#and why he's so comfortable in thavnair

[lesenbyan]

You know. I think I like G'raha for some of the same reasons people i know dislike him but likewise in the agreement on these facts is also why I dislike fandom G'raha. 'cause like. He isn't the same character as the Exarch. the G'raha we know and travel with in EW is not the same man as the Exarch, even with his memories, and I don't mean bc he's younger. like.

okay. I was raised on way too much sci-fi, okay? I got deep in it with paradoxes and time travel and alternate and parallel realities before i was 10. I had a lose grasp on certain quantum mechanics concepts at 13. you give me a time loop and I will immediately understand two things:

every loop is an alternate universe converging off of the same single point as there can be (are, depending) near infinite universes off of every single point in space (<- this is why AUs are called AUs after all) and thus

even if it's the same face, even if it's the same name. even if it's the exact same past up until now, even if everything is perceptibly the same, and this is crucial, they are not the same person.

(I promise, I'm getting there)

This holds true, even in a closed paradox bc you now have a chicken and the egg scenario. Like we all kind of understand the grandfather paradox, we understand that if we kill our grandfather before the respective parent is conceived we couldn't have been born and thus couldn't kill him, ad nauseum. but even if you close it. Even if, say, you're your own grandfather, every loop something's going to change, even if it's not noticeable, even if it's not in your life. something is gonna change. A fundamental fact of how i understand the theory to work (granted I'm no scholar) is every time you go back in time you're not actually going back on your linear time, you're creating an alternate universe which will then be the universe you also fast forward through when you go forward in time.

That being said, the G'raha Tia that becomes the Exarch is not the G'raha Tia that we know, this is proven the fact that the G'raha Tia we know cannot go on to become the Exarch bc the Exarch did not live these post 5.3 experiences. And from there that means the Exarch also didn't come from the G'raha we knew in Crystal Tower. CT and EW G'rahas are the same. the Exarch is from a parallel reality G'raha that yanked us bc the us from his reality died before he woke up and that is how that reality will always play out and we just so happen to be from the reality he reaches into/splinters to save a future. not his future. the people of his future are far beyond his reach and have been since he traveled to the First.

And I think all of that is incredibly fascinating. Especially bc if the G'raha we know was the base of the Exarch you'd think, now that the Exarch's memories are part of him he'd act more like him. but it still doesn't sit right on his shoulders. bc it's not him. This is someone else. this is a role he can play, a mask he can slip into, a dance he knows. but it's not who he is. it's not where he's comfortable, like he was comfortable for 100 years. You see it in Thavnair, you see him steel himself for it. he sees what's happening and he knows what needs doing bc he's got the memories of managing a panicked peoples before in the middle of tragedy. But it's not him. The Exarch is a different man. And I wonder, desperately, how G'raha feels about that man.

[dawnslight-aegis]

26. zip

Kaede had always been good at blending in. Not physically – horns and a tail were hard to hide, as Yugiri had more than proven – but she easily adapted in most other ways. Her body language. Her speech patterns. Her fashion.

Which is how she found herself zipping up the back of a high-necked black shirt, made of a fabric that clung outrageously to every curve of her body. Immediately the prickles of static that had made her scales itch the second she stepped into the damned dome were dispelled, channeled away by the electrope woven into the very clothing she wore. Sighing in relief, she rolled her shoulders and looked into the mirror. A woman who might’ve easily passed for a resident of Solution 9 looked back at her – had there been any auri residents of Alexandria or Tural, at any rate.

The way her mother told it, the ability to assimilate while also remaining distinct was as intrinsic to being raen as the color of their scales, and the main thing that set them apart from their xaela cousins. Kaede wasn’t sure if she believed it went that far, but it was a trait that had served her well her entire life. When everywhere felt strange, in a way, everywhere also felt like home. She had traveled to the ends of the universe, broken bread with peoples from other stars, and they had become as familiar to her as the residents of Sharlayan or Thavnair.

Not even she could get used to the regulators, though. The idea of using souls as currency, disrupting the flow of life in such an artificial way… It made her wonder if this was what Emet-Selch had meant, when he asked her if she knew the state of the reflections. In life, his responsibility had been the protection of the aetherial sea. And having been bequeathed his legacy, Kaede felt honor-bound to do the same.

So of course she had found herself in the Arcadion, with the promise that upon her victory, they would release souls back into the lifestream as her victory prize. It had nothing to do with the thrill of stepping out into the arena, of being able fight at her full strength without the fate of at least one world hanging over her head. Nothing at all to do with rush of adrenaline or the high of hearing the crowds slowly turn in her favor.

Oh, who in the hells was she kidding?

Everyone in Eorzea knew her name, her face. It had been years since she’d been able to step onto the bloodsands as anything less than the Warrior of Light, so far beyond anything Ul’dah had to offer that it would have been unfair to even try. The moment she’d laid eyes on the Arcadion, she’d been itching to go inside. The fate of the imprisoned souls was merely a bonus, the carrot she’d used to convince Marz to serve as her partner.

Why else had she gone to such lengths to choose a suitably Alexandrian outfit, unless to be taken seriously as a competitor? Why else would she set aside her shield and defensive techniques for the acrobatics of the viper, unless to please the crowd? Shrugging into a cropped jacket and lacing her arms into her leather gloves, Kaede tipped her head and looked out the window, into the sea of vivid blue and violet light that was Everkeep.

Solution 9 was beyond strange, but it was giving her a place to display a facet of herself she hadn’t been able to in some time.

And what else was home but a place you felt comfortable enough to be yourself?

[autumnslance]

Wolcred Week 2023: Good Morning|Sweet Dreams

(Y'know there's "rules" somewhere about not starting with dreams, but I seem to do it a lot anyway. 560-ish words of fluff preempting angst, EW 6.4 but no real spoilers again. Amanya's a childhood friend first mentioned in FFXIV Write 2022's "Fuse".)

She sat on the riverbank with Amanya, red silk flowing through their hands to wrap around the Arkasodara girl into her wedding sari.

“You should look to your own future,” Amanya said and flames crackled in the distance. Shadows flit overhead.

Aeryn did not dare look up at them. “I wanted to find you first,” she said.

“You did,” Amanya answered as the red flowed from the silk into the river, smelling of copper and reflecting the incoming flames. The white shroud wrapped around Amanya’s broad form. “At the edge of everything. Perhaps we will meet again. Look to your own future.”

A bird sang as the fires rolled in, smoke choking the air and ash filling the water while the shadows descended…

An aetheric shot broke the birdsong as the gunblade sliced the silk, Amanya falling into the fading smoke as Aeryn fell into familiar strong arms and a comforting murmur in her ear.

The purple gloom of Mor Dhona swirled outside the window of her childhood bedroom in Davarresh as she and Thancred sat amid a dozen bright pillows that were also pastries they snacked upon as they talked and laughed but she couldn’t quite follow the conversation.

Only that it was pleasant and she never wanted the moment to end.

—

Aeryn blinked awake to the dawn peeking in through the window. They hadn’t closed it last night, and mornings in Sharlayan could be chilly while the bed was quite warm. Thancred spooned her, arms and a leg holding her close.

She sighed and wiggled free, leading to him sleepily grumbling and rolling over, trying to deny the morning for a little while longer. Aeryn snagged her house robe from the back of the nearby desk chair, padding over to the small corner stove.

In a few moments she had coffee brewing, and though she looked, there were no snacks to be had. She had picked up a coffee pack at the Last Stand, but they had eaten all the food, and it had been a while since either of them had used the Annex room, given the work in Thavnair while he was off on his own errands. Fighting together again to secure the Aetherfont had felt good, even if it earned them some teasing from their comrades.

By the time she returned to the bed with their mugs he was sitting up, his hair sticking every which way as he rubbed his eyes.

“Good morning,” Aeryn said, handing him a cup of unaltered black coffee. Her own was a lighter tan, enhanced (he claimed otherwise) by cream and sugar.

He smiled sleepily as he took the mug. “Good morning; thank you. Sleep all right? Seemed you were having some bad dreams in the wee hours.”

Aeryn sat with him on the bed again, trying to remember, but there were only fleeting impressions of laughing conversation, tasty treats—perhaps that’s why she was craving pastries this morning—and the whisper of a familiar voice saying…something important.

She shrugged. “Only sweet dreams here—literally, so once we’re dressed we ought to go to the Last Stand again because I need donuts.”

He chuckled. “I want eggs and bacon myself, but I’m certain Dickon will be glad to arrange both. And there’s yet time before we return to our respective work.”

Danger and uncertainty awaited, even with their successes so far. But that was for later, as they leaned together and drank their coffee in the cool morning light.

A good start to the day’s adventures indeed.

[lilas]

let's assume the The Getaway Plan happened in enw: how would avi and eko adjust to life aboard their new lunar home?

Ohohoho this is a fun question!!

The real answer is…

…they wouldn’t board the moon. Not if only a few could escape. Just as Apollo and Melampus before them, Avi’li and Eko can’t leave people to suffer so a few could survive, that’s just not their way. Eko might go if the people of Thavnair went. She’d feel obligated to protect them. Avi’li wouldn’t leave though, even if all his loved ones were safe. He can’t turn his back and those he could yet save.

The fun answer is…

I don’t think they’d sleep much. There’s no sun or warmth to make them fall asleep, so they would struggle. The endless blackness of space would also keep them awake.

