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Minfilia watched as Bris clumsily poured herself another cup of sake. That the miqo'te's hands were anything less than steady was truly a surprise to the Scions' leader. Still, she smiled. Perhaps now, she will give me a glimpse of her thoughts concerning Yugiri, Minfilia thought.
Bris sipped from her cup. Her ears wobbled a bit, and her eye blinked slowly. Then, she turned to Minfilia. "Oi, Minfilia."
"Yes, Brisingr?"
The Warrior of Light hiccupped. "What d'ya think? Sometimes I wonder if I'd just feel better bein' like this all the time." She stared blankly at the cup.
Minfilia frowned slightly. "Whatever do you mean?"
"Oh. Y'know, if I was just…a little sedated all the time." Bris tilted her head back and downed the alcohol. She laid her arm on the table, then rested her head on her arm. In her hand, she still swirled the empty cup. She looked towards Minfilia, but in truth, Minfilia felt the miqo'te was looking far off - as if she were not in the Waking Sands but somewhere much more distant. "So many days, I feel like I'm burnin' alive. And all I can do is try not ta show it."
The Antecedent began to speak but before she could, someone sat at the table with them. Face obscured by a veil, purple tunic. "Oh, my. For what cause do we celebrate, Lady Brisingr, Lady Minfilia?" Yugiri asked.
Minfilia saw Bris's eye dart quickly towards Yugiri, and Bris's expression flickered then darkened. She opened and closed her mouth several times, as if she wasn't quite sure what to say. Again, her expression warped with confusion, and Minfilia was unsure if embarrassment or alcohol was responsible for Bris's flushed complexion. "Ah, nothin' special," Bris said, her words slurred ever so slightly. "Oi, Yugiri. Gil fer yer thoughts?"
"Yes, Lady Brisingr?"
"Bein' this way make me more pleasant ta be around?" Bris's eye was ever so slightly dilated. She did not look at Yugiri as she asked the question.
Yugiri said nothing for a moment. She put a finger to her cheek, and then finally said, "I think we already find you pleasant to be around, my lady." She placed a hand on Bris's shoulder. "I also think if you continue like this, you'll need company in your room to ensure you survive the night." A soft laugh. "This is a service I could provide."
Bris closed her eye and frowned. She sighed heavily before flipping her cup upside down and placing it atop the sake bottle. "Nah. Company's the last thing I'm good fer, and nobody'd enjoy sharin' a bed with me anyway," she said. There was a sadness, a melancholic tinge in her voice.
"Oh?" Yugiri laughed. "Is this a challenge, Lady Brisingr?"
The Warrior of Light did not move, but she squeezed her shut eye tightly. Her brow furrowed even behind the eyepatch over the left side of her face. Minfilia covered her mouth to hide her smile. And then, Bris opened her eye again and looked towards Yugiri. "Now yer startin' ta sound like Thancred." Minfilia and Yugiri laughed so hard they both snorted. "But no, it ain't a challenge. Besides," she said with a bit of a groan, sitting up finally. "Yer gonna have ta find me better booze fer that." Bris stood and snatched her sword from against the table.
"Where are you going, Brisingr?" Minfilia called.
A wave of her hand and flicking ears. "Somewhere else. Fresh air. Clear my head."
Minfilia tilted her head and shrugged. "I could accompany you, if you should like. Or, I'm sure Lady Yugiri would make the rounds with you again."
Bris paused. She turned her head slightly but not enough to see either of the women behind her. "Nah. Keep yerselves entertained. I ain't a good chattin' partner on the best of days, and this ain't even one of those days ta start with."
The miqo'te started out the door. She hesitated briefly. "Yugiri," she said over her shoulder. Minfilia could not understand the next words Bris spoke. When Yugiri replied, it was also in that same language. Bris huffed but said nothing further as she finally exited.
Minfilia turned her head towards Yugiri. "Can I assume that was Doman?"
"Indeed."
"What did she say, if I may ask?"
Again, Yugiri spent a moment in silence. "She said no voice nor hand can reach demons or the damned. I simply told her she can hear us," she finally said.
"How kind of you," Minfilia said with a smile. "So tell me, is her Doman accent as thick as her Eorzean one?"
A small laugh. "Almost moreso, if you could believe such a thing. She speaks it at an odd cadence and with emphasis in awkward places." Yugiri looked upwards, placing a hand to her chin. "And her name is not traditional Doman. It's certainly not a miqo'te clan name, either." She turned to Minfilia. "Has she ever said aught of where she's from?"
Minfilia shook her head. "No. Only that she's from somewhere in Doma. She never speaks of family or friends, not of comrades or joyous moments." She leaned back in her chair. "I find it rather a shame. She's been a blessing to us, having risked life and remaining limbs for our cause. I hope she knows how deeply grateful we are for her."
Yugiri drummed her fingers on the table. "Perhaps you should make an opportunity to ensure she knows this, Lady Minfilia. Why not host a party in her honor?"
"You know, that's quite a brilliant plan, Lady Yugiri." Minfilia pushed a glass of sake towards the Doman. "I'll begin organizing it soon. And we can have it once we've finished our upcoming business in Ul'dah."
"Oh? What business?" Yugiri asked the question innocently enough, but Minfilia's gut told her the Doman shinobi was quite aware already.
Still, Minfilia played along. "The sultana wishes to host the Scions as well as all the Grand Companies at a gala in a few days. I think she intends to thank us all for achieving this era of peace." Minfilia beamed and looked towards the ceiling. "It has taken us many long years but finally, I believe we can finally realize the wishes of those who walked before us."
Yugiri pulled her veil aside ever so slightly and took a sip from the glass. She coughed and wheezed as she drank. "How potent." She looked over her shoulder. "And Lady Brisingr drank how much of this?" She faced Minfilia once more. "I do hope for this, Lady Minfilia. Peace would indeed be a lovely prize."
Minfilia continued smiling. "The future looks bold and blessed by the Light. Let us pray it comes to pass as such."