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Dawn broke through the canopy of the Black Shroud, the scant sunlight glistening off of the fresh layer of snow that had fallen overnight. The skywatcher had warned that the snow would continue to fall intermittently over the course of the next few days, but nature had offered a brief respite. Gray wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys in the Lavender Beds. Some to keep homes warm, some to cook breakfast. In one small cottage, a lalafell stood over a stove, clouded, deep blue eyes focused with intensity on the bubbling of batter in his frypan.
"Easy now," he said as a dirty blond strand or three fell in front of his face. He jostled the pan, watching the shift of the pancake inside. He steadied his breath, focusing on the sizzling butter in the pan. His grip tightened on the handle and he snapped the frypan upwards, watching in abject despair as the pancake flew above and behind his head! Ere he could turn to watch the disaster unfolding right behind him, he heard a soft yelp.
Despite standing over the hot stove, he feels a deathly chill. The Warrior of Light, the Savior of the Star fears but one thing: her. Flecks of half-cooked batter clung to brown hair, her eyes covered by the projectile pancake, leaving her mouth agape in shock. Her lips curled into a smile and she chuckled as her hands lifted out of the yellow sleeves of her robe and pulled the not-quite offending confection from her face. "Oh, gods, Krile! I'm so sorry!"
"It's quite all right, Gigi," Krile said, fluttering her light blue eyes, thankfully free of batter. "While I did foresee catching a few stray projectiles," Krile began to giggle again as she spoke, "a pancake was not at all what I had expected." With slow, deliberate steps, Krile returns the half-done pancake to the frypan to finish cooking. "If it's all the same to you, let me have that one."
"Are ye sure? That's a chocolate one." Giginima blinked.
"Do you want to gamble on my hair being in that pancake?"
Giginima's hand hovered over the bowl of batter, calculating the odds of Krile's hair in his pancake. He has beaten worse odds before... "What'd you like on yers?" He gave the bowl of batter a quick stir, looking over at the chocolate morsels and rolanberries nearby.
"Some rolanberry and sweet cream, please." Krile pulled out a chair and sat at an angle, resting an arm over her stomach.
"How d'you feel, by th' way?" Giginima plated his failed flip and added a small pat of butter to the pan before spooning in fresh batter.
"About the same as yesterday, and the day before that," she traced circles on the table with her fingernail, "simply tired, a mite anxious, and like an overfed dodo. Water, Gigi-dear?" Without a moment's hesitation, Giginima poured water from a pitcher into a cup. "Some coffee would do a world of wonders, but alas- thank you." She reaches for the cup, holding it below her face. "I... I lost my train of thought." She let out a frustrated sigh and slumped her shoulders.
"A spot of breakfast oughtta fix that." Giginima added the fresh pancake to an empty plate. "D'you want it now, or th' whole stack at once?" His hand hovered over the rolanberry slices.
"I'm in no hurry to eat, but thank you."
"As ye wish."
After more small talk, Giginima finally served breakfast. Chocolate morsel pancakes for himself, and a taller stack of cinnamon pancakes (and one flying chocolate pancake) topped with rolanberry and sweet cream for Krile. "Just in time, I think the little one is waking up," she rubs one corner of her stomach. As her fork cuts through her breakfast, she stops. "I'm sorry to ask, but would you kindly fetch some jam, Gigi-dear?"
Giginima's mouth had just closed over too-large a bite of pancake. "Mhm." He nods and chews as he climbs the step ladder to the cupboard, taking hold of the opened one among the three jars of pixie plum jam. Of all boons he could request of House Fortemps, he never thought he'd be granted a bottomless supply of jam. He finally swallowed his mouthful as he set the jar and a butter knife off to Krile's side. "There ye are, my sweet popoto." Krile thanked him with a smile and spread far too much jam over her pancakes. But he would never say that to her face, he mused as he poured some maple syrup onto his stack.
"How is the weather outside? I hadn't caught a glimpse since the flurries last night."
Giginima brushed his hair back with his hand. "It's clear. For now. Are ye sure-"
"Gigi-dear, I know you're worried about me falling again," Krile set her fork down, "but you'll be right there to catch me, right?" Krile smiled confidently, sliding her hand over towards her husband's. Their eyes locked as she picked her fork back up.
