((Repeat from Kage's Alternative Timeline writing prompt. Figured I put in here as a dream sequence and then write a new part about Askier's reaction to the dream when he woke up.))
Askier gazed at himself in the mirror, his brown hair slicked back behind his ears and his Garlean dress uniform was pressed. His face was free of scars and his bushy tail swished to-and-fro in excitement, though his face was covered in a calm smile.
He had made it at last. Captain Mergrey of the Garlean Army, one of the few miqo'te to ever have reached such a rank, and an honor he never would have received if had not been for the political maneuverings of his father-in-law, Adin Adonis.
Askier flashed himself a toothy smile then and stood straight. He recalled that moment, five years ago, when the Calmity had rocked his faith in the Empire's power. He had almost fled, almost given up his life here, run with his sister like a coward. But Adin's adopted daughter, Ashwynn, had talked him out of it. He had listened to her. And here he was, five years later, a captain, a husband, a father, an uncle to his sister's children, and well respected for his engineering feats in the realm of explosives.Â
The miqo'te turned and looked behind him as the door to his office opened. Askier's office was richly decorated, with deep, mahogany desks and walls, thick, red carpets beneath his feet, and large windows overlooking the city. Askier smiled as he saw the white-haired miqo'te that stepped through the door.
"Master Mergrey, my Master Adonis and Lady Ashywnn are here for you."
"Jin'li." Askier replied, his voice polite but stern. "Please, let them in and then have a seat, you aren't looking well." It was true, the white-haired slave of his father-in-law was looking sicker and sicker each time Askier saw him. Askier felt sorry for the frail male. Adin had told Askier Jin'li wasn't long for this world and Askier would miss the white-haired servant. Jin'li was the most loyal person Askier had ever met, and certainly the most polite.
"This slave is happy to serve, Master Mergrey." Jin'li said flatly as he then held the door open. Ashwynn was the first to enter. Askier looked at his wife and smiled as he saw the small bundle she carried.Â
The miqo'te couple meet in the middle of the room and kissed for a moment before Askier looked back and gazed into her ice-blue eyes.
"And how are the two of you doing?" Askier inquired with a grin, his teeth flashing. Ashwynn shrugged playfully.Â
"Would be better if you were home more, instead of making me drag our daughter up her to see you." Ashwynn replied, feigning annoyance. Askier knew she didn't mind that much. Well, maybe a little.
"Well, I'm sure she enjoys the traveling." Askier replied with a wink as he looked down at his little girl and felt his heart melt as the little face looked back up at him, her mismatched eyes fixed on his own. One of the little girl's eyes was gold, the other, ice blue. Askier held the gaze with his daughter for a moment and then looked back up at his wife and gave her another kiss.
"Captain Mergrey!" thundered a voice and the couple separated as Askier lept back and stood at attention. A tall, elderly Garlean entered the room, a grey beard on his chin and wrinkles around his three eyes. The tall man wore the uniform of a Garlean major and marched straight up to Askier.
Askier went to give the man a salute, but Adin wrapped the smaller male in a hug and laughed.
"You should have seen your face!" Adin chuckled as he released his son-in-law. Askier gave a sheepish grin as Adin tussled his hair.
"When you use that title, I'm not sure if you are addressing me as your relative or subordinate."Â Askier admitted.
"Well, right now, this is to see my granddaughter spend some time with her father. I'm taking you out to dinner. Immediately."
"But I need to keep working on the prototype weapon. If the operation against Ul'dah is-"
"Ul'dah?" Ashwynn inquired. Adin gave Askier a disapproving look and then looked at his daughter.
"We'll discuss it over dinner. I'll send Jin'li to fetch Saravena so she can join us. Shall we?" Adin looked at Askier. Askier knew he couldn't say no, even if he had wanted to. A free dinner was something he would never pass up.Â
"Why not? No place I'd rather be than dinner with my family." Askier mused as he walked over and took his long, black coat off a peg and slipped it on as Jin'li held the door open for them to leave. "No place I'd rather be."
***
Askier awoke and blinked as he gazed up at the stars overhead. The night wind blew, dusting his face with specks of black powder from the open barrel next to his head. The miqo'te grunted and sat up. Drumstick lay next to him, slowly breathing as the chocobo slumbered. Askier smiled at the bird and gently patted the animal's head.
