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eivor-thorne-ffxiv · 2 years ago

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He was an amalgamation of rage. He always had been. There was nothing kind about Eivor when someone had incurred his wrath. While he and Cordelia would deny up and down that there were no feelings involved and his connection with the woman was one of an owed debt, he personally couldn’t deny the pang that had swelled in his chest upon learning that Damien Gray had laid his hands on Cordelia. While Eivor had been assured that Cordelia had done significant damage to the little lord, it didn’t placate the hulking Ala Mhigan who had been away from the estate to tend to Cordelia’s business.

It had been several days on the return journey and Eivor had traded out a lighter selection of armor for the thick furs and leathers that he wore underneath protective layer of plate armor. Despite the abundance of chocobos in Ishgard, the large man had still favored a horse and his dappled gray steed led the pack that had swiftly made their way through the large iron gates and up the gravel pathway that led to the large doors of the estate. Eivor had not wasted any time in jumping down from the saddle and handling the leather reins off to another armor clad individual as he made his way through the large doors.

“Where?” He grunted in greeting to the female attendant that had rushed to the door to greet whomever it was. “Her room,” was all that was offered in response as the sound of his thick leather boots stomped against the stone walkway and he recounted the familiar path to her quarters. He hadn’t bothered to knock as he twisted the handle and allowed himself entry to the doorway. “Where is he?” Eivor asked as he drew in a large breath which had made an evident rise and fall to his muscular shoulders.

“His estate.” Her voice was low, the tone holding little emotion as her attention kept to the reading.

“And you’ve no drive to wipe that pathetic estate off of the maps of Ishgard?” Eivor asked with an infuriated tone as he had stepped further into the room.

There was a pause in his demeanor as she had seemed so…plain regarding it. Where Eivor was bottled rage waiting to combust, Cordelia had found herself to be composed and idle. He would’ve brought the sky down upon Damien and not thought twice about it though the woman seemed to not be bothered by the situation.

It may have been a surprising sight to find Cordelia lounging comfortably within a large chair that was settled before the fireplace within her chambers. The loud echoing footsteps gave Eivor’s approach away and despite her knowing of his arrival, the woman remained focused on the book in hand. Ebony locks fell unruly over her shoulders compared to how she typically kept it up off her back. “Did you acquire the shipment? We are set to have everything manufactured and inventoried to be sent to Lady Cress’ ship to be sold and I want it all to be done smoothly.”

He had brought himself further into the room so that he could move to stand before the chair that she had comfortably in. “You have no need to question the status of the shipment and yet you do. Everything is moving ahead as planned and does not require your attention yet you give it weight when you should be dealing with other things.”

She allowed him to speak, her gaze still tracing the words on the parchment of the book, flipping the page once to allow for the time he needed to continue. Once it was clear he was done, Cordelia inhaled deeply with slow intentions and gently closed the book. Great care was given to this particular tome, having only recently received it from Vahalia during their visit and setting aside to the table next to her was done so just as carefully. The breath was released with a soft huff as she finally looked up to Eivor, the events of her altercation with Damien still evident on the blemishes of her skin that she hardly attempted to hide now. “My attention is exactly where it should be. My energy will not be wasted on Damien Gray. He is being handled in my own way.”

“Handled in your own way?” Eivor asked in disbelief. “You let the little lord and his staff just walk out of here with all of their belongings unharmed and now he’s in the safety and comfort of his estate. None of us know what he’s planning or who he means to rally.” Eivor had offered a flippant wave as he had huffed in annoyance. His ire for Cordelia would be misplaced but it was evident that her lack of emotion with the situation was a source of frustration for him. His ice colored hues had taken note of the marring to her facial features as his tongue clicked against the roof of his mouth in frustration.

As he continued on, Cordelia’s own frustrations began to grow and upon his final word, she pushed forcefully from her chair. “Apologies, Eivor, when did you become lord of this house? Who made it so that the intricacies involved you and your opinion on what I should be doing?” Her voice had raised a bit now from her prior calm demeanor, but even still she was a far cry from the anger that had boiled over a few nights before.

It mattered little that she stood, though, their height difference still required her to crane her sore neck to keep his gaze. Eivor’s gaze had narrowed down at her. He was a hulking statue of a man and rigged in a full display of armor would only lead him to be more intimidating to the regular passerby. Cordelia was not a regular passerby and it was clear that he had forgotten his place of servitude within her circle.

“I have eyes watching him, the information will be fed back to me when it is learned, if you must know. And for the record-" she paused, pushing by him to cross the room to her bedside table where a carafe of water sat. Pouring the glass, she brought it to her lips, allowing it to linger there as she finished her thought. “- he hardly left unharmed.”

