Was he dense? Was he trying too hard to be sharp, seeing threats that weren't there?Â
He sat the whole afternoon in his room at the Mizzenmast, replaying the day in his mind over and over again. Limsa Lominsa was a city full of half-heard whispers and misdirected rumors. It was a city of wind and water, with people coming and going and rarely stopping to get names, faces, or facts just right. It could be nothing, he thought to himself. But it could be so much more than that, as well. He had summoned a retainer, thinking of any old contacts, or rumors of contacts, that might be found on short notice so far from Ul'dah. By the time the retainer arrived, he was halfway through a tall glass of red wine and was suitably mollified by his own machinations so as to dismiss her almost immediately without assignment.
That's not who I am anymore, he reminded himself. He wouldn't let the fear of being found out force him into old habits. He had worked hard to divorce and distance himself from that person and it would be all too easy to slip back into him. He had been good at it. A natural.
No!
Before leaving his room again, he freshened up and changed into a simple trouser and half-robe set, lighter and more mobile. He would have liked to be more discrete, maybe wear a cowl, but he also wanted options; no more falling on his face like earlier that afternoon. He summoned Ben again. He had thought about calling forth the smaller, more discrete fairy Ariel, but somehow couldn't. He hadn't had her in the old days and he didn't like the idea of exposing her to any of that baggage. No, Ben had been with him longer, was more a part of himself. He focused on the open, almost languorous pattern of his personal carbuncle symbol and absentmindedly pulled him back into form.
He looked down at the eager creature before him and nodded before walking out. The eleventh bell would be tolling soon.
As he approached the appointed area he could make out the girl's figure in the moonlight. He stopped and sent Ben scampering on ahead to sniff and snoop.
He sat the whole afternoon in his room at the Mizzenmast, replaying the day in his mind over and over again. Limsa Lominsa was a city full of half-heard whispers and misdirected rumors. It was a city of wind and water, with people coming and going and rarely stopping to get names, faces, or facts just right. It could be nothing, he thought to himself. But it could be so much more than that, as well. He had summoned a retainer, thinking of any old contacts, or rumors of contacts, that might be found on short notice so far from Ul'dah. By the time the retainer arrived, he was halfway through a tall glass of red wine and was suitably mollified by his own machinations so as to dismiss her almost immediately without assignment.
That's not who I am anymore, he reminded himself. He wouldn't let the fear of being found out force him into old habits. He had worked hard to divorce and distance himself from that person and it would be all too easy to slip back into him. He had been good at it. A natural.
No!
Before leaving his room again, he freshened up and changed into a simple trouser and half-robe set, lighter and more mobile. He would have liked to be more discrete, maybe wear a cowl, but he also wanted options; no more falling on his face like earlier that afternoon. He summoned Ben again. He had thought about calling forth the smaller, more discrete fairy Ariel, but somehow couldn't. He hadn't had her in the old days and he didn't like the idea of exposing her to any of that baggage. No, Ben had been with him longer, was more a part of himself. He focused on the open, almost languorous pattern of his personal carbuncle symbol and absentmindedly pulled him back into form.
He looked down at the eager creature before him and nodded before walking out. The eleventh bell would be tolling soon.
As he approached the appointed area he could make out the girl's figure in the moonlight. He stopped and sent Ben scampering on ahead to sniff and snoop.
