Chapter 1

"Dear, are you certain you will be alright on your own? I could ask Cid or his daughter to check on you daily-"

"Really, mother, I'll be fine!" The encouraging push from Rosa was rewarded with a humorous chuckle, but Joanna wasn't ready to leave just yet.

"You can't fault me for worrying. You'll be all on your own for a whole week! I realise you're a big girl now, but ever since your father…" Joanna trailed off with a soft sigh. It had been years since her husband's untimely death yet a mere mention of him was enough to open old wounds and unveil the grief she tried so hard to hide from others.

Not wanting her mother's good mood ruined, Rosa gently cut in. "Our neighbours already promised to help me with anything I can't handle and besides, I'll be spending most of my days in the castle. I can always stay in the students' quarters."

Instantly perking up, Joanna put her hands on her hips and sternly peered down at her daughter. "Be sure to study hard. I want to come home and witness you cast at least one curative spell." Rosa stifled a groan. "And I really needn't say this, but do not take any strangers into the house under any circumstance. You can bring classmates to study with you during daylight hours, but I want everybody out by nightfall. Understand?"

Crossing her arms, Rosa huffed lightly. "Yes, mother."

"And I know you'll run into the woods to practise archery the moment I'm out of sight-" A small smirk tugged at the blonde youth's pink lips. Her mother knew her all too well. "-but at the very least stay within the townguards' sight in case there's wild beasts."

Rosa could handle a goblin or two just fine. She needed the solitude and respite her practise grounds offered from unwanted commentary such as how a highborn lady should stick to strumming harp strings rather than bowstrings. But to give her mother false comfort, she dutifully repeated. "Yes, mother."

"Good girl. I'll be back before you know it and I'll be sure to bring you a bottle of that Troian perfume you so like."

With a final embrace Joanna bid farewell to her daughter and hurried to the Baron docks, her purple cloak and honey brown locks disappearing behind passing townsfolk. Once a quarter hour had passed and Rosa was certain her mother had left for good, she flung herself back inside, nearly ran downstairs to the basement and pulled a dusty cloth aside to reveal an ordinary looking wooden chest. Its lid opened with a creaking protest that usually made the young girl cringe in irritation, but today she didn't have to worry about being found out.

Carefully she set her late father's old belongings aside to pull out an archery glove, her trusty bow and quiver along with an extra bowstring she liked to keep on her person when going out, just like her father had taught her. The chest was one of the only safe hiding places her mother wouldn't dare search and Rosa readily took advantage of it. Joanna may have been relatively lax when it came to Rosa's comings and goings, but she wasn't particularly fond of her daughter's archery hobby, an activity the young girl had taken interest in as a child when her father had taken her to see the annual archery tournament.

Making sure the door was locked on her way out, Rosa strolled with a spring in her step past the protective stonewalls and bored gateguards to enter the nearby forest where she had built her private training grounds. A recent storm had blown some of the self-made targets high up between the tree branches to dangle out of her reach while the rest were scattered across the field. With a long-suffering sigh, Rosa began to retrieve her targets; empty bottles, rotting pieces of wood, tattered sackcloths, discarded toys. Anything she could paint a bullseye on worked.

Once she had recovered all of the targets, Rosa closed her eyes and began to chant under her breath. The shabby toy that once might've resembled a chocobo chick slowly lifted from the grassy forest floor and hovered as if hanging in the air by invisible threads. With another mumbled chant accompanied by tell-tale twirling flashes of magical light, the toy began to rapidly move from side to side like a harmless pendulum. Satisfied, Rosa opened her eyes and smirked.

Her mother might have thought her completely hopeless when it came to white magic, but it was more a matter of selectiveness. Rosa had no interest in learning curative spells that required staring at festering wounds and studying the dark side of all things anatomy-related, all the while praying she wouldn't empty the contents of her stomach on the person who had the misfortune of being her patient. Spells like float and haste came to her much easier, especially because she had immediately known where to put said spells to use. Deeming her target ready, Rosa jogged to the other side of the shooting range. With practised ease she strung the bow before nocking, drawing and taking aim.

Her concentration was broken by the rustle of a panicked flock of birds taking flight followed by muffled shouts. Lowering her bow and arrow, she turned to face the direction of the disturbance. The desperate tone of the voices indicated a fight had broken out. Perhaps some foolhardy pages inspiring to become squires had taken their mock training too deep into the woods and encountered the resident goblins. Wouldn't be the first time children snuck past guards to test their own mettle and limits outside the safety of citywalls. Rosa was already taking a step in the opposite direction to get one of the gateguards to handle the situation when a pained, distinctly masculine scream froze her in her tracks. Before realising what she was doing, her nimble legs were already taking her closer to the source of sounds, bow tightly clenched in her small fist.

Rosa reached the end of the forest and saw several floating eyes fluttering like vultures over a pair of armed men. Without a second thought, she knelt down on one knee and took aim. The undergrowth granted her excellent cover while the flying amphibians had none, exposed as they were in the clearing. The first arrow pierced the nearest floating eye's wing. It flapped uselessly in circles with its remaining wing before falling heavily on the forest floor. The man who had been hovering protectively over his wounded companion immediately sprung into action and cleaved the creature's round body with his blade. Not taking any time to gloat over her first successful hit on a live target, Rosa instead released another arrow. It missed its mark by a fraction, but was enough to turn the creature's attention away from the unconscious man who lay in a slowly spreading puddle of blood.

