-Chapter 10-
Empathy
"How could I let this happen, am I afraid as well? Was I worried about the consequences? It's the first time I ever held my tongue to my parents. Cousin Eiko was always known to be blunt yet she threw me in the spotlight. Then again it's my own doing for letting myself be in this situation, more or less I wonder if this was how mother felt when she made her plans on fleeing the palace. All the planning, holding her tongue, hoping to flee to help my adopted grandmother. I can only imagine the hardships she endured during those times.
Mother and father in their own struggles went through so much in their lives and have been honest with me since day one; yet here I was holding my own tongue against them. I can't really understand why I was fearful of telling them. Did I not wish to overwhelm them? They put up with so much in their lives every day; especially mother since I am her daughter and she has so much to carry on her shoulders because of me. My actions that night must carry so much weight on her having to deal with all the eyes and voices directed to her on my behalf. Maybe it's because of that I didn't wish to instill more onto her. Yet she's embracive of wishing to guide me well in my life.
It felt like long hours had passed between the four of us in that moment, the look on my parent's faces. They felt warm still, even after explaining everything to them. I know they would always support me yet I feel as if I haven't done my part in being truly honest with them. Mother's eyes I can sense her understanding with me; she more than likely would've done the same as well. Father's eyes I can see he really was worried for me in a more comforting manner. Maybe I was overthinking all of this, perhaps Cousin EIko did do the right thing for me; to clear my mind of this struggle I'm having."
"I fully understand you're reasoning…I would've done the same if I were in your shoes as well."
"No doubt…at least you weren't hurt thankfully."
"I didn't mean to drag you out like this but…I had to do it because they are your parents and I get you're worried about things being taken the wrong way."
The uncomfortable feeling of being stared by her family left Sarah feeling sluggish, not even the soft fur of Zoe being brushed against her legs helped ease her feelings. What felt like an eternity for the princess was no more than a half hour of explaining the mysterious woman she saw months ago on her birthday. How she knew the song from her dreams; to having the same voice she hears as well, and her likeness to her mother. It captured Garnet's attention even more; she thought back to her limited memories of her childhood, yet never once did she ever wear any similar clothing to her former home during her adult life.
"Sarah, I don't mean to press further but; would you say the woman's likeness was uncanny to my own?" The Queen asked as she entwined her fingers on top of the dining room table.
"Hmm…almost as if you were right before me. She was a mirror image of you mother." Sarah said while letting out a sigh.
"Well least Beatrix mentioned there wasn't any threats to hurt you that night; aside from a bunch of pissed off nobles." Zidane said crossing his arms while leaning back in his seat and tilting his head slightly. "Funny cause I don't even think anyone was even around the palace…but somehow this girl got in?" Zidane followed up.
"We've not had any trespassers in ages; I know we were expecting many visitors for the evening yet I don't recall any or unusual activity from that night." Garnet said as she looked towards Zidane to her left.
"I mean…yeah I've managed to…get around but how could anyone managed to get pass any of Beatrix's soldiers, let alone all those archers sprawling along the walls around the moat. No way anyone couldn't have noticed someone with that wardrobe without raising some eyebrows.
"Uhh can we stick to the subject at hand please and not get carried away?" Eiko waved a hand in the air as both Garnet and Zidane looked towards the summoner sitting beside their daughter.
"Oh dear…sorry Eiko…" Garnet said while Zidane uncrossed his arms.
"Look I get you guys have your thing to do but right now your daughter is worried about this apparition suddenly showing up around here and looking like you and gods only know when it might happen again, give in mind it was months ago."
"Hmm…Eiko do you think it is possible for any Eidolon to take form to our likeness? I know only Ramuh, Shiva, and Odin are the only few with our characteristics but what of the others?" Garnet said.
"Well…given what we saw with Mog…I…I don't see why that's not a possibility but it's not something I've read about, I would think the answer would be yes in a sense." Eiko looked towards Sarah. "But the idea of looking like you is very puzzling to me."
Sarah looked towards the summoner's emerald eyes; feeling a bit confused by the predicament she was in.
