Compared to life in the outlying remote villages, life in Baron was considerably privileged.
Designed by a Chief Engineer many generations back, Baron's water system brought fresh water in from the nearby Baron River, while its sewage system carried waste away through a series of underground tunnels that eventually emptied into the sea. Artificially constructed waterfalls fed the incoming river water to the town; the water then passed through a canal in the northeastern quadrant of Baron and drained into a manmade tributary.
In the hot, sticky days at the height of summer, instead of laboring in the fields to help their families as other children did, Rosa, Cecil, and Kain spent most of their time at the New Waterways. They played in the mornings and afternoons, swimming and splashing each other, then napping in the warm sun to dry themselves off. In the early evening, when the air had cooled enough to be tolerable, they returned to the town to find new fun.
The children listened to the soldiers exchanging stories in the tavern and wondered aloud which ones might be true. They teamed up with other kids to play a whole-town game of hide-and-seek; whenever they were discovered, they ran shrieking through the streets. They hunted "treasure" among leather scraps from the Armor Shop's garbage and cobbled together enough to make a sad suit of armor, which was worn by whoever was the Bad Guy that day. The other two children took turns to smack the "armored" child with their wooden swords – this eventually led to welts and bruises on each of the children.
Most nights found them back at the castle, watching the sunset from Cecil's roof, and surrounded by the brilliant colors of the darkening sky. They sat together in a line, shoulders touching. Sometimes, Rosa would lay her head on Kain's arm, eyes closed, basking in the happiness of the moment. Sometimes, Cecil would lean in against Kain, pressing arm to arm and hip to hip, and brief gusts of wind would throw Cecil's silver hair into Kain's face.
Most of the time, it was magical…
Sometimes, Kain found himself resentful of both Cecil (and the changes he brought with him) and Rosa. Kain burned with jealousy whenever Rosa paid more attention to Cecil, and when Cecil specifically sought out Rosa instead of Kain. He found himself endlessly frustrated whenever Rosa insisted on coming along after being told no, especially if her age or girlness slowed them down or thwarted their older boy plans.
Kain thrived on their shared moment in pairs– he and Cecil sparring to exhaustion, each trying to best the other; he and Rosa, gathering plants by the riverside, muddy to their knees as they ran wild along the banks. Kain did love their time as a group of three, because it was when they were at their best: Cecil the most clever, Rosa the most resourceful, and Kain, the most able (to climb, run, carry, or whatever task they needed). But somehow, he always feared it would end – that Rosa and Cecil would eventually tire of him and only want to be friends with each other.
Mid-summer, Kain turned eleven, his hair now reaching his shoulders. Rosa offered to trim it for him, then spent a patient hour carefully snipping, taking off as little as possible.
"Does it still look okay long?" Kain asked, peering uncertainly at himself in the mirror. Although Rosa nodded enthusiastically, Kain was watching Cecil instead; he was instantly relieved when Cecil smiled in agreement.
As summer became fall, the traveling bards, scribes, and tutors returned from their journeys, ready to spend another cold season in Baron, educating the kingdom's children. Their stories from abroad filled the taverns, which grew increasingly crowded as the days became shorter and colder.
After the last harvest and celebratory feast, the children resumed their lessons at Baron Castle. They celebrated Cecil's tenth birthday together, eating themselves sick on pies pilfered from the kitchens.
Winter arrived, with Rosa's ninth birthday shortly afterward, one crisp, quiet morning after a raging snowstorm the night before. Cecil and Kain had gotten her two presents: blue hair ribbons and a collection of their too-small hand-me-down trousers. Joanna had stopped letting Rosa wear boys' pants, citing the need for Rosa to start dressing appropriately, so Rosa would often borrow a pair before the children set off on their adventures together.
The two gifts to Rosa acknowledged and accepted her contradictory nature: being their friend, being like them, and being a girl at the same time. This contradiction was the essence of Rosa – running behind them in trousers worn through the knees, while blue ribbons streamed through her golden hair.
Years passed this way, in a repeating cycle of seasons and birthdays that was filled with play, learning, and fierce childhood love.
When Kain turned thirteen, King Odin summoned him to the throne room. He did not see the king often, usually only in passing in the castle halls, or occasionally as Odin came to watch dragoon training. But they did not speak, only warily watching the other.
