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

[ Dorothea knows what people think about her. She's heard the whispering of soldiers and students alike, each epithet and rumor less kind than the last. It shouldn't bother her; it bothers her immensely. Not only does a low public opinion hurt her chances at finding a suitable spouse, but every overheard 'gold digger' or 'harlot' is like a little knife trying to sink into her ribs.

She has to prove herself. Not just to prove them wrong, but for her own peace of mind as well. If she can make it look effortless when she summons lightning or swings a sword, then she'll have earned her place here, and their whispered insults won't find their mark so easily. For this reason, she follows a strict training regimen outside of her class' scheduled times. Her routine is strenuous--not unlike Lysithea's, in a way, but including swordplay and exercise in addition to increasingly complex spellwork practice, regular dates with eligible suitors, and a beauty regimen of balms and serums to keep her skin and hair looking their best.

That's why she's at the training ground at this ungodly hour, very technically breaking curfew. It’s exhausting, but she likes to avoid sharing the space when she can avoid it if she’s going to be looking anything less than perfectly put-together, and only the goddess knows how difficult that can be when the people like Felix seem almost to live here.

She tenses up in the middle of a form when she hears the door creaking open, sprinting without thinking to the shadowy corners behind the columns that line the grounds. If it’s a guard, she’s certainly going to be hearing about it from one of the higher-ups—probably Seteth, if she had to guess. He always seems to enjoy harping on people when he thinks they’re misbehaving.

Carefully, she peeks out from behind the column, hoping to get a bead on whoever it is she’s going to have to sneak past if she wants to get out unnoticed. ]

[Claude's prone to frequently breaking curfew to snoop around. And why shouldn't he? The other house leaders do it all the time, and while he doesn't have the slightest inkling of what they're doing, their business is their own, as far as he's concerned. He may be sneaky, but he's not paranoid, and he definitely isn't about to spy without a good reason.

What interests him more is exploring the monastery. Without knights, professors, Seteth-- or hell, even Lorenz-- breathing down his neck, Claude has almost entirely free rein of the monastery, so long as he's careful.

Tonight he's brought his bow and arrows to the training ground, ostensibly to train in private. He's not even bothering to hide his presence, whistling cheerfully as he enters. Soon, he sets up a number of targets and is practising firing on enemy vital points. He doesn't miss a shot, though he thinks that's hardly impressive when they're stationary. Still, it's fun to get in some uninterrupted quality training time... at least for now.]

[She’s gotten used to Lunatian’s and how frequently they have big celebrations. They don’t need much of an excuse to organize a big event to encourage the moonblessed to mingle and generate chroma. She supposes she can’t blame them. Though back home Valentine’s Day is more one-sided than this. And she did take the time to make giri-choco for the boys it just needs to be delivered. But that could wait for the day of, there was no rush it wasn’t like it wouldn’t keep in the fridge.

A break would be nice. Strolling among the vendors that have set up booths to see chocolate making supplies, chocolates, fancy gifts, and other novelties for the holiday. Some things are universal. She’s just glad that the Anaconda 5000 isn’t making a reappearance as some sort of terrifying party game after the mess when she first arrived. There are areas spaced out that form dance floors ringed by tables and chairs, decorated trellis’ and candlelight. Small quartets or bands play music to encourage others to dance. While still, other spaces seem to have brought back Lunatia’s version of mistletoe.

It’s enough to make Ann smile and occasionally laugh at the lengths the natives will go to encourage positive physical contact among the moonblessed. But she hangs back not quite sure what she wants to do or try. There are some aspects that she’s still not entirely sure of outside of her friend group. Though she’s leaning heavily toward dancing. At least it’s easy enough to leave once she’s gotten tired or had enough. And she wanders a little closer to one of the nearest dance floors trying to hear the music to see if it would even be music she’d like.]

[ The fact that it's Claude here training instead of someone with more apparent drive... should that be surprising? He is her new house leader, after all--a nobleman, but a much more laid back one than the insufferable Ferdinand or pretentious Lorenz. He probably wouldn't even think to lecture her about breaking curfew like some of their more self-important classmates, especially since he's guilty of the same crime.

As she watches from her vantage point, it's clear that he's a talented marksman at the very least. Dorothea knows that Edelgard doesn't seem to think much of Claude's lackadaisical attitudes, but the boy has skill in spite of the deficiencies other house leaders might ascribe to him. Dorothea hasn't really gotten to observe him in action much to this point, as their their skill sets are different enough to keep her otherwise occupied, but this feels enlightening for a whole host of reasons. Is he like her, then? Does he come out at this hour to practice without scrutiny to make it seem like he's more naturally gifted than he really is when other people were watching? She could respect that, honestly; he's an actor like her--a fact she'd recognized before she'd ever transferred over.

After a few minutes, she decides it's probably better to attempt a stealthy retreat than to stay hidden in the shadows spying on him like a creep. The sandals she's wearing won't click against the stone floor like their boots would, but the sound of the door opening would draw his attention well before she could slip out unnoticed. Lysithea is the only one in their class who knows how to use warp, and even if Dorothea could manage it, the accompanying flash of light would be conspicuous.

