Roen had called Khadai on their linkpearl to meet her at the Falcon’s Nest. Her tone and the nature of her request lacked urgency, and even seemed cordial, and the Xaela had agreed fairly readily. The biting chill of the Western Highlands was as astringent as ever, and though the Twelve had seen fit to spare the Highlands of snow, the sharp gales brought by the cold were as harsh as they ever were.
The kitchens of the Falcon’s Nest compound was often open to adventurers, a beacon of warmth and shelter, and it was there that the paladin sought refuge from the climate. Roen pushed open the double doors to the kitchen with a rough shove, shaking off the sheet of snow from her armour. Khadai was, as ever, remarkably easy to spot; the Xaela had his hands contemplatively folded together, elbows upon the table, his chin resting on the brass-coloured fixtures of his gauntlets. A neat stack of hunt bills lay next to him, weighted down on the table with a small but heavy looking purse, and several other purses were spread out in front of him in a neat, symmetrical fashion. A cleaned plate, devoid of crumbs, and a mug of hot liquid lay emitting wisps of steam next to him as he shuffled the purses and coins about in a seemingly random fashion.
A momentary sense of satisfaction settled upon the paladin when she spotted the purses and the bills.
"You have been productive." When she was answered with a mere grunt, she almost smiled.
"Well, I had thought to give you something but..." She approached him as her attention turned to the satchel hanging by her side, her hands fishing for the maps. “You seem to have done well without any aid."
"The beasts are plentiful. And aggressive. They came to me more often than not, thus I was not required to hunt for them." Khadai sighed. "The blizzard would have made tracking difficult, in any case."
The warrior glanced at her. "Are you well?" The words were spoken awkwardly.
Roen paused as she noted his rather clumsy but earnest effort in practicing the norms of social etiquette. It was as if he had never said those words with the sole intent of demonstrating courtesy. It was odd, but also somewhat heartening to hear.
"Well enough," she said absently as she set her sword and shield aside, taking a seat next to him. But spotting the deep frown that still creased the Xaela’s expression, she canted her head. "You do not seem pleased for all the hunts and coins you have gathered."
Khadai waved a hand at the purses in front of him. "I am not informed as to the denominations of this currency. It is… difficult to gauge success."
"Ah." Roen nodded. "I can assist in that. If you wish."
The warrior waved an idle hand again, sliding the pouches over to her. "You are welcome to it." With that, he pulled out an immaculate knife from his belt--an ivory handled blade polished to a gleam, fastened around a thick and razor sharp length of tooth or bone. From beneath the table he withdrew a length of rust-red material--a mylodon horn--and applied the knife to it.
The paladin watched him from the corner of her eye as she gathered the purses, fishing out and stacking the like coins upon the table. "The currency is gil here. And different pieces hold different values..." She arranged the coins in a neat row from higher to lower values. "There is also currency called Allagan pieces, made of different metals, and they too are all worth different value. Although I suppose what you really want to learn are the values of goods you would want to exchange them for."
Khadai’s face twisted in some frustration as the edge of the knife did little to chip at the resilient horn. He barely afforded a glance at the display of stacked gil. "I am only concerned with food and lodging," he grunted. "I do not have particular need of anything else at the moment, and so the rest will be saved."
Roen eyed him a moment longer, noting his disinterest before reaching into her satchel. "Oh, I brought something for you." She slid a few rolled up leather scrolls towards him on the table. She opened one to reveal a map that had large bold letters at the bottom. "These are rough maps of the surrounding areas. And the written word at the bottom is the name of the region." She tapped her finger over the lettering. “The Coerthas Western Highlands. This is where we are now.â€
The Xaela took the parchment from her, his lethargic demeanor seemingly vanishing as he examined the topography carefully.
"I thought it might help should you want to explore other regions." She shrugged. "I have not been to them, myself. My patrols did not take me far beyond Coerthas."
"Are you a knight?" The Au Ra asked suddenly, looking up from the map.
The blunt question made her pause. "A knight," she echoed quietly. "There are many definitions that are put to that title."
"You are not a combatant in service to this city? Ishgard?"
“Some may assume that of me because I bear a shield and I am trained to be one.†Roen shifted slightly in her seat. Being addressed with the title of ‘Ser’ never quite sat well with her after she left the service of the Sultana. In her heart, she felt that such titles were reserved for those who swore unbending fealty to one who was able to bequeath such a title. “A title of a Knight is one bestowed upon those who take up the oath to protect who or what they serve. At least, in my opinion."
"I am no Ishgardian Knight,†she added after a pause. “Unlike Ser Heuloix, who you met a few suns past."
Khadai looked at her with a puzzled expression. "I had intended to ask." There was an awkward pause. "Are you female?"
