A/N: Welp I've had this under-wraps for awhile, so I thought I would post it to see what people think, review If you want me to continue!
BalFran will be in here, but isn't the main focus of course~
This is also on my Archive of Our Own account under: Zealkin
If there was one thing that sky pirates hated the most, it would have to be fate. Fate allowed no escape into the skies, yes; even the heavens themselves were subject to its grasp, and it would breathe down your neck and force you along its predesignated path it had oh so kindly carved out for you.
You are chained from the beginning and you will be chained until the end.
He was born of a wealthy Arcadian scientist, and sickly mother. She was born underneath the boughs of the wood, she did not remember her father. He was pragmatic, she spiritual. He Arcadian, she a Viera. One similarity connected the two, their hatred of the bonds fate had over them. Do not be confused, this is not a love story of a Hume and Viera facing adversity and finally finding one another in the end, this is a story of partnership, and trust above all, not a drawn out cliché. At least, that's the story they like to weave.
Old Valendian Calendar 698~~
The drone of the school master caused a sigh to escape Ffamran's lips, he casually glanced across the classroom at the half-lidded eyes of his peers, and on to the window where the sky sat mocking him. He cast his eyes toward his the professor, he was facing the blackboard, thoroughly engrossed, uncaring whether or not his class was fighting to stay awake or had already succumbed to the temptation of sleep. Sleeping in class was unsightly, and Ffamran would never succumb to such behavior.
He slipped the latest pamphlet on aerodynamic engineering behind the pages of his textbook; he was however, not adverse to spending his time on more worthy pursuits, besides he had already memorized the chapter content they were discussing today anyway.
Therefore, Ffamran was not surprised when the teacher called on him, "So Mr. Bunansa, what would be the correct means of subduing a Viera during the Archaidian holiday of peace where no violence with swordplay is permitted?"
Ffamran scoffed inwardly at the day itself, Archadians and peace rarely mixed well.
"Well Professor assuming this question is jumping to the conclusion that a Viera would leave its savage haven in the first place, and manage to make it all the way to Archadia with no passport, traps and techiniks would be the most suitable choices considering the Viera excel at magicks."
The Professor's ears turned a bit red, he of course had been trying to catch Ffamran off guard, as he had for the past few months, no teacher liked when a student excelled at everything you threw at him.
"Very good then… Class dismissed, and for Gaia's sake would someone wake up Shale, he's drooling all over the damn floor."
Ffamran sighed, that was his responsibility then.
The Bunansa nudged his classmate as the rest of the class filed out "Shale wake up, class is over, and I don't want to slip on your spit on the way out…"
The boy jumped awake dark brown hair and eyes coming to life as he muttered out an apology before packing up his things, Ffamran was already out the door, as Shale scrambled after him.
"Did you manage to make the Professor cringe with that brain of yours again then?"
Shale seemed to take pleasure in watching their professor squirm, especially when Ffamran was the one who usually preempted said squirming. Ffamran rolled his eyes.
"If you had stayed awake that long, you could have heard it for yourself, hm?"
Shale scoffed "And miss a half hours rest? I'm not as crazy a Bunansa, friend." Shale winked.
Ffamran pushed him jokingly "You're getting up there if you keep dozing off, this isn't naptime Shale, don't you want to become a judge?"
Shale gave Ffamran a look "Please tell me you're joking Bunansa…"
Ffamran frowned. "I'm serious…"
Shale sighed stretching his hand behind his head like he didn't have a care in the world, and he truly didn't. "Neither of us really want to become judges; you're just more convincing in your act than I am."
"I—"
"Besides your head is too far in the sky for you to do anything else with your life…"
The Sky huh?
They walked on the cobble winding road, the streets were pristine on this side of town, no beggars or even non-humes dared walk them. Ffamran ignored the ground however and set his sights for the heavens, he watched as an Atmos ship passed by, probably carrying the latest group of injured war heroes or perhaps just their corpses this time, maybe even both.
They weren't meant to fly that way, for that Ffamran was certain.
"Daddy will never approve of a skyboy though right?" Shale broke Ffamran from his current thoughts.
He grimaced, no his father most certainly wouldn't. The truth hurts though. "Eat at your house then, see if I care."
Shale blanched "Oh come on mate! I didn't mean it like that! Besides it's not like I can go home and expect rightful company with our fathers going on their next expedition today and all!"
