An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 崩坏：星穹铁道 | Honkai: Star Rail (Video Game)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Explicit Sexual Content, Use of aphrodisiacs
Relationships: Dan Heng/Stelle (Honkai: Star Rail)
Characters: Dan Heng (Honkai: Star Rail), Stelle (Honkai: Star Rail), March 7th (Honkai: Star Rail), Himeko (Honkai: Star Rail), Welt Yang (Honkai)
Series: Part 3 of fated bondmates
Summary:
If he wasn’t allowed a choice, then Stelle wanted to be the right one. It was important to her because his situation was on her mind more often than she wanted to admit. His life had been so difficult that the cruelty of this being layered on top of it weighed on her.
I can’t change what he went through in the past, but I can be a better future for him, she decided.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/?
Fandom: 崩坏：星穹铁道 | Honkai: Star Rail (Video Game)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Dan Heng/Stelle (Honkai: Star Rail), Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Characters: Dan Heng (Honkai: Star Rail), Stelle (Honkai: Star Rail), Jing Yuan (Honkai: Star Rail), Jingliu (Honkai: Star Rail), Baiheng (Honkai: Star Rail), Yingxing (Honkai: Star Rail), Original Characters, Lingsha (Honkai: Star Rail), Dan Feng | Previous Imbibitor Lunae (Honkai: Star Rail), Himeko (Honkai: Star Rail)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Arranged Marriage, Forced Marriage, Strangers to Lovers, Eventual Smut, Slow Burn, Vidyadhara Dan Heng (Honkai: Star Rail), Dragon Dan Heng (Honkai: Star Rail), Fantasy Politics, Fantasy Political Drama
Summary:
It was a long-standing law that a young mortal woman from one of the nine provinces would be chosen to be the bride of the Dragon King, the High Elder Imbibitor Lunae. She would live the remainder of her natural life in the palace with the sole duty of bearing the next royal heir.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/?
Fandom: 崩坏：星穹铁道 | Honkai: Star Rail (Video Game)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Dan Heng/Stelle (Honkai: Star Rail)
Characters: Dan Heng (Honkai: Star Rail), Stelle (Honkai: Star Rail)
Summary:
Although the invitation had said little beyond asking Imbibitor Lunae to attend a formal occasion hosted by the Fanghu’s High Elder, the last line that was visible only with use of his Cloudhymn magic had been ominous.
“Your cowardice precedes you, so should you fail to comply, your peace as a Nameless on the Astral Express will not last.”
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 5/5
Fandom: 崩坏：星穹铁道 | Honkai: Star Rail (Video Game)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Dan Heng/Stelle (Honkai: Star Rail)
Characters: Dan Heng (Honkai: Star Rail), Stelle (Honkai: Star Rail), March 7th (Honkai: Star Rail)
Additional Tags: Established Relationship, Pre-Relationship, danstelleweek Twitter's Danstelle Week 2023 (Honkai: Star Rail)
Summary:
She wanted to be surrounded by everything that was his. His presence was comforting.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 崩坏：星穹铁道 | Honkai: Star Rail (Video Game)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Dan Heng/Stelle (Honkai: Star Rail)
Characters: Dan Heng (Honkai: Star Rail), Stelle (Honkai: Star Rail)
Summary:
She tried to reason with her emotions on the matter. If such a time came, she would have to accept it, and it was better to have had a fleeting romance with him than none at all. Yet when she thought of him loving another as fiercely and as sincerely as he did her, the pain it caused was agonizing.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/?
Fandom: 崩坏：星穹铁道 | Honkai: Star Rail (Video Game)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Dan Heng/Stelle (Honkai: Star Rail)
Characters: Dan Heng (Honkai: Star Rail), Stelle (Honkai: Star Rail)
Additional Tags: Fluff
Summary:
They say capturing stardust is impossible, yet he tries anyway.
They say taming the dragon king is impossible, yet she does so anyway.
(This is a collection of short, unrelated Danstelle oneshots that couldn’t quite become their own stories.)
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/2
Fandom: 崩坏：星穹铁道 | Honkai: Star Rail (Video Game)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Dan Heng/Stelle (Honkai: Star Rail)
Characters: Dan Heng (Honkai: Star Rail), Stelle (Honkai: Star Rail)
Additional Tags: Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Dragon Dan Heng (Honkai: Star Rail), Possessive Dan Heng (Honkai: Star Rail), Vidyadhara Dan Heng (Honkai: Star Rail)
Summary:
While his Vidyadhara features were always striking and not often seen, she had come to recognize them after all this time. What she had assuredly never seen before was the long, teal colored tail that coiled out from behind him.
“You’ve had a tail this whole time?” she blurted out the moment she met his eyes.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 崩坏：星穹铁道 | Honkai: Star Rail (Video Game)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Dan Heng/Stelle (Honkai: Star Rail)
Characters: Dan Heng (Honkai: Star Rail), Stelle (Honkai: Star Rail), March 7th (Honkai: Star Rail), Himeko (Honkai: Star Rail), Welt Yang
Additional Tags: Dragon Dan Heng (Honkai: Star Rail), Rough Sex, Cunnilingus, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Vidyadhara Dan Heng (Honkai: Star Rail), Woman on Top, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot
Summary:
Being in a relationship didn’t suddenly make him an open book, but it did make him more receptive to her attempts to read him.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 崩坏：星穹铁道 | Honkai: Star Rail (Video Game)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Dan Heng/Stelle (Honkai: Star Rail)
Characters: Dan Heng (Honkai: Star Rail), Stelle (Honkai: Star Rail), March 7th (Honkai: Star Rail), Welt Yang, Bailu (Honkai: Star Rail)
Additional Tags: Dragon Dan Heng (Honkai: Star Rail), Angst, Fluff and Angst, Fluff, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Comfort/Angst
Summary:
In other cases, the memories are too vivid and the Imbibitor Lunae forgets their current self. Caught thus between multiple lives they can never fully remember, death is a mercy.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 崩坏：星穹铁道 | Honkai: Star Rail (Video Game)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Dan Heng/Stelle (Honkai: Star Rail)
Characters: Dan Heng (Honkai: Star Rail), Stelle (Honkai: Star Rail)
Additional Tags: Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Fluff without Plot, Smut, Fluff and Smut, Fluff and Angst, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Rough Sex, Dragon Dan Heng (Honkai: Star Rail), Comfort/Angst
Summary:
That wall was solid. She knew she could never breach it but there was no harm in fantasizing. From here she could at least admire his pretty face.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Final Fantasy XIV
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Scions of the Seventh Dawn & Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV)
Characters: Alisaie Leveilleur, Alphinaud Leveilleur, Y'shtola Rhul, Urianger Augurelt, Thancred Waters, Minfilia Warde
Additional Tags: Family Feels
Alisaie’s attempts at rebellion were, like most things she did and said, not subtle.
