Ul’dah – The Steps of Thal
Sun’s Zenith
Now
“The shaved ice was a fine thing,†Papataru said expansively, rubbing his belly. “This dry heat gets overbearing.â€
“It’s not so bad,†Mikalaos replied.
The lalafell gave her a hairy eyeball. “Nonsense. At least it rains in Limsa. And there are seasons aside from ‘scorching death’. I will never understand why Mimila decided to come here.â€
“To get out from under her father’s shadow?†Mika observed with a grin.
Papataru sputtered for a moment, and Mika choked back her laughter. When the engraver broke into a long-winded compliment of his daughter’s skills, the elezen let her attention drift to where they were. Having left the Goldsmith’s Guild, they were slowly making their way down Onyx Lane, dodging porters and couriers running to and fro. The lalafell had written to Mika that he was coming to check on his daughter, but she had suspicions that he was checking in on her as well.
It had been weeks since she’d come under the employ of the Bellworks, and it was definitely a different working environment. While only running errands between Ul’dah and the Shroud for the business, it still kept her busy. She missed the sounds of hammers and metal, but only superficially – she was rather pleased with her life now. She was exposed to more people, able to do more things, and help out as more than a nameless laborer.
She was letting her friend dictate their path, lost in conversation about mundane things like steel quality and that cheeky fellow mooning over Papataru’s daughter. Mika was paying more attention to the diminutive artisan, and missed when they turned onto Pearl Lane.
They progressed only so far as to be suddenly halted by a body being tossed into the alleyway. The hole-in-the-wall bar from whence the person came had a doorway full of a bearded, fierce-looking hyur scowling.
“An’ ye stay out this time!†He hollered, turning and stomping back into the recesses of the dive. A few other people skulked out and surrounded the hyur laying dazed on the cobbles, commentary flying fast and loose.
“-- doesn’ know wha’ he’s doin’ --â€
“-- had no right --â€
“-- motherless dog --â€
Mika reached down to put a hand on Papataru’s back, slowly backing away. “Come, let’s --â€
“Oi! Girlie!†The drunk on the street yowled, gesticulating at Mika and turning heads into her direction. “Ten gil fer ye t’ hie back in there an’ toss tha’ bugger out on his arse!â€
His companions laughed, but it was short-lived as their attention went from the scruffy elezen woman, to her well-dressed lalafell companion. One could hear the mongrels fairly licking their lips in anticipation as they eyed Papataru’s rich tunic and gleaming necklace.
“’r maybe, should b’ ye givin’ us th’ gil.†One of the ruffians hissed.
“In a pig’s eye,†Papataru spat, mustache bristling angrily.
One dirt-smudged youth took a step forward. “That was rude.â€
“So is your face, you best turn around and find a better place for it.†The lalafell retorted. The comment earned a few snickers, but the youth approached closer, back by two of his compatriots. A knife flashed in the bright sunlight, brandished with some skill.
“Would b’ a shame t’ get blood all over tha’ shirt, Dellan.†One of the hyur drawled.
“Aye it would. Hand it over, pipper, before I split you up the middle like a dodo.â€
The young man scowled down at Papataru, who may as well have been carved from marble by the cold expression on his face. The one named Dellan opened his mouth to reply, but only managed a startled shriek as Mika’s foot intercepted his face.
Dellan flew back a few paces and landed in a heap, knife forgotten as he clutched his spurting nose. “Thal! Th’ elezen bitch broke my nose!â€
“Stupid move, girl.†One of the older boys commented.
“You can let us leave, or I can break you.†Mika growled, fists balling at her sides.
The little gang hesitated, as a man looking to their felled leader with a face full of blood, making whimpering noises.
Mika took a menacing step forward, but stopped when a sharp whistle rang out.
“What’s going on here?†A stuffy voice intoned from the mouth of the alley. Two Brass Blades came into view, giving distasteful looks to all the assembled.
