EVENT #15: THE NETHER - IC EVENT LOG

[abraxasmods]

Event #15 - The Nether

OOC event plotting | settings info

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After a Conclave vote earlier this month, you're prepared to accept the formal request from the Nether for your assistance. By now, you'll know who the delegates are and that the dragons have suffered an illness from the rifts that opened this summer, due to the unfortunate actions of one of your fellow Summoned. Whether or not you agree with your Conclave's majority rule, the decision has been made.

The expedition will begin on October 16 and last 10 days. If you need to return home sooner, you can activate your portal stone at any point during the trip, but there's no going back once you do.

Though mysterious, the Draconae - or daemons, as others call them - are not elusive like the Fey. Anyone who's been to Nocwich will have seen a handful of them amongst the population, and some reside in the Free Cities or the outskirts of Thorne. The only nation they aren't found in is Solvunn.

Into the Heart

Your arrival to the Nether is a frosty one. The northern island is barren, save for a thick layer of snow, a few birds, and some hardy insects. Massive skeletal remains can be seen as you walk over the ice. Every few minutes, the ground trembles. The Draconae warriors greet you at the base of the volcano, including Orion, The Warden herself. Though they appear intimidating, they're grateful you're here and will clap you heartily on the back.

Entering the Obsidian Heart requires nerves of steel, but appearances aside, the narrow walkway is sturdy. As long as you're brave, you'll make it down without a problem. The less sure-footed are encouraged to ask for a hand. If they do, they'll be assigned a Draconum warrior who will cheerfully carry them down the winding path. You can also help each other, of course! Any Summoned who are capable can carry their friends, too.

As you venture down, the oppressive heat intensifies...until suddenly it stops. The moment you reach the fiery gates, the smell of brimstone fades from the air and the temperature eases into that of a pleasant summer's day. If asked, the Draconae will tell you this is how it is - a blessing from the two remaining dragons. Without them, the air would suffocate all life within.

Although the main purpose is to aid the dragons, the Draconae will invite characters to take breaks, participate in recreational activities, and explore the Nether. They want their guests to be comfortable, especially as the Summoned have arrived to help.

Around the City

At the center of the volcano lies the Obsidian Heart, where the Draconae reside. Made of stacking homes and stone bridges that spiral downward, it's a wonder how anyone finds their way. There are no maps, signage, or any form of direction. Their ability to navigate appears inherent. The most dangerous beasts lurk beneath the lava, so unless you intend to go swimming, you're unlikely to run into anything aggressive.

Doors and furniture are heavy and are made of iron, bronze, or steel. You might need to push or pull furnishings and doors with both hands and extra effort. Luckily, citizens are happy to help - as long as you ask. If you don't, they won't interfere out of respect for your autonomy. In fact, if they see you huffing and puffing, they might stop to watch and will sincerely cheer for you should you accomplish your objective by yourself.

Watch your sticky fingers. While petty theft is a minor offence in other places, the Draconae are highly protective of their belongings and treasures. Hands and heads have been lost over stolen trinkets.

The Hieran Wing

As a guest, you'll be invited to stay at the Hieran Wing. Named after Hierus, the oldest living dragon, the Hieran Wing is located in the eastern section of the Citadel. The rest of the Citadel is under heavy guard and inaccessible.

◎ The rooms are carved into the stone itself. Bedding is comfortable, if simple, with room to store your belongings. A curved stairwell grants you privacy even though many rooms have curtains rather than doors. The few rooms that have doors contain no locks. Your safety is assured, but if you're nervous, you can ask for a guard to watch you at night.

◎ The dining area consists of open-fire grills, pots, and raw ingredients - including spices and fiery hot peppers. As great believers in self-sufficiency, the Draconae will leave you to make meals to your taste and liking. You can hunt and fish your meat, as well. There are numerous lava pools where one can net jumbo shrimp, crabs, and flaming fish. For larger game, you can go after the Erymaes Boar or Petran Bison. Feel free to share your catch with your friends or offer to cook for the culinarily challenged.

◎ The library contains only fiction. You'll recognize several titles from your faction or Nocwich, suggesting they've brought back their favorite stories to read. Other titles are new, written by the Draconae. Novels and poetry span all genres, but the most common ones seem to be adventure, horror, and erotic romance - some of which contain surprisingly detailed illustrations.

Magma Pools

Outside the Hieran Wing, unusual cerulean magma pools are provided for bathing. Despite how they look, temperatures are equivalent to that of a steaming hot spring. The magma bubbles naturally from within the volcano and provides soothing effects. No soap or cleaning agents are required. These magma pools contain tiny frogs that leap and jump around. The Draconae consider them a tasty live snack. Don't be surprised if you see a local munching on them.

The Foundry

The Foundry has expanded over the past two centuries. A marketplace now circles the ancient forge. Observing the tradespeople inside and their secrets are off-limits. However, you can browse a selection of tools, clothes, accessories, and potions. Healing potions are common due to the Draconae's lack of healing magic.

You'll have the chance to request custom-made jewelry and purchase glass ornaments that are blown for you on the spot. Merchants won't sell the large weapons on display, but daggers and other small weapons are available. They'll also modify any pieces you own by adding jewels, altering the fit, or repairing nicks and faults...for a price. The Draconae deal in Abraxan currency if you have any, but they'll accept a vial or two of blood or saliva as payment.

Negotiations & Meetings (Rank 5+)

The first order of business is to present your Conclave's terms to the Inner Sanctum, the Draconae's governing body. If you've been voted as a delegate, you'll be greeted by the NPC meeting you (and your partner, if you have one). If you haven't been selected, you can still speak to some of the NPCs available.