It was expected for such influential members of Sharlayan's government to rub elbows with others in high society. The most typical type of gathering were parties where elaborate foods and drinks were served and the highest form of entertainment was to sit among your peers to debate the finer details of all the knowledge the city state was known to keep. It was a life Alphinaud knew well by now. Some of his earliest memories were of such gatherings since children of such high dignitaries were of course expected to be present and his father in particular was very fond of hosting them. Not that he interacted much with the guests although he did take great pleasure in surprising any adult who tried to talk to him in a way one would to a child his age. The looks on their faces when he demonstrated he was very above average in that respect was priceless.
His sister, however, was no fan of these gatherings. While Alphinaud could not claim to love them because of the aforementioned treatment of the adults who attended he didn’t mind them either. They were quite instrumental for his budding interest in current affairs. He would spend the entire evening listening to all sorts of topics. Some not appropriate for his young ears but nevertheless fascinating to him all the same. Many did not bother to lower their voices as they spoke of the city state’s woes and the state of the realm beyond it, even less so around a young child they thought not capable of understanding any of it. But he did, of course, and he let the farce continue so he could listen without having to strain his ears.
Meanwhile Alisaie fought tooth and nail to be excused from them. Although she accepted them for a time she became more reluctant to participate as they got older. She did not enjoy the crowds nor the company and wanted nothing more than to stay in their grandfather’s study. But of course it was not negotiable as far as their parents were concerned and even when she tried to make it difficult for them she never got her way. The scoldings she would receive started to become something of a tradition when such events approached. Alisaie’s attempts at rebellion were, like most things she did and said, not subtle.
Frequently did she attempt to sabotage her involvement in these affairs and just as frequently did Alphinaud then have to do his best to salvage it for her own sake. So when the day of a particularly important party rolled around and Alisaie went missing during the afternoon, he feared the worst. The estate’s staff remained busy with the preparations and so Alphinaud kept to his room to avoid getting underfoot. He was expected to make his own preparations as well by their mother who gave her children strict dress codes for these occasions.
He was examining the suit he was expected to wear, wrinkling his nose at it, when his sister tumbled through the window. It startled him and he glanced up in alarm as she unceremoniously rolled across the floor. The fact that she often climbed back and forth through a third story window was ever concerning to him. Alphinaud approached her as she sat up, looking proud of herself. She was covered in sand and dripping wet with one hand carefully folded over the other. He gave her hands a wary look.
“You better not have brought in another frog.”
Alisaie glanced up at him with a gleam in her eyes. “No, no. I went to the sea this time, not the pond. Look!”
She opened her hands and Alphinaud leaned away on reflex. Several shells were gathered in her palm. The way she beamed at her accomplishment was endearing. Still, Alphinaud sighed. He scooped them up and brought them across the room. He deposited them gently on the nightstand beside his bed, standing on his toes to reach it, before he approached his sister again. Snatching her wrist, he dragged her to her feet and began to pull her to the opposite corner of the room where the bathroom was.
“You’re more of a mess than I feared but we still have time. Let us hope for your sake it is enough.”
Alisaie groaned. “I came back too early.”
She tried to pull free so as to make another escape out the window but Alphinaud had an iron grip. He yanked her into the bathroom, which thankfully had no windows, and quickly shut the door behind them both before she could try to scurry out.
“Honestly, it’s as if you enjoy the punishment mother inflicts upon you. Ugh, and you’re of course wearing the dress she picked out too.”
Alisaie crossed her arms pointedly, glaring. “I will make her give up on me if it’s the last thing I do.”
Alphinaud rolled his eyes, exasperated. Grabbing her by the shoulders he forced her to turn around and shoved her toward the bath. “Astounding logic, that. Bathe yourself at once.”
Once she had climbed into the tub he pulled the curtains over her. He could hear her grumbling even over the running water. Eventually when she tossed her dress over the edge he took it, leaving the bathroom with it. It was unsalvageable which was likely her goal. While a new dress would be suspicious there was no avoiding it. Alphinaud did his best finding one that was at least close to the original. This search required him to go to her room across the hall. Both of them had had their own rooms since they were born but they had taken a liking to sharing one more often than not. They were still young enough for this to be the case however their belongings including their clothes remained separated.
Eventually his sister emerged from her bath in much better condition and wearing a simple slip on dress. She had least scrubbed herself clean although her hair could’ve been washed more, he suspected, but it would do. At this young age his was still on the shorter side however hers was much longer.
“Wear this dress and then sit,” Alphinaud ordered. He motioned to the bed where he had laid it out.
“This is a terrible choice,” she observed as she picked it up.
“Had you taken a shorter bath we would have the time to pick something else. Quickly, Alisaie, before we have to go.”
She pulled it over her head and over the slip she already had on. She wasn’t a fan but then he was right about the time. Climbing onto the bed as instructed Alphinaud followed and began to dutifully work on her hair. Since she had bothered little with its washing it was still grimy from salt and its texture rough. He did his best to make its state less obvious which included a lot of rubbing with a towel to dry it. With this task done she was at last much more presentable.
“It will have to do,” Alphinaud said. “Should Mother ask, you best not tell her the truth. She’ll ground you from visiting grandfather’s study again and considering he is returning soon you’d surely not want that.”
He always brought back new books and trinkets for them when he came home from his travels. Alphinaud would hate for his sister to miss out on it as she had before due to misbehaving.
Alisaie’s shoulders slumped a little. “Oh. I hadn’t thought of that.”
“Yes, I’m quite aware you think very little of consequences,” Alphinaud grumbled.
She glared at him. “Oh, and you’re so above it all, are you?”
The door abruptly opened revealing their father. Forchenault glanced between them. “What are the two of your arguing about now and can it perhaps wait?”
Alisaie crossed her arms with a huff which just earned a sigh from him. Alphinaud bowed his head slightly. “Ah… we are almost ready, Father.”
He nodded. “I can see that. Make sure to get dressed, Alphinaud. If you are ready then pray come with me, Alisaie. Your mother is waiting.”
He offered his daughter his hand. Alisaie shuffled forward and took it, glancing over her shoulder at Alphinaud. Then she was tugged away from the room.
