#why is artoriel like that

[thevikingwoman]

FFXIVWrite2024 - Prompt 16

Fortemps household dynamics fascinate me endlessly, so here is some barely grown-up Artoriel POV

Fandom: Final Fantasy XIV | Words: 359

Artoriel de Fortemps | pre-ARR Rating: Teen. Character study, Ishgard society, Fortemps family, mention of infidelity (canonical), why is Artoriel the way he is? vague heavenwards spoilers

Third-rate

Artoriel de Fortemps doesn’t stop when he sees his little brother run past him, bloody nose and tears streaking down his face. He merely gets out of the way. Emmanellain doesn’t see him, his eyes on the ground as he rushes by. Probably running off to nanny, though he is far too big for that. Artoriel sneers, unbiddenly, and continues around the corner.

“Some third-rate knight he’ll be.”

“Third son, too.”

“More worthless than a bastard.”

This makes Atoriel pause. The statement is followed by raucous laughter. It would be unseemly to get in a fight over Haurchefant.

“Well, Haurchefant is a fine fellow.”

“For a bastard, aye.”

Someone snorts. “Don’t say that to his face. He trounced Delicrouxeus the other day. Mark my word, Count Fortemps will give him command of something.”

“Emond can’t even command his own dick.”

More laughter. Atoriel’s ears burn. He bites his cheek. He cannot be unseemly. He needs to be above reproach. The Fury knows his brother isn’t going to be.

“Mayhap little Emmanellain is Halone’s punishment? A hapless idiot of a son.”

“Bet ol’ Edmont would have been happy with even another stick in the mud like Atoriel rather than Emmanellain.”

“If he kept himself true, he’d mayhap had a brave and personable trueborn son. They’d all be a third-rate House this way.”

His clenched fist hit the wall. Atoriel bites his cheek to keep from crying out. He cannot. His growth spurt done, he’d hardly get any taller, but he cannot take on three squires. He mustn’t.

“Kept himself pure – Haviellemont, you better learn that. I saw you with that wench in the Brume but two days ago.”

“And what were you doing there?”

The voices fade as Artoriel hurries away. He does not run. He is not his little brother. If only Emmanellain behaved proper, there would be no doubt about the honor of their house. He brings shame on them all. Artoriel reaches the fresh, crisp air. He cannot help his little brother’s follies. He simply must be a better example. Above reproach, the perfect heir. Father needs neither Haurchefant nor Emmanellain as long as Artoriel is peerless.

[bronnichiwa]

FFXIVWrite; Day 10 - Stable

Day 10 - Stable

Edmont de Fortemps knows the pain of losing a child.

During Ultima Thule, it almost happens again.

Edmont de Fortemps loved all of his children equally.

That he loved Emmanellain and Artoriel went without saying.  That he loved his bastard son the same was peculiar, even in the more progressive parts of Ishgardian society.  His now-late wife had taken issue with it, of course, but Edmont was always one who looked towards the future.  If his children were to be the future, he could hardly hold his own transgressions against them.

From the first day he held Haurchefant in his arms, there was no question that the boy was his, and that only made his untimely passing all the more painful.

In Ishgard, it was extremely common for parents to outlive their children.  That they lived in the fires of war meant that the young were always in more danger than the old, and this was something that Edmont had grown to understand over the years.  Still, this didn’t make Haurchefant’s passing hurt any less.

Edmont understood all too well why there wasn’t a word for parents who outlived their children.  He felt as if his own being was being ripped to shreds, as if the world had lost all of its vibrancy in a matter of moments.

It would have been easier, perhaps, if there was someone he could blame.  If he could look at the Warrior of Light and think that without their existence, his son would still be here.  But doing so would be nothing if not an insult to Haurchefant’s memory, and Edmont had grown a soft-spot for the Warrior of Light.

Somewhere along the line, the Warrior of Light had become his child, too.

He had never meant for it to happen.  Edmont had, in fact, denied Haurchefant’s initial pleas to offer the Warrior and her friends aid.  But Edmont was nothing if not full of love, and given the soft spot he held for his son, he couldn’t find it in himself to say no.  Not when Haurchefant was this passionate. 

With the Warrior of Light under his roof, he quickly became enamored.  He’d expected a selfless savior, someone who spoke quietly and only ever put others’ needs above their own.  He’d expected a saint, much like the ones that were written about in Ishgardian tradition.  That he’d found instead someone entirely more human awakened his parental instincts once again.

