Archive of Our Own ^beta

A long time ago, in a nation known as Adrestia, there was an emperor known as Ionus XI. While his reign was relatively peaceful, it was also marked by the many years of illness that plagued him and his family. None knew what caused such an illness to befall the imperial family, from Ionius’ many children to his consorts to himself by the end.

The other nobles and ministers weren’t privy to whatever caused this tragedy, but many felt alarmed once the first of the Emperor’s children died--his heir at that. Almost as though it were a domino effect, the rest of the imperial children died as well from the same illness that plagued their eldest brother. Only one child was said to survive; young Edelgard, the daughter of Ionius to Patricia von Arundel. She was rarely seen by the people, however, many claiming her hair turned as white as snow and her skin was taut and pale. There was a haunted look in the young princess’ eyes and much of the household staff followed her movements with pity in their eyes.

Many of the nobles in Enbarr fled to their territories, hoping to escape whatever plague had befallen the imperial family. The common folk, unable to leave without jeopardizing their own livelihoods, remained and prayed to the Goddess for their own safety and well-being.

Eventually, Emperor Ionius XI followed his ten other children; dying peacefully in his sleep with explicit instructions to his favorite consort. Edelgard, however, was too young to take the throne, thus her uncle--a man named Volkhard von Arundel--took control until his niece was of age, leading Adrestia into a period of relative peace…

There were quite a few things Ferdinand took great pleasure in; a freshly brewed cup of tea, a lovely view of the sun as it rose and set from his room in the Aegir Mansion, and a morning ride with his favorite horse.

What Ferdinand didn not like was sealing with his would-be suitors.

“Ah Ferdinand! You look lovely today! Did you do something with your hair? It seems silkier than usual!”

“Ferdinand, would you care to join me later this afternoon for some tea and snacks? My father recently imported a lovely blend from the Alliance territories.”

“Have you ever seen such a lovelier sight? Truly, the Goddess blessed you with such beauty.”

‘More empty flattery it seems,’ Ferdinand thought, ignoring the men and women clamouring for his attention as he continued to his destination.

Ever since he was a child, Ferdinand seemed to attract a number of people hoping to become his future spouse. While his marriage prospects were still open, he knew it was mainly because his father enjoyed seeing people trip over themselves for the man’s attention. It was… uncomfortable, to say the least. It felt like his father was parading him around like a prized horse or cattle at the market, waiting to be bought by the highest bidder. He dreaded the day his father decided to drag Roseline through this.

His only reprieve was the grove his mother and him used to visit when he was younger. It was close enough to the Aegir Mansion that it wasn’t a long ride, but far enough to give a sense of privacy. It was Ferdinand’s haven to get away from the overbearing suitors, his greedy father, and antagonistic brother.

Ferdinand sighed, thinking of his younger brother’s strange behavior the last few weeks. He was becoming increasingly more secretive and snappy whenever Ferdinand tried bonding with the younger man. Just the other day, he threw a javelin at Ferdinand’s head when he tried proposing they spar together! Then he had the nerve to chastise Ferdinand.

He tries to remind himself that it’s not Ulrich’s fault he behaves as he does… perhaps there’s something about his illegitimate status that’s causing the younger man more anxiety as of late. Ferdinand knows that their father places a lot of pressure on Ulrich to “remember his place” as the Duke once put it. Regardless, Ferdinand hopes that they can come to some sort of understanding in the future. Ulrich was much friendlier when they were children compared to his sullen and moody teenage years as of late.

‘Perhaps I could bring Ulrich with me next time,’ Ferdinand thought, dismounting from his horse once they arrived. He let his horse graze on some grass nearby as he sat underneath one of the many trees, letting the sounds of nature lull him into a calmness only found here. ‘Maybe that will help us repair our relationship.’

The sound of silverware against their plates could be heard echoing in the dining room. Ferdinand sat across from his brother, their father nowhere to be seen. If Ferdinand had to guess, the man was probably still in his office speaking with his… associates. It was quite awkward; it felt clear to Ferdinand that neither of them wanted to be here.

“Ferdinand,” Ulrich started. “Would it be possible for me to join you on a ride tomorrow? Whatever time is fine with me.”

Ferdinand blinked, struck dumb by Ulrich’s suggestion. “Pardon?”

“I know we’ve been… distant lately,” Ulrich continued, looking properly shameful at the realization. “I wish to fix this, Ferdinand. You are my only brother after all and I feel like I’ve been unfair to you…” He looked away, dark orange bangs obscuring his eyes. “I understand if you don’t want to spend time with me… I’ve been a horrible younger brother.”

“Of course!” Ferdinand said quickly. “I would love to spend time together! Forgive me, it caught me off-guard to hear you suggest this.” He reassured, giving his brother his brightest smile. “Would tomorrow afternoon work for you? I promised Roseline I would spend some time with her in the morning.”

“That should be fine,” Ulrich agreed, giving his brother a small smile. He stood up suddenly, bowing slightly. “Give Roseline my love, I know she hasn’t been feeling well for a while now.”

Ferdinand nodded and Ulrich took that as his cue to leave the dining hall. One of the butlers opened the door for the young man and closing it with a quiet click. Ferdinand smiled to himself though, happy to see that Ulrich was taking the steps to repair the cracks in their relationship.

It never failed to worry Ferdinand when he visited Roseline’s room and saw the normally bubbly child lying so still in her bed. The fever and coughs that wrecked through her small frame made it so only a few people were permitted to visit her. Ferdinand wasn’t supposed to go anywhere near her room as the legitimate son of House Aegir, but he couldn’t let his little sister feel alone right now.

“Thank you for visiting me, big brother,” she said. “It makes me really happy!”

Her voice sounded hoarse from the coughing fit she had this morning, which tugged at Ferdinand’s heart to think about. Peeling one of the apple slices he brought, he said, “That makes me happy to hear, Roseline. Just know that everyone is praying to Sothis for your recovery.”

She giggled, high-pitched and sweet, bringing a smile to Ferdinand’s face. He passed her the slice and watched her nibble at it.

While he didn’t know if their father or Ulrich was praying for her recovery, Ferdinand, at least, made it a point to visit the family chapel. He hoped that Sothis, Saint Cethleann, or perhaps Saint Cichol would hear his prayers and help his sister recover from whatever illness had befallen her.

‘She has never visited Enbarr either, so it cannot be the plague that wrecked the city all those years ago…’ Ferdinand thought, recalling how his father had dragged him and his mother back to Aegir territory almost immediately after the plague had hit the royal family. Roseline was only five-years-old, however, so it didn’t make sense to him that she could suddenly contract whatever illness the royal child did.

“Ferdinand,” Roseline said, breaking Ferdinand out of his thoughts. “I love you, big brother!”

Ferdinand smiled, leaning over to embrace her. “I love you too, little sister.”

Breaking apart, Ferdinand listened as Roseline went into detail about the day she had yesterday. She said she could hear the sounds of mother’s old pegasus nearby and hoped the beast wasn’t feeling lonely.

“I miss mom,” she mumbled, eyes drooping a bit.

“As do I, Roseline.” Ferdinand said, moving a stray piece of her hair out of the way. Her hair was a more strawberry-blonde color than Ferdinand’s own gold-orange or Ulrich’s dark orange colors; a gift left behind by he and Roseline’s shared mother.

“I wanna visit her pegasus tomorrow…”

“I’m afraid you cannot, dear,” Ferdinand said gently, tucking her back in. “Only until you feel better. After that, I am sure Aelia will be overjoyed to see you.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

“Running a bit late, brother?” Ulrich called, standing near his horse and dressed properly for the ride.

“My apologies! One of the maids stopped me for a moment after I finished visiting Roseline.” Ferdinand explained, heading towards Aelius’ stall. “I hope I did not keep you waiting for too long.”

Ulrich waved his hand dismissively, moving to get atop his own horse. “It’s alright,” he said. “It just gave me more time to prepare.”

Nodding, Ferdinand groomed Aelius and saddled him. Once that was complete, he got atop his faithful steed and moved so they were next to each other. “Well then, shall we? I assume you have a destination in mind.”

Ulrich smiled. “Of course, I’ll lead the way.”

Thankfully, their intended path didn’t involve going through town. Ferdinand wasn’t in any particular mood to see his would-be suitors or admirers at the moment. They were heading towards a relatively uncharted path, one Ferdinand didn’t particularly use due to it being in the opposite direction of his usual place.

For the most part, they rode in silence. The sounds of birds chirping could be heard around him, as well as a few other animal noises not too far off. It was mildly awkward, on some level, but Ferdinand didn’t want to be the cause of their relationship remaining fractured. He watched as Ulrich was looking around at the scenery, seemingly to be engrossed by everything.

Sighing to himself, he looked up at the sky, partially covered by the leaves overhead. It was a bit cloudy overhead, the sun peeking through a couple of times. It wasn’t the best of days to go riding, but Ferdinand supposed it was better than rain.

Just then, he heard the sound of something snapping behind them. He twitched a bit on his horse, but otherwise kept his cool. Was someone following them? Or was it just a random animal running by that caused the noise? Whatever it was, it didn’t seem to bother Ulrich, who remained focus on looking ahead.

‘Perhaps I am just being paranoid,’ Ferdinand thought, letting his shoulders sag a bit. ‘We are still on Aegir land. There is no way someone is following us without one of the guards on patrol knowing.’

“Over here!” an unknown voice called out. “I found ‘em!”

Rushing through the trees was a group of burley looking men, armed with axes and swords. Bandits, he realized, judging by their appearance. He swore under his breath, cursing the fact that he didn’t think of bringing something to defend himself. Ulrich was similarly unarmed, but Ferdinand couldn’t see his younger brother’s face to gauge how nervous he might be.

“Well, well, well,” one of the men said, stepping forward. “Look at what we’ve got here! A couple of noble brats taking a ride through the woods, eh?” The man grinned unpleasantly at them, the yellow of his teeth apparent from a distant. “I guess daddy didn’t tell you to watch out for bandits in the woods, huh?”

‘There should not be any bandits,’ Ferdinand thought, assessing the situation. ‘The guards would have told us if there was any cause of worry.’ In fact, Ferdinand had passed by the captain of the guard when he was rushing to meet Ulrich. The man hadn’t tried stopping Ferdinand for any reason, so how could-

One of the men charged forward before Ferdinand could finish his thought, trying to swing his axe down. Ferdinand maneuvered his horse out of the way of the attack and kept his focus on the men surrounding them. Another one attempted to do the same as his companion, but to no avail as well. He could hear Ulrich’s horse whine a few times, no doubt concerned about the danger surrounding them. Aelius was, thankfully, trained to be a war horse and knew how to act more calmly in situations such as these.

‘I need to find a way to get us out of here,’ Ferdinand thought. ‘I cannot allow Ulrich or myself to find ourselves slain by bandits!’

Suddenly, he heard the sound of Ulrich’s horse whining and watched as the beast charged off into the forest. He caught a satisfied smirk on Ulrich’s face before the young man disappeared from his view, a few of the bandits following him while the rest focused their attention on Ferdinand.

‘A diversion!’ Ferdinand thought gleefully. ‘Brilliant plan, brother!’

Turning his own horse around, he charged off into the opposite direction and into the woods as well. He could hear the annoyed yells of the bandits as they chased after him. He urged Aelius to go faster, patting the horse in comfort. “Bare with me, old friend.”

Ferdinand kept his focus on the forest in front of him, expertly weaving his way through the trees. Eventually, the loud calls from the bandits couldn’t be heard anymore. With any luck, the men were too focused on catching up to Ferdinand to be aware of their surroundings. He hoped that the bandits would get lost in the woods and eventually find their way to one of the guards patrolling the area.

“Great job, Aelius!” Ferdinand praised, gently patting the side of the horse’s face. “Now then, shall we…”

Looking around, Ferdinand realized he somehow found himself in an unfamiliar part of the woods. He frowned, trying to think of where he could possibly be in relation to the Aegir Mansion.

“Ah… well no matter! Let’s try retracing our steps, shall we Aelius?”

The horse whined and started walking on Ferdinand’s command. Hopefully going back the way they came would help them return home before nightfall.

Ferdinand was quite certain at this point that he managed to pass the same tree once again. He should know since he could hear the sound of water nearby every time he managed to pass it somehow, despite his best efforts to lead Aelius in other directions.

Sighing, Ferdinand led Aelius to the river nearby. The horse deserved a break--especially since he seemed slower than normal, hopefully that didn’t mean the horse was harmed somehow--and Ferdinand felt parched as well. Kneeling down to the river, Ferdinand cupped his hands and brought some of the water to his lips, signing in relief at the coolness of the water. After a few more hand fulls of water, Ferdinand stretched himself out and looked more closely at his surroundings. The trees were noticeably darker and the atmosphere felt more… oppressive?

