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Central Thanalan, The Coffer and Coffin
X’rhun Tia wasn’t certain what he was waiting for. Something, call it intuition, call it a spark of rogue aether on the wind told him that he was supposed to be here. Alisaie had left him some time ago, continuing on her own way. He frowned. She’d promised to write, but he hadn’t told her where to find him. And she hadn’t asked. He shook his head into his drink, smiling grimly to himself at her impetuousness. Much like his younger self…
“Something on your mind, Red?” The barkeep. “Ya’ve been sitting there an awful long time.”
“Nothing too much.” He adjusted his hat and lightly tapped his forehead. “Empty as my glass.” He tips it towards the man. “Could I get a refill? Mayhap something stronger.”
The barkeep laughed at that. “Most of what we’ve got here is stronger than tea, but alright. What can I get ya?”
X’rhun felt his lips curl back. “I think whatever you’ve got that’s a step down from paint thinner ought to do.”
The Hyur raised his brows. “Well. As ya do then. Don’t make a mess of the place. Name’s Roger.”
“I’ll be certain not to. X’rhun Tia.” They exchanged a nod, and X’rhun relaxed onto the bar stool, as much as was possible on the damn thing. Whatever he was waiting for, if it came this late in the day he didn’t have to be sober for it. “You let rooms?”
“Aye, long as you don’t make a mess of those either?”
“My good sir,” he said, with mock affront. “Do I look a man to make a mess of anything?”
“That,” Roger said, setting the cup down. “Is not a question for me to answer.”
X’rhun nodded in response, lifting the cup to his lips. He winced slightly at the smell, Rhalgr’s tit it was strong. He took a cautious sip. Definitely one step down from paint thinner. This would do nicely.
“We serve food, if ya find yourself hungry. The corner over there’s perfect for brooding. Let me know when you’re ready for your room—we have a pretty regular custom, but there’s some that’re already set and waiting. I’ll open a tab for ya.”
“Thank you, Roger.” X’ruhn took his drink and went to the suggested corner for brooding.
And so the days passed, X’ruhn spending the mornings escorting caravans from the inn to Ul’dah or training and the evenings in the company at the inn. He had picked triple triad back up—Roger was a fan and had talked him into it one night, and would quietly play rounds and rounds of the game with Solid and Ricard in the corner. He did his fair share of highway heroism, and introspection but something was missing. He wasn’t allowed to leave yet—something needed him here. So he drank his wine, and some nights his paint thinner, played his triple triad, and made his quiet inquiries.
In a way, it was relaxing. Leisurely research and routine. He’d been traveling for…so long. And he still hadn’t heard from Alisaie. The thought niggled at the back of his mind, that perhaps he should go to Mor Dhona, try to find her there, but the overriding impulse was to stay put. He stayed. And the days stretched into two weeks. And three. And four.
***
“Flame General Aldynn! What an honor, sir, why if I’d been expecting you I—” X’hrun’s ear twitched flat and he looked up from his cup. Aldynn…Aldynn…his eyes widened. It couldn’t be… From his position in the corner, he looked around one of the pillars…
”Raubahn?” he breathed, too quietly for anyone to hear.
“Ah, don’ worry ‘bout it,” The Hyur waved one massive hand. “Now,” He drawled, leaning on the bar’s counter. “I’ve a few questions for ye.”
X’rhun stiffened. Two Immortal Flames had come in with the General, and he had a suspicion this was not a casual visit, so there were like to be more outside. Perhaps he was just on edge. That damned intuition. His tail flicked under the seat and he leaned more into the shadows. He and Raubahn had not exactly parted on bad terms, but they hadn’t parted on good terms either. They’d both been too wrapped up in their own pains to acknowledge each other’s departures. Still, it had been around twenty years…and an ambiguous ending. What if Raubahn was here to demand answers from him? What if…
He tuned back in just to hear the tail end of Raubahn’s sentence. “…fair price. We’ll need to stay two nights to change out ‘bos.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, General, why’re you the one handling all this?” Roger must have balls of steel. X’rhun nearly choked on his drink.
Instead of taking offence, Raubahn just laughed. “Just a night out, Ser. With my baby sitters.” One of the guards looked embarrassed. The other looked like she was having the time of her life.
