#tcafs au

[alicesadventuresinffxiv]

FFxivWrite2024 Prompt #24

Title: Plans Hatched Behind Bars

Wordcount: 1086

Spoilers through: Stormblood

Alternate Universe: To Catch a Falling Star

Relationships & Characters: Fordola/Lyse, Conrad

Summary: A lucky chance affords Lyse and Conrad another opening to escape - at the cost of Fordola’s life. Lyse comes up with a different idea instead.

(Been wanting to write this scene for a while, and this seemed like the right prompt for it! This takes place after my entry for prompt #12, and basically sets up the plot for the rest of the AU.)

.

“Pretty neat, huh?” After unlocking Conrad’s cell, Lyse returned to her own, and nodded to the blissfully dreaming imperial commander within. Fordola had made the mistake of letting her guard down around Lyse, and this was the prompt result. “Doesn’t seem she’ll be waking up any time soon, so we’ve got time to plan our escape!”

The grizzled old apothecary frowned and knelt down to examine Lyse’s handiwork. “Aye, you can say that again. She won’t be waking up at all, after this.”

“What?!” Lyse’s eyes widened. “But she can’t be dead! I didn’t hit her that hard!”

“Oh, it’s none of your doing, lass. It’s the poison what’ll do her in.” Conrad shifted to the side, allowing Lyse to take a closer look. “I’ve seen cases like this before. Folks poking around Bittermill, and they hit something rancid buried in the soil. Everything inside them slows down, and soon enough, even the heart stops.”

And indeed, on further inspection, Lyse could make out the sheen of sweat on the imperial’s brow and the pained rasp of her irregular breathing. “Bittermill… that’s where the Skulls were fighting…” From the conversation Lyse had overheard, one of their thaumaturge’s blasts had exposed a rusty canister in the ground that had quickly poisoned the air.

Unlike most high-ranking Garlean troops, Fordola lacked the intimidating gas-filtering mask. And she was the type of commander who fought right in the thick of battle alongside her men, too.

No wonder Lyse had been able to get the jump on her.

”She swallowed the poison the Garleans fed her, and now she’s dying of it,” Conrad said mournfully.

“I mean, from the sound of it, it was an accident.” 

Conrad sighed. “Sometimes, Lyse, it’s not about the little details, but the big ones.” He gave her an admonishing look that was an awful lot like one of Papalymo’s.  “About the story folks will tell after we’re gone. The story of what was once Ala Mhigo.”

That was all well and good, but Lyse had more important things to think about than giving up. “So… what do we do with her?”

Conrad thoughtfully gazed at the ceiling above. “You said the patrol upstairs passes every bell, wasn’t it?”

“Right.”

“Then we’ve another half bell to wait.” He settled back against the bars of the cell. “May as well stay at her side, I suppose. No Ala Mhigan deserves to die alone in the dark. Not even the Butcher.”

⁂

“Argh! This is ridiculous!” Lyse whispered furiously. Over the course of the half bell, she had gone from sitting, to restlessly exercising, to now gesticulating wildly as she paced around the cell.

Lyse had never been an especially patient person. Her muscles constantly ached to fight, to run, to do. Waiting quietly in the dark while watching as some helpless woman’s breathing grew slower and slower was pure agony!

“This isn’t what fighting for the revolution is supposed to be like! Ala Mhigans killing Ala Mhigans! Ala Mhigans just - just sitting around watching each other die!”

“I know, Lyse.” Conrad said softly. He had looked up from monitoring Fordola at Lyse’s outburst. “But there’s naught we can do.”

“Of course there is! There’s always something we can do!” Lyse clenched her fists. “There’s got to be - oh, I don’t know what it is exactly, but it looked like an infirmary upstairs. If we took her there now, they might be able to save her!”

“And then what?” Conrad’s voice was unusually harsh. Perhaps his silent vigil had been weighing on him too. “Give up our one chance of escape? For sake of the Butcher?” He frowned deeply. “No. The Resistance may be finished, but I’ll not simply roll over and let the imperials kill me in one of their godsforsaken camps.”

“You’re right…” Lyse’s face fell. “It wouldn’t be fair to you. You don’t have to come.” She looked down, let her hands sheepishly relax back to her sides. “You can escape, and I’ll take her as far as the infirmary and leave her there.”

“And what were you planning to do after, lass? I keep telling you. You’ve got to think things through.”

“I was getting there!” Lyse bit her lip. There was a plan forming in her mind, a good one, but how to put it into words?  “After that… I’ll come back here.”

“No. I’m not leaving you behind.” Conrad rose to his feet and beckoned her to the cell door. “I owe Curtis at least that.”

“That’s the whole problem!” Lyse suddenly burst out. “Stop it! Stop making everything about my father and my sister! I’m not them, and I don’t deserve what they deserved! You heard what happened in Ala Gannha. I barely understand the first thing about Ala Mhigo!”

“Lyse - “

“You said that Garlemald stole Ala Mhigo’s future by taking their youths. Well, then why aren’t we working to steal them back?” Lyse was back to making wild gestures. “The Resistance is finished without more Ala Mhigans?” She stabbed a finger back towards Fordola. “There’s your Ala Mhigan!”

“This isn’t a game, Lyse.” But Conrad cracked a tiny smile at her impassioned rant.

“I’m being serious! Look.” Lyse crossed her arms. “Nothing we’ve tried before has worked either, right? And - and Fordola seems to have some kind of a soft spot for me! So this is something only I can do.”

Not my father. Not my sister. Me. 

“It’s too risky.”

“I’ll have a back up plan!” Lyse countered, holding up and waving the keys she’d snagged from Fordola’s belt. “Hard to keep me behind bars when I’ve got these.”

Conrad let out a dry chuckle. “Well then. It’s nothing like what your sister would have done, that’s for sure.” He glanced down, shaking his head at the still form of the dying commander. “And to tell the truth… it’s what I want too, sentimental old fool that I am.”

“Then… you think I should give it a try?” Lyse’s expression brightened.

“Aye. There’s many in the Resistance what might’ve disagreed… but they’re gone now, same as the rest. So if your mind’s made up and you’ve got the courage for it, you’ve my full support.”

“I’ll get you an army again! You’ll see!”

“Right then, Hext. That’s your mission: come back with the Skulls. I’ll be waiting for you.”

Lyse threw an eager salute and watched as Conrad disappeared up the castrum stairs and into the night beyond.

It was the last time anyone saw Conrad Kemp alive.

[deadlypastelcutieart]

So I just thought of this great big art project idea during the weekend! After seeing Peter Kuper’s pannel at TCAF on Saturday and learning about his love and passion for insects, it gave me an amazing idea connected to both his love for insects and of course his association to MAD and my favourite comic in the magazine, Spy vs Spy..