"You mean…to say that…the Eidolons are calling out for me?" The princess asked gingerly.
"Well…" Eiko looked towards Garnet and Zidane as they could feel the summoner's confusion. Eiko was also surprised by the recent events affecting her cousin. It was somewhat new to her but at the same time was wondering if the next generation of summoners would have different means of communicating to the Eidolons without the need of a summoner's horn. Sarah being the first naturally born summoner with the inclusive genetics of an artificially built being; courtesy of Zidane.
"It's possible." EIko nodded her head. "To be fairly honest, this could be all new to me, I haven't had a chance to really take the time to sit down to try communicating with the Eidolons since I was so focused on my new life in Lindblum and prepping the rebuilding of Madain Sari."
Sarah swallowed her breath quietly, her eyes lowered themselves staring blankly at her pet. Zoe's ears perked up and placed her right paw on the princess' lap. The distracted princess couldn't find the will to respond to her pet's gesture, her thoughts on the idea of Gaia's Eidolon's calling to her seemed to give more reasoning of her dreams and the mysterious woman she met.
"Eiko, I do have one question to ask." Garnet spoke as she kept her attention towards her daughter, noticing her distracted.
"What is it?" Eiko responded as she looked over towards Garnet.
"What do you propose we should do for Sarah to better understand what we are potentially dealing with?" The Queen asked as her words echoed while drifting into silence in Sarah's ears. The Princess's eyes slowly closed wearily; Zoe let out a concerning whine trying to gain her attention. The dog gently batted her paw against Sarah's lap, trying to find the means to ease the Princess' concerning thoughts about her fate.
"Sarah?" Zidane called out. She snapped out of her dazedness, she looked towards her parents.
"Sorry mother, sorry papa, and sorry cousin." She gently bowed her head individually to them.
"Are you alright?" Garnet asked.
"I…I have a bit of a headache…the thought of all of this is very…overwhelming…" Sarah laid her left hand just slight above her eye and forehead. She gently massaged the area from the throbbing pain, she slowed her breathing down just to relax herself.
"Do you wish to rest in your room?" Garnet asked. Sarah gently shook her head.
"Nay mother…I should remain here and listen to the matter at hand."
"Hmm. Please don't over exert yourself here, I know all of this must be much to take in."
Sarah shook her head.
"I'm just as concern about all of this as everyone here is, I don't wish to leave anyone in the dark no more; I feel awful for hiding my encounter for so many months, it's been somewhat eating up inside."
"Angel, I know it's a lot to hold back but we all know that there's a lot on your plate right now and the last thing we all want is for you to be hurt. That's all." Zidane assured. "I get these dreams have been having an impact on your life and I know that encounter must've spooked ya; but you and I both know that we had our own little nightly experience with dreams of a light calling to us and the addition of the voice you hear."
"The blue light referring to Terra?" Eiko asked. Zidane nodded and looked towards Eiko.
"All too similar. I think the fact that someone is calling to her, I'm not all that smart bout Eidolons and all but I'm willing to believe that someone or something is calling to her."
Eiko placed a hand under her chin and gave thought. Is there a possibility that Eidolons are calling for Sarah in another world? A world even she was not aware of? The idea of another world wouldn't surprise anyone given the assimilation of Gaia and Terra, Gaia being a younger planet of the two would speak volume of the idea of a possible an assimilated planet potentially calling out to the Princess.
"Zidane, humor me, do you think it's possible that maybe during Terra's assimilations with other planets; do you think maybe they picked up on other deities and civilizations?" Eiko looked at the genome. Zidane raised his shoulders with his hands out.
"Beats the hells out of me, honestly I'm the least likely person who'd know that…"
An idea sparked in Garnet's mind.
"Mikoto would." She spoke out.
Everyone looked towards the Queen.
"My sister?" Zidane arched an eyebrow.
"She knew all about you when we first arrived on Terra, perhaps she would be the best person to consult on this matter."
"Auntie Mikoto would know more about what I'm dreaming about?" Sarah said as her left hand rested on the Zoe's forehead unknowingly as the animal started panting happily.
