Hydaelyn Role-Players

((Follow up to Lost and Found and occurring some time after Judgement.))

***

The soft patting of tiny feet tracked Ulanan’s movements as she wandered around the small flat, restless. She kept looking under the furniture – what there was of it – and other things that didn’t need much effort from her, and looking suspiciously inside the vases and flower pots scattered haphazardly around the area. At the far wall, which was consumed by a small kitchenette and shelving with food and other supplies, Antimony, dressed in a simple dress and pants and a worn apron, distractedly stirred a boiling pot filled mostly vegetables of various kinds. She kept her eyes on the wall in front of her, though her thin ears swiveled back occasionally at the rustling of Ulanan in her home. 

"There are no vermin here to worry about, Ulanan," she spoke after minutes of silence broken only by the shuffling of objects.
 Ulanan knocked on one of the cabinets, listening to the hollow thud of her knuckles as though it spoke some secret message. "I'm not looking for vermin," she said, placing an ear against the wood and knocking again.

Antimony winced, eyes shifting to one corner of the counter, where a copy of the latest Tonberry's Lantern lay face-down, and then bent to rummage in a cabinet below the stove. “Ah, treasure, then?”

“In a way. I lost my hat.” The be-robed lalafell moved closer to the kitchenette and stretched up to peer into a vase again. “No, it's not there.”

Pausing in her actions with the pot, Antimony glanced towards Ulanan with a small frown. “I don't think it'd be in a flower pot then. Where... did you see it last?”

“It was on my head. Then it wasn't!”

Antimony turned from the pot, her ears shifting about as she scanned the small flat. There weren’t many places for things to get lost here, save for the cluttered corners near the alcove that held her bed. "And where were you when it was on your head?"

Ulanan climbed up into the chair next to the modest, round-topped dining table that doubled as Antimony’s usual work-space. "I was right here. Then I leant down because I thought- oh, here it is!" With a happy flourish, she reacquired her hat. It had been under the chair the whole time.

Antimony tilted her head slightly and gave Ulanan a small smile. "Not that it could've gone very far here. You're lucky you didn't tip it over the edge of Limsa and into the sea."

As she spoke, a faint voice sounded from somewhere across the room, echoing distantly as though speaking from inside something: “Pardon the intrusion, everyone. Antimony! Have you your linkpearl near you?”

“That would have been a good excuse to buy a fancier one, though,” Ulanan was saying.

Antimony blinked rapidly, her ears twitching in confusion for several seconds as she looks around for the sudden, muffled voice. “What was... oh.”

“I will make sure your vegetables don't explode due to overheating!”

Abandoning her cooking for the time being, Antimony crossed to a low, wide cabinet and frowned down at it for a moment before picking up a round object that shone with a pearlescent finish. The item rolled about in the palm of her hand. "Thank you, Ulanan," she offered to the lalafell and then held the object awkwardly in front of her. She'd clearly not used a device like this often in the past. “What... Ah, is there something I can help you with...?”

“Ah, there you are!” That voice again, and Antimony recognized it this time as the ever-difficult D’hein. Her boss. “A brief inquiry for the moment! Have you been sent of on another job yet? Perhaps from Illira or that older fellow?”

Ulanan clambered up the kitchen counter until she was perched atop the stove. Arming herself with a spoon, she stabbed the soup and stirred it slowly.

Antimony glanced briefly Ulanan's way and called out, "Please be careful up there!" before returning her attention to the linkpearl. “Oh, well, no, not yet. Was there something that needed doing? It's rather late to be giving an assignment, is it not? I won't be able to start on it until tomorrow morning…”

Ulanan gave Antimony a lazy nod while continuing her idle cooking.

“Business needs to be done when the work is fresh!” D’hein spoke through the linkpearl in a sing-song voice. “That being beside the point, though. I'm afraid I'm abusing the linkpearl for personal reasons. There's something that we must needs discuss, you and I. I'll visit you very soon!”

Antimony's frown deepened at that. "Personal--" she began in an annoyed tone, and then cleared her throat before forcing out, “I thank you for the, ah, warning, I suppose.”

“I always do what I can to accommodate! See you soon!”

Ulanan's ears twitched and she retired the spoon from the pot and pondered about taking a sip from its steaming hot contents. Antimony did not reply to the voice on the linkpearl, instead setting it down firmly and pursing her lips.

---

Barely a few seconds had passed before a sharp knock sounded on the door.

