we are the cursed we came from fire and ice

[advancements]

(catchall for camilla's and xander's adventures through fódlan!)

Comments

[nobiliteased]

[Lorenz Hellman Gloucester has always been destined for greatness. Not that he expects to sit around and wait for greatness to come to him, of course, as that would be unbecoming of a noble. No, Lorenz is a man of action, and that is what has led him to the Officers Academy at Garreg Mach.

...Well, that and his father suggested it, and given how highly he still speaks of the academy, it sounds like it's a good idea. Lorenz had jumped at the chance to attend, and every day since he arrived he's reminded of why it was such a good idea.

He isn't the only influential member of the Golden Deer class, after all. While there are some commoners, there are some powerful potential allies (and enemies) here as well. The future king of Faerghus and the future empress of the Adrestian Empire are both here as well, and this looks to be one of the most influential classes Garreg Mach has seen in years, perhaps even in its whole history.

That isn't to say that Lorenz believes he ranks among the prince and princess, but he certainly does hold some sway in Alliance politics.

Anyway, Lorenz didn't come to the monastery alone. While the prince and princess (and Claude) brought their retainers, Lorenz brought his along with him as well. Things are a bit... awkward with Camilla, though.

To start with, she's related to him. Anyone can tell just from looking at them - purple hair stands out, after all. They don't look very much alike outside of their hair color, which is perhaps a blessing. Most people don't know that they are related. It's a closely-guarded secret of House Gloucester. As far as everyone else is concerned, Camilla is his servant.

Still... it feels strange to treat her that way. She isn't his sister despite their shared blood (his father has made that clear on numerous occasions), but Lorenz doesn't like the idea of treating her so lowly when she clearly holds the same bloodline. She even has the same minor Crest of Gloucester! It would be terribly rude to treat her as common-born.

So in the end he tends to treat her a bit differently when they're alone; it's awkward and certainly not the easiest relationship, but he doesn't mind her company any. Even if she isn't family, Camilla is at least an excellent retainer.

Classes haven't officially started yet, so as usual, they're free to roam the monastery grounds and get used to the place that will be their home for quite some time. Lorenz has (of course) commandeered Camilla's time for tea this morning, and he watches several students come and go as they sit at one of the nice little tables left in the garden.]

I had hoped they would provide us with a schedule for the start of classes by now. It seems as though we may have a few more days to ourselves before that happens.

[He takes a dainty sip of tea, nodding his approval.]

Excellent as always, Camilla.

[Hopefully he has enough of House Gloucester's tea to last him for awhile until he can get more shipped in...]

I trust you aren't too bored just yet?

[There's the barest hint of a smile tugging on the corners of his mouth; to anyone else it would look as simple conversation, but he's sure by now Camilla knows that it's his own (rather stunted) way of checking up on her.

Family or not, she is someone he considers important and it would be rude to treat her otherwise, regardless of company.]

[anythingforyou]

[To be within the walls of Garreg Mach is honestly still an unusual experience for Camilla von Krakenburg; a woman who has been all too used to the scorn that her family name, within the Officer's Academy? It was unthinkable, really. A fact that she's been made aware of by keeping her ear low to the ground, listening to the chattering and sneers of the other nobility, and the vague fear and distrust of the commoners. It was a simple fact, really, that someone like her doesn't exactly have a place here in these esteemed halls.

Camilla's family has always been despised, after all. Her father was an all too notorious womanizer, who bore children left and right with the noblewomen who fell for him and lived in that castle that Camilla remembers all too well. It was a hideous place, really, and even more hideous were the so-called rumors that her father had orchestrated the deaths of his wives, and the deaths of several children in the process...

The rumors were true, of course. Camilla knew that all too well. It wasn't something she could easily discard, even now that she lives in House Gloucester's territory as a servant. A servant most don't know bears the minor crest of the house, tying her to the family's line; it had hurt the young Camilla at the time to not be accepted, hoping that her mother's words would have been true that they would have a much better life in the territory, but...

Well, her mother certainly didn't make it. She died before they could leave House Krakenburg's territory, and it was an all too permanent lesson that Camilla was alone in this world. Camilla wasn't family to House Gloucester, after all; it was a fact made apparent to her from the day she arrived. One Camilla took to heart, losing that warmth she once held for the many younger siblings of her former home, and becoming a servant of the house, and retainer to the young Lorenz.

...Well, not much younger; he was barely six months younger than her, after all. It was hard not to see him as younger, though, always used to playing the role of a big sister for most of her siblings. She never did treat Lorenz like that, though, as it would be unbecoming. She was simply his retainer, and that was that.

And yet...Lorenz has treated her differently, in comparison to most. Certainly, they both have appearances to keep up; Lorenz, the esteemed heir to one of the Alliance's more powerful houses, and Camilla, the distant, elegant retainer to her liege. But he treats her...well, awkwardly, but not unkindly. He's one of the few who can actually get her to let her walls down and even smile, sometimes. It's strange, but not unwelcome, really; it reminds her of times long taken from her in a way.

Case and point; Lorenz has pulled her aside for tea today, and even if the monastery has been an experience to adjust to, he knows just the ways to get her to relax. Tea making is something that Camilla has more than mastered the art of, after all; she takes great pride in being able to make it perfectly, even in unfamiliar territory.]

I'm quite surprised that they have not...one has to wonder if they're simply overwhelmed. But I suppose that can only prove beneficial, for those still getting their bearings...

[Camilla waits until Lorenz has taken his first sip of the tea before taking her own, lightly bowing in the chair and smiling the slightest bit.]

Of course. Nothing less than the best for my lord, after all.

[Camilla takes a sip, already more at ease than she's ever really been in...well, her life, really. But she straightens up a bit when addressed. It's a force of habit, even when he is simply checking on her.]

Oh, not in the slightest. This place is truly proving to be an interesting venture; there is still much to see, partake in, listen to...truly, it's almost overwhelming. [And it is, but Camilla doesn't let that become obvious on her face. Lorenz likely knows better than anyone that she wouldn't have said it if she didn't mean it, though.] But I can certainly see why His Grace sent you to learn here. This monastery truly is as prestigious as they say.

[And that honestly is true. There's many benefits of being in the academy that are becoming very obvious to Camilla; there's many of the alliance's nobility to keep tabs on, to say nothing of the nobility of other territories...and not to mention the rather lovely noblewomen themselves, really. He should be able to find a suitable wife among all of these people, shouldn't he?

Camilla rests her head on her unoccupied hand while she looks to him, tilting her head slightly in inquiry.]

What of yourself, Lord Lorenz? Are you finding everything to your liking?

[If there's anything she can do to help him, surely Lorenz knows he can rely on Camilla. But it is nice to simply chat like this, really.]

[anythingforyou]

[Morning tea with Lorenz is always nice, but they do have to part eventually; Camilla does have some snooping to do, after all, and Lorenz has his own business to take care of. They'll report back to each other later, as they always do, but for now...Camilla is free to roam the monastery, and she intends to roam with purpose.

There is much to do and see around the monastery, after all! Camilla can barely contain some form of glee at being able to see all of these things, many of which are very delightful despite their mundane functions. The garden where they grow just about everything is so lovely and delightful, the fishing hole is quaint and delightful...the marketplace is very lovely, and really, Camilla could get lost within the monastery easily.

What gets her interest the most, however, is the stables; Camilla can barely contain her excitement at the idea of being able to see the wonderful creatures of the monastery in their natural habitat. It's not like no one is barred from coming in, after all; Camilla is more than content to wander inside and take a look around, taking everything in with wonder.]

Oh, my...I can hardly believe my eyes, it's so lovely in here...

[Camilla is certain she isn't alone, but due to the way her hair is...styled...she doesn't see them. And quite frankly, she doesn't care; she fully intends to give a look to all of the creatures inside, and see their habitats. Perhaps maybe ask if she can assist in their care, but...

Patience, Camilla. She must have patience. Anything she does will reflect poorly on Lord Lorenz, after all.]

[advancements]

[Attending the Officers Academy is almost as much a mark of nobility as a crest is. Yes, there are commoners who attend as well, but every important noble family endeavors to send their heir to the Officers Academy, and Xander von Krakenburg is no exception.

Xander has always known he would attend, of course. As the heir to House Krakenburg, he's expected to not only attend, but to excel. Not that his fellow students are going to make it easy; it will be difficult to make a name for himself with the Imperial princess, the heir of House Aegir, and numerous other influential nobles here. Even within his own house almost everyone is a noble of some repute. In some ways it's nerve-wracking to be here, but there isn't anywhere else Xander would rather be.

He has to live up to his family name and title, after all. If he is to take his father's position someday, he must ensure that he's worthy of it.

Of course, such a position will not come easily. Xander has heard plenty of rumors about House Krakenburg - Duke Garon has a reputation that is... rather unseemly, in all honesty. Xander will always deny any of the baseless rumors, but in truth, they aren't all completely made up. His father certainly is responsible for having entirely too many romantic... entanglements that left House Krakenburg with many children, and even though Xander would never voice it, he does find his father's behavior towards his children and his lovers unacceptable. Garon hadn't married Xander's mother despite naming Xander his heir fairly early on, and Xander's honestly still not sure why. His mother wasn't from a high-ranking noble family, but he was born with a crest so he really doesn't understand why his father was so reluctant to marry Xander's mother.

