FFXIVwrite2025-7 6. Serendipitous
NPCs: Wuk Lamat, Y'shtola Rhul, OG Sphene, Gulool Ja, Bakool Ja Ja Mystic & Might
Original Characters: V'anille Tia, U'rahn Nuhn, Violet Fisher, Pyatta
Expansion: Dawntrail 7.2
Rating: T
Summary: V'anille thinks on his current predicament and finds his art has provided him a means to stretch his legs.
The sound of brush against canvas has become common place in halls of Vollok Shoonsa. What once used to be calm careful strokes had become more deliberate as of late, swishes of colour becoming scratches with the artists' ever growing frustration. Months ago, V'anille would have been happy to have seemingly infinite peace to pursue his art; however, that was before he crossed the salt on his adventure with Lamaty'i and the Scions. While he didn't consider himself an adventurer outright, he had gotten used to a certain freedom which allowed him to take in beautiful vistas himself rather than having second hand experiences through his Echo.
"If at least I could leave the palace walls to walk around the city. I am the Reason's Promised after all. There would be plenty of people to attend me if needed," he thought to himself, despite knowing the trip would be exhausting without the use of local aetheryte.
"Come on, we'll give Sphene the grand tour!" Lamaty'i cheered, beckoning Gulool Ja, Violet, and U'rahn to follow.
V'anille sighed, looking out towards the city, view blocked by the immense plaza of Vollok Shoonsa that had been the subject of his most recent work out of it being his singular landscape for a month now. Mind wandering, he thought of the moment when his fate was sealed his fate as his husband's temporary prisoner.
-
V'anille smiled taking a step to join the others only to have a light hand upon his shoulder, Y'shtola stopping him. "Is something amiss," he asked, unsure how he'd suddenly found himself under the intimidating woman's radar.
"Forgive my intrusion into your personal affairs; however, it would be remiss of me not to give you caution on joining the others given your condition," Y'shtola explained, withdrawing her hand.
"My…condition?" V'anille repeated, not understanding her meaning.
Having noticed V'anille stalled, Lamatay'i had joined them. "What's the hold up? G'raha and Krile are waiting," she demanded impatiently, the others joining her to see what was the matter.
Y'shtola hummed then wrapped her cheek then looked toward V'anille's stomach then back up toward his face. V'anille let out a gasp then put a hand on his belly. "Do you mean I'm-"
"Yes," Y'shtola answered quickly, seeming to want to avoid a bigger scene than it was becoming.
U'rahn's ears perked, having been through this enough times to know. "Oh oh! Wow V'anille! Congratulations!"
"I…I have questions," Violet said, giving V'anille a once over before shaking her head as she put them out of her mind, "Shtola is right. You're on the first train back to Tuliyollal to see Koana."
Lamtay'i looked between them, as did Gulool Ja, both uncertain as to what was going on. "Is someone going to explain?"
"Oh! A baby! How exciting," Sphene let out from behind.
"Baby? What baby?" Lamaty'i asked before looking at V'anille then down to his stomach with everyone else. "A baby! I'm going to be a double auntie!"
Before he knew it, they'd stuck him on a train and into Koana's excited, yet anxious arms. Given how protective his husband had been of his sister, he should have known fatherhood would wind him up all the more. V'anille had few moments of privacy since, a mixed blessing. Koana at his beck and call was immensely wonderful; however, when they could not be together, he was under heavy watch by the Dawnsguard or his midwife. And so, from the overlook he was left to work on his paintings…which had become the same view from Vollok Shoonsa he was stuck with.
V'anille took a step back as he was put on the spot. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves everyone!"
-
"Promised, do you intend to gift these to Mamook? They are all quite lovely," Pyatta, his midwife, commented as she went through some of his finished works.
"My landscapes? Why would they want them?" V'anille asked, examining what she was looking at.
Pyatta picked up a few paintings then set them next to one another before pointing out a two-headed figure in each standing near the same pillar in each one. V'anille leaned forward, the best he could manage with his swollen stomach. "That is Bakool Ja Ja is it not, Promised? I am sure those in Mamook would love to see their honoured hero standing so proudly
"So it is. How strange… I don't really remember painting him. He must have been in my field of vision at the time…But to be in the same place…" V'anille trailed before looking over the balcony with Pyatta.
