A Brief Meeting [Closed]

[Kage]

((This is in response and a follow up to this post in the Bulletin Board.))

 

The uniformed Brass Blade Miqo'te continued his patrol outside of Quicksand into Ruby Road. He had needed a sweet tea, something his dear friend and one he considered beloved family had interested him in. Kage tilted his head as a shout rang out loud. He narrowed his eyes underneath the turban's visor at the familiar name.

 

He strode towards the direction the shout came from and saw an armored axe-wielding Roegadyn. He cleared his throat and approached her, "The name's Kage. I heard you yelling about someone named Delial. Wouldn't happen to be a sly silver-tongued Highlander female would it? Delial Grimsong?"

[Whittledown]

Obsidian Hornet ran the whet stone over the blade of her axe with patience and practice, waiting. When Kage approached in his Brass Blade uniform Hornet narrowed her eyes and stood up slowly while securing her axe on her back. She towered over the miqo'te. She looked down on him with clear distrust and he would be able to tell from her bearing and the tightness in her jaw that Hornet was restraining a deep and powerful well of fury.

 

"That's her, yes. Delial Grimsong. You know where I can find her?" She says, curtly not introducing herself and not acknowledging his introduction.

[Kage]

Kage lifted the turban and visor off his head, small beads of sweat clinging to his hair from desert heat and the warm wrapping. His eyes were curious while narrowed and his face was set grimly.

 

"Not now I don't. She's been a cause of trouble for me and mine but has been untouchable when I was once a Sultansworn and especially now as a Blade. What's she done now that has you set for her?"

[Whittledown]

The moment Kage says the words 'Not now', Hornet moves to free her axe again and sits back down, again laying the stone to the blade in those smooth, steady motions.

 

"My reasons are none of your concern, Blade. And if you don't know where she is then you are useless to me." She speaks cooly, her utter disinterest in Kage dripping from every word she says.

[Kage]

Kage nodded slowly, "Aye sorry for the bother then Miss."

 

He shook his head, and turned about face. Sighing he muttered under his breath as he walked away, "At least this means it's not about Roen..."

[Whittledown]

Hornet's eyes snapped up when he spoke of Roen and she frowned, her hands ceasing their motion along the blade. She hesitated. Why would he say that? Did he know her, or did he know that Hornet knew Roen? Likely a trap. But Hornet was confident she could kill him, so she spoke.

 

"Oi, Blade. What do you know about Roen? She's an acquaintance of mine, nice girl. She in some kind of trouble?" She asks, consciously downplaying her relationship to Roen by making her tone one of only mild concern and curiosity.

[Kage]

Kage turned around, seeing that they were alone and the place was empty.

 

 

"Roen and I took our trials for the Sultansworn together. I consider her family in all but blood. I know Delial has caused trouble for her and I wanted to see if Grimsong was doing it again," he answered simply. He scratched at his chin with a shrug, "But if you're the one looking for her at least it means she's not doing it again. I won't get in your way."

[Melkire]

The little Lalafell woman, dressed in pink spring shirt and skirt, strode up Ruby Road right up to the Roegadyn woman and the Brass Blade. To the lady, she held up a pink box filled with half a dozen confections, held it up with one hand, smiled, and posed.  

 

"Special delivery! Courtesy of Crescent Cove Croissants and Crafts!"

[Whittledown]

Hornet makes no comment to Kage about his relationship to Roen, and in her silence the little Lalafell woman pipes up. She looks down and lifts a brow. Crescent Cove.

 

"Who do we have to thank for this?" She asks the deliverer, making no move to accept the package.

[Melkire]

The little miss in pink scrunched up her face in concentration as she stared down at the box in thought, then broke into another smile as she looked up at and said, "From a secret admirer, miss! A fan of all sorts of songs and dances!"

 

She bit her lower lip, eyes shining mischievously, eyebrows rising and falling suggestively as she held up the box again.

 

"Secret admirerrrrrr~"

[Kage]

Kage eyed the lalafell and remembered the words Crescent Cove. He took a deep breath as his memory briefly flashed to when he found himself as he was now. He shook his head as the female Roegadyn seemed to have no interest in receiving the package.

