Ceaseless Devotion || Garroth Ro'meave x OC

1: Prologue

Starting guard training was something Cecelia often looked forward to doing, ever since her childhood. It was a dream of hers to become a strong guard from the moment she first learnt about the academy.

When she came of age and enrolled for guard training, Cecelia made it a point to pay all of her attention to her teachers. She beamed with excitement and determination the moment she stepped through the training ground gates for the first time, vowing to herself that she would work harder than ever before.

Weeks passed of learning, training, and sparring with other students. With every miss, she learnt from her mistakes, and tried again. Once training was done for the day, Cecelia would return after hours and spar with the dummies and wooden weapons left out on the training grounds.

Some days she stayed for what felt like hours, sparring against a dummy late into the night. On this particular day, the training hall had been practically empty except for one other person, a man. Cecelia had glanced over at him occasionally, something about him had been familiar for some reason.

After watching him over her shoulder for a few moments, they locked eyes. Cecelia spun back out of embarrassment and tried to focus on the beat-up dummy in front of her, desperately trying to ignore the footsteps that were growing closer from behind.

"Hello, I couldn't help but notice you were staring." He laughed, standing just out of Cecelia's peripheral vision. Holding her attack on the dummy for the moment, she turned her attention to the blonde that stood next to her. He had been around the same height as her, although slightly taller, and his eyes were a striking cerulean blue.

Cecelia let out a nervous laugh, dropping her wooden axe loosely at her side. "Sorry about that, it's just that you look strangely familiar is all." She replied, trying to do anything but make eye contact.

"Don't worry about it." He laughed along with her nervous chuckle, "We are the only ones here after all."

Cecelia's grip on her axe tightened, hoping the painfully awkward silence would soon end. Casual conversation wasn't something Cecelia would usually partake in with other students, especially about topics that weren't guard-related.

The man's eyes fell to the axe in her hands, then back at the dummy. A faint smile tugged at his cheeks before he spoke.

"Would you like to spar with me?" He offered, "Seeing as we're the only ones here." Cecelia looked to him, then back to his sword before awkwardly replying.

"Sure, that'd be... nice."

The two went on to spar for the next hour or so before they were given a warning that the training hall would soon close for the night. Hearing this, they both began to gather up their belongings, including the other guard's water canteen which he soon drank from with excessive thirst.

"You know, you're actually quite talented for a first-year." he praised, lowering his canteen before making his way over to Cecelia with his hand extended to shake. "My name is Garroth, Garroth Ro'meave."

Cecelia stood in shock, staring at him with disbelief. Had she really spent the last hour sparring with a member of the Ro'meave family?

"Cecelia... Cecelia Wright," she replied, shaking his hand loosely.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Cecelia. However I must return home soon, we should spar again sometime." Garroth added before taking his leave, waving her farewell. Cecelia left not long after.

Ever since that day, it became a repeating pattern for Garroth to stay behind after training and catch up with Cecelia. He had been looking desperately to find some way to get out of the constant meetings his father made him attend, along with the "lord training" he and his father did almost every afternoon.