Roen blinked slowly, twice. There was an odd and slow quirk to her brows as if she was trying to gauge his expression. "I am," she finally answered, her tone slightly incredulous. "Is that not obvious?"
The Au Ra looked truly confused. “But you fight. I do not understand. You appear female. Others appear female and fight as well. You are…†He paused, as if to select his words. "Permitted. To fight?"
"No one permits me to fight.†The paladin answered quickly. “I chose this profession. Do your people not allow females to fight?"
"Permission is irrelevant. Females do not fight." Khadai paused then corrected himself. "Our females do not fight. Why did you choose?" When the Xaela looked to her for an answer, he was only met with a bewildered silence. "Is such a… choice… accepted here?"
It was a moment before Roen was able to formulate an answer. Studying his expression and tone, as well as reminding herself what she had come to learn of the Au Ra warrior, the paladin was able to dismiss whatever indignation that begged to rise at his skewed logic. "You can choose your profession. I wanted to take up the sword and shield for as long as I could remember."
Roen watched him carefully as he looked away, brow furrowed in concentration as if he was trying to fully comprehend her answer. She crossed her arms, now honestly curious. "Where you come from, do no females want to try and fight? Take up arms?"
"They do not. Why should they desire to do so?"
"Why should they not? There is a sense of fulfillment in being able to protect others when it is needed."
"Women do not choose to protect. It is not their place."
Roen canted her head. The concept of choice just seemed foreign to the Au Ra. She redirected her line of questioning. "Why did you choose to become trained in the martial arts?"
Khadai wrinkled his nose at her query. "I do not understand the question."
The paladin frowned. "Surely, you had reasons why you took the sword. Why should a female not have those same reasons?"
"Reason?" He blinked. "I do not have a reason. This is who I am. Khadai."
Roen stared at him for a moment longer, lips parted in confusion. "So you were just born to be a warrior?" She gestured with a sweep of her hand toward him. "With your people, males are the only ones allowed the privilege to take up arms?"
“It is not a privilege. It is a responsibility."
"I understand the need... the weight of responsibility that is taken up by those who choose this path." She sighed. "But it is still a choice, to accept it. What if I also saw fit to take on such a task for myself? Should I not do so, because I was born a female?"
Khadai did not answer right away, his dark brow furrowed in thought. He finally rose from his seat and gave her a curt nod. “Stand.â€
Roen blinked but complied, rising from her seat. She only stiffened slightly when he closed the distance between them with a single stride, standing close to her, his height allowing him to loom over her.
"Take your sword," he rumbled.
Roen felt no alarm, regarding the warrior curiously. She reached to her side to draw her sword from its sheath. Then she watched as Khadai carefully pinched the flat of her blade between his thumb and forefinger and placed it against the heavy brass-colored shoulderguard of his armor.
"The higher the point of impact, the weaker your strike will be,†the Xaela said matter-of-factly as he then directed the blade and pointed it against his chest. "A thrust upward requires more force to be effective. and you fight against the weight of your blade.â€
The warrior turned the blade to its side, such that it was adjacent to his abdomen in the fashion of a slash. "A swing with limited angles of effective attack is predictable."
"You are telling me all of your tactical advantages." Roen frowned as she continue to watch him maneuver her weapon.
"I am not." His gaze bore into her. "I am telling you of your disadvantages. Take your shield.â€
The paladin narrowed her eyes. As she equipped her shield onto her arm, she watched him walk around her, standing just behind to her left side.
"Raise your shield to cover my torso."
Roen looked over her shoulder, her expression was already darkening. "Again, more disadvantages due to my shorter height?"
Khadai took firm hold of her arm and raised the shield to cover his chest. The stance was awkward, as her hand was positioned to reach towards his shoulder, leaving her almost entirely uncovered. "A Xaela woman would never desire to be Khadai. She understands that to be placed within a role not of her place is to jeopardize all others who adopt that role,†he rumbled without any arrogance in his voice.
He did not seem to change his tone when Roen jerked her arm away from his grasp. "You possess inherent disadvantages that make you less effective and less efficient as a combatant in the battlefield. Perhaps your desire to fight fuels your choice. But so too does it place others who may rely on you in danger due to factors outside of your control."
Khadai gestured to some Elezen knights who had just strode out the door. "If you were called upon to lend your shield to defend those knights, would you be able to? Would you be able to bear your shield in formation with them? Drag the wounded off the battlefield?"
