Star's FFXIV Hub

"Hope. Create. Thrive. Enjoy" PFP by By Tawny Fitz

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Last Updated September 2nd, 2025

Hello everyone please call me Star! I am:

35+ | 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 GPOSE Work/Other's GPOSE Work

My FFXIV Writes Stories/Other's FFXIV Writes Stories

Macro Dancing Performances

Feel free to look me up on Blue Sky as well!!

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FFXIV Writes (Unofficial) Day 24-28 Catch Up

Novel: a fictitious prose narrative of book length  

Stamp: to attach a stamp to

Fingers Crossed: a hand gesture to wish good luck. 

Palaver: idle talk

Noisome: highly obnoxious or objectionable

“What are you doing?” Dimitri practically jumped out of his skin when he heard the question; the last he knew, he had been sitting at his desk, in his empty house in the middle of the Deep Woods. It was early morning, and he had been packaging his first finished novel to send to a publisher in Limsa for their review. Now his Sister was hovering over his shoulder, and there certainly had been no knock. Things got even worse when he looked up and noticed that his Sister was currently in one of her stage forms, this one being a male Viera that she often danced as in a large troupe she had joined. 

“Ack, why do you have to bring that thing around me?” Dimitri's hands swatted at her first, and when she didn't move, he moved on to trying to push him away. While the Sharlayan often enjoyed the company of Xixa, the Shetona Doctor who lived in Bentbranch, he simply could not tolerate being around male Viera, especially this closely, as it brought up foul memories of a ship of fools, and the Viera Corsairs that used it to harass and plunder the remote Islands on the way to Tural. He had spent nearly a turn with them on a constant bender back before he reached his twenty-fifth birthday. Since then, he had no desire to talk to a male Viera in case they were one of them who had come looking for him.

“I am not a thing,” Viviane huffed, but without any further comments, she soon stood before him in her normal Elezen form and clothes that were now far too big for her much shorter and smaller frame. “Are you happy? You can be unbelievably obnoxious about Viera, you know. It was one turn of your life over ten turns ago! It is long passed on, dear brother, and in the terms of pirates-”

“Corsair.” Dimitri cut her off mid-rant and with a smug look on his face. “Pirates are the filth of the Sea! No morals, no logic, and I swear they never wash. Corsairs have a purpose; they are clean and have expensive rum on their ships, which are also neat and tidy! Surely you see the difference.” 

Vi rolled her eyes, ignoring her twin's need to educate her, her attention on her clothes and finding ways to keep them from falling off of her which seemed to be more of a hassle than she had been expecting it to be when she changed form, finally she just gave in and shifted one more time into a female Viera that carried her bright ruby hair and startling sapphire eyes. The best part was that her clothes now fit again, for the most part, except for the shirt that was just a bit too tight. 

“Are you happy now? No more Bunny Boys to bother you,” she then proceeded to stick out her tongue, and motion back to the packaged item that sat on his desk in front of him. 

“Yes, thank you, I appreciate the respect,” he sighed faintly, and reclined back into his chair, his hand waving towards the package that Vi had her eyes settled on. “This is the manuscript that I have been working on. I finished it last night, and I was planning to take it to the moogle mail and send it off to the publisher in Limsa; however, I have been unable to move from this spot since I finished wrapping it.” A perplexed look appeared on his face as if he was attempting to understand why exactly he had not moved. 

“Are you nervous? I remember the day that I was going to go and sign the deed on my bakery. I had dreamed of it for so long that having it right there in front of me, mine for the taking, was quite overwhelming.” Finally stepping out from behind her twin’s chair, she moved around the front of his desk and then lowered herself into one of the chairs on the other side. “I could be-” 

“No, Vi, you are not wrong.” Dimtiri sighed, “What if it is too good to be true? What if all my palaver about publishing something isn’t even worth it? They could hate it when they read it, they could send it back with a laugh-a-gram. Have you ever heard one? A friend of mine back in our first year at the Studium made one. It was a low-level glamour that, once the prism it was contained in was touched, it would simply start to laugh, and laugh. It was a rather embarrassing thing.” He cleared his throat and sniffed lightly, “What if I am just some fool?” 

Vi listened patiently as Dimitri spoke of his woes and his worries. She was even polite enough to stifle the giggle that should have come from her the moment she realized that he had been the recipient of the laughing prism; such novelties were not lost on her and were rather an attractive part of being able to create glamours. She had even toyed with a few that made the color drain from their Mother’s face when she thought Jienuex Manor was more haunted than they already knew because of her little pranks. 

“And so what if they do? It is your dream, Dimitri. The thing about dreams is there are people along the way that are meant to make them happen.” Reaching down to the bag she had left sitting on his floor, she pulled out a page of stamps, eyeing the parcel once more before nodding her head and peeling two off the page, then sticking them to the right-hand corner. “That will be my contribution to your dream. You are planning to use Moogle Mail, and those stamps will pay for their overnight postage. Far better than their normal mailing process, it could get lost, you know how moogles can be.” A bright smile appeared on her face then, and she dropped her elbows on her desk, placing her chin in the space in between her two palms so she could continue to speak to him. 

“You will never know what Nymeia has in store for you until you try. There are certain things you cannot plan; you must toss caution to the wind or you never get anything done.” With that, she rose from her seat, picked up her bag, and reached out to take the book. “I bet they will love it and you. I will cross my fingers for you, darling. I admit I am a bit giddy. I wonder what is in this Novel of yours.” Out the door she walked then, humming softly one of her favorite songs, and before Dimitri snapped out of the second door, the one leading out of the cottage had slammed behind her, leaving him alone again. 

“Woman! Dear gods, I hate when you do---” down he looked at his desk where he realized that his parcel was missing, and in its place rested a rolanberry muffin like the ones made fresh at Vi’s bakery every morning.

“Vi!” Dimitri’s voice bellowed through the tiny space. “Viviane Seriphina Jienuex Vimaroix, you had better be hiding in that kitchen or I am going to.” He wasn’t certain exactly what he was going to do, but it was going to be good, and she was going to be paying him back somehow for weeks to come. 

“Viviane!” he called again, in two steps he had made it to the kitchen which he found empty as well, except for Kit who was sitting on the table, watching the yard where eventually Dimitri would find his sister when he looked out it, his hands motioning wildly for her to bring his propert back inside which earned him a single middle finger, and a wink before she vanished from the yard. 

The next stop was Moogle Mail, but there was no way to know which one she would use, leaving him to simply draw a breath and rest his head against the window. “You know what, Kit?” he murmured to the fox, “Never trust a devout of Nymeia, and I truly mean never.” And the only reply he got was a lazy yawn.

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FFXIV Writes (Unofficial) Day 23: Turn a Blind Eye

pretend not to notice 

Viviane had hovered outside of Clement's office door for half a bell when it finally opened, and out walked Gale with his usual arms full of paperwork and other things that he brought with him for one of their meetings. When they were in Corethas, it was rather common to find the dark-haired Elezen there for a meeting and often at different times of the day. 

“Beloved?” Clement's voice lifted from within the room before she could even bid Gale a good day, and she resorted to a bright smile and a nod of her head towards him before she swept into the office and closed the door behind her. 

“Are you alright? I knew you were out there. Is something wrong?” There he was, sitting at his desk, which was well-organized despite the mountain of papers she had seen Gale leave with. Beyond the clean desktop, she would find her husband's beautiful, mismatched eyes focused on her, and that welcoming smile he always wore, even on the most foul of days. 

“What would you do if you felt someone was constantly competing with you, but you had no interest in competing with them?” Much to Vi's delight, Clement held out his hand to her and slid back in his chair, offering his lap to her. He looked especially dapper today, with his white button-down shirt and his khaki pants, his hair loose about his shoulders. 