"You are growing into a young man," King Odin declared as he stood from the throne. He walked a circle around Kain, looking Kain up and down in frank assessment. Kain said nothing, remaining still and stiff as the king came to stand before him. Odin crouched slightly, to look Kain directly in the eye. "What do you want in life, Kain?"
"To be a dragoon, sir," Kain answered without hesitation.
The king said nothing, his expression too neutral for Kain to read. He straightened, then pulled something from his belt, holding it out for Kain.
Kain took it in his hand, turning it over. It was a small dagger, in a plain leather sheath. He gripped the slim handle lightly, then looked up to the king for confirmation. Odin nodded, and Kain carefully pulled the dagger free. It was simple, serviceable dagger – for daily tasks, not necessarily for bloodshed.
"If you choose a path within Baron's military, you won't just be a dragoon… you will be a tool in my hand," Odin said, his voice solemn. "No matter where your path takes you, you must remember where your loyalties lie. You must trust me to tell you where to strike, as I must trust you not to betray me while you have a weapon in your hand."
Kain sheathed the dagger, looking up to meet Odin's serious eyes. "I understand."
Kain started his cadet training in the fall. He was desperate to begin, to finally get a chance to stretch his legs and take his first steps toward being a dragoon. At the same time, he was terrified – not only did it mean being away from Cecil and Rosa for most of the day, it meant that they would be alone together, learning how to be friends without Kain around.
While Kain continued to be educated in math, literacy, history, and politics, he started learning in other (more physical and technical) areas: yellow chocobo riding, weapons training, field survival techniques, and first aid.
Most first-year cadets stayed within the basic classes, then were selected for more specialized training in their fourth or fifth years as they showed aptitude for a particular field. Kain was the rare exception, as the youngest cadet training alongside the dragoons.
One day, as they practiced proper landings by jumping off a tall stack of wooden boxes to the ground below, Kain spotted King Odin watching from a distance. Albert noticed too; he left the group of cadets, then crossed the training yard to speak with the king. From a distance, Kain couldn't understand their conversation, although it was animated – multiple times, Albert gestured emphatically back toward the cadets, and the king simply shook his head.
Kain wanted to watch further, but it was his turn to climb the stack of boxes. He scrambled up the side, fast despite his smaller size relative to the older cadets. He saw the king walking away, while a cross-looking Albert scowled at the king's back. Kain flexed his knees and jumped, bracing his ankles and knees for impact as he landed. Instead of lining back up to jump again, Kain took off in a run over to Albert.
"What's that about?" Kain asked, certain that the conversation somehow involved him.
"Nothing," Albert said tightly. "Don't fret about the king. He just has less say about things than he'd like." He turned to face Kain, his expression serious. "Remember. He is your king but not your master. You are a free man and can decide your own fate."
"What do you mean?" Kain asked, not understanding.
Albert hesitated, considering Kain, then looking beyond, his eyes focused on some unseen object in the distance. "At the end of everything, you only have yourself to answer to. You must make decisions that you, not your king, can live with. Does that make sense, Kain?"
"Yes," Kain lied.
Although Kain worried about his time apart from Rosa and Cecil, they always seemed eager to see him after lessons ended. Rosa usually had a pastry or piece of bread and cheese to offer as a snack, and Cecil was quick with suggestions on how to spend their time. Their play matured, leaving behind the grand games of pretend and make-believe, to become focused on exploration and acts of daring. If Rosa and Cecil ever mentioned something that happened when Kain wasn't around, Kain desperately tried not to feel hurt, but could not help himself. Rosa was always quick to say how boring lessons were without Kain, and that seemed to soothe Kain's hurt ego.
The seasons passed quickly, with Cecil and Rosa always waiting for Kain.
Their dynamic changed again when Cecil turned thirteen and started as a cadet. Suddenly, Kain and Cecil were inseparable, and poor Rosa was left behind. Kain was thrilled to have a friend by his side again, but his excitement was quickly dampened as Cecil excelled in his lessons, ahead of Kain already in some areas. Kain seethed with the unfairness of it all, Cecil having the clear advantage with his royal education.
