#constaint

[strwpup]

which tank job quests have the best npcs

dark knight

gunbreaker

paladin

warrior

Voting ended onJan 31, 2024

[chysgoda]

Last Dragoon: Dux Bellorum Part One

September 01: Envoy

The Song had been distracting for the last few days. There was something amused in the steady drum beat of Midgardsomer's heart that laid under Hrasvalger's strange yearning for family, his horde's curiosity, and a new note in the harmony that she did not recognize. Someone had slowly been making their way to the Dravinian forelands. Someone who should not be taking so long to get here and the white wyrm was growing grumpy. Bel Aliender did her best to cast aside the urge to retreat to Aynx Trine and fall into the Song. She had business with her own horde, as Vidofnir was fond of calling Defiant. 

Nearly ten years on from the eighth umbral calamity and Defiant was looking more like a proper town than a refugee tent city. She watched her husband drilling his pair of squires and her small cadre of dragoons spared under Baelsar's critical gaze. At the communal hearth Chochoba Choba was haranguing someone about disgraceful bread baking while Linda Carter and Dark Autumn watched the few children that had been born safely to Defiant. Whatever had Hrasvalger in a twist she would not let it sour the song in her own heart. 

Bel's ears flicked back, near the gate talons were pounding on the hard packed dirt of the road between Defiant and Tailfeather. She turned to see a black chocobo and one of the messengers that regularly made the run between the two settlements. They were pushing their bird far more than they normally would. They caught sight of her and did not bother to slow down as they barreled through the town's gates. The horse bird's talons let goudges in the dirt when the messenger finally reigned in their mount. "Thank the Traveler that you're not on patrol!"

Bel caught the chocobo's reins, "Breathe, Rolant."

Rolant absently patted their bird's neck before he dismounted. One of Constaint's squires came up to take the chocobo's reins and guide the bird to water. Constaint and Gaius joined her while Rolant carefully opened an inner pocket in the bag slung crosswise over their body. Bel arched an eyebrow when she saw a pair of envelopes made with fine paper. The young elezan handed them to her. "There's two envoys in Tailfeather. They sent those letters and plan to start out for Defiant as soon as their traveling parties are rested."

Bel hummed an acknowledgement as she read the front of the envelopes. There was a subtle trace of magic in one of the envelopes. Not an intentional charm, more like the strings of a lute vibrating in sympathy was the sound of other instruments. The hand that wrote the address was simple and elegant.

'Ser Bel Aliender'

Bel flipped the first over to see if there was a seal and both her eyebrows arched. Next to her Baelsar shifted his weight and no doubt if she looked he'd have the tight subtle frown he always had when thinking. On her other side Constaint rested a hand on the small of her back. "I don't recognize that seal."

"It's the personal seal of the Satrap of Radz-at-Han," Bel ran her thumb over the rich blue wax and thought of the Song with exasperation. if Hrasvalger was going to inflict the Song with his personal annoyances the least he could have done was provide an actual explanation of who he was upset with. "and his envoy is more than what he appears." 

Rolant nodded, "The envoy is Au Ra but he's got the strangest green horn and scales. He's polite at least. Treats everyone in Tailfeather like equals. The other one…"

Bel shuffled the envelopes and frowned at the address on it. 

Dux Bellorum Aliender

Gaius hissed out a breath and explained when Bel glanced at him, "it is An old Garlean title. Dux Bellorum, leader of war, was given to generals of renown when Garlemald was just a collection of petty chieftains and kings." 

Bel pressed her lips into a thin line and checked the seal. She found the Empire's interlocked links pressed into pale red wax. What was that strangling chain doing anywhere near her people? "What does this second envoy call themselves?"

"Qunitus van Cinna legatus of the first legion," Rolant grimaced and ran a hand through their hair, "he and his escort have been trying. There would have been blood in the dirt if Machop and Envoy Varshan hadn't been able to defuse things."

"Do you know him, Gaius?" Bel tapped the edges of the envelopes against her lips as she thought. 

"A fanatic," the old wolf said decisively, "I did not think he had survived the fall of the empire."

"Love, could you ask the council to join me in the town hall?" Bel asked after a few long minutes. "Gaius could you make sure that the road stays clear and organize an escort? It would be wise to keep this legatus from encountering our vanth allies."