A Place at the Table

Negotiations will take place in The Solar on the second day, a hall lit with a fiery orb of light. This is where the Inner Sanctum conducts all of its business. Tightly guarded, you're the first outsiders allowed inside in centuries. Here, you'll have the chance to present your terms and convince the Draconae to accept. You'll also have the first day of your arrival to gather a few details about the NPC you'll be meeting.

Only one meeting is required. The Nether will give you their final answer the following day.

Be sure to reply with the terms before starting the thread. Mods will approve or ask for revisions, so try to submit your points by OCTOBER 17.

Once approved, please TAG IN with your character under the correct faction heading.

Meeting the Inner Sanctum

Members of the Inner Sanctum who are not involved in diplomatic affairs are Aster, The Guardian and Anneth, The Flame. Additional descriptions about the two NPCs and where they can be found will be in their character comments below.

Characters who are Rank 5+ (negative or positive) and who are not acting as delegates can speak with one of the two NPCs above.

To do so, TAG IN with your character under the NPC you want to meet.

Runaway at Pyritean's Rack

Abraxan outsiders will whisper that Pyritean's Rack is a nefarious torture device created by the Draconae for their victims. This is true if the victim in question is delicious meat. The Rack, in other words, is a giant cooking area filled with grilling racks and pits. Shelves of ingredients and spices line the perimeter. Its most striking feature is the primary heat source, which uses magma rather than fire. Ingredients and meat unique to the Nether result in dishes and flavors not found elsewhere. Hot peppers are a popular feature.

The Draconae cook and share their food each night at the Rack. The station is always occupied. Locals take turns hunting and fishing, preparing ingredients, and cooking. Consequently, food is provided without cost. You only need to lend a hand.

Not everything goes smoothly, though. An escaped hatchling has infiltrated the Rack, and Khloris, the baby dragon, is eager to snatch and steal food throughout the week.

Earning the Torch

Impromptu competitions are frequent. They usually begin when one cook sees another outdoing them and makes a challenge. You can either issue a challenge or receive a challenge. Challenges can be between you and the natives, or you can face off with another Summoned. Judging is done by the crowd, which can be chaotic.

Not to worry! There's no downside to losing except your pride. Though the competition can grow fierce and heated in the moment - including vulgar insults and much jeering - once all is said and done, there are no grudges when the food hits the table. Sore losers are looked down on as being thin-skinned.

Winners will receive a jar of spice mix or marinating sauce from one of the many talented cooks. We won't be modding this aspect, so just be realistic with your character's cooking skills. Be sure to work things out with your thread partner if the competition involves another player character!

Escaped Hatchling

One young dragon has escaped its sanctuary at Dragon's Glass. Curious, it's drawn to the smell of food at Pyritean's Rack. As a result, it's disrupting competitions, breaking equipment, and stealing ingredients or even chunks of meat off people's plates. Desperate to get the dragon back before it causes more trouble - or worse, injures itself - the Draconae have asked you to catch the hatchling.

Of course, you'll need to contend with the dragon's unique abilities.

Khloris, the runaway in question, leaves behind small patches of grass. Its pollen dust coats nearly everything it goes near. When eaten or touched, the pollen causes flowers to sprout in your hair for a day or two. It can't fly far or very high, but it's prone to swooping down to snatch meat off the grill. The Flame informs you the dragon can be lured with gold trinkets or bright colors like red and yellow.

To see if your character can catch the dragon, submit for a roll HERE. Submissions will close October 18 at 11:59 ET. Results will be posted on October 19 so players can account for their success or failure.

Ailing Dragons

The two ailing dragons are Hierus, the Obsidian Drake, and Kruos, the Glass Serpent. Mated to each other, they're the only remaining adult dragons in the Nether and have been for decades. When you visit them at Dragon's Glass, their condition is worrisome. The dragons' scales have lost their luster and are grown over with painful white patches. They appear lethargic.

Those researching can offer the dragons healing potions or ointment to aid their symptoms while a cure is worked on. If you're not much of a healer or a scientist, you can feed them or simply spend time with them. The dragons are intelligent and appear capable of understanding you, though they can't communicate directly.

Characters have 3 avenues of participation, depending on their interests and strengths: gathering ingredients, researching the cure, and looking after the baby dragons and eggs. They'll have time to do all three throughout the 10-day excursion.

Finding a Cure

At first, you aren't sure where or how to start. The Draconae suggest the Ashlands may be a place to explore. It's dangerous, they warn, but they have a potion that'll help keep you safe. Due to the hazards, you're told not to go alone. As you travel through the deadened land, you notice an odd phenomenon: where you walk, the air around you clears, and the ground beneath your feet springs to life. You realize you don't need the potion to protect you.

The changes are temporary, fading behind you as you walk. Curiously, the effect you exhibit is similar to what the Draconae claim their dragons are capable of - though to a much smaller degree. Still, you have to wonder if you and the dragons share a similar magical connection to the Singularity. You can't help but notice that those of you who regularly interact with the Horizon and have been doing so for a while seem to affect your environment more. Your aura may be a little larger and the vicinity restored around you lasts a bit longer rather than melting away immediately - maybe even up to a minute or two.

Restoration and Gathering

Your ability to restore the land has unlocked a vital element. Ingredients once thought lost can now be gathered by the Summoned such as yourself, and they may hold the key to curing the dragons. Bring back these ingredients to your peers waiting at Dragon's Glass. The more you gather, the more they'll be able to research and experiment, so don't be shy about making multiple trips.

There are three sections for you to explore. Each one has its dangers and a specific ingredient to collect.

Due to its circumstances, Aetherie is only available on Day 9 of the event, shortly before the cure is finalized. The Draconae will seal the area once more when they realize what's happening. Cinder's Core and Featherhive are open for the full duration of the event.

