#estinien is far too pretty for this world

[theshotsheardacrossworlds]

Blush

Estinien admires his lady's blush. Set post-3.3 when Estinien is still confined to Congregation and is still very weak after Nidhogg's possession. SFW.

"I'm not blushing!" Agnes yelped, covering her face.

Estinien smirked, struggling to not laugh. "Yes, you are." Her face has the prettiest blush. Pale pink to start. Then red like a rose in bloom. Then…tomato. Such a pretty tomato my Agi is. Tis a shame I’m stuck in this place. Soon, my sweetheart, I’ll be well enough to go home with you.

Still hiding her face in vain, Agnes squeezed her eyes shut. “I-I…how can I not blush when you look at me like that?! I’m just sorting your clean laundry, and you’re…LOOKING at me!!”

Slapping his knee, Estinien let out a hearty laugh. “Aye, I am looking because you’re beautiful! Beautiful sorting laundry…beautiful casting your spell over me…beautiful when you come here every morning with a smile…” He beckoned her to come sit with him on the bed. What if…she doesn’t like all this attention? Is she afraid to tell me? Afraid to disappoint me? Whatever wishes or preferences she has I’ll defer to her. She means far too much…

Agnes sat next to him, face still red, and kissed him soundly, taking his face in her small, delicate, pretty hands. Her hands are so lovely. Every ilm of her is lovely. Her voice is so sweet. Her heart is kind. That she loves me is a miracle. “You,” she gave him a quick peck. “are too much, love.” Agnes caressed his still-too-hollow cheeks (they’ll fill out eventually) and stared happily into his pale blue eyes. “I think you enjoy making me blush so.”

“Guilty. You are too adorable when you blush, too pretty for words.” Not that I even bloody have the words for it. I’m not like Aymeric, who has this shit memorized. Verses for any occasion. Verses to make people swoon. And what do I have? Naught. His hands settled on her generous waist, giving her a small squeeze. “If I am offending—”

She rolled her eyes and kissed him again. “Ser, you continue to be…” She’s kissing me again?! “Too. Much. Should I play this little game too, Estinien? Make you blush?” Fucking hells, this woman is going to be the death of me. With a little smirk, she wrinkled her nose. “You’re the sweetest and most wonderful man in the world,” Fury take me. I’m burning up. “and I can’t wait to take you to Costa del Sol and get you to fu—”

“FURY PRESERVE!” A nurse yelled as Agnes squeaked and scrambled to her feet. WHY?! WHY ARE YOU HERE? GET THE FUCK OUT! “Mistress Currai, Ser Estinien needs rest and prayers! You should know better!”

Estinien, despite a part of him telling him to be reasonable, growled. “Mistress Currai is assisting in my recovery in every way she sees fit as a master healer. Leave us!” People in the city are such judgmental assholes. Judgmental, hypocritical assholes. Not my Agi. Never my Agi. The nurse left the room in a huff. “Agi, I—”

“I can go. I don’t want any trouble for you.” Her voice was quiet, and Estinien noted that she appeared to be very nervous. “Or trouble for Aymeric.”

“Please don’t go. Please.” He rose (too quickly…shit) and wavered on his feet ever so slightly. Agnes rushed to him, now deeply concerned, wrapping an arm around his narrow waist and holding a hand.

“It’s okay. I won’t go anywhere, but you need to sit down.” Her sweet voice…the sweetest I’ve ever heard. My Agi. She guided him back to bed (twas only a few steps that I could manage!) and stood in front of him, between his open legs. Agnes hugged him tightly. Her tits are right on my head. Her big titties on my bloody head! “I’m not leaving.” She whispered, rubbing the back of his head.

His arms enveloped her thick waist. Hands just above her ass. Don’t ruin this moment! “You’re such a comfort to me. Having you here…even simply sitting at my beside or sorting laundry…fills me with joy.” Oh shit, I didn’t mean to say that aloud! She’ll think I’m a fool. A stupid fool. Estinien could feel heat rising in his own cheeks and on the tips of his ears. Shit. Fool. Fool of a man.

He then heard a giggle and felt a hand guiding on his to her bottom. “I bet this is comfortable too, no? You seem like my ass a lot.” I DO! It’s the sweetest ass I’ve ever seen! When Estinien dared to look up at her, Agnes’s face was filled with mirth. “And now you’re blushing, love. I love being here with you and taking care of you.”

She’s going to be the death of me. The way she’s looking at me right now is setting my body on fire. Sexy and sweet and kind and a bit cheeky…my Agi. Though his throat felt drier than a desert, he found some words to speak. “Good, good. After you’re done with the laundry, mayhap you could—”

“Run into the bathroom and kiss you without interruption? Good idea, love.” She giggled more then stepped away to finish sorting his laundry.

Dumbstruck, Estinien watched her fold and sort his laundry once more. A crooked smile slowly appeared on his face. My Agi. My beautiful, blushing Agi. I know not how or when, but I’ll sweep you off your feet I promise. And without Aymeric’s help!

[paintedscales]

What compromises are they making in their relationship?

Hiii, Mimble! I hope you're having an excellent day! ; w ; / ♥

Useful/Fun Character Development Questions for Couples

That's a really good question, because at first, I just wanted to say 'nothing.' But that's not true of any healthy relationship, I don't think. Even if it's small and seemingly inconsequential to one person or an outsider, a compromise is a compromise.

The real problem is that I can't really think of anything right away -- at least on Nomin's behalf. I'm sure something will come up eventually as I write more of Nomin's story.

Maybe it's free time. Both Nomin and Estinien are pretty free spirits at this point. Even with Nomin taking to the island sanctuary life quite well and being more sedentary, the island is big enough to sate whatever traveling itch she may have a lot of the time.

For Estinien, it's financial responsibility. Either Nomin has to oversee what's being spent, or he has to at least take her advice to heart when it comes to the language of trade. I don't think he minds this all that much -- I think he doesn't have as much value placed in currency, which makes sense given his background and not really bothering to learn the value of money. From what I inferred, he's used to other people taking care of him financially that doing it himself means he doesn't give it a second thought if someone might be swindling him.

It's definitely more when the twins (and then their son later) are born that there are far more compromises that are made. I don't think Estinien particularly enjoys the idea that Nomin would bear so much responsibility in caring for the twins. They're his, too, after all.

Both he and Nomin were orphans. Both Estinien and Nomin have importance placed in the notion of family. With the family Nomin was adopted to and what she lost, and with Estinien holding his family as something that were so important to him, that for a long time he didn't care if they're who drove his motivation for revenge.

I think he's clearheaded enough now to regret that and want to be there for the girls, so makes compromises on free time in order to make time for what is now very important to him. Perhaps the most important thing in the world to him.

[steak-n-popotoes]

for da ask meme: 10, 13, 14, 24, 29

10. How do they feel about their relationship with Hydaelyn? Midgarsormr?

Beef doesn't have Hydaelyn's blessing, at least not in the form of the Echo or her traveler's ward, and he's never been a devout sort so he doesn't really revere her or the Mothercrystal as gods. He also traveled to the First via the same means as the Scions, so he wasn't able to visit Elpis. His most noteworthy interaction with her would have been via the Word of the Mother, at least before Endwalker. I think Beef is really insightful with people, though, and he'd be able to pick up on the fact that she means well and wants to help. I think the two of them would've gotten along very well had they ever met, since they both share the same love for people, life and the world. Even if Eryna and Caranar are her champions, Beef represents the pedestrian joys which make sundered existence a life worth living, and the capacity for love and growth that the sundered harbor. I think during the one time they meet face to face, they reach a firm understanding of each other. He keeps a shard broken off of her form after the encounter in Endwalker so he can bring her along on new adventures.

As for Midgardsormr, I think he would allow Beef to pet him even though it probably annoys him to be treated like a pet. Maybe he's not one of Hydaelyn's chosen but he's still one of her children.

13. Are they close with any of the other Scions? Who do they get along with the best? 

In my mind Beef gets along best with Alisaie because they both value action over words, followed by Ryne and Alphinaud. Most of the Scions enjoy his curiosity and that he is an attentive listener, being scholars themselves, so after the youngest scions I'd say he gets along best with Urianger, G'raha, and Y'shtola in that order. He also had a healthy, athletically competitive vibe with Lyse. Tataru appreciates that he is a good helper even if he can be a little difficult to direct, and Papalymo, Thancred and Estinien likely find him a little inscrutable and exasperating.

14. Of the Scions, who are they most worried for?

Definitely Ryne during Shadowbringers. While they hit their own individual roadblocks early in ShB, Alphinaud and Alisaie are highly capable and had a firm direction with to put their frustrations to use, but Ryne's suppressed turmoil is something Beef would pick up on very quickly. I think the depth of her troubles and Thancred's role in them was likely beyond him, but once they met I figure he spent a lot of the time between Rak'tika and Amh Araeng holding her hand or leading her around. I'm not sure she would've realized he was going out of his way to do it for her, but it would've surely been calming nonetheless. He would be glad to know that she and Gaia are well.

24. Does your WoL have any phobias? 

Beef has a fear of large bodies of water and the open sea. The biggest body of water he knew growing up was the bathing spring back home, so finding out that there were oceans was a pretty unwelcome shock. Part of it is the unfamiliarity of that much water in one place, part of it is that he's afraid of things he can't overcome by winning a fight, y'know. Like, ghosts, ghouls, draculas: not scary. bootshine. Drowning? Losing his home again? SB-era Zenos? scary

His fear of water has gotten more manageable and I mainly credit that to his figuring out how to make an air bubble with Gale's help and going on fishing trips with Kozu. He still doesn't like long boat rides, though. So going to the Far East for the first time and the inevitable trip to Tural are not fun times for him.

29. Did your WoL suspect anything was amiss with Urianger or the Crystal Exarch? Did they feel betrayed? Upset? When the truth finally emerged? 

For both of them, I think Beef is too trusting and naive to feel very betrayed for very long. Moreso I think he would be confused, but accept their explanations and apologies with basically no resistance, because they're friends. Surely they mean well, right? Beef is pretty in tune with others' emotions, so the guilt Urianger feels as he bears the duties before him and the Exarch's resolute dedication and devotion to the Warriors of Light would speak louder than the backwards framing through which they've convinced themselves that they're villains or traitors.

That said, I think Beef's curious nature would make it very difficult for the Exarch to maintain his anonymity. The moment he makes a conscious effort to hide his face that shit turns into a game. He would manage, but he'd be in a constant state of uncertainty as to what Beef had or had not figured out. Beef is also playing at a disadvantage having been stripped from Gale while on the First due to his calling, but I doubt the Exarch would want to take many chances with how perceptive Beef can be.

[hear-feel-think]

Meet River Seine (WoLverse)

Name: River Seine

Pronouns: He/him

Sexuality: Pansexual, polyamorous

Personality: River is friendly and flirtatious, always trying to see the best in people. He has learned the value of teamwork over time, but his first instinct is always to rely on himself first, to do what he can on his own to protect himself, his friends, the world - before asking anyone else for help.

Backstory River lost his memories after the Calamity and has spent the time since his awakening searching for his identity. He has recovered fragmented memories of a village called Seine. He remembers learning at puberty that he was a boy, and leaving the hidden village with a male mentor to roam the wilderness and protect their people, as all young Viera men do.

Then... Nothing. The next thing he knows he was alone in the desert of Thanalan. He had to fend for himself, scavenging for food and fighting off wild beasts for days, maybe weeks until a passing merchant picked him up.

Jobs: At first, River apprenticed as a Thamaturge, because he needed the power. He had to protect himself without relying on anyone. He got pretty good at it, eventually becoming a Black Mage. He was able to use his powers not just to fend for himself and support a life of adventure, but to help others, too.

Over time, he learned that even with the most powerful spells he still fared better when he had help from his friends. He discovered a passion for dancing, and learned the Kreigstanz to help him be a team player in combat. With the help of his mentor and troupe, he became a very talented Dancer.

After the liberation of Ala Mhigo, River realized that he was a major player in the fate of Eorzea. It seemed it would be very helpful if he knew more about the cosmology of his star and the wider universe, and incidentally knowing some healing magic wouldn't hurt either. He took a trip to Ishgard to learn astrology, and as his friends started falling into comas one by one, it became ever more urgent. So he became a full-fledged Astrologian before finding himself on the First.

Once the Final Days had been averted, River found himself with some downtime. He asked Estinien to teach him to be a Dragoon, but Estinien grumpily directed him to the lancers guild. With his now-considerable battle experience, confused and impressed the Lancers' guild by showing up fresh off his vacation time at Costa Del Sol, wearing shorts and sandals and nothing protective at all. Estinien showed up to help River train once rumours reached his ears that the Warrior of Light was the star pupil of the Lancers’ guild. But in the end, River didn’t take to the lance as much as he did to chakrams or cards.

One day, River heard a rumour about a man who had been cut down by the Temple Knights as a heretic, despite the efforts made towards reform after the end of the dragonsong war. River connected with the anger and darkness inside of himself that he had long been suppressing, and became a Dark Knight. It’s therapeutic to allow himself to explore his feelings now that the fate of the world no longer hangs in the balance.

Relationships: Yes. River has a wide variety of romantic and sexual relationships. His responsibilities as the Warrior of Light keep him from making strong commitments to any individual, so it’s only fair that they seek out others while he is far from them, if they choose. In turn, they extend that courtesy to him. Being the Warrior of Light can be isolating, so he has made deep connections with as many people as he can in order to feel less alone, wherever he goes. He has enough love in his heart for all of them. Each relationship is different, shaped by the people involved. With Thancred, it’s casual and sexual. With Hien, it’s serious and romantic, with lots of pining over the distance that keeps them apart. With Y’shtola, things get a little kinky. There are as many more, each relationship and each partner unique in their own way.

[honorablepeachpitt]

Distant Intimacies (Emilia Chen)

(a/n: Emilia is an isekai'd character from a world I made who has found herself in Eorzea. She is eager to get back to her own world, as she has "unfinished business", but cannot help but care about creatures she believes to be "shades" or otherwise "not real people".

This piece takes place in Heavensward.)

There was a particular thing about Emilia’s face, or her mouth, that was off putting to most people- most sane people, anyway, if Estinien had any say about it- that reminded him of snakes in the wilderness, baring their colors to would be predators and prey alike as a warning. Her color, of course, was a red painted across her lips in a clean way to denote a kind of passion against the yellow-brown of her skin; it was enough to fool a lesser man into thinking she might even be pretty, given she kept her mouth shut. But that was before she did that smile of hers. Before she curled her lip on one side in a sneer that meant she’d already figured out how to swallow you whole, or else bite out chunks of your still-living flesh. 

