#I'm never giving Mateus a break ; WoL or not ; he's a Bastard man ))

[holyxvi]

// . Small HC here that I totally didn’t just bullshit while talking to a friend, and it does contain a major Heavensward spoiler hence why I’m slapping this bad boy beneath a readmore despite it being so....short.

While Matthias always spends a majority of his time on the road, the elezen will find a chance to slip into Thanalan for some much needed r&r, specifically into the Goblet where his apartment lies. It is not the most fanciful of homes despite his background ( past life of being Emperor Mateus and currently life being Ishgardian born ), but its what he happens to have and its what he can call his own.

Beside his desk lays several books, most of them being sketchbooks that Matthias has used throughout his adventures. Many show the obvious wear and beatings endured throughout each one, but for every three present there’s one that’s missing --- meaning that not all of them returned home. While Matthias has grown used to this for the sake of sating his artistic drive, there is one sketchbook in his possession that is worse for wear, yet goes everywhere he does no matter what the destination may be. It holds too much special meaning to be left behind --- having been used during the time Ser Haurchefant Greystone was alive.

Between completed and unfinished sketches, there lie words left by the knight himself, whether they be proclamations of love or words of encouragement, all were for the eyes of his beloved Warrior of Light and him alone, and Matthias can almost certainly recite each one by heart given the amount of times he’s skimmed over them.

The last ‘‘letter’‘ Haurchefant had written down was the night before Matthias and the others stormed into The Vault, filled with promises regarding their wedding that was to take place once things had calmed down among other things --- something that had not happened, unfortunately. The events that took place at The Vault, along with these final written words, are both things that torment Matthias whenever the chance presents itself ( albeit its more the former than the latter ).

Aside from his grief and guilt having pushed him to tap into his voidsent power in order to seal Haurchefant’s soul into the wind-up minion made in memoriam, Matthias carries the sketchbook around for the sake of comfort and coping, re-reading it’s pages whenever he has the time. Being very possessive of the book, the elezen has no qualms about putting himself in danger if it means retrieving what is most dear --- much less caring for how ridiculous others may find him for it.