Roen narrowed her eyes. "So your people presume to judge everyone's worth and job based simply on how they are born? Their gender? Their size?" She glanced to the door where they knights had left. "I have fought alongside them against aevis and other creatures that would threaten those who cannot defend themselves. Elezen and Hyurs have fought next to each other throughout history. Success in battle takes more than just brute strength and size. It takes will and commitment. Strategy and training. The fact that Eorzea still remain free should stand as a testament of that. Races come in all sorts and sizes here."
"Worth is irrelevant.†The Xaela would not be convinced. “All have worth. All have value. All have function. Would you use your sword to cut lumber? Would you use your shield to dig dirt? It is certainly possible to do these things. It is not effective, practical, or efficient. These items have no place in performing such functions outside of what they are intended for, despite what they may be used for. To accept otherwise is to condemn oneself to inadequacy."
Roen scowled. "Some people see freedom of choice as far more valuable to uphold than perfect efficiency."
"Is such freedom so valuable if it jeopardizes those you claim to wish to defend?"
"No one comes into this world with their path already predetermined." The paladin found her fists tightly closed by her side. "For better for worse, people should get to choose what they want to do. You cannot choose for others."
Khadai did not seem to notice her ire. "That does explain why your people are all so backwards," he mused, the corner of his lip curling in amusement.
Roen sheathed her sword and set her shield down, her frown still lingering. "It is not backwards to give people freedom to choose what they want to pursue."
The warrior just shrugged. "As you say."
The paladin exhaled, shaking off her irritation. "You do not want anything else for yourself? You were born Khadai, so this is what you knew you would become? A warrior? Nothing else?"
He gave her an odd look. "Why should I desire to be anything else? Should a fish desire wings? Should trees desire legs to move? To attempt to defy role and nature is to willingly invite misery. If I am not Khadai, who shall be? Who shall defend my brothers and my people? Who is more capable than I?"
"But you are not a fish. You are not a tree." She crossed her arms, exasperated. "You are you a person, with your own will to choose who you are, what you do. Are all warriors named Khadai? Are you all deemed as one? Fighters?"
"We are Khadai. It is all we are. Those called upon to defend."
"Just because you were born tall, strong, and capable, you must fight." She regarded him with a hint of sympathy. "If this is what you always had the inclination for, then you are lucky that this is the role that fits you."
His austere gaze faltered then, and the Xaela turned his head away from her. There was a long pause before he spoke again. "I dislike violence," his voice dipped with that admittance. But there was only a short pause before he added, "I dislike harm upon my people more."
Roen stared at him, speechless. That was the last thing she had expected he would say. Not after the manner in which she had first found him. She dropped her arms to her side and her voice softened. "Then your people are lucky to have you to take up such a weight upon your shoulders. Whether it was your choice or not."
When Khadai remained silent with his expression somewhat distant, Roen leaned one hand on the table, peering up at him curiously. "Why did they send you? And alone?"
“It was necessary," the Au Ra said evasively.
"Your people seem to hold adequacy and efficiency above all. At least, from your descriptions." She regarded him intently. "Whatever it is you were sent for... I am not convinced sending you alone was the best choice."
"It was… not optimal. But there were extenuating circumstances."
"Did you volunteer?"
"It was necessary," he repeated neutrally.
Roen studied the warrior’s expression for a moment longer before she let it go. "As you say." It was the first time he had not answered all her questions with immediate forthrightness. She was not sure if she was glad that he was not as guileless as he seemed so far. "But you will need more information if you are to succeed in finding this thing you seek."
The paladin crossed her arms and lowered her gaze. "From what little you described, I cannot fathom what it could be but... some scholars may know." She shrugged. "Then you can return to your people and put this backwards society behind you."
Khadai turned away as well. "I will find it. In time. It would be best to be certain that it is what I seek, rather than returning with an incorrect or incomplete objective."
"Will you know when you find it? Or see it?"
“I believe so. It will be distinct. It is part of the reason I was sent. I am capable of identifying it."
"I wish you success in finding whatever it is you are searching for.†Roen wondered at the wistfulness she heard in her own voice. Perhaps she envied him for his unwavering faith that he would know his purpose upon discovering it.
Khadai turned to her, and his low rumble softened slightly. “I am grateful for your assistance, regardless."
The paladin did not meet his gaze, instead glanced to the far corner of the room, shaking off sudden melancholy that threatened to rise. "Well. As I said, I do not like people being taken advantage of. And I sympathize with foreigners." She shrugged nonchalantly, although a frown had darkened her expression. "Let me know if I am needed."
Khadai’s viridian gaze looked upon her intently. “You seem troubled."
"Troubled?" Roen pulled her lips in a weak attempt to look placid. "It is not anything you need to be concerned with."
"You have offered me assistance.†The Au Ra dipped his head, still studying her. “I wish to offer the same."
