Chapter Text
Year of the Realm, 855
Growing up in Rosalith castle had taken Jill some getting used to. For one, it wasn’t as cold as the Northern Territories were, in fact, it was a lot warmer. She had to put away most of her wardrobe, as she hadn’t been prepared for the hot weather. Archduke Elwin had been most kind, however, as he took her to the markets to gift her more suitable dresses and even some jewelry. She hadn’t ever been too keen on wearing the expensive jewels, only ever wearing her mother’s pendant. She had to admit, though, the gorgeous blue of the gems on the headband he had gifted entranced her.
That brings her to her second point, in the Northern Territories, her father, Chieftain Silvermane, never gave her any sort of attention. Sure, he had given the Princess maidens to care for her, but she wished to have some sort of relationship with her father, which despite her efforts, were all in vain. The year that Jill was in the duchy’s walls, she had been treated as if she were one of Elwin’s own, and it was almost too much. She truly felt like Elwin was her real father, and preferred to think of him as such.
For the longest time, Silvermane had nothing more than a man she lived with, who just so happened to be her father. Indeed, he was her father, but he didn’t make the effort to be a father. Perhaps it’s because she’s grown so accustomed to Elwin’s affections, but the more she thought back to him, the more her hatred for him grew. She hated him for not being there for her, not thinking twice before giving her away so easily, for ignoring her pleas to spend time together. The more she thinks about it, she starts to hate Clive and Joshua too, as guilty as it makes her. She wishes her father had given her the love that Elwin does to his boys. Is it because she was born a girl? Was it because her mother had passed whilst giving birth?
Ah, speaking of mothers, the Duchess was a whole other thorn in her side as well. Every waking moment since she has arrived, Annabella has done nothing but to ensure her life was a living hell. At first, it was petty inconveniences, like ordering her maids to collect her clothing to throw into the pond, stealing the jewelry that Elwin would buy for her, “accidentally” telling the chefs that she would be skipping a meal, and acting surprised when Jill walks into the dining hall. As the months went by, it grew into her spreading gossip about how Jill was raised by barbarians, and that soon enough her true colors would show. How she was the daughter of a lowly wench, and that she had no right to breathe the same air as her.
Jill huffs as she rests her chin upon her palm. Looking away from Metia, she casts her gaze upon the shields, whose shouting and hollering had brought her away from her thoughts. Not that she was complaining, she didn't want to linger on those bitter thoughts any longer. She watches them as they cheer for a day of training well done, walking towards the castle gates. Assuming they all were to head for the ale house, she made to stand from her chair, when she noticed among the crowd of rowdy soldiers, one had made no move to follow the rest. In fact, he turned away towards the chocobo stables. Ah...
The young shield-in-training, she realizes, is Clive. He must be off to take care of Ambrosia, his beloved chocobo. She had met her a few times, and she thinks that the bird likes her, if her gentle nudging says anything. Perhaps it's a way they say hello? Jill had not encountered any chocobos before coming to Rosalith, as they were quite rare up in the North. Ambrosia makes a happy 'kweh!' sound as Clive opened up her stall, which was barely visible from where she had been watching.
"Hey, girl. How are you tonight?" his quiet voice carries through the wind, and he pets her crown. Flapping her wings, Ambrosia 'kwehs' again and rubs her head on Clive's. Laughing, the boy reaches for a bucket full of gysahl greens, and pours some into Ambrosia's feed bin, which she happily eats up. Clive takes out a brush from a nearby shelf and starts to stroke her beautiful silver feathers, seemingly whispering to her. Jill wonders what he could be discussing with her.
Another shield, one she doesn't quite recognize, comes into view holding a bottle in his hand, seemingly looking for Clive. He calls out the boy's name, who gives Ambrosia a gentle pat, and walks out to greet the man. Jill can't quite hear what they're saying, but the shield gives the bottle to Clive. Perhaps a gift? It's a dark maroon shade, with a bow tied around it, the color of Rosaria's unmistakable red. Clive lowers his head in thanks, and the shield wonders off, leaving the boy to investigate his gift. Turning around, he starts to walk back to the castle, to pour a glass, is what she guesses. Could it be some sort of juice?
Clive looks up at the sky, before his eyes shift towards Jill. She freezes, as if she were an animal caught in the midst of a trap. His bright blue eyes watch her pale gray ones, before giving her a bright, goofy grin. A giggle leaves her before she could stop it, and she sends him a wave. Clive's face lightens up, and his hand shoots up, pointing his finger up as if to say, "hold on." He runs inside the castle, and she is left confused. What was he intending to do? She sighs and closes her window, and stands up from her desk. It was quite late already, and the Duchess wanted her to attend courses on being a proper princess early in the morning. She already knew this stuff from back home; could it really be that different here?
Suddenly, a frantic knock comes from her door, and it nearly makes her trip over her feet. "Jill! It's me!" That was Clive's voice, how did he get up here so quickly? Making for her door, she hears a quiet 'oh shoot' and as she opens the door, he barges in and swiftly shuts the door behind him. Sheepishly, he bows his head. "Sorry... Mom was coming down the hall... Is it okay that I'm here, Jill?" he leans towards the door as if to show that he will leave if she asks, but she shakes her head and laughs.