I have decided to make a series of drawings of my Spy vs Spy ocs as Insects! :)

Now I’ve been researching and looking for good ideas for what my characters would be as insects and there where very great choices to choose from, from cute to dangerous there where all good picks!

So here’s what insects that i picked to draw my svs ocs as:

Deadly - hornet

Naomi - moth

Nathaniel - Butterfly

Caleb - Cricket

Callan - Scorpion

Lerina - Spider

Holly- Snail

I just think these ideas would be fitting for my ocs personalities! I really think this AU idea would be very intresting to draw!

I seriously want to draw more of my svs ocs and this au idea would be a perfect thing to do so! ^ ^

[fearforthestorm]

AYYYY JUST HAD A BRILLIANT IDEA FOR TCAFS

[torontocomics]

Apply now for Blind Date 2021 — France / Canadian Edition / Postulez maintenant pour le Blind Date 2021 – France / Canada!

Applications Open! 

Les candidatures sont ouvertes!

We are delighted to host a fourth year of this initiative, and add the French Embassy in Canada as our second partner organization!

Le Toronto Comic Arts Festival (Toronto, Canada) et l’Ambassade de France au Canada ont le plaisir de vous inviter à participer la nouvelle édition de Blind Date 2021.

In 2018, TCAF and the Ministry of Culture of Colombia launched the Blind Date project (Cita a ciegas), which aimed to connect two comic artists from each country to collaborate digitally. In December 2020, we selected two more artists to continue this project. We are excited to show you the results very soon!

Initié en 2018 par le TCAF et le Ministère de la Culture de Colombie, le programme Blind Date (Cita a ciegas), invite un bédéiste Colombien et un bédéiste Canadien à collaborer numériquement. Deux nouveaux artistes ont été sélectionnés en 2020 dans le cadre de ce programme.

At this time, we’re asking Canadian artists to submit their interest in being considered for the first ever French/Canadian Blind Date project. The selected Canadian artist will receive $1500 CAD to support the creation of this work. The selected French artist will also receive $1500 CAD.

Pour la quatrième édition de Blind Date, en 2021, le programme s’étend en France! Auteurs français et canadiens: vous êtes invités à manifester votre intérêt pour participer au tout premier projet de Blind Date franco-canadien. Un artiste français et un artiste canadien seront sélectionnés: chacun recevra 1 500 dollars canadiens (environ 1000 euros).

The Canadian artist and French artist will jointly develop a comic art project around the theme of conversation with the expectation that they:

Deliver a total of 10-12 pages of comic, or the webcomic equivalent, to be hosted online and formatted for digital audiences.

Meet digitally at least once every two weeks (for example through Zoom, Skype, video calling, screenshare, etc.) with ongoing correspondence between meetings.

Create some official documentation of the artistic process that can be publicly shared.

Complete and submit the final project by May 5, 2021.

L’artiste canadien et l’artiste français développeront conjointement un projet de bande dessinée autour du thème de la conversation, et seront invités à :

Livrer un total de 10 à 12 pages de bande dessinée, ou l’équivalent en webcomics, qui seront hébergées en ligne et formatées pour une diffusion numérique.

Se rencontrer virtuellement au moins une fois toutes les deux semaines (par exemple via Zoom, Skype, appel vidéo, partage d’écran, etc.) et échanger régulièrement en dehors des rencontres.

Documenter le processus de création  artistique sous un format qui puisse être diffusé et partagé publiquement.

Terminer et soumettre le projet final avant le 5 mai 2021.

If you are interested in participating, please submit your application to registration@torontocomics.com by April 11, 2021 at 11:59pm. We recognize the short turnaround for this deadline, so we are making the application process as straightforward as possible. Please send the following three parts to registration@torontocomics.com with the subject heading “Blind Date 2021 Application”:

A selected artist’s CV or bio (no longer than 2pgs) with relevant experience

Digital portfolio of 5-7 works/images of comic art

A short statement of interest (max. 400 words) OR a 15 minute zoomcall (let us know if you’d like to take this option and we can schedule it)

Si vous souhaitez participer, merci de bien vouloir soumettre à registration@torontocomics.com avant le 11 avril 2021 à 23h59. Nous sommes conscients du court délai, c’est pourquoi nous rendons le processus de candidature aussi simple que possible. Veuillez envoyer les trois éléments suivants à registration@torontocomics.com avec pour objet “Blind Date 2021 Application”:

Un CV ou une biographie de l’artiste (pas plus de 2 pages) indiquant toute expérience pertinente

Un portfolio numérique de 5 à 7 œuvres/images de bande dessinée

Une courte lettre de motivation (400 mots maximum) OU un appel Zoom de 15 minutes avec nos équipes (faites-nous savoir si vous préférez cette option et nous pourrons la programmer)

Canadian creators interested in participating in the project do not have to be exhibitors at TCAF to apply.

Les créateurs canadiens intéressés à participer au projet ne doivent pas nécessairement être exposants au TCAF pour envoyer leur candidature.

[saicoink]

BLINDED BY THE ICE Yuri!!! on Ice doujinshi by saico.ink Price: $18US Details: 172 pages - Comics printed in Risograph (Violet, Blue, and Hot Pink) with some B&W pages and two color inserts. Perfect bound, B6 size. Two comics: Don't Leave Me This Way - 1977-1980 AU story featuring Victor and Yuuri. Because Victor is part of the USSR team he and Yuuri can only meet during competitions. They keep in contact through letters during the off-season. Roller disco, a date in Vienna, famous Hotel Okura in Tokyo, and other fabulous situations. You can read the 11 page preview here.

Reminds Me of You - Set in official timeline, after events of Grand Prix Final and Japanese and Russian national championships - Yuuri and Victor return to Hasetsu for the New Years. A sweet story. PLUS - 8 pages of linear notes, 3 page freetalk, and 13 pages of bonus comics. PICKUP available at TCAF and CAKE - I will be tabling at these shows. Please read the order page for more information. There is also discounted slower shipping for international destinations (please choose only if you have reliable postal service in your area). Limited print run - order your copy here today. It ship outs end of May / beginning of June!

Everything has been printed - I just need to collate all the pages this weekend and send it off to the bindery on Monday. The book ended up being about 30 pages thicker than I originally planned. Thanks for all the support thus far! I can’t wait to have people read it!!! I was able to do about 90% of everything I wanted for this book. Reblogs are appreciated.

[b3nc0]

Mermay is back‼ And Lacey’s AU of their webcomic Lies Within too!!

C’est le retour de Mermay‼ Et aussi celui de l’AU de Lies Within, la web-BD de Lacey!!

[b3nc0]

Lis la page! - - - Lis du début! - - - Boutique - - - Patreon

Merci à tous ceux qui sont passé dire bonjour au TCAF! C’était chouette de vous voir : )

Je pars en voyage ce weekend, il n’y aura donc pas de page mardi. On se retrouve le vendredi 25!

