#failnaughted

Though the words may be cheeky as he tends to usually be, it is only in the content, and not in the tone of voice. Indeed, should she turn to face him, she will fail to find the casual smile that many have come to know him for, the one he uses to conceal many things. Indeed, his expression is more serious than he tends to be.

"So you guys ran into trouble on the way back, too?" Interesting.

Not that Claude suspected her of anything beyond her ambition to be a powerful Emperor someday. He has no doubt that she has much to hide, but so does he, so he's not one to talk.

Rather, it's interesting because...

"I thought at first that only Garreg Mach was attacked, but if you too were targeted, and yet it doesn't look like any cities or villages were... Whoever it was was going for those related to the monastery specifically, by the looks of things. Those who were there, and those who were headed there. That's what it looks like right now."

He eyes her carefully. His gaze is calm, betraying no emotion.

"Can you think of anything? And - by the way, have you seen Dimitri?"

These attack-ravaged lands take a toll on anyone— Sunken eyes to her left and words of despair to her right. The scars hidden under her gloves and the thoughts encompassing the budding emperor's mind. For Claude, it was the way he spoke his sentences as the two came into one another's view. She could certainly notice it, even if she did not utter as much. There was no need to; not when there were bigger matters to attend to.

"I could say the same for you," she says in greeting. Plain, even if a bad attempt at keeping a mood. "But yes. We did. I don't know how much you've heard, but our peril began within the mountain pass. And now, we find ourselves here with everyone else. That separation in itself feels purposeful, as you say." With the positioning of the monastery, it was no surprise that there were faces who would have their eyes on it. She knew this already. It was a key element in this game of scuffed chess. What she didn't hold was the current why's.

Words and thoughts of agreement poured through her mind and left her with more to say. "I have a number of conjectures, but I lack the proper concrete proof to fully point a finger at the moment. One thing is certain— That book over there. Have you had the time to glance at it?" While she has not, she had no doubts that it was left there on purpose. Edelgard uses her right hand to point towards it, swiveling in its direction. "Odd, is it not? It was placed there in the hopes of us looking at it. Or, rather.. I should say, it was so we would not miss its presence."

The door is slightly ajar. It is very clear that someone is in there or at least had been in there. Even still, when Deirdre pushes the door open and sees Claude standing in the middle of the room she jumps in her surprise.

"Here, hold it like this." She situates Claude's bouquet in his hands so that the flowers are arranged before her. She's set her own bouquet aside for the moment, safe and sound as she focuses on his.

"You have so many orchids. They're beautiful." She perks a few of the petals up. "We could really make them pop with some of my roses. Like this." She reaches for her bouquet and begins to pull out several stems of roses that she then fits into Claude's bouquet. Soon enough, the roses are positioned around a few center orchids, elevating their look by the contrasting roses.

Floral arrangements are not her forte but she at least has an eye for design and what looks pleasing. "And if you do not mind, I will take a few of yours for a similar affect for mine."

When he doesn't object, she switches out the bouquet he's holding, this time having him hold hers as she arranges a few of his orchids among her roses. A few petals are shifted here and there so that her roses flank the orchids she's placed around them. The other flowers she's collected are arranged in the center to her own liking.

"There!" She takes her bouquet and offers his back. "Perfect, or, at least much more pleasing to look at."

It is only now that she realizes she has spent this entire time treating him as a flower stand. "Oh, my apologies. I got more into that than I expected." The only flower not in her bouquet is the lily Seth tucked into her hair some hours ago. She holds her bouquet close to her chest and breathes in their floral fragrance with a smile.

This is not his bouquet. His is mostly comprised of roses with several other flowers arranged throughout, gifts from friends, new and old alike. He had set it down before going to assist with faculty duties and he was sure he had left it here. Instead, he finds this bouquet of mostly orchids. Where had his gone then, and who does this one belong to?

Eliwood lifts the bouquet carefully into his arms yet it doesn't take him long to find someone with a bouquet that looks very similar to his.

"Claude, it's good to see you again." Eliwood smiles fondly at the house leader. Their first meeting had left a good impression on him and he already thought very fondly of the young man. "If I'm not mistaken, that's my bouquet that you're holding. May I assume that this one is yours?" He holds up the orchid bouquet.

she notices him in the corner of the garden, away from the rest of the students fussing about their bouquets.

she might not be in the house that he leads, but she recognizes him. a child with the undoubtedly important position of a leader in his future.

maybe that's why she ignores the other students for a bit and approaches him.