He did his best to support the Warrior of Light while she was in Ishgard, even if it only amounted to giving her somewhere to stay.  Edmont had been a parent long enough to know what his children needed, after all, and the Warrior of Light lacked nothing if not stability.  He strove to provide a warm hearth and a welcoming home.

All children eventually leave the nest, however, and the Warrior of Light was no exception.

Old as he was, Edmont was unable to travel.  Instead, he received his updates from Ser Aymeric.  Ala Mhigo, Sharlayan, Thavnair; all were places he’d never been, but he relished in hearing about them all the same.  That the Warrior of Light never came to him directly didn’t escape his notice.  There was some part of her, he surmised, that held herself accountable for Haurchefant’s death.

Edmont longed to give his daughter a hug, longed to tell her that it wasn’t her fault and she shouldn’t blame herself.  But, he knew that some things couldn’t be rushed, and such blatant displays of emotional awareness were all but foreign in Ishgardian society.

Instead, he makes sure that his house is always ready to receive company.  He makes sure that his house is always a home, always somewhere she and her companions can escape should the situation call for it.

When he receives the call, Edmont acts no differently.

The former Count Fortemps has known Aymeric for most of the younger Elezen’s life, and Edmont has never heard him so distraught before.  It takes him a long time to parse what Aymeric is even saying: the Warrior of Light was gravely wounded in a faraway corner of the galaxy and is currently in critical condition.  They’re waiting for her to stabilize, Aymeric explains, but they don’t know that she will.

Without much else to do, Edmont de Fortemps works to make his house a welcoming home.  He makes sure the drapes are changed, and he makes sure the guest room is ready.  That there is a metaphorical sword of damocles hanging over his heart, threatening once again to shatter him into a million pieces, does not deter him.  That his world could once again be stripped of color does not make him stop.

After all, there is little an old man can do from this far away, save for make a stable home.  Save for make somewhere to return to.

When the dust settles, and Rose is fully healed, she returns to Fortemps Manor.  Though the decorations have changed, it’s just as warm and inviting as she remembers.  In a world of chaos, where things can change between seconds, it’s home.

And Edmont is there to greet her with a smile, as if she never left.

[chysgoda]

(@driftward) Ship meme, for Art’imis...

Aymeric. I am curious about how that dynamic would shake out.

Or Yugiri. What's that shape in the mirror.

Aymeric

Bel laid on her stomach reading the book uncle Artoriel had given her. Her mother sat on the bed next to her and stared at the wardrobe. Bel craned her head back to see how her mother’s lips pulled into a thin line and her eyebrows scrunched into the patch of ivory scales at the center of her forehead. Bel twitched her purple tail to the side to lay it alongside her mother’s sender ivory one. The young miqo’te girl placed the ribbon bookmark and closed her book. “He’s not like Ilberd.”

Art’imis expelled a breath somewhere between a huff and a laugh. “No, he’s not.”

Bel scowled when she noticed that her mom was picking at the scales on the back of her hands. She wriggled to get her knees under her and knelt up. She grasped one of her mom’s hands and pulled it towards her so that Art’imis couldn’t keep picking at herself. The paladin stared down at the hand Bel had claimed for a moment and then blew out a breath. She kissed the crown of Bel’s head and then rubbed the side of her horn against her daughter’s cheek.

They let the silence settle, soft and still between them. Eventually Art’imis sighed, “Well I know that you like him.”

“Mom!” Bel drew out the vowel into a whine, “I was ten!”

“Sorry darling,” Art’imis laughed and threw her arm around Bel’s shoulders, “seriously though, What do you think?”

Bel fussed with the end of her tail until her mother laid a hand over hers. “I think he’s kind. He never chuckles with the other nobles to keep face when someone makes a joke”- Bel raised her hands to make air quotes so aggressive she almost threw Art’imis’s arm off her shoulders - “about your scales or my ears. I know he can’t go with you when you have to be the Warrior Of Light, but he’d understand it and what it does to you.”

Art’imis hummed in thought and rested her chin on Bel’s head until the thirteen year old wriggled to get her to move. “Help me pick something out to wear?”

“Only if you never bring up that crush again.”

“Hmmmmmm, no promises.”

“Mom!!”

(The only person that doesn’t drag Bel about her school girl crush on Aymeric is Aymeric.)