◎ Cinder's Core

Filled with petrified trees and fossilized bones, the area that restores around you demonstrates its previous life as a flourishing rainforest: the humidity grows, the grass turns lush, and tropical flowers sprout under your fingertips. Although its sulfuric air won't affect you, you'll need to brave dangerous heights to reach the tops of trees and dried-up waterfall cliffs to retrieve the kydros fruit. The fruit smells like citrus and is surprisingly light despite its size.

Vines brought back to life can help you climb, forming ropes for you to climb and bridges that weave beneath your feet. They'll wither once more behind you, so you'll want to move quickly to avoid losing your footing. Height isn't the only danger - the ground below is littered with sharp skeletal protrusions and jagged trees. Beware of dangerous thorn bushes that will come to life in your presence and try to crush you in their spiny embrace as you ascend.

◎ Featherhive

The air here is too toxic for the Draconae to breathe in for long. Luckily you're unaffected. Scattered across the ground are the remaining husks of birds' nests. A dragon's skeleton curls under a rocky overhang. Use your restorative ability to journey deep into Featherhive's heart. Pushing aside the thick overgrowth reveals a small clearing covered in bright crystals for you to harvest.

Although Featherhive poses no physical danger, the land is haunted by shadow birds, ethereal spirits connected to the dragons - and you. As you pass through, they flutter around you and parrot familiar lines to each other. Their movements are jerky and strange. Quickly, you realize the birds are mimicking your memories. They might replicate an entire scene or echo a phrase or two that's plagued you all your life. Or, if you're lucky, they're merely repeating your grocery list. Shooing them will cause them to dissipate into smoke, but they'll soon return.

◎ Aetherie

The loss of a dragon released a noxious gas through this village without warning. Escaping villagers were forced to leave behind those they could not save and seal the doors. The Oblivion is a painful moment in history for many, and none have set foot near the area since. Near the end of your stay, the Draconae request you use your ability to venture where they can't and gather Anoix pods, powerful healing seeds from a plant that only grew in Aetherie. They believe the abandoned huts will contain pouches of the pods on shelves and cabinets.

Entering the village, you expect a tragic scene of corpses. Instead, you find something far worse. The dead have mutated into grotesque arachnids, limbs fused to bulbous abdomens. They show no signs of recognition or awareness and attack you on sight. Hidden in the depths of the purple haze, rat-sized spiders scurry forth. Their venom causes painful sores that will fester and spread if left untreated. Multiple bites may result in temporary blindness or paralysis of a limb. Luckily, this will clear up within 24 hours to a few days, depending on the severity.

Grab the pods if you can or flee if you're overwhelmed. When word reaches The Warden, she'll rapidly send her people to reseal the abandoned village and come to aid any who need it. If you're injured, The Flame and her apprentices will tend to you at Dragon's Glass.

Research and Magic

Dragon's Glass is a glass-domed temple said to be forged from the fires of Kruos. It's located in the Spiral, which is outside the Obsidian Heart. Here, the two remaining dragons reside while ill, along with their clutch of eggs and a few precious hatchlings.

Anneth, The Flame, will invite you into the temple's alchemy labs, where you can apply your skills and knowledge to create the healing elixir that cures the dragons. Doing so requires you to experiment with key ingredients found in the Ashlands. You'll have access to basic alchemy books and apprentices at the temple. Use any additional tools, supplies, and knowledge you possess, and take advantage of the resources donated by the factions.

How you approach your research is up to you, but each ingredient comes with a set of risks - so be careful while you work!

◎ The kydros fruit contains seeds that will explode when heated, causing a chain reaction like popped popcorn. The explosions aren't large, but they might scorch your supplies. Crushing them in the open air results in a similar chemical reaction. However, soaking them in water makes them soften into mush, allowing you to turn the seeds into a paste that could be useful. The fruit is similar to grapefruit and is excellent for a sore throat.

◎ The crystals come in three colors: red, blue, and black. Extended contact will dye your skin that color. The stains are extraordinarily stubborn, so your clothes may not recover. These crystals resonate with a strange hum that suggests they respond well to magic spells. Combining them with a liquid will give off a foul-smelling smoke, so you may need to find ways to neutralize the stench before combining it into an elixir.

◎ The Anoix pods must be used sparingly, as no more can be gathered from Aetherie. They possess strong healing properties, but each pod is very delicate and must be split open with care so as not to damage the soft seeds inside. In addition to researching the cure, you can also attempt to help the Dracaone grow new Anoix plants using the preserved seeds.

The final cure will use all 3 key ingredients. Don't worry too much about continuity! As long as your character participated, you can assume they made a valuable contribution.

However, to assist with coordination, we've provided a RESEARCH DISCOVERY section where you can present any findings your character would share with others in-game.

Hatchlings and Eggs

While curing the adult dragons is a priority, the hatchlings and eggs aren't to be neglected. Baby dragons are active troublemakers, and without their parents to keep them in line, they've become especially unruly. The apprentices at the temple can only do so much. The Keeper has even made rare appearances in Dragon's Glass to lend his assistance.

Meanwhile, the eggs are beginning to show signs of affliction. The shells are beginning to weaken, and the feathery growths appearing on them will suffocate the hatchling inside if left untreated.

Babysitting the Dragons

If you have a spare moment, you can look after the baby dragons. Keep them out of trouble by reading their favorite stories, singing songs, and playing with them. They'll also need to be fed, watered, and their bedding changed or fluffed. The hatchlings are mischievous but friendly. They're eager to bond with the Summoned for reasons unexplained, as if they feel something resonating within you.

