Lobby/dining room || Estinien Wyrmblood (ffxiv) @jtomotia

[wyrmbled]

What new manner of horror was this?

Estinien was sure he had just been alone, wandering the wilderness in his search for further deeds that he might do-- deeds to atone for his failures and to safeguard Ishgard's future: To avenge Aymeric's wounds a hundred times against the Ascian threat.

This was nowhere he could remember though it wouldn't have been terribly off to guess he was somewhere in his homeland or Sharlyan if not for the odd thing here or there that completely escaped his understanding. He tapped his foot impatiently for a moment and the stepped through another pair of wider doors, only to find a sweet smell drifting through the air that made his head spin. Some kind of drug? He couldn't be sure, but it put him on edge.

He was about to turn back as he passed several tables laden with food that appeared to be fresh and non-threatening, but for him nothing was ever as such. A noise made him turn to see a familiar blond head and pair of ears over the divider between the ballroom and the lobby.

"Ser J'tomo, is that you I spy?" He called out, unflinching at the rusty and hoarse nature of his so-little-used voice.

Comments

@wyrmbled

[jtomotia]

Ending up somewhere unrecognizable was mostly par for the course for the Warrior of Light. He had seen all matters of new places, so he wasn't particularly thrown off his game when he awoke in this area. What was strange, however, was that it seemed mostly barren, unused, yet full of things that would suggest otherwise, like food and drink. He kept his guard up as he explored, weapon close at hand and ready to be drawn at a moments notice if need be.

His ears perked at the sound of an all too familiar voice, though he didn't immediately turn towards it, figuring it was just an illusion. It wasn't as if the man ever willingly showed his face very often, and much less called for him.

Though, it was the sound of footsteps that finally made him pause his exploration and turn around to find none other than the ex-Azure Dragoon looming on the other side of the room. His own nose wrinkled slightly, his heart stuttering for a moment as the whispers of a time when he distrusted the man and nearly outright loathed him seeped through. He quieted them, if only for now, and if only to figure out why he was here.

"Aye. T' what do I owe the pleasure of yer attention an' presence, Ser Estinien? Y' get us in another nasty bind, eh? Figures you'd be broodin' about in a place 'ike 'his." It was perhaps a bit harsher than he intended, but it wasn't as if JT hadn't grown hardened in his travels since they met last- and this wasn't particularly putting the Elezen in good light either.

[wyrmbled]

He canted his head to the side at the familiar sound of the younger man's Ala Mhigan lilt and crossed his arms. Figured. He was used to J'tomo's ire though, and it was well deserved. At the worst of times, he merely overlooked it and pretended it didn't happen. It was surprisingly easy to keep his composure. It was odd, being that Estinien wasn't exactly known for his cheery disposition-- but he wasn't necessarily quick to anger, either.

"I'm afraid I can neither take responsibility nor shirk blame. I've no idea where we are or why. All that I am certain of is that I've never seen this place before." He stated blandly as he made his way around the partition to better face the man who he would in part, consider both his former student and equal as a Dragoon.

"There's something odd in the air, and I'm not keen on it. Not one bit."

[jtomotia]

JT had to force himself to not roll his eyes. Saph would have smacked him upside the head if he were here- the man was infatuated with the Elezen or at the very least looked up to him. They'd gotten into numerous arguments over it in the past.

"Guess you ain't used to this type of commotion. Ain't much yer keen on, either." He chuckled lightly as he eyed the food on display. He couldn't help but agree with Estinien though- his already dulled senses weren't doing great here, and something smelled fishy- and it wasn't just dinner.

"'ave you explored much? I 'aven't made it far m'self." He plopped himself in a chair and leaned back, folding arms behind his head. Whatever was in the air was making it difficult to think- and he wasn't exactly a strategist.

A sly grin formed on his lips-- "Speakin' o' keen- 'ow's yer boyfriend, eh?"

