The Past of The Man Thought Unshakable - Printable Version +- Hydaelyn Role-Players (https://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/mybb18) +-- Forum: Role-Play (https://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/mybb18/forumdisplay.php?fid=27) +--- Forum: Town Square (IC) (https://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/mybb18/forumdisplay.php?fid=21) +--- Thread: The Past of The Man Thought Unshakable (/showthread.php?tid=4689)

The Past of The Man Thought Unshakable - Ririn'to - 09-21-2013 “Mmm!”a hum came from her lips as a spoon returned from her mouth, empty. “I really like it, daddy!” The child of an Hyur female sat in a high chair, her face bright as a small giggle escaped her lips. “I am glad, Ayreina, I was hoping you’d like it.” A gloved hand placed itself on the small child’s black hair, rubbing it gently. The child looked up, smiling as her hands reached towards the person she spoke to and her fingers grabbing at the air. “Can I play with your hair, daddy?” “Hm.”The person that spoke leaned down, kneeling low enough to bring his hair in reach of her hands. His voice was soft and far from deep. He sounded like a child himself, or no older than 17. He was nothing like the Hyur, he was a Miqo’te. Fangs poked from his lips and hung barely down over his lower lip. The slightly ashy skinned felinesmiled as the young one gripped the long bangs of his hair. His head dawned hair pure red, but the bottom rimmed with a white highlight. His eyes peered to her, almost smiling as visibly as his lips were. He watched the child tug on his hair and giggling, but stopping to look at him with a smile and patting his face. “Why is your eyes all different-y, daddy?” She spoke the truth, and his amusement remained while he grasped her hand lightly with two fingers. One of his eyes was purely white, the other pure black. They showed no visible pupils and each offered the comfort of looking into two opposite but seemingly-endless voids. “Because daddy is very weird, Ayreina.” He spoke as he leaned forward to kiss her forehead. “Now finish your dinner.” The little girl, instead of eating, leaned in to wrap her small arms around his neck as best she could. “I love you, daddy, even if you’re not my real daddy. You’re still the best daddy.” Taken back a little the Miqo’te’s eyes widened at the statement, but warmed quickly as his eyelids closed, rubbing his cheek against hers. “I love you too, Ayreina. Very much….now please eat, it’ll get cold.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Oh by the gods, dad, I cannot believe you remember that.” The two walked down the streets of Gridania, Ayreina much older, 14 years old now. “And stop smiling like that!” The Teenager said with a blush on her pale cheeks. The Miqo’te walked beside her, one hand carrying a large sack over his shoulder. He turned to look at her to smile widely while moving. “I can’t help it, Ayreina, it was my favorite moment.” The girl beside him sighed, keeping pace and blushing still, looking as though she wanted to take off running. “You’re hopeless, dad.” He looked up and her face brightened. “You’re still weird. So there’s that.” A chuckle left the feline’s lips, his free hand forming a fist over his mouth, his pupiless eyes trailing to half watch where he was walking. “I probably always will. Whether that’s good for you or not I have yet to find out.” He was stopped by a force at his side, his eyes looking forward still with a surprise before looking down to what was against him. Ayreina was wrapped around his stomach, short for her age and her face buried against his ribs. “Don’t ever say that again.” “D-…don’t say what, Ayreina?” “Don’t ever say you might not be good for me…you..” The Miqo’te placed a hand on her head, smiling. “Ayeina…” “No!” She interrupted, her face blushing and showing an angry embarrassment, though pressed against his clothes. “You’re not my real dad, Aoelus’a…But I don’t want anyone else to be my dad, either. You…you didn’t have to take me in, when I was abandoned. You didn’t have to take care of me and treat me like a real daughter, even though we are not the same.” Her face released itself from his side and looked up to him, tears rolling from her eyes. “Don’t ever think that I want anyone else in my life. I love you, Dad.” Aoelus’a watched for a moment in a stun. A few seconds later his face softened and he placed the bag on the ground, moving his arms to return her hug and his feline ear lowered to a horizontal line in the show of the affection. “I love you too, Ayreina. …and I would never want anyone else in my life either. I am very glad I found you. You’re better than anything else anyone would ask for in a daughter.” Releasingherself entirely from the hug she wiped her eyes in her sleeve, looking around. “No more mushy stuff, Aoelus’a.” Her blush deepened as she began to walk at a quickened pace.  “A-a-and don’t think you’ll get more moments like that! Now c’mon! We need to get to the guild!” She started to run off, her embarrassment changed to a huff, then to a brightened child playing tag as she turned the corner. Aoelus’a shook his head, smiling and wiping his eyes too. Picking up the sack and starting to move he made his way to the Lancer’s Guild. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Walking inside Ayreina was already talking to the clerk, her face bright as laughing some distance away from the door. The clerk looked to the Miqo’te walking in and waved him over. “Aoelus’a! You’re back! Ayreina tells me you were successful?” Moving forward the smiling feline placed the sack on the counter and the clerk looked inside. “Great job! This is the beast, alright.” The Elderly Roegadyn man stroked his beared as he turned to the teenager beside him. “And I’ll assume you did all the work, Ayreina?” The girl laughed and pointed to herself with a thumb. “Yup! Dad’s getting old so I had to make sure he was safe.” She looked to Aoelus’a and stuck out her tongue. The Miqo’te chuckled and rolled his shoulder, the metal of his gear clanking together. “What can I say?” He started, looking to his adopted daughter. “24 is old. Just you wait, young lady, you’ll be creaky like me real soon.” The clerk waved his hands in the air. “Alright Alright! You don’t need to remind me how ancient I am –every- time you come in here. Here’s your pay.” He smirked and slid a bag of Gil to the Miqo’te and waved to them both as they left. “Stay safe out there!” “Dad! Dad!” Ayreina began to jump in front of Aoelus’a and waving her arms widely. “Dad! We should get ice cream! We have time before our next job. Wouldn’t that be fun?” Waiting a moment she looked to him with a cute face, pulling her lips in and smiling to the Miqo’te. Aoelus’a raised an eyebrow in silence, an act he knew was ultimately futile. Sighing he looked down, “Yes, alright, Ayreina.” “Yaaaay!” She jumped one more time before moving off to the ice cream shop. Reaching a hand out he saw her get smaller as she made distance. “N-n-..wait! I have the money still!” He shouted before smiling and running off after her. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ They sat on a hill, far from civilization it seemed for Gridania was not in sight. They both held a cone of ice cream…well…she held two. The breeze kept them at piece, not making much sound apart from the noise of slurping quick-to-melt ice cream. Taking a moment she looked up to Aoelus’a with a smile. “Dad…can you tell me about how you found me?” He stopped a moment, looking to his chocolate ice cream drip lightly down the side of the cone before looking to her. “Are…are you sure you want to hear that story?” She nodded her head before giggling. “Why not? I didn’t realize it had a sad ending? Do we both die on page two?” Hesmiled and nodded. “Well…almost did.” Sighed he took a large lick of his ice cream to maintain it before starting. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The streets of Gridania at night held enough light to keep the visibility up, though only if you keep to the main paths. Aoelus’a moved down a well-lit area, 16 years old and holding a paper bag full of food. He chose to move along the grassy-rock wall, it offered lamps of light and he preferred to be in an area he could be ready for anything in. He was still somewhat new to the lancer’s guild, his chest and legs dawning the recruit’s gear and still unable to wield a weapon. They gave him enough pay to sustain himself, food, a small one-room wooden house just inside the forest. He couldn’t complain, he had gone far since he was a child and was only going to become better. Moving along the wall a few men passed by, laughing and caring little for the presence of others. Pushing Aoelus’a aside and laughing more as the aggression on the young feline found no reaction, besides frowning and making sure his groceries stayed in the bag. Continuing to walk after a moment he stopped, hearing crying as he passed a darker section of the town. He could see much better in the dark than most, not only half-feline, but a keeper of the moon as well. Wincing a bit he could see a curled up shadow, shaking in the breeze and making the noises he heard. Moving closer he knelt down beside it, a small Hyur female sobbed as best she could, malnourished and mostly bone. She held her stomach tightly as she paid no attention to the Teenager beside her, that is, until she smelled the food he held out to her face. Turning her head weakly her eyes were soaked in whatever tears her body could muster. Looking to the food now she took a moment to adjust. “Go on, it’s okay.” He spoke to her. “It’s just some bread…do you like bread?” Without a response she quickly, but weakly, grabbed it and brought it to her mouth. Taking a second she looked to him with fearful and loving eyes before quickly taking a bite out of the food. “Not too fast!” He smiled to her. “You’re in a hunger pain, eat too fast and you’ll get sick.” In response she had slowed down, reducing her speed to a constant nibble. His eyes closed and he nodded before looking her over. He clothes were torn and ragged, her skin almost as dark as her rags from the dirt and mud. He shook his head and reached and placed a hand upon her back. “Come on, you need a bath.” She lacked the strength to move anything but her arms, but they jerked in response to the touch in whatever defense she could muster. Stopping a moment he gently kept his gloved hand to her back. “It’s…it’s okay. I am not