Many are attracted to shiny objects and bright colors and will attempt to steal them. Conversely, they might gift you a trinket that they've pilfered from someone else. The local Draconae would appreciate it if you returned any missing tools or jewels.

Hatchlings you'll encounter in Dragon's Glass are:

◎ Okenus spouts water instead of flame. Bearing fins instead of wings, this sea dragon is vital to bringing lakes and rivers back to the Nether. Currently, it can only make tiny puddles and rainclouds. Watch that your belongings don't get wet. Standing near the dragon might cause a small storm cloud to spawn over you and rain down on your head. A simple spell will make the cloud disappear, but if you don't have any magic, you might have to bring an umbrella.

◎ Epeius can form miniature gusts of wind beneath its wings, but it doesn't have firm control and frequently spawns them when excited. These small dust devils and whirlwinds will follow you around. Though they aren't powerful, they can be a nuisance, knocking over cups, blowing away hats, and sending papers flying. The other hatchlings will find your misfortune a source of amusement.

◎ Ledas can help salt deposits form in the shape of large salt crystals. Salt is important to the Draconae, which the hatchling is aware of and thus takes great pride in its abilities. The crystals can be eaten as is or crushed into granules. Ledas will strive to impress you with the largest crystals that it can make...which occasionally results in the structure collapsing, littering the ground with salt. You might find yourself sweeping often around this dragon, but at least you'll never be short on seasoning.

◎ Anthusa is a very special hatchling that creates bioluminescent algae. The algae grow on its scales, forming a symbiotic relationship. Unfortunately, without a proper habitat for this algae in the Nether, its glow has dimmed in recent years and the hatchling has become languid and sickly despite its youth. Nonetheless, Anthusa is friendly and curious even if it struggles to keep up with its siblings. You can help Anthusa play by lifting it to heights it can't reach, and carrying it back when the dragon is too tired to walk.

Weakened Eggs

As noted, the eggs demonstrate signs of suffering, too. Three eggs are waiting to be hatched. Whether all of the eggs survive is dependent on the decision that each faction Conclave made regarding resources found, as well as the help provided by you and your fellow Summoned.

The eggs can't be cured until the dragons are cured, but you can help slow the growths by gently scraping them off and wiping the eggs regularly with a clean cloth. They must also be kept heated, so check the magma frequently and refill any magma basins. The growths can be donated to those researching for additional study if you wish.

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Comments

[theidlemaiden]

[ When they've had some space from this interaction, when she's had time to really fathom what this all means in the grand scheme of things, Hilda will probably find the humour in the situation. But so wrapped up in her own confusion her brow immediately furrows when Claude's barely restrained chuckle turns into an unrestrained laugh. In an attempt to remain Serious, her cheeks puff up as a poor attempt to keep the smile that always came hand in hand with his real laughter.

Even that can't detract from the fact that he so breezily spoke about his own half-brother trying to kill him along with any other nameless faces. The very thought kindles something white hot in her chest, turning the hand in her lap into a fist. In chiding she gives him a soft punch in the arm as the crease between her eyebrows returns. ]

Don't say that. No one is going to kill you. They'd have to get through me first.

[ The last part seems to take her by surprise - almost as if she hadn't meant to say it at all. Even though she's known for a year now that she had died for him on some bridge far away from Goneril, this is the first time she's verbally said something of the same effect. In the dim light of the room her cheeks flush and she's quick to move on before he can address it. ]

Although I'm sure being royalty you probably have guards and retainers for that sort of thing.

[ But then that begs the question: if she doesn't address that, does she have to address this other thing he's said? This other sentiment that still feels so fragile and hopeful and small like a fledgling? The only answer is yes because she's made that promise to him that they would try this. This being them. Threading their fingers together she squeezes them tight, feeling the heat in her cheeks grow. ]

I would have thought that someone in your...position [ Goddess that's weird to say that. ] would have to be with someone who means something in society.

[ Her heart clenches at the thought of Petra and Sylvain. People with titles. People that were talented, smart, brave - everything the youngest daughter of Goneril isn't. ]

[godshattering]

[ Claude's not sure what he expects Hilda to say, but what she does about the matter of defense or anything else: it feels like a punch straight to his gut. It's not because of what he knows happened in that other timeline. Or rather, it is and it's also because it's not what he would have wanted in any situation. His grip in their tangled hands tightens like that'll prevent anything, like it'll take away what happened and they both learned, like he's afraid she'll leave then even if there's no cause to. ]

No, they won't, because no one's serving guard except actual guards. I don't want that either. [ After facing everything alone for so long until he'd met Hilda, maybe he's supposed to be grateful for this, or touched that the sentence seemed to be said without a hesitation in the aftermath of the last few months in particular. But Claude sits up enough to prop himself up on an elbow first before sitting the rest of the way up and shaking his head more vehemently than intended to add to that denial. ] I don't want whoever I marry to have to look over their shoulder as much as I did. I don't want that for you.

[ Now it's his turn to say something not entirely intended when the thought formed before he'd ran it against all of his filters and balances to strip sentiment out of it. He means it, though - right down to showing his hand a bit too far on what he feels for her should things have taken a different winding path in Fodlan to ever end up there.

Claude watches her carefully still and raises one eyebrow ever so faintly. He can't help but think of another situation fitting this same outline for the most part, though he has to weigh what his mother used to tell him against what Hilda has when it comes to the strict outlines Fodlan has for its nobility before answering the rest. There's more than a handful of parallels between Tiana von Riegan and Hilda Goneril which can't be overlooked. ]

If that were the case, my mother wouldn't have left Fodlan to be with my father. She chose something else for herself because she believed she deserved more. [ And, as he reaches out with his other hands to brush some hair away from her face gently, ] So do you, no matter what that ends up being, because you do mean something.

