ATmac05: Man, I'm so addicted to Final Fantasy XII right now that it's ridiculous. And like most other writers obsessed with their current favorite (insert category of Fanfiction here), they are inclined to write about them. So I chose to start a story about Fran, because she's my favorite character right now. Cool, calm, collective, elegant…and a nice ass. So without further adieu, the first chapter of "A Pleasant Lie".
Disclaimers: Now you know I don't own Final Fantasy XII! Why do I have to put this?
Spoilers: Not really anything you don't find out in the first five minutes of entering Fran's homeland. One big one but not really major to plot is Fran's relationship to Jote.
A Pleasant Lie: Chapter One
Male Vieras: The Intricacy's First Lesson
"To be of woman, whether thine art viera or an impurity species, embodies the essence of nurture, care, and love. Thy species' female, represents the intent and blessing of the Wood. Therefore as proclaimed by the will of the Wood—male birth is a sin and therefore prohibited."--Intricacy 1:1
Fran could never count the days wherein that lesson had been brought to her attention. It was the first lesson of the Intricacy, and therefore was the most significant. Contrary to what many Humes believed and debated upon, male Vieras did exist in the Wood. Though for only as long as necessary. Once they were of age and strong, they were forced to mate with a suggested ratio of Vieran females, and after said quota were filled with successful pregnancies, the males were sentenced to death. Or "purity" as the Intricacy put it.
Fran remembered this lesson well, for it lingered in her heart and soul since she was the age of fifteen.
Fran awoke that morning in a state of anxiousness and unrest for her ceremonial crimsoning. Being that today were her birthday and she was legally a Vieran adult, it was only suitable that she be granted this rite of passage. So with a smile, the tall and elegant Viera rose from her cushiony bed and over to the mirror that spanned the Hollow of her tree.
Ivory hair in ruffles and violent entanglements fell about her shoulders. It cascaded almost to the floor and yet still managed to become bed hair every morn. The young Fran could barely blink before her hands instinctively darted for the ornate comb resting on a nearby end table. With the speed of a panther and the sharpness of a eagle, she strung the comb throughout her hair until it was silky smooth, and then quickly looped the now untangled strands through the ring clip she was to wear for the ceremony. She sighed in relief as the silvery ponytail fell to her back—and she smiled. If she had to say so herself, "I look gorgeous today!"
"Conceitedness is not a virtue of the wood." A strong voice said. Fran turned to see a stern face peering back at hair. The Viera's hair fell to her shoulders, and she strode toward Fran with the ease of a gazelle, and the legs to match. The tall woman stopped before her younger sister, and folded her arms. Fran regretted that in her haste to become prepped, she had failed to hear Jote's footsteps.
"I apologize, sister." Fran said. "'Thine's conceit and pride shall lead to thy doom.' Intricacy Chapter 5, Verse 45." Fran recited scripture to repent for her sin, a way taught much through the Wood.
"Excellent. You make your sister proud." Jote replied with a smile. Fran wondered why for one so serious, how Jote had a smile that could light many a Hollow. "But one other inquiry, why is it that your hair has gotten so long? Didn't Verna assign an appointment for you yet?"
Fran stiffened. Verna had approached Fran many times, it was just that Fran refused to go to her Cutting Appointments. To lie was a sin of the Wood as well, but she would repent later. "No she hasn't sister, but please do not scold her! I'm sure she has been very busy as of late."
"If it is what you wish, Fran. But make sure that you get one scheduled." Jote turned towards the door. "We can't have you having ridiculously long hair, that is a vanity of the Humes, and I will not allow it. Rather—an apprentice priestess—will not allow it. As for sister side of me, I quite like the look on you." Jote's brightening smile flashed once again as she left the Hollow and proceeded down the stairs into further branches of the tree.
When her sister was completely gone from sight, Fran turned back toward the mirror and fought back tears. Why did it have to be her hair? She loved it too much. Surely long nails would be another vanity of the Humes? Why couldn't those be what was necessary to destroy?
Fran stayed in that state of sorrow for a few moments before straightening up and finishing her preparations. To wear she chose her best outfit that accentuated her beauty. The dress was very short and thin, its base rested at the very peak of her thighs, narrowed into a thin strand that inclined up her belly and then finally expanded and covered her breasts. She wore a heavy sash around her waist to cover her backside. By hume standards the dress is what you would call…revealing…but to emphasize female beauty within tasteful limits was what the Vierans prided on. When Fran was ready, she gathered a few ritualistic bangles and necklaces, and headed into the Village.