“This is most certainly a part of the woods neither you nor I have been to, old friend.” Ferdinand murmured, stroking Aelius’ side while the horse continued his drinking. “Hopefully we will be able to find our way out.”

Aelius neighed, nudging his nose against Ferdinand once he finished drinking his water, causing Ferdinand to laugh. He cooed at the horse and grabbed the reins, leading the horse as he followed down the river, hoping that maybe it would lead him to some sort of village.

“Wrong way.”

Ferdinand jolted, eyes wide as he looked around. The only one he saw was Aelius and he ignored the judgemental look coming from the horse beside him. He was certain he heard a voice-

“Turn back the other way.”

Startled again, Ferdinand paused in his steps, turning around to see if there was someone behind him. All he felt was the wind picking up from the direction he was going, causing the horse to turn around as well and walk towards the direction the voice was telling him to go.

“Ah, w-wait a minute, Aelius! Should we-?”

“Trust me, it will be safer to follow your steed.” The mysterious voice said. It sounded distorted, so Ferdinand had a difficult time determining the gender. “Those bandits are waiting downstream for you.”

Ferdinand bit his bottom lip, thinking over the information. On one hand, he didn’t want to meet those bandits again while he was still weaponless and lost. On the other hand, however, he didn’t know if he could trust this voice.

The wind, however, grew stronger and stronger the longer Ferdinand contemplated the decision. It seemed to be pushing him towards the direction the voice wanted and Ferdinand had no choice but to follow at this point, otherwise he would be exhausted by trying to fight against the wind. If those bandits were downstream as the voice said, then that would end badly for him as well.

“Very well,” Ferdinand whispered, heading back up river. “Come Aelius, let us see where this will lead us.”

By the time it was nightfall, Ferdinand wondered if he made the right decision.

As he traveled upstream, he noticed the forest grew progressively darker and more oppressive, causing him to shiver a few times. Aelius, too, seemed to fidget more the further they went. Ferdinand felt himself grow paranoid as he continued, eyes darting around the trees and praying that some sort of beast wouldn’t come out to attack them.

Almost suddenly, Ferdinand saw a large mansion appear through the trees. Rushing forward, Ferdinand hurried towards the front door, hoping that someone was still awake at this hour. He wasn’t exactly sure what time it was, but Ferdinand could hazard a guess given the far off hoots of the owls echoing throughout the trees.

As he got closer, he noticed a woman standing at the entrance with a small fire lit in her palm. She seemed to be waiting patiently for him, almost as though she was expecting him.

“Hello?” Ferdinand called out. “Forgive me for coming to your doors so late. It would appear I am lost.” He explained, watching as the woman’s mouth quirked up a bit into a knowing smile. “I do not wish to be a bother-”

“Oh don’t worry,” she said, giving a slight giggle. “You won’t be a bother at all. In fact, the Master has been waiting for you.”

“Waiting for me?” Ferdinand asked, perplexed by the statement. Suddenly, he realized what she must have meant. “Is he-”

“You can take your horse to the stables near the back.” She interrupted, already walking towards the back of the mansion. “He’ll be perfectly safe there, so don’t worry.”

“I- Thank you…?”

The woman turned to face him, that knowing smile still gracing her pretty face. “My name is Dorothea Arnault.” She answered, turning around. “And welcome to the Vestra Mansion.”

From what Ferdinand grew up learning as a child, the Vestras were traditionally the ones that took the role of Minister of the Imperial Household. Despite their unsavory reputation, they were deeply devoted to the Imperial family. For every Emperor of Adrestia, there was a Vestra working behind the scenes to protect and serve their liege. It was only in recent history that it seemed whatever bond between the two families dissolved.

According to his father, the Vestras made some sort of deal with an evil demon, which is how they acquired strong proficiency with dark magic. Regent Arundel claimed that the Vestras were responsible for the plague that swept through the Imperial family and, as punishment, House Vestra was transformed into hideous beasts by the Goddess. While the Archbishop never confirmed nor denied the claims, it was clear that the common folk believed the man’s claim. Much of the nobility believed it as well, sneering during gatherings in their homes about how the Vestras were rightfully punished.

He didn’t, however, remember hearing anything about the Vestras owning land within the Empire. Perhaps they did sometime before devoting themselves to the Hresvelgs? The mansion looked fairly old and the way it was covered in ivy made it seem like it was abandoned from the outside. Ferdinand was quite thankful to see that the inside didn’t look desolate, much of the furniture seemed newly required and rather luxurious as well.

Nothing so far showed the family’s treachery, but Ferdinand supposed he didn’t know what he was expecting to see. For all the rumors about the family being involved in assassinations and things of similar nature, it would be a bit much if there was a dead corpse of one of the Imperial children lying around as a souvenir.

“Before I take you to the dining room, my Master asked me to tell you some of the ground rules.” Dorothea started, stopping them in front of a pair of large wooden doors.

“Ground rules?” Ferdinand asked, confusion clear in his voice.

“You are allowed to leave whenever you wish,” Dorothea started, meeting his gaze with intense green eyes. “However, you are allowed to roam the mansion freely. There are only a few rooms that are off limits and that’s just because they belong to Hu- the Master of the House. As long as you avoid those rooms, everything should be fine.

“Anything you desire will be provided,” she continued. “The mansion has been enchanted so if you would like… say a new ensemble for the day, the magic will make one appear for you. The grounds are also protected by this same magic, so those nasty bandits that were following you won’t be able to enter.”

“How do you-”

“The only condition is that you can never see the Master of the House.” She said, the green of her eyes darkening. “It’s very important that you remember this rule, otherwise there will be consequences.”

“What… kinds of consequences?” Ferdinand asked, swallowing nervously.

Dorothea shrugged, turning her back to Ferdinand and opened the large double doors. As he expected, he was greeted with a luxurious looking dining room. The chandelier above them had all the candles lit and the gold twinkled in a lovely way in the low lighting. The room felt warm and comfortable, which surprised Ferdinand greatly. It was a nice change compared to the dining room back home.

“The magic also works with the food as well,” Dorothea explained. She gestured to the chair at the head of the table, clearly indicating to Ferdinand that it was fine to sit there. “Whatever you want to eat will magically appear as well!”

“I see,” Ferdinand said, taking his seat. “Thank you, Dorothea.”

“Of course,” she said. “I’m just doing my job, Ferdinand.”

To Ferdinand’s surprise, she took one of the seats to the right of where he was sitting. Dorothea must have caught his shocked expression because she winked at him, grinning all the while. Sitting up straighter, she closed her eyes and held her hands together, murmuring something under her breath.

‘Is she praying?’ Ferdinand thought. Dorothea didn’t seem like the religious type, but perhaps he judged her too quickly?

Suddenly, a plate of steaming hot food appeared before her with a glass of wine as well. Ferdinand’s eyes widened and his mouth hung open. “Oh! So this is what you meant!”

Smiling, Dorothea laughed at Ferdinand’s expression. “Exactly! Quite fortunate since neither I nor Hanneman can cook, let alone the Master of the House.”

Ferdinand nodded, chuckling a bit. “Ah yes, I understand. Unfortunately, I do not know my way around the kitchen as well.”

“Well you are a nobleman.” Dorothea said, her smile suddenly tight. “I’m sure you have servants to handle that.”

“Yes,” Ferdinand answered, suddenly feeling awkward. “The one time I tried helping in the kitchen, the head chef practically kicked me out. I was a child at the time and probably a bit of a nuisance for the servants trying to cook dinner for my family, so I cannot fault him for his behavior that day.” Smiling at the memory, Ferdinand continued. “Once I got older, I tried asking the head chef to help me learn at least one recipe. The whole debacle ended with me covered in flour and homemade frosting, but my mother said she enjoyed the cake I managed to help make quite greatly.”

During the time, Ferdinand saw Dorothea’s expression slowly soften, whatever tightness disappearing as Ferdinand continued his story. She laughed a few times as well, most likely imagining how much of a troublemaker he could be when he was younger.

“Well,” Dorothea said, looking at him with an unreadable look in her eyes. “I suppose you’ll fit right in here! Just one more person that doesn’t know how to cook around here.”

Ferdinand laughed, mimicking Dorothea’s pose from before by closing his eyes and clasping his hands together. He willed for a pheasant roast with berry sauce to appear in front of him with a glass of wine to accompany it. Slowly, he opened his eyes and saw the dish set out before him. “Oh. That is very convenient!”

Dorothea laughed, eating the meat pie she willed for. Taking a bite of his own food, he was immensely pleased by how the food tasted. It was prepared exactly how he liked it. The only person who knew how to prepare it like this was the head chef back home, right down to how to prepare the berry sauce.

The two of them ate in comfortable silence, another difference from the way dinners felt back at the Aegir Mansion. Ferdinand always felt the need to fill the silence with some sort of conversation, but here he didn’t have that desire.

It was at that moment that the doors opened again, causing Ferdinand to look up. Standing before him was an older man with glasses and long robes. He caught Ferdinand’s eyes and gave him a friendly smile, coming over to Ferdinand’s side. “So this is our guest! A pleasure to meet you. My name is Hanneman.”

Hanneman reached his hand out, which Ferdinand took and shook. “A pleasure to meet you as well. My name is Ferdinand von Aegir.”

Hanneman nodded, taking one of the seats on Ferdinand’s left. He shucked off his large, outer robe and sighed. “I figured as much. You look like a von Aegir,” Hanneman said. A cup of coffee appeared before the man, the room filled with the pleasant scent of the blend. Seeing Ferdinand’s confused look, Hanneman cleared his throat. “I used to live in Enbarr. In fact, I’m fairly certain I’ve met your father before he returned to your family’s territory. Do you by any chance have a Crest? I know your father doesn’t have one-”

Dorothea sighed loudly, cutting off Hanneman’s questioning. “Professor, please. No research at the dinner table.”

Hanneman’s smile immediately turned sheepish, looking chastised. He turned his attention to Ferdinand then. “Forgive me, I get excited about these sorts of things! Perhaps we can talk about it later-”

Just then, the large grandfather clock chimed, signaling the top of the hour. Ferdinand saw that it said ten o’clock at night and he felt more grateful for finding this mansion when it did, even if it was Vestra property.

Suddenly, the light from the candles flickered out one-by-one, plunging the dining hall into darkness. He heard Hanneman sigh, lighting his palm with a flickering flame from fire magic. Dorothea followed suit, an annoyed pout on her face as she shared a look with Hanneman.

Ferdinand wanted to ask what happened, but he was stopped by Dorothea turning to look at him. “Don’t worry, that little trick is normal. The mansion turns completely dark once it hits this hour of the night.”

“But why?” Ferdinand asked. “I know it is rather late, but it seems quite premature to have there be no lights on at this hour…”

Dorothea shrugged, seeming unconcerned. “Part of the rules. There aren’t any lights allowed on after ten o’clock. Fire magic is fine, but none of the candles inside the mansion will light if you try using them.”

Hanneman nodded, getting up from his seat and putting his robe back on. “Indeed. I wouldn’t fret too much over this. It’s just part of the magic of the Vestra Mansion.”

“In the meantime, I can take you to your room,” Dorothea continued. “It’s close enough to mine, so it won’t be any trouble.”

Ferdinand nodded, getting up from his own seat and following Dorothea out of the dining hall. They went in the opposite direction of Hanneman, who bid them goodnight as he disappeared down the other hallway.

Luckily, it didn’t take long for them to make it to their rooms. Dorothea stopped in front of one of the many doors and gestured for Ferdinand to enter. It was hard to see in the low light of Dorothea’s flame, but Ferdinand could tell the room was spacious. He could see the dark outlines of a large bed, tall wardrobe, and desk in the room, as well as the vague shape of curtains shutting the light from the moon outside.

“Well I’m off to bed,” Dorothea said, heading out of the room. “Goodnight Ferdie, I’ll see you in the morning!”

“Thank you, Dorothea! And goodnight to you as well!”

She gave him one last smile before closing the door, leaving Ferdinand in complete darkness.

Quickly, Ferdinand walked over to the curtains and opened them, allowing the pale light of the full moon to enter the room. While Ferdinand would prefer a candle at the moment, any light would do for the small task of changing out of his day clothes into something to wear to sleep in.