[theidlemaiden]

[ A part of her had hoped that Claude wouldn't address the fact that she had more or less admitted to laying down her life for him. It was incredibly obvious that she had - or at least some alternate version of herself had - but just because it was true in some way, didn't mean that she wanted to speak it aloud. Aside from being embarrassing it also implied a multitude of other things that she didn't want to address, or rather, that she wasn't prepared to address now (or maybe ever, if she had her way). 

It's a new development for her to think about herself as brave, but she can't help but forlornly think that that version of her had been brave enough to do something like that. And because she's so caught up in what an alternate version of herself might do in a situation like that, what Claude says about not wanting his future spouse to have to worry about constantly watching their back goes completely over her head. It doesn't register that that could be her, because she's already ruled herself out of the running. That, and it would be presumptuous to draw that conclusion even if he adds at the end that he wouldn't want that for her. 

There's no room for that thought to breathe, for her to realize that he might as well have stated his intentions and implying the thing that she only allows herself to think about in brief daydreams because for some equally ridiculous reason he's trying to draw comparisons to her situation to his mother. 
She lets out a little disbelieving laugh. ]

Except from everything you've told me about your mother, she's much braver than I'll ever be.

[ Realizing how dire that sounds, she's quick to change her tune, lips quirking, what he'd said still not settling in. ]

And it's not like I'm going to end up destitute or something. I'm sure Holst and my parents will find me some sort of someone suitable to marry. Maybe not a prince but hopefully they'll be kind. That's all I can hope for.

[godshattering]

[ There's hardly enough time for him to raise that eyebrow further than it is before the rest of what she says turns his blood to ice.

Holst finding her someone to marry: it's not a future he wants to picture. It's one he's always known was a possibility, of course, because that's how Fodlan's nobility worked. Or used to, though Claude has to remind himself again that restructuring is the present for him and not for Hilda yet, but maybe it makes no difference at all. There was always, always the chance that he could return to Fodlan at some point and find her married to someone else, but that fact does nothing to unravel the knots his insides have turned into over Hilda apparently believing this is also what will happen. It must be, because there's no entertaining of anything else he'd said anywhere in her response.

But is it because she didn't understand what he meant? Or because she did, but in the same vein as choosing something - it's not what she wants?

That's all I can hope for. He's run into more questions he's afraid to ask. ]

Right.

[ Somehow, he's surprised his voice comes out evenly as it always does and as if he's forgotten how much practice he's put into maintaining a strong wall between what he's feeling versus what he's showing when the former isn't what he wants to reveal. It kicks in by instinct now to save him even as he continues to study her and lets his hand fall away from her hair.

For once, nothing else to say comes to mind. There's half-formed thoughts piled up he could reach for but none of them truly fit, the tone and the sentiments now all wrong as her words continue to echo. The silence draws on for a beat too long before he pastes on a teasing smile to draw her attention away from... any of it, he thinks, even if it ends up being a futile attempt at a provocation to change the mood to something else to match her smile. ]

Are you saying you wouldn't get into a fight with a combat instructor if you thought you were right? I find that hard to believe.

[theidlemaiden]

[ Hilda keeps that stupid, rueful smile on her face as Claude's answer comes in an attempt to, what? Convince him that she was resigned to the fate of other youngest daughters before her? Convince herself? Hope that he would try and convince her or fight for her otherwise because that's what happened in the storybooks that she loved? Then again that last thought isn't fair. This isn't a fairytale or grand love story - what they had had barely been resuscitated, had been seconds from drawing its dying breath in fact. And maybe he was bound by his own golden shackles too. She didn't know what Almyran court life consisted of despite now knowing that his mother had spurned Fodlan customs for something she deserved, for someone she loved.

She envied Tiana, she realized, this woman she had never met and probably would never meet. Not for her status as Queen, but rather her willingness to take what she wanted in spite of everything telling her she couldn't. For her fearlessness even in the moments she might not have been. Maybe another version of Hilda would have. But maybe that version of her had died on that bridge. In the seconds of silence that stretch after Claude's response fades, Hilda's smile tightens just a hair. In spite of Hilda's best efforts to move forward from what they had gone through, shaking her age-old habit of trying still clung to her skin like a bad perfume. Granted, perfume faded, but she worried that this was something that had already permeated into her skin and her bones, was too much a part of her to remove it.

But once again this isn't about her, she reminds herself. Everything Claude had told her had only kicked up a maelstrom of more questions. Before she can ask one of many however, he speaks up again. Her nose wrinkles and her brow furrows, allowing herself to be pulled along by what's clearly meant to teasingly provoke her. ]

What are you talking about? I never got in a fight with an instructor ever. Not even at Garreg Mach. Rumours like that could really hurt a girl's reputation, you know.

[ Lightly she shoves him in protest but never lets go of his hand before lapsing into silence again, her question from before still on the tip of her tongue. Would it bruise her already tender ego for knowing? Or is this something she simply has to be practical about because of how closely guarded he had kept this secret all this time? She chews on the inside of her cheek. But if she doesn't ask it now, will she ever have enough guts to ask it again? ]

Who else knows about all of this?

[ In other words: Did their roommate/Claude's lover know? Anyone else in Fodlan? And in less words: Who did she have to keep this from? Not that she would ever betray his trust, but her practical side was ignoring her wounded self in a rare display of selflessness. ]

[godshattering]

[ The shove is comforting, if only because it means they're back to some kind of normal in that this is a response she's given him many a time before for a joke, a tease, anything else he'd done to invoke it. As for how he feels about it being normal after what was said in the last few moments, well - that part remains to be seen since it feels like a confirmation of some of his suspicions when she doesn't answer anything past it. And that? That means it'll be a while yet before he broaches that particular topic again. ]

No? Not even when arguing with Teach about how much better you'd do sitting on the sidelines during training? Because I remember those nearly coming to blows.