“I see, I see. Well, take a seat anywhere and I’ll send the lass over to get your order.” Roger waved his hand at Raubahn and the two soldiers and turned to yell something into the kitchen. X’rhun relaxed again, pulling his hat low over his eyes and returning to his drink. The tavern stayed unusually empty that night. The Miqo’te sat in the corner and drank slowly, lost in memory, occasionally starting at the noise from the one other table. By tenth bell, the staff and the Flames were carousing together and X’rhun slipped up the stairs to his room. He didn’t belong down there.
Some time later, he had to make his way to the outhouse to relieve himself. The celebrations were still going, so he made sure to slip out the side door. He’d finished his business and almost made it back to the side door when two low words stopped him.
“Crimson duelist.”
He stopped, and turned slowly. “Bull.”
“So it is ye. I thought ye were all dead.”
X’rhun cracked a half hearted smile. “I’m hard to kill. What of you?” Raubahn shook his head, braids shifting.
“Still here. Despite some…old friend’s efforts.” X’rhun’s eyes dropped to the Hyur’s hidden shoulder. Raubahn shifted the cloth aside, baring the stump of his arm. A moment later, he re-covered himself. “The desert air—it gets cold and the blasted thing hurts in the cold.”
Under the Thanalan stars, X’rhun stared at Raubahn. “So, ye were jus’ gonna ignore me? Pretend ye didn’ know who I was?” the Hyur asked.
X’rhun purposefully slowed his tail, and his breathing. “I did not think you’d have any wish to talk…to me. The last member of a dead order, fled the cause to free our home. What could you, who has come so far have to say to me?”
“Walk wit me.” X’rhun startled, ears pressing flat to his head. Raubahn sighed. “Ye don’t have to. There’s just not many ‘o us left from back then. And-“
“Alright.” Raubahn softened at the interjection. “You’re…right, there’s not many of us left.”
The pair made their way round the building in silence, wandering up the road towards Black Brush Station. It was quiet, at this time of night, the hooting of sand owls, the rustle of wind, and their footsteps the only things to break the silence.
“So…which one are ye? Who survived?”
X’rhun bit back a bitter laugh. He pulled a flask from his pocket and took a swig, offering it to Raubahn. “X’rhun Tia, at your service. Though I’ll admit, I’m surprised. You knew I was a member of the Crimson Duelists, but not who I was?”
“Why do ye think I came here ta find out when I’d heard the rumors? I’d hoped…it might be one of the ones I knew from back then.” Raubahn said, around a drink from the container. He handed it back down.
“Hmm.” X’rhun replied, taking another drink.
“Ye look different…I didn’ recognize you.
The Miqo’te sighed. “Years on the road, and rebalancing one’s aether to better study and teach will do that to you.” He felt Raubahn stop next to him.
“Ilberd, rem’mber ‘im?”
The moon seemed very bright. “…yes. Your partner, was he not?” In more ways than one, the thought followed.
“’e’s the one who cut off my arm.” He slurred the words together—‘myahm’.
X’rhun kept his voice level, feeling the world blur around him slightly from shock or alcohol, and he couldn’t tell which. “What?”
“Aye. For fleeing the cause to free our home. For bein’ complacent. An’ now. Now ‘e’s gone and forced the Alliance’s hand. We’ll be takin’ back Ala Mhigo.”
The words were a blow to the chest. Taking back Ala Mhigo… It felt like the wind had stilled. It hadn’t, but it felt like it.
“Oh.”
“Will you join us, Crimson?”
They stood, staring at each other. X’rhun, better at seeing in the dark could make out the Flame General’s expression. Tense. Desperate.
“No rest for old men, I suppose. I can’t, Bull.”
“Raubahn.”
X’rhun shook his head, hoping the other man would make out the motion. “I’m…waiting for someone Raubahn. I don’t know who. But I can’t come back to the fight until I find them. Something is keeping me here.” The Hyur sighed.
“As I expected. But I’d hoped ye’d consider it.” They turned and walked back to the Coffer and Coffin.
“How far we’ve come from then,” X’rhun mused aloud. “We were so…young. And some of us beautiful…” Perhaps reminiscence would lighten the mood.
“Now don’t tell me ye duelist’s weren’t deliberate in yer choice of attire—certainly is easy on the eyes,” Raubahn chuckled.
“And on the movement, my good sir. Shoes with support are quite important when you have a tendency to fling yourself across the battlefield.”
