(no subject)
Author: sofipitch
Title: Expectations
Recipient: zippitgood
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Catherine Elle Armstrong, Olivier Mira Armstrong, Mrs. Armstrong (Priscilla), Alex Louis Armstrong
Summary: Since Olivier was the trouble child, all expectations of being a woman in the aristocratic comunity were placed on Catherine's shoulders.
Notes: (optional!) I hope this was what the recipient wanted!
From a young age people always ask you what you plan to be when you grow up. Catherine had learned to always reply that she would be the same as her mother. Her mother was a wealthy woman of high status, great beauty, and had great wealth. She had never suffered and never had to do things for herself, for the inheritance money from when her parents died and her husband always took care of that.
When she replied that she wanted to be like her mother, the women always smiled their fake elastic smiles and said that she was so sweet and darling; that she too would one day be just like her mother. Catherine would then give them a fake smile in return and thank them for their compliments.
And ever since then, ever since she was a child, Catherine would do has her mother wanted, without lifting so much as a finger in protest. Olivier was the trouble child, she never did as Priscilla wanted, and Catherine was the exact opposite. So from a young age, her mother placed all her expectations of being a proper woman in Catherine’s hands, thinking it would be a good fit.
But secretly, Catherine watched her older sister, Olivier, from afar, wondering what it would be like if she could lead such a dangerous and risk taking life in the military.
---X---
By the time Olivier had been promoted to the rank of colonel, she had been given the news that she would be relocated to Fort Briggs, the place where she would soon end up being in charge.
Olivier had decided to give the news bluntly, without beating around the bush. “Father, Mother,” she looked over and rolled her eyes at Alex and Catherine, “I have been relocated. In a week I will be leaving to Fort Briggs to work under Major General Darne.”
“You’re leaving Sister?” Alex put his fork full of food back on his plate in surprise.
“Didn’t you just here me? Yes I’m leaving, you twit!” Olivier rolled her eyes before draining her glass of water. Alex said nothing in return and rather reluctantly continued to eat his food.
“Mira, darling, you couldn’t possibly be going up to that cold wasteland to work? Why don’t you just stay here in Central?” Catherine could see the way her mother’s lip curled in disgust at the idea of living in Briggs. She didn’t like living in discomfort and “roughing it”. Catherine noted that she was also the same way.
“Of course I’m going! It’s a perfect job opportunity. Fort Briggs keeps the Drachamans out of Amestris. It’s an honor to be relocated to the fort, only the most praise worthy soldiers get sent up there! There’s no way in hell I’m not going!” Olivier slammed her fist down against the table, as if that would get her mother to see that she should be proud her daughter is going to be working there.
“I think it’s a good thing you’ll be working there.” Her father said as he took another bite of his dinner.
“Someone could murder her up there and we’d never know. They’d never find her body in those savage mountains!” Catherine also noted that whenever speaking to her father, Priscilla’s voice got just a tad higher.
“I think Olivier knows how to handle herself. If such occurrence were to happen, not that I believe it could happen under the surveillance of General Darne, she would be able to defend herself.”
“Thank you Father.” Olivier nodded in approval.
“Well, if Mira is leaving I will organize a goodbye party for her. She will at least attend to that much.” Catherine’s mother said as Olivier wrinkled her nose at her name in disgust.
“I will not be-“
“You will attend.” Priscilla Armstrong said, giving her daughter a sharp look. Olivier grumbled something about not wearing a dress as the rest of the family finished their meal in silence.
---X---
The day of Olivier’s goodbye party, Olivier did not end up wearing a dress. She was able to abide the rule her mother had pressed on her daughters so sharply over the years by wearing her military uniform. She claimed it would be more proper to wear her military uniform. Priscilla hadn’t agreed but did not press the matter. It would’ve been an impossible fight to win.
Catherine stayed at her mother’s side during the entire event, in order to restrain from having to be introduced to boys from other wealthy families. She didn’t particularly like having parties or going to them, but she learned to restrain herself from saying anything against them. The difficult child was Olivier, she preferred to stay below that radar.
No one had much to say to toast Olivier for except for Alex, who gave an amazingly long and heart-felt speech about how wonderful is sister, and how proud of her he is. Father said a few kind words, and Mother, who still didn’t want Olivier to go up north to live with a bunch of men, said nothing. Catherine said a few short words of praise, but nothing like the ceremony that her brother had given.
---X---
When Olivier left, she only took one suitcase, which was much less than what Catherine or Priscilla would have taken. Catherine’s mother fussed over Olivier, saying that she needed to take more. Olivier brushed off everything her mother said and simply boarded the train to North City with not much as a single goodbye.
Alex was crying and Catherine didn’t see why. Olivier didn’t care that she was leaving; she wasn’t being emotional about it, so why should anyone else? Their mother seemed furious that Olivier simply turned around and boarded the train while she was trying to lecture her.
“Good riddance! That girl is such a disaster. A month from now she’ll be coming back because she realizes that she didn’t take enough clothes with her.” Their mother scoffed.