"Funny, only place I can sleep well is next to a bird."Â Askier remarked with a tender smile at the animal that had saved his life so many times.
"Squawk."Â Drumstick answered sleepily as the bird opened his black eyes and blinked.
Askier kept petting Drumstick as he looked up at the stars, the grass of Red Wing HQ waving in the wind.
Askier thought back on his dream. The possibility of what his life might have been if he hadn't run. If he had stayed for Ashwynn.Â
"Maybe I did cock it all up." Askier sighed, speaking to his bird. "Maybe I should have stayed. Adin would be alive, Saravena never would have been in a cell, and Ashwynn would still have a home. And I never would have been skinned alive." Askier shuddered despite the warm air. Askier looked around him. How much of the recent event in Ul'dah had been his fault? How much of the death and suffering had been related to his selfish flight from the Empire? How much?
Askier reached over to his bag and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. The miqo'te took the bottle, and, with practiced skilled, pulled the stopper out with his teeth and drank a quarter of the bottle in two swigs.Â
Askier coughed a bit as the burning fluid ran down his throat. He hadn't had whiskey since he and Roen had spent that time on the boat, but he needed it now. Drumstick looked at him and the Garlean pulled the bottle from his lips.
"What you want? Some booze?" Askier grunted as he met the bird's gaze. Drumstick stood up and suddenly snatched the bottle from Askier's hands before the chocobo threw it off the cliff with a jerk of his neck.
"Hey, I was- ack!" Askier was cut off as Drumstick suddenly flopped down on Askier and pinned the miqo'te beneath his body. Askier squirmed but could not free himself as the bird put it's head on his chest and went:
"Squawk!"Â
Then Drumstick closed his eyes and went to sleep, leaving Askier looking up at the stars and forced to think.
"Ruddy bird." Askier grumbled as his right hand started petting the bird.
"Least running away let me meet you. I just hope this all works out, you know? Is it too much to just want to be happy and carefree?" Askier sighed as he spoke to his mount as the wind moaned through the Goblet.
Askier gazed at himself in the mirror, his brown hair slicked back behind his ears and his Garlean dress uniform was pressed. His face was free of scars and his bushy tail swished to-and-fro in excitement, though his face was covered in a calm smile.
He had made it at last. Captain Mergrey of the Garlean Army, one of the few miqo'te to ever have reached such a rank, and an honor he never would have received if had not been for the political maneuverings of his father-in-law, Adin Adonis.
Askier flashed himself a toothy smile then and stood straight. He recalled that moment, five years ago, when the Calmity had rocked his faith in the Empire's power. He had almost fled, almost given up his life here, run with his sister like a coward. But Adin's adopted daughter, Ashwynn, had talked him out of it. He had listened to her. And here he was, five years later, a captain, a husband, a father, an uncle to his sister's children, and well respected for his engineering feats in the realm of explosives.Â
The miqo'te turned and looked behind him as the door to his office opened. Askier's office was richly decorated, with deep, mahogany desks and walls, thick, red carpets beneath his feet, and large windows overlooking the city. Askier smiled as he saw the white-haired miqo'te that stepped through the door.
"Master Mergrey, my Master Adonis and Lady Ashywnn are here for you."
"Jin'li." Askier replied, his voice polite but stern. "Please, let them in and then have a seat, you aren't looking well." It was true, the white-haired slave of his father-in-law was looking sicker and sicker each time Askier saw him. Askier felt sorry for the frail male. Adin had told Askier Jin'li wasn't long for this world and Askier would miss the white-haired servant. Jin'li was the most loyal person Askier had ever met, and certainly the most polite.
"This slave is happy to serve, Master Mergrey." Jin'li said flatly as he then held the door open. Ashwynn was the first to enter. Askier looked at his wife and smiled as he saw the small bundle she carried.Â
The miqo'te couple meet in the middle of the room and kissed for a moment before Askier looked back and gazed into her ice-blue eyes.
