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

[This shitshow of a war has already been going on for too long, in Felix's opinion, and it's only been a couple of years. In that time, little changed until recently. The boar went from barely clinging to a semblance of civility to walking around the palace with a dead and hollow look in his eyes, playing at rulership with the Archbishop's hands on his reins and coming alive only on the battlefield, where he earns his title of Tempest King with the brutality Felix knows he harbors within tempered by some echo of the decent man he should have been.

Oh sure, here and there the king grows half a spine and stands up to Rhea, or conveniently fails to mention a plan of his until it's already carried out, but by and large he's effectively a puppet king under the Church's heel, and Felix can't stand it. He's not sure whether this is better or worse than what Dimitri was like at the academy, but they're both infuriating enough that it doesn't really matter.

Lately, though, things have shifted. Felix tries not to pay much attention to the vagaries of politics; his father is welcome to it all. He's a soldier, not a parchment-pusher. But some things are inescapable when you're the heir to the second most powerful noble house in the Kingdom, and one of them is Claude von Riegan.

The Alliance has been the wildcard this whole time, teetering on the knife's edge between sides of the war. No one has had any idea what to expect from Duke Riegan. Hours of pointless arguing in circles at war councils have proved it many times over. And then suddenly, Rhea declared that it was time to take Leicester back before Claude had a chance to sell his people out to the Empire. Or capitulate to the western Alliance lords' wishes, or get assassinated, or whatever.

So they did, catching Leicester's capital in a pincer attack by sending half the army through the mountains into Daphnel and the other half across the sea from Fraldarius straight to Derdriu's port. Felix was part of the latter half, naturally, playing second in command to Rodrigue while Gilbert did the same under Dimitri on the western side. So he was there when the Tempest King defeated the Master Tactician, and he was there when the order was given to capture rather than kill their foe.

Felix is glad for it, because now he has the opportunity to see how Claude operates up close.

Coming into the room, he gives the Alliance's leader an obvious once-over, evaluating him with a sharp eye. The man seems perfectly at ease, but then, he always did. No one is that laid-back, especially not people with the kind of responsibilities and cunning that Claude has, and Felix is no stranger to the sort of people who cover up everything with a facade of disinterest and casual humor - he is, after all, Sylvain Gautier's best friend.

He folds his arms and lifts his chin, scoffing.]

Hardly. I've come to get a closer look at the man people call the 'Master Tactician.' Even back at the academy, you had a knack for winning against long odds with unexpected moves.

[A smirk crosses his face.]

But all your schemes didn't cut it this time. It's almost a shame. You're an intriguing opponent.

Eh, I'm nothing special these days, just a glorified war trophy.

[Or a bargaining chip, or a decidedly uncooperative source of intelligence. He shrugs and gestures to a table by the window; it's about the most interesting spot he has in his long captivity, because he can at least see a little of the world going by without him.]

Feel free to sit and join me for a chat all the same, if you like. [He knows Felix prefers to 'chat' with swords, if what he recalled of their Academy days is still true, but that's the last thing anyone is going to let Claude do, so this is the next best thing.]

Hmph. You say that as though the Empire wouldn't move heaven and earth to get their hands on you if they could.

[Felix glances toward the table, then shrugs and moves across the room to take a seat there. He proceeds to unknowingly prove Claude right.]

If I'd had my way, they would have brought you outside for a duel instead. I have a feeling that a spar with you would be the most interesting fight I've had all month.

In a one on one duel, you'd thrash me for sure. Then you could get your hands on me as much as you like.

[He laughs, joining him at the table with a wink. Felix is straightforward and easy to predict, not at all like Rhea's increasingly erratic behaviour or its influence on Dimitri. He may not have anticipated they'd strike the Alliance, but at least some things don't seem to have changed.]

So, how have you been? You've been serving under your father, right?

[Felix's brow furrows slightly. Was that some kind of joke, or is Claude just trying to confuse him? Whatever. He remembers this from the academy, too - talking to this man was like trying to take a test and juggle knives at the same time. It's better to just ignore anything he says that makes little sense.]

I would. But you're clever enough to come up with tactics I would never consider, and that alone would make it worth my time.

[He arches an unimpressed brow.]

Really? If all you want is to make small talk about the war, forget it. I don't feel like talking about my father and I'm not here to let you pump me for information.

Would you prefer it if I pumped you for another reason? [He says with an impish smile, though expecting it to fly right over Felix's head once again.

That he doesn't want to talk about his father is interesting, though, and information he'll file away for later.]

But fine, I get it. It's just that the war's all we have in common these days... Except maybe our old pal Dimitri. I suppose he must like me even a little bit to treat me decently as a, ah, guest.

[Perhaps Rhea is of the same mind, if only because Claude helped defend Garreg Mach all those years ago. He was right not to make an enemy of her too hastily.]