Walking over to the wardrobe, Ferdinand remembered Dorothea’s earlier statement about being able to imagine anything his heart desired and the mansion would supply it for him, including clothes. Taking a breath, Ferdinand closed his eyes and imagined the clothes he normally wore to bed. He felt something hum in the air, most likely whatever magic was used to enchant the mansion.

Opening his eyes and the wardrobe, Ferdinand smiled when he saw the exact set of clothes he imagined hanging inside. Taking it out, Ferdinand hummed to himself as he changed out of his day clothes and into the night time ones. Once that was settled, he walked over to the mirror and worked on braiding his hair for the night. He switched from humming to slowly singing an old song his mother used to sing with him, back when they visited the Mittelfrank Opera Company in Enbarr.

(They, of course, stopped when his father told them they were moving back to Aegir territory; not like the man enjoyed their biweekly visits. For all the man said about how nobility should behave, his father would always sneer when Ferdinand tried imitating a move he saw Miss Casagranda do during a performance. At least his mother approved of it! She admired the Divine Songress greatly, always singing the woman’s praises to anyone that would listen.)

Finishing his nighttime routine, Ferdinand closed the curtains and headed towards the bed. He hoped he could get some sleep tonight, especially since the environment was unfamiliar (as well as somewhat dreary). Closing his eyes, Ferdinand tried to relax and let himself sink into the pillows and mattress. Slowly, his breathing evened out and Ferdinand grew calmer and calmer.

“Sleep well.” He heard the voice from the woods whisper before allowing himself to fall asleep.

It took a few days for Ferdinand to finally “meet” the mysterious Master of the House.

Ferdinand isn’t quite sure what to make of the fact that he feels more content in an enchanted--if not dreary--manor than his own home, but nevertheless his stay has been pleasant. Dorothea is a joy to speak with and Hanneman, while a bit odd, is pleasant company as well. He checked on Aelius everyday to make sure the horse was feeling well. His leg seemed to be getting better, but Ferdinand didn’t want to push the poor horse further than he felt comfortable.

He feels guilty sometimes, especially when he thinks of sweet Roseline. Their father is too preoccupied with his own ambitions to visit his youngest child and Ferdinand doesn’t know if the thought ever crosses Ulrich’s mind. He hopes his younger brother is watching over Roseline while he’s away, talking and playing with her in that large, lonely room.

He knows it has only been a few days, but Ferdinand can’t help but worry. Roseline looked so pale the last time he saw her and he didn’t want anything bad to happen to her.

Ferdinand sighed, pushing the thoughts into the back of his mind. Even if his father and Ulrich didn’t pay Roseline any mind, the maids were enamored with the child. They would watch and protect her; this Ferdinand was absolutely certain of.

Continuing with his exploring, Ferdinand paused to check which doors were locked and unlocked. He didn’t want to disturb the privacy of his gracious host, even if he was a Vestra and likely had every room marked with a magic sigil. Ferdinand, however, was raised with manners and knew better than to peek inside of a room, no matter how curious Ferdinand was.

Turning down another hallway, Ferdinand stopped when he heard the faint sound of music coming down from the end of the hall. He learned from Dorothea that the woman was a singer, but she seemed to hesitate when Ferdinand requested a demonstration. The sad look that crossed her face afterwards made Ferdinand change the subject immediately, realizing that perhaps he touched a sore spot for her.

Biting his lip, Ferdinand moved slowly down the hallway towards the room. As he got closer, Ferdinand realized that the music playing was coming from a piano. He knows Dorothea doesn’t play an instrument (“My voice is my instrument, Ferdie!”) and Hanneman was engrossed in a book somewhere in the library the last time he saw the older man.

‘Does that mean-?’ Ferdinand thought, standing before the slightly cracked door.

“Who is there?” a voice asked. “Dorothea? Professor Hanneman?”

The voice was distinctly male and one that only sounded vaguely familiar. “Er…” Ferdinand started, feeling unsure. Was this a servant he hasn’t met yet? Dorothea and Hanneman never mentioned another person living here aside from themselves and the Vestra heir. Clearing his throat, Ferdinand straightened himself up and said, “My apologies for disturbing you, sir… I was exploring the hallways when I heard the sound of music and decided to investigate.” A pause. “Please, allow me to introduce myself. I am Ferdinand von Aegir and I-”

“I’m aware of who you are.” The man interrupted, sounding mildly annoyed. “I’m aware of all the people coming and going from my family’s home.”

“Your family’s-?” Ferdinand started, stopping himself. “Wait- You are the Master of the House?!”

The man--the Vestra, his mind reminded him--scoffed. “Obviously.”

Ferdinand scowled, ready to enter the room and reprime the man for his rude behavior. He stopped himself, however, remembering the rules that Dorothea told him. “Regardless, I am sorry for disturbing your playing. I will take my leave now.”

As Ferdinand started to turn around and walk back down the hallway, he heard the man sigh. “You did not disturb me.”

Ferdinand paused, staring at the cracked door. “Pardon me?”

“You did not disturb me,” the man repeated. He heard the sound of something shifting, perhaps the man’s weight against the piano bench. “As long as I don’t hear the sound of your insistent yapping, then you’re allowed to stay.”

Ferdinand's mouth hung open in shock. How dare this man-! Just as he was about to retort, the song he heard was resumed. Ferdinand wanted to throw the man’s invitation back in his face, but as a lover of the arts, Ferdinand felt compelled to stay and enjoy the performance.

Scoffing, Ferdinand decided to sit down in the hallway and rest his back against the wall, quietly listening to the man play. He closed his eyes and allowed the music to wash over him, feeling a sense of calm overcome him. Ferdinand didn’t want to admit it, but the man was an impressive pianist.

‘Who would have ever guessed,’ Ferdinand thought, listening as the song changed to a more melancholic tune.‘Here I thought that Vestras were more interested in learning about poisons than playing an instrument.’

Ferdinand wasn’t sure how long he ended up staying, but he realized it was rather late when Dorothea came down the hall carrying a tray of food and seemed surprised to see him. Eyes widening, Ferdinand got up quickly and rushed past the young woman, missing the knowing smile on her face.

After that, it felt like the sound of a piano followed Ferdinand wherever he went.

(Could magic sigils allow someone to play music from one room to another? Ferdinand wasn’t quite sure, but at this point how else could Ferdinand explain what was happening?)

At first, it startled him. He wasn’t expecting to hear the familiar song playing when he was reading in one corner of the library, away from Hanneman and his questions about his family’s Crest. He nearly dropped the tome about ancient armor in his surprise, frantically looking around the room.

‘Calm down,’ the voice commanded. It was then that Ferdinand realized the voice from the forest and the Vestra were one and the same. ‘Stop making a fool of yourself.’

Gritting his teeth, Ferdinand chose to ignore him and focused on the text in front of him. It was then the sound of a piano playing began again. This time, Ferdinand only jolted a little in his seat but otherwise remained calm. Ferdinand was an Aegir and, despite how annoying the words were, Ferdinand wasn’t going to make a fool of himself again.

(The sound of the man huffing echoed in the back of his head and Ferdinand tried imagining the man having a slight smile on his face. It seemed rather unlikely though, especially for a Vestra.)

The next time he heard the piano, it was when he decided to take a bath before dinner.

Ferdinand felt mildly embarrassed, realizing that he never washed off the dirt from his escape from those bandits the first night he arrived. In truth, he didn’t want to come across as demanding. It was a lot of work to prepare a bath and Ferdinand didn’t want to add extra work to… whatever Dorothea’s duties were.

Nevertheless, apparently the brunette couldn’t stand it any longer and told Ferdinand, in almost no uncertain terms, that he needed to clean himself off before coming down for dinner.

(“Just because you have a magic closet that can make fresh clothes appear doesn’t mean you can neglect your hygiene, Ferdie!” Dorothea reprimed, pushing him into the bathroom.

“Dorothea please… I promise I normally bathe more than this! I just didn’t want to be a nuisance-” Ferdinand sheepishly protested.

“Yes well, the tubes in the Vestra Manor don’t require as much work as you think. There’s a hot spring underneath the house that we’re able to access thanks to the pipes running through the house.” Dorothea explained, turning the knob above the bathtub. Almost instantly, steaming water gushed out. “Pretty ingenious, wouldn’t you agree?” She smirked, amused by Ferdinand’s surprised expression.)

Sighing, Ferdinand dipped his hand into the water to check the temperature. Deciding that it was a pleasant temperature, Ferdinand began stripping down his clothes and dipped a washcloth in the water. He started rubbing his skin with the cloth, hoping to remove the dirt on his skin before soaking in the tub. He grabbed a nearby bucket as well, filling it with some of the water before dumping it over his head, getting his hair soaked as well.

Once that task was complete, Ferdinand stepped into the tub and sighed contently at the warm water relaxing his muscles. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to relax further. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt this content…

Vaguely, he heard the sound of music playing again and Ferdinand smiled, opening both of his eyes as he looked around the room. Like in the library, he didn’t see where the sound could be coming from, but unlike before, Ferdinand felt more appreciative. He hummed contently, a soft sigh escaping his lips as he allowed himself to relax again.

‘Perhaps von Vestra is not as bad as I thought he was…’ Ferdinand thought, grabbing one of the bottles of scented oil and running it through his hair and over his body. ‘A monster… I doubt that a monster could play that lovely music.’

A few days later, Ferdinand stood outside the piano room and listened as von Vestra was beginning to prepare a song for this session.

He felt a little nervous, unsure if what he was about to do was a good idea. He tried talking about it with Dorothea first and the woman seemed positively thrilled at the prospect for whatever reason.

Shifting the tray he was holding, Ferdinand cleared his throat and hoped that von Vestra could hear him. He stared down at the cups of coffee and tea resting innocently on the tray with a few snacks included as well. Dorothea had watched him as he prepared the coffee, instructing him on how to prepare the drink the way von Vestra liked. It didn’t surprise him that von Vestra enjoyed such a bitter beverage, but Ferdinand was determined to make it correctly for his host.

Despite the man’s rude behavior, Ferdinand felt grateful that he hadn’t kicked Ferdinand out of his home yet. If it wasn’t for the bandits prowling the area, Ferdinand would have excused himself as early as possible so not to overstay his welcome.

The shuffling inside the room stopped, however, breaking Ferdinand out of his thoughts. “Yes?” von Vestra called. Ferdinand could see his shadow and he pushed down the urge to see what the man looked like. “Dorothea, is that-?”

“No, it is Ferdinand.” He quickly corrected, stopping the man from opening the door wider. “I apologise for disturbing you again but I thought that you might appreciate some company?”

A pause. “You are aware that you’re not allowed to see me, yes?” The man asked, sounding genuinely curious.

“Well yes, but… just because I cannot see you does not mean that we cannot still talk?” He lifted the tray, wincing when he realized the man couldn’t see what he was holding. “I brought some tea and coffee… as well as a few snacks? Rest assured, Dorothea instructed me on how to make your coffee. I’m quite certain that I got it right as well! She did not seem to have any complaints when she tried a cup.”

Ferdinand heard von Vestra mumble something under his breath before sighing. “I… suppose the company would be appreciated.” He suddenly said, “Bring the tray close to the door and close your eyes, I can grab the cup and judge for myself.”

Ferdinand rolled his eyes at the man’s rude tone (as well as the instructions because really? He couldn’t even see the man’s arm?) but otherwise complied with his request. He heard the man lift the coffee cup from the tray and felt the weight suddenly lighten as a result.

Taking that as his cue to open his eyes, Ferdinand took his customary place on the floor and took a sip of his tea. He hummed at the smell and taste, feeling immensely content. Truly, tea was the finest drink in existence! The Southern Fruit Blend was especially lovely during this time of year.

He listened carefully for the man’s reaction to the coffee and decided that his lack of complaints was a good sign.

A comfortable silence overtook the atmosphere as the two enjoyed their respective drinks. Ferdinand even took the initiative and slid a plate of biscuits into the piano room, hoping that von Vestra would enjoy them.

Setting his tea cup down, Ferdinand cleared his throat. “I would like to thank you for allowing me to stay, von Vestra.” Ferdinand started. “If it was not for you I do not know where I would be…”

“Likely dead.” von Vestra deadpanned, causing Ferdinand to chuckle a little.

“I suppose you have a point!” Ferdinand responded, nibbling on an apple slice. “Nevertheless, thank you for your hospitality.”

Von Vestra didn’t respond, but Ferdinand felt as though the man seemed pleased anyways. “So…” Ferdinand started, looking towards the door crack. “Tell me about yourself! I feel like we hardly know each other despite technically being under the same roof for a little over a week.”

