Work Text:
Beth was aware that she wasn't the favorite twin. At first, she didn't care too much about being the inferior sibling. Compared to Byleth, she was lacking in many areas. Byleth was reliable and responsible whereas she was on the careless side often making her unreliable. Physically, she was stronger than her brother, but that didn't mean much if she didn't put her brain to good use.
But to normal people, she wasn't the favorite because she was a rebel. Byleth was obedient to their father and took Jeralt's advice to heart. Beth wanted their father's attention and did the opposite of what he wanted. If he told her not to go out alone, she would go out alone to train. If he told her not to get in trouble with the residents, she would start a fight if they did something wrong. When he told his children to hold off on having sex until after marriage, Beth proceeded to lose her virginity at the age of fifteen.
"And this is why you're not my favorite child."
Jeralt was joking. He still loved his daughter, but the bias became more apparent than ever. If an important decision needed to be made between the twins, Jeralt went to Byleth. He only picked Beth when a mercenary mission required her fast reflexes.
But it was always Byleth this and Byleth that. Honestly, if Byleth wasn't such a loving older brother, she would resent this favoritism. The envy that flooded up to the surface never showed itself until recently. When the academy accepted the twins as professors, it was Byleth who picked the class he wanted to teach. It was Byleth who was the main teacher despite the twins teaching the Golden Deer together. It was Byleth who Rhea favored and gave the Sword of the Creator to…it was Byleth who…
"This ring…I'll give it to you when the time is right."
Mother's ring. Jeralt was going to give the ring to Byleth. Despite the twins both being at mother's grave, he had already made the decision to give it to his eldest child. At first, Beth didn't say anything. She was right in front of her mother's grave, so she refused to say something disrespectful. However, she confronted her father later in the captain's office away from her brother. He was far from pleased seeing the angry look his daughter had.
"Why are you giving Brother the ring?" Beth asked darkly. "As long as you're alive, he's never going to marry. You'll make sure he ends up with no one."
Jeralt sighed. "I trust Byleth not to lose the ring."
"I wouldn't lose something that valuable. And I would actually use it."
Her father shook his head and that only agitated Beth even more. "Beth…"
"Father, with all due respect, I would think you would consider giving the ring to the child who has an idea who she wants to marry and not the one who still can't grasp his emotions."
"Beth!"
Beth puffed her cheeks. "Father!"
"Beth…listen…I need you to understand why I don't expect you to get married immediately."
Oh, so she was the one that wasn't going to find love and settle love?!
"I don't stop you from indulging in your desires, but I feel like your mother would be disappointed that you wouldn't take commitment seriously."
Beth honestly didn't want to hear that. She gritted her teeth to stop herself from shouting at him again.
"It is true. I feel like Byleth will not marry anytime soon. I am annoyed with the idea of some of his students being interested in him but once they graduate and if Byleth pursues them, I will not stop him. You though…I fear that you'll try to jump into a marriage and end up unhappy."
Oh, that's why. Beth thought darkly to herself. Father doesn't trust me.
"Sorry, Beth. If you want a ring, you'll have to buy it yourself."
"Thanks, Old Man," Beth hissed. "I like being told I'm not the favorite."
"I didn't say that-."
Beth was done talking to her father at this point. She turned around and stormed out of his office before Jeralt could add anything else that would upset her.
There were better ways that conversation could have ended. To storm off on her father when he was trying to explain what was going through his mind only made things worse. Beth didn't want to hear her father's reasoning because it would just be another contest between her and Byleth. At the end of the day, Jeralt didn't believe Beth was capable of being committed in a relationship. Byleth would take time to find the one he loves but when he found that person, he would stay committed to them. Jeralt respected his son's virtues, but Beth hated how she was told she was incapable of settling down. Right now, she was too young, so she still wanted to meet other people. She wanted to see if she would enjoy her job teaching. If she didn't like it, she might just leave the monastery and start her mercenary job again.
The academy was just a place to search for potential suitors. While some students were too young for her liking, there were some students who caught her attention. If she brought it up with Jeralt, he would lecture her on abusing her authority. Beth wanted to avoid that conversation seeing as how Byleth disapproved of that.
But what if she were to find someone who wanted to be with her? Would Jeralt give her the ring if she hooked up before her brother? Would her father approve of the relationship? Or would he ignore her in favor of Byleth?
Beth shook her head in annoyance. She needed to go out to town and get hammered. She still had time to prepare for the end of the month mission, but it should be fine to at least spend one day to forget her stupid argument with her father.
The sun was setting. She needed to leave before it got too dark.
"Hey, Beth! Are you heading out to town?"
Beth paused hearing a familiar voice. Her heart jumped for many reasons. She forced her emotions down her throat before turning to the newcomer who was most likely going to join her.
"Sylvain, just the man I wanted to see."