Avi’li would involve himself with… everything, which wears on his mood, but the only thing worse than doing everything asked is…not doing everything. :’)

Eko would keep busy as well, acting more as community support, helping people organize and make themselves comfortable in their new home.

Avi’li would make many visits to The Watcher, for his stories, his insight, and the crystal archives in his possession; something to do when he has no odd jobs or errands

Eko would explore with Avi’li, but wouldn’t wander far. She’s invested in rebuilding a sense of community and home and she misses it when she wanders

Avi’li would have a hard time shaking a distinct sense of failure; he doesn’t know why, but I don’t think he’d ever get to a point where he accepts this outcome. There would always be a part of him that resists it or wants to fix it

Oops hahaha where did this big box of angst come from ahahaha (slides it into a dark corner)

Eko would miss Hydaelyn, of course she would, but she taught herself how to accept, grieve, and move on, and so she can adapt into their new normal much easier than Avi’li

Also just….. so many misadventures with the Loporits would be so fun lmao; imagine Avi’li and Eko doing Smileton with people around LOL

[umbralsound-xiv]

A Little Respite.

We ventured to La Noscea for some much needed rest. The sun on our skin, and the sound of rushing water... I had a perfect spot in mind for a little peace. And for once, with the sun... She too, could appreciate it.

Hand lightly in her own, and a picnic basket hooked into the crook of his arm, Eir ascends the small hillside, a short walk from the beaten path. "It is not so much further. I used to come here, when i first arrived in Eorzea… When I needed a little peace. Or a quiet place for lunch, and a little sleep…" The dull roar of a waterfall drew closer with every step, the warmth of the sun against their skin.

Sayuri happily wanders beside him, eyes a little half-shut as she enjoyed the warmth of the sun, and her beloved company. "You do have a way to find yourself to anything similar to a waterfall, hm?" She smiled softly, leaning herself over to bump her head briefly against his shoulder.

Eir turns his head, ashy hair catching in the breeze as he offers her a smile. "They bring me some kind of comfort, I think. I have always enjoyed quiet, but never silence. The sound helps fill the void… And, it is quite the view." Reaching the summit of the small climb, at the very top of the water, the scenery below looked over the landscape of Costa Del Sol. "…Not half as lovely as the one I would share it with, mind."

"I understand what you mean, even.. if for different reasons." Sayuri's lips tug faintly, yet she swiftly presses on, holding no intention to sour the sun. "The quiet is nice. Moreso when spent with you." She beams him a loving smile, squeezing his hand. "Oh, I don't know… My view is pretty great." She utters, eyes locked upon him.

Eir flashes her the sunniest smile. "All the lovelier when I am smiling. Which is because of you." Glancing out to the general area, he looks back to her, then. "Do you think this a fair place to settle for a bell or two? Perhaps longer?"

"Mmh.. There's no accurate word for just how lovely you are with such a pretty smile." She snickers, briefly letting her gaze leave him to travel the area - landing back on him. "Knowing us, it's gonna be longer." She chuckles. "But yes. This is perfect."

That comment at least is enough to bloom a front blush at his cheeks, a little bashful. "…I do not mind for longer. For the night, if you like. I am happy so long as i am with you." He moves to a patch of grass on the overlook, settling the blanket close enough that they could both lean against a tree; no doubt why Eir had chosen this spot so long ago.

On one of my... Lonelier suns upon first arriving to Eorzea, i found this spot. It reminded me so much of the the overlook in Thavnair, that it became a place of comfort, for me. I am happy to share it with her, now.

"We'll see where the sun takes us, hm?" She smiles. ".. Maybe the answer is nowhere, and we stay here." She briefly releases his hand and steals the basket from him to let him lay out the blanket, soon enough setting the basket atop of it and lowering herself down by the tree - a hand reaching out towards him and offering a small grabby-hand motion in a mute request for him to join her.

Eir of course joins, descending into the blanket to inch upwards and rest his back to the tree, arm curling around her shoulders. Settled, he breathes a pleased, relaxed sigh. "…This is what I had hoped for, when we had initially made our plan to come here. To steal away with you, in a comfortable little spot." He presses a kiss to her temple, then. "…I would like to stay long enough to see the stars, perhaps…"

Sayuri sinks herself into his embrace, nuzzling up against him with a content exhale. "And we're getting it." She murmurs, ears wiggling at the kiss to her temple. "Mmh? Fine by me."

"Mmh…" Eir hums, eyes lazily lidded to close as he simply drank in the moment. A little longer passes, listening to the rush of the waterfall, before he speaks again. "…We have done so much together… For better or worse. Mostly better." One eye slowly opening, he gazes to her. "Is there anything you wanted to do? Someplace we have yet to go, that we have never been? -- Not right now, of course. I am quite happy, right here. I was just curious."

One of Sayuri's ears perks at the question, she lingers in a brief pause as she considers it, shoulders drawing into a small shrug. "Other than revisiting the East, both near and far.. I'm not certain." She leans her head back a bit, peering up at him. "..What about you?"

"I… Do not know." The answer hangs, almost a little awkwardly. "I have never… truly had any aspirations of my own. Save for leaving Golmore to find some happiness in this life, which I have well and truly achieved. But more than that? I… Do not know. Perhaps seeing some distant land new to us both, one sun…"

I have heard tale of ships going to the west. To the place they call the New World. I do wonder what it is like...? Perhaps, one sun?

Silence lingers a little longer, a small smile settling on Sayuri's lips. ".. Aside from various vendettas we need not bring up that I'd like to take care of, I.. have achieved my biggest goal. To find a place I felt like I belonged.." Another pause, as she nudges her head against him. ".. That I met and married you are certainly part of that."

"You need not worry for your happiness. I will ensure that, for the rest of your cycles. I promised to make you smile every sun, did I not?" Delivering another lingering kiss to her cheek, he gazes to her adoringly. "…My wife…" He muses quietly, with the fondest of smiles. "…My Moon. I am so glad to have you… I cannot describe how happy you make me. Even from all those suns ago…"

"You are my happiness, and I will always worry about you." She offers a small pout his way, smiling as his lips meet her cheek. "My husband." She murmurs back, leaning her head over to gently nudge against his.

Eir's gaze drifts to her pouting lips, meeting his own against them for a moment. "…Sayuri." He asks, in a quizzical yet upbeat sort of musing. "…Do you pout because it troubles you, or… Because you want me to kiss you, hm?"

...I kiss her always, regardless of the reason, when she gives me such a look. I can hardly help myself...

"Mmh~..? Well.." She murmurs, leaning closer. "..It depends on the situation. This time? Because I wanted you to kiss me." She admits, flashing a small grin.

"…You can just ask…" His lips close in on hers, sinking into a soft, warm kiss, only parting in a faint murmur as his gaze settles to her own anew. "I cannot help it when i see you make that face. It is just so…" His head tilts to one side, almost into a pout of his own. "…It makes me feel so…" He trails into quiet, not for wanting, but for the inability for the right word. He decides to peck her on the lips again as a substitute.

"It is me asking, and it's quite effective." She murmurs back, meeting his lips with her own. Her own head tilts after his, a smile settled on her lips. "..So, what?"

"It makes you look so sad." Eir completes with a frown. Not quite the word he'd wanted, but it was the one he said. "---And it is very effective. In fact, you never need ask me for kisses. You can have them whenever you want, you know…" He trails, brows slowly lofting in some faintly accusatory manner. "Though to know my wife has been manipulating me with her would-be distress…" The tone is clearly teasing, one side of his lips curling into a faint grin.

"-Manipulating-?" She almost sounds offended, lips drawing into a pout. "..How very dare you, Eir Fellfrost." She scolds quietly, only to crack a grin afterwards.

And just for that, he almost doesn't consider kissing her for the pout, pulling his own lips into a fierce mirror of that expression himself, before eventually sighing to grace her with another peck, chuckling beneath his breath. "Look, you…" He stares with the fiercest pout. "--I am… Quite aware people might confuse my doting for being wrapped around your icy fingers…"

She beams a victorious grin as their lips meet. She keeps herself close, head gently nudging against him. "..Mmh? Are you not..? Should I try harder?" She teases, smirking.

Eir draws in a breath of protest, then. "I--- Never said that! As much as i am fond of those icy little digits, being wrapped around them is…" A hint of red, and Eir's lips draw into a line. "---Never you mind." A huff, and hasty change of subject. "---Did you want to try some of the food we brought?"

Sayuri grins and raises a hand, lightly wiggling her fingers in his direction. "Oh, I mind." She chuckles. ".. Sure."

Those wriggling fingertips are pecked as he leans up, dragging the basket a little closer as he managed to reach it. "What would you like first? Something sweet, or savory…?"

"Well, I already have you for the sweet bit.." She hums, grinning slightly.

"Pfft. No eating dessert before your meal." Eir teases right back, grinning just as wide. "I did find something at the market you might like." Tugging open the ribbon that unfurled the contents, some leaf-wrapped parcel is pulled from inside. "Not quite Unadon, but…" Upon revealing it, small slices of eel sit between wedges of lemon.

"I will eat dessert exactly whenever I want, thank you very much." She huffs in defiance, head tilting as he unfurls the parcel. It doesn't take long for a hand of hers to snatch a piece of eel, which promptly disappears into her mouth.