(Probably because he wanted to continue sleeping around, but Xander would never voice that thought either.)

So his father isn't perfect, but that isn't exactly a surprise. Many nobles aren't. Of course, that isn't to say Xander knows everything about his father's dealing - in truth, there's a lot of what Garon does that Xander isn't privy to. He's constantly told that he'll be instructed on everything when he's older and ready to take his father's place, but it still leaves him feeling wary.

After all, House Krakenburg is in charge of the advancement of magic and weaponry within the Empire. It isn't a position that is widely known, even within the Empire, and the cover story is that House Krakenburg deals in agriculture. It's true that their lands are some of the most fertile within the Empire and they do provide a lot of crops, but Garon's interest has never been in that and only ever been in strength. His father is a terrifyingly strong man on his own, even without considering his crest, and Xander's sure whatever he's been working on will only strengthen the Empire further.

Still... it would be nice if he wasn't kept entirely in the dark. It seems that won't change any time soon, though, as his father has definitely kept him in the dark about something very important.

The monastery grounds are incredibly fascinating, and Xander's been exploring since he arrived. There's so much to see and do and so many fascinating people to talk to, and that's why he's here in the stables. He needs a break from everything, at least for a little while. The stables are perhaps the most normal thing here - scarcely much different from the ones at House Krakenburg, at least. While Xander has never ridden a wyvern before, they aren't uncommon back home, and the pegasi and horses are even easier to attend to.

He's leaning on one of the horses' stables when someone enters and that voice... No. It couldn't be. But Xander turns to look anyway and he finds he can't speak.

Standing before him with the same vivid purple hair and charming, almost doting tone of voice, is Camilla. She's grown up since he last saw her, of course, but that's hardly the most surprising thing about this.

Duke Garon had told him Camilla was dead. Her mother had turned up dead, and his father had informed him that Camilla had perished as well. How many years ago was that? How long has it been since he last saw her? No, more importantly - how is she alive? Was his father mistaken? Did he know Camilla was alive? What is she doing here?

A million questions form and die on the tip of his tongue, and it isn't proper for a nobleman to allow the silence to span for so long (especially if she hasn't seen him properly, which seems to be the case), but he cannot figure out what to say.

He loved Camilla. She was perhaps the sibling he was closest to, even though they didn't always see eye-to-eye. She was the closest in age to him and even when things were tense between their mothers and they were told not to play together, he'd sought her out. She was his sister, of course he was going to want to be near her. She was the person who got him through those dark early days, when mother was far too busy with... whatever she was doing, and father only spoke to him to check on his progress with his lessons. Camilla was a bright light cutting through those dark times, and all of his memories of her are positive.

Hearing about her death has been one of the darkest moments of his life, and he hadn't even been allowed to mourn properly because father claimed it was taking him from his studies. He'd tried not to think about it, and it's only now that he can realize that at some point, he had come to terms with her death.

And yet here she is, standing before him, certainly very much alive and well. It can't be anyone else - not with that hair color and voice - but some part of him wonders...

Father wasn't lying. Was he? So then how is this possible?]

...Camilla?

[His voice is entirely too meek, too stunned. It almost sounds like he had as a child, when he'd been entirely too shy to handle dealing with strangers. He clears his throat, straightens his back, and tries again.]

Is that you, Camilla?

[selfdisdain]

[Getting into the Officer's Academy was more of a success than Dorothea had anticipated. Just look at all of these people...those inside her house and outside of it were all some of the most prestigious people in all of Fódlan. Royalty, commoners, people from all walks of life...including one Dorothea Arnault, who curried favor with a noble in order to get into the Academy in the first place. It was crazy, wasn't it?

But Dorothea had her own mission in line at the Academy, really. It was all about securing a future, something to hold her over when she was old and gray, with none of her beauty left. There were quite a few fish in this sea, and Dorothea was a fisherman with a silver hook and the proper bait for any occasion.

Of course, that wasn't all this was about...there was plenty to learn in the Officer's Academy, after all, and plenty of people to simply rub shoulders with besides that. It's that interest in rubbing shoulders with others that sees her out and about in the evening, going towards the dock to try and see if there was anyone to talk to...

And needless to say, there was. Dorothea has heard plenty of rumors about this one; he was one of the two von Krakenburg's that were in the monastery. There were plenty of nasty rumors that went around about the family; some said that their father was a little too free with his love. (which would explain all of the children) Some said that the family casually drank the blood of anyone who wandered into their territory to maintain eternal youth. (Okay, but then why is Garon so ugly? That's absurd.) Some say that none of them can be trusted, that they're going to betray the Empire entirely...

Dorothea? Well, all she's staring at is a man trying very hard not to brood, and failing miserably. Sure, maybe she could rub elbows with him and see if she could flirt with him a bit, but...well, Dorothea does have something of a heart. And maybe this guy could use a friend.

Xander's going to be swiftly joined by Dorothea, who looks to him with an easy smile on her face.]

Hey there! It's Xandy, right? [yep, a nickname already, get used to it] That's a look you shouldn't have on your face until the end of the week...are you doing okay?

[advancements]

[It's unbecoming of a noble to linger on an argument.

Okay, so maybe argument isn't the right word to describe his confrontation with Camilla earlier today, but he doesn't know what to call it. Regardless, it's not wise to turn it over and over in his head until it starts making even less sense, but that's what he's been doing ever since.

Camilla's words ring in his ears and questions continue to spring unbidden at them. He doesn't believe for even a moment that his mother could do something so horrid, but he's not blind - Camilla genuinely believed that. Either that, or she's become a damn good liar since she vanished from House Krakenburg. He wants to believe it's the latter, because the former raises all sorts of other questions that he doesn't want to think about.

He found himself at the pond, standing on the dock and staring at the water like maybe it will yield some answers. It doesn't, of course. But the place is thankfully empty right now, and he can at least try to pull himself together before anyone shows up—

Or that could not go as planned. He starts a bit before turning to greet the owner of the voice that's interrupted his thoughts.]

Dorothea, correct?

[He's certain that's correct - the others are all tied to noble families, or they're from Brigid, so that just leaves her. The nickname is... a bit strange, but he doesn't correct her.]

My apologies, I hadn't realized you were here. It wasn't my attempt to look so... troubled.

[...That's kind of a weird way to word it, but okay?? He continues quickly enough, anyway.]

Is there something I can help you with?

[fraldarius]

[The Officers Academy has quite the reputation for churning out powerful students. It's really the only reason Felix is here. He certainly isn't here to keep an eye on a certain boar, and he's not here because his father thought it'd be a good idea for him to attend. He's here to get stronger, that's all.

So naturally, Felix spends all of his free time at the training grounds. Now that classes have started, he has less time to run through his usual drills or challenge anyone worthy to a sparring session. He doesn't really mind classes, though he'd rather be anywhere but dealing with Manuela or Hanneman. Byleth - as much of a weirdo as they are - happens to be damn good with a sword, and they've already beaten Felix into the ground on three separate occasions.

He's not good enough yet, but that's fine. He's got plenty of time to improve his skills, and he'll learn a lot from Byleth.

The training grounds aren't empty when he heads over after class today. It looks like one of the other classes let out early or something, since there's a girl swinging around an axe. Felix doesn't recognize her, but that's not really all that surprising. He only really recognizes the people from his own class at this point, and the other house leaders since it's probably important to remember them.

He goes to retrieve one of the wooden training swords, though winds up watching the girl's swings for a bit. There's a lot of power behind her strikes, the sort of power that he could see coming from someone like Dedue or the boar.]

Hey. [The greeting is loud, to draw her attention, but that's where any friendliness ends.] Spar with me.

[felix that's rude??]

[anythingforyou]

[If nothing else, this Academy is proving quite good for honing Camilla's combat skills. Academics and the like have never interested Camilla as much as they have Lord Lorenz; she's doing perfectly fine with them, but combat and servant work have always been her true shining areas. She intends fully to give her everything to protect Lorenz, and training as hard as possible whenever she has the time is certain to make her stronger. And that's what she wants to be; strong enough to protect her liege, strong enough to crush anyone who would bring him harm...

Maybe even strong enough to crush her father. But that's a far off dream. Her service to Lord Lorenz--and the Golden Deer as a whole, despite how Claude irritates her lord (and also Camilla herself), is paramount. Camilla has only known them for so long, but she'd defend them as well, as an ally should. It's...liberating, in a way, to be able to do that.

Maybe someday she'll realize her life is kind of fucked up. Today is not that day, however.

Either way, she's more than happy to be practicing her axe drills in the training grounds. Camilla's fighting style has always been rough and wild, without any mercy behind her swings. Really, it's a wonder she hasn't broken the damn training axe yet? It's kind of amazing how durable it is--

Camilla starts a bit when she hears Felix, turning to face him and seeing his sword out...well.]

