It was coming up on a sennight since the preparations had begun, and much had already been accomplished. Soldiers had been issued orders, materiel had been shipped in from Limsa, maps and charts had been consulted, and something very closely resembling an expedition in earnest was shaping up. U'odh Nunh had been shown the advantages of hosting this little adventure, as he called it, and had assigned U'khuba to wring every financial concession they could from their guests while the chaos lasted, and U'tykha to keep the peace and head off confrontation between the huntresses and the influx of people. Both Tias, eager as always to prove their eventual superiority, set to with a will, and as a result there were few enough problems. Even with the extraneous civilians underfoot.
Three such individuals sat (or stood, in the third's case, ever vigilant even without her Wailer mask) and watched as a half-dozen Flame recruits fought to lift a bulky crate onto a wagon bed. The soldiers sweated and swore under the bright midday sun, making the miqo'te of the trio shake her head.
"THIS is why I'd never join the army. They should be doing this at night or something! Or at least the evening. They're nuts." Garri bit into a fruit, dark tail swinging below her crossed legs. She was perched on one of the rocks, in the shade provided by the lovely oasis' palm trees.
"It does seem rather.. unnecessarily arduous." Frances, in a wide-brimmed hat and sharing her friend's shade, was nonetheless sweating almost as badly as the soldiers, or so she felt. Nothing in a life among the more privileged children of Gridania's nobility had prepared her for the desert heat. "Perhaps their commanding officer might be prevailed upon to allow them to continue when the sun is not quite so.. murderous."
Their standing companion (also in the shade, for though vigilant, she was hardly stupid, in her opinion), snorted.
"I would not bother, mistress Lorieux. These ones probably did something to annoy their commander. Thus.. earning this work detail."
"Truly, Rienne? That seems cruel." Frances looked her way, frowning, but it was Garri who answered.
"Naaah. They're used to it. Flames are tough. 'sides.. haha, look!" She nodded across the way, to shade provided by one of the public houses. Four of the local huntresses were watching with distinct interest, and were soon joined by two more. Some of the soldiers, men and women alike, flashed grins their way, and maybe went out of their way to flex a bit more than was strictly necessary.
Frances peered, then giggled at the sight. "Goodness! It's like a mating display~" She blushed a bit, glancing at Garri, who also laughed. "Uh huh.. though it's weird, I thought that, like, Seeker women were, uh, reserved for the Nunh or something."
"For mating purposes, yes!" another voice cut in from nearby, making the three start a little; the robed figure stepped dramatically from among the trees, almost tripping as a cat wound through his legs. He glared at the animal, then straightened, gesticulating. Also dramatically. "But how dull would that be! To so restrict the ardor of a huntress! Hah! Impossible! Tribeswomen find pleasure where they will, yes, when they will and how and with whom and however frequently. 'tis only pitiful Tias must make do and wait.. or leave, and thus form their own harems of nubile warrior females."
The three started at the male miqo'te, covered in black robes, standing with extravagant pose, and blinked. Garri covered her mouth, snorting laughter. Rienne eyed him suspiciously but made no further move toward her spear. Frances smiled with habitual politeness.
"I take it you are from this tribe, then, ser?"
"That I am! U'jakata, Thaumaturge Most Puissant, this is my name. And here, Minna, my ever-respectful familiar. Mark how she cleans herself in apparent disdain of our discourse. 'tis but a ruse, oh yes. Her ears are as sharp - as are her claws, the little fiend -sharp as you could wish. Or not wish. Well have my robes suffered from her tender attentions. And my leggings, and flesh, betimes."
The three girls couldn't help but laugh at this, and the Thaumaturge huffed.
"Bah! Soon, matters of robes and wardrobial disarray shall matter not, once the object of my search is acquired. The days only pass too slowly! Would that my formidable will alone could encourage this expedition to take flight with greater haste, that I might claim my rightful place upon it."
"Oh? You're coming along, too?" This from Garri, whose black ears had piqued with interest. U'jakata nodded arrogantly.
"That I- what do you mean 'too'? The deep Sagolii is no place for children!"
"HEY! I'm not a child, I'm fifteen! And Frances is sixteen!"
"Hrm.. old enough to hunt, and mate, I suppose. Still, 'tis not for helpless, inex-"
He blinked, flinching sharply back as a dagger slammed into the tree six ilms from his head.
"And I'm NOT helpless! Got it?!"
The mage adjusted his robes, straightening. Stooping down, he gathered his cat into his arms. "Fire she has, Minna! Reminds me of my sisters, and isn't that a strange thought. How does a Nunh do it, surrounded by such energy, vitality, femininity?" He straightened; the cat regarded Garri with feline languor. "It excites and frightens, small wonder you might say that I surround myself with tomes, and risk only flame and void, rather than women. Which is more alarming, more alluring, more destructive, who could even say?"
Frances blinked, and looked at her friend, who did not seem displeased by the strange male's rambling commentary. Rienne cocked her head, clearing her throat.
"Excuse me, ser.. U'jakata. You said you were part of this expedition. In what capacity? Are you representing the Drake tribe, somehow?"
The thaumaturge froze, taking on a shifty expression. Frances jumped in.
"Oh! Are you going to help with the attunement ritual?"
Under his cowl, the mage's ears visibly perked.
"...ritual, you say?"
"Yes. Flame Captain Maximus informed us that we will be setting up an Aetheryte to facilitate travel and to minimize our baggage train, at a halfway point. I understand that there has been some trouble with acquiring sufficient Thaumaturgical aid to empower it, due to some internal issue at the Ossuary. Mayhap you could lend your talents to the cause."