Ffamran stopped in his tracks, and turned on his companion, "What did you say?"
Shale shrunk inwardly from Ffamran's formidable glare 'The um expedition, to Giruvegan did you not know? They've been planning it fo—"
Ffamran didn't allow Shale to finish and ran down the cobble road that would lead him home. Shale's shouts for sustenance faded into the distance.
Ffamran burst through the Bunansa manor, tossing his school stuffs and coat into a corner where the maids could deal with it, and climbing the stairs three at a time in his ascent to his father's study.
He stopped at the door, would he even be inside? He had never entered without knocking, and now would be no different, he hesitantly rapped against the fine oak door, awaiting a response.
He faintly heard a muffled 'Come in!' and opened the door to his father's study.
Cidolfus Demen Bunansa sat at his desk, tinkering with what would be his latest invention. Grease lined his fine waistcoat, his gloves and glasses did not escape the ubiquitous substance either. He looked up cheerfully when Ffamran entered the room.
"Ah there's my boy! How were your studies today then?"
Ffamran almost felt ashamed for asking, he clenched his hands to his side "Are you leaving today father?" The words left him heavily as if he were going off to war and not to yet another ancient city to dig up artifacts.
"Yes, yes in the next hour or so actually, I just wanted to test this fellow out a bit more before I left."
Ffamran eyed the contraption on the desk; it was shaped like one of the moogles downtown, and even had a telltale pom pom sprouting from its metallic head.
"What is it?"
His father smiled "It's supposed to be able to trace and detect the remnants of a certain stone. I was hoping to have them scope out areas in my stead, it would save oh so much time."
Ffamran eyed the machine wearily "What stone would that be father?"
His father crossed his greased laced hands in contemplation "That is no concern of yours Ffamran. Not for now anyway."
The anger that Ffamran had been suppressing since he learned of his father's abrupt departure bubbled up inside of him.
"Just like it's no concern whether or not you're leaving, for who knows how long? What about mother, were you going to tell Killian or Brice about this?"
His father frowned deeply "I'm surprised at you Ffamran, I had thought you knew the severity and nature of my work well enough to be comfortable with my schedule."
He stood and walked over to his son, his greased gloves gripping onto his shoulder firmly.
"Your mother and brothers have long understood what is required of me, it is time you do the same, you're not a little boy anymore you're 14, almost a man, this is not behavior befitting of a future judge."
The grease stained Ffamran's ivory shirt as Cidolfus released his hold on him. Ffamran stood anchored by those words. What was a father that left without telling? What was a son that let him?
~~~~Golmore Jungle Old Valendian Calendar 646
"Fran you must focus."
She was.
"I am."
The older Viera sighed "If you were, you should have heard her call by now…"
"Maybe she calls too quiet then."
Jote gave Fran a look. "The wood calls to all of her children, some children however are hard at hearing."
Fran sighed "You're the one who is always mocking my ears."
Jote left ear twitched, a tell-tale sign she was losing her patience. "You don't literally use your ears Fran, this is not the time for childish games."
Fran's spotted ears twitched in response. She knew that, but why then was she the only one amongst her sisters that had speckled ears; maybe they really were getting in the way of her hearing the wood's soft call.
"I'm different Jote…maybe I was not meant to be a Viera, the wood probably detests me."
Jote's stature softened considerably "Come now Fran, you know that's not true." She touched her forehead to her sisters in an act of comfort.
Fran closed her eyes, and turned away. Long nails gripping her white shoulder length hair, in uncertainty.
Jote smiled reassuringly. "You're just tired; we can always try again tomorrow."
Tomorrow?
Another day gone by and yet she had yet to commune; her mother would be ashamed of her and her progress. What Village Elder had a daughter that could not do something as simple as listening to the wood?
Despite what awaited her back home, Fran stood letting her toes caress the warm grass of the glen. She breathed in deeply, the smell of sweet dew and water lilies overwhelmed her senses, this was her favorite part of the wood. No monsters dwelled here, it was too sacred, and so she and her sister could walk the boughs of the glen in peace, without the accompaniment of a wood warder. She didn't want to leave. She didn't want to have to listen to the wood and wear the oppressive heeled shoes of her coming of age.
Yet all Viera must. All Viera should.
Fran and Jote walked back home together, Fran treasuring each bare-footed step as it might be her last.