[wyrmbled]

"From what I can tell, this appears to be some sort of inn. A rather large one, if the numbers an keys in the lobby are anything to pay mind to." He began.

It was clear that J'tomo had his usual wry wit to guide him. For a Warrior of Light, chosen by Hydaelyn something such as this likely didn't phase him much at all. It was also odd to see him without his constant companion-- were they not eternally bonded?

Estinien pushed the thought out of his head and watched the cocksure way that the Miqo'te smirked up at him. There was plenty of sharp barbs to go around, but he had trouble hiding the way his expression collapsed at that.

"I've... not been back to Ishgard. There are things I must needs attend to. I think you know that better than anyone." He stated.

Boyfriend. Boyfriend?! He didn't like the idea of Lord Aymeric being called something so crass. If he was going to talk about him, he at least ought to use his title--

Estinien's face suddenly flushed pink when he realized that he was the one that had jumped to conclusions and assumed that "boyfriend" referred to Aymeric. The realization rendered him speechless, arms crossed as he glared at the gaudy carpet.

[jtomotia]

An inn. Interesting- though it wasn't like any inn he'd ever seen in all his years travelling worlds. Though if he were to compare it to any, it'd be closest to the Crystarium, if in no other way but size. Well, he supposed there were worse places to be dumped unannounced, though it still sat uneasy in his mind. He only wish he knew where Saph had ended up, and prayed that he was at least safe.

The raised an eyebrow, the scar over his blinded eye shifting under his hair as Estinien fumbled out a confession unknowingly. His smirk only grew toothier as his feet lifted to rest on the edge of the table. Might as well be comfortable until they figure out their next move.

"Aye, but I've been back more than my fair share of times- surely you don't have more duties t' attend to than a Warrior of Light? Or do you just think yourself of that much import?" His eyes grew darker and his smile faded a bit. "Or do you simply not care for the wellbeing of those who fought not only by your side but for your life?"

He had the duty of standing by Aymeric's side as the rebuilding of Ishgard began- watched him recover from wounds and carry on with his duty all whilst nursing a deeper pain in his heart while Estinien brooded across the country side doing Hydaelyn knew what.

[wyrmbled]

His face blanched from pink to white, giving him a blotchy look that anyone could read from a mile away. It was moments like this that he dearly missed his helmet. It protected him from more than dragon's fangs and claws.

Estinien wanted to be angry, and a part of him was: ever defiant to the bitter end. Absently he stalked closer to the buffet of food, and noted a pair of people talking in hushed undertones in the hall, though they sounded just as confused as he was. Somewhere in the distance was an odd howl that didn't quite sound human. It made him shudder.

"While discussing my private life is terribly riveting, I believe there are more pressing matters to investigate. We must needs understand the nature of this place and find who is in charge. Sitting here with the sweets won't get us back to our world. How will we protect those we fought with if we're not there?" He sniped back.

His reasons for not returning were his own, as they had always been. Estinien had never been forthcoming with his plans or his inner thoughts, and now was no different. He did his best to school his expression and the dark roiling inside of him, threatening Nidhogg's echo in his chest.

"I'm afraid not all of us are blessed with a happy and promised love life, not that it would be any of your business."

[jtomotia]

And there it was- the snap that made JT go from simmering to pissed. He slammed a hand on the table and stood abruptly, stalking over to where Estinien loomed and shoved a finger in his face.

"How dare you assume t' know my life. My love life was far from promised. Do you think you're the only one that's tragic? Have you ever had to help him piece his memory back together after having his home an' family ripped apart? Have you had to watch him nearly die a hundred times an' risk not bein' able to protect him?" He pointed to his one bad eye, nasty scar splitting his face. "You ever go blind to protect him? No. You haven't because you'd rather run off than face whatever demons plague you. I feel him too, you know. His rage eats at me from the inside but I press on because I have to. If I hadn't been there when Ser Aymeric was stabbed in his own city, or helped him rebuild in the wake of the war. He didn't want any of this an' yet he stepped up while you stepped away. Do you know how many nights he stayed up waitin' for you to come back before he gave up?"