Not one for preamble, are you? [Camilla gets herself ready, though, more than ready to fight. If she minds the rudeness, it doesn't show.] I like that. Let us begin!

[one fight scene later... this joke is only ruined by the fact that the it's always sunny theme doesn't play anymore, f

Camilla draws back after a hell of a good match, leaning on her training axe for support. Needless to say, Felix is a delightful adversary--Camilla hasn't had this much fun in a while, which was likely clear by how much enjoyment she had during the fight, and she needs to catch her breath--]

Do you yield?

[anythingforyou]

[Their school days are going very smoothly, Camilla is finding. Sure, there are plenty of problems and plenty of worries as the week goes by; Camilla hasn't once stopped thinking about the implications of Xander being here, and the possibility that word of her survival could get back to their father. Were Camilla not attempting to do as much as she possibly could within the confines of the monastery, she'd be dwelling on it, and she absolutely cannot afford that. Not when there's so much to do, so much to keep up with as it stands, and service to her lord to be completed.

Most wouldn't notice anything different about Camilla; she's always tried to be a distant person in general, keeping people at arm's length and only helping when she felt it was needed or warranted. She also tried to be an exemplary servant in all regards; the perfect maid to properly serve her lord, and the perfect soldier to take care of matters he did not need to sully his hands with. And yet, there are always minute differences; tiredness being a particular marker of something on her mind she can't avoid. Particular fierceness during her drills in the training grounds is another...

(Her shortness with Claude is probably yet another, though Camilla always endeavors to keep it a polite shortness. She's not going to get close to anyone that her lord disapproves of, after all, despite how disarming he is. He's got smiles that don't reach his eyes, and were Camilla perhaps a touch more impulsive, she'd suggest a way to dispose of that scheming man.)

But it's fine. Camilla has never once been sloppy, or unable to hide her true feelings from the masses, so it's fine.

It's one of their free days when Camilla comes to the dormitories with several books in her knapsack, and a tray of tea with some freshly baked sweets. Lord Lorenz has requested some reading material for today, and also his afternoon tea; Camilla has seen it fit to provide both with the utmost care. As if she could do any less, after all.

(She's brought some reading material of her own, a few books on wyvern care and a beginner's guide to flying; they're personal, but she thinks Lord Lorenz will be pleased to see that she's not skimping on her own interests.)

Camilla knocks on his door as she always does; a few knocks in a certain melody, one her lord will recognize easily. Camilla has always liked keeping a certain secret code, after all, and she imagines it'll get him up from whatever he is doing.]

May I come in, my lord? I have brought your afternoon tea.

[nobiliteased]

[There's already so much to learn and do here at the Officers Academy, it's a bit overwhelming. Even outside of classes and seminars, there's training and plenty of people to rub elbows with, and of course women to screen to see if he might be compatible with them... All of it is a bit much, but Lorenz would be lying if he said he wasn't enjoying it.

But of course, as any good lord would know, he cannot afford to turn a blind eye to his servant. Camilla is mostly the same as always - but he's noticed some differences that have persisted through the weeks and he plans to finally ask her about it today. If she hasn't offered him anything on her own, it's likely that she doesn't plan to. Sometimes Camilla really does think the best thing to do is to hide her troubles from him... It's understandable, he supposes, but he doesn't want her to do something like that when they really only have each other here. Yes, the other members of the Golden Deer house have opened up to them and accepted them both readily (with a lot of teasing for him moreso than her) but it isn't quite the same.

Lorenz starts a bit at the knock, going to get the door even before Camilla speaks.]

Good afternoon, Camilla! Please, come in.

[As always, his room is neat and tidy. There are some books and papers set out on the desk, which is what he was apparently working on when she arrived. There's also a small table near the window, with two chairs. It's perfect for their afternoon visits like this, especially on days where going outside is out of the question.

More importantly, he wanted to meet with her here, in private, so she can air whatever grievances she has without worry about being overheard.

He gets the door behind her, shutting and locking it so they won't be disturbed. Not that it's likely, but it's better to take precautions.]

Please, take a seat. My, these look lovely - did the staff bake these?

[advancements]

[The training grounds are perhaps one of Xander's favorite places here at the monastery. There's something nice about being able to focus single-mindedly on the repeated motions of swinging a sword or a lance. Xander isn't in here as much as the heir to House Fraldarius, but when he does have the time, he enjoys spending it training.

Today's a bit different, however. Instead of focusing on swords or lances, which are his preferred forms of combat, he's working on reason magic. He isn't particularly good at it, but Professor Hanneman was adamant that he should learn and that it would be useful with his particular talents.

His crest is what the professor meant, Xander knows that much. He's in possession of the minor crest of Macuil, which raises the power of magic attacks. It's the signature crest of House Krakenburg and one his father was all too pleased that he'd inherited. His mother used to say that he was one of the only ones of Garon's children who had inherited it. He's never really had any way of testing it since he wasn't taught magic back home, but now he learns to control its power, so here he is.

The training dummies are built to withstand magical attacks as well as physical ones, so there's no need to worry about him accidentally destroying it. Not that his spells would be strong enough for that anyway, they're almost laughably weak right now. The important thing isn't how powerful they are, though; the important thing is learning to cast and control the spells, and that's what he's hard at work on right now.

Thunder is the only spell he knows right now so it's obviously the one he's practicing today. It still feels weird to channel magic through his fingertips, but he's gotten surprisingly good at casting it on command by now. The crest's might flows through him as he releases the most recent spell, hitting the training dummy hard enough to roughly shake it for a moment as the after-image of the crest floats in the air. It fades out pretty quickly, but the burn of magic and the tug of power that comes with it leaves him smiling. It's getting easier and less overwhelming. He tries again, and again, and again.]

[hevring]

[Linhardt doesn't like the training grounds all that much, honestly; most of the time he just goes there to make sure Caspar hasn't gotten himself too exhausted. He's not the biggest fan of training, or doing much at all. Any effort he could be expending on that would simply be better spent researching crests, or napping the day away, or fishing, even. War and bloodshed didn't suit the future heir to House Hevring (if he'd even take that role in the first place), and as such, he avoided it whenever possible. It's certainly not made him all that popular with most teachers, and he's sure the Black Eagles themselves would have plenty to say about his slacking attitude.

That reason is at least half of why he's seeking out the training grounds today; Edelgard and Hubert both have gotten particularly on his case, and he was going to do everything he could to avoid them, thank you very much. The last thing he wanted was to deal with them, and hiding in the training grounds? Sounded like a perfect opportunity. Linhardt imagined he could find a particularly troublesome place to get into that neither of them would be able to find him in, and thus, began his journey for a nap.

Needless to say, Linhardt's not expecting to come upon anyone else. Surely he could have ignored anyone who was actually in here, not even paying them the slightest bit of mind.

But then he sees the crest of Macuil's afterimage cast from Xander's magic, and any thoughts of napping go out the window. Linhardt has never once seen the Crest of Macuil outside of his own books--sure, there were many students and families within the walls of the monastery, and crests aplenty to research, but that crest has never come up. It sets his scientific curiosity ablaze, and Xander might be able to hear footsteps coming toward him and see Linhardt with an awed expression.]

How fascinating! I would not have expected the Crest of Macuil to manifest in such a manner...

[...Hello to you too, Xander. Linhardt is, of course, approaching this with all of the tact of a brick to the face. He doesn't actually know all that much about the Krakenburgs, but he wouldn't have expected them to wield a magic based crest, all considered.]

Nor would I have expected House Krakenburg to bear a crest of the saints, but I suppose that could be owed to his many wives... [LINHARDT JESUS CHRIST? He'll actually acknowledge Xander, though, after that, before taking a contemplative expression.] Oh, do not mind me. Would you continue where you left off? I would like to investigate the effects of your crest, if you would allow me.

[i am. so sorry about him.]

[darkseal]

[Garreg Mach monastery is just full of surprises, isn't it. Not that Hubert expected anything different when he joined the Officers Academy with Lady Edelgard, but their class is certainly an interesting one.

As always, Hubert has been keeping busy studying their fellow students. Most of them aren't anything particularly noteworthy - either commoners with little reason to stand in Lady Edelgard's way, or nobles he has already investigated thoroughly. There is one notable exception to that, however, and that comes in the form of one Camilla von Krakenburg.

House Krakenburg is almost as vile as the rumors surrounding them suggest. House Vestra has lost several seasoned spies within House Krakenburg's walls and keeping tabs on the family isn't nearly as easy as it is with the other nobles in the Empire. Irritatingly enough, House Krakenburg still has plenty left to hide and House Vestra has been unsuccessful in determining exactly what is going on within those walls.

Not that he's surprised; his father placed more importance on his own station and betraying the Emperor than doing his duty. That won't be a concern once he's head of House Vestra.

But for now, it falls to him to handle what he can for Lady Edelgard so that she may eventually usher in a new age. She will change the world, and that cannot be done without a little help from the shadows.

