#katsum almor

[the-dragons-knight]

FFXIV Write 2022

Prompt #14 - The Bet

Attrition - ‘win a war(or bet or argument etc.) by wearing down the enemy’

——————————

Katsum made a mental note to never make a bet like this again.

She and Aymeric had been joking around last night before bed in the cheesiest and mushiest of ways a couple could, trading compliments back and forth and showering each other in love and affection. Yet when Aymeric had challenged that she was the one who showered him with more affection than he did her, she had made it official.

“We will see who can last the longest tomorrow without a kiss from the other. Whoever wins can tease the other for the rest of the evening. What say you to that?”

Aymeric had grinned at her and moved to lean over her, caging her in with his arms as he stared down into her eyes with a smoldering gaze, “Deal. But you should know, my dear wife…I will be merciless,” His breath tickled her nose and her ears flicked back as she pressed herself lower into the mattress as he moved closer, “That prize is just too sweet to resist.”

Katsum blushed, trying to grin through the nervous excitement she felt to push back, sitting up on her arms to press her forehead against his, “As will I.”

Though that was more a bluff than a promise. He’d grinned wider and at the time, she figured she knew what she was in store for.

She didn’t.

He had indeed been ruthless.

When she woke this morning, he was waiting for her, leaning over her just a breath away.

“Good morning, my love~,” He cooed softly, leaning just slightly closer, inviting her to press her lips against his. She’d almost forgotten, leaning forward with a smile to take it, yet she’d stopped just an inch away and played it off like that was her plan.

“Nice try, dear Aymeric,” She’d hummed as she pushed him away, trying her best to hide the fact that she had almost lost immediately.

“Worry not,” He’d replied as he’d freed himself from the covers, “‘Twas only the beginning.”

And it really had been.

Normally as they both left the house in the morning, he would pull her in for a kiss goodbye. He did the same movement this morning only he stopped to press his nose to hers and whispered, “I pray you have a good day, my sweet, and I hope to see you whenever you catch a free moment.”

She’d blushed at first, yet in retaliation, she’d against pushed back as she’d laid her hand on his chest, gently sliding it down just enough that she knew he would feel it through the layers of his regalia. She watched the slight change in his eyes as they darkened a little and she smiled back, “I’ll come by and spend lunch with you. We will have plenty of time to play our game then.”

He’d hummed in response, “I look forward to it.” He’d turned to leave then, waving her goodbye, and as she’d closed the door behind him, Katsum had to lean against it for a moment to calm herself.

Heavens, why was he always so tempting!?

When she’d come to the Congregation at noon, he’d smiled as she’d walked into his office with the tray of tea and their lunches. He’d taken her hand after she set the tray down, pulling it almost against his lips but stopping just before they touched her skin, looking up at her with the same smoldering eyes he had given her that morning. It sent a shiver down her spine and she cleared her throat and gently pulled her hand away, finding his desk to be very interesting to look at just then.

“Are you alright, my dear Kat?” He’d purred, watching her fight to keep her eyes from his. She’d heard the amusement in his voice clear as day.

“Of course, why do you ask?” She’d smiled as she’d laid out his lunch for him once he’d moved his papers aside, lifting the tea kettle to pour some into his cup.

“Because it appears your tail fur is standing on end.”

She had very nearly dropped the kettle, glancing back to see that her tail was indeed betraying her, the fur puffing out to nearly twice its size. Her embarrassment was very clear and she knew Aymeric had to be holding back a laugh. She tried to hide her tail a bit as she poured his tea and stepped around his chair to pour hers.

“Are you sure you are feeling, alright, dear?” He had asked again with an amused tone to his voice, “Your face does look rather red.”

It had only clicked then how to respond as she’d set down the kettle and moved to press against him from behind, wrapping her arms around his neck where she knew he couldn’t retaliate and whispered next to his ear, “Can you blame me, love? You are always so enticing it’s hard not to get flustered when you’re around.” She blew a little on the back of his ear and watched his grip on his fork tighten. He too had blushed this time yet he’d still glanced over his shoulder at her and grinned back despite the flush on his cheeks and the tips of his ears.

After that, lunch had passed by quickly, and she’d left him with another exchange of temptations, but neither of them had broken just yet. Now it was close to evening and with the help of the faithful servant of House Borel, she’d set a nice candlelit dinner for the two of them, hoping to find a way to break his resolve before the end of it. Though that had been a few hours ago that she’d had that thought.

She had been waiting quite a while now, glancing up at the clock. Usually, he was home by now and while dinner hadn’t grown cold, it would be before long. An anxious feeling set in; what could he be up to? Her mind raced at the thoughts that came to mind, going from innocent heartfelt gifts to something a bit more..tempting. He wouldn’t get the idea to change his clothes into something like that to walk home in the cold though…would he? The thought was rather scandalous she realized and blushed. It was her husband she was thinking about, so it was alright to let her mind wander though it certainly did not save her from the ever-darkening flush on her cheeks to let it do so.

Suddenly, her ears perked at the sound of the front door opening and of footsteps of someone coming in out of the cold, “I’m home. I’m sorry I ran behind.”

Something about Aymeric’s voice sounded off so she stood quickly and headed towards the hall, hoping he wasn’t fooling her into a false sense of comfort. As she turned out of the dining room door and caught his gaze down the hall, she knew he wasn’t.

His eyes were tired, his posture showing his exhaustion. Whatever had happened after lunch had taken its toll on him she guessed. She sighed and smiled sadly at him, moving to meet him there. He smiled tiredly at her as she moved up to him, reaching out to cup her face and move in…

…And stop as he remembered. His eyes widened as hers did, the thought clicking for both at the same time.

“Ah, right…the challenge,” He sighed, nearly letting go before he shook his head, “I will take the loss. It has been a very long day and I really wish to kiss you.”

He drew her in yet before he could initialize the kiss, she pressed forward and kissed him first. She could tell he was surprised but didn’t let it stop him from kissing her, gently holding her cheek as he sighed in relief. She pulled away for a breath and whispered against his lips, “How about we call it a draw instead?”

He blinked, but smiled and nodded, “As long as I get to kiss you again.”

“Of course, you may,” She pecked his lips again, moving closer and pressing against him, “And the rest of the evening is ours to spend together.”

“Yes…at last,” He kissed her again, pulling her into a deeper kiss than before so that she wrapped her arms around his neck.

#ffxiv #katsum almor #aymeric de borel #final fantasy xiv #ffxiv writing #warrior of light #ffxiv writing challenge #aymeric x katsum #aymeric x wol #wol/aymeric de borel #aymeric de borel x wol #aymeric de borel x katsum almor #final fantasy xiv oc #<3 #otp #ffxivwrite 2022 #wol/npc

[the-dragons-knight]

FFXIV Write 2022

Prompt #10 - Beautiful Memories

<<WARNING: Endwalker 6.0 Spoilers ahead!>>

Channel - ‘to serve as a medium for’

——————————

“You must focus, Katsum,” The little dragon Midgardsormr mused, “The Echo is an extension of your aether. However much you are concentrating on one thing is what determines how much it is channeled towards that one thing.”

The blonde miqo’te stared harder at him, stretching out her hand even more towards him as she did her best to focus on the little green and pale pink dragon. She could just feel the tendrils of the Echo on the edge of her consciousness, yet the roots were far too small to take hold.

Knowing now that the Echo was a gift from Venat - Hydaelyn as she had been known to them before then, Katsum had been trying to harness the gift at will. Often the visions came at very…inopportune times, especially in the days she had traveling the First. She had feared many times that it would come and take hold in the middle of a battle and it would mean she or someone would get hurt. Or worse.

So to prevent anything like that from happening again, she had sought out Midgardsormr’s assistance to find a way to control it; to stop it from appearing when it was not needed, and to call upon it when answers were needed.

“Focus!” He hissed softly again and Katsum groaned in annoyance.

“You have to focus too!” He retorted, dropping her hand as her tail lashed, “I need something to latch on to, a memory of some kind. Right now you are only focusing on me.”

“Ah, I see. Hmm…” The little dragon closed his eyes for a moment in thought, but at least he wasn’t hissing at her to focus anymore. He had helped her get in the mindset to succeed though which is what she had asked for.

After a moment, Midgardsormr nodded and said while keeping his eyes closed, “Let us try now.”

Katsum took a deep breath to steady her thoughts. She raised her hand again and concentrated on him. She breathed slow, feeling a small spark of aether beginning to grow in her hand. Then she saw the roots of the Echo take hold, felt the energy pulling at her mind and she welcomed it. She was surprised the usual headache was not present as she embraced it. It was like a gentle wave of light that washed over her mind and enveloped it as she was pulled into the memory.

The light blue skies surrounded him as the wind filled his wings. He breathed in deep, the sweet air filling his lungs. It was a welcomed thing; after the many days where only the smoke and ash of the dying Dragonstar had filled the skies, the clear days of this world, of Etheryis, were liberating. He only wished that she was here to see it too.

Suddenly, a flash of gold and a flash of green sped past him and he looked down to see his eldest son and daughter, Bahamut and Tiamat, racing through the clouds, the young dragons laughing as they chased one another. Midgardsormr smiled, glancing over to the hatchlings fluttering beside him. Nidhogg, the black and red scaled one, was the oldest of these three while Hraesvelgr, the white scaled one, was a few hours younger. They were both helping their little sister, a red-scaled hatchling he’d named Ratatoskr, learn to flutter and soar with them and their father. They took turns flying down to catch her if she faltered, all giggling as they flew together happily without worry or fear before them.

Midgardsormr’s heart swelled at the sights, knowing this is why she was not here. If not for her and what she gave up, their children would not be growing up so freely in this new world. All dragons would have been lost forever, and it was because of her sacrifice that they now lived on. He glanced over his shoulder to the two remaining eggs that were nestled safely in his scales.

