Everheart: Chapter 3

It was time to return home for the night, and the lovers were strolling arm in arm back up the Emerald Avenue towards the aetheryte plaza.  Even so late into the evening, Ul'dah's streets were packed with dancers and performers, eager merchants, and adventurers looking to drown their sorrows and joys alike at the city's best taverns.  

They stopped to listen to an elezen bard on the street corner, strumming her harp to an ode to the full moon's beauty.  Selah opened the small coin purse hanging from her sash and tossed a hundred-gil piece into the minstrel's bowl.  The dark-skinned woman bowed her head with a smile and eyed the two lovers.

"Out for a stroll after a night on the town?" she inquired.

"Oh, close enough," Selah answered with a wry grin.

"A special evening out deserves a special song, I think!"

The bard set her harp aside and took a mandolin from its case.  The couple listened happily as she strummed an upbeat melody, the song she sang in accompaniment a heartwarming call from someone to their lover to join them in a starlit dance.

Selah pulled away from Ginal to bow and offer her hand, "Dance with me?"

Ginal took her beloved's hand with a smile, and was pulled close.  The miqo'te wrapped her arms around the hyur's neck, as Selah rested her hands on Ginal's hips.  They slowly rocked back and forth to the cheery song, feeling their hearts swelling with happiness, warmth and love.  The volume of the music seemed to gradually fade as they became more lost in each other's gaze.  Selah realized that her eyes were wet with happiness, and she softly laughed at herself.

"My Kitten... I love you so much."

"I love you, too, my Lady Selah."

They leaned toward each other for a kiss that lingered long enough to make their hearts flutter.  They embraced for a wonderfully silent moment, Ginal enjoying the lavender scent the hyur wore, and Selah relishing her miqo'te's gentle, contented purr.

When the two finally separated and looked about, they realized that the bard had withdrawn to give them some space.  The elezen winked at the lovers, and Selah tossed the woman another hundred-gil coin with a smile.  They resumed their walk to the aetheryte as they held each other's hand. 

"Well, well, aren't you two a sight?" drawled a harsh, but familiar young man's voice.

The women turned to find Thadthadius.  His entire body was tense, and he seemed to radiate an off-putting hostility as his lion's tail whipped sharply. 

"Thad... Where have you been?" Ginal asked.

"Here and there.  I needed to prepare myself."

Selah eyed the man suspiciously, sensing something dark and disturbing about his presence.  She instinctively stepped forward to guard her beloved.

"For...what?" Ginal again inquired.

"For punishing Miss Phocina's lies and deception!" he snarled.

His mouth twisted into a bellicose grin as his purple eyes began to glow.  He locked his gaze with Selah's as she swept her arm out to push Ginal behind her.

"Isn't this the guy who kissed you?" Selah asked.

"Yeah, but... there's something very wrong.  Did you see his eyes?"

The dragoon nodded with a grim expression.

"You have horrible taste in men, Kitten."

"Ginal was mine, you damnable witch!" Thadthadius spat.  "But you...You poisoned her with your lies and tricks, and stole her from me!"

Citizens walking the streets began to notice the disturbance and kept an active distance, as Ginal stepped out from her lover's protective stance.

"Whoa, now, Thad.  I'm sorry, but I never actually wanted you that way."  She shook her head in disbelief.  "I don't want any man that way.  I like women, Thad."

The summoner growled through clenched teeth, his balled fists trembling.  "Lies.  Lies!  LIES!"

With an enraged cry, he swept his arm before him.  A sudden burst of wind slammed into Ginal and threw her against a lamppost, forcing a pained gasp.  She landed on her stomach in a daze, only half aware that Selah was already kneeling at her side.

"Kitten!  Ginal!  Can you hear me?"

The miqo'te woman slowly nodded an affirmative as she tried, and failed, to push herself onto her knees.  The hyur scooped her lover from the ground and laid her on a nearby bench, then turned to the gathering onlookers.

"Get the guards!" she ordered.  "And a healer!  She's hurt!"

Thadthadius looked in shock and horror at his own hands, but shook the thoughts away and glared at the hyur.

"This is your fault!  If you hadn't taken her from me, she wouldn't have been hurt!"

Selah silently rose and hiked the long skirt of her dress up to her waist, tying it in a knot to give her legs room, and kicked off her high-heeled sandals.  She quickly glanced around, and spotted a small a-frame sign advertising some local shop.  She seized the sign and spun about, hurling it at her opponent.  The summoner threw his hand out to unleash a bolt of aether, detonating the sign.  As the airborne debris scattered, Selah sailed through with a snarl and connected her fist to his jaw.

He reeled as energy swirled about his hands, and threw another colorless bolt at the dragoon.  She swerved to avoid it, but felt a searing, electric heat graze her arm that forced her to wince.  Selah ignored her pain, and concentrated on her opponent.

You're gonna pay for hurting her, you son of a bitch!

Thadthadius roared, and Selah rolled forward to avoid another attack, feeling a crackle of electricity in the air as it narrowly missed her.  She sprang into the air and instantly closed the gap between them.  Her outstretched legs connected with her foe, and she kicked away to launch herself back to her starting position.

The man stumbled, his eyes again glowing as he swept his arm outward to unleash another gust, which sent Selah spiraling through the air.  She leaned herself forward to land against the storefront, then launched herself forward like an arrow.  Thadthadius grabbed the large, hardbound tome from his belt, but it was promptly torn from his hand when the hyur landed beside him.

"Nobody..."

She connected the tome to his face with a resounding thunk.

"...hurts..."

The tome slammed into Thadthadius' side with enough force to push him aside.

"...Ginal..."

Selah closed the gap and swung the tome into his midsection, winding the summoner.

"...any...."

She dropped low and swung the tome behind his legs, sweeping him from his feet.  He hit the paved road with a pained groan and a slight cracking sound.

"...MORE!"

Another blow across his face, and Selah threw the book aside.  She stared at him, panting and baring her teeth as he lay sprawled on the ground.

"What's all this?" demanded an older male voice.

Selah turned to see three hyur men pushing through the crowd, all wearing the visors and red and gray armor of the city's guard.

"This man attacked us," Selah explained.

The guards formed a semi-circle around the groaning Thadthadius and studied him for a moment.

"Lass, why's he the one with bruises?"

"Because I beat the complete hells out of the lunatic!  He hurt my girl!"

"It's true!" someone from the crowd shouted.  "He went nutty and started throwing his magic at them!"

The guards nodded to each other and picked up the defeated summoner from the pavement.  Selah allowed herself a satisfied grin when she noticed the blood pouring from his nose.  She made her way through the crowd and found a white-robed elezen man leaning over Ginal, aether swirling about his hands.

"She doesn't seem bad off," the elezen observed.  "I think she was just dazed, mostly, but this should reduce the bruising on her back."

Selah rested a hand on the healer's shoulder with a grateful smile, and he nodded as he moved away.  Ginal slowly sat up, and smiled as Selah sat and embraced her lovingly.

"This night has been awful," Ginal commented.

"I know.  I'm sorry about your friend."

"I wonder what in the hells pushed him over the edge like that...?"

The lovers sat in silence under the night's starry canvas, and exhausted by the long and terrible evening.  Ginal purred affectionately as they held hands, and after a long moment, they decided to take the aethernet home.

Arm in arm, they ambled down the street that wound its way through the Goblet towards their company's house.  It was past midnight, and the moon cast a loving blanket of soft, silver light over the village.  Ginal smirked as she noticed the wrinkles left in Selah's skirt by the knot.

"You really looked great in the dress, my Lady."

Selah chuckled and shook her head.  "Maybe so, but... I think I'd rather not wear one again for quite a while."

"Really?  That's a shame.  I always imagined you'd wear something grand and flowing at our bonding ceremony."

They stopped mid-step, and the hyur looked upon her lover.

"We've not really talked about that, Kitten... That almost sounds like a proposal."

Ginal bit her lip as she blushed, and looked down at the gold band she wore on her thumb.

"I, um... Do you know what this ring is?"

