FFXIV Writes 2023 | Day 12 | Dowdy

Dimitri accompanies his sister Viviane on a shopping trip to Ul'dah before a show she has coming up.

“I will never understand you Sister, You are a stunning woman but you seem to think oversized robes are the perfect style. They are shapeless!” It started with Viviane inviting him to go shopping in Ul’dah which of course he jumped upon. How could he not his favorite tailor was nestled within the City and he was dying to see what types of fabrics he had for his fall line.

“Oh now if you put a belt or tie something around your waist you can see the figure.” They were currently hunting for a few items Vi needed for a performance she was doing, and everything Dimitri had suggested was met with a crinkled nose and a look of annoyance that occasionally came with a roll of her eyes or a wave of her hand which he had learned to mean no.

“Viviane! It is bloody hot here, we are in the desert and you look like you just fell out of the Shroud in time to catch the Gridania Airship. For fucks sake you still have dirt under your nails from digging in the garden. You look, well not to be cruel but you look dowdy.” Immediately he recoiled after he said it, the guilt rising and his heart thudding in his chest as he waited to see if she would be offended.

“Oh hardly.” Viviane snorted “I make this look good. The Green compliments my hair and skin. The tie around my waist lets me efficiently hang things from it and I even put my makeup on like I always did. Why Dimitri darling I don’t even have a piece of hair out of place. Perhaps you are just jealous that you couldn’t make my shapeless wonder of a robe look as good as I do.”

There was a narrowing of his eyes then, and he went to open his mouth to reply then closed it with a snap. There was nothing worse than trying to debate with Viviane, that Ishgardian sensibility of hers could drive a man to drink, and it was not easy to get her riled up. Not to mention she was quite the fan of dry humor and could pick on herself without shedding a tear. In many ways even though she could not see it herself, she was rather well-adjusted.

“Chocobo got your tongue Brother?” Oh, now there was the smirk, as she moved from the rack of lingerie she had been flipping through to the next, her fingers flicking attractive metal hangers with little bows of different colors to the left as she continued her search for something she liked, even though she had already passed twenty or thirty different corseted designs that would have looked lovely on her hourglass figure, or so Dimitri thought.

“No.” He replied flatly as he looked up at the size key, noting the color of ribbon that she likely needed, then he proceeded to shove his hand into the rack and pull out three pieces without much thought that would look darling on her. “Here, try these. You are dead set on being conservative while preparing for a Burlesque Show, it is just not going to work, Vi.” he sighed softly and shook his head. How did he end up the more fashionable of the two of them? It was something he would never understand.

“Spinner save me.” He heard her murmur as she held up one piece and then the other, turning towards a mirror on the showroom floor and holding one of the black lace numbers up in front of her “Dimitri I am in a committed relationship, How in the name of the Twelve, am I supposed to wear this.” He had to suppress a laugh, her eyes were wide when he noticed her in the mirror and he had no doubt in his mind her hands were sweating as well.

“Viviane, you agreed to do this show. You used to be a stripper for fucks sake, and you will be mostly naked by the end of the song anyways. Why not put on something a little sexy? It’s not like the people in the audience can touch you! Besides, if Kovalt and Clement are in the audience wouldn’t it be amusing to see their faces?”

Once again her nose crinkled, and she jammed the three pieces back onto the rack and then pulled out a long gown that hid just about everything and had extra support for the chest sewn into it. “How about this? It is form-fitting!” She argued, “It is still sexy, it just doesn’t show my entire body as if I was hanging from a hook in the meat mark over on Sapphire!”

“Right, so you only have ONE thing to take off leaving you in nothing by the second line of the song. There is nothing attractive about that dress, it’s something I would give Penelope to wear to dinner with Leopold. He referred to his adoptive parents who were both sixty-five summers as of this cycle. “You are not that old! Goodness, all those years living with Aunt Doshaine did nothing for you.” Rounding the rack he tried again pulling out another black lace piece, this one with a long, sheer robe. “I would wear this one. It comes with garters, a pair of stockings, and a pair of stilettos you would look ravishing.

“I would look like I was going to sell..” Viviane’s hand went over her mouth before she could finish the rest of the sentence, her cheeks flushing at what she almost said which caused Dimitri to bark a laugh in her direction. “Oh, my dear sweet half-sister. How did someone so beautiful end up convinced that she should never show an inch of her skin outside of the privacy of her own home.” he reached out to pat the top of her head crushing several crimson curls under his palm. “You are not doing this as yourself” he scolded “You use a stage name, an alter-ego for a purpose. These people do not even know who you are. They know Mysteri L’etranger what would she wear.”

Viviane swallowed hard then shuffled towards the other side of the rack and picked up one of the first outfits he had thrown at her. “Mysteri would want to wear this.” She replied meekly, her cheeks flushing even more, it was a good thing that it was lunchtime and the store was mostly empty. “Careful with that name please and thank you.” she would add moments later as she gained a bit of confidence in herself “I prefer not to have the two sides meet if you understand what I’m saying hmm?”

From her hand, he stole the piece she was holding up, and to the counter, he rushed before she could yell after him to stop. In fact, by the time her little legs carried her to the front of the store he was already fishing out the correct amount of gil needed to purchase the outfit she had picked. “Now you have an outfit for your performance number.” He said as he jutted out the bag. “And since you’ll feel guilty if you do not wear something given to you as a present. It is a gift from a caring Brother to his silly Sister, who needs to see life through another set of eyes for a night.”

For a moment it looked like Vi was going to bite him, and if she did he certainly deserved it but eventually, she took the bag and peeked inside of it to marvel over the outfit that sat carefully folded between pieces of soft material so it wouldn’t end up ruined. “Thank you.” Her voice was quiet, and she sighed softly.

“I-” she trailed off then motioned him outside the store. Once they were both out there she would finish her thought. “I appreciate the help, I would never have purchased it. I would have found all of the reasons not to buy it and then would have wished that I did later when I was getting ready for the show.

“You know I could help you replace your entire wardrobe the same way.” He flashed her one of his award-winning smiles before he said “Look I know life hasn’t been easy for you, and you have been judged more than once for how you can be but they are gone, you know? All of those things don’t matter anymore Vi. You’ve got two guys who think you are pretty amazing. Close the door on those other people. All they did was shatter your confidence and sense of self.” He gave her a shrug and then motioned down the way.

“Want to hit the curry place? Get some lunch?” He quickly changed the subject knowing how much he hated talking about his past, and he certainly wasn’t going to put his sister through it. “Don’t suppose I could convince you to stop into that dress store over there so we could get you out of that thing you are wearing.” he motioned to her robes again and made a face about how frumpy they made her look.

“Oh to hells with you” Vi laughed looking down at her robes, the frayed threads hanging from the sleeves catching her eyes and a smile appearing as she saw them. “You won part of the debate Dimitri, Let's just go from there. If I end up going back to Noble Life I’ll let you commission the weaver and design some of the outfits if it will make you happy. I will need a much more modern wardrobe for that. For now, just let me be Aunt Doshaine for a little while longer hmm?”

Then off she trotted in the direction of the restaurant he had mentioned, the worn patches of the robe catching Dimitri’s eyes and causing him to pinch the bridge of his nose, though he did notice her clutching to the bag as if her future depended on it. “You’ll be alright someday Vi” he whispered “Between me and the guys, you will be alright.” Then after her, he dashed.

Day 2 of FE OC week! I have a list and brief explanation of Vivian and her major relationships!

I'm gonna shove em all under a cut again because I'm worried it's gonna be a little long lmao

Vivian and Vesper

(I do not have a portait drawn of Vesper, so please enjoy my little doodle of the two of them <3 )

Vesper Timurovna is Vivian's older half brother. Vesper was instilled with a deep fear of loosing his family after the death of his father and mother, so he cares deeply for Vivian and her ailment. He goes to any length to ensure her health and safety. Vivian looks up to and cares for Vesper. She often worries he pushes himself too hard, and over his inability to let people in.

Vivian and Hanneman

Hanneman is Vivian's mentor. She's beyond grateful for his wisdom and kindness about letting her work under him. It's also possible that she's allowed to work alongside him for the reason that the crest of Noa presents for her, but Hanneman's identifying machine tends to malfunction afterwards...

Vivian and Manuela

Vivian enjoys her time learning magic from Manuela. Oftentimes, when Vivian wants company, she will find Manuela just to listen to her opera stories and love life struggles. Though, once Manuela gets started on that, Vivian will tend to tune her out. She mostly just like the background noise as she works.

Vivian and Dimitri

When Vivian fled Adrestia, she sought refuge in Faerghus. Vesper found a job as a stable hand for the castle, and Vivian was allowed to live on the grounds with him. They lived that way for many years, eventually forming a friendship with Dimitri. Growing so close that Vivian came to see Dimitri as another brother. When the Tragedy of Duscur happened, Vivian and Vesper recognized some of the black mages from when they lived within the Empire, leaving Dimitri behind without so much as a word. She finds it hard to be around him now.

Vivian and Constance

Despite being cousins, Vivian doesn't have any particularly strong feelings towards Constance. They didn't see each other often enough for Vivian to form any close connections. Upon learning that Constance is alive after the fall of her house, Vivian wants to make a better effort to get to know her.

Minor Relationship footnotes

Vivian and Edelgard

Imperial Princess (Derogatory)

Vivian and Claude

Nosy pest (neutral)

Vivian and Dorothea

Knows of Dorothea from some of Manuela's stories. Happy to finally meet her.

Vivian and (Dedue/Sylvain/Felix/Ingrid)

No strong feelings. Happy they are there to support Dimitri after what he went through when she left.

"The more I read through the journals Mother left us, the more I am convinced the entire Jienuex line has been nothing but a Coven of Witches." The Sharlayan's voice was tired, and from his face he removed the glasses he did not actually need his other hand rising to pinch the bridge of his nose pressing into the soft area near his eyes and gently rubbing.

"You are not the first one by a long shot to show the symptoms you have Vi. In fact you are likely the tenth or twelfth I know of since I started reading these and it seems to go right back to that relative of ours from Mhachi." His eyes opened and across the table he looked there he found her, his almost mirror image gazing back at him chewing on her lower lip as she listened to him ramble. Her features that of a little girl lost.

