For many years after, Meriol was raised by the Guado, instructed about the history of her people by her father, and educated about Spira by Seymour. She spent most of her time with Seymour, her teaching him as much as he taught her, about her homeland, where there was no Sin, yet more danger than Spira could ever hold. Her father held a job as researcher, as even before the journey, he had a fascination with the inexplicable, such as pyreflies, and Sin. Though Lord Jyscall gave her father funds enough to support the two of them, when she was old enough, Meriol still felt obligated to take a job, as all the Guado people were expected when they came of age.
Seymour and Meriol were out fiend hunting, as usual. Seymour's father was entertaining guest again, and Meriol's was off on yet another fact finding expedition. Sometimes Meriol was bewildered by the interest her father had in all things Spira, but he had made many discoveries about Sin, and Meriol had other things on her mind. Trommell was busy, so Meriol and Seymour had snuck out again, shirking their studies. Again. They wouldn't be missed for hours, so the powerful pair saw this as an opportunity to hone their skills, already unusually exceptional for their age.
"Think we'll find something this time, Sey?" Asked Meriol.
"Kidding? This patch has the most boring fiends I've ever fought, but we can't exactly sneak out onto the thunder plains, can we?"
"True, we can't. Feh, hope I don't have to end up guarding the thunder plains entrance as my allocated job."
"Who say's you have to have an allocated job?" Asked Seymour, stooping to pick up a stick on the path in front of him.
"How can you say that? Every Guado… well, most, get a job at my age. The is no choice in the matter." Meriol eyed her companion carefully. "Up to something?"
"Just thinking." Said Seymour, rustling the bushes next to the path with his newly acquired stick, hoping to rouse some fiends. "You're not really Guado…"
"Don't you say that." Meriol hissed, as usual, painfully aware of her precarious position amongst the Guado. "I live here too. I study here. I'm going to be a productive member of society. I'm as much Guado as anyone in the hollow."
"You know what I mean." Seymour said. "You wouldn't be forced to get a job unless you asked for it, and in addition to that… Meri, you're my friend."
"So you'll use your influence to keep me unemployed?" Meriol picked up a rock and threw it at a tree. The grasses shuffled below the tree, but no fiends appeared. "That sounds stupid, and a waste of time and effort. Not at all like you." She winked, and skipped ahead.
"That's not my intent." Seymour said, catching up to her. "I could simply request your service at the palace."
"Work for you?" Asked Meriol, bewildered. "You'd be a terrible boss, I'm sure."
"Admittedly, it might be weird, but I don't think I would be that bad." Said Seymour, looking hurt. "You could just keep me company. You know I enjoy your company."
"Eh? Well ok." Said Meriol. "It sounds better than thunder guard."
Seymour took of at a run, putting considerable distance between him and his friend before calling out, "and you can peel me grapes and massage my feet!"
Meriol chased after him, laughing. Spending even more time with Sey, this would be a riot. And no thunder duty.
Thunder duty, Meriol hated it. Boring and windy, what was the point? Get cold and wet and tired, and ignored by passer bys. It had been Seymour's warped idea of a joke to get her to do this for today instead of her regular duties of absolutely nothing. Seymour… he was sitting in a wind-sheltered cave behind her, studying Yevon's teachings. His forehead would be creased in thought, his long hair falling over his face, he's brush it away and laugh, for no particular reason and… Meriol shook herself out of the daydream. He would be inside studying Yevon's teachings, engrossed in something Meriol didn't understand. Meriol had never taken to Yevonism, though she had adjusted quickly to life in Spira. She just couldn't bring herself to believe that humanity could do anything as bad as to deserve Sin, but though she found the teachings boring, she longed to be in there with him. For one thing, it would be warm and dry, but that was not what made it so attractive. Seymour would be in there, and there was nothing Meriol liked more than to be in Seymour's company. Meriol wss in love with Seymour. She had known this for a fairly long time now. He, however, seemed oblivious to her feelings, as witty, sweet and playfully annoying as ever, never noticing the stolen glances or the secret sighs. This only seemed to make Meriol love him all the more, despite the pouring rain and freezing wind of thunderguard duty.
"Ah-tsu!" Meriol sneezed and sniffed, certain this was more than just her usual dust allergy. She was probably going to get sick. Curse that irresistibly cute half-Guado, were her thoughts, just before someone tapped her on the shoulder. After jumping about five feet into the air, Meriol turned around.
"Milady, you've done three hours, you are relived." Said a nervous looking Guado worker, trying to bow and hold her gaze at the same time.