"Will you, now?" Eir inclines his head, almost about to add more to the protest before his words are stolen away with the eel. "--Well, okay. I was right to bring this, then." He takes only one slice of the six, but offers the rest in her direction.

...I have never seen her eat anything so fast. Eel. She did mention it was her favourite... I can see that was no understatement.

Sayuri's ears wiggle happily as she monches the piece of eel, needing absolutely no coercion in order to eat it, for once. It seems Eir may have found his bargaining chip for Sayuri's poor eating habits. "… Yes." She finally responds, after swallowing the piece.

"…Well, since it is you…" Eir murmurs. "I suppose i would never deny you something sweet if you asked for it." As though feeding her some luxurious fruit, another slice of eel is plucked up between his fingers, offered to her; he'd intended to feed her, directly.

Sayuri leans herself against Eir, quite happily allowing him to feed her the eel. "Mmmmh…"

He doesn't relent in sending slice after slice, though does warn her. "…Last one." He murmurs, arm tucked around her for her comfort. If anything, he's more amazed at how fast they vanished, grinning in amusement and amazement, both.

Her ears droop a tiny bit as the warning comes, carefully closing her teeth around the piece and beginning to chew it. Slowly.

"…Note to self. Take more of this home with us." Eir muses, as she eats the last slice. He pauses, giving her time to swallow, considering. "…Still hungry? I did try not to overdo it, but there a few other little things, still."

She slumps against him, as the last piece of eel is finally swallowed - much to Sayuri's dismay. "..Gonna.. wait a little.." She mumbles.

"…Fair. I cannot begrudge you for that." Eir laughs, leaning back against the tree. "I would have brought more had i known exactly -how much- you liked it." His gaze trails to the bottom of the cliff, where the water pooled and slowly spilled out to sea, sun descending towards the horizon, though not yet dipping below. "…I have missed coming here, somewhat. I never thought i would."

Though it was peaceful, some of my loneliest moments were spent here. In tears, or melancholy. Looking down, on my worst suns. ...I am happier to have something brighter to remember, here.

".. I like eel.." She murmurs, leaning herself further back against him. ".. I see why you like it."

"…I slept up here plenty. I… Could not always afford a roof over my head, when i first came to Eorzea." He holds her a little closer, then. "The least of my worries, then. As much as i wanted to be around people, i forced myself into solitude. I was… Still, very afraid."

Sayuri rolls over to her side to allow her arms to wrap around him in return, head settling against him. ".. I.. can understand that."

"I know." Eir presses his lips to her forehead, then. "…Though i am glad you do, sometimes i wish you did not. But still. This sun is for happier memories. I can share this peace with you. This little slice of comfort…"

".. And I am very comfortable." She smiles up at him, snuggling herself into his side.

"Mh… Good." He gazes down to her, sighing peacefully. "We needed this, i think. There is the temptation to stay here for a few suns longer, though i do not think Bexy would forgive me for taking you away again for so long." He gazes up to the sun, and back. "…Still happy for the warmth, my Moon?"

"She knows we're not far.. But that also makes it more possible for her to personally come collect us." She snickers quietly, peering up at him. "..I am. It's nice.. Yours, especially."

Eir almost paranoidly glances over his shoulder to the grassy hillside for a long, quiet moment. Back to Sayuri, then. "…Good." A smile, then. "…I did pack a pillow and a blanket, if you feel so inclined…"

".. Mmh.. I will fall asleep on you. That's a threat." She murmurs, nuzzling her head against him.

"…By the look of it, you plan to do that, regardless." Eir quietly teases. "The sun has yet to set. But if you are tired, i do not mind, mm?"

She did eventually fall asleep. We both did. After bells curled up in the arms of the other, talking about everything and nothing and just being... Close. ...We needed this.

[chthonicavalon]

Bounty

Fireflies lit the forest clearing.  Tiny golden-red lights flitted about the tall grasses in between bushes, giving an almost ethereal glow to the liminal space in between forest trails.  The night sky above was filled with stars only slightly shrouded by the boughs of birch, maple, and willow trees.  Vines hung in a ring from from branches around the clearing.  Many who found this solitary place would find it comfortable, lovely even.  It was a place to rest and relax, to avoid the beasts that wandered the wilds at night.

To the woman who most called Sava, it reminded her of the Golmore’s secret clearings, gorgeous holes amidst the ocean of life that let the sun shine brightly and the moon shed its silver glow upon the inhabitants.  

She hated it.  It made her long for a place that was home no longer.

The viera’s hands brushed along the tips of grass blades as she swept through the clearing.  Her long coat dragged behind her, inevitably bending and breaking stems as thoughts brewed in the back of her mind.  Distractions from why she was here, but ones she’d put off.  Her leaving the village of Miret-njer, the aching reason why she left.  Her coming to Eorzea after managing to make her way to Kugane on a trading vessel.  So long at sea with no company but the crew as a temporary hired hand.  Some hadn’t even met a rava before.  It was lucky that she had no patience for their tomfoolery.  It was unlucky that the captain took umbrage with her method of dealing with them – apparently, they had no love for spellweavers who could toxify the air in one’s lungs.  

She wasn’t going to kill him, even if she wanted to.  Even if he tried to pressure her into acts she had no desire to perform upon him.  She merely pulled some of the toxins in his own body to the fore, made him deal with them sooner than later.  They filled his lungs swiftly.  Clouds of miasma were coughed up, until he finally collapsed.  He wouldn’t die from it, just be stuck on bed (hammock?) rest for the rest of the journey.  But he was a loyal crewmate, and she was fired, tossed off at their first port of call in Thavnair.

Annoying, but perhaps a boon.  She got a taste of a different life there, a different way to pay her fare to Eorzea.  And she found ways to fit in where she hadn’t before back home or in Kugane.  People like Savaeja weren’t outcasts in Radz-at-Han.

The viera stopped in the middle of the clearing, where the light of the moon reflected upon her.  It was said now that the moon was a construct, that it was a creation of Hydaelyn but populated and carved out by little rabbitfolk.  While she disliked being compared to them, they did make decent music, at least, good for dancing.  But having this so-called “Menphina” cast her light upon the clearing gave her small advantages.  Similar to what happened back in Thavnair.

The so-called Final Days descended upon the nation of Thavnair.  There had been prophecies back in Miret-njer, of course, whispers that heralded beings of terror one couldn’t know.  They were made manifest in Radz-at-Han.  Sava saw people lose hope, morph into beasts foul and corrupted.  But she’d been through too much to lose herself to that same despair; spite could be a powerful motivation when wielded like a blade.  She helped in the city’s defense like so many other brave heroes.  

And when the city reopened, she packed her few belongings and left.  Why would she stay?  Those she’d protected saw her as a hero, but she was not.  She did what she needed to survive as she had done since she was young.  It just so happened that mounting a defense side-by-side was a practical course of action.  She was still being thanked as she boarded the ship, given passage for free to Eorzea.  No one bothered her on that voyage.  No one dared interrupt a hero.

Sava’s seaglass blue eyes reflected the moon for the moment as she gazed into the stars.  But it was time to get to work.  She pulled a knife from her belt sheath.  The blade glistened as the edge pressed against her palm.  Pain spiked in her palm as blood welled to the surface, pooling in her palm.  Sava turned her hand, let the gash dribble down until a large droplet gathered.  It built, growing larger.  Then it fell.

The grasses went brown in a blink.  Centered on where the droplet hit the ground, a circle several fulm around her died instantly.  The aether of the interconnected blades pooled in the before Sava.  Where they coalesced, a yellow-tinged form began to take shape, a being of raw energy.  But it was something more.  It had consciousness.  Wings formed, abstract and ethereal, flapping to keep the creature aloft even though it was unneeded.  Sava could feel the summoned spirit’s eyes upon her, questioning her.

“Go, Valfirthr,” said the rava in her old tongue.  Aether filled the air, fueling her bound servant and speaking a second layer of language she knew the creature understood.  “Find the one I seek.  We have a bounty to collect.”

Valfirthr bobbed, then spun in the air, disappearing into a cloud of transparent energy.  One of a half dozen entities she’d brought with her from the Wood, she knew this one would do as she asked.  After all, they were all in this together.

[sezja]

Nerise on: the twins and/or vtra/varshaun (separately on the last two if you're feeling it) and/or ardbert

Ask game: send an in game characters name to see how someones WoL/OC feels about them

Alphinaud: Another very strong shift from "What an obnoxious kid; who does he think he is" to "This is my baby brother and if anyone harms a single hair on his head I'm going to tear them limb from limb." She and Alphinaud don't always get along - again, Nerise has no patience for politics and that's Alphi's bread and butter - but she's protective of him. And proud of him.

Alisaie: By the time Alisaie returns in Ishgard, she and Nerise are very prepared to adore each other. Nerise likes how action-oriented Alisaie is; they're both most comfortable when getting things done. Of all the Scions, Alisaie is the one Nerise gets along best with, though they enjoy a friendly rivalry. Alisaie has tried to teach Nerise a little bit of magic, but she just doesn't have the head for it.

Nerise probably has to be held back from punching Fourchenault.

Multiple times.

Varshahn: When Varshahn first appears holding a basket of dragon scales, Nerise is fully prepared to believe the worst of the satrap. Sohl Amh - like Estinien - immediately senses the presence of a great wyrm, but not understanding exactly how or why, chooses to keep their silence, so all Nerise knows right away is that her wyvern friend is uneasy about something about this kid. She's not at all inclined to trust him, and is keeping a sharp eye on him, ready to learn that Radz-at-Han's "pact" with this unseen dragon is all a lie and the beast is being held somewhere against their will.

