A Sage's Heart
The heart is a fascinating thing. We hold within it a vast variety of emotions, some free-flowing for everyone to see, some more guarded than even the most impenetrable fortress. Affection for one's friends and loved ones, deep-seated sorrow, blistering anger...and even regret. They all reside within it, sometimes even to our dying day.
Take that friend of yours. How long has he carried his regrets like a self-imposed burden until you finally saw through the cracks in his facade?
Or what of a certain estranged father, whose complex relationship with his own has shaped that of his children?
Yes, the heart truly is fascinating.
Voices big and small pervaded the air of the Sharlayan Hamlet. Questions being asked and answered, discussion of technical matters, all coming together and chasing away the tension that had previously hung in the air like a sword ready to plunge. It brought a smile to S'eni's face, as she stood on the sidelines and watched the crowd of people and Lopporit alike.
And at the center of it all: Urianger, who had made this all possible.
Shortly after arriving back here, Urianger had picked up on Growingway's mood and, after Thancred informed them about the general mood, nominated the little fella to try and ease the people's burdens with his knowledge. A suggestion that evidently had borne fruit, and had not only given Growingway some much-needed reassurance, but the other Loporrits as well. The expertise they had acquired on the moon was finally able to shine.
"Phew," S'eni suddenly heard, making her lower her gaze to see Livingway coming towards her. The Loporrits' leader stopped a few paces away from her, tiny hands rubbing over round cheeks. "I need a break. By all the carrots in existence, I never had to talk this much in all my life!"
"But it's a good feeling, right?" she asked.
"Oh, absolutely." Livingway stretched her arms.
"My, this is looking lively. Good!" another voice said. "The entire hamlet is abuzz with talk about our little custodians."
"Thancred," she greeted him, her lips quirking up into a little smirk. "How are your arms doing?"
"Still attached. Thanks for small mercies, I suppose," he replied with a strained smile. Thancred then turned his attention towards Urianger, who was just speaking with one of the many scholars assembled here.
"...T'would behoove you to consult with Sleepingway. As our moon's pilot, his advice should be most pertinent," S'eni heard him say, while the Lopporit he was talking about was adhering to his name while barely managing to stay on his feet. A chuckle escaped her at the sight.
"Impressive how quickly he managed to remember all of your names. Never mind your abilities and duties..." Thancred said.
"After the rest of you left Mare Lamentorum, we spent quite a long time talking with Urianger. He told us countless exciting facts about Etheirys and patiently answered every one of your questions," Livingway explained, then pulled out her book, holding it up before opening it. "My book is now practically bursting with information! And now that I set paw on Etheirys, there are still many things that amaze me. If not for him we would still be simply waiting on the moon..."
S'eni looked back towards Urianger, watching him offer the same patience he had shown the Lopporit to his fellow Sharlayans. Next to her, Thancred lightly crossed his arms and, with an amused look, said, "If one only knew the old Urianger and saw him now, they would certainly be quite speechless. Or chuckling."
"Yeah..." She nodded. With his head covered by a large hood and face obscured by thick goggles, it was hard to imagine the old Urianger ever standing out as he did now. It...was good to see.
"Can you imagine the look on Louisoix, Papalymo, and Minfilia's faces right now? And of course...hm?" he turned his head slightly to the side.
Following his gaze, S'eni saw another pair of scholars making their way over to the fountain where everyone was standing. A Roegadyn man and woman. "Ho, there!" the man said. "We heard this is the place to ask a few questions. Could you perhaps spare us some time?"
Urianger turned around with a friendly smile on his face, which was immediately replaced by an expression of shock. "Wilfsunn! And Bloewyda..."
"Haven't I heard those names before...?" S'eni's eyes widened in realization. "Wait are they—"
"Moenbryda's parents," Thancred said.
She stepped forward but found herself stopped by her friend's hand. He gave her a silent look...and she slowly nodded. This was between the three of them.
