|| Requested By||
capricorn97_otaku

|| Information ||
This short story takes place before the events of Phoenix Gate and during the second time skip. This short story does NOT align with the events of the main story.

|| Plot ||
Lyra receives heartbreaking information that Duchess Anabella has arranged for her marriage with a noble's son from Sanbreque. She is forced to spend her time with her husband-to-be, only to learn of his true nature. Clive learns of this horror and does everything in his power to free her from the arrangement.

PS—I did not proofread this chapter for any grammatical/spelling errors. I'm hoping to get around to it soon!

••••••••••••••

|| Rosalith ||
|| Year of the Realm - 860 ||

In the throne room of Rosalith Castle, all Lyra could hear was the sound of her heart beating rapidly in her ears. Her body was consumed by a cold sweat as she stood before a smirking Duchess Anabella. Archduke Elwin was currently away from the capital and in his absence, the woman had arranged a marriage between her and a nobleman's son from Sanbreque. At the command of the duchess, she would be meeting her betrothed near the city gates in an hour.

Unable to argue with Duchess Anabella, Lyra gripped the front of her dress with a distressed look. She quickly bowed her head to hide her face. "I...I understand, my lady. I-I shall meet him when he arrives."

The woman's wicked grin twisted further. "If you cannot behave with your charming husband-to-be, I will have you Branded and shipped to the Holy Empire within the week."

"Yes, my lady..."

Lyra turned and walked out of the throne room. Tears began forming in her eyes. Head still hung low, she closed the door behind her. The two guards who were usually stationed outside the throne room were gone, leaving her by herself. She wanted to find her father, but Rodney was accompanying Archduke Elwin. The only family she had left was Hanna. Alas, she was in Eastpool. If she attempted to leave to see her mother, the duchess would hear and carry out her threat.

Overcome with sorrow, Lyra leaned against the doors and slowly sank to the floor. Hugging her knees close to her chest, she sniffled as tears streamed down her cheeks. She buried her face against her knees in an attempt to silence her sniffles.

"Lyra?"

The girl hugged her knees tighter at hearing the worried voice of Clive. She didn't dare look at him in her current state. Her resolve almost shattered when she felt him place his hands on her shoulders.

"What did my mother say to you?" Clive asked. He squeezed her shoulders when she didn't reply. "Please, Lyra. Seeing you upset is something I cannot bear."

"Forgive me," she feebly said, her voice shaking with sorrow. She turned her body so his hands slipped from her shoulders and she stood up. Unable to hide it any longer, she lifted her head and looked at him. Tears continued to cascade down her face as she smiled sadly. "I must go." She walked past him, leaving the castle.

Unbeknownst to the girl, Clive's heart ached at seeing how broken she was. He was frozen in place due to seeing her in such a devastating state. He glanced at the door to the throne room, debating on whether to confront his mother or chase after Lyra. Deciding on the latter, he rushed out of the castle and entered the courtyard. Eyes frantically scanning the area, he searched for her but discovered he had lost her.

Meanwhile by the main gates, Lyra waited for her husband-to-be. She remembered the Duchess said the boy's name was Edgar Wrighten. He was the youngest son of a prominent noble family in Sabreque. He was a year older than her, making him seventeen years old.

She still couldn't believe what the duchess had done in the archduke's absence. Not even Rodney could shield her from the events that were now set in motion because of the twisted actions of Anabella.

Minutes later, the main gates opened. A carriage rode into the city and stopped not far from where Lyra stood. She nervously watched the door to the carriage open. A boy with slicked-back blonde locks and chocolate eyes emerged from the carriage. Her eyes locked with his immediately and he offered her a kind smile, one that seemed to be hiding his true colors.

"Greetings to you, my lady," Edgard spoke up. "You are Lady Edelweiss, yes?"

"I am." Lyra politely curtsied to him. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Wrighten."

"Duchess Anabella never mentioned your beauty," he said. "Only that you are an unmarked Bearer who is the adopted daughter of Lord and Lady Murdoch."

She tensed, sensing something hidden in his words. She didn't know what, though. She quickly turned the subject to something else. "Have you visited Rosalith before, my lord?"

Edgard shook his head. "No. This is my first time in the lovely capital of Rosaria. May you give me a tour, Lady Edelweiss?"

She nodded. "Yes. Please, follow me."