Casting about for a second, she stoops to pick up a few pebbles from the ground, taking one and throwing it across the hall. It clatters as it hits the stone floor, hopefully providing a second or two of distraction so she can get bolt behind the column closest to the door. ]

Edited 2021-02-13 16:19 (UTC)

[The pebble certainly draws Claude's attention, and his eyes follow the direction it came from. It couldn't be one of the stray animals that roam the monastery when he was sure the door had been closed the whole time, not to mention it looked like it had been tossed rather than dropped, which tells him that perhaps he wasn't as alone on the training grounds as he thought.

He lowers his bow and the arrow he'd notched, staring into the shadows.]

Word of advice, it's not wise to go skulking around like that. Lots of jumpy students around here might just put an arrow through you first and ask questions later.

[Everyone's been on edge since Flayn's kidnapping and all the strange incidents since. And while his tone is lighthearted, he still isn't relaxing just yet.]

[Claude's curious about the festival himself, and he finds that the parties here are much more his speed than the stuffy balls and functions held by the nobility or the church. Although he's new in Lunatia, he's dressed down into something a little more fitting the place, as ever keen to blend in and learn what he can about his new surroundings. He's good at adapting, after all.

Still, he's leaning more towards just observing the dancing and festivities himself, weaving his way through the crowds for anything that might catch his eye. Which is round about the time he notices a striking blonde girl, someone who looks around the same age as him.

Finding someone his age is as close to familiarity as he's going to get when everyone's from different worlds, so he sidles over with an easy grin.]

May I have this dance, milady? [He offers his hand and a formal bow, before his grin widens and he continues,] ...Is what I would say, but somehow I don't think that's how things are done around here.

[ Ah, shit. Of course it hadn't worked. Clever bastard--she should have known he'd see through her attempt at distracting him. She could make any number of convincing animal sounds, but at this point her pride won't let her try and weasel out of the encounter (not that he'd buy it, anyway).

Before poking her head out from behind the column and getting stuck by one of those arrows Claude just mentioned, Dorothea sighs and calls out to him first. ]

There's no need for that, now. I'm sure neither of us wants to end up in the infirmary at this hour of the night.

[ That being said, she finally takes a peek, her eyes shining bright in the waning moonlight. Seeing that his bow is lowered, she relaxes and rounds the column, fully stepping out into his line of sight. Her training sword is still in hand, but it's obviously made of wood, not a threat. ]

You're up late, Claudie-dear. Or, up early, perhaps?

[Any tension in his body seems to leave him when he spots that it's just Dorothea, and he returns his arrow to its quiver, smiling. There are a lot of suspicious characters around the monastery these days, but he doesn't for a second think she could be one of them.

Unlike him, she wears her heart on her sleeve.]

I could say the same for you, Dorothea. What's a diva doing backstage when the show's long since finished?

[He may not know a thing about opera, but he's observed her and Manuela long enough by now to have picked up a little of the vocabulary.]

[ She blinks at him, a little surprised, but smiles at the way he references the opera. ]

Rehearsing, of course. Just like you, it seems. [ She hesitates for a moment before adding: ] No performance can be perfected, otherwise.

[ She gives a demonstrative swing of her training sword, her movement a practiced combination of elegant and economical. There's no use in pretending that isn't her purpose here, as much as she hates to show her hand. ]

I won't tell if you don't, but I'm curious now. Do you come here often at this hour? I'm surprised our paths haven't crossed before.

Edited 2021-02-13 23:06 (UTC)

[Ann's almost gotten the courage up to dance by herself when he approaches her and while she might have been okay dancing solo there's something to be said about dancing with a partner. If you're going to look like an idiot may as well do it with someone else. Unless they're a good dancer in which case please don't laugh at her.

The smile he gets at the formal request followed by her laughing may seem a little rude at first, but she found it funny. Maybe a little charming in throwing formalities to the wind sort of way.] Not usually no.

[She places her hand in his and leads them a little further onto the dancefloor. Not at the center but they're not on the edge anymore either. It's a nice middle ground. Though the other dancers aren't exactly dancing in a way that speaks a great deal to propriety, pressed close together as they are while music from the quartet fills the air on chroma powered speakers. It doesn't look like any kind of dance she knows and coming from modern-day Japan that isn't saying much.

She's grown more comfortable with the whole chroma generation thing the longer she's been here, but she still gets a little nervous with complete strangers. This is exactly why she loops her other arm around his neck so they're touching but there's still some small amount of space between them while remaining face to face as she sways to the music.]

I'm Ann by the way.

Claude. [He answers with an easy smile. This dancing isn't like what Claude is used to either, but it still beats stuffy Fodlan noble dancing any day, so he'll take it. He settles a hand on the small of her back, enjoying the warm feeling of chroma as they move to the music.]

Now, I have to ask. What was a pretty face like yours doing without a dance partner?

[At least it isn't club dancing. Nothing weirder than just bumping and grinding on a stranger. Not the ideal way to meet someone new.]

