Claude von Riegan (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
leicesters) wrote2021-03-08 07:26 am
leicesters) wrote2021-03-08 07:26 am
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isleofavalon
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Let me worry about the tea.
[He means it as an answer to the question, not just a polite gesture, and he hopes Claude will understand it as such. Because then he turns to sort out the tea tray, trading out Marianne's preferred cup for one for Claude. Even that is enough to make his heart ache with the idea that she might be gone entirely. ]
Do you take the chamomile plain as well?
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Yeah, just plain is fine. No milk or honey or anything for me. [He doesn't mind leaving Lorenz to finish preparing it in that case, knowing how particular he is about tea, so he goes to sit back down.]
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You're certain there's nothing?
[Not that he doubts Claude but hearing it again might help to ease the tension in his chest. ]
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[He huffs out a laugh, sitting back and draping his arm around Lorenz as he joins him. It might be a losing battle to try and lighten the mood for Lorenz, but he'll try his best regardless.]
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[A vague gesture at his phone, information he knows won't be there but he still hopes. Even as he corrects him, though, he does smile softly at the endearment and the arm around his shoulders.]
I don't know that there are many that would call me sweet, however.
[A faint chuckle, shaking his head a little but leaning in to kiss Claude's cheek regardless. That done he leans forward to pour his cup, leaving the tea ball in the pot to continue steeping for this ridiculous man he loves so dearly. A hefty spoonful of honey and then he settles back in against Claude to cradle the warmth of the cup in his hands.]
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[For no reason in particular, of course (...?). He leaves the tea to steep a little longer, as with most teas he prefers the stronger brew, before he leans forward just enough to pour himself a cup. He looks a little distracted as he does so, lost in thought.]
... Honestly, I kind of expected something like this would happen. Not to Marianne, necessarily, but in general. It's how this place works. So...
[He shrugs helplessly, sitting back with his own cup of tea in hand. It's hard to be shocked, when Claude is the type to hope for the best, but plan for the worst.]
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[Perhaps it is silly, finding some measure of comfort in the familiar banter, but sniping at Claude is the most distraction he's had from the looming sense of dread that has hovered over him all day. Even if it is from his place curled up beside the other man, snuggled into his side.
Lorenz sips his tea, head lolling to the side to rest on Claude's shoulder between drinks, pensive and tense. ]
Is it truly so common an occurrence? How is any progress to be made when people cannot rely on the others here?
Didn't we lose enough with Celliwig....
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[He takes a sip of his tea, his free hand rubbing his thumb affectionately on Lorenz's shoulder.]
So if I was a bit distant with you for a while after you first got here, that's why. I'm sorry. [He sets his cup down, looking at Lorenz nestled against him.] People coming and going all the time, Teach of all people being so different... I guess it was just hard to figure out who to count on.
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But it's hard to really understand the gravity of such losses until you experience them. The idea that it might be someone you would never see again, rather than knowing precisely when and where they were returning to? ]
I dare not imagine the sort of heartache you were going through then. I'm sorry if I made things more difficult... Especially blaming you for things you hadn't even done yet.
[Lorenz mimics Claude, taking a deep drink of his tea before setting it aside so he can wrap an arm around him as well. ]
At least we know she's safe if that is what's happened
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And you should apologise! What if my poor handsome face got a Lorenz handprint on it permanently!
[He's not actually mad about it, so he just grins slightly before stealing a kiss from Lorenz's forehead. When he settles back again, his expression becomes more serious once more.] As for Marianne -- it sounds like things shake out pretty good for us all at home, so I'm not worried on that front. But she'll be counting on us to see things through here, so it's important we don't get discouraged... No matter how hard that is now.
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If I were intending to leave anything on you permanently it would not be a handprint.
[His hand slides up to brush over Claude's back where his own spirit mark was? is? he's not even sure precisely how much of Claude's had lingered.]
But you're right. Marianne needs us to take care of things on this end so she can see that dawn of yours~ [A gentle squeeze, nuzzling into his shoulder.] And it is a beautiful thing to behold... I don't know if I've actually said that. I think I was too busy being mad at you for leaving me.
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Beautiful... Already? I thought it might take years, decades to make that new dawn the sight I want to see. But if things have already begun to change, I'm glad.
[He holds Lorenz close, and lets out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding -- a sigh of relief. In some ways, it feels like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders, with how much has been on his mind lately.]
You mentioned there was a battle, but none of the good stuff. Can you tell me what it's like?
lalalla making shit up as I go
Her Grace has largely put me in charge of the former Leicester territories, with Gloucester being such a large area we have had trade agreements with most of the other regions and so I've been in the best position to be at least familiar with the goods and resources available.
Those that are resistant to the changes we're trying to bring about are very swiftly being reminded that their positions are at the mercy of the people they have abused for far too long. Enough so that Father has not left the grounds of the estate in weeks now. It would be one thing to have had him executed during the war or early on but he is far too good and playing along in his own interests.
He wouldn't be able to bear going out into the city only to have people humiliate him. They know they needn't endure his... shall we say strict? methods any longer and, though he would never admit it, I do believe he's concerned he will be pelted with spoilt vegetables should he show his face.
[He tries not to smile too much at that idea but he has to press his face into Claude's shoulder to smother it. ]
If that alone is not beautiful enough we have been able to bring a great deal of relief to Fraldarius territory, The Duke and his younger brother, as you know, were the last holdout against the empire for years and we are fortunate to have come to an agreement with them.... Not made any easier by our illustrious leader vanishing from under our noses.
