Ishgardian Courtesy
The arrival of our new guests was not looked upon favourably by everyone, and despite the Warrior of Light lending her aid to the Ishgardian cause by assisting my sons, tempers soon flared and her two companions were accused of heresy by a member of the Heavens Ward.
After proving their innocence under the Fury's gaze, the situation had calmed down somewhat, but as our history had shown, distrust is not so easily shed.
Things could not remain as they were at the time, so I devised a plan that I hoped would calm the waves and convince the lords and ladies of our guests' sincerity.
An assortment of people were gathered in Fortemps manor, speaking amongst themselves in hushed voices and dressed in the finest clothes. Servants were walking around, being largely ignored by everyone present until one of the men and women had a craving for hors d'oeuvre or a glass of wine, before vanishing from their perception once more.
In one corner, a noblewoman laughed at something someone said, hiding the expression behind the back of her hand like a true lady would; in another two young noblemen were bragging to one another about their recent exploits.
And in the middle of it all, stood S'eni. Heaving a sigh, she looked down at herself. She too was wearing a dress in the style of an Ishgardian lady. Deep green and red, it covered her almost from head to toe, leaving only a little skin exposed from her neckline to accentuate the snug fit around her chest. Its long sleeves grew wider the further down her arms they went, stopping just shy of her wrists to show off the nice-looking white frills that adorned them.
When Count Edmont had first approached them with his idea, they all had readily accepted, and S'eni wasn't foolish enough to think she wouldn't have to dress up for this.
The irony of taking part in another banquet didn't escape her though. Ah, no, not a banquet. What was it called? A soirée?
She didn't really know what the difference was.
Turning her head, she spotted Alphinaud standing next to Count Edmont and his eldest son, Artoirel, doing what he did best: socializing.
He was certainly doing a much better job than she did right now. But she also wouldn't know what to talk about with the lords and ladies of Ishgard if they were to approach her, so she was quite content just standing around and occasionally receiving a few cursory stares in her general direction.
"My lady," she heard a voice say from next to her. Turning her attention to the source, she found one of the Fortemps' manservants standing there, holding a tray with drink and food skillfully in his hand. "Something to eat or drink?"
Her gaze landed on the wine-filled glasses, and her mind immediately flashed back to that night in Ul'dah and the look in the Sultana's eyes before she collapsed on the ground from the poison.
Closing her eyes, she shook her head to dispel the image. Surely nobody would try to poison her here, right?
She reached out towards one of them, but as soon as her fingertips brushed against its stem, S'eni pulled back and went for one of the hors d'oeuvre's instead. "Thanks," she said to the manservant, who went back to see if any of the other illustrious guests wanted to quench their thirst or quell their hunger.
Watching him go for a moment, she then turned her eyes towards the food she was holding between her fingers. It was a cracker covered in cream cheese and on top of it resting a small amount of caviar. The tiny eggs were colored a rich black and their smell reminded her of the sea.
With a shrug, S'eni popped it into her mouth and started chewing, her eyes moving around a little as flavors started to mix.
"The cracker and cheese get in the way of the caviar," she murmured after swallowing.
Her ears perked up at the sound of steps that were approaching her and, as she turned her head, soon came face to face with two young ladies, each in beautiful dresses and not the tiniest speck of make-up out of place. One had long dark hair flowing down her back, the other wore her blonde hair in a braid that was thrown over her shoulder. Both were Elezen of course.
"You are the one called Warrior of Light, are you not?" the dark-haired one asked.
"That I am." S'eni nodded. The other one gave her a once-over.
"I have to admit I expected someone... different," the blonde said. "Taller perhaps. A Hyur, or even a Roegadyn."
"You're not the first to be surprised," she replied evenly, resisting the urge to frown.
"I am sure. But forgive me, I meant no offense. We simply do not see many Miqo'te around these parts."
"I heard there were some living in the Dravanian Hinterlands," the first one threw in. "How someone could live so close to the dragons I have no idea."
Seemingly ignoring her friend's comment, the blonde smiled politely, before asking. "Where do you hail from?"
Her eyes darted between the two of them as she tried to decipher what it was they could possibly want after having ignored her until now.
Were they trying to find something they could use against her? To accuse her of heresy?
Or was just being paranoid here?
For a moment, she looked around for the manservant in an attempt to have an excuse to leave and get more caviar, but he had long since vanished.
Ah, seven hells.
"I'm from the islands in the southern seas," she replied.
"Oh my!" the black-haired one exclaimed, a note of amusement entering her voice. "I have only read about them during my studies, but to think I would meet someone from there. Now you have to tell us more."
"Not a whole lot to tell." S'eni shrugged, which went unnoticed due to how her dress was fashioned.
"Is it true that the sand there is as white as the snow of Coerthas?"
