Be John
"Jade, PM just got the mail, here you go." John handed her four letters, all in the color of a velvet purple. He did not bother to look at them at all, because they were all from the most obvious of people who have written to her since the beginning of the announcement. Though their mass and size would vary which one would have what they want to talk about, what they wanted to know, and what they wanted to hear. Depending on who wrote which letter of course. Rose was the type of girl in the letters that wanted to know everything about Jade, her interests, her favorite color, her dreams and desires too. She also seemed to be willing the tell her anything of interest and since the past few months, Jade has gone off about how she feels towards the marriage, and how no one seemed to take interest in her feelings on most things and how her day went, or how boring I was to be watched like a hawk twenty-four seven. Or how she felt she was almost part of their family, how Rose already made her feel like a sister, so welcomed and formal. Now the second person to, surprisingly wanted to know things for themselves would be this so called Dirk. Now Dirk is most interested in her affairs, she usually gets in a good mood after reading his last, and she is usually in a better mood, she hated to admit that, she almost had to marry the guy, and that she would have enjoyed it. Before the sudden change of grooms, she complained why she had to marry such an older guy, and how he seemed to be so improper, and not to mention straight up foul. Then goes this Roxy gal, Jade can hardly read her writing at all, but it seemed to differ each time, if it was scribbles, or nearly perfect vocabulary, mostly what she wanted to know was what would Jade most likely see to feel a bit more welcomed around the place, it made her smile time to time, knowing that there was someone else who wanted her to feel welcome, and the guys were not helping it at all for one bit. Then the letter that seemed to be wanting to float in mid-air would be Dave's. It annoyed Jade sometimes because of the irony of the short worded answers that he would give that drove her insane at times and frustrated throughout the day, which made John smile because she needed to take a bit of her own medication sometimes.
"You know, I might just ask them to put a halt to this ridiculous war if they want to be on my good side! I swear Johnathan, if anything they should be doing that. It's frustrating I'm telling you." Jade grunted and pushed her door open in frustration, John following behind her. "They expect me, to marry some stranger, from their stupid kingdom, JUST to put a stop to the whole thing."
"Sister, you really want to push things, do you not? Besides, you talk about this war all the time, be patient! After the marriage, you would have to sign the peace treaty and rule over there in Derse, while here in Prospit, I have to help mother and father with the mess in Skaia! You get it easy, stop acting so childish." John sighed and rolled his eyes.
"You know this also means that Derse gets control over our land as well, it's not just to stop the war, it's to expand, for generations to come."
Jade placed the letters upon her writing desk, sprawled out neatly in order from left to right, left from being worst, to best, most convenient now he thought about it. "John you don't understand! You are not the one who has to get married to a stranger!"
"That's because you are the oldest, just because I am a growing lad does not mean that I get to go and rule before you do."
"You're right, because I actually know what I am doing! But what is stupid is this... marriage! I don't want to get married, I do not want to meet this, David or his 'coolness' it sounds really all childish."
"You are being childish, stop this at once Jade. You even agreed to get married for my sake, I suggest you stop your foolishness and think rationally!" John wished, oh he wished she could get a slap in the face sometimes. She had this look on her face like she was done with everything, and that maybe sometimes there was a hint in homicide if she could.
After a moment of the awkward silence she sighed and sat on her bed.
"You know, it is just so much pressure, father insisted that it would be you, like you said, but I took it up because I also wanted to make a change for the better, I did not want you to go through what I was going through. I know how you are not much of a formal man of yourself." she coughed and shifted on her bed, crossing her legs in a polite way, posture just as elegant as ever. "I just wanted you to enjoy your youth as much as I have had when I was your age." she smiled and shrugged.
John stood silently, lost at words for a moment before speaking up. "Jade... this isn't something you should boast over because you think you could make a difference, and you know that. Our kingdom is in dire need in to just get things back up, we are losing and you know when we lose, WE lose... Not you. You're not losing, you're winning, and this has nothing to do with enjoying the last few years, we all have to grow up at some point, even if it was just being a child... I appreciate that you care for me, but we need to be serious here.."
Jade's lips just curled up and took his hand into hers, placing it on her cheek softly, her teeth slowly showing as she spoke softly towards him "John.. I'm just frightened, What if I don't do well, what if I make a bad impression.. what if they don't even like me in the end?"