Just taking in what they've done with the festival. My friends are around here somewhere doing things with their significant others.

Uh oh. Your significant other's not gonna come and clobber me for hogging you all to myself, are they?

[He already suspects what the answer will be, but he can't help but tease nonetheless.]

[He's smiling, but he can't quite hide the way his eyes are studying her sword movements. Sounds like she's underselling herself, from what he can see.]

Who, me? Nah. Soon as it's past my bedtime, I'm out like a light. Gotta keep up with the beauty sleep, you know.

[And given how easygoing he is about his studies, it's not all that unbelievable.]

[ Now, see, if he'd said you just didn't come here after curfew she'd have accepted it, but Dorothea doesn't believe for a moment that he's a good boy that goes to bed exactly on time every night. ]

Of course. You have great skin, I'm not surprised. What kept you up tonight, then?

I don't have one. Only person you have to worry about clobbering you is me.

[Which she can if push came to shove but she's hoping it won't. So far he seems nice enough at any rate. But the fact that she says that with a completely straight face may be a little concerning, though it's definitely lacking the terrifying cheerfulness of one of her friends if she were making the same statement.]

[The seriousness of that statement is duly noted. Though she's still dancing with him, which he supposes must be a point in his favour.]

Scary! [He gives an exaggerated look of alarm.] I'll try not to get on your bad side.

[That's Claude's jokey way of insisting he's harmless. Maybe. Mostly.]

[It is. So far he's been the perfect gentleman. If he weren't she would have given him a hard shove in the direction of pretty much anyone else at this point.]

I appreciate it. [Despite her warning she doesn't take offense to his reaction. And she isn't about to give him a taste of what she means. Let him think what he wants about her.]

And you why were you hanging on the fringes instead of dancing?

Figured it'd help to watch out the dancing works around these parts before I bust a move. I'm a great dancer, but every dance in every land is different.

[He grins at her.] Plus, it gave me time to scope out a dance partner. I'm a newbie, so I'm afraid I don't know anyone here.

This is fairly tame. No more inappropriate than what you'd see at a school dance.

[That brings a smile to her face.] Well now you know me, so you can't say that anymore. How're you settling in? You've been managing with the moonlacing?

[He mulls over the question as the music shifts to a slower song.]

Can't say I have any moonlacing "partners" others seem to pick up here, but in theory, it's a nice idea. Getting money and energy just from getting close to people, that is.

[And it feels nice being close to Ann like this, even if she's a stranger.]

It makes me think that if my world were this way, there would be a lot less problems.

It's more of a necessity than a happy accident. Most of us don't enjoy the process of turning into crystal.

[She shifts a little as the music changes. Honestly, this place has a way of breaking down concerns about strangers. Everyone needs the same thing to survive here. So hugging and dancing with strangers and friends alike will have to do considering she still isn't entirely comfortable with the ways of earning chroma in greater amounts.]

Just crystalization from not moonlacing for a long time. But how about you show me what you can do with a partner on the dance floor?

A terrible, terrible stomachache. Did you know it was Flayn's turn for cooking duty today? I didn't, until it was too late.

[That story is equally likely to be true as it's likely to be nonsense, from the way he makes it sound. It's a Claude special talent.]

Thought I'd do something productive instead. But why were you trying to sneak off? Thought I was someone else?

[Getting caught by the professor or Seteth would be pretty scary in the middle of the night, all things considered.]

All right, just tell me if you can't keep up. There's no shame in it.

[He winks, and opts for a dance like his homeland's. One hand staying at the small of her back, the other opting to rest intimately against her neck, he leads her through a simple but energetic set of steps to start with, interspersed with a few twirls. At one point he surprises her by dipping her, his face barely inches from hers.]

Whoops, better not drop you. [He's not even hiding that he's trying to get a reaction out of her, but he's enjoying himself all the same.]

Was it, now? I'll admit I didn't notice. I can stomach just about anything that doesn't have fish in it. At least it's fresh, you know?

[ That being said, she wouldn't have pegged Claude as having a weak constitution, and besides, wouldn't it make more sense to lie down or go get some medicine if his stomach had been hurting that badly? Archery practice doesn't exactly seem like the logical conclusion there, to her.

As for her failed escape attempt... ]

I hid at first because I didn't relish the idea of a lecture, though I'm sure someone like the Professor would have noticed me right away even in the dark. Her abilities seem almost preternatural at times, it's a little eerie.

[ Her free hand absently brushes through her hair as she watches Claude's face in the dim light. She admits:]

I saw it was you, but... [ She pauses here, choosing her words carefully. ]I think you wouldn't want to be caught with me after hours.

[ As much as Claude has a reputation for being something of a shifty layabout, Dorothea also knows what kind of reputation she has managed to earn around Garreg Mach, however unkind and unearned it may be. She knows her social climbing is unwelcome in some circles--circles that Claude will need to move through as the Archduke Riegan. Maybe he wouldn't care now, but she knows how quickly that can change. ]

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

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