[Lorenz nudges him with his elbow, attempting to give him a scolding look but too pleased to pull it off and instead he just ends up wrinkling his nose in something that is far too cute to be remotely discouraging.]
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That "illustrious leader"-- [the air quotes are practically audible,] --knew that Leicester would be in safe hands if he had to vanish. We even talked about it, remember?
[And Lorenz had freaked out at the time and interpreted it in the most dramatic way possible, but at least he'd had a little warning.]
It sounds like everywhere is gradually starting to not just rebuild, but to remake the way things are done, so I'm glad. What's Hilda up to these days? House Goneril's going to be out of a job soon enough, if they aren't already.
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Surely Claude wouldn't have left them willingly. He'd convinced himself of it even though he knew at that point that he was some manner of high ranking Almyran, what with calling in a significant portion of their army.
Thinking back on it he just shakes his head a little, almost... disappointed in himself. Not even a year ago and still so foolish. But he's here now and can lean in to press a kiss to Claude's cheek.]
I know, I was a fool... It still absolutely made it harder to convince Rodrigue of our reliability.
As for House Goneril... well we didn't expect you to be a King so I suppose more changes will be happening now but Holst has been doing his best to adapt and, more importantly, ensure his people are willing to adapt as well. His men have been very helpful in hunting out lingering Agarthan hide outs and ensuring there were no other survivors of Shambhala's collapse. Hilda on the other hand.....
[Lorenz sighs dramatically, leaning heavily against Claude. In fact, if he doesn't support him Lorenz will end up draped across his lap, head resting on the arm of the couch on the opposite side of him.]
She is acting as a liaison with the estranged Faerghus territories. Or rather she is assuring them they will be allowed to maintain their autonomy, their culture is respected and....... facilitating trade I suppose would the diplomatic way of saying it? We're orchestrating the reconstruction of an entire continent and she's shopping.
[They have had this argument a lot it seems. Though... he does have a gorgeous Srengi feathered hair piece in his armoire back home.]
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[Slacking off under the guise of work as always... Though Hilda had proved very dependable in the war, so he won't gripe on her for taking a little me time and relaxing.
...Although speaking of which, back here and now, he also doesn't mind Lorenz draping himself across him, smiling fondly and brushing a few stray strands from his face.]
Leicester still has plenty of food and wealth to go around that can be shared with Faerghus. And there's even more where that came from in Almyra. Even back when it was still the Kingdom, Faerghus suffered a great deal even before the war, so now is a great opportunity to prove how much better we are united.
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[Claude touches his hair and Lorenz immediately smiles, tilting into the touch no matter how light it may be. He will always encourage Claude playing with his hair. It is soothing in a way he had never realized. ]
Faerghus has suffered on many fronts from this war, they hardly have people left to protest our presence even if they wanted to. A sad fate for a proud people.
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[And ultimately, ordinary people will simply be happy to see the end to the fighting. The manoeuvrings of the nobility won't concern them so long as there's food on the table.
Never one to dwell on the negatives for long, Claude smiles, his hand moving from Lorenz's hair to caress his cheek.]
Anyway, thanks for filling me in. It sounds like things are gonna shake out well, even if they're rough right now... And whatever happens, people will continue to rally around Teach, given everything she's done for Fódlan.
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The Professor is, as always, a beacon of hope and, as the people have come to learn, unerringly pragmatic above all else. Rather the opposite of her predecessors she is doing her best to remove any lingering air of mystery that might make people wary of trusting her. She is relatable to the common people and that has garnered her more support than any grand speeches might have.
He huffs a laugh, turning to press his face into Claude's hand and kiss his palm softly. ]
There is a lot I yet need to learn from her.
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[After Lorenz kisses his palm, Claude playfully leans in and boops him on the nose.]
...all this unnoble lounging around is a good start!
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[He wrinkles his nose, laughing softly and shaking his head, partially as a deterrent and partially as a way to at least try to make it tickle less.]
The ignoble part is more my state of dress then the lounging, I'd think.
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[Mostly, besides when he was butting heads with Gloucester. It was almost a relief in the period Gloucester stopped attending to appease the Empire. Still, Claude did have to learn to act a little more noble picking up from his grandfather, whether he liked it or not.]
And I'm glad you noticed your own scandalous state of undress. Would have hated to have pointed it out to you. One wrong move, and... Oops! [He mimes tugging the gown open.]
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[Here he was going to be nice and acknowledge that he did deserve some credit for his efforts there! Lorenz sits up abruptly, truly sitting on Claude's lap now. His hands come up to tug sharply at the edges of his robe as though it might well fly open in answer to Claude's gesture.]
Khalid!
[Utterly scandalized, face flushing brightly. That- was decidedly unfair! There has been nothing to imply that he had any ill intent, merely a desire to be comfortable.]
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[He holds his hands up to feign innocence, though it isn't working well at all given he has that smug smirk on his face.]
It seems to me like you have an overactive imagination.
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[He knows, to a point, that getting so flustered over it is only going to amuse Claude more but at the same time there's a horrifying moment where he has to wonder if it is his imagination running wild. If he hasn't let himself think too much about-
untoward things.
Things that he certainly didn't mean to think about but then Claude was making suggestions and-
nbjhfgkierws
Lorenz pulls his legs up so he can bury his face in his hands, the backs of his hands pressed to his knees, shaking his head hard for a moment as though he can dismiss the whole line of thought if he wills it hard enough.]
You are insufferable!!
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1/3?
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done~
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