He promised her that he would see their children live and grow in this new world of hope, and he would keep that promise. Forever.

The light brightened as the memory disappeared and Katsum drew back from it. The Echo faded softly and she opened her eyes as she looked at the little dragon. He blinked as he looked back at her, a curious expression on his face.

“Were you able to see?” He asked, cocking his head sideways.

Katsum didn’t answer, but rather stepped forward and pulled the little dragon into her arms as she hugged him. He squirmed a little before he gave in and snuggled against her.

“I saw it, yes. That was a beautiful memory, Midgardsormr. Thank you for sharing it,” She said softly, a tear falling from her eye before she realized it and dropping on his wing.

She felt Midgardsormr stiffen a little, but relaxed again. She knew that her gentleness surprised him sometimes.

“Dear child,” He mused, a quiet yet thankful rumble echoing from his throat, “I thank you for your kindness as ever.”

Katsum smiled and loosened her hold on him, cupping her hands to let him sit comfortably there, “Thank you for your help too. I still have much to work on with it, but this was a perfect start. Thank you.”

“Of course, child. I shall be glad to help you further your training whenever I can.”

She smiled warmly, “Will you tell me about her one day?”

Midgardsormr blinked and thought for a moment before he nodded softly, “One day.”

#ffxiv #katsum almor #midgardsormr #ffxiv writing #final fantasy xiv #warrior of light #ffxiv writing challenge #heavensward #miqo'te #final fantasy xiv oc #ffxivwrite2022 #ffxiv writers #bahamut #tiamat #nidhogg #ratatoskr #hraesvelgr #first brood #dragons #lady of dragons #echo #the echo #ffxiv venat #hydaelyn

[the-dragons-knight]

FFXIV Write 2022

Prompt #1 - Paperwork

Cross - ‘angry and annoyed’

——————————

In the few years that they had been married, Aymeric had begun to learn the subtle nuances his wife gave off when her mood would shift from its usual demeanor. The signs were extremely small, as Katsum had spent years depending on only herself and had fashioned her stoic mask to hide them, but as time went on though, they had learned just how much they could depend on each other, and so she used that mask less and less. And so he began to see them more and more. For instance, the slight twitch of her tail when she was annoyed with something, the slight droop of her ears when she was feeling embarrassed, or even the very quiet days when she spoke so softly it was hard to hear and stuck close to his side wherever he went, eventually tugging on his sleeve to ask for a hug and assurance.

Today, he was noticing very strained and frustrated movements. Her ears were slicked back the slightest bit and the very tip of her tail twitched as she was reading over the documents in her hands. He could see her fingers tighten on the page and how she swung the page over to read the back spoke to him that her patience was wearing very very thin. He could just see the tight expression on her face too, the thin line of her lips pressed together to keep her mouth from pulling into a growl. Whatever report they had sent to her was not at all a good one, so much so that it was all the Miqo’te woman could do to keep herself from charging out the door in a rampage at that very moment.

He watched her carefully from where he stood by the bookshelf, his chosen book in hand as he called out to her then, “Love?”

As if broken from a trance, Katsum’s ears perked up and she looked up at him, her posture straightening in the chair as her blue eyes met his, “Y-Yeah?”

He’d caught her off guard certainly, seeing her mind snapping back to reality and out of the fiery storm of rage that had been building in her thoughts by the way her expression softened as she looked at him. The observation made him smile softly at her as he moved closer, “Is something wrong?”

“Wrong? Oh,” She fidgeted slightly, suddenly realizing how much of her frustration had begun to show, “It’s…it’s nothing. Just some annoyances…”

“Just ‘annoyances’?”

“…Yeah…well nothing I can’t…handle I suppose.” She sighed and her ears fell back again, her fingers gripping the pages a bit as she glanced back at the words and then back at him.

Aymeric glanced down at Katsum’s tail where it was pressed against her lap in the chair, the fur still bristling even as she tried to smooth it down and set down his book on the desk, “Are you certain it is nothing I cannot help you with? As Head Speaker for the House of Lords, I am well versed in the art of report readings and letter writings,” he chuckled softly trying to make her laugh or smile at the joke, but she remained quiet, “And I’d be more than happy to offer my assistance if you’d like?”

Katsum sat still for a moment before she sighed heavily and leaned back in the chair, dropping the documents she held to rub her hands over her face, “I think…I just…I don’t know, Aymeric. I think I should handle them on my own.” She dropped her hands into her lap and looked down at them, appearing more like a somber kitten than the barely contained lioness she had been not minutes ago.

He pondered her answer for a moment, looking her over silently before nodding with a sorrowful sigh, “Very well, my love. I understandable.”

“Thanks, love. I’ll try not to take to—!?” Aymeric had moved to her chair and pulled it back from the desk before taking the papers from her and setting them down and lifting her into his arms. She scrambled to throw her arms around his neck as he moved past the desk to the window seat/bed in the corner of the study where he sat them both down with Katsum nestled in front of him in his lap. He pulled her back against his chest, wrapping his arms around hers, and snuggled his nose into her hair and against her furry ear with a contented smile. He felt her wiggle in protest, yet he held fast to her.

“Aymeric, I—”

“You are frustrated, Katsum. Far beyond ‘annoyances’.”

She stopped fighting him and slumped, “How did you…how can you tell…?”

He kissed the top of her head to soothe her worries, “I can tell only because I have come to know you so well, my love. And I have been in the very same place you are many times before which is why I ask please let me help. If not with the documents themselves, then with a few moments of rest here in my arms to regain inner peace and composure before continuing. Better to have a clear head when answering letters such as these than to be cross and rush in with so much raw feeling.”

She huffed and settled back into him, snuggling her head under his chin, “It’s just the…incompetence of these people sometimes…I know the work to build a village in Dravania was going to be taxing and dangerous. That’s why I planned so much ahead, yet still, they act like I haven’t thought a single thing through. It is so frustrating…but as the queen, I feel like I must handle the issue on my own even if it is just some workers' complaints and grievances…”

Aymeric gently caressed her arm, “You do so much for your kingdom’s lost people and no one can doubt that, but you do not have to do it alone, Kat. I unfortunately have worked with so many reports and paperwork in the past that I know exactly what you are feeling right now, so I propose this. Let us go and get some tea to relax with, and when you feel ready, we’ll come back and get your response written and sent off quickly so that we can enjoy the rest of the evening together in peace. What do you say to that?”

The blonde miqo’te was quiet for a moment before she nodded slowly with a deep sigh, “Ok…but can we sit here a little longer first…? This feels nice…”

Aymeric smiled and pulled his dear warrior of light ever closer, “Of course, my dear. We may stay here for as long as you’d like.”

#ffxiv #katsum almor #aymeric de borel #aymeric x katsum #aymeric x wol #ffxiv writing #final fantasy xiv #warrior of light #wol/aymeric de borel #aymeric de borel x wol #ffxiv write 2022 #ffxiv writers #miqo'te

[the-dragons-knight]

FFXIV Write 2022

Prompt #3 - The Desert Dragon

Temper - ‘heat of mind or passion that is often shown in outbursts of anger’

——————————

“This is the drake I spoke of.”

Katsum followed Hamujj Gah’s gaze to the large pen with a single Battle Drake in it, the beast hissing and glaring at everyone that passed by his enclosure. The drake’s scales were striped maroon shades while his eyes burned like amber fires. Compared to the other drakes in the pens nearby, he was massive for his young age and far more aggressive. The spikes all over his body were sharpened to dangerous points, and she guessed by the scrapes on the ground and rocky walls of the pen that he had sharpened them himself. He was quite a terror to look at, a lazy plume of smoke falling from his gaping jaws promising he would most certainly spit the flames he breathed at anyone who dared enter his domain.

The blonde miqo’te narrowed her eyes as she dropped her ears slightly in thought. This was the battle drake they were gifting her as a Sister of Ash? Hamujj Gah had promised that the drake they chose for her would not disappoint, and it certainly didn’t, but she didn’t expect to have to train it herself too. At least not from the very basics. This one looked as if he had hardly ever been touched let alone spent any valuable hours with the drake-handlers.

She looked up at the blue-robed Amalj’aa and crossed her arms, “He appears to have had no experience interacting with anyone..”

Hamujj nodded, “Yes, he has ever been a violent creature since the day he hatched. He is far smarter than the others of his brood and would fight them to get his way in everything. When they came of age to begin training…no one could stand against him. He was - he is - too powerful for any of the Ring of Ash to conquer,” He met her gaze with a confident nod, “But for the warrior, you who have conquered Ifrit, I believe that you are the only one who has the strength to win him over.”

“And if I don’t win him over?” They watched as the drake charged the pen’s fencing when a younger Amalj’aa threw over a slab of meat, scaring the youth into stumbling after throwing it in and fleeing, “What will you do if he is indeed ‘untrainable’?”

“Then I am afraid there is little hope for him. Such a beast could not live here in our camp nor could we risk it attacking others if it were set free.”

In other words, she was this drake’s last hope. If she didn’t “tame” him, then death would. The stoic scion sighed to herself, closing her eyes to think as the possibilities swarmed about her head. What had started as just a mission to learn of these friendly Amalj’aa had become something far more enlightening than she could have imagined. She found she enjoyed learning their customs and stories, trying to remember what she could and recording them in her journal to be able to take back and share with others someday so that they may see what she had through those stories. She’d watched some of the young come of age and conquer their drakes and she’d fought beside them, and even hunted with them - though hunting desert animals was far different than the forest elk and deer she had hunted on the Draic isle. She looked back up at the pacing drake and knew what she had to do.