Baelsar nodded crisply and strode off to gather up what constituted Defiant's militia. Constaint bent to kiss the crown of her head and then straightened to go over to hearth where Chochoba still was. Rolant gave her a half bow and headed to the stables where his bird would have been. Bel blew out a breath and pinched the bridge of her nose. In that unguarded moment the constant background of Song surged and the ever present melody nearly pulled her into it. 

"Something wrong Lady Knight?" The lilting and oily voice brought Bel back to the present. She turned to glare at Carry Ermingild who held his hands up, "I'm only concerned for our Dux Bellorum."

"Carry please find something to do that doesn't involve finding titles to annoy me with." Bel said with an evenness that only six years of enduring the man's teasing could grant. 

"Oh don't be like that," the elezan man chided. "but I shall go and aid our old wolf with escorting our new guests."

He walked past her raising his arm and gave two twists his hand in a loose wristed wave.  

[aureliawisenri]

cinnamon roll

[chysgoda]

Heady

AU: Last Dragoon

Summer

Year 06 of the Eighth Umbral Era

“What’s it like?”

Bel hummed, not really paying attention to the question or the man climbing up the ruins to join her. Sorrow and hope rang in her blood and she listened with every thread of her being, she did not join this song, for now it was a solo for a single voice. The gentle drag of knuckles on her cheek pulled all of her back to this moment and this place. Constaint’s gentle blue eyes waited for her to focus on him before asked his question again.

“It is…” Bel licked her lips trying to find words for something so far beyond mortal experience, “it’s the taste of the aether after a thunderstorm, the sound of your favorite instrument played by Menphina. I was aether sick the first time Hrasvalger sang after gifting me his blood…”

Constaint pulled Bel close to his chest and watched her as she listened to the song for, all of her soul wrapped up in something locked away from his senses. When her weight shifted he leaned back to give her room to move.

She straightened her back, “Herensuge lost one of her eggs, the shell didn’t form right. She sings a lament for the child lost and hope for the ones that may yet live. She asks for the chorus.”

Around them aether grew thick and flashed with sparks of green and teal and Bel began to sing. He did not know the shape of the words. He wasn’t sure there were words, just emotion given form in sound and aether. The song that came from her throat echoed and harmonized in a way the no single throat should be able to.

But he felt every syllable hit him. Every resonating word warmed his soul with roaring compassion and gentle aid. In his arms he could feel how Bel strained, he could see the sweat that dripped from her hairline to run like a tear down her cheek. He didn’t dare interrupt, sure she was straining to give him some sense of a dragon’s song. So he held still and let it wash over him. Blanketed in her aether listening to a song that could not be sung by human voices alone. Through it he could hear the dragons themselves, hear just the faintest echo of the whole of the song and how it wrapped through both soul and the marrow of bones.

He did not know how long they stood there until the song tapered off, but he was ready when she collapsed and quickly swept her up into a bridal carry. She was drenched in sweat and her skin was grey with exertion. she rested her head on his shoulder falling into sleep after spending too much aether. He clutched her to his chest feeling painfully alone. He kissed Bel’s forehead and whispered words he was not yet brave enough to say to her yet. “Thank you, my love.”

[chysgoda]

Crane

Many thanks to @autumnslance for letting me play with her lovely Dark Autumn!

AU: Last Dragoon

Summer

Year 07 of the Eighth Umbral Era

Wedding planning was going as well as Linda had expected it to.

Constaint was amiable to almost anything and she could bring him around to her point of view on this. Bel was less inclined to give in at all. “I don’t want it to look like I’m pilfering from the winter stores.”

“Bel,” Linda paused when Chochoba tapped on her elbow. Absently she picked the lalafel woman up and placed her on her own shoulders. When Chochoba settled Linda continued. “It’s one small feast, it’s not going to destroy the winter stores. And it will help morale, something that everyone can celebrate, something that feels stable.”

The Miqo’te woman dragged a hand down her face. “Are you ever going to drop this?”

“No we are not.” Chochoba said sternly from Linda’s shoulders. “Let the old women have their pleasures.”

Bel narrowed her eyes at both of them and her tail thrashed like she was cornered. Which, if Linda was being honest, she was. The pair of old women waited and stared perfectly willing to stay where they were at until Bel cracked and agreed with them. Bel glowered some more with an expression she had picked up from Gaius Baelsar. “Fine.”