“Does this have to do with the troupe?” He asked, as she rounded the beautiful dark wooden desk to take his hand, and in moments she found herself whisked into his lap with his arms wrapped around her waist and his nose in her hair. Truth was, Clement gave the best hugs, especially when a hug was exactly what she wanted or needed. 

“It does.” A tiny huff left her. It was hard to be angry or even confused, wrapped up in one of Clement's hugs, as his body heat enveloped a person, melting away any concern they had. 

“Well, the easiest way to handle competition is to simply pretend not to notice it, turn a blind eye if you would. It doesn't mean you do not see it, you just choose not to engage with it.” Placing a kiss on the side of her head, he sat back, bringing her with him, and he smiled as she rested her small hands over his. 

“It is so hard not to notice it,” Vi murmured, a sheepish note in her voice. “And when I do, I end up feeling angry. I think it's the best word. Other times I feel out of place. We are friendly with each other, and we have never argued about a thing. It is merely the competitive feeling I get from them that sets me ablaze.” As she spoke, she intertwined her fingers with his, watching as the former disappeared into the spaces between the latter. 

“The spirit of competition is alive and well in all of us, love, just some are more competitive than others. I see it often when I am at a trade meeting. If there are others there trying to vie for attention, you will see some practically embarrass themselves with how competitive they become with a sales pitch or a debate. It figures into what we have talked about before, choosing when to have a reaction and when not to.” Loosening one of his hands from hers, Clement's hand rose and he tucked a long length of ruby curl behind her ear tenderly, letting the very tip of his fingers lightly graze against her ear, drawing a shiver from her. 

“If you do not give them the power of a negative reaction, which most of the time is what they are seeking from you. They end up disarmed, and then they falter; it is hard to compete with someone who gives you nothing to use against them.” 

Over the turns they had been together, Vi had truly come to enjoy Clement's advice. It was never packaged in a casing of ‘I told you so’ or presented in anything but his patient nature, even if they had spoken of it before. This often felt like one of his ways of expressing love, she had observed him be the same way with Kovalt when he needed to talk about something, and no matter how busy he could be, he always made time to be there for both of his partners. 

“What do you think about when you notice someone trying to get a reaction out of you, or are you simply at the point that you do not notice at all now?” The way he had her in his arms allowed her to tip her head back and rest it against his shoulder. This also allowed her to see his face and the way he would look at her when he spoke. 

“Anything, but why are they trying to compete with me. Let them; if you remain poised through it, it raises the question in others' minds why a person would act that way. It is often that the person is not confident in their own abilities, and that leads to jealousy or envy. They may not even realize they are doing it, but either way, they are attempting to expose a weakness in your confidence that they can use against you.” 

Vi's eyebrows pressed together as her face took on a frown, she found it rather ridiculous to try and draw out others weaknesses instead of celebrating their strengths, this thought was clearly visible on her face as she struggled to absorb what Clem was explaining to her, the concept of trying to make someone lose confidence in themselves hard for her to understand at times. 

“This makes me think of how my Mother would tell me not to let people live freely in my head. She believed strongly that we should only give space in our thoughts to those who matter to us and the things we enjoy. The rest should be left outside a shut door.” 

“And that beloved is the essence of turning a blind eye. You have left them on the other side of that door.” Clement left a kiss on her temple, his arms tightening around her. “Or as Gale has put it to me a time or two, you have left them on read.”

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FFXIV Writes (Unofficial) Day 22: Crunch

crush (a hard or brittle foodstuff) with the teeth, making a loud but muffled grinding sound.

Dimitri had taken the afternoon to wander to his Sister's bakery as a change of scenery. He had been trying to write all night, and thus far, nothing had come out the way he wanted it to. He was also a perfectionist who was his own worst critic, and a few weeks earlier, he had read an article with tips for would-be authors. The tip that had stuck with him the most was what had motivated him to move that afternoon. It had been suggested that finding a different space to erase writer's block, and his Twin's bakery with its lovely smells and peaceful setting, had always appealed to the man. 

Sadly, when he arrived, Vi and Xixa were nowhere to be found. Their new shopkeeper, Cini, was the one who passed this information on to him. On the surface, she appeared to be a simple Miqo'te lass; however, Dimitri, with his keen sense for Aether, knew right away that this was the furthest from the truth, even though her warm cinnamon eyes maintained the look of an innocent younger woman. 

After purchasing a bagel and a large mug of coffee, the Sharlayan retreated into his favorite little corner nook and took his work out of the bag he carried. He had asked Cini to not bother him and made her well aware that he would approach if and when he needed anything. She seemed to understand the directions well, or so he thought, but barely fifteen minutes passed before he heard a loud crunch right behind him, and her voice filled his ears.

“So you are Lady Vi's twin?” Another loud crunch came after her question, causing the gentle giant to turn in his seat, his eyebrow twitching to the noise. It only took a moment to notice the large apple that Cini held in one hand while the other motioned to the painting on the wall that gave away exactly who he was as soon as the eyes could rest on it. 

“That is correct, my name is Dimitri.” He said simply and then turned right back around to set about his work. He had just managed to pick up his fountain pen and dip it into his inkwell when another crunch sent a jolt through his hand and nearly caused him to knock it over. 

“You look like Lady Vi, but you don't sound like her. Why?” Cini had moved closer by now and was leaning against the wall opposite him so she could watch his face as he spoke to her. 

“I was raised in Old Sharlayan, not Ishgard.” He replied with a smile in his voice, even though he wanted nothing more than to be left alone to write; it was ingrained in the man to be polite at all costs. 

“Why? If you are twins, you should both be from Ishgard.” Cini curled a brow upwards and pointed her apple towards him, making herself look skeptical of what he had said in the process. 

“Our Mother split us at birth. She raised Vi in Ishgard and sent me to live with friends in Old Sharlayan. It was a common thing amongst the Nobles during the Dragonsong War. It was a safety measure so the entire Noble line did not get wiped out by dragon fire.” That was a lie, though only a small one. The real reason was a bit more negative, but Cini did not need to know that. 

“Have you ever seen a dragon?” she replied, closing one eye. She obviously suspected something, but she was content enough with the answer that it seemed to not push for more information. 

“Alas, only in paintings and books.”  He gave a little sigh; he had often dreamed of meeting one and perhaps trying to learn their language. Even now, he started to drift off into the thought of listening to one speak. That was until another crunch ripped him right out of that happy space and left him staring at Cini, who now chewed her apple with her mouth partly open. It was just enough that he could almost hear her molars grinding the fruit between them. 

“They aren't so great. Really full of themselves.” She was still chewing as she said it, and as soon as she stopped, she took another bite out of the apple that was even noisier than the last, her eyes focused on him the entire time. 

“Well when you are that big and nearly everything is afraid of you.” He stopped short and looked at her face “Wait, have you met one?” there was a certain thrill he found in meeting those who had. 

“Maybe, maybe not.” Cini teased in reply, and a big, rather goofy grin appeared on her face. When it did, Dimitri noticed her teeth, especially her overly large incisors, which were far too thick for just a simple Miqo'te to have. Thankfully, before either one of them could speak again, the door opened and in walked two ladies who immediately looked to be waited on.

"I have work to do now! Nice to meet you, Dimitri." and off Cini went with a once final crunch of her apple, leaving the Duskwight to his peace and quiet; at least for now.

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FFXIV Writes (Unofficial) Day 21: Foster

to promote the growth or development of

“Mom, how did you know you wanted to be a Doctor?” Volhi, Xixa's youngest, was helping her shuck peas for dinner. Out of her three daughters, Volhi had been born with the patience of Nophica herself especially when it came to annoying tasks like removing peas from their casings without squashing the small green vegetable before it made it to the pot to be cooked. 