“Mother, I don’t think she’ll need any more clothes. While living at the fort she won’t be able to wear anything but her uniform. It’d be pointless to take more clothes with her.” Alex inputs. Mrs. Armstrong just scoffed and made her way back to the car. Priscilla hated her daughter wearing the military uniform and she hated the fact that she didn’t wear dresses. Catherine assumed that that was the reason that her wardrobe consisted of nothing else but that.
---X---
The next few years, while Alex was moving up the ranks after the Ishvalan Civil War, Catherine spent most of her time going on organized dates with men her parents were picking out for her. Those men were skinny, pale, frail little things. Their only good trait had been their wealth and Catherine quickly rejected them.
The exciting dates, in her opinion, were the ones Alex organized with military personnel. Although those could be just as boring as the ones with money, family and fame, she would sometimes end up meeting someone interesting. None of the men were ever as strong as her brother, but some of them were good with different styles of combat and enjoyed showing their talent to her.
She never stayed in a relationship very long. The wealthy boys her parents introduced didn’t interest her and military men were always on the move; always being relocated. Catherine wasn’t very good at introductions either, so when she went man hunting on her own it always ended up in disaster. For the most part she depended on others to introduce her to new men.
Catherine was sure that she’ll circle all of Amestris twice before she would find a man who will meet both her and her parent’s standards. But, honestly, she didn’t really care. She wasn’t interested in dating, she was interested in the adventurous life her sister led. Although she knew she would never be like Olivier, Catherine sometimes dreamed of what it would be like to lead a life where she was governed by her own needs and expectations, and not by those of a man.
But those were only dreams.
---X---
A good few years since Olivier had left for Briggs, the death of a brigadier general was announced. The man who had died had been a past acquaintance of Olivier’s and she came down to Central to pay her respects towards the man’s family and friends.
Olivier never called or wrote telling her family that she would be coming back home to Central. Alex had been the one to discover that she would be coming only a few days prior to her arrival. When Alex called to ask her if she would be coming to stay at the family estate, Olivier claimed she had already set up a place to stay during her visit.
Although to Catherine it was obvious her older sister was doing everything possible to not even have to glance at her family members, their mother organized a party to celebrate Olivier’s success in occupying Briggs. Catherine didn’t care much for the party, but it was being treated as important. Even Amue and Strongine came back to the Armstrong Mansion from their studies in West City to attend the party.
Right before Catherine’s eyes, the death of a friend of Olivier’s became a party to behold, at least based on all the preparations that were being made. Of course, “Olivier’s” party would take place two days after the funeral, but it still seemed disrespectful for her mother to use someone’s death to her advantage. It seemed dirty to Catherine. Of course, Olivier detested the party and claimed she wouldn’t be coming.
Priscilla managed to drag her daughter back to the mansion to stay, rather than a hotel, but Olivier still swore she wouldn’t attend. It was just an excuse for her mother to throw a party and not seem self centered.
---X---
The day before the party, Catherine and her mother went out to have tea with some of Priscilla’s friends. Priscilla never worried much over how the house would be set up. By then, the maids working there had already learned how Mrs. Armstrong would want to have things set up for when guests came over. She had total confidence in their work, and Catherine didn’t doubt them either.
The two women went to visit the Cameron Mansion, Amelia Cameron’s house. Amelia had been raised and was in living in an Aristocratic family, led there by her parent’s real estate agency and her husband’s printing company. She had a son about Catherine’s age. Priscilla was always pushing Catherine into considering the Cameron Printing Company’s heir, but the boy held no interest to her; he wasn’t anywhere as strong and confident as her older brother.
A few woman that were also from the aristocratic community came, but none of which Catherine recognized. She sat quietly at the edge of the table, next to her mother, periodically actually listening to the conversation taking place.
“So when will Catherine’s wedding be?” One of the woman, the one with short blonde hair, thick lips and an even thicker waist asked. Catherine’s tea cup stopped mid-way to her mouth. She put it down on the saucer and put both her hands in her lap. “What?”
Mrs. Armstrong didn’t even glance at her daughter, much less answer her question. “Well, the boy we picked out for Elle is still attending classes at the university. He just started his last year there, so we won’t be able to schedule anything for a year, at the very least.” Catherine swallowed a slight lump in her throat.
“Ugh,” a red haired woman scoffed, “What a pain. Let’s hope the parents of the boy stick to the arrangement.”
“I heard that Sydney Evans had her engagement canceled on her after the boy fell in love with another girl attending the university.”
Amelia Cameron’s lip curled upwards in disgust. “What nerve those people must have to cancel an engagement a year after it had been finalized.” She shook her head, dark brown curls bouncing around her neck.
The woman went on to talking about different scenarios in which an arranged marriage was canceled. Some of the women were even able to input their own experiences into the conversation. While they talked none of the woman so much as glanced at Catherine, leaving her to wonder what was in store for her to her own musings.
---X---
As they were getting up to leave, one of the younger woman attending the tea party pulled her aside. “They’re your family. They wouldn’t have chosen anything they knew wasn’t good enough for you.” The woman stopped and looked at Catherine, as if expecting her to say something. “Right?” Catherine nodded.