Alphinaud joined his family shortly after and together they were expected to greet the guests that began to arrive. Their parents did most of the greeting, of course, but they stood by obediently. If their mother had anything to say about Alisaie’s wardrobe change, Alphinaud was never made aware. So as far as he could tell he had spared Alisaie her punishment and not for the first time. Once the party began in earnest the twins assumed their usual roles of staying out of the way but keeping a presence in order to exchange pleasantries if spoken to. As per usual Alisaie spoke little and clung to her brother, following him around and letting him speak for her. Occasionally their parents came to check on them or took them to meet someone. As always it was a tiring endeavor for the young Elezens but they endured.
While the party was still in full swing the twins were eventually dismissed into the care of one of the many servants employed by House Leveilleur. They were still young, after all, and likely to become cranky if forced up too late. Alisaie was relieved once she was allowed back into the comfort of her room. She was quick to yank off her dress and pull on a nightgown. Eager as she was to crawl into bed with one of her many books she found herself a bit restless too.
A soft knock at her door caused Alisaie to turn toward it. It opened and in stepped the servant that had ushered them to their rooms. An older Mi’qote woman whom Alisaie had known all her life, she folded her hands in front of her and bowed courteously in greeting.
“Hello, Mistress Alisaie. Forgive my intrusion but I forgot I had something to give you. It’s a gift from Mistress Leveilleur.”
Alisaie perked up a bit with curiosity. “A gift?” She approached the servant with wide eyes and eagerness. She only ever got surprise gifts from her grandfather.
The servant reached into the pocket of her apron and produced a small grey box which she held out to Alisaie. She took it, lifting the cover gently. Within sat a pair of earrings. They were strangely unremarkable, simple in design and made to clip on the ear rather than go through it. The diamond shape that dangled from them didn’t even have a gem. Regardless she thought they were rather nice and a small smile crossed her face.
The servant smiled too when she saw Alisaie’s positive reaction. “Mistress Leveilleur wished to gift them to you herself but has been called away to attend other matters. Still, she wanted me to pass them off to you. She’s pleased with how well behaved you’ve been in attending all of the recent functions.”
Alisaie felt a weird pang of guilt. “Oh.”
Indeed she hadn’t been scolded or punished for her behavior regarding attending the parties in quite some time. The reason being was Alphinaud intervening before their mother found out, however, and not a willingness to improve her attitude.
The servant bid her goodnight, pulling Alisaie from her thoughts, and left. Closing the box again Alisaie stood in the middle of the room for a few moments. Then she shuffled out of her room too. The long hallways were dark and quiet but she could still hear the distant murmurs of the party downstairs. She padded quietly across the room to Alphinaud’s closed door. She made no attempt to knock. She simply opened it, poking her head inside.
Alphinaud was already in bed reading. The opening of the door caused him to glance up and stare at her through the dim lighting. He offered her a gentle smile. “Hello. Did you wish to stay here tonight?”
Alisaie nodded, closing the door behind her and crossing the room to his bed. She still had the box in hand which she held out to him. “Here, take this.”
Her brother blinked, expression curious, but did as she asked. While he busied himself opening it to look at the earrings Alisaie climbed onto the bed to plop herself down across from him.
“Are these yours?” he asked. He wasn’t certain why she had brought them.
“I guess. Mother gave them to me just now.”
Alisaie reached into the box and took one, lifting it up to her ear to clip it on. The pinch was a little painful and the weight felt foreign but comfortable. She picked up the other one which Alphinaud expected her to clip onto the other ear. Instead she lifted it to his and he felt the same pinch. It made him flinch a little, leaning back, but the weight of it told him it was now there. He lifted his fingers to touch it and gave her a quizzical look.
His sister merely grinned. “We match.”
Alphinaud might have questioned further but she moved away to sit beside him, wiggling underneath the covers and immediately taking most of them for herself when she rolled over. He gave her a flat look but did not try to pull them back. She always won that battle. He reached up to touch the earring again, still perplexed by its existence and why she had given it to him.
Upon further pondering he concluded it didn’t matter. He didn’t really mind it and seeing as it was a gift from his sister he couldn’t very well decline it. Returning to his book, Alphinaud thought nothing more of it after that nor ever again in the future.
To this day he is none the wiser to the reason but has notably continued to wear it ever since.
what if i’m far from home?
oh brother, i will hear you call
what if i lose it all?
oh sister, i will help you out
oh, if the sky comes falling down
for you, there's nothing in this world i wouldn't do
Arya knew it was pretty foolish to strike out on her own but she was determined to keep up with her training. She wanted to show X’rhun how much she had learned when the day came that he wandered back to Mor Dohna. So she made a habit of frequently traveling into the wilderness beyond Revenant’s Toll and spent her time picking fights with the monsters that roamed nearby. After many successes she started to become a little too confident and decided one day to venture further from the hamlet than she usually did.
Much too far, actually, and she ended up face to face with an angry morbol that had also strayed far from the swamp land in which they usually resided in. Startled, Arya had done what any good red mage would do and tried to stand her ground. However a misstep caused her to trip, twisting her ankle as she crashed into the ground. For a brief and terrifying moment as the morbol barreled toward her did Arya believe she was about to lose her life.
Then the monster burst into brilliant red flames and it gave an awful shriek, writhing as the fire burned through its flesh. Arya’s eyes widened as she watched it flail. Someone shot past her, a blur of white and red, and for a brief moment she thought it was X’rhun himself come to her rescue. Yet the figure was much too small and when she clashed with the morbol with her rapier Arya noted her elezen features. The fire had been enough but for good measures the girl struck it down with the most unique blade Arya had ever seen. Only when the morbol finally lay still, crumpled in a heap, did her savior relax.
Anya stared at her in awe, recognizing that she too wielded red magic, and meet her gaze when she finally turned around.
“Are you all right?” she asked, approaching Arya where she lay sprawled on the ground. “That was a bit close for comfort. I’m glad I made it to you in time.”
She picked up Arya’s fallen rapier with its crystal still attached and paused at her side. After giving her a quick once over she crouched and her gaze focused on her swollen ankle.
“Here, let me help. I’m not much of a healer so you should get it looked at later but…”
The girl trailed off and began to cast a soft, white glow over her ankle. Arya let out a soft breath of relief as the pain began to subside. She then realized she hadn’t answered the girl’s previous question.
“Oh! Oh, I… I’m fine, thank you. Forgive me I just… I’m a bit shaken. I thought I was going to die.”
“You were had I not seen you,” the girl replied. Her tone wasn’t harsh but her words certainly were.