“I always knew I wanted to do something with medicine. Your great-grandmother was a medicine woman and your grandmother was a midwife. I was the only girl, all the rest were boys and well I wanted to carry on the tradition.” Xixa closed one eye and peered across the table at her daughter. She had always been in a toss up between Liri and Volhi as the one that would be called to healing but she had never been able to pinpoint exactly which. “Why do you ask?”

Volhi looked back at her Mother with her soulful eyes, her fingers running delicately along the seam of the casing the tiny peas sat in, popping it open gently. “I want to join the Conjurers Guild but they said I needed your permission.” 

Xixa couldn't help herself, laughter instantly poured from her lips, and by the time she stopped Volhi had started to giggle right along with her. “Did ya tell them whose daughter you are?” She finally managed to get out, a few coughs later and a dab of her handkerchief at each eye to soak off the tears that tried to fall from her laughter. 

“Oh he knew” Volhi batted her eyelashes “I told the lady at the desk who I was. Trust me Mom I remember your story about getting kicked out. He's fine about it as long as I don't.” She waved to Xixa's neck where the small white stone hid. “Have that.” A small giggle came from the teenager as she picked up her next pea pod and began her process over. 

“Of course he did.” Xixa snorted “Those Padjal have a memory as long and as wide as a Viera. Tricky too. I will hand it to them. They are good at fostering young healers and you should be checked for hearing abilities, anyways. Each one of the healers in our line have been able to hear nature and the elements talk to us. It's a bit off-putting at first, but as time goes on you learn to settle with it. Great way to predict the rain. Used to love to tell people when it was due and have them not believe me. What a hoot and a holler I had when they ended up drenched and I was dry under my umbrella.” 

At first Volhi started to laugh, but then she stopped and stared at her Mother wide eyed. “Wait did you say yes? You aren’t going to be mad at me?”

“Of course not, I wanted to be part of the guild as well until that so-and-so tried taking my necklace from me. Frankly, i don’t care what this thing does, I care that it is a family heirloom. I am not going to give up something my Grandmother used to wear.” a sheepish smile appeared on Xixa’s face at that moment, she knew there were things worth fighting for but there were moments in her life that she let her pride get in the way. 

“I want you to be what you want to be Volhi, I want you to grow and flourish. Spent most of my days with you girls trying to foster a home where you all had your chance to feel free. Was important to me.” 

“You did a great job, Mom.” Volhi nodded her head and gave a shy smile in return. “I feel like things are my choice, but I know you will help when I need it.”

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FFXIV Writes (Unofficial) Day 20: Forgiven

stop feeling angry or resentful toward someone for (an offense, flaw, or mistake).

"Are you certain about this?” It had been all too early that morning when Viviane arrived, too early, for the sun hadn't even peeked through the trees and lit the frame of his window yet when she walked into his room and tried to rouse him from his bed. 

“Yes,” she said simply, her heavily gloved hand reaching out to push on the plate that would open the door to the family burial vault. “Quite certain.” The heavy door disengaged making it easier for the pair to slide it along the track until there was enough space for both of them to pass through the doorway. 

“Only you would drag a man out of his nice warm bed and take him to this frozen hell.” A sleepy yawn appeared on Dimitri's face, she had even done it without letting him have his morning coffee. “Why are we doing this again?” 

Generations of the Jienuex family had been laid to rest in this vault, a final request that each seemed to have no matter how they felt towards the rest when they were alive. This place seemed to crackle with energy as they walked through the empty stone halls, their footfalls echoing back at them. 

“I have something to say.” Viviane murmured quietly, her hand waving every now and then to ignite another torch, the long shadowed hall illuminating bit by bit until they were in the chamber where the previous heads of the family were laid to rest. It was here that she came to a stop and reached for her twin's hand. Separate their magic was strong but they had learned over the moons that when combined they could blast through walls together if there was a fight. 

This of course raised Dimitri's eyebrow, the Occult Investigator not questioning the action but still wary as he was led to the newest of the saracaphoguses that lined this chamber, the one that their Mother occupied in her eternal rest. 

“I have been up late since Clement and I found Mother's lance broken in its box.” Vi would finally explain, as she stared at the marble bust of Saphelle Jienuex that rested on the shelf above her final resting place. “I have spent nights reading the journals from around the time of my rescue, and I learned a bit about our Mother I would like to share with you.” 

Dimitri was startled by the emotion he heard in his Sister's voice, her normally emptiness seemed to have dissipated for now, which was rather odd for a woman who was often as cold as the ice that surrounded them. 

“For the longest time I wondered if it was Clement that rescued me from the Lambs, that day. That, however, was me romanticizing things so that I could handle them. I put him in the spot of the unknown Dragoon to make it a happy memory that hinted at some connection in our past where he saved me. It was not a terrible thing to see him that way, but it did give away that I saw him as my knight in shining armor come to carry me in his arms across the battlefield. It was a beautiful story that would look good in one of your stories, but it was not a healthy thing.” 

Before Dimitri couldn't get a word in edgewise she reached into the leather bag and she brought out the very journal she had been reading. It was in much better condition than most of them, and with it she also gathered up her reading glasses, placing the round silver frames on her face and settling them on the bridge of her nose so that she could see better the words that filled the pages once she opened the book. 

“I stumbled across a particular entry, where she had written about breaking the lance and how she could not take it to be fixed as it would give away that she had defied Doctor's orders and had been fighting. Come to find out.” Vi's dainty fingers flipped a few pages, the leather of her gloves creaking as they moved. 

“The fight that she broke the lance in was the fight that occurred at the compound that day that ended in my freedom. The unknown Dragoon was our Mother. Who had gotten a lead from a member of the Underground that she had woven herself into over the years.” Another page or two turned and then finally she passed the journal off to Dimitri so that he could read the passage himself. 

“This is blood, Vi.” The Sharlayan commented, his fingers pointing to two fingerprints right near the spine of the book where the two pages met in the binding. 

“Quite correct. Mother had been forced to stop fighting just before she found out she was pregnant with us. She had been caught by the very tip of a dragon talon during a fight. The talon crushed her armor into her rib cage embedding pieces of the metal it was made from into her skin. They always said it was a wonder she lived at all. The truth was she did not, not like the life she would have had, had the injury not been a grievous wound.” 

Dimitri listened well as his twin recounted the story, he had read similar in another journal that had been gifted only to him and he had been reading so that he could better understand the complexity of their Mother. 

“It would seem as that entry goes on that Mother took it upon herself to don a suit of armor and pick up her lance one last time. She followed the information given to her and bells before the Calamity struck, as Dalamud fell from the sky. She fought her way into the compound. Eventually, with the help of some bounty hunters she had met along the way, she freed me and carried me home to the gates of Ishgard.” Letting go of Dimitri's hand then, Vi moved forward her hand now coming to a rest on top of the sarcophagus where their Mother had laid for almost four turns now. 

“I came here today to tell her that I was wrong about her. That despite our differences and our fights, somewhere deep down in I knew she loved me and she was doing the best she could with what she had. I have held her in ill light with everyone for so long and especially with you. It's why I brought you today so I could share this entry with you and have you witness me forgiving her and myself for years of negativity that helped neither of us.” 

Dimitri closed the journal quietly, the words causing his heart to beat just a little louder. “While I am pleased you have chosen to forgive her.” The gentle giant murmured as he stepped up behind her, large hands resting on her shoulders now. “It is very important you forgive yourself. I learned that after Garlemald, when I woke up missing a kidney and at a loss of four people that meant everything and then some to me, I hated myself. I hated that they gave their lives and somehow it saved mine. While it is a different experience altogether it taught me I could not hate myself, my life was a gift now; one they would have wanted me to live.” 

A chill seemed to overtake the space around them as if a spirit had come to watch their interaction and make its presence known for a while before the room returned to its warmer state and the feeling they both felt passed leaving Vi to think upon her twin's advice. 