The hyur shook her head, "I've noticed it, of course.  I knew it wasn't a bonding band because of where you wear it."

"It's a family signet my mother's grandmother had crafted for us, when she and her man left the tribes behind."

The miqo'te took the ring from her thumb and held it in the moonlight to more clearly display the engraved rune.

"It's the ancient elezen character for 'destiny,'" she continued.  "It was supposed to mean that we Celahs were free to find our destiny, away from any old tribal traditions."

Selah  slowly nodded as she listened.  She was a little confused, as the conversation seemed to have turned sharply from the subject, but this was important, and she wouldn't interrupt.

"You're my family now, Selah...and you're the destiny I choose."

Ginal slid the band onto Selah's left ring finger, and looked at her with a silent plea in her her eyes.  Her heart thundered in her ears and her legs felt weak.  She opened her mouth to properly ask the question, but the words fell apart in her throat.

Selah stared at the ring on her finger, and then at her beloved, so clearly struggling to ask the most important question of her life.  The hyur joined her hands with the miqo'te's, the beaming smile on her face genuine and full of love.

"Yes, my Kitten, of course I will be bonded to you."

The lovers felt the moon's silver blanket envelop them as they shared a long, tender kiss.  It briefly felt like they were floating, and for a moment, it seemed as though the stars themselves shone brighter than ever before.



Neither of the lovers slept particularly well.  They were restless and filled with excitement over the long day, and it's culminating event.  It was early in the morning, not long after dawn, that they rose and began their day, fueled by affection and optimism.  Candles flickered in the soft glow of the early morning light, and Ginal found a seat on Selah's lap as the two sipped mugs of coffee.

"We're engaged..." Ginal purred the words with a smile.

Selah returned the smile and kissed the miqo'te's forehead, "It took us long enough."

Ginal was suddenly overcome by an excited squeal, and leaped up from her favored seat.

"We're getting bonded!"

The hyur laughed as she watched her lover's ears and tail twitch with excitement.  Ginal's enthusiasm was infectious, and Selah set her coffee aside to embrace her beloved.

"We're getting bonded, and I couldn't be happier."

"Oh gods, it's going to be so wonderful!" Ginal declared.  "And soon enough we'll have our own house!"

"Mmhmm, with our own garden."

"And our own bar!"

"A stable for Dinornis."

"And our kids!  I mean, I'm not entirely sure if we can, but... I've got the parts, and there's a handful of half-races around Eorzea, so..."

Selah felt her heart sink.  She had never wanted to broach the subject with Ginal, because she didn't want to disappoint or hurt her.  It was yet another thing she had held back, but she knew continued silence wouldn't help anything.

"Kitten..."

Ginal recognized the pensive expression and knew her beloved had something important she was trying to word carefully.  She also knew she wasn't going to like hearing whatever it was.  The miqo'te wrapped her hands around the hyur's and met her gaze.

"Just tell me."

The hyur drew in and released a long breath.  " I can't have children, Ginal."

"Oh..."

"It's because of him, another scar I have to live with."

While Ginal certainly felt disappointed by the confession, she felt more concerned for her fiance.  Selah's previous bonding seemed to have done everything but kill her, and the miqo'te was having to stifle the impulse to go on the war path and make someone pay.  Instead she simply reached up to caress her lover's cheek.

"What happened?"

The hyur didn't want to relive those memories, but the previous night had finally taught her how important it was to let Ginal share her burdens.

"It was about a year into the bonding when I became pregnant with his child."

Selah instinctively closed her eyes to try to remain calm.  She hated telling this story.

"You have to understand, Kitten... I hated him with all I had.  He did...a lot of very terrible things to me, to varying degrees, and knew how to leave no immediate evidence.  I was overcome by rage and hatred that drove me to the edge..."

Ginal silently wrapped her arms around her beloved and nuzzled at Selah's bust.  It was all she could think to do to soothe her lover.

"I was terrified of what Geoff might do to his own child, and what the child could become with such a father.  But...I was also disgusted.  The thought of carrying that bastard's spawn made me sick, and angry, and desperate, so... So I..."

The hyur held tightly to her miqo'te and forced the words from her throat.

"Before Geoffrey could find out, I visited a crone in the village.  She gave me quicksilver, mandrake, morbol vine and formic acid...and ate and drank it all raw."

The miqo'te knew exactly what those things were used for, and stared in disbelief and horror.

"Gods be good... Selah, it's a miracle you didn't kill yourself!"

"I...was trying to." she confessed.  "And believe me, it made me violently sick for certain, but...I lived.  The baby did not, nor did my uterus survive.  Hadn't you noticed that I haven't had a period since we've been together?"

Ginal honestly hadn't noticed, since there seemed to always be something going on that demanded immediate attention.  It made feel a little dim, and she had no words to offer as her heart was torn between sadness, anger and a need to comfort her beloved, and assure her she would forever be safe in this love.  So she simply held onto Selah.

"And I need to be honest, Ginal.  Even if i could...I still wouldn't want to carry children."

"Why not?"

"Even when i was younger, the idea never appealed to me.  It's nothing against children, some of them are adorable.  I just...genuinely never wanted to be pregnant.  And that sentiment has only grown stronger since my miscarriage.  The only time I was pregnant was horrible.  I understand that it means a lot to you, but...I'm sorry.  I just can't go through that again."

It was a lot for Ginal to take in, and in truth she felt fairly angry.  Almost like she was being denied something.  But as her tail flicked sharply and her blood began to heat, she realized that she had no right to feel this way.  It was Selah's body, not hers.  In the months since Ginal had truly accepted her body, she had felt a desire to try to sire children with the woman she loved, and had assumed that since Selah never used any alchemical protection that she wanted the same.

But does this really change anything?  She loves me no less, and I love her no less... Can I let it go, and keep what's important?

Selah could see the signs of agitation in her beloved, and even though she didn't want to deal with yet another possible blow-up, she understood that it was a lot for Ginal to take in, and she'd need a while to process it all.  And there was another option, one the hyur wasn't opposed to.

"Kitten..."

"Hm?"

"What about adoption?  There are many children out there who are unwanted and have no place to go."

The miqo'te mulled the thought over for a moment, and could admit she didn't dislike it.  "Something you and I know all about."

"Indeed we do."

Ginal smiled up at her fiancee.  "Okay.  Let's think about it.  I love you."

"And I love you."

"So, to make this up to me...you're gonna let me have your ass whenever I want, right?" Ginal grinned mischievously. 

"Don't push it."

Ginal giggled as she nuzzled her beloved.  "Well...we can certainly still have a lot fun pretending to try for it, hm?"

"Indeed we can, my love." Selah grinned back, and kissed the miqo'te's forehead.

Selah led her fiance back to their couch, and they resumed their breakfast.  Even with the surge of emotions, and the admitted disappointment, Ginal still knew that nothing important had changed.  Things could be just fine, as long as she let them.

And as she ran her fingers across the ring her lover now wore on her finger, the miqo'te knew she had a great deal to look forward to.

Later into the afternoon, Selah was dressed in her work linens to tend to the company garden.  Ginal was fast asleep after they had made love an hour or so prior, which was typical of the miqo'te.  Ginal seemed to pour the entirety of her passions into their intimate moments, and her climaxes often left her drained to the point of trembling exhaustion.  It never failed to amaze Selah just how her touch got such a consistent reaction, and it never failed to make her smile.

Not that it was any less good for the hyur, for Ginal had learned very well how to please Selah.  But, as she packed the topsoil over a patch of new seedlings, she felt only restless unease, brought by dark dreams and broken sleep, for the miqo'te wasn't the only one who had been seeing nightmares of desperate battles.

A dark skinned miqo'te woman, wielding sword and shield and clad in shining steel boots and breastplate, roared a warning as she swung her blade.  Selah felt the air rush past her long, pointed ears as she ducked, and the blade struck the tall tree behind her.  Squirrels chattered anxiously as the kept their distance from the two combatants, and the various woodland birds flew away, taking their songs with them.  