"I-It hath been some time," Urianger stammered. "'Tis...'Tis good to see you...I didst not know thou..."
"We've been living here for some time now. Ever since we were called to Labyrinthos," Wilfsunn said. "But to find you here, that certainly was quite unexpected."
"The nerve of you, Urianger," Bloewyda suddenly said, walking towards Urianger in slow steps. "Nothing but a single letter when our daughter died. And not a word from you since!"
Urianger lowered his head, ready to receive any punishment the woman saw fit. But none came. Instead, the woman gathered him in a tight hug.
"We...we were so worried about you!"
"I...I'm sorry." Urianger's hands rose, more in surprise than an attempt to hug her back. "T'was remiss of me...not to deliver the news in person. But I...Moenbryda, she..."
He broke off, his voice cracking together with the rest of his composure.
"Moenbryda had never been as disappointed as when Master Louisoix chose not to take her along to Eorzea. You should have seen the smile on her face when you called upon her in the name of the Scions. As bright as the sun itself," Wilfsunn said. "Everything that happened. The decisions she made...she followed her heart to the very end. You have to stop blaming yourself, Urianger. Be proud of our brave Moen instead."
"There's only one thing I can truly be mad about: that you weren't here to grieve with us," Bloewyda said. "When we received your letter...we could barely make out the words, so much your hand must have shaken when you wrote it. And when we heard nothing else from you, we could do little else but cry for you as well."
A loud sob escaped Urianger at those words, his arms finally encircling Bloewyda, holding onto her for dear life. "I'm sorry. I truly, truly am...I knew not what to say. Knew not how to express my feelings..." his fingers dug into her white coat. "All the poems and platitudes. Musings on sadness and loss...all memorized, yet utterly meaningless. By the gods...I felt so powerless..."
"Silly boy. Did you think it was any different for us?" Bloewyda asked. "We are all powerless in the face of such grief. Even now the words still escape me. But in our hearts, we know. We always know."
The two of them remained like this for a few more moments, before Bloewyda stepped away, giving Urianger a nod as she wiped away the tears from her eyes.
"I remember when you were still young. How the other kids teased you for choosing the company of books over others," Wilfsunn said, a fond smile forming on his broad face. "Moen didn't take kindly to that. 'Be kind to Urianger!" she'd shout, and give them a walloping. No matter how many times we scolded her."
"And how much we scolded her! Instead of getting into fights, she should be taking care of you, I told her one day." Bloewyda sighed, a mix of sadness and warmth. "I can still remember how she reacted to that. You should have seen her, arms crossed in front of her chest and a grumpy look on her face while she thought about it. From that day on, you two have been nigh inseparable. She dragged you around, like it or not, and she would read the same books as you, so as to be a better friend. I wager she quite annoyed you back then...but it was her way to bond with you. And to protect you."
Wilfsunn looked around the area briefly. "And look at you now. The center of the crowd. Now you are the one to help forge bonds. You've no idea how proud we are to see this."
"To see the boy our daughter always trusted and believed in more than anyone...grow into the man she always knew he could be." Bloewyda smiled. "I can see her in you, too. She walks with you, wherever you go. So thank you, Urianger. For being who you are."
Urianger could do nothing but sob again, his hand moving to cover his eyes. But this time, it was not one of sadness. "I...I think...I can feel her too..." he said, lowering his hand to a watery smile. "The truth...of her life. Not sorrow...but hope. And love..."
Placing a hand on the back of her hip, S'eni nodded to herself. For so long, Moenbryda's death had weighed on Urianger's mind, keeping all his grief buried deep inside where none of them was able to see. And now, he could finally move forward. Thancred had asked if she could imagine the faces of their passed friends, and indeed she could.
They would be just as proud of him as the rest of them were.
"This woman...she must have been important to him," Livingway said.
"You could ask him if that fascinates you," Thancred offered.
"Oh no no. It...just makes me realize that there is still so much I need to learn about this star. So many things I do not know or understand."
