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stephlynndrawings · 9 months

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@nirnwrote fulfillment, prompts all given to me by @knightdawn on the discord. (I don't know how to end it so it's getting posted with no editing!)

basil (good wishes) — “I just want the best for you.” and/or "Why?" "Because you mean the world to me." and/or “We’re a team. You need to tell me about this sort of thing.”

tw for brief mentions of injury, murder

As a former emperor, Varren knew that having to wait like sitting ducks until the time was right to strike was just as if not more stressful than actually going about it. That hadn’t stopped him from hoping that the newest and youngest member of the companions would take the time to relax and go spend time wandering the streets and shopping like young people did. Or at least he was hoping young people still did those things- otherwise he had a problem on his hands that he had no idea how to fix.

The object- person,rather- of his worry was Mitanette. Back in the abey, he had seen moments of the future that showed the young Breton to be full of life and smiles as she helped anyone she could. The sight in front of him did not match his previous visions. Instead, the young girl was sat in a shadowed area of the Harborage while anxiously playing with threads of magicka. While he could no longer see, he could sense that she was not well- he didn’t know how far the hurt went in her but he knew deep in his bones she was trying to hide her pain.

The fact that she was even still in the Harborage showed that something was wrong. Varren wasn’t sure if something had happened in Daggerfall or if she was just too hurt to make the trek up the hill, but he was worried greatly for her. When he heard and felt a snap of magic where the young woman was he mentally put his foot down and got up. He could feel Abnur look up from his studies and heard as Lyris and Sai momentarily stop their conversation to watch him before everything went back to what had recently counted as “normal”.

The Prophet was done sitting by as people hurt. However, while he was not the best suited in getting Mitanette to open up, he knew the person who could get the process going.

Carefully feeling his way across the wet sand flooring, Varren soon was standing before one of his best soldiers.

“Lyris-” He started, unsurprised when he felt the air flow change as the half-giantess stood up at parade rest in front of him, her muscle memory showing to be still intact no matter how much he stressed that she needn’t do such things anymore. With a fond sigh, the blind imperial continued.

“It’s become apparent to me that our young friend is hurting. Of what, I’m not sure. But of all of us in the Harborage, I think you’d be the best bet when it comes to getting her to open up. Even just a little bit of information could provide us ways to better help her.” He said, adjusting his hands on his staff.

He could imagine the expressions both her and Sai were making almost as clear as day as they sucked in twin breaths of surprise.

“Are you sure? I truly haven’t noticed anything off with her an-” Lyris cut herself off with a cringe as Varren heard another snap of magic from the Breton before continuing on, “-d I see what you mean. I’ll do my best.” She said solemnly before meandering as casually as she could manage. If Abnur’s distant snort of amusement was to go by, it was as completely stiff and awkward as it had sounded.

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

Lyris couldn’t believe how blind she had been to Mitanette’s struggling, and as she got closer to the smaller woman she felt like hitting herself as she took in so many changes she had not noticed. Mitanette’s hair was falling out of the braid she kept it back in, her clothes were dirty, and most telling was that her milky eyes were bloodshot and tired.

What was even more worrisome was how delayed her reaction time was. Normally, the Breton was aware of anyone who approached her due to their footsteps, but it seemed as if she was in a trance.

Whatever was going on, it wasn’t good, that was for sure. Lyris made a bit more noise than she normally would as she sat down next to her, wincing in sympathy as the younger startled despite her efforts.

“Sorry, Mittens.” Lyris soothed, hoping the use of the nickname would relax her. In all honesty, Lyris still didn’t know why Mitanette let her call her it even after the night it had been created, but part of her was overjoyed to have a friend she could do such things with.

When the other blonde finally looked in her direction she let out a breath she hadn’t known she had been holding before gently offering her her hand to hold if she so pleased. Lyris herself wasn’t the most touchy-touchy kind of gal, but she knew that Mitanette appreciated being able to feel those she was talking to if given the chance.

“Oh, sorry Lyris. Are we heading out now?” The vestige asked softly, her voice more flat and diluted that it normally was and the Nord felt as if her heart sank in her chest. Something really was wrong. When the cold and clammy hand was pressed into her own Lyris held on firmly, feeling the way the hand shook in her grip.

Swallowing a lump that had appeared suddenly in her throat, the warrior shook her head, “No, no. We still have to wait for the right time to strike. I was just wondering how you’re doing. You haven’t left in a few days and I was just wondering if someone was giving you trouble in the city.”

Mitanette’s freckled face twisted in confusion before many emotions flickered across her face, “No, not really. I just would rather sleep here than the room I’ve rented from the Inn.” And an unsaid ‘and I don’t want to be alone’ hung in the air between the two of them. Lyris stroked her thumb across the other’s knuckles, brows pinched.

“Isn’t it more comfortable there than here?” “Not really. I got the room for so cheap because it was unfurnished and I can’t afford furniture yet. And it’s cold.” The answer was said so plainly as if it were common knowledge that the Vestige, destined Hero of the world, was sleeping on the ground in her own room and would rather sleep in a damp cave with four others.