Starting, Antimony's ears flick back to press against her skull. "Oh for all that is... Soon! That may as well be immediately."

Ulanan left the spoon on the counter and climbed down. “Perhaps it's just a coincidence? It could be someone else.”

Antimony cast a furrowed glance at Ulanan. "I highly doubt we would be so fortunate, but..." One hand came up to pinch at the bridge of her nose. "Do you mind answering for me? Just in case."

The lalafell smiled, “I don't,” and swaggered over to the door, swinging the door open with an authoritative gesture. On the other side of the entryway, D’hein stood with a straight face, though as Ulanan answered his knock, he donned a happy smile.
 With her friend taking care of the door, Antimony moved over to the single table in the flat and leaned her weight down on her hands against it. She could feel the beginnings of a headache at the base of her skull. 
“Oh, hello!” Ulanan declared. “I think we are expecting you.”

“Evening to you, Ulanan!” D'hein closed his eyes for a moment, and his ears twitched in opposite directions, "Ah, I smell cooking! I hope I haven't interrupted a meal."

Ulanan moved to a side to let D'hein enter. "If you had arrived any later, you would have. Please come in."

D'hein clapped his hands in front of him, "Ah, then my coming was well-timed! I was right to hurry! Thank you." And he entered.

Antimony closed her eyes briefly at the miqo’te’s voice, though she looked up as he entered. Waiting for D’hein to pass through, Ulanan closed the door behind him.

He stopped as though confronted with a wall the moment he stepped in, and looked about in a state of confusion. It was in this state that he noticed Antimony and took in the image of the aproned woman, as though she were bizarre and misshapen.

Antimony pressed her lips together. "Is this the protocol in Ul'dah for house guests - to arrive with less than a minute's warning?"

“In Ul'dah, you announce yourself at the door. Then you bribe the guard and enter,” Ulanan offered helpfully.

D'hein blinked, gave his mind a moment to catch up, and around then he realized Antimony had spoken, and his mind recited the words to him. He smiled, closed his eyes, and appeared sincerely embarrassed. "Ah, perhaps I was over-eager! My apologies. If I'm being overly inconvenient." He blinked again, then muttered, "Oh, and yes! Ulanan is quite correct."

Antimony glanced briefly at Ulanan and nearly smiled. But, she was too annoyed at D'hein for that, so she pursed her lips instead. "I suppose it's... alright. Though really, the use of official channels like that seems... improper."

Ulanan Ulan just frowned.

“Perhaps,” D’hein mused. “I've always believed it to be a waste if one does not use resources one has access to. Now, perhaps I should cut to the chase if I'm not to interrupt your meal, hm?”

Antimony sighed and took a moment to try and let go of some of her frustration. She was only partially successful. "I apologize, I've not been one for visitors today." She blinked and then stepped back, gesturing to the chair nearby. "Please, sit down."

“I will keep watch over the soup, so that you can have her full attention,” Ulanan announced.

D'hein turned and smiled, "I am sorry, but if I sit it may cause me to sediment, somewhat, and I've no intention to impose.”

Antimony's tail twitched behind her, and she smoothed down the front of her apron and dress. "I'm sorry," she said to Ulanan. "I'm sure whatever this is won't take long." And then to D'hein, "Very well. What is it?"

D'hein clapped his hands together, "What indeed! Perhaps you haven't seen..." He began to search his pockets only to realize he didn’t have any, "... Oh dear. I believe I left it in my other halfrobe. Or my fullrobe. Likely the latter! Is there a copy of the Tonberry's Lantern about by chance?"

Antimony's tail shivered unconsciously. "... Yes. Whatever for?"

Ulanan climbed up the counter once more. Picking up the spoon once more, she pointed towards one corner of the kitchenette while looking at D'hein, directly towards the journal. She said nothing while doing this, however.

D’hein noticed Ulanan’s indication when it may have been wiser to notice Antimony's body language. But that was D'hein, and he jaunted right over to the counter to grab it. "Ah, here we are! There was a call-for-help type of entry I wished to draw your attention to."

“Charity?” Ulanan questioned from her spot near the pot.
 Antimony watched D'hein's back as he picked up the paper, her tail quivering behind her and her ears swiveling back. She couldn’t seem to find words, so she remained quiet as D'hein looked through the paper. "Ah, no," he muttered, and when he found the advert placed by K'mana, he showed it to Ulanan, "More a missing person thing. Recognize anyone?"