“She’s trying to kill me, officer!†Dellan squealed, pointing a bloody hand at Mika. “I only said she was pretty!â€
Mika’s jaw dropped at the blatant lie, and she looked to the armored men to rebuke the claim, but both were now scowling at her.
“Big girl like you, hitting young men?â€
“You should have accepted the compliment.â€
“He was only being nice,†one of the other ruffians piped up, earning supportive murmuring from his friends.
“You should know better, young lady.†One of the Brass Blades chided. “You should be glad he said something nice at all, girl like you probably doesn’t hear compliments all that often.â€
“I say,†Papataru sputtered angrily. Mika’s hand at his back silenced him, but his face was red with fury.
“You two foreigners best leave,†the second Blade advised, before turning to check on the bleeding youth and his friends. Papataru didn’t waste a moment, grabbing Mikalaos’ hand and dragging her back out of Pearl Lane and towards the way they came.
The lalafell artisan’s words could have blistered paint off a wall, he was swearing so fiercely. Mika was silent, letting herself be lead as her face burned in shame. Scarred, overlarge, she had never been a beauty. When she was younger, she’d been svelte and graceful like a coeurl, more than making up for her plain face. But now, years of hard labor later, she was more buffalo than sleek cat.
“Don’t you dare listen to them,†Papataru hissed, squeezing Mika’s hand.
“It’s all right.†She replied dully.
“No it isn’t. How dare they say anything at all! I venture that when they were birthed, the healer turned about and slapped their mothers!â€
The comment earned a little grin, but Mika’s wounded ego needed to sulk away and lick its wounds. She knew her friend meant well, but the reality of the situation was not beyond her. She understood how she looked, mannish and calloused, her lone feminine vanity the braid of onyx-black hair around her head.
“To the seas with them all,†the lalafell snapped. “Come, let’s go back to the Quicksand and get some dinner. It’s not the Bismarck, but it’ll do.â€
Sun’s Zenith
Now
“The shaved ice was a fine thing,†Papataru said expansively, rubbing his belly. “This dry heat gets overbearing.â€
“It’s not so bad,†Mikalaos replied.
The lalafell gave her a hairy eyeball. “Nonsense. At least it rains in Limsa. And there are seasons aside from ‘scorching death’. I will never understand why Mimila decided to come here.â€
“To get out from under her father’s shadow?†Mika observed with a grin.
Papataru sputtered for a moment, and Mika choked back her laughter. When the engraver broke into a long-winded compliment of his daughter’s skills, the elezen let her attention drift to where they were. Having left the Goldsmith’s Guild, they were slowly making their way down Onyx Lane, dodging porters and couriers running to and fro. The lalafell had written to Mika that he was coming to check on his daughter, but she had suspicions that he was checking in on her as well.
It had been weeks since she’d come under the employ of the Bellworks, and it was definitely a different working environment. While only running errands between Ul’dah and the Shroud for the business, it still kept her busy. She missed the sounds of hammers and metal, but only superficially – she was rather pleased with her life now. She was exposed to more people, able to do more things, and help out as more than a nameless laborer.
She was letting her friend dictate their path, lost in conversation about mundane things like steel quality and that cheeky fellow mooning over Papataru’s daughter. Mika was paying more attention to the diminutive artisan, and missed when they turned onto Pearl Lane.
They progressed only so far as to be suddenly halted by a body being tossed into the alleyway. The hole-in-the-wall bar from whence the person came had a doorway full of a bearded, fierce-looking hyur scowling.
“An’ ye stay out this time!†He hollered, turning and stomping back into the recesses of the dive. A few other people skulked out and surrounded the hyur laying dazed on the cobbles, commentary flying fast and loose.