There was a twitch to her lips followed by a long bout of silence before the paladin spoke again. "Your words at the graveyard and the armory,†she whispered hoarsely. "They have stayed with me." She frowned and clamped her lips shut, regretting even having said that much. She suddenly turned and gathered her sword and shield, speaking now without meeting his gaze. "And you need not offer equitable trade. The aid I offer is because I want to. I do not expect something in return."
"I see."
Roen hooked her sword back onto her belt and hung the shield on her back. "You would do well to save your earnings. If you need someone to hold your funds, I am certain Edda can arrange one for you. I should get going." Her tone had hardened with a businesslike edge. The paladin found herself glancing toward the door, eager to leave suddenly. "Do look over those maps and the letters there. You will come to recognize them easily enough in time."
That was when Khadai raised a hand to stop her movement by placing it against her shoulder. It was unexpected. "You are ill at ease." His rough voice held the barest tinge of concern.
Roen blinked, staring at his breastplate for a moment. When she finally glanced up at him, she gave him a sad smile. "And what if I was?"
"Come with me."
When the two stepped out through the double doors, the blizzard had settled, giving way to a gray sky and a gentle snowfall. Roen followed him out in silence, and stood still in the middle of the courtyard as the warrior circled her left and right for sometime, before he drew his giant sword.
"It is said that two individuals cannot understand one another without sharing action." Khadai heaved the sword over his shoulder confidently. "I wish to understand you. And to grant you an understanding of myself. Perhaps in doing so… you may gain a measure of peace."
He stood a few yalms away from her in the courtyard, the cold winds tossing his long raven forelocks over his eyes. "We shall spar."
The paladin slowly canted her head, the warm glow from the nearby windows giving an odd light to her eyes. She drew her shield then her sword. "If you wish," she answered quietly. She appraised him up and down and her lips took on a slight curl. She drew her sword and brought the shield in front of her.
A few Ishgardian Knights had given them more than a passing glance as they walked by, their attention drawn to the ringing sounds of blade meeting blade that echoed into the darkening skies. Some merchants paused to watch the taller form of the armored Au Ra swing and spin his greatsword as he assailed the shorter Hyur woman; a couple of them leaned over to whisper to each other ear as the paladin continued to deflect his strikes with her shield, using her size to evade and move in for a counter maneuver.
The exertion and brisk winter air had both of them breathing heavily. The flat of the Xaela’s greatsword was pinned against the surface of the paladin’s shield, the crossguard of the large blade having blocked her own retaliatory strike. Caught in a limbo of attack and defense, their waltz of clashing steel had briefly ceased.
And then something happened that Roen did not expect. Khadai grinned. It was not the small lip curl of vague amusement, nor the typical stern frown he usually wore. His piercing emerald eyes made contact with hers, and his lips softened and parted ever so slightly upward into a small but noticeable smile, even as he breathed. Her own muscles released its tension in response. It was impossible to tell how long they had been sparring, the snow continued to fall around them, cooling hot skin and burning muscles.
After a pause, the warrior stepped back, and heaved the sword over his shoulder again. “You are a skilled combatant," he mused.
“I had seen your skills at Dragonhead," Roen eased in her own stance, sheathing her weapon. "You wield that sword with surprising deftness and speed."
"Has your mind cleared?" he asked as his long blade slipped into its sheath behind his back. â€There are few cures more wholesome than exercise."
"Mm," she hummed. "You surprise me, Khadai. Just when I think your ways and mine cannot meet in the middle... you prove me wrong."
"There are things I may never understand. But ultimately..." The Au Ra pursed his lips. "These are things that do not matter. You are deft with your shield." He crossed his arms in contemplation. "Mayhap when used in combination with my sword, a potent pair we would make on the battlefield."
"Despite your height," Khadai added after a pause. His lips were curled upward that Roen even suspected he was actually teasing, though his tone was humorously deadpan.
The paladin narrowed her eyes at him, but curled a wry grin. "I try to make up for it however I can. Somehow, I have survived thus far."
In three long strides, Khadai came to stand just before her. His eyes seemed to be gauging her height as he looked down to her. “It is… endearing," he rumbled, folding his arms.
Roen blinked, giving the warrior an odd look. She straightened her expression, remembering herself. "Well... that is..." she started, then trailed off. Roen drew a sharp breath in and turned her attention to the door leading into the kitchens. "Do take care and not leave your coins just laying about."
He said nothing, only watched her oddly.
"I should go," she muttered, and began to dust off more snow from her armor and murmured under her breath.
"I will do so.†Khadai frowned. “With the blizzard clear, there is opportunity to hunt." He turned from her to face toward the kitchens, but paused.
