A Realm Reborn
Life began on a caravan to Ul'dah, where the bumpy ride through desert rocks jolted her out of a strange dream. She knew nothing about herself: where she had come from, where she was going, or why. All she had were the clothes on her back and a bizarre name— Iudicium.
Her first goal was to learn about herself, to ask anyone around who this strange Liborette might be... But she struggled to speak, as if she was mute unless directly prompted. No one prompted her. Instead, they launched into conversation about their own problems, and Liborette abandoned her own aims to listen. She listened attentively, patiently, and trustingly. She accepted every request, command, and petition to help.
After a lot of... shall we say, horribly traumatic things happened to her in the process of "helping" others, Liborette lost interest in herself. Clearly there was something wrong with her, although she could never articulate what. She was not even aware of the hatred she felt for herself. All she knew is that it was easier to say, do, and be what others wanted.
People were gentler with her then. They looked at her with kinder eyes. The way a dog strives to please its master, if not for a scrap of food then only for his lightened mood, Liborette enslaved herself to everyone who asked.
She drifted from quest to quest, task to task, fetching others' items, fighting others' battles. Somehow she became Alphinaud's personal errand girl. Bending to his grand aspirations for world peace (or something, Liborette never really understood), the stakes rose higher and higher. The Scions called her to slay greater foes. They dispatched her ever further, to corners of Eorzea filled— as always— with people needing help and "help" alike.
Enter: Haurchefant
One summer Liborette found herself in snowy Coerthas, searching for an airship last seen in the skies above Camp Dragonhead. The lord leading the encampment was a friendly Elezen named Haurchefant. Of course, he asked her for a favour. They all did. What set him apart was his unprecedented appreciation.
Of course, she had been appreciated by others. People regularly thanked her for saving their lives. They toasted in her name, offered money and gifts where they could. But Haurchefant was the first to look upon Liborette's strength and loyalty with keen personal interest.
It is one thing to cheer for the racehorse carrying your bet to victory. It is quite another to bring the horse back to your stables, to groom and feed it. To be the one who looks into its eyes with complete and total adoration. Haurchefant took upon himself the burden— or, as he saw it, the privilege of Liborette's care and keeping. Her needs, preferences, and desires, which until then had laid beyond everyone's purview, quickly became his top priority.
Well, insofar as distance allowed. Liborette was and perhaps always would be a sellsword. She went wherever there were monsters to slay, friends in need. Too often, for too long, she was simply too far away to enjoy his loving attention. But she always, always returned to him. With every meeting, their relationship grew stronger, and the girl who had let anyone and everyone rule her life began to take her power back... if only to hand it directly over to Haurchefant. At least he had her best interests at heart.
To be continued...