Chapter 3: Recovery
Disclaimer: I do not own FFXI Square does I just pay them 13 dollars a month to play. I have permission from the other characters in this story to use their name and images.
Waveren paced back and forth in front of the bed in which Evalyne laid unconscious. After she collapsed in Mhaura, Vryraven and Waveren healed her wounds, but their beloved Mithra had yet to wake up. So they brought her to Windurst to rest their bodies, as well as their minds, until she awoke. They asked the linkshell if anyone knew why the young maiden would just collapse like that but since Evalyne was the only one that had fought the Avatars by herself, no one knew anything.
"Would you stop pacing?" Vryraven asked. Waveren paused only a moment glance at Vryraven, then resumed his pacing. "Look, Eva is probably just exhausted. I heard Ramuh is one of the hardest avatars to get." Vryraven tried to comfort Waveren, but the constant drumming on his feet was wearing on his already frazeled nerves. He was worried about Evalyne's health too. "If you keep pacing you wake her, and you know she needs rest!"
Vry heard Waveren sigh loudly and went to sit beside Evalyne on the bed. He watched as Waveren tenderly push her bangs away from her eyes and place a cool rag on her forehead. Vryraven seethed with jealousy, but didn't let it show too badly. If I stay here I minute longer I'm going to go mad. He glanced at the depressed Elvaan maiden across the room he found an excuse for leaving.
"Hey Sazuka" The Elvaan Maiden looked and Vryraven could tell she was depressed. He noticed that she had tried her hardest to pry Waveren's attention away from the unconscious Summoner, but to no avail. His attention was solely on Evalyne and no one else. "Come on let's get out of here and pick up your map of this region. I need some fresh air anyway."
Sazuka got up to follow Vryraven, but she stopped when her eyes fell on Waveren. He looks more handsome and regal now, than when he first rescued me. His silver hair was flowing freely down his shoulders, not pent under a helmet. She noticed that his almond eyes held such a tenderness to them and where laced with worry. His gaze was on Evalyne and Sazuka again wondered if he truly loved her or was his marriage to her just for lust and not love. He couldn't truly love such an unrefined beast. No his body is taken over by lust is all.
"Sazuka come on stop drooling over Waveren and lets get a move on" Vry called from outside the door.
"Coming"
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Sazuka looked around Windurst and she couldn't help feeling a little out of place among all the Mithras and Taru Taru. The Mithras, she noticed, ran about in a loincloth skirts and a top that left hardly anything to the imagination. Such scandalous creatures those Mithras, they might as well run around naked; it would be far more decent.
"Sazuka are you paying attention?" Vry chided her. "Look" He pointed to a local Mithra. "She the one you need to talk to for your map."
"Alright" Sazuka walked over to the Mithra he had pointed out.
While she talked to the map-seller Vry's eyes wandered around. His eyes fell on a blond Hume among a large group of Mithran women. The Hume was selling red roses to each pretty Mithra for four Gil a piece. The Hume noticed Vry standing there and waved for him to come over. Just when Vryraven started to walk over to where the Hume stood, Waveren's voice bellowed from the linkpearl.
"Vryraven, get over here, she woke up!"
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Darkness was all Evalyne could see. Where am I? Dreaming, young Summoner, you are merely dreaming. Dreaming? Where are the others, who are you? Evalyne questioned the voice. Suddenly a bright light cut threw the darkness and revealed a tall figure that now towered over her. Ramuh! Evalyne realized. Correct my young master; I am Ramuh the avatar of thunder. As a reward for defeating me, I as well as my other avatar brothers and sisters, will help you on this dangerous quest. My quest for the avatars? No, only Carbuncle is allowed to help you on that quest…for now. I will help you when my time comes, but for now I lend you my strength.
A burning pain shot thru Evalyne's body. The pain was so intense, but as she cried out & she could have swore she saw another figure behind Ramuh. The pain died down and Evalyne found herself on her hands and knees before Ramuh. A great darkness is coming back into this world, one even more frightening than the Shadow Lord. You'll need my strength to help protect them. Them, wait. What do you mean them? Is it Waveren? I am not allowed to say at this time. Just know, my young master, my strength is at you disposal. Evalyne felt herself falling down into a bright light. Wait!
