#Briardien Dariustel

[roses-and-grimoires]

Prompt #14: Telling

Characters: Briardien, Aramis ( @zoetic-tome )

"My lord."

There was so much meaning that one could pack into two simple words. For though they signaled the deference of a servant, they could also so easily carry the warmth of a friend, the disdain of a rival, or even the gentle care of a lover.

Briardien was familiar with so many permutations of those two simple little words; the ones for when they were in public, and the ones for when they were alone, when he was allowed to look upon his lord with the adoration that was supposed to be reserved for Halone's visage in Her church.

But such was how it was. A lord bedding their servant was one thing; a lord getting attached to that servant and neglecting their duties to their house was another. And part of Briardien's job was to protect his lord, even when he could not or would not do it himself.

So there would be words that were never said, merely implied through each soft "my lord", each lingering brush of their fingers, each fleeting moment when the lights in the bedchamber had been extinguished and they could lie together, free of pretenses--at least, until the next morning when they would rise, and go through the day again.

And if each morning Briardien hated the harsh light of the sun more and more, then that was just how it would be. And if each morning brought a fresh wave of dread for when all of this might end, for when his lord would have to finally carry out his duty to his line and house, or for when the sniffing hounds of the inquisition finally decided to put an end to them, that too would never be said.

Instead he would cherish each "my lord" all the more as he murmurs it into Aramis' ear, in the brief moments before he presses his lips to his, and allows all thoughts of the future to be driven away--if only for a little while.

[zoetic-tome]

Prompt 6: Questionable Callers

Prompt: Ring - FFXIV Write 2023  Characters: Aramis de Xavalien, Briardien Dariustel (@roses-and-grimoires), minor mentions of Priarch. Content Warning: None

Aramis leaned back into the plush chair that sat near the fire. Beside him, resting against the leg was the book he had been reading minutes before. Now, his hands had folded on his lap, and his ears had perked to alertness, listening to his steward speak as Briar told him about the plans for the day while he went about the busywork of making him a cup of tea. 

Leisure was something rarely afforded the once very unbusy lord. Such was a thing that happened when you were denoted as your family’s spare instead of their heir. Especially when you labored under the particular disability that he did. He was not fit for military service, and all documentation had to first be passed through others─or through Briardien─to be either read or translated into the proper format so he could read it by touch.

His eyes had been like this since birth; rather than the brilliant silver that his mother and brother bore, his had been milky, white, and sightless from his birth, a limited range of vision in his infancy fading before he’d even reached his first year. At least that first year had been green and warm. He spared no thoughts for what the world might look like around him, used to existing in it without the same perception as others had. But it didn’t mean he was ever unaware. Footsteps crossed the room, shifting from carpet to bare floor and then carpet again.

“My Lord?” Came the inquiry after a moment, and without thought, he reached his hands out, prepared to take what it was that Briar had brought him. Tea. A missive. A venomous serpent. He could have placed anything into Aramis’ hands, and he would have taken it willingly. What he drew close in his gloved palms was a cup of warm tea on a saucer, and he leaned back into the chair as he tried to calculate the events for the day.

Other meetings and business would occupy his schedule today; arrangements for another shipment north to the relief efforts in Garlemald. Supply lines had always been what his family had done, after all. Merchants they were not, but freight and its passage? That had been how House Xavalien had earned its noble title during the course of the Dragonsong war. Just because his personal life was being roiled upside down by the yet unspoken scandal of his sudden inheritance of his family’s fortune and title, didn’t mean he would shirk his responsibilities.

His mind turned to those very accusations with all the wariness he could muster. It had taken weeks for them to sort through all of the documentation in the home. And eventually his household had located the invitations that had carried his mother, father and brother to the ill-fated party at Baron Ravendarke’s manor. Scant years ago, and it still felt like a lifetime had passed since he had taken control of his family as the last remaining heir. 

The disappearance of his family was one that left him concerned, but as time had passed, he let it go as a mystery that would remain unsolved. Until he had gone seeking help when he realized the Inquisition was growing perhaps too curious for answers he could not give them. And indeed, the explanation he had been given when he sought assistance at Priarch had been beyond belief. 