"In all the years I have chased the Occult, I am rarely wrong, so I am going to go out on a limb here and say that someone in the Lambs knew the family stories and they knew you carried the trait. They fed you voidsent blood to awaken the trait. I am sorry Vi but you were targeted." Dimitri swallowed hard he could see the rock hard expression start to form, the darkness in her eyes not far behind it and he prepared himself for the sounds of something in the Cottage shattering.

"So, we were betrayed then?" Viviane broke her silence with the words followed by a low snarl. "I despise the Calamity even more now. Any chance I have at solving this is buried under malms of rocks, ice and snow. It is nothing but a crater, I doubt it is even safe for us to explore not that we would even know where to start." Over the past few Moons the pair had met when neither was busy and their partners were occupied to go over the journals Saphelle had left them and this was not the first time betrayal had reared its ugly head.

"Have you ever been able to control your visions?" Dimitri asked thoughtfully, reaching to the oldest book on the table between them. The Jienuex Family Grimoire, and he flipped through the pages until he located one with an hourglass at the top and he spun the book around to face his sister. "One of our ancestors who was like you penned this. It is a bit of a taboo spell of course, rather dark in nature it uses blood as a focal point, however, an ancient practice, I do not know if you could.."

"I know how" Viviane cut him off with little effort her hand moving in an elegant motion to pull the Grimoire towards her and as soon as it was close enough she tilted her hear to read the passage that explained how the spell was conducted, leaving Dimitri to stare at her wide eyed. There was so much he wished to ask her of those lost years and while she had finally started to heal from her trauma; he still feared asking to much of her.

"It is alright you can ask" she asked out of no where as if she could hear his thoughts. This happened so often that Dimitri truly believed they were twins that were separated at birth, the way she knew what he was thinking was uncanny. She knew that too for her eyes lifted slowly from the passage and watched him closely for a minute before she offered an explanation to him.

"The rituals that the Lambs used were Ancient. Not many of them needed focis, a drop of blood was enough and a bowl even better. Those of us meant to rise the ranks were taught how not to rely on things like staves and star globes. It was not that difficult to be frank. I felt right as rain once I stopped worrying about how to cast something and stared realizing I just could."

Dimitri canted his head, the peace he saw in her as she spoke gave away how much work she had put into resolving her past. There wasn't even a stray emotion to be found in her gaze. It was remarkable how much she had changed since he had first arrived. The woman he had met back then was frail and fearful. Those things were gone now and replaced by this confidence she wore well.

"This is an interesting spell." She then admitted "It could work, I would have to do it when we are in Corethas. The distance from here to there could be a delicate matter if I did it here but that is hardly an issue. It would give me the possibilities of fishing into the past to learn more of the story, most importantly who knew that the gene laid dormant in me. Of course that makes me wonder if you have it too. I know we are only fifty perfect brother and sister but it may be a good idea to find out if you could meet my fate." Vi's eyes narrowed and she took to surveying him carefully.

"They are all dead Vi." He said with a sigh, finally putting his glasses back on to resume his reading.

"No they aren't Dimitri. I was not the only survivor. The last I knew many of them ran to the Far East. The only thing I do not know is which ones. I can feel them sometimes." She admitted quietly "And when I do? That is when I believe they are close by."

"Vi that is dangerous, why haven't you told me that before. Do you feel like you are being followed?" Suddenly he felt that sharp pain in his stomach again, the one he got when there was a bad moon on the rise.

"I have always thought that Dimitri but I have no proof. Now keep that to yourself hmm? No need to get people worried. There has been no contact." There was a sterness in her voice that warned the Sharlayan that was enough questions for the day.

"Of course Sister." He said quietly, and in that moment he realized he would be the next betrayer in her life in order to keep her safe.

｢ mercie ｣

❝ Thank you. ❞ Her words brim with sincerity, a gentle smile accompanying them so that they are properly received. Steadying herself once more, she gazes upon the ominous figure looming in the distance, the one whose ignited hushed and whispered stories among the townspeople… What it is that draws her eyes to the specter, she can not fathom, for it was beyond what could be considered morbid curiosity.

Recalling Dimitri’s orders to not engage such an enemy, Mercedes places a hand upon Vivian’s arm, pulling her along. Even if her mind urges her, quickly now, quickly, her eyes still… linger, something peculiar about the whole experience tickling at the back of her mind. Strange. So very strange.

❝ Let’s make haste. The others will begin to worry if we fall too far behind. ❞  

     “ Why, of course! Rest assured I, ‘Vivi the Great’, will not let even a single hair on your head be harmed, ” Vivian declares with a triumphant puff of her chest. Judging from how enthusiastically she reacted, it didn’t seem like she was that concerned; in fact, Mercedes’ words seemed to distract her from paying much attention to their surroundings.

     Sure enough, however, an eventual nod rolls off her shoulders as Vivian allows herself to be pulled along by the arm. “ Mmhm! I mean, they’ll probably worry less about me and more about you, but the  CLOSER  we catch up to everyone else, the better, ” she concedes at long last. Then again, Mercedes shouldn’t take her word for it, because Vivian herself was so physically fragile, it was doubtful her well being didn’t weigh heavily upon Dimitri’s mind.

     “ Anyways, I can’t wait to tell them all how my intimidating muscles scared that big fella off! You saw how he retreated, right, Mercie? Obviously, when it comes down to it, the Death Knight is no match for me! ”

@awakenfate / continued from here ;;

Part Six: Not Your Dad(dy)  (Series 12, Part 6 of 15)

Series Twelve: Putting the Children First (15 Parts) Part Six: Not Your Dad(dy)  (Series 12, Part 6 of 15)

Masterlist

Book: The Royal Romance (After Book Three)

Pairing: Bastien Lykel x OC Rinda Parks Word Count: 3,157 Rating: R for Language and a Child’s Violent Reaction while Dealing with Grief and a Confusing Situation TRIGGERS: The next few chapters will have discussions about the loss of a parent, a child acting out violently because of grief and fear, and some physical violence.

Author’s Note: Obligatory disclaimer that Pixelberry Studios owns the TRR characters and my pocketbook with those darn diamond scenes. OFC with all of her quirks is all mine. My apologies if Tumblr or I do something stupid when I try to post this. The keep reading link shows up on my laptop but not my phone. Ugh.

Thank you @asherella-is-a-dork-3​ for always being my sounding board! Thank you @liam-rhys-deactivated20180927​ @silviasutton1989 @bobasheebaby for still being a part of the journey!

Series Summary: We’re wrapping up week six and moving into week seven, the week of October 21st. Putting children first is the priority in this series. Rinda and Laura advocate for more social workers and psychologists in Cordonian schools, and the Cordonian Safety Response Program keeps moving forward. Vivian Trakas still isn’t prioritizing her own children, and Henry deals with his own struggles with losing his dad.  

Chapter Summary: Vivian Trakas is still being a right wagon, and this time it impacts Henry’s relationships with other people and his reaction is to lash out.

Not Your Dad(dy)   Wednesday after School Henry never liked Stephan Trakas. Mom made sure Henry was polite to everyone and respected them, but she didn’t expect him to be friends with everyone. And he definitely wasn’t friends with Stephan. Mom tried to explain that he was a good kid who was just going through some stuff, so it was extra important to be patient with him. Henry should understand that, right? But Stephan was a dick. He was a bully to Alex Dimitrious at the start of the school year, he was mean to his little sisters, and he bragged to everyone that his family was rich. Just because Stephan’s parents were getting a divorce and they didn’t spend much time with him didn’t mean he could come to school and be a dick, and then get him in trouble because he wasn’t being polite to Stephan. He fucking hated being a teacher’s kid. Mom totally understood and let him vent and swear when he got home. She vented too, although he had to promise to never tell anyone or else she’d get in big trouble. But mom got it. But still, he was Mrs. Parks’ kid and everyone expected more from him and he had to set a good example. Fucking Stephan Trak-ASS. He ruined everything. And even though Henry knew it was his fault, he still wanted to blame Trak-ass for starting it. . . . . . Henry liked Mr. Lykel a lot, and he knew his mom liked Mr. Lykel a lot too. They all spent a lot of time together outside of school, but Henry knew he was always “Mr. Lykel” and they had to be professional at school, no matter how silly and fun Mr. Lykel was when it was just them. Henry knew there were boundaries. He was “Mr. Lykel,” even when they weren’t at school. But Drake was “Uncle Drake.” There was a difference, and Henry knew better than to ask Mr. Lykel if he could call him “Uncle Bastien.” Drake, Julian, and Theo told Henry they could call them “Uncle,” but Mr. Lykel never did. Henry knew there were boundaries. So it really hurt him to think that Mr. Lykel thought he crossed a boundary. Because he really liked Mr. Lykel, and he really liked how Mr. Lykel was so nice to him and his mom. So Henry never wanted to mess that up. But he must have crossed that boundary, somehow. . . . . . Henry was playing outside with Phillip, Alex, and Alex’s older sister Maria. Maria was older and went to the nearby secondary school, but sometimes she walked to Alex’s school so it would be easier for their mom to pick them up or for Mrs. Parks to take them home. Phillip was Henry’s best friend because they were neighbors. Alex was becoming their other best friend because he stayed late after school a lot and he was fun to play with. They knew Maria was part of the deal, so they tried to include her as much as possible. But Stephan Track-ass was there too with his little sisters. Henry, Phillip, Alex, and Maria were supposed to be there. They were waiting for Henry’s mom to take them home. But Track-ass and his sisters were only there because their mom was talking to Mr. Lykel. Again. Henry rolled his eyes. He and Uncle Drake had been laughing about that a lot. He told some great stories about stupid things Mr. Lykel did to get girls to like him back in the day and he said Mr. Lykel was a dumpster fire when it came to dating. Or at least he used to be. But Drake always made it clear to Henry that no, Mr. Lykel and Ms. Trackas were NOT dating. Mr. Lykel didn’t think of her that way, and Mr. Lykel definitely preferred to spend his time with Henry and his mom. Normally Henry was good natured. He could laugh things off. Walk away. Just not give a shit. But when someone tried to hurt one of his friends, or when he had been pushed too far, he lashed out. He was too much like his mom that way. He was nice . . . until he wasn’t nice anymore. . . . . .

