#integris

“Ceridwen, sweetheart. Good evening.

“Father! Hello! It’s a fair bit later than evening. What has you calling so late?”

“Ah well, I didn’t wish to interrupt your dinner date. Rather, I was hoping to hear how it went.”

Dwen stops in the walkway, surprised for a moment, and blushing vividly. She glances around at the sleepy road, merchants and workers trundling their way home under the Thanalan stars.

“Ah… Well… Dinner went well. Did Sirus tell you I had a date? I thought he knew better!”

“Ah heh. My apologies, sweetheart. Suan overheard your brother’s end of your last conversation, in the library.”

“Oh. I see.”

“So, when do I meet your new paramour?”

Dwen nearly stumbles into a merchant in her surprise, whispering apologies, before turning back to her call.

“Father!”

“What? If Bryce approves, surely they’re an upstanding sort.”

“That… That’s not the problem, Father. I just don’t want Rex to be overwhelmed. Sirus is a world of energy by himself. Our household isn’t really tiny anymore.”

“I suppose I can see your point. I still want to meet this… Rex?”

“Wu’Rexa Norh. A squire. And Lady Blanchimont’s fiancée.”

“Hmmm.. Ser Norh must be quite the marvel then, gaining both yours and Lady Blanchimont’s affections.”

“Father! Please… Rex is…  Rex is sweet. Charming. Kind. Understanding. Darling.”

“Do you feel happy, when you’re with Ser Norh?”

Dwen’s feet slow and she smiles fondly at the paving stones, running her thumb over her palm, where she’d been holding Rex’s hand earlier.

“I do. Happy. Safe. Like… Like I can tell her everything.”

“Have you told her?”

“No. I’m going to. Bryce and I are meeting with her and Lady Iris in a few suns. I’ll tell them both then.”

“Very well. A pity your brother isn’t so easy to match.”

“Father!”

Her voice was a little too loud, and a little too scandalized then, startling a poor guard nearby. Dwen blushes and scurries along, quickening her pace back to the inn.

“That’s unkind, Father! You know how Sirus feels about that.”

“I jest. I jest. Perhaps unkindly, yes. It baffles me that he is so happy with no hand of his own to hold. But well… I suppose I don’t really need to comprehend it fully.”

“Thank you for trying to understand, at least.”

“Speaking of… understanding.”

Dwen sighs and deflates, waving tiredly at the innkeeper, before heading towards her rented room.

“Here we go.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I know you have your mother’s sense of adventure. I worry. And… well. Suan overheard one other thing.”

“I see.”

“Kugane? Really? It’s so far.”

“It’s not set in stone yet, Father. But, there’s work to be done there. And well.. would you rather Bryce and I trail after some mercenary band into Gyr Abania?”

“Now who’s being unkind?”

“Me I suppose. I know it’s far, Father. But Kugane does have an aetheryte. And… it wouldn’t be just Bryce and I. Furthermore, Kugane has laws about violence within the city. I’d likely be safer there, than I am here in Ul’dah!”

“You’re going regardless of my wishes, aren’t you?”

Dwen sits on the bed in her room, frowning softly.

“If I can? Yes. I don’t want there to be a schism between us, Father. But… I can’t stagnate in Ishgard. There’s less need for chirurgeons there. And well… This opportunity would likely be less battlefields. Also, I’d have a chance to expand my skills. Learn eastern medicine.”

“Very well. I have one request.”

“Yes?”

“Bring Ser Norh and Lady Blanchimont to meet me. Just a sit down in my office, to be… less overwhelming. I’ll make sure Rhydia has the apprentices busy.”

“I’ll talk to them and see what I can arrange.”

“Thank you sweetheart. Well, I’ll let you be now. Give Bryce my love.”

“I will. Please be sure you’re heeding Maymay’s instructions. I don’t want you having another relapse before I go on the road.”

“You can be sure she’s militarized the household against me. Tsuli alone is a terrifying force of nature now.”

Dwen laughs then and shakes her head.

“Good for Tsuli. Alright. I’ll stop nagging. I love you, Father.”

“I love you too, Sweetheart. Be safe.”

“I’ll see you soon.”

“Fury keep you.”

“And you. Good night.”

“Good night.”

Dwen sighs and tugs out her linkpearl, when the line goes silent. She smiles and murmurs, “Well… This will prove to be interesting.”

But Rhydia, ever observant and long time servant of her lord, knew better. And Mharithosa, with her trained conjurer’s eyes and mother’s instincts, also knew better. Ceridwen, his only daughter, and also a trained healer, had also noticed.

Sirus hadn’t noticed. But he wasn’t even home, since his duties had kept him at Cloudtop, after his extended summons for their friend’s matters.

Integris was hiding it well, though. Guests did not notice. Nor did the apprentices. If it seemed he was breathing heavier, well, he wasn’t a young man anymore. If he appeared tired, he had been working a lot lately. If he was a bit paler than usual, perhaps he had not been out in the sun enough.

They did not see his hands shake with fatigue. Or hear his wheezing cough, that he muffled behind thick handkerchiefs and closed doors. They did not notice, that his appetite was waning. Or that he slept more and more.

At least, not until he fell asleep at his desk, and poor Tsuli couldn’t wake him. When repeatedly calling his name did not work, she gently tapped his shoulder. After two more taps, she softly shook his shoulder. Becoming worried, Tsuli shakes his shoulder, more insistently. She noticed his fever then and panicked, screaming out the door for help.

By the time Rhydia and Mharithosa had reached Integris’ ofice, Tsuli was sobbing and repeatedly shaking Integris’ shoulder, begging him to wake up. Rhydia pulled the girl away and let Mharithosa check on Integris. The next hour was a flurry of activity, as Integris was carried to bed, and Ceridwen summoned home.

By the time Ceridwen had arrived, Intregis had awoken. But he was still so very tired, incredibly feverish, and obvious far too sick to get back up. Mharithosa was relieved to tell Ceridwen it was only a relapse. But it had worsened his state.

It seemed, something more needed to be done.