"Believe me, I've lived on this star since I was born and there's still a lot I don't know. And things that I missed." He said and turned his gaze to the artificial sky above. "That's why this end is coming way too soon..."
"Come you two, let's go over and say hello," S'eni then said and did just that. As he noticed their approaching steps, Urianger turned around, his face instantly growing flustered.
"Oh, S'eni, Thancred...be assured that I am fine. I am..." He cleared his throat and glanced over to Moenbryda's parents. "Full glad to see them, too, after so long. Gladder still that it was in your company. As difficult as it was to accept their kindness, t'would have been far harder had I not been in thine presence..."
"You're wrong," she said, the corners of her lips curling upward as she reached up and gently thumped her fist against his chest. "This was all you, so don't sell yourself short, my friend. I just happened to stand nearby."
He mirrored her expression.
"You are one of the Scions, correct?" Bloewyda asked her.
"I am." She offered a polite bow. "My name is S'eni. It was only for a brief time, but I had the pleasure of knowing your daughter."
"Thank you for caring for her. I know she was proud to have you all as comrades. Urianger is too, I'm sure. And I certainly feel better knowing he has good friends to look after him. See that he comes home from time to time, will you?"
"Well...I can certainly try at least," S'eni chuckled, sending her friend a little wink.
Urianger cleared his throat. "Thou hast my gratitude for lending courage to the Loporrits. Several of our guests have already elected to accompany my countrymen to their stations. Nevertheless, I shall remain here to attend to those still in need of aid. If thou art needed elsewhere, do not let me detain thee."
"As it just so happens, I was hoping you might check on Alisaie. Last time I saw her, she was struggling to carry an enormous pile of crates out of the west gate," Thancred said.
"Shouldn't you've helped her then?" she asked with a cocked brow.
"I could. But we both know whose help she's less likely to scorn." He shrugged, then added with the same strained smile from earlier, "Not to mention, I can think of several other things I ought to be doing right now. Until later!"
And with that, he hurried off to his next task. Shaking her head with a sigh, she looked at Urianger. "Guess I know what I'm doing now. See you later, then. Master Wilfsunn, Mistress Bloewyda, it was a pleasure making your acquaintance."
Offering the couple another bow, she turned around and made her way out west. To her surprise though, she found Alisaie not outside the hamlet, but actually at the gate leading out of Logistikon Beta. The young woman stood in front of a stack of crates, hands resting on her hips while she murmured something to herself.
...Did one of them just squeal?
"Still quite a few—oh, S'eni!" Alisaie looked at her in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"Heard you were carrying a bunch of crates. Mind if I help you?"
"I don't mind, but it's not exactly the most exciting of tasks. Are you sure?"
"Wouldn't be here if I weren't," she said and punched her palm.
"Alright. I appreciate the help," the Elezen said and picked up one of the crates. "We need to get these to Aporia, which means we'll have to circle around to the other side of the Circuit. Time is quite short, but these crates are full of organic samples and specimens, so try to not be too rough with them."
As if to underline Alisaie's point, the crate shook slightly as she took it from her, whatever was inside being startled by the sudden movement. From the weight and the scurrying sound coming from within, she suspected it was a couple of smaller specimens. A few dwarf rabbits, perhaps.
"Lead the way, then," she said, watching as Alisaie took a crate as well, then fell into step next to her. "Where's Alphinaud?"
"Should be awaiting us when we arrive, unless he got lost on the way," Alisaie chuckled. "And what have you been up to?"
"Oh, just showing the Loporrits around with Urianger and arranging for some much-needed conversation."
"Huh, and here I was wondering if I'd seen some large, fuzzy ears earlier."
"Apparently everyone from the Forum was too busy to show them around, so they decided to do it themselves."
"I'm frankly not surprised. Before taking up crate duty, Alphinaud and I were running some other errands over at Logistikon Beta. And I'm sure there's a thousand other things waiting to be done after," Alisaie said.
