#roseofbaron

Commission for @roseofbaron​ with the lovely Rosa from Final Fantasy IV~

Save the Queen was originally forged in honor for Lady Magdalene, a former general of Alexandria that successfully led nine soldiers into battle during the 9th Lindblum War.

It's for Magdalene's grand feat (and at just 13 years old), that Beatrix thinks highly of her sword. Enough that she, while holding rank as current general, doesn't like anyone else touching it without her explicit permission      if they get it at all.

When the time comes, Save the Queen will inevitably be passed down to Alexandria's next general. The sword is a symbol of the city in it's own right, and on its blade is their oath sworn.  [When Beatrix decides to step down from her position in IX, she leaves this sword behind, but also in part because she feels she has failed.]

It's a holy sword, but when the weapon was forged, it was also inscribed with prayers along its steel. These were intended to ease the suffering of those slain by it's blade. (However Beatrix doesn't care for how much one suffers if stricken down.)

Over time those prayers have faded with so much use, though Beatrix takes care when maintaining the edge to preserve the words are not further erased.

A sword is not your own until it has tasted your own blood.  And so the night after Beatrix was entrusted Save the Queen, she drew the blade across her palm.  This is the romantic in her.

She obviously didn’t like him much, but he didn’t really pay mind to the fact. Joanna Farrell might have had her good reason to sound ever the cold and wise mage in his regards, the matter barely bothered the youth. The thought resurfaced, though, insistent and pressing, even if for a mere instant, now that he was just a few steps away from her place. A delivery, that was all he had been asked to complete -- one that might have interested him relatively. Cid had given him the small package to deliver to the woman, for he was too busy prepping his newest airship to leave the workshop inside the castle walls; and Cecil had just used the chore as a chance to go and meet the mage’s daughter, too.

Now that his duty had been completed, it had felt like the perfect opportunity to invite Rosa to spend the few hours before twilight together, by the river or by the square  -  had Joanna not approved of their little venture. He had noticed something: as time passed, marching on for everyone in Baron, convincing Joanna to let Rosa go and meet with him and Kain had become quite the more difficult task. That day, to make things harder, Cecil was alone; and while Kain had his ways to convince Joanna, most of the times, he wasn’t as lucky. Then, it felt just as convenient to know Rosa was quite the stubborn daughter, and that she’d have hardly let a chance like that pass.

❛ Guess what ! ❜  Cecil proudly produced a little letter from a pocket of his loose, white doublet, to show it to the girl. For how difficult it had been to have her leave the family house and follow him, the boy didn’t intend to lose any more precious time. Emotions got the best of him, and soon enough, he found his cheeks slightly aching for the big smile. She handed it to Rosa. By the old waterway entrance, he finally sat on the fresh grass by the door and crossed his legs. His impatience betrayed his demeanor;  ❛ It’s my turn, the day’s come, see ?  I’m to leave at the first lights of the next full-moons night. ❜

The idea that, in just a couple of days, he would have left Baron to prove his worth and, hopefully, cease being a simple squire had him euphoric. And while he knew the day would have certainly come, sooner or later, it felt unbelievable the time had arrived for him, at last. She was the first, outside of the castle walls, to know -- although he suspected Kain, already an active part of the Dragoon ranks, might have known of it as well. Cecil’s hopeful blue eyes stopped on her frame, still holding the precious piece of paper.

Rydia really thought Cecil and Rosa made the most wonderful couple in the world. They had relebrated their wedding years ago already, and they still seemed so DEEPLY in love. Sometimes, Rydia wondered if something like this was possible for someone like her. She had never had such a strong connection with someone. However, it would be a lie to say that she had never felt attracted to someone; she knew way too well who made her heart suddenly beat much louder inside her chest. She wasn’t sure she wanted to admit it out loud though.

╼ ༺ :| A Final Fantasy Funday~

Oh boy... Main villains of I through X?  Well, in no particular order...

Beatrix, Kuja, the Emperor, Seymour, Rufus, Rydia, Setzer, Yuna, Ignis, and Ravus

Least favorite.... Tidus... Prompto... Sunshine childs. I do appreciate the muns that have made me enjoy them more than what I initially did. They're just...not on the top.  But that’s a compliment I share in as well, as I’ve been told people didn’t like Bea, but my portrayal and whatnot make them like her.

☾  @roseofbaron​​​ :  ‘ you’re a terrible shot. ‘   ☽  SHADOW & BONE :  accepting

Cecil’s blue eyes squinted, as a frown of concentration made its way onto his delicate features. He took aim, carefully pondering every factor a professional archer might have considered second nature: the inclination of his posture, how much his shoulders were rotated, the warm wind making the whole ordeal the more complicated, and even the tension felt in his right arm. At last, then, he focused on the target board - a plank of old and darkened wood with circles painted on it. The sharp point of the arrow gently moved a bit to the left, as his calculations made way inside his mind. It surely felt harder to concentrate properly with Rosa staring at him.

That was a bet he couldn’t win -- for what chances did he have to fire a perfect shot against the best archer he’d ever seen ?  It wasn’t just a hunch, either. Rosa’s prowess with the bow had been quite the talk of the town in recent times; it was perhaps bound to happen, especially given the girl did, quite rarely though, favor the practice ground inside the castle wall to her private hideout just outside the city, by the nearest forest. Gossip did spread around like pure wildfire, for better and for worse - but for once, the voices held truth; her skills were practically unmatched and the only thing preventing her from leading the archers of Baron was her talent, aptitude and years spent studying as a mage.

He let a puff of air escape his lips, his cue before actually firing the arrow. Those weren’t practice utensils -- despite his insistence, Rosa hadn’t listened to reason and had given him hers. One would have easily told, for the peculiar feathers attached to them - the exact same thing he last saw flashing before his eyes as the arrow started flying and a sharp sting between his fingers and on his bare forearm started building up. Ignoring it, he watched his arrow land on one of the outer circles. This was the fifteenth try, it was time to call it a day and taste defeat.

❛ That’s it. ‘Tis plain as day you won this one, this time-- ❜  he sighed with a bitter smile, finally able to examine the points of abrasion, where the skin already threatened to open. Her taunt followed his walk of shame away from the firing post toward her spot. He had received a basic archery training years ago. Wielding bow and arrows felt odd now, akin to carrying a very fragile being or object for Cecil, now used to broader and heavier weapons. What made him accept to partake in a losing game, he couldn’t exactly remember either -- Rosa, instead, looked pleased enough to have gotten her point across.  ❛ Terrible, with a still target ?  I may be. It’s an understatement, truly. There may be children apprentices with more skill with bow and arrow than I have. ❜

Rosa would have had the same difficulties with swords and shields, anyway. He had been the one cause of his own defeat, today. And yet, it made him feel joy to see his dear friend so amused by the whole circumstance. Just how terrible had he looked like ?  ❛ But when I’m compared to one who resembles and acts like a goddess of the hunt, I suppose I didn’t have many chances to win the bet to begin with - be it a still or moving target... ❜  he chuckled,  ❛ So remind me to think twice before I do this again, my fair and clever lady. ❜

     “Lady Ros-”  She silenced her ally’s name immediately.

     There was no enemy save for the makeshift targets expertly riddled with arrows by Rosa’s bow.  Beatrix placed a hand promptly across her heart in relief as to still the assumption’s rush.  An error on her part to forget the noblewoman’s other talents.  “Forgive my disruption.”