Eruyt Village was uncharacteristically lively that morning. All the Vieras had on their best dresses in all sorts of colors, and despite the cold nature of the Vieras many had smiles upon their faces. Their foreheads were adorned with all kinds of crystals and malboro vines, and even their walk had an extra bounce to it. From the citizens of Eruyt you could see that the Wood was singing abundantly with joy.
Not knowing specifically when the ceremony would start, Fran quickly made her way to the plaza. She was greeted with many praises and gracious "hellos" as she traveled.
"Tis impossible to be the apprentice priestess's younger sister in this place." She thought as she traveled up tall spiraling stairs to the centre of the village. The environment was even heavily laced with white flowers and tassels to commemorate the Coming of Age event. Fran became giddy with excitement as she saw them and began to move even more briskly toward her destination. The day was going to be gloriously perfect.
"Attention all honorees, if you are in the vicinity please hurry to the plaza for the ceremony will begin momentarily."
The announcement came just as Fran reached the top of the stairs and she bolted without hesitation northward toward the Peak Plaza where the ritual would occur. She was glad that she had opted to not wear footwear for she surely would've been slowed greatly. Especially since the closer she got to the plaza the more crowded it became, and she found herself pushing mercilessly through the throngs of women before emerging smack dab in the front of a stage where several young girls stood.
Her sister at the head of them gave Fran an evil eye as she climbed atop the stage and took her place in line. Fran stood at attention facing the crowd, but she briefly had glanced at the other girls along with her and she could see that it was about seven of them.
Jote ignored her sister's mishap and spun around to face the crowd. She stood in front of the girls, the tallest among them, and began to recite scripture in another tongue. Finally she said to the populace.
"Welcome brethren, to the Coming of Age ceremony. Where the wonderful young Vieran girls behind me have become young Vieran women today!"
That elicited a loud roar from the crowd that made Fran sensitive ears vibrate.
Her sister continued. "These girls have been chosen for this ceremony not only because of their common birthdays, but their overall agreement with the Wood."
This was true. Fran mused. It was many other Viera's who turned fifteen that day, but the seven girls with her had something extra special that supposedly made them worthy of the ceremony.
Jote continued speaking after she had received a scroll from a random Viera.
"We have Nashira of the East Algeir Hollow!"
She was the first Viera that year to memorize all the texts of the Vieran Intricacy. Fran remembered.
"Nori of the Northwest Blue Hollow!"
She had killed off several Panthers when they had found their way out of the Jungle into the Village.
"Exclipsesia of the Southeast Gypsoan Hollow!"
She was the sister of the current priestess.
"Halina of the East Algeir Hollow!"
Fran recalled Halina starting a small group that helped revive many of the dead plants that had stricken the Golmore Jungle. This was a small feat, but apparently the Wood had become delighted in this task.
"Csi of the South Green Hollow!"
When a rogue Hume had entered the village and stolen Vieran artifacts, Csi's mother tracked him down and retrieved the stolen items. She asked that her honor be granted by allowing her daughter to participate in the ceremony.
"Hefni of the Southwest Uspi Hollow!"
Fran had often been jealous of Hefni for she was tallest Viera of her age group.
"Annisca of the Northeast Near Hollow!'
Fran couldn't remember why Annisca was being honored.
"And my wonderful sister, Fran of the Northwest Blue Hollow!"
Fran had to keep from smiling when she got the loudest roar. She was immensely popular among the village, merely because she was the sister of an apprentice-priestess but she cared little. Praise was praise, plus, she had many friends who paid little attention to her lineage so her popularity was justified by other means.
Jote closed the scroll and muttered another speech layered in so many big words that it went right over Fran's head. Instead she focused her attention on the girls next to her. Astoundingly beautiful, and all of them taller then she; Fran suddenly felt a heavy sense of inadequateness standing next to them. The pride and vanity she had indulged in earlier had all but become disheveled, and it fragmented even more when she noticed the next feature.
All of their breasts were larger than hers; she looked so young compared to them.
Finally Jote finished her speech and she spun her heels to gaze upon the girls. When she noticed Fran, her eyes paused a bit before averting.
"May the Will of the Wood always guide you, may your future days be blessed, and now without further prolonging. You gift will be brought to you."