“She is actually quite kind,” the young lord had said, almost glowing with praise. Estinien had humored him, of course. Smart as he was, Alphinaud was still by all accounts a child, even if he could have a stiff drink if he so desired. “And she cares quite a lot about everyone. Don’t tell her I said that, though,” he insisted, “else she might start bullying me again.”

He didn’t believe Alphinaud. He’d probably known her longer besides- not that he had any frame of reference for it- but where it counted, he was sure he knew better. Alphinaud was an optimistic child, whose naivete even startled him from time to time. Emilia was a wild animal. Calculated and intelligent, and not above low blows in order to get her kill.

When she did stalk back into camp- a place between two trees- to see the two sitting there, she gave them one cursory glance, and then walked out about five to ten paces, stopping only to draw a mark in the snow with one gloved finger. 

“Ah, you’re back! Have you found anything of interest?” T’would seem Alphinaud almost missed her in her absence. Estinien crossed his arms where he stood. 

“Not necessarily,” her voice dropped low, into a mumble. “We settin’ up here for the night?”

“Oh- Yes. Estinien said it’s mostly low visibility to other creatures, and it’s warm enough to not worry about our fire.”

“Mm.” Noncommittal, but somewhat an acknowledgement. At his words, she took another ten paces in an opposite direction around the campsite and marked it in the snow there, too. Before either one could ask what she was up to, she pulled out a codex and tossed it on the ground, pointing one finger from its position and then dragging it lazily through the air near each of the points she’d plotted to create a triangle. Like a neon green light, a dome flickered over their heads, and she sat down next to Alphinaud heavily enough to rustle the snow. 

“What have you done now?” He did not care if it sounded accusatory. It was worse, not knowing. 

Emilia gave him an interested look. “Just a little ward to make it cozier for us. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like camping in the snow. Shit’s cold.” Her breath made a cloud of fog. “Just a white mage technique. It won’t kill you, you’ll be fine.”

Then she smiled. He sneered back, beneath his helmet, knowing this was part of her game. A part of intimidation was the outdoing part. She was good at it, although he hated to admit it himself.

“White mage?” The little lord seemed overly interested in the dome, going so far as to raise his eyes in wonder. “It reminds me some of the academicians, as well.”

“You’d be right about that.” She leaned back against her respective tree, arms crossed over her bosom as she seemed rather pleased with herself. “It’s best to learn about more than one school of magic to broaden your horizons a bit.” Her head tipped back and she closed her eyes, clearly pleased about something. “We won’t have to keep watch tonight, so just go to sleep.”

Alphinaud seemed to take her word for it, though Estinien himself was less than pleased. Thinking such, he said, “Lookout too rough for you?”

She didn’t look at him, though the red of her lipstick curled in a sort of sneer instead of a smile. “If you can do it the easy way, don’t do it the hard way.” Then she opened one eye. “Though you wouldn’t know nothin’ ‘bout that, right?”

He clicked his tongue but settled into the snow. Sensing the tension, Alphinaud threw more sticks on the fire and rubbed his hands together. “So, I hear you two…know each other?”

“No.” The two answered in unison, which said more than either would admit. 

“Well,” continued Alphinaud, “if we’re going to be traveling together, mayhaps you two could be a bit kinder to one another? We are on the same team, after all.”

Emilia opened both of her eyes, rolling her neck to give him a sidelong glance. Clearly knowing the look was annoyed enough to earn her ire, he startled a bit. 

“W- I was only being honest!” The tips of his ears were already red with cold, but Estinien daresay his cheeks were a bit pink as well. “Fine. I’ll turn in for the night. Don’t kill each other in the meantime.” Saying so sternly and as if talking to children, he grasped his sleeping bag and threw the blanket over his head to hide his (somewhat immature) expression.

Between the next hour or so, the two dragoons sat around the campfire in silence. After it became clear that Alphinaud really had drifted off to sleep and was not simply eavesdropping, Emilia spoke up, eyes still closed as she leaned back on her spot by her tree. “I wasn’t joking, you know. You don’t have to keep watch.”

Estinien didn’t say anything. There was a clear sound of knowing in her voice that he didn’t like. Instead of bothering with interacting with it, he kept his mouth shut. 

“Let me guess,” she drawled, her tone the purring of a cat, “you’re afraid I might do something as you sleep?” She hummed, her voice suddenly soft and easy, like she thought it was funny. She probably did. “You can rest easy. I won’t kill ya while Alphinaud is here.”

Then she grinned. Killing him was very low on her list. After all, the payment of a debt could not be taken from a dead man- too much trouble, besides, when the living one may kill her before she got it, should she play her cards right.

His gaze flicked down to the boy’s sleeping form from beneath his helmet. Then, rather confidently, he said, “You put a spell on the boy, didn’t you?”

“To make him sleep deeply? Yeah,” she admitted with a shrug, though it was less careless than her secretive smile. “How else could we talk freely? He’s a nosy little brat.”

Then she reached over and pinched his cheek. Sure enough, Alphinaud didn’t even stir; were he not sure he saw the boy breathing, he might think him dead. When she realized his gaze was on her, she glanced at him and laughed. 

“It’s not anything serious, idiot. Just a normal sleep spell with a buncha uses. They teach it to Conjurers and Arcanists when they’re just starting out. He’ll just wake up better rested than we will.”

He turned away and crossed his own arms. Before he could say his piece, she continued, “I can put one on you too, if you want.”

Fire flared in his stomach. “Keep your hands close to your person and nowhere else.”

She raised her hands on either side of her head. “Hey, I was just offerin’. Ain’t gonna hurt'cha. I bet you haven’t had a good night of sleep since-'' Her expression turned strangely blank, the smile almost frozen in place, and then her eyes wandered as it dipped a tad. If he didn’t know any better, he might’ve thought she said something she hadn’t meant to, or else was planning on using her ammo at another time. 

Instead she started something else. “...when you gonna take that mask off? Too scared to let me see your eyes?” 

Too sweet and silky, that voice. Like warm honey in a hot cup of tea, a salve for all that ails. Estinien knew she thought to persuade him. She had not.  “And my appearance is somehow your concern?”

Her grin widened some, though this time it seemed to reach her eyes. Green. Strange, he’d thought they were a brown color. “Dunno. Just seems a little crazy that we’ve been intimate at least twice, and I’ve never seen your eyes.”

He did not disagree. There is a weakness in seeing a man fight and even more in fighting him yourself- a plane of existence that only those who have felt the heat of combat with one of appropriate skill to their own would know, would understand-

But Estinien did not say that. Instead he countered, “‘Tis not enough to know what lies beneath the armor?”

Her gaze held his- how, he knew not, given the visor concealing the whites of his eyes- for longer than a moment, long enough to ascertain that she did not think his quip funny at all. Instead her lip curled just a little. As though she’d been beaten. “...when’s the last time you visited Alberic?” 

It was a strange change in topic, and one he found certainly unwelcome. “Has it ought to do with you?” He answered roughly. “Or else, shall I ask why you have such a vested interest in Sir Alberic in the first place?”

Her lips twisted on one side as though tasting something, but her eyes flew upwards in thought. “Who knows? Maybe I got the hots for him.” 

The thought made him frown. She seemed to have noticed, because her grin became so pronounced that he turned away, one arm draped over his knee where he sat, the cloud of steam from his nose hopefully concealing how much he hated the idea.

“Maybe you’re right. I don’t need to see your face to know what you’re feelin’,” it was too pleased, that hum under her breath as she scratched her neck beneath layers of black armor and her red, fur-collared coat. “Maybe it’s better that way.”

Something stale lay in the silence against the crackling hearth, her warm gloves pawing at the kindling as she purposely avoided his eyes, the side of her face a picture he was unfamiliar with, painted with a mask that flickered orange, not red, in the light of the fire. It would be quaint to admit her proposal was fair enough, as he could see her face and did not know what she was feeling either, but somehow, he still did not like even this concept and gave up. With a bit of a sigh, he closed his eyes, settling back against the solid of his own tree and took solace in the sturdily comforting nature of its bark before he replied, “Aye. ‘Spose it is.”

[archer3-13]

impressions on the job questlines of FFXIV: A Realm Reborn

i was gonna put it off until i did the heavensward jobs, but those are different enough i feel confident in talking about these now. This is only impressions up to level 50 for each of these jobs and i'll be going over first how they all feel to play in a quick manner and then talking about the job questlines with a bit more depth on my opinions for them.

so, game feel. from best to worst, though spoiler warning i dont feel any one job feels outright bad to play.

monk. it benefits from pugilist being the most fun starting class to play in my opinion, is hurt a bit from stagnating when ya first get the soul crystal, but comes back around to being fun by level 50. well ya dont have any ranged poking options so when your avoiding attacks its either charge chakra or take a breather, the class more then makes up for it with how fun it is to get into a rythmn and when the chakra gauge starts autofilling after certain combos the whole thing is pretty much a lovely chefs kiss.

bard. this is about what i would want from a dps with buffing support elements and i find myself rather enjoying it. you have some nice debuff tools, some good buffing tools, and off ya go. its only issue i would say is that its basic attack rotation is... too simple.

warrior. aggressive tanking raar. well the starting tank classes start off near identical, when they get their soul crystals they begin branching into their own and i much prefer the warriors more aggressive footing.

dragoon. even at level 50 its kit just feels incomplete somehow, but other then that its a reliable useful class with good sound design and useful tools.

black mage. this one surprised me because thaumaturge is kinda a drag, but black mage really picks things up as a force of destruction thanks to its later tools being much easier to handle and use at successive rates.

white mage. ill never be super comfortable as a healer, but i do feel white mage is a pretty decent class to get used to healing on the whole. the levels ya get parts of its kit are rather inconvenient mind, but its kit is also just really useful on the whole especially when ya realize how valuable regen is.

summoner. it can feel fiddly at times, and parts of your kit feel kinda dubious. but on the other hand its fast and its kit can hit real hard once ya do get a handle on things. all around solid at the arr level of things.

scholar. well its faster and its tools more immediately useful, i actually find myself not liking this class as much as white mage once ya hit level 50. its certainly fast mind, but there are more parts of its kit i find redundant and it all feels a bit watered down on the whole.

ninja. i can appreciate what they were trying to do, but the mudras just slow everything down even if they are very powerful. plus a lot more of its kit ends up being redundant compared to other classes which especially sucks given rogue already had a shallower pool of skills to pull from.

paladin. im sure some people really like this class but the defensive tilt of the paladin just isn't for me.

so ya, theres the game feel. now as for the job questlines, we'll go from best to worst once more

dragoon. theres a good reason estinien got promoted to main quest relevant outside of the fact heavensward deals so heavily with ishgard. it tells a competent even compelling story, it has solid character writing, and it gets you doing things that feel unique or interesting enough. its all the strengths of what a job questline should be in essence, teaching you about the job in terms of how to use it but also the jobs relation to the world its suppose to exist in. all well still telling the story of a falling out between the dragoons golden child and his father figure mentor due to unresolved guilt and a lack of communication. as far as ARR goes this one gets the gold.

black mage. like the class this one ended up leaving a stronger impression then i thought it would. we start off strong with 'watch out for ye powers of hell, ye know not what ye trifle with' presentation and end with a naturally integrated 'the real power of hell was the friends we made along the way' kinda message involving beastmen friendships and the repentance of an old sinner trying to give his own comrades the peace they deserve. solid stuff. plus the quests themselves run the needle of fun, interesting and challenge.

white mage. i think what elevates this one is the quests which also run the gambit of challenging yet fun and interesting. in terms of story though this is good overall. nothing particularly revolutionary but i always enjoy a 'magic and spirituality relation' lesson, and it is telling a story about characters and growth, about long held traditions and culture and how beautiful it can be but also how it can restrict an individual or blind them with pride. with an appropriate if somewhat confusing conclusion of temporary spirit resurrection but hey it is white magic.

monk. i kinda enjoy this one as it gets more interesting and complex as it goes on, and windigart and erik become more interesting along with it. the problem is that the dragoon questline does what the monk questline does but better, both in a story sense and in a gameplay sense as well which is unfortunate. what does save the monk quest though is that it has a decent blend of humour to it and i like erik being the one to resolve things emotionally but also in defusing the situation by punching some sense into windigart something thats always tempting in stories like these. also windigart just gives you his shirt for the final piece of the outfit at the quests end which is hilarious.

bard. nothing particularly exemplary here but its still a good questline. you get a good appreciation for the jobs history, theres a working character arc for the job trainer that deals with trauma and ptsd in a respectful way. and well what your doing in the quests is kinda eh, its functional for getting the story across without being disengaging.

ninja. high production values and a ninja story send up save what is one of the more pedestrian stories. its fine for what it has going on, and as i said this is very much homaging ninja media in a fun 'ninjas but not in japan' kinda fashion. i think its problem is that karasu is its best character, tsubame is solid if ancillary, well the person whos suppose to be the 'main character' of the questline oboro is... the dim one. functional but not particularly exciting as a character either in what his journey as one is nor in terms of his personality. pretty fun in terms of what ya do mind, but again it has better production values on the whole.

summoner. this one rocks in terms of what your doing, with a strong flashy start and fun quests including faux primal fights with their boss themes kickin in and everything. the problem wit the summoner arr quests is that in terms of character and story its shallow as fuck. tristan presents some initially interesting questions until being revealed as just some asshole whos making deals with ascians, and other then him the story of the summoner quest is just focused on the learning how to use it as opposed to learning about it. i like the job trainer though even if i cant remember her name, shes fun.

warrior. your lucky that your kinda cute curious gorge. a whole lot of faffin about doing nothing of particular interest until a sudden last minute plot twist of gorge being more culpable for problems then initially appeared and taking the spot of your fight for the quest instead of the expected opponent. this quest is thankfully saved from being the worse by its characters being overall pleasant and for atleast not wasting time. though to an extent everyone involved in the quest almost comes across as too reasonable for whats happening.

scholar. ya do a whole lot of boring stuff for this questline in ARR right up until the end when suddenly a whole bunch of stuff about nym comes up and the tonberries. i definitely wish that was all more of its own quest and story stuff because its a lot more interesting then the job trainer who is just... so bland. wall paste bland. and as noted the quests themselves leading up to it are pretty boring themselves.

paladin. fuck the paladin ARR quests. they're both boring and actively infuriating at times with how stupid and irritating its job trainer is. and the quests themselves are equally boring, though thankfully not irritating.

[takethistoyourstardust]

moon, family, aaaaaand bouquet for both ahrora and giselle :o)

YIPPIE YIPPIE YIPPIE giselle's answer are regarding her as an adult/the second wol after rora retires.

🌙 MOON - what is your oc's greatest wish? how far are they willing to go for it?