going to hurt you…I promise. Do you want to sleep in a bed tonight?” Her arms slowly readjusted themselves to her front again, nibbling on the bread once more as she nodded slowly at the offer she wouldn’t dare refuse. Her body still trembled as he picked her up with both arms, the bag of food resting on her stomach, the opened towards her face. Aoelus’a chuckled as he watched her rummage through it, trying to grasp whatever food she could with her small and weak arms. He stayed quiet as he moved on, once passed the gates of the city he heard laughing again, followed by a voice calling out. “Hey! You! Cat-freak!” Turning to look at the voice Aoelus’a would see the men he had passed earlier. Four of them stood a few meters away, fishers by their clothes, or just very soggy bandits. The largest one yelled out more, taking leadership. “You think you can just help that little girl? She’s -ours- now…” The large man smirked. “Unless…of course…you have the money to keep both of yourselves safe.” The group of men laughed and cracked their knuckles. They were interrupted quickly, however, by the guards that stood watch on the inside of the gate. “Are you robbing this Miqo’te? Is that what I’m hearing?” All of them turned to see the guards intervene, besides the child who was still rummaging through the groceries as best she could. “If you four don’t turn around and run right now, you are going to be arrested.” The guard beside him smiled and joined in the harassment of the harassers. “Yeah, or we’ll just kill you four for threatening a man and a small child. Punishable by death if I do recall!” The men grunted and turned their shoulders three started to walk away besides the leader, who looked to Aoelus’a. “This isn’t over, Kitty-cat. Don’t you get high and mighty because the guards are here to help you.” He took off with the rest right after, seeing the two guards approach the Miqo’te holding a weak and dirty child. “Good thing we were right there.” One continued. The other offered a small wave at the child, chuckling as her reaction was to grip onto Aoelus’a tightly. "Is she yours?” He asked, pulling up his visor to look at the Feline with uncovered eyes. “I’ve seen her around the town before.” Aoelus’a shook his head, “No…no I found her…I figured she needed someone…so I am going to take her home.” The guard saluted him right after hearing it. “Well, that’s good! As my partner said we have seen her around, begging and scavenging. But we couldn’t help her. We have too many mouths to feed as it is.” He sighed and placed his hands on his hips. “I think those thugs caught her trying to beg, she looks really hurt.” Aoelus’anodded. “Yes, I should get her back.” “Yes…”One guard walked forward and put a hand on his shoulder. “Please take good care of her. It’s the least she deserves after being abandoned.” The Feline nodded to them and thanked them both before turning away and walking quickly down the forest path; returning to his home with the small child still in his arms. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ “Wow dad, so you were helpless against 4 fishermen? That’s pretty sad.” She giggled, cupping her mouth with her hand and looking to him. “Hey!” He smiled back at her. “I was only 16, you know! And a fresh recruit of the lancer’s guild. I didn't even have a lance yet to defend myself… just a small child. Unless you wanted me to swing you around.” A few moments went by as the Feline Father grasped the grass behind him, leaning his weight into the hill and looking up. “I trained everyday since, I have not missed a single session. I wanted to make sure you were safe...and now I -need- to make sure you are safe.” She shook her head. “I only kind of remember begging and being alone. It was really cold and scary. Then someone came and offered me food, a bath and shelter. I…” She stopped to scoot herself closer, only left with half of one ice cream cone. “I’m really grateful you came into my life.” Her head leaned and pressed up to his shoulder, a support for weight…both physical and emotional. Aoelus’a leaned his head on hers. “I am very grateful for you too. I never regretted my decision from the moment I held out the bread.” Ayreina looked to him after a moment of their embrace. “I…how did I get my name, Dad? I don’t recall.” Aoelus’a looked down to her, a smirk poking at the side of his lips and he lowered his head to kiss the top of her hair. “When I asked you your name, you said you didn’t have one. I left it alone for a little while…but every night I read you a book. You loved the stories I read you, I myself enjoyed them too. But one of the heroines of your favorite story was named-“ “Ayreina…” She cut him off, looking out over the hill. “I remember…I remember loving that story. She was so powerful…and protected so many people. I...” Aoelus’a cut her off in turn. “Wanted to be just as strong as her. Since then I have called you Ayreina…because I know you will be as strong as any fictional hero. Without a doubt in my mind, Ayreina, you will make me ever more proud than I have been my entire life.” He leaned down to kiss the top of her head again. “I love you.” The Hyur girl finished her ice cream and looked contemplative, though blushing at his words. “I…I love you too, dad.” ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The night fell and Aoelus'a sat at the table. A bowl steamed on each side of the table, one in front of him...and one in front of an empty seat across. “Silly girl.” He mused. “Her walks are getting earlier and earlier and lasting longer and longer.” Shaking his head and speaking again with a smile. “She always comes home each time with a necklace she made from the random sticks and rocks she finds. I...” He blushed and looked towards the door. “I hope she remembers to make me one this time too.” He inhaled through his nose, crossing his arms on the table as he stared at the steaming soup...waiting. Hours passed as he continued to look at the liquid in the bowl, the steam gone, along with any heat it had previously possessed. His eyes gazed to the door, taking his lance and stepping towards it. “She is never this late. Something's wrong.” He stepped out the door and closed it behind him, catching a note on the front. The writing was hastily scrawled and was barely legible...but the words were all too clear. “We have her, we told you we'd come back kitty-cat. She's a slave now...unless you bring enough money. The old fishing shack to the east of Gridania. If you want to see your whore ever again.” Aoelus'a's eyes shifted around the page, fear and anger twisting in his face. “ You...you...” His voice was deeper...his eyes starting for the first time in his life...swirling together in color...darker. “I'll...I'll kill them...” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ He knew where the shack was. Being a recruit for the Lancer's Guild often meant patrolling jobs. He had seen it, memorized it, and now he was going to tear it down. It made little difference how long it took, his sprint would never be faster. The doorways to the place were raggedy, perhaps they didn't expect someone who, eight years ago, couldn't defend himself to now barge into the front door. A heavy lance and solid metal armor dawned the 24 year old Miqo'te as the first man he saw became a victim. It was lucky the note did not lie, and only the four men from before were there...for the lance he held stabbed into the chest of the first person he saw. A blind rage overwhelmed Aoelus'a...nothing would stop it. The three left almost fell backwards as he did not come at an expected time...since the note was against his door for hours. Pulling out their weapons two more had fallen of their numbers. One was slit easily and quickly in the neck, the other taking the edge of his spear to the stomach. Both had fallen, the life draining from their body by the much more experienced Miqo'te...only the leader remained. A smirk crossed his lips as his hands were held up above his shoulders. “Heh...Kitty Cat came to save his whore...we left you that note hours ago...we didn't think you were coming.” “Watch your fucking mouth. Where is she?” Aoelus'a quickly responded. Theman shook his head. “We didn't think you were coming...so...” He chuckled as he knew he couldn't fight back, though took amusement in a psychotic fashion. “We killed her.” Aoelus'a's eyes widened...he stayed motionless. His eyes were seen by the remaining man, one moment White and Black...though the white eye began to swirl. Black as night they both became...and with it spoke a voice from the man's lips. The voice that slid from his mouth was darker...eviler...demonic. “You...You killed her? You...Y-Y...You...You're lieing! ...I..I will make you suffer! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!” True to his word the lance speared the remaining man's throat, the blade pinning him against the wall he held his back against. The man made no struggle, his eyes widening at the Miqo'te's break-down. The surprise was following by his fatal pin to the wall, and he stayed there pinned...making only gurgling sounds as his body desperately grasped for the life that drained quickly from him. Aoelus'a watched him in sociopathic silence as the blood coated his weapon and slid down the abandoned shack's wall. Breathing deeply his now both black-pupiless eyes streamed with tears...soaking his cheek and looking to the doors that led the last room. He quickly barged into the room, looking around for only half a second before falling to his knees. He saw only what was necessary...but only what he feared absolutely. A hand gripped a necklace made out of shells, pebbles and leafs. The hand itself was soaked in a puddle of blood. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ One year later both white were the eyes of the man now and he held only two things. A pink-petaled flower, which he placed along the ground. His other hand clenched the necklace he saw...the last time he had seen her. Inhaling through his nose again he fought the tears...a futile effort as they began to stream from his cheeks. Placing the necklace around his neck he refused to look away, only a gravestone keeping a pink-petaled flower held his sight. 'Ayreina Serenviir. Beloved daughter and a great heroine.” The tomb offered little comfort as the Miqo'te gritted his teeth, looking up in tears to curse the gods everyone revered so much. “Everything I've done was for love... everything I've done was for nothing.”