Confident the angry ball of green, rubbery skin hadn't pinpointed her hiding place yet, she took aim once more. Just as she was about to let the arrow loose, the creature abruptly flew upwards and out of her sight, hiding behind the thick curtain of leaves and branches. Panic began to churn in her stomach as the giant flying eyeball continued to elude her. The flapping of leathery wings confirmed its presence, but Rosa couldn't even begin to guess its exact location.

Her arm ached and shook from the strain of holding the draw, but she dared not relax. Just as she began to contemplate about taking a chance shot, the floating eye emerged from behind her and descended with its clawed feet extended. Turning at the last second, Rosa lost her footing on the slippery grass and fell heavily on her backside, the nocked arrow bouncing uselessly into the undergrowth as her tired arm lost its grip. The tips of the amphibian's wings and tail managed to only tickle her face as it glided harmlessly over her, the brief contact enough to make her entire body shudder in repulsion.

Scrambling to a crouched position, Rosa reached her quiver for another arrow, only to realise its contents had fallen out during her tumble. The frenzied creature had already turned around and was making another dash towards her, its wide mouth twisted into an ugly grin that showed off several rows of pointy fangs. Eyes widening in terror as realisation of her defenseless state sunk in, Rosa instinctively lifted her trembling arms to protect her face and braced for the inevitable pain.

Except, there was no pain. Only a sound of something being penetrated, like a butcher's knife sinking into a pig's flesh. She waited for another five seconds, but still nothing happened. Tentatively green eyes opened to peer through the crack between her arms at the scene before her.

The floating eye lay dead on the ground, yellow goop silently oozing from where a black blade had struck the killing blow. A booted foot settled against its rubbery skin and the sword was removed from its victim with little resistance.

"You alright, miss?" Her savior's soft voice roused Rosa from what felt like a temporary paralysis. Slowly she lowered her sore arms and nodded mutely.

The young man, while obviously a Baronian squire based on the crest adorned on his red hauberk, looked like no man she had ever encountered before. His complexion was uncommonly pale; not even the noble ladies who hid under sunshades all day long could rival to this man's alabaster skin. Rosa had only seen skin like his on the corpses the white mage trainees had had to study in the morgue. While the skin of the deceased was pasty and sickly, the squire had a sort of healthy glow to his that seemed even more pronounced under the shade of trees. His fair, shoulder-length hair was tied to a loose ponytail, but strands of snowy tresses had come undone to frame his clear grey-blue eyes. Embarrassed by the genuine concern she saw in his gaze, Rosa broke the eye contact and instead focused on his strangely purple-tinged lips.

She must've been gawking for a while, for the man grew uncomfortable and purposely cleared his throat to snap her attention back to his bashful gaze. Blinking dumbly for a moment, Rosa accepted his offered hand and was helped back on her feet. She had scarcely opened her mouth to express her gratitude when the man turned tail and sprinted away. His black cape whipped behind him as he hurried towards the clearing where his forgotten companion lay.

When Rosa emerged from the cover of trees and bushes to follow the strange man, she saw that a no small number of slain amphibians littered the ground, bloodied and unmoving. How could two young squires face against so many foes and survive for as long as they had? Rosa could only wonder and marvel at the prowess of Baron's military. As she sidestepped the lifeless beasts, the temperature seemed to unnaturally drop. A wave of dread swept over her, covering her bare arms in goosebumps and making the fine hair of her neck stand up in involuntary warning, but the sense of unease passed the moment she reached the two men.

"Kain?" The pale squire shook his wounded companion and even slapped him hard on the face for a good measure, receiving a low groan for his efforts. Rosa was certain the man would feel the sting for an hour if he were conscious. Troubled quartzite eyes turned to her, the young man's voice just as soft as before but now with an urgent edge to it. "He's lost a lot of blood."

Rosa knelt next to the injured man and eyed his wounds even as she fought against the overwhelming disgust and need to face away. The stench-combination of blood, sweat and monster guts was terrible! And the sight of fresh human blood did little to help her fight off the queasiness. Taking solace in the squire's kind gaze, she finally found her voice. "My house isn't far. I have emergency provisions there."

The man's tense shoulders relaxed ever so slightly, renewed hope flickering in his unguarded expression. It was enough to make Rosa feel sorry for him. She couldn't cast a simple cure, let alone bring back a badly wounded, unconscious man. At best she could do what educated common folk did in such cases.

Why did her mother have to leave today of all days?

While the pale squire removed his cape to hastily bind the wound, Rosa grabbed the injured man's - Kain, she reminded herself - feet. Together they lifted him off the soiled ground and hurried back to Baron. Fortunately one of the guards noticed their plight and rushed off to summon a white mage.

By the time they reached her home, Rosa's muscles were burning from trying to keep the heavy man above ground. Noticing her badly shaking arms, reddened face and increasingly heavy panting, the squire wordlessly relieved her from the burden. While he was awkwardly half-dragging and half-carrying the other man upstairs, Rosa grabbed a bottle of wine, a needle, thread, bandages, towels and poured water into a bowl before hurrying after him.

The squire had chosen the closest room available - her father's bedchamber - and was already working on cutting Kain's bloodied uniform with a boot knife. Wishing to put off seeing the true extent of the man's wounds if only for a few moments, Rosa set the bowl of water and a towel on the nightstand. The silent squire took the hint and dipped the towel in cold water before pressing it against the gash. They waited for a good ten minutes before he deemed it safe to remove the cloth. Rosa squeezed her eyes shut, took a fortifying gulp of air and braced herself for the morbid sight.