He could hear von Vestra set his coffee cup down on some sort of surface. “Ferdinand, I know you already know who I am.” von Vestra said. “I doubt the rumors about my family somehow avoided Aegir territory.”

“Well yes, you are right about that.” Ferdinand confirmed. “However like you said those are rumors,” Ferdinand emphazed. “I would like to learn more about you and stop letting those rumors cloud whatever judgements I may have.”

Von Vestra fell silent after that, likely contemplating Ferdinand’s words and their sincerity. He did, however, mean them. It had taken Ferdinand a few days, but he did feel guilty for having such a biased look on his host without getting to know the man first. Sure, he could be rude, but he certainly didn’t seem to be a monster.

“My name is Hubert,” von Vestra--Hubert--started, startling Ferdinand out of his thoughts. “I am… was a vassal of Lady Edelgard von Hresvelg.”

“The imperial princess?” Ferdinand asked, but he already knew the answer. There was only one Edelgard von Hresvelg and that was the imperial heiress to the throne. He knew Hubert was a Vestra, but to be assigned to the heiress to the throne? That felt unexpected, especially since he knew there were children older and closer to Hubert’s age. After her uncle took over, however, she was hardly seen. Ferdinand had grown up hearing his father compare him to the princess and he always felt a sliver of jealousy towards her for easily earning his own father’s praises. That feeling had mellowed out over the years when he realized he was acting childish. The girl lost her family and here Ferdinand was feeling jealous over her--a girl he has never met before--and her accomplishments.

“Yes,” Hubert answered, sounding a little pained. “I was removed from her service when her uncle took the throne.”

“Because you are a Vestra.” Ferdinand stated.

“Precisely,” Hubert said, anger bleeding into his tone. “Lord Arundel removed my family from our position and practically exiled us out of Enbarr.”

“So the rumors…”

“A way of further isolating my family, although I doubt my father minded.” Hubert snorted. “After everything he did…”

Hubert trailed off after that, speaking no further on the subject despite Ferdinand’s curiosity brimming. “I am sorry Hubert…” Ferdinand sincerely said. “I cannot imagine what it is like being blamed for something you had no part in.”

Hubert remained silent, which Ferdinand supposed was fair. He didn’t mean for his question to bring up such bad memories!

“It’s not your fault,” Hubert finally said, sounding tired. “You had no part in my family’s exile.”

“I know, but I still feel as though someone should apologize for putting your family through something like this.” Ferdinand paused, thinking over his next words. “Perhaps when I become Prime Minister and Lady Edelgard is old enough to take the throne, we can work together to help your family regain their position. It’s only right!”

“You would do that for a stranger?” Hubert asked, confused.

“You were willing to help a stranger,” Ferdinand said. “And I would like to repay the favor!”

Hubert fell silent after that. A few moments later, the sound of a piano filled the atmosphere. The song was slow, but sounded more hopeful than the other pieces Ferdinand heard over the last few days.

Their afternoon tea and coffee turned into a steady routine.

Everyday, Ferdinand would come with a tray of coffee and tea and whatever snacks were available. Everyday, he and Hubert would talk and end the afternoon with Hubert playing the piano.

Slowly, the two of them got to know each other better. Ferdinand learned more about Hubert and about House Vestra. The stories from Hubert’s childhood made Ferdinand either smile or want to cry, but he was glad that Hubert was able to hold onto some fond memories from his childhood. He felt sad that he never got to meet Hubert’s grandmother, but he was thankful to the woman for showing her grandson kindness where his parents didn’t.

Ferdinand, in turn, shared stories from his childhood in House Aegir. He talked about his parents, his younger brother, and his dear younger sister. Hubert never commented on his father, but Ferdinand could tell that he didn’t like the man. A small part of him felt the desire to defend his father from Hubert’s silent judgement, but he refrained himself, knowing deep down that Duke Aegir was… unpleasant to be around.

For some reason, Hubert’s approval of his mother and sister made his stomach flip. The amount of joy he felt when Hubert gave a genuine laugh at a story he told about Roseline was surprising, but not unwelcome.

(Ferdinand wanted to ask why Hubert suddenly went silent whenever he talked about his brother though. Yes, the younger man’s recent behavior was unfitting of the son of a nobleman, but for some reason Hubert’s silent ire with Ulrich seemed… different.)

Dorothea caught onto their afternoon meetings as well, teasing him at dinner. Hanneman’s quiet chuckles caused Ferdinand’s face to flush, although Ferdinand couldn’t understand why he felt embarrassed by it all. He was more than glad to call Hubert his friend and companion! He felt no shame in befriending the Vestra heir, so why…?

He shook the thought out of his head, preparing himself for another day. A small part of him hoped today might be the day Aelius’ leg felt better, but ultimately he didn’t mind if the horse needed more rest. He didn’t want to leave yet, for whatever reason he felt in his heart.

Ferdinand stared dumbfoundedly at the door in front of him, wondering why it was closed and the hallway was void of any music.

As per their routine, Ferdinand brought a tray of tea and coffee to the piano room, hoping to spend another few hours talking to Hubert and listening to him play song after song before resuming with the rest of their day.

Needless to say, he was confused as to why he arrived with the door locked and no sign of anyone nearby.

Setting the tray down on one of the hallway tables, Ferdinand tried to recall if Dorothea told him anything this morning about Hubert’s schedule. Surely she would alert him if Hubert was unavailable for their afternoon sessions together, yes?

The only time he saw the brunette was when she was humming a pleasant tune to herself while arranging one of the flower vases in the hallway where their bedrooms were located. She even smiled and bid him a good morning!

“Quite strange…” Ferdinand muttered to himself, contemplating what to do next. He wasn’t sure what Hubert did in his spare time outside of this music room, so he didn’t have a place to start looking. He only had the vaguest idea of where Hubert’s bedroom was from what the man told him, but he doubted Hubert would be there this far into the day!

Sighing, Ferdinand grabbed the tray and made his treck back to the dining hall, hoping to maybe catch Dorothea and ask her if there was some sort of change in Hubert’s schedule for the day that she (or he the other day) didn’t tell him.

“Hubie wasn’t in the music room?” Dorothea asked, looking just as perplexed as Ferdinand did moments ago.

Evidently, he managed to run into Dorothea on his way out of the kitchen. Apparently, she was going to have an afternoon snack before continuing with the rest of her day.

Ferdinand nodded and said, “Yes, he wasn’t there for whatever reason!” He sighed. “He never mentioned anything yesterday afternoon about not being there, so I was wondering if perhaps he told you something?” He ventured, hoping Dorothea knew where Hubert could possibly be. If the man wanted his privacy, then Ferdinand was willing to give it to him.

Dorothea tapped her chin, contemplating the question. She looked like she was about to answer before something dawned on her. Gasping, she muttered something under her breath as she turned away from Ferdinand.

“Er, Dorothea?” Ferdinand asked, wondering what Hubert could have done to make the normally peppy woman upset.

“How typical…” she sighed, returning her attention to Ferdinand. “Sorry Ferdie, I think Hubert might have stayed up all night working on… something. He might be asleep right now or in his study.”

“Ah I see…” Ferdinand said, sighing in relief. “That is good to know! We can perhaps have tea and coffee tomorrow afternoon then.”

“Oh don’t let Hubert being asleep in the afternoon stop you!” Dorothea said, a determined look in her eyes. “Just have your tea and coffee with him tonight instead! He always makes it a point to practice everyday, even at night if he has to. That’s why the music room is so far from the bedrooms.”

“You do not believe he’ll mind?”

“Of course not, silly!” Dorothea insisted. There was something in her smile that made Ferdinand feel like he was missing something. “In fact, I think he’ll really appreciate it.” She said, winking at him.

Ferdinand laughed, unsure how to respond. He supposed she had a point! Perhaps Hubert would appreciate some late night company.

“Just don’t do anything risque, alright?” She teased, giggling when the comment made Ferdinand’s cheeks heat up.

Ferdinand sighed in relief when he turned down the hallway and heard the familiar sound of Hubert’s playing. Making his way down the hallways quickly, made a mental note to thank Dorothea later for her help. He just hoped that Hubert wouldn’t turn him away, especially after Ferdinand went through the trouble of making a cup of his favorite coffee blend.

Carefully placing the tray down, Ferdinand quietly knocked on the door to alert Hubert of his presence without alarming the man. Apparently, the knock was loud enough because Hubert’s playing immediately stopped.

Door creeping open, Ferdinand quickly spoke, “Hubert! It’s me!”

“Ferdinand?” Hubert asked, confusion clear in his voice. “What are you doing here so late at night?”

“You were not here this afternoon,” Ferdinand answered, keeping Hubert out of his view. Although with the mansion in complete darkness, it was hard to see if Hubert was right in front of him or not anyways. “When I asked Dorothea where you could be, she told me you might have stayed up all night to do your work, which is very unhealthy might I add!” Hubert huffed, although he could hear the amusement. “So she suggested that I keep you company tonight instead of waiting until tomorrow afternoon. I-If that’s alright with you? It might be a bit presumptuous of me to believe you-”

“I don’t mind at all,” Hubert interrupted. “I do admit, I… missed your company earlier today.”

“Oh,” Ferdinand said, unsure how to respond.

Hubert cleared his throat and Ferdinand could hear him opening the door wider. “Wait, Hubert! What are you doing?!”

“Inviting you in,” He answered, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “We are under the cover of night and I know you don’t have any proficiency with fire magic, so there is no chance of you being able to see my face.” A pause. “I even have the curtains closed, so no moonlight will enter as well.”

“I see…” He said, contemplating the offer. It would be nice to sit somewhere more comfortable, perhaps, than the mansion hallway floor. “Well then, I accept your offer!”

“Splendid.” Hubert said. The sound of his feet moving away from the door could be heard, alerting Ferdinand that he was free to enter now. Grabbing the tray, he quickly made his way inside, keeping the door open in case of anything.

Suddenly, he felt a hand grab his shoulder. Yelping, Ferdinand nearly dropped the tray in shock before he heard Hubert shush him. Calming down, he allowed his shoulders to relax and moved in whatever direction Hubert was leading him.

(It was an unexpected moment of finally having contact with the man, but Ferdinand felt happy. His fingers felt like pianist fingers--long and skinny. His hand felt bigger than Ferdinand imagined, causing a shiver of something to run down his spine.)

“You may sit down on the piano bench,” Hubert spoke, voice closer than Ferdinand imagined. It sounded a little higher up. “I’m afraid there isn’t much furniture in the room aside from the piano and a large table.”

“Are you taller than me?” Ferdinand asked suddenly, cheeks flushing after blurting out the question. The action drew out a quiet chuckle from Hubert, causing Ferdinand to scowl--hopefully--in the man’s direction.

“I believe I am, actually.” Hubert answered, amusement clear. “If it makes you feel better, you’re not that much shorter than I am.”

Oh he could hear the smug look on the man’s face! “Well, I’m glad to hear that.” He said, allowing Hubert to push down on him until he felt his backside make contact with a cushioned seat. Reaching his hand out in front of him, he felt the coolness of ivory grace his fingertips.

“Can you play?” Hubert asked, apparently catching his movement.

“Unfortunately, I can not,” He answered. “My father found indulging in the arts to be a waste of time. My mother, however, encouraged me to try learning the violin before father put an end to that.”

Hubert hummed, thinking something over. “While I would normally agree that it seems like a trivial passtime, I’ve come to appreciate it more lately.” Hubert said, pausing for a moment. “It sometimes helps me focus on something when my mind begins to wander.”

“Does it now?” Ferdinand asked, genuinely curious about the answer.

“Indeed,” Hubert responded, sounding a little lost in thought. “It can also be a good outlet for some pent up frustrations. Much more satisfying to smash my fingers against a bunch of keys than accidentally break something in my office.”

Ferdinand laughed at that. “A good point! I never really thought of music in that way.”

“You’re used to opera performances, yes? It would make sense then since you’re too engrossed in the performance aspect to pay close attention to the musical instruments.”

“I’ll have you know that I paid attention to every detail when my mother and I went to showings!”

Hubert chuckled then. “I can only imagine.”

There was a pause in the conversation as Hubert seemed to contemplate something. In the meantime, Ferdinand ran his fingers across the keys. The coolness felt pleasant against his bare fingers, bringing a smile to his face.

“Would you like to learn how to play?” Hubert offered. He could hear the man cross the room, boots clicking against the floor. He sounded nervous, which Ferdinand thought was quite strange.

“That would be nice,” Ferdinand said, scooting to the other end of the piano bench. He gave it a couple of pats, signalling Hubert to sit down.

