(Long Conversation, will be in multiple parts.)
It was a surreal experience, wearing the armor. Even more so to be treated with respect by all she passed, was this what it meant to wear the garb of a Knight? Her exit from Ishgard was even easier than her entrance. The guards paying little attention to her, clad in her family’s armor. She had purchased transport to the shroud, where a woman was supposedly in residence.
A woman who, against all odds, she required the assistance of. It had taken some wheedling on her part, to secure her vacation destination from the Sultansworn, but in the end, they relented. So, Evangeline tromped inexpertly into the Carline Canopy, her armor clanking, where there had been reports of a red haired, rather grumpy looking highlander in the vicinity. It does not take long for Evangeline to spot said highlander, adjusting her glasses and leaning forward to read the notices on the wall.
Evangeline clears her throat, "Ah...", as she taps the highlander on the shoulder.
Crofte 's hands tighten around her dress noticeably as if there was nothing else to grab onto before she slowly cranes her neck to the side, finding an Elezen grinning sheepishly, at her "Err… Hello Crofte.†The highlander closes her eyes and places a hand to the side of one cheek. "I thought I felt a chill suddenly."
Evangeline sighs, "Is that how you greet an old friend Coatleque...?" Clucking her tongue, "And here I thought there would be a hug."
"At times I am unsure whether you are serious or not with your implications."
"Are we not friends...?" Evangeline tilts her head, "Or do you dislike hugs?I suppose I'll have to take back the friendship bracelets. They weren't cheap, you know."
"Hmm, I will just have to mail you the gil then." Crofte turns to reluctantly give Evangeline her full attention, "I should say it is a surprise to see you here, but I've already been tracked down by Miss Llorn as well. It seems there is no place I can hide anymore. Except perhaps the privy."
"Desperate times call for desperate measures, my possible friend." She nods, " And that’s a good idea, I'll make sure to check the privy as well next time. What did Spahro request?"
Crofte opens her mouth to comment but it just hangs agape briefly, finally she manages to speak. “She made no requests. She is here on business, truth be told. Learning the ways of her ancestors or some such."
"Seems to be popular lately... though I might question what has brought you north as well." She gestures outside, "For either this is the Shroud, or the Syndicate have embarked on an ambition tree planting campaign."
Coatleque shrugs "I had some leave time.†My absence is authorized, I assure you."
"Haha, I didn't know you were such a comedian Coatleque." She laughs.
“My absence is authorized, I assure you, and the location is personal." The Highlander watches Evangeline curiously as the Elezen laughs.
"Ah... was it not a joke?" Evangeline clears her throat and points to a pile of leaves, "Where better to go than the Shroud for some leaf time?"
“... LEAVE, not LEAF." Crofte rubs her palm against her forehead "And why are you even here then? Dressed for battle even; I assume you are going home."
"I was home." She scratches a cheek, "Even went to visit the old manor. Things happened though, and I had to leave for a short while. As for why I am here, believe it or not, I would ask for your help Coatleque."
[
"Did you happen to come back through Coerthas then? Have you heard any mention of the na... MY help? Hmm. How may I be of help to you then? You have need of the soulstone again perhaps?"
Evangeline Primrose sighs, "I went north with a detachment of Flames, I traveled south again on my own after retrieving this armor and learning the state of the city. As for your help Crofte, I care not about the Soulstone, but I would ask for your advice and information."
Crofte finally removes her hand from her cheek and crosses her arms. "Advice is always free and available. Information, however, I am sorely lacking."
"You may know this, and if not, then none might." She takes a deep breath to steady herself, "Master Wolfsong is not in his cave, nor any other likely location. I have heard that you have had contact with him recently. Could you perhaps know where he has gone?"
"Curious. I find it hard to believe I may have been the -last- person to speak with him. You are not the only one who has asked, and now you give me cause to worry. I last saw him in Ul'dah before I left for the Shroud. We spoke briefly near the Aetheryte plaza."