Arya watched her for a moment, studying her carefully. She knew this girl. Or rather she knew of her. After all there weren’t many who could wield red magic considering there was only one teacher and X’rhun had spoken fondly of his previous student.
“You’re… Alisaie, aren’t you?”
The girl seemed surprised. “That’s right.”
Arya beamed. “Then you know X’rhun! He spoke highly of you during my time as his student.”
She noted Alisaie’s expression soften somewhat. She smiled although there was something about it that felt sad.
“So that was red magic I saw you using,” Alisaie chuckled. “A small world indeed.” She ceased her healing and stood back up, offering the other girl her hand. “Come, let us return to Revenant’s Toll. It’s dangerous to remain with these injuries.”
Arya nodded and took her hand. Although the healing had helped the pain she was still limping. Yet Alisaie stayed with her, offering her the support she needed to stumble along back towards the Toll. It took them awhile and thankfully trouble didn’t find them on the way. By the time they returned night was falling and they made it through the gates with only minutes to spare before they closed. Although she had a place to stay Alisaie invited her to the Rising Stones and Arya accepted. On their journey back Arya had enjoyed Alisaie’s rather remarkable stories of her travels across Eorzea and how she had met X’rhun.
So did the two girls sit at the bar counter within the Rising Stones, hot tea in hand, and swap their stories.
“You’ve done things I’ve only dreamed of doing,” Arya said with a wistful sigh.
“It is certainly never too late,” Alisaie replied with a kind smile. “I owe much to X’rhun and do not think my travels would have been as successful without the red magic he taught me. You will get there someday.”
“Do you really think so?” To Arya being as good at the discipline as Alisaie had displayed seemed like an impossible dream and yet she had never felt more inspired to try.
Alisaie nodded. “Of course. I did not believe myself capable of it either but I struck out on my own regardless. I knew it was the only way for me to see Eorzea with eyes unclouded.”
“All by yourself!” Arya exclaimed excitedly. “Isn’t that dangerous? What if you went missing? No one would know!”
Alisaie canted her head, a strange expression on her face. “Oh… well, I traveled alone but I… was not really alone.”
“No?”
Alisaie glanced away from her abruptly, staring at the cup of hot tea sitting before her. Slowly she lifted her hands and wrapped them around the mug. “No. Despite my best efforts to avoid him my brother frequently found out where I was and would send letters.”
Her expression seemed so somber that Arya worried she had brought up a bad memory. She smiled gently. “You have a brother?”
“Unfortunately.”
Arya sensed no malice in her tone when she said that but instead endearment. There was a small smile on her face, more genuine than any of her others.
“He always found me. I don’t really know how. He always found me and now that he’s the one far from home I…” Alisaie trailed off and Arya frowned.
Alisaie’s grip tightened around the mug. “He went somewhere far away, somewhere dangerous, and I can’t find him. I don’t know where he is. I’ve tried over and over.”
In a room tucked in the back of the Rising Stones were the other Scions, lost in a sleep that they could not be woken from. And somewhere out there in enemy territory cast in the shadows of the Ascians was Alphinaud, completely unreachable. No matter where she went in Eorzea he always found her.
Now no matter how she tried she could not find him in return.
Arya lifted a hand to gently rest it upon her shoulder. It made Alisaie flinch slightly but then her shoulders slumped. She felt tears sting the corner of her eyes and blinked, trying to keep them at bay.
She had lost everything. More than any time in her life it was here sitting in the Rising Stones with Arya that she felt truly alone.
_________
The journey across the vastness of the Burn would not happen in a single day. In fact Alphinaud suspected it may take several. Although he had tried to inquire about it his new companions were either unwilling to have a conversation or weren’t certain. He took the hint and mostly kept silent as he trailed after Shadowhunter.
On the second night they made camp Alphinaud was unable to sleep. Sitting outside by the slowly dying campfire surrounded by the eerily quiet night left him feeling more lonely than ever. He was fiddling with his linkpearl, yet again making the attempt to reach out to one of the Scions, when movement startled him. He jumped a bit but when he turned his head he saw only Shadowhunter who had taken a seat by the fire too.
He let out a breath, partially relived and partially annoyed, and returned his gaze to the fire. He felt the man’s eyes on him. They both sat in silence during which Alphinaud unconsciously started to fiddle with the linkpearl again.
“Won’t work,” Shadowhunter said after watching him for a few moments.
Alphinaud slowly lowered his hand and sighed. “I am aware.” Yet in his loneliness and worry he kept trying nevertheless. By now he knew it was futile. The linkpearl no longer worked for some reason or another. Perhaps it was the location or perhaps it was damaged in the crash. Whatever the reason he cannot even be sure his distress message was heard and thus he knew he had to proceed under the assumption that he was on his own.
“I just… My sister. I fear she will be rather cross with me for my silence.” Alphinaud wasn’t sure why he suddenly started speaking again but the words fall from his mouth before he can stop him. Perhaps it was the anxiety of all that had happened and the uncertainty of his path from here. He knew this man cared little.
“Perhaps when we are out of the wilderness it will work,” he continued. “I would hate to leave my comrades in the dark about all that is happened. Her most of all.”
His words were met with silence but that was fine. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and stared into the flames. Maybe more than anything he wanted to make sure she was all right. He was the one far from home and Alisaie was where it was safest. Yet he was worried for some reason. It felt like something was wrong and he wasn’t sure why.
“She may very well eventually show up at our camp if my silence continues. Then we will all be sorry.” His tone is somewhat humorous but it’s hollow. His worry won’t allow him to laugh too much at the prospect.
“There’s little reason you have to walk this path,” Shadowhunter abruptly said. He lifted his boot and used the heel to poke the smoldering firewood. A spark brought it somewhat back to life though barely. “Go back home.”
Alphinaud couldn’t tell if he was being made fun of or not. “You know that is not an option.” He also knows why he’s here… as does Alphinaud know why Shadowhunter is here.
He chuckles low in his throat. “Right. You Scions and your greater good. What’s her name?”
Alphinaud blinked. He had not thought Shadowhunter actually listening. There was a moment of hesitation in telling him. After all although they were comrades united under a common enemy for now Alphinaud didn’t really know him.
After a pause he turned his gaze to the stars. He was reminded of the time he spent under them with Estinien, Ysayle and the Warrior of Light. “Alisaie, but… you would know her if you saw her.” A beat before he continued, “Should… anything befall me I would have you find her.”