Selah grimaced as she poured water over the soil.  These dreams were too similar to be coincidence.  And though she hadn't asked her lover, she suspected that when Ginal said she saw themselves in different forms, that she was seeing herself in this dark-skinned and blonde-headed body, and that Selah must also have been a dark-haired elezen.

The elezen reached a hand up, then pointed at the swordswoman.  A bolt of lightning fell from the heavens, striking the spot where the miqo'te had been a moment before.

"Please, put your sword away!" Selah pleaded.  "It doesn't matter where we came from!  We don't need to fight!"

The hyur pulled her trowel from the ground and starred at it blankly.  Her desire to work the soil was suddenly rather depleted.  A familiar pair of arms wrapped around her torso as a body pressed against her, accompanied by a soft mewling and a purr.

"Rest well, Kitten."

"Mmhmm.  Love you, Amani."

Selah turned to look at her fiancee, her expression of bewilderment obvious.  "What was that?"

Ginal blinked and rubbed her still sleepy eyes. "I said...I love you, Selah?"

Did she say Amani?  And what did I call her the other day...Serafine?  And...these dreams...

The hyur shook her head and smiled, wrapping her arms around the redhead to hold her close.

It's just stress.  Our lives are changing, and... Yes, just stress.

"I love you, too, my wonderful, hot blooded Ginal."

They shared a loving kiss, and rose to head back into their company's manor.

"Let's clean up and take the aethernet to the city," Selah suggested.  "We'll go to the noodle house."

Everheart: Chapter 2

It was a good decision, the lovers agreed, to uproot their lives and join these Pathfinders.  After spending an entire day meeting with their new fellows, the Lancer and the Dragoon felt a sense of purpose that had been missing with their previous employer.  Misfits seemed as appropriate a word as any to describe this new group, for these men and women were as uncouth and eclectic a group of people as you could find.

Sunset was enveloping the Goblet, and Selah decided to throw on some comfortable linen trousers and matching vest and tend to the company's garden before the light faded.  She knelt beside the bed, and had just finished planting a new patch of seeds when she realized she had forgotten the watering can.  As if by some divine intervention, the very can appeared over her shoulder, along with a soft tickle along the back of her neck.

"Thank you, love," she said with a smile, accepting the watering can.

"You'd be helpless without me," Ginal teased as she loosely wrapped her tail around Selah's neck.

"Oh yes, and then it would have taken all of a few minutes to retrieve this and come back.  Why, it would be the cruelest fate!"

Selah rose and the two shared a laugh and an embrace.  The miqo'te brushed a strand of auburn hair from her beloved's face, and they shared a simple, loving, lingering gaze.  

"Do you feel better?" Selah inquired.

Ginal nodded and pressed herself close to her hyur, taking a moment to indulge in the strong lavender scent that she so often wore.  

"Especially after we..." her voice drifted off as a light blush took hold.

The dragoon softly giggled in reaction, "Mmm yeah?  Did you like when I...?" 

The miqo'te bit her lip and nodded, "And when you let me..."

"Ha, yes.  Truthfully, I rather enjoyed that this time.  You were much more tender than normal."

"Really?" Ginal looked up with a quizzical expression.

Selah gently shrugged, and smiled, "It's still not my favorite, but... Yes, I did enjoy it."

"I don't think that's a good way to get much gardening done, ladies," said a young, melodic voice.

The lovers turned their attention to a moderately muscled hyur woman passing by, easily taller than Selah by at least a head, clad in a form-fitting outfit consisting of a subligar, harness and tall boots.

"Hello, Elysande," Selah called.

"Don't mind me," their employer remarked with a knowing grin.  "Just promise to take it back to your room before it gets too steamy, hm?"

Ginal turned away to hide her flushed face, and Selah simply laughed.

"Yes ma'am, will do."

Their employer offered a playful wink as she opened the double doors into the tall company manor, and vanished inside.  The dragoon found her lover's reaction irresistibly cute and demanding a response, but as she moved to join lips, she felt the tug of small hands on her shirt.

"Excuse me," the moogle mailman happily chirped, "but I'm looking for a Sea-lah Po-chi-nah.  Is this the correct residence?"

Selah could only blink in confusion as Ginal snickered, trying very hard to hold in a full laughing fit.

"Yes, she's Seh-lah Fo-sina," the miqo'te answered.

"Right!  Here you are, then!"  The moogle handed over a sealed letter from his bag, and was on his fluttering way with what sounded like a song of happy chirps and squeaks.

The hyur opened and scanned the letter, as her face broke into an excited smile.

"What is it?" Ginal inquired.

"Do you remember my friend from that art show, the lalafell woman Hanama Nama?"

Ginal thought for a moment, then nodded, "A letter from her?"

"Yes, she's inviting us to her manor for dinner and a tour of her own gallery."  Selah quickly noticed the down-folding ears and slight frown from her beloved, and tilted her head to meet Ginal's gaze.  "Love, I know the last time didn't go well, but maybe this time could be better?  I'd... really like to go and see my friend."



Ginal shifted uneasily as she thought over the request, her tail swishing about anxiously.

Not another one of these hoity-toity things... I wish she'd give this pretentious crap up already.  Why can't we just go stargazing or something?

She absently stared off for a moment, as a simple realization came to mind. 

Still... She doesn't ask this of me that often, and it is to see a friend... I really shouldn't deny her something that means so much to her.

She smiled up at her hyur, "Yeah, maybe it will.  Let's go."

"Thank you, lo..."

She placed a finger over Selah's lips, a devilish grin forming on her face.   "I have conditions."

Selah silently nodded.

"You're wearing a dress.  Something low cut and slinky.  And I wanna see sexy, heeled sandals."

Selah could only frown at the idea.

Why in the world would she want me in something like that?  Doesn't she remember how uncomfortable that would make me?

She shook her head, "I don't even own anything like that, Ginal."

Ginal giggled with a playful glint in her eye.  "Neither do I, but I bet you'd like to see me like that.  We'll treat ourselves to something nice."

Won't that just cause problems when someone takes notice?  She's still got that jealous streak in her...

"Ginal..." 

Selah began to protest, wanting to explain all the reasons why it was a bad idea.  As she began, though, her miqo'te clasped her hands around her own, and locked her gaze with Selah's through a soft smile. 

"My Lady Selah... let me show the city how beautiful and sexy you really are.  Please?"

I'd like to show you off, as well.  Oh, those shining emerald eyes... It's not fair.

The hyur returned the smile, and nodded her agreement.  "All right, Kitten.  Just this time."

Over the next few days, the two searched through Ul'dah's markets and found a dress maker who could do custom work on short notice.   As dusk loomed over the Thanalan region, Ginal and Selah were finishing readying themselves for their grand evening out.

The hyur's face was twisted in an unhappy frown as she looked herself over in the tall mirror.  No matter what angle to she turned to look at herself from, she found herself displeased with the picture she presented, and genuinely uncomfortable in the nearly form fitting dress, even if it was a lovely sapphire shade of satin.  Ginal wrapped her arms around her beloved and began affectionately nuzzling, clad in an emerald-colored evening gown of the same design, with a black sash around her waist that matched the one Selah wore.

"Darling, please relax.  Trust me, you look amazing."

Selah gazed down at her miqo'te, and couldn't fight back a soft blush as she saw how Ginal's petite but shapely figure filled the dress.  She admitted to herself that Ginal certainly looked amazing in such an outfit.

I wonder if I should tell her, before we go.  If she knew ahead of time, she may not get so jealous.  Oh, but it was years ago, and just one night.  It shouldn't even come up.  No, I think we'll be fine.



With a soft, but discontented sigh, Selah shrugged and tried to simply resolve herself to enjoying the evening.  She focused her eyes on her newly altered hairstyle, a basic, yet neatly pulled back pony-tail, and allowed herself a smile as she made sure the hair clips were holding.

"The violet highlights suit you, dearest."

Selah smiled down at her beloved, "I think so, too.  I'll probably keep them for a while."

Ginal pulled away to find her jewelry, a set of silver earrings, rings, choker, and bracelet, all set with lovely peridots.  The miqo'te stood back and watched her beloved don her own jewelry, setting a silver circlet with a single, stunning sapphire on her brow.  The miqo'te thought it looked almost like a third eye, as it matched Selah's eyes so perfectly.