Though only a handmaiden, a mere servant, Meriol was friend and rumoured consort to the Lord's son. This, in addition to the fact that her pale skin was luminous in the light of the thunder plains, meant that Meriol commanded respect from the worker, even as she smiled and shrugged, thanking him for relieving her. Whilst longing for more than rumour, Meriol relished the privileges she received, and stayed some extra minutes to inform the Guado worker of the changes thunder guard duty should go through.
Seymour and Meriol were out fiend hunting, as usual. Seymour's father was entertaining guest again, and Meriol's was off on yet another fact finding expedition. Sometimes Meriol was bewildered by the interest her father had in all things Spira, but he had made many discoveries about Sin, and Meriol had other things on her mind. Trommell was busy, so Meriol and Seymour had snuck out again, shirking their studies. Again. They wouldn't be missed for hours, so the powerful pair saw this as an opportunity to hone their skills, already unusually exceptional for their age.
"Think we'll find something this time, Sey?" Asked Meriol.
"Kidding? This patch has the most boring fiends I've ever fought, but we can't exactly sneak out onto the thunder plains, can we?"
"True, we can't. Feh, hope I don't have to end up guarding the thunder plains entrance as my allocated job."
"Who say's you have to have an allocated job?" Asked Seymour, stooping to pick up a stick on the path in front of him.
"How can you say that? Every Guado… well, most, get a job at my age. The is no choice in the matter." Meriol eyed her companion carefully. "Up to something?"
"Just thinking." Said Seymour, rustling the bushes next to the path with his newly acquired stick, hoping to rouse some fiends. "You're not really Guado…"
"Don't you say that." Meriol hissed, as usual, painfully aware of her precarious position amongst the Guado. "I live here too. I study here. I'm going to be a productive member of society. I'm as much Guado as anyone in the hollow."
"You know what I mean." Seymour said. "You wouldn't be forced to get a job unless you asked for it, and in addition to that… Meri, you're my friend."
"So you'll use your influence to keep me unemployed?" Meriol picked up a rock and threw it at a tree. The grasses shuffled below the tree, but no fiends appeared. "That sounds stupid, and a waste of time and effort. Not at all like you." She winked, and skipped ahead.
"That's not my intent." Seymour said, catching up to her. "I could simply request your service at the palace."
"Work for you?" Asked Meriol, bewildered. "You'd be a terrible boss, I'm sure."
"Admittedly, it might be weird, but I don't think I would be that bad." Said Seymour, looking hurt. "You could just keep me company. You know I enjoy your company."
"Eh? Well ok." Said Meriol. "It sounds better than thunder guard."
Seymour took of at a run, putting considerable distance between him and his friend before calling out, "and you can peel me grapes and massage my feet!"
Meriol chased after him, laughing. Spending even more time with Sey, this would be a riot. And no thunder duty.
Thunder duty, Meriol hated it. Boring and windy, what was the point? Get cold and wet and tired, and ignored by passer bys. It had been Seymour's warped idea of a joke to get her to do this for today instead of her regular duties of absolutely nothing. Seymour… he was sitting in a wind-sheltered cave behind her, studying Yevon's teachings. His forehead would be creased in thought, his long hair falling over his face, he's brush it away and laugh, for no particular reason and… Meriol shook herself out of the daydream. He would be inside studying Yevon's teachings, engrossed in something Meriol didn't understand. Meriol had never taken to Yevonism, though she had adjusted quickly to life in Spira. She just couldn't bring herself to believe that humanity could do anything as bad as to deserve Sin, but though she found the teachings boring, she longed to be in there with him. For one thing, it would be warm and dry, but that was not what made it so attractive. Seymour would be in there, and there was nothing Meriol liked more than to be in Seymour's company. Meriol wss in love with Seymour. She had known this for a fairly long time now. He, however, seemed oblivious to her feelings, as witty, sweet and playfully annoying as ever, never noticing the stolen glances or the secret sighs. This only seemed to make Meriol love him all the more, despite the pouring rain and freezing wind of thunderguard duty.
"Ah-tsu!" Meriol sneezed and sniffed, certain this was more than just her usual dust allergy. She was probably going to get sick. Curse that irresistibly cute half-Guado, were her thoughts, just before someone tapped her on the shoulder. After jumping about five feet into the air, Meriol turned around.
"Milady, you've done three hours, you are relived." Said a nervous looking Guado worker, trying to bow and hold her gaze at the same time.
Though only a handmaiden, a mere servant, Meriol was friend and rumoured consort to the Lord's son. This, in addition to the fact that her pale skin was luminous in the light of the thunder plains, meant that Meriol commanded respect from the worker, even as she smiled and shrugged, thanking him for relieving her. Whilst longing for more than rumour, Meriol relished the privileges she received, and stayed some extra minutes to inform the Guado worker of the changes thunder guard duty should go through.