From his studies, Camilla is no longer associated with House Krakenburg at all, outside of her shared surname with his classmate, Xander. While they could be cousins, the more likely relationship between them is that of siblings, and given their close age, that would make sense. Camilla's history has been infuriatingly difficult to get a good read on, but he does know that she left House Krakenburg and was taken in to House Gloucester of the Alliance. She serves Lorenz now as his retainer, and they spend much of their free time together. Given their matching hair color, the assumption is that they have some relation, although that isn't proven.

Most importantly, Camilla has been spending her time studying and tending to wyverns. It isn't particularly difficult to track her movements throughout the day when he decides to confront her. Late at night, as she's undoubtedly done with her time in the stables, he steps in, blocking her escape route.]

Camilla von Krakenburg, if I'm not mistaken?

[His tone is cordial, betraying nothing. He doesn't have any (visible) weapons on him, though his sudden (near-)silent approach might catch her off-guard. On the other hand, she is Lorenz's retainer, and given what he knows about her it wouldn't surprise him if she was aware of his presence even before he approached.

He doesn't continue, simply waiting for her response.]

[anythingforyou]

[Camilla has been more than enjoying her time at the monastery, she's found. All be told, it's still a lot to get used to all of the newly found independence she has, but she's making the most of it in ways that she never really expected. It pleases her, deeply; between the wyvern riding lessons, her weaponry lessons, tending to her lord, and learning magic from him, she's found that she's become...happy. Incredibly so, and more than she could have ever expected.

That happiness hasn't dulled her edge, though. Not in the slightest. Camilla has always been alert since that night that nearly cost Camilla her life, and it's taken many years of practice to will down that paranoia to a simple overt amount of alertness. It's easy to learn when people are there that should not be, after all, and take care of them accordingly, whether they be allies or enemies.

Especially if they are enemies.

Camilla is all finished up with the wyverns when Hubert approaches, and she turns to him all too easily when he speaks up. There's no surprise in her when he does, nothing but a slight smile on her face and a very composed look on her face as she cants her head the slightest bit. It's more than easy to suss out that she was aware of him before he arrived.

Not that it's present in her tone, all too elegant when she speaks up.]

That would be me, yes. You are Lord Hubert, if I am not mistaken?

[Camilla sees no reason to be disrespectful towards him, after all. House Gloucester has always stressed showing respect to those above you, and Camilla is no exception.

(And it would be a lie to say she hadn't been studying the Black Eagles some, since she was made aware of Xander's arrival. One ought to know a potential group of enemies, after all.)]

I'm surprised to see anyone out this late at night. To what do I owe the pleasure?

[anythingforyou]

[These months at the Officer's Academy have certainly been enlightening, to say the least. Between the near monthly attacks, the lessons they have been putting into far more use than Camilla herself may have expected in dealing with dissenters of the Church, and that kidnapping incident at the monastery, there's been no shortage of messes to clean up. The Golden Deer aren't a perfect house by any means, but they have been performing adequately on the missions that they have been given. Camilla would remiss to say that it was her lord and herself alone's efforts that have contributed; even in such a disjointed house like theirs, they have managed to come together when needed, just as one would expect.

Even despite the secrets that have been kept, the quarrels they sustain from time to time, and the responsibilities that they all must bear, they've gotten on decently enough. Well, outside of Claude of course, but he's always been secretive and hard to pin down.

The Battle of the Eagle and Lion is coming soon, and that's sure to be a spectacle; each and every one of the members of their house are coming into their own, and Camilla is no exception. Though she's definitely still getting used to fighting with axes as a Pegasus Knight; she's not as fond of the pegasi as she is the wyverns, but this is the next step in ensuring that she will be able to train wyverns eventually. It's a boon, to be able to fly so far out and descend upon the enemy in such short order, but it also allows her to defend her lord to the best of her ability.

Between that, her magic training with Lord Lorenz, and even taking up some brawling lessons from time to time, she'll have many ways to come to his defense as needed.

What she wasn't expecting, however, was their mission today; apparently, there had been monsters attacking some merchants on the road between Gloucester and Riegan territory, and at Professor Byleth's the Golden Deer and the newly recruited Flayn set off to take care of them. The mission was a lot harder than expected, to be sure; Camilla still wasn't used to dealing with such horrible beasts, but they saved the villagers and were set to leave.

Of course, Lorenz and Camilla stuck together while they started to walk away, but there was an interesting conversation going on between Professor Byleth, Ignatz, Raphael and one of the merchants. And it wasn't exactly a nice conversation.

The idea that His Grace could actually send monsters out against poor, defenseless merchants was...shocking, really, even if such a thing were a rumor. But even worse was hearing at least the beginning of the story of what happened to Raphael's parents, that there was the possibility that His Grace had them and the late Duke Riegan killed--

It was disturbing, really. They didn't stick along for too long; Camilla left when Lord Lorenz decided to, and as of this evening, she hasn't seen him since. Camilla still had work to do, after all, but even so it was...odd, really, to not see him out and about. She didn't even see him at dinner, which was odd, and Camilla was in the kitchen preparing an evening meal for him when Raphael himself came on by.

He was...perhaps surprisingly jovial, if worried about Lorenz in his own way. Mostly that he wasn't eating enough, so he asked her to make sure he got a proper meal today. And he did say something about telling him not to...'sweat the small stuff', as it were...? Camilla asked him to clarify, confused, but he explained what he meant; that he didn't blame Lord Lorenz for what happened. For any of it, really. That he was not his father, and that it wouldn't be right to hold him accountable for the sins of their parents.

It was something that got a pause out of Camilla, before she thanked him for his words. He left shortly after, and while Camilla set up the tray...well, she grabbed something sweet for him along with his dinner and evening tea. Maybe that'd help, just a bit.

Either way, she walks to her lord's room, knocking on the door with that melodic knock of hers.]

Lord Lorenz. May I come in? I have brought you dinner and evening tea... [...] If you do not wish to see anyone, at least allow me to deliver that much.

[nobiliteased]

[Things have been going smoothly these past few months. Sure, "smoothly" may not be the best way to put it when Flayn was kidnapped, students were sent to quell an uprising against the church, and obtain a Hero's Relic from a disowned heir, but they've all been progressing nicely. Lorenz is starting to fit in a bit better with his fellow classmates, and his studies are enthralling. His search for a future wife has been... less than stellar, and Professor Byleth has already asked him to knock it off (though that was surely just the professor getting taken in by one of Claude's schemes), but aside from that everything seems to be going well.

At least it was, until today. Saving merchants from a horrifying beast would have been a bit draining on its own, but it was what happened afterward that has Lorenz reeling.

Could his father really have done such terrible things? His father, the man he's looked up to and tried to emulate? He doesn't always see eye-to-eye with the man, certainly, but still...

Lorenz has been holed up in his room since they returned, unwilling to see anyone. Claude was the only one who came by today, and he didn't even have the energy to snap at him as usual. Claude had eventually left though, perhaps believing that Lorenz needed his space, just as everyone else presumably did.

He's not surprised to hear the knock and Camilla's voice - he knew she'd be by at some point. She's likely been busy, otherwise she certainly would have come to check on him sooner. It takes a moment, but eventually Lorenz opens the door and steps back to allow her to enter.

Overall he still looks put-together; his hair's a bit messier than usual, like he's been running his fingers through it frequently, but he at least looks presentable which is important. He doesn't look like he's been crying either, although his expression is fairly blank for once.]

Thank you for your assistance, Camilla.

[He doesn't make any attempt to shoo her out even once she's inside the room and deposited the tray on the table. It takes him a moment to decide on what to do from there.]

You may... stay if you're so inclined.

[It's a bit awkward, a bit hesitant, like he's not really sure that's what he wants to say. In truth, he's not really sure that's what he wants, but he does want to shut his brain off for a little while. He hasn't eaten since they've returned and he does need to keep up his strength... but more importantly, the tea is nice. And the company, of course; she's the reason he opened the door at all.]

[anythingforyou]

[The Battle of the Eagle and the Lion was an absolute success for the Golden Deer. There were certainly bumps and bruises along the way, but more than ever before, the Golden Deer have proven their superiority over the other houses by taking down everyone else. It's an exhilarating feeling, to triumph alongside her lord and her classmates; they have proven themselves worthy, and all of their training has truly come to bear fruit so lovely. And the feast that came with such a thing would surely be a sight to behold, that was for sure. Camilla was looking forward to it.

...After her trip to the infirmary, that is. Lord Lorenz had insisted that she go and get her head checked out, after all; Camilla herself had been doing quite fine in the battle, managing to take down Felix and a couple other students with ease that was almost terrifying to behold. It was all too clear that Camilla was at home on the battlefield, but she had proven reckless to the point of excess. It was when she decided to try to divebomb Hubert with her earlier injuries that she was defeated; only managing to get one hit on him before a blast of dark magic knocked her off of her pegasus, sending her careening to the ground and forcing her to retreat.

She had sustained some bruises and the like; her head had the worst of it, thankfully. Her arms and legs were bruised a bit, but still functional. Of course, that didn't stop both Professor Casagranda and Lord Lorenz from making a mountain out of a molehill, as far as she was concerned. Professor Casagranda did eventually let her go once her injuries could be healed with plenty of rest, but Lord Lorenz had begun insisting that Camilla get rest. To which Camilla happily said no; she wasn't going to miss this feast for the world. It was a bit of a petty squabble, really, if it could even be called that as they all went to the dining area, and her savior from this situation came in the most unexpected manner possible.

