#namely her father and aymeric :')

[thanatosaria]

day 5: time apart - little reminders of you 💙🕊️

[stars-and-clouds]

Okay guys but think about Aymeric for a minute.

He is adopted into a family of nobles when he comes from, possibly, a low born mother who was possibly forced into sleeping with a powerful man like Thordan. Had to keep quiet about it and possibly lose her son right after giving birth. Aymeric grew up hearing rumours about being a bastard, about not deserving his life, about how lucky he is, how he was probably a mistake.

And now he is the only one alive to carry on the Borel name, becomes the lord commander of the temple knights at a very young age, then lord speaker of Ishgard, slayer of Fafnir, unifier of dragons and men after a thousand year of war. All this while he grows up hearing he will never be good enough. Imagine how insecure that must make him. Having achieved so much will not make him think "wow, I really am amazing. Sure showed them!" It will just stress him out even more, thinking he can't do it, he isn't capable enough to carry these responsiblities out, not deserving enough to. In fact, idk if we've ever seen him being proud of himself or even happy? Doesn't he always want to jump to the next task? He is too humble for someone in his position, sometimes it's like he doesn't believe he is actually as good as he is said to be.

I think this is shown by his decision to give up his position as lord commander as soon as they finish dealing with Nidhogg. Like, he will do his duty and stop. Because he doesn't think he can do it anymore. He thinks he is not important enough so he goes to confront his father by himself in the lion's den itself, so to speak. Practically kills his father, almost kills his best friend to do his duty, brings about peace and much needed change and gets stabbed for it. How shit must that make him feel about himself?

Aymeric is so good at being a well spoken, smooth politician, we forget to see how broken he must really be inside and he is all alone. Even Lucia isn't with him anymore, having to stay at Garlemald.

The way his eyes light up every time he sees the warrior of light, calling them 'my friend,' every second sentence, as if pleading to be called the same. Writing to Estinien whenever he can, having a deep wanderlust and adventurous spirit but being unable to fulfil it. He is so much like G'raha in this sense but unlike him, Aymeric hasn't gotten his happy ending yet.

The man is so alone but so dutiful. So insecure but so good at hiding it. He craves connection but his duty forces him to be unable to make it. I cannot imagine how hard he has it.

He needs hugs 😭

[soup-archives]

Updated as of April 2025

Note: Not spoiler-free!

Why choose G'raha as Cinna's partner?

Some might ask me, "Hey, you like Aymeric, right? So why is he not Cinna's love interest?" I have asked myself the same thing. And I have tried hard to ship her with him. I have headcanons for them. However, I feel like no matter who I shipped her with, I kept coming back to G'raha.

I can't explain it, but Cinna and G'raha together just seemed to click. It's like they're what's missing in the other's life. G'raha is everything and more for her, and I just love him so dearly myself. He is her true love. No matter where they go, apart or together, there is a string tying them together.

What's their story?

I didn't even start thinking about their story until a few years ago. I imagined that they would have had this hopeful romance with a promise of forever. They'd be happy and think that nothing could go wrong. However, during the events of the Crystal Tower, he would tell her to live a full life, get married, have the children she'd always wanted, and do anything that made her happy. He wished that he could give that to her, but he had to do this; he had to seal himself within the tower. As luck would have it, she'd learn she was pregnant afterward. I didn't want her to just move on. I wanted her to have something that reminds her of G'raha every day. Not a torturous reminder but one that may keep her going because she was in a bad mindset. And that came into the form of their son, Rowen, who was the spitting image of his father. She would even craft a knitted plushie of G'raha for him so he'd always have his father with him.

And to be honest, Cinna never really moved on from G'raha. Not even when she was with Haurchefant. In the beginning, they were two long-lost childhood friends reuniting. She didn't want a lover, not to mention that she was pregnant with her son. Haurchefant supported her and comforted her during the hardships. He would even listen as she told him about G'raha, and he was there when Rowen was born. He was even the one to suggest that Rowen's full name include Rosewood-Tia, which Cinna cried over. It wasn't until Heavensward that they started their romantic relationship. Even then, he had told her that if G'raha Tia ever came back, he'd want to see them happy together again.

After Haurchefant's death, Cinna never really sought out another deeply romantic relationship. There was too much on her plate. That, and she was scared to lose anyone else.

When she first heard the Exarch's voice, she thought she was dreaming or that someone was pulling a cruel joke on her. She didn't want to let her brain think that this was her G'raha. It had brought back so much pain that she thought she had tucked away into the deepest corner of her mind. Every interaction with him was harder and harder each time. And she had come to the Exarch with honesty about it, apologizing for avoiding him at every possible chance. Once she felt a bit more comfortable with him, she found herself adoring him, a feeling which she tried to push away. She did not want to fall for him, especially as she knew she'd only be falling for him because he seemed so similar to G'raha in his voice, mannerisms and sometimes the way he treated her. But when the Exarch was revealed to be G'raha, she was upset and yet glad because he was here in front of her. It wasn't just her mind making up stories and lies. And the two would rekindle their love once she woke him up in the Source.

During the end of Shadowbringers, I just imagined the two of them elsewhere, making up for lost time. He would spend time with her and their son. They'd be living in a lovey-dovey bubble of happiness and bliss despite dealing with the coming threat of another calamity. And even then, the events of Endwalker would only strengthen their relationship and bond, though both would have a growing fear of losing the other to death.

While the Scions go their separate ways at the end of Endwalker, five years pass and Cinna and G'raha are busy growing their little family. Within that time, they have five more children (Minerva, Emilia, Aurora, Selene, and Cosmo).

During Dawntrail, the two welcome their last child (as of now), Stella, before eventually joining the Scions, Erenville and Cinna's siblings in Tulliyollal.

[starrysnowdrop]

Hali Aloke

Just the Basics

B A S I C S

Name: Hali Aloke

Nicknames: Little Star (Her family’s pet name for her) and Snowdrop (Aymeric’s pet name for her)

Age: 29 as of beginning of Dawntrail

Nameday: 31st Sun of the 2nd Umbral Moon (April 29th)

Race: 3/4 Lalafell, 1/4 Hyur; Appears Dunesfolk, but has both Plainsfolk and Dunesfolk blood, along with 1/4 Midlander Hyuran ancestry

Gender: Female, Cis

Orientation: Bisexual/Biromantic, Male Leaning

Profession: Adventurer and Scion of the Seventh Dawn

P H Y S I C A L A S P E C T S

Hair: Bright, rose pink in color, straight, usually looks somewhat messy in a wide variety of hairstyles

Eyes: Large, wide, expressive seafoam green eyes that shine in the light; glass-like Dunesfolk eyes

Skin: Fair, and absolutely will burn with direct sun exposure for long periods of time

Tattoos/scars: No tattoos; For scars, just small ones here and there over the years from battle

F A M I L Y

Parents: Father is Taito Aloke, a Plainsfolk lalafell aged 50 in ARR, and Mother is Lalani Lani, a 1/2 Dunesfolk lalafell 1/2 Midlander Hyur aged 48 in ARR. Both Taito and Lalani are researchers in Labyrinthos and members of the Sharlayan Forum.

