I Am

Send 💭 for a thought my muse has had about yours -- @aurulent​ asked:  💭

“Getting up early? You really enjoy waking up bright and early for those routines!? I really shouldn’t be surprise because it’s you, but hearing you say that still is surprising. Yeah, my father really did enjoy hunting. He would always take my older brother with him. Had their own father and son bonding time bright and early.”

“You do not find the joy in waking up and watching the sky turn into daylight, Caspar? How, long do you stay in bed for? Please, do not let Linhardt’s atrocious sleeping habits rub off on you.”

“Really getting poetic there Ferdinand. Not bad. Planning to propose that to someone?”

“Ah…” A soft clink as he so indelicately placed his cup back down, as that this news would so spoil the tea he loved by associations. Gloved hands crossed over each other as he considered what to say, features downcast and bangs falling across them. Memories that had simply felt best left in the back of his mind resurfacing.

Perhaps Hilda’s departure had allowed him to simply compartmentalize better. Admitting he would miss her, that she was going back to war instead of this island, literally and figuratively. A place away from war, away from everything else. Away from.

“It is correct.” He avoided eye contact with Ferdinand for a moment more, collecting himself. Finally sitting up straight, he pushed his hair out of his face, a mask of weariness settling in. “We both have our loyalties, and I do not believe that has changed even now. Nor would I expect it to - it is a part of you I respect deeply - but it was still a deep-seated wish of mine that you had joined us. That at that battle we did not have to fight, but…”

Shoulders fell for another moment. “I knew we would have to fight our friends from Garreg Mach, but I did not think of the consequences. You and I were friends despite our houses, and yet the Great Bridge would be where we would have met regardless.” Why did Ferdinand have to be there, of all places? The place that connected his House to the war so directly? So intimately?

“Forgive me. You looked at me then much the way you are looking at me now. That knotted brow…”

His own gaze turn downward, eyes catching his reflection in the amber of the teacup.

“...I do not blame you for being downcast. Were the situation reversed, I scarce think I could hold my composure.”

Well-mannered as he was, Ferdinand was the passionate sort, and sometimes his feelings came before his judgement.

A moment of silence, a deep breath, and he looked up once more.

“I suppose if I had to lose, it was honorably. But that is a future I am not from. I... am not certain that had I not left the monastery when I did, it may be you that I encounter across the great bridge.”

Somehow, though still a bit shaken, it did make him feel better.

Spring festival?

Spring festival!

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“The summers here are much more tolerable than they were back home, if that provides anything to look forward to. Granted, I do not know how long winter will last.” She couldn’t go providing him with too much hope now; that would be ridiculous.

“This way,” Reines added, stepping away from the counter. What was the point of hired help if not to have them watch for customers while she was preoccupied? The tea sets were still in their boxes in the back room.

“Is that so? Where do you hail from, Lady El Melloi?” He asked curiously, practically prancing to follow her. It would be nice to host tea with some refinery again! Not much of interest was in here, save for boxes and ordinary--

No--that wasn’t the case at all. Something gleaming caught his eye, leaning against the wall...

“...Do pardon the intrusion, lady, but you appear to have a lance in your storeroom. Is it yours?”

@aegirheaded​ // x

Edelgard, of course, has discovered a favorite tea shop. It had only taken her a short while to do so, and when she did she made it a goal to go there every day – she has all this free time, after all. Her hands are wrapped around a mug of coffee as she sits in the shop; this outfit that Felix had helped her pick out was extremely comfortable, and very useful as well. 

Smoothing out the camouflage material of her pants (which perfectly matched her camouflage shirt) she hummed a little to herself as she readjusted her crown on the top of her head. Lost in thought, she almost didn’t notice a very familiar redhead go and find a seat nearby.

She turns her whole body, a smile lighting up her face. “Ferdinand,” she says, getting up from her seat and walking towards where he’d settled. She stood in front of him, her expression still warm and open. “I see you’ve also found the best place to get tea in this city.”