"I wouldn't see why not, it's not a bad idea. If anything me and her could work together on this." Eiko agreed.
"I just hope she doesn't get any ideas on experimenting my own daughter like she tried to back then." Zidane shuddered.
Sarah tilted her head slightly.
"Auntie tried to experiment be when I was younger?"
Zidane hesitantly laughed.
"Sort of…at times I had to restrain her too, she one time came in with some…bizarre looking tool that was supposedly supposed to study your head size…it was like a giant hook like thing too…"
Sarah blinked in disbelief.
"I didn't think auntie was so invested in me." Sarah's tail curled itself tightly. Garnet let out a smile.
"Auntie Mikoto only meant well, she has been much better about herself now, I'm most certain she cares about you as much as all of us here." Garnet said as Zidane let out another hesitant laugh.
"I mean it's better than seeing her trying to barge into the delivery room when Beatrix was in labor." Eiko raised her shoulders as Sarah looked over in awe.
"She…she wanted to watch Auntie Beatrix give birth?" Sarah asked.
"Yup! I remember walking in after your pops and Steiner trying to make sure Mikoto didn't walk in during delivery time…heck she barely gave Steiner and Beatrix any privacy after Rose was born, she literally barged after like ten minutes after Steiner went in."
"Oh goodness…"
"Yeah that's your auntie in a nutshell, always full of curiosity and wanting to learn more; I think this will tickle her interest even more now."
Sarah looked towards her parents.
"Mother…papa…would…would you allow me to seek out help from Auntie about all of this?"
Garnet and Zidane looked to one another, Zidane gently reached for his wife's hand and held it gently. The two gave thought of the idea of letting their daughter seek the help she needed to overcome her current predicament. It made sense to them to let their daughter seek the answers she wanted, they nodded and looked towards Sarah.
"Of course we do." Garnet smiled.
"If it helps you in any way who are we to say no?" Zidane smiled.
Sarah let out a relieving sigh.
"Well…" Eiko interrupted as everyone looked toward the summoner.
"I had another idea I wanted to share with everyone here, in light of everything we all now know and are on the same page. Now of course Sarah your parents know as well as I that what we're about to do may require a little more…hmm…let's say a little more personalized approach in all of your new found powers and understanding your dreams more. There is one idea I had given thought about since moving here and giving out lessons."
Sarah arched an eyebrow.
"What do you mean cousin?"
Eiko cleared her throat and confidently looked towards Garnet and Zidane.
"I think it would be good for Sarah to come with me to Madain Sari to take some time to helm her abilities as a summoner, to understand the responsibilities we must undertake, and to understand these visions she is having. I know this is a huge thing to ask from the both of you because I know Sarah has so much to do here in light of turning sixteen but I think this is more important to undergo because with all the lessons and outings to meet with people and dealing with political banter might harm her focus on the powers she now possess."
Sarah was surprised by Eiko's idea, the idea of leaving Alexandria to focus on her lessons of being a summoner was not something she herself would thought of. Given the nature of being Alexandria's Princess; she wanted to take her role responsibly the same way her mother does as a Queen. The idea of leaving Alexandria for a long duration was the last idea she wanted, she didn't want to let her mother down, she didn't want to let her people down, and let herself down.
This intrigued the parents of the thought, Garnet mostly thought she never had the opportunity to truly learn more about who she was in the past, it wouldn't be fair to let her Sarah suffer the same fate; given Sarah's openness to learning more about herself, sparing no detail.
"As in, she be staying in Madain Sari for a long time?" Zidane asked.
Eiko nodded.
"Bingo! She'd be staying with me and the moogles the whole time. We'd mostly be focusing on self-control and some history about our people."
"Hmm that is an interesting proposal; I don't see any issue with it." Garnet said as it surprised Zidane and Sarah.
"Mo…mother you're alright with the idea?" Sarah shook her head.
"Hmm to be frank, I don't mean to put this on you; I never had a chance to learn about my birth home and I wouldn't wish for you to not know of our true origin. The fact that your father and I had been displaced from our home, we only knew so little about it. I wouldn't wish for you to not know your heritage, I for one welcome the idea."