Shadowhunter was silent so Alphinaud added, “Forgive me if that is too much to ask but… I have no one else to make the request to. Rest assured I’ve no intention of dying.” But the road forward was more uncertain than ever. That uncertainty made him want to plan. Just in case.
“I can’t promise that,” Shadowhunter finally said. He sounded exasperated that Alphinaud was putting this on his shoulders. He abruptly stood, dusting sand from his pant legs. “Go to sleep. We leave before dawn tomorrow.”
Then he was gone, leaving Alphinaud alone by the fire. He did not watch him leave but instead continued to watch the stars.
He had traveled so far and would travel further still to see his mission complete. More than any time in his life it was here sitting by the dying campfire that he felt truly far from home.
You know… you’ve never told me anything about your journey.
When Alisaie started awake from a frightful dream she felt all out of sorts. Disoriented because she did not remember falling asleep in the first place she blinked slowly at the blank wall in front of her. Her waking mind quickly began to forget the dream but some imagery remained that made her heart pound and the butterflies in her stomach flutter. Groaning, Alisaie turned her head and buried her face into her pillow. She dreamed of death—of fire falling from the sky and bodies of those she loved left in its wake.
Movement at her bedside startled her and she felt the blankets being pulled over her. Alisaie rolled over, glancing upward with a quizzical stare. Alphinaud hovered over her and upon meeting her gaze he looked surprised. He withdrew his hands from the covers.
“Oh, you are awake. I thought you moaning in your sleep.”
Alisaie shifted upright and rubbed sleep from her eyes. “I am fine. I’m not a child that needs to be tucked in because I’m afraid of dreams.”
The look her brother gave her in response suggested she had indeed been showing signs of distress as she slept thanks to her nightmare. She chose to ignore it.
“Don’t tell me you came into my room just because of that?” Honestly! He coddled her like she was his little sister sometimes. It drove her up the wall.
Alphinaud arched an eyebrow at her but there was an amused smile that tugged at the corner of his lips. “Whose room?”
She scowled. “Don’t try and—”
She started in irritation but the words died on her tongue when she finally decided to lift her gaze. She noted the messy desk against the wall and realized this was actually not her room at all. It was his. She went red immediately, embarrassed, and Alphinaud’s sudden laughter did not help. She shot him a vicious glare for it that mostly lost its threat because of the blush on her face.
“I see you were still lost in your dream,” he laughed.
Alisaie responded by grabbing the pillow and chucking it at him. “Oh, shut up! I just forgot I came in here earlier.”
He deflected it easily, catching it before it could hit him in the face, and shook his head. He set it back down on the bed. “Clearly. You fell asleep rather quickly actually.”
Now that she was more awake Alisaie remembered she’d come in here to read. The room she called her own within the Rising Stones had felt eerily quiet and Alisaie was too restless to relax in the silence. Noting the light in her brother’s room across the way she had shuffled in with a book and claimed his bed. He had not made any motion to indicate he had noticed her, sitting at his desk scribbling away as he was, but she knew he was aware of her presence. Comforted by not being alone she must’ve fallen asleep the moment she had gotten settled with her book. She could not recall reading a single line form it.
“Mayhap you should retire,” Alphinaud was saying when she came back from her thoughts. “It is quite late.”
Alisaie glanced toward the desk he’d been working at. The light was low but a fresh candle had been placed in the lantern. He moved away and her gaze followed him back to the chair.
“Well… then so should you.”
“I will do so anon.”
Alisaie frowned as he sat back at his desk. While many things had changed about her brother the most noticeable to her was how much trouble he had sleeping sometimes. Sometimes she went to bed late and saw his light still on. Then when she rose early the next morning she’d find he was already up. Honestly she wasn’t sure he was sleeping at all some nights and it worried her.
“You are of course welcome to stay if it pleases you,” he said as he was hunched over whatever he was writing.
Alisaie let out a long sigh. She climbed out of bed and crossed the short distance to his desk, peering over his shoulder. A leather bound journal lay open among the scattered papers and books. She recognized his neat handwriting on its pages. His personal journal. They both kept them although he was much more dedicated to keeping up with it than she was. With skills honed from years of sisterly torment she reached over and snatched it right from under his quill pen.
He jumped, startled, and whirled around in his chair. “Wai—Alisaie!”
He made a grab for it but her reflexes were better and she held it over her head out of his reach, taking a few quick steps away from him. He got to his feet quickly but she already had the journal clutched tightly against her chest.
Alphinaud gave her a flat look, crossing his arms. As she figured he refused to squabble over it. He always had to pretend to be above such things. She flipped the journal open to a random page, glancing at it but not really reading it.
“You know… you’ve never told me anything about your journey,” she stated.
He looked caught off guard by her words. “What?”
Alisaie snapped the journal shut and waved it pointedly at him. “Your travels. Not a single thing about it. You traveled through most of Dravania on foot with a woman who became a primal, the Azure Dragoon and the Warrior of Light. You even traveled to the Sharlayan colony we were born in. Yet you’ve told me nothing about any of it. I’ve heard pieces of it, mostly from the Warrior of Light, but naught from you.”
Alphinaud seemed perplexed. “You never asked.”
She gave him a flat look and held the journal out toward him. “Well… I’m asking now. If you are not going to sleep then you are going to tell me about all that I’ve missed while we were separated.”
She would offer the same but then Alphinaud had actually asked her all about it when they had reunited and she had shared it with him. Yet she had never thought to ask about his own time spent while apart. She knew bits and pieces—plenty in order to understand what had led him to where they both now stood. Yet she realized in this moment that she’d not once heard about it from him. From the Warrior of Light, from Y’shtola, from Tataru, from Aymeric… and many others but never from her brother.
Alphinaud stared at his journal in her outstretched hand. His expression seemed troubled but then that was why she was asking him. He met her expectant gaze and then sighed in resignation. He lifted his hand and took his journal back from her.
“It seems to me that you are the one who does not wish to sleep,” he replied. “…Very well.”
She motioned for him to sit with her on his bed and so he did. Backs against the wall and sitting shoulder to shoulder, she watched Alphinaud flip through his journal and listened to him recount the journey he took first to Ishgard and then through the surrounding lands shortly after. She is well known for complaining about her brother’s tendency to prattle on yet few are aware that sometimes she does not particularly mind listening.
Needless to say he felt miserable and wanted to be well as soon as possible.