Stephan ran crying into the school to find his mom. Alex, Henry and Phillip were close behind him trying to get a chance to tell their side of the story before Bitch Baby Stephan told his mom what happened. Maria and Stephan’s sisters, Jenna and Gracie, were close behind.

Bastien and Rinda were in Drake’s office going through some information with him. They had the door closed because it was a confidential meeting—and because they knew Vivian was lurking. She was convinced she could persuade Bastien and Drake to tell CPS to give her the benefit of the doubt, but Rinda knew that it was in Vivian’s best interest to steer clear of Bastien and Drake when it came to their opinion of her as a mother. However, when they heard the commotion in the hallway Rinda quickly opened the door to see what was happening.

Stephan got there first. “Mom, Henry pushed me to the ground.” Vivian glared at Rinda. “What happened, Stephan? Why did he do that?”

Stephan pouted. “I was just talking to him, and then he got mad and pushed me.”

Alex quickly chimed in. “You were being mean to the girls and I told you to stop, but you wouldn’t. You shouldn’t treat your sisters like that.” He turned to Rinda. He knew she would understand. “Maria kicked him. She was defending herself, and Jenna and Gracie, and we all started laughing because that’s what got him to finally stop.” Rinda tried not to smirk. She admired the girls who didn’t take shit from a bully, and she wasn’t going to punish anyone for sticking up for themselves. But she nodded and let Alex continue. “Stephan got mad because we were laughing, and then he started saying mean things to Henry.” Alex turned to Stephan. “Henry asked you to stop. And he even tried to walk away. But you kept following him and you wouldn’t stop talking. And YOU pushed Henry first, and that’s when he defended himself. You never stop when people ask you to. That’s why we don’t ask you to play very often, and that’s why my sister kicked you. That’s the only way we can get you to stop and leave us alone. Why are you even telling on Henry when it’s your fault?”

Phillip laughed and muttered under his breath “Snitches get stitches.” It was meant as a joke—something Jameson told Henry once when he was sick of Henry tattling on his friends. And it just stuck. Rinda and Jameson would say it whenever Henry came in to complain about something trivial, so Henry learned to figure out the smaller disagreements on his own. And Henry taught that phrase to his friends. They thought it was a funny way to say “don’t be a tattle tale” when another friend wanted to run home to whine instead of figuring out a way to make it work so they could still play together. But Phillip said it out of context, and that just incensed Vivian even more. Drake was grinning. He thought Stephan was a little shit and the whole thing was pretty funny. Especially that a girl kicked him. Of course, Mr. Walker had to look serious when Mrs. Parks glared at him.

Rinda patiently listened before firmly interrupting Alex. “Okay Alex, thank you for sharing your side of the story. Henry, what happened?”

Henry shrugged.

Snitches get stitches

He could fight his own battles, and he could protect himself and his friends if necessary. And his mom.

Rinda was getting annoyed. “Did you push Stephan to the ground? Was it part of a self-defense move?”

Henry shrugged again and Rinda raised her voice. “Answer me. Now.”

“I simply directed Stephan to the ground and into a prone position.”

Drake turned around to hide his smirk, but Bastien just stared at Henry. It was a law enforcement phrase, and Henry was snarky enough to misuse it in this context. Rinda’s jaw clenched. That snark was so Jameson. So her. Rinda hated it when she saw the worst of both of them in Henry.

“Then why does Stephan have a scrape on the palm of his hand?” Stephan triumphantly held out his hand, proof that he was wronged.

Henry rolled his eyes. “I asked him to stop saying mean things, and he didn’t stop. I tried to walk away, but he ran after me and grabbed me. I tried to do a block that I was taught to get free of him, but Stephan was moving. Dad said that’s called ‘dynamic application of a trained technique’ I did the move that I was taught, and it should have simply made Stephan let me go. But he was shoving me as I did it, and I ended up pushing him down on the ground. I was trying to avoid a fight, not start one.” It was actually one of the moves Bastien showed him, but he wasn’t going to get Mr. Lykel in trouble.

Phillip chimed in. “It’s true, Mrs. Parks. Henry showed us how to do it, and you don’t end up on the ground when you’re standing still.” Drake was mumbling something under his breath while running his hand through his hair, staring a hole into the floor so he wouldn’t make eye contact with anyone and start laughing. Bastien’s stare was getting more intense, and Rinda’s eyes were turning golden topaz as she glared at Phillip, and then Henry. But Phillip kept rambling himself into a hole. “And the stuff Stephan was saying wasn’t true. He was just being mean.”

Alex joined in. “Yeah, Henry knows Mr. Ly . . .” Henry hissed at his friend, and Alex immediately shut up. Bastien cleared his throat and looked at the boys, and Henry held his gaze before deliberately turning away. Alex looked down in embarrassment.

Rinda was torn between being Henry’s mom and being Mrs. Parks right now. Plus she didn’t want to upset Ms. Trakas and put Bastien and Henry in the middle of it.

Fuck.

“Okay, Ms. Trakas, I’m just going to handle this like a mom right now, not a teacher, because it’s after school and none of us were supervising the kids. However, you are welcome to discuss this with the principal tomorrow if you feel that is necessary. I also take responsibility for Phillip, Alex, and Maria because I’m the one who is taking them home tonight.” She turned to Henry. “I’m glad that you first chose to walk away, even though that didn’t turn out as planned. What was Stephan saying that you felt you needed to walk away?”

Henry pursed his lips shut and stared defiantly at Rinda, then Bastien, and then back to Rinda.

This is bullshit, mom.

Rinda tried staring him down, but he didn’t flinch.

This is bullshit, Henry. I need to look like the adult in charge right now.

“Okay, Ms. Trakas. I’m going to talk with Henry at home and get this figured out, and I will talk to you tomorrow. And you are welcome to call me at home if you need to.”

“Wait, please.” It was Bastien and his voice was calm, but authoritative. “Stephan, please tell me what you said to Henry.”

Stephan looked at Bastien with wide, innocent eyes. “The truth.”

“And what is that?” Still composed. Still patient.

Stephan smirked. “That you’re never going to be Henry’s dad. My mom said so. But she said you can be her daddy any time you want.”

Suddenly Henry stepped forward and moved in front of Stephan, only inches away from him. He kept his hands to himself, but his voice was shaking with the rage he was trying to contain. “NO ONE is going to be my dad. My dad is dead.” Stephan’s eyes widened in shock, but Henry was only getting started. He was only ten, and even though Rinda made sure he kept going to therapy appointments, and even though Rinda, Drake, and Bastien tried to keep an open dialogue so Henry could talk about his feelings, he still had a long way to go.

Henry turned to Bastien and he saw that Henry’s eyes weren’t their normal blue. They were grey, the color of the sky as a storm unleashes its fury. He locked eyes with Bastien, staring up into Bastien’s calm grey eyes, challenging him. But Bastien didn’t say anything.

“I NEVER said you were going to be my dad. I like you a lot, Mr. Lykel. And I was hoping it would be okay for me to call you Uncle Bastien. But not dad. And my mom doesn’t need you to be my dad, either. I can take care of us without your help. Stephan and Ms. Trakas can have you.” Henry started to turn around to leave, but he wasn’t finished. Instead, he turned to Ms. Trakas. “Alex, Phillip, and I know better than to talk about you and all of your boyfriends. Our moms all told us that wasn’t our business and to stop talking about it. But Stephan talks about it all the time and how lots of your boyfriends buy him presents, and now you want Mr. Lykel too. How many boyfriends do you need? We hear you talk to other moms at pick up, and they say you post everything on social media. We’re not stupid, you know. And we all see how mean Stephan is to Gracie and Jenna, and he says that’s okay because you don’t care. He can do what he wants.” Henry stormed off to stand by Phillip and Alex, purposely turning his back on everyone else.

Rinda was horrified. On so many levels. She knew Henry lashed out at Bastien because he was embarrassed, and it was Henry’s way of protecting himself. But it was unacceptable for him to treat Bastien that way. And what he said to Ms. Trakas was pretty much true, but he had no right talking to an adult like that. She was so ashamed of Henry’s behavior. But she was also proud of him for trying to defend her, and himself, even though he shouldn’t have to do that. He was too young to understand how all of that should even work, and even though he purposely tried to hurt Bastien, he also didn’t realize just how hateful those words were after everything Bastien did for them. And because of how much he cared for them. And yes, Rinda thought Ms. Trakas was a bitchy pain in the ass and her son was a little dick, even though he was just a kid who was in a shitty situation. But after Henry’s reaction, Rinda remembered that she was in no position to judge other children and mothers who were going through their own shit.

Right now Henry was at fault for his behavior and a long slew of apologies were necessary. And she knew from past experience that Henry wouldn’t give them. He would simply refuse. He refused to say something he didn’t mean, and he refused to apologize when he didn’t think he was in the wrong. He was so much like her and Jameson.

Rinda took a deep breath and tried to keep her voice steady, even though she knew it was shaking. “I know Henry owes a lot of apologies, but please give me 24 hours so I can talk to him and give him time to cool down. I think there’s been a lot of miscommunication, and as the adults we need to step in and explain things to our children and fix any misunderstandings. Ms. Trakas, I’ll contact the principal tonight to explain what happened and to tell him he can expect you to contact him about this incident. Mr. Lykel, I think Henry needs a One Sleep, but if you could talk to him in the near future I’d appreciate that.”

Drake had been silently watching the interaction, and he was impressed with how Henry told off Stephan and how he stood up to Bastien. Even Drake didn’t have the balls to stand up to Bastien when he was a kid. Henry was definitely something else. He was also grinning at Stephan’s phrase “be her daddy.” Fuck, from the mouths of babes. Ms. Trakas should be the one who was embarrassed.