The girl nodded back and then turned around and left Catherine with such a small reassurance. But what the girl had said left Catherine up all night pondering on the possibilities.
---X---
One of the newer maids was putting a few more pins into Catherine’s hair as Mrs. Armstrong was standing behind them inspecting her job. Priscilla is already dressed and has already had her hair done by one of the older maids. While she stood behind them, Catherine had been pondering on whether or not to ask her mother about what had been said at the tea party at the Cameron Mansion. After a while, Catherine decided to bring it up. It didn’t matter what she did anymore, her fate had obviously already been decided.
“When were you planning on informing me of my own engagement?” Catherine said it in a light tone, trying not to sound angry.
Priscilla’s face remained impassive. “We planned on announcing it at the banquet tonight.”
At Olivier’s party? Catherine thought. “So you told all your friends, but you don’t tell your daughter, who is the one being married off?” She was surprised she was able to say so much in defiance to her mother. Speaking up had never been a very easy thing for Catherine to do.
Priscilla rolled her eyes. “Don’t act so dramatic Elle. Those women were the ones who introduced your father and me to your fiancé.
“But why didn’t you tell me? And why are you announcing such thing when we’re supposed to be celebrating Olivier?” Her mother opened her mouth, but Catherine still had more to ask. “And why couldn’t you just leave it to me to choose my husband?” Catherine noticed that her voice was actually sounding a lot more like a hiss than the original calm.
Priscilla ignored her daughter’s first two questions in rage and annoyance at her last one. “Yes, because you’ve been very successful in finding yourself a husband,” her face shifted from sarcasm to seriousness, “You were taking too long Elle.”
Catherine’s brows furrowed and Priscilla sat down in a chair that had been pulled up against the wall. “You have to find yourself a good husband before you get too old for men to be interested.” She said with such a sharp tone it made Catherine flinch. “You kept fiddling around with men outside of our, your, class. You weren’t trying hard enough, so we did the work you wouldn’t do.”
Somehow, in the very deep trenches of her heart, she knew that it was the wrong card to pull out of the deck, but she wasn’t thinking as coherently then. “Why do I have to get married? Why can’t I just live to support myself? Like Olivier!” She snapped.
That hit a nerve. “You want to be like Mira? A lesbian military worker who lives up in the wilderness with a bunch of men?! Someone who calls home a fort packed full of men who haven’t bathed in weeks! Who acts like brat all the time because she thinks she’s better than everyone else?” Mrs. Armstrong all but screamed at her daughter, “No, sorry, but at least one of my daughters is going to turn out normal and behave the way a lady behaves!”
Catherine felt a slight prickling of tears gathering in her eyes and her bottom lip gave a slight tremble. She willed them to go down, not wanting to start crying in front of her mother; Priscilla would only yell further about having ruined her makeup.
“If anything,” Mrs. Armstrong opened the door to the room, one foot already out in the hall, “Mira’s lifestyle should serve to you as a warning. An example of the opposite of what you shall be.” And with that being said, Priscilla left to go check to see how the party preparations were going.
Catherine turned and faced the mirror, looking at her pale, blotchy face, willing herself to calm down. The maid, who had been there during the entire fight, watching Catherine with a pitying look in her eyes.
---X---
By the time Catherine managed to wobble down the stairs, Priscilla was greeting her first round of guests at the door. When she turned and looked at her mother, she felt a lead ball drop to her stomach. She hurried down the stair case and to the rooms below it. She didn’t feel she could deal with facing her after what she had just said. Well, at least not without bursting out crying.
Catherine entered the first open room and sat down to compose herself. As she sat down on the chair in the Armstrong’s library she could hear Olivier and Alex fighting in the next room over. Thankfully, it only sounded as if they were arguing, not murdering one another. The Armstrong mansion had never been the most peaceful environment to grow up in, and Catherine was used to her relatives trying to kill one another.
All of the sudden she heard stomping and the library door swung open. Oliver and Alex entered the room. Faces red from rage and anger soon melted as they saw their little sister was holding back tears. Catherine immediately tried to look as composed and fine to her siblings as possible. She smiled lightly. “Hello.”
Olivier’s frown deepened but she said nothing as she walked over to shelf holding the reference books. Alex, on the other hand, voiced his concern for his younger sister. “Catherine. Why, you look like a mess. Why were you crying?”
Her hands flew to her cheeks to check for any sign of wetness. She blew out a sigh of relief when she found her cheeks clear of any tear tracks. “What are you talking about Alex? I’m fine. I wasn’t crying.” She managed a weak smile.
Alex’s brows knitted together in confusion but it was Olivier who spoke. “Who are you trying to convince?” She didn’t directly look at Catherine, she just glanced at her out of the corner of her eye as she continued searching through the titles of the books. Catherine froze at her words.
Olivier pulled a book off the shelf that obviously was of some interest to her and flipped through its pages till she found the text she was looking for. A small smirk appeared on her face as she handed the book to her brother. “I believe this is all the proof you’ll be needing.”
Alex merely glanced at the page, their old argument supporting no interest to him anymore. “Ah, yes that’s good sister, Catherine?” She grimaced, “What’s the matter?”