What? Ugh, I'm already sick of trying to decipher your riddles and I've only been here two minutes.

[So much for just ignoring his nonsense. It's hard to ignore Claude, though hell if Felix knows why. He's heard other people call the man 'charming,' but it certainly isn't the word he'd use. 'Smug' and 'obnoxious,' maybe. And yet, he's still sitting here.]

Did we ever have anything in common other than battle?

[Felix scowls. Talking about Dimitri is only marginally better than talking about Rodrigue.]

Who knows why the boar does anything these days? If he has any opinion of you personally at all, I haven't heard it. But don't mistake us for the Church. We have no reason to treat you poorly unless you give us one.

We were classmates in peacetime, you know. There was more to our time at the Academy than just fighting.

[Claude's facade drops a fraction to something more serious. The feast after the Battle of the Eagle and Lion, the ball, just ordinary, every day memories... There was plenty Claude remembered fondly, even if Felix was one of those who preferred to spend his time exclusively at the training grounds.]

That's good to hear. Why'd you call him a boar, anyway? Shouldn't he be a majestic lion? A fierce gryffin?

Hmph. Perhaps, but I don't recall having much in common with you regardless. Other than archery practice, I suppose. And a few mutual friends.

[Disgust settles onto Felix's face at Claude's question. He sneers.]

You've seen him in battle. The way he tears through his enemies with that perverse, brutal joy. He's been that way since we were fifteen. Something wild disguised in a human skin. They don't call him the Tempest King for nothing.

[He's heard stories... but admittedly, Dimitri seemed a little more restrained in Derdriu. Rhea's influence, or his lack of real ill will towards Claude, perhaps. If he were battling the Empire, on the other hand, Claude knows it would be another matter entirely. He saw it five years ago.]

Since you were fifteen... [He does the math in his head.] Ah, so... since the Tragedy of Duscur.

[It's all a bit abstract to Claude, given those events happened before he came to Fodlan. But seeing the effects it's had on people does help drive home the reality of it.]

Hm. Close. Although I'm sure that's what caused it. The first time I ever truly saw the boar was during our maiden battle together, two years after the Tragedy. But I'm tired of talking about this, too.

[Felix shifts in his seat to face Claude a bit more fully, although he still doesn't make direct eye contact while they talk.]

I want to know about that fascinating fighting style you used in Derdriu. I've never seen anything like it before. I've never seen a wyvern that color before, either, or armor like what you were wearing.

[And not that Felix ever intends to say so, but Claude looked damn good in that armor. He looks good just sitting here, too, his jawline more defined than it was when they were younger and why the fuck is Felix thinking about this? Ugh.]

How did you learn to fire a bow from wyvernback without falling off? All your ridiculous grandstanding aside, it was impressive.

[Claude laughs.] Oh, so you noticed, did you?

[He was hard to miss with that battle regalia and a wyvern that flashy, really, with or without being an enemy commander. He was finally showing his true colours, and it took fighting alongside Nader to do so.

Felix's lack of eye contact is noted, too, and he leans forward over the table, propping his chin on his hands as he observes Felix.]

You had to have noticed the reinforcements I called in for that battle, too. Think a little harder about it, and you'll have your answer. Archery's not just a speciality of the Leicester Alliance.

[Felix scoffs.]

Of course I noticed. You went out of your way to make yourself the most glaringly obvious thing on the battlefield. You were practically asking to get shot down.

[His brows furrow for a moment, then lift in surprise.]

You learned to fight like that in Almyra? I thought there were no peaceful relations between them and the Alliance. And that you must have forged some recent treaty with them for their aid.

There's no official treaty... Yet. But I have been making sure things are quieter at the border in recent years. Nader and I go way back, and I have a tiny bit of influence in higher circles over on the other side.

[He shrugs. It's... half an explanation, really, but he's also reluctant to elaborate if Felix doesn't figure it out by himself.]

You should cross Fodlan's Throat sometime, yourself. I bet there's plenty you could learn about swordsmanship techniques that you'd never discover here.

[Felix's eyes narrow slightly.]

Nader, as in the leader of the Almyran forces? ...so that's why you just appeared out of nowhere right before House Riegan went under. I suppose the previous Duke Riegan really must have been desperate to go looking for Crested relatives over the border.

[Felix doesn't much care - the Alliance isn't likely to be a political entity for much longer anyway - but he reluctantly files the information away for bringing up to Dimitri and his father later. No doubt Rodrigue's spy network will want to do something with it.]

Oh? I'll admit, watching the Almyran navymen fight in close quarters was a sight to behold, even if most of them did wield axes. Studying their techniques up close would be enlightening.

[It's information easy to figure out just from putting two and two together, really, so he doesn't mind handing him it. Especially if it means Felix might be more amenable to him later. Still, it surprises him that Felix is actually open to the idea of learning from them, instead of just rattling off some nonsense about the superiority of Fodlan warriors or some such.]