Fran's ears twitched upon hearing this. She had never been to a ceremony and her sister refused to give her the details about previous ones, so the idea of a gift never crossed her mind. Would it be beautiful jewelry adorned with all kinds of crystals and vines? Fran thought. She could wear them at every event or at the weekly Intricacy teaching. Or, maybe they would be clothing. That revealed all but the most intricate of her features. That would surely make her feel beautiful. Yet maybe it would be something even more great, like her own tree to have a hollow in or a…
"Bring them in!" Jote called out.
Them? Fran thought. That was a pronoun she was little expecting. A pet perhaps?
At that moment a nearby tree near them began to shake from inside. It was a small vibrating meaning that only the entrance of a Hollow was about to be opened. Surely enough the archway of the Hollow appeared and revealed darkness from within. Fran, the other honorees, and the crowd watch in anxiousness to see what would be unearthed. And only when a Viera came out from the darkness clutching the beginnings of a long chain did the entire viewing body gasp with shock.
One by one, attached to one another at the neck and ankle by chain did they come from within. Fran grew excited yet scared at the same time, she knew of their existence, and that they were being held somewhere in the village, but she had never viewed one wit her own eyes.
Male Vieras.
There were eight of them, led by a tall and burly Vieran woman, and followed by one of equal girth and ferocity. The males were taller than any Viera Fran had seen, but not grotesquely so. They wore loincloths, (to cover what Fran did not know, such teachings were forbidden) and their chests were exposed, surprisingly. But Fran noticed once they neared them that the chests were almost completely flat and that their nipples lacked the size of Vieran women. The most key feature about them were their ears, they were much larger than those of the female, and instead of being pointed upward, drooped down to the sides and rotated so that the inside of the ear was visible.
"Your gift." Jote said to the girls. "You get a night of ceremonial consecration as outlined in the Intricacy. This night will be your entrance to womanhood, enjoy it, and become seeded with a new life to bring into the Wood. But careful my fellow Vieras, do not become accustomed to this ritual, for to do this outside of this ceremony is a sin that will result in death by the Wood. Ladies, tell me Intricacy 7: 12!"
Fran had been prepared, and stated it aloud with the other girls. "Thy shalt not indulge in manners of the flesh, for thine flesh is the temple of the Wood not to be tainted by lust of the enemy."
Jote clapped her hands. "Excellent my virtuous souls of the earth! Now, please pick your enemy to purify."
Fran felt uneasy at that very moment. For she felt a sense of unnatural attraction to all of the males that stood before her. They were so different, and therefore appealing. For them to be considered enemies baffled her, but still she took a minute to scan all the males. Most of them were thin and sinewy, while a few were a bit more bulky than the rest. Fran saw several of the girls dart their eyes toward the muscled ones, but she felt herself liking the leaner males. One in particular, he had seen her looking at him and quickly turned his eyes away, and Fran swore she saw a tint of red appear in the white of his ears. He was shorter than the others, but still very tall compared to her, and his hair was not completely silver. In fact it had a few strands of black within. A gene only common to males Fran assumed. He looked young, and he had bright green-orange eyes. Something about his face appealed to Fran, and she couldn't quite think of a word to describe it.
"Please point to the impure entity you request girls." Jote commanded.
All the girls pointed simultaneously, the majority of them picked the same male and all had to eventually point elsewhere. The other honorees whispered amongst themselves violently before Jote had to step in and scold them. Fran was the only one who had picked the male she had found interest in. And when all was settled, the crowd cheered and the girls were sent back to their Hollows.
When the sun had gone down, and Fran had rested for several hours on a new bed she had received for some reason. There was a bell chiming at the entrance to her hollow. Signaling someone wanted entry. When Fran answered the door, wearing the silk white knee length gown as given and instructed by Jote, she saw a Vieran soldier, with the young male Fran had chosen standing behind her.
"This is the one you requested," said the Viera. "May you have a peaceful night." The female turned and shoved the young man into the room, and he fell onto the ground. "Treat Fran with respect, for her lineage is a great one." With that the Viera bowed her head in respect to Fran and left the room.
The young male lay against the ground, showing no emotion in his face, and not moving, he wore no chains, but still laid on his side with his ankles together. Fran felt immensely melancholy as she watched him lie there. She knelt down and rubbed him bare arm, but he still did not flinch.
"Are you okay?" Fran asked.
The young male merely nodded.
"Are you hurt?" She asked again.
He shook his head.
"Then why won't you rise?"
The Vieran male shrugged his shoulders, and then abruptly turned to lie on his back. His green-orange eyes stared up at the ceiling.