She shook her head, “Nothing, nothing. I just wasn’t…” She lowered her head. What could she say? She didn’t know how to explain this to Alex. She could barely even look Olivier in the eye after what Mother had said about her.
As Alex opened his mouth, he was once again beaten to the chase by Olivier. “Then if there is nothing wrong whatever happened between you and this other person can happen again.” She looked Catherine in the eye, her sharp gaze making her shift uncomfortably. “Because nothing is wrong.”
She couldn’t tell if she had said it as a question or a statement. It didn’t matter though; Catherine didn’t intend to answer. She didn’t once lose eye contact as she sister stared her down, a new feat for Catherine. She just gave her a blank stare back. Alex watched all of this, wondering what was going on that he wasn’t seeing.
After a while Olivier gave up. She shrugged and dragged Alex out of the room with her. Alex gave her one last worried look, before allowing Olivier to drag him along.
Once Olivier had left, Catherine let out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding. It was weird; it was as if she were more calm and unnerved at the same time.
---X---
Most people who attended the party were rich land owners Catherine was already used to dealing with and side stepping. Catherine was eventually able to make it over to where her brother was, talking to a friend of his from the military.
Alex’s friend was kind and a joker, but he also did try to flirt with her. She didn’t tell him she was already engaged, there really was no need to, till he straight out asked her why she couldn’t at least go out on a date with him. After saying that she was engaged, the man stopped flirting with her and got this odd, almost guilty, look on his face. Alex, who had been watching the ordeal, had a reaction to Catherine’s words that some might find humorous. (The first time it happened.)
Tears started flowing down his face and he lifted her into a bone crushing hug. “Catherine! Why didn’t you tell me you were engaged! I’m so proud of you! I wish you happiness that’ll last you a thousand lifetimes!” He put her down and brushed some tears away with his fingers. By then, everyone at the party was looking over at Alex and Catherine, Alex’s shouts having echoed across the room. “I’m so happy for you Catherine,” Alex said in a much quieter voice, paying no attention to the fact that everyone was looking at them.
“Thank you Alex,” Catherine smiled at her older brother, “That means a lot to me.”
After a few moments of silence, the noise level in the room picked up again and everyone resumed their previous conversations. Some had something to do with Catherine’s recent engagement, and some didn’t. But either way, Priscilla would not be having the big announcement she had been hoping for.
---X---
Halfway through the party, thirty minutes till dinner was to be served, Catherine noticed that she had yet to see her sister Olivier, the so called “star of the show”. She and Alex were in a conversation with a business associate of their father’s. So she waited till the man left before gesturing for him to lean down as she stood on the tips of her toes to whisper in his ear. “Where’s Olivier? I haven’t seen her.”
Alex’s eyes flickered back and forth, scanning the perimeter before he answered. “She left just a few minutes before the party started.” Catherine’s eyes widened. Her mother would not be happy about that. “She should be on a train headed to North City right about now.”
---X---
Priscilla discovered that Olivier had left once the banquet started, when the seat reserved for Olivier remained empty. She said nothing to her husband or her children about her disappearance. She simply put on a smile and continued her job as hostess. When friends asked where Olivier was, she simply told them that Mira had been called back to Briggs a bit earlier than expected.
The party went on just fine without Olivier, but once all the guest were gone, everyone could hear Priscilla in her room tearing her hair out.
“We’ll be going back to West City tomorrow,” Strongine said.
Alex, for some unknown reason, was very confused at hearing this. “Why are you two leaving so soon? You’ve only been here for a few days.”
Catherine tilted her head at her brother wondering what went on inside his head, or if he just chose to ignore all obvious things in life. Amue smirked. “Olivier left behind a mess I don’t have the courage or the will to sort out.” Strongine shrugged her shoulders. “So we’re leaving.”
Nothing in the world seemed more logical than that to the four siblings.
---X---
For the next week, everyone living in the Armstrong mansion tried their very best not to set Priscilla off. She was infuriated with her daughter. She had even tried calling Olivier at the fort, but of course the major general ignored her.
“Do you think she’s still mad at you over the argument you two had?” The maid whom had been present when the argument took place asked Catherine. The maid held legitimate concern for the girl, she wasn’t just trying to make small talk or gossip.
Catherine shrugged her shoulders. “I think the stunt Olivier pulled is holding all her attention right now.”
The maid nodded and resumed folding Catherine’s clothes. Catherine sat down on the edge of the bed across from the maid. “But, I don’t think what Olivier did will change anything in the long run.” A small smile cracked on her face. “I know you haven’t been working here for very long, so you don’t know, but it’s always been like this.” The maid’s eyebrows raised slightly. “Mother always detested Olivier and her way of life.”
“You seem to have recovered from your fight with your mother. You don’t seem upset or bothered by your engagement anymore.” The maid said after a few minutes of silence.
Catherine kicked her legs, watching the hem flutter around her ankles. “I guess I just realized that no matter how much I scream, how much I stomp my feet, that nothing is going to change. And that things like this will just keep happening to me and I just have to learn to accept it.”
After all, those doors had already closed a long time ago.