Minutes turned into hours. Lyra managed to push back her sorrow and focus on the tour she was giving Edgard. She thought things were going well until she witnessed the boy's true colors break through his kind and sweet facade. It all started when she took him to the marketplace. He was going from stall to stall buying what he pleased. It wasn't until he was displeased with the price of a certain good did his facade shatter. She was utterly shocked at how angry Edgard got.

"How ridiculous!" Edgard spat angrily, tossing the necklace onto the table. "These are not even real gems! Why do you refuse to negotiate?!"

"Forgive me, my lord, but—" the vendor attempted to defend his product but was rudely interrupted by the spoiled nobleman.

"I don't want to hear your excuse! What a horrendous necklace," Edgar spat. "And I was told Rosalith had fine jewelry to offer. All I see are fake imitations of Sanbrequian craftsmanship. You should be ashamed."

Lyra decided to step in, unable to stand his rudeness. "Excuse me, my lord, but these necklaces are genuine. If you look closely at the gems, you can see—"

A loud slap and a burning pain in her cheek silenced her. There was a faint ringing in her ear as the sound of the bustling marketplace was drowned out. Eyes wide with shock, she slowly raised a hand to press it against her reddened cheek. Her cool palm stung against the swollen skin of her cheek. She couldn't find her voice at seeing the furious look on the boy's face.

"Refrain from speaking unless I tell you to," Edgard hissed.

Lyra watched him walk over to another vendor.

The man who was running the jewelry stall gazed worriedly at her. "My lady, do you require a physicker?"

She snapped out of her horrified daze. "N-No. Thank you for your kindness. I...I am sorry for his behavior."

The man shook his head. "Please, my lady. You are not to blame. That poor excuse of a boy is. Who is he?"

She lowered her hand with a sorrowful sigh. "My betrothed..."

"By the flames..." the vendor muttered. "You are too kind for that shameful boy. I do not know who arranged your marriage, but you must find a way to escape. I've seen boys like him before. They are dangerous. You will only serve as an object for which he can exert his anger."

Lyra glanced at Edgard. She felt just how true the vendor's words were. "I...I don't know if I will be able to escape. I am in no position to argue against the woman who forced me into this position. Thank you, though, for showing me kindness."

Reluctantly, she left the vendor to follow after Edgar before he lashed out again. She caught up to him and kept her lips sealed even when he started to make more complaints with other vendors. She bit her lip, feeling her cheek radiate with pain every few seconds. She soon tuned out the boy's horrendous behavior as her thoughts were soon occupied by Clive. She felt her heart ache just as much as her cheek when she thought of him. She loved him more than a friend and wanted to be much more. She wanted to be with him, not the spoiled nobleman before her who was throwing tantrums in the marketplace.

Lyra was pulled from her thoughts when Edgard grabbed her wrist out of the blue. She hadn't realized he was talking to her until he saw his furious expression. She blinked and apologized. "My apologies, I was—"

"Not listening," he growled, gripping her wrist tighter and causing her to wince in pain. "What do I expect from a godsdamned Bearer..."

His words shocked her to the core, but that's not what scared her the most. What caused her heart to nearly stop in fear was when he shoved her back. She stumbled and tried to keep from falling, but she was unsuccessful. Her head clipped the corner of a box. Blood dripped from the gash on her forehead as she lay on the ground. With a shaky hand, she pressed her fingers against the wound. Her vision turned blurry with tears as she thought this would be the rest of her life all because of Duchess Anabella.

"Lyra!"

The girl lifted her head at the sound of Clive shouting her name. In the crowd that had gathered around her and Edgard, she saw him pushing his way through. "Clive..." She mumbled his name, tears trailing down her cheeks.

Clive reached the front of the crowd and ran to her. He fell to his knees and saw the bleeding cut on her forehead. He had witnessed Edgar push her down. He wanted to draw his blade and ram the hilt into the boy's gut, but he was more concerned about her. He placed a hand against her cheek. "I'm taking you back to the castle."

He moved his hands to her elbows and helped her to her feet. He pulled her close to him, her body leaning against his chest. His palm cupped the back of her head while he cast a glare toward Edgard. There were many things he wanted to say, but he was more worried about Lyra. Without wasting another second, he escorted her away from the abusive noble and back to Rosalith Castle.