"Jade Elizabeth, if I did not know any better, I would say I wouldn't know a thing about such liking, but I do know better, and that is, that they will enjoy you, and you won't mess up. No pressure though."
Jade sighed and released his hand, while his hand gently moved up to pet her hair on her head softly, embracing her in a hug shortly after.
Her breath was slightly out of place and John looked down at her, lifting her chin up to get a look at her. She was crying, and she tried so hard for him not to notice, a princess doesn't cry, not in her book in the least. "John..." a light gasp escaped her mouth and he wiped her tears away swiftly, listening in closely, not speaking a word to why she felt distressed. "John, I'm scared.." she whispered.
"I know Jade I know.." he returned the hushed tone, to be in level of comfort with her.
"I never knew this would impact me so much.."
"You'll be alright I promise."
"And if I fail mother, or father, or even yourself, our cousins, our grandparent, what if I shame us all?"
"We would know you wouldn't intentionally ruin us, we know you wouldn't want that."
"I know, but.. it's just killing me, John, I don't think I can go through with this..
"I'm having cold feet and I'm not even preparing before the wedding." Jade finally broke into a sob, her hands clasped over her mouth to cover up the harsh cries, ended up being muffled under her fingers that barricaded her voice.
John shifted her on the bed more, lying her down softly as he then crawled in with her, shoes and all, she always hated that though.
"You're going to be alright, you're going to be the best Queen, who won't miss out on a thing, and I know I shouldn't be saying things when you're sad, but it's true. They will love you, they just need to know you like how I know you, and they need to see what they are missing out because you are beautiful, and I know you aren't allowed to meet them before you're about to get married, but think of this, they will love you because you are you, funny, straight forward, smart, sweet, blunt, over all amazing and understanding. And once when they will get to see you, they will see how gorgeous you turned out to be, and probably pass the expectations. Jade you are wonderful, and the royals, the knight, the servants, and the people will see how much you can do, for just being one person."
Jade looked over at him, with glossy eyes, and stained cheeks "You really mean all what you said?"
"Of course I do, just because we not be very kind to each other at times, doesn't mean I don't care for you. I care for you dearly, and I would do anything to make you happy. Because you deserve it, you deserve to be happy, and I can be an affectionate person, it's just rare but needed when the time comes." he smiled and kissed her forehead.
It was soon after a few moments of silence and comfort, John looked down to notice that Jade was fast asleep in her bed. It was something that happened commonly, so it wasn't anything new to worry about.
He then moved out of bed as slowly as he could without waking her up and covered the bed sheets over her gently.
"Sleep well, I'll see you at dinner." he kissed her forehead and left her room in peace.
"Heeeeeeeey John." said a familiar voice down the corridor of Jade's bedroom, and they locked eyes instantly the moment he shut the door, both grinning from ear to ear.
"Shhhhh, Vriska, I don't want Jade waking up, she just finally fell asleep, and-"
"Don't worry about that, I got it taken cover."
John never understood what she meant by that, so he shrugged and nodded, her laughter followed afterward. "C'mon four eyes, let's go out and do something, we can prank the kitchen lady if you like." she smirked and crossed her arms.
"No! Ms. Paint is a lovely lady and I am not in the mood for pranks right now, call me abnormal, I'm just really stressed.."
She sighed and walked on over to him, her finger curled under his chin to get him to pay attention closely. As she always does when she really wanted people to listen to her. "John, you're not getting married anymore, and it was out of sheer luck. Be glad you're not getting married to those idiots on the other side of Skaia, or even being around them for most of the time." She sighed yet again, which was a sign that something was troubling her, and she wanted to get things off of her mind, and he could tell this is the subject that she wouldn't want to talk about.
"Yeah, I know that Vriska, but Jade is going through some serious stress and-"
"And you have your own duties to help her, I heard it all before. But what about me? I want adventure, I want to break the norm of the rules..." she frowns and looked down, gripping to his golden shirt she seemed to shake some what before looking back up at him, unhappy of course. He really made her upset this time.
"Vriska you know we can't happen, and as much as I would love that, it's impossible, and yet worse, things could happen to you, that I don't want happening." he looked around before coming face to face with her, gently putting his fingers through her hair. She pushed him away before letting him go any further and walked away from him.
