(She's enjoying herself. It's hard to not notice the way she's lit up in the crowd and taken to the festivities. It's in this moment that he feels like she'll be fine in Almyra. It won't be easy; he knows it. Picking up your roots and moving to a whole new land is a challenge and a struggle in itself. But he thinks that if she can have good moments like this and remember them during those hard times, it will help her get through it all.
His grandfather, Judith, his classmates, his friends... They'd all made Fodlan so much more bearable and now some many of them were dead. If not dead, he'd surely let them down in other ways. He'd dissolved the Alliance, given it away to the enemy they'd resisted for years...
Some volunteers add more wood to the fire, making the flames grow higher and brighter. The younger participants are pulled away by their parents, led into new dances and song while those who are older and bigger begin to tackle the fire. When they leap, the ends of their clothes catch fire and expertly shake off the flames.
Claude joins the group and when his turn finally comes, he leaps higher than most. The crowd gasps and cheers, clearly impressed by the first feat. Some of those around the flame encourage him to go again and again and each time, he leaps fearlessly, even when the fire has grown to the point that he's practically leaping into the flames instead of over. When he jumps he thinks of the time he's been away. It's been so long since he'd last cleansed himself with flame. He thinks of Fodlan, of Leicester, of Judith, Ignatz, Leonie, Hilda, his friends, the ones who died under his command, the classmates he killed in battle, the ones he couldn't save...
Flayn might notice that when he jumps, some of the others always follow. The same can be said for when a large, scarred man who roars when he leaps.
Tiana places a hand gently on Flayn's shoulder and into the inner ring of the circle around the flames. She claps along with the song and leans in close to her to explain, "Almyra's heroes. The ones who returned from the war." She points to the large man, "That one is the Nader, the greatest general in the kingdom."
When Claude jumps one more time, Nader is at the end to throw his arm over his shoulder and tussle his hair. It's clear that the two are close.
When it looks like no one else will be leaping over the fire though... a man suddenly bursts from the flames much to the shock and awe of everyone in the crowd. His robes burn at the ends and grabs both Nader and Claude by the arm, saying something to both of them and dragging them both right back into the flames for more. The man is wild-- absolutely wild-- and after a second and third leap, he kicks at the fire with his boot, sending a burning piece of wood tumbling and rolling over towards a group of small children who let out delighted shrieks and begin to take turns jumping over it.
Nader hangs back at the main fire and it looks like he calls some of the soldiers over to break down the fire into smaller ones for others to take turns with. Meanwhile, the wild man throws his arm around Claude's shoulders and begins to maneuver him over towards Flayn and Tiana. As they approach, she might notice that the two look very similar to each other. He has his mother's eyes but it's clear who he takes after the most--
"Tiana." The man laughs.
"Malik." Tiana greets with a light curtsy and before she or Claude can introduce her, the man speaks.
no subject
His grandfather, Judith, his classmates, his friends... They'd all made Fodlan so much more bearable and now some many of them were dead. If not dead, he'd surely let them down in other ways. He'd dissolved the Alliance, given it away to the enemy they'd resisted for years...
Some volunteers add more wood to the fire, making the flames grow higher and brighter. The younger participants are pulled away by their parents, led into new dances and song while those who are older and bigger begin to tackle the fire. When they leap, the ends of their clothes catch fire and expertly shake off the flames.
Claude joins the group and when his turn finally comes, he leaps higher than most. The crowd gasps and cheers, clearly impressed by the first feat. Some of those around the flame encourage him to go again and again and each time, he leaps fearlessly, even when the fire has grown to the point that he's practically leaping into the flames instead of over. When he jumps he thinks of the time he's been away. It's been so long since he'd last cleansed himself with flame. He thinks of Fodlan, of Leicester, of Judith, Ignatz, Leonie, Hilda, his friends, the ones who died under his command, the classmates he killed in battle, the ones he couldn't save...
Flayn might notice that when he jumps, some of the others always follow. The same can be said for when a large, scarred man who roars when he leaps.
Tiana places a hand gently on Flayn's shoulder and into the inner ring of the circle around the flames. She claps along with the song and leans in close to her to explain, "Almyra's heroes. The ones who returned from the war." She points to the large man, "That one is the Nader, the greatest general in the kingdom."
When Claude jumps one more time, Nader is at the end to throw his arm over his shoulder and tussle his hair. It's clear that the two are close.
When it looks like no one else will be leaping over the fire though... a man suddenly bursts from the flames much to the shock and awe of everyone in the crowd. His robes burn at the ends and grabs both Nader and Claude by the arm, saying something to both of them and dragging them both right back into the flames for more. The man is wild-- absolutely wild-- and after a second and third leap, he kicks at the fire with his boot, sending a burning piece of wood tumbling and rolling over towards a group of small children who let out delighted shrieks and begin to take turns jumping over it.
Nader hangs back at the main fire and it looks like he calls some of the soldiers over to break down the fire into smaller ones for others to take turns with. Meanwhile, the wild man throws his arm around Claude's shoulders and begins to maneuver him over towards Flayn and Tiana. As they approach, she might notice that the two look very similar to each other. He has his mother's eyes but it's clear who he takes after the most--
"Tiana." The man laughs.
"Malik." Tiana greets with a light curtsy and before she or Claude can introduce her, the man speaks.
"And you must be our guest." )