The large gash was wider than she had dared to anticipate and would need stitches without a doubt. The skin around it was caked in blood, as if a bomb made of various shades of red paint had smashed into Kain's abdomen. She could see a hint of bright red muscle decorated in thin blood vessels peeking from the open wound.

Already Rosa felt her willpower to do what was necessary fading. Her rising anxiety must've been infectious, for the pale man began to pace restlessly next to the bed which served to only further irritate her. Thinking quickly, she forced the needle and thread in his bloodied hands. "I need you to put this thread through the needle for me."

'That should keep him busy', Rosa thought enviously. She was supposed to be the one doing menial tasks while a proper healer did the actual work. 'But mother isn't here, so it's my job to keep Kain alive until the white mage arrives', she reminded herself.

Pushing all doubts aside, she sat down and silently recited the words her mother had drilled into her head as she began to work.

If you're out of magical reserves and need to treat a heavily bleeding patient, you must first staunch the bleeding. After the danger of hemorrhage is avoided, clean the wound with cold water that has been previously boiled.

Following the imaginary voice of her mother, Rosa drenched a clean towel in the bowl of water and wiped the skin around the cut clean. Imagining she was removing paint from her archery targets helped her stay relatively calm. Her breathing was steady and her heartbeat was only slightly accelerated. So far, so good.

It wasn't until she squeezed the blood out of the towel and began to clean the actual wound that she felt the first flutter of angry butterflies in the pit of her stomach. Fortunately the gash didn't appear to be fatally deep and didn't grant her a horrific view on Kain's guts. Unfortunately the mere sight of muscle-tissue that wobbled with each press of towel was enough to make her stomach churn in discomfort.

As she worked on the cut, Rosa noted Kain's skin was beginning to feel a little cool under her fingertips and he was slowly losing the healthy hue of his tan skin. Dread crept up her spine, but the commanding voice of her mother quenched the panic before it could take hold of her.

Once the wound is clean, it must be disinfected. Red wine works as well as any alcohol you can find within the Baron wine cellar.

Next to Rosa the squire growled in frustration when his blood-slippened fingers failed to thread the needle. Wordlessly she tossed him the used towel to wipe his hands on.

Moistening a clean towel with the wine, Rosa began to dab the gaping wound with trembling hands. It didn't take more than the sight of fresh blood spilling and covering the gash for her resolve to crumble. Rosa swallowed back the bile that threatened to dribble, its bitter taste causing her vision to blur with tears as she fought against the overwhelming nausea. Quickly wiping the water from her eyes, she clenched her jaw and continued to work. She had to be strong. Except the worst was yet to come.

She turned to the squire who triumphantly handed over the threaded needle. Had the situation not been so grave she might've laughed.

Another sharp intake of breath. The needle pierced Kain's skin. Biting her lip to silence the sob she felt building within her chest, Rosa began to stitch. It wasn't nearly as effortless as sewing cloth, but she was doing it.

One stitch. Two stitches.

The coppery tang of fresh blood was nigh unbearable. Breathing became increasingly difficult and she felt a little giddy from lightheadedness. She needed fresh air.

Eleven stitches later Rosa was certain she would pass out.

Milky-white hands invaded her spotty vision and freed her trembling hands from the roll of gauze. The squire wrapped the bandages around his friend's abdomen in quick, precise moves and finished with a neat knot.

Of course. Every squire knew how to dress a wound. Rosa flashed the pale man a grateful smile before stumbling to the window and letting fresh air fill the musty room.

She was certain her mother would've had plenty of remarks and criticism to give on how she handled the situation, but Rosa liked to think she had done decently considering the man was still living and breathing and she hadn't actually barfed all over him - if only barely. Ignoring the bloodied bandages and Kain's slightly ashen skin, he appeared to be doing well enough. His slow and steady breathing reminded her of Cid enjoying a midday nap after another sleepless night working at the castle. Even his wheat-coloured locks were messy enough to pass for bed hair.

With nothing to do but wait for the white mage, Rosa took the moment to take in her surroundings. It had been years since she had set a foot inside her father's old room and it was almost eerie how everything - scrolls, books, military decorations, even the vase Rosa had dropped as a child - was exactly the same as it had been before his death. Not even a speck of dust was visible to betray the truth of the owner's passing. Despite Joanna never mentioning it and Rosa never asking, she knew her mother tidied the room in the late night hours when sleep wouldn't come. Years ago, she had woken up in the middle of the night and noticed a flicker of candlelight peeking through the ajar door. Her mother had been sitting with her back towards Rosa and talked quietly to the unresponsive walls as if her husband was still there, merely getting ready for the night behind the folding screen.

Rosa was roused from her melancholy musings by the much awaited knock on the front door. Nearly stumbling over her own feet in her hurry, she flung the door open and guided the middle-aged white mage to where the pale squire was pacing impatiently next to his companion's still figure. His snowy brows were creased, worry weighing heavily on his hunched shoulders. The mage ushered both of them outside as not to distract him from his work.

Putting her empty quiver away and making a mental note to go back to recover her bow and arrows, Rosa guided the agitated man downstairs to the kitchen to wash the blood away in a basin. With her hands cleaned, she began to prepare boiling water in an effort to keep herself busy. As if reading her mind, the squire stood up from the offered chair and began to rummage through the cupboards in a flimsy attempt to assist her. Finding where the Farrells kept the cured tea leaves and sugar, he began to set the table ready for three, cups, saucers and spoons clinking with each trembling movement. Clearly he was still worried sick, not that Rosa could blame him.

"I never thanked you", even though his timbre was as soft as before, the unexpected voice cut the silence like a knife. His face remained grave yet Rosa noticed the faintest tug on the corners of his lips. A poor attempt at a smile, although she appreciated the effort nonetheless.