“-- doesn’ know wha’ he’s doin’ --â€
“-- had no right --â€
“-- motherless dog --â€
Mika reached down to put a hand on Papataru’s back, slowly backing away. “Come, let’s --â€
“Oi! Girlie!†The drunk on the street yowled, gesticulating at Mika and turning heads into her direction. “Ten gil fer ye t’ hie back in there an’ toss tha’ bugger out on his arse!â€
His companions laughed, but it was short-lived as their attention went from the scruffy elezen woman, to her well-dressed lalafell companion. One could hear the mongrels fairly licking their lips in anticipation as they eyed Papataru’s rich tunic and gleaming necklace.
“’r maybe, should b’ ye givin’ us th’ gil.†One of the ruffians hissed.
“In a pig’s eye,†Papataru spat, mustache bristling angrily.
One dirt-smudged youth took a step forward. “That was rude.â€
“So is your face, you best turn around and find a better place for it.†The lalafell retorted. The comment earned a few snickers, but the youth approached closer, back by two of his compatriots. A knife flashed in the bright sunlight, brandished with some skill.
“Would b’ a shame t’ get blood all over tha’ shirt, Dellan.†One of the hyur drawled.
“Aye it would. Hand it over, pipper, before I split you up the middle like a dodo.â€
The young man scowled down at Papataru, who may as well have been carved from marble by the cold expression on his face. The one named Dellan opened his mouth to reply, but only managed a startled shriek as Mika’s foot intercepted his face.
Dellan flew back a few paces and landed in a heap, knife forgotten as he clutched his spurting nose. “Thal! Th’ elezen bitch broke my nose!â€
“Stupid move, girl.†One of the older boys commented.
“You can let us leave, or I can break you.†Mika growled, fists balling at her sides.
The little gang hesitated, as a man looking to their felled leader with a face full of blood, making whimpering noises.
Mika took a menacing step forward, but stopped when a sharp whistle rang out.
“What’s going on here?†A stuffy voice intoned from the mouth of the alley. Two Brass Blades came into view, giving distasteful looks to all the assembled.
“She’s trying to kill me, officer!†Dellan squealed, pointing a bloody hand at Mika. “I only said she was pretty!â€
Mika’s jaw dropped at the blatant lie, and she looked to the armored men to rebuke the claim, but both were now scowling at her.
“Big girl like you, hitting young men?â€
“You should have accepted the compliment.â€
“He was only being nice,†one of the other ruffians piped up, earning supportive murmuring from his friends.
“You should know better, young lady.†One of the Brass Blades chided. “You should be glad he said something nice at all, girl like you probably doesn’t hear compliments all that often.â€
“I say,†Papataru sputtered angrily. Mika’s hand at his back silenced him, but his face was red with fury.
“You two foreigners best leave,†the second Blade advised, before turning to check on the bleeding youth and his friends. Papataru didn’t waste a moment, grabbing Mikalaos’ hand and dragging her back out of Pearl Lane and towards the way they came.
The lalafell artisan’s words could have blistered paint off a wall, he was swearing so fiercely. Mika was silent, letting herself be lead as her face burned in shame. Scarred, overlarge, she had never been a beauty. When she was younger, she’d been svelte and graceful like a coeurl, more than making up for her plain face. But now, years of hard labor later, she was more buffalo than sleek cat.
“Don’t you dare listen to them,†Papataru hissed, squeezing Mika’s hand.
“It’s all right.†She replied dully.
“No it isn’t. How dare they say anything at all! I venture that when they were birthed, the healer turned about and slapped their mothers!â€
The comment earned a little grin, but Mika’s wounded ego needed to sulk away and lick its wounds. She knew her friend meant well, but the reality of the situation was not beyond her. She understood how she looked, mannish and calloused, her lone feminine vanity the braid of onyx-black hair around her head.
“To the seas with them all,†the lalafell snapped. “Come, let’s go back to the Quicksand and get some dinner. It’s not the Bismarck, but it’ll do.â€
Olivie Heuloix - The Rusted Blade
Julianya Devon - The Hospitaller KnightÂ
Balmung