Title: Expectations
Recipient: zippitgood
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Catherine Elle Armstrong, Olivier Mira Armstrong, Mrs. Armstrong (Priscilla), Alex Louis Armstrong
Summary: Since Olivier was the trouble child, all expectations of being a woman in the aristocratic comunity were placed on Catherine's shoulders.
Notes: (optional!) I hope this was what the recipient wanted!
From a young age people always ask you what you plan to be when you grow up. Catherine had learned to always reply that she would be the same as her mother. Her mother was a wealthy woman of high status, great beauty, and had great wealth. She had never suffered and never had to do things for herself, for the inheritance money from when her parents died and her husband always took care of that.
When she replied that she wanted to be like her mother, the women always smiled their fake elastic smiles and said that she was so sweet and darling; that she too would one day be just like her mother. Catherine would then give them a fake smile in return and thank them for their compliments.
And ever since then, ever since she was a child, Catherine would do has her mother wanted, without lifting so much as a finger in protest. Olivier was the trouble child, she never did as Priscilla wanted, and Catherine was the exact opposite. So from a young age, her mother placed all her expectations of being a proper woman in Catherine’s hands, thinking it would be a good fit.
But secretly, Catherine watched her older sister, Olivier, from afar, wondering what it would be like if she could lead such a dangerous and risk taking life in the military.
---X---
By the time Olivier had been promoted to the rank of colonel, she had been given the news that she would be relocated to Fort Briggs, the place where she would soon end up being in charge.
Olivier had decided to give the news bluntly, without beating around the bush. “Father, Mother,” she looked over and rolled her eyes at Alex and Catherine, “I have been relocated. In a week I will be leaving to Fort Briggs to work under Major General Darne.”
“You’re leaving Sister?” Alex put his fork full of food back on his plate in surprise.
“Didn’t you just here me? Yes I’m leaving, you twit!” Olivier rolled her eyes before draining her glass of water. Alex said nothing in return and rather reluctantly continued to eat his food.
“Mira, darling, you couldn’t possibly be going up to that cold wasteland to work? Why don’t you just stay here in Central?” Catherine could see the way her mother’s lip curled in disgust at the idea of living in Briggs. She didn’t like living in discomfort and “roughing it”. Catherine noted that she was also the same way.
“Of course I’m going! It’s a perfect job opportunity. Fort Briggs keeps the Drachamans out of Amestris. It’s an honor to be relocated to the fort, only the most praise worthy soldiers get sent up there! There’s no way in hell I’m not going!” Olivier slammed her fist down against the table, as if that would get her mother to see that she should be proud her daughter is going to be working there.
“I think it’s a good thing you’ll be working there.” Her father said as he took another bite of his dinner.
“Someone could murder her up there and we’d never know. They’d never find her body in those savage mountains!” Catherine also noted that whenever speaking to her father, Priscilla’s voice got just a tad higher.
“I think Olivier knows how to handle herself. If such occurrence were to happen, not that I believe it could happen under the surveillance of General Darne, she would be able to defend herself.”
“Thank you Father.” Olivier nodded in approval.
“Well, if Mira is leaving I will organize a goodbye party for her. She will at least attend to that much.” Catherine’s mother said as Olivier wrinkled her nose at her name in disgust.
“I will not be-“
“You will attend.” Priscilla Armstrong said, giving her daughter a sharp look. Olivier grumbled something about not wearing a dress as the rest of the family finished their meal in silence.
---X---
The day of Olivier’s goodbye party, Olivier did not end up wearing a dress. She was able to abide the rule her mother had pressed on her daughters so sharply over the years by wearing her military uniform. She claimed it would be more proper to wear her military uniform. Priscilla hadn’t agreed but did not press the matter. It would’ve been an impossible fight to win.
Catherine stayed at her mother’s side during the entire event, in order to restrain from having to be introduced to boys from other wealthy families. She didn’t particularly like having parties or going to them, but she learned to restrain herself from saying anything against them. The difficult child was Olivier, she preferred to stay below that radar.
No one had much to say to toast Olivier for except for Alex, who gave an amazingly long and heart-felt speech about how wonderful is sister, and how proud of her he is. Father said a few kind words, and Mother, who still didn’t want Olivier to go up north to live with a bunch of men, said nothing. Catherine said a few short words of praise, but nothing like the ceremony that her brother had given.
---X---
When Olivier left, she only took one suitcase, which was much less than what Catherine or Priscilla would have taken. Catherine’s mother fussed over Olivier, saying that she needed to take more. Olivier brushed off everything her mother said and simply boarded the train to North City with not much as a single goodbye.
Alex was crying and Catherine didn’t see why. Olivier didn’t care that she was leaving; she wasn’t being emotional about it, so why should anyone else? Their mother seemed furious that Olivier simply turned around and boarded the train while she was trying to lecture her.
“Good riddance! That girl is such a disaster. A month from now she’ll be coming back because she realizes that she didn’t take enough clothes with her.” Their mother scoffed.