He heard the bench squeak at the new weight and Ferdinand felt his stomach start to flutter again. ‘This is the closest we have ever been.’ Ferdinand realized, face heating up a bit. ‘Calm yourself, Ferdinand!’

“How much do you know?”

“About the piano? Not a lot.”

“Then we’ll start with the basics,” Hubert decided, scooting closer to Ferdinand. “We can start with learning a few notes and gradually go from there. May I?”

Ferdinand nodded, jolting in his seat when he felt Hubert take ahold of his hand and position it in the right way. “Relax your hands,” Hubert murmured in his ear, spreading his fingers out to touch the individual keys. “We don’t want the muscles to be stiff while playing, or after you finish.”

“R-Right.”

The rest of their night continued in a similar fashion. Hubert corrected the way Ferdinand’s hands were positioned while explaining which notes belonged to which key, usually by dragging his hands to the correct place. Ferdinand could feel the material of the gloves Hubert wore, the body heat coming through the thin material, and felt his face progressive heat up at the realization.

While they never reached the point of Ferdinand playing an actual song, he felt as though he had a good grasp of which keys belonged to their respective notes. Having some practice with the violin made it much easier to understand the different notes, which Hubert seemed pleased about. Ferdinand felt both shocked and flustered by the small bits of praise the other man gave him, almost to the point of asking him if he would stop whispering them in his ear.

Eventually, their night came to a close. The tea and coffee were drunk after practice was over and they moved onto talking about how their days went (to which Ferdinand teased about spending most of the day asleep, earning a few displeased noises from Hubert).

Once the clock struck midnight, Ferdinand decided to bid Hubert a good night, as well as remind him to sleep during the night rather than the day.

“It is not as though you’re a vampire, Hubert.”

“Are you sure?” Hubert teased. “You did believe my family to be monsters.”

Ferdinand felt his face flush in embarrassment at the accusation, however true it was. “Yes well, I know better now!” Grabbing the tray, Ferdinand allowed Hubert to lead him towards the music room doors, trusting the man’s judgement better with navigating through the dark. “I will see you tomorrow afternoon?”

“Of course,” Hubert said, opening the doors for him. “Goodnight Ferdinand.”

“Goodnight Hubert!”

Hearing the door click behind him, Ferdinand took it as his cue to leave, heading towards the kitchens while (hopefully) not bumping into any of the furniture along the way. Thankfully, some of the curtains were open and allowed some of the moonlight to shine through. Ferdinand vaguely wondered if Dorothea left them open or if the mansion’s magic responded to his wish of having some sort of light guide him through the dark hallways.

(By the time he returned to his room and changed out of his clothes for the day, Ferdinand felt excited for what tomorrow would bring. While he was happy to resume their afternoons together, he felt a bit of disappointment knowing he wouldn’t feel the press of Hubert’s hands against his own until the next nightly visit they had together--if there ever was going to be another one.

Despite how lovely the evening had been as well, he felt saddened by remembering all those times together with his mother. He wondered how his family was doing with his absence, if they worried over his well-being as much as he worried over theirs--Roseline’s especially.)

Ferdinand couldn’t stop thinking about his family after those late-night thoughts invaded his mind and caused problems for his sleep.

Was his family looking for him? Did they know he was safe? Was Ulrich fine? He hoped so. The last time he saw his younger brother he was running from his own group of bandits. The boy’s saving grace was that he rode off in the direction of Aegir territory.

Was Roseline fine? He hoped someone told her that he was fine and just on a trip. Ferdinand didn’t want the sweet girl to worry about him on top of her own illness.

Biting his lip, he wondered if there was a way of seeing at least one member of his family again. His father was out of the question, especially since Hubert made it adamantly clear that he didn’t like the man. Roseline was too fragile to bring here, especially with her illness wrecking her body.

That left Ulrich as the only candidate. ‘But would Hubert be fine with that?’ He wondered. He didn’t want to impose on Hubert’s hospitality, but…

But Ferdinand missed them greatly and worried for their safety. He was thankful for Dorothea, Hanneman, and Hubert’s companionship, but he still felt lonely without his family nearby.

Surely Hubert would understand, right? It wasn’t as though he was requesting for Ulrich to stay here with him, just allow him to be here for a few hours at the most. In fact, the man could try teleporting the younger man if he so wished.

Ferdinand steeled his resolve and endeavored to ask Hubert later this afternoon. He couldn’t see how anything bad could come from his younger brother visiting.

Hubert, of course, didn’t like it. He couldn’t see the man’s scowl, but he could feel it through the cracked door.

“I promise I will keep him on his best behavior!” Ferdinand said. “He is normally a well-behaved boy, so I do not believe you will have to worry about him snooping around.”

“You make it sound like you’re requesting to bring a dog in the house…” Hubert muttered, loud enough for Ferdinand to hear (“I am not!”). “If I agree, will you be satisfied?”

Ferdinand blinked a few times, shocked by the question. “Yes, I promise I will be! It will only be for a few hours. Long enough to tell Ulrich not to let Father worry himself into an early grave or for Roseline to worry as well.”

Hubert sighed. “Fine, I will allow your brother to come here.”

“Thank you-!”

“However, I warn you, do not let him influence you.”

“Influence me? What do you mean?”

“Influence… manipulate… whatever word you would prefer. You will come to regret it if you do.”

Ferdinand woke the next morning to Dorothea’s loud knocking and Ulrich’s demanding voice.

‘Ah, I was not expecting to see him quite yet.’ Ferdinand thought, getting out of the bed quickly and opening the door. He was greeted by Dorothea's annoyed scowl and Ulrich’s shocked expression.

“You have a guest.” Dorothea said, glaring at his brother. “You could use better manners.” She told Ulrich, walking away while his brother stood there spluttering.

“Ulrich, come inside!” Ferdinand said, pulling the younger man in before he could follow after Dorothea and chide her for her behavior. “It is wonderful to see you alive and well!”

“Ferdinand,” Ulrich greeted. His smile seemed strained, but Ferdinand attributed it to the younger man suddenly finding himself in an unknown place. “It is good to see you alive as well.”

“I apologise for the sudden summon. I asked my gracious host if it would be fine to have company for a few hours and he was kind enough to listen to my request.”

“I suppose that explains why I woke to Aelius sniffing my face…” Ulrich muttered, staring angrily down at the floor.

Ferdinand laughed though, hoping it would lighten the mood. “You woke up in the stables? Quite an odd place to be warped to!”

“Yes.”

Ferdinand stood in front of the wardrobe, unsure of what to do with the awkwardness between the two. Deciding to change into something more appropriate, Ferdinand grabbed ahold of the handles and envisioned his usual day clothes from the Aegir Mansion. Opening the doors, he was pleased to see the ensemble hanging inside.

“How did you do that?” Ulrich suddenly asked. Ferdinand turned to face him, taking in his brother’s shocked expression.

“The mansion is enchanted.” Ferdinand explained, gesturing vaguely to the room. “It is just the way the place is.”

“Enchanted?” Ulrich questioned, squinting at the walls. “Who…?”

“We are in House Vestra’s old territory.” Ferdinand said slowly, wincing when he saw his brother’s mouth hang open in shock. “I know it sounds bad but-”

“Of course it ‘sounds bad’ Ferdinand!” Ulrich yelled, standing up quickly and pacing across the room. “Do you not remember what people say about House Vestra?”

“Those are nothing but baseless rumors!” Ferdinand argued back, glaring at Ulrich. “There is no proof of House Vestra’s betrayal to their oaths. Hubert assured me as much-”

“Hubert?” Ulrich squaked, staring at Ferdinand. “You’re on a first-name basis with that monster-”

“Hubert is not a monster!” Ferdinand snapped, slamming the wardrobe doors shut. “He is a kind man and has been a gracious host. He did not have to allow me to stay for as long as I have, but he has-”

Ulrich snorted, interrupting Ferdinand’s defense. “Careful brother mine, it almost sounds like you fancy the so-called man.” Turning to face Ferdinand, Ulrich’s face rushed through a flurry of different emotions before settling on something close to his earlier shock. “Oh sweet Sothis, you do fancy him don’t you?”

‘Do I?’ Ferdinand thought, trying to come up with some sort of defense against Ulrich’s accusation, but he couldn’t think of anything. ‘Is… Is that why I get excited just from hearing his voice?’

Ulrich’s sudden laugh broke Ferdinand out of his thoughts, looking up quickly to stare at his brother’s knowing smirk. “I can’t believe it. Father’s perfect heir fancies one of the most dangerous men in all of Adrestia.” He spat out, running his hand through his messy hair. “Oh dear brother mine, you really are a fool, aren’t you?”

“How am I a fool?” Ferdinand asked, glaring at the younger man. “I don’t see what is wrong with-”

“You forget, brother mine, that you’re dealing with a Vestra!” He snapped, slamming his hand down against the vanity top. “A traitor to the throne and a beast in human form. You’re fooling yourself if you believe he’s capable of something like love.”

“You have no right to speak like this!”

“I don’t?” Ulrich challenged, looking his brother in the eyes. “Then tell me, what does this ‘Hubert’ look like? Have you ever seen the man?” He asked, tilting his head and then throwing it back with a laugh when he was met with silence. “He must look like a hideous beast, waiting to devour you in a moment of weakness. Why else would he be so insistent on keeping his appearance hidden away, brother dear?”

“I…” Ferdinand started, unsure of what to say. “It does not matter! I know he is not some hideous beast. I’ve felt his hands and they felt like yours and mine’s.”

“He’s a mage, yes?” Ulrich questioned, squinting at Ferdinand. “How do you know he didn’t just enchant his hands to appear normal? If he was able to bring me here with magic, then it wouldn’t be hard for him to put up a glamour!”

Ferdinand bit his lip, unsure of how to argue against something like that.

Ulrich took Ferdinand’s hesitation as a sign to continue. “Ferdinand, you’re much smarter than this! You’re allowing that snake to manipulate you!”

“Enough!”

“He must be an awful snake of a man. A real monster!”

“Enough Ulrich!” Ferdinand yelled, breathing heavily. “Enough. You have never met Hubert, so don’t make these false accusations against him!”

Rolling his eyes, Ulrich crossed his arms as he stared down at Ferdinand. “Then assure me that your ‘gracious host’ isn’t some sort of monster… Ah but you can’t! Because you’ve never seen the man’s face before.” Snorting, Ulrich shook his head. “Typical Ferdinand, falling for someone he’s never seen before. You always were a hopeless romantic.”

“Then what would you have me do?!” Ferdinand challenged, crossing his arms as well. “I’m not allowed to see what he looks like-”

“Because that doesn’t make everything seem even more suspicious-”

“And I don’t know fire magic. All the candles are enchanted to never burn after a certain hour as well, so spying on him under the cover of night will do no good.”

Ulrich fell silent after that, which Ferdinand felt grateful for. This was not how he envisioned reuniting with at least one member of his family! At this rate, he almost wished he asked if his father could visit. At least then he wouldn’t feel embarrassed by getting scolded by his younger brother. How humiliating, especially since the two of them were yelling! No doubt Dorothea likely heard them.

“I think I have a solution.” Ulrich said suddenly, wincing at Ferdinand’s scowl. “I apologise, brother mine. I just… worry is all. We both grew up hearing the stories about House Vestra. Can you blame me for worrying about my older brother’s safety?”

Ferdinand felt his shoulders slump at the apology. “I suppose you have a point…” Ferdinand murmured. “Very well, I will hear your solution.”

Smiling, Ulrich stood in front of the wardrobe next to Ferdinand. “You said this wardrobe is enchanted, right?” At Ferdinand’s nod, he continued. “Does it only make clothes appear? Or can it make other objects appear as well?”

“I’m not sure.” Ferdinand answered honestly, tilting his head. “What are you getting at, Ulrich?”

Instead of answering, Ulrich copied Ferdinand’s earlier actions and closed his eyes, firmly grasping the handles of the wardrobe. Taking a deep breath, he quickly opened the wardrobe doors and gave a triumphant cry at the objects resting inside of it. “It worked,” Reaching down, Ulrich revealed two objects in his hands. “Here, a lantern and a box of matches!”

“And what am I supposed to do with these?”

“Use them to take a peek at your darling’s face.” Ulrich answered, grinning as he handed the two objects to Ferdinand. “You said the candles are unable to burn after a certain hour, yes? Well that magic shouldn’t affect something that belongs outside of the original enchantment!”

“Hence the lantern and matches.” Ferdinand realized quickly, staring down at the two objects.