Siblings: None

Grandparents: Nanani Nani, Maternal Grandmother, a Dunesfolk lalafell aged 75 in ARR and Jovian Carraway, Maternal Grandfather, a Midlander Hyur, deceased by ARR. Nanani is a retired Gleaner living in Old Sharlayan and is a widow to Jovian, who was an Astrology Professor at the Studium.

In-laws and Other: All in-laws deceased; Hali has distant relatives in Thanalan that have no current contact with Hali’s close family

Children: None; Will have three children with Aymeric in the distant future

Pets: An alligator named Boudreaux who also serves as Hali’s mount, a crab named Beignet, and Aymeric’s black cat named BonBon.

S K I L L S

Abilities: Astromancy, Divination, Dancing, Singing, Cooking, Fishing, and Botany

Hobbies: Cooking, Fishing, Botany, Swimming, Ice Skating, Going to the Theater, Attending Balls, Dancing, Singing, Reading fairytales and adventure books, and Playing card games

T R A I T S

Most Positive Trait: Hali is hope incarnate. No matter how grim a situation might seem, she wholeheartedly believes that things will get better. She tries to have a smile on her face and spread her positive outlook on life wherever she goes. Hali thinks that her hope is probably the only reason she’s still alive after so many years on the battlefield.

Most Negative Trait: Hali sees the best in everyone except for herself. She’s very insecure about herself, especially in terms of her appearance and her self worth. She doesn’t see that Aymeric could ever possibly love her the way that she loves him, and she doesn’t think she could ever be good enough for him. Even after they are officially together, Hali still struggles with being kind to herself.

L I K E S

Colors: Midnight Blue, Lotus Pink, Pure White, Celeste Green, and Lavender Purple

Smells: Ocean breezes, salty sea air, scent of fresh fallen rain, flowers of any kind, and musky cologne

Textures: Rain and/or snow falling on her skin, warm water, fluffy pillows, warm blankets, soft plushies, and Aymeric’s hands and/or mouth on her skin

Drinks: Strawberry Lemonade, Fruit Smoothies, Boba Tea, Pink Drink, Hot or Iced Chai, Hot Chocolate with lots of marshmallows

O T H E R D E T A I L S

Smokes: Never

Drinks: Only drinks wine and certain kinds of cocktails, but tries to only drink when she’s not busy with her Scion duties the next day, as she is a lightweight and gets drunk easily.

Drugs: Never

Mount Issuance: Hali was never given a chocobo, because she said she didn’t need one! She always used a magical umbrella that allowed her to float above the ground and fly her to wherever she needed to go. Later on, Hali found her pet alligator Boudreaux on her Island Sanctuary and she rides him most of the time now.

Been Arrested: Yes, Hali was arrested for being a fugitive that snuck back into Old Sharlayan after being banished for helping to bring Sharlayan Astromancy to the Eorzeans. She was found sneaking around Labyrinthos in order to discover the secret project that her parents were hiding from the public at large.

Tagged by: @eriyu @paintedscales @elliewiltarwyn @amalthea-felsblood and @zerelth Thank you all so much for thinking of me!! I apologize for taking so long in responding! 🥰

Tagging: @meepsthemiqo @traveler-of-light @reikatsukihana @mimble-sparklepudding @faerieearthangel and anyone else who hasn’t been tagged yet that would like to fill this out! Please tag me so I can read about your OCs!! 💖

[bunsandstuff]

Lady Alsene Foutuveaux

Warrior of Light

OOC: Hello! My name is Val, some call me Bean too. Thank you for stopping by my blog. It started off as a place for my buns, but these days I've taken a liking to writing about my WoL. Thank you for having interest! Info on her is below! (Also MSQ spoilers ahead)

Alsene Foutuveaux 25 | 15th sun of the fifth umbral moon | Sharlayan | RDM

- Early Life

She was originally born Alsen Foutuveax to her parents: X'veilhena and Trennont Foutuveaux. Her mother X'veilhena was one of Sharlayan's many gleaners, and it was through her work that she met Alsene's father Trennont, a Sharlayan researcher and archon. It was after this an a few years after that the two were bonded and had a son who they named Alsen. The boy had a few years of memories with his doting parents, but there was always something on the horizon, something the two of them were working feverishly toward, much to Alsen's annoyance. And one day, that seeking would take the pair to shores beyond, and thus was Alsen entrusted to the care of the Wilfsunnwyns. As time progressed and the moons they were promised turned into a year, Alsen became a permanent ward of the Wilfsunnwyn household. In Alsen's youth, the shy miqo'te became close friends with Moenbryda to the depth of being near siblings. By this extension did he become acquainted to Urianger as well, though with both as aloof as they were, their interactions were few in between. It was also Moenbryda who encouraged Alsen to become who he was, and thus transitioned and given the name Alsene by the same Roegadyn lass.

- Warrior of Light

Becoming Hydaelyn's champion wasn't in the cards, nor was becoming the Warrior of Light. After she got old enough and saw the ever growing threat of Garlemald creeping up through Eorzea, Alsene became tired of the Forum's inaction. Following in her parents' footsteps, Alsene took up arms and set out to lend her hand in the fight to protect Eorzea and all nations against the Empire's threat. And after coming into the power of the Echo and meeting the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, Alene's long journey began.

- Relationships

Moenbryda Wilfsunnwyn

Found Sister After being taken in by the Roegadyn's parents, Alsene and Moenbryda became very close. The two were nearly inseparable in their youth, and basically family. Up until Moen's passing, Alsene and her were in regular contact, gossiping and spending their little free time catching up with one another. Alsene still regards her as the greatest older sister she could have had.

Urianger Augurelt

Main Ship Despite not having much time to bond in their time in Sharlayan, the two grew closer after Alsene's introduction into the Scions. After one shaky hello, the two of them have retouched on their estranged prior friendship. After Moenbryda's passing, Alsene became more protective over Urianger given how much she knew he meant to her late sister. And in turn, little did she know, the elezen held the same regard for her. Making sure that his dear friend's sister did not come to harm. Their relationship is still unfolding and doesn't have a proper tag yet, but I will update it when I have a name!