Vrtra: She loves Vrtra. Instantly, immediately, and more the longer she knows him. He reminds her a great deal of his sister Ratatoskr in his love for mankind and his desire for peace, and in his love for Thavnair. When her adventures and his duties allow, she likes to sit and speak with him - and of course she and Sohl Amh throw themselves wholeheartedly into the quest to save Azdaja.

Ardbert: Complicated, as you might expect. In a very strange way, Ardbert is one of the few people who understand a little of what she's gone through since arriving in the future - he, too, is forced to see the remnants of a world he failed to save, and the memories of friends he was forced to lose. She's not sure she likes having someone around who sees right through her, but it makes things a little less lonely.

[laspocelliere]

Day Twenty-Six: Last

All of her final moments were shrouded in darkness.

The last time she’d fallen asleep was under the night sky of Sharlayan. It had come with difficulty, even without fear. Death didn’t frighten her – it never had. Instead, her mind had churned over everything she was leaving behind, pressing her fingers cautiously against the bruises left by all those she’d allowed herself to care about. The bed was comfortable, but she slept poorly, wondering if it was worth it to let her guard down as much as she had, after all.

It hurt too much. 

And that was why they needed to be protected.

The last time she’d been kissed was under the dark snowfalls of Ishgard. Aymeric had held her so tightly she could scarcely breathe, his arms still holding the faintest tremor of doubt from dealing with the plague of blasphemies across the city. She’d kissed him, fierce and determined, pouring her love and devotion into him with everything she had. He wouldn’t turn. He couldn’t. He was the pillar she held herself up against, even as the Final Days pressed down upon them, with seemingly only her own shoulders to keep them from crushing down into the earth. 

The snow fell silently down on them, mixed in with ash and dust, and she kissed him with the conviction that she was coming back, she was coming home, this wasn’t any different.

He kissed her in turn, desperate, and steady, and terrified all at once. Because this time was different, and they both knew it. Leaving him behind had never been easy; with the state of the world now, it nearly killed her.

She would die protecting him, if that’s what it took.

She left under cover of darkness, lips tingling and cold seeping into her bones with the sensation of loss. 

The last time she’d seen the sun had been under the encroaching red-dark skies of Thavnair. The air tasted like gunpowder and smelled like burning flesh, cloying and thick in her lungs. Shadows hung heavy over everything in sight, despite the sun burning black and bright in the blood-drenched sky, illuminating shimmering mirages of stars. It had been unsettling to see the sky fade in and out of its fury as she travelled across Eorzea, desperately trying to stem the flow of chaos and death as it rampaged across the star. Dust and grit was rough on her exposed skin as she moved from city to city, dry-eyed and determined to find a solution to what plagued them.

Heart impossibly heavy with the knowledge she now held.

The Scions looked askance at her at varying intervals, but she knew what they weren’t asking – what they never asked, not once, but expected of her regardless. When it came time, she’d do what was necessary. She’d always been their last hope, and they were more desperate now than they’d ever been before. 

She’d never feared death.

The last time she’d tried to die had been under the moonlight of Coerthas. Still a child by most standards, she’d emerged from the mountainside in cold winter darkness, stolen sword at her hip and pushed forwards by her refusal to ever return to her home again. She’d never known welcome, never known acceptance, or kindness or anything close to love. She told herself it was what she was seeking, going out into the world unprepared as she was, but in the deepest recesses of her soul, the truth lay, curled and dark.

She sought out strife and adventure.

She secretly hoped that she’d find the thing that would end her. End a lifetime where all she’d known was disdain for her very existence.

To her shock, she hadn’t found it.

To her horror, she found that when the time came to die, it turned out that she very much wanted to live, after all.

The last time she drew breath was under the black, bottomless expanse of Ultima Thule. The ground that wasn’t ground was cold beneath her back, with her own sweat and blood mingling and cooling in the air that wasn’t air. 

Next to her, just out of reach, Zenos had breathed his last. She felt it happen, somehow, nearly like a loss, or a lightening – or maybe it was her own soul, gently breaking free from its shackles of a mortal body at last. She knew she was bleeding out, could feel blood pooling beneath her and soaking into her hair, but there was no pain. Nothing but the silence, and the infinite darkness above her, and a lifetime of memories that drifted across her fading consciousness like dreams.

The travelling she’d done. The people she’d met. The lives that had touched hers, and that she’d touched in return, regardless of how many walls she tried to throw up. The people who’d managed to breach those defences, even without her knowing. The Scions. The Alliances. The Ancients. The star. Aymeric, Aymeric, Aymeric.

Goodbye, love. 

I’m sorry.

Consciousness slipped quietly away from her, her gaze catching on what little she could see through her darkening vision. Distantly, the stars beyond winked soft and gentle, the sole witnesses to her final moments as her lungs struggled to draw its last few breaths.

All her final moments had been shrouded in darkness.

But that wasn’t quite right.

The Warrior of Light let her eyes fall shut, finding death a comforting friend after all as she drew her last breath, and her last thought: 

All of her final moments were dappled with stars. And the first time she opened her eyes once more, her first moment was illuminated in clear, bright, indescribable light.

[laeorinel]

Wolcred Week Day 1 - Comfort/Scars

Minor-ish Endwalker spoilers.

Looking out over the still-smouldering ruins of what was once a small village nestled in the jungles of Thavnair, Samara's nerves were still on edge. The entire village had become blasphemies, and the battle to fall them all was long and arduous. Morale among the Radiant Host soldiers was low. Her optimistic side believed the worst was over and these soldiers could rest and recover. Yet that optimism was drowned out by her more realistic tendencies. The low morale would take its toll, and some of those soldiers would meet their end at the edge of her axe soon enough. Most souls can only take so much hardship until they break and splinter, and not all can be put back together again. How many times has her own soul been broken, only to be reforged into something new? 

"You should get that looked at." She turns, and her hand instinctively reaches for her axe before pausing, letting out a breath she had not realised she was holding. Her face twists into a grimace when she sees the owner of the voice; she had not noticed Thancred approaching at all. Was she that distracted, or had he purposefully moved to go unnoticed? 

Thancred stands just a few ilms behind Samara, looking over her bloodied armour. He does not look much better, white coat black and bloodied, his arms lightly trembling from exhaustion. He is, however, uninjured. Something that cannot be said for his partner. It is not difficult to make out the few fresh and still bleeding injuries under all the black blood, muck and caked-on ash. Some give him particular concern. He spies one along her arm deep enough to go through her scales. A troubling wound that will be harder to heal if not seen sooner rather than later.

With a roll of her eyes, she returns to watching the jungle below for any movement. "I am fine. What injuries I have are minor." Samara keeps her back to him, her voice calm and stoic. If he did not know better, he would find himself believing her. He hates how good she is at masking her thoughts and feelings and how she still does it, even around him. With a sigh, he crosses the last few ilms between them to stand beside her, a hand reaching to take one of hers though she pulls away from the touch at the last moment.   

"Samara." The weary tone in his voice says it all. There is no need for a long, drawn-out argument, especially this one. It is an argument they have both had with each other Gods knows how many times before. Sometimes he is the one on the receiving end of it. Neither of them are particularly good at asking for help or realising they even need it in the first place. He never wants to be a bother, and she is so used to being self-reliant that she will only ask for help when she has no other choice or the choice is taken away after pushing herself too far. She had been getting better at this; both of them had, but their respective stubbornness still lingered. "Please, love."

Those two words nearly cause her to falter. Nearly. But they were still in the middle of a battleground; threats still existed, and horrors still lurked in the forests below. The people of Thavnair still needed the unyielding Warrior of Light leading the defence, not the battered and broken woman who knew all too well she needed to rest and recover. "There are others in far worse states than me. See to them first. Like I said. I am fine." 

Thancred threw his head back, letting out another aggrieved sigh. "Twelve give me strength...", Why did he have to fall in love with the most stubborn woman on Etheirys? He knew there was no point in telling her she was wrong. Confrontation never worked. Only cold hard logic and dismantling her arguments one by one would. 

"The worst of the injured have already been relocated to the city. Those that remain are those who can and still intend to fight. No more blasphemies have been sighted in the area, and reports from other villages are coming in. Thavnair is safe."

"For now. More will come."

"Aye. You are right. All the more reason that we should see to your wounds now. I can tell you lack the aether to tend to them yourself, so will you please let Urianger or Alphinaud see to them?"

"I do. But as I said, my wounds are minor. The others should not waste their energy on such trivial things." 

"Trivial things? Is that what you call this?" Thancred takes her arm and prods one of the wounds he noticed earlier, the one crossing her scales, blood oozingly slowly but surely from it. We're it only a surface wound that damaged the scales; it would not hurt too much. When she winces sharply and pulls away with a hiss, he knows he has proved a point to her. 

"For Twelve's sake, Samara. If you will not let the others tend to your wounds, then fine, but please-" he lifts a hand to her face, gently tipping her chin up to look at him in the eyes. "-at least let me."

With that, she breaks. Seeing the concern and fear in his eyes, she could not keep putting on her brave face. She pulls away from his hand, head lowering before resting the scales on her forehead against his breastplate. Her shoulders sag as she leans into him. She is done, and he knows it. No more words are said between them as he guides her back to camp. 