And if he believed them, it meant there would possibly be no hope of finding any of his family members alive. He had mourned their losses already, and so this was nothing new to him. A quick and painful reminder of reality, but nothing new. More importantly, he hoped that the members of that group could do as they implied. Find him some kind of information to prove his innocence before the Inquisition came knocking at his door and drug him away for murders he never committed. 

As though he had ever expected to become the Baron de Xavalien, much less wanted that position. More than one night he had nursed injuries cast upon him by his elder brother. No. He had never once coveted the position and power or responsibility that it had offered. He knew better, straight down to the broken bones meant to remind him of his place as his Alexandre's lesser.

Fingers tensed on his teacup, and his thumb drug down the side of it, sensitive skin protested the sudden heat, but he wanted that brief and quick burn to bring him back into focus. Otherwise his thoughts were going to start on a spiral that would do neither himself, nor any individual in his house and his care any amount of good.

“Briar.” 

The Steward who had been standing nearby turned his head down to gaze at Aramis. They were alone, and none could see the undisguised look that Briar bore as he stared down at the blind nobleman at his side. “Yes, my Lord?” 

“Make arrangements.” His voice was soft, but firm. “We’re returning to Vylbrand within the sennight. I’d like to call upon Priarch to deliver the letters we have found personally. And I still need to speak with their leader.” Aramis lifted his cup to take a sip. 

He didn’t need to issue commands a second time. But it wasn’t the signet ring on his finger─his great grandfathers given that his father’s had gone missing with him and one had never been crafted for him─that gave him that authority. Briardien had been taking his orders since they were both young men, not even fully grown into their ears. 

“Of course, my Lord. I shall see to it at once.” 

Aramis set his teacup on the table beside him, movements born of years long practice, before he pulled his book back into his lap, and cracked its cover once more. He could hear Briar’s receding footsteps already, and he slid his fingers across the raised notations in his book. He had half a bell before the man would come fetch him and his day would begin in earnest. He may as well steal what slim leisure he could, now, while his steward tended his errand. Fury knew he would have no more of it until the late evening bells rang.

[yloiseconeillants]

ffxiv AND dragon age for fandom thing? 👀

blorbo (favorite character, character I think about the most): i mean other than my wol? probably haurchefant? though i do infodump about estinien at group chat like a lot // GODDAMN ANDERS. All my roommates played Dragon Age around the same time and Anders became the only topic of conversation for like three weeks - my best friend romanced him and developed some sort of complex as a result and while I did not (Merrill <3), I did throw 100% of my support for his actions as, unlike my roommate, I actually played Awakening and would forgive him for anything anyway (also he was right).

scrunkly (my “baby”, character that gives me cuteness aggression, character that is So Shaped): Y'shtola though she would kill me for it // Dagna lol

scrimblo bimblo (underrated/underappreciated fave): Beatin? // Vivienne (who deserves so much more respect than i think the fandom gives her)

glup shitto (obscure fave, character that can appear in the background for 0.2 seconds and I won’t shut up about it for a week): My Minor Scion NPC besties, Tajih Mewrilah and Dariustel Sompt // Ha ha oh my god Niall (the mage who helps you in the Fade during the Circle quests). ALSO CALPERNIA.

poor little meow meow (“problematic”/unpopular/controversial/otherwise pathetic fave): do I have one of these for ffxiv yet? I can already tell I will probably have the Emet-Selch brainworms though .... // JOWAN. Another I would forgive everything. My canon-playthrough inquisitor is a de-Tranquiled Jowan. ALSO CALPERNIA.

horse plinko (character I would torment for fun, for whatever reason): Again, other than WOL? Uh... Mostly I want to snatch characters from further torment lmao. Oh, Briardien. // Alistair, for sure. Because I love to torment myself (i, uh, accidentally romanced Alistair on my first playthrough and then he broke up with my Warden when she conspired with Arl Eamon to get him onto the throne, and immediately savescummed like three main quests back to deal with this, and I had ultimately had them break up ANYWAY in my headcanon during the events of DA2 and every time i hurt Alistair I hurt myself thanks)

eeby deeby (character I would send to superhell): Lahabrea // Solas/Arl Eamon. Like, I enjoy Lahabrea. I would punt Solas and Arl Eamon into the void.

thank you for the ask, @galfrey

[roses-and-grimoires]

Briardien Dariustel, the loyal steward of House Xavalien.