“Mother, I don’t think she’ll need any more clothes. While living at the fort she won’t be able to wear anything but her uniform. It’d be pointless to take more clothes with her.” Alex inputs. Mrs. Armstrong just scoffed and made her way back to the car. Priscilla hated her daughter wearing the military uniform and she hated the fact that she didn’t wear dresses. Catherine assumed that that was the reason that her wardrobe consisted of nothing else but that.
---X---
The next few years, while Alex was moving up the ranks after the Ishvalan Civil War, Catherine spent most of her time going on organized dates with men her parents were picking out for her. Those men were skinny, pale, frail little things. Their only good trait had been their wealth and Catherine quickly rejected them.
The exciting dates, in her opinion, were the ones Alex organized with military personnel. Although those could be just as boring as the ones with money, family and fame, she would sometimes end up meeting someone interesting. None of the men were ever as strong as her brother, but some of them were good with different styles of combat and enjoyed showing their talent to her.
She never stayed in a relationship very long. The wealthy boys her parents introduced didn’t interest her and military men were always on the move; always being relocated. Catherine wasn’t very good at introductions either, so when she went man hunting on her own it always ended up in disaster. For the most part she depended on others to introduce her to new men.
Catherine was sure that she’ll circle all of Amestris twice before she would find a man who will meet both her and her parent’s standards. But, honestly, she didn’t really care. She wasn’t interested in dating, she was interested in the adventurous life her sister led. Although she knew she would never be like Olivier, Catherine sometimes dreamed of what it would be like to lead a life where she was governed by her own needs and expectations, and not by those of a man.
But those were only dreams.
---X---
A good few years since Olivier had left for Briggs, the death of a brigadier general was announced. The man who had died had been a past acquaintance of Olivier’s and she came down to Central to pay her respects towards the man’s family and friends.
Olivier never called or wrote telling her family that she would be coming back home to Central. Alex had been the one to discover that she would be coming only a few days prior to her arrival. When Alex called to ask her if she would be coming to stay at the family estate, Olivier claimed she had already set up a place to stay during her visit.
Although to Catherine it was obvious her older sister was doing everything possible to not even have to glance at her family members, their mother organized a party to celebrate Olivier’s success in occupying Briggs. Catherine didn’t care much for the party, but it was being treated as important. Even Amue and Strongine came back to the Armstrong Mansion from their studies in West City to attend the party.
Right before Catherine’s eyes, the death of a friend of Olivier’s became a party to behold, at least based on all the preparations that were being made. Of course, “Olivier’s” party would take place two days after the funeral, but it still seemed disrespectful for her mother to use someone’s death to her advantage. It seemed dirty to Catherine. Of course, Olivier detested the party and claimed she wouldn’t be coming.
Priscilla managed to drag her daughter back to the mansion to stay, rather than a hotel, but Olivier still swore she wouldn’t attend. It was just an excuse for her mother to throw a party and not seem self centered.
---X---
The day before the party, Catherine and her mother went out to have tea with some of Priscilla’s friends. Priscilla never worried much over how the house would be set up. By then, the maids working there had already learned how Mrs. Armstrong would want to have things set up for when guests came over. She had total confidence in their work, and Catherine didn’t doubt them either.
The two women went to visit the Cameron Mansion, Amelia Cameron’s house. Amelia had been raised and was in living in an Aristocratic family, led there by her parent’s real estate agency and her husband’s printing company. She had a son about Catherine’s age. Priscilla was always pushing Catherine into considering the Cameron Printing Company’s heir, but the boy held no interest to her; he wasn’t anywhere as strong and confident as her older brother.
A few woman that were also from the aristocratic community came, but none of which Catherine recognized. She sat quietly at the edge of the table, next to her mother, periodically actually listening to the conversation taking place.
“So when will Catherine’s wedding be?” One of the woman, the one with short blonde hair, thick lips and an even thicker waist asked. Catherine’s tea cup stopped mid-way to her mouth. She put it down on the saucer and put both her hands in her lap. “What?”
Mrs. Armstrong didn’t even glance at her daughter, much less answer her question. “Well, the boy we picked out for Elle is still attending classes at the university. He just started his last year there, so we won’t be able to schedule anything for a year, at the very least.” Catherine swallowed a slight lump in her throat.
“Ugh,” a red haired woman scoffed, “What a pain. Let’s hope the parents of the boy stick to the arrangement.”
“I heard that Sydney Evans had her engagement canceled on her after the boy fell in love with another girl attending the university.”
Amelia Cameron’s lip curled upwards in disgust. “What nerve those people must have to cancel an engagement a year after it had been finalized.” She shook her head, dark brown curls bouncing around her neck.
The woman went on to talking about different scenarios in which an arranged marriage was canceled. Some of the women were even able to input their own experiences into the conversation. While they talked none of the woman so much as glanced at Catherine, leaving her to wonder what was in store for her to her own musings.
---X---
As they were getting up to leave, one of the younger woman attending the tea party pulled her aside. “They’re your family. They wouldn’t have chosen anything they knew wasn’t good enough for you.” The woman stopped and looked at Catherine, as if expecting her to say something. “Right?” Catherine nodded.
