It was the simple pleasures that really lifted Aya's spirit, and brought the sweetness to her smile. Seeing friends visiting the Quick Sand to share a round of drinks, and just enjoying each others' company. The little victory of convincing the Elezen woman to buy a pot of tea, when she had not wanted to order anything. The even sweeter victory of knowing that she had enjoyed, and appreciated, the Gridanian Honey tea that she'd been served. The little chamber was a slow hum of activity, reunion, and merriment.
Aya had not seen Aldyet for weeks, not since she overheard mentions of a transfer to Limsa Lominsa. Those moments seemed an eternity ago now, and not only had she missed the young swordswoman, but had become worried about her during the long absence. With all that was happening in Ul'dah it seemed like anything could have become of her, and there was no one to tell her that all was well. It was a relief to see her in person, alive and well, if frustrated.
That had been earlier in the evening, and by now the lanterns within the Quick Sand had dimmed. Momodi never quite closed shop, but it was time for the night watch. Aya pulled the cloak across her shoulders, hooking it together around her neck with a brooch. She glanced back to the Lalafel who looked back with concerned look in her little eyes, "Are you sure it can't wait for light at least?"Â
Aya nodded, and smiled with that reassuring sweetness, "Don't worry, I'll be fine!"Â It was easier said, than done, Momodi was worried, and so was Aya.
The Hyur girl took a conscious breath, drawing a last lungful of the Quick Sand's fragrant air, spiced with tea, coffee, alcohol, and the tingle of ground peppers, before pushing open the door and stepping outside into the night air. She looked around alertly, finding to her relief that there were no Brass Blades waiting for her.
It was the same alleyway that only suns ago had seen her safe, secure little world turned upside down. Those very people who had provided for her a sense of security, a sense of belonging, and of family... no, that was a step too far, they had never called her that, she had never meant that to them. She had abandoned her only family in Ishgard; there will never be another, that had been her decision, and it could not be undone.
She took careful steps, eyes glancing quickly about the darkened alley as she set off into the Ul'dahn night, lit only by the silvery glow of moonlight, casting sinister shadows against every surface.Â
"Is this really a good idea?" she thought to herself. "I told Aldyet we'd speak alone... but I didn't think she'd pick some place so far away. Why didn't we just use the kitchen? Its worked so well..."Â
Aya had scarcely left the Quick Sand for days. Whatever sense of security she felt within the city, that was the only place where it was to be found. She glanced behind her, wondering if just maybe... no... "Where is that Miqo'te..." she sighed under her breath. A bodyguard couldn't spend every waking hour watching over her, she couldn't hold that against him.
She pulled the hood of her cloak up over her head, trying to hide her blonde locks from sight. The heels of her boots clicked against the paving stones, sending echos along the abandoned alleyway. She had been warned that the Brass Blades would come back. That they would exact vengeance, and at the very least extract from her what they had demanded. She had reason to believe that this was no longer the case, that she was safe, but considering the source, just how far could it be trusted? Perhaps the new security measures had been noticed, and the Blades were trying to lull her into a false sense of security.Â
"Why did I come back...?"
Her heart had told her that she could not solve every problem just by running away. She might be alone, but sometimes you still have to stand your ground. Her reason reminded her, though, that running away had always worked in the past. Indeed, it seemed like she had been born running away, always on the move from one problem to the next: Ala Mhigo, Limsa, Ishgard, Gridania, Ul'dah; perhaps her heart simply knew that there was nowhere else to run.
Her eyes darted, making Brass Blades of every shadow, assassins sent to teach the entire city a lesson: defy the Brass Blades at your own risk. For a moment the thought flickered through her mind that Aldyet had once been a confident of theirs, like family. Was she working for them still? Was this a setup, an ambush?Â
She walked a little faster. "No... Aldyet would not do that. She was always standing up for what she thought was right, she'd never allow herself to be used like that." But the fear lingered, if she couldn't trust Kage, just how could she really trust anyone else?
"Osric..." she sighed aloud, "how much longer is this going to go on?". Everything had gone dark for her suns ago. No word, no idea what was going on in the city any more. How long was she going to have to fear the darkness? She had nothing else to offer, what little good she could have done for any of them had already been done. He was certainly right to keep her in the dark, but just how much more intolerable it made the shadows.
Finally she turned into the corridor approaching the fountain. Torch light flickered against the walls, tongues of light falling across her form as she continued cautiously. She let her hood drop, and slowed her breathing to try and still her beating heart.
As she approached the fountain Aldyet spotted her and stood to greet her. She was alone. Aya smiled, "A friend at last... with a sword I can trust." The fear of the lonely dark faded away.
