glaremage

[glaremage]

Prologue - Remembering Roses I

A gentle breeze greeted the blonde elezen man in the foresty city, brushing through his hair which was tied up in a high ponytail as the grass and leaves of trees danced with the wind. No matter how often he would set foot into Gridania, it seemed like a completely different world from Coerthas and Ishgard which were covered in snow all year. With a bright smile the elezen closed his eyes for a short moment and turned his face towards the sun, feeling its warmth on his skin. Winter in the Shroud wasn’t nearly as cold as in Ishgard, but nonetheless he enjoyed the first signs of spring; the air carried a faint scent of growing flowers and he could hear the birds starting to sing again.

You shouldn’t get too sentimental now, the elezen reminded himself that he was here for short business - though also knowing that he was sentimental for this exact reason: He knew that he wouldn’t come back for a while once he leaves again. Usually, he traveled back and forth between Gridania, where he built a big part of his new life together with a small pharmacy, and Ishgard, his former home and where his family would still reside. However, this time he knew he wouldn’t see both again for quite some time.

With slow steps to still enjoy the surrounding a little longer he passed the gate, his eyes resting on the path infront of him leading towards the plaza around the main aetheryte which would always greet and welcome new and old faces alike. Unlike some residents, the blonde reminded himself with a chuckle, knowing how much trouble he actually had the first time when he came here a few years ago, being just another stranger. A lot changed ever since he came here even though the city was still looking the same.

“Would you like to have a rose, sir?” Suddenly the tall blonde elezen was approached by a member of the botanist guild, who greeted him with a beautiful red rose as they interrupted his train of thoughts. “We distribute these today to everyone in Gridania”, the botanist smiled brightly at Silvaire, stretching out their hand offering him the flower. “It’s a special breed, blooming this spring for the first time! And what would be a better purpose than have everyone enjoy its beauty for Valentione festivities?” With a gentle smile and a ‘thank you’ the blonde accepted the rose, suddenly recognizing its unique breed not without surprise: Driancoin roses, the rose which belongs to no other than the Ishgardian high house Haillenarte.

But why are they growing in Gridania?, Silvaire wondered quietly and was lost in thoughts for a moment, but before he could pose any questions the botanist moved on to the next person, leaving the blonde man by himself with a bright red rose in his hand. These roses, no other than members of the house Haillenarte were allowed to grow and distribute them, that’s how much he knew. However, since the climate changed in Coerthas after the Calamity growing plants, especially delicate flowers, became a hard task and so one wouldn’t see these roses very often nowadays. Curiosity hit the Ishgardian - and since he was about to head to the botanist guild anyway, he might as well try to find out why these roses were growing here in Gridania now of all places.

When walking down the path in the direction of Old Gridania, he started to resume his thoughts on how he first arrived in the Shroud a few winters ago and how he walked these very same paths in search of a new life, a new purpose. Like the rose in his hand, formerly from Ishgard suddenly blooming in a completely different and new environment far away from home.

It reminded him of himself.