Linda and Chochoba smiled brightly. Now it was on to the fun part.

—

Gaius looked over his shoulder when he felt tugging on the back of his coat. He had expected to see one of Defiant’s children. He had not expected to see a lalafelen matron expertly climbing up his back. He stared nonplussed for a handful of moments before speaking, “What are you doing?”

“Hush long bones, I’m too old to be putting a crick in my neck looking up to check decorations.” Chochoba settled on his shoulders.

“But not too old to climb up the back of my coat?” Gaius knew the answer already, but felt the need to voice the question so that he could say he had.

“Yup!” Chochoba chimed brightly. “Now let's check that this is all perfect and our fearless leader will be shocked into a few moments of self indulgence before she shoves the rod back up her butt.”

Gaius Baelsar, former legatus of Garlemald and hunter of Ascians sighed. After just three years a pair of old women had managed to brow beat him into going along with this kind of nonsense. He walked over to the first set of decorations that Chochoba indicated.

—

“Constaint be a good lad and put me on your shoulders. My old neck can’t take all of this any more.” Chochoba smiled broadly.

“Oh course Lady Choba.” Constaint got down on one knee and held out an arm so that the matron could easily climb up to his shoulders. “What high cupboard did something get hidden in this time?”

“Such a clever boy.” Chochoba reached around to pat the paladin’s cheek affectionately. They walked in comfortable silence for a time before the old woman spoke up again. “Thank you for helping to take care of our Bel.”

Constaint smiled thinking of his soon to be wife. “She hardly needs me to hold her hand, I am deeply honored that she has trusted me to hold her heart.”

“She’s lucky to have you dear boy.”

—

“Dark Autumn, could I bother you for some help?”

The Roegadyn woman glanced down to the lalafel and smiled. “Does it require a piggy back ride?”

Chochoba laughed, “No, not this time. I just need help putting ribbons on flowers.”

“Lead the way,” Dark motioned ahead of her and followed the matron with a deliberately slow step. She smiled when they entered the town hall and she saw a pile of fresh wildflowers and many colored ribbons at the long table. Realizing what Chochoba wanted she sat down and began to gather the flowers into bouquets to be tied with the ribbons. She paused when a yellow ribbon came to her hand. The ribbons were all handsome with rich soft color, though they weren’t as intense as what adventures had once loved to parade about in. Dark Autumn drew the yellow ribbon through her fingers. “She used to wear yellow ribbons in her pigtails.”

Chochoba paused, it was rare either Bel or Dark Autumn spoke with anyone else about the friends and family they lost with the Warriors of light and Scions of the Seventh Dawn. She forced her hands to go back to their tasks. “It’s hard to picture her with hair that long.”

Dark chuckled and went back to tying the ribbons. “She cut it when she became a squire. She told me once that her ears were hard enough to deal with under a helm, let alone ears AND hair.”

Chochoba smiled, that did sound like their pragmatic girl. “Would her mother have approved of this?”

Dark Autumn smiled, “Constaint was Art’imis’s squire and she trusted him, I can’t imagine she’d be anything but supportive. Lord Edmont, Count Artoirel, and Estinien on the other hand, would have wanted their time to question him.”

Chochoba laughed at that. “As grandfathers uncles and big brothers, are want to do.”

“Yes,” Dark Autumn agreed and they went back to their jobs. After a few minutes Dark Autumn spoke up again. “Art’imis would have liked you and Linda, and appreciated how you’ve taken care of her girl.”

Chochoba stilled again and looked up at the Roegadyn woman and her kind eyes. “Thank you, it’s good to know that.”

“Now we should get to back to work before Vidofnir runs out of reasons to keep Bel away,”

[chysgoda]

Commend

AU: Last Dragoon

Spring

Year 06 of the Eighth Umbral Era

Bel frowned as she watched Constaint and Cid yell at each other. She glanced around, Gaius stood to her right and slightly back, Nero was on the far side of Cid being strangely quiet. Near the door Biggs and Wedge shifted uneasily. Bel had caught a glimpse of Carry’s copper hair on the other side of the door frame.