Aya had not been brave. She had never been courageous, nor bold. How would she hold up against the myriad trials facing her now? Still, she had something of a wily resourcefulness about her, she'd become known as "Foxheart" for a reason. She could only hope that would be enough to see her through.
Aya had not seen Aldyet for weeks, not since she overheard mentions of a transfer to Limsa Lominsa. Those moments seemed an eternity ago now, and not only had she missed the young swordswoman, but had become worried about her during the long absence. With all that was happening in Ul'dah it seemed like anything could have become of her, and there was no one to tell her that all was well. It was a relief to see her in person, alive and well, if frustrated.
That had been earlier in the evening, and by now the lanterns within the Quick Sand had dimmed. Momodi never quite closed shop, but it was time for the night watch. Aya pulled the cloak across her shoulders, hooking it together around her neck with a brooch. She glanced back to the Lalafel who looked back with concerned look in her little eyes, "Are you sure it can't wait for light at least?"Â
Aya nodded, and smiled with that reassuring sweetness, "Don't worry, I'll be fine!"Â It was easier said, than done, Momodi was worried, and so was Aya.
The Hyur girl took a conscious breath, drawing a last lungful of the Quick Sand's fragrant air, spiced with tea, coffee, alcohol, and the tingle of ground peppers, before pushing open the door and stepping outside into the night air. She looked around alertly, finding to her relief that there were no Brass Blades waiting for her.
It was the same alleyway that only suns ago had seen her safe, secure little world turned upside down. Those very people who had provided for her a sense of security, a sense of belonging, and of family... no, that was a step too far, they had never called her that, she had never meant that to them. She had abandoned her only family in Ishgard; there will never be another, that had been her decision, and it could not be undone.
She took careful steps, eyes glancing quickly about the darkened alley as she set off into the Ul'dahn night, lit only by the silvery glow of moonlight, casting sinister shadows against every surface.Â
"Is this really a good idea?" she thought to herself. "I told Aldyet we'd speak alone... but I didn't think she'd pick some place so far away. Why didn't we just use the kitchen? Its worked so well..."Â
Aya had scarcely left the Quick Sand for days. Whatever sense of security she felt within the city, that was the only place where it was to be found. She glanced behind her, wondering if just maybe... no... "Where is that Miqo'te..." she sighed under her breath. A bodyguard couldn't spend every waking hour watching over her, she couldn't hold that against him.
She pulled the hood of her cloak up over her head, trying to hide her blonde locks from sight. The heels of her boots clicked against the paving stones, sending echos along the abandoned alleyway. She had been warned that the Brass Blades would come back. That they would exact vengeance, and at the very least extract from her what they had demanded. She had reason to believe that this was no longer the case, that she was safe, but considering the source, just how far could it be trusted? Perhaps the new security measures had been noticed, and the Blades were trying to lull her into a false sense of security.Â
"Why did I come back...?"
Her heart had told her that she could not solve every problem just by running away. She might be alone, but sometimes you still have to stand your ground. Her reason reminded her, though, that running away had always worked in the past. Indeed, it seemed like she had been born running away, always on the move from one problem to the next: Ala Mhigo, Limsa, Ishgard, Gridania, Ul'dah; perhaps her heart simply knew that there was nowhere else to run.
Her eyes darted, making Brass Blades of every shadow, assassins sent to teach the entire city a lesson: defy the Brass Blades at your own risk. For a moment the thought flickered through her mind that Aldyet had once been a confident of theirs, like family. Was she working for them still? Was this a setup, an ambush?Â
She walked a little faster. "No... Aldyet would not do that. She was always standing up for what she thought was right, she'd never allow herself to be used like that." But the fear lingered, if she couldn't trust Kage, just how could she really trust anyone else?
"Osric..." she sighed aloud, "how much longer is this going to go on?". Everything had gone dark for her suns ago. No word, no idea what was going on in the city any more. How long was she going to have to fear the darkness? She had nothing else to offer, what little good she could have done for any of them had already been done. He was certainly right to keep her in the dark, but just how much more intolerable it made the shadows.
Finally she turned into the corridor approaching the fountain. Torch light flickered against the walls, tongues of light falling across her form as she continued cautiously. She let her hood drop, and slowed her breathing to try and still her beating heart.
As she approached the fountain Aldyet spotted her and stood to greet her. She was alone. Aya smiled, "A friend at last... with a sword I can trust." The fear of the lonely dark faded away.
Aya had not been brave. She had never been courageous, nor bold. How would she hold up against the myriad trials facing her now? Still, she had something of a wily resourcefulness about her, she'd become known as "Foxheart" for a reason. She could only hope that would be enough to see her through.