“Ah, well, no need ta fling when ye’re big enough to hold the enemy’s attention.” Raubahn lightly shoved him and X’rhun couldn’t help but shove back.
“Either way.” He eyed Raubahn. “You’ve kept in fine form yourself.”
“ ‘Cept for the arm.”
“I hardly think that situation was under your control,” He said drily. But he didn’t miss Raubahn tensing beside him. Lightening the mood was harder than it seemed.
“It-“ his voice cracked. “It was the least amount of control I’d had in a very long time. And lots o’ people suffered for it. Lots o’ friends.” X’rhun put a hand on Raubahn’s shoulder, though he had to reach to do so.
“Stay with me tonight.”
“Beg yer pardon?” But Raubahn didn’t shift to remove the hand. X’rhun looked up at him.
“Raubahn. I’m not proposing anything untoward. We’ve both’d a lot to drink. We’ve both an unsteady tomorrow. You yourself said that you were trying to take a night off.”
“I was trying to find ye. Told ye, I’d heard rumors. I needed to know for myself.”
X’rhun lifted his hand from the taller man’s arm. “And as we’ve established, here I am.” They’d nearly made it back to the inn, the light from its windows a warm beacon in the night.
“Here ye are.”
“I’m…not much for carousing these days. But we’d best get you back before your babysitters start to worry. Don’t need them sounding an alarm because you were off spinning yarns with an old war buddy.” X’rhun took Raubahn’s sidestep of the statement as a rejection, and moved on.
“Nah, those two’re deep in their cups.”
“They’ll sober up at some point. Poor babysitters though, if they can’t hold their drink to keep an eye on you.”
“It’s a formality. Her Grace insisted.”
“Ah, I see.”
The air had become slightly sharp between them, glittering with unspoken words and old hurts, the camaraderie of earlier fading into an uncomfortable silence.
“Well. ‘T looks like we’re back.”
“You truly intend to stay two nights? You told Roger it was for the chocobos, but if you were only here to check out rumors…”
Raubahn looked at him hard. Leaned in slightly. The front door burst open and the two Immortal Flames stumbled out.
“General!” called the slightly more sober of the two—the Elezen, who had looked to be having the time of her life earlier. “Sho thash where you wand’red off to!” Raubahn stood upright, saluting the soldiers, who frantically scrambled to salute back.
“At ease, soldier, all’s well. I think ye two should turn in fer the night though.”
“Aye sir!” They managed a slightly more cohesive salute and stumbled back up the stairs, hands all over each other. In the commotion, X’rhun had put a not-insignificant amount of space between himself and the Flame General.
He bowed, slightly. “Good evening, Raubahn. I—I thank you for the conversation. It’s hard to talk about our home with someone who doesn’t understand it.” He near fled up the stairs, leaving the Bull of Ala Mhigo staring behind him.
Upon reaching his room, X’rhun closed the door more gently than he would have liked—Don’t make a mess of the place—and sat on his bed, head in his hands. His tail twisted wildly against the sheets. Of all the people, of all the places. And I offered to spend the night with him!
They hadn’t spoken in years. He sighed and straightened. There was plenty of space in the room, and he rose, standing in the middle of it. As he worked through a set of stretches, inhale, exhale. Take the foot, twist there. Hold. he felt his breathing level and his anxieties fade away. Raubahn had not come to berate him. Recruit him, yes, but that was to be expected. And he accepted the Miqo’te’s vague and unhelpful reasoning for staying away without question. Touching his toes in a way that truly stretched his knees and calves, X’rhun couldn’t help but wonder what would’ve happened if those soldiers hadn’t come out.
A rap on the door startled him, causing him to twist in a way that made his back spasm. “Coming,” he coughed. “Flame General,” he said, retreating to formality upon opening the door. “I thought you were off to bed.”
“I’ve…an adventurer. I think she might be the person you’re waiting for.” X’rhun blinked.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Ye said ye’re waiting for someone. This is a lass out o’ the arcanist’s guild in Limsa. I think she’d do well under yer training. I’ll send ‘er yer way.”
“I—Raubahn—” He wasn’t entirely certain how to respond. Of all the things he’d been expecting, that wasn’t it.
“Is yer offer still on the table?”
X’rhun was terribly confused at finding himself on the back foot for this entire conversation. Though he supposed he and Raubahn both talked like they fought—one took time to choose his words for impact and the other ran straight ahead, fearless.