[ There was no such thing, of course, given that it was mostly Hilda's pleading while Teach stood there in his stoic Teach way, unblinking and unmoved by her plight. But those are fond memories he treasures; the first time he'd witnessed it was one of the many reasons he'd looked closer at Hilda in the first place and wondered if they weren't, in some ways, so far off from each other. It was enough for curiosity, and then that led to everything else.

Everything else including what she asks because he hears the rest of what's beneath it loud and clear. A fleeting thought crosses his mind he could not tell her, as if that'd spare her anything at all and Claude pushes it away. He's made that mistake enough. No more. ]

Petra knew I'm from Almyra and who my parents are because she asked. Wanda knows my name is Khalid because of the nightmares last summer. But as for the rest of who's here or not? [ A slow shrug of one shoulder and a wry smile, both which fade after each confirming what will be said aloud before he finishes the thought. ] I guess Teach counts too because I partially told why he had to lead Fodlan and not me. But you're the only one who knows everything.

[ A moment of consideration goes by as Claude absently lets his thumb trace over the back of her hand over skin he knows well and has come to memorize. There's more to add as he weighs it carefully before looking back up to meet her gaze. ]

I was never going to not tell you, Hilda. Even if I wasn't going to tell anyone else or so I thought at first, you were still always going to know.

[theidlemaiden]

[ Her tongue pokes out in retaliation at made up memories of their Academy days. Sure, she may or may not have considered throwing herself at Byleth's feet in a puddle of tears as a last ditch attempt to get out of training - but those had been far and few between and never to the point of blows. It was all lies and slander as far as she's concerned. 

Besides. Byleth would have definitely beaten her without even blinking. 

Any air of teasing seems to melt away into the night as Claude answers her. His words hang in the air and there's a moment where she doesn't know how to react let alone what to say. Everything he had said had been succinct and truthful, stripped of flowery language and convoluted turns that she so often had to puzzle and think through. Just like the other truths that had come before, he lays it down at her feet without pretense. She doesn't have to unpack them, but she does have to unpack how she feels about it all.

Petra knowing because she had asked is both amusing and hurtful; amusing because it would be in her straightforward nature to ask. Hurtful because it was perhaps a testament to how much Claude trusted and cared for her in a way that hadn't taken them years of trial and tribulation to build. Hilda's ego doesn't care that she knows everything while Petra knew only a sliver, never mind that it isn't a competition nor does Claude owe her anything when she's simply been a burden to him this entire time. Bitterness settles on her tongue all the same even if she thinks that that's somehow fitting; Petra remains an example of what she'll never achieve. Of course Claude would be comfortable enough to tell her first. The news that Wanda knew his name and had kept it a secret stings slightly - only because she's still sitting in the knowledge of Petra knowing. It hadn't been Wanda's secret to tell. And for that, Hilda can't help but be grateful. As for Byleth well...that just made sense. 

Noticeably, Sylvain's name isn't among those mentioned. There's no triumph or pride in knowing that she knows something Sylvain doesn't know. But there is some surprise. And perhaps a twinge of concern. Her initial response comes with an absent minded hum of acknowledgement, her gaze drifting down to where Claude's hand traces senseless shapes over the back of her hand even though she can feel his gaze raise to meet hers. She doesn't trust herself to express how she feels without acting out of hurt - but he might sense it anyway in the way her shoulders hunch foward slightly. So she turns to her other thought instead. ] 

You're going to tell him, aren't you? 

[godshattering]

[ There's a quiet which follows, one that's not surprising and one Claude wills himself to not think too hard about. As if it's possible to mute the thoughts ever running through his mind rather than set them aside for a few seconds before they demand to be noticed as they always have, but on this - this he doesn't want to guess what Hilda might be thinking before she says it aloud.

It feels like it'd be a step backwards in some ways. For him, that is; it wouldn't be giving her the space to answer however she might and hear it if he's too busy thinking about too much else. But even with the best intentions, it doesn't stop a handful of things Claude feels certain about to come creeping in. This will hurt her - or is already hurting her - on levels he's come to understand in the circles they've talked around other topics. Even if he hadn't known that, it's apparent in how she shifts and looks away to somewhere besides his gaze until she speaks.

It's a valid thing to ask, and he doesn't have to think twice about who the him in question is. ]

I suppose I have to now, don't I?

[ A rhetorical question. There's no answer to that except yes: of course he does. Though he might've kept secrets for too long, this isn't one that's fair to put on Hilda to keep for any amount of time. Not if things lead to where he hopes they might, and not when there's plenty of others she's already kept on his behalf here and elsewhere. Though he means it to be a limited amount of time before it's shared - well, it's not like he's exactly inspired confidence in that being believable if he says it in return. ]

There's only so long Sylvain's going to pretend like that wasn't some kind of reveal even if his was... more intense. [ An understatement, though Claude pauses in drawing shapes along her hand. What he has to say next is something he's unsure about since it's not changing the subject but redirecting it just a bit back to the original one in a loop which makes sense to him and one he has to hope Hilda doesn't think is a misdirection. ] I meant it about talking to him when we're back home with a little more distance literally and figuratively with some time going by. But that distance doesn't apply here, Hilda. If there's more you want to ask me, you can no matter whether it's now or later.

[theidlemaiden]

[ Hilda hears the redirect - not the deflection - back towards what they had been talking about, but she isn't ready to let it go yet. Eventually when her gaze meets his, there's a seriousness in them that rarely makes an appearance. ]

If you care about him and want to be with him – you should. Sooner rather than later.