“They could be planning another Calamity and you’re just going to sit behind your walls?” Cid slammed his hands down on the long dining table in the town hall that usually doubled as a community dining room.

“There are children here!” Constaint leaned forward matching the engineer’s aggression. “And before you accuse us of sitting on our hands you’d do well to remember that Defiant’s grain feeds your people.”

“That’s enough.” Bel stood and spoke into the silence as Cid took a breath.

“Ah the Warlord finally deigns to speak.” Nero finally spoke up. “I was worrying you’d picked up only your mother’s most annoying habits.”

Bel curled her tail around one calf to keep it from trashing with the spike of anger that made the dragon blood in her veins call out to echoes of rancor in the dragon song. She took a moment to calm herself before she focused on the discussion at hand. “The simple fact is that there was significantly more infrastructure and resources to support the Warrior of Light and Scions of the Seventh Dawn before the calamity. We do not have the luxury of being able to split our resources, and I will not steal bread from the mouths of my people.”

“So you’ll just let the bastards keep plotting?” Cid turned to make his demand to Bel.

“There’s not really a way to stop that,” Bel drawled. “Our best chance for fighting the Ascians lies in rebuilding so that when there is another Warrior they have what they need; support, materials, tools, food.”

“There is no way to save this Star from the effects of Black Rose.” Nero picked up for Cid, “The only recourse is to turn back time and save the only one that could stand against the odds. Someone who wouldn’t refuse to take up any responsibility.”

“How unlike you to depend on anything other than your own ingenuity Nero.” Baelsar arched an eyebrow at his former second in command. Bel ground her teeth and let Gaius’s comment stand alone. Raising to Nero’s bait would just prolong the argument.

Nero scowled, “the data does not lie.”

“Your data is flawed!” Constaint snarled. he jabbed a finger towards the closed double door, “Children both here and in Idyllshire, along with healthy crops and people. Crops and people you rely on.”

“How long do you think this plan would take you?” Bel fought past the churning acid in her stomach to keep her tone neutral. When Constaint’s head whipped around to her she motioned for him to wait. “How long and what does the world look like if you succeed?”

Cid and Nero looked at each other briefly before turning back to Bel. Nero spoke first and then Cid.

“It would take several generations working off my math.”

“It would look like it did Bel, back to normal.”

Bel watched them letting silence stretch as she took her time considering them. Grief had changed both of them as it had changed all the survivors of the Calamity. Nero’s reserve and Cid’s frantic arguments were not the men she had grown up with. She turned her head to look out the windows beside the double doors. “There have been four children born in Defiant in the last year and a half and you say that this project will require generations of work. You ask me to commend their ultimate fate to you? To abandon my town and hunt down Ascians so they do not interfere with your work?”

“This is no world to bring children into Bel.” Cid's blue eyes scrunched at the corners and distress colored his tone. “Why would you damn any child to be born into this? If you help us we can ensure that none of them have to be.”

“Because they would not be born at all.” Bel let her voice go hard and cold. “Mom would never support this. I think somewhere you know that, or if you don’t than you all you ever saw was the mask and never bothered to understand Art’imis Chysgoda.”

“The Warrior of Light would not have let this happen!”

Bel’s fist slammed down on the table wreathed in agitated blue dragon aether. “EXCEPT SHE COULDN’T STOP IT!”

Only Nero and Gaius did not flinch in the wake of her shout. Bel continued before Cid could find his footing again. “Do not lecture me on what Art’imis Chysgoda would have approved of. My mother swore to protect those who could not shield themselves. She swore to the people she lost that she would strive to help those that could yet be saved. She would not have sacrificed those who could be saved for those that had already been lost.”

“The coward has made up her mind Garlond,” Nero said flatly. “We should stop wasting our time with someone happy to let ruin reign.”

“Get. Out.” Bel stared Nero down. “Get out and do not come back here to convince me to give up hope.”

Nero sneered back at her but left, grabbing Cid’s bicep to drag him along back to Mor Dhona.

[chysgoda]

Part

Last Dragoon: Tales of the Eighth Umbral Era

FFXIVWrite 2020

Prompt 14: Part Content Warnings: Character death, brief description of extreme frost bite

Spoilers: 5.0 - 5.3

And all I've done for want of wit

To memory now I can't recall

So fill to me the parting glass

Good night and joy be to you all

           The Parting Glass, Scottish folk song

“Bel!” She looked up at the sound of her name. Elianne was half jogging with her arms carefully holding her infant daughter safe in the sling across her chest. The Elezan woman was pale and her features drawn and pinched. “Constaint just arrived and he has someone injured with him. He asked for you to come right now.”