"Guess we've got our work cut out for us until the refined adamantite arrives."
"Busy days ahead of us. But better than to sit around twiddling our thumbs."
S'eni gave an affirmative hum in return.
Upon finally arriving at Aporia, they were greeted by the sight of Alphinaud standing in front of a quite larger stack of crates than the one earlier. When he spotted them, he raised his hand in a wave. "S'eni! Fancy seeing you here."
"You two have been busier than I thought," she said, eyeing the stack before placing her crate next to it.
"And there's still some more." Alisaie placed hers down as well.
She raised a brow. "Want me to get them?"
"No, I'll do it." The young woman waved her off and began to head back.
Alphinaud and S'eni watched her leave for a moment before he turned towards her with a friendly smile. "And how did you get involved in this?"
"Thancred told me Alisaie could use a little assistance and I'd be the one she'd most likely actually accept any help from," she replied, earning herself a little chuckle from Alphinaud.
"Then I suppose I have to thank Thancred as well."
"I've got to ask, though." she patted one of the crates, receiving a curious squeak in return. "Why the need to bring them all the way out here?"
"As it turns out, this is a sort of base of operations where all those with the final say as to what is included in the ship's manifest." He turned towards the facility, frowning ever so slightly. "Father most likely too..."
"Want to pay him a visit?"
He shook his head. "Not unless we run into him. He must be swarmed with work, and we, too, have our tasks."
"Speaking of which, have you seen Shtola around?"
"I believe I heard her say something about heading to Logistikon Gamma earlier."
"Huh, oh, well I'll run into her sooner or later anyway. I'll just ask her what she did to keep busy then."
The two of them spent a few minutes simply chatting, which was honestly mostly her bringing him up to date on their furry little friends, when the sound of approaching steps made them turn around to see Alisaie, carrying the rest of the crates in one big stack that was taller than her. Alphinaud's eyes widened in surprise and he made a beeline towards his sister. "A-Alisaie! Are you trying to injure yourself?"
He moved to take some of her load off, only to be shoo-ed away by the young woman's foot.
"Stop it. They're lighter than they look," she said. "Besides, not everyone has your delicate arms."
Alphinaud looked over to S'eni in support, but she simply raised her shoulders as if to say "she's old enough to make her own mistakes". Carrying the crates over, Alisaie put them down near the rest and placed her hands on her hips, nodding in satisfaction. She turned towards them.
"There. That's everything." Alisaie brushed her hands off. "I suppose we should let someone know we're finished."
"Theopauldin is in the courtyard. We can report to him," Alphinaud said.
"Want to come along, S'eni? You deserve some credit for your assistance. And considering where we are, we might even learn something of interest."
"Sure," S'eni said after a moment of consideration. Heading inside, she was almost immediately proven right in her assumption that this place had to be the busiest. Some of the people they were passing looked to be in dire need of sleep and it was only the inertia of what they were doing keeping them awake. A not entirely unfamiliar sight, considering with whom she shared a bed. How many times had she returned from a few days of adventure to find Y'shtola barely keeping awake, if not having to fall asleep on top of a couple of tomes sprawled out on the tables?
Quite a common habit around these parts, if what she heard in the Studium was true. But it was quite clear that these people weren't lacking sleep out of scholastic pursuits, but rather the urgency of their tasks. Such as with the Elezen man they were walking towards, whose otherwise neatly combed hair was standing on ends in a few places and his general body language almost screaming for a quiet place to just rest.
"Gods it never ends, does it?" the man whom she assumed was Theopauldin wondered aloud with a sigh, closing his eyes before straightening himself to be slightly more presentable. "What can I do for you?"
"We've brought samples from the hamlet. Series one-one-zero?" Alisaie pointed over her shoulder. "The crates are by the entrance."
"Ah, thank you. I was expecting one of my colleagues, but we are dreadfully shorthanded..." his eyebrows then rose ever so slightly. "Wait a minute—you are Fourchenault's children, are you not?"