[wyrmbled]

He had at least some knowledge of the tribulations the pair had been through. Sapho'li at the least, was hardly shy about discussing the source of his scars. He had always been a rather open person, though a bit cursed to be met with disbelief often. J'tomo was a bit more of an enigma, perhaps lending him to his role as Azure Dragoon.

Estinien withdrew as though the blow had been a physical one. The words burned like ice, like water thrown on you in the depths of a pleasant slumber. In his mind, he couldn't return. He couldn't bear the memories of the pain he'd endured, the years of abuse used to forge him into a weapon. He would live and die for Ishgard, but he couldn't bear her walls any longer-- even for Aymeric.

He knew that if he returned, that if he looked into that soft azure gaze for more than a fleeting instance that he would never be able to leave; never be free of those walls that Aymeric was bound to ever again.

In the end he said nothing, but looked away, jaw clenched. There was little he could do. Nothing he could say would right it-- all the same, he felt that now was a particularly bad time to be discussing this. All the same, the phrase played over in his head, an awful echo:

"Gave up...?" He found himself repeating, weak and small.

[jtomotia]

"Yeah. Gave up. Stopped making extra tea or food in the hopes you'd drop by. Stopped gazing out the window hoping to glance you walking by. Stopped losing sleep to ensure he'd be awake if you called upon him. Would it have killed you to send a damned letter or something? There were mutters of people thinkin' you'd gone off t' off yerself- though Aymeric put a stop to that real quick like. Even if you did become somewhat of a ghost. Lucky for you, Aymeric became so busy with his new title that he didn't have much room for idle thought for long. Or perhaps he kept himself busy to keep himself from worrying so much."

JT took a step back and crossed his arms as he watched Estinien who looked like a whipped dog with his tail betwixt his legs.

"The man loves you, y'know. Used t' tell me all sorts of stories 'bout you. Dare say I've heard some of the less flattering ones you'd have blushed like a hand maiden over. But I know that glint he always got though he was never quick to admit it."

[wyrmbled]

"He... he loves me." Tears, hot and intrusive pricked the backs of his eyelids as he drew in a deep breath.

It wasn't something that he could accept. part of him wanted to believe that J'tomo was doing this just to get at him-- to get back at him for how he'd acted while under their foster-father's tutelage. Another man who he hadn't been able to bring himself to see.

"This is. All well and good. But if you haven't forgotten, we've a mystery and greater problem to speak of." His voice was tight around the lump in his throat, his shoulders burdened with the absolute despair crushing him.

He had considered dying more than once, aye-- but he was lucky to be given the small sparks that kept him going. He could atone with whatever life was left in his bones. He could protect instead of kill. He could sacrifice all, just as the Warriors of Light were willing to.

The knowledge brought him no peace. It only renewed his anguish, reminded him of everything that hurt so deeply. Aymeric. Aymeric deserved better.

[jtomotia]

JT watched Estinien, watched him tear up and deflate, the man who he had fought with and against nearly breaking apart before his eyes. He hadn't meant to be so cruel, but this had all been weighing on his own chest for years. He had attempted to lighten the mood after his outburst, but seemed to only worsen things.

He turned towards the table and picked over the food on display. It all seemed harmless, but he still didn't intend to partake in any of it.

"I took an offering to Nidhogg. Orn Khai and I. I met with Alberic as well. Learned more about the beast that lives on within us. He was in love too, y'know." He laughed lightly and raised a hand to drag fingers over the largest scar on his face. "Love makes us do crazy things, doesn't it?"

[wyrmbled]

Nidhogg. After years of hating and hunting the beast, he had found that he didn't have it in him to hold the grudge any longer. In the end, he felt that they'd both just wanted it to be over. He knew J'tomo hadn't meant to wound him so deeply-- or to tear open wounds that he likely didn't even know existed to the full extent. It was hard to re-focus, hard to let go. Estinien had never been any good at it.