Their rivalry sparked anew, they tested their skills against one another to determine who was best at a particular skill and therefore ahead in the never-ending competition. Cecil was a natural at sword and shield, while Kain was better with two handed weapons, like the lance. Kain was more agile, whereas Cecil had more endurance. Although they evenly traded victories back and forth, Kain always felt like he was falling behind Cecil, despite Cecil's younger age; somehow, that seemed unfair.
Rosa was always there to greet them at the end of each long day, with food and potions to ease their sore muscles and injuries. She complained of her utterly boring days without them, counting down the days until her next birthday.
Another year passed.
When Rosa finally turned thirteen, her first day as a cadet was momentous, both because the three friends were finally reunited, and because it was the first time that Kain realized what Rosa being a girl really meant. As Rosa wandered over to join the other first-year cadets, he saw a small group of girls approach her. He couldn't shake the feel of dread that washed over him as he watched Rosa and the girls interacting, already engaged in a lively conversation.
Because both were busy with their own lessons, Kain didn't see Rosa until the end of the day. He ran all over the castle looking for her, until he finally spotted her exiting the castle on the bridge that led into town, surrounded by the same group of girls from earlier.
He wanted to go to her – he could say something to get her to stay, but found himself paralyzed with inaction as when he saw her chatting excitedly. Then, Cecil walked up beside Kain, watching as Rosa continued to walk away.
"Don't worry," Cecil said, taking Kain's hand in his, to lead Kain back toward the castle. "It's only the excitement of meeting new people. I know those girls, and they're gossipy busy bodies. Rosa will tire of it soon."
Kain followed easily enough, although he cast one last look over his shoulder at Rosa, who was disappearing as she became further away.
"Let's go see if we can find any sleeping guards and see if we can sneak past them," Cecil suggested, drawing Kain's attention back. Kain looked back at Cecil, who was smiling gently – as if he coaxed a skittish chocobo – and for that moment, Kain forgot about his fears about Rosa and her emerging girlness.
Of course, Cecil was right; while it was sometimes infuriating, Kain found that Cecil's assessments usually were correct.
Later that evening, Kain sat alone in his room, head bent over the day's notes, as he tried to memorize their contents, when he heard a knock at the door.
Kain was surprised to see Rosa on the other side of the door, as this was later than she usually stayed out. She didn't wait for an invitation, simply walked past him into the room, with the confidence of a long-time friend. "Kain," she said simply, by way of greeting.
There was a strangeness in her demeanor – she stalked past him then whirled around, brow furrowed in concentration as she considered him. She seemed to be puzzling something out, some detail about Kain that didn't make sense.
"What is it?" Kain asked, taking a few curious steps toward her.
"The other girls are weird about you," Rosa blurted out. "They think that you are…" She gestured vaguely, struggling to find the right words. "Well, apparently you are handsome, while Cecil is pretty. I've learned there's a distinction." She hesitated, her cheeks going suddenly pink, before she continued in a smaller voice, "They want to know which of you I've kissed, or if it's both."
"Oh," Kain said, stunned by the new information. He had never been aware of other girls noticing him, or of Rosa thinking about kissing him, but the notion of both made his face feel hot and his palms go cold and damp. He saw Rosa watching him carefully and felt suddenly uncomfortable under the scrutiny of her intense gaze. "What did you say?" he asked, unsure if he wanted to know the answer.
Rosa shrugged, as if she were truly indifferent to the conversation. "I told them I hadn't decided yet," she answered, sounding unusually casual. Still, she watched him, almost warily, as if he were a stray dog that she wasn't sure she could trust. Then, an idea prompted a new grin from Rosa. "Close your eyes and stay still."
"Rosa?" Kain asked, trying not to sound panicked; he reflexively took a step back from her.
"I'm serious," Rosa said, sounding exasperated. She closed the distance between them, putting a hand on his arm to still him. "If girls are going to start kissing you, shouldn't it be me first?" she asked, then quickly added, "I mean, for practice."
"For… practice," Kain repeated, the words dry in his mouth. "Of course." He didn't move toward Rosa, but at least stopped his retreat. That seemed enough, as she peered up at him, waiting expectantly for something. Kain internally faltered, wondering what she was waiting for, then remembered her earlier command to close his eyes and stay still. Drawing in a breath to steady himself, he mostly closed his eyes, but continued to watch her under closed lashes.