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FFXIV Writes (Unofficial) Day 19: Pitch 

to attempt to persuade, especially with a sales

“How about this? If you purchase the last dozen of these lovely croissants, I will throw in a half a dozen of these rolanberry-filled pastries for free!” It was far too late in the day for a sales pitch, and inside all Xixa could do was groan. It was still at least a half a bell's walk home, and then she had to start dinner for the girls before doing her night rounds. 

“Oh, I don’t know.” The older woman across the counter nibbled on her bottom lip, her eyes were wide at the sweet treats but at the same time she seemed hesitant to take them home with her, and Xixa couldn’t seem to fathom why, of course she had two hungry teenagers at home, a twenty something daughter that stopped by all the time and a two turn grandbaby who ate anything you put in front of them happily, free food was a blessing any time that it was offered. 

“My husband is very particular about where we buy pastries from; he has quite the sweet tooth. Croissants matter little to him; those are for my daughter, and I put a little egg on them, some slices of bacon with a bit of cheese, oh, they are scrumptious! I am not much of a sweet eater, nor is she, but the boys are.” This, in Xixa’s mind, calculated out to mean the woman’s husband plus at least one son. 

“Husbands are always particular.” Xixa waved her hand about, a soft snort coming mostly from her flared nostrils. “Mine had a thing for fresh Vylbrand Oranges. Xixa, he would say, I need you to go all the way to Hawkers Alley in Limsa and get me oranges. He was born there, and when I was a young lass, you bet I was willing to do that, just to make him happy, but once I had the girls.” Her hands moved around to her lower back, and she pressed lightly against the small of it, even giving a little groan. “It was too much to carry them about to get him Oranges when I could get them right here in Gridania, the same damned oranges, even! I just let him think I brought them with me from Limsa.” 

For a moment, the customer’s lips pressed together, and there was a gleam in her eyes. Xixa began to wonder if she had taken a wrong step by mentioning her little white lie when the woman placed both hands on the counter and started to speak. “He wants me to go all the way to Ishgard for sweets. It is a rather long trip, but there is a small bakery he found there when he was younger that is no longer run by the original owners, his son and daughter-in-law. They have lovely things, but I am not as young as I used to be, and Foundation is so cold. I can’t help it, though; it always makes him happy when I bring him home a treat. We have been married for nearly forty turns now, a long time with the way the Star turns. Oh, am I terrible for spoiling him? Do you think he really wouldn’t notice the difference?” There was a hopeful look in the woman's tired eyes. 

“Well..” Xixa placed her own hands on the counters and she learned forward, an impish smile appearing on her face. “The pastries won’t cost you anything, free of charge, if the boys don’t like them, just give them to the neighbor!” She gave a playful wink. "The Only way to find out if he is really that particular is to put a plate in front of him, but I betcha, he’s not, he just likes to know you care.” 

The other woman’s eyes went wide as if she had never thought of her husband doing something like that, and she stood up straight, her hands coming to a rest on her hips now. “Oh, he'd better be that particular or I’m going to box his ears!” It took all Xixa had in her not to fall into a fit of laughter; it seemed her sales pitch worked better than it normally would. 

“Yes, let’s do that. I will take a mixed box of the Croissants, and then half a dozen of the pastries that you offered. I will come back around and let you know how it goes! Of course, you might see his name in The Raven if you are right, the first man treated for boxed ears for making his wife work too hard.” 

“Well, you know, I am also a Doctor.” Xixa commented as she turned around to pick up box which she then folded the parts of and slipped the tabs into place until they locked “If you need a hand unboxing them, just come on by and I’ll see to them for you.” she was joking of course but, when she looked over her shoulder there the woman stood with a bright smile on her face. 

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FFXIV Writes (Unofficial) Day 18: Frost

A deposit of small white ice crystals formed on the ground or other surfaces when the temperature falls below freezing.

Viviane had always been the sort of person who kept her Aetherical talents to herself. It was never that she feared what she could do with them or the types that she had, it was the simple fact that each Jienuex was raised with the core principle: you never used your magic to show off. 

She remembered well those early days of youth when a friend would hover a small ball of fire above their hand while the others oooed and ahhhed over it. There were also those who liked to use Levin to give a little zap to a person as they wandered past. It was hard not to be envious of their freedom. That desire to show the others what she could do always teased her mind. She knew it was a matter of respect for the elements as her Mother would preach endlessly if she stepped out of line but it wasn't until she was much older that she began to appreciate those lessons. That was until she bonded to a certain Corethan Baron and he took her to his home. 

Truth was under all that pomp and circumstance Viviane was a gremlin. There was nothing more she loved than playing little pranks on both Clement and Kovalt while trying not to be caught by them. This was especially possible when they were at the Corethan Manor surrounded by frost and snow for that was what Vi excelled at, her strongest Aether alignment was the very Element that surrounded them there, Ice. 

It had started very randomly, piles of snow falling off the roof onto one of their heads, an icicle that shattered nearby and made one or the other jump from the sound of it crashing to the ground. Before long she had become a menace with her frost kisses nipping at their noses, or the way she would manipulate the falling snow so they all had to stay home for the day under a warm blanket by the fire with cups of hot chocolate. She simply couldn't stop herself, for she often found herself addicted to their laughter. 

There were days she would sneak off into the snow-covered woods where she would throw snowballs at tree trunks to practice or she would work on a new dance routine while wrapping herself in ribbons made of falling snow. As much as Vi complained about the cold like every other Corethan and Ishgardian did, the truth hidden behind that training was that she often felt the best when she was in sync with it, as if she had been made of it all along. There had even been days when her husbands were working where she had painted the windows with designs made of frost that they would share together later on by candlelight as she pointed out what each shape looked like and they played along with her making their own guess at what they saw. 

Vi often wondered if they had ever caught her while Clement was not one to use Aether he had the eye of one who could track a mage without them knowing they were being followed and Kovalt carried a natural kinship not only to nature but to the elements that he used in his work as a Healer and Conjurer. They never gave her reason to believe that she had been caught or worried that they thought ill of her for the silly things she did and she made peace with it being just one of her ways to show how special they were to her. 

Even though frost kisses broke the rules she had grown up with, they were worth taking a chance. 

[starres-stuff]

FFXIV Writes (Unofficial) Day 17: Amity

A friendly relationship

“Mom, why is it so hard to make friends?” It was a few weeks after the episode at school where some of Lahsih's friends had begun to treat her poorly due to the belief that Xixa was not married when she was born. After several conversations with their parents, Xixa had believed the matter was settled but she felt herself bristle as soon as she heard the question her daughter had for her today. 

“Is everything alright Lahsih?” Xixa forced herself to remain calm by continuing to chop vegetables for the stew she was making for dinner, the sound of the knife's blade striking the wooden chopping block she favored for this work, seeming to soothe her nerves while she waited for an answer. 

“Things okay Mom, the girls and I are getting along just fine now! They have been very friendly, and we have been making plans to do things, just like it used to be. I want to make new friends.” She admitted, as she nabbed a pixie apple from the bowl and polished it on her shirt. “There are a lot of people in my class this year and as you would say, I don't want to put all of my eggs in the same basket.” 

Xixa felt as if her chest was going to burst open with pride. Liri had always ignored that advice and the youngest of her daughters, Volhi, was a natural extrovert who would never have to worry about such nonsense to begin with. Here was her middle child, the one most like her and she was the one that grabbed hold of those lessons the best. 

“Well, what are you struggling with?” Xixa asked as she swept the vegetables into the pot, then turned back to the board to chop up the beef she had purchased into bite sized cubes. “Do people not respond if you approach them?”

A soft sigh reached her ears followed by the loud bite of an apple, it seemed Lahsih had also developed some of her ways of hiding things or thinking she was hiding them so that no one would ask questions. “It's the approaching part, I get really nervous and then I stop myself from talking to the person I was thinking about. I get worried they are judging me or that they will just walk away.”