Read the update! - - - Read from the beginning! - - - Store - - - Patreon

Thank you to everyone who stopped by and said hello at TCAF! It was great to see you : ) I’m going to be away this weekend on a trip, so there won’t be an update on Tuesday. See you on Friday the 25th!

[recentanimenews]

Bookshelf Overload: May 2017

Ah yes, May. The month that I know I will end up adding a tremendous amount of material of various types to my collection if for no other reason than this little event called the Toronto Comic Arts Festival.  I picked up so many comics at TCAF 2017! Fortunately, I budgeted for this well in advance. In addition to all of the new things in May, I also found some interesting older manga like Yukinobu Hoshino’s Saber Tiger and Seiji Horibuchi’s Shion: Blade of the Minstrel. (Also, a heads up for those who might be interested in the series, it looks as though The Story of Saiunkoku is likely going out of print.) As for May’s preorders, I was especially excited to see the most recent volumes of Nagabe’s The Girl From the Other Side, Izumi Tsubaki’s Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun, and Kanno’s Requiem of the Rose King, as well as the debuts of Haruko Kumota’s Descending Stories and Ryoko Kui’s Delicious in Dungeon.

Also in May, I received an early copy Yeon-sik Hong’s Uncomfortably Happily for review although the volume wasn’t technically released until June. Hopefully, my review of the manwha conveys just how much I enjoyed the work. Speaking of reviews, I’m currently working on an in-depth review Tomoyuki’s Hoshino’s ME, one of my most anticipated novels in translation of 2017. (This novel was also technically released in June rather than May, but I managed to snag an early review copy.) In general, I find Hoshino’s work to be challenging but ultimately rewarding. One of the other novels that I was particularly looking forward to this year was Inheritance from Mother by Minae Mizumura, whose previous work in translation I adored. Another May release worth mentioning is Shun Medoruma’s In the Woods of Memory, credited as the first novel by an Okinawan author to be translated into English.

Manga! Bloom into You, Volume 2 by Nakatani Nio Cat Eyed Boy, Volumes 1-2 by Kazuo Umezu Cells at Work!, Volume 4 by Akane Shimizu Delicious in Dungeon, Volume 1 by Ryoko Kui Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju, Volume 1 by Haruko Kumota Dreamin’ Sun, Volume 1 by Ichigo Takano The Girl From the Other Side: Siúil, A Rún Volume 2 by Nagabe Gangsta: Cursed, Volume 2 written by Kohske, illustrated by Syuhei Kamo Girls’ Last Tour, Volume 1 by Tsukumizu The High School Life of a Fudanshi, Volume 1 by Michinoku Atami Haikyu!!, Volumes 11-12 by Haruichi Furudate JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders, Volume 3 by Hirohiko Araki Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun, Volume 7 by Izumi Tsubaki Murciélago, Volume 2 by Yoshimurakana My Love Story!!, Volume 12 written by Kazune Kawahara, illustrated by Aruko Pet Shop of Horrors, Volume 10 by Matsuri Akino Pet Shop of Horrors: Tokyo, Volumes 1-8 by Matsuri Akino Requiem of the Rose King, Volume 6 by Aya Kanno The Royal Tutor, Volume 1 by Higasa Akai Saber Tiger by Yukinobu Hoshino Shion: Blade of the Minstrel by Seiji Horibuchi The Story of Saiunkoku, Volumes 1-9 written by Sai Yukino, illustrated by Kairi Yura Sweetness and Lightning, Volume 5 by Gido Amagakuure Yona of the Dawn, Volume 6 by Mizuho Kusanagi

Manhwa! Uncomfortably Happily by Yeon-sik Hong

Comics! 5 Worlds, Volume 1: The Sand Warrior written by Mark Siegel and Alexis Siegel, illustrated by Xanthe Bouma, Matt Rockefeller, and Boya Sun Adventure Girlfriends, No. 1-2 by Morgan Shandro Adventure Girlfriends: Vignettes by Morgan Shandro Aim High Bird Friends by Linda Teaa Banchan in Two Pages, Issue 2 by Robin Ha Blinded by the Ice by Saicoink Blindsprings, Volume 1 by Kadi Fedoruk Blossom Boys by Tanaw Butterfly Dream by PlumLi The Disappearance of Melody Dean by Alexis Sugden Eidoughlons: A Field Guide for the Aspiring Dumplingmancer by Jade Feng Lee Electric Ant, Issue 2: Exquisite Corpses edited by Ryan Sands Elements: Fire edited by Taneka Stotts Expired Seafood, Volume 2: Tied Up by Various Fujoshi Trapped in a Seme’s Perfect Body, Volume 2 written by Seru, illustrated by Joberu Fujoshi Trapped in a Seme’s Perfect Body: Wedding Night written by Seru, illustrated by Kisumi Go Gently edited by Christine Wong and Victor Martins Half Moon Heroes, Issue 1 by Jade Feng Lee Haunted: A Fairytale by Natalie Andrewson Hearts for Sale by Miyuli Hemlock, Issue 1 by Josceline Fenton Hidden by Kou Chen Love Debut by Deandra Tan Mana, Volume 1 by Priya Huq Martial Spirit by Dirchansky, Wai Au, and Kage Oh Dear! Mr. Dear by Wai Au Our Cats Are More Famous Than Us by Ananth Hirsh and Yuko Ota Plant Fever Zine, Volume 1 by Various Queen Street by Emmanuelle Chateauneuf Ram-com by Emily Forster Ramen Robot Cafe by Dandra Tan Safe by Anna Sellheim Shattered Warrior written by Sharon Shinn, illustrated by Molly Knox Ostertag Shit and Piss by Tyler Landry Smokescreen by A. C. Esguerra So Pretty / Very Rotten by Jane Mai and An Nguyen Starrytellers edited by Samantha Calcraft and Alisha Jade Super Life on the Hill by Dirchansky, Kim Hoang, and Wai Au (Tr)eat Yoself by Wai Au Wax & Wane by Kelly Bastow and Caitlin Major What Is A Glacier? by Sophie Yanow You & a Bike & a Road by Eleanor Davis

Light Novels! Tokyo Ghoul: Past by Shin Towada

Novels! The Eternal Zero by Naoki Hyakuta In the Woods of Memory by Shun Medoruma Inheritance from Mother by Minae Mizumura Kamikaze Girls by Novala Takemoto ME by Tomoyuki Hoshino Missin’/Missn’ 2 by Novala Takemoto Notes of a Crocodile by Miaojin Qiu

Anthologies! Monkey Business: New Writing from Japan, Volume 7 edited by Motoyuki Shibata and Ted Goossen