The girl nodded back and then turned around and left Catherine with such a small reassurance. But what the girl had said left Catherine up all night pondering on the possibilities.
---X---
One of the newer maids was putting a few more pins into Catherine’s hair as Mrs. Armstrong was standing behind them inspecting her job. Priscilla is already dressed and has already had her hair done by one of the older maids. While she stood behind them, Catherine had been pondering on whether or not to ask her mother about what had been said at the tea party at the Cameron Mansion. After a while, Catherine decided to bring it up. It didn’t matter what she did anymore, her fate had obviously already been decided.
“When were you planning on informing me of my own engagement?” Catherine said it in a light tone, trying not to sound angry.
Priscilla’s face remained impassive. “We planned on announcing it at the banquet tonight.”
At Olivier’s party? Catherine thought. “So you told all your friends, but you don’t tell your daughter, who is the one being married off?” She was surprised she was able to say so much in defiance to her mother. Speaking up had never been a very easy thing for Catherine to do.
Priscilla rolled her eyes. “Don’t act so dramatic Elle. Those women were the ones who introduced your father and me to your fiancé.
“But why didn’t you tell me? And why are you announcing such thing when we’re supposed to be celebrating Olivier?” Her mother opened her mouth, but Catherine still had more to ask. “And why couldn’t you just leave it to me to choose my husband?” Catherine noticed that her voice was actually sounding a lot more like a hiss than the original calm.
Priscilla ignored her daughter’s first two questions in rage and annoyance at her last one. “Yes, because you’ve been very successful in finding yourself a husband,” her face shifted from sarcasm to seriousness, “You were taking too long Elle.”
Catherine’s brows furrowed and Priscilla sat down in a chair that had been pulled up against the wall. “You have to find yourself a good husband before you get too old for men to be interested.” She said with such a sharp tone it made Catherine flinch. “You kept fiddling around with men outside of our, your, class. You weren’t trying hard enough, so we did the work you wouldn’t do.”
Somehow, in the very deep trenches of her heart, she knew that it was the wrong card to pull out of the deck, but she wasn’t thinking as coherently then. “Why do I have to get married? Why can’t I just live to support myself? Like Olivier!” She snapped.
That hit a nerve. “You want to be like Mira? A lesbian military worker who lives up in the wilderness with a bunch of men?! Someone who calls home a fort packed full of men who haven’t bathed in weeks! Who acts like brat all the time because she thinks she’s better than everyone else?” Mrs. Armstrong all but screamed at her daughter, “No, sorry, but at least one of my daughters is going to turn out normal and behave the way a lady behaves!”
Catherine felt a slight prickling of tears gathering in her eyes and her bottom lip gave a slight tremble. She willed them to go down, not wanting to start crying in front of her mother; Priscilla would only yell further about having ruined her makeup.
“If anything,” Mrs. Armstrong opened the door to the room, one foot already out in the hall, “Mira’s lifestyle should serve to you as a warning. An example of the opposite of what you shall be.” And with that being said, Priscilla left to go check to see how the party preparations were going.
Catherine turned and faced the mirror, looking at her pale, blotchy face, willing herself to calm down. The maid, who had been there during the entire fight, watching Catherine with a pitying look in her eyes.
---X---
By the time Catherine managed to wobble down the stairs, Priscilla was greeting her first round of guests at the door. When she turned and looked at her mother, she felt a lead ball drop to her stomach. She hurried down the stair case and to the rooms below it. She didn’t feel she could deal with facing her after what she had just said. Well, at least not without bursting out crying.
Catherine entered the first open room and sat down to compose herself. As she sat down on the chair in the Armstrong’s library she could hear Olivier and Alex fighting in the next room over. Thankfully, it only sounded as if they were arguing, not murdering one another. The Armstrong mansion had never been the most peaceful environment to grow up in, and Catherine was used to her relatives trying to kill one another.
All of the sudden she heard stomping and the library door swung open. Oliver and Alex entered the room. Faces red from rage and anger soon melted as they saw their little sister was holding back tears. Catherine immediately tried to look as composed and fine to her siblings as possible. She smiled lightly. “Hello.”
Olivier’s frown deepened but she said nothing as she walked over to shelf holding the reference books. Alex, on the other hand, voiced his concern for his younger sister. “Catherine. Why, you look like a mess. Why were you crying?”
Her hands flew to her cheeks to check for any sign of wetness. She blew out a sigh of relief when she found her cheeks clear of any tear tracks. “What are you talking about Alex? I’m fine. I wasn’t crying.” She managed a weak smile.
Alex’s brows knitted together in confusion but it was Olivier who spoke. “Who are you trying to convince?” She didn’t directly look at Catherine, she just glanced at her out of the corner of her eye as she continued searching through the titles of the books. Catherine froze at her words.
Olivier pulled a book off the shelf that obviously was of some interest to her and flipped through its pages till she found the text she was looking for. A small smirk appeared on her face as she handed the book to her brother. “I believe this is all the proof you’ll be needing.”
Alex merely glanced at the page, their old argument supporting no interest to him anymore. “Ah, yes that’s good sister, Catherine?” She grimaced, “What’s the matter?”
