synthneon | echoes of truth | ❝ tales of loss and fire and flame. ❞

[ The first thing that Aymeric does upon having awareness return to him is to clasp a hand against his head. His recollection of everything that happened is sketchy at best, but if the aching in his head is anything to go by, someone must have struck him there and knocked him out. He slowly gets to his feet, and as he looks around, he realizes that he has been locked inside a cell.

What is more, his customary armor is gone, as is his sword. These realizations do little to improve his mood, which is already heading in a direction bordering on rage.

It is only once he is standing that he notes that the aching is not only in his head, but all over. It is as though he sustained several blows before being tossed in here, and now that he is thinking about it, he recalls being locked in some sort of violent struggle that seemed to last far too long.

A strong ripple of anger sweeps over him, and a voice, loud and overpowering, practically shouts: You must free yourself by any means necessary. You are needed, and there is no time for you to waste being kept in here.

Driven by the urgency in those words, Aymeric steps closer to the bars of the cell, wrapping his hands around them and shaking them as hard as he can. When he hears no sound from down the corridor just outside the cell, he lets out a growl of frustration.

Suddenly, rational thought is replaced by rage, and he steps back a few paces from the bars so that he might slam himself into them. If nothing else, the noise will surely capture someone's attention, and if they have even a lick of sense at all, they will let him out of this cell so that he might do his work. If he cannot attract anyone's attention, then he intends to look for any weak points in the walls that he might exploit in order to free himself that way. ]

[ With one long glance back, the dragoon wordlessly expects Alphinaud and K'thisru to follow him. It would seem that Alkaid is rooted in place at the front of the cell. He hopes that means he will not need to intervene for some time yet. Nidhogg settles to his back once more as he steps outside into the adjoined hallway only separated by a wooden door. He closes it once the other two enter the hallway with him.

He sighs. Where to begin? ]

Despite the scene, tis good to see the three of you returned from your mission unharmed. [ He raises a hand to brush off any concerns either--espcially Alphianud--may have for his person. ] Niether Aymeric nor I have been in Limsa long.

[ Then, he crosses his arms. ] did as I was bade by your order and kept my eyes towards Ishgard. I had expected to see one if your fabled towers toward that of the local beast tribes--Bismarck, or even Ravanna perhaps. What I had not expected was to see my own people enthralled.

Before either of you might ask. I was unable to enter the city proper. It would seem the primal who has taken the city wishes a stronghold made out of it, and battle to be made at the gates. I had mine own suspicions on what primal took hold, and had them confirmed by Aymeric himself.

Someone within the city has managed to resurrect the image of King Thordan from scriptures. But, for it to enthrall my oldest friend would mean it is not just the King of scripture... but perhaps the one that Aymeric's own father became. [ His eyes move from Alphinaud to K'thisru. ] And yet, only the Warriors of Light could confirm if it is indeed the same. Aymeric is under the impression that it is indeed his father returned.

[ The gentle morning sun has graced The Crystarium, and all the better for it. Thanks to the endeavors of the Warriors and the Scions, Norvrandt and what remains of her people have been saved from annihilation. The Crystal Exarch, while forever grateful, knows that he took quite the gamble with it all of course. He also knows that the debt he has to the two sisters can never fully be repaid; nor can a thousand apologies be enough for what they've had to endure.

He simply hopes that they can understand he acted in the best interests for not only Norvrandt, but the people the Scions and warriors too wish to save.

The residents of the Crystarium cheer and wave, even bow when the see K'thsiru warp into the plaza. Smiles and well wishes are certainly the opposite of what she had just left behind in Limsa Lominsa. The large staircase that adorns the north of the plaza beckons to the Warrior, and the guards salute her as she joins them. ]

'Ere to see the Exarch, Warrior? No worries. He's been in that stuffy meeting with the newest Emissary all morning and would probably be glad to see you're here. I'll show you to the teleporter.

[ As... well, it would be quite ridiculous to expect the Warrior to traverse all the stairs ever upwards to the Ocular. It is, after all, the Crystal Tower.

The Exarch is indeed in a meeting with said Emissary once the door unexpectedly opens. With his hood down and his red to white aging hair on display, he turns to see who might interrupt. It is to say, a very welcome surprise when he sees K'thisru's face. He smile widens and his ears perk ever slightly. Not for the first time is he glad his robes hide the tail that twitches only a bit at her presence. ]

Ah, and here she is, hero of our time! Without a moment to spare, might I add. We had just finished our discussions for now.

[ He turns back to the Emissary with a smile, who casually shrugs and sees himself out of the room. The ruby red eyes follow him before finally returning to K'thisru. His smile lessens once he notes her countenance and part of him wonders if she brings ill news or if perhaps she has finally soured towards him. ]

Thisru! Is... everything alright?

[ Several hours pass before Aymeric begins to stir, a frown crossing his face as he pulls lightly against the chains still binding him to the wall. It is almost as though he has forgotten where he is and what has transpired recently, but as awareness returns to him, so does the memory of everything that has happened and what has been done to him, against his will.

... Or perhaps more accurately, against the will of Thordan. It takes another few moments before consciousness returns and his eyes slowly slit open. Remembering now that Ishgard's former dragoon chained him up, and one of the two Warriors of Light has been sitting vigil with him, a glower replaces the frown he wears. There is not much else he can do, given the chains are as strong as ever, something he cannot say for himself.