Zidane couldn't help but let out a smile, the fact Garnet was so embracive of the idea meant she was willing to let their daughter spread her wings learn about the world. He remember the early days when she was protective of Sarah during her infant years and child years, now he sees a mother letting her child see the world with their own eyes.
"I'm with your mom on this one, I don't see a problem with it at all too. If anything at least being closer to Black Mage Village will let you guys visit more often against having Mikoto having to come out here often, it does take some time to get here." Zidane smiled.
Sarah was even more surprised by her father's response.
"Papa…you too?" she said.
Zidane nodded.
"Awhile back while you were still in your mom's wombs, there was some talk about this day coming, we just didn't expect it to come so soon. Then again it's our own faults to being too focused on taking care of you here than preparing you for this day to come, it's our own faults for not having all the answers for you."
"Papa…" Sarah shook her head. "I know you, mother and cousin Eiko must have been in a tough position to have to explain all of this to me…but…I would never hold anything against you for not knowing how to explain it all together. I understand this is not an easy topic to explain…I…I would've done the same if I were in your shoes as well…"
"I think I should say I'm sorry to for not being honest with you also, cousin." Eiko said lowering her head slightly.
Sarah shook her head. "Cousin, please there's no need for that." Eiko looked up towards Sarah. "Cousin, I know for you I'm sure it must've been quite the struggle to want to say something and I know for you and my parents…it's not a pleasant topic to know that I'm not any ordinary child…"
Sarah looked down towards her happy pet, still happily panting and eyeing her. It gave her a subtle relief of the conversation at hand with everyone at the table. She gently started massaging the back of her dog's ears as they flopped on impulse by the touch of the princess' soft hands.
"I like to think of myself as…different from all the other children, not because I am a princess by luck, more so I have much responsibility on my hands that I must undertake to bring hope to those who may someday be in my shoes when wanting to understand who they are themselves. I know I am not of true royal blood, I know that I'm the daughter of…a summoner and an artificially created being…oh…sorry papa I didn't mean it that way." Sarah looked up towards her father who shook his head.
"No offense taken here, not far from the truth. Least I got lucky in the end." He smiled.
"Because you knocked her up?" Eiko teased as Garnet blushed as bright as a cherry from embarrassment while Zidane smirked.
"Damn straight!"
Sarah couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.
"Mother, sorry for cousin's bluntness." Sarah smiled. The Queen shook her head and smiled back.
"I've known for a while, I just get easily embarrassed from certain remarks…" Garnet said as she brushed her hair with her hands briefly. Sarah nodded.
"Well…if all of us are in agreement; I do wish to undertake my lessons with cousin Eiko to Madain Sari for the time being. I understand that this will be a long absences on my part here and…I hope my scholars will understand that I am taking this matter very serious and want to assure everyone here that I won't falter with my new found power. I understand that patience is of must in order to further helm these powers properly and take full responsibility should I allow myself to fail in this course."
Garnet and Zidane looked to one another feeling even more proud of their daughter, they both turned their attention back to her.
"You have my unconditional full support Sarah." The Queen said confidently.
"And you'll be even stronger as a person as well." Zidane added in nodding.
"And I'll teach ya everything you need to know and we'll no doubt have Mikoto to give us a helping hand about these visions too." Eiko nodded confidently.
Sarah smiled.
"Thank you…all of you…I do appreciate all of this." Sarah said.
"It's the least we could do for you." Garnet said as everyone else nodded.
"Hmm…if I may; may I go rest for a bit in my room? I want to feel relaxed when we meet for dinner."
Garnet smiled.
"Of course you may, you've spoken so much about all your dreams, rest as much as you can." Garnet said.
"Want me to come meet ya before dinner?" Zidane asked.
"Yes please, I'd love for that papa." Sarah smiled.
"How about I cook something for everyone tonight?" Eiko waved her hand.
"Oh that would be lovely, we can speak more about it later." Garnet said nodding her head.
"Hmm another delicious meal from cousin Eiko sounds wonderful." Sarah agreed as she began standing up.