“Be well," the Au Ra said somewhat awkwardly and gave her a nod, before walking off to retrieve his things.
Just when I think there is no middle ground…
The paladin stared at his retreating form until he disappeared through the doors, before she turned and marched away into the night.
The kitchens of the Falcon’s Nest compound was often open to adventurers, a beacon of warmth and shelter, and it was there that the paladin sought refuge from the climate. Roen pushed open the double doors to the kitchen with a rough shove, shaking off the sheet of snow from her armour. Khadai was, as ever, remarkably easy to spot; the Xaela had his hands contemplatively folded together, elbows upon the table, his chin resting on the brass-coloured fixtures of his gauntlets. A neat stack of hunt bills lay next to him, weighted down on the table with a small but heavy looking purse, and several other purses were spread out in front of him in a neat, symmetrical fashion. A cleaned plate, devoid of crumbs, and a mug of hot liquid lay emitting wisps of steam next to him as he shuffled the purses and coins about in a seemingly random fashion.
A momentary sense of satisfaction settled upon the paladin when she spotted the purses and the bills.
"You have been productive." When she was answered with a mere grunt, she almost smiled.
"Well, I had thought to give you something but..." She approached him as her attention turned to the satchel hanging by her side, her hands fishing for the maps. “You seem to have done well without any aid."
"The beasts are plentiful. And aggressive. They came to me more often than not, thus I was not required to hunt for them." Khadai sighed. "The blizzard would have made tracking difficult, in any case."
The warrior glanced at her. "Are you well?" The words were spoken awkwardly.
Roen paused as she noted his rather clumsy but earnest effort in practicing the norms of social etiquette. It was as if he had never said those words with the sole intent of demonstrating courtesy. It was odd, but also somewhat heartening to hear.
"Well enough," she said absently as she set her sword and shield aside, taking a seat next to him. But spotting the deep frown that still creased the Xaela’s expression, she canted her head. "You do not seem pleased for all the hunts and coins you have gathered."
Khadai waved a hand at the purses in front of him. "I am not informed as to the denominations of this currency. It is… difficult to gauge success."
"Ah." Roen nodded. "I can assist in that. If you wish."
The warrior waved an idle hand again, sliding the pouches over to her. "You are welcome to it." With that, he pulled out an immaculate knife from his belt--an ivory handled blade polished to a gleam, fastened around a thick and razor sharp length of tooth or bone. From beneath the table he withdrew a length of rust-red material--a mylodon horn--and applied the knife to it.
The paladin watched him from the corner of her eye as she gathered the purses, fishing out and stacking the like coins upon the table. "The currency is gil here. And different pieces hold different values..." She arranged the coins in a neat row from higher to lower values. "There is also currency called Allagan pieces, made of different metals, and they too are all worth different value. Although I suppose what you really want to learn are the values of goods you would want to exchange them for."
Khadai’s face twisted in some frustration as the edge of the knife did little to chip at the resilient horn. He barely afforded a glance at the display of stacked gil. "I am only concerned with food and lodging," he grunted. "I do not have particular need of anything else at the moment, and so the rest will be saved."
Roen eyed him a moment longer, noting his disinterest before reaching into her satchel. "Oh, I brought something for you." She slid a few rolled up leather scrolls towards him on the table. She opened one to reveal a map that had large bold letters at the bottom. "These are rough maps of the surrounding areas. And the written word at the bottom is the name of the region." She tapped her finger over the lettering. “The Coerthas Western Highlands. This is where we are now.â€
The Xaela took the parchment from her, his lethargic demeanor seemingly vanishing as he examined the topography carefully.
"I thought it might help should you want to explore other regions." She shrugged. "I have not been to them, myself. My patrols did not take me far beyond Coerthas."
"Are you a knight?" The Au Ra asked suddenly, looking up from the map.
The blunt question made her pause. "A knight," she echoed quietly. "There are many definitions that are put to that title."
"You are not a combatant in service to this city? Ishgard?"
“Some may assume that of me because I bear a shield and I am trained to be one.†Roen shifted slightly in her seat. Being addressed with the title of ‘Ser’ never quite sat well with her after she left the service of the Sultana. In her heart, she felt that such titles were reserved for those who swore unbending fealty to one who was able to bequeath such a title. “A title of a Knight is one bestowed upon those who take up the oath to protect who or what they serve. At least, in my opinion."
"I am no Ishgardian Knight,†she added after a pause. “Unlike Ser Heuloix, who you met a few suns past."
Khadai looked at her with a puzzled expression. "I had intended to ask." There was an awkward pause. "Are you female?"
Roen blinked slowly, twice. There was an odd and slow quirk to her brows as if she was trying to gauge his expression. "I am," she finally answered, her tone slightly incredulous. "Is that not obvious?"