Claude.

He was more than happy to abscond with Lord Lorenz (though she could very well swear she saw an all too knowing wink on his face), and Camilla was free to do as she wished despite her bandaged head. She talked with a few of the guests--everyone had been invited to the feast, at Claude's insistence--and there was much to talk about. Complimenting Lady Ingrid on her command of her own pegasus, commending Lady Hilda on her hard work, making sure Raphael and Ignatz were both alright after their own defeats, avoiding Linhardt like the plague while attempting to chat with Caspar and promising him a rematch...

Of course, there was someone she was attempting to seek out that she simply didn't see. It took going back and asking Lady Ingrid, Lord Sylvain, and Prince Dimitri to see where Felix had gone, and she wasn't surprised with the answer; she'd have to go looking for him. Camilla thanked the three of them, before asking them what sort of food Felix liked...and well, she had to admit he had good taste. Garreg Mach Meat Pie was one of her favored dishes as well, but she wanted some of that for herself too; after today, she'd need to bulk up the slightest bit and ensure she could work it off. Whether Lord Lorenz approved or not.

It doesn't take long to find Felix, after securing two plates of food; the Meat Pie isn't the only thing she grabbed for both herself and him, as those spicy fish dango looked utterly delectable as well. So, with plates at hand and a familiar mop of blue hair spotted, Camilla walks over and clears her throat.]

You know, you do make it rather difficult to find you, Felix.

[No 'Lord'. Just Felix. She remembers their terms from when he won that match against her, after all.]

May I join you?

[fraldarius]

[The Battle of the Eagle and Lion had been a loss for the Blue Lions. Not that Felix was particularly surprised, with the boar prince leading their ranks instead of a professor, they were bound to be crushed. Edelgard and Claude are certainly better with all things tactical and employed more than just "rush the enemy and hope brute force will win". Not that Felix really minds those tactics, since he likes charging into battle, but still. It's the boar's fault they didn't secure a victory.

Never mind that he was knocked out fairly early on by Camilla. He can't really be mad about his loss; Camilla's improved tremendously since she injured his knee and using an axe while atop a pegasus is no easy feat. Ingrid was gushing about how incredible that was for a little while before Felix slipped out of the dining hall. It wasn't as though he didn't care to hear about his defeat again (though that was part of it), it was mostly that being surrounded by so much cheer and friendly conversations makes him want to be sick. He prefers the peace and solitude of... well, anywhere else.

The gardens is where he ends up, surprisingly. He doesn't usually spend any time here, and he has no interest in the flowers, but there are tables and chairs here, so he's got his feet propped on the former and he's leaning back in the latter and staring up at the sky. It's getting late... maybe he should just head back to bed.

But there is something nice about being able to hear everyone's laughter and good cheer, even if it isn't anything he particularly wants to be involved with. For once, they really do feel like classmates instead of three separate houses. It's kind of nice. Maybe.

He glances up when he hears footsteps, moving to drop his feet off the table when he recognizes the voice.]

Camilla. Sure, go ahead.

[He inclines his head at the dishes in hand.]

You didn't have to bring me anything. [A raised brow.] Unless you plan on eating all that yourself.

[darkseal]

[The Battle of the Eagle and Lion was a victory for the Golden Deer. It's disappointing, but not indicative of their true strength. Lady Edelgard specifically told him to hold back; they can't afford to allow the Archbishop and the rest of the church see them at their full potential. Which is precisely why Lady Edelgard herself held back and why her tactics were not nearly as sound as they could have been.

With that said, Claude's tactics would have been an exceptional challenge even if Lady Edelgard had been at full strength. Honestly, Hubert would like to discuss tactics with Claude to learn more about how the leader of the Golden Deer thinks, but they cannot afford to let anyone know that they're planning something. So they accept their loss with as much grace as they can.

...Though Hubert did make the mistake of going a bit too hard against a certain someone. Camilla had caught him off-guard and he had reacted with the full force of his spells and while he had secured a victory for the Black Eagles, it had also resulted in Camilla being injured. That isn't particularly worrying - Professor Manuela has undoubtedly healed her by now.

Still, it would be rude of him not to ensure that she is recovering. Not that he particularly cares about being rude, but the last thing they need is to risk upsetting Lorenz. House Gloucester is one of the influential families of the Alliance, and with their ties to the Empire, it's only natural for them to want to remain in Lorenz's good graces. So he can spare some time to check on Camilla.

He finds her outside the dining hall, which isn't particularly surprising. Given how Claude has been practically glued to Lorenz's side this entire evening, Hubert can only assume that Camilla is not resting as she should be, and it isn't particularly difficult to realize that the dining hall is missing another purple-haired individual.]

Camilla.

[He announces his presence this time, though he's making no attempt to conceal his presence.]

[anythingforyou]

[This entire feast has been nothing but a good time, as far as Camilla's concerned. Between the little conversations that Camilla has managed to have, the laughter and the light she has bared witness to, and the conversation with Felix she had? She can say that this victory has been well worth her time. It's honestly been a very nice night as well, despite how she's definitely starting to feel her injuries a bit more, but it's fine. She's having fun, and that's what matters.

Camilla's mind can't help but go back to Hubert, though, and she feels herself smile a bit. He's strong--incredibly so, and certainly more than she was expecting. He was more apt to stay by Edelgard's side, sure, and maybe it would have been fun to take him down and then clash with Her Highness, but there's no doubt in Camilla's mind that Hubert's a worthy adversary.

Naturally, think of the devil, and he shall appear--Camilla looks at Hubert easily when he calls out, seeming a little surprised that he's out in the open like this. But she actually doesn't seem all too opposed to his presence, really, and she hails him quite happily.]

Ah, Lord Hubert! I'm quite surprised to see you out here...I would have thought you would have stayed with your house.

[It's perhaps surprisingly jovial, rather than anything pointed or annoyed. It isn't a bad surprise, at any rate. He kicked her ass and she had fun, so he's gone up a few levels in her book.]

To what do I owe the pleasure?

[selfdisdain]

[The Battle of the Eagle and Lion was certainly an interesting time; Dorothea wasn't exactly in her element, if she's being entirely honest. She can certainly work herself up and get in the spirit with the best of them, but...well, it's never been something she's liked. It's why even if Dorothea managed to snag a point or two for the Black Eagles, she got taken out pretty early on by one of the deer. All in all, it was a simple practice battle, and no lives were truly on the line.

That's what makes it fun that the Golden Deer have decided to share their feast with the other houses. Quite frankly, it's a delightful thing, and Dorothea has absolutely been wandering around and chatting up everyone in earshot. Brushing elbows with literally anyone and everyone is something Dorothea is more than happy to do, but she's mostly been seeking out the shy ones. Bernadetta off in the corner there, Marianne in another corner holding up the walls...

And on her trip through, she happens to spot Xander out of the corner of her eye and makes a beeline toward her friend. She's got food in hand and a damn good attitude, and she's more than happy and willing to use it.]

Hey, Xandy! Is this spot taken?

[Dorothea's tone is as friendly and bright as ever, and really, she's not going to wait for an invitation--she is absolutely going to join him, provided she can. She's certainly not going to let him be alone tonight, that's silly.]

[advancements]

[Losing to the Golden Deer was a bit of a disappointment, if Xander's being honest with himself. If he didn't know better, he'd say that Edelgard was holding back... But no, surely that isn't the case. She was so adamant about everyone putting in their best, and as far as he could see, all of his classmates did try. They just weren't quite as skilled as the Golden Deer.

The loss would sting less if it was the Blue Lions, he thinks. Camilla is with the Golden Deer, and even though one of their own took her out, her class was still victorious. Xander tries his best not to think about Camilla too much, but it was a bit hard to do that today.

Anyway, the celebration for the Golden Deer is lively, and since everyone's been invited it's a good chance to get to know their fellow students. Xander's already spent some time chatting with the others and he's finally sitting down to get a bite to eat when Dorothea approaches. He smiles easily, inclining his head to indicate she should sit.]

Not at all, please feel free to join me.

[He's picked a spot on one of the end tables where they're not likely to be disturbed right now. He wanted a bit of a break; it's a bit difficult to keep up with some of them! Claude is certainly intent on entertaining everyone, much to Lorenz's chagrin, and if it's not Claude then it's Ferdinand who is captivating attention. Sylvain's been chatting up every woman in the room and Ingrid's dragged him away more times than anyone cares to count, and overall everything is bright and loud and festive. Everyone seems to be happy together, and it's this sort of camaraderie that Xander was hoping to experience when he enrolled.]

You seem to be having a good time. Finally decided to take a break from socializing?

[Well, with everyone else. He's not surprised that Dorothea's been busy chatting with everyone.]