Evangeline bites her lip, "Did he give you any reason to think he might leave on a long journey? He spoke to me once of finding his sister, but he never elaborated."
"A 'long' journey? No. Though the search for his sister is actually what we spoke of as well. He hadn't seen her since Starlight. I did not know where she was, so he was to go off looking for her friend - that Moon Keeper."
The Elezen frowns, "So it is this search he has likely embarked on. But it has been some weeks, I would think he would have at least contacted 'Someone'."
"Mmm. He was supposed to meet me here with someone else and never did. She has not seen him either."
"I've never met Gharen's sister, I only know her name. I am well away from knowing her friends." What is this Keeper's name?"
"Erm... hmm." Crofte mumbles to herself as she tries to remember, Jekyl? Jerkya? Kiht something. Truthfully I've only seen her twice."
Evangeline sighs, "Well then that might be of little help, I'll have to survey the area... hopefully there will be time."
"I pray you have better luck than I. The locals have proven to be rather tight lipped, even when coin is involved."
Evangeline shakes her head, "You Ul'dahn's trying to solve everything with coin. Though I suppose I'm as much Ul’dah as Ishgard at the moment.â€
"I've heard nothing but bad things passing through here from the north. I do not envy you."
"It was easy to get past the gates Crofte." She rubs a temple, "They were all but blown apart.
Even after the victory won at the steps of faith, the Dravanians had broken through."
"Then the city has fallen? No, I think news of that magnitude would have traveled fast."
The Elezen shakes her head, "Not the city, but the lower levels have been ravished. They were happy enough to see more Flames as reinforcements that they did not dwell overly long on my identity... or many others. The city is teeming with refugees, mercenaries, and heretics."
"That sounds like another city I know. Perhaps Ishgard has the means to feed, find work, and otherwise placate such masses."
Evangeline rolls her eyes, "I thought the jokes were over Crofte. Yet you keep making them."
Crofte sighs, "And neither of us ever laugh."
Evangeline smiles grimly, "On the inside Crofte."
It was a surreal experience, wearing the armor. Even more so to be treated with respect by all she passed, was this what it meant to wear the garb of a Knight? Her exit from Ishgard was even easier than her entrance. The guards paying little attention to her, clad in her family’s armor. She had purchased transport to the shroud, where a woman was supposedly in residence.
A woman who, against all odds, she required the assistance of. It had taken some wheedling on her part, to secure her vacation destination from the Sultansworn, but in the end, they relented. So, Evangeline tromped inexpertly into the Carline Canopy, her armor clanking, where there had been reports of a red haired, rather grumpy looking highlander in the vicinity. It does not take long for Evangeline to spot said highlander, adjusting her glasses and leaning forward to read the notices on the wall.
Evangeline clears her throat, "Ah...", as she taps the highlander on the shoulder.
Crofte 's hands tighten around her dress noticeably as if there was nothing else to grab onto before she slowly cranes her neck to the side, finding an Elezen grinning sheepishly, at her "Err… Hello Crofte.†The highlander closes her eyes and places a hand to the side of one cheek. "I thought I felt a chill suddenly."
Evangeline sighs, "Is that how you greet an old friend Coatleque...?" Clucking her tongue, "And here I thought there would be a hug."
"At times I am unsure whether you are serious or not with your implications."
"Are we not friends...?" Evangeline tilts her head, "Or do you dislike hugs?I suppose I'll have to take back the friendship bracelets. They weren't cheap, you know."
"Hmm, I will just have to mail you the gil then." Crofte turns to reluctantly give Evangeline her full attention, "I should say it is a surprise to see you here, but I've already been tracked down by Miss Llorn as well. It seems there is no place I can hide anymore. Except perhaps the privy."
"Desperate times call for desperate measures, my possible friend." She nods, " And that’s a good idea, I'll make sure to check the privy as well next time. What did Spahro request?"
Crofte opens her mouth to comment but it just hangs agape briefly, finally she manages to speak. “She made no requests. She is here on business, truth be told. Learning the ways of her ancestors or some such."