That pride that soared in Xixa's chest only moments earlier, sunk like a weight right into the pit of her stomach where it settled. While she appreciated the fact that they were quite a bit alike in all ways, this was one of those things she had hoped would never become an issue for any of her daughters,as it was the same issue Xixa had struggled with her entire life. 

“That is a difficult one to deal with.” The Viera shifted foot to foot uncomfortably and she found herself swallowing hard. So many of her experiences in life had been colored by heightened levels of anxiety and fears of being rejected by her peers that she had often lingered in the corners and on the walls at most social functions, even when Arkyn was still alive he had been the outgoing one of the pair. 

“Been trying to work through it myself.” Xixa felt her eyes dart to Lahsih's face where a look of surprise appeared that would remain on the teen's face as she looked up from the apple she had been crunching on to make herself less nervous. 

“No way! Mom, I watch you with people all the time. You are a natural at it. Everyone responds to you so well. I have never seen you stall or walk away.” Lahsih had her there, but she was also much older now and her work as a traveling healer for the Shroud left her no choice but to interact if she wanted to get anything done. 

“Lady Vi once called it wearing a mask. She is like us too. She puts on makeup, does her hair and it makes her feel like she has hidden all her fears and imperfections that would scare people away.” Into the pot the meat went now, and the flame came to life under it, over Xixa reached to acquire her favorite wooden spoon and as she talked she would start to work on sauteing the contents in the spiced butter she had tossed in a while ago. 

“My mask is different, my empathy for others is what helps me, I learned to disguise my fear of being rejected behind my desire to help people get better. Once I realized I could do that it made things much easier, although, I came across very serious and often sharp. Especially when it comes to matters of health and people neglecting their thinking they would live forever without a check-up.” 

“Hmm, well I like to make people laugh. I do that with my friends I have already even if I get nervous around them. I like to tell jokes or play little pranks on them, nothing that could harm them, just silly little things that get a giggle. I wonder if that is my mask or if it can be!” The apple Lahsih had been eating was now gone and she tossed the core towards the trash bin, landing it inside on the first try. 

“Thanks Mom! You gave me a lot to think about.” And before Xixa could say another word, her sixteen year old skittered out of the room and vanished into her own down the hall, the door clicking into place the last sound Xixa would hear until dinner now. 

“You're welcome, Lahsih.” The Viera murmured under her breath, her hand raising to push long pieces of grey hair back that had come loose from her bun.

[starres-stuff]

FFXIV Writes (Unofficial) Day 16: Speculate 

Form a theory or conjecture about a subject without firm evidence.

“Why is it I find you here almost everyday lately dear Sister?” Dimitri had been awake for no more than a bell and there was Viviane bright and early carrying pastries of different kinds to go with his morning coffee. 

“Can a woman not enjoy spending time with her twin? I do the same thing to Qih'a as well. I have spare time after morning baking so why not keep busy.” There was a twinkle in Vi's eyes as she spoke, the kind that often made Dimitri groan inwardly as it meant that she had been mulling something over. 

“Of course she can, but she must also understand that twins read each other like a fortune teller reads their cards. I know you have an agenda when you visit so spare me the speculation of what is brewing in your noggin today and let me digest it.” A boyish grin lit up the Sharlayan's face, there was nothing he enjoyed more than teasing her and watching the furious little creases that appeared around her mouth and eyes when she realized she had been caught. 

“Now and then I dream of other lives. These lives have happened on other worlds often enough and yet the faces around me are faces from my current life. It has caused me to reflect on the theories of reincarnation and I came here to ask you, your thoughts on the topic.” Vi always tried to sound professional with him. His education alone made her feel like a small child next to him at times still, but over the last two turns she had come to understand that Sharlayans are trained to be Scholars from birth, where Ishgardians often seemed to learn to fight instead. 

“Well” The man started, easing himself back into the chair and relaxing his large frame. “My adopted parents hold a strong belief that when we die the soul and its Aether enter the lifestream where they are then carried off to the Aetherial Sea. It is important to understand that the soul is indestructible, it may split in half but it is immortal, the Aether on the other hand disperses in the sea for a time then returns to the soul when it is time to return to the mortal coil.” Dimitri removed his glasses and reached into his pocket to grab for his cleaning cloth so that he could clean the fingerprints off of the glass. 

“There are cases both in Sharlayan and here that I have either consulted on or read on where people have been able to recall past life events or have seen themselves as another in a dream as you describe. Many of these people's stories have been inconclusive, there was simply not enough proof, but there are a few that have been confirmed based on facts presented or records that were able to be located that tied things together and yes I have heard of lives on different worlds before. I believe it is par for the course even though some of my former colleagues considered it fever dreams." The cloth in his hand circled the lenses of his glasses while he spoke. First it was the right one and then the left at times in smaller motions that would eventually spread out to the frame and then back inwards. 

“Frankly if I was to be reincarnated after this life. I would be rather curious to see what I would be like as a female.” A chuckle rose from his lips and he placed the cloth back in his pocket, his glasses then returning to his face with the lenses now completely devoid of smudges or sticky finger prints. “Could you imagine it? Me being a female. It would be such a different life at least in my head it would be. I would be quite curious to see if I could remember this life and the people in it.” 

Vi has picked up a pastry by the time Dimitri had finished his long winded reply, she had become quite used to letting him talk until he had nothing else to add. It was part of having a scholar's mind, at least to her, their Mother has been similar if she was in tune with a subject or had spent time in deep thought. “I would assume then, since our Aether disperses into the Sea, that when we are born again it is with an entirely different signature, but a strong soul could, perhaps, remember at least portions of a life?” 

Dimitri thought about this for a long moment as he drank down a good portion of his coffee which had sat cooling as they talked. “I would concur. If the soul had a desire to remember a person or even a place and that desire was strong enough that it was there upon rebirth. I believe it would present itself in some form or manner within their life.”

Vi drew a breath then offered her twin a smile filled with warmth. “Well that makes me feel a bit better.” She assured, though there were still doubts in her face. 

“If you believe strongly enough you'll find them both again, just as I will find Laurent.” Dimitri's voice rumbled softly as he offered the added comfort and while it was a guess at best he noticed her face soften at his words. 

“Thank you, I needed that” Vi admitted as she broke off a piece of her pastry then finally popped it in her mouth. The silence that would overcome the both now, giving her time to let her mind wander on who she could be next life. 

[starres-stuff]

FFXIV Writes (Unofficial) Day 15: Standing in Line

When people stand one behind the other in a line, waiting their turn for something

“Ugh, there is a line, I was hoping if we got here early we wouldn't have to wait to get in” a yawn appeared on the woman's face as she spoke to her friend who also looked at the line with her nose profoundly crinkled “It was your idea to come here on what has to be the busiest night of the year.” She sassed back, a hand coming to a rest on her shapely hip, it was hard not to smile but thankfully she managed. 

“Very funny Karinea.” The words came as the line shifted forward again. This was one of the best things about Eorzea in general, you simply couldn't get bored. Not when there were clubs like this one to visit. 

“Oh come on Xixa” the tiny blonde Hyur couldn't help but giggle. “It has been ages since we have gone out! Listen to that dj spin the orchestration like that. Best of all your kids are at home with their big sister and you aren't. There is a whole night ahead of us!” 

“If we ever get out of this line and get inside before they hit capacity, this is Gridania, club or not they have a certain number of people that they can let in or they will be fined.” This was why she didn't go out often, especially with Karinea who was one of the most optimistic women Xixa had ever known, not to mention the overwhelming perkiness that seemed to come out of every pore on her body. 