But when he saw Rinda trying to remain calm as she diffused the situation he knew he needed to step in. “Rinda, I’ll take the kids home. Henry, we’re going to have a talk when we get you home. Okay everyone. Grab your backpacks!” He looked at Rinda, purposely avoiding eye contact with Bastien. “Take your time to finish up here. I’ll see you when you get home, okay?”

Rinda nodded and gently squeezed his hand to thank him.

When Drake ushered the other children outside Rinda walked over to Stephan. “Stephan, thank you for being honest about what you said. I want you to know that I never intended to have Mr. Lykel replace Henry’s dad. But he is someone very special to me and Henry, and he does have an important place in Henry’s life. And mine. I also want you to know that I hope you have a good night and I’m looking forward to seeing you at school tomorrow, okay?” Then Rinda turned to his sisters. “Thank you for being so respectful while we had this conversation. I know it was scary when Henry lost his temper, and I’ll explain to him why that wasn’t acceptable. And I’ll also ask him to talk to both of you about that, okay?” The girls nodded, and Rinda gave both of them a hug. “I want you to have a good night too, and I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? I love you both.” She gently caressed the girls’ faces and kissed the tops of their heads before finally turning to Bastien and Vivian.

“Bastien? I’m going home so I can talk to Henry. “Would you be okay staying a little longer to see if the Trakas children have any questions and to make sure the school is locked up?”

“Of course, Tria.” He walked over to Rinda and pulled her close to kiss her. It wasn’t an inappropriate kiss for the children to see, but it also wasn’t a chaste kiss between friends. “I love you, and I’ll talk to you later.”

“I love you too, Tiger.”

Rinda already said goodnight to the children, so she simply turned around and left without saying another word.

If Vivian thought seducing Bastien was a game, he just made it perfectly clear that she lost.

xx Full Muse List for the exclusive closed Royal AU xx

**ages at start of story**

945 -Mikhail - 400 (NPC) - Vampire Kingdom

1292 - Zlat - 53 ( @musescollective ) - Outlander Viking Realm

1293 - Sam - 52 ( @prof-of-psychology ) - Onyx Domain

1294 - Thomas - 51 ( NPC) - Ivory Kingdom

1295 - Amanda - 50 ( @asternprotocol ) - Onyx Domain

1295 - Hank - 50 ( @musescollective ) - Gold Kingdom

1295 - Jordi - 50 ( @fleetingmuses ) - Outlander Viking Realm

1296 - Nicholas - 49 ( NPC ) - Violet Kingdom

1297 - Oriana - 48 ( NPC ) - Onyx Domain

1298- Katherine - 47 ( NPC ) - Violet Kingdom

1300 - Vivian - 45 ( NPC ) - Ivory Kingdom

1301 - Holland - 44 ( @musescollective ) - Red Kingdom

1305 - John Doe - 40 ( @finalfcrm ) - Red Kingdom

1309 - George - 36 ( @thriving-on-chaos ) - Red Kingdom

1310 - Josh - 35 ( @fleetingmuses ) - Gold Kingdom

1314 - Ingvar - 31 ( NPC ) - Outlander Viking Realm

1315 - Elijah - 30 ( @creatorofclay ) - Red Kingdom

1316 - Anthony - 29 ( NPC ) - Outander Viking Ram

1316 - Maya - 29 ( @thriving-on-chaos ) - Red Kingdom

1316 - Conan - 29 ( @musescollective ) - Red Kingdom Sect of Severin

1317 - Callum - 28 ( @detroitfortune ) - Gold Kingdom

1317 - Chloe - 28 ( @creatorofclay ) - Red Kingdom

1318 - Dimitri - 27 ( NPC ) - Violet Kingdom

1318 - Markus - 27 ( @leaderawakened ) - Ivory Kingdom (w/Violet)

1319 - Corvus - 26 ( @creation-is-chaos ) - Red Kingdom

1319 - Louis - 26 ( @pleasedbyyourpain ) - Onyx Domain

1320 - Eloise - 25 ( @itsagraywcrld ) - Silver Kingdom (w/Gold)

1320 - Gen - 25 ( @lavishbylaw ) - Violet Kingdom

1320 - Nadine - 25 ( @fiercewanderer ) - Violet Kingdom (Land of Pearls)

1321 - Connor - 24 ( @pathdiverted ) - Ivory Kingdom (w/Violet)

1321 - Daniel - 24 ( @thriving-on-chaso ) - Red Kingdom Sect of Severin

1321 - Stefani - 24 ( @wickedandtrue ) - Red Kingdom

1322 - Gloria - 23 ( @aroaringlioness ) - Gold Kingdom

1322 - Sterling - 23 ( @musescollective ) - Outlander Viking Realm

1323 - Jade - 22 ( @ajadedflame ) - Red Kingdom

1323 - Natalie - 22 ( @aroaringlioness ) - Onyx Domain

1324 - Maxwell - 21 ( NPC ) - Violet Kingdom

1324 - North - 21 ( @revolutionsheart ) - Gold Kingdom

1325 - Michael (Nefarious Variant) - 20 ( @artofdeviancy ) - Red Kingdom

1325 - Miranda - 20 ( @scarletroyce ) - Red Kingdom

1325 - Niko - 20 ( @sclcmcn ) - Vampire Kingdom

1325 - Simon - 20 ( @homemadehappiness ) - Gold Kingdom (Red Kingdom spy)

1324 - Oracle - 19 ( @thriving-on-chaos ) - Red Kingdom

1330 - Lin - 15 ( @thriving-on-chaos ) - Emerald Realm

1335 - Cody - 10 ( @itsagraywcrld ) - Silver Kingdom ( Gold Kingdom )

Next Generation To Be Added

King Corvus & Queen Genevieve's

Prince Byron ( @thoubyronic )

Princess Amorette ( NPC )

Princess Sorana ( NPC )

Prince Dorian ( NPC )

King Callum & Queen Eloise's

Prince Sean ( @thriving-on-chaos )

Princess Orla ( @musescollective )

King Sterling & Queen Genevieve's

Prince Eirik ( @musescollective )

Zaha Hadid Architects reveals interiors of ME Dubai hotel at the Opus

https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2020/05/me-dubai-hotel-opus-zaha-hadid-architects-photography-laurian-ghinitoiu_dezeen_2364_sq-e-852x852.jpg

The newly opened ME Dubai hotel at the Opus by Zaha Hadid Architects features furniture by Zaha Hadid Design and curving sculptural balconies.

Set in Dubai‘s Burj Khalifa district, the Opus is a mirrored glass building occupied by a hotel, offices, serviced apartments and several restaurants.

Completed externally last year, the ME Dubai at the Opus is the only hotel in the world that can claim to have had both its exterior and interiors designed by the late Zaha Hadid.

Externally the building appears to be a giant cube with an amorphous hole pushing through its centre, although it is in fact a pair of towers connected at the top and bottom to create the void effect.

“The precise orthogonal geometries of the Opus’ elemental glass cube contrast dramatically with the fluidity of the eight-storey void at its centre,” explained Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) project director Christos Passas.

A four-storey atrium sits at the base of the two towers. Above the gap, a three-storey bridge starts 71 metres from the ground.

The inside of the void is lit up at night by a constellation of lights, each individually controllable, set into the undulating glass.

The ME Dubai hotel, which opened in March 2020, has 74 bedrooms and 19 suites.

Its lobby sits directly under the Opus’ signature void, which forms its glass ceiling. Three stories of galleries with projecting balconies ring the perimeter of the space.

Gleaming white marble floors are highlighted by the golden edges of plush curved seating areas, upholstered in a rich burgundy.

Called Ottomans, these seating pods are by Zaha Hadid Design, the design wing of ZHA.

A golden wall curves behind the white hotel reception desks, which are angled and lit by strips of lighting that match the balconies above.

Slim golden edges top the glass balustrades of the balconies, which are set at an angle tilting back from the undulating edges.

Benches on the balconies, with deep navy cushions set in curving golden frames, are from Zaha Hadid Design’s Petalinas collection.

Each hotel bedroom features a Zaha Hadid-designed bed, with a mattress that sits on a sculptural frame projecting from the wall.

In the bathroom, the sinks and showers come from Zaha Hadid’s 2015 Vitae collection for Noken Porcelanosa.

Above some of the double sinks hang twin mirrors with curves that seem to match the Opus’ central void.

As part of a drive for sustainability, the ME Dubai hotel makes every room plastic bottle-free, issuing every guest with their own stainless steel water bottle. Water dispensers are located all around the hotel.

In the dining areas there are no buffets, to cut down on food waste, and onsite composters digest organic waste.

Designs for the Opus were first unveiled in 2007 by Hadid, who died in 2016. It was originally due to complete in 2018, but was pushed back due to construction delays.

A recent video from the practice revealed an exhibition centre currently under construction on Unicorn Island in Chengdu, China.

Photography is by Laurian Ghinitoiu.