"Seems to be popular lately... though I might question what has brought you north as well." She gestures outside, "For either this is the Shroud, or the Syndicate have embarked on an ambition tree planting campaign."
Coatleque shrugs "I had some leave time.†My absence is authorized, I assure you."
"Haha, I didn't know you were such a comedian Coatleque." She laughs.
“My absence is authorized, I assure you, and the location is personal." The Highlander watches Evangeline curiously as the Elezen laughs.
"Ah... was it not a joke?" Evangeline clears her throat and points to a pile of leaves, "Where better to go than the Shroud for some leaf time?"
“... LEAVE, not LEAF." Crofte rubs her palm against her forehead "And why are you even here then? Dressed for battle even; I assume you are going home."
"I was home." She scratches a cheek, "Even went to visit the old manor. Things happened though, and I had to leave for a short while. As for why I am here, believe it or not, I would ask for your help Coatleque."
[
"Did you happen to come back through Coerthas then? Have you heard any mention of the na... MY help? Hmm. How may I be of help to you then? You have need of the soulstone again perhaps?"
Evangeline Primrose sighs, "I went north with a detachment of Flames, I traveled south again on my own after retrieving this armor and learning the state of the city. As for your help Crofte, I care not about the Soulstone, but I would ask for your advice and information."
Crofte finally removes her hand from her cheek and crosses her arms. "Advice is always free and available. Information, however, I am sorely lacking."
"You may know this, and if not, then none might." She takes a deep breath to steady herself, "Master Wolfsong is not in his cave, nor any other likely location. I have heard that you have had contact with him recently. Could you perhaps know where he has gone?"
"Curious. I find it hard to believe I may have been the -last- person to speak with him. You are not the only one who has asked, and now you give me cause to worry. I last saw him in Ul'dah before I left for the Shroud. We spoke briefly near the Aetheryte plaza."
Evangeline bites her lip, "Did he give you any reason to think he might leave on a long journey? He spoke to me once of finding his sister, but he never elaborated."
"A 'long' journey? No. Though the search for his sister is actually what we spoke of as well. He hadn't seen her since Starlight. I did not know where she was, so he was to go off looking for her friend - that Moon Keeper."
The Elezen frowns, "So it is this search he has likely embarked on. But it has been some weeks, I would think he would have at least contacted 'Someone'."
"Mmm. He was supposed to meet me here with someone else and never did. She has not seen him either."
"I've never met Gharen's sister, I only know her name. I am well away from knowing her friends." What is this Keeper's name?"
"Erm... hmm." Crofte mumbles to herself as she tries to remember, Jekyl? Jerkya? Kiht something. Truthfully I've only seen her twice."
Evangeline sighs, "Well then that might be of little help, I'll have to survey the area... hopefully there will be time."
"I pray you have better luck than I. The locals have proven to be rather tight lipped, even when coin is involved."
Evangeline shakes her head, "You Ul'dahn's trying to solve everything with coin. Though I suppose I'm as much Ul’dah as Ishgard at the moment.â€
"I've heard nothing but bad things passing through here from the north. I do not envy you."
"It was easy to get past the gates Crofte." She rubs a temple, "They were all but blown apart.
Even after the victory won at the steps of faith, the Dravanians had broken through."
"Then the city has fallen? No, I think news of that magnitude would have traveled fast."
The Elezen shakes her head, "Not the city, but the lower levels have been ravished. They were happy enough to see more Flames as reinforcements that they did not dwell overly long on my identity... or many others. The city is teeming with refugees, mercenaries, and heretics."
"That sounds like another city I know. Perhaps Ishgard has the means to feed, find work, and otherwise placate such masses."
Evangeline rolls her eyes, "I thought the jokes were over Crofte. Yet you keep making them."
Crofte sighs, "And neither of us ever laugh."
Evangeline smiles grimly, "On the inside Crofte."