[ They both know it's a rhetorical question with only one correct answer but for Sylvain's sake she reinforces it all the same. The red head's voice rings out in her head: Claude and I didn't talk about things like that. He had sounded so final. So certain. In the face of such finality, Hilda rarely protested because that was too much time and effort wasted on something she probably didn't care that much about. But she cares. In spite of her greedy possessive nature, she cares about them telling each other things. Not just because they deserved to know everything about each other but because if they could just begin somewhere, it would prove her intentions to leave them better than she found them were the right ones.

It would prove to her that maybe she wasn't as greedy as she thought she was after all. And maybe she could find some peace, finally laying her feelings for him to rest.

Whether or not Claude intends it, the thought of their bet and her cruel threat of it during their argument rises unbidden to the top of her mind. For a moment she had been petty enough to consider holding it like a knife to his throat in an attempt to get him to open up. To talk to her. To have things go back to the way they were instead of locking truths behind drawers and buried underneath reams of parchment. But a knife hadn't been the way to bridge their divide. It had only shredded and torn his trust in her, driving them further apart.

Awash in all her shame and lingering hurt, something else flickers from it reminding her of what was more important here. In spite of all her cruel intentions and hateful words, he was still holding his heart out for her to take, still believing she was deserving of it. This time it's embarrassment that swells in her chest, forcing her gaze back towards their hands.

There's plenty more she could ask him. Wants to ask him in fact. Years of curiosity had seen to that. But as she cycles through them they're all stupid, frivolous things. Or things that she assumes might bring up painful memories of his childhood. But if she envied Petra's boldness, if she wished she could be even just a sliver as brave as the Queen of Almyra - then she had to start somewhere, didn't she? Hilda picks up where he had left off, gently drawing shapes against the back of his hand. ]

Did you get along with any of your brothers?

[godshattering]

[ Hilda's insistence of something he knows well is right has Claude pulling his mouth to the side in something that's not quite a smile but could be, if only he put some effort into it. There's nothing to say to that but agreeing, and it's the rather final kind to it which feels like - to Claude - to say so would be repeating a truth they both know. A clock's started on whether or not he tells Sylvain this as he should, just as it had for what he should have told Hilda and didn't in a spectacular failure at the same thing but for different subjects. It's not something he should repeat.

Acknowledgement of all of that is different than the reality of doing it will be, however, and he drops his gaze to watch Hilda's fingers trace over his hand. A small touch but one no less important to him than any others for the comfort it offers, for the familiarity of something offered between them for years now with an ease to it he didn't used to second guess. If it wasn't for that Hilda's clearly thinking something over he wouldn't now either as one shape turns into another and waits to see if he'll find out what it is.

Some part of him hadn't actually expected her to take him up on asking another question (or more) even with as much as he'd meant it. An actual smile flits over his face for a split second when it's clear she is, and not even the topic is cause enough to less the feeling: that it's an extension back to trust given. Another step forward to something else, he hopes. He has to. ]

If there was a time when we got along, I was too young to remember it. If we weren't at odds over something then we mostly didn't talk. I learned to be independent because of who I was surrounded by when I was a kid beyond my siblings, and it wasn't friends. Those were in short supply for me.

[ It's tempting to keep looking down but Claude doesn't, instead raising his gaze back up to Hilda even if she keeps hers elsewhere. This is too important to not given that it explains far too much about what he's never told her aside from breezing by here and there or by outright demonstrating time and time again. A reason for it with what those words imply, and not something shuffled away inside layers of everything else as he's done with so much he'd thought he hadn't been ready to talk about. Things he'd thought he'd had more time for, but in the end that'd only accelerated the decline they're still trying to make their way back from with more still to be addressed which will take time to heal. ]

The Deer changed that, though I don't think I have to say that wasn't the case at first. Or for a while, since some part of me was still surprised when everyone came back on the day we promised to meet up after all.

[theidlemaiden]

[ Nerves have her almost hyper aware about everything he does. Every breath, every motion - all things that she has to take time to relearn because all of it seems so foreign to her. It would be impossible for her to hear the smile that her question prompts, but she feels his gaze pull up and away from their hands and towards her face. Instinctively it prompts her to look up and she finds her breath caught in her throat for no reason at all except for the fact that she's met with those green eyes of his that seem to glow faintly in the candlelight. It's so very schoolgirl of her to be taken aback by his brilliance in the dim light of the room. It's so very lovesick of her.

But it's more than that, she realizes.

Claude may not have said it as plainly, but there was loneliness there in his childhood. Even if it was self-imposed, even if it was meant as a defence mechanism as a means for survival, it was loneliness all the same. More shame rises on the heels of her realization, recalling her verbal blow that none of the Deer had ever cared for him in any capacity. That the loyalty and bonds they had forged had been nothing more than facades for their own gain. For a moment her heart aches at the thought of a younger Claude constantly trying to defend himself from all sides, needing to stay two, three, four, steps ahead of his own blood in order to prove himself. She had never known the pressure of any of that. All weight and responsibility that may have come with her Crest had been foisted onto Holst's capable shoulders at a young age when his prodigy became apparent. Nor had she ever felt the gnaw of loneliness because she had never wanted to playmates whether that was other noble children, the children of servants, or Holst himself. Whatever those playmates' intentions were didn't negate the fact that she had never wanted for company.

The gentle shapes drawn against his warm skin stills. Her other hand rises to trace the shape of cheekbone with her thumb as if that would chase the loneliness from his bones. ]

Of course we came back. We cared so much about each other. We cared so much about you.