The twins shared a look before Alphinaud replied, "Alphinaud and Alisaie, at your service. You're well acquainted with Father, I take it?"
"Quite so! I've been friends with your parents since our days at the Studium. I still remember when you were yea high—" Theopauldin lowered himself and made a gesture to indicate their short size. "—waddling around the area. Clearly it's been some time. It's good to see you again, wielding your father's Nouliths, no less!"
"You knew our parents when they were young? What were they like?" Alisaie asked, taking a step towards the man. "Spare no detail!"
A small grin broke out on his fatigued face, but it lasted only too briefly. "While I would like nothing more to tell you some stories, I am meant to be in charge here, and piles of paperwork want for submissions."
"We can help you with that! In exchange for the sort of stories our parents would never be willing to divulge, of course." Alisaie winked and Alphinaud, too, nodded in agreement.
"Er...very well, then." He produced three sets of documents. "These are in need of delivery. Why don't each of you take one?"
Alisaie practically ripped one of them out of his hand, giving it a brief look, then dashing off. "Wait right here!" she called.
With a chuckle, Alphinaud walked away to deliver his documents, leaving only S'eni and Theopauldin standing there.
"She certainly doesn't want for energy," he said and handed her the last of the documents. "These are meant for a representative of the Forum. She should be near the southernmost structure."
"Alright. Consider them delivered."
"Thank you...uh, who are you by the way? The twins' minder?"
She couldn't help but laugh at that. "Something like that," she said and walked away with the documents. She certainly felt like one on occasion.
True to his word, S'eni found the representative just where he said she would be, quite easy to spot with the elaborate robes each of them was wearing. She handed her the paperwork and, much to her surprise, did not just receive a thank you, but also words of encouragement to keep going. It was certainly heartening to know that even within the Forum, it wasn't just Scholarch Montichaigne who held the pursuit of truth in high regard. As she returned to Theopauldin, he welcomed her back with a smile.
"Quick and efficient. I daresay you have a talent for this work."
"Believe me, I've got quite some experience in running back and forth."
"I can only imagine. The twins' papers only needed to be delivered elsewhere in the facility so they should be—Ah, speak of the devil," he said and she turned her head to see the two of them walking over.
"We return," Alisaie announced. "And with not a single scrap of paperwork on our persons."
"You have my thanks then. And my apologies for sending you on an errand for below your ambitions," he chuckled. "Why, even as a babe you struggled out of your swaddling clothes an—"
"That's quite enough!" the young woman interrupted him, her cheeks turning a rosy red.
"Why? It was just starting to get good!" S'eni grinned, raising her hands at the glare Alisaie was sending in her direction.
"It was compromising stories of our parents we'd asked to hear."
"Of course, of course." Theopauldin raised a hand to hide his grin. "I've known your father for so long, I must have something. Hm..."
His face suddenly became serious and he looked the twins in the eye.
"Well...as you know, part of why the Leveilleur name garners such respect in Sharlayan is your family's storied history. You two can trace your ancestry directly to those who came aboard Nyunkrepf's Hope. A lineage only few can claim."
A look of surprise formed on S'eni's face. She had known the Leveilleur's were a prestigious family, of course, but that they went back so far...? Well, she supposed that explained quite a lot.
"I've never really given it much thought," Alisaie admitted. "It's not like our forebears founded the nation. They were simply there when it happened."
"Nevertheless, it has traditionally been a point of pride," Alphinaud said. "It's why Nyunkrepf's words—'Renounce the ways of war, and pursue enlightenment through knowledge and reason'—has been our family's creed for ages."
"Correct. Until the time of your grandfather, that is," Theopauldin said, his expression growing firm. "He looked not to Nyunkrepf's words, but his deeds instead. He asserted, in defiance of his peers, that choosing to save the great and the small from the rising tides was the true mark of our founder's virtue."