Ahrora - Ahrora's wish is pretty simple; she just wants to explore anything she can get to. Her wanderlust truly is limitless. Even though she is the Warrior of Light to help people, she became and adventurer first so she could travel the realm. And now she gets to explore entire new worlds, and she won't rest until she's explored every single shard.

Giselle - Giselle's wish is to live up to the legacy she knows she has. Daughter of the Azure Dragoon and the Crystal Exarch, raised by the satrap of Radz-at-Han, and trained by the Warrior of Light. She's hyper-aware of it all, though she's not one for politics at all. She's also the oldest of her siblings, so just in general she feels a ton of expectations on her. So she wants to live up to them all, and be able to be proud of carrying the title of The Azure Warrior.

👪 FAMILY - what is their family like? what is your ocs relationship to them? does your oc have any siblings?

Ahrora - With how she defines family, that's like half the characters in the game, so zeroing in on her immediate chosen family, she has a dad (Xiao Song), a nb parental figure she refers to as her mom (Meihui Song, who's also her cousin), six younger siblings (all adopted by her parents), an older sibling (that's an older sibling bc of the world unsundered), and she considers Estinien's kids her own siblings too LMFAO. She's very close with all of the people she considers siblings, and is close with her adoptive parents too! As for biological siblings... her birth mother was far too sick to have another child, and her biological father never wanted to try again due to being convinced by his cult tribe that he's been cursed by Menphina, so she's an only child, a very unusual circumstance for a Keeper of the Moon Miqo'te. Her birth mother is dead (but Biyuan did love Ahrora), and her birth father is a RPR who can't ever be in contact with her because if he hears her voice it makes it a lot easier for his voidsent to posses him and make him lose control.

Giselle - Giselle is the daughter of Estinien and G'raha Tia, and was raised in Radz-at-Han by Estinien and Vrtra. She has four younger siblings, a sister who's 8 months younger than her and three brothers who are 5 years younger than her. She considers Ahrora an older sister, as Ahrora helped raise her and also trained with her when she expressed a desire to become an adventurer. She's close with her siblings, and is especially protective of her younger sister Divya. She considers Estinien, G'raha, and Vrtra her parents, though due to distance, she's a bit less connected to G'raha, despite carrying his first name as her last (and y'know being visibly a Seeker of the Sun Miqo'te). She pretends she's not aware that the circumstances of her birth wasn't a circumstance of love, because she knows they love her regardless.

💐 BOUQUET - create a bouqet for them! what do those flowers mean? are any of the flowers their particular favourite?

oh i am gonna be SO bad at this i SUCK at this bc i'm so specific with flowers. especially for rora bc a lot of flowers have a romantic meaning and rora is romance-repulsed.

Ahrora - Gerbera daisies (cheerfulness), chrysanthemum, cosmos (joy), and gardenia (hope/family).

Giselle - Gladiolus (strength), daffodil (hope for the future/new beginnings), and gardenia (hope/family).

[ladyramora]

If you're still taking requests can I have a lil fic for estinien like the one you wrote about haurchefant/wol getting drunk together? If you have time, if not, no worries :)

(*Kermit voice* Hi-ho! - Sorry I’m so late, as usual. I have no excuse, really, except lack of writing motivation with how my job has been recently. Ah… I hope this is to your liking. I meant to draw it out more, but I think WoL needs some sleep. (So do I, lol.) Drunken Estinien is smoother than Sober Estinien. XD This version, anyhow. I was writing him like… Hmmm, I hope he seems IC. Estinien is kinda cocky, though, isn’t he? Anyway, please enjoy?)

This is a Prequel to this OT3 (Aymeric x WoL x Estinien)

....

...

..

The heavy sound of glass scraping across the polished wood of your table has you blinking open your eyes that you hadn’t realized you had closed.

A bottle of familiar booze sits in the middle of your table. You stare at it, eyes drooping blearily, gaze unfocused.

You hadn’t ordered it.

Your eyes focus only as someone sits across from you. That familiar voice addressing you, sarcastic and dry as the Sagolii desert, “Do you ever tire of fighting wars not your own?”

Your lips curve up, eyes dragging over him lazily. “Estinien,” You say on a sleepy sigh. He is a sight for sore eyes. Sore, overtired eyes. You cannot remember when last you had lain down to truly rest.

Estinien is frowning heavily, the light behind him casting an ethereal glow on the fall of his pale, unbound hair. His pale skin a bit more tanned than when you saw him last. Though shadows still lingered under the bright blue of his eyes, he looked far healthier than he had - lying pale and drawn in the infirmary after your battle with Nidhogg. His eyes are sharp, a too bright blue that drag over you with much too knowing a look.

He is…

“Gorgeous,” You say, dazedly and with a heavy tongue.

Estinien’s eyes widen infinitesimally, his head dipping down—his hair, so bright and shiny, slipping over his shoulder and drawing your eyes to the open lacing of his shirt baring his clavicle—and slides an empty glass across the table.

Even with how tired you are, your reflexes do not fail you as your hand snaps out to catch the glass before it can slip over the edge to shatter on the floor.

“Drink with me,” Estinien doesn’t ask in a voice that is rough with what you think to be embarrassment.

You stare down at the glass that you clasped in a loose grip, eyes half lidded.

Estinien pops the cork on the heavy bottle he’d brought, pouring his own glass and then yours. Yours, you notice, he fills just shy of the brim.

“Fury damn them,” Estinien grouses, “You need this more than I do. Look at you,” Estinien slams the bottle down hard enough for liquid to slosh up over the neck, snatching up his own glass to gesture with to your own too full glass. “Been possessed lately? You look about one foot in the grave.”

You grimace, ignoring your glass to touch your face. Fingers tracing under your heavy eyes as you ask, “Do I look so terrible?”

Estinien slams his emptied glass down, leaning in to snarl and pin you in place with furious blue eyes, “No! You look..” He freezes mid sentence, jaw flexing with his grinding teeth. “You look… good.”

Your hand drops to rest near your glass. Good, he said. “Good,” You echo, not questioning him, merely stating that you are glad.

Estinien takes it the other way, you surmise, as his face flushes in the soft lighting. His lips, wet with traces of his hard booze, parting as he tries to elaborate, “Better, I mean. You were so…” Estinien falls quiet. Swallows.

“Sad.”

Sad. Angry. Bitter.

Empty.

You had been many things after the Dragonsong war. You had lost two people who had become dear to you. Your eyes follow Estinien’s fingers as he drags his bare fingers through the water pooling around his chilled glass.

Almost three. Almost. But you had been able to save him. Had been allowed that where you hadn’t been before. Not him, you had thought back then. Had begged - pleaded, even - to the Twelve. To those Gods who had a hand in writing your Fate. Not Estinien too.

Then you had decided you were done asking. No, you decided. You can’t have him. You won’t. I won’t let you take him.

And then you hadn’t.

You smile instead of voicing such things. “I am always better having seen you.”

Estinien clears his throat and pours himself another. “Drink with me.”

You dip your head and lift your glass. Estinien’s favored drink sliding heavy over your tongue. Burning like dragon fire as you swallow it down. Still you tip it back. It would be most impolite to refuse. Besides, you had never been one to turn down Estinien’s offers of companionship.

You finish your glass, warmth settling in your belly. You should have eaten something, you muse, as Estinien pours you another too full glass.

“Good Ser,” You say teasingly. “I dare say, are you intending to get me drunk?”

Estinien snorts into his glass, booze spraying in his humor. He wipes his face and grins at you. “I intend only for you to catch up.”

You blink. Catch up? “Estinien,” You lean in, whispering lowly. “Are you drunk?”

Estinien leans in, breath mingling with yours, “Mayhap a little.”

So more than a little.

You glance at your glass, eye the mostly full contents of the bottle, and make a decision. You grab the bottle and your glass.

Swallowing back your entire glass of booze in one long drink, and then pouring yourself another overly large.

You’re not letting Estinien overdo it on your watch.

“Whoa there!” Estinien gives a huff of a laugh as you tip back your third glass. “Slow down, will you?” He grasps your hand, warm, calloused fingers stroking over your knuckles.

You swallow hard, looking up into his face. The amusement in his eyes. In the curl of his lips.

“Easy does it,” He continues, soothingly. That low, growly quality to his voice somehow even raspier in his partial intoxication.

His eyes are so blue. So vivid. You feel swallowed by them.

Estinien says your name and you blink, shaking your head to dispell the heavy feeling over you. Like being charmed, you think dazedly as you watch Estinien lick a stray drop of booze from his glass.

Seduction. This is a…

“This is a seduction.”

Estinien chokes, looking at you with wide eyes. “What?!” He barks. Trying to play it off, but his eyes look awfully shifty to be playing for innocence.

Ahh. Yes. It all made sense now. His hair seemed shinier than usual. His lips, too. Not to mention how much skin he was showing with the lazy lacings of his dark blue shirt - baring more than the usual of his toned chest. That, then touching you with his hands. And he kept sticking his tongue out and licking things. His lips, his glass. His wrist where he had spilled on his hand and it had dripped over his skin, eyes catching yours as he licked up his inner arm.

“Estinien,” You say, squinting in suspicion. “Are you trying to seduce me right now?” Was this happening or had you finally succumbed to exhaustion?

Estinien struggles to deny it, but the way his cheeks flush and his eyes shift give him away. “What? No! Why would I…? That would be…”

You stare at him and wait.

Estinien’s face falls, and he stops trying to deny it. “If I said yes - that this was a… an attempt to… Ah. …What would your reaction be?”

You tilt your head, turning your glass in your hands. You take a deep breath, pretending to mull it over. You shrug, as though careless. Like everything in you isn’t crying out in relief. You had thought your feelings for Estinien would forever remain unrequited and ever unspoken.

You smile and grasp your glass to clink against his. “All right then, Azure Dragoon. Show me your moves.”

Estinien sits back, looking all sorts of adorably puzzled. Jaw working as he has the nerve to squint at you in suspicion, “…All right.”

As if you would joke about something like this! You nod back at him, quirking a brow in challenge. “All right?”

Estinien knocks back his glass, clears his throat roughly, and says, “Then.. Yes, this is a..” He flushes. “This… is that.”

You slide your glass forward, clinking against his even though it is empty.

Estinien grabs the bottle and pours.

You smile, tracing the rim of your glass.

You are not prepared for Estinien to climb over the table.

“What are you doing?”

Estinien huffs as he settles next to you on your suddenly too small side of the booth. “Seducing you, obviously. Am I meant to do it all the way over there?” Estinien says, sounding rather grumpy for someone trying to seduce you.

He shifts close and you find your back hitting the wall behind you as Estinien cages you in with a hand by your head.

You feel very much drunk suddenly. Your head swimming with the scent of Estinien. That familiar smell with just a hint of something new. Was that cologne? Whatever it was - it smelled particularly pleasing. You cannot help but deepen your breaths to take him in.

Estinien is looking altogether much too smug. “Look at you,” He positively croons. “I haven’t even started yet and you’re…” Estinien leans in, his breath fanning over your lips, “All. Flushed.”

Estinien grunts in surprise as your hand smacks him in the nose, his hands raising up in surrender as you push his face away from yours.

“Not so fast, Ser!” You say breathlessly. Your cheeks feel on fire, but you’ll not be so easily conquered. “I expect a bit more of a proper seduction before you start stealing kisses!”

Estinien barks a startled, if not delighted laugh. His hand cupping over yours to grasp and turn in his hold. His head lowering as he kisses your hand like a proper chivalrous knight.

His eyes gleam playful blue through the soot of his eyelashes, shiny lips curling in a flirtatious grin. “Like this?” He asks in his signature throaty growl as he kisses your hand, over your wrist and up your arm.

You swallow hard. “That’s… rather nice, yes.”

Estinien’s eyes crinkle with his pleased grin, nuzzling his nose and one of those sharp cheekbones against your arm like an affectionate cat.

His thumb drags over the veins on your wrist. “Your heart is pounding,” Estinien sighs. He drags your hand by the wrist to press against his chest between the gaping fabric of his shirt. To feel the racing of his own heart. “Mine too.”

You gulp. Cannot help yourself from spreading your fingers wide and basking in the feel of his skin.

Estinien grins rakishly. “Seduced yet?”

You squeak. “A little?”

Estinien chuckles. “Shall I try harder then?” He leans in, shaking his head just so that his hair falls forward around his face in a waterfall of pale moonlit strands.

The fragrant oil in his hair wafts over you and inspires in you that strange mix of pleasure and hunger at smelling something pleasing. You want a lot of things. To touch his hair. Feel the sure softness of it. To bury your face in it and breathe him in. To rake your hands through his hair and drag his lips to yours.

You only make a strangled whining sound and lean into him, helpless to his magnetic pull.

You let out a startled yelp as Estinien drags you into his lap.

Your hands are frozen against the bared skin of his chest. Eyes wide as you tip your head back to stare into his own.

Estinien expression shifts from purposeful seduction to worried. “Too much?” he asks.

You shake your head mutely.

You are in Estinien’s lap.

You silently thank every god, goddess and deity you know, and all the ones you do not. You have been blessed with glorious fortune this night that you had thought would amount to naught but boredom and eventually succumbing to your exhaustion.

Instead you sat in the Azure Dragoon’s lap as he attempted, and so far quite thoroughly succeeded, to seduce you.

Not just seduce, you muse drunkenly, as Estinien smiles in relief and cups his hands over your cheeks to stroke your skin with calloused thumbs.

“I think I’m drunk,” You say slowly, leaning into him drowsily. Your overtaxed body catching up with you now.

Estinien snorts. “Caught up, have you? Don’t fall asleep on me now.”

You smile goofily, sinking into his delicious body heat with a satisfied hum. “But you’re so warm! Seduce me later.”

Estinien sighs, smiling ruefully. “I suppose it was selfish of me to drink beforehand. To attempt such as you are now. An onze of liquid courage turned to much more than I meant. Feeling your exhaustion now, I suppose? Shall I carry you to bed?”

You let loose a giggly drunken laugh. “Whaaat? We can’t go to bed together! You haven’t even kissed me yet!”

Estinien flushes like he hadn’t just been trying to seduce you. “Together? Ah.. Do you… Would you like me to kiss you?”

You would like him to very much. Yet now your head was dropping. Eyelids fighting to droop closed and remain so. Your cheek falls to rest against his bare skin, nose brushing his shirt. “Kiss me.. Kiss me,” You sigh, nuzzling into his chest.

Estinien does not comment on your sudden change of mind, bless him.

Estinien laughs softly, and you blink up dazedly at him as he curls his fingers under your chin to tilt your head back.

You part your lips, ever so slightly puckered to receive his kiss.

