#bernagard

   She had heard that the future countess didn’t exactly have the charm or charisma befitting her noble title. That she was a tiny, squeaky, mousy little girl who could do with some better posture and from just standing beside her, Edelgard could confirm all those things. She was hunched down and bitter faced, holding herself like, well, a mouse or maybe a hedgehog in paranoid displeasure.

   However it appeared, if Edelgard had to guess, that Bernadetta did not do her own research which made sense given she was all anxiety driven id and not much fact to back it up. But still. Given that they were strangers despite being of the same House and Empire, Edelgard was surprised that Bernadetta was in a chatty mood. She seemed ready to head for the hills as soon as all these first day of school formalities were over and done with.

   The formalities of which were so dull and tedious that even Edelgard wasn’t exactly pleased with them. Of course, her displeasure expanded past the normal eye rolls that were to be expected of a cohort of this age group. The grandeur of it all was just a little bit much, it got underneath Edelgard’s skin. Though she liked the equality forced over them, she treated the same as a noble of lesser standing treated the same as a peasant. The only dividing range which mattered for these speeches was that all the students were to be separated by gender and then again by height.

   Hence why Edelgard had ended up in the courtyard next to Bernadetta at all. They were about the same height, boots with high heels notwithstanding.

   “Why is it the Black Eagles, huh?” Bernadetta said and Edelgard was still somewhat certain she was being talked at and not talked with.

   Edelgard kept to herself but not in the same way that Bernadetta kept to herself. She held onto herself, ears pricked up as she kept checking in with Bernadetta’s squirrely demeanour. 

   Still, it made more sense to Edelgard that she was being talked at and not talked with based on what she knew of Bernadetta von Varley. However, Edelgard could not rule out the possibility that Bernadetta was fully lucid as of right now and was entirely aware of whom she was chatting with. Edelgard wanted to hope that it was the latter but alas.

   If the adolescent girl was known to be reclusive, as well as an anxious little freak, then it was entirely possible that Edelgard did not exist to her. Not as a person, let alone as the future Emperor to to be, not even in her peripheries. She very well could just be talking aloud like eccentrics were prone to do.

   “I hear that the favourite colour of the future emperor is red. Red, red, red, though everyone wears black and gold, she likes red. So. Why isn’t it? The Red Eagles? I would think that such a princess would love to change it. Like, I hear the other House Leaders' favourite colours are blue and yellow, so fitting to the Blue Lions and Golden Deer.” Bernadetta rambled.

   “That’s true,” Edelgard giggled, still feeling very talked at but it was amusing to Edelgard, it was charming to be treated so uncommonly yet so without etiquette, perhaps there was something to be said about having no proper poise, “their favourite colours do seem to be that way, doesn’t it?” She agreed.

   Bernadetta half-glanced at her. Only quickly, only a flash and Edelgard greeted her with a polite smile. And she simply could not help herself thereafter. She did agree. The gossip that had somehow made it to this hermit’s doorstep was correct. Her favourite colour was red. 

   “However, do I truly seem so vain as to rename a long established tradition just to fit my whim?” Edelgard asked.

   “Huh? Wah-What?” Bernadetta squealed and Edelgard continued to giggle at the poor girl’s expense.

   Bernadetta stiffly turned her head. Not a half glance no more but rather a very uncourteous, eyes bulging stare as her mouth dropped agape and she gawked at Edelgard. Looking her up and down, confirming the red tights and white hair. Edelgard did her best not to feel either way about how Bernadetta eyed her up. She meant no ill-offence given her following actions in their embarrassing sincerity and earnestness were to go by.

   “P-Princess… Edelgard? Oh my gosh, Princess Edelgard! I’m so sorry! I did not realise you were there.” Bernadetta shrieked.

   Edelgard’s ears were shredded by the high notes that Bernadetta was apparently capable to reaching despite her scrawny, compact little body. Edelgard’s brain rang with the echoes and for a moment, she was stunned and then for several moments more, she was barraged with yet more apologies. And bowing. And curtsies.

   Until Bernadetta’s little ticker just gave out.

   She was red in the face. Utterly humiliated, albeit more by her own devices than anything Edelgard had provoked. And then Bernadetta fainted. The red colouration to her face drained away in the blink of an eye until she was white as a ghost and her body slumped.

   Luckily, Edelgard had good reflexes and so, caught the girl before she could fully faint. She held Bernadetta tight and muttered to herself. A blush to her own cheeks as she admonished the theatrics. Despite being rathered humoured by them.

   Edelgard craned her neck up whilst Bernadetta blanked against her breast, “Excuse me! I require the infirmary, it seems my classmate has fainted!” She yelled for attention but not loud enough to hurt Bernadetta’s ears - a courtesy that had very much not been extended to Edelgard a moment ago.

   Fuss began to spread through the crowds as gossip immediately materialised amongst the fellow academy goers. They began whispering amongst each other whilst the matron of the infirmary, one Maneula Casagranda Edelgard recalled, began to make her way through the crowd. She was cutting through them as they stood and gawked, as they wondered who that girl was, where did she come from, what happened to her. All that sort of thing. 

   Edelgard honestly felt bad for Bernadetta, being the centre of such attention, she was likely not going to be pleased if what Edelgard had observed of her remained consistent and true. She sighed. However, for now, she was sleeping… with both eyes open, glazed over, as she limply leaned on Edelgard, no sensation in her legs, barely keeping her upright.

   It was bound to be an interesting year with a classmate like this, she thought and that wasn’t even counting her. She planned to be quite interesting, as well, but this, Edelgard considered, was far simpler and to her, a quaint sweetness as well.