Giginima's hand found hers and he squeezed. "Remind me t' pester G'raha t' teach me that Float spell." He opened his mouth to speak again, but his eye was drawn to movement in the corner of his eye. Krile's other hand withdrew, a piece of his chocolate pancake skewered on the fork. "Ah!" The pilfered piece quickly vanished into Krile's mouth, a drop of syrup falling onto her plate as the only testimony to its theft.
Krile giggled with a mouthful of ill-gotten food. She blinked as Giginima stabbed through a rolanberry and tore a piece of her own jam-coated pancake away. "Hey, that's not fair!" Krile pointed her fork at him. "I'm with child, you can't take my food!" A half-playful tone betrays her offense.
Giginima moaned with exaggerated delight as his face clearly scrunched in distaste. "There'll be plenty at th' stalls," he grunts out, deeply regretting the mouthful of jam.
Krile snorted, trying her best not to laugh. "That is true, I suppose." She tugged her sleeve back away from her wrist. "We'd best hurry along while everythin's fresh."
Giginima feels an itch on his tongue. Without any sense of decorum, he sticks his tongue out and grabs the offending... brown hair, glistening with his saliva.
"Serves you right!" Krile snickers, nearly failing to burst out into full on laughter.
* * *
The light snowfall resumed as the couple took the ferry into Gridania. The streets were lined with banks of accumulated snow, some of which had been appropriated by the younglings for building snowmen and waging snowball fights. The two lalafell walked side by side- Krile in her yellow coat, cat-eared hood down, but she wore light grey earmuffs to protect her pointed ears, and Giginima in a tan coat with a gray beret covering his head. As the two passed Apkallu Falls, Krile stops. "Krile?" He turns his head and sees a sparkle in her eyes.
"Gigi, look!" She points at the poster on a signboard:
STARLIGHT EVE - 4TH BELL AFTER NOON
HEARD OF HEARING PRESENTS:
A STARLIGHT CAROL
MIH KHETTO'S AMPHITHEATRE
"I've keep my jaunts in town so short lately, I never noticed there was going to be a play!" Krile clasped her hands together and stifled a squeal.
"I never took ye' for th' theatre type." Giginima counted on his fingers what bell it was now, with possibly a two-bell margin of error.
"I can't remember the last time I've watched one," Krile grabbed Giginima's hand and interrupted his count. "It must've been... five, six years, easily." Krile looked up towards the falling snow. "I remember it was a day much like today- that is, a warmer day in Sharlayan. Grandfather had a few appointments that were canceled for one reason or another, and he took me to see I Want to Be Your Canary. None of the actors were particularly convincing, but Sharlayan isn't the 'City of Actors' now, is it?" Krile covered her mouth as she chuckled with her free hand.
Giginima straightened up. "Ye want t' see the play t'night?"
"Well, it does have my curiosity, if naught else," Krile tilts her head to one side.
"There's not much else t' fill my time of late..." He squeezes her hand, "but it's not ev'ry day ye see a play."
Krile sighs and smiles. "Then it's settled. At least, as long as my body holds out. Not much point to going if I sleep like the dead midway through the performance." The two share a brief laugh and they continue on towards Greatloam Growery.
The two circled around the Starlight market, browsing the goods and food for sale, with Krile frequently stopping for a "sample" at the food stalls. They didn't have to wait for long; surprisingly few souls were perusing the stands. The consensus between the two was that it was like as not that the crowds were waiting for the brave pioneers to trample down and make footpaths for the less adventurous. After most of the ground was covered, the two sat down at a table, giving Krile a chance to stay off her feet for a spell while she reaches into a small paper bag to eat a few roasted chestnuts. As Krile chewed the nuts, she noticed Giginima giving her a funny look. "What is it? Is there something on my face?" She asked after she swallowed.
"I was jus' thinkin' how ye look like a nutkin right now," he answered without giving it any thought.
Krile playfully punched his shoulder. "All this walking works up an appetite," she reaches back in for another small handful of nuts. "And, as I recall, you took more than your fair share of that gingerbread." She smirked before tossing the nuts into her mouth.
