vrdantwind | IC Inbox

Of course Faerghus is shaped by its military. Dimitri and I learned to wield weapons before we learned to read or write. It's a warrior culture, and I'm glad for that. As far as I'm concerned, the Knights of Seiros and their peerless skill are the primary benefits of the Church. And if the Church itself didn't at least partially agree, they wouldn't dispatch them to enforce their doctrines so readily, and they wouldn't ensure that only the central Church is allowed to have a standing army.

[Felix frowns.] Doesn't it seem like the Church would take measures to make sure that didn't happen? They know as well as we do that Crests are dying out, and that without Crested nobility, a lot of their excuses for meddling in governance go away. I don't know what those measures would be, though.

I think you're putting the cart before the horse there, Felix. [Claude chuckles a little.] Faerghus' military doesn't shape Faerghus; Faerghus' military is a reflection of Faerghus. Were you and Dimitri soldiers in the military when you were taught to fight so young? I don't think so. That's Faerghus' culture. And the culture of a country will influence its military, sure, but that doesn't mean the military defines the country. There's more to Faerghus' culture than just its military, isn't it? Its religious ties to the church, that very veneration of self-sacrifice you were disgusted by earlier, its fierce independence, its monarchy, the ties between House Blaiddyd and House Fraldarius, its food, its entertainment, its architecture, its art - even the most militant country, Felix, is so much more than just its soldiers. Just as the church is so much more than its knights. Without the religion at the core of the church, there'd be no knights. And without the culture at the core of the country, there'd be no Faerghus military.

You said you're not a big picture guy, and that's no indictment of you - you were raised to be a duke, not the leader of a nation. The skillsets are totally different. And it's fine if, to you, the Knights of Seiros are the only thing of value the church has to offer - that's practical enough. But when I say that's a pretty shallow reason to approve of the church, since the Knights of Seiros make up at best maybe 5% of what the church actually is, you might just have to trust me on that one. I might be capable of seeing the big picture of the church better than you do.

As for how the church plans to address the disappearance of Crests...I have no idea. They don't seem to be doing anything differently now, as Crests are dying out, than they did in the past when Crests were a lot stronger and more prevalent...maybe they don't know, either. Maybe they're like the nobility, powerless to do anything except exist on what scraps the Goddess left behind until eventually there aren't any more, with no actual plans for what to do when they're all gone. Although...for an otherwise benevolent leader, Lady Rhea's always been fiercely intolerant of anyone who goes against the church, and treats opposing the church as opposing the Goddess herself. Maybe her plan is to just keep stomping out dissent whenever and wherever it flares up, with extreme prejudice, so that total obedience to the church becomes so ingrained in who's left that it persists even once the Goddess' blessings are gone.

I wasn't raised to be a duke. My brother was. I barely had any time to learn anything about governing a dukedom before I went to the academy, and since then we've been at war. [Felix shrugs.] So if my cart is before the horse, it's because all I ever thought I would do was fight.

[He tilts his head, glancing at Claude.] You really love this stuff, though, don't you? Politics and culture, peacetime leadership. Most nobles I know don't really enjoy running territories, they do it because it's what keeps them in power. Not you, though.

Ah. [Claude grimaces a little. Of course - Felix has already mentioned his brother. But as someone who didn't know Felix until after Glenn was already long dead...it's easy to forget Felix wasn't always the intended heir to the Fraldarius title.] That's true, sorry. But you get what I mean, right?

As for whether I enjoy it... [Claude chuckles.] Well, I definitely wouldn't say I hate it! I think it's safe to say I enjoy the prize more than the game, though. Things going smoothly, people happy and cared for, battles avoided, stuff like that. And it's like I told Dimitri - if you want the results, then to some degree you also definitely want everything that goes into getting the results. Not everyone who gardens enjoys getting their hands dirty, but if they love flowers enough, then it's worth it in the end. That's why they get their hands dirty anyway.

[Without thinking about it, he puts his hands behind his head again.] As for me...I have even grander goals beyond just keeping people fed and happy and safe - all of which require good management, by the way. But you can't build to lofty dreams on crumbling foundations, I know that much. So you work your way up, one step after another, getting the smallest goals achieved, which feed into the bigger ones, which feed into bigger ones still...and if you keep doing that enough, then anything's possible.

I do. Unfortunately, as Dimitri's advisor, I don't have the luxury of only knowing about that 5% forever. Ugh. The thought of going back to that empty estate and assuming my father's position and duties feels like a prison sentence.