“I am unsure if I shall be able to tame his violent temper,” Katsum mused, taking a deep breath, “But I will try to. I accept.”

- - - - - - - - - -

The two Amalj’aa standing on either side of the pen’s gate stared at the armored miqo’te with wide eyes, baffled to see that she was going to challenge the ‘desert dragon’. The knightess tightened her bun-wrapped hair and the straps on her shield, flipping her sword over her arm as she took a deep breath and nodded to them. With reluctance, they slowly opened the gate wide enough for the small woman to step through. The pen was built like an arena with the outer walls built overlooking the inside so that the tribe could witness a youth’s coming of age in the conquest of their drakes. She could see quite a few had come to witness hers, yet Katsum paid them little mind; the drake was far more concerning. The gate closed behind her as quickly as it had opened, but she didn’t bother looking back. It would only show hesitation, and as the glistening, fiery golden eyes of her adversary were already locked on her, it would be best to keep any such thoughts or feelings hidden.

Katsum watched the drake drop his head low, a deep, guttural hiss echoing from his jaws as his long claws scratched at the ground beneath him. She stood her ground, leaning down with a scowl and holding her weapons at the ready, glaring back at him as they sized each other up. They circled slowly, watching each movement and step, looking for the brief moments to strike where the other’s guard was weakest. As he hadn’t attacked yet, she could only guess that he was having as much of a difficult time finding an opening as she was, which was some small relief to know.

“Remember, this is the only chance, Katsum,” Hamujj Gah’s voice echoed over the walls as he stood in the tall outer walls of the pen, “He is far too smart and will learn your fighting style and kill you if you were to try a second time. Make this one chance count, warrior.”

She took a deep and slow breath and shouted, “On my honor, I shall.”

As if he understood the words they spoke, the drake as he snorted a plume of smoke angrily. With his head reared back, the drake roared and charged forward, closing the distance between them in a matter of seconds and standing on his back legs to tower over her as he swiped his claws down. She lifted her shield as the talons slammed against the metal and swung her sword upward against the softer under skin just under his left arm. The tip of the sword just barely grazed his skin, yet a thin, red line appeared as the beast yowled and stepped back. He turned to retreat, Katsum had thought, but when she saw his tail swinging around, she barely had time to lift her shield to stop the dangerous spikes from impaling her. The force was enough to knock her off of her feet and skid backward a few feet, and she rolled through to try and catch herself.

Getting to her feet, Katsum raised her shield again just in time to block the incoming jaws of the drake, the force of the scaled beast banging against her shield over and over again like he was attempting to break it. The drake hissed as he tried to claw at her, snap at her, anything, but each time she shifted her shield to block him. Rage built in his eyes and he jumped back and sucked in a deep breath. The scales lining his sides began to glow with warmth and his eyes lit up as she could see a spark in the back of his throat when he opened his jaws. Again, she held her shield fast as the drake breathed out as a stream of fire erupted from its mouth. Katsum felt the heat all around her, yet she held fast to keep from getting burned, clenching her teeth to hold her resolve. He was a stubborn one, and his anger only seemed to grow with each moment they fought.

And he was also getting smarter.

Suddenly Katsum felt a spiny barbed tail slam into her back and hook onto her shield. As she flew to the ground, her shield was ripped off of her arm and flung across the pen. She gasped trying to catch her breath and stagger back to her feet, watching the drake trot over and stand over her shield, its clawed feet reached down to dig into it. He hissed as if he was laughing and Katsum wiped the small trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth. She adjusted her stance and held the knight’s blade with both hands, “Come on, then. See if your luck is any better.”

The beast growled and charged again and Katsum swung her trusted blade and sliced the air where the drake had to nearly fall over to dodge. Again he lunged in and again she deflected him. She met each swing of his jaws or claws with her blade, her movements fast enough now to match his without her shield weighing down her arm. Yet it was clear to her that they were matched in the sense of Katsum making sure to hold back a measure of her strength to keep from killing him. This was going to go nowhere and they would just be beating on each other until they tired out at this rate. She needed an upper hand to win this. While she tried to figure out how to gain that upper hand, she pushed him back a step each time they traded blows. The miqo’te would at least prove to him that she was the stronger of the two and see how he would react to that knowledge.

As she imagined, of course, he was not happy. He tried to bite at her blade and tear it from her hands, but the polished metal slipped harmlessly from his jaws. The drake hissed and growled, his talons scratching the dirt as he tried to brace himself against her and fight back, but still, she pushed him. Fire burned in his eyes and Katsum knew it was about to get ugly.

The drake caught her sword in its claws this time, latching onto it and slamming the tip of it to the ground under it. The brief moment of surprise was all he needed to catch her off guard and lunged to snap his teeth on her shoulder. Katsum dodged, his fangs scraping against the metal plating on her shoulder as she stepped back, wrenching her blade free from his grasp as she moved. Something caught her foot and she stumbled slightly, though that worked in her favor as the drake spun around and swung his tail at her again, missing her by inches as she had to duck to regain her balance. She spared only a glance to see that her shield was what had tripped her. She reached out to grab it, but the drake's talon slammed into it as he thrust his head down snapping at her.

Katsum jumped back to avoid him, yet he was now making sure to leave no openings for recovery. She shifted again out of the way as he clawed out at her then snapped at her, flinging one attack after another, adding his barbed tail for good measure as he fought with every fiber of strength he had. Katsum took a deep shaking breath and leaned back again to avoid his jaws and spun on her heel, switching the direction of her blade in her hand. She had one shot at this. She aimed at the barbed tail that was fast approaching and thrust the sharpened iron down between the spikes, through the drake’s tail, and into the ground below it. The drake yowled in pain, his body pulling against the sunken blade as it was just deep enough to stop him in his tracks. With an angry hiss, the drake’s scales began to glow again as it summoned its fiery breath and coiled in to face her. She scrambled to reach her shield from under his claws. The sound of his lungs filling with a deep breath filled her ears, and her trembling fingers desperately tried to grab ahold of the straps. Finally, she looped a finger into the strap and pulled with all the strength she could muster, freeing the shield from under the drake’s weight. He shifted slightly, yet he was unfazed as his jaws widened.

But it was over, and she knew it.

Katsum spun herself on her heel again and swung the shield around with her, turning a complete circle before smashing the iron shield across the side of the drake’s head. His head was blown to the side by the force, sending him backward, his fire dying with a stunned gasp. The drake fell on his side and lay still for a moment, his body shaking as his sides heaved and he panted. He tried to pull himself to his feet again, yet the impact of the shield had his legs trembling. His head was probably still rattling around; Katsum knew her arms certainly were.

The blonde’s arms were almost vibrating from the way the metal had hit, the echoes of the clashing forces traveling up her fingers and into her arms and shoulders until it was hard to tell if they were still vibrating or just numb now. She slumped slightly as she too gasped for air as she watched the drake think, trying for a few more moments to stand before his body fell still and his eyes closed. She’d done it. She’d won.

The crowd of gathered Amallj’aa erupted in cheers and shouts, the battle having put on quite the show it seemed as there were quite a few more than she remembered seeing. Katsum forced herself to stand up straight and reach for her blade. She pulled the blade free from the ground and out of the drake’s tail as Hamujj Gah and two others came toward her. One of the two quickly raised a clawed hand to the wound on the drake and spoke healing magicks upon it to stop the bleeding while the other reached out to her to help heal the cuts and bruises the drake had given her.

Hamujj Gah gave the miqo’te a wide grin - the closest an Amallj’aa could get to genuinely smiling - and nodded at her excitedly, “Well done, warrior sister. Well done!” The healer moved back from her and he stepped forward to hand her the golden collar and ring for the drake’s tail as well as what looked like a golden muzzle-shaped bridle, “The drake is yours now and so you must equip him with these relics so that all with know he is a battle drake.”

She sheathed her sword and slung her shield on her back again and then took the relics from him and glanced over at the drake, noticing now he was getting to his feet again and the Amallj’aa that had healed him had bound his jaws shut to avoid the drake’s fire. They truly were terrified of him. The drake came to stand before her as was prompted by the young Amallj’aa, the fire in his eyes a defeated smolder as he stared at the ground. He knew he’d been beaten and she guessed that he had watched countless other drakes be conquered, watched them become almost as slaves to their new masters. He had been fighting to keep his freedom, fighting his fate, and that was something she understood very well. Katsum gripped the relics in her hands and stepped forward to drape the golden collar around his neck and clasp the ring on his tail. Then she came to stand in front of him yet he did not look up to meet her eyes, though she did not mind. She raised her hand to his jaws and pulled the rope that bound his jaws shut until it snapped. She then tossed the golden bridle back behind her in the dust towards Hamujj Gah. The whole arena went silent.

“Katsum, what are you…” Hamujj gasped and the youths moved to cower behind him.

Katsum did not answer him nor did she even spare him a glance. She kept her sapphire eyes locked on the drake’s face. Slowly, the drake glanced up at her, moving as a new emotion - worry - now appeared in his eyes. He looked into her eyes, taking a slight step back as his curiosity was heightened too, but he did not dare to strike or flee. He stood silently before her, standing as equals. Katsum’s eyes softened and opened her mouth to speak, “We are not so different, you and I. Fearing a fate thrust upon us.”

The drake’s head turned to the side slightly, but he seemed to understand what she said. She smiled a very faint smile, “I do not force you to serve me, but I ask you to join me in my adventures and travels. Not as a beast of burden, but as a partner; a companion; a friend.”