Maybe we could go together, and I'd secure you safe passage across the border. You, me... Could be fun, don't you think?

[Then he shoots him a wink.] Think about it.

[Okay, Felix has reached the end of his patience with ignoring Claude's nonsense. Now he's just confused, and maybe a little flustered because he has no idea why Claude is winking at him. The only other person he knows that winks like this is Sylvain, and when Sylvain does it it's either because he's joking about something he knows Felix will bludgeon him for, or he's...flirting with someone.

Which is obviously not the case here, because that...makes no sense. Right?

So whatever's happening here, it's Claude making fun of him somehow. He scoffs.]

What is there to think about? I don't see what would be 'fun' about being forced to listen to you blather on for hours and hours on the road. It hasn't been so long since the academy that I've forgotten how much you love to talk, Riegan.

[He laughs, unsurprised by that response.] Then I'd promise to be as quiet as possible.

[Which could mean anything, by his standards, but still. It isn't actually all that fun to hold a one-sided conversation, as much as he likes to chatter, anyway.]

I know they say it's about the journey, not the destination, but in this case, just think about the destination. Little old me will be your travel guide, nothing more.

I always think about the destination. A journey should be over as quickly as possible.

[Felix frowns, skeptical.]

If you're mocking me, I'll take my leave. If you're serious, I don't understand. Why would you bother to offer something like that? What do you get out of it? Besides, I don't know when you intend for this little jaunt of yours to happen, but in case you haven't noticed, we're at war and you're a prisoner.

What if we snuck away? It's not desertion if you're honing your skills for the war effort, is it?

[He shrugs nonchalant as ever. It's still not really clear how serious he's being, though he does have to wonder how much Felix's heart is really in waging war for this so-called "boar", charging headlong into battle on a crazed Archbishop's command.]

Personally, what I get out of it is people from Fodlan and Almyra cooperating. Whoever wins and whatever happens to me, any disputes at the border won't magically disappear after the war. But if people learned to work with each other... Well, that'd make things a little easier. That's what I think, anyway.

Hmph. Now I know you're mocking me. Just as I thought.

[Felix pushes his chair back and stands. His heart isn't particularly in following the boar or his paranoid puppeteer, but he isn't fighting for their sake. He's fighting for the sake of his people.]

Those are pretty words. I might even believe them. But they're irrelevant for the time being. I have to get back to my training.

[He turns to go, though whether it's because of Claude specifically or just the learned instincts of a warrior, he never fully lets the other man out of his peripheral vision.]

Aww, so soon? [Claude's smiling, though, and not rising from his seat. He doesn't seem to mind; he figured Felix would be a tough nut to crack.]

Make sure to bring me something nice the next time you visit, okay?

[Actually having someone to talk to was nice for a change, so he wouldn't mind at all if Felix decided to come back.]

[Felix doesn't bother to respond to that, just rolling his eyes and leaving Claude to his boredom. He doesn't even really intend for there to be a next time, necessarily, but...

A few days later, a package arrives for him from Derdriu containing the spices and tea he'd written some merchants there to buy, because the spiciest thing in Faerghus is black pepper and the teas are mostly bland. And he seems to remember seeing Claude there in the dining hall whenever the specials were something with actual flavor, and if he is really from Almyra then maybe he'd like the tea, too.

So when he comes back to see Claude again later that week around lunchtime, he's accompanied by one of the palace staff, who brings in the food he'd asked the kitchens to make and the tea set. Once they've locked the door behind them, Felix sits down at the table without an invitation.]

Eat lunch with me.

[Claude expected Felix to take weeks, months, if he ever bothered to get back to him at all. Maybe he'd gotten the information he needed out of him, what little he offered, and that was that. Maybe he'd even pushed him a little too far with the teasing, easily provoked as the swordsman is.

So for Felix to show up a few days later both surprises him and catches him off guard.]

Oh -- okay? [Despite how startled he is, the smell of the flavorful food is far too enticing to resist compared to what meagre offerings he's been offered so far. He moves to join him at the table.] What's the special occasion?

There is no occasion. The spices I ordered from Derdriu's port market arrived, that's all. I recall that you enjoyed the spicier dishes at the monastery and I'm the only one here who will eat anything with a kick to it, so there's plenty. And the tea is Almyran pine.

[Felix picks up his--spoon, no forks or knives here, no one wanted to give Claude anything sharp even if Felix is pretty damn sure he could handle one archer with a piece of silverware--and starts eating without waiting.

Felix has to admit that seeing someone as smooth and smug as Claude so surprised is pretty satisfying.]

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

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(I assumed he was in barbarossa at the derdriu battle but lmk if not and I'll change it!)

that's fine, dw!

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