#not because he wanted to 'keep' him but bc he knew theodore's background meant he placed stability & coming of age

[meowww-ffxiv]

Sure, it's a Theodore day.

.

- "Canonically", Theodore was a huge contribution to the Bozjan frontline and was important to its ultimate victory.

But he always retreated from duels, and only appeared in skirmishes and key large-scale clashes that actually pushed the campaign forward. How Theodore picked and chose which ones required his attention were between only himself and the highest leaders, which in the end only came down to Bajsaljen and his lieutenant.

- Misija judged Theodore wrongly because of his reticence, and because he didn't involve himself in duels nor did he "lead" any charges on the field, the Legion didn't have much information about him. They knew a Warrior of Light was there, and that it was probably this dragoon in silver armor that knocked out most of their aerial units, but they couldn't catch him and couldn't dig for his data after Misija departed.

Theodore's allies called him the "Singing Wyvern" for his ability to deploy buffs that sounded like very strange, eerie songs, but the Legion called him the "White Canary".

Theodore thought being known as White Canary was lame as hell, but what could he do.

- In his suit of silver armor that Mordred made for him, Theodore was memorable but also faceless. Once he went home and doffed the armor, few could link his involvement in the Bozjan campaign or in the Ghimlyt Dark to the person himself.

He was just Theodore Pentaghast, the spare Warrior of Light, at home. He was remembered as a savior of Ishgard, someone rich, and also a huge flirt. His presence seemed insignificant next to Mordred Surana, whose words and actions had shaken nations.

In this way, Mordred shielded Theodore. From the burden of fame and acclaim, and from any further heroic expectations thereof.

- Theodore's participation in any and all major battlefields was because he didn't want Mordred to be the one who had to do it.

Not that Mordred told anyone, but he still experienced panic attacks and traumatic flashbacks from Dalamud's descent during the Calamity.

So, Theodore had on his own handled:

- Omega raids (Mordred was severely wounded in the Shinryu fight and needed to rest for months)

- continued fighting in Ghimlyt Dark

- the Werlyt trials

- the Bozjan Front

He could've done without any of them, honestly. He wanted to lounge on his couch and read homoerotic poetry all day. But where force was required, Mordred would go if he thought he could save someone else. So Theodore said, let the spare go. Let me go. You, who are both our hearts -- set it instead upon the future of this star.

- Theodore didn't mind war, really. He grew up in a shroud of conflict, hollow honor, and loss. He didn't mind the hundred thousands he killed to protect his comrades or to go home. In this way, he was cold, and knew himself to not be a suitable hero.

But this was not why Theodore shielded Mordred from anything he thought would be pressing on old wounds. Hero material or not, they were what the star had to work with. So be it. He shielded Mordred because Mordred was his friend. Theodore's protectiveness was something intensely personal, and neither the world nor duty had any bearing on it.

- Mordred knew that, of course. He wanted to scold Theodore at times, for this guardianship bordered on the selfish.

But there was a reason why Mordred didn't "need" Fray, for all that he kept him along. There was already, flesh-and-blood, soul that devoted himself wholly to him. And Mordred could not scorn that devotion.