Katsum held out her hand to him and waited patiently, seeing the drake’s eyes widen slightly as his gaze darted from her eyes to her hand in thought. Most she was sure would find this laughable, saying the drake would surely strike at her hand and be done with it, but she believed differently. Every animal she had ever come to know had a heart, a soul, making them far more intelligent than many people would think they were. If he wanted to attack, he would have already. She was vulnerable with her weapons put away, she’d be an easy target. But he didn’t. He understood her words too, realizing she didn’t want to beat him into submission and wanted him to accept her as she accepted him.

The drake’s scales were smooth on her hand as he had dripped his head and pressed his nose into her palm. She smiled warmly as she caressed his scales, and a deep sigh of what she guessed was relief rumbled in his throat as he closed his eyes. The Amallj’aa were in awe all around her, but Katsum only smiled as she pet the drake she had just befriended.

“They called you a ‘desert dragon’ right? Well then, from now on, I shall call you Draco instead.”

#ffxiv #katsum almor #final fantasy xiv #ffxiv writing #warrior of light #ffxiv writing challenge #miqo'te #final fantasy xiv oc #paladin #a realm reborn #amallj’aa #beast tribes #ffxiv write 2022 #ffxiv write #ffxiv writers #yes draco is quite the angy boi to strangers #but best guard dog/drake

[the-dragons-knight]

FFXIV Write 2022

Prompt #2 - The Seven Umbral Calamity

<Takes place before the events of A Realm Reborn>

Bolt - ‘a sudden dash, run or flight’

——————————

The sky above was clouded and dark with streaks of fire and smoke covering the once peaceful blue. The terrifying sight filled Katsum’s eyes as she found herself frozen in place, gripping Soldier’s reins tightly to keep the horse still. One moment, it had been a beautiful, peaceful day with only a few clouds dotting the air. That singular and ever strange red moon too had been floating far above the ground, but it had been there for ages. Only recently had it begun to grow closer and closer to the ground, but this…

Fiery storm clouds swirled around the red moon in the distance, huge bolts of lightning sparking off of it as it descended lower and lower. Though it was falling far across the sea from them, the energy coming off of it was enough to make the waves cease their crashing on the shore she stood on and all the birds and animals of the forest go silent.

“KATSUM!” The blonde’s cat-like ears twitched as she tore her gaze from the sky up the hill to see her friend, Criston, atop his horse looking at her in panic, “Come on! We have to get back to the castle!”

Before she could respond, the earth rumbled with a great shake, both horses struggling to stay on their feet. The two youths watched a bright light explode from the red moon and shooting bolts of fire flew from it in all directions. Lightning struck the flying debris and some of the burning projectiles began falling through the sky toward them.

Katsum’s eyes widened and her ears fell back in fear. She twisted Soldier’s reins and wheeled him around with a swift, terrified kick to his sides, “RUN!!”

Without another moment of thought, the young stallion bolted forward, adrenaline filling his lungs and muscles as Katsum clung to his mane and they followed after Criston’s horse at a full-out sprint. Streaks of light flew overhead and behind them, the smaller, faster pieces of burning rock falling all around; through the trees, against the rocky hillside, and into the sea, a loud hiss echoing after the water engulfed them. The two horses ran side by side now, and the elezen and miqo’te youths huddled close to their horses, glancing all about to swerve away from the incoming burning debris. Soon the trees began to give way to the castle town in the distance and they spurred their horses onward as the spark of hope shone before them.

A loud hissing behind them made Katsum look back just in time to cry out, “WATCH OUT! MOVE!” And they separated as a boulder-sized piece of debris flew past them and smashed into the dirt ahead of them. Bits of grass, sand, and rock flew into the air, and Katsum and Soldier banked right to avoid it, skirting around the flaming shard to race towards the castle town gate. Katsum’s knuckles were white and she found it hard to breathe, gripping her horse’s sides tighter as she saw the guards waving to her to hurry. She saw one of them point at something in the sky behind her and she glanced back to see a very large meteor-sized piece of debris blotting out the sky as it fell towards her. There was nothing she could do; it was impossibly fast and it was clear Soldier was not going to outrun it nor have time to get out of the way. She fell upon her horse’s neck and closed her eyes, holding onto him tightly as he ran on and waited for the impact.

Suddenly, a roar split the silence in half as a bolt of flame shot the falling rock and blew it to pieces, the threat now only small hand-sized rocks that fell around Katsum and Soldier harmlessly. A darting shadow passed over them and Katsum looked up at the red blur that passed by and flew into the clouds around the castle and town. The red-scaled creature shot every comet and falling piece of debris that was headed for the kingdom’s town, rendering each one that threatened to fall on the city to ashes and pebbles. The young girl was stunned, wide-eyed, and felt a spark of excitement fill her heart. It was a dragon! A real, living dragon! And not just any dragon, but THE dragon! The very dragon who was painted on every banner and flag of the kingdom; the Crimson Prince of Thunder. She wanted to watch him, but her stallion whinnied. She reluctantly tore her gaze from the soaring dragon to follow his gaze to the safety of the castle gates and the knights and guards waving to her.

It was then she heard the panicked voices of her parents, and she locked eyes with her father who now stood in front of the guards, his red fur and bristling tail unmistakable, and beside him her mother, the blonde woman with a look of relief.

“Come on Katsum! Spur him on again! Quickly!” Her father called to her, and she listened, giving Soldier another kick as he jumped into a faster gait. The sound of hooves beside them let her know that Criston and his horse had made their way back beside them and she spared him a glance to make sure he was alright. Passing through the tall stone gates, the two horses skidded to a stop, their sides heaving and sweat beading off of them.

With shaking hands and legs, Katsum fell into her mother and father’s arms as they reached up to pull her into their embrace. Her mother cried into her shoulder as she hugged her and her father held Soldier’s reins. Katsum saw Criston’s family doing much the same for him, and they all breathed a little easier now to be in the safety of the castle town walls.

The creak of the iron gate made everyone turn to watch it and the drawbridge began to close, the fiery skies still raining burning comets as the red dragon flew over and roared again, battling the skies to keep them all safe from the calamity that now fell upon the earth.

#ffxiv #katsum almor #final fantasy xiv #ffxiv writing #ffxiv writing challenge #final fantasy xiv oc #miqo'te #seventh umbral calamity #before arr #before a realm reborn #wol backstory #ffxiv write 2022

[the-dragons-knight]

FFXIV Write 2022

Prompt #21 - This Too Shall Pass…Right?

Solution - ‘a means of solving a problem or dealing with a difficult situation’

——————————

He found her in the study, sitting with the chair pulled up close to the desk and her head in her hands. She massaged her scalp gently around her ears, a motion Aymeric recognized as something he did for her when she came to him for comfort when she was stressed. He sighed softly and moved towards her quietly, making sure to make a little noise to let her know he was there.

“Katsum?” He called out softly, “My heart, are you alright?”

Her hair tossed from side to side as she shook her head in a ‘no’. He reached her side and laid a hand on her shoulder, kneeling to her height as he looked for her eyes hidden beneath her golden, red-highlighted treses.

“How can I help?” He asked softly, rubbing her shoulder and then sliding his hand across to her upper back.

“I just…I don’t understand,” She shook her head again and Aymeric caught how her eyes were pinched shut, the corners of them damp as she was attempting not to cry, “Why doesn’t it work!? We’ve tried nearly EVERYTHING to fix it, yet each time, it works for a little while, just enough to get your hopes up, and then crashes again!” She slammed her hands into the desk, startled herself as she pulled her hands back and a hiccup let her lips.

Aymeric frowned as he leaned over to embrace her, gently wrapping his arms around her until she leaned against him and let the tears flow. With a sigh, he rested his chin on her head, his voice filled with concern, “I don’t know how to help you, love. I don’t know if I can. Not with this thing you are fighting with.”

Katsum shook her head, trying to speak amidst her tears, “I can barely understand it myself…so please don’t feel like you aren’t helping enough,” She pushed herself closer to him, curling into his chest and pulling his arms tightly around her, “This…this helps. This helps so much…”

“I wish I could do more…I know you are exhausted…it’s worrying…”

“I know…I’m sorry, Aymeric…”

The raven-haired elezen pressed a kiss to the top of her head and hugged her ever closer, “I know you are, dear. I know you are trying your best.”

The miqo’te in his arms nodded slowly, sniffling, “Do you think I’ll ever get it to work…?”

“This too shall pass, remember?”

She nodded, and breathed in a deep sigh as she snuggled under his chin, “This too shall pass…”

#ffxiv #katsum almor #aymeric de borel #final fantasy xiv #ffxiv writing #warrior of light #ffxiv writing challenge #aymeric x katsum #aymeric x wol #heavensward #miqo'te #elezen #wol/aymeric de borel #aymeric de borel x wol #aymeric de borel x katsum almor #otp #ffxivwrite 2022 #ffxivwrite2022

[the-dragons-knight]

FFXIV Write 2022

Prompt #20 - Then Stay

Anon - ‘soon’

——————————

“Don’t go…” Katsum whined sleepily, holding desperately to her husband’s arm as he moved to get out of bed.

Aymeric chuckled softly and let her pull him back down to her, curling around his arm as he leaned over her and kissed her head.

“I must, my love. It is an emergency gathering of the houses and as the Lord Speaker, I must be there.”

“But it’s the middle of the night…”

He pulled her against him so that she snuggled into his chest again and she sighed softly, “Hm, I would love nothing more than to just stay right here.”

“Then stay.” She mumbled into his neck, pressing a chaste kiss just under his jaw.

“You, my dear beloved Kat, are going to get me in trouble,” He laughed, reaching down to tilt her chin up and kiss her lips. Katsum sighed into the kiss and moved forward to deepen it, but her dashing elezen pulled away, gently prying himself from her grip to get dressed. The miqo’te pouted as she curled into the silken covers, watching him as he put on his many layers of regalia, enjoying the show of his back muscles flexing as he moved. The many metal pieces chimed as he fastened them into place and he caught her gaze when he turned back to her.