Project credits:

Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects Design: Zaha Hadid, Patrik Schumacher, Christos Passas ZHA design director: Christos Passas Competition team: Christos Passas (Lead Designer), Paul Peyrer-Heimstaett, Alvin Huang, Daniel Baerlecken, Gemma Douglas, Saleem Al-Jalil Design team (shell and core): Vincent Nowak (Project Architect), Dimitris Akritopoulos, Javier Ernesto-Lebie, Paul Peyrer-Heimstaett, Sylvia Georgiadou, Phivos Skroumbelos, Marilena Sophocleous, Chiara Ferrari, Thomas Frings, Jesus Garate, Wenyuan Peng Base built supervision team: Fabian Hecker (Team Leader), Barbara Bochnak (Team Leader), Tomasz Starczewski, Kwanphil Cho, Bruno Pereira, Dimitris Kolonis Hotel and apartment interior design team 1: Reza Esmaeeli, Bozana Komljenovic (Project Leads), Laura Micalizzi, Emily Rohrer (Senior Interior Designers), Veronika Ilinskaya, Eider Fernandez Eibar, Stella Nikolakaki, Bruno Pereira, Raul Forsoni, Thomas Frings, Chrysi Fradellou, Spyridon Kaprinis, Alexandra Fischer, Hendrik Rupp, Vivian Pashiali, Sofia Papageorgiou, Carlos Luna, Christos Sazos, Kwanphil Cho, Andri Shalou, Ben Kikkawa, Melhem Sfeir, Faten el Meri, Eleni Mente (Landscape Designer) Hotel and apartment interior design team 2: Alessio Constantino (Project Lead), Sonia Renehan (Senior Interior Designer), Afsoon Es Haghi, Zsuzsanna Barat, Ekaterina Smirnova, Chafic Zerrouki, Nessma Al Ghoussein, Christina Christodoulidou Bespoke Furniture Team: Maha Kutay (Project Director), Margarita Valova, Reza Esmaeeli, Raul Forsoni, Bruno Pereira, Carine Posner, Filipa Gomes Project management: Gleeds [London], Omniyat [Dubai] Local architects: Arex Consultants [Dubai], BSBG [Dubai] Structural engineers: Whitbybird [London], BG&E [Dubai] MEP engineers: Clarke Samadin [Dubai] Facade engineers: Whitbybird [London], Agnes Koltay Facades [Dubai] Lift consultants: Adam Scott, Roger Preston Dynamics [London], Lerch Bates [Dubai] Fire Engineering: Safe [London], Design Confidence [Dubai] Acoustic consultants: PMK [Dubai] Traffic consultants: Cansult Limited [Dubai], Al Tourath [Dubai] Lighting consultants: Tim Downey, Isometrix [London], DPA [Dubai], Illuminate [Dubai] Interior Consultants: HBA [Dubai] Security consultants: Control Risks [Dubai] Kitchen consultants: MCTS [Dubai], AV Consultants EntireTech [Dubai] QS consultants: HQS [Dubai] Facade contractors: Brookfield Multiplex [London], Alu-Nasa [Dubai] Hotel operator: Melia Hotels

The post Zaha Hadid Architects reveals interiors of ME Dubai hotel at the Opus appeared first on Dezeen.

Source link

from http://www.houseoffashion.co.za/zaha-hadid-architects-reveals-interiors-of-me-dubai-hotel-at-the-opus/

FFXIV Writes 2023 | Day 19 | Weal

After being stung by something in the yard Dimitri's Sister, Viviane takes care of the weal and gives him a lesson in the history of the War of the Magi at the same time.

“What happened to you?” The question came the second he sat down on the front steps of the cottage, only it wasn’t Xixa who asked it, instead, it came in the familiar voice of his Sister who just happened to stop by.

“Stung by something,” Dimitri muttered, as he suspiciously looked around to make certain Xixa wasn’t about to join this conversation. “I was trying to get a piece of paper that blew out of my hand out of that area over there and next thing I know there’s a sharp pinch and something flies off angrily.”

With a soft sigh Viviane sat on the steps next to him and then pulled his arm into her hands “Let me look at it, how are you feeling? Any tightness in your throat? Any trouble breathing?” He let her have the arm without much of a fight and marveled as she searched the raised and reddened area for any signs of a stinger.

“I feel perfectly fine, that thing itches like mad.” It was now day four since he had arrived at the cottage to prepare for his woodsin cleansing and do some work around the cottage to prepare for him to move in, in a sennight or so from today. It had been one mini catastrophe after the other and he was ready to tell Vi to take her job back at this point.

“It’s called a weal,” she explained, looking up at him. “It can happen with sudden pressure, allergy, or as you have found out; bug bites. It was likely nothing deadly or you wouldn’t be sitting here talking to me but I can at least ease the swelling for you. There are some herbs in the garden we can crush into a paste just in case there is a stinger in there that will also help with the itching. You will be fine and even better once the cleansing is done.” Dimitri could feel the aether move around him, and then a very dedicated sense of ice focused down on the small swelling to relieve it.

“How did you learn to do that? Without a staff I mean? I have watched you do magic more than once and I cannot understand how it is that you don’t need a focus to do it.” This caused Viviane to look up at him, her eyebrow even arched a little. He never asked about her magic before, in fact, he always seemed like he feared her because of it.

“Tools aren’t as needed as people think they are.” She started to explain. “Sure if I used a staff as a foci I would have an even better focus than I already do, and sometimes I will use one most of the time I simply touch the aether I want and then just use it. I have thought for ages now that it was a system of checks and balances. A lot of things you cannot get unless you are a member of one of the Guilds or you know someone who knows someone.” After a few minutes of the direct cold, she removed her hand and placed his arm on his leg while she went to pick a few certain herbs from the Garden. Her voice carried back to him as she did.

“It is easier to control people when you make them all believe that they have to do this thing and if they do not they will never be what they want to be. What most do not see brother is that by going to the guild they are also turning their names in to be kept on record and accessed by anyone. It is a roster of who has what type of magic.” A leaf here, and a lead there fell into her hand as if the plants just gave willingly to her then she rose to head inside to make the paste she spoke of in the mortar and pestle that she had left for him to use.

“I do not quite understand why?” Dimitri replied standing up and then following her in the door at least today he did not end up with the door in his face. He also tried not to scratch the hell out of his arm while he waited, instead leaning on the wall by the front work area while she created the paste.

“Something changes in you.” Vi looked up for a moment, this had been the first real talk they had had in ages. Most of the time when they chatted it was they slapping each other with sarcasm and wit but this Dimitri was far more open than usual which she recognized as something she had gone through as well, the period of questioning that came from being exposed to the Elements, even though they rested.

“Your mind is opening to new possibilities, I admit I am proud. I know you don’t know Eorzean History as I do, but I attribute much of the need for control to the War of the Magi.” She continued on, working the herbs into a fine powder, then grabbed a few alchemical agents she left behind to mix in. “The War of the Magi involved the void mages from the City of Mhach, the Scholar from the Floating City of Nym, and the white mages of Amdapor. They were three extraordinary powers and there is not a single historian alive that knows why the war broke out.”

Dimitri found himself sitting there quietly, watching as she worked on the paste and listening intently to all she had to say. He had known for some time that his Sister was a Historian, that it had been her path since she was young like following in their Mother’s footsteps but what he never could grasp was why she often acted as if she knew nothing at all.

“The Jienuex Family is a descendent of a Researcher who was from the City of Mhach. This is nothing to be proud of Dimitri, and please never let it go to your head. The Mhachi people were ruthless and frivolous. While it was a War all sides were guilty of their crimes. The Mhachi were ruthless in their use of magic. They summoned things from the void without thought. They sent a creature to the Floating City that started the Green Death which resulted in the creation of toneberries and to Amdapor they sent Diabolos.'' Her face grew more and more serious as she recounted the tale, the paste thickening under her careful work with what appeared to be a stirrer made of wood and once she was happy with it she approached.

“The three sides together eventually tipped the balance of aether to that of water, causing the Sixth Umbral Calamity.” her head shook “They had been at it for centuries when it happened, generation after generation joining the fray. It was an abuse of ambient aether that caused it. The natural aether that touches us on all sides. Not the aether that we store within us.” giving a soft hum, Vi dipped her fingers into the paste and started packing it around the weal which had gotten angrier looking while she had been working on the medicine for it.

“It is my belief that because of this, when the Sixth Astral Era arrived the modern City-States rose from the wreckage of the Great Flood. They chose to manage magic in a different way, by making supplies hard to get and registration with the Guilds the only way to make the connections to get them for you. The exception was Ishgard who simply focused on educating any and all who managed to make it in the door of the Scholasticate. There is no access to the Guilds there, and I cannot see there ever being. Last I knew there wasn’t even a representation of them there. I am like Mother, a Thaumaturge. My years in captivity with the Lambs taught me ways to use my magic that require me only to be present in my body. It is terrifying Dimitri even to one who has it.”

Scooping the last of the paste from the small bowl she had placed it, she instilled a chill into it with her aether to keep it cool and then began to clean up after herself. Whispers of thanks to the sleeping elements ringing in Dimitri’s ears as she did.

“So in many ways, it is like Sharlayan then?” It had been something he thought about a lot lately, the way the people of the Island were raised, the training they went through. The lack of uniqueness and white walls everywhere. It was cleansed, pristine, and in the outside world he had come to realize it was quite strange.

“In a way I suppose. I do not know much history of your culture or the Island. They have done well to obscure much of it and they tend not to share much which keeps us Historians from analyzing records and data for truth. It is also not proper to just guess that is how information becomes corrupted.” She looked at him for a long moment, then offered him a bit of a smile.

“I do recommend not going back there, however, it sounds like you have lived in a cult for twenty-eight years. Either do as you are told or suffer the Forum's wrath. That is what it felt like being one of the Lambs, especially as I got older. I was not allowed to be anyone but who they told me to be. The thing you have to realize is not all cults are interested in ending the world. Some just want to control people.”

Something on her brother’s face made her stop speaking, her eyes widened for a moment and then she returned to her cleaning. Letting the silence of the cottage wash over both of them.

FFXIV Writes 2023 | Day 15 | Portentous

Another outing with his Half-Sister leaves Dimitri feeling attacked by the words she uses and the questions she asks.

Portentous

Adjective /pôrˈten(t)əs/. If someone's way of speaking, writing, or behaving is portentous, they speak, write, or behave more seriously than necessary because they want to impress other people

“There is one thing I have always wondered about the Sharlayan.” It was another day that he had found himself with his Half-Sister, this time they were in Limsa browsing an imported spices rack in the Culinarian store run by the Culinarian Guild, that she happened to be a card-carrying member of. 

“What’s that?” Dimitri tried to be polite when she asked her questions, but some of them tended to needle at him a bit, especially if she was in one of her moods where everything sounded like she was being critical of any way of life that wasn’t Ishgardian or Gridanian in nature, and especially if it was his way of life. 

“Why is it that everything the lot of you says sounds so overly portentous? It makes conversation with you unbearable at times.” Viviane looked over the top of her glasses, offering him one of her most smug smiles, she even stopped to flutter her ruby lashes in a manner that seemed to beseech him not to be angry with her, she was in possession of a deeply curious nature. This did result in Dimitri clenching his jaw, if he could say one thing about dear, sweet Vi she could piss him off in a matter of moments and this one brought him quite close to where he could not control his anger. 