Fran was not the best at hearing the wood speak to her, this much she relented as fact, but she did have good ears.
All Viera did.
So the whispers that trickled behind her when after 15 years of age she was still unable to speak to the wood were not whispers at all, but loud words of abuse and disdain. Most came from the older Viera who had lived for almost two centuries, but her younger peers were not adverse to the verbal assault either.
"Hello Fran."
Fran turned; her ears had already told her who it was: the telltale superior click of her heels gave her away.
"Hello Shrna, do you require something of me?"
Shrna eyed Fran "It's true isn't it, you cannot hear her?"
Fran didn't respond, suddenly her toes became the most interesting thing she had ever seen.
Shrna repressed a laugh "I almost feel bad for you, but moreso your mother, what kind of elder has a "deaf" Viera for a daughter?"
Fran could almost cut through the palpable disdain Shrna had for her, but she would not respond, not negatively anyway. That too was unbecoming of an "elder's daughter".
"Is that all you had to say?"
Shrna's ear turned in, her features tense. "Yes." She mouthed the word "Good bye" as she walked off.
Fran sighed as she left, she was the "deaf" Viera now.
Her mother would not be pleased.
Despite the social exile that was taking place around her, Fran was generally happy. Her walks into the jungle becoming more adventurous and liberating and the freer her feet felt as she sidestepped Hellhounds or danced in the shadows of the great elms that rose from the ground. Mjrn oft accompanied her on her wild misadventures in the jungle, today was one of those days.
"Fran slow down!"
Fran only turned around briefly in her run to mock her sister with a smile, before continuing her campaign.
She jumped through the boughs of branched and started climbing the tallest tree she could find, looking down on Mjrn with shining eyes.
"Come down Fran!" Mjrn huffed, arms crossed.
Fran's ruby eyes glowed. "Why don't you come up sister? The view is wonderful."
Mjrn's nose pinched up in consternation "I can't Fran, stop being mean!"
Fran wasn't finished with her game yet "Oh pray tell, why not?"
Mjrn balled up her fists, and her hairs stood on end "You know precisely why! I'm wearing heels Fran!"
"Oh really? I hadn't noticed..."Fran climbed higher, the limbs of the tree growing sparser and she more nimble in her ascent.
She knew it wasn't fair, and in some way this was her childish way of mocking those ridiculous things her people called shoes.
"Fran, please come down!"
Her shouts were drowned out for a moment, just a single moment, and in that moment everything was silent. Suddenly Fran was aware of everything, her hands felt the bark on her palms more acutely and her ears were ringing.
What.
The Hounds come, she is in danger
Was that?
Then all at once, it was like time sped up. She knew she had heard it as she scrambled down the tree, she could hear them coming, in both senses now.
Run.
"Final—"
"Mjrn run!"
Maybe it was the urgency in her voice, or maybe Mjrn too had heard the danger coming, either way they both found themselves tearing through the forest. They could both physically hear the HellHounds now, tracing their scent, as they ran. Heels and bare feet hammered through the underbrush. They were so close that Fran could feel the heat of their breath on the backs of her legs. They had to lose them now, or they would be lost, the wood-warder weren't in this part of the forest at this time.
What to do? She got her answer.
Jump to your left, now.
Fran didn't even question it this time; she grabbed Mjrn's hand firmly in hers and jumped though the bushes, blind trust leading her.
The two Viera immediately began to roll once they touched down on solid ground, falling further and further downhill, their lithe forms slipping behind the protection of rogue branches. Finally the hill leveled out and she and Mjrn tumbled into one another. Fran could no longer hear the ire of the hounds, both of her senses went quiet. The only sounds were her and Mjrn's loud breathing.
She sighed in relief. "Mjrn are you alright?"
Her sister squirmed "I would if you would remove your elbow from my rib"
Fran complied, and watched her sister scramble into cramped sitting position. The branches formed a small nest around them, protecting them for the moment.
"I—Fran what, where are we?"
Fran gripped her foot, tracing the cuts that had formed from their escape and fall. "I am... unsure."
Mjrn looked to her, a frenzied look in her eyes "What do you mean? Then how did you know we would be safe here?"
How did she know? What was that voice she had heard, before? Could it be?
"Fran you—did you hear her?" Mjrn gripped her sister's hands; a hidden joy was waiting to be unleashed, depending on what came next.