He offered a lukewarm smile at the peace offering, and the way that the Miqo'te averted his eyes.

The fog in his head just made it worse-- but leaving the lobby and coming to this room seemed to have cleared it somewhat.

"Then you know I was there in Ala Mhigo. Alberic. How is the old man, anyway?" He asked absently.

He had his own tales to tell, about seeing Ala Mhigo, about the Steppe-- but he was never much good at saying what mattered. He didn't hold anything against J'tomo. Never had. How could he when he didn't have the right? He'd lost that the first time he'd given in to Nidhogg's rancor at the Steel Vigil.

[jtomotia]

JT ran a hand through his hair before smoothing it right back over his face as he sighed.

"More of the same- still at Dragon head. I think he wishes you'd visit too, but I think even he knows better. Perhaps it is both the blessings and curse we three share. He has his own guilt to bear."

He crossed his arms across his chest and gazed out into the hall idly. "I find it both fitting and ironic that he was finally laid to rest in my homeland, even if it's anything but a home anymore."

[wyrmbled]

"From the way you spoke prior, I thought you might be flying with all haste to make your home there, to reclaim what was lost. Ah... but that is the truth of it, is it not? That sometimes we save what we set out to save, but not for ourselves. No. Those of us who do the saving are the ones who find we can never go back."

He finally spoke in something more than halting sentences, his gaze distant.

The mystery of this place would be something he must unravel in order to return to their fight against Ascian and Garlean alike. He frowned and pinched the bridge of his nose for a moment.

"All of this though, it reeks of Ascian mischief. I can think of no other solution. Though-- 'tis not necessarily my strong point." He had always been one to follow orders; to follow Aymeric's commands to the bitter end. It was only recently that he'd begun to really learn to think for himself.

"Standing around here shall avail us not," He announced after a moment.

[jtomotia]

"T'was my intent, but seems fate saw fit t' make other plans for me. I still visit from time t' time and still think o' it fondly, but I do not believe it was where I was meant t' be. I know that more now than ever. As if I could ever hope to truly settle down anywhere anyway."

He laughed lowly, knowing all too well that he'd be swept up in another adventure, another war, another battle, before too long. Ever on the go, though he wasn't sure he'd find much peace if he could ever stop.

The single word uttered from the Elezen's lips made his heart twist painfully. A hand gripped at his shirt above the beating muscle as if it were fit to stop entirely. Ascian. He had learned much as of late and he had little idea of how to react to the idea of ascians anymore. Lahabrea. Emet-Selch. They weren't so different, and even now, having joined with Ardbert once more, he truly knew not what to believe. Had he once been an ascian- if so, was he closer to being one of them now than being more like his fellow Eorzeans? His head spun with the thought but he shook himself free of the fog.

"Right. Perhaps we should look around and get a feel for the place. See if anyone else has gleaned any information."

He steeled himself for whatever they may find beyond the door, for it could truly be anything.

[wyrmbled]

"Dare I say you have this down to an art already, though I would be rather sick of seeking information in every new locale," He mused.

Funny that he fancied himself a stand in for the Warrior of Light. Estinien knew he couldn't compare, not in the end.

He made for the door to the hall, metering his long strides that J'tomo would be able to keep up. He had grown used to doing so while traveling the wilds of the wastes with him and his nocturnal companion. He frowned as they stepped out, that heavy fog of sweet aphrodisia much more pronounced outside of the room they'd been in.

"We must find your Sapho'li. He is never far from you, no? The Mothercrystal hasn't seen fit to split you apart yet-- so why would she now? T'would be best not to leave him confused and alone, we both know how he gets."

His fondness for J'tomo was often unrequited he felt, but the man had his own reasons, his own desires-- and Estinien knew what he cared about most as any good man might. That poor broken creature was the love of his life, and Estinien was sure he'd lay down his merely to protect the sanctity of their love.