[hevring]

[Linhardt von Hevring is nothing if not a stubborn man. That much is a fact of life about him; he may not expend his energy often, but when he does, it's because there's something worthwhile to pursue. It's why he does a lot of things; he naps because it gives him energy. He researches crests because it's one of the few things he can motivate himself to do, and it's an all consuming passion he loves very much.

And of course, he loves exploring the unknown crests and being the first to discover something. It's why he's sought after Camilla von Krakenburg for the past week or so; even among all of their peers, she's one of the few that there's no recorded history of a crest in regards to. Even Hanneman himself can't seem to pin down a single thing that implies she has one, though he has his suspicions. So, of course, it falls on Linhardt to get to the bottom of such things. And more than anything, he's very curious about who else could have been consorting with House Krakenburg. It's a research opportunity of a lifetime!

...Well, it would be, if he could get any answers out of her. He's been nothing if not persistent with his questioning, even if it's certainly gotten some tighter smiles out of Camilla. But it's fine, certainly; he's been able to rule out the possession of any crests that augment her physical abilities (because it surely would have been known by now), so that leaves magical ones. She's time and time again told him that she has no magical ability, but he can sense it from her. Honestly, he wonders why she tries to suppress her potential, and even when she walks away at such questioning, he can't help but wonder...

The idea of a relation to House Gloucester is about the furthest thing from his mind. Surely, there's some reason for her to hide her crest. Maybe it's like Marianne, where she believes that she's cursed for said crest. Either way, it is something of a mystery, and if Hanneman can't solve it, then he'd certainly like to try.

Because Linhardt is a dumbass with no tact whatsoever. Maybe he'd get better answers if he didn't catch her when she was clearly injured, but she seems fine from all of the hard work she's been doing...

That's not his priority now, though. It's time for an afternoon nap, as far as Linhardt's concerned, and he's picked a nice little place toward the docks to lay his pillow down and take a nice snooze. Professor Byleth had graciously given that pillow back to him, after all, and he was more than happy to put it to good use by snoozing the day away as he deserved to.

Linhardt's more than happy to be asleep, none the wiser to whatever is coming next.]

[nobiliteased]

[Honestly, Lorenz probably should have expected this. While he's done his best to keep Professor Hanneman's attention off of Camilla, that doesn't mean that everyone else is simply going to ignore her. If Professor Hanneman was so interested in trying to determine more about a possible crest, then of course the other researcher will want to.

Linhardt von Hevring isn't someone Lorenz knows much about. He knows the heir to House Hevring is incredibly lazy and sleeps frequently, and he also knows that he loves researching crests. That's about it. Lorenz knows a bit more about House Hevring itself, though Linhardt doesn't seem to have any interest in his family's political ties or affairs. He's hardly behaving as a proper noble should, but that could be said about most of the students from the Black Eagles house. Or the Blue Lions house. Or the Golden Deer—

Anyway, the point is that Linhardt's prying needs to stop, and it's time Lorenz stepped in on Camilla's behalf. She's complained about this to him before, constantly trying to reassure him that it isn't anything important, but given her injury - and the fact that she's still recovering - he really isn't pleased that Linhardt's continued prying.

It takes him awhile to find Linhardt. He checked the library first, then Professor Hanneman's office, then the Black Eagles' classroom... Eventually he just started combing the entire monastery, half-convinced he wouldn't find Linhardt at all. His next plan was to locate some of the Black Eagles students and see if he could get any information out of them, but thankfully he stumbles across Linhardt first.

It isn't literally, at least, but he does nearly miss Linhardt sleeping near the docks. What an odd place... Is that a pillow?? Well, Linhardt's certainly dedicated to his naps...]

Linhardt von Hevring!

[Lorenz raises his voice as he approaches, stopping just short of Linhardt and folding his arms as he frowns down at the mage.]

I demand you wake up this instant!

[...that isn't how it works, lorenz?????]

[crestcurse]

[Marianne von Edmund is not a bold woman. That much has always been obvious about her; she was so painfully shy due to her upbringing and everything that has happened to her. Every bit of her circumstances screamed at her to keep her distance, that her presence was a blight, that people would be far better off if she didn't exist at all. Even while she's been among the Golden Deer, it's been an inescapable feeling for her...

People have tried to bring her out of her shell. It's been a slow process, but Marianne has...gotten somewhat better. Hilda has helped immensely. Lorenz has too. All of the Golden Deer have, in their own ways, and it made her feel like she belonged in a way. That even someone like her could maybe lead a normal life.

Of course, Marianne still preferred to keep away from combat, unlike most of the other deer; she preferred to stay in the back and cast her healing spells, bringing them back from the brink time and time again. It was a fact of life for her, that this was what she excelled at. And of course, it would make her a target.

...Would, being the keyword; the Battle of the Eagle and Lion has proven one thing to Marianne, and that is if push comes to shove, she's not going down without a fight. That much got proven quite well when she wound up unintentionally knocking out one of the Black Eagles in a bid to keep herself safe, Nosferatu ensuring he was out of the fight as soon as he targeted her. She might have been a little too harsh, really.

It's been a few days. Marianne has been a little worried that he hasn't been recovering well, and against her better judgement--the one that keeps her away from people, she seeks Xander out. He's a pretty common face in the stables, and surely enough...]

Um...excuse me, Xander? Do you...have a moment?

[...Marianne already feels like she wants the earth to consume her whole, but listen. She's trying.]

[advancements]

[It's been a few days since the battle, and while it's still on everyone's minds, Xander is content to go back to his usual routine of training. He was defeated - by a healer, no less - which just means he needs to keep working hard. Of course, his training isn't all purely physical, and part of that training is in getting to know the horses better. Okay, so it's also partially because he likes horses and is very content spending time around them, but getting to know them better certainly won't hurt in battle!

He's finishing up putting away the brushes when he finds Marianne in the doorway. He smiles and nods.]

Of course, Marianne. What can I help you with?

[He knows of her, but they haven't spoken much, if at all. She's very shy, he knows that much. She's also the one who defeated him in the battle, but he holds no ill-will toward her for that. It was a well-deserved victory.]

[anythingforyou]

[Lord Lorenz is missing.

It's only been a couple of weeks since the Battle of the Eagle and Lion happened, and things were finally getting back to normal. Finally back to an almost normal school life that Camilla could be pleased with, that her lord could excel in, and she hasn't seen him all day. He's not in his room, he's not in the gardens, he's not in the library, nor the training grounds or anywhere else in the monastery. Camilla has looked everywhere for her lord, asked around the monastery if anyone has seen him, and this is the most distressed she's been in her life, and it's clear in how she's rushing to and fro that this isn't good.

Lord Lorenz has been taken. That much is clear, because he would have told her if he intended to leave--he would have taken her with him just about anywhere, and she's failed at her purpose. The one thing she's had to do throughout her whole life is keep Lord Lorenz safe, and he's been taken from her so easily, and even worse, she's failed the one actual friend she's ever had in her life. It feels as if a piece of her has been taken, really; she can't even begin to think of what'll happen if she finds him, how she's failed him, and if he's dead just how much of a failure she'd feel like--

Her search takes her to the stables, and she sees Hubert--she's about to ask him if he knows anything about Lord Lorenz before he disappears, but Claude gets her attention instead and she turns to him.

She really doesn't have time for his shit, and though she greets him, there's a sense of urgency in her asking if he's seen Lord Lorenz. His words feel like ice when he utters them, that he did see Lord Lorenz this morning, but he was talking with Xander, and they stepped off of the monastery grounds. How could this have happened? Camilla feels her rage spike in an instant, and though Claude tries his best to get her to calm down--to be rational, to take a moment and step back so they can regroup with the others, Camilla ignores him entirely, even shoving him back hard when he tries to grab her to stop her from going into the stables.

It's not long before Camilla finds her stalwart companion; Marzia is only a monastery trained wyvern, but the wyvern has been a very close friend of Camilla's since the school year started. Camilla knew her quite well, and rode her when doing her Sky Watch duties. She hated to have to bother the wyvern, but desperate times called for desperate measures--]

Marzia, dear, I'm going to need to borrow you. This is incredibly urgent, so...please forgive me, for disturbing you.

[Camilla grabs her riding gear, setting Marzia up before Claude can rush in and stop her--once they're outside, Camilla commands her to take to the air easily, and though she hears someone shouting from below she's in no state to properly register it when her adrenaline is pumping this hard.

She has to find Lord Lorenz. Time is of the essence, and she imagines that Xander can't have taken him far. Camilla's eyesight is plenty good from the air, and as she and Marzia fly, she scans the ground below for any signs of where they could have gone. She imagines that he didn't act alone, so perhaps it was a group of people who acted with him, so she imagines he can't be that hard to find. That blond hair stands out far too much to not be able to find.

It takes quite a bit of time, and more than Camilla would have liked, before she spots something--Xander. He's by himself, certainly, and that makes her heart sink something horrible (Lord Lorenz could be dead, he could have just thrown his body elsewhere, or worse he just passed Lord Lorenz off to someone else) but it also means she doesn't have to hold back at all. There's no one else here, as far as she knows; no one in the monastery for miles, no villages, no one but the little brat of a noble boy she's glaring daggers at from below.

