OPEN POST: Hilda Valentine Goneril - Fire Emblem: Three Houses

[axelazy]

OPEN POST blah blah you know the drill! Leave me a starter, toss in a meme or picture prompt, or ask for a starter and I'll write you one.

Currently Verdant Wind and Cindered Shadows compliant. Haven't completed the other routes yet, so I'd prefer to avoid spoilers for them. ty!

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[backstreetbard]

[ Five long years of war and neglect have turned the once-pristine grounds of Garreg Mach into a ghost of its former self. Or, perhaps, it’s more apt to compare it to a skeleton, it’s gardens overgrown, walls and towers crumbling away to reveal the supporting structures beneath.

Even so, life is returning to it day by day as workers dutifully clear away the debris of battles fought, making way for new things to be built in their wake.

It does Dorothea’s heart a great deal of good to see the rebuilding effort, to watch the townsfolk and merchants return. It signals a turn in the tide. The Professor is back, and... perhaps not all of her friends, but certainly her classmates from the Golden Deer house are here too. Her time at the academy was some of the happiest in her life, in spite of the dark turn things had taken, and she was eager to reconnect with the people who had embraced her back in those days.

That’s why she’s standing in front of Hilda’s door with a woven basket slung over her arm, rapping on the wood with her knuckles. ]

Hilda, darling, are you awake? Come down to the market with me, won’t you? Some new merchants arrived last night and I’m dying to see what wares they’ve brought.

[axelazy]

[Hilda isn't exactly an early bird, but she does at least realise she has a role to play in directing others in rebuilding, so she tries to be awake and presentable at a decent hour. She's finishing brushing her hair and putting in her earrings when there's a knock at the door.]

Oh! Dorothea! [She sounds startled, and doesn't immediately go to open the door. In her head she does a quick cost-benefit analysis: heading all the way over to the market involves effort, when she could stay in her room a little longer. On the other hand... Well, it's Dorothea, which gives her an inkling of how to work this to her advantage.

She opens the door, all smiles.]

Great idea! You know, when they see two charming, beautiful ladies like us, the merchants just might give some generous donations to the war effort.

[backstreetbard]

[ Dorothea can only imagine the mental gymnastics at play here, but Hilda is an entertaining companion, and one who is smart and capable in spite of the persona she projects. When she finally does appear in the doorway, rosy and radiant, it comes as no surprise that she's come up with some kind of plan to wring a little extra value out of their time together.

Chuckling, she extends her elbow in a 'shall we'? gesture, transferring her basket to the opposite hand. ]

Of course. Surely they'll understand how important it is for them to contribute. Even if they won't donate outright, maybe we could persuade them to offer some kind of discount. Then, maybe we'll be lucky enough to find a strapping young man who'll be kind enough to voluntarily carry our things for us, yes? It's a perfectly lovely way to spend a morning, don't you think?

[axelazy]

Perfect! I like the way you think.

[Hell, even if the guy does carry their stuff and gets all clingy, Hilda can foist him off on Dorothea, too, who is more than happy to jump on a guy when she has the chance. It saves her the hassle of finding an excuse to get rid of him! There's really no downside.

So Hilda steps out and links her arm in Dorothea's, as they begin to head out toward the market. She cants her head and peers up at the bright morning sky.]

And the weather today is gorgeous too...! I have a good feeling about our chances.

[backstreetbard]

[ Not that Dorothea is keen to entertain just any man they run into. She has standards, you know. There are very specific factors of attractiveness, influence, and wealth that she considers before she invests her precious time in a potential future spouse. Not that her objectives haven't shifted in the five years since the war started, but war has a way of changing your perspective on life, she's found.

Arm-in-arm, the two ladies strike out across the green and down the steps that lead toward the greenhouse and the pond. ]

It feels a little surreal being back here, don't you think? It's like our academy days all over again.

[ With much higher stakes, though. ]

What have you been up to these years? Do you still make jewelry and accessories like you did before?

[axelazy]

Definitely surreal. [Nice, but a little chilling, to be living in a war-torn ruin, at the same time.] Well, my big brother is doing his duty as always and guarding Fodlan's Throat. It'd be a disaster if we were invaded from the east while we were distracted by the Empire.

[Hilda helped too, of course, but as always she downplays her involvement. If she acts like it's all Holst, none of that responsibility will get lumped on her unless it absolutely has to be.

As for jewellery...]

Absolutely! Since Alliance merchants are struggling to move around and trade, making your own accessories is an invaluable skill these days. Take a look at this. [She shows Dorothea her necklace, made from a pressed flower.]