Aymeric probably would have been who I shipped Art with ultimately except for one problem, I find Aymeric really really hard to write. Like to a stupid extent and I’m not sure why. On a character level though I think he would be patient and compassionate enough to wait for and help Art deal with her trauma (and Bel’s trauma) regarding the relationship with Ilberd. (Because I was evidently the only person who did NOT see that coming and I have inflicted that on Art’imis) Art was seriously messed up after the bloody banquet and it took her until 5.1 to get her feet back under her so she could trust a relationship again. With Aymeric I’d have to poke at it to get a feel for if that process would have sped up with him in a more romantically inclined role than a platonic one. As a couple I can see them working fairly well together. I can also see Edmont playing matchmaker just a bit because then he knows at least two of his kids are in a stable relationship. Also Aymeric as Bel’s adopted dad would be hilarious and adorable.

And now have some AU photos where Art’imis de Borel takes her husband to see the home of the twelve. (She’s pretty sure that there won’t be any trials while they’re there. Mostly sure. Well reasonably sure… okay she told him to bring the damn bow for a reason)

And here in particular she points out how you can see the tower that SOMEONE used to drag the scions to the first.

[yloiseconeillants]

Haurchefant, Artoriel, and Emmanellain trio for the character opinion bingo?

FORTEMPS BOYS UNDER THE CUT A;LKSJF;SALKDJFAS

haurchefant beloved (i do think he's angrier than most of the fandom depicts him as being but he's so kind and careful about it SIGH)

when do the ew job quests start i'm so upset WHY would they disappear artoirel for like. an entire expansion. i'm suffering

i was so excited to see him in the ilsabard contingent but apparently this gets worse? idk. we shall see.

[crystal-verse]

oh fun bit of trivia, bc of ishgard customs and such those in battle (dragoons, knights, etc) tend to die young (bc yknow, fighting dragons) so they tend to marry earlier as well. anyways this is to say that mehka and haurchefant get married like early/mid-HW, before his death near the end of HW. which is to say that mehka is pregnant when he dies and she has an entire baby. she's normally the tank (warrior, switches to paladin after her husband's death) but in SB she gets delegated to healer duty bc if she refuses to fight then k'pheli and the others are at least gonna make sure she's not in the thick of the fight. (this is also why k'pheli picks up dark knight -- he needs a tank class and has gotten attached to ishgard at this point)

anyways the baby's name is dieudonné, it's french and means "gift from god", he's a very tiny half-miqo'te half-elezen, and emmanellain is the go-to babysitter because unlike artoriel he actually has some experience with children (see: honorit). emmanellain is mehka's favorite brother-in-law despite everything and she does not bother to hide it (rip artoriel though)

[ihaveatypeanditstrickstergods]

Having more thoughts about Kore's retainers. They're still pretty loose, but I wanna set them down here anyway.

Ramblings below cut

She hired them both during the events of Heavensward

Cosette (Elezen, eventual Black Mage) was first, not long after Kore had gotten settled in Ishgard.

She'd had something she needed or wanted to do that involved going to Ul'Dah, was saying something about how she couldn't do it because showing her face in Ul'Dah was probably a bad idea, and Emmanellain or somebody was like "why don't you just send somebody to do it?"

Kore was like "YOU CAN DO THAT?"

Either Emmanellain, Artoriel, or both went with Kore to the Jeweled Crozier to introduce her to the wonderful world of retainers.

Cosette came highly recommended from a very respectable Ishgardian agency (I've got some vague ideas on her backstory, but nothing nailed down yet). Kore was definitely intimidated by her (and the whole concept) at first, but they eventually formed a sort of professional friendship (although that took a while; Cosette's a pretty formal person).

Valinari (Viera, eventual Botanist) got hired later on, and less officially, shortly after the whole Ul'Dah plotline was resolved.

I haven't nailed down all the details here either, but I do know that Valinari was in hot water with something that ultimately traced back to some shit that Lolorito owned (which, to be fair, is a significant chunk of Ul'Dah), Kore stumbled upon him in the middle of it, and she effectively hired him on the spot both to protect him and as a small middle finger to Lolorito.

I have this great line in my head where someone's trying to get her to turn Valinari in and she's just like "My retainer would no more do this thing you're accusing him of than your boss would poison the sultana." Which, like. Technically true.

The level to which Kore expects Valinari to actually do his job is not super high; she's a pretty chill boss in general. He still gets shit done, but at his own pace.

Also, Valinari and Cosette hate each other, but it's in that, like, office sitcom way where they snipe at each other all the time but will still bail the other out if there ends up being an issue.

[ysara-and-friends]

Edmont: yes, I love all of my children equally. Artoriel, Haurchefant, and...