Estinien smiles, lowers his face towards yours, and kisses your forehead instead of your lips.

You make a mild sound of protest. “Tha… doesn’… count!” Your words slur from drink and your mounting exhaustion.

Estinien kisses your forehead again. Then the tip of your nose, laughing as you wrinkle your nose in response.

“I’ll kiss you,” Estinien says gently. Seriously. “When we are both a little more sober. Aye, a little more than rested on your part as well.”

You hear him, but are hardly awake to reply with aught but, “Promise?”

Estinien strokes his hands over your hair and down your back, his voice a throaty hum. “Of course. I promise.”

You close your eyes, feeling safe in his arms, and give in to your exhaustion under the soothing motions of his hands and the soft sound of his breath.

....

Estinien stares down at the sleeping Warrior in his lap with aching fondness, smiling and shaking his head at his own foolishness.

“I question mine own thought processes, truly. What had I intended when you were clearly so exhausted you sat half awake at this table in this questionable bar?”

Estinien sighs. “I have not been known for mine decision making. ‘Tis not mine strong suit.”

Estinien strokes a finger under the shadows lining the Warrior’s eyes. His eyes dropping to their parted lips, slightly curled as if they were smiling in their sleep.

“You continue to be my best decision yet.”

Estinien smiles. “Try again later, shall I?”

The Warrior sighs in their sleep and Estinien nods in affirmation. “Aye. Off to bed with you.”

With some clever maneuvering on his part, he stands from their shadowed booth with the Warrior cradled safely in his arms.

“Right,” he sighs. “Now to find out where you’ve been sleeping. If you have at all.”

[grimxswathe]

I come bearing quite belated Moonfire Faire fluff with Estinien and Katsu! Special tanks to Sten and Siren on Twitter for letting me borrow their character briefly and coming up with a pet name, respectively. 

The word count is 1,378 and starts under the cut. Beware of mild spoilers in the first paragraph for the second part of Death Unto Dawn.

I’m gonna tag @snow-covered-moon, since she likes these two. (If anyone wants to be tagged for writing, pls let me know.)

It was the final night of the Moonfire Faire in Costa del Sol. Estinien was relaxing on the water’s edge with Katsu nestled into his side, his arm draped around her waist. The water had become a little chilly for his liking once the sun set, but he wasn’t about to deprive Katsu of this time with him. Ever since the battle against the Telophoroi at Carteneau, things had become quite tumultuous and something had been bothering him as of late. Between the twins now sharing their Ishgardian home and assisting the Scions with the occasional mission, it seemed like Katsu couldn’t make time for him anymore. It was making him worried that she, for some unbeknownst reason, was no longer happy with their relationship. 

Despite the anxiety gnawing at his insides, he couldn’t take his eyes off Katsu. She was so tiny, especially compared to his broad frame, and looked far too delicate to carry the weight of two separate worlds on her shoulders. All the same, Estinien knew full well that looks were deceiving. At the moment however, tucked safely into his side, she looked surprisingly vulnerable. He absently started tracing his calloused fingertips in circles against her hip, causing her to sigh happily and snuggle against him. Estinien’s heart melted at her response and he gave her an affectionate squeeze. Halone be praised, he loved this woman. Which was why he had to voice his concerns forthwith. 

“Something’s been weighing on my mind recently,” he said.

Katsu rested her chin against his chest and gazed up at him. “What is it? Is aught amiss?” 

As soon as he noticed the way she was looking at him, Estinien’s train of thought fizzled away. She was looking at him like he meant infinitely more to her than the sun and moon. She was looking at him like he was worth more to her than those damned plushies she loved so much. Like he was worth it. The sheer amount of love on her face was overwhelming and Estinien felt tears welling up in his eyes. He couldn’t help but wonder if she had been looking at him like this all along and his insecurities had prevented him from noticing.

Katsu’s loving expression turned to one of alarm when she saw the tears rolling down Estinien’s cheeks, but he wrapped her tightly in his arms and held her close to him. He buried his nose into her hair and inhaled deeply, breathing in her scent.

“I’m okay,” he assured her. “It’s just...gods, I love you. So much.”

Estinien felt Katsu freeze in his arms and for good reason. He had only ever uttered those words before when he was reciprocating her sentiments. After allowing a moment for the weight of his words to settle, she acknowledged him in a small voice.

“Can you say it again?”

“As often as you’d like to hear it, my dear,” Estinien breathed. “I love you.” 

“And I love you.”

Even though he’d heard those three little words countless times from Katsu, this time they caused Estinien’s tears to fall harder. 

“Oh, Estinien,” Katsu mumbled, wrapping her arms protectively around his torso. “What is all of this about?”

“Doesn’t matter,” he choked out through his tears. And it didn’t. 

Being careful not to break from his embrace, Katsu maneuvered into Estinien’s lap and started to gently kiss his tears away. Once she was sure she had gotten them all, she touched her forehead to his and cupped his face in her hands.

“My handsome dragoon,” she told him.

A stupid, lovestricken grin spread across Estinien’s face and he placed a tiny kiss to her nose. “And you’re my beautiful moon flower,” he told her. 

Katsu’s eyes widened slightly at the new nickname and she hastily buried her face into Estinien’s chest, no doubt trying to hide her blush. A soft chuckle rumbled in his throat and he leaned down to gently kiss her hair. She pressed a tender kiss in response to the deep scar that had once been his left nipple, causing a shiver to go down his spine that had nothing to do with the crisp water.

“Careful, lest you want to miss the fireworks.”

Katsu giggled lightly. “Nay, we wouldn’t want that. They are belike to start any minute, afterall.” 

As if on cue, a firework exploded in the night sky, prompting the couple to turn their attention upwards. Katsu reclined her head against Estinien’s collarbone so she could watch the fireworks comfortably.

“I’ve always loved fireworks,” she told him. “They’re so colorful and pretty.”

Estinien hummed quietly in acknowledgement and rested his chin on her head. While pretty and colorful things weren’t exactly his cup of tea, he couldn’t bear the thought of disappointing Katsu by telling her that. He knew how badly she had been wanting to watch the festival fireworks with him. Besides, they were clearly making Katsu happy and that was enough for him. When he didn’t respond after a minute or two, she frowned the slightest bit before realization crossed her features and she reached up to gently run her fingertips against one of his pointed ears.

“They aren’t hurting your ears, are they? I forgot your kind has sensitive hearing.”

Even though he found her concern touching, Estinien grunted as he softly batted her hand away. “Please. I’ve heard many a dragon’s roar in the past. I think I can handle a few fireworks. Besides,” he brushed his knuckles against the curve of Katsu’s horn, “I’m more concerned about you. Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t your horns use vibrations to hear? These sharp noises can’t be pleasant.” 

Katsu looked surprised for a brief moment, but she then grinned broadly. “You’re such a sweetheart.”

Estinien felt his cheeks flush deeply. “Oh, shush,” he grumbled.

“You’ll have to-mmpf!”

Katsu’s retort dissolved into a muffled sound of surprise when Estinien pressed their lips together. He took a moment to savor the kiss before addressing her, their lips still touching.

“You were saying?”

“Mmm, I can’t say I was quite expecting that,” she mumbled, pausing to lightly kiss his lips, “but I shan’t complain.”

Estinien’s lips curled into a satisfied smirk. “Good,” he muttered before placing another small kiss on her lips.

Katsu grinned against his lips and gave him one last kiss. She then pulled back slightly and twirled some strands of his hair around her finger that had worked themselves free of the loose bun he had tied it in that morning.

“You’re absolutely right and certes, the vibrations they cause are irritating. But, it’s completely worth it to be able to share them with you.”

Estinien smiled at Katsu softly and gently moved her off his lap, disregarding her puzzled expression. He then repositioned himself so he was laying on his back with his head across her thighs and folded his hands on his stomach. 

“Mayhap we should watch some fireworks, then,” he told her.

“Aye, you’re right,” she said quietly. 

The disappointment in Katsu’s voice was palpable, which caused Estinien to frown quizzically. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s just a shame that we have to leave tomorrow,” she told him glumly. 

Her statement triggered Estinien’s recollection of some advice G’raha had given him prior to the faire’s commencement.

“If I may offer some advice, don’t rush back here as soon as the festival is done. You needn’t worry about the twins. Sten and I can keep an eye on them, though we both know they really don’t need it. But, you really need this time with Katsu.” 

“If you’d like,” Estinien said uncertainly, fidgeting his thumbs, “we can certainly stay in Costa del Sol a while longer.”

The way Katsu’s expression completely lit up at his suggestion was a sight far more captivating to Estinien than any firework and it made him feel incredibly stupid for ever doubting that she loved him.

“I’d like that very much,” she gushed. 

“As would I, my dear,” Estinien told her. “I love you.”

Katsu positively beamed down at him, tracing her fingertips against his lips. “I love you, too.”

Estinien lightly kissed her fingers before nodding toward the sky. “We’d best dispense with the chatter for now. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re missing the fireworks.”

[elfyourmother]

Character meme: Aymeric!

Buckle up kids, this is gonna be long

How I feel about this character:

My favorite Alliance leader by far, one of my favorite characters period, and most definitely one of my Comfort Characters. It was absolutely love at first sight. Yes, he's beautiful, but I live for palace intrigue and skullduggery so naturally I was drawn to him even beyond how breathtakingly pretty he is. Forgive me for HP-ing on main here but Aymeric is always the first character I point to when I'm trying to explain that Slytherins aren't inherently evil; that he's ambitious and cunning but uses that to good ends, like the sneaky way he aided the Scions early on when we first met him. And like Haurchefant, it was clear even then how different he was from his countrymen; he was no wild-eyed, Enchiridion-thumping fanatic despite being a Temple Knight. If he was a little severe on the surface at first, it was because he does absolutely everything with deliberate care, being extremely aware of the narrow lines he had to walk not just because of his position in the Holy See but as a progressive, reform-minded person in such a hidebound society.

And christ did I relate to him, having to navigate this rarefied world where he had to be twice as good as anyone because of his background. That "I don't come from good stock" line, and the matter of fact way he said it, hit me right in my working class Black kid childhood at a rich WASP NYC prep school. And that was before we found out he was Thordan's secret bastard.

Aymeric just makes my heart sing, is what it comes down to. As much as Haurche and Estinien and Ysayle. This is a man who literally had to have his morning tea at the damn front, how could I not fall madly in love with him??

All the people I ship romantically with this character:

Gisele, first and foremost, not just for how ridiculously attractive they are together, but also because they have so fucking much in common. Aymeric very much shares her idealistic worldview while at the same time being very cognizant of the realities of the world he lives in and how delicate the lines are he has to walk. In a lot of ways, Aymeric as Lord Commander of the Temple Knights reminds me very much of Warden-Commander Gisele in the old DA verse I built and as Lord Speaker he governs almost precisely the way Queen Gisele did in that same verse. And they are both incredibly image-conscious and both of them clawed their way up to positions of influence and power, despite the hands they were dealt in life. Their pillow talk involves politics as much as sweet nothings.

I know I say this a lot but I would ship Haurchefant and Estinien with Aymeric even if Gisele wasn't in the picture. Estinien has that fire-forged partnership aspect, the unlikely friendship that grew between them, etc. It's the obvious one, but I think Haurchefant fits with him so ridiculously well that I'm shocked more people don't seem to ship it. Edmont literally tells Aymeric he's not only like another son to him, but that he sees a lot of Haurchefant in him. And it's true, they really do have a lot of similarities; Aymeric is just as idealistic, just as much a romantic as Haurche, he just hides it better.

And then there’s Ysayle and all the wonderful enemies-to-lovers stuff and the fraught nature of it given her past and the conspiracy theories his detractors cooked up about coups and whatnot. But they’re perfect for each other imo because they’re also fantastic foils in the same sense that Ysayle and Gisele are. The difference ofc being that Ysayle would never approach him of her own accord, out of guilt, and Aymeric is too concerned with the political ramifications. So this one I think would be less plausible without Gisele’s encouragement, even if Ysayle somehow managed to still survive Azys Lla without Gisele’s intervention. But in her verse it’s wonderful.

I also ship him with Raubahn, something I did totally by accident and messed me up real bad fhdskfs but it’s entirely that weary soldier thing, and mutual affection for

My non-romantic OTP for this character:

Lucia; I understand the shippy feelings some have but I read her as a lesbian and I love the undying loyalty she has for him. Aside from her it's got to be Edmont, for reasons I mentioned in the last answer, but in addition to that there's the frequently missed little detail that Edmont stepped down as ruling Count of House Fortemps entirely to take the heat off Aymeric when rumors were swirling that he was complicit in a coup on Thordan. It really had nothing to do with Edmont himself and his position.

And his cat.

My unpopular opinion about this character:

Aymeric directing WoL and Alphinaud to throw Nidhogg's Eyes into the chasm wasn't at all stupid or ill-conceived a plan and I hate that people harp on this plot point or talk about him like he was stupid for it. Given the context of the situation it was a perfectly reasonable thing to do. Aymeric had already seen his oldest friend and companion nearly lose himself to the damn things, as a start, and reacted like a totally normal person would in the heat of the moment; clearly he was worried about WoL and Alph.

Who tf would have or could have foreseen that dead ghost people from another world would go in there to retrieve them? Or even an Ascian, given the two that were fucking with Ishgard were really most sincerely dead at that point? It reeks of Monday morning quarterbacking and it gets on my nerves and I was actually irritated he was made to apologize for it in Stormblood. He had nothing to apologize for as far as I’m concerned, though I do thought it was very much IC for him to do it.

On a similar note: he wasn’t being a naive fool when he chose to confront Thordan with the truth about the beginnings of the war, he was playing a Xanatos Gambit and calling the old man’s bluff. He knew damn well that his father would react poorly to being confronted with the truth that the foundational myths of Ishgard's entire society were convenient lies. The reason he confronted him anyway was to force Thordan's hand. I think on some level Aymeric wanted to believe that he could be reasoned with, but was fully prepared for it to go south and knew it would still serve his purpose, and he even says as much when Edmont's trying to talk him out of it. Either Thordan reacts in a reasonable manner and they discuss things and work it out to tell the people the truth, or he gets exposed as the evil mastermind he actually is, and Aymeric is then able to act suitably against him. But that doesn't mean he didn't feel a deep sense of hurt at just how badly his father betrayed him.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.:

That we hadn't gotten cockblocked at dinner that night, and that the conversation could have been longer. (I held a grudge against Renda-Rae literally until I killed her Virtue form for that) I know this isn't that kind of game at all, and I'm honestly glad for it to an extent because it gives me the freedom to write how I want and avoid dumb ship wars and what not in the fandom but I still want to kiss this elf why won't you let me kiss him???????