"Well thank you everyone and…I will see you all for dinner." Sarah said gently waving at everyone.
"Rest well sweetie." Garnet waved back.
"Enjoy your rest." Zidane waved back.
"See ya cuz!" Eiko said.
Sarah gently bowed her head to everyone and looked down towards Zoe. "Come on Zoe." Sarah patted her right thigh as Zoe stood up; Sarah made her way towards the entry of the dining hall with Zoe following along with everyone watching.
Eiko turned her attention towards her friends as she let out a sigh.
"So…now we have another thing to talk about…" she said in a serious like tone.
Garnet and Zidane slowly nodded their head and looked to one another.
"I wish we didn't have to speak of this behind her back…" Garnet said with a small guilt feeling in her.
"I know…we just…we don't want to overwhelm her with everything that's happening with you…"
Garnet closed her eyes and nodded.
"I know…"
"Dagger…"
"I know it's hard for you two to have to talk about this…but…lets quickly chat about it while she's away for now…" Eiko said.
…
"So…you've decided not to join after all?"
"…"
"Chin up."
"…No mother."
"…."
"…."
"….I'm very proud of you Rose."
Rose lifted her head towards her mother, who smiled before her, it confused the young woman; she thought she would receive a discouraging talk from Beatrix.
"Rose, I always knew this day would come, it's one I've longed for." The General smiled as she brushed her hair to the side.
"Mo…mother you're…not upset?"
Steiner gently placed his bare hands on his daughter's shoulders hoping ease his daughter's nervousness.
"Rose your mother and I only wish for you to helm a choice of your own that will help shape your future." Steiner said as Rose looked over her shoulder.
"You…mean you're…not upset?"
Steiner shook his head.
"How could we ever be upset at you?" The knight smiled. Rose felt the back of Beatrix soft skinned fingers brushed against her fair skin cheeks as she looked back to her mother still smiling.
"Rose, what matters to us is raising a daughter, not a soldier. Ever since you were born our most important duty was to raise you as our child and not as a prodigy solider. It never even dawned in our minds to ever wish for you to ever follow out footsteps. I myself would be lying if losing you on the battle field was not our greatest fears."
Rose let out a small gasp; she never thought her parents had any fears knowing who they are, to her it was the first time she had ever heard such words. Fearless parents was what she knew them as, she thought hiding her own fears like her parents assumingly did was the best way to live her life only to now realize they are just like her.
"I…I always thought…you both never feared…anything…" she said.
The parents shook their heads.
"Even we fear from time to time Rose." Beatrix pulled her hand away and extended it towards the couch in their living room.
"Let's sit together." She said. Rose nodded her head, Steiner removed his hands off his daughters shoulder as Rose took a seat in the middle, and she carefully adjusted her hilt allowing her rapier's blade to rest alongside her. Beatrix and Steiner took their seat beside their daughter; the sun's beams lit the living room brightly inside their private residence that helped made the moment feel more relaxing for the family.
"Rose, the day you were born was the most wonderful experience I had felt in my life. No day goes by where I don't think about it. That day I promised myself one important reminder that your father and I knew that was the most vital value for our family."
Rose held her hands together on her lap and looked between her parents.
"What…what would that be?" She looked to her mother.
"We would raise you as our daughter, no matter what." She said confidently.
"And…and not as…as a soldier?"
Beatrix nodded as she leaned back against the red cushion of couch.
"That is correct, for us as your parents and given what we do for a living, we both understand that our lives had to be diverted to help raise you because if we stayed focus on our work…we wouldn't have raised you the way you are today."
"Your mother is absolutely right."
Rose looked towards her father.
"We knew from the moment you were conceived we both understood we had to make life changes for your arrival. One we both agreed upon unconditionally, we knew that we had to change our scheduled duties and where we were deployed, we each took turns taking care of you when our times were called forth upon. We worked hard to live with these adjustments and we did everything we could to give you a steady life and be able to bond with you as best as we could." Steiner smiled.
"You and mother…changed for me?"
Steiner nodded.