Fran dropped her head. No, she shouldn't have heard her, it couldn't have been her. If it was, Fran's rite of passage was only around the corner; if it was then there would be chains to pay for the price for her communing.
So then, it didn't have to be her then.
"No, I saw a dip in the forest floor, I know of a place in the glen where there's a similar formation, luck was on our side."
Fran felt her stomach clench as the precursor joy slipped away from Mjrn's face. "Yes, yes of course, you were always good at finding hiding places…"
And she had just found another one, to hide from her own world.
By the time they had returned to the village, the sun had already set, and Jote was pacing at the Village entrance.
When her ears and eyes caught a hold of them, she let loose her fury. "Where have you been!?"
Fran's ears buzzed, with what she knew to be more idle gossip of those in the village.
Mjrn shifted from one foot to another "Sister we are sorry, but we were—!"
Fran doused her words "We were busy in the glen, Mjrn was trying to help me reach the wood, and we lost track of time. I'm sorry."
Mjrn stood silent, taking the hint that what Fran wanted was for their misadventure to stay in the realm of mystery.
Jote's lips pursed, but her figure relaxed.
"Don't worry me like that again; mother was beside herself with fear for you two."
Fran knew that was a lie, if anything her mother was more concerned with Mjrn, and her safety, least of all hers.
"We'll see you back at home then." Fran grabbed Mjrn's hand pulling her along before Jote could chew them out for the current state of their dress.
Fran didn't speak to Mjrn until they reached their housing, though; Mjrn had naught much to say.
Just as Fran was about to retire for the night, she felt her sister tug on her wrist.
"Why did you lie?"
Fran knew the darkness of the hour could not hide Mjrn's disappointment. She touched foreheads with her sibling, hoping to make her understand through contact.
"Because mother is already wary of me, and my nature, I don't want her to keep me from you."
Mjrn closed her eyes for a minute before opening them. "I understand, my sister. Lies though… they separate and hurt us more than they help us."
Fran stepped away "Sometimes we need to lie, sometimes lies are needed."
Excuses.
Mjrn shook her head "No, they only create further divide Fran, please, please promise me you won't make me do that again. Silence is just as deadly as words spoken."
"Yes Mjrn… I promise."
She lay on their bed, and Mjrn followed suite.
The night sounds of the wood comforted her, and eased her tired limbs, she was about to let sleep claim her when Mjrn spoke again beside her.
"And Fran?"
"Yes…?"
"Please if you can, don't lie to me"
"I… promise" the poison left her tongue before she could stop it. She would not be able to keep that promise, of that she was certain.
She shone. The highlight of her stone transcended and brought peace and chaos in one sitting, she sat upon her high chair unaware- or unwilling to see- of the degradation around her. As her throne was the finest, protected by the snappish whims of a tortured mind. The throne would cringe at the slightest movement, though the gem would shine only brighter, the ruby red turning a blood crimson as the throne's cringes and cries fueled it further. It sat in celibacy on the ivory chair, biding, and waiting, until its chair finally broke.
~~~Old Valendian Calendar 698
Ffamran did not bid his father goodbye as he packed up the rest of his equipment and left for his expedition. He did however look outside of the window to watch, the servants from both his and Shale's households coming together to make their grand departure all the more elaborate and precise.
They were taking one of his father's first airships, aptly named "Conquest". The design wasn't very fluid or particularly streamlined, but it was one thing that his father refused to change despite his tendency for efficiency.
Ffamran idly heard the bell for dinner ring, and although he had lost his appetite about an hour ago, trudged downstairs.
Dinner was quiet, Killian and his mother ate in silence as if everything was normal. Brice was off on judge duty as usual, so it was just the two of them, this was common. Though every once in a while his mother shook almost uncontrollably, her fever usually spiked this time of year…but everything was, well normal.
Ffamran gripped his fork with far more force than necessary.
"Did Father tell you two about his trip before-hand then?"
The silverware became quiet "It's just a trip little brother, Father will be back soon enough." Killian said.
His mother remained quiet. Her silence was just as good as an agreement.
Dinner ended shortly after, and Ffamran went to his father's empty study.
That was that then, he should just act his age was it?
Ffamran picked up the metallic moogle, and idly tinkered with its frayed wires, he left it behind huh?
Ffamran's birthday was within the week. The expedition would return in a month's time…