"And how are the two of you doing?" Askier inquired with a grin, his teeth flashing. Ashwynn shrugged playfully.Â
"Would be better if you were home more, instead of making me drag our daughter up her to see you." Ashwynn replied, feigning annoyance. Askier knew she didn't mind that much. Well, maybe a little.
"Well, I'm sure she enjoys the traveling." Askier replied with a wink as he looked down at his little girl and felt his heart melt as the little face looked back up at him, her mismatched eyes fixed on his own. One of the little girl's eyes was gold, the other, ice blue. Askier held the gaze with his daughter for a moment and then looked back up at his wife and gave her another kiss.
"Captain Mergrey!" thundered a voice and the couple separated as Askier lept back and stood at attention. A tall, elderly Garlean entered the room, a grey beard on his chin and wrinkles around his three eyes. The tall man wore the uniform of a Garlean major and marched straight up to Askier.
Askier went to give the man a salute, but Adin wrapped the smaller male in a hug and laughed.
"You should have seen your face!" Adin chuckled as he released his son-in-law. Askier gave a sheepish grin as Adin tussled his hair.
"When you use that title, I'm not sure if you are addressing me as your relative or subordinate."Â Askier admitted.
"Well, right now, this is to see my granddaughter spend some time with her father. I'm taking you out to dinner. Immediately."
"But I need to keep working on the prototype weapon. If the operation against Ul'dah is-"
"Ul'dah?" Ashwynn inquired. Adin gave Askier a disapproving look and then looked at his daughter.
"We'll discuss it over dinner. I'll send Jin'li to fetch Saravena so she can join us. Shall we?" Adin looked at Askier. Askier knew he couldn't say no, even if he had wanted to. A free dinner was something he would never pass up.Â
"Why not? No place I'd rather be than dinner with my family." Askier mused as he walked over and took his long, black coat off a peg and slipped it on as Jin'li held the door open for them to leave. "No place I'd rather be."
***
Askier awoke and blinked as he gazed up at the stars overhead. The night wind blew, dusting his face with specks of black powder from the open barrel next to his head. The miqo'te grunted and sat up. Drumstick lay next to him, slowly breathing as the chocobo slumbered. Askier smiled at the bird and gently patted the animal's head.
"Funny, only place I can sleep well is next to a bird."Â Askier remarked with a tender smile at the animal that had saved his life so many times.
"Squawk."Â Drumstick answered sleepily as the bird opened his black eyes and blinked.
Askier kept petting Drumstick as he looked up at the stars, the grass of Red Wing HQ waving in the wind.
Askier thought back on his dream. The possibility of what his life might have been if he hadn't run. If he had stayed for Ashwynn.Â
"Maybe I did cock it all up." Askier sighed, speaking to his bird. "Maybe I should have stayed. Adin would be alive, Saravena never would have been in a cell, and Ashwynn would still have a home. And I never would have been skinned alive." Askier shuddered despite the warm air. Askier looked around him. How much of the recent event in Ul'dah had been his fault? How much of the death and suffering had been related to his selfish flight from the Empire? How much?
Askier reached over to his bag and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. The miqo'te took the bottle, and, with practiced skilled, pulled the stopper out with his teeth and drank a quarter of the bottle in two swigs.Â
Askier coughed a bit as the burning fluid ran down his throat. He hadn't had whiskey since he and Roen had spent that time on the boat, but he needed it now. Drumstick looked at him and the Garlean pulled the bottle from his lips.
"What you want? Some booze?" Askier grunted as he met the bird's gaze. Drumstick stood up and suddenly snatched the bottle from Askier's hands before the chocobo threw it off the cliff with a jerk of his neck.
"Hey, I was- ack!" Askier was cut off as Drumstick suddenly flopped down on Askier and pinned the miqo'te beneath his body. Askier squirmed but could not free himself as the bird put it's head on his chest and went:
"Squawk!"Â
Then Drumstick closed his eyes and went to sleep, leaving Askier looking up at the stars and forced to think.
"Ruddy bird." Askier grumbled as his right hand started petting the bird.
"Least running away let me meet you. I just hope this all works out, you know? Is it too much to just want to be happy and carefree?" Askier sighed as he spoke to his mount as the wind moaned through the Goblet.
