#ffxivwrite23

[fair-fae]

FFxivWrite23 Entry #2: Bark

FFxivWrite 2023 FFxivWrite23 Masterpost Prompt #2: Bark

It was an evening like any other when Faye made her way through the rough streets of Ul’dah, the noblewoman clad in fine, white clothes entirely out of place there. The sun had already set, but be it due to foolish naivety or perhaps a more deserved confidence, Lady Covington did not appear nervous of her surroundings. She was not one to drop her guard, however, especially not some place so rife with dangers, and so the sound of a thud and some rustling from an alleyway wedged between two buildings as she passed immediately caught her attention and stopped her in her tracks.

She crept forward to peer around the corner, relieved to find the source of the noise was only a trash bin that had been toppled over by a small and no doubt harmless creature now rummaging through its contents. Quietly, she approached the furry critter which eventually took notice of the sound of her footsteps drawing near, and it withdrew its head from the trash can to look at her. It was a small dog, a motley mix of any and probably every terrier and toy breed, all skin and bones with filthy, matted fur and crusty eyes. The mutt instinctively barked and growled, guarding the chicken bone within his maw, but he quieted after he seemed to decide the Hyur before him was a friendly enough presence. “Oh you poor, precious thing,” Faye cooed and she crouched down, heedless of soiling her long skirt and its pristine fabric on the dirty floor of the alley. Watching the dog, she outstretched one gloved hand and waited patiently for him to overcome his reservations, drop the bone, and hesitantly come closer to sniff her fingers, tiny black nose wiggling and his tail tucked between his skinny, shaking legs. Once he seemed comfortable, she dared to move her hand nearer, her fingers tentatively petting over his head, brushing the overgrown fur from his eyes. “That’s a good boy,” she spoke more honeyed words, and his tail gave a tired little wag. Finding that the pets had been received well enough, Faye scooped the dog up into her arms, paying no mind to the fleas that would surely leap onto her and nip at her flesh, standing up and holding him outward to inspect him with delight. “Let’s go home, get you cleaned up and get you some real food. Oh, and you’ll need a name, of course. Something proper and dignified…” her words trailed off thoughtfully, and with that, Sir Checkers’ fate was sealed. She always did have a soft spot for strays.

[pyrrhesia]

FFXIVWrite23 - Home

Part 3.

This website is miserable enough that putting short fiction on it is genuinely not a worthwhile endeavour anymore, but here we are for one last go. May a thousand plagues strike down whatever poindexter decided 4096 characters was an appropriate limit.

So it's a fucking GoogleDoc now.

[fair-fae]

FFxivWrite23 Entry #1: Envoy

FFxivWrite 2023 FFxivWrite23 Masterpost Prompt #1: Envoy

“Does the name Zularti Vensar mean anything to you, m’lady?” Faye’s hands immediately went limp, dumbfounded. She forgot about the teacup she had been holding, fumbling and catching it before it completely upturned, but not without sloshing several drops of its contents onto her gloves and the pink tablecloth to stain the fabric. Had she misheard him?

“I thought it sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place it…” the Lalafell across the table continued thoughtfully, stroking his snowy white beard. Lord Raisan Arcmantle had been a friend and colleague for nearly a decade, and few could be as steadfast or capable, but perhaps his age was beginning to catch up to him. “Excuse me–I’m sorry, what?” the Midlander sputtered, unable to get any other words out. She took a moment to collect herself, quietly clearing her throat. “Why… why do you ask?” “We had a visitor here at the teahouse by that name a few days ago, and I showed him around. He said he was a member of the Harbingers of Dawn from the old days. I didn’t recognize him, but it’s been a long time, and my memory isn’t what it used to be… But he had his free company badge, and I know it as one I made by my own hand,” Raisan explained, and Faye did her best to keep up her calm veneer even as her head spun, finding little succeed in the endeavor.. “Zularti? That’s not… That’s not possible… He’s…” Her words trailed off, unable to bring herself to finish the thought, and she shook her head slowly. He couldn’t possibly be alive, could he? After all this time, all her searching, could he just show up out of the blue? It was the conclusion her heart leapt to, what she wished to be true more than anything else, but she couldn’t allow herself to entertain the idea and set herself up for such grave disappointment. So what was this, then? A cruel joke or veiled threat from someone who knew far too much? “What did this person look like?” The Lalafell continued to run his fingers along his goatee as he tried to recollect. “He was tall… but I suppose everyone is taller than me. My apologies, m’lady. I don’t remember much else that stood out. My memory is failing me.” Faye stared down at her teacup, her hands shaking. It took all her focus to be mindful of her Magitek prosthetic, to make certain she didn’t crush the porcelain beneath the metal digits. The conversation continued, but it felt so far away, the Hyur lost in her own thoughts. Raisan had given the visitor a tour and they reminisced. Raisan offered him a room to stay at the teahouse, but the man had refused. She would ask a question as casually as she could, and Raisan would offer a response that brought her no closer to the answers she truly wanted. Her dismay must have been so apparent from across the room that Drakkaern had taken notice and wandered over to her side to offer his comfort, and while some part of her was vaguely aware of his presence, she was too preoccupied to acknowledge the poor man with his hand upon her shoulder. “He did say he will return sometime. It should be easy to spot him if he does,” Raisan surmised. “We don’t get many Hrothgar around here.” Faye stared at him in disbelief. 

“Hrothgar?”

[fair-fae]

FFxivWrite23 Entry #3: The Rising

FFxivWrite 2023 FFxivWrite23 Masterpost Prompt #3: (you pick!)

Each time summer flees And the air chills, I recall A hero once lost

And a bonus haiku from my husband with my aid: Eorzea, wow This place is pretty sick, bro I'm going to log