Oh, my love... I could drown in those deep pools of sapphire ocean.

The lancer felt a swelling of pride in her heart as she basked in her lover's magnificence.  Whatever reservations Ginal may have had initially, she knew now that this would be a very good night.



Even Ginal couldn't deny that there was no place in Eorzea quite like Ul'dah after dark.  Though the desert air might have cooled, the endless circle of stone that was the city seemed to retain the day's heat for hours every evening like a comforting, ghostly embrace.  As the couple strolled arm in arm down the lamp-lit street, Ginal noticed their cluster of guiding stars, shining as bright as ever.  Selah instinctively followed her gaze, and they shared loving smile at the sight.

"Gods be good!" exclaimed a young hyur man.  "Look at the way that dress hugs her ass!"

The women turned to see the man nudging at lalafell companion, and indicating Selah.  Their mismatched assortment of leathers and chain mail indicated local sell-swords.

"My, oh, my.  I bet she's got some high quality legs that lead up to it, too." the smaller man remarked.

Selah turned away in disgust, her jaw clenched in irritation.  This was one of the several reasons she didn't want to wear such an outfit.  Ginal's eyes narrowed on the two as her tail shot up, and she practically leaped upon them.

"What was that?  You two have something to say about my lady?"

The adventurers were clearly taken aback at the miqo'te's reaction, and could only stammer out an attempt at clarifying their words.

"Don't you dare speak to her like that, you slimy toads, or I'll rip you apart!"

As her ears twitched, she displayed her short and sharp claws to reinforce the promised punishment, prompting the two to hastily trip over each other as they withdrew from sight.  The dragoon rested her hands on her lover's shoulders as she shook her head, her expression mixed between genuine amusement, and "I told you so."  The miqo'te looked up at her beloved, relaxing as her shoulders were softly massaged.

"What's that look for?"

"Nothing, Kitten.  Thank you for coming to my defense."

Selah kissed Ginal's forehead and offered her arm, and the two resumed their stroll.



Down the Emerald Avenue, and past the Gate of the Sultana they went, and approached the grand yard of a lavish manor.  The sections of steel fencing were set between sturdy stone spires, with an open gate under a sprawling archway centered at the front of the yard.  The front face of the building was easily twice as wide as their own company's house, and the window panes were set in elaborately carved arches all across each floor of the grand structure.  Ginal's eyes were wide with astonishment as she let out a long, sharp whistle while they headed down the cobblestone walkway, with an ornate iron lamppost set every several steps.

"Gods be good...THIS is your friend's home?"

"Oh yes, her husband is quite wealthy."

They were greeted at the towering manor doors, under a grand archway, by a finely dressed elezen man servant, who nodded curtly to Selah as they approached.

"Madame Phocina."

"Ah, Cedrifort, it's good to see you!"

The servant nodded again and opened the great door into the manor.  The pair followed him in, and after closing the door behind them, the servant silently ambled away up a large, carpeted stairwell in the center of the foyer.  If the art show in Costa del Sol had made Ginal feel out of place, then this luxuriously furnished palace was nothing but alien.  Other, meticulously groomed and finely dressed servants strolled gracefully across the polished marble floor.  Silk drapes fell over the windows, and the lancer could see that within the dining hall off to the side, all the furniture was carved from magnificent cypress.

Ginal looked around the near cavernous space of the manor house, and began to feel lightheaded as the color drained from her face.  If there was ever a place she didn't belong, it was here.  Selah looked to her with concern and gently nudged her.

"Hey, it's okay.  I'm here with you, Kitten."

Ginal gave a hesitant nod. The fear gradually subsided as the hyur placed a gentle kiss on Ginal's forehead, and she softly smiled.

"Selah, darling, so wonderful to see ya!"

A lalafell woman who reached the dragoon's knees strode up to them, and the hyur dropped down to meet her in an embrace.  The gray of her neck-length hair and the lines developing in her features suggested to Ginal a woman of her mid forties.  Though the smallkin woman beamed quite happily at Selah, the miqo'te thought she saw a glint of sadness in the older woman's eyes.

She also noticed how the older woman's eyes remained on her lover's cleavage for a moment.  She fought her irritation down, and accepted it.  Maybe this was one of the reasons Selah was hesitant to wear this kind of dress.  Point taken.

"I'm glad ya could make it, darling!"

"It's good to see you, too, Hanama."

The lalafell finally took notice of the Ginal and extended her hand, "Erm...Julie, was it?"

"Jih-nahl," she corrected, as she fought to stifle the annoyance in her voice.

"Of course, my apologies!  I do sometimes struggle with names, don'cha know."

The smallkin woman led them deeper into the foyer as she gestured to the dining hall, "Dinner's still being readied, but I thought I'd get your thoughts on some new pieces I recently added to the gallery."

"Sounds lovely," Selah agreed.

Ginal's tail swished anxiously as she forced a smile.

They made their way into a long, rectangular room, with paintings of various sizes displayed along the walls and on easels on both sides.  The center of the room hosted a few comfortably padded benches arranged in a circle, with sculptures small and large spaced between the seating.  The silver haired elezen, Cedrifort, stepped deliberately into the room,bearing a silver tray of crystal glasses of wine.

"Chardonnay, Madame?" he asked Hanama.

"Ah, lovely!" she replied.  "Ladies?"

"Yes, please!" Selah merrily replied.

The servant handed a glass over to each of the women, then ambled away.  Ginal briefly hesitated, but accepted the glass and watched as the others slowly swirled the glassware under their noses.  She recoiled as she tried to follow along, and the wine's scent cut sharply into her nostrils.

"What's wrong, darling?" the smallkin inquired.

Ginal forced her grimace into a false smile, "Um, nothing.  It, um...smells great."

Hanama looked to the hyur as she sipped the wine.  "Mm, this is one of my favorites.  I love the citrus blend."

Selah nodded as she held the wine in her mouth for a moment, "Was it aged in a new oak barrel, Hana?"

"Why, yes, it was!  I see you haven't lost your tastes."

The hyur softly laughed, "It has a distinct vanilla tone that, if I recall, comes from newer oak barrels.  What do you think, Kitten?"

As the wine washed over the miqo'te's tongue, it was all she could do to not spit it back into her glass.  She forced it down in a gulp and paused for a moment.

"Yes...vanilla.  Very good."

"Dearest, would you like to try a lighter wine?  Maybe something that...your miqo'te senses could stand more easily?"

Ginal shook her head, and forced another smile as she took another sip.  "No, it's...quite all right."

Selah hoped the phrasing was as delicate as it sounded in her mind, but recognized the meaning of the sharply swishing tail and twitching ears.  She knew her beloved was already uncomfortable at best, and might quickly grow frustrated.  It was time to move on.

"Ah, Hana, you said you have some new pieces in the gallery?"

"Oh, yes, yes!" the lalafell chirped.  "One of them is Sisifu's newest experiment, actually.  She's trying her hand at cityscapes."

Hanama led them several steps into the gallery, past a portrait of some young looking lalafell woman Ginal assumed was probably a famous leader, and past a still life of a bouquet of roses that Selah found pretty, but not particularly imaginative.  They stopped before a wide canvas covered in dashes of brown, splashes of green and swirls of blue, all nestled between jagged gray blocks.

"This is her interpretation of Gridania," the lalafell explained.

"Mmhm, I like the way she uses straight dashes for the buildings alongside splashes for the trees," the dragoon mused.

"And the city's streams as those wild swirls!  Oh, it's such a vibrant piece, don'cha know!  I can almost smell the lumber being cut at the carpenter's guild!"

Selah smiled wide as she admired the work.  She could feel the gentle breeze through the boughs as she focused on the splashes of green, and felt the security of being within the Black Shroud's mountains as her eyes drifted to the sharp blocks of gray.

"Kitten, what do you think?"

Ginal clenched her jaw as she stared at the canvas.  Her eyes drifted from one corner to the next, and back.  She stared, and stared, but for the life of her, she could only find the most vague representation of her home on this canvas.