Artoirel de Fortemps

AU ship During the main events in Ishgard, Artoirel and Alsene grew quite close. She aided him in learning how to help Ser Aymeric with restoring Ishgard. Their relationship began playful, but both of them knew that there is more lying under the surface. Even so, the Warrior of Light has a hard time accepting these feelings as a beacon to the people placing a strain between them. Their story is unfolding under the tag #Of Hearts and Oaths

And that is all for now. I will update this as more comes, but I appreciate anyone who has read this far! Thank you!

[ishgardapologist]

THE WARRIOR OF LIGHT: Aurienne "Arin" de Cielliaux, the Azure Dragoon

JOBS: Dragoon; Gladiator; Dark Knight

STARTING CITY: Ul'dah

PLACE OF ORIGIN: Ishgard

GUARDIAN: Halone

NAMEDAY: 25th Sun of the 3rd Umbral Moon

AGE: 29 at the start of ARR; in her 50s by DT

PARTNERS: Aymeric de Borel (husband); Elidibus (complicated)

FAMILY: Estinien Varlineau and Ysayle Dangoulain (sworn brother and sister-in-law); Midgardsormr and the First Brood (adoptive father and siblings); Damien and Elysee de Cielliaux (biological parents); Reinette Lucinde de Borel (daughter).

ANCIENT: Pandoros (Azem)

Arin was born in Ishgard, the daughter of two members of the Order of the Knights Dragoon. When war broke out between Garlemald and Eorzea, her parents were sent to fight alongside troops from Ul'dah, where Arin joined them as an adolescent. However, tragedy soon struck; her parents sacrificed their lives in battle not long before Ishgard pulled out of the Eorzean Alliance, leaving a 14-year-old Arin behind to make her way in Ul'dah. Unused to the pressures of survival, Arin was forced to find a way to keep herself alive, and soon realized she had but one marketable skill: before their passing, her parents had trained her in the art of the dragoon. With that ability, she was able to make a living on the sands of Ul'dah's Coliseum, fighting as a gladiator for battle after battle in hopes of saving enough gil to return to Ishgard.

Her time in the arena never earned her passage back home. However, she made a name for herself as a woman of martial prowess and uncommon valor; when General Raubahn sought a capable blade that might do the work of the Eorzean Alliance, it was Arin he found. Though this was at first a meager duty, it set her upon the path that would one day earn her the title Warrior of Light.

[dainesanddaffodils]

FFXIV WRITE 2024 DAY 19: TAKEN

Heavensward AU where everything is the same but there’s a ball scene before shit hits the fan | HW | Rated G | 750 words

(I’m very self-indulgent today; this is also not actually canon for my girl as you can see from the summary of the fic lmao)

The High Houses are nothing if not vain, always eager for the first excuse to show off and show up one another. So House Fortemps hosting a ball in order to celebrate their ward’s defeat of Nidhogg and halting of the imminent Dravanian siege does not appear like anything other than that vanity on display. No reason to look deeper. Or notice when Ser Aymeric leaves early.

It’s a bit convoluted when it comes to ensuring Ishgard’s nobility - and their guards - are looking elsewhere when the Lord Commander goes to confront his father; it’s hardly as though the Heavens’ Ward won’t still be guarding the Archbishop. Still, Aymeric had insisted, adding that, if nothing else, should things go as bad as they undoubtedly would, House Fortemps could appear unaware of the plot.

Estinien is aware of all the reasoning his stubborn and idealistic friend has given, and believes… well at least believes that Aymeric believes his own words. But as he stands in a corner of the ballroom, still fully armored with his arms crossed, he does wonder if he’d had a more selfish motivation.

The Warrior of Light looks especially diminutive, twirled under the Lord Commander’s arm in the center of the room. Estinien almost hadn’t recognized her at first. She was dressed like any other highborn lady, including an elaborate headdress that covered her short cropped hair and obscured her horns. Only her height and her tail initially gave her away, as he expects had been the case for most present who only knew the Warrior of Light by name and gossip. Aymeric had waited, seemingly until everyone became aware of her presence, before he had approached her for a dance.

Now they are not the only ones dancing but it’s clear they are commanding everyone’s attention in a way someone of his standing and her reputation together would. That’s the idea; the image everyone will remember of the night. No one will notice him duck out the door as soon as the song is over.

“Quite the sight, aren’t they?” An affable voice says beside him. Estinien stiffens, startled less by the voice than by the realization that he had been staring just as every other person present was.

The voice belongs to Lord Haurchefant. Like Estinien he is there to keep an eye on events and ensure they transpire apace. Unlike Estinien, Haurchefant hadn’t needed to convince the others to let that be his role - rather than take center stage alongside the Warrior of Light.

(“You bested Nidhogg together, it would make sense that this event is celebrating you both,” Aymeric had pointed out.

“The fact that I will be there at all will seem out of character and you know it. The point is not to appear suspicious.”)

Meanwhile, pretense or no, it was clear Haurchefant would always be viewed as a knight of House Fortemps rather than a son.

Estinien gives a nod, more as a greeting than response, and looks back at his friend - or friends, as surely that is what Cimorene is now. The dance calls for a lift and he watches Aymeric stoop to grab her waist and pick her up for a beat, then down again.

He had done that, a moon ago. Well, he had thrown her, in order to assist her with learning dragoon dives. But the movement had been the same. It feels strange to watch someone else do it.

“You ought to take the next dance.”

The words again shake Estinien from his thoughts. Then they fully sink in and he frowns. It hits him that he is possibly the only other person in the room that knows Cimorene is Haurchefant’s fiancée.

“Why?”

The knight smiles, seemingly unbothered by thought his love in the arms of another man - for the second time. “It would certainly keep everyone’s attention, and allow Aymeric to leave unimpeded.”

It’s a logical argument but Estinien shakes his head. “I cannot,” he says flatly. “Anymore than you can.”

He means that they are both serving the same purpose at this ball, that they’re both armored and observers and outsiders to the opulence surrounding them. That’s all.

Still, a brief look of surprise crosses Haurchefant’s face - gone before Estinien can possibly guess what it is in reaction to. Then the smile is back and he turns his eyes back to the ballroom at large.

“Of course,” is all he says.

Silence falls over the two men as they watch the dance play out.

[gatheredfates]

Tonberry - Tell a story of a time you were blinded by rancor! Is it still ongoing, did you act upon it, does it compel your actions?