Nonfiction! Manchu Princess, Japanese Spy by Phyllis Birnbaum

By: Ash Brown

[pact-zollverein-blog]

#RESIDENCYinsights

Die aus Taiwan stammende Essener Choreographin Fang Yun Lo experimentierte zwei Wochen auf der kleinen Bühne zu ihrer neuen Produktion namens „LUCEO – ich leuchte“, einem Stück für Kinder. Mit dabei waren die Performer Verena Brakonier, Chih Wen Chung und Salim Ben Mammar, die Hörspielautorin und Regisseurin Hannah Georgi, die Bühnenbilderinnen Doris Dziersk und Cheng Ting Chen, die Sounddesignerin Katharina Pelosi und der Lichtdesigner Max Rux. Nach dieser ersten Entwicklungsphase bei PACT geht es nun für weitere Proben nach Köln und dann für die Premiere nach Taiwan, zum Taipei Children’s Art Festival TCAF. Bei PACT wird das Stück im Dezember 2017 zu sehen sein! Das Stück ist für Kinder ab 5 ebenso wie für Erwachsene konzipiert, und zeigt sowohl Tanz als auch poetische Lichteffekte, merkwürdige Stadtgeräusche, Slapstick und Magie. 

www.polymerdmt.com/luceo

[stephanieleduc]

Ma table au TCAF de Toronto ! #tcaf #stephanieleduc #dryad #titikrapouti #terresansdieux

[alicesadventuresinffxiv]

FFxivWrite2024 Prompt #1

Title: Who wants to steer the Reaper?

Wordcount: 1172

Spoilers through: Stormblood

Alternate Universe: To Catch a Falling Star (Instead of traveling to Doma, Lyse spends Stormblood infiltrating the Skulls, with the ultimate goal of convincing Fordola to defect to the Resistance. When your own army gets decimated, just steal the other guy’s one, you know?)

Relationships & Characters: M’naago, Fordola, and Lyse. Also featuring the freaky thing pictured above.

Summary: M’naago begrudgingly goes hunting with the Skulls, only to discover she has more in common with Fordola than she thought.

.

The beast lay silent, its multitude of thrashing heads having finally exhausted their death throes. M’naago breathed a shuddering sigh of relief, her heart still racing. One moment, she and the M Tribe’s imperial “visitors” had been out hunting, grumbling and trading veiled barbs at having to work together with her after Lyse had insisted they find a way to help out around the village. The next, the earth under M’naago’s feet had shifted without warning, and some monstrous thing had lunged at her and knocked her sprawling with its club-like tail. She’d stared death straight in the eye - or leafy maw, as the case had been - her last thoughts an apology to poor old Conrad for letting down the Resistance. 

And then the head had crashed to the ground, the vines of its neck severed by a ruthless swing of the Butcher’s blade.

“Take my hand!”

Her body moving faster than her thoughts, M’naago had grabbed the offered gauntlet. Fordola yanked her to her feet, then settled into a defensive stance.

“That bow’s not just for looking pretty, is it? Get behind us and shoot the bastard!” The imperial turned and motioned curtly at the Skulls already circling the beast. “I’ll draw its attention, you four attack from the sides! Go!”

Out in the Fringes, survival was tough enough that a Miqo’te who stopped to argue with a lucky break was one who didn’t come home that night. So M’naago had bitten her tongue and notched an arrow to her bow.

It had been a relentless, frantic battle… but a battle they had won.

“What was that? Some kind of warning from the Elementals? But we’re out of the Twelveswood...” Lyse frowned, nudging the plant-like tendrils of the creature with her boot. Then she laughed - even wearing the uniform of the enemy, she still had that warm, playful chuckle that always got past M’naago’s guard  - and punched M’naago in the shoulder. “More importantly, do you think we can eat it?”

The Miqo’te smirked. “Took the words right out of my mouth.” She stepped back, sizing up the carcass. Vegetation was scarce on this side of the Fringes, but the bulbous growths on the monster’s back looked just like the gourds she and her sisters used to lug in for the grill. A haul like this would go a long way to making up for this year’s confiscated harvest. Not to mention the reward they could exchange with Clan Centurio - surely something this large had to be one of their infamous marks.

…if, that is, they could get it back to the Peering Stones. 

“Aye, it’s edible.” M’naago’s shoulders slumped. “But unless you’ve got a pocket big enough to stuff it into, we’ll be leaving half the kill to rot.” 

Her friend winced. After M’naago had spent a little too much time complaining into her sympathetic ear, she probably understood how much it rankled the Miqo’te’s hunter instincts to be so wasteful. 

Lyse then turned pleading eyes on the imperial officer who had been coldly watching the exchange from the side. “Isn’t there something we can do?”

To M’naago surprise, the Butcher appeared thoughtful. Then she gave a single nod. “Leaving it out in the open’ll just attract more beasts. We need to dispose of it, and hauling it off’s as good a way as any.” She pointed to the shadows of the nearby rock formation. “Hrudolf, with me. The rest of you lot, wait there and don’t come out.”

When Lyse and M’naago had curiously done as instructed, Fordola then squinted at the sun and put a finger to the magitek transceiver at her ear. 

“This is Pilus Lupis, requesting Reaper assistance at 29E, 30S. Repeat. Requesting assistance.”

A crackle of static. “Eastern Velodyna patrol is at 25E, 28S. They’ll be within sight in three minutes. Can you hold your position until then?”

“Affirmative.”

“What is she doing?!” M’naago hissed as soon as the line went dead. “I knew we shouldn’t have trusted that traitor!”

“Naago, don’t!” Lyse was definitely getting too cozy with the enemy if she didn’t see what was about to happen! But her arms wrapped around the Mitqo’te, holding her back from making that backstabber pay for her betrayal. 

“Gods, get your tail outta that twist already.” Behind M’naago, one of the Skulls - the wannabe monk, Ansfrid or Ancred or something - rolled his eyes. “Or what, you thinkin’ you’ll drag that monster half a malm using those twigs you’ve got for arms? Sit still an' watch.”

Just because you’re built like a marid and I’m not doesn’t mean I couldn’t take you, M’naago retorted in her head.

But she was heavily outnumbered, so M’naago unwillingly watched as Fordola and her second in command went out to meet the Garlean patrol. Some words were exchanged - what exactly, she was too far away to overhear. Hrudolf gestured in their direction at one point, and M’naago’s heart nearly skipped a beat - but it seemed he was merely indicating the enormous monster corpse.

One of the imperials - the leader of the patrol? - seemed to be arguing back. Then Fordola said something and crossed her arms, and he and his men gave a crisp salute.

And then the patrol proceeded on its way, leaving behind a battered but fully functional Reaper.

M’naago couldn’t believe it.

And then, just to rub salt on the wound, Fordola rode it back and leapt out with an uncharacteristically smug grin on her face. 

