OPEN POST: Claude von Riegan - Fire Emblem: Three Houses

[leicesters]

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.

Compliant with all Three Houses routes, plus Golden Wildfire from Three Hopes. Let me know if you have a preference!

Comments

[whatafuck]

[Huh. Claude remembers his name. He's actually surprised to hear it, even if he probably shouldn't be. Everyone, including Felix, knows Claude's reputation as a master tactician.

He's still confident enough to believe himself above manipulation. And glancing around the room, it seems impossible to imagine how Claude could possibly pull any tricks. Dimitri is obviously paranoid about his rival, even while he's safely locked up in the capital. Regardless, it's unlikely that he will execute someone so important. Unlike Edelgard, Dimitri doesn't hate Claude with a terrifying passion.

Who knows what he plans to do next? Felix is here to recover from his wound, not to come up with strategies.]

That's tempting.

[There's nothing he loves more than a good challenge. Felix would love to fight the Professor again, though he has no idea if that's a possibility. And since he was injured, he knows he has room to improve when fighting Edelgard's knights. The ultimate challenge would be facing off against someone like Hubert. He... struggles against mages... and Hubert is a master of long range offensive magic. There aren't many like him to practice against in Faerghus.]

But his beastliness wouldn't be too pleased. Guess you're stuck here for now.

[He wouldn't normally insult Dimitri in front of an enemy, but Claude is a former classmate. That, and he doesn't feel like an enemy. The way he smiles and holds himself probably adds to that perception.]

[leicesters]

[Claude actually laughs at that; he's sure it must be the first time in the weeks since his capture that he's done so.]

What a way to speak about your commander! Can't imagine he'd be too happy about that, either.

[So Felix doesn't respect Dimitri as much as he thought. Interesting. He does have a point, though, that Dimitri seems to behave more like a beast than a man, particularly on the battlefield.]

Guess I am stuck. Did you only come here to berate me, or is there another reason for the visit?

[whatafuck]

[Felix is startled by Claude's laughter, and it shows briefly in his expression. He's used to chiding or at least disapproving looks when he insults Dimitri out loud. Amusement is certainly different, even if it makes sense when he actually thinks about it.]

He's used to it.

[The way Dimitri behaves on the battlefield is very much the crux of the problem. One of his problems, anyway. It's certainly the one he doesn't mind speaking about openly.]

I was bored.

[He should have come up with a better reason. Now he feels rather awkward.]

How did you get caught?

[leicesters]

[Claude sighs and shakes his head, expression falling. Even for him, it's hard to stay in a jovial mood when warfare is the topic.]

I miscalculated the Kingdom's aggression, so I surrendered. I'm sure that's disgraceful to you Faerghans and all, but I'm no use to anyone dead. Not a fan of letting my troops die unnecessary deaths, either.

[It's an honest answer, at least. He has no reason to lie about it.]

[whatafuck]

[He hesitates to insult Claude over his choices. Felix has been struggling with a personal sense of shame about having to leave the front lines because he managed to get himself injured badly enough. Since Sylvain and Ingrid aren't currently here, he hasn't gotten any I told you so's, but it's really only a matter of time.

Anyway, Claude is obviously as different from Dimitri as a soldier can be. Too bad a better sense of self-preservation and greater compassion for others doesn't necessarily make for a winning combination on the battlefield.

Unless...]

No one said anything about the Alliance falling yet.

[That's as far as he intends to go with voicing his suspicions that Claude has something up his sleeve with his surrender. If the Professor is still leading the charge for him, there's no reason to think that battlefront is clear yet.]

So, how bored are you? Want something?

[Felix doesn't have anything better to do, and at least Claude is interesting. Might as well give him an excuse to come back here later.]

[leicesters]

No one's said much of anything to me about anything, so thanks for the tip.

[He winks at Felix. That's not to say the Alliance isn't without its infighting, and he assumes that's only moreso in Claude's absence, but the more the Kingdom remains convinced the Alliance and the Church are a unified threat that isn't so easily crushed, the more they'll hesitate to plot their next move, instead of striking while the iron is hot.

Plus it's just funny to mess with Felix and make him think he's let slip useful intelligence.]

Hmm... Is it too much of a stretch to ask for some tea? Maybe we could catch up, chat about old times.

[Even if he doesn't want to chat, tea is still a nice luxury he's been missing.]