Just then the line shifted forward, the door was finally in sight. This gave Xixa a little hopeful burst of energy as everyone moved almost together, the first five people now vanishing inside leaving only three more ahead of them. The Viera could not deny she was excited to just dance the night away like she used to before marriage and kids. 

“Sorry, everyone, that is it for tonight. We are at capacity. You are welcome to stick around, dance in the yard. As soon as some of these people clear out we will open the doors.” The man was a giant, his neck was about as big as his upper arms and he stood almost as tall as Xixa's student, Dimitri. Turning her head she practically deadpanned at her friend who laughed nervously. 

“We could do what we always do when we have time to go out, I bet there is a bard playing over by the Aetheryte Plaza. We could get a coffee! No standing in line there. Grab a bench, it doesn't look like rain tonight. It will be just as fun.” 

“One more line and I am going home, Karinea.” Xixa muttered, rolling her eyes “Just one more.” 

[starres-stuff]

FFXIV Writes (Unofficial) Day 14: Jitter

feelings of extreme nervousness.

Rain fell on the cottage early that morning, and besides Kit's playful noises as she skittered across the old wooden floor, there was just the constant pitter-patter rhythm that formed on the roof above Dimitri's head. There was a time in his life, long before his journey to Eorzea, that a day like this would have left him a jittery mess, but today he lay in bed, his fingers brushing through the hair of the still sleeping Laurent. 

He would never go as far as to say it was just Laurent that solved his life's worries, that he cured the trauma that had been left as his battle after the losses that came with his work in Garlemald. He was part of it, though. Dimitri knew their love was special; it was not about epic gifts or constant proclamations of feelings, it was more than that. It was friendship, companionship, knowing when to let the other go, and trusting that they would always come back. It was never perfect, it never could be; they both had been through the hells and back again before they ever met 

The Wildwood stirred for a moment, a sleepy murmur coming from him that soon faded away and left a smile on the former Sharlayan's face, stray fingers tracing along the strong jaw the man possessed, as his eyes drank in the features they had time and time again. Over the seasons, this had helped to heal his heart. What they shared was beyond the realm of simple love, even though Dimitri still liked to whisper his I love yous before bed at night and relish in the hug that often came as a reply when they were together. This was what it meant to meet a soulmate. A person that you kept finding over and over at points in your life. 

Where Laurent fit into his life came as a surprise, as warm thoughts reflected on when they first met, as the rain picked up speed and the thunder rolled in. It was one of his favorite stories to this day, even after all the journeys they had and the fights that came along the way. He would trade them for nothing or no one, and whether the Wailer liked it or not, he was, forever, in the heart of one large Elezen who couldn't picture his life without him. Of course, Dimitri kept that to himself more often than not; too much emotion unsettled his partner. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy the emotion, but rather that he didn't know how to respond to it. 

Lightning caught the Duskwight's eyes as it painted the sky; there was a time it would have set his anxiety off. The crack that came with it once reminded him of the crack of the gun that fired in Garlemald that morning, the sound etched in his memory even though he had never seen who fired at whom. It was much easier now. Three turns later in life, with a lot of tears, talks, and many endless walks in the woods by himself, he had settled many of life's worst moments; he had made peace with his demons, at least most of them. There were still a few that drove him to second-guess himself now and then. The more he understood, the less he got caught in a doom spiral that kept him up all night. It was nice to sleep again; he never thought it possible. 

Outside, the storm raged; he listened to each wail of the wind and each roar of the thunder. Eventually, he curled himself around the sleeping Wildwood and drifted off to sleep. This was what made him happy; his travel to Eorzea had been exactly what he needed to begin again, and along the way, he had met not only his lover but his best friend. 

[starres-stuff]

FFXIV Writes (Unofficial) Day 13: The Twelve

the Eorzean Pantheon

"Do you believe in the Twelve?” It was mid-afternoon, and Viviane once more appeared to visit her twin unannounced, since their trip to the Jienuex Manor Vaults, she had begun to spend at least a bell or two with him every day as if something was on her mind that she was not quite ready to discuss. 

“That is one of those odd questions that I do not quite have an answer for.” Dimitri began, rocking back on his heels and wiping his forehead with a handkerchief he always kept with him. The pair had been chatting as he was weeding the garden. 

“It is not common in Sharlayan society to worship the Twelve, you will find no churches or temples there if you visit, though in the harbor, you will find the most beautiful statue of Thaliak that I have ever seen.” Sitting down in the grass he reached for his canteen of water, and lifted his eyes to take in the almost startling blue skies above them, surprisingly there was no rain in sight. 

“I cannot imagine growing up in a place like you did. It is such a contrast to the religion soaked life of an Ishgardian. From my earliest memories, there are reminders of Halone's philosophy, you feared being different or finding yourself under the gaze of the Tribunal. It was terrifying at times, especially to those with other interests.” Vi came to a rest in the grass alongside her brother, her legs tucked under her and hands rested in her lap. 

“Thaliak has always been seen as the Patron of Sharlayan.” Dimitri canted his head as he spoke, his wise eyes examining his Sister's face “But it is a nation of Scholars with a pursuit of knowledge. Worship was and is a less pious thing to most there, unlike what you experienced in your upbringing. There were those you would hear mumble a prayer to a deity they found comfort in and no one made a big deal out of it. It was part of being free to explore.” His well-muscled shoulders lifted in a shrug “Adjusting to beliefs here in Eorzea has been a bit difficult at times.” 

Viviane thought of her brother's words for a spell, her own head lifting to examine the bright blue, cloudless sky in admiration. “I would have enjoyed growing up there. I never aligned with the fire and brimstone of Halone but it was difficult to express that without being regarded as a heretic and accused of cavorting with Dragons. I still remember the first time Mother took me to Witchdrop and explained to me why we did not speak of other beliefs. It was one of the most candid conversations I ever had with her.” 

Rising from his seat in the grass, Dimitri returned to tugging weeds from the ground around his Gridania Mint and Lemongrass crops as he mulled over the complicated life of the Ishgardians, once more. 

“I am glad those days are over both for you and for Ishgard as a whole.” He commented, his words in earnest. “And in time you found your dedication to Nymeia by being allowed to make your own choices without the hindrance of being constantly judged, but to answer your question, I have developed a fondness for Nophica since my arrival here. I can see in my own garden her touch.” 

As the day continued on the twins remained engrossed in their conversation, and Viviane eventually joined Dimitri in pruning the garden of its overabundance of weeds. 

[starres-stuff]

FFXIV Writes (Unofficial) Day 12: Duel 

a combat between two persons

“What do you have there, beloved?” Clement’s good-natured voice came from behind her, and the door to Cendocia’s House opened as if he had experienced a moment where he had felt her nearby. It was something that happened now and then with their bond, and the fact that he could generally tell when it was getting close to her next feeding, often offering himself to her a full day before she was ready. 

“Dimitri and I were at the Manor today sorting through the vault, and I happened to come by the case that Mother kept her lance in after the injury that took her from active duty during the Dragonsong War.” The case itself was resting across Viviane’s lap, still closed; it was far taller than her, and the wood was a deep, rich mahogany. The most interesting part of it was the Jienuex Heraldry that had been hand-carved into the very center. Instead of a sitting raven with a crescent moon in its claw, this one was dressed in battle armor from the imprint, and the moon was in the very center of the breastplate. 

“Hmm, your family crest is different here.” The Corethan had slipped out the door and crouched down alongside her despite the cracking of his knees and the wince of pain on his face. “It is quite elegant, the spread wings, the detailing in armor, whoever made this box was well skilled with wood.” Vi watched as his fingers moved along the design, and while she wanted to ask if he was alright after the wince she noticed, she had come to a point where she understood no one, including herself, wished to be reminded of age settling in. 

