A Lalafell's Hospitality [Story]

[Saefinn]

((Another story for Saefinn. This is just a short story detailing the events prior to beta phase 4, giving Saefinn the motivation to travel to his starting city, also providing some insight to his background and introducing the nameless Lalafell he owes his life to. Feedback welcome. I figure leading up to beta phase 4, I'll do some of these stories as it has been a while since I've written fiction and I'm rusty.))

 

 

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…

My head. Thumping. I could barely breathe. The sound of the sea wooshing as it engulfed my feet. My head was against the sand and there was the taste of salt dry in my mouth. I could feel the sun’s warmth. I tried to open my eyes, but the light blinded me, it was like a bad hangover, without the vomit. I felt a pain in my shoulder, from what I did not know.

 

“Hello? Hello, can you hear me?” Somebody shoved me, followed by the whirring of magic. I felt a cool sensation run through my body, my headache dissipated, my shoulder felt a little better, yet I still thirsted for water. “Come on, get up, you’re not dead yet.” As I opened my eye I saw a small Lalafell wrapped in white robes. “Ergh,” I groaned.

 

“See, I told you so.” Her face had a warming quality, she had the innocent childlike features the Lalafell possessed, including the stubbed nose. From what I could see underneath the hood, her hair was blonde. Almost every bit a child, but the eyes, they had matured. As strange as it would seem to say it, behind them were years of discipline, yet I felt a certain compassion, one I was unfamiliar with.

“Can you get up? I’m too small to carry you.”

 

I just felt like laying there, I didn’t have much strength to move. I needed a drink, not the hard stuff, water. “W…ter,” I mumbled.

“Oh, how silly of me.” She pulled out a leather flask and held it to my mouth and I drank. It was warm as it rushed down my gullet, hydrating it along the way

“How was that?” She asked as she put her flask away.

“Warm,” I replied.

“It’s a warm day,” she laughed, “I’m not some two-bit Thaumaturge who casts a Blizzard spell to refresh my water.”

 

“Thank you.” I managed to regain some of my strength. I wondered if she would treat me with such grace if she knew what kind of man I was and knew the things I had done. Things even I look back in disgust. Despite all that has happened, I always had a crew loyal to me, brothers in arms to take good care of me and I…well, I wish I could say “and I them”, but it had dawned on me the weight of what had led me ashore. I no longer had a crew. I felt a tightness in my stomach, a small tear in my and the tension in my muscles. Shaking, I wanted to scream at the top of my voice. They trusted you. I felt I didn’t deserve to live, yet was grateful of the Lalafell’s hospitality. I was no true Captain. Even with all my smarts I never could formulate an effective battle plan. What did I know about strategy? What did I know about fighting? The most I could do was a drunken brawl and even them I couldn’t win without cheating.

 

I sat in an upward position, “what are you then?” I asked.

“A Conjurer,” she smiled, “I take care of the weak. Right now, that’s you.”

“Why?”

“Because you need it. Need it be any less simple?”

 

I had considered for a moment, what if there was a Conjurer among my crew? Would things have been any different? The ability to heal and raise the fallen. Maybe then we might have stood a chance against the Sahagin. But there would be no way that this Lalafell would agree to be a part of my crew – nor could I turn back time - she just didn’t seem the type to support the idea of hanging a man by the ankles over the edge of the ship to ‘encourage’ him to pays his debts. Or the kind to support the idea of smuggling in illegal goods, especially narcotics.

 

“Are you ready to get up? Or are you just going to sit there?” The Lalafell sighed. I slowly got up, staggering slightly, to oblige her demand. Like a fresh drunkard, I staggered my way as the Lalafell led me to some shelter. There were the charcoal remains of a fire and a tent and we sat nearby.

“You’re going to stay here until you’re fit enough to make it on your own.”

 

I nodded. She walked into her tent and rummaged through a few supplies before walking back out again. In her hand she held out a small piece of cake. At first I was bewildered, she gave me a strange look.

“Nourishment,” she said, “Cake makes everybody feel good.”

 

I took a bite, tasting the sweet sponge of the cake, a hint of jam – but I didn’t have time to savour the whole thing, I ended up wolfing the rest down – I got a bit of icing on my nose, so I wiped it off. I smiled a little, it seemed cake really does make everybody feel good.

 

“So, where will you be heading?” She asked.

“I don’t know,” I shrugged.

“There’s gotta be somewhere, somebody who knows you.”