"Ah, excuse me," a woman's voice drew their attention. A hyuran woman dressed in that distinct Starlight red looked at them. "There's been a few injuries, and we're short some hands for the parade, could I trouble you for some help."
The couple look at each other and then back to the little helper. "I'm in no state myself, "Krile spoke up, "but my husband here would lend hand, foot, and teeth, if given half the chance," the corner of her mouth turned up in the beginnings of a smirk.
Giginima shoots to his feet, an instant away from pledging body and soul to gods know what, but he looks down at Krile. "Is it alright if I-"
Krile waves him on. "I think we've about exhausted the stalls, anyway." She stands up with some difficulty, "go on ahead and lend a hand." Her hand finds a few more chestnuts. "Perhaps I'll chance a meeting with Clemence; she's mentioned in a letter that she should be visiting her sister today. Just promise me you'll meet me in time for the play, Gigi-dear."
"I'll only miss it if I-" Giginima stopped himself, recounting the mountains of menial tasks and errands he's run over the past couple years. "I'll try to be on time." He leans forward and the two exchange a brief kiss before Krile turns and makes for Old Gridania, doing little to dispel his mental image as she munches on her snack. He looks over at the little helper "Jus' name what needs doin' and I'm yer man!"
The woman's face lit up, "thank you so much! Can you head to Nophica's Altar and meet with an Elezen man, Marcaux? He's in charge of the logistics."
"Yes, ma'am!" The Lalafell dashes off and out of the stalls, kicking up snow in his wake.
"Don't forget to get..." she yells after his shrinking back, "a uniform..." she drops her voice as he sprints away like a goobbue on fire.
* * *
Idle chatter bounced around the rocky walls around the altar as Giginima adjusted the red, white fur-trimmed hat as the cotton boll on the end flopped in front of his eyes yet again. The task was simple enough: whenever he saw a few younglings, toss out the wrapped treats in their direction. He'd delivered such things to children before, yes, but he'd never tossed them out to a crowd before. What if he has another pancake incident like this morning? Perhaps if he heeded the advice to toss gently underhand into the air... He tugged at the matching red coat and slipped the fake snow-white beard over his face. While his fame came with boons, he'd rather not be recognized if he could avoid it. He'd hate to be responsible for someone being trampled.
At the top of the bell, the procession marched through Old Gridania. The guilds and a few businesses had a few representatives participating, as did the Wood Wailers, the Gods' Quiver, and even the Twin Adder. They all marched in loose rank and file together, organized in an order Giginima didn't quite understand. Rounding the corner past the Yellow Serpent Gate, he saw the crowd. That would explain the relative quiet of the stalls... "Oh my," he squeaked, seeing easily a hundred different faces along the sides of the street. He'd stared death in the face more times than he'd care to recall, but the distinct possibility of being mauled by the tiny terrors crawled to the forefront of his mind.
He was a little ways behind the band near the front, playing tunes he couldn't quite place. If this was an Ul'dahn parade, he'd likely be singing along. He watched the few little helpers in front of him, observing how they fearlessly tossed their treats to the crowds. With great trepidation, he took a parchment-wrapped cookie from a pouch on his belt and tossed it out towards a pair of Elezen children. The shorter one- a girl- caught it and cheered. Like that, the wall of worry began to crumble, and Giginima tossed another towards a trio of Miqo'te girls. After a few more, the little helper next to him whispered "Oi! Save a few!" His hand froze in the pouch, and he slowly, sheepishly withdrew it.
The parade passed Apkallu Falls and on towards the Lancer's Guild. He scanned the crowd after crossing the bridge, looking for a youngling, and he spied a yellow coat. He knew that coat, and the Lalafell wearing it. "Krile!" Giginima shouted and waved. She called out in return, but he couldn't quite make out the words. Without sparing a thought, he reached into his pouch and tossed a cookie to his wife. With a little dip, she caught it with both hands. He watched as she looked over to her right and handed it to a Hyuran child. Giginima smiled as the child hugged Krile and tore the wax seal holding the parchment tightly to the cookie before sinking his teeth into it.
