#ferdimitri

It had been two years since Houses Gautier and Fraldarius had begun their fight with the so-called “Faerghus Dukedom”. Ferdinand had hoped to join up with his old school friends and aid them in defending the Kingdom from Cornelia-- but the terrain was proving difficult to progress through. And now it was also raining.

Ferdinand guided his horse down a steep incline before locating an outcrop of rock to shelter them both. There was no use going on until the storm passed, so Ferdinand took his pack from the saddle and began taking out flint and food, already dreading his search for dry wood.

Just then, the crunch of boots met his ears. Ferdinand tensed. Who in their right mind would be out in this weather? Apart from himself, of course.

Whoever it was seemed to be limping away from Ferdinand’s shelter, judging by their gait, and Ferdinand poked his head out to catch a look. At first he thought his eyes were playing tricks. But there could be no mistaking that blond hair and tattered cloak, that proud chin and cold blue eyes.

Prince Dimitri struggled through the rain for a few more paces before collapsing to one knee, letting out a grunt of pain that made Ferdinand wince. The rain strengthened as if determined to keep Dimitri pinned down. Pushing through his shock, Ferdinand ran out into the storm.

“Dimitri!” Ferdinand knelt in the mud. “Dimitri, is it truely--”

A clawed gauntlet caught Ferdinand’s wrist. Dimitri lifted his head, fixing a single eye on Ferdinand. The other was covered by a patch, leaving Ferdinand’s imagination to fill in the gaps. It was then he noticed the other marks Dimitri bore-- thorns stuck to the inside of his arm, cuts along his neck and cheek, one knee bloody. “What has happened to you...?” Ferdinand wondered aloud. He was unable to keep the pity from his voice.

Dimitri didn’t seem to notice. He let go of Ferdinand and attempted to stand. “Where are you going?” Ferdinand grabbed Dimitri’s uninjured arm. “Surely there are people looking for you!”

“Let them look. All they will find is a corpse.”

“Indeed they will, if you continue walking around in the rain in this condition!”

Dimitir sneered. “A beast hunts no matter the weather.” 

He tried to march away again, but stumbled. Ferdinand took his weight with effort. “Enough of that talk. This way.” Dimitri straightened but didn’t protest this time. He allowed Ferdinand to take his hand and guide them back to the shelter at a brisk pace.

Once there, Ferdinand sat Dimitri in the driest spot right against the rock. He dug out a spare shirt from his pack and tossed it to Dimitri. “It is much too small but you can dry yourself off with it, at least,” Ferdinand explained even as Dimitri’s hair created a small puddle beside him. 

In short order, Ferdinand found a few branches that weren’t completely soaked through and set about making a fire. While he waited for it to grow, he knelt next to Dimitri again and began assessing his various wounds. 

“Finding you alive in the wilderness like this-- it is almost like an opera,” Ferdinand said when he couldn’t stand the silence any longer. Dimitri turned to him but said nothing. “I wish I had some tea to offer you. It would do us both good to enjoy a cup and warm up.”

Dimitri snorted, but Ferdinand saw the amusement in his face. “You would waste tea on me?” He asked, his tone nowhere near as harsh as before.

Ferdinand huffed. “It would not be a waste! Do not speak of yourself that way.”

Dimitri let out an airy chuckle. He took Ferdinand’s hand again and leaned against him, gaze on the fire. “I am warm enough like this.”

Ferdinand wanted to say that was hardly possible-- their clothes were still damp and there was little heat to be found there. But Dimitri sagged into Ferdinand as if finally allowing himself to rest. Though he had half a hundred questions to ask, Ferdinand couldn’t bring himself to interupt this bit of peace Dimitri had found.