“Why are you so pretty?” Katsum yawned, pulling the covers up to her chin and watching him.

“Ah, but that is my question to you, love,” He stepped around the bed to her side and leaned down to kiss her again, lingering when she reached up to cup his face and kiss him back. He pulled away again and pressed his forehead to hers with a sigh, “I will return anon, I promise. However drastic the discussion must be, it is nothing to the call of your warmth and loving arms.”

She hummed, “Are you sure you have to go…?”

“Yes, Kat, I am sure. I will be back before long though, I promise.”

“…Ok. Just be safe please,” She pouted again, wrapping her arms around his neck to hug him.

“I shall. I love you.”

“Mm love you too.”

“Sleep, my love. I’ll be snuggled up with you when next you wake.”

“Promise?”

“Ha ha…yes, I promise.”

“Ok.”

Aymeric laid a kiss on her hair one last time before he pulled himself free of her arms and pulled the covers back over her and stood up, moving to the door quietly and exiting their bedroom. Katsum listened as his footsteps echoed through the hallway and then down the stairs, slowly fading away the further he got. She groaned when the sound all but faded entirely, snuggling into the thick blankets to fight against the cooling of the plush sheets. She reached out and pulled Aymeric’s pillow into her chest, cuddling it close so that the smell of it would lull her back to sleep. Hopefully, she’d wake in an hour or so and he would be back where he belonged, in her arms and fast asleep with the most peaceful look on his face. Until then, she’d wait patiently for him to be hers again, and try to get some rest while doing so.

#katsum almor #aymeric de borel #ffxiv #final fantasy xiv #ffxiv writing #warrior of light #aymeric x katsum #aymeric x wol #miqo'te #wol/aymeric de borel #heavensward #aymeric de borel x wol #aymeric de borel x katsum almor #<3 #otp #ffxiv writing challenge #ffxiv write 2022

[the-dragons-knight]

FFXIV Write 2022

Prompt#19 - Gracious Heroes of Ishgard

Turn a Blind Eye - ‘to pretend not to notice’

——————————

“Oh! My Lord Aymeric! Lady Katsum! How glad I am to have caught you!”

The lord and lady of House Borel stopped and turned to the young man who was jogging up to them. Katsum’s ears flattened slightly with a twitch in her tail. She and Aymeric had just been in the middle of a wonderful conversation that had made her heart flutter…only for it to be interrupted. Aymeric caught her eye as he laid a hand on hers that held his arm, an apologetic and warm smile that asked for just a moment of patience. She sighed as she put on her best soft smile and looked with him to the hyur who now stood in front of them with his hands on his knees breathing heavily.

“What can we help you with, ser?” Aymeric asked with his signature smile.

The man smiled up at them and nodded as he took in a deep breath, “Ah, yes sir. I do apologize, I know you both have just started a break…but I have a most important matter that I really must ask for you to look at ser.”

“Please,” Katsum waved her hand with a narrowed gaze, “Ser Aymeric will be back in his office in an hour or two. Please let him have his time to relax and he will see to your matter as soon as he returns.” She was getting so tired of people using his habit of not turning away from those who needed help to their advantage, calling their matter ‘most important’ when it truly wasn’t at all. They’d taken too much for his time already most days, so today as she was home, she would make sure he got his rightful time to rest for a little while.

The man, however, was very persistent, “Oh, I’m sorry, my lady, I had meant to say that I needed both of your attention. The matter at hand includes those of the dravanians too, and as the esteemed Queen of Dragons, please may I have you both look over it.”

Katsum was speechless but ready to shoot him down. Flattery meant nothing to her.

“Plus, Miss Tataru had assured me that you would know everything I would need to help with my venture too.”

Her tail dropped at that. Oh no…

“Still,” Aymeric pleaded, “Just a little bit of time for us to relax after the morning of paperwork she has been helping me with, and we will reconvene on your case as soon as possible.”

The man again shook his head, “This could mean the future of Ishgard and Dravania alike! Please, is that not enough for the two most important figures - nay two heroes of Ishgard to not look into immediately?”

Oh, he went there, and Katsum was pretty sure she knew what was happening.

“Very well,” She nearly toppled over as she heard Aymeric’s tired voice say, stepping forward to walk with her and the man back to the congregation, “Please make it brief though. I really need to rest a while before this evening's gathering of the houses.”

The man grinned happily and nodded with satisfaction, sighing heavily as if in relief, “Oh thank you, ser. So very kind you are. And thank you too, madam, thank you ever so much-”

“Listen well,” Katsum scowled at him as she halted Aymeric beside her and snapped the fingers on her free hand. From above the market where they stood, a scaly beast came flying down, landing with his tail encircling his master and her husband. Draco’s gilded golden collar sparkled as he hissed softly and stared at the man with a reptilian grin on the drake’s face, “If this matter is not at all as important as you say, it will be Draco that escorts you out of the city for you to return another day. So pray that Rowena has made it worth the trouble, hm?”

The man paled, stuttering as he nodded, “Oh uh haha…I-I do believe she has, m-ma’am.”

“I’ll be the judge of that. Now walk on. We shall be there in a moment.” Katsum hissed.

He nodded quickly and sprinted away from them towards the congregation. Katsum sighed and looked up at her tall, raven-haired Lord Commander and leaned against his arm, “You are far too kind sometimes love.”

“I know…They clearly know I want what’s best for Ishgard and use that against me. I would get no rest at all were it not for you, my dear.” He smiled with a chuckle as they started walking again, Draco walking loyally beside her with a proud look in his eyes.

She nodded, hugging his arm, “Next time, let’s try to say no and keep saying no. As you told me once, the world can fight on for a little while to let the warrior rest, so Ishgard can fight on to let its Commander rest too.”

“Of course, my heart.”

“And just remember you got us into this mess,” Katsum’s tail dropped at the mere thought, “It’s Rowena who sent this and there’s no telling what she’s proposing.”

Aymeric nodded, “Agreed. I will make it up to you later…and I hope this will not take hours…”

“I hope so as well…but also betting that it will…”

#ffxiv #katsum almor #aymeric de borel #aymeric x katsum #aymeric x wol #heavensward #final fantasy xiv #ffxiv writing #warrior of light #ffxiv writing challenge #ffxivwrite2022 #aymeric de borel x katsum almor #aymeric de borel x wol

[the-dragons-knight]

FFXIV Write 2022

Prompt #16 - Praise and Sweet Caresses

((Some Mature Content Ahead))

Deiform - ‘godlike or divine in nature’

——————————

“Beautiful.”

Katsum sighed as his lips burned a trail down her neck, knotting her fingers in his silken raven hair while she felt his hands caress her hips and his arms encircle her middle. He pulled her closer to him until their chests were flush against one another, only the thin layer of her nightgown separating her bare skin from his. How thankful she was that she’d convinced him to sleep without a shirt. She sighed again when he dragged his fingers down her spine, the straps of her nightgown slipping down her arms at the motion, but she couldn’t care less.

Aymeric released his kiss on her neck to breathe a long, hot breath on her shoulder before pressing his nose into the nape of her neck. Her feline ears fell back against her skull and her tail curled around his knee.

“Stunning.”

She wasn’t quite sure how she’d gotten here, but she wasn’t at all complaining. She’d come out of the washroom in her nightclothes and saw the tall figure of her elezen husband sitting in the armchair by the dim fireplace. When she’d gone to check on him, he’d snagged her by the waist and pulled her into his lap, and began showering her with praise and such sweet caresses. Whatever restful sleep she’d been thinking of was a fleeting thought on the wind now.

Aymeric dragged his nose up her neck and gently nipped the skin just below her hair and Katsum’s hips rolled slightly in reply. His grip on her tightened as he groaned, yet she caught the faintest hint of a growl just below it.

“I have been waiting for you…” He said finally, his fingers finally finding the hem of her silken nightgown and toying with it, “Waiting for my goddess to come home to me…”

He pulled back to allow his lips to find hers in a searing - almost burning - kiss that left her panting for air and more of him. She whined slowly at his fingers that toyed with her gown and the ones that held her thigh, squeezing it gently as he dipped in his head again and kissed where her shoulder met her neck.

“M’sorry…” She managed to coax out through her mumblings, “It was such a long day fighting with that…doesn’t matter…” She shook the memory of the day away, though another thought popped into her head as she looked away from him, “A-and I’m-”

“Nothing short of divine, my Kat,” He interrupted, releasing her thigh to catch her chin and turn her eyes back on him, staring her down with a darkened, serious gaze, “There will be none of that tonight or any night. Chase those lies out of your head, my love, for they are just that. Lies.” He kissed her deeply and cradled her tightly as he stood up. Katsum’s legs reacted quickly to his prompting and latched around his waist as he slowly walked them over to the grand canopy bed they shared. She let every self-image thought fly from her mind as he laid her gently on the covers, crawling over her and pressing himself against her again and kissing her like something he couldn’t get enough of.

His hands found her arms and he unwound them from his neck and hair to lace their fingers together and press their hands into the mattress on either side of her head. He settled comfortably - perfectly - in between her legs while her heels pressed on the backs of his thighs, holding him close as her tail brushed against his hip.

He paused and smiled down at her warmly, leaning down to press a chaste kiss to her forehead and whisper against her hairline, “My dear angel, I know you have had a very long day. So if you would allow me, I would like to take care of you now and help ease the pains of the day. May I?”