Krile disappeared behind the little helpers following him and he turned his gaze forward. The parade passed the Westshore Pier before slowing and narrowing to pass through the market stalls. The cheer of the crowds echoed into a cacophony inside the wooden halls- more like a tunnel. Giginima winced at the sheer volume of the noise, and the narrow path made it difficult to discern a target for the remaining treats. Thankfully, the head of the procession stopped a ways out to allow everyone to widen out to the previous ranks before continuing on into New Gridania and towards the Aetheryte plaza.
* * *
The parade made a near-complete circuit around the city before it stopped for the last time. Giginima tossed the remaining treats in his pouch to the crowd and waited for the Elder Seedseer to give her annual speech. He remained in line out of respect for the woman, but he couldn't focus on her address. He found his mind wandering over to his folks back at the Silver Bazaar. This would be the first Starlight he spent away from them. Would that he could visit them with Krile. He couldn't force his parents to brave the journey on their own, even if he paid top gil for the best protection. Applause and cheers snapped him back to the here and now as the Elder Seedseer apparently finished her speech.
The crowd and parade both began to disperse, Giginima found himself drifting towards the Carpenter's Guild. He watched the waterwheel spin and stepped onto the wooden walkway that ran next to it. "Ah, there you are," a commanding voice came behind him. He spun around and a white-haired Elezen handed a sack to him. He adjusted his spectacles and a flicker of recognition sparked in his eyes. "Do I know you?"
"Timbermaster, it's me, Giginima," he removed the beard from his face, jostling loose a few strands of hair in his face.
"I thought you seemed familiar." He looked over towards the Adder's Nest and back to Giginima. "Do you have some time on your hands? Another little helper or two were supposed to deliver these toys to some children, but they're off gods know where."
Without hesitation, Giginima took the sack from Beatin and slung it over his shoulder. His footing remained steady as he gave a salute with his free hand. "Giginima, delivery Lalafell, at your service!" He replaced his beard, expecting that he'd be recognized and stopped through the course of this charity.
"If you see a shorter, white-haired Elezen lass," the Timbermaster called out, "tell her I have another batch left to deliver!"
Giginima gave a thumbs up without looking back, until he realized he had no idea where he was going. "Timbermaster... is there a... list or something to tell me where to go?"
Beatin stiffened a little. "Wait there, I think someone who knows the route is in the workshop."
* * *
Giginima, led by the Miqo'te woman, Asha, took a systematic, if not efficient, route through the city. Many of the recipients were children living in poor conditions, and nearly every one of them smiled brightly as the two little helpers delivered the toys inside. Dolls, small wagons, crude figures resembling fighting-men, and others were given away. Two stops along the route, however, were orphanages, where the bulk of the toys were intended. A hint of gloom wormed its way to Giginima's mind, only to be quickly banished as he reminded himself of the great service he was doing for the city's youth. That hand of kindness he extends now, even if nobody knew whose hand it was, could well pull them through to brighter days ahead and hold them fast.
"Give Beatin my regards," an Elezen man said as he wrangled the last youngling back into the orphanage before shutting the door with a "happy Starlight to you both."
Asha sighed and wiped her brow with a gloved hand. "Next year, I think I'll stick to the decorating. Never did have it in me for long jaunts." She looks down at Giginima, "I need to hurry to the Amphitheatre, can you report to the Timbermaster?"
"Of course," Giginima replies and walks back towards New Gridania. He thew the empty sack over his shoulder and whistled an Ul'dahn tune as he returned to the guild. Beatin saw fit to release Giginima from his duty before returning to his office. The Lalafell stretched as he left the workshop and made his way to the playground around the back of the building. He heard the crunching of footsteps on the snow to his left and then-
Someone crashed into Giginima, sending the Lalafell tumbling to the ground, a feminine voice gasped in shock above him "I'm sorry, I-" A pause. "Gigi, is that you?"
"How d'ye know my name?" Dazed, he slowly clambers up out of the snow, brushing himself off as a shorter Elezen stood in front of him. White stockings under a red coat like his. He spied a pair of red gloves and then that familiar triangular earring on the right ear. "Oh, it's you, Alisaie." He shook his head. "I thought I just got trampled underfoot by Hoary Boulder."
Alisaie cocked an eyebrow. "What do you mean-" She paused for a breath. "Not the time. Gigi, have you seen a red-haired Miqo'te boy? About this tall?"
"I've seen a lot of children today, Ali, so one wouldn't be out of place. Why?"