“Have you bothered to listen to your sister?” he finally managed to get out but only after he started to busy himself with things in the store like cooking books! It kept him calm enough, but anything book-related often kept him from losing his good sense especially when they were out in public as they were now. “You sound as if your nose is so high in the air that you are inhaling the clouds and then trying to speak. No, I don’t mean airhead, I mean rather full of yourself.” 

A merry little laugh left her lips, and she pushed those glasses of hers right back up on her nose where they belonged. “I know what I sound like dear Brother.” 

Dimitri couldn’t help but gawk at her, she had resisted one of his best put-downs (or so he thought) and remained perfectly chipper. This resulted in the Sharlayan blinking his eyes at her, she had certainly caught him off guard this time and he hated every moment of it. Could it be true? That the Ishgardians were just that masochistic that words bounced off their backs, or was it necks? He swore her neck was longer than his since they met and it looked so even now. 

“I am not portentous, I just happen to prefer the proper use of common language.” The Duskwight heard himself sniffing his nose, and the way his accent hung on the last syllable of the word language made him cringe, hopefully not visibly enough that she noticed it or that would be used against him as well. 

“You are! And you just heard yourself as well. I saw that cringe, poor dear not used to people not blowing sunshine up his arse, now are you.” To her, this was the most amusing conversation the two of them had ever had since most of the time it turned into a debate where the two of them would be horns locked and head to head until someone came along to tell them to shut up. She did enjoy outings with her Brother, by far her second favorite sibling, with Qiha taking first place out of the sheer tom foolery that existed around the Viera. 

At this point Dimitri found himself flashing the smaller Elezen a cheshire smile and he lifted a hand and folded down most of his fingers; bringing in his thumb as well which left him with his middle finger straight up and positioned right towards Vi. Who burst out laughing immediately. Dimitri gawked at her again, as she continued pursuing the spices that had come in on the boats from Thavnair this morning, the whole damnable reason she woke him up to begin with, and even as she rounded the corner to check the next of the make-shift aisles she continued to laugh. 

“Does nothing hurt your feelings Viviane?” He found himself asking as he finally caught up with her, for someone as short as she was she could walk faster than he could, and she did not slow down even when she was asked to. Often he believed that she had a schedule in her head that allowed her only so much time to do everything on it, and there was absolutely nothing that could deter her from that precise measure of time that she needed. 

“That depends.” She replied, stuffing cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom into the little shopping tote she carried. “I am rather sensitive to being rejected especially when it comes to my music. My heart goes into what I sing, the words I write for my songs, and even the choreography that I put to the music can hurt my feelings. If you mean simple things like being told I am an arse or given the finger by my Brother, then no. You have to pick the things that will bother you in life Dimitri or you will be mad about everything eventually. I was almost there myself.” 

Reaching up he dragged a hand through his hair and then found himself shoving his hands into his pockets, to sulk after her. As much as he hated to admit it he wanted to hear more of what she had to say. She was a smart woman, and in ways he was not. She had what some called street smarts whereas he was all book learning which often caused the two to clash in their fiery blow-outs. 

“Not everything upsets me.” He huffed as she stopped again, this time it was baking supplies and from the look of what she shoved in the tote she was planning on some form of a cookie, this thought made his stomach rumble, Vi made the best cookies. He had tried more than a few types in both of his visits to Eorzea, in fact, he was already hoping he would get a nice tin this time to share with Laurent along with a cup of coffee. His ears seemed to perk up at the prospect. 

“Just most things?” Her eyes were on him again and this time she offered him a soft but sisterly smile. “You get that from Mother I fear, she believed everything was a chore and that everyone hated her. When in truth it was really just her making it impossible for people to get close to her. I am not saying you are exactly like her of course, but there have been some arguments at the Scholasticate that we take after our parents in one way or another. I take more after my Father. He never seemed to let anything bother him from the memories I have of him. It isn’t always the best way to be of course, because then I never talk about the things that do hurt me. I just let them sit. Mother used to tell me it was because I was cold-hearted and did not care. It is quite the opposite really, and it got me nowhere worth my time.” 

In this case, Dimitri found that Vi did make a lot of sense, words were words and there were a lot of them especially when there were so many different languages to choose from depending on where on the Star you were at the time. He had always been sensitive to words, but then he had been made fun of all through his early years of education and he had spent most of his life proving he was worthy to be called a Sharlayan because he was an outsider. 

“I guess we do sound portentous most of the time.” the words slipped out with ease, and he even offered her a small smile as it did. “Old Sharlyan is a very serious place overall when I think of it.” He then stepped beside her selecting a few items of his own from the shelves as he realized that Limsa also would have things from his home that were common staples. “Most people who would visit the island would believe that we had no sense of humor, but it is there. It is merely offset by how stern we sound when we speak.” 

Up she looked, and her face warmed even further. “Ishgardians are sarcastic, we strike first with it and then when we have our foot in the door we follow up with dry humor. I imagine that it can sound quite harsh to someone who is not used to it, or even to someone who was treated poorly in their life. I do promise I mean nothing by it, I am more likely to scream and cry in one breath if I am truly being a bitch. I was merely curious why every Sharlayan I have met since the Island opened more and your people began traveling sounded as if they had no emotion to them. It is rather disconcerting.” 

Up to the counter she moved, and Dimitri moved right behind her, his tote stuffed with imported goodies from Sharlayan that he was excited to take home to his love to try. He had even been a bit of a smartass and collected Archon Loaf just to see the reaction he would get. 

“I know Vi.” He said as he stood in line behind her, waiting for the students who ran the makeshift shop to motion him forward. “It just hit me the wrong way but that is not your fault, it is mine for being over-sensitive. Speaking of which if you like, I could help you with those feelings of rejection you get. I did study such things when I was at the Studium. I could have walked that path instead of the one I chose.” 

“We shall see.” a soft hum came from her then as she was motioned forward, and she began to empty her things onto the tote for the helper to ring into the little register they used to keep track of sales. 

Last Updated March 18th 2024

Hello everyone I'm Star! I am:

30+ | Non-Binary | She/They Pronouns. Please!

Married | Bisexual | From the North-East US

This is my FFXIV Hub Blog where you will find things associated with but not limited to:

My OCs/My Friends OCs

My GPOSE Work/Other's GPOSE Work

My FFXIV Writes Stories/Other's FFXIV Writes Stories

Macro Dancing Performances/ How to Guides

Art, lots and lots of it, I like to promote artists when I can!

Wol Questions of the Day Answers

FFXIV Event Announcements

A Link to my OC Hub Carrd

A Link to my GPOSE Portfolio, I do commissions!

Links to my IC Character Inspiration Blogs

Anything Else FFXIV that I find!

A way to get in touch with me

My Main FFXIV OCs

Dimitri Jienuex

Dimitri is Viviane's brother who was raised in Old Sharlayan his common themes are: Being an occult investigator working for the Adders, Painting, Old Books and Maps, Performing when the mood strikes, Learning about the Shroud, and exploring life outside of Sharlayan.

Inspiration Tumblr

Carrd

Dimitri is looking to:

Make friends he can hang out with!

Take on cases dealing with cults, ritual magic, malfunctioning relics and artifacts, and missing persons (always open to your ideas as well!)

Hear the news from Old Sharlyan! (is your character Sharlyan he would love to meet them. Pre-arranged hooks possible!)

Baroness Viviane Jienuex -Vimaroix

A runaway Ishgardian Noble ends up in the Shroud where they meet the loves of their life and come to understand what life is all about. Their most common themes are: Life as a Performer, Adventuring, Owning a Bakery, Tarot Reading, Nymeia Worship, and Slice of Life-Family Themes.

Carrd

Inspiration Tumblr

Viviane is looking to:

Meet other Nobles from Ishgard as well as other lands.

Network with other performers (duets and group numbers welcome)

Do Tarot Card Readings for the Community at Large

Visit Bakeries, Cafes, and restaurants to expand her knowledge.

Doctor Xixa Loonsi

A once Conjury student and Hearer from Stillglade Fane tells the Padjal where they can shove their rules and laws then embarks out on her own to have the life that she dreamed of. Her most common themes are: Conjury The Elements, Medicine (high interest in odd illnesses with no known cure), Medicinal Herbs, Medicine Making (Alchemy), Shroud Politics, Magic Lessons, and Menphina Worship.

Carrd

Inspiration Tumblr

Xixa is looking to:

Meet others from the Shroud

Make Professional Connections with other Doctors

See new Patients with odd illnesses

Have open discussions with like minds

Feel free to look me up on Twitter and Blue Sky as well. Thank You for reading!!

FFXIV Writes 2023 | Day 9 | Fair

Dimitri and his partner chat about the story so far as they try to find shelter from a storm in the Shroud.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” The voice stopped Dimitri who had been rambling on for the last few bells about meeting his birth Mother, and he found himself looking up towards the back of Laurent’s head.

“No, but I wish I was.” He tried to make light of it, keeping the jovial nature in his voice but he had been watching the Wailer for three days now, trying to gauge his response to some of the things he had confessed as they wandered through the Shroud. It was the first time Dimitri had managed to figure out exactly where Laurent entered the deep wood, managed to follow him for a few malms before discovery, and all by watching his environment. That was the most rewarding part of tracking another person, having to look for the small signs that most would never think of. The slight depressions in the brush, the small snapped twigs, and of course if you got lucky a full boot print could be found even if the person had a soft step like Laurent did.

“Fuck that, it’s not fair.” A grunt followed the words, as was normal for Laurent. He was a man of few words, especially when he was working and even more so when something got under his skin. He liked to keep a lid on his thoughts until he was sure how he wanted to say something. At times he would let topics go for weeks and then eventually have his say. At first, Dimitri struggled with this, since he was so used to having to defend himself and answer to everything he did right away, but as the months went on he began to understand why Laurent was this way and he even began to find himself doing the same thing. For often the mood he was in when he first heard something didn’t reflect how he felt after he thought about it for a while.