The half-giantess watched the other more closely, watching as everytime she moved the muscles in her face and neck spasmed as if in considerable amounts of pain.

“We are here for you, you know that right?” She asked softly, lowering her voice as to try and keep the other from feeling like others could overhear them.

Something hardened in the Vestige, the younger girl clearly trying to dig her heels in like a mule from the questions.

“Yes, I am aware. But I assure you I am fi-” “Please don’t lie, Mitanette. You are hurting and w-” “Why are you so desperate to know what’s wrong?” Mitanette interrupted, her eyes narrowed as she managed to face Lyris head on, her blank eyes almost seeing straight through her.

“We- I just want what’s best for you.” Lyris felt like she was nearly pleading, desperate to get the girl to understand. However, once the blood stopped pounding in her ears, she noticed that her voice was echoing. She had yelled that, and now Varren, Sai, and Abnur were all looking at her while Mitanette went still and silent.

The poor men were each about to say something all at once (which would not have helped the situation at all) when the Breton’s face crumbled and started to flush around her nose. ‘Oh shit she is going to cry’

Though her bottom lip wobbled and her eyelashes started to gather moisture, no tears slipped down the pale face of their youngest friend.

“Why” Mitanette choked out, the flush spreading further to her eyes as a tear finally managed to escape.

All too soon Lyris remembered that the Vestige truly was just a girl, barely a month into her 18th year. A child in all regards. She couldn’t dwell any further as a familiar shape settled down on the other side of the sniffling hero. Sai glanced at Lyris before carefully threading his hand with the mage’s free one.

“Because you mean the world to us.” He said, his tone so soft and gentle it soothed something that had started to tighten inside Lyris herself. Carefully, as to not suddenly startle the crying girl, she leaned closer so their shoulders brushed against each other.

The answer hung in the air for several moments, more tears leaving tracks on Mitanette’s face as she bowed her head as if to avoid facing anyone directly.

“You barely know me. I barely know myself.” She murmured, brows pinched. Distantly, Lyris swore she could hear Abnur rolling his eyes, mentally planning to pummel the pathetic mage before watching as Sai clucked his tongue and gently lifted Mitanette’s chin to make her face him.

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

“Sunflower, we don’t need to know you for years to know that you are one of a kind. You are so brave and smart and dare I say a better swordsman than I am.” Sai said, using the thumb by her chin to wipe away stray tears. His mustached lip quirked up in a fond smile. Mitanette let out a surprised snort at the swordsman comment, her eyes facing off to the side but her smile aimed at him alone.

“Let Sai finish.” Snow-lily said from over Mitanette’s shoulder, her blue eyes twinkling as they watched how the younger seemed to feel better.

“We understand that the current events aren't the easiest to deal with, but you aren’t alone. This war isn’t just yours to shoulder.” He said, wiping away a few more straying tears. He felt her small nod into his palm, his shoulders relaxing knowing she understood.

“There’s something else wearing on your soul, isn’t there, my child.” Varren said from somewhere behind Sai, making the warrior jolt ever so slightly in surprise. Mitanette and Lyris both snorted in amusement, but he simply shrugged it off with a fond eye-roll as he gently released the girl’s tear stained face.

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

Knowing that the former Emperor was nearby made Mitanette feel both better and also more tense at the same time. It wasn’t that she disliked him or was afraid of him, but that she wasn’t sure how to phrase what she was feeling with so many eyes on her. Though she was glad that she didn’t have everyone’s attention, or else she’d rather find a way to crawl into the ground.

“...I just keep replaying the moments around and after my soul being taken in my head and…It just sunk in that I truly was murdered without a thought. I don’t know if I have a family out there, and I don’t know much about myself. I don’t even remember what the world looks like. All I see when I try to think back on it is Manimarco’s stupid face sneering down at me as he twists the dagger in my stomach as my soul was siphoned out of me.” She murmured, wriggling her hands free to carefully hold over where she had been…

A new set of footsteps approached and her head snapped up, turning it in the direction she heard the sound from. Even before he spoke she knew it was Abnur, at this point she had learned to recognize everyone’s footsteps and breathing patterns. And it didn’t help that the Imperial wore cologne.�� While the man didn’t get down to her level, she knew he was looking down at her so she could better hear his words.

“It’s about time you opened up. You’re harder to pry open than a clam, child.” He said, his voice not cruel, but not as gentle as the others had been, and part of Mitanette was so very grateful. She appreciated the comfort greatly, but she also wanted to be spoken to like an adult.

When no one jumped in to chide the mage for his sharp tongue, he continued, “We’re a team, you need to tell us about these sorts of things.” He said, his tone softening up just a touch before she heard the rustle of fabric indicating that he was kneeling down. She felt his hands gently shoo hers away from her abdomen as he began to use some healing magic to try and help with the phantom pains she was experiencing.

It felt as if any remaining weight on her shoulders was suddenly gone, her body relaxing as she was truly and utterly relaxed. She no longer felt as if a spring coiled too-tight and it felt wonderful.

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