A very old family photograph
George, Maria, and their beloved daughter, Rosie
(Taken a few months before the disappearance of George and presumed death of Maria)
Sooooo this sort of serves as the proper introduction to Rosie! We know that George and Maria are Ninten's great grandparents, and obviously we see both (kinda) of his parents in the game, but there's nothing on the generation in between. So Grandma Rosie is the character I created to fill in that gap!
She was the child of George of Maria, born maybe two years or so after they got together, and together they were the perfect family. George would read her stories and ask her to help him with his own writing and poetry, Maria would teach her jokes and games and sing her to sleep, every day was filled with joy.
Rosie was only about 9 when her parents were abducted, and her life was never the same after that. A family friend, George's personal doctor (he'll be showing up again in other posts), moved in to take care of her, but every day she wished to see her parents again.
Well, two years passed and it seemed for certain that her parents were dead, when she was awoken in the middle of the night by the barking of dogs as a man lurched up to the front door.
He was battered, exhausted, his clothes were torn and he was an absolute mess, but it was George. It was a miracle, but his embrace was short and stiff, he couldn't look her in the eye, he barely spoke. And her mother was nowhere to be seen. He refused to answer when she, or anyone else, asked where he'd been, or where his wife had gone.
He moved back in, and his friend out again, but he would barely act like she was even there. She found herself going to the doctor's house, while George locked himself in the basement, frantically scribbling and muttering to himself. Sometimes she would talk to him and he'd seem like he suddenly remembered everything, and he'd look at her with incredible sadness and apologize, but he would always return back to his work.
So the years went on, and nothing ever changed. Rosie grew up, the father from her childhood being as good as dead and an aloof stranger taking his place in her basement, and she stopped trying to bring him back out. The rumours about George, as you can imagine, were terrible, and she was never fully sure if she could really brush them off. She became stronger and more independent as she grew older, and vowed she'd never be the same as her father.
She got married (no idea to who, i do not care), had a daughter, Carol, that she made sure would never be abandoned, eventually Carol grew up herself and found a husband, Jack (who she did not approve of), who she of course had three kids with. George meanwhile was still alive, incredibly aged and seeming to have finally given up on his strange obsessions. Not that he opened up any more. He'd stopped speaking entirely, even though he'd finally left the basement, and soon after Ninten was born, he disappeared again, apparently for good. Rosie decided it was time for her to go too, and left the house to Carol, Jack, and their children, though she made sure to visit as often as she could to make up for Jack's constant absence.
Once the Invasion is averted and the world is saved, Ninten pays her a visit and makes sure to tell her what had happened to her parents all those years ago, and everything that's happened to him, too. It can't really take away her pain, but knowing the full story will at least put some of it to rest.
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a retainer’s duty (but just a sneaky little peak)
//you asked for it. i’m doing this trailer style so this is just an excerpt, but here’s a sneak peak for my zeusro fic 👀
A retainer's duty cannot be taken lightly. It cannot end, even when your life's on the line. Your life is that of your liege's. You are completely disposable and replaceable by the nobility above you. Do not overstep your boundaries.
Know your place.
Do not become friends.
Do not fall in love.
All of these things are impossible to do all at once, which was something Hiro had repeated in his own thoughts many times throughout his life. The latter half of the list of the "rules" his father laid out for him have since become null. If anything, love is the most important part of his relationship with his liege.
Love: because it's hard to not to fall in love with the biggest idiot on the planet.
☆☆☆
Nine years together since birth, and so many things are the same.
It was a grand party that was to be held to commemorate the young lord’s ninth birthday.
This never came as a surprise to the Tachibana family, as they always participated in the events that the Brundle family had hosted in the past. Hiro, despite being so young, has already heard so much about his family’s ties to Zeus’. So much that he is actually starting to get annoyed by all of the lectures his father gives him during their training sessions.
“Hiro, our family is very important to the Brundle family. We exist to protect them with our bodies, our minds, and our souls.” The lessons from Hiro’s father always start the same. “You and your sister are the next generation of the Tachibana name. Do you remember what it means to be a retainer, my son?”
“It means that we are the shields of the royal family. Our duties never end, even when our lives are on the line…”
“Yes, my boy. And what else?”
“It… means we can’t get close to our lieges. If we are too attached, our thoughts will be bad…”
“Exactly. Do you remember your job today, as every year?”
“Yes, papa. My job is to stay by the young lord’s side all night, and get help if he is attacked, or if he is being stolen away.”
“Yes, my son. Now, go get ready with your sister. The party will begin soon.”
“Yes, papa… but, can I ask you something, papa?”
“Yes?”
“Why can’t I be friends with Zeus and his protector at the same time? I don’t think that Lord Brundle minds... “
Hiro’s father knelt down to meet Hiro’s eye level, and placed a large hand on Hiro’s head. “Hiro, you know the answer to that already. You just told me, did you not?”