-----------
The Leveilleur estate felt particularly big when one was alone. Confined in this room as he was Alphinaud felt weirdly ill at ease. Although the room itself wasn’t his usually bedroom it was reminiscent of it—too large for a single person with walls lined with bookshelves and documents haphazardly stuffed between the tomes. What it distinctly lacked were any of his toys or other ways to properly entertain himself. Then again he was suppose to be resting and as sick as he was that was really all he could manage. Even sitting upright in this giant bed was too much effort. So for hours he slept, on and off, battling a fever that came and went and suffering from a cough that made his throat sore. Occasionally the door would open and the physician would wake him, checking his temperature and forcing on him awful tasting medicine.
Needless to say he felt miserable and wanted to be well as soon as possible.
When next he awoke it was dark and the tall windows near his bed showed a cloudless sky full of stars. He wasn’t sure what woke him up at first so he sat up sleepily, blinking bleary eyes at the door. Someone was entering… or trying to. There was a moment where the door handle kept moving but nothing happened. Then finally it cracked open and a familiar face poked her head in, glancing around uncertainly.
Alphinaud rubbed sleep from his eyes. “Alisaie…?”
Her gaze settled on him, squinting slightly to make out his figure in the darkness. The room was dimly lit by moonlight from the windows but it was still much too dark. He watched her disappear and then the door opened further. She shuffled in, a large tome nearly the size of her clutched in her arms.
“Father said you’re not allowed in here,” Alphinaud sighed. He was tired and feeling terrible. Now here came his sister to cause mischief.
“I don’t care what he says,” Alisaie replied stubbornly. She closed the door with her foot, nearly toppling over from trying to balance on the other, and then hurriedly crossed the length of the room to his bedside.
“You’re gonna get in trouble.”
“I don’t care. Here.”
She deposited the book on him. The tome made a heavy thud as it landed and Alphinaud grunted as the weight of it settled on his lap. It was huge. Sighing, he leaned over to turn on the lamp by his bedside. The soft glow of the flame within flickered to life and brought some much needed light. With it on he could see the cover of the book more clearly and found he didn’t recognize it.
The bed was both large and tall making it difficult for small children such as her to get on it easily. This would never stop Alisaie, of course, and she gripped at the blankets and began to pull herself onto the bed too. Alphinaud took the book, moving it away to give her room, but also to push it open. He came to a page with a colorful illustration near the bottom surrounded by many words. It was a fairytale of some sort. Not a particularly happy one from the looks of the picture.
He glanced up at her as she finally succeeded and she plopped down on her knees directly in front of him with the open book between them. She peered down at it curiously and although it was all upside-down from her angle she looked intrigued.
“Are you here because you want me to read it to you?” he asked.
Alisaie looked indignant. “Hmph! I can read it myself!”
Alphinaud grinned. He knew that, of course, but hadn’t been able to resist teasing her. She glared at him but he looked back down at the open pages.
“Right, right. Then why are you in here? If father finds you—“
“I told you already that I don’t care about that. I’m bored. You’re bored. Let’s read this book together. We always read books together.”
She pursed her lips, given him a look that dared him to try to argue this. Alphinaud canted his head slightly. Well… she was right, that was usually how they’d spend their nights. He’d been holed up in this room for a few days now recovering from his illness so nothing of the sort had occurred lately. It was hard to feel bored when all he wanted to do was sleep though. Even now he felt like dozing off. What time was it, he wondered.
“Well?” Alisaie was staring at him expectantly.
He smiled. “Okay.”
Alisaie’s expression softened and she smiled too. Bored wasn’t the word he would use. It was more… that he had been feeling lonely. He hadn’t realized that until now. He also realized she must have felt the same and that’s why she was here, risking their father’s wrath. While the estate was large enough that they had their own rooms they were young enough that often they simply shared one most of the time.
Yet he had fallen ill and in an effort to aid his recovery and to prevent Alisaie from catching it they had isolated him in a different room all together—an extra bedroom that was often used for guests. So accustom to the presence of the other, however, that having rooms all to themselves had instead left them both feeling lonesome.
“Did you get this book from grandfather’s study?”
“Yes.”
“But I’ve never seen it before.” He paused. “…You took it from the shelf we’re not allowed to read from yet, didn’t you?”
“Also yes.”
Alphinaud sighed but, well… the book was already here and open. Curiosity was a stronger force and so he began to flip through it slowly. There were a few bookshelves that their grandfather had told them were off limits until they were a bit older. The reasoning varied from them being too advanced to some being much too gruesome. This restriction was imposed less by Louisoix and more from their father though but the elder Elezen had respected his son’s wishes.
Alisaie crawled over to sit next to him as he flipped through it, leaning in close and pressing against his shoulder so she could read too. He settled on a story that looked interesting. He read aloud anyway, despite his hoarse voice from his coughing, and Alisaie listened, despite being able to read it just fine.
----------------
When the door of his study swung open Louisoix did not even look up. “Do you need something, Fourchenault?”
“Where is Alisaie?”
He sounded disgruntled. Louisoix finally lifted his gaze from the parchment he had been writing on to look at his son. He looked as disgruntled as he sounded.
“She is not here, if that’s what you’re wondering. I haven’t seen her all evening although she usually enters shortly after supper.”
Fourchenault sighed. “If not here then where could she have gone? It is much past her bedtime. Honestly, that child…”
Louisoix chuckled. Ah, but it was endless entertainment to watch his son struggle with rearing his own children. It brought back fond memories of all the trouble Fourchenault had caused him as a child.
“Well if I had to guess…” he started and purposefully trailed off. Surely Fourchenault could piece this together, as smart as he was.
Fourchenault’s brow furrowed for a moment before the realization dawned on him. He sighed in the way only a long suffering parent could. “I told her she was not allowed in that room until Alphinaud had recovered. Twelve give me strength, she is only getting worse at not listening as she grows.”
Louisoix stood from his desk with a much heartier laugh. “To her credit, she obeyed quite diligently for the past three days.”
“She did not. I have chased her away from the door more oft than I have fingers and toes. She must have gotten in while I was meeting with the visiting dignitary.” He paused. Although Fourchenault is not quite sure how she knew he was preoccupied.
His father passed him in the doorway, motioning for him to follow. “Shall we be certain then?”
The answer was obvious to Fourchenault but he humored him and followed. Upon reaching the door Louisoix pushed it open. The lamp was still flickering by the bedside but the twins had long since fallen asleep. Approaching the bedside quietly they found them both curled up against each other with the open book pushed aside.
Fourchenault could only sigh again but Louisoix smiled fondly. He offered his son a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. “As admirable as your efforts are you cannot expect them to stay separated this long. They are use to each other’s company.”