Edmont: *squints*

Edmont: Emancipation

[elveny]

ohhhhhh number 2 with Artoriel and Estinien eyeemoji

2. this was a mistake from the Micro story prompts | Thank you! ❤

"This was a mistake," Adriene muttered, eyes flickering over the many people assembled. "I never should've agreed to this, oh Maker's balls, why did I agree to this?!"

Estinien seemed surprisingly unbothered and just gave her a droll look as he adjusted his glove. "Because you, and I quote, 'don't care about anything anymore, let's do this."

"Right," she said, sounding utterly unconvinced. "I think I was drunk at the time, surely you cannot hold me to it!"

Estinien let out a small sigh as he turned to her, but Adriene babbled on.

"I cannot be a Countess, that's ridiculous!"

He tsked at her and grinned dryly. "Not more than me a Lord."

At that moment, the door behind them opened, and Artoirel came in. "Alright, looks like everyone of note has arrived and the bishop said he'll start in-" he interrupted himself as he saw the other two, immediately worried. "Is everything alright?"

"She's panicking," Estinien said at the same time that Adriene quickly assured Artoirel, "Yes, of course!"

Artoirel's eyes narrowed. "Mhm," he hummed, lifting an eyebrow.

Adriene let out a long breath before she shot Estinien a look. He just shrugged.

"I'm being stupid," Adriene said somewhat sheepishly. "It's just... are you sure you want to do this?"

Artoirel huffed a disbelieving laugh and crossed the small distance between them. "Are you-" he looked at Estinien while he lay a hand on her cheek, "Is she serious?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed, quickly followed by a small, "...no." Then she looked at Estinien. "How come you're so calm?!"

Estinien shook his head and put his arms around his two lovers. "Because it's just a formality, nothing more," he said indulgingly. "A title that can be discarded once it's no longer necessary. As fellow former Azure, you know this."

"Well..." Artoirel started, but stopped upon a look from Estinien.

Adriene had still seen it. Biting her lip, she once more looked nervously towards the door.

"My love," Artoirel said very softly, "if you truly not want to do it, we can-"

"No," she immediately interrupted him, laying her forehead against his. "No, of course I want to do it." She closed her eyes, feeling both their warmth against her. She knew that neither of them would stop her if she wanted to run now, and somehow, that was enough.

"Just promise me that you won't hate me once you realize that I'm a horrible Countess."

Artoirel lifted her face until she looked him in the eyes. "I did not fall in love with a Countess but with you. You. No matter what the future holds, that will always be true," he said earnestly. Then a rare mischievous twinkle came into his eyes. "Also, do you truly wish to forgo the opportunity to outrank Estinien?"

Adriene gave a startled but delighted laugh and Estinien snorted. "On paper, maybe. Remind me, why am I of lesser rank even though we're all getting married?"

Artoirel grinned and pressed a kiss on his lips. "Because there can only be one Count. If you insist, however, I can relinquish the title to you."

"Halone preserve me!" Estinien shook his head.

A knock on the door made them all look up.

"Ready?" Artoirel looked at Estinien and Adriene, laughter still in his eyes.

Estinien nodded with a smile.

Adriene took a deep breath, then nodded, her heart much lighter. "Ready."

[southshrouded]

A Love of Princes

(more Tonkatsu Udon lore, this time from Heavensward! wahoo)

Of all the people to find her, she wasn't expecting Artoriel.

She didn't get much sleep these nights. Something was wrong, aside from the Ul'Dahnian coup and the Dragonsong War and the missing Scions of course. Her every bone seemed to ache in twinges and spasms, cutting into her every day life like a sudden cold knife. She felt unraveled.

The frigid air of the Pillars helped, and at night it wasn't like anyone else was going to brave the bitter stillness for some solitude. Her height afforded her an easy hiding place behind the railings of the Fortemps Manor as she stifled sobs into her hands. What horrifying transformation was she undergoing? What would she become?

Sighing and massaging her stinging calves, she didn't see Artoriel at the window until it was too late. She was only granted a manner of seconds to clean her face of tears and snot before he had ran to the door and come outside.

"Miss Udon?"

She gulped, trying to clear her throat of breaching weeps. He stood at distance, the way you would to a street dog caught in a trap.

"I shall fetch someone, shall I-?"

Her glittering glare caught his sentence in his throat with a silent plea. His hand fell from the doorknob.

"At least come inside, then. You must be fair freezing."

Her only response was to draw her knees up to her chest and hide her face. Artoriel sighed and, drawing his coat close around his neck, came closer and leaned against the railing.

"Do tell me what's wrong. Are you in pain? I can summon the house chirugeon. We can't have the Champion in anything but her most fighting fit, can we?"

