Summary: Haurchefant leaves Rhea a gift then arrives to give her another personally.

Author's Note: WoL x Haurchefant | OC Work w/ MSQ References

As they made ready to depart for the Gates, Rhea lamented at not being able to be better dressed to meet the head of one of the four High Houses. However, by a mercy, it had seemed Haurchefant was two moves ahead of her. On the bed she was supposed to sleep on the night before was a large box wrapped in simple brown paper. Opening it up, she beamed as she saw what lay within. A beautiful dress following the current fashion of Ishgard, colored in a blue very close to her House's colors, rested within the box. It was brand new and quite lovely. Pulling it from the box, she looked at it before setting it down and changing from her clothes. A few minutes later, the dress was on her and though it wasn't tailored to her, it fit her quite well. Lord Haurchefant, it seemed, had an eye for a woman's size.

A soft knock on the door drew her attention as she walked to it and opened it up. Who should be there, of course, but the very man she had just been thinking about.

"I'm due back at the manor quite soon to finalize the arrangements but I wanted to give you this in person," Haurchefant said, stepping into the room as she shut the door behind him. Lifting a small box, he handed it over to her. Arching her brow, she took it and slowly opened it. Inside was a lovely necklace of the finest craftsmanship - a thin and delicately entwined gold necklace with a small chain pendant hanging from it, a small sapphire tear drop gem at the end. Her eyes widened. For a trueborn lord, such a gift would have been easy to obtain but for a knight, even a commander of an entire fort, it was a considerable gift. "Haurchefant, I..."

"Love it! I knew it! I knew you would! I saw it when I was in the Crozier obtaining your dress and I knew you just had to have it! None would be able to wear it as elegantly as you," Haurchefant exclaimed, interrupting her merrily.

She laughed softly, "I'm truly left speechless. Thank you." She looked from the necklace up to him then stepped over as she handed him the box, "Will you do me the honor of putting it on me?"

"An honor does not even come close to what it would be for me to do such for you, my lady," he said brightly, gently pulling the necklace from the box as she turned around and tilted her head down. The necklace settled around her throat as the fingers of her knight deftly clasped it behind her neck. Reaching up, she laid her fingers against the pendant and turned to look up at him.

"How does it look?" she asked, her nerves at meeting the Count beginning to show. She'd met him as a child but that was an age ago and she doubted he remembered.

"Absolutely radiant, though only because its wearer makes it so! You outshine all others in your presence, my dear," her love said as he brought a hand up to brush his knuckles gently across her cheek. She wished they had more time but he had to leave and so did they. It would be beyond insulting to keep the Count waiting.

Haurchefant knew this too as he bent his head and placed a tender, chaste kiss on her lips. "I must go but I will see you shortly. I am most excited for you to meet my father and be welcomed into our home."

"As am I. Thank you for everything," she said softly, leaning into his hand.

"Anything for you, though you know I would have done it regardless of how things have developed between us. You are the Savior of Eorzea and the hero of the Steps of Faith, the slayer of Vishap and Shiva both! Ishgard owes you a debt and the least House Fortemps can do is grant you succor and safety in return," he said rather seriously, then dropped his hand. "I will you soon, though it shall not be soon enough." Taking her hand in his, he brought it to his lips as he kissed the back of it with a bow and then departed.

Taking a deep breath, she readied herself. Fastening a cloak around her shoulders, she too made her way from the room after an appropriate amount of time had passed. She made for Tataru and Alphinaud, her mind ever on the city that laid beyond the Gates of Judgement.

It was time to return home...