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nyandereneko) wrote2019-04-29 08:00 am
nyandereneko) wrote2019-04-29 08:00 am
Entry tags:
The Sound of the Cliftlands
Word Count: 1,849
Summary: The travelers pick up two new companions while passing through the Cliftlands region and end up indulging in the unique atmosphere the melodies of this particular region are known for producing.
*Author’s Note*: Another fic that’s been in my drafts for way too long, and what I consider a nice way to round off the month! I think I posted fics every M/W/F this month…absolutely incredible. A lot of them were to make up for not posting fics frequently last month, but it’s still an accomplishment in my eyes. This fic was inspired by the Octopath Break&Boost soundtrack that remixes some of the songs from the original game and just OOF. It good. This one in particular involves the “A Settlement in the Red Bluffs” track, so if you get a chance to listen to it I definitely think you should! It also mentions a bit of development from this fic, which was really mellow and romantic compared to this one, but igleshegs man I’m really rambling now. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!
Their group had increased in number again, welcoming another duo of strangers—soon to become close companions, no doubt—by the names of Alfyn and Therion. Running into them in Bolderfall, Therion seemed to be more familiar with the area, although he claimed to have a natural predisposition to a lone, nomadic lifestyle. They’d figured that having someone along who was better acquainted with the area couldn’t hurt. Alfyn, on the other hand, had somehow managed to befriend the aloof rogue, probably through sheer willpower and the relentlessness of his dominating friendliness, which he exuded without even seeming to be aware of it. He also happened to be an apothecary, which piqued Nova’s interest the moment she became aware of it.
The profession was an arguably more practical and definitely more physical brand of medicinal knowledge, and she wondered just how diverse of a healer she could be with a combination of clerical and apothecary skills under her belt. Between her hands-on practice and the elemental arts she’d been studying under Cyrus and Ophilia, she was positive she’d be returning home with more ability and talent than she’d ever imagined developing for herself.
“This music is entertaining,” she commented, mostly to herself as she observed the modest gathering of musicians lending their music to the cozy atmosphere. “Reminds me of home a little, although it has a flair you probably wouldn’t find anywhere around there.”
“It’s the sound of the Cliftlands,” Odette, the scholar they were temporarily keeping company with, explained. “A sound I myself have never encountered in quite the same way anywhere else. I presume the Sunlands’ ballads might come close, but even then, they likely have a distinct quality that equally sets them apart.”
Nova wasn’t sure how to respond, or if she even really wanted to. Feeling an immature and unjustified pang of jealousy towards the individual that had the fortune of already being considered one of Cyrus’s friends, she hadn’t really known how to interact with her from the moment they’d been introduced. It was clear the woman understood and had suffered at the hands of his dense nature much as many of the people around him had, but despite the camaraderie Nova knew she should have been cultivating out of such a circumstance, she remained childishly perturbed and mildly resentful.
Alfyn and Therion were already a couple mugs into their evening rounds, and Primrose and Tressa were just getting started on theirs. She knew her mercantile friend wouldn’t imbibe to any unreasonable excess, although she wasn’t sure how experienced Primrose was with that sort of thing, or how often she even partook. Knowing where and how the crafty dancer had grown up, it was likely that she’d had more than enough practice that to keep up with the ambitious boys. Nova and Ophilia were the only two of the party that passed on the offering this time around, the remaining few just content to nurse their own concoctions steadily and leisurely.
“We should dance!” Tressa suddenly suggested, and her words caught the distracted young mage off guard. “C’mon, when’s the last time you danced with me? I can’t even remember, which means it’s been too long.”
“Well, that’s because it’s not really my thing…and I don’t think I’m as good as I used to be.” Of course, her excuse was a vague and hollow one.
In truth, she just didn’t like the idea of being watched…namely by a certain individual, but also by the sharp gazes belonging to their horde of their new friends. Being observed, being judged by a gathering of people she was still interested in maintaining a certain rapport with, that she wanted to ensure had a specific image of her branded in their minds, didn’t sound like much fun. Dancing with her friend in private or back at home in the comfort of the community they knew so well was one thing. Putting herself up for display in a middle of nowhere town surrounded by a crowd of people whose opinions she was very wary of…that was almost as terrifying to her as some of the beasts they’d encountered lurking in the wildernesses they’d previously traversed.