Sure enough, Bakool Ja Ja was standing in the spot, looking about somewhat nervously. V'anille watched for a moment the managed to get to his feet, still not used to the extra weight. "Well, it is hardly an Echo; however, I would be remise to ignore a sign such as this," he mused, "Or do you think our Vow of Reason will make a fuss if a pay our honoured Dawnsgaurd a visit?"
"Well, it would be good for you to get in some more walks. If you do not leave the walls, I am sure I can smooth over any fretting on his part," Pyatta said, "That and with the Vow of Resolve recovering his attention has a been split."
"Thanks, Pyatta," V'anille said before starting the long journey down the stairs toward the plaza. After his slow journey and light fussing from the some of the guards, he made it outside to greet Bakool Ja Ja. "Hello Might. Mystic."
Bakool Ja Ja jumped then took a step behind the pillar he was standing beside in an attempt to obscure himself despite being greeted. "Brother, I don't believe this will work," Mystic said before looking down at V'anille as he waddled around and looked up at that confused.
"G-Good afternoon Promised! We were just…," Might started, trying to come up with a good lie.
"Patrolling," Mystic finished with an uneasy laugh.
V'anille crossed his arms, raising his eyebrow before catching the unmistakable scent of Aunt Tii's spiced chorizo on them. Though his cravings had started to wane, the little one inside still seemed to crave the spicy food of his father's homeland…no matter how much it burned his carrier's Sharlayan tongue. "Do you…have lunch with you?" V'anille asked.
"No…Yes…Er," Might babbled as Mystic's arm held out the bag of food.
"Would you like some, Promised?" Mystic offered, "We can share."
V'anille shook his head. "I really shouldn't…but, I suppose I am eating for two…," he said before taking the offer bag while Bakool Ja Ja sat down, both heads sighing.
As V'anille opened the bag, he noticed there seemed to be quite a lot of tacos, even for Bakool Ja Ja. Unwrapping a taco, he sniffed at it then looked it over finding it lacking the usual lovingly sprinkled cilantro on top. The way his sister-in-law liked. Beneath them, a large cut of iridescent aloe was sandwiched amoung ice crystals. "Might…Mystic…were these for Lamaty'i."
"No! Of course not," Might said, looking away.
Mystic closed his eyes and gave a little nod. "Brother has become quite infatuated so mother helped us get a cut of aloe to help with her injuries. The tacos were for her as well.
"You know, you could just go bring her these. I'm sure a visit will make her feel better, especially since Koana has been playing warden," V'anille said with a smile. "Visitors will certainly raise her spirits."
"No. I can't just go to see her. She will think I care about her, or worse, the Vow of Reason will," Might said with a shudder.
"But we do care about her brother," Mystic pointed out.
Might covered his face with his hand. "You know what I mean!"
V'anille did his best to hide his amusement then shook his head. "So your plan was to…stand around out here and hope to catch her when she is able to walk about?"
"Maybe…," Might answered while Mystic nodded.
"Well, I will remind you that you are a most honoured member of our Dawnsguard," he said before taking a bite of a taco, wincing as it burned his mouth. Swallowing, he lowered his ears as he tried to get over the stinging. "That said, should you feel that Lamaty'i deserves extra protection given her condition…she might fuss, but Koana being Koana will probably agree. Then you can offer her your tacos and medicine and make it look…more official."
Might tilted his head up, scratching at his neck while Mystic looked to his brother to ask, "That would work, wouldn't it brother?"
"I suppose it would…thank you, Promised. I will go enlist my help," Might said, standing up and retrieving his bag. Taking a breath, he started to walk toward the palace.
Beaming, V'anille gave a little wave as a send off before finding himself unable but to tease him just a little bit more before he left,"But of course, anything to help my future brother-in-law."
Bakool Ja Ja froze, dropping his bag of tacos and standing in silence before turning and hurrying away, back past V'anille and out of the plaza. "Wait! Brother! You were almost there," Mystic could be heard protesting.
A little bit of guilt fell over V'anille, feeling he might have gone a little too far until the scent of abandoned tacos caught his senses. His little one stirring, he decided to not let them go to waste. Tomorrow, he'd be a little more helpful.