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!
Futile attempt after futile attempt to make sense of it all, it was all for naught. Broken down by the simple silence of a lonely hovel and a dead hearth. Add to that bouts of what he could only describe as the wrath of dvergr, small men with hammers banging away at the inside of his skull., and the breaking point was fast approaching.
A breaking point to be frank. Even without the physical bit he had been doing just fine grinding his sanity down on his own, locked in his workshop for days on end, keeping busy just to make the memories go away for a moment. Memories that just made less sense the more he tried to make order among them.
Another restless night was the last drop in an already overflowing cup. He needed solace, introspection, and a bath... Just something to let it all flow free, if just for a few hours. Enough to let off the pressure that made his head spin and his vision darken.
And so his pack fell heavy to the soft ground of the place he'd heard of but yet to visit. The signs of a world well awake and greeting the sun was heavy on the air. The sound of birds and flowing water almost drowning out his shouting mind, at least making it all seem a yoke light enough to keep carrying. For a moment he just sat on a moss covered stump and took it all in.
Tranquility, serene nothingness.
And for a moment the world stopped. Everything put on hold for a heartbeat, to breathe and to remind oneself of what mattered.
So the cobbler sat, breathed, and allowed his eyes to slide shut. Invited the world in for a brief moment without care or worry.
Well, Jiao supposed the inside of the big bubble had some nice things. It was a shame they were all hidden in among the dreary, ugly surroundings. When she happened upon the Oasis she at first wondered if she'd somehow doubled back on herself and ended up back in the Greatwood, considering it far too pretty to belong to the Hallowed Grounds.
As she came to the water, she spotted a man sat at the other side. He was dressed upsettingly plainly and looked just as boring as the place he must have came from...but she'd never spoken to anyone from inside the barrier before, and barely anyone who wasn't a Fae; even the dullest human was an interesting one.
With a little effort (she was close to mastering her flight, but it was still sometimes difficult to begin) she began to fly over the water towards Are, letting her slippered feet just trail in the water enough to let beautiful ripples spread out behind her. Wearing a turquoise dress that fell into a sheer silver at the bottom of the skirt and with matching silver hair ribbons, she felt she looked well enough to amaze him.
Jiao was a little miffed, to say the least, when she reached the other side of the Oasis to find the man's eyes closed. "This isn't a very good place to sleep, you know. Do you not have beds in here? That would be silly."
The fluttering of wings and trill of a voice he'd yet to hear had him clued in as to what awaited when he slowly opened his eyes. The cobbler peered though the tiniest of slits, anxiously awaiting that glint of steel he'd come to expect from the álfar. A distinct lack of creaking wood was enough to coax him to look up. Not much though, even sitting he was nearly as tall as the woman standing before him.
And what a strange woman it was, clad in colors so bright it almost made his eyes sting. He squinted as if looking at the sun and could not believe his own eyes. A moment passed before the stunned man caught his own jaw and went looking for his missing tongue. Finding it buried beneath the good manners he'd left lying.
"Heil ok sæl, álfr." he muttered, averting his gaze. Suddenly painfully aware of his own appearance, unwashed, unshaven, and in his finest drab craftsman's garb. He sat up straight, smoothing his creased tunic in a futile attempt at making the best of what little he had.
"Sleep? What, no I was just..." he sputtered after what the woman said had had enough time to pierce his hazy thoughts. "Sorry, sorry. I am Are, and I came here to..." he paused, silently questioning it all, what was he even doing, and more to the point; why was he explaining himself to another one of the winged strangers?
Well, at least she wasn't threatening him, apparently enough to earn the confused cobbler's trust.
"Forgive me, I am a bit slow today. Who did you say you where?"
The man said something Jiao didn't understand, then adorably tried to neaten up his hideous outfit. She wanted to tell him it was a lost cause, but even Jiao knew that was rude to tell a stranger. That had to come at least five minutes into a conversation.
"Are? What a weird name!" She exclaimed, getting closer to him, her face only a few inches away as she really took him in, tried to take in every bit of this strange new being's appearance. The things she could do with it, with only an hour and some powders, maybe glitter!
He asked who she was and Jiao flew back a little, spun around before coming down to her feet. "I'm Jiao. I came from the other side of your weird barrier thing...over in Sidhe. Do you not have nice colours over here? Or...things for your face?" Her own face was adorned with a deep blue eyeshadow and lipstick, sparkling highlights on her cheekbones. "You know, I could make you a pretty shirt..."
By the gods what little patience he had left was wearing thin with the incessant movement and cheer. The pounding came back and further forced him to dig his nails into the palm of his hand, imagining crushing another pewter cup to stave off any hasty retorts or anything beyond muttered gravelly curses. If anything, the last few days had taught him to rein in his words, to think before opening his mouth. Breathe. Tension somewhat abated, as did the pounding. A moment or two passed as the woman left the immediate space in front of his face, a small window to unclench both fist and jaw and to pour effort into empathy instead of rage.