“Hence the lantern and matches.” Ulrich repeated, nodding his head. “When it’s late enough, you can light the lantern with one of the matches and sneak into von Vestra’s room. I doubt the light will bother him as well, so there’s no way you’ll get caught!”

Pursing his lips, Ferdinand set the objects down on his bed. “I don’t know Ulrich…” Ferdinand said. “It feels as though I’m betraying Hubert’s trust by doing this.”

“Come now brother, what’s the worst that could happen?”

Ferdinand didn’t reply. Instead, he turned away and moved to dress behind the divider screen.

“Now let us move on from this topic, shall we?” Ulrich called out, settling somewhere in Ferdinand’s room. “I bet you’re dying to know what has been happening since your absence. For starters, Father seems to be-”

Ferdinand felt bad, but he tuned his brother’s voice out. He went through the motions of changing into his day clothes, but an unusual anxiety settled in the pit of his stomach at what Ulrich suggested. His plan was sound, but Ferdinand still felt as though he was betraying Hubert somehow if he agreed to do this.

‘Hubert is not a monster,’ Ferdinand thought to himself. ‘Hubert is not some sort of monster waiting to eat an unexpecting maiden or whatever fairy tale Ulrich believes. I know it.’

(‘That still doesn’t explain why he wants to keep his appearance a secret.’)

(No, he mustn’t think like that.)

(Unfortunately for him, he missed the smug look that crossed his brother’s face, seemingly sensing his brother’s distress at that very moment.)

Ulrich left without much fanfare. He agreed to let their father know that Ferdinand was fine and well, even promising not to tell him that he was in old Vestra territory. Knowing their father, the man would have a heart attack if he knew his eldest son was consorting himself with a von Vestra. His reputation as future Prime Minister could be damaged if the people knew he was trying to make friends with the House that supposedly forsakened their vows and cursed House Hresvelg.

“Remember what I said, brother mine.” Ulrich emphasized, covered in the distinctive light of a warp spell.

“I will.” Ferdinand responded, unsure of what to say. Nevertheless, Ulrich seemed pleased, giving his brother a knowing smile before disappearing completely, likely already back in Aegir territory in a matter of seconds.

Ferdinand stood there staring at the place where Ulrich once stood, unsure of what to do now.

‘He doesn’t know anything,’ Ferdinand reasoned, walking back towards the mansion. Dorothea stood waiting by the door with her arms crossed, but nevertheless seemed pleased with his brother being gone for good. ‘He’s just a child who only knows silly rumors and stories told at night to make children behave.’

(‘He brings up good points though.’

‘Enough.’)

“Are you sure he was your brother?” Dorothea questioned, squinting at his face. “The resemblance is there, but his attitude was awful!”

Giving a tired smile, Ferdinand shrugged. “I suppose he takes more after Father in some ways…” Dorothea snorted, which he supposed told him all he needed to know about what she thought of that statement. “I apologise for his behavior though. You know how teenagers can be. He’s rather moody and bratty at home as well.”

“I guess,” she said, unconvinced. “That still doesn’t mean he can talk however which way he wants to me!”

“Of course not,” Ferdinand agreed quickly, not wanting to upset his friend. “Again, I’m sorry for how he acted.”

Dorothea waved the apology off. “It’s not your fault, Ferdie, so you don’t have to keep apologizing for him.” She paused, biting her lip for a moment. “Do you trust us?”

“Huh?”

“Do you trust us?” Dorothea asked again. “I promise no one here is lying to you, Ferdinand.”

“I know.” Ferdinand said, wincing at how unconvincing his tone sounded. Dorothea, unfortunately, picked up on it as well and sighed.

“Just… please. Trust us a little longer, okay? I promise it will all make sense much later.”

Ferdinand didn’t know how to respond to that.

Ferdinand wanted to ignore the seed that was planted by Ulrich, he really did, but now Ulrich’s warning wouldn’t stop ringing inside his head.

“You forget, brother mine, that you’re dealing with a Vestra! A traitor to the throne and a beast in human form. You’re fooling yourself if you believe he’s capable of something like love.”

Ulrich was wrong though; Hubert loved him. While the man never said the words out loud, Ferdinand could see it in his actions, the gentle way he held Ferdinand’s hands as they played the piano in the cover of darkness.

“He must look like a hideous beast, waiting to devour you in a moment of weakness. Why else would he be so insistent on keeping his appearance hidden away, brother dear?”

(Hubert’s hands felt human, despite the gloves covering them. They felt warm and real and normal. There was no way Hubert was some kind of monster.)

“He must be an awful snake of a man! A real monster!”

The lantern and matches his brother gave him sat at the edge of his bed, taunting him with its presence.

“Come now brother, what’s the worst that could happen?”

Pursing his lips, Ferdinand grabbed the lantern and hid it underneath the bed, hoping that Dorothea wouldn’t find it while doing… whatever it was her duties were.

(Thinking about it now, Ferdinand has never once seen Dorothea clean the mansion despite her claim of being a maid. Hanneman, too, is never seen outside of the library with his nose buried in whatever he was researching.

Ferdinand doesn’t know what to do with these realizations, but something unpleasant settles in the pit of his stomach.)

After the grandfather clock chimed in the dining hall and everyone departed for their rooms for the night, Ferdinand waited patiently for the halls of the Vestra Mansion to go utterly silent. Once he was sure no one was awake, not even Hubert, Ferdinand would use that opportunity to put his plan into motion.

Grabbing the lantern, but keeping it off for the time being, Ferdinand crept quietly down the hall as he made his way towards Hubert’s bedroom. He remembers passing by it on the way to the piano room, the large double-doors always perking Ferdinand’s interest.

Quietly, Ferdinand crept inside the room, taking extra care to open the door as silently as possible. Vaguely, he could see an outline of a body on the large bed and held his breath. Apparently, even Hubert needed his sleep despite the man claiming he preferred working at night. As he approached the bed, he held up the lantern and lit one of the matches to use to illuminate the object.

Once the lantern was lit and the match was blown out, Ferdinand crept closer to the bed. He could see Hubert’s even breathing in the low light of the lantern as his chest moved up and down, showing that the man was in a deep sleep. Ferdinand felt himself relax a little at the realization.

Holding the lantern up higher, Ferdinand’s breath hitched as he took in Hubert’s appearance.

Ferdinand had spent weeks fantasizing about what Hubert looked like. Each time something about the fantasy changed because it never seemed right. Clearly, his heart knew the truth because Hubert was much more handsome in person than any of those fantasies.

The first thing Ferdinand noticed was that Hubert looked human. Wonderfully human and not some beast like he feared. He had dark hair that framed a handsome face with sharp cheekbones and wonderfully kissable lips. His shoulders were peeking out from the covers and looked broad, making Ferdinand’s face heat up a little. He seemed quite pale though, which Ferdinand assumed was from spending most of his time in darkness.

Ferdinand felt beside himself with joy, immensely happy to know that the man he fell in love with wasn’t some horrid beast or snake in human’s skin. The man before him was a man! A handsome one at that! Perhaps with Hubert’s noble birth, his father would be willing to let them marry as well? It would take a bit of convincing; no doubt his father has heard the rumors about the Vestras, but Ferdinand was certain he could convince him otherwise.

“Oh thank the Goddess,” Ferdinand whispered, relief palpable in his voice.

Bringing the lantern closer, Ferdinand tried getting a closer look at the man. The sudden movement of the lantern caused some of the oil to churn inside with one drop landing on Hubert’s exposed collarbone.

Ferdinand paused, trying to back away slowly but couldn’t move. He watched as Hubert’s handsome face twisted and the man slowly opened his eyes (a lovely pale green color, Ferdinand noticed), blinking the sleep out of his eyes. The man groaned as he sat up, rubbing his face with bare (scared) hands.

“Dorothea, this better be good. Do you have any idea what time it-” Hubert complained before cutting himself off, staring at Ferdinand with wide eyes.

It was almost comical seeing how shocked Hubert looked, but the short moment of amusement quickly went away when he saw how Hubert’s expression turned from shock to betrayal.

“Ferdinand?” Hubert whispered. “What are you doing here?”

“I-”

“Why- Where did you get that lantern?” He questioned further, slowly getting up from out of the bed.

“My brother- He-”

“Ferdinand,” Hubert hissed, breathing heavily. “What have you done?!”

“I’m sorry!” Ferdinand said quickly, setting the lantern down on Hubert’s nightstand. “I know I broke the rule, but-”

“You did more than just break a rule Ferdinand!” Hubert snapped. “Now everything is ruined.”

“Ruined?” Ferdinand asked, suddenly confused. “Hubert, if you were worried about how I would react to seeing your face, then you had nothing to worry about! Nothing is ruined between us.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Hubert whispered, shoulders falling in defeat.

“Then please, explain to me what you mean.” Ferdinand stepped closer, grasping at Hubert’s shoulders. “What did you mean?”

A pause. Hubert was looking up at him with such a defeated look that Ferdinand had no idea what to make of it. He suddenly felt so guilty for causing such a look to cross his beloved’s face. He never meant to make Hubert upset! He was only curious.

Suddenly, all the candles in the room lit up at once, illuminating the space in brightness. Both Ferdinand and Hubert flinched at the sudden light, but Hubert moved quickly to pull Ferdinand down onto the man’s bed, causing Ferdinand to yelp in surprise.

“Oh what a shame,” a voice said. “You were so close, too, von Vestra.”

Turning around, Ferdinand looked at the stranger. The man was relatively tall with long, straight hair and had a condescending look on his face. He looked terribly familiar, but Ferdinand couldn’t place why. Apparently, the man saw Ferdinand’s staring and gave him a patronizing smile before returning his attention back to Hubert.

“Arundel,” Hubert snarled, glaring at the man.

“Regent Arundel, von Vestra.” The man corrected, scoffing at Hubert’s tone. “I see your manners are lacking as always.”

Hubert didn’t say anything and continued glaring at the current ruler of the Adrestian Empire like he was an annoying bug that needed to be squished.

Regent Arundel smiled though, unconcerned with Hubert’s silence. “Nevertheless, I am here to make sure you uphold your end of our bargain.” Then, the older man snapped his fingers, causing the flames around them to change to a ghostly green color. “Try not to make this difficult. I am a very busy man, after all, given how I have an empire to run.”

Suddenly, the shadows shot out from their place and wrapped around both Ferdinand and Hubert, holding them in place despite their struggles. Arundel laughed and Ferdinand watched in horror as his skin melted away to reveal pale skin and soulless eyes. The man gave a wicked grin at the struggling pair and took slow, deliberate steps towards them.

“Normilary I would be pleased to have a supply to Saint blood at my disposal,” Arundel said, looking over Ferdinand as though he were livestock. “But that would mean explaining to that buffoon of a Prime Minister where the supplies came from. A shame we can’t say we used one of his many bastard children.”

Ferdinand felt his face go pale at the implications of Arundel’s statement.

Hubert snarled, still trying to remove himself from the binds. “Don’t touch him-”

“Calm down,” Arundel chided. “There’s no need to keep the charade going, you have failed, von Vestra.” That sickening smile returned. “If only von Aegir here waited another day or two, but alas it was not meant to be.”

“I did not fail!” Hubert argued.

“Hubert-”

“Goodbye, von Aegir. It was a pleasure to meet you, especially after those little rumors spread of your untimely demise.” He chuckled. “I almost legitimized your younger brother so Duke Aegir could have an heir he desperately needs. How fortunate for him that he won’t have to live with the stain of resorting to a bastard child.”

With that, the green flames surrounding them suddenly burst into a blinding light, causing Ferdinand to look away. When he opened his eyes, the shadows binding him were gone, along with Hubert.

Whatever magic was used to enchant the household seemed to vanish quickly as well, Ferdinand noted as he walked down the hallways to see broken furniture and cobwebs scattered about. It looked nothing like the luxurious mansion that Ferdinand had grown accustomed to.

The darkness, however, remained the same as always. Ferdinand couldn’t see what was in front of him and refused to use that accursed lantern again, not after all the grief it caused tonight.

Hubert was far from a snake in human skin, but it was fair to say that description belonged to his younger brother.

In the time Ferdinand spent staring at the spot he last saw Hubert, he reevaluated his brother’s behavior and realized just how much of a fool he was. The only way Duke Aegir would ever resort to legitimizing Ulrich is if Ferdinand was somehow dead. Their father would rather give up indulging in wine and his various mistresses before naming his daughter heir to the Aegir name. Of course he would resort to legitimizing Ulrich if it was a last resort.

‘Damn them both,’ Ferdinand bitterly thought, keeping his hand steady on the wall as he walked down the hallway. ‘Damn Father’s pride and Ulrich’s greed.’