Now their actions talk for them as wounds are tended to and worries are eased. The night ends with the two of them curled up in a cramped tent seeking solace in each other's arms while the world slowly goes to hell outside. 

[spirestar]

@heartinhands : ❛  what makes you think i’m going to help you?  ❜ (fandaniel for lief)

Lief raises an eyebrow and shrugs. The shaggy hair hanging just over her shoulders bobs with her as she tilts her head curiously. "I doubt you will." In the warm sun of Thavnair more freckles have spattered over her cheeks and they settle comfortably in her dimples when she smiles. "But you're here, aren't you?"

He hasn't been there long--The tower is an ugly jagged beacon amidst a beautiful land and nobody, nobody, can go near it. Nobody else at least. But Lief can, so why wouldn't she go by herself? The warding scales are only a hypothesis and she's had enough of waiting around. So she made Thancred find a boat and now she's here, sandaled feet dipping in the coast, claws poking in the sand at the shore of the tower's island home. Really he couldn't be sure anyone would appear. It's always more likely for monsters to awaken than any really foe to rear its head, and yet he's here. She doesn't like Fandaniel. Who would? But more than that, he hates how empty everything the Ascian does seems. Maybe if she'd chopped Asahi into more pieces--

"Maybe you really want to help me," the sharp grin he gives is accompanied by the sound of his feet smacking the water. "Wouldn't that be a laugh?"

[drachenblood]

once more thinking about estinien and his scales and the self-loathing that’s coupled with their existence since they’re this permanent reminder of his failures along with the horror of his own body slowly changing into something else before his very eyes. 

and all those messy feeling compounding to him ignoring that his body is different now, he needs to take care of it. but he won’t, so the scales and everything else gets worse. he files down his claws, he picks at the scales hoping maybe finally they flesh beneath will finally grow back normal. he lets them become irritated and infected, ignores when he’s having his shed. adamantly refuses to acknowledge anything’s wrong when people ask. 

he’s the worst. 

[catscratching]

Caught in the Rain

Wondrous Tails of FFXIV

2022.06.06

[ Thus begins the first of my final prompts; I have enjoyed this challenge so very much, and welcome all the new followers I've gained. I hope you all enjoy reading of Seda and Fakhri's adventures as much as we do writing them. ♥ ]

Footsteps sounded on the path along the river, barely audible over the muted rush of the water below.  Bocquet sat on the rough bench they had painstakingly chiseled from the surrounding stone, leaning back against an exposed root, face turned up toward an overcast sky.

They had come more frequently, after Seda and Fakhri’s visit; the resolve to go to Thavnair had faded, in the face of the challenges of daily life.  The conversation with Arak felt like a dream – why would a forest spirit waste its time speaking to them? – and the often-fragile grip they had on reality began to slip.  It was easier to sit here, with Silana's cairn, and watch the water, letting their thoughts trickle away like the leaves that fell on the surface.

Opening their eyes, Bocquet regarded the newcomer, then turned back toward the river, voice dry.  “I thought I smelled something foul, and there you are.”

A tall elezen with the sun-bronzed skin of a Wildwood smiled, his eyes shadowed behind a pair of wire-framed spectacles.  “Prickly as ever, I see.  Sometimes I wonder why I bother.”  

Their exchange had the ease of habitual banter, and he sat beside the still figure holding vigil, settling back on the bench with every indication he intended to join the androgynous Bocquet in their reflections.

“I do too,” Bocquet murmured after several minutes of silence.

“Pardon?”  The forest was never truly quiet; birds sang, insects hummed, the rising wind danced through the trees, creating a rustling sound not unlike the whisper of a woman’s ballgown. 

“Wonder why you bother.”  Bocquet hadn’t moved, but there was an air of expectation now, of waiting.

Anisai was quiet in his turn, shifting his backside slightly to ease the ache of sitting on the rough stone, giving the question due consideration.  Finally, he said in a low voice, “I loved her too.”

It wasn’t what Bocquet had expected; their eyes snapped open as they turned to their companion.  “You never said anything.”

“What was there to say?  You had made your choice,” Anisai shrugged, his voice still soft.  He had come to grips with it years ago.  “It would not have changed anything; I would have loved you both, and forever been on the outside looking in.  It was better for all three of us that I stepped away.”

Bocquet blew out a breath, reeling from this revelation.  “But why are you here now?  I’m not— Ani, I don’t want to hurt you, but I don’t think there will ever be anyone – “

“I’m not here to try and seduce you,” Anisai snorted.  He then sighed, and tentatively leaned back against a different root, trying to get comfortable.  “Word gets around, Q.  You have grown more and more reclusive, and people talk.”

“If this is about what happened with Sedani,” Bocquet straightened, visibly bristling.  “I will not apologize or let them brush it off as grief.  That boy is damned lucky I didn’t skin him alive.”

“Peace, peace!”  Ani raised both hands in a placating gesture, his brows drawing together.  The incident in question had happened two decades ago; that it was still fresh in Bocquet’s mind was troubling.   “When was the last time you came into the city?  Rolfe and Ysabel said they never see you either.”

Thunder rumbled overhead, the air changing, becoming electrified.  Anisai had the uncomfortable sensation of an impending storm of an entirely different sort; Bocquet had been powerful when they were young, eschewing their gifts and letting them wither.  Would they reach for those abilities now, to avoid uncomfortable truths?

Bocquet looked away, unable to bear the weight of their companion’s eyes.  It had not been that long, surely, since they were at the Hawthorne’s.   Before the children visited, yes, but… Hm.  And Gridania itself?  The last time had been… their shoulders tightened as they realized they couldn’t remember.   Food was easy enough to come by in the Shroud, and their needs were simple; Rolfe Hawthorne had always been willing to trade fresh meat for whatever Bocquet couldn’t provide themselves, and…

Nophica’s tears, it had been a long time, hadn’t it?  Anisai’s hair, like their own, was tinged with grey; and the lines on his face had deepened.  How long had it been since they had seen their old friend?  Had they even wondered at his absence?   Shame burned like acid in their belly.  No – they hadn’t.  They had thought he stayed away because… Because my ego wanted to believe he couldn’t bear to see me happy with another.  And once she was gone…

“I stopped at the house,” Anisai said quietly. 

The thunder above them growled again, the first droplets of rain beginning to patter down the foliage.

Bocquet’s shoulders drew up, like a turtle trying to pull into a shell.  They hadn’t cleaned since Seda and her Fakhri had left.  Why bother?  Their needs were few, their life… 

“You had no right,” They growled, defensive.  “Invading my home.”

“I care about you, jackass, and it doesn’t take a mind-healer to know you’re not in a good place.”  He took a deep breath, raking his fingers through his hair. 

“How is Seda?  Someone said she came through a few weeks back.”

Bocquet made a soft sound, deep in their throat.  How to explain that their girl no longer needed them?  That she had a good partnership, that Bocquet had noticed her grow restless toward the end of her visit, seen that the little cottage in the woods was too small for the brilliant fire that had been born there.

She would be fine; her man would care for her, and the spirit rat would guide her. They felt they should be happy - proud, even - that she had overcome so much to find happiness. But all they felt was empty and alone. So... incredibly alone.

Ani reached out and wrapped an arm around their shoulder, noting how much their youthful strength had weathered away, leaving whipcord muscle and knobby bone.  Tugging his old love in against his shoulder, he rubbed a hand over their back soothingly, feeling emotion sting his eyes as he felt the hard knobs of their spine.  He should have come sooner.  Much, much sooner.

Bocquet resisted at first, then sagged against him, grief wracking their body.  As the rain began to fall, so too did the emotional floodgates.  In the horrible days after Silana’s death, they had rejected sympathy from old friends, choosing instead to stand tall and apart.  Perhaps it was resentment, that the Conjurers couldn’t heal the illness that took her from them both.   Perhaps it was anger at the community that had whispered about the fire haired Miqo’te and her daughter, long before Bocquet had acknowledged their own feelings.  Whatever the reason, they had been isolated and stoic, trying to parent a rebellious kitten on the cusp of womanhood – and feeling as though they let both the girl and her mother down.

Time ceased to have meaning as the minutes stretched into an hour and more; they sat without speaking as the smaller figure sobbed, the taller holding them close, his stubbled cheek nestled against the top of their head. Rain sluiced away the evidence of tears along with dust and pollen; symbolically washing the two elezen clean. 

The coming days would be difficult – they had a great deal of history to pick through, conversations that had been avoided. 

They would never be lovers – Anisai would readily admit that he had, in his younger years, dreamed of Bocquet and Silana recognizing that he loved them - dreamed of being welcomed into their home and raising the girl with a trio of parents instead of just two – but he had come as a friend, and that was both all he wanted, and all Bocquet could offer.   Their ability to feel romantic love had died with Seda’s mother.

As storms do, the clouds moved on and the rain slowed to a patter, leaving the two sodden friends wet and chilled, but also refreshed.  Bocquet was the first to move, gently untangling from Ani’s arms and moving to stand, wobbling as stiff limbs protested. 

“I’ve… some tea.  At the cot- at home.  I might as well make a fire; let you warm up before sending you on your way.”

Anisai smiled.  “That would be nice.”   

It would take time.  Such things always did.  But Bocquet had put their foot back onto the path of living, and that was a victory worth celebrating.

