Chapter Text
It had been many years since the Scions had accepted a new member into their ranks. An excitement buzzed within the solar; Yda bounced on her heels, Y’shtola’s lips curved upward in a pleased grin, even Urianger looked the slightest bit less stoic. Certainly a momentous day, though what would come of it in the long haul depended on the woman in question.
Elora was her name, though Thancred could not speak much else about her aside from what he’d witnessed. Small in stature as she was, the miqo’te had more than proven her worth in battle. Her temperament, however, was something of a sticking point - she had a countenance that would make even a grizzled mercenary flinch away, her face pinched in a perpetual scowl. He would not believe she had come to the aid of that poor refugee, or any of her other deeds, had he not seen them with his own eyes.
“Will you join us?” Minfilia asked of her.
Elora’s expression did not change. “I will.”
Yda all but cheered aloud.
“Wonderful!” Minfilia said. “Welcome to the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, Elora. I hope that in time, you will come to think of us as family.”
The change was so subtle, he would have missed it entirely if he’d not been tracking her every movement. Elora’s ears flattened back against her head every so slightly, her shoulders raised, her frown deepened. She bristled in place as would a cornered animal. And just as quickly as it came, it was gone, and none other seemed to take notice.
Thancred frowned.
-----
After their adjournment, Elora had seen herself out with a promise to return in the morning. So as not to appear to be following, Thancred waited a full minute before exiting the Waking Sands. He found her at the dock, staring up at the clear night sky, glowing bright with stars.
He carefully approached. It would do no good to upset her now, when their alliance was still new and fragile.
“Quite the lovely evening,” he began. One of her ears flicked towards him, but she was otherwise still. “A coin for your thoughts, my lady?”
Her fluffy tail twitched. “Thancred.” She did not look towards him, arms crossed firmly over her chest. “Have you need of me?”
Any response was a good response at this point. “Not a need, but a question, if I may.” Thancred came to a stop with some distance between them. “You seemed less than pleased to join the Scions. Is aught amiss?”
Her ear flicked again, and her eyes tracked to him. “It’s nothing,” she said softly. “I apologize if I was rude.”
She was a veritable wall of stone made flesh - but Thancred already knew this. “Elora,” he tried. “You do not give trust lightly, that much is plain. But if we have done something to offend, I should like to know. Lest we repeat the mistake.”
Elora said nothing for several moments, her body tense as a rod. Then slowly, her arms unfolded to hang at her side.
“In my experience,” she spoke mostly towards the sea. “Those who press the notion of family upon others are those that stand to gain much from blind obedience.”
Thancred blinked, his stomach sinking. He didn’t need to dwell on her words to understand them - Ul’dah was rife with men who took pride in such tactics, enforcing artificial familial devotion in order to better stand on the backs of those they would exploit. A tale as old as time.
“A most unfortunate truth,” he replied. “Perhaps, then, it will set your mind at ease to know that there are no locked doors in the Scions. You are not bound to us, and should you ever find us lacking,” He smiled softly. “None will bar your exit.”
Placing her hands on her hips, Elora huffed. “Good to know.”
Her trust would be hard-earned, it seemed. “And,” he added, “With your power of the Echo, there is naught we could truly hide from you besides.”
She gave him no response, so Thancred shrugged. “But the hour is quite late. We’ve plenty of spare beds within the sands--”
As swift as could be, Elora turned on her heel and began walking away. “I’ve my own lodging.”
Thancred could have almost laughed. It was a worthy attempt. Her boots clicked against the cobble stone as she made for the stairs, but Elora stopped. She turned her head just enough to meet his eye.
“Goodnight, Thancred.”
As she ascended the steps and returned to the Vesper Bay plaza, he allowed himself a small chuckle. No smile, no friendly words, cold and closed - but a small bid goodnight. Thancred made to return to the Sands, shaking his head at himself.
“About as good as I’m like to get, I suppose.”
.