Antimony stepped forward then and reached out to try and snatch the paper from D'hein's hand. "That is none of your business," she spoke suddenly and with vehemence. Ulanan had not managed to even squint at the list before it was snatched away. Her eyes widened at Antimony's reaction.

D'hein absently watched the paper being torn from his hand, and afterwards, let his arms drop to his side. He observed afterward, "So you're aware of it, then."

Antimony turned away from them both, holding the paper tightly in both hands before promptly crumpling it in a vicious gesture, as though crushing bone. Ulanan thought for a moment, tapping the spoon against her chin a few times before noticing that it was not a very bright idea to do that as it was covered in stew-stuff. “What is it that you want, D'hein?”

Antimony stood stiffly with her back to both D'hein and Ulanan. Her tail had curled down against one leg and she moved one hand to rest it against the table as though suddenly weary of her own weight.

D'hein inhaled deeply before speaking with as piteous a voice as can, "I believe there's rather an uncomfortable reality come to light. A very personal matter between Antimony and I, and perhaps another party or two who are not present."

Antimony spoke through a tight throat, without looking up, "I don't see how this is in any way business of yours."

“Maybe you ought to elaborate,” Ulanan encouraged.

Antimony said nothing in response, though her posture did not become any more inviting. D'hein cast his eyes at the back of Antimony's head, "Perhaps. It puts me in an awkward position. As a... Well, it's a father obligation of mine to do something!"

Antimony's tail lashed, whacking against the back of her leg, and she bit out, "Do not speak of a /father's obligation/ to me."

Ulanan crossed her arms, the spoon protruding out of her hand at a low angle. “Please, elaborate an expedient explanation of the elements you expect to exhibit.”

Looking at Ulanan, D’hein said, "I think you wouldn't be instructing me to be blunt if you fully conceived of the situation I'm attempting to segway into." He blinked, and looked at the pot, "Or, wait. Is my extended presence causing your stew to burn?"

Ulanan looked at the pot. "It's a soup." She declared, blinking once. Then, she turned to Antimony. "Or is it a stew?"

“I'm unsure of the difference to be honest,” he admitted.

Antimony leaned a bit heavier against the table and simply forced out, "If you're going to banter about food, I'd like it if you left. Now."

D'hein blinked at Ulanan, then seemed to suspect that it was not Ulanan who spoke and looked at Antimony. "Eh? I apologize if I offended. Ulanan may be right. Let's try: I need to discuss K'airos and D'aijeen specifically."

---

Ulanan returned to warily being a potwatch.

At the man’s words, Antimony flinched, and her hand shook against the table. "Do not do this. Please. I can't--" a pause, "... D'aijeen..?" She turned her head slightly, though not enough to see D'hein or Ulanan, and her features trembled.

D'hein didn’t appear to understand the question. His tail seemed to search for an answer, drawing circles in the air behind him, but he ended up responding with a mere nod and, "Yes, I think."

Antimony turned around then and glares at D'hein. "I have nothing to say to you about either of them. It is none of your business, and it would be in your best interest to simply leave."

D'hein frowned, and one of his ears droop. Only one. "That’s very disappointing. You don't strike me as a selfish sort, and while I can forgive the girls' reluctance to discuss their mother, it's another thing entirely to so thoroughly disown one's own progeny."

Antimony leaned back as though D'hein had struck her, eyes widening, and she blinked rapidly against a sudden burning behind them. Her tail shivered behind her in distress. "How dare you--I've done no such thing...!" She looked away and closed her eyes tightly. "I don't expect you to understand what it is like to lose... If you've any heart at all, you would leave this be."

Ulanan opened her mouth and tilted her body slightly as if she was about to say something, but chose not to. Instead, she kept stirring the pot distractedly.

D'hein quirked his expression a bit, and his tail went limp. "How is it possible for a mother's heart to so darken at the mention of her children?"

Antimony's ears drooped along with her spirit. "What purpose did you have in this?" she asked quietly, despondent. "Just to declare that you know my great secret?"

“Calm down, please,” Ulanan cajoled. “You are doing this wrong.”

D'hein looked at Ulanan and conceded, "I'm afraid I must be."

Antimony turned then and moved around the table very carefully to drop into the chair as though her legs had decided not to support her anymore. Ulanan nodded at her, "Wise choice! All the stress of this situation surely sailed from your skull down to your..." she paused, holding one finger up in the air for a moment before adding "...feet." Then she looked at D'hein.