The empty hallway had little to offer, so he spearheaded the march back to the lobby itself, where he glowered at the wall of old keyes, a jumbled mess labeled haphazardly with their numbers.

"Where to begin..."

[jtomotia]

"It starts ta blend together eventually. Saph's more fit fer the explorin'. You take that man into a ruin and he'll have the place memorized in a day. I'd be worse off without him."

He followed Estinien towards the hall, his tail shuddering at the change in atmosphere, his ears instinctively laying down. A shiver ran up his spine, unsure of how to feel about the pin pricks on his skin.

"Saph is never truly alone and he's capable of fendin for 'imself, but I'd water we'd both feel better in company." At least he had Fray.

He watched Estinien ponder over the keys for a moment too long before he wandered over and snatched the first few off their hooks. "No sense in bein strategic if we don't know which way is up or down. Best to just go trial and error. We can't check them all but maybe we can find a pattern."

[wyrmbled]

"I daresay I hope sweet Sapho'li's company is better than ours," He quipped-- though he had some idea of the man within the man capable of great rage and cruelty, though Sapho'li himself was so very sweetly dispositioned if not a bit morose.

Truth be told, Estinien was glad to give the lead to their warrior of serendipity. With a Warrior of Light around, things just had a tendency to happen. At least it wouldn't be any dull trying to piece things together on his own.

"You'd know better than anyone." He nodded and gave another glance at the board the keys were on. "Surely they correlate to the doors down the hall. Match the numbers and we might be able to at least catch a glimpse of the intent of this place. Would that I could sense Aether like your friend."

He turned and led the way, pace relaxed as they began what almost felt a too leisurely perusal of a foreign place that might very well have the intent to murder them somehow.

[jtomotia]

JT nearly barked out a laugh- Fray was.. company. He seemed to treat Saph well enough, so he did his best not to worry about his presence. Sapho trusted him, and he trusted Sapho, at least until he was given reason to think otherwise.

He shrugged as Estinien allowed him to take charge. He didn't "know better." He just. Did things and they ended up working out- perhaps that was the Light of the Crystal guiding him or perhaps it was just dumb luck. Things seemed to happen around him more than anything he did of his own accord. "I can see a bit 'o aether m'self." He motioned to his bad eye. "Ain't as good as Shtola's but its come in handy once er thrice. Saph has more a knack fer it, I think."

He followed after Estinien, lightly jogging to catch up as the keys jingled in his grasp. "Should we split up to cover more ground or stick together? One is faster but th' other is safer, should anythin' happen. I 'ave a feelin' this ain't the type of place y' want t' find yerself alone."

[wyrmbled]

"Though I am no stranger to working alone, I say we err on the side of caution." He answered, as he came to a stop before the first door they'd found a tagged key for.

"And avoid letting doors close behind us, aye? You two have a knack for forgetting that." He teased gently.

There was something invigorating about being on another grand adventure with J'tomo. He'd always liked his company, even at the worst of times. It was needless to say that he was someone that Estinien trusted implicitly even if that trust could not go both ways. That was something he was more than willing to live with.

He reached over and gently plucked the key in question from J'tomo's grasp, turned it and opened the door to the first room. He then pulled his lance from his back and used it to prop the door open before stepping into the darkness.

"What I wouldn't give for a lantern-- do you sense anything untoward within?" He asked.

[jtomotia]

"Aye, in that, we are in agreement." He stopped along with him and eyed the door. It seemed.. normal enough at first glance, but he couldn't help but sense a sort of magic within the wood grain. What sort, he could not parse, however.

He was pulled from his thoughts when Estinien spoke again, scoffing at the jest with a roll of his eyes. "I'll be sure to not let it hit you in the ass on the way out."

