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Thancred informed her over comm of an emergency situation at the Rising Stones.
The panic that she felt overwhelmed her, which made the nausea from her teleportation worse. So much for a relaxing fishing trip in Kugane. As she touched down, Alma's insides twisted and tugged in every direction, making her stomach recoil hard. It took all her willpower to keep her breakfast down and remain on her feet.
Swallowing down the taste of stomach acid she made a bee-line straight for the inn. She didn't need to look at the Mor Dhona patrol or the patrons of the bar to know that something was amiss. While no one appeared injured and there were no signs of struggle, she could practically smell danger in the air. And of course the only sharp thing she had on her person was a bloody knife for cutting fish. Hopefully she could handle it with a few spells and that.
The door to the Rising Stones cracked against the wall as Alma burst her way through, feet slamming down the carpet towards the bar. Her eyes darted in every direction as she tried to take in whatever the emergency situation was. Nothing seemed damaged, no one looked injured. Could this have been another stupid surprise party? It wasn't the first time they'd given her a panic attack over-
Zenos.
No wonder everyone was utterly on edge. They all remained seated with their hands just ilms from their weapons, or were curled up in places to hide if a fight of some sort broke out.
The Crown Prince of Garlemald sat at the bar, the stool seeming far too small for his large stature; one elbow rested on the bartop, his cheek perched on his fist. He watched Tataru sitting on the bar across from him prattle on happily about something- Alma wasn't really listening to what she was saying, too caught up in trying to figure out what the fuck was going on. The tiny smile on his face and his heavy lidded eyes gave away how content he was.
"Ah, my beast- my friend," Zenos spoke up without turning his head. Tataru paused and, like the rest of the room, turned her attention to the Xaela. "Your tiny companion was regaling of times within Ishgard. And of secrets from merchants up to noble houses, allowing her to pull various strings to assist you and your compatriots through trial after trial." His eyes moved to watch her in the corner without ever turning his head. The tips of his lips curled upward ever so slightly. "A form of battle I have always seen as trivial actions by trivial people. Politics. What a worthless, pointless endeavor."
"Nonsense!" Tataru spoke up confidently, finger pointed into the air, "I might not be good at fighting out there with Alma and everyone else. But all that stuff I picked up ‘cause of it is important to keep them in tip-top shape!" The lalafell crossed her arms over her chest, beaming proudly.
"After all. With them runnin' around so much, who's gonna get them weapons? And ways to travel? And a place to rest their head!" Multiple times she patted her curled fist just over her heart. "Me. That's who!"
"Yes, the quality of your work is remarkable for a savage-" he pauses, lips falling flat for a moment before that muted, almost sly look returns. "Forgive me. You are far too great to be degraded in such fashion."
"Forgiven, but only ‘cause you're being such a charmer." Tataru grinned from ear to ear, eyelids fluttering as she looked at Zenos without flinching.
"I digress..." He lingered on that word for a moment, the sudden moment of silence adding to the already thick tension in the room. The Garlean lifted his hand to inspect the ring around his middle finger, which fit it perfectly. "While the aether attunement of such jewelry is wasted for one such as I, I am not ignorant to its benefits. Craftsmanship such as this would be the envy of even the grandest of smithies. And to make it to size within a moment's notice, with only a single glance? The battlefield to which you dance upon, small one, you do with a mastered grace."
Alma, and she could guess everyone else, could not figure out what sort of scene they were watching. It was awkward as an outsider to see one of the most powerful men on the Star just casually praise Tataru. And in turn she spoke to him- worked him- much like any other elite she'd encountered.
He could murder her in less than a second, yet he respect the other ‘powers' she wielded.
"... Zenos what the bloody hell are you doing here..." the Hero muttered as her lips tugged into a low frown.
Finally he turned himself in his chair to better face Alma, his cheeks tugging the corner of his lips up a little further. A muted expression, but she could recognize his joy. "Am I restrained from paying my friend an idle visit? I'd thought you would prefer a moment that did not involve us meeting sword to sword- even though I would much prefer to share such passion with you."
Alma's brows dropped into a flat line, the anxiety she felt falling with them. This was ridiculous. "I almost threw up rushing over here. I teleported from Kugane."
"Ah. You care for me so, my friend? To dismiss all current engagements just to see me-?"
She lifted a hand, silencing him immediately. "No. I was told it was an emergency. You are not an emergency."
"See Thancred?" Tataru giggled as she leaned back on the countertop, head rolling back so she could catch the silver haired man standing in the corner with arms crossed, tension obvious on his face. "I told you I'd handle it!"
Alma put her hand on her face, eyes closed and groaned to herself. The nausea from teleportation wasn't fully gone, which only added to her irritation.
Zenos lifted his head from his fist and let his hand fall flat on the counter. For several seconds he stared at the grinning lalafell, taking in her confidence- a stark difference to the moment of terror she'd had when he entered prior. His cheeks flexed his mouth into a slightly more obvious smile before he lifted his arm and extended his hand out towards her.
"I like this one," he said out of nowhere, "I shall take her with me. Perhaps guide that dedication to make her into a glorious hunter."
Tataru's head whipped back to Zenos with cheeks flushed. She lifted both her hands up, ready to exclaim something, much like the entire room wanted to. But the au ra was the first to speak up.
"No. She stays here Zenos." Her voice was flat and utterly dismissive. Like a parent denying a child.
That smile faded and cold blue eyes turned back to Alma. The chilling gaze added to everyone's unease, growing exponentially every passing second.
"You would deny me, my beast?"
Multiple people wanted to say something, but in such a situation they were unsure how to handle it. Except their hero.
"Zenos, you know my name." Her lips pulled to one side and she clicked her tongue. "And yes." Alma pointed her finger down to the ground, completely unamused. "She stays here. No adventures with you."
He sighed with such dejection, closed his eyes and let his head hang back off of his shoulders. Marigold locks slipped off of his shoulders and the rest hung there like a curtain. Silence returned to the room. It lingered for quite a while before his eyes opened and he returned to his calm position again.
"Then I shall remain here with the tiny weapon and wordsmith. And you, my beast. While I've no desire for further titles, an honorary Scion shall suffice.."
The entire room spoke up at different volumes: "No."
His expression became empty again, irritation lingering in his gaze. Thankfully for the rest of them, he set his sights on Alma who still stood there with shoulders slack- like someone who felt they were wasting their time.
She sighed loudly enough everyone in the space could hear it, then lifted a hand to massage the bridge of her nose underneath her frames. "Look..." Alma almost growled, "if you give me about fifteen minutes to put on my armor, we can go duke it out at the Castrum. The abandoned space has plenty of room for us to fight."
Zenos' eyes seemed to sparkle as he pushed himself up to standing, smirking. "Ah. Disappointed as I may be, I shan't give up the prospects to see you dance on the field, my friend." He approached the casually dressed Warrior, staring down the length of his nose. "I shall see you anon. My only request is that you greet me with haste. The suspense has my heart racing."
"Fiff. Teen. Minutes." Alma stated, accenting every syllable strongly.
He sighed in reply, as if dejected from needing to wait, but did not lament further. The prince only smiled before moving around the small Xaela woman and made for the doors, closing them behind him.
Silence lingered for a few seconds as everyone took the time to process what just happened.
"Bloody heeellllsssss!" Tataru whined as she rolled herself off of the countertop to stand behind the bar, quickly rummaging through the bottles. "I thought I'd ruin me trousers! I need a drink!!!"