"I volunteered to bring a group of children caroling around the city, but somewhere along the way, I'd lost track of that one, Koh'li. I've been searching for probably two bells now with no luck." She looks past him, up and down the adjacent street as she spoke. "I hate to drag you into my mess, but-"
"We can cover more ground if we split up." Giginima adjusted his hat and tucked a few loose hairs back under his hat. "Let's make a circle and meet at Apkallu Falls."
"Right. I'll search by the Amphitheatre on my way 'round. Koh'li had a brown stripped scarf last I saw him, good luck!" Alisaie sped off and away while Giginima took a more methodical approach.
* * *
There was nobody near the Archer's Guild. The Lancer's Guild hadn't seen any children of Koh'li's description. The stalls were too abuzz with last-minute customers to glean any useful information. He and Alisaie still couldn't find hide nor hair of the boy. But there was one last place to check: the Starlight Stalls. The pair split up once again, and a slight movement drew his attention. He peered behind a tree and saw the trailing brown scarf twirling around as the red-haired Miqo'te boy spun, swung, and thrusted with a large stick. "Koh'li!?" The fur on the boy's tail bristled as he turned around, brown scarf flowing to his back. He held his stick in a defensive position. "Who're you?" Giginima stepped forward as he reached for the string holding his beard in place. "Stay back! Hands up!"
"I'm a friend," Giginima said as he complied. "It's getting late and it's cold out here. I'm goin' t' take ye home, okay?"
The boy stepped back, his tail lashing from side to side. "No, I'm not going back with you!"
Giginima removed the fake beard and tucked it into a pocket. "Ye want t' join the Wood Wailers, don't ye?"
"H- how did you..?" His ears drooped as he lowered his meager guard.
"When I was yer age," he took a cautious step forward- no reaction from Koh'li, "I'd sneak off somewhere in town. I'd grab a pot lid and an old piece of driftwood and practice my swordplay." Another step. "I looked up t' th' Brass Blades. They're like th' Wailers here in Gridania." Another step. "I'd practice ev'ry day I could. For years, I wanted t' keep th' peace. Protect my ma and pa." Another step. "Ye feel the same, right?" The boy looked crestfallen, his eyes cast down to the ground. "But if ye want t' join them, ye need discipline." One last step closed the distance. "And that starts with lissnin' te yer elders, right?"
"I guess so," he sighed and dropped his stick.
Giginima smiled and held out his hand. "Right, let's get ye warmed up."
"Gigi!" Alisaie skidded to a halt, startling the both of them once again. She bent forward, bracing herself on her knees as she gasped for breath. "Thank the Twelve, you found him!" Alisaie stepped forward, opening her mouth to lecture the youth, but her blue eyes locked with Giginima's for a moment. The sternness born of worry melted into a soft warmth. She knelt down to Koh'li's eye level. "There you are. We were so worried when we couldn't find you for bells." She stood up and grabbed his hand. "Come along, Miss Trinne is waiting for you this way." The boy looked back at Giginima before reluctantly following Alisaie. Giginima walked beside the boy, sandwiching him between the two friends.
Alisaie had found Miss Trinne shortly before they split at the Stalls. The Elezen woman had some stern words for the boy, but he apologized before the two hugged and departed for another part of town. "Thank you," Alisaie sad, "I didn't mean to impose on your holiday, but-"
Giginima pat her on the back, "always glad t' help a friend in need." He watched the two disappear into the crowd of people entirely. "That boy wants to join the Wood Wailers someday."
Alisaie snorted. "That one? He has the spirit, I'll give him that." She crossed her arms. "But vanishing like that's a great way to be thrown out of the Wailers." She looks at Giginima and shudders as a gust of wind blows by. "I think I've got a little time before I need to return home. Mother's insisted we have dinner together tonight, but that doesn't mean I can't treat you as a token of thanks."
Giginima waves his hand dismissively. "In spite of ev'rythin', I haven't got much of an appetite. Besides, I have to meet-" Giginima's hands go slack as he realized the hour. "OH NO!!" He begins to panic and hops from one foot to the other. "Th' play! Th' play I promised t' meet Krile at is about t' start!" Without a word of goodbye, Giginima broke into a full sprint, running faster than a mad chocobo! As his foot slammed into the snow-covered ground, he slipped and fell forward on his face. He groaned and pulled himself off of the ground, tapping his nose to see if it hurt. "Dammit! I promised her!" He pounded at the ground, cursing how the time slipped through his fingers.
