#Isildaure Vellgrance | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

autumnslance · 9 months

Text

FFXIV Write 2023 Day 18: Fish Out of Water

G’raha took a deep breath before stepping through the door leading from the corridor into the common room of the Rising Stones.

An elderly elf—no, elezen—sat at the nearest table, steaming mug of tea at hand, speaking with a younger elezen woman. The latter G’raha recognized as one of the healers who had helped tend to him and the other Scions; Alianne, her name was. The old man must be the grandfather she had mentioned.

“Finally up and about?” the old man said warmly.

“Yes, thanks to the Scions’ cadre of healers,” G’raha replied, bowing slightly to Alianne.

He couldn’t for the life of him remember what she had said her grandfather’s name was.

“Just be sure not to push yourself too quickly, Archon,” Alianne said.

He took a moment, then smiled sheepishly, rubbing his neck and nodding. “Of course!” The marks had been covered for so long, and no one had known that title in the First; he’d nearly forgotten what it was like to be addressed as such.

A clatter of activity came from the front door, a quintet making their way in; two gald—roegadyn men, an elezen man, two Hyuran women. The redhead was grousing at the blonde, who rolled her eyes, before focusing in on G’raha.

“Well! Our new arrival’s up and about!”

Her companions looked his way as well, and he felt very on the spot. The redhead—Clemence, one of the healers—smiled. “Krile said you were well enough now.”

“Welcome!” the roegadyn in mage’s robes said, beaming. “Always nice to meet a new comrade.”

Comrade. Was he? G’raha smiled politely as Clemence made introductions (he would have to ask her about Alianne’s grandfather, discreetly, later), and pondered that implication.

Did the others actually want him to stay? Now that all in the First was complete and they were home, would the sins he had committed as the Crystal Exarch cause conflict?

And there were the memories of his younger self, of his comrades in the remaining Students of Baldesion, the Sons of St Coinach, of NOAH, which in turn led him to recall the Garlond Ironworks. Memories that conflicted with his elder self, and the difficulty of remembering the original Biggs’ face, versus that of his descendant in that other timeline.

After a round of introductions, where he managed to avoid saying much of himself, he took a seat at the bar, where a miqo’te woman stepped up and smiled. “Feeling overwhelmed?”

“Just a bit,” he admitted. “I’m sorry, I am G’raha Tia.”

She smiled. “F’lhaminn Qesh,” she replied.

Minfilia’s adoptive mother! The fabled Songstress of Ul’dah herself. Once again, the historian in him thrilled, reminded that he walked among those who in a later time would be considered legends.

And he was simply…G’raha Tia.

“You’ve had a long recovery, and will need yet more time. Think you can handle a traditional Ul’dahn lunch?” F’lhaminn asked warmly.

G’raha nodded, uncertain how to feel at being waited on by a woman who in so many stories was held in the sort of reverence granted to the parents of sainted figures such as the Oracle of Light.

Except Minfilia was not the Oracle in this world; she was the Antecedent, if no less important for her work in founding the Scions.

“There you are,” a blessedly familiar voice said.

G’raha turned and smiled gratefully as Krile joined him. “And how are you feeling?” she asked.

“Better, and hopefully a meal will only improve things.”

“Good; you’re looking a little pale yet.” She tilted her head, watching him. “Or is that the general feeling of being overwhelmed?”

She always had been too perceptive; knowing now that she possessed the Echo, and how sensitive hers was, that made far more sense. “A bit of both, I think,” he answered honestly. “A part of me still feels as though I walk among legends, especially now that I am…myself, again.”

Not that he ever truly would be; the consequences of merging his timelines into one self was going to be an ongoing process, he suspected.

Krile smiled. “Says the former Crystal Exarch,” she teased. “From all I hear, you have accomplished your own share of extraordinary feats, old friend.”

When not stumbling through the process every step of the way. What he wouldn’t give for Y’shtola’s calm confidence, or Thancred’s steadfast bravery, or Urianger’s clever dedications. And then of course, there was their champion…

To Krile, he merely shrugged and smiled sheepishly again. “I did what I could,” G’raha said. “But that time is past, and now I must find my way in this new future.”

“You will,” she said warmly, reaching over to pat his hand. “And we’ll be here to help, every step of the way.”

“Truly?” he couldn’t help but ask quietly.

“Of course!” she replied, beaming. It was familiar and comforting, reminding him of youthful times and old dreams shared in too late conversations.

Perhaps some things had not changed. Perhaps he had an anchor after all, to help him navigate this new, uncharted course his continuing life had taken.

F’lhaminn set down meals for them both, delighting Krile, the two women falling into easy conversation.

G’raha picked up his fork, content to listen, and settle in.

#final fantasy xiv #shadowbringers #ffxivwrite2023 #lyn writing #G'raha Tia #Krile Baldesion #F'lhaminn Qesh #Clemence Cockburne #Alianne Vellgrance #Isildaure Vellgrance

31 notes · View notes