“Mother loved to call herself the Battle Raven when she was still active with the Knights Dragoon.” There was a small sense of pride in her voice, which was rare for her when she spoke of Sapphelle Jienuex. “Would you like to see it, love?” Vi asked with a warm smile, her fingers moving over the latches that would open the case for her. 

“If you would like to share it with me, I would be happy to. Here, let me help you.” Clement moved from his crouched position into a sitting one on the steps beside her, his large hand gliding half of the long case into his lap to help her balance the weight of it, and he found himself smiling at how eager she looked to share a piece of her family history with him. “We could always find a display case for it, put it somewhere in the Corethas House. That way you could see it whenever you wished.” 

“Ha! I want to duel you with it.” Vi’s eyes lit up. “Alright, it might be a bit tall for me, but still, I have been looking for this lance for so I would love to have one good duel with it before it is put away again.” 

At this point in the conversation, Vi’s fingers began to flip the latches up, and Clement followed suit, chuckling at the one request she had for the heirloom. “We shall see, hmm? It depends on the condition of the blade first and foremost. Then we have to consider just how much taller it is than you. Besides, if you wish for a lance, we can simply go and have you measured for one.” 

Finally, they managed to open the lid, despite the latches being a bit stiff, and there, on a bed of sapphire velvet, sat the lance. It was a beautiful piece with a white and blue wooden handle that extended upwards into the base of a small dragon that appeared to be impaled through the center by a majestic silver blade that extended upwards, and various accents of silver and gold, including a set of raven feathers, decorated the blade. 

“No, no, I wish to duel just once with this lance. That way, I am the third generation to have fought with it.” Vi insisted with her eyes wide and her heart racing, that was until she moved to pick it up and was confronted rather quickly by the fact that the heirloom was no longer in one piece but two. 

“What, how! They repaired it after the dragon's talon caught her and brought her to the ground. They had no idea how she or it would survive! Her armor was crushed into her chest, but she lived.” The story was well known; in fact, she kept the journal where her Mother had detailed every step of her recovery in the bedside table of their home in Corethas, and she would often read it when she was feeling down. 

“It was never used after that?” Clement picked up the other half and examined the point of the break, his brows knitting together in thought. 

“No, that was Mother’s last fight. It was repaired and then put in the Vault for safekeeping according to her journal. That fight occurred while I was with the Lambs, and by the time I was rescued, Mother was often ill. Something to do with the wound the Dragon had left on her. I cannot fathom how this got broken again. After she passed, I was the only one with the keys to the Vault, and Dimitri had only been in there twice.” Suddenly, the duel she craved had been forgotten, and her thoughts were now occupied by who could have gotten to the lance.

“Hmm, I do have a couple of connections that assuredly can repair it for us, but it will need to become an ornamental piece after that, rather than a weapon that can be used. I am sorry, beloved.” 

Carefully, Clement placed his piece back in the case and then gathered the section from her, allowing her to sink into her thoughts a bit deeper. There were questions to be answered here, and the only chance of answers came from the journals they had yet to read. 

[starres-stuff]

FFXIV Writes 2025 (Unofficial) Day 11: Hail

to salute, to call for or greet 

“Good Afternoon Darling!” Viviane called from the entrance of her bakery hoping to hail Xixa from the backroom where she was likely getting dough ready to start on pastries for the next day. What she would find instead was a small miqo'te-looking woman with ginger fur,  who went wide-eyed when she saw her.

“Hey! We are closed now. How did you get in here? Do I have to call the Wailers! I will.” For as sweet as she looked, the woman had a mouth on her and she had no fear of using it. 

“I will, you know, call the Wailers, I am not kidding. This is a private business but I am a nice person, if you leave right now I won't report you.” She picked up her tomephone while still giving Vi the stink-eye. “Let's see here, oh there it is. The Adder's Nest, are you leaving or am I calling?” 

Vi found herself stifling a laugh, if she didn't know better she would have thought she was talking to one of Xixa's daughters. “Oh no I am going to sit right over there.” Her hand waved towards the table that sat right under a painting of her and Dimitri that she had put up when the bakery first opened. “I would like a mini rolanberry cheesecake, Xixa always makes an extra. I would also like a mocha latte with fresh chocolate shaved on top.” 

“Look lady if you sit down-” The sentence was never quite finished for the Elezen brushed right past her, and walked to the table she had pointed out. 

“Wow you really think you own the Star don't you?” the Miqo'te spit out without thinking, her cheeks flushing from how angry she was by this point. 

“Oh no darling, I do not own the Star, who would want to? That would be a hefty responsibility, but I will tell you what I do own. “ A faint giggle came from her “I own this bakery, and I am going to guess you are Cinnamon Masala; the new worker Xixa hired, yes?”

Color seemed to drain from Cini's face almost immediately, and her soulful brown eyes darted to the painting that was now right over Vi's head once she sat down. “Oh hells.” She whispered, all the sass gone out of her and behind the counter she ran to put together the order she had been asked for just a bit ago. 

“I am so sorry Baroness! I didn't recognize you. Xixa didn't tell me you were stopping by, she will be back soon! She ran to Gridania. We were out of confectioners sugar and delivery doesn't come till tomorrow afternoon.” Cini was so nervous that she was rambling. “I thought when you yelled from the door you were just someone who got in before I locked it.” 

An amused smile appeared on the red head's face and she rested her chin in the palm of her hand, sapphire eyes watching Cini make the latte she ordered. “Oh that? Since we opened, I always hailed Xixa from the door when I arrived to let her know I was here. It is rather a silly thing to be frank, but then Xixa and I tend to be silly around each other.” 

Around the counter the Miqo'te came carrying with her the mini cheesecake and the freshly made latte. Vi found herself quite surprised by how perfectly arranged each request was, and not with a drop of anything on the rim of plate or cup. 

“Professional Culinarian?” She inquired, studying the small woman again. Vi would have thought her barely twenty with how young her face was, but the latte spoke an entirely different tale of someone who had ages of training, even beyond her own. 

“Yes ma'am” Cini smiled brightly, while she wasn't quite telling the truth since up until this summer she had been a four-legged creature but she was in fact professionally trained after all those years or sitting on people's shoulders while they cooked or baked.  

“Well I hope we are paying you enough. This latte is so artistic. The way you piled the cream, the light drizzle of chocolate extending from the shavings. It is quite beautiful. Thank you.” 

“Well, well look who it is,” Xixa grinned from the door, where she had been watching the two for a bit. “About time you met. Glad it happened, but that is enough talking for you two. It is time to bake!” 

[starres-stuff]

FFXIV Writes 2025 (Unofficial) Day 10: Darkness

wickedness or evil

“Dimitri, why did you become an Investigator?” The voice caught his attention almost immediately, and he looked up to find Xixa’s youngest daughter, Volhi, standing in front of the chair he was sitting in, her big blue eyes filled with so many questions he couldn’t help but smile. 

“Well, I wanted to help people. There is a lot of darkness in this world, and we need people who want to turn on the light again. It can’t rain all the time after all, there needs to be sun shining through the clouds sometimes.” At first, he was worried that he would make her feel like a baby with the way that he explained it; she was nearly fourteen after all, but much to his relief, she simply nodded her head and then plopped down on the rug in front of him, prepared to talk more. 

“Why did Laurent become a Wailer?” This question was said more shyly, and she was blushing brightly at the same time. 

“Well, I think that is something you should ask Laurent, Volhi. I would fathom it is due to similar reasons as my own; he cares for the Twelveswood, and he cares for the people who live here.” Her eyes went wide then, and her mouth fell open a tad. At first, it looked like she had lost her ability to talk, and then she just blurted out. 

“Oh no, I couldn’t ask him that! You are Mom’s student, you have to be nice to me, or Mom won’t teach you anymore. Laurent isn’t Mom’s student, and I am too shy to just walk up to him!! What if he doesn’t want to answer me, what if he doesn’t like questions, what if..” By this point, Dimitri reached out and rested his hand on her shoulder, and he waited patiently until she finally stopped speaking before he spoke again. 