Hi, my name is Sea, and I have a lot of thoughts about how utterly fucked up Ishgard is as a nation. I'm putting it under a readmore because there's a lot of dark topics involved (and I ranted a bit).

I've explored bits of it here, here and here, mostly through Elandervier's perspective, but when you actually look at the control enacted by the Holy See, perpetrated by members of the High Houses, it's honestly horrific. Here is a nation overseen by powerful factions ruled by men, in which those beneath them are granted power and prestige based on their politics, money and gender. If you are not rich, cunning or cruel, you will be fed straight into that war machine. Before the Warrior of Light, it didn't matter how 'good' you were or how hard you tried. Aymeric was a good man and still got a knife in his belly because there were people in Ishgard desperate to hang onto a world where a few powerful men held complete control. They wanted to keep doing whatever they wanted to populace so brainwashed by propaganda they didn't have time to see that the call coming from inside the house.

People see Garlemald as being the 'evil' militant faction and, while that is true, I think it comes at the cost of overlooking just how similar Ishgard was towards the dragons. In my opinion, there is so much environmental storytelling indicating young peasants were militarised and drafted into war whether they liked it or not — especially if they were hyur — and high society was strictly regulated to keep the status quo. Garlemald may have been upfront about its fascism but Ishgard has a lot of demons they still need to exorcise.

Both Elandervier and Alaice are products of that machine, and both deal with that in different ways. El is nothing if not rancor. She is the daughter of a middle-class house desperately trying to rid themselves of their Gelmorran roots, and her entire childhood was a lesson in abuse from a mother too frightened to break the machine if feeding her daughter to it make her more comfortable. She had to smile to lordling boys cruel to her because they were lordlings — because going against them was to be branded a heretic at best and a trip to the Brume at worst. At least those outside of Ishgard did not risk the Temple Knights enacting their 'justice' late at night because they were bored or looking for a bit of sport.

Her entire early life was a palatable pantomime. Smile like this, walk like that; why are you inspiring their ire, why are you cracking the porcelain? The well isn't fetid. The tart is sweet because there is sugar, just ignore the poison.

Because El wasn't originally from Ishgard she knew she'd never fit in, and the powers that be were happy to remind her if she thought to put a toe out of line. They called her strange and heckled her; they made fun of her and went out of her way to give her attention because they knew the result would be negative, even if their initial attentiveness was 'kind'. They knew they held all the power to rip what little comforts she had because they had the prestige and she had none, and they spared no effort to put her in place.

The difference is, El didn't want the prestige. She wanted to break the wheel. When they tried to take everything from her, she turned it on them and fled. Highborn fathers lost their pedigree sons born from pretty women offered to the machine and, though she knew others would take their place, she at least got hers.

The worst part was, even when she had established herself in Dravania, she still had people come after her. Sometimes they were mercenaries paid for by the high houses, sometimes they were the lords themselves... and sometimes they were women, children and peasants who equally left the city but had nowhere else to go. They learned of a witch in the northern bogs who practiced dark magic and figured their odds were better than the city that claimed to care and protect them. She'd have young girls fall at her door with wild eyes and swollen bellies because going back would be to face objectification and heresy for crimes committed onto them — not by them. The outrage was palatable, she wanted nothing than to rend them from the inside out, but she was one woman against an oligarchy.

It's an anger that is difficult for to put into words and cannot be levelled against a single person, even if she detests most highborn. El has the recognition that even those higher than her were at the mercy of those higher still, and she did not gain any luxuries by defecting. Yet it still influences her every action. She's compelled to violence and manipulation because they conditioned her to savour it. She makes herself malignant and unknowable because she's too traumatised to know who she really is. She might have escaped the machine but its teeth still mangled her limbs. It's hard to live with.

[chocolatehideoutdonut]

A Black Ancestor?

Lotte Verbeek as Prosperine Black (nee Limette), daughter of Aymeric Limette II and Artèmise Limette (nee Gage), wife of Cetus Black I, mother to Nigellus Black I, Artemisia Black, and Hyperos Black III.

Prosperine was born into the prosperous Limette family in Languedoc, France. She was the only daughter of pure-blood nobles Aymeric and Artèmise. Two years after her entrance into Beauxbatons, they welcomed their son and heir, Armand Limette. While she was beloved by some, others criticized her, but she was growing into a lovely young woman, deemed suitable for marriage and blessed with the potential for motherhood. The Limettes were harsh and zealous in their blood-purity values and instilled the same onto their children. She was often distant from Armand for their age gap was too great for them (12 years) to ever actually bond properly, yet there was always a sense of protectiveness over him.

It was during this time that she met Cetus Black I, a pure-blood who was nearly six years her senior. The Noble and the Most Ancient House of Black's history was popular, even in France. And a marriage to their heir would deem good political connections in Wizarding Britain as well. The Limettes were influential, yes, but only to a certain region. Beyond Languedoc, they didn't have much influence like the Rosiers. So, if a Limette daughter were to marry a Black heir, that would not only boost the status quo of House Limette but also pull them out of the obscurity cliff and possibly give them more power.

Kind of like a jackpot if you are well established in your home region already and want to spread your influence.

She was married off to Cetus Black I in her seventh year, becoming pregnant with their heir Nigellus Cetus Black I (1783) during their honeymoon. They soon moved to England and settled in the Black family Estate inherited by Cetus.

Almost three years later, Lady Artèmise Limette would pass away from a riding accident, leaving Aymeric, Prosperine, and Armand devastated. In that same year, Cetus and Prosperine would have their daughter, who was named Artemisia after her late grandmother. Not after the ancestor who turned out to be a half-blood. Their youngest child and second son, Hyperos Gaius Black III, would be born five years later.

Her son, Nigellus Black - I would marry a Concordia Walkin and become the father of Licorus Black (1808), Phoebe Black (1810), Alexia Walkin Black (1812), since Concordia was an only girl and they needed someone to continue the line if possible, Hesper Black (1819 - 1820), and Eduardus Limette Black. Armand's heir, Aymeric III, had passed in stillbirth, and he only had five daughters, so Eduardus was soon taken in by House Limette to be their heir.

Her daughter Artemisia Black would be married off to a Verus Malfoy and bear his heirs. (names tbd)

Her youngest child, Hyperos, would be married to a Nott and they would move to Greece.

[akumanoken]

Cut ties II

The king's face was twisted in mix of disbelief and rage. The audacity of this… this wretch!! "So you truly intend to usurp power from me? You wretched boy."

"…I cannot usurp power that already belongs to me. You have, by your own negligence, given away your power. I merely intend to take the mantle on my own terms, and therefore your seat remains secure for the time being. I had no intention of stealing anything from you, father, but even now you must agree the only thing that makes you king is my desire to see and understand more of the world."