Swallowing the guilt that threatened to surface, Rosa put on her brightest smile and mildly teased: "You can thank me after your friend is back on his feet." She wasn't about to tell this man she was a white mage trainee and should've been able to do more than she already had. Not for the first time Rosa was glad for having the foresight to change out of her white mage robes before her mother had left for Troia. She subtly scanned their immediate surroundings from the corner of her eye for any items that could betray her occupation. Finding none, she returned her attention to her guest.

"Even if-", he blinked a few times and took a breath to compose himself. "Even if he doesn't make it, I still need to thank you for saving my life. So, um. Thank you." His gaze was shy and full of sincerity as he offered her a polite half-bow.

A shimmering drop of sweat trailed down from his hairline all the way to his jaw as he straightened up. Hastily he wiped away the evidence and turned to inspect a portrait of a fair-haired man in armour - her father - hanging over the fireplace. Rosa could see through the clearly practised air of aloofness. She saw the same tense shoulders and clenched jaw in the mirror whenever she prepared to go downstairs to eat another silently shared meal with her mother. No matter how hard Joanna tried, she could not hide the evidence of tears from her perceptive daughter's trained eyes.

Not wanting to end the conversation before it had even properly begun, Rosa circled around to stand next to the flustered man. "That's Sir Alain Farrell of the Dragoons." The squire's response was immediate, just as she had suspected it would be. Her father may have passed on, but not before leaving a lasting mark on Baronian military history.

"The Sir Alain Farrell of the Silver Partisan?" Voice heavy with disbelief, the squire faced her, momentarily forgetting about his minor humiliation. "Kain's father Sir Richard Highwind was his brother-in-arms!"

Latching on to this unexpected common thread between them, Rosa gestured to his brown and red squire's uniform. "What about you? Did you decide to follow your father's footsteps to become a knight as well?"

He hesitated for a moment before settling for a half-mumbled "You could say that."

Just as Rosa was about to probe him for a clearer answer, the door upstairs opened followed by sounds of heavy booted feet making their way downstairs. The middle-aged man came into view and smiled warmly. "Your friend will make a full recovery. His wounds are fully healed and I've purged the poisons from his circulation, but you should keep an eye on his fever. Bedrest for two days, no exceptions. With this medicine the fever should pose no problem, but do not hesitate to call on me again if there is no improvement." He offered Rosa an envelope with the bill, recipe for a herbal medicine tea and a small pouch full of necessary ingredients.

The fair-haired squire bowed low and expressed his heartfelt gratitude before hurrying upstairs to his friend's side. Rosa showed the mage out before joining the squire.

True to the mage's word, the worst seemed to be behind them as Kain sat comfortably with his back resting against the headboard, bloodied bandages and towels discarded to the bin and a sunny smile plastered on his handsome face. Already colour was returning to his skin.

"Cecil, please tell me you took me to an inn and this isn't some poor girl whose room we've rudely taken."

The pale squire - Cecil - grinned easily at his friend's jest and gave the man's hand a brotherly squeeze, relief palpable on his features.

With a mischievous beam, Rosa curtsied and retorted: "Afraid I do not have accommodations to offer that befit a noble squire, but I assure your presence is a minor disturbance at worst. I'm certain my father wouldn't have minded having the son of his brother-in-arms occupying his bed."

Realisation crossed Kain's light blue eyes. "Farrell?" He turned to nudge Cecil on the side. "Well? Are you going to introduce our fair hostess or not?"

Cecil's face froze, his quartzite eyes widening in panic as he stammered. "I'm afraid in my worry I forgot to ask her name."

Groaning dramatically, Kain smacked his friend's arm. "Oh, so you're blaming me for ignoring a charming lady?" He winked at Rosa. "To think this guy's supposed to become my shield-brother."

A pleasant warmth gathered in the blonde youth's cheeks as she blushed at the attractive man. "I'm Rosa."

"Well, Rosa, it is truly an honour to make your acquaintance and I would gladly express it in the proper way, but I seem to have spent all my energy on keeping this fool alive." Cecil shot a pointed glare that held no malice which the older man gleefully ignored. "Kain Highwind, at your service!"

Another nudge to the pale squire's ribs was enough to extract a muffled "Cecil Harvey".

A giggle escaped Rosa's parted pink lips. It had been a long time since she had people her age to talk to, excluding her white mage peers. Either her mother kept steering her away from commoners or Rosa grew tired of the stuffy lifestyle of noble youths whose interests rarely aligned with hers. It was a breath of fresh air to talk to these two squires who didn't seem bothered by trivial things such as class, education or gender. Leviathan knew how many times she had tried to strike a conversation with noble boys her age, only to be shot down immediately. According to her mother it would change in mere few years once the late bloomers began to take interest in the fairer sex. Frankly, Rosa wasn't sure what to think of that.

As Cecil scowled at his friend and rubbed the spot Kain had hit, Rosa noticed his forehead was once more shimmering from sweat.

"Are you okay? You seem to be perspiring a lot."

The look Cecil gave her then was comical, reminding her of a chocobo caught in the headlights of a hovercraft. Kain's good-humoured grin abruptly faded, replaced by a concerned frown.

"Cecil, you didn't ask the mage to tend to your wounds, did you?"

"It… slipped my mind."

Rosa's brows knit together as she tried to find any signs of injury on the pale man. "What wounds? Besides the constant sweating, he seems perfectly fine to me." She took a step closer to have a better look, but Cecil backed away as far as the wall would allow him.