Smiling, he bends his right arm in front of his chest as he offers a light nod. "Guess I should introduce myself a bit more formally, then - Claude von Riegan, leader of the Golden Deer House. Aaand the heir to the Leicester Alliance's ruling family." The smile fades a hint and he sighs. "No need to be formal with me, but I figured I'd mention it because there's a bit of chaos going on in the territory right now, and as our new Professor, you might be sent there to assist with some missions as well. If you need any info on that, just let me know."

The more serene expression then returns to Claude's features. "Of course, this doesn't just apply to times of crisis and this kinda stuff. I look forward to learning from you and seeing what you're made of."

The house leader of the Golden Deer and the heir to the Leicester Alliance. Eliwood had been briefed on that much, but meeting the young man is quite a different experience. He carries both an easy nature and a way with words that leaves Eliwood smiling.

"Is that how I'm being described? I'm flattered. And it is a pleasure to finally meet you, Claude." Eliwood inclines his head respectfully out of habit.

He knows of the trouble Claude speaks of as well. "Yes, what happened to House Siward is tragic. I hope to be able to provide some assistance to them in their time of need, and to all of the Leicester Alliance. It is my hope that the rumors of a murderer remain as such, only rumors." Fear has a way of stirring up idle gossip and these fears are far from unfounded.

It speaks deeply of Claude's character to introduce himself in this manner. Though he is a student, far more weighs on his shoulders, and he can tell that the young man is cognizant of that.

"Likewise, I look forward to passing on my knowledge to the students of the academy and to working with you. My home country of Pherae is part of the Lycian League, similar to the Leicester Alliance so far as I can tell, and similarly I will take the title of Marquess of Pherae once I return home. Though we have many differences, I believe there is much we can learn from one another."

Maybe the guy just knew there would be sweets. Speaking of which.

"I just flew here straight from the Alliance - had some affairs to handle. As I was leaving, our staff fixed me up with some treats to take with me and share." It gets a light chuckle out of him as he speaks. Who is he, a kid that brings some candy to celebrate coming back to school? Still, he supposes the sentiment behind the gesture is nice, so he isn't going to complain about it.

"What I'm saying here is, have you ever tried traditional Alliance sweets?" He continues as from his bag, he pulls out a satchel of caramels adorned in small colorful pieces made from either candy or chocolate. "I thought you of all people may appreciate it."

With that, he laughs, the bracelet of small pearls visible on his wrist as he holds the satchel. "Now I'm not saying that I'm trying to buy a charms trade from you, but I would appreciate it."

Gaius is sure glad to see Claude - yes, he can remember a name once in a while, sue him - but man, can't he just have fun without a bunch of people he knows pointing out how unusual it is? Just because he's a man of the shadows doesn't mean he doesn't know how to dance. Or rather - like to dance, even if he hasn't the faintest clue how.

And, wow - what a thoughtful guy, bringing him sweets! Even if it's incidental (there's no way a guy as important as Claude picked these up solely with his in mind).

The candies are as pretty as they are serendipitous, and Gaius finds himself reaching for them before he can even speak. Where are his manners?

"Mighty kind of you, Claude!" Maybe a layperson would take one to be polite, but Gaius snatches up the whole handful with silent, feline grace. According to himself, anyway.

As the music shifts from one piece to the next, Claude smiles lightly at the by now familiar tune, drilled into his head once and for all during the express intensive course in Fódlan customs he sat through prior to getting officially legitimized. The expression widens further at the sight of a certain someone now parted from her previous dancing partner.

Approaching, he smiles and offers a bow as per the beginning dance's demands, extending his hand; the bracelet of small pearls he had been giving upon entrance jingling softly in sync with the gesture.

"Now, may I have the honor? I've been hard at work practicing, and I'd like to see if the results hold up next to the Imperial Princess."

There will never be a day where the flutter of Adrestia's tunes did not string a chord in the memories of a locked girl. How she long held pillars of their past; of their future. When she finishes her dance and finds Claude in her company, the resolve continues to stand firm. She extends a quirked brow out of idle wonder, fiddling with her own bracelet in return.

"Practicing, have you? That must mean you have a decent grasp on it. I hope you can keep up with me." The challenging yet prepared words leave her side as readily as always— As if there is no better place for them than here.