"…you're keeping me here… as a placeholder?? I'm not fucking puppet!!" he seethed.

"…neither am I, but I suppose it is too late for you to realize that as well…" Sakura sighed, standing up. "I am sorry that we could not have a better conversation after so much time apart, father. I had hoped… for a more fruitful outcome, but perhaps that was never meant to be. Have a happy spring and new year, heika."

"Do you really think you're not being used as a puppet? You really think that bitch and her sister would give a damn about you if you weren't a princess??" Fujimaru seethed. "You know what they do, don't you?? Taking down entire governments and placing who they deem worthy in those places? Even their own damned city. You think that blue bastard got his position by any othe--"

"Aymeric was placed as Lord Speaker by the will of the people and the councils therein because he was the one to relay the truth of his father's lies to the world, and worked as hard as he could to right those wrongs. Even now…" He turned his face toward Fujimaru then, a stern expression like the man had never seen. "Aymeric is a good man, a wise ruler, and I will not stand by and let you sully his name. As for Ivy and Tiffanie… as for my sisters--"

"Your sisters!!" he laughed. "Oh gods, you think they view you as family?? You're simply a toy to be used for gain, child!! Nothing more--"

"YOU--" It was the first time in a while the princess raised their voice, and then reigned it back down. "You… are the only one who sees me that way. You always have, as soon as I was born: not good enough, not a woman, useless for anything except keeping up your appearances. Used as a distraction so you can garner a better deal for the country, using me as an excuse for anything that goes wrong and less than an asset or footnote for anything that goes well! Tiffanie and Ivy have been more of a family to me than you could ever be… I have grown as a person… as a ruler, due to their patience and love, as opposed to your disdain and disregard. You have no right to talk to me of being a toy to be used for gain, for that is how you have always seen me. I suppose I should perhaps drop my own illusions. Toys have no father, after all. Simply a creator, and that certainly does not make the toy beholden to them."

He turned away toward the door again. "My sister is to be wed in the temple some time after the Spring Blossom Festival. As king, and as one who views their perceived image over anything else, it would do you well to come at least for the ceremony and congratulate the couple, but if you decide that you are not well enough to attend, feel free to use my presence as your proxy. It will benefit you by not having to pretend to care, and us avoiding the displeasure of seeing you. After this conversation, I wish not to see you again until I come to take the throne. Be well, Fujimaru-heika." He hated it... so much. The man left no other choice. There was no way to ever gain a father out of him... it had been true long before Sakura could come to terms with it.

"Bold, aren't we?" Fujimaru sneered coldly. "Careful, Sakura-hime, that you don't scatter as soon as you bloom. Blossoms only last for the blink of an eye, after all."

Sakura stopped, his expression unreadable. "For your sake, heika, I will ignore those words." That's all he said before leaving and closing the door.

[thesilverfullcr]

UNO REVERSE. GIMME a fankid OR tell me about the one you've already talked about!

you already made the perfect haurche/alta fanbaby so instead i will tell you about my """canon""" fanbaby!

so once upon a time i shippped my WOL leo with haurchefant. leo is trans and able to carry children at the point of his transition he is, so once haurchefant died, i decided that leo would have his baby. (this worked in canon because leo is part of a set of twins who are both warriors of light, so his sister took over the msq for a while while he was pregnant.)

haurchefant knew leo was pregnant and the two secretly decided that they would get married before the baby was born because haurchefant not only was madly in love with leo, but he didn't want his child to be a bastard in ishgard like he was. unfortunately, they never got the chance to get married.

lucien gianni was born in a cold night in ishgard. he had fine blond hair, and goofy, long elezen ears, and a tiny tail, like leo's (but shorter), and stunning blue-purple eye, a combination of leo's and haurchefant's.

in aus where haurchefant lives, he's incredibly proud of his little boy. he stays in ishgard with lucien while leo does his warrior of light thing, occasionally leaving the baby with edmont to contribute to whatever's going on plot-wise.

in leo's canon, lucien spends a lot of time with edmont and the fortemps family, edmont being glad to help raise his grandson.

in all canons, lucien is very much like hauchefant in personality. in leo's canon, he grows up idolizing his fallen father and becomes a knight in his honor, much to leo's consternation. i think in an au where haurchefant lives, he may not, but i haven't decided what i want to do with him there.

i made him in the character creator once, but i got sad that i couldn't give him a tail.

i also gave orion (my other wol) and aymeric a baby once. her name is yvelise de borel.

i won't go into detail about her though because i already talked at length about lucien. but here are more pictures.

[bloomlaurel]

OC lore time (weird boygirl edition)

thank you sm for the tag @zoroarkthief!! I'm always happy to share about my wol :'))

Khed'a Dakwhil

—B A S I C S

Name: Khed'a Dakwhil

Nicknames: His adoptive mother called him cicada :> The scions will sometimes call him khedy (tataru started it and then everyone else followed). Aymeric calls him angel as a term of endearment.

Age: 28 at the beginning of ARR

Nameday: Second Astral Moon, 16th Sun

Race: Keeper of the Moon Miqo'te

Gender: Nonbinary, Genderfluid

Orientation: Bisexual with a slight lean towards guys

Profession: He's held every odd job you can think of but predominantly considers himself a white mage.

—P H Y S I C A L     A S P E C  T S

Hair: Dark brown bob

Eyes: Orange-Brown

Skin: light skin tone

Tattoos/scars: He has a scar of hardened skin in the center of his chest. He also has crystalline streaks going up his forearms. Both are a result of prolonged exposure to earth attuned aether.

—F A M I L Y

Parents: His birth mom is [redacted], and he doesn't know who his father is. His adoptive mother, Aria-A-Yan, was his conjury mentor when he was taken in as an orphan to the conjurer's guild. She was really supportive of him and helped him open up.

Siblings: None!

Grandparents: He heard stories of his grandmother but never knew her.

In-laws and Other: I really like him with Aymeric and considering the end of Heavensward, he's not on good terms with his father-in-law. Lol. As for other relatives, he's very close with the brother of his adopted mother, E-Sumi-Yan, and considers him like an uncle.

Pets: He has a little bird that follows him around named Thistle. He befriended it on the road to Ishgard.

—S K I L L S

Abilities: Khed'a has precise aetheric control as a highly skilled white mage. Due to the condition with his body, he has to keep a careful eye on his aether. During his time with the padjal, he learned how to properly manage and control the aether in his body. He is a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to healing. He learned self-defense techniques while among the padjal that later served him when he moved on to pick up lancer/dragoon as a job.

