and she broke your throne and she cut your hair

[ishguardian]

[ his mind feels a blur, his ears numb, stuffed with cotton, his body so unfeeling that the pain no longer exists, or else it is compacted somewhere far away where his senses cannot find it. it will be back, he is sure. he has known shock before, and distantly he knows now that this is shock again, a rattling deep in his core that has naught to do with the wounds and bruises and cracked ribs.

the scent of haurchefant's blood seems to linger in his clothing, the acrid scent of aether burned flesh and mail, coppery and sickly sweet, clinging to his hair and skin, suffocating, muffling. and the image of his father turned away, out of reach as he has always been, the spectre that has haunted his life and harried his steps since boyhood. there is movement - the body being lifted, transported, estinien and lucia shuffling nearby, and perhaps he is giving weak orders while he stands still half-crumpled on his feet, or perhaps that it only the noise of his mind pulling itself back together.

but time waits for no man, and haurchefant is quickly hurried away, and aymeric finds himself staring at the dark stain left behind on the smooth, perfect marble. there should be more, he thinks, carelessly. the spear of aether must have cauterized the wound. these quick, morbid thoughts fill his mind and he is repulsed by himself though he can no more press them away than he can to crowd out the insistent, continuous buzzing in his ears. everything has moved so quickly, and now that it is over it feels as if he has been pulled into a vacuum with no sound, no wind. he clutches his arm with his free hand, where the ache is beginning slowly to bloom again, the words turning over in his mind that he cannot bring himself to give voice to.

it is my fault. ]

Comments

[estinien]

If wishes were chocobos? There's enough of those feathered fiends in the forelands for everyone.

[it's obvious estinien isn't a fan of chocobos. for whatever reason it's as if dragoon and bird simply cannot co-exist within a few meters of each other and generally ends in a great big bird-kick to someone's side. normally estinien's. and those breaks are sharper than they look too, and the claws.....

no, people could keep their wishes, they were foolish anyway. estinien would probably rethink that stance one day, wishing he had never set his sights upon the eyes of nidhogg.]

If there's anything you need.... [estinien trails off, not even sure how he means to finish that sentence. there's not much he can offer in his opinion, simply a shoulder. and there are more comfortable shoulders than his own.] I'll be outside making sure no-one disturbs you for now.

[ishguardian]

[ aymeric lifts his eyes from his desk again, and they are hooded and distant still, but his body language is smoothed over and softened, and there is obvious appreciation in his expression, and his voice. ]

.. thank you.

[ because he knows what it means, the true weight of estinien's words, and for all of their playful bickering, and estinien's forced distance, aymeric understands him well, and he knows what it means to be given such words, however brief. there is no doubt in his mind or heart that this man, for all his belligerance and combativeness, is loyal and true to his core. aymeric trusts him, and he is more grateful for this than words can express, though he does what he can to write it into his smile, however weary it might still seem. there are few enough men, these days, that he feels he may entirely rely upon. ]

I'll be glad of the privacy.

[estinien]

Hmph. You'll be sure to get some.

[aymeric gets another glance over as estinien tries to accept that thanks and smile. a part of him wants to linger, hover around the lord commander and just simply keep watch yet estinien knows it'd be counterproductive. not only would aymeric get nothing done but he'd also start getting annoyed at someone constantly being right there. that and estinien suspects lucia will want to do just that. further down the line there will be a few furious and heated arguments in the room outside as estinien makes sure that even aymeric's right hand doesn't disturb his friend.

for now though estinien simply nods and goes to stand outside aymeric's door. there will more than likely be complaints much later from nobles who have born the brunt of estinien's temperament but at least it means that no-one will be bothering aymeric for a good few hours. that is, of course, until the first round of estinien versus lucia kicks off.]