More seriously though, I would like to hear more of his perspective on his faith. For a guy who led an order that would be called Paladins in any other setting (grumblegrumble), we only basically got the one line outside Snowcloak, but that was really it. Which is wild considering he was interim Archbishop for a hot minute. I have my own ideas obviously and talk about it in fic but it'd be nice to see anything at all in canon, especially his opinions on where the church is headed post-war.

And I want to know about his mom, who was she?

Also also let us see his cat, dammit

[nutley-rp]

Endwalker commentary - day 1!

SPOILER WARNING. I think I’m 1/3rd through? unfiltered first impressions

I love it so far!! I literally played the entire day and if I didn’t log in at 7:45 am like a madlad I don’t think I would’ve played at all, the queues seem so busted.

In some ways the stakes don’t feel as dire as SHB (at first, the despair starts to kick in later and I have a feeling there will be MORE despair) but I think it’s because throughout, there’s a very prevalent theme of hope despite certain doom. To fight in spite of the odds, and the lack of cynicism. I really dig that, it’s uplifting. So starting from the top!

Going to Sharlayan

I can’t help but feel a sinking sense of dread as hopeful music plays and all my comrades are cheery. I feel like someone is gonna EAT IT and I’m scared

Estinien is so dumb and I love him

This is giving me flashbacks of college lmao

I enjoy the escort missions so far and talking with my followers! Ah yes! Gonna bond with them more so that when they’re at risk, my heart will be ground to dust! :)

I can’t believe they have Starbucks

I love the look of this place! Everyone’s a nerd! But why is Dad Leveilleur like, kind of hot. (...I understand, SE.)

Going to Thavnair, part 1

Cool, teleport technology that doesn’t require attunement! I love how Urianger is such a meme character ahahahha. Estinien too.

Lol also, this group is all the talls, and the other is all the smalls

I am a bad fish saleswoman

This zone is so pretty, blend of Indian / South East Asian?

Uhhhh sus intro of dead alchemists - oh wait, no, just sleeping?? That’s weird

Child dragon servant, seems plot relevant

At first I hated how the elephant people looked but now they’re growing on me

Yay FINALLY. Some canon way for folk w/o the blessing of light to deal with primals. I am satisfied.

Ohhhhhh....ohh no....she got mounted on the wall. Things can’t go smoothly forever.

Sharlayan / Labyrinthos, part 1

All the characters are growing on me MORE. I am starting to understand the G’raha love at a deeper level

Interesting lore about Corvos. Allagan miqo’te labourers, grape island? G’raha having Garlean roots is interesting and unexpected

Labyrinthos is so weird but I dig it. Can’t blame the Sharlayans for building it, I make a treasure basement every time I play Minecraft

First male viera NPC! He’s cute! I like his accent

LMAO random very passionate NPC talking to me about Heartblooms. Oh boy is this flower definitely going to come back as a very relevant symbol and maybe shatter my heart, who knows

Very curious about the lowest level but seems we can’t go further yet

AHAHA “Is reading a crime now, too?” Cops bust into the library and pull G’raha out by the scruff of his neck

Thavnair, part 2

Radz-at-han is super pretty. Also I just realized why they’re called “Hannish” and yes, I’m slow

The magus sisters were a really fun dungeon boss! I didn’t know what  was happening!

Hmm interesting lore about Akasa. Basically another type of aether just for emotion, distinct separate from mind/body/soul aether?

Not at all ominous words from Vrtra that makes me worry MORE about someone dying. God.

Sharlayan again

Montichaigne is definitely a fun grandpa. Also like his explanations on aether

Yay, canon way for censorship?

Interesting that they don’t confirm whether souls remain immutable or not when they go back to the lifestream, I wonder which it is. Maybe both?

Ala Mhigo for a single, hot second

I see Gaius, I sigh sadly. But then I sigh with relief because he’s not coming, thank god

I really. Really love this. All the characters coming back from past exploits to help. Makes in-game sense, feels deserved, just. *chef’s kiss*

Also like how they recognize people are still pissed off at the Empire and that, pretty much, the ones here are here because they strive to rise above that and work towards real peace (...or saving the world, too). And because the WOL has touched all their lives in a way. INSPIRATION.

I see you, Sanson and Guydelot

A-Ruhn-Senna turning out to be a BAMF

Ayyy confirmation that the Populares weren’t super popular

Anyway Lucia leading this charge is poetic and I enjoy that

GARLEMAAAAALD AAAAAAAHHH

IF SHITS GONNA HIT THE FAN IT’LL BE HERE

I CAN’T BELIEVE WE’RE HERE LET ME INNNNN -has to do stupid Thancred stealth mission- LET ME INNNN

Lmao I like how Estinien just murders people

Hhhhhh the atmosphere here is so depressing and I LOVE IT. I LOVE IT SO MUCH. The music, the modern aesthetic. Snow.

Feeling validated b/c every pureblood Garlean met so far is an absolute ass towards the Scions. Pride is all they have left...The bullied becoming bullies and then back to bullied. Fighting back tooth and nail because otherwise they’re a target. Doing things even if it’s self-destructive.

...And now, senseless and thematic death. :(

I would like Jullus. Even though his blue hair is stupid.

The world’s most depressing park. I get Fallout vibes and I love Fallout so! Can I make it any more obvious that I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS SOLE ZONE. ENDWALKER MORE LIKE. GARLEMALD.

That talk between the twins. Alisaie being the first to lean on Alphinaud, then him leaning on her.

I’m okay with escort missions but I ABSOLUTELY HATE the trailing missions. Who came up with this. Please. This is torture.

Oahghhfsdfkjl honor literally killed him. Gun. :(

:(

...but now that that’s over, now that they’ve hit rock bottom, they can finally start healing. Oh wait nevermind KIDNAPPED BY FANDANIEL AND NOW, CHAOS

aHAHAH WFHhhsdf I’m on a date with Zenos. Or more accurately, Zenos was too shy to ask WOL out so Fandaniel is playing wingman, and the conversation is absolutely rancid as a result

Oh shit I guess souls can be shoved in and out of bodies through the power of technology! (tm)

OHHHhhHHHhh SHIT LOL THIS IS SO DIRE

OHh god I hate this MSQ quest so much but at the same time, that intersection between story and gameplay. Making it so frustrating but that’s because you’re stuck in a weak vessel. Also like how the WOL STILL goes out of their way to help strangers (and then...they all die rip) despite pending doom happening in parallel. And then the crawl that thankfully doesn’t last the full 10+ minutes but gives you enough to make you feel hopeless

WELL THAT WAS AN INTENSE CUTSCENE WASN’T IT. I like this duress what’s gonna happen. Zenos, my stupid unhinged beloved edgelord

We’re on a dungeon train! Cool! I like how NPCs help you out a bit too. I thought Anima was gonna be a raid boss but I guess not. Also, not story related, but I dig the monk changes so far. I feel like I’m going so fast and out of control

Krile ex machina

And now...the moon!

I thought I liked the first two (half) zones and then, I did Garlemald and nope! Garlemald best zone so far. It was just...very validating to play through. The way commonfolk acted, the war story, the themes and pacing, and then topping it off with just CRAZY STUFF AT THE END?? I can’t wait to bring Florus through the zone ICly...the goddamn angst potential. Though in like, an irl year, because there’s so much other RP chaos happening in Heartwood so that’s probably how long it’ll take for me to even consider bringing him home bUT. WHEN IT HAPPENS. -kneels- hallelujah

I can’t even imagine what the final two “full” zones are, I feel like we’ve gone everywhere already. I’m scared. Urianger hold me.

[whitherliliesbloom]

birds of a feather

[ ffxivwrite2021 ] ★ [ masterlist ] ★ [ prompt #16 - crane ]

[ illya & friends ] ★ [ 1,847 words ]  ★ [ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ] features ancientechos’ laurelis and two of my other ocs.

crane: a tall, long-legged, long-necked bird, typically with white or grey plumage

though their species varies as much as the colors of their plumages, birds of a feather flock the warrior of light together

“So...” Sigfred’s puzzled expression is framed by the furrowing of his eyebrows as he looks down at the young woman as she tries and fails to protectively shield her newest little companion away from his view. “You decided your aviary isn’t quite populated enough, did you?”

He says little, but the creature stood a good two feet taller than the comparably tiny lalafellin in front of it, the red tuff that crowned its head not helping it stay out of sight and unnoticeable either.

Of course, even if the peculiar thing hadn’t been almost the size of a small hyuran child or had striking plumage, it wouldn’t distract anybody from the fact that the lanky, majestic creature Illya had herded back home was yet another bird - a wild crane hailing from the far east.

“It wasn’t my decision to make.” Illya frowns, shaking her head while she idly raises her hand to rest upon the crane’s head, stroking it gently. “She just followed me back.”

“All the way from Yanxia?” The disbelief in his voice is his understandable, as is the skeptical crossing of his arms. He has trouble believing that a wild animal would doggedly tail Illya thousands of miles away from it’s natural habitat. Though his cynicism quickly fades when his scarlet eyes meet starlit ones, and he is reminded of the supernatural affinity the girl has with feathered creatures when a pigeon casually flutters over and lands on top of her head. 

He cannot tell if the lack of the wild animal’s natural fear of people when it came to Illya was more absurd, or the fact that she seemed completely nonchalant about the way a bird was nesting atop her hair. 

“Yes.” She answers, voice dipping slightly in pitch to convey her seriousness. “Hien had quite a struggle to chase her off the boat.” 

Evidently, the Prince of Doma had failed spectacularly... and as if self-aware, the crane puffs it’s chest out and tilts her head high into the sky. 

Next to Sigfred, the bard’s shoulder shakes in mirth, his loud guffaw echoing through the shroud of trees and causing the pigeon that had been peacefully resting on Illya’s head to flee, much to her unspoken chagrin. 

“Gods, I’m not even surprised anymore.” Wiping a stray tear from the corner of his eyes, E’lija finally speaks in between choked laughter. “Illya brings home a new bird like every other day.”

Heat spreads across the young lady’s face, though as if sensing her embarrassment, the cockatiel that had been sitting quietly upon the branch of Illya’s wisteria tree flys over before landing on her shoulder, now nudging it’s head against her cheek.

“I-I... I don’t choose to, most of the time at least... Plus, if I take good care of them, there shouldn’t be a problem. Isn’t that right, Orion?”

The cockatiel bobs its head up and down, much to the utter shock of E’lija who throws his arms up.

“W-wha- It can understand her??”

Orion doesn’t spare even a second to pause before turning it’s head to lock his beady, round eyes upon the miqo’te before his beak parts to voice his detest towards the man who would embarrass his master.

“Piss off.”

“IT CAN TALK?!?!” E’lija so very nearly falls off his fold up chair, threatening to take the cups of coffee and biscuits onto the floor with him.  “WHERE- Where did it learn that from???” 

“.....Estinien.” Illya frowns, lifting her index finger to poke at the cockatiel’s forehead in disapproval. “He got into a fight... well... argument with Orion. It wasn’t pretty.”

She really should find a way to tactfully ask the man to cut his expletives down... or at least not feel the raging urge to get into a debate with a mere bird, lest she have a harder and harder time convincing people that she was not in fact the one responsible for teaching her pet cockatiel how to yell ‘Thal’s balls’ in a guest’s ear. 

Sigfred merely hums, his hands stroking his chin as he narrows his eyes at the crane. 

“What kind of crane is it, anyway? We didn’t see a lot of it’s kind back in Doma.”

“It’s a Manchurian crane - one of the rarest species of cranes in the world, I believe. It’s particularly highly revered in the far east... which was why I had to hide her below deck while we were sailing by Kugane.”

His interest piqued, the redhead straightens himself and adjusts his hat before leaning back into his seat. 

“Why’s that?”

“Um... well, if I remember right, it symbolizes good fortune, longevity and immortality.”

E’lija has to stop his jaw from dropping so low that it’d collide with the table. Archons, and this apparently rare crane from the far east that represented god given virtues has now taken a liking to Illya so much it’d leave Doma to stalk her all the way back to Eorzea?

Internally, he wonders what sort of karma he must have to obtain such divine blessings. 

With a clear of his throat, Sigfred steers the conversation back on track.

“So what now? What do you plan on doing next with it?”

“I-I.... I don’t... I don’t know? She’s stubborn... wouldn’t budge for anyone. I had thought maybe letting her see just how different the shroud is from Yanxia, she’d want to go home but...”

A hearty, more pleasant giggle rings out next to her, and Illya turns to look at a pink-haired miqo’te who she had assumed would be too pre-occupied with cuddling her baby dodo to have paid attention to her conversation with her other party mates.

Laurelis still is, to an extent... her arms wrapped tightly around the plump, round creature as it lets out an occasional squawk. But as usual, when it came to the topic of animal adoption and welfare, she was ever the first to jump to contribute to the topic.

“Why don’t you just adopt her then? You already know how to take care of other birds so... just one more won’t make much of a change, would it?”

That was the exact mindset that would lead Laurelis to have an ever growing household of cats and dogs that she’d find on her travels... but Illya thinks pointing out the irony to that would only get lost to her dear friend. 

“Well... I... I have my reservations.” 

Illya turns behind to look back at the crane as it stares intently back at her. Whatever that was going through it’s head, it certainly had no intention of returning where it came from... But that in itself was a bit of a problem.

“Manchurians cranes are an endangered species... I’m not sure I’m qualified enough to take care of one, let alone adopt and keep one for the rest of it’s life, when it should rightfully be wild.” 

There was a drip of hypocrisy in her statement, certainly. It wouldn’t be the first time she’s had to shelter a wild animal only to be forced into a position of adopting it - and it didn’t just apply to birds either. 

But caring and raising a species at danger of going extinct was an entirely different issue that she rightfully felt she had no place dabbling in - not without professional training, at least... and the twelve knows when she’d find an expert in the matter willing to teach her.

Ethical concerns aside, Illya also struggled to find a concrete reason for why she absolutely had to keep this beautiful creature in her home. 

For most of the other animals she’d adopted, they had been rescued in some form or the other. Hazel for example, the brown sparrow that she had found with broken wings near Bentbranch Meadows a few summers ago. Though Illya had full intentions to release her as soon as she healed from her injuries, the little sparrow grew attached and has rarely ever left her side since. 

She’d struggled to find an adopter who would be willing to take in her mobirdly obese chocobo chick Lawrence, due perhaps to their reservations in regards to providing for his demanding diet. And likewise, the hunting hawk that she’d met upon a pirate ship had been abandoned after losing it’s eye... and his protectiveness over not just herself, but anyone he knew to be someone Illya cared for, made it difficult to even find ways to put adverts for his adoption. 