Katsum felt her cheeks flush as she squirmed a little under him shyly. He knew exactly what to say to make her melt, to make her embarrassed and want to hide her face. He knew exactly what he was doing as he held her still, grinning as he leaned in and kissed her slowly and sweetly, drawing her bottom lip into his mouth and tugging at it gently.

She had given in long ago they both knew, but ever the gentleman, he waited for her approval.

Katsum loved that.

“Please,” She murmured, earning her a gentle kiss on the cheeks as she looked up with half-lidded eyes, ready to fall completely into bliss, “I love you…”

“And I so dearly love you too.”

#ffxiv #katsum almor #aymeric de borel #aymeric x katsum #aymeric x wol #wol/aymeric de borel #final fantasy xiv #ffxiv writing #warrior of light #ffxiv writing challenge #heavensward #miqo'te #elezen #wol/canon #aymeric de borel x wol #aymeric de borel x katsum almor #<3 #otp #spicy #spicy content #ffxivwrite2022 #ffxiv writers #ffxiv write #^///^

[the-dragons-knight]

FFXIV Write 2022

Prompt #13 - Atuning to the Dragon

((I’ve been looking to write the part where Katsum reawakens Raihogg and I’ve done a little bit of it before but wanted to rewrite it but its such a daunting thought in my head I’m thinking to do it in small parts so…here’s a very small shot at part of it. Just wanetd to get something written for the prompt too, maybe will help with later writing as well.))

Confluence - ‘act or process of merging’

——————————

She could feel his power through her fingertips. It was a dense aether that swirled wildly in the space between them with his rage and it was hard to stay standing against it. Katsum’s knees buckled as she fell to them, fighting against his energy to keep her hand outstretched towards him, her own aether reaching out trying to reach him.

His eyes broke her heart. Eyes that shined a blue gray but were lifeless and angry. His soul was not present, hidden somewhere deep within his being as it had been for centuries. Royal after royal had known him only as a protector, a creature that protected them and the kingdom, and they had forgotten who he had been, who he was.

She would not make the same mistake. She would break this wheel and free him from himself.

The great red dragon roared, his voice sending another wave of aether at her as she grimaced yet held firm. She could see a spark glowing in the back of his mouth, the light growing brighter, yet still she remained with her hand outstretched.

Suddenly, she felt her aether take hold and she looked into his eyes and felt the familiar pull of the Echo overcoming her mind.

She closed her eyes and pulled herself into his memories where she knew she would find the answers she needed to awaken him.

I’ll bring you back, Raihogg. I promise. You have suffered alone for long enough.

#ffxiv #katsum almor #final fantasy xiv #ffxiv writing #warrior of light #ffxiv writing challenge #miqo'te #heavensward #wol backstory #raihogg #dragon #queen of draic #queen of dragons #ffxivwrite 2022

[the-dragons-knight]

FFXIV Write 2022

Prompt# 12 - Has He Asked Yet?

<<Late Heavensward Spoilers Ahead>>

Miss the Boat - ‘be too slow to take advantage of an opportunity’

——————————

“So? Has he asked yet?”

Katsum eyed Y’shtola who was grinning across the table at her, swirling the wine glass in her hand. She’d been asking that a lot lately; especially since the battle on the Steps of Faith with Nidhogg’s shade and the end of the Dragonsong War. She knew who she was asking about; Aymeric. Ever since they had come to Ishgard, Y’shtola and Thancred immediately caught one to the chemistry going on between the Warrior of Light and the Lord Commander and had been keeping a rather close eye on it, asking from time to time if they’d asked each other to go out on a date or a walk or something. Each time, she answered that she hadn’t and he hadn’t asked her, and she could tell the two were slowly getting frustrated at that answer.

“If you are asking what I’m pretty sure you are,” Katsum huffed quietly so that the whole of the Forgotten Knight didn’t hear and handed Midgardsormr who sat on her shoulder half of her butter tea cookie before she lifted her teacup to take a sip, “No. And before you ask-”

“Have you asked him?”

“No…” Katsum rolled her eyes softly, “Why are you so hung up on this? You and Thancred both.”

“Because it’s the first time either of us has seen you smile or fawn over someone, ANYONE. So of course we are maybe playing a bit of matchmaker and making sure he doesn’t slip away from you.” She hummed with a bright smile before she turned her head to the side and looked at her seriously, “Though you do realize that if you don’t act at some point, you may lose him?”

Katsum paused and glanced over at her over the rim of her tea cup.

Y’shtola continued, “He is a very handsome man, Katsum, and a nobleman with a small fortune as well. Let alone that he now holds the highest seat of power in Ishgard. It won’t be long before someone makes a move if you don’t.”

Katsum narrowed her eyes and set down her cup, glaring at Y’shtola slightly, “You aren’t thinking to yourself are you?”

“If I said yes, would that prompt you to make yours?” She shook her head with a laugh as Katsum looked like she was about to hiss at her, “Relax, child. I have no romantic motivations towards him, no. But I will ask him for you if you don’t say something soon.”

Her jaw dropped, “You wouldn’t.”

“Oh but I will,” The white-furred miqo’te finished her glass and stood to her feet, “We haven’t seen you happy before, Katsum. Not truly like we have seen you lately. I don’t want you to lose this so please ask before you regret not asking. And as I said, if you don’t, I will ask him for a date for you. Don’t make me have to embarrass you like that, hm?”

Y’shtola then turned and made her way to the bar to get another drink and Katsum just watched her go. Truly, it was nice of them to be looking out for her and want her to be happy. They had nothing to gain from it - save for maybe some entertainment she guessed - and yet still both Y’shtola and Thancred were moved to try and help her and Aymeric get together. It was heart-warming a little…but it also made Katsum very anxious and feel like she was always being watched with the two of them acting a bit like excited parents wondering when she was going to ask the boy out.

“I suppose you aren’t going to tell them that you both have been ‘going out’ for a month or so now, correct?” Midgardsormr quietly asked from on her shoulder, chuckling, “And you aren't going to tell her about your date tonight either?”

Katsum’s cheek flushed a little as she looked back to her tea cup with a soft smile, “Nope. They’ll figure it out I’m sure, but for now, it’s kind of nice keeping it quiet.”

At this the little dragon chuckled again and munched on his piece of the cookie, “Indeed.”

#ffxiv #katsum almor #final fantasy xiv #ffxiv writing #aymeric de borel #y’shotla #y’shtola rhul #warrior of light #ffxiv writing challenge #aymeric x katsum #aymeric x wol #heavensward #post heavensward msq #heavensward msq spoilers #aymeric de borel x katsum almor #katsum almor x aymeric do borel #ffxivwrite2022 #ffxiv write

[the-dragons-knight]

FFXIV Write 2022

Prompt #8 - She said No

Tepid - ‘characterized by a lack of enthusiasm’

——————————

Sparks flashed as the swords met mid-air, the gladiators pushing against one another trying to weaken their opponent and gain the upper hand. It was a savage dance, one that used far more brute force than Katsum ever cared to use. Yet still, she made sure to learn the fighting style of these gladiators as she knew it would do more to help her in this strange new land than it would hinder her. She stood by the railing, looking down to the arena above the colosseum, taking a small reprieve from training with Mylla. The miqo’te had found she enjoyed training with the highlander woman. She had a stern way of teaching, but it mirrored the way Katsum was training herself and so it helped. The woman was kind too though once she realized you were worth teaching, which is why she had noticed Katsum’s hands shaking slightly from fatigue and told her to take a break and rest.

“It’ll do you no good to wear yourself out. Your training can wait until you’ve gotten a good meal and relaxed a bit. Come back once you’ve done that, alright?” She said before sending the young miqo’te on her way. So here she stood not really watching this clash of warriors lost in thought.

Katsum hadn’t relaxed since she exited her inn room this morning. How could she in a place so foreign and unknown to her? A city full of strangers who could have any number of dangerous thoughts, all meaning to harm her or steal from her…or worse…She turned the Draic dragon necklace in her hand, gently stroking the red ruby at its center in thought. She would often reach up to find it and be sure it was still there, holding it close to her heart. A gem like this would easily be stolen when she wasn’t looking in this city; she didn’t have to live here long to figure that out. So she was always vigilant, always watching, and making sure it was hidden in her armor for safekeeping. Then they could always question how someone like her came to have this necklace.

The young woman watched the gladiators move below, taking note of every opening they exposed and how neither one noticed them, frustrating Katsum slightly. Little wonder it was so easy to knock them off of their feet in the guild ring.

“Ah, ‘ello there,” Katsum’s ears flickered behind her and her hand tucked the dragon necklace into her armor and shirt before whoever it was could see. She glanced over her shoulder to see a hyur man also dressed in armor grinning at her standing there, his helmet nearly covering his face save for the visor that was pulled up. She noticed how his eyes roamed over her for the briefest of moments and she remembered him then; he was the one always volunteering to fight with her when Mylla asked, and he always tried to get very handsy for lack of a better way to think of it.

She nodded curtly to him as she moved to stand up straight, watching as he moved up beside her, “Watching the match too, huh?”

She shrugged slightly, “Somewhat.” Right now she was far too busy making sure he kept his distance. He seemed to be completely obvious to that fact.

“Exciting isn’t it? Can’t wait to try my hand at it one day,” He looked over at her again with that same, unnerving grin, “I reckon you are too, right? With as much as you wipe the floor with everyone at the guild, you’d be a great fighter I’d imagine. Make lots of Gil too!”

She didn’t answer right away, shifting back a little bit to put some more room between them but she shook her head, “I’ve no interest in fighting in the colosseum.”

“What, not even a little? No enthusiasm for it at all?” She shook her head again and he chuckled, “You’re a strange one. Katsum wasn’t it?”

She nodded slowly.

“That’s a very different name. Not from Ul’dah certainly. Are you a foreigner?”