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"Wait!" Evalyne bolted upright, she was covered in sweat and her head was reeling. Waveren was at her side in a moment and began stroking her cheek until she regained herself. "W-Where am I?" Evalyne's voice trembled.
"Windurst" Waveren moves her sweaty bangs from her face. "I carried you here from Mhaura after you collapsed." He watched her face looked sacred on moment and relieved the next. He couldn't stand it anymore and engulfed her in his embrace. He felt her trembled and he wrapped he blanket loosely around her shoulders. He didn't have the mindset to examine her correctly so he shakily picked up his linkpearl. "Vryraven, get over here, she woke up!"
Evalyne was relishing in Waveren's warm loving embrace. She nuzzled his shoulder and took in his comforting scent, Sandalwood, and the oil he used to sharpen his sword. Her eyes slowly wondered around the room. An Inn not the usual rented room. She saw Vryraven run into the room. She knew his arrival meant she would have to pull away from her mate, even though she didn't want to.
"How has she been awake?" Vryraven said as he bent down to examine her.
"A couple of minutes hey don't give me that look Vry. I called you as soon as I remembered."
"Right" Vry mumbled and set to his task of examining the now blushing Evalyne. He had expected to see Evalyne still lying in bed not sitting up pressed flush against Waveren.
Sazuka looked at the scene before her with great interest. It seems I'm not the only one fighting over a married person. A voice from the direction of the door interrupted her thoughts.
"Hi there" Sazuka turned towards the direction of the voice. A blond Hume, clad in the same blue and silver chain mail, stood leaning against the door frame. "My name is Bellal, the official leader of KnightsofDoma." Bellal bowed.
"Sazuka" she stated plainly.
Bellal smiled "Nice to put a face with a name, Sazuka"
"Bellal" Waveren called from his post on the bed beside Evalyne. "You know you and Kssin are only the unofficial leaders. Mauric is the actual shellholder."
"You shut your mouth, Wave."
"Alright" Vryraven stated. "I give Evalyne a clean bill of health"
"As clean as you can get with her dirty mind" Bellal snickered. This of course earned him a smack in the head from Evalyne.
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The group was now walking back from, Giddess, the Yagudo out post. The Yagudo had reminded Sazuka of big walking chickens that could swing a sword and toss a spell or two at you. Bell, being a more experienced thief, had taught her the fundamentals of farming for crystals and items.
Waveren and Evalyne had farmed Yagudo necklaces for Norg fame. Evalyne took great pleasure in showing off her summoning abilities to the recruit. She knew Sazuka had never seen an Avatar up close and one particular Avatar Sazuka was most frightened of, Ifrit, the Avatar of fire. So because Sazuka was afraid of him, because he looked like a demon from the underworld, so Evalyne used him the most. Evalyne of course knew Ifrit wouldn't attack anything unless she ordered him too or unless something attacked her, but Sazuka didn't know that. Evalyne laughed evilly to herself.
Sazuka glanced behind her as Ifrit trailed menacingly behind Evalyne. She shuddered involuntarily at the sight of him. Sazuka was walking with Waveren to her right. Evalyne was walking on the other side of Waveren, and Vry on the other side of her. Bellal was taking his role as leader, and bringing up the rear was Ifrit. Why couldn't she have summoned the cute one? What was his name…Carbuncle? No she had to have the scary one bring up the rear.
Evalyne saw Sazuka glance back at Ifrit then glare at her. "He is the one with the best physical damage. Get used to 'cause he'll be covering the rear to Jeuno too."
Jeuno, the largest city, smack dab in the middle of the continent. Bellal suggested she go there to train and get something about a Chocobo license, but Sazuka wasn't paying much attention. All she knew was that she would be heading there at day break. Too bad miss kitty has to come.