At the sound of her voice, the duke nearly whipped his tea out of the glass as he turned. So Edelgard was back--! It was almost like a ray on sunshine physically shot out of his smile.

...And then it turned overcast. Cloudy. Downpour. Frankly, he was at a loss for words for a few seconds, and the color had drained from his face.

“...I suppose firstly, I should welcome you back to the island, Emperor Edelgard. I am relieved to see you unharmed--and shocked you have regarded me so warmly. Were no other problems present, I may have asked to embrace you. However, I feel we must address the problem at hand.”

Golden eyes followed her outfit all the way down and up again, and he physically put his tea down to put his face in his hands. 

Ferdinand von Aegir was not a rude man, and so his clear distraction had become much and more of a concern as the conversation lulled. With so much time able to be dedicated to socialization and not to war, they did not require nearly so much catching up.

Gloved fingers danced along the rim of his teacup before he picked it up, taking a sip as Ferdinand finally spoke more than a passing phrase. Setting the cup down, he responded in turn:

“But of course, Ferdinand.”

“My only concern is that you did not think to make your matters the very topic of this tea time. It is quite unlike you to be so unresponsive during our social hour.”

Something of a laugh escaped him, though genuine, it was not.

“Yes, well. I do apologize. It is hardly becoming to begin a grim conversation without permission at teatime. Usually, those sorts of discussions are for other places.”

Or, so he was taught. Ordinarily, he would have buried it down and continued on with lighter themes, as a noble ought to do--it was important to keep one’s company in mind, after all! And although Lorenz was also likely aware of this unspoken rule... ...Well. Ferdinand trusted him a great deal. After taking the risk of asking, his assumption was correct--the other didn’t mind at all.

A deep breath, and he collected himself.

“Recall the time we met up again in this strange place, if you will. When I had laid eye upon you with warmth and welcoming, I was not met with the same expression. Not something hateful, nor forgetfulness, nor hostility. Quite frankly, you appeared as if...” ... “...As if, perhaps, I was someone who should not be here.”

...

“Why does anyone like that stupid bean tea.”

“I thought it’d be nice if we could all get together like old time’s sake. The official opening is this Saturday, but I wanted to host a special night just for the students of Garreg Mach on Friday at dusk. All free of charge, of course! You’re the ones who inspired this, after all. I don’t think I would’ve had the courage to open it up otherwise. I would appreciate if you came, but feel free to ask for some food to go if you don’t think you can stay.”

@halfaknight​

The flier, inspected for craftsmanship (and gaining a nod of approval!) earned a smile from the duke.

“Ah! You wish to recreate the meal we had after our victory of the Battle of Eagle and Lion, do you not? It’s a very entertaining thought. So!”

Oh, he bowed!

Perhaps his conversation partner caught that the duke was paying less attention than usual. Almost like the day itself, his demeanor seemed a bit cloudier than usual, and he looked into his tea curiously.

With Edelgard gone for quite some time, his overall mood had dampened. He thought that without his ‘greatest rival’ in the city, he would shine brighter. But... perhaps he had grown more attached to her than he thought during the war. Which got his mind wandering to other things... And he simply couldn’t keep it to himself any longer.

❝ Oh, yes.. The bee should look forward to blossoms, don’t you think? ❞

❝ Got any plans for the spring, Ferdie? ❞

“Bees are very valuable, are they not? Perhaps I should begin to take that as a compliment, dear Dorothea.”

A huff!

“Of course I do. Now that I have some disposable income, I should like to find a stable to begin riding again. And in the meantime, I will find a suitable place to hone my abilities--the school the Professor has in the city shall do nicely. From there, I shall have to earn enough renown to obtain some of my own property, and that means seeing who needs help in these cities. Then there is studying what I can of the island history, cooking lessons, and preparing what to discuss next with Emperor E...”

...A pause. Right.