“Ferdinand!” a voice called out. Looking up, he saw Dorothea running down the hall towards him, Hanneman behind her. They were dressed differently than normal, no longer in their uniforms. “What happened? Why is the mansion like this? You have a lot of explaining to do!”

Ferdinand winced at Dorothea’s tone. This was definitely the angriest he’s ever heard her. “Dorothea-”

“After all our hard work, this is what it’s come to?” Dorothea ranted, glaring at Ferdinand.

“Now, now,” Hanneman said, trying to calm the brunette down. “Not all hope is lost.”

“Oh really?” Dorothea snarked, crossing her arms. “And what makes you think that?”

Hanneman not-so-subtly fixed his gaze on Ferdinand.

Dorothea huffed.

“Dorothea, please,” Ferdinand pleaded, stepping closer to the pair. “What exactly is going on? Why did Regent Arundel whisk Hubert away?”

Before Dorothea could retort, Hanneman intervened. “I’m afraid Hubert made an… agreement with Lord Ardundel.” He paused, thinking about how to explain this properly. “According to Hubert, Lord Arundel was responsible for the ‘illness’ that plagued the royal family.”

“What?!”

Hanneman nodded, continuing where he left off, “Except that ‘illness’ was a lie fabricated to hide the truth from the populace. In truth, Lord Arundel and his associates experimented on the royal children… from the eldest to the youngest, none of them were safe from the horrors inflicted upon them.” Dorothea looked pained at the words and Ferdinand felt light headed at the implications. “Out of all the children, only Edelgard survived. However, Emperor Ionius died not long after her safe return…”

“Probably of a broken heart,” Dorothea murmured, gaze locked to the floor.

“T… That’s horrible!” Ferdinand cried out. “How could someone do that to their own kin?”

Hanneman shook his head, looking upset. “I doubt whoever that is masquerading as Lord Arundel cares that much.” At Ferdinand's confused look, Hanneman gave a nervous smile. “You saw his real face, yes? Pale as a corpse with those white, soulless eyes… a monster masquerading as a human being.”

Ferdinand shuddered at the memory, swallowing nervously. “Yes, I saw what he really looked like… I doubt the man’s face will leave my mind any time soon.” He whispered. “But what does that have to do with Hubert?”

“Hubert is very loyal to Lady Edelgard,” Hanneman stated, as though it were fact. “He would do anything to support her. In order to do that… he made a deal with Lord Arundel.”

“What kind of deal?” Ferdinand asked nervously, feeling that anxiety bubbling in the pit of his stomach return.

“Lady Edelgard would be allowed to have her throne again if Hubert could prove that trust can overcome anything.” Hanneman answered, a pained look crossing his face. “Lord Arundel set the requirements and Hubert devoted much of his life to trying to prove Arundel wrong.”

“Then why does Hubert believe he didn’t fail…?” Ferdinand asked, looking away. “If anything, my mistake didn’t help his cause.”

Dorothea shook her head, mouth tight as she said, “Arundel said Hubert needed to prove that someone could love him on trust alone.” She emphasized. “It had to be a stranger too, not someone he knows.”

“So that’s why…” Ferdinand trailed off, coming to the realization.

Dorothea nodded. “Yes… but I promise those feelings were genuine!” Dorothea said quickly. “I’ve never seen Hubert happier than these last days you’ve spent together.”

Ferdinand stayed silent, wanting to believe that Dorothea wasn’t just saying that to him.

“Ferdinand,” Hanneman said. “Please, we will need your help with this.”

“Why? So I can mess everything up even further?” He asked dejectedly.

“No, so you can fix this mess,” Dorothea corrected, voice hardening. “Prove your love! Prove that you two loved each other before tonight happened! Yes, you didn’t quite trust him, but you love him! You both proved Arundel wrong.”

“I’m such a fool,” Ferdinand bemoaned, burying his head in his hands. “I shouldn’t have let my brother talk me into all of that!”

“And you can still redeem yourself!” Dorothea reassured, giving Ferdinand a tiny smile. “We can’t give up on Hubie!”

“Indeed,” Hanneman agreed, nodding along to Dorothea. “We must be quick though. No doubt Arundel has prepared some sort of binding ritual to prevent Hubert from disobeying him. Once that’s in place, it will be hard to help Hubert escape.”

“Right,” Ferdinand said, conviction clear. “Let us hurry!”

Rushing down the hallway, the trio quickly prepared themselves for the trip to Enbarr. Hanneman, thankfully, had a warping spell prepared in case of an emergency, which would speed up their arrival immensely.

‘I’m coming Hubert!’ Ferdinand thought, light shimmering over them as Hanneman activated the spell. ‘I will not fail you!’

Ferdinand couldn’t tell if it was his memory failing him, but Enbarr felt… different than the last time he stepped foot in the city. Granted, a lot could happen in over a decade, but somehow the oppressive air surrounding the city felt unnatural.

Looking over at Dorothea and Hanneman, he saw the two grimace at the state of the city as well. It was a hard sight to take in; the majestic architecture in disarray and the streets empty save for a few brave souls. There were people begging on the streets and children wandering around without their parents.

“So much for bringing Adrestia into a golden age,” Dorothea muttered, tears glistening in her eyes as she watched a young girl cry out for her mother. “Things are a lot worse than we thought…”

“It would appear only the nobles are profiting off of whatever deals Arundel has made,” Ferdinand said, frowning at the state of everything. “No doubt this is how Father has accumulated so much wealth in a short period of time.”

“Quickly you two,” Hanneman urged, waving the pair towards one of the alleyways. “We must remain vigilant. Who knows what sort of spies are lurking in the shadows.”

Nodding, the two followed after Hanneman as they made their way through the winding alleys of Enbarr’s streets. Thankfully, no one looked twice at the trio, which made it easy for them to make it to their destination without fail.

Approaching the door, Dorothea knocked in a set pattern and stepped back from the door. As soon as she did, the door swung open and revealed a young woman with dark skin and markings on her face. She smiled warmly at Dorothea, moving to give her a quick hug. “Dorothea! I am pleased to see you are well!”

“Petra!” Dorothea greeted back, hugging her tighter. “You’re a sight for sore eyes! When did you get back? You have to tell me everything later!”

“Of course, Dorothea!” Petra agreed. Turning her attention to Hanneman, she gave him a quick nod and stared in mild confusion at Ferdinand. “Who is this?”

“He’s the one I mentioned in my letters,” Dorothea started, waving Ferdinand closer. “Petra, meet Ferdinand. Ferdie, meet Petra. She’s the Princess of Brigid!”

“A pleasure to meet- Wait? Did you say princess?” At Dorothea’s nod, Ferdinand gave a hasty bow. “My apologies! It is a great honor to meet you, Princess!”

“There is no need for this,” Petra said, looking distressed. Dorothea giggled, clearly amused by the situation. “We are friends now, yes? There will be no bowing, Ferdinand.”

“P-Petra! Who’s that at the door?” A timid voice called out. “It’s not some sort of assassin is it? Oh I knew someone would find us eventually! Stupid Bernie, you just had to get that new book the other day… I bet it’s that man that was following you…”

“Bernie, it’s me! Dorothea!” Dorothea called out, giving an exasperated sigh. “I brought Professor Hanneman and the man I mentioned in my letters!”

“D-Dorothea?” The voice--Bernie?--called out. In an instant, Ferdinand saw a shorter girl with purple hair peeking out from behind the door, eyes wide as she took in Dorothea’s appearance. “Dorothea! You’re back! Thank goodness you’re not some horrible assassin sent to kill us…”

“You must be excusing, Bernie,” Petra said to Ferdinand, a fond smile creeping up on her face. “She gets scared easily.”

“I’m serious, Petra! Someone was following me yesterday…”

“Relax Bernie, I’m sure it was just some pick-pocketer trying to see if he could swipe something off of you before he saw Petra.” Dorothea reassured, placing a hand on the girl’s shoulders.

“I don’t think that makes me feel better…” She pouted, turning to face Ferdinand. “Eep! I’m sorry! I never introduced myself, did I? I’m Bernadetta.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Bernadetta!” Ferdinand greeted, sticking a hand out to the purple haired girl. “I am Ferdinand von Aegir.”

“Nice to meet- Wait. Wait, wait, wait, you’re who?” Bernadetta screeched, backing away from Ferdinand quickly. “But you’re supposed to be dead! At least, that’s what the rumors are saying…”

“Most likely spread by my brother,” Ferdinand stated, brow furrowed. Turning to Dorothea and Hanneman, he asked, “Could that help us?”

“Arundel knows you’re alive though,” Dorothea countered. “Whether he thinks you’ll come for Hubert is another story…”

“What has happened to Hubert?” Petra questioned, turning her attention to Dorothea and Hanneman. “If something has happened to Hubert, then we must be informing Edelgard.”

“We can explain once we’re inside,” Dorothea promised, eyes darting around the alleyway. “We wouldn’t want someone listening in.”

“So Hubert almost made it to the deadline but didn’t because Ferdinand peeked?” Bernadetta asked, scratching the top of her head in confusion. “And that only happened because Ferdinand’s little brother got jealous and convinced him to break the rules?”

“Pretty much,” Dorothea summarized, leaning against Petra on the couch they were sharing.

“B-But Arundel is really scary,” Bernadetta whimpered, wrapping a blanket further around her. “How are we supposed to beat him? His magic is really strong…”

“We prove him wrong,” A voice called out, starting everyone. Everyone turned their heads to see a young woman with white hair and amethyst eyes entering through one of the back doors, disguised in a brown cloak. “Truthfully, Hubert and Ferdinand didn’t fail. An outside influence caused it, which was against the rules set between those two. My uncle will have no choice but to recognize this.”

“Edie!” Dorothea greeted cheerfully, getting up from her spot on the couch and running over to hug the white haired woman. “Oh how I’ve missed you!”

“I missed you too, Dorothea,” The woman said, hugging her back. As she pulled away, her eyes locked with Ferdinand’s for a moment and she looked startled to see him there. Quickly regaining her composure, she shot a questioning look to Dorothea, who nodded in response. “Hello, I’ve heard about you in Dorothea’s letters. You’re Ferdinand von Aegir, yes?”

“Indeed I am!” Ferdinand confirmed, tilting his head in confusion. “Forgive me, but would you happen to be…”

“Edelgard von Hresvelg,” She introduced, giving a slight bow.

“Then please, you must forgive me,” Ferdinand pleaded, bowing lowly to the woman before him. “It was my carelessness that caused this situation to happen. I intend to do whatever I can to fix my mistakes!”

Edelgard nodded, smiling at Ferdinand’s declaration. “Thank you Ferdinand, you don’t know how much it means to me to hear you say that. When my uncle returned to the Imperial Palace with Hubert, I feared the worst.” She frowned, recalling the memory. “However, as I said, you both didn’t fail his test. Had it not been for your brother’s interruption, I have no doubt you would have passed.”

“You said we must prove him wrong, yes?” Ferdinand asked. “How do you suppose we do that?”

“To love someone is to have complete and utter faith and trust in them,” Edelgard intoned, determination sparkling in her eyes. “Therefore, you must prove your love to Hubert by placing your trust in him.”

“I understand,” Ferdinand nodded, determination rising. “I will not fail this!”

“Excellent,” Edelgard smiled, making her way towards the front door. “Now then, shall we be on our way? I believe we have a ceremony to interrupt. Professor Hanneman, I trust you to keep watch over our hideout. Petra, Dorothea, and Bernadetta, we’ll be needing your help as well.”

“Yes, Edelgard!”

It was surprisingly easy to sneak into the Imperial Palace. Despite the number of guards patrolling the area, the small group was able to get inside with relative ease. It helped that Edelgard knew every secret passage from her days of exploring the Palace as a child, something she recalled with a melancholic look on her face when Bernadetta cautiously broached the subject.

“What ceremony is supposed to be happening?” Ferdinand asked, ducking behind one of the walls as he and Edelgard scanned for any guards. “Would Arundel be arrogant enough to crown himself Emperor after only a day?”

Edelgard shook her head, signalling Petra, Dorothea, and Bernadetta to move on ahead. “No, my uncle is many things, but he’s not one to declare victory without it being obvious. Tonight will be the binding spell needed to keep Hubert in-line and compliciate to whatever my uncle tells him to do.”

Ferdinand pursed his lips, following Edelgard as the two of them caught up to their companions.

“We’re not too far from my uncle’s chambers,” Edelgard assured, turning to look at Ferdinand. “The four of us will keep his sorcerers busy while you prove yourself to him.”