[Felix's eyes slide sideways toward him when he shifts his stance again, but says nothing about it this time. Is Claude doing it on purpose? Or is it really just as habitual as he said?]

I can't say I've ever had any goals grand or lofty enough to warrant such complex planning, and I don't want them. [His tone slips a bit into surliness. I loathe politics and management. I don't even like leading troops into battle. I'm a precision weapon, not a strategist.

What kinds of ambitions do you have that are loftier than leading the whole Alliance?

[Hey, it won't be empty because you'll have Sylvain there, Felix! There's always your trophy husband to comfort you.]

You're a man who likes swordfighting, not a weapon. [Claude's tone is placid.] I won't let Dimitri dehumanize himself calling himself a beast, and I won't let you do it calling yourself an object, either. Your self-esteem might not be in quite as dire a state as his, but I still don't think it's a good habit to fall into. You're a lot more than a sword, Felix.

As for my ambitions... [Claude chuckles.] I want to open borders. Everywhere, ideally, but especially Fodlan's with its isolationist policies and its general hostility and distrust toward other countries and the people in them. I want people and cultures to be able to mingle and appreciate each other, no matter how different they might be. No more "oh, that guy's from Duscur, you know what they're like" from people who don't actually have the first idea what Duscur is like! No more princesses being held political prisoner because two countries distrust each other enough to need hostages. No more senseless raids where kids lose their families and then get taken prisoner in a foreign land that looks down on them, just because two countries have such different cultures that they insist the other must be inferior. I want cultural and personal differences to be a source of fascination, not fear. I want people to actually know each other before they make up their minds about each other.

It's incredibly simple...but also an impossibly tall order at the same time, isn't it?

...hm. I'd say it's semantics, but maybe you have a point. Still. I'm a warrior. I'll make a poor excuse for a politician. But I'll do what I must.

[He listens to Claude's plans thoughtfully, without interruption.]

You're right. It sounds like a fanciful pipe dream to me. But you clearly have an idea of how it could be done, building on foundations and whatnot. And I've seen you pull off other feats I thought were impossible. I thought the Alliance would crumble within the first year of the war, but it didn't, because of you. So if someone's going to try, it should be you.

You sound like Dimitri, actually. He has a lot of similar goals, with Duscur and Sreng. He wants to not just open the borders but give back their land and make reparations. From what I know, Sreng will be more difficult by far, but it would improve Faerghus' situation significantly if we didn't have to constantly patrol the northern border.

You're a guy who tackles every challenge he faces with every ounce of skill and effort he can muster, and someone who gets good at anything he does. [Claude smiles sidelong at him.] I doubt you'll enjoy being a politician, but I'm not worried you won't become good at it.

[At Felix's statement of faith, Claude chuckles - but honestly, he feels his cheeks warm a little. Of all the people to say they believe he can achieve his dream, getting those words from Felix feels...particularly meaningful.] You've got such touching faith in me, sunshine...how can I possibly fail now?

But you're right - Dimitri's already on the same page as me, and was from before I ever met him. It's one of the reasons I know he'll be an incredible king.

[Felix isn't sure why his face is faintly coloring over something so small.] I'll do the job regardless, I don't need buttering up.

[Wait a second, is Claude...? No, it's just the lighting or something. Right?] I can't tell whether you're mocking me or not. But yes. You and Dimitri both have the same ludicrously idealistic goals and the kinds of personalities that might just get you there. When the war ends, I suppose the two of you will split Adrestia between our two nations, or something of the sort?

I wasn't saying those things to butter you up - they're just true.

Likewise, I'm not teasing you; I really mean it. It's sweet that you believe in me - all the more so because I know you're pretty discerning about believing in anyone or anything. You know, just because I'm sometimes manipulative or teasing doesn't mean I'm jerking you around nearly as often as you think I am when we talk. Sometimes I say something just because that's what I think.

As for how Fodlan will end up after the war...that's actually already been decided, by my point in time. [He looks up at the sky.] It's one of the things I'll talk to you guys about once Dimitri's in a good enough place for the conversation to happen.

[Felix just sort of grunts in response. Claude is right, those things are true, and Felix has every intention of doing the best job he can regardless of how much he hates playing the game. He just...didn't expect Claude to say so.]

Hmph. It's not sweet. Just...an extrapolation of what I already know you're capable of, that's all. And I have no idea how to tell the difference between what you think and everything else.