“My ship was attacked, I was lucky to get out alive,” I paused. I felt a tight pain in my chest before I could say what I had to say, “My crew, they’re all dead.”

“I’m sorry.” She bowed her head.

“They died because of me,” I said sincerely. “I was just…hopeless.”

“I am sure that’s not true. I know, I wasn’t there.”

 

“I buried my head in books and my game was always business, not warfare. My crew needed a captain not only prepared with a business plan to make money, but somebody who had the balls to stand up in a fight and act like a %*^ing leader! A part of me wishes you just left me to die. It’s where I belonged.”

The Lalafell thwacked me across the cheek, for a small thing she packed a lot of punch. “Don’t say that! Come now. Were you the one going around stabbing your crew with a knife? Looking at you, you wouldn’t last 5 seconds trying to murder a whole crew!” She exclaimed.

“I don’t think that makes any sense.” I frowned.

 

“Look, unless you led the attack against your crew then you didn’t murder your crew. Fine, you might not have had a general’s ability to lead people into battle, but you wouldn’t be the only one. You’re going to do nothing feeling sorry for yourself. Look, if you’re so worried about how to handle a fight – you don’t look like you have a lot of brawn, why don’t you invest in that learned brain of yours and do something about it. Well, I dunno, aspire to become a Scholar or something crazy like that.”

“What now?”

“I’m just saying, you’re down on your luck, no crew, you say you like to bury your head in books, you hate the fact you lack any tactical ability, except when it comes to business. You’ve got nowhere to go. Okay, nobody can just become a Scholar willy nilly, but you can start by developing your arcane abilities a little. When you’re feeling a little better I can show you a couple of tricks. See how far you get, you never know, you might be good at it.”

“My arcane abilities? All righty then, I’ll humour you.” I sighed.

 

“Trust me, you’ll love it. It’s up to you, I’m a Conjurer, and you could always learn magic in Gridania with the Conjurer’s guild and see how it works out for you – I could get you started. Or you can bury your head in a book in Limsa Lominsa with the Arcanists and get a head start, in fact, I probably have a book to read around here somewhere.”

“Sounds like I don’t have a choice.”

“That’s right. I saved your butt and now it’s mine.” She placed her hand on her chest laughing.

 

I shook my head. She was right though. I had failed my crew and it hurt me knowing that, but I was alive and it wouldn’t exactly have been honourable for me to kill myself and it would achieve bugger all. I had read a little about Scholars and how their strategic manoeuvres and masterful spell weaving were the strength behind the men and women of Vylbrand, defending their tiny nation. I also knew of their dominion over faeries, it didn’t feel exactly emasculating, but all who would laugh at the faery sat atop my shoulder would soon laugh no more. As brilliant as the fantasy in my head was, of casting powerful spells to bring my foes to their knees and empowering a mighty crew as they launched their attack, I had never cast a spell. I was a long way off from acquiring the level of excellence of a Scholar and I didn’t think I could do it, but a part of me felt right. I had to do this. Maybe with the right amount of training I could avenge my crew and show those mother$%^£ ing Sahagin, you don’t cross Captain Saefinn Liljasson!

[Saefinn]

((I figured I'd knock out 2 of these today. I figure I'd explore different parts of his character. This one is another one from being a fresh pirate as a young lad. His first time with a women. Don't worry, it's mostly tame, I've not written any sex scenes. I mentioned in my character profile of him that he has a bit of a warped view on women due to his experiences in taverns. This story is where it all started.))

 

A Quintessential Wench

 

“Weyyy!” Roddy cheered holding his pint in the air. “To Limsa Lominsa!”

“To beer!” Cried a Roegadyn crew member.

“Ehey!” I cheered back.

 

“To a cracking pair of tits!” Roddy gestured towards the Hyur waitress and everybody in the bar, women included held their pints in the air to her direction. She gave an awkward blush.

 

“Come on now, lads, let’s not get too hasty.” She served me mead. The Roegadyn turned to me, slurring his words, “hey look mate, I fink that pretty Miqo’te was looking at you. She’s got a gorgeous rack.”

 

I spat out my drink. I wasn’t sure if it was the drink talking, but he was right. Her busty breasts looked as though they were about to break her corset, it was as though she wore a small corset on purpose to accentuate them. Her black hair was long, silky and untamed. Surprisingly her soft, sweet smile drew me away from her chest, her eyes alluring, a special kind of beauty – I felt my heart skip a beat, my stomach tingled and I probably had a grin from ear to ear. She giggled. I staggered over drunkenly.