There was a long pause, and Artoriel counted five snowflakes on the fur trim of his cuff before a muffled reply:

"... m'legs hurt..."

"Your legs? Here, let me see."

Gingerly, he knelt down on the stones beside her and rolled down the cuffs of her boots. "I don't see anything wrong... did you break it? Or does it feel swollen anywhere-"

He glanced up at her face, at her knitted brow as she tried intently to look at anywhere but him.

"... You're an elezen, aren't you?"

She flinched.

"Why, I can scarce believe it! I would have sworn up and down when I first met you that you were a lalafell. Halone's mercy strike me!"

He sat back on his heels and gave a puff of laughter. Tonkatsu's glower deepened.

"How old must you be now? Nineteen, twenty?"

"... 'm nineteen summers..."

He laughed again, a burst of surprise.

"Did not your parents tell you?"

It wasn't until after he asked it that he realised what he said might have been insensitive. If Tonkatsu took offense, she didn't show it, but her gaze turned away. He reached out and gently laid a hand on her shoulder.

"'Tis all a part of growing up. Your body is simply growing into an adult's body."

He gave her an encouraging smile.

"Why, when Haurchefant was your age, he ate a horse's weight in food every day to keep up with his growing. He shot up a whole yalm overnight!"

His smile grew wider in spite of her horrified stare.

"Come now, let's get inside. I know the cold feels nice, but a hot bath will be even better for your muscles. I'll send for some more food to be sent to your quarters, you must be starving."

He stood up and offered her his hand. She ignored the gesture but stood up regardless, tugging at the hems of her trousers. As he got to the door, she paused.

"Ar... toriel..."

"Yes, Miss Udon?"

"Y'won't... tell nobody about this, will you?"

He smiled again, encouragingly.

"Come now, it wouldn't be particularly chivalrous of me to be spilling a lady's secrets now would it? Hardly befitting of a noble."

If he had any thoughts about the state of the nobility in Ishgard at that current time, he didn't think it prudent to say. "What's... shiver-ous?"

"Chivalrous?"

He paused.

"It's... the ways of knights and nobles. To uphold the values we hold dearest, and to protect the ones dearest to us."

He held the door open for her, and ushered her back into the warmth. As they walked through the darkened hallways of the Fortemps manor, he paused to take a book down from a shelf and handed it out to her. "Here. When I was younger I used to read these stories to myself. They're fairy tales, mostly, but perhaps you might learn something from them."

She took it from him and gazed at the cover, a gold crown embossed on a green field. She passed a hand gently over the gilding, thumbing the beautiful illustration of a woman in a tower leaning out to kiss a passing traveler on a horse. She nodded.

"Thanks, Artoriel."

He breathed a sigh of relief.

"You're most welcome, Miss Udon."

The wind of Coerthas was shrill and sharp, cutting through the bypass in harsh blasts. Tonkatsu shielded her eyes with a gloved hand as she gazed out, squinting against the snow glare, at the congregating Temple Knights near the mouth of a cave. One by one they loaded people into a waiting wain, grabbing them roughly by the arms and legs despite their protestations. She hummed softly under her breath. Behind her, a ... man, perhaps, or some sort of apparition in the form of a man, took out a book and began to read aloud.

"Once upon a time..."

She leapt over the snowbank, launching herself high into the air to come down on the knights with a crash.

"There lived a prince in a castle, far far away."

Taken with surprise, the knights weren't prepared to defend themselves against her whirlwind offense as she slashed through their numbers with a weapon that could be generously called a sword, but was more a lump of metal welded to a hilt.

"Blessed by Halone as he was for his looks and his temperament, he was wanting but for only one thing: a throne to call his own."

Her long limbs, gangling and awkward as they were, had no form or grace as she hefted and thrust the massive sword around her in massive arcs, shearing plate and bone. There was no style to her technique, just power.

"And so he set about to perform great feats of heroism, for he knew that if he strived hard enough he would be worthy of great valour and fame."

Though she had the element of surprise on her side, it wasn't long until the knights were able to recoup and launch a counter attack, harrying her sides and closing in on her exposed flank. She growled, eyes rolling like an animal cornered.

"So he ventured forth to seek his fortune, come what slings and arrows of outrageous fate may come. And find it he did."

Shrouded suddenly in dark power, Tonkatsu clenched her left fist tight and raised it to the blindingly white firmament. The knights all faltered as she drew the energy about her person like a cloak, looking for all the world like a man possessed. Their last sights were of a demon, dark and daggered, bearing down on them.