"I think...it's a very lovely piece of art," she carefully drawled.

The hyur leaned down to whisper to her lover.  "Remember, love, it's not to be taken as a literal representation.  The use of color and wild..."

"I know."  Ginal closed her eyes and bit her lip, realizing the sharpness of her tone.  "Thank you, dearest, but I know."

Once again Selah noticed the sharp swishing of Ginal's tail and the twitching of her ears, and knew that she was becoming increasingly frustrated.  The dragoon didn't want to make her beloved feel so alienated, but she found herself feeling irritated that Ginal seemed so incapable of just trying to enjoy something new.

"Madame Nama, dinner is being served," Cedrifort curtly informed the group.  He bowed, and meandered out of the gallery.

Selah felt a sense of relief.  Food was an uncontroversial pleasure.  Maybe this evening could be salvaged over a nice dinner.



The ornately carved dining table could have easily seated twenty people.  It stretched the length of the room, the fine lacquer coating glowing as it reflected the light of the candelabras set along it.  The women were seated at the edge of the grand table as waitstaff carried in large bowls of salad and platters of roasted meat.  Ginal didn't realize how hungry she was until she caught the scent of the meal placed before her, but now she was eagerly grinning, and nearly drooling.

"Ooh, it smells so good!"

Cedrifort was making his way around the table, pouring water into finely etched crystal glassware, as a miqo'te manservant in similar dress dished the first serving of salad into each woman's bowl.  Ginal looked longingly at the roasted meat, then shrugged, licked her lips and reach for her utensils.  But she was halted by Selah's own hand.  the miqo'te gave a puzzled look, but followed the hyur's eyes and head inclination toward their host, and watched as Hanama chose the smallest fork of their place setting.  The miqo'te looked at her own setting and found the same kind of utensil, offering an embarrassed smile.  Selah silently responded with a smile of her own as she squeezed Ginal's hand.

"Ginal, darling, I saw your performance at the tournament a while back.  Very impressive to take down those two armored brutes, don'cha know."

The dragoon proudly smiled upon her beloved.  "Yes, she's amazing at what she does.  There's nobody I'd rather have at my side in a fight."

The lancer smiled shyly at her lover's compliment.  She searched through her mind for something to say in return, but decided to stay focused on her salad as she bowed her head in gratitude.

"I was wondering, though.  I saw you standing at the balcony, Selah, and I was curious about what it was you were mouthing to Ginal."

Ginal couldn't help but laugh with a mouth full of salad as she recalled the memory.  Selah quietly cleared her throat to get the lancer's attention, and deliberately covered her mouth with her hand.  With an embarrassed blush, the miqo'te stifled her laugh and closed her mouth.

"Oh, it's quite a tale in itself," Selah finally answered, grinning shyly.

"Yeah, Selah was just reminding me of how she would let me cover her in whipped..."

The miqo'te winced and mentally chided herself at letting her mouth run, and the hyur could only stare in disbelief.  Hanama's face flushed crimson initially, but after a moment had passed, Ginal thought she saw the older woman's brow arching as her gaze lingered over Selah, followed by brief and saddened smile.

She balled her fist under the table as she felt her heart beginning to pound.  Yes, her Lady was a stunningly beautiful woman, but that wasn't an invitation to check her out.  Selah was hers, gods damn it all, and... And she knew it was time to take a breather.

"Yes, well..." the dragoon began, "We have a very healthy bedroom life."

"That's certainly a good thing, don'cha know," the lalafell replied with a forced laugh.

Selah knew Ginal didn't speak the words on purpose, but she felt embarrassed and annoyed anyway.  Would it really kill Ginal, she wondered, to keep a better mind on social etiquette?  She had also caught sight, out of the corner of her eye, the way that Hanama just looked her over, and desperately hoped her beloved hadn't noticed.  That would be the last thing this evening needed.  The hyur was beginning to think this dinner might have been a colossal mistake.  At the very least, the lovers were going to need to sit down and talk some things over later.

Ginal softly cleared her throat as she slowly rose and offered the most polite smile she could to her hostess.

"Excuse me, Hanama, but might I use your bathroom?"

"Of course, darling.  Cedrifort, show her the way please?"

If Cedrifort had already been there, he had a talent for making himself go unseen.  He curtly bowed his head to the miqo'te with a gesture toward the foyer.

"This way, Madame."

Ginal followed the elezen through the Foyer and into a hallway she hadn't noticed before, stopping before a closed door.

"Thank you, Ced."

He again gave a curt bow of his head, and departed.



"Oh, dear me, darling, she's quite uncomfortable here, isn't she?"

The hyur nodded with an annoyed frown, "Yes...but I really wish she would at least TRY to have some fun.  These things aren't nearly as bad as they seem when you get a little used to it."

The lalafell hopped down from her seat and beckoned her friend to follow.  The two made a few steps to one of the windows that stretched from the floor to the ceiling, and looked out at the night sky.

"Don't you remember how imposing all this pomp and circumstance was when you first were introduced to it?  Did you stop to tell her anything about these formal outings and etiquette?"

Selah sighed when she realized that she hadn't.  The last time she had wanted to, things got out of hand quickly, and then Ginal almost died, and then... They had made good progress, with their dedicated talking time and insistence on not holding back feelings anymore, but it was clear there  was still some work to do.  This night was hanging by a thread, and Selah knew she'd need to make Ginal sit down and talk to her about things before it could fester.

"Well then, maybe that's somewhere to start," Hanama suggested.  She reached up to pat Selah's arm with a smile, "And maybe something with less a chance for embarrassment?  Dinner for just you two, for example?"

"I rather wish I had thought of that, sooner," Selah admitted.  "It's just..the mercenary life keeps us busy, and then we get lost in our down time.  I relish the chances to just stay in bed and hold her close for a few extra hours so much that I don't really think about going somewhere formal with her until it's right in my face."

The hyur folded her arms under her chest as a dreamy expression formed.  "I mean, I enjoy these types of outings, but... I've been perfectly content to just lie under the stars with her, or relax in a bar with a mug of mead and some stew.  If she'll let me have a next time, I think I'll just take your advice and visit one of the restaurants in this section of the city."

Hanama regretfully looked away from her friend.  "It..sounds like things have been going well with her."

Selah smiled to herself with an absent nod.  "I love her, Hana.  More than anything, and certainly more than I ever thought would happen for me, I love her, and she loves me.  We've got our rough edges to smooth out, but it's a strong bond, and...I..."

"You what?"

"I'm going to ask her to bond herself to me."  The dragoon's heart swelled at the thought, for she knew she had never meant anything more than this.

She shook herself from her reverie to find her friend wiping tears from her eyes, and knelt to meet her gaze.

"Hana..."

"I'm...I'm sorry, darling..."  The lalafell drew in a long breath and slowly let it go.  She turned her sorrowful gaze upon Selah with a forced smile.  "I just... had hoped..."

"That was years ago, Hana.  I learned a great deal from what we shared, for which I'm grateful, but... You know that we wouldn't have worked."

Hanama sharply exhaled, offering a knowing nod.  She wiped at her eyes again and smiled a softer, but less forced smile.  "I know.  I had still, foolishly, hoped, don'cha know."

"I think it's time you started learning from your own advice and example, Hana.  It's not too late for you to be happy, too."

The friends held each other in a long embrace, and separated with a smile.  The smallkin clasped her hands around the hyur's, "I will always treasure what we shared."

An enraged growl came from behind them, and they quickly turned to see Ginal raise her arm and throw a wine glass to the floor.



Ginal stared at her reflection in the mirror for a moment longer and nodded confidently.

"Okay, Ginal.  It's just one night, and you need to get over your hangups.  Relax and have some fun.  It's not like you're in battle."

She thought of the other woman, and those lingering glances toward Selah.  Her heart sped and her tail flicked anxiously.

"I know... But it's something I'm just going to have to start learning to deal with, right?  Selah's a goddess, and someone is bound to notice eventually... Gods, I'm such an insecure little bitch sometimes."