[He glances over to Claude, nodding thoughtfully.] Hm. Makes sense, you and Dimitri must have discussed strategies for proceeding to Enbarr.

Felix, did you know that saying "I'm not complimenting you by saying I have faith in you, I just know from experience that you're capable and smart and I genuinely believe you can pull this off because of what I know about you" is still, in fact, sweet? Maybe more so because I know you wouldn't say it if you didn't believe it? [Claude chuckles.] Hell, you're even comparing me to Dimitri - your own king, who we both know has some real greatness in him, however much it's been buried for the past while. A guy you're deeply devoted to. That's a ridiculously high level of compliment.

[He nudges Felix.] And no speculating. I'm not going to tell you anything ahead of time. It's all three of you at once, and I'm not saying anything on the subject until then.

[It's not clear which thing Claude says gets Felix's face redder--the idea that Claude still thinks a normal, basic compliment from him is sweet, or the idea that Felix really did just compare Claude to Dimitri, or the fact that Claude just said--out loud! with his own mouth!--that Felix was 'deeply devoted' to Dimitri and he can't even argue with it. It all just sort of snowballs into tomato territory, and he turns away, shifting his gaze to the opposite side of the road to hide his face.]

Hmph. Think what you want.

[He startles a bit at the nudge. A rebuke comes to the tip of his tongue automatically, but he swallows it because...this doesn't actually trip his kneejerk dislike of being touched like he figured it would. Maybe it's because after you shove a man up against a wall and kiss him as the first time you ever touched him at all, casual touching is practically nothing. ...but anyway. He rolls his eyes.]

I'm not trying to solve your precious mystery early. I figured planning the rest of the war as allies was obvious.

I generally tend to. [Claude grins, enjoying Felix's fierce blush. (Not that Felix ever does anything by halves.) Felix is cute when he blushes, and when he's invested in other people; delightfully, calling him out on the latter tends to lead to the former. Claude personally can't get enough of it.]

And true, I guess that is an obvious conclusion. [Which almost seems to imply 'and it is in fact what happened' without actually saying so. Lying by omission is the easiest kind of lying.] But why leave Teach out of your guesswork? You act like it'd be just between me and Dimitri.

[Felix isn't even looking at Claude, but he can feel the man grinning at him. Ugh, he's so obnoxious when he's right.]

Oh. I didn't think they would have much to say on rulership of the continent after the war. I have great respect for the professor, but they are not much more 'big picture' than I am.

[Claude sighs dramatically.] All right, all right, I'll let you in on one thing. We didn't really discuss how the rule of Fodlan would be divided after the war at all after Derdriu. [Again - true, lying only by omission. It was made very clear after Derdriu, in its own way, who would be ruling Fodlan if the Kingdom won the war. But technically, there had been no talk of splitting rulership because Claude had taken himself out of that equation.] I mean, the war's far from won yet, right? Worrying about how it'll all shake out afterwards would be pretty premature. We focused much more on the immediate future. But that's all the information you're getting!

[Felix does look at Claude now, with a bit of mild suspicion.]

But you said how Fodlan would end up after the war had already been decided by your time. So if you didn't discuss it, how did you decide it? Or is all of this just a bunch of nonsense to throw me off?

[Shit. Did he say that? When? Claude covers by mock frowning and shaking his head.] Now you're just confusing me. Are we talking about strategies for the war, or what comes after? You said stuff about me and Dimitri planning the approach to Enbarr, and I asked why you wouldn't assume Teach was included in a campaign strategy and battle tactics discussion like that, and then suddenly you're talking about how Teach wouldn't care about what happens after the war. When were we ever talking about what comes after the war at all? I was talking about the actual campaign for the war going on right now.

I asked whether you and Dimitri would split Adrestia between Faerghus and the Alliance after the war, and you literally said it had been decided already where you came from. [He rolls his eyes.] Ugh, you're infuriating. There's no need to keep trying to confuse me on purpose, I'll stop asking.

[Confuse him on purpose...sure. Claude will go with that. It's definitely not that he's having trouble remembering all the half-truths he's told, and trying to keep them straight...]

It'll all make sense eventually, don't worry.

[Felix snorts quietly.] I'm not worried. I know that once you decide to tell us, you'll give more information than we ever wanted to know.

[Claude winks at him.] What can I say? It's the only way I know how to do things.

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