Bel Aliender frowned deeply. The brown goose that had been watching them hissed at the new comer. Bel and her work partner ignored the thing and she glanced at the man she was working with who waved her off. She stepped away from the fence that she had been helping to repair and met Elianne half way. “Did he already call for Raya and Linda?”

Elianna licked her lips and glanced around avoiding Bel’s eyes. “He said to get you first. That it’s Unukalhai and the healers will only be able to make him comfortable not… Bel I’ve never seen someone still walking that had frostbite that bad.”

“Kal..” Bel muttered. Her face blanched suddenly. She stepped around the Elezen woman and began to sprint. she darted around or jumped over anyone in her way. She heard old Jaren and Gaius both shout after her but she ignored them. She skid to a stop at the infirmary door and fell through the threshold has she threw the door open. Constaint caught her before she hit the ground and set her on her feet. 

“He’s got a few minutes,” Constaint said softly. “I don’t know where he’s been Bel, but I’ve seen people cooked by dragonfire who look better than he does right now.” 

The Miqo’te woman took a breath through a throat too tight for her to speak. She nodded and then took another deep breath willing her throat to relax. “Thank you.”

The Paladin gave her a tired smile and stepped back. “I’ll make sure you two have the space you need.”

Bel watched him step out and then turned back to walk down the hall that connected the infirmary, kitchen, and entrance. She paused at the door to the infirmary and steadied herself before opening the door. She still winced to see how extensive the blackening and gangrene was on the visible skin

“I’m glad I could make it back here.”

Bel sat on the edge of the bed next to his hip and rested her hand on his forearm. “Unukalhai.”

“You need to know not to be scared when it happens.” Unukalhai turned his head to cough. When he turned his head back there was blood on his lips. 

Bel stood up to go and grab a clean rag from the closet but he grabbed her wrist to prevent her from going. Bel swallowed back tears. “Kal there’s blood… I should get Raya for you..”

“I cannot keep hold of this body much longer, little sister,” the white half mask that Unukalhai had taken to wearing did nothing to hide the painful way his mouth pulled as he spoke, “my aether isn’t dense enough. just don’t leave me as well.”

The dragoon sank back down onto the bed. She knew death, she’d been its hand on the battlefield and sat with those scared of what lay beyond. She knew death and she wanted to rage that it was taking the last of her foster family from her. Gently, mindful of the blackened thin skin, she took his hand. “I’ll stay as long as you need me Kal.”

“I don’t know how to explain what’s about to happen to you, to us. The mechanical details are in my journal. Just don’t panic and remember you will be alright.” Unukalhai wheezed struggling breath. “Just please remember me as myself.”

“Kal you’re making no sense, at least let me-“

“He didn’t remember me Bel!” Unukalhai’s distress made her freeze. When he was sure he had her attention the mage spoke again. “I sought out Elidibus after the calamity. I hoped maybe I’d be able to learn something I could give to you. That’s all in my journal. But Elidibus… something’s wrong with him. At first he remembered and then suddenly he didn’t. He didn’t remember me, didn’t remember saving me from the flood, or training me, it just wasn’t there.”

Bel shushed her foster brother. “I’m not going to leave you or forget you Kal.”

Unukalhai gripped her hand as tight as he could and then let go. From under his robes he drew a garnet pendant wrapped in electrum wire. He grunted in pain as he sat up enough to lift the leather cord over his head. He laid the pendant in her hand and folded her slack fingers over it. Bel blinked remembering when Elidibus had first pressed a mask into their hand… She shook her head, that had never happened to her. 

“I put what I know about magic in the crystal. Everything Elidibus and the Scions taught-” Unukalhai began coughing again. 

Bel lifted him up as gently as she could and slid behind him so that he could rest propped up against her. She wrapped her tail around one leg to keep it out of the way and wrapped her arms around him as she rested her forehead against the top of his head. “I’ve got you, just relax.”