Katsum’s tail was beginning to puff up as she was not liking where this was going, “Why?”

He chuckled again, “Oh come on, I only mean to get to know ya betta. You’re a stronger lass I’ve noticed and so I been wanting to know more. In fact,” Then he stepped close, Katsum realizing he was far closer than she remembered, “How about a drink or two at the Quicksand? Might help you feel a bit more lively? Help relax a bit eh?”

Katsum’s eyes narrowed and her tail flickered slightly, “No thank you. Now please step back.”

Still he grinned and she felt his breath hit her face, “Come oon~ Just a drink, that’s all.” He reached for her arm and grabbed her wrist.

She snaped.

Katsum thrust her hand that he held into his side, making her back up a step and double over. With that moment of opening, she broke free from his grasp and twisted his arm behind him, holding it there while she pushed his head over the railing. She stopped, looking down at the back of his head with a glare as he realized what predicament he was in now. She had him off balance, holding him from stepping back, but also keeping him from tumbling over the railing to the ground below.One push was all it would take…

“P-Please don’t!”

“Then next time when a woman says no, she means it. Got that?”

“G-Got it! Got it! Now please…!”

Katsum pulled him back and let go so that he tumbled back onto the ground with a heavy thud. She watched his face go from shock to a glare as he stood, yet before he could speak a word, another voice spoke up from beside her.

“Well now, that’s not very smart of you.”

Katsum whirled around to see a white haired hyur standing there, leaning on the railing, grinning at the gladiator. She remembered him from that day in the desert, at the Sultantree. She was slightly relieved it was someone she somewhat knew she guessed and not one of his buddies coming to help overpower her, but she hadn’t heard him walk up. When had he…Had he snuck up on them? Maybe she didn’t hear him while she was growling at the man.

He noticed her staring and gave her a nod as he stood up straight and spoke to the other again, “She did say no and then saved you from falling I saw. Best to leave it at that and run along with your tail between your legs, son.”

“She’s the reason I…who even are you!?”

“Someone who’s telling you to stand down. Indeed, it was she who held you there, but with two voices against yours here, son, you were harassing her and then almost fell and died. Do you really want to try this?”

“I wouldn’t have died-”

“You would have fallen on your head had she let you,” The man interrupted and it seemed some realization hit him when he said that, looking at Katsum now, “So if I were you, I’d leave her alone. I doubt she’ll be so merciful next time.”

Katsum glared at the gladiator as his eyes filled with terror and he backed away before turning to run. When he was gone, she let out the breath she didn’t know she’d been holding in and nodded in thanks to the not-so-unknown stranger, “Thank you.”

“Anytime. Are you alright though?”

“I’m fine. I can handle myself.”

“Oh that wasn’t even a question, but by the look in your eyes, he did surprise you at first, though I’m sure you knew what was happening. So as a kind gesture, I ask again: Are you alright?”

“…Yes. Thank you.”

He smiled softly and nodded, “I realize I didn’t introduce myself before. The name’s Thancred. And I believe I heard him say your name was Katsum?”

She nodded.

“Well, good to officially meet you. Trouble seems to find you like that a lot?”

“Sometimes it seems like.”

He chuckled, “A sentiment I myself understand well. Well, should you find yourself in trouble and you see me, feel free to reach out for assistance. I’ll be happy to help.”

Katsum looked at him and he understood, holding up his hands, “Not in the creepy way like he was, only as a measure of good faith. Another friendly gesture I assure you.”

She thought for a moment before she nodded, “Alright.”

He dropped his hands and waved a farewell, “I’m sure we’ll meet in that trouble soon enough. Until then, take care of yourself, Katsum.”

She watched him go, silence returning to the space around her as she sighed in relief. She reached up and pulled out the necklace again, looking in the ruby and pressing it to her chest, praying a silent, thankful prayer for its and her safety.

#ffxiv #katsum almor #final fantasy xiv #ffxiv writing #thancred waters #warrior of light #ffxiv writing challenge #a realm reborn #ffxivwrite2022 #ffxiv writers #miqo'te #paladin #gladiator #before the scions #baby wol #mylla swordsong

[the-dragons-knight]

FFXIV Write 2022

Prompt #7 - Midgardsormr Watches

Pawn - ‘someone who is used or manipulated to further another person's purposes’

——————————

How could she not see?

They were using her for her strength and in turn they were being used by another. A chain of deceit as man’s greed and lust for power made him turn against his fellow man and use him as a ladder to climb ever higher. Such was the way of these mortals he knew. For the centuries he had lived on this star, ever was it the same.

She had struck him differently the day she had come to where his old corpse was still wrapped around that Garlean vessel. She was the first to show respect and reverence, and it had thoroughly shocked him. No mortal had had so much courage to stand firm and speak to him let alone speak as “equals”. How his curiousity had been peeked, and when his lost child apeared around her as aether, he knew.

“Oh Raihogg, my child…”

Midgardsormr knew what path his son had chosen and knew of his fate. His soul forever bound to the necklace this miqo’te woman wore, and his soul falling silent over the years. He still mourned for her then, that mortal woman who had saved him as he had saved her and her people. Oh beloved child…

If what she said was true, then his son had chosen her. She did not force his power to emerge, but rather he had moved to protect her himself. Mortal words only spoke so far with him as he had seen what they often meant. A dragon’s word held far more weight.

And so Midgardsormr had chosen to listen.

The little Father of Dragons watched from the shadows as she was given another mission, carefully eyeing the men and women in the royal blue uniforms as they spoke with her and a young elezen with white hair. He had seen what she had not, overheard the whisperings of the coup that soon would unfold. It was well hidden from sight, yes, but he had seen it. And yet, he said nothing. The quarrels of men were not his to fight and so he would not intervene or speak on them either. Though he could not deny that something about this girl, this child, made him feel…almost protective. He pondered intervening here and there, something he truly had never entertained the thought of before save for when he and his hoard fought at Silvertear Lake, but he always restrained himself. Twould not do to say he was judging her worth and poweress for himself and then move in to help.

No, he would remain silent. He would remain in the shadows watching over her and his son. He would follow them on their journeys. He would know if she had the strength to realize the truth and see the traitors hiding in the darkness. He would see if she had the knowledge to find the truth of her past. Only then would he share what he knew. Share the truth of the histories man and dragon shared.

For now, he would watch this game of power and people play out, and he would see how the pieces landed.

All while he silently prayed for this mortal…Katsum’s…and his son’s safety.

#ffxiv #katsum almor #midgardsormr #warrior of light #final fantasy xiv #ffxiv writing #ffxiv writing challenge #a realm reborn #a realm reborn msq spoilers #miqo'te #paladin #final fantasy xiv oc #ffxivwrite2022

[the-dragons-knight]

FFXIV Write 2022

Prompt #6 - Was it Worth it?

<<Warning: Major Endwalker 6.0 Spoilers ahead>>

Onerous - ‘burdensome, oppressive, troublesome’

——————————

Has it all…been worth it?

Though Katsum hated to admit it, this question had made her think. Especially with the fact that it had been Zenos of all people who had asked it. In the last tendrils of her fury in finally ending him, and in her heart bursting with hopeful adrenaline, she’d immediately responded yes, every moment of it. She still did answer yes…or so she thought she did.

There truly wasn't a worse place for her to think about such heavy things than a quiet room. The parlor was one such quiet space now, only the gentle crackling of the flaming fireplace and the patter of the heavy snowflakes hitting the windows outside. It was enough to keep the silence away, but not enough that her mind didn’t dive further into itself and go on a bit of a journey through memories.

From the day she was crowned queen to the day she defeated the Endsinger and taught her a song of hope, in the grand view of the entire journey itself, it had brought the world back from the brink of destruction over and over. No one could argue that, but what had it done for her specially? A journey is only as good as the good lessons and values it helps teach the traveler. Katsum knew this to be true.

And every question that sliver of doubt tried to whisper, she made sure she had an answer to.

You lost your family, your home. A castaway in a foreign land with nothing but a necklace…

How much she had grown from those days, that frightened and broken queen hiding behind a stoic mask. Back then she watched every person like they knew who she was and were just waiting for her to turn her back. She trained harder than any Gladiator did back then, fought like each battle was for survival. She'd been so tired, so anxious. Only when someone saw her behind the mask and saw the true heart of Katsum Almor did the mask begin to melt away. They had comforted her, accepted her, and reassured her of every insecurity and fear until there was no mask to hide behind anymore. She was just Katsum. The warm-hearted young queen whose smile was filled with hope and kindness and whose blade flashed with the fury of a dragon when protecting those she loved and cared about or anyone who could not protect themselves.

People constantly asking for your help, but were they just using you?

No, not all. Of course, there had been some, but their true colors had been shown eventually. People and Eorzea and other adventurers alike. Yet she had found the Scions - or maybe they found her. Perhaps the first group to appear to be ‘taking advantage of her strength’ yes, but as time passed, they all grew together and became a kind of family in their own right. Had it not been for them, her journey would not have gone quite so far, maybe not even past the gates of Ul’dah. Not only the Scions but countless others she had met along the way, friends and allies from every corner of Etheirys that had shown they would drop everything to help if called upon. Whatever thought of being used there may have been at first, to have anyone repay the favor shows that they meant to repay her for all she’d done for them.

You spent so much of your time helping this land. What did you gain out of it?

A new home, a sense of duty, a new life to guide her from the shadows of her created self-guilt, and a chance to find her parents and her people who she had thought dead. If her journey never led her out from Ul’dah, what troubles would she have found herself in? What alleyways would she be seeking shelter in? What else would she be running from? She could not help but think that perhaps she would have died back then had her path not been paved the way it was, and she had the Savior to thank for that, for every step both peaceful and burdensome.

