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[grumpgoon]

[Somewhere near the edge of things, there's a small, simple farmstead. It's surrounded by trees, as if the owner was specifically trying to hide away somewhere. There's a few fields, a barn... and a white haired man working the land. He has a couple of sheep faithfully following him everywhere as he works, bleating softly at him.]

Yes yes, I'll make sure you get fed, silly creatures.

[And yes, he's talking to the sheep. Well, you found his hiding place, will you say hello?]

Comments

[grumpgoon]

[Estinien glances at Sheep!Aymeric as he starts bleating at someone at the treeline. Squinting, he thinks he sees a Garlean there... but that couldn't be right. Getting up, he swapped his hoe for his lance and walked towards the treeline.]

Come out of there.

[stabbersinyerfambles]

[Aymeric you dirty snitch.]

...!

[He has his daggers with him, he could drop the pole and draw them. He's quick enough he'd be able to defend himself, duck under the business end of that lance, close the gap, find a soft spot on the elezen and...

...and Cehd'ra is so tired of fighting.]

Wait.

[He does drop the pole and bucket as well but instead of reaching for his weapons he holds his hands out and open for the elezen to see. At the same time he doesn't move any closer to that lance, the miqo'te ready to bolt if this doesn't work.]

[grumpgoon]

[His eyebrow raises to his hairline and he slowly points the lance towards the ground. Enough to make it less threatening, but not enough to make it not a threat. He could still defend himself if needed.]

Talk, Garlean.

[stabbersinyerfambles]

[Something in Cehd'ra still twists at being called that.]

I'm not with them. Not anymore. This armor it's...it's all I had before coming here.

[He keeps his hands open but lowers them, just an ilm or two, the rest of him still tensed to turn and run if it doesn't look like he's going to be believed.]

[grumpgoon]

[His eyes are still narrowed, but he watches as the trio of sheep go over to sit at the miqote's feet. Sir, sir, do you have food for the poor 'starving' sheep? (liars). He flips the lance up and rests the butt against the ground.]

Should change before someone gets hurt.

[stabbersinyerfambles]

[What odd looking karakul...their snouts are so round. He watches them awkwardly, swallowing the urge to reach out and pat one on the head in case their elezen keeper would take offense. The only food he has is bait for the fish, probably not what they're begging for.]

Someone like me, you mean...

[An ear twitches as he looks back up at Estinien. He's the first to have recognized what the armor meant but there are probably more...]

'Soon as I've enough coin to spare I'll do that.

[Still...it's good armor, he doesn't want to get rid of it completely.]

[grumpgoon]

Never know who else would recognize that and rush in faster.

[A nod.]

I'm sure you could sell any fish you catch, if that's where you're going. There's a small stream on the edge of the farm if you wish to try there.

[stabbersinyerfambles]

[Ideally he wouldn't have been noticed to begin with...his trainers would have taken his hide for a slip like this. Cehd'ra swallows that thought with a grim smile.]

It's hard to think of normal clothes as a necessity. Mostly I've been spending my coin on food and whatever the farm needs.

[Because he cannot live eating just fish...it doesn't help that he's a terrible cook as well. He reaches up and tugs at the front of his black and gold jacket.]

After so long...the armor sort of becomes part of me. Does that make sense?

[grumpgoon]

[He glances at his lance for a moment before looking back at the Miqo'te.]

That I do. My armor was part of me until it was literally pried off.

[stabbersinyerfambles]

[Even as far removed as Cehd'ra had been from Eorzea he still had at least heard about Ishgard's 'dragon knights', though it still isn't until now that it clicks. The elezen, the lance, mentioning his own armor...

Cehd'ra is all the more glad that he managed to avoid a fight.]

'Should have figured you were another soldier.

[But pried off...? Cehd'ra watches Estinien for a moment debating whether or not it would be safe to ask.]

Was it an injury?

[grumpgoon]

[Well, that made him realize that he hadn't been around Ishgard recently.]

You... could say that.

[stabbersinyerfambles]

[Or ever. Growing up in the Shroud with Coerthas just beyond to the north provided more rumors than news about the reclusive country...and then Cehd'ra had to travel even further away.]

I don't want to pry...

[Estinien's evasive answer is enough of a signal that, whatever happened, it was unpleasant. The miqo'te looks past him briefly, spotting the stream he'd mentioned earlier.]

I can stay out of your way if you don't mind my presence for a little while longer.