“Thank you,” Ferdinand said. “For trusting me, as well.”

“Of course, now don’t let me down.”

Ferdinand nodded, which Edelgard took as their cue to end the conversation there. Silently, they made their way through the twisting halls of the Imperial Palace until they made it to Arundel’s chambers. Stationed outside were two mages, dressed in dark cloaks and covering their faces with dark masks. Edelgard nodded to Petra, signalling her to begin their operation.

Quickly, she pulled out her dagger and charged at the guards, cutting them down with ease before either were aware of the intruders.

“Let us be hurrying!” Petra yelled, slamming the large double doors open. Ferdinand, Edelgard, Dorothea, and Bernadetta quickly charged in, greeted by the sight of various mages dressed similar to the corpses outside the doors. They were in a circle with Arundel in the center, Hubert being held down by the same shadows Ferdinand remembered seeing back at the Vestra Mansion.

“Well this is rather unexpected,” Arundel drawled, hands together as the floor glowed below them. “My dear niece, von Aegir, what are you both expecting to do? Stop me?”

“Yes,” Edelgard stated, wielding her axe close to her chest. Dorothea and Petra came by her sides, thunder magic sparking in Dorothea’s palm while Petra unsheathed her sword. “Your reign is going to end here, uncle.”

Arundel laughed, booming and mocking as it echoed throughout the dark room. “I’m afraid the terms of our agreement have been fulfilled, but if you want to throw your life away, then allow me to indulge you! Men! Attack them!”

Quickly, the group scattered as magical attacks were thrown their way. Bernadetta stayed further back, readying her arrows to strike their enemies from afar. Dorothea stayed close to Petra as the two of them cut down mages with thunder magic and swords.

“Go Ferdinand!” Edelgard commanded, dodging out of the way of a fireball sent by a nearby mage. He saw one of Bernadetta’s arrows strike true and lodge itself in the man’s throat. “We’ll keep these mages busy! Go!”

Nodding, Ferdinand charged ahead, lance held tightly in his hands as he dodged out of the way of any enemy attacks. He hissed at the feeling of a stray thunder spell hitting him, but kept his focus on reaching Arundel and Hubert. The closer he got, the more clearly he could hear whatever incantation Arundel was chanting and saw the glow of the magic circle they were in steadily increasing.

“Hubert!” Ferdinand called out, reaching them as soon as the light died down. “Hubert, are you alright?”

“Ferd...inand…” Hubert muttered, gaze locked to the ground. The shadows slowly unbound themselves from holding Hubert down, but the dark haired man made no move to get up.

“Hubert!” Ferdinand yelled, glaring at Arundel. “What did you do?”

“Taking my prize, of course,” Arundel answered, smirking down at Hubert. “Rise.” He commanded, snapping his fingers.

Ferdinand could see Hubert trembling as he tried to fight against the command, but couldn’t as his body rose up from the ground to face Arundel. Growling, Ferdinand branded his lance towards Arundel. “Let him go this instant!”

“Von Vestra,” Arundel started, ignoring Ferdinand. “Turn around and face the intruder.”

Slowly, Hubert did as he was commanded, face contorted in pain as he faced Ferdinand and the battle raging behind him.

“Excellent! Your manners are much better now, wouldn’t you agree?” Arundel chuckled, stepping closer to Hubert. “I would say this is quite the improvement.”

“Only a monster would resort to using magic this wicked on a person,” Ferdinand declared, glaring at Arundel.

“I don’t believe I need to take any criticisms from a fool like you,” Arundel stated, resting a hand on Hubert’s shoulder. Ferdinand could see him tense for a moment before his body relaxed against his will.

“I may be a fool, but at least I’m not a cheat like you!” Ferdinand said, holding his head high. “Resorting to a trick like that because you knew you would lose in this agreement of yours… how cowardly.”

Arundel’s smirk faded, replaced by a scowl. “I grow tired of your interference.” He drawled, turning his attention to Hubert. “Kill him.” He commanded, smirking at the pained look on Hubert’s face. “In fact, once you’re done with your dearly beloved, kill all the intruders, my niece included.”

Ferdinand paled as he saw Hubert’s hand bubble with dark magic, calling forth spikes that perturbed out of the ground. They seemed to hesitate, no doubt because of Hubert’s own attempts at fighting against the magic controlling him.

“Hubert,” Ferdinand said, biting his bottom lip. “I’m sorry for failing you the first time… but I swear I won’t this time!” He declared, throwing his lance across the room, much to the growing horror on Hubert’s face.

“You fool!” Hubert snapped, hand trembling as the spell grew stronger, spikes growing quicker from the ground. “Run while you can! There’s no way to stop this-”

“And that’s where you’re wrong!” Ferdinand stated, giving Hubert a warm smile. “I know you can break this binding spell and I know your magic won’t hit me! I trust you with all my heart, Hubert!”

Hubert didn’t reply, staring at Ferdinand with what felt like a thousand emotions crossing the man’s face. Finally, it settled on a mixture of happiness, sadness, and determination.

“You’re both fools if you think he can break these binds!” Arundel yelled. Although to Ferdinand, the man didn’t sound as confident as he appeared earlier. “You failed! There’s no going back on this outcome!”

“No, we didn’t.” Hubert said, moving his head to look Arundel straight in the eyes. “We didn’t fail, Arundel. The only person here that did was you!”

In that moments, the chains shimmering around Hubert from the binding spell broke as Hubert’s magic broke through them. With a cry, Hubert sent a Miasma spell in Arundel’s direction, hitting him square in the chest and pushing him back to the wall. Acting quickly, Ferdinand grabbed his discarded lance and rushed to Hubert’s side, holding it close to his chest.

“You did it,” Ferdinand said, smiling up at Hubert. To his surprise, the man returned the gesture, although the smile was tainted with faint exhaustion from fighting back against the binding spell.

“Thank you, Ferdinand,” Hubert said, gaze locked with Ferdinand’s own. “For believing in us.”

“Of course,” Ferdinand’s smile turned down slightly, suddenly apologetic. “I should have trusted you more though. Love cannot win without trust, so forgive me for taking this long to realize this.”

Hubert nodded, reaching one of his hands up to thread his fingers quickly through Ferdinand’s hair, a soft smile gracing the man’s face. “I didn’t blame you, so no more apologies.”

“As touching as this reunion is,” Dorothea said, snapping them both out of their locked gazes. “We still have that jerk to deal with.”

Nodding, the two of them turned their attention back towards Arundel, who was slowly getting up, seething at the turn of events.

“You failed!” Arundel yelled, glaring at their joined hands. “No magic in all of Fodlan should have broken those chains!”

“Because they didn’t fail, uncle,” Edelgard said, coming to stand beside Hubert. “The magic of the binding spell seems to have recognized the truth of what happened, which is why Hubert was able to break out of the spell so quickly.” She paused, smiling at the frustrated yell Arundel gave. “You’ve lost uncle. I believe you have a throne to return to me, yes?”

“As well as paying for your crimes against the Imperial family,” Hubert chimed in, gaze cool as he sneered down at Arundel. “All of Adrestia will know about your crimes. Your allies will be without their power and you will rot in the darkest pits of the Imperial dungeon, right where you belong.”

“Agreed,” Edelgard said, nodding in approval to Hubert. Suddenly, a group of guards rushed inside, Bernadetta trailing behind them. “Guards, take my uncle away.”

“You can’t do this!” He yelled, struggling against the guards holding him. “Do you know who I am? I am Volkhard von Arundel! Regent of the Empire!”

“No,” Edelgard said, glaring at the man. “You’re nothing more than a snake disguised as the man I once knew as my uncle. I’ve been of age for the past month. I’m more than qualified to rule the Empire now.” Turning her attention back to the guards, Edelgard gave them a quick nod. Wordlessly, they dragged the struggling man away, ignoring his yells and attempts at fighting back.

“You will pay for this, girl! You and your little friends have no idea what they’ve brought upon yourselves!”

“Goodbye, uncle,” Edelgard cooly said, not looking back at the man as he was ushered out of the door. “Enjoy rotting in the same cells you kept my siblings and I.”

The months following their storming of the Imperial Palace were a whirlwind of chaos and disarray.

Thanks to Dorothea and her connections, all of Enbarr knew what sort of actions Arundel took to claim the throne from his brother-in-law. Many of the people called for his execution, an idea that felt tempting after all the pain he inflicted upon Edelgard and her family. The new Emperor, however, decided against this, claiming that she wanted to wait before figuring out the most suitable punishment for her uncle’s crimes against the Empire. Any grievances the people had towards the then-Regent of the Empire were systematically brought to Edelgard’s attention thanks to her new Prime Minister, Ferdinand, and her Minister of the Imperial Household, Hubert.

Ferdinand felt guilty to see his father brought before Edelgard to stand on trial for all of his crimes, from heavily taxing his territory to line his own pockets to his complicity in the experimentations and deaths of her siblings--something that caused Ferdinand to avoid Edelgard’s eyes for days after learning about that unspeakable truth. He was thankful when she made it clear that she held no ill-will towards Ferdinand for the actions of his father, reassuring him that she still trusted him.

“If we all judged each other on the sins of our fathers, then I’m afraid no one would get along,” Edelgard stated, placing a comforting hand on Ferdinand’s shoulder. “Everyone should be judged by their own merits, not the merits of those before them.”

Ferdinand supposed the only good thing the man did was disown Ulrich when it came to light all the things he did to secure his place as the heir to the von Aegir name. Ferdinand was horrified to find out that his brother was the cause of Roseline’s illness, slowly poisoning the girl with dangerous berries that grew in the forest surrounding the property. Ferdinand practically tackled Hanneman to the ground when the man promised to find a cure for his poor sister’s illness, overjoyed to know that there was still time to help her.

Perhaps if Ferdinand was less of a good person, he would feel a smug satisfaction seeing his brother taken away in chains, awaiting his punishment in the Imperial dungeons. Hubert, at least, seemed to enjoy the display and openly chuckled at the sight. In truth, Ferdinand felt a sense of sadness over everything. He wanted a good relationship with Ulrich, but it seemed the young man was too caught up in his own greed and pride to even attempt at fostering a genuine relationship with the only family member that cared about him.

“I know it’s hard, Ferdinand, but you’re much better off forgetting about him after everything he’s done.” Hubert said, rubbing comforting circles on the back of Ferdinand’s hand. “The boy you knew when you were younger is gone now… All that’s left is moving forward.”

“You’re right, darling,” Ferdinand said, gently squeezing Hubert’s hand in appreciation. “I cannot allow my past actions to haunt me any longer.”

“Exactly,” Hubert agreed, taking ahold of Ferdinand’s hand and bringing it up to his lips, placing a gentle kiss against his skin. At Ferdinand’s reddening face, Hubert gave a slight smirk. “Oh dear, you’re looking rather red there. Perhaps we’ve been out in the sun too long?”

“You know very well why, so don’t try to play dumb.” Ferdinand muttered, playfully hitting Hubert’s shoulder with his free hand.

Hubert chuckled, stepping back for a moment and turning his gaze out to the sight before them. Their balcony boasted an impressive view of Enbarr and the two watched in comfortable silence as the city bustled with renewed life. They could see men working on the sides of some of the older buildings in the cities, the Mittelfrank Opera House included after Edelgard’s generous donation to the restoration of the building. Ferdinand remembered how Dorothea looked close to tears when she found out and Ferdinand could hardly blame her. He felt his eyes begin to water a little when he first saw the state of the opera house before the restoration began. His mother would have been horrified to see it as it was.

“I’m really glad I met you,” Ferdinand said suddenly, catching Hubert’s attention quickly. “I will admit, I was hesitant at first… especially since you were quite rude.”

Hubert huffed, playfully glaring at the amber haired man before him. “If I recall, you were quite combative when we first met as well.”

“Only because you were rude to me first!”

Waving his hand dismissively, Hubert said, “Regardless, I doubt both of us made a very good first impression on the other…” Chuckling, he continued. “It’s a wonder we’re here now as we are.”

“Indeed,” Ferdinand said, chuckling as well. He smiled, however, stepping closer to Hubert and giving him a back hug, holding the dark haired man’s waist tightly. “I wouldn’t trade it for the world, beloved.”

“Agreed, darling.” Hubert said, a pleasant smile gracing the man’s face. It never failed to warm Ferdinand’s heart to see Hubert look so content and happy.

Together, they stayed like that for a few moments longer before leaving the balcony and returning to the privacy of their bedroom, speaking in hushed tones to each other, never failing to reaffirm their love for each other and the unconditional trust they shared.