@wondroustailsofffxiv

[autumnslance]

Prompt #8: Tepid

Zaine stared down at the paperwork in front of him.

“You’ll be fast tracked to officer,” the captain said, grinning broadly. “Your service so far has been outstanding, and I feel you can only go up from here. You might even give Lieutenant Nahbdeen a run for his money.”

Perhaps even a year ago, such praise and the idea of competing against the Radiant Host’s best would have excited him.

Today he didn’t care.

“I…am not going to re-enlist,” Zaine said.

The captain blinked in surprise. “When did you decide this?”

Zaine frowned. He hadn’t; not until this moment. “I’m sorry, sir; but I don’t think this is where I am meant to be anymore.”

The captain sighed as he leaned back. “I’m sorry to hear that, son. You’ve been an asset to the Host. What are your plans?”

“I appreciate that, sir. And I haven’t quite decided yet. I ought to talk a few options over with my folks.”

“You’re from Davarresh, yes? Family’s part of the Cooperative?”

Zaine nodded. It wasn’t unusual for youths of their tribe to serve some time in the Host before returning to the traveling mercantile life. He was older than most of those who returned home.

“Well, I didn’t expect to need final out paperwork,” the Captain said. “Tell you what; come back tomorrow morning. I’ll have both sets here, if you change your mind.”

Zaine thanked him, and on dismissal, saluted and left, slowly walking to his quarters.

He had thought he had found a place here; the Radiant Host commanded respect and admiration across Thavnair, and did a great deal of good for the island. He had learned various combat techniques, though most of it was mere practice, or against occasional random beasts. Very rarely there were bandits or pirates to deal with.

It wasn’t enough.

Not that he wanted danger or glory; he was by no means bored with the idea of protecting the people, the island. The thought of spending his life in the Host, of dressing in the scaled armor reminiscent of the draconic divinity of legend, leading the soldiers and receiving his orders directly from the Satrap in Meghaduta…It should have been enticing, exciting, a point of pride.

It left him indifferent.

He slumped against the wall outside his barracks, hearing the chatter and laughter of his three roommates, the familiar rattle of someone opening their locker, the clink of bottles being passed around.

Zaine ran a hand down his face. He didn’t belong here anymore. He wasn’t sure how or why or when that had happened, but as comfortable as this life was to him, he needed something more.

He had to talk to his parents. He wondered what his sister would think.

Zaine took a breath and forced a smile as he stepped into the room to the greetings of his comrades. He would have to tell them later, but he hid his doubts and apathy to join them for now, while he still could.

[efrmellifer]

XXV. Reply

Choose your own: Riposte. Post-Endwalker.

Anticipating that he was alone in the house, since Etien had likely already gone to deliver the letters to the children of Radz-at-Han, Aymeric made his way to the kitchen.

He still didn’t know how to use the Magitek kettle the Ironworks had gifted her, so he was going to have to boil water the old-fashioned way, but he wasn’t in any rush.

When he entered the kitchen, however, he found a jar out on the island, its lid lying beside it.

“Finest La Noscean Cinderfoot,” he mumbled, reading the label. “Who left out olives?”

As if to answer his question, Etien closed the cupboard door and reached absently into the jar, popping another olive into her mouth.

“Oh, I thought you had left already,” he remarked.

“Aymeric! You were still deep asleep when I was getting ready to head out.”

“Is that why I don’t remember a good-bye kiss?”

“Must be, because I definitely gave you one.” She closed the olives and gently moved past him to put the jar away, then turned on the Magitek kettle for him. “But I’m happy to give you another.” Before he had even raised the question, she gave him a reassuring smile. “The kettle turns itself off; you won’t need to worry about that.”

“Thank you. Why olives?”

“It’s a long flight to Thavnair,” she mused. “The brine keeps my stomach settled, oddly.”

He nodded. “I hope it goes smoothly.”

“Thank you,” she beamed, taking hold of the front of his shirt and rolling up on her toes to kiss him. “I’ll see you soon.”

When Etien and the Delivery Moogle arrived in Radz-at-Han and started making their way toward the orphanage, the first child to spot them headed that way sent up a cry that seemed to spread quickly.

“She’s come with the letters!” One shouted to all.

“Letters from Ishgard are here!” she heard another call out on her way through the city.

As all the children had gather and now they began to swarm around her, she handed them their letters one by one, watching them trot off to tear open the envelopes and read eagerly, kicking their feet at the descriptions of life in the ever-snowy highlands of Coerthas.

Mehrahd reached out for his letter, thanking Etien when she handed it over.

“Thank Maelie, not me,” she told him with a little wink.

He opened the letter and read:

Dear Mehrahd,

I hope you and your sister are well, and that you have gotten the rain you were hoping for.

It is unseasonably warm in Ishgard today, but it will be cold again soon, now that it is autumn. I hear there are fishers on your island. What kind of fish do you have? I will tell Lord Ansaulme and maybe he will visit to catch them!

We also have dragons here. I was saved by one, in fact! She caught me as I fell from a great height. We even have a dragon staying here in the Firmament. She likes to do crafting, like weaving and metalworking.

I hope to hear from you again soon!

Sincerely,

Maelie

“Who’s Lord Ansaulme?” he asked Etien.

“A nobleman from Ishgard who loves fishing,” she told him. “He keeps a big house and has fish in ponds there so he can catch them.”

“Would he like our fish?”

She smiled. “I think he would.”

Packing up the bag, she handed it to the moogle, then set off for Meghaduta.

She was let in without question, and announced with a little bit of excitement in the guard’s voice.

“Greetings once more, friend to us all,” Vrtra spoke as she entered his chamber. “Hast thou come all by thy lonesome?”

“This time,” she affirmed. “But I intend to bring the children and Aymeric next time I visit.”

“Good. ‘Twould be pleasant to see thy little ones again, to tell them the stories I recall from my millennia on this isle.”

“They’ll be thrilled for the opportunity!”

He nodded toward the furnishings. “Please, make thyself comfortable. What business didst thou have with us today?” he asked her then.

She sat down on one of the settees before answering. “I was delivering the letters from Ishgard, but wanted to come see you, especially after your nice letter last time.”

“Ah, I am glad ‘twas well-received.”

She gave him a warm smile, with a soft, “of course it was,” then let her gaze wander, drifting over his side. “Have your sheds not brought in new scales to replace the ones you’ve lost yet?”

He shifted a wing as if to cover the abraded skin. “’Tis nothing.”

She rose from her seat. “It isn’t nothing. We all deeply appreciate what you’ve done supplying scales, but I had hoped you would have had them turn over a little more quickly. Do you need salve for it? Healing magic?”

“In time, it shall pass,” Vrtra assured her. “But I am grateful for thy concern.”

She sat down again. “As long as you aren’t in too much pain.”

He sighed. “Thou art a botanist, art thou not?”

“I am.”

“Might it be within thine abilities to find some soothing plants?”

“Absolutely,” she replied. “Is there equipment and gloves I can borrow? I can go now.”

“The alchemists in the High Crucible of Al-Kamiya should have that which thou requirest. Thou hast my thanks.”

She patted his forearm. “Anything for a friend.”

[umbralsound-xiv]

Home Comforts.

The last leg of our journey, and only three more stones to visit. It is a comforting feeling to know we are a little closer to home, and all that we will be walking around are likely places i have been before. Still. They are so much more magical, for having her with me.

"It was pleasant enough in the snows… But i am glad to be in warmer climes…" Eir murmurs, smoothing a hand over his arm with a sigh, as to dismiss the last bit of cold, though they had long departed Coerthas, now. The hand, as ever, finds one of Sayuri's own soon after. "I never thought i would come to find a forest home ever again, in all my cycles…"

Sayuri glances at him, cheekily raising her hand to crawl two, chilly fingers up along his arm before her hand drops back down to be grasped by his, an innocent smile on her lips. ".. Life has a funny way with things, sometimes."

"I am quite fond of these funny little things life has thrown at us, sometimes. Less fond of other parts…" Eir huffs quietly, leaning down to level his gaze with her own for a few long moments. He kisses her with a smile on his lips, pulling back. "At least we will have a more comfortable place to rest after our travels this sun, hm?"

"… Well.. yeah." She mumbles, glancing up at him with a tilted head. Her lips meet his softly, ears wiggling. "Mmh. As nice as it has been.. it'll be good to be home."

"Home. To as many pillows as we can fit into a corner, to bookshelves, and a decent bath…" He sighs in peace at even the thought of it, walking onwards. "And just three more gods to visit, yes?"

A soft snicker escapes her, head sinking into a nod. ".. Nophica, Byregot and Althyk."

"…And the first is…" As he crosses the threshold to the opening, his eyes widen at the scale of the stone ahead of him. "…Nophica. She is the patron of Gridania, yes?" He asks, lofting a brow. "…You can tell."

Sayuri's gaze lifts to the stone, lips tugging into a thin line. "… Yes."

...Why this stone is so incomparibly huge to the rest of them, i suppose can be attributed to the Gridanian's reverance of her. It is a land full of many things growing, i suppose...