"Truly, I'm fine!"

Kain's deep timbre lost all its joviality as he scolded his suddenly fidgety friend. "For heaven's sake, Cecil! Let the girl at least put a bandage on that cut. We don't want to increase the bill by having to summon another mage."

With a defeated sigh, Cecil sat down on Kain's bed and allowed Rosa to inspect his forehead. Curious, she swiped some of the thick, transparent fluid with a finger. It was slightly cool to the touch, and up close seemed less like sweat and more like colourless blood. Deciding to test her theory, she wiped rest of the liquid away with a towel and watched as it soaked in and stiffened the cloth, very much like blood would. "You've been bleeding all this time and didn't bother to tell me about it?"

Cecil glanced at Kain for aid, but dropped his gaze upon seeing the storm brewing in the older man's stare. Hesitantly he lifted his grey-blue eyes to Rosa's, purple-tinged lips stretched to a grim, thin line. "Wasn't sure how you'd react. I was planning on taking care of it once I go report to our superiors."

Green eyes soft with understanding, Rosa set the soaked towel aside and began to clean and dress the cut next to his hairline, all the while trying to ignore how his short breaths tickled her face and how his shy gaze kept eluding hers. Minor distractions aside, the task was nothing compared to taking care of Kain's considerably more severe wound. The lack of crimson stains helped Rosa stay surprisingly calm. Even with a smaller cut such as this, under similar circumstances with a normally bleeding patient she would've been internally cringing and screaming and praying for an ability to make herself temporarily colour blind.

"Why is your blood colourless?" She couldn't help but ask.

When Cecil failed to answer, Kain helpfully butted in. "Must be the intense dark knight training. Can mess with a person's physique. Rumours say those who fail to master the dark sword tend to lose their minds in the process."

So that's what the strange phenomenon she had sensed when crossing the field of slain floating eyes had been; the aftermath of using darkness. Rosa felt her insides grow cold. She had once seen the famed battalion of dark knights while delivering her father's lunch to the castle. It had been an unsettling sight; men in armour of deepest night wearing the very devil's features as their helmets and without a sliver of skin showing, as if the men buried under all that darkened armour were completely devoured.

They were men who played with forces that did not belong to mortals. Some even killed their emotions to ensure they could harness the power of darkness efficiently. All of them willingly exchanged their very lifeforce to unleash inhuman powers on the battlefield. Fortunately they were fiercely loyal to their liege and stayed mostly within the castle walls, away from the fearful eyes of Baron's citizens. Rosa couldn't imagine this quiet, considerate man as a cold killer, no matter how hard she tried.

"You're training to become a dark knight?" her voice betrayed the disbelief she felt.

"Yes, by His Majesty's request."

Rosa pushed snowy bangs aside to finish binding the bandage around Cecil's head, pink lips pursed in concentration. Why did she feel disappointed by this revelation? If Rosa tied the bandage a little too tight, Cecil didn't comment on it. "I thought you said you were following your father's footsteps like Kain."

"His Majesty is my adoptive father."

"Oh." Did that make him a prince? Should she address him like one?

Rosa let her gaze drop to her lap and fidgeted restlessly. After an awkward moment of silence that even Kain couldn't seem to dissolve with a clever quip, Cecil stood up.

"Thank you, Rosa, but I must go report to our superiors what has transpired. I hope you're willing to suffer Kain's company overnight." He bowed politely and made his way to the door.

"Before you go-", Kain called after him. "You haven't seen my lance, have you?"

Cecil paused. "I believe it is still where we were attacked by the floating eyes. I'll be sure to fetch it for you."

"Thanks."

With a faint smile in parting Cecil hurried downstairs. Rosa watched from the window as his figure disappeared into the long shadows of dusk. He was a strange man, both outwardly and a little inwardly as well, but she couldn't deny there was something utterly charming about the way he protected his friend with such fervour and rushed to a stranger's aid as if altruism came to him by instinct - so different from what a dark knight was supposed to represent. Shaking her head, Rosa returned to Kain's side.

"So, how did you come across so many floating eyes at once?"

The squire's expression turned sheepish. "I might've landed on their breeding grounds while practising the dragoon's jump. Couldn't get away fast enough and managed to drag them across half the continent. Either they really dislike uninvited guests, or they find my scent irresistible."

Rosa laughed.

It was early in the morning when a sharp knock on the front door of the Farrell residence announced Cecil's return. Rosa, still clad in her nightgown and morning robes, opened the door to let him in.

"You brought Kain's lance- and my bow!" Rosa quickly relieved him from the bow. Besides a new set of scratches on its glossy wooden surface and the snapped bowstring, it appeared to be none the worse for wear. Cecil handed her a bundle of arrows.

"These were all I could find. Hope that's all of them."

"I believe it is, thank you!" She gave him a quick a hug before setting the equipment aside and making her way back to the kitchen where she had been preparing herbal tea mixed with medicine for Kain. As if under the effects of a hold -spell, Cecil lingered where she had left him, eyes wide and body stiff. "Esuna", Rosa playfully called which seemed to have the desired effect on the stunned squire.

"I guess you don't get many hugs from the king", she continued conversationally as Cecil took a tray and began to pile the forgotten teaware from the previous day on it.

"No."