"But fortune is what we make of it. For all the heroics he did, it was not enough to fill the hole in his heart, and for all the valour he garnered it did not make him happy. In the end, he found no rest. No throne would carry his burdens. And so, the prince perished."

The snow was beginning to abate. Tonkatsu watched as the prisoners slowly clambered out of the wain, choking back screams at the swathes of blood that coloured the snow. They took one look at her and scrambled away to the mouth of the pass. She wiped the sweat off her brow, sticking out her tongue to catch some passing snowflakes on her tongue.

"That's not how that story ends."

She said accusatorially. The apparition shrugged.

[theferalscion]

Do you think artoirel would send Emma to die like he does to wol in the normal game or would he not do that to his dearest little brother. I think if artoirel did send Emma to die it could still be because he's friends with haurchefant now, but it could also be bacuase artoirels like for fucks sake you're back. Why.

HMM I don't think Artoriel's intent was ever to send the WoL to *die*. To fail? Definitely

Though in this case I don't think it would be him deliberately setting Emma up for failure so much as just.. assuming Emma will fall, no matter what

Though since it's Haurchefant bringing the prodigal son home in this case (already so many feels, Haurchefant vouching for Emma and proclaiming that he's become a hero, father, for real!!), Maybe Artoriel is just trying to prove that Emma is the same lazy irresponsible coward that he was when he ran away

Though poor Emma would think Artoriel was giving him this job because he finally believed in him and when Artoriel reveals that he expected failure... Emma will be crushed

[ffxiv-ariavitali]

Considering how Fortemps sees WOL as their own family, maybe a scenario of Aymeric, Estinien and Hien of them probably asking Edmont and even Artoriel's permission to court WOL for marriage? You can add Lucia, Honoroitt, Yugiri and Emmanellain if you'd like :D

hi hi~ there’s a lot going on here, so i’ll keep it simple with just Edmont since he’s the star of the show :)

❅ ❅ ❅

[Aymeric]

It was to be expected that, after all the time that you spent with the Fortemps family since your asylum, that you would come to see them as your own. Being by your side since—and being an avid fan of yours besides, Aymeric was acutely aware of this and has done all he could (within reason) to curry favor with Lord Edmont.

It doubtless helped his case that he was Ishgardian in blood and even more so since the lord came to see Aymeric as a son of his own. It was easy to discuss matters since culture and faith were the same and, of course, bears no grudge in politics because it’s an entirely different realm on its own.

While traditional, Aymeric still approaches Lord Edmont for his blessing in asking for your hand. The news brings joy to the lord and any fatherly protectiveness that could have been shown was nonexistent, allowing for an easy acceptance. Knowing the lord commander for as long as he has, your father was sure that he would be able to make you happy.

[Estinien]

There was a mutual understanding between Estinien and Lord Edmont when it came to discussing anything regarding a betrothal. Knowing the rules and traditions of Ishgardian marriage, the dragoon is easily convinced to go through with the formalities of such (with the support of Aymeric attending as his family, of course). 

When Estinien had approached your father for permission to marry you, the lord was not at all opposed to it. He knows that the dragoon makes you happy and that you wouldn’t want anyone else by your side. With the dedication that the man showed when it came to slaying Nidhogg has now been redirected to being by your side and he had no doubt that he will protect you when push comes to shove.

What Edmont appreciates the most is his ability to tell you things for what it is. You needed someone to look out for your back, to remind you to take breaks, to eat, to take it easy and when you were being stubborn, you needed someone to bring you back to reality. With Estinien’s bark being as fierce as his bite, Edmont has no doubt that he’ll be a good influence on you.

[Hien]

Being from a faraway land, your father was unsure of what to think when the Prince of Doma had suddenly arrived on his doorstep to beg a boon of him. Rather, he didn’t arrive as his nation’s leader, but simply as a man known as Hien Rijin looking to seek permission for your hand in marriage.

Edmont knew of your relations to Hien, as you were wont to talk about him often whenever you would stop by to visit. It was very kind and courteous of the prince to seek him out considering the familial ties, going as far as to travel across the entire star just to speak with him. After further discussions, he finds there are much in common between Ishgardian and Far Eastern customs and it was easy then to come to an agreement.

Once he was comfortable, Edmont was able to understand the reason why you had fallen for him. His smile was radiant as the sun, a warm summer to melt away the cold winter that you have been put through. It was a cute notion, a delightful notion, and he would like for the best for you.

The only issue now is deciding where to hold the venue.

