The Life He Never Got

It burns. My throat, why does it burn?

I roll over onto my side from my stomach, the motion shorts me of breath, and as I gasp for air it sets my throat ablaze.

"Ah-!' speaking seamed impossible, believing it to just be dryness I swallow and try again, "Hau-!" I am forced to stop speaking, and am only able to gasp in agony as I am robbed of my breath yet again. Thankfully the door to my chambers is opened by a young Ishguardian Lord with silver-blue hair and ice blue eyes. He walks ove to my side and gently sets me against the headrest of the bed.

"Shhh. Don't try to speak Adaline, the Healers have done what they could, but your body must heal its self from here on." He looks into mine eyes with perceptible concern in his own and the smile he gave, so full of worry it was, t'was a wonder he was able to smile at all. Haurchefant. Halone I'm thirsty. I let my head loll against mine pillows, looking him in the eye, hoping he would understand. Alas he did not as his head snaps up and to the door as it opens again. This time a house-maiden appearing in the door-frame.
"My Lord Haurchefant, you wiched to be notified when Lady Minfillia and her company arrived." she bows out of the room at the slight nod he gives her.

"Yes, thank you. Pray, inform them that I shall join them anon." he turns back to me leans in to place his forehead against mine and cup my cheek with his hand, "Your fellow Scions were so fraught whence they learned of your incident that they insisted to meet with me as soon as the Healers released you. I shall be but a moment My Rosé. Do you wish for me to send Mistress Taru up ahead of the others?" as I nod he smiles and chuckles, "Very well, I shall." beforre he leaves, he places a gentle kiss to my Third Eye, the sacred Chakra of Knowledge. I heave a small sigh and try to relax afore the Scions come up to check on me. A shadow drifts over the doorway, turning my head I see that it is the house-maiden.
"Is there aught you need, Mistress Rosé?" I nod to her and make the motion of a quill and parchment she nods in acknowledgement and rushes off to fetch them. In hopes to stop the spinning that assaulted my senses, I rest my eyes whilst I await her return. mere moments later, she returns with the quill and parchment, and... Bless her soul... a goblet of water. "I gathered you might have been parched M'Lady." she places the parchment and quill on the side table and gently places the goblet in my hands. As I raise the goblet to my lips, her hands hover near mine own, as to steady them should they shake. Thankfully, I am able to take a generous gulp without incident. Handing her the goblet back I smile and nod my thanks. Smiling in return, she bows slightly afore leaving the room. I lay back once more and let my hearing drift to the foyer, where Haurchefant was no doubt briefing the Scions on my injuries and progress. Not being able to discern any words, I let my self drift in and out of consciousness. Sleep would ave claimed my mind again had it not been for the gentle and unmistakable gasp of Miss Tataru, a fellow Scion. Opening my eyes I look over to my Lalafellan friend and smile, she always worries so much, but no mater the situation, she manages to make me giggle. I wave her over to sit with me. As she clamors up onto the bed, I grab the piece of parchment and quill to write.

Hi Tat.

I hand her the text just as she settles down, she reads it and smiles with the warmth of the sun. "You had us all worried to death Adaline! Running off like that, you should have taken at least Alphinaud with you. And then you get hurt!" as usual, her scolding ends up in tears. I smile and write again,

Tat, I'm fine. Honest. Haurchefant wouldn't lie to any one about my health, you know that.

she reads it over and giggles, "Lord Haurchefant was even more worried then ten copies of me." I blush a deep shade of rose pink, upon seeing this Tataru giggles yet again. "you know, you two should just make it official, everybody knows that you two are more than just 'good friends'." I shake my head vigorously at this.

I can't do that Tat, you know this. I'm not Ishguardian, or even Elezen,

I am Miqu'te, if we made it public, It would shame the Fortemps House and him. I can't do that to him.

she finishes reading the script as the other Scions enter the room, it is not our full number but it's enough of them to crowd the rather large chambers. The core of the Scions, Minfillia, Alphenaud, Papalymo, Yda and Thancred. Seeing them here brought tears to my eyes. I knew that Tataru had the right of it, what I had done was uterly reckless... and shelfish. I took into no account of what my actions might have caused the others. They all smile in relief to see me well with thier own eyes, Minifilla is the first to speak up.

"what have we learned of your enemy?" as usual, its business first, and for that I am greatfull, the others will fret over me enough for five of her.

"Minfillia! Is that really prudent at this time? For Halone's sake she only just awakened from slumber." Thancred, always speaking his mind first and making amends later, "Ouch!" I chuckle to see Yda punch his shoulder.

"Thats enough out of you, Thancred, poor Adaline dose not need your critisizing."

"Look who's talking Yda." Ah Papalymo, always keeping her in check. Afore it could continue, I wave my arms to get their attention. I signal for them to wait as I write.

First, I am yet unable to speak. Second, Minfillia, unfortunately naught which we did not already know, I'm sorry.

and Thancred, really? But its good to see that you guys are here and not, you know, avoiding me.

I hand the script off to Tataru so that she might read it aloud. They give a chuckle at my minor barb and joke. It was quiet in the room as Minfillia pondered over what was to be done next.
"Of course we are here, we are not want to abandon a family member Adaline." I started at the sudden quip, Alphinaud was the one who had spoke up, I had almost forgotten he was present, as he is ever quiet.
"Quite right. though, This is worrisome, for all of our digging, can we find naught which would help us against this foe?" Minfillia looks disturbed, as if a suspicion she had was growing ever more truthful with each passing hour. Haurchefant walks in then and smiles at us all.