Hobbies: He enjoys collecting and brewing different teas. He also really likes going on walks, especially when he is in a new place or just needs some time to think. Khed'a has a journal where he takes notes on the local flowers, plants, and insects of an area (and will sometimes press flora in it). He also likes to keep plants, though as a traveler he's found that difficult to maintain. He has a plant in a small pot that he's kept alive by propagating every so often. Khed'a also enjoys birdwatching.

—T R A I T S

Most Positive Trait: His resilience and commitment to making the best of things in any given situation. He doesn't get discouraged despite it all.

Most Negative Trait: He's sometimes too willing to help others, to the point of stretching himself thin. He has issues with being objectified/being treated as a tool for others. He still falls into that role and struggles to properly adovcate for himself since it's a deeply ingrained pattern of behavior he's unlearning.

—L I K E S

Colors: Deep green, earthy browns, red, deep blue, smoky gray.

Smells: Freshly fallen snow, bergamot, chamomile, freshly washed sheets, a warm fire, flowers in bloom.

Textures: soft fabrics like silk and satin, freshly polished wood, the steadiness of a lance, leather, smooth pieces of metal (like jewelry or trinkets).

Drinks: He likes tea most, especially bergamot. He will also drink juices and lemonade. He enjoys hot chocolate as well.

—O T H E R    D E T A I L S

Smokes: Nope.

Drinks: He doesn't drink alcohol but he will enjoy tea :3

Drugs: Nope.

Mount Issuance: Black Chocobo gifted from his friend Haurchefant. He will also use the unicorn he befriended as a conjurer, or the witch's broom mount.

Been Arrested: Yes (Post ARR :) Aside from that he hasn't run into too much more on that front.

I tag @freckledfemme @redgemwink @eirikaily @lululeighsworld @cogentsummoner @gnusnoteunuchs & anyone else who wants to talk about their wol/oc in general :3c

[snotsloth]

I had a funny thought in the shower about Orion being averse to formal titles...

Artoirel: Orion, I am working on Aymeric's RSVP for House Durendaire's Spring Gala. I just wanted to confirm which titles I should use for you and Kendra.

Orion: Please tell me you didn't use Warriors of Light. It's so ostentatious.

Artoirel (frustrated): Well, it is your title.

Orion: It's a folk-name, not an actual position. It would be like if Cid went about proclaiming himself the Prodigy of Garlemald. Ridiculous!

Artoirel: Fine, then we'll just have to use one of your official titles.

Orion (turning back to his work, dismissively): I don't have any titles.

Artoirel flips a paper and starts reading off a prepared list because he knew this would happen.

Artoirel: Captain Orion D'Oschon of the Maelstrom.

Orion: I'm just in the reserves, not active duty. It would be presumptuous to use the rank in a social circumstance when I've never actually been part of the chain of command. You may list Kendra as Commander though. That should work for her.

Artoirel (sighs heavily but makes a note about Kendra): Knight Orion of House Fortemps?

Orion: We both know your father only knighted me to make it possible for me to appear at high society functions without causing a scandal.

Artoirel: Oh, like the sort of function we're discussing right now? (Orion just glares over the rims of his glasses.) Fine, Archon then.

Orion (turning back to his work): Not actually an Archon.

Artoirel: I have it on good authority that the Studium has begged you to take your marks at least three times in the past year.

Orion: If I ever take my marks, it will be because I earned them just like everyone else.

Artoirel: And helping to bring knowledge of dynamis to Eorzea, resurrecting Nymian marine field medicine, revolutionizing the field of aetherology, and proving the possibility of both multiversal and time travel are not adequate enough feats of scholarship?

Orion (muttering): Not if they're not peer reviewed.

Artoirel (migraine quickly blooming): I don't even know how you'll dodge this one, but I know you'll say something; Son of Ala Mhigo.

Orion: You do know I'm not actually Ala Mhigan, right?

Artoirel: Fury take me now. How about Student of Baldesion?

Orion: ...

Artoirel (massaging his own forehead): Please there can't possibly be -

Orion: No, no, I am an active member of the Students, it's true. And it would promote the organization to Ishgardian society, which would make Krile happy. I suppose if you must use some sort of formal title, Student of Baldesion would be most appropriate.

Artoirel: Fantastic, I'll write up the RSVP before you have a chance to change your mind.

[quinn-borel]

I would like you to write a fic about Quinn taking care of her son Hauchefant.

“Remember not to have too much coffee, my lady.” the steward reminded Quinn as she was about to pour herself another cup from the carafe.  She frustratingly tapped her finger on the table as she pulled back—he was right, but she needed that extra bit of juice to get her morning started.  The previous night had been a late one as per usual, and unlike her husband, she was far from a morning person.  The steward instead offered to pour her a glass of water, which she could enjoy with her eggs and toast.  

“Thank you.” she said with a bitter smile, her tired eyes following the steward as he excused himself from the breakfast nook with the coffee carafe in hand—no longer would she be tempted to exceed her one-cup limit for the morning.  As usual, the eggs were fluffy and flavorful and the toast, crunchy to perfection, just the way she liked it.  It only took the house Borel steward a few weeks to make her breakfast the way Aymeric made it for her on days he didn’t have to attend early morning meetings.  It was quite impressive.  Though it would have been more enjoyable to share the meal with her husband, who hastily said his farewells as she was getting herself dressed.  He, too, admittedly slept in due to their elongated night.  

“Did milord eat breakfast this morning?” she called to the steward, who poked his head back into the nook,

“Unfortunately, he did not.  Though, I presume he will return ‘round the noon hour for a meal.”

“Gods, I hope so.” she sighed, “He’s been running himself ragged.”  The steward had no retort as he went back to his duties.  Quinn lost her appetite upon hearing that Aymeric, once again, skipped breakfast due to his station.  The practice was becoming all-to-common for her liking, yet it pained her to have to lecture him once more while she had the luxury of staying at home for the time being.  The lady of the house stood up from the table and abandoned her plate, leaving half a piece of toast and a quarter of her eggs to the side, a choice she would later regret.  

Quinn made her way down the main hall towards the western wing of the house.  Although she had no plans for the day involving anything outside the house, she couldn’t help but to be lost in thought as she calculated her plans for the day.

“Oh, I didn’t have tea with someone today, did I?” she muttered, “I really need to buy a planner or something to write these things down.  Oh, but then I have to go to the Crozier to find one.  It’s been snowing a lot lately, and I’d rather not take him out in the cold just to get a notebook.  Perhaps I can ask Aym to buy me one?  No, he should really be home to rest...”