"You could say our sworn duty to protect the royal family was adjusted to better fit with our life with you."
Rose let out a small gasp.
"For…for me?"
"For you Rose." Beatrix said as Rose turned her attention towards her mother. "Because our new sworn duty was to you; to raise you since you are our first child in this family. The only benefit we had in our newfound duty was to see you grow up into the strong woman that you are today. You've proven yourself that you have the gift of making decisions for yourself to help you reach your goals. Your father and I kept hoping you would finally be able to make that decision and today proved we raised you well."
Rose slowly felt her eyelids slightly lowering itself while looking towards her mother, she then looked up towards their family painting above the fireplace. Seeing her younger self, noting the smiles of her entire family, the genuine feeling behind them; the proudness in her parents' smile, the happiness they felt, and the sincerity of its calm and refreshing feeling it brings out. Rose could recall the first day they came into the studio when the artist complimented Rose's mannerism and beauty, it made Beatrix and Steiner proud of how their daughter was well mature at an early age, proud of how well they took care of her.
It took nearly several hours a day for the whole family to have the painting come to life, not one day Rose ever complained like most children would when their portraits were being painted; the only exception being Sarah was too cheerful always wanting to do something instead of standing still for a painting hence no paintings of the princess as a child exists. For Rose she never gave thought about wondering why it took so long, she knew it would make her parents happy and she followed along.
She had wondered at times why they never had another family portrait painted, it was a small mystery to her, if this painting made her parents happy with, she never questioned their decisions.
"Mother…Father…was I always…this way growing up? Rose asked curiously.
"Hmm." Beatrix and Steiner both looked towards their family painting, they knew their daughter growing up was a well-mannered child. As she grew older they noticed she was changing to having lackluster like confidence in herself only because she took it upon herself to follow their footsteps. Trying to be more proper and manner and address people properly by title rather than by name, since she was not formally recruited. She always apologized for making any small mistakes; even when they had no severe consequences whatsoever.
"To be…honest; you were not much of an apologetic and nervous person. At times shy when around Her Highness; somewhat still are to some degree. Then again times do change as you grow up but I believe it's because you felt the need to follow our footsteps." Beatrix turned her attention back to her daughter as Rose looked back to her mother. "You took it upon yourself to seek a path you felt was right for us but not right for you."
"And that is why we always questioned your choice because we want to be sure that it's right for you and not for our expectations." Steiner said as Rose looked towards him.
"Re…really?"
The parents nodded.
"Rose, perhaps maybe we should show you something we've wanted to give you for quite some time now." Steiner stood up with Rose watching, she was surprised by her father's comment as he walked across the living room opening a drawer underneath the living room window.
"You…you've something for me?" She asked.
"We've been saving this for you for a while." Beatrix said as she watched along.
Steiner pulled away closing the drawer, carrying a medium sized black metallic lock box with gold trims on the edges. Rose leaned forward a bit trying to get a clear view of the box in her father's hands. It was not large but a good long sided. Steiner walked back to the family as he knelt before his daughter extending the box to her.
"From your mother and I, Rose." He smiled as he looked into her bewildered eyes. The young lady looked to her mother as she smiled to her. "Go ahead, open it. You'll be surprised and pleased with what we have for you." The General smiled.
Rose nodded her head, she looked back towards her father and tenderly took the box off his hands laying it on her lap. The young lady carefully unbuckled the latches on the side of the box, she placed her hand in the center of the box where the small indention could be felt by her thumb. She gently opened the box unveiling its red cushioned interior and nine oak woodened and freshly polished steel gardening tools well placed. Rose gasped loudly in awe by their beautiful, the steel was so clean she could see herself and parents reflection on them. She looked at each tool, she let her hands gently brush the fine glossy finish of the wooden handles that felt nice under her fingertips.
The parents smiled as they watched their daughter gaze at the tools before her; they held onto this gift for quite some time not knowing when it would be the right time to hand to her. They saw how happy she was they knew this was what she had wanted without breathing a word, the palace gardeners always supplied their daughter with their tools to tend to her craft, now she had her own to use.