“I’ll see to the tow cables. Which one of you wants to pilot a Reaper?”

“Me! Me! I call the Reaper!” came an eager shout from M’naago’s left. It was the other Skull, the excitable girl who’d carelessly lobbed fireballs in the fight. Now she darted out of cover to run a loving hand down the machine’s side. “Don’t you worry, big boy. Mama Emelin will take good care of you,“ she crooned to the lifeless hunk of metal.

Then she suddenly froze, her hand still mid-stroke. “Hang on, Lyse hasn’t had a chance to drive yet.” She slowly turned her head, beaming with an intensity that reminded M’naago uncannily of her friend. “Want to give it a go?”

“Me?” Lyse blinked, then her eyes lit up. “Really? YES!”

“Do you even know how to steer one of those things?” M’naago whispered in alarm.

Lyse’s smile didn’t falter once. “Nope!” She joyfully clenched her fists, matching Emelin’s energy. “But it can’t be that hard, right? Garleans do it all the time!”

“Do you know how to drive anything?” Fordola hurriedly interjected, proving that she and M’naago tragically did share a brain cell. “A drone? A cart?”

“Nope!” Lyse cheerfully replied again. Watching her and the other girl hi-five each other was already giving M’naago a headache. 

“Emelin will be driving the Reaper.” Thankfully, Fordola settled the matter in tones that brooked no argument. 

“Awwww…” the two groaned in tandem.

And M’naago suddenly found herself sitting with the horrible realization that not only had the Butcher just saved her life, she was now agreeing with a bloody imperial. 

What was the world coming to?

[alicesadventuresinffxiv]

FFxivWrite2024 Prompt #6

Title: Those Fleeting Halcyon Moments

Wordcount: 863

Spoilers through: Stormblood, also “Set with the Sun” from the Tales from the Twilight collection

Alternate Universe: To Catch a Falling Star (takes place the night after my Prompt #1 entry)

Relationships & Characters: Fordola/Lyse, Fordola/Yda (one-sided)

Summary: As Lyse and Fordola lie awake, Fordola reminisces about her feelings for Yda.

.

“You were having a nightmare.”

The pounding of Lyse’s heart finally began to slow as she took in her true surroundings. The shouts and screams of the dying gave way to the soft chirps and hums of desert insects. The hulking metal of Baelsar’s wall became the well-worn stone of an old Miqo’te dwelling. And the sky outside twinkled gently with stars, not the dizzying glyphs of Papalymo’s final spell.

“If you’re finally awake, I’d rather like a chance to breathe.” Fordola squirmed and attempted to pry off one of Lyse’s arms, to no success. Lyse didn’t have her in a hug so much as an iron-armed death grip.

“Oh! Sorry!” As soon as Lyse realized what she’d done, she hurriedly let go, feeling horribly embarrassed. “Gods, um, I didn’t… I shouldn’t have… look, I’ll find somewhere else to sleep.” She’d always been a hugger, but she’d been so exhausted after the hunt earlier that she hadn’t considered what might happen if she agreed to be the one to share a bed with the Butcher.

Not that anyone else had volunteered.

“It’s fine.” The ruthless, terrifying Butcher yawned and flopped back onto her pillow. “Can’t exactly be mad now, can I? I did the same to your sister once.”

The mention sent another jolt through Lyse. Arenvald’s vision had forced the truth out of Fordola, but Lyse still didn’t know what to make of the revelation. Of the knowledge that the little girl who Yda had died for was now the very same woman who formed the keystone of Lyse’s (admittedly far-fetched) plan.

“You and Yda were… close, then?” 

“You could say that, aye,” Fordola reached out, tracing her fingers lightly over the side of Lyse’s cheek despite the darkness. “Only saw her face once, but you’re the spitting image of the memory. Minus the tattoo, ‘course.”

“...You knew I was her sister.”

“From the start.” Fordola withdrew her hand. “What, you think I spared you out of the bloody kindness of my heart? We didn’t come to the Reach to take prisoners..” A dismissive huff. “But I couldn’t well kill you.”

That was one mystery solved, then. But even so… “Why? Because you felt you owed me?”

Fordola turned onto her back and was quiet for a long time. Long enough that Lyse wondered if her companion had simply drifted back to sleep.

And then Fordola said: “Because I loved her.”

“What?” Lyse sat upright in the bed. “You were - with her - “

A surprisingly soft chuckle. “Get your mind out of the gutter. I had, what, thirteen summers at the time? I was just a stupid kid with a crush.”

“Oh.” That made far more sense, though Lyse was still curious. She knew much of the work Yda had been doing before her death. But even Papalymo had never told her this part. She snuggled down and pulled the thin blanket over her arms. “How did you meet?”

“Suppose I do owe you at least that much.” Fordola settled back under the blanket herself. “It’s a short enough tale. Was moping about, practically begging to become some monster’s dinner when she arrived out of nowhere to kick the bugger what was about to eat me on its ugly arse. According to her, that made us friends.”

“Yep!” Lyse giggled. “That’s Yda.”

“It left a bit of an impression.” From the warmth in Fordola’s voice, Lyse knew she must be smiling. “Didn’t want to be around my mother at the time, so I ended up following her around instead. Must’ve looked like a lost little pup.”

It was strange to imagine Zenos’s merciless hound as a sweet and innocent girl. But it again explained some of Fordola’s uncannily familiar quirks. “She’s the one who taught you to hunt, wasn’t she?” 

“Aye, that she did.” A wistful sigh. “Those were the days. We’d hunt, and we’d swim, and she’d tell me stories as we’d sit around a fire. Drove Mother up a wall when I came home bells after curfew, but every moment with her was worth it.”

“Did she tell you the story of Rhalgr’s beacon?”

“‘Course she did. That one, and plenty more.” A contented hum. “Though most of the time, she talked about you.”

“Me?” Lyse self-consciously clutched her pillow to hide her face. “Oh gods, I’m not sure I want to know that part!” 

“She said I reminded her of you.” Fordola gently stroked at Lyse’s fingers until she relaxed her grip. “That you were the curious one. Always asking questions, badgering folks to know ‘why this?’ and ‘what’s that?’ and not giving up until you got your answer.” Her next words were a whisper. “That we would be the best of friends.”

“Really?” Lyse caught Fordola’s hand and squeezed it before she could move it away again.

“Really.” Fordola allowed Lyse to keep her hand trapped. “I used to lie awake myself and wonder if we’d ever meet. Dreamed of going on adventures, the three of us all together.” She closed her eyes. “Wasn’t meant to be, of course.”

Yda’s death lay heavy in the darkness between them.

“I miss her,” said Lyse.

“I miss her too,” said Fordola.