The miqo’te watched the lalafell, waiting patiently.

“She needs to be less angry at you, and you need to be less obtuse. State what you came to say in the simplest form possible,” she finished her fake motivational speech with a nod. Antimony did not look up as the lalafell spoke, instead dropping her gaze to the crumpled wad of the Lantern in her lap, her posture slumped in the chair.

“Fine,” D’hein nodded. “I'm rather responsible for K'airos and D'aijeen in a fatherly way and thought that we should discuss this very sudden and awkward personal connection.”

“See? That was much quicker.”

Antimony blinked once and finally looked up at D'hein, visibly paling, and when she spoke her voice shook, "You... I didn't think you would be so cruel as to pretend..." The thin wrinkles in the creases of her face deepened from strain in the lamplight. Without a word, Ulanan dropped down from the counter, still carrying the spoon, and moved closer to her.

D'hein sighed in exasperation, "What would I be pretending? I don't understand!"

Shaking her head, Antimony muttered weakly to herself, "Why would they do this... they know. They know they're dead..." And up at D'hein then, with a glare barely holding back grief, "Do not joke around with matters you don't understand!"

D'hein looked at Antimony with twitching ears, and his tail flipped about in confusion, "They know who? What?"

Ulanan placed one hand over Antimony in a soothing gesture and then looked to the other miqo’te, “Please, I would ask you to step outside for a moment. Antimony needs to collect her thoughts.”

Antimony wrung the paper in her hands and then suddenly leaned forward, slamming the wadded periodical against the table, "Dead! You want to know? They're all dead! And I could do nothing--nothing to save... my own..." She hunched her shoulders forward and dropped her head to the table with a ragged gasp for air. "Please just leave. This is... the cruelest joke," she whimpered.

D'hein pondered, and then pulled on an ear and muttered, "Very well. I suppose that is the least I can do, consider the strangeness of the situation. Take the time you need," and then he turned to leave, "And don't let the soup... stew. Food burn."

---

Ulanan nodded at D'hein, clearly approving his priorities. At the table, Antimony did not look up, only choking on a sob. Once the man had disappeared through the door, the wood of it clicking shut, Ulanan spoke to the older woman, “Are you...? No, of course you are not alright. Can you tell me what's wrong? Do you know the people he mentioned?” Antimony sagged in the chair, quite clearly crying, and just nodded against her arm after a long moment. “And they are...gone?”

Shuddering, Antimony’s tail curled tight around her thigh. "My children," she replied in a low, choked tone. "My girls... and--" She couldn’t finish that thought and just went quiet, forehead resting against her forearm, face down-turned.

Ulanan grimaced. "I see." she let out, rubbing one palm against Antimony's shoulder. She kept quiet for a few moments. "I will take care of D'hein," she said finally with conviction, and turned around to head to the oven. Carefully, she opened the grates and puts off the fire, before making her way towards the door.

Antimony did not move during this, continuing to slump against the table.

Outside, D'hein was milling about, looking rather anxious.

“D'hein,” Ulanan spoke his name gravely as she exited the flat. 

He turned to the lalafell and grew a smile, "Ah, Ulanan! How did it go?"

There was no beating around the bush, "She says her daughters are dead."

D'hein blinked, and his ears shifted, and he thought. When he spoke, it was with a certain bemusement, "Well, there's obviously been some kind of falling out, but 'dead' is a cruel way to put it. Very heavy."

“By the way she is crying, she is not speaking metaphorically.”

D'hein looked suddenly greatly, distressed, "Crying? Why would she be-? I had no intention of- I wasn't so rude was I?" He tugged on an ear to compose himself, but the gesture was too odd to achieve the intended goal, "Surely she couldn't think K'airos and D'aijeen deceased!"

“She does. I did not press the matter to know why. And you shouldn't until you can bring her some proof of it...” Ulanan gave the miqo’te across from her a heavily thoughtful look.

“Uhm,” D’hein paused. “I'm not sure that would be the best idea.”

“Which? Not pressing the idea, or bringing proof?”

D'hein chuckled at that for some reason, "The latter. You see, D'aijeen has shown every indication of holding something against her mother. So much that I never even broached the subject with K'airos! I'm not sure if it's appropriate for me to..." He stopped, and thought some more.

Ulanan sighed, looking at the floor. "You did not think this through very well, did you?"

