[ It's a good handful of things to suddenly tell her at once after withholding them all for years even if that's only just a few and not the rest. Maybe it's because of that and knowing there is more to come which has a flicker of amusement crossing his expression before he can fully stop it at Hilda's initial reaction and then the flustered look on her own face. Before he can confirm that first question as being accurate another question, then a partial correction, and one more question follows. Claude hums a note, though in answer to which question remains to be seen when he doesn't answer right away after her pause. ]
It wasn't until my grandfather named me as his heir. It's a common enough name that I'm sure I'm not the only one using it as a solid all-purpose moniker.
[ With the last part added lightheartedly since it's hardly an explanation and more meant to lighten things as much as they can be in an echo of something he'd once told Balthus, if only because that habit is too difficult to ignore for long. But Claude also doesn't want it to come across as avoiding any of it, something he's more conscious of than ever even in all the past times he'd been content to steer the conversation to anything else but what it was, and while she studies him he lets his hand go still and rest against her back once more.
This is a path he knew he would have to lead them down at some point: all these reveals, all these truths, and especially so in the aftermath of Hilda finding the documents in the Horizon rather than hearing it from him first as what should have happened. As what she deserved, he reminds himself yet again, and the same goes for addressing a future which hasn't yet happened. ]
It's my name for now - in Fodlan and to the Free Cities when I was brought here, though at this point I wouldn't be surprised if they know. But after I return to Almyra, will I introduce myself as Claude or as a Riegan? I won't be, no.
no subject
It wasn't until my grandfather named me as his heir. It's a common enough name that I'm sure I'm not the only one using it as a solid all-purpose moniker.
[ With the last part added lightheartedly since it's hardly an explanation and more meant to lighten things as much as they can be in an echo of something he'd once told Balthus, if only because that habit is too difficult to ignore for long. But Claude also doesn't want it to come across as avoiding any of it, something he's more conscious of than ever even in all the past times he'd been content to steer the conversation to anything else but what it was, and while she studies him he lets his hand go still and rest against her back once more.
This is a path he knew he would have to lead them down at some point: all these reveals, all these truths, and especially so in the aftermath of Hilda finding the documents in the Horizon rather than hearing it from him first as what should have happened. As what she deserved, he reminds himself yet again, and the same goes for addressing a future which hasn't yet happened. ]
It's my name for now - in Fodlan and to the Free Cities when I was brought here, though at this point I wouldn't be surprised if they know. But after I return to Almyra, will I introduce myself as Claude or as a Riegan? I won't be, no.