Disclaimer: All characters, themes and locations pertaining to FFVIII do not belong to me. I am simply a writer who happens to wish to be a part of Square-Enix someday, and has tried her best with her OCs.
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" – Speech
' - Quotations
Bold – Emphasized words
Italics – Thoughts/Feelings/Whispers
Bold & Italic – Letters/Notes/Texts/Calls
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"You understand nothing, yet you are in the middle of everything." Zerase - Suikoden V
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For the Love of Gaia … !
Chapter 2: Middle of Everything
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Centra Castle – Princess's Room
"There. That looks much better." The Queen, Edea Amalthea Kramer, said to her daughter, a young girl who had just wrapped a traditional red shawl around herself. Edea, apparently satisfied with the look, smiled at her daughter; who seemed to be growing and was just about the same height as her mother. She was proud of her daughter, but yet wished that Jamaila wasn't such a – carefree person … She acted like one anyway.
No, Edea thought to herself, Jamaila should stop with the whole 'chilling out' attitude: that really is no way for a Princess of Centra to act. And what was with the name 'Jamie'? That name, in my opinion, sounds highly common and should not be adopted by a Princess, anyway: it's far too … male. Generations of the Kramer family have –
"Mum, this just looks stupid." The Princess complained.
Keepig her gasp at bay, Edea fixed a stern look upon her face, which softened slightly at the sight of a frowning Jamaila wrapped in a material unknown to her. However, tradition was tradition, and Edea took it as such.
"Now, Jamaila, it is traditional for the Centran princesses to wrap themselves in a silk shawl just after returning back home. We don't want to break that tradition, do we?"
Well, if it means I have to wear this stupid shawl, then I wouldn't mind, really …
Since those words were not spoken out loud, Edea continued. "Jamaila, we are already planning to hold our Inaugural Dinner –"
"Hey, why are we rushing for? I thought those dinners were usually held, like, way later …"
"The 'rush'," Edea started, frowning slightly "is that we thought it much more convenient to hold it earlier, mainly due to the fact that a lot of the royal brethren seem to be coming of age."
Jamie raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Finding it fit to continue, Edea asked. "So, did you pick out a regal dress to wear?"
"No, because I know whatever I pick won't be good enough." Jamaila muttered sulkily.
Edea, hearing every word, sighed irritably. "Jamaila, if you don't start taking responsibility for yourself, I just might have to –"
Sheesh, I better keep her quiet, before she goes on and on. "Chill, Mum –" Edea looked affronted "- I'll just ask one of the maids to –"
"Don't think the maids would do everything for you –"
"I know they won't. But, I can't think of –"
Some knocks were heard on the door, which momentarily distracted the two and stopped them from verbally arguing. The maid made herself visible by entering the room hesitantly. "Um, is there anything I can do to help you, Your Majesty?"
Edea shook her head and smiled at the maid. "No, thank you, Elena. Just be sure to pick out Jamaila's dress for the upcoming dinner, won't you?"
"Of course, Your Majesty." She bowed respectfully. When Edea left the room, the maid looked back at Jamaila. "Any dress in particular taken your fancy, Princess?"
Jamie shook her head jadedly. "No … Just pick out what you think looks best."
"Of course, Princess." Another bow.
With a sigh, Jamaila flopped onto her bed, dejected. This 'Dinner' just seems, to me, to be some other foolish way for finding me a groom … And, I've told her before, I am so not getting married to a pompous, idiotic –
"I forgot to tell you, Princess; Selphie just called."
"Selphie?" Jamaila sat up on her bed, all feeling of laziness gone. "Is she coming?"
"Um, yes, I think she said –"
But Jamaila was barely listening. Selphie was one of her best friends, who had recently moved to Centra from Trabia, a cold place with not as much cultural focus. However, her mother didn't approve of her as much as her other friends … Well, namely Quistis: daughter of a tactician that Cid Evander Kramer had hired. Quistis was definitely much more accustomed with the royal 'goings-on' than her more hyperactive friend.
Looking out of her window, Jamaila saw a car stop and instantly recognized it as Selphie's. With pure excitement, she made her way to the front door of the castle, dodging many cleaners and other workers in the process, who gasped at their Princess's exuberance.
The doors were already open by the time that Jamaila had descended from the stairs and Selphie made her way towards her friend: arms outstretched. "Jamie! Hey!" After saying that, she grabbed Jamaila in a hug; which she returned enthusiastically.
However, their greeting was short-lived, when someone shouted "Princess!" Releasing Jamaila, the two looked towards the source of the voice, which turned out to be an agitated-looking Patrice.
"Oh, Princess! I zought zat you and Her Majesty The Queen were already down at ze Dining Chamber. I have prepared all ze dishes!"
Jamie frowned at him. "But, me and M – Her Majesty weren't planning to come down to eat."
"B-But, I had all ze dishes made very quickly, because you were on your way to the Dining –!"