"On some islands," she replied. "The island where I lived was one of those. It's because of the coral reefs surrounding them."
"That sounds amazing," the blonde said.
"Maybe when you've never seen them before. But growing up there, it wasn't an especially special sight. To us, it was just sand." Yet after saying those words, she couldn't help the small fond smile forming on her face as she remembered the feeling of the sun-warmed sand under her feet and the sea breeze caressing her face.
Things were so much simpler back then.
"Us?" the blonde asked.
"My tribe. Our village is situated near the coast. Every day some of us would go out to fish," she explained.
"A fishing village?" the smile of the noblewoman grew. "How charming. Then that makes you an actual hero of humble beginnings."
Looking at each other, the two women burst into giggles that they hid behind the back of their hands, causing a frown to form on S'eni's features. Were they making fun of her?
Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she was about to ask what was so funny, when another set of footsteps approached them.
"Humble beginnings indeed, but her actions speak for themselves. If not for her, we might not even have this conversation at all. Don't you agree?"
The two of them immediately stopped giggling and straightened up before turning towards the source of the voice.
"Lord Haurchefant!" the black-haired one said, a hand going up to rest atop her heart and the most polite smile forming on her lips as she did so. "We were not expecting your company tonight."
"I was held up in my duties," he replied. "But that way I can claim to be fashionably late."
Both ladies giggled once more, but it was soon replaced by a heavy silence that lasted for a few moments as Haurchefant and the ladies stared at one another, their polite expressions never wavering for a second until the blonde spoke up again.
"It was a pleasure seeing you again, Lord Haurchefant. If you would excuse us."
"Of course. Have a nice evening."
The two ladies curtsied to him, as well as to her, before hurrying away as fast as possible as decorum allowed.
"Thanks," S'eni said as soon as they were out of earshot.
"Don't mention it," he replied, the smile on his face becoming more genuine.
For once, Haurchefant was not wearing the chainmail that she was accustomed to but was dressed much like his father and brothers in fine clothes befitting a member of House Fortemps. She had to admit he looked quite handsome in them.
"Care for some company? Perhaps my presence will keep people from asking any awkward questions."
"Please!" she nodded all too eagerly. "That way I have at least someone to talk to."
Haurchefant chuckled and stepped up next to her.
"So how have you been since we last saw each other?" he asked after a moment.
"Oh, you know how it goes, helping around where we can try not to be accused of Heresy again, the usual." As lightly as she was saying that, the entire thing had made the three of them tread more carefully from then on. And the revelation by the Archbishop that the Ascians were lurking about didn't do anything to quell their worries.
"Never a dull moment with you, I see. And how's our mutual friend?"
A smile formed on her lips at the question. "You'll be delighted to know that Zack is doing very well."
"Zack?" he asked, his eyebrows rising.
"Can't have him carry me around without giving him a name."
Zack, in this case, was the black Chocobo that Haurchefant had gifted her some time ago over her victory during the trial. The big bird had been a great help to her ever since, no doubt that due to her friend's training.
...Even if the squatting was a bit strange.
"Well, I suppose so," he said, nodding to himself before grinning. "Nevertheless, I'm glad that he is doing good, not that I ever expected that he wouldn't, under your care."
"He's a well-behaved one. Almost a little bit like an eager puppy." They both shared a small laugh. Her mood visibly improved, S'eni moved her gaze across the people gathered here. "I'm guessing this isn't your first time attending one of these given the reaction those two had earlier."
"Correct. Though not as many as you might think. The late lady Fortemps made sure of that."
Yes, she could imagine having her husband parade his illegitimate son around amongst their peers wasn't exactly high on her list of desires from what Artoirel had told her.
"I don't blame her for it," he said, looking across the room as well. "I should be thankful. I find these things dreadfully boring. My calling has always been that of a knight, not someone to brush elbows with the nobles."
"You and me both, really," S'eni sighed. Her dealings with the leaders of the Eorzean Alliance were never this stiff.
Haurchefant hummed to himself. "I suppose neither of us wants to be here then." A moment of silence passed before he turned towards her. "In that case, let's get out of here."
She glanced at him, cocking one of her eyebrows. "You think that's a good idea?"
"Not at all. But we can always get scolded later. So what do you say?" as if to underline his question, he held out his hand towards her.
Looking from his eyes to his hand, then back again, S'eni slowly reached out and took it.
"And then Y'shtola said: 'Enough, if this isn't the real Thancred, then I believe we have found a suitable replacement'," S'eni said before bursting into laughter as she recounted the events that had befallen her and the others in the Sylphs' forest. That was a day they wouldn't be forgetting for a long time. After calming down a bit, she took a generous sip from the mug she was holding.
The sweet taste of mead touched her tongue, before traveling down her throat and warming her up from the inside, coloring her cheeks a healthy pink.