“If I wasn’t already aware of this I am now,” Fourchenault relented. “I explained the situation to her thoroughly but it apparently mattered little.”
He watched as Louisoix quietly gathered the tome from the bed with one hand, using the other to pull the blankets further over the sleeping children. He was aware Alisaie had expressed a lot of concern about Alphinaud’s well being which included asking the physician if she was ever going to see him again. It was why he had gone to great lengths to explain the reasoning to her. For all their intellect they were still very young.
“No father is ever prepared for the troublemaking of his children,” Louisoix said, a mischievous smile creasing his face.
“Child,” Fourchenault grumbled. “I was prepared for a child.”
He is certain that he will never again feel the same level of shock as he did on the day they were born. The decision to have a child had been a daunting one but manageable. Necessary, even, for the future of House Leveilleur. As was in his nature he had thus planned accordingly… only to be told his wife had had twins and he was the proud new father of two. He’ll never forget his father’s laughter when he, in a flustered rush, had told him he had no idea what to do with two of them.
“It is much too late to dwell on that, I should think,” Louisoix replied, amused. “Come, let us leave them be. Should Alisaie also fall ill we will handle it then but for now do not trouble yourself with worry. They are simply at the age where falling victim to colds and flus is inevitable.”
But it was endearing, Louisoix thought, how much his son fretted over them. He motioned for them to leave and while Fourchenault contemplated plucking Alisaie out of bed to take her back to her room he decided against it. He turned the lamp off before he followed.
As they left he glanced at the tome in Louisoix’s hand. “That is your book.” He didn’t phrase it like a question but instead made the observation flatly. “So she was in there.”
Louisoix smiled a bit too innocently. “Ah… perhaps? I must’ve not noticed. Curious.”
Fourchenault sighed another long suffering sigh. That was also how Alisaie knew the door was unguarded because he was busy, he realized. She must’ve been hiding in the study earlier when he had entered to tell Louisoix of his evening plans.
Upon hearing the tale of your treasure hunt with Alphinaud and Arenvald Alisaie has seemed more determined than ever to make things difficult for the chirurgeons at Rhalgr’s Reach. Although her injuries were much improved the pain sometimes still throbbed enough that she was forced to be seated until it passed. Nevertheless she had clearly grown tired of sitting around and had started to overexert herself in attempts to stay busy.
“She wants to go out and help with patrol but I know she isn’t strong enough for that yet,” Lyse had told you with a sigh. “I understand how she feels. I do! But Alphinaud is right that she still needs her rest.”
Lyse was kinder about it and made attempts to deter her with sympathy and offerings of less strenuous tasks. Alphinaud, however, was beginning to lose his patience. You often overheard him lecturing her to stay in bed and their arguing would get so heated that you’d occasionally poke your head in to make sure nothing got thrown. The last straw finally came when one night while patrolling you found Alisaie out and about outside the Reach’s boarders. She had told you she was merely taking a walk. A bout of pain forced you to help her back to her bed, however, where Alphinaud was waiting.
He rubs his temples. “If you do not stay in this bed, sister, I am going to have Orella make you.”
“Gods, leave me alone already! I told you I’m just fine! I need fresh air every once in awhile and more than that I need to get away from you.” You help her sit and once she seems situated you step away. Arenvald stands near by, having been summoned by Alphinaud when he learned his sister had gone missing again.
“I was about to set out to find her,” Arenvald tells you as the twins continue to argue. “Frankly I’m glad you found her first. I don’t think she would’ve much cared if it were me trying to tell her to go back.”
You offer him a sympathetic smile. He’s probably right. Even you had difficulty convincing her to come back and only because it was you did you succeed.
“That’s quite enough, Alisaie!”
Alphinaud’s shout startles you from your conversation. The argument has suddenly gotten more heated. Alisaie stands up from the bed to meet her brother eye to eye. They are both glaring at each other as if they’re trying to make the other stand down first.
“Oh boy,” Arenvald comments. He sounds worried.
“You have no say in what I do!” Alisaie snaps. “Stop acting like you can order me around!”
“You’re injured and not fit to do anything but stay right here! Why is this so difficult for you to understand?”
“I’ve healed! I am healing! I have to do more than just rest all the time!”
“Jeez, what’s all this about?”
Lyse has entered upon overhearing the commotion. The arguing is drawing a bit of a crowd from near by Resistance members. Lyse joins you and Arenvald with a frown. You shrug helplessly at her. It seems like someone should intervene but you’re not really sure you want to volunteer.
“You had to be escorted back because of the pain!”
“I can still help!”
“No, you’re a burden!”
For a moment the look that flashes across Alisaie’s face is more hurt than anger. This goes quickly, however, and she lunges forward to strike him with a fist across the face. With the strength that has felled many monsters she hits him and Alphinaud is knocked right on his behind from the force of it. You’re quite sure the look on your face mirrors the ones you see on Lyse’s and Arenvald’s. The commotion has caused stares from those in the vicinity and Orella is making her way over looking none too pleased.
Alisaie glares but you notice she looks more upset now. She turns sharply on her heel and lifts her chin, storming away. So visible is her anger that Arenvald scrambles to side step out of her way despite not being in her path at all. You watch her leave the infirmary, as does Orella. She shakes her head and looks exasperated that her patient has once again dismissed herself.
The shock finally seems to wear off and Lyse blinks. “Er… um… all right, all right!” she shouts loudly and claps her hands above her head. “Nothing to see here! Away with you lot!”
The onlookers that had stopped to stare shuffle away, murmuring among themselves. Concerned eyes are on Alphinaud who has still not picked himself up from the ground. You step over to him and offer him a hand, frowning. He stands up on his own, turning down your help most uncharacteristically, which causes your frown to deepen. You slowly lower your hand as Alphinaud lifts his to touch his cheek.
“You needn’t concern yourself,” he says coldly. These are all the words he offers you before he strides off too. You can’t recall many times you’ve seen ever seen Alphinaud so outwardly angry and it worries you.
Arenvald rubs the back of his neck. “Can’t say I’ve ever seen them fight quite like that before. They’ve been arguing a lot lately but that was something else.”
“No kidding!” Lyse cries. She looks about as lost for words as the rest of you. “I, uh… should we go after them? Alphinaud went to his room but I can’t say where Alisaie might have gone. I hope she doesn’t think to leave again…”
You lift your hand which draws their attention. Lyse smiles at the gesture. “Right! Go check on Alphinaud. I’ll find Alisaie, don’t worry. Arenvald can stay here in case she comes back.”
