Stories
Many yalms past Camp Tranquil, Namiye noticed a change in the the atmosphere, the air was somehow drier, warmer. "Must be getting close to Thanalan," she thought. The warm air was welcome as she tended to be colder than others in the canopy shaded forests of Gridania. As the forest started to finally thin, she stepped through the trees and set foot on sand and rock.
In awe of the beauty of Thanalan, the wide clear skies with massive mountains and plateaus lining the horizon overwhelmed her senses. All her life she’d heard that Thanalan was a desolate wide void that represented death and emptiness. To her it felt like freedom and renewal. Room to adventure, room to explore. Adrenaline pumping, she jounced towards the path her map told her led to Camp Drybone. She made two steps before a pang of uneasiness made her stop in her tracks. “What am I thinking?” she wondered to herself, “This is new, I should be cautious.” Leaving the path, she walked a few meters and rested against a boulder. Her hand reached down into her pouch, and pulled out the brooch her Aunt Nemayhe had given her. She stared at the tiny silver flower with its radiant eye of ice in the middle. “Take this.” she had said, “May Halone watch over you in your travels.” Namiye took it, in order to avoid being rude. It wasn’t very welcome considering she had spent most of her life ignoring her guardian and downplaying the significance in her everyday life. Especially the connection to Nemayhe, seeing as her mother was not exactly fond of her younger sister.
Being guarded by Halone also naturally put you in odds with Gridania which was guarded by her rival, the goddess Nophica, something her older sister liked to point out every chance she had. Those who were born under Halone weren't forbidden to live in Gridania, they just found it easier to leave eventually, as Namiye herself was doing now. Given there was only an 8% chance of being born under Halone, it’s not as if there was a mass exodus of people leaving Gridania, at least not for that reason. At this point, she needed all the help she could get, so she pinned the brooch to her well worn acton and rose to her feet. As she was making her way back to the path, she felt a change in the wind. Dust began to cloud near her feet and she looked around nervously as it rose quickly and began to surround everything. “What is this?!” she exclaimed as she shielded her eyes and tried to make her way back to the path. Everything was obstructed, you couldn’t even see the sun through this thick cloud of dust. She stumbled forward, trying to keep sand and dust out of her face. Maybe Thanalan wasn’t all that beautiful after all, at this rate she’d be attacked by a beast and returned all the way back to Gridania, since she forgot to attune to the aetheryte at Tranquil.
“If I could make my way to Drybone, then I’ll be fine.” she thought. But that also involved staying on the path and not running into dangerous creatures. She walked on, against the strong wind trying to make her way through, but she could barely lift her head to see in front of her. Looking down at the ground in front, she spotted a white flower that sparkled. “Very unusual.” she thought as she took a few steps towards in, as she stopped to look closer she saw another a few feet ahead. She could barely see anything through this dust but these flowers sparkled as if they were made of crystal. She followed a few more until she came to the entrance of a cave. “Shelter! Thank goodness.” Finding some relief from the wind and dust she looked around and saw a purple tail twitching most likely attached to something hidden around the corner. “Do not tell me I’ve run into a beast in this cave. This is not the kind of help I need from my guardian!” Frozen in her tracks, a thousand thoughts running through her head, she saw the tail disappear and a wave of terror flooded through her body. A shadow rose on the wall in front of her, utterly helpless she cowered to the ground feeling this would be the end of her adventures in Thanalan. Anticipating the strength of the first blow, a chuckle swept the tension from her body She looked up to see a Miqote grinning at her.
“Not from around here I presume,” she laughed, “not a thing in this cave will hurt you, it is a common shelter for us in Uldah, to get away from the sandstorms 'til they pass. They’ve been checked over and over, so we know which are dangerous and which aren’t.” Namiye stared at the Miqote, in disbelief that she was still here and not unconscious back in Gridania waiting for the inevitable I told you so’s from her family and everyone else who told her to stay put. At least her brother had the sense to get ported to Limsa they would say, but young Namiye has to do things her own way. Her wandering thoughts where interrupted by another chuckle, “Why don’t you stand up and come on over for some food, I’ve got some tiger cod and crab legs cooking for lunch.” Namiye instinctively gave a look of distaste. “Oh right, you Elezens are picky eaters, well maybe I can gather up some rocks and dirt to cook you then.” she grinned. “I’m quite talented I’m sure I could make anything taste good.”
Finally feeling her wits about her, Namiye stood up and found herself towering over the petite lavender haired Miqote. “Wow you’re pretty small there! You shouldn’t eat much anyway!” the much smaller Miqote said sarcastically. “I am pretty short compared to other Elezen.” Namiye said sullenly, not picking up on her saracasm. The Miqote eyed her curiously for not understanding the the joke. “Well then, my name’s Tsuchi, I will feed you, I will take you to Uldah once the storm passes, but in exchange I ask that you lighten up a bit and tell a joke or two once in awhile, I know that’s hard for your kind, being all formal and uptight, especially if you’re coming from Gridania. Talk about a boring and stuffy people.” she made a face.
Still rattled, she mustered her introduction, “Thank you very much Tsuchi, I am Namiye Vonoro, from Gridania, I don’t know many jokes, but I will try. I very much appreciate your hospitality.” she bowed in respect to Tsuchi.
“See, that’s what I’m talking about there, all formal and junk. Well then Namiye Vonoro” she changed to a posh type voice “Pardon my rudeness, I am Tsuchi Takashi, of Uldah, a Sun Seeker Miqote, culinarian extraordinaire. “ and she bowed in an elaborate manner waving her hands in presentation. A little shocked and confused, Namiye stuttered nervously,” I.. uh.. umm I’m a Wildwood.. Lancer in trai-” Tsuchi cut her off, “It was a joke, now come on Namiye” she grabbed her hand and led her to the fire, “You will learn to love my crab legs whether you want to or not.”
Though still a little uncertain about her newfound guide, she sat down next to the fire while Tsuchi finished her cooking. No matter what her instincts told her she had to admit the food did smell appealing, besides being a little too hungry to be picky at this point. She stared into the camp fire as thoughts wandered back home. Tsuchi seemed pretty content humming little songs and talking to herself while she tended to the food, not paying much attention to Namiye. Seeing Tsuchi brought memories of her good friend Seirra back in Gridania. Though they were both Miqote, Tsuchi and Sierra were like night and day. Tsuchi was clearly extroverted and not serious at all, while Sierra was more reserved and very serious, although kind and polite. Before she left, Seirra was very much involved in her own lancer training and excelling at it, meanwhile Namiye could barely get basic moves down. Sierra wasn’t thrilled about her leaving, but she quietly understood, which was another thing about Seirra in which she could not relate. Mature beyond her years, she had grown and learned to accept the things she couldn't control, while Namiye couldn’t bring herself to accept the tiniest of misfortunes and injustices.
As she broke into her first crab leg, she felt that twinge of excitement at the prospect of adventure, but when she looked at Tsuchi, she would be reminded of Seirra and have that underlying homesickness. Tsuchi handed her a bottle of lemonade and raised it in the air, “To new beginnings and new friends!” she grinned. Namiye shook the uncertainty of leaving her home behind her and raised her bottle. “Cheers!” she said with a smile and drank the lemonade.
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