[semi-imaginary-place]

ffxiv the dragonsong war

oh yeah that was an incredibly stupid assassination attempt. why are you wearing armor on your shoulders and not over your vitals aymeric. and the assassin just walks up to him while he’s with 2 other nobles and stabs him. bruh.

lucia and hilda are in the same room. e~very woman is a lesbian at heart~! lesbian at heart. lesbian at heart! e~very woman is a lesbian at heart

ah artoriel. i still haven’t forgotten how you tried to get me killed.

“kore wa kishi no ikusa”?

what is up with the localization team only translating 1/3 of the dragons lines. do they hate dragons talking?????

interesting that aymeric specifically says something like i wasn’t expecting it to be a dragon (that saved the girl). vidofnir’s nickname for the pc is different too, cuter?

that was a nice moment, but how did vidofnir get through the 4 barriers.

he’s trying too hard

yeah that would do it

3.2

why cant we just go the part of the sewer where minfilia left the player character? or did the WHOLE thing collapse

wonder why thancred had an eye color. the iris was a difference color but

omg aenor going after both of the boulder brothers. im so sorry clemence.

[rukiaoronirffxiv]

Kiss prompts! An unexpected kiss that shocks the one receiving it. <3

Set after this prompt. Rukia is tired. Mingxia and Foulques decide to give her a kiss to make her feel better.