"Mother…father they're….they're beautiful…where…where did you get these?" She said trying not to tear up in the moment.
"They're custom tailored, the local blacksmith in Alexandria was kind enough to forge these to your hands only." Beatrix said as she placed a hand on Rose's back. Rose looked up to her mother in awe.
"They're…they're for me? You mean…these are specially made for me?" Rose said.
"They certainly are…we've been holding on to these for a long time now."
Rose looked towards her smiling father.
"Your mother and I thought highly of you when we ordered these; we knew deep in our hearts that you were meant to be a botanist; we figured someday if you were to be one, you have to start learning about how to care for all the flowers around the palace while taking care of them…so perhaps this would be a good fit for you." Steiner said.
Rose looked towards her tool kit, she couldn't believe her own parents were supportive of her hobby more than her becoming a soldier. She thought back to holding herself back of leading down her dream path; an idea she never brought up to her parents in hopes to please them of their solider life against her personal path.
"Rose…do you recall when you told me you had wish to move to Dali?" Beatrix said as Rose looked up to her.
"I…I do…" Rose said gingerly.
"I remember you said you didn't wish to hurt your dear friend's feelings when you said you would rather live there than here in Alexandria. You mentioned you would feel happier with the lifestyle there than here. You were only six when you had said this, I was happy to hear you be honest with yourself then as you are now. You musn't always feel others would judge you harshly for your choice; I'm sure even Her Highness would understand your feelings and wishes to still move there." Beatrix said as she gently massaged her daughter's shoulder with her right hand.
"Mother." Rose said softly.
"I mean every word Rose." Beatrix smiled.
"It would make us proud if you helm this path of yours Rose; we know how much this means to you." Steiner assured.
Rose looked back towards her gardening kit, she continued to brush her fingertips against the wooden helms. She felt a small sense of excitement in her as she continued gazing at them; something she rarely felt which was new to her. It made her feel warm and appreciated, it took a lot for her to accept everyone's positive encouragement for her own goals. She knew in part she was her own worst criticizer always second guessing herself on what she should do with her life.
The daughter of the Alexandria's revere General had finally accepted her own ambition and knew what she truly wanted for herself. The support of her parents was clear to her all these years and has finally realized her feelings had always mattered to everyone around her.
"I…I happily accept your gift; mother, father." Rose looked up to her father then to her mother with a smile.
"And we are glad you're seeing your full potential my dear daughter." Beatrix smiled.
"We're very proud of you!" Steiner added in as Rose looked to her father.
"I…I won't let you both down." Rose gently closed the box and placed it to her right on the couch; then wrapped her arms around her father with delight. Steiner let out a happy chuckle as he and Beatrix gently embraced their daughter together.
"Thank you mother and father; I love you both for everything." Rose said.
"Mother and father love you dearly Rose." Beatrix said as the family savored the moment together.
"We love you dearly Rose." Steiner said.
"A parent's life goal is to always see their child grow into a strong individual who can helm their responsibilities well with grace and poise. My parent's being in the eyes of the public have much on their hands every day which includes myself as well; they always assure me that I can be successful in my life as long as I make the right decisions that will help me become stronger as a person. I know someday I will help my parent's with their livelihoods when I understand myself better, I want them to be assured I am able to handle my responsibilities without worry.
I hope Rose is helming herself as well with her parents, I see she puts so much pressure on herself and I wouldn't want her to feel like a failure if she decided not to go through with today. She and I both have been helming out own pressures in life; I always keep assuring her that her feelings about what she desires in life have always mattered to everyone around her. I want a friend more than a guardian, Rose will always be my closest friend even if she does decide to become a soldier. I honestly cannot wait to see her soon to hear of her decision.
Now I must begin preparing myself for the next chapter in my life now, mother and father have made the decision to let me leave the palace to seek out the answers to these mysterious dreams. The mysterious woman still calls to me in my dreams but has yet to reveal herself since that night. Is she truly watching me from afar? Is she close by? Is she an Eidolon? Is there something from papa's past that is calling out for me as well?
Have I been chosen for a higher calling in this world?"