The crunch of heavy boots stopped in front of him. "Ho ho ho." Giginima looked up to see a tall, white-haired Hyuran man standing over him, dressed not unlike himself. "You've done a lot of good work today, little helper." He kneels down in the sand, his round, shaded spectacles hid his eyes, but Giginima felt their eyes meet regardless. "You've done much and more for everyone. Not just today, nor in Gridania, but the whole realm over all this time." He lifts Giginima under his arms and stands up. "For a change, you'll have a little helper." Before Giginima could question him, he found himself squeezed underneath the Saint's arm as he was carried like a handball.
After a moment of... calm, Giginima would call it, the Saint dashed off. "Dash" being an understatement. The Saint ran with terrifying speed, yet with enough grace to dodge and weave through the crowded streets. The wind numbed Giginima's face. The ground below was a blur, and he shut his eyes for fear of getting Saintsick. It was mere minutes before the 4th bell. From one extremity of the city, they'd never make it. Giginima yelped as he felt the Saint's strong hand grab him by the collar and yanked him overhead in one hand as a javelin. "Hey, put me down! It's hopeless!" the Saint drew his arm back. "At least Krile will underSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNDDDDDDD!!!!!" The Saint skidded to a halt and threw Giginima into the air. The Lalafell screamed as he flew high above the city's skyline, the canopy of the Black Shroud. Higher and higher the protesting projectile rose into the sky, piercing the heavens above and parting the clouds! The sun shone for the first time that day, casting its light down to the snow-blanketed city, the streets glistening in the fresh light.
Only then, high above the world, Giginima's ascent halted. He stopped screaming as he looked at the city below through the ring of parted clouds. He'd never dared to look over the side of an airship before. He had but a moment to appreciate a bird's-eye view before he began to fall and the screaming resumed. His cheeks and jowls rippled as he picked up speed, the cold air stinging, then numbing, his face. And the earth began to race towards him. His face aimed directly on his path as the amphitheatre drew nearer. He could make out the shapes of the roofs, and then the crowd of ants occupying the street and seats. And then a yellow hood.
A mighty THUNK boomed across the audience as Giginima was driven head-first into the earth! A cloud of dirt, mud, and snow plumed several fulms into the air. And when the dust settled, Giginima's head and upper body were buried in the ground, only his bottom and legs rose from the ground. For a moment, he was still, but he began to wriggle and writhe until, eventually, he wormed his way out of the ground and he gasped for air. He blinked and looked around. He was in the amphitheatre! There was an empty seat behind him and- Krile sat next to that empty seat, her eyes wide with shock and hands covering her mouth. "Sorry I'm late." Giginima slurred as he crawled onto the seat, head swimming from his high-flying venture.
"I'm... glad to see you're unharmed?" Krile asked with a hint of unease about her voice. "But you made it just in time. The play hadn't started yet." She looked from Giginima to the ground, and then to the sky. "But... how?"
Giginima cradled his head in his hands, trying to will away the dizziness. "It's quite a long story."
Krile giggled. "With an entrance like that, I'm sure it won't disappoint." The audience cheered as a middle-aged Elezen man stepped onto the stage and announced the beginnings of the play.
* * *
The soft light of the fireplace filled the room, shadows dancing as the light flickered. Giginima, still in his soiled uniform, carried two piping hot mugs of hot chocolate into the sitting room. Krile was slumped to the side of the sofa, eyes closed and snoring. It was a long day, but in the few minutes he was in the kitchen, she'd already fallen asleep. Giginima smiled and shook his head as he sat next to her. He set out the cup for her and just watched the fire.
A snort and grumble, and Krile's eyes fluttered open. "Oh my, did I fall asleep?"
"I don't blame you, it's been a long day."
Krile shifted. "Yes, but the sofa is not the best place for a nap." She looks over at Giginima. "Thank you. I'll remember this Starlight for a long time." The two lean in and kiss. They rest against each other, enjoying the other's company.