Camilla signals for Marzia to dive down, and she's not bothering with any preamble--the crest of Gloucester burns slightly in her hand as she casts Bolganone upon him from above, and a distant part of her is screaming at her that she's just giving him fuel for blackmail, should she fail.

But no. She's not concerned about that, nor failure, nor...anything, really. Camilla's sights are set on seeing Xander dead, and he did get taken down pretty hard by Marianne. She'll just burn him alive if she has to.

Camilla is definitely giving him no quarter, though, signaling for Marzia to fly at him so she can hit him with her axe--]

Xander von Krakenburg, you will pay dearly for this!

[Let's go.]

[advancements]

[This isn't how he expected things to go.

When a letter from father had arrived - sealed with House Krakenburg's signature seal - Xander had felt his heart drop. He hasn't received a letter from father's hand this entire time. Anything that came from home was from the servants, usually just reports that everything is as it should be. Father hadn't even responded to his letter about Camilla's presence. Xander had long since stopped waiting for a response. He wasn't really surprised; father is a busy man, he doesn't have time to devote to writing letters back and forth. So Xander had figured that Duke Garon simply wasn't going to act on Camilla's presence.

Maybe he'd started to hope that father wouldn't do anything. Honestly, he's not sure.

The letter had contained orders - no updates on the situation at home, nothing but strict demands that Xander felt he had no choice but to follow. As the future heir to House Krakenburg, how could he deny father's wishes?

He hadn't been told everything, of course. He'd just been told to lure one Lorenz Hellman Gloucester out of the monastery and once they were far enough outside of sight, knock him out and bring him to a specified location. Xander isn't stupid, he knows this is setting a trap for Camilla. He knows that whatever happens next - to Camilla, to Lorenz - won't be anything good. They could be killed. The thought twists his stomach in knots, but what is he to do about it? Disobeying father simply isn't an option.

So he did ask asked; luring Lorenz out was perhaps surprisingly easy. Though Xander isn't accustomed to lying - or very good at it, for that matter - he was able to persuade the heir to House Gloucester that he wanted to try to make amends with Camilla. He wanted to apologize, to set things right between them. Lorenz had been a bit skeptical at first, admittedly, but eventually he gave in. Perhaps there was some bit of truth to Xander's words that Lorenz picked up on, or maybe that's just wishful thinking on his part. It isn't as though there's going to ever be any chance at reconciliation now.

Knocking Lorenz out had been even easier than luring him out, but it's not like that's all that surprising. From Xander's observations, he's been focusing almost solely on reason magic, so he couldn't take Xander even if he'd been aware of what would happen. He'd taken Lorenz to the appointed place and handed him over to father's men. Whatever happened next would be entirely up to father.

His feet take him back toward the monastery, but in all honesty, he isn't sure that's where he should be going. After what he's done - kidnapping a fellow student - he shouldn't be welcomed back. It doesn't matter that it's on father's orders. What he's done is unforgivable, especially if it leads to Lorenz's (and Camilla's) deaths.

For a brief moment, he almost considers turning around and trying to set things right. If only for Camilla's sake. There isn't any fixing this, but maybe...

That's about when he hears the sound of something large and heavy coming toward him, and he has just enough time to look up and see that crest flash as Camilla's spell is launched at him.

Xander's on foot, which is perhaps the one thing that saves him from being caught in the spell. He's quick enough to jump to the side, spear at the ready in a heartbeat.]

That crest...

[Gloucester. So that's why she's been taken in as a servant. He's seen it now - she's not only in possession of a crest, she's also a damn skilled magic user. He's never seen her with Lorenz during his lessons, though...

Now isn't the time to think about that, because Camilla and her wyvern are diving at him. What he wouldn't give for the speed of a horse right now... Very well. He isn't going to allow himself to die, so he moves, dodging the initial blow and spinning his lance in an attempt to slam the butt of it into Camilla's side to hopefully knock her loose. There isn't nearly enough room for anything else at the moment.

No taunts leave him, or any other words at all, actually. His expression is tight and focused; he should have expected this. But if she wastes time fighting him, then...

No. He can't redirect her anger. Father would want him to buy his soldiers time. His heart sinks further at the thought.]

[darkseal]

[A month ago, Camilla was led into a trap set by House Krakenburg and whisked away back to their estate. Any information he's tried to get on the subject has been woefully inadequate. He's fully aware that House Krakenburg keeps plenty of secrets, especially pertaining to their research, but given House Vestra's ties, he had thought he'd be able to get more information.

His father's spies have been tight-lipped, and the few who are loyal to him (and only him) aren't ones he can risk sacrificing so soon. He needs every hand available for Lady Edelgard's plans. So regretfully, he's just as blind as the rest of the students after Camilla's disappearance.

He's certain she's still alive, though. House Krakenburg wouldn't go to this much trouble if they only planned on killing her. No, they want her for some reason, and as much as it frightens him, he suspects he knows why.

His suspicions (and fears) prove to be correct when she arrives back at the monastery a month later, with white hair and pink eyes. He'd watched her return to her room, but after that he pulled himself away to speak to Lady Edelgard about it. She hasn't had much to say about Lysithea (despite Lysithea clearly trying to befriend her), so he's not sure how she'll take Camilla's presence either.

Things haven't been going well this past month. With Xander's return, the Golden Deer house has been exceptionally tense with all of the Black Eagles students. It makes sense; from the sound of it, the Golden Deer took off and stole some wyverns and horses to go rescue their friends. Then Xander returns like nothing's happened and everyone is expected to go back to their normal lives, just like that. So he can certainly understand where the Golden Deer are coming from, and personally, he'd greatly prefer to toss Xander to the wolves and let them rip him apart.

Someone so loyal to House Krakenburg will only prove to be a nuisance once Lady Edelgard begins to put her plans into action, after all. But Lady Edelgard has insisted that they act as though they don't know what's going on, so he bides his time and gives no indication of his distaste for Xander's actions.

Not that it has anything to do with Camilla's kidnapping, of course. This is all about who will prove useful to Lady Edelgard. Nothing more.

It's been a few days since Camilla returned. She's been out of her room more recently - Hubert hasn't been keeping an eye on her, at least, not intentionally. She's been keeping an eye on him, and it would be impossible to miss that she's been following him. It's gone on for a solid day now, and he's not interested in drawing this out any longer. If Camilla truly wanted to attack him, she could have found some point to do it. There must be another reason to her stalking.

So he changes his daily routine, and ends up by the docks as night falls. The greenhouse is closed and locked at this time of day, and there isn't anything else near here that will draw attention to them. It's late enough that the students have already retired to their rooms, so anyone passing by isn't an issue. In other words, it's the perfect time to confront her.]

Camilla. [His voice is even; he isn't speaking up. He knows she's close enough to hear.] Don't drag this out any longer, I know you're there.

[He turns to look in her direction. He doesn't have any (visible) weapons on him, and he has his arms folded so he's not about to cast any spells. Even so, he's ready for the worst, should it come to that; the dagger in his sleeve is at his fingertips.]

[anythingforyou]

[It's only been a few days, and yet Camilla can more than see that tensions are very high between the Black Eagles and the Golden Deer; anyone can see that the tension can be cut with a godsforsaken knife, all because of what her father did to Lorenz and herself. It's certainly well deserved, and Camilla won't deny that, but...

It doesn't feel right to her; the only one they should be blaming here is Xander, but the knowledge that this is causing the rest of their house relations to be tense is not something Camilla likes. Camilla isn't really sure how to word it properly, so, much like she always does, she decides to take it upon herself to try and see if she can't at least attempt some sort of repaired bridge.

Camilla remembers very well what those men who were working with her father told her, after all. They spoke of Hubert's orders, and everything Hubert had done to help with this mission; how his information gathering was perfect for luring the stupid woman (her) into this trap with ease, and at the time, she had been ready to kill them all. She had felt so betrayed that Hubert had used her like this, but...

The more she thought about it, the stupider it felt. What benefit would he have to do something like this? What benefit would it be to put her out of the picture--to strain relations with the Alliance so much, to try and incite war?

That's why Camilla takes it upon herself to follow him around for a day; she needs to confront him privately over this. She doesn't want to do this in front of prying eyes, and she needs to know if she's going to have to tear him asunder for such transgressions against her and her lord. She kill him if she has to, and she knows more than ever now that she could overpower him if needed. That crest of Indech may have been forced into her, but it's been nothing but a boon in an actual fight.

He's not stupid, though, and that's a fact Camilla can appreciate as he goes to the docks and finally calls her out. It really will be a shame if she has to kill him, but...

Well, Camilla steps forward and out of the shadows, bowing easily to him. She has no weapons with her at all; simply her fists and her magic, if absolutely needed. It's all she'd need if push came to shove, she assumes.]

My apologies, Lord Hubert. You are a busy man, after all; I'm afraid I didn't quite wish to interrupt you.

[Camilla folds her hands in front of her easily, though her expression is a small smile; it's not a nice smile by any means, though that isn't helped by the fact that she hasn't managed a genuine expression in the last month or so.]

