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Dearest Gladiolus,
Congratulations on being sworn in as Shield to the 114th heir to the Lucian throne. Words cannot express my pride and honour at seeing you stand where I once stood.
And you barely looked as if you only had three hours sleep. I knew of course. I slept even less.
I could hear you practice your lines, agonising over the Shield’s Oath over and over well into last night. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about, the text is outdated and rambling, and I stumbled over the last bit that was delivered in Old Lucian, which may I add, you recited with perfect clarity.
My nerves were for nought. Your resolve is wrought like the iron of our shields, your dedication unmistakable. Prince Noctis could not have asked for a better Shield.
However.
There will be days — where it feels like our robes swallow us whole or our shields weigh heavy no matter how stringently we adhere to our training regimens. Days where it seems there is no meaning to what we do, where fear cuts deeper than our wounds. Days where you might even want to strangle the very man you were sworn to protect.
(I jest—I know you have your own image of your Uncle Regis, but His Majesty is no angel.)
And there will be days where you may wish you were an ordinary man who can come home to his family every day, without the uncertainty you may leave them behind at any moment.
Let yourself have them. Let yourself imagine what it would be like if the Prince turned into a toad (we can keep this between us). Let yourself fall and stumble, let yourself fear . You are an Amicitia, but first and foremost you are Gladiolus Amicitia. You have the courage to dispel all of your fears, the strength to pull yourself back up on your feet, and the dedication to work through your shortcomings, painstakingly, I may add, like you did the evening of your ceremony. Allow yourself to lean on your friends when the situation calls for it, for you can only protect them if you let them help you .
Ours is not a commitment everyone can readily understand, one that goes beyond the King. I was fortunate to have your mother. She loved and accepted me, all of me, and blessed me with beautiful children who remind me exactly what I swore to protect day after day.
I only pray that you find someone who loves you as wholeheartedly, with whom you can simply be.
(My sources say you may have someone in mind in the future.)
(I will try not to torment you about this too much.)
(Although I hope I am not too old by the time I am invited to your wedding.)
Congratulations Gladiolus. Iris and I love and support you. Your mother is surely proud.
With all my love,
Clarus