Rosa examined him for a careful moment, as if to assure herself that his eyes were indeed closed and he would be still. She stood on tip toes to get closer to him, her face now impossibly near to his; she inspected him at this short distance, with her blue eyes wide as if she had never considered him this intensely before.
Kain briefly wondered what else the other girls had said to Rosa, to make her wonder about things like kissing and handsomeness. But then he inhaled, drawing in the combined perfume of her hair and the smell of her mouth, finding himself immediately enthralled with this new closeness.
He opened his mouth to say something, but then Rosa closed her eyes, leaned in, and pressed her mouth against his. He was immediately stunned into stillness – the only coherent thought that filtered through was his surprise at how soft her lips were.
Neither moved for a blissfully long moment, until Rosa finally broke the contact, pulling away and sinking back to her feet. She wiped her mouth with her sleeve. "I don't see what the fuss is," she said, despite her very red cheeks. "It's not that big of a deal."
"Not a big deal at all," Kain repeated dumbly, absently touching his fingers to his mouth. He thought he might have been smiling, too, but his face was too numb to tell.
"So much so," Rosa continued, "… that there's no point in even mentioning this to Cecil."
"Oh," Kain said, not fully hearing her words at first. Then, they sank in, and understanding slammed into him. "Oh." Kain repeated, sounding more alarmed now. What would Cecil say about this? And why did Kain care so much about what Cecil might think? Wouldn't this just be another contest Kain had won, not even knowing they had been competing?
"It will be our secret," Rosa said as she opened the door, turning back to give Kain one of her dazzling smiles, a hint of mischief in her eyes.
"Just ours," Kain said, feeling a sudden lurch of guilt.
It was the first secret Kain and Rosa ever kept from Cecil, but far from the worst.
Rosa found her first year more frustrating than the boys had, as her instructors were always trying to redirect her attention to the infirmary – they insisted that Rosa's talents were most effectively applied there. Thus, after each day's lessons had ended, the boys would often find Rosa back in the training yard, sinking arrows into distant targets.
"They do not even watch me," she complained one day, firing one frustrated arrow after another. "And they do not listen. I have no wish to be a white mage."
"What do you want?" Cecil asked her. Although he already knew the answer, his question served as a prompt for further discussion. It was a gift Cecil had – to encourage people to speak freely.
"I want to cover your backs," Rosa answered Cecil, although she looked directly at Kain, fierceness suddenly arising in her blue eyes from her passionate speech. "You'll need someone to watch out for you, when you're alone in the sky," she paused, then looked back at Cecil and added, "… or on the battlefield."
"But Rosa," Kain said, "As a white mage, you could help so many more people."
"But I want to help you," Rosa protested with a frown, returning attention to Kain and meeting his gaze. "When will other people stop telling me what I want, even though I know what I want?" For a brief second, her eyes lowered, and Kain realized she was looking at his mouth. When she looked back up and their eyes met again, both blushed.
"You will just have to be firm about what you want," Cecil offered, trying to be helpful, oblivious to the exchange between the other two. "Your mother and everyone else have their expectations, but if you truly want something, you should go for it."
"I should," Rosa agreed. She took up position with her bow again, drew an arrow tight across the string, then released it quickly. Despite her speed, Rosa maintained accuracy, and the arrow landed squarely in the target's center. "If I want something, I should take it."
Kain wondered what else Rosa wanted.
Cecil took up position beside Rosa with his own bow in hand. Mimicking her positioning, Cecil nocked an arrow, then drew the bowstring tight. Rosa lowered her bow, then turned to Cecil and corrected the angle of his elbow. Cecil released the arrow, and – although off by a few inches – the arrow struck the target's center circle. Cecil grinned, obviously pleased with himself, as he usually struggled with longer ranged weapons.
Kain also wondered what Cecil might want, even though Cecil had never made any demands on either Rosa or Kain; he was apparently content with the current state of their friendship. Did Cecil have some secret longing that neither Kain nor Rosa had noticed?
As Kain watched Rosa and Cecil together, he wondered what he wanted, then realized that he didn't know.