[alicesadventuresinffxiv]

FFxivWrite2024 Prompt #28

Title: Deleterious Relations

Wordcount: 1005

Spoilers through: Stormblood

Alternate Universe: To Catch a Falling Star

Relationships & Characters: Fordola/Lyse

Summary: Just when things seem to be going right for Lyse and Fordola, everything suddenly goes very, very wrong. 

Or: Lyse fails to prevent a primal summoning.

(Feels like the end of FFxivWrite is in sight! I know I’ve completely fallen off of reading everyone else’s work, so I’m really looking forward to finishing and having time to catch up!)

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“Of course the damn snakes betrayed us!” Hrudolf groaned.

Until now, Lyse’s plans had been going well. Perhaps a little too well. With her passing on messages from the captive Anamika through another Resistance spy, the Qalyana had been persuaded to assist the Alliance.

And so a new order had been relayed from Raubahn and Naago: Lyse’s role was to free the hostage in the chaos of the upcoming battle, so the Qalyana would have nothing to stop them from joining the fray at Velodyna. The Skulls would have their escape utterly cut off.

But Lyse hadn’t taken the news well. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but deep in her gut, she felt like the pieces didn’t add up. The Qalyana were not inclined to violence. Few of their number even had training in the art of war. If it came down to a battle between them and the Skulls, they’d be slaughtered.

Then again, Lyse was probably just disappointed that all the effort she’s gone to in befriending Fordola hadn’t been needed. The new plan was to take her and the rest of the Skulls by force - though Lyse doubted many of them would allow themselves to be taken alive.

Besides, who was she to question Commander Aldynn? He’d been fighting battles since before Lyse had even been born. Despite her misgivings (which, if she was being honest, were thoroughly selfish), she would trust in his commands.

“Where’s the hostage? Lyse, bring her out!” Fordola shouted from up ahead.

That was her cue.

Lyse squeezed Anamika’s hand and nodded to her. The young girl smiled back. She was plainly terrified - what child wouldn’t be, in the midst of an armed standoff? - but she seemed to want to be strong for the nice “guard” the scary Butcher had appointed her.

After all, they’d spent long hours together, chatting away in Lyse’s old cell. Lyse had brought her whatever scraps of metal she’d been able to find, as the Ananta girl appeared to find it soothing to mold into little bracelets and trinkets. 

“I’m good at making thingsss,” she’d said shyly when Lyse had gasped in wonder at witnessing her magick. “All the Qalyana are! Beautiful thingsss. But,” she’d finished sheepishly. “Not keysss. Not weaponsss. So not very practical to essscape…”

…Which was why, when Lyse stepped to the front of the imperials and finally beheld the Ananta barring their path, she’d been so confused. She’d expected the Qalyana to be covered in gold and crystals, like their counterparts in the Vira. And yet, while a few wore metal bands, most were bare of adornment.

A shiver ran down Lyse’s spine.

A peaceful tribe pushed to the brink to defend themselves, and a batch of mysteriously missing crystals. As a Scion, Lyse had seen the same story play out again and again, and it only ever ended one way.

“Fordola. We have to leave. Now.” Lyse whispered, her mouth dry. She knelt down and began untying Anamika’s bonds, heedless of whoever saw her.

“What are you doing!? The hostage is the only leverage we have!” The commander snarled back. “I can still salvage this!”

“Forget the hostage!” Lyse yanked apart the last knot. “We have to run!”

“Run where?” Fordola unsheathed her gunblade, blocking Anamika from darting forward. Then she narrowed her eyes, glaring coldly at the leader of the Ananta across from her. “Out of our way, or the girl’s life is forfeit,” she called over the empty patch of land between them. “As are yours.”

“They’re civilians,” Lyse muttered.

“Stopped being civilians when they brought weapons and pointed them at soldiers, Lyse,” Fordola snapped. “We’ve a choice between blooded Alliance mercenaries at our backs and these unknowns in front of us.” She lifted her gunblade, aiming it clearly at the heart of the Ananta Broodmother. “I like my odds better with the snakes.”

“Sso you would cut us down,” the Broodmother hissed. “You think usss Qalyana weak! But no longer. We will not sssuffer you imperials, nor will we be disressspected as another tribe of beasts, and denied our rightsss by the ssso-called Alliance.” She beckoned to her daughter, motes of twinkling light beginning to fill the air. “Come, Annamika. Together we shall ssshow them all the beauty of Sri Lakshmi!”

“No!” Lyse screamed, and tackled the young girl to the ground.

And not a moment too soon, as a burst of blinding light heralded the primal crackling to life overhead.

“W-what…!?” Fordola stepped back, her mouth agape. 

Of course, Lyse thought. She’s never seen a primal before. And no amount of Garlean propaganda would have prepared her for the real thing.

“What now, commander?” Hrudolf shouted urgently.

“I-I don’t know!” The Butcher, always ruthlessly decisive, was suddenly at a loss for words. “We’re not to engage with an eikon!”

“Tch. It’s just a big fake, innit?” Ansfrid sprang forward, his fists clenched to attack. “I’ll take down the one what’s castin’!”

“You can’t!” Lyse stumbled to her feet, but it was too late.

Oh, one hefty punch and Ansfrid managed to smash the Broodmother to the ground, likely shattering her spine in the process. But the moment he turned around with a triumphant cry, a scintillating pulse of life claimed his mind. 

“A primal is not bound to its summoner’s life,” Lyse tonelessly recounted Papalymo’s lessons. “Once called, it will temper anyone, friend or foe. And so it cannot be fought, except at terrible cost.”

“You know this beast.” Fordola’s head had been whipping back and forth - looking behind them, where the Alliance still fought, then looking forward, where Ansfrid now dazedly mumbled praises to the eikon. Now her attention fell to Lyse. “What do we do?”

Lyse swallowed. The plan had been to have the Skulls surrender to the Resistance. But if they turned back now, she’d be leading a primal right into the heart of her allies. Even the Warrior of Light couldn’t protect a whole army. That left only one choice.

“We run forward,” she said grimly. “And we don’t look back.”

[alicesadventuresinffxiv]

In another time, another place

There’s just something about characters speculating how their lives could have gone differently that is pure catnip to me! Especially characters where, but for a few key choices, they might have wound up as a hero rather than a villain, or vice versa.

Now combine that with having an NPC cosplay alt, meaning that I spend a not-insignificant portion of my FFXIV playtime wondering what that character would think about lots of random stuff.

End result: an entire menagerie of Fordola-centric plot bunnies! This post will be an attempt to corral said bunnies into a form that’s at least somewhat organized. It will also grow over time as I add writeups for new AUs if and when they become relevant to what I’m posting on this sideblog!

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To Catch a Falling Star: Instead of leaving for Doma, Lyse spends Stormblood infiltrating the Skulls, with the ultimate goal of convincing Fordola to defect to the Resistance. When your army gets decimated, just steal the other guy’s one, you know?