She shook her head, “Nothing, nothing. I just wasn’t…” She lowered her head. What could she say? She didn’t know how to explain this to Alex. She could barely even look Olivier in the eye after what Mother had said about her.
As Alex opened his mouth, he was once again beaten to the chase by Olivier. “Then if there is nothing wrong whatever happened between you and this other person can happen again.” She looked Catherine in the eye, her sharp gaze making her shift uncomfortably. “Because nothing is wrong.”
She couldn’t tell if she had said it as a question or a statement. It didn’t matter though; Catherine didn’t intend to answer. She didn’t once lose eye contact as she sister stared her down, a new feat for Catherine. She just gave her a blank stare back. Alex watched all of this, wondering what was going on that he wasn’t seeing.
After a while Olivier gave up. She shrugged and dragged Alex out of the room with her. Alex gave her one last worried look, before allowing Olivier to drag him along.
Once Olivier had left, Catherine let out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding. It was weird; it was as if she were more calm and unnerved at the same time.
---X---
Most people who attended the party were rich land owners Catherine was already used to dealing with and side stepping. Catherine was eventually able to make it over to where her brother was, talking to a friend of his from the military.
Alex’s friend was kind and a joker, but he also did try to flirt with her. She didn’t tell him she was already engaged, there really was no need to, till he straight out asked her why she couldn’t at least go out on a date with him. After saying that she was engaged, the man stopped flirting with her and got this odd, almost guilty, look on his face. Alex, who had been watching the ordeal, had a reaction to Catherine’s words that some might find humorous. (The first time it happened.)
Tears started flowing down his face and he lifted her into a bone crushing hug. “Catherine! Why didn’t you tell me you were engaged! I’m so proud of you! I wish you happiness that’ll last you a thousand lifetimes!” He put her down and brushed some tears away with his fingers. By then, everyone at the party was looking over at Alex and Catherine, Alex’s shouts having echoed across the room. “I’m so happy for you Catherine,” Alex said in a much quieter voice, paying no attention to the fact that everyone was looking at them.
“Thank you Alex,” Catherine smiled at her older brother, “That means a lot to me.”
After a few moments of silence, the noise level in the room picked up again and everyone resumed their previous conversations. Some had something to do with Catherine’s recent engagement, and some didn’t. But either way, Priscilla would not be having the big announcement she had been hoping for.
---X---
Halfway through the party, thirty minutes till dinner was to be served, Catherine noticed that she had yet to see her sister Olivier, the so called “star of the show”. She and Alex were in a conversation with a business associate of their father’s. So she waited till the man left before gesturing for him to lean down as she stood on the tips of her toes to whisper in his ear. “Where’s Olivier? I haven’t seen her.”
Alex’s eyes flickered back and forth, scanning the perimeter before he answered. “She left just a few minutes before the party started.” Catherine’s eyes widened. Her mother would not be happy about that. “She should be on a train headed to North City right about now.”
---X---
Priscilla discovered that Olivier had left once the banquet started, when the seat reserved for Olivier remained empty. She said nothing to her husband or her children about her disappearance. She simply put on a smile and continued her job as hostess. When friends asked where Olivier was, she simply told them that Mira had been called back to Briggs a bit earlier than expected.
The party went on just fine without Olivier, but once all the guest were gone, everyone could hear Priscilla in her room tearing her hair out.
“We’ll be going back to West City tomorrow,” Strongine said.
Alex, for some unknown reason, was very confused at hearing this. “Why are you two leaving so soon? You’ve only been here for a few days.”
Catherine tilted her head at her brother wondering what went on inside his head, or if he just chose to ignore all obvious things in life. Amue smirked. “Olivier left behind a mess I don’t have the courage or the will to sort out.” Strongine shrugged her shoulders. “So we’re leaving.”
Nothing in the world seemed more logical than that to the four siblings.
---X---
For the next week, everyone living in the Armstrong mansion tried their very best not to set Priscilla off. She was infuriated with her daughter. She had even tried calling Olivier at the fort, but of course the major general ignored her.
“Do you think she’s still mad at you over the argument you two had?” The maid whom had been present when the argument took place asked Catherine. The maid held legitimate concern for the girl, she wasn’t just trying to make small talk or gossip.
Catherine shrugged her shoulders. “I think the stunt Olivier pulled is holding all her attention right now.”
The maid nodded and resumed folding Catherine’s clothes. Catherine sat down on the edge of the bed across from the maid. “But, I don’t think what Olivier did will change anything in the long run.” A small smile cracked on her face. “I know you haven’t been working here for very long, so you don’t know, but it’s always been like this.” The maid’s eyebrows raised slightly. “Mother always detested Olivier and her way of life.”
“You seem to have recovered from your fight with your mother. You don’t seem upset or bothered by your engagement anymore.” The maid said after a few minutes of silence.
Catherine kicked her legs, watching the hem flutter around her ankles. “I guess I just realized that no matter how much I scream, how much I stomp my feet, that nothing is going to change. And that things like this will just keep happening to me and I just have to learn to accept it.”
After all, those doors had already closed a long time ago.