Chapter Text
Flins is one eccentric and often distant figure in Nod-Krai. He’s almost never seen in town, but when he is, people who have talked to him or the people who do know him find his demeanor quite different from his unsettling aura. What would such a man do to woo a lady of noble birth?
Well to be fair, he himself is noble born but that was from a bygone age of Snezhnaya. No longer does it matter in the current place and time.
He spent many of his peaceful patrolls in contemplation of what to do. After going a bout in Paha and Lempo Ilse, he makes a beeline to Hiisi Island. There, he's doing less patrolling and more of observing the people and their culture, trying to figure out the things that Lauma might like or dislike. After all, the threat of Rerir, Roland, and the Wild Hunt has died down.
Well, he does take his patrols very seriously.
But he also takes the matter with the moonchanter just as seriously.
He even once asked the Traveler and Paimon to ask Lauma for her opinion on him. After getting answers, he was in a good mood for a week knowing that her opinion of him is not negative.
“What would Miss Lauma like?” The same question ran through his head during his patrols, his report writing sessions, and especially during his bone puzzle solving.
He even managed to shape the bones into the likeness of the moonchanter. In that moment, Flins’ eyes widened, his head was struck by inspiration and it froze him in place.
“Wouldn’t a hand craft of sort make a great gift? A wooden carving perhaps?” He thought. “But what should I carve?” His mind wandered, flipping through his own memory to find things that Lauma would be attached to.
The only thing that comes to mind when it comes to Lauma’s object of attachment is Miss Columbina.
So after finishing the tedious reports for the lightkeepers, he sets off for Miss Columbina in Hisii Island. He wonders where to find the moon goddess.
He figured that now is perfect time to go since she should be out during the night. The sky is clear and the moon is at its brightest this time of the month, yes he MIGHT just encounter her.
After a few hours of searching with no trace of Columbina in sight, he luckily finds a kuuhenki. Hopefully the kuuhenki aren’t scared of him too.
He approaches the lone kuuhenki playing with a lyre.
“Hello there,” he greets the little one and it stops strumming the strings of the lyre to face the gentleman. “Forgive my sudden intrusion, but may I ask where one might find Miss Columbina?”
The little sprite tilted its head, probably in confusion. Alas, he realizes that he does not speak nor is he familiar with the kuuhenki tongue.
“Ah, never mind. I shan’t disturb you anymore.” He retreats for the night since he could see that the moon in the sky is already about to set and that the first of the longplumed ibis are already cawing as the sun’s rays peek over the horizon.
“I should prepare for my patrol.” He thought.
After one round of surveilling The Wild Hunt activity in the area and taking care of a few clusters of them. He goes straight to looking for Columbina once again in Hisii Island.
On the island, Flins came back to the same spot where the kuuhenki was.
“It’s you.” A soft, almost hushed voice came from behind Flins.
“Ah, Miss Columbina. It’s a pleasure to meet you once again. I actually have a personal business with you.” He turns to look at the source of the voice.
“So I heard.” Columbina gestures behind her.
“You did?” A little kuuhenki with the same lyre peeks from behind the angelic figure. “Oh, I see. It seems that the lyre playing kuuhenki had informed you.”
“Hm.” She nods. “So what is it? Why were you looking for me?”
“Ah, Miss Columbina, do you mind if I ask you something about Miss Lauma?”
“Oh? What for?” The Kuuhenki and Columbina’s head tilted slightly in sync.
“I was planning on giving her a wooden carving but I lack the knowledge of her likes and dislikes.”
“Ah…”
“Miss Columbina?”
“I know very well that shining a ray of moonlight on her horns to use them as fruit skewers would get you scolded.” Columbina hummed as if she remembered an indelible experience.
…
…
“I shall keep that in mind.” Flins breaks the silence with his dry delivery.
“It seems I was no help to you at all, Mr Flins.” Columbina frowned.
“That is most certainly not true. You’ve been of help.” He assures. “I now know one of her dislikes.”
…
Columbina was no fool. Flins, you eloquently sly fae.
“Well if you’re going to gift Lauma something, it might as well be useful.” Although she’s now learned that she is not required to answer all questions, Columbina didn’t want to back down on helping a friend gift another precious friend. “She doesn’t mind what gifts she receives from what the animals give her, but they just sit on the shelf collecting dust until Lauma has time to clean the collection.”
“For instance, something to help with the heavy burden on her literal shoulders.” She adds.
Flins’ face doesn’t really change much, only Lauma was ever able to tell his mood. But even Columbina could tell at that moment that a surge of inspiration just ran through him. It was the first time she’d seen his face move.
“I must thank you, Miss Columbina. I now know the perfect gift.” She could tell his voice was filled with joy, just like that Moonprayer night when he managed the sugar sculpture stall.
“I’m glad that I am finally of help. Then, I’ll leave you to it.” Columbina turned to the direction of Silvermoon hall trailed by a single kuuhenki who played the same melodic tune as Columbina’s humming.
After an insightful conversation with Lauma’s subject of adoration, Flins spared no time and immediately set his course for Nasha town. If he were to find materials, he would of course find the majority of them in town.
But in his excitement, he has forgotten that nighttime is when humans sleep. It was a first for him to find the quiet disappointing.
But no matter, he could just stay the night at The Flagship if need be.