Still, he retains the use of his voice, and considering that is more or less the only asset still left to him, he means to make use of it. For the moment, though, he seems to be alone, except for the Warrior of Light, who seems to have fallen asleep inside the cell with him, and he is unsure if Estinien is still lurking just outside the cell door.

A half smirk comes to his face as he surveys Alkaid, and he just shakes his head. While he would goad her and throw scathing words at her, it seems like a wasted effort, because she most likely would not be able to hear him anyway.

So for the moment, he just waits while his mind turns with plots and schemes he might attempt to put into play when the time is right. ]

[ Estinien sighs in slight irritation at her continual pleas before opening the door to the hallway. Outside are the twins, and Alisaie raises her head with her arms crossed. Her mouth opens to greet one of her fabled heroes, only to stop as and stare at the woman usually so refined. She kicks and yells at the dragoon before rather unceremoniously drops her on the ground.

Alkaid pushes herself up and immediately reaches for the door to the row of cells. It slams shut the moment she hits it. Her hand goes to the door knob to try and loosen it, but she realizes that Estinien has bared it from the inside. Her hands ball into fists as she raises them to slam into the wooden door, standing on the balls of her feet, trying to get back inside.

Alisaie looks to her brother in a rare moment of confusion and, quite frankly, shock. Then, she turns to look back to Alkaid and gently comes up beside her. Her other hand motions for her brother to join her on Alkaid's other side.

The Warrior of Light turns to look at Alisaie, then at Alphinaud. Her hands remain as fists on the door as she pounds it once again. Then, she places her forehead to the door and her shoulders curl. It takes everything she has not to snap at the twins who have no right to bear the brunt of her anger. Instead her fingernails dig into her palm as she hits the door again. ]

Alkaid... [ Alisaie raises a hand but stops short of touching her at the last moment. ]

Edited 2022-03-01 05:03 (UTC)

Aymeric. [ Her tone is gentle as she calls out to him. A hand raises to his arm to give it a comforting squeeze. Then, she moves her hand down to his hand and rests it there. ] Aymeric, I need you out of bed, dear. I'll help you if you need it.

[ Alisaie had come by once before, a day or so ago. They had found the cure they were looking for. It took work from all the Scions, some of the Ironworks, and even the Crystal Tower itself on the First to achieve it. She can only imagine what struggles the rest of them had gone through in order to make what even the Allagans could not.

The young Leveilleur had been ready to perform the cure on Aymeric then and there. However, Alkaid turned her down. She should focus on Ga Bu first, as that was who she had first promised. Not to mention that if Aymeric had ever learned that a cure was given to him before a child? He would hold the guilt till the end of his days. Alkaid would not put that on him nor ask him to carry it. He has fought as hard as he has so far, a day more could not hurt.

Now, however, the Leveilleurs, her sister, and Estinien all stand in the sitting room waiting for the pair of them. Alkaid intends to help Aymeric to them however she needs, but, her heart tugs with the sinking feeling he may not have the strength to leave the bed yet. Her hand squeezes his as she leans down gently to kiss the tip of his ear. ]

Or, would you rather stay underneath the covers today?

Edited 2022-03-24 05:46 (UTC)

[ Estinien had intended to check upon the sleeping couple once more. He had heard of Alkaid's semi-warrented panic after a day or more after Alisaie's ministrations. The Storm Private stepped to the side and he entered the room. His steel-ice blue eyes comb the comb the room to note that little had changed since his previous visit. He paused upon hearing voices from the room the couple share. They were hushed but emotionally charged... but nothing seemed to suggest that he would need to step in. Content with the answer to an unasked question, he turns and leaves the room. He leaves instructions to not disturb the two unless the Scions or Admiral demand it. Estinien knows Aymeric well enough to know the man not only yearns, but needs the company of the woman he has asked to be his wife.

His feet take him to a quiet bit of land at the waters edge. Estonian sighs deeply and takes his seat. He has managed some sleep, but, it would seem not enough to quell the churning thoughts in his own mind. While grateful he did not need to put his brother to the sword? There is an uneasy feeling inside him that dragoons he shared the battlefield with will need to be put down for their own good. In theory, it should be no different from dragons blood corrupting them. Yet, his heart says otherwise.

A gloved hand reaches up to punch his nose. He had not clung to Ishgard being home as Aymeric has. In his mind, home had been destoryed by Nidhogg's flames and carelessness of the then Azure Dragoon. Home did not exist for him, merely houses that he might stay, or tents he might have slept in. He had not expected the kinship with Aymeric--nor Alphinaud--and supposes that they are family in some way.

His gaze lifts up to the star filled night. Family. He had not considered marriage or any of the sort. Aymeric has been considerably lucky in his eyes to find a woman so attenetive and caring as Alkaid. Though, he does wonder who might catch the eye of the more abrashive sister. As for him? He had not bothered with the concept of long term relations. And, perhaps, only one woman has truly stricken his attention. First by sheer annoyance and common goals. A respect was earned, but, that hardly matters now. She had chosen one path and he another.

Estinien closes his eyes against the sea filled breeze of the late night. ]

Edited 2022-04-08 23:04 (UTC)

BOOK 3.5: EVER HEAVENSWARD

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