Although he didn't say it, Rosa imagined Cecil didn't get much physical affection from anyone, except a friendly touch or a nudge from Kain. The king was a dark knight himself and if he wanted his adopted son to become one, he probably had to keep some kind of distance to make the transition as painless as possible. There was no queen to take the role of a nurturing mother and shower the boy with the love and kindness he surely deserved. But that was pure speculation on Rosa's part and she didn't deem it her business to probe for more. For all she knew, Cecil could have plenty of extended family in the form of chambermaids, tutors and the like. Maybe it was merely his first time receiving a hug from a girl. Ignoring Cecil's curious glance as she shrugged to herself, Rosa took the tray and made her way upstairs with the reticent squire in tow.

Kain had managed to change from the remains of his tattered uniform to Sir Alain's old clothes that Rosa had left for him. They were slightly baggy on the squire, but fulfilled their purpose as sleeping wear admirably. Rosa removed the drenched cloth from his forehead and felt his skin for any signs of fever. It appeared Kain was well on his way to a full recovery, but just to be sure, Rosa gently roused him from his slumber to offer a cup of tea.

"'Morning", he slurred before stretching and sitting up. "Wish I could wake up to your pretty face more often. Cecil's doesn't quite cut it."

Hiding her rosy cheeks, Rosa turned to serve regular tea to Cecil, all the while glad for the long copper blond bangs that shielded her gaze from both men.

"I'm sure he tries very hard", she replied easily and settled down on a nearby chair to enjoy her tea.

The ease with which Cecil ignored their teasing and concentrated on stirring his tea made Rosa suspect the younger squire was used to such mild jabs. He must've received comments on his unusually fair features throughout his entire life. Before she could consider voicing an apology for her inconsiderate comment, she saw Cecil's eyes crinkle with barely concealed mirth. He wasn't offended at all! Relief washed over her, allowing stiffened muscles to relax.

A comfortable silence ensued, broken only by sounds of clinking spoons and quiet slurping and munching. It was nothing like the heavy silence shared between Rosa and her mother during their every meal. Not having to worry about breaking the fragile mask her mother held firmly over her grief or unintentionally insulting the quiet squire, it almost felt easier to breathe, like a weight had been lifted from her heart.

Cecil set his saucer aside and turned to address their hostess. "I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty to relieve you of the medical bill. The military will pay for the white mage's services so you won't have to concern yourself with it."

Rosa would've been lying if she claimed to not have worried about that part. Her mother had left her a sufficient sum of gil to last a week and then some, but she couldn't possibly cover the amount the healer was charging. If her mother found out she had taken in two strangers to their house and had one of them stay overnight, she could kiss her life as she knew it goodbye. No more archery or late evening board games with the old tavernkeep. Her mother would ship her to Mysidia faster than Rosa could come up with a passable excuse. "Oh, thank you."

A sweet - if little tentative - smile graced Cecil's lips. "It's the least I can do after all you've done for us."

Finishing their tea and breakfast, the squires recounted their nearly fatal encounter with the floating eyes and exchanged humorous jabs, possibly to lessen the horror of the actual incident for Rosa's benefit. She was quite enjoying their company, but alas even the most potent slow spell was ineffective against the flow of time. Cecil had to take his leave and return to the castle to perform his duties to his appointed knight. Rosa cleaned up the silverware and made sure Kain was comfortable and had everything necessary within reach before retreating to her room to get ready for her classes. Deeming it best to not take any risks, she folded her white mage trainee's robes neatly in her bag before doing a last check up on Kain and promising to return to him as soon as she was able.

A muttered chant later she was dashing with enhanced speed towards the castle where the classes were held. Once within the safety of student quarters, Rosa put on her trainee's robes and made sure to keep the hood up - just in case she was unlucky enough to run into Cecil while under the same roof.

Rosa's eyes darted impatiently to the clock on the classroom wall for the eleventh time that minute. The class should've ended five minutes ago, but Professor Firmin seemed to be completely oblivious to the passage of time and kept droning on and on about something or another - Rosa had lost concentration half an hour ago and couldn't even begin to guess what the current topic was about. Just as she began to weigh the risk and reward of casting haste on the professor - or alternatively slow on herself - she heard the sweet sound of students closing their tomes in unison and shoving them in their bags. Rosa was out of the door before the elderly man had finished reminding the mage trainees to prep for an upcoming theory test.

In her hurry she failed to notice a young black mage trainee coming from the opposite corridor and nearly tripped over him. The boy squeaked in surprise as the toad he'd been carrying wiggled out of his grasp and jumped right in Rosa's face.

"Ah!"

The red triangle-patterned hood fell to reveal a mop of copper blond hair as she swatted at the slippery creature, only managing to drop the toad on her arm from where it merrily bounced on her shoulder. It must've been recently picked up from a muddy pond if the rather visible stains from its webbed feet were anything to go by. The little mage attempted to retrieve the toad, but it was faster and hopped into the safety of Rosa's hood and hid behind her ponytail.

A high-pitched shriek escaped her when she felt the toad move against the back of her neck through the collar. "Get it off!"

The elderly professor emerged from the classroom to see what the ruckus was about. A quick assessment of the situation and he was moving to the wailing girl's side in swift strides, before carefully removing the slimy amphibian from the tangle of Rosa's ponytail.

"You should really put it in a container, son", he kindly advised before handing the toad back to its owner.

"Yes, sir", the little boy agreed before fearfully scuttering off, his ears undoubtedly still ringing from Rosa's screams.

Professor Firmin gave the flustered girl's once pristine white robes a lookover, before slightly shaking his head in disapproval. "You better go get that cleaned, Miss Farrell. Can't have you make the class look bad."