[ She'd never considered herself a particularly loyal person, nor did she have any ounce of pride for being a part of the Alliance. And while it's true that she might be a little biased in thinking that what the Deer had was special - she'd quietly admit it here. What they had was special and far warmer than anything she had seen from the outside looking in on the other houses. It was where they belonged. ]

I know it can't take back anything that might have happened between you and your brothers but sometimes getting to choose our family is better. And chosen family can be just as strong as blood ever could be. [ Her gaze holds his as the barest flicker of a smile comes to her face. ] None of that would have been the same without you, Claude.

[godshattering]

[ What Hilda says is so simple. He knows that. It's what most people would have assumed, though it hadn't stopped him from feeling a substantial amount of uncertainty while standing atop the Goddess Tower with Teach telling him he'd just woken up after napping for five years. That feeling was buried in the past long ago where it should be left as something to never be again, and in the present is Hilda's warm hand on his face.

A steadying force as it has been every time she's offered this piece of affection he's savored no less in turn for the absence of it from his life before she'd walked into it. It offers comfort, belief, trust, and so many more unnamed things as Claude closes his eyes and leans into it for a moment before turning to brush his lips against her palm, and he offers a wan smile after opening his eyes. ]

I figured that out eventually.

[ Maybe that says enough, or maybe it says too little for what it encompasses. It's also a truth, though; that the trust the Deer placed in him wasn't merely for leadership alone had been a realization slow to dawn. Far slower than it should have been which he can see now with the benefit of hindsight and all that time to contemplate it now that it's not as overwhelming as it was upon telling the Deer (most of) his actual plans and finding them willing to stand beside him all the same.

It's enough again to feel the ghost of the missing beloved Deer though with it comes the pain of knowing he wouldn't want to wish them here either. The same dilemma he'd found himself in upon opening his eyes in Cadens to find no one he knew, and Hilda's empty space at his side ached more with every passing day. A phantom flare of it comes with thinking of how it'd almost remained permanently empty after the past few months, and Claude lifts his free hand to cradle Hilda's cheek in return. ]

And I wouldn't take back anything about who I've chosen for that, either.

[ He could add more to that - he probably should add more to that, lest Hilda believe it's only meant for the Deer as a whole instead of more specifically pointed to her as he means it now with the two of them sitting here. But hesitance from topics mentioned earlier comes to rest on his shoulders and convinces him to leave the words there, and instead he leans in for a kiss and stopping just short to give her a chance to lean in as well. ]

[theidlemaiden]

[ As Claude's eyes flutter closed at her touch, she takes a moment to trace over his features that she had long since memorized. It never ceases to make her marvel at how he trusts someone like her enough to let her do something so tender and soft. In her mind she was wholly unremarkable and undeserving - especially after every unforgivable hurt she had put him through. And yet he still thought that she was deserving. That she belonged in some capacity by his side.

The brush of his lips against her palm and the warmth they leave in their wake coaxes her from her thoughts. The familiar feeling of anxiousness and worry that this (this being them, this being his trust) is something he would eventually decide she isn't worthy of anymore - but she tries to draw on his certainty. Tries to draw on the thin thread of bravery she had clutched onto moments before and weave it and the steady warmth from Claude's hand against her cheek into some kind of armor to shield her from the negative voices in her head.

It's easy for her to assume that what he says is meant for the Deer - safer, even. But even with that said, something akin to pride wells in her chest at how far he's come to admit that. She could say as much. In fact, she could say a number of countless things that should eventually be said: how lucky she was to have met him, to have seen him grow into a leader she'd give her life for. How, perhaps, some version of her had and would in every timeline - without question, without hesitation.

But sometimes actions speak louder than words. As Claude leans in, lips parted in a silent question mark, she answers him in kind. Without question; without hesitation.

When she does eventually pull away her lips linger against his, eyes still closed, awash in his breathing. ]

Can I sleep here tonight? I'll even let you read some of that book to me.

[godshattering]

[ The ease with which they meet feels like the answer to more questions he hasn't asked. And as always, the temptation to deepen the kiss more, to go further still is there from all their time here lost. It grows louder when they part and Claude tips his forehead against hers and focuses again on time. That Hilda asks if she can sleep here - that he'd had to invite her twice to share this space to begin with is a clear sign now isn't the moment. For abysmal as he's been at expressing so many things in words it's easier, in some ways, to put them into affection as a placeholder until they can be said. It's what's on his mind as he runs his thumb over her jaw with no shortage of want behind it.

But want can be quantified in many ways, and it also includes what she's asked for in carving something back out close to normalcy, to not take for granted that she's here and asked to stay. It serves again to remind him that for all they've said in the last few months that's more than was said in years it's still no guarantee that what he wants - in this, in everything - is what she does, too. Better to wait to make sure he doesn't hurt her, doesn't crack something fragile further than he already has, and if in honesty deep beneath everything else: because some part of him is still afraid of being hurt, too.

That has no space here tonight; it's old insecurities coming to whisper in his ears after everything dragging them to light when this talk's proved to be so much the opposite. There's no delay as Claude presses one last gentle kiss to the corner of her lips before shifting back against the pillows to lie down once more. ]

You've got it. One special reading of erotic poetry coming right up.

[ The grin he gives her is very much on purpose while reaching to pull Hilda gently forward with one hand and the blankets with the other, and he tucks her in against his side first before settling the covers over them. A couple of pats around the mattress locate the book in question and Claude flips to a different section that's a little less dry to start reading from there. As it has on so many other nights it works to put them both to sleep though for Claude, it's less the hour and more that Hilda is a comforting weight and warmth against him.

Like so many nights before he sets the book aside to pick up again once awake with the intent of letting her sleep in as long as she likes, brushes a kiss into her hair with feeling and sentiment within it from what's threatening to bubble over in his heart, and closes his own eyes after to drift off into sleep himself. ]