“Well, she certainly thought it was.” The Sharlyan let out a wry chuckle, leaning on the fallen branch he had found some malms back that had become his walking stick. Where most would have felt like shit with all the physical exertion put out on this particular patrol Dimitri was at his finest and even the slight protest in his muscles made him feel as if he had been doing something with his days instead of shitting around in the loft packing or moping because Laurent was busy with work.

“There are a lot of fucked up things about my birth family.” He continued, this was the other thing he had come to understand about the Wailer. He liked to listen. He liked to learn about people and just because he didn’t answer didn’t mean that he wasn’t paying attention. It meant that he was and while he listened he was also doing the other things he needed to do while processing each thing he heard to make his decisions later.

“Frankly, I have just taken it as a typical Noble family and called it a day. It was the first time I had the chance to sit down with a Voidsent who seemed to be sympathetic to those of us still with Aether. It is also how I learned about Viviane’s illness.” Oops, he thought to himself, most of the time he was good at keeping her name out of things at least, or at least any reference to her if the need to speak about his Sister came up. It was a kindness after all, no one enjoys hearing the name of someone from their past and he actually felt a sensation of worry build up in him only this time the Wildwood just kept right on walking, there was no change in his posture, no motion to shake it off. There was just a man, his bow, and the path he had walked for moons and moons. This caused Dimitri to lift his eyebrow, but he certainly wasn’t about to poke the beehive any further.

“It was peculiar. I had spent so long in that stuffy lecture hall listening to the Professor prattle on, day after day about how they were menaces, evils, and wished us all dead. Yet here was one who thought of us as her family. That assumed my Mother’s form with the intent to just continue with her work until a time came, which it had, that she wished to move on with her own life.”

Over hills, and down into valleys they moved. The sky was darkening above them and Dimitri had predicted rain about a bell again when the wind whipped past them in one of its merry twirls. “Mm, we should find shelter. That storm is going to be upon us soon, I can smell the burnt ozone already and there is a bit of electricity in the air.”

“Working on it, keep walking.” came the gruff voice, followed by a quickening of Laurent’s pace. Dimitri had found out early on that the pair were evenly matched when it came to endurance and stamina, even with the broken arm he had at the time. It made doing this with the Wailer truly enjoyable, of course, he made certain to walk behind the other man so he could admire those broad shoulders from his years of practice with his bow as well as his muscular rear which was at times packed into pants as tight as the ones that Dimitri wore. There was even a wide grin on his face at the moment, that was until Laurent looked over his shoulder and gave him this look.

“I know what you are doing,” he said then looked back ahead of him, The manner in which he found himself caught made Dimitri let out a low chuckle that seemed to echo through the heart of the woods where they were now.

“Oh come on now, you enjoy it when I stare at you and you cannot tell me you do not.” It was a deliberate tease, his attempt at either ruffling the Wildwood’s feathers or making him laugh. Of course, it was also taking a chance, for there were times his random and rather bad attempts at flirting resulted in the two of them not talking, and even though they eventually would work things out Dimitri didn’t like causing the tension to begin with, even though it was perfectly normal and healthy for couples to fight.

“Keep your mind on the Storm Pretty,” Laurent replied in that neutral tone that Dimitri still hadn’t learned how to interpret yet. All these Moons and studying the Wailer's body language hadn’t given him the slightest idea of how to read into this particular tone of voice. He had often found himself wondering if it was a show of interest but depended on what came next before his partner would give any sign as to where things were heading. Whatever it was, Dimitri found himself never sure of how to proceed.

“Right, the storm. I’ve noticed there are no animals on this path.” he rambled on, his eyes darting this way and that as the thunder began to echo ominously above them. Storms were something that the Sharlyan found himself in tune with. He could often feel them coming and going. This one felt like it was going to split the Shroud straight down the middle if it could. The powerful build-up of Levin in the air around them was beginning to make the fine covering of hair on his arms stand up and leave a tingle in his skin. This made him think about the Storm that had led to their meeting, his smile returning and his eyes resuming their watch of the way the other Elezen stalked through the woods. It was a haunting sight really, beautiful would be his word to describe it. Each step he took, and each motion he made caused the Duskwight to stare even harder. How could he be thinking about sex right now when the sky was about to drop ponz of rain on them if they didn’t find shelter?

“Up ahead, two clicks to the left. Old shack. It’s empty and we reclaimed it as a safe spot in case of weather. Should have a stocked pantry, at least it did last week. Hopefully, no one came along and ate everything. Don’t have time to hunt with this storm coming.” It was the most Laurent had said the entire walk, but it was also when he was at his best. His work kept him out of his head, and on his feet. He took great pride in it and he knew exactly what he was doing without fail. It was also the one time Dimitri would not debate with the Wailer on a topic, which was a rare thing as the Sharlyan often debated anything that came his way from anyone. Not this though, Laurent knew what he was doing and Dimitri trusted in that.

“I want to hear more about this meeting when we get inside.” The softer voice lacking the commanding tone caused Dimitri to look up quizzically but like everything else he did not question what was on Laurent’s mind, he would tell him when he was ready.

“I think you are right by the way.” were the words that the Sharlyan chose to say. “It wasn’t fair, a lot of what I have told you hasn’t been fair. I just never thought about it that way before. I thought it was something I had to do and be quiet about.” His voice trailed off as big raindrops fell from the sky and crashed into the top of his head followed by his face when he looked up. “Shit” he muttered, the storm had finally caught up with them.

“Don’t worry about it, we made it in time, let's go.” Laurent motioned to the old shack they were now on top of, and it looked like a strong wind could blow the thing over, yet there it still stood. Of course, the condition of the building worried Dimitri but he still followed his partner inside and out of the rain.

FFXIV Writes 2023 | Day 10 | Writer's Choice: Enigma

Today's story revolves around Dimitri's sister, Viviane, as she reflects on parts of her past and sets her sights on her future.

Enigma- Something hard to understand or explain

It was a quiet night at the Amethyst Shallows where Viviane had found herself. It was the first sign that Summer was coming to an end. The parties had dwindled, the parents with their children as well and it was rare to see a couple curled up on one of the lounge chairs forgetting that the world was around them. As beautiful as she found the silence, it was also a time that always felt bittersweet.

Down she sat in her favorite spot, an area with a ledge that allowed her to kick off her shoes and dangle her feet into the water. She spent so much time here over the last cycle or two that it was often where she ended up when she needed to think or just wished to be alone for a while Today was different though, she had been working on her choreography for an upcoming show when the nostalgia from the material she had been working on finally took a hold of her.

So much had changed in her life since she first left Ishgard, the scared and scarred woman that she was then. It was difficult at times to actually look back to her past without worrying that she was going to draw something from it to the present. Things were not the best then and the road she walked wasn’t always the smoothest that roads could be.

Tonight she found herself thinking about performing, and those she had met along the way. She had earned the title through a lot of hard work and discipline, but it was what many called her now especially on the Stage when she was playing the part of Mysteri L’etranger, her alter ego. Truth was Vi never thought that she would be as successful as she was as a Performer, nor did she think she would ever make the five cycles she had performed and she found herself wondering what had happened to those who taught her how.

She still remembered each of them fondly and often closed her eyes before she went on stage to envision her old troupe and the way they all cheered each other on. It was one of the most memorable times of her life, Cherry Blossom, was her name then. Each member of the Troupe had been named after a flower of their choosing to hide their actual names and affiliations. The sad part of it for her was none of them had ever gotten to know her as she was today, the Elezen who had many illusions and faces.

Mysteri was are you always a different race the question had been asked so many times now. It was part of her act she had told them, a way to keep people guessing and part of the Enigma she had become. Who would she be when she stepped on stage? For the longest time, no one could answer that question, and most of the time she didn’t know herself. Each face she had taken over the cycles had been a piece of her struggle to survive.

There in the water, she found herself, her long red curls that bounced at any movement, her bright sapphire eyes that seemed to glow in the encroaching dark, and her pale skin that made her feel as if someone could see through her at this time of the day if they looked hard enough. It had been such a long journey to this point where she looked in the mirror and always saw herself looking back instead of someone else. The anxiety was almost gone now, the worry that someone from Ishgard would recognize her had evaporated and the confusion about her identity after she obtained her freedom from the lambs was almost settled as well. So much trial and error had gone into who she eventually became but for the first time in her life, she was free to be that person.

“If only I could find him and thank him,” Vi muttered to herself as she opened her silver cigarette case and drew from within a cigarette that she placed between her lips. She had been hunting for the mysterious Dragoon who carried her safely to Ishgard from Corethas since she first arrived in the Shroud. Missive after Missive had been sent to the Office of the Knights Dragoon inquiring who had run rounds in that area during that time and each time she received a reply We are sorry Lady Jienuex no such person existed that we know of had led her to wonder if it had all been nothing more than a fever dream yet, in the end, she remembered the armor, she remembered the crunch of the snow under his feet, the clang of his lance on his back and most vividly the way he carried her as if she was fragile and precious right to the guards at the gates of Ishgard.

He was the reason she ever made it to the stages of her dreams, for all of her visions had shown that she would meet her end cold and alone in a building that could barely stand on its own. She was not meant to survive those days after the Calamity struck. Nymeia had promised that for her crimes she would be forgotten and left to freeze by the very people who had kidnapped her. Then he came, and somehow he changed that fate. There was nothing she wanted more than to thank him for her second chance at life and each time she stepped on the stage along with the others she left a silent thank you for him as well. He was an enigma just like her but like her, she hoped that someday he would emerge from his shadow and take off his mask.

In the time she thought of those of her past the Moon had risen high above her head and the silver light streamed from the sky down to dance along the surface of the water catching her eye and making her smile. Her life had changed so much over those cycles, but nothing like it had in just this last one. Her days were filled with wonder now and her heart was filled with love. So much good the nameless Dragoon had done, he would always be her Warrior of Light, whoever he was.