"It's okay... I was lonely anyway." she gestures towards her desk and pulls up another chair and sits. Clive follows and sets the bottle and two cups down. Jill's head tilts, and she leans in to read the bottle's label. It's a bunch of random squiggles that she can't make out, so she turns to the boy. "Clive, what does this say? I can't read this..." Clive picks up the bottle and squints his eyes.
"Oh... I can't read this either... It looks like some weird language." he shrugs and pops the cork open. "Geoff, one of the shields, wanted to give me a gift to congratulate me on how well my trainings been going, but he didn't say what this was..." he sniffs the contents, and a strange look appears on his face. "Smells weird..." He gestures for her to sniff too, and Jill's face scrunches up.
"Ew... Smells like dirt." Clive hums in agreement, and goes to pour some. "Huh? You're gonna drink it? Even though it smells really bad?"
"Well, it was a gift... I don't want it to go to waste." he swirls the dark liquid around, before he takes a sip. Before she can ask him how it is, he spits it all out and coughs violently. Jill shrieks, and pats his back to help soothe him.
"See? You shouldn't have done that..." she pulls a handkerchief out of her pocket and wipes his face. He stumbles and with a red face, and grabs the cloth to take over her work.
"Maybe." He pats his clothes down, trying to get some of the liquid out of the cloth. Jill looks to the abandoned glass and picks it up. It smells much more pungent, and she looks back to her suffering friend, who is sticking his tongue out in disgust as he wipes himself down, and back to the glass. Her mind made up, she knocks the glass back, much to Clive's horror.
"Jill!?" he asks in a panic, and Jill nearly gags as the bitter drink coats her tongue and down her throat. It's disgusting. She places the glass back on the table before whining in disgust.
"That was so gross!!" she reaches for a nearby water pitcher that her maids had left her earlier, and pours them some glasses. Handing out one to him, she starts to drink hers, hoping to get the taste out.
"Why did you drink that?" Clive asks as he accepts the water, and Jill lets out a sigh as the last drop empties. She looked at Clive's shocked face, then the ground in embarrassment, as if an adult had been scolding her.
"Well... I didn't want you to suffer alone..." she mumbles. Clive stares at her, and when she looks up slowly, he starts to laugh. Huh? He's not mad at her? Clive laughs harder than she's seen him before, and it's so loud and silly, she begins to laugh too. He leans his palm on her shoulder and wipes a tear from his eye.
His laughter finally dies down enough where he can speak. "You didn't have to do that!" he places the cork back onto the bottle. "I'm going to be a shield, so that I can protect you and everyone!" he glares at the bottle of revolting liquid. "...Including from gross drinks." Jill can't help the giggle that leaves her lips. Before she could tell him that she wanted to protect him too, a knocking sound from her door. Clive freezes, but stays still as Jill opens the door, revealing Elwin standing there with a smile. She quickly curtsies, but his holds his hand out as if to stop her.
"Hello, Jill. How's your night fairing you?" he looks into her room and spots Clive, who shyly waves to him. "Ah, so you are in here. Your mother saw you sneak in, and would not stop bugging me until I went to 'investigate', not that I was worried or anything." He laughs out, but it doesn't seem to help the kid's nerves. Looking at the desk, Elwin chokes on his breath. He walks to the desk to inspect it. "Oh, well... That's a shocker. How did you two come across a bottle of Falernian wine?"
"Is that what it's called? Geoff said it was a present for doing so good in training..." Clive tells him, and Elwin sputters.
"What!? What in the Founder's name is he doing give wine to a 10-year old?" He quickly stifles his yell, and in a more calm, yet frustrated tone, he speaks more to himself than the two. "Clive, you said it was Sir Geoff who gave you this?" Seeing the boy's nod, he sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. "I see. I'll take care of this in the morning. It is far too late for this..." He starts to walk off, leaving the kids confused.
"Father, what is, uh... Fer... Ferniam..? Ferlandan....?
"Falernian."
"That! What is that? Why is it so gross?"
Elwin almost chuckles, but keeps it in. "Well, let's say it's an acquired taste, one only adults should be drinking..." Clive's face scrunches up and starts to pout.
"But I'm totally an adult! The shields say that im stronger than a normal child! That means I'm an adult now, right?" Elwin fails to keep this laugh in, and leans down to pat his son on the shoulder.
"Not quite, my son, but you'll get there eventually." He turns to Jill and pats her head. "You should get some sleep dear, I heard that Ana is having you attend those classes early in the morn. Your maidens should be coming soon, and you mustn't stay awake too long, lest you want to hear her scolding for sleeping in, haha!" Ruffling her hair once more, he stands and holds his hand out for Clive. "Come, I'll tuck you in tonight, Clive." Clive's face brightens up, and he gives Jill a quick hug and runs to grab his father's hand.
"Really!? It's been forever! Can you read me a story too? Ooh, the one where the Phoenix saved Rosaria from the Orcs? Oh, goodnight Jill!" he pulls Elwin's hand as his other waves to her.
"Good night, Clive. My Lord." She waves back, and Elwin closes her door. Once Jill's maidens arrives to get her ready for bed, she stares at the glass left on her desk. She swears that she will not drink that 'wine' stuff again. Ever.