Instead of taking her to her room, he took her to his. He figured it would be a safer and quieter place if his mother tried to show up. He locked the door while she walked over and sat at the foot of his bed. When he was sure no one had followed them, he went to her. The first thing he did was examine her wound. He sighed in relief at seeing it was no longer bleeding before asking, "Are you all right?"

Lyra, whose tears had dried up, shuddered as she recalled what Edgar did. Hands placed in her lap, she gripped her hands together tightly. "No..."

Clive frowned sorrowfully. He kneeled down in front of her and placed a hand over hers. "My mother's cruelty knows no bounds."

She lifted her head to meet his sapphire eyes. "How did you learn the truth?"

"One of the castle guards overheard the conversation between you and my mother," he answered honestly. "This may be no surprise, but many soldiers stationed at the castle respect Lord Murdoch more than my mother. He told me everything out of concern for your safety. I'm glad he did."

"I...I had no choice," she feebly confessed. "A-And if I do not return to Lord Wrighten, then the duchess will have me branded and taken to Sanbreque."

He squeezed her hands. "You are not going back to him. I won't let him or my mother have their way. I care too much about you to stand idly by while you are threatened and suffering at the hands of another. Please, let me take care of you."

Lyra gazed deeply into his eyes. She squeezed his hand back and whimpered, "I don't want to leave you. I want to stay in Rosalith with you and everyone else."

A gentle smile manifested on his face. "I promise, I will do everything in my power to protect you."

. · : · . ✧ • ✦ • ✧ . · : · .

The following day, Lyra was still in Clive's room. She hadn't left since he brought her yesterday. Jill would bring her anything she needed whenever Clive was busy and she was grateful.

Around noon, Lyra was reading a book when she heard yelling from the hall.

"Bring her to me!"

The girl's body went rigid in fear at hearing the cries of Duchess Anabella. She dropped the book she was reading and felt her entire body grow cold. She forced her body to move and crawled off the bed. Her heart was racing in panic and fear as she heard a swarm of footsteps drawing closer.

The door flung open, startling the girl. To her horror, the duchess entered with soldiers accompanying her.

Duchess Anabella glared at her. "Throw this child in the dungeon and have her branded. I will arrange for her to be shipped to Sanbreque as soon as possible."

The guards seemed hesitant yet obeyed the woman. They grabbed Lyra's arms and dragged her out of the room. She didn't struggle, knowing it would only cause her more trouble. To her surprise, they were gentle with her.

As they pulled her down the hallway in the direction of the dungeon, the sound of running footsteps echoed around them. At the same time, someone shouted, "Stop!"

The guards holding Lyra turned to see Clive running toward them. Duchess Anabella spoke to the other three guards who were with her when she spotted her eldest son. "Ensure he does not interfere."

Like the other guards, the three soldiers were hesitant but obeyed. Two of them grabbed Clive by his arms and restrained him. The boy struggled against their hold while glaring at his mother. "She has done nothing wrong!"

"I won't hear anything from a failure," the duchess hissed. "The girl disobeyed and shall be punished accordingly. Say goodbye to your friend because this will be the last time you see her. Once branded, she will be sent to Sanbreque and shall never set foot in Rosaria ever again."

Clive gritted his teeth in pure anger and pulled harder against the soldiers. "How dare you! You would condemn the only person who is able to ease Joshua's pain because of your jealousy!"

Before Duchess Anabella could retort, another voice demanded, "What is the meaning of this?"

Archduke Elwin and Lord Murdoch had returned. The archduke glowered at his wife, wondering what excuse she would give this time. Alas, she didn't have one and remained silent.

"Release the girl. She has done nothing wrong," Elwin commanded, his heated gaze focused on the duchess. "And you, my dear, shall learn your place. How dare you go behind my back and condemn Lord Murdoch's daughter!"

"B-But, darling—!" Anabella attempted to protest.

"Enough!" He barked. "I will not hear your excuse! You will take responsibility for what you have done."

The second Lyra was released, she ran to her father. With tears in her eyes, she hugged him. "You're back..." she sniffled.

Rodney embraced her back. "We received word from the lord marquis of the situation and returned as quickly as possible. Are you hurt?"

She clung tightly to him. "I'm all right. I'm just overjoyed you've returned, Father."

"Oh, my sweet girl..." He whispered, refusing to let go of her. "I'm glad you are safe."