Grounding out the cigarette on the bottom of her shoe, she placed the last pieces of it into the pocket of the sweater she had thrown on, on her way out the door of Qiha’s studio Then she collected her shoes from beside her holding them in her hand. Being an enigma wasn’t a terrible thing, but at the same time, it kept people at arm's length, something she had begun to regret as of late. She no longer wished to be hidden in shadows. They had been her shelter that she needed in order to heal from everything, but even the best armor eventually rusted and then you needed to make changes as you designed a new set.

That was the next leg of her journey, and while that thought scared her it was one that she would meet head on with a smile. After all, she couldn’t be Mysteri L’etranger forever, performers did eventually get old and end up with painful joints from their antics on stage, it was time to start laying down the foundation for the next leg of her life. She had a few good years left in her on stage, but more and more she heard Ishgard calling her name again and there was an offer on the table that would take her home. All she had to do was throw away the puzzle she had been working on for too long and step into the light of change.

FFXIV Writes 2023 | Day 13 | Check

Another visit with 'Mother' provides Dimitri with family history and grim news about his Sister, Viviane.

For days after the first meeting with his Mother, Saphelle, Dimitri did everything he could to avoid going to see her. It was a great deal to process in a short time and with his education and experiences thus far with voidsent it was for the best that he had sunk himself into something distracting.

On the morning of the fourth day, he finally felt he was ready to return to the expensively decorated loft to check in on the creature inhabiting his Mother’s body. In the time that he had taken to unpack all that he had learned he also went about strengthening his wards. Despite these efforts he still found himself struggling with going to face the creature again, especially knowing that Viviane had no idea what she was dealing with.

The walk from where he had been staying to the loft felt much longer than it was. The sense of dragging his feet was quite noticeable to the man since with legs as long as his it took no time to clear distances. On his way, he kept telling himself things would turn out alright, but as soon as he saw the outline of Lily Hills in the distance he felt his stomach churn and his throat tighten. There were too many unknown variables in this equation and Dimitri was not comfortable with the unknown. The creature could be lying or have its sights on Viviane because of her aether abilities like it had their Mother. The Sharlyan felt his jaw tighten as he thought about the various ways this entire situation could end up and before he knew it he was in the lobby moving towards the aetheryte to the top floor.

“Lord Dimitri.” A crisp voice, one of Garlean origin by the accent, greeted him at the door in the shape of his Mother’s butler Atticus. This was the other thing that deeply disturbed him profoundly. While it was well and good that the man had escaped the Empire's grasp and found his way to freedom in Ishgard, he found it deplorable that his Mother had him answering doors and engaging with guests, especially those who could be from areas that had been dominated by the Garlean war machine. While Sharlayan was not one of them and had remained neutral with the Empire as they did with any other nation or City-State on the Star he had heard enough horror stories that led him to feel that a lower-profile job would have been better for the man especially since he was not one to cover the trademark third eye that loomed from his forehead.

“Here to see your Mother? She had just asked me to ring you on the linkpearl and ensure that you were safe. She is looking forward to another visit with you, she is even in her sitting room this morning instead of her bedroom. Of course, this does not mean much.” The man confided, as he straightened his starch white gloves and then moved to take Dimitri’s coat from him to hang in the closet in the hall.

“Mm yes, I do imagine that it is more of a matter of a change of scenery,” Dimitri replied evenly, reluctantly handing over his leather trench coat to the butler and trying not to stare at the third eye even though he felt like it was staring at him, he even put on a faint smile to try and look somewhat dignified as his coat was placed on a hanger and put away until later.

“Now head down the hall, past the bedroom, and to the second door on your right. Then just knock on the door two times, that is the code she set for you.” The smile was returned evenly, and the older man bowed the silver strands blended into his otherwise platinum blonde hair catching Dimitri’s eye, before he gave a nod and headed off in the direction he was told passing by parts of the apartment that he had seen in his last visit, and a piano that he had not noticed. Here he made a note to stop on his way out and see if it was in tune or if it needed service. He had learned to play in Sharlayan, and often he would play to relax when found himself overthinking a matter as he was now. Pressing on he arrived at the door which was half closed and he knocked once then twice as he had been instructed to do.

“Oh do come in!” Saphelle’s voice called. “I was worried about you my dear boy. I had not heard from you after our first meeting and I was concerned you got lost in the nightlife of Eorzea as most visitors do.” How she could simply act like she was a normal person infuriated the Sharlayan for there was nothing normal about her. She was a monster, there was no other way to think of it, at least that was what his Professors had taught at the Studium and what he now taught himself.

“I am quite well.” came his reply as he stepped in the door, straightening the vest he wore at the same time, and making certain his tie was straight, appearances were everything after all. “After our first talk, I needed time to think and to check on a few things.” Dimitri knew his face was grim, and there was no way of hiding that fact from the woman before him. Today she sat in a chair by the window wrapped in a snow-white shawl with her long Raven hair fashioned into a high ponytail at the back of her head and on her nose sat perched a pair of glasses.

“I do not feel bad about telling you the situation so if you came looking for an apology there will not be one,” Saphelle said sternly and then motioned towards the other side of the table where a folder sat brimming with information on something that threatened to spill all over the table. “I cannot tell your Sister any of this, she is quite delicate. You would never notice that looking at her but the Chiurgeons who cared for her after her rescue were quite firm that she could not tolerate stress or it chanced all the work they had done to help her overcome her brainwashing from the Cult.

“Excuse me?” This was even more jarring than learning his Mother had been dead for years. “What Cult? Are you trying to tell me my Sister is a Cultist being left to wander around Eorzea on her good word alone that she has no agenda?” Across the room he moved, and soon he settled into the chair, his hands moving to the folder which he did not wait to open and he found within kidnapping pictures, old articles in Ishgardian beseeching the Cultists to bring Viviane Jienuex home, and other information that he often used in his investigations.

“Cultist not by her own choice. When I am gone Dimitri I will need you to check on her. It is a long story; the documents within that folder tell you most of it. In short, Viviane was kidnapped in her fifteenth summer by the Lambs of Dalamud. She was kept in captivity until she was in her mid-twenties and then returned to us by an unknown man. None of this is my concern, those who cared for her were successful in treating her and reversing the hold of the cult. There are things that I need to tell you of her condition, that a man of your training will understand.”

It was at that moment that the door closed all the way, pulled from the other side likely by Atticus who had been lying in wait for a keyword or sign from his employer to do so. The sound of the door closing caused the Sharlayan to jump slightly in his chair as his fingers moved through page after page, including medical reports from those who had tended to his Sister. His head shook every so often as he read every single word on every single page. “The Lambs be damned.” He finally said looking up towards Saphelle’s ruby eyes, he still did not understand why she was helping them but at this point, he had relented enough to listen to her.

“As I told you during our first meeting the Jienuex family originated within the sacred halls of the City of Mhachi. Your ancestor was named Neipionne the Scholar. She never had a last name that I knew of. Perhaps you have been told that voidsent cannot love, and for most that is true. However, when you are summoned by a soul with enough power to draw you from the void to their side, you learn to love them and remember what love is if you have forgotten.” Lifting her teacup that somehow was still steaming she took a few sips from it before continuing, Dimitri now sitting quietly, his attention locked on her.

“I loved her, for all she was and all she believed in. I loved her so intensely that when it was her time to die, I agreed to her request to watch over her descendants until I met my bittersweet end or I was dismissed from my Oath. I have seen each of you as my children because of this oath. Neipionne and I often saw each other as bonded, how could I not look upon all of you as anything else? It has been a long road Dimitri but one that has been most rewarding to me. I have watched generations of your family grow and take over the House as their own, each time I vanished for a time ready to be there in the end to educate the next generation about their heritage.”

Slowly she lowered the teacup and she rested her slightly wrinkled hands on the table. “Your Sister has been told she has an illness, what she has not been told yet is that her Illness makes her pact bound to a Voidsent, and I have had no success in determining who or where this Voidsent can be found.” Saphelle’s brow creased, and the light in her eyes dimmed quite a bit before she raised them to the Sharlayan’s “What you will not often find in written Ishgardian history is that the Lambs of Dalamud were Thaumaturges who used blood as a focus. Many thought that they were akin to conjurers since they were devout to an Aspect of Menphina; this has never been the case.” Around her slight frame, her arms wrapped in a self-hug as if the story she told him disturbed her greatly.

“Knowing this would bring no surprise I am certain that blood was given to your Sister while in captivity. That is precisely ten cycles of daily infusion and they used voidsent blood.” She arched her eyebrow at him and then looked to see if he followed along.

“Fuck” was the only word Dimitri could manage, he knew much of blood used in rituals and the powers of voidsent blood over a mortal. Several times he started to open his mouth to speak but nothing came out, and when that didn’t work a finger raised to call attention to his desire to speak only moments later to lower again until both of his hands were folded on the table as well.

“The Mhach scholars were known for a ritual that tied voidsent and their summoner in other ways, ways that Neipionne and I never agreed with. It was because of this we never shared blood, a smart move indeed as she would have become like your sister with the things she had been exposed to in her research and the fact she took part in the rituals herself before we met. The Red Mages of Ala Mhigo can tell this story better than I if you ever meet one. They have tales of a family tied to the Void Queen Lilith that cursed them until Lilith was banished back to the Void. The condition is called Nightkin, an Aether vampire.” Saphelle said seriously. “And until we can find who the blood Viviane was given belonged to, she will bear this curse with no cure.”

Dimitri’s fist came down on the table, his eyes wide with fury. “And she is being allowed to walk around the Shroud like an innocent woman! I have read accounts from Ala Mhigo, the horror that poor woman went through. How is it safe for my Sister to be out there!”

“She has been trained. For the past five years, she has been with Saphelle’s sister Doshaine in the deep woods. They had the same condition, Dimitri, while Viviane thinks it is an illness that leaves her in need of aether transfusions she has been taught to live in the manner that Doshaine herself lived. Unfortunately, we lost Doshaine just last Moon, and now I need you to watch over your Sister, and check in on her. Make certain she goes to Ishgard for medical care and other things. In that folder is everything you need to know that Doshaine put into place. I cannot stay in this form much longer, I have already stayed too long and you are the only one I could trust with this knowledge, it is what you have been taught to do.”

To be continued