"I'll see you later John.." and she left down for the stair case, no use in going after her, he knew what happened the last time he went after her, and the next conversation didn't go so well. Never go after a woman whom you have deeply upset, but see her after once things have simmered down, the motto to live by he thought.
He came down the flight of stairs shortly after, leaving the west wing of the bedroom side and began to ponder what could he do to make Jade's day slightly less shitty than today? And while that train of thought was going on, he bumped into a more irritated person than he would have least expected to bump into all day.
"Watch it your highness." he disgruntled and brushed off his shoulder. What better person to know how to make Jade better than to ask her most trusted guy, right?...Right?
"Karkat, listen, I need your advice on something, I want to know how to get Jade to feel better, because so far, she's had a shitty day ever since noon, and I just want her to feel a bit better for when she wakes up from her nap."
Karkat crossed his arms and rolled his eyes, "You expect me to help you after you pranked me last week? Hell no." Oh, he seemed butt hurt from that still, not that it's nice to fill the pillow case with leftovers from the last banquet from a certain fathers birthday party. The sound of a squish, damp roast covered in cake wasn't as appetizing as it looks. Though it was hilarious enough to laugh out loud and get caught at the exact same moment, only to end up making the east hall a complete mess.
"Come on, you would at least help Jade out! Do it for her?"
"John, as much as it would bring me joy to punch you in the face, I will help you out just so Jade could be a little less depressed."
"I never said she was depressed." John gave Karkat a weird look and Karkat just looked away.
"Yeah whatever. Anyways, it's not like this is the first time she's been upset since this whole marriage thing, and I would know considering the fact that I am her most trusted person ever."
"Well, you are her knight but I don't see how-"
"Listen alright, I got this, so don't worry your little princess head about it."
"Would you not cut me off?" John scoffed, being a bit fed up with the recent cut offs he's been getting.
"My apologies." he rolled his eyes. Now which reminded John since he bumped into Karkat, he has spent more and more time with her after she announced that she would take place to be-wed with the Derse prince for the throne, and how they would both sneak off into the garden maze late at night.
"Are you infatuated with her?" Jumping straight to conclusions, not the best idea, but it peaked his interest.
"What the hell? No I am not 'infatuated' with her, god what made you think that?" he glared at him and shook his head. "Never mind that, but hey Tavros wants you over ASAP for a fencing duel in the courtyard, I was just about to run some other errands after to tell you that, but you had to just put more errands on top of the ones that I already have, now excuse me I don't need to be bothered by you anymore so good fucking day to you." Now that was a bit unsettling and uncalled for, but never mind that, if a fencing battle is what is called for then why not go ahead and practice.
"John, that was pretty weak of you for today, are you feeling alright..? You spaced out three times before I beat you.. is something troubling you?" Tavros puts the blade away and helps John up from the ground, who seemed so dazed and lost in thought.
"Y-yeah I fine, I was just thinking, sorry for not paying attention today.. I just don't know what has gotten into me after speaking with Jade..."
"What sort of things have you guys discussed? Not that it is any of my business, but I would like to know whats troubling you, has she said something to put you off, anything at all?"
"No, not that I can't remember, but I feel troubled, she's going off to see them soon, and her constant worry is making me worry now. Not that she would make a great queen, or the fact that her groom to be seems a bit...shady. I just feel like, off.. I don't know how to explain it really, and I don't know how to make the situation better, so I had Karkat take care of that for me so she would feel slightly less frightened about her situation and pull herself together.."
"Whoa, that's a bit load you have there John..." it was a bit depressing as well, not that either of them would admit it.
"I guess.. She's just growing up, and that father isn't getting any younger.. I just think, that Jade is right." he told himself out loud, to make a point, and to make himself feel a bit better with the situation.
"Right about what?"
"This whole war, it's stupid. It's stupid because we couldn't set aside differences long ago, and it had to be these past few years that it had to begin on Skaia, and it had to impact us all. I'm just as sick of it as Jade is, and it doesn't seem fair at all."