"You may not believe this," his voice was soft and deep, "but this is the most comfortable floor I've ever lie upon. I somewhat, don't want to get up." What he said seemed to be a joke, but the lack of cynicism in his voice proved he was not speaking facetiously.
Fran still tried to return with a joke. "If you think this is nice, you should try the bed." Her young pure mind could never realize the sensuality in her statement at that time.
"We'll get there soon enough." The boy replied. "I want to enjoy the few moments I have."
"What do you mean?" Fran asked.
"Nothing." He said as he closed his eyes. "Do you even know what we're supposed to do?"
Fran turned her head to the side and looked out a window while she pondered. Her soft hair fell over her shoulders gracefully. "I don't—consecration or something. Do you know?"
He nodded. "We have been taught since our birth what it is we are supposed to do. Several of the older Viera women know what we're supposed to do, your sister knows what we are to do, and don't you think it unfair that you not know?"
Fran smirked. "I don't. I'm going to find out now aren't I?"
The male laughed, Fran enjoyed his gruff chuckle. "You have no idea. My name is Wern."
Wern suddenly shifted and Fran stepped back as he rose to his feet, she once again saw his large body tower over her. "I don't like that name." Fran said as she gathered some sap from a bowl in her cupboard for him to drink.
Wern lifted an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Yes, it sounds like Wyrm, the dragon that was just born in the Golmore a few years ago." She placed the sap in his hands, and he took a hearty swig.
"This is very good," said Wern as he wiped his mouth. "I'm sorry you do not approve of my name. And if you don't mind me saying, Fran is also one of the plainer names I've heard in my years."
Fran didn't find that rude, it was something about the way his lips moved as he said it that she enjoyed. She still couldn't figure the word for it. "Well I like my name." She responded playfully.
"And I, mine." He replied. "But there is one thing about that name Fran that I do like." He mused.
"What?"
"The bearer, you're very beautiful Fran."
The young Fran gasped as Wern pulled her closer, his large hands gripped her backside firmly as their mouths met. She didn't know what was going on, but merely assumed that this was what they were supposed to do. Maybe this was what "consecration" meant. Fran's thin lips intertwined with his full ones, and she felt a sudden rush of heat inflame her loins when she felt the warmth of his tongue slide into her mouth.
She moaned quietly when she finally pushed him away, and his ears had risen to stand horizontally to the sides. She still lacked the descriptive word to describe how they looked to her at that moment.
"What are we doing?" Fran asked in exasperation. "This closeness and breech of privacy feels…"
"Unnatural?"
"No—that's not the word for it. Different I suppose. What is this?"
Wern never released his grip on her, though it had risen to the small of her back. "What we are going to do tonight is something that you may only partake in once in your life. Humes, Bangaa, Moogle, Seeq, and other impure species often indulge in it. But you may not. I am not allowed to speak with my tongue what we are going to do tonight, so I ask that you trust me, and just—follow my lead."
Fran had doubts, but did trust Wern, and saw nothing else to do but trust. He once again commenced his heavy invasion of her mouth, and she whimpered slightly when she felt the appendage under his loin cloth engorge and touch her sacred retreat. With a smile he began to lead her towards the bed, and the rest of the night became a blur that Fran would consider a dream to every extent.
Fran awoke that morning feeling different down there then she normally did. It wasn't uncomfortable just different. But her attention on that detail had averted when she discovered that Wern was nowhere to be found. She yelped and quickly grabbed some garment to cover herself and then ran towards the door of her Hollow. She stopped when Jote stood there dressed in a heavy robe.
"Sister," said she with another smile. "I hope your evening was enjoyable."
"Jote! Where's Wern?"
"Who?"
"Wern—the male…"
"Oh whom you consecrated with? He's been purified, the ritual between you two was a success."
It took Fran a long time to speak back with her sister after that day. The young Viera had completely forgotten what was to become of the Vieran males once their use had been served. Once Fran was reminded, she sobbed for a long time, and soon, her eyelashes fell out from her eyes. Evidence of her miscarriage.
Fran would later find out, after she met Humes, that the word she couldn't think of to describe Wern's certain mannerisms was "cute."
ATmac05: How was it? I'm really proud of it right now. And I hoped you all liked it. If there were anything you considered as being spoilers I apologize, but right now I think there weren't a lot. Seeing as how a lot of their customs I made up. Hope you liked it!
Please Rate and Review! Seriously.