But...I suppose now that I have your attention, I do have a few questions for you. [...] Very important questions, considering what I have heard from...some men, under your house's employ.

[fraldarius]

[The Golden Deer always have the training grounds just before lunch, every day without fail. It's time for the students to spar against each other or Byleth, or have either Hanneman or Manuela check their progress with magic. It's practical training instead of staring at books all day or discussing theory and tactics, so that means it's Felix's favorite part of the day. Not that he usually sticks to sparring only during these hours, of course.

Felix arrives late today, already looking annoyed. Sylvain felt the need to stop him on his way to prattle on about something stupid and pointless, like Felix actually cares. But he's here now, and he immediately moves to grab a training sword. He can spar with Byleth any day, so instead he's got eyes out for only one person.

Camilla.

She'd returned recently, they said. She's still recovering, so don't be too hard on her, they said. So naturally, he's going to ignore all that and give her his best, because she'd be insulted at anything less.

He'd been told that her hair is white now, that her eyes are pink. He'd been told that he shouldn't ask about it either, which is probably the only unsolicited advice he's received from his fellow students that he'll actually take to heart. It doesn't really matter what happened to her. She's still Camilla, and she's still the best person to spar with because she won't hold back either.]

Good to see you're back. [And with the formalities out of the way—] Come at me.

[oh my god????]

[anythingforyou]

[Camilla is always here for the training grounds. Sure, she's been exhausted as hell--a fact that Lord Lorenz has told her to try and cut back on, but it's honestly one of the few ways she's attempting to cope with everything that happened. Because thinking about it for too long is going to make her a wreck, so suppressing it entirely and only breaking when she's encouraged to is the only way she feels she can even try to tackle it.

When she's. You know. Not just trying to live a normal life after all of this and dealing with the fact that she can't sleep at all most nights, but she's fine. Camilla has to be fine, and she can at least take advantage of the training grounds when she can.

Camilla's practicing her drills when she hears the doors open, not really even paying attention at first until the person speaks up. Camilla turns so fast that she gets whiplash, honestly--]

Felix? What on earth are you--

[...You know what, no, he's already skipping the formalities and Camilla could use a good sparring opponent.]

Very well, then.

[And come at him she shall! Camilla isn't quite as violence happy as she once was, seeming far more serious than usual, but her strikes haven't gotten worse, at any rate--if anything, her crushing strength has gotten better. If Felix is eagle-eyed, he'll occasionally see the after-image of a crest that allows her strikes to be far more swift and numerous than before...

And yet, even with that newfound power, there's no doubt that Camilla is still recovering. She stumbles quite a bit due to her tired state, and it's not long before Felix has sent her training axe flying out of her hands and she winds up losing her footing shortly after, landing on the ground with a thud.

...Somehow, she's not surprised.]

As sharp as ever, Felix. [...] What on earth are you doing here in the first place? The Blue Lions do not typically come to the training grounds at this time of day.

[anythingforyou]

[The ball is tonight, and needless to say, Garreg Mach has been teeming with a gaggle of nervous teenagers. Everyone is doing everything they can to get their affairs in order, or ensure that they can get their last minute cosmetics and the like from friends. Everyone wants to make sure that they look perfect. It's almost strange to see, but Camilla has seen plenty of it; Hilda's been going from the market to her room and back several times for different kinds of make-up (and she just saw Hilda dragging Marianne in for some...and Lysithea seems to be waiting for her turn. Cute.), Dorothea seems to be out and about with her outfit of choice and she looks as radiant as ever...

Really, there's so much to keep track of, and the ball hasn't even begun. Camilla's amused, really, that they're all treating this as such an important event, but she finds that she can't exactly complain. After all, she has gone into town herself to pick up some last minute touches for Lord Lorenz; he asked her to do so, and she's back with everything he could possibly need and then some. She's sure that he'll find some very suitable dancing partners once he's all gussied up.

Camilla isn't worried about herself in the slightest. Sure, it's been an awkward time attempting to even adjust to the idea of going to a ball after all that's happened, but her primary job is going to be looking after her lord and making sure that he's all prepared. She's just going to go to the ball in her school uniform and stand off to the side. As far as she's concerned, that's all she needs to do. Someone like her could never possibly get so dolled up for a ball, even if she did have someone she wanted to impress.

No, her first priority was ensuring her lord and brother was safe. And Once Camilla gets to Lord Lorenz's door and knocks that familiar, melodic knock, she speaks up.]

My lord, I'm back from the market! I was able to procure all that you needed--they were running quite low, so I suppose I was lucky...

[Surely, this night won't go stupidly at all.]

[nobiliteased]

[It seems a little strange to be getting ready for a ball just after Camilla's return. But this is the time of year that the ball is usually held, and it would be even more bizarre for the Officers Academy to change their traditions all because of one student. So the best thing to do is to embrace it and have fun - Lorenz knows Camilla would be angry if he didn't at least try to enjoy himself a bit tonight. He should be busy looking for a suitable spouse, but it's not like Lorenz really cares about that after his father's actions (or lack thereof).

Still, he's a bit excited anyway, even if his thoughts aren't on securing political connections. He's already mostly dressed, though his jacket is off while he fusses with his hair. It wouldn't do to allow himself to look anything less than perfect tonight, after all!

The knock on the door isn't really a surprise, and he ushers Camilla inside quickly.]

Ah, thank you so much, Camilla! I'm having such a difficult time keeping my hair looking sleek today...

[He pauses when he takes note of her outfit, frowning as he shuts the door behind her.]

You aren't dressed for the ball yet?

[If the noises from outside are any indication, most people are done running around and are presumably dressed and prepared by now... Maybe Camilla doesn't need very much time, but still, this is a bit odd.]

[nobiliteased]

[The ball is certainly going to be a wonderful time. Lorenz and Camilla arrive together, but it isn't long before they split off from one another. He trusts that she'll be just fine on her own - though it's not like she'll truly be alone. With how gorgeous she looks, he's certain she'll be asked to dance repeatedly, and have quite a few people to chat with throughout the night. He'll keep an eye out for her, of course, but he does want her to enjoy herself.

A night where she doesn't have to worry about being his retainer is exactly what she deserves after all she's been through, after all.

Which leaves him on his own, of course. Not that he particularly minds, the other members of the Golden Deer house are all dressed nicely and he's quick to pull quite a few of them to dance, and then there's Ferdinand who is all too eager to join him. Really, it's such a wonderful evening and being able to forget about the rest of the world for one night is exactly what he - and everyone else, he's certain - needs.

But there is one person he hasn't danced with yet, which is almost a bit suspicious. He would have expected Claude to ambush him at some point. Though admittedly, Claude has been remarkably more tolerable since Camilla was dragged away to Castle Krakenburg. The less spoken of that day the better, but he has at least thanked Claude and the others for all their hard work in trying to get Camilla back.

Naturally Lorenz is able to pick Claude out from the crowd. He looks (stunning? gorgeous?) handsome tonight, and Lorenz lets all the usual wariness and confusion he feels around Claude vanish as he approaches their house leader.]

I'm a bit surprised you haven't asked me to dance yet.

[It's said primly, with one brow quirked as he draws to a stop before Claude.]

I hope you didn't get any ideas about lacing the punch with anything.

[...Well, of course it's gonna be Like This, some things never change. Still, that doesn't quite explain the smile Lorenz is trying desperately to suppress.]

[begalta]

[Claude can't help but feel both so very at home and so very out of place at a ball as fancy as this. Everyone's all dressed up to the nines and it seems like the walls between nobility and commoner have crumbled to the very ground. As if the only thing that's left to define them all is who they are as people, no matter who they may be...

If Claude's being entirely honest with himself, it's pleasing him a lot to see even a taste of how such a world would be. It's certainly not as loud and boisterous as a feast, but he has no complaints about going out on the dance floor and enjoying his time dancing with his fellow deer and Professor Byleth; taking them around the dance floor and having fun with them.

Of course, there is one deer he's been saving for last; it's a tactical play, on Claude's part. He wants Lorenz to come to him, for once. Not because of any sort of scheme, or anything, as much as Claude at least wants to try to convince himself of that; he just wants his dance with the Gloucester heir to be a little special. that's all it is.

So when Lorenz comes up while he's near the punch, Claude knows he's pulled him in hook, line and sinker. Claude feigns an utterly aghast expression at the accusation, placing a hand over his heart like he's been stabbed.]

Me, mess with the punch on this glorious occasion? That hurts, Lorenz. I'm here to enjoy this ball just like everyone else!

[Of course, Claude's as debonair as ever, arms going up to rest at the back of his head while he grins. He's picked out a nice deep, goldenrod suit out to wear for tonight, because he certainly wasn't going to just be the odd one out here. Nobody would have let him, really, but seeing Lorenz all decked out like this...

Well, he's pretty handsome himself. Claude isn't about to say it like that, but...]

Maybe I was just waiting for you to come along and ask me yourself. You are a pretty busy guy... [Claude winks easily, though.] If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were looking forward to this.

[Claude totally sees that little smile threatening to form on Lorenz's face!!]