Tavros stood quiet for those moments and looked away, "Look I know it isn't my right to say this, but we are trying to survive without being conquered. This war has kept us as safe as we are today, and without it we would have fallen long ago, and with economy booming for a few people it isn't so bad after all." he shrugged and John was at a loss of words. "War isn't the solution, but it's what keeps us how we are today, and if Derse or Prospit didn't start a feud, we wouldn't be here today with the war. It's time to face it frontward.." he pulls out his blade and pushes it against the padding of Johns chest. "At hit it to the point where striking needs most. Or else no one, and I mean no one would get anywhere with it. And Jade is hitting that point. She's bringing peace not by signing it. But by also being loyal and faithful to her word to bring us together. As goes along with her groom to be. Making a difference one at a time. Other people might want to not recognize the war and would rather talk about their lives, or the lives of someone else. Either way, someone out there is making a difference, and they need the support they can get." He smiled and put away his blade yet again, and picked up the equipment from the ground. "I expect that you would be in a better mood to duel tomorrow?" and he left it to that.
The time struck thirty minutes before dinner, thirty minutes to think about what he had just heard, and what he wanted to believe. But it didn't seem enough; the aristocrats started to come out to the court-yard shortly after, with their umbrellas sticking up, talking about the affairs of their life like nothing else effected them. Like the war never even existed. That the only thing that mattered was what was today's fashion, or how gossiping about someones future would be best. Tavros was right, if no one else would make the difference, and the only person who can, or will make a difference does it, then they should be respected, not praised. Though it's these extra things that make him wonder if it was even the exact things that he was trying to tell him. No matter, the pressure of being one person, for millions of citizens, is a load of responsibility.
John packed up his belongings and headed back inside to change back into his formal attire for the evening,and stayed in his room to think for the moment about his day, to reflect on what happened; and to later then come down his room to see Jade filled with joy was something that lifted weight of his shoulders.
"Good evening John! Sorry I fell asleep on you, honestly it was really sudden and I remember I wasn't even tired at all." she smiled and walked over to hug him tightly.
"I take that you had a good nap?"
"More than that. Karkat was nice enough to cheer me up by telling me a few secrets that was utterly hilarious!" she giggled.
John chuckled and hugged her back, kissing her forehead gently "And what was so hilarious that made you so cheery again?"
"Well for starters, he told me that he has met the prince before, and that he isn't as 'cool' as he seems, and for the record that he isn't the most delightful person ever, and is easy to anger, not that I wanted to hear that but, it made me laugh a bit on how out of all people Karkat would make someone angry, I just don't see that really. He is really dear to me. I suggest you don't use the tooth brush you use now if you want to avoid...something." she wiggled her brows and barked softly at him in a playful manner.
"Jade, this isn't funny, please tell me you're joking." John was concerned for how long this might have been going on.
"I wish I were, but you know I'm not good with telling jokes. That's your department there." and she left for the dining hall were everything was ready to be set up.
It's not so great to know that sharing the same tooth brush with a dog who had eaten raw materials, and even worse, drank out of the loo itself. John shuddered and shortly followed after to join his family at the table.
Long after a great dinner to end the night, filled with spontaneous laughter and drinking for the gluttony inside, John grabbed his journal from the desk and flipped it open to see how far he has written in it since he could remember when he started it just a couple of years ago.
Entry 368
It's been a while my dear friend and I must say what a hefty day this has been. Jade's deadline for her meet with the Prince of Derse is coming quicker than I remembered and its been good so far.
Jade had her ups and downs today, along as I have. I think Vriska just broke up our secret relationship, and I expect that she wouldn't talk to me in a long time. No matter, there are plenty of other fish in the sea, none like her, not now, and not ever. It would have been inevitable anyways, my father disapproves of her actions just as much as mother did. Rapscallion as she was, she was a real beauty. Like a spider, and I was her fly, caught in her webs of deception, and lies through the years, yet, I can not hate her, for what she gave me in my life is something I can't forget.
Tavros has taught me something today that I wish to never forget. Always be there for someone who stands up for everyone, or there is really no one to stand up to at all, or for. I wish my sister the best of luck as her journey to the wedding continue, and as for that, there is all that there is to say of the matter for today, but rest assured that tomorrow and beyond will get better and better, I pray.
-John Egbert
P.s. Note to self, try and get Ms. Paint to serve you Dragon mutton for dinner specially for myself. Best boiled in its blood for flavor.
A/N: I'm deeply sorry that this took longer than expected, but with school being my final year, family problems and writers block, I'm proud to say that I was glad to finally finish this chapter. Thank you all for continuing to read these chapters, and I'm sorry that this one is shorter than the other ones. Until then. aR
