[ The matter of returning the Scions home to the Source is indeed a pressing conundrum and, naturally, the Warrior of Darkness has plenty that she could be doing even here around Norvrandt, but Sarangerel has faith that the combined brilliant minds of G'raha, Urianger, and Y'shtola will figure something out. She has to. She has to believe that. With Krile, Matoya, and everyone else in Eorzea working on the problem too, it's only a matter of time. Right?
Well… of course she is still plagued by worry if she stands still for too long, but in spite of herself, there’s one thing that upsets her more when she lets her mind wander. Her thoughts always race to G'raha Tia. Once the Scions can be returned home, she'll have less cause to come to the First and will indubitably be incredibly occupied with the war with Garlemald and the chaos that Emet-Selch left in his wake. She foresees visiting with G'raha becoming a… much more infrequent event and truth be told, she hates to think of that. She left him alone in the Crystal Tower once before; she's not eager to do it again.
It’s silly. She knows that. He's far from alone here in the Crystarium. The people of Norvrandt love him and look up to him. Seven hells, he even has a daughter (granddaughter? She forgets how old he actually is) here now and Sarangerel knows Lyna will continue to care for him as the only family she’s ever had. He’s not alone at all and the balance between light and darkness has returned to this Shard. Finally, the fruits of his labors can be enjoyed in a world with warm, not overbearing, sunshine and comforting, star-studded nighttime.
So why, then, is she so concerned about leaving the First, potentially for a long while if not forever? Sarangerel stares down at the clumps of Lakeland flowers she’s gathered in hand, frowning rather deeply at them. She ought to be doing something more productive with her time, she supposes, but instead she agreed to chaperone a gaggle of young flower enthusiasts from The Crystarium. The children have just returned with their spoils and have already run off ahead back to play, waving farewell to Saran before they disappear out of sight, leaving the Auri woman to wonder for a moment at what the best use of the flowers they gave to her as "payment" for her bodyguard services would be. Even now, when she looks up at the dazzling blue spire stretching towards the heavens, towering above them all, she thinks only of G'raha and how he sleeps within, undisturbed, in her own time, back in Eorzea.
With a deep, slightly forlorn sigh, she begins her long walk to the Dossal Gate. Once there, the guard permits her entry, though they both know the Exarch hasn't sent for her lately. The heavy door groans as it's opened and she passes through, yet somehow Saran is greeted with quite the sight inside The Ocular: the Crystal Exarch snoozing quietly on the steps, surrounded by old tomes, one open in his lap, head propped on a fist, elbow leaning on a knee. Apparently he's in so deep a sleep that he doesn’t even flinch at the doors shutting behind her.
He must be exhausted. His long journey away from the Crystal Tower and his abduction by Emet-Selch no doubt took a toll, and yet she can't remember him ever stopping to take a well-deserved long rest. Instead, he plunged right back into trying to learn the reverse of the summoning spell he used to accidentally pull the Scions here.
Sarangerel smiles softly, sympathetically, her heartstrings pulled on mercilessly at this discovery. As quietly as she can, she approaches and stoops over the sleeping Miqo'te. She plucks two of the small lavender-colored flowers from her bouquet and gently tucks them by their stems into his hair, just by his ear. ]
Exarch…
[ She croons softly. When he doesn't react, she tries again, a bit more firmly this time. ]
5.0+ spoilers!!
Well… of course she is still plagued by worry if she stands still for too long, but in spite of herself, there’s one thing that upsets her more when she lets her mind wander. Her thoughts always race to G'raha Tia. Once the Scions can be returned home, she'll have less cause to come to the First and will indubitably be incredibly occupied with the war with Garlemald and the chaos that Emet-Selch left in his wake. She foresees visiting with G'raha becoming a… much more infrequent event and truth be told, she hates to think of that. She left him alone in the Crystal Tower once before; she's not eager to do it again.
It’s silly. She knows that. He's far from alone here in the Crystarium. The people of Norvrandt love him and look up to him. Seven hells, he even has a daughter (granddaughter? She forgets how old he actually is) here now and Sarangerel knows Lyna will continue to care for him as the only family she’s ever had. He’s not alone at all and the balance between light and darkness has returned to this Shard. Finally, the fruits of his labors can be enjoyed in a world with warm, not overbearing, sunshine and comforting, star-studded nighttime.
So why, then, is she so concerned about leaving the First, potentially for a long while if not forever? Sarangerel stares down at the clumps of Lakeland flowers she’s gathered in hand, frowning rather deeply at them. She ought to be doing something more productive with her time, she supposes, but instead she agreed to chaperone a gaggle of young flower enthusiasts from The Crystarium. The children have just returned with their spoils and have already run off ahead back to play, waving farewell to Saran before they disappear out of sight, leaving the Auri woman to wonder for a moment at what the best use of the flowers they gave to her as "payment" for her bodyguard services would be. Even now, when she looks up at the dazzling blue spire stretching towards the heavens, towering above them all, she thinks only of G'raha and how he sleeps within, undisturbed, in her own time, back in Eorzea.
With a deep, slightly forlorn sigh, she begins her long walk to the Dossal Gate. Once there, the guard permits her entry, though they both know the Exarch hasn't sent for her lately. The heavy door groans as it's opened and she passes through, yet somehow Saran is greeted with quite the sight inside The Ocular: the Crystal Exarch snoozing quietly on the steps, surrounded by old tomes, one open in his lap, head propped on a fist, elbow leaning on a knee. Apparently he's in so deep a sleep that he doesn’t even flinch at the doors shutting behind her.
He must be exhausted. His long journey away from the Crystal Tower and his abduction by Emet-Selch no doubt took a toll, and yet she can't remember him ever stopping to take a well-deserved long rest. Instead, he plunged right back into trying to learn the reverse of the summoning spell he used to accidentally pull the Scions here.
Sarangerel smiles softly, sympathetically, her heartstrings pulled on mercilessly at this discovery. As quietly as she can, she approaches and stoops over the sleeping Miqo'te. She plucks two of the small lavender-colored flowers from her bouquet and gently tucks them by their stems into his hair, just by his ear. ]
Exarch…
[ She croons softly. When he doesn't react, she tries again, a bit more firmly this time. ]
G'raha.