Elwin instructed the guards to escort Duchess Anabella to their sleeping chambers while he turned to the others and asked them to join him in the throne room. Rodney, Lyra, and Clive followed the archduke and entered the large room.

Elwin stood next to Rodney as he explained the situation. "To say I was shocked when I received a stolas from Clive would be an understatement. I do not expect you to forgive my wife, but I do hope you will forgive us for arriving later than scheduled, Lyra."

The girl, who was standing next to Clive, shook her head. "I am simply overjoyed you returned early, Your Grace. I wasn't aware Clive had sent a stolas."

"In my haste to find you, I felt the need to inform the Lord Commander and His Grace," Clive confessed. "I sent a stolas before searching the city for you and Lord Wrighten."

"In regard to Lord Wrighten, any formal engagement between my daughter and him has been annulled," Rodney explained. "He is to return to Sanbreque immediately. Alas, this may stir trouble with the Wrighten Family. We will possibly face some backlash for the negation of the marriage arrangements."

Lyra was confused. "How long ago did the duchess plan this scheme?"

"Nearly a year ago," Elwin answered. "It seems she's been plotting in secret. I shall ensure she is properly punished. As for the backlash, well..."

Clive stepped forward. "Inform the Wrighten Family Lady Edelweiss was already promised to another before the duchess contacted them."

The archduke arched a brow and couldn't hold back his knowing smirk. "Oh? And who would this promised party be?"

With a smile, the boy turned to the girl and took her hands in his. "Me, of course." He gazed lovingly into her emerald eyes.

Lyra was taken aback. "Clive..."

Rodney cleared his throat, grabbing everyone's attention. "As her father, it is my duty to ensure the one who seeks her hand in matrimony is worthy. You, my lord, are more than worthy."

"W-Wait a moment!" Lyra interrupted. "This announcement is to simply avoid any issues with the Wrighten Family, correct? You are acting as if this will be a formal announcement with legitimacy."

"It could be the truth if you desire," Clive said, smiling sweetly. "I love you, Lyra. Will you promise to share your future with me?"

"I-I..." She couldn't believe this was happening. Her thoughts were running rampant, but she managed to get them under control. Her own smile bloomed. "Yes."

Overjoyed, Clive leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. He then pulled her into her arms and held her as close as possible.

Elwin and Rodney watched their children with fond smiles, happy they were both together.

"I believed finding the perfect match for Clive to be impossible. I was wrong," Elwin told his friend. "Never did I expect your daughter would be his better half when you first brought her to Rosalith, dear friend."

"Now I must debate how to inform my wife," Rodney sighed. "How does a husband tell his wife he promised their daughter to the eldest son of the archduke?"

Elwin chuckled. "It seems a tactical letter is in order."

|| The Dalimil Inn ||
|| Western Dhalmekia ||
|| Year of the Realm - 878 ||

"If the tragedy at Phoenix Gate never transpired and we were still in Rosalith, would you have gone through with the marriage when we were of age?" Lyra asked as they walked through the small desert town.

"I would have," Clive answered confidently. "If my mother hadn't schemed behind our backs to cast you away, I would have gone to Lord Murdoch once we returned from Phoenix Gate and asked his permission to court you."

"Ah, so you did have a plan," she replied. "But that little arranged marriage with Lord Wrighten upheavaled it."

"Did Lord Murdoch tell you the true details behind the arrangement?"

This stunned the goddess. "What do you mean?"

Clive stopped and turned to her. "It was not an arranged marriage my mother had organized."

Her eyes widened. "It wasn't?"

"No. It was a contract of servitude for House Wrighten. The arranged marriage was a front to conceal the true nature of the arrangement. Lord Wrighten received word of a miracle healer in Rosalith who was tending to the youngest son of the archduke. He sent a letter to my father in hopes of discussing transferring your services to House Wrighten for a heavy sum of gil. The letter, however, was intercepted by my mother."

Lyra cast her gaze to the ground as she pieced the rest of the puzzle together. "And she set out to arrange everything else. So, that day I spent with Lord Wrighten's son was a precursor to my enslavement..."

He hooked a finger under her chin and tilted her head up until their eyes met. "If her scheme had been successful, I would have rushed to the Holy Capital to bring you back."

She smiled softly. "I am glad that wasn't the outcome. Your mother was quite persistent in her attempts to rid me from your lives."