The robed miqo'te's answering grin was... a little unsettling.
"Mayhap I could, my dear young lady. Mayhap I could at that."
Three such individuals sat (or stood, in the third's case, ever vigilant even without her Wailer mask) and watched as a half-dozen Flame recruits fought to lift a bulky crate onto a wagon bed. The soldiers sweated and swore under the bright midday sun, making the miqo'te of the trio shake her head.
"THIS is why I'd never join the army. They should be doing this at night or something! Or at least the evening. They're nuts." Garri bit into a fruit, dark tail swinging below her crossed legs. She was perched on one of the rocks, in the shade provided by the lovely oasis' palm trees.
"It does seem rather.. unnecessarily arduous." Frances, in a wide-brimmed hat and sharing her friend's shade, was nonetheless sweating almost as badly as the soldiers, or so she felt. Nothing in a life among the more privileged children of Gridania's nobility had prepared her for the desert heat. "Perhaps their commanding officer might be prevailed upon to allow them to continue when the sun is not quite so.. murderous."
Their standing companion (also in the shade, for though vigilant, she was hardly stupid, in her opinion), snorted.
"I would not bother, mistress Lorieux. These ones probably did something to annoy their commander. Thus.. earning this work detail."
"Truly, Rienne? That seems cruel." Frances looked her way, frowning, but it was Garri who answered.
"Naaah. They're used to it. Flames are tough. 'sides.. haha, look!" She nodded across the way, to shade provided by one of the public houses. Four of the local huntresses were watching with distinct interest, and were soon joined by two more. Some of the soldiers, men and women alike, flashed grins their way, and maybe went out of their way to flex a bit more than was strictly necessary.
Frances peered, then giggled at the sight. "Goodness! It's like a mating display~" She blushed a bit, glancing at Garri, who also laughed. "Uh huh.. though it's weird, I thought that, like, Seeker women were, uh, reserved for the Nunh or something."
"For mating purposes, yes!" another voice cut in from nearby, making the three start a little; the robed figure stepped dramatically from among the trees, almost tripping as a cat wound through his legs. He glared at the animal, then straightened, gesticulating. Also dramatically. "But how dull would that be! To so restrict the ardor of a huntress! Hah! Impossible! Tribeswomen find pleasure where they will, yes, when they will and how and with whom and however frequently. 'tis only pitiful Tias must make do and wait.. or leave, and thus form their own harems of nubile warrior females."
The three started at the male miqo'te, covered in black robes, standing with extravagant pose, and blinked. Garri covered her mouth, snorting laughter. Rienne eyed him suspiciously but made no further move toward her spear. Frances smiled with habitual politeness.
"I take it you are from this tribe, then, ser?"
"That I am! U'jakata, Thaumaturge Most Puissant, this is my name. And here, Minna, my ever-respectful familiar. Mark how she cleans herself in apparent disdain of our discourse. 'tis but a ruse, oh yes. Her ears are as sharp - as are her claws, the little fiend -sharp as you could wish. Or not wish. Well have my robes suffered from her tender attentions. And my leggings, and flesh, betimes."
The three girls couldn't help but laugh at this, and the Thaumaturge huffed.
"Bah! Soon, matters of robes and wardrobial disarray shall matter not, once the object of my search is acquired. The days only pass too slowly! Would that my formidable will alone could encourage this expedition to take flight with greater haste, that I might claim my rightful place upon it."
"Oh? You're coming along, too?" This from Garri, whose black ears had piqued with interest. U'jakata nodded arrogantly.
"That I- what do you mean 'too'? The deep Sagolii is no place for children!"
"HEY! I'm not a child, I'm fifteen! And Frances is sixteen!"
"Hrm.. old enough to hunt, and mate, I suppose. Still, 'tis not for helpless, inex-"
He blinked, flinching sharply back as a dagger slammed into the tree six ilms from his head.
"And I'm NOT helpless! Got it?!"
The mage adjusted his robes, straightening. Stooping down, he gathered his cat into his arms. "Fire she has, Minna! Reminds me of my sisters, and isn't that a strange thought. How does a Nunh do it, surrounded by such energy, vitality, femininity?" He straightened; the cat regarded Garri with feline languor. "It excites and frightens, small wonder you might say that I surround myself with tomes, and risk only flame and void, rather than women. Which is more alarming, more alluring, more destructive, who could even say?"
Frances blinked, and looked at her friend, who did not seem displeased by the strange male's rambling commentary. Rienne cocked her head, clearing her throat.
"Excuse me, ser.. U'jakata. You said you were part of this expedition. In what capacity? Are you representing the Drake tribe, somehow?"
The thaumaturge froze, taking on a shifty expression. Frances jumped in.
"Oh! Are you going to help with the attunement ritual?"
Under his cowl, the mage's ears visibly perked.
"...ritual, you say?"
"Yes. Flame Captain Maximus informed us that we will be setting up an Aetheryte to facilitate travel and to minimize our baggage train, at a halfway point. I understand that there has been some trouble with acquiring sufficient Thaumaturgical aid to empower it, due to some internal issue at the Ossuary. Mayhap you could lend your talents to the cause."
The robed miqo'te's answering grin was... a little unsettling.
"Mayhap I could, my dear young lady. Mayhap I could at that."
![[Image: MBLxxyE.gif]](http://i.imgur.com/MBLxxyE.gif)