Sitting in front of her was Haurchefant, holding his mug and chuckling at her story.
"I see her tongue is as sharp as any Ishgardian blade," he said.
"It is!" she grinned. "And once her patience runs out you better watch out not to get cut!"
After sneaking out of the manor, Haurchefant had taken her to the Foundation, and from there to the Forgotten Knight, saying that it would probably be more to her liking than having to deal with the nobility. And how right he was!
The people had been confused when they saw them enter at first, but that lasted only a short moment until they realized that it was just Haurchefant and her. Apparently, her friend was a regular visitor whenever the opportunity presented itself.
"I shall try to keep that in mind," Haurchefant said before drinking from his mead.
At his words, the grin dropped from her face, being replaced by a worried frown. She missed her, and the others. Every day she prayed for a sign that they were alright.
Picking up on her mood, her friend was quick to assuage her, his smile never once wavering. "I'm sure they're all right. From your tales alone I can tell their skills far outmatch those of your enemies. And if that wasn't enough then your friend Thancred was sure to charm some of them to your side."
She huffed out a chuckle, shaking her head. "You are an endless spring of optimism, has anyone ever told you that?"
"What can I say?" he shrugged. "That's my gift, I suppose."
"Haurchefant Greystone, the Warrior of Smiles."
"Has a nice ring, doesn't it? Perhaps I should call myself that during this year's Starlight Celebration." This time both of them laughed, and S'eni felt her spirits lift almost instantly at the image of him dressed like the Saint of Nymeia himself while manning his desk back at camp.
Raising her mug back up, she emptied the rest of it in one large gulp, then turned her head towards Gibrillont. "Another, please!"
Haurchefant eyed the empty mug for a second, before looking her in the eye. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Gibrillont's mead packs quite the punch, and you just had your third."
"Don't worry, I can handle my liquor," she placated him with a little grin that earned her a raised eyebrow.
"I think it would be better to stop," he said and raised his hand to signal the proprietor to ignore her order.
"Whoa, hey!" S'eni exclaimed and reached for his arm to pull it down. "I said I'm fine."
"Alright." His smile returned and he dropped his arm. "Then I'm sure you won't mind walking over to Gibrillont to save him the trouble of walking all the way over here."
"Hah! That's child's play," she said and grabbed her mug, rising to her feet. "I could dance on a needlepoi—"
But she had just risen in full when the world around her started to spin and forced her to sit back down. She closed her eyes, hand coming to rest on her forehead. After taking a few deep breaths, she opened them again.
"Yeah, I think I had enough," S'eni conceded to Haurchefant, who waved at Gibrillont while looking at her with a smile that said 'I told you so.' "What did he put in that stuff?"
"I'm afraid that's a secret he shall take to his grave," he said and took a sip. "But there's nothing better to make you truly unwind after a hard day of training."
"I'm sure," she replied dryly. Over the next couple of minutes, S'eni watched him as he slowly finished his drink, before rising to his feet and putting a few Gil on the table.
"Perhaps we should go back, by now most of the guests will have left," he said. "Do you think you can stand?"
Taking a deep breath, she slowly got back up while holding her hands out to keep herself balanced. When the world did not start to spin again, she exhaled and nodded. "Good to go."
"Well then, ladies first."
Together, they slowly ascended the stairs and left the Forgotten Knight. As soon as they stepped outside, the cold night air hit her right in the face and she could feel herself sober up a little despite the warmth still radiating from her belly.
The streets of the Foundation were largely empty as they walked through it, only the guards, as well as a few citizens, crossed their path on their way to the Pillars, no doubt returning home to warm themselves at their hearths. For once, the sky was clear, revealing the almost endless sea of stars and waxing moon for everyone to see, and as soon as they had made it to the upper ward of Ishgard, S'eni couldn't help but pause to take it all in.
"I always loved watching the stars," she told Haurchefant when he stopped as well. "Ever since I was a little kid. Sometimes I would sneak out past bedtime just so that I could watch them a bit longer."
She lowered her gaze from the sky and let it roam across the city below, entirely dark save for a few blots of light coming from the buildings and scattered torches, not unlike the stars above.
It was a breathtaking sight.
Yet looking closer, S'eni could see the scars of the recent assault that marred the city, a sign of the war that was raging against an ancient foe that she couldn't even begin to fathom.
She was an outsider after all; the war didn't concern her. But Ishgard had helped them when they needed it most, so it would be wrong to ignore it, wouldn't it?
Tearing her gaze away from the sight, she looked back towards Haurchefant who was waiting patiently for her. Smiling, she walked over to him and gave him a playful punch on the arm.
"Let's go," she said. "Wouldn't want to keep everyone from giving us a lecture."
Man, Haurchefant is such a great guy, isn't he?