Illya had thought the reason why birds seemed to flock to and very often stay by her side had been for the simple fact that she’d saved them... and that their attachment to the one who saved them made it impossible for them to part from her. 

The Manchurian crane however, would perhaps be the clearest proof that her affinity with birds was... unnatural, to say the least. 

Not that she minded, of course... Because for as much as she would bring doubt to her own abilities to care for the animals under her care, she did secretly have a soft spot for birds that perhaps made it hard for her to give her feathered friends as much as it would be for them to find a new home. 

“Maybe I could foster it for a while before bring it back to Doma.” Illya hums, but hears Laurelis whine pitifully in response.

“But she’s clearly attached to you! I’m sure she’ll be happiest by your side. At the end of the day, her happiness and wellbeing is the most important, right? I’m sure you’ll do just fine, Illya!” 

The miqo’te points out, gesturing to the yard full of birds who roosted quietly - from Lawrence who was now rolling about in his little playpen full of sand, to Captain Blackbeak who sat vigilantly atop the purple mailbox decorated with golden leaves and stars that sat right outside her yard. 

Illya hears hazel singing from where she sat on the roof of the pagoda, and the nudging of the crane’s beak against her face, as if both voicing their agreement for Laurelis’ words... and Illya lets out a heaving sigh that was copied comically by the cockatiel on her shoulder.

“I-I’ll think about it.” Though there’s still a hint of hesitation, the fact Illya was willing to even consider was enough to cause Laurelis to break out into a grin, lifting her hands up to clap in delight.

“Oh goodie! Now think of a name for her!”

“N-now??” With widened eyes of gleaming lavender stars, Illya parts her mouth and shakes her head frantically. “W-when I’m put on the spot like that I can’t--... I can’t think of anything-”

“Oh!” Evidently more than happy to suggest some ideas, E’lija blurts out. “I have some ideas! How about... Queen crane! Or... Immortal Nancy! Or-”

“Shut up stupid! Shut up stupid!”

Bouncing up and down, Orion squeals out, causing the bard to finally collapse off of his chair and spill his milk coffee, which Illya is certain that Lawrence would be more than happy to hop over and drink off the floor.

[inviouswriting]

Darkwardens au - Choices

Going full dark in this one. So warnings apply. There might be some death. Having an adult rating doesn’t always mean smut. :3

Credits to.

@maiden-born-in-snow​ for Shuri.

@meepsthemiqo​ for mentions of Meeps, Fae, and Fae’a. (just briefly)

Kivera is use to alot of things, she is able to read people better than themselves. This comes with the many years she spends as Purgatory’s caretaker. She never truly rules that realm, it can never be ruled by anyone. It is a world that is meant for people to understand their wrongs, their sins and work to absolving them. She adopted a thought process to not get into the affairs of humans at that point because she has seen the true depravity of humanity. She had felt it when she spent time in hell as a freshly fallen angel, she was like a scrap of meat to a pack of starved wild dogs.

She is use to being used by others for their merits. So when the Scion’s Thancred approached where she had been guarding Anubis. She knew they had some trick up their sleeve to try and ensure their victory.

All it did was infuriate her, she noticed new champions they rallied for their cause. For their “extermination,” Kivera scoffs at their approach. They were going to attempt to reason with her, get her to side with them. To betray someone she loves. She noticed a few missing in Y’shtola, Alisaie and Alphinaud. They took her warning to heart, wisely not stepping against her. They’ve seen the aftermath of her fighting with G’raha. they would be walking to their deaths if they approached her, like the ones in front of her now.

“Leave.” Kivera hisses, she did not want to entertain them with idle chatter. Nothing of her morals, she has heard that too many times. She knew the faces that would not approach her would be her successor in Kiya and her family, Alphinaud, and G’raha Tia. He learned the hard way not to anger her. 

“You are not even going to listen to reason?” Kivera feels her nerves stand on edge at Thancred speaking. He would be the one to act like he knew someone better. An orange eye glances his way, a warning to choose his words wisely.

“I already told you my stance. If you are here to kill her. Then my hand is forced. She is still in there.. give her more time. You did that for that kobold, and many others who had been tempered. Why not her?” Kivera notes them wandering closer, she kept her distance even using a miasma to warn them they were stepping too close. A burning clove scent in the air to ward off undesirable people. 

“This isn’t a tempering, it is a corruption. Like the lightwardens. There is no coming back from it once their very aether is tainted.” Kivera’s eyes narrow towards the gunbreaker.

“You do not see her daily. You fought hard to stabilize her before. Why not seek that again, figure that out. Or better yet, run away and let someone else do it for you. You are very good at that. That is the only reason that paladin with you is here for...” At her feet, Kivera hovers, she was ready for an attack. 

“Kivera, you can’t leave her like this. Isn’t it more torture for her to be locked away in an area? You did your best to contain her before the energy could spread. Yet I feel it from here, it is the same as a deeply rooted lightwarden. She’s too far gone. She would not want this.” Kivera turns her head towards them locking her eyes to Thancred’s. He tried this before with her, and she was firm the first time he tried to suggest what was better for Shuri like they were still lovers.

“I don’t want to hear that out of you. You have no idea what she wants. She wants to live, she wants to return to being a mother, she wants to see Estinien. She wants to break free of what holds her, but she is unable to. If it takes me removing her from this star and world altogether. I will make her a home in my world before I succumb her to your self righteous ways. Who do any of you think you are? When was it acceptable that you are the ones who decide who lives and who dies. Just because someone was tempered by a primal. You announce their demise, you rally people for it. You sent countless people to their deaths before the “right” ones showed promise. Yet when those ones too falter. Here you are ready to drop a guillotine on their necks. I said this before Thancred. You do not get to say what you feel is best for Shuri. You have no right for it, as someone who betrayed her trust a long time ago. Don’t think she hasn’t lamented to me her woes about it. You speak of knowing what is best for her, when you don’t have the first clue about her anymore. I will say this once more. Leave!”

“Damn it Kivera, you really will see this through then? I’ve seen the corruption first hand, in what it does to a mortal being. Remember Titania? How the pixies had to lock them away for the same reason, yet even they had to kill them for the greater good. It’s not about moral right, it is doing what needs to be done.” Thancred pushes it with the reaper, and as he steps forward a fire bolt is thrown at his feet to keep him back.

“Do not talk to me about what needs to be done. You and yours are the very reason I can never stand the self-righteous. Those who think they know the greater good. You tell yourselves that line to make it just. To remove any guilt that what you are doing is wrong. Like the many beast tribes you’ve had their guardian deities slain before their eyes. Visually destroying their hopes in front of them for the sake of “greater good.” Some of those tribes practice their prayer without the tempering. Yet if any of you spent time with those tribes. You would have learned a long time that the tempering does not happen without a reason. The call of a danger so much like what is happening now. We don’t know the cause of why Shuri tipped into darkness itself. If the sin eaters were a product of light, and their names of forgiven sins. Then the opposite here should be taken into account. Unless I am missing something. You were very much ready to end her life back before Emet. An acceptance then as the risk of a sin eater to ruin all of what you had achieved.” Kivera keeps her eyes on the group Thancred brought with him, a group of eight. Thinking that a full party of people would be enough to fight her.

Thancred realizes there is no way Kivera can be reasoned with, not when his own reason in this is questioned. The reaper notices his expression and folds her arms as she sheds the guise she had been in. The calm seeker of sun miqo’te for a form fitting of the nature they’re talking.

Her form shifting was as if breathing air to her, from dark wings, and clothing altering to allow her to move freely. She eyes them, sizing them up a party of eight people is nothing to her. She who has laid waste to worlds.

“This doesn’t have to end with your death Kivera.” Thancred hears her scoff again. The group that crosses the final threshold seals it for her. She would be taking lives today.

“Who says I am the one who will die here? Have you forgotten what I am? You better run away while YOU can. Unless you are wanting to sit back and watch the slaughter... How many more lives must stain your hands.. Just how many more must you lead along this path, dangling fame and money as a bargain for the lives you alter.” Kivera places her feet onto the ground and sweeps a foot across the earth to put a flaming barrier at the edges of the forest. 

“What made you have those opinions of us in the first place? I don’t see how your thoughts were just grown overnight because of Shuri.” Kivera’s attention on Thancred, he was delaying the fight, he must have felt that this is a losing battle from the start.

“Elidibus. You remember him.” Kivera entertains him further. She had summoned her scythe and stands on the arch of the blade. Here she looks her namesake. Angel of death, Thancred worries even more that the eight people were truly enough. How does one fight death herself.

“Aye, I do, what does he have to do with your thoughts.”

“More than you realize. Fae, Meeps, Fae’a. By your meddling with affairs that should have taken place. She lost someone she cared for greatly, loved deeply. Robbed a life of so much. I had to endure yelling on that behalf mind you. It made me think. That maybe you and the scions are not truly someone to lay your trusts in. Then you wanted to recruit Shuri out of her domestic life for the sake of another suicide mission. You want to pull Kiya out of the same. Lucky Aymeric has a brain and refused to allow that after she had hung her mantle up. Because they know the dangers, because they know “if they don’t, you will just make others do it.” Like now. What you promise them? Pretty coin? their names engraved in stone or books? Matters not to me. And to be fair. I’m done talking. Enough stalling.” Kivera summons a mirror behind Thancred and with a flit she moves in front of him swinging the blunt end of her weapon to throw him out of the area, out of the realm they’re in and back into Mor Dhona. Her successfully saying “get lost.” With evicting him out of the realm entirely.

Kivera’s attention now on the group of fighters.

“How sad that you are pulled into their cause. Just... more souls for the underworld.” Kivera sighs seeing the group ready themselves, unaware of what exactly they’re up against. She is just a stepping stone to them in their greater cause. But even stepping stones do not move from their spot.

The analytical side of her has already noticed their weak points, that the fighters who are not healers or meant to take alot of damage falling to their knees already. Her miasma had been working from the start as a slow poison to the unaware. How it leeches their life from them if she chooses to. With a well timed blast of fire from her, she catches the very area on fire ready to burn it to ashes under her word. Yet leaves the trees and foliage alone. Her mastery over her power to not harm what she does not want destroyed while sending enough fire onto the ones attacking her.

When she notices them withstanding her a bit longer, she moves them to a different plane of existence. Her wasteland in one of her realms. She shifts time and place with ease that they seemed to be at a loss of what to do.

Here she puts her scythe away in favor of something she hardly uses. A weapon similar to what the astrologions use. Kivera doesn’t need to think further of their endurance. She draws a card from the item, mocking the healer she had just slain. Tossing the card up as if to signify the loss of another soul letting it burn to ash as the very air around them bursts into flames.

“Forgive me Divinity.” Kivera murmurs under her breath, and without waiting further she cleaves half of the group down with most of her elemental magic. figuring out their weaknesses with flashes of each element. She knew how to deal with paladins, they were easy than most gave credit.

The fires dim down and spark into lightning, she throws streams of attacks till the last healer fell, singling them out before she started on the ranged and magical fighters.

She had summoned a different scythe and spends most of her time chasing down the mages. She petrifies the others and silences them. Witling down their defenses till she was certain they can’t recover.

She grants a reprieve once it was just her and the paladin. She leans on Antares then draws her weapon up underneath her to sit in the air as the energy swirls enough to make her ominous. The fighter left fumbling for something to revive a healer. A phoenix feather, Kivera sees it and snaps her fingers to burn it off.

“You want to watch that one die again? Accept the outcome. You’re not going to walk away from here alive.” Kivera brings her hands to her face and rests her head into her palms. She was biding her time, watching the knight falter from realizing he is the only one left. She changes domains again. Bringing them to a different one, one that overlooks a failing world. 

“Do you surrender? I’ll make it easier on you. Keep fighting and not even a Valkyrie will take your soul.” Kivera has no intentions of letting them walk freely. She wanted to send a message to Thancred after all. What better way for her than the bodies of those who he sent to kill her.

You know the answer to that, I can’t give up even if it is me alone. To the bitter end.”

“To the bitter end. I’ll commend you then.” Kivera starts after him, her weapon hooking with his, hers unfair in advantage of strength and power. A scythe is a versatile weapon with reach and heavier blade. Her hit alot harder than his, the curve of the blade digs in an arm at the seperation in his armor. Where she was aiming for. Her blade in his arm meant she could sever it.

The knight fends her off, and he is met with barrages of flames and lightning. Each stronger than the last throw. He noted her appearance change, not even the others have seen her true form, save for Shuri and her loved ones. strikes harder till she manages to remove the dominant arm. 

To Kivera, this was no one special to her, just another face they called upon. To her, the lives she just took were nothing but that. Her doing her role. 

“It’s over...” She says and without hesitation rends his head off letting it roll right off the edge of the platform. Kivera sends that through a portal to land timely in Thancred’s lap. Letting him see that she holds true to her word. That she will kill each and every champion he and the scion’s send after her and Shuri.

Kivera gathers each of the fallen, and sends them in a heap in front of Thancred.

“You sent them to their deaths. You bury them. You tell their families the suicide mission you sent them on.” Kivera’s words echo in his mind.

“Remember. That you had the choice to leave. I too had a choice to defend what is important to me. I will never lose another to a needless death. Send as many as you wish. I’ll cut them all down.”

Kivera ends it with returning back to her outpost to await the next group. She knows there will be more. It will never end unless she falls or they give up. 

[elveny]

FFXIV Write Prompt #4: Clinch

Clinch | grapple at close quarters, especially so as to be too closely engaged for full-arm blows

The falling snow nearly swallowed the faint melody floating through the street.

“The cold winds… from the m-mountains….” 

Step.

“Are calling soft to me… to me…”

Step.

“The smell of scented… heather… brings bitter memor—”

Ste— slip.

“Whoops.”

The words sounded wrong, a meaningless chuckle in her throat as Adriene caught hold of a lantern just in time before she fell onto the snowy cobbles. Had the streets always been so slippery? But then, it had been snowing, again, for the better part of the night.

If Adriene thought about it, it was still snowing. Or was it? She blinked into the night sky, still that ridiculous grin on her face. It had been a good night. With too much ale. And too much wine. And something that someone… who had it been? Jenn… Francois… ah, whatever, that someone had called Ishgardian Fire. Adriene was pretty sure that it was something magical if she considered the way it still burned in her veins. It definitely made it hard to focus, giving the whole world a sway it by rights should not have.

But then, by rights, the whole world was out of focus.

Adriene forced her thoughts away from the pain that threatened to rise inside her, and blinked against the snowflakes.

Oh right, that was what she had been thinking about. Snowing. It was snowing in Ishgard, because of course it was. She’d have to be careful on her way home.

No.

Not home.

She couldn’t call House Fortemps home. Not anymore. Not that she ever really had the right to do so anyway. And now that—

“Adriene.”