Unukalhai’s shoulders shuddered. Bel could feel tears drop on her arms even as her own tears fell on her brother’s pale hair. After a few moments his head began to shift back and Bel lifted hers to give him space. Bel listened as he muttered apologies to a world long gone that he could never have saved. 

His voice grew quiet.

His breathing stopped. 

Vaguely Bel was aware of others gathering in the hall. She bit her bottom lip to keep from yelling out her frustration and impotent rage. Muffled sobs shook her shoulders and her gut knotted with distracting pain. Sometime later she felt gentle hands on her arms coaxing her to let go and step away from the body. She let them guide her, her heart to full and her head to empty to pay attention. 

The next time she roused herself she was sitting at the hearth in the communal kitchen. She looked up when Constaint pushed an earthenware cup into her hands. The astringent smell of warm whiskey made her nose burn. The free Paladin made a half hearted toasting gesture, “A parting glass to see your brother off.”

Bel stared down into the cup for a long moment before drinking it in one swallow. 

[chysgoda]

The Not Squire (part 1)

Beatings will continue until morale improves.

Dinadan ached, the Western Coerthas strings were even more brutal than usual this moon and the only thing keeping him from just dropping into a bed in the barracks at Falcon’s Nest was the fact that his daughters name day was tomorrow. So he kept on course for the airship landing. Mellisand nodded a greeting to him and his unit as they landed on the parapet she’d claimed for sanctuary. She sat on the ledge with her legs dangling off the side, and her attention focused on the courtyard below. The unit looked over the edge to see what held the wild dragoon’s attention. Below them Art’imis easily blocked a blow from an elezan youth and a tilt of her shield deflected the swords momentum to the side. The youth stumbled forward a step and didn’t recover fast enough to avoid the shield that was bashed into his face. Next to him Lot winced and Morgause made a soft noise of sympathy. “What did the lad do?”

“Got sloppy and arrogant out in the wilds this morning.” Meli shrugged. “He would be Art’s new Not Squire.”

“Not squire?” Morgause turned to raise an eyebrow at Meli.

“Art gets huffy about semantics. She says she’s not a knight and so obviously can’t take squires. The kid was a student of one of the Paladins that trained her.” Melisand’s heels bounced off of the stone wall. “And in Art’s words he was a ‘big blue jackass more interested in the theatrical drama of oaths rather than the actual responsibility.’ So I think she’s made it her personal goal to beat any learned dramatics out of the kid.”

“You’re wife objects to dramatics?” Lot said with a heaping amount of disbelief.

“She objects to dramatics with no purpose.” Melisand shrugged a single shoulder. It was not so much of a defense of her mate as an observation. “And as much as she didn’t like the blue jackass, she’s not going to leave the kid out in the cold now that said blue jackass is dead.”

Below the youth had stalled in surprise when the small au’ra woman stepped into his swing neatly avoiding all of the slashing momentum at the end of the blade. She barely had to duck under his sword arm. Her shield knocked the sword arm out but rather than swing her own sword she gripped the bottom edge of his shield and yanked it in a viscous turn that broke his grip and elicited a pained yelp. The yelp was followed by a cut off curse when the heel of a plate armor boot slammed into the side of his knee, The four dragoons winced in sympathy. Art’imis stepped back as the young man crashed to his knees chest heaving with exertion. Idly she checked the strapping that held her own shield to her forearm. The moment that the young man wasn’t gasping as desperately she fell back into a fighting stance. “Again”

Melisand hopped up from her sitting position evidently bored with watching the show below. “Catching the afternoon airship back to the city?”

Dinadan nodded, “Hopefully we get back early enough I can still get Bianca a present before tomorrow.”

“Oh I’d forgotten that was tomorrow. I’ll have to ask Bel if she wants to get anything for Bibi.” Mel Drummed her fingers on her bottom lip. “Art’s going to be annoyed she missed that, the girls haven’t talked about anything else for the last Moon.”

“She’s not coming back as well?” Morgause asked.

Melisand shook her head. “Count Edmont asked us to help out here, so one of us needs to stay while the other goes and makes sure Bel hasn’t burned the city to the ground or something.”

“They can’t get into that much trouble.” Lot defended the absent children.

Both Melisand and Dinadan turned flat looks on him. “Yes they can”

As the five dragoons left another command of Again rang out from the courtyard.