself to his feet.
"Anyway. Don't let me keep you from your chemicals any longer."
I slithered here from Eden just to sit outside your door
Table base by Skylark
Horns: Diamond - they look very similar to #2 in this image.
// a beast in the business of selling forgiveness //
Asta hums a little with Danta’s response, puffing a little sigh out from his lips. “She always pissed me off though. If I’d known you weren’t just a mini her, perhaps we could’ve done something.” He shrugs as Danta gets that far away look, and he sits up rather abruptly as the Maverick’s mask slips and the blonde stands, aiming to take his leave, making a quip about the bar. At least here he doesn’t have to face anyone else.
“I was basically done anyway.” He says in response, shifting to roll to his feet in turn, drawing himself up to his full height, reaching out to tug at Danta’s billowy sleeve. “You could stay. If you want to.” His tone takes on a softer sound, something he’s never quite done before. Even the regality of his face takes on a softer edge, a dark brow rising. “There’s no need to run.” An air of that playful goading, as if it might make him stay as opposed to the very not him softness.
innocence died screaming honey, ask me, I should know
"Eh, it didn't take much for Morax to piss someone off. She was just as pissed with everyone else, I assure you," Danta says with a casual shrug, as if he's almost worried that by speaking about her too much, she might just hear him and come back to life. (Wherever she is; a statue in The Climb or bones beneath the earth, it doesn't matter).
He's taking his first couple of steps towards the other man's door when fingers snag at his sleeve, Danta pausing to look over his shoulder with brows furrowed in confusion. "I was not running," he quips automatically, though he's stopped moving at all by now. "Stay and help you fold your clothes? I'm good, Asta, but thanks for the offer."
I slithered here from Eden just to sit outside your door
Table base by Skylark
Horns: Diamond - they look very similar to #2 in this image.
// a beast in the business of selling forgiveness //
He’s sure that she was pissed at everyone else all the same, and he hopes that rather than being a statue in the Climb somewhere, she suffered some horrible death instead. It’s what draws him into his nostalgia, one that’s suddenly upset at the idea of the Maverick leaving the room all of a sudden. It’s been… Nice, to say the least.
“Not to fold my clothes.” He rolls his eyes, depositing the cup on a ledge of a shelf for a moment as he steps a bit closer, shoulder shrugging. “The company is nice. Unlike what you’ve been trying to send to my door.” He pauses, stepping a bit closer, arms folding across his scarred chest as he shifts his weight a little, as close to awkward as Astaroth can get right now.
“Stay, Danta, darling.” Dark eyes focus on the blonde’s face, cocking slightly as he fights against his past notions to say “Please?”
innocence died screaming honey, ask me, I should know
"To hang them up, then," Danta continues, smooth as you like. "I'm sure you've got a lovely selection of cravats, but I'd really rather--" Cut off by the way the other man dimishes the distance between them - and falling quiet enough to finally let Asta get a word in edgeways - the Maverick gives a slow tilt of his head, clearly trying to work out the punchline in what is clearly a joke.
Gods, and then he says please, and a smile curls across Danta's lips completely without his permission. Turning to face the taller Ancient fully, he takes a final sip from his goblet of wine and sets it down somewhere as well (don't ask him where, he doesn't know). "Is that so?" he purrs. "If I had known, I'd have brought something much more interesting than wine and an apology this evening."
Still, he's unsure whether Asta is after his continued company or his company (wink), and he has promised not to tease him further. He also doesn't want to get bit, so he keeps from closing the distance between them fully as he might have with anyone else in this situation.
"Well, since you've said please," he trills instead, gesturing for them to sit back down, if that's what Astaroth wants.
I slithered here from Eden just to sit outside your door
Table base by Skylark
Horns: Diamond - they look very similar to #2 in this image.
// a beast in the business of selling forgiveness //
Gods Astaroth is glad when he finally shuts up, even if the grin that forms after Asta’s admission and plea are heard, and the tips of his ears turn red as he snorts and squints a little, shaking his horned head. “Like what?” Though he’s sure he’ll regret the question the second it passes through his lips. “The apology is always welcome, at least.” He drawls with a soft laugh, that sharp grin returning to replace the softness.
He should be worried with that grin, but he nods to Danta’s gesturing, but rather than sitting down beside the Maverick, he moves to hang the folded clothes and get rid of that chemical scent by popping the top back onto the bucket and moves it to the side. “I didn’t expect that to work, truthfully.” Asta says with a chuckle, finally moving to sit beside him, spaded tail waving idly like a cats. “So…” He starts to say, wincing slightly as he tilts his head away with a sigh. “What happened when you woke up?” He asks curiously. What brought him to the Grounds, specifically. Had he gotten that chance to explore?
innocence died screaming honey, ask me, I should know
"Ah ah, no - I said I would behave since sending all those visitors to your door," Danta retorts, wagging his finger at Asta. "You will just have to imagine all the wonderful things I might have brought. Or worn." Collapsing comfortably back onto the bed, the Maverick throws a smiling middle finger at the other man in lieu of another apology, however always welcome it might be.
As for it working, the Maverick offers the taller Ancient an honest shrug. "I've never heard you say please before," he says simply. "I figure you must secretly be dying, or very, very lonely." He laughs. And luckily for the other man, Danta is as confident as Asta is awkward, and he tilts his head at the memory.