“He is a very kind man, Volhi, he is simply serious and chooses his words wisely. You needn’t worry about him being upset by your question.” 

Around the corner from the pair, Xixa stood quietly, observing her daughter and her student as they talked. Dimitri had come a long way since they first met; in fact, he had surpassed many of her earlier goals for him, many of which were meant to bring out the man he wanted to be, not the one he had been forced to be by his life in Sharlayan. Seeing him the way he was now was rewarding, for he addressed Volhi not as someone younger than him, or as a both. He addressed her as someone just as important as everyone else he spoke to. 

“There is one thing I need to disagree with,” She called out, then stepped into the room, drying her hands on her apron as if she had just come out of the kitchen from washing dishes instead of eavesdropping. “I think wickedness and darkness should be two different things. If you walk to the window right now and look outside, the sun is down and the night is filled with darkness, it doesn’t mean that there is anything evil out there lurking just because it is nighttime. That is a very important thing, you don’t want to make anyone afraid to have a walk in the moonlight.” A smile appeared on Xixa’s face then, but those emerald green eyes of hers said it all. It was fairly well known that she was a Shroud Witch, even though she hardly ever spoke the words exactly like that, and she kept many of her lessons hidden behind the fact that she was also a well-known Doctor in the woods. 

“Wickedness, are those who purposely harm others or have cruel intentions. Those people you can run into any time of the day, they look like you or me. That is what we should teach about, and that is what I see both Dimitri and Laurent doing. They go out and they hunt down the wicked, then put them in the gaol to help keep the rest of us safe.” With her head held in its normal high manner, Xixa moved to her favorite rocking chair, and she sat down, crossing one leg over the other before arranging her skirt so that she wouldn’t get cold. 

“I do think Dimitri is right, however, you should ask Laurent yourself. You might be surprised at how easy it is to talk to him when you have good questions in your mind.” Her eyes rested heavily on the back of her daughter’s head until finally the teen looked over her shoulder, a sheepish smile appearing on her face. 

“Okay, I guess I will ask him. Thanks, Mom, Thanks Dimitri!” and before the pair could say anymore, she stood up and ran out of the room, Xixa’s warmest laugh following after her. 

“You did grand with that question, just that small change, and I think you will pass the ‘How to Talk to Teenagers' course, which around here is essential, now isn’t it, Sonny.” She even went as far as to make air quotes around the title of her fictitious lesson just to amuse herself. 

“Well, I’m glad you approve of my answer for the most part. I do see your point on defining the difference between darkness and wickedness. I will try to remember that, it is a question that comes up often,” he admitted, his hands folding in his lap, and his face taking on a hint of embarrassment. 

“Don’t be too hard on yourself, Sonny, you grew up on the other side of the Sea, where things are different. Just remember, when it comes to Witches like me, darkness is not something to fear; it is merely the opposite of light.”

[starres-stuff]

FFXIV Writes (Unofficial) Day 8: Weal 

liable to break or give way under pressure; easily damaged.

“I would be careful up there, that tree is as old as the cottage, I do believe, if I remember what Aunt Doshaine told me about it.” Dimitri looked down to find the bright sapphire eyes of his twin sister looking up at him curiously. “Now, why are you up there? That is my question.” 

“How is it you always find me in my worst moments.” The former Sharlayan had in fact climbed the tree with no shirt or shoes on and appeared to be reaching up above his head as if he was trying to pull something off the branch above him. “I was throwing a ball for Kit to get some exercise, and the last I saw of it was when it disappeared into this tree. I dare say I have been up here for an entire bell now feeling around for it but there seems to be nothing here.” there was a grim note in his voice, as if he was close to giving up on trying to find it. 

“Did you ask the tree to give it back to you?” Vi asked, she had taken to pacing around the tree and looking in the high grasses to ensure the ball hadn’t rolled into them, so far she had found nothing. 

“Ask the trees..what?” It wasn’t the first time someone had told him to talk to a tree, he was beginning to believe that it was a madness that all of those who lived in Shroud for any length of time began to develop. What he had not expected was to hear his twin ask him of such things. “Trees do not have ears Viviane.” his eyes rolled and he started to lift his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, that was until he realized just how unsteady the tree under him really was, if he put too much weight on the limb he had one of his feet on the likelihood of him landing on the ground wasa greatly increased. 

“It is quite true! I have seen Kovalt do it. He and I will walk in the woods at times. I have seen the trees literally give him things when he asks for them.” Viviane raised her hand as if she was swearing her soul to him to show she was not lying, the sincere look on her face almost sealing the deal for him. “He talks to all sorts of things! Even the flowers in the garden grows better after he’s had a conversation with them. I bet if you ask the tree will just give you the ball back. It’s likely just playing with you.” 

Dimitri was by this point wordless, there was no logical sense in what she was trying to tell him, but yet he found himself wondering if it could be possible. He had heard stories about the Hearer before, and his natural talents, but for some reason he found that he still had doubts in such things, even though he had lived in the woods for almost a turn himself now. 

“Why don’t you ask the tree to give it back to us? Surely, Kovalt has taught you how to do it by now.” There, he thought to himself, that would be the easiest was to quell his suspicions, Viviane was much too likely to prove that it was possible, if she knew how and he would be able to study the process that way. 

“Oh, I can’t” she let out a nervous chuckle “The trees do not exactly like me, the flowers don’t mind so much but these old boys out here..” she stopped there and then pointed her finger to one of the fangs she possessed “And that’s why they don’t” she shrugged “You are going to have to do it.” finally she stopped her pacing right back at where she had started and she looped here arms around behind her back looking up at her brother rather innocently. 

Dimitri rolled his eyes dramatically, and then looked down towards the tree, of course he could feel the rough bark under his hand already so he focused on that connection and he said in loud but polite voice “May I please have my Fox’s ball back Mister umm tree?” It left him sound skeptical, and as if he had no belief in what he was doing. 

“Oh be careful! You have to sound confident! Tree spirits according to Kovalt can be rather ornery.” by this point Vi had taken several steps back, and she looked quite concerned, her head had taken to rapidly turning and her eyes were darting all over the tree to look for any form of movement. That was until she heard a loud snap. 

“I would get out of that tree!” Her voice grew louder “I would do it right away.” 

“You are being str…” Dimitri never managed to finish his sentence, and the next thing he knew he felt himself falling to the ground below, the limb he had been using to balance himself had broken from his added weight. 

“Brother!” Vi yelled as he hit the ground with a loud “Ooof” the old adage about the bigger they are, the harder they fall suddenly sticking out in both of their heads. Thankfully, Dimitri had fallen out enough things in his time, that nothing felt broken but he certainly did lay on his back for some time staring up at the sky above him. 

“Can you move?” Vi said quietly, as she started to kneel down, she was no healer herself but she could at least spot an injury if there was one. He looked well enough, there was no external bruising from what she could see, and as she was looking him over she realized that Kit’s ball had fallen out of the tree with him. 

“Dimitri look! It worked” the small woman said triumphantly, as she held her shawl with one hand and reached for the ball with the other. “The tree gave you Kit’s ball back.” She had this quirky smile on her face, one that made it look like she was up to no good, but at this point he did not seem to care. 

“I am certain it just became dislodged when the branch broke Viviane.” he sighed faintly, then tried to sit up. He only made it part way and then right back down into the grass he laid. “Could you call Xixa, I think I would like to be examined just to be certain nothing is broken.” Right then with his mouth still open a rather good sized amount of leaves fell from above them and landed right in his face, moss and dirt the only things he could taste after they settled. 

“Just call Xixa, Sister,” Dimitri remarked, his eyes closing so that he could try and block out the helpless peals of laughter that came from her.