“Nonsense,” Primrose rose from her chair, taking both Nova and Tressa’s hands in her own. “It’s not about showing off, it’s about enjoying yourself. We’re not going to be here much longer, anyway, so you might as well make the most of the opportunity while you can.”
This certainly wouldn’t be the last tavern they visited, although it would most likely be the last one in the Cliftlands. It was hard to distinguish individual aromas from the heady air that swirled with smoke and sweat and mead, but Nova could tell that the dancer had no doubt had a mug or two to drink already. Suspecting that the woman was actually quite experienced with such substances, she was sure she couldn’t have been acting completely on alcohol induced compulsion. As Primrose insistently pulled the two girls to the spot where some of the other patrons were already making use of the space and sound, Nova began to think things would probably be going more smoothly if she’d had some herself.
As uneasy as she felt, she found that it actually wasn’t too difficult to get caught up in the infectious atmosphere once she was drawn into the midst of it. Twirling and hopping and swinging her limbs in time with the notes that danced through the air themselves, Nova really had missed being able to step away and enjoy an evening like this. It made her a little homesick, but having Tressa by her side reminded her just how lucky she was to be here in this moment in the first place. Primrose’s movements were poised and graceful, a perfect accompaniment to the melody they shadowed. It was almost as if she had the same quality of the sheer, billowing fabric that accented her distinct Sunlands’ attire, and in some small measure Nova wished she could adopt even a hint of that kind of elegance someday.
It took her a few seconds to notice, but soon enough the floor was vibrating with the steps of a few more of her reluctant companions. H’aanit couldn’t seem to be coaxed to her feet no matter how hard anyone tried, resigning herself to watching over the two felines that found themselves entranced by the curious festivities. Leaving Tressa and Nova to their own devices, eventually Primrose took it upon herself to draw the shy huntress into the fray. Regardless of her level of skill, the dancer ensured that her timid friend could keep up with the pace and rhythm in a comfortable and accessible way. She was an incredibly persuasive personality, one that Nova admired and couldn’t help looking up to the longer she remained in her company.
Allowing herself to get reasonably swept up in the lax, entrancing melody, she almost jumped out of her skin when she bumped into someone and then caught sight of who it was. The one face she wasn’t sure she could handle staring back at her; she was surprised to find him seemingly as relaxed and involved as the rest of the crowd. In an instant, flashbacks of the night they’d danced together in the Woodlands, just the two of them, made her even warmer than her exertion was. The lake and the moonlight, her confident encouragement, the tune she’d unknowingly hummed that struck him to his core…maybe that night had contributed to the fact that he didn’t mind participating now.
They both swallowed thickly, but the longer they stood still, the more they stood out. Taking the initiative this time around, Cyrus took her hand and fell back in step with the throng. Her mind was whirling with anxiety and befuddlement, but she knew if she kept overthinking things she was just going to ruin this rare and treasured occasion. Pushing her qualms to the side, at least for the moment, she abandoned her doubt and did her best to let herself melt into the music. As the instruments persevered in their playing, the air pulsated with the sounds of enthusiastic patrons and inspiriting refrains. Nova was surprised by how well she was able to keep her balance, how effortlessly her hands and feet moved in balance with his own. She swayed and spun and twisted herself this way and that, her heart blazing like a flame each time they touched one another or caught a glimpse of the other’s radiant and elated gaze.
The hours blurred into an indecipherable swath of time, and the evening became an event that centered around them enjoying themselves as well as the influence of everyone that surrounded them. Getting to have experiences like this was one of the defining reasons Nova had initially sought to undertake such a journey. Testing her boundaries, seeing the true extent of what the world had to offer her, with all the benefits and consequences that came with it. As she tapped and twirled around at Cyrus’s side, she thought about how she’d even had the great honor of discovering what love and true companionship were like. These people were becoming her new family, and she couldn’t have been happier for it. And Cyrus, well, her heart had already made a very unique, permanent place for him.
Summary: The travelers pick up two new companions while passing through the Cliftlands region and end up indulging in the unique atmosphere the melodies of this particular region are known for producing.
*Author’s Note*: Another fic that’s been in my drafts for way too long, and what I consider a nice way to round off the month! I think I posted fics every M/W/F this month…absolutely incredible. A lot of them were to make up for not posting fics frequently last month, but it’s still an accomplishment in my eyes. This fic was inspired by the Octopath Break&Boost soundtrack that remixes some of the songs from the original game and just OOF. It good. This one in particular involves the “A Settlement in the Red Bluffs” track, so if you get a chance to listen to it I definitely think you should! It also mentions a bit of development from this fic, which was really mellow and romantic compared to this one, but igleshegs man I’m really rambling now. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!