She drew in a lengthy breath, and slowly let it go.  She smiled at herself, and exited the restroom.  Cedrifort was waiting in the foyer, holding a tray of glasses of wine, and he offered his customarily curt nod.

"Would Madame like to take a moment before leaping back into the fray?"

She accepted a glass and examined the sleepy eyed man, realizing that he was much more aware of people than his mannerisms initially suggested.

"No, but thank you Ced.  I think I'll be quite fine."

No sooner were the words spoken, than she had entered the grand dining hall to find Selah and Hanama embracing and holding hands.

"I will always treasure what we shared," the smallkin stated.

It was all Ginal needed to hear, and the anger swelled in her heart so quickly that felt like she would burst.  A low, enraged growl escaped her throat as she raised her arm and threw the wine glass to the floor.

"So that's it?  You dragged me out here so you could show yourself off to your old flame?"

Selah reached out for her beloved.  "Kitten, I..."

"Oh, shut the fuck up!  I'm out of here."

The miqo'te turned on her heel and stormed away, pulling the entrance door open as quickly as she could manage to make her escape.  The hyur collapsed into a chair, her shoulders dropped in defeat.

"Darling, you didn't tell her about us?"

"I didn't want to risk, well...this happening."

Hanama shook her head with a disappointed sigh as she approached her friend.  "Selah...I can agree that, maybe, she needs to learn to relax in the unfamiliar better, but... There's no good reason for me to know about your life, but not the woman you say you want to bond yourself to."

Selah stared at the lalafell, and felt utterly ashamed that she had to be at all reminded of such a basic truth.  Trying to avoid hurt feelings or reliving unpleasant memories was a very poor reason to avoid telling her lover about things that mattered.

"What are you still doing here, darling?  Move your ass!"

Taken aback, but spurred on by the words, Selah leaped to her feet and made her way out of the manor as quickly as the dress would allow her.  She hurried down the cobblestone walkway, and down a short strip of the city's street before she saw  Ginal storming her way along.

"Wait!" the hyur cried, "Kitten, wait!"

Ginal heard her clearly, but refused to stop.

Not this time, no ma'am.

The miqo'te had every intention of taking the aethernet back to the manor and locking herself in their room.  Selah was just going to have to sleep on the yard, for all she cared.

"Um, dearest?  Yoo-hoo!"

Still the lancer kept her pace, her tail swishing rapidly as she clenched her fists.  Selah felt this was quite enough.  Ginal was right to be angry about the withholding of information, but the dragoon knew they were both in the wrong tonight, and it was time for her to listen up.  She sped her steps and circled around the obstruct the redhead's path.

"Okay, Ginal, this has gone far enough! Will you just talk to me?"

"Fine, let's talk!" the miqo'te growled.  "Let's talk about you dragging me into yet another one of these stuffy, pretentious outings, knowing full damn well that I'm out of my element!"

Selah was aware that passersby on the streets had started turning their heads at the exchange between them, but right now it didn't seem to matter.  Civility be damned, this was getting figured out once and for all.

"Maybe if you weren't so GODS DAMNED bent on wallowing in your discomfort, you might actually be able to relax and have some FUN, Ginal!  Gods, I'm sorry that you're uncomfortable, but all you ever had to do was trust me and follow my lead!"

"You might be right..." Ginal begrudgingly admitted.  "But it would have been nice to have, I don't know, gone over some sort of primer for this shit, Selah.  I drink beer and like paintings that look like the real thing, you know this!  And damn, so many stupid forks and spoons, wha-what's the point of all that?!"

"Okay, I could have done better there, I can admit to that.  It still doesn't negate that you should have been able to trust that I wouldn't let you look foolish on purpose." the hyur sternly insisted.

"Trust?  Like how I trusted that you weren't holding anything else back?  And how I trusted that your attention would be on ME?"

The hyur scowled at the accusation, "What good would it have done to tell you that we had been lovers?  You'd get into a damned jealous fit, just like this, and you'd refuse to let me see a dear friend."

Ginal paused as the words went through her mind, for she couldn't deny their truth.  And hadn't she just told herself in the mirror to not get like this?

"And I wasn't there to show myself off," Selah continued, "I was there to say goodbye."

The miqo'te's expression explained her lack of understanding.  With a soft sigh, the dragoon beckoned her love to a nearby bench.

"Kitten... I met Hanama year ago, when I was still hurting from what I went through at Geoffrey's hands, but now I had my freedom and could defend myself."

Ginal looked up when Selah paused, searching for the proper words.

"We were drawn to each other because our lives were similar.  We had both been young women, pushed into arranged marriages with men we would never love, or even desire.  We were both poor as children, and learned to like the things that money could provide, and we both lived in very finely furnished prisons."

Ginal's ears folded in as she listened, her heart sinking with each word spoken.

"One night, when her husband was away to visit his mistress, things just...happened.  I don't really know how to explain.  And the next morning, she asked me to stay with her and be her lover.  But, I couldn't."

Selah wrapped an arm around Ginal and kissed her forehead.  She felt relieved and vulnerable to be sharing this part of her life.

"You see Ginal, I learned some things from that night.  I realized that Hanama had been trapped in her prison for much longer than I was in mine, and yet she was still able to find a way to be happy, even if it was only briefly.  It taught me that I didn't have to be a victim to my pain anymore.  And then I realized what being her lover would entail.  Being as prominent in the aristocracy as they are,  our relationship would have to be of been hidden.  In essence, a dirty little secret."

Ginal laid her head on Selah's shoulder and silently listened.  She felt she knew where the story was going, but she knew it was important that it be told.

"But I realized that I'm worth more than that, and that it would just be another type of prison.  So I declined, which put me back on the road that eventually led to you.  In a way, Kitten, I have Hanama to thank for finding my self-worth, and finding you."

"So...you were coming to say a final goodbye to your old life."

"Yes, Ginal.  I wanted to make it clear both to Hanama and myself that I've moved on.  That I'm happy."

The miqo'te softly exhaled, her eyes closed as she shook her head.  "Selah, I... I'm sorry.  I got so wrapped up in my insecurities that I..."

Selah tilted Ginal's head up by her chin and offered a gentle smile, "It's okay, Kitten.  We were both in the wrong tonight, I think."

The two embraced on the bench and held each other for a long moment.  They shared a smile, and a kiss, and held each other's hand as they sat for another silent moment.

Everheart: Chapter 1

Ginal set a small crate down next to a stack already on the ferry, as Selah stood on the dock and pointed at each crate and travel bag, silently counted them all.  The miqo'te wiped the sweat from her brow.  She felt that this particular day was entirely too bright and too humid, here in the Mist of La Noscea.

The sea breeze teased at Ginal's long, green skirt and the long braid she now wore down the back of her hair, as her eyes slowly trailed up the long-legged form of her lover.  She found that she missed Selah's old outfit, with that subligar and small top she used to wear.  Still, the low-cut shirts and form-fitting shorts her lover had taken to wearing in the recent weeks weren't short on the sex appeal, and Ginal most certainly enjoyed what she saw as an ongoing tease of cleavage and legs.  A blush warmed the lancer's face as her eyes met with Selah's.

She's not even trying, and she's still so beautiful.



Selah shot Ginal a knowing smirk, fully aware of what thoughts were forming in her beloved's mind.  Ginal's omni-present lust had become a predictable, and comforting, part of day-to-day life, even on those days when she wasn't feeling up to the task of that intimate dance. Selah had noticed that her kitten had been glancing at her all morning, and blushing when she knew she was caught.  Sometimes, the hyur had to fight back an answering blush, though she'd never admit to it.

No other lover had ever made her feel so...appreciated, or needed, or sexy.  And the way that Ginal continued to blush like that, and look her over, and seek to touch her even though they had already shared so much passion and intimacy, made Selah truly appreciative of what she had with the redhead.   Even on those days where she had to tell Ginal that she wasn't up for it.

I pray you never stop sharing this fire with me, my Kitten.