The Au Ra looked truly confused. “But you fight. I do not understand. You appear female. Others appear female and fight as well. You are…†He paused, as if to select his words. "Permitted. To fight?"
"No one permits me to fight.†The paladin answered quickly. “I chose this profession. Do your people not allow females to fight?"
"Permission is irrelevant. Females do not fight." Khadai paused then corrected himself. "Our females do not fight. Why did you choose?" When the Xaela looked to her for an answer, he was only met with a bewildered silence. "Is such a… choice… accepted here?"
It was a moment before Roen was able to formulate an answer. Studying his expression and tone, as well as reminding herself what she had come to learn of the Au Ra warrior, the paladin was able to dismiss whatever indignation that begged to rise at his skewed logic. "You can choose your profession. I wanted to take up the sword and shield for as long as I could remember."
Roen watched him carefully as he looked away, brow furrowed in concentration as if he was trying to fully comprehend her answer. She crossed her arms, now honestly curious. "Where you come from, do no females want to try and fight? Take up arms?"
"They do not. Why should they desire to do so?"
"Why should they not? There is a sense of fulfillment in being able to protect others when it is needed."
"Women do not choose to protect. It is not their place."
Roen canted her head. The concept of choice just seemed foreign to the Au Ra. She redirected her line of questioning. "Why did you choose to become trained in the martial arts?"
Khadai wrinkled his nose at her query. "I do not understand the question."
The paladin frowned. "Surely, you had reasons why you took the sword. Why should a female not have those same reasons?"
"Reason?" He blinked. "I do not have a reason. This is who I am. Khadai."
Roen stared at him for a moment longer, lips parted in confusion. "So you were just born to be a warrior?" She gestured with a sweep of her hand toward him. "With your people, males are the only ones allowed the privilege to take up arms?"
“It is not a privilege. It is a responsibility."
"I understand the need... the weight of responsibility that is taken up by those who choose this path." She sighed. "But it is still a choice, to accept it. What if I also saw fit to take on such a task for myself? Should I not do so, because I was born a female?"
Khadai did not answer right away, his dark brow furrowed in thought. He finally rose from his seat and gave her a curt nod. “Stand.â€
Roen blinked but complied, rising from her seat. She only stiffened slightly when he closed the distance between them with a single stride, standing close to her, his height allowing him to loom over her.
"Take your sword," he rumbled.
Roen felt no alarm, regarding the warrior curiously. She reached to her side to draw her sword from its sheath. Then she watched as Khadai carefully pinched the flat of her blade between his thumb and forefinger and placed it against the heavy brass-colored shoulderguard of his armor.
"The higher the point of impact, the weaker your strike will be,†the Xaela said matter-of-factly as he then directed the blade and pointed it against his chest. "A thrust upward requires more force to be effective. and you fight against the weight of your blade.â€
The warrior turned the blade to its side, such that it was adjacent to his abdomen in the fashion of a slash. "A swing with limited angles of effective attack is predictable."
"You are telling me all of your tactical advantages." Roen frowned as she continue to watch him maneuver her weapon.
"I am not." His gaze bore into her. "I am telling you of your disadvantages. Take your shield.â€
The paladin narrowed her eyes. As she equipped her shield onto her arm, she watched him walk around her, standing just behind to her left side.
"Raise your shield to cover my torso."
Roen looked over her shoulder, her expression was already darkening. "Again, more disadvantages due to my shorter height?"
Khadai took firm hold of her arm and raised the shield to cover his chest. The stance was awkward, as her hand was positioned to reach towards his shoulder, leaving her almost entirely uncovered. "A Xaela woman would never desire to be Khadai. She understands that to be placed within a role not of her place is to jeopardize all others who adopt that role,†he rumbled without any arrogance in his voice.
He did not seem to change his tone when Roen jerked her arm away from his grasp. "You possess inherent disadvantages that make you less effective and less efficient as a combatant in the battlefield. Perhaps your desire to fight fuels your choice. But so too does it place others who may rely on you in danger due to factors outside of your control."
Khadai gestured to some Elezen knights who had just strode out the door. "If you were called upon to lend your shield to defend those knights, would you be able to? Would you be able to bear your shield in formation with them? Drag the wounded off the battlefield?"
Roen narrowed her eyes. "So your people presume to judge everyone's worth and job based simply on how they are born? Their gender? Their size?" She glanced to the door where they knights had left. "I have fought alongside them against aevis and other creatures that would threaten those who cannot defend themselves. Elezen and Hyurs have fought next to each other throughout history. Success in battle takes more than just brute strength and size. It takes will and commitment. Strategy and training. The fact that Eorzea still remain free should stand as a testament of that. Races come in all sorts and sizes here."