_____
Being surrounded by towering russet cliffs wasn’t generally Nova’s preferred setting, but she supposed she could overlook the inconvenience this time around. She didn’t really have a choice, considering she and her companions were taking up temporary residence in the seemingly peaceful mining town of Quarrycrest. She was seized by a hint of unease regarding the prospect of traveling deeper into the maze of canyon’s this corner of the kingdom was known for, but for this leg of their journey she was helplessly along for the ride. Pushing out of her comfort zone a bit probably wouldn’t prove to be such a bad thing, but she still found herself struggling to adapt to the city’s climate and culture to some degree. And the company, especially since she still wasn’t sure how she felt about the old friend Cyrus had been eager to reconnect with who also happened to be a resident of this settlement amongst the cliffs.
The aired that flowed through the crevices that housed most of the Cliftlands’ settlements, like this one, was almost always accented by a warm tinge. It was likely a result of the breeze siphoning some of the heat off the rocks as it streamed over and around them. It wasn’t the same kind of heat Nova was expecting to encounter in the Sunlands, one of the locations she was least looking forward to visiting, but one that she was actually rather fond of much to her surprise. After spending a majority of the day wandering around the town, perusing the various mine shafts and shops populating the streets, the group took refuge in the hub that could typically be expected to house a town’s evening festivities all throughout the realm: the tavern.Their group had increased in number again, welcoming another duo of strangers—soon to become close companions, no doubt—by the names of Alfyn and Therion. Running into them in Bolderfall, Therion seemed to be more familiar with the area, although he claimed to have a natural predisposition to a lone, nomadic lifestyle. They’d figured that having someone along who was better acquainted with the area couldn’t hurt. Alfyn, on the other hand, had somehow managed to befriend the aloof rogue, probably through sheer willpower and the relentlessness of his dominating friendliness, which he exuded without even seeming to be aware of it. He also happened to be an apothecary, which piqued Nova’s interest the moment she became aware of it.
The profession was an arguably more practical and definitely more physical brand of medicinal knowledge, and she wondered just how diverse of a healer she could be with a combination of clerical and apothecary skills under her belt. Between her hands-on practice and the elemental arts she’d been studying under Cyrus and Ophilia, she was positive she’d be returning home with more ability and talent than she’d ever imagined developing for herself.
“This music is entertaining,” she commented, mostly to herself as she observed the modest gathering of musicians lending their music to the cozy atmosphere. “Reminds me of home a little, although it has a flair you probably wouldn’t find anywhere around there.”
“It’s the sound of the Cliftlands,” Odette, the scholar they were temporarily keeping company with, explained. “A sound I myself have never encountered in quite the same way anywhere else. I presume the Sunlands’ ballads might come close, but even then, they likely have a distinct quality that equally sets them apart.”
Nova wasn’t sure how to respond, or if she even really wanted to. Feeling an immature and unjustified pang of jealousy towards the individual that had the fortune of already being considered one of Cyrus’s friends, she hadn’t really known how to interact with her from the moment they’d been introduced. It was clear the woman understood and had suffered at the hands of his dense nature much as many of the people around him had, but despite the camaraderie Nova knew she should have been cultivating out of such a circumstance, she remained childishly perturbed and mildly resentful.
Alfyn and Therion were already a couple mugs into their evening rounds, and Primrose and Tressa were just getting started on theirs. She knew her mercantile friend wouldn’t imbibe to any unreasonable excess, although she wasn’t sure how experienced Primrose was with that sort of thing, or how often she even partook. Knowing where and how the crafty dancer had grown up, it was likely that she’d had more than enough practice that to keep up with the ambitious boys. Nova and Ophilia were the only two of the party that passed on the offering this time around, the remaining few just content to nurse their own concoctions steadily and leisurely.
“We should dance!” Tressa suddenly suggested, and her words caught the distracted young mage off guard. “C’mon, when’s the last time you danced with me? I can’t even remember, which means it’s been too long.”
“Well, that’s because it’s not really my thing…and I don’t think I’m as good as I used to be.” Of course, her excuse was a vague and hollow one.
