The dusk had cast a palette of flame and mystery on the western face of Sohm Al. The scarlet and crimson of fading sunlight met with the haunting blue of the mountain's rich crystals, producing a scene that held Ahzuvi's attention captiveāoblivious to Alphinaud's approach.
The empty patch of grass beside her welcomed him, enticed him even. There was little question why he opted to share her company rather than sit through another argument on Ishgardian history; on any other journey, he would be elated to take part in such a debate. Clarifying a contentious history, and bringing about lasting peace after a millenia of war? If he wasn't so lost in his own mind, he would recognize the reason for the distraction for what it was.
She was no longer 'his' warrior of light, who spent her waking moments fulfilling whatever plan he had come up with. She was now his closest friend, who had revealed to him a brilliant mind, gentle disposition, and a contagious sense of wonder about the world.
But after their encounter with the primal Ravana, after Estinien rightfully chided him for putting Ahzuvi at risk /again/, something new gnawed at his chest with relentless persistence. The thought of losing her was unbearable, and he sought to express that still-nameless feeling somehow.
"Mind if I sit with you?"
"You may." Her response was one of warmth that put the spectacle of the sunset to shame.
"I found something for you-" he announced boldly, forgetting every practiced dialouge he spent the day working on in his haste to hand his gift over. In his hand was a piece of crystal, and watched as her eyes fixated on it with a tangible curiosity. He could hear his heartbeat in his ear as he watched her hand reach up to his, fingers brushing his palm as she examined the stone.
"...dravanian opal..." Her breath caught, her voice low enough it was only for himāat least, he would like to think of it that way.
"You recognize it?" He picked it up from the mountainside some bells earlier, wanting to give her something to add to her collection of odd trinkets. He had no idea what it actually /was/, but now he was thanking each of the Twelve individually for the luck.
"I do. It's a very beautiful sort of precious stone only found in Abalathian highlands..."
It was endearing the way her fingers lingered on the stone, and he knew she was resisting picking it up entirelyāshe frequently needed explicit permission before accepting anything for herself. He nudged the rock into her hand, watching her eyes light up in awe.
"Oh, it even has a flame!" She tilted the stone with a very precise angle so he could see, and sure enough the pale greens and blues flared with flecks of orange. "A beautiful one at that."
"A flame?" His question was genuine, but more than anything he was just eager to hear her speak. Another charming development he'd discovered since the two had spent more time together was her passion for storytellingāsomething he had unintentionally overshadowed through his compulsive conversationalist habits. He once admitted a childish dream of his to one day visit Ishgard and see its faerie tale grandeur.
She returned the favor by sharing her own childish dreams of chasing the sunset across the world, seeing all that Hydaelyn had to bear.
"Some say these opals form when a dragon's flame melts the earth, and is recaptured within their tears." Ahzuvi glanced cautiously in the direction of Estinien and Ysayle, resuming only when she was satisfied they weren't close enough to overhear. "Or sometimes it's their blood, depending on who you ask..."
"Were you to answer, which would you say?"
"...Where I'm from, I learned the former. In truth, its formation is something much more mundane, but I still liked to believe the stories."
"Correct me if I'm wrongāyou're from Coerthas, butā¦Iāve noticed you donāt seem to harbor the same abhorrence of the dragons...?"
He had been resisting the question, especially in the presence of their Ishgardian hosts. He wanted to sate his curiosity, and he wanted to know more about /her/, but he knew that anything related to her past was likely to be answered in vague terms.
So he was surprised that she hesitated, and checked again to confirm their bickering companions werenāt nearby. It was the same defensiveness that heād grown accustomed toāa guarded distance she had put up between herself and the world, but watched as it melted away when she returned her focus on him.
āNot all of Coerthas faces the same ire of the dragons. Where Iām from, they were more of a fear than a foe. A lot of older towns still stood from before the war even began, older generations passing down different tales. Books that survived in family collectionsā¦ā
As the last of duskās light faded, Ahzuviās story had shifted to retellings of the verdant greens of a pre-Calamity Coerthas. Alphinaud was taken aback by how fondly she spoke of itāshe painted a depiction of adventure worthy of the finest bardsongs, something she sounded even wistful for, enough that he was left wondering why she would be so averse to it.
ā¦
She didnāt notice when exactly he fell asleep. The weight against her shoulder had been there for at least a full bell, but he was awake enough to be responding for a time. Realizing this, she settled again and fell back into silence, turning the opal over in her palm and examining every facet of its color.
When armored footsteps approached, she looked up with mild irritationāeven if he hadnāt been testing her patience today already, Estinien was an unwelcome visitor at this late hour.
āAt least our little lordling is sleeping, now.ā Ahzuviās flat glare was cut off before she could respond, his tone softer this time. āBut you should as well. Iām taking watch now. /You/ need rest.ā
āDidnāt realize I had a curfew.ā
āYou do when you spend most of the day covered in toxic pollen and ochu acid.ā
She held no reservations arguing with the Azure Dragoon, but she didnāt have the energy or interest to bother this late at night. Nor did she want to wake Alphinaud. Ahzuvi accepted the defeat this time, and waited until Estinien had left before trying to settle in for the night.
She easily could have carried Alphinaud back to their makeshift camp, but he seemed comfortable enough that she would feel bad moving him.
The cold was another story.
They didnāt keep a fire this night so as not to alert the resident dragons to their presence. As she was just starting to doze off while leaning back against him, she noticed the slightest tremors in his breath. His body followed moments later.
Without hesitation, she risked waking him in an attempt to repositionāmoving him to lay across her lap, giving herself room to lie down and curl her body just enough to guard his vitals from the frigid air. While not a roaring campfire, her body was always uncommonly warm even in the most bitter of snows. The shivering dwindled, and his body no longer tensed to conserve heat.
Satisfied, she allowed herself a short nap. Long enough she wouldnāt have to hear from Estinien again.
ā¦
Dawn illuminated the thick mist that curtained over the mountainside, and Alphinaud stirred when it became too bright to ignore.
He froze when his eyes opened to Ahzuviās sleeping face only ilms away from him. The rest of his senses caught up, and he was keenly aware of how close they both were. She must have fallen asleep at some pointā¦/he/ must have fallen asleep at some point, and that was embarrassing enough his face burned under a tinge of pink.
More importantly than his wandering thoughts to their proximity, though, was noticing that her head was resting against solid, cold stone. Without second thought, he reached his arm out and carefully worked his hand to serve as a makeshift pillow for her.
She didnāt wake, and he returned to slumber with the quietest sigh of relief.
Of adoration.
Day 6 and 7 - Dusk/Guarded/Dawn/Bare
'Despite the grave circumstances that put us on this journey, moments like this will be writ into my memory as some of the happiest I've ever known.'
(Longer form in the alt text)
#wolphinaudweek2025