"Worth is irrelevant.†The Xaela would not be convinced. “All have worth. All have value. All have function. Would you use your sword to cut lumber? Would you use your shield to dig dirt? It is certainly possible to do these things. It is not effective, practical, or efficient. These items have no place in performing such functions outside of what they are intended for, despite what they may be used for. To accept otherwise is to condemn oneself to inadequacy."
Roen scowled. "Some people see freedom of choice as far more valuable to uphold than perfect efficiency."
"Is such freedom so valuable if it jeopardizes those you claim to wish to defend?"
"No one comes into this world with their path already predetermined." The paladin found her fists tightly closed by her side. "For better for worse, people should get to choose what they want to do. You cannot choose for others."
Khadai did not seem to notice her ire. "That does explain why your people are all so backwards," he mused, the corner of his lip curling in amusement.
Roen sheathed her sword and set her shield down, her frown still lingering. "It is not backwards to give people freedom to choose what they want to pursue."
The warrior just shrugged. "As you say."
The paladin exhaled, shaking off her irritation. "You do not want anything else for yourself? You were born Khadai, so this is what you knew you would become? A warrior? Nothing else?"
He gave her an odd look. "Why should I desire to be anything else? Should a fish desire wings? Should trees desire legs to move? To attempt to defy role and nature is to willingly invite misery. If I am not Khadai, who shall be? Who shall defend my brothers and my people? Who is more capable than I?"
"But you are not a fish. You are not a tree." She crossed her arms, exasperated. "You are you a person, with your own will to choose who you are, what you do. Are all warriors named Khadai? Are you all deemed as one? Fighters?"
"We are Khadai. It is all we are. Those called upon to defend."
"Just because you were born tall, strong, and capable, you must fight." She regarded him with a hint of sympathy. "If this is what you always had the inclination for, then you are lucky that this is the role that fits you."
His austere gaze faltered then, and the Xaela turned his head away from her. There was a long pause before he spoke again. "I dislike violence," his voice dipped with that admittance. But there was only a short pause before he added, "I dislike harm upon my people more."
Roen stared at him, speechless. That was the last thing she had expected he would say. Not after the manner in which she had first found him. She dropped her arms to her side and her voice softened. "Then your people are lucky to have you to take up such a weight upon your shoulders. Whether it was your choice or not."
When Khadai remained silent with his expression somewhat distant, Roen leaned one hand on the table, peering up at him curiously. "Why did they send you? And alone?"
“It was necessary," the Au Ra said evasively.
"Your people seem to hold adequacy and efficiency above all. At least, from your descriptions." She regarded him intently. "Whatever it is you were sent for... I am not convinced sending you alone was the best choice."
"It was… not optimal. But there were extenuating circumstances."
"Did you volunteer?"
"It was necessary," he repeated neutrally.
Roen studied the warrior’s expression for a moment longer before she let it go. "As you say." It was the first time he had not answered all her questions with immediate forthrightness. She was not sure if she was glad that he was not as guileless as he seemed so far. "But you will need more information if you are to succeed in finding this thing you seek."
The paladin crossed her arms and lowered her gaze. "From what little you described, I cannot fathom what it could be but... some scholars may know." She shrugged. "Then you can return to your people and put this backwards society behind you."
Khadai turned away as well. "I will find it. In time. It would be best to be certain that it is what I seek, rather than returning with an incorrect or incomplete objective."
"Will you know when you find it? Or see it?"
“I believe so. It will be distinct. It is part of the reason I was sent. I am capable of identifying it."
"I wish you success in finding whatever it is you are searching for.†Roen wondered at the wistfulness she heard in her own voice. Perhaps she envied him for his unwavering faith that he would know his purpose upon discovering it.
Khadai turned to her, and his low rumble softened slightly. “I am grateful for your assistance, regardless."
The paladin did not meet his gaze, instead glanced to the far corner of the room, shaking off sudden melancholy that threatened to rise. "Well. As I said, I do not like people being taken advantage of. And I sympathize with foreigners." She shrugged nonchalantly, although a frown had darkened her expression. "Let me know if I am needed."
Khadai’s viridian gaze looked upon her intently. “You seem troubled."
"Troubled?" Roen pulled her lips in a weak attempt to look placid. "It is not anything you need to be concerned with."
"You have offered me assistance.†The Au Ra dipped his head, still studying her. “I wish to offer the same."
There was a twitch to her lips followed by a long bout of silence before the paladin spoke again. "Your words at the graveyard and the armory,†she whispered hoarsely. "They have stayed with me." She frowned and clamped her lips shut, regretting even having said that much. She suddenly turned and gathered her sword and shield, speaking now without meeting his gaze. "And you need not offer equitable trade. The aid I offer is because I want to. I do not expect something in return."