"I slithered down from the Climb to Torchline, fucked two demigods, met my best friend," that's Deimos to you and I, and no, Danta doesn't mention the bear trap, "and then there was a Blood Moon festival out here. I arrived, sniffed around for a bit, and thought why the fuck not?" he explains.
I slithered here from Eden just to sit outside your door
Table base by Skylark
Horns: Diamond - they look very similar to #2 in this image.
// a beast in the business of selling forgiveness //
Rolling his eyes with a touch of affection as he puts the clothes away to make a seamlessly clean room with the fire raging in the fireplace, offering as close to Climb warmth as it can muster in here, Asta can’t help the amused grin at the middle finger thrown his way. And with the honesty that slips past his usually careful lips, the smile falters for a brief second – his own mask faltering at the mention of being lonely.
The stubborn part of him wants to say no, I’m not, but the more honest part has him pursing his lips a brief moment as he settles back on the bed, running a hand through his dark hair to brush it back and hook it behind his pronged horns. “I was solitary in the Climb, but I still had people to talk to in and out of my room.” Whatever they found there was their problem, as far as he was concerned. This room has remained tremendously cleaner than his in the Climb, at least.
And it’s as roundabout of an agreement as he can muster at the mention of being lonely. Sue him.
Dark eyes take in the blonde with a look of surprise he can’t hide from his face, shaking his head with a laugh and even more exasperation as he sighs and closes his eyes, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose. “I should’ve known.” He drawls with a little sigh, leaning back so that he too is flat on the bed, hand flattening to his chest as he stares at the ceiling. “I met a new Ancient when I was in Torchline. Her name is Isla.” Which he’s sure the two have heard of each other, if not met personally. “She roundaboutly gave me the idea of utilizing the clinic here for my preferences.” He muses. She didn’t have the details, of course.
innocence died screaming honey, ask me, I should know
"With respect, you'd have plenty of people coming in and out of your room here if you'd been so gracious as to take up any of the people I sent," Danta quips with a toothy grin. "We could even get you a no touching sign if it would make you feel better. Granted, I'm flattered that I was chosen, though conversation is only one of my many skills." See above for demigod fucking, best friend finding, festival going, etcetera.
Shifting a bit onto his side as Asta comes to sprawl out beside him, the Maverick wishes he hadn't put his goblet of wine down so far away. He wonders if Asta would care if he drank from the nearby bottle. (He feels like it would be a cardinal sin). "What makes you say that?" he wants to know, of Asta having should've known. As for Isla, Danta's eyebrows raise with shock.
"No shit," he says. "Never met her, but you know she used to rule this place too, right? Her name is all over ledgers I found in the Atheneum." He hadn't read them so much as used them as a pillow, but names and signatures aren't the same as actually sitting down to peruse a book.
I slithered here from Eden just to sit outside your door
Table base by Skylark
Horns: Diamond - they look very similar to #2 in this image.
// a beast in the business of selling forgiveness //
Rolling his eyes, a grumble slips from his lips, something not coherent as he lays back against the bed, relaxing against the lushness of the furs and blankets spread out. “They want to do more than I would like. And besides, I don’t have to stand on occasion with you.” He shrugs casually, rolling slightly to let his dark gaze linger on Danta.
“You run a brothel.” As well as a region, but that’s beside the point. The fact is that he should have known the initial thing Danta would do is to go and fuck and make friends and visit places he’s never had the chance to be before. He’s not even surprised anymore at this point.
As for Isla, though, his lips twist into an easy smile. “I didn’t know that. She was quite kind and reserved.” And he was a stranger, one that she graciously let into her home to change. “She’s a medic. Owns a clinic in Torchline.” He hums, tilting his head toward Danta, as if answering the question of her roundaboutly helping him figure out the whole eating people thing.
innocence died screaming honey, ask me, I should know
"I'm not sure whether or not to be offended by that," Danta informs his fellow Ancient, smirking and propping himself up on one elbow to gaze down at Asta so relaxed against the blankets and furs. As for him running a brothel, the Maverick barks out a laugh and nods his understanding. "Alright, touche on that count," he admits, shrugging his shoulders. "It was a big, wide world and I'd been cooped up for a long time. Even now it feels like I should take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself."
Whether those opportunities might be interesting or dangerous, as it happens.
"Oh, she does?" Tilting his head, it's of little surprise that Danta isn't actually all that interesed in Isla Lockwood or her present endeavours, but he does enjoy hearing the other man's opinions. "Is she blonde by any chance? You sound like you have a crush," he teases, smug as a smug thing.
I slithered here from Eden just to sit outside your door
Table base by Skylark
Horns: Diamond - they look very similar to #2 in this image.
// a beast in the business of selling forgiveness //
A sharp grin cuts along Asta’s face as he watches the Maverick briefly, humming a laugh shortly after as the blonde props himself up on an elbow to peer down at him. “Offended, of course.” He rumbles back in response, lips twisting into more of a smirk. One that remains even as his point is made and Asta nods, letting his understanding glimmer briefly to the surface.
He’d likely have done the same if he were in the Maverick’s shoes. But he’s not, and he had the chance to explore the world, even if it were at the mercy of being an essential attack dog.
Either way, talk of Isla distracts him wonderfully, until Danta seems to poke and prod and he runs his hand through his hair again, peering up at the ceiling away from Danta. “No crush. But she is blonde.” He drawls. “I simply enjoy similar company is all.” Proper company, Danta. Gods.