He stepped inside the dark room once Estinien propped it open, his eyes squinting in an attempt to adjust. He gazed around and saw forms, but everything was fuzzy. He fished out a black cloth from his pocket and fixed it over his dark eye, allowing his blind eye to focus better. Suddenly the forms solidified a bit more, though it was still hard to get a real read on the place.

"It appears to be.. a regular inn room. Bed.. nightstand. No windows that I can tell. He looked to his right and nearly bumped into a dresser. He found a single candlestick atop it, the wick never used. He grabbed it and turned it over in his hands before evoking a small flame to light it. He was afraid it was a trick of sorts, but it seemed to be just a normal candle.

He used it to walk around the room, proving his suspicions correct. Just a regular inn room at first glance. He bent down towards a chest at the foot of the bed and popped it open, revealing a bunch of devices that he couldn't entirely wrap his head around. Handcuffs and blind folds and rope and the like. "Hey, Estinien, what can you make of all this?"

[wyrmbled]

It was almost disturbingly normal. Such things put him on edge. Surely, it meant to give them a false sense of ease before trapping them in some awful hellish--

He followed J'tomo to look at what he was referencing only to gape like a fish for several long moments before stepping away. So it was that kind of place. He'd seen such implements before, collected as evidence to be used against a man caught sleeping with a highborn lady. He knew what they were for.

"I'm afraid we've found ourselves in an establishment that is not quite the best envrons for proper gentlemen such as ourselves."

For some reason, he felt the room was rather stuffy-- and found himself eying his lance where it served as a doorstop as if to make sure that it remained firmly in place.

"I like not the looks of this, or what it might mean."

[jtomotia]

It took J'tomo a moment to glance up at Estinien when he hadn't answered right away, and cocked and eyebrow at the expression that he found his face in. He looked back down to the chest and rummaged around, trying to glean anything from its contents.

Proper...gentlemen?

It was then that his hand grabbed a rather phallic item and suddenly everything clicked. He nearly burst out laughing as he stood up, shoving the item at Estinien. "It's a box o' matin' devices! I've ne'er had a chance t' see one fer m'self, but I 'eard some ladies back 'ome talkin' 'bout m' Nuhn's box."

He tossed the toy back where it came from and crossed his arms. "Though of its purpose here, I'm not entirely sure. Is this a matin' establishment? And if so, what are we doin' here? And why are the rooms unoccupied...?"

He thought for a moment and laughed again, looking at Estinien from the side. "Proper gentleman.. I know what you got yerself into in the barracks when you was but a baby dragoon. Thinkin' about those azure blues, no doubt."

[wyrmbled]

"That is... one way to describe them." Mating? Well, he supposed Miqo'te had a culture and way of life all their own.

At the mention of the Nunh he remembered very suddenly that J'tomo's entire view of society must be very different. Nothing like the austere way of life in Ishgard and its demands on social standing.

He had passed into a moment of quiet fondness when the last comment hit him like a tonne of bricks. His jaw dropped and he took a half step back, a rare show of bare-faced emotion. How did he... know about that?


"By the Fury, must you go airing out a man's dirty small clothes like that?" Maybe J'tomo was less of a proper gentleman than he'd given him credit for, but perhaps he was silly to think of himself as one in the same breath. Estinien ran a hand back through his hair, suddenly feeling as though he was seeing the other man in a new light.

"Who... told you about all that?" He groused.

[jtomotia]

J'tomo smirked as Estinien was yet again taken aback by a comment. So the stories were true then. He had suspected as such, Aymeric's drunken ramblings seemed too detailed and intimate to be false, and he couldn't exactly pin the man for a liar or even an embellisher.

He laughed lightly as he closed the box and picked up the candle once more, having seen all the thought there was to see in this room. He wondered if the others where the same or if they featured something different.

"None other than the keeper of your heart himself. Even a proper gentleman like himself has loose lips around a bottle of wine. I might have encouraged some habits after the war in an attempt to quell my own pains."