“Will do,” Arenvald agrees. You nod and watch Lyse hurry off in the direction Alisaie went.
Turning around you spot the partially opened door to Alphinaud’s quarters. The cold shoulder he just gave you makes you strangely hesitant but… you know it wasn’t personal. You recognize that what happened had seemed rather personal between the twins. It was as if Alphinaud had struck a nerve which had caused such an explosive reaction.
You approach the door and quietly knock. When there’s no answer you invite yourself in. Alphinaud is sitting on his bed still holding his sore cheek. He doesn’t glance up when you enter nor when you approach him. He knows it’s you.
After a moment with you standing over him he sighs. “Forgive me. I did not mean to react so coldly at your assistance. Thank you for your concern.”
You smile. That’s better, you think, but you can tell he’s still in rough shape. The anger seems to have left him what with the way he slumps his shoulders now. His cheek is beginning to swell now from the blow. It looks painful.
Alphinaud seems to notice your frown out of the corner of his eye. He shakes his head lightly. “I’ll be all right. In truth I rightly deserved it. I… spoke with full intent to make her upset. ’Twas not careless words on my part.”
Your confusion is plain on your face and you tilt your head. He sounds guilt ridden and you can’t help but wonder why.
He stares at his feet and doesn’t seem willing to meet your gaze. “I only wish that she would stop being so reckless. I have watched her get hurt enough times to last the rest of my life. If only she would listen…”
You smile sadly. Of course he would feel that way and so do you. Countless allies have you both lost. It’s only natural Alphinaud would be frightened to add his own family to that list. You finally speak to him quietly but sternly. If his words were meant to harm then he would do well to apologize, you tell him.
“… Right. I know.” He sounds dejected by your scolding but it was his own admission that prompted it.
“I’d be grateful if you could find her. I fear she may try to leave the Reach again.”
You nod. You know Lyse is on it but you don’t mind aiding in her search. You don’t tell Alphinaud this, however, and simply agree to do as he wishes. You leave him to his thoughts and to nurse his bruises. Leaving the infirmary you begin your search around the Reach. Many of the Resistance members you speak to can’t recall seeing her but eventually you find her trail. Those that had seen her storm by point you in the right direction.
You find Alisaie sitting near the waterfall far away and nearly out of sight. She sits at the shore with her knees drawn to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs. You approach and upon hearing your footsteps she glances up sharply. She looks ready to start a fight but when she sees it’s you her expression softens. Unguarded now that it’s just the two of you you note the upset on her face.
“Oh… It’s you. Did you come to take me back to the infirmary?”
You tell her that Alphinaud had been worried she’d left the Reach and her brow furrows in irritation.
“Hmph. Mayhap I should Mayhap I leave and never come back. It’s clearly what he wants.”
She looks away and glares out across the lake. You sit beside her with a small frown. You doubt that’s what he really wants. What a childish thing to say, you think, and then suddenly are hit with the realization that the twins are very much still children. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that. You’d never say that to them though. You can practically hear their irritation for having even thought it.
You sit in silence for awhile. You have many questions but none seem appropriate to ask. This may not be any of your business either. A spat between siblings isn’t unusual but Alphinaud’s words and Alisaie’s reaction speak of something greater. You’d like to know what that is but… is it your place to pry?
Eventually Alisaie begins to volunteer the information herself. “Once when my father was angry at me he… he said I was a burden on House Leveilleur. He apologized for it later. He said he had spoken carelessly out of anger but… I never quite believed that’s all it was. I’ve always fallen behind my brother when it came to affinity for magic and the high society life. I was never suited for either. I had to work three times as hard to even stand on the same pedestal and even then I still stood a step below.”
Your expression is sad. Having been at her side through so much you can’t imagine her being anything but a dependable companion in combat. Her red magic was top notch and her swordplay even better. Her sharp wit had helped at times too and she was ever an enjoyable conversational partner because of it.
Alisaie glares at the moonlight reflecting on the water. Her fingers dig into the sleeves of her jacket as her heart swells with anger once more. “And my stupid brother knows this. He knows full well that struggle, that pain I carry from those words. For him to say that… Godsdamn him!”
You glance away. So that was it. You were right that it was personal but that makes the words more harsh than you imagined. It explained Alphinaud’s level of guilt. For all his composure and smooth talking you suppose even he is victim to speaking brashly in the heat of a moment.
“Grandfather… he said that my father was stubborn and sometimes had trouble seeing the strengths in those that did not conform to his own ideals. He asked me to forgive my father’s foolishness. He assured me that I was not a burden and… that he would always be proud of me for my accomplishments.”
Speaking of her beloved grandsire brings a smile to her face at last although there is sorrow to it. You can’t help but smile too. Louisoix ever had an abundance of love and faith in the twins. Although you were not privileged to know him personally—even though it sometimes feels like you did—you do remember what you witnessed in the Coils. The way he smiled at his grandchildren said it all.
“I… want to believe in my grandfather’s words but sometimes I can still hear the way my father said that to me.”
Before you can assure her she is indeed no burden the sound of footsteps behind you draws both of your attentions. Alphinaud is there and he shifts a bit awkwardly on his feet when you both notice him. Alisaie narrows her eyes and then looks away from him. She returns to glaring at the water. You can tell she has no energy to be angry, however. You smile and climb to your feet, giving Alphinaud an encouraging nod. He looks sheepish and as you leave you notice Lyse hovering around the corner, not so subtly peeking out from behind the rocks.
You pause beside her and she looks sheepish too.
“Ah, well… I found you both sitting there and told Alphinaud instead of interrupting. I’m glad he came over to talk to her. He seems to feel pretty bad about the whole thing.”
You both gaze in their direction. Alphinaud is seated beside her where you had been. Although you cannot hear them from here you note Alphinaud’s usual gestures as his lips move. If Alisaie speaks in turn you can’t tell as her back is turned to him and you both.
“They’ll be all right,” Lyse chuckles. “That’s just how it is, having a sibling and all. They’re your worst enemy… and your closest friend. They can strike at all your weaknesses but you know in your heart that if the whole world turned against you they’d be at your side. One day you’ll hate them with everything in your heart and then the next you’ll love them even more.”
A small but sad smile crosses her lips. You take a change to glance at her but her gaze is fixed firmly on the twins. You know it’s from the heart in which she speaks these words. The sorrow on her face says enough that she misses having that ever present friend in her life.
When you look back Alisaie has turned toward her brother at last. They are conversing and the slight smiles on their faces give weight to Lyse’s words. You smile too.