((Thanks to @inkblood-mistrieu for both letting me play with her lady Mingxia for helping me with this. I'm giggling over these so much. XD))

~~~

Rukia groaned. I just HAD to walk in on my dad making out with my other dad...

She had already bolted away from the awkward situation and while she was happy for them, she wasn't sure if she could look at her dad for a few hours. Or Edmont for that matter.

Her dad and Edmont being a thing was surprising, she mainly just wondered why the heck she wasn't told about it. Did Raven know? Haurchefant and Artoriel and Emmanellain?

She was so lost in thought that she jumped when she felt twp pairs of lips press against hers in succession, smiling and kissing back when she realized who they were. "Hey you two. Not that I'm not happy to see you, but you kinda surprised me."

"What's wrong? I thought you were gonna take a dip in the new spring?" Mingxia asked.

"It's nothing important I just...I walked in on a bit of an awkward situation and while I'm thrilled for those involved but...I feel like I wasn't told about it."

Foulques scoffed. "What was so awkward even you felt like you had to walk away?"

"I'm sure even you would feel awkward walking in on your dad making out with a paramour you suspect happened while you were stuck on a whole other star and if they decide to get married you'll end up with three step-brothers."

Both of them blinked, surprised by this revelation.

Eventually Foulques smirked. "Not that it's my business, but it'd be amusing to see the Fortemps brothers' reactions upon finding that their father found happiness with yours. Artoriel's especially, seeing as he seemed rather scandalized at his father's actions in his youth."

Rukia snorted as Mingxia giggled. "If that's the case, then I really can call them my brothers~"

"Don't act like that's stopped you before Xiaoming." Rukia laughed but then sighs. "Can I trust you two to not say anything to Edmont’s kids? Yes that includes Raven. She can't keep anything from Haurchefant if it's not a surprise or gift."

"I mean, sure? Not our business anyway." Foulques states.

"Thinking on it, I'm sure they have their reasons to not say anything, but still. Let them tell us at their pace you know? Besides I feel like Emmanellain is already snooping." Rukia explained with a sigh.

"We won't say anything don't worry!" Mingxia laughs as she wrapped her arms around her.

Rukia smiled as she smushed herself between Mingxia and Foulques. "Thanks. Mind taking me home? I'm tired..."

Foulques rolled his eyes but let her crawl on his back as Mingxia took her hand.

[chysgoda]

11. Do you think  your character is lucky or unlucky? What do they think? 28. How materialistic is your character?

11. Do you think your character is lucky or unlucky? What do they think?

Luck is a really strange thing to think about from the perspective of the writer. If I want a specific thing to happen to a character I can arrange causality to my liking to make sure said specific thing happens. And unless you're using some kind of randomizer as a writing tool the random happenstance that we collectively call luck just doesn’t exist in constructed worlds. So from my perspective I don’t really think in terms of a character being lucky or unlucky because there isn’t any random happenstance that would be called luck happening within the parameters of my writing.

As for the characters Art has been around the block enough times that she takes the stance of assume your luck will be terrible because Murphy is a bastard. A stance she has passed on to her daughter.

28. How materialistic is the your character?

Stuff if nice, but not nice enough to value over people.

Art’imis is a clothes horse and collector of strange things. This includes everything from gifts from city state leaders to this one rock that caught her eye in Rhalger’s Reach that no one else can figure out why it’s interesting.

Bel has a few keepsakes that are deeply important to her, such as her plush Chocobo Popo the lucky, and the lute Artoriel gave her for 16th name day.

[yloiseconeillants]

For the headcanons: Aymeric & Artoriel

Aymeric

sexuality headcanon: According to feverishly scribbled screeds in my Super Secret Fanfic Notepad from before even the Googledoc was a thing, "Aymeric is aro-ace and I will not be taking questions on this." Not sure if I still subscribe to that particular line but I still have no reason at this point to do otherwise.

otp: Aymeric/The Platonic Ideal of Truth. I love that Aymeric is so clear-eyed when it comes to political manueverings but the moment that he sees a chance for personal heroics, all precautions get thrown out the window and he launches himself at a millenia-old institution of deception and subjugation to appeal to ... the Truth and the power of Love? AYMERIC.

brotp: Lucia

notp: again uh ... any of the Heaven's Ward, I guess? Idk if anyone actually ships that but I know I would hate it.

first headcanon that pops into my head: I'm just copypasta-ing this from the googledoc again sorry "Aymeric, hand shaking but steady-eyed, wrote so many letters - careful, thoughtful, undramatic letters to inform lords, rivals, and friends alike of Haurchefant's death."

one way in which I relate to this character: he enjoys subtly dunking on alphinaud and i am sure given the opportunity i would do so also

thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character: he gives me first hand embarrassment every time he smiles like why did they make him so attractive

cinnamon roll or problematic fave?: transcends the categories by being a Good Man Who Makes Questionable Decisions Under Pressure

Artoirel

sexuality headcanon: Bisexual but he's going to end up marrying a woman for High Houses reasons

otp: *mind empty*

brotp: Does Artoirel have friends?

notp: Like. I guess any of the Haillenartes? Doesn't work out for me.

first headcanon that pops into my head: Artoirel obviously has a very strained relationship with Haurchefant. I imagine he probably tried to ignore his presence entirely when they were younger, but now he's An Adult and he begrudgingly respects the life that Haurchefant has built for himself and is slowly trying to make amends for his past - but like, he keeps finding ways to sabotage himself in this manner because he still feels some measure of resentment (that he recognizes as being childish and shameful but what he still feels!). He's never going to forgive himself for not reconciling with Haurchefant sooner.

one way in which I relate to this character: eldest sibling badfeels

thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character: MAN

cinnamon roll or problematic fave?: problematic fave 😔

thank you for the ask, @whatsthisascianbullshit!

[nijohirjesyho]

Haurchefant?

First impression

Not to sound like Welcome to Nightvale but I feel in love instantly. Like I’d been told he was a great guy but after the trauma that was the Waking Sands that he’s just like, sit down, rest, I’ll help you however I can, and actually does help you (almost all the quests he gives you are directly related to your goals) it was just so nice. He struck me as really friendly and sweet.

Impression now

Past me was right on the money and I’m gay.

Favorite moment

When he gives the speech after you’ve been accused of regicide and says you can stay in Camp Dragonhead and use it as your base “the Falling snows”. Just how genuinely he offers everything he can give you. Also since I’m tired I typed how as hoe at first and it’s what he’d want.

Idea for a story

Oh my god, my AU. My magnum opus. I’ve been working on it for so long. The Dark Knight Haurchefant AU. I need to actually sit down, crank it out and publish it.

Unpopular opinion

My unpopular opinion is that Haurchefant had an absolutely shitty relationship with his father and brothers before the WoL arrived. I base this on the fact that knowing damn well Haurchefant cares about you Artoriel sends you to what he not only thinks but by his own admission hopes is your death. Emmanallian looks you in the eye and pointedly refers to himself as the “second true born son”. Haurchefant was never welcome in Fortemps manor before we arrived, it’s just that no one said it in those words.

Favorite relationship

Haurchefant and Francel! They’re such good friends.

Favorite headcanon

This one is sad but my favorite headcanon is one someone else mentioned, god someone remind me to find the post because OP deserves the credit, but that Haurchefant’s title is an insult. Because a Silver Blade is an unused blade and they’re basically imply Haurchefant is a coward or no good in a fight.

I just love exploring that Ishgard was shit to Haurchefant and he came out the way he did with sheer determination and Francel’s support and that might be why he was always so unwavering in his love and support for us. Because when the world is against you, having one person who believes in you can make the difference.