Eventual Fordola/Lyse, with a complicated enemies-to-lovers arc.

Note that I'm writing scenes from this as they fit the FFxivWrite prompts, not in chronological order. So here's a second list, with the entries listed in the order they occur in the timeline (though there are still large gaps and lots of missing scenes I haven't done yet!)

Take our quarry alive!

Plans Hatched Behind Bars

Narrow Horizons

For a Morsel of Acceptance

Who wants to steer the Reaper?

Those Fleeting Halcyon Moments

A Telling Emotion

Deleterious Relations

Sally forth, to endings unwritten

Aftermath of a Duel

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WoL!Fordola AU: Not WoLFordola like the ship, WoL!Fordola as in the original Warrior of Light, the Meteor Survivor who fought at Carteneau, who destroyed the Ultima Weapon, who ended the Dragonsong War… he died to Zenos at the end of Stormblood. Oops!

Now Fordola is the only one left who has the fighting skill needed to even have a chance of filling his shoes.

This is the timeline I’m basically writing as I take my alt through the MSQ. It starts out as a continuation of TCaFS (so technically TCaFS is one of my WoL’s backstories in a roundabout way haha). But it gets even weirder. Fordola might be the new WoL, for example, but it’s Krile who is the shard of Azem!

Fics in this AU:

A Nostalgic Adventure (end of Eureka)

Falling through memory, hand in hand (during 5.2)

Third-Rate Azem (after 5.3)

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WoL was out fishing, Fordola did the sidequests instead: Not an AU so much as a common premise I use. Fics in this series assume that everything is the same as in canon, including there being some non-specific WoL (maybe even your WoL!) who exists and follows the normal MSQ. However, while they’re busy offscreen somewhere, Fordola is forced to pick up the slack for them and do sidequests where she doesn't usually appear.

My first FFXIV fic (Sympathetic Resonance aka "why is Fordola in Eureka?") would be part of this series, as would my WIP Sorrows of Werlyt fic.

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8th Umbral Calamity: Shadowbringers never specifies whether Lyse and Fordola are killed by Black Rose in the bad timeline. What if they weren’t? Lots of fun (and by fun I mean tragic) ways that could play out!

Originally, this was going to be a kind of Apocalypse/Road Trip AU, with Lyse and Fordola traveling through a Black Rose-devastated Ala Mhigo and trying not to to kill each other before they reached Cid and the Ironworks.

Then I was writing an FFxivWrite entry and realized it would be interesting to combine it with another AU I had, where Fordola gets executed by the Resistance and winds up accidentally bodysharing with Lyse…

[alicesadventuresinffxiv]

FFxivWrite2024 Prompt #20

Title: Aftermath of a Duel

Wordcount: 794

Spoilers through: Stormblood

Alternate Universe: To Catch a Falling Star

Relationships & Characters: Fordola/Lyse

Summary: Specula Imperatoris falls, and Lyse becomes a commander… but not the way it happens in canon.

(Takes place right after my entry for Prompt #17)

(The problem I had with this prompt was actually that I had too many ideas! The ambitious concept I really wanted to write was a three part fic of all the times WoL!Fordola fights Zenos… but in the end I had neither the time nor the character dynamics ironed out for that yet. 

So as usual, when other ideas fail me, I fall back to TCaFS!  Although since this is effectively the “ending” to the story, I’m not quite satisfied with what I wrote here either. In theory there should be a lot more going on with Fordola’s decision here, and how it’s meant to close her arc of finally learning to accept help when she needs it… ah well. Just got to keep reminding myself these are all first drafts! ^^;)

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Tensions flared high on both sides of the temporary truce. Soldiers and officers eyed each other warily, muttering amongst themselves - was it a trick? A trap? If so, then for whom?

Raubahn put his hand on Lyse’s shoulder. “I trust you lass, but are you sure - “

A muffled thump, and then an awful, crashing roar drowned out the rest of his words.

“Gods be good…!” Hrudolf swore from her other side. “The tower! They’ve fired on the tower!”

“Back! Further back, all of you!” Raubahn called, and his son picked up the order, relaying it again and again as he ran down the lines of spooked soldiers.

But Lyse let out a shaking breath. She’d made it. The empty shell of Specula Imperatoris covered the armies’ retreat despite the cannon sounding again and again.

Of course, even once they’d cleared well away from the blasts, there were still endless tasks to occupy Lyse’s hands and thoughts. After witnessing how close they’d all come to death, neither side had any appetite left to fight, and so both Alliance and Skulls alike had taken to tending their wounded and breaking out an uneasy meal.

“Oi! Look there! Who’s that?!” 

Lyse finished tying the tourniquet she’d been working on and looked up to where the Resistance scout was pointing. A tall, barbed silhouette greeted her eyes, and in his arms he was carrying - 

“No!” Lyse’s heart leapt to her throat. “No, she can’t be!”

She raced across the camp, ducking and weaving between soldiers until she came to a stop before the Elezen in spiked armor. 

“That’s Ser Estinein!”

“What’s he doing here?”

“Is that the Butcher he’s got?”

Lyse pushed past the small cluster of Ishgardian knights and let out another stifled cry.

“You idiot…!”

The armored man turned to face her, a wry smile playing at his lips “Ah, I take it this is one of yours? I’d a mind to test my lance against yon cannon, until a little bird came falling out of the sky.”

One of the medics had laid out another blanket, and he knelt to place the still body on it, careful not to jostle the glass shards in the woman’s arms or the cruel, gaping slash down her front.

“Brave girl, to test her blade against a legatus all on her lonesome. Even put up quite the fight from what I saw, but he’d got her backed against the window.”

“I told you to run!” Lyse whispered fiercely and dropped to her own knees. Fordola’s skin was so very pale, the torn remains of her armor dyed so very red with blood. Lyse brushed a lock of hair from her face, her fingers trembling. 

But despite its sickly pallor, Fordola’s skin was warm, and her eyelids flickered ever so slightly at the touch.

“See?” she murmured weakly. “I kept my promise.”

“You’re half dead!” Lyse desperately wanted to shake her, but instead settled for taking one of Fordola’s limp hands and squeezing it as hard as she could.

“Better’n all dead.” Her eyes opened more fully, taking in the group of soldiers gathered around her. “Lyse, I - ”

“Well, well. The Azure Dragoon, if I’m not mistaken!” She was interrupted by a warm, booming voice. “And I see you’ve brought us a gift!” 

The Elezen gave a small bow at Raubahn’s arrival. “I was merely passing through the area.”

He was nearly bowled over by another sprinting figure. “Commander!” Hrudolf had arrived too. “To hells with it - Fordola? Gods, Fordola, are you alright?” He grabbed his childhood friend by the shoulders.