So many people fell by your hand, and so many lives were cut short. What of them? Were their lives worth ending?

This was the thought that made her heart drop, her tail falls limp and her ears fall against her head. If she could go back, she’d do whatever she could to save who she could. Some of those lives did not have to die. Some might have listened to reason had it been spoken or simply been put to sleep as they passed by. Yet still many others would have found such thinking shameful. Katsum understood loyalty to a fault well, and so she should not believe that some of those men and women on the battlefield would have stopped despite their homeland telling them to keep moving. Still more had believed their path the far more righteous one and would have never even entertained the idea of turning away from what they believed, from what the world had forged them to see in the chaos they had come from. She knew she couldn’t have saved everyone, no matter how much she wanted to, but she would always try.

The ones that had lost their lives in the battles with her had hurt even more so, or the lives she was too late to save. For some of them, she did not fully comprehend the loss at the time as her heart and soul had been so clouded with her fears and struggles that she could think of little else than just forging ahead, keep pushing forward. Now that she had come so far, she remembered them in prayer daily, thanking them for their sacrifices, and asking the Savior to make sure their place in heaven was always bright and beautiful. Their journeys had been cut short, and for better or worse, they had to go on and keep fighting the good fight. In the end, they had won those battles, but the losses still weighed heavy on her mind.

Will your journey…ever be over?

Why…why would she want it to be?

As a child, she’d dreamed of exploring the world beyond the shores of her home, of seeing the world her father spoke so fondly of in his adventures. She wanted to learn histories, and forgotten stories, and discover every hidden corner and cave this world had to offer. She’d dreamed of meeting a real dragon, like all the ones she’d read about in the kingdom’s stories, to fly on its back and see the world from above the very clouds. She was living those dreams today, soaring farther than she ever imagined. Why would she want this to end?

“Love? Are you still there?”

Katsum’s ears perked at the sweet alluring sound of her husband’s voice, and her heart leaped from its shadowy state, “Yes, I’m still here. Sorry, I was…lost in thought.”

Her ears caught the sound of his footsteps and turned back to the parlor door to watch as Aymeric entered carrying a happy baby blue wrapped in a light blue blanket. The elezen had the warmest, happiest smile on his face as he came around the couch quickly and sat beside her, sitting close enough for their bodies to be pressed close together and looked down at the baby while lifting him to show Katsum, “Now who’s that, Adrian? Who’s that beautiful woman sitting there?”

Adrian looked at Katsum and smiled and laughed, making her heart swell as she leaned her chin on Aymeric’s shoulder and cuddled close.

“I know, you are happy to see her, but who is she?” Aymeric asked again. Katsum blinked, no he hadn’t already…

“Aaa…aa…ma…ma…Mama…”

Katsum’s hand flew to her mouth as she felt a tear spring up in her eye. She smiled brightly as she reached out and gently tickled the little boy, “That’s right, Adrian! You did it!”

“He surprised me just now upstairs as I was changing him with it and I could hardly wait to get back to you here and hope he’d say it again.’ Aymeric was grinning so warmly that Katsum couldn’t stop herself from moving up to kiss him.

“Thank you, Aymeric. Thank you so much…I love you so much,” Katsum cried softly, a tear of pure happiness sliding down her cheek before her husband caught it.

“I do believe that is my line, my sweet Katsum,” He chuckled, gently setting the giggling baby in her arms before pulling them both into his lap and wrapping his arms snuggly around Katsum’s waist and pressing a kiss to her temple, “And I love you so very much as well. By the Fury, I love you both so much.”

Katsum kissed Adrian’s forehead and snuggled back into her husband, content to stay here forever if she could.

Yes, it had ALL been worth it. Every struggle, every heartbreak, every failure, and scar. If it all lead here, to this moment, then it was worth it all.

#ffxiv #katsum almor #aymeric de borel #final fantasy xiv #ffxiv writing #warrior of light #aymeric x katsum #aymeric x wol #wol/aymeric de borel #aymeric de borel x wol #aymeric de borel x katsum almor #ffxiv writing challenge #heavensward #miqo'te #<3 #ffxiv write 2022 #endwalker spoilers #final fantasy 14 endwalker #final fantasy xiv: endwalker

[the-dragons-knight]

FFXIV Write 2022

Prompt #15 - The Adventurer

Row - ‘a line of persons or things so arranged’

——————————

The desert was far different from the island she had known. The heat was similar, but this heat was a dry one. While she couldn’t decide it was worse than the summer heat of her home island, at least she was rather accustomed to it. In the center of all the dust and sand was the ‘jewel of the desert’ city: Ul’dah. That was what the man had called it anyway. Katsum looked up at the large city gates that looked like they’d been carved into the mountainside, their color shining the same hue as the sand that it was almost hard to tell where the ground ended and the city began. With a breath, she took her necklace in hand to hide its sparkling under the beating sunlight and took her first steps into the city.

The streets were paved with the same stone that surrounded the walls and black banners hung from the tops of the walls with a scale holding a gem and a flame. She studied it for a moment before her ears perked and she stepped back before the child that ran by could collide with her. He threw back a quick - and not very apologetic - “Sorry” over his shoulder as he chased after two other boys down the street. Following them with her eyes, she could see the street further down was lined with rows and rows of stalls; the marketplace she surmised. She could just see a few of them where some of the shopkeepers were holding up their wares of beautiful gold and jewels for onlookers or bent over a cooking pot making a fresh meal of some kind.

The thought of food hadn’t been one Katsum had taken the time to ponder on much today and so now she felt her stomach rumble softly. Not something to think about right now with no Gil to pay for it with. She shook the thought out of her head and turned her attention to a pair of guardsmen passing in front of her. They glanced at her but paid little mind as they continued on their patrol, but Katsum eyed them carefully. How strange this place felt, not only because it was not her home or like anywhere she knew, but the very kingdom itself felt…off. In the world she had known, everyone had been open and friendly. They were an island nation where everyone knew each other, so the shopkeeps were kind and worked prices with their neighbors and even the guardsmen waved hellos to any and everyone. They were all pieces of the nation doing their best to make it work.

Here? They were all…strangers. Each person was out for themselves, just as her kingdom had started to become before it fell.

This was the world her father had warned her of and taught her about, how his world had been growing up and what dangers to look for. He’d given her the basics to do what she needed, but now she was going to have to learn to crawl, walk, and run to survive here.

“Oi, adventurer! Over here!”

Her ears perked at the sound of the voice calling out, turning to see a man waving at her, calling her over. She stood them looking at him for a moment, her gaze glassing over with her stoic expression as she turned and walked towards him.

Adventurer. That was what he had called her. Funny that the thing she had always yearned to do would be what the heavens told her to follow now to survive; to atone. Yet follow it she would as she had been called to do it now.

She would hide the young queen running from her past from the world and take on this new title of adventurer. A traveler learning to survive in this new world around her.

#ffxiv #katsum almor #final fantasy xiv #ffxiv writing #warrior of light #a realm reborn #baby wol #the begining of the journey #ffxivwrite 2022 #miqo'te

[the-dragons-knight]

FFXIV Write 2022

Prompt #9 - Curl Up After a Long Day

<Very Slight Shadowbringers Spoilers>

Yawn - ‘deep inhale due to tiredness or boredom’

———————————

It had been a long day for the Warrior of Light, a long yawn escaping her as she trudged into the study, her tail dragging and her ears drooped. She usually knew better than to let Tataru talk her into helping so much, but after all the things she’d done to keep the Scions healthy while they were stuck on the First, Katsum felt like she should do all she could to repay her. That meant a long…long day of running the accountant’s errands. When the day finally came to an end, Katsum was overjoyed, glad to finally be headed home, ready to find her dear husband and cuddle up with him and fall into a deep sleep.

“Oh, good evening, Kat,” Aymeric’s sultry voice soothed her soul and she smiled as her eyes caught sight of him lounging on the couch in a dark blue button-up shirt and pair of black slacks with gold trim. He smiled warmly at her, though his gaze caught sight of her drooping ears and tail soon after and concern filled his expression, “By the Fury, you look exhausted, love.”

She nodded as she moved over to him and mumbled, “Long day…so glad to be home with you.” She came to stand in front of him before she leaned down and slid under his arms. He moved with her to let her climb into his lap, curling up against his chest and snuggling under his chin. After pulling her tail up into his lap and completely settling, she sighed before another long yawn broke its way out. Aymeric chuckled as he gently shifted to get comfortable, moving to lean back against the armrest and settled her between his legs so that she could lay against him while wrapping his arms around her with his book open to read again. She felt his fingers gently caress his back and she snuggled closer, a faint rumbling beginning to echo from her chest.

“I love it when you purr like that,” Aymeric mused into her ear, brushing his lips against the shell of it and the fur.

Katsum squirmed a bit, “No teasing.”

“I said nothing. What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean. I heard the tone.”

He chuckled again and kissed her head, “Couldn’t resist. Forgive me, dear.”

She mumbled softly, “Playful time later…Sleepy now…”

“Of course, my love. May I read to you as you drift off?”

She nodded.

As he started to read aloud, it did not take long for the miqo’te to fall fast asleep, her rumbling purr taking control as she officially drifted off. The day had been a busy and trying one, but she got to come home to this every time. So all was well as long as she got to relax with her sweet love like this afterward.

#ffxiv #katsum almor #aymeric de borel #aymeric x katsum #aymeric x wol #aymeric de borel x wol #aymeric de borel x katsum almor #wol/aymeric de borel #final fantasy xiv #ffxiv writing #warrior of light #ffxiv writing challenge #heavensward #miqo'te #final fantasy xiv oc #ffxivwrite 2022 #<3