He made his way back into the hallway and thumbed through the keys to find the next one. He wondered if it was even worth checking them or if they should just try knocking on them to see if anyone was inside..

"'ave you ever fucked him, or only fucked yourself t' the thought o' 'im?"

[wyrmbled]

He was plenty glad to leave the room and their discussion behind-- but J'tomo seemed to be intent upon wringing more out of him. He didn't like it. Estinien had never much liked being the center of attention. He had been glad for the mantle of Azure Dragoon, that he might be more or less invisible behind it. Again, he found himself longing for the comfort of a helmet to hide behind.

As J'tomo cut to the chase so very casually, he nearly wished that he had succeeded in killing or maiming the man all those years ago when they had first fought each other in Coerthas.

"Why does it matter? And-- and who talks about such things in polite company?!"

Estinien demanded as the walked, his lance still firmly in his hand. All the same, the talk of drinking with Aymeric and how easily he spoke of anything and everything in his heart was proof that he spoke true. Estinien knew him well enough. He felt a pang of nostalgia for those days, nearly Halcyon despite the awful burden he had carried.

"...T'woud never speak of such things, let alone approach him for such. It would be a scandal un-beffitting of the Lord Commander should anyone find out." He finally acquiesced, sounding morose.

[jtomotia]

J'tomo burst out laughing at that-- oh how Ishgard would be ever different from what he knew and loved of how he grew up. Ever free to explore his identity and sexuality. In his culture, it was common for one to have multiple lovers-- in fact, he was a bit of an outlier since he had been married, though both he and Sapho'li took on other partners on occasion.

"Apparently, Aymeric does. And perhaps it would serve you well to lighten up for a minute of your life."

He eyed Estinien from the side as they walked together, then down at his lance. His own was strapped to his back, though he hoped they wouldn't need them for more than door jams.

"You ever ask the Lord Commander what he wanted? If he would be willin' to endure whatever scandal befell him if it meant gettin' to return to your side every night? Sometimes I think he wishes for something of that nature to rid himself of his duty so he could run off with you to the edges of our Star." His tanned cheeks tinged red ever so slightly as he thought of all the things Ser Aymeric had detailed that he wished to do to his fellow student of the lance. "That man would do anything for you."

[wyrmbled]

Again it seemed, J'tomo unknowingly went for the jugular. He sighed as they walked knowing that none of his excuses would get through to the other man. He believed what he believed whole-heartedly and Estinien wished that he could join him in it .

Aymeric could never abandon Ishgard. He'd never forgive himself. "Don't think... I haven't imagined it. The joy he would find on the wide open Steppe-- the marvels I could show him in the Kogane-Dori markets." Estinien lowered his head.

"A shame to think that his only chance to travel came about while I was trapped in Nidhogg's clutches. That is something I find it hard to forgive. I would rather not tempt him. The thought of worsening the pain he must already feel is..." He trailed off and looked down the hall.

"Is it just me, or-- did we already pass this set of doors." Oh dear. That wasn't a good sign.

[jtomotia]

J'tomo raised a hand as they walked and placed it upon his fellow dragoon's shoulder firmly. Wordlessly, he stepped ahead, as if silently consoling the man. Seeing the two Elezen constantly chasing each other but being unwilling and unable to bridge the gap in their lives only made his heart ache. He only wished to see the two men happy. He only prayed that fate would be kinder to them one day.

"I assure you that he loved every thing he saw. Wish you could have been there to see his awe. Perhaps one day I can take over his duties so you two can share a drink or a bite at the Forgotten Knight."

J'tomo blinked at the question posed. The doors were all beginning to look eerily similar. He turned to look behind him, and it seemed as if the hallway didn't end either direction. His ears flattened against his head, unsure of what their next move should be. "Perhaps we should check another room..." He fished a key from his pocket and grabbed a random one and attempted to unlock the closest door to him, praying that they'd find something new beyond it.