The sudden voice cut into her thoughts, and slowly, far too slowly, she reached for her knives, only to stop fumbling once her foggy brain had caught up with what she saw. Then a bright smile came onto her face.

“Estininien!”

The dragoon cocked his head, his visor snapping open as he frowned down on her. “That’s… nearly my name, yes.”

Adriene chuckled again, this time more honestly, and the flush on her cheeks deepened. “Sorry, I guess I’m somewhat drunk.” She made a vague gesture with her hand. “I was just a-about to find another inn, d’you wanna join me? Surely there’s some… some… something in the Brume.” She leaned forward as if to impart a great secret to him and losing her balance as she did, catching herself on his arm. “I even… won’t tell anyone who you are. If you don’t.” She made a gesture as if to lock her mouth with a key. “Our secret.”

Estinien looked as if he couldn’t quite decide what to think about the situation. “I am afraid the armor would give me away,” he said dryly. “But I am not here to accompany you to the Brume. I’m here to escort you home.”

Adriene’s smile wavered for the tiniest second. “Well, I’m afraid you wasted your time them. Then. Cause I’m a woman on a mission!” She hit her fist against her chest and immediately regretted it again. “Outch.”

A hint of amusement stole into Estinien’s voice. “Is that so?” he asked, raising an eyebrow as she nodded vigorously. “And what mission is that?”

“It’s… it’s a…” For a moment, she searched for words, then she nodded emphatically. “It’s a mission not to go back tonight. But if you don’t wanna come, that’s fine. I can get drunk on my own.”

Before she could turn to leave, though, Estinien said, “Didn’t you say you’re already drunk?”

Adriene shrugged. “Not enough. So, are you coming or not?”

For a seemingly endless moment, he just looked at her, then he shrugged. “Alright then. Are you sure, though, that this is the way to the Brume?”

She bristled. “Of course I am! Been here long enough!”

Ignoring the smile in the corner of his lips, she turned and continued her way towards what she was absolutely sure was the Brume. Estinien kept at her side, silently listening to the song she started singing under her breath again as she walked this way, then that, crossing over a bridge and another. He did not offer assistance unless she stumbled or slipped again, and while Adriene was glad for the lack of commentary, every time he let go of her again, she felt a bit colder than before. Contrary to what she had said, she had no idea whether this actually was the way to the Brume — and she faintly remembered that when she had left the Forgotten Knight, it had not been to go find another inn — but Twelve be damned if she would admit to that.

It was only when she found her way blocked by a large door that she looked up again, the melody dying on her lips as she saw where she was standing.

This was not the Brume. Nor an inn. She hadn’t even gotten back to the Forgotten Knight.

It was The Vault.

Furiously, she spun around, sparks in her eyes as she hit Estinien square on his breastplate.

“How dare you?!” she shouted at him, raining another blow in his armor, and another. “How dare you bring me here?!”

Estinien seemed unfazed by her meager attempts to hurt him. “I did not,” he just said calmly, putting his hands on her arms to hold her. “I followed you, remember?”

But Adriene barely listened to him, her hands balled to fists as she hit his armor over and over. A part of her was very aware that she only hurt herself when she tried to fight barehanded against armor, but that same part didn’t care in the least. On the contrary.

“No!” she nearly screamed. “I swore never to lay eyes upon this blighted place ever again! Why are we here?!”

Estinien’s hands on her arms tightened as he stepped closer. Robbed of the last bit of her range, her blows lost even the little power they had originally had. Instead, her voice broke under the intensity of his gaze, eyes filling with tears, and all of a sudden, all that had been left of her strength went out of her. With a sob, she sank to her knees. Still, he held her, kneeling in front of her as she buried her face in her hands in a vain attempt to hold the tears and the black grief inside her back.

“I can’t go back, Estinien… I can’t. I can’t,” she whispered desperately, hands falling uselessly into her lap.

“Alright,” he said softly, a soft, soothing hand on her hair.

“Because it should’ve been me. It’s me who… who should’ve taken that blow, not him, not… Haurchefant.”

The hand on her hair paused for a second. “Don’t say that, please,” Estinien said quietly.

“But it’s true,” Adriene whispered, a sob in her voice. “It’s my job to protect Cassia. Always was. It should’ve been me between her and Zephirin, but instead, I was so focused on trying to stop that airship that I was too far ahead.”

“Adriene…”

“And I told him!” Adriene exclaimed in pain, finally looking back up at Estinien. The raw emotion she saw in his face was the last straw and suddenly, her tears ran free and hot over her cheeks. “He knows… Edmond knows that. There was this… long night where we spoke about the past, and he knows that I was trained to protect Cassia. And now his son is dead instead of me, dying doing my job. He’ll never know his child. And Cassia is a widow.” Desperation was in her face as she asked, “How am I ever going to be able to go back? To look him in the eyes? To look them all in the eyes?”

Estinien had no answer but she hadn’t expected one. There was no answer, she knew.

“You know they don’t blame you,” he said after a long silence.

“Isn’t it enough that I blame myself?” she asked back, her voice breaking upon the words.

By now, the snow fell in those thick flakes that swallowed every sound and every form, painting the whole world in that white shimmer that only seemed to thicken the darkness. The lights of the city disappeared behind the veil of white coldness that mercifully hid the doors to the Vault.

“If you don’t want to go back now, you can come home with me,” Estinien offered quietly. “I have a guestroom ready.”

Any other day, Adriene would have been hard-pressed to know how to react to such an offer in any appropriate form after their long journey together that had rekindled the simmering feelings and tension between them, but today, she only felt overwhelming relief at the words. 

“Truly?” she breathed, and he nodded. “I don’t know if I can keep up with the jumps, though,” Adriene murmured, wiping a hand over her cheeks. “I might have had a tad too much to drink.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Estinien said, pulling her up with him as he stood. The next moment, she found herself in his arms, instinctively holding onto him as he seemed to carry her effortlessly. “I got you.”

And without wasting another moment, he leaped off into the night, holding her close.

[kaoru-takaida]

Final Fantasy XIV Chapter: One Big Change...

  *SPOILERS FOR SHADOWBRINGERS INTO PATCH 5.4*

Footsteps echo through the halls of the Royal Palace in Garlemald. The two intruders run with all their might as alarums sound and lights flash adding to the severity of their situation. “Gods damn it all…” Nil says under his breath. “There’s no way we were spotted, so why are the Garleans in arms?”

  Kaoru scowls. “I haven’t the foggiest as to why.” She shakes her head. “We’ve failed. Haven’t we?” Nil slows his speed and stops running, looking up at her. She stops and faces the lalafell.

  “Nay.” Nil puts a hand to his chin. “Although, we may need to return to Eorzea to get an update on the situation here.” Nil scowls now too. “To think that not one of my contacts in the Populares are anywhere to be seen… There is something queer about the situation and we can not risk not knowing the full conflict that’s transpired.”

  Kaoru nods. “Aye.” She puts a hand of reasoning out. "However, I can't in good conscience leave Tius's sister behind… we were so close." Kaoru crosses her arms. "Mayhap I should remain without you?" Nil is taken aback by this approach. "You can bear word to the Scions, whilst I-."

  "Forget it!" Nil interrupts, standing his ground. Kaoru gasps a bit, caught off guard by his sudden reaction. "You're not staying by yourself. You'll surely need help with this. And with my knowledge of Garlemald, I can help." Nil shakes his head. "We have to figure something out…"

  Kaoru sighs, slightly annoyed. “Is there no way for us to remain?” She asks.

  Nil opens his mouth to respond. “Not with the attention you two draw to yourselves.” A voice replies. Both Nil and Kaoru choke in surprise. They reach for their weapons, only to find their holsters empty. The source of the voice was a hooded figure, a good 15 yalms from their position. Kaoru feels a chill run down her spine at the sound of the voice. “My, my, such pretty little things.” He says, lifting both hands with a set of circular chakrams in one and a grimoire in the other. Kaoru and Nil scowl. “Worry not. I’ll return them after I say my piece.” The man drops the weapons at his feet. “Tell me, why put yourselves in such a problematic situation?” The man asks through a smile. "Why would you go through the trouble of coming to this sordid place when it's clear you do not belong?" He puts a hand to his chin. "Why, one would think there's something you're after here in the Royal Palace." 

  Kaoru scoffs. “You knew we weren’t Garleans?”

  The man chuckles. “I’m a tad more… ‘in the know’ compared to some of the rabble here." He looks at Nil. "Although as far as Garleans go, it seems you're the only one here that ISN'T of Garlean blood.” The man gives a small wink at Nil and Nil's face twists into something Kaoru couldn't place as anger or embarrassment. The mysterious man fakes a dramatic gasp. He covers his mouth. “But where are my manners? I haven’t introduced myself, have I?” He reaches for his hood. “I think you were acquainted with 'me' at one point.” He drops the hood and Kaoru’s eyes widen at the reveal, confirming her initial suspicions. Nil cocks an eyebrow at what looks like a familiar man.

  “Asahi sas Brutus?” Nil asks, taking a step forward. Kaoru reaches down, stopping him in his tracks.

  “Asahi” smiles at Kaoru. “At one point, yes.” Kaoru answers. “But not now.” She steps in front of Nil, guarding him. “Not when I witnessed Yotsuyu slay him with mine own eyes.” Kaoru clenches her fists. “He’s an Ascian.”

  The man chuckles again. “Nothing gets past you.” He begins clapping. “Bravo! We have a winner!” He gives a dramatic bow, a menacing smirk creeping upon “Asahi’s” face. “The name is Fandaniel, my lady.” Kaoru doesn’t reply. He stands straight. “And I’ve a bit of a predicament with you two being here.” Fandaniel points at them. "Your positions aren't backstage where the world can't see you. You belong with the others where my Patron can take the audience by storm in your glorious and inevitable clash." He gestures an open hand out to Kaoru. "You, the little battle Princess and you," He gestures to Nil, "the cast out disowned Soothsayer." It's clear that the title hits a nerve in Nil because his fists clench and a scoffs escapes his lips.

  "And just who is this so-called Patron of yours?" Nil asks, snidely.

  Fandaniel shrugs. "I'm sure your Eorzean friends, The Scions of the Seventh Dawn, could tell you when you get back." Kaoru and Nil's eyes widen hearing this, fearing the worst. "Oh, they aren't dead. Just a bit crispy is all. I paid them a little visit to introduce myself. I'm sure you'll hear all about it." Fandaniel looks to Kaoru. "But something tells me that you're not intending to return to Eorzea willingly."

  Kaoru swallows hard, not moving. "Nay. I would rather not." Kaoru begins. "I've important business here in Garlemald that requires my attention." Kaoru reaches forward and her Chakrams begin to vibrate from their spots at Fandaniel's feet. Before the Ascian knew it, they whizzed forward and found their way into Kaoru's hands. She takes a step forward, primed to strike.

  But Fandaniel isn't anywhere to be seen. "Kaoru!" Nil shouts from behind her. She exclaims as a hand grasps her wrist and yanks her back, the black and purple smoke of a portal drifting away. Fandaniel pulls her towards him and as he does, a small ball of compressed magic forms in his other hand. Before she can react, he thrust it into her chest. She can feel a tightness in her chest before breathing becomes difficult. She collapses over, her knees buckling as she gasps for air. He helps her to the floor and then steps away from her as something crazy happens.

  Nil dashes to Kaoru's side. She gasps continuously for air. "What… did you… do?" She asks between breaths. Fandaniel shrugs.

  "I merely gave the sweet princess some motivation, is all." He tells her. A second after that, Kaoru acknowledges the weirdest feeling. She could have sworn she felt herself shrinking. Nil gasps now at what he witnesses. "A curse, if you will. Think of it:" Kaoru winces and heaves in pain on the floor. "The sweet Princess has befallen a terrible curse that she must find a way to break. Such an intriguing side story to up the stakes in the tale of this Star's impending doom."

  All seemed well. Or as well as it could be given the circumstances. Alphinaud and Alisaie are seated in the Rising Stones, pouring over the documents and tomes in front of them. Alisaie sighs. "If I stare at these any longer, I fear I'll do myself an injury." She says, slamming the book in her hand shut and sliding it aside on the table.

  Alphinaud sets his own tome down next to a pile of notes he'd been writing. "I understand, sister. But pray, take more time to rest. Given your recent travails, your aether needs time to recover." Alisaie nods, but looks annoyed.

  “Alright.” She says, letting her annoyance slip away as she stretches her arm a little. Alphinaud takes his cup of tea from its saucer and lifts it to take a sip. She releases a sigh of relief. Just as she does, a sharp pain stings in her chest. She inhales sharply. Strangely enough, as she does, so too does Alphinaud wince in pain, grasping at his heart, the tea cup in his hand falling from his grasp and shattering on the floor. Alisaie and Alphinaud both look at each other with pained expressions. Alisaie opens her mouth to say something. But is promptly interrupted by a crashing noise that comes from The Solar. As the two of them race into the room, Tataru and Krile, who were moments away from leaving to pursue Estinien, burst through the doors as well. There, Unukalhai is shaking an unconscious and familiar male Lalafell. “Is that-?!”

  Alphinaud shoots a look at Krile. She nods and they immediately run to the barely conscious Nil. He weakly props himself up on his elbows. “Help her…” He tells Krile. He points. Alisaie steps to the other side of the desk, and next to the toppled chair was another lalafell. A lalafell girl with familiar black and pink colored hair. She can’t explain why, the reason was beyond her, but she immediately knew who this girl was. “Help… Kaoru…”

  Krile wipes a bead of sweat from her brow, sighing in relief. She gives Alphinaud a tired smile. “Thank you for your timely assistance, Alphinaud.”

  Alphinaud lets out a tired exhale. “Phew…” Alphinaud seats himself on the stool behind him next to Nil’s bedside. They had all managed to move the two patients into the Dawn’s Respite. Nil opens his eyes. “You both are stable now.” Nil attempts to sit up, but Alphinaud holds his hands up, stopping him. “Take ease, Nil. Your aether was almost entirely drained.” Nil sits up slowly, grunting with effort.

  He gives Alphinaud and Krile a weak, almost sad, smile. “Thank you, you two.” Nil replies. All three of them look over at the, now soundly asleep and recovering, lalafell girl. “I feared the worst there for a moment. I didn’t think I had cast my spell in time.” Krile scowls now, giving a very concerned look to Nil.

  “One spell did all of that damage to your aether?!” Krile asks. “Just what Spell was it that you used? What trouble did you guys encounter in Garlemald that would force you to use such a damaging technique?” Nil takes a deep breath.