"I hate to break up the reunion friends, but Adaline is still very much weak, she must rest if she ever hopes of regaining her strength." He stands to one side of the door and waits for the Scions to file out. Just before Tataru makes a move to leave I stop her.

Promise me, you'll tell naught a soul of Haurchefant and I?

She nods and hugs me tight, for a Lalafell.

"Ofcourse Adaline, your secret shall not be made known by my lips. Rest well kay?" and with that she hops off the bed and hurries after the others. After closing the door behind her, Haurchefant comes over to me and sits on the edge of the bed.

"And what secret might that be?" I hand him the parchment, I know full well how fast he read the conversation for he leans in and kisses me gently, "If you so wish to make us public, then we can, My Rosé, I care naught for the barbs thrown at my back."

I simply shake my head. no, I cannot, no I will not ruin his reputation just to let the city known that I am with him. he gives a knowing yet sad smile as he settles me down onto the pillows as to not agrivate my wounds. tucking in the blanket he places another kiss on my lips and turns off the bedside lamp.

"Get some rest love, I shall check on you with in the hour." I close my eyes and let sleep overtake my mind.

I awake with tears staining my cheeks and pillow. A memory, a long lost and beloved memory. I close my eyes and try to even out my breaths, my hand instinctually goes to my neck, to the wound that has long since scarred over.

"Mama?" I open my eyes and look to the entryway, where a young Miqu'te boy with Raven Black hair and Ice blue eyes, like his father. So much like his father, in mannerisms and facial structure. My eyes begin to well up once more.

"Yes my Little Sun? What is the matter?"

"I had another bad dream." The boy walks over to the bed and crawls up. I hold up the covers so that he might scramble under and lie close to me. I cradle him in my arms and start humming the Dragonsong, his favorite lullaby. "Mama? What was Father like?" the question, so sudden yet inevitable, caused me to halt the lullaby. His father, my love, Lord Haurchefant. Tearing up even more, I tell him,

"Your Father was a Nobel man. He was nothing like the Nobels you meet everyday. He was open-minded, if it was not for him, Mama and her friends would have not been welcomed here in Foundation, in-fact he saved Mama, on...many, accounts." I take a moment to compose myself afore I continue.

"Why did Father leave us? Did he not want us?" his question breaks me, but I answer it,

"No Little Sun, your Father loved me very much. He didn't ever get the chance to meet you, for he gave his live to save Mama's, when she was hunting down the Ex-Archbishop. Do you remember that tale?" I could feel him nod his little head.

"I remember, but Mama, why would you leave out Father?"

"Because I-"

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" My reply is cut short by one of the house-maidens screaming. I could feel my son shrink closer to me as I jerk up and reach for my lance.

"Go to your hiding space. Go now, quickly!" I try to usher him to the door, but he refuses to release me.

"No, I don't wanna loose you Mama!" afore I could assure him that he wouldn't the house-maiden rounds the corner into the doorway, her face pale as ash.

"What is it? What's going on?" I ask her as I put my son behind me. I raise my lance into a defensive position, prepared to attack what ever came at me and mine own. I press the maiden for an answer, "Well?!" She begins to stammer and finally manages to answer,

"I-it's..." she trails off and steps to the side, revealing a man. He is 6'4", His ears that of an Elezen Nobel Lord, hair a blue tinted silver which falls ever so slightly over His ice blue eyes. His eyes, so much like my son's. And his face a younger mirror of His. I drop my lance and fall to my knees. Hanging my head, tears that I had not noticed before now fall into my hands. I shake my head, try to clear out this ... this... hallucination from my mind.

"No. No no no no. You're... You're dead, I watched you... This... this is a dream, its all a cruel dream." I clutch my bicep and squeeze, piercing the skin, causing myself to bleed, to feel pain so that I might wake up.

"MAMA?! Mama stop it! You're hurting yourself!" His voice startles me, I look up with wide eyes, into his. He's crying, scared, I look down and see why, I was bleeding alot, I start and cradle his face. What have i done?

"Baby, no, no Mama... Mama's fine, sweetheart, oh my Little Sun." I pull him close and rock him slightly, to comfort him and to anchor myself in reality. It's only then that I look to my right and see Him there. I look above my bed with tears still coming, at the shield that He left behind. We sit there as I calm both my son and myself down. Finally the house-maiden tends to my arm, as she does so I look to him and say just one thing. 'How?' How is He alive? After five long years, how? He recounts what happened after the spear pierced his abdomen. How the Healers had to cast Resurrect a total of three times afore his heart jumped enough for them to start healing Him. How, to avoid trauma to both the body and brain, they had to slowly heal Him over time, and to allow his body to finish the healing process. He looks at me with sorrow.

"I'm so sorry, My Rosé, I'm so sorry." My hand reaches for his and he obliges, he holds my hand as the maiden finishes bandaging my arm. I feel a tug on my shirt from the opposite side, I lookdown at my son, his eyes wide with curriousity.

"Mama? Who is this?" I look back up to Him and reply,

"This is your Father, My Little Sun." directing the next part to Him, I continue. "This is your son, our, son. I never even got the chance to tell you. I found out two weeks after... after..." I shake my self slightly to keep from crying again. He looks from our son to me then back again.

"He has your hair, and ears" He smiles.

"But he has your eyes, and facial structure." I look on to our son and smile. He had crawled up and was looking intently at Him. Letting go of my hand, He leans forward and picks him up and places him on his lap.

"Hello, son, might you tell me your name?" He smiles, with tears in his eyes as he asks.

"Cameron Fortemps" a smile breaks out across their faces and a tear falls on His cheek as he replies,

"Well Cameron, I'm your Father, Haurchefant."