“Yes, but…”
“But?” His father’s voice lowered an octave. Hiro’s head tilted down in shame for asking.
“Nevermind, papa. I’m going now.” Hiro gave a small excusatory bow, much like the ones he always saw the servants do in the estate. Closing the door behind him, Hiro left the room to head to the head maid’s room, where his sister, Kureha, was already getting ready.
Not long after Hiro had left the room, Zeus’ own father entered with a small grin on his face.
“Come now, don’t you think you’re being a little hard on the boy?” Zeus’ father leaned against the door frame, also slightly amused at how Hiro had not taken notice of his eavesdropping.
“You know I cannot be soft on him, my liege. I cannot let him repeat my mistakes.” Hiro’s father glanced downward at his liege’s legs, one of them made of metal and wood.
“You know that wasn’t your fault.” Zeus’ father adjusted his stance and shifted his weight off of his prosthetic to approach the other man, placing a hand on his shoulder.
Hiro’s father put his hand on his liege’s and let out a deep sigh.
“I only want him to be careful.”
----
Hiro ran all the way to the head maid’s room, and was completely out of breath by the time he reached it.
“You’re late, Hiro!” Kureha immediately hit him on the head for his tardiness.
“OW! Blame papa for it, not me!!”
“Shut it. Late is late. Go tell Miss Olivia that you’re here so she can grab your clothes already!”
All Hiro could do was walk away and stick his tongue out at Kureha, who threateningly grabbed her shoe and prepared to throw it at the young boy. Hiro immediately ran into the head maid’s actual room, only to find that Zeus is still being waited on by the seamstresses on the final adjustments to his coat.
“Hiro!!” Zeus swiftly shooed away the young maid tending to the hem on the sleeve of his coat and ran up to Hiro, giving him a massive hug. Hiro hugged back.
“It’s about time you showed up! Do you know how BORED I was without you?!”
“‘Prolly a lot.” Hiro grinned as Zeus pulled away, but Zeus still held on to Hiro’s shoulders.
“Oh, Hiro! There you are!” Olivia snapped up from behind a small, messy work desk, where she did a lot of her embroidery. “Come now, dear, let’s get you all dressed up. Our guests will be arriving any moment now!”
“Yes, Miss Olivia…” Hiro reluctantly removed Zeus’ hands from him. “I’ll see you at the party!”, Hiro whispered to the other boy.
“Yes! Until then!” Zeus waved as Hiro was dragged away to be fitted for his own coat.
----
The party itself was dizzying for such a young boy. Zeus, being the star of the party, was constantly at the center of attention. Family friends, relatives Zeus barely remembers, even strange people who clearly only want to be on Lord Brundle’s good side. Thankfully, nobody outright suspicious-looking has entered the ballroom, as Hiro thought to himself. Despite being so young, Hiro has already been in training to be a full-fledged retainer since he could walk, so it is already very easy for him to spot shifty people in the shadows.
Hiro was never fond of most people, so he was always close to the young lord, hardly ever speaking to the nobles, unless he was addressed directly… Which wasn't often. Not that Hiro minded, of course. He could always tell which nobles are the “good” ones, and which are the ones that just act good.
As the night kept dragging on, the golden chandeliers and dark marble floors in the ballroom started to lose their magic for the young boys. The Brundle family always uses magic to change the looks in their ballroom for every large event to suit their aesthetics. Once it was time for dinner to be served, the wizards and Lord Brundle himself adorned the ballroom with many tables. The tables were decorated with long, dark blue tablecloths with horizontal gold stripes around the circumference. In the center of all of them were large glass centerpieces, which looked like two vases stacked on eachother. In the bottom section was a magical candle that burned a blue flame, and on top was a beautiful bouquet of blue anemones, small white lilies, ferns, and gold pearl strands cascading down the sides. At the table for the Brundle and Tachibana families, similar centerpieces adorned the long table, but only had a single tier, and had a long candle sticking out of the top.
Zeus, of course, was at the center of the table. Hiro always sat next to him, regardless of the function. Zeus’ family lined up on the side next to him, and the Tachibana family sprinkled themselves in between to sit next to their lieges. All for protection’s sake, obviously.
While everyone else was being served “adult food” (as Zeus and Hiro called it), the two boys had their own dinners that were specially made. As the boys talked between themselves, giggling here and there about the ridiculousness of this whole thing, but never quite loud enough for others to hear, Zeus’ father chuckled to himself while Hiro’s father started to stare daggers at his son’s behavior. Hiro felt a chill in his spine and froze, with Zeus picking up what was happening only a few seconds later. Zeus looked at his own father, who gave him a thumbs up. As people were beginning to finish their meals, Zeus’s father stood and tapped his wine glass with a spoon to garner attention.
“Everyone! Everyone, may I have your attention please?” The crowd of people turns towards the table in the center, staring at Lord Brundle with curiosity. “Thank you, thank you all.” He gives a small bow to the room.