"I see."
Roen hooked her sword back onto her belt and hung the shield on her back. "You would do well to save your earnings. If you need someone to hold your funds, I am certain Edda can arrange one for you. I should get going." Her tone had hardened with a businesslike edge. The paladin found herself glancing toward the door, eager to leave suddenly. "Do look over those maps and the letters there. You will come to recognize them easily enough in time."
That was when Khadai raised a hand to stop her movement by placing it against her shoulder. It was unexpected. "You are ill at ease." His rough voice held the barest tinge of concern.
Roen blinked, staring at his breastplate for a moment. When she finally glanced up at him, she gave him a sad smile. "And what if I was?"
"Come with me."
When the two stepped out through the double doors, the blizzard had settled, giving way to a gray sky and a gentle snowfall. Roen followed him out in silence, and stood still in the middle of the courtyard as the warrior circled her left and right for sometime, before he drew his giant sword.
"It is said that two individuals cannot understand one another without sharing action." Khadai heaved the sword over his shoulder confidently. "I wish to understand you. And to grant you an understanding of myself. Perhaps in doing so… you may gain a measure of peace."
He stood a few yalms away from her in the courtyard, the cold winds tossing his long raven forelocks over his eyes. "We shall spar."
The paladin slowly canted her head, the warm glow from the nearby windows giving an odd light to her eyes. She drew her shield then her sword. "If you wish," she answered quietly. She appraised him up and down and her lips took on a slight curl. She drew her sword and brought the shield in front of her.
---
A few Ishgardian Knights had given them more than a passing glance as they walked by, their attention drawn to the ringing sounds of blade meeting blade that echoed into the darkening skies. Some merchants paused to watch the taller form of the armored Au Ra swing and spin his greatsword as he assailed the shorter Hyur woman; a couple of them leaned over to whisper to each other ear as the paladin continued to deflect his strikes with her shield, using her size to evade and move in for a counter maneuver.
The exertion and brisk winter air had both of them breathing heavily. The flat of the Xaela’s greatsword was pinned against the surface of the paladin’s shield, the crossguard of the large blade having blocked her own retaliatory strike. Caught in a limbo of attack and defense, their waltz of clashing steel had briefly ceased.
And then something happened that Roen did not expect. Khadai grinned. It was not the small lip curl of vague amusement, nor the typical stern frown he usually wore. His piercing emerald eyes made contact with hers, and his lips softened and parted ever so slightly upward into a small but noticeable smile, even as he breathed. Her own muscles released its tension in response. It was impossible to tell how long they had been sparring, the snow continued to fall around them, cooling hot skin and burning muscles.
After a pause, the warrior stepped back, and heaved the sword over his shoulder again. “You are a skilled combatant," he mused.
“I had seen your skills at Dragonhead," Roen eased in her own stance, sheathing her weapon. "You wield that sword with surprising deftness and speed."
"Has your mind cleared?" he asked as his long blade slipped into its sheath behind his back. â€There are few cures more wholesome than exercise."
"Mm," she hummed. "You surprise me, Khadai. Just when I think your ways and mine cannot meet in the middle... you prove me wrong."
"There are things I may never understand. But ultimately..." The Au Ra pursed his lips. "These are things that do not matter. You are deft with your shield." He crossed his arms in contemplation. "Mayhap when used in combination with my sword, a potent pair we would make on the battlefield."
"Despite your height," Khadai added after a pause. His lips were curled upward that Roen even suspected he was actually teasing, though his tone was humorously deadpan.
The paladin narrowed her eyes at him, but curled a wry grin. "I try to make up for it however I can. Somehow, I have survived thus far."
In three long strides, Khadai came to stand just before her. His eyes seemed to be gauging her height as he looked down to her. “It is… endearing," he rumbled, folding his arms.
Roen blinked, giving the warrior an odd look. She straightened her expression, remembering herself. "Well... that is..." she started, then trailed off. Roen drew a sharp breath in and turned her attention to the door leading into the kitchens. "Do take care and not leave your coins just laying about."
He said nothing, only watched her oddly.
"I should go," she muttered, and began to dust off more snow from her armor and murmured under her breath.
"I will do so.†Khadai frowned. “With the blizzard clear, there is opportunity to hunt." He turned from her to face toward the kitchens, but paused.
“Be well," the Au Ra said somewhat awkwardly and gave her a nod, before walking off to retrieve his things.
Just when I think there is no middle ground…
The paladin stared at his retreating form until he disappeared through the doors, before she turned and marched away into the night.
