#ffxviwrite2023

"So is this you telling me now, or," she gestured behind her with a thumb, "shall I towel off?" 

"Full glad am I of your interest." He narrowed his eyes at her. "'Tis a better tale than the one of why you changed your name, though I'm sure Mother would love to hear it." 

Napha rolled her eyes. "Those traditions used to mean something to some of us, Dajhir. Doesn't mean I'm above putting necessity before pride." 

"Oh, yes," he said with a sneer. "A matter of survival, most definitely. Ph." 

"You don't remember what it was like."

"I do," he said, his words heavy as an anchor. "You haven't been back though... have you?" 

Napha looked away, lips tightly pursed, silent. 

"Mm." K'dajhir nodded, having obtained the answer he expected. "Little Napha, slayer of primals, liberator of nations, Warrior of the newly-found Big Mouth, can't bear to show her face at home." 

"You left first."

"I had to. There was no future for me there, and no reason to go back." 

"You said the same of me." 

"I did, but they'd be proud of you." He looked down, adding a flippant slight: "Well, perhaps if you hadn't changed your name, Ja'napha." 

"What of you? Ran off to join a stronger tribe? Ashamed after proclaiming you'd toss it all away? After you swore up and down you'd be a city boy, an adventurer or what have you, only to run back to what's familiar?"

"I did not go back to tribe life. I was serious when I said I didn't want that. I'm just..." he seemed uncomfortable. "Sentimental. I knew you wouldn't understand." 

"Wouldn't understand? How can I even try if you don't explain?" 

K'dajhir sighed heavily. 

Napha insisted with a flare of her eyebrows. 

"His name was Mjrn." K'dajhir bit his lip and turned back to face the moon's soft glow. "I met him in Coerthas, a time after the Calamity. He was a hired guide for a band of adventurers I happened to cross paths with. They were making their way south toward the Rhotano Sea." He peeked at her, placing a hand on his chest. "Me, in the frigid wastes?" He let loose a nervous little laugh "Mjrn knew before I did I was half frost-bitten."

"l'm still not seeing..." 

"His mountain name, as he called it, was Kallvjnd." A smile split his face. "By the time we reached the coast, we chose to be bonded together. Nothing fancy. I adapted his surname to my name, because... I wanted everyone to know he was mine." He paused for a moment, staring into the dark water. "He wanted to do the same. Tribal Viera change their names when they settle somewhere new, did you know? He wanted to use my given name for his surname."

Napha stifled a laugh, unsure if it was appropriate. 

"Oh, trust that I explained that to him." A chuckle escaped. "The fool used it anyway." 

"Dajhir..."

"That's the thing with you adventurers. You're so damn good at leaving an impression, but you don't stick around long, do you? You take too many risks - and trust me I love you for it, I do - but," his ears bent back and his look of determination wavered, "loss either hardens you or softens you. I haven't decided which I am yet." 

"I'm sorry." 

Y'shtola found Alisaie huddled around a tin cup of hot tea under one of the large tents. "You should go talk to her. I keep telling her she's fine but sense seems beyond her. Take her a cup of that, wouldn’t you? Settle her stomach and perhaps whatever slime she seems convinced is clinging to her." 

"Hm?" Alisaie spun around, a bit of campfire bread between her lips. She pulled the bread from her mouth and spoke. "I thought she was still out? Gods, she was barely able to stand when she came-to." 

"It's not every day one of us gets body-snatched. Though," she sighed, "I suppose we're beginning to make a habit of it." She knocked her knuckles against her chin. "Talk to her, please. And have her meet us in the tent just there. Any undue time spent idle is a gift to the Telophoroi." 

Alisaie chirped in acknowledgement as she struggled to swallow down the food still in her mouth. She set down the remainder of her refreshment to pour another steaming cup into a tin mug. The brew was mostly water, but t'would be warming just the same.

"Here." She held out the mug to J'napha, who was yet wound in a ball in the powdery snow, looking so small from where Alisaie stood. "You'll catch a cold like that." J'napha looked up as if suddenly aware of her presence. "Hey." Alisaie knelt next to her, proffering the cup. "You are all right, aren't you? Just a bit.... shaken up?" 

"How are you sure.... it's really me...?" J'napha reached for the cup tentatively before pulling it in to breathe its warm steam. 

"Of course it's you! I know it is, and I don't need Y'shtola's eyes for that!" 

"But you could have all been killed, because you noticed nearly too late. And I... took the bait. I was being toyed with. And the two of you... who trust me the most..." 

"Hey, need I remind you of what happened with the Night's Blessed? Y'shtola nearly blew you to bits because she couldn't see you clearly. Isn't that how it went?" 

"So you're saying Y'shtola's wrong? That there is something wrong with me?" 