 

"Miss, it doesn't look like she's interested, especially without knowing who it is from," he said with a nod.

[Whittledown]

Hornet furrows her brow. Song and dance? She strained her memory for a connection but nothing leapt out at her. Crescent Cove was clue enough. Gave her a direction to go if she couldn't find Delial.

 

She looks to Kage before looking down again. "Well, I won't know who to thank this way. And I always say thank you when I receive gifts. Perhaps another clue to the identity of my mystery suitor? And if you could, please open the package for me. My armored fingers would make a mess of such finery." She wiggles her gauntleted fingers in illustration.

[Melkire]

The Lalafell huffed a breath, placed the box on the bench, then made to scramble up next to the Roegadyn, carefully holding her skirt to one side so as to protect her modesty.

 

"He knows who you love and he knows who loves you, miss, so he sends sweets, so he does, to bless you on your way, Menphina be willing and Oschon be kind. We've missed you at the Cove, so we have. Haven't seen you there since you came and visited with those two friends of yours!"

 

Finally standing atop the bench, she reached over to pick up the box and turned back with another smile. She lifted the lid of the box, revealing a half dozen fruit tarts, and stood up on her tip-toes, one hand shielding her mouth, to whisper to Hornet...

 

"Chew carefully, miss. Take your time. We love feedback, so we do, and we'd love to hear from you. Helps improves our recipes, so it does."

[Kage]

An eyebrow rose at the Lalafell as he exhaled. He took a long look at the Quicksand before turning to the two. "I'll leave you two and stop being a bother. I'm happy to know that Roen has others looking out for her, not just her sworn family..."

 

Kage muttered under his breath, "Or her brother."

 

He gave them both a bow and a salute. "I hope I see her soon. I haven't seen her since I saw her wearing that coif and she mentioned being put on leave," he frowned. He said with a nod to the Roegadyn and the Lalafell. "Good day to both of you."

 

Kage turned as he took a look at the sun above him. Time for him to get off patrol. Thankfully no orders to take bribes this shift. An ale or two sounded lovely.

[Whittledown]

The whisper did it. Hornet snapped the lid shut on the pastries and stood up. "Thank you." She says, apparently speaking to both of them before she turns on her heel and walks off with a purpose. She heads along the road toward the Gate of the Sultana then pauses and turns, heading through the Gladiators area and up the stairs toward the airship landing.

 

She purchased a ticket to Limsa Lominsa and left Ul'dah without a glance or another word to anyone.

[Melkire]

The little Lalafell woman kept right on smiling as the Blade, then the Roegadyn, left. Package delivered. Humming to herself, she turned, took up her skirt with both hands, and skipped her way down Ruby onto Emerald, then turned right, headed for Sapphire and that which was beyond: the residential district that was The Goblet.

 

She sang a sea shanty as she went, garnering attention left and right as onlookers wondered at her. A few glanced over only to double-take mere seconds later: the shanty would've been familiar to more recent recruits of the Immortal Flames, and the voice which sang it even more so. Not one of those few breached protocol, though; not one gave any indication past a second glance that they recognized her. They knew better than to get their ears boxed good and proper.

 

The lass had very nearly cussed out her sergeant when he'd called her on her day off. The tone of his voice had permitted no dissent, however, and as he went on to explain, she had quieted down and followed his instructions. No time to lose.

 

"No uniform," he'd told her. "Wear something nice, let your hair down. They're so used t'you wearin' that helm that I doubt anyone remembers your hair color anymore. Sweets. Take some sweets. Buy some from Sapphire Exchange if y'don't have any. Now, listen very carefully, because y'won't have this pearl for me t'coach you through it later."

 

She had listened as she dressed in a rush, as she ran to the market, as she purchased half a dozen fruit tarts from an enthusiastic Elezen merchant, as he drilled the knowledge through her ear into her head over and over and over and over 'til there had been no chance that she wouldn't remember.

 

Crescent Cove. The Roegadyn woman with Wolfsong and Deneith. Wolfsong and Grimsong.

 

The linkpearl in the third tart.

 

Corporal Haruko Kokojo made her way home now, and no one stopped her.