"…I wonder how they got it all the way up there? I imagine conjurers might have something to do with it… Goodness." He contemplates the enormity of such a task, digging through his satchel. From within, a tiny sprout of a plant is pulled, and set in the alter before him. "Nophica… Goddess of Abundance. My only ask is for comfort. To ensure we have always enough food, enough warmth. The rest is inconsequential, so long as i have her." Eir offers a warm smile. "---And… Perhaps some kind of blessing on my houseplants would be nice, too…"

Sayuri's shoulders shifted into a small shrug, glancing between the mark and the altar. Her hand sinks into her satchel to withdraw a small piece of a mistletoe, which she then approaches the altar to place it down upon before withdrawing. Her gaze shifts a touch awkwardly around the area, ears lowering just a touch. "..I.. have no words." She mumbles.

"…Sometimes we do not, but the blessing is recieved regardless, i wager." Eir smiles, extending his hand for her to take. "…Southwards now, yes? I am beginning to learn these woods well enough, i think."

She reaches to grasp his offered hand, lips curling into a faint smile before her head sinks into a nod.

"The next is some fair walk away, but at the very least it is not so far home, after." He begins to walk onwards, then. "The beds in Ishgard were not the most comfortable… I wager i will sleep well, later."

"Mmh.. At least you managed to keep some warmth, even if you were hugging me." A soft snicker leaves her, her hand squeezing his gently.

"The coat helped. And my heart was warm, even if my toes were not." Eir hums, tracing his thumb over her knuckles. "I will appreciate it in Thavnair… The weather is a different kind of heat. The sort that makes everything stick to you."

".. I can't wait to go with you." She smiles. ".. All the more reason to hold onto me, hm?"

"As though i needed more reason. I will try not to be -too- clingy in public." Eir gave a wry smile, looking to her.

She chuckles, head leaning over to bump against his shoulder. ".. But no promises, mmh?"

"…No promises. That would be too difficult a promise to keep." Humming, he leans to peck her on the cheek, walking on.

"Don't worry, I won't make you promise that." She smiles, ears wiggling at the peck.

The heat in Thavnair is stifling. No wonder we spent so long near the water; the ocean helped temper it on the worst suns, even if we came home covered in salt and smelling of seaweed. ...What i would give to swim in that sea again. Perhaps she will join me...?

"…So many places that i hope are still there. I wager so much will have changed in my long absence. But it is an ancient city. Surely forty or so cycles should not matter so much…"

".. Even if they're not, we get to discover new, or forgotten, areas together, yes?" She offers a soft smile, squeezing his hand.

Her words brighten him, offering a warm smile. "…I would like that. No matter what, it will be nice, there. And we will find you something to wear, hm? You could always ask in the Weaver's guild?"

".. Weaver's guild in Thavnair… or Ul'dah?" She slowly raises a brow, tilting her head.

"…Both, i suppose? Though the last i know, there is not so much a guild of weavers in Thavnair as a whole industry dedicated. To making the cloth, and also to those who fashion it into clothes. No doubt you could hire a tailor."

".. Ah. Well.." She pauses, a small grimace settling on her features. ".. I suppose I could see if Ul'dah has anyone that knows Thavnairian clothing.."

"It is popular. I would be surprised if they did not." He looks over her for a moment. "…You really would look lovely in it…"

She offers a small smile, squeezing his hand before furrowing her brows in thought. ".. I dislike the thought of going alone, and Bexy does have more things to do than tending to my troubles.." She mumbles, mostly to herself. ".. Maybe I'll bring Vex, I'm.. sure she could use some more clothes, considering.. She only has one set of it."

"…You… Would both be safe, going there?" He says, as though he himself hadn't ventured there not even a moon ago. "…You will take the airship?"

".. Going through the aether isn't exactly an option for me, and I'm not.. sure Vex knows how to? So.. yes. An airship." She peers up at him, tilting her head. ".. We'd only be in the city, and Vex is free of her collar.. They have no control over her anymore."

"I just…" Sighing, gently squeezes her hand. "…I… Worry. More than i should, i know. You will be fine…" He murmurs, telling himself, more than her.

She squeezes his hand in return, offering a reassuring smile. ".. I will be fine. I won't be alone."

...I will still worry. Even if it is just the two of them... And they are in the city. I did not see anyone during my trip, but that is to say they may have been hidden in plain sight. Regardless, i got back without any issue... ...I can hardly keep her cooped up in the room for the fear of it. She will be fine. She will. ...

"…I know." Eir replies, fighting to attempt a smile, though his brow knit with worry still. "…I will be waiting for your return, when you choose to go. With something comfortable, and a warm pair of arms…" Settling a kiss to the top of her head, he stops as he approaches the stone. "…Which one is this? I know the last two are in this part of the Shroud."

She leans her head over to nudge it against his shoulder, keeping it there as she gazes upon the stone. "Althyk, the surveyor of change and God of space and time."

"I… See." Eir nods, briefly releasing her to fish about in his satchel once more. A small slip of paper, which a worn, blue ribbon is tied around, and a brand new one, just beneath. "…I am aware i have more time than most on these lands, be it by either virtue or curse of what i am. But for the cycles we will share, i ask that you make them plentiful. That our time will be long, and happy. And though many things will change… I know my love for her will only grow stronger." His offering is set before the stone, before he returns to her side.

Sayuri raises her head to let him move forth, only to sink her hand into her own satchel. She withdraws an hourglass, small enough to fit in the palm of her hand and leans down to settle it next to Eir's offering. ".. For a long life, and many cycles alongside the one I love." She looks up to him, displaying a soft smile.

Resting his head against her own, he draws a long, quiet sigh. Something about their words seems to have struck a nerve, as he slowly curls his arms around her for comfort, exhaling a quiet sigh. "…I love you." Eir whispers. It is a quiet, simple statement, brow knit as his eyes closed.

...A long life. How many years will the Gods afford us, i wonder? Perhaps if i left more offerings...? Sayuri is twenty-seven cycles old. B'nhara passed when she was seventy one... And it never seemed like enough time, ever. I cried for cycles when she left me. ...And i am doing this again. Again, i will watch her grow old and frail, and eventually pass away when the time comes. How many cycles will we have...? And that is if her aether does not take her first, or the battlefield, or some other vengeful, vindictive bastard with ill intentions. And i...? ...I will look the same as i do now, when it happens.... No. No no no. I can not think about this now. Even when she goes, she will have had a long, happy life, because i will have made it so. I will treasure every moment i have with her... Every single one.

She turns herself to more properly coil her arms around him, nudging her head against his. "I love you too." She murmurs, glancing up at him with concern lingering in her gaze.

Turning his head slowly, he presses his lips to her cheek, releasing her to find her hand with his once more. "…One more to go, yes?" Eir asks, a little more brightly.

She tightens her wrap a touch before her arms begin to withdraw, slightly tip-toeing to let her press a soft kiss against his cheek in return to the one he gave her before grasping at his hand, nodding gently.

"To think we have travelled so far, and there is still so much to see, even here in Eorzea. I think… I would like to travel places. Even for a sun or two. A picnic, or a night beneath the stars… It sounds nice."

"It sounds lovely." She smiles, squeezing his hand. "There are plenty of areas I haven't truly been to, or my visits have merely been in passing.. I'd love to see more with you." She pauses, snickering. ".. I'm sure Bexy has some opinions of romantic areas, too."

"I would ask her for a list, but i do not think i could remember it all, nor do i think that they make pieces of paper that long." Smirking, Eir flashes a grin to her in response. "But we could ask her for a few?"

".. I'm sure she'd happily get a journal and fill it to the brim with locations if we asked." She grins, a small chuckle leaving her. "We could."

"Oh, most certainly." Eir hums, though pauses soon after. "---You think she would? I… Would not mind reading it, if she did. Just because i am marrying you does not mean i will stop taking you on cute little dates. Sadly, those are inescapable." He grins.

".. Bexy, who is about as excited as both of us combined about the fact we're getting married?" She laughs softly. "… Yes." Her head tilts, a dramatic exhale leaving her. "Oh, no. The -horror-. My husband will take me on little dates." She smirks.

...The things we will see. The places we will go. I will make you happy, Sayuri, i promise. ...I promise you this, above all else.

"Oh yes. So many little dates. And i will kiss you…" Eir leans in, an ilm from her face as he draws in a whisper. "…In public."

She gazes up at him, a red tint taking to her cheeks. ".. Oh, Gods. In public, too? Have you no shame?" She giggles, leaning in to close the distance between them and settle a soft kiss upon his lips.

"No." Eir returns the kiss. "None at all." Pulling back… He returns, to steal another kiss with a grin. "…Not even a little bit."

A faint laugh leaves her between the kisses, one hand lifting to settle against his cheek - her thumb moving to gently caress it. "Good." She murmurs, smiling up at him.

Regarding her with a warm smile, Eir lingers in her touch for a little longer, before closing the last few steps to the remaining stone. A sigh leaves him, hand gently in her own. "…And here we are. The last one. Byregot, yes? The… Builder?"

Sayuri's head sinks into a nod, gaze drifting to the mark. "Yes."

Eir nods, and pulls the last offering from the satchel. It is a bow, tied and folded into the shape of a flower. "I have never been much of a maker of anything, in truth. My cooking is about as far as that goes. But i promise to always make a comfortable home, so long as you give me the means to do so. This is all i ask." With his offering given, and words spoken, he steps back, to allow Sayuri her own.