With an inward sigh, S'eni briefly closed her eyes and found herself back in Carteneau. The heat of the flames as Bahamut raged, the fear she had felt when their efforts had proven to be in vain. And then, that singular, grandfatherly smile as she was delivered to safety; much like those saved during the great flood. Yes...even in the end, he had looked to the ancient Archon's deeds.
"To ignore the plight of those one might conceivably save is not wisdom─it is indolence," Alisaie said, pulling her out of her memories. Theopauldin smiled.
"You remember his words well. Indeed, Archon Louisoix lived by that personal creed and used every means at his disposal to offer salvation to everyone, be they from Sharlayan or not. And there was no one who loved and admired your grandfather more...than his own son." As the twins released a gasp at this revelation, the older Elezen's face grew sad. "Yet he could not reconcile Louisoix's deeds with the philosophy of their forebears and his peers, one that he fervently believed in, yet had turned his father into a pariah. Fourchenault agonized over this contradiction for much of his life."
"Gods, Father..." Alphinaud breathed out.
S'eni exhaled through her nose, furrowing her brows. So it was like she had suspected. Her talk with Ameliance had already made it clear that whatever had happened between father and son was far more complicated, and his reaction earlier had only further reinforced it. And now his own children were walking the same path his father did. It explained his extreme reaction in Gridania.
"A son carries with father's blood, but his choices will always be his own. Gods know Fourchenault is a cranky old goat, so you two must butt heads more than enough. But even so, you are always in his thoughts. Every moment of every day, and I'm not exaggerating here!" his grin returned and he shook his head, a spark of nostalgia entering his tired eyes. "You should've seen him the day you were born. Barely recognizable! With the same dumbfounded grin I hadn't seen since the day he took fancy to your mother. He was practically skipping when he told me the news. Believe me, he loves you to an embarrassing degree."
He huffed slightly. "But he's also frustratingly single-minded. Once he's got in his head that something is for the best, he will stay his course no matter who or what opposes him. A profoundly annoying habit when you're on the other end of it, as I'm sure you will agree."
"I'll say!" Alisaie giggled.
"Thank you for your insight." Alphinaud bowed his head. "Next time we meet our parents, I shall mention that we spoke."
"Try not to get me into too much trouble now. I need the Forum on my side!" the older Elezen laughed. "Speaking of which, I should get back to work. I have to make sure all those specimens make it to their proper places, or the cranky old goat will have my hide. We can speak again later!"
His duty beckoning, he walked off, leaving the three of them alone. S'eni, for her part, watched the twins as they fell silent, each of them holding a thoughtful expression on their faces. "How are you feeling?"
"Strange, I suppose," Alisaie said. "But also...relieved."
"Indeed," Alphinaud said. "To hear Father being spoken about in such a way...but I suppose he would find your view of us equally strange."
Taking a step towards them, she slipped her arms around their shoulders and gave them an affectionate squeeze. The quiet moment came swiftly to an end though, when another familiar voice called out towards them. It was G'raha.
"Hey, you three!" he waved his hand.
"Don't tell me Master Kokkol has already driven you out of his forge, Raha, " Alisaie said in an incredulous tone.
"Nothing of the sort, for better or worse," G'raha assured her. "But he has given me a task that requires more than one pair of hands, though I wouldn't object to more."
"Unfortunately, Alisaie and I have prior commitments, and we have delayed too long as it is..."
"What about you, S'eni?" Alisaie looked at her.
Returning her friend's look, she sighed and removed her arms. Her lips curled into a strained smile. "No rest for the righteous."
"Perfect! This shouldn't take long. Come, it's this way," G'raha said and motioned for her to follow. Glancing at the twins one last time, who nodded with smiles of their own, she proceeded to do so.
There was, after all, still much to be done.
Honestly, the scene with Urianger and Moenbryda's parents is probably one of my absolute favs in all of Endwalker, so I had to include it. Though probably not the most exciting chapter.