Disclaimer: Some of the characters and places belong to Squaresoft. The story itself has been based on 'Jane Austen's – Pride and Prejudice'.

Authors Note: This idea has been going round in my head for a while and I felt that I could no longer keep this story to myself. I just hope that you will enjoy this.

The year is 1812 when standards and status were very important. Our story begins in Galbadia at the family estate of the Caraway's. Their house was set within ten acres of arable land and five miles away from the town itself.

The Pride and The Prejudice

Chapter One

As he looked out of his study window, Fury Caraway watched his daughter Rinoa or Rinny, as she was called by her family, walk back to the house after her early morning stroll. The bottom of her long beige skirt was once again wet from the dew covering the wet grass. But he could not scold her for something so trivial as a wet skirt, much to his wife's displeasure. He often referred to his Rinny as being the most quick-witted and level headed of all his five daughters. Who else would help him keep up with the affairs of his estate, when his wife Julia had shown little interest in the day-to-day running of such things. She considered it more than enough running the household staff and raising five daughters, instead leaving the business side to her husband. He sighed as he turned his attention once again to the accounts in front of him. Although they would live quite comfortably on the earnings from the estate while he was still alive. His heart weighed heavy with the problem of what would happen after his passing. Without the blessing of a son to pass his estate on to and the inability of the law allowing him to pass it on to his wife or daughters. What could he do? He had set some money aside each year in a trust, but that would not keep them as they had been accustomed. He stared down at the books in front of him lost in thought, whilst his quill feather pen remained in the inkwell.

As Rinoa entered the kitchen doorway, wiping her feet on the straw mat. Mrs Higgins, who had been the family housekeeper these last twenty years said to her

"Oh Miss Rinoa, breakfast is already set on the dining table. Did you enjoy your walk?"

"I did indeed Mrs Higgins, it's so refreshing to get out and build up an appetite before breakfast. I only went as far as the orchard and wished I had taken a basket to gather the apples that have fallen."

"I will get the Kiros twins to go down there with the cart after breakfast. They need to get the fruit collected before the winds blow through and ruin the whole crop. Here let me take your coat and hang it up for you," said Mrs Higgins.

"Thank you," replied Rinoa.

As she removed her coat and passed it to the housekeeper. Leaving the kitchen and entering the hallway. She stopped outside of her fathers study and tapped the door once.

"You can come in Rinny!"

Opening the door smiling she replied "Father it never ceases to amaze me that you know who is at your door before it has even been opened."

"That is because I can tell from each and everyone' knock who it is. Quistis always gently taps the door twice and says Father before entering. Marianne spends most of her time at that piano, trying to play and rarely ever ventures to my study. Alison and Selphie are usually so busy giggling or arguing before they even reach the door to knock. Your Mother, Mrs Caraway just usually barges in here, where as you my dear Rinny knock once and then actually wait for me to ask you to come in. I must say that you only ever come in here for a good reason. What is it?" Asked her Father.

"Well the apples are ready in the orchard, so Mrs Higgins will organize the Kiros twins to go down there with the cart later on this morning. Oh and of course breakfast has been set on the table if your ready father," said Rinoa.

"Yes, I will be through in a few minutes….Good news about the apples though."

Seeing the books on his desk she asked "Do you need my assistance before breakfast?"

"No not at the moment. You go and get your breakfast for I know how hungry you get after you have been on one of your walks. But for heavens sake don't let your Mother see your skirt or all hell will be released."

Rinoa laughed and replied while going out the door "I will try not to".

As Rinoa returned to the dining room, her sister Quistis was already seated at the table. Spotting Rinoa she said

"Oh Rinny sit down quickly. Mother is on a rampage. She is trying to get Allie and Selphie down in time for breakfast."

Taking her seat next to her eldest sister of only one year. Rinoa placed some of the cooked bacon onto her plate along with two slices of freshly cooked and buttered bread. Picking up the egg that had been hard boiled for her. (She never did like the consistency of a runny egg.) She proceeded to remove the shell and slice it onto her plate.

"What have they done this time?" Asked Rinoa.

"Staying up all hours giggling into the night and then of course they don't want to get up with the rest of us." Said Quistis, as she delicately ate the contents of her egg with a small teaspoon and nibbled occasionally on a slice of bread.