He was about to protest the statement about his name but got cut off by a flutter and a twirl. Again he took a deep breath to get a word in edgewise, and again he was cut off, but by himself. He let the air out in an impotent puff, no sulfurous tirades or witty remarks. Just a quick exhale at the beauty he finally in full realized stood before him. Not just in the clothes but everything from the immaculately decorated face to the clothes that seemed woven out of colored mist.
Staring.
He had been staring, for far too long at that, before he cleared his throat and actually answered. "I... Uh, yes, I am not from here. I am from somewhere with more color than here, at least I remember it as such. he said, scratching the stubble on his chin and dug up the memories. Yes, definitely more color than Caido, at least more than Caido thus far. Things seemed to like to change, especially thing's he finally had gotten used to.
Are paused, cursed his initial rambling and carried on in a slower, more thoughtful manner. Her offer caught his attention though, hope he'd happened upon a fellow soul. "You sew?" he asked, shining up as if the headache and blurry vision was just a bad dream. "I am a cobbler, not beautiful, but my craft is the sturdiest around!" he said, motioning to his soft and worn shoes.
Jiao did not at all mind Are's staring at her, taking it as a compliment. Drab as this place was, of course the man couldn't take his eyes off her. She flickered her wings to stretch them but also so that they would catch the light just right, iridescent colours spreading over the surface. She was proud of her wings, spent time making sure they were clean and shone just as well as her jewels and outfit.
"There is far more colour in the Greatwood and Sidhe. Especially in my shop." Though she would agre that inside the Hallowed Grounds, colour was lacking.
Are's shoes were markedly different to hers, which were thin lace slippers designed for someone who flew and skipped rather than walked, someone who cared about the aesthetics of her feet over the function. Still, she smiled kindly at him. "Yes! I'm a seamstress. And those shoes are..uhm...well made!" Jiao spread her hands out excitedly, trying to make her mild compliment seem more than it was.
"If you're a cobbler, do you have a shop? Why are you sat out here by the water?"
The mentioning of places he'd yet to see, places beyond the scar, made him cock a brow and thoughtfully chew the inside of his cheek. About to let his tongue slip, but catching it just in time. A new time of mindfulness had dawned, and he was not to let it shatter just yet. So quiet quizzical was what he went for 'til he straightened his thoughts out.
Too caught up in finding words to put his request in as elegant a raiment as he could, he not more than nodded at the dance of colors as wings caught sunshine. More concerned by the reflections stinging his eyes and jabbing little fiery needles in his head.
He raised a callused hand, giving his strained eyes a little respite. "I can only imagine." he said, almost dismissive at first, but finding himself warming up to the thought. A place not as drab and 'stoic' as the Hallowed grounds, even for just a short while, would be a welcome change of pace.
"Thank you, it's the nicest thing anyone said about my craft." Are said with actual sincerity, offering a smile and a nod. Having what little pride he still kept polished, if even half-heartedly, made him sit up just a tad bit straighter.
"Yes, I do, fixed it up with the help of some steady hands. It does get a bit cramped though, what with only me and my thoughts. I needed some... Solace." he gestured to the surrounding woods and the lake, suddenly aware of how his stained and filthy hand looked against the positively radiant backdrop. Also catching a whiff of tannery from his tunic. "And a bath it seems..."
"Really? Why?" Jiao asked, frowning down at his shoes. Privately, she thought you can't be very good then... She quite regularly received nice comments about her work. "Well...maybe you can um...make me some shoes sometime." She wouldn't wear them, but she was taking some pity on this shabby, bland shoe maker. Maybe she could stick some gems on the shoes later.
At least he had a home, so she didn't have to extend her pity that far. "That's good! Why did you have to fix it up? Are the houses there bad...?" Jiao looked up and past him towards Sanctuary. She was infinitely curious to know more about the strange town, which she hadn't even known existed until very recently.
Are said he needed a bath. "Oh. Ummmm...do you want me to turn around so you can get in? Or I can not, I don't mind." She smiled in a way she hoped was friendly, not seeming to think if Are would mind.
Recognition had been hard to come by back home, as a matter of fact, Are could not think of any one moment where he'd been praised for his work above a pat on the back and maybe an extra piece of silver. The fae's kind, if a bit forced, words had him chuckling as his sturdy frame shook with mirth. "Aros was not a warm place, neither weather nor people. Functional was good, beautiful unnecessary, mostly." he tried explaining peculiarities with his home he'd never considered until he found himself thrown into a new and strange place. One where there where flying women offered well meaning platitudes to troubled cobblers, apparently.