He’d not reply to her and simply turned to watch her traipse across the room as he folded his large arms across his chest. The metal scraped against one another in an obnoxious scratch. “The missive made me aware that Lord Gray had been harmed as well.” He’d note with a clenched jaw. “But it seems as though I’ve misplaced my need to care for your wellbeing and should only focus on the wellbeing of your wealth until my debt has been paid.”

“Your care can be placed where ever you wish for it to so long as it does not get in the way of my work.” Her words came out in ice as she set the now emptied glass back to the bedside table.

It was rare these days that Eivor wound up on this side of her ire though it was clear that no one was free of the blast radius that Damien had created. “Then I needn’t get in the way of your work.” He’d reply with a flat tone as his arms uncrossed.

“You were brought here to settle a debt, to aid me as repayment for the items you stole from us. Do what you will with your emotions or need for feeling protective but do not forget that your place here is not as Lord of this house, for I do not need one."

He’d eye her for a moment beneath knit brows before he would inhale sharply and make his way towards the door of her quarters. “I’ve no need to be a lord. Hell, this wealth like this means fuck all to me. I’ll see myself to the quarters with the rest of the servants.”

Cordelia sighed heavily, walking toward the door as he did so though with a bit quicker pace in attempts to beat him there. When she did so, despite only barely, a hand lifted to press on the door to deny Eivor the ability to open it. “I didn’t say you had to leave.” She dropped her hand, adjusting now so that her back leaned against the wood. A long silence fell between the two as she simply stared up at him, her calm exposure returning.

An exhaled huff of frustration would come from the man’s frame as she had moved to beat him to the door and block his exit. While Eivor was entirely capable of moving Cordelia out of his way should he choose to exit, he instead allowed her to place her body against the wooden door to prevent him from moving forward. He’d not respond to her comment about leaving and instead clenched his jaw as his nostrils flared in slight annoyance. The change from his usual life to one within the Gray Estate was one Eivor still was adjusting to. He was used to living his life on a ship. Air or sea mattered little and he’d spend his nights under the stars. He couldn’t fathom the idea of sleeping under the stars in this dreadfully cold landscape. He had no love for the frozen tundra of a city.

“What would you have me do? Expel unnecessary resources to get revenge on him? I’ve taken steps to have him watched so, if my connection does his job well, we won’t be taken by surprise. I have no interest in wasting more time dedicating my attention to Damien Gray.”

“Myself and another man or two could make quick work of Damien Gray and his lackeys,” Eivor gruffly offered. “You’re sitting on a hope that your connection does his job well. No guarantee that he will.”

“Do you not see the issues that could arise from taking this head on in such a way?” She asked him, her head tilting just slightly, gazing up with an expectant look on her features. Arms rose to cross over her abdomen as she released a heavy sigh.” Not everything needs to be handled with brute force, Eivor. Some instances require tact, and this is one such instance.”

“What issues?” He’d quip back in a hastened manner. “Damien Gray attempted to take your life. A very clear attempt was made by the marks on your neck and when you defended yourself with the means that were near you, he beat you. I don’t know many that would refute that truth.” Eivor had offered a gruff rumble in follow up as he afforded himself a step back to fold his arms over his chest once more.

“The issues of too many eyes looking at me when I need them to be looking elsewhere.” Cordelia took a deep breath, her chest rising slowly as she attempted to ease her frustration that he wasn’t understanding. Whispers swept through Ishgard in waves following Ambrose’s death and while they had quietened for the most part, Cordelia still received the occasional sideways glance when she ventured outside of the estate into the city. “The rumor mill can be vile and work well against our favors, which is something I am trying to avoid and doing more harm to Damien Gray by my hands or by my command would hurt me more than help.”

Eivor couldn’t entirely understand her fixation with the rumor mill. There was little need for such things on ships. Sure, sailors gossiped but they were also just as likely to send a fist across the side of your face as a means of hashing things out instead of creeping behind someone’s back to spew malice and discontent. His icy hues would remain on her as his eyes rolled slightly. “I don’t understand this society,” he’d admit with a slight scoff.

She lifted a hand to his cheek, patting gently with the flash of a smile that faded as quickly as it showed. “Respectfully, dear, you don’t need to.” Maybe she was right. Maybe he didn’t need to understand it and maybe he didn’t want to understand it but that didn’t mean he was free from frustration. His brows would relax as his gaze followed her from the door to her place on the edge of the bed. He hadn’t moved from his spot near the doorway but he also hadn’t reached for the handle. “You need anything then?”

Her hand fell back to her side as she pushed from the door to return back to her bedside, finding herself perched on the edge of the bed. With a heavy sigh, Cordelia held his gaze plainly as she weighed her options. Slowly her steel hues moved along the height of him down his body before lifting to look back at him again. “Not with you in that armor.” She stated coolly before laying back on the bed, never breaking her connection to him.

collab writing with the lovely, @promethea-silk

#collab writing #the kraken & the moth

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