“I was emotionally motivated to act swiftly,” he defended. “Though, let’s think it this way: if a mother believes her children dead, is it not cruel to allow that mistake to continue? I believe it would be cruel, and so, I make it my mission to unite this woman with her children! Even if I must first cure their hate!”

Ulanan nodded. “I agree. But reverse the order. She has a right to know they are alive. Then we - or you - can worry about the hate part.”

“Well how am I to prove their existence, then?”

Ulanan gestured vaguely with one hand. "You can't. She won't trust you."

“Ah, excellent! I'll just do that, then, and we'll be ri- Oh, wait.” He very quickly deflated.

Ulanan avoided chuckling, just shaking her head.

“You place me in an unfair position, Lalafel.”

“You placed yourself there by following her the other day, and now with this. But it is no matter! I have an alternative!”

D'hein seemed to struggle with that for a moment, ears turning down, tail twitching, but he forced his expression to brighten, "Well, wherever there is a way, I will succeed. Tell me of your alternative!"

“Tell me where to find them. If it is someone she trusts who tells her that they are alive, she will be more open to the idea that they are indeed so.”

“Ul'dah is where one would start looking,” he nodded. “K'airos is a member of the Brass Blades, a noble calling, and profitable as well! Given the chance, I'm sure I could find where in the city or outlying regions she may be presently.”

She gave him a thoughtful look. “You should do that. You should also find an excuse to send Antimony to Ul'dah. I will go with her and nudge her in the right direction.”

“Yes, that's a good thought. I can find work for her to do there. And I can inform you of where to go looking once you're there! And then I can prepare the girls for such a meeting. And the reunion will be beautiful!”

Ulanan nodded. “You did mention one of them had a...grudge against her?”

He bobbed his head emphatically, "The younger of the two. D'aijeen. Dropped the K-tribe label altogether but won't talk about it. I'm sure there's love in there somewhere, though. I'll find it!"

Ulanan turned around halfway back towards the house, looking at the door. “I think we have a plan. I will talk with Antimony to calm her down. I will let you know if she becomes open to discussing this with you.”

“Thank you, but given her impression of me, I find it unlikely. As long as I can help return happiness to the grieving mother and distant children, though, I will be content!”

“How noble!” She smiled at D'hein. “I've left her alone for long enough.”

“Oh, you are far nobler than me. Good evening!”

Ulanan raised one hand in goodbye, not turning around to D'hein nor stopping as she moved back inside the house.

Antimony was sitting up now, and at some point she had uncrumpled the paper. It now lays as flat as it could get on the table, the article with its list of names and pictures face up. She did not look at it, though, rather staring across the room towards the pot wearily.

Ulanan moved close to Antimony and stood there for some time, quietly. Finally, she spoke up, “Are you feeling better?”

Antimony closed her eyes for a moment, letting out a breath, and then nodded slightly. Several seconds ticked by before she added in a quiet tone, "I will be alright."

“Shall we continue preparing supper? You look like you should eat. And yes, I know your feelings are probably strangling your stomach right now. But we'll change that!”

Antimony stood slowly after a moment's hesitation, limbs moving as though weighed down. "Yes, you're right," she said to Ulanan and drew another, careful breath. "I also think..." Her eyes shifted down to the paper briefly and then back to the pot. "I should submit a... resignation notice tomorrow."

The lalafell startled and thrust her arms about in vehement disagreement. “What? No! That's terrible!”

Antimony's ears dropped low along the sides of her head. "I don't think I can work under that man after... what he just did. I'm sorry, Ulanan. Certainly there will be others..." She moved towards the stove.

Ulanan followed Antimony with her head. “I spoke to him. He affirms that your daughters are alive.”

The woman flinched and she deliberately turned her face away from the lalafell. "Why would you--" she started in a small, thin voice, and then cut herself off. She picked up the wooden spoon and mechanically began to stir the stew-soup-food.

“I know. I know!” Ulanan took off her hat, keeping it against her chest. "D'hein’s a creep and would probably do whatever to get you in his bed. But...! I think this deserves investigation. I told him to go away, but I will look into it. Just in case. Alright?”

Antimony did not speak for nearly a minute, just stirring the soup far more than it probably needed. Her hand shook around the spoon. Eventually, "... It should be done now. If you'll get the bowls..."

“Bowls!” Dutifully, Ulanan proceeded to get the bowls.

***

Ulanan Ulan and Antimony had a great time battling a puddling monster that came out of their stew! After that, they decided to order some pizza instead. THE END!