  “I think that can wait till the others get here.” Nil says. Nearly a bell later, Tius, Hope, G’raha, and Alisaie stride quickly through the doors and into the room. Nil looks over to them. “Hey there.”

  Tius instantly runs to Kaoru’s. “Kaoru!” This surprises everyone, since Alisaie did not mention Kaoru’s new appearance. But he knew it was her instantly. He takes her hand. She’s still sound asleep. Tius faces Nil and Krile. “She’ll be okay, right?” He asks. Both Alphinaud and Krile nod, giving him a reassuring smile.

  “Her aether became unstable during the transformation. Her body could not handle the amount of aether she had at the time.” Krile begins to explain. Alphinaud scowls, frowning.

  “Simply put, the transformation she endured did not take in account the aether of her original body.” He finishes. “So had her aether not been stabilized, her body would have failed due to the shock.” Alphinaud looks at her. “She will be fine now, but unfortunately, it does not look like a normal Phantasia will change her back to her original body…” Everyone is silent as dread creeps into the room.

  Krile looks at Nil. “As for you, might you explain just what happened, now that the others are here?” Nil inhales a long breath. “That spell you used is dangerous. What happened that made you have to use it?”

  Nil looks up at Hope and Alisaie. G’raha takes a seat next to Nil’s bed so they could see him better. “An Ascian with the name of Fandaniel did this to Kaoru…” Everyone in the room gasps or exclaims in surprise. Nil sighs. “Yeah, he told us he had introduced himself to you guys already…” Alisaie scoffs, crossing her arms.

  “That he did. In the form of having a dragon he dubbed ‘Lunar Bahamut’ trying to toast us and setting fire to the Gardens at the Royal Menagerie.” Nil gives her a shocked look. Alisaie closes her eyes, looking thoroughly annoyed. “There weren’t any casualties. But the Gardens were razed and the Ascian did not deign to reveal his plan.”

  Nil sits there, puzzled, as the Scions recount to him what had happened since Kaoru and him had left for Garlemald after they all had returned to the Source from the First. After all was recapped, Nil takes a moment to process and consider what he had been told. G’raha breaks the silence now. “I take it Kaoru and you met with the same type of misfortune in the Imperial Capital?” Nil clears his throat.

  “Well, we spent a fair amount of time snooping around the Palace for Tius’s sister.” Nil looks over at Tius. “We’d found she was in the service of the Royal Family… However, what we were not ready for was the unrest that had begun to claim the throne.” Nil crosses his arms, looking a bit upset. “None of my prior contacts were responding on their linkshells and we exhausted every means of exploration we could without the connections. But due to the chaos, our search was short lived.” Nil looks down at his hands. “When we were debating what we were going to do next, Fandaniel decided he had his own plans.” Nil looks up at Hope now. “I guess one that involved us being with you guys… and Kaoru cursed.”

  Alphinaud puts a hand to his chin. “Then you know of the Ascian’s choice of disguise this time around?” Nil nods, not saying anything. “Using Asahi’s body will greatly benefit them since the Empire knows naught of what transpired during the prisoner exchange.”

  Nil shakes his head. “Not just that, the House Brutus is an influential family in Garlemald, not to mention wealthy and possesses a standing in the eyes of the military.” Nil scoffs, bitterly. “No wonder none of the Populares responded to me. I wouldn’t be surprised if Fandaniel used his own connections to seek them out and…” Nil’s voice trails off as he bows his head, frowning. His bangs shadowing his face and his eyes barely visible. His shoulders are tensed and his braid is over his right shoulder, resting next to his neck. The room grows silent as Nil begins to seeth with what none of them can place as either anger or sadness. Tius stands now, walking to the other side of Kaoru’s bed and seating himself on it, placing himself between Nil and Kaoru.

  “It’s time you spill it…” Tius tells Nil. The Scions can’t help but exchange confused glances to one another. Tius scowls at Nil, his ears pulling back. “You’re hiding stuff from us. I knew this from the start, but with everything that’s happened and is still happening in Garlemald... “ Tius lifts his head slightly, looking down at Nil with an intense gaze. As if he was observing the lalafell. “If you want us to continue to listen to you, you need to start being honest and come clean with who you really are.”

  Another silence wades through the room. Nil looks over to him, giving a small sad smile. “Please…” A small weak voice says. They all see Kaoru stir a little before she sits up slowly, still very weak. She gives Nil a tired look and it makes him sigh again.

  He stands up and walks to the clearing in the middle of the area they were gathered. He gives a nervous smile before lifting the bangs that usually cover his forehead. Under them is a silver jewel in the center, above his brows. He removes it, revealing a silver pearl of an eye… The undeniable sign of pure Garlean blood. “My full and legal name is actual Niil Aan Caelo.” A unison gasp in surprise is heard as everyone is taken aback at the new development. “And while I am indeed Garlean in blood and name, I am actually not a citizen of the Empire. Not in an official capacity, anyway.” Nil drops his bangs, looking at the jewel in his hand. “I come from an ancient line of slave Soothsayers. For generations, my family have been under the Garleans’ chains offering them classified and sensitive premonitions for military and economical means.” He blinks, giving a determined look. “But I plan to be the last one.”

  Nil recounts his journey to escape the hold the Empire had over him because of his family. How he was able to flee the Capital by passing along information to resistances within the Provinces and even those in Doma who were able to rebel against the military. Everyone remains silent and Nil nervously shifts his weight. Alphinaud can’t help but think about how it seemed out of character for him. But maybe the stubborn and knowledgeable way he presents himself is actually just a front? But now that he’s coming clean on his actual identity, he can truly act as himself. “So… any questions?” Nil asks, sounding a bit uneasy.

  Alisaie steps forward. The look on her face confuses everyone because no one can tell what she’s thinking or feeling. She walks over to Nil, and reaches for him. Nil instinctively flinches and closes his eyes tightly. And then Alisaie pulls him into a hug. The wide eyed expression on his face makes Hope and Alphinaud laugh and Tius smile. Alisaie's face softens into a beautiful smile. "Thank you for being honest." She tells him. Alisaie closes her eyes. "You were brave to tell us." Then something happened nobody expected or had seen before. Nil's eyes get watery, and tears begin to roll down his cheeks. He buries his face into Alisaie's shoulder, and stifles a sob.

  Tius puts a warm hand on Kaoru's head. She looks up at him and smiles sadly. She scoots closer and lays her head on his lap. "So, what do we call you then?" Tius asks. Nil looks over at him. Alisaie releases him, kneeling next to him. "I mean, Nil is a cool name." Tius tells him. "But if you'd like we can call you Niil."

  Nil shakes his head, smiling, and wiping his eyes. "Nil is perfect. Thank you."

Part 2 will be on it’s way...

[efrmellifer]

Falconry

Estinien watched Etien as she lay abed, still asleep.

She’d been doing that a lot more lately, which made sense. It led, however, to Aymeric leaving in the mornings and entrusting his sleeping beauty of a bride in the care of Estinien, and left him especially bored with no one to talk to and nothing to do.

She wasn’t fitful; she didn’t need anything. The most excitement he got was when she turned or tossed her head and mumbled something he couldn’t understand. Indeed, it was possible that the words she said weren’t even in a language Estinien spoke.

But he liked it, for it being an easy task he undertook to help people he loved.

He reached out and laid a hand on Etien’s cheek, unsure why he was doing it at first. At his touch, she sighed, turning to kiss the base of his thumb, and a realization hit him. When she kissed him, every time, it was like something settled. Like a bird coming home to roost.

A bird that he’d first spotted in the Churning Mists.

Like the falconers of an older Ishgard, he’d spotted it, flying free. But the metaphor did little to explain what it was that he meant by it. The party, if it could be called that, had split up once they’d left Moghome, to lighten the burden of setting up a campsite. Alphinaud had been sent for firewood, and then Etien to follow behind him to ensure his safety.

After all, they wanted him to learn how to keep for a night out in the wider, wilder world, but they didn’t need him paying for knowledge with his life.

So Etien was set on his trail with a slight delay, and as he tended to his own tasks, Estinien watched—they weren’t far off after all.

He had inferred based on the stories and what little he knew about the Miqo’te of the Black Shroud that Etien would have been a hunter before she was the allied city-states’ bow for hire, but it became much more clear when he watched her at her task without throngs of fellow fighters around her. Her steps were measured, sneaking after Alphinaud and avoiding his detection. She’d ducked into a dried-out bush once and even Estinien had lost tack of her, despite the glint of her hair and armor in the fading sunlight.

To say he was impressed with her adept completion of the task set before her, drawing all the notice of the wildlife of the Churning Mists and none of Alphinaud’s (nor his ire at the thought that he might not be able to defend himself) would be nearing an understatement.

She said nothing as she came back a little before Alphinaud, having brought some herbs with her as if to disguise her true task and purpose, then silently stood beside Ysale and helped her with the evening’s meal.

It was afterward, when they all sat in a circle around the fire in an attempt to keep warm, their Moogle escort already asleep and snoring, that it felt like a floating spark from the fire burrowed past all Estinien’s armor and into his heart.

He had known, from the proudly gushing reports Haurchefant gave and the way Aymeric doodled little drawings of The Warrior of Light on the edges of his notes, that Etien had managed to capture the hearts of his friends. He’d admired her fortitude and was intrigued by her strength, but he’d never taken any great interest in getting to know her… until now.

Alphinaud commented on the pleasure of sitting around the fire with them all, and Estinien couldn’t resist replying about Alphinaud’s very newly found aptitude for finding firewood, and to his surprise, Etien had laughed.

He didn’t think he’d ever heard her laugh, or even seen her smile. She had a bright energy to her, but he’d never seen such a merry expression, the glint of her eyeteeth just visible behind the spread of her fingers to cover her mouth.

Squinting in joy under the glow of the firelight, her eyes were like emeralds displayed in a fine cloth, her hair’s glimmer more like an ember’s light against the starry night above their heads.

All settled into place for Estinien then, fully understanding why his friends felt so strongly about her.

The falcon’s chirruping kik-kik-kik had begun.

_

With the cries of griffons in his ears, it was easier to drown out the falcon call and feelings he had so far managed to ignore.

But he couldn’t deny that he had come all the way to the Peaks of Gyr Abania.

He had been telling himself the whole journey that he knew why, but at the back of his mind he was all too aware that it was some paper plastered over the true reason, that if he could keep the lock on that hidden fact engaged, everything would be fine.

So he pressed his lie, to himself and to others—this was for others. He was acting as a secret but much-needed helper and protector of the woman who was going to save Ala Mhigo. Even as he addressed his lance, he addressed this point: he was needed because Etien was needed. Ala Mhigo needed her to stay standing, to finish the charge until victory was attained.

And, on a note closer to Estinien’s heart (but not quite yet within it)… Aymeric needed Etien to come home. Her visits early on, and letters since then, had done much to stem the longing, but nothing would truly satisfy him until Etien was in Ishgard again.

Estinien knew this, having seen it written clearly on Aymeric’s face, and in no small way, he shared the sentiment.

Having her home would be better. But she had to finish things here. And so he would trail after her the way she had trailed after Alphinaud in the Churning Mists, keeping everything he could off her tail.

Starting with this ceruleum cannon.

He dove, straight through the pipeline and out again. Bullets shot upward, most bouncing with pitiful pings off the girder on which he stood. One glanced off his armor. He couldn’t help but scoff, unable to be deterred. But now it was time to hop to it, whatever the next step was.

Above the shrieks of griffons, he heard the kik-kik-kik again.

_

Etien had gone back to the First, and Ishgard was a little sadder for it.

Estinien was busying himself with a new undertaking, venturing all the way to Garlemald to investigate Black Rose and put an end to its development. With help, of course, both from those loyal to the Empire and those who occupied a less easily definable position.

He wasn’t working alone, but sometimes he felt alone, thinking about being so far from home and the people he was closest to so disparate now. His heart ached, pulled so far from where he lay at night thinking, wanting to be making himself useful at Ghimlyt, or—he might as well admit it—yearning to see what went on worlds away, what Etien was seeing. She sent letters back every so often, but even her vivid descriptions couldn’t quite put his boots in the flower fields of Il Mheg or the watery confines  of the Tempest.

His more upset moment were often spurred by thoughts of missing those two, and thinking of a story Aymeric had told him, secondhand now, as Etien had told it to him after hearing from Urianger.

They had been sitting at the table drinking tea (well, Estinien hadn’t touched his, actually) as the tale unfolded, and there was one detail that stuck out and always tripped him in the remembering of it.

The vision had foretold of the defeat of the Alliance, put simply. The massed military forces brought low, and even the Scions put down.

Each of them had had their own strengths that made the machine of the Scions run, Etien had told him once, after too much to drink, but according to this premonition-turned-story, even their combined strengths couldn’t insulate them from the dangers that had drawn near—Black Rose, apparently.

And so he had thrown himself harder into this task, ever eager to learn more, to stay one step ahead of the opposition as best he could. Gaius made a good partner in this regard, with his knowledge and skill put to use in this way.

But all the applied knowledge in the world, all the hope that it would never come to be, couldn’t clear the image from Estinien’s mind of Etien laid still, at eternal rest, fallen before the Leveilleurs as if she had been trying to protect them at the very end.

The unbreakable Warrior, frozen in her final act of attempted heroism.

It made him shudder, as the kik-kik-kik sounded in his ears.

But that did serve to explain why he always got a little antsy when he was tasked with keeping watch over her.

So still, only the slight shifting of the covers any indication she remained with him. That the horrible vision hadn’t come to pass.

And so he laid a hand on her, to feel that her skin was still warm with life, that breath slipped past her lips and over the edge of his palm.

Though the way she shifted to kiss at his hand indicated so much more than just that she still lived—she still loved him.

And so the falcon circled around once more, and landed on Estinien’s hand, its call silenced. Its journey was over now. It could don its hood and rest.

Etien moved again, groaning as she woke, then stretching. Estinien removed his hand, to give her space to move.

When her eyes finally lit on him, she smiled. “Oh, hello, Estinien. Have you been here long?”

“I have no idea,” he admitted. “I was looking at you, not a timepiece.”

She laughed, and his heart swelled the same way it had the first time.

“Was I doing something interesting?” she asked, sitting up and stretching more.

“No, but you are pretty. Like the princess in that faerie story.”

Despite her blushing, she deflected the compliment. “Well, thank the gods I have a handsome knight here when I wake.”

Estinien shook his head. “I suppose so. Good thing you did, I was beginning to get bored.”

Etien blinked. “Oh? Well, then we’ll have to find a way to keep you entertained for a while.” She licked her teeth clean briefly. “But first, a good morning kiss, if you please.”

He leaned in, practically leaning out of his chair, then rested a knee on the mattress so he could kiss her properly. She may have purred, but he could have chirped.