“Tonight is a grand night for our firstborn son, Zeus, and I sincerely thank everyone for being able to celebrate this joyous day in our family.” The ballroom roared with applause, some feeling their egos heightened for being thanked for their presence, while others clapped out of politeness. “Yes, yes. While today is all about our son, Zeus wants us to take a moment and appreciate those who have protected us, and the ones who made this day possible.” Lord Brundle motions to Hiro’s father, and holds his hand out for him to grab and stand up as well, winking at Zeus as he does it. Lord Brundle has done this before, and Zeus knows this to be a distraction. Zeus grabs Hiro’s hand.
“Let’s get outta here for a bit.” While Hiro’s father was distracted, Zeus and Hiro got out of their chairs and started making their way past everyone. They did, however, stop at Zeus’ mother to let her know that they were “running to the bathroom”, to which she nodded. “Don’t be too long, dear. Don’t forget that we still have the dances coming up!” she grinned. The two boys nodded and grinned back before running off, out of sight from the rest of the guests.
“Everyone, please give a round of huzzahs for the Tachibana family!” was the last thing the two boys heard as they scampered out of the ballroom and out into the rest of the Brundle’s mansion.
----
The two boys eventually found themselves in the western garden, with the gentle moonlight and the soft glow of the magical lanterns illuminating every step they took.
The western garden is the most classic of the three that surround the Brundle estate, with it being paved with cobblestone and lined with rose hedges that delicately border every pathway. There are a few stone gazebos, benches, outdoor clocks, and fountains that, despite their age, still look brand new. Zeus and Hiro eventually came to one of the gazebos in the center of the garden, giggling the whole way there as they escaped. They considered it their “secret spot”.
“I can’t believe your dad just DID that!!”
“Eh, he does it all the time. He likes you, so he covers for us. Your dad is too mean!”
“Tell me about it. At least you don’t have to live with him.”
“Oh, man, you’re right. Haha!”
The two boys laughed again, their hands still clasped together from running away. Zeus takes a big, long breath, relieved to be away from the party, even though he enjoys the attention.
“You know, it’s nice to get away from those stuck-ups. These parties can be so boooooring!”
“Boooooooring!!”, Hiro echoed.
“At least I have you with me. I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have you!”
“You'd prolly die of boredom.”
“I’d prolly die of boredom, yeah.”
This gazebo was a special one, because it wasn’t made entirely of stone. The ceiling was made with a hole that had a thick sheet of glass in place of more stone, which made it perfect for stargazing. The ceiling was also painted with the constellations that make up the Queensblade’s night sky, and gold detailing throughout the rest of the pillars and handrails that connected the top to the bottom.
The two boys stared up through the glass, admiring the clear night sky that always seemed to welcome them. If they turned their heads just right, they could see the full moon shining above them.
“Hey, do you want to know something that my mom taught me?”
"Uh, okay…?"
"Look at those stars over there. Do you see those shapes?"
"I know what const-ull-ay-shuns are, dummy."
"Y-yeah, but my mom told me about these special ones. Look at those ones!" Hiro pointed to two constellations that were side by side. "Do you see the ones that look like a tail and a triangle?"
"Yeeeeaaaah? And?"
"Well, my mom told me that the tail is called Scorpius, and the triangle is Capricornus."
"So what? They're just stars."
"Well, you were born under Scorpius, and I was born under Capricornus. So, even if we're apart, we'll always be near each other in the stars..." Hiro looked away and blushed, a little embarrassed at what he had just said. Zeus looked at the painting above, and his eyes widened in realization. He turned to Hiro with a look of childlike wonder and happiness.
"So… Does that mean we'll always be together?"
Hiro peeked back over to Zeus and nodded.
"That… is so cool!!!" Zeus leapt up from his stone seat with an unparalleled excitement in his eyes. "If we're always going to be together, then I'll never get sad, because you make me happy!" The boy had the biggest smile on his face, and it was clear that he took those words to heart. Hiro's face got even more red at the embarrassment he had just now realized he subjected himself to, but he smiled back at Zeus nonetheless.
"Yeah… You… make me happy too! So, we won't ever be sad!"
The two boys giggled again at their vow. This was their happiness that they had discovered. Not one that was planned out by their parents, not one that was faked by strangers, and definitely not one that was forced by everyone else around them. This was natural.
After a short minute, Zeus looked around and noticed one of the clocks in the garden, and realized something very important.
"AAAHH!!"
"AUGH! Jeez, what is it?!" Hiro had an almost scolding tone for Zeus, who startled him with his sudden outburst.
"The dances!! We need to go back, now!"
"Oh no! You're right, let's go!" Hiro darted from his seat as well, grabbing the other boy's hand and sprinted through the garden.
Hiro was a little faster than Zeus, so he couldn't go as fast as he wanted, but the two managed to slip back into the party without anyone else noticing that they were gone.
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