"It'd be a challenge, but I could try." he pondered, giving Jiao's shoes a second look and stroking his chin at the color. Danesblood and elder could give a deep purple luster, he thought in passing. "My shop? Yes, it was far gone. Fixed it up proper though. Tight as ever, a bit rough around the edges, but good enough. Functional. Oh, most other's houses are the same, patched and rebuilt, people do what they can with what they have."
He was stuck thinking about how little actual new buildings he had seen around, sad people living in the dying husk of ancient greatness, or hardy folks utilizing what was around, no matter how you put it it had his brow in deep furrows.
He quickly lost the thought as the subject of a bath was back into his mind. Not that he was a prude by any means, but he felt suddenly very aware of all the ways he wasn't what the fae was. A roughly hewn pine dragged through mud and snow, one not just a tad embarrassed. "N-no, no. I'll save it for later. Speaking of later, you said something about 'Sejdä', that's your home?" he said in a heavy-handed attempt at changing the subject.
"No matter how cold I was, I wouldn't forgo looking good." Jiao declared, pressing a hand to her chest. She couldn't imagine any temperature making her want to only look functional. It was a concept alien to her; she spent 30 minutes every morning fine-tuning herself. It seemed like Are took 30 seconds, maybe less.
This man did seem awfully miserable. She hoped to see him swim so that perhaps he could have some fun. But maybe later, he said. She rolled her eyes, assuming prudishness to be his reason for denying himself.
"Sidhe. Not...whatever you just said. It's my village! There aren't a lot of...people like you there though. They usually get lost before they find it." Jiao was just a touch smug about this, crossing her arms and lifting her nose. "I could show you the way."
Are shook his head and chuckled at how appalled the fae seemed at the mere thought of looking nothing short of stunning. Although he could see her point, at least when working with something less strenuous and dirty. A point that grew on him even, maybe there was something to be said for looking a bit more put together than a stained, patched tunic would allow. Not that he'd relent now that he'd taken his stand. "Listen here y-" he started but got ahold of his tongue, partly because he remembered his promise and partly because she mentioned a village, and people.
People, like him. Not many, but it was something. He perked up at the thought, eyes widening in excitement that among those 'not many' could be the one he had been looking for all along. Just as she mentioned it, he knew there was no other option. He had to go there. 'Going in feet first and eyes closed' was exactly what he intended to do, promises to silver haired bards be damned. Then she held it up before him, dangling it in front of his face like a bone to a pack of dogs.
In his weakened state there was no question about what he had to do, concussion be damned. "I know this game, I've played it with gods and won. But sure, I'll play." he muttered, eyes narrowing as he saw the kind and beautiful álfr turn sly and smug. Just like in the stories.
"What is your price?" said the ever so tactful cobbler, his hard dialect making it sound harsher than he meant.
He seemed interested in the village, even leaning forward and asking for a price. Jiao tittered behind her hand, rolling her eyes at the eagerness. "Well, hang on. I said I could. Not that I would. No one would like it very much if I brought you to Sidhe." This was how many Fae worked through their inability to lie: a lot of almost-statements, trick words.
What she had to do now was to make up a price so ridiculous he couldn't hope to pay it. "Find me...something more beautiful than anything else I have. And you can come. I've been wanting something for my collection." She felt happy making this deal, sure he couldn't produce anything to rival any one of her many treasures.
"What do you think about that?" She asked, leaning in closer.
The way she tip-toed around certain words made him even more suspicious than before, he smelled something funny in the way she almost innocently had brought it up but then held it over him. A game he'd smelled before, not the one he had expected, but one he knew better than to play. There was no winning for the cobbler.
His mind screamed at him to just rip down the veils that was being hung. Games he was in no state of mind to play. Not even without a head full of memories and flashing stars could he ever hope to more than trundle through the intricacies of the words, finer details of it all lost on an ox too focused on the wrong things.
Yet he let his pride win out, far too easy at that. So quickly he threw away the notions of being a better man as soon as he was presented with a tempting challenge.
"I see, so you want to witness true beauty, or are you contempt with the fleeting kind?" Are said, a smug smile covering a grimace and wince at the ever-present throbbing that liked to remind him with little stabs that he still was weak.
"If it's fleeting, what's the point?" Jiao asked, lifting her nose and crossing her arms. Beauty was something you could come back to, keep looking at, own for yourself. She wasn't interested in seeing something from afar, knowing it could go away...she was interested in collections, in what she could keep and possess and show off.
She took a couple of steps back. Once you issued a challenge you didn't stay around much; it was just bad form. "So, do you think you can do it? It would have to be something better than...well...what you've got on." The task seemed so impossible for the cobbler she was sure she'd never need to worry about having to show him the village.