As if her outer appearance was the gravest of her problems the professor had taken note of. She knew her lack of progression in the 'three Cs' - cure, cura and curaga - hadn't escaped Firmin's attention. She was the daughter of 'Golden Joanna' for Asura's sake! Rosa should've been already working at the sick bay like her mother had at her age. More was expected from such a gifted mage's daughter, much more. The very least Rosa could do was look presentable in class even if that was all she could offer.

Ducking her head in shame, she mumbled an agreement and bid the elderly man good day.

Humiliation burned her cheeks as she ran back home. A gust of tailwind blew the mage's hood over her eyes, but she didn't even take notice and continued to stumble blindly past the market square, bumping into townsfolk and receiving angry calls. By the time she reached home, Rosa was far too distraught and self-absorbed to remember having guests. She slammed the door shut, pulled the dirty robes off and tossed them on the floor along with her schoolbag. Fuming silently, she threw the recently filled quiver over her shoulder and grabbed her bow. She badly needed to blow off some steam.

"Rosa, that you?" A low, familiar voice interrupted her.

"Kain!"

Slowly the still healing man made his way down the creaking stairs, all the while leaning heavily on the handrail. His long wheat-coloured hair had been brushed and tied into a neat ponytail. "You're not thinking about leaving already? Was starting to miss you." Despite the coquettish words, his expression remained humourless. He must've seen her coming from the window and noticed how upset she was.

Kain glanced at the indistinguishable lump of cloth and folded his arms, a brow raised in question. "Want to tell me what's wrong?"

Rosa jumped to block his view. "Nothing's wrong! Shouldn't you be in bed?"

The intelligent gleam in his light blue eyes made her feel exposed, as if he could see right through her, and the sardonic smirk only increased her unease. "Think I need you to assist me back. Feeling a little weak."

She had lost the round before the battle of wits had even commenced. With Cecil still gone, she couldn't exactly deny Kain's request without coming across as impolite. Forcing down the irritation for being denied her chance to unwind, Rosa put on the smile she often wore when dealing with her mother or the professor and offered her arm to Kain for support. "Of course."

She carefully led Kain back to his temporary quarters. Even though his knees buckled on several steps, she couldn't tell if it was due to genuine dizziness or great acting skills. Rosa had a feeling someone as cunning as Kain could easily put on an act should the occasion require it.

The moment he was within reach of the bed, Kain sunk to the mattress with a soft groan. "You know, I'm willing to listen should you require a friendly ear."

Rosa realised he meant well, but really, she wasn't in the mood to give voice to the storm of emotions she felt whenever reminded of her failure to live up to 'Golden Joanna's' legacy.

"It's nothing, really. Just a bad day in scho-", she managed to stop herself in time. "Anyway, you're supposed to be resting and not burdening yourself with other people's problems."

The squire shrugged. "Not like I've got anything better to do when Cecil's not present to entertain me."

A hopeful smile spread across his handsome face when Rosa pulled a chair next to the bed. If it was company Kain graved, she was more than willing to oblige as long as she could steer the conversation to less personal topics. "Am I correct in assuming you two have known each other before joining the military?"

"Yes, ever since we were but small children. We're brothers through adoption."

Rosa's brows shot up in surprise. "So you're both sons of King Odin?"

His smile waned and he turned to stare at his hands. "After my father died, His Majesty adopted me to honour the friendship he shared with Sir Richard. Regardless, he has always favoured Cecil over me."

Not sure what to think of this revelation, she gently pressed on. "Then why would he ask Cecil to become a dark knight? Isn't that a great sacrifice to make?"

Kain shook his head. "It is a sign of trust. His Majesty believes in Cecil's character, as well as his ability to harness the darkness, and not be tempered by it. He asked the same of me, but I had to turn him down. I want to become a dragoon, like my father was."

It would seem Cecil's relationship with the king wasn't as cold as she had initially theorised.

"His Majesty was disappointed when I refused", he continued, eyes slightly glazed. "At first I thought he loved Cecil more because of his willingness to fulfill His Majesty's every whim, but upon reflecting on it, I believe it is because he took Cecil under his wing when he was still a babe."

He shrugged. "Cecil was a blank canvas, unlike I who am undeniably my father's son. It is easier to pretend that he is His Majesty's trueborn son."

Rosa would've never guessed how much conflict lay beneath the surface judging by the two squires' past interactions and how they looked after each other; Cecil doing everything in his power to keep Kain safe and ensuring he lacked for nothing, while Kain was always on the alert to rescue Cecil from uncomfortable confrontations and probing when it came down to his appearance and quirks. Truthfully, she was a little jealous of the mutual understanding and affection they seemed to share and wished she could be part of it.

But if there was one thing Rosa understood, it was the crushing combination of disappointment and shame when seen as inadequate in the eyes of a parent, surrogate or otherwise. Pity swelling in her breast, she reached to grab Kain's larger hand. "I never had the chance to know your father, but I'd like to think he would be proud of you. Maybe the king is simply favouring Cecil because of the expectations he's putting on his shoulders? So if you train to become a dragoon as great as your father was, he will have to recognise your value!"

Finally Kain turned to face her, perplexion and uncertainty dancing in his features as he glanced down to their linked hands. Gradually his expression softened.

"I've never actually spoken of this to anyone. I love Cecil as my brother, but I also know he would feel guilty and responsible if I were to share these thoughts with him. I don't want to cause a rift between us." Kain lightly squeezed her hand. "Thank you."

She returned the affectionate gesture before withdrawing her hand. "I'm happy to have your trust, especially seeing as we're still basically strangers."

An easy grin lit up the squire's features. "Suppose having you sew my stomach shut helped build up trust… To a certain degree. I merely hope I do not have to return the favour to earn your confidence."