“Do I look alright to you?” She tried to laugh, but it came out a choked gasp. “Lyse…”

“I’m right here.”

“Got…got something else I need to say…” Fordola’s face briefly contorted in a rictus of pain as she tried to raise her head, only to give up the effort.

“We’re listening,” Raubahn said from above. His hand had gone to his weapon. “Speak, woman.”

Fordola drew another difficult, shuddering breath. “As my final act as Pilus, I cede full command of the Crania Lupi to Resistance operative Lyse Hext.” 

“But - “ Lyse exchanged a shocked glance with Hrudolf. 

Then he slowly nodded. “The Resistance won’t trust aught I have to say, Lyse. We need someone like you to vouch for the Skulls.”

She could do nothing but bow her head in silent acceptance.

Seeing that, Fordola slumped back, her last energy exhausted. “Acting as myself, I surrender unconditionally. Do with me as you will.”

Raubahn gave a sharp nod of his own and waved a Gridanian healer to step forward. “On behalf of the Alliance and Resistance, I accept your surrender.” He then looked to Lyse with an approving smile. “Well done, Commander Hext. Shall we negotiate your terms?”

[alicesadventuresinffxiv]

FFxivWrite2024 Prompt #14

Title: A Telling Emotion

Wordcount: 1042

Spoilers through: Stormblood

Alternate Universe: To Catch a Falling Star

Relationships & Characters: Fordola/Lyse (finally, some actual kissing in this one haha)

Summary: Lyse is jealous, though not in the way Fordola expects.

(TCaFS timeline has a lot of changes, but the important part is, this fic takes place shortly after Fordola gets her gunblade from Zenos.)

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“I’m sorry.”  Lyse said, still feeling terrible about the petty, thoughtless comment she’d made. Enough Garleans had repeated similar insinuations that she’d started to wonder. What was the imperial commander’s relationship with the crown prince?

And when she’d seen the glow of Fordola’s eager smile as she’d shown off the gunblade he’d presented her, something inside Lyse had just… snapped. 

“If you love his gifts so much, why don’t you sleep with him?”

In the moment, she’d told herself she was angry with Fordola for falling for more imperial promises. That she was worried Fordola was loyal to Zenos rather than her. 

It was beginning to dawn on her that “loyal” wasn’t quite the correct word in that sentence.

“I was just… jealous,” she admitted aloud. 

“Hmph. You and every other bastard who wants my position.” Fordola ran her fingers over the gunblade still sheathed at her hip. Even here, even sitting side by side at the secret overlook only Fordola and Lyse knew about, that awful thing still came between them. “If you want one for your own, you can damn well put in the work yourself.”

“I… what?” Lyse blinked and sat up straighter. “Gods, no, I’m not jealous of the stupid gunblade. What would I even do with it?” She couldn’t help but laugh at the idea. “I’d just poke my own eye out!”

Fordola frowned and clenched her hands in the grass. “Then what in the hells is your problem?”

“I think… it’s Zenos I’m jealous of,” Lyse said quietly. “All he gave you was something you should have had in the first place, and you were so happy.” She hugged her arms defensively to her chest. “I wish I could make you smile like that, but I’m not a viceroy or a prince. There’s naught I have you would want.”

Lyse felt a rough, callused hand on her hair. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”

“Really?” She raised her head to find herself staring directly into those sharp green eyes. “What do you - mmph?!”

Of the many things Lyse had braced herself for, Fordola suddenly pressing her into the tree with a kiss had not been one of them.

“Huh,” was the only dreamy syllable her scattered mind could produce when Fordola drew away.

“Was that not -” The young woman cringed with guilt, likely taking Lyse’s hesitation for rejection. “Seven hells, now I’ve mucked this right up, haven’t I?”  She sat back and gritted her teeth. “I just thought, maybe you thought of me the same way I - no, nevermind. Forget that ever happened.”

“But…” Lyse was still trying to make sense of it all. Was this what Krile had meant when she said Lyse already had Fordola wrapped around her finger? Had it been completely obvious to everyone but her? How long had she been - 

“If you’re not interested, that’s that.” Fordola looked away, her features schooled back into that cold, Butcher mask.  “It can just be - you know, like with Yda,” she continued, not quite able to hide the hitch in her voice.

Now that wasn’t right. Lyse made a disapproving growl in the back of her throat. “I am not my sister,” she said, and yanked Fordola into another kiss.

They could figure out the details later. Right now, Lyse knew one thing: she wanted to make Fordola hers.

For a brief moment, Lyse felt Fordola tense, as though she wasn’t sure if she should fight back. Then, as she realized what was happening, Fordola relaxed, closed her eyes, and leaned in on her own.

It was still a very clumsy kiss. Lyse hardly considered herself an expert - she’d dated a few pushy boys back in Sharlayan before she’d learned to say no, and there had been those chaotic weeks with Naago - but Fordola definitely had less experience than even that. Or maybe she just treated everything like a battle to be won.

Well, two could play at that game. And Lyse had spent the past several weeks desperately imagining what it would feel like to wrestle Fordola to the ground.

This probably couldn’t be considered a kiss any more, but on the other hand, finally getting to test her own strength against the swordswoman’s muscles felt amazing. Of course, while Fordola put up an impressive fight, Lyse could pass as a prodigy of unarmed combat for a reason. 

And so, what started with Fordola shoving Lyse into the tree ended with Fordola splayed out on the grass, Lyse pressing light kisses into her tattoo until she slowly stopped thrashing and instead arched her head imploringly into the touch.

“You don’t like losing, do you?” she eventually murmured. 

Lyse grinned.“Did you want me to go easy on you?”

“Absolutely not.” Fordola reached up to wrap her arms around her captor. “I’ll put you on your back next time, though.”

“You can try.” Lyse snuggled down into Fordola’s shoulder, contentment blooming warm in her chest as she felt the soft rise and fall of Fordola’s breathing.

This was good. More than good. If Fordola was in love with her, it would be all the easier to pry her away from Zenos and the Empire. 

And that’s the real goal, Lyse thought to herself. Cuddling with Fordola was nice (and kissing Fordola was nicer), but it didn’t soothe the part of Lyse’s heart that ached to steal her away from masters who praised her one day only to punch her down the next.

Skulls and Resistance alike, none of Lyse’s friends would be safe until Ala Mhigo was free.

In the short term, she’d still have to work out how to keep Krile safe now that the imperials had her in their custody. And then there was the message that the Scions had returned, and that Resistance forces would soon move on Velodyna. But those were minor concerns in comparison to what Lyse was going to count as a major victory today.

Lyse winced as the hilt of the gunblade dug into her hip.

“Zenos is giving me a chance in battle at Velodyna, and you’re giving me a chance with this.” Fordola sighed lazily and stroked her fingers through Lyse’s hair. “For once in my life… it feels like everything’s going my way.”