Admittedly, she found herself bound to the house for the foreseeable future, especially as winter roared in with its nasty weather as it so loved to do.  While Ishgard was an eternal winter scape, when the Eorzean calendar read the beginnings of the sixth umbral moon every resident knew that it was winter winter.   She would just have to hunker down and wait it out…

…at least she wasn’t alone during the day anymore.

Five moons prior, Quinn had given birth to her and Aymeric’s son, lovingly named Haurchefant de Borel.  He was born a healthy weight with this father’s eyes and his mother’s complexion, with an infectious smile and laughter that could fill a room.  He was their pride and joy, and undoubtedly a symbol of their love.  

Opening the door to their room, Quinn felt the stress of the early morning lift from her shoulders as she heard Haurchefant babbling in his bassinet.  While he may have been the reason she was up so late the night before, Quinn was elated to see him up and about.  At least, as about as a five month old could be.

“Looks like someone is finally awake.” she giggled as she approached Haurchefant’s crib, which sat in the corner of her and Aymeric’s room while his true room was being redecorated.  The little one stared at his mother curiously for a moment before smiling and kicking his feet in excitement—at least, kicking as much as he could while swaddled in his layered onesie.  Quinn leaned over his cot, gently touching her fingertip to the tip of his nose, “Good morning, my little lord.”

Haurchefant giggled in response as he reached for his mother’s hand.  Upon grasping her finger, his other hand went to his mouth as he looked at her almost expectantly.  The hand that touched his mouth flailed a bit more before touching his mouth again.  She knew exactly what that meant.

“Is my little Haurchie hungry?” she cooed playfully, “My smart little man knows how to tell me that he is, doesn’t he?”

He nearly slapped his mouth in protest, brow furrowed as if his signal did nothing to her since there was no milk in sight.  But Quinn knew better than to make her little guy wait, immediately lifting him out of the bassinet and bringing him over to the rocking chair in the opposite corner of the room,

“I can’t wait until you’re in your own room, it’s crowded in here.” she lamented as her gaze fell to all the baby necessities littered in the once-spacious master bedroom.  But, soon he would be old enough to be in his own room…and maybe she and Aymeric could finally get some decent sleep.  

Haurchefant fussed as there was still no sign of milk, a tiny whine coming from his mouth in frustration.  How could she be so cruel?  He was hungry, and he was hungry now.  Even if he was picked up, which he loved, he still wasn’t getting anything to eat!  Impatient as he was, the babe began to fuss even louder, despite his mother sitting down and positioning herself for a comfortable feeding time for the both of them.

“Now, now…” Quinn bit her lip a bit, trying not to raise her voice as he began to whine louder.  She gently hushed him as she slid down one side of her dress, exposing her breast just before the infant had a full-on tantrum.  Bringing the babe to her bosom, Haurchefant quickly latched on to her nipple and began to nurse…as if he wasn’t fed just a few hours beforehand.  Quinn sighed and leaned back a bit, holding her son in the optimal position so that he could have his breakfast without any disruption.   

Finally, some food!

“I’m still so glad you don’t have teeth yet.” she muttered,  “…To the bottle with you when that happens.”

Of course the baby was unfazed by his mother’s promise to bottle feed him if he bit her, he was too busy focusing on his own morning routine.  The little boy had his own day ahead of him—breakfast with mom, some burping, a walk around the house, and then that dreaded tummy time…but somewhere in there, lunch! And dinner! And a snack, maybe?  It was a tight schedule, with little room to let his mother do much for herself.  Though he would certainly let her know if she was slacking in her duties.

With a yawn, Quinn sat back in her chair and did what she could to keep her eyes open.  With the vision of her son fading in an out, she used her free hand to tap her cheek in an attempt to fully wake.  She wondered if Aymeric faired the same, sitting at his desk looming over paperwork with his eyelids drooping from the lack of sleep.  She could not quite recall the last time each of them had a full night’s rest…maybe five months ago, she assumed.  

Yet even with tired eyes, the moment she looked down at her suckling babe she couldn’t help but to beam with delight.  That was her boy; her little baby boy.  Sure, he had a habit of wailing and crying at night and fussed throughout the day, but those moments were miniscule compared to the quiet moments where he bonded with his mother like so.  Or, the moments when he giggled and smiled up at his father, both sharing the same bright, blue eyes and wavy black hair.  

Quinn could still recount the moment Aymeric held their son for the first time–how he wept with joy, praising Halone for such a healthy boy and thanking his wife for giving him such a blessing.  The pair were nearly inseparable until the little one cried out for his first meal.  Of course, Aymeric would soon have to return to his duties, leaving the babe in the care of Quinn for most of the day.  But for sure, upon his return home every night after kissing his wife he would take his son into his arms once more, giving Quinn her much-needed break.

“All done?” she asked curiously as Haurchefant nuzzled his head against her, softly smacking his lips together with quite the bit of milk dribbling out of his mouth.  As per their routine, she pulled the babe up and near her shoulder, patting him on the back until the softest belch came out of him.  And then some…

“Y-yeah, you’re done.”

 “b-buhb ba…”

“I’m glad you’re full.” she giggled, pressing her lips to his cheek  before returning him to his bassinet for a moment.  

But, oh, he wouldn’t have that.  While his mother was fixing her dress back to the way it was, he was determined to get her attention once again.  A loud screech came from the bassinet as he kicked as best as he could through his swaddle, Quinn wincing slightly before she got the hint.

“Alright, alright.” she cooed as she once again lifted him up and into her arms.  He squealed with delight, his smile brightening up the room as he looked at his mother with adoration.  Quinn began to sway with him in her arms, humming softly before pressing another kiss to his forehead.

“Well come and well met, my brave little spark…” she hummed, “how long you’ve wandered, burned bright as a star…”

The babe grinned as his mother sang to him, a hand reaching up to touch her face which she allowed as she lowered her head to kiss her son once more,

“Oh, I have awaited you patiently all this time...”

And she continued to sing and sing, lulling her baby into a calming sleep until she was able to place him back into the bassinet without worry of a tantrum.  Upon her final verse, she sat herself on her bed, eyes slowly closing as she hummed,

“…for this journey’s end...is but one step forward to...tomorrow…”

And with a final note, Quinn fell back asleep.

An early morning nap between mother and child never hurt anyone.