In truth, she just didn’t like the idea of being watched…namely by a certain individual, but also by the sharp gazes belonging to their horde of their new friends. Being observed, being judged by a gathering of people she was still interested in maintaining a certain rapport with, that she wanted to ensure had a specific image of her branded in their minds, didn’t sound like much fun. Dancing with her friend in private or back at home in the comfort of the community they knew so well was one thing. Putting herself up for display in a middle of nowhere town surrounded by a crowd of people whose opinions she was very wary of…that was almost as terrifying to her as some of the beasts they’d encountered lurking in the wildernesses they’d previously traversed.
“Nonsense,” Primrose rose from her chair, taking both Nova and Tressa’s hands in her own. “It’s not about showing off, it’s about enjoying yourself. We’re not going to be here much longer, anyway, so you might as well make the most of the opportunity while you can.”
This certainly wouldn’t be the last tavern they visited, although it would most likely be the last one in the Cliftlands. It was hard to distinguish individual aromas from the heady air that swirled with smoke and sweat and mead, but Nova could tell that the dancer had no doubt had a mug or two to drink already. Suspecting that the woman was actually quite experienced with such substances, she was sure she couldn’t have been acting completely on alcohol induced compulsion. As Primrose insistently pulled the two girls to the spot where some of the other patrons were already making use of the space and sound, Nova began to think things would probably be going more smoothly if she’d had some herself.
As uneasy as she felt, she found that it actually wasn’t too difficult to get caught up in the infectious atmosphere once she was drawn into the midst of it. Twirling and hopping and swinging her limbs in time with the notes that danced through the air themselves, Nova really had missed being able to step away and enjoy an evening like this. It made her a little homesick, but having Tressa by her side reminded her just how lucky she was to be here in this moment in the first place. Primrose’s movements were poised and graceful, a perfect accompaniment to the melody they shadowed. It was almost as if she had the same quality of the sheer, billowing fabric that accented her distinct Sunlands’ attire, and in some small measure Nova wished she could adopt even a hint of that kind of elegance someday.
It took her a few seconds to notice, but soon enough the floor was vibrating with the steps of a few more of her reluctant companions. H’aanit couldn’t seem to be coaxed to her feet no matter how hard anyone tried, resigning herself to watching over the two felines that found themselves entranced by the curious festivities. Leaving Tressa and Nova to their own devices, eventually Primrose took it upon herself to draw the shy huntress into the fray. Regardless of her level of skill, the dancer ensured that her timid friend could keep up with the pace and rhythm in a comfortable and accessible way. She was an incredibly persuasive personality, one that Nova admired and couldn’t help looking up to the longer she remained in her company.
Allowing herself to get reasonably swept up in the lax, entrancing melody, she almost jumped out of her skin when she bumped into someone and then caught sight of who it was. The one face she wasn’t sure she could handle staring back at her; she was surprised to find him seemingly as relaxed and involved as the rest of the crowd. In an instant, flashbacks of the night they’d danced together in the Woodlands, just the two of them, made her even warmer than her exertion was. The lake and the moonlight, her confident encouragement, the tune she’d unknowingly hummed that struck him to his core…maybe that night had contributed to the fact that he didn’t mind participating now.
They both swallowed thickly, but the longer they stood still, the more they stood out. Taking the initiative this time around, Cyrus took her hand and fell back in step with the throng. Her mind was whirling with anxiety and befuddlement, but she knew if she kept overthinking things she was just going to ruin this rare and treasured occasion. Pushing her qualms to the side, at least for the moment, she abandoned her doubt and did her best to let herself melt into the music. As the instruments persevered in their playing, the air pulsated with the sounds of enthusiastic patrons and inspiriting refrains. Nova was surprised by how well she was able to keep her balance, how effortlessly her hands and feet moved in balance with his own. She swayed and spun and twisted herself this way and that, her heart blazing like a flame each time they touched one another or caught a glimpse of the other’s radiant and elated gaze.
The hours blurred into an indecipherable swath of time, and the evening became an event that centered around them enjoying themselves as well as the influence of everyone that surrounded them. Getting to have experiences like this was one of the defining reasons Nova had initially sought to undertake such a journey. Testing her boundaries, seeing the true extent of what the world had to offer her, with all the benefits and consequences that came with it. As she tapped and twirled around at Cyrus’s side, she thought about how she’d even had the great honor of discovering what love and true companionship were like. These people were becoming her new family, and she couldn’t have been happier for it. And Cyrus, well, her heart had already made a very unique, permanent place for him.
no subject
u and cy are adorable omfg