Sayuri quietly watches, hands slowly connecting to let her fidget with her fingers as she waits for her own turn. She levels her gaze with the mark, and draws a deeper inhale. ".. Most of my ability to create something that isn't of a destructive nature lies in art, yet.. I could not think of anything to draw, to offer.." Her eyes shift to Eir, ears lowering as a slightly guilty look takes to her features before her gaze returns to the mark. One hand cups over the other's palm, eyes shutting brows furrowing as her aether begins to stir, sending an unsteady flow into her hands. After a short moment, the flow halts - a sharper breath being drawn before she opens her eyes and lowers herself down to settle the so-far hidden creation upon the ground. An incredibly small replica of Sayuri’s own ice-made axe, joined with a just as small replica of one of Eir’s chakrams curling around the handle. “.. Our bond is already a strong one, built on our shared experiences.. And I can only request that you grant us the ability to uphold the foundation with ease, no matter what hardships we endure in the life we will share. That together.. We will always endure.”

...Her words sang with me. Our bond is a strong one, and i wager it will only grow stronger with time. Even through the most difficult times; and i know with her, there surely will be some. ...Seeing her in pain is never easy.

Eir looks with fondness at that which she'd crafted, smiling faintly though his own brows had knitted. "…Sayuri…" He half frowns, wrapping his arms around her to provide what comfort he could. He lingers there for a long moment… Before dropping a little lower, seeking to hoist her up in his arms. "Since you have deigned to be a little irresponsible, so will i." It's meant all in good faith, as he nudges his head to hers. "…I have wanted to do this for a little while…"

She pouts faintly, leaning herself against him a touch wearily. ".. I'm sorry." She mumbles, before offering a slow blink as she finds herself lift off her feet. She is swift to wrap her arms around his shoulders, gaze sinking to his side in an obvious worry. She offers the slightest of whines, nudging her head back against his. "..Please be careful.."

"I will be. It is a steady walk, not a maddening run. I wanted to practise for when i carried you home after the wedding. I wager a dress big enough would weigh as much as an axe…"

She keeps her small pout, head resting against his. ".. It won't be -that- heavy.."

"Then i will have no problem carrying you." He half bickers, head nudging her own. "…I like carrying you. I just… Wanted this time to be a sweeter memory, from the last, now that i am able."

...A sweeter thing than running for our lives from the compound. I had to... I had no choice. But if that action had claimed my life, i... Would have died happy. Happy, in that i got her away. That just once... I could protect her, instead.

".. Mmh.." She squeezes her arms around his shoulders, letting a soft exhale leave her. ".. Just put me down if it gets too much, I don't want you to be in pain." She murmurs, nudging her head against his affectionately.

"…You will not be too much. We are not so far from home, my love…" Eir hums. "…I do not know whether i want to throw myself into the bath, or collapse into the pillows…"

".. You are carrying both me and my axe, that.. is not the lightest." She pouts at him. ".. We'll see when we get home, hm?"

"I dance for a living, and throw both me and my chakrams around as part of the performance." Glancing to her sidelong, he comments. "My… First weapon was an axe. Did i ever tell you?"

"-Yourself-. -Chakrams-." She grumbles. "Not an entire person and also their much heavier weapon.." Her brow then lofts, gaze shifting up to him. ".. I.. don't believe you have."

"It takes quite some force to dance, i will have you know. And… It is the truth. It was the weapon they gave me, when i became a wood warder. I never hurt another person with it, in the end… And mostly only used it to chop firewood. I left it in Golmore, with the rest of the things i hated."

".. From the little dancing we've done together, I believe you." She chuckles, tilting her head. ".. I take it.. you did not get to choose your own weapon? Or.. did you simply dislike the thought of having any at all?" She asks, head tilted curiously.

"I did not get to choose. I was not against having a weapon. Defending myself was… Important, i suppose. But they loathed me because i was not strong. I was weak… But i was quick. The only time i ever felt i did anything useful, i left my axe behind."

".. You are stronger than you give yourself credit for.." She mumbles, nudging her head against him. ".. You were in a situation you never asked to be in, expected to do a task you did not want.. That's enough to deflate anyone's will to live up to those standards."

"…I am not strong compared to most Viera. The men are required to be strong. We are supposed to be… Protectors, of our homes, and the territory around. Told to kill without mercy. I… Never was much good at that, and less so back then. The one sun i heard intruders… I abandoned my axe and ran back for help. That earned me some merit, at least. But they never liked me. I… Probably did them a favour, by leaving."

".. I wasn't exactly considered strong before, either." She tilts her head, keeping her gaze upon him. "Unstable, mostly. The child of ice incapable of controlling her own powers." She pauses. ".. I never truly learned what my role was meant to be in the tribe, considering the age I was when X'aoki decided to.. discard me." Her shoulders draw into a small shrug, one arm uncoiling from his shoulder to settle a pointy finger against his cheek in some attempt to turn his head to look in her direction. “You did me a favour by leaving Golmore, because I got to meet you.” She smiles warmly. “And I love you, just the way you are.”

"…But you were so young. That was hardly a fair judgement. And regardless of who you were then… You are strong, now." His head is slowly pushed in her direction, garnering a smile. "…I love you too, my moon. I would not change the path i walked to get here, even if it was a difficult one."

".. I was still considered unstable in Doma, even as I entered my teenage cycles." She paused. "..Maybe more so, then.. When I began training with the other children of those sworn to my father." She mumbled. ".. Stronger than I was, yet I still have moments where I feel weak. It's only natural, I think.." She leans her head over to his, nudging against him affectionately. "Neither would I."

"…Perhaps it is. You are not weak, love. If anyone were stupid enough to approach us, even with your aether as it is, i am confident you would best them. I have seen what you can do." He kisses her on the cheek, the statement meant as an affectionnate notion. "Even as a teen… If you consider all you had gone through, who could blame you, even if you were? Not me, for certain."

She smiled softly at him, resting her head against his. "… The boy I clawed across the cheek certainly did blame me. As did his mother." Her lips tug into a thin line.

"…She was a mother, worried for her child. She may not have been right, but i do understand her reaction. You were not to blame, considering the situation you came from."

".. She should've taught her son not to be an ass, then." Sayuri grumbles.

"…True enough. And she had to deal with the consequences of that." As Eir summits the hill, a pleased sigh escapes him as the house pulls into view. "Home sweet home…" He murmurs, nudging the door open to carry her through.

...Being back is always a comfort after being away, even for a few bells. My houseplants recover... In places. My books are tidied away, and the pillows are fluffed up enough to sit on. But it is not here, nor the wider world i find my comfort, no. ...It is with her. It will always be with her.

[clockwork-sparrow]

Trust Fall

The road to hell is paved with good intentions Parts: 1 2 3 4 5 6 [Epilogue]

Epilogue

~20+ years ago. Garlemald.

It’s been a week since Minerva last saw Florus and Rainer, but it feels like yesterday. It feels like today. It feels like a broken record, looping over and over on repeat in her head. Minerva presses her eyes shut and stands suddenly from the chaise lounge. No. This won’t do. She can’t remain like this forever, pathetically licking her wounds bloody like a common dog. She snatches her coat and stomps out, allowing anger to steer her blindly into the city.

Minerva finds herself at the park where she and Florus fed birds together. Months of walking home with the boy are replaced with nothing, and it leaves an aching emptiness in both her schedule and her heart. She realizes that she’s involuntarily looking for Florus in the distance, eyes catching on every small child that crosses her vision. Hot shame fills her lungs.

After what she’s put him through, she deserves nothing. Forgiveness is out of the question. What a useless and selfish notion to consider, actually! Just take defeat with a measure of grace, Minerva. You’ve done so countless times in the past. With wobbly steps, she stumbles toward the nearest bench and slumps into it, her carefully crafted mask of control falling to the wayside.

She underestimated how fond she’d grow of Florus. Perhaps that’s what makes this defeat taste so sour - because it wasn’t that she played her cards wrong, but because she chose the wrong strategy from the very start. Minerva cups her face in her hands with a sigh.

On paper, her plan seemed...optimized. A series of white lies would’ve frontloaded cruelty in exchange for long-term comfort, like suffering surgery to remove a tumor. So why, then, did she feel so guilty? Florus would’ve lived in Thavnair, free from discrimination, distrust, and politics. Once given to the holding family, he would have been told that Rainer had died in the line of duty, severing any remaining ties to the Empire. The pain would be worth it, Minerva had told herself. A necessity for a future she could stomach.

He isn’t Garlean. Between us and them, the choice was simple. Still, her plan was kind, wasn’t it not? She gazes at cobblestone with unfocused eyes and allows her thoughts to wander.

Rainer would have similarly been told that Florus had passed away in a fatal accident. Without the child to keep him away, he would’ve returned to his rightful place in his family, or at the very least, it would’ve restored a modicum of prestige to their name. No more parading around with a bastard son. The gains would be worth it and time would smooth over any distasteful memories, she had believed. But now? Now she knows that wouldn’t have been the case. The bond between Rainer and his son is destructively strong. That Florus would jump out of an airship without a second thought - that Rainer would kill those in his way in cold blood. They both would have fallen apart.

Minerva exhales. Better to live tenuously then not at all.

Although she can never forgive Rainer, Florus is another story. Perhaps she could still help, somehow. Cultivate this rare flower and help it bloom despite its surroundings. Rainer would never accept this, but he’s disgraced. She’s not. Pulling connections and strings from the background is literally her job, and neither of them would ever have to know.

It won’t undo what she’s done, but it’s a start. Minerva vacantly sits at the park until her hands go numb, and then, she’s gone. The cold could kill here.