 

“Go on my son!” I could hear Roddy shout from behind, “Get in there!”

I was a fresh sailor, only just hit puberty, I didn’t know what to say, even with the alcohol pumping through my veins.

 

“I’ve never seen eyes so beautiful…I could barely notice those wonderful…breasts of yours.” I was giggling like a little girl. I half expected her to call me a pig, but to be honest, I didn’t know what I was expecting her to say.

 

“Erm, thanks. You’ve not spoken to many women, have you?”

“Why do you say that?” I slurred.

“Because by now you’d have a red hand mark on your face.”

“I…am, sorry, milady. It’s just…wow. Can I touch them?”

“Really?” She sighed. “Talk to me like I’m a lady and maybe, just maybe.”

 

“Well, erm…” I stuttered. My brain couldn’t really function, Roddy’s foul mouth had really corrupted any train of thought. I was raised to be such a sweet boy who respected women and all I could think about was breasts. I chanted to myself, don’t talk about breasts, don’t talk about breasts, don’t talk about breasts.

 

“So, where are you from?”

“Ul’dah, I used to work at The Quicksand.”

“What brings you all…all the way to Limsa?” I sneakily raised my arm behind her shoulders.

“To find something more exciting. I often saw other people going out on adventure and at The Quicksand we always had work for adventurers, but I never got to have an adventure of my own.”

 

“Hey!” I swigged back on my drink, my head getting light, “I’m on an adventure! Sailing seas! But a pretty girl like you…ain’t the place for you.”

“Hey!” Her expression took a furious turn, “I’m more capable than I look!”

“I’m not saying you’re not, I mean you could knock somebody out with those knockers!” I bit my lip. I mentioned breasts. Idiot, idiot, idiot. I winced expecting to be slapped, instead she busted out laughing.

 

“You’re a real charmer, ain’t you? A way with words. Look sweetheart, I’m just playing with you. Ha ha ha.”

“Excuse me?”

“Can’t you tell, I’m a tavern wench?” She sat on my lap facing me, “you guys bring good business. Now let me show you a token of appreciation.”

 

My cheeks turned red as my heart started beating fast.

“Get in there my boy!” Roddy shouted, “Woo!”

I didn’t know what to do, I felt a tingle. I put down my drink and she put her tongue in my mouth, I could taste the wine on her saliva as we kissed. I closed my eyes and placed my hands on her breasts.

 

Roddy and the Roegadyn, crept up behind me. “Saefinn! Saefinn! Saefinn!” They chanted and handed the wench a couple of jugs full of beer. She poured them over her body, soaking the two of us. By then the whole crew had their attention on us. A bard played music in the background and the wench danced in front of me. I was entranced by her fluid movements, her perfect curves, her bounteous breasts – perfect movement, she had a real talent for it, I think, I wasn’t quite sure if she was a good dancer or if I just…appreciated it more – the short skirt, the tight outfit, the lot. She was soon joined by two others, a Hyur, blonde and an Elezen, brunette. Everybody crowded around cheering and whistling, throwing their coins to the table. Captain marched in.

 

“This is what it’s all about lads!” He shouted, “I’m diving in!” He joined the brunette who had a shy smile about her, captain went straight in, head first for her breasts.

The waitress brought about a new round of drinks. “There you go boys,” she winked. Roddy jumped straight in grabbing 2 pints for himself. He plonked himself next to me, put his arm around me and whispered in my ear, “she’s something, eh?”

 

I was speechless. My jaw had dropped, no other 15 year old lads were getting this kind of treatment in Limsa, there’s no way their mums would let them get away with it. I felt…privileged. I never imagined becoming a pirate would quite feel like this, but it felt good. It was like a drug and the night hadn’t even begun.

 

“Becoming a pirate is the best choice I’ve ever made!” I shouted.

“Weeeey!” Roddy cheered at the top of his lungs. He walked over to the wench before me. “Turn this boy into a man!”

The Miqo’te wench walked over, leant forward and grabbed me by the lapel and walked me across the tavern floor. Another cheer followed, a few whistles, “way to go Sae! Woo!”

 

“Go on lad, you’ve earned it.” Captain applauded before burying his face again.

I waved goodbye as the wench led me into the next room.

 

“Tonight is a good night.” I smiled. And indeed it was.