“Come in,” he finally settled with. “I’ll make us some tea.”
***
They had several mugs of tea, and talked late into the night. X’rhun woke up with a sunbeam in his eye and Raubahn wrapped around him, chin resting on the top of his head. He couldn’t help but purr as the Flame General sleepily stroked his hair. His tail wrapped around the larger man’s lower calf and they lay together in silence. Noise drifting up from below finally convinced them to move, a crash and a frantic “What do you mean you haven’t seen him?! Her Grace will have our heads!” echoing through the inn.
“How’s your hangover?” X’rhun murmured into Raubhan’s chest. It rumbled as he chuckled.
“Not near as bad as my soldiers’, I’m sure. I’ve yer tea to thank for that.”
X’rhun stretched, releasing Raubahn’s leg. “It’s all about keeping hydrated. That sounded like your summoning though.” The Hyur sighed, continuing to stroke X’rhun’s silver hair.
“I s’pose it was.” He released the Miqo’te and swung his legs off the side of his bed. They were both in sleep trousers, Raubahn having changed before coming to the room to talk, and shirtless. X’rhun admired the network of scars across Raubahn’s bare back, glimmering lightly in the late morning sun. He stroked a finger across one.
“You were there for that one. Got hit from behind, a Crimson saved me. Not you. I…I don’t remember his name though. Hyur, shorter than me.”
Another round of commotion made its way up the stairs.
“You should go.”
“Pushin’ me away?” Raubahn grinned.
“No such thing.” X’rhun hoisted himself up to rest on an elbow. “But stay any longer and I’m at risk of keeping us both from our duties. Besides,” he grinned. “Wouldn’t want your soldiers to barge in here, would we?”
Raubahn groaned and stood, knees popping as he planted his ankles and twisted. “Ye win this round, Duelist. I’ll send that adventurer yer way. Try to find yer way to me once ye’ve got ‘er trained up a bit?”
“Aye. Try not to have all the fun while I’m training your warriors, Bull.”
“Ah—Rhun..” the outwardly boldest leader of Eorzea’s city states seemed sheepish. “Could I have a kiss for the road?”
“Oh. I thought you’d never ask.” They leaned into each other. It was a short kiss, a brief press of the lips, but heavy with words unspoken. We will see tomorrow together. Raubahn twisted his hands through X’rhun’s hair, and X’rhun gasped. “Pleas—” Raubahn kissed him again. Thudding started to make its way up the stairs.
“General—” A quiet voice called down the outside hall. “Are you up here?”
They slowly separated. “I’ll distract them, if you want. I most certainly saw you heading to the stables.”
“Gods. That’d be perfect.” Raubahn’s dark skin was flushed, almost shining.
X’rhun nodded, pulling on a shirt and doing his best sleep-slurred bleary as he opened the door. “What’s this ruckus?”
“Oh! Sir! You were at the bar last night.”
“Aye, I was. What’s with your hollering at this hour?”
“It’s—but sir—it’s nearly eleventh bell.”
X’rhun rolled his eyes at that. “And when you’re as old as I am and are up til past midnight that’s early morning. Youths these days…” he muttered, feigning annoyance.
“Anyways, sir, that is to say, have you seen Flame General Aldynn anywhere? I vaguely remember seeing you two together last night?” Ah. The sharper of the two. Why these two were sent as escort baffled X’rhun. Probably because they were dull enough Raubahn could slip away. Or too enamored with each other to pay attention to much else.
“He was headed to the stables, said something about checking on the chocobos.”
The slower of the two brightened at that. The quicker narrowed her eyes. "How would you--" “Thank you ser! We’ll check there posthaste!” He grabbed her hand and the pair took off back down the stairs.
“Might want to change,” he said to Raubahn, turning back into the room.
“My thanks,” Raubahn said, moving quickly but quietly towards the door. “X’rhun—” The Miqo’te stole one last kiss.
“I’ve thought of you for years, Bull. Don’t die before I see you again,” he fair hissed.
Raubahn blinked. “Don’t get killed, Red,” he rumbled in response.
“I thought we’d covered this,” X’rhun called after him. “We’re too damn stubborn for death!”
He would hold the memory of Raubahn’s laugh close in the days to come. For now it was enough to bask in it.