Ginal stepped back to the dock and walked to Selah, who tilted her intended betrothed's head up by the chin to better let their lips meet.  The miqo'te's tail wrapped around the hyur's leg as she purred her contentment..  The Ginal's hand began to wander and grope, and Selah couldn't help but chuckle at her lover.

"Later, Kitten.  We're not alone, remember?"

Selah sharply tilted her head to indicate the ferryman, who was busying himself with preparing the boat for its journey.  Ginal gave a frustrated pout as her ears folded in.  Selah hated to deny her beloved, but sometimes the miqo'te woman would lose all sense of her surroundings when she began to heat up.

"Selah needs to remind you that you are still in the public eye, hm?" came the softly enunciated words of the elezen Timothy.

Ginal's face flushed pure crimson as she offered an embarrassed smile.  The mercenary employer stood on the dock before the ferry, clad in a finely tailored black suit and polished dress boots, and displaying a jesting grin.

"Sometimes I just can't help myself," Ginal explained.

Timothy laughed and nodded, then looked over his shoulder at the raven-haired hyur woman striding up behind him, clad in all-black boots, skirt, gloves and top.

"Believe me, my dear lady, I understand your desires..."

His words trailed off as he offered a hand to his own beloved, who took it gratefully as she leaned against him.

"I guess this is it, then?" Ozalie asked the lance-wielders.

Selah nodded, and gestured to the crates and travel bags.  "Everything we can take with us is here, even some of the easily assembled furniture."

Ozalie's lips turned in a saddened smile, "I'm really gonna miss you two."

The miqo'te whimpered briefly as she stepped onto the dock and embraced her friend.  It was the long, tight squeeze of an embrace that means you are almost certain you are saying your farewells.  Ginal couldn't help but become misty-eyed as she looked upon Ozalie.

"Aaww, Oz..I'm gonna miss you, too.  But I promise, I really will try to keep in touch.  Please do the same."

The raven-haired hyur returned the misty-eyed smile as she nodded an affirmative.

"I promise, I'll try as well."

Selah offered a goodbye hug of her own to the other hyur woman, who returned it with feeling.

"Take care of Tim for us," Selah reminded Ozalie.  "You know he needs a lot of looking after."

Ozalie laughed, and grinned up at her lover.  "Mmhmm, he'd be completely lost without me."

Timothy offered his hand to Ginal, who stared at it blankly for a short moment before moving right in for another embrace.

"Look after all of them, Tim."

"You are certain you need to leave us?" the elezen inquired.

The miqo'te nodded, "You payed us well, Tim, but these Pathfinders are offering us a chance to be something more than just mercenaries."

"Very well," Timothy replied, and finally returned the embrace.

Miqo'te ears were every bit as sensitive as elezen, and Ginal knew she heard a veiled sadness in Timothy's voice as she stepped back aboard the ferry and began speaking with the waiting ferryman.  As Selah turned to join her, Timothy reached out to halt her.

"Take care of each other."

She nodded, "We will.  When Grezel returns from Coerthas, tell him to look us up."

Selah and Timothy shared a brief, bitter-sweet smile before the hyur went back to the ferry, and the lance wielders told the ferryman that they were finally ready to depart.  The small vessel slowly turned and sailed away from the beach of the Mist, and the lovers stood at the stern to watch.  Their friends stayed upon the dock, offering goodbye waves and words that couldn't be heard, and the two knew they were leaving home behind.

Maybe, someday, they'd return to claim their own home here, among the palm trees and constant breezes, and could visit their old friends anytime.  But for now, it was time to turn the page, and begin a new chapter of their lives.



Within a week, Selah and Ginal sailed to the Thanalan region and traveled by cart to the Goblet housing district.  Ginal thought it looked almost like a fortress city as it sat atop the mountain, with its intricately carved walls, sprawling paved roads, and grandly designed manors of varying sizes, all carved from the same sturdy brown and beige stones.  Ginal didn't much care for Ul'dahn architecture and city design, but at least there were a couple of rather magnificent waterfalls and ponds, and that was a good start in her mind.  Selah had come to think of the Black Shroud as her home, and loved the simple wooden villages, but these Ul'dah towns weren't far from the architecture she'd grown up with, and so it didn't feel so foreign for her.

The two had already arranged and furnished their new living quarters, within their new free company's manor, to match the rooms they had left behind.  Ginal and Selah were equally excited to begin their new employment; mentoring the misfits, fresh faced pups and aimless wanderers that the Pathfinders scooped up.  These were people not too different than the lance-wielding lovers had been not even a year ago, people who just didn't fit in anywhere else.  They agreed it would be good to do what they could here to help these souls find a better path.  Tomorrow, they would talk at length with their new employer, a hyur woman named Elysande.  They needed to make sure they knew exactly what would be needed of them here, and they needed to start meeting their new fellows.  For tonight, though, it was time to rest and recover from the taxing move across provinces.

Selah was drying herself with a towel after a bath in their new tub, while staring out the window at the night sky.  Ginal dropped her own towel on the floor, then remembered she had been asked not to do so several times, and hung it from its drying rack.  The miqo'te hugged her lover from behind and followed her gaze.

"Hey, I know those stars."

Selah nodded, "I've spent my life looking at that star cluster...usually on those nights when I was at my most lonesome, or frightened."  She looked back at the miqo'te with a soft smile.  "I've always felt like someone important was looking at them too, and that if I just kept following those stars, I'd find something wonderful."

Ginal purred as she pressed against her beloved.  "Mmhmm... I've felt that, too... Have we been looking to those stars together this whole time?"

"It certainly feels like it, doesn't it?  It would be nice to have our own guiding stars."

The lovers stared out the window for a long, comfortably silent moment, Ginal wrapping her tail about her hyur's leg.  It occurred to her that it had been days since the two of the were alone for an extended period, which meant it had been days since they had explored each other.  But as Ginal looked up at her naked beloved, she realized that she was perfectly content to just enjoy the silence and the star gazing.  She laid her head against Selah for a while longer, before the two slid into their underwear and camisoles and settled into bed.  After an affectionate exchange of kissing and nuzzling, they drifted off in loving embrace.

A burning pain raged through Ginal's body as she tumbled to the ground.  The cold wind bit at her face as her dark-skinned hands desperately reached for her sword, and she clumsily pulled herself to her feet.  Snow fell from her matted blonde hair as she took notice of the multiple minor burns on her arms, and her blonde tail whipped about anxiously.  She was overcome by a bizarre and disorienting sensation, almost as though she was outside her own body while she was still acting in the moment.  

She looked upon the dark haired elezen woman before her, whose hands were outstretched with aether swirling wildly around them.  The elezen had a grim, discontented expression, a feeling Ginal found herself sharing.  This wasn't the first time the miqo'te had to face Selah in such a battle, and she was learning to hate the fate that required this exhausting struggle.  Despite the difference in their origin, these two were not so different, and Ginal knew they had a great deal they could learn from each other.

Ginal lunged forward, shifting her weight to the side to avoid a large, sharp shard of ice that Selah had loosed.  With another half-moment's passing, the miqo'te had her blade against her opponent's throat.  She took notice of the blood tricking down Selah's pale arm, and the small smear of crimson on her blade from the wound she had inflicted.  The entire situation felt wrong in a way she couldn't explain.

The combatants locked their gaze, and searched into each other's souls.  Neither could bring themselves to make another move, nor could they see much beyond the sadness pooling in their eyes.

Selah was having the most wonderful dream, a thrilling adventure involving sweet cream cherries.  But the haze of the dream slowly peeled back as she realized she was listening to her lover sobbing.  She forced her eyes into focus with rapid blinking, and she pulled herself up to wrap Ginal in an embrace. 

"What's wrong?"

Ginal whimpered and shivered, her eyes glistening in the candlelight, "It w-was you... a-and me... but it wa-wasn't us..."

Thw hyur peered searchingly at her lover, gently rubbing her back in small circles.  She placed a gentle kiss on Ginal's forehead and offered a reassuring smile.

"Tell me about it?"

"There w-was snow...and wind... a-and I had a sword, and y-you had magic..."  The whimpers remained constant, though her shivering seemed to be gradually easing.  "We were f-fighting... there was b-blood!"