"She caused you immense trouble because of her jealousy. I nor my father would allow her to have her way so to achieve what she wanted, she had to work in secret. I...cannot apologize enough for all she did to you during our youth."

"I don't need nor expect you to." She stood on the tip of her toes and pecked him on the lips before backing away. "Come. Let us finish this errand for your uncle."

Clive let out a displeased sigh. "Are aware he sent us on a wild chocobo chase?"

The woman smirked. "Very much so. The flowers he mentioned do not exist. I knew his intentions from the very beginning because I am the one who asked him to request this of you."

His eyes widen in shock. "You colluded with my uncle to lure me to Dalimil?"

"Indeed, I did," she replied, folding her arms behind her back. "It was the easiest method to get you away from the hideaway so you could relax. I've already made arrangements at the inn and the bathhouse for us. Enjoy yourself these couple of days. You deserve to relax after how hard you've been working these past few months."

Clive stared at her back when she turned and walked past the bathhouse in the direction of the south gate. He caught up and walked beside her. "Thank you, Lyra."

The goddess cast a smile in his direction. "This is the least I could do to ease your weariness. It will be just the two of us so do not concern yourself with the others."

Together, the couple wandered the Dalimil. They perused the various stalls located around the small desert town, wondering what unique goods they could find. They joked and laughed, enjoying their time together. They didn't have to worry about a mission or another Mothercrystal while enjoying their much-needed vacation.

While browsing a stall selling small and interesting knickknacks, the couple froze at hearing someone call out to the goddess.

"Is that you, Lady Edelweiss?"

It was Edgar.

Eyes wide with horror, Lyra was overtaken by the terrible memories of the day she spent with Lord Wrighten. She felt the phantom pains of her swollen cheek and bleeding forehead. Unconsciously, she reached out and hooked a finger through the laced-up side of Clive's shirt.

Edgar approached the couple, failing to notice their shocked demeanors. His full attention was focused on the woman. "It truly is you! I never imagined I would encounter you in Dhalmekia of all places, my lady."

Lyra needed to say something. She suppressed the horrible memories, released Clive's shirt, and offered the nobleman a forced smile. "Lord Wrighten. It has been eighteen years since our first meeting. You look well."

The man frowned sadly. "Ah, yes... About our first time together—" He took a step toward the goddess, only to be stopped when Clive placed himself in front of her. He took a few steps back, feeling unsettled due to the glare he was receiving from the Dominant. "Ah, my apologies. Is that you, Lord Rosfield? I was informed you had been killed."

"Your informant is sorely mistaken," Clive remarked, his words sharp.

"And I am glad he is," Edgar said, beginning to become frightened by the man's intimidating presence. "Regarding my behavior toward Lady Edelweiss eighteen years ago, I...I must apologize. I struck and wounded an innocent girl that day. I will not make excuses for my behavior. It took me many years to realize the true value of Bearers. They are not objects to be used but people just like everyone else. The ability to wield magic does not make them monsters. Those who treated them poorly were the true wolves in sheep's clothing."

Lyra was utterly shocked. The nobleman before her was a completely different man than the boy who abused her in the streets of Rosalith eighteen years ago. She stepped from behind her beloved to gaze at the nobleman. "What made you change?"

"I grew up," Edgar smiled. "And I finally came to realize the way my father treated Bearers was unacceptable. Ever since his death, I have refused to allow Bearers to tend to House Wrighten. My family may have lost the support of the other nobles in Sanbreque because of my decision, but I couldn't care less. I would understand if you refused to forgive me for such vulgar behavior, but you may call upon House Wrighten if you require aid. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to. It was wonderful to see you both. Farewell, my lord and lady."

Lyra was completely gobsmacked. She watched Edgar walk away before pressing two fingers against her neck. She felt her pulse and glanced at her beloved. "It seems I haven't perished."

Clive grinned in merriment. "Seeing how much Lord Wrighten has changed is shocking indeed. It is a good change, though."

"Yes. It seems he has finally broken away from what his father taught him and has found his own way. I couldn't be more happy for him."

"Will you forgive him?"

Lyra thought for a second before replying. "I will. He has seen the error of his ways. That is more than many others have done. I believe he will make an excellent head of House Wrighten." She looked one last time win the direction Edgar walked in before changing the subject. "But that is enough about Lord Wrighten. Let's rest at the inn before enjoying the bathhouse."

Clive's grin turned into a genuine smile. "As you wish, my lady."