Alisaie paused, then let out a frustrated whine having seen the tangle she created. "Point made! I've made a mess of it. But listen: you can stay here." She paused, evidently still formulating the rest of her ultimatum. "You can stay here, or you can march into that tent where Lucia and the rest are planning our assault on the Tower of Babil. You'd rather know what's ahead, right? Of course, you can bide your time here too, freezing in the snow like a naked baby Almasty. 'Til the rest realize you're awake. Your choice, Warrior of Light." 

"Is this how Alphinaud feels?" J'napha grumbled, half in jest as she sipped at the steaming water. 

The moment the elder Leveilleur entered into the Lotus Stand with the other delegates, Skylark felt something in the air shift. She'd only heard the faintest whispers regarding the twins' family and the little information she gleaned barely broke through the fog that shrouded their immediate relative in obscurity. Their father only seemed to be mentioned in passing before the subject swiftly changed. She certainly never wished to pry, so she chose to leave the matter in private until the situation arose for answers to appear.

Now it seemed no party would be provided the choice of a proper revelation. The Roe remained quiet as she observed the interaction. Alphinaud appeared partially delighted at seeing the brooding elezen, but his words bore a practiced hesitance, an air of questioning as if trying to sort out a puzzle with potentially dangerous traps lying in wait just beyond the final word. Alisaie, on the other hand, closed herself off, arms crossed tightly across her chest in preparation of a verbal blow. While they'd never mentioned their father, Skylark believed it was always out of indifference rather than contempt.

Her focus shifted towards the man in question. He held himself with lofty bearing, eyes constantly looking down a long nose in an eternal state of scrutinization. Each word that rose from his lips was carefully chosen so as to disallow his opponent any ground with which to oppose him, and each disparaging statement sent the nerves along her spine prickling. He seemed the type to always find a way to prove himself right and anyone engaged with him drowned in humiliation.

"No, Sharlayan will remain neutral. We perceive no threat looming across Eorzea that would force us to breach this pact," Forchenault straightened his sleeves, keeping his voice even and authoritative, "Our work is the conservation of life and its histories. To intercede would be to contradict the turning of consequence."

Alisaie bristled and sidestepped around her brother whose expression sank into acceptance, "How can you say that, father? Do you not see the state the world is in? We are teetering on the precipice! There won't be a world or history to record if we don't--"

"And who bears the blame for such extremes?" Forchenault leveled his stone-cold gaze upon his fiery daughter, "Your grandfather cast aside the legacy we defend to alter Eorzea's course. And yet, this perceived threat demands satisfaction still. One that will cost resources and time better used for more advantageous pursuits."

"What's more advantageous than survival? We cannot simply wait for doom to knock upon our door before making the motion to act! If we wait too long..." Her words trailed off, the anger and frustration twisting like a hurricane across her features. Fists clenched tightly at her sides as though she were beating them upon her father's guarded walls.

"Father, she is right," Alphinaud's soft voice joined in, "we have seen much in our travels since departing Sharlayan's shores. We have tasted victory and defeat, seen powers rise and fall with the weight of their own hubris. We have grown and we can provide the aid our world desperately needs. Please, can't you see this course is not one easily taken, but it is right."

For a long breath, the air between the trio of elezen tightened with year's worth of tension and conflict. Each position made their case and it was only a matter of time before the self-elected judge in Fourchenault to make his decision. He took a slow breath, the storm behind his eyes preparing to crash upon the shore.

"I see your time here has done nothing but taint your reason. Perhaps a stern lesson is required to make clear the unstable ground upon which you stand," Taking a deep breath, the man's words echoed about the open grove to sink deep into the hearts of their intended, "Therefore, I denounce your right to the house of Leveilleur. As of this moment, you are no longer of mine."

Silence froze the air surrounding the gathering, no one daring to utter the first retort or resistance. Alphinaud and Alisaie both stood perfectly still, equal expressions of shock and horror etched into place. Skylark cast a look to them both, a fiery dagger of fury twisting beneath her ribs. Her gaze burned as she glared in the direction of the offender, but Fourchenault appeared as unbroken as the stone beneath his feet.

"Now, given that you have wasted my time with this useless charade, I will take my leave. Pray you utilize wisdom and reconsider your folly should we ever cross paths again." Dipping into a stiff bow, the elezen turned and walked purposefully across nature's steps to exit the green sanctuary, caring not for the destruction he left in his wake.

Skylark immediately crossed to stand behind the two, placing a hand on either of their shoulders. Still they remained frozen. The Roe cast a glance back towards Kan-E-Senna whose face tightened with sympathy. With the unspoken exchange, she nodded and glanced to the other. "Let us break delegations for the time being. After a time of reflection, we shall better decide how to proceed with the prevention of the oncoming threat."

Taking this opportunity, Skylark gently nudged at the twins' backs to guide them away from the eyes watching them. Around the corner and through the grassy pathways they walked in silence until they found a nook nestled in between thick branches and thorny hedges. Once alone, she expected them to break, to crumble or show signs of the damage their father wrought. But still, they stood like statues, unresponsive.