Rosa simpered, forcefully pushing images of bleeding stomach wounds out of her mind. "I certainly hope not!"

A knock on the open bedroom door drew their attention from each other.

"Cecil, didn't hear you enter. You sure took your sweet time", Kain greeted, all traces of melancholy long gone.

The pale squire smirked. "Someone has to pick up the slack while you're gone." He turned to Rosa and handed over a neatly folded garb. "Stumbled on that on my way in. I believe it is yours."

Colour drained from her cheeks upon recognising the dirty cloth. Her white mage robes! And he had even gone through the trouble of folding them.

"Oh, um." She clenched the fabric between her white knuckles, fumbling for an excuse. "Actually, they're my mother's."

"Truly?" He pointed at the orange that outlined the red triangle patterns. "Aren't these a trainee's?"

"She's a little sentimental and likes to keep mementos." At least it wasn't a complete lie. One needed to only look at the room they were in to confirm her statement. "I must've dropped them while heading out to do the laundry."

Thankfully Kain didn't comment and Cecil didn't further press the issue, instead pulling another chair next to the bed.

Excusing herself, Rosa let the men have a moment alone.

"I know you're a white mage trainee."

Rosa nearly jumped out of her skin and dropped the freshly washed trainee robes. Before they could fall to the dirty ground and undo an hour's worth of work, lightning-fast alabaster hands reached out to catch them. Taking several clothes pegs, Cecil hung the laundry on the washing line while Rosa continued to stare in bewilderment.

"Excuse me?"

"I did some asking around while at the castle. Apparently Sir Alain's daughter studies in the wing opposite of the garrison where the white mage lab is located. A pity I never ran into you before." He casually continued to hang more clothes to dry as if it was something he did every day. "What I don't understand is why you feel the need to keep it a secret."

Her mouth went dry. "Why would you go asking about me behind my back?"

Had it been anybody else Rosa would've been furious over such an obvious act of mistrust, but upon seeing Cecil smile that harmless, shy smile of his, she felt the hot anger go out like a quelled flame. The thought of Cecil having such power over her - especially after knowing each other for less than two days - made Rosa wary. As if having the potential heir to the throne doing her laundry wasn't unsettling enough.

Beside her Cecil shrugged nonchalantly, thinking his reasoning obvious. "Just wanted to know more about you."

She shook her head in disbelief. "You could just ask me."

Despite the gentle tone, Rosa didn't miss the sly glint in his grey-blue gaze. "Well, I'm asking you now: why hide?"

"Why do you think?" she evaded his question and hung a bedsheet that had been previously stained with Kain's blood, hiding herself behind it from Cecil's scrutinising eyes.

"For the same reason I don't mention my training to people outside the military circle."

Not expecting such a reply, Rosa peeked from behind the damp cloth and saw Cecil stare into the distance, purple-tinged lips slightly pursed in thought. "And why is that?" she urged.

"Lack of conviction. Don't misunderstand me, gladly I shall do my all to be of service to king and country, but I know the price of leaning too heavily on the dark blade." She didn't recoil or hide when his kind eyes settled on hers. "I suspect it was more or less the same for you, being the daughter of one of the greatest mages of our age. It is expected of you, not something you chose by your own volition."

Rosa stepped from behind her cover. "I can't even cast cure", she admitted forlornly.

"But you're nothing short of an impressive archer."

Coyly she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, red dusting her cheeks from the praise. "Hardly. I would've been monster grub if you hadn't saved me from that floating eye."

"And if it weren't for you, Kain would've bled to death. Don't sell yourself short", he insisted.

Rosa felt her heart leap when Cecil lifted her free hand and cradled it between his. "I truly believe you have what it takes to do what your peers have already mastered. There's something holding you back, although I cannot say what."

His hands felt warm and comforting around hers. Was this what it felt like to have a friend or a brother? Was this what Cecil and Kain shared, what she was so jealous of? Encouraged by his sincerity, she let the last line of defensive walls crumble. "I can't stand the sight of blood. Doesn't matter if it's few measly drops or a puddle. The professors teach us to imagine the wound healing itself in our minds when chanting and channeling, but I can't do it! Just thinking about it makes me feel sick."

"You did look like you were about to burst into tears and pass out", Cecil mumbled as his thumbs absently caressed the back of her hand.

She chuckled weakly. "So you noticed."

They stood like that for a while. The laundry flapped gently in the evening breeze, shielding them from prying eyes. Rosa didn't dare break the contact nor did she want to, instead concentrating on each light stroke of pale thumb she felt through the thin layer of her fingerless lace glove and enjoying the faint warmth radiating from the silent squire. She hadn't even noticed when they had moved so close to each other, with their clasped hands nearly brushing their bodies.

Cecil had that faraway look to his eyes again and his brows were slightly creased as if contemplating something. Finally his gaze regained its focus and he broke the serene silence. "Did tending to my injury make you ill?"

Rosa thought of the transparent, shimmery liquid and how she had been almost eager to experiment with it. It wasn't anything like the disgusting crimson that stains and spoils everything it touches. "No."

A slow, excited grin curved his lips. It was just as wide as the ones he gave to Kain and nothing like the timid twitches of lips that he usually bestowed on her. "Then perhaps I can help you, if you will allow me."

A/N: I was inspired by several FFIV fanfics I've read and reread over the years (including some really REALLY old ones from like 2003) and wanted to give the main trio my own twist as well as stuffing as many headcanons I could in one story.

This story will probably be 3-4 chapters long in total.