[potassium-pilot]

Currently digging a deep, deep hole about Aymeric's mom and I'm dragging you all with me.(Heavensward spoilers ahead if you're not there yet. There will also be Scholasticate questline spoilers, and I highly recommend that you do those too for some good Ishgard lore, especially if you did the ARR Hildibrand quests)

So other than the fact that she slept with Thordan before marriage and gave birth to Aymeric, we know little and less about the woman. I've seen people come up with hc images of her (and I love them btw) but we have nothing confirmed. For this post, I'm going to call her Amie (AM=Aymeric's Mom + Elezen "-ie" name ending for female Elezen) because I would feel weird constantly calling her Aymeric's Mom.

So first, let's talk Thordan. He's the youngest of 5 brothers, and his house was allied with the Durendaire family. If the Halonic Church takes after Catholicism, chances are that Thordan is just a name he picked while he was ruling similar to popes IRL. At the time we met him in Heavensward, he would have been 74 years old. Aymeric at the time of Heavensward is 32, so Thordan would have been around 41-42 years old when he slept with Amie. This man clawed his way up the theocracy, doing everything in his power to gain favor and attention, using all sorts of connections he built from his family's connections and his own from when he would have attended the Scholasticate.

This meant that he would have had to appear clean as a whistle, and probably wouldn't have gotten out too far, so chances are that he wasn't exactly searching for women. So where did Amie come from?

Now let's talk the Scholasticate. If you were in a noble or otherwise well-connected house, you were most likely here. Highborn would graduate and move along to become part of the clergy or writers or musicians or artists of what have you. They would become people of culture. Especially those who would become seminarians, they had access to real power and influence. People like Father Choisseau could use that to their advantage, and who better to use that on than an orphan girl from the Brume?

These orphans would have been locked away, waiting for the day they could reveal the truth of everything to the next Archbishop, so chances are that Amie and Thordan would have crossed paths before she graduated from the Scholasticate. And chances are that Choisseau would have taken every opportunity to keep a pregnancy like that hidden, lest a scandal about the Scholasticate got out to the public. Again, Thordan's probably in his early 40's at this point, so chances are that he's gotten to a stage of influence where making him look bad would make you worse off.

So now there's this baby. There's this orphan in the scholasticate who is about to graduate after having just given birth to a bastard child. What a time for her to be taken to the Holy Body of Decency and locked away for good. What a time to hide away a baby, a person that would be quite useless to the process of the expurgators purpose, and give it to another friend of the Durendaire family- the Borels.

We also don't know for sure what happens to the expurgators and watchmen other than that the Scholasticate reveals their existence to all and sundry. Most likely, they would have been released from their prison and be re-admitted into society with their names restored. This could mean that Amie was released and simply became a no-name in a new Ishgardian society. Who knows how much she would want to be involved in Aymeric's life considering everything? Most likely, she would be in her 50s and just trying to settle.

Wherever she is, I hope she's all right.

TLDR; My theory is that Aymeric's mom was an expurgator and got locked away into the deepest darkest secret of Ishgard as a result just after giving birth.

[ramyeonguksu]

Haurchefant POV!

:3c

As this writing takes place in Heavensward, Rifra will be referred to as Seren!

Haurchefant only had a split second to react.

This was supposed to be a mission to rescue Aymeric after he was falsely imprisoned by the Holy See, by his own father Archbishop Thordan VII. Estinien, Lucia, and her squadron of Temple Knights invaded the Vault to rescue the Lord Commander while he, Alphinaud, Banneret, and the Warrior of Light Seren went to confront Thordan themselves. Now that they knew the truth behind the millennia-long conflict that was the Dragonsong War, they had to do what was right and confront the one who kept perpetrating the lie.

Yet Thordan refused to listen, stepping onto the airship as one of the Heaven's Ward escorted him. Seren yelled after him, calling him a coward for leaving, running across the bridge to chase him. Had nothing else happen, perhaps she would have been able to reach Thordan, tackling him down and beating him and the Heaven's Ward senseless even in their primal forms. Perhaps Thordan would have relented, accepting his defeat right then and there. But instead a bright light appeared at the corner of Haurchefant's vision. The primal form of Ser Zephirin had charged some sort of lance made of light and was aiming it at the viera, who was completely unaware.

He had to do something.

The elezen warned Seren, sprinting as fast as he could as he drew his shield to block the attack. He planted his feet onto the ground, pushing against the lance of light with all of his strength, fighting to keep the attack at bay.

Crack.

Haurchefant kept his stance, bringing his other arm to support his shield as he continued to defend against the assault. The woman he was protecting was the Warrior of Light, the one who offered herself to assist them against heretical activities despite Ishgard's isolationist approaches. She even came to their aid when Dravanians tried to invade his home at the Steps of Faith. There was so much he was grateful for, and he was not letting her die until he paid his gratitude in kind.

Crack.

He heard the sound of his shield getting pierced through as a burning sensation wracked his stomach.

And Seren was his ward, a request accepted by his father Lord Fortemps. He had offered her, Alphinaud, and Tataru shelter until their names were cleared from the Bloody Banquet at Ul'dah, one of many ways he had intended to show them his thanks. If she was to die here, then he would have failed his mission.

Crack.

Haurchefant could taste his own blood in his mouth as Seren screamed his name, collapsing in front of her as Thordan nonchalantly boarded his airship. Alphinaud ran to his side, quickly applying his healing magic, yet the pain refused to subside. Ishgard was a cold land, yet it seemed to get even colder as the seconds passed by.

"You..." Haurchefant muttered, turning towards where he thought Seren was. "You are unharmed? Forgive me... I could not bear the thought of... of..."

He felt a warmth in his hand, his gray eyes tracing its path to meet Rifra's teary green. She was holding his hand tightly, pleading for him to live, shouting at Alphinaud to apply as much magic as he could because by the Twelve he was not going to die there.

Ah... The Warrior of Light truly had a heart too big for her own good. Many refused to acknowledge Haurchefant properly even after he had achieved knighthood, having been born a bastard to Lord Fortemps. Being "impure" meant that he had to work twice as hard as everyone else to get even a little bit of recognition, even if it meant that he had to appeal to outsider help in order to protect the land he called home. Seren didn't care for any of that, her opinion of him unwavering even as it was revealed that he was a bastard. She continued to aid him and Ishgard, even traveling to Dravanian lands in hopes of establishing peace with dragonkind. She didn't have to do any of that; she was his ward, after all.

Haurchefant smiled weakly at the viera, strength leaving his limbs. If anyone could change Ishgard for the better, change the world even, it would be her, and he was more than happy to sacrifice his own life for hers, a fire that burned so fiercely amongst this frigid wasteland.

"Oh, do not look at me so..."

His debt to her was paid in full.

"A smile better suits a hero..."