"Who told you that we were coming down to the Dining Chamber?"
"Kinneas said th –" Then, as if something had suddenly dawned on him – "He lied again, did he not?"
Jamie nodded, slightly amused. "Yep."
Then, Patrice began to snarl and made his way back to the Kitchens. "Kinneas! I vill get you for zis!"
Jamaila and Selphie both watched him enter the Kitchens then looked back at each other. The Princess was the first to speak.
"So, you want to come and eat?"
Selphie smiled. "Love to."
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Galbadia Castle – Prince's Room
Minus his top, Seifer was seated on his bed: his concentration on his portable games console. After the incident with the soccer ball, Josef Almasy thought it fit to suppress Seifer from playing in the Gardens for a while.
However, Seifer's peace was brief, as someone knocked on the door. Not bothering to answer, or perhaps because he was so immersed in his game, that Seifer resumed playing. The figure then thought it was okay to enter and did so but from the way her face turned slightly red, Xu wished that she hadn't entered at all.
Seifer barely noticed a thing, but finally paused his game and rose from his seated position. With a smirk, he addressed her, albeit impolitely. "So … What brings you in here? I mean, this must be the most glorious place you've ever set foot in."
With a scoff, Xu replied. "Yeah – 'Hi' to you, too. And, I came here to tell you that His Highness the King wishes to speak to you right now."
"Why?"
"How am I supposed to know?" She said, eyeing him with disgust. Evidently, his bluntness deeply annoyed her. "All he asked me was to call you and tell you to come to his Chambers. And, for the love of Hyne, put a top on!" She hissed sharply, as Seifer was about to exit his room.
With a dark look to Xu, Seifer made his way to his closet and began to discard his clothes hither and thither: the brunette Knight watching with distaste. When he found a top satisfactory to his taste, the blond Prince then dressed himself into it. When he had done that, he was vaguely aware of Xu's eyes still watching him and smirked.
"What – do you like what you see?"
Xu scoffed. "Yeah, sure – as if I'd want to check you out! Frankly, I just don't think that top suits you."
Seifer raised an eyebrow. "Wow. Are you normally this nice to everyone or is it my lucky day?"
It was Xu's turn to shrug. "Personally, I'd say I was nice to everyone."
"Well, then you are so damn wrong."
"You know, you're really lucky you're a Prince."
"And you're really lucky that you could come in here. Most females would kill to spend some time in here."
Xu glared at him. "You just make your way to your father's room, alright?" She said and left. With a smirk, Seifer followed.
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Centra Castle – Hallways
Jamaila and Selphie had just exited the Dining Chamber, full and merry, the latter gushing about what dress she thought Jamaila should wear for the Inaugural Dinner. Just when they were commenting on Jamaila's simple white dress, an assistant made her way to the duo.
"So sorry, Your Highness, but the Queen requests an audience with you." She then directed her next words at Selphie. "I'm sorry, but she only wishes to see her daughter. Perhaps you can wait in the Guest Room?"
When Selphie agreed to wait there, she bade goodbye to Jamaila as she was accompanied by the assistant. Jamaila then made her way upstairs and turned a corner. Here were three rooms: the first one her mother's. Knocking on her door a couple of times, she waited for the 'Come in' that her mother spoke.
Opening the door, she was greeted by her mother. "Ah, yes. Jamaila. Well, as you should know, the Inauguration Dinner will not begin as of yet. However, we would need to organise some sort of … meeting between the different royal families –"
"What? Why?!"
"- It is crucial for all the royal families to unite. That has, and will always be a part of tradition."
Oh, here we go again … Seriously, if Tradition was a person, I swear she'd want me to get married to him … Or adopt him as a son.
"So, Jamaila. Since the Royal Family of Esthar have already honoured us by deiding to host the meeting in three days in Esthar –"
"WHAT?!"
"Must you keep doing that?" Edea asked irritably. "Anyway – the two of us will be going, and I wish you to be at your best at all times. You understand?" She demanded of her daughter.
Jamaila sighed. "… Yes."
"Wonderful. You are now dismissed, Jamaila."
Taking her leave, Jamaila made her way to the Guest Room; imagining the reaction on Selphie's face when she tells her of the meeting in Esthar. But, there was one thing that was certain …
Sigh … How exactly did I get myself in the middle of everything?
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Author's Note: Yay! I feel so jolly and jumpy and – I should stop now. Well, next chapter is when both Seifer and Jamaila meet. Hm … What's gonna happen, I wonder.
Some Random Facts:
: The assistant wasn't named Elena for a specific reason. Just another nice name, I guess … :
: The name 'Amalthea' is derived from the Greek name 'Amaltheia', and means 'to soften, soothe'. After all, Edea is quite tender (Although not as much in this fic, lolz.). :
: The name 'Evander' is derived from the Greek name 'Euandros', which means 'good man'. And, Cid is one, isn't he? :
Hope you guys have it in you to Read & Review!
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