Selah realized the details seemed familiar.  Her attention drifted a bit from her lover as she began to recall her own perspective of when she had seen this.  She thought of telling Ginal... But this wasn't about her own needs right now, and Selah mentally chided herself for her wandering attention.  Her beloved needed her love and comfort.

"Want to tell me more?" She whispered into Ginal's ear.

Ginal drew in and exhaled a ragged breath, shaking her as she wiped at her eyes, "Just... please hold me."

Selah obliged, and gently rocked the miqo'te as she hummed a soft lullaby melody she remembered.  Ginal's breaths gradually evened out, and her shivering finally ceased.  The hyur kissed her miqo'te's ears, and when she realized she heard a soft purr, gently tilted Ginal's face up to offer a loving kiss.

"I love you."

"I love you, Kitten."

Ginal gripped her hyur's camisole as she sought another kiss, which Selah happily reciprocated, followed by another, and third that lingered.  She realized that Ginal's hands were now wandering, searching for places to squeeze and grope.  Selah hesitated, uncertain if this was right when Ginal was in such a state.  Seemingly sensing the hesitation, the miqo'te looked up at her beloved with eyes that silently pleaded.  As Selah gazed into those deep pools of emerald, whose brilliant shine could even be seen in this near darkness, she understood that this was her love's instinctual way of reaching out for comfort in such a vulnerable state.

"I need you..." Ginal whispered.

Without another word, the dragoon kissed her Kitten again, freed her of her camisole, and laid her back.

Everheart: Prologue

Months ago...

Night had since fallen on the city of Ul'dah, and the great stone city now softly glowed, a gem in the night, as the light of the city's torches and sconces danced and flickered all along the carved walls and paved streets.  Thadthadius Castle slowly roamed the interior corridors of the city, his lion tail swishing about as he was lost in his thoughts.

He thought about the last time he had been in Gridania, on a night not unlike this one, with a calm warmth hanging in the air.  He thought of a grand tavern, filled with rowdy and cheery adventurers, craftsmen and citizens of the great forest city.  He thought of an excellent plate of grilled squirrel steak, and that malty beer that was the house specialty.  

Then he thought of the girl who loved that beer so much, letting out a sullen sigh as he leaned against the stone wall.  

Ginal... I wish that night had gone better... I'm sorry I didn't read you right.  I'm sorry I took you by surprise.  Once I'm done with this job, I'm going back to Gridania to get everything cleared up.

The lion-tailed miqo'te nodded to himself with a slight smile, feeling his confidence bolstered a bit.  He continued his way through the sprawling corridor, passing roegadyn miners bragging about their grand hauls, and some lalafell merchant man trying to peddle cloth flowers.  The hallway gave way to the cavernous indoor courtyard that was the Gold Court, and Thadthadius paused to look about the enormous room.  He admired the grand, intricately carved fountain that hung over the center of the court, its water pouring into the illuminated pool in the center of the floor.

As the purple eyed young man lowered his gaze, a bright and heartfelt smile filled his face, for there standing in the light of the fountain, stood Ginal.  Dressed a lovely, colorful yukata robe that showed off those gorgeous legs he remembered, she looked in that moment to be both classically beautiful, and dreamily sexy.

He opened his mouth to call her name, but stopped suddenly as the world around Ginal finally came into focus.  The red haired miqo'te woman was not alone at the side of the fountain.  She was wrapped in the embrace of an auburn haired hyur woman, and Thadthadius could only stare in shock as he watched their lips entwine in a kiss that was stunningly passionate, and still strangely heartwarming in the love it seemed to radiate.

Feeling his heart in his throat, Thadthadius stumbled backwards into the corridor he came from, and slumped against the wall.  His head spun and his eyes pooled, a whimper escaping him.

But... I love you...

He thought he saw a passerby begin to reach out to him, but decide against it.  His vision was so blurred from the tears though, it was hard to be sure.  The ache taking hold of his heart was a more profound pain than when his eye was scarred, and his mind raced desperately to make sense of what he just saw.  Try as he might,  the coat clad summoner could not think straight.  All he could concentrate on was the overwhelming misery that gripped his heart.

Thadthadius shakily rose to his feet and slowly stumbled his way through the corridor, his destination forgotten.

As the summoner aimlessly made his way along the city's streets, he continued to pour over his memories of Ginal.  He felt utterly defeated, and no matter how much he thought about what he witnessed, he could make no sense of it.

Things had been going so well.

The thought whispered though his mind, and he nodded in agreement. 

She clearly wanted to be closer. 

Again he nodded, frowning at the circumstances. 

She was as good as yours...

Thadthadius furrowed his brow in frustration.  He knew it was true.  He may not have known Ginal for more than a few weeks, but the signs were all there.  Her nervous hesitation, the glancing away, and the constant flirting.  Ginal was most definitely as good as his woman.  Which meant...

The hyur stole her from you.

The summoner stopped short as the thought angrily whispered through his mind.  It was the only explanation.

Ginal was yours, and the hyur stole her.  Deceived her and took her away.

With an angry growl, he slammed his fist into a stine stone pillar, but the adrenaline beginning to surge through his body dulled the pain.  Thadthadius knew what needed to be done.

Take back what is yours!

The miqo'te man growled through clenched teeth, seething at the thoughts that were dominating his mind.

But be wary.  Selah Phocina is strong.  

"Selah...Phocina."  Thadthadius nearly spat the name as he repeated his thoughts.

He stood tall and looked back in the dirdction of the Gold Court.  He knew what must be done.  The summoner would take the necessary time to sharpen his skills, then he would return.

And Selah Phocina would pay.

Current day...

In a cabin, by a spring, overlooking a cliff, all sat still and quiet.  Within the cabin, aether began to gather in a swirl of light and color, the force of which tore books from their shelves onto the floor.  The swirl of aether stretched and grew, as two long limbs formed on the underside of the gathered energy, followed by two more extending from near the top.  As the light from the gathered mass of aether faded, a figure stood within the cabin, an elezen woman of long, dark hair, slender frame, and calm eyes.  Clad in a low cut, silken white dress that flowed to her feet, the elezen moved with a deliberate grace toward a rectangular table that sat in the middle of the cabin.

Another mass of aether began to swirl and form behind the woman, its winds dancing with her skirt.  From this mass of energy coalesced the imposing form of a hulking amalj'aa.  Adorned with shining steel plates of armor on his waist, forearms, ankles, and as a sash across his chest, the beast man only barely fit into the limited space of the cabin.  With heavy footfall, he made his way to the end of the table opposite the elezen woman.

"The game does not go in our favor." the beast man growled.

"No, it does not." the woman in white agreed.

With a wave of her hand over the table's surface, two cards appeared in the center, one displaying an image of a sapphire, the other an emerald.  A stack of additional cards appeared within immediate reach of both the cabin's occupants, and the elezen cast a gentle smile upon her companion.

"There are, however, still more challenges to play against them." her soft voice gently echoed.

The amalj'aa nodded with a determined scowl, drawing the top card of his deck and laying it underneath the sapphire.  He turned it over to reveal the image of a long green and gold coat.

"I play the summoner against Amani." the beast man's heavy bass of a voice rumbled.

In the calm of another night in the Mist of La Noscea, a cozy but we'll arranged room is wrapped in the soft illumination of a handful of candles.   Dressed down to simple camisoles and panties, Ginal and Selah lie cuddled in bed, the miqo'te wrapped in her hyur's arms.  They nuzzled and kissed, and lay content with each other in this simple moment.  The auburn haired hyur smiled at her lover through a lingering gaze. 

"Rest well, my Serafine Kitten."

A confusion filled Ginal's eyes as stared at the dragoon.

"What did you call me?"

Selah blinked at the question, searching her mind for the immediate memory.

"I called you my Ginal Kitten... That is still acceptable?"

The miqo'te redhead frowned at the odd misunderstanding, but shrugged it off and kissed her beloved once more.

"Only for you, and only for always." She purred through the words.

Within moments, the lovers were slumbering peacefully.