Rinoa replied, "Those two really are nothing but trouble. They will be the downfall of us all if they keep carrying on like this"

Just then the door opened and Marianne entered carrying a music book in her hand.

"I need to practice this piece again, but it is proving most difficult with all the noise and interruptions all the time," said Marianne.

"Good morning Marianne, I'm sure you will be able to master the piece in time for the Autumn Festival Party," said Quistis as she tried to lighten her unhappy sisters mood.

Marianne replied, "It is less than a week away and besides I do not see the point to all these set meals. Especially, when I could be playing."

Rinoa said, " Oh Marianne, we do have to eat. You should be grateful that our Mother can play a piano, otherwise I do not think that we would have been allowed one inside the house. Especially when Father is working hard in his study and requires his peace and quiet."

Marianne sat down at the table next to Rinoa. Placing a single slice of bread and a single slice of bacon on her plate she said

"I say that we should only eat when we are hungry and not when we have to."

As she took a bite out of her bread, Quistis and Rinoa looked at each other. Sometimes it was just impossible trying to get any form of sense from Marianne, when she was like this.

The silence of the dining room was broken by their Mother ushering in the two youngest sisters. It was hard to believe that Alison was indeed a year older than her fifteen year old sister Selphie, as both of them acted the same. Being driven by the youngest into doing anything stupid and silly. In today's terms, they would be considered party girls. In 1812 Galbadia they were just called by their Mother 'full of spirit and energy'.

Selphie said to her Mother

"Are we really going to go into town after breakfast and look for a new bonnet?"

Their Mother replied," Yes didn't I say only a few minutes ago whilst we were upstairs? Really child, you should take more notice of your surroundings, otherwise one of these days you will miss something really important."

"Good morning Mother are you well?" Asked Quistis, fully aware that their Mother needed a distraction from their boisterous sisters.

As Julia Caraway sat down at the top of the table next to Quistis she replied

"Yes Quistis, I am quite well, although I feel a slight headache starting from this morning. Although I am sure it will indeed pass after visiting the town. We shall all go after breakfast."

"Will we be walking Mother?" Asked Rinoa.

"Oh heavens no child. Unlike you who seems to behave more like a servant by walking everywhere, than a daughter of a substantial landowner. We will take the carriage and I hope you will put on a clean skirt before we leave, as I dare say that the one you wear now is once again well beyond the term of clean."

As she looked at her daughter Rinoa, Mrs Higgins came in and said to Mrs Caraway

"Excuse me for disturbing your breakfast ma'am, but Mrs Pope is here to see you."

"This is unusual for Adele to call so early. Tell her I will be straight there."

With that Mrs Higgins left the room, while Mrs Caraway rose from her seat and followed in the footsteps of the housekeeper.

It wasn't long before Julia Caraway could be heard in the hallway asking Mrs Higgins where her husband Mr Caraway was. After being told that he was still in his study she went straight to his door and opened it, making him jump out of his chair.

"Oh Mr Caraway, have you heard the news?"

"What news? What has happened that has made you so excited?" He asked.

The daughters hearing all the commotion headed out of the dining room and stood near the doorway of their Fathers study.

"Galbadia Hall has finally been sold to a wealthy gentleman from Deling and that he will be attending the Autumn Festival Party this very week. I am told that he has an income of five thousand gil!" Said Julia Caraway.

"And why does this news warrant you bursting in my study like this?"

"You must go there today and welcome him to the town. Then you can introduce him to our daughters at the party and he may fall in love with one of them. Oh come on Mr Caraway, there are hardly enough eligible men here in Galbadia that are suitable for our daughters."

" I do not see the need for me to go down there today," said Mr Caraway.

"Oh really Mr Caraway, do you have no care for our daughters happiness?" She asked.

"Yes of course I do. But I do not see the need to go there today, when I have already visited him yesterday and invited him to call on us at any time."

"I'm sure you do this just to tease me Mr Caraway," she said.

She turned to see their daughters standing behind her. Ushering them back along the hallway she said

"Oh come on we must get into town and get you all some new dresses, for we need to impress our